Veinity

This week we did a cold read seminar on parts of "Body Ritual Among the Nacirema" by Horace Miner and "On the Want of Money" by William Hazlitts. These two pieces seemed unconnected at first, but then I saw that they came together as both pieces were talking about materialism and vanity. Hazlitts says that we can't be happy without money. In fact, to live without it, is to "pass through life with little credit or pleasure". On the other hand, Miner points out that Americans are a culture obsessed with appearance and the rituals that enhance our appearance. While the latter states that our vanity is absurd, the former's, Hazlitts, indirect approach and irony may be harder to understand. I do not believe that Hazlitts wrote the piece because he believes that money is the most important thing in life that we could possibly obtain. I believe that Hazlitts wanted to show the importance of money to those who don't have it. Therefore, Hazlitts exposes that people are truly vain. To be in want, or lack, of money is to be "dissatisfied with every one, but most so with yourself". This dissatisfaction, which sheds light on society's greed and vanity, makes his piece directly correlate with Miner's.

Miner's piece uncovers the ridiculousness of America's vanity. We desperately want to be perfect so that we stand for hours in front of a "magical charm-box". Our conceitedness ruins what is so good about our bodies and life. Miner notes that we are so consumed by appearances that we believe our original self is "ugly" and that we are inclined to "debility and disease". This belief causes us to ruin what is so amazing about ourselves, our lives and individuality. Even though, these pieces talk about different subjects, money and appearance, they deal with the same topic - vanity. Both authors speak the same message: we don't have to change our "ugly" bodies or lives, we must change the ugly habits that dominate our minds. 

Oh, Thou Kind and Gracious Potholes

This winter has been a joy; it was one that went down in Michigan history. It was really awesome when the snow began to melt and spring on its way, but then another 12 inches of snow came down just as I started to see the tips of the yellowing dead-grass in my front yard. However, all this snow and ice led to my favorite thing in the world. Potholes. I love driving over 5 inch deep holes that ruin my newly-purchased car tires. Driving down Long Lake Road is like being on a fun roller coaster. You have to twist and turn to avoid the many potholes that could rip your tire from your unsuspecting car. Who needs those tires anyways? I don't know about you, but I think it's manageable to drive without them. I can tell my 2003 Ford Escape loves going up and down by the squeals of enjoyment it makes. Those sweet sounds are music to my ears. I only have the potholes to thank for introducing me to the sound of angels. So I end my piece with great appreciation towards this never-ending winter and the potholes that you have created while gracing us with your presence. 

Sympathy? Don't You Mean Empathy?

For a brief moment this week we talked about the difference between empathy and sympathy. You are empathetic when you feel for someone and have the ability to connect to what they're are going through emotionally. Sympathy is when you understand and care for other's feelings. In Florence Kelley's speech, she was trying to make the women have empathy towards the children. Sympathy is being able to recognize and share in another's suffering. Kelley believed that the women at the NAWSA could relate to what the children were going through; children, like women, were being treated like slaves and Kelley's speech was a way for her to bring that to attention. Her goal was to have these women want to fight for the children rights by ultimately getting their right to vote. The empathy she evoked from the women relating to the children helped her accomplish this goal. Furthermore, if women had not gone through so much suffering to earn their rights they would only be able to sympathize with the children. This could have been detrimental to the success of Kelley's speech. The women may not have had as much fire at the end of the speech (I imagined them all cheering for Kelley and her speech) and may have not been ready to support the cause. When you are empathetic you have a much stronger connection with someone than when you are sympathetic. I think the video below strengthens this idea and did a good job of describing the differences between sympathy and empathy.

The Puzzle of Society and Public Space

Jimi Hendrix, an African American musician, had the ability to bring hundreds of thousands of people together in one place. Woodstock alone had about 400,000 attendees, while Isle of Wight Festival, where he had his final performance, had about 600,000. People, like Sherman Alexie's father, believed that he brought people of all races together by his music. However, Brent Staples refutes the idea that black men can do this; rather, Staples believes that black men have the unfortunate power to clear any public area. After "being taken for a criminal" for so many years, Staples probably believes he could clear any place all the way to outer-space! It was in the fates that Brent Staples would grow up in front of "gang warfare, street knifings, and murders", but why do people treat him like he has committed these actions? While others might say that Staples gives off the appearance that he could cause trouble, it is just an issue of profiling. According to Dictionary.com, profiling is defined as: 

1. the use of personal characteristics or behavior patterns to make generalizations about a person, as in gender profiling. 

