Good bye ENC1102!

ENC1102 is almost over! This summer has gone by so fast! I have really enjoyed the class and I’m so glad I got switched into it! The things I liked most about the class were, of course, the teacher Mrs. Pilcher, the students I got to know in the class, the assignments we received, and the laid back atmosphere. Mrs. Pilcher is such a wonderful teacher and so great with kids! I met a lot of people in the class that I never would have seen before! And most of them lived in DeGraff too! The power point assignment really made the guys and I get close, now we group message each other on our iPhones all the time. It honestly gets kind of annoying, but they’re pretty cool kids. I loved the assignments we got and how the class was so laid back and relaxed. I can’t even think of anything that I particularly disliked about the class! Maybe I dreaded it because it made me get out of bed, but once I got there I was fine, ha ha! Most of the topics discussed in the class I already had some idea about, but relearning them really helped. I learned some things about MLA specifically that I wasn’t aware of. Going over it in depth really helped a lot, especially with the writing process of our papers.  I liked how we did a game with MLA the topic. It made it a fun topic and it was just what we needed after a long class. I also am more comfortable with writing research papers and reflecting on American pop culture. Since all of our papers focused on culture, it’s now a topic that I understand more. I liked the topics assigned to the class for the written papers we had to complete, because they were our choice, even though they were focused around a central topic. I also really enjoyed writing the blogs! It was a good way to express ourselves in a non-formal way. I personally love blogs and how they are set up. Createing it had to be my favorite part. I love how we were allowed to be creative and do whatever we wanted with the layout of the blog. As for the readings required for class, the discussion about them is what really made them helpful. Our time spent in the class room was well-spent, informative and a lot of fun! I loved how Mrs. Pilcher really took extra time to get to know each of her students and really form a relationship with them. Most teachers, even in small settings such as ours, don’t care to know who their students are. That is what I loved the most about Mrs. Pilcher. She made class a lot of fun and had a great sense of humor that I think the whole class loved! I’m really going to miss her and this class, and I hope my other English classes can be just as good, because now my expectations are very high!

The Olympic Games 2012

The 2012 Olympics take place in London and have been very successful so far. The opening ceremony featured popular British culture such as Harry Potter, James Bond, The Queen and Mary Poppins. It also highlighted on Britain’s symbols like nannies, royalty, and bed time stories. The clip “Olympic Bedtime Story really emphasized British culture with its use of popular sensation that emerged out of the country such as Harry Potter and Mary Poppins. This clip gives off the idea that Britain is a place of imagination. It gives off the feeling of being classic. The clip “James Bond and the Queen” reminds us of how predominant British culture has been for many, many years now. The Queen is a symbol of royalty and beliefs in the British culture, and having her make an appearance in the Olympic Games truly reminded us of the long-lived values of the Brits. There really isn’t such thing as “world culture.” We are all different; from different parts of the Earth, have had different upbringing, and have been exposed to different things. However, the Olympics allow the entire world to get together to celebrate because it is one thing we all have in common. Even though different countries might have different ways of training their athletes, different views on teamwork and collaboration, different styles in which they present the Olympic Games to the world, it allows our different cultures to all be united by one common thing, pride. It truly is an amazing event.

Danny Boyle, director of the hit movies Slumdog Millionaire and 28 days later, is the mastermind behind the spectacular opening ceremonies of the 2012 games. He directly influenced the show by injecting his up-beat style into the presentation of the show, as well as the way he went about combining British history and culture into a fantastic performance. The Beijing Olympic Games ceremonies were truly a tough act to follow, but Boyle managed to put on just as amazing of a performance, maybe an even better one. It’s no joke that the 2012 Olympic Games will go down in history as being one of the greatest in years.   

Exit Through the Gift Shop

Exit Through the Gift Shop is a “documentary” by graffiti artist formally known as Banksy, that gives the audience an inside look at the exciting world of graffiti and the work and effort put into decorating the streets of large cities. At first, Thierry Guetta, a “film-making” Frenchman, embarks on his journey to capture wonderful street artists, such as Space Invader and Shephard Fairey, through film, but encounters Banksy on this journey, which is when Guetta’s fate takes an unusual twist. While Banksy took on the role of producer, Thierry became a celebrated street-artist himself, which he accomplished in only a few months! How did Thierry Guetta, an unemployed father and husband, accomplish such a feat? Well, that is the question that is perplexing every viewer of the so-called “documentary”. Is the documentary real? Or should we refer to it as a mockumentary? Is Banksy behind all of this nonsense, tricking us into believing that “anyone can be an artist”? I think Banksy is trying to prove just the opposite.

