Mobility or Immobility?

When discussing the topic of mobility, cellular or mobile phones automatically come to mind. Mobile phones are great because they allow the user to connect to anybody anytime, and anywhere. Aside from connecting to other people in a matter of seconds, newer phones have internet access, Global Positioning System (GPS), games, planners, music storage and downloads, cameras, and other features. I even have a friend who is signed onto AOL Instant Messenger, Windows Live Messenger, and Gmail chat at all times. One time he decided to message me on his way to work, telling me about the people on the bus whom he has negative feelings about based on their image. Once he got off the bus and went into the office, he immediately signed off his instant messenger programs on his phone and signed on those programs on his laptop. He resumed his barrage of unimportant messages for another five minutes before starting his work. Mobility is a great thing to to have, especially on a phone. The mobile phone allows the user to multitask, can be of great convenience, and has the potential to save the user a lot of time and trouble. The irony of all this is however fascinating this new technology seems, it can be overwhelming. By having so many functions on the phone that are designed to save the user time, a greater amount of time could be wasted by being amazed at the phone's abilities and the amount of things it can do.

There is a cliche, "too much of a good thing (can be bad)". In the case of mobile phones, an individual might find himself constantly receiving phone calls when he's busy or at work. New Keywords suggests mobility "can diminish the autonomy of the employees, subjecting them to unwanted relocations that can disperse from their personal roots". Even so, users can choose with whom they wish to talk and when in complete in the privacy of their own phone, right? Wrong. "The mobile phone allows governments and corporations to use comprehensive surveillance methods to locate and acquire information about the telephone users (New Keywords)". Because of the amount of convenience offered through mobile phones, a lot of users have the option to send text messages instead of actually using them for their purpose-talking. As a result, a good number of users may choose to 'limit' their interactions to just lines and walls of text instead of actually socializing and interacting with their peers. People with little social skill and introverted individuals have the opportunity to stay behind the comfort of their own phone's keypad instead of building on their verbal skills.

As a Blackberry advertisement reads, it's the "object for your desires", it clearly suggests that it is merely a medium for your desires, and not a necessity. Being able to do as many things as the Blackberry is capable of has the potential to save time, but perhaps learning to save time is very time consuming in itself. With so many functions in a phone, the phone becomes more of a toy. And what else do you do with a toy besides play with it? Time sure goes by when you're having fun. Oh wait..I thought the phone was supposed to be a time-saver. Before deciding whether or not this object of mobility will serve its true purpose, consumers must remember that it is in fact a mere object. They must remember they own their phones, and not the other way around.The mobile phone empowers the user with mobility, and this mobility is a beautiful thing. Above all else, the consumer must remember to mobilize responsibly.

Unify, Disperse, Repeat

For the past two years, I volunteered for the Annual Autumn Moon Festival Street Fair in Chinatown, San Francisco. Despite having to be away from home for up to 16 long hours with no monetary compensation, and being so busy that using the bathroom felt like the greatest thing on earth, the experience in itself was very rewarding. I had the chance to experience both sides of the fair; as a volunteer who became involved with the operations and what happened 'behind the scenes' and as a loitering pedestrian looking to have fun but unsure of what he's looking for. Every year, the fair becomes very crowded. The fair takes up approximately fifteen blocks. The booths take place on both the 'main road' as well as roads branched off to both sides, but only for a block. There are approximately sixty booths that range from small organizations, including Boy Scouts, personal businesses that sell CDs and DVDs, kettle corn demonstrations/sales, a musician, to bigger organizations such as Money Gram, Bank of America, Western Union, and Safeway. The fair is barricaded on all sides from cars, however there are a few intersections that DPT traffic control units and/or volunteers to moderate the flow of traffic.

The hours of the fair are 8Am to 6Pm on Saturday and Sunday. A group of devoted volunteers meet up months in advance to discuss the logistics of the fair and are assigned parts of the fair they will look after. Booth renters enter the fair as early at 6:30 to setup and to avoid traffic. At 8:00, pedestrians begin to patrol the streets and line up for prizes and free gifts. Volunteers are divided into groups. Some roam the areas looking for any unusual activity or turmoil, some stand guard at intersections to moderate traffic; some manage long lines, keeping them organized and neat to allow room for other pedestrians to walk. Once the fair gets well under way, lots of lines fill up-especially those with prizes as small as a newspaper bag or a balloon. Every 45 minutes or so, a crew of Lion Dancers march down the main road of the parade, performing. They are escorted by a group of volunteers who clear the road. For ten hours, pedestrians explore the fair, buy merchandise, line up and spin a wheel for a prize they might not even have a good use for, enjoy a showcase of exotic Hawaiian or Asian dancers, or singers on a stage, some even participate in Karaoke, and then there is a trivia for free prizes.

