Recently, Bourke’s Super Podcast featured Phil, Bourke Accounting’s Administrative Executive. During his interview, Phil spoke about seeing The Black Crowes perform and marveled at how great they play live. The comment was made that it’s obvious who uses studio trickery when a band is left all alone in front of an audience – poor musicianship can’t be disguised with autotune when the engineer was left back at the studio. However, upon further reflection, this isn’t necessarily true.
Remember how America found out, after the record skipped during a “live” performance, that Milli Vanilli were just a couple of lip-synching finks? Or what about when Ashlee Simpson graced us with a bizarre little jig after her record malfunctioned during her appearance on Saturday Night Live? After these calamities, we had to acknowledge that, sometimes, recording stars get through performances with a little stereophonic assistance. We were betrayed, disgusted and just a bit more cynical; at the end of the day, we moved on without psychological damage.
While being lied to by celebrities isn’t fun, sometimes their shenanigans can actually cause us mental distress. Not only do these people mess with our minds, but they can also inspire us to be just as disingenuous as they are. Take, for example, Instagram.
It’s no surprise that magazines airbrush their models to create perfect goddesses and gods. As soon as the very first photo was taken, no doubt someone was close behind with ideas on how to manipulate the image. For years, young people have been warned against comparing themselves to the unrealistic representations that fill the glossy pages, and for the most part, we see the charade for what it is. However, social media sites, like Instagram, seem to create and exacerbate disordered thinking. These sites tend to passively encourage users to one up each other by documenting exaggerated, glamourous lives peopled by the most stunning examples of human pulchritude. And, a lot of the time, it’s all a load of bull.
When you see an Instagram post of a Kardashian, you know that some editing chicanery is involved. Even if we’re not sure why someone is famous, we understand that the celebrity is the product and a certain look is expected. However, these editing techniques have bled into the lives of regular folk. For example, FStoppers.com recently announced that 13% of women admit to editing every selfie they post. What’s more, 34% of men confess to doing the same (FStoppers.com). So, instead of actually taking care of ourselves, we’re simply learning to edit better.
In a chilling move, the makers of the app FaceTune (this is the editing tool that makes people look like poreless aliens) have created a “version that’s focused solely on retouching faces in videos” (USAToday.com). Now, you can clear up your skin, shed a few pounds and puff up those lips, all in moving images. It’s rather frightening to wonder what the next step in technology will be.
False lives and false images are nothing to aspire to. While we all want to look nice, photoshopped butts shouldn’t have the power to decimate our self-esteem. It’s important to keep things in perspective and remember: everyone gets ingrown hairs, everyone gets boogers and a lie is never better than the truth.
Bourke Accounting bookkeepers and tax preparers always look nice, but they’re not perfect. While Bourke’s pros keep it genuine on social media, they are just as real with their clients. A Bourke Accounting expert will never make unrealistic promises and they don’t believe in excuses. When you sit down with Bourke reps, you sit with the most honest, arithmetically-gifted professionals in the business.
Come see us any time. Our number is 502-451-8773 and don’t forget to visit our website at www.bourkeaccounting.com. See you soon!
Written by Sue H.
When the looting starts, the shooting starts – Walter Headley, Miami Police Chief, 1967
When the looting starts, the shooting starts – Person Living in the White House, 2020
The sun wasn’t up yet when I let my dogs out this morning. One of my dogs, racing out of the door, accidentally stepped on a lightening bug. It wasn’t quite dead and a glow pulsed weakly from its body. Just an average lightening bug, heading home after a hard night of surviving. And then, with no fanfare, a tiny death. From out of nowhere, an unseen and uncaring force drove it into oblivion.
I am starting to suspect that the entirety of humanity shares commonalities with that bug, as 2020 crushes us beneath a casual heel. That is, unless we choose not to be crushed.
It’s difficult to rail against COVID-19. No matter your opinion on governmental response, at the end of the day, an illness from the natural world doesn’t have an agenda. Hence, it’s lunacy for us to hold a grudge. This is especially true when we are now surrounded by new – and more deliberately created – tragedies.
With the murders of Breonna Taylor on March 13 and George Floyd on May 25, our society has seemingly and suddenly decided to run in reverse. These deaths were easily preventable and suggest that America is not as enlightened as we have wanted to believe. These murders were the result of carelessness, malice and a splintered system – again, easily preventable things.
And the people are angry. The populace has gathered to say: No. No, you cannot slaughter us in our beds. No, you cannot kill us on city sidewalks and go free. Someone must answer to this and guarantee that advancements will be made.
And someone did answer. Someone answered using the exact words of a backward person of authority from a horrifying page in America’s history. That someone, fanning the flames of unrest, has suggested that “people arrested at the protests should serve 10-year prison sentences” (MSN.com). That same person threatened the already hurt and angry people with “vicious dogs and ominous weapons” (NYTimes.com).
Out of frustration and fear, some of the protesters lost their heads. What must be remembered is that burning buildings and shattering glass will not return our lost ones. What’s more, that hatred and energy is being directed the wrong way. The small business owners, their life savings and blood invested, are not to blame, but the repercussions will be theirs to shoulder indefinitely.
It is time for us to talk. It is time for us to tear our fingers from the teargas canisters and Molotov cocktails and soberly and rationally converse. And yes, it is time for our government to punish the guilty at the heart of this. We need justice, calm guidance and a guarantee that our leaders will protect us from wanton and appearingly sanctioned violence. When we rebuild our cities, we must also rebuild America so that the dream we wanted becomes the reality.
We are just like you at Bourke Accounting; we, too, are watching the nightly news in horror and dismay. And just like you, we at Bourke Accounting are shaking our heads, asking, “What happened?” If you watched your life’s work disappear in flames, Bourke Accounting can help you to reclaim your passion. At the end of it, we must remember that we’re all connected, we all matter and now is the time to extend our hands to heal and to help.
Come see us any time. Our number is 502-451-8773 and don’t forget to visit our website at www.bourkeaccounting.com. See you soon and stay safe.
Written by Sue H.