Style 1

Name: Anna

Location: Union Square B&N

Occupation: College Student

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Well, I'd say I just throw things together. I like to dress casual but look put together.

Q: Do you feel like you dress in a way that in expresses your individuality, or do you feel that you like to keep up with trends?

A: Well I guess it's a bit of both. I like to update my look and incorporate some mainstream styles, but I wouldn't say I base my wardrobe on it. I like to just wear basics, like a tee, skinny jeans and a cardigan, and then add accessories, some that reflect trends and some that are unique to me.

Q: I like your scarf a lot; would you say thats something unique to you?

A: Thank you! Umm, no i wouldn't. I guess thats more of a trend.

Q: What would you say is one thing your wearing now that is unique to you?

Umm...I guess nothing right now! (laughs) I mean sometimes what I do is take a shirt & then reconstruct it a bit, like cut a basic tee into an off the shoulder shirt, or cut old jeans to make them shorts for the summer. If I'm bored, I'll do something to jazz my sneakers up a bit.

Q: Overall, would you say you are an individual?

A: Yes. I think everyone is, everyone is different; their own person. Just because styles may be similar, doesn't mean the people wearing them are the same.

Story Comments and Analysis

Ali Jo,

You portray cool as being someone who goes against mainstream culture (the anarchist cookbook, ripping down corporate posters). The interesting part was this line: "In her dreams she wore a black bandanna around her face and the same outfit as Artie from Pete and Pete. A true hero." That made me think, maybe this idea of cool is actually mainstream, because everyone wants to be a hero, a star, the main character. We just choose to seek that attention through different forms, depending on who's hero or star we want to become. But again, it seems it's all about pleasing and receiving attention from the audience. But then you know what, Petunia seemed pretty pleased to be a "hidden" hero, requiring no one around to admire her work other than her trusty dog. That, I think is cool.

Good Job =)

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Carol,

Haha...I liked your story. I think it's what a lot of guys go through. They try to impress their "boys" and bag the girls. But in it, you see a lot of insecurity and low self esteem. That kinda makes me sympathetic towards the character, even though it doesn't seem like his personality is very likable. The struggle to be popular is like the lottery; many will play, few will win. But what about those, who like your character, can't win? It's not a good feeling to get rejected, but I feel that he should stop trying to make people like him who don't like him, and just turn his attention elsewhere. He'd be a lot happier.

Good Job on the story =)

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Moe,

This sounds like a typical day at SOF. It seems like your idea of a cool person is someone who just goes with the flow, and doesn't worry to much. Also, your character talks back a bit to the teacher, which is basically what goes on every day. I think your story did a good job of being realistic, and reflecting what high school life is like. But, is this your idea of what cool is as well, or just a mirror of what takes place?

Overall, Good Job =)

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Dylan,

This basically sums it up: "'look man' Johnny said calmly, "I'm gonna be in this academic factory for the next few hours, leave then come back tomorrow for the next few hours. So excuse me for not trying to enjoy the few happy moments I get." First off, so true. Second, it seems that the idea of cool here is an easygoing person, who has a grip on what their personal values are, and are willing to stand up to authority if they are challenged. I think the character is actually more mature or intelligent than somebody who is purely school-driven, and does not take time out to enjoy life and relax. Because really, what's the point in life if it's not going to be enjoyed?

Good Job =)

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Jace,

I loved this quote: "Life is like a balloon. When your born your filled with air, but as you go on living the air starts deflating. 'No you can't eat crayons' (air leaves). 'You can't go to that school' (air leaves). 'You might not go to college' (air leaves). There is no way to stay fully inflated with life." This is the perfect description of growing up. Kinda like when you loose your "innocence", and don't have that perfect view of the world anymore. It kinda makes you long to be a little kid again, because the world appeared so differently. Your idea of cool is more subtle, and that in itself is like a kid...to them, everything about life and the world itself is cool. And then they grow up.

Good Job =)

Exploration of Cool

I think being "cool" is just trying to understand yourself and others, being compassionate and honest, and always trying to make situations better. Also, being funny wouldn't hurt. In terms of image, I just think someone who takes care of themselves (showers, shaves, wears deodorant) is cool enough. There are people who have impressive styles, but I don't think that's necessary to be cool (maybe to others it is).

One thing I don't like about "cool" though is that it causes people to become even more judgmental than they would be otherwise. Even in my idea of "cool" which is not strictly image based, I'm setting up certain standards to measure people up by. That can tend to either hurt people's feelings, or "gas"them up.

But I mean honestly, if you base your own view of yourself, or your self esteem on what other people think of you, you will go through a constant rollacoster of emotions; one day you'll feel great, and the next day you'll feel like shit. One thing you surly won't be is stable and content in yourself.

It may sound super corny, or unrealistic, but no one should base their idea of themselves on what other people say. There are many people who are negative, and thrive on bringing down others. Just because a member of your family, or a person in your social group is constantly criticizing you or telling you how you should be, doesn't mean that there's something wrong with you. I think it's cool if you can just shrug off their opinions and know that even though you may not be "good enough" for them, you are happy with who you are, and you will find people who do accept you.

