http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEeqHj3Nj2c (accessed 6/3/2008).
This video shows a collection of movie clips from an activity that is called parkour, or freerunning. From my experience in watching youtube videos, this activity involves the individual surmounting urban obstacles in what seems to be a quest to do whatever someone wants in terms of one interacting with his or her environment.
The video: posted by youtube.com user Sauloca
The song: "Paper Wings" by Rise Against on Siren Song of Counter Culture (2004) album (http://www.amazon.com/Siren-Song-Counter-Culture-Against/dp/B0002KQOGW/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1212552148&sr=8-1, accessed 6/4/2008).
Lyrics: http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Paper-Wings-lyrics-Rise-Against/F6558E047E24A03048256EF0000C3641 (accessed 6/4/2008).
Video: combination of both musical media and video media. In youtube, the users post media that they have compiled or composed. The users may create a reflection of their own perspective in the work. Parkour= exciting. Therefore, not just amazing video but also exciting rock music combined with basically a "highlight tape" for parkour, showing the best doing incredible stunts instead of showing poor practice runs. The youtube user's opinion towards his or her won interests affects what kind of things end up getting posted. If one likes parkour and enjoys its excitement, then one would probably want others to feel the same way about the same topic. In this way, we are not forming impressions of media that we see; instead, we are reflecting the opinions that the media has crafted to make tolerable for other people.
This is an example of Henry Jenkin's "convergence culture" from page 2 of his work, Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide (http://www.amazon.com/Convergence-Culture-Where-Media-Collide/dp/0814742955/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1212553007&sr=8-1 accessed 6/4/2008) because individuals have more power to spread their opinions than ever. At 12:17 am Wednesday morning, the video had 7,259,945 people who have viewed the video. This is a massie amount of people who have been exposed to one individual's notions on parkour, as reflected in his or her work.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Course Review
Overall, I think that this class is an excellent class, and I would wholeheartedly support its continuation to the next academic year. It has taught to examine and to question, which are essential skills that students use throughout life to stay informed and freethinking.
I feel the course may improve in certain areas. Regarding the class's text selection, I was not a fan at all of the Susan Faludi text. I feel that, while her argument is valid, it is repeated without enough variation on her original argument as to warrant an extension; the inclusion of her ideas to the course would be best served with a brief handout with some excerpts, which would save the course several classes so more material could be covered.
I feel that writing in a blog was an excellent way of becoming part of a new, individualistic form of media, which we should do as students of media. I also think that the number of blogs per week is ideal in order to keep expressing the flow of one's ideas.
I enjoyed the contrast between Henry Jenkins and Noam Chomsky. I would absolutely include these two texts within the course syllabus, as they represent two different and rather prevalent opinions toward the media today.
The class discussion was especially rewarding, as everyone was able to provide different perspectives on the readings or contemporary issues. This was my favorite part of the class especially because I was able to voice my opinion on a much wider variety of issues much more rapidly than I was able to on my blog. Again, I would like to thank all of the students and my teacher for making this class what I perceive to be a complete success.
I feel the course may improve in certain areas. Regarding the class's text selection, I was not a fan at all of the Susan Faludi text. I feel that, while her argument is valid, it is repeated without enough variation on her original argument as to warrant an extension; the inclusion of her ideas to the course would be best served with a brief handout with some excerpts, which would save the course several classes so more material could be covered.
I feel that writing in a blog was an excellent way of becoming part of a new, individualistic form of media, which we should do as students of media. I also think that the number of blogs per week is ideal in order to keep expressing the flow of one's ideas.
I enjoyed the contrast between Henry Jenkins and Noam Chomsky. I would absolutely include these two texts within the course syllabus, as they represent two different and rather prevalent opinions toward the media today.
The class discussion was especially rewarding, as everyone was able to provide different perspectives on the readings or contemporary issues. This was my favorite part of the class especially because I was able to voice my opinion on a much wider variety of issues much more rapidly than I was able to on my blog. Again, I would like to thank all of the students and my teacher for making this class what I perceive to be a complete success.
From Beginning.....to End
I feel that as school winds down for the summer, I am in an excellent position to reflect on who I am and where I have come from, in the short term and the long. This may not be the most academic blog post, but I feel that this is an example of the outlet of self-expression that blogging provides to the individual.
At the beginning of this year, there was an person who was so consumed in my new environment. This young man was the top of the food chain in terms of age within his school, and this person now had a new role within his school. However, this person was very different than the person who is sitting in front of his computer screen today and typing. This youth thought he was mature, though he could handle the wide world, and was ignorant of the fact that he was ignorant. Much has happened to this person since he came to his school in the fall; he has made many decisions and has been exposed to many things. The culmination of all of these influences has shaped this person into what he strives to be today: an individual. That person was me.
Now at the end of the year, I am able to look back on the person I was at the beginning of the year and am able to see the progression into the person I am now. I am far more informed, I am more experience at, well, life, and I am more qualified to examine the status quo. This media studies class has greatly contributed to the lattermost clause. Who controls ideas? Who controls feelings? These are questions I have been asking while I have gone through this class. In the end, I feel that I have gained some observational nuggets of insight and of perspective. I have listened to opposing opinions, and I have voiced some as my own. My teacher often says that she wants us to develop skills that we will need at the next level of education. For me, the primary skill that I have gained is the ability to question and consider difficult topics as well as develop opinions of my own. I have been incredibly fortunate to be able to do this, and I would like to thank my teacher and my classmates for being an active catalyst in this exploration.
Thank You For Reading
At the beginning of this year, there was an person who was so consumed in my new environment. This young man was the top of the food chain in terms of age within his school, and this person now had a new role within his school. However, this person was very different than the person who is sitting in front of his computer screen today and typing. This youth thought he was mature, though he could handle the wide world, and was ignorant of the fact that he was ignorant. Much has happened to this person since he came to his school in the fall; he has made many decisions and has been exposed to many things. The culmination of all of these influences has shaped this person into what he strives to be today: an individual. That person was me.
Now at the end of the year, I am able to look back on the person I was at the beginning of the year and am able to see the progression into the person I am now. I am far more informed, I am more experience at, well, life, and I am more qualified to examine the status quo. This media studies class has greatly contributed to the lattermost clause. Who controls ideas? Who controls feelings? These are questions I have been asking while I have gone through this class. In the end, I feel that I have gained some observational nuggets of insight and of perspective. I have listened to opposing opinions, and I have voiced some as my own. My teacher often says that she wants us to develop skills that we will need at the next level of education. For me, the primary skill that I have gained is the ability to question and consider difficult topics as well as develop opinions of my own. I have been incredibly fortunate to be able to do this, and I would like to thank my teacher and my classmates for being an active catalyst in this exploration.
Thank You For Reading
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Can you Digg It?
I have just recently joined a system called Digg. Digg.com is a site where Internet media consumers may suggest certain web pages throughout the internet for consumption by other websurfers. People basically bookmark stories, pictures, anything on the internet so that others may share in what people find interesting or funny. These stories are put on Digg.com's web page (http://www.digg.com/) along with a number of people who suggested to specific website.
One of the reasons I find this website fascinating is because it is an example of collective intelligence as well as the collaboration of individuals as put forward by Henry Jenkins in Convergence Culture (description of book may be found here: http://www.amazon.com/Convergence-Culture-Where-Media-Collide/dp/0814742815). I feel it is an example of Jenkin's idea of collective intelligence not because of the information within each web page that is suggested to digg.com, but because the website that was recommended is presumably only a small part of the media consumer/digg.com member's repertoire. This is the collective intelligence of information sources, not only the information within them. This is where the individual collaboration comes in. The site is presumably based with the fundamental assertion that people will suggest stories that people will want to read. This builds a reading base which gives digg.com not only legitimacy but also some weight as to which topics get read. However, this is a self-propagating cycle in that the more digg.com members who read the suggested stories, and, in turn, put their mark of approval on them as well, make even more readers come to the story. I know that I personally gravitate more towards the stories that have a large number of people who approve of the webpage. This is interesting because this makes digg.com a perfect example of how the media is changing, with the power coming into the hands of the individuals.
One of the reasons I find this website fascinating is because it is an example of collective intelligence as well as the collaboration of individuals as put forward by Henry Jenkins in Convergence Culture (description of book may be found here: http://www.amazon.com/Convergence-Culture-Where-Media-Collide/dp/0814742815). I feel it is an example of Jenkin's idea of collective intelligence not because of the information within each web page that is suggested to digg.com, but because the website that was recommended is presumably only a small part of the media consumer/digg.com member's repertoire. This is the collective intelligence of information sources, not only the information within them. This is where the individual collaboration comes in. The site is presumably based with the fundamental assertion that people will suggest stories that people will want to read. This builds a reading base which gives digg.com not only legitimacy but also some weight as to which topics get read. However, this is a self-propagating cycle in that the more digg.com members who read the suggested stories, and, in turn, put their mark of approval on them as well, make even more readers come to the story. I know that I personally gravitate more towards the stories that have a large number of people who approve of the webpage. This is interesting because this makes digg.com a perfect example of how the media is changing, with the power coming into the hands of the individuals.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
The Journalistic Deographic
We all depend on the media to be the source of all of our information in this age of quick occurrences and rapidly shifting landscapes. This dependency is exacerbated especially when one considers that this year is an election year. Demographics are being examined, and whether we like it or not, media political biases are coming out.
However, I want to ask, of which individuals is the media comprised? Is there any common uniting factor among members of the media that also is a common uniting political factor? In essence, I am simply trying to examine a possible political bias towards Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton in the democratic primary. Hillary Clinton was the front runner in the beginning of the Democratic primary. However, she has lost all of her steam to a media darling such as Obama. In one glance at the magazine section in CVS, one of the first things I see is Obama on the cover of Esquire magazine (June 2008 edition). This is one instance where all I look, I see Obama's visage. Furthermore, Hillary Clinton's campaign has completely imploded at this point, especially with major hits such as Edwards endorsing Obama. It is important to recognize that these blunders are fully maximized in the eyes of the press. Hillary crushed Obama in Kentucky, but this was not the major news of the evening.
It is ridiculous to say that the media has not had a massive influence on the Democratic primary. It has. I believe Hillary Clinton has made mistakes throughout her campaign, but I feel that it is the media coverage that truly drove the stake through her heart. It is a necessary evil of politics; people need to see the candidates in their true element, for which the media is essential. However, the media has control of what kinds of elements the candidates are seen through. This has had an alarming affect on the democratic race altogether.
However, I want to ask, of which individuals is the media comprised? Is there any common uniting factor among members of the media that also is a common uniting political factor? In essence, I am simply trying to examine a possible political bias towards Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton in the democratic primary. Hillary Clinton was the front runner in the beginning of the Democratic primary. However, she has lost all of her steam to a media darling such as Obama. In one glance at the magazine section in CVS, one of the first things I see is Obama on the cover of Esquire magazine (June 2008 edition). This is one instance where all I look, I see Obama's visage. Furthermore, Hillary Clinton's campaign has completely imploded at this point, especially with major hits such as Edwards endorsing Obama. It is important to recognize that these blunders are fully maximized in the eyes of the press. Hillary crushed Obama in Kentucky, but this was not the major news of the evening.
