I am surprised that VW would even CONSIDER an ad like that to begin with .I mean if you want people to buy your product then why would you alienate a group of potential purchasers.

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"Kiss them for me...for I may be delayed."

didnt get to see the actual video but by starsearcher's account that sounds pretty damn funny. any terrorist whether they are a member of al queda or a spanish basque seperatist or a french canadian seperatist they all deserve to die and have no one else hurt when they attempt to fulfill their homicidal dreams.

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*** The Toronto TranceAddict formerly known as abort416 ***

Haven't seen the ad so i can't say whether the humor crossed the line or not...but it is interesting to note that people are suddenly linking suicide bombers immediately to VW making fun of the middle east conflict.

Now why associate the two unless there was a direct implication that the guy who blew up was an arab (or from the region) ? Could it be that when you see an image of someone blowing up, you immediately think about the cowardly acts perpetrated by some brainwashed youth in the middle east and suddenly feel some sort of shame for his actions that you can't laugh about it ? Not having seen the ad, i can't say if you are immediately meant to believe the man is arab, and if the ethnicity is ambigous, then why immediately assume that people are taking jabs at the middle east and not just terrorists in general ? (I have my theories on why people have reacted the way they have...but that's for another thread)

Personally, i'm of the opinion that no topic that should be excluded from being satirzed (even if it is tastelessly done). If we as humans are capable of commiting an act, then we should be allowed to make fun ot it as well. All this seriousness about the issues overlooks the fact that sometimes laughing about something serious allows you to take a step back and put things into perspective. There is always a time and a place, and i agree, it's a matter of taste which is why some things appeal to everyone (the generic topics of humor) whereas some topics have a very select audience.

Now that i think about it though...if it was a satire on a terrorist blowing himself up, and a car somehow shielding the people around him and restricting the damage to only the loss of the terrorists life -- call me dark and twisted, but i find that's quite clever while also being quite just. It's too bad that suicide bombers in real life don't drive VW's or blow up in small, yet tough little cars which protect innocent lives from being lost...

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"Hell is full of musical amateurs; music is the brandy of the damned."
~ George Bernard Shaw

i saw the commercial

LOL

funny

quote:

Originally posted by Kytracid Haven't seen the ad so i can't say whether the humor crossed the line or not...but it is interesting to note that people are suddenly linking suicide bombers immediately to VW making fun of the middle east conflict.

The person in the ad is of middle eastern appearance, not saying he's flat out middle eastern, but it is clearly implied by his skin and hair colour, not to mention his attire.

Although our species isn't perfect, there is a level of social responsibility that we as humans should uphold to. This ad shouldn't be around because it's irresponsible and DOES stir up negative emotions in many people. Some may laugh but the laughter is at the expense of somebody elses sorrow at the situation presented. It's such a sensitive topic.

Mind you I'm part Arabic, but I was raised in St. Catharines (born in Lebanon but left at the age of 1), don't speak arabic and don't practice islam. Infact, I'm more Polish than anything for I speak it, and have been exposed to more of that culture. I have read up on the situation in the middle east and I try not to be biased. A very good book that highlights all in a somewhat unbiased way is: From Beirut To Jerusalem by Thomas L. Friedman, I highly recommend it. I simply feel that this ad doesn't do anything but create more hostility in this situation. Sure it's not on a large scale, but the fact that Israeli's around the world are going to laugh at this shows how they feel about the other side in this situation. Sure we have a right as people to create satires on human hardship, but if the satire has destructive elements, such as the ones that this AD does, than it doesn't help the situation at all. Hence being socially irresponsible. This ad is small scale, but it'll still spark up a rediculous amount of discussion ALL OVER THE INTERNET. Infact, it'll definately spark up some very heated arguements.


Karim

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a baby seal walks into a club....

quote:

Originally posted by karim Although our species isn't perfect, there is a level of social responsibility that we as humans should uphold to. This ad shouldn't be around because it's irresponsible and DOES stir up negative emotions in many people. Some may laugh but the laughter is at the expense of somebody elses sorrow at the situation presented. It's such a sensitive topic.

I respect your views, but how is that ad any worse then what happens in real life where you can switch on the TV and get exposed to grahic images caused by the horrific results of a suicide bomber ? I doubt any ad could be as repulsive as the truth, and while it might stir up negative emotions in people, i think it's easy to blame the ad for making fun of something that in reality not enough people condemn.