The fair lasts this way on Saturday until closing time. As Chinatown is filled with elderly who have an unquenchable thirst for freebies, some attempt to cut in line, some line up in as many booths as possible that are giving free gifts, some line up without even knowing what they are getting and others refuse to leave the line even after being told multiple times that the booth only has 60 more free bags and will run out after the lady with the brown hat. One year, a volunteer got trampled as the crowd discovered he was giving out free balloons. Another year, tourist almost got hurt when a box of free gifts ripped open and scattered over the floor. The chaos finally dies down around closing time. Volunteers roam the streets reminding booths that they have to leave by 7pm. Few actually do. Last minute shopping is done and finally all booths are closed up, and cars are escorted out of the fair. The crowd of tourists and pedestrians disperse for the night only to return the next day.

The Pursuit of Happiness

A few weeks ago, I watched The Pursuit of Happyness starring Will Smith. To quickly summarize the movie, the main character endured great struggles and went from rags to riches. A few times, he referred to "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness." He questioned these unalienable rights through his struggles and eventually pursued his own happiness through financial independence. The tricky thing about happiness is that it is relative. A person of a lower social economic status may be happy for attaining financial independence. However, the same does necessarily not apply to another person who is financially stable. People tend to think they will become happier by attaining things they did not have previously. Because different people have different needs, different things make different people happy. Happiness is an universal emotion yet it is reached in different ways. These differences lead me to think and question how does one pursue his/her own happiness.

Growing up in a Chinese American family, parents constantly compare their kids with others. They want their kids to be smart, to excel in school, and to be better than other kids. Whenever there is something I can’t do as well as somebody else, my dad always asks me, ‘How come that other kid can do it and you can’t?’ The constant comparing encourages mimicking, and discourages individuality. I have learned that the Chinese culture values getting good grades in school, finding a good paying job then getting married and starting a family like everybody else. American culture values finding a passion, working a job they can enjoy, and individuality. The Chinese value bonding and being like everybody else, while Americans value being an individual. The Chinese American culture is one where these two sets of values are vastly different, and if being like everybody else isn’t what a person wants as an individual, there is a problem in pursuing happiness.

Will buying this make me happier? Consumer Discretion Advised

As consumers, or perhaps even humans, are we ever completely happy with what we have? Are we ever content with our current situation, abilities, or material possessions? Whenever something exists that is considered top of the line, such as computers, cars, and even clothing, there are always a handful of people that immediately purchase these items and even a greater number who long for it. There are always people who want the best of something, who are never satisfied. It is perhaps human nature to be discontent. This type of dissatisfaction or ‘wanting more’ or trying to ‘improve’ or find ‘something better’ is not uncommon as it is been shared between people of greatness. Thomas Edison once said “show me a thoroughly satisfied man — and I will show you a failure”. Einstein was never satisfied by what he perceived to be quantum theory's intrinsically incomplete description of nature. In an example used from a previous post, Michelangelo refused to show his work to anyone until he was satisfied with it. In a modern day example, Chef Gordan Ramsay from FOX’s Hell’s Kitchen once said in the show that it is important as a chef to never be satisfied. Being discontent and unsatisfied appear to resonate with success and greatness. This mindset of wanting to be the best, or have the best has influenced consumers and producers as well. Inventors and producers/manufacturers continuously create newer, bigger, faster, and better things in order to earn a greater profit. In order to do so, companies try to cut costs, and sometimes even use ‘unethical’ methods such as sweatshop labor. Consumers purchase these things because they wish to have the best and latest in technology. By having a nice car, consumers feel dignified and esteemed. By following the latest fashioned trends, some feel informed, stylish, and hip. As this cycle continues, consumers will continue wanting to purchase things they don't really need. The type of dissatisfaction that leads to improvement turns into insatiable greed to consumers. Sure, being content has been seen negatively in people of greatness, however it is quite the opposite for consumers. Being dissatisfied with one's material wealth leads to greed, and a lack of appreciation for one's possessions. While the market will continue to produce newer and more appealing commodities that attract consumers, it is ultimately the consumer's job to decide what's important to them and whether or not they need to buy new things. Material wealth will not bring happiness, as studies have shown that after a year, lottery winners are about as happy as before winning the lottery. After all, money can't buy happiness and the best things in life are free.

Do I really need a new TV?

