Video Game Memories

Video games are part of daily life for a majority of the population whether it's through phones, televisions, or computers. The term video is used to signify that a game has a visual display. Otherwise, the "game" could be something as simple as a game of cards or dice. In chapter five of the book Digital Cultures, Gerard Kraus explains the history of video games.

Like the video above, Kraus details one of the first video game creations. It was called Noughts and Crosses, otherwise known as Tic-Tac-Toe. Even though this game was usually played on paper, Cambridge University took the idea and applied it to their EDSAC computer in 1952. The creation of the Internet began as a way for the military to communicate. The government thought this was the most secure way to pass messages without our "enemies" spying. This happened during the time of the Cold War, which is also when the video game Spacewar was created.

Video games evolved from huge machines that were almost the size of refrigerators down to handheld remote controlled games. Some of the original big machines included Pacman and Asteroids.

Although I do not consider myself a video-gamer addict, I grew up with these classics. We also had the game system Atari and eventually worked our way up to a Super Nintendo. My sister and I had to go up the street (early 90s) to play regular Nintendo, so you can imagine our excitedment when we got our very own. The best games on Atari were Frogger and Space Invaders. Playing these video games as young girls gave us the chance to bond with each other.

As the gaming systems got more advanced, we grew out of them. It wasn't until about four years ago that I brought another gaming system into my house - a Wii. Even though I don't spend much time playing on it, I guess it is still considered a video game. I'm definitely not addicted to them, but sometimes I get caught up in some games on my phone, like bowling and Hanging with Friends.

The visual effects and graphics in video games have also gotten more advanced. A player can have a 360 viewpoint or a straight-on viewpoint. Because the graphics have gotten so life-like, there are many critics that blame crime and adolescent anger issues on these video games. When I was young, I would get mad if I died or lost in a game. Sometimes I got so mad that I threw the remote at the television. Hence why I went outside to play! I think all things are fine in moderation. Maybe it's possible that people develope issues if they play murder games or GTA (Grand Theft Auto) for hours and hours at a time, but that's when parents need to step in and set time limits. Parents should also make sure they check the ratings on each game their child has. They are rated just like movies and depending on how graphic the content, the child has to be a certain age to play the game.

What's missing?

What if obtaining love or attention, in any form, was as easy as pressing the enter button on your computer? The world we live in today is so technology-based that many people probably wish it was this easy. The truth of the matter is people are starved for attention. We try to gain the attention of our peers, teachers, parents, co-wokers, and even complete strangers on a daily basis. People want attention and will find a way of getting it, whether it's good or bad. But the question is why have traditions changed? Why have people changed?

To answer that, we have to start from the beginning; before all the fancy gadgets and modern technology. I like to call it: Pre-tech era. Before television was invented, people had to rely on each other for fun. Kids would get together and play outside or even create their own games like bat-the-can, which was a simple form of baseball.

Life was considered "cookie cutter" Mom stayed home and watched the children while dad went off to work. Dinner was on the table by 5 p.m. every night and then the family would sit around the radio together and listen to the news or radio dramas/comedies. Life was good. The reason it was probably so good was because the parents (and kids) did not have any distractions. Plus, no one knew anything other than the life they lived. They had no clue about technology because it didn't exist, and these families managed to get through life just fine without it.

So then why did people change? With the invention of all things technical, people became crazed to get the latest and greatest thing. The standard saying, "Keeping up with the Joneses" turned into who can surpass the Joneses faster! Technology grew, lives grew, homes grew, but while those things grew bigger, quality family time grew smaller. Families are too distracted with their phones, computers, and televisions to realize that the people that matter most are not getting the attention they deserve.

In Alone Together, author Sherry Turkle touches on nostalgia of the youth in chapter fourteen. The issues she raised in this particular chapter dealt more with children's feelings on their parent's addiction with technology. How often can you think back in the past week, or even the past day, about when you saw a parent figure too entwined with their phone to watch the child with them? Children that grew up with all this technology should be used to it by now. So, why are they yearning for the days before computers and smart phones?

If these children don't know the difference in life before technology, how will they know they like it better than now? There's a few reasons I can think. One is that the children used technology itself to "Google" how life was back in the day, pre-tech era. Another theory is maybe they heard stories from their grandparents who talked about how they had to walk back and forth, five miles to school, in the snow, uphill and don't realize how good they have it now.

But do they have it good, or better then their grandparents? In a way, inventions are great. They invention of new medical machines and medicine helped the general life-span of the average person. Cures for certain illnesses weren't around fifty or one-hundred years ago.

But the invention of technology such as cell phones-good or bad? Well, the answer is both. However, according to many teens in Sherry Turkle's book, the answer is bad. These teenagers have a nostalgia for a time period in life that they never knew. They are constantly being ignored by their friends, and much worse, by their parents.

If mom or dad is too busy texting or emailing through their phone, then they just don't have that one-on-one connection with their child. The problem with these gadgets is they can go anywhere and everywhere the parents do. They go on family vacations, to the playground, and even to dinner. They know no boundaries.