It is ridiculous to say that the media has not had a massive influence on the Democratic primary. It has. I believe Hillary Clinton has made mistakes throughout her campaign, but I feel that it is the media coverage that truly drove the stake through her heart. It is a necessary evil of politics; people need to see the candidates in their true element, for which the media is essential. However, the media has control of what kinds of elements the candidates are seen through. This has had an alarming affect on the democratic race altogether.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Affective Economics and Star Wars
When I was younger, I feel in love with a specific cinematic adventure: Star Wars (1977, written and directed by George Lucas: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076759/). Everything about the movie series was special to me; the characters, adventures, and storyline all reached out to me and piqued my interest like nothing in my life had done before. The thing that really hooked me into Star Wars was the universe that George Lucas had created.
See, I did not just enjoy the movies. I bought the action figures, the trading cards, and the books. All of these items took peripheral things within the movies and created substory upon substory within the Star Wars Universe. Within the cantina scene in "A New Hope," (1977, the first movie in the original Star Wars trilogy: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076759/) there are just random extra creatures in the background while Han Solo and Obi Wan Kenobi are talking. At one point, I owned a book that talked about the side stories of the characters who are in the scenes. This change of media out of the direct control of George Lucas had helped the Star Wars universe expand exponentially. The story was no longer about the Rebel Alliance versus the Empire, but about the regular creatures that live within the larger story.
For a young kid who was already blown away by the imaginative scope of the Star Wars franchise, these alternative storylines provided more sophisticated stories and details took me hook, line, and sinker. I could recite literally everything anywhere near related to Star Wars ( a skill that I still possess, to a degree). It was not until now that I really realized how powerful the fan culture was toward Star Wars. I have seen footage on the news or random TV programming about massive Star Wars conventions, where people would take on a completely new persona, an avatar in the form of a character from the Star Wars world. These people had massive amounts of power when it comes to directing the future of the Star Wars franchise. Also, the authors who wrote the books that continued to define Mr. Lucas' world completely changed the fan bases' perspective of Star Wars (for example on this, please see http://www.amazon.com/Sacrifice-Star-Wars-Legacy-Force/dp/0345477413/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1212063346&sr=1-11). It was a universe to explore, and the fans began to further define this world. The fan passion is what truly made the Star Wars craze just that: a craze. The fans who exhibit this passion are a small group, but their love for Star Wars is unbridled; their existance also allows for a fan community that welcomes new converts. In my opinion, this supportive and creative fan base is what truly made Star Wars so popular.
See, I did not just enjoy the movies. I bought the action figures, the trading cards, and the books. All of these items took peripheral things within the movies and created substory upon substory within the Star Wars Universe. Within the cantina scene in "A New Hope," (1977, the first movie in the original Star Wars trilogy: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076759/) there are just random extra creatures in the background while Han Solo and Obi Wan Kenobi are talking. At one point, I owned a book that talked about the side stories of the characters who are in the scenes. This change of media out of the direct control of George Lucas had helped the Star Wars universe expand exponentially. The story was no longer about the Rebel Alliance versus the Empire, but about the regular creatures that live within the larger story.
For a young kid who was already blown away by the imaginative scope of the Star Wars franchise, these alternative storylines provided more sophisticated stories and details took me hook, line, and sinker. I could recite literally everything anywhere near related to Star Wars ( a skill that I still possess, to a degree). It was not until now that I really realized how powerful the fan culture was toward Star Wars. I have seen footage on the news or random TV programming about massive Star Wars conventions, where people would take on a completely new persona, an avatar in the form of a character from the Star Wars world. These people had massive amounts of power when it comes to directing the future of the Star Wars franchise. Also, the authors who wrote the books that continued to define Mr. Lucas' world completely changed the fan bases' perspective of Star Wars (for example on this, please see http://www.amazon.com/Sacrifice-Star-Wars-Legacy-Force/dp/0345477413/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1212063346&sr=1-11). It was a universe to explore, and the fans began to further define this world. The fan passion is what truly made the Star Wars craze just that: a craze. The fans who exhibit this passion are a small group, but their love for Star Wars is unbridled; their existance also allows for a fan community that welcomes new converts. In my opinion, this supportive and creative fan base is what truly made Star Wars so popular.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Freewrite
I decided that it would be a good time to do another freewrite so that I may see what is on my mind lately.
I am listening to the new Coldplay song: "Viva La Vida" (http://www.amazon.com/Viva-Vida-Coldplay/dp/B000RPTQ1C), Dang it, this is a real good song. Coldplay gets a sissy rep from a lot of guys, but, in my opinion, this group of young men possess a level of talent that is of the highest echelon. I hope that the rest of their album, "Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends" is as good as their initial single.
Ebaumsworld.com is hilarious (www.ebaumsworld.com). I would describe this site as an irreverent youtube. Like youtube, users upload pieces of media to the site so the rest of the Internet community may view those hilarious moments caught on film or tape. It is grade-A quality webjunk that I often find myself gravitated to if I am bored.
The idea of graduation has completely permeated my brain. I am pretty much counting down the days, except I don't want to have a definite number in my head because that will make the waiting that much more difficult. I have been at this school for three years, and I don't know how anyone could keep their sanity by doing four. I am ready to go and enjoy the independence that comes with not having to sign in or ask an adult permission to get into a car. I am also excited to have a job and make money. It's been a while since I've had a good, money-paying job; I have been doing government internships these past two summers. They have been invaluable sources of experience (and admittedly something cool to put on the resume), but I've been irritated that I have not been able to build up a tiny bit of personal wealth. I will probably end up working two jobs this summer, like my sister did the summer before. That's all good. I just want to work, workout, read, and sleep.
On the media front again, for a math assignment I need to see the movie "Stand and Deliver" (1988, directed by Ramón Menéndez: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094027/) However, when I went to the library to get the movie so I could watch it in the comfort of my room, I was floored to hear that its was on a VHS. VHS!! That stuff is ancient! I remember watching the Disney movies of my youth on VHS, but that was a whole different era. Alas, I must return to the technological primordial muck in order to complete this assignment. I wouldn't be as irritated if it weren't for that fact that it is incredibly difficult to find a VHS (I certainly do not have one in my dorm). Whatever. I guess I will hunt one down or go to the school's media center.
Well, I think that is enough verbal vomit for now.
Thank You for Reading
I am listening to the new Coldplay song: "Viva La Vida" (http://www.amazon.com/Viva-Vida-Coldplay/dp/B000RPTQ1C), Dang it, this is a real good song. Coldplay gets a sissy rep from a lot of guys, but, in my opinion, this group of young men possess a level of talent that is of the highest echelon. I hope that the rest of their album, "Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends" is as good as their initial single.
Ebaumsworld.com is hilarious (www.ebaumsworld.com). I would describe this site as an irreverent youtube. Like youtube, users upload pieces of media to the site so the rest of the Internet community may view those hilarious moments caught on film or tape. It is grade-A quality webjunk that I often find myself gravitated to if I am bored.
The idea of graduation has completely permeated my brain. I am pretty much counting down the days, except I don't want to have a definite number in my head because that will make the waiting that much more difficult. I have been at this school for three years, and I don't know how anyone could keep their sanity by doing four. I am ready to go and enjoy the independence that comes with not having to sign in or ask an adult permission to get into a car. I am also excited to have a job and make money. It's been a while since I've had a good, money-paying job; I have been doing government internships these past two summers. They have been invaluable sources of experience (and admittedly something cool to put on the resume), but I've been irritated that I have not been able to build up a tiny bit of personal wealth. I will probably end up working two jobs this summer, like my sister did the summer before. That's all good. I just want to work, workout, read, and sleep.
On the media front again, for a math assignment I need to see the movie "Stand and Deliver" (1988, directed by Ramón Menéndez: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094027/) However, when I went to the library to get the movie so I could watch it in the comfort of my room, I was floored to hear that its was on a VHS. VHS!! That stuff is ancient! I remember watching the Disney movies of my youth on VHS, but that was a whole different era. Alas, I must return to the technological primordial muck in order to complete this assignment. I wouldn't be as irritated if it weren't for that fact that it is incredibly difficult to find a VHS (I certainly do not have one in my dorm). Whatever. I guess I will hunt one down or go to the school's media center.
Well, I think that is enough verbal vomit for now.
Thank You for Reading
Monday, May 12, 2008
The Susan Faludi Reading
After a very interesting class discussion over Corbin's question of Susan Faludi's book, Terror Dream (http://www.amazon.com/Terror-Dream-Fantasy-Post-9-America/dp/0805086927), I felt I should share my opinion on her work as a whole.
Susan Faludi does a good job out outline her concept of a specific kind of master narrative, namely, the idea of a regression of social gender equality back into a more masculine status quo. This is a legitimate argument. However, I feel the book as a whole could have presented the argument in a much more efficient fashion. The vast majority of the book relies on anecdotal evidence. On one side, this is a good way of presenting evidence for this argument because much of what shapes society is the spread of stories and images. On the other hand, I found her point hopelessly without variation throughout the book. The best writing that I have read which defended a belief examined various facets of an argument. In Terror Dream, I am hard pressed to find arguments that would defend from attacks from opposing interpretations of world events. Corbin gave the example of the metrosexual movement. Yes, this may be another master narrative, but society is not simply the coexistence of different social movements. These movements play off of each other, and doubtless that the series of events described by Faludi are greatly influenced by other social movements. I personally see history as a combination of progressive and regressive periods, with the overall result being progress. Faludi's message is that women have been portrayed as victims and men as heroes in order to rally a nation to war. I see her book as part of a separate master narrative that reinforces the notion of the recent periodicity of social conflict and inequalities within societies. This book is part of a gathering force, like the growing resistance to the Iraq war and all of the ideals that come with it according to Faludi's book, that will rectify the scale of society.
Susan Faludi does a good job out outline her concept of a specific kind of master narrative, namely, the idea of a regression of social gender equality back into a more masculine status quo. This is a legitimate argument. However, I feel the book as a whole could have presented the argument in a much more efficient fashion. The vast majority of the book relies on anecdotal evidence. On one side, this is a good way of presenting evidence for this argument because much of what shapes society is the spread of stories and images. On the other hand, I found her point hopelessly without variation throughout the book. The best writing that I have read which defended a belief examined various facets of an argument. In Terror Dream, I am hard pressed to find arguments that would defend from attacks from opposing interpretations of world events. Corbin gave the example of the metrosexual movement. Yes, this may be another master narrative, but society is not simply the coexistence of different social movements. These movements play off of each other, and doubtless that the series of events described by Faludi are greatly influenced by other social movements. I personally see history as a combination of progressive and regressive periods, with the overall result being progress. Faludi's message is that women have been portrayed as victims and men as heroes in order to rally a nation to war. I see her book as part of a separate master narrative that reinforces the notion of the recent periodicity of social conflict and inequalities within societies. This book is part of a gathering force, like the growing resistance to the Iraq war and all of the ideals that come with it according to Faludi's book, that will rectify the scale of society.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
"You Will Not Enjoy This" - Queen Gorgo, "300" (2006)
I finished Susan Faludi's Terror Dream (http://www.amazon.com/Terror-Dream-Fantasy-Post-9-America/dp/0805086927) and was stunned by Faludi's account of the damage that revisionist historical accounts and literature had done to the accounts of female heroism in America. According to Faludi's research, American society has a pervasive notion that women need protection from men against threats. After reading this material, I turned to a piece of media that showed a depiction of female heroism in an interesting situation: the depiction of Queen Gorgo of Sparta in the movie 300 (2006, directed by Zack Synder: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0416449/).
