Images of Global Warming

While searching through the "New York Times" online, I stumbled upon an article about a gallery in Beijing in which the artist, photographer David Breashears, took hundreds of photos showing evidence of global warming. While this doesn't directly connect with my ambassadorship of dealing with money in the public sphere, I think it does show a great deal of influence in the public sphere. Breashears incredibly large photographs are displayed next to previous photographs of such natural locations as The Himalayas, various Asian rivers, the Tibetan landscape, and more.

I think this is an incredible language of the power of photography and nature in the public sphere. It doesn't always have to be abut language, and as they say, "a picture is worth a thousand words." I think this is very accurate, especially looking at these photographs, it is clear that there is a global warming issue.

While this article may not have a lot to do with money in the public sphere, I think it indirectly does. There is no way an artist would be able to travel to these various locations and reproduce these incredibly large prints without the use of money. So, although this article isn't screaming dollars and cents, there is definitely a presence of money.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/29/arts/design/three-shadows-gallery-in-beijing-turns-focus-on-global-warming.html?_r=1&ref=arts

"True Enough"

After reading, 1984, a book that I was surprisingly very interested in, I was really looking forward to starting True Enough. I don't consider myself a person who is very in-tune with politics. While I do like to know what's going on in our country, I am not one to be constantly watching the news or checking out news sources for up to date information regarding our political situation. True Enough seems like the kind of book that presents news and liberal ideas in a way in which the reader can get into the story, and want to hear more about what the author has to say. Like I said before, I follow politics, but not intently. I had no idea that the "swift boat veterans" or any major group of people opposed Kerry in the 2004 presidential elections! They seemed to have played a very important role in the election, potentially causing Kerry to lose to Bush.

I think that True Enough is a good text to read in "Language and Power in the Public Sphere," especially seen by this first example of the "swift boat veterans," and the language they used, and the power they held over Kerry supporters in the 2004 election. I am really looking forward to reading more of this text and learning more about our government and the role of language in our society.

"How do YOU say economic security?"

While scrolling through the New York Times Online op-ed pieces, I stumbled upon this article. As Americans, do we just listen to our government to see how we're doing economically and take it as fact, or actually do the research? In my opinion, we put way too much trust in our news sources and in the government. We should just go right to the source.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/24/opinion/how-do-you-say-economic-security.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

1984 Final Blog Post

When I initially completed 1984 by George Orwell, I was speechless! Although I did have an idea of what would happen at the conclusion of the novel, because I read the book flap, which gave a bit of a hint, I was still completely surprised with the ending. The part that I was especially confused with was the fact that both Julia and Winston were eventually let free! Even though they were physically free, it is clear that O’Brien and The Brotherhood accomplished their goal because the last line of the book is “[Winston] loved Big Brother” (308).

One thing that I was confused with was O’Brien’s role. Was he a party member or was he against the party? Was his alliance with Winston actually a ploy to make Winston confess his opposing party views? Orwell wrote a very successful novel in which I was completely enthralled! You know it’s a good assigned reading book for school when the students don’t want to put it down, which was definitely the case for me.

When asked the question, “what does the novel mean to you as a whole?” I initially had a difficult time determining my answer. My thoughts on this answer changed as I continued reading but I think my final understanding is that the party has no need for individuals. Individuals create issues and make it more difficult for the party to accomplish their goals. Especially at the end of the novel when O’Brien is interrogating Winston, the reader can see how little The Brotherhood cares about the human race and any particular people. Their goal is to continue on with their regime and not have to worry about the actions of individuals.

Another aspect of this society that really confused me was the fact that there are no laws in Oceania. How could such a strict civilization function when there are literally no written laws in place? Although everyone is aware of what they can and cannot do, wouldn’t the society function much more efficiently if there were just simple laws in place? I guess the reason for this is that there would be too many laws that need to be obeyed, and just having “unwritten rules” makes the government seem less controlling and gives the appearance of giving citizens more freedom.

I was especially disappointed on page 300, after Winston was released from Room 101 and is back having gin at The Chestnut Tree. He is contemplating if it will be victory or failure reported on the telescreen, and what life could be like if it was failure. Of course, the ultimate reporting is that Oceania has undoubtedly succeeded in defeating whichever enemy they had at that moment. Upon hearing this, Winston is emotionless and, “almost unconsciously traced with his finger in the dust on the table: 2+2=5” (300). This simple act shows that the party has defeated Winston and he no longer has control over what happens with his mind and his actions.

"Elite for a Day, in Coach, for a Fee"

For my blog, I have been following money and its role in the media and pop culture. One article that I found that is particularly pertinent to my subject is about how a regular family paid a little extra money and received the celebrity treatment. The word “elite” no longer pertains to a certain special group of people; it has extended to include anyone who possesses money. It’s hard to determine if this is a good or a bad thing because it can be argued both ways. You may consider it a good thing because it could seem that class divisions are becoming less present in society, but it could also be seen as a bad thing because who knows what people may do in order to get money.

The premise of the article is that a family is at the airport about to go on vacation. The wife thought it would be rewarding to pay a few extra bucks, to the tune of $200 a couple, to receive the V.I.P treatment in the terminal.

Here’s how Michelle Higgins explained the event in her article titled, “Elite for a Day, in Coach, for a Fee" found on The New York Times online:

So how did we gain such special treatment? We paid for it: $200 a couple in addition to the price of our tickets for myself and my husband to receive American’s V.I.P. treatment (our baby received it free of charge) through the carrier’s Five Star Service program. Once reserved for celebrities and V.I.P.’s traveling between New York, Los Angeles, and Miami, American began offering the service to passengers at Kennedy Airport in 2007, and expanded it to 11 airports last year. The program is being promoted through an online sweepstakes that promises to get you through the airport “like a star (jealous glances included).”

