Hw 35- Cool Paper Rough Draft

“We are products of our environment.” During the last season of “The Bachelorette”, one of the contestants said this as a way of understanding why another contestant behaved the way they did, because their culture and the place they have come from have shaped them as they are and was different from theirs. We are all cultivated by way of society, media, race, class and gender. We get environmental and social cues to guide us to becoming the person that we are right now. When our environment changes we do too, because the cues we are getting are different, our friends and family influence these changes greatly. That is why our versions of cool will have certain differences and similarities because they come from these sources, some that we share, and some that we don’t. From the cues that we get from our cultural maps, we develop the roles we play and who we think we are.

Who we actually want to be comes from cues from our social environments, which is shaped by our status, gender, nationality, culture, and many other factors. We seek to live out the roles we have chosen from the ones available to us. From that we create our own hero’s journey and play the characters we’ve created through our actions (Foucault). How we choose to play out the scene that we’ve been given defines who we are as people. For example in this scene what would you do? Someone you know is being teased. Do we help, do we ignore it, or do we participate? Either way, we’ve made a decision, in that scene we are either the character that helped or the character that didn’t help. If we add enough scenes, the cumulative depicts who your character is.

Because of the way our cultural map is made, we are more open to certain kinds of messages than others. Certain things will be cool for us to do and certain things aren’t. Much of what we will do and how we’ll act is based on our past experiences, whose foundation is provided by our cultural maps and what is expected out of us. Certain group cultures will tend to have preferences or leanings because of how their environment was. For example, most people from the black culture will prefer hip hop or r&b. That is an effect of how media portrays their culture and closely links the two (Merchants of cool). That’s why in general; there is a preference for music like hip hop over music like country. The images that are more commonly seen and that we associate with more are the kinds of images that we will find cool. Things that don’t relate to us or the values we have from our cultural maps won’t be on our radars.

Roles

Point of view is relevant in how we are seen by people because each person acts from foreknowledge from their cultural maps. So, whether they think you’re cool is based on values held by their cultural map. That doesn’t mean they only think cool is something directly related to their culture, but cool is made from values or qualities seen in a positive way in their cultural map. That’s why there are different versions of cool for each subculture.

People act accordingly to what’s expected of them. It doesn’t mean they are condemned to that cultural map, it means they are more likely to follow the standard model of the cultural map, unless something happens that leads them to a detour and they find a different route. John Fanning was raised in a middle class family in a fairly conservative place, but he got a tattoo even though it wasn’t common in his cultural map. That’s because his cultural map didn’t make sense to him and he wanted to find a new one. When he joined his band, he felt as if he finally met people who were “real” and he could relate to them. His discontent with his current cultural map, led him to a new route and he discovered another one that made more sense to him even though it appears to be very different from his previous one. He wanted to find a place that he could belong and the previous place he was at wasn’t it (Fanning).

For the most part, I’m comfortable in my own role. I experiment at times to see how people will react if I deviate from it or tweak it, because I don’t want it to feel confining or limiting. That is so I know that just because this is how someone sees me as; it isn’t what I have to be. But it depends on my environment too because if I see that people don’t really care if I act a certain way then I feel more comfortable acting that way. I keep tweaking my role(s) because I don’t find stagnation cool. I think exploring and finding out what suits you as role is.

The existence of cultural maps also brings up the question of nature versus nurture, whether we choose to be who we are today or were it created by our circumstances. The cultural maps suggest that these events are all circumstantial and to an extent it is. Some of it is nature, the two are closely intermixed, because a child with Asperger’s will not take any social cues because of the way their brain works. But that child could also be treated if it is caught earlier in their life (Autism Society). Our preferences actually begin from our womb. “Sounds, smells and tastes are amongst the first environmental cues learnt, ahead of vision” (Beetle). If a pregnant woman chose to eat garlic or vanilla, then the baby will choose a similarly flavored milk over normal milk (Beetle). Despite this, we aren’t condemned to whatever circumstances we’ve primarily been given, there is choice and that choice comes when you realize that you do have one. Otherwise it creates the mentality that you can’t do anything when you can and that’s self-fulfilling in many ways. The child groomed to be a lawyer doesn’t always end up becoming one, they might be an artist or an architect if they find that they actually enjoy that more than the other (Jed). In the 60s it was all about rebellion and going against capitalism. What was cool changed after he went to school because when he was younger he was okay with being a lawyer but as he got older he realized it wasn’t what he wanted to do.

Hw 34- Cool Pose-Cultural Maps

I do have a cultural map. Here's proof: Ask me if I am going to go to college and unhesitatingly, I'll say yes. Of course. Not because I'm conceited or anything but because that is my cultural map and those are the options given to me. Not going to college isn't even a choice. At least not where my parents and grandparents are concerned. This seems to be one of the typical maps given by the Asian culture. In college, Asians are actually an overrepresented minority so its obvious that this is valued as a neccessity almost.