First of all, Queen Gorgo is in a female position of power within possibly the most patriarchal society in human history. However, she is depicted to relish within the masculine strength of the quasi-fascist republic of Sparta. This idea is best portrayed when the messenger of Xerxes asks who she was to speak in the company of men, to which she replies "only Spartan women give birth to real men" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0416449/quotes, found a little before halfway down the page). This example of androcentrism, the idea of women judged in value in relation to men, is interesting in that Queen Gorgo has beaten the messenger at his own game; he insults her status as a female, and in response, she emasculates him while praising her own ability to produce "real men."
Another example with Queen Gorgo within 300 that came to mind is her rape and betrayal by Theron. In order to gain support within the all-male Spartan government, she had to sell her body for Theron's support. However, Theron has been bribed by the enemy and proceeds to default on the agreement. In response, Queen Gorgo displays a "masculine" display of violence: she takes a sword from a man nearby and kill Theron with it. This example in particular made me think of the Susan Faludi reading because Ms. Faludi, in The Terror Dream, gave several example of women who were captured and committed violence to escape. In the movie, unlike the reactions described by Faludi, the rest of the Spartan council is impressed by this show of strength and aids Queen Gorgo.
(something is wrong with the adding a photo option, so I am putting a link to a poster that shows Queen Gorgo's role in the movie in a nutshell: http://www.hollywoodnoise.com/image.php?productid=16285)
First of all, Queen Gorgo is in a female position of power within possibly the most patriarchal society in human history. However, she is depicted to relish within the masculine strength of the quasi-fascist republic of Sparta. This idea is best portrayed when the messenger of Xerxes asks who she was to speak in the company of men, to which she replies "only Spartan women give birth to real men" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0416449/quotes, found a little before halfway down the page). This example of androcentrism, the idea of women judged in value in relation to men, is interesting in that Queen Gorgo has beaten the messenger at his own game; he insults her status as a female, and in response, she emasculates him while praising her own ability to produce "real men."
Another example with Queen Gorgo within 300 that came to mind is her rape and betrayal by Theron. In order to gain support within the all-male Spartan government, she had to sell her body for Theron's support. However, Theron has been bribed by the enemy and proceeds to default on the agreement. In response, Queen Gorgo displays a "masculine" display of violence: she takes a sword from a man nearby and kill Theron with it. This example in particular made me think of the Susan Faludi reading because Ms. Faludi, in The Terror Dream, gave several example of women who were captured and committed violence to escape. In the movie, unlike the reactions described by Faludi, the rest of the Spartan council is impressed by this show of strength and aids Queen Gorgo.
(something is wrong with the adding a photo option, so I am putting a link to a poster that shows Queen Gorgo's role in the movie in a nutshell: http://www.hollywoodnoise.com/image.php?productid=16285)
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Fighting Sports
For a post today, I thought I would discuss an argument I often encounter. A lot of people feel that boxing is a barbaric sport. Fair enough, I respect that opinion. However, I disagree when people continue with the extension of that argument, that the up-and-coming Ultimate Fighting Championship platform of fighting entertainment is just as, if not more, barbaric. I want to explain my reaction to this idea as well as my opinion as to why UFC is such a phenomenon in the entertainment world (UFC website: http://www.ufc.com/index.cfm?fa=tuf.home).
First of all, many boxing matches are twelve round slugouts that involve people basically hitting each other in the head for over an hour. UFC consists of three five minute rounds in which a person may lose by decision, knockout, or submission. Another major distinction between boxing is that while in boxing, the fighters must stand and hit above the waist; in the UFC, one fighter can "take down" another and make the fight more into a wrestling match, jockeying for superior position in order to land punches. As a result, far less time is spent actually fighting, punches and kicks are distributed throughout the body, which presumably reduces the amount of head trauma (in turn probably reducing the risk of degenerative diseases later on in life such as Parkinson's), and submission techniques provide a "third option" to winning a fight that boxing does not accommodate, which also reduces the amount of abuse a fighter takes.
Obviously, the UFC is much safer for its fighters than professional boxing is. Furthermore, it has been crushing boxing in the entertainment world. In my home of Las Vegas, boxing obviously has a lot of history and weight in the city, but I feel that the UFC is starting to gain ground in major venues such as the MGM Grand or the Mandalay Bay. I feel that this is because the UFC espouses a much more dynamic style of fighting. Fights usually last maybe into the second round due to the use of submission techniques or referee decisions to end the fight due to someone becoming unable to defend themselves. There are many different styles that go into a UFC fighter's repertoire such as Jujitsu, wrestling, and boxing. Furthermore, as boxing is a very lengthy event, there are strategies such as holding out until the last rounds in order to mount a last second push to win. In the UFC, the fight may be over in a matter of seconds, so the fighters leave nothing behind. Another secret to the UFC's success is that it has avoided the bad reputation that boxing has earned due to the early deaths of its champion fighters. In the UFC, because one receives much less abuse over the years, its champions go on to produce a new generation of fighters, as is presented in the popular show on Spike TV, Ultimate Fighter (Ultimate Fighter Site: http://www.spike.com/show/22307). Finally, I feel that the UFC is the next evolution of fighting entertainment due to its augmented ability to entertain its views and because of its safety.
an interesting presentation about the evolution of fighting entertainment into UFC: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5M3gmqtMu4
First of all, many boxing matches are twelve round slugouts that involve people basically hitting each other in the head for over an hour. UFC consists of three five minute rounds in which a person may lose by decision, knockout, or submission. Another major distinction between boxing is that while in boxing, the fighters must stand and hit above the waist; in the UFC, one fighter can "take down" another and make the fight more into a wrestling match, jockeying for superior position in order to land punches. As a result, far less time is spent actually fighting, punches and kicks are distributed throughout the body, which presumably reduces the amount of head trauma (in turn probably reducing the risk of degenerative diseases later on in life such as Parkinson's), and submission techniques provide a "third option" to winning a fight that boxing does not accommodate, which also reduces the amount of abuse a fighter takes.
Obviously, the UFC is much safer for its fighters than professional boxing is. Furthermore, it has been crushing boxing in the entertainment world. In my home of Las Vegas, boxing obviously has a lot of history and weight in the city, but I feel that the UFC is starting to gain ground in major venues such as the MGM Grand or the Mandalay Bay. I feel that this is because the UFC espouses a much more dynamic style of fighting. Fights usually last maybe into the second round due to the use of submission techniques or referee decisions to end the fight due to someone becoming unable to defend themselves. There are many different styles that go into a UFC fighter's repertoire such as Jujitsu, wrestling, and boxing. Furthermore, as boxing is a very lengthy event, there are strategies such as holding out until the last rounds in order to mount a last second push to win. In the UFC, the fight may be over in a matter of seconds, so the fighters leave nothing behind. Another secret to the UFC's success is that it has avoided the bad reputation that boxing has earned due to the early deaths of its champion fighters. In the UFC, because one receives much less abuse over the years, its champions go on to produce a new generation of fighters, as is presented in the popular show on Spike TV, Ultimate Fighter (Ultimate Fighter Site: http://www.spike.com/show/22307). Finally, I feel that the UFC is the next evolution of fighting entertainment due to its augmented ability to entertain its views and because of its safety.
an interesting presentation about the evolution of fighting entertainment into UFC: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5M3gmqtMu4
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Forget "Unbiased" Reporting
I was going through the blogosphere earlier today when I came across an interesting post on http://www.buzmachine.com/ (accessed May 8, 2008). This is the blog of a man named Jeff Jarvis, an individual who has extensive experience in the media world having been the founder and editor of Entertainment Weekly among many other stints in the media world (more about Mr. Jarvis: http://www.buzzmachine.com/about-me/). This blog examines controversies within the media, and today Jarvis is examining a blog written by a man named Nick Denton (article may be found here, accessed May 8, 2008: http://gawker.com/5008177/why-the-times-should-abandon-the-news+opinion-divide) that criticizes the New York Times for having blogs. Mr. Denton feels that, as blogs are written in a human voice, that they are biased and ill-suited in the modern media world.
Mr. Jarvis presents an interesting perspective on the argument with which I am inclined to agree. He explains that yes, blogs may have bias; however, bias has always existed within the media, even written media. Mr. Jarvis focuses on what he calls the "organizational divide," (http://www.buzzmachine.com/ accessed May 8, 2008) which is the consolidation of opinion filtering through the editors of written media. He argues that blogging is simply a more individual and exciting way to present ideas and perspectives.
I agree in a way with both men. I feel that newspapers have been feeding themselves and the public a lot of self-righteous junk about how unbiased and "holy" they are. We need to present stories and articles as opinion because, let's be serious, that is what they are. Anyone can look at a series of statistics and derive completely different conclusions. These are informed opinions, but they are opinions nonetheless. I feel it is irresponsible of the media to operate under an unbiased facade, and opinions should be recognized for what they are.
Mr. Jarvis presents an interesting perspective on the argument with which I am inclined to agree. He explains that yes, blogs may have bias; however, bias has always existed within the media, even written media. Mr. Jarvis focuses on what he calls the "organizational divide," (http://www.buzzmachine.com/ accessed May 8, 2008) which is the consolidation of opinion filtering through the editors of written media. He argues that blogging is simply a more individual and exciting way to present ideas and perspectives.
I agree in a way with both men. I feel that newspapers have been feeding themselves and the public a lot of self-righteous junk about how unbiased and "holy" they are. We need to present stories and articles as opinion because, let's be serious, that is what they are. Anyone can look at a series of statistics and derive completely different conclusions. These are informed opinions, but they are opinions nonetheless. I feel it is irresponsible of the media to operate under an unbiased facade, and opinions should be recognized for what they are.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Pride
I was just reading the most recently assigned chapter from Susan Faludi's The Terror Dream (http://www.amazon.com/Terror-Dream-Fantasy-Post-9-America/dp/0805086927) when I was struck. Do you ever get it when you are listening to a song and BOOM, you notice that the lead singer belts out the words from which the song is entitled? For some reason the band you are listening to has decided that these words are more important than all of the other words, so the members of the band made those words the title of the song, a pocket explanation for everything that the song represents.
I had that BOOM moment just now with our assigned text, The Terror Dream. Apparently the "Terror Dream" is something that a male character in a movie has been living with: impotence (p. 207). If Susan Faludi has deemed that this phrase is important enough to use to label her work, then it must be the central idea to the work. Susan Faludi has been alluding throughout the book to the masculine backlash in response to 9/11. First, she describes how feminist voices have been silenced in the major media. Next, she describes how men in relation to the 9/11 attacks have been portrayed in hero roles while women have been pushed into the roles of the weak victim that needs protection. Finally, Susan Faludi directs her argument to what seems to be the core of her theory: a male-dominated society has been emasculated in its failure to protect its citizens. I feel that this is a very interesting thesis in that most people would associate the American response to the 9/11 attacks as a justifiably angry giant instead of an emotionally damaged and ashamed man. If one imagines American society as one solid unit it makes sense that America would build back on where its society may feel it has been consciously or unconsciously decided that has been damaged. I feel that Faludi's argument is quite valid, which is that the "masculine" roles of protection that America has espoused has been violated and the silencing of feminine voices is a direct result of this violation.
