Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
The Land Where Anything Is Possible
Is this truly the land of opportunity?
Is the "American Dream" a dream worth pursuing? Is it actually attainable for more than just a few people?
This photo, by Daniel A. Norman (copyrighted, 2007), shows the clouds over NYC, the clouds over the Statue of Liberty, the symbol of all that is the American Dream. This is the place of possibility for many people around the world, but that idea is being challenged more and more lately.
With increasing anti-American sentiment, largely after Bush sent our troops over to Iraq to fight the so-called "War on Terror", I am really not sure that there is a more important topic to think about and to write about than this "American Dream".
I don't know about you, but I'm struggling.
I'm not homeless (yet). I'm not unemployed (yet). I still have some income and some assets to call my own (at the moment). However, these conditions are only temporary, for I am in debt, just like the majority of Americans I know and have heard about. I owe money.
So, now I live paycheck to paycheck, hoping that I make enough each week to pay my bills, and I recklessly spend on things I don't need.
Now, I'm trying to wake myself up, and I'm trying to move.
Is the "American Dream" a dream worth pursuing? Is it actually attainable for more than just a few people?
This photo, by Daniel A. Norman (copyrighted, 2007), shows the clouds over NYC, the clouds over the Statue of Liberty, the symbol of all that is the American Dream. This is the place of possibility for many people around the world, but that idea is being challenged more and more lately.
With increasing anti-American sentiment, largely after Bush sent our troops over to Iraq to fight the so-called "War on Terror", I am really not sure that there is a more important topic to think about and to write about than this "American Dream".
I don't know about you, but I'm struggling.
I'm not homeless (yet). I'm not unemployed (yet). I still have some income and some assets to call my own (at the moment). However, these conditions are only temporary, for I am in debt, just like the majority of Americans I know and have heard about. I owe money.
So, now I live paycheck to paycheck, hoping that I make enough each week to pay my bills, and I recklessly spend on things I don't need.
Now, I'm trying to wake myself up, and I'm trying to move.
Notes on the American Dream Series
The dream of a land where there is...
Opportunity
Achievement
Success
Freedom
Independence
Justice
Wealth
Rags to Riches
Truth
Happiness
Determination
Hard Work
Better Standards of Living
Freedom from religious persecution
Freedom of Speech
Freedom of Expression
Safety
Social Justice
Human Rights
Civil Rights
The Great Gatsby
Death of a Salesman
Fight Club
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
On The Road
In Cold Blood
"Know Your Enemy"
Scarface
The Pursuit of Happyness
American Beauty
Miss Saigon
Compromise
Conformity
Assimiliation
Submission
Ignorance
Hypocrisy
Brutality
Celebrity
The Elite
Power
Denial
Opportunity
Achievement
Success
Freedom
Independence
Justice
Wealth
Rags to Riches
Truth
Happiness
Determination
Hard Work
Better Standards of Living
Freedom from religious persecution
Freedom of Speech
Freedom of Expression
Safety
Social Justice
Human Rights
Civil Rights
The Great Gatsby
Death of a Salesman
Fight Club
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
On The Road
In Cold Blood
"Know Your Enemy"
Scarface
The Pursuit of Happyness
American Beauty
Miss Saigon
Compromise
Conformity
Assimiliation
Submission
Ignorance
Hypocrisy
Brutality
Celebrity
The Elite
Power
Denial
The American Dream
What the hell is this "American Dream"? What do people from all over the world think is this "American Dream" that I've been hearing about all of my damn life?
Does the American Dream exist, or is it really only as real as Santa Claus and The Easter Bunny, legends that really have just helped fuel our culture of consumption?
Are people merely naive when they believe that it is worthwhile to pursue the "American Dream"?
I'm an atheist. I don't believe in much of anything at all that cannot be explained through materialist methods. If it is more than an idea but it is not made up of matter, then I am very skeptical that it exists. So, for me to listen to you tell me that I need to believe in god and believe that this being is watching over us, judging us morally, and manipulating our destinies, is an exercise in open-mindedness and patience, for me. I really have to hold my breath and hope that you don't ask me if I believe what you say is true and that it has changed my way of thinking, because it most likely has not.
So, when someone comes up to you and starts bringing up this idea of the "American Dream" what do you say?
Well, here's what I say...
[More Later]
Does the American Dream exist, or is it really only as real as Santa Claus and The Easter Bunny, legends that really have just helped fuel our culture of consumption?
