Final

SLCC Written Final

The human race is soft-wired to feel for each other. In Jeremy Rifkin’s video Empathic Civilization he explains mirror neurons and the human drive to be like other people. In the video Rifkin says, “All humans are soft wired with mirror neurons, so that if, I’m observing you, your anger, your frustration, your sense of rejection, your joy, whatever it is. I can feel what you’re doing. The same neurons will light up in me as if I’m having that experience myself.” (The Empathic Civilization). Mirror neurons create a sense of togetherness without even knowing it. They can make you feel pain just from watching someone else’s. Mirror neurons are changing the way we study social interactions as well. Susan Perry is a writer that has interests in neuroscience, and she said “Mirror neuron research, therefore, is helping scientists reinterpret the neurological underpinning of social interactions” (Susan Perry, brainfacts.org). Mirror neurons are basically where empathy originates. If we didn’t have mirror neurons we may not even know what empathy is. Mirror neurons can also help bring us together. In the video Rifkin says, “The first drive is: the drive to belong.” (The Empathic Civilization). This means that no matter how much people want to stand out and be unique, its actually human nature to be like other people. People always want to belong to something whether it’s a team, a group of friends, or even just the human race.

The Internet can bring the world together as a community. Craigslist Joe is movie about a man who tries to live an entire month just off of Craigslist. He tries to find transportation, food, and shelter, and he succeeds. In the movie Joe Garner says,"...some say we have lost the sense of community that carry us through tough times, today it's every person for themselves. Some say that technology and social media fuel this isolation, have we become so caught up in our own lives, that we don't notice life outside our bubble?"(Craigslist Joe). People today are so caught up in doing everything to benefit themselves that they forget they are a part of a bigger picture: the human race. We are all a part of something. Some argue that the internet tears that away from us, but some argue that it brings us closer together. Throughout the movie it becomes clear that there are people that realize this big picture. Joe says, "The generosity of people, and the stories they shared, and the connection I've made, in one month!Was so deep and just meeting everyone and telling them my story and the journey... it was just truly inspiring on humanity to know that we can take care of each other"(Craigslist Joe). At the end of the movie, Joe realizes that people do still have sympathy and empathy, and no matter what the internet does, it can’t take away the fact that we are all human. Joe says, "Just thinking back to all my friends at home and family, that will keep me through the night. I know it will be a cold night a harsh night, but in the morning the sun will come out and I’m making the best of it"(Craigslist Joe). Joe is reminding himself of that fact.The fact that he is human and every day is a new start.

One person’s life can help save many. Seven Pounds is a heartbreaking, yet inspiring story about a man that want’s to change the lives of people he meets. In the movie Ben Thomas, the main character, meets a woman named Emily Posa. During one of their first conversations he asks her about her life and her heart disease, then the conversation takes a turn to calling their lives “unremarkable”. Ben says “Unremarkable" would be an upgrade for me, I assure you.” (Seven Pounds). At this point in the movie, the viewer doesn’t know why he says this, but as they keep watching they learn he doesn’t think he should be alive due to the fact that he killed 7 people in a car accident. As the movie progresses Ben and Emily start to fall in love, and they start to talk about their future.

“Emily Posa: What if... my pager goes off... and it's a heart... and... it works? And my body doesn't reject it? And... what if i have time?

Ben Thomas: [Long pause] What if? What if we have children? What if we got married?” (Seven Pounds). In this scene Ben and Emily have just had sex but it is also the scene right before he commits suicide. This is the moment Ben knows he really loves Emily and he would do whatever it takes for her to continue with her life. Ben becomes the opposite of a box jellyfish. “The first time I ever saw a box jellyfish, I was twelve. Our father took us to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. I never forgot what he said... That it was the most deadly creature on earth. To me it was just the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen.” (Seven Pounds). This is foreshadowing to how Ben will kill himself at the end of the movie. Both the box jellyfish and Ben have duality to them: one is beautiful but kills,the other kills itself to save others. At the end of the movie Emily meets the man that Ben gave his eyes to, Ezra, and immediately starts crying because it’s like looking into Ben’s eyes.