I'm not going to say the ad is brillantly funny, or something that everyone should be exposed to. That's why I love the internet. Along with a whole lot of bullshit, and the occasional porn pop up window , sometimes you get to see some very edgy humor that you would not otherwise in this PC society.

While i certainly wouldn't share this ad with everyone, i think there are elements to it which were done to make you think. Wouldn't it be better for society in general if somehow the damage caused by a suicide bomber were restricted by this silly little car ? The sane one's amoung us can only wish...

If you are offended that an Ad makes fun of a suicide bomber, and not repulsed by the idea that a man shouldn't be going out into a public place in a car, with a bomb strapped to his chest then i have to wonder where your bias lies (not you personally Karim -- just a general comment. )

PS. After saying all this I really feel i must watch the Ad. Anyone have a working link they want to share ? (PM or publicly)

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"Hell is full of musical amateurs; music is the brandy of the damned."
~ George Bernard Shaw

Real life situations are driven by human emotions that are far greater than the ones that drove the creation of this ad. Greater is used loosely, and not in the term of better, but as in powerful, powerful enough to drive somebody to take their own life for what they believe is the path to freedom. Not to expose a new product and sell a few more units.

I personally don't agree with suicide bombings, just as much as I don't agree with the plantation of new Israeli settlements over the past few decades (sure their development slowed, but it's unreal how many were built before they "suddenly" realized it was a source of conflict).

Lets say there was a different ad, where say a shell or rocket detonated before leaving an Israeli tank or helicopter killing the soldiers inside. Alot of damage to the tank/helicopter and you see somebody go "uh oh, better get macco". No taste, but parallel to the other side. Alot of these israeli offensive strikes are questionable and are not justified, just like suicide bombings are questionable and not justified. The bias I show at ripping the VW ad is not in support of the palestinian militant cause, but in pointing out how it is extremely one sided and irresponsible. It does have the capability at offending many and SHOULDN'T be laughed at. It should never have been made.

God bless the internet for pushing the envelope, but we all know the internet is a medium where ignorance, politically incorrect views, and downright wrong material is created, exposed, and traded. It just kinda reduces my faith in humanity when I see so much of it. I don't take offense to the ad personally at all, I just view it as a low blow and I wouldn't ever laugh at that, just as much as I would never laugh at a similar ad poking fun at Israel.


Karim

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a baby seal walks into a club....

quote:

Originally posted by abort416 any terrorist whether they are a member of al queda or a spanish basque seperatist or a french canadian seperatist they all deserve to die and have no one else hurt when they attempt to fulfill their homicidal dreams.

^^^ Exactly why the ad was funny. The suicide bomber's plot was foiled by the car, of all things, and no one else was hurt.

More cars should be made of such material...

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"When I die, I want to be buried under the dancefloor"- Frankie Madgenta

quote:

Originally posted by abort416 didnt get to see the actual video but by starsearcher's account that sounds pretty damn funny. any terrorist whether they are a member of al queda or a spanish basque seperatist or a french canadian seperatist they all deserve to die and have no one else hurt when they attempt to fulfill their homicidal dreams.

*clears throat* King David Hotel? LINK Nobodies perfect. History shows that many of today's nations have been concieved through violence, uprisings, and "terrorism". Even Israel. The reason why so many people resort to terrorism today is because it has worked in the past. I still don't agree with it though, I'm pro Gandhi.


Karim

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a baby seal walks into a club....

http://brainsick.shackspace.com/vw_20_b3.mov

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a baby seal walks into a club....

that ad left a very bad taste in my mouth

how can you make fun of a person who has lost all faith, all hope, in life?
who thinks that blowing themselves up is the only way that they will get their point across,take "revenge" or is the only thing left for them to give to their brethren : the palestinian people,,,somehow everything else is lost...
however in the end they help make the apartheid wall being built in israel become a reality...israel justifies attacks on palestinian civilians,builds more settlement,carries out political assasinations...is this the reason or the result?..

violence begets violence
death brings yet more death
everyone suffers

what the ad showed was callousness of heart

Bah...don't start that shit again we already had too many discussions about this BS

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