Planet Fitness: Anti-Bodybuilder. Now, Anti-Hot!

My diligent viewing of the TV show Mad Men should have made me realize that, eventually, every advertising strategy will be used.  Like that VW ad featured in an early episode:



I used to think that advertising would appeal to the desire in us all to be winners, to be the best at something.  But I have completely underestimated the advertising appeal of mediocrity!  No entity had capitalized on the massive thirst for mediocrity (and the attendant fear of the achievements of other) than has Planet Fitness.

I already knew that Planet Fitness was the place where you could safely work out without the danger of building any muscle:



But now, I am surprised to find that (if you are a woman, anyhow) Planet Fitness is the place where you can work out without becoming beautiful (hot)!  Who knew that there was such a pent-up demand to pay for a product or service that leaves you totally unchanged?!  I may have to given more consideration to my "instant water" scheme.



Planet Fitness had "pizza nights" and bowls of Tootsie Rolls at the door, to help guarantee that you don't turn into a bodybuilder or a hottie.  I still have to admit that it is surprising to me how many folks want to be comforted in their mediocrity rather than urged on to excellence.

The Selfishness of the Eager Martyr

I recently had an exchange on facebook with a friend who had posted a status update rejoicing in a Congresswoman refusing to be sworn in using a Bible.  I questioned her about why she wasn't the least bit sad (in fact, she was hilariously happy!) over the loss of Christian influence in the public sphere.

Here was her answer:

"I think that's another point where we diverge, because I see that historically, Christianity has done best when it's on the margins, and in general I feel like our witness will only be better and brighter if the world goes to hell around us- I think our kids will have a much stronger influence than what I was able to have."

She didn't mention how strong our witness and our kids' witness would be after we have been beheaded under sharia law.  I don't think it is loving to our kids to hand them over to a world that is ready to slaughter them.

Anyhow, let's examine her motivation:  We should want the world to go to hell so that we can do a better job of evangelizing?  I understand that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church, but I don't think we are supposed to actively seek martyrdom, nor to seek a world which is so hostile to the Gospel that it makes many martyrs.  To do so is to be willing that the majority of other people live and die in disbelief, merely so that we can "shine out like stars" among the perishing.  That's selfish and perverse.

Alien Invasion (2006)

Here is the Christmas poem I penned for 2006:

Christ Has Come (2005)

Here is the Christmas poem I wrote back in 2005.

Incarnation (2004)

Here is the next in my series of Christmas poems.  The subject of this one is the way in which God, in the Incarnation, though possessing unlimited freedom of choice, limited himself to one particular set of human characteristics to give his son Jesus.

Christ the Meteor (2003)

I'm not going to get a new Christmas poem composed this year, so I'm going through my old files and digging out some older ones.  This is the one I wrote for Christmas, 2003.

Homeless Pastor

Why does this guy threaten me so much?

Why does Vincent Pannizzo get under my skin?

Answer:  Because he makes my own life and witness look incredibly wimpy by comparison.



Here is another article on Vincent and his ministry.