Is the commercial for the iPad Air offensive?

[Jeanne1184]

There are many people who it seems are waiting for an opportunity to be offended and jump rather easily. I personally tend not to be one of them. However, I saw this commercial on tv this evening and was rather startled by one of the quick statements in it. It all seems rather nice–even almost inspiring–until just about a minute in. It is a piece about poetry. With each line spoken, a corresponding image is shown. At about the 57 second mark, the line “Cities filled with the foolish,” is read and the image is the inside of what appears to be a Cathedral. Am I over reading this? It struck me as rather blatant and bold to show cathedra architecture as a representation of the foolish. But perhaps I’m just reading too much into it. What do you think?

Interesting commercial that I hadn’t picked up on.

The ad gives a moment’s recognition of medicine, law, business, etc. but it’s main thrust is: passion, poetry, beauty, romance, love. Why they would choose this poem of Walt Whitman to seemingly agree with their viewpoint, I don’t know.

Walt Whitman (1819–1892). Leaves of Grass. 1900.

O Me! O Life!
O ME! O life!.. of the questions of these recurring;
Of the endless trains of the faithless—of cities fill’d with the foolish;
Of myself forever reproaching myself, (for who more foolish than I, and who more faithless?)
Of eyes that vainly crave the light—of the objects mean—of the struggle ever renew’d;
Of the poor results of all—of the plodding and sordid crowds I see around me;
Of the empty and useless years of the rest—with the rest me intertwined;
The question, O me! so sad, recurring—What good amid these, O me, O life?

Answer.

That you are here—that life exists, and identity;
That the powerful play goes on, and you will contribute a verse.

Once I got to noticing, other things popped out. The first cathedral looks like a pig’s head above the visitor’s head.

The writing of the play on the iPad of the guy at the parking garage says:

The Scapegoat

have you done?

Charles:
Sometimes when the mouth offends,
a hand is needed to cover it.

Frank turns up the speakers, listens to the interv ((writing stops))

Sounds a bit Mafioso, eh?

The other curious thing is the second ‘cathedral’ - what are the jagged-seashells about? And that thing that looks like an anthill hanging from the ceiling? Granted, I’ve never been in any Catholic buildings except regular churches, but I’m wondering if the lack of statues and other regular religious items means this is not a Catholic building afterall. I dunnno.

All in all, a very peculiar ad. I’d give a verse, but it might offend…(just kidding).

 

[Larry1700]

It’s interesting to read how some folks here saw the ad as offensive, while others didn’t. In fact, the same thing happened at my house. My 30-yr-old son didn’t take offense, while I did.

To the posters here who said something to the effect that people who were offended just might have been looking for something to be offended about, I think there may be an alternative explanation.

I am somewhat of a news junkie, and I see attacks on various aspects of Christianity over and over again. Therefore perhaps my antennae are more tuned-in to such things. It’s sort of like when one’s wife is pregnant, you are much more aware of other pregnant women.

 

[bukover]

I am not very devoted catholic, not easily offended either. I rarely post anything, but I saw the commercial twice and both times I twice was startled at the “cities filled with the foolish” coinciding with the shot of this unbelievable cathedral Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. In my perception author of the commercial placed this photo together with the text on purpose. And I was appalled!
I am actually surprised at such weak reaction to this on the internet.
I am a rather practical person, and being there I thought briefly about this tremendous effort and capital that went into this, if worth it, but the cathedral is out of this world and I am glad that that human race still have the guts to do things beyond practical. This is a piece of art. Certainly calling it foolish would be foolish itself.

 

[IfYouLeadMe]

The image was of what were obviously tourists inside what does appear to be a Cathedral, rather than worshippers. The implication more likely being that tourists mindlessly gawping at things is foolish. That’s if the image was indeed intended to be related to what was said - plenty of times the other images shown in the ad do not appear to relate to what is said.

Reminds me of my English teacher at school telling us about when she was in the Sistine Chapel and a family walk in and the mother starts asking everyone “Ok what’s here, what’s to see, what’s this all about…”

Someone just went “Errrr ummm” and pointed up at the ceiling.

She then said something like “Ok kids it’s the ceiling, look up…”

I’ll have to make sure I watch the commercial again to see if I notice and how it affects me. I recall a commercial for iPad Air being on the TV the other day and I’m fairly sure we get the same commercial here in Australia…

I’m guessing the commercial is aiming more at people ooohing and aaahing at the features of a cathedral in a touristy-way, rather than making a statement like that to people kneeling in prayer…

 

[Elizium23]

The cathedral featured in the commercial is the Cathedral Basilica Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain.

EDIT: On second thought, the Sagrada Familia Cathedral has a reputation for seeming “foolish” in the context of its history and its original architect. Like the jester of a royal court seemed foolish, but was actually the wisest one because only the fool could reveal the shocking truth about the king’s corruption in a way that even the king could not realize but everyone else could pick up.

It is not a Cathedral.