The End of Suburbia:

The American dream has become manufactured. Americans have been bred to believe that the American Dream is one that inspires individualistic opportunities and promotes strong family and community values. Suburbia was an idea created that would support the American Values by land use and spirit of individuality. Meaning a community would be built that would ensure people that there communities would be wholesome, friendly, and a great place to raise a family outside of the city.

The idea of Suburbia started after WWII with the Veteran housing project that made sure that returning veterans had a great and clean place to raise there family. In these days, people felt that the city was a place everyone was stuck in and the desire to move out was in great demand. If someone moved out of the city and into the suburbs this is when the “American Dream” was achieved. The standards of the suburbs created a false reality for outsiders. A family in the suburbs must first and foremost be a family. Filled with 2 children, a dog, and free of family quarrels. This was sold to other outsiders who soon believed that this manufactured way of life was a place that would have all there dreams come true. Maybe for some people moving to the suburbs really did resonate a feeling just as that. A feeling of protection, free from worry. Their children had other children to socialize with who shared the same values because they lived in the same environment. However, this film talked about how the suburban lifestyle has become a great detriment to the people in this day in age. The suburbs were designed to move far away from the cities, which created a great demand for cars and a commuter culture, a culture that has guzzled up more oil than we have in supply. A roadway system had to be put in place to cart all the people that moved out of the city back to the city for school, work, shopping, and entertainment.

In the 50’s, suburbia was the ideal way of life, now people are looking to return to the city life. There is a great demand for city communities that have their school, jobs and entertainment within walking distance. Some say that the suburbia values and frame of mind has been lost and people have lost their wholesome white bread American values. I feel that the values that suburbia promised were so manufactured that people could not live up to these values. Hence is why there was an extreme anti-suburbia in the 60’s and 70’s with tremendous amounts of sex and drug use. I think now people have a better grasp on how and where they should raise their own family. I still believe that idea of the “worry-free suburbs” is still alive. We still all have been bred to think once we all have achieved that big house away from the crime that we have “made it.” I think that now we have a better idea on individualism and it is less likely for one to become a part of the Stepford wife society. Some sociologists believe that America has become a mass society, a society that possesses a mass culture on a larger scale. A society where everyone lives in the same place and doesn’t have much in common besides geographical location.

The film focused a lot on the oil crisis and how are actions now will effect our future. Limiting our car use, developing more green activities, or moving back to cities. We rely heavily on outside imports that our country does not produce any goods or services on a local level. In the 40’s there were family owned local markets, washer and dryer stores, bike stores, etc. The 50’s began creating mass shopping centers that took away from the local demand. Because of this we had to perfect our trucking and road system to ensure all these outside good were shipped at our convenience. If people went back to the way of life where we demanded things locally our economy, sense of community, and oil consumption would be better. I agree with that. Hearing my Grandparents talk about how they would have to go to various stores to buy food and goods seems almost to patience demanding in a generation that has the “I want it right now” mentality. I'm not sure if many people would be willing to go back to this lifestyle. Not only based on how much time it would take to shop but I'm not sure if the skill is there anymore. For years baking, cooking, and creating has been things that we have looked to others to do for us. To ask that now would be a mass re-enrollment into Home-Ec.

Keep The River on Your Right/ Freud’s 4 Stages

1) Oral stage: A baby would typically be focused on the use of its mouth, lips and tongue. Sucking is a baby’s main source of pleasure. Through this act food is received sending signals of comfort to the baby and in turn associating anything in the mouth to lead back to pleasure and comfort.

Psychologically Freud believes the oral stage shows dependency. A baby is extremely depended on the mother and can do little to nothing for itself. Once this stage has been fulfilled the baby can move to the next stage. However, if it is not fulfilled the baby way grow up to be mistrustful or hard to satisfy because there demands are hard to be met. In order to cope certain things may be placed in their mouth to regain that sense of comfort and pleasure they have been lacking. IE: Smokers, over eaters, and nail biters. An Adult who is orally fixated will be highly dependent. Freud believes these people will be extremely passive and dependent with a constant need for someone to take care of them.

2) Anal Stage: After a year or so of a child birth they will start to recognize there anus and the process of excretion. During infancy a baby pooped and it was magically clean. Now during this stage they must learn to control there pooping. Freud believes that a sexual pleasure is centered on the anus at this time because of the self-control and effort that goes into this task.

Psychologically Freud believes the anal stage shows self-control and strength of mind. He believes that it is bigger than learning to use the toilet because it teaches a baby to control impulses and behaviors. If a parent is to controlling or not controlling at all the child may become anal fixated resulting in a person who is overly organized and a perfectionist. IE: Anal-retentive.

3) Phallic Stage: After a child surpasses 3 years of age he moves into the phallic stage where he starts to focus on his genitalia. Freud’s believes that both boys and girls are focused on the penis. Boys wonder why girls don’t have one and Girls wonder why they don’t have one. Children become fully aware of there genitals and become extremely focused on them in this stage.

