With Great Power Comes Great Corruption

One would think that "with great power comes great responsibility", but actually it comes with corruption.  Most government officials ignore their responsibilities and only focus on one thing: money.    That is the birth of most of the corruption found in the world today, and unfortunately, it is proven in this novel.

The Cali Cartel is full of retired military officials.  They all worked with Jorge back when he was in the Colombian army. Every time he turns a corner he sees a familiar face.  What better than to have people on the inside in order to help you out? These ex officials are familiar with the army's tactics and precisely how to defend themselves and their bosses. Since they know all of these things, shouldn't they also be aware of how bad joining a cartel is?! All of this is proof to how corruption in the Colombian government started long ago.

There aren't enough words to express how apalling everything is.  When it comes to money and corruption, everyone changes in a blink of an eye.  Everyone begins to only watch out for themselves.  Jorge makes that clear when he says, "I know it's wrong and I want nothing to do with the drugs".  He then expresses the fact that he "needs the money" and that his girlfriend "will understand" (Location 99-102).  Could a cartel really seem all that inviting? Aren't there other ways to gain money? Yes, working in the cartel is easy money, however I would rather work hard than risk my life.

It's Not Only About the Tutus and the Pointe Shoes

Ballet Documentary:

Or view it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCM0qgA28Rw&feature=youtu.be

Those Who Share Enemies Usually End Up Helping Each Other

Sharing a common enemy is what made Jorge join the cartel.  He hated Pablo Escobar and his cartel more than anything in the world. Pablo Escobar had murdered a dear friend of his, Rodrigo Lara Bonilla. The Cali Cartel had never hurt him in any form and didn't have the violent reputation the Medellin Cartel had.  Until a certain proposal was made, he had never considered taking sides.  He hated Pablo Escobar but was completely neutral to the Orejuela family and their Cartel.  Until the proposal, he had never considered taking down joining the Cali Cartel in order to take down Pablo Escobar and his followers.  The Cali Cartel's proposal was very simple.

""We want Pablo Escobar dead," said Miguel Orejuela." (49)

At this statement he agreed to hear more about what the Orejuela family had to say.  "Until that moment, Jorge had never given any though to avenging the murder of his friend." (49) "Maybe justice could be done after all." (50) In his mind, he would be serving God and country if he agreed to the proposal.  He would be getting rid of the most wanted man in the country!

They told him that they wanted the deed to be done with British men who had agreed to help the Colombian army fight against the FARC.  The only man who had known the secret was Mario, but the fact that he had told him hadn't bothered him.  The four leaders (Miguel Orejuela, Gilberto Orejuela, Pacho, and Chepe Santacruz) explained to him that the plan was for everything to happen in Escobar's tropical estate, Hacienda Nápoles.  Salcedo asked them about all of the necessities that would be needed in order for the murder to be successful.  Gilberto told him that "whatever" was "necessary" would "be done."(52) After considering all of the possibilities, he decided to do it. It was his fear of the 4 men and his gut feeling encouraging him that made him accept the offer.

It's hard to believe that all of this to be a person's reality. It seems like a fantasy.  The description of Escobar's and Orejuela's home seemed like Cinderella's palace.  It's hard to think that there are many people who work their butts off just to be able to put food on the table, while there are people who do illegal things and becomes millionaires.  Whatever, I guess that is just the way life works.

Money is a very difficult thing to say no to.  It's what causes men to become greedy and sometimes violent and evil.  I guess that is another contributing factor on why Jorge agreed to the proposal.  He had a great job offer in Bogota, but he would have never made as much money as he did in the Cali Cartel had he denied their proposal.  I wonder if I would have been able to decline such an offer.  It would be hard to say no with a close friend dead and the idea of creating a family.  I guess a person's morals can't really be the only contributing factor in making a decision.  So, I guess instead of judging people, we should reflect on what we would have said having been put in that situation.  Would we have also accepted the offer due to his reasons? Or would we have been brave enough to risk our lives and decline it?

