This week in Deaf Studies and Interpreting 111, my view of Deaf culture and the struggles deaf people encounter was widened. My classmates and I watched the 1979 CBS television movie "And Your Name is Jonah." This film was a delight, and very enlightening. It takes its viewer on an emotional roller coaster, portraying the hardships a deaf person encounters as well as the happiness that is felt upon one's accomplishments. It introduced me to many biases, opinions, and practices related to the Deaf community that I was previously unaware of. As the film began, I felt very bad for deaf persons, noticing how hard it must be just to live in a “hearing” world. By the end of the movie, however, I realized how rewarding it must be to live in such a tight-knit community where personal communication comes before anything else.
And My Name is Jonah is a story about a young boy who was misdiagnosed as retarded and institutionalized for three years. The film begins with his mother and father, both completely ignorant regarding Deaf culture, picking him up from the hospital to take him home. He is greeted at home with a surprise party thrown by his entire family. The poor child has no idea what is going on. It's just the beginning of a very confusing and strange environment for Jonah. As the film proceeds, Jonah's father leaves the family because he can't handle the pressure. He calls Jonah a “freak,” and is more concerned by what the public will think of Jonah than with actually seeking out assistance for his son. Once his father leaves, his mother is free to explore new opportunities for Jonah. She eventually decides to let Jonah learn Sign Language, a move that allows the boy to communicate with others in his life. At last, he begins to learn about the world around him.
The movie revealed many biases held by people in the Deaf community. Mrs. Marquardt, the director of Jonah's school, said, “Unfortunately, it's a hearing world ... Unfortunately for the deaf.” The only unfortunate thing about this statement is the statement itself. It really struck a chord with me. Nothing about the world has to be unfortunate for a deaf person, as long as they have caring and understanding people in their lives. This was Jonah's biggest road block. His father wanted him to disappear. He would rather send Jonah back to the hospital than deal with his condition. His mother, while seemingly caring and compassionate, didn't exhibit the willingness to understand Jonah's attempts at communication. I was really saddened by the scene where Jonah tries to tell his mother he wants a hot dog. He was pulling on her coat, desperately trying to show her what he wanted. Instead of letting him lead the way, she kept on screaming, “Jonah, I don't know what you want! I don't understand!” If she would have only gotten up quicker and let Jonah lead her to the hot dog cart, she could have bridged the communication gap. I think many times it's not the inability to understand a deaf person, it's the lack of a desire to communicate with them.
I think Jonah's father leaving was the best thing that could've happened. Once he was out of the picture, his mother was free to look outside of the box for alternatives to helping Jonah with his condition. She was more empowered to help her son because his father had been so demeaning of him, and she found new determination to live a “normal” life, or as normal as possible with a deaf child. When she saw the deaf couple and their child at speech therapy, she realized that her family could be just as happy, and that there were other ways to teach Jonah to communicate. I really liked the scene where the ladies visit the library. My husband and I both work in libraries, so I'm all about “knowledge is power.” When Jonah's mother saw the two books with opposing viewpoints side by side, she realized that there were other options to explore.
I'm glad to know that society has begun to accept Sign Language as universal and necessary. I couldn't believe the attitude of the school instructors who insisted on lip reading and speaking as opposed to a communication device as uncomplicated as signing. Especially for people like Jonah, who had no English correlate to learn from, Sign Language is a perfect visual tool to use to communicate. At the end of the movie, when the man began teaching Jonah signs, it was like putting puzzle pieces into place. Things made sense. While Jonah didn't have a word for “tree,” he now had a sign that actually visually looked like a tree. What's so difficult about that? Mrs. Marquardt said children shouldn't be taught Sign Language because they'll only be able to communicate with other deaf people. However, when Jonah tried to learn the methods taught by her school, he was unable to comprehend. It was refreshing, once he began learning to sign, to be able to communicate with anyone, not particularly deaf or speaking people.
As I said before, it must be rewarding to be a part of a community that regards personal communication above all else. In today's day in age, we rely on so many other forms of communication – television, Internet, print media and radio. It's nice to get back to the basics and to have to look someone in the eye to listen to them. Not to say that I don't treasure my hearing, but I am a tad bit jealous of the Deaf. They are immersed in such an intimate community, while today's general society is so detached and individuals are so independent. It can be quite depressing to value your personal space more than the act of sharing it with other people.
My favorite part of the movie was when Jonah's mother and her friend go to the Deaf club meeting. Most people have some sort of unfounded fear of deaf people. It was amazing to see how personable, how animated, how interesting these people are. I'm very eager to attend cultural events now that I've had a taste of what they might be like. I now understand that I don't need to be afraid of failing in the communication process. Most deaf people will be happy that I'm attempting to communicate with them in the first place. I'm sure that much patience will be allowed while I'm learning to sign proficiently. I truly can't wait to try to have a conversation with someone who is culturally Deaf, and I'm even more excited to learn more about American Sign Language.
Showing posts with label sophomore. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sophomore. Show all posts
Saturday, March 7, 2009
"Metropolis" Summary
Many of today's films of rebellion, especially those concerned with large-scale societal upheaval, can be attributed to the legacy of Fritz Lang's 1927 silent science fiction production, Metropolis. The German classic, set in 2026, examines the social crisis between the lower class and the upper class, or as Lang defines it, the workers and the thinkers. The thinkers live in luxury, in levels of the Metropolis high above the earth, while the workers, burdened with the duty of manually keeping the city alive, live in a level far underground. In this essay I will explore the film's characters and their acts of rebellion.
The film introduces us to a host of main characters: Joh Fredersen, an aristocrat who runs the city; his adult son Freder; Maria, a blatant rebel who desires to bridge the gap between the lower and upper classes; Rotwang, a scientist and philosopher, the intelligence behind Joh's conquests; and Grot, the foreman of the workers.
At the story's beginning, Maria brings a group of children from the worker's level up to the thinker's level so that they can “see their brothers.” She has a strong, intellectual presence, and, right from the beginning, it is obvious that she will be the rebellious force that, if possible, will end the capitalistic restraints on the world they live in. She's a most interesting character, as well, because until her appearance, no women are shown in the film. During the 10-hour work day, the men take elevators from their level to a level above theirs, but still underground, where the city's machines are housed. The women stay below with the children. Therefore, Maria's initial trip to the upper city with the children is an act of rebellion in itself.
