Open World Automotive Video Games and 3^rd Person Shooters

3^rd person shooters have long strived to offer multi-dimensional, highly versatile action, and after shooting, driving usually constitutes the second most central part of this experience. Not only do some of these games allow you to do incredible stunts and shoots and drives, but can also spark some very real wanderlust you could satisfy with very real road trips.

GTA

One of GTA’s strongest attributes has always been its boundless maps. Roaming them with any car their hearts desired, so many kids have got their first taste of the New York City and some of its most iconic boroughs, Miami, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and San Francisco. And while this first taste might have been spiced with countless killings of prostitutes and insane stunts, it has also been a drive for many to visit those places in real life and feel like their favorite characters.

With the radio being your best companion on your long “business” trips, it’s no wonder that so many people associate actual songs with GTA memories.

 Watch Dogs 2

Watch Dogs 2 is based in a fictional representation of California and San Francisco, and fizzing across The Golden Gate Bridge has never been so fun or unpunishable. The map is very expansive, and so is the list of cars you could explore it with. You could easily spend hours driving from concrete jungles to the signature Californian countryside, hills, and sea, listening to the radio, taking all the details in, not to mention pulling off some crazy movie-esque stunts by using your robust hacker skills.

Just Cause 3

The way JC3 art director Zach Schlappi describes his creation simply goes to show the thought and imagination that goes into creating an open world of such beauty and caliber:

“For Just Cause 3, we wanted a sort of new location, and no one has tackled the Mediterranean in the way we saw it… There are some great dusty environments, and you get some of that hot hazy feeling, those beautiful emerald waters, and those great big skies. It seems like a great area to lay waste to, because it was so beautiful.”

“If you look at any picture of the Mediterranean you see blue skies, wheat fields, and a lot of lavender. If you look at all our concept art there is a constant color theme of golden ochre versus teal blue. It’s always those two complementary colors bouncing around.”

“We have five different biomes and they all have their own palette feel. Each one has an identity. There is an air of exploration and expanse as people travel the world. We have two different coasts. One that is brutal with jagged rocks and deep sea cliffs, and the other is very smooth and sandy where all the tourists go. As you wander further inland you have the pastoral areas, which are full of fields of lavender and sunflowers like in Italy or Spain. That adds a sense of the human element to the game; this is a place where people live. It also creates a contrast for the scrublands which is like the Mediterranean wild west, which is full of industry and deforestation. Beyond that you have the forest, which are full of mystery and have a smokey atmosphere. Finally, players will approach the icy mountains. So players have this full sense of progression of all representations of water, from mountain snow to watery coasts.“

Sleeping Dogs

For those with a sweet spot for urban Asia, and Honk Kong in particular, with Sleeping Dogs you can immerse yourself in authentic, busy streets, lit by an Asian feast of night lights and overarching little lanterns.

Mad Max

The dystopian, boundless desolation where Mad Max roams is not exactly the kind of place you’d hope to drive across in real life, just because you wouldn’t be driving for fun, but for survival.

However, the world where the game unfolds is really something to behold, one you could truly get lost into in every sense of the word. The sandy landscape instills some paradoxical sense of freedom, like a post-apocalyptic Nevada desert, or even Mars, which is as harsh and unadorned as it is otherworldly beautiful.

We’re lucky, because similar places do exist in real life, and the best part is you could take them in knowing that there’s civilization waiting for you on the other side.

Not to mention Mad Max has spectacular gameplay and mechanics, one of the best road carnages you could ever dream of.

Open World Automotive Video Games and 1^st person shooters – Far Cry 3

Far Cry 3 is for those who want to drive around tropical islands that look as if they’ve come out of a postcard or one of those inspirational posters that circle around social media. The game is interlaced with beauty throughout, from the sparkling turquoise waters, to the distant outlines of lush mountains and jungles, to even the little Hawaiian woman toy, gently swaying next to your wheel. The driving is also 1^st person, which also makes for a different kind of gaming experience.

All those details really make for a beautiful and authentic action-packed island adventure.

Open World Automotive Video Games and Racing

Forza Horizon 3

Set in Australia, Forza Horizon 3 is a driving wonderland. You race amidst green jungles, you pass through dirt mountain roads which descend into dark caves and finally lead you to mesmerizing hidden bays which make even the most beautiful beaches seem ordinary and generic.

Forza Horizon 4, on the other hand, takes advantage of the seasonal diversity of Britain and the colors it comes with.

Need for Speed Payback

If you’ve grown up daydreaming about the unmatched freedom of driving across those endless American highways that wreathe around infinite desert landscapes and fiery mountains, Need for Speed Payback will make your dreams literally flash before your eyes.  The game is gorgeous, as simple as that.

Video games are some of the most multi-dimensional works of art there is. If you tend to think of cars in a similar way, those open world automotive video games will take you on a ride unlike anything you’ve ever embarked on. They blend speed, stunts, beauty, and exploration into a concoction whose aftertaste will keep fueling your travel and automotive spirit long after the game has finished.

The post Open World Automotive Video Games Which Will Spark Your Wanderlust appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

Here are some of those most coveted Hot Wheels whose allure takes different forms – for some it’s their unusual design, for others it’s a historic feature or even error gone extinct; there are those which were highly exclusive by default, and there are those which, to put it simply, are just very expensive, probably for all of the reasons above. Whichever the case, these die-cast cars are united by their uniqueness and the power they hold over any Hot Wheels collector.

1974 Baja Bruiser

  Image source: titillatingtreasures/eBay

What makes the Baja Bruiser special is its historic significance. It’s one of the first die-cast cars to incorporate graphics, called “tampos” instead of the signature “Spectraflame” colors which went out of production in 1972.

1977 ’31 “Redline” Doozie

  Image source: original_redlines/eBay

The “Redline” era of Hot Wheels refers to the period from 1968 to 1977 when all Hot Wheels cars had red lines around the edge of their wheels. Being one of the very last to have this, the “Redline” Doozie is a symbol of a dying breed of cars which will always be Hot Wheels’ founding figures.

1996 Ferrari F50 Spider

 Image source: South Texas Diecast Collectors

What makes this one special is that it’s a Ferrari, as simple as that. Ferrari, especially in the 90s, epitomized speed and luxury like nothing else. This miniature car is imbued with at least a thousand boys’ daydreams for every horsepower it packs.

1983 Classic Cobra

 Image Citation: Hot Wheels Collectors Newsletter

In 1983, Mattel introduced the “Real Riders” collection, bringing back their attention to wheels. The collection is defined by the cars’ big, bad tires which look so real boys could almost see smoke coming from their vicious skid. And this beauty is one of the first, but not of many since the production cost for this collection was too high.

1970 Red Barron

 Image Citation: anestateofmind/eBay

It takes one look to realize this die-cast car is anything but ordinary. Inspired by the German World War I pilot Manfred Von Richthofen, A.K.A the Red Barron, this Hot Wheel is reminiscent of a surreal tribute. It has a German helmet in place of a roof and a pair of machine guns. To make it even more unique, it was produced as a prototype, with less than 10 models known to exist.

1970 Ed Shaver Custom AMX

 Image Citation: Style by Shock Visual 

This model is unique on a few different levels. To start things off, it was available only in the UK and was only produced in blue, making it the blue jewel in the crown of any Hot Wheels collector who is only after blue cars.

But what makes it particularly special is the stickers of Ed Shavers who was an American serviceman based in the UK whose drag racing career was sponsored by Mattel. Those cars were sold on race tracks where he raced and also came in cereal boxes, tying them with different rituals and dreams that left an everlasting trail on many childhoods.

2008 Diamond-Encrusted Custom Otto

 Image Citation: Geocaching

This is a model not any Hot Wheels collector should have, simply because there can be only one Hot Wheels collector to have it. It was created in 2008 by celebrity jeweler Jason Arasheben to commemorate Hot Wheels 40^th anniversary. It has 2,702 diamonds, took over 600 hours of work, and was sold on an auction for $140,000, making it more of a die-cast car any Hot Wheels collector can dream of.

1976 Corvette Stingray

 Image Citation: titillatingtreasures / eBay

Even though this model isn’t exactly unique since Mattel has produced a great number of variations of the Corvette Stingray, this is precisely what makes it a true classic any Hot Wheels collector would be lucky to have. It’s as close as you can get to a must-have, a real stamp of class on any collection.

1974 Blue Rodger Dodger

 Image Citation: Complete Set

With only 7 Rodger Dodgers made in that color, this is the ultimate dream of any blue Hot Wheels collector.

Legend has it that Bob Parker, a Hot Wheels collector, traded off a bunch of his Matchbox cars to a collector in England for all 7 Blue Rodger Dodgers, then sold all 7 to people throughout the United States.

1968 Beatnik Bandit

 Image Citation: Redline Collector

Not only is this a part of the very first 16 Hot Wheels, making it a die-cast car any Hot Wheel collector in his/her right mind would kill over, but it stood out right away even among such a dreamy squadron. It’s re-created from Ed “Big Daddy” Roth’s concept car for Rod & Custom Magazine from 1961 that featured futuristic elements such as a big bubble over the driver’s seat and a joystick instead of a steering wheel. It looks like a car that has come out of a video game, and after all, it has never been a real car, the Beatnik Bandit embodies an invaluable chance which few collectible items could ever offer – to really blur the lines between toys and their real counterparts.

1969 Pink Rear-Loading Volkswagen Beach Bomb

 Image Citation: Complex

Hot Wheels collectors and experts, with all their different tastes and personalities, have reaches a somewhat universal consensus – this is the most coveted die-cast car by any Hot Wheels collector. After all, money isn’t really subjective, and this one was sold for $125,000.

