Documentary: World's Scariest Drug Post 2

            Although it sometimes may not seem so, humans are extremely desirable beings that, more often than not, follow strong instincts to do something regardless of danger. This applies both to the scopolamine use in World’s Scariest Drug as well as the way people communicate today. We are sociable beings that thrive upon communicating and interacting with others. We look to convenience and speed, two things that technology has granted us. This comes with the changes that modes of communication have gone through to give us precisely those.

            This documentary came from the production of VICE, which calls itself “The Definitive Guide to Enlightening Information”. The topic of the documentary was a dangerous and deadly drug. Although it is obvious that money was invested into this project, the fact that this documentary was a viral video made it possible for this to be put into, rather than rejected for a more “clean” or “noble” topic should it have been made a larger production movie or film. This use of viral videos that are free (all that’s needed is the internet) reflects societal “common media”. Throughout history, the medium through which most people communicated changed with increases in technology. Early history reveals the popularity of first oral exchange of tales and information, which then led to letters, television, and now the Internet through which email, videos, and especially social networking have come about.

            Society was reflected doubly throughout the documentary, both in information provided as well as the rhetorical devices used. As Duffy (the director and main person in the documentary) traveled around Bogota, Colombia, viewers noticed how cars constantly lined the streets, how quickly Duffy gathered information about “the Devil’s Breath”, and even how there was certainly no shortage of brothels in Bogota. The best phrase to describe this content would be “fast-paced”. This idea also manifests itself in the presentation of this material and its medium. As a viral video, anyone (who is above a certain age given the restrictions it has placed) can access the video with simply a click. Thus, society (and people’s) desire to have convenience and speed can be found in the way we communicate with one another.

            This new modern form of communication, through videos and easily accessed online media, have given individuals new options to add and change rhetorical devices that individuals have at their disposal. Through use of visual and video, Duffy incorporated many more elements into his “story”. The colors, music, and even identity protection of certain individuals in the film all demonstrated how it was EASIER to express his ideas through rhetoric. There also was little confusion or deviation. Compared to books and story-telling, which requires an active role for the listener or reader to create the world that is being described, videos can literally “show, not tell”. Which is a good thing, because if a picture is worth a thousand words, then what does a video make?