Sometimes I'll hear from an adult that college doesn't necessarily pave the way to success, that people have been able to make it without and own businesses without a college education and getting experience in the field is better. But ultimately my cultural map, trumps that because I'll rationalize that college can give me real world experience since many are now offering co-ops and internship as a supplement to what is taught in the classroom. In the end having a degree simply looks better on a resume than not. In today's world, going to college is, well, expected. Its in the media, teenagers going to college, whether they're depicted as getting an education or just partying. But the fact of the matter is, the rate of teenagers applying and attending colleges is on the rise.

Family
What's funny, isn't the fact that I have American values instilled in me , but the fact that being here has affected my mom's own cultural map as well. I think my mom has been here long enough that she is adopted values from the American cultural map. She doesn't want me to be a doctor or lawyer, she says she just wants me to do what makes me happy. That's nice, albeit slightly reminiscent of some movies I had seen in my childhood with her. It clashes too, because the next moment she'd tell me to get a job in finance.

I used to think my family was very conservative values wise. I think its part of American culture, to start romantic relations young, because its fairly common for kids in America to start dating as early as middle school; from what the signals I had gotten from my family, that wasn't as encouraged. When I was younger, my mom told me that I wasn't allowed to date until I was 27 because I should be focused on school (she was kidding about the age...I think). Most of my friend's parents are the same way with them...although they probably given a more reasonable age to start romantic relationships, some of them has started romantic relationships nonetheless. Recently though, my mom has actually encouraged me to start dating....along with my aunt. So their turnabout is a bit bizarre to me. I wonder if its another adoption from the American cultural map.

One particular situation in which my cultural map clashes with my mother's and aunt's is when my mom and aunt would tell me to find a rich guy to take care of me. I'd get angry at them for saying that and tell them that I'd be the rich one and that if I even end up getting married, I'd make enough to get a househusband instead of the other way around. That was my retort to them, because I saw their cultural map as outdated, and I thought and I still do think that I am fully capable of taking care of myself.

Books influence
I was a huge bookworm when I was younger, I still am today but not to the same extent. I think, alot of what I want to follow on my own map comes from what I've read in my childhood. I've progressed from novels to nonfiction to manga and now back to novels and nonfiction stories but I can kind of see from what happens with characters in those stories what I want for myself, that I would want to see in my life.

What I want is to find peace with myself and in my life. I have moments like that now and I want to continue having those moments. I don't really picture any drama or have any particular want for it. In the future I want to be able to continue learning and trying new things (I want peace with myself but that doesn't mean stagnation) and keep good relationships with my friends and family and have shared adventures and experiences with everyone. I want to live. I also want a cat. That's where my own cultural map seems to be leading. See, according to our cultural map certain things make sense to us and that's what makes sense to me.

Hw 33- Outline

2. Coolness - as a heroic internal narrative and the successful command of attention and social significance - is a basic human need. We need to be cool - what are the best ways for us to do that, individually and collectively?

Thesis: In our minds, we all play the protagonist in the story that is our life. Being cool plays into the internal narrative that we have because it means that other people recognize that we are an important character. It means you're noticed and not on the sidelines. But this desire is something we all yearn for and always will because it is a basic human need. We want to be important, to someone-- anyone. So we look for things that make us different, that makes us special, to get that attention.

supporting points

Point 1: To be cool, people aggrandize themselves and one way is through dress.
- Cool hunting- Adornment to attract notice, peacocking.
-how comercialism, consumerism, and wealth play into cool

Point 2: The next way is through attitude, mainly detached or in a way that stands up to an authority figure
Cool stories-characters have attention of other poeple

Point 2: . But coolness shouldn't be just about adornment or having the right clothes, that can be part of it, but it shouldn't be all there is to it. It should go deeper than that.
-Tattoos- John Fanning, what it meant to him initially and later on. Forming a connection w/ his band.
-Cool research- what being cool really means, NYT, about it being something personal

Point 3: Why we want it- Wanting to be cool or wanting attention is a basic human need that comes with the human condition. We want someone to make an impact on someone before we're gone because we only have one life to live, and once its gone, that's it.

Hw 32- Tattoos

Everything to us is symbolic. Titles are symbolic of status, which is symbolic of our position in life and how we view people. Tattoos act the same way. For some people, tattoo makes a great fashion statement, while others use it to reveal certain aspects of their personality. For some people, it is an expression of feelings of lovethat they have for another person. They reveal to people a part of who the tattoo wearer is or who they want to be. Many messages we get when we see tattoos stem from preconceptions people might have about tattoos. Whether true or not, it tells a story about the person, much like every action/non action a person does.


