Monday, February 26, 2007
Blog #3: Moving ourselves into new contexts
At this juncture, we have covered much material as it relates to our developing subjectivities in different spaces. 'Apparate' or secondspace yourself into a context that has yet to exist and consider how your subjectivity would be vulnerable to either stabilizing or destabilizing in this context. In brief, invent a context you've never been in, describe based on what you know about yourself, how you might respond, and describe the visible and invisible sociopolitical messages that the given space tries to inscribe onto you. You can use each others' contexts if you like em'. Go play!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
39 comments:
I wake up in the morning and find myself in a space where people are not in a hurry. The world moves at a slower pace, and all things are done in a relaxed manner. At first this bothers me a lot, because I’m always in a hurry, always trying to get ahead, always rushing forward to get nowhere. My first space remains with me and I fight against this seemingly lackadaisical descent into calmness. My second space takes over and slowly I relax and begin to enjoy this new space. Everything still gets done but without all of the stress of time schedules and restraints. I cease to rush and start to live.
I have seconspaced myself to a place where colors do not exist. In this space you can not tell what color someone's shirt is, what color hair they have, or what color their skin is. No one in this space is missing out on the colors because this is all they have ever known. I think this space would make me feel relieved in a way because there would be so much less to worry about. I think we would be able to focus on more important things. Other people may not be able to find their identity, since this is so often seen using colors. Maybe this would make people see who they really are and wouldn't let them identify themselves with other things. They would only be able to identify within themselves.
I have secondspaced myself into a world with no feelings, no colors, and no sense of emotion. This is hard for me because I'm a very emotional person, when it comes down to expressing my feelings. Its also hard because without colors the thought of emotion is nothing but a dream. To me without colors you cant have emotion and vice versa. Without colors or emotions no one has any sense or feeling of anybody around them. People go about their days as normalas possible but dont respond to anything. Here I am the only person with these senses we call feelings, that we all take for granted, and nobody can experience them but me. Think about a world such as this, and try to imagine yourself being placed in a place where no colors or emotions exist. What would you do? How would you feel? How would you go about your daily activities and lives?
I have secondspaced myself into a world where people have no inferiority complex. People have very high self-esteem throughout their lives. They are satisfied well that they do not feel the need to improve themselves. This is a great situation while it takes away many developments from the society and prevent people from learning how to make efforts. People don’t have to feel insecure about themselves but won’t try for any changes. There will be numerous missed opportunities for people. Individually speaking, each one of us will be stress-free and could enjoy our lives a lot more than we are now. Worldwide speaking, the gap between poor countries and rich countries will remain the same. We would be completely vulnerable to stabilizing from not knowing that we can do better. Being happy with what we already have is a very important idea in life. But I feel that this only comes from this real world where people keep wanting more and more and trying to do better and better. In the world where people do not even know that they can improve, the idea of being happy with what we already have might not be such an important concept.
Personally, I would react happily first in this secondspace world. I have so much insecurity that it wears me out everyday. If I did not have to be so worried all the time, it would make me a happier person. Nevertheless, as time goes by, I could be even more worn out for being the same throughout my life, never learning to improve in any way.
A new and foreign context would be one where music has never been discovered. It is a space lacking in self-expression, creativity, and outlets for emotions. This context is a much more silent world, with a silenced history as well. Political movements and propaganda are less prevalent and less persuasive. Cultures are less distinct, unique, and special. People in general might lack energy, motivation, excitement, as well as an external source to help pacify or release feelings. For those with innate musical talent, either through a beautiful voice or the ability to play an instrument, an inner strength of theirs would never be promoted, leaving them underdeveloped.
On a personal level, I feel that a context without music would allow me to walk through certain aspects of everyday life unaware and unengaged. The experiences of a car ride, a party, a wedding, and education, or just simply time spent in my room would all be greatly different. I would lack an intentional existence, a certain mindfulness of my surroundings. A world without music for me, as I am sure with others, would be quite boring, dull and monotonous.
