HIMYM - Cultural Artifact

How I Met Your Mother is a comedy about "a love story in reverse." The main character, Ted Mosby is determined to find his "the one" after his two best friends since college, Marshall Eriksen and Lily Aldrin, get engaged. Ted meets Robin Scherbatsky at McClaren's (the bar the TV show mainly takes place in - like the Central Perk of Friends) and believes her to be "the one" but destiny has something different in mind. Lastly, the womanizer character Barney Stinson, completely disagrees with Ted's goal of finding his perfect woman and wants to keep Ted single so that they could be each other's wingman and have many one night stands.

In the episode "Showdown", Barney fulfills his lifelong dream of appearing on The Price is Right to meet his father, Bob Barker. The reason he believed that all his life (and continues to believe) is because when he was a child and he asked his mother who his father was, his mother just point

ed at the TV and said "that guy." Barney practiced so that he would be able to get the exact price of every item correct and end up on the showcase showdown so that he could confront Bob Barker about being his son. However, at the end, Barney does not tell Bob Barker he is his son because he says, "If you've lived your whole life thinking one thing, it would be pretty devastating to find out that wasn't true." (He was actually referring to Bob Barker.)

Through this episode, it was obvious about how us humans choose to believe what we want to believe. Also, even though these five characters are the best of friends, the other four do not say anything about how Bob Barker could not be Barney's father, because they don't want to ruin anything for him. This reveals the blindness of the empire and how the empire blinds us.

Discussion Questions:

1. In what ways are we blinded by the contents of the empire?

2. Do we ever refrain from promoting the Kingdom of God to prevent hurting friendships/relationships?

There Will Be Blood (2007)

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

There Will Be Blood explores the ambitions and methods of a 1900’s Oil Man, Daniel Plainview. Formerly a mineral prospector, Plainview comes into contact with a whole “ocean of oil under [his] feet” after a young man, Paul Sunday, convinces him that Little Boston has oil sitting on top of the soil. The dream becomes a reality and Plainview promises Paul’s twin brother Eli a new church in exchange for the land rights of the town and surrounding areas. Within the frame work of the film, Plainview is baptized in order to create a pipe-line, H.W., Plainview’s only ‘son’, looses all hearing, and Eli commands the hearts and minds of Little Boston.


The two main characters (Eli and Plainview) of There Will Be Blood seem to be unredeemable. Through his cynicism and, even, hatred towards humanity, Daniel Plainview becomes the poster boy for Darwinism and The Empire. Eli Sunday, the pastor of an unconditionally devoted church uses properties of the Apocalypse to enthrall and build a congregation whose behaviors scream ‘cult’.


To Daniel Plainview, money is power and the means to gain wealth overpower family and religion. The oil man lies and bargains his way into the land of the unsuspecting people only to take all the resources and abandon his promises. Even the young son of a deceased worker becomes a way to show his ‘family side’ to future prospects. That son, H.W., a young boy, who he truly cares for, yet cannot let himself love because: “I have a competition in me, I want no one else to succeed.” (His son grows up and builds a rival oil business in Mexico) Plainview tears down his son and lives alone in his old age with all the wealth he has accumulated.


Eli Sunday, while using the Apocalyptic concept talked about in class, sought to destroy the will and ‘sucker punch’ people who he believes are a threat. This can be seen during the Baptism of Daniel Plainview. While the oil man only agreed to join the church to expand his wealth, Eli physically and mentally breaks his down in a grand show. Plainview is ordered to shout to the heavens the he is a Sinner and the He has abandoned his son. While both to varying extents were true, the show only gave the congregation more fuel to live burn a religious fire and brimstone.


There is so much in this Film...watch it ^.^


1. What other examples of oil can be found in today’s current society? Oil for certain is still highly prized but what has taken its place as an idol.

