As you may have inferred from the title of this post, I will be discontinuing this blog after this final post. Once I graduate high school, I will be off to college and I will have a lot of things to think about. Although I am sure I will carry my interest in language with me throughout the rest of my life, I think if I decide to blog again in the future, I will mix it up and chose a new topic to blog about. However, it is time for this blog to come to a close and I'd like to take some time out to wrap it up nicely.
What Have I Learned?
There have been a surprising number of things that I have learned during the process of blogging on (Language) Arts + Crafts. The process of writing a blog plost often leads to a bit of web surfing/purusing/researching and doing this has taught me a lot about ideas that puzzled me initially. For example, why does one chose to write a memoir? Just the other week I blogged about my newfound progress in analyzing poetry thanks to my english teacher. As I look back on all the posts I have written (literally I am looking at them right now), I can remember learning something from almost every one, whether it be about mantras, literary devices, translation, advertisements, politics, technology, perspective, even museums. Ok, so that was a bit of a shameless plug for some of my earlier posts, in case you missed them. But, I am being serious that blogging has taught me a lot more than I ever expected.
The experience of writing this blog will help me for years to come. It has helped me better understand what it takes be truly heard on the internet. You cannot simply write a blog and expect people to read it. Like any new product, it must be advertised and made known to people in order for it to take off. Seeing as I plan to major in business in college, this was a key lesson for me. However, this blog is not about business, it is about language. And, while English remains my weakest subject in school, I believe this year I have gained a new appreciation for language, and thus, I have improved in my analysis of it as well.
My greatest wish with regard to language, is for people to appreciate it. Language is essential to our humanity, yet too often people take it for granted. In my experience, fewer and fewer people appreciate great poets, or authors, or lyricists. That is what frustrates me. I already consider this blog a success because it has helped me appreciate language more. But, if this blog has made anyone else appreciate any aspect of language just a tiny bit more than they had, then I will be even more thrilled. Feel free to comment if my blog has had any impact on you at all :]
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Sunday, April 17, 2011
A Post About Poetry
Though this blog is dedicated to language, you may have noticed that so far, I have failed to address a fairly significant area of literature: poetry. This has been partially intentional. You see, poetry and I have a very interesting relationship. On one hand, I really and truly appreciate the beauty of poetry and the skillful mastery of language that is required to write good poetry. For this reason, I love rap music and I love reading my classmate Kate's blog which often deals with poetry. On the other hand, it is really frustrating when I can't understand the meaning or purpose behind a poem no matter how hard I try (this happens fairly often). My ineptitude in analyzing poetry is why I have steered clear of poetry on this blog.
But no longer!
In English class on Friday, our teacher introduced the upcoming poetry unit. I have a feeling that this poetry unit will be different than any other I have endured previously. At the start of class, our teacher passed out a MAGICAL goldenrod sheet. The sheet (which I will protect at all costs) provides some basic questions to ask/things to consider when analyzing poetry. Once we had looked over the sheet, we proceeded to read and analyze the poem entitled On Reading Poems to a Senior Class at South High by D.C. Berry. The goldenrod sheet provided me with a basic strategy for unpacking poetry and I was able to successfully break down the poem and comprehend it!
If other students are anything like me, then they could also use some tips on analyzing poetry. I attempted to scan the sheet but it came out blurry when I tried to upload it. But, I have taken the liberty of retyping it. Hopefully, it will help your relationship with poetry, as it has with mine.
Here it is:
Analyzing poetry is like conducting an interview in many ways. You want to start with a script of questions and things you know you'll need to cover, but new questions will also occur to you as you listen to what the poem is saying. The questions on this page are the scripted questions and your answers will form most of your annotation. You should also write down the new questions that come to your mind as you read the poem.
1. What is the poem saying?
a) Read the poem through for sense, paying attention to the sentence--not the line--as the principal unit of organization. Find the subject and verb and mark the end of sentences.
b) Look up any words you don't know
c) Identify the antecedent of all pronouns
d) Paraphrase the poem
2. What is the situation of the poem?
a) Who is the speaker? What is the speaker like?
b) Who is the addressee and/or audience? (Not always the same)
c) What is the occasion and setting of the poem?
3. How has the author constructed the poem?
a) Consider the title
b) Consider the structure - line breaks, stanza breaks, shifts in time/tense, meaning or tone
c) Consider connotation and diction. Is there recurrent vocabulary from a specific realm?
d) Consider the mood/tone. Is irony a factor?
e) Consider imagery. Are the images figurative or literal?
f) Consider simile, metaphor, symbol, analogy, etc. Are the metaphors stock, conventional or original?
g) Consider meter, form and sound (includes assonance, consonance, slant rhyme, etc.)
h) What other literary devices has the author employed?