The problem that children face today is that they have to battle not only with their parents going off to work or out with friends, but also with mobile devices. Kids already act out in different ways to get their parents attention and it seems for this young generation, the attention is less and less each day; thus causing the children to act out even more.

When I was watching The Real Housewives of Orange County a few seasons back, one of the mothers on the show was giving her two teenage daughters everything they wanted, except punishment. The fifteen year old began staying out late, drinking, getting mixed in with the wrong crowd and back-talking her parents. The mother could not control her because she wanted her daughter to see her as a friend, not a parent. All the daughter wanted was to be grounded.

Weird, right? What teenager WANTS to be grounded? The issue was that the daughter was trying to get the mother's attention, but her actions still didn't work. This is a vicious cycle that will continue until people realize they need to put down the phone and interact with their friends and family. Kids don't want to tell their parents to get off their phones because the children know they are just as guilty of constantly using their own phones.

I get so frustrated when I'm meeting a group of friends that I haven't seen in a few months and we're all sitting at a table in the middle of a restaurant and I look up and see every person on their phone. What is the point of catching up on each other's lives if we aren't going to talk? I often wonder what life would be like if all things technical and electrical stopped working...just for one week. I don't think people would know what to do with themselves. We rely so much on other people for tasks as simple as grocery shopping that I really do not think the majority of the population could figure out how to live off the land. Imagine if your car broke down and your cell phone didn't work. Back in the 70s and 80s (and even early 90s) you had to flag a ride from a stranger. People would gasp at the thought now, and that wasn't even twenty years ago!

Can you keep a secret?

In today's social groups, gossip quickly becomes the root of all conversations, and evil. Do you ever wonder why or how we get caught up in gossiping so easily? I can confess that even though I try to avoid the "drama" that comes with everyday life, I've found myself caught up in my share of gossip. But what can we do to prevent getting sucked into this lifestyle? And furthermore, where can we share our deepest feelings without threat that a friend might spread them around or give us negative feedback that we don't want to hear?

When we vent to our friends, family, or spouse, we expect them to listen intently. However, we don't want their feedback unless it's to tell us we're right in whatever situation it might be. If the person we're venting to doesn't agree with us, then this could become a precursor to a fight. Some people try to find alternate ways to relieve problems like writing them down on paper, then crumbling (or tearing) the paper up and throwing it in the trash. Others keep diaries and some people use online blogs to voice their frustrations or opinions. There's an even newer online fad that has more people signing on. Websites that are created strictly for sharing your feelings, and even better, darkest secrets.

There are websites like Noteful, Confessions, and PostSecret that help people vent online. Since I've never heard of these sites until now, I decided to take a look at a few of the secrets that people posted. One on PostSecret reads: "My first rescue dog really did rescue me. Saving his life and the lives of my other dogs has kept me from taking my own". That is really deep! When I first heard about these sites, I was in shock. I thought to myself, "who would actually post a secret online...that seems so stupid". Pardon me for assuming the worst right off the bat because I was wrong.

I can completely understand why these people are posting their secrets. Although I have many of my own secrets and can't imagine ever sharing them on the Internet (some things you take to the GRAVE with you), I believe that letting out those emotions in any form has to feel better then keeping them bottled inside. After reading through these websites, I've noticed a pattern. These people are battling depression, anxiety, low self esteem/poor self image, and some are as simple as having a bad day.

Some secret websites allow other people to comment on the post. In reading about true confessions in Alone Together, I found that people actually enjoy hearing the opinions of complete strangers. Though the comments can be brutal, the person that posted the secret feels a sense of gratification knowning that someone read the secret and took the time to reply. It's an emotional investment by the person posting the secret. Whether they really care about what the stranger thinks, there is still an emotional vulnerability. Another good fact about posting secrets is your identity can remain a secret. The people reading and commenting can also choose to remain private.

Even though this is not a confessional website, I find myself replying to Yahoo! Answers.  At first, I felt like people might not like my answers, but once I started getting voted "best answer", I posted more and more. I eventually changed from anonymous to showing my screen name. I felt like I no longer had to "hide" behind my computer.

One secret I can divulge is that I battled with depression a few years ago. It was a feeling that I couldn't explain because I didn't understand what was wrong with me. I stayed inside most days with the black curtains blocking the sunlight out of my room. I slept a lot and lost a lot of weight. I painted my nails black and wore heavy black eyeliner. It took me a long time to open up enough to talk about it. When I realized that I could help people in my life through the experience I went through, I was very willing to discuss my depression. I I'll never know if one of these secret confessional websites would have helped me through those times, but I'd like to think maybe it would.

You never know what kind of day someone is having. It might just take a quick kind word or action to change their entire mood. I found this on PostSecret, and thought what a great idea!

I found this on my car after I came out of a store. It helped make a grumpy day a little brighter.
Thank you whoever you are! - Post Secret

A radio station in my area has a task they ask every listener to perform. When you are going through a drive-thru for your morning coffee or biscuit, purchase the order for the car behind you. This small act of kindness can mean the world to someone and really change the outlook of their day. A quote I really love that everyone should follow: "I always just thought if you see somebody without a smile, give 'em yours!" - Dolly Parton

Don't call me, just text!

