1.)
War Photography
Profit
2)
If WWIII Occurred....
Material Goods Does Not Equal Happiness
3.)
Terrorist are Everywhere
Addressing the United States About War
4.)
So then mockingbirds
Part B: Groups 6 and 7
5.)
Life Through Songs
"A Challenge of Peace"
6.)
"How am I not myself"
Friday, May 9, 2008
"How am I not myself"
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Wqgpn87hFYc
How am I not myself? What would happen if you woke up one morning and realized that you are not who you think you are? It is a hard concept to grasp and even if someone could grasp it, it is still impossible to actually catch yourself not being true to yourself. People build themselves all into something they are not all the time for several reasons; to make friends or fit in, to get a job, or any other situation where deceiving could benefit them. At first when this persona is created the person who created it can differentiate from their real self and who they created, but when do they become what they created, and this transformation inevitable?
In “I Heart Huckabees” sales executive Brad Stand uses his story about Shynia Twain to make people laugh and like him. He is quickly climbing the corporate ladder and is able to overcome any obstacle until someone brings to light that he is his story and without it he is no one. After this he realizes that he no longer knows who he is or who he use to be before success became more important than living.
Every once in a while you need to ask yourself the obvious question “who am I” and answer it. 99% of the time you should be able to confidently say who you are and why, but sometimes you will learn that you have become someone that your aren’t and that you lost yourself somewhere on the road of life.
How am I not myself? What would happen if you woke up one morning and realized that you are not who you think you are? It is a hard concept to grasp and even if someone could grasp it, it is still impossible to actually catch yourself not being true to yourself. People build themselves all into something they are not all the time for several reasons; to make friends or fit in, to get a job, or any other situation where deceiving could benefit them. At first when this persona is created the person who created it can differentiate from their real self and who they created, but when do they become what they created, and this transformation inevitable?
In “I Heart Huckabees” sales executive Brad Stand uses his story about Shynia Twain to make people laugh and like him. He is quickly climbing the corporate ladder and is able to overcome any obstacle until someone brings to light that he is his story and without it he is no one. After this he realizes that he no longer knows who he is or who he use to be before success became more important than living.
Every once in a while you need to ask yourself the obvious question “who am I” and answer it. 99% of the time you should be able to confidently say who you are and why, but sometimes you will learn that you have become someone that your aren’t and that you lost yourself somewhere on the road of life.
If WWIII Occurred…
If World War III were to occur it would probably be because of a natural disaster like an asteroid smashing into earth or a volcano erupting and destroying food and water supplies. This disaster would affect the whole world and would not per say create a war between countries, but rather a war between the rich and the poor. The rich would be able to survive because they could purchase high priced food and water, along with generators to produce electricity for warmth. The poor would be left to starve to death because of the lack of resources and humanitarian acts from the people who could afford to help them. This would be a situation where survival of the fittest applies and “the fittest” would be the people that could survive the inflation of prices.
While countries might attack each other over natural resources and to better themselves, it seems more likely that in a situation like this the governments would be momentarily disabled forcing its people to fend for themselves.
The after affects of this war would be near complete elimination of anything produced by corporations that rely on cheap labor like sweatshops and elimination of everyone that is poor or could not afford to move where supplies could be provided. Entire countries would perish due to lack of natural resources and some wealthy would be forced to work low paying menial jobs, recreating social classes.
While countries might attack each other over natural resources and to better themselves, it seems more likely that in a situation like this the governments would be momentarily disabled forcing its people to fend for themselves.
The after affects of this war would be near complete elimination of anything produced by corporations that rely on cheap labor like sweatshops and elimination of everyone that is poor or could not afford to move where supplies could be provided. Entire countries would perish due to lack of natural resources and some wealthy would be forced to work low paying menial jobs, recreating social classes.