The reasons for this staggering cost are two. First, it is pink, not the most boyish of colors, making it one of the very few pink Hot Wheels. Most of all though, it was built as a prototype and is distinguished by the actual released version by the fact that the surfboards are loaded in the back of the van rather than on a side pod.

This van remained a prototype because it was too narrow for the Hot Wheels race tracks and Super Charger. The most expensive testament of how costly errors can be in the Hot Wheels world, but certainly not in the traditional sense.

And there you have it – some of the most desired die-cast cars virtually any Hot Wheels collector would love to possess. Their Exclusivity and high cost are certainly their main common denominators, but don’t get discouraged by – what makes Hot Wheels so collectible is the boundless chance for self-expression they offer, and unless your collection is driven by strictly materialistic goals, you can always find ways to re-create your individuality into a material form that is defined by its class and distinctive style rather than its price.

The post The cars any Hot Wheels collector should (or would) have appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

Who are the collectors

Despite Hot Wheels becoming the cultural phenomenon that it is, the popularity of any brand with five decades of history is bound to eventually reach a plateau.

“For the first 15 years, I just did my job, and no one cared,” Larry Wood, Hot Wheels head designer of many years, tells Car and Driver. “Sales went up. Sales went down.”

But then, something changed.

“Then, about 20 years in, the kids who’d bought the original cars started to become dads, and these dads started buying the cars for their kids, and things just went through the roof,” Wood continues.

This is the motivation behind a fair portion of Robb Bellon’s collection. A father from Missouri, How Wheels drives him and his son to “conventions and Hot Wheels car shows monthly”, as well as closer to each other and other people who share both their passion and family-related lifestyle.

“Gives me a chance to bond with other single fathers. Bring our children… It’s mostly dads and their kids,” Robb explains.

Nostalgia

But as much as Hot Wheels may fuel Robb’s relationship with his son, it wasn’t fatherhood that started his collection, but the nostalgia for his own childhood.

“Mostly, I collect because it reminds me of my childhood,” he explains. “Back in 1995 Treasure Hunts came out and I could never find one. Eventually, when I started making more money with my job, I started to go after them just because I couldn’t find them when I was younger.”

Not only can collectors ride Hot Wheels down memory lane, but also extend it with memories which were once only dreams. Collecting is a chance for a wholehearted: “This one is for my younger self.”

An Expression of Individuality

With their overwhelming diversity, the Hot Wheels cars offer a means of self-expression that constitutes perhaps the most frequently recurring theme among any type of collection. While manifesting your individuality in real cars might come at a certain price, Hot Wheels collectors can generally do it for far less. Unless they’re after some extremely rare gem, all they need is some knowledge, time, and drive. Some Hot Wheels collectors go after special, limited series and editions, like the coveted Treasure Hunts series. Others can create their own series, collecting the miniature versions of their dream cars.

Robb likes to do both.

“Mine [my collection] definitely reflects my individuality. I do tend to collect Hot Wheels versions of cars that I really like. Like Exotics. Ferraris. Lamborghinis. I mainly collect the Treasure Hunt Hot Wheels,” he says.

Distinctive Historic Details

And then there are those really, really rare Hot Wheels which can cost more than actual cars. They are usually one-or-very-few-of-a-kind. Sometimes, only a tiny difference separates them from another, much less valuable die-cast car, yet to Hot Wheels collectors, this tiny difference makes all the difference. For example, only the very first 16 Hot Wheels cars that came out in 1968 had redline wheels, and even the most exact replicas without those red lines wouldn’t be worth much in an expert’s eyes. It’s not the aesthetics of the design what many Hot Wheels collectors are primarily after – it’s the historic period of Hot Wheels and sometimes even the U.S. that the design was born out of. A rare die-cast car is like a unique photo of an era Hot Wheels collectors might have never even experienced.

For many, the Hot Wheels cars might be the ultimate collectible items – they carry so much personal and collective history within such little space. And not just any space, but the boiled-down outer and engineering beauty of real cars.

Funnily enough, perhaps some of the people who own the actual cars don’t cherish them half as much as Hot Wheels collectors treasure their die-cast versions. And this is what collecting is all about. This, and passing the collection and passion on to a loved one.

The post Hot Wheels Collectors: Collecting Memories and Family Moments appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

The history of Hot Wheels reflects the ever-evolving American culture within which one thing remains constant – the company’s continuous flair for innovation and the finest of craftsmanship.

Backstory

The story of Hot Wheels starts before the brand’s actual inception, with the first sparks of the toy-making genius and business savviness of husband and wife Elliot and Ruth Handler. Their company Mattel’s success sounds almost movie-esque – from producing picture frames in a garage and using the scraps for dollhouse furniture, the duo discovered where their real strength lied. They channeled their energy into making toys, and it materialized into memorable creations such as the Uke-A-Doodle and a popular Jack-in-the-box before reaching a pinnacle, probably much higher than anything anyone could have ever envisioned. In 1959, Mattel didn’t just create a toy, but a key that set girls’ fantasies free – Barbie.

From there, it was clear: Mattel didn’t just make toys, it made history and molded culture and childhoods. Such an unparalleled game-changer like Barbie just had to be recreated somehow into the boys’ world. And certainly, boys’ lives were never the same after 1968, when Hot Wheels first came out.

Inception

At the time, Matchbox produced miniature cars which boys were crazy for, including the Handlers’ grandchildren. Elliot Handler saw the immense joy the little cars brought, but saw something else as well – the potential for improvement. He wanted to create something that sets boys’ imagination on fire. And that’s precisely what Hot Wheels did. By incorporating signature American themes into a refined design and bad-ass paint jobs, made all-the-more flashy by the unmatched speed which the cars whizzed through children’s eyes with, Hot Wheels became for Matchbox what Google is for Bing.

Hot Wheels were cooler, faster, more imaginative, but there was more: rather than being sold like fish out of water, they came with their very own visionary aquariums – huge track systems. To this day, the countless possibilities for reconstructing the race tracks, with all their various connectors, loops, curves, ramps, launchers and speedometers, and creating unique stunts poses a special kind of allure, a different, more personal type of playing experience, limited only by kids’ creativity and imagination.

History and Development of Hot Wheels

It all started in 1968. By then, Mattel was synonymous with toy wizardry, so even an endeavor as ambitious as taking a piece of Matchbox’s pie didn’t seem that ludicrous. And as it turned out, “Mattel” ended up with the entire pie for themselves.

Even the origin of the name Hot Wheels feels like a made-up, Eureka moment, a piece of history in the making. When Elliot Handler first met with Harry Bentley Bradley, a car designer who worked for General Motors, to discuss business, his attention was immediately captured by Bradley’s classic Southern California El Camino hot rod in the parking lot.

“Man, those are some hot wheels,” Handler exclaimed, and in the same year, 16 die-cast miniature cars were created which more than lived up to this bad-ass name.

They all featured “Spectraflame” paintwork, redline wheels, and new suspension, axle and rotating styrene wheels which made the speed difference that shot them to the top like beautiful, mini-rockets.

If that wasn’t enough, Hot Wheels’ debut was almost scandalous – their 1968 “Custom Corvette” was released before the actual car, made by General Motors, quite likely through Bradley’s connections. Perhaps a bit dubious, but nevertheless a move that blurred the line between toys and real cars, especially from a child’s ingenious standpoint.

Next year, Hot Wheels proved they weren’t a one-hit wonder and didn’t operate on shock value, showing that the 16 cars were just the first taste of a mouth-watering feast. Even though Bradley left, Mattel kept bringing talented designers of real cars on board, ensuring the authenticity of its products. Not only that, but a former missile developer by the befitting name of Jack Ryan was brought on board, contributing to Hot Wheels all-around superiority.

In 1970, kids were in for a treat. The pinpoint business instincts of Mattel were sharper than ever. Children received the invaluable chance of reenacting the most famous rivalry in drag racing history between Tom “The Mongoose” McEwen and Don “The Snake” Prudhomme through miniature versions of their respective cars. The same year saw the first promotional cars for Jack-in-the-Box, as well as the Hot Wheels Saturday morning television show. What a time to be a kid that must have been!

Mattel became an empire, but rather than basking in the afterglow of their glory, it made sure its glow is permanently powered by new, brighter business ideas and designs. In 1983, Hot Wheels were put in McDonalds’ Happy Meals and became the designated cars to ride in one of children’s favorite wonderlands. In 1985, Mattel joined forced with Kellogg, and Hot Wheels tied in with another childhood sacred ritual – the precious act of eating cereal.

It became clear that adulthood was no immunity to the timeless appeal of Hot Wheels’ sophistication and refined design. The first-ever Hot Wheels collectors’ convention was held in Toledo, Ohio, in 1987. Meanwhile, the Handlers’ success might have been of galactic proportions, but their demeanor stayed firmly down-to-earth, which paid off with their employees’ respect, and ultimately, with better cars.

In 1995, Mattel spiced things up once again with the introduction of different, thematic series, imbued with an aura of exclusivity that was especially palpable in the Treasure Hunt series. Such special editions pose a promise of self-expression and individuality that collectors and Hot Wheels enthusiasts can’t resist to this day.

In 1997, Mattel bought Matchbox, making Hot Wheels hegemony absolute. In 1999, Hot Wheels signed a deal with 5 Formula 1 teams, leaving hardly any marketing possibility unturned.

Now, Mattel still doesn’t let opportunities slide. It channels the technological evolution into state-of-the-art race tracks and ideas that elevate Hot Wheels to a futuristic gaming experience without losing its roots.

Who knows what the future holds for Hot Wheels, especially in the age of rapid technological advent. Whatever it does, these cars are perhaps the first and longest-lasting proof that the appeal of games and toys of true quality not only doesn’t fade away with age or time, but can even evolve from a form of entertainment into a form of lifestyle and cultural movement.