In the book Alone Together, Turkle discussed how using the telephone is outdated. Many of the teens she interviewed felt that text messaging was a more factual and quicker way to talk to friends. The other upside to text messaging is the fact that people have the upper hand in the message. There is no need to reply instantly to a text. You have the option of thinking and rethinking the message you want to send before you send it.

This is completely opposite compared to a phone call because when you are physically speaking to someone, you do not have that time to filter what comes out of your mouth. When I think about which I prefer, I would say it just depends. I do not mind talking on the phone, but if I busy or do not have a lot of time to spend "filling gaps" on a phone conversation, then I will send a text message. Also, a quick text to someone shows that person you care about or are thinking about them.

Even though most of the teens in Turkle's book preferred text messaging to phone calls, one high school senior stated he probably needed to start getting used to making a phone call instead of texting. Since he was about to graduate high school, he felt that he needed to build up phone skills and confidence as he prepared to enter college.

When I think about it, teenagers are much different now then when I was one; and it wasn't that long ago! When I was in high school, we had cell phone...the basic kind that made phone calls and sent text messages. We did not have "smart phones", and we were okay with that. My friends and I spent most of our time outside and only used our phones when necessary. We didn't get caught texting in class like most teens now.

By the late 1800s, Alexander Graham Bell made the telephone a reality for Americans as well as the rest of the world. With the addition of long-distance from AT&T, people were excited to have the ability to call someone in Japan if they wanted to. The telephone was a new and fascinating concept to people. Now, it seems as though we've transitioned back to the days of Morse Code (how I view text messages).


The younger generation is going to have to start communicating through phone calls. That is an important skill they need for the rest of their life. It helps build confidence and etiquette. Having the ability to communicate well will help with potential jobs. Most teens feel the way they use phones for non-verbal communication is just fine. There are many issues the evolve with text messaging in teens. Below is a short video that describes what health issues too much texting can cause with teens.

Who are you online?

Have you often wondered who you are online? Or who you are talking to online if it is a stranger? Is it really who you think it is? These questions are answered by taking a look at the simple facts. In Sherry Turkle's book, she answers this through a number of scenarios.

Turkle starts off with a story about fifty-seven-year-old Leonora who is a busy chemistry professor. Leonora discusses how she uses email to communicate with friends and family. She struggles to make face-time with the important people in her life, so Leonora has to schedule appointments with her friends, sometimes months in advance.

Even though this might seem like an unconventional doctor's appointment type of approach, I often find myself getting sucked into this scenario. Life gets too hectic and when many people are pulling at you from different directions, it's often easier to push them off with an email reading: Let's get together the week after next. At least this buys some time in case I need to reschedule or cancel.

The next person brought up in the book is Audrey; a sixteen-year-old high school junior. Audrey is described as a shy individual who always communicates through her phone. Since her parents are divorced, Audrey gets tugged in two different directions with each parents asking her to pass a message along to the other. She describes this as her parent's way of using her like a computer and says, "I am their IM".

Audrey also shares her feelings about social sites, such as Facebook. This is where she can create a "twin", which is the better version of herself. The online, but real version. Her Facebook twin is who she wants to be and how she wants people to perceive her. She constantly has to reshape herself and sometimes that is done through removing photos. This is where Audrey struggles a bit. She explains that is Facebook were no longer around, she would literally freak out. When she removes a photo, she assumes that people can no longer view that photo, which worries her. She feels a false sense of comfort, however, when she thinks that the Internet is one big archive and the picture is never really gone.

The issue that arises with the online version of one's self is a dangerous one. Too many people are getting addicted to Facebook and other social media sites. Addiction in itself becomes a huge issue when you don't realize you are out of control. Recently, the CNN Newsroom in Atlanta, Georgia was broken into by a teenager. All he wanted to do was check his Facebook account, but is now facing major charges.

There are several other dangers to the online world, which is why parents should monitor their teens' social sites. In the book, Audrey explains her most emotional experience on a social networking site. While she was a sophomore in high school, she met a group of Italian exchange students. Since she already took a year of the Italian language, the students introduced her to Italian Myspace where she was able to set up a basic profile. She describes this version of herself as, "older and more experienced". Audrey received a lot of messages from Italian men and was overjoyed. She assumes that since the men are in Italy and she's in America, there is no harm in replying to the messages. She gets a thrill out of it.

The danger is prominent. What most teenagers, especially young women, don't realize is you don't need to have your personal info on the networking site in order for someone to find you. The Internet is a large book of knowledge and all you need is a name and basic location for someone to track you down. There are too many stalkers, child-molesters, and kidnappers just waiting on someone to post one personal thing so they can step in. Below is a short video on just how easy it is for a random person to obtain your info through Facebook.

Cyborg Life Matters

After reading chapter eight in Sherry Turkle's book Alone Together, I can't help but think back to a reading from last semester. There is a connection between Turkle's writing and Donna Haraway's Cyborg Manifesto. Both are addressing the harsh reality that man/woman is becoming machine; A hybrid of a simple human organism mixing with machine. In Turkle's work, she reminisces about a time she spent with seven researchers from MIT in 1996. Back in those days, people using emails, cellphones, and instant connectivity were considered cyborgs. This sort of technology was unheard of, but within a few short years would become most every one's reality.