I had that BOOM moment just now with our assigned text, The Terror Dream. Apparently the "Terror Dream" is something that a male character in a movie has been living with: impotence (p. 207). If Susan Faludi has deemed that this phrase is important enough to use to label her work, then it must be the central idea to the work. Susan Faludi has been alluding throughout the book to the masculine backlash in response to 9/11. First, she describes how feminist voices have been silenced in the major media. Next, she describes how men in relation to the 9/11 attacks have been portrayed in hero roles while women have been pushed into the roles of the weak victim that needs protection. Finally, Susan Faludi directs her argument to what seems to be the core of her theory: a male-dominated society has been emasculated in its failure to protect its citizens. I feel that this is a very interesting thesis in that most people would associate the American response to the 9/11 attacks as a justifiably angry giant instead of an emotionally damaged and ashamed man. If one imagines American society as one solid unit it makes sense that America would build back on where its society may feel it has been consciously or unconsciously decided that has been damaged. I feel that Faludi's argument is quite valid, which is that the "masculine" roles of protection that America has espoused has been violated and the silencing of feminine voices is a direct result of this violation.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
The Generational Gap
Last English class the topic came up of a generational gap and its effect on our perception of the PBS documentary "The Persuaders." I feel that this is an interesting topic and has increasing relevance in today's society (link to the documentary's website: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/persuaders/).
We live in a world that is changing more rapidly than ever. Earlier in the term our class discussed the idea of people who stand tenacious in the face of change through small acts of non-conformity such as continuing to write paper letters through the "snail mail" as it is now called. Evidently, these people do not want to change their lifestyle to the more competitive paradigm in which we now find ourselves. I feel that the media, corporations, and governments are operating in a way that is completely new to the general public, and as a result, people do not want to change.
We world is changing very rapidly, as I have said. As a result, the world is a very competitive place, especially between businesses and countries. This being said, "The Persuaders" mocks attempts by companies to try to gain leverage on one another. In some ways, I feel that this mocking is appropriate, such as in the case examined within "The Persuaders" of Song Airline's advertising campaign, which was hopelessly useless because it marketed an idea without a foundation on simple facts. I feel that the mocking point of view that the host of "The Persuaders" took toward Cotaire Rapaille's ideas was unwarranted, that subconscious ideas are an important part of consumerism. My point is that nowadays companies are trying to jump into the growing pool of young consumers. However, there is a massive generational gap between the ideas of the leaders of the corporate world and the ideas of my generation. As a result, companies need to anticipate how my generation will respond through tests groups; however, sometimes these guesses may fail (as they did with Song Airlines) or make all the difference.
We live in a world that is changing more rapidly than ever. Earlier in the term our class discussed the idea of people who stand tenacious in the face of change through small acts of non-conformity such as continuing to write paper letters through the "snail mail" as it is now called. Evidently, these people do not want to change their lifestyle to the more competitive paradigm in which we now find ourselves. I feel that the media, corporations, and governments are operating in a way that is completely new to the general public, and as a result, people do not want to change.
We world is changing very rapidly, as I have said. As a result, the world is a very competitive place, especially between businesses and countries. This being said, "The Persuaders" mocks attempts by companies to try to gain leverage on one another. In some ways, I feel that this mocking is appropriate, such as in the case examined within "The Persuaders" of Song Airline's advertising campaign, which was hopelessly useless because it marketed an idea without a foundation on simple facts. I feel that the mocking point of view that the host of "The Persuaders" took toward Cotaire Rapaille's ideas was unwarranted, that subconscious ideas are an important part of consumerism. My point is that nowadays companies are trying to jump into the growing pool of young consumers. However, there is a massive generational gap between the ideas of the leaders of the corporate world and the ideas of my generation. As a result, companies need to anticipate how my generation will respond through tests groups; however, sometimes these guesses may fail (as they did with Song Airlines) or make all the difference.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Response to Subconscious Consumerism
Yesterday, when my class continued to watch the PBS documentary "The Persuaders," (link to documentary site: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/persuaders/). we were introduced to an interesting character in the documentary: Clotaire Rapaille. Dr. Rapaille is a psychologist who has turned his experience with human behavior to applications in marketing. He explains that consumers were subconsciously driven to buy products by what he calls the "reptilian" primal urges of the human brain. PBS's investigator, along with seemingly most of the class, seemed pretty skeptical to his methods. How could such a bunch of hokey really make money for corporations that pay this wierdo tons of money? However, I was not skeptical.
I have read two very interesting works that reflect the peculiar sociological and psychological aspects of people's consumption habits. They are The Tipping Point (description of The Tipping Point: http://www.gladwell.com/tippingpoint/index.html) and Blink (description of Blink: http://www.gladwell.com/blink/index.html) by Malcolm Gladwell. In The Tipping Point, Gladwell explores how relatively unknown products can suddenly explode into popularity due to how people interact with each other. The most prevalent example throughout the book is the explosion in popularity of "Hushpuppies," a particular brand and style of shoe. Gladwell explains the mechanics of brand popularity, describing how society can be broken down into consumers with different behaviors. There are an advance few that will try new styles that have never been tried before, then there are those consumers who specialize in disseminating information about these advance consumers. After a few more of these steps, a particular brand may become incredibly popular. It may not be obvious, but the science of sociology plays a huge role in people's consumer habits.
Blink can be best described as a dissertation explaining why gut feelings are usually correct. In this work, Gladwell explores the powerful influence of the human subconscious. I feel this book is relevant because it shows how the arcane human subconscious manifests itself in the daily actions of people. Quick decisions are made by the human subconscious faster than the conscious mind ever could, without any inner dialogue. This concept, in combination with the sociological roots of consumerism, makes me feel that Dr. Rapaille may be onto something ingenious instead of being a complete nut.
I have read two very interesting works that reflect the peculiar sociological and psychological aspects of people's consumption habits. They are The Tipping Point (description of The Tipping Point: http://www.gladwell.com/tippingpoint/index.html) and Blink (description of Blink: http://www.gladwell.com/blink/index.html) by Malcolm Gladwell. In The Tipping Point, Gladwell explores how relatively unknown products can suddenly explode into popularity due to how people interact with each other. The most prevalent example throughout the book is the explosion in popularity of "Hushpuppies," a particular brand and style of shoe. Gladwell explains the mechanics of brand popularity, describing how society can be broken down into consumers with different behaviors. There are an advance few that will try new styles that have never been tried before, then there are those consumers who specialize in disseminating information about these advance consumers. After a few more of these steps, a particular brand may become incredibly popular. It may not be obvious, but the science of sociology plays a huge role in people's consumer habits.
Blink can be best described as a dissertation explaining why gut feelings are usually correct. In this work, Gladwell explores the powerful influence of the human subconscious. I feel this book is relevant because it shows how the arcane human subconscious manifests itself in the daily actions of people. Quick decisions are made by the human subconscious faster than the conscious mind ever could, without any inner dialogue. This concept, in combination with the sociological roots of consumerism, makes me feel that Dr. Rapaille may be onto something ingenious instead of being a complete nut.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
A Little Close Reading
Today I thought I would examine a popular news source in terms of its layout, and the wording of its articles. I am currently looking at drudgereport.com (accessed April 29, 2008 at 5:30 p.m., http://www.drudgereport.com/) and I immediately notice two major headlines. At the top of the page, in a massive print size, the headline is "Obama Outraged by Former Pastor's Comments." In a column below, in far smaller type, is an announcement that Hillary Clinton will "appear for first time ever on FOX NEWS' 'The O'Reilly Factor' Wednesday night . . ." (drudgereport.com accessed April 29, 2008 at 5:30 p.m.). Personally, I find the second headline far more intriguing because it is something new (link to "The O'Reilly Factor" website: http://www.foxnews.com/oreilly/).
Everyone I have spoken to (in an area densely populated by democrats) seems to be getting sick of the Obama/Reverend Wright saga. It seems fitting that Wright's sensational comments have been picked up by a sensationalist media, which ends up hurting Obama politically; however, the relationship between the two individuals has been so thoroughly addressed that it seems like the media has some kind of agenda in focusing on a story of someone who is portrayed (I have not seen his entire sermons, so I cannot be sure) as a religious and racial radical. The status quo is maintained through this portrayal by putting down Reverend Wright, even though some of his comments are truly ridiculous.
It's intriguing to me that it is more of a side story that something so monumental as Hillary Clinton agreeing to be on the controversial "O'Reilly Factor" Fox program. As a Republican, I will definitely be watching this programming, especially since Hillary Clinton is an individual that Bill O'Reilly would love to rip into. I will be curious to see how both individuals conduct themselves within the program. Furthermore, I question the intentions of Matt Drudge as well as other media sources that put a story in the headline that hurts Obama instead of letting people know about an incredible media event regarding Hillary Clinton and a stalwart conservative member of the media.
Everyone I have spoken to (in an area densely populated by democrats) seems to be getting sick of the Obama/Reverend Wright saga. It seems fitting that Wright's sensational comments have been picked up by a sensationalist media, which ends up hurting Obama politically; however, the relationship between the two individuals has been so thoroughly addressed that it seems like the media has some kind of agenda in focusing on a story of someone who is portrayed (I have not seen his entire sermons, so I cannot be sure) as a religious and racial radical. The status quo is maintained through this portrayal by putting down Reverend Wright, even though some of his comments are truly ridiculous.
It's intriguing to me that it is more of a side story that something so monumental as Hillary Clinton agreeing to be on the controversial "O'Reilly Factor" Fox program. As a Republican, I will definitely be watching this programming, especially since Hillary Clinton is an individual that Bill O'Reilly would love to rip into. I will be curious to see how both individuals conduct themselves within the program. Furthermore, I question the intentions of Matt Drudge as well as other media sources that put a story in the headline that hurts Obama instead of letting people know about an incredible media event regarding Hillary Clinton and a stalwart conservative member of the media.
Monday, April 28, 2008
The Persuaders
Today in media studies class, we watched the beginning half of a PBS special entitled "The Persuaders" (link to documentary website: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/persuaders/). I found this to be a rather thought-provoking documentary in that it gives an advertiser's perspective towards the different advertisements that bombard us everyday.
Specifically, I thought the example presented within the documentary of Song Airlines to be quite intriguing because of its advertising strategy. It was explained that Song was the result of Delta's idea to create a company that is removed from the (unpopular) Delta name. However, according to the documentary, the focus of the Song Airlines ad campaign is designed by an individual named Andy Spade. Now, Mr. Spade has some interesting ideas on how to engineer Song Airlines' ad campaign; he is busy creating a lifestyle that would appeal to customers (especially women) that would set Song Airlines apart from its competitors. I personally can attest that one of Song's competitors, Jet Blue, seems to be more of a "cool" company, with flat screen TVs in their terminals (at Boston Logan) and other gimmicks that are pleasing to the consumer's eye. Naturally, it seems that Song is trying to imitate this concept, except that, as was presented in the documentary, Song is pushing it to the next level by portraying the company itself as an easy-going lifestyle choice instead of a corporation.