The post Hot Wheels: A History of Innovation and Superiority appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

I used to spend my summer vacations at my uncle’s house, a video game wonderland. I would pass hours watching my cousin playing these amazing games which to my young mind looked like straight-up magic. Once, after he died for the 100^th time in a row, I asked for a shot, which only got me kicked out of the room. So, watching had to do. Until my uncle came home from work.

My eyes would go back and forth from the computer screen to the clock, counting the minutes until my hero’s arrival. And then, when he finally came to the rescue, I would get my long-awaited chance. And it was amazing … for about 10 minutes until I got stuck.

The first DOOM was the biggest game at the time. You got to do a bunch of action which nowadays might look plain even to a 2-year old, but then felt more immersive than virtual reality. In-between all the fun though, you had to do a bunch of not so fun stuff, too, at least not for someone who welcomes a challenge as much as a slot machine player. You had to think, analyze. You had to figure ways out of different situations. You had to go around mazes and remember the paths, look for a myriad of different keys to unlock a myriad of different doors, all while fighting for your life.

And just like that, something I had spent hours salivating over lost its appeal within mere minutes. And of course, the problem was never in me:

“This game has errors in it!” I would shout at the screen.

“It’s fine when I play it,” my uncle would respond nonchalantly.

“No, now it has errors for sure! This maze has no way out. I need a blue key to open the door, but it’s nowhere to be found!”

This debate usually continued until my uncle proved me wrong by escaping the inescapable maze I was whining about. But once, my moaning must have got to him, his benign behavior suddenly shifted, and what he shouted at me under his trembling mustache has stuck with me to this day:

“John Romero designed DOOM so there’s always a way out. ALWAYS! Every place you get yourself into has a way out. Every situation is reversible,” my uncle yelled with the distinctive fire in his voice which only his true passions could spark. “You waited all day to play it, and now you’re just going to give up after the first obstacle?! It’s the same game you were dying to play. To enjoy it, you have to become good at it, and to become good, you need to try harder.”

This advice helped me discover all my favorite games throughout the years. Games which were not only incredibly fun to play, but also kept a special message which was more rewarding than any action-packed sequence.

But actually, I don’t think my uncle’s overarching purpose was to turn me into the successful gamer I am today. It wasn’t a gaming “hack” he taught me but a life one. It’s easy to get pumped up about being a rock God when you watch one of them being bombarded with female underwear on stage. But what you don’t see is just how human that “God” felt while going through endless mundane technique exercises and getting stuck in a riff until he hated both music and himself.

My uncle gave me a compass to get me through the mazes of any life game I decide to play. Universal values better than any momentary solution. When I get stuck, I don’t blame the game anymore. And I’m never stuck for long.

The post The universal values my uncle taught me through video games appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

I wanted my first step into adulthood to be something more of a leap. I needed to feel like I was embarking on a life-changing journey towards a land unknown rather than simply taking the safe road to a steady and comfortable future. I was ready to experience being truly alone, see what I was really made of. I was going to roam the busy college halls and Glasgow`s rainy streets like the lone wolf I was about to become.

And in this daring spirit, I tried my very best to prepare myself as little as possible. Scotland had to be a book you just open and lose yourself in instead of checking its reviews and contents page first. I persevered against my mother`s appeals and didn`t check anything about the campus, the accommodation halls, the check-in procedures, the studying system or the surrounding areas. Reading from a computer screen about what I was going to experience firsthand was only going to spoil my the authenticity of my experience and turn me into a phony. Do you ever see bikers checking hotel reviews on Yelp before hitting the road? I wasn`t going to do it either. Planning for an adventure of this magnitude wasn’t an option.

In reality, however, it turned out it not only should have been an option, but a priority. First, I walked around with all my luggage searching for the campus for nearly two hours, well past midnight, only to find out it had been right in front of me all along. After that it turned out I should have preordered my bedding sets long before my arrival, and given that I arrived on Friday, I had to sleep the whole weekend with my clothes and jacket on in cold Scotland. But hey, it was all part of the adventure, right?

My exploration didn`t begin as gloriously as I had imagined either as most of it consisted of exploring the campus labyrinth. On the schedule sheet, each room was marked by a letter which apparently stood for the respective building, but why a certain letter corresponded to a building without that letter even being in the building’s actual name remained an unresolved mystery, at least for me. I would already be late by the time I found the correct facility, and still had to look for the actual classroom. I remember running around the halls, entering classes out of breath and interrupting teachers as a sea of students lifted their heads up to give me puzzled looks. I had to look for an empty seat and awkwardly squeeze in between strangers who had already formed groups I wasn`t a part of.

I kept finding out about various things late and I always felt lost, and not in the romantic way I had been envisioning. This started getting on my nerves, I couldn`t sleep all night, then ironically overslept. After a while, I felt too embarrassed to go in classes late and just skipped them. I started falling even more behind, both educationally and socially. There were always assignments due I had no clue of, and all kinds of social events and opportunities I kept overhearing about when it was already too late.

Almost 3 months in, close to the end of the first semester, one of my class leaders asked me why I hadn’t been answering any of his emails.

“But how do you know my email?” I answered.

“Your personal student email, everybody gets one. You didn`t see my emails about your missed assignments and attendance issues?”

“My student email?!”

When I opened it for the first time less than 3 weeks before the end of the semester, I had 122 unread emails. I can still feel the cold drops of sweat on my forehead.

Thankfully, I had my “Get Out of Jail Free Card” to fall back on, which in college is being foreign. It somehow got me out of the swamp.

But socially, I had become the lone wolf all right, and even though it was somewhat romantic out of campus, I howled every time I heard the words “group assignments”. In class, I felt more like an alien and less like a cool and mysterious alpha.

As time went on some things got a bit better, for others it was already a too late. Truth is my most memorable moments in Scotland had nothing to do with university. I guess some planning for an adventure might not spoil the authenticity of your experience, after all. In fact, it might even help you make the most of it.

Living in the moment is great, but it seems to work best with some groundwork which is usually edited out of those inspiring montages we all fall for.

The post Some planning for an adventure isn’t such a spoiler appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

A meaningful protest should serve a larger purpose than your sense of social superiority.

5. Meaningless protests related to livestock being the main cause of greenhouse gases emissions

This was a real “kill two birds with one stone”-kind of thing as activists not only got to stand up for the environment, but could save some innocent cows in the process. The documentary called “Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret”, launched by Netflix and produced by Leonardo DiCaprio, states that more than 51% of all global greenhouse gas emissions are caused by livestock and byproducts. Even if the film’s idea might have been admirable, documentaries can’t get away with some of the implausible storylines fiction movies can.

First of all, those facts are simply wrong, with the real number having been estimated at 14.5%. Second, this is a very out-of-context outlook altogether, the equivalent to dismissing global warming on the basis of one cold winter day.

Researchers at USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Virginia Tech explored what would happen if the U.S. went completely vegan. They found out that eliminating food animals would also result in increases associated with producing additional food crops, and would finally come down to a drop of 2.6 % of total U.S. emissions – a relatively insignificant number in the grand scheme of things, especially considering the health risks vegan lifestyle can pose for some, and how unaffordable it can be as well. Reducing greenhouse gas emission is an endeavor that goes way beyond quitting meat.

4. The Kim Davis case

Kim Davis redefined the idea of standing up to the system, and not in a good way. The county clerk for Rowan County became famous for denying a gay couple a marriage license in 2015, defying the U.S.  Supreme court order. Davis believed she was obliging with “God’s authority” and her blind faith even led her to jail.

Now, Davis doesn’t refuse to give same-sex couples marriage licenses anymore as Kentucky changed its rules and clerks no longer have to attach their names to the licenses. It appears the whole thing was a copyright issue, with nothing but a signature protecting God’s authority.

3. The Russian fake protests

2016 had something for the conspiracy fans, with different fake protests in the lead-up to the US presidential elections throughout the country, organized by the Internet Research Agency – a troll bureau that used fake social media accounts to popularize Facebook groups through paid ads. The Russian trolls even organized a simultaneous protest and counter-protest in Texas, instigating a confrontation between two huge Facebook groups –  “Stop the Islamization of Texas” and “United Muslims of America”, with the goal of dividing Americans and start chaos altogether. However, some good might actually come out of this movie-esque phenomenon – it gives a very tangible perspective on just how long social media’s reach really is, and serves as a graphic reminder that “Not everything you read on the Internet is true”.

2. “Occupy” Wall Street meaningless protests

The Occupy movement was about as effective and driven as the Ali G’s hunger strike. More of a V for Vendetta cosplay, this protest consisted mostly of hanging out in Zuccotti park, exchanging grandiose ideas about taking down the 1% and giving different takes on what revolution “is all about”. Nobody is saying to pull a Guy Fawkes and start bombing stuff, but wearing a mask in that context is a privilege for vigilantes who have an actual reason to hide their faces from the corrupt authorities.

It’s highly unlikely that anybody needed to stay anonymous while camping out in a park.

1. The Berkeley meaningless protests

What better way to fight oppression than with more oppression. The Berkeley student protestors formed a human chain, blocking white students from reaching their classes under the demands for creation of safe spaces for transgender and non-white students. Whatever noble intentions there might have been in those protesters’ minds surely remained nothing more than that. This deeply paradoxical act, along with others like the angry protests against the right of conservatives’ to conduct speeches on campus, is what turned the term “safe space” into the safe word of spoiled, self-righteous and ignorant kids who seek shelter from any real-life challenges.

These protests teach us that it’s very easy to judge from the sidelines and talk big, probably as easy as is getting drunk on power. Protesting should be a real step toward real change rather the chaotic collection of misguided believes.

Protesting isn’t meant embelish your social media profile and status.