The Godfather In Real Life

"If Miguel and the other Cali cartel bosses ever suspected that he had dialed the CIA, he was dead. No trial, no defense- just a few bullets to the brain… if he was lucky. There were worse ways to die." (15)

Most of the population has seen The Godfather. It is a spectacular film of a 1940's New York mafia family and their attempt to protect their empire and families from their rivals. It's hard to believe that the gruesome acts committed in this movie have actually happened in real life.  Can you imagine having to live that type of life? Anyone who is part of a mafia is constantly surrounded by violence, terror, and horrid crimes (to say the least). It's almost like the terrorist group in Colombia, the FARC.  Not precisely in their heinous awful acts, but by their people's decisions.  Most of the people who go into this type of business usually want out.  The only problem is that once a person is in, it's almost impossible to get out alive.

This is exactly the case for Jorge Salcedo.  He joined the Cali Cartel business and six years later he wanted to get out.  For those who have seen The Godfather, it's obvious why this was almost impossible.  For now, the reason he involved himself in such a business is unknown.  Those facts will be revealed later on in the novel, At the Devil's Table. All that is clear is that his friend, Mario del Basto, somehow got him into the mess.

Jorge Salcedo is the son of General Jorge Salcedo Senior, an important figure in the Colombian army.  Salcedo Senior fought against the FARC and was completely against the idea of cartels.  Salcedo makes this clear on pages 24-25.  On page 28 Mario introduces the idea of meeting with "some Cali guys".  Later on does Salcedo realize that he is speaking of the "Cali cartel guys" (29).

At first he is against the idea.  He thought of his father and of everything he fought for in order to improve the country.  However, Mario succeeded in convincing him to meet with them.  He said that they were just an ordinary family who kept "a low profile" (30).  According to Mario, they were referred to as "the Gentlemen of Cali" and were "less violent" (30).  These "gentlemen" were only concerned on hiring more security details for their family and were NOT going to involve him in "the cartel drug business" (32).

How did Mario ever convince Salcedo? Yes, the form in which he expressed the idea made it seem better, but Salcedo had always thought negatively of all cartels.  How can one simply change their mind and not consider their morals?! Of course I have never had to make such a decision, but I would never want to meet those type of people.  Their reputation scares the hell out of me! It's beyond me how a man with good morals that came from a military family every agreed to enter such a business.  At first it may have seen all butterflies and rainbows, but how could he really trust those men?

It's All About the Camera Positions… Literally

When looking at a picture, how many people focus on the camera positions? The norm is for people to not focus on that at all. Hence, ladies and gentlemen, we have been looking at pictures wrong our whole lives! The camera positions are VITAL! Each position has a different meaning and they are used in pictures, movies, tv shows, etc.  They are seen everywhere in the media.  In the next three pictures you will see the following shots:

• Over-the-Shoulder Shot
• Point-of-View Shot (I)
• Point-of-View Shot (II)

The Over-the-Shoulder shot is one of the most common shots seen in pictures and motion pictures.  It occurs when the camera is placed behind the shoulders of the character.  This allows the observer to see the character's head and shoulders.  Usually a second character is seen in the shot and it is the subject of interest.  Instead of having two different close-ups of each character, the author chooses to have both characters present in one shot.  This makes it easier for the viewer to understand what is occurring.  For example, in this picture my mother is speaking to Mercedes.  You can see that Mercedes and my mom have a close relationship by Mercedes' facial expression and both of their postures.  If there were a previous scene before this one, they would most likely be laughing or Mercedes would have called my mom.  

This second photo represent the first Point-of-View (pov) shot.  This type of shot is used so that the audience can see the subjective view of the specific character.  "The camera lens is physically placed at the eye level of the character whose point-of-view we are seeing" (10).  In this photo I am the character so we are seeing my point-of-view.  We are looking at my foot in a pointe shoe as I check if it fits or not.  

This third photo is a demonstration of the second Point-of-View shot.  It consists of the same things and ideas that the first pov shot has.  The only difference is the change in character.  For this photo, the main character is my mom.  She is looking directly at my foot to see how the pointe shoe looks.  She is making sure it fits perfectly.

If You're Going To Be Different, Know How To Be Different

"To move people away from their current opinion, you need to make them feel comfortable around you." (49)

I loved this sentence the second I came across it in chapter 5.  The accuracy of this sentence astounded me since I had never really thought of the idea.  Usually one would think that it's better to agree with the person.  You are considered a God, in their eyes, if you tell them what they want to hear.  However, a person can change their opponent's opinion.  Once the person succeeds in doing so, they can follow the proper form of decorum.  However, this is not the common decorum "seen in leaders" today. It is actually quite a different one.  The book would probably disagree with me, but I promise I have a valid point.  Once the person succeeds in persuading the other, he can act however he wants.  It is expected from him to act that way.  Therefore, he is acting the way the audience expects him to.  It may not have been suitable in the beginning, but now it is.