I secondspaced myself into a world with no technology. There is no computer, cell phone, ipod, etc. I immediately become lost. I have no way of getting in touch with anyone or finding information. I am lost because all my music and photos are gone I am in a world where I cannot function. I feel lost and confused. I do not have most of my identity artifacts and my tools for surviving everyday as a college student. It is impossible to email or im to find out information from professors and classmates. I cannot call my friends to get together we must make arrangements based on face to face meetings and snail mail. This world is like it was in the olden days and I feel so misplaced. There is no tv or dvds for entertainment, we must go see plays. There is no myspace or facebook to consume our time. We must actually entertain each other instead of video games or computer activities. This world is foreign and it will take getting use to. Such as kristyncromer says it requires people to focus on more important things. It really allows poeple to discover themselves instead of what electronics they hide behind. It will allow poeple to dig deep and discover more clearly their identities.
My secondspace is similar to that of billmac and teresac. This space is a reflection of my identity in that it is relaxed and worry free. There is no technology, no cars, no appointments, so there is time to experience life as it is happening. In my firstspace, i feel as if I have lost control and I am missing out on life. This secondspace is stabilizing in a way that I can experience the important things in life and better understand my own identity. It can also be destabilizing in a way, with no cars or planes or any media, I would not experience diversity of the world. This influence has been part of shaping my present identity so lack of would destabilize it.
In my second space fear does not exist. No one feels like they are being held back by their inhibitions, no one keeps anything inside. There aren't any phobias, or anxieties. People act on their impulses, and say what is on their minds. This space would be beneficial as well as harmful to those who occupy it. It would seem wonderful to simply act on every thought without being held back by fear, but with such freedom would inevitably bring chaos and disorder. Quoting Spiderman, "with great power, comes great responsibility." If human beings had the power over an element like fear holding them back from carryinng out their inner desires, would we have the right amount of responsibility to use it properly?
I picture myself in a kind of space that is completely pitch dark and absolutely no other human being is there. As if the world ended and all that was left is me in this dark dark space. I would most definitely destabilize and try to understand what is going on. Why am I alone? Where is everyone else? I would be very lost in this desolate space because I am a very materialistic person and always need to be around people. I would probably go ‘mad’ just sitting there and going over and over the things I have done in my life that were bad and good. Is this how I see the world? As a dark, ugly place that I don’t want to enter into as I continue to grow up. Do I only see the bad and ugly in the world? Sometimes this is what I feel in my soul.
My secondspace is similar to Nao's in the sense of bridging the gap between impoverished and rich countries. I find it completely unsettling that celebrities in our country are running around blowing money on expensive cars and clothing while there are people starving overseas. In my secondspace, people would not feel that money is the solution to their problems and be more willing to help those in need. Overtime, people would realize the value of what is really important, the Earth would become united as one, and so many other problems such as war would disappear... I realize this is overly idealistic, but I would happily accept this secondspace!
In my second space it would consist of realness. In ths space speaking would no longer exist and communication would take place with in our thoughts. This would eliminate "the poser". No longer would there be a need to keep our friends close and our enemies closer. This space would turn us all into honest people. If you don't have nothing nice to think then don't think anything at all, would soon become the next catch phase. This space would create positive karma for all because backstabing and lying would be eliminated, due to everyone knowing everone elses next move.
My second space would consist of a world without any judgment or intolerance. Everyone would accept everyone else without at second thought. You can be any weight, any religion, any race, any mentality level, etc. and you wouldn’t be judged. In the real first space, I believe wars and conflicts are rooted in intolerance. In order to create world peace, intolerance needs to be pushed aside and forgotten. Judging other people also causes many problems that aren’t necessary especially for young adolescents. My identity suffers and becomes destabilized since I am constantly worried about other people judging me and hating me for things I can’t change. In the second space people are open-minded, able to understand different views explained to them and are able to accept people for who they are. In the second space my identity is very stable since the root of my insecurities are based on other people’s judgments.
In my second space, it owuld eliminate the boundries that w conform to eveyrday. We would no longer would have cliques, races, walls, border, divide in religion. There would nothing that would keep us from eachtoher, from ebing friends wiht all people. No more labels, no rich no poor, just human. We would all coexist as people. No one would be famous, no one would be forgotten. Our identities would really be who we are, not some thing that is coaxed by what others think, or what people tell you to be. In This second space we are really who we are without any interference. We are our real selves.