Freder, the meek and mild son of Joh, is instantly intrigued by Maria, not only by her beauty and stunningly strong appearance, but by her interest with the upper world. After following her down to the worker's level, Freder learns, for the first time, the agonizing duty the workers have with running the machines. Until then, he had been protected and kept from traveling underground. At several points in the movie, Freder actually steps in to relieve a suffering worker of his duties. He's sensitive and pampered, yet with a kind heart and desire for equality that immediately tells him that this societal set-up is not right. Disgusted by what he sees, Freder runs to his father, questioning his reasoning for employing men to take on such toiling duties. “It was their hands that built this city of ours, Father. But where do the hands belong in your scheme?” It's obvious, at this point, that Freder aims to help Maria in her efforts to end the workers' struggle and to strive for equality among both classes.
As the story proceeds, Joh discovers plans scribbled on paper that insinuate that the workers are planning to revolt. Maria, the leader of this revolution, begins holding meetings in the catacombs, the lowest levels of the city, telling the workers that their quality of life is unbearable and encouraging them to do something about it. At one such meeting, she recites to the workers the Biblical story of the Tower of Babel, found in the Book of Genesis. In this story, a few men created plans for a beautiful, impenetrable tower, but they had no skill to build it, so they hired hundreds of workers to put the plan in action. But the creators had no concern for the workers, and soon, “The hymns of praise of the few became the curses of the many.” The workers rebelled against the creators, tearing apart and overthrowing the tower. The story is an inevitable omen foreshadowing the rebellious nature the city's workers would soon take on.
But while Maria wants the workers to understand the unfairness of their situation, she chooses to take a latent approach to victory. She does not encourage the workers to rebel violently; instead, she tells them to wait patiently, and that someone will come who will help unite the upper and lower classes. “Between the mind that plans and the hands that build there must be a Mediator, and this must be the heart,” she tells them. It is then apparent that Freder, the unlikely rebel, is the bridge Maria has been looking for.
When Rotwang, the mad scientist, creates a machine man that “never tires or fails,” Joh decides he has no more reason to rely on humans to run the city. Joh tells Rotwang to make the robot in the image of Maria, so that it can go to the workers and “undo Maria's teachings and stir them up to criminal acts.” Joh begins to exhibit his desire for the workers to kill themselves off. He doesn't care what they destroy or if they rebel at all. His main goal is to rid his world of them, and to put robots in their place.
Later, Rotwang captures the real Maria, and the robot goes to the workers in her place. This faux Maria has a sly smile and even appears evil. But the workers, who are easily impressionable, accept her as the true leader of their revolution. “I have preached patience but your mediator has not come and will never come!” she tells them. She insists that they immediately travel upwards to destroy the “Heart Machine,” the city's power station. The workers, joined by their wives, do so. Not one man or woman remained behind, however, all of their children did. Little did they realize, the destruction of the machines caused a flood in the lower levels, and all of their children likely perished. It is Grot, the foreman, who informs the workers of their mistake. “Who told you to destroy the machines, and thus, your lives?” he asks them.
When Rotwang tells Maria of this deception, she is crushed, knowing that the workers took the robot Maria's word as her own. She uses this outrage and anger to escape from the scientist, joining up with Freder to save the children who were left behind.
As the workers realize their error, mob psychology breaks out and their outrage is reverted to Maria, whom they hold responsible for inciting them to rebel in the first place. They track her down (remember that this is actually the robot) and prepare to burn her at the stake. As she burns, it is exposed that she is really a robot. All hell breaks loose and the workers are even further outraged.
In all of the madness, Joh breaks down, fearing that his son has been killed. It is the first time we see real humanity in him. Towards the film's end, Freder, in a heroic effort to save the real Maria, shoves Rotwang off a roof, killing him. It is poetic to see Joh, typically barbaric and uncaring, distraught, worrying for his son and wishing for his well-being, and to see Freder, typically sensitive and loving, fighting to the death for Maria and her cause. When Joh realizes Freder is alive and well, he appears to succumb to the idea of equality amongst the classes, if for nothing more than to please his son.
The final scene shows the foreman Grot and Joh Frederson standing face-to-face. Freder, the newfound mediator, steps between them, uniting their hands to shake. Alas, the mind that plans, represented by Joh, and the hands that build, represented by Grot, are united by the heart, the unlikely rebel Freder.
Maria encouraged rebellion through cooperation, with a non-violent approach that attempts to bring about equality through intelligence and patience. It seems to me that this type of rebel is the most effective. Freder rebelled against his own father, taking the same humanistic approach as Maria, trying to convince Joh that his opinions were unfair and unacceptable. It's ironic that Joh's breakdown occurred through his heart, when his love for his son, the “heart” of the story, became greater than his lack of concern for the workers.
Metropolis speaks volumes about society yesterday, today and tomorrow. It comforts me to know that the world I live in isn't the only one that has felt oppression and inequality. It also comforts me to know that the cycle of rebellion in such situations is inevitable, and that no superpower can continue forever. I'm grateful for the rebels in our society who do their best keep everyone on an even playing field.
The film introduces us to a host of main characters: Joh Fredersen, an aristocrat who runs the city; his adult son Freder; Maria, a blatant rebel who desires to bridge the gap between the lower and upper classes; Rotwang, a scientist and philosopher, the intelligence behind Joh's conquests; and Grot, the foreman of the workers.
At the story's beginning, Maria brings a group of children from the worker's level up to the thinker's level so that they can “see their brothers.” She has a strong, intellectual presence, and, right from the beginning, it is obvious that she will be the rebellious force that, if possible, will end the capitalistic restraints on the world they live in. She's a most interesting character, as well, because until her appearance, no women are shown in the film. During the 10-hour work day, the men take elevators from their level to a level above theirs, but still underground, where the city's machines are housed. The women stay below with the children. Therefore, Maria's initial trip to the upper city with the children is an act of rebellion in itself.
