tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62879574132855123452024-03-12T16:46:51.025-07:00With Nel and INelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09944315921283354025noreply@blogger.comBlogger80125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6287957413285512345.post-41027784331073975382014-04-08T17:41:00.001-07:002014-04-08T17:41:43.765-07:00Cupcake Fascism<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4_IJR3on7Qo/U0SW_su5rbI/AAAAAAAAAmM/jD8GVxu6pAU/s1600/Cupcake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4_IJR3on7Qo/U0SW_su5rbI/AAAAAAAAAmM/jD8GVxu6pAU/s1600/Cupcake.jpg" height="414" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I haven't published a blog post in quite some time because I have been unexpectedly busy over the last month. Since my schedule is yet to alleviate I thought it might be some time before I was able to write something. However, today I came across an article that enraged me to such an extent that I cannot possibly restrain myself from writing a rebuttal. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">What, you may wonder, could have evoked such apoplectic rage in this gentle soul? <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/apr/08/beware-of-cupcake-fascism" target="_blank">The Guardian today published an article portraying cupcakes as abominable and decrying their ubiquity as a form of fascism</a>. As someone who bloody loves a good cupcake, I could not in good conscience let such a slander go unchallenged.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">To start, author Tom Whyman pronounces that the cupcake "possesses none of the ideal essence of cakiness"; it is "neat, precise and uniform... dry, polite and low-fat." That is indeed a disparaging list of adjectives and I am left wondering where this poor sod has been acquiring his cupcakes. A good cupcake is absolutely smashing. Festooned with a crown of buttery, creamy magnificence, a cupcake is just as decadent as its full-sized brethren, just travel sized for your convenience. I know many splendid perveyors of baked goods who produce glorious concoctions stuffed full of jam, chocolate mousse, praline, gooey salted caramel, nuts and generously sized chocolate chunks. These gastronomical masterpieces are not uniform or polite and they are certainly not low-fat. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I think poor Tom Whyman may have let his inexplicble bias against cupcakes blind him from their numerous advantages. He misconstrues their size as an attempt for "flat-stomached people who think consuming sweet things is 'a bit naughty'" to stop themselves from over-indulging. I don't eat cupcakes because I am under some illusion that they are somehow healthier due to their diminutive size. I don't eat cupcakes because I am trying to count calories or watch my figure. If I want to consume a whole, full-sized cake, I will do so. Unfortunately, cakes can be somewhat cumbersome and, luckily for me, cupcakes offer a far more convenient and portable alternative. I don't have the time to faff around acquiring crockery, cutlery and, ideally, a table every time I want to enjoy some sugary, spongey goodness. The cupcake, with its little paper cup negating the need for a plate, can be consumed anywhere and at any time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Another advantage to the humble cupcake is the opportunity for variety. Tom Whyman seems to think that there is something inherently limiting about the cupcake. He dscribes them as "restrictive", "uniform" and "neat and predictable." But cupcakes are the very opposite of limiting and restrictive. The variety of available cupcake flavours these days is frankly mind-boggling. And, due to their small size, one is able to partake of a myriad of flavours in one go. If I eat a full-sized cake, I'm stuck with the same flavour from start to finish. If I eat four cupcakes (which, as friends and family will testify, I regularly do), I get a plethora of creative and varied flavours in one sitting! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Tom Whyman goes on to argue that the "austerity of the cupcake-form" supposedly prevents us from
embracing "the joy of being open to genuinely alternative
possibilities." It utterly baffles me how anyone could argue that cupcakes prevent us from embracing alternative possibilities. The small size of the cupcake actually encourages risk taking. You might not be entirely convinced by a bacon, walnut and maple syrup cupcake, but you might as well give it a go since it's only little! Nothing encourages gastronomical discovery quite like the humble cupcake.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">So, my poor Tom Whyman, I almost feel sorry for you for having evidently endured an entire lifetime of underwhelming cupcakes. I say 'almost' because once you are done disparaging the tiny but mighty cupcake, you then go on to disparage those who enjoy cupcakes and then I loose all sympathy for your plight; I will defend my fellow cupcake lovers with all the linguistic fortitude I can muster. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Whyman's most damning criticism of cupcakes is that they are infantillising. The cupcake is for "never-never-land" adults; if you enjoy cupcakes you are "a cognitive child... drily conforming to a prescribed set of rules." Apparently my love for cupcakes has revealed me to be cognitively impaired and unable to "engage with the world in a way characterised by the joy of possibility." People who enjoy cupcakes are seemingly both stupid and narrow-minded; how infuriatingly patronising.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="http://vagendamagazine.com/2012/06/why-twee-needs-to-die-a-death/" target="_blank">Tom Whyman's article is not the first time I have come across the argument that cupcakes are infantillising</a>. It seems to be a pretty common opinion that those who enjoy cupcakes are developmentally regressive and desperately trying to cling on to an idealised childhood devoid of intellectual challenges or cognitive burdens.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Cupcakes are apparently infantallising because they are enjoyed by children. But there is something somewhat insidious with this argument. Fish and chips are enjoyed by children. As is mac and cheese. And yet these foods are not labelled as infantallising and those that enjoy them are not accused of "neurotically trying to remain a child." Why do cupcakes inspire such a fervently negative reaction compared to other beloved childhood foods? Cupcakes are distinguished from other childish foods in that they are intrinsically feminine; cupcakes are not overwhelmingly associated with children but with women. Cupcakes have therefore been deemed by some people as childish and silly because women are still seen as childish and silly. The backlash against cupcakes is just part of a bigger problem in which anything associated with women or 'girliness' (the colour pink, dresses, the nursing profession) is seen as inferior or frivolous. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I am an ambitious, intelligent, career-driven woman. My love of cupcakes is not an anathema to this. In fact, the conveniently portable cupcake fits perfectly into my busy, hectic, mentally stimulating lifestyle. So can people please stop denigrating things which are overtly 'girly' or feminine. <a href="http://withnelandi.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/in-defence-of-disney-princess.html" target="_blank">It's not girliness which is the problem; it's the perception of girliness as inferior which is problematic</a>. And someone please get Tom Whyman a good cupcake, maybe four...</span>Nelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09944315921283354025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6287957413285512345.post-13096502949747923832014-02-22T17:16:00.002-08:002014-02-22T17:16:56.105-08:00Female Bodies in Film
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0cm;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
@page WordSection1
{size:612.0pt 792.0pt;
margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt;
mso-header-margin:36.0pt;
mso-footer-margin:36.0pt;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">It is perhaps an understatement to say that
Hollywood does not have the best relationship with the female body. Too often,
female characters in films exist <b><i>purely</i></b> as bodies. There is no
character development, their dialogue (should they have any) is bland or
pandering to the male lead, and they contribute little to the plot. Female
characters are used frequently to titillate, to act as window-dressing to the
swashbuckling hero’s tale, but not to contribute to the storyline in any meaningful
way. I couldn’t help put ponder this unfortunate status quo while watching
Spike Jonze’s delightful <i>Her</i>, a film
which appears to subvert the Hollywood norm by depicting a romantic and sexual
relationship liberated from the female body.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">In <i>Her</i>,
Theodore Twombly, played by Joaquin Phoenix, is an emotionally stunted man who
falls in love with his artificially intelligent operating system, Samantha. The
film is warm and funny, and the relationship between Twombly and Samantha is
beautifully and organically developed; it only occasionally feels a little creepy.
The film can feel a bit languorous (perhaps due to its over-abundance of Instagram-filtered
montages) but the relationship between Twombly and Samantha remains
consistently engaging. Samantha may not have a body but she feels real and
weighty, and it seems quietly subversive for a major character in a film to
consist of only a voice.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">Films usually relish the opportunity to
highlight female bodies and, in particular, female nudity. <a href="http://www.nyfa.edu/film-school-blog/gender-inequality-in-film/" target="_blank">According to the New York Film Academy</a>, in the top 500 films of 2007-2012, 29% of women wore
sexually revealing clothes compared to just 7% of men. Similarly, 26% of women
actors got partially naked compared to 9% of men. Only 31% of speaking
characters were women and roughly a third of those women were shown in sexually
revealing attire or partially naked. These statistics suggest a rather
depressing fixation on female flesh as opposed to real, interesting, developed
female characters.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">In the face of this, Jonze’s film could be
seen as a feminist triumph. Twombly does not pine after Samantha’s body; he
does not idolize her form or fetishise her figure. His attachment to her grows
through witty, insightful conversations. He values her for the emotional
support she offers, not her flesh. And Samantha is a fantastically
well-developed character. She is immensely curious, desperately eager to learn
about the world and experience new things. She composes music, she draws, she
has a charmingly dirty sense of humour. Most importantly, she grows, gaining
more confidence and independence until it becomes clear that she has outgrown
Twombly and their relationship.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">But then, read in another way, <i>Her</i> and the lack of a female body seems
less like a feminist victory and more like the unfortunate end result of an
industry thoroughly uncomfortable with the realities of the female form. While
the statistics compiled by the New York Film Academy show that Hollywood has no
problem with female nudity, that doesn’t mean that Hollywood doesn’t have a
problem with female bodies. The naked female bodies shown by Hollywood aren’t
real bodies; they’re smooth and clean, like plastic facsimiles of the real
thing.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.metro.us/newyork/entertainment/2013/11/20/lena-dunham-david-sedaris-address-grief-sexism-at-carnegie-hall/" target="_blank">The furor surrounding the nudity depicted in Lena Dunham’s Girls</a> shows just how
uncomfortable we are with realistic female nudity. Even now, nearly two years
later, <a href="http://www.thewire.com/entertainment/2014/01/how-are-we-still-talking-about-lena-dunhams-nudity/356885/" target="_blank">questions are still being asked about why Dunham’s less than model-esque figure</a> is cavorting naked across our screens. It is immensely depressing that
soft, rolling bodies are still shocking enough to warrant avid debate.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">With this context in mind, <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2014/01/03/her_movie_by_spike_jonze_with_joaquin_phoenix_and_scarlett_johansson_lacks.html" target="_blank"><i>Her</i>’s lack of a female body seems a bit siniste</a><a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2014/01/03/her_movie_by_spike_jonze_with_joaquin_phoenix_and_scarlett_johansson_lacks.html" target="_blank">r</a>. Hollywood would seemingly prefer to eradicate female bodies
altogether rather than show one in all its unsightly glory: rumpled, patchy and
sweaty.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">It is also questionable whether Jonze
really has eradicated the female body from his love story. Jonze could have
chosen an unknown actor to play Samantha. Instead he chose Scarlett Johansson,
a stunningly beautiful, slender female with whom the film-going audience is
undoubtedly familiar. When her voice purrs from Twombly’s phone, it’s
impossible not to imagine Johansson’s statuesque figure. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/18/movies/her-directed-by-spike-jonze.html?_r=0" target="_blank">As Manohla Dargis suggests in the <i>New York Times</i></a>, Scarlett Johansson’s “lush physicality” comes
through Somantha’s voice. Samantha has a body in our minds and that body is
firm and smooth and slim. Perhaps <i>Her</i>
isn’t as subversive with regard to its depiction of female bodies as it first
appears.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">I don’t think Jonze removed the female
figure from his romance because he’s scared of the real female body, in all its
podgy, sweaty glory. Jonze is trying to provide a thought-provoking commentary
on our current obsession with our smartphones and other devices. But it’s interesting
to consider <i>Her</i> in the context of
other films and their depictions of female characters. <i>Her</i> subverts the Hollywood norm of incessantly showing toned, naked
female figures by keeping the central love interest off screen. But <i>Her</i> also supports the Hollywood norm by
choosing the conventionally attractive Scarlett Johansson as the voice of the
female lead and by excluding other, more varied female bodies. <span> </span>I guess it will take more time for films like <i>Her</i> and tv shows like <i>Girls</i> to make a significant impact on
how women’s bodies are treated on our screens.</span></span></span></div>
Nelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09944315921283354025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6287957413285512345.post-87293579935377160892014-02-16T15:18:00.000-08:002014-02-16T15:18:02.244-08:00Bits and Bobs<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">It's been a while since I've made a Bits and Bobs post which means I have loads of interesting links to share. Hope you all had a lovely Valentine's Day - mine was spent eating ice cream and watching Star Wars. I regret nothing...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- <a href="http://thehairpin.com/2011/01/women-laughing-alone-with-salad" target="_blank">Have you seen those articles making fun of stock images</a>? Now Sheryl Sandberg's Lean In movement is partnering with Getty to make a <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/02/woman-laughing-alone-with-salad-has-decided-to-lean-in/283720/" target="_blank">collection of feminist friendly stock images</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- Screw expensive couple's therapy - apparently <a href="http://nymag.com/thecut/2014/01/study-rom-coms-could-save-your-marriage.html" target="_blank">watching and discussing rom coms is good for your marriage</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- Check out this incredible article about a <a href="http://www.salon.com/2014/02/02/i_forgot_to_remember_living_with_amnesia/" target="_blank">woman living with retrograde amnesia</a>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- I don't believe that violent films make people violent but I do ponder whether films are, in general, getting more violent and what this says about our society. I therefore found it interesting when <a href="http://www.salon.com/2014/02/01/weinstein_tarantino_and_the_standoff_over_movie_violence/" target="_blank">Harvey Weinstein recently announced that he's going to back away from making violent films</a> - here's an interesting article discussing his decision and violent films in general. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- Apparently the most successful online <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2014/02/04/dating_tips_from_okcupid_and_match_com_don_t_be_a_gender_conformist.html" target="_blank">dating profiles are the ones that defy gender norms</a>. Thank god I have a masters in war, making me the most desirable person on the internet.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- the weather has been crazy recently! Polar vortexes in the US, snow in Cairo, flooding in the UK - I'm pretty certain a weather-borne apocalypse is just round the corner. It's so bad, <a href="http://www.thewire.com/culture/2014/02/british-penguins-are-so-depressed-about-weather-we-gave-them-anti-depressants/357815/" target="_blank">the penguins are apparently on anti-depressents</a>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- I love this <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_vault/2014/02/12/women_s_suffrage_pamphlet_refuting_arguments_against_enfranchisement.html" target="_blank">1866 pamphlet arguing for female suffrage</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- Want to listen to an incredible jazz cover of Guns N' Roses' Sweet Child o' Mine? <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2014/02/13/sweet_child_o_mine_jazz_cover_by_postmodern_jukebox_is_fun_video.html" target="_blank">Damn straight you do</a>!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Have a wonderful week and stay safe with the weather. Maybe watch a couple of Roland Emmerich films and take some notes.</span>Nelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09944315921283354025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6287957413285512345.post-83157280324138649922014-02-12T15:43:00.000-08:002014-02-12T15:43:28.330-08:00Barbies and Disney and Vogue! Oh my!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KUIcIbxZb3I/UvwGhrnR1cI/AAAAAAAAAlQ/ONjZUrUYpGQ/s1600/Barbie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KUIcIbxZb3I/UvwGhrnR1cI/AAAAAAAAAlQ/ONjZUrUYpGQ/s1600/Barbie.jpg" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Photo credit: <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Puppe_alone.jpg" target="_blank">Robert Sabitzer</a></span></span></span></h3>
<br />
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0cm;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
@page WordSection1
{size:612.0pt 792.0pt;
margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt;
mso-header-margin:36.0pt;
mso-footer-margin:36.0pt;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Last week, <a href="http://www.fastcodesign.com/3025620/barbies-lead-designer-defends-barbies-crazy-proportions" target="_blank">Vice President of design for Barbie, Kim Culmone, was interviewed by Fast Company </a>about why Mattel retains
Barbie’s impossible hourglass figure despite decades of criticism. It has been
frequently argued that Barbie’s dimensions set an extreme body standard which
little girls can never achieve, thus undermining their self-esteem and making
them susceptible to eating disorders. Culmone responds to criticism by arguing
that Barbie’s body was never intended to be realistic and was designed in such
a way primarily to be easily dressed and undressed. Her design is apparently purely
functional.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The interview isn’t particularly
sensational: Culmone’s answers seem reasonable enough and Fast Company is
hardly the first website to voice criticisms of Barbie’s figure. And yet the
interview, <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2014/02/05/barbie_s_not_the_skinniest_doll_on_the_block_measuring_barbie_bratz_monster.html" target="_blank">and the articles it has spawned</a>, has nevertheless left me
contemplating whether or not my most beloved childhood toy has had a lasting
psychological impact. <span></span> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">I loved Barbies as a child. Being a
thoroughly spoiled youngest child, I had nearly a hundred dolls and a
bewildering array of accessories. I had the Dream House, several modes of
transportation and, of course, an incredible collection of clothing. I would
spend hours and hours acting out outrageous stories with my plastic, compliant minions.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">So am I crippled with self-esteem issues?
Well I’m a 20-something woman living in a society which places an excessive
amount of importance on the physical characteristics of woman, so of course.
But I don’t blame Barbie for this unfortunate turn of events. As a child I
never once looked at Barbie and wanted to look like her because, you know, she’s
a hunk of plastic. Barbie may be an unrealistic and impossibly proportioned
representation of the female form but that never bothered me as a child because
<b>she’s a doll</b>. I never expected
realism from my toys; a child’s toy chest would be a miserable place if all toys
had to conform to reality.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">In fact Barbie’s figure may have been one
of the reasons I loved her so much. More than anything else, what every little
girl wants to be is a grown-up. I always preferred Barbies over all other dolls
because, to me, she seemed the most womanly. Her ample breasts and hips were
clear indicators that she was an adult and not a child. She was a grown, adult
woman, with complicated relationships, a demanding profession (maybe a spy, <a href="http://shop.mattel.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12836463" target="_blank">maybe the president</a>, maybe a ballet dancer, maybe all at once) and an enviable
wardrobe. The stories I wanted to play out required adult characters and Barbie
fit that role perfectly.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The criticisms made against Barbie’s figure
are the same as those made frequently against the <a href="http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2013/12/17/help-my-eyeball-is-bigger-than-my-wrist-gender-dimorphism-in-frozen/" target="_blank">Disney heroines and their impossible waistlines</a>. Ariel from The Little Mermaid seems to get picked on the
most in this regard, perhaps because she was the first of the Disney
renaissance princesses or because she spends a considerable amount of the film
showing off her impossible figure in only a bikini top. But, again, I never
once as a child thought that Ariel was a realistic portrayal of a woman because
of course she’s not; she’s a mermaid. The figures of the Disney heroines are
impossible – the same is true of talking crockery, flying horses, pumpkin
carriages, and hyenas capable of learning meticulously choreographed dance
routines.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Womanhood as depicted by Barbie and Disney
has not left my self-esteem in tatters because what they’re depicting is
self-consciously a fantasy – everyone is aware that toys and animated musicals
are not real. But the women on the cover of Vogue, they are flesh and blood; they
are ‘real’. Of course I know on an intellectual level that they have been
airbrushed to the point of impossibility but my immediate emotional reaction to
those glossy images is that the cover model looks fantastic and I probably
didn’t need that 5<sup>th</sup> Krispy Kreme. The same is true of the models
gliding down the runway in their impeccably tailored couture. <a href="http://www.thesartorialist.com/" target="_blank">Or even the street-style blogs and their constantly updated stream of super skinny</a> (and
overwhelmingly white, but that’s a point for another blog) women seemingly
plucked from the streets in their day-to-day attire. If these living, breathing
women can look so effortlessly fantastic just walking down the street, maybe I
should put in a bit more effort before popping to the corner shop. Street-style
blogs, the runway and Vogue are of course just as much a fantasy as Disney and
Barbie but they masquerade as real and attainable in a way that I just don’t
think Disney and Barbie does.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Of course it’s possible that Disney and
Barbie have had an impact on my self-esteem and I’m just in denial. Research
has been done which shows that <a href="http://www.willettsurvey.org/TMSTN/Gender/DoesBarbieMakeGirlsWantToBeThin.pdf" target="_blank">Barbie does indeed have an impact on body satisfaction among 5-8 year olds</a> (though I’m not entirely convinced by the
rigorousness of the methodology). If Mattel decided to completely revamp Barbie
to make her more realistically proportioned, then fair play to them. But it
would be naïve to think that such a move would signal a revolution in portrayals
of the female form, ushering in a new age of body acceptance. There are far too
many other sources of negative body images, ones far more powerful than
Mattel’s iconic doll.</span></span></span></div>
Nelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09944315921283354025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6287957413285512345.post-42273504042230060742014-02-05T16:12:00.000-08:002014-02-05T16:12:47.758-08:00Social Media, Performance and Self Identity<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A5wzmiIv9GA/UvLRkaYKFGI/AAAAAAAAAlA/jS1pltXa-hg/s1600/Screen+shot+2014-02-06+at+00.00.09.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A5wzmiIv9GA/UvLRkaYKFGI/AAAAAAAAAlA/jS1pltXa-hg/s1600/Screen+shot+2014-02-06+at+00.00.09.png" height="258" width="640" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">It is both hilarious and depressing how fervently facebook plugs dating sites to me</span></span></span></h3>
<br />
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0cm;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
@page WordSection1
{size:612.0pt 792.0pt;
margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt;
mso-header-margin:36.0pt;
mso-footer-margin:36.0pt;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">While perusing the interweb I came across
<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/01/personal-identity-is-mostly-performance/283043/" target="_blank">this fascinating article on The Atlantic looking at personal identity asperformance</a>. The article discusses the work of social psychologist Sam Gosling
who looks at the ways in which people fill their spaces with personal
possessions and tries to determine what insights these items can give into
people’s personalities.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">Gosling has determined that some items act
as ‘conscious identity claims’ – things we actively choose based on how we want
other people to perceive us (artwork or books we display, the clothes we wear).
Some items are ‘feeling regulators’ – sentimental items or souvenirs that meet
a personal emotional need (photos of loved ones, holiday souvenirs). Finally,
some items are ‘unconscious behavioural residue’ – hints we leave behind
inadvertently (an obsessively organised bookshelf might hint at compulsive
behaviour). These conscious and unconscious cues, when observed as a whole,
reveal something about the person who left them.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">This reminds me of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Presentation_of_Self_in_Everyday_Life" target="_blank">Goffman’s seminalsociology text, The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life</a>, which argues that all
social interactions are essentially performances. These performances are made
of two aspects: the expressions that we give (symbols, verbal or otherwise,
that admittedly convey information), and the expressions that we give off
(unconscious actions that others can treat as symptomatic of the actor).</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">Goffman’s book was published in 1959, which
limits it predominantly to face-to-face interaction (how quaint!), but
Gosling’s research also covers the online world. We use cues to infer things
about a person on social media in exactly the same way as we do in person. For
example, Gosling found in his research that those who scored highly on the
extroversion scale via personality tests had more facebook friends. So if you
encounter someone on facebook with thousands of friends, it’s probably safe to
infer that they are socially competent and confident individuals. Looking at
Gosling and Goffman’s work in tandem, we can conclude that our social media presence
is also a performance. We carefully curate what photos we post and what amusing
buzzfeed links we share to put across a certain persona to anyone who
encounters our profile.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">But for whom are we performing? Goffman
argues that we perform for ourselves just as much as we perform for others.
Individuals perform even when there is no audience because it affirms our sense
of identity. For example, in some mental hospitals in America, unclaimed
deceased patients may be given elaborate funerals. This performance is carried
out for the benefit of those partaking in the ceremony, proving to themselves
that they are the kinds of people who observe standards of civility. We do not
think of this as a performance, we are not purposefully trying to manipulate
others or ourselves. As Goffman explains, people “sincerely believe that the
definition of the situation they habitually project is the real reality.”</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">Combining Goffman and Gosling therefore
suggests that facebook is as much a performance for ourselves as it is for others.
