Simple Living in a Complex Age
MAS-620
Excerpt from my sports blog:
I just figured out what I was missing:
6/09/19 Light bulb goes off:
My many guides really helped me here. So I remembered to read about the guy who gave it all up to re-connect with nature. If my followers can remember, nature is what calms me. Nature is what rejuvenates me. Nature is what reminds me to go at it easy and take it all in. Nature is why I can truly say the outdoors is my calling. I went back to my roots this week and went for a bike ride!
Talk about “Simple Living” at its highest. I can’t believe how easy it is for me to get off track. Considering, how much joy and satisfaction I get out of riding motocross. Well, back to my “Call of the Wild” reference to Guy Grieve’s move to Alaska after he became fed up with his life. Now, let’s be clear. I love my life. I love my family. But, I can relate to instances where I said to myself; if only I could be here instead of where I am at.
Yes, I could use a financial overhaul. Heck, I could even use a new place of living. I love my apartment complex, but I do want to live in a home with a nice back yard and deck. However, I have thought about home ownership and its benefits, but I like to move around at times and home ownership may prevent this.
And then I came to realize the obvious:
Believe me when I tell you. I love the outdoors and all that it offers. But, going at alone can suck sometimes. Why can’t my ride buddies get it! Going to ride motocross is where it is at! I know we all have responsibilities because I have them too. But, after working 9to5, I need a break. By the way, every other weekend I work for Budweiser so when I have a weekend off I’m ready to go outdoors living. Well, going back to Guy Grieve’s situation of wanting to break away from the usual routine and do something different. I have to figure at what costs will this hurt me? He left his job, but I can’t just leave mine. Yes, I do want a change and what comes next week is my plan to do so. Seriously!
Literature of Migration
MAS-610
We shared a meal together. Just like Thanksgiving. People can talk, express themselves, and believe in better times all because of food. It’s amazing how much we can connect, talk, express ourselves and feel better all because of food. What food does to the soul is amazing. Some never get to fully experience the camaraderie, togetherness, brotherhood, and family connections that sharing a meal can bring. This day at work was one for the records. Omar, G, Peter, and Marco got to enjoy a cooked meal from the soul of Omar’s kitchen. Chiapas style I call it.
What brought us all here was the feeling of wanting to know more about Omar and his home country. We all work together and the place for the eating took place in the café area of the showroom where we work. We all wanted to add something to the piece and I had to remind everyone this would be Omar’s chance to show us everything about his home country through food preparation and sharing a good meal.
Food and Film
MAS-610
Discussion forum from Another Sicily and Feast of the Dead:
This link through food (tradition, heritage, homage to ancestors) puts our filmmaker in a very vulnerable position. There are times on the mountain when the filmmaker visits his grandmothers past land, that I witness a somber almost grieving display of emotion that was really an intricate part of the theme of the film. We see through the human side of expressed emotion, a man who not only misses his grandmother very deeply, but whom has seemingly lost something and someone very dear to him. Standing at his grandmother’s land on Mt. Etna which is locked and no more in possession; it is then that I understand and hear his cry for belonging. The, “Explicable connection to this land I barely knew.” (Dr. Fragola, Feast of the Dead) He can’t walk the land, nor can he get back what was something that could be felt or touched. It is this connection through family ties which brings the narrator to pay homage to his ancestors in forms of traditions and ritual, some of which bring together the Sicilian ways of life, and the village’s ways of life. During the commemoration of the Feast of the Dead, something that I noticed was simply the belief in life over death. But, also through death there is something to be admired. Thru food, the filmmaker was able to sit down and talk and during these talks, the filmmaker learned more about customs and beliefs while also learning much more about his Sicilian heritage. This is a very telling part of the film, indeed.
However, there is a deeper point to all of this. The values that the filmmaker shares are all tied to his family. Whether it is his grandmother or his grandfather, whom he rarely visited; there is still a respect that is evident but also somehow missed by way of time.
