Final

Page 1, Culture and Communication

   With constant advancements in communication and technology the planet and society itself is only going to continue to amaze. The beginning of efficient and mass communication was the ability to print. "In 1846, a rotary press was developed that could produce about 20,000 copies of a newspaper per hour"(Culture and Mass Communication). The ability to now get newspapers to everybody instead of only the wealthy changed communication forever because now everybody could receive information on a regular basis. Hundreds of years later the advancements in technology have made communication one of the easiest things for people to accomplish now. "We no longer require homes, offices, or cafes to stay in touch with people; we can do it wherever we happen to be"(Dont Fear the Network...). Peoples jobs and their way of life can now be carried out from wherever and they can even be doing all the work necessary from their laptop at home. Everyday our society thrives because of our abilities to use technology and using it to communicate. The advancements don't seem to be slowing down either which can only benefit society more. "In fact there's little to be afraid of, even for those of us over 35. The online world isn't supplanting the offline one; it's enhancing it"(Dont Fear the Network...). With things only continuing to get better this planet and our society has the ability to do amazing things. Communication is key in every aspect of life and with the help of technology it will only improve.

Page 2, Press Pause Play

   Along with people opening up to new and creative things technology has been able to alter and influence the art world. Art is no longer subjective to old school paintings and music and at this time it's changing more than ever. "50 years ago, people didn't make things. People would go to photography exhibitions. They would go to record fairs. They would watch movies. Now everyone is a photographer. Everyone is a musician. Anyone can make film."(Moby, Press Pause Play). Art and how it's expressed has taken a complete 180 and now anybody can make art and were seeing things we've never seen before. With new things constantly coming through its never been a better time to be an artist and show what you can do in this new art world. "This changes everything. The industry is dead. There has never been a better time to be an artist"(Seth Godin, Press Pause Play). The desire to an artist isn't about the money anymore either it's about the art itself and sharing a message. "People don't become artist because they want to become rich. They become artist because they have an idea to share. Or an emotion to share"(Seth Godin, Press Pause Play). People want to express themselves and art is becoming the newest and greatest way to do that. With creative minds continuing to thrive the art world will continue to change and better itself.

Page 3, 7 Pounds

     Some people will do whatever it takes to make up for the wrongs they've done in their life. In Ben Thomas's life comes beauty in his death. "The first time i ever saw a box jellyfish, i was twelve. Our father took us to the Monterrey Bay Aquarium. I never forgot what he said... That it was the most deadly creature on earth. To me it was just the most beautiful thing i'd ever seen"(Ben Thomas). The box jellyfish is one of the deadliest creatures on earth and yet people are always amazed by its beauty. In order to preserve his organs Ben chooses the jellyfish in his suicide because its ability to attack the nervous system. Ben Thomas's story is revolves around the number seven. "In seven days, god created the world. And in seven seconds, I shattered mine(Ben Thomas). Ben killed seven innocent people in a texting and driving related car crash which started his journey to save seven lives. Ben could no longer live with himself, he was walking death and it was by design. One of the most important aspects of Ben's journey to save seven lives was making sure the people who were receiving his organs were good people and deserving. "I had to make sure you were a good person"(Ben Thomas). Ben finds genuine people who he will connect with for eternity because part of him is with them and people like Emily and Ezra cherish that. You can never truly take back an incident like Ben's but his journey and his ability to save seven deserving lives is one of the best stories you'll ever hear.

Page 4, PTS

     The affects of PTS will never truly be understood unless you've gone through them yourself. There is no experience like war, it's the most chaotic scenario someone could experience. "He wanted to go back to the hospital, right away. He had to get back where he could merge with the walls and the ceiling, shimmering white, remote from everything"(Ceremony). The things Tayo experienced at war led to his stays at the hospital and after returning from war the real world frightened him so much at times he'd rather be in the hospital. Society and the world away from war made Tayo feel so naked he just wanted to return to the hospital and escape everything. PTS also leads to alcoholism at times and in Tayo's position at the reservation he was bound to try and disguise his problems with alcohol. "Liquor was medicine for the anger that made them hurt, for the pain of the loss, medicine for the tight bellies and chocked up throats"(Ceremony). Alcohol if anything is a short and temporary solution that never turns out to be beneficial and Tayo found that out the hard way. For people with PTS the horrific stories they experience at war haunt them for years after. "He could hear Rocky's words, and he could follow the logic of what Rocky said, but he could not feel anything except a swelling in his belly, a great swollen grief that was pushing into his throat" (Ceremony). Tayo's experiences with war and Rocky's death haunted him until he managed to complete his journey and his own ceremony. PTS is such a difficult issue because unless the people giving help have experienced something similar it's so hard for veterans to get help. PTS is a growing issue and there needs to be more efficient programs and ways for veterans to receive help.