The friend counter on our profiles not only shows other people how cool and
popular we are, it is affirmation for ourselves that we have friends. <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/06/study-looking-at-own-facebook-profile-bad-for-brain/276442/" target="_blank">A studyfrom the journal, Media Psychology</a>, has shown that people receive a significant
self-esteem boost when looking at their own facebook profile compared to
looking at the profile of a stranger. This study supports the idea that
facebook is a performance and that we are its intended audience just as much as
our friends and internet creepers.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">The author of The Atlantic article,
Jennifer Oullette, says that, “our profiles have become gigantic identity
claims.” But Oullette’s observation doesn’t go far enough. Our facebook
profiles may indeed be identity claims but it’s important to remember to whom
these identity claims are directed.</span></span></span></div>
Nelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09944315921283354025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6287957413285512345.post-30846376401316298942014-01-29T15:17:00.000-08:002014-01-29T15:17:03.427-08:00Terrorist Kidnappings: Why Don't We Negotiate?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e8-mVY72l4s/UumJryFREVI/AAAAAAAAAks/DrEWvRddRBQ/s1600/United_Nations_Security_Council.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e8-mVY72l4s/UumJryFREVI/AAAAAAAAAks/DrEWvRddRBQ/s1600/United_Nations_Security_Council.jpg" height="316" width="640" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">UN Security Council Chamber by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/19473388@N00" target="_blank">Patrick Gruban</a></span></span></span></h3>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">On Monday the UN Security Council passed a resolution condemning kidnapping by terrorist and calling for an end to appeasing terrorists through ransom payments or political concessions. UK Ambassador to the UN, Mark Lyall Grant, said of the resolution, "it is... imperative that we take steps to ensure that kidnap for ransom is no longer perceived as a lucrative business model and that we eliminate it as a source of terrorist financing." The resolution does not create any new legal obligations but it does call on Member States to encourage the private sector to adopt relevant guidelines and good practices for responding to terrorist kidnappings without paying ransoms. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I can understand why the UN would want to adopt such a measure; the UN estimates that Islamist extremist groups have garnered $105 million in ransom money in the last three and a half years. Starving terrorist groups of this source of income would presumably have a significant impact on their operations. And yet I have my doubts regarding this resolution.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The most obvious flaw of the resolution is that no one actually knows whether or not cutting ransom payments will be an effective strategy at countering terrorist activity. For decades, the western, liberal democracies have been staunchly following the creed that we should not negotiate with terrorists for fear of encouraging further terrorism. But terrorist activity persists and no one actually knows whether refusing to negotiate with terrorists has done anything to curtail terrorist attacks. Non-negotiation is not necessarily the best strategy, it's just that we can't think of anything else to do. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">In his book, Globalisation and War, Barkawi argues that a refusal to negotiate with terrorists simply creates a spiral of terrorist attack and harsh reprisal which de-legitimises negotiation and compromise and inspires more violence. Barkawi suggests instead that to counter terror, an effective strategy requires a combination of political and coercive means. Engagement and compromise with those the terrorists claim to represent whittles away at the legitimacy of terror, undermining the incentive to carry out terrorist attacks. We need a softer, 'hearts and minds' approach to terrorism.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">A second reservation I have towards this resolution is that it shifts the balance of responsibility away from governments and international bodies and towards the unfortunate individuals who face the horrific decision of whether they should fund terrorists or leave their loved ones to suffer in captivity. It seems unfair that those taken as hostages, and their friends and family back home, are left to suffer at the hands of terrorists because national governments and international organisations can't think of a better method to counter terrorism. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Barkawi may not be correct. Maybe negotiation, compromise and dialogue will do nothing to stop terrorist activity. But I don't think that we should just blindly follow the same policy that we have pursued for years, to little effect, without at least considering alternatives.</span>Nelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09944315921283354025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6287957413285512345.post-58633421776023294212014-01-20T15:59:00.000-08:002014-01-20T15:59:59.267-08:00Starting the Year as I mean to Continue: filled with cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wvPR8moJNBg/Ut213cIslpI/AAAAAAAAAkI/fVMGhyZE-Y4/s1600/P1020873.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wvPR8moJNBg/Ut213cIslpI/AAAAAAAAAkI/fVMGhyZE-Y4/s1600/P1020873.JPG" height="322" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
My new year's resolution is to go to the gym more (or, you know, at all). I've been pretty keen for a whole week now but all this exercise is making me kind of peckish. The solution? Baking, of course!<br />
<br />
My wonderful mother and stepfather gave me a kitchenaid mixer for Christmas and what better way to break it in than with this amazing Oreo cake.<br />
<br />
The recipe below is adjusted from a recipe I found on Pinterest. The original called for blueberries but I decided to substitute Oreos instead of fruit because I didn't want to accidentally eat something healthy with my cake...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Db7gSboKE_g/Ut22SazxIxI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/ZGydfDWZ4C4/s1600/P1020866.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Db7gSboKE_g/Ut22SazxIxI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/ZGydfDWZ4C4/s1600/P1020866.JPG" height="640" width="364" /></a></div>
<br />
175grams butter<br />
1 1/2 cups of sugar<br />
3 eggs<br />
1 tsp vanilla essence<br />
2 cups of plain flour<br />
2 packs of Oreos<br />
<br />
Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees C. Butter a 13" by 9" baking tin. <br />
<br />
Cream the butter and the sugar. And the eggs, one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each one. Add the vanilla essence.<br />
<br />
Gently fold in the flour. Add the Oreos, crushed up a little, and mix until just combined. <br />
<br />
Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 45-50 minutes.<br />
<br />
When it's done - eat and enjoy!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RD7WH5ZlL60/Ut22j1OBhJI/AAAAAAAAAkY/kiyVfRyvomo/s1600/P1020869.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RD7WH5ZlL60/Ut22j1OBhJI/AAAAAAAAAkY/kiyVfRyvomo/s1600/P1020869.JPG" height="306" width="640" /></a></div>
Nelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09944315921283354025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6287957413285512345.post-8064292320118868472014-01-19T16:26:00.000-08:002014-01-19T16:26:26.067-08:00Bits and BobsI hope everyone has had a lovely weekend. I went rock climbing earlier today and I'm now in a whole world of pain. I have never been so grateful that I live in a ground floor flat before - my thighs do not enjoy staircases right now.<br />
<br />
I'm afraid I'm a bit sparse on reading suggestions this week.<br />
<br />
- Here's an interesting article looking at <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2014/01/12/downton_abbey_rape_why_is_the_show_so_horrible_to_anna_and_other_women.html" target="_blank">Downton Abbey and how it punishes the female characters </a>any time they attempt to do something that subverts gender expectations.<br />
<br />
- <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/01/what-3d-printed-cake-tastes-like/282904/" target="_blank">3D printed cake?!</a> My mind has been thoroughly blown.<br />
<br />
- All my friends seem to be either getting married or attending a lot of weddings/ wedding-related gatherings. This all sounds like a lot of effort and is proving ridiculously expensive. <a href="http://thehairpin.com/2013/12/18-brides" target="_blank">Here's a very witty article talking about what it's like attending 18 weddings in one year</a>.<br />
<br />
- If I watch a tv programme or a film in which some computer genius must hack a computer system or otherwise do something clever with computers, I always wonder whether the text on the screen actually means anything or whether it's just been made up. My brother is a huge computer nerd and he always mutters grumpily under his breath when computers are depicted inaccurately on screen. I therefore found this article, <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2014/01/06/movie_code_tumblr_cracks_the_sources_of_code_found_in_tv_film.html" target="_blank">deciphering the computer code shown in popular films</a>, really interesting. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Nelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09944315921283354025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6287957413285512345.post-76408902708202197242014-01-14T16:07:00.002-08:002014-01-14T16:07:46.251-08:00Warning of What?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h2BqxaBtygk/UtXQJuzwWgI/AAAAAAAAAj4/VJhZrKVpx64/s1600/mayb4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h2BqxaBtygk/UtXQJuzwWgI/AAAAAAAAAj4/VJhZrKVpx64/s640/mayb4.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2013/12/30/trigger_warnings_from_the_feminist_blogosphere_to_shonda_rhimes_in_2013.html" target="_blank">I recently read an interesting article over at Slate about 'trigger warnings'</a>. Trigger warnings are tags included at the top of articles warning readers that the article may contain content that could trigger known mental illnesses, such as an eating disorder or post traumatic stress disorder. The trigger warnings allow the reader to decide whether they want to proceed with reading the article or give it a miss to avoid painful relapse or flashback. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The article specifically links these trigger warnings to feminist blogs. I'm not sure why such a correlation would exist (do feminists have more mental disorders or are feminist bloggers just more considerate to those who do?) but I think Slate is wrong to focus just on warnings on feminist blogs without considering the prevalence of warnings on all sorts of media.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Usually, I don't mind a warning when perusing the internet. I appreciate it when fashion blogs warn me whether a particular editorial contains nudity (particularly when I'm perusing while at work) and I appreciate it when news organisations warn me about particularly gory video content before I accidentally traumatise myself. And of course, warnings are not limited to the internet: most murder/ crime shows are accompanied by warnings pertaining to their graphic nature to warn off those with a delicate constitution. However, there are occasions when I'm confronted with a warning which makes me feel somewhat uneasy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I was recently watching a documentary about Christianity, specifically it was debunking a number of myths about Jesus (for example, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shroud_of_Turin" target="_blank">the shroud of Turin</a>). The documentary was not particularly salacious or controversial and, to be honest, I probably would have forgotten about the whole thing if the documentary had not been accompanied by a somewhat peculiar warning. At the start of the documentary, and repeated after each ad break, was a title card reading something along the lines of, "warning: contains talk of Jesus." What mental disorder could possible be triggered by discussions of Jesus? Who was this warning supposed to benefit?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">If you're non-Christian, you probably don't care what this documentary has to say about Jesus. If you are Christian, you're hopefully unafraid to engage with an academic debate that challenges your beliefs. And if you're Christian but also narrow-minded and uncritical, then you're probably exactly the kind of person who should be watching an informative documentary about theology. People should not be pilloried for their beliefs but neither should those beliefs go unquestioned and no-one should shy away from the opportunity to reassess or reaffirm their opinions. Warning people that there is healthy debate on religion afoot is not indicative of a thriving intellectual discourse in our media. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">So, by all means, keep your trigger warnings on your blog posts if you want to discuss eating disorders or rape without exacerbating the trauma of those who have endured them. But we shouldn't have to warn people against intelligent or sensitive debate. When we start seeing warnings like, "warning: contains political views contrary to your own", or, "warning: champions minority opinions", then we know something has gone seriously awry.</span>Nelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09944315921283354025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6287957413285512345.post-24696908439964553292014-01-11T13:36:00.001-08:002014-01-11T13:36:20.399-08:00Back from a long Winter Break<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HBIsJr7hyZE/UtG4DBOnSuI/AAAAAAAAAjo/MFrCXjjfs4I/s1600/P1020536.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HBIsJr7hyZE/UtG4DBOnSuI/AAAAAAAAAjo/MFrCXjjfs4I/s1600/P1020536.JPG" height="456" width="640" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Merry belated Christmas!</span></span></h3>
<br />
It's been pretty chaotic for me over the last few weeks with Christmas, New Year and moving house (the fourth move in the last year - maybe a new record for me). I just got the internet installed in the new place and now I can start making up for the blog neglect.<br />
<br />
I saw <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiw1cYXQw4g" target="_blank">12 Years a Slave</a> last night - it was the most unrelentingly bleak cinematic experience of my life. The whole cinema audience was weeping and gasping throughout. When it ended my friend and I just walked to the bus stop in silence, not really knowing what to say. Go see it immediately! Make sure you take a friend for emotional support.<br />
<br />
Not in the mood for psychologically traumatising films? Here's some interesting reading:<br />
<br />
- <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/wild_things/2013/12/20/coke_s_polar_bears_film_adorable_but_the_biology_is_all_wrong.html" target="_blank">The Coca-Cola polar bear adverts are apparently a lie</a>. This is upsetting to me.<br />
<br />
- Skirt lengths, hoodies and Muslim veils - all have been the subject of restrictive, and often controversial, laws. <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-25127293" target="_blank">Read about fashion laws and how they've changed </a>from 7th century BC Greece to today.<br />
<br />
- <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/culture/2013/12/sweet-morsels-a-history-of-the-chocolate-chip-cookie.html" target="_blank">A history of the chocolate chip cookie</a>?! Hell yeah!<br />
<br />
- I've read a lot of reviews of Martin Scorsese's latest film, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iszwuX1AK6A" target="_blank">Wolf of Wall Street</a>, but this article, <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2013/12/20/wolf_of_wall_street_is_a_whitewash_martin_scorsese_and_leonardo_dicaprio.html" target="_blank">arguing that the film doesn't go far enough in criticising the reality of wall street</a>, offers a unique perspective. <br />
<br />
- <a href="http://www.thewire.com/global/2013/12/danish-cinnamon-rolls-are-dangerously-cinnamony-says-eu/356523/" target="_blank">Apparently Danish cinnamon rolls are dangerously cinnamon-y</a> - why did no one tell me that cinnamon was potentially dangerous?! I've been scoffing these bad boys like nobody's business and now I'm genuinely concerned for my future wellbeing.<br />
<br />
- I had no idea that <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2013/12/27/academics_hide_snarky_clever_comments_in_the_acknowledgments_sections_of.html" target="_blank">academics hid snarky comments in their acknowledgements</a> - these are hilarious! I will now pay far more attention when reading academic journals.<br />
