Final Presentation

Movie: I, Robot

Argument: A person can't put full and total trust or control in technology/technological body. Even though a person may believe a technological body is bad, they still may need and rely on them in different circumstances. It's necessary to maintain, set a boundary, and have a balance in power in a technological body so there's never a chance for a takeover or power struggle.

Prompt 12

I think violence enhances an argument and helps emphasize it further. It can be used for pleasure and pain in the movie and either for fasination or disgust for the viewer.
During the sex scene in Videodrome there wasn't necessarily violence but the piercing during it was a mix of pain and pleasure. Another example of pain with pleasure in the movie is when Masha was being whipped. Violence is a way of getting rid of the human body through death. Also, it sometimes allows something else take over you and reclaim you in a way. An example is when a machine is controlling you, and you have loss of control, violence takes over you and your actions. In his movies Cronenberg reveals and shows things that people usually aren't fond of seeing but in some way are capivated and want more. This is a huge contributor to what he wants to convey to his audience. Some of the blantant violence in movies, not so much in Videodrome, shows the harsh reality of what really could happen in life. It brings a new perspective on things. I personally can't take harsh violence. I hate blood and other things that look ugly which causes me to not look during some parts of movies. But having said that, I still want and have the urge to look and see what's going on. This is an effect violence has. It's encaptivating and fascinating. It makes you want to see it even when you don't want to. (If that makes sense).

Prompt 11

The movie I, Robot is mainly about the "regular" body vs the "technology" body. Dr Lanning is the founder of a robotic company and a new species of robots has just been released. Something in the configuration of the robots goes wrong and the reason needs to be figured out. The robots now are violent instead of civil and protecting.
A body of any sort can't be totally controlled by technology. Many ways of malfunctioning are possible and chaos can be a dangerous result. To totally trust something like a robot is not a smart thing to do because it's being run by a machine.
Will Smith had a robotic arm inserted after a car accident he was involved in. This new arm helped him greatly and ultimately saved mankind in the movie. The body in this case is dependent on technology in order to function normally.

Prompt 10

One of the themes in Neuromancer is the acceptance of the body itself, specifically in the case of Case and Molly. It's not exactly a gender issue, but that does play a part in this theme. As I mentioned in my last blog, Molly and Case have two very different and distinct views about their own body in the beginning of the book. But in the end Case's view ultimately changes because of Molly.
Molly is portrayed as being a resilient individual and has this tough girl image. Although Molly does have body modifications, she embraces her body. The body modifications she got help her to do what she wants to do. The blades in her hand serve as a device for protection and other purposes in her daily life. Unfortunately, her strong and accepted body breaks down on her in the end, and she isn't able to complete the mission on her own.
Case on the other hand, rejects his body and in a way wants to escape it. His way of getting away from his body is through the matrix. When Molly gets hurt, he realizes he now has to take action himself to finish out the mission. This is the first step in Case eventually accepting his body. He witnesses and feels Molly's pain and other things when in the matrix. Completing the mission himself has a huge effect on how he feels, and changes his point of view. Seeing things from a different point of view opened his eyes. The matrix doesn't have the same meaning to Case as it did before, and now he embraces his body.

Prompt 9

I think Molly has the most provocative body in this book. Her body modifications are unlike anything I've ever heard of and she has a lot of them also. Two of the most unique ones are the implanted lens in her eyes and her ability to flick razors out from her hands. I believe she uses these razors as a defense mechanism. Molly embraces her body unlike Case. There is a major difference between their views about the body. The technological advances in body modifications in this book are nothing like the bodies we have encountered before. Some of the body modifications we've studied before were extreme, but in this book are modifications that are way ahead of this time and involve technology in some way. The modifications we have studied have been much more realistic. I think the relationship of technology and the body is a positive and productive aspect in the body modification community, but I don't view it as being positive. For the body modification community it's pushing the limit to see how far they can advance and futher the modifications, which is one of their goals. I don't exactly view it as positive because I don't think people should do those type of extreme things to their bodies. I personally wouldn't ever have my body modified in any way close to the things that are being thought of being done. I don't think technology limits the body, but expands the possibilities that can be done to it for many years to come.