Freder, the meek and mild son of Joh, is instantly intrigued by Maria, not only by her beauty and stunningly strong appearance, but by her interest with the upper world. After following her down to the worker's level, Freder learns, for the first time, the agonizing duty the workers have with running the machines. Until then, he had been protected and kept from traveling underground. At several points in the movie, Freder actually steps in to relieve a suffering worker of his duties. He's sensitive and pampered, yet with a kind heart and desire for equality that immediately tells him that this societal set-up is not right. Disgusted by what he sees, Freder runs to his father, questioning his reasoning for employing men to take on such toiling duties. “It was their hands that built this city of ours, Father. But where do the hands belong in your scheme?” It's obvious, at this point, that Freder aims to help Maria in her efforts to end the workers' struggle and to strive for equality among both classes.
As the story proceeds, Joh discovers plans scribbled on paper that insinuate that the workers are planning to revolt. Maria, the leader of this revolution, begins holding meetings in the catacombs, the lowest levels of the city, telling the workers that their quality of life is unbearable and encouraging them to do something about it. At one such meeting, she recites to the workers the Biblical story of the Tower of Babel, found in the Book of Genesis. In this story, a few men created plans for a beautiful, impenetrable tower, but they had no skill to build it, so they hired hundreds of workers to put the plan in action. But the creators had no concern for the workers, and soon, “The hymns of praise of the few became the curses of the many.” The workers rebelled against the creators, tearing apart and overthrowing the tower. The story is an inevitable omen foreshadowing the rebellious nature the city's workers would soon take on.
But while Maria wants the workers to understand the unfairness of their situation, she chooses to take a latent approach to victory. She does not encourage the workers to rebel violently; instead, she tells them to wait patiently, and that someone will come who will help unite the upper and lower classes. “Between the mind that plans and the hands that build there must be a Mediator, and this must be the heart,” she tells them. It is then apparent that Freder, the unlikely rebel, is the bridge Maria has been looking for.
When Rotwang, the mad scientist, creates a machine man that “never tires or fails,” Joh decides he has no more reason to rely on humans to run the city. Joh tells Rotwang to make the robot in the image of Maria, so that it can go to the workers and “undo Maria's teachings and stir them up to criminal acts.” Joh begins to exhibit his desire for the workers to kill themselves off. He doesn't care what they destroy or if they rebel at all. His main goal is to rid his world of them, and to put robots in their place.
Later, Rotwang captures the real Maria, and the robot goes to the workers in her place. This faux Maria has a sly smile and even appears evil. But the workers, who are easily impressionable, accept her as the true leader of their revolution. “I have preached patience but your mediator has not come and will never come!” she tells them. She insists that they immediately travel upwards to destroy the “Heart Machine,” the city's power station. The workers, joined by their wives, do so. Not one man or woman remained behind, however, all of their children did. Little did they realize, the destruction of the machines caused a flood in the lower levels, and all of their children likely perished. It is Grot, the foreman, who informs the workers of their mistake. “Who told you to destroy the machines, and thus, your lives?” he asks them.
When Rotwang tells Maria of this deception, she is crushed, knowing that the workers took the robot Maria's word as her own. She uses this outrage and anger to escape from the scientist, joining up with Freder to save the children who were left behind.
As the workers realize their error, mob psychology breaks out and their outrage is reverted to Maria, whom they hold responsible for inciting them to rebel in the first place. They track her down (remember that this is actually the robot) and prepare to burn her at the stake. As she burns, it is exposed that she is really a robot. All hell breaks loose and the workers are even further outraged.
In all of the madness, Joh breaks down, fearing that his son has been killed. It is the first time we see real humanity in him. Towards the film's end, Freder, in a heroic effort to save the real Maria, shoves Rotwang off a roof, killing him. It is poetic to see Joh, typically barbaric and uncaring, distraught, worrying for his son and wishing for his well-being, and to see Freder, typically sensitive and loving, fighting to the death for Maria and her cause. When Joh realizes Freder is alive and well, he appears to succumb to the idea of equality amongst the classes, if for nothing more than to please his son.
The final scene shows the foreman Grot and Joh Frederson standing face-to-face. Freder, the newfound mediator, steps between them, uniting their hands to shake. Alas, the mind that plans, represented by Joh, and the hands that build, represented by Grot, are united by the heart, the unlikely rebel Freder.
Maria encouraged rebellion through cooperation, with a non-violent approach that attempts to bring about equality through intelligence and patience. It seems to me that this type of rebel is the most effective. Freder rebelled against his own father, taking the same humanistic approach as Maria, trying to convince Joh that his opinions were unfair and unacceptable. It's ironic that Joh's breakdown occurred through his heart, when his love for his son, the “heart” of the story, became greater than his lack of concern for the workers.
Metropolis speaks volumes about society yesterday, today and tomorrow. It comforts me to know that the world I live in isn't the only one that has felt oppression and inequality. It also comforts me to know that the cycle of rebellion in such situations is inevitable, and that no superpower can continue forever. I'm grateful for the rebels in our society who do their best keep everyone on an even playing field.
My "Wild" World of Technology
My Declaration of Independence
I wish to be free from those who tell me how to live.
Free from all forms of advertising -
television, Internet, print, and the inserts
I find in my daughter's Barbie packaging,
telling me to buy more of their products.
Free from conventional politics, religion and philosophy.
I want to find my own way of thinking
and I want others to think for themselves as well.
Free from name brands,
from Coach, from McDonalds, from Doritos, and Microsoft.
Free from traditional “jobs.”
I want to claim my education and find a career I enjoy.
I want to wake up each morning, smiling at the tasks ahead of me.
I want to help people who are grateful for my assistance.
And I don't want a corporate monster boss looming over my shoulder.
Free from America, the “land of the free,”
which has been tainted by capitalism, social norms and closed minds.
