On Memory

Susan Sontag claimed that photography has an adverse effect rather than fulfilling its purpose: to help people better understand our world. She says that pictures "always hide more than [they] disclose." While I agree with her logic in this argument, I disagree with her claim. In my mind, the purpose of photography isn't to better understand the past, or whatever it was taken of. It is a form of art which is used to convey a certain feeling. Sontag dismisses this as "mental pollution," and to some degrees it can be, but she generalizes this to the entirety of photography. This is the flaw I find in her claim. Pollution is defined as the introduction of a harmful substance into an environment, and I do not find photos of my own memories as a harmful substance.

Photos that goad people into consumerism or make them insecure about themselves is harmful, but this does not define what a photo is. Above is a photo with me and life-long friends I made at a summer camp. This picture represents, to me, the entirety of that summer. I had an amazing experience with these people and the elated feeling that this picture conveys to me is exactly the opposite of how I interpret Sontag's argument.

When Sontag argues about what a photo can convey, however, I again agree with her. Photos can not be used to represent political knowledge due to the ability to skew the images. But, yet again, I disagree  that this is the main purpose of photography. The purpose is to be of sentimental value, which Sontag says is "knowledge at bargain prices." But is it really? If I can look at a photo, such as the one above, and remember the happiness of that memory, is that knowledge at a bargain price? But I guess the old cliché is true, one man's trash is another man's treasure. Sontag may find sentimental value as cheap, but I find photos as a treasure of memory.

Sarcasm in an Argument

After reading Jonathan Swifts, "A Modest Proposal," this week, I wondered why authors use sarcasm so often. His hyperbolized solution to poverty, after all, was mentally scarring to read, so there must be a purpose behind it. Looking back at most of the essays we've read in this class that try to achieve a reform of some kind, most have this satire or irony embedded within them as if it is the heart of what an argument is. I think that's exactly what sarcasm is, a centerpiece within an argument. If any social custom is bad enough to the point it can be jested about, then it obviously needs a change. Swift points out that the landlords have already eaten most of the parents, figuratively of course, so why not eat their infants too? This joke, while it is horrific, does make a very good point to the wealthy who have taken advantage of the poor. He even states that the "wise men" in society would come up with ideas as great as his own. This again ridicules the wealthy class in society who took advantage of others' poverty. Also, in Swifts' case, humor is something that is easily remembered. I know that I won't forget his piece for a very long time and neither will the wealthy people who read it.

Ignorance on the Internet

This week in class, we read a piece by Chet Raymo. It cautioned society that, while science can heal and solve and infinite amount of problems, it also holds the power of destruction. For example, Raymo presents a situation in which Cerium used in cancer treatments was misused by people ignorant to its effects. This situation ended with deaths of many people. I believe the real reason for this situation was that people did not know enough about what they were using. They followed the achievements of society blindly.

In our rapidly technologically advancing world, people often accept advancements that they do not understand. While, neither Raymo nor I believe that people should understand the entirety of technology, we only urge that people do not recklessly use it. One case in which this can happen easily is the internet. A person who understands the web can find information on any topic they wish. It is an infinite trove of information. However, the internet also contains misleading information that, if a person is uneducated about it, is equivalent to following technology blindly. The worst possible situation, though, is when someone believes they know more about something than they actually do. This is shown in Raymo's example of the discoverers of radium. They spent long hours looking at it, and it was eventually used commercially. In the end, one discoverer ended up with cataracts in both her eyes and it also harmed many people who came in contact with it. Again, this is also applicable to the internet. Those who believe they are educated about it will believe unreliable information that they find on the internet. While the ignorance on the internet may not be as harmful as in science, it can be accidentally misused to harm society's knowledge, just as science can harm lives.

Puzzle 1

Today, almost everyone in the world views women as equal to men. However, once upon a time, women were viewed as unable to do the same jobs as men, and as dependent on men. In the past, it was custom for women to be stay at home mothers with the primary job of taking care of their children. Florence Kelley used men’s perception of females role to argue for women’s rights. She links the treatment of children to the enfranchisement of women. Since men thought it was their job to take care of children, it is impossible to refute her argument that if mothers had the right to vote, children would be treated better; she creates this link through her masterful use of rhetoric. However, speeches like Kelley's were often viewed as ridiculous by men: as if the speaker was a pink elephant. Nevertheless, women like Kelley used a variety of arguments and eventually shaped women’s rights into what they are today. These arguments include that of Kelley, and also others such as the teachings of Jesus in that all humans are created equally. Cumulatively, women were able to convince society that they were strong and independent, and now they constantly contribute to society’s workforce to help it progress.

The Effect of Race on Public Perception

Brent Staples in, "Black Men and Public Space" exposes the fear that his skin color makes others feel in public. However, contrary to what the people intimidated by him believe, he is actually a very well educated man who means no harm. Staples provides many examples of how simply being black has altered the public space around him. Going for walks at night, he often faces the "standard unpleasantries with policemen" (Staples 3) due to his appearance. "Black Men and Public Space" allowed me to view society from a black man's point of view and, after reading this piece, I realized that a crucial factor in how people perceive each other is race.

Being a relatively skinny Indian teenager, I realize that I too have my own effects on public space. First of all, I intimidate pretty much no one (except maybe the swim team). I also sense discrimination on the basis of my skin color at many sporting events. After all, what is a skinny Indian kid versus a large black kid in a sprint? Well, similar to Staples, I rejected the stereotypes that come with my skin color. At an indoor track meet, I was unlucky enough to be the person filling the final spot of our sprint relay, and also receiving the baton in last place. Somehow I passed one team, and then another. I ended up out-finishing another team and the shook hands with the runner I had just beaten. There was a shocked look in his eye as he sized me up. Did this skinny Indian kid actually just beat him? Yes I did.