I feel that while this advertising strategy is interesting, I predict it will fail. The documentary made an explicit point that fares and airplanes are not even mentioned in the television-based advertisements. Images of hip people in front of visually stunning backdrops seem to be the way Song has decided to go. However, people in the documentary did not know that Song was even an airline. I understand in the corporate world it is important to break away from competitors, and one of the methods of doing so is by selling an image. Apple does this among other companies. Furthermore, I do not feel that the commercial travel industry has this cultural potential, simply because of what it is: travel. Frankly, sitting on a plane for several hours is boring no matter how kaleidoscopic the colors of the headrests are. A corporation needs advertising to promote its message to the people; however, I feel Song Airlines specifically will face a conundrum in that, to the passengers sitting on the plane, its just another boring plane ride.
Specifically, I thought the example presented within the documentary of Song Airlines to be quite intriguing because of its advertising strategy. It was explained that Song was the result of Delta's idea to create a company that is removed from the (unpopular) Delta name. However, according to the documentary, the focus of the Song Airlines ad campaign is designed by an individual named Andy Spade. Now, Mr. Spade has some interesting ideas on how to engineer Song Airlines' ad campaign; he is busy creating a lifestyle that would appeal to customers (especially women) that would set Song Airlines apart from its competitors. I personally can attest that one of Song's competitors, Jet Blue, seems to be more of a "cool" company, with flat screen TVs in their terminals (at Boston Logan) and other gimmicks that are pleasing to the consumer's eye. Naturally, it seems that Song is trying to imitate this concept, except that, as was presented in the documentary, Song is pushing it to the next level by portraying the company itself as an easy-going lifestyle choice instead of a corporation.
I feel that while this advertising strategy is interesting, I predict it will fail. The documentary made an explicit point that fares and airplanes are not even mentioned in the television-based advertisements. Images of hip people in front of visually stunning backdrops seem to be the way Song has decided to go. However, people in the documentary did not know that Song was even an airline. I understand in the corporate world it is important to break away from competitors, and one of the methods of doing so is by selling an image. Apple does this among other companies. Furthermore, I do not feel that the commercial travel industry has this cultural potential, simply because of what it is: travel. Frankly, sitting on a plane for several hours is boring no matter how kaleidoscopic the colors of the headrests are. A corporation needs advertising to promote its message to the people; however, I feel Song Airlines specifically will face a conundrum in that, to the passengers sitting on the plane, its just another boring plane ride.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Internet Identity
Yesterday I was reading an article in the May 2008 issue of Esquire Magazine when I stumbled across an articled "MySpace.com/Doppelganger" by Chuck Klosterman. In this article, Mr. Klosterman discusses the creation of identities online, via MySpace or Facebook.
The most profound point that Mr. Klosterman made was "The self-portrait you upload on Facebook is what you look like...It does not matter if you've honestly enjoyed the movies you list as favorites or read the books you claim to love...Who is going to disagree?" (Klosterman 66). I feel that this statement blurs the line between what is reality and what isn't. Who is to say that a person's biography on their home page on a social networking site is not the actual person themselves? Internet link to article: http://www.esquire.com/features/chuck-klostermans-america/hannah-montana-0508.
The reason I find this so interesting is because it is individual people who create their Internet identity. People on social sites only see what other people want them to see. These social networking site pages are manifestations of different people's self-perceptions. They choose only the aspects of their personality or interests that may appeal to people or appeal to their own personal self-view. Mr. Klosterman takes this idea a step further by asking us not if people only project their best self-image, with the understanding that the image has a basis in reality. One cannot accurately try to conform to a specific group if they do not share the behavior of that group's members, i.e. (though I realize this is a stereotype) if one wants to be categorized as a metal music lover, there tends to be a series of bands to which most of the mainstream metal world listens (Metallica, Iron Maiden, etc.). Klosterman questions the validity of these online declarations of self, in essence saying that just because it's there, it's not true.
This leads into another topic. Why would people want to put false information about themselves on a social networking site. Personally, I believe that people will often try to self-categorize in order to fit into a specific group that they feel may be better than other groups. This sentiment of group egoism is ironic because, as Klosterman points out, some individuals may not belong to the groups to whom they claim allegiance.
Source: Klosterman, Chuck. "MySpace.com/Doppelganger." Esquire May 2008: 65-66
Thank you for Reading
The most profound point that Mr. Klosterman made was "The self-portrait you upload on Facebook is what you look like...It does not matter if you've honestly enjoyed the movies you list as favorites or read the books you claim to love...Who is going to disagree?" (Klosterman 66). I feel that this statement blurs the line between what is reality and what isn't. Who is to say that a person's biography on their home page on a social networking site is not the actual person themselves? Internet link to article: http://www.esquire.com/features/chuck-klostermans-america/hannah-montana-0508.
The reason I find this so interesting is because it is individual people who create their Internet identity. People on social sites only see what other people want them to see. These social networking site pages are manifestations of different people's self-perceptions. They choose only the aspects of their personality or interests that may appeal to people or appeal to their own personal self-view. Mr. Klosterman takes this idea a step further by asking us not if people only project their best self-image, with the understanding that the image has a basis in reality. One cannot accurately try to conform to a specific group if they do not share the behavior of that group's members, i.e. (though I realize this is a stereotype) if one wants to be categorized as a metal music lover, there tends to be a series of bands to which most of the mainstream metal world listens (Metallica, Iron Maiden, etc.). Klosterman questions the validity of these online declarations of self, in essence saying that just because it's there, it's not true.
This leads into another topic. Why would people want to put false information about themselves on a social networking site. Personally, I believe that people will often try to self-categorize in order to fit into a specific group that they feel may be better than other groups. This sentiment of group egoism is ironic because, as Klosterman points out, some individuals may not belong to the groups to whom they claim allegiance.
Source: Klosterman, Chuck. "MySpace.com/Doppelganger." Esquire May 2008: 65-66
Thank you for Reading
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Applications...Again
I just completed an application and an interview. No, not the ones of the college variety that have been plaguing my fellow classmates and me for the past several months, these are for a summer job.
I just applied to work in Washington D.C. again. I officially have what my former internship coordinator called the "Potomac Fever," a term he used to describe the allure that Washington D.C. has over the individuals that visit or work in that city. I say that I have this "affliction" because, if I get the job for which I just completed an interview, I will have worked in Washington D.C. for the past three summers.
My friends can't understand why I would want to return to a job that I have done already for two summers that I previously did without pay. However, to me at least, there are several conditions that make this time around very different to those previous. First, I used a third party organization in order to find the positions in Washington D.C. This organization has proved instrumental in the development of my interest in the U.S. government and public policy. This time is different in that I am applying for a job independently of any job-finding organization. Secondly, this year has meant much for me in terms of the development of my political and ideological beliefs. Now that I have been going out of the way to read exploratory non-fiction books along with scholarly articles, I am much more acutely aware of world events and their causes/potential impacts. I have consumed this kind of media voraciously, and as a result, I have developed a new perspective on government. Furthermore, I believe that the kind of job a person has in the government or politics is a reflection of the beliefs and perceptions of the individual in that job. Some people can take their personal beliefs into their work and use them to make their work more enjoyable or worthwhile. In this way, though I may have a similar position that I have in the past two summers, it is a completely different kind of job, a job that fascinates me.
I just applied to work in Washington D.C. again. I officially have what my former internship coordinator called the "Potomac Fever," a term he used to describe the allure that Washington D.C. has over the individuals that visit or work in that city. I say that I have this "affliction" because, if I get the job for which I just completed an interview, I will have worked in Washington D.C. for the past three summers.
My friends can't understand why I would want to return to a job that I have done already for two summers that I previously did without pay. However, to me at least, there are several conditions that make this time around very different to those previous. First, I used a third party organization in order to find the positions in Washington D.C. This organization has proved instrumental in the development of my interest in the U.S. government and public policy. This time is different in that I am applying for a job independently of any job-finding organization. Secondly, this year has meant much for me in terms of the development of my political and ideological beliefs. Now that I have been going out of the way to read exploratory non-fiction books along with scholarly articles, I am much more acutely aware of world events and their causes/potential impacts. I have consumed this kind of media voraciously, and as a result, I have developed a new perspective on government. Furthermore, I believe that the kind of job a person has in the government or politics is a reflection of the beliefs and perceptions of the individual in that job. Some people can take their personal beliefs into their work and use them to make their work more enjoyable or worthwhile. In this way, though I may have a similar position that I have in the past two summers, it is a completely different kind of job, a job that fascinates me.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Gotta Catch 'Em All!
I was browsing through my memory banks, thinking for some kind of impact that media has had on my life and society. And them, WHOOM! It hits me with all the subtlety of a cudgel in the face. My life has been forever shaped by the international phenomenon known as Pokemon. (Link to Pokemon website: http://www.pokemon.com/).
I was in the fourth grade when I first came across those adorable little pocket monsters. I was a little behind the curve when it came to acquiring the hottest game around, as I lacked a nintendo gameboy on which to play it. However, when I popped the cartridge into the gameboy and turned on the screen to see a cute little "charmander" staring me in the face (http://guidesmedia.ign.com/guides/9846/images/charmander.gif). I knew I was in love. I could not stop playing this game. It was frighteningly addictive; it was a physical impossibility to put the gameboy down.
Though I was young at the time, I realize in retrospect how much the Pokemon craze had completely immersed American pop culture. The images of Pikachu (http://anthropoasis.free.fr/IMG/gif/Pikachu.gif) and other cute little critters were on television shows, clothing, spring-off video games, and the Internet. It's incredible to me that a foreign-made video game was able to completely take over the youth of a country. To me, this popularity wave, supported by marketing groups looking to exploit the pokemon frenzy, is part of a market that exploits the impressionability of kids who are looking for entertainment. This makes sense to me, in that children are a class of individuals who demand market consumption from their parents. However, this market deluge changed kids lives. It's kind of sad that when I think of my childhood, I think of the different video games I've played. People have many different kind of influences on their lives, but I am a product of an age where targeted marketing campaigns have drastically changed the culture of my youth.
I was in the fourth grade when I first came across those adorable little pocket monsters. I was a little behind the curve when it came to acquiring the hottest game around, as I lacked a nintendo gameboy on which to play it. However, when I popped the cartridge into the gameboy and turned on the screen to see a cute little "charmander" staring me in the face (http://guidesmedia.ign.com/guides/9846/images/charmander.gif). I knew I was in love. I could not stop playing this game. It was frighteningly addictive; it was a physical impossibility to put the gameboy down.
Though I was young at the time, I realize in retrospect how much the Pokemon craze had completely immersed American pop culture. The images of Pikachu (http://anthropoasis.free.fr/IMG/gif/Pikachu.gif) and other cute little critters were on television shows, clothing, spring-off video games, and the Internet. It's incredible to me that a foreign-made video game was able to completely take over the youth of a country. To me, this popularity wave, supported by marketing groups looking to exploit the pokemon frenzy, is part of a market that exploits the impressionability of kids who are looking for entertainment. This makes sense to me, in that children are a class of individuals who demand market consumption from their parents. However, this market deluge changed kids lives. It's kind of sad that when I think of my childhood, I think of the different video games I've played. People have many different kind of influences on their lives, but I am a product of an age where targeted marketing campaigns have drastically changed the culture of my youth.
