The documentary "Sound and Fury" explores the definition of a disability, in this case deafness, and focuses on how this definition changes depending on the Discourse. At the center of the documentary are two families; and closely follows what they do to provide their children with what they perceive to be the best opportunities. Peter and Nita Artinian are both deaf, and parents to three young deaf children. Peter's brother, Chris, is hearing able and is married to Mari, also hearing able. They are the parents of a two children, one deaf and one hearing able. Mari's parents are both deaf. Each family made very compelling arguments, yet by the end of the documentary my feelings did not change much on the subject.
Peter and Nita entertain the idea of getting their oldest daughter, Heather, a cochlear implant. After gathering information from a variety of sources, they come to the conclusion that they do not want to go forward with the surgery. Peter and Nita think that Heather will no longer be part of the deaf culture if she gets the implant, and are afraid of what that will mean for their family. Peter is especially passionate about this; he does not see being deaf as a disability, but rather something to be celebrated. In his opinion, being deaf does not inhibit a person from becoming successful, nor does it prevent them from living a "normal" life.
Chris and Mari on the other hand believe that a cochlear implant is the best choice for their deaf son, Peter, is the best choice. In their opinion, Peter will not be able to experience all that life has to offer if he cannot hear, and they want to ensure that he receives the same opportunities as people who are able to hear. Mari's parents are very much against this, they feel Peter will not be appreciative of the deaf people in his life but Mari assures them that will not be the case.
It is, in my opinion, best for a deaf child to receive cochlear implant if the opportunity presents itself. I feel that Peter and Nita were selfish in their decision against the implant and their reasoning sits on a quaking foundation. The idea that Heather will lose her place in the deaf culture is ridiculous. Yes, she will be able to hear but her family will still be deaf -- she will therefore always be connected to the deaf community. I admire Chris and Mari's decision to go ahead with the surgery for Peter after the discouraging words they received from their family. I feel that his life will truly be changed for the better.
Monday, December 29, 2014
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Hurry. Turn off the lights, take the stairs two at a time, propel yourself up with the railing -- don't even think about looking back. Hurry. Hands are clammy, heart is racing, mind is spinning. Hurry. Can't simply run, must dash side to side and hop and skip -- got to avoid the hungry hands of creatures that grope for the stairs behind you. At the landing, half run half walk through the kitchen to the dining room, where you finally breath a sigh of relief.
Ten years later. Hurry still. Turn off the lights, thunder up the stairs, let your feet be a stampede that drives the hungry hands of creatures back into the shadows. Hurry still. Heart is racing, mind is spinning -- don't even think about looking back. Hurry still. Bound side to side, like a skier, avoid the hungry hands of the most daring creatures. From the safety of the kitchen, turn and smile defiantly at the darkness you once again escaped.
Nothing is particularly frightening about the basement itself: white plaster walls, rough navy blue carpet, worn out leather furniture, dusty workout equipment. Plenty of ones childhood could be spent down there, whether it be tumbling off of Little Tikes play sets, dressing up dolls, or watching a movie. But when ascending the stairs, beware.
Ten years later. Hurry still. Turn off the lights, thunder up the stairs, let your feet be a stampede that drives the hungry hands of creatures back into the shadows. Hurry still. Heart is racing, mind is spinning -- don't even think about looking back. Hurry still. Bound side to side, like a skier, avoid the hungry hands of the most daring creatures. From the safety of the kitchen, turn and smile defiantly at the darkness you once again escaped.
Nothing is particularly frightening about the basement itself: white plaster walls, rough navy blue carpet, worn out leather furniture, dusty workout equipment. Plenty of ones childhood could be spent down there, whether it be tumbling off of Little Tikes play sets, dressing up dolls, or watching a movie. But when ascending the stairs, beware.
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines"
Robin Thicke's song, "Blurred Lines", has become the focus of much controversy. Many see red flags within the lyrics and the music video, but is the song itself all that bad? No. The lyrics may not be something we're used to listening to on the radio; "[Thicke is] putting the ball in [the girl's] court by telling her to make the move and not the other way around," but that doesn't make them inappropriate or demeaning towards women. The music video on the other hand, reeks of trash and there is no sign of class.
