How can a Tattoo change how you are perceived?

     I read the article titled "Mark my words, maybe." For most of this article I was trying to figure out what the artists main argument was. She started out by saying that she needed to get a tattoo so that she could break away from mainstream society. She kept saying how she felt held down by the happenings of other peoples lives, and hence wanted to get a tattoo to help her break free. I became confused when she started to counteract her beginning argument by saying that she thought that her tattoo wasn't accomplishing what she had first wanted it to.
     The author wanted her tattoo to help her break free from that which was holding her down in life and make her different, but instead it made her something that she wasn't comfortable with. She describes her tattoo experience as fun at first. It was a conversation starter and people were interested to hear why she wanted to get that specific tattoo. After a while though she began to feel drained of answering people over and over. She compares herself to being pregnant and everyone notices and asks you about it. Except in her case she says that the joy of being pregnant is gone, and she feels empty every time someone asks her about her tattoo.
     This made me very interested, because it made me start to think about the effects that body modification might have on some people in a negative way. When I usually think about body modification I think of tattoos and piercings, which people are usually very excited to share with others and talk about why they got them and how it defines them. But what happens if you undergo a body modification like a tattoo and you don't like it, and you have to live with it. That's what seems to be happening in the author's case, because she isn't enjoying her tattoo anymore. It's a burden to her now and it didn't give her the outcome that she was hoping for.
     This shows how body modifications, whether they are meant to be for good purposes, can sometimes not end up being what you thought they would be. A body modification can change the whole of what people think of you when they first see you. You may not have intended for that to happen when you got your body modification, but now you are paying the price. Everyone makes assumptions about people, whether it is a conscious decision or not. So before you get a tattoo or a piercing, think about how it is going to effect you. Are you gonna be ok with the new way that you are treated?
-Brandon Reilly

What is the Internet doing to us?

    I watched the "Short film on a computer screen" video, and I was glued to the screen the whole time. Besides the fact that it basically bashed my whole generation, it was such a good short film that I had to show it to some of my friends. I was in awe of what he did, and didn't start to think that maybe I was in his shoes at some points during my use of the internet and social media.
    Through this video, we say the bad things which result from social media. There is a lack of communication and over generalization which then leads to hasty assumptions and peoples relationships become broken or feelings are hurt. I personally believe that this video holds true to how my generation actually acts. I think that  the internet is used as an escape from your current activity when you start to lose concentration. So in my life, when I'm working on homework, it makes my attention span less because it gives me a reason to stop what I'm doing and go do something that will entertain me for a brief moment, like watch a you tube video. This makes it much harder for us to concentrate on one thing for a long period of time, so in short, the internet shortens our attention spans.
    The video seemed to be mainly concentrating on the Internets effect on relationships between people. It gave the impression that the internet ruins relationships. When the boy in the video broke up with his girlfriend on Facebook, I think that was a little extreme. I'm sure something of that sort has happened before, but the internet isn't all that bad. It gives us a wealth of information, and actually improves the amount of connections we can make between people. Although I do believe it increases the amount of people we can connect with, I do not believe that it increases the relationships we already have. For example, from the viedo, the main character seemed to have a friend who he was always chatting with who would ask him to play games, but that seemed to be the extent of their relationship. There was no contact shown except for through facebook messages. There is no way that they could have been very close friends with that little contact. I know from personal experience that I have made hasty assumptions about people on facebook, and sometimes I get angry, but then I think about it and realize that I'm getting upset over nothing. So the internet isn't all that bad, but it does not help you create strong relationships with people like the good old days when everyone wrote letters.
    Overall, this video is on the right track of representing our generation as a whole, but I think that it over generalizes too much. It definitely gets the point across that people don't make good choices while on facebook, but that's not true for everyone. I've been in similar situations, but I don't think that any were that extreme. I think that anyone that watches this video should get off their computers and go outside for an hour or two.
-Brandon Reilly

The causes of self-mutilation; Paper prompt

        For my final paper,  I'm considering researching the causes of self-mutilation. It falls under the topic of body modification, but we never really discussed this topic in class. It's something that I'm very interested in researching, and want to see if I can find evidence which can break the stereotypes that lay behind self-mutilation. The stereotypes being that self-mutilation and depression go hand in hand.

