Brainstorm Ideas: Essay 3

1. Makeup ads:  Universal beauty is defined through beauty ads and commercials. They promote bigger eyes. fuller lips, specific face structure, specific skin colors.
2. Reality shows(Keeping Up with The Kardashians , Jersey Shore): Depict “reality” that is very unreal.
3. Facebook: Ads are constantly pooping up, trying to constantly sell (capitalism).
4. Little Mermaid: Changing a part of your identity for a man or generally a romantic relationship and to fit in.
5. Brittany Spears song “Im A Slave For You: Young sexuality and being inferior to a man.
6. Disney Channel Shows (Jessie, Austin and Allie): Characters are predominately white, nice home, family with mom,dad and siblings.
7. Abercrombie and Fitch ads: Sex sells, men are muscular woman are skinny and sexual.
8. Apple Building : Very high tech and modern.
9. Independent Women song by Destiny Child. Women are more independent and taking pride in that.
10. Titanic: Class struggle and sacrifice for forbidden love.

Paris is Burning

When Professor Gorin told us that we were going to watch the film Paris is Burning I thought it was going to be a film about a rights movement in Paris. I didn’t think it was going to be anything like what we actual watched today. After I watched the movie I could conclude that they probably chose that name for the film because the characters got their fashion inspiration from Paris. For starters I was quite surprised that gay people were outwardly themselves in the 1980s. I guess I assumed that for the most part people at that time would never even admit their homosexuality in fear of being attacked. I know that it was not socially accepted. However, I was still surprised that they were to some extent able to freely express their homosexuality. Another interesting part of the film was the idea of the Balls they threw that were in a way similar to fashion or talent shows. I liked the concept that they were able to completely act the way they wanted to without any negative judgement. I didn’t understand why most of the people in the movie seemed to always have a cigarette in their  hand. It happened so often I began to notice and wonder if it was just a coincidence or part of their “character”. 
  Another thing that stood out me from the movie was when Octavia Saint Laurent and Venus Extravaganza spoke about  their dreams and aspirations. They both wanted a sex change to fully become women. I completely understood why they wanted it. They wanted to complete their transformation from man to full woman. They also shared the hopes of being famous and rich. When I watched them speak of these dreams I honestly felt it was very vein in some aspects. However, I felt a sense of authenticity. Even though they are are perceived to be different they are the same in the essence that they too have dreams of being successful. They have feelings and hopes for the future. I feel that some people are so quick to judge others for being different or “not normal” that they forget that at the end of the day they are human. I was also very sad to hear that Venus was found dead. Even though I had watched her for merely a half hour I truly did wish her a happy life. It was sad to know she had died so young on the streets. 

Virtuality and Its Discontents Integrating Quotation Assignment.

1. With colon: 

Some might imply that living in a virtual world can expose one to new experiences and diversity. However, Turkle responds: “but is it really sensible to suggest that the way to revitalize community is to sit alone in out rooms, typing at our networked computers filling our lives with virtual friends?” (Turkle 1996). 

2. Introductory phrase with comma: 

Turkle opposes supporters of the virtual world technology by stating, “is it really sensible to suggest that the way to revitalize community is to sit alone in our rooms…”(Turkle 1996).

3. Make quotations part of a sentence without any punctuation. 

Supporters of the virtual world technology agree “that computers will reverse some of this social atomization they tout virtual experience and virtual community as ways for people to widen their horizon” (Turkle 1996). 

4. Make only short phrases part of sentence without any punctuation:

Some might question the virtual world and deny that it will “widen their horizons”(Turkle 1996). 

5. Just paraphrase:

While some people think that virtual worlds are a great way to experience life and all it has to offer, others claim that it is  not possible to live life through a computer.

6.Mixed:

People in favor of virtual worlds imply that these communities will help people by stating: “(it) will reverse some of this social atomization” and will be the reason for people to see life in a new light by “widen(ing) their horizons”(Turkle 1996).