The perfect figure/celebrity to back up this idea is Johnny Depp.  He is a phenomenal actor and is liked by all ages.  His hilarious movements, facial expressions, and sayings can even make a
90 year old giggle.  In the eyes of society he is not considered normal.  However, in the eyes of the people he is considered amazing.  How did he ever manage this? Simple.  He made the directors, co-workers, and audience comfortable with himself.  Actually, better yet, his acting skills.  What a  stud.

Once a trailer makes it certain that he will star in the movie, it will probably have a good audience.  The theaters will most likely be full and the movie will make a profit.  His craziness attracts his beloved audience.  Since his hilarious and lunatic ideas are constantly seen in his films, why would the audience expect him to act differently in reality? This is where decorum fits in.  His personality fits the Romans' definition.  It is "an agreeable ethos" that "matches the audience's expectations for a leader's tone, appearance, and manners" (46). He may not be a political leader, but he is certainly a social leader.

He is a wise God in the eyes of a teen.  He is the perfect figure that stands up for what they believe in.  One of his most famous sayings is:

"The problem is that everybody treats teenagers like they're stupid."

This is exactly how EVERY TEENAGER FEELS! Someone finally understands! Quotes like these are what make him attractive to his audience.  He understands. He appeals to his audience's values. That is the definition you can find on page 65 for the term virtue.  This is exactly how he gets people to brag about him.  Isn't that what any leader would wish for?! His ideas are spread around the world and he is absolutely adored.  Something I admire is that he isn't fake.  He does not try to make people like him.  He does not say what people would like to hear.  He is just honest. This allows his fans to accept him for who he is.  He proves it in another famous quote:

"I think everybody is weird.  We should all celebrate our individuality and not be embarrassed or ashamed of it."

Here is a link to his hilarious awkwardness as Captain Jack Sparrow.

Breaking News: Arguing Is Considered An Art!

I never thought I would ever believe that arguing was an art.  When a person mentions the word art, the first thing that comes to mind is dancing, painting, sculpturing, etc.  Arguing with someone is definitely not the first idea that comes to mind when the word is mentioned.  As shocking as it may seem, the art of argumentation (aka rhetoric) was invented by the famous philosopher Aristoteles.  How he conjured up the factors that help a person win an argument is beyond me.  I would have never been able to do it on my own.  Any who, according to Aristoteles, you must realize if you want to change the person's "mood, mind, or willingness to carry out what you want" (26).  

If you are talented in rhetoric, than you can do all three.  By doing this, you will most likely win your argument.  They key idea in rhetoric is that an argument is not a fight. "The basic difference between an argument and a fight: an argument gets people to want to do what you want. You fight to win; you argue to achieve agreement" (Page 17). Now, back to the topic. The only problem a person may face while quarreling with their opponent is them knowing the art of rhetoric.  If they know rhetoric than they most likely know how to argue.  The three steps a person should follow are:

"1. Stimulate your audience's emotions.

 2. Change its opinion.

 3. Get it to act." (22)

I guess you could stimulate your audience's emotions by "seducing" (23) them.  However, I feel like seducing a person is strongly frowned upon in our society.  Oh well. According to this book, Thank You For Arguing, "changing the mood is the easiest goal" (23).  I had never thought about that.  In an argument, a person enjoys using the facts.  You're most likely going to win if you are right.  However, wouldn't a person be considered more of a winner if the person were to completely change his opinion on the subject? Something that I have never noticed is that we "seduce" people every day.  Every action and motion have an intention.  

After reading these two chapters I realized that I have used this form of arguing many times.  Whenever I want to do something I just change my tone and open my eyes.  I usually get what I want.  These things vary from getting permission to go to a party to dancing at one.  It's a girl's most useful weapon.  However, something I never realized is that there are other ways to "seduce" a person in order to get what you want.  Seducing a person can range from "allowing your opponent to score points" (20), making the person feel bad for you, or by doing what I usually do.  The term "seducing" does not only have a sexual definition.  It also has a more proper definition which may help you win an argument.  The key is knowing how to use it!