Parade condemnation, parade solutions, but don’t parade yourselves.

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However, some people have taken this idea to extreme heights, stating that men’s sex drive is the one and only master pulling strings, governing men’s every move.

Comedians Dave Chappelle and Chris D’elia appear to be some of that theory’s forthright supporters:

“If a man can fuck a woman in a cardboard box, he wouldn’t buy a house.” – Dave Chappelle

“No matter what we do as men, the real reason we’re doing it is to get in your pussy.” – Chris D’elia

Of course, comedians tend to exaggerate to get laughs, but you know what they say – “It’s funny cause it’s true.”

In a paper by Baumeister and Kathleen Vohs, called Sexual Economics, Culture, Men and Modern Sexual Trends, the psychologists state that:

“Giving young men easy access to abundant sexual satisfaction deprives society of one of its ways to motivate them to contribute valuable achievements to the culture”

In her article Love in the Time of Individualism, Julie Beck’s examination of the book Cheap Sex by Mark Regnerus, a sociologist at the University of Texas at Austin, leads her to a similar idea:

“Regnerus also argues that the easy availability of sex makes men less motivated in their professional lives, because they don’t need to become successful, i.e., marriageable, to woo women to their beds.”

Thank God Tinder wasn’t invented earlier or The Theory of General relativity might have remained in Einstein’s head while his lower one was having all the fun.

This belief that sex is men’s life goal, reigning above all others, spans beyond the idea of money as well. A man’s social status today, especially in terms how it translates to his sexual marketability, is a much more flexible and complex matter than it used to be in “Mad Men” era.

As the Reddit user puaSenator (which probably stands for pick up artist – a term used to describe dedicated womanizers, Senator) states:

“Sex is a barometer of personal success. … A poor artist making waves is not necessarily going to be financially successful, but will be successful within their own area, and the pussy will naturally follow.”

My college roommate, perhaps the most driven and focused womanizer I have ever met, has very similar ideas:

“Being an alpha that chases goals outside of women is what women find attractive. Having strong interest and passions in life that, supposedly, have nothing to do with getting laid is what gets you laid.” my ex-roommate says.

PUA-inspired philosophy seems to preach that sex and personal success are two mutually-reinforcing cornerstones in a man’s world:

“Mastering the art of picking-up girls gives you a certain level of confidence that you can apply to any aspect of your life, “ my roommate continues.

And even though the PUA current and the likes flow towards an idyll few men would frown upon, it might not play such a central role in all men’s dream scenario.

A study on casual sex and its appeals, published in Social Psychological and Personality Science, called Wo Benefits From Casual Sex? The Moderating Role of Sociosexuality has discovered that the people who derive more pleasure and general life satisfaction from casual sex are: “extroverted”, “sensation-seeking”, “impulsive”, “avoidantly attached” males who “also invest less in romantic relationships and are more likely to have cheated on a romantic partner.” Other traits that describe those men, according to Vrangalova, the sex researcher that led the study, are: “sexist, manipulative, coercive and narcissistic”, especially among college men.

Even though those qualities don’t exclude other merits, it’s hard to imagine they are the best way to describe Einstein, Mandela, Lincoln and other men that made a difference to society.

So if late at night, you find yourself banging your head against the wall, trying to figure out new ways to bed more women, maybe don’t rub your social superiority in the face of men that find meaning in other aspects of their lives as well. Sex is men’s life goal, but how central – everyone decides for themselves.

Do you kiss and tell after your hook-ups? Maybe there is a better strategy for your sharing about your love life.

The post Sex is men’s life goal, but the only one? appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

Maybe what started as an insignificant drizzle just turned into a complete downpour in your head, until it spilled out and flooded your reality. But it didn’t have to.

Why when it rains, it pours

While rain is out of our control, science has proven that it is our mind that creates this flood-type effect. Researchers from Purdue University examined this phenomenon within the frames of a football field. They monitored how the players’ perception of the goal post changed after successful and unsuccessful kicks. After successful kicks, the post appeared bigger. Kicks that were missed left and right of the target though narrowed the post in the players’ minds, while kicks that felt short of the target made the post look taller.

This experiment explains why a seemingly random series of unfortunate events might not be that random after all. It’s like an avalanche – each lousy event drags another one with it, creating a momentum that is harder and harder to reverse. Similarly, a winning streak, flow state or being in the zone is a feeling as magical as it is tricky. Perceiving our goals as more attainable is a double-edged sword, and how you swing it makes all the difference. There is a reason why athletes from all disciplines say it’s harder to stay on top than to get there. But they also might know how to weather the storm.

Humble in win, humble in defeat

Sports has given birth to many inspiring mottos and figures, and their pre-exploitation sometimes stops us from seeing past their cliché status. After all, clichés become clichés because they are correct. “Humble in the win, humble in defeat” is one of most wide-spread maxims, and the reason why is because it’s a life philosophy first and a sports one second.

Sometimes it rains, sometimes when it rains, it pours. Other times there’s not a single cloud in the sky. The weather might not be up to us, but what we make of it is. After all, they say each season has a charm of its own.

The post When it rains, it pours, or does it? appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

Where we ride that momentum to is what makes all the difference to our relationship with money and the world.

Money buys social status

A research from Jeffrey Pfeffer, a professor at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, led other colleagues on a quest to capture money’ worth. The paper focuses on money’s connection to employees’ morale, performance and self-esteem, but in the process, it puts a grander, and otherwise ridiculous phenomenon, into perspective.

The study discovered that money’s role goes far beyond mere pragmatism and exchange. Money is more of a barometer of one’s success and value, and earned money – worth far more than a windfall.

“The money in that case is a signal of competence and worth, and that makes it addictive, because the more you have, the more you want,” Pfeffer says.

Money may not exactly buy happiness, but for many, it buys social status and feeling of self-worth. And just like people use drugs as a replacement for happiness, money’s allure isn’t without strings attached.

Money addiction might be the ugliest form of dependence

Celebrities’ ridiculous behavior is starting to make more sense, which doesn’t go to say it becomes more acceptable.  Celebrities selling their “principles” for a paycheck they will hardly ever spend. Britney Spears feeding her dog with 180-dollar steaks, others putting diamonds on their pets’ collars. Floyd “Money” Mayweather mocking Conor McGregor for being an 8-figure fighter. At least that was part of ceremonial trash talk that is practically as important as is the actual fight. Nevertheless, as his nickname and flashy lifestyle suggest, modesty isn’t his strong suit.

The examples of celebrities going to ridiculous lengths in the pursuit of money are as countless as are their riches. More importantly, how they use money is what turns their drive into the ugliest form of addiction there is.

Spending your hard-earned money is undeniably one of life’s purest and most well-deserved forms of joy. When your work is part of your identity, a paycheck has even more sentimental value, rightfully so.

However, perhaps if celebrities derived a feeling of social superiority from putting their fortunes to other use besides showing off their flashy toys like spoiled little kids, the world would be a much different place.

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“It’s easier to get hyped for a product that brings us immediate benefit. Something we imagine ourselves using over and over again, even though we might not even truly need. Do you imagine yourself saving someone’s life? Probably not, unless it’s in a Hollywood-like scenario where you become the hero that gets the girl and saves the day. But performing first aid to someone – how often does that come up in anyone’s imagination?”

That said, there’s hardly anything more meaningful than saving someone’s life.

Paradoxically, some of the most important and biggest movements in life are the hardest to spark and drive forward. Steps to prevent climate change, global warming, extreme poverty – those are global concerns to all mankind, yet few of us bother with. Why? It’s hard to relate to a starving kid, drinking contaminated water in a place of the world we haven’t even heard of. It’s easier to get hyped for a product that brings us immediate benefit. Something we imagine ourselves using over and over again, even though we might not even truly need. Do you imagine yourself saving someone’s life? Probably not, unless it’s in a Hollywood-like scenario where you become the hero that gets the girl and saves the day. But performing first aid to someone – how often does that come up in anyone’s imagination?

This is what great creative advertising does best – it puts you in a position you could picture yourself, or someone you know, clear as day, often via situations you might not have even come close to envisioning. Great advertising makes you relate. If you haven’t seen Collateral Beauty (and you should), Will Smith explains that advertising revolves around one question: “Why?” Why do you do what you do, why would you buy this product? Why would you sign up for first aid classes if you’ve never needed them, or never knew anyone who did?

This creative ad utilizes a simple tool that great advertising, and many other non-related fields, in fact, employ – research. Research can be the extra mile between the trivial and the special, the “extra” in front of “ordinary.” It is research that made this ad truly relateable. By statistically putting it up against a much more tangible, scarier, infamous monster such as cancer, the ad reveals the true difference first aid can make.

Did you know that first aid saves the same amount of lives as cancer takes annually? Neither did I.

The creative ad is a perfect example of a films meet ads. It has a crisp storyline that doesn’t waste a single frame. It sinks you right into a story that exults profound human sadness and tragedy. It takes you through a journey too many unfortunate people have gone through. From receiving the bad news, to delivering it to your family, to the slow and painful road to recovery whose dreamed destination is one not many people are lucky enough to reach. It makes you cringe and root for all the characters. And as you start sensing the calm of a happy resolution and wondering what the ad is all about, it snatches it away, just as an absurd accident would sneak up on you in real life and take everything away.

I’m not going include a call to action for taking first aid classes. If this ad doesn’t, then nothing can.

The post Advertising as High Art: Watch This Piece About the Importance of First Aid appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

The talking, sophisticated cheetah who just couldn’t seem to get enough of the tonic water was all over the prime time during my childhood. After all, which boy wouldn’t beg his parents for a drink which he’d just seen relished by a cool, deadly predator?