Windows Into Hearts of Culture
MAS-610
Socially Engaging Art:
I like socially engaged art as it means I can participate. I do not have to be skilled or talented because “Sociography” allows for an art form that is freeing and unrestricted. It can engage the public like the Command Performances that were done at the UNCG lobby and the Reynolda House Museum of Art. Interestingly, Command Performances are really socially engaging because they are not choreographed and they allow for the audience to be a major performer and allows for anyone to be involved. This ultimately means it is socially engaging and allows for a “relationship between the passersby, attendants and the performer.” (Lavender, Sociography, p.22)
Another important aspect of socially engaging art is Sociography does not pursue or valorize bad technique or choreography. Therefore, “Sociography has no part in legislative aesthetic discourses concerned with good and bad dancing and/or choreography.” (Sociography, p. 18) One great example of engaging the public with an inspiring art form is Hugs of Hope and Consolation which is a great way to interact with performers and volunteers displaying exhibit art. But, once again what is great about this art form is it is not choreographed and lends itself free of constraints and self-consciousness allowing for improvisation.
Ultimately, what we see is “The participatory character of Sociography dispels the myth that art is always and already something that only special and skilled people can do.” (Sociography, p. 20) The art forms presented in the texts suggest we all can be artists in our own way. Art does not lend itself to only a select few. By allowing all to participate, we could potentially begin to see many new forms of art and many new forms of expression. We see in our other reading that (SEA) utilizes the spectator in other ways. He or she is not only limited to being the audience. They can also participate.
We see in Socially Engaged Art, “There is an experience produced and the spectator gets to participate in the making and/or creation of the piece. There is an emphasis placed on process and commitment.” (Terrence Mosley, Social Practice) Therefore, this is the importance of socially engaged art. We all get to participate and in the end maybe tell our own story, as well. There are so many advantages to this art form as it opens new doors for everyone, allows for the “under-represented” to be heard, and people to be changed.
The Reel World
MAS-610D
Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi or Mahatma meaning (Great Soul) perfectly describes the man who in the beginning unintentionally put it all on the line for equal treatment and fairness for the people of India. I remember being a kid and seeing this movie on television for the first time, not knowing what it was about but just like any kid during their younger years who watched much tv.; wondering why is this movie was so long? In my ignorance and inability to be patient, I never knew this movie was of so much importance. To be fair to myself, I did research the title as I got older and then did I try to understand what the movie was all about. However, it’s still funny to me when I think of this movie being so long ago and I can still remember my first time seeing it on TV and the only thing I “did” was notice the length of it.
I really think this is important to mention because just like some of the critics of the movie who had wanted more mentions of British acquisition and reason for control, what gets lost is the message from such a little man who lived to be larger than life. As George Chabot, Revisionist History: “Gandhi” puts it, “Gandhi’s civil disobedience as shown by the great march to the sea to break British salt monopoly was a huge event in real life, but the movie fails to establish enough historical context for the viewer to perceive that fact.” I believe this is heartbreaking for anyone to see or say. I agree with the honest opinion of any man, but I feel when there is a need to contest one’s thoughts; we should.
What do I mean? I think Gandhi, for what he meant to his people and to his religion, did an awesome job of representing peace and dignity. Amidst strong opposition and anger from his foes, this man was extraordinary in his ways and thinking. The film, which I think is a broad examination of the works of Gandhi, defines what “true” sacrifice and determination means to a man of great faith. For instance, many people can say they believe in equality and fair justice, but they choose to do nothing about it when things are done unjustly. Gandhi, on the other hand, did many demonstrations with non-violent approaches. His humility and the references to jailing and fasting are acts to marvel. The movie, in my opinion did its job. The strength of this man- not to mention his seemingly nonexistent fear of death and persecution was something awe inspiring.
If not for the movie, I can’t say many people in the West would have heard of Gandhi or his many faces of humility. He was a true ambassador of faith and self-respect and his acknowledgement to these self-rights of dignity and respect should never be forgotten. I know for sure the movie has touched on these facets despite what another reviewer of the film; Dragon Antuluv might say or believe. The movie, which is definitely about everything Gandhi, does not lack in describing the history of India’s self-inflamed troubles over religion. If that’s the case, then why even bother giving the movie all the acclaim it has received? I quote, “The other major flaw of this film lies in the fact that the biography of one man, no matter how important and grand, can’t substitute the history of a nation.” (Antulov) In my opinion, here lies the problem with analyzing this film and asking for more. I believe if any man gives his life for another just to prove there are things wrong in the world, then he is to be commended for it.
