A few days ago, I watched the most recent episode of "MasterChef Junior". They were working with various ingredients given to them by the judges. They were cutting vegetables, filleting salmons, while at the same time slicing and frying bamboo shoots. The way that they commanded the kitchen appliances and the kitchen tools embodies not only the action of cooking itself, but an actual "performance". Even under such time constraints, they were able to use these "things" to display their overall skills, while creating something that some can consider to be a masterpiece. Additionally, later in the episode during the elimination challenge, they were required to make a sushi platter consisting of various rolls and nigiri. As many would know, there is an art in making sushi. The knife is one of the most important tool, an integral part to the performance that would create an overall symphony. Both technical skill and craftsmanship are required in order perfect this dish, thus this is the moment where "object" becomes something more. What was seen as "objects" can now be seen as "things" in the hands of these skilled chef. The utilization of the knife and the knife itself, guided them in their actions. Thus, the knife script their actions in the creation of their dish. It was able to become a necessary ingredient in their performance. The usages of the knife and other kitchen appliances by these chefs are similar to a chef's knife and a laptop computer examples given by Robin Bernstein in "Dances with Things". In the hand of an amateur cook, a knife is merely an object to be used for cutting. However, in the hands of professional chiefs, the knife can be considered as things that scrips their action and is used in part in their performance.
That's a very interesting object you brought up! It was also discussed in the reading how professional chiefs uses the knife as a tool to make their dishes come to life!
I totally agree with your analysis. It's pretty cool how there's the chef's dependence on the object, but there's also an object's dependence on the chef's talent/skill.
Serlin proposed the idea that the prosthesis could become a symbol of spirit or had political impacts on social structure in his article “Engineering Masculinity”. The prosthesis reminds me of the crutch in China. Crutches are designed for the olds and disabled to help them walk. However, in ancient China, crutches also showed the user’s status from the material they made of. Some old people who were highly respected in a big clan usually use exquisite crutches. It didn’t mean they were too old to walk but just a symbol of power or wealth. However, the olds who were poor but really need a crutch can only use a bamboo stick or branch from a tree to assist their walking. In a Chinese drama “Champaign” there’s a character using a crutch made of steel. She’s an old woman who’s cruel and malicious. She is blind so the crutch is used to help her walk. Therefore in some degree the crutch acts as a kind of prosthesis to help this disabled character to live like normal people. In the drama, she tries to use the steel crutch to kill the hero because she thinks he’s drunk and lying in bed. Her husband killed the hero’s family so she wants to kill the hero before the hero taking revenge. The crutch becomes her weapon. The steel crutch also identifies her savage image. It symbolizes power and bloody action.
That is a very interesting drama, it feels as if the crutch connects to her personality. In her case it can be utilized as both a prosthesis and as a way to show her independence and power. I also have similar experiences in seeing the different kind of crutches available or used by the elderly. Additionally, the crutch symbolizes the unique personality of the user similarly to the decorated wheelchair in our reading "Pimp My Wheelchair" by Smith.
That's such an interesting concept that a crutch in China functions as both a walking aid but also as symbol of wealth and power. I wonder what made them decide on the crutch as a symbol of wealth rather than something else that would be more practical for able-bodied people.
This is similar to Hindi tv shows, usually a walking cane that is used as a prosthesis and a sign of wealth too, where the wealthy would had a stylish cane vs. the not so fortunate would make do with a stick, and it symbolizes poverty in many Hindi movies.
Most of the time, I don’t drink coffee. But recently, I have been finding an excuse to drink it. I been so tired lately. The typical drink I usually get now is from Lazi Cow. It is called Cowfee, and is a slow-drip Vietnamese style coffee and usually iced. It works wonders! (not an ad, but you all should try it). Coffee has transformed itself into different entities such as a thing, an object, symbols, etc. depending who is interacting with it, perhaps purposefully not interacting with it. I used to avoid coffee, because to me it symbolized dependency and an increased caffeine threshold. Some of my friends, though are dependent on it and it is possible that to them coffee is like an IV: a symbol of life, being awake, a lifeline. Coffee can also be political and can create stratification in society. Not saying that coffee is a “rich person’s” drink, but it can symbolize different economic status. Most instant-made coffees are cheap, but handcrafted espressos and lattes could get extremely expensive. People who buy Starbucks and Peet’s Coffee can be fitted into a certain socio-economic bracket as well. Countries such as Brazil, Vietnam and Colombia are the world’s leading producers of coffee, and this could create political ramifications. Most people can argue that coffee is the number one used psychoactive drug, but imagine if Brazil, Vietnam and Colombia stopped exporting them to the USA… We would be in a lot of trouble.