4. What is the theme/purpose of the poem? What are the most important elements that contribute to it?
Sidenote: If you google the poem On Reading Poems to a Senior Class at South High, you will find an infinite number of analysis papers/blogs.
But no longer!
In English class on Friday, our teacher introduced the upcoming poetry unit. I have a feeling that this poetry unit will be different than any other I have endured previously. At the start of class, our teacher passed out a MAGICAL goldenrod sheet. The sheet (which I will protect at all costs) provides some basic questions to ask/things to consider when analyzing poetry. Once we had looked over the sheet, we proceeded to read and analyze the poem entitled On Reading Poems to a Senior Class at South High by D.C. Berry. The goldenrod sheet provided me with a basic strategy for unpacking poetry and I was able to successfully break down the poem and comprehend it!
If other students are anything like me, then they could also use some tips on analyzing poetry. I attempted to scan the sheet but it came out blurry when I tried to upload it. But, I have taken the liberty of retyping it. Hopefully, it will help your relationship with poetry, as it has with mine.
Here it is:
Analyzing poetry is like conducting an interview in many ways. You want to start with a script of questions and things you know you'll need to cover, but new questions will also occur to you as you listen to what the poem is saying. The questions on this page are the scripted questions and your answers will form most of your annotation. You should also write down the new questions that come to your mind as you read the poem.
1. What is the poem saying?
a) Read the poem through for sense, paying attention to the sentence--not the line--as the principal unit of organization. Find the subject and verb and mark the end of sentences.
b) Look up any words you don't know
c) Identify the antecedent of all pronouns
d) Paraphrase the poem
2. What is the situation of the poem?
a) Who is the speaker? What is the speaker like?
b) Who is the addressee and/or audience? (Not always the same)
c) What is the occasion and setting of the poem?
3. How has the author constructed the poem?
a) Consider the title
b) Consider the structure - line breaks, stanza breaks, shifts in time/tense, meaning or tone
c) Consider connotation and diction. Is there recurrent vocabulary from a specific realm?
d) Consider the mood/tone. Is irony a factor?
e) Consider imagery. Are the images figurative or literal?
f) Consider simile, metaphor, symbol, analogy, etc. Are the metaphors stock, conventional or original?
g) Consider meter, form and sound (includes assonance, consonance, slant rhyme, etc.)
h) What other literary devices has the author employed?
4. What is the theme/purpose of the poem? What are the most important elements that contribute to it?
Sidenote: If you google the poem On Reading Poems to a Senior Class at South High, you will find an infinite number of analysis papers/blogs.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Found In Translation
Hello world, I hope you did not worry too much about me during my mini hiatus haha ;) I was on my spring break. Unfortunately, I was not able to travel anywhere warm or exotic because of my commitment to the baseball team. Fortunately, this gave me an ample amount of time to read the book Walk Two Moons (book webpage) by Sharon Creech......in Spanish. I wish that this had been a spontaneous decision of mine, but in truth, our spanish teacher assigned us to read a book of our choice in Spanish over break. I chose Entre Dos Lunas because it was a book that I probably should have read as a child, but never got around to it. So, this seemed like the perfect opportunity. Little did I know it would lead to my next blog post!
As I was reading, I thought the translator did a really nice job taking the story and bringing it to life using the Spanish language. Since I have not read the English version, I had nothing to compare it to, but the story seemed to have most of the nuances that I expect were written into the original. The tone of the vibrant, energetic characters was clear and the occasional sarcasm was not lost in translation. So was this really any different than reading the book in English? Does reading anything in another language have an impact on the readers' experience? How much?
After some thought and a little poking around on the Internet, I have concluded that the answers to those questions are respectively: Yes, Yes and It Depends. While reading Entre Dos Lunas, there were still some aspects of the story that were not able to be carried over to Spanish. For example, there is a character named Margaret Cadaver. Obviously the word cadaver has no meaning in the Spanish language. Despite this and a few other things, I found that reading Entre Dos Lunas was very enjoyable and nothing appeared to be left out.
Still, I think the translation of a novel, poem, etc. can potentially downgrade the reader's experience. One reason for this is a sub-par translation. Here is one blogger's take on translators that I agree with. However, even if you read the best translation possible, there will be parts that cannot crossover, especially in great works of literature that the author has crafted skillfully using the original language.
This is not to discourage anyone from reading a translated text. If the only way you can read Pablo Neruda is in english, then by all means read it! But, keep in mind that you're reading a text that is subject to the whims of a translator and may not offer all the original does.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Mantras
The other day, I had the song O-o-h Child by The Five Stairsteps stuck in my head. Now you may be thinking a few things like: "Wow! What a great song" or "Wow! Nick has such great taste" or "Wow! Who cares?" You may even be thinking all of these things. However, I will tell you why this particular occurrence is important; it inspired me to write this fantastic blog post about mantras.