My Wild World of Technology
While I think Christopher McCandless pursued his adventure, as documented in Into the Wild, somewhat carelessly, I have great appreciation for everything he stood for and attempted to live by. McCandless took the greed of Americans to heart; he saw no need to live a lavish existence. In fact, he despised those who stuck to the mainstream, buying into all the capitalism this country has to offer. While I'm not quite prepared to go trekking off into the wilderness, I, too, choose to live my life more simply, foregoing excess and overindulgence. In this essay, I will detail ways I use technology to live a more simple, enjoyable life. While I may be known to boycott anything at the drop of a hat because I don't agree with the principles that lie within it, technology is the one arena I have come to appreciate. I don't think the business of technology is a greedy one. With all it has to offer, people are better off to invest in it and reap the benefits. Today, with expenses at an all-time high and income at an all-time low, I have found it imperative to make sacrifices to survive. Technology has helped me achieve this goal.
The Postal Service vs. Online Banking, E-mailing
At several points in my life, the U.S. Postal Service has had me boiling. When I was eleven years old, it tried to destroy the post office in Wakefield, my hometown. I took petitions door-to-door, begging my neighbors to help me fight for this establishment. Even though I was young, I understood that Wakefield only had a corner grocery, a fire department, and a post office, and I wasn't about to let one of our only three landmarks be taken away. My petitioning stopped the destruction of the post office. Fourteen years later, when I served as editor of The Pike County News Watchman, the Postal Service swooped down upon Wakefield once more. They had recently been successful in shutting down the Stockdale Post Office and several others throughout Southern Ohio. Their goal for Pike County was – and still is – to close all branch stores and send postal customers to a consolidated office, the one located in Waverly. This conversion, if completely successful, will have some residents, such as those living in Cynthiana, driving nearly 30 miles for postal service. Unfortunately, the U.S. Postal Service won their battle in Wakefield. The office was closed over a year ago and replaced with a row of metal mailboxes. Since, I've done everything I can to boycott this government entity. The rising and ridiculous costs of postage is something I avoid falling prey to as much as possible. I invest in online banking and bill-paying, and for years I haven't had the need to communicate with friends by mail; e-mail and social networking is sufficient. I just can't sit back and let the government charge me outrageous prices for postage, then shut down all of my county's branch post offices so that we have to buy even more gas at sky-rocketing prices in order to travel to the consolidated office that they say simplifies the business. Talk about fascism.
Downloading vs. the Music Industry and Cable Television
Alright, I'll admit it, I download everything under the sun. Music, movies, television shows, e-books, audio books, literally everything. I do this to send a personal message to the failing music industry and to cable television providers. Neither of these businesses have a clue how to be successful. The music industry fights its customers over the right to listen to the purchased product, and cable television blinds its customers with relentless advertising and packages with networks no one wants to view. They have many options, such as pay-per-play for musicians and a la carte for cable subscriptions. However, they continue to perpetrate a war against their consumers that eventually sends them to the Internet, to a world where, although illegally, millions of individuals obtain their entertainment for free. Corrupt business has turned loyal customers, who are more than willing to pay for entertainment, if the price is right, into pirates.
Open Source vs. Microsoft
When Windows Vista and Microsoft Word 2007 came out, people started complaining. Both programs are difficult to use. Vista is well-known as the program that asks you questions about everything. “Are you sure you'd like to (fill in the blank)?” is a phrase Microsoft users are familiar with. Not only are the security features on the programs overzealous, simply owning the software costs an arm and a leg. My alternative: open source. At home, I have two computer systems, both running on Linux with Ubuntu and Kubuntu, versions of the operating system. I use Open Office as my word processor, The Gimp as my alternative to Photoshop, Amarok as my music player, and a host of other free open source software. Open source programs are those created by individuals who offer up the software's code for others to alter and improve upon. No copyright infringement or binding contracts, the purpose of the open source movement is to avoid software that is restricting and demanding of excessive royalties. I'm proud to say that, aside from my use of the computers at the college, I've successfully boycotted Microsoft for nearly a year now. Now, my computer does exactly what I tell it to do. It doesn't ask questions or suffer from corporate limitations, viruses and other threats are unheard of, and best of all, it's absolutely free.
Advertising Blindfold
Thanks to my avoidance of cable television, I've also been able to avoid many of the impressionable advertisements of the modern age. I hate advertising. If there is one goal I have in life, it is to avoid being swayed by advertising at all costs. I further exempt myself from purchasing propaganda by using the Adblock and Flashblock extensions on Mozilla Firefox, my Internet browser of choice. These extensions block all advertisements from my Internet browser. I don't even know they exist. As far as junk mail and other forms of print advertisement go, limitation is key. I'm very careful of who gets my address; I'm certain to never give it away if I think the receiving party may share my information with advertisers. Once you live by this code of conduct, vultures become obvious, and steering clear of them becomes easier.
Other Ways I Fight “The Man”
Eliminating oppression by the powers that be is simple. I've taken many steps to be sure that I live my life deliberately, the way I choose to. Every day, I find new ways to cut corners, to save money, and to live by my convictions. I aim to work in a non-profit industry, avoiding corporate corruption. I opt for a cell phone and high speed Internet instead of keeping a land line in my home. After all, a land line would be the easiest thing for the government to wire-tap if they should ever choose to do so. I wear off-brand clothing; I wouldn't be caught dead looking like a walking billboard for someone I've already given my money to. I'm a loud-mouthed Liberal. I don't push my opinions on others, but when I hear a viewpoint other than my own, I make sure the party sharing their ideals knows there is another side of the coin. I suspect Chris McCandless would think my efforts respectable, although he didn't seem to be a technological kind of guy. Many individuals interviewed in Into the Wild commended McCandless for at least attempting to live by his convictions, for doing something that very few people try to do. I may not practice every moral that I preach, but I do live my life somewhat on the wild side, taking steps to personal freedom that I feel are vitally important to my existence.
I wish to be free from those who tell me how to live.
Free from all forms of advertising -
television, Internet, print, and the inserts
I find in my daughter's Barbie packaging,
telling me to buy more of their products.
Free from conventional politics, religion and philosophy.
I want to find my own way of thinking
and I want others to think for themselves as well.
Free from name brands,
from Coach, from McDonalds, from Doritos, and Microsoft.
Free from traditional “jobs.”
I want to claim my education and find a career I enjoy.
I want to wake up each morning, smiling at the tasks ahead of me.
I want to help people who are grateful for my assistance.
And I don't want a corporate monster boss looming over my shoulder.
Free from America, the “land of the free,”
which has been tainted by capitalism, social norms and closed minds.
