Letters to a Young Contrarian: Chapter 2

I love the passage on irony that Hitchens chooses to discuss when he refers to Rainer Maria Rilke, a Czech Republic born poet who was most commonly known for his transitional work from traditional to modern poetry.

"Don't let yourself be controlled by it, especially during uncreative moments. When you are fully creative, try to use it, as one more way to take hold of life." (Rilke, page 14)

I found this quote to be particularly capturing because of the time period where Rilke wrote some of his best work. To be unique was a risk, and for Rilke to express himself through his particular creativity was "one more way to take hold of life", one more way to set himself apart from the rest of the imaginative artists of his time. I admire artists who are bold, and that may be one reason for why artists are always looking for something to spark a controversy. Great epic heros were always looking to make a name for themselves, but that will only happen when a brave individual is willing to take that chance. Same goes for Rilke of his time, and modern artists of today.

"Used purely, it too is pure, and one needn't be ashamed of it; but if you feel yourself becoming too familiar with it, if you are afraid of this growing familiarity, then turn to great and serious objects, in front of which it become small and helpless." (Rilke, page 14)

Rilke's work focused on unpopular conversation topics, things that most people would be too uncomfortable to talk about - even now. He wrote some pretty initimate material, some having to do with blind disbelief, solitude, and anxiety. "One needn't be ashamed of it" he says, to face the irony of a situation. Or in other words, to be different from the general norm. Turning back on your beliefs will only bring you closer to being another blank figure in a crowd of unoriginal thinkers, "small and helpless".

Internet Art: Introduction

I am an individual of the newest generation, I am a contributor, and I am also a consumer. Being a part of the many people who will change this world in a whole new perspective, it is no surprise that I am constantly following the new, up and coming technology trends. It can be argued that PCs are the original kings of central processing units, but The Mac is what changed the all around accessibility of CPUs. Despite the many rumors that have been spread about Steve Jobs, it his him and his former partner Steve Wozniak that I thank for the advancement of technology that we have been blessed with today. 

The introduction of Internet Art by Rachel Greene references the two technology kings on page 17, "Though Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, the co-founders of Apple, had released several Apple models in the 1970s, they were unable to compete with the PC until they developed the Macintosh in 1984. The Mac introduced clickable icons on the screen whereas PC interfaces required users to type instructions." (Greene, Internet Art) Although it was only the beginning, introducing the visual representation of the computer (otherwise known as the desktop) was a definite game changer. 

In a interview with the former HP manager, we can really tell how much heart he put into his work and the amount of appreciation he has for his life now. Not be be biased, but Wozniak was definitely the brains of the two partners, while Jobs had the business thumb and high energy to keep up with the emerging technology. Although the Apple I (Wozniak's first desktop computer debut) was his original design, it was the Apple II (which Wozniak designed all on his own) that really set off the success for Apple Computers. It was Wozniak that really made it possible for ordinary people to use desktop computers. (http://www.foundersatwork.com/steve-wozniak.html)

Jobs paired up for Wozniak after a friend mentioned in conversation about a guy who was into technology like he was, so they agreed to meet up. "Steve and I weren't similar personalities, which was strange, but I'm the sort of person that goes along with anyone that wants to talk technology." said Wozniak. It's funny, because I feel like all of my best friendships start off like this - I guess partnerships do too. 

Wozniak was really the birth mother of the numerous user-friendly personal computers, but his Reed College dropout partner was also an incredible marketer. "Apple initially marketed the computers for $666.66 each. The Apple I earned the corporation around $774,000. Three years after the release of Apple's second model, the Apple II, the company's sales increased by 700 percent, to $139 million. In 1980, Apple Computer became a publicly traded company, with a market value of $1.2 billion by the end of its very first day of trading." If that's not impressive marketing skills, I don't know what is. (http://www.biography.com/people/steve-jobs-9354805#apple-computers)

Project 1 experience

I almost forgot what it was like to represent myself. This project brought me back to show and tell in elementary school where we would bring in things that we loved. Unknowingly, that was a representation of ourselves.

Before starting project one, I thought it was going to be a piece of cake - something that I could knock out in less than a week, I was totally wrong. This was probably one of the most aggravating assignments that I have been given. While most projects have a certain agenda to follow, this project did not. I thought I would like having a little bit of freedom, and I love Instagram! I then began to understand how narcissistic I am when it comes to posting pictures that “represent me” on social media.

The most difficult part of this assignment was definitely making sure that there were no body parts that appeared in the image. I would hold something up to the camera to take a picture of it and then realize that my hand couldn't be in the shot. It was hard to depict my friends and family without actually having them in it.

However, this project did manage to increase my creative outlook. I now have more appreciation for unique self portraits, especially when they don’t physically feature the artist. 