In the film, Thierry is portrayed as an eccentric, off-the-wall, frankly crazy Frenchman, who never goes anywhere without his camera. When he decides to produce his own art and host his own art show, he does so by copying what has already been done and calling it art. He takes pictures that have been painted or drawn by famous artists and tweaks them a little bit, allowing them to be called his own. On the other hand, Banksy, a renowned yet controversial street artist creates all his own artwork, making it very original and sometimes very shocking. Banksy’s art is the complete opposite of Thierry’s, yet he encourages it. I believe this is because he wanted to prove to people that anyone can be “brainwashed” into thinking that the lousiest things can be extremely valued, just based off of who is supporting it. By having notorious street artists like Shephard Fairey and Banksy supporting MBW’s work, it gave art-enthusiasts around the world the sense that Thierry’s crap was actually worth something. This then ties into the question, is the documentary real or was it just produced by Banksy to prove a point?

There are many aspects of the film that are unrealistic. For example, how does Thierry finance his adventures on unemployment? Why in the world is Mrs. Guetta supporting these activities? Also, why would Thierry allow Banksy, as well as many other people featured in the film, to bash him on camera? This leads us to one conclusion. Thierry is made-up. He was created by Banksy to prove his point in a way. Now, this conclusion is hard to prove. MBW has his own website, IMBD page, he even has a Facebook! Small indications on websites led me to believe that Mr. Brain Wash is just another one of Banksy’s works. On Wikipedia, in the description on Thierry, it uses phrases like, “According to the Banksy-directed film Exit Through the Gift Shop…” and “The artwork attributed to Guetta…” There is no fact there. Nothing seems like it is set in stone. Nevertheless, it is impossible to prove whether Banksy is behind all of this, since no one seems to know who Banksy actually his. He might just be Shephard Fairey for all we know. Still, MBW contest with the allegations of his life. On a sunnier side of all this controversy, Mr. Brain Wash is holding his first UK art show on August 5^th of this year!

WEBSITES USED:

MBW’s main website- http://www.mrbrainwash.com/home.html

Wikipedia- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Brainwash

IMBD- http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1587707/

Facebook- http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mr-Brainwash/135703489797131?ref=ts&rf=109326749087135

John Mayer and Pop Culture

I am driving up 85 in the
Kind of morning that lasts all afternoon
Just stuck inside the gloom
4 more exits to my apartment but
I am tempted to keep the car in drive
And leave it all behind

Cause I wonder sometimes
About the outcome
Of a still verdictless life

Am I living it right?
Am I living it right?
Am I living it right?
Why, why, Georgia, why?

I rent a room and I fill the spaces with
Wood in places to make it feel like home
But all I feel's alone
It might be a quarter life crisis
Or just the stirring in my soul
Either way I wonder sometimes
About the outcome
Of a still verdictless life

Am I living it right?
Am I living it right?
Am I living it right?
Why, why, Georgia, why?

So what, so I've got a smile on
But it's hiding the quiet superstitions in my head
Don't believe me, don't believe me,
When I say I've got it down

Everybody is just a stranger but
That's the danger in going my own way
I guess it's the price I have to pay
Still "everything happens for a reason"
It's no reason not to ask myself

If I am living it right
Am I living it right?
Am I living it right?
Why, tell me why, why, why, Georgia, why?     

 -John Mayer, Georgia

     John Mayer, born October 16, 1977, is an American pop/blues rock musician, singer/songwriter, recording artist and music producer. Kicking off in 2001, his music has been heard and loved all around the world, starting with his first two studio albums, Room for Squares and Heavier Things. My mom bought his first album for our family when I was just seven years old, and I have been listening to him ever since and loving every song he has ever written. The reason why I love this award-winning, pop culture artist is because of the message he sends through his songs. Most of his songs carry messages about life, love, and relationships. The majority of them also tell a story, as if you are reliving a moment in John’s life every time you press play. Take is hit song “Georgia” from his first album Room for Squares. This song has got to be one of my favorite works of his. Whenever I listen to it, I can imagine him driving on the highway, contemplating whether or not to get off on his exit to go home, or if he should just keep going. It makes me think, and I love that. The things that interest me about this song are the questions he proposes about life. Are we living our own lives right if we are “verdictless”? And since “everything happens for a reason”, is it okay to ask what the reason is? I think the argument in this song is just that. Is it okay to ask questions about why our lives are the way they are? Is it okay to wonder why things happen, even if we had no intention of them ever doing so?