Monday, April 21, 2008
The Little Freedoms
I go to a school that had many strict rules that often seem gratuitous to the students. I have to obey rules such as asking a faculty member if I can be ride in our friend's car, even though I am technically an adult. I have to ask someone who is apparently more of an "adult" than I am if I can take my girlfriend of roughly two years up to my room (these supervisors are hardly ever in the dorm). Now, today my school received an email from our Dean of Students that was met with much wailing and much gnashing of teeth, as it introduced a new policy that covered a topic that most students considered a save haven: permission to go to a friend's house that is within walking distance.
According to the new policy, one must obtain permission from one's house counselors or cluster dean as well as have the friend's parent call to confirm that they will be present in order to make the five minute journey to visit that house. In my personal experience, when I go to a friend's house downtown, I am just visiting to say hello and to say hello to the parents of my friend. It is a different dynamic when you visit a friend at their home, and you interact with your friend's parents. These little visits build someone's relationship with his or her friend as well as her parents. These trips are also safe havens from the oppressive bubble that is my school.
I can understand that my school wants to protect itself from any potential litigation actions that a student's parents may take against the school because the student somehow got hurt or drank themselves into a stupor at the friend's house. It's understandable that my school as an institution wants to protect itself from these kinds of legal risks, but come on. I already have so many little aspects of my life that is managed and controlled that my school, though it professes as its mission to broaden the minds of its students, has limited my experiences. As a result, I feel I have not been as fully "educated" or experienced as many things as I could because I have nit-picking rules that hold me back. One may say, if the rules are so trifling, why don't you just take care of them? I'd love to. However, I as a person hate having my individual liberties being restricted by a bunch of individuals for reasons I think are stupid. Yeah, the school has to look after itself, so what if my parents (I think they would) wrote a letter that said "my technically adult son has the right to ride in whichever car he wants, and can go wherever he wants, whenever he wants."
Education is in the classroom and in life experiences. My school covers the first point, but tries to control the other. With such pedantic restrictions and almost petty threats of petty punishment, it is hard to be educated from the second source.
According to the new policy, one must obtain permission from one's house counselors or cluster dean as well as have the friend's parent call to confirm that they will be present in order to make the five minute journey to visit that house. In my personal experience, when I go to a friend's house downtown, I am just visiting to say hello and to say hello to the parents of my friend. It is a different dynamic when you visit a friend at their home, and you interact with your friend's parents. These little visits build someone's relationship with his or her friend as well as her parents. These trips are also safe havens from the oppressive bubble that is my school.
I can understand that my school wants to protect itself from any potential litigation actions that a student's parents may take against the school because the student somehow got hurt or drank themselves into a stupor at the friend's house. It's understandable that my school as an institution wants to protect itself from these kinds of legal risks, but come on. I already have so many little aspects of my life that is managed and controlled that my school, though it professes as its mission to broaden the minds of its students, has limited my experiences. As a result, I feel I have not been as fully "educated" or experienced as many things as I could because I have nit-picking rules that hold me back. One may say, if the rules are so trifling, why don't you just take care of them? I'd love to. However, I as a person hate having my individual liberties being restricted by a bunch of individuals for reasons I think are stupid. Yeah, the school has to look after itself, so what if my parents (I think they would) wrote a letter that said "my technically adult son has the right to ride in whichever car he wants, and can go wherever he wants, whenever he wants."
Education is in the classroom and in life experiences. My school covers the first point, but tries to control the other. With such pedantic restrictions and almost petty threats of petty punishment, it is hard to be educated from the second source.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Long Weekend Alone
It's the time of the long weekend. All of the local boarders and day students are nowhere to be found throughout campus. What's worse is that it is also college visiting weekend. Because of this, even kids who live far away will leave campus to go visit the college of their choice. This is great for these students; I earnestly hope that these people find an institution of higher learning that suits their needs and wants.
I, however, was accepted by a binding early decision. This means that I am legally obligated to go to the one school tho which I was accepted. Now, I am completely fine with these terms, but as I am definitely going to this particular school, there is no real reason for me to go and revisit the school. As a result, I will stay by my lonesome on campus, with the few individuals who remain to keep me company.
This is not entirely bad though. In my experience of being left alone on campus, there are plenty of small victories to be won through the exploration of the campus or local town along with finding random adventures. One may find an interesting little store downtown that was previously overlooked, explore the forest nearby, or settle down to read a good book. The fact that I am left to myself (I believe) is a blessing in disguise, that I have the opportunity to do certain things that I would not be able to do if others were here to distract me. For example, I may now be able to spend quality time with an individual with whom I do not usually interact. Being able to do things outside of the norm aides people in becoming a more complete, cultured individual, and I hope I may be able to expand myself in this way.
I, however, was accepted by a binding early decision. This means that I am legally obligated to go to the one school tho which I was accepted. Now, I am completely fine with these terms, but as I am definitely going to this particular school, there is no real reason for me to go and revisit the school. As a result, I will stay by my lonesome on campus, with the few individuals who remain to keep me company.
This is not entirely bad though. In my experience of being left alone on campus, there are plenty of small victories to be won through the exploration of the campus or local town along with finding random adventures. One may find an interesting little store downtown that was previously overlooked, explore the forest nearby, or settle down to read a good book. The fact that I am left to myself (I believe) is a blessing in disguise, that I have the opportunity to do certain things that I would not be able to do if others were here to distract me. For example, I may now be able to spend quality time with an individual with whom I do not usually interact. Being able to do things outside of the norm aides people in becoming a more complete, cultured individual, and I hope I may be able to expand myself in this way.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
A Quick Look at Music
On my school's campus, there are many different kinds of music playing. The people on the lawn playing frisbee may have an apple laptop open, playing Jack Johnson; or the people who are relaxing in the sun may be listening to Justin Timberlake. In short, there is a lot of popular, mainstream music being played around me. Furthermore, I listen to many kinds of music, but my favorite kind is metal. Although this is the case, I do not hear metal anywhere on my campus outside of my room. Furthermore, when I try to talk about a metal band, people often look at me like I'm some kind of freak or a somehow dangerous individual.
In my love for metal music, I'm not some crazy person who worships the devil. I just enjoy the cathartic feeling that I, and many other people alongside me, believe is very relaxing. It sooths some people to find a release to the anger and other pent-up emotions in a way that is healthy. This music is often pushed to the background by most pop music, so I just wanted to bring a sample of the music that I enjoy.
First: Killswitch Engage: Amazing Band. Crunching Riffs and screaming vocals that can be subsituted for a more melodic style (http://www.killswitchengage.com/). My favorite video is of a song called "The End of Heartache," which can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqgoVhnI2c0 (accessed April 17, 2008).
Second: Mudavyne; I had the opportunity to see this band live and left with a black eye and a chipped tooth (http://www.mudvayne.com/). However, their more recent material seems to be more focused, as opposed to open anger that was originally conveyed through their material. A fantastic music video by this group would be the video for "Happy?" This video could be percieved as a more mainstream version of Mudvayne, as the band members used to perform with face paint. The video itself can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5ZbdDDNz3c&feature=related (accessed April 17, 2008).
Thank you for reading
In my love for metal music, I'm not some crazy person who worships the devil. I just enjoy the cathartic feeling that I, and many other people alongside me, believe is very relaxing. It sooths some people to find a release to the anger and other pent-up emotions in a way that is healthy. This music is often pushed to the background by most pop music, so I just wanted to bring a sample of the music that I enjoy.
First: Killswitch Engage: Amazing Band. Crunching Riffs and screaming vocals that can be subsituted for a more melodic style (http://www.killswitchengage.com/). My favorite video is of a song called "The End of Heartache," which can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqgoVhnI2c0 (accessed April 17, 2008).
Second: Mudavyne; I had the opportunity to see this band live and left with a black eye and a chipped tooth (http://www.mudvayne.com/). However, their more recent material seems to be more focused, as opposed to open anger that was originally conveyed through their material. A fantastic music video by this group would be the video for "Happy?" This video could be percieved as a more mainstream version of Mudvayne, as the band members used to perform with face paint. The video itself can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5ZbdDDNz3c&feature=related (accessed April 17, 2008).
Thank you for reading
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
A Religious Manifesto
This evening I got into an argument with a very good friend of mine. She did not understand my perspective on my affiliation with the Catholic Church. Now, I consider myself a Catholic, someone who falls under the teachings of the Catholic Church; but I consider myself more a Christian than a Catholic. Anyways, the basic gist of the argument was that my friend did not understand why I associate myself with the specific Catholic branch of the Christian faith while I harbor specific beliefs that come in conflict with the Catholic institution.
I decided that this would be a good time to try to explain as well as I can what I feel to be the outline of my own personal faith. I am a Christian who believes in the central tenants of the teachings of Jesus Christ (which, in a basic form, include, love, peace, acceptance). I as a person want to connect myself with the message and the identity of Jesus and of my belief of the Christian perception of God. Now, as to what is apparently the contradiction between my personal religious beliefs and the religious teachings prescribed to me by the Catholic Church, I feel it necessary to reflect that, in my opinion, the Catholic church is a mortal institution that is dominated by mortal men. To Christians, the Word of God is supposed to be perfect truth, right? However, people are not perfect; they are affected by their experiences and their personal prejudices. I think people need to take the preaching of ministers and priests (admittedly of all religions) with a grain of salt because it will always reflect the ideas of the human (and thus inherently imperfect) preaching. For example, the Catholic Church declares that homosexuality is a sin. I don’t think so. I believe in Jesus’s message of acceptance of all people, of the Samaritan woman at the well. The Catholic Church may say one thing, but I can believe another in accordance with the teachings of Jesus. For this reason, I feel that specific denominations of Christianity, though having important differences in terms of ritual, should be vehicles to the message of Christ that cater to s specific style of worship. Though I disagree with some of its differentiating tenants, the Catholic Church’s style of mass is the style of worship I feel most comfortable with. This is why I am a Christian who belongs to the specific Catholic branch of Christianity.
Thank you for reading
I decided that this would be a good time to try to explain as well as I can what I feel to be the outline of my own personal faith. I am a Christian who believes in the central tenants of the teachings of Jesus Christ (which, in a basic form, include, love, peace, acceptance). I as a person want to connect myself with the message and the identity of Jesus and of my belief of the Christian perception of God. Now, as to what is apparently the contradiction between my personal religious beliefs and the religious teachings prescribed to me by the Catholic Church, I feel it necessary to reflect that, in my opinion, the Catholic church is a mortal institution that is dominated by mortal men. To Christians, the Word of God is supposed to be perfect truth, right? However, people are not perfect; they are affected by their experiences and their personal prejudices. I think people need to take the preaching of ministers and priests (admittedly of all religions) with a grain of salt because it will always reflect the ideas of the human (and thus inherently imperfect) preaching. For example, the Catholic Church declares that homosexuality is a sin. I don’t think so. I believe in Jesus’s message of acceptance of all people, of the Samaritan woman at the well. The Catholic Church may say one thing, but I can believe another in accordance with the teachings of Jesus. For this reason, I feel that specific denominations of Christianity, though having important differences in terms of ritual, should be vehicles to the message of Christ that cater to s specific style of worship. Though I disagree with some of its differentiating tenants, the Catholic Church’s style of mass is the style of worship I feel most comfortable with. This is why I am a Christian who belongs to the specific Catholic branch of Christianity.