My Wild World of Technology
While I think Christopher McCandless pursued his adventure, as documented in Into the Wild, somewhat carelessly, I have great appreciation for everything he stood for and attempted to live by. McCandless took the greed of Americans to heart; he saw no need to live a lavish existence. In fact, he despised those who stuck to the mainstream, buying into all the capitalism this country has to offer. While I'm not quite prepared to go trekking off into the wilderness, I, too, choose to live my life more simply, foregoing excess and overindulgence. In this essay, I will detail ways I use technology to live a more simple, enjoyable life. While I may be known to boycott anything at the drop of a hat because I don't agree with the principles that lie within it, technology is the one arena I have come to appreciate. I don't think the business of technology is a greedy one. With all it has to offer, people are better off to invest in it and reap the benefits. Today, with expenses at an all-time high and income at an all-time low, I have found it imperative to make sacrifices to survive. Technology has helped me achieve this goal.
The Postal Service vs. Online Banking, E-mailing
At several points in my life, the U.S. Postal Service has had me boiling. When I was eleven years old, it tried to destroy the post office in Wakefield, my hometown. I took petitions door-to-door, begging my neighbors to help me fight for this establishment. Even though I was young, I understood that Wakefield only had a corner grocery, a fire department, and a post office, and I wasn't about to let one of our only three landmarks be taken away. My petitioning stopped the destruction of the post office. Fourteen years later, when I served as editor of The Pike County News Watchman, the Postal Service swooped down upon Wakefield once more. They had recently been successful in shutting down the Stockdale Post Office and several others throughout Southern Ohio. Their goal for Pike County was – and still is – to close all branch stores and send postal customers to a consolidated office, the one located in Waverly. This conversion, if completely successful, will have some residents, such as those living in Cynthiana, driving nearly 30 miles for postal service. Unfortunately, the U.S. Postal Service won their battle in Wakefield. The office was closed over a year ago and replaced with a row of metal mailboxes. Since, I've done everything I can to boycott this government entity. The rising and ridiculous costs of postage is something I avoid falling prey to as much as possible. I invest in online banking and bill-paying, and for years I haven't had the need to communicate with friends by mail; e-mail and social networking is sufficient. I just can't sit back and let the government charge me outrageous prices for postage, then shut down all of my county's branch post offices so that we have to buy even more gas at sky-rocketing prices in order to travel to the consolidated office that they say simplifies the business. Talk about fascism.
Downloading vs. the Music Industry and Cable Television
Alright, I'll admit it, I download everything under the sun. Music, movies, television shows, e-books, audio books, literally everything. I do this to send a personal message to the failing music industry and to cable television providers. Neither of these businesses have a clue how to be successful. The music industry fights its customers over the right to listen to the purchased product, and cable television blinds its customers with relentless advertising and packages with networks no one wants to view. They have many options, such as pay-per-play for musicians and a la carte for cable subscriptions. However, they continue to perpetrate a war against their consumers that eventually sends them to the Internet, to a world where, although illegally, millions of individuals obtain their entertainment for free. Corrupt business has turned loyal customers, who are more than willing to pay for entertainment, if the price is right, into pirates.
Open Source vs. Microsoft
When Windows Vista and Microsoft Word 2007 came out, people started complaining. Both programs are difficult to use. Vista is well-known as the program that asks you questions about everything. “Are you sure you'd like to (fill in the blank)?” is a phrase Microsoft users are familiar with. Not only are the security features on the programs overzealous, simply owning the software costs an arm and a leg. My alternative: open source. At home, I have two computer systems, both running on Linux with Ubuntu and Kubuntu, versions of the operating system. I use Open Office as my word processor, The Gimp as my alternative to Photoshop, Amarok as my music player, and a host of other free open source software. Open source programs are those created by individuals who offer up the software's code for others to alter and improve upon. No copyright infringement or binding contracts, the purpose of the open source movement is to avoid software that is restricting and demanding of excessive royalties. I'm proud to say that, aside from my use of the computers at the college, I've successfully boycotted Microsoft for nearly a year now. Now, my computer does exactly what I tell it to do. It doesn't ask questions or suffer from corporate limitations, viruses and other threats are unheard of, and best of all, it's absolutely free.
Advertising Blindfold
Thanks to my avoidance of cable television, I've also been able to avoid many of the impressionable advertisements of the modern age. I hate advertising. If there is one goal I have in life, it is to avoid being swayed by advertising at all costs. I further exempt myself from purchasing propaganda by using the Adblock and Flashblock extensions on Mozilla Firefox, my Internet browser of choice. These extensions block all advertisements from my Internet browser. I don't even know they exist. As far as junk mail and other forms of print advertisement go, limitation is key. I'm very careful of who gets my address; I'm certain to never give it away if I think the receiving party may share my information with advertisers. Once you live by this code of conduct, vultures become obvious, and steering clear of them becomes easier.
Other Ways I Fight “The Man”
Eliminating oppression by the powers that be is simple. I've taken many steps to be sure that I live my life deliberately, the way I choose to. Every day, I find new ways to cut corners, to save money, and to live by my convictions. I aim to work in a non-profit industry, avoiding corporate corruption. I opt for a cell phone and high speed Internet instead of keeping a land line in my home. After all, a land line would be the easiest thing for the government to wire-tap if they should ever choose to do so. I wear off-brand clothing; I wouldn't be caught dead looking like a walking billboard for someone I've already given my money to. I'm a loud-mouthed Liberal. I don't push my opinions on others, but when I hear a viewpoint other than my own, I make sure the party sharing their ideals knows there is another side of the coin. I suspect Chris McCandless would think my efforts respectable, although he didn't seem to be a technological kind of guy. Many individuals interviewed in Into the Wild commended McCandless for at least attempting to live by his convictions, for doing something that very few people try to do. I may not practice every moral that I preach, but I do live my life somewhat on the wild side, taking steps to personal freedom that I feel are vitally important to my existence.