So then what is a cyborg? Most people think of action movies where robots take over everything, or movies like The Terminator. At the time Turkle was meeting with the MIT students, all technology was considered a new venture. Back in the 90s, most might think people with computers were tech-geeks that sat alone in their basement surrounded by the gadgets of the future.

The truth is anyone can be classified as a cyborg. Anyone, I should say, that has an extra limb of technology that extends from their body. For most, that could easily be a cell phone or bluetooth capability. As I type this, I'm on my computer, have my cell phone to the right of me and my Kindle to my left. The future is about multi-tasking and what better way to do so than with "fancy" gadgets.

According to Turkle's writing, she hesitated to conform with society. She pushed technology away for as long as she could, but eventually accepted it. Turkle talked about the warm memories she felt at an instant by looking at pictures of her daughter on her cell phone, or reading her daughter's text messages. It's amazing how we can feel so alone, but still have an emotional attachment to a machine; something that is not even capable of "feeling" back.

To people now, becoming a cyborg is natural. The link between never being alone, when you are really alone is astronomical. There's an idea that people are constantly connected without having to communicate in real-time. A text message is a quick way to let someone know you are thinking about them without having to take time to make a phone call and have the feeling that you are stuck talking for a long time. To some people, they might feel trapped when on a phone call. They cannot think quickly enough to respond with an appropriate answer when speaking to someone. Emails and text messages put the conversation a non-emergency status.


For most, checking emails right before bedtime is also becoming a habit. The problem this creates is never getting restful sleep. If you are checking your phone, laptop, etc. right before bed, then all that will be on your mind is what you read last. That could be a work issue that you have to deal with or worry about all night. This could lead to insomnia or anxiety.

Have you ever thought about what you would do without the technology you use everyday? Sometimes, I leave my phone somewhere that I cannot see or hear it. I will leave it alone for a few hours just so I can get some peace! This brings all new meaning to vacationing as well. If we are "always on" then when are we supposed to kick back and relax?

Digital Divide: Pros and Cons

For my senior seminar, I read a few excerpts from the book Digital Culture and watched some short videos about the "Digital Divide". In a nutshell, the digital divide is defined as the gap between those people that have access to the Internet versus those who do not. However, some experts say there is more of a multidimensional view and that it cannot be defined by simply one sentence.

The divide is typically broken into North and South divisions. The North is known as the wealthier, developed, first-world countries (Blue countries in diagram below). The South is typically the poorer regions of the world, or least developed countries (Red countries in diagram below). These are broken apart by the northern and southern hemisphere, with a few exceptions. Many factors play into the building of the digital divide. A few of those include: class, race, age, skill, and the  willingness to learn.

CLASS: A person's socioeconomic class has a great impact on whether they have access to the Internet/digital culture. The more wealthy a person is, the more likely they are to have such luxuries like phones, computer, and Internet. A poorer person has access to these items through public spaces like libraries or college campuses, but there is an inconvenience for that person because they will need to have a car or a ride to get to a public computer. These expenses can become overwhelming for the average person; especially to the unemployed person.

AGE: Age definitely plays a big factor in the digital divide. Although most kids are growing up with modern digital culture, most adults over 40 were never presented with the opportunity until adulthood. The issue most elderly people face is the lack of motivation to learn how to utilize the Internet. I personally know a few people in their late 70s, early 80s that figure what's the point? They feel there's no need in learning how to use a computer because they are in the retirement stage of life and won't need to use it. There are also stubborn older people that feel they did not need computers when they were young, and people now need to get back out and learn real hard work.

RACE: After thinking about it, I'm sure race places a small role in the digital divide. However, from my understanding, Asian cultures are far more advanced in technology than American people. I would say Asian people are ahead of the learning curve when it comes to modern technology.

WILLINGNESS TO LEARN: Believe it or not, there are some people that just don't see the need in using a computer or the Internet. This does not necessarily have anything to do with age. Some people feel that if they are not going into a field where it's needed, why bother wasting time to learn. I know a 45 year-old woman who has never turned a computer on. She figures if her husband knows how to work it, then why should she? However, I personally believe that everyone should at least make an attempt to learn because you never know when you will need to use it.

Some critics think with the gap in the digital divide closing in, cultures and native rituals will be lost. I can understand this in a sense. If everyone had access to these tools, then what differentiates us? Everyone becomes the same; but, I do think tribes can use the Internet to their advantage. They can use Youtube videos or Skype to keep rituals alive between same tribes located in different areas. They can also continue to pass down old folklore by keeping a blog or vlog. There are many online websites specifically geared towards certain cultures. Without the use of computers, television, or Internet, people might not know about weather conditions that could potentially harm their people and land. Overall, the technology is a good tool and should be used for the better good of the people, the country, and the world.