Instagram ideas

1. stuffed animals
2. dunkin donuts
3. baking
4. my converse next to my boyfriend's converse
5. palm trees
6. chipotle
7. doodles
8. netflix
9. longboat key
10. my jewelry
11. boo
12. makeup
13. family gatherings
14. crafting
15. pizza
16. rain boots
17. gelato
18. seafood
19. desserts
20. bonsai
21. candle
22. perfume
23. pasta
24. crepes
25. wine
26. something to represent my mom
27. buzzfeed
28. manatees
29. music (headphones?)
30. pacsun (work shirt?)
31. fuzzy socks
32. cozy blankets
33. cooking supplies
34. running shoes
35. sweatpants
36. lao flag
37. spongebob
38. hello kitty
39. bird cage
40. avatar the last airbender

Letters to a Young Contrarian: Preface, Introduction, Chapter 1

"The noble title of "dissident" must be earned rather than claimed; it connotes sacrifice and risk rather than mere disagreement, and it has been consecrated by many exemplary and courageous men and women" (Page 1)

The dictionary definition for dissident is "someone who dissents", which means that a dissident is someone who goes against the majority with their opinion, especially important public figures - which is what I am assuming Christopher Hitchens did. He mentioned in the preface an example of what some reviewers would say about him, "Hitchens, whose previous targets have even included Mother Teresa and Princess Diana as well as Bill Clinton" (Preface) Hitchens is saying that the title "dissident" is noble as if it is a good thing . His mindset must see past the anger and disgust of critics, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. He's just very confident in his opinions and finds pride in disagreement. 

I can also agree with Hitchens when he admits, "I attack and criticize people myself, I have no right to expect lenience in return." (Preface) While most people dish the criticism but can't handle being served, Hitchens understands how the world goes 'round. As we all should, he knows how society works, therefore does that make it okay for all of us to criticize? 

Bonsai

I think this is my favorite picture of all pictures from this project. My dad was such an enthusiast for plants, more specifically Bonsais. He loved them almost as much as he loved his kids! When he wasn't out working, he was in the greenhouse spending time on a hobby that helped him quit smoking. When he passed, we kept his plants (about 100!) in memory of his legacy. While most people see this plant as a tangled mess of branches and green leaves, I am reminded daily that my dad still lives on through the natural life that he left behind. 

Exploitation vs. Empowerment

I wish I could say that I had stronger feelings about public exploitation in the marketing industry. I tend to normally be a very passive person as it is, not really showing my concern or confronting an issue that might bother me. The only thing that I did find a little sad was when that young lady was talking about being a “#1 Hunger Games fan”. It is true, some people are putting in more effort to be noticed and appreciated in comparison to people like me, who tweet about pizza and retweet dog videos. When Jason Calicanis talks about being one or two steps behind celebrities when it comes to our contribution towards the digital world, I can’t really say that I consider myself to be anywhere near the same fame level as Jennifer Lawrence or Tom Brady. Yes, ultimately we all share the same network – some just have more fans than others. Although I am a personal publisher whether that be Facebook or Twitter, I am still an audience. But then again, so is Brady. If anything, I would agree that the UGC 2.0 (user generated content) is in a whole new ballpark when it comes to empowerment. Referring back to BuzzFeed, BuzzFeed offers their users a chance to put their best foot forward and contribute to their world through “BuzzFeed Community” where anybody can write a post and have it be viewed by other BuzzFeed visitors. It’s a whole new way of marketing their business (through non-marketing) as Calicanis would say. Allowing the public to be their own voice makes it easier for the companies to get an insight on what consumers really want.

Youtube channels

As you all know, I am proud to say that I am a religious follower of BuzzFeed in every form of media that they provide – especially their YouTube channels. If I have any free time (especially in the mornings and during homework breaks), I like to sit down and update myself on all of their channels (all four: violet, blue, yellow, and video) and see what kind of topics they have to discuss. The main reason why I am so interested in BuzzFeed’s entertainment is because majority of their videos are actually relatable, super interesting, informative and entertaining! It’s rare to find all of those benefits at once. The writers and actors are average people who share similar characteristics yet differ uniquely from one another. I feel like they’re my friends who I keep up with through videos and articles – if that isn’t creepy enough. Today I just scrolled through a BuzzFeed article on “The Butt Of Every Football Player In The Superbowl, Ranked” because it was humorous and amusing. I also recently watched a video on their BuzzFeedVideo channel about women experiencing what it was like to wear a hijab, and the misconceptions about women who actually wear them every day. I learned that wearing a hijab does not necessarily mean that woman is under male oppression, quite the opposite actually. A woman can be beautiful and intelligent without physical image. One topic was so ridiculous and the other was actually really important to be aware about – both were equally interesting. That’s what I look for from YouTube artists, being able to relate.