I too have secondspaced myself to a place where races, religious views, social class, etc. do not exist. I believe our world as we know it would become closer. We separate ourselves so much, and categorize our lives by what we wear, how much money we make, and what we physically look like. If we could learn to get over this, I think we would learn a lot from each other. We can still be individual in many ways, but we can also learn from each other why things in their culture are the way they are, what they have been through in their life, etc. I think it is important for us to learn from each other and adapt to it. I think many people forget that we have been put on this earth to help people! We are not here to commit crime or discriminate or judge each other, so why do people continue to do this in our society. I personally have been brought up to never take life for granted or think for one second that I am better than anyone. I thank my parents for that, and live my life in this way. I try my best to follow this way of thinking, and I think it is important for everyone to at least think about.
I have secondspaced myself to a place where there is no concept of ugly and, like some of my classmates, no judgments. There are no ugly people, places, attitudes, actions, etc. Everyone is accepted and no judgments are made about them regardless of height, weight, social class, race, gender, etc. We still have the ability to see the beauty in all things but the concept of ugly is nonexistant. In this space we find a world of peace and respect. I believe wars, arguments and altercations are rooted in ugliness and are full of judgments and in a world that doesn't contain these we find ourselves happier and more pleasant with one another. In such a space I can only imagine that we are all stabilized. We no longer have a reason to feel as though we don't belong because there are no judgments. We all work together and the world operates more harmoniously.
I have chosen to secondspace myself to a world where time does not exist. In this space there is a lot less worry throughout the world. There are no deadlines, no appointments, and no schedules constantly dictating our lives. People would be free to accomplish things at their own leisure and to meet their own standards. If you are under a deadline, you are more likely to rush to get something done in a hurry and be unsatisfied with your work.
I agree with billmac that without people preoccupied with time and deadlines, the world would move at a much slower pace, which would in turn cause people to have a lot less stress in their lives. Without time, you are able to enjoy life more, rather than running around and just going through the motions. You now can appreciate the little things in life that are so precious that may be overlooked when you are constantly thinking that you need to get something done or go somewhere.
I have secondspaced myself to a world where expectations do not exist. A place where one could do what they wanted without worrying what other's thought about decisions they make. When expectations exist, people constantly have to worry about letting others down who count on them. Here, decisions can be made and actions can be taken without judgement or disappointment. I took a quote from the TV show Gilmore Girls that says "Never make plans, because when you make plans you have expectations,when you have expectations you set yourself up for disappointment. Don't make plans."
I think this space would be benefitial because in today's society people are too critical of each other and sometimes are expected to obtain an unattainable goal which causes stress. This space would relieve stress and worry for individuals having them focus their energy on making themselves happy and not others.
I almost wish I did not read everyone else's comments due to the fact that it is making me think less on my own. Everyone has great ideas! I am going to try to be original as possible. I wish I could secondspace myself into a world of fairness. I would love to co construct and stabilize a society where we would not even understand the meaning of rich, poor, ugly, war, peace, prejudice, or judgment. One would not make 20 million dollars while others starve. One student would not recieve credit cards from parents while another recieves $4,000 medical bills in the mail threatening arrest. We would not understand the concept of ugliness or fakeness yet everything would be just described as "fair." What do you think? I try to play the devil's advocate on this one and imagine what this would do to society. It could possibly open Pandora's Box. Would everything be boring then? We might not feel the gratification of positive emotions because nothing is weighted. After trying to divulge myself in this secondspace I think I want to leave.
I secondedspaced myself to a place where everytime someone was cruel to another person they felt the same amount of pain that the person they were cruel to felt. Sometimes I feel like people have gotten so caught up in there everyday lives that they forget about emotions. If people were forced to feel the pain that they cause people sometimes, I think everyone would think a lot more before they do certain things and about others feelings in general. People would strive to be kind because they themselves would want to feel happy. However, this might make acts of kindness not mean as much, because they would most likely be selfish acts of kindess. It would be a very interesting secondspace, but I'm not sure if I would want to stay there or not.
YOU all are amazing- I cannot explain or express to you enough how moving these comments are.