Thank you for reading
Monday, April 14, 2008
Free Write
Today in English class, all of the students were instructed to do a freewrite. Apparently, this means that you must never pause when you are writing, and you must write everything down that comes to mind. This is exactly what I am doing right now. Please take this as some kind of disclaimer, should this exercise prove to be a failure.
Last term, my Spanish teacher recommended that I watch a PBS documentary named "Commanding Heights." I managed to find the entire program on the PBS website (which can be found at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/commandingheights/hi/index.html accessed April 14, 2008). I am now on a chapter within the first of three subdivisions, entitled "Chicago Against the Tide." So far, the documentary is discussing the intellectual battle between Kenyesian state-centralized economic planning versus Hayek's idea of the freedom and flexibility of the markets. I did not know that after World War 2, one-third of the population of the world lived under socialist governments, including notable countries such as China, Russia, Britain, and (to a degree) the United States of America. This socialist planning was endorsed by an economist named John Keynes, who the documentary explains as perceiving the economy as a "machine" that could be regulated instead of a financial circumstance as a result of the push of market "forces."
However, because I am someone who is looking into the past from the 21st century, I have the immutable advantage of watching the economic trend of history. The central planning of Soviet Russia has failed, the United States is beginning to feel the weight of an aging baby boom population that will (I think) cause for an eventual, drastic cut back on the medicare system, and along with many, many other examples that I can't look up enough specifics to post online because that would ruin the point of this free write, how could anyone ever sponsor socialism? In my mind, great, I guess they didn't get the message. I am not ignorant that poverty and maldistribution of wealth exists; trust me, I want to eliminate poverty and be as economically fair as much as the next person, but I feel that free market forces and economic growth (labor-intensive or capital-intensive, it doesn't matter because either way I think it will end up being put into the economy to generate more growth) can pull people out of poverty better than inefficient government planning. I worked as an intern on capital hill this summer. I had to go to many defense briefings explaining the defense department's spending. Isn't it a wonder that our government is so bloated with bureaucracy that, as a nation in war, we need to contract out a majority of our construction and security tasks because our government is simply so wasteful and slow? This is awesome. I'm being completely sarcastic. It sucks. I have a lot more that I would enjoy ranting about, but this seems to be a good place to end my freewrite.
Thank you for reading.
Last term, my Spanish teacher recommended that I watch a PBS documentary named "Commanding Heights." I managed to find the entire program on the PBS website (which can be found at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/commandingheights/hi/index.html accessed April 14, 2008). I am now on a chapter within the first of three subdivisions, entitled "Chicago Against the Tide." So far, the documentary is discussing the intellectual battle between Kenyesian state-centralized economic planning versus Hayek's idea of the freedom and flexibility of the markets. I did not know that after World War 2, one-third of the population of the world lived under socialist governments, including notable countries such as China, Russia, Britain, and (to a degree) the United States of America. This socialist planning was endorsed by an economist named John Keynes, who the documentary explains as perceiving the economy as a "machine" that could be regulated instead of a financial circumstance as a result of the push of market "forces."
However, because I am someone who is looking into the past from the 21st century, I have the immutable advantage of watching the economic trend of history. The central planning of Soviet Russia has failed, the United States is beginning to feel the weight of an aging baby boom population that will (I think) cause for an eventual, drastic cut back on the medicare system, and along with many, many other examples that I can't look up enough specifics to post online because that would ruin the point of this free write, how could anyone ever sponsor socialism? In my mind, great, I guess they didn't get the message. I am not ignorant that poverty and maldistribution of wealth exists; trust me, I want to eliminate poverty and be as economically fair as much as the next person, but I feel that free market forces and economic growth (labor-intensive or capital-intensive, it doesn't matter because either way I think it will end up being put into the economy to generate more growth) can pull people out of poverty better than inefficient government planning. I worked as an intern on capital hill this summer. I had to go to many defense briefings explaining the defense department's spending. Isn't it a wonder that our government is so bloated with bureaucracy that, as a nation in war, we need to contract out a majority of our construction and security tasks because our government is simply so wasteful and slow? This is awesome. I'm being completely sarcastic. It sucks. I have a lot more that I would enjoy ranting about, but this seems to be a good place to end my freewrite.
Thank you for reading.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Potomac Fever
I have been afflicted with the "Potomac Fever"- the desire by an individual to return back to Washington DC, where I have worked the past two summers. Frankly, how could I not want to return? Washington DC is an incredibly unique city in many ways. The history of our young nation is scattered throughout the city in picturesque memorials, VIPs can be seen casually walking down the street, and there is a very peculiar atmosphere of a passive importance. However, I had an opportunity to explore the government in a way that not many people my age are able.
My first job on the Hill was working for Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney; this job was made all the more interesting because the week before the Congresswoman had gotten into a widely publicized scuffle with a member of the capital police. I was told that according to the news, she had become frustrated with the policeman because he asked for ID. In a meeting with her interns, Ms. McKinney explained that though people were focusing on this one event, she had been harassed by the capital police many times in the past, and this event was the boiling point for these kinds of confrontations. This was my first lesson in politics and Capital Hill: there are many sides to a story, and the most arousing perspective of the story is the one most often told.
To see two very different portrayals of Ms. McKinney look at http://static.flickr.com/73/193304042_282dcaa4af_o.jpg and http://www.tonyrogers.com/humor/images/cynthia_mckinney.jpg (accessed April 12th, 2008).
My second job was with the Office of the State of Nevada, a branch of the Nevada executive arm of the government under Governor Jim Gibbons. Our job was to collaborate with Nevada's members of Congress as well as other state offices ( we found ourselves working most often with North Carolina and California) in order to lobby for specific bills that were under scrutiny by Congress. One of the hot topics of debate at the time was the FY 2007 budget, which had shattered records in terms of the amount of money tucked away into different earmarks (pork), causing Republicans to filibuster the bill. I also found myself writing letters to various congressmen and women (most often Harry Reid D-NV and Senator John Warner R-VA). I attended hearings on different issues, including the affect of the Clean Water Act on Midwestern farmers, with the Governor of Montana (or as my co-worker often called it, "Montucky").
Though I did many things in my second job such as write letters, explore capital hill, and get yelled at by Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) for being too close to the members-only elevator, I think my best experience was being able to write a speech for Governor Gibbons for an education conference. I gave being a politician a try for a day, and co-produced a speech that was delivered without any edits from the governor's speechwriter.
In the end, I have loved and learned from my experiences on Capital Hill. With my affliction of the Potomac Fever, I can only hope to return at some point and do my own little part to help our great mechanism of democracy operate as well as it can.
Thank you for reading.
My first job on the Hill was working for Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney; this job was made all the more interesting because the week before the Congresswoman had gotten into a widely publicized scuffle with a member of the capital police. I was told that according to the news, she had become frustrated with the policeman because he asked for ID. In a meeting with her interns, Ms. McKinney explained that though people were focusing on this one event, she had been harassed by the capital police many times in the past, and this event was the boiling point for these kinds of confrontations. This was my first lesson in politics and Capital Hill: there are many sides to a story, and the most arousing perspective of the story is the one most often told.
To see two very different portrayals of Ms. McKinney look at http://static.flickr.com/73/193304042_282dcaa4af_o.jpg and http://www.tonyrogers.com/humor/images/cynthia_mckinney.jpg (accessed April 12th, 2008).
My second job was with the Office of the State of Nevada, a branch of the Nevada executive arm of the government under Governor Jim Gibbons. Our job was to collaborate with Nevada's members of Congress as well as other state offices ( we found ourselves working most often with North Carolina and California) in order to lobby for specific bills that were under scrutiny by Congress. One of the hot topics of debate at the time was the FY 2007 budget, which had shattered records in terms of the amount of money tucked away into different earmarks (pork), causing Republicans to filibuster the bill. I also found myself writing letters to various congressmen and women (most often Harry Reid D-NV and Senator John Warner R-VA). I attended hearings on different issues, including the affect of the Clean Water Act on Midwestern farmers, with the Governor of Montana (or as my co-worker often called it, "Montucky").
Though I did many things in my second job such as write letters, explore capital hill, and get yelled at by Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) for being too close to the members-only elevator, I think my best experience was being able to write a speech for Governor Gibbons for an education conference. I gave being a politician a try for a day, and co-produced a speech that was delivered without any edits from the governor's speechwriter.
In the end, I have loved and learned from my experiences on Capital Hill. With my affliction of the Potomac Fever, I can only hope to return at some point and do my own little part to help our great mechanism of democracy operate as well as it can.
Thank you for reading.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Spring Dreamin'
I feel like a bear that has emerged from his cave at the end of winter, yawning and blinking the sunlight out of its eyes. The birds have begun to chirp outside the window of my bedroom, the ice on the lawn has started to melt, and thick winter jackets are giving way to cut-offs and short sleeves. It is truly a time of rebirth and revival, and, like the warm sun in the cloudless sky, I find myself rising to meet the new world. It is a time to try new things.
With this sentiment in mind, I will be trying a new activity tomorrow. Never before have I organized the staple activity of springtime bumminess: the barbeque. I will be assuming the time-honored roll of "grill master," complete with large, threatening tongs and an obnoxious "kiss the cook" apron. The excuse I am using to grill is the home opener for the local baseball team, for which many of my friends play. I am excited because, frankly, I have only benefited from instead of contributed to the noble pastime of cooking raw meat in totally random places.
However, this BBQ means much more to me than a (very) delicious meal. To me, it is the pistol shot that signifies the beginning of spring. I am a very weather-sensitive person; I have a sneaking suspicion that I have some form of seasonal depression. For the coming of the spring the barbaques, the relaxed atmosphere, and the loose clothing all signifies a turn of the page within my mind. I am no longer a person under a dark, oppressive veil of clouds that squashes all kinds of happiness. Now I am back to the person I was before I moved to the cold climate in which I now reside. This transition to spring reminds me of my younger years spent in a warm climate, happy. The warmth of the social and literal atmosphere around me represents a regression into ignorant happiness, a place of perfect content. With this, this barbeque is much more than me trying out something new; I am taking the initiative to become the happy individual that has been missing all winter.
With this sentiment in mind, I will be trying a new activity tomorrow. Never before have I organized the staple activity of springtime bumminess: the barbeque. I will be assuming the time-honored roll of "grill master," complete with large, threatening tongs and an obnoxious "kiss the cook" apron. The excuse I am using to grill is the home opener for the local baseball team, for which many of my friends play. I am excited because, frankly, I have only benefited from instead of contributed to the noble pastime of cooking raw meat in totally random places.