Prompt 7

The normal body has to live up to its own expectations in society. To look the part of the thin, beautiful stereotype, people believe there are many things that have to be done in order to get to that status. People have to watch what they eat, excercise, get enough sleep, and lots more. Some people go as far as getting some sort of surgery to help them get their perfect body. The pressures of how society enforces this look can consume a person's life. They don't want anything else but to be thin and pretty, and will not stop until they reach their goal. The radical body's goal is similar to that. People who get really radical body modifications have a goal in mind of what they want to look like, almost like a certain stereotype. They will willingly go through the pain to reach their goal. They want nothing else than to look like what they envision, no matter how long it takes. A difference between the two is that there are not many pressures from outside forces driving a person striving for the radical body. It's usually the person themself putting the pressure on them and their body to endure the pain to acheive the perfect look.

Prompt 6

Formal writing is almost always practiced in a classroom. Restrictions are always present while doing any formal type of writing. Most of the time these restrictions don't allow us to express everything we would like to say. We are taught to follow certain guidelines and not go outside the boundaries. Some examples are: have and prove a thesis, be clear and precise, be organized, have an intro and conclusion. But these guidelines are important because it makes us improve our writing skills and techniques. There is always room for improvement in anything in life, especially writing. Repetition of formal writing also helps us get better at writing. Using the techniques we are taught can carry on past college, into the real world, and be very beneficial.
Writing is definitely not the only way of expressing oneself. There are many different ways of informal writing. Some ways include extreme body modifications, exercising (the way the body looks outside physically), jewelry, tattoos, hairstyle, type of clothing and its color, piercings, and makeup. Body modifications, tattoos, and piercings could be expressions of being different or wanting to stand out. Makeup, clothes, and hairstyles could be expressions of fitting a certain stereotype, looking good (or bad), and even acts of cleanliness. Jewelry could be expressions of comfort or looking stylish. Whatever people do with all these informal types of writing, they are to trying prove a point about themselves, whether it be normal or not so normal.
I think there are some limits. The limits could be classified as regarding to the norm, and how society believes things should be. Some people put limits on themselves while others allow outside forces to control them.

Prompt 5

I am impressed at the way National Geographic displays and portrays all of the people with the different body modifications. The way the pictures are taken to me make it seem like they are beautiful works of art, and not anything too out of the ordinary. Most of the tattooing and scarring is part of culture and tradition. For example, the markings on the lower body of the Samoan man are part of the Samoan tradition. National Geographic explains that the body modifications stand for something important and are an expression of belief, faith, and beauty. They are not just done because of want or need. For example, the Mursi woman has a huge plate in her mouth that is a sign of beauty in her culture. Most people in our society may view that as being different, but we can also understand the importance and significance it has to her culture. National Geographic makes the point clear that all of these pictures are dissimilar from the norm that we are used to, but we can learn to appreciate them and the value it has to the people who have them.
The NPR program insinuates that tattooing and other forms of body modification have no real meaning or significance. People get them done because they want to or because it's the "cool" thing to do. It's arguing that tattoos and a few other forms of body modification are becoming more and more a very normal part of society, people accept them more now than in the past, and don't think of them as being uncommon. There are still boundaries that need to be kept in tact, but for the most part tolerance is becoming a lot better.
I think body modification is exotic to an extent. The pictures shown from National Geographic are definitely considered as exotic. Those body modifications are some that most people don't get done to their bodies, and they have an important meaning behind them. People getting a tattoo of a common item in a common place is not considered exotic, and contributes to what's becoming the norm even more. Another example is piercing a long rod through your nose is considered exotic, but piercing a little ring or stud in your nose is also becoming the norm. Because it seems like the more that people are getting exotic type modifications, the more people will soon start to accept them a little and not think of it as being so different.

