Panel 1: Arrival of European settlers in the US
Panel 2: War against the Native Americans
Panel 3: Revolutionary War
Panel 4: Civil War
Panel 5: World War I
Panel 6: World War II
Panel 7: Vietnam War
Panel 8: War in the Middle East
Words used:
The aggressive and seemingly insecure actions taken by the corporate behemoths that are in control of the of mainstream media to remove Copyrighted content from the internet seem extreme to many users. As explained by Lessig, the response to this aggression is the opposite extreme: complete disregard of Copyright laws. As torrent sites continue to grow, it becomes clear that black markets will always will always exist (especially in response to overly aggressive persecution).
If you were a part of the group that fights to protect intellectual property rights, what would you do differently than what is currently taking place?
Correctly identify the primary thesis of ”Computer Graphics: Effects of Origins”
On page 21, Jones states her thesis by saying that “old cultural patterns do not die. They may fade or become more evident; that is, they may be deemphasized or emphasized” (p. 21). In other words, Jones’ thesis is that although things like technology and mediums of art may change over time, the original purpose and cultural context in which it was created will be forever present. She also states that “only as part of the general ‘nonexpert’ culture can such patterns contribute significantly to maintenance and/or change” (p. 21). This means that although mediums or technologies begin with a very small group of expert users, they eventually become mainstream and subject to changes made by non-expert users. Despite this, the origins of the technology will still be identifiable to a knowledgeable examiner.
Identify one of the three historical examples Jones provides as an illustration of her thesis.
“Does it take me into the things I fear most and wish to avoid, or does it make it easy for me to hide, to run away from them? Does it enable me to shut out my environment, ignore politics, remain unaware of my dream life, my sexuality, and my relations with other people, or does it shove these into my face and teach me how to live with them and through them?” (p. 26). I believe that the anecdote about John O’Niell’s experience with computer graphics is still relevant, where he questions whether video games/computer graphics allow one to escape the real world or if they help one to deal with the real world. I think that this is still an extremely important question that we have yet to answer. I think that it is reasonable to believe that some experiences with gaming cause one to withdraw from the world, which might be traced back to the origins of computer graphics where only a select group of experts had the ability to understand the mechanics.
Provide a compelling and accurate illustration of Jones’ thesis at work in today’s culture.
I think that Microsoft Office is an excellent example of Jones’ thesis, especially Microsoft Excel. A complicated number-crunching spreadsheet program at its core, over time Excel has been changed dramatically to make it more accessible to non-experts, as well as to implement artistic elements. While one is able to execute almost any command manually through the use of formulas, Excel has been modified to simplify functions and aesthetic alterations to a point that the average user can take advantage of it. Although it has become more accessible to the general public, there remains an element of difficult programming code that only an advanced user can utilize. This reflects on the origins of the program, created by professional programmers and mathematicians.
Citation:
Jones, B. J. (1990). Computer Graphics: Effects of Origins. LEONARDO: Digital Image – Digital Cinema Supplemental Issue, pp. 21-30.
Despite the fact that World of Warcraft players had logged nearly 6 million years of playtime by 2010, the only thing that appears to have been produced during this time was a feeling of satisfaction to those who play. Jane McGonigal claims that online gamers are characterized by their urgent optimism, social fabric, blissful productivity, and epic meaning. However, it should be obvious that similar emotions can be produced in real-life situations. Do you think that these feelings are simply a watered down version of what one would feel if she or he were to experience similar events in real life?
Citation:
Jones, B. J. (1990). Computer Graphics: Effects of Origins. LEONARDO: Digital Image – Digital Cinema Supplemental Issue, pp. 21-30.
How do you define “spirituality”?
I define spirituality as the search for a greater purpose in life, something that gives meaning to my existence and that leaves a mark on the world after I am gone. I believe that to satisfy my spiritual needs, I need to find spirituality on my own. While many cultures have different ideas of how this should be expressed and achieved, I think it is silly to think that the definition of spirituality belonging to one group is superior to another. Because of this, I believe that one must be open minded to the plethora of ideas regarding spirituality, and must find their own.
Does spirituality differ from religion?
I believe that spirituality is different from religion. However, religion satisfies the spiritual needs of many, offering a greater purpose and sense of accomplishment from acting in a way that satisfies their divine beliefs. Although religion provides an opportunity to realize one’s spiritual needs, organized religion goes against my belief that spirituality should be found by the individual. Many religions are indoctrinated from birth, and can hamper individuality and the human need to question the unknown. I believe that many religions assert themselves as the truth, and can hold people back from finding their own way.