My neighbors just got a new TV and it's bigger than mine. I think I should get one at least as big as theirs, if not bigger. Although I don't need a bigger, better TV, I want one because it will give me a sense of status and satisfaction, even if just for a short time. In a matter of months, when there's a new line of TVs, I'm going to want to upgrade again. What do I do? The market has been expanding and evolving in order to accommodate for the needs of consumers. New products are constantly being introduced, some being completely new items the world has never seen, others being a slight upgrade that may or may not affect the performance. While not all products are essential to a person's well-being or survival, a good number of them appeal to a person's senses. Things that a consumer needs are sometimes confused with things that will bring convenience to the consumer. Advancements in technology and marketing schemes have blurred the line between a consumer's wants and needs.
A few months ago, I attended my friend's sister's wedding. When choosing a gift, my friends and I looked at their online Wedding Gift Registry and found a plate warming tray. Despite the fact that we decided to buy this as a gift, I still question the usefulness of the item. I thought while the tray is pretty neat, is it really needed? It can keep food on the tray warm, but will the newlyweds (who are only 24 by the way) cook very frequently and enjoy it to the fullest? Do they really need such a tray if they just finish your food before it gets cold? Will they have the time to sit down and enjoy every meal with the company of each other and the tray when both of them are working full time jobs?

On Monday 6/30, we discussed bottled waters in class. Many of us found it interesting how water is described and marketed, the different brands/types of water, and the packaging. Having worked at The Aggie Student Store, I witnessed the phenomenon of Smart Water. It cost $1.60 for a small, $2.25 for a large (the left and right bottles in the picture) compared to our less expensive waters that cost $1.15 for a small and $1.55 for a large. Smart Water alone was the single most purchased item in the store. Every week, our Coke Delivery guy would come in and restock our supply of Coke Products, Vitamin Water, and Smart Water. Smart Water needed restocking the most. He even told us one day he had to bring in seven cases of Smart Water to The Junction alone. I still cannot comprehend the whole concept of Vitamin Water. If I want water, I can purchase the cheaper Crystal Geyser. If I want Electrolytes, I can purchase Gatorade. While looking for more information on bottled water, I stumbled upon a CBS news article reporting bottled water was being sold at $55 a bottle. One of these products included Bling, a $40 bottle of water that costs more than Vodka.
These two items I described are things I would label 'luxury items'. These items are not necessary as there are cheaper alternatives. However, because they appeal to a person's senses, consumers still decide to spend extra money on them. The market has indeed been evolving to accommodate for a person's wants and needs. Before technology has been so advanced, people have survived just fine with their 'old fashioned' methods. However, technology keeps making things easier and attractive to people that they begin to think they must spend extra money on things really not quite essential to survival. The irony of all this is, while a person needs water to survive, they are willing to spend $55 a day for it because they want to.

Thoughts and Insights on Writing and Blogging (I promise this is somewhat insightful and not that boring..)

