Thursday, December 13, 2012

FINAL ESSAY (UTOPIA)


Christina M. Torres
Wexler
English 495
13 December 2012
Re Established Utopia
          Many people would refer to living in the United States of American an ultimate dream. Every geographic location struggles with internal oppression, discrimination and biased societies. In the case of the movie Babel, the biased of the entire world is oppressive towards class bases. This movie reflects the beliefs of American through the way each area of the world secludes all cultures, oppresses those who are less fortunate, as well as continues to build controversy within the global issue itself.
          This chronological story links all areas in the movie together. The primary issue at hand in the movie “Babel” was that the barren mountains of Morocco, where the dominant sound is howling wind, to fluorescent Tokyo, where the natural world has been almost entirely supplanted by a technological environment, to the anxious border between the United States and Mexico, were all juxtaposed for the sake of creating conflict and irony. Like the United States, the movie initially seems very diverse; which is something the United States of American has created as an image of being more of a Utopia. Individual scenes were impactful, as well as tenacious when it came to the emancipation of the Americans in a country. 
          Viewers, as well as the American society, can admire the film for its attempt to raise awareness to repression that continues to incessant, however this is an unconscious effort to educate others on how our capitalist society is not very open minded at all to being the “perfect world” to live in”. That the film possesses undeniable force which is striking, but the power does not seem to be tethered to any coherent concept. You can feel the irony that builds throughout each scene. it without ever quite believing it.
          Most parts of the movie are connected together, for example, the banal lingua franca of television images, as events in North Africa, making the evening news in Tokyo. It suggests a common idiom of emotion which is present in certain immediately recognizable expressions and gestures. Through interpretation, we assume the distress builds loss, fear and pain from the troubled event before him.  
          The gunmen and their victim are never in the frame together, and the consequences of the incident unfold in parallel crises. Susan and Richard wind up in a small town, waiting for an ambulance, facing the panic and impatience of their fellow holiday makers and relying on the kindness of strangers. Abdullah and his sons and neighbors, for their part, must deal with the harsh attentions of the Moroccan police, who are trying to defuse what threatens to become an international incident. The film constantly illustrates how the American culture is a restrictive place to live, but yet the dream home for many people.
          Throughout the film, there were people in all areas of the World who awaited their chance at being given the chance of having what they wished for be granted. Fredric Jameson’s “The Politics of Utopia” elaborates on the idea of a utopian society, “Yet the wanting of the utopian idea is a fundamental historical difference which characterizes post modernity is, paradoxically, intertwined with the loss of that place beyond all history (or after its end) which we call utopia. This is how American relates so much to the overall concept of the movie; because of our paradisiacal society, us Americans continue waiting patiently for school fees to be lowered, for health care to become more beneficial and less profitable for our bourgeoisie society, and for more job offers to arise without only being offered minimum wage because that person comes from another country. All of these things coincide with Randy Martin’s article “Where did the Future Go” saying, “Needless to say, most of the world’s peoples—still awaiting their moment of development to come never get to live the dream, or pursued another under the banner of socialism.”  There are a lot of people who are given the opportunity to live in such a “free” society, however never are given the full experience of fulfilling their dream.
          To be considered a true utopia, the first things Americans should do are stop competing with each other. One of the biggest reasons why our economy has not yet lived up to a theological expectation, by our pledge of allegiance, is because we are all so busy competing with one another that there is no way to fulfill what we hope is a “perfect” world. As long as everyone continues to compare their lifestyle with others, we would be a much more successful community as a whole if we were more content with ourselves. Third world countries like Tokyo, as seen in the film, as well as Morocco, are highly content with their lives and love their families just as much as an American family would. The only difference is that we as citizens, whom are given so many privileges, repress other countries because of what we assume are substantial reasons to not accept them in our country.
          If America is becoming extremely diverse, and continue to create that image for other countries to envy because we want “change”, then we should question why there is so much discriminatory action against immigration laws, providing jobs for those who are legal citizens (but without taking for granted that providing only minimum wage will suffice as a legit income), as well as giving others a right to pursue education. We should not hold our heads high as an America until we have fully reached and fulfilled the needs of all citizens who claim to have fundamental purposes for change. Change should be immediate, and the longer we wait to embrace change because we are afraid to corrupt the economy, we should realize that apparently what we are doing at the moment has not been working, so maybe listening to citizens will benefit the entire world.














Work Cited
“Babel”. Film.
Jameson, Fredric. “The Politics of Utopia”. Article.
Martin, Randy. “Where did the Future Go?” Article.

New Media

From Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Pintrest, the expansion of social network has impacted so many businesses and professional fields of study. New media has become the new norm. Our society should embrace the new changes of the new norm versus trying to avoid it. Social networks are used for critical communication purposes as well as for retailing marketing ideas. New media illustrates artificial lifestyles for some people; the way it is used now-a-days is to portray a certain way of life that most people are not actually living. This most common way new media is used overall, to impact academic and professional purposes, is for presenting a demeanor that presents them applicable for different networking reasons. This can typically come in handy for people who strictly work online and never see their clients or employers. Private social networking is a big part of our new media that is embraced from businesses to children. Regardless, all people of our past and new generations should learn to comprehend the new ways that we can all benefit from the "new media" and its purpose for all areas where it can be utilized.