Technology has given everyone the ability to follow their passions. PressPausePlay is a movie about the growth of technology in the world. Technology is a great thing in terms of music, films, and art. In the movie Seth Godin says, “It used to be, you didn’t become an artist just to become rich, you became an artist because you had an idea or emotion to share, and that’s we’re heading again.” (PressPausePlay). Technology is good in this situation because with all this art out on the Internet it could make people strive to be even better, making the quality of art go up. Napster was one of the first free music sharing sites, and when it came out it was a revolution. Amy Phillips said “That first taste of utopia has spurred people on towards what they’ve done now” (PressPausePlay). She’s saying that Napster was the birth of Pandora, Tidal, Spotify and other instant free music sites or apps. Of course there is the perception of a con in all of this. Moby says, “50 years ago, people didn’t make things. People would go to photography exhibitions. They would go to record fairs. They would watch movies. Now everyone is a photographer. Everyone is a musician. Anyone can make a film.” (PressPausePlay). That’s his perception, but he fails to realize that people should follow their dreams and passions.

Healing can be achieved through forgiveness. In Smoke Signals Victor Joseph’s father dies and Victor needs to go pick up his ashes. Through his journey Thomas Builds-the-Fire tries to help him by asking him about his father, but Victor is too stubborn and deflects the conversation every time. Eventually Victor gets tired of Thomas always asking about his dad and says, “Thomas you don't even know my father. Did you know that my father was the one that set your parent's house on fire? Did you know that my father beat my mother? Did you know that my father beat me too?” (Smoke Signals). Thomas doesn’t like his father for what he did to him and his mother. At one point Thomas compares himself and Victor to flame and ash. “You know there are some children who aren't really children at all, they're just pillars of flame that burn everything they touch. And there are some children who are just pillars of ash, that fall apart when you touch them... Victor and me, we were children of flame and ash.” (Smoke Signals). Thomas calls Victor a pillar of flame because anytime someone tries to get close to them he burns them and pushes them away. This is most likely because he has trust issues due to his father. He used to be very close with his father, and then he just left him like it was nothing. After Victor had gone through his entire journey and healed, him and Thomas are sitting in the car talking, and Victor seems happier than he ever has been since his father left. Victor thanks Thomas and as a sign of his gratitude he gives him some of his father’s ashes. After that Thomas gives a monologue that is perfect for the movie, and can be interpreted in many other ways. “How do we forgive our fathers? Maybe in a dream. Do we forgive our fathers for leaving us too often, or forever, when we were little? Maybe for scaring us with unexpected rage, or making us nervous because there never seemed to be any rage there at all? Do we forgive our fathers for marrying, or not marrying, our mothers? Or divorcing, or not divorcing, our mothers? And shall we forgive them for their excesses of warmth or coldness? Shall we forgive them for pushing, or leaning? For shutting doors or speaking through walls? For never speaking, or never being silent? Do we forgive our fathers in our age, or in theirs? Or in their deaths, saying it to them or not saying it. If we forgive our fathers, what is left?” (Smoke Signals). At first this quote applies just to the movie, but then it starts to expand to try and relate to everyone. Everyone feels they have a reason to be upset with someone, but really, you can make an excuse to be mad at anyone for anything.

Craigslist Joe and The Empathic Civilization

Empathy is a lot like sympathy but very different at the same time. Empathy is the ability to share feelings with someone and relate to them. For example if a person’s dog died and their friend’s dog died as well, they could feel empathy towards them. That is what Jeremy Rifkin’s The Empathic Civilization is all about. Rifkin tries to explain that our brains are hardwired to experience and feel empathy. He says “All humans are soft wired with mirror neurons, so that if, I’m observing you, your anger, your frustration, your sense of rejection, your joy, whatever it is. I can feel what you’re doing. The same neurons will light up in me as if I’m having that experience myself.” (The Empathic Civilization). Most people don’t even realize this reaction happens but new neurological studies have proven it. It all started with a test on a monkey trying to open a nut. Rifkin even says “We are soft wired to experience another’s plight as if we are experiencing it ourselves.” (The Empathic Civilization). Later in the video he says “The first drive is: the drive to belong.” (The Empathic Civilization). He’s saying for as bad as people want to stand out and be unique, they want to belong to something. That something could be a group of friends, people, or just the human race itself.