How do you define “creativity”?
I define creativity as an ability to be innovative within the constructs of society in a way that others would not be able to. It also requires one to be objective in regards to the way that they judge the benefits of their creativity. Grey touched on this objectivity, saying that “in order to experience art fully viewers must go through a mini ego death by placing themselves in the inspired minds of the artists, who themselves are out of their minds and only acting as channels of creative spirit” (p. 74). In other words, one must resist their urge to judge the creativity of another as an individual, and instead see the creativity of another in their ability to channel creative inspiration.
What is the source of creativity?
I think that there are many sources of creativity, but it is challenging to recognize the source of creativity in others. People can be inspired by a multitude of sources, including the divine, monetary necessity, or even drugs. While some may argue that certain drugs give a false sense of creativity, it is true that many drugs can cause ego death. Ego death can be achieved by many means, but one who experiences it may be able to better channel creative ideas. This is because ego death challenges the individual’s ideas about their own importance, and allows them to work in ways that better demonstrate their connection with the world and others through an expansion of consciousness.
Citation:
Grey, A. (2001). Art as Spiritual Practice. The Mission of Art (1st ed., pp. 205-233). Boston & London: Shambhala.
Why Our Brains Love Horror Movies
In ‘Why Our Brains Love Horror Movies’, Sharon Begley examines the reasons that the horror genre appeals to different types of people, and all of us to a degree. She cites the success of the film Paranormal Activity 3, which set a box office record of $54 million in its opening weekend, the highest amount ever for a horror movie. She states that films like PA3 have a “pre-registered audience” that will see nearly any horror movie that comes out. This type of person was also mentioned by Carroll, who stated that “one could not deny that there may be certain audiences who seek horror fictions simply to be horrified” (p. 290). Begley summarizes the thoughts of Stephen King and Stuart Fischoff regarding the genre of horror by saying that people seek out frightening books and movies because they have a desire to experience ‘safe’ terror, in which they can be horrified yet still leave the movie with the knowledge that it was a work of fiction. She states that people with relatively calm or safe lifestyles have a desire to be excited, and that people who score higher on a scale that measures ‘sensation-seeking’ tend to enjoy horror films more than those who do not. She finds that people in their teens and twenties are more likely to look for intense experiences, while older people have plenty of fears in real life, such as bills and their health. Begley describes the ‘catharsis theory’, that people that experience more intense negative emotions while watching horror movies are more likely to enjoy the genre. This is because their enjoyment comes from the relief experienced at the conclusion of the movie. Another theory is that people enjoy the predictability of horror movies, such as seeing fictional characters die after committing ‘immoral’ acts like promiscuity. Glenn Walters believes that experiencing terror builds traits in boys that conform to societal expectations of masculinity, such as stoicism in spite of internal emotional distress. This is similar to Carroll’s argument that some find “a kind of satisfaction in the fact that one is capable of withstanding heavy doses of disgust and shock” (p. 291). She also states that “audiences for horror fictions are often adolescent males, some of whom may be using the fictions as macho rites of passage” (p. 291). The appeal to younger males strikes true to my own experience, as most girls are unafraid of expressing the negative emotions that they experience while watching movies like these. Because of this, many girls desire a male that is able to comfort them even if he is also scared on the inside. While horror movies continue to put up big numbers at the box office, Begley cites a study that found that hardly anyone would name a horror flick in their top 25 favorite movies. It is believed that this is because the uncomfortable emotions produced by watching these movies does not lead to fond memories.
Why Do People Like Scary Movies?
