No bad language allowed

May 9th, 2009 by

When we were in camp, we were constantly reminded that we could not speak bad words because they are offensive. This got me wondering about what made them bad or inappropriate.

First of all, language is affected by culture, meaning that everywhere you go, bad words change. In some places, saying something that in Costa Rica is very offensive would not offend anyone, and vice versa. For example, the word “pajilla” in Spanish means straw, but in Mexico it has acquired a completely different concept that is offensive to many people. I believe this happens because of the way some words have been utilized in different places. The way people relate them to a concept created the meaning that they gather.

Language is also evolving constantly. The range of inappropriate words, just in our language and culture, has grown very rapidly. By the banning of certain words, people search for “appropriate words” which can be used to express the feelings of anger or to offend someone. Slowly, and as more people use them, these words start gathering the meanings of offensiveness. Many of the bad words are not even used with the purpose to offend someone but are an incorrect way to say something. Others are inappropriate depending on what context they are used in. For example, the word “ass” is inappropriate when talking about a body part, but acceptable when referring to an animal. Labeling a word as bad or inappropriate is performed by society and the usage they have of symbols for a certain concept is created in the same way. However, many of these words, through time, are no longer use to offend someone directly or to insult a specific person. They are still considered offensive because of the context they have and the experiences related to them. Many of them even begin to be used because the person becomes accustomed to hearing them or saying them.

Also, the prohibition of these words and the labeling of them as inappropriate, cause more people to want to use them constantly. It causes excitement on some people to say them because they know they are doing something that is considered to be wrong. I think that if those words were not prohibited they would not cause enthusiasm on people and they would not have the need to say them so often.

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True meanings in colors…

May 9th, 2009 by

In art class, we learn what certain colors mean for the viewers of an artwork, what emotions they evoke and what message we portray depending on the color schemes we utilize to paint. However, I wonder how they are determined and under what contexts they are considered to mean what they mean. I am sure that it is not the same everywhere, but how would this change the way in which art is interpreted culturally and the actual message that the artist was trying to convey?

For instance, red usually is thought to portray passion and intensity. But, what gives it that meaning? Perhaps it is different for other people, but since red is the color of fire and blood, it is associated with experiences of war, love, strength and intensity, among others of the same nature. It somehow evokes certain feelings in a person that make him or her relate it to those types of experiences and memories. It is a strong color, easily recognized, that calls the attention of viewers causing that effect. But also, because of those past experiences and the way in which a person thinks; a color can be given either positive or negative meanings.

Warm colors are used to portray this sort of energy, while cool colors give a feeling of sooth and calm to the viewers. This probably happens because of the relationship with cool colors and the ocean, which has elements of tranquilizing and soothing effects. Colors are, in art, the most important element in determining the mood of the artwork and the effect that can cause on the viewers. But also the combination of them can cause a much different effect. Contrasting colors, for example, cause a contradicting effect on the viewer that depends on what feelings they evoke. Not only the artwork brings forth the feelings, its colors can also be an effect on what both the artist and the viewer relate it to. For example, I painted an artwork when I was feeling happy and full of energy about shells and the ocean. I used a lot of red, orange and yellow in it because they reflected the energy I had inside. Once I was done, I could relate the experience of joy to the artwork and even when I am not feeling happy, I can look at that painting and feel the delight once more, due to the memories related to the colors in it. However, when I look at an Indian painting in my house that was made by another artist, I don’t have that same effect. When I am feeling happy, the colors of yellow, red and green make me feel even better. But when I am feeling gloomy, the exact same colors seem duller. This is due to the perception that I have of those colors that is affected by my emotion. It is a pretty big painting, and every visitor that comes to my house gives a different meaning to it, returning to experiences and memories that cause them to have that sort of perception. It is also affected by the conditions around it. When it is dark, the colors give a darker effect to the viewer, when it is sunny they are bright and cheerful.

In art we learn the meanings of colors. But it is not certain that they will cause the desired effect on the viewer, who is controlled by the factors of his/her emotion and perception, and the memories s/he has to relate to the image.

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Love: Chemical or Mental

May 5th, 2009 by

Love is an emotion that predominates in mankind and has been labeled the strongest feeling one could have. Some people claim to “Experience” it at a young age… others feel it later… it may last a lifetime or it may fade away … But what is love? Can everyone feel it? Is this feeling the same for me as it is for others? Where does love come from? … Does it appear the moment we least expect it or are we doomed to seek it through the rest of our lives?

Love is an abstract feeling. It is not expressed physically as anger, when the person´s actions hurt others, or it is not portrayed as happiness but rather something deeper. Psychologists argue that love arises from the human mind. Through it, a person is attracted to another by its looks, personality, actions, or presence in their lives. If love is mental, then perhaps the person chooses someone else according to the standards placed by society or according to specific needs that the person may have according to what he or she expects from life. For instance, I want to have a career and getting married to someone who does not accept that would not follow my expectations in life. Therefore, if I did choose the person I want to love, even if I do so unconsciously, my decision would be influenced by my desire to achieve my goals. So, is it true love? I could never know. Sometimes one can even claim to love a person, but as he or she gets to know the person, the “love” disappears. This would mean that what that person felt was physical attraction to some characteristics that were appealing to him or her. Some people even recognize liking only parts of a person, (“I love his smile”. “I love her personality”)but are not satisfied with the person as a whole.