One last fun fact: Even though coffee can be seen as safe, all you have to do is drink 50 cups and it’s lethal. Be careful.
I do not drink coffee at all. The main reason is that I do not like the taste. The other reason is that I do not want to become dependent on it. Now that you mention t, coffee can symbolize economic status. The fact that some people that can afford a coffee every day, says a lot.
Yes. Coffee is very useful to keep people awake. People from some countries prefer drinking tea. Tea could also has the similar function as coffee, but there aren't as many people think tea has psychoactive drug. Some Asian regard drinking tea as a elegant behavior.
I agree! Coffee can be seen as a symbol of dependency and can also connect politically. I think, we as a society mostly embrace coffee because of the trend and also the assistive effect. In terms of politics, we can discuss about the origin and the export/ import structure between nations.
I too have recently started to increase my coffee consumption and thus thought about it's relation to social class. For instance, people look down upon the Starbucks chain to be lowbrow and "not real coffee". On the other hand, people praise smaller coffee shops and refer to it as "more authentic".
I too do not drink coffee because I see it as a dependency and for me, it is not worth the money. I don't want to depend on a drink for me to get through the day, but maybe someday, I'll give it a try!
Thinking about our essay, the first item that came to my mind was my bike because I use it almost everyday. Although there's isn't anything special about this particular bike, it has come in handy throughout my college years! I also got it from a good friend so it does hold some sentimental values to me.
Dwelling more into bikes, the only political thing that comes to my mind is that it's a greener mode of transportation that produces no form of population. (Unless you think about the process of producing the bike, where the bike is made, it can be political in showing the exploitation of labor to produce a bike). Bike comes in all shapes, sizes, and style! They can range from a few hundred dollars to a few thousands, depending on the type of bike you want. Linking it to the reading, the bike can be a part of who we are, especially when we consider the style or type of bike we ride. For a professional biker, the style, gadgets, and specs of a bike means more compare to a UCD Student who just wants to from point A to point B.
I think bike in itself can be considered as an assistive technology, such as the wheelchair from our reading of "Pimp My Wheelchair" by Smith. Although we do not necessarily depend on it as much, it is a technology that assist us in our daily life (especially as a UCD student). Also, you can connect the bike politically, such as the short film that we watched in class about the evolution of women's garments because of bicycles. Thus, even a mundane object such as a bike can have major ramifications in the life of many.
I saw what Emily Smith was saying about how people with disabilities, or an illness, will not seek help or will refuse to use their wheelchairs, because accepting those items means accepting that something is wrong with them. My mom has diabetes and as one would think, she has multiple medications that she should be taking. I called her yesterday to check on her and I asked about how she was feeling. She of course goes on to tell me about how her head and feet have been killing her. I ask her if she has been taking her pills. She has not. I started thinking about all the other things she does not do, that she probably should to take care of herself. I have asked her before but I decided to ask her once again why she does not follow most, if not all, of her doctor’s recommendations. She responded that she simply does not feel like she really has to. The only thing I can think of her actually listening to her doctor about is exercise. She goes on long walks every day, which one of my family members usually accompanies her on. I came to the realization myself that the reason she probably actually exercises is because that is something that we all do. It does not single her out, or make her very different compared to anyone else. I find it so crazy that there are tons of people out in the world you don’t do things like take their medication because that will single them out in society as someone you has a defect. The medication will help them feel physically better yet the feeling of singularity is greater. My mother would rather suffer through the pain of a headache, than take her pills.
I agree, there are many who choose to not take their medicide so as not to single them out from the society. I think in many cases it all depends on the person and their perspective, but such assistive tools (medicines or other objects) can also be seen as a sign of weakness for the user. It is important to realize that to the user, the utilization of these tools can have a deeper emotional connection.
In the article “Pimp my Wheelchair!” by Emily Smith, Smith talks about how all wheel chairs are monotonous and boring at their factory state. All wheel chairs are mass-produced and do not allow the individual to express themselves. I was driving through Sacramento on my way home last weekend and saw a billboard about eyewear. The person on the billboard was smiling and seemed to be happy about what she was wearing on her face. Glasses like wheelchairs are an assistive technology. However, glasses have become a fashion statement in our society. Poor vision, something that was once a disability, has in turn become a way to express you. The glasses I wear are different from the person sitting next to me in class. Just from looking at the person’s eyewear, you can tell a lot about who they are. If their glasses are hot pink, you can tell that that person is bold and wants people to know that she likes people looking at her. Wheelchairs on the other hand do not have the same effect. Wheelchair users have to “pimp” their own wheelchairs so that they can express themselves. When society looks at people in wheelchairs, it is a common belief that many people just see them as a person with a disability. Smith and others, modify their wheelchairs to better express themselves to the public. The ultimate question I have is why are wheelchairs not on the same level as glasses? Is our society really that shallow that just because a person has a major disability we cannot accept them for who they are?