In ‘Why Do People Like Scary Movies?’ Jesse Hicks begins by describing a cliché horror movie scene where a young woman runs from a villain carrying a deadly weapon. While this is a situation in which no sane person would like to find themselves in, people continue to pay to see a fictional person in the grips of death. Hicks then cites a study which found that nearly everyone responds to scenes like this physically, but that people respond differently mentally. Physically, heart rate increases and a galvanic skin response. Mentally, people experience a fear response that is similar (but less intense) than if it were actually happening to them. It was found that the experience of fear intensifies the feelings of relief felt when the protagonist escapes the situation. Not everyone wants to experience fear during a movie, but those who do tend to be a part of the group that many label ‘adrenaline junkies’, such as those who participate in extreme sports like skydiving or snowboarding. It was found that levels of ‘sensation-seeking’ are higher earlier in life, and are higher in males than females. Additionally, hyper-violent movies primarily attract males, while suspenseful psychological thrillers appeal to both genders. Carroll believes that the appeal of horror movies lies in the curiosity of humans: “it engages its audience by being involved in processes of disclosure, discovery, proof, explanation, hypothesis, and confirmation” (p. 279). I believe that the emotional arousal caused by these elements of the horror genre would appeal to those described as ‘sensation-seeking’ by Hicks. However, I can also see how the horror genre would appeal to a group that does NOT engage in real life situations that put them in mortal danger. While activities like base jumping and snowboarding carry a real risk of serious injury and death, horror movie buffs might simply seek similar sensations that do not carry such risks. Because of this, I believe that lovers of the horror genre are in pursuit of a type of emotional arousal that extreme sports participants might find inferior to their own pursuits. Although I agree that these two groups are similar, I feel that Hicks overestimated the amount of overlap between them.
Citations:
Begley, S., (2011). ‘Why Our Brains Love Horror Movies’, The Daily Beast. Retrieved February 16, 2014, from http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/10/25/why-our-brains-love-horror-movies-fear-catharsis-a-sense-of-doom.html.
Hicks, J., (2008). ‘Probing Question: Why Do People Like Scary Movies?’, Penn State News. Retrieved February 16, 2014, from http://news.psu.edu/story/141312/2008/10/28/research/probing-question-why-do-people-scary-movies.
Mise-en-scene:
Around the 23 minute mark, the setting changes to the clock tower to indicate that it is almost 2am. It then cuts to a door that appears to swing open by itself, in order to show two pairs of legs wearing suits levitating a few inches above the floor, followed by a person walking quickly while crouching. The camera is aimed at the floor in order to hide the upper bodies of the legs, but most of the body of the crouched man. The two levitating figures then float by the clock tower shown previously, joined by others like themselves and the third man out the door. I believe the camera angle was used to show the mysterious nature of the levitating people in order to add horror, as it was followed by a shot that clearly showed the scary face of one of these men in suits as the woman looked out the window. I chose this scene because it seemed to purposely reveal an important amount of uncertainty to the city-wide loss of vocalized communication.
Non-diagetic:
Around the 26 minute mark, one of the characters opened his dorm room door to two of the scary looking suited men, as two of the crouched men in undone straight-jackets hurry in to hold him down. The suited men have closed eyes, and typical horror movie music starts playing. The music picks up in volume and tempo as the character realizes that the suited men are pulling out scalpels to cut him open. This music was from an unknown source that began after the sound of knocking, and drowned out the sound of the crickets that were heard a few seconds earlier. While this music would not be present were something like this to actually happen, the fact that it replaced any sound of talking or screaming added to the helplessness of a person unable to use his voice as these creatures harvested his organs.
Diagetic:
In the scene following the one where the men in suits silently clapped to the jars of hearts, the professor uses a projector to ask questions using transparencies that he had already written on. While fairy tale monsters stealing human hearts would be a terrifying prospect, he can’t speak. The only sounds that can be heard are those of the shuffling of transparencies where he tells the students the story of these strange people. This further emphasizes the helplessness of the people in the town, as they are unable to discuss killing these creatures vocally, instead writing on dry-erase boards about Buffy’s task.
In Chapter one of Customizing the Body by C.R. Sanders, the author state that “in western societies purposive body alteration has been, and continues to be, primarily a mechanism for demonstrating one’s disaffection from the mainstream”. While I have personally seen members of subcultures defined as deviant use adornments for this purpose in middle and high school, I believe that adornment for the sole purpose of demonstrating deviance is far less prevalent in the setting of college campuses. Despite this, I do admit that I am one of many students that frequently dress in a way that publicly advertises my group affiliation.
As a member of a sorority, Greek Life has had a large impact on my academics, social life, and living arrangements. While those outside of Greek Life are often quick to make jabs about paying for friends or about hazing rituals they saw in Animal House, nearly all of those involved have no qualms about their choice to be a part of Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL). While FSL is a minority on the University of Oregon campus with 14.5% of students holding memberships, those involved tend to be well-represented and quite vocal in philanthropic events, intramural sports, and student government. Like many members of FSL, I own and frequently wear numerous articles of clothing that demonstrate my affiliation. I believe that my involvement has played a tremendous role in my growth as an adult, and because of this I often wear shirts and sweatshirts that publicly advertise that I am proud to be a part of this sometimes marginalized group. I make the choice to advertise my affiliation because I feel that all of those involved have a responsibility to be an example of the positive aspects of our group in order disprove the numerous negative stereotypes that are prevalent amongst the student body as a whole.