“Schweppes created five short films, and showed segments of them on the air. The shorter ads for TV were crafted in a way to tickle the imagination to the maximum, leaving the viewers craving for the full stories. They were all centered around shady characters with some kind of a secret, an intriguing past, or a rich inner world.”

But then suddenly the cheetah actually got enough of the drink and disappeared from the air. Disappointed as I was, it wasn’t long before I forgot all about him, and not just because of the child-like fleeting nature of my interests. The wild cat got replaced by Schweppes’ next campaign, and it was on a completely different level from any piece of advertising I’d seen before. Schweppes shifted their efforts towards a more mature audience, and thus changed their storytelling approach. And as their brand identity developed, so did my concepts about advertising.

The shift of Schweppes’ advertising vision was sudden, yet refined and masterfully carried out. The company maintained their classy, gentleman-like, subtle “schh” vibe, but also added a generous dash of mystery and noir feel. It made for a combination that hit the sweet spot, stepping on their playful and sophisticated image and placing it within the frames of more serious, mature scenarios.

Schweppes created five short films, and showed segments of them on the air. The shorter ads for TV were crafted in a way to tickle the imagination to the maximum, leaving the viewers craving for the full stories. They were all centered around characters with some kind of a secret, an intriguing past, or a rich inner world. In the moment of the flash, the dramatic revelation, or in this case — the “Schh moment” — viewers were invited to unveil the full story online. Cliffhangers didn’t get much better than this.

And the website which hosted them was a work of art itself. It was designed as if you were walking into a fancy lobby of a beautiful film theater, and managed to recreate the atmosphere Schweppes was already known for, even as viewer sat in their homes. The films made it feel like I was being let in on a secret, something special not everyone was privy to. After all, their slogan stated Schweppes was meant for people with a past.

In this way Schweppes separated itself from the drinks for the masses. They became a brand with a story, meant for people with stories of their own. The same way detectives from noir novels drink bourbon, Schweppes became the drink of choice for edgy, mysterious, dubious, or poetically troubled characters from real life. Or at least for teenagers who liked to think they were cooler than they actually were. I’ve posted two of my favorites below.

Signs
Signs’ protagonist wasn’t exactly mysterious, or classy, or bad-ass, or any kind of cool for that matter. However, the character’s kind innocence is as tangible and disarming as a kitten in the rain. The film’s all-round haunting lonesomeness exudes from the very first frame and creates the signature for the campaign luring vibe. Signs is an endearingly pure depiction of loneliness, faith, love, and how easily it can slip through our fingers. If we let it.

Consequences
In my humble opinion, Consequences is the most powerful movie of the five. Without a doubt, it is by far the most dramatic. It encompasses everything that is great about Schweppes’ more mature brand identity. A mysterious vibe that pulses with melancholy and tension, a questionable protagonist and his rich backstory that might still take its toll on him. All that, delivered with an elegant pace and vibrant storytelling makes for a film that lingers, as do some consequences.

Schweppes upholds a legacy of creative advertising of the highest of classes. Even better, it demonstrates that when your identity is founded on a solid, crisp and vigorous idea, your story will remain authentic as it develops over time.

The post Advertising as Fine Art: The Short Films of Schweppes appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

Today the slogan is an international symbol people perceive as an artistic pillar. It stands for strength of character, overcoming adversity, relentlessness, leap of faith, progress, and anything else you interpret it as. Ultimately, it has become an inspiration for people from all strides of life to Keep Walking, past whatever might be holding them back, and towards whatever they might have their minds set on.

Johnnie Walker’s advertising legacy lifts the bar extremely high in terms of storytelling. This only makes the success of Dear Brother even more impressive. The spec ad by the two German film students at the film academy of Baden might be the best ad/short film to portray the concept of Keep Walking. It’s a tale of childhood, freedom, nostalgia, loss, heartache, and moving on by embracing this painful, yet beautiful mix of memories and emotions.  And to make things even more romantically heroic and moving, it all unfolds on the dramatic awe that is Scotland’s isle of Skye. “Dear Brother” is a feast of rich, but point-on cinematography, concise, yet enigmatic and touching storytelling, all happening at a masterful pace that makes it all linger in our hearts like sweet misery.

The 90-second film became a viral hit on Reddit and amazed millions of people around the world. Not only, it introduced two names that might become ( if they haven’t already) complete game-changers in the already dynamic and imaginative world of creative advertising.

Short ads have become a whole new outlet for creative expression and inspirational messages. They often stay with us far longer than many films and can even influence our outlook on life. Many commercials are packed with meaning, atmosphere, plot and cinematography that leave us more fulfilled than cinema. A brand identity is constructed by a few key elements, and when they all come together in perfect harmony within a short, but powerful storyline, it can leave people speechless. In the end of the day, this is what stirs consumers’ choices a great deal of the time. Unless you have the taste buds of a master blender, Dear Brother can make up for anything you might have against Johnnie Walker as a whiskey.

For those of you who haven’t seen Dear Brother by Daniel Titz and Dorian Lebhertz , you should really mark a minute and a half in your calendar and fix that oversight. The ad does in 90 seconds what most films can’t do in 90 minutes. It breathes overwhelming nostalgia from the first frame – from its lyrical monologues, elegiac music, beautiful cinematography and heart-warming brotherly moments. It’s what film experts would best describe as a video poem. A bitter-sweet reminiscence, it strikes a beautiful chord, made up of very complex and different notes. It`s a letter, filled with memories and guidance, a tribute to the past and a road map to the future. And a jaw-dropping twist that will make the lump in your throat keep growing long after you finish watching.

Funnily enough, Dear Brother remains only a spec ad. The creators never approached Johnnie Walker since the brand has shifted their campaing goals. Nevertheless, it shows us the most beautiful and nuanced perspective of what it means to Keep Walking yet.  After all, that is exactly what the talented film students’ goal was.

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It’s hard not to feel overwhelmed by the constant debates, ever-changing regulations and all-around controversy surrounding the steady advent of technology. Whereas a few years ago those matters might have felt almost philosophical in nature, nowadays their outcome can determine key aspects of our everyday lives. Now all eyes are on an issue which was supposedly already resolved – net neutrality, or open internet. Unfortunately, the common good once again doesn’t align with one of Trump’s administration priorities. As a result, at stake is the very way we interact with something as essential as the internet.

However, there is some good news. First, the matter boils down to fundamental democratic and moral stances, ones that hopefully we haven’t stirred that far away from. Second, resolving it is in the public’s hands, and this time it might even be for good.

Net Neutrality Ensures Equal Internet Access for All

Most simply put the net neutrality laws ensure the equal and unhampered access to the internet. Whether you’re a regular consumer of internet content or a service that provides it, internet service providers (ISPs) shouldn’t manipulate the way you use the internet to serve its interests. After successfully being sued by one of the biggest ISPs (Verizon), The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) was forced to apply stricter laws f it wanted to keep net neutrality protected. And it did, by reclassifying all ISPs under the title II of the Communications Act as common carriers, basically like a utility, the same as gas or electricity.

Title II aims to help net neutrality prevent the two-tier Internet system. No “fast lanes”for the high rollers or “slow lane” for the other content providers who can’t afford the higher costs to compete with the already-established big boys in the Internet hood. This means ISPs are obligated to provide the same service to everyone – they can’t block consumers from accessing certain content and sites, or slow them down on purpose while speeding up others whose providers pay them more.

Even though this may seem pretty obvious for basic moral, legal and professional reasons, you’d be surprised how much opposition there is to it. There have been multiple examples in the past of ISPs interfering with the speed of certain content or even completely blocking their customers from reaching it because it was in competition with a service of their own. This is exactly why the Title II had to come in action in the first place and impose stricter laws.

Net Neutrality is an Enforcer of Democracy

Removing net neutrality laws would negatively affect far more people than it would affect positively. It’s as simple as that – a universal mathematical truth which is the foundation of democracy.

Net Neutrality Protects Consumers’ Content Options

Most Americans’ options of ISPs are limited to one or two. Without net neutrality would, ISPs can be the mafia in the little Internet neighborhood, bullying and calling all the shots. People would have very little choice of the content they consume for their very own leisure or work.

Net Neutrality is Startups’ Ticket Out of Their Catch-22

Almost anyone that has ever applied to work without relying on connections knows the feeling. To get a job, you need experience; to get experience you need a job. But if you can escape “the experience paradox” with determination and creativity, money tends to be a less flexible matter. Without net neutrality, the competing factor of content providers would be money rather their actual content. ISPs would be free to auction their “fast lanes” and startups will lose before the hammer is even raised. And ultimately, all of us will miss out on the innovations that remained confined within the imagination of aspiring entrepreneurs.

The Internet Animal Farm

Now net neutrality is in danger once again. This time the main culprit is Ajit Pai, the FCC’s new chairman, appointed by the Trump cabinet. And if the above information surrounding the issue hasn’t got your blood boiling yet, let me add a dash of conspiracy to the mix — it’s so obvious it feels almost like mockery. Pai is a former lawyer for Verizon, the very same ISP that sued the FCC and forced them to resort to Title II to protect net neutrality.

Orwell’s 1984 was considered an almost supernaturally precise warning, and it seems like it wasn’t a one-time hit. Pai’s ridiculous and even childish rationale, his outrageously inconsistent and lax points, but above all – how transparently feigned his whole act is, bear an uncanny resemblance with Animal Farm’s main antagonist. With its all-around display of impertinence, sense of entitlement, and apparent dishonesty, it’s as if Verizon have based their business model on the tweeds’ reign over the farm. Pai’s motifs are as self-serving and unfounded as the Animal Farm’s rules. He urges us to rely on something as unreliable as ISPs’ Terms and Conditions, which they’re free to change as they please. Many of the evidence of infrastructure decline he has quoted has been disputed by legally obligated ISPs’ staff, and without getting overly political, that should come as no surprise from someone in Trump’s administration.