Now, I thought I knew what a mantra was. But, when I did a little research I found out that I was not exactly on the right track. A basic definition of a mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that are considered capable of "creating transformation." I also came across this website that provides a much more thorough definition. Anyways, mantras originated in the Vedic tradition of India, eventually becoming a vital part of Hindu religion as well as other eastern religions including Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism. They are often used to facilitate meditation and concentrate on spiritual advancement. The most well known mantra is the "Om" or "aum" mantra, also known as the "pranava mantra," the source of all mantras.
Today, I think its fair to say that most westerners understand a mantra to be something along the lines of a repeated personal statement that helps a person remember/focus on their goal, values, etc. I'm no psychologist, but I believe that in some cases mantras can be very powerful, even outside the realm of spirituality and religion. For instance, as the words "o-o-h child, things are gonna get easier" went through my head constantly throughout the school day, I found it became much easier to endure some of my brutally boring classes and my fitness day in gym.
The first "mantra" that I was exposed to appeared in the book The Little Engine That Could. The little engine repeated the phrase "I think I can, I think I can" over and over, and he eventually pulls the long train over the mountain. Yay! Anyways, if any of you have any knowledge/information on the psychology of mantras and how effective they are, feel free to comment below! I would be very interested to know more about them, considering the "I think I can" mantra was so integral to my childhood years. Thanks!
And now for a more recent and more humorous mantra:
Now, I thought I knew what a mantra was. But, when I did a little research I found out that I was not exactly on the right track. A basic definition of a mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that are considered capable of "creating transformation." I also came across this website that provides a much more thorough definition. Anyways, mantras originated in the Vedic tradition of India, eventually becoming a vital part of Hindu religion as well as other eastern religions including Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism. They are often used to facilitate meditation and concentrate on spiritual advancement. The most well known mantra is the "Om" or "aum" mantra, also known as the "pranava mantra," the source of all mantras.
Today, I think its fair to say that most westerners understand a mantra to be something along the lines of a repeated personal statement that helps a person remember/focus on their goal, values, etc. I'm no psychologist, but I believe that in some cases mantras can be very powerful, even outside the realm of spirituality and religion. For instance, as the words "o-o-h child, things are gonna get easier" went through my head constantly throughout the school day, I found it became much easier to endure some of my brutally boring classes and my fitness day in gym.
The first "mantra" that I was exposed to appeared in the book The Little Engine That Could. The little engine repeated the phrase "I think I can, I think I can" over and over, and he eventually pulls the long train over the mountain. Yay! Anyways, if any of you have any knowledge/information on the psychology of mantras and how effective they are, feel free to comment below! I would be very interested to know more about them, considering the "I think I can" mantra was so integral to my childhood years. Thanks!
And now for a more recent and more humorous mantra:
Monday, March 7, 2011
Approaching Literature
So, as you may know, I am a senior in high school. And, in our class we are just finishing up Hamlet by William Shakespeare. As we read the play, our primary focus was on critical approaches. Here are a few from the Purdue University website. The approaches that we examined included...
-Feminist
-Psychoanalytic
-Marxist
-Formalist
-Mythological
-New Historic
-Reader Response
These various approaches each offer a different perspective to Hamlet (or any work of literature) and something can be gained from each one. When you look at a work of literature through these individual lenses, it increases the value of the literature exponentially.
I have traditionally read books from a basic formalist approach, trying to analyze literary devices and form my own interpretations of the purpose of the piece. However, when you read a work of literature using a different critical approach, you tend to have different questions in mind. For example, questions that feminist critics may ask are "What does the work reveal about the operations of patriarchy?" "How does the work define femininity and masculinity?" "What role does the work play in terms of women's literary tradition throughout history?"
However, my classmates and I have all noticed that questions like these that arise from critical approaches can be asked about many subjects beyond literature. Here are some of my peers' blogs that take the ideas I have discussed and apply them to the real world.
Kate's post on a feminist approach to poetry
Daniel's post on a Marxist approach to politics
Margot's post on critical approaches to journalism
Jamie's post on a feminist approach to society and herself
*If you're interested in learning more about critical approaches to literature, I highly recommend you take a look at Critical Theory Today: A User-Friendly Guide by Lois Tyson.
-Feminist
-Psychoanalytic
-Marxist
-Formalist
-Mythological
-New Historic
-Reader Response
These various approaches each offer a different perspective to Hamlet (or any work of literature) and something can be gained from each one. When you look at a work of literature through these individual lenses, it increases the value of the literature exponentially.