Because I am not sure whether or not the new '3 posts instead of 4 per week' has been implemented yet, I decided I will write this 4th post just in case. Also, this is a good chance to practice on my writing while expressing my thoughts this week.
Although I did not raise my hand in class when asked 'Who here keeps an active blog?" I do have one that I keep in my spare time. In my defense, it is not an active blog at all, I write it in spontaneously, sometimes a few times a week, sometimes once a month, sometimes every 2-3 months. I don't always write in it, but I check pretty frequently for my 'Subscription updates' which are entries written by my friends. As I have mentioned in my first post, when blogging I do not like to proofread, I feel like sometimes I'm just brainstorming but posting it online so others can see what I'm thinking and so I can record my thoughts that I can refer to in the future. Another reason for me to write informally and have some pleasure doing so is because I feel as if I'm expressing my truest thoughts and feelings. Thoughts that I'm thinking, and emotions that I'm feeling at the moment exposed at that moment, pure and unedited. I feel like editing or proofreading it may take a bit away from my post, as it may be primarily so the audience will find it more enjoyable, or easier to read. The irony of all this is, I have a habit of constantly rereading what I just wrote to make sure everything makes sense, there are no typos and to come up with a coherent thought to continue on with my quasi-essay. When I write seriously, I treat my work like it's supposed to be my masterpiece. Even now, I'm going to spend a good 45 minutes on this supposed 200 word entry.
While writing a paper for a history class, I came across the story of Michelangelo's Creation of Adam on the Sistine Chapel ceiling in Rome. As taken directly from my Textbook "Michelangelo undertook the project but refused for a long time to allow anyone, including the pope, to see his work. Julius grew anxious, pestering Michelangelo on a regular basis about when the ceiling would be finished...Michelangelo...replied...'when it satisfies me as an artist". What stood out to here was, Michelangelo spent weeks and maybe even months to create a masterpiece not everyone has the capacity to enjoy. The work he created can be shown to an audience who may not stay for more than a few minutes, perhaps an hour at the most. Comparing Michelangelo's work to writing, while I'm spending 45 minutes to write this entry, it will take less than 5 minutes to read. It became more apparent to me when I read some fellow classmates' blogs. I thought, s/he must have spent a considerable amount of time, and put a considerable amount of thought into this entry, yet I am done reading it in 3 minutes. Novels themselves, probably take years to write, yet only a few days to read. Even now that I think about it, movies take about a year to produce, yet are seen in an average of about 100 minutes. I have a friend who, in High school, entered a contest to design a logo for an after school program. The contest was completely optional, and it did not have a fabulous prize. He considered himself not artistic at all, yet he wanted to win. He spent weeks on his drawing, telling himself he was going to win and in the end, he did. After winning, he was disappointed and found it regrettable how the photocopied poster looked nothing like the original, and how he did not look natural in the picture they took of him, as his smile was crooked. This has led me to realize how fragile it is to be a creator, an artist, a writer, when it could feel like all the work and efforts that one has been in vain. In a way, maybe I'm just wasting my 45 minutes writing something nobody will even read. Then again, even if nobody reads it, maybe it isn't true. Through experiencing hard work and witnessing the hard work of my fellow classmates, I have gained valuable insight. I have realized what it means to make something beautiful, make something look easy, and enjoyable in the eyes of others. Unless experiencing something of a lesser degree, if not similar, the audience will fail to understand the amount of hard work one has put in, and fail to visualize the blood, sweat, and tears one has shed in order to attain their end result.

Closing comments: I may not ever blog the same way ever again after this class. Maybe it's because if it 'does not satisfy me as an (artist)' I don't want people to see it. Maybe it's because I too hate seeing uninformative posts about the lives of people or that people care craving crab mmmmmmMMmmmmmMm. Maybe because it's just pointless to write something that is well..pointless. I am also changing the name of my blog from 'Summer Thoughts' to 'Controlled Spontaneity' because that's what it basically is. I'm being spontaneous but I'm also editing it, to make it less spontaneous, and thus readable and coherent. So long to how I used to blog, and so much for pure, unadulterated spontaneity. Bummer.

Society revisited

My group’s word cluster consists of once again, deconstruction, diaspora, society, reform and revolution, and race. How do these words relate to one another when our text for the course lists none of these ‘counterparts’ under the ‘related words’ or ‘see (also)’ section at the end of each term? The best we can do is to carefully assess the book’s definitions and draw connections. We will be deconstructing these terms and reforming them. What a coincidence, as those are our terms and that is what we have to do with them. Now onto the topic. As suggested in “New Keywords”, society seems to be 'displaced' by words similar to 'modernity'. This relates to one of our cluster words, deconstruction.
Deconstruction is nearly synonymous to 'criticism' or 'critique' as it is a 'strategy of complication'. In this sense, society has been both critiqued (does society cause poverty?) and complicated (society does not exist, despite some call it a living structure). Using Rachel’s example of the deconstructed salad, you take a single item sold in a store or a restaurant and it turn into a bunch of different items. How does this relate to society, or race? Society has been made complicated as the definition of society isn’t completely agreed on. In our American society, as we define ourselves as a big melting pot, we are made up of many ethnic groups or races. Unfortunately, because of attempts to assimilate, many second or third generation families value less on the cultural backgrounds, language and history of their ancestors and homeland, and focus more on assimilating into the American society. I can argue that by being a melting pot, not exactly embracing differences, but assimilating and losing ourselves, our ‘racial identity’. For example, I am a Chinese American, born in the United States. Although I am fluent in speaking the language, many of my Chinese American peers are not while a few others have not been taught to speak Chinese in their upbringing. In this sense, the Chinese-American race has been 'deconstructed' and reformed to better fit into society. Perhaps this could be seen as a mild form diaspora, the scattering of seeds (race and their geographical location) or dispersing of races.
While my understanding or definitions of these terms might not wholly relate or agree with those in the text and the text has drawn no direct relationship between those words, the relationship is something I have experienced and observed firsthand. A society is constantly deconstructed, and those counterparts such as race must be reformed along with society for reasons of survival and societal progress, and revolution. Through the deconstruction and reconstruction, some parts inevitably get lost, disperse, and scatter.