The moral and legal stance here is crystal clear. Hopefully, any attempts of blurring it with fancy financial and technology terms only feel like offensive ridicule.

The Problem is Global 

Similar to the way technology has rooted itself deep in our existence, so has something else – greed. After all, isn’t that the origin of all wars, all conflicts, the extreme poverty and hunger we see today? The fact that two or more side couldn’t split the pie fairly, because the rich and powerful need to be even richer and more powerful, are depriving others of their fair share. So should it come as any surprise that this tendency has manifested itself into something as lucrative and influential as the internet?

Will Verizon be able to squeeze even more money out of the biggest content providers? Should we sympathize with Netflix for having to pay extra costs to ensure the top-quality experience of their millions of customers? Or are all those additional costs taxes, same as the ones we all pay, but for much smaller incomes? Should those highly profitable companies be our main concern?

The Internet is a Necessity

The internet has become a necessity rather than a luxury, and the law needs to treat it as such. Net neutrality’s regulations may not be perfect and might need polishing, but it’s certainly better than the current administration’s alternative. The internet is clearly a much better place for far more people with it than it would be without it. And isn’t that what democracy is – letting the common good prevail?

The FCC has once again invited the public to comment on their website as it did three years ago, and comedian John Oliver has once again taken steps to organize a movement to resolve this matter hopefully once and for all. Learn about the steps you can take towards an equal internet future at 15:27 in the video below.

The post Net Neutrality is an Enforcer of Democracy appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

The appeal for filmmakers

For filmmakers, television is somewhat of an artistic Disneyland. It offers them almost unmatched freedom for setting up a pace and unveiling a story at their own terms. Most of all, this approach is extremely powerful when it comes to crafting controversial protagonists. It allows filmmakers to unfold complex personalities one layer at a time and heighten their characters` nuances with each episode.

The allure for viewers

For the viewers, this trend is a unique chance to steal precious glimpses of worlds, inhabited by heroes they wouldn`t normally cross paths with. Curiosity takes over, you play the first episode, the subtle seduction phase begins. Slowly and imperceptibly, the rules those dubious characters follow start to make more and more sense. Episode by episode, you succumb to their world and its natural order. You start small by borrowing some of their little signature traits and tailoring them to your own identity. You mimic a walk, or a swagger, maybe steal a catch phrase here and there.  Then you just never seem to shut up about them in front of your friends and their latest deeds. But it`s not until you start wondering what they would do in a certain situation you find yourself into, do you realize you`ve found your new role models in a fictional, darker universe.

Whether we`re talking about degenerates, individuals of questionable nature, psychopaths, or pure criminals, they often display inner strength and life skillsets which playing against the rules, in the most general sense, often demands. Even the straightest arrows might find there`s something useful to learn from those dubious characters, to say the least.

Criminals

In the criminal world, every sign of weakness is paid for, and usually the currency isn`t money. That`s why the TV gangsters have become famous for their sturdy will and ability to maintain their composure against all odds. Their façade of power is safer than any bulletproof vest.

Take Tony Soprano, for example. The Godfather meets every GTA gangster from Italian decent, Gandolfini portrayed a character who was often hard not to admire. He offered a very down-to-Earth, contemporary view of what juggling between a mafia family and real one must be like.

An iconic scene for me is when Tony is released from the hospital. Possessing the type of shrewdness only the streets can truly sharpen, he soon notices the difference in the way his crew looks at him since his hospitalization. For a mafia boss, image and reputation is everything. Tony beats up his much younger and stronger driver, to whom he is somewhat of a role model, just to reaffirm his power in the eyes of his subordinates. The scene ends with Soprano puking blood in the sink, away from their sight, shortly after his victory. Whatever your line of work is, such inner strength can serve as an example for any boss looking to gain his employees` respect. (not necessarily through violence)

Charming degenerates

Degenerates are another niche of dubious characters which produces unlikely role models. Say what you will, the Charlie Harpers and Hank Moodys know how to have fun. You probably judge them in front of your girlfriends, but inside, you know you wouldn`t mind being in their shoes, at least for a bit. There`s a reason why those guys are so successful with women. They don’t try to impress them or parade their nobility. And in the rare cases they do, it`s presented from a merely humorous perspective. There is definitely a trick or two you could learn from those charming decadents.

Don Draper

But in my modest opinion, nobody stirs viewers` imagination and sets their curiosity on fire like the characters who don`t fall into any particular category. Someone unpredictable, someone who always keeps us guessing about his next move, someone whose nature is almost impossible to pinpoint. Someone like Don Draper.

His presence fills the room. He is the “strong, silent type”, yet when he speaks, everybody listens with awe. He`s surrounded by a thick cloud of mystery, class, melancholy and questionable backstory that make him almost enigmatic. For somewhat of a genius, he`s actually modest, yet you`d never get the idea he doesn`t know his own merit. Don radiates the quiet confidence and winning mentality that anyone can tune into, regardless of their feelings for him. And even though he keeps his cool and dignity even when that means acting like a stone-cold heartless bastard, the subtle hints of his kind nature make us root for him even more.

Winners in life

Don Draper might be the most complex concoction of controversial traits and qualities you might witness in a TV show. He`s the embodiment of everything intriguing, appealing, questionable and admirable about the dubious characters TV series offer by the dozens. Love them or hate them – the choice is yours. Whatever it is though, don`t let it stop you from learning a thing or two from them. One thing they all have in common is that they are all winners in life.

The post The Traits You Can Learn from TV’s Most Dubious Characters appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

Speaking of bars, I was sitting in one, close to a loud, “bro” group of friends. Can you guess what they were sharing with pretty much anyone in the place with a functioning set of ears? You guessed right — “getting some strange.” And we aren’t talking just a couple of high fives here. The only thing they didn’t do was give a round of free shots, which ironically would have been the silver lining in the scenario.

A Gentleman Never Tells

“Speaking of bars, I was sitting in one, close to a loud, ‘bro’ group of friends. Can you guess what they were sharing with pretty much anyone in the place with a functioning set of ears? You guessed right — ‘getting some strange.’ And we aren’t talking just a couple of high fives here.”

“A gentleman never tells” — people used to love this motto. It is concise, discrete, mysterious, classy – qualities basically every true, self-respecting gentleman should possess. It meant something more that simply being respectful about a love conquest. A saying that signified true, inner confidence. The one that doesn’t come from pats on the back by your “pals” and doesn’t break under the “bro” pressure. The man who said it didn’t need to brag about his love life in order to gain some fake sense of macho credit. Those weren’t only the traits of a real gentleman – they were solid principles, a display of real manliness and class. And that’s what women used to look for, at least the right ones. Unfortunately, now this motto can be described in another way — forgotten.

Why Men Like to Brag About Their Love Lives

The origin of men’s internal urge to show off about “nailing” a chick is possibly as old as sex itself. Even the first caveman to smash his beloved on the head and take her to his love lair probably drew a picture on the stone walls afterwards – something like an ancient Facebook wall. Maybe it’s due to the fact that men generally have a harder time getting laid without being in a relationship. Or it might be the stronger sex drive that makes a lot of men announce a sealed deal like a home run on the loudspeaker. Maybe it’s the general misconception that women are attracted to assholes why many men broadcast their love life the way animal hunters exhibit their trophies on the wall. And if you didn’t call your pray after, you even get bonus points – from the ones that go straight into your douchebag account.

What Women Actually Find Attractive

Here is the thing – being a gentleman doesn’t mean being a monk. You can still do all the stuff any bachelor should be able to do – it is how you do it that makes all the difference. Women not being attracted to nice guys is a myth, spread by “nice” guys without a set of balls. Kindness has nothing to do with it, unless you’re looking to date female Hitler. If you’re being a nice guy only to impress a woman, you’re actually being kind of a hypocrite anyway. Owning up to your true colors – that is what women like, even when the palette is controversial. Being too chicken to man up and then blaming your exceptional nobility for being lonely — that is what women don’t really dig, and who could blame them?

There is nothing more attractive for a lady than a man who knows who he is and stands by it. One that has a story to tell and tells without too much manipulative editing. Somebody who is not afraid to be a stand-up guy among a sea of pretenders and show-offs. Basically, the one that can say “A gentleman never tells” when he has to. And if you don’t like this saying, here is another one – “whoever eats in quiet eats twice.”

Do you know the tell-tale signs that she is falling for you? Learn more how to spot the signals she is sending you.

The post The Forgotten Motto: A Gentleman Never Tells appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

“Maybe the flood of apps has changed the very way we perceive the relation between life and technology. Are apps still designed to facilitate everyday tasks and help us experience life to the fullest? Or have they started adulterating and even completely replacing it altogether?”

In “The Dating Game” episode, Peter introduces Quagmire to Tinder, and it goes exactly how anyone who is the least bit familiar with Glenn’s sexual tendencies would think – he goes on a sexual rampage, deviant even for his own standards. And even though Quagmire using Tinder is like giving a diabetic kid his very own ice-cream truck, the exaggerated hypothetical scenario reveals a lot about the way lots of people use the dating app, or maybe even technology in general.

You know a dating app is overly simplified when even Quagmire’s approach to it seems overly sophisticated. Peter quickly walks him through the rules of this dating game, which as it turns out are exactly three.  Filling out interests, hobbies, presenting yourself in the most flattering, even unrealistic light – Tinder takes care of all that hassle. A bathtub picture, “casting a wide net” by swiping yes without even looking, mastering the emoji language of seduction. Quagmire is on his way.