I have traditionally read books from a basic formalist approach, trying to analyze literary devices and form my own interpretations of the purpose of the piece. However, when you read a work of literature using a different critical approach, you tend to have different questions in mind. For example, questions that feminist critics may ask are "What does the work reveal about the operations of patriarchy?" "How does the work define femininity and masculinity?" "What role does the work play in terms of women's literary tradition throughout history?"
However, my classmates and I have all noticed that questions like these that arise from critical approaches can be asked about many subjects beyond literature. Here are some of my peers' blogs that take the ideas I have discussed and apply them to the real world.
Kate's post on a feminist approach to poetry
Daniel's post on a Marxist approach to politics
Margot's post on critical approaches to journalism
Jamie's post on a feminist approach to society and herself
*If you're interested in learning more about critical approaches to literature, I highly recommend you take a look at Critical Theory Today: A User-Friendly Guide by Lois Tyson.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Oscar's Dialogue
In honor of the Oscars last night, I thought I would write a post about dialogue, specifically in movies. Now, my favorite movie of all time is Pulp Fiction. In my humble opinion, the dialogue in that movie is unbelievable. Something about the interaction between the characters (especially Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta) thoroughly entertains me. For instance, I love the irony of the trivial conversation Jules and Vincent are having about cheeseburgers and foot massages right as they are about to kill three men.....Genius. Anyways, I won't ruin any more of the movie for you guys. Just go watch it and comment back after.
But I digress, let's discuss the dialogue in some of the nominated films this year.
#1. The King's Speech -I am going to be honest, I did not see this one. I'm going to be honest again: I had no desire to see this British period piece about speech impediments. However, The King's Speech took home the award for best picture, and I may just change my mind. Any movie that can win an Oscar despite such boring subject matter must have some superb dialogue.
#2. The Social Network - I did see this one, and I loved it. The dialogue (and the acting) was stellar. I found myself constantly entertained and emotionally invested in the characters. Jesse Eisenberg was fantastic and his lines were extraodinarily clever and biting and witty. I also thought Justin Timberlake did a great job as Sean Parker. The dialogue of the Social Network really engaged me and I caught myself getting pissed off at the characters of Zuckerberg and Parker. That's how I know that the dialogue was successful.
#3. Inception - I have seen Inception twice and neither time did I pay particular attention to the dialogue. However, looking back, I can definitely pick out spots where the dialogue really contributed to the character development and enhanced my viewing experience. The dialogue from Leo DiCaprio's wife in the movie is especially compelling. While it only occurs in brief spurts, the language in her lines really reveals the nature of her troubled and delusional state. The Oscar judges must have felt similarly, seeing as they nominated Inception for Best Original Screenplay.
#4. Inside Job - The final nominated film that I saw was the documentary Inside Job. I watched it for extra credit in my macroeconomics class and ended up liking it a lot. Now because this is a documentary, you may not think there is a lot of dialogue, which is true. However, there are numerous unscripted interviews that require strategic finessing and careful editing to produce the required result. In this case, the goal was to make all the elite bankers and politicians sound guilty and Inside Job definitely succeeded.
Now that I've taken a closer look at a few of these movies, I think the power of dialogue is clear. The things a character says are the best way for a viewer/reader to understand the character and become invested in the story. The language in dialogue is especially powerful because, it comes straight from the character, with no opportunity for miscommunication. In that way dialogue becomes realer than even the most detailed descriptions.
But I digress, let's discuss the dialogue in some of the nominated films this year.
#1. The King's Speech -I am going to be honest, I did not see this one. I'm going to be honest again: I had no desire to see this British period piece about speech impediments. However, The King's Speech took home the award for best picture, and I may just change my mind. Any movie that can win an Oscar despite such boring subject matter must have some superb dialogue.
#2. The Social Network - I did see this one, and I loved it. The dialogue (and the acting) was stellar. I found myself constantly entertained and emotionally invested in the characters. Jesse Eisenberg was fantastic and his lines were extraodinarily clever and biting and witty. I also thought Justin Timberlake did a great job as Sean Parker. The dialogue of the Social Network really engaged me and I caught myself getting pissed off at the characters of Zuckerberg and Parker. That's how I know that the dialogue was successful.
#3. Inception - I have seen Inception twice and neither time did I pay particular attention to the dialogue. However, looking back, I can definitely pick out spots where the dialogue really contributed to the character development and enhanced my viewing experience. The dialogue from Leo DiCaprio's wife in the movie is especially compelling. While it only occurs in brief spurts, the language in her lines really reveals the nature of her troubled and delusional state. The Oscar judges must have felt similarly, seeing as they nominated Inception for Best Original Screenplay.