Page 5, Craigslist Joe

     Right now technology has enabled anything to be possible, even your ability to live and survive can be done through the internet. Joe Garner is a perfect example of how there are still great people in this world willing to rely and communicate with others. "Would you ever ditch your responsibilities to devote yourself completely to living off the kindness and generosity of the strangers you find on Craigslist?" (Behind the scenes with Craigslist Joe). Leaving your ability to survive up to a website like Craigslist was a real attempt to see if there were still genuine and understanding people on the internet and in society. People have began to believe society has crumbled due to the advancements and forms of technology now. "Some say we have lost the sense of community that used to carry us through tough times"(Joe Garner). With technology now people don't really rely on each other anymore and that has led some to believe that the sense of community and people working together is diminishing. Joe wanted to prove that this country was still the best country in the world and that although things may be negative at times with community and each other we can overcome it. "The country was falling apart around me, people losing their homes, people just out on their own. So I got to thinking: If I lost everything, what would happen? I'd probably be OK, because I have great friends and family. But what if I didn't? Who would I rely on?" (Behind the Scenes with Craigslist Joe). So he lost everything and lived off Craigslist and was able to show that there still are amazing and sincere people in our communities and on the internet. Craigslist Joe was able to show what it was intended to show and Joe Garner was able to complete his goal. 

Craigslist Joe and Jeremy Ruskin

  Craigslist is a very misunderstood website and tool that people of the up and coming generation are not experiencing. In the film Craigslist Joe the main character Joe attempts to live off Craigslist. Thirty one days, no money, and no contact except his ability to contact people through Craigslist. Joe's life now depends on the goodness of other people and their ability to accept and help others. The film is a real feel good movie and everything Joe wanted to accomplish was shown and more. People and Craigslist in general get a bad rep but some of the people and experiences Joe has during his journey will stay with him for the rest of his life. People can still work together and help each other out, "Some say we have lost the sense of community that used to carry us through tough times"(Joe Garner). Meeting a complete stranger and not knowing what's going to happen next has become such an issue now because of some disturbing people but what Joe proved is that this country is still filled with kind and helpful people. Craigslist Joe also does a really good job of showing the importance of technology and how we can use it to help ourselves and one another, "We can take care of each other"(Joe Garner). One of the most important parts of the film is when Joe stays and eats with the family from Iraq. These people have been treated like the worst of the worst since 9/11 and Joe was able to listen and understand what they have to deal with every single day of their lives. They are American citizens and were long before 9/11 and get told daily to return to where they came from and leave this country. Something they had no part of and are against makes them a target and Joe realizes that first hand and it definitely changes his life. Craigslist Joe is the best example of interdependence and how us and a country wide community and even world wide community in the big picture can all help each other.

Joe receiving an Iraq soccer jersey as a gift from the family

The idea of community and Joe being able to fit in with everyone

  "We are soft wired to actually experience another's plight as if we are experiencing it ourselves"(Jeremy Rifkin). If we watch a spider crawl up somebody's arm we will feel there same fear and this is because of our mirror neurons and our ability to be humans and feel for each other. When you really begin to learn about humans like this our ability to understand each other is something extremely underestimated now and technology is playing a role in that. Our frist drive as humans beings, "the drive to actually belong"(Jeremy Rifkin). We has human beings thrive to fit in and to be understood by others. After about two and half years of being alive you begin to possess mature empathy and that's when the very beginning stages of wanting to fit in occur. So if you think about it humans have been trying to fit in since they were two and a half years old. Our idea of our image to society is so controlled by others and social media now that the thrive to fit in has become more intense. Some people have even began to determine there social status just by how many likes they receive on a photo on Instagram or Facebook and that's insane. Technology has only increased the want to fit in for the human race and will only continue with the advancements in technology. 

