Frankenstein

I can't help but feel sorry for the creature. The fact that I have also seen the Mary Shelley film adaptation of Frankenstein may have had an influence on it. Robert DeNiro played a frightening yet pathetic creature in the movie, and I think that had an influence on how I read the book the second time.
The vow of revenge that the monster took on Victor was a bit uncalled for. But on the other hand, he was brought into the world as an experiment and Victor could have thought twice before playing God. Of course WIlliam and the others don't deserve to be murdered, yet the monster didn't deserve the abandonment he got. I don't feel like the creature has gained a whole lot of intellect since that usually involves a sense of logic. And if he was acting logically he would not have started a murdering rampage. I remember later on in the book the creature learns to read. This shows that he has the capacity to learn and yet he is still bitter and violent. I suppose that is a different kind of learning. He also has the ability to love someone and that may be one of his driving factors in his rage against Victor.
It's not obvious to me if the creature framed Justine in the murder of William. It doesn't make any sense that he would have done such a thing since he wants to prove a point to his creator. When Victor starts contemplating suicide you can tell that he has a weak will and this might mean defeat for him. The monster talking to Victor in the cave is an obvious sign that the monster only wants to be understood and that part made me almost want to forgive him.
Dr Frankenstein responded the way I think most people would respond-fight or flight. He chose flight-fighting with an abnormally strong creature who doesn't probably have the capacity to talk is not something I would do. However, none of those terrible things would have happened to him or his family had he only stayed with his creation. He was definitely responsible for raising and taking care of it as if it were his own child.

Artist Statement

My idea for the most recent project came to me after a while. At first I was thinking about basing it on an artistic medium-my forte which is photography. But after a bit of consideration I realized that I didn't have the time or resources for the kind of project I was looking to make.
Then I started to think about which class discussion worked the best-which got my attention as well as the attention of my classmates. I remembered the morality debate. This had to have been my favorite discussion all year. The question posed made me think hard about my own thought process and also made me think about what factors influenced everyone's answers to be so similar. I wondered if I could devise my own moral riddles and hope to find out what factors play the key role in the person's decision. I had a lot of ideas and I quickly got to work.
I figured it would be best to make the questions, then ask people I knew and collect the data. Then I realized that might limit my results, so I found a site that builds a survey for you and then collects/analyses the data. Then I went onto a chat site and asked strangers to take the quiz. Surprisingly about half of them took it. Then I published the link over facebook and had some friends do the survey. Unfortunately the site will not let me share the data with the public (it says I have to become a pro member which means $$$).
The questions I asked had to do with saving someone's life. In one instance it was saving a group of people over a group of horses. In this question, 92% of the people voted to interfere and save the humans by killing the horses instead. The purpose of this question was for me to see if people would value humans over animals-even at the cost of interfering. It would be much easier to do nothing and let things happen as they would but the end result would be traumatizing. I think the results mirrored what I expected.
The second question was involving a stingy customer and wether or not you should treat him equally even though he was impatient and rude. Although 81% said that they would treat him fairly, less people in the class voted for this.
The third question was the most difficult. It had to do with rescuing your neighbor from suicide at the risk of your own life. The results were nearly even, with 52% saying they would run inside to call the police and the rest saying they would jump a balcony flight to pull him to safety. The class response was very different. Nobody said they would have jumped to save him, but a couple of guys mentioned that they might if it didn't seem too risky for themselves. Perhaps men's preconceived roles as being heroes in our culture was in influence there. Maybe the anonymity of the internet survey had an influence. I wouldn't want to be the only one to raise my hand in class.
I thought the presentation encouraged everyone to participate and that is what I wanted. The fact that others were involved helped me relax. I wanted to get people thinking on a level of mindfulness that confronts us every day:doing what we feel is right. I have read from many psychologists and spiritualists that one's belief system can help to improve confidence and happiness. I believe this to be true and see it as a good exercise to know your own right from wrong.

Project 3 Proposal

I have decided to do my third project based on the WNYC radio broadcast about morality. What I will do is think up a couple of new scenarios similar to the train problem. I will record what people say and then either mix the audio together or read it to the class. After experimenting with factors such as physical interaction and amount of people hurt, I will try to make a conclusion based on the results. The main question asked is when a person becomes more involved with the hypothetical scene, do they feel more responsible for the outcome?