I think through time we might achieve that equality. Maybe, one of reason that we do not see it as the same is because we are not as used to it as a society. Hopefully, through further educations we can learn to better interact with different types of people to achieve a state of equality. Politically, it is possible that more companies will start to profit in the wheelchair market similarly to glasses.
One thing that may help is including the disabled person in the process of customizing their chair directly from the company. The way that you can customize your glasses before you purchase them, those who use wheelchairs should be able to custom order a chair that already fits their personality and self-expression. Of course, for society to see eyeglasses and wheelchairs the same, we will need time for this technology to integrate into society and become more "normalized."
I have been watching the new Netflix series, 13 Reasons Why, which focuses on Hannah Baker, a high school student who committed suicide, but left tapes to explain her reasoning. The series sheds light on the of issue of high school bullying that should be more emphasized and our relationship with technology. From the very beginning, cell phones have appeared to catalyze and propagate rumors around Hannah, which relates to our discussion about technology. The way that cell phones allow us to interact with the object and other people is portrayed in the TV series. Cell phones encourage us to look at the screen, move information quickly and vastly, and disengage. In the series, a compromising photo of the protagonist is sent throughout the student body, with many people becoming bystanders and act as another channel to share the photo. Though technology can create conveniences, depending on the way we choose to interact with the technology, it can inflict further issues.
I just watched this series and I completely agree with what you're saying on how cell phones is more than a object and affects many lives, especially students where if something happens, rumors become detrimental to them and affect their social life and affect them mentally.
When I was younger, I read the young adult fiction “Thirteen Reasons Why.” Now that book has been turned into a series on Netflix. The basic premise is that a high school girl kills herself and leaves behind 13 cassette tapes that each reveal a reason for doing what she did. Each tape represents one person who is at fault for her death, and the tapes are passed around from one person to the next until everyone that is on the tapes has heard them. These cassettes tapes are scriptive things, which Bernstein describes in detail. She says that things script performances through orders, either determined action or implied actions. These tapes order the recipient to listen to them in a tape player. They force the user to pay attention to them and to flip them over to the next side when the tape is finished. Listening to anything on a cassette tape is a very different experience from what we’re used to now. Cassettes require much more attention and scriptive actions in order to listen to the audio.
I find it interesting how auditory technology has evolved throughout time. It's weird to think how some kids today don't know what records, cassettes, or Walkman stereos are nor will most likely never come into contact with them. All they will really know are YouTube, other music streaming sites, MP3 players and iPods.
In a television show I watch, Pretty Little Liars, there is a blind girl named Jenna. Ever since she became blind, part of her identity has become “The Blind Girl” instead of just “Jenna”. Due to her blindness, she cannot personalize her cane like someone who is paralyzed can do for their wheelchair as seen in Smith’s article. While being paralyzed and being blind are two different disabilities, they both become part of one’s identity. While wheelchair users have the opportunity and luxury of decorating their aiding technologies, blind people like Jenna cannot do the same. They are not able to allow their canes to become an extension of their personality and to give those that stare “something to stare at”.
As I'm looking around my house I noticed one of the most important appliances in my house, the refrigerator. It is vital part of my household that is used all the time whether I'm conscious of it or not. Langdon Winner suggests in "Do Artifacts Have Politics?" that all objects are either political or inherently political. Thinking about it a refrigerator is a somewhat inherently political object. Political in the sense that the materials, manufacturers and suppliers are probably from other countries and depend on the exploitation of cheap labor to produce these refrigerators. A refrigerator can also be political depending on the style and brand of it. Specific models and brands of refrigerators are obviously more expensive than others which can also make them inherently political in a sense that the model you own is potentially a representation off your social class.
I was watching the NBA playoff game between the Golden State Warriors and Portland Trailblazers. It was game 4, which was a determining factor of who would win the series and move on to round 2 of the NBA Playoffs. The intensity and tension levels from the fans and players were very high as the physicality between the teams caused many altercations. The Golden State Warriors ended up winning the game 128-103. I was amazed that an object like a basketball would provoke such competitiveness amongst players. To an average person, a basketball is just a round leather ball used to play a game. However, after learning in Berstein’s article, a basketball is not just an object, but when it is used by professional athletes, it is a thing. Superstar athletes in this game such as Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Kevin Durant are all respected due to their dominance with a basketball and what they can do with this basketball to help their team win games. The footwork, dribbling ability, and craftiness of these players with a basketball are second nature to them, but to average people, it is just an object. Many describe the way they utilize a basketball is like poetry in motion and the way they make the game look so easy is deemed as effortless. The amount of practice, technique, hard work, and dedication these NBA players endure to perfect their game is reflected in the way they play when the game begins. A basketball is more than just a leather ball, it serves as an occupation, it creates a community, it teaches comradery and selflessness, and it is a lifestyle.