Bad attention is another way of saying lots of attention. Johnston states that "even in this era of the porn aesthetic being so prominent, that [stuff] still works. The old ways of generating controversy and attention still work." Thicke said himself he wanted to break all the rules, and he did. "When [the women] are clothed it feels like he's walking up to a line and agreeing to obey it. And when they're not clothed, he's like acknowledging the line and he's stepping right over it." The music video immediately gives the lyrics a negative connotation. As Johnston said in her article, it's about context. The most innocent song can have an underlying message if paired with such a video.
Yes, the song makes Thicke seem a bit too self-assured, but there's no real harm in that. The video is where the problem lies, it "undoubtedly objectifies women" according to Jennifer Lai. But something is being done about the issue. If we can separate the two there is no reason why a catchy song such as "Blurred Lines" can't be stuck in our heads.
Bad attention is another way of saying lots of attention. Johnston states that "even in this era of the porn aesthetic being so prominent, that [stuff] still works. The old ways of generating controversy and attention still work." Thicke said himself he wanted to break all the rules, and he did. "When [the women] are clothed it feels like he's walking up to a line and agreeing to obey it. And when they're not clothed, he's like acknowledging the line and he's stepping right over it." The music video immediately gives the lyrics a negative connotation. As Johnston said in her article, it's about context. The most innocent song can have an underlying message if paired with such a video.
Yes, the song makes Thicke seem a bit too self-assured, but there's no real harm in that. The video is where the problem lies, it "undoubtedly objectifies women" according to Jennifer Lai. But something is being done about the issue. If we can separate the two there is no reason why a catchy song such as "Blurred Lines" can't be stuck in our heads.
Monday, September 1, 2014
Technology and What You Eat
"[Anyone] who has gotten a toddler to eat broccoli by calling them 'dinosaur trees' knows, names are better," but are fun and crazy names teaming up with technology to make certain foods more appealing? Mary Beth Albright explains the correlation between iPads and expanding our horizons in "How iPads Change Your Palate," published by National Geographic. Before reading this essay, I never would have given a thought as to how technology influences what I eat. But after absorbing the first paragraph, it really is amazing to see how eating habits have been influenced with the development of technology.
Albright's primary example in the essay is a change made by a convenience store called Sheetz. Sheetz began selling espresso drinks that were not common in the area, and they weren't selling. So Sheetz turned to electronic marketing, and they presented the drinks "with descriptors to make the drinks seem more familiar and desirable" on an electronic ordering screen. They were able to see what descriptions and names were making their products popular and could easily change the ones that were not as successful.
In addition to better sales, Sheetz were able to find out which descriptors encouraged healthy eating. Brian Wansink, author of "Mindless Eating," conducted research in 2012 using tablets to market carrots to students. "When labeled as 'X-Ray Vision Carrots,' 66 percent of carrots were eaten, as compared with 32 percent when labeled as 'Food of the Day' and 35 percent when unnamed." I was amazed to read that in one school, consumption increased by 99 percent when vegetables were named. Never would I have thought that technology could so heavily influence what I eat.
Albright's primary example in the essay is a change made by a convenience store called Sheetz. Sheetz began selling espresso drinks that were not common in the area, and they weren't selling. So Sheetz turned to electronic marketing, and they presented the drinks "with descriptors to make the drinks seem more familiar and desirable" on an electronic ordering screen. They were able to see what descriptions and names were making their products popular and could easily change the ones that were not as successful.
In addition to better sales, Sheetz were able to find out which descriptors encouraged healthy eating. Brian Wansink, author of "Mindless Eating," conducted research in 2012 using tablets to market carrots to students. "When labeled as 'X-Ray Vision Carrots,' 66 percent of carrots were eaten, as compared with 32 percent when labeled as 'Food of the Day' and 35 percent when unnamed." I was amazed to read that in one school, consumption increased by 99 percent when vegetables were named. Never would I have thought that technology could so heavily influence what I eat.
Sunday, August 31, 2014
I Have to Think About Retirement Now?!?