Terrorist are Everywhere
http://www.theonion.com/content/news/pope_returns_to_vatican_with
Dear Americans,
While we, the United States government, have tried to our fullest extent to protect the land we love with our lives, it seems that we have been broadsided by an unsuspecting individual and his terrorist unit. Pope Benedict XVI recedes in Vatican City where he is the sole ruler of his nation and of his religious followers that also reside there. During one of his visits to the United States the Pope made several inquires about sensitive information such as the seating capacity of Yankee Stadium, amount of civilians in Washington, the D.C. metro area and of any spots of vulnerability along his tour. Because of the Pope’s official looking appearance, he was able to access this information and view secret documents through inquiring about them to President W. Bush and federal officials. He also had full access to the White House and the National Cathedral. Because we, the government, did not see the Pope as a potential threat he was able to see sensitive information and also might have stolen a blueprint to Freedom Tower. Now all we can do is sit and wait for him and his followers to make the first move.
After this incident we have learned that we can trust no one. If the most revered religious figure can conspire against the United States then what would prevent figures like the Dali Llama to do the same? As citizens of the United States I encourage everyone to look for suspicious behavior and to suspect everyone.
Thank you
The United States Government
Dear Americans,
While we, the United States government, have tried to our fullest extent to protect the land we love with our lives, it seems that we have been broadsided by an unsuspecting individual and his terrorist unit. Pope Benedict XVI recedes in Vatican City where he is the sole ruler of his nation and of his religious followers that also reside there. During one of his visits to the United States the Pope made several inquires about sensitive information such as the seating capacity of Yankee Stadium, amount of civilians in Washington, the D.C. metro area and of any spots of vulnerability along his tour. Because of the Pope’s official looking appearance, he was able to access this information and view secret documents through inquiring about them to President W. Bush and federal officials. He also had full access to the White House and the National Cathedral. Because we, the government, did not see the Pope as a potential threat he was able to see sensitive information and also might have stolen a blueprint to Freedom Tower. Now all we can do is sit and wait for him and his followers to make the first move.
After this incident we have learned that we can trust no one. If the most revered religious figure can conspire against the United States then what would prevent figures like the Dali Llama to do the same? As citizens of the United States I encourage everyone to look for suspicious behavior and to suspect everyone.
Thank you
The United States Government
Material Goods Does Not Equal Happiness
http://postsecret.blogspot.com/The American lifestyle is all about material goods; our government even gives us “economic stimulus check” to “stimulate” the economy. While some things are a necessity like a place to live, food, and social interactions, many of the gadgets and electronics that we use on a daily basis we don’t need and only use because it is what is in fashion or what the media tells us we want. The only time that you realize you don’t need these things is when they get taken away.
On I hot summer morning I awoke to remember that I had forgotten my wallet in my car. That week I had been living at my sisters and had packed everything I had of value (camera, clothes, PS2, iPod, cds, running shoes, etc.) into my car to move back to my parents’ house. I left it in my car because I did this moving at 2 am, and wanted to sleep. My parents live in a safe neighborhood and I didn’t think much about it until I needed my debit card to purchase a train pass. I walked outside and became searching my car for my wallet. To my horror my car had been cleanout over night and everything that I had worked for and owned was gone.
It took me a couple months to get over my losses and come to the conclusion that I did not need these things to be happy; they didn’t talk to me, or love me. Through this experience I realized that while we like to have the newest cell phone, or videogame, these things only make you happy momentarily and what we really should be focusing on is something that loves you unconditionally.
Profit
This is a picture that I took with one of my friends; I was trying to think of how images remind me of war and this image came into mind. The image itself has nothing that we traditionally picture war as (except perhaps for the dead body), but after viewing the image you might begin to see some similarities between it and war. The image is of a woman waiting next to her suitcase that has a pair of legs sticking out next to it. Because of the bruises and because the man appears to be lying next to the suitcase, you can only assume that he is dead. While you might look at this as some weird, creepy murder scene or a social commentary on the rich and poor, I would like for you to try to look at it as a satire on war and the business world. It seems that the United States economy runs off of warfare. War provides jobs for its citizens: whether making missiles, creating new sectors of government to fight terrorism, building planes and vehicles, clothes for soldiers, canned food for soldiers, by needing soldiers themselves to fight battles, by reconstructing countries whose cities have been ransacked by our missiles, by hiring doctors to treat injured soldiers, coffin makers…. Now look at the picture. Do you still see a woman with a dead man by her suitcase, or businesses profiting off of death?
