SIR RICHARD BRANSON

In Tuesday's class, we continued the discussion on Reality TV and the Economy with the general term ideology; which comes from the political context, reinforced in media fantasy as a marketing force in TV. While in a class discussion on this, our professor then gave us three specific concepts that covered ideology which is entrepreneurship, self-reliance, and consumerism. Entrepreneurship is the act of being an entrepreneur, which can be defined as "one who undertakes innovations, finance and business acumen in an effort to transform innovations into economic goods" (Wikipedia.com). Self-reliance is the reliance on one's own abilities or decisions (Dictionary.com). Consumerism is the concept that an ever-expanding consumption of goods is advantageous to the economy (Dictionary.com). After grasping an understanding of what these concepts actually meant, I thought of a famous individual who just may fit perfect into the stereotype of these ideas and notions of ideology. His name is Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson; a British entrepreneur, best known for his Virgin Group of over 400 companies. The way Sir Richard Branson express his entrepreneurship throughout the media, especially throughout his businesses is taking part in the Global Entrepreneurship Week which includes thousands of events for 10 million entrepreneurs, industry experts, policymakers and politicians in 102 countries. This movement celebrates innovation and creativity and helps entrepreneurs develop the knowledge, skills and social networks to help them grow sustainable businesses. Not only is he apart this great movement of entrepreneurs, but he partnered a school in South Africa called the Branson School of Entrepreneurship. From my own personal opinion, with having the title "Sir" at the beginning of your name shows that you declare some sort of self-reliance. He's a billionaire with so much drive, ambition, and has long-term goals in being so adventurous in things globally, it almost seems as if he has the right to make the decisions or specific choices as he please. The man has one of the worlds most impressive track records to where that's self-reliance within its own domain of achievements. Sir Branson uses consumerism in his everyday life are within this businesses and companies that he own to help the economy. From his first magazine when he was sixteen to give the people something to want to read, to the 70's starting his own audio record mail-order business turning it into a chain of record stores, to Virgin Records, then later becoming VirginMegastores, to the 80's with Virgin Atlantic Airways, and then expanding it the Virgin Records music label. This is not even the half of his businesses that he owns. This was actually something small that grew into global use that he invented to help the economy out. This dream of his has grown to a reality, which motivates other entrepreneurs around the world to do more in there businesses or organizations that they may have.