Week 8 EC

After searching google for a little bit, I came across a organization known as the Broward Research Group.  There mission statement is "to participate in the development of medications and treatments that improve the human condition and give comfort and hope to people suffering from medical diseases."  This quote reminds me of the goals of the Dreamweaver Foundation I talked about in previous weeks e.c.  From this website I learned that the two doctors from the Broward Research Group are a part of the Miami Research Associates (MRA).  The two doctors, Dr. Howard Schwartz and Dr. David Seiden, are among 32 board-certified physicians and over 22 allied health employees that have attempted to help others as best they can in their lives through research and study of medical science.  This is beneficial to others because everyone has at some point in their life gotten sick and in need of medical attention.  Were it not for the hard-working doctors at such research facilities, we may not have such a high lifespan and could be the victims of frequent sickness.  However, we are lucky to have such people in our community and I believe that the Broward Research Group is an excellent example of a group of people working daily to provide random acts of kindness to those in need. 

32 board-certified physicians and 22+ allied health employees 

Week 7 EC

The above video is based around the authors interpretation of dreams and his promotion of his website. He discusses both the psychological and spiritual qualities of both the conventional and unconventional methods of interpreting dreams. I believe that this is important for people to know because once people are able to understand their dreams, they will then have a better understanding of themselves and thus, a better sense of self.

The second video I chose is based on a true dream. A dream in which a woman known as Brandi Lynn Borgia envisions herself as a resident of a community in which a pedophile resides. Unfortunately for Brandi, the people of the town do not listen to her and shun the idea of a pedophile amongst them. I learned through this video that you can convey a great deal of emotion and purpose in a short film by presenting it as a dream. This may be so because it is easy for everyone to relate to a dream, considering that we all at some point have dreamt. I believe that others should watch this video to understand feelings of separation or a lack of understanding is typical in dreams and that through closer observation, theories of the meaning behind the dream may emerge.

The third and final video I chose encompasses the psychology of dream analysis. The video involves a woman who, through recurring dreams, see herself as a 30 year old man. The dreams scare her and she believes that she is dreaming the unknown man's dream, not one of her own mind. Eventually she meets the man in real life and since then, she begins to see herself in dreams again. This video looks deep into the psychology of dreams and seek to explain a rare case of a confusing dream that had taken control of her life. I learned through this video that dreams can become a larger part of ones life than most would assume. This video is beneficial to those whose lives have become entangled with the dream and their actual lives. I would argue that this video's approach is very different and in the same respect, a colorful way to tell the tale of a young woman.

Week 6 EC

The Dreamweavers foundation is a non-profit organization that seeks to aide those in need or want something that is out of their reach.  For some this could mean financial aid by means of providing meals or a designated "random act of kindness" could be offering help to others when you are capable as an individual.  Helping others is something we can all benefit from because nothing is as rewarding as helping someone in need.  I learned through examination of the website that it you do not have to make a million dollar donation to make a difference.  Just offering your time shows to the people in need that you care and that is a monumental step in aiding the lives of others.  The random act of kindness I chose took place at McDonalds last wednesday.  Every wednesday, McDonalds sells their burgers and cheeseburgers for 49 & 59 cents.  This is something that most Americans cast a glare of apathy towards, with the thought that most people do not even require the price break to be content in their meal.  However, for the vast population of homeless in St. Pete, this is not the case.  My random act of kindness for the day was to offer some of my food to a homeless person with the knowledge derived from the Dream weavers organization that my gift would be readily accepted and dually appreciated.

Week 5 EC

The story that I found on this website is about the author of the dictionary.  I learned through reading the story that Henry Watson Fowler was the leading author behind the "Dictionary of Modern English Usage" (1926).   Fowler believed that sentences that do not end in prepositions were “more graceful as well as more perspicuous.”  I also learned that Fowler played a role in establishing the difference between "that" and "which."  I believe this reading is beneficial to others in the sense that it provides a pleasant background of the most commonly referenced book in Western existence aside from the Bible.  I would say that Fowler's efforts have proven to be of great service to each and every English speaking person that needs to exercise their linguistic capabilities.

Rhetorical Analysis

The film I chose for my project three research is a youtube video in which researchers describe sleep patterns and go on further to discuss REM sleep and its inclusion in the sleep process.  This done to explain how dreams work and where the meaning or your dream is produced.  The film's main audience would be people interested in sleep studies or those who seek to understand the dream process.  The film appeals to the audience through logos because in the video processes are explained and shown and there is a clear appeal to reason.