I was given the chance to visit a small section of Tennessee where the people live a very basic lifestyle. They are happy to provide food and shelter for their families. Even though they had very little, those were some of the happiest people I've met in my life. It's not always about the material and technical things in life that provide happiness. Here's a video that I found interesting. A monk is discussing the difference between technology and tribal society. He also discusses the potential suffrage that comes with technology.

Wrap it up

As the holiday season winds down and a new year begins, I cannot help but express how excited I am to be finishing up my college career! I can go ahead and tell everyone that I declared a minor at the end of last semester and it was approved through the registration department. I am officially the second person in the history of the school to declare a minor in Digital Art/Graphic Design-thanks Jym Davis! :)

This semester kicked off for me two days ago, Tuesday January 10. It seems to me that this semester will be pretty lax. I have three art classes, a media history class, and a senior seminar; and somewhere along the way, an internship needs to fit into my life! With issues at work finally calming down yesterday (which included two people leaving due to scandalous actions) I can finally put my mind as ease and begin to focus on the rest of my semester. I will once again be writing more blogs for a class. This time will be for my senior capstone seminar. It is a class all about the "new media" including digital culture and social media.

It is extremely important to keep up with digital media. With items forever changing, we as consumers have to know what the new products are and how to use them. The downside to all this new media is what's new to you might be old. There are so many products that come out, then the second bigger and better version shortly follows. By the time most consumers can even afford the first version, the second or third is coming out. That is why it is so important to keep up with what's new in digital culture. It is best for the user to read product reviews and educate them self on the new electronics. Instead of standing in line to pay hundreds of dollars for something that might be old news in a few months, we can prioritize our digital needs and spend our money wisely.

There are several items I use daily that are considered part of a digital culture. One of those is my cell phone. On it, I can surf the web, check my social networks, and connect with other people all at the touch of a button. Another favorite gadget of mine is the kindle. This is an electronic device that allows the user to download books and read them electronically, instead of purchasing the actual hard-copy. With so little time to read, the Kindle helped force me to find the time to read. It's so slim, I can carry it in my purse, which makes it ideal for people on the go. I take it on every vacation and found it's great while at the beach.
I have a lot more to write about on social media and digital culture so more posts coming soon! For now, enjoy this video:

America not all it's cracked up to be...?

After watching an in-class video about immigrants in foreign countries claiming how much they wish to eventually make it to the United States, I couldn’t help but wonder why?



Migration is a big part of culture. Without explorers and settlers moving around, the United States wouldn’t even be founded or turned into a country. Over the past few decades, the amount of illegal aliens in the U.S. grew rapidly causing a big concern for community members. Politicians saw this topic as a way to pad their political campaigns and took off with how to correct this ever-growing problem.

In more recent campaigns, these politicians argue back and forth about protecting our borders and forcing the illegal aliens out of the country. The opposing debate is the fact that these illegal immigrants are hard-working and take care of the jobs that most Americans are too lazy or have too much pride to do.

Then there is the whole tax debate. If these Hispanic people are coming into this country and working for cash, then how do they pay taxes? Well, they don’t. Actually, they do when they purchase items such as groceries, electronics, and clothing, which eventually filters the money back into our economic system. But who wants to pay taxes anyway? I sure don’t! Don’t most Americans wish they didn’t have to pay them? And don’t we see in the news quite often stories about so-and-so that hasn’t paid taxes is X amount of years and now they owe a truck load of money? So these “illegal” immigrants are just beating us at our own game when you think about it. They are one step ahead of where most Americans wish they could be.

There is a downside to all of this. People in Greece and Iran, for example, want to make it to the United States and live the “American Dream”. However, the economy of the United States is in a downward spiral and continually getting worse. There is no “American Dream” anymore. The reality for most people is putting food on the table and keeping a rood over their heads. There’s less and less talk of the perfect career, white picket fence, wonderful house, 2 kids, a dog and a cat and more concern for finding a job that pays the necessary bills.

In a recent article, the citizens of Arizona have less concern for illegal immigrants and more concern for the unemployment rate. As we round off another year and election time creeps up on us in 2012, voter concern about illegal immigration drastically declining. Even though it continues to pop up from time-to-time, Arizona, like most states, is concerned about boosting the economy.

Based on a poll taken, 67 % of citizens worried more about the lack of jobs available, while only 4 % marked immigration as their top concern. There’s also speculation of immigration-law remorse. Senator Russell Pearce was Arizona’s strong anti-immigration leader, but was recently replaced with a former bishop who pushes for more kindness in immigration laws. Arizona residents completed a survey that showed more tolerance towards these immigrants. Most people thought it would be okay to allow the immigrants to stay if they adjusted the law to where the immigrants had to pass a criminal background check and pay a fine.

In Alabama, public safety officials are concerned about the anti-immigration law causing a heavy impact on the farming and meat industry. Typically, the migrant workers help the land-owners take care of the farms. But after the law went into effect, these workers fled the area due to fear of getting deported. This left the land-owners with no help in the fields. One potato farmer, Keith Smith, lost all of his workers after the law was passed in Alabama. He tried hiring Americans, but most showed up late, worked slow, and eventually quit. Brent Martin actually lost his farm due to his workers leaving. Now, Brent Martin works on a tomato farm that someone else owns.