Animal Treatment-Questions

1. My code of ethics for animals is complicated, and I still haven't completely decided on it. During high school and part of college I gave the subject a lot of thought and decided that I would cut meat out of my diet. I felt that since I had pets, it made no sense for me to go eating other animals no matter what my relation was to them. Unfortunately I didn't have the resources to maintain a healthy enough diet without meat and so I decided to go back to my carnivorous diet. I don't feel especially guilty about my choice but instead my perspective shifted back into my original one-even though humans mostly don't hunt for their food, there are certain nutrients in meat that we require. I do believe that we have mostly eaten meat in the past, it's obvious when you compare our teeth to those of carnivorous animals.
The other day I fed my turtle mealworms. I didn't feel especially guilty about it, because were he out in the wild, he would be eating the same. Since I try to create an environment similar to a non-captive turtle it only makes sense to give him the same kind of food his species is used to.
2. I agree with him on the fact that human suffering is on a higher and more complex level than nonhuman suffering. One thing that doesn't make sense to me is that he states that a person of lesser intelligence shouldn't be disregarded, yet that perfectly describes animals. Also in the case where he gives an example of slapping a baby and a horse, he tried to compare the two which is outlandish-and misses the point that both are wrongful acts.
3. I agreed with him on less than most of his arguments. He seemed to take an approach that was trying to be open and non-subjective but ended up being a little bit opinionated. He could have raised more questions and let the reader answer themselves instead of answering them. I think it would be more beneficial if people could decide on their moral code with their own hearts and not be so influenced into believing one way.

Project Questions

The project's medium was in the format of a video clip and a recipe book. The video clip is the opening credits for the movie Wicker Park, where the class got to see firsthand what our area looks like. The recipe book is a series of "recipes" for the various aspects of the culture and history, including photos of people who we spotted in the area.

We made the project by cropping the photos of the residents out, pasting them on the pages, writing the recipes in and then decorating the front of the book with a gleamed object (bow).

Our project addresses the question about how the images of a community are generated. In the movie Wicker Park the area seems mysterious and urban. From our recipe and photographs, we tried creating a more diverse image.

The message is simple: Wicker Park is an upscale cultural melting pot, with a rich history. We hoped that the audience reacted with interest.

Group Project Blog 6

Our class is doing Wicker Park.
I know that wicker park is close to my area (lake view) and that there is an actual park called Wicker Park there.
What I didn't know before reading about it on Wikipedia is that it's 46.9% Hispanic and the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 influenced the area to develop.

Stranger With A Camera Questions

1. Hugh O' Connor's daughter seemed to find resolution by forgiveness. Although she was obviously heartbroken over the mishap, she admitted that she understood the potential threat that her husband had posed and forgave the murderer. I think I would be able to do this but it would probably take me years of grieving.

2. This comparison sounds to me like the photos were as much of an exploit of the Kentucky residents as the coal mining companies were. Both photographers and the coal companies were using those people to their advantage. In my opinion, I think the photographers had better intentions but it is possible that they had equally detrimental outcomes.

3. I think that he means that people fear cameras, especially when they have the potential to harm just as guns do. In order to not cause harm in the way of image, reputation or emotion I think it is best to consult with people before shooting. Unfortunately O' Connor did not consult with the right people and it ended with his demise.

Artist Statement

I entitled my project "Voyeur Dating Service".  To come up with the project at large, I combined my photography experience, a lecture from class and an internet animation all into one.  In class, we listened to a recording on British airwaves of readings from personal ads.  I found them very funny, as some were extremely desperate, and others seemed to be almost a parody in themselves.  Afterwards, the class had a discussion about the ads.  Most of the class seemed to find them humorous, as did I.  During the recordings, I started thinking back on an animation I had seen called "Video Dating Service" by Dave Firth who I admire a lot.  This video is a 2-minute short in which a TV salesman talks about his eerie life living in a cardboard box.  As odd and disturbing as it is, it had the same sort of British comedy touch to it. I decided this video would be the benchmark to my project, and I would show it at the beginning of the presentation.  

Then I had to choose what medium to do my project in.  I instantly decided on photography which is my major at Columbia College.  Then after reading the project guidelines, I started thinking about identity and applying it to voyeurism, which we also studied in class.  The work of Sophie Calle was very interesting to me.  Sophie followed people around to unknowingly be photographed and even traveled great distances for the pictures.  I wanted to do something along those lines, but a little less personal and up-close.  Since I live at a busy intersection, I figured it would be convenient for me to take candid shots like Calle did, from the privacy of my bedroom.  Although I couldn't get some of the people in focus due to poor lighting outside, I think most of the shots turned out pretty good.

The project had an identity theme with a twist of comedy-I matched up each voyeur picture with a short and almost nonsensical personal ad for a dating service.  My prejudices of others came out in the project-for example I photographed a man in a camouflage outfit, and had his personal say "Looking for someone with a sense of discipline".  So obviously I've used prejudice in my project, because identity is something often directed by prejudices.  

The idea of the project was to use physical appearance against people, and it was all too easy.  The project should hopefully have people question their own prejudices of strangers.   I didn't attempt to make physical profiling a bad or good thing in my project.  It was more of a collaboration of the subjects and ideas of individualism and voyeurism (that were discussed in class).