Media Literacy Outside the Classroom

Media outside of the classroom is very beneficial to students of all ages. Media external from the relevance of academics consists of behaviors demonstrating social interaction. For those who want to grow up to be business mangers, retailers, teachers, work in the medicine, any of those professions will greatly benefit from having had a social background. People who come across as more sociable, and personable receive a greater rapport among potential clients as well as potential employees or co workers, are easier to approach as well as take direction from. Besides being professionally beneficial, externally from being academically relevant, technology comes in handy for many reason. One of the most important reasons for being externally savvy with technology is because we as a generation have to stay up to date with the latest communication resources as well.

Soccer

I love soccer. I have been playing soccer since I was eight years old. I would eat, breathe, sleep the concept of soccer and made it a priority in my life besides spending time with family. I have always wanted to be a professional soccer player, however my doubts began while attending junior college in San Diego.

I have always been a team player, and whether it is work related, or within a relationship, my integrity exemplifies my inclusiveness among others. I tried out for my junior college's soccer team in 2008, and made the team. I was a defensive player and practiced extra hard to maintain my position on the field. My coach had other coaches from Universities come out to watch our practices, and he even invited them to a few games. I started, played and finished every games the entire season. The second season, was when reality set in that becoming a professional athlete is surrounded by nothing but politics.

During my second season of soccer, a lot of freshman tried out for the team who have played soccer as long as I have played. My coach was so intrigued by the youth of the new girls who were coming out to try out, so by the first soccer game, way beyond the many practices we had, he put all the new freshman on the roster for the first away game. I did not pay any mind to it that I was not on the roster because I believed he was just giving them experience playing against other soccer teams. A few weeks later, I personally asked my coach why I was not getting any play time. He claimed that I would not get any play time the rest of the season because there was too much talent I was competing with.

After that reality check with my coach, I came to the realize that sports were not something to make your life, it is almost how you should think of a relationship: when you make something, what you refer to as "your life", like what people do in relationships, it becomes a disappointment later. I acted like I did not expect it coming, however I never should have made soccer my life. Now, I have decided to coach soccer, not because I secretly wish I want to be a professional soccer player, but because I have always had a love for the sport. Whether I am still playing on a team or not, I will always carry soccer as a fundamental part of me and my growing experience. I will coach soccer because I enjoy the sport and when you love something, no matter what happens, you should never give up on it when it has been so substantial to your life.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

What's Love Got To Do With It?

Why do people fall in love? Why do people fall out of love? I have been struggling with a horrible breakup for almost a year now, and have yet to cope with the fact that my ex moved on. It is an uncontrollable and uncomfortable feeling. To this day, I am unsure of what exactly went wrong for it to end.

We met in junior college. He and I both were student athletes and had goals for our future. I wanted to get a teaching credential and coach soccer, and he was going to the Air Force. We planned on getting married after his boot camp graduation. We planned on having kids after a year into my teaching career, so that I had time to get on my feet with my career. Things became a little rocky once I left our hometown to pursue school here at CSUN. Apparently me being two hours too far away in college hurt him so much he gave up the strength to make it work. My boyfriend just fell out of love one day and all of my hopes and dreams went down the drain.

A day before our five year anniversary is when he mentioned he found someone else. He claimed it was because she lived in the same city as he. I felt like he ate my heart and threw it right back up in my face. I felt like I was hit by a semi truck. I felt miserable. I am heart broken to this day. I say I am fine when people ask, but I know it still hurts because I feel distracted wondering "what it would be like if we were still together?" Things remind me of him when I see other couples happy together, or hear people talking about things that he and I did together. I miss and think about all the amazing times we shared.

Again, I ask myself "Why do people fall in or out of love?" I am unsure of the exact answer. All I can say is that once you are truly in love, I feel like sharing those feelings are permanent.Once those feelings are expressed, there is not going back. I thought I was in love, and I guess I still am. Unfortunately the person I am in love with permanently fell out of love a long time ago. All I can do is move on and continue to achieve my goals in life for myself. I can celebrate my success as it occurs, however I really wish I could share my accomplishments with soul mate. I hope anyone who reads this really expresses their true feelings to their loved one, and means it. I hope anyone who reads this does not give up on their relationship like my boyfriend did. Every relationship has challenges, but a strong relationship has great communication and does not give up.


Sunday, September 30, 2012

Poem #2

 Hoax

If our eyes capture it;
camping near local churches,
Does it exist?
In England, Arizona, or small town in California--

Death raptors and Chupacabras.
When fact meets fiction
And science meets magic.
 
What was it? Mister Ramirez? Misses...?
Paranormal presense?
There's hidden creatures among possibilities of nature.
The size of humans. Birds.






Thursday, September 27, 2012

poem #1

Like a Cigarette



Your existence is an empty pack of cigarettes;
Yet I'm addicted to you.
I crave for you.
You inflict invisible pain like cancer.
I allow you to ease my sorrow regardless of your detriment.
I have constant urges for you hoping to satisfy my fix.
Lit, inhaled or not, you burn away and burn quickly.
You're pain is my pleasure.
You're existence is an empty pack of cigarettes
Upon every cigarette, you remind me.