So, again, I wonder why people in foreign countries want to come to America. With the anti-immigration laws running the immigrants away and bad economy, we’re no better then anywhere else. Some Americans have fled from the United States to go to the Caribbean! Media may place us in the limelight, but we can’t even get it together as a country. We’ve got protesters in the streets and mini wars being fought between cultures. We may have a lot of good things in America (like our freedom, which is a MAJOR plus), but we’ve got problems just like the rest of the world.

Spooky Irish Tales

In case you missed the spooky Irish tales on October 18 in the top floor of the library at Reinhardt University, here’s a recap. The storyteller was Betsy Doty and she’s been telling Irish tales for about twenty years. When asked what her favorite story is, she replied “That would have to be Oscar Wilde’s Selfish Giant”. Although she did not share that particular favorite with the group, she did tell four very captivating stories set in perfect time for Halloween.

The first story Doty shared was the story of Mr. Fox. Although the origins of the story were unknown, she informed us the Irish “claim” the story as their own. It began with a young woman, Mary, falling in love with an older gentleman, Mr. Fox. After knowing each other for only two weeks, the two plan to wed immediately. Mr. Fox tells Mary about a castle they will move to once the wedding is over. When Mary ventures out to locate the castle, she sees written above the castle doors “Be Bold, Be Bold, But not too Bold”. Mary enters the castle and finds the same inscription over the staircase. She went up the staircase and through a gallery. When she came upon the door of a chamber she read the words, “Be Bold, Be Bold, but not too Bold, Lest that your heart’s blood should run cold”. When she opened the chamber door, she found a room full of skeletons and barrels of blood. She quickly ran, but saw Mr. Fox coming into the house dragging a woman behind him. Mary hid under the staircase and watched as Mr. Fox cut off the hand of the woman he was dragging into the house. The hand fell into Mary’s lap and she retreated back home as fast as she could. A few days later, at the couple’s wedding, Mary begins to tell the family about what she saw. Interrupting her story, Mr. Fox repeated the words, “It is not so, it was not so, and praise God it shall not be so”. When Mary gets to the end of her story, she pulls the hand from her lap to prove that her dream was in fact not a dream at all.

The second story Doty spoke of was The Witch’s Hare. Brian, a farmer, had cattle on his farm that were going dry and becoming lethargic. The pigs were also sick and his crops weren’t growing. He couldn’t understand what was happening to the animals, but decided it would be best to kill them and get all new animals and grow all new crops. When he killed the animals, he found their skin was black and full of maggots. Meanwhile, Brian’s wife saw an old hag walking down the road and invited her into their house. When the old hag saw what was happening to their farm, she asked for one silver sixpence to find the problem. Brian followed her instructions and took 2 pit-bulls and 2 greyhounds with him to hunt the witch that cast the spell on his farm. They search all night and as daylight was approaching, they located a jack rabbit sucking milk from his cows. They chased the jack rabbit through the woods and all the way into the neighbor’s, Rachel Higgins, yard. Just as the hare was diving into safety, one of the dogs took a giant bite out of its rear. When Brian walked into the house, he saw blood leading up to the bedroom and inside the bedroom door was Rachel Higgins resting in bed with a piece of her back missing.

The third story was a group story about Munachar and Manachar. Doty wanted to the crowd to get involved with speaking the lines with her and using the same hand gestures. One student in the front row immediately began imitating the story with Doty, and by the end everyone was following along. This story was meant more for group interaction that to be a scary one.

And last but not least was the story of the Banshee. The Banshee travels in the night searching for a lost soul to take with her to the underworld. She flew by a nursery and found a baby sleeping in a crib. She has to leave the child alone, and moves onto the next victim. She comes up on a blacksmith closing his shop down and is about to take his spirit when a cat wraps itself around the blacksmith’s leg. The Banshee is once again forced to leave. After traveling all night, the Banshee has to return to the underworld empty-handed as she has found no evil and the sun will soon rise.

Betsy Doty had four great stories to share with Reinhardt students. She had amazing passion and presence in front of the group and told the stories with characterization. She stood and walked around the room using hand gestures to show depth behind the tales. She had blood-curdling screams that echoed through the top floor of the library, and used different voices for the evil characters. If you missed her this time around, she will be back in the spring to share more of her Irish tales.

Language and Expression

The key to a good relationship is communication. This holds true with intimate and friendly relationships and spans across all cultures throughout the world. Without even realizing, we are communicating with other people. The messages we send through our body language, clothing, facial expressions, hairstyles, and even hand gestures can create a large impact on how people view us as a person. Language is defined, according to Barbara Miller in Cultural Anthropology in a Globalizing World, as a form of communication that is based on a systematic set of learned symbols and signs shared among a group and passed on from generation to generation.

The problem many people encounter is their nonverbal communication. The slightest movement can trigger an offensive gesture to anyone of any culture. However, there are many people that use sign language as their main form of communicating. Sign language is simply communication through the use of certain hand movements. Although sign language is often thought of as a second-class language, it is a complex language that many people do not know. While these people that use sign language are using a form of communicating, they are also being silent.