Has our society turned so upside down that it is a good idea to spend two hundred dollars in order to feel like a star for three hours? Our generation and the one above it have completely lost sight of the importance and value of dollars and cents. According to the United States Department of Labor, federal minimum wage is just $7.25. That is less than a sixteen year old makes babysitting! Many states have minimum wages that are below the federal line. Someone working at minimum wage would have to work almost 28 hours in order to make the two hundred dollars that this family just spent in order to feel like celebrities. Yes, many may think this is a completely justified action if you have worked hard to earn your money, but it is still difficult to forget about the hundreds of thousands of Americans who work just as hard and can barely afford to get food on the table for their families.

As a “pop culture ambassador” for our seminar, I will be working to find more articles about money and how the media and celebrities have jaded our perspective on how to spend money and live fulfilling lives.

Response to First Chapter of "1984"

When I first began reading "1984" by George Orwell, I was totally confused and did not like it at all! However, once I got into the book, it was incredibly interesting. "1984" made me think about how technologically dependent our society is, and how scary it is to imagine our lives without the constant availability of the internet and cell phones. One of the most shocking things about this novel is how Winston constantly describes the forced use of technology and the complete lack of privacy that citizens in London of this era have. Except for the proles, everyone is forced to have their lives in the public eye, something that we so very much take for granted. We willingly post photos of ourselves on Facebook, and give out information of our addresses, cell phone numbers, and other information about our whereabouts like it's no big deal. If we take a step back, we realize that we are submitting ourselves to a world pretty similar to that described in "1984." A world in which technology controls us and gives no room to make our own decisions and propose our own ideas. By just reading the first hundred or so pages in this novel, I am already seeing the flaws in our society that media is submitting us to. I am really looking forward to finishing up this text to see if Winston will be "vaporized" for his questioning of Big Brother and everything that has changed in his society.

Moneys Role in Pop Culture

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/04/travel/elite-status-on-airlines-for-a-fee.html

I was lucky enough to get an area of the public sphere that really interests me, pop culture. As I was thinking about what sources and areas of pop culture that I wanted to be our seminar “ambassador” for, I immediately went to the New York Times online. In my last semester of high school, I took a class called “contemporary issues” in which I got constant e-mail updates from the NYT online on what was happening in the world. Also, my family has been getting copies of the New York Times every morning for as long as I can remember, so naturally I was inclined to check out this website before I did anything else! I was really interested in the article we discussed in our blogs about sex on campus and the public response, so I wanted to follow a topic that I thought would interest me as much as that did. While scrolling through the opinion pages and style and art sections of the New York Times online, I discovered an article that was really about money. While “money” is such a broad category, I think that focusing on the use and importance of money in the public sphere will be instrumental to our class discussion. Pop culture is centered on money and those who have money, those who used to not have money, and those who are struggling to have enough money. I think money is clearly an important part of the public sphere and will be pertinent to class discussions and pop culture, and I think the New York Times has such a variety of reporters and opinion writers that it will be a very reliable source for my information in this class!

"After Class, Skimpy Equality" Response

As a freshman girl just finishing up her first week in college, I think this article was really enlightening and interesting to read. When I first began reading the article, I thought how ridiculous it was sounding and how women certainly have more self respect that to adhere to the requests that some of the “frat boys” had who were referred to in this editorial. However, as I continued reading, I realized how accurate Lisa Belkin was. A quote by a Princeton junior whom Belkin interviewed, addressing the dress code for students going out, really made me realize how correct Belkin’s assumptions were. The student remarked, “When the guys go to the Street they are laid-back, casual, like they are going to class,” he said. “But the women come in, in short cocktail dresses, makeup, high heels” (1). As I think back to last night, walking around my noisy dorm filled with freshmen getting ready to go out, I think of the boys in backwards hats and Nike t-shirts and the girls in tight dresses and enough jewelry on to open up a store! As I kept going back to Belkin’s article for quotes, I was just amazed with the accuracy of her statements and how, as a Princeton grad herself, she understood how students think this kind of behavior is okay in college, yet disagrees with it as an adult.  A student at the University of Utah agreed by stating, “[College is] the designated time to try new things and get stuff out of your system. If parents were still in our mindset, they would understand. I think that every person has been there, but I think when I grow up I will look back and think it’s unhealthy. Because it’s animalistic. But it’s just what happens at this age” (2). I guess I’ll have to come back to this article and see how I’m feeling in a few decades!

Mountains Beyond Mountains Question Response

I think Farmer’s childhood in poverty was instrumental in forming his future career path. In Mountains Beyond Mountains, Kidder referenced his childhood for almost the entire first half of the book, which I think shows how important his upbringing was in forming his decisions later in life. I believe that Farmer’s early contact with Haitians played a role in his choice to spend so much time in Haiti. On page 51, Kidder is describing Farmer working in the fields picking fruit with his father. When a young Farmer questioned, “But, dad, white people don’t pick citrus,” and received a snappy response from his father explaining, “they’re Haitians,” I think it stuck in Farmers mind. It didn’t matter that Farmer was White and the other workers were Black, they were all just people trying to earn a living. I think Farmer’s ambition is also seen as a result of his growing up in a poor community. “No couch potatoes in the [Farmer] family,” [Kidder] said once to Farmer’s mother. “No couch” she replied (55). While this line just seems humorous when it’s read the first time, reading between the lines shows that Farmer really had no other option but to work his hardest to get the education and make the connections that later made his work in Haiti and around the world so powerful.