My first choice essay was written by Jonnelle Marte and published in the Washington Post. Marte explored the mistakes people make at every stage of their life when it comes to saving for retirement. Several of the points she made surprised me, since they went against the advice I was used to receiving.
In their 20s, Marte said the biggest mistake people make is to try and pay off their student debt as quickly as possible. I thought this was shocking, why wouldn't you want to get out of debt? Marte argues that by focusing solely on paying off debt, young people lose the "biggest advantage they have when it comes to saving for retirement: time." According to managing director of retirement solutions at the Mutual Fund Store, Scott Holsopple, "If you start saving at 22 you need to save half as much on a yearly basis as you would if you started at 32 to get the same dollar amount." Again, shocking.
Marte continued into the 30s, 40s, 50s, and finally 60s and beyond, but I kept going back to the section on people in their 20s. Taking Economics helped me learn what to expect when it comes to saving for retirement, but I never would have guessed a person could set themselves up for failure so early on. After reading what to be cautious of and tips on how to save a bit of money, I feel that I am better prepared for the future.
In their 20s, Marte said the biggest mistake people make is to try and pay off their student debt as quickly as possible. I thought this was shocking, why wouldn't you want to get out of debt? Marte argues that by focusing solely on paying off debt, young people lose the "biggest advantage they have when it comes to saving for retirement: time." According to managing director of retirement solutions at the Mutual Fund Store, Scott Holsopple, "If you start saving at 22 you need to save half as much on a yearly basis as you would if you started at 32 to get the same dollar amount." Again, shocking.
Marte continued into the 30s, 40s, 50s, and finally 60s and beyond, but I kept going back to the section on people in their 20s. Taking Economics helped me learn what to expect when it comes to saving for retirement, but I never would have guessed a person could set themselves up for failure so early on. After reading what to be cautious of and tips on how to save a bit of money, I feel that I am better prepared for the future.
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Backyard Killer
Horrific crimes always happen somewhere else and affect other people. We hear about them on the news, read about them in the paper, it's a story. It never seems real until the crime is committed in your own backyard. I chose to read "The Man Who Could Not Kill Enough" by Anne E. Schwartz for my nonfiction book. Schwartz was a journalist with the Milwaukee Journal when Jeffrey Dahmer was arrested and charged with the murders of 17 young men. Her book follows the events from when she first received the tip from a police officer to when she sat in the courtroom as the verdict was read.
It may seem strange for me to say that I enjoyed reading this book, but because it was so personal to the author, it didn't read like your typical nonfiction book. Schwartz writes with such an intense emotion throughout that although the details are so gruesome you just have to know what happens next. Before reading "The Man Who Could Not Kill Enough", I had heard of Dahmer, but I never knew more than that he had killed several people. This book has facts and substance; it shared the emotions of the author, the victims' families, the community, and the country which really made the story real for me.
Reading about the lives of Dahmer's victims was most difficult. Schwartz conducted extensive and personal interviews with the victims' families and gave a story to the life that was taken. Families told her about their son or brother's past, present, and future and it was relayed in words that spilled sorrow from their pages. The most emotional time in the book for me was at the end of the trial when the families of the victims read their letters to Dahmer in court. The sister of one of the victims told him of the grief and pain Dahmer had caused her mother, and suddenly, between sobs, she starts to scream obscenities at him. This single moment illustrated the high emotions that ran from the beginning to end of the Dahmer case.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about the murders Jeffrey Dahmer committed. At 225 pages, with an additional seven pages of pictures, it makes for a quick read that will have you on the edge of your seat until the very end.
It may seem strange for me to say that I enjoyed reading this book, but because it was so personal to the author, it didn't read like your typical nonfiction book. Schwartz writes with such an intense emotion throughout that although the details are so gruesome you just have to know what happens next. Before reading "The Man Who Could Not Kill Enough", I had heard of Dahmer, but I never knew more than that he had killed several people. This book has facts and substance; it shared the emotions of the author, the victims' families, the community, and the country which really made the story real for me.