The desire to fit in

Social media beginning to take over our lives

Music Video/Image

Blink 182- I miss you

The colors are all darker and mainly black. The focus in really unpredictable and always changing throughout the video. The costumes are all bizarre and really throw off the video. Wedding dresses and other bizarre costumes. The story and the plot resemble his feelings for a woman and missing her. The quality of the video isn't that good and part by design but also because it's an older video. Constant styles and transitions from the band and all the bizarre images of spiders, forest and other images. The angle of the camera is always changing in order to create different perspectives. The video in itself tells a story throughout the video. The combination of dark images and bizarre animals like shaved cats and spiders. The movement is all over the place because things are constantly changing in the video. Some images dissolve and seem to fade away. Uses a lot of low-key lighting because a majority of the video is darker and more depressing. The acting is bizarre and the characters are always doing weird things to help make the video flow. Uses both deep and shallow focus within the video. Things are always moving in the video and makes the movement throughout very interesting. They use iris in the film and the camera zooms in and only focuses on one thing and blacks out the rest of the image. 

Beastie Boys- Intergalactic

The camera angles were constantly changing and it's an older video the the images aren't that good but still efficient. The costumes are really odd but they fit the video because the video is odd itself. Tons of transitions from the characters and scenes in the video. Some images and scenes in the video dissolve and seem to fade away. Iris is used to zoom and and center on one character or scene in the video. Some shots have long durations and seem to extend a image or scene. Montage of tons of images and mixture of images that may not make sense or fit together but the mixture of scenes fits the odd video. Some images are focused and some are completely the opposite which fits how odd the video is. Has an effect of fantasy and imagination with the giant robot fighting the huge monster in the city like a godzilla feel. Meant to be an odd video, it's called intergalactic for a reason. Tons of colors too with the characters and images in the video. All kinds of colors and everything is constantly changing. Video follows a sequence in a sense because the robot defeats the monster in the end. Some parts are darker and some are lighter, the lighting is changing a lot because that's how the video flows. Video uses more shallow focus and images that focus on the characters and scenes in the close up but not as much in the background. Some sections of the video are in close up which really shows the characters or scenes. 

Picture from Miracle

The U.S team is in focus and the Soviet player is blurred and in red. Colors of the team and fans represent the U.S in a sense. Ton of emotion. 

Photo from Old School

Really symbolic part of the film. Really lit up and a lot of blue. Positioning of the characters. All part of the storyline and fits the plot of the movie. 

Joker from the Dark Knight

Lighting is darker resembling the joker more. He's the main focus of the image. The Batman off off to the side making sure the focus in on the joker. Supposed to make the viewer feel fear and uncomfortable. 

Chapter 2 and More Press Pause Play

     Our society thrives off the internet and most the people in this country would feel naked without it now. The internet involves a source of communication and information for everybody and most peoples jobs and lives rely on being able to use the internet for communication and information. "The mass media, media technology, and our culture all interact with one another"(Culture and Communication 22). Our society and the internet go hand in hand now and ely on each other to continue our efficient society. The beginnings of mass communication began in the 15th century with the movable type. Being able to type instead of everything handwritten was a huge breakthrough at the time and allowed writing to be spread out more efficiently and quickly. Prior to the movable type this handwriting and books were limited to the elite, "Because of this, reading material was scarce and limited to those in the elite culture- the clergy and the nobility"(Beginnings of Mass Communication 22). Now the middle classes and the normal folk could now access writing and this was monumental in mass communication at the time. Later on what became a real game changer in mass communication was the ability to print. The first things to be mass printed were pictures and more accurately Albrecht Durer, one of the most successful renaissance artist. His portraits were limited until they began to be printed. This allowed everybody to enjoy the portraits and things only advanced from there. Later on in our constantly growing industrial society one of the most influential inventions in mass communication was the metropolitan newspaper. "Although newspapers had existed since the late 17th and early 18th centuries, they had been read by the educated elite, not the general public"(Culture and Communication 26). Like earlier these forms of communication and information were limited to the wealthy elite but once they evolve to the majority of the people they change the whole world of mass communication. Technology and communication only improves and advances and that builds our society.