#4. Inside Job - The final nominated film that I saw was the documentary Inside Job. I watched it for extra credit in my macroeconomics class and ended up liking it a lot. Now because this is a documentary, you may not think there is a lot of dialogue, which is true. However, there are numerous unscripted interviews that require strategic finessing and careful editing to produce the required result. In this case, the goal was to make all the elite bankers and politicians sound guilty and Inside Job definitely succeeded.
Now that I've taken a closer look at a few of these movies, I think the power of dialogue is clear. The things a character says are the best way for a viewer/reader to understand the character and become invested in the story. The language in dialogue is especially powerful because, it comes straight from the character, with no opportunity for miscommunication. In that way dialogue becomes realer than even the most detailed descriptions.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Wake Up Everybody!
This Sunday, the 2011 Grammy Award Ceremony took place. And while I was thoroughly amused by Lady Gaga's latest shenanigans, I was happily shocked when they announced the winner for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. Wake Up Everybody by John Legend & The Roots (Feat. Common & Melanie Fiona) took home the Grammy much to my personal satisfaction. Now perhaps I should explain my happiness..... It seems to me that nowadays, the subject matter of most successful songs is all the same. Everywhere I look (or listen in this case), all I hear is someone singing or rapping about how much money they have or their bedroom escapades or how many drugs they have done/sold. And while I am certainly not opposed to all songs that may concern these topics, in my opinion it is getting a little old. That's why I was so excited when Wake Up Everybody won. Here is the video and the lyrics (originally written for Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes in 1975 - except Common's verse) :
Wake up everybody
No more sleeping in bed
No more backward thinking,
Time for thinking ahead
The world has changed
So very much
From what is used to be
There is so much hatred
War and poverty
Wake up all the teachers
Time to teach a new way
Maybe then they'll listen
To what you have to say
'Cause they're the ones who's coming now
When the world is in their hands
When you teach the children
Teach the very best you can
[Chorus - John Legend & Melanie Fiona]
The world won't get no better
If we just let it be
The world won't get no better
We gotta change it, yeah
Just you and me
Wake up all the doctors,
Make the old people well
They're the ones who suffer
And who catch all the hell
But they don't have so very long
Before the Judgement Day
So won't you make them happy
Before they pass away
Wake up all the builders
Time to build a new land
I know we can do it
If we all lend a hand
The only thing we have to do
Is put it in our minds
Surely things will work out
'Cause they do everytime
(Chorus)
[Common]
It's the God hour
The morning I wake up
Just for the breath of life I thank my maker
My mom say I come from hustlers and shakers
My mom built it on skyscrapers and acres
He said take us back to where we belong
I try to write a song
As sweet as these arms the one the type to bare arms
And wear my heart on my sleeve
Even when I fell in God I believe
Read the days that weave through the maze
The seasons so amazing
Feed them and raised them
Seasons are aging
Earthquakes, wars, and rumors
I want us to get by but
We're more than consumers
We more than shooters, more than looters
Created in His image so God live through us
And even in this generation, living through computers
Only love love love can reboot us
Ohh Wake up, everybody
No more sleeping in bed
Ohh Wake up, everybody
I said I need a little help, y'all
Ohh need a little help, y'all
Come on, come on, come on, come on
Need a little help y'all
Ohh Need a little help, y'all
Wake up everybody
Wake up everybody
Wake up everybody
Celebrities and musicians have had a prominent place in American society for a long time. And like a wise man once said, "with great power comes great responsibility." Now more than ever, they are constantly in the public eye and influence over millions of people across the globe with the language in their songs. The last thing we need is for more musicians to fill the heads of Americans with songs that glorify drugs, sex, violence, etc. The more we hear this type of language, the more we believe it. Let's get this straight, I am not censuring these types of songs in any way (I know I have several on my iPod). But the incredible onslaught of music with this sort of subject matter is certainly not good, especially for young and impressionable kids. That's why the emowering, positive message of Wake Up Everybody was such breath of fresh air. The fact that it won a Grammy tells me that there is hope for the music industry yet.