On the other hand, the emotion of love is also claimed to be chemical, for scientist argue that the attraction between two people arises through scientific means. They believe that the emotion is triggered by a chemical reaction happening in the brain. However, they cannot know exactly what triggers that reaction and what factors have caused it to happen. It is only an attempted explanation as to why love is uncontrollable, or why we fall in love even though we know the other person has many flaws. However, science in completely unreliable, and there is nothing that can determine if it really is true. Anyway, what characteristics make you realize that you are experiencing love? Is it a tingling feeling, a rush? The only thing I know about it is what I have heard from other people who claim to have been in love but I could never be sure that I have also experiences that same feeling. Maybe not even for a person, but for a beloved animal or even for myself, a priced item, or a place. I cannot even state that it is indeed a universal feeling because as far as I am concerned it could be rather different for every person.

If it was indeed chemical, it would have to follow the procedures of the scientific method. For instance, two people get to know each other and the hypothesis will be that either they will fall in love or be friends. What factors determine that the relationship of them will grow in either way? It could be the way they act around each other, the way in which they interact or an unexplainable nature that brought them to have those feelings. If there is an attraction present both people could feel it with the same strength, or one more than the other, or it could be completely non- corresponded.

Love as an emotion to another person can be either mutual or personal. What determines the love is chemical, that both persons will have the same attraction to the other; or mental, whether love can be attraction towards one being but not necessarily correspondent. It could be a feeling that exists universal to all human beings, one that everyone can experience at least once in a lifetime, or it could be independent for each being, and not necessarily experienced by every person. It could be triggered chemically, completely out of our control. It could also be a decision we make, and one that is determined by the society which places the standards that determine a person to be beautiful, smart, and useful for a purpose. Either way, it could actually be the strongest feeling that the human knows, depending on what the person considers a strong emotion.

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Female Leaders

April 10th, 2009 by

Pratibha Patil 

Marital status: Married on 7th July, 1965

Appearance: Does not have much presence but rather looks very fragile and maybe out of place. Mentions things that are irrelevant to political subjects but that appeal to the common people such as speaking to ghosts. She is not intimidating.

Her voice is not high pitched or low pitched but a balance between both, she does not have a striking voice.

Her political career has varied from Deputy Minister, Cabinet Minister, Deputy Chairman, Chairperson, Governor of  Rajasthan and now the presidency.

There are many controversial issue involving her:
she said that people with hereditary diseases should be sterilisied, there were allegations of shielding her brother in a murder case, Pratibha women cooperative bank scam (financial irregularities), Sant Muktabai Cooperative Sugar Factory (drug spot), etc.

She does not seem to be a true leader, and her predecessor Abdul Kalam was a great leader and people don’t feel she can live up to his expectations. 

 

Sarah Palin:

Marital Status:

She is married to Todd Palin, who is a lifelong Alaskan, a production operator on the North Slope and a four-time champion of the Iron Dog, the world’s longest snow machine race.

Political career and success:

She made history on Dec. 4, 2006, when she took office as the youngest governor in Alaska history and the first woman. During the 2008 presidential campaign, she became the first Alaskan and the first woman to be nominated for vice president by the Republican Party.

 Other accomplishments:

·      Passage of community revenue sharing

·      The reduction of business license fees

·      An overhaul of the state’s ethics laws

·      Took steps to address Alaskans’ emergency energy needs by establishing a renewable energy fund.

Clothing and appearance:

She looks young, feminine and not very intimidating.  Since her selection as John McCain’s running mate, the Republican National Committee spent more than $150,000 on clothing and make-up for Sarah and her family.  Palin received more valuable clothes in one month than the average American household spends on clothes in 80 years. A democrat put it another way: Her clothes were the cost of health care for 15 or so people.  She was very criticized for spending this money con expensive clothes when there were much more important issues in which the money could be invested.

Voice

Her voice shakes a lot; she does not speak with much security.  You can easily tell when she is not sure of what she is saying.  In the videos I watched she did not speak very convincingly.  Her voice does not give her much sense of power.

More info

Prior to taking office, Palin served on numerous boards and commissions throughout the state. She was active in her family’s pursuits – including serving as a sports team mom and school volunteer. She also runs marathons

Some nicknames people have given her…

Failin’ Palin

Spiteful Sarah

Trainwreck Sarah

Pontius Palin

Hurricane Sarah

Pinocchio Palin

Pandora Palin

Sarah Failin’

Sinking Sarah

Conclusions:

Sarah Palin, based on this research, does not fit the characteristics of the social male.  Even though she has accomplished many things in Alaska, she did not convince the US during the presidential elections at all.  She does not fit in many of the descriptions in the article either. 

 Michelle Bachelet

- First female president of Chile, known for maintaining conservative customs.

- Separated mother of three by two different men.

- Declarated agnostic

- Speaks 5 languages ( Spanish, German, English, Portuguese and French)

- She is a pediatrician,epidemiologist, has military studies and a politician.

- Former Minister of Defense and Minister of Health.

- In 2008, Forbes magazine ranked her as 25th in the list of the 100 most powerful women in the world 

- After her election as President, there was a small revolution in her country because they did no believe that a woman could govern Chile.

- Bachelet uses her hair short, and dresses in suits most of the time. She wears very few jewelry and makeup. She is short but appears very strong and powerful.

- Her voice is strong and powerful, very convincing. At the beginning of her career, it was weaker and at a higher pitch. Now, it is a little deeper and stronger.

- Bachelet lived in exile in Germany for some years, which, in her criteria, made her the strong person that she is today.

Conclusion:

Michelle Bachelet fits the stereotype of the female leader because she has proven that she can govern on her own without a male figure supporting her and being strong and convincing for her country. Her appearance and lifestyle is similar to that described in Block’s “social male.”

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