Craigslist Joe is movie about a man who tries to live an entire month just off of Craigslist. He tries to find transportation, food, and shelter, and he succeeds. I the movie Joe Garner says,"...some say we have lost the sense of community that carry us through tough times, today it's every person for themselves. Some say that technology and social media fuel this isolation, have we become so caught up in our own lives, that we don't notice life outside our bubble?"(Craigslist Joe). People today are so caught up in doing everything to benefit themselves that they forget they are a part of a bigger picture: the human race. We are all a part of something. Some argue that the internet tears that away from us, but some argue that it brings us closer together. Throughout the movie it becomes clear that there are people that realize this big picture. Joe says, "The generosity of people, and the stories they shared, and the connection I've made, in one month!Was so deep and just meeting everyone and telling them my story and the journey... it was just truly inspiring on humanity to know that we can take care of each other"(Craigslist Joe). At the end of the movie, Joe realizes that people do still have sympathy and empathy, and no matter what the internet does, it can’t take away the fact that we are all human. Joe says, "Just thinking back to all my friends at home and family, that will keep me through the night. I know it will be a cold night a harsh night, but in the morning the sun will come out and I’m making the best of it"(Craigslist Joe). Joe is reminding himself of that fact.The fact that he is human and every day is a new start.

Music Video and Images

Kendrick Lamar- Swimming Pools

In the Kendrick Lamar video, Swimming Pools, there is a lot of cross cutting. It often goes from shots of him in an empty house, to a crowded room. Throughout the video there are 3 main colors used: red, white, and black. the red could stand for danger, the black could stand for fear and the white could stand for innocence. In the video it appears that he is in his old house from his childhood, wearing white. This could mean he wants to go back to his childhood when he was innocent and didn't have to worry about anything. The lighting of the video is very dark and very rarely see his face. Towards the end of the video he falls into water which usually symbolizes cleansing.

Beyonce- Pretty Hurts

In Beyonce's video for Pretty Hurts it takes her back to her beauty pageant days. There are multiple establishing shots. One of the first ones is in the dressing room and nobody looks happy or healthy. This video is full of cross cuts, going from the pageant, to her house, to the bathroom, back to the pageant. There are a ton of close ups and things out of focus in some shots. One of the better shots with the most intricate mise-en-scene is in the house with all the trophies. There is a scene where there is diegetic music even though it seems non-diegetic. But because the music is originating from the video it is diegetic. In this video she is wearing a blue dress which could symbolize her sadness. In one of the scenes she even says she just wants to be happy. In this video Beyonce also falls into the water symbolizing cleansing or a new start.

Walter White- Final scene of Breaking Bad
The focus of this photo is Walt. Analyzing this photo more you can see there is blood all over Walt and his jacket. If you look closer you can see there is a very light blue light shining over Walt which could represent his meth. Since this point of view is commonly called God's Eye View, you can infer that this is God saying his meth business killed him.

Jesse Pinkman and Walter White- Final Episode of Breaking Bad
Once again, the focus of this picture is Walter. There is only one real source of light and it's behind Walter. There are multiple dead bodies in the background suggesting that maybe Jesse, with the gun, killed all of them and will kill Walter too. But if someone watches the episode they know that Walter is the real killer in this episode.

Khaleesi- Game of Thrones
This scene from Game of Thrones shows that Khaleesi is very respected. She is the only one where bright colors showing that she could also be the hero or queen. There are two men carrying her while everyone else reaches out to her like she is their savior. The first thing a person notices in this picture is her making her the main focus.