2. How can religious fervor become a ‘feel good drug’? Has it?

3. In the film, the pastor uses the oil money to create a new church. Does the means out way the outcome?

Mall Post

My visit to woodland mall was extremely fascinating, especially after seeing the film “The persuaders” last class session. I saw numerous advertisements throughout the mall in the windows of shops, on numerous bulletins, and on the sides of a variety of kiosks. In some stores, I noticed how colorful certain advertisements were and how eye-catching they could be to the average person. Other advertisements were larger and not easily missed. Others appeared to be geared towards particular groups such as women or young children. I was especially drawn towards stores that had sporting related items displayed outside of them. Since the items were so easily accessible in that I could see them up close and touch/hold them, I discovered that a variety of stores do the same thing and that people were more likely to shop at stores where they could easily access the items that they were potentially going to by. One of example of this was the Lids outlet store, where they sell hats that had a variety of professional sports teams logos on them. They had hats in the display cases on and behind the counters, but they also had them in racks outside of the store for the average person to come up and try them on. Overall, I was very impressed with the creativity of the advertisements and ads throughout the mall. I became more attentive to the diversity in the kinds of ads one encounters in a typical trip to the mall, and that it’s obvious why people are drawn more easily than they actually realize

The Matrix

The Matrix-Blog Response
The film The Matrix focuses on the journey of the main character Thomas Anderson, also known under the alias as Neo (played by Keanu Reeves). Neo’s occupation is a software programmer for a respectable computer company in the year 1999. However, he works as a computer hacker in his spare time and is obsessed with researching and understanding a phenomenon known as “the matrix”.
In the film, Laurence Fishburne (Morpheus) explains the matrix to Neo as “…the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth…that you are a slave Neo. Like everyone else, you were born into bondage, born into a prison that you cannot smell, taste, or touch; A prison for your mind.” He further explains the matrix by calling it a “computer-generated dream world” where everyone is living under a singular consciousness designed to “keep us under control”.
In regards to material in the class, a special emphasis can be placed on the idea that the matrix is a world that has been pulled over our conscious minds to blind us from true reality. True reality according to the bible emphasizes the falleness of mankind and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross to redeem mankind from their fallen sinful nature and to save them from suffering an eternal punishment: Permanent, eternal separation from God. Humans often focus on material objects of the world such as monetary wealth, success, or prestige. All material things of the world can be categorized as objects of a “Matrix” type realty. According to God’s word, everything on earth is of temporary value and eventually worthless compared to the salvation that saves mankind from eternal punishment and suffering. Both examples reveal mankind’s obsession with materialistic and hedonistic lifestyles/tendencies that bring about the “Matrix” type reality.
In another scene, Morpheus has journeyed into the Matrix with Neo for the first time and they visit the “real world”. This “real world” has been virtually destroyed as a result of technology, or the “machines”. The “machines” became fully functional and independent of human control as a result of A-I, or artificial intelligence. A few concepts from class exist in this scene: Elements of Modernism. 1) Belief that technology can overcome creation-humans apparently developed technology to the point where it overcame humanity, rather than just the elements of the Earth. 2) Belief in progress- that the gradual development of technology leads to well being, instead of mankind’s demise as the film suggests.

Mall Visit

After taking a visit to the mall and really observing things, I noticed how much advertising really affects us. As I walked through the store Kohls, I saw how almost everything said “sale” and was marked down in price. Was it really marked down in price? Or were they just saying that to get us to think its a good deal? I overheard a kid asking his mother if they could get an object of clothing. At first the mother said no, but the kid said, “Look at how much the original price is and how much we would be saving!” This shows how advertising can affect us, it has the power of persuasion. We believe almost everything we see and submit to it. After watching The Persuaders, this trip to the mall was much different for me because i noticed really how much advertising affects us.

Lizzie Kamp: Mall Visit

This weekend I went to Orland Square Mall. It was interesting to go and observe, instead of just shopping and walking around. It was an eye-opening experience to see how each store not only advertised, but sent a message to consumers. In each store, the lighting, music, scent, layout, etc. was unique. Hollister, for example, was dark with loud music and big pictures on the walls. They advertised through the decorations and the atmosphere of the store. JC Penny’s on the other hand, was well-lit with nice music and plenty of employees around to help. One thing that struck me was that it seemed like everything was on sale! There were many posters and signs hanging from the ceiling with a big “sale” or “clearance” written on them. After watching The Persuaders, I really noticed how much advertising is prevalent in the mall. After observing this and watching the video, I now pay more attention to advertising and realize more how much it affects my life.