Many aboriginal tribes still use sign language even though they also have a verbal language. The phrase “Silence is Golden” has a strong impact on cultures. These tribes are often silent when men are hunting (which isn’t that different from the American hunter) and when women are in mourning from the loss of a loved one. Silence is another class of communication. If someone is silent, they can be representing many different feelings, emotions, or moods. No one can pinpoint exactly what the origins of language are, but studies show that over the past 500 years, many forms of tribal languages became extinct due to colonization and globalization.

Like communication, every culture practices different religion or belief and behavior related to a supernatural being and force. Religion is different from magic and science, but they all share similarities in that they are all ways that people tried to explain the physical world and events in the world. Religious beliefs are practiced in groups and passed on through every generation through stories often in two forms: myth and doctrine. Myths are the stories about supernatural forces or beings and doctrines are the direct statements about religious beliefs.

The major religious practices throughout the world, but the main religions are: Buddhism, Judaism, Nonreligious, Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity. Christianity makes up about 33% of the world’s religion. But what are the differences?

Hinduism is a born trait and they typically do not seek converters. It includes a wide set of laws of daily morality based on karma, dharma and societal norms. It was formed on diverse traditions and does not have one single founder.

Buddhism began in northern India where Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama) was raised. The religion encompasses a wide range of beliefs and practices based on the teachings of Buddha. Buddha was considered an enlightened teacher who shared insights to help end ignorance.



Islam is a religion based on the teachings of Muhammad, who was a prophet. Islamic religion follows one god: Allah.

Judaism is from the Hebrew Bible depicting the traditions and life of the Jewish people. This is considered to be the direct relationship God developed with the Children of Israel.

Christianity also ties into Judaism. It is the life-teachings of Jesus (the anointed one) written by the disciples. Under Christianity, there are several layers of different practiced religions. The main basis is the God gave his only son to save the sins of the Christian people, and in doing so, the son of God arose again in Heaven.

Every culture has their way of expressing their religion. People also express their feelings through art. Art is defined as the application of imagination, skill, and style to matter, movement, and sound that goes beyond what is purely practical (Miller 236). Art was around even in the beginning of time when ancients were painting or carving on rock walls to tell their story. We can learn a lot of history through artwork.

There are many forms of art such as performance arts which include: music, dance, theater, storytelling, and speechmaking. These are different ways in which a person or group of people can express their emotions and feelings. When someone is feeling down, they can write a song. Art is often easier to express then simply just saying how you feel. The main purpose of art is to show someone how you are feeling or make that person feel the same. This is a chance for people to look back on a time in their life and relate to the person expressing the emotion.

People also use architecture and decorative arts to express things as social class rank, gender, and age. In everything we see there was some form of art created. We can see this is roads, buildings, maps, and any other structure. Interior design is also another form of expression art. It takes certain talent and skill to decorate a house or party.

In art, we can see and feel deep connections with the artist. Anything can be turned into art such as movement in a waterfall or rays of the sun. Even petals of radiant flowers can provide inspiration for great art. Even a sports game is an art form to the players, coaches, and viewers. Ever culture has their own way of expressing their view of what they think is considered “art”.

The Speckled People Book Review

             The Speckled People was written by Hugo Hamilton in 2003 based on his childhood memory perspective. Hugo grew up in Dublin, Ireland during the 1950s and 1960s after the end of World War Two. His mother, Irmgard, was originally from Germany and his father, Sean, was from Ireland. This memoir focuses on Hugo’s struggles as a half-Irish, half-German boy dealing with the taunting from other school children while trying to find his own identity. The story also encompasses the many difficulties Hugo witnessed, growing up, between his mother and father.

            Like many people, Hugo is trying to accept cultural roots from both sides of the family. He wants to understand the Irish culture and the German culture and adapt both into a culture of his own. He got different tales from his parents and spent most of the time trying to turn their words into some truth. Since he is a mix of clashing cultures, he is considered “speckled”. Quite literally, he looks different from the other children because he is only half Irish, but living in Ireland. In the first chapter, he is wearing clothing from two different cultures so his physical appearance is odd to the other young children in the area. Hugo and his brother are bullied and called Nazis and Eichmann and are afraid they will be put on trial and not know what to say.

Hugo speaks Irish, German, and attempts to speak English, even though his father strictly enforces the Irish language as the only priority in their household. Hugo struggled to find a place to call home. He couldn’t find anyone else like him and speaking three different languages gave him the sense that he didn’t belong to any one particular culture.

Throughout his childhood, Hamilton also witnessed the struggles that his parents went through. His mother’s light-hearted sprit clashed with that of his father’s stern and often violent behavior. Hugo speaks of the troubles his mother dealt with while in Germany, calling the stories “films”. During one of her films, she recalls a man with whom she worked for that was nice to everyone during the day, but would come to her in a drunken stupor at night and abuse her. She never went into many details, telling the children that they were too young and could watch the film when they got older, but offered the advice of, “Everybody can make mistakes but there are some mistakes you can’t even talk about, because you feel so stupid that you can only blame yourself” (18). Her experiences through life made her a strong, but compassionate woman.

