Currently Listening:
Tchaikovsky, Swan Lake, Op. 20
This is incredible.
'I dare do all that may become a man; Who dares do more is none.'
Ask me anything
I am an American living in Glasgow, Scotland. These are my thoughts. I hope you enjoy.
If you like what you see here, support me by following one of the links up top.
If you like what you see here, support me by following one of the links up top.
April 4, 2012
March 26, 2012
The Interwebs
The internet has exposed us both to the ultimate reality of being able to experience and see anywhere at anytime. But it has at the same time exposed us to an un-reality, because the place where ‘everything’ existing at the same time is really a dream. In fact, we are probably experiencing this ‘everything’ lying in bed, or at our desk. I think the internet is not making us worse people, just more boring people. But not boring by a realistic comparison. When comparing our lives with something that reaches, essentially, into an imagined reality, we are no longer grounded in reality. To put it another way, it was like watching ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit?’ as a child. I found myself enraged with jealous that an actor could interact with cartoon characters. What I would have given to be Bob Hoskins! But thankfully, I now live outside the reality of this film, and know that Mr. Hoskins was interacting more with his imagination than he was with real entities. But the difference between that movie and the internet is that ‘Who Framed’ is not something I interact with on a daily basis, thereby becoming a part of my life.
The question is: Has the internet changed the way I perceive life? Yes. Even further: Is my perception now more, or less realistic? Am I encountering far away lands through the impeccable lens of my high resolution screen? Or am I simply interacting with the green screen that my imagination wants me to think is ‘faraway lands’? I guess my conundrum is this: the more people are exposed to something, the more they believe they know about a thing (which is a natural progression). But what if the exposure that we find on the internet, especially the easiest exposure, is not a real representation of life around the world? What if it is simply the representation that will sell the best, or get the most clicks?
People used to be less of an authority on the ‘otherness’ of life, because they had less reason to claim authority (lack of information). The arrogance of ‘experience’ (through a screen) now permeates every realm and sphere of interest; now everyone is an expert on everything.
And now I am an expert on the expertise of everyone.
March 23, 2012
“I think we’re compatible. I see that you think I’m wrong.”
March 21, 2012
Des Tours de Babel
Translation is both necessary and impossible. Is the tower of Babel about people trying to ascend to heaven? Or is it about men trying to ascertain a unity, a homogeneity that could not trump any of their pursuits? If God is, here [Babel], trying to de-unify the nations of the ancient near east, does that say something of his celebration of differences?
March 20, 2012
Meanie Head.
I woke up this morning with a few e-mails on my phone and a text from a friend. Both filled with a slight disappointment, but a disappointment on the side of communication, not of malice. I then checked my tumblr, something I haven’t done in far too long. I stumbled across a message from an anonymous individual. I didn’t take it very seriously, and quickly deleted it, being both offended at the content and apathetic towards their accusations. They said something along the lines of me trying to be a part of the celebrity culture that makes anyone who writes on the internet a star, or something. They also told me they had to work for me one time when I went out of town for a weekend. They then concluded, but before bidding me farewell, they hoped that I felt terrible about the fact that a blonde girl left me for a friend. Here is my response:
Dear Accuser,
Thank you for the criticism. In an era of political correctness and sensitivity, people often assume they can’t share their opinions - so consider my genuine appreciation for you lack of concern for these social norms a good thing. I don’t know if you have mistaken me for someone I am not. I think you may have. It is also possible remembered some details incorrectly that you wished to remind me. Regardless, I would like to address your message. I do apologise if I caused any serious inconvenience for you when I traveled out of town ‘that weekend’. I’m sure I had a wonderful time on my trip, so thanks for covering me. In reference to ‘that blonde girl’, things didn’t work out, but I think I’m doing fine. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that she left me for someone else though.
I don’t consider myself a celebrity. But your accusation that I could think of myself a celebrity? Well, then maybe that idea has been planted in your mind. If that’s the case, then maybe it’s been planted in the minds of others too! So it appears you have opened the door to a world in which I could be viewed a celebrity by some. Maybe you should have in fact said nothing of my celebrity status after all!
I would have liked to know who you are, so I could understand the nature of our relationship better, but considering a few of the things you said in your message, I doubt you’ll ever send me an identifiable message. If you wish though, send a message (anonymous or not) - it’d be nice to not dialogue in such a public venue. Speaking of which, I read your message at 6 this morning and honestly thought you had gotten the wrong person, so I deleted it. So if you want to resend that, I think it would be interesting to re-read. Anyway, I do hope that you either feel relieved that you got such malicious things off your chest or that you are enjoying reading this at the very least. Regardless, dear Accuser, I wish you well in your pursuits in life and hope that there does not remain any bad blood between the two of us.
Kind Regards,
-Mark.
March 20, 2012
Roadtrips will always have a romanticised place in my heart. I think this photo captures that essence.
March 8, 2012
Supplying and Demanding Injustice.
I wrote a long complicated blog post before this, but I think one simple question would suit my thoughts better:
When you are trying to ‘sell’ someone a socially injust cause to support, what do you do when your income depends on that injustice? And afterwards, can you sell someone on the justice of a situation? Will anyone give to a cause that isn’t directly intervening in something terrible while there are all sorts of other horrendous things happening in the world?
The issues surrounding non-profit organisations who try to build a product around one socially injust situation are complex and messy. While I hope others rethink the way they ‘market’ social injustice, I do hope that I can keep in mind the fact that there is no such thing as a ‘true’ telling of a story, and that the more people we have telling a story, hopefully the more truth we can pull from the chorus of voices.
February 17, 2012
“Front Door.”
I’ll admit, I’m way behind on this ‘photo a day’ for February. So when I thought of a topic for ‘front door’ I assumed it would be the front door of my house.
But I did my best to subvert my own expectations and instead used this photo of my refridgerator.
When your assumptions are undermined, it brings a freshness to life, a jolt of sorts. Variety, may truly be the spice of life.
Or maybe I’m just stretching my creativity.
February 17, 2012
"…whenever something is interpreted as something, the interpretation will be founded essentially upon fore-having, fore-sight, and fore-conception. An interpretation is never a presuppositionless apprehending of something presented to us."
— Martin Heidegger, Being and Time
February 16, 2012
“Sun.”
The winter sun is something I completely forgot about living in Scotland for the last year. In fact, the winter sun is something I think I will maybe forever associate with the first time I watched the sunset into the ocean in Cornwall at Christmas a few years ago. The winter sun is such a comfort. It’s such a good feeling to sit inside of a warm building next to a window and let the sun warm you up, it feels like cheating the wintry cold that you now is apparent outside.
It’s that feeling that always gives me hope to hold onto the anticipation of spring.
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