We all know after watching the film that Gandhi was about non-violent approaches to modern day issues. Imagine just for a moment if people today could use the same methodology? I believe we could conquer many issues without the loss of lives and the disconnect in which we see every day in our society and across the world. I think of Martin Luther King jr. and his style of peace before violence to tackle issues of immorality in our world. Therefore, what I mean to say is, yes, India had and to this day still continues to have problems. But, so does the U.S. and many other countries. The message in any biography should be the person at hand and maybe not so much the politics of that person’s country and how do we get those straight.
Without the film, those people who faced bigotry and unfair justness in their homeland may have thought it was only their country that did this and maybe no one else’s. Through the movie, we learned South Africa was prejudice and many other parts of the world were just as unfair. Through no movie or other type of way to deliver a powerful message can we say it was perfect. However, I do suggest we pay attention and for that matter homage to anyone who does what the masses does not have the courage or heart to do. From the very beginning of the movie we see a courageous and intent man who feels he is being unjustly treated. His call to action was there and he answered it.
Gandhi did a 240 mile long trek to demonstrate his disapproval of British monopoly over salt. The movie does not spend much time on this topic and therefore, there is a lapse in showing what he did that famous day. However, I will not say the critics are right for the director choosing to not overly show this demonstration on film. It is a very critical part of who that man was no doubt. We know this, So, I ask anyone choosing to dispute his effectiveness; India was granted its independence from British rule because of it. Should this part of the man’s life been more on film? Maybe, but telling the world more about his effective way of non-violent protest was maybe better.
I saw this on one YouTube post and it read, “After watching this historical movie…my love and respect to Gandhi is getting stronger and stronger. There’s NO Hindu India or Muslim India. There’s only One India. (DeShay Adulyadej)
After the assassination of Gandhi: from the words of friend and activist Jawaharlal Nehru, “The light has gone out of our eyes, and there is darkness everywhere,” this done in remembrance of Mahatma Gandhi. (DW Documentary)
Science, Environment, and Media
MAS-630A
Title and hyperlink to media item:
The Earth Is Just as Alive as You Are
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/20/opinion/sunday/amazon-earth-rain-forest-environment.html
Type of Item : New York Times Newspaper Article
Source: New York Times
Background
What is the topic and how does the topic relate to the subject for that week?
-Ecosystems: we are discussing Ecosystems and the readings are telling us the Amazon Rain Forest is alive with many organisms all contributing to life everywhere. The Amazon Rain Forest is one huge Ecosystem that has a cycle which produces rains far away from its location. But, also the rain forest is responsible for filling the skies with water vapor. This water vapor helps farms and cities throughout South America. Also, these rains bolster a cycle of life for living creatures and environments transforming our continent and giving way to geological processes.
Accuracy
Is the information in the media item accurate based on the textbook and information provided in the course?
The information is definitely accurate, as we know ecosystems are reliant on other organisms. Ecosystems are very complex and are interconnected to other living organisms all making up a system of life which circulates in a global cycle. The lecture videos state, “Plants, animals and microorganisms taken together with the non-living physical environment makeup an ecosystem.” With this being said, everything in an ecosystem is codependent on each other for survival. Our New York Times article insists the earth is just as alive as we humans are. The article says the Amazon rain forest does much more “than sustain itself,” the Amazon rain forest is actually part of the “earth’s circulatory system.” (Jabr, New York Times) The ecological system of the Amazon rain forest
Application of Scientific Concepts
In this section, please add your thoughts on how the inclusion of the scientific principles provided in the class materials and textbook would enhance the understanding of the environmental problem for the general population.
Any new and up-to-date information will be helpful to someone in the general population who is unaware about the environmental problems we face. I suggest finding and observing facts such as the Amazon Rain Forests contribution to overall rainfall which is needed in faraway areas. This is just one example. There are plenty however, such as studying data on Ecosystems and contributions all around the globe. This would help in establishing truth to the plausibility of Ecosystems contributing to continent growth, humans transforming the Earth’s landscape, and believing in various hypothesis which demonstrate truth that Ecosystems fuel the Earth’s development and continuous cycle of life.