Short Writing 2

I chose the picture entitled "Curtis Hupa."
The first thing I notice in this picture is the background and I love how it looks. I don't notice the Indian at all upon first glance. This is because the background takes up most the picture. The Indian is in the foreground, but is very small. The background kind of fades out but is still very noticeable. It's very vast and foggy looking, setting the gloomy tone for the entire picture. The Indian is not in the middle of the picture, allowing a deeper look into the background. To me, the emphasis is on the background and not the Indian himself. Since the background is so large it's like the photographer is saying how huge the world outside is and the Indian is trapped within, wanting a way out.
The setting for this picture is deep in the woods where a river runs through. The river is shown as being very wide, almost engulfing the Indian. The river could represent a getaway place for him. The color of this picture is black and white. I think because it's not colored, it draws people into looking at the picture more.
The Indian is male and fairly young looking. The only clothing he is wearing is some type of shawl wrapped around his waist. His hair is pretty long and he's not wearing ornamentation of any kind. I find the Indian's face the most interesting part of this picture. He's not looking into the camera and looking at the landscape before him. His face is extremely solemn looking and very withdrawn. It seems he's longing for something he can't have. It appears he's looking pretty far up, wanting to somehow escape where he's at and go into the beyond. His posture isn't extremely erect, indicating that he's not feeling powerful or strong, and maybe feeling vulnerable and weak in some way.
The Indian is holding a stick in his hands, possibly used for hunting, fishing, or as a sign of some sort of power. The way he's holding the stick gives me mixed feelings. I want to say that it makes him look determined but on the other hand I feel he looks defeated. There's no way to tell if there is anyone behind the Indian not shown in the picture, but it looks like he's very alone.
All in all I feel the photographer portrays the Indian as being almost hopeless, wanting something in his life to change. His main emphasis is on the background and not on the Indian himself, allowing the viewer to draw their own conclusions about the picture.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12295975@N05/2230297815/in/pool-487771@N21

Prompt 3

At first glance these two paintings seem very alike but in fact have many differences in the color, framing, design, arrangement and more.
The first thing I notice in the top painting is the man in the middle in dark clothes, holding his arms out. I notice this first simply because he is directly in the middle and not standing with his arms down like everybody else. The painting's color is brighter, emphasizing the importance of what's taking place. But the Indians almost blend in with the tree and houses, making them the less important and inferior people. The Indians are very clustered together, giving the whites more control over them and seem rather forceful. Because they are mostly in the same place and the whites are more separated, it gives the whites the advantage in the situation and more power. Also, because the Indians are closer together, it makes them seem more united. In this painting, the Indians are on the left side and the whites are on the right side. The whites are clothed everywhere from head to toe while the Indians don't have that much clothing on them.
The first thing I notice in the bottom painting is the woman with the baby and the child next to her. In the top painting the woman with the baby is not very noticeable at all. West painted the woman extremely close, the light is much better, and wanted to emphasize her more. The painting's color is a lot lighter, more classical looking, and more detailed than the top painting. The Indians are more scattered compared to the whites, and there's more Indians in the background. I think somewhat of a power distinction is indicated by how the face is painted. You can see more of the facial expressions on the Indians. Yes, the whites are pictured further away, but if West wanted to emphasize their facial expressions to make a point to the viewer, he very well could have. The cloth in this painting is white. The color white is a symbol for peace, making this treaty seem like it's more peaceful than the other painting, where the cloth is red. In this painting the whites are on the left side and the Indians are on the right, a stark contrast from the top painting. I'm not exactly sure what the differences are trying to point out, but I'm sure there is some sort of significance. The whites are again clothed head to toe, while the Indians are not. This proved the point that both artists saw in the two different cultures how they are portrayed by most people.

Prompt 2

The "new world body" according the Europeans was entirely contradictory to their views of what a body should look like. The Native Americans were viewed as being extremely bizzare in the way they looked, conducted themselves, ate, and behaved. Because they wore very little ornamentation, there was no real recognition of who had power and who didn't. The Native Americans wore little clothing, which made them seem vastly uncivilized. How they ate was compared to animals, and as being barbaric. Consuming too much food sometimes caused disease and was regarded as a sign of weakness and disfuguration.
Their behavior was considered lazy in some respects but violent in others. The violence and brutality occurred when they so harshly abused women after they were dead. Samuel Hearne described this as "so shocking that it would be indecent to describe it." The body was violent and was also subject to violence. The women's bodies in a way didn't belong to them. They were somewhat powerless and were a bit looked down upon, but had a value of independence about them. The women also were considered as being innocent human beings.
All of this confirmed to the Europeans that they were indeed superior to the Native Americans and thought they had much more powerful than them.
The bodies on the map are somewhat similar to what I described above. The bodies are not clothed very much and the ornamentation is not very great. The bodies are different in that they seem much stronger and fierce because of the weapons they are holding. It almost seems like they can pass as respectable human beings.