Bike magazine is a magazine about, bikes. Each month a new issue comes to my door step and includes product reviews, pictures, interviews with pro riders, trail building tips, and trail reviews. The magazine is filled with advertisements of all types of bike related companies. This particular issue was the "Photoannual 2009"; it was mostly made up of pictures and the story behind each photo. There were phenomenal pictures of mountain bikers in the most remote locations. This artifact photographers use their skill to capture beautiful pictures of the riders and the nature surrounding the riders. One particular photo by a photographer named Sterling Lorence stood out to me. It was a black and white photo of a rider named Matt Hunter jumping through what looks to be a very thick partch of birch trees. The birch trees frame the rider perfectly, and the picture is intriguing because the takeoff and landing of the jump are hidden, so it leaves you guessing as to how rider got airborne. The riders are able to show their talent through the magnitude of jumps and style of the riding. There was a picture of what was called an “X” wall (shown above) in which riders did a wall ride that crossed paths, meaning the riders had to time and gauge their speed perfectly to avoid collision. Even the editors contribute through their poetic and intriguing words. The magazine is full of evidence of people using the gifts that God has given to them, through riding, photography and writing. However there is a downside to this magazine. The pages are littered with advertisers trying to prove that their product is better than the competitors. Many of the photos are of riders who are sponsored by specific brands, so each rider that shown influences to readers what is “cool” or what will make you ride better. The magazine constantly influences you feed into the idea of consumerism.

Trip to the Mall

In the first picture from American Eagle, it goes along with what we talked about, everything is about ME. It says to choose YOUR path. You are the center of attention and YOU are most important. YOU are in control of your life. It is all about YOU. Don't worry about anything else.

The second picture is from Bakers, a shoe store. Basically, don't think twice. There is a big sale here... so basically you have to buy it if it fits. That is the only criteria they are saying matters. If it fits- buy it. Don't let this deal pass you by!

Mall as Religion

I visited the mall during one of the busiest times of the day, lunch. The mall draws in so many people for a consumer frenzy that a food court is in order just so those shopping can refuel their bodies and continue their exciting shopping endeavors. Each sign at the food court was more vibrant than the last. Their neon pigment is lit in hopes to lure hungry consumers to their food stand rather than another one. Just a simple glance around the room and anyone can conclude that this is not a place to share camaraderie with friends and family. The food being consumed

here is happening because it can be done in a fast manner, it is filling, and unhealthily delicious. Many folks in the wide and open food court didn't look too interested in who they were eating with, but rather what they were eating.
The long, white, curved ceiling was lit in a manner that made it appear holy. The lighting was faded, the edges had sharp angles, and the white appeared so pure and clean . Now, does a mall

have to be 20 feet from floor to ceiling? No, but it does create a more mesmerizing ambiance for the shopper, which is exactly what was intended. Mall architects construct them in a way that encourages the shopper to stay. Good lighting, interesting sculptures or fixtures, bright signs. They all are attempts to grab the shoppers eye and perk their interest. Bright lights are seen and spoken of in religious environments often. Jesus is described as the light of the world, in movies God is portrayed as wearing bright white linen, heaven seems to be in the sky where light beams are bursting from its parameters. Bright, pure

light is attractive to the eye and almost seems to lift one's spirits. There also are many plants and trees in the mall. They almost give the shopper a subconscious sense that they are in their natural environment. A healthy, natural, earthy environment. When the mall is realistically quite the contrary. The food court alone produces a huge amount of waist from their wrappers, plastic-ware, cups, and even the process which they go through to make the food. Not to mention the amount of trees that were torn down, earth that was converted to cement, and air that is polluted by the parking lot.
With all this said I conclude that the mall does a good job at what it intends to do, that is get shoppers to buy, buy, buy. I do not believe the mall is a place where one can attain long lasting meaningful satisfaction. The only satisfaction obtained is the brief high after buying something new, or the fulfillment after eating a triple cheeseburger with a large chocolate shake on the side-both feelings that have no long term residency, and even have the possibility of producing negative unfulfilled emotions.