Wake up everybody
No more sleeping in bed
No more backward thinking,
Time for thinking ahead
The world has changed
So very much
From what is used to be
There is so much hatred
War and poverty
Wake up all the teachers
Time to teach a new way
Maybe then they'll listen
To what you have to say
'Cause they're the ones who's coming now
When the world is in their hands
When you teach the children
Teach the very best you can
[Chorus - John Legend & Melanie Fiona]
The world won't get no better
If we just let it be
The world won't get no better
We gotta change it, yeah
Just you and me
Wake up all the doctors,
Make the old people well
They're the ones who suffer
And who catch all the hell
But they don't have so very long
Before the Judgement Day
So won't you make them happy
Before they pass away
Wake up all the builders
Time to build a new land
I know we can do it
If we all lend a hand
The only thing we have to do
Is put it in our minds
Surely things will work out
'Cause they do everytime
(Chorus)
[Common]
It's the God hour
The morning I wake up
Just for the breath of life I thank my maker
My mom say I come from hustlers and shakers
My mom built it on skyscrapers and acres
He said take us back to where we belong
I try to write a song
As sweet as these arms the one the type to bare arms
And wear my heart on my sleeve
Even when I fell in God I believe
Read the days that weave through the maze
The seasons so amazing
Feed them and raised them
Seasons are aging
Earthquakes, wars, and rumors
I want us to get by but
We're more than consumers
We more than shooters, more than looters
Created in His image so God live through us
And even in this generation, living through computers
Only love love love can reboot us
Ohh Wake up, everybody
No more sleeping in bed
Ohh Wake up, everybody
I said I need a little help, y'all
Ohh need a little help, y'all
Come on, come on, come on, come on
Need a little help y'all
Ohh Need a little help, y'all
Wake up everybody
Wake up everybody
Wake up everybody
Celebrities and musicians have had a prominent place in American society for a long time. And like a wise man once said, "with great power comes great responsibility." Now more than ever, they are constantly in the public eye and influence over millions of people across the globe with the language in their songs. The last thing we need is for more musicians to fill the heads of Americans with songs that glorify drugs, sex, violence, etc. The more we hear this type of language, the more we believe it. Let's get this straight, I am not censuring these types of songs in any way (I know I have several on my iPod). But the incredible onslaught of music with this sort of subject matter is certainly not good, especially for young and impressionable kids. That's why the emowering, positive message of Wake Up Everybody was such breath of fresh air. The fact that it won a Grammy tells me that there is hope for the music industry yet.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Commercial Language
Lately, I've been doing a lot of analyzing and commenting on issues and whatnot. So, I've decided to bring it all back down to Earth and talk a little bit about me and what has been on my mind lately (with a language twist of course).
Being a sports fan, this weekend I watched the Green Bay Packers win Super Bowl XLV. Now, I won't say I was happy that the Packers won, but I was thrilled that the Steelers lost. Moving on, what really inspired me to write this blog was of course.......Super Bowl commercials. Gotta love 'em right? Anyways, as I was watching them, I realized how numb I have become to the actual words being uttered in each commercial. The sensory overload that happens as a result of constant advertisements, causes me to completely tune out any commercials unless they are 1) funny or 2) have high enough shock value. Nowadays, it seems as if many companies are dead set on creating a commercial that is as funny as possible, and then, they slap their name at the end of it.
When I thought about why that is, I came to a conclusion: obviously, the funny/shocking commercials are the ones I remember and even if I don't know what the advertisement is promoting, I remember the company's name. However, it doesn't stop there. Commercials that try simply using language to describe a product, without humor or shock value, are dull and obsolete. We have been overloaded by so many advertisements that the words in commercials are no longer important because everyone is saying the exact same thing: their product is the best. This can be seen almost everywhere, especially with car commercials. With out even listening to a commercial, I can already assume that a classic car advertisement is going to mention the car's awesome performance, excellent safety rating, great fuel efficiency and likely some sort of sale or promotion going on at the dealerships. What else is new? Subconsciously, I know what these car/beer/paper towel/fertilizer/etc. commercials are all going to say, so I tune out.
It seems companies have begun to realize this and thus, are focusing more and more on the funny/shock factor and less and less on the words. I will tell you this, I can only remember two car commercials the Super Bowl off the top of my head. Neither of them said one word about the actual car.
The first is the Volkswagen commercial with the kid dressed as Darth Vader.
The second was a Kia commercial where the car was "caught" by a helicopter but then Poseiden came out and grabbed it, sent it into a UFO where it drove into a black hole and emerged in a Mayan-like civilization. Yeah, quite strange, but I remembered it for some reason.
In a nutshell, thinking about this new breed of commercial made me recognize the limitations of language in our modern society due to information overload. However, understanding this concept made me further appreciate the power of language that comes in the form of a great book. It is unparalleled.
Being a sports fan, this weekend I watched the Green Bay Packers win Super Bowl XLV. Now, I won't say I was happy that the Packers won, but I was thrilled that the Steelers lost. Moving on, what really inspired me to write this blog was of course.......Super Bowl commercials. Gotta love 'em right? Anyways, as I was watching them, I realized how numb I have become to the actual words being uttered in each commercial. The sensory overload that happens as a result of constant advertisements, causes me to completely tune out any commercials unless they are 1) funny or 2) have high enough shock value. Nowadays, it seems as if many companies are dead set on creating a commercial that is as funny as possible, and then, they slap their name at the end of it.