It can represent a part of who you were at a certain time as well. Like John Fanning's friend in Florida who got the rat tattoo. He wouldn't cover it up because doing that would be like denying the part of himself who got it at the time when he was a fifteen year old boy. People can get tattoos for as much as any other thing. For some people its about identity for other it may be about fitting in or it can be both. I found it interesting that it was an armour for Fanning because he had it, no one touch him because he knew who he was. Which relates to the identity thing too, its a physical representation of that. Its concrete and because of a simple thing like a tattoo, it protected him from whatever someone else may think of him because they didn't really get him and he knew who he really was.

A tattoo is like an idea in print. At the time that he got it, the times was different and it was something really out there, whereas now, its almost commonplace for people to get one. But a tattoo was and still is an act of rebellion. I think it means something different for him now then it did then, now its like a map of his experiences. His memories of the period he got them are attached to it. For his strength through wisdom tattoo, it helped him through his surgery and the message it meant was comforting to him. I thought he was really open sharing this with us and it was brave.

For me, I never really wanted a permanent tattoo but when I was in elementary school I used to have temporary tattoos, which are those paper ones that you sponge on and come off by rubbing. I didn't do it often but I remember it being fun at the time. The reason I did it was simple because I was more simple, it was a design that I liked and they appealed to me because they weren't permanents and when you're elementary school, that's good, because you're changing all the time and nothings too permanent. So for me, at that time, it was just expressing myself but I didn't want to keep it because that self was changing all the time.

Tattoos are pretty interesting. For other cultures it maybe a talisman or charm to protect the person or ensure happiness after death, but its revealing for the most part in American culture because its not required and those who choose to do it want to reveal in a conspicuous way something about themselves to other people.

Extra Cred- Tolstoy Cool

a. How does Ivan's quest for status, advancement, prestige, and generally the approval of others endanger his chance to live a more meaningful life?

In this story Ivan Llynch is a man who has chosen to live life of status and decorum. Its a lot about the inner life and the outer life. He conforms to the values and rules of society and admires those with high social status and wealth as a result Ivan is fixated on obtaining material things. His social interactions, even with his own family are very proper. In the novel social prestige depersonalizes human relations necessary to living a fulfilling and meaningful life.

Even though Ivan is able to obtain those knick knacks, it doesn't make him happy, when his death bed he reflects on his life and the things he has now and it seems very fake and artificial to him. No one in his family is able to confront the fact that he is dying. The only person capable of facing death at all with courage and grace is Gerasim, Ivan's nurse, who accepts that this is something everyone must face someday. Gerasim is the only character in the story that can interact with people in an authentic and meaningful way. He breaks down isola†ion and creates meaningful bonds. Gerasim is able to comfort the dying man and interact with him and develop a meaningful relationship. Gerasim, who is a peasant is content with his social standing and what he has and he is able to develop mutually fulfilling relationships that give him the courage and strength to confront death. That is why it is not a coincidence that Ivan questions his life while looking on Gerasim's face.

"His mental sufferings were due to the fact that that night, as he looked at Gerasim's sleepy, good-natured face with it prominent cheek-bones, the question suddenly occurred to him: "What if my whole life has been wrong?" "



Because Ivan was so focused on obtaining social standing and material items, he pushed other more important things to the side, like developing meaningful human relationships. "It is as if I had been going downhill while I imagined I was going up. And that is really what it was. I was going up in public opinion, but to the same extent life was ebbing away from me. And now it is all done and there is only death."

The pain in his side comes from his body's rejection of the way he has been living life. In the end he realizes that none of the social gain made him happy, that he was happiest moments were before he obtained any of it and that the more he is able to gain materialistically, the less fulfilled and empty he felt. He realizes that he has actually been traveling opposite direction intended in his life. When Ivan realizes his mistake and comes to a fuller understanding of the nature of life, he is reborn spiritually and experiences extreme joy. This novel shows how Ivan's quest for advancement and prestige endangers his chance to live a more meaningful life because he misses the point to what life is actually about, compassion and developing an emphatic connection with other human beings.

Hw 31

Part A
One of my old friends- very low key, wears makeup but its not that noticible, its sheer most of the time, she's pretty open and honest I think.

Can I ask you some questions for my humanities class?
Sure. Go ahead.

What are your reasons for dressing in the style you do?
Its the style I feel comfortable with. That I learned through watching and trying out. It depends on my mood too, sometimes I feel like dressing up but most of the time I'm very low key.

When did you start wearing makeup?
Hmm.. I don't really remember when, it was awhile ago. I saw my mom wearing it and you know how kids are, they want to be like their mom and dad.