Its interesting how you brought up basketball, and how the ball is a thing. I have never thought about it that way before, by the way I couldn't believe that the warriors blew them out so bad in the first half.
Recently, I read an article about how to practice mindfulness. What I got from that article was basically that mindfulness is about appreciating the general existence and nature of everyday interactions with the world around us. The author then went on to describe how to practice mindfulness when opening a door. They would feel the curve of the doorknob and the force of the door amongst other sensations people usually dismiss as meaningless. This practice is found to be relaxing by some people. This whole article reminded me of the technique we used in lecture to observe objects we had with us. The techniques of practicing mindfulness and closely observing objects were very similar to me.
I almost wrote about a similar topic for this assignment. A few people that I know often talk about being more mindful and aware of their surroundings, and I try to do that every once in a while. It really is amazing to notice new things about objects and things you see in your everyday life if you take a little extra time to carefully observe them.
My cousin was born with hearing loss at a very young age. I have been there for her through the tough times, as she's tried to communicate with people. She was diagnosed, at the age of 4 and was referred to be put in a Special Education instruction, which would help her loss of hearing. That was not the case. We found out that it wasn’t helping her at all. My aunt kept looking for a place that would help my cousin until they were told about a different approach. The approach of using technology. Using a hearing aid for my cousin to help her loss of hearing. It was a hard time for my aunt as she thought my cousin would have a hard time at school because of her hearing aid. But, now it has been about 5 years later and my cousin has not had any problems with the hearing aid. She has loved them, as she has personalized her hearing aids with her favorite colors and even some stickers. This event reminded me of the article of Emily Smith, "Pimp my wheelchair" which it discussed the valuing one's identity. The article talks about how others feel comfortable when they get to personalize their wheelchair. They don't like that most wheelchairs are generic they want it to express who they are, and in this case, my cousin did just that with her hearing aid.
Last year when I was living in the dorms, I would sometimes see a kid that lived in another building on my way to and from class. He had an electric wheelchair and used it to get around. I didn't know him and never formally met him, so I did not think much of it besides the fact that he was the only wheelchair user I saw on campus.
The Smith article about wheelchairs made me go back and think about this kid a little more. Before reading the article, I never realized how important a wheelchair could be to the user's identity. I simply saw it as a tool or vehicle to get around with, but the article opened my eyes to how the wheelchair is both a part of the user's body and a form of expression. Having never had a personal interaction with a wheelchair user, I had never been able to make the association between technology and identity that is so important to people. Thanks to this article, I feel as though I might have gained at least a basic understanding of how wheelchair or prosthetic users feel and think, and may be able to relate to them more in any future encounters.
When I was in High School, I was friends with a kid who always got injured playing various sports. This meant that we always was going around school with crutches. This severely impaired his mobility in terms of getting around school and getting to classes on time. So this object of crutches was something I saw everyday since I had multiple classes with him. This always made me think of the barriers that have to be overcome to perform regular things. However, one thing that my friend did that no one else did with crutches was he personalized them. Since he got injured so much, he had the same crutches during various injuries, so he personalized them with stickers and drawings. This directly relates to the Smith article in which people with wheelchairs could personalize them. I think he did this to express his personality and feel good about himself even though he was disabled temporarily. Reading the article brought back these memories from earlier in my life and related to me directly.
I feel my car has been that wheelchair for me. I was homeless at times and slept in my car and sometimes it gets me to a place where it was not accessible to public transportation. My life would not improved as it is now if it was not for my car. Story of my is like hero journey. it was stolen twice and got recovered with out major damages and recently it got hit by uc davis and helped me earn 2500, the cost to fix it was only 30 bucks. Now it is getting me back and forth to my home and whenever I wanted it. For example the time when my car was in the garage I had to miss my doctor appointment , not only that but also I did not go to work for two weeks. Therefore my car is my financial supporter , my shelter and also a place i hang out when I want some silence and privacy.