In life you don't need anyone who does not like you the way you are, because those people will literally suck out your happiness, self esteem and whatever else they can take. Worst comes to worst, you can always be your own best friend, but when you let others tell you how you should change to please them and their standards, you become your own worst enemy.

Big Paper 1- Rough Draft

Digitalization promotes disembodiment, has become a medium of corporate propaganda, and fosters capitalist values at a young age.

-Disembodiment; TRANSHUMANISM

-Consumer Farming

-Capitalist values: INDIVIDUALISM illusions; COLLECTIVIST reality (both true states, one better state)

Intelligence is having unity with the earth. Being present in decisions made; every aspect of life should be made of decisions, even food (omnivores dilema)

HUMAN CONDITION- evolutionary talk

Capitalism requires individualism while evolution and survival are founded on collectivism.

Outline Suggestions

Ali Jo,

What exactly do you define as "true" pleasure and happiness? And in contrast, what is a false state of happiness?

I know you are not an advocate of binary statements, so how do you defend there being such a thing as a "true" or "false" state of happiness? Happiness is after all, a state of mind, and any feeling that we experience must be very much authentic, no? I know that you bring up the point of temporary and long lasting as a way of distinguishing which feeling is the real deal, but is how long lasting a certain feeling might be really a good indicator of how true the feeling may have been? I would argue differently, because some of the strongest emotions felt are ones that are fleeting; the terror as death grabs us and lets us go just in time to survive, for instance. Was this "short" feeling not true? Also, to discuss the idea of time that a feeling lasts, we need to have a working definition of what temporary and long lasting is, because generally speaking it's all relative (and a binary idea at that).

Now the reason I bring all this up is because you said in your comment to me: "There is no such thing as "true" and "false". Everything in our universe, whether it's ethical or not, is a natural and indigenous part of REALITY. If it can be fathomed, it's natural."

So then if it can be felt, is that not real also? Is it not the reality of our experience? Can a feeling EVER be false?

And I certainly see your point (don't think I'm attacking it) when you argue that nothing can ever be true or false, but the tricky thing with that is that we are not able to effectively convey our experiences as human beings in terms that are not binary. Something has to be right, and something has to be wrong. Something has to be good, and something has to be bad. Something has to be alive, and something has to be dead. Or else, we cannot comprehensively make sense of our situation.

While I, like you, am interested in ways that this can at least be minimized to acknowledge that at best our world is shaded gray (or purple, blue, yellow) and is not a binary universe, we must remember that we are trapped within our human ability to understand. This is why we measure time on a weird round shaped thing with two clicking lines moving across numbers. It's also why we measure how "big" or "small" things are by how much "space" they take up, when in fact the universe is constantly expanding, and so it is impossible for us to even understand this concept of space. Our universe does not have parameters, but our ability to process it does.

So even though you seem to emphatically believe that binary distinctions are bullshit (and I agree with you) both of our papers have theses that revolve around these distinctions of "true reality" for me and "true happiness" for you.

Now this is only to be expected of us as humans; I'm personally stumped for how to write this paper without including binary ideas, let alone perceive my life without them.

Soo yeah pretty much we can reject binary ideas on a theoretical level, but I'm just not sure that it can be done in practice.

But binary and reality debates aside, I'm sure your paper will be thoughtful, and well written as always :)

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Carol,
I like how you relate our use of digital gadgets to our happiness. You provide a specific definition for what happiness means or is portrayed as in our culture, which is good. However, what do you think happiness should be? You seem to not believe that digital media can make one truly happy, so what would you argue does and why? Maybe you can talk about what you perceive to be the difference between these two states of happiness (if there is one as you argue). Adding that in will make your paper stronger.

Your use of evidence is great though-I think you will have a lot to work with here.

As your ideas develop further, I'm sure your paper will be really good :)

Big Paper Outline

Thesis: Digitalization is dangerous because it promotes disembodiment, and causes it's users to create and experience a world that is not consistent with the true state of being as it would be experienced with body and world awareness. In addition, it has become a medium of corporate propaganda, and the fostering of capitalist values at a young age. <----(is this too lengthy??)

Argument 1: Digitalization causes disembodiment; does not match up with true state, as a result physical conditions worsen. We are largely oblivious to this, and in turn disasters are headed our way.

Evidence: Video's of digitalization, Feed lesions compared to our situation

Argument 2: Corporate propaganda.

Evidence: Feed, Tv, Use of Ads

Argument 3: Capitalist values (an extension of corporate propaganda, or at least a hand in hand kinda thing).

Evidence: Everything bad is good for you, Wall-E

--> UPDATE: After considering Ali Jo's comments I agree that everything is a part of reality; however I still stand by my thesis on the grounds that if our physical experiences are neglected, it shall cause a great deal of destruction and stress on the world, while there will be no such consequence if our digital experiences are neglected. In other words, while both physical and digital states are real, only one is directly tied to our ability to survive, and allowing us to have the human experience in the first place. I'll expand and add to this in my paper.