Band of Brothers

Band of Brothers was a TV series that aired originally on HBO. Band of Brothers is referring to an airborne army divisions known as the 101st that fought in the European front of WWII.The series takes you into the hearts and minds of what these men went through mentally and physically. The shows starts at boot camp and goes through D-Day, Bastogne, and capturing Hitlers own "Eagles Nest." This series is unique because the stories are all based off the men who actually served in the 101st and their personal responses to each battle are also included in the program.
The main plot is to stop the German army from taking any more countries and liberate those that Hitler has already taken. Band of Brothers focuses on many different aspects of human purposes. First off is the allied forces purpose is to stop the Axis powers from advancing and taking over Europe. The Allied's purpose was to serve as mediators to put down a tyrant in a time of need. Secondly is the role of the Axises. The Axis human purpose was to eliminate all non Aryan people and create a perfect world through the conquest of Germany. In creating the "Aryan world" the Germans would focus on killing the Jews, mentally handicapped, and gays and Lesbian people. This group of people through the perspective of the Axis's powers had no human purpose, they were put to work or just brutally killed which Band of Brothers portrays when they invade the concentration camps. It is quite clear on the origins of evil in redemption in Band of Brothers. The Allies portray the redemption and the Axis portrays the evil. Qualities of the empire that are portrayed are the following: militaristic, pain, suffering,proud, self promoting.
1. How does the Axis powers show origins of redemption in the future for what evil they had committed, and how their view of human purpose changes?
2. How did Americans react after WWII and did our action follow some of the characteristics of the kingdom of God, or were we completely contradcitory, and why/how?

A Trip to Woodland

During my excursion to Woodland Mall, I noticed things about the window displays that I hadn't thought of before. Each display gives consumers a "taste" of what's inside. Stores put their best merchandise in the displays to entice people inside. Once there, customers are caught. While searching the store to find what they saw in the window, their eyes glimpse other attractive commodities they "must" have. Soon, arms are full of merchandise. I thought this particular picture of the two mannequins was interesting. Neither of the faces are prominent or pleasing, so the articles they wear are what passer-by's are drawn to. Also, both models have their arms in dominant positions and their faces turned upwards in a snooty way as if to say, "We are better than you. But if you purchase what we're wearing, maybe you can live up to our potential."

The Hangover

The Hangover is a movie that takes place in Sin City, Las Vegas. Three groomsmen of the groom, Doug, organize a bachelor party in the wild city to say goodbye to their friend’s bachelorhood. After a wild night of partying, the boys wake up to a foggy memory of what happened the night before and to top things off, Doug is missing. Stu, Alan and Phil must race against the clock to find out what happened the night before so they can find the groom. The movie unravels the hilarious but reckless adventure of their Sin City night.

This story is of men being irresponsible and reckless all in the pursuit of having the best time possible. It shows that no matter what, having fun IS the most important thing in life. Especially before a wedding, the goal is to have the craziest and most pleasurable time possible, because after all, life ends after you get married, right? Hedonism is what drives these men. That is actually what causes all these problems. Alan just wants everyone to have a good time, so much as to put drugs into the guy’s drinks to make sure they let loose. This causes their memory to be limited and their actions to be ridiculous. Life in the empire is portrayed as the winner is the one who has the most fun, without getting caught. The wedding is a day away when they realize they can’t find Doug. In the end, since they stumble into the wedding right before it starts, they are successful. It’s not a coincidence that Las Vegas is called the Sin city, the object is to get as wild as possible, gamble, drink, do drugs. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas is the mind set which is reinforced by Tracy’s father in the movie. People don’t have to be in Vegas in order to act like this. This is the mindset of the Empire all over the place. Do what feels right, when you want to.

1. What can we do to be aware of these actions and restrain from them?

2. We obviously don’t have to avoid places like Vegas like the plague, but what are some ways we can be responsible?

The Gospel According to Wikipedia

[I had to repost this with my correct account]

This past Friday as part of the annual January Series lectures,Calvin College welcomed Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia. Jimmy (or "Jimbo," as he's apparently called on the interwebs) spoke on the issue of "Democracy and the Internet." Using the political examples of China and Iran, he discussed internet censorship and the need for the free flow of information.