Are people merely naive when they believe that it is worthwhile to pursue the "American Dream"?
I'm an atheist. I don't believe in much of anything at all that cannot be explained through materialist methods. If it is more than an idea but it is not made up of matter, then I am very skeptical that it exists. So, for me to listen to you tell me that I need to believe in god and believe that this being is watching over us, judging us morally, and manipulating our destinies, is an exercise in open-mindedness and patience, for me. I really have to hold my breath and hope that you don't ask me if I believe what you say is true and that it has changed my way of thinking, because it most likely has not.
So, when someone comes up to you and starts bringing up this idea of the "American Dream" what do you say?
Well, here's what I say...
[More Later]
Matt Weber, Costco, Consumption, and Loneliness
Matt Weber is an excellent photographer. He really knows how to capture an emotion through one single image, and he can also put together a series of images that explore the complexities of our culture and what it means to be human, at least in our age.
I like this one of the little girl and the young couple, shopping at Costco, one of the many giant "superstores" that reduce the sticker price of the products they sell, at the cost of reduced wages for their employees and the demise of the "mom's and pop's" stores. Costco, WalMart, Sam's Club, and many other big chain stores represent what globalization, global culture, and development really mean to me: homogenization, dehumanization, and the marketing of consumption as a way of life.
The little girl in this image does not appear to be happy to be where she is, and that may not reflect the reality of her inner feelings, but it definitely adds to the messages this photo sends to me. She looks lonely, neglected, and sad, to me. That's how this world sometimes makes me feel, and I think I see that in others too.
Thanks, Matt. I think art needs to be out there, and I am glad that the internet helps get the artists to throw their works up for people all over to view.
I like this one of the little girl and the young couple, shopping at Costco, one of the many giant "superstores" that reduce the sticker price of the products they sell, at the cost of reduced wages for their employees and the demise of the "mom's and pop's" stores. Costco, WalMart, Sam's Club, and many other big chain stores represent what globalization, global culture, and development really mean to me: homogenization, dehumanization, and the marketing of consumption as a way of life.
The little girl in this image does not appear to be happy to be where she is, and that may not reflect the reality of her inner feelings, but it definitely adds to the messages this photo sends to me. She looks lonely, neglected, and sad, to me. That's how this world sometimes makes me feel, and I think I see that in others too.
Thanks, Matt. I think art needs to be out there, and I am glad that the internet helps get the artists to throw their works up for people all over to view.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Shepard Fairey, Street Artist, Provocateur, Advertising Subversive,
This guy, although he is not the only guy doing this, is doing some impressive things. I think the idea to Question Everything is a pure and good idea. We need to think about our symbols, our propaganda, our cultural iconography, our art, and our conversations.
The "war on terror" and the "war" in Iraq and "Homeland Security" and "9/11" and all of the other catchphrases we use in the media and digest like babies are worth deconstructing. We may find that these things have been appropriated for someone else's uses and purposes -- uses and purposes that we don't really want to support.
It is one thing to say it. It is another thing to create something that inspires people to action.
Action. A good word.
The "war on terror" and the "war" in Iraq and "Homeland Security" and "9/11" and all of the other catchphrases we use in the media and digest like babies are worth deconstructing. We may find that these things have been appropriated for someone else's uses and purposes -- uses and purposes that we don't really want to support.
It is one thing to say it. It is another thing to create something that inspires people to action.
Action. A good word.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Swimming
I have yet to go swimming even one time this summer. I long for water, relaxation, and sun.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Action Figure Art
I love this style of photography that uses sculptures or pop culture material in creative ways. It looks like this character is actually walking around in the real world.
Missing the ocean
I grew up very close to Salem and Marblehead Harbor, in Marblehead, Massachusetts. A lot of my time was spent by the water, swimming, exploring, and just watching. This image reminds me of the days where I would just stare at the waves and think about the other world that lay beneath them.
A very flexible girl
This is Miki Komori, a Japanese model, and I think that's pretty much a 180 degree angle.
Pre-Colonial Folk Art
I snapped this image at the folk art museum in Santa Fe last September, and it represents the kind of folk art that I really like -- the retablos style. Retablos can be constructed like sculpture, inside of a box. This type of retablos is called a box retablos.
Sunday, July 01, 2007
Bikini-clad woman pins man with her thighs
I'm not sure what to make of this video. Is it really a fantasy to be pinned by some hot, bikini-clad woman's thighs, or is this just a really strange part of our culture?
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
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