        I think that this topic will cover a variety of categories, because self-mutilation can happen everywhere. I'm interested in finding out what categories seem to have the biggest influence on my topic.It's not confined to one gender, or race. There might be evidence that shows one race self-mutilates more than another, or maybe even a certain social class. I'm interested in figuring out, which groups of people tend to self-mutilate and why. In response to the categories that will shape my paper, I would say the media, race and social class are the top three that will shape my paper. I want to compare and contrast race's, social classes and see how the media effects the perspective on self-mutilation. 

        Self-mutilation is portrayed in the media and movies. Usually in a movie, if a character is depressed they might cut themselves, so cutting is thought of as an action done by people who are depressed. So my question is, does self-mutilation, cutting in particular, mean you are depressed or is it just portrayed that way. Are there people who self-mutilate for different reasons? In the media, you hear about celebrities who are depressed and they cut themselves. Demi Lovato is one that I remember pretty well. She left television for a while because of it. Kids who suffer from depression might hear about instances like this and in effect they might think that because they are depressed they should cut themselves like Demi Lovato. Comparing social classes can help figure that out as well as the effects the media has on people. 

        Another thought I have is where self-mutilation, especially in America, originated. In African tribes, self-mutilation is something that is used for cultural and ritual purposes. At what point did self-mutilation come to America and become a sign of depression. I also want to know that the causes for self-mutilation are.

        When I pick my sources, I want to have hard facts from primary sources. Interviews and videos would be especially useful. I also want to compare those sources to studies done which I can find in online databases like JSTOR of the library. I can also use personal experience as a source.

        In regards to my viewpoint on the issue, I think there is more than just depression that cause self-mutilation. The opposing viewpoint would be going along with the popular viewpoint that depression and self-mutilation go hand in hand.  I'm not sure if that would be considered an opposing viewpoint but It's a place for me to start. I'll be looking for primary sources and studies done as my sources and I will also be using self-experience. 

-Brandon Reilly

 

The Switch

       In the article "How code switching explains the world" by Gene Demby there is a video that gives another perspective on president Obama. The article shows how people switch the way the talk depending on the people they are talking to. The video shows that even president Obama doesn't have only one way of speaking. 
       The video takes place in a small town restaurant, and President Obama is seen talking to the other customers and the cashiers. At one point he says to the cashier "Nah we straight." People don't usually expect that to come out of someone like the presidents mouth, just because it isn't seen as professional. I think it really shows how human everybody really is. No matter how much you try to hide behind fancy clothes and big words, you can't be perfect. "When you're attuned to the phenomenon of code-switching, you start to see it everywhere, and you begin to see the way race, ethnicity and culture plays out all over the place." I love that quote because it shows how you can be part of so many different cultures all at the same time.
      I can think of some examples right away of when I code switch. I am involved in a lot of international clubs and that means that I spend a lot of time with people who have very different accents from me. When I hang out with my Japanese friends from the Japanese SA I find myself starting to talk like them. They don't have the best English and they tend to be missing words in their sentences like Yoda. For example, they might say "we go to store" which I know isn't correct, but I start talking like that after a while too. I think it's so cool that I can switch so easily when I'm with different friends. 
      In regards to the topic of ASL and Black ASL, the video of president Obama is very similar. When he said "nah we straight" I was a little confused. Me being a white american boy brought up in the suburbs of Rochester, I'm not exactly rehearsed very well in slang or street smarts. My room mate is black and I still don't completely understand some of the things he says to me. Like ASL and Black ASL, we can understand each other, but it's just not as clear and it took a little while to start talking the same. 
      It makes me wonder if the same code switch happens around the world. America is known as the melting pot, so I wonder if that has anything to do with it. I believe that the more rehearsed you are with other cultures, the more aware you become. 
-Brandon Reilly