Living In a Fake World

Wouldn’t it be great to live a life you created, and have full control over every aspect? In reality this idea can never happen. As humans we are all interdependent and simply cannot fully control all our surroundings. In Virtuality And Its Disconnects by Sherry Turkle, she writes about a virtual online “world”, MUD LambdMOO. This is a place where people can come together and in a way, live with each other and interact virtually. While primarily this might seem like its all fun and games , it can lead to negative effects. For starters, in can make one go astray from the real world we live in. For people who enjoy websites like these, this can become more than leisure time and sometimes, a lifestyle that can help them escape their actual lives. In her article Turkle states “First, it makes denatured and artificial experiences seam real-let’s call it the Disneyland effect”( Turkle 91). In Disneyland everything is wonderfully magical and perfect , as is the world one will try to create in this virtual world. Again, this is detachment from reality. When one becomes so detached from real life adjusting to what is real might be difficult, however necessary . This can result in alienation from people and things around them that are real. Some might argue that this virtual world is really real. A MUD user argues this by stating, “there is nothing written up…for real because you make them up”( Turkle 91). Is something “real” because one created it. I disagree, just because one makes something doesn’t make it applicable to real society. Turkle states, “the fake seems more compelling then the real” (Turkle 91).  To some people virtual worlds are a place to express ones true self without the the judgement of others directly seeing them. However,  this might cause one to act completely  different in the two very different circumstances, the real and fake world. Turkle mentions this when she writes, “virtual environments are valuable places where we can acknowledge our inner diversity. But we still want an authentic experience of self” (Turkle 95). People should experience the world realistically with a  hands on approach because we are real humans living in a real world. It would only makes sense that we live in it and not live through it on technological gadgets.  

Avatar

  Its no controversy that Avatar, directed  by James Cameron, was one of the most successful movies ever made and one of the highest-grossing films. However, controversy did spark when the intention of the movie was questioned. For me, I appreciated the fact that it reflected on the imperialistic times during the colonial period. I found it very interesting the “sky people” which where the humans were depicted as the white colonists and the Navi people of Pandora were the Native Americans. This movie makes one wonder what right does man have to take what is not theirs. The sky people view the Navis as mere savages that should willingly leave their home and spiritual connection simply because they want a rare valuable rock, unobtainium. Does this mean that just because one group is stronger  and because they think they are “more civilized” it gives them the right to take over their home. This theme brings an historical aspect to the movie and makes it more than just a movie. 

Scenes such as the religious and spirituals rituals might have moved some however critics such as Stephanie Zacherak thought otherwise. She writes “…he doesn’t seem to realize that one of the sacred Na’vi communal rituals, as he’s dramatized it, looks an awful lot like a Beverly Hills yoga class.” Some might view this scenes as well as many other scenes as mire about the new advanced technology then the actually story line. Zacherak states “And while there are certain technical effects in James Cameron’s “Avatar” that aren’t quite like anything we’ve ever seen before, the movie is hardly a historical event, or even a grand achievement.” After reading Zacheraks “Avatar” Dances With Aliens” I can look back and remember thinking to myself that the scenes of the Avatars running and touching the cool plants were prolonged and exaggerated. However to claim it that it wasn’t a an achievement is extreme and in a way clearly not true. A film that made such high profit must have been a big achievement in that it did fascinate viewers and create good publicity.  Whether you absolutely loved Avatar or hated there is not doubt that it was indeed a great success.

Genetic Engineering Controversy

Thesis:

Genetic engineering used on offspring can be seen as dehumanizing, and children will become mere results of production. However, is genetic engineering that much different than when parents try to mold their children into the people they want them to become. This happens very often, if not all the time. Primarily, genetic engineering can be viewed as a good thing,  because it promises “positive outcomes”. However, it goes against all that is natural.

                                                              Claims

Claim 1 : Bill Mckibben writes about the the thrill of engineers in that “they try to deliver solid bridges, unyielding dams,reliable cars”. He continues to say “the only question is if their product line should be expanded to include children”.

Claim 2 : Mckibben states “we already “engineer” our offspring in some sense of the word: we do out best, and often our worst to steer them in particular directions.

Claim 3: The natural way of creating offspring is through sexual relations between a man and woman. According to Mckibbens , genetic engineering with change this idea. He states “instead  of making babies by making love , we will have to move the conception to the laboratory. You need to have the embryo out there so you can work on it…”

Does Your Voice Define You?

If asked to define ourselves, we might share aspects of our lives such as, where we come from, traits related to our personality, our careers, or our place in our personal or public life. All these factors can give a person an idea of the kind of  person you are . However can our voice be  a factor in which people can judge or classify us by. This seems to be the idea in the essay The Perfect Voice by Carl Elliott. We might look in the mirror often to see if everything is in place , however do we ever listen to our voices and check if it needs a “touch up”. It is evident that we are primarily judged by our physical features. Elliott brings about the point that the people we are is not strictly defined by the way we appear but the way we speak. The essay primarily speaks on how the southern accent is perceived. He states that people with southern accents will go to an accent reduction clinic to reduce or change their accents for work purposes. This can be a positive aspect in which success will be gained however can be a form  of “self betrayal”. A persons voice or accent can conclude where the person is from, and define, in a way, who they are.  It states in the essay “an accent is not part of the self that sits silently in a room. It is a part of the self that is presented to others”. I like this quote because i feel that our accent should not define who we are as a whole. While it is a main factor that people use to judge us, it shouldn’t be the main one. We, as people have so many other aspects that define who we are . Our accents should not be the factor to weigh intellect or manners.