Psychologically Freud believes that the phallic stage shows the sexual identification of a child and figuring what it means to be a boy or a girl. According to Freud’s Oedipus/Electra complex, he believes all men/women have sexual feelings for the opposite sexed parent at this stage. Since these feelings are “wrong” the sexes become aggressive. Experiencing anxiety and emotional conflicts, which eventually leads them to identify with the same sex parent. Freud believes that everyone has this feeling at one point but some repress it faster than others. If a child becomes phallically fixated as an adult they may become promiscuous or overly attached to a parent.

4) Genital stage: This stage occurs after puberty. The focus is on the genitals and how they are incorporated in maturity and creation. After you repress all of your feelings from the other stages they come back in the genital stage. You learn to deal with them in a way that is constructive to the world.

Psychologically Freud believes the person you have become through all the stages has worked out all the kinks and has become psychologically “well-adjusted.”

Keep the river on your right

In class we watched a documentary “Keep the river on your right” about a man named Tobias who was an anthropologist that lived with cannibals in Peru and spent a majority of his life living with a tribe in New Guinea. The documentary is basically a story of his life as he has grown up and how he got to be the person that he is today. He reveals that once people “accept things as natural” they can be content. He over emphasizes this anytime he talks about money. “I realize that I will never have money, and that’s the way it is.” Tobias’ story would raise some interesting points according to Freud. Tobias talked about his relationship with his mother and how they were extremely close. This could be Tobias’ is orally and phallically fixated. Orally because he was never detached from his mother and become dependent on her. Phallically, because he never repressed his feelings for her. He recalls countless times when she would take her sons to the beach at night and go in to the salty ocean and also Tobias still has yet to get over her death.

Freud might conclude Tobias’ travels as being a defensive mechanism. Tobias recalls a time as a kid when he saw “The Wild man of Borneo” at a carnival, and it being the highlight of his youth. By going off into the wild Tobias may have been trying to go back to a time of youth where he remembered being happy and comfortable. Tobias went into these cultures as an observer and then began practicing as part of the group. Freud might say that his act of wanting to be accepting by these cultures was a way for Tobias to repress his own feelings. Tobias did mention that he had strong sexual desires for a wild jungle man and maybe going to the jungle was a way to fulfill that desire.

I'm not one who is in love with all of Freud’s theories but I do find them interesting. I think there is reluctance to believe in everything he says because not to many people want to admit or believe that there was a time where they were sexually attracted to there parent or that deep somewhere in the sub-conscious this desire still exists. I liked the documentary and I think Tobias got his closure at the end of the film when he finally went back to the cannibalistic tribe in Peru. He said that he wasn’t sure if he wanted closure all these years but he is happy that he went. I think that every person goes through stages in their lives and every beginning always has an ending.

Control Room: How the media impacts the Iraq War.

In class on Tuesday we watched a documentary called “Control Room.” The film highlighted the medias influence and impact on the Iraq war. George Bush declared war on March 19^th, 2003. Which would make this past march 7 years. I myself have checked out mentally on this war. I was in high school when the war started and relied heavily on the media to keep me updated on what was happening.

The film starts out with various news people and political leaders agreeing upon the statement “ You cant wage a war with out propaganda.” Though Americans seem to flip flop on that statement throughout the film there actions speak boldly in one direction. First American soldiers say “We are trying to deliver the facts” then they say its important to keep moral up so of course we cannot show everything. I.e. Dead American soldiers. Next, they speak out against Al-Jazeera claiming them to be “The mouth piece of Osama bin laden.”

If you’re like me and have a very limited vocabulary on the Iraq war u may have wondered what Al-Jazeera is. Al-Jazeera is an Arabic news and current affairs satellite TV station that has been portrayed as very controversial and yes also “The mouth piece of Osama bin laden.” The film explains that this label was initially put on them for showing dead bodies of American soldiers. Claiming this action to be “Anti-American.” Now if you’re like me you can’t help to have a confused look stream across your face.

Lets see if I’m understanding this right. Because Al-Jazeera showed the destruction of the war and its effect on people and children Americans felt that to label that choice of filming would be “Anti-American.” I think that choice of filming would be honest and Americans may have felt that our country would not have been in support of the war if they had bombarded Americans with these images. Basically us (Americans) looking bad was not an option. Kind of high school to me. I don’t know about you but If I was in war with someone I don’t know if I would expect anyone to not be Anti Valentina who wasn’t on my team. Why would you be rooting for the opposing side? The Americans argument against Al-Jazeera I think it is a weak weak argument. However, I think it is also a very smart power play for the Americans to spin the news and say that Al-Jazeera is horrible news ,that it is only out to make us look bad so don’t watch it. Ensuring that Americans would not have to see these images.