Reading about the lives of Dahmer's victims was most difficult. Schwartz conducted extensive and personal interviews with the victims' families and gave a story to the life that was taken. Families told her about their son or brother's past, present, and future and it was relayed in words that spilled sorrow from their pages. The most emotional time in the book for me was at the end of the trial when the families of the victims read their letters to Dahmer in court. The sister of one of the victims told him of the grief and pain Dahmer had caused her mother, and suddenly, between sobs, she starts to scream obscenities at him. This single moment illustrated the high emotions that ran from the beginning to end of the Dahmer case.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about the murders Jeffrey Dahmer committed. At 225 pages, with an additional seven pages of pictures, it makes for a quick read that will have you on the edge of your seat until the very end.
Thursday, August 21, 2014
Roles Reversed
"Logic has nothing to do with oppression."
The roles of men and women have been established throughout the course of time, including what it means to be male or female. When these standards are questioned, hostility arises. There is usually no logic that brings on these feelings, as the quote above demonstrates, but a mistrust of what is unfamiliar. I found it extremely entertaining to read about what would happen if the roles of men and women were reversed in Gloria Steinmen's "If Men Could Menstruate" and Margaret Fuller's "The Great Lawsuit: Man versus Men. Woman versus Women".
While I thoroughly enjoyed Fuller's excerpt, Steinem's essay provided both humerous and thought provoking situations that made it one of my favorite pieces I have read for this class. I never would have thought that a world with reversed biologics could appear so bizzare and at the same time was logical.
" In short, we would discover, [...] that logic is in the eye of the logician." There are different ways of making sense of different situations, they all have the potential to make sense, you just have to look at it from the right point of view.
The roles of men and women have been established throughout the course of time, including what it means to be male or female. When these standards are questioned, hostility arises. There is usually no logic that brings on these feelings, as the quote above demonstrates, but a mistrust of what is unfamiliar. I found it extremely entertaining to read about what would happen if the roles of men and women were reversed in Gloria Steinmen's "If Men Could Menstruate" and Margaret Fuller's "The Great Lawsuit: Man versus Men. Woman versus Women".
While I thoroughly enjoyed Fuller's excerpt, Steinem's essay provided both humerous and thought provoking situations that made it one of my favorite pieces I have read for this class. I never would have thought that a world with reversed biologics could appear so bizzare and at the same time was logical.
" In short, we would discover, [...] that logic is in the eye of the logician." There are different ways of making sense of different situations, they all have the potential to make sense, you just have to look at it from the right point of view.
Thursday, July 31, 2014
A New Way of Thinking
The article "Is Google Making Us Stupid?" is not what I expected it to be, which was pleasantly surprising. Upon reading the title, I envisioned seven grueling pages of debate regarding whether or not technology has a positive or negative impact on our social skills. It was refreshing to read an essay that concerned itself with, in my opinion, more relevant information and topics for discussion.
Whether it was the sense of my brain being "tinkered" with or the reference to being a "scuba diver in a sea of words", I was able to make many connections throughout the paper. When Carr stated that "Immersing [himself] in a book or lengthy article used to be easy," I knew exactly what he meant. I used to be able to sit and read for hours without feeling restless or embittered by the number of pages until the next chapter and "I feel as if I'm always dragging my wayward brain back to the text." Like Carr, I noticed these changes after I started spending more time on the internet.
Once in a great while, I would read the newspaper, and I would read multiple articles all the way through. Now, I can't remember the last time I read an entire article. I've turned to following various newspapers on social media sites where they provide tidbits of information, so it never takes more than a few minutes to be up to date with what's going on in the world. While I feel like I'm more informed, I don't know what lies beneath the surface. I wonder if I can go back to the way I used to read, instead of skimming "like a guy on a Jet Ski." I don't think I'll be able to, but that doesn't keep me from diving into a good book every now and then.
Whether it was the sense of my brain being "tinkered" with or the reference to being a "scuba diver in a sea of words", I was able to make many connections throughout the paper. When Carr stated that "Immersing [himself] in a book or lengthy article used to be easy," I knew exactly what he meant. I used to be able to sit and read for hours without feeling restless or embittered by the number of pages until the next chapter and "I feel as if I'm always dragging my wayward brain back to the text." Like Carr, I noticed these changes after I started spending more time on the internet.