    

     Mr. Mayer encourages me to write every day. The passion you can hear in his voice inspires me, and hopefully one day my writings will be read world-wide as well.

How could this moment get more perfect?                                               
I wish there was a way to make it last.
The sun is coming down over the horizon,
Is it possible for you recall the seconds passed?
How could I stay in this moment?
I’ll try to slow it down.
Our song plays in the background,
And the sun begins to drown.
I’ll pause this moment forever,
How could the timing be just right?
To have the lyrics end,
Just as the day turns into night?
We’re breathless for a second,
The moment lingers in the air,
I turn to look at you,
And you turn to meet my stare.
You aren’t the first to love me,
And you may not be the last,
But please stop to see this moment,
It’s going by so fast.
Even though were gone now,
I hope you will retain,
We will always have this moment,
And in this moment, we’ll remain.

Pop Culture: Gender

Pop culture is everywhere and it affects the lives of Americans every day. Pop culture trends change outlooks on how we dress, the way we walk and talk, how we spend our money, and how we think about ourselves. This is especially seen in the American teenage population. Since teens are exposed to a wide variety of this “pop culture” at a very young age, they can show drastic changes in the way they view the world, as well as themselves, in a very short period of time. This can be positive or negative. Shows like Jersey shore, 16 and pregnant, and Teen Mom, as we can all judge, have had mostly negative effects on our nation’s youth, depicting women as nagging, over-emotional “grenades”, that have no education and cannot support themselves. These MTV shows are so obviously stereotypical, but other shows on TV can have the same negative effects, some that you would never think to be so demeaning to woman. I believe that Americas Next Top Model, hosted by former, very successful model Tyra Banks, has a negative effect on teenagers. The show portrays women as being imperfect who can only achieve their dreams by withstanding a number of rigorous tests and challenges, which can either lead to their elimination from the show that week or their elimination from the show a week later. For anyone who has seen ANTM, Tyra Banks always has melodramatic talks with the girls on the show about how important it is to be yourself, and to express yourself, and to never let anyone put you down or tell you that you aren’t good enough. This is comical, because Tyra’s speeches usually lie before the elimination part of the show, where Banks and the rest of the judges proceed to call the girls out on every imperfection they have, and explain to them how they can “improve” themselves for the better (or so they won’t get kicked off the show). The judges will then make rude jokes about the girls once they all have left the room for evaluation. Yes, sometimes the remarks made from Miss. J. Alexander are quite hilarious, but no one ever stops to think about how the girls feel about these critics and comments made.  American Next Top Model is unfair, spiritually draining, and demeans women in a non-direct way (compared to a show like “Jersey Shore”).  The girls on the show get so stressed out, that by the time their “elimination” comes around, some of them are so drained mentally and spiritually that they volunteer to be eliminated or they walk out from the show. This was seen in the cycle 18 elimination of the “British Invasion” version of ANTM in 2012. The two girls in the “bottom two” walked up to Tyra, preparing themselves for another one of her over-emotional pep talks that usually turned out to be one big contradiction. After being told that she was “still in the running for being Americas Next Top Model, Alisha White blurts out, “I can’t stay.” She then goes onto say that she would rather walk away from the show to “get her spirit back, and to feel like Alisha again.” This just proves that the show is so stressful for some of the girls that it completely drains them of their former selves. Americas Next Top Model debases woman and should be seen in a different light. This show is giving off a message that nobody is good enough, and that your flaws and mistakes can lead to the vanishing of your dreams. Aspiring models should watch this show for an example of how the modeling industry is. What’s worse is that this show isn’t even a full representation of how grueling and terrifying the modeling industry actually is. I have a lot of respect for the girls who put themselves out there on a daily basis to be picked for Americas Next Top Model, and I hope that one day ANTM can be exposed for how it really depicts women.