Friday, 30th October 2009
Condoms as a barrier to communication
Without entering into the debate on condoms use, I should say that Vodafone's explanation of "the rationale behind the campus stunt" in distributing condoms to freshers at University, "as promoting communication, rather than sex on campus", makes me think their intellectual aptitude is low indeed.
The Washington Superintendant of Public Instruction (2008) defines communication "as a process by which we assign and convey meaning in an attempt to create shared understanding". It is a process that "requires a vast repertoire of skills in intrapersonal and interpersonal processing, listening, observing, speaking, questioning, analysing, and evaluating. Use of these processes is developmental and transfers to all areas of life". It would have been smarter if Vodafone admitted that the stunt was only a question of marketing a "means of communication", namely a particular mobile phone brand.
The appointed publicity agency was bolder in giving credit to common knowledge that offering condoms on campus was meant to "stand out among 50 odd different exhibitors". This we call "managerial process" and not communication. The 2008 edition of Principles of Marketing clearly explains that this process aims at enabling "individuals and groups to obtain what they need and want... marketing is used to create the customer, to keep the customer and to satisfy the customer".
Ironically, to create and promote communication, the bait used to attract by Vodafone is usually defined as "a barrier device" used during sexual intercourse to reduce pregnancy and the spreading of sexually transmitted diseases. Thus, the condom's primary aim is not to foster communication but "to protect from". It is estimated that worldwide, one in three sexually active young people contract an STD by 24 years of age. Behavioural scientists' findings show that "adolescents are at highest risk for infection because they are more likely to be single, have multiple sex partners, engage in high-risk behaviour, and have higher rates of failure with contraceptive methods". In addition, these studies reveal that "a common negative attitude about condom use is that it is intrusive, that it interrupts the flow of a sexual encounter and that it ruins the sexual mood". So, to promote the condom in the colourful options of "Play Now, Daily, Weekly, or Monthly" is anything but promoting human communication!
Finally, I am still wondering about the campaign twist at the Junior College and the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology! What was Vodafone trying to promote when "replacing the (coloured) condoms with coloured lollipops"?
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Comments
What I find disgusting is how a company USED this issue to help INCREASE THEIR REVENUES.
It isn't about people having safer sex. Nor about increasing (or decreasing) communication.
It is all about getting money off the poor idiots (albeit serves them right) who make a religion out of this.
I, for one, as a student, would have felt insulted if at my school I was presented with condoms, no matter what they're thinking.
I attend school to increase my understanding of a subject of my interest.
If they wanted to do this, they should have offered this stunt at a meeting about sexual health.
Regards,
Christian Sciberras.
The communication of disease and unwanted pregnancies.
I am not against priests writing about sex they hate (and have always hated) because of their religion but because they want to impose a sexual and living dictatorship.
If I had room I'd explain about the "Modernist Oath" priests take and how Canon 1386.1 disallows any priest even to write this letter without passing it by his bishop; and in turn the bishop up the line involving secret censors. But you can Google these yourself.
We're told god allows humans the benefit of free thought, speech and conscience but not the pope.
Your gynaecologist comparison is an unfortunate one for that discipline requires very much reading followed by very much visual examination and touching right into a woman's body.
Which gynaecologist would have never looked at a woman's body and never touched one?
Do you know any priests who are gynaecologists?
Far from being "disrespectful", Phil Humphries makes a very valid point. In his effort to ridicule the Vodafone campaign (is that disrespectful?), the priest made sure that the brand name gets further free exposure.
As for comparing the pleasures of sex (which you have to actually experience to know) to gyneacology, you show that you do not know much about either or both.
Sex happens to be a common experience/occurance and protection is not amiss. It is like surfing the internet and using an anti-virus, driving and wearing a seatbelt, shooting heroin and not sharing needles, riding a motorbike and wearing a helmet, working on construction sites and wearing safety boots. None of these precautions are 100% safe, but it is universally considered wise to take them. Nobody takes the attitude of 'In God we trust'.
You have never known (and likely never will know) the" moment" when a man and women find sexual magic.
"Behavioural scientists' findings blah blah blah" and "studies reveal that yakkity yak yak" are meaningless. Please save yourself the embarrassment and leave the subject of sex alone. You can't win against it. To a young person, (and some not so young) sex is the beginning and end of everything.
It is none of your business anyway what people do and what sex aids they use. You likely don't know anything about sex except what you read in books. Believe me it's not the same.
As a catholic priest, one shouldn't expect you'd have a good word to say about condoms to save your life, anyway.
Vodafone should have done this promo during the pope's visit. They would have made world headlines.
Two people can communicate physically, it is entirely natural to want to do so. And when this physical communication takes place, as the good reverend pointed out by stating ' "a barrier device" used during sexual intercourse to reduce pregnancy and the spreading of sexually transmitted diseases.' it is surely an act of love between the partners that they want to protect each other from possible STD's or unwanted pregnancy.
Come on vodafone, extend the scheme! One free with every top up.