The song I choose, is by Ochre and it is meant to promote REM cycles and deep sleep.  Something I really don't need to be doing right now, that's for sure.  Back to the song, I believe it appeals mainly to the audience through emotions and therefore, pathos.  I think that Pathos is the most noticeable rhetorical appeal in the song because the song's tone seems to uplift the spirit at times and make you happy, and then at times it slows down, only to bring you up again, all the while relaxing your mind and giving you time to think about how the song makes you feel.  

The Art piece I chose from Salvador Dali's collection of surreal art best represents the amazing possibilities of a dream.  The tigers and elephants could represent multiple things in our dream such as a fear or even a love in our life, and in the same respect, the woman and the gun could symbolize a feeling of envy or lust by the dreamer.  Either way you look at it, it is clear that pathos if being used.  Appealing to many emotions with the abstract arrangement is one of Dali's methods of conveying Pathos, but I also notice instances of Logos. The image challenges logic and the progression of thought and makes the reader think again about the message in the art.

The book I chose outlines the main processes of sleep and continues to explain the dream process.  The book explores Rapid Eye Movement sleep through evolutionary psychology and seeks to make connections between the two.  The book's audience would be evolutionary psychologists and students alike, as well as anyone interested in the matter.  The book seems to appeal to the audience through Pathos because of the deductive reasoning used in the evolutionary psych perspective.  It appeals to a more logically driven audience because the theories in the book are rather deep and well thought out. 

Toni Morrison interview

Summary:  This weeks assignment included a viewing of an interview conducted on Toni Morrison, a writer, professor and editor that discusses many issues within the African American community.  She has recently published a novel by the name of Beloved which is mentioned in the interview as well as her other work.  In the interview, Rose and Morrison discuss her life and the progression of her career.  Morrison describes how one career lead to another, eventually leading up to where she is today, unfortunately not satisfied with her current ( self-underrated) work.

Reaction:  I found that Toni Morrison was a very accomplished woman and one of the most accomplished in her field that I know of.  She is calm and collected, and is humble throughout.  She is a strong woman at heart and I believe that has helped her through a hard career path to her present success.  

Just a wierd connection I made... A few days ago my friends and I were debating about whether or not we though that school was harder for our parents or us.  After listening to the interview, and reflecting on other instances of the cultural progression on societies view of race, I believe that it is most definitely harder for our parents given the higher rate of intolerance.  

Reflection:  Although she states that she has yet to put out her best quality of work, I believe that her thoughts were very developed and noteworthy.  The fact that one person can put out such great thought and expect to recognition or credibility, but rather to aide others, makes me think.  If people could be as humble as her the world would be a much better place, thats for sure.  I think that great personal success in ones work should not be measured by the quantity of approval, but the quality of the work approved.  I would say that her humble attitude proves my previous statement because with and attitude as so, you wouldn't need to boast about your work because you would know it is of greater quality, and if not, you would be so humble to say so as she has, regardless of the mass amount of positive praise she has received.

4 Aspects

My Book: http://voyager.eckerd.edu/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?v1=3&ti=1,3&Search%5FArg=dreams&Search%5FCode=FT%2A&SL=None&CNT=50&PID=gFIHiid6IVy-C5lbmrDeXP0mQxrfk&SEQ=20090414214557&SID=8

My video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOFYVbVtFXY

My song:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5N1OX319f9o

My Art:http://allforthegreatergood.com/Salvador_Dali_-_One_Second_Before_Awakening_from_a_Dream_Caused_by_the_Flight_of_a_Bee_Around_a_Promegranate.jpg

The Simpsons Archive

Summary-  The five or so pages of text by Sam Tingleff lay out various ways that the popular television show The Simpsons has clearly displayed their views of our capitalist society.  Through many episodes and variety hours, the man behind the Simpsons, Matt Groening, displays various one-sided views of how our society has become greedy, mindless drones.  Tingleff points out, through a few particular episodes, that middle-class life reflects more upon our nation than we initially think.  Family values are at question within the Simpsons, but when put in perspective, the show was now designed to challenge family structure but rather to question the morals of our government and political systems alike.  Many of the episodes have a warm family sense to them in the end, but throughout the episodes are little subtle hints at the control the capitalist society has on us, unfortunately some people only see the humor in the Simpsons rather than seeing Groening's true thoughts. 