Once in a great while, I would read the newspaper, and I would read multiple articles all the way through. Now, I can't remember the last time I read an entire article. I've turned to following various newspapers on social media sites where they provide tidbits of information, so it never takes more than a few minutes to be up to date with what's going on in the world. While I feel like I'm more informed, I don't know what lies beneath the surface. I wonder if I can go back to the way I used to read, instead of skimming "like a guy on a Jet Ski." I don't think I'll be able to, but that doesn't keep me from diving into a good book every now and then.
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
This is Living?
The stories of Richard Wright learning to survive as an African American in the time of Jim Crow laws astounded, saddened, and frustrated me all at once. I know as well as anyone the anger and violence that plagued the United States during this time in our nation's history, yet it never ceases to amaze me that a human being could bring so much pain and suffering onto another.
Wright's second story stood out to me because it exposed just how deceitful people can really be. In the second story, my stomach churned as Wright described the "shrill screams coming from the rear of the store" and the bloody floor "strewn with wisps of hair and clothing." I couldn't believe how quickly the boss and his son could change from angry animals to something of a friend when Wright entered the room, offering him a cigarette. The last paragraph was unsettling as well; I find it amazing that anyone could say that woman was lucky. No one ever deserves to fall victim to such treatment.
"But the color of a Negro's skin makes him easily recognizable, makes him suspect, converts him into a defenseless target." Wright's fourth story, while one of the shortest, was most moving. It amazes me that a simple situation can quickly turn life threatening. It is even more disheartening to know that similar occurrences happen today.
The end of Wright's stories do provide a beacon of hope that change is around the corner, however. "A friend of [Wright's] who ran an elevator once told [him]: 'Lawd man! Ef it wuzn't fer them polices 'n' them of lynchmobs, there wouldn't be nothin' but uproar down here!'"
Wright's second story stood out to me because it exposed just how deceitful people can really be. In the second story, my stomach churned as Wright described the "shrill screams coming from the rear of the store" and the bloody floor "strewn with wisps of hair and clothing." I couldn't believe how quickly the boss and his son could change from angry animals to something of a friend when Wright entered the room, offering him a cigarette. The last paragraph was unsettling as well; I find it amazing that anyone could say that woman was lucky. No one ever deserves to fall victim to such treatment.
"But the color of a Negro's skin makes him easily recognizable, makes him suspect, converts him into a defenseless target." Wright's fourth story, while one of the shortest, was most moving. It amazes me that a simple situation can quickly turn life threatening. It is even more disheartening to know that similar occurrences happen today.
The end of Wright's stories do provide a beacon of hope that change is around the corner, however. "A friend of [Wright's] who ran an elevator once told [him]: 'Lawd man! Ef it wuzn't fer them polices 'n' them of lynchmobs, there wouldn't be nothin' but uproar down here!'"
Friday, July 4, 2014
"Nightmare Ballet"
What started as an ordinary day ended unforgotten. "It seemed, at first glance, more curious than horrendous," John Updike wrote of the fall of the World Trade Center twin towers. Many others shared Updike's initial reaction on that fateful day; fascination, confusion, and the gut-wrenching moment when they realized the horror of the situation.
Countless pieces of literature have been written on the events of 9/11, but I have never seen two with such polar opposite tone and views than John Updike and Susan Sontag's works in The New Yorker's "Talk of the Town" section.
Updike's essay portrayed the crumbling of the twin towers as a beautiful nightmare, and yet unbelievably real. My favorite quote from this piece is as follows: "Amid the glittering impassivity of the many buildings across the East River, an empty sot had appeared, as if by electronic command, beneath the sky that, but for the sulfurous cloud streaming south toward the ocean, was pure blue, rendered uncannily pristine by the absence of jet trails." It illustrates a picture as real as any photograph and depicts the horrible beauty of what is missing from the image. Updike used this technique again at the end of the essay when he wrote, "the ruins were still sending out smoke, but New York looked glorious." It is an incredibly positive point that although the United States had just suffered a great tragedy, it would continue to stand strong and be the great country it was meant to be.