"Into the Wild" and Me
“So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future.” (56-57)
Christopher McCandless took the initiative to change his situation, venturing into the Alaskan wilderness, where he would become one with his surroundings. It's ironic because he wanted nothing to do with his surroundings in the “real” world, where he felt plagued by consumerism and conformity. Most of those who speak of McCandless's adventure and subsequent death focus on one issue: whether or not the young man was mentally stable. Before I read Into the Wild, when I only had sketchy details of McCandless's story, I, like many nay-sayers, thought the man was a little “off his rocker,” and that his unpreparedness cost him his life. However, after finishing the tragic tale, I'm not so sure.
I was immediately overwhelmed and drawn in by Into the Wild. There was something so haunting, so disturbing, so passionate about the story that I couldn't put it down once I started it. To see someone so brave stand up for what he believed in, and to learn of how he lost his life to the very thing he was investing in, was heartbreaking.
McCandless ventured into the wild without telling his parents. He felt that his mother and father stood for everything he despised. A lavish life was not what he desired, although his parents were quite well-to-do and expected him to follow in their footsteps. On pages 21 and 64, McCandless talks about his estranged relationship with the couple, first telling his sister that he'd no longer accept gifts from his parents because “they will think they have bought my respect,” and later, “Once the time is right, with one abrupt, swift action I'm going to completely knock them out of my life.” It must have been so terrible for the couple to learn of their son's death, and hard for his sister when she realized this adventure may have been the “swift action” her brother was talking about. Statements made by McCandless such as this make one wonder if he knew his demise was imminent all along.
While many people criticize McCandless for being too unprepared for the Alaskan wilderness, I beg to differ. Yes, he took the expedition without a map or a compass, but he managed to find his way around just fine. And while critics claim his lack of knowledge about nature and hunting is what killed him, I think if McCandless hadn't had a mishap with moldy potato seeds, he just may have survived.
“Circumstance has no value. It is how one relates to a situation that has value. All true meaning resides in the personal relationship to a phenomenon, what it means to you.” (168)
Into the Wild meant a lot to me because there have been many times I've wanted to pack up and hide away from civilization. But I simply couldn't do it if I tried. I praise McCandless's name for his efforts, and I will never forget the story of his admirable protest.
Christopher McCandless took the initiative to change his situation, venturing into the Alaskan wilderness, where he would become one with his surroundings. It's ironic because he wanted nothing to do with his surroundings in the “real” world, where he felt plagued by consumerism and conformity. Most of those who speak of McCandless's adventure and subsequent death focus on one issue: whether or not the young man was mentally stable. Before I read Into the Wild, when I only had sketchy details of McCandless's story, I, like many nay-sayers, thought the man was a little “off his rocker,” and that his unpreparedness cost him his life. However, after finishing the tragic tale, I'm not so sure.
I was immediately overwhelmed and drawn in by Into the Wild. There was something so haunting, so disturbing, so passionate about the story that I couldn't put it down once I started it. To see someone so brave stand up for what he believed in, and to learn of how he lost his life to the very thing he was investing in, was heartbreaking.
McCandless ventured into the wild without telling his parents. He felt that his mother and father stood for everything he despised. A lavish life was not what he desired, although his parents were quite well-to-do and expected him to follow in their footsteps. On pages 21 and 64, McCandless talks about his estranged relationship with the couple, first telling his sister that he'd no longer accept gifts from his parents because “they will think they have bought my respect,” and later, “Once the time is right, with one abrupt, swift action I'm going to completely knock them out of my life.” It must have been so terrible for the couple to learn of their son's death, and hard for his sister when she realized this adventure may have been the “swift action” her brother was talking about. Statements made by McCandless such as this make one wonder if he knew his demise was imminent all along.
While many people criticize McCandless for being too unprepared for the Alaskan wilderness, I beg to differ. Yes, he took the expedition without a map or a compass, but he managed to find his way around just fine. And while critics claim his lack of knowledge about nature and hunting is what killed him, I think if McCandless hadn't had a mishap with moldy potato seeds, he just may have survived.
“Circumstance has no value. It is how one relates to a situation that has value. All true meaning resides in the personal relationship to a phenomenon, what it means to you.” (168)
Into the Wild meant a lot to me because there have been many times I've wanted to pack up and hide away from civilization. But I simply couldn't do it if I tried. I praise McCandless's name for his efforts, and I will never forget the story of his admirable protest.
Music Education at the Ross County YMCA
The School House Rockers:
Wayne Branham
Penny Hall
Rylie Hill
Jennifer Slone
Karen Wiginton
Communications 205 / Dr. Wallace
November 6, 2007
Overview
For the COMS 205 service learning project, our group, The School House Rockers, chose to bring musical education to the latchkey children at the Ross County YMCA. In a day and age where art and music programs are being cut left and right, it was the least we could do as a group activity to bring some enjoyment to these children while teaching them something about music at the same time. This paper will outline the group processes we utilized to yield a successful program.
Our program lasted for three days, and we spent approximately one hour each day presenting different musical activities for the children to participate in. We worked with three groups of children, who were split up according to their ages. This worked wonderfully, because the age groups rotated locations from day-to-day, and we were able to work with all of the children in the program.
Creative Activity
We organized three main activities to share with the children. First, we decided to use the popular video games Guitar Hero and Dance Dance Revolution as staples in our program. We wanted to give the children an opportunity to test-drive these games, which promote coordination and rhythm, and give users a variety of musical styles to be exposed to. Initially, we thought this activity would work best for the older children, but in the end, all age groups had an opportunity to play.
Next, we decided to make home-made instruments with the children, to give them an introduction to noise and how music works. We researched this online, and found many varieties of instruments we could make quite easily. We settled on jingle bell bracelets, castanets, and shakers. We wanted to limit our crafts to items we could all provide at little or no cost.
The third activity we planned for was making coloring songbooks with the children. This is an enjoyable project that we thought would teach children some of the timeless classic nursery rhymes. We found the project at http://www.storytimesongs.com/Lyrics.html. The project, which we had in mind for the youngest group, consisted of us preparing the songbook materials and stapling the pages together. On one side of the booklet was a picture that accompanied the song on the opposite page. The children were able to color the pages of the songbook, which had a nice cover and a place for their name. This was a souvenir the children were able to take home. While they worked on the project, we played songs from Baby Genius' "Favorite Nursery Rhymes" album. The songs on the album complimented the songs in the book, which was a nice touch that the children enjoyed.