You love who you love

        I want to start this blog with a quote from Hershey's "Choosing Disablity" which really caught my eye on pg. 175. "Raising a child with disabilities is difficult, but raising any child is difficult; just as you expect any other child to enrich your life, you can expect the same from a child with disabilities." I honestly have not had much interaction with disabled people in my life, so I've never really known how to treat them. In Hershey's article she repeatedly mentions how society oppresses disabled people and views them as burdens and thinks they lead miserable lives just because they are disabled. That's how I feel, and I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one. Ask yourself right now if you look at everyone equally. If you said you look at everyone equally that's probably false because everyone instinctively categorizes people when they see them. If you look at someone who is not as privileged as you dont you automatically feel pity for them? After reading that quote I realized that I have to force myself to look at disabled people the same. Everyone should, even when it comes to abortions.
        I thought Hershey had a very strong argument supporting women's rights and individual rights, but there was one thing in particular I didn't completely agree with. Hershey said on pg. 73 that "Guaranteeing basic living services has become a top priority for the disability rights movement." I think that disabled people should be treated the same as everyone else. So why should they automatically receive services that others don't? If they don't want to be separated from society then why are they asking for services that plainly set them apart. Am I being selfish by saying that I don't think disabled people should receive so much extra care, or is that normal to think?
        Overall this article has me confused and I can't seem to straighten my thoughts out. I support pro-life activists but at the same time I support pro-choice activists. Then Hershey comes in and says that you shouldn't abort fetus' just because they are disabled. As of now I don't know where I stand on the whole abortion topic, but I agree with Hershey when she says you should not abort just because your child might be disabled. If I was to take one thing away from the article though it would be this: Before making a judgement on a topic, do research of your own and form an opinion based on your own findings. Don't base your opinions on those around you.
-Brandon Reilly
       

Enfreakment of photography post

"Disabled people are almost entirely absent from photographic genres or discussion because they are read as socially dead and as not having a role to play."
       This was a quote taken from Hevey's article "Enfreakment of photography." The beginning of the quote speaks for itself. There aren't normally pictures of disabled people seen in magazines filled with beautiful models, or on the front cover of newspapers. This quote explains why this happens. It's because disabled people are seen as useless. One of the many definitions of disabled is "not whole." People see disabled people as not whole and they feel that they aren't able to fully contribute to society. That's how I interpret the quote. 
        In the quote Hevey mentions a "social death" which I think means basically having no part in society. Being disabled sets you apart from those who are whole and immediately makes it harder for you to fit in. In the Hevey's quote it says that "disabled people are read as." the key term to me in that sentence is "They are read as." This means that the disabled people might have completely normal personalities but because of how they are treated they are not able to have healthy social relationships with everyone. As a result of how they are seen by others and treated by others, they are not seen in photographic genres.
       In one of the photographs shown on Claire's blog I believe it is the jewish giant and 2 other people looking up at him. The expression on the womens face is what gets me the most. It makes me think of the above quote because it makes me think that the jewish giant is stuck in a social death. Anytime he goes out in public people will look up at him like that. Because he is disabled he is stuck without choice in a social death that everyone around him unconsciously thinks. This is why you dont see disabled people in photographic genres.
-Brandon

The Fat Journal Entry

       Beware I will be using the word 'fat' in this blog post. I read Lionel Shriver's "Warning: I will employ the word fat." I found myself agreeing with a lot of the things Shriver was saying  and telling myself that I've thought that way about someone before and even that I've felt that way. In response to Claire's question about fat prejudice I definitely have personal experience that I can relate to it.