Important Ideas in Pages 115-151

Wisdom is the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment; the quality of being wise. Throughout this section of reading Ceremony Betonie is the main source of wisdom. He really acts like Tayo’s mentor in this section. Betonie tells Tayo all about witchery, change, and racism. One of the most powerful things he said was “‘She taught me this above all else: things which don’t grow are dead.” (Silko 126). In this quote he’s saying that if things aren’t constantly changing then they must be dead. If a person looks back at their life they’ll say they changed a lot in the past few years but also can’t imagine themselves changing anymore. Betonie talks about how the ceremonies have somewhat adapted to the way the world is now with white people.

Tayo still shows extreme amounts of guilt. Ceremony is riddled with Tayo’s psychological problems such as P.T.S and his extreme guilt. He thinks Rocky’s death was all his fault and even blames himself for his Uncle Josiah’s death. In the section of reading Tayo is talking to Betonie when he says “He loved me. He loved me, and I didn’t do anything to save him.” (Silko 124). The conversation continues about the death of Tayo’s loved ones and Betonie tries to comfort him. He says “You saw what the evil had done: you saw the witchery is ranging as wide as this world.” (Silko 124). Betonie has his work cut out for him trying to heal Tayo but readers may already be able to see progress in Tayo.

Broken Bottles and Broken Skin

As readers continue through Ceremony they learn more and more about the characters including Tayo, Rocky, and Emo. Tayo, the main character, constantly struggles with P.T.S and the memories of his cousin dying in front of him. In the book Old Grandma and Josiah are talking about letting Rocky and Tayo go to the war. Josiah doesn’t want them to go but Old Grandma says “They can look after each other, and bring each other home again.” (Silko 73). Knowing this could also make Tayo feel survivors guilt if he didn’t already. Just a few sentences later in the book Tayo says “I’ll bring him back safe, you don’t have to worry” (Silko 73). Saying that could’ve only intensified his guilt. Saying he’d bring him back and then not being able to save Rocky in war can only make memories worse. Tayo’s P.T.S and guilt can be triggered by anything at anytime.

Emo slowly becomes the symbol of evil in Ceremony. In the book Emo and Tayo are drinking with a few friends. Emo is telling a story that is visibly bothering Tayo. Tayo is drinking so that he loosens up and doesn’t act so serious. Emo continues to antagonize him and pulls out a bag of teeth as if they are souvenirs. Emo continues to show his true colors when it says “Emo fed off each man he killed, and the higher the rank of the dead man, the higher it made Emo.” (Silko 61). At this point Tayo becomes angry and slices Emo’s belly open with a bottle he broke in his hand. He sliced his belly open because that is where it is said that stories come from.

College?

I love West Virginia University. My brother went there along with my mom. I used to only live 4 hours from it so we would visit all the time and go to the football games. My sister went to the University of South Carolina so I also love it there. I used to think I would always go to West Virginia because that's what I grew up with and I had never been anywhere else. Now that I'm older I realize there are a lot more factors that go into choosing a college. I will probably stay in state because its a lot cheaper. But still I definitely would not mind going to either of those two schools.

This week in class we talked about college and our memoirs. I love my memoir so far. I'm only a few pages in and it is hilarious! It is just so twisted and slightly disturbing but hilarious at the same time. I'm eager to finish the book just to see how it will end. So far Augusten has gone in Dr. Finch's "Masturbatorium" and gotten bullied by his foul-mouthed children. They throw sardines out the window just for fun which sounds like something I would do. I don't think I would use sardines but I would do something stupid like that.

Make Sense of the World

One moment in my life that helped me understand the world around me was when I left my friends in Ohio. It taught me that not everything in this world is perfect and things go wrong sometimes. Sometimes we have to move on in order to forget those imperfections. But it also taught me that not all goodbye's are forever and they aren't all a bad thing.