Our final activity was geared towards emotive drawing. Our goal was to show the children how music can generate a variety of emotions and feelings. We gathered various songs expressing different emotions and asked the children to draw the emotions they felt while the songs were playing. From Bob Dylan to Janis Joplin to the Rolling Stones, the children were exposed to a several artists who have contributed to the history of Rock and Roll.
Group Process
First, our group was faced with the task of choosing which activities we would bring to the children. This is where we faced our first small group communication hurdle. Jennifer had compiled a very large list of activities as options for our program. During a group meeting, the rest of the group vocalized that the list was far too ambitious, and Jennifer responded very negatively. She found that she was personally offended by the group's resistance to her proposition. After some thought, she realized that, having just left a job as a delegating manager, this project was not nearly as grand a scale as those she was used to organizing. She came to the conclusion that the project needed to take more precedence than her emotions, and that her conflict was a result of not working with this size of a group with members sharing the responsibility.
Our group then narrowed down the list to the three activities listed above. Our group work was then focused on organizing the materials and deciding upon a schedule with the YMCA. Karen worked directly with Jenny Beverly, the YMCA director, to organize our visit. Penny and Rylie handled the task of either getting donations for or purchasing craft items for the instrument activity. Jennifer and Wayne gathered the consoles, games and televisions needed for Guitar Hero and Dance Dance Revolution. Jennifer prepared the materials for the coloring songbook activity, and compiled CDs of music for the songbook and emotive drawing activities.
Analysis of Group Process
All in all, each group member was very satisfied with the outcome of our project. When we arrived at the YMCA on day one, we found that our perception of how the groups were organized was slightly different. We assumed we'd be spending time with each group every day. Instead, we found that, to avoid stagnation, the groups rotated locations each day. In other words, we would be working with different age groups in different locations each day. We were also told that the group in the gym would be impossible to work with, as they are accustomed to playing basketball and doing more sport-related activities there.
So, we began our first day with the older children playing Guitar Hero, and the middle-age children making instruments. On day two, the middle-age children moved to the game consoles (they also chose to play Guitar Hero), and the youngest group came up from the gym to the activity room, where we made the coloring songbooks. On the third day, the younger children moved to the game room. Here, we were faced with the challenge of these children lacking the coordination to play the game properly. Therefore, we switched to Dance Dance Revolution, which required less skill. On this day, the older children were in the activity room, and they participated in the emotive drawing activity. Our group split up three-to-two to manage the activities in the separate rooms. Wayne stayed in the game room all three days, Karen stayed in the activity room all three days, and Jennifer, Rylie and Penny rotated each day.
Observations
We were all thrilled with the children's reactions to our project. When we first arrived, we found the children were excited for us to be bringing them something new to do. As soon as they learned we were bringing them music education, they were even further thrilled. When we brought Guitar Hero into the game room, the children's faces lit up like Christmas trees! They all seemed very grateful to have a group of individuals paying attention to them and giving them something interesting to participate in. Each day, the children asked questions regarding what we'd be doing with them the next day. It was very rewarding to see the children showing their parents the things they had made when they came to pick them up. There were many children saying, "See? That's why I want a Playstation!" to Mom or Dad, and we were thankful that they were able to exhibit the benefits of gaming to their parents, rather than the typical graphic violence that people are used to seeing come from game systems. We were also rather surprised at the children's reactions to the emotive drawing activity. After the children produced some drawings, they decided they wanted to become rock stars! They begged us to replay Jimi Hendrix's "Voodoo Chile," and they proceeded to play air guitar and dance around the room. Even though our activity took an unexpected turn, the children obviously had a great time and were exposed to classic rock. All in all, the students worked very well together on each project. We generated the most obvious competitiveness with Guitar Hero, though. The children argued from time-to-time about who's turn it was and how many turns each child had taken, but we, with the help of the classroom monitors, were able to maintain order.
Group Lessons
Each group member has learned the rewarding value of working with children. We have all been inspired to participate in similar activities in the future. We have learned that organization is key. Although our group process was challenged slightly by the rotation of the age groups, we were quickly and efficiently able to adapt thanks to our superior organization. We chose activities that were cost-effective, as well, and no large financial burden was placed on any member.
Conclusion
We were all a little bit sad to see the three days fly by so quickly. It would make for an excellent program to be able to have at least a couple weeks with the children. Perhaps if we had more time, the ambitious list we started with could be completed. We were all impressed by the organization of the YMCA and its methods of keeping the children entertained.
Wayne expressed just one complaint regarding the latchkey monitors. He faced some difficulty on the third day because the monitor with the youngest group of children didn't help out very much; he let the children run wild and Wayne had a difficult time getting the children to behave while he was getting them acquainted with the game. Other than this instance, the employees of the YMCA were more than helpful in our activity process.
After our project was completed, the YMCA director said she was very pleased with our program, and that she noticed no problems with our visit. She also said the children were asking where we were the day after our program ended. Our enjoyment of this project was further validated by the director and students' appreciation.
Our goal was to bring music education to these children in a light that they may have never seen it in before. We feel we were very successful in doing just that, and we're confident that the students will utilize the knowledge we shared with them for a long time.
Wayne Branham
Penny Hall
Rylie Hill
Jennifer Slone
Karen Wiginton
Communications 205 / Dr. Wallace
November 6, 2007
Overview
For the COMS 205 service learning project, our group, The School House Rockers, chose to bring musical education to the latchkey children at the Ross County YMCA. In a day and age where art and music programs are being cut left and right, it was the least we could do as a group activity to bring some enjoyment to these children while teaching them something about music at the same time. This paper will outline the group processes we utilized to yield a successful program.
Our program lasted for three days, and we spent approximately one hour each day presenting different musical activities for the children to participate in. We worked with three groups of children, who were split up according to their ages. This worked wonderfully, because the age groups rotated locations from day-to-day, and we were able to work with all of the children in the program.
Creative Activity
We organized three main activities to share with the children. First, we decided to use the popular video games Guitar Hero and Dance Dance Revolution as staples in our program. We wanted to give the children an opportunity to test-drive these games, which promote coordination and rhythm, and give users a variety of musical styles to be exposed to. Initially, we thought this activity would work best for the older children, but in the end, all age groups had an opportunity to play.