Sontag's essay on the other hand was unfortunately very negative. She repeatedly claimed that "the voices licensed to follow the event [seemed] to have joined together in a campaign to infantilize the public." While I don't doubt that the public was initially sheltered from the specific, gruesome details, I feel that at the time people were offered information they needed when it was appropriate. The one part of Sontag's essay that I did find agreeable was the last few lines: "'Our country is strong,' we are told again and again. I for one don't find this entirely consoling. Who doubts that America is strong? But that's not all America has to be," and that's not all America is.
Countless pieces of literature have been written on the events of 9/11, but I have never seen two with such polar opposite tone and views than John Updike and Susan Sontag's works in The New Yorker's "Talk of the Town" section.
Updike's essay portrayed the crumbling of the twin towers as a beautiful nightmare, and yet unbelievably real. My favorite quote from this piece is as follows: "Amid the glittering impassivity of the many buildings across the East River, an empty sot had appeared, as if by electronic command, beneath the sky that, but for the sulfurous cloud streaming south toward the ocean, was pure blue, rendered uncannily pristine by the absence of jet trails." It illustrates a picture as real as any photograph and depicts the horrible beauty of what is missing from the image. Updike used this technique again at the end of the essay when he wrote, "the ruins were still sending out smoke, but New York looked glorious." It is an incredibly positive point that although the United States had just suffered a great tragedy, it would continue to stand strong and be the great country it was meant to be.
Sontag's essay on the other hand was unfortunately very negative. She repeatedly claimed that "the voices licensed to follow the event [seemed] to have joined together in a campaign to infantilize the public." While I don't doubt that the public was initially sheltered from the specific, gruesome details, I feel that at the time people were offered information they needed when it was appropriate. The one part of Sontag's essay that I did find agreeable was the last few lines: "'Our country is strong,' we are told again and again. I for one don't find this entirely consoling. Who doubts that America is strong? But that's not all America has to be," and that's not all America is.
Saturday, June 21, 2014
Let Me Introduce Myself...
Talking about myself is not one of my strengths, so I would like to apologize in advance for rambling. The following are a few (hopefully interesting) facts about me:
I am a Libra; a person with "a warrior's mentality and a poet's soul". The scales is a fascinating sign, and it speaks volumes about who I am and my personality. Qualities of a Libra I identify with include: kind, intuitive, charismatic, observant, persuasive, and easygoing. Libras also make very good listeners and are sympathetic and understanding. Being a Libra also means that I live life with a very realistic view but never stop dreaming.
Gardening has become my obsession. Two years ago I grew magnificent six foot sunflowers and I've been hooked ever since. This year, in addition to another batch of sunflowers, I have found myself nurturing herbs, vegetables, and a variety of potted flowers. Not surprisingly, a list for next summer has already been formed and includes an extravagant landscaping project.
I live for detailed architecture and eclectic interiors. Nothing is more mesmerizing than walking through historic towns and buildings and I could spend hours digging up treasures at flea markets and antique stores. I also probably spend too much time on Houzz.com and watching shows on HGTV.
Thanks for taking the time to learn a little about me!
I am a Libra; a person with "a warrior's mentality and a poet's soul". The scales is a fascinating sign, and it speaks volumes about who I am and my personality. Qualities of a Libra I identify with include: kind, intuitive, charismatic, observant, persuasive, and easygoing. Libras also make very good listeners and are sympathetic and understanding. Being a Libra also means that I live life with a very realistic view but never stop dreaming.
Gardening has become my obsession. Two years ago I grew magnificent six foot sunflowers and I've been hooked ever since. This year, in addition to another batch of sunflowers, I have found myself nurturing herbs, vegetables, and a variety of potted flowers. Not surprisingly, a list for next summer has already been formed and includes an extravagant landscaping project.
I live for detailed architecture and eclectic interiors. Nothing is more mesmerizing than walking through historic towns and buildings and I could spend hours digging up treasures at flea markets and antique stores. I also probably spend too much time on Houzz.com and watching shows on HGTV.
Thanks for taking the time to learn a little about me!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)