Over the years, my thoughts have fluctuated in regards to the way that people dress themselves. When I was younger, I often fascinated about getting adornments that would produce a reaction from my parents, described as ‘the shock factor’ in the Adornment Presentation. This was a common desire amongst the adolescent females that I associated with in middle school and early in high school, and the people that thought this way typically outgrew this phase or ended up institutionalized. Although I don’t personally know the individual that stated that he or she desired this reaction, this parallel makes me think that adults whose primary goal is to shock their parents are quite immature. Despite this, I recognize that there are certain groups that appear to be in existence for ‘shock value’ that perform what I consider to be heroic tasks. One example is the Patriot Guard Riders, an all-volunteer non-profit organization whose members at first glance appear to be heavily tattooed members of biker gangs involved in criminal activities. However, the primary goal of this group is to allow the families of soldiers killed in the line of duty to mourn when their funerals are threatened by hate groups like Westboro Baptist Church (famous for their “God Hates Fags” rhetoric). This makes me realize that there are plenty of people who appear to be part of the “shocking my parents” group, when they actually have a much more important purpose.
Growing up, my parents taught me to dress in a conservative manner that did not show excessive skin, nor did it prompt other parents to make judgments about their ability to raise a child. However, they were not overly strict to the point that made me want to rebel just to spite them. I have seen this firsthand, but it is quite possible that the kids that rebelled would have had an issue with their parents regardless of the way that they were raised. Being an adult, I can now look back and see that my peers and I often expressed our feelings towards our institutional environment through the way that we dressed. I believe that young girls are more prone to peer pressure when it comes to clothing and adornment, but I have talked with numerous men who have stated that the pressures of assimilation or deviation were destructive forces in their formative years. However, the expression of young girls via clothing and adornment seemed to be more indicative of their social trajectory. In my experience, girls that deviated from the norm for a long period of time tended to have a very different future than those who assimilated. I realize that the assimilation or deviation played a significant role in our development as women, and I am personally glad that I did not follow a path that detracted from my life as an adult.
Citation:
Sanders, C. R. (1989). Introduction: Body Alteration, Artistic Production, and the Social World of Tattooing. In Customizing the Body (pp. 1-35). Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press.
Person 1
I am in a mall in downtown Salt Lake City, UT in the afternoon. I see a pregnant young woman walking with her toddler. She has no visible tattoos, and is wearing earrings and a wedding ring. She is dressed conservatively with jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. The wedding ring and comfortable outfit makes me believe that she is a stay-at-home mom in a traditional household. She looks to be in her very early twenties; as someone from Oregon it seems like she is young to be married with kids. This makes me realize that being from a more liberal state leads one to have a much different expectation about the age that people get married, when compared to a state like Utah where an earlier age is the norm. I have also realized that the woman’s wedding ring made me assume that she was a stay-at-home mom, I might have made very different assumptions she didn’t wear one.
Person 2
There is an old man by himself, using a cane, wearing a polo with very short sleeves, jeans, and thick glasses. Since his sleeves are quite short, a faded tattoo is exposed on his upper right arm of what appears to be an anchor with numbers and/or letters around it. I believe that it is a Navy tattoo, which makes me wonder if he is old enough to be a World War II veteran. If so, he seems to be in much better shape than most in their late 80’s. He wears a wedding ring, but the fact that he is alone makes me think that he is a widower. This made me realize that I assume very old couples to always be together while out of the house, although it is also quite possible that he is more able-bodied than his wife. It also made me realize that I almost automatically assumed that because he was old and served in the military that he fought in WWII.
Person 3
I see a person from a distance walking towards me. This person stood out to me immediately due to his or her tall stature and neon-tipped black Mohawk. As the person gets closer, I believe that it is a man due to the fact that he is at least 6-foot-2. He has multiple facial piercings, lots of jewelry on his hands and wrists, baggy black studded clothes, and multiple tattoos on his arms. I believe that he is in his twenties, but it’s hard to tell. Everyone seems to be looking at him, but he doesn’t seem to care. During the hour I spent observing, I saw few tattoos and certainly no neon hair colors. Since people in this area tend to dress so conservatively, I get the feeling that standing out is this person’s intention. Seeing someone that purposely looks so different makes me realize that I sometimes automatically assume that something is “wrong” with the person, even when I don’t know anything about them.