However, I couldn't help but detect some questionable underlying themes consistent throughout his talk. Jimmy painted a picture of the world --a narrative, a mythos -- that went something like this:

Humankind is moving forward into the future with the onward march of progress. Liberal democracy has freed us -- this aggregate of independent, autonomous individuals -- from the oppressive chains of tyranny. This progress is largely made possible by the advances in our knowledge and technology. However, surrounding the shining beams of hope there are patches of darkness. Evil stands in the way. Evil states are resisting the inevitable dissolution into representative governments, and censoring the very information that would open the floodgates of freedom -- a digital "book burning," if you will. Despite these setbacks, we have unwavering faith that the truth shall be victorious. With the widespread dispersion of education, we will assuredly usher in the eschaton of peace, prosperity, and eternal happiness. Swords will be beaten into plowshares, and spears into pruning hooks.

Sound familiar?

Ahh yes, that oh-so-familiar voice of Modernity echoes loud and clear: Progress. Knowledge-as-salvation. Autonomous independence. I was even momentarily taken aback when Wales explicitly referred to those such as himself as "Enlightenment thinkers," in a somewhat throwback to the 1800's.

Jimmy's goal in the founding of Wikipedia is to be something of a visionary prophet or messiah -- Modernity's own personal Jesus. Jimmy travels the world and into the lowliest of dark places -- Cuba, China, and more -- to proclaim that the kingdom is, indeed, at hand. He has come to set the captives free. Repent, and thou shalt be saved.

Needless to say, Wales is kind of stepping on someone's toes here. You know, that otherMessiah, who said His Kingdom was at hand. But nevermind that.

Questions:

• Is this vision compatible or competing with the Kingdom of God?
• What might a postmodern response look like?
• Doesn't Jimmy Wales kind of look like a white Jesus?
• What if you squint your eyes and tilt your head to the left a little--how 'bout then?
• Does Jimmy Wales make the 8 lbs. 6 oz. baby Jesus cry?

It Might Get Loud

Over the weekend I was able to view the movie/documentary "It Might Get Loud". The film tells the stories of three rock musicians through their experience with the electric guitar. The movie stars Jack White (the guitarist/vocalist for the White Stripes and the Raconteurs), The Edge ( guitarist for U2) and Jimmy Page ( the guitarist for Led Zeppelin). The three men gather in a wharehouse in Los Angeles where they have all of their equipment set up, along with a great setting for discussion. Each of the men have a very unique style; Jack White with his heavily distorted, bluesy style, The Edge with his many effects pedals and guitars is very artistic with his sound, and Jimmy Page with his legendary classic rock riffs. Each of the men had something very unique to offer to this documentary. In one particular part, Jimmy Page starts playing the legendary Led Zeppelin riff from "Whole Lotta Love" and Jack White and The Egde slowly melt into their seats and just stare in awe as one of the men who inspired them to play guitar lays down the guitar part for easily, one of the best rock songs of all time. But in this instance I saw how God humbles everyone in the things they find redemption in, even the highest regarded guitarists can be humbled in their work. Even Jimmy Page was humbled when his slide guitar skills were easily proven inferior to Jack White's. This movie also showed how God can give us the skills to do something great, and he allows us two all turn out unique from everyone else.

Questions for Discussion:

1. Has the invention of the electric guitar and the emergence of Rock music (and its prevalence in society today) brough society away from God?

2. Is the music of today angled more towards Kingdom qualities or Empire qualities?

3. Do you think that non-musicians, more specifically, non-guitar players could find some redemption with this documentary and how it displays the uniqueness of the three guitar players and how they use the skills God has given them?

The Mall as Temple of Worship

As per our Jon Pahl reading, I was particularly interested in the architecture of the mall. The vaulted, ribbed ceilings were vaguely reminiscent of the gothic cathedrals of Europe. The trees were indeed evergreen, and in the center of the mall was a collection of huge skylights.