A few days ago, I watched the most recent episode of "MasterChef Junior". They were working with various ingredients given to them by the judges. They were cutting vegetables, filleting salmons, while at the same time slicing and frying bamboo shoots. The way that they commanded the kitchen appliances and the kitchen tools embodies not only the action of cooking itself, but an actual "performance". Even under such time constraints, they were able to use these "things" to display their overall skills, while creating something that some can consider to be a masterpiece. Additionally, later in the episode during the elimination challenge, they were required to make a sushi platter consisting of various rolls and nigiri. As many would know, there is an art in making sushi. The knife is one of the most important tool, an integral part to the performance that would create an overall symphony. Both technical skill and craftsmanship are required in order perfect this dish, thus this is the moment where "object" becomes something more. What was seen as "objects" can now be seen as "things" in the hands of these skilled chef. The utilization of the knife and the knife itself, guided them in their actions. Thus, the knife script their actions in the creation of their dish. It was able to become a necessary ingredient in their performance. The usages of the knife and other kitchen appliances by these chefs are similar to a chef's knife and a laptop computer examples given by Robin Bernstein in "Dances with Things". In the hand of an amateur cook, a knife is merely an object to be used for cutting. However, in the hands of professional chiefs, the knife can be considered as things that scrips their action and is used in part in their performance.
ReplyDeleteThat's a very interesting object you brought up! It was also discussed in the reading how professional chiefs uses the knife as a tool to make their dishes come to life!
Deleteyeah its crazy how good those guys are at cooking... fun to watch
DeleteI totally agree with your analysis. It's pretty cool how there's the chef's dependence on the object, but there's also an object's dependence on the chef's talent/skill.
DeleteSerlin proposed the idea that the prosthesis could become a symbol of spirit or had political impacts on social structure in his article “Engineering Masculinity”. The prosthesis reminds me of the crutch in China. Crutches are designed for the olds and disabled to help them walk. However, in ancient China, crutches also showed the user’s status from the material they made of. Some old people who were highly respected in a big clan usually use exquisite crutches. It didn’t mean they were too old to walk but just a symbol of power or wealth. However, the olds who were poor but really need a crutch can only use a bamboo stick or branch from a tree to assist their walking.
ReplyDeleteIn a Chinese drama “Champaign” there’s a character using a crutch made of steel. She’s an old woman who’s cruel and malicious. She is blind so the crutch is used to help her walk. Therefore in some degree the crutch acts as a kind of prosthesis to help this disabled character to live like normal people. In the drama, she tries to use the steel crutch to kill the hero because she thinks he’s drunk and lying in bed. Her husband killed the hero’s family so she wants to kill the hero before the hero taking revenge. The crutch becomes her weapon. The steel crutch also identifies her savage image. It symbolizes power and bloody action.
HAHA, I want to watch this drama now. It seems interesting how a crutch can represent a binary.
DeleteThat is a very interesting drama, it feels as if the crutch connects to her personality. In her case it can be utilized as both a prosthesis and as a way to show her independence and power. I also have similar experiences in seeing the different kind of crutches available or used by the elderly. Additionally, the crutch symbolizes the unique personality of the user similarly to the decorated wheelchair in our reading "Pimp My Wheelchair" by Smith.
DeleteThat's such an interesting concept that a crutch in China functions as both a walking aid but also as symbol of wealth and power. I wonder what made them decide on the crutch as a symbol of wealth rather than something else that would be more practical for able-bodied people.
DeleteThis is similar to Hindi tv shows, usually a walking cane that is used as a prosthesis and a sign of wealth too, where the wealthy would had a stylish cane vs. the not so fortunate would make do with a stick, and it symbolizes poverty in many Hindi movies.
DeleteMost of the time, I don’t drink coffee. But recently, I have been finding an excuse to drink it. I been so tired lately. The typical drink I usually get now is from Lazi Cow. It is called Cowfee, and is a slow-drip Vietnamese style coffee and usually iced. It works wonders! (not an ad, but you all should try it). Coffee has transformed itself into different entities such as a thing, an object, symbols, etc. depending who is interacting with it, perhaps purposefully not interacting with it. I used to avoid coffee, because to me it symbolized dependency and an increased caffeine threshold. Some of my friends, though are dependent on it and it is possible that to them coffee is like an IV: a symbol of life, being awake, a lifeline. Coffee can also be political and can create stratification in society. Not saying that coffee is a “rich person’s” drink, but it can symbolize different economic status. Most instant-made coffees are cheap, but handcrafted espressos and lattes could get extremely expensive. People who buy Starbucks and Peet’s Coffee can be fitted into a certain socio-economic bracket as well. Countries such as Brazil, Vietnam and Colombia are the world’s leading producers of coffee, and this could create political ramifications. Most people can argue that coffee is the number one used psychoactive drug, but imagine if Brazil, Vietnam and Colombia stopped exporting them to the USA… We would be in a lot of trouble.
ReplyDeleteOne last fun fact: Even though coffee can be seen as safe, all you have to do is drink 50 cups and it’s lethal. Be careful.