Reaction-  I thought that Tingleff made a great deal of good points, many of which I have contemplated myself as I watched the seasons of the Simpsons air on the FOX network.  My mom used to always tell me that the reason she could watch cartoons such as The Simpsons, but not cartoons like Digimon, because shows like The Simpsons carry more meaning and have a place for both adults and children to enjoy.  This always made me curious to see whether I, as a child, could pick up on both the hilarious comedy before me, and also the deeper notions of our society on a capitalist leash.  I could occasionally pick up hints of more mature topics that I could relate to and make sense of through past conversations I may have eavesdropped into.  All in all I would say that I thought TIngleff's views are entirely true and of sound thought, but these hints of deeper meaning can be seen in nearly every cartoon and most t.v shows aired today.

Reflection-  I think that society should reconsider their viewpoints when they watch The Simpsons.  If I was able to pick up on random subtle jabs at society in the show when I was still in the age range of single digits, then I find it hard to believe that more mature individuals aren't making the connections I have.  If I am incorrect, and they have indeed picked up on these views of sexuality, middle-class life and of our society and environment, would it be safe to say that they have now incorporated Groening's views into their own?  And if so, what has that brought us today?  We still follow the same two-party system that we have for hundreds of years and our views of sexuality in media are still very skewed.  However, I would like to think that shows like The Simpsons have served as eye-opening experiences to many.  I feel as though people should know that they are more than just a viewer to a network, and they should know that the comical phrases by Homer and Bart are more than just stabs at an educational system or at our nation's companies harsh treatment of the environment, but rather they are symbolically representing our society in crisis.

Q-Do these types of shows, with underlying meaning and close relation to most of the country, help/hurt societies will to stand up for what themselves and speak their mind?

Q-If The Simpsons were to eliminate all underlying views of a capitalist society, leaving just mindless humor and displays of family oddity, would anyone still watch?

Q-Sinse Groening made such an effort to put his views into his work, what was his intention for doing so, and so often?

Anno-Second Sex

In this weeks reading, we observe Simone de Beauvoir's views of feminism both today and of yesteryear.  She makes many observations of the women of today and describes the inequality she sees with men.  She speaks of the death of conceptualism and in turn, the downfall of femininity.  She states that characteristics attributed to individuals are no longer biological but rather situational.  With this in mind, she hint's at the notion that the idea of a "woman" is lost.  Some other concepts Beavoir examines include the history and origin of women falling into the role of "the other," or the subservient being to man.  She argues that if the initial event that established men as the dominant sex in society, things would be drastically different and arguably, for the better.

I believe that Beauvoir's views of women throughout our known evolutionary process is very opinionated.  At times it seems as though she is entirely for the progression of the female society, and at other instances, she suggests that she isn't certain whether women would be better leaders or better suited for a position in society than a man.  Although she has contradictory views at times, her point is clear.  There is a slightly skewed demographic for women in our society in the sense that they are, without question, not equal to men.  This is not to say that they are incapable of more masculine activities, but rather to suggest that society has deemed women as less significant in certain areas of our society than men.

I agree with Beavoir in many aspects.  I feel as though it is unjust and very unfair to the women of today and of yesterday in our society.  Being a white male, I have rarely been put into a lower class group because of any aspects of my being.  I am in the least scrutinized category of individuals and if I was to put myself in the shoes of a woman today, I would not be satisfied with our society's views of women as a collective group.  I would argue fervently that the women of today are to be judged equally amongst men.  If women would like to be viewed equally amongst men, then why not?  What possible set-backs would arise from such views of equality?  I suppose it essentially opens up a spot for another group in society to complain about one of their groups problems.  However in this situation, I feel no better than women in our society and I think our society should re-think their views of people and be a little less judgmental in the future.

  

Vogler: The Approach & the Ordeal

In "The approach to the inmost cave," Vogler discusses the functions of the approach and the emotions that can be expressed through certain courtship rituals, often seen in this stage.  Emotions are also expressed through pity and sorrow sometimes to threshold guardians that may "cave" and help the hero although their initial efforts permit the hero from advancing in their journey.  Vogler also describes the Bold approach which describes the a particular type of Hero that exudes confidence and confronts all problems head on.  Obstacles and illusions are discussed in this chapter and their importance is established when Vogler makes the comment that "Past experience on the journey may be the hero's pasport to new lands."  What he means by this is that the past experiences can, and most often do, lead up to a event that strengthens and leads the hero to his/her next journey. 