The marketing was also overwhelmingly present, of course. I took a photo of myself with my 2-year-old daughter juxtaposed against the edgy sexual photos of Victoria's Secret, to show the ideals of beauty and the human body as defined by the culture. I took the Apple-store photo to show the idea of "clutter," as the window display attempts to show the many "app" icons. And finally in the heart of the temple is Starbucks, where everyone can come and partake of the cup of life ;-).

Sphere Preaches Humanity (*Spoilers*)

Watching the 1998 Crichton adaptation Sphere, I finally understood what the adjective "preachy" meant. I have always struggled to see how a movie could be "preachy," after all, if truth is certain then why shouldn't movies be openly didactic? But, as I have come to believe, if truth is more a way than a thing, then stories are the best testimonies to truth.

And I felt that Sphere compromised its story in order to preach a theme. The story is centered on a mysterious globe found in a spacecraft that has "arrived" at the bottom of the ocean. This sphere has no qualities of its own, but is rather a reflection of whatever goes into it, in this case, people. This struck me as a poor method of characterization, rather than learning about human nature via story, I was assaulted by a story that was mostly a means to a theme. Sphere's story lacks backbone; it is hardly applicable because its primary object, the sphere, is the theme.

That said, the theme of Sphere is a relevant and apocalyptic one. As soon as the stars (Dustin Hoffman, Samuel L. Jackson, Sharon Stone) come into contact with the sphere, they begin to manifest their fears into reality. Attacks by supernaturally-sized jellyfish, squids, and sea snakes account for much of the movie's plot. Right at the end, the characters realize that, just as the sphere brought their fears to life, in more ambitious hands it could bring anything to life, a power they amazingly decide is too great for humankind. This realization of human limitations, coupled with a refusal to submit to the empire's stresses of progress, science without bounds, and optimism create a formidible message. Yet, I couldn't help but wish for a more Godfather-esque exploration of total depravity rather than seeing it actually visualized.

Questions:

1. Is there ever a point where mankind should say "No" to the usage of a scientific discovery? What would happen is someone did?

2. Is Sphere correct in assuming that, at their most basic level, humans are enslaved to primal instincts such as fear, desire, and curiosity? Haven't we left such superstitions in the past?

3. How could Sphere have created a better story with the same theme but wasn't so "preachy?" Or, if you don't agree that it was "preachy," where did this assessment go wrong?

"Shattered Glass"

For my culture artifact I chose to watch the Calvin sponsored movie "Shattered Glass". In this movie, the main character, Stephen Glass (played by Hayden Christensen) works as a journalist for the magazine, "The New Republic". He moves up the ladder of success fairly quickly with his 41 published articles that grab the attention of his coworkers and magazine readers. Stephen has a way of getting the biggest stories before anyone else. How does he do this? He cheats. And lies. Stephen Glass knows that when articles are fact-checked, the notes of the author are the primary resource. So Stephen makes up facts in his pages and pages of notes. This seems to go quite well for him until he comes up with a story where his facts, websites, and phone numbers don't seem to match up. It all goes downhill from there. Stephen Glass's tragic tale actually says a lot about evil and redemption. He lies in his articles because he wants to be noticed. Stephen dreams of becoming a great writer by capturing large audiences with his neatly crafted stories. He achieves this, but not with the truth. Instead, he deceives his much-loved editor and his closest friends at the magazine and eventually loses his job. Even though Stephen is the main character, we don't love him or find him the hero in our minds. During his constant lies we simply let out exasperated sighs and embarrassed glances for him. By the end of the movie, we can almost label Stephen as crazy! The nature of Glass's deceit was greed. He wanted to get to the top, with any means possible. Stephen's "redemption" could be that even though his lying got him fired, he was able to write a "fictional" book about what happened to him. It's funny that when he writes "fiction", the stories are actually true events.

Discussion Questions:

1. Stephen ultimately becomes a great writer through his fictional work. Does this mean that lying and deceit can actually make us happy or get us what we want in the long run?

2. How does the story of Stephen Glass reflect the culture of our empire today? Is it a positive atmosphere or a negative one?

The Bachelor

I watched the second episode of The Bachelor for the 2010 season, featuring Jake Pavelka as this year's bachelor.