Next, we decided to make home-made instruments with the children, to give them an introduction to noise and how music works. We researched this online, and found many varieties of instruments we could make quite easily. We settled on jingle bell bracelets, castanets, and shakers. We wanted to limit our crafts to items we could all provide at little or no cost.
The third activity we planned for was making coloring songbooks with the children. This is an enjoyable project that we thought would teach children some of the timeless classic nursery rhymes. We found the project at http://www.storytimesongs.com/Lyrics.html. The project, which we had in mind for the youngest group, consisted of us preparing the songbook materials and stapling the pages together. On one side of the booklet was a picture that accompanied the song on the opposite page. The children were able to color the pages of the songbook, which had a nice cover and a place for their name. This was a souvenir the children were able to take home. While they worked on the project, we played songs from Baby Genius' "Favorite Nursery Rhymes" album. The songs on the album complimented the songs in the book, which was a nice touch that the children enjoyed.
Our final activity was geared towards emotive drawing. Our goal was to show the children how music can generate a variety of emotions and feelings. We gathered various songs expressing different emotions and asked the children to draw the emotions they felt while the songs were playing. From Bob Dylan to Janis Joplin to the Rolling Stones, the children were exposed to a several artists who have contributed to the history of Rock and Roll.
Group Process
First, our group was faced with the task of choosing which activities we would bring to the children. This is where we faced our first small group communication hurdle. Jennifer had compiled a very large list of activities as options for our program. During a group meeting, the rest of the group vocalized that the list was far too ambitious, and Jennifer responded very negatively. She found that she was personally offended by the group's resistance to her proposition. After some thought, she realized that, having just left a job as a delegating manager, this project was not nearly as grand a scale as those she was used to organizing. She came to the conclusion that the project needed to take more precedence than her emotions, and that her conflict was a result of not working with this size of a group with members sharing the responsibility.
Our group then narrowed down the list to the three activities listed above. Our group work was then focused on organizing the materials and deciding upon a schedule with the YMCA. Karen worked directly with Jenny Beverly, the YMCA director, to organize our visit. Penny and Rylie handled the task of either getting donations for or purchasing craft items for the instrument activity. Jennifer and Wayne gathered the consoles, games and televisions needed for Guitar Hero and Dance Dance Revolution. Jennifer prepared the materials for the coloring songbook activity, and compiled CDs of music for the songbook and emotive drawing activities.
Analysis of Group Process
All in all, each group member was very satisfied with the outcome of our project. When we arrived at the YMCA on day one, we found that our perception of how the groups were organized was slightly different. We assumed we'd be spending time with each group every day. Instead, we found that, to avoid stagnation, the groups rotated locations each day. In other words, we would be working with different age groups in different locations each day. We were also told that the group in the gym would be impossible to work with, as they are accustomed to playing basketball and doing more sport-related activities there.
So, we began our first day with the older children playing Guitar Hero, and the middle-age children making instruments. On day two, the middle-age children moved to the game consoles (they also chose to play Guitar Hero), and the youngest group came up from the gym to the activity room, where we made the coloring songbooks. On the third day, the younger children moved to the game room. Here, we were faced with the challenge of these children lacking the coordination to play the game properly. Therefore, we switched to Dance Dance Revolution, which required less skill. On this day, the older children were in the activity room, and they participated in the emotive drawing activity. Our group split up three-to-two to manage the activities in the separate rooms. Wayne stayed in the game room all three days, Karen stayed in the activity room all three days, and Jennifer, Rylie and Penny rotated each day.
Observations
We were all thrilled with the children's reactions to our project. When we first arrived, we found the children were excited for us to be bringing them something new to do. As soon as they learned we were bringing them music education, they were even further thrilled. When we brought Guitar Hero into the game room, the children's faces lit up like Christmas trees! They all seemed very grateful to have a group of individuals paying attention to them and giving them something interesting to participate in. Each day, the children asked questions regarding what we'd be doing with them the next day. It was very rewarding to see the children showing their parents the things they had made when they came to pick them up. There were many children saying, "See? That's why I want a Playstation!" to Mom or Dad, and we were thankful that they were able to exhibit the benefits of gaming to their parents, rather than the typical graphic violence that people are used to seeing come from game systems. We were also rather surprised at the children's reactions to the emotive drawing activity. After the children produced some drawings, they decided they wanted to become rock stars! They begged us to replay Jimi Hendrix's "Voodoo Chile," and they proceeded to play air guitar and dance around the room. Even though our activity took an unexpected turn, the children obviously had a great time and were exposed to classic rock. All in all, the students worked very well together on each project. We generated the most obvious competitiveness with Guitar Hero, though. The children argued from time-to-time about who's turn it was and how many turns each child had taken, but we, with the help of the classroom monitors, were able to maintain order.
Group Lessons
Each group member has learned the rewarding value of working with children. We have all been inspired to participate in similar activities in the future. We have learned that organization is key. Although our group process was challenged slightly by the rotation of the age groups, we were quickly and efficiently able to adapt thanks to our superior organization. We chose activities that were cost-effective, as well, and no large financial burden was placed on any member.
Conclusion
We were all a little bit sad to see the three days fly by so quickly. It would make for an excellent program to be able to have at least a couple weeks with the children. Perhaps if we had more time, the ambitious list we started with could be completed. We were all impressed by the organization of the YMCA and its methods of keeping the children entertained.
Wayne expressed just one complaint regarding the latchkey monitors. He faced some difficulty on the third day because the monitor with the youngest group of children didn't help out very much; he let the children run wild and Wayne had a difficult time getting the children to behave while he was getting them acquainted with the game. Other than this instance, the employees of the YMCA were more than helpful in our activity process.
After our project was completed, the YMCA director said she was very pleased with our program, and that she noticed no problems with our visit. She also said the children were asking where we were the day after our program ended. Our enjoyment of this project was further validated by the director and students' appreciation.
Our goal was to bring music education to these children in a light that they may have never seen it in before. We feel we were very successful in doing just that, and we're confident that the students will utilize the knowledge we shared with them for a long time.
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