When I thought about why that is, I came to a conclusion: obviously, the funny/shocking commercials are the ones I remember and even if I don't know what the advertisement is promoting, I remember the company's name. However, it doesn't stop there. Commercials that try simply using language to describe a product, without humor or shock value, are dull and obsolete. We have been overloaded by so many advertisements that the words in commercials are no longer important because everyone is saying the exact same thing: their product is the best. This can be seen almost everywhere, especially with car commercials. With out even listening to a commercial, I can already assume that a classic car advertisement is going to mention the car's awesome performance, excellent safety rating, great fuel efficiency and likely some sort of sale or promotion going on at the dealerships. What else is new? Subconsciously, I know what these car/beer/paper towel/fertilizer/etc. commercials are all going to say, so I tune out.
It seems companies have begun to realize this and thus, are focusing more and more on the funny/shock factor and less and less on the words. I will tell you this, I can only remember two car commercials the Super Bowl off the top of my head. Neither of them said one word about the actual car.
The first is the Volkswagen commercial with the kid dressed as Darth Vader.
The second was a Kia commercial where the car was "caught" by a helicopter but then Poseiden came out and grabbed it, sent it into a UFO where it drove into a black hole and emerged in a Mayan-like civilization. Yeah, quite strange, but I remembered it for some reason.
In a nutshell, thinking about this new breed of commercial made me recognize the limitations of language in our modern society due to information overload. However, understanding this concept made me further appreciate the power of language that comes in the form of a great book. It is unparalleled.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Winning the Future
Yesterday, like many Americans, I watched President Obama's 2011 State of the Union and Republican Representative Paul Ryan's response. While it did give me a little hope, I was still frustrated with the mixed signals regarding the economy and the budget deficit. Obama stated that we are going to reduce spending, while investing in the future. Huh? And, the Republicans are convinced that cutting spending will create jobs. I'm not so sure about that one either. AND, everyone is talking about reducing the deficit but there are no concrete plans to touch Medicare, Medicaid or Social Security. Despite all this, there was one idea that Obama carried throughout his speech that resonated with me:
"Winning the Future"
Now, this is a language blog. So, let's talk a little about the language here. President Obama (+ his speechwriter) is an excellent speech writer and he chose these words for a reason. Beginning with this phrase, the speech placed an overwhelming emphasis on the future. This may seem a little obvious because the high unemployment levels and ballooning deficit are major threats to the country's wellbeing. However, we should note that there was almost no mention of Obama's accomplishments to this point aside from his defense of health care reform from Republicans attempting to repeal it. Obama showed that he has felt the people's sense of urgency and by using the entire speech to address fears about the deficit, unemployment and America's weakening hegemony.
Winning is the other key piece of this phrase. By declaring that we must win the future, Obama has simplified the fate of America into a game. By doing this, Obama skillfully unifies the American people by putting them all on the same "team."
There are two different ways Obama employs this game metaphor. The first is a sort of competition where our opponents are China, India and the other nations on the rise that are threatening American dominance. In his speech Obama acknowledged the competition and identified where we need to focus our attention in order to "win." His strategies included investing in education and small businesses to encourage innovation.
However, the other game is a little more like Tetris. It is a one-player game where America is given a domestic puzzle that we have to solve: how to fix the economy, create jobs and reduce the deficit all at the same time. A game like this demands efficiency and foresight. However, the strategies that Obama offered in his speech to solve this puzzle were lacking in these areas and it was frustrating. I did not hear any concrete plans or specific moves to solve these major problems. Despite this, I thought the idea of winning the future was a very effective way of uniting the country.
"Winning the Future"
Now, this is a language blog. So, let's talk a little about the language here. President Obama (+ his speechwriter) is an excellent speech writer and he chose these words for a reason. Beginning with this phrase, the speech placed an overwhelming emphasis on the future. This may seem a little obvious because the high unemployment levels and ballooning deficit are major threats to the country's wellbeing. However, we should note that there was almost no mention of Obama's accomplishments to this point aside from his defense of health care reform from Republicans attempting to repeal it. Obama showed that he has felt the people's sense of urgency and by using the entire speech to address fears about the deficit, unemployment and America's weakening hegemony.
Winning is the other key piece of this phrase. By declaring that we must win the future, Obama has simplified the fate of America into a game. By doing this, Obama skillfully unifies the American people by putting them all on the same "team."