The Bachelor show incorporates a number of women who try to win over the man--in this case-- Jake. The goal is that by the end of the show, Jake will find a wife. Women get voted off each week by Jake. Essentially, he dates all of them at once in order to try to find his true love and marry her.

I found that, at the root of the show, the women are using their bodies and looks (beautiful as they are) in order to get to know Jake. The talking and conversation always came after some kind of sexy play, drawing Jake toward them so they could get "time to talk" with him. While outward beauty is a good thing, I think that American culture has devalued it and what makes it beautiful.

I wonder how many previous bachelors have had successful marriages. Seeing what I've seen of The Bachelor (only in week two!) I'd doubt many. I saw a small clip of Jake at an interview after he found his wife, whose name wasn't mentioned. He admitted that he went on the show to find love, but truthfully, "fell in love with several women over the course of the show." But in the end, only one is picked. Seems more like a problem than a solution to me.

So, I see broken people in a broken world. They look for the right things: love, affection, and trust. They just look in ways that I think will eventually send them to their doom. The sense of purpose for the secular world is extremely "me-based." I'd like to see purpose in which everyone fits and everyone has their place. The problem with The Bachelor is that everyone is given the same grounds (as possibly Jake's future wife) and the sense of community is gone. It's a competition, not a group of women friends who care about each other. If The Bachelor were to be redeemed, I think it would be more involved in promoting talking to get to know each other rather than the romance and sexuality of it.

I do realize that I am very sinful and broken as well. It's not "only the sinful Bachelor people" but the sinful human race. And redemption will come from Christ.

Discussion questions:

1) Why is it that many people enjoy watching highly dramatic, immoral shows as opposed to steady, moral shows?

2) Do Americans at large truly value the idea of "getting to know someone?"

3) How can relationships be redeemed, especially considering the rising divorce rate?

Avatar

Last night i went to go and see the recent movie Avatar. I had already seen Avatar in the regular theater and didn't really want to watch the whole 3 hours of it again, but my friends persuaded me that it would be worth it to see it in 3d on the imax. It was definitely a much better experience watching it on the large screen in 3d, you felt totally immersed in this new world that they have created for the movie. It really is an incredible spectacle that deserves being watched on the largest screen around. The visual effects in the movie don't really get old for me and it took huge imagination to create an entirely new world that feels entirely real and possible. This movie cost a ridiculous amount to produce (It's rumored at anywhere from 250 to 500(!) million), and has already far exceeded those costs at the box office. More importantly, Avatar has pushed the boundaries of visual technology, setting a very high standard for all animated movies to live up to in the future. It has also fostered more interest in 3d technology. Someone who has always pushed the boundaries of technology, Cameron says “The ideal movie technology is so advanced that it waves a magic wand and makes itself disappear,”. James Cameron used a new kind of 3d camera that is lighter and easier to use than ones of the past and the movie is watched in digital 3d, far superior to wearing red and green cardboard glasses.


May be spoilers!
Apart from the stunning visual playground of Avatar, the movie's plot and ideas fall into a predictable pattern and are less wonderful than the film's appearance. Basically what we have is the story of Europeans coming to America and killing/enslaving the natives for their resources and land transposed onto an alien planet with blue people instead of Indians (or any other story of exploitation for material wealth). This in itself is not a bad thing and maybe is a story we need to be reminded of more, but the characters are very stereotypical and one dimensional (in contrast to the beautiful 3-d of the movie's graphics). The head of the army is your typical huge muscles, guns-first, talk later meat-head who is only interested in his company's business concerns and is always in conflict with the other side of the base which is the science division led by a lady who cares for the environment and scientific discoveries (but neither two sides truly care for or understand the indigenous population). The only character who is somewhat interesting is the lead character Jake Sully who initially works for the army, but then after he spends some time in his blue body he finds out that he has more in common with the blue people than he does with the army's orders, driving him to leave the base and eventually lead an attack against the humans. Despite being a 3 hour movie, it doesn't really discuss why Jake is willing to kill all of his fellow humans to protect an alien species, other than that he feels like he's one of them now. But despite this, Jake was in the army too and knew many of these people. The ultimate solution is to fight fire with fire and kill his former people. The plot and its twists just feel very flat and one-track throughout the film and not much effort is given to working out more creative kingdom building solutions to problems. The good characters are always good and the bad characters are always bad (with limited exceptions). It's not a very accurate portrayal of our world, which is a much more complex blend of good and evil due to the fall and man's brokenness. Despite flaws in the plot and at times boring characters, the film can completely draw you in to its visual splendor and is definitely worth seeing.
Some potential questions might be:
Can violence be justified in the defense of something vitally important to a people?
Is there ever a good reason to go to war?
Can capitalist business interests and kingdom building go hand in hand?