However, this BBQ means much more to me than a (very) delicious meal. To me, it is the pistol shot that signifies the beginning of spring. I am a very weather-sensitive person; I have a sneaking suspicion that I have some form of seasonal depression. For the coming of the spring the barbaques, the relaxed atmosphere, and the loose clothing all signifies a turn of the page within my mind. I am no longer a person under a dark, oppressive veil of clouds that squashes all kinds of happiness. Now I am back to the person I was before I moved to the cold climate in which I now reside. This transition to spring reminds me of my younger years spent in a warm climate, happy. The warmth of the social and literal atmosphere around me represents a regression into ignorant happiness, a place of perfect content. With this, this barbeque is much more than me trying out something new; I am taking the initiative to become the happy individual that has been missing all winter.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Scholastic Schism
I was once in the company of some friends while walking back to my dormitory when the topic of conversation turned to whether we would donate money to our school when we were older. One of my friends declared that he would donate to the school as long as none of the money went to the athletic department. Now, I have nothing wrong with my friend's opinion because one should be able to use their money however one wishes. However, I was mildly irritated at my friend when he explained his reason for excluding the athletic department. According to my friend, a school is first and foremost an academic institution; athletics give some individuals academic opportunities that their intellectual facilities did not merit. Furthermore, my friend explained, athletics are a financial drain upon a school that could use the money spent on sports for academic purposes.
This opinion irked me. From my perspective as a student-athlete, I found this statement ironically narrow-minded. Academics are incredibly important aspects to an individual's intellectual development, and I feel that a school should wholeheartedly commit itself to the education of its students. That said, an individual's education should be much more than what is read from a book. Knowledge is incredibly important and its pursuit is a noble undertaking, but the experience of playing sports provides a mental, emotional, and physical stimulation that is unattainable through classroom learning.
I am a football player. Football is a sport that consists of two eleven-man units competing against each other. The unit must be elevated above the individual in order for a team to be successful. Every football practice I am taught a lesson in humility and comradierie; moreover, I feel that it is important for any individual to learn how to work in a group. As if this was not an important enough lesson, sports also help people build close relationships with others. From my perspective, my coach becomes a father figure, my teammates become brothers, and the school I represent becomes my home. While students in the academic arena build relationships with their peers and their teachers, in my experience as a student-athlete I have found the bonds forged in the athletic arena are far more intimate due to the competitive nature of sports. My most memorable experiences have been with my teammates while competiting in the sport that we love. Finally, while I respect my friend, I feel that he needs to re-examine his perception of the "jock" steriotype. Finally, I am not asking for donations to the athletic department; I am simply asking for a little bit of open-mindedness.
Thank you for reading
This opinion irked me. From my perspective as a student-athlete, I found this statement ironically narrow-minded. Academics are incredibly important aspects to an individual's intellectual development, and I feel that a school should wholeheartedly commit itself to the education of its students. That said, an individual's education should be much more than what is read from a book. Knowledge is incredibly important and its pursuit is a noble undertaking, but the experience of playing sports provides a mental, emotional, and physical stimulation that is unattainable through classroom learning.
I am a football player. Football is a sport that consists of two eleven-man units competing against each other. The unit must be elevated above the individual in order for a team to be successful. Every football practice I am taught a lesson in humility and comradierie; moreover, I feel that it is important for any individual to learn how to work in a group. As if this was not an important enough lesson, sports also help people build close relationships with others. From my perspective, my coach becomes a father figure, my teammates become brothers, and the school I represent becomes my home. While students in the academic arena build relationships with their peers and their teachers, in my experience as a student-athlete I have found the bonds forged in the athletic arena are far more intimate due to the competitive nature of sports. My most memorable experiences have been with my teammates while competiting in the sport that we love. Finally, while I respect my friend, I feel that he needs to re-examine his perception of the "jock" steriotype. Finally, I am not asking for donations to the athletic department; I am simply asking for a little bit of open-mindedness.
Thank you for reading
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Addiction
My chest heaves as I throw the weight to the floor. The impact makes the floor shake, a tremor felt even by the freshman girls who are doing crunches in the padded corner of the gym. Everyone in the entire room is staring at me, that is, everyone but the men at my side who grunt and strain with their loads, beads of sweat creeping down their faces. We are strong. We are fit. We are constructing ourselves into the perfect male archetype, the physically powerful and dominant figure that controls a male-dominated world. It is an unfair world, and I and the men around me work to grab it, force it into a headlock, and throw it down to our feet. We strive to be gods above mere mortals. We are addicted to the feeling, pain, chemicals, and society's steadfast approval of people who fit into its assigned physical profile. It is an addiction that has changed the course of our lives.
However, is the addiction to fitness a negative impact on people's lives? Exercise relieves stress, conditions the body, and prevents many bone and heart diseases. Without question, exercise is good for your health. Which are more important though, the results or the factors that motivate one to achieve those results?
I completely support the idea that everyone should get plenty of exercise, not only for physical health benefits, but also for the psychological benefits to exercise, such as an improved self-image. I have also looked at people who are incredibly fit, the real head-turners, as examples of what people can achieve if they have the proper drive to work for it. I considered these individuals as near-flawless examples of the personal improvement of the individual. However, now I am not so sure.
The most prominent idea against the emphasis on over-working one's self is how pop culture affects a female's self-image. "Starve yourself, you can be pretty someday," is the recurring message. As a result of the combination of a figure-focused society and a fitness-oriented society, many female teens have turned to exercise bulimia to try to achieve the impossible form that is cast at them through popular media. This phenomenon is not limited to females, however. Pop culture has a deep impact on what is "male," especially in regards to physical strength and body image. Everywhere I look, I see images of large, "jacked" (muscular and lean) men who are portrayed in positions of wealth, power, and sexual prowess. In magazines such as Esquire and Men's Health, fit men wearing thousand-dollar suits are in exotic locals with stunning women by their side. These magazines seem to scream "work out, tan and buy expensive clothing; all of this can be yours."When these are people's motives to hit the gym and get the exercise they need, it becomes hard to argue that working out is entirely positive. It can sometimes be a medium through which people can hurt themselves. Females may begin to slip into an eating disorder, and men face the temptation of using steroids to achieve results faster in exchange for their health. At this point, the quest for fitness has become perverted because exercise should be used to make one more healthy, not less healthy.
pictures from http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~power/franco.jpg
Exercise should be a tool to become healthy and happy, not a medium for self-destruction. My message is yes, you should go and work out, but think about why you are working out. Is it because some magazine told you that you aren't skinny enough, or "jacked" enough? It's your body; love it and nourish however you want.
Use fitness for fun things, like these guys (accessed April 5th, 2008): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEeqHj3Nj2c posted by youtube user sauloca.
Thank you for reading
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
One Chapter Ends, Another Chapter Begins
This is the beginning of the end. However, I do not mean in the common thought of the biblical notion of the apocalypse; I am reffering simply to the end of my high school education and the beginning of my college years.
Any teenager can tell you that the situation into which I find myself thrown can be a time of self-discovery and relaxation, a quick breather in the race of of life. It is High School Senior Spring. I find myself a person who is caught in an unusual zone where I no longer tackle five hours of homework a night to keep abreast of my academic pursuits. I am now doing the things I want to do, whether it is hanging out with friends, looking interesting videos up on youtube, or reading books that have collected dust on the bottom shelf of my bookcase. A new term has been introduced into my lexicon: "senioritis." A good definition of "senioritis" would be the nascent laziness of a college-bound senior This sickening disease of senioritis has taken hold, or at least that is what everyone keeps trying to convince me.
Frankly, I am not so sure. Is the behavior I am exhibiting really senioritis? For example, I am hanging out with my friends. Well, according to dictionary.com, the definition of an education is "the act or process of imparting or acquiring particular knowledge or skills." I gain pieces of knowledge and nuggets of wisdom that I would have never come across without the pooled knowledge provided by my friend base wxposed to me through basic social interaction. I also enjoy reading books that are not included in the sillabi of my various classes. Now, I learn many things from my school classes; however, my perception of the world and the people in it are greatly influenced when I supplement my institutional learning with an auxilary source of knowledge. These are simply two examples of behaviors that teachers or administrators would consider the outward signs of seniors who simply don't care about their classes anymore.
I would strongly disagree with this popular notion of the "lazy" senior. Senoritis should not be a term used to describe high school seniors who are plagued by some "disease" of idleness. It is just an individual's re-evaluation of his or her own education. Slaving over homework and sitting through class are just two ways to learn; socializing and persuing independent interests are simply other methods of education that help one define him or herself. I hope that popular culture at some point can stop focusing on this aspect of our education and focus on the students' development as individuals.
On a side note, some blogs that I found interesting:
http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/blogspotting/
http://www.buzzmachine.com/
http://michaelgracie.com/
http://www.blogherald.com/
Thank you for reading.
Any teenager can tell you that the situation into which I find myself thrown can be a time of self-discovery and relaxation, a quick breather in the race of of life. It is High School Senior Spring. I find myself a person who is caught in an unusual zone where I no longer tackle five hours of homework a night to keep abreast of my academic pursuits. I am now doing the things I want to do, whether it is hanging out with friends, looking interesting videos up on youtube, or reading books that have collected dust on the bottom shelf of my bookcase. A new term has been introduced into my lexicon: "senioritis." A good definition of "senioritis" would be the nascent laziness of a college-bound senior This sickening disease of senioritis has taken hold, or at least that is what everyone keeps trying to convince me.
Frankly, I am not so sure. Is the behavior I am exhibiting really senioritis? For example, I am hanging out with my friends. Well, according to dictionary.com, the definition of an education is "the act or process of imparting or acquiring particular knowledge or skills." I gain pieces of knowledge and nuggets of wisdom that I would have never come across without the pooled knowledge provided by my friend base wxposed to me through basic social interaction. I also enjoy reading books that are not included in the sillabi of my various classes. Now, I learn many things from my school classes; however, my perception of the world and the people in it are greatly influenced when I supplement my institutional learning with an auxilary source of knowledge. These are simply two examples of behaviors that teachers or administrators would consider the outward signs of seniors who simply don't care about their classes anymore.
I would strongly disagree with this popular notion of the "lazy" senior. Senoritis should not be a term used to describe high school seniors who are plagued by some "disease" of idleness. It is just an individual's re-evaluation of his or her own education. Slaving over homework and sitting through class are just two ways to learn; socializing and persuing independent interests are simply other methods of education that help one define him or herself. I hope that popular culture at some point can stop focusing on this aspect of our education and focus on the students' development as individuals.
On a side note, some blogs that I found interesting:
http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/blogspotting/
http://www.buzzmachine.com/
http://michaelgracie.com/
http://www.blogherald.com/
Thank you for reading.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Media Experiences
Over the years, I have been exposed to various kinds of media through many different mediums. This exposure has had a substantial impact on my thoughts and ideas, particularly from sources that I am repeatedly exposed to. In a list format, these sources are as follows:
- Drudgereport.com
- Men's Health
- Google News
- Maxim Magazine
- Muscle and Fitness Magazine
- Esquire Magazine
- Time Magazine
- Newsweek Magazine
- MSNBC News
- Fox News
- All Kinds of Music (Rap, Hip-Hop, Metal, Rock, Pop)
- ESPN
- Breitbart.com
- BBC News
- Politico.com
- Youtube
- Hollywood Productions
- Noteably as of late, foreign films such as Conejo en La Luna, Il Postino, and Once
Thank you for reading.
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