For something designed to facilitate human interaction, ironically Tinder basically gets rid of it, at least here. No breaking-the-ice talk, flirty talk, dinner talk, in fact any kind of talk. Apparently, “an eggplant and an erupting volcano” seals the deal. Imagine if even Quagmire finds the world of Tinder “crude” in the beginning. But as you can imagine, he quickly succumbs to this universe where the undemanding sexual experience is king. At one scene, he and his date are even using the app during their “love-making.”

Soon after Quagmire completely loses touch with real-life dating, and reality altogether. In the space of one short Family Guy song, Tinder turns Quagmire into Gollum and becomes “his precious.”  We see him living like a “sex ghoul” in the darkness of his lair, waiting for “Heather within five miles.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwm0GbzKZxs

Luckily, in the end Quagmire manages to find his way back to “scumming it up in the real world.” However, a couple of questions still leave hanging in the air for the viewers to answer for themselves.

Can Quagmire’s behavior be considered sexual deviance, or just the new social norm, even though obviously exaggerated for artistic reasons? If current times were the product of an advertising campaign, the slogan could be “the easier and faster — the better.” Is it any surprise then that sex, human interaction and real effort also fall down in this category?

Maybe the flood of apps has changed the very way we perceive the relation between life and technology. Are apps still designed to facilitate everyday tasks and help us experience life to the fullest? Or have they started adulterating and even completely replacing it altogether?

Perhaps the message of “The Dating Game” doesn’t refer only to Tinder. Then again, Seth MacFarlane isn’t known for being particularly subtle, so who’s to say? The one thing certain is how he feels about Tinder:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5hFSdSOdhc

The post According to Family Guy, “Tinder Makes You Gross” appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

Each show featured its own special group, but most consisted of a similar combination of personages and signature traits. This pattern presented a universal appeal and a universal problem at the same time. The characters worked great as a team, while still being unique and impossibly cool on their own. The issue? There was always only one from every type in each crew, meaning there could be only one kid from every class imagining to be him/her. All characters were awesome, but you couldn’t just settle for any one. You had to be your one. It’s like an aspiring 10-year old football player thinking he’s both Messi and Ronaldo at the same time — it’s just not how it works.

“As you grow up your interests and aspirations start becoming more practical and real-life orientated. Your idols become grayer, at times colorless, at other even of colors that aren’t true. There are no more ‘good guys’ everyone fights for and ‘bad guys’ everyone wants to fight against. You stop being the character you called dibs on when your imagination was king.”

After a few shows, I started noticing I would always get into fights with the same friends, over the same type of characters. I always had to be the funny, childish, quirky — maybe even goofy — the one who could kick ass despite coming off as a total retard. Think Vinnie from Biker Mice from Mars.  But as I matured, I started fighting over the “strong, silent type” who delivers cool one-liners from the sidelines, as effortlessly as he delivers punches. Think Modo from Biker Mice from Mars. The balanced leader who is the happy medium between the eccentricities of his friends never really did it for me. Anyway, there was never a lack of contenders for him, and again always the same kids.

But as you grow up your interests and aspirations start becoming more practical and real-life orientated. Your idols become grayer, at times colorless, at other even of colors that aren’t true. There are no more “good guys” everyone fights for and “bad guys” everyone wants to fight against. You stop being the character you called dibs on when your imagination was king.

On that note, I’d like to share a trick my mother taught me that helps me stay objective of myself. I find it to be a great way of getting through hard times and greeting joy. It’s something like an alternative version of “humble in win and humble in defeat” for film and story lovers. I wouldn’t call it a life hack, as I don’t really believe in them, it’s more of an outlook on life — and in those I do believe very much.

My mom once asked me what type of movie character I thought I was being. I was feeling down, and being a “complicated” teenager, I told her off. But the phrase reminded me of my childhood, and my curiosity got the best of me. I asked her what she meant. She explained that whenever she was going through rough times, she would imagine those were scenes from a larger storyline with her in its center, challenges added for dramatic effect in order to make her journey to self-discovery more exciting. She’d then ask herself whether she was the kind of character she’d sympathize with if she simply read about or saw in a film. Would her sadness seem poetic and dramatic, or she’d think her personage is just a spoiled little brat? Would she root for her personage to overcome her obstacles and feel inspired when she does? Or would her success seem like a cheesy happy ending, annoying and undeserved?

After a while, she generally started thinking of her character from the same perspective of an impartial viewer or reader. Would she think her personage was “the strong, silent type” when quiet, cool, tough and mysterious? Or just a bore with nothing good to say, or too chicken to say it? Did she ignore what wasn’t worth her attention, or was she the character without a real stance? Would she admire her acts of kindness for being genuine and noble, or would she think they are feign ass-kissing? Did her bad deeds add some edge to her character and have some motif, or was she just a bitch? Would she hungrily take in her dialogues and monologues, or skip right past them? Would she crave to see where the next chapter or episode takes her, or simply stop watching or reading?

That was her way of taking a good, hard look in the mirror, but instead of glass, she looked at an imaginative film screen or book page. Basically, she made sure she hadn’t turned into Cersei Lanister somewhere along the story. Was she actually the kind of character she would call dibs on and fight for?

This method taught me I’m never too old to imagine I’m a fictional personage, but now I have to stay in character through hardships and joys, faithful to my principles and the one I have called dibs on. This time I didn’t have to fight any of my friends for him, but I also don’t get to change the show every month and choose a new one. All I can do is try make him someone I would call dibs on over and over again. And if at any point I notice I don’t like his development – well that’s OK, because in this show I’ve called dibs on the writer too.

The post Using Fictional Characters to Develop Actual Character appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

Splitting personality disorder is hardly a novelty theme in films, but either is pretty much any topic. However, the ability to grasp an almost cliché idea in its full depth and bring an overlooked nuance to the surface with a unique spin is what separates the average filmmakers from the truly great ones. And despite that he’s been trying to prove us otherwise during the last few years, M. Night Shyamalan’s last film showed us he belongs to the second group. Yes, when he sucks, he sucks, but when he’s good, he makes you forgive him everything. Well, almost everything.

All those peculiarities turn Split into an unusual psycho thriller, and an unusually good one. Here’s a breakdown.

Reinventing a classic on a global scale

The film wastes no time and gets right down to business. McAvoy’s character — or one of his 23 personalities — kidnaps three teenage girls pretty much as soon as the camera starts rolling. Soon after, we see him dressed as a woman, without any ambitions for women empowerment or expression of extravagant tastes. The subject of splitting personalities is something like the fart jokes of thrillers — it’s never out of fashion. However, very soon we can feel that it will go much beyond that. Taking an evergreen topic and painting a bigger, unique, universally relevant picture around it, is one of Shyamaln’s signature traits. Reinforced by McAvoy’s powerful performance, any psychological thriller or mystery fan is bound to walk out of the theater feeling not only fulfilled, but even inspired. Hopefully not to kidnap teenage girls.

The Beast

The looming image of The Beast plays a key part in creating Shyamalan’s trademark ominous feel and psychological tension. The filmmaker makes us wait until almost the end to find out whether it is just another figment of the main character’s imagination, or something more. On this sinister, psychologically edgy background he patiently develops two universally human themes  and unwraps them completely with surgical precision.

Two universally human themes

The supporting message is masterfully carried out by the hostages’ back story, which at first seems irrelevant to the central plot. However, as it unfolds little by little, it becomes a key piece of Shyamalan’s puzzle. It draws a very powerful parallel with the main storyline, in that people who suffer from split- personality disorder may have lots of identities living within the same body, but it’s the medically sane ones that often hide the real monsters under their masks. Because they deceive by choice.

The unlikely positive message

And the unlikely positive message, delivered by a few of McAvoy`s 23 characters, is that we can be whoever we want to be, as it’s all in our minds. We are capable of transforming our very nature fundamentally, down to its genetic core. On paper, it may sound like a quote from a cheesy self-help book or an “inspirational” Instagram post. But within the particular frames of the movie, it makes for an unlikely positive message.

Not many films can deliver that while still being pretty creepy.

The post The Unlikely Positive Message of Split appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

But rather than one-off experiences and internet memes, let’s explore some studies of BMW drivers that tell us what they like, what they are like, and whether reality made the stereotypes or the other way around. The results may just shift your thinking. Be warned, if you are a driver or fan of these Bavarian machines, you might not like all the facts we’ve found.

The Perceived Image of BMW Drivers

BMW drivers tend to get a bad rap for being in love with themselves. For example, a study by One Poll reveals that the perception of typical BMW drivers is “Smarmy BMW businessmen, holier-than-thou Prius drivers and reckless Subaru boy-racers”.

While that is nothing but a stereotype, BMW drivers do tend to display some personality traits which fit the profile. Below are study and survey results that give us an inside look into the typical BMW enthusiast:

Less Respect for Regulations and Etiquette

The Wall Street Journal reported that BMW drivers do indeed tend to side-step road regulations, based on two different studies – one from the UK and another from the U.S.

BMW drivers are “far less likely to stop for a pedestrian who had just entered a crosswalk,” according to a study from the University of California. In all fairness, the study found that “the fancier the cars, the less likely they were to stop.” However, “BMW drivers were the worst.”

A second study from the UK is even more shocking. When researchers asked over 2,000 participants to share their experience with road rage and aggressive driving, one brand came to mind. BMW drivers, especially males in their late 30s and 40s were the worst behaved.

BMW Drivers Are More Confident in Their Knowledge Than Other Drivers

According to a study by YouGovProfiles, 70% of BMW drivers consider themselves more knowledgeable than others. While this confidence might merely stem from driving ‘’The Ultimate Driving Machine,” it does tend to give off a whiff of superiority. For reference, the 2^nd place in the “knowledgeable” category is taken by Chrysler drivers at 56. All other drivers scored under 50% for this personality trait.

Who Are BMW Drivers ?