I secondspace myself to a room with bare walls. On the walls everything I think, say, and do is portrayed in pictures and words painted across the walls in vivid colors. Every human in this secondspace has a room like this. Imagine if all the cruel things you have said to someone out of frustrations, all the negative thoughts (worry, anger, pain) you have thought, all the people you've mistreated were painted in murals all around you, for everyone to see, and never able to erase. Words like HATE and PAIN would be written in dark black lines, constant reminders of bad choices and mistakes. I think if I was able to see the things I thought, or times when I acted against my better judgment, were visible to myself and others it would completely destablize my identity. It would jar me from any comfortable habits or judgements; only, though, in hopes of causing a stronger, more prominent restablization. This room would be encouragement for a healthier, more communal identity. I am a strong believer in the power of mentality, that our thoughts are instrisic to our physicallity. This might be a good way of cleansing and a rash display of human pyshce. Not only would the hard things to face be projected, but so would all the good things one has said or done.
I would like to see my room filled with murals of genuine care and love for others, with words of encouragement and revolution written all over. But I know that, also, there would be images of distrust and doubt, and they would be dark and ugly pictures. People might begin to use better discernment with the way they act and talk. I also think that such a room would be therapy for some people, and eliminate that deep subcurrent flow of isolation and solitude that humans have created for themselves.
I second spaced myself into a world where everyone was the same and difference was looked on with fear and suspicion. This space would frighten me because I am different from those who inhabit it. I imagine a sense of loathing and replusion from the people who live there. My identity would constatnly be under risk of destabilization due to the pressure I would feel to conform. I would hope that eventually the people in this space would learn to accept me and perhaps to develop differences of their own. Without differences society would eventually stagnate.
I secondspaced myself to a place where everyone got along. People didnt feel the need to talk about each other behind thier backs. Where this is no need to stalk celebreties to get gossip on them and make them look bad. A place where people could walk into a room and not be judged by what they are wearing, what they look like or who they are freinds with. I think a place like this would make everyone confident and no one would feel more superior or less. This space would make me and i would assume most people happy.
I have secondspaced myself into a place where pain and hurt does not exist. This world is concerned with keeping everyone happy, safe, and clear of anything that may cause someone pain or hurt. My identity would be stabilized in this space because I hate pain, and the last thing I want to be is hurt by something or someone. In this space I would not have to worry about social, political, and personal conerns anymore because I would know in advance that the outcome would be pleasurable. I think alot of people would identity with this space and I assume this world be much happier.
I secondspace myself to a world where everyone lives in a thirdspace and controls their own lives in secondspace through a lens of themselves. It would be like watching yourself from a third person point of view and but being in complete control of your actions and choices. This world would be a great chance for everyone to take a step back and examine how other people view them and make changes if need be. I believe it would make the world a much more happier place with little or no violence because you get to see things first hand from a thirdperson view and make reasonable and rational choices.
As we all are getting closer to the end of college, I think I can safely say that we are all thinking about our futures. Trying to figure out what to do with yourself and how you're past can affect your options is a very stressful thing. That is why I decided that my secondspace would be a place where there is no past or future. There is only the present. This secondspace could create turmoil because there wouldn't be any consequences for actions. It could also create amazing things because people would take more chances and try more things. I feel I would be destabilized in this environment, but I would quickly stabilize again. It would be nice to be able to live in the moment.
If I could secondspace to any place it would be a place without money and especially greed. I feel that this will make more people do more to help out others instead of just caring for themselves. More people would also pick a skill that they love to do instead of picking a job because they will make a lot of money. If we were to go back to the days were people traded their skills with eachother, I feel that the valuable careers would swap. Instead of actors and musicians having the most valuables, the more important jobs like doctors and teachers would have the most. But there would also have to be no greed in this world because even without money people would still get greedy and fight for eachothers crafts. In this world without greed people would want to use their craft just to help others, and no one would go without food shelter and everything else they need because everyone helps eachother, and whatever you can't provide for yourself someone would help you. I feel like my identity wouold change greatly because I love to get involved in charity and volunteer activities but feel that I can't as much as I would like because I have to worry about paying off loans, always working, and being broke that I have no money to spare. I would be able to do what I love instead of worrying about finding a good job.
I have secondspaced myself into a world without colors. Everything is black, grey and white. To me, as a design major it frustrates me. I don't know how to make design fun, and the world does not seem as beautiful. I have definetly destablized beyond any other destabliation ever. Everywhere you look, it would be like you were in a black and white tv show. Color sybolizes emotions and my emotions are now taking a toll on me and causing me severe depression.