In the article Shriver says "In literature, fat has persistently marked a character as disagreeable." Right when I read that line I thought of my neighbor. Shriver continues to gives examples of characters in several well-known books including Harry Potter. I agree that this prejudice of how fat people act does occur in books and in reality too. From personal experience I have a neighbor from my hometown who I have known for most of my life. I am very close with her and her family. She can be a very angry person though and I think it might have to do with how she has been treated because of her size. Shriver describes one of her characters in her book "The New Republic" named Edgar. He was ridiculed as a kid and now as an adult he takes his anger from that out onto his peers. My neighbor bullied kids in elementary school, but she was also made fun a lot. It seemed like the same scenario as Shriver's character Edgar. She is very defensive and can be set off easily. She's also a very caring person though which is part of the prejudice that fat people are jolly. She wants to become a special education teacher. I personally think she wants to do that because she knows what it's like to be made fun of and she doesn't want others to go through that. As I was reading the article everything that Shriver was saying seemed to be characteristic of my neighbor so that's why I thought of her as a personal experience to fat prejudice.

The next question Claire asked was to find a quote which shows the relationship between beauty and aging. I picked "Besides, as I get older, I grow less involved with feeling beautiful than with finding beauty." This quote is trying to say that with age you become less concerned with your physical look and more concerned with being who you are and finding true inner beauty. Basically it was saying to be who you are. I think this relationship is gendered becasue from my personal experience I have always told myself that I should find inner beauty and not focus so much the physical part of it. So yes I think this relationship between beauty standards and age is more gendered toward women.

Now I have to ask myself what did I get out of this article. I think most of what was said in the article is common sense, especially how you should look at everyone the same. Just remember to "Be in Piece not in pieces. "

Roxy Edwards blog post

      So I guess I'll start out by saying my personal opinion of Roxy and some things I wish I cold have shared in class. First of all, she made me see bodybuilding as something that builds individualism. Second, I respect her for doing what she believes in. In the interview she says "The people who don't respect me are actually the people who are out of shape." And third I don't find her disturbing at all which actually goes against what many of you said in class today, but I don't think she is physically healthy.
        On Friday we discussed in class whether bodybuilding promoted conformity or individualism. I had the mindset at the time that bodybuilding promoted conformity, but after hearing Roxy's interview I changed my mind. I think that a lot of it has to do with whether you are male or female. Males are seen as being muscular in our society, so obviously male bodybuilding is something to be expected. Female bodybuilding on the other hand sometimes strikes people as not normal. Our class agreed that women are supposed to be soft, toned and fragile. Not bulky and muscular. Roxy is the exception though. Through bodybuilding she has gone against the norm of what women should be and she has become something all of her own. She is an amazing individual and stands up for what she believes in.
       Roxy knows that people do not accept her, and she still does what she loves. This is what makes her so unique and makes me respect her. I believe that the most hate towards people who are not accepted by society comes from those who don't understand them. I have a personal example that proves this point. When I was younger, I would hear about people who were transgender and immediately judge them and laugh at them with my friends. Then I started working with someone who is transgender and we are great friends now. Before, I judged a group of people who I knew nothing about, but once I learned a little more about that group of people, I was able to accept them more. The same applies to bodybuilders. Like Roxy said, the people who don't accept her are the ones who are out of shape. They don't understand her so they immediately judge her. If they became bodybuilders they would understand and accept her more.
      Roxy is a beautiful women. But like they say, Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. In her interview she stated that the judges at her competitions judge based on "what is popular at the time." Well, lighter skin is more popular. If there was a girl who was just as muscular as Roxy but a lighter shade of skin, she would seem more attractive. Our society puts up an image of what a beautiful women should look like. What if society said that muscular women were attractive and toned women were disgusting. Then we would all think Roxy was an average women. Beauty can differ and everyone doesn't need to strive to look the same. I do believe that Roxy is taking her bodybuilding a little too far though. I believe that everything is good in moderation, and she definitely does bodybuilding in excess.
      I think people should take Roxy as an example human being and strive to hold her ideals and beliefs.
-Brandon Reilly