And the traits which fall in line with the stereotype don’t end there, at least on paper. BMW drivers are likely to be “hold rightwing political views and workin the business, finance or consulting sectors.,” they describe themselves as “a leader,” with a  tendency to be abrupt and demanding.

While those traits alone are not too serious reasons for condemnation, combined with the other characteristics they do start to conjure up a mental picture. You will imagine the typical asshole you’d instantly root against in a movie. Someone with slicked hair who speaks too loudly, disrespects the waiter, cheats on his wife, and finally gets punched.

Brand Identity

You don’t put chocolate on a mouse trap, you put cheese because that’s what mice like. That’s why what a brand decides to bait their advertisements with speaks volumes of their target audience’s personality. The ad below, as creative as it is, certainly doesn’t portray BMW drivers as the biggest gentlemen:

Reality Making Stereotypes

Nevertheless, no two people are the same, and no stereotype should be taken as a universal truth.

It’s important to remember that BMWs are some of the best cars out there. Naturally, people who can afford it are likely to have high-end jobs and consider themselves winners in life. And there’s nothing wrong with that. But there are lots of people who feel the same way without having achieved anything.

Furthermore, after looking at over a million car insurances quotes, a website found that BMW drivers are not the ones involved in the most car accidents. They were surpassed by quite a few brands, including Mercedes, Audi, Lexus, and even Volvo drivers.

Stereotypes Making Reality

And last but not least, let’s not forget the power of prejudice and expectations. They can not only be a 180-degree change our perception, but even get people to act unlike themselves, make them say “I might as well do it since I’m already being accused of it.”

That’s exactly what some BMW drivers experience:

“If I’m on the highway and I’m driving in the overtaking lane within the speed limits and come up behind a much slower car…9 out of 10 times, he won’t let me pass…now, either I’ll have to overtake him from the wrong lane or tailgate him till he lets me through…whatever I do will make me the ‘typical idiot BMW driver’…if a faster car is behind mine, I always let it pass so why can’t others do the same when they see a BMW behind them….Frankly, BMW owners quickly get used to the stereotype and we don’t care about it because half of the people hating us will gladly exchange their cars for what we drive.”

***

You can check out the rest of this series with our articles on Jaguar drivers and Audi drivers. 

The post Cars and Personalities: BMW Drivers appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

But sustainability wasn’t always trendy. Up until just a few years ago, it was largely  perceived as a draconian measure, adopted by a mob of self-righteous hippies, holding “Death to Capitalism” signs, oblivious to the fact that capitalism is how their parents support them. Meanwhile, in the opposite corner, you had some well-off businessmen, giving nonchalant, disdainful responses from the comfort of one of their five summer homes, along the lines of “Well, while we’re at it, why don’t we just go back to the stone age and live like cavemen?!”

But the truth is, capitalism and sustainability are not two mutually exclusive concepts.  Sustainability doesn’t have to mean denouncing all of life’s materialistic pleasures and merely surviving in some dystopian post-apocalyptic world. Sustainability doesn’t profess that it’s a sin to play the Playstation on your Plasma TV after a hard day’s work – on the contrary, it means doing so with a clear conscience, because that Playstation and Plasma TV were made from some recycled materials and a portion of their price went toward green initiatives, like making recycling easier and cheaper, thus creating a mini circular economy, a little circle of life if you will. 

Sustainability, by definition, boils down to the idea of self-sufficiency, balance, and harmony as opposed to extremes. It’s the gift that keeps on giving. And the narrative about it has finally started to reflect that.

“The success of our sustainability initiatives is determined by how effortless they are to adopt,” Yael Aflalo, founder and CEO of Reformation, a company for sustainable women’s clothing and accessories, says. “We start with small digestible solutions that people can incorporate into their daily lives to make an impact and highlight how those changes can affect the big picture.”

As the saying goes, a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. Consider how wildly sci-fi the idea of going to the moon must have sounded back in 1902, before the first powered flight had even taken place. Yet, 67 years later, going to the moon became a reality, only 66 years after the first ever powered flight in 1903.

If we can overcome the boundaries of gravity and find a way to venture out into space, within such a short time frame at that, why wouldn’t we be able to do something that is much more in line with the natural order – living in harmony with nature, as opposed to reigning over it like tyrants, daring it to return the favor?

In fact, unlike flying and space travel, a sustainable future doesn’t have to go through that first, terrifying leap of faith. It’s not even meant to be a sharp U-turn, as some people might imagine it. On the contrary, Aflolo believes starting small and taking it one step at a time is the right approach.

“To start, brands can focus on sustainable materials — so they can source an organic or better material, and just plug that into their same business model … This one is a bit harder, but look into operations and business impact to offer better transparency around manufacturing processes (which is often the dirtiest part of the industry) and hold your business accountable to start making changes. The big and small changes will add up. If we want to have transformational change, we all need to participate,” she explains.

The belief in the accumulative power of small changes is shared by Marie-Claire Deveu, Chief Sustainability Officer of Kering Group, a global luxury group of brands such as Gucci and Saint Laurent. An unequivocal testament to that belief is the fact that in 2015, the group made its leading sustainability methodology open-source, for everyone, including its competitors, to use.

And yes, make no mistake, open-sourcing its sustainability methodology really is against Kering’s best business interests, because some of the best sustainability practices overlap with the best business practices, especially in key areas like improving efficiency and reducing energy consumption, and the associated  costs.

Speaking of reducing costs, lower costs for manufacturers usually mean lower costs for consumers. Over time and when scaled up, sustainability-conscious products don’t even have to be pricier, for either party.  

Kering’s open-source sustainability methodology is called the Environmental Profit and Loss (EP&L) initiative, which “makes the invisible impacts of business visible, quantifiable and comparable,” and has proven to be “a new way to look at our business, uncovering opportunities that would have otherwise remained invisible, innovating our business models, improving our processes’ efficiency and reducing our environmental impact.”

Another sustainability methodology that has garnered attention is fashion retailer Everlane’s “radical transparency” policy, which means making everything along the supply chain, from sourcing practices, to manufacturing facilities and materials, public knowledge. This is very reminiscent of the voluntary third-party testing initiative that has become the gold standard for legitimacy in the largely underregulated CBD industry, where independent tests by impartial labs are done in order to vouch for products’ exact contents and label accuracy. Consumers have come to expect a third-party lab report, and the lack thereof automatically places a product and the company behind it in a dubious, lower-tier category.

It’s not unlikely that Everlane’s “radical transparency” policy catches on and becomes the third-party testing of the sustainability niche, especially when you consider the practical business benefits it can bring along.

“By having greater transparency, you have far more knowledge about your raw materials, where they come from, how much you use and how you use them,” says Tyler Gillard, head of sector projects and legal adviser in the Responsible Business Conduct Unit of the OECD’s (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) Investment Division. “This is useful not just in terms of your ethics but also for running your business.”

But the aforementioned examples aren’t even that small of a step toward sustainability, but full-on initiatives and policies. Sometimes, a business model that operates on a smaller and simpler scale can capture the essence of sustainability in a way that resonates more deeply with regular consumers.

Consider 4ocean, a company that’s known for its unassuming, yet almost universally pretty bracelets, made from recycled materials. For every 4ocean product purchased, the company pulls one pound of trash from the ocean, rivers, and coastlines. It’s a perfect little example of sustainability done right – instead of turning sustainability into charity and expecting people to magically do the right thing, they turn the right thing into a visually appealing product that happens to come with a nice little pat on the back. It’s basically a way of commodifying sustainability.

And the power of that little pat on the back is not to be underestimated, in fact, some people even get drunk on it. To circle back to the social status that comes with owning a hybrid, a survey from 2007, when sustainability was nowhere near as hot of a topic as it is now, revealed that two of Prius owners’ top motives to purchase this car were to make a statement about themselves and show the world that they care.

This explains why Prius has come to symbolize a hybrid high horse for obnoxious Karens who care about the environment only to the extent to which it elevates their sense of social superiority. Nevertheless, this kind of self-righteousness shouldn’t give sustainability a bad name. And by the looks of it, it no longer does.  

An international study by Unilever, a major consumer goods company, found that 33% of consumers choose brands that do social and environmental good. This creates a €966 billion opportunity, which Unilever is already tapping into. Out of the company’s hundreds of brands, the ones that place a focus on sustainability are growing 30% faster than the rest of the business. 

Naturally, the importance of sustainability grows as consumers’ age drops. 73% of millennial respondents were willing to spend more on a sustainable product, all the way back in 2015. 

With all that in mind, it’s no wonder that Apple has committed to be 100% carbon neutral for its supply chain and products by 2030.  

“Businesses have a profound opportunity to help build a more sustainable future.The

innovations powering our environmental journey are not only good for the planet – they’ve helped us make our products more energy efficient. Climate action can be the

foundation for a new era of innovative potential, job creation, and durable economic  

Growth,” Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, says. 

The new ending underneath: 

As the famous quote goes, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” We learned to fish, alright, but what happens when the fish starts running out? You need to learn how to breed fish. That is real sustainability. And we don’t even need to learn it, but merely to re-learn it, because it’s nothing we haven’t done before. 

12,000 years ago, in 10,000 B.C., people realized that the nomadic lifestyle, living from hunt to hunt, constantly looking for food, is mre survival, rather than living, and unsustainable in the long run. This triggered the historic shift to permanent settlements and farming, to reliable food sources, to civilization as we know it and everything that comes with it, including capitalism. We’re facing yet another pivotal moment in human history, and it’s on us to recognize it as such and rise to the challenge. The alternative is to eventually be thrust back in time, to a primitive life, a life from hunt to hunt, to literal survival. But if mankind has consistently shown something over and over again throughout its history, it is its ability to adapt and be better off for it in the long run. 

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