There are two different ways Obama employs this game metaphor. The first is a sort of competition where our opponents are China, India and the other nations on the rise that are threatening American dominance. In his speech Obama acknowledged the competition and identified where we need to focus our attention in order to "win." His strategies included investing in education and small businesses to encourage innovation.
However, the other game is a little more like Tetris. It is a one-player game where America is given a domestic puzzle that we have to solve: how to fix the economy, create jobs and reduce the deficit all at the same time. A game like this demands efficiency and foresight. However, the strategies that Obama offered in his speech to solve this puzzle were lacking in these areas and it was frustrating. I did not hear any concrete plans or specific moves to solve these major problems. Despite this, I thought the idea of winning the future was a very effective way of uniting the country.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Book Review: The 7 Habits...
A lot of the literature that I have discussed on my blog has been from my English class. So, I figured it was time to mix things up a bit and share some of my thoughts on a book that I read over the summer. It is called The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens. Now, I know what you're probably thinking. Why would I ever consider reading some lame self-help book for teens? And, even worse, what was I thinking when I decided to write a post about it on my highly respectable blog? Well, I will answer both those questions (and any others if you decide to comment on this post). First, I was required to read it for my school-sponsored Habitat for Humanity trip. Second, I am writing this post because 7 Habits is a worthwhile read.
When I found out I had to read this book, it did not go over well. I was expecting a cheesy, condescending tone from an author that preached all about how to be a good kid that never breaks any rules or has any fun. I think that's why I liked it so much. The author, Sean Covey, does his best to actually connect with teenagers, mixing in humor and stories from his own life. I'd say that he does a fairly decent job keeping his writing style engaging and not annoying or preachy. However, there were certain points when his language made me feel like I was being given a lecture. Since my expectations were already low, these instances didn't come as a surprise and I didn't let them ruin the book for me. There IS a lot of good stuff in this book and I think that the best way to approach reading 7 Habits is to take it with a tiny grain of salt.
The entire book may not apply to you. There may be areas of your life where you are completely satisfied: school or friends or family, etc. But, for the areas that you are not happy with, I think this book offers some great strategies and basic attitudes/philosophies that can be really useful. Reading this book gave me an opportunity to take a step back and look at many of the aspects of my life. I was able to see where I wanted to improve myself. And that's the great thing: I saw where I wanted to improve. Don't view this book as the Bible or an instruction manual. Use it to your benefit. Pick and choose what you want to take away from it.
I realize I haven't talked much about the actual book. I'm not going to give you much because the experience of reading 7 Habits is much better than any quick summary I could give. The best part is being able to connect to all Covey's tips, suggestions and strategies and seeing where they fit in your own life. However if you must know, some of the basic concepts in this book include being proactive, prioritizing, dependency, relationships, self-worth and lots of other things every teen should think about. All in all, if you read this book right, I think you can get a lot out of it.
Sean Covey's website
FYI - Sean Covey is the son of Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. If any of you have read this book and/or The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens, feel free to comment with your views on the books and this post. Thanks!
When I found out I had to read this book, it did not go over well. I was expecting a cheesy, condescending tone from an author that preached all about how to be a good kid that never breaks any rules or has any fun. I think that's why I liked it so much. The author, Sean Covey, does his best to actually connect with teenagers, mixing in humor and stories from his own life. I'd say that he does a fairly decent job keeping his writing style engaging and not annoying or preachy. However, there were certain points when his language made me feel like I was being given a lecture. Since my expectations were already low, these instances didn't come as a surprise and I didn't let them ruin the book for me. There IS a lot of good stuff in this book and I think that the best way to approach reading 7 Habits is to take it with a tiny grain of salt.
The entire book may not apply to you. There may be areas of your life where you are completely satisfied: school or friends or family, etc. But, for the areas that you are not happy with, I think this book offers some great strategies and basic attitudes/philosophies that can be really useful. Reading this book gave me an opportunity to take a step back and look at many of the aspects of my life. I was able to see where I wanted to improve myself. And that's the great thing: I saw where I wanted to improve. Don't view this book as the Bible or an instruction manual. Use it to your benefit. Pick and choose what you want to take away from it.
I realize I haven't talked much about the actual book. I'm not going to give you much because the experience of reading 7 Habits is much better than any quick summary I could give. The best part is being able to connect to all Covey's tips, suggestions and strategies and seeing where they fit in your own life. However if you must know, some of the basic concepts in this book include being proactive, prioritizing, dependency, relationships, self-worth and lots of other things every teen should think about. All in all, if you read this book right, I think you can get a lot out of it.
Sean Covey's website
FYI - Sean Covey is the son of Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. If any of you have read this book and/or The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens, feel free to comment with your views on the books and this post. Thanks!
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