Fields of Green

the v-chip

Personally, I have a grudge against Tipper Gore. Because of her I was not able to buy a Metallica cd when I was 13 (don't laugh, I was only 13); I had to get my mom to do it for me because of the parental advisory sticker. On television there are parental advisory warnings for how old a person should be to watch a particular program. There are also warnings at the beginnings of programs, such as "South Park," all because of her.

Today, we are so terrified about what children are seeing in movies, on television, and what music they are listening to. We are terrified they will repeat exactly what they think is cool, but that is the way children are. This is the way it has always been.

In chapter two of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Tom Sawyer says, "I've seen it in books; and so of course that's what we've got to do." There was no TV, no radio, no movies, just books. These children want to be robbers exactly like they have read in books. Did society attempt to not allow them to read them? I don't know, but they seem very keen on the killing aspect.

link

Here's something interesting..... Poe

Because of my distaste for this medium of interaction I have neglected to give accurate reponses. I deeply apologize for this. It is my hope that this link will satisfy at least the first blog I made.

By the way, yes I am a fan of Poe. Funnily, I believe that artistic geniuses are haunted by demons and unfortunately they attempt to quell them with drugs. Poe is just another example of this. If anything I view these situations as a learning experience. My yurning to be successful with my own artistic abilities and my own personal demons, others' experiences help to show me how not to self distruct, even though I don't always listen.

thoughts on blogging

I do not like to blog. I have a hard time broadcasting my thoughts and feelings to the entire world, or just anyone who wants to take a gander. In a class situation it is quite different. The human interaction is there; the exact meaning is gained and there is no way anything can be misinterpreted because you can immediately defend yourself if something goes wrong. Blogging is quite different.

When you just type your thoughts down, with no face or inflection to put with the words, do you ever get a true sense of a person? Your opinions, thoughts and feelings, is something that only you have; it's what makes people unique. When it's words on a screen, there is no person.

Now, the other thing I feel wrong about is the fact that whether I write it down here or not, I'm going to say the exact thing when asked in person. In fact, personal or class related, I'd much rather be asked to my face so I can accurately give the correct response. I don't feel I can do that here at all, and I know what I'm trying to say is not going to be exactly what I mean, but this subject isn't going to be asked of me any time soon in person. Thanks for reading.

Response to comment

All of my life, the only thing I've ever wanted to be or to have was to be myself, complete and open. When I was in kindergaten the class made a "Wish Book." Each person made a picture of the thing they wanted. Most of the girls said " I want to be a princess," and drew a picture of a princess. The boys wanted wagons and drew pictures of wagons. I sat there perplexed and my teacher told me to put down the thing I wanted most in the world. I told her, "I just want to be myself." And so that's what I drew.

All I've ever done was be honest with myself and the masses. Most people don't like me or just don't know how to take me. But I could care less. I show the world my face. I am the same with all people, because if someone knows me for something I'm not, then I'm just a liar. And in my opinion, that's the worst thing of all to be.

The Throwing of the Book

For the first time since this class began, I have found myself so inspired that I actually felt the need to expell the thoughts that are plaguing me from reading the end of The Scarlet Letter.

Hawthorne wrote, "No man, for any considerable period, can wear one face to himself, and another to the multitude, without finally getting bewildered as to which may be the true." How true is this statement, especially in the world we live today. People are so caught up with how they are perceived by the public that most wear more than two faces, one for each aspect of their lives, but they never wonder which is true. All they care about is how liked they are by the masses.

As I kept reading, I found myself bored with descriptions, until finally the Election Sermon started. I sat on the edge of a bench outside in the dim light of dusk, chain smoking, aching to know what would happen. Then when all was revealed, the Reverend Mr. Dimmsdale died, and I threw my book into a tree.

Hawthorne did his job well!

Poe

Edgar Allen Poe was a drug addict. He loved his heroine and met his demise from a puddle of water in the middle of a street. Heroine makes you lathargic and he tripped and fell and drowned. Remember that every time you read his works (especially the Raven where there's his own drug reference). And remember to smile today!