Vogler discusses the "death and rebirth" stage of the Hero's journey as one of the most crowd pleasing because it not only symbolizes a major turning point in the hero's life but it most often grinds the journey to a halt and puts you on the edge of your seat, waiting to see how the hero will rise to the challenge.  Vogler states that the ordeal is most often encountered around the middle of the story, around Act II a to be exact.  Simultaneously the Central crisis reveals itself and the climax of the story, following up with the delayed crisis which often provides the most appealing outcomes to the hero.  The "ordeal" seems to be a dark area for the Hero as in most cases, the hero must face serious consequences, often death or a personal loss of some sort.

Throughout the Approach to the inmost cave, Vogler discusses forms of threshold guardians that may be encountered and often times the process that the Hero goes through building up to the climactic events seem just before "the ordeal."  The darker side of the story is often seen here where the Hero faces many trials and tribulations within themselves and their surroundings.  Consisting of death and persona changes throughout, the ordeal can be a rough patch for the hero.  I think this part is, as Vogler would agree, the most interesting part of the journey because this is the point where you really see the Hero's true colors.  This is the moment when you can finally classify the Hero into whatever persona you had pictured for them before joining their "journey."  For me this is the most interesting part because 90% of the time, all confusion had with a journey is eliminated as the approach and the ordeal make sense of the struggles the Hero faced until this point.

Vogler 127-141 anno

In stage 5 of Vogler's reading, he discusses "crossing the threshold."  According to Vogler, "Crossing the threshold is an act of will in which the hero commits wholeheartedly to the adventure."  Vogler then goes on to describe how heroes engage their journey and approach the threshold.  There are three ways to approach the threshold.  You can approach the threshold externally in which some other event happens that heightens the stakes and forces the hero to become more involved than before.  The second way is through internal events in which a hero faces a change of the soul or of some great personal matter.  The third and final way to approach the threshold would be through a combination of both internal and externally imposed events.  Threshold guardians are also discusses and I feel that they are one of the more influential and memorable archetypes.  Such as the guards outside parliament, the guardians themselves can become more of an icon that that which is guarded.  A major concept Vogler mentions is the "leap of faith."  As we all know, the leap of faith is symbolic for an action that can not be reversed.  The rough landing, as discussed later, is the bad result of the leap of faith, in which the Hero's choice was not the wisest and brought the Hero more grief.  Vogler then goes on to talk about Tests, Allies, and Enemies.  Three huge components to any story, the tests the hero's face, the allies that accompany them and the enemies they face along the way, are all paramount to a good story.  Although self-explanatory, there are deeper meanings to the three.  For instance, an ally can also be a side-kick, or a character often representative of his mentor, the Hero.  

Q1. Can a threshold guardian be something inanimate? 

Q2. What are some instances of threshold guardians who are more significant in the story than tat which is guarded?

Q3.  Can a side-kick be a threshold guardian as well?

Refusal of the call

Summary: Stage three of the reading, Vogler talks about the Refusal of the call by the hero.  What this means is when a Hero is presented with a challenge and denies it, there is usually something that needs to motivate the hero to "spring into action," so to speak.  There are many types of refusals including avoidance, which is, as it sounds, avoiding the problem, and excuses which is once again self-explanatory.  Vogler also suggests that persistent refusal leads to tragedy.   Threshold guardians can be a force that stops the hero on his/her journey as well. 

Vogler also talks about the "meeting with the mentor," which is the act of the hero meeting his superior.  Mentor's are most commonly recognized as the helpful sources of wisdom that help the Hero along his journey.  The term mentor itself comes from the book we read earlier in the year, the odyssey.  Occasionally however, the mentor may lead the hero in the wrong direction.   

Reaction:  I feel as though the refusal of the call by the hero, initially makes the hero appear weak.  Maybe that is the whole idea behind the refusal aspect, but I cant seem to hold onto those "heroic" notions after superman decides that he doesn't feel like putting his costume on.  I also feel that if a hero should ever succumb to persistent refusal, that he will persistently be a wimp. I think that when a mentor doesn't guide the hero in a positive direction, that the mentor should be considered something else.  How is a mentor, one who guides you, someone who gives you incorrect information?  I wouldn't consider a teacher a mentor if they were telling me that the second World war was won by sea monkeys.