<br />
- I've always been amused by how specific some of the Netflix categories are. I regularly get recommendations from the "films featuring a strong female lead based on a book" category (blame Jane Austen). One intrepid film geek undertook the arduous task of analysing the Netflix categories and <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/01/how-netflix-reverse-engineered-hollywood/282679/" target="_blank">has written a really interesting article about what these categorisations can tell us about films, Hollywood and how we consume media</a>. I realise it's a pretty niche topic for an article but if you're a film geek, you'll undoubtedly find it fascinating. Nelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09944315921283354025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6287957413285512345.post-40228335946028776072013-12-22T10:53:00.000-08:002013-12-22T10:53:29.370-08:00Bits and BobsI moved flat this weekend - for the fourth time this year! But this time it's for good (at least for a very, very long time). All this moving is exhausting. I'm glad to have moved in time for Christmas though - it means I can enjoy Christmas day with my family without worrying about flat stuff. The new flat doesn't have the internet though which is pretty painful for me. How am I supposed to know what's going on in the world without the internet?<br />
<br />
Well, here's what I've been reading this last week:<br />
<br />
- This <a href="http://www.thewire.com/global/2013/12/worldwide-wind-simulation-will-put-you-trance/356232/" target="_blank">live, worldwide wind simulation is pretty awesome </a>(and oddly therapeutic). Position the globe so that the Antarctic is in the centre of your screen and it looks pretty cool.<br />
<br />
- Here's a fascinating article about <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2013/12/sculpture_on_the_moon_paul_van_hoeydonck_s_fallen_astronaut.html" target="_blank">putting a sculpture on the moon</a>. It's a shame that the whole endeavour became marred with politics, money and scandal because I love art and I love the idea of art being a part of the space programme.<br />
<br />
- <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_eye/2013/12/13/swiss_artist_sipho_mabona_designs_a_life_size_origami_elephant.html" target="_blank">Life-size Origami elephant</a>?! Yes please!<br />
<br />
- This <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2013/12/the_hobbit_and_lord_of_the_rings_movies_new_zealand_was_the_wrong_filming.html" target="_blank">article articulates what I have thought for a long time </a>regarding the Lord of the Rings and, more recently, the Hobbit films - New Zealand, while beautiful, doesn't look like the Middle Earth that I had in mind when reading the books. Peter Jackson should have stuck with the landscapes that Tolkien had in mind when filming: the dank and old countryside of Yorkshire and Ireland.<br />
<br />
- <a href="http://www.lastwordonnothing.com/2013/01/17/5266/" target="_blank">I love this article about writing about women in science</a>. By focusing on their gender, we do a disservice to their contributions to science. This is obviously applicable to women in all male-dominated fields but this article is wonderfully argued.<br />
<br />
- I've often heard/ read that Marilyn Monroe was a size 14. Usually this little factoid is trotted out every time someone wants to say something about body acceptance or the need for greater diversity in Hollywood or fashion. However, as someone who has seen numerous Marilyn outfits at assorted Hollywood costume exhibitions, I know that this is a lie. Marilyn Monroe was tiny! <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/doonan/2012/01/was_marilyn_monroe_fat_her_secrets_revealed_.html" target="_blank">Here's an article looking at the myth of Marilyn's body size</a> and why her love of books is more important than her dress size.<br />
<br />
- There are so, so many articles every week about <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennials" target="_blank">Millenials</a>. However these articles are always about the Millenials living in the Western, liberal world (mostly America) and lack any kind of global context. This great (and somewhat depressing) article tries to remedy this oversight by <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/12/what-happens-when-a-millenial-becomes-a-refugee/282467/" target="_blank">looking at the Millenials coming of age in Syria</a>.<br />
<br />
Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas!Nelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09944315921283354025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6287957413285512345.post-16053052395853505562013-12-19T13:43:00.001-08:002013-12-19T13:43:59.825-08:00Criticising the Hobbit and Exploring Tolkien's Feminist Credentials
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0cm;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
@page WordSection1
{size:595.0pt 842.0pt;
margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt;
mso-header-margin:35.4pt;
mso-footer-margin:35.4pt;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_BqB3T_IPzk/UrNodrQXJFI/AAAAAAAAAjY/dEcPJTbNqoQ/s1600/P1020518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_BqB3T_IPzk/UrNodrQXJFI/AAAAAAAAAjY/dEcPJTbNqoQ/s640/P1020518.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">I saw the new Hobbit film, The Desolation of Smaug, yesterday and I, unsurprisingly, have opinions. I’m a huge fan of Tolkien’s books and I
think when you’re a fan of a book you can have two responses when that
book is then adapted into a film: either you hate it irrespective of quality
because no film can ever compare to the film that played out in your head when
you were reading OR you love it despite its flaws because you’re just so
pleased to return to a world that engrossed you for hours. I suspect that I
probably fall into the latter category because I could tell that the film was flawed (so very, very flawed)
but I still found myself enjoying it.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The first Hobbit film was infamous for
making people sick with its super high definition, frenetic camera work and its
frantically paced action scenes. This film is definitely an improvement in this
regard but Peter Jackson still makes some odd choices with the shooting of
certain scenes.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The constantly moving camera in some
sections is disorientating. The camera will sweep, while pivoting, over characters
as they move through scenes, making it virtually impossible to follow the
characters or the action. I don’t remember this being a problem for the Lord of
the Things trilogy but the swooshing, swirling camera is frustratingly
persistent here. Why has Peter Jackson suddenly decided that dizzying camera
movements are the way forward?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">And when did Peter Jackson get so keen on
close-ups? There are so many shots of people’s faces really, really up close
and I can’t quite figure out what these shots are supposed to show except that
Peter Jackson has a really nifty camera.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Cinematographic criticism aside, what about
the actual story? After the first Hobbit, I don’t think anyone was really
surprised that this second film is not particularly faithful to the book. I
personally don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing. The 1999 film adaptation
of Mansfield Park, starring Frances O’Connor and Jonny Lee Miller, is such a
poor adaptation of Jane Austen's novel that I tend to think of it as ‘inspired by’ the
novel rather than an actual adaptation. I can still enjoy it as an
Austen-inspired, regency romp, just not as a book adaptation.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">I think it’s best to view the Hobbit films
in the same way. The original book is pretty short so by making the decision to
turn it into three films, it is inevitable that there’s going to be a lot of
additional stuff thrown in there. Most obviously, a lot of characters that were
not in the original book have been added to the films, like Radagast the Brown,
Galadriel and Legolas. But for the Desolution of Smaug they have not only added
Tolkein characters where they don’t belong, they’ve invented a whole new
character! A lady elf!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The introduction of a new female character
was a welcome move to me. As much as I love Tolkien’s books, they are woefully
devoid of female characters. I was really surprised while reading an interview
with Hobbit screenwriter, Philippa Boyens, when she said that, “Tolkien writes
brilliantly for women.” Really?! Has Philippa Boyens actually read Tolkien?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">When the Lord of the Rings books were made
into a film trilogy, the female characters of the books were all substantially
bolstered. This makes sense because modern audiences and critics expect the
inclusion of female characters, even if they are often rather shallow. A lot of time and energy is spent <a href="http://www.thewire.com/entertainment/2013/08/beyond-bechdel-test-two-new-ways-looking-movies/68563/" target="_blank">dissecting the portrayal of women in films</a> and Swedish cinemas have just <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/nov/06/swedish-cinemas-bechdel-test-films-gender-bias" target="_blank">introduced a film rating that judges a film on its gender bia</a>s. So Peter
Jackson wisely took the virtually non-existent female characters from the books
and made them into actual characters.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Out of all the female characters, Arwen is
the one that is altered the most from books to films. That epic horse chase
with Arwen carrying an ailing Frodo away from the Nazgul? Not in the book.
Arwen’s internal conflict over whether she should go with her fellow elves to
Valinor or stay in Middle Earth? Also no. Arwen is a complete non-entity in the
books. Other characters mention her and how beautiful she is but that’s pretty
much it. So I have no problem with Peter Jackson plonking her in an action sequence
and giving her an internal conflict over her future.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Galadriel’s role is essentially the same in
the books and the film. Galadriel is adored because she’s beautiful – that’s
pretty much it.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">And then of course we have Eowyn. Eowyn is a
sword wielding, Witch-King killing badass in both the books and the films, it’s
just that her part is obviously bolstered in the films. Eowyn feels stifled by
the gender expectations of her society, she’s good with a sword, and she defies
her father to go to battle. So you could perhaps argue that Eowyn shows that
Tolkein can write feminist characters but you would be wrong. At the end of
Return of the King, Eowyn meets Faramir, they fall hastily in love, and Eowyn
declares that her days of shield maiden-ing are over. The book makes it sound
like being a badass is just a phase that women go through while waiting for the
perfect man to turn up.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Peter Jackson made the right choices in the
Lord of the Rings films in bolstering the roles of the female characters and I
think the introduction of the female elf character, Tauriel, in the Desolation
of Smaug was a good idea as well. And they haven’t just added a token female
character; she’s actually quite interesting. She’s a competent fighter who can
hold her own like any of the male characters and she’s conflicted in her
responsibility to her people vs her desire to help the people beyond the borders
of her home. Since the Hobbit films have A LOT of characters, she’s about as
developed as she could be. I just hope she’s developed through the next film
and not just sidelined and forgotten. </span></span></div>
Nelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09944315921283354025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6287957413285512345.post-80612934815510819142013-12-16T05:52:00.001-08:002013-12-16T05:52:03.077-08:00Bits and Bobs<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This Bits and Bobs post is a little late because I spent the weekend with friends in Nottingham and didn't touch a laptop or peruse the internet once (which was nice for a change). It is perilously close to Christmas - trying not to panic about all the things I still need to do. Here are some interesting things from the last week to check out:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/business_insider/2013/12/06/_1993_independent_article_about_osama_bin_laden.html" target="_blank">This 1993 article about Osama Bin Laden is mental</a>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- Here's a <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2013/12/09/white_heterosexual_men_can_t_have_friends_gender_norms_are_to_blame.html" target="_blank">fascinating article looking at male friendship</a> and why men don't have close friends in the same way that women do.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- These <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/atlas_obscura/2013/12/09/ice_castles_and_snow_sculptures_at_the_harbin_ice_and_snow_festival_in_china.html" target="_blank">ice sculptures and ice buildings are amazing</a>!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- I love these <a href="http://www.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2013/12/belle-epoque-style-psas-rude-parisian-subway-rider/7831/" target="_blank">very classy, very French posters</a> giving instructions on how not to be insufferable on the underground</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- Read this article if you've ever told anyone that <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/lexicon_valley/2013/12/10/oxford_comma_sky_news_tweet_suggests_that_obama_and_castro_have_set_a_date.html" target="_blank">the Oxford comma is unnecessary</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- This folk cover of <a href="http://www.vulture.com/2013/12/watch-oscar-isaac-sing-a-folk-cover-of-roar.html" target="_blank">Katy Perry's 'Roar' is great</a> - I wish it was the whole song and not just the first verse.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- Perusing the Everyday Sexism Project website can be pretty disheartening but these <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/womens-blog/2013/dec/06/best-comebacks-sexist-comments-everyday-sexism" target="_blank">comebacks to harassment are hilarious</a>. I am definitely going to try the last one.</span>Nelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09944315921283354025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6287957413285512345.post-78091241599522406622013-12-12T16:29:00.001-08:002013-12-12T16:33:31.374-08:00Is Smog Egalitarian? Chinese State Media Seems to Think so<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jUXyBSoPb1Q/UqpTnST-sbI/AAAAAAAAAjI/qUvDOQSP30o/s1600/P1010816.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jUXyBSoPb1Q/UqpTnST-sbI/AAAAAAAAAjI/qUvDOQSP30o/s640/P1010816.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<h4 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">China as depicted by Disney World - it may be fake but at least my lungs are safe...</span></span></span></span></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">There’s been a lot of news coverage
recently of the <a href="http://www.salon.com/2013/12/06/flights_canceled_as_record_air_pollution_chokes_shanghai/" target="_blank">terrible pollution problem being endured in a number of Chinese citie</a>s. On 6 December, the highest possible health warning for Shanghai was
issued, with pollution levels reaching 20 times what the UN deems safe for
humans to breathe in. Flights were cancelled, children were forced indoors and
visibility was reduced to mere metres.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">To put a merry spin on this epic public
health crisis, CCTV, the state television network, has published a column
<a href="http://www.salon.com/2013/12/09/chinese_state_media_smog_promotes_equality/" target="_blank">outlining five ‘unexpected gains’ brought by the smog</a>. These include: smog has united
the public against a common enemy, it’s given the nation time to reflect on the
consequences of its economic boom and, my personal favourite, everyone’s sense
of humour is coming out as people turn to jokes and sarcasm to deflect from the
crisis. Western media outlets are finding the whole list a bit hilarious since
it seems somewhat absurd to think that health-ravishing haze is improving
Chinese people’s English-language skills (number five on the list).</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Out of all the points though, for me, the
most interesting was number two: the suggestion that air pollution is a great
equalizer, poisoning the lungs of both the rich and the poor. The idea that
massive environmental catastrophes are egalitarian is one that I’ve encountered
numerous times, most notably in the work of esteemed sociologist, Ulrich Beck.
However despite this argument being quite widespread, it’s also incorrect.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">In Beck’s renowned book, Risk Society, he defines
the current late modern age as one in which human and technological productivity
has led to the reduction of material need. However the growing productive forces
of modernisation have also unleashed new hazards and potential threats. The
threats that characterise late modernity are things such as radioactivity, toxins
and pollutants that evade human perception. They cause systematic,
geographically dispersed harm but are mainly invisible. So, for example, while
a volcanic eruption is a highly visible and localised event, radiation is
invisible and its effects far-reaching.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">In agreement with the Chinese television
network, Beck also argues that late modern risks are egalitarian. As he pithily
surmises: “poverty is hierarchic, smog is democratic.” Smog clouds don’t
distinguish between rich lungs and poor lungs, they poison each equally. Beck
concedes that wealth and class do play a part in the distribution of risks. For
example, risks from radiation and toxic chemicals are connected to working in
industrial plants, work associated with the lower classes. However, ultimately,
the risks of late modernity are unavoidable irrespective of class due to their
invisibility and their wide reach.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Beck makes a good point that working in
certain industries will increase your exposure to risks and that these
occupations tend to be dominated by the lower social classes. However I think
Beck understates the ability of wealth to mitigate risk. Beck argues that, “in
the water supply all the social strata are connected to the same pipe.” But
what about all the rich people who can buy and import bottled water? Or all the
rich people who can move away from areas with toxins in the water or pollutants
in the air or encroaching sea levels, living instead in plush chalets on
idyllic mountain-sides? And while it’s true that smog poisons the rich and poor
equally, the rich can afford significantly better healthcare and thus the
consequences of the smog are reduced. Not only are risks not evenly distributed
but their consequences are not universally endured either.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">I realise that the CCTV column is just a
light-hearted attempt to bring some optimism to a grave situation but by
describing environmental disasters as egalitarian, it absolves the originators
of risks of their responsibility. The late modern, Western world creates most
of the world’s pollution and yet it’s the poorer countries that are paying for
it. While America and Europe unthinkingly pumps CO2 into the air, Bangladesh
and Thailand are struggling to cope with ever-rising sea levels and
increasingly catastrophic natural disasters. Describing environmental
catastrophes as equalisers suggests that we all bear equal burden for resolving
the disaster but it’s the wealthy, polluting nations that are creating the
risks and therefore they should be the ones striving to nullify them.</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span>
</div>
Nelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09944315921283354025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6287957413285512345.post-66586845711286022412013-12-10T19:05:00.001-08:002014-02-12T15:58:15.799-08:00Why The Hunger Games are a Terrible Method for Political Control<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0cm;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
p.MsoListParagraph, li.MsoListParagraph, div.MsoListParagraph
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
margin-top:0cm;
margin-right:0cm;
margin-bottom:0cm;
margin-left:36.0pt;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0cm;
margin-right:0cm;
margin-bottom:0cm;
margin-left:36.0pt;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0cm;
margin-right:0cm;
margin-bottom:0cm;
margin-left:36.0pt;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0cm;
margin-right:0cm;
margin-bottom:0cm;
margin-left:36.0pt;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
@page WordSection1
{size:612.0pt 792.0pt;
margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt;
mso-header-margin:36.0pt;
mso-footer-margin:36.0pt;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:878736932;
mso-list-type:hybrid;
mso-list-template-ids:169618846 67698703 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-18.0pt;}
@list l0:level2
{mso-level-number-format:alpha-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-18.0pt;}
@list l0:level3
{mso-level-number-format:roman-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:right;
text-indent:-9.0pt;}
@list l0:level4
{mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-18.0pt;}
@list l0:level5
{mso-level-number-format:alpha-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-18.0pt;}
@list l0:level6
{mso-level-number-format:roman-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:right;
text-indent:-9.0pt;}
@list l0:level7
{mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-18.0pt;}
@list l0:level8
{mso-level-number-format:alpha-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-18.0pt;}
@list l0:level9
{mso-level-number-format:roman-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:right;
text-indent:-9.0pt;}
ol
{margin-bottom:0cm;}
ul
{margin-bottom:0cm;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t0b83yJXqOM/UvwKTxRR3eI/AAAAAAAAAlk/PCTCuq2oYKA/s1600/FOUCAULT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t0b83yJXqOM/UvwKTxRR3eI/AAAAAAAAAlk/PCTCuq2oYKA/s1600/FOUCAULT.jpg" height="458" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<h3 style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Foucault is judging you Susan Collins...</span></span> </span></span></h3>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">So I saw the latest Hunger Games film,
Catching Fire, this past weekend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As
someone who dislikes children and loves war, this is pretty much the ideal
franchise for me. I also love a good dystopia. In fact I think dystopia may be
one of my favourite genres.</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">But while I think the films are great, the actual
Hunger Games, as a method for political control, are a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">terrible</i> idea.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">For those who haven’t seen the Hunger Games
films or read the books, the continent of Panem is run by a totalitarian regime
centred at the Capitol and surrounded by 12 impoverished districts. As
punishment for a past revolt, every year a boy and a girl ('tributes') are picked at random
and sent to the Capitol to fight to the death in the titular Hunger Games. </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">This is an utterly ridiculous method for
maintaining political control. Why take <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">children</i></b> as tributes? Why make them
fight to the death? Why have a victor rather than just killing them all?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">To answer these questions, lets take a look
at the sociologist, Foucault, who wrote a lot about punishment and systems of
power. </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">According to Foucault, for executions to be
effective as political tools, they require three things:</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></div>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">A public confession of guilt.
Punishment cannot be seen as random or capricious; it needs to be linked to the
guilt of the perpetrator.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Linking the punishment to the
crime. So, for example, scaffold for hangings was constructed near or at the
location at which the original crime had taken place, thus linking the
punishment with the crime geographically. Another method for linking the
punishment with the crime was the use of ‘symbolic’ punishment. Blasphemers had
their tongues cut out or murderers had a hand removed.</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Spectacle; It was important to
see the criminal suffer.</span></span>
</li>
</ol>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">So obviously the Hunger Games has the
spectacle part sorted. The games are televised and there’s a big build-up
before the games with processions and tv interviews. The tributes have their
own stylists and they are tarted up and paraded in front of the frothing
spectators of the capital. The Hunger Games themselves are also spectacular in
their raw brutality. Foucault explains that the spectacle of the public
execution has an obvious political use because it shows that the sovereign is all-powerful
and capable of unleashing his or her mighty wrath upon the guilty. When a criminal
breaks the law, it is not just a crime but an attack on the sovereign whose
responsibility it is to introduce and uphold law and order. A punishment is
therefore an act of the sovereign and a public punishment is a visible
demonstration of the sovereign’s power. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">But the other two components are largely absent
from the hunger games.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">There is no confession of guilt because the
children cannot possibly be guilty for a rebellion that happened 70 odd years
ago. The tributes are also picked at random which further diminishes their
culpability for the crime for which they are being brutally punished. Punishing
the children can therefore only ever be seen as unfair. You could argue that
the districts have some sort of collective guilt that’s passed through the
generations but this implies a superstitious or religious society (i.e. a
belief that there is a ‘soul’ or some other ethereal entity beyond the physical
body which can be tainted) which doesn’t fit with Collins’s portrayal of Panem
as a largely secular society.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Finally, there doesn’t seem to be a
particular link between the punishment and the crime. There certainly isn’t a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">geographical</i></b>
link because the location of the games changes each time. You could maybe argue
that it’s fitting for the districts to be forced to fight each other since they
tried to fight the Capitol but this seems a bit of a symbolic stretch. The
format of the games seems to be completely divorced from the rebellion for which
they are apparently a reminder.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">So the hunger games only fulfills one of
the three essential elements that Foucault lists for a politically effective
execution.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">In the first film, there is a scene between President Snow and
Seneca Crane, the Head Gamemaker, where they discuss why the hunger games are
used. President Snow says something about how giving people hope, but not too
much hope, is what keeps people in line. He offers no evidence or reasoning
behind this somewhat bizarre claim and were I Crane I would have insisted that
Snow provided a more detailed explanation of his theory (ideally with
appropriate citations and references). </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Unfortunately, Crane does not challenge
Snow into providing a more intellectually rigourous explanation for his seriously
underdeveloped theory of political control. Instead Crane changes the rules of
the game so that two tributes can win the games instead of one. Thus Peeta and
Katniss can both win. This is, ostensibly, to give people hope because everyone
loves a romance story. But the rules are then inexplicably rescinded right at
the end of the games so that one of them has to kill the other. What is this
madness?! There is no way you could make this sort of last minute rule change
without invoking everyone’s collective ire. Having changed the rules to allow
for two victors, you can’t just change the rules again because this kind of
capricious application of rules just offends people’s socially conditioned
sense of fairness.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">So I guess the conclusion is that the
Hunger Games is a great film about a highly flawed political tool. Perhaps
President Snow should take a gander at Foucault, then he would know that, “the
great spectacle of punishment runs the risk of being rejected by the very
people to whom it is addressed.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Bibliography:</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Go read Foucault's 'Discipline and Punish' - it's awesome... </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span>
</div>
Nelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09944315921283354025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6287957413285512345.post-33242850618382443882013-12-08T07:17:00.000-08:002013-12-08T07:17:02.955-08:00Bits and Bobs<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This last week has been pretty grim but I'm sure next week will be better. I have my first ever Office Christmas party, which I think will be fun (free food!), and then I've taken the second half of the week off so I can frolic in London's fairy-light festooned streets. I am yet to start Christmas shopping - beginning to panic a little.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- Want to see <a href="http://www.theatlanticcities.com/arts-and-lifestyle/2013/12/louvre-and-guggenheim-recreated-gingerbread/7749/" target="_blank">famous art galleries recreated in gingerbread</a>? Yeah you do! Traditional gingerbread houses will now forever disappoint you.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- Check out these amazing photos of the <a href="http://www.salon.com/2013/12/02/rare_spectacular_photos_show_the_grand_canyon_filled_to_the_brim_with_fog/" target="_blank">Grand Canyon filled with fog </a>- apparently a pretty rare occurrence requiring very specific weather conditions.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- Here's an interesting article about <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2013/12/03/buzzfeed_and_elan_gale_s_internet_hoax_too_good_to_check.html" target="_blank">fact checking online media </a>and whether we are seeing a drop in journalistic standards now that new sites are just copying stuff off twitter rather than carrying out traditional investigative journalism.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- I thought this was an interesting comparison: over at The Cut they have <a href="http://nymag.com/thecut/2013/11/patty-carroll-women.html" target="_blank">photos of women draped and camouflaged in their homes</a> whereas at The Guardian, they have <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2013/dec/02/hidden-mothers-victorian-photography-in-pictures" target="_blank">photos of women hidden behind curtains</a> to get their children to stay still for photos. I thought it was interesting how very similar these two sets of photos are despite having two very different intents. Maybe it shows that homes and children are both equally capable of making women invisible.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- You have to see these <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/atlas_obscura/2013/12/05/jigokudani_park_in_japan_has_a_thermal_spa_for_snow_monkeys.html" target="_blank">photos of monkeys relaxing in a hot spring in Japan</a> - genuinely made my week.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2013/12/04/female_gamers_and_masculine_marketers_polygon_s_history_of_the_sexist_selling.html" target="_blank">Why are computer games the domain of men</a>? Slate looks at home limited marketing budgets in the early days of computer consoles forced companies to focus on only one demographic and so they emphasised the masculinity of games. Now that women are increasingly playing computer games, marketing is having to change to accommodate this change.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/the-hardwired-difference-between-male-and-female-brains-could-explain-why-men-are-better-at-map-reading-8978248.html" target="_blank">This report about so-called 'natural' differences in the brains of men and women</a> has been popping up all over the internet this week. <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2013/12/hard_wired_brain_differences_critique_of_male_female_neuroscience_imaging.html" target="_blank">This article is probably the best critique of the report I've come across</a>. It's always good to remember not to just accept scientific reports as fact just because we put a lot of stock in the infallibility of scientists. </span>Nelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09944315921283354025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6287957413285512345.post-36162114192914501552013-12-04T14:42:00.000-08:002013-12-04T14:42:35.229-08:00Why is J Crew so Popular? Bloomberg Businessweek gets it wrong<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ISeyV9aYJWU/Up-u3m0ZWgI/AAAAAAAAAis/7fTg0IaqAc8/s1600/DSCN0185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="442" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ISeyV9aYJWU/Up-u3m0ZWgI/AAAAAAAAAis/7fTg0IaqAc8/s640/DSCN0185.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-11-27/j-dot-crew-in-britain-fashion-brand-takes-american-style-global#p1" target="_blank">This article came out a week ago</a> but I've only just discovered it and it has made me grumpy. So J Crew has just opened its first store outside the US in good ol' London-town. As a lover of overpriced preppy clothing, this was pretty exciting for me. Bloomberg Businessweek's magazine covered J Crew's London opening as its cover story for this week and I think it's pretty poor.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The first paragraph describes the store's opening night party and the people seen perusing the bejewelled cashmere and velvet loafers. In describing the British shop patrons, Emma Rosenblum comments that everyone's hair "is chicly disheveled, as are their teeth." Oh, how amusing! It's a joke about British dental care! Well that's original... Once Rosenblum has got the obligatory, 'hilarious' national stereotype joke out of the way, she can move on to discuss fashion while demonstrating no understanding of the history or context of the fashion industry. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Rosenblum goes on and on about J Crew's 'American Style' and how grateful Londoners should be now that J Crew has decided to export its 'American Style' to the fashion deprived shores of Europe. This is obviously madness. J Crew's style is so British it's utterly ridiculous to suggest that J Crew is bringing a new style of American garb to London. What typifies the J Crew style? Generally - tweed jackets, leather boat shoes, Oxford shirts, cable-knit jumpers and schoolboy satchels. Essentially, J Crew shoppers want to dress like they attend a British boarding school. So how is this an American style? Rosenblum even mentions hand-knit Fair Isle sweaters as a staple of the J Crew style; she realises that Fair Isle is in the UK right? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">What also annoyed me, and which shows a worrying lack of market research from a company planning on embarking on a sizeable expansion in the UK, is the suggestion that J Crew is bringing a better shopping experience to the UK. According to the article, J Crew suffered 'staffing issues' with their new UK stores. J Crew prides itself on the 'store experience' and, apparently, it has been hard to find the right salespeople in the UK. In the Bloomberg article, Jenna Lyons (J Crew's Executive Creative Director) elaborates on these issues by saying that for a superior store experience, sales assistants need to be more proactive. Assistants can't just stand around; they need to suggest alternative items and encourage shoppers to check out stock online. Therefore the team has imported staff from America to train British employees how to be more engaging with the customer. I find this frustrating because American salespeople are unbearably irritating. It's impossible to go into a shop in the US without being immediately surrounded by pushy, chattering, grinning shop assistants. No, I don't want you to "set up a dressing room" for me. No, I don't need help with sizing. Just bugger off and let me shop in peace! And I don't know a single other British person who doesn't find American shop assistants clingy and invasive. So I'm sorry J Crew but you do not offer a superior store experience, at least not to grumpy Brits who like their personal space and strongly dislike talking to strangers.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I don't want to belittle the amazing success of J Crew. I love J Crew and it has unquestionably become incredibly successful over recent years. But this article doesn't really explore what actually makes J Crew so popular. The article suggests that J Crew's success comes from the fact that it's selling a style that is completely new and American. J Crew is actually selling a fun, modern twist on old-fashioned European classics. J Crew sells traditional European garb (British and Scandinavian knitwear, Oxford shirts, British Saville Row suit tailoring, Italian leather shoes) but with quirky, modern touches. So you have your tweed jacket that looks like you just stepped off a Norfolk farm, but it has fluorescent pink piping and jazzy buttons. You have your Oxford blouse, but it has a jewelled collar. America is currently having an Anglophile moment. The raging popularity of Downton Abbey, Benedict Cumberbatch and pretty much anything produced by the BBC shows a definite trend in American culture of idolising Britishness. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The
article even compares J Crew to Brooks Brothers and Ralph Lauren, two
other labels that use an olde English aesthetic as their main selling
point. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I'm sure this trend will pass but for now, brands like J Crew are capitalising from America's yearning for a a whimsical interpretation of British heritage. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span>Nelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09944315921283354025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6287957413285512345.post-82200941546754190092013-12-02T13:12:00.000-08:002013-12-02T13:12:02.848-08:00Bits and Bobs<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This Bits and Bobs post is a little late thanks to a pretty hectic weekend. My American flatmate has brought Thanksgiving into my life and we spent all Saturday preparing for an epic feast (then Sunday sleeping it off). The turkey was perhaps the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Succulent, butter-roasted poultry aside, here are some interesting things I've read this week:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- A little confused about the recent negotiations with Iran? <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/11/is-the-iran-deal-obamas-nixon-in-china-moment/281798/" target="_blank">This article provides a nice summary</a>.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- The Atlantic has a really interesting article discussing how our environment can make us <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/11/why-were-sometimes-kind-without-reason/281556/" target="_blank">more prosocial, compassionate individuals</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- When watching Mad Men I can't help but be distracted by just how much everyone's smoking. Want to see the cigarettes in Mad Men replaced with party blowers? <a href="http://www.vulture.com/2013/11/mad-men-cigarettes-were-swapped-for-party-horns.html" target="_blank">Of course you do</a>!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- Are you excited for the new Hunger Games film? Here's an article looking at <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/technology/2012/03/the_hunger_games_could_a_real_country_have_an_economy_like_panem_s_.html" target="_blank">whether the economy of Panem is feasible in real life</a>. And if that's not enough to satisfy your Hunger Games cravings, here's a <a href="http://nymag.com/thecut/2013/11/qa-trish-summerville-on-hunger-games-costumes.html" target="_blank">really great interview with the costume designer for Catching Fire</a>. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- <a href="http://www.theatlanticcities.com/arts-and-lifestyle/2013/11/los-angeles-staged-opera-inside-its-biggest-train-station/7648/" target="_blank">An opera was staged inside an LA train station</a> - the pictures look epic. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3w_LMyvIug" target="_blank">I love Doctor Who with a fiery passion</a>. In honour of the recent 50th anniversary, here's a great article looking at the <a href="http://www.vulture.com/2013/11/25-defining-moments-from-50-years-of-doctor-who.html" target="_blank">top 25 Doctor Who moments from the last 50 years</a>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- Mental health and artistic genius seem to come hand in hand. But what about physical health? This fascinating article looks at how <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/11/how-important-is-lead-poisoning-to-becoming-a-legendary-artist/281734/" target="_blank">lead poisoning affected the great art legends</a>.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- Now that it's December, you may be planning on escaping the chill with a Christmas holiday. If you are, take a <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/atlas_obscura/2013/11/25/lukla_airport_in_nepal_is_the_world_s_scariest_airport.html" target="_blank">look at these pictures of the scariest airport in the world</a> and be thankful that Heathrow, while crowded and grim, is not perched precariously on a mountain.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- Remember when Rush Limbaugh thought that Batman: The Dark Knight Rises was <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyKadDVaw1I" target="_blank">an anti-capitalist, liberal conspiracy</a>? Well that was clearly madness. Didn't he realise that the hero of that film is an entrepreneurial millionaire whereas the ones fighting the banks are the villains? How is that undermining capitalism? Anyway, I was reminded of Limbaugh when I read <a href="http://www.salon.com/2013/11/30/superheroes_are_a_bunch_of_fascists/" target="_blank">this article discussing Superheroes and why they are fascists</a>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">And here's the most beautiful turkey I have ever encountered to explain why I was too busy this weekend (first too busy eating and then too busy in a food coma)...</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bxHHOk2us9Q/UpzzmOGQX9I/AAAAAAAAAic/cg6YA6rDlF4/s1600/P1020033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="345" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bxHHOk2us9Q/UpzzmOGQX9I/AAAAAAAAAic/cg6YA6rDlF4/s400/P1020033.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
Nelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09944315921283354025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6287957413285512345.post-46819125616973065252013-11-29T15:42:00.000-08:002013-11-29T15:42:56.326-08:00Greenwich Fun Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I took a few days off work this week to see some exhibitions that I've been wanting to see for awhile. This meant spending a lovely (though chilly) day wondering the streets of historic Greenwich.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-izS7HPF4EIc/UpkZCNJiLEI/AAAAAAAAAg8/wN-8xRFQDL0/s640/P1010958.JPG" width="360" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The beautiful Greenwich University. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-meKuFx_HXP8/UpkZKGHs1lI/AAAAAAAAAhE/VA2lwAzJyv4/s1600/P1010962.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-meKuFx_HXP8/UpkZKGHs1lI/AAAAAAAAAhE/VA2lwAzJyv4/s640/P1010962.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JJceIB0t5ks/UpkZR8JJL2I/AAAAAAAAAhM/jtY79su8wo8/s1600/P1010971.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JJceIB0t5ks/UpkZR8JJL2I/AAAAAAAAAhM/jtY79su8wo8/s640/P1010971.JPG" width="360" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">First destination was the Nelson, Navy, Nation exhibition at the National Maritime Museum. I thought this was a beautifully done exhibition. There was a lovely range of objects from uniforms to musical instruments, books, weapons and illustrations. There were some amazing paintings - the kind of massive canvasses where you have to step way back to take everything in. The light fixtures on the ceiling looked like sails which was a nice touch. While I thought this was a great exhibition, if you're not that into naval history or war, you should probably give this one a miss. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M_TBrOXFAtU/UpkZUEErGfI/AAAAAAAAAhU/8bqgzFeUeig/s1600/P1010976.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M_TBrOXFAtU/UpkZUEErGfI/AAAAAAAAAhU/8bqgzFeUeig/s640/P1010976.JPG" width="586" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Giant Palmier makes me happy...</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i-Ho-UPuwTc/Upkay3cdDOI/AAAAAAAAAiI/KQ2Yhkg2gNs/s1600/P1010985.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="420" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i-Ho-UPuwTc/Upkay3cdDOI/AAAAAAAAAiI/KQ2Yhkg2gNs/s640/P1010985.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> There were a lot of these lovely old naval lamps at the museum - it was a hipster dream!</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7VS1GlLIh-s/UpkZdSyZuLI/AAAAAAAAAhk/hVPRWmo6RyY/s1600/P1020002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7VS1GlLIh-s/UpkZdSyZuLI/AAAAAAAAAhk/hVPRWmo6RyY/s640/P1020002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> The tulip staircase at the Queen's House at the National Maritime Museum</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XRu-dWGCM3U/UpkZhGk8B0I/AAAAAAAAAhs/1YhzhnIoKlk/s1600/P1020004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XRu-dWGCM3U/UpkZhGk8B0I/AAAAAAAAAhs/1YhzhnIoKlk/s640/P1020004.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">After the Nelson exhibition, my flatmate and I went to the Turner exhibition. I was amazed at how wonderfully quiet this exhibition was; there was hardly anyone there which meant I got to wonder around in my own little world, surrounded by these huge Turner masterpieces. A large part of the exhibition was dedicated to Turner's watercolours which was a bit underwhelming since most of them were on loan from the Tate Britain so I'd already seen them there. The large canvasses were amazing of course. There wasn't much of his later work which I thought was unusual since those tend to be his most popular pieces.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i42-dZ_hZuc/UpkZs8gfTtI/AAAAAAAAAh0/I5oTEWLmdng/s1600/P1020009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i42-dZ_hZuc/UpkZs8gfTtI/AAAAAAAAAh0/I5oTEWLmdng/s640/P1020009.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Beautiful painted ceiling in the Queen's House at the National Maritime Museum.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pT5ddj924oU/UpkZxDwtqAI/AAAAAAAAAh8/KyymyKgJo28/s1600/P1020011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pT5ddj924oU/UpkZxDwtqAI/AAAAAAAAAh8/KyymyKgJo28/s640/P1020011.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I also went to the Georgian Britain exhibition at the British Library. This exhibition was beautiful. I'm a big map nerd and there were some beautiful old maps of London. Opera music was being played throughout the exhibition which I thought was a nice touch; I don't know why more exhibitions don't have atmospheric music. And, of course, I can't possibly go to the British Museum without buying cupcakes from Peyton and Byrne. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">If I had to choose one of the three exhibitions to recommend - I'd probably go for the Turner exhibition. Greenwich might be a bit of a trek but some of the paintings on display are some of the most stunning paintings ever made by man. A lot of the paintings there were also from private collections which means that this is probably you're only chance to see them before they're secreted away.</span>Nelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09944315921283354025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6287957413285512345.post-12777947791075529372013-11-26T16:50:00.000-08:002013-11-26T16:50:21.248-08:00The Internet is not (just) for Porn<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Anyone who knows me knows that I am frequently annoyed by people saying stupid things on the internet. Most of the time when I encounter something moronic, I just ignore it and carry on with my life. Occasionally, I'll vocalise my frustration to whomever happens to be in proximity to me when I'm perusing the internet (thank you Anna, my lovely flatmate, for your unending patience in the face of my internet-fueled ranting). And sometimes, when I encounter something really egregious, I'll write a response. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The other day, while reading The Guardian's otherwise estimable new coverage, I came across an article containing three paragraphs that are just so very wrong that I'm pretty certain I audibly gasped. <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/nov/19/intenet-sexual-culture-resisted-in-real-world" target="_blank">The article in question looks at the censoring of child porn images</a> on the internet and how censoring is only a first step which must be followed by action in the real world in order to adequately protect children from predators. The article overall is pretty inoffensive and I don't really have any objections to the argument put forward by Jackie Ashley.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">But what I do object to is the article's opening three paragraphs which describe the internet in such sensationalist terms that I momentarily thought I was accidentally reading the Daily Mail. Jackie Ashley describes the internet as such a hotbed of corruption and sexual deviancy that I can't help but wonder what kind of sites Ashley is perusing. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Ashley starts her article by lamenting that, "there's something very sad about what has happened to the internet." She then follows this statement by painting an image of a bygone time when the internet was "a cornucopia of democratic wonders", making knowledge and independent entertainment freely available to the masses. However, instead of ushering in a new era of enlightenment and freedom of information, the internet has just unleashed an unending stream of paedophiles and sexualisation of children. The reader is urged to remember "that earlier, optimistic vision" of the internet rather than the sex-filled internet of today. This is a massive oversimplification of the wonderful diversity in information and entertainment available on the internet. While Ashley's article seeks to discuss the important topic of how best to protect children from sexual predation, she undermines herself by making shrill, tabloid-style proclamations about the degeneracy of society at the hands of the malicious internet.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I will be the first to admit that there are some utter cretins roaming the internet. Think of the <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/news/jane-austen-currency-fight-turns-abusive-on-twitter/" target="_blank">horrific internet backlash experienced by the women who campaigned to get Jane Austen on the £10 note</a>. Or how about this blog post from former National Review columnist, John Derbyshire, which argues that <a href="http://www.vdare.com/articles/john-derbyshire-on-abolitionist-porn-and-antebellum-economics" target="_blank">slavery in the US wasn't actually that bad of a deal for the slaves</a>. Or how about this man who <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2013/11/25/playroom_on_ps4_sony_s_new_playstation_4_hosted_what_looks_like_sexual_abuse.html" target="_blank">stripped his unconscious wife and bared all to the internet via webcam</a>. But to conclude from this that the internet is "all about predatory paedophiles" is just wrong. And by saying that the internet has failed in its original vision to "bring the best information and entertainment to the billions" is doing a disservice to the intelligent, innovative and creative minds currently doing exactly that. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">There is an amazing and ever-expanding treasure trove of education-related entertainment being produced. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/Vihart?feature=watch" target="_blank">There's Vihart's youtube channel</a> which wittily and artistically explains mathematical concepts, from the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahXIMUkSXX0" target="_blank">Fibonacci sequence</a> to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1E7I7_r3Cw" target="_blank">Pythagoras and irrational numbers</a>. Her videos are as intellectually stimulating as they are visually arresting. Or how about <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/crashcourse" target="_blank">Crash Course</a> which has hundreds of videos covering topics including the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thnDxFdkzZs" target="_blank">history of atomic theory</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UL1jmJaUkaQ" target="_blank">stoichiometry</a>, the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4WwhOdk_Eg&list=PL8dPuuaLjXtOeEc9ME62zTfqc0h6Pe8vb" target="_blank">poetry of Emily Dickinson</a> and the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-mkVSasZIM&list=PLBDA2E52FB1EF80C9" target="_blank">Peloponnesian War</a>. The comments sections on both of these channels are some of the most civilised I have ever encountered. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Ashley's claims that the internet has failed to democratise tycoon-driven media empires overlooks the amazing range and quality of independently created media available on the internet. There are countless media channels available, covering <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/sxephil" target="_blank">current affairs</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2K5N5EKLHs&list=PLDF87AA551861419D" target="_blank">film critique</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utIl6b5-KPE" target="_blank">comedy shorts</a>. I posted a few weeks ago about how the internet is <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeeXkf8LZ_8" target="_blank">retelling classic stories in fascinating and more inclusive ways</a>. And the variety of mind-blowing, independently-produced music is incredible. How about Peter Hollens' <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VQG92nsOKI" target="_blank">incredible acapella songs</a>. Or Pentatonix's <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lExW80sXsHs" target="_blank">beautiful musical arrangements</a> that are bursting with enthusiasm. Or Lindsey Stirling, the dubstep violinist, making classical music accessible to the social media generation.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/0g9poWKKpbU?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The internet is being awesome in ways that Ashley probably doesn't even realise because I get the impression that she doesn't actually spend that much time getting involved in online projects or communities. There are huge online communities of like-minded individuals that are <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V15-tBiVzrE" target="_blank">making genuine contributions to improving the lives of the less fortunate</a>. On a more personal note, when I was freaking out over medical tests that I needed for health problems that my doctor had trouble diagnosing (I was utterly convinced I had cancer), <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rr8wIiypS_g" target="_blank">reading and watching testimonials</a> from other people living with chronic illnesses was incredibly comforting. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">So, yes, campaign for protections that will ensure that children are safe on the internet. But don't malign the internet as universally abhorrent because of a few unsavoury factions; it does a disservice to all the incredible and talented individuals using the internet to create and propagate amazing ideas and projects. </span>Nelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09944315921283354025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6287957413285512345.post-38764850347844982742013-11-23T10:48:00.000-08:002013-11-23T10:48:57.380-08:00Bits and BobsI've spent most of my Saturday napping. Hopefully you've been far more productive! Here's some interesting and have a wonderful week.<br />
<br />
- <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/atlas_obscura/2013/11/19/the_heidelberg_project_brings_color_art_and_controversy_to_a_decaying_part.html" target="_blank">The controversial Heidelberg Project</a> turns a decaying community in Detroit into a colourful, surrealist, work of art.<br />
<br />
- Anders Ramsell painted nearly 13,000 watercolours to make this <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2013/11/20/blade_runner_in_watercolor_watch_aquarelle_edition_by_anders_ramsell_video.html" target="_blank">34-minute paraphrased version of Blade Runner</a>. It's amazing and beautiful.<br />
<br />
- The Beckham recently donated some designer apparel to a charity shop to raise money for the victims of the recent Philippines typhoon. <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2013/nov/21/the-best-charity-shops-for-finding-celebrity-castoffs" target="_blank">Here's a list of the best charity shops</a> to frequent when looking for designer gear.<br />
<br />
- The Atlantic has a really interesting article about <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2013/12/theyre-watching-you-at-work/354681/" target="_blank">massive data mining</a> and how it's changing employment. There's a section about names and CV bias that reminds me of a chapter from <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Freakonomics-Economist-Explores-Hidden-Everyt" target="_blank">Freakonomics</a>. I don't know if I find this sort of large-scale data analysis interesting or scary.<br />
<br />
- While we're on the theme of large-scale data analysis - here's an interesting article looking at how <a href="http://www.salon.com/2013/11/14/twitter_the_most_anthropologically_useful_tool_of_our_time_newscred/" target="_blank">anthropologists use twitter to study movement patterns</a>.<br />
<br />
- Do you want to read about the kinky sex lives of spies? <a href="http://nymag.com/thecut/2013/11/sex-lives-of-spies-are-stranger-than-fiction.html" target="_blank">Of course you do</a>! <br />
<br />
- Film special effects these days are pretty spectacular but here are <a href="http://www.vulture.com/2013/11/4-movie-special-effects-that-still-dont-look-right.html" target="_blank">some things that still don't look right</a>. For me, I always think that flying looks odd in a film - no matter how great the other special effects are.Nelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09944315921283354025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6287957413285512345.post-21076785383978918842013-11-21T14:09:00.003-08:002013-11-21T14:09:46.132-08:00War Between Women<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tdbE7o9JEqE/Uo6EELd0tpI/AAAAAAAAAgs/EYI0I0LVP3I/s1600/Law+Ball.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="572" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tdbE7o9JEqE/Uo6EELd0tpI/AAAAAAAAAgs/EYI0I0LVP3I/s640/Law+Ball.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Don't be fooled by the smiles; we all hate each other...sluts...</span></span></span></h2>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">A study was recently published in the journal, Aggressive Behaviour, which apparently shows that <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/11/the-evolution-of-bitchiness/281657/" target="_blank">women will act bitchy towards other women they see as promiscuous</a>. <a href="http://nymag.com/thecut/2013/11/women-are-so-confusing-about-aggression.html" target="_blank">Several websites have reported on the study but</a>, disappointingly, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/19/science/a-cold-war-fought-by-women.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0" target="_blank">haven't pointed out how epicly flawed it is</a>. In the study, 86 participants were left in a room with another woman (either a friend or a stranger) and told they would be contributing to a study on friendship. Instead they were interrupted by another woman. Half the women encountered a pretty, blonde woman in a blue t-shirt and sensible chinos. The other half encountered the same woman in a hot-pink, low-cut top, mini-skirt and knee-high boots. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The participants' reactions to this interloper were assessed according to a 'bitchiness' score of 1-10. The authors of the study, Vaillancourt and Sharma, found that the participants were more likely to be bitchy when the 'sexy' woman walked into the room and that their bitchiness was more pronounced when the participants were with friends, rather than strangers. The authors concluded that women stifle each other's sexuality through indirect aggression, bitchiness, because women use sex to negotiate with men and it is therefore in their best interest to punish promiscuous women to maintain a limited supply of sex. Vaillancourt's study is small but supposedly demonstrates slut-shaming in an experimental context. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">To me, the first, and most obvious, criticism is the very concept of a 'bitchiness score'. Observing someone's reactions and placing them on a 'scale of bitch' seems preposterously unscientific, even by psychology's standards. Is an eye-roll more bitchy than a laugh? Is a smirk more bitchy than a glare? And facial expressions may not always accurately portray someone's opinions. A participant may have an excellent poker face - that doesn't mean she's not thinking bitchy things. Given psychologists' propensity for questionnaires, why not use a carefully crafted questionnaire to quantify the participants' opinions rather than the far less rigourous method of observation? Of course observation can be an invaluable tool for scientists in experiments but you can't arbitrarily assign numbers to vague observations and then think you can make meaningful conclusions from an analysis of those numbers. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I also question whether the woman's differing outfits really convey what the authors want them to convey to the participants. 'Sexiness' is an incredibly subjective attribute. I don't think her outfit looks sexy, I think it looks immensely unflattering (hot-pink is no one's friend). And even if we were to decide that there is only one universally recognised standard of 'sexiness', sexy is not coterminous with promiscuous. I can think that someone is sexy and not think of them as a potential home-wrecker. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Even if we were to accept that bitchiness can be objectively measured, and that 'sexiness' and 'promiscuity' were both coterminous and universally recognised, the study still fails to show that women slut-shame other women because it excludes men. Various news sites have picked up on this study to conclude that there exists a war between women. But if men also show this same behaviour against people they perceive to be their sexual rivals, clearly we don't have a war between women but just war between people. <a href="http://evolution.binghamton.edu/evos/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/personal_relationships_2010.pdf" target="_blank">Other studies have in fact shown that both men and women display competitive behaviour</a>, using strategies of self-promotion and competitor derogation. This experiment is only half of the story and any conclusions about female behaviour, as separate from human behaviour more generally, are completely unfounded.</span><br />
Nelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09944315921283354025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6287957413285512345.post-43883040067227487882013-11-16T09:39:00.000-08:002013-11-17T03:43:13.927-08:00Bits and Bobs<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Hello interweb! Hope you're having a lovely weekend. Here are some interesting things I've read in the last week - enjoy!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- The increased emphasis on organised clubs, the lack of appropriate outdoor spaces in our cities and the fear of predators means that children now spend less and less time just playing. Here's an interesting link at why<a href="http://www.aeonmagazine.com/being-human/children-today-are-suffering-a-severe-deficit-of-play/" target="_blank"> a more structured life is not necessarily better for children</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- An awesome graffiti-covered building is about to be demolished to make space for a soulless apartment block in New York. Sad times! <a href="http://www.theatlanticcities.com/arts-and-lifestyle/2013/11/end-near-new-york-citys-world-famous-graffiti-mecca/7552/" target="_blank">Check out the amazing photos here</a>!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- Musician <a href="http://www.theatlanticcities.com/technology/2013/11/absurd-beauty-creating-musical-turnstiles-nycs-subway/7571/" target="_blank">James Murphy wants to make the turnstiles on the New York subway play music</a>. Sounds awesome to me but then I don't have to work in the stations and listen to the cacophony of rush hour.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/atlas_obscura/2013/11/13/abandoned_constanta_casino_sits_ruined_beside_the_black_sea.html" target="_blank">Photos of a beautiful abandoned Art Nouveau casino</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- This journalist manages to discuss both the <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/11/the-mcrib-enjoy-your-symptom/281413/" target="_blank">McDonald's Chicken McNugget and the work of Holbein</a> in one article - genius!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- Check out <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/life/food/2013/11/how_to_make_buttercream_frosting_you_need_just_one_special_piece_of_equipment.html" target="_blank">how to make the perfect buttercream icing here</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- <a href="http://withnelandi.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/tips-for-women.html" target="_blank">I recently wrote about how women in politics are unfairly judged on their sartorial choices</a>. This article on <a href="http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/11/janet-yellen-criticized-for-repeating-outfit.html" target="_blank">Janet Yellen's wardrobe seems to validate everything I said</a>. </span>Nelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09944315921283354025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6287957413285512345.post-90932717244893630082013-11-15T14:24:00.000-08:002013-11-15T14:27:31.290-08:00In Defence of the Disney Princess<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tcqTuNzODaw/UoaZUYUWZwI/AAAAAAAAAgY/DuGudv_NkXg/s1600/Princess.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tcqTuNzODaw/UoaZUYUWZwI/AAAAAAAAAgY/DuGudv_NkXg/s640/Princess.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://withnelandi.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/the-problem-with-princesses.html" target="_blank">I've written about Disney princesses before</a> but I'm writing about them again because the vitriol they seem to inspire in people annoys me. People are often incredulous that I both love Disney and consider myself a feminist. But Disney and feminism are not mutually exclusive! Of course there is a lot to find objectionable in Disney, particularly the classic films from the 40s and 50s: the princesses are far too passive in their stories; <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3fVD5j0Ask" target="_blank">they spend too much time pining after men</a>; and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHCs4hfeNfg" target="_blank">older women are portrayed as evil, manipulative witches</a>. But there is also a lot to commend. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The fact that Disney has been championing female leads since the '30s is itself commendable. I have come across many statistical analyses of female characters in films (<a href="http://www.vulture.com/2013/07/they-ever-make-movies-about-women.html" target="_blank">most recently, here</a>) and none of them have been encouraging. Films with female main characters are still depressingly rare. In fact, films are woefully devoid of female characters altogether, whether they are in the lead role or not. The fact that Disney is repeatedly showcasing female stories is laudable. It's important to show that women's stories and women's lives are important enough to be put into film. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The most well-known method for determining whether a film is feminist is the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bechdel_test" target="_blank">Bechdel test</a>. To pass the Bechdel test, a film must feature two or more female characters who talk to each other about something other than a man. Off the top of my head, most Disney films do not pass this test (although Sleeping Beauty does despite being frequently lambasted as the most anti-feminist of the Disney opus). In fact, depressingly, most films fail this test so it would be unfair to pick on Disney specifically for this failing. But there are other ways of determining how pro-women a film is. For example, a character can be feminist while the film is not. Like the Bechdel test, there is also the <a href="http://www.dailydot.com/fandom/mako-mori-test-bechdel-pacific-rim/" target="_blank">Mako Mori test</a>, which asks whether a film has at least one female character who has a narrative arc that does not support a man's story. A female character with an independent narrative arc is the subject rather than the object of the story, capable of having her own thoughts and desires. In this regard, Disney princesses fare much better. Mulan, Cinderella, Ariel, Snow White (perhaps surprisingly) and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyrc7grXJhc" target="_blank">Brave's Merida</a> all pass the Mako Mori test. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">However <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/11/what-really-makes-a-film-feminist/281402/" target="_blank">it is pretty widely recognised that these tests are flawed </a>when it comes to determining whether or not a film is feminist or sexist. Beauty and the Beast fails both the Bechdel test and the Mako Mori test and yet Belle is often championed as a feminist role model. I adored Belle as a child because I was incredibly nerdy (and, obviously, still am) and loved to read; to watch a heroine who unabashedly loves books and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Oni8_k5twU" target="_blank">mocks men for being ignorant tosspots</a> was incredibly liberating for me. Belle taught me that it was ok to go against other people's expectations.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Of course I also desperately wanted Belle's magnificently puffy ballgown. But wanting to flounce around in a flamboyantly impractical dress is not anti-feminist! There seems to be the pervasive attitude that overtly feminine clothing (floral, fluffy, sparkly) somehow undermines a woman's strength or achievements. David Trumble recently posted several pictures to his Tumblr <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/11/why-shouldnt-gloria-steinem-be-a-disney-princess/281108/" target="_blank">depicting famous female role-models in poofy, glittery dresses</a>. His intention was to show that strong, inspiring role models don't need to be princesses and that putting them in ultra-girly princess attire trivialises them. I find this incredibly patronising. I like wearing skirts, I like sparkly jewellery and my love of floral print is bordering on the obsessive. But my fashion choices do not negate the fact that I am also an intelligent, argumentative and opinionated young woman. I am not trivial, shallow or stupid because I like to wear the occasional ballgown.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It's not feminist to attack those things traditionally considered feminine - like pink, glitter, flowers or kittens. We need to stop seeing femininity as silly or frivolous in contrast to the strong and stoic masculinity. Both are equally valid. </span></span>Nelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09944315921283354025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6287957413285512345.post-59854789472841511092013-11-13T16:26:00.000-08:002013-11-13T16:26:14.219-08:00Why Disaster Films are like Romance Novels
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-font-charset:78;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 18 0 131231 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-font-charset:78;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 18 0 131231 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0cm;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
@page WordSection1
{size:612.0pt 792.0pt;
margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt;
mso-header-margin:36.0pt;
mso-footer-margin:36.0pt;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">My flatmate, in the ultimate display of friendship, has given me her Netflix log-in details. This has changed my life.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"></span><span lang="EN-US">So for reasons that defy human understanding, I recently found myself watching Roland Emmerich's terrible natural disaster film, 2012. This was followed by an epic session of binge-watching Twister, Volcano, Dante's Peak and The Day After Tomorrow. </span><span lang="EN-US">Now I bloody love a good disaster film; you put
an improbably attractive scientist, some naysaying politicians and the unstoppable
onslaught of Mother Nature into a film and I will be there in a heartbeat. </span>And I'm clearly not the only one: <span lang="EN-US">Twister was
the second highest grossing film of 1996, grossing nearly $500 million worldwide, The Day After Tomorrow grossed over $544 million, and 2012 grossed over $770 million
despite being mind-blowingly terrible.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">So why do we love disaster films? What is
it about massive human casualties and the destruction of beloved national
monuments that makes us want to hand over our money?</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span><span lang="EN-US">My theory is that
disaster films are a lot like romance novels.</span><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">As a part of </span><span lang="EN-US">my undergrad degree I studied the
sociology behind romance novels (because this is the kind of knowledge that is going to give me an edge in today's highly competitive job market) and
there are a lot of similarities between romance novels and disaster films. </span><span lang="EN-US">Numerous sociologists, such as Ann Douglas and
Janice Radway, have noted that romance novels can be pretty brutal. On the
surface this seems somewhat counter-productive since the women these authors
interviewed claimed that they read romance novels as an escape from their
everyday lives. If romance novels are supposed to be an escape, why do women
want to read about women experiencing graphic brutality?</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"></span><span lang="EN-US">According to the sociologist, Geertz,
all art forms render everyday experiences comprehensible by presenting them in
forms where the practical consequences have been removed.</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> B</span>y reading about a violent event, we can
experience something horrific, but without the horrific consequences. The
horrific becomes comprehensible and therefore surmountable without any personal
risk.<span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">For the women Radway interviewed for her
book, ‘Reading the Romance’, it was important for them to read about the
stories’ heroines experiencing something terrible but surviving and coming out
of the ordeal as stronger individuals, still capable of loving and being loved.</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span>This theory also makes sense when
applied to disaster films. When you watch a disaster film you inevitably place yourself
in the role of the protagonist and imagine how you would fare in the face of
epic disaster. It is comforting, and maybe even thrilling, to see ordinary
people face the monstrous power of Mother Nature and come out triumphant.<span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">This is why the protagonists in both
romance novels and disaster movies are so monumentally bland. If we go back to
Radway’s book, for the women she interviewed it was important for the readers
to feel like they <i>were</i> the character
in the story. They didn’t want to just read about a romantic relationship but
what it <i>feels</i> like to be the <i>object</i> of one.</span><span lang="EN-US"> This is </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">why Bella is such a popular
character in the Twilight series despite lacking any kind of personality – she’s
<i>supposed</i> to be dull so that whoever
is reading the book can imagine themselves as the object of obsession for a
sexy vampire. Disaster films feature similarly bland characters so that we can
more easily insert ourselves into the story and personally experience man’s
victory over nature. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Disaster films, like the more violent sections of Romance novels, allow the audience to experience something harrowing and survive, without having to face any actual peril.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Books:</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Radway J (1984) Reading the Romance</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Geertz C (1973) The Interpretation of Cultures </span></span></span></div>
Nelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09944315921283354025noreply@blogger.com0