Only after reading Staples' piece did I realized how race is a major factor in determining public space. In Staples' case it instilled fear into others and in mine public space it was almost non-existent. I hope that in the future, society continues to demolish racial stereotypes so that this misjudgment no longer occurs. Because although winning as an underdog is fun, being perceived as one just because of your race is not.

The Cycle of Useless Advice

As teenagers we often think the advice and actions of our parents is useless, however, through the two pieces we read this week I've realized that I will be the exact same way that they are. In "Shooting Dad," Sarah Vowell realizes that her dad's hobby and profession is parallel to hers. Already, in my own life, I see myself taking on a mixture of interests similar to my parents'. Also like our parents, our generation will eventually be handed the reigns of society and be expected to run it just like they did. This is exactly what happened in the case of Brad Manning, described in "Arm Wrestling with My Father." In this piece, we can also see the similarities between Manning and his father. He may not be an identical copy, for example is father isn't interested in orchestra, but in many other ways he is. His father can see himself in the sports that Brad Manning plays and, although he doesn't play the same sport, he still takes interest in them. So now, when I think of all the advice my parents have given me, I realize that this is the same advice that I will be giving to my children in the future. Similarly to me, they will also think my advice is useless. Nevertheless, it is in the nature of people to be just like their parents. To be cliché, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

The Thousand Yard Stare

My eyes remain unfocused,

weary of what could lay on horizon.

It is called the Thousand Yard Stare,

a sign of a battle weary soldier.

All my eyes can perceive is fire and smoke,

attempting to burn the Vietcong out.

We are surrounded by forest and mountains,

with no relief.

The ashen smell radiating from the forests burns our noses,

there is no escape.

Still,

we converse, heal, live, and hope.

Constantly, we hear the engines of U.S. planes flying over us,

dropping napalm on our surroundings.

It contributes to these hellish conditions,

burning our noses more and drowning out our voices.

Fellow soldiers are discussing possibilities,

one of these days a plane will come to take them home.

I've moved long past those possibilities,

my hope is but a sliver.

Other soldiers are worse off than me,

they crumble on the ground in despair.

Reflecting on their lives,

they erase themselves from reality.

Our surroundings symbolize us,

burnt out, dying, dead.

Almost like zombies,

we carry on through this misery.

Knowing right now that we are living,

but soon we will all be dead.

Us soldiers are all trees of the forest awaiting napalm,

we just do not know when it will come.

What it Means to be an American

This week, we discussed pieces by Amy Tan, Maya Angelou, and Sherman Alexie. All of these pieces involved some sort of racial conflict, both external and internal. Amy Tan wishes to appear more American and not seem weird to her crush Robert. Maya Angelou describes the constantly waging war between blacks and whites. Finally, Sherman Alexie describes what being a Native American is like in the new American world. While all of these authors are proud of their identity, I feel as if there is something they all fail to realize. There is no strict definition of what it means to be American. This nation, founded by a mixture of immigrants, isn't all one single race. It's a melting pot of different races and that is why we can call this country great. I am as much American as is Amy Tan, as is Maya Angelou, as is Sherman Alexie, as is the voice actor for Ford truck commercials. Any citizen of the U.S. that is proud of contributing their race to this unique country is an American. Amy Tan doesn't need a new nose to be American, and her mother is partially wrong to think that inside, Amy must be proud that she isn't. However, only by accepting she is different, can Amy truly experience what it is like to be an American. There is a great example of this going on right now in the Olympics. The U.S. team(also including Summer Olympics) involves a variety of foreign teammates including Chinese, Russian, Kenyan, Mexican, and many other races of athletes. A person of any race can become an American. Just as Jill Geer, the U.S. tracks & field communications director points out about foreign athletes, "no one considers them anything but American."

Purpose of "Champion of the World"

Maya Angelou wrote the piece “Champion of the World” in an attempt to reveal the ongoing racial conflict that existed long after the abolition of slavery. She refers to Joe Louis’s title match as just another battle of races. It was just another time in which blacks had to prove that they weren’t inferior to whites. Angelou describes that if Louis loses “It was another lynching, yet another Black man hanging on a tree” (Angelou 16). Using simple sentences in paragraph 16, Angelou emphasizes the constant battles that blacks had to fight to protect themselves. But more importantly, the allusions that she makes to slavery show that blacks know they are still not safe. Even they think that they must prove themselves. However, after they have won a battle, such as in Louis’s victory, African Americans still had to face a violent backlash. Angelou recalls after the victory that “It wouldn’t do for a Black man and his family to be caught on a lonely country road” (Angelou 28). Using simple sentences, repetition of horrors blacks had to face, and allusions to slavery, Angelou displays the insecurity that blacks still felt over a hundred years after abolition.

To this day, a war between races is still being waged. However, it is not nearly to the extent that it was in the time period of Joe Louis. Many African Americans are discriminated against in the labor market and make much less than a white man doing the same job. In this case racism has still not been eliminated, but steps are constantly being made to reduce it. One of the most important milestones in racial progression has happened in this past decade when Barack Obama became president, the highest government position there is. So while there are still many battles taking place in this racial war, they are not nearly as violent or inhumane as they used to be in Joe Louis’s time. Society has progressed in this sense and hopefully will continue to.