Albrecht Durer's, The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse 

The New York Sun, the first paper in the United States

        

          The film Press Pause Play gives the viewer a deeper understanding of numerous forms of art and what they have become today. Press Pause Play gives the sides of both the positives and the negatives of the art world and whether or not things are improving or getting worse. "This changes everything. The industry is dead. There has never been a better time to be an artist"(Seth Godin, Press Pause Play). Some experts believe the time period we are in now is better than ever because art can go ay direction and people are understanding and acceptable now to new forms of art. People have changed and so has art in general. "50 years ago, people didn't make things. People would go to photography exhibitions. They would go to record fairs. They would watch movies. Now everyone is a photographer. Everyone is a musician. Anyone can make film(Moby, Press Pause Play). Now every form of art there is most people can create it and enjoy all themselves, they dont need someone else to do it for them anymore. The film just reassures the viewer that art is now more accesible than ever now and it's never going to slow down and will only continue to evolve.

Moby, an extremely influential figure in the film

An idea that art will continue to evolve and it will be never ending

Intro to Edentity

   Knowing your identity and figuring out who you are can be a major struggle for some people and it can take them several years. How you want to be viewed by others and how you define yourself is your identity. Within the last ten years the idea of edentity has surfaced and that's because of the advancements of technology and how it's affect the planet and the people on it. Our edentity is composed of, "an electric identity composed of the digital traces left behind as we participate in virtual worlds". Our edentites have already been created whether you realize it or not when you interact with technology. Things like sending an email, or watching Netflix involve your edentity and people won't even think twice. People can see everything though, "yet those actions leave digital footprints that can be mined for data by various companies and corporate entities". Pretty much everything on the internet is trackable and it's overlooked by everyone who used the internet and doesn't think about the affects of their edentity. Something else that could be one of the most interesting things about our edentites is what happens with death? The internet and the social world has no set lifespan, "Even after our deaths, our online identities may still be visible in our social networking profiles that remain online". Our generation is going to have to experience this never ending edentity that stays with everyone. It's sounds a little freaky to some but to others it can be a great way to remember somebody who's gone. At this moment in time social networking seems never ending which means your edentity will be never ending. It's interesting to think about and will be even more interesting to see what happens in the future. 

The idea of an Edentity

Social media is never ending and edentities will carry on

      

          Another important aspect of this idea is through film and music. Our world is changing and it has been changing rapidly for years now. Technology never sleeps which means our world and the changes occurring in it cant either. Our universe is unique, like Neil De Grasse tyson said, "The most astounding fact is the knowledge that the atoms that comprise life on earth, the atoms that make up the human body are crucibles that cooked light elements into heavy elements in their core under extreme temperatures and pressures". Basically everything on this planet can be traced back to the human body and the human race. Everything that's happened in the past and the existence of this planet is within us and can be traced back to us. This includes technology and internet and the more recent discoveries made by human beings. Technology and science are never going to slow down which is why literature, film, music, poetry, etc. is never going to settle down and will be constantly changing. The technology advancements are good but we can't get carried away, Jason Silva said, "The scientist and engineers who are building the future need the poets to make sense of it". This is a really cool quote because it applies to everyone. People enjoy the technology and always having new and unique "toys" but we need normal people and people like Silva to help us understand why and help keep a source of balance and equilibrium. 

Jason Silva

Neil DeGrasse Tyson and the Most Astounding Fact

Smoke Signals

   Smoke Signals just like Dances With Wolves really gives the viewer an idea of what most people think when they think of Native Americans. They both can be very stereotypical and you see this all the time with movies and cinema regarding Native Americans. With help from movies and cinema the Native American has been portrayed to be a fierce and fearless warrior and in most cases is meant to be the "bad guy". With all the stereotypes there are some facts and honest parts of Smoke Signals as well. Throughout history Native Americans and their land as well as the aspect of being American citizens has always been a tricky conflict. From the film Smoke Signals, "You know how Indians feel about signing papers". Deciding who's land is who's is still a a significant issue today and most likely always will be. The film is also represented with the colors red, white, and blue a ton and that has some significance. The colors blue especially show the conflict of becoming an American citizen. The colors of the American flag also represent freedom and that's something Native Americans never felt like they've had much of. The combination of cinema and the stereotypes it brings for Native Americans only brings that opportunity of freedom and a different opinion down. Thomas builds-the-fire said, "You know there are some children who aren't really children at all, they're just pillars of flame that burn everything they touch. and there are some children who are just pillars of ash, that fall apart when you touch them... Victor and me, we are children of flame and ash". These kids experienced the fire when they were young but there is a deeper meaning here. They feel like because of the past and what has happened to them in there lives that they can't amount to anything or they are set up for failure. It seems most things regarding Native Americans has them failing which is something extremely difficult to grow up in.