The issue I have with this definition is that the word "generalizations" is used. Generalizations have a lot to do with how people perceive black men, or any group. Society puts all people into specific categories, whether it's based on race, gender, religion, etc. Then we make generalizations, or pick out characteristics and assert them to all members of this group, when it may only be true for a few. Black men have been given the unfortunate characteristic of being perceived as felons. They are constantly under fire for being the instigators in fights. While black men may have it pretty bad, or even the worst, in society, other groups and people are also judged. For example, the Walls family. Jeanette Walls and her family traveled the country in search of work and a home. They were severely judged for their lifestyle. The kids often fought with other children in their neighborhood, like Ernie Goad. Ernie Goad would tease them about living in trash and somehow got the other children to avoid the Walls children at all costs. So, in a way, the Walls family had a way of clearing "public space" as well. Overall, I don't think it's just black men that can make people move; I think it has a lot to do with our personal judgement of these people, or "profiling". Unfortunately, human beings may always assume certain people act a certain way, making generalizations about almost everyone. Until this ends, I think everybody could have the potential to clear public space.

Group Profiling

The piece we read this week, "Black Men and Public Space" by Brent Staples, brought up a lot of ideas about racism and racial profiling. Everyone had different views on racism and the "profiling" that goes on in public. Although I agree with Staples, I also think that other races other than African Americans are subject to racism. I think it has a lot to do with people grouping cultures as a whole and not seeing each person as a separate person with a different personality. Ms. Valentino then brought up an interesting issue: Is there a solution to racial profiling? Quite honestly, I don't know if there is. Staples noticed racism in 1986, and instead of growing away from racism, we still have it today. Staples talks about "being perceived as dangerous" and people "who fear the worst" in him. Today, I still feel that people act like this. Some automatically judge others based on their general notion of a certain culture. Not only, do I think this occurs with the African American race, but also, with other races. People assume that Asians are really smart and the only thing they do is study. Others think that Indians only eat curry, or that we're all behind Dell's customer service line. Which, I can tell you, is definitely not true. This ridiculous racial profiling is based upon people grouping races as a whole. Until that stops, I don't think racial profiling will ever end.

Where's Mom?

This week, we talked about different relationships within our families which I thought was really interesting. It made me thing about how I act and talk with my parents and what kind of relationship we really have. It made me realize that I have a closer relationship with my mom than my dad. We have a really close connection and I can always trust her with my issues. I feel like I always ask her questions that I don't really ask my dad. I'm not sure when this habit started but it's basically pretty similar to the picture below. In general, I think a lot of girls have a stronger relationship with their moms than their dads because our moms can relate to what we go through. My mom knows that I'm 16 and realizes that she doesn't have to watch everything I'm doing. On the other hand, my dad is super protective of me because I'm the youngest girl. He always has to know where I'm going or what I'm doing. He still treats me like a baby and it can be annoying, but I know it's just because he cares about me. Even though I feel like my mom is my "go-to" I know I could trust him with anything also. No matter who I talk to more, I love them both very much. :) 

Leonid Afremov Painting

A brisk fall day in New York.
The woman clad in blue heels
walks down this empty street.
Crisp air whips her solemn face.

Thoughts race through her mind
as the rain lands softly beside her.
Brightly colored leaves fall
creating an endless pathway.

Further and further into isolation.
Her blush colored umbrella keeps her safe
from the outside world.
She walks uninterrupted.

What did she do wrong?
Leaves crunch and break beneath her feet.
The sound distracting her from past mistakes.
Somber, she keeps on walking.

The smells of the city at night,
smoke and street food mixed with rain,
penetrate her dark thoughts.
She does not stop walking.

Grey skies gloom overhead.
Flickering street lights illuminate the dark path.

The tall trees taunt her with every step.

She tries to escape her past.

Tears stream down her face

Mixing with the cold rain.

She doesn't cease to stop.

What did she do wrong? 

She walks on forever.

What did she do wrong?