The Mall

On Friday we went to Woodland Mall. After Watching the movie The Persuaders, the efforts of the mall to make us buy "stuff", to associate their products with an image, and to make us feel comfortable and safe have become even more apparent to me. While woodland mall isn't quite up to the stairway-to-heaven status of mall of America, it still contains some of the temple qualities mentioned in the article we read. Woodland is shaped in a cross, with wide halls and hige ceilings. It centers around a wide open space containing a Starbucks and a variety of foliage, with light coming down from windows in the ceiling high above. The whole time you are in the mall you are confronted by a variety of different music, all of it positive and uplifting in a sort of way, designed i think to try and make you happy about your shopping experience. Different stores also have music that is tailored specifically to that store's brand image or what they want people to feel while in their store.
The picture above comes from a GAP window ad. If you can't see, it reads "the world's greatest hoodie". I just found it quite ironic that they claim to have the "world's" greatest hoodie which was made in a sweatshop by a young woman for mere cents. Perhaps it would be more appropriate to call it "America's best hoodie" since we are the ones who are consuming it for the lowest possible price and cost.

My Trip to the Mall

When I went to the mall, after I had been taught a little more about it when I had watched The Persuaders, and read more about the mall and its ways to try to be heaven on earth, I noticed more of how it really does try to do these things. I saw a car on display with a license plate that said “just4me,” showing how the mall is trying to say “yes this is just for you because you deserve it.” The mall is catering to peoples’ desires and telling them what they want to hear. “You should buy these expensive clothes because you are ‘cool’ enough to have them. You need to buy this crazy-awesome iPhone because everyone who is somebody has one.” Messages like these were clearer to me as I saw how the mall tried to get people to buy its items. I had probably noticed these attempts by the mall before, but it just seemed a lot more apparent to me after I had watched The Persuaders. I don’t think that these are bad things that should make people not want to shop at the mall, but knowing what the mall is trying to do is definitely something that should be understood, and from there, decided on if going to the mall is a positive thing for the person who is thinking about it.

District 9

For my artifact, I chose to review the film District 9 directed by Neil Blomkamp and released in the summer of 2009. This film is set in a fictional present time on Earth, where aliens have come to Earth, but have been put in slums and hated by almost all humans, becoming only creatures to be experimented on for weapons and technology.

This movie was fairly intense to watch because it is somewhat reminiscent of how African-Americans were treated by whites back in the 1800’s. The aliens are shunned and treated as lowly, stupid creatures that can be pushed around and made to do whatever the humans want. It is disturbing to see how twisted and evil people can become when given the chance to. Many of the soldiers in District 9 are terribly twisted men who relish any opportunity they can get to brutally destroy the aliens, something that happens many times throughout the film. A main character of the movie, a human, starts to undergo a physical transformation into one of the aliens; when the soldiers see him, they try to kill him, and when the government and scientists find him, they perform cruel and unusual experiments on him, treating him only as another one of the stupid alien creatures. It is a truly terrifying experience to see how messed up we can become. No alien is spared the prejudice and racism that emanates from the humans, not even the children, who are threatened with life in a square-meter box forever.

While watching District 9, I was forced to ask myself a few questions. Are we today, so different from the twisted and evil characters in the film? What would happen if aliens landed on Earth today and events played out like they do in District 9, where the aliens are forced into slums and persecuted by all humans? It was interesting to think over that. It is a question we should ask ourselves, “Are we so different? What would we do?”