Reflection: I would have to say that Gregor's refusal of the call was not necessarily by choice but rather by necessity itself.  Now that I think about it that way, I am sort of second guessing my initial thoughts of a hero who refuses the call.  I suppose that at all times, a hero cannot be ready for whatever, whenever.  Just as I am not always prepared, neither are the heroes. 

Questions:  Could an example of a threshold guardian be Gregor's physical mutation?

Is his "refusal to the call" when he won't open the door or when he wants to go back to sleep?

Could Gregors refusal to open the door be an example of positive refusal?

one million monkeys extra credit

I just recently completed the one million monkey story.  I started mine in a relation to my current life at Eckerd.  I described the setting and the people and left off as to where I would go after college.  I wanted to see where people would take me, given my background and my story.  I think this would be cool for other people because I learned that my outcomes could be different than what I expect and other people may come to the same conclusions I have.

NPR extra credit

I listened to a program by Mark Bittman about how eating healthier, can save the planet.  When you eat a steak you must consider the path of the cow before it reaches your plate.  A farmer has to raise the cow, feed the cow, maintain the cow, ship the cow, the cow has to then be produced into your patty and then sent to be cooked and eaten by you.  On the contrary and healthier side, corn comes from the earth and takes the simple process of growing naturally grown organics and then cooking them to your specification. I learned that my carbon footprint even traces back to the dinner table.  Other people should read this article, or listen rather, because it shows one more way we can make a difference in helping our country evolve, healthier. 

Smith-Mag extra credit

From this I learned a little more about myself.  My words were Intelligent, goofy, large, carefree, gangster, and faithful.  I thought these represented myself on many levels beyond their definition.  I think other people should do this because it makes you think about yourself on a healthy level.  You should be looking for good ways to describe yourself, it's just another chance to make your day that much better.

Free Rice extra credit

So I just completed the Free rice, 1000 word extra credit.  It was actually really fun and made me feel pretty good as I was hitting 30-40 word sprees.  I learned a few words through this and definitely sharpened my skills.  I like how the website is structured, in the sense that you can choose the answer quickly and it will bring it back a few questions later to test your memory in case you couldn't find the answer the first time.

Strengths and Weaknesses

I would have to say that the strength in my writing derives from my thought process throughout the story.  I told the story as if you were watching it all happen right in front of you.  Although in my case, this visual representation is about my literal thought process.  My other strength would have to be my conventions, or grammar and such.  I believe that my word choice was paramount in my storytelling.

All things considered, I would say my weakness in writing this story was stringing thoughts.  My mind is never on a set path between thoughts and this is seen in my writing.  I don't always try to follow the yellow brick road to the end of my story.  I often like to write as I think and let the story come together.  This may not be best for conveying a purpose or direction in a story however.  That is where I believe my second weakness lies.  I do not string one process together but rather collect my thoughts in groups and assemble them at random.  

The definition of a hero

The Archetypes are described in our reading as "indispensable tools for understanding the purpose of function of characters in a story."  The archetypes are then described as functions in the sense that they are flexible characters that can liberate your storytelling.  We then looked into the facets of the hero's personality and this included emanations such as higher self, trickster, and herald.  There are eight archetypes that Vogler describes in the reading.  The eight archetypes are not necessarily a concrete definition of the types of influential figures in storytelling but rather, they are simply variations of what we perceive to be the influential figures. 

I thought that when Vogler was describing the Hero through psychological functions of the ego and through the dramatic functions such as growth and sacrifice.  I believe that all the qualities Vogler describes of the hero are dead on.  Everything that encompasses the hero according to vogler, including character flaws such as a love-lust relationship or an unwilling hero that needs that push by his mentor, make perfect sense in establishing what a hero should be.  Vogler also goes on to describe the Mentor which, as described, can be a wise old man or woman who is there mainly "to protect and to serve," a quote that has now become a motto of certain police departments.  

I thought that Vogler hit the nail on the head for defining a hero.  The eight archetypes clearly label the hero as an individual with which we can all relate through our everyday struggles.  Also the role of the mentor to develop the hero into a victorious man or woman over whatever struggle they may face, be it interpersonal or some sort of outside conflict.  There are also many types of mentors that can both help or hurt the hero throughout his journey.  Although the idea of a mentor is someone who helps, negative criticism and things of that nature can also be ways to define a hero.  I thought that all in all, vogler described the archetypes flawlessly.