The majority of “Control Room” took place in an area where the various news groups (CNN, MSNBC, BBC and Al-Jazeera.) were stationed. All of the news officials had a lot of respect from Al-Jazeera so I have to wonder IF they were so Anti-American and extremists I think that educated journalists would catch onto this. In a statement by the head press soldier he explained why a news station would want to promote its host country a certain way. He gave an example about how fox news chooses its stories to promote Patriotism with typically the republican frame of mind. This same soldier was asked If American news stations bury leads and pick and choose stories for there audience why is it that Al-Jazeera cannot produce news to cater to there audience. His reply was that “it was Anti-American, and he strongly disagreed.”

Looking at how the actual filming portrays a certain stance on the war is very interesting. When we are all watching tv especially the news, we are caught up in the stories and images that we see but hardly stop to think “why were seeing these particular scenes and not others.” I think people rely on the news to produce the truth and hardly question if it is all factual.

American news focuses on Iraqi land settings and highlights the “accomplishments” of the war. They typically use a lot of long shots that show the setting of the area to give viewers a public scope of the war. Also, American news uses close ups on American soldiers, giving them a heroic and intimate feel. I think the way in which they film is a sign that the American view of war is based on keeping the heroic image impressed in our brains. Ensuring the country that we are there for liberation and the soldiers are heroes for our country.

The Al-Jazeera point of view is poignant. Lots and lots of close-ups. Children in the hospital who could barely speak, lots of blood, dead American soldiers, and dead Iraqi people. Their take on the war could definitely be portrayed as how the war is effecting all the people in death. Under Sadam’s rule the people were oppressed but now with this war that was suppose to save them many many have died. I think that it is clear with the way they film that they want people to have a reaction. Whether they agree or disagree they want the shots to be intimate so that a deep emotion can be felt. I think that their intentions when filming is to show not what the war was intended to be but what the war is.

This film made me speechless. A lot of the images I have never seen before. In the 7 years this war has been going on I never once saw the stacked bodies of people and children, the dead American soldiers, and the honest opinion of the other side. I think that by not allowing Americans to see all sides of the story opens the door for conspiracy theories and makes people question the truth of there own country. I think that a CNN News Correspondent said it best, “It feels like there is an effort to manage the news in an unmanageable situation.”

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

We Know beauty because there is ugly, We know good because there is evil

As I came across some photos recently, I couldn't help to think about one of my favorite Lao Tzu Verses from His Tao Te Ching.

Here is a snippet of it:

Verse 2: Relativity

We know beauty because there is ugly

We know good because there is evil

Being and not being

having and not having,

create each other.

Difficult and easy,

Long and short,

high and low,

define each other,

Just as before and after follow each other.

The photos were of World Water Day on March 22nd. A series of photos from around the world highlighted the way in which we as people use and abuse water. I know there is a commonality in this world to always want everyone to have the same opportunities as everyone else. But I challenge you to ask yourself if that is what "it" is suppose to happen. Like Lao Tzu was saying, "we know good because there is evil...having and not having create each other" If we all have the same things, would we still construct something as inferior and evil or would the world adapt to pure "good", would we know what "not having" really means?"

Ask yourself

WORLD WATER DAY PICS!!!

Gabriel Wickbold | Sexual Color

My inspiration for March.



















Sexual Color, by Brazilian Photographer Gabriel Wickbold is an exploration of Famous Sexy Brazilian Bodies. His process includes drenching his models in anything from Chocolate to Sand. This Exhibit is set to come to NY late 2010.(www.rxfresh.com)

If your enviroment is holding you back, Change your enviroment."

Listen to your inner self. You can have anything you want. If you keep telling yourself you can't your only aligning yourself with a problematic life.

My inspiration this week comes from Abduzeedo.com Its important to have visual elements around you that fuel your creativity, keep you motivated, and that remind you that there is more to life then what you have gotten comfortable with.

Push yourself. It feels good.

http://abduzeedo.com/tags/photography

Sticky, Slimy, Squishy, Soft, Silky, Smooth,

damp

dry

raw

chapped

scratchy

dirty

grimy

dusty

prickly

Crunchy

glossy

wet

moist

hard

soft

bumpy

fluffy

fuzzy

sheer

sheen

sandy

warm

shiny

polished

gritty

cool

sharp

silky

velvety

smooth

grainy

cold

awkward

coarse

greasy

slimy

lacy

tangled

spiky

slippery

sensual

seductive

creamy

slick

stubbly

You could be cliche and say that a picture is worth a thousand words but sometimes a good descriptive word can sum up any photograph.

I think the main reason I love Photography so much is because when I see a photograph I like to immerse myself into the image. Textures, smells, sounds come alive in a photograph. I like to feel like I'm there. Feel the cold wind on my shoulders or the hot sun on my face. Touch a cool damp wall or glide my hand on a gritty rusty gate. Describing photographs is almost as fun as taking the photograph.

Some would say that to enhance your appreciation of photography it is essential to have the right vocabulary of photographic terms in order to properly describe or "Read" a photograph. Such as, Vantage point, Contrast, lighting, space, intention, subject, focus. Although I think that knowing those things can heighten your ability to read a photograph, I don't think that they are essential in being a good describer. We all (for the most part) smell, see, feel, hear, and taste. Using your senses can go a along way.