Iran

To be honest I can't grasp what a country is like unless I go there.  Every time I leave US territory I'm pleasantly surprised at how my previous stereotypes weren't true.  It seems that people in other countries go about their days just as we Americans do and yet there are subcultures in each of those societies that represent peace and equality.  The fact that Iran was getting music from Britain (Iron Maiden) and had adopted the punk fashion was interesting. The fact that there was a people's movement in a middle eastern country was not a new idea to me, but still seemed out of place.  Because of the current war in Iraq and Saddam Hussein's dictatorship, I had always matched that kind of "thug" government with the Middle East in general.  After Persepolis, I came to realize that Iran has a history of political uprising that I was unaware of.   The Shah being overthrown was a stunning display of majority rule, and 5 million people uniting for justice is fascinating.  And up until the US overtook Afghanistan and installed a democracy, I hadn't ever connected electing a President with the Middle East.

I can now see Iran as a Republic.  The fact that the Supreme Leader is above the president is understandable, although I wonder how many Iranians would prefer to elect him rather than having a group of experts choose.

Project Proposal

My project is going to be a study influenced by the "voyeur" artists we have studied in class.  I found the work of Sophie Calle very interesting.  The fact that she was bold enough to follow a stranger and photograph them was intriguing yet a little disturbing.  The approach of my project will be similar in nature, but I'm much more timid.  I will take advantage of living at a busy intersection by photographing various strangers from my window using a tripod.  I will then have a story that goes with each photo, exploring my take on the person.  It will be a sort of short biography of each stranger but also include where they're heading at the moment the photo was shot.  In the event that I photograph someone I know (a rare chance) I will not use that photo.   I plan to get the widest variety of shots I can from my window.  An even mix of individuals alone and interacting is what I will seek out.

I considered going out on foot to do this project, but I think it will be a lot easier to do from my house.  I decided to take pictures because I am a photography major.  Photography is something for me to excited about and it's a plus that I have all of the equipment needed.

The guiding question that my project will answer is "How can you learn of concoct information about a person you have never met?"  This project will be an exercise in my imagination.  It will also help me develop timing-something that a good photographer has to develop.  Getting the stranger at the right moment will be crucial in order to make my project interesting.

The message of this project will be one of prejudice and wonder-What conclusions can we draw from a person's image and how can our imaginations build from there up?  This project is the same concept as the Identity Study done in class.  It is a combination of that project which is writing about a stranger and Sophie Calle's project which is photographing them.  

I hope that people see my project and understand the point.  I hope that if people have prejudices about others based on appearance, it can help them get over it because of the vast unimaginable possibilities of humans.  We all naturally like to make assumptions, because it's an important part of the thought process and understanding.  But they can be used in a positive way, which I will attempt.  

One problem with the project is that it may not keep someone's attention, knowing that the stories are all made up.  It should be viewed as a work of fiction.

The photo I have attached was part of my inspiration for this project.  It was shot from a high-rise structure in China.  When I considered the voyeur option, I immediately thought of this picture.  It displays my photographic ambition, and will be a good example of what is to come with my project.

1.  What will happen to Marjane in Austria?  Will her life  change dramatically?

2.  How well do her parents cope with her leaving?  

3.  Are her parents safe to stay back or do they suffer the same fate as their neighbors down the street?

Identity

Identity is the ego's output.  I see the ego as the way we take information in, and analyze it.  Ego is also is influenced by how we see ourselves, which is in turn our identity.  We as humans are individuals, yet we identify and strive to fit into classes and groups.  Culture, religion, preference and behavior are all major influences on identity.  Identity can be a horrid thing when a person is overly concerned about it.  Identity can however be used in a positive way.  If an individual wants to make a positive identity for themselves they will do so by good deeds and character.  Identity is like putty-it can be molded and formed, and it can absorb things to grow larger.  We can copy others, but the end result is never a sufficient one.  Striving to be the same as another person only has negative consequences.  I remember seeing a poster once that read:

"Life isn't about finding yourself.  It's about creating yourself"  This statement repulses me.  I personally find it destructive and unhealthy to try to convey or create an identity for others to see.  Finding your own self and preference is key to happiness-the rest (identity) happens naturally.  I'm much more fond of Thoreau's quote about walking to "the beat of your own drum".

I see myself as a free spirit trapped by American life.  Although I can't think of many other cultures I've experienced where I fit in more, it's hard to tell when I've lived here most of my life.  I don't buy into many mainstream fads, but I do reflect some styles and ways of thinking of my generation.  I see myself in the past as extremely curious about music, ethnology, and brain chemistry.  I currently see myself not as overly curious, but definitely over thinking many things.  I see my future self in a more relaxed environment than Chicago.

How others see me is a bit up in the air.  It's very odd to think about, but empathy is an amazing thing.  Putting ourselves in other's place is a necessity for being a compassionate individual.  From what I gather, people see me as light-hearted, humorous and generous.  Those are good qualities-people also say I'm unfairly harsh on criticism, and a worrywart(this one I agree with).  We can build our identities from what others say, but the best way to do it is looking within your thoughts and actions.

Scott Bittinger 07

1.  How much time will be spent reading the material in class?

2.  Are we reading Mary Shelley's version of Frankenstein?