I do not drink coffee at all. The main reason is that I do not like the taste. The other reason is that I do not want to become dependent on it. Now that you mention t, coffee can symbolize economic status. The fact that some people that can afford a coffee every day, says a lot.
DeleteYes. Coffee is very useful to keep people awake. People from some countries prefer drinking tea. Tea could also has the similar function as coffee, but there aren't as many people think tea has psychoactive drug. Some Asian regard drinking tea as a elegant behavior.
DeleteI agree! Coffee can be seen as a symbol of dependency and can also connect politically. I think, we as a society mostly embrace coffee because of the trend and also the assistive effect. In terms of politics, we can discuss about the origin and the export/ import structure between nations.
DeleteI too have recently started to increase my coffee consumption and thus thought about it's relation to social class. For instance, people look down upon the Starbucks chain to be lowbrow and "not real coffee". On the other hand, people praise smaller coffee shops and refer to it as "more authentic".
DeleteI too do not drink coffee because I see it as a dependency and for me, it is not worth the money. I don't want to depend on a drink for me to get through the day, but maybe someday, I'll give it a try!
DeleteThinking about our essay, the first item that came to my mind was my bike because I use it almost everyday. Although there's isn't anything special about this particular bike, it has come in handy throughout my college years! I also got it from a good friend so it does hold some sentimental values to me.
ReplyDeleteDwelling more into bikes, the only political thing that comes to my mind is that it's a greener mode of transportation that produces no form of population. (Unless you think about the process of producing the bike, where the bike is made, it can be political in showing the exploitation of labor to produce a bike). Bike comes in all shapes, sizes, and style! They can range from a few hundred dollars to a few thousands, depending on the type of bike you want. Linking it to the reading, the bike can be a part of who we are, especially when we consider the style or type of bike we ride. For a professional biker, the style, gadgets, and specs of a bike means more compare to a UCD Student who just wants to from point A to point B.
I think bike in itself can be considered as an assistive technology, such as the wheelchair from our reading of "Pimp My Wheelchair" by Smith. Although we do not necessarily depend on it as much, it is a technology that assist us in our daily life (especially as a UCD student). Also, you can connect the bike politically, such as the short film that we watched in class about the evolution of women's garments because of bicycles. Thus, even a mundane object such as a bike can have major ramifications in the life of many.
DeleteI saw what Emily Smith was saying about how people with disabilities, or an illness, will not seek help or will refuse to use their wheelchairs, because accepting those items means accepting that something is wrong with them. My mom has diabetes and as one would think, she has multiple medications that she should be taking. I called her yesterday to check on her and I asked about how she was feeling. She of course goes on to tell me about how her head and feet have been killing her. I ask her if she has been taking her pills. She has not. I started thinking about all the other things she does not do, that she probably should to take care of herself. I have asked her before but I decided to ask her once again why she does not follow most, if not all, of her doctor’s recommendations. She responded that she simply does not feel like she really has to. The only thing I can think of her actually listening to her doctor about is exercise. She goes on long walks every day, which one of my family members usually accompanies her on. I came to the realization myself that the reason she probably actually exercises is because that is something that we all do. It does not single her out, or make her very different compared to anyone else.
ReplyDeleteI find it so crazy that there are tons of people out in the world you don’t do things like take their medication because that will single them out in society as someone you has a defect. The medication will help them feel physically better yet the feeling of singularity is greater. My mother would rather suffer through the pain of a headache, than take her pills.
I agree, there are many who choose to not take their medicide so as not to single them out from the society. I think in many cases it all depends on the person and their perspective, but such assistive tools (medicines or other objects) can also be seen as a sign of weakness for the user. It is important to realize that to the user, the utilization of these tools can have a deeper emotional connection.
DeleteIn the article “Pimp my Wheelchair!” by Emily Smith, Smith talks about how all wheel chairs are monotonous and boring at their factory state. All wheel chairs are mass-produced and do not allow the individual to express themselves. I was driving through Sacramento on my way home last weekend and saw a billboard about eyewear. The person on the billboard was smiling and seemed to be happy about what she was wearing on her face. Glasses like wheelchairs are an assistive technology. However, glasses have become a fashion statement in our society. Poor vision, something that was once a disability, has in turn become a way to express you. The glasses I wear are different from the person sitting next to me in class. Just from looking at the person’s eyewear, you can tell a lot about who they are. If their glasses are hot pink, you can tell that that person is bold and wants people to know that she likes people looking at her. Wheelchairs on the other hand do not have the same effect. Wheelchair users have to “pimp” their own wheelchairs so that they can express themselves. When society looks at people in wheelchairs, it is a common belief that many people just see them as a person with a disability. Smith and others, modify their wheelchairs to better express themselves to the public. The ultimate question I have is why are wheelchairs not on the same level as glasses? Is our society really that shallow that just because a person has a major disability we cannot accept them for who they are?