I secondspaced myself into a place where there is neither stereotyping nor judgment on other people or things. In this space, no one judges anyone on what they like or dislike, what they do, how they act, how they dress, etc. People are always trying to be the best and be perfect, but what I consider "perfect" may not be your view of perfection. For example, in this secondspace there would be equal opportunities for job openings and positions. Everyone would be treated equally with everything they do. In this space, no person judges a book by its cover...
If I were to seconspaced myself I would have to put myself in a world with no feelings and no color. This would intentionally be good because there would be no war and there would be world peace. This space is similar to the space in the book "The Giver" by Louis Lowry. There are no feelings or color in the space in the book, but one boy’s job is to hold all the feelings for the town. I feel like this would destabilize my identity and everyone else’s because no one can be different. There is no expression; it would almost be as if we were all zombies. I have my own personality like everyone else and like everyone else I express myself through expression and even color. Without these things no one would have their own stabilized identity.
I have secondspaced myself to a place were there is no time. There are no deadlines to meet. There is no day or night, only light and dark. People live their lives on their own watch. People would work, but it would be a very relaxed environment. So being in this secondspace, what would get accomplished. Only the things that mean the most to people would be worked on. Passion would be brought back to careers, seperating those who want to work from those who do not. Time governs us in ways that are not normally looked at.
I think that I would second space myslef to a place where capital did not preside over everything. It would be nice to have people appreciate what they are wearing because they know what effort went into making it and even what components make up the things that we buy. People are so caught up in how much something is worth i.e. a lot of people measure other people's economic status just by the car they drive. I think that if people understood the value of life and spent more time worrying about it and others instead of making money we all might be happier. I think that it would be good to live in a world where money did not rule everything and people did not see a problem with exchanging goods for services, not necessarily meant by like giving a bushel of apples for having your taxes done, but perhaps someone who does not have the economic success as another would be inclined to maybe fix your car if you due their taxes. Its a stretch, but I think people may be a little happier this way. People may be destabilized by this for a while, because no longer could we measure someones success by the amount of money they make, but that should prove to be a good thing. People would slowly become more stabilized because they would not feel shame and guilt or even as inferior to somebody else becuase they did not have as big a residence or could not afford the new pair of Nike's everyone is getting. People may begin to like other people more because others will not be seen as superior based on their money, but maybe superior based on their knowledge of helping other people through life. For the most part I think that a lot of superiority complexes would be taken care of and people would begin, as a whole, to look at one another a bit more equally
My space is one where anything that I read becomes reality. NO matter how far-fetched the ideas or creations can be they find some way of portraying themselves in the material world. During this time, it is important to watch myself and ensure that nothing extremely negative happens. As I am experiencing these images and visions I try to concentrate on morphing them by changing my reading styles. It is an experiment to see if literary analysis and different literary contexts can adapt an already artificial world and to see how they can each alter what is happening to me.
In my secondspace love does not exist. Life moves at a frenzied pace, people do not slow down for anything or anyone. This is disturbing to me, as in my firstspace I feel that love is an integral portion of life. In this secondspace, I look for noone, I feel only sadness and within this secondspace my identity destabilizes by making me feel unwanted, and utterly alone. With time, I adjust to the idea of having no one to share with, no friends, and no family. I slowly learn to feel nothing and my identity restabilizes when the shock wears off. I do not like the idea of this kind of place, whether it be a secondspace or a firstspace. While this kind of world would be more likely to support the efficiency levels within society, I think that people would find that life is not only lacking without intimate social interaction, but frustrating and exhausting without love. I don't even think that people would be able to love themselves which would be detrimental to people's heath.
I have secondspaced myself into a world where there is no violence, profanity,guns or sex. Everyone would live in hamony like the movie Demolition man. I think this world would be a better place to live in if none of those things exist. I think I would be able to live in a world like that cause i will be able to relax and let my guards down knowing that its a safe world to live in.
I would second space myself into a world of total honesty. A world where people don't say what they think you want to hear. A world where people are truthful about their feelings. It would be a world where you knew who your true friends were, and who your true enemies were as well. It is difficult to trust people because often times, you must trust them on their word alone. In a world of total honesty, this would not be a problem. It would make some things easier and some things more difficult. The truth hurts sometimes, but a world without it is a world without peace.
Post a Comment