The American flag and freedom

One of the many examples of how Native Americans have been inaccurately portrayed

       Another huge aspect of Smoke Signals and Native American culture in general is storytelling. Every story has the ability to heal and sometimes that's what makes them so important and special. Smoke Signals and Ceremony both portray characters with troubled pasts and storytelling allows them to overcome the past and heal. Thomas build-a-fire said, "Hey Victor! I remember the time your father took me to Denny's, and I had the grand slam breakfast. Two eggs, two pancakes, a glass of milk, and of course my favorite, the bacon. Some days, it's a good day to die. And some days, it's a good day to have breakfast". Even though this quote from Smoke Signals isn't a traditional Native American story or anything like that but it can get to you and that's what storytelling is all about. Even a small story like this can bring back old memories good or bad and have a significant impact on anyone. Something else very evident in Smoke Signals is racism and how the Couer D'Alene are treated. Victor said, "You gotta look mean or people wont respect you. White people will run all over you if you don't look mean. You gotta look like a warrior! You gotta look like you just came back from killing a buffalo". Cinema and society in general has discriminated Native Americans to the point that things like this have become acceptable.

An idea of what everyone expects of an Indian

Storytelling being so important in the Native American culture

Ceremony Conclusion

   The Ending of Ceremony is all about Tayo's realization of what his life has become and looking back and realizing the reasons for every setback or mishap in his life. Tayo discovers what western medicine and the western lifestyle ended up doing to his life. At the time Tayo believed western medicine was helping him and allowing him recover from things like PTS and his childhood but it was only disguising it. Tayo is constantly throughout the book being pulled back into his old lifestyle but at the end of the book it seems as if he will do anything to escape that lifestyle and complete his own ceremony. You begin to realize just like Betonie has explained to Tayo that in order to cure new illnesses, new ceremonies were needed to overcome these illnesses. In order to cure these illnesses for Tayo he needs to heal and T'sheh is able to begin that process for Tayo. T'sheh brought new hope for Tayo, Silko said, "But his room was the same, the creaking bedsprings and frame pushed into the southeast corner below the small window. The terror of the dreaming he had done on this bed was gone, uprooted from his belly ; and the woman had filled the hollow spaces with new dreams". the healing process is in full affect from this point on because of the help Tayo receives from T'sheh. Tayo's not just healing with himself but with every aspect of his life. He's healing with the earth and becoming content with life. Another important part of Tayo's healing is the changing of seasons. Silko said, "Only the sky had changed, washed clear of the dust and haze which had swirled off the red clay flats that summer before. He could smell wild flowers growing in the weeds and grass besides the road, and he heard the big bumblebees and the smaller bees sucking the blossoms". With the beginning of Tayo's change and healing the season change is extremely important.

Tayo and the healing process

The changing of seasons

        Another extremely important part of the ending of the book and understanding of Tayo is witchery and its use in Laguna Pueblo tradition. Throughout the entire book witchery is expressed through poem or saying and it affects Tayo greatly. Whenever you think of witchery you think of evil and that's exactly what witchery is with the addition of manipulating people like Tayo throughout the entire book into loss. Tayo ultimately loses everything and in the end of the book he figures out how to get himself back. an example of witchery near the end of the book is when Tayo sees Leroy and Harley and thinks he's going to be getting a ride but in fact they were just trying to give him up to Tayo. These men were his friends but the witchery had consumed them too and Tayo had to overcome that. Silko said, "He looked down at them. If he had not known about their witchery, they might have fooled him." This is a perfect example of how Tayo has changed. He can sense and realize the witchery now and it becomes extremely beneficial for him and his ceremony. There is a poem at the end of the book that says, "Every evil which entangled him was cut to pieces". All the witchery and evil that was with Tayo for his entire life was being lifted and it seems as if his ceremony was becoming complete. 

Tayo finally overcoming his past life and being content

Tayo is betrayed by Harley and Leroy who were his friends but they were taken over by the witchery