ReplyDeleteI think through time we might achieve that equality. Maybe, one of reason that we do not see it as the same is because we are not as used to it as a society. Hopefully, through further educations we can learn to better interact with different types of people to achieve a state of equality. Politically, it is possible that more companies will start to profit in the wheelchair market similarly to glasses.
DeleteOne thing that may help is including the disabled person in the process of customizing their chair directly from the company. The way that you can customize your glasses before you purchase them, those who use wheelchairs should be able to custom order a chair that already fits their personality and self-expression. Of course, for society to see eyeglasses and wheelchairs the same, we will need time for this technology to integrate into society and become more "normalized."
DeleteI have been watching the new Netflix series, 13 Reasons Why, which focuses on Hannah Baker, a high school student who committed suicide, but left tapes to explain her reasoning. The series sheds light on the of issue of high school bullying that should be more emphasized and our relationship with technology. From the very beginning, cell phones have appeared to catalyze and propagate rumors around Hannah, which relates to our discussion about technology. The way that cell phones allow us to interact with the object and other people is portrayed in the TV series. Cell phones encourage us to look at the screen, move information quickly and vastly, and disengage. In the series, a compromising photo of the protagonist is sent throughout the student body, with many people becoming bystanders and act as another channel to share the photo. Though technology can create conveniences, depending on the way we choose to interact with the technology, it can inflict further issues.
ReplyDeleteI just watched this series and I completely agree with what you're saying on how cell phones is more than a object and affects many lives, especially students where if something happens, rumors become detrimental to them and affect their social life and affect them mentally.
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ReplyDeleteWhen I was younger, I read the young adult fiction “Thirteen Reasons Why.” Now that book has been turned into a series on Netflix. The basic premise is that a high school girl kills herself and leaves behind 13 cassette tapes that each reveal a reason for doing what she did. Each tape represents one person who is at fault for her death, and the tapes are passed around from one person to the next until everyone that is on the tapes has heard them. These cassettes tapes are scriptive things, which Bernstein describes in detail. She says that things script performances through orders, either determined action or implied actions. These tapes order the recipient to listen to them in a tape player. They force the user to pay attention to them and to flip them over to the next side when the tape is finished. Listening to anything on a cassette tape is a very different experience from what we’re used to now. Cassettes require much more attention and scriptive actions in order to listen to the audio.
I find it interesting how auditory technology has evolved throughout time. It's weird to think how some kids today don't know what records, cassettes, or Walkman stereos are nor will most likely never come into contact with them. All they will really know are YouTube, other music streaming sites, MP3 players and iPods.
DeleteIn a television show I watch, Pretty Little Liars, there is a blind girl named Jenna. Ever since she became blind, part of her identity has become “The Blind Girl” instead of just “Jenna”. Due to her blindness, she cannot personalize her cane like someone who is paralyzed can do for their wheelchair as seen in Smith’s article. While being paralyzed and being blind are two different disabilities, they both become part of one’s identity. While wheelchair users have the opportunity and luxury of decorating their aiding technologies, blind people like Jenna cannot do the same. They are not able to allow their canes to become an extension of their personality and to give those that stare “something to stare at”.
ReplyDeleteAs I'm looking around my house I noticed one of the most important appliances in my house, the refrigerator. It is vital part of my household that is used all the time whether I'm conscious of it or not. Langdon Winner suggests in "Do Artifacts Have Politics?" that all objects are either political or inherently political. Thinking about it a refrigerator is a somewhat inherently political object. Political in the sense that the materials, manufacturers and suppliers are probably from other countries and depend on the exploitation of cheap labor to produce these refrigerators. A refrigerator can also be political depending on the style and brand of it. Specific models and brands of refrigerators are obviously more expensive than others which can also make them inherently political in a sense that the model you own is potentially a representation off your social class.
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ReplyDeleteI was watching the NBA playoff game between the Golden State Warriors and Portland Trailblazers. It was game 4, which was a determining factor of who would win the series and move on to round 2 of the NBA Playoffs. The intensity and tension levels from the fans and players were very high as the physicality between the teams caused many altercations. The Golden State Warriors ended up winning the game 128-103. I was amazed that an object like a basketball would provoke such competitiveness amongst players. To an average person, a basketball is just a round leather ball used to play a game. However, after learning in Berstein’s article, a basketball is not just an object, but when it is used by professional athletes, it is a thing. Superstar athletes in this game such as Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Kevin Durant are all respected due to their dominance with a basketball and what they can do with this basketball to help their team win games. The footwork, dribbling ability, and craftiness of these players with a basketball are second nature to them, but to average people, it is just an object. Many describe the way they utilize a basketball is like poetry in motion and the way they make the game look so easy is deemed as effortless. The amount of practice, technique, hard work, and dedication these NBA players endure to perfect their game is reflected in the way they play when the game begins. A basketball is more than just a leather ball, it serves as an occupation, it creates a community, it teaches comradery and selflessness, and it is a lifestyle.