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Life Through Songs
Time to Pretend
http://youtube.com/watch?v=XVnRzEjpUmE
Handlebars
http://youtube.com/watch?v=waRtcBy_GMI
During my weekly work schedule I spend a lot of time listening to music. On one rather adventurous afternoon I decided to listen and analyze two relatively new songs that I heard on the radio and was for some reason attracted to. The first song I analyzed was “Time to Pretend” by MGMT. This song promotes the live hard, die young mentality. This was pretty much what I believed until college. Everyday I would wake up and think, does life get better? If everyone says that high school was the best time of their life why would I want to live past it? There are so many movies and TV shows that take place in high school, why do adults want to live in the past? Is growing up really that bad? Basically I just didn’t want to grow up and figured that I might as well exploit what I have now because from what I have heard and seen, life does not get better, just more complicated. I really didn’t care if I made it to age 30 because I felt there really was no reason to live. Its’ not that I was down on life, it was just that I have had to experience a lot of things that most people don’t by 18 and basically I was done playing the game.
The second song I listened to show cases my new mentality that I adopted once I started college. This song begins talking about things that you are able to do as a child and are proud of. The song then continues talking about more advanced things that you can do through higher education (high school) and just living life. I feel that the song begins to amp up when the things you can do become more advanced (going to college, having interest in a field). Basically this song makes you feel like you can do anything you want as long as you apply yourself. Life does not end with high school or college; these are just the beginning of your potential and whatever you apply yourself to you can do.
I love listening to these songs right after each other because it reminds me of past problems and how I have matured. Without finding something that I am actually interested (architecture), I don’t really know where I would be today. Pairing these two songs together make me understand phases in my life and how everything builds off each other towards some type of plan. You can look at bad moments in your life and get stuck in them, or you can learn from them and move forward. These songs remind me of how I have matured and that you can get through anything as long as you keep looking forward.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=XVnRzEjpUmE
Handlebars
http://youtube.com/watch?v=waRtcBy_GMI
During my weekly work schedule I spend a lot of time listening to music. On one rather adventurous afternoon I decided to listen and analyze two relatively new songs that I heard on the radio and was for some reason attracted to. The first song I analyzed was “Time to Pretend” by MGMT. This song promotes the live hard, die young mentality. This was pretty much what I believed until college. Everyday I would wake up and think, does life get better? If everyone says that high school was the best time of their life why would I want to live past it? There are so many movies and TV shows that take place in high school, why do adults want to live in the past? Is growing up really that bad? Basically I just didn’t want to grow up and figured that I might as well exploit what I have now because from what I have heard and seen, life does not get better, just more complicated. I really didn’t care if I made it to age 30 because I felt there really was no reason to live. Its’ not that I was down on life, it was just that I have had to experience a lot of things that most people don’t by 18 and basically I was done playing the game.
The second song I listened to show cases my new mentality that I adopted once I started college. This song begins talking about things that you are able to do as a child and are proud of. The song then continues talking about more advanced things that you can do through higher education (high school) and just living life. I feel that the song begins to amp up when the things you can do become more advanced (going to college, having interest in a field). Basically this song makes you feel like you can do anything you want as long as you apply yourself. Life does not end with high school or college; these are just the beginning of your potential and whatever you apply yourself to you can do.
I love listening to these songs right after each other because it reminds me of past problems and how I have matured. Without finding something that I am actually interested (architecture), I don’t really know where I would be today. Pairing these two songs together make me understand phases in my life and how everything builds off each other towards some type of plan. You can look at bad moments in your life and get stuck in them, or you can learn from them and move forward. These songs remind me of how I have matured and that you can get through anything as long as you keep looking forward.
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