Hugo’s father, on the other hand, was spiteful when it came to the British people and the English language. He was adamant about Ireland remaining true to its original heritage and even rallied on the streets in order to convince the Dublin people to change their street signs to Irish language. Sean never spoke of his family and did not allow English-speaking children into their home. He was a violent man and became furious when he was defied. “The goat wanted to have a long tail but only got a short one, my mother says, whenever we want something we can’t have” (61). This quote from the book is fitting in the situation with Hugo’s father not getting what he wanted and that he lost the language battle with his family.

Sean’s biggest struggle with himself was having a father that fought for the British navy. He got extremely mad when Hugo was rummaging around his wardrobe and messed with the navy medals. Sean came in and smacked Hugo, but Hugo recalls feeling no pain because they “were all safe again and my mother was making cake” (15). This mention of cake-making is repeated throughout the book. It seems as though this has symbolic meaning for the mother to fix life’s problems with making a cake. Even though Irmgard tried to leave the home and her husband several times, but she was unable to do so. ““She’s just a bit homesick, that’s all”, my father said.” (32).

The way his mother is portrayed as a strong woman who takes care of the family is not much different for the time period. We can see a pattern in Hugo Hamilton’s story and much of society today where the mother is the strong figure and home life heads back to a form of a matriarch society. With the help of his mother’s encouragements over the years, Hugo began to stand up to his father’s ignorant ways and established his inner self and found his voice in the world.

Toward the end of the memoir, Sean realized that he made several mistakes while raising his children, Sean tried to make up for lost time later in life. He knew he lost the war with his family and became soft in his older age, as I’ve noticed with many older gentlemen. He even broke down and bought a television and began watching shows in English. Sean eventually died from several bee stings; bees that he taught Hugo to how to catch during their migration period before they disappeared to a new location.

During Sean’s last trip to Germany, he purchased presents for the children that were delivered back to Ireland with the rest of his belongings and his coffin. At the funeral, Hugo saw how many people actually looked up to his father and claims he never knew how many people were friends with his father.

After that, Irmgard made one last trip to Germany and recognized nothing. She returned to Ireland and took all the children on a trip to find a new place they could call home; one that could be recognizable. She knew a lot of different territories in Ireland from her pre-marital days spent traveling across the country. They were all considered orphans and lost, but at least they were lost together and able to start a new life.

Kinship System v. Social Group

In Barbara Miller’s textbook, Cultural Anthropology in a Globalizing World, the term kinship system is defined as the predominant form of kin relationships in a culture and the kinds of behavior involved. The term social group is defined as a cluster of people beyond the domestic unit who are usually related on the grounds other than kinship.

So how can and how do we differentiate between the two on a daily basis?

We can first take a look at kinship and how different cultures create kinship. A key component is sharing. Sharing a child with someone is a universal form of kinship, but cultural kinship can change based on shared foods.

In many cultures, it is common to breast-feed a child or it will not recognize its mother. Once the baby is weaned in cultures such as Asia and Pacific Island areas, it is common to then share cooked rice. This is considered as special bond between mother and child and also sets the basis for kinship rule. If a child breastfeeds from its mother, it cannot marry another child breastfed from the same mother.

Another form of sharing is adoption. This is defined as a formal and permanent form of child transfer. There are many reasons why parents share their child with someone else. In the Maasai tribe of East Africa, a woman that has several children may give one to a friend or elderly woman in the tribe that has no child to care for. Even though there is a sharing-based kinship, the adopted child might seek to find their real family.

Another form of kinship is ritually established kinship such as a godparent. This is a common ritual amongst Christians and Catholics worldwide. The reason people choose a godparent is for a sense of comfort should anything happen to the parent. There are also financial ties. The godparent that is chosen needs to have a good financial status in order to care for the child.

The third basis for forming a type of kinship or close relationship is through marriage or marriage-like relationships. Although marriage is defined differently by each person you ask, a standard definition is the social institution under which a man and woman establish their decision to live as husband and wife by legal commitments, religious ceremonies, etc. This definition can also include man and man or woman and woman. This concept of marriage exists in all cultures even though it takes different forms and serves different functions.

Kinship is forever changing and households no longer follow such standard traditions. People are pushing marriage until a later age and focusing more on career and education first. In some cultures, the trilineal kinship is declining and mothers and fathers are sharing head of the household.

On the flip side, being part of a social group might be just as important (or even more important) than being a part of a kinship. The social group in today’s mind is about fitting in and feeling wanted. When someone is included in a social group, whether it be a primary or secondary group, they have a sense of rights and responsibilities to that group. Social groups are informal (face-to-face or friend groups) or formal (where membership is required). People tend to feel social stratification when they are the head of their social group. Social stratification appeared with the surfacing of agriculture, but is now universal.

Based on the book and the films we saw in class, we know that defining “class” structure is still present today. Even though someone is born in one class, they can move to another class level. An example is someone that is born into lower