Identity in Split at the Root

In life there comes times where one is in battle with their own identity. I believe as humans, we all try to create an image of who we want to become. We want to be our own independent individuals. However this is nearly impossible, because we are constantly being affected by many factors in our lives. These factors include, the family we were born into, friends, the media, and society. We see an example of a battle of identity in Split at the Root by Adrienne Rich. She was the daughter of a Jewish  man and a Christian mother. She tried to figure out her identity, a task harder then shed imagined with many questions and factors in her life that will influence that decision. Such as, that her dad did not speak of his Jewish side and  according to Jewish law she was not considered jewish because her mother was a gentile.

The confusion of identity is evident through her writing. Rich states “It would be easy to push away and deny the gentile in me-that white southern woman, that social christian”. It seems she is overwhelmed with her options of who she should become and how she should identify herself. She further states “at different times in my life I have wanted to push away one or the other burden of inheritance , to say merely I am a woman; I am a lesbian”. However she identifies herself as Jewish when she practices for a school play , she writes, “as a Jewish child who was also a female, I loved Portia…”. Like Rich , I believe many people experience this identity clash with who they think they should be, because they need to choose between the background of their family and who they truly want to be. To feel like you need to fit into a category is to restrain your ability to become  that which you are comfortable and content with. 

Notes of Native Son : Racism

We learn in history about the brutal and horrific injustice and racism that early African Americans experienced in America . Historically , we learn of facts and main events . However in personal narratives , such as James Baldwin, in Notes of The Natives, we read and experience raw emotion. We are able to envision the small details that would otherwise be overlooked in history books. In the essay Baldwin mentions experiences of going into restaurants and always leaving because “negroes were not served there” .  He realizes that  after going to the restaurant four times. He says ” it was always an extraordinarily long time before anything was set for me ; but it was not until the fourth visit that i had learned that , in fact, nothing had ever been set before me : i had simply picked something up.  After a while he had become immune to the rejection in places all over New Jersey. He shares that “it was the same story all over New Jersey, in bars, bowling alleys, diners,places to live”. Its hard to imagine the reality of not being served as a paying customer because the color of your skin. A person, however can only handle some much racism and injustice. After a night out to the movies the young man decided to enter “an enormous,glittering,and fashionable restaurant” clearly acknowledging the fact that he would not be served in such a place. He entered anyway and sat at an empty table. After a long wait a waitress appeared he says “all of my furry flowed toward her”. He goes on to say “i hated her for her white face, and for her great astounded eyes”. He  knew she had feared him and he would “make her fright worthwhile”. He was furious at that point and “wanted her to come close enough for me to get her neck between my hands”. ‘This description gives the reader a vivid image of how anger,aggravation, and hate towards the white waitress had become overwhelming,  violence had become an option. Baldwin at this point has had enough and so is over powered with emotion. I completely understand why he begins to feel the way he does. I could never imagine the emotional hardship African Americans faced at the time. This essay gives readers a more private and personal view on the severity of racism during the 1940s.

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao Blog Post

As I began to read the novel “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao”, by Junot Diaz I could already notice the numerous spanish words that I didn’t understand. Many times, I felt like I wasn’t even pronouncing them correctly because I don’t know to speak spanish. To be quite honest I would get frustrated because the spanish words appeared in the novel frequently. At times I could guess what they meant  through context clues however some words I could not even guess their definition. There is no doubt that the frequent use of spanish words and phrases in the novel were not coincidences. The novel is predominantly  about Oscars life as a Dominican in a very Dominican oriented household. Many if not all of the things that were being said about him had a relatively direct relationship with his dominican culture . The presence of the spanish words add authenticity to the stories and in a way gives the reader a more visual look into the Dominican background of the characters and culture. If Diaz had provided  english definitions for every spanish word, the novel would have probably seemed like a dictionary, and personally I would feel like  I would be constantly interrupted to look at the definition. If someone is curious to know what the words mean a personal dictionary would be helpful. I also believe another reason Diaz seamlessly blends in spanish with english is because some words just cannot be interpreted from another language and have the same effect and intensity  as the original word. A great example is the spanish word “fuku” that is used in the novel which means “curse of bad consequences”. The use of the word in spanish adds more intensity rather than defining the word in english and not having quite the same effect. While it may be more difficult for non-spanish speakers to read the spanish words and understand , I think many can agree that the blending of both languages captures the essence of the Dominican culture that is portrayed in the characters and events.