Its interesting how you brought up basketball, and how the ball is a thing. I have never thought about it that way before, by the way I couldn't believe that the warriors blew them out so bad in the first half.
DeleteRecently, I read an article about how to practice mindfulness. What I got from that article was basically that mindfulness is about appreciating the general existence and nature of everyday interactions with the world around us. The author then went on to describe how to practice mindfulness when opening a door. They would feel the curve of the doorknob and the force of the door amongst other sensations people usually dismiss as meaningless. This practice is found to be relaxing by some people.
ReplyDeleteThis whole article reminded me of the technique we used in lecture to observe objects we had with us. The techniques of practicing mindfulness and closely observing objects were very similar to me.
I almost wrote about a similar topic for this assignment. A few people that I know often talk about being more mindful and aware of their surroundings, and I try to do that every once in a while. It really is amazing to notice new things about objects and things you see in your everyday life if you take a little extra time to carefully observe them.
DeleteMy cousin was born with hearing loss at a very young age. I have been there for her through the tough times, as she's tried to communicate with people. She was diagnosed, at the age of 4 and was referred to be put in a Special Education instruction, which would help her loss of hearing. That was not the case. We found out that it wasn’t helping her at all. My aunt kept looking for a place that would help my cousin until they were told about a different approach. The approach of using technology. Using a hearing aid for my cousin to help her loss of hearing. It was a hard time for my aunt as she thought my cousin would have a hard time at school because of her hearing aid. But, now it has been about 5 years later and my cousin has not had any problems with the hearing aid. She has loved them, as she has personalized her hearing aids with her favorite colors and even some stickers. This event reminded me of the article of Emily Smith, "Pimp my wheelchair" which it discussed the valuing one's identity. The article talks about how others feel comfortable when they get to personalize their wheelchair. They don't like that most wheelchairs are generic they want it to express who they are, and in this case, my cousin did just that with her hearing aid.
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ReplyDeleteRealized I accidentally deleted part of the post before publishing, so I deleted it and published it again down below.
DeleteLast year when I was living in the dorms, I would sometimes see a kid that lived in another building on my way to and from class. He had an electric wheelchair and used it to get around. I didn't know him and never formally met him, so I did not think much of it besides the fact that he was the only wheelchair user I saw on campus.
ReplyDeleteThe Smith article about wheelchairs made me go back and think about this kid a little more. Before reading the article, I never realized how important a wheelchair could be to the user's identity. I simply saw it as a tool or vehicle to get around with, but the article opened my eyes to how the wheelchair is both a part of the user's body and a form of expression. Having never had a personal interaction with a wheelchair user, I had never been able to make the association between technology and identity that is so important to people. Thanks to this article, I feel as though I might have gained at least a basic understanding of how wheelchair or prosthetic users feel and think, and may be able to relate to them more in any future encounters.
When I was in High School, I was friends with a kid who always got injured playing various sports. This meant that we always was going around school with crutches. This severely impaired his mobility in terms of getting around school and getting to classes on time. So this object of crutches was something I saw everyday since I had multiple classes with him. This always made me think of the barriers that have to be overcome to perform regular things. However, one thing that my friend did that no one else did with crutches was he personalized them. Since he got injured so much, he had the same crutches during various injuries, so he personalized them with stickers and drawings. This directly relates to the Smith article in which people with wheelchairs could personalize them. I think he did this to express his personality and feel good about himself even though he was disabled temporarily. Reading the article brought back these memories from earlier in my life and related to me directly.
ReplyDeleteI feel my car has been that wheelchair for me. I was homeless at times and slept in my car and sometimes it gets me to a place where it was not accessible to public transportation. My life would not improved as it is now if it was not for my car. Story of my is like hero journey. it was stolen twice and got recovered with out major damages and recently it got hit by uc davis and helped me earn 2500, the cost to fix it was only 30 bucks. Now it is getting me back and forth to my home and whenever I wanted it. For example the time when my car was in the garage I had to miss my doctor appointment , not only that but also I did not go to work for two weeks. Therefore my car is my financial supporter , my shelter and also a place i hang out when I want some silence and privacy.
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