Why did you start?
What I said before and I wanted to look good. Partly for other people but mostly for myself. When I think I look good I feel good so that's why I started wearing makeup. Its just like an addition to my little routine. I'm fine without it too but I usually don't feel like wearing its when I'm feeling lazy or not like doing anything. Its just part of my "ritual". Make up isn't much different from clothes, its still another method of adorning yourself. Some people feel comfortable in certain clothes and stick to that style and other's like to change it up.

Her answer was kind of the "because I like it" answer but she admits that part of it is for vanity. I think her answer is true too that it is for herself as well as for other people. I think when you're only looking for one answer, then that's the answer you'll get, like if you expect people to have the "because I like it answer" you only see that one. But I think it could be true too that its a way that she expresses herself because she said she also uses it to show her moods. Which I have generally observed that she does.

Part B
I think I do sometimes is cooking. Cooking to me is interesting and so I assume other people will find it interesting too. I like the learning aspect of baking because you can always try out a new recipe and its like a little experiment. When I see the finished product I feel happy because its like "look I was able to do it". I feel like I accomplished something especially if it was a harder recipe. When I made popcorn with a kettle and kernels for the first time I felt that way. It wasn't hard but it was new and I kept burning it the first few times but when I was able to get it right I felt pretty good. I get to learn and develop a way to make it. That's exciting for me. I like being able to learn new things and try them out and baking lets me do that. That's why I find it worthwhile for me to do it. Its something I can share with people too. When I bake something that I'm proud of I want to share with my friends and have them try it out too.

I use to play the piano and I'm not an expert but I can play a few songs. I started because I saw a movie when I was younger and in the movie a character played the piano really well and that made me want to learn it because I wanted to be able to do that as well. I think that sometimes I do that to aggrandize myself because having a skill like being able to play an instrument is something people usually think of as cool. When I'm playing around other people I think I try harder not to make a mistake than when I'm playing alone. I think if they like how I play or think its good then I think I'm good. When I was younger and I first started, I kind of played to impress other people. They heard the song and they liked it so I kept on playing it. But the effect kind of wore off on me. When I play now, its usually because I'm in the mood to play even with other people are around. I'll try a little more to get it right if they around but when I don't, I don't mind too much either.

HW 30- Psychological and Philosophical

Humans instinctively crave to be filled. They want to fill their stomachs rather than empty because that means hunger, like their stomach this is a hole that continually needs to be filled. This might be filled by a (constant) stream of love (don’t people feel empty when someone they love dies?), being needed, creating a sense of themselves, or a type of heroism. Some things fill the hole better and longer than others. The hole is like your stomach, you have to keep feeding it, because after it digests whatever you feed it, it’s “empty” again. But defining emptiness like this, it can be seen as a need, that we need to be met and when its not we’re looking for things that will meet it. Emptiness is then interpreted as a lacking.

Buddhism however believes that the emptiness and acceptance of emptiness is enlightenment. Emptiness is a key concept in Buddhist philosophy. Buddhists define emptiness as a state of mind. Once your mind is empty you can see the world clearer, better, and deeper. So in Buddhism, rather than seeking to be filled, Buddhists seek to empty out their minds so their mind has space to fill more things. Like drinking a cup of water, you need the cup to be empty to fill it with more water (Fu). Meditation is an important tool used in Buddhism to achieve this state of mind. In Buddhism, emptiness is defined as a state of being rather than nonbeing (nothingness).

This kind of emptiness is interpreted differently than the kind we have been talking about in class. That’s the problematic and magical nature of words; they often hold more than one meaning to the one saying it and to the one listening. The kind of emptiness we’ve been talking about in class is more emotional. It wasn’t clarity of mind, but a need that wanted and needed to be filled: for attention, for love, for someone to believe in you or look up to you. It really depends on what sense of emptiness we are talking about. In what sense is it used? In what sense does it mean? What sense do we hear it? What sense is it interpreted? The answers to these questions will be different if we are talking about different things.

Sigmund Freud believes the source for the sense of emptiness we have been discussing in class stems from separation from the mother at the womb and the trauma of being born. That the kind of attachment a child forms to their mother or caretaker is instinctual and being separated from them causes them to feel anxiety. What the child seeks afterwards is a sense of connection again. Anna Freud, his daughter and a psychoanalyst herself has some similar points. From her own observations, she found that although babies are completely dependent on a mother-figure, they did not seem to need a particular person to fulfill that function and quickly re-adjusted after separation. It is only when they are around 3 years old that the effect of separation was found to be particularly traumatic. They then externalize their grief from their separation and seek out to meet this need by finding substitute affections among peers when parents cannot give them this. Anna also observed that being buried under rubble was not as tramatic for children than a comparably brief separation from the mother. This reaction and feeling of emptiness is primal and biological, rather than learned, and it’s a instinctive need that people have to have a connection. Both Anna and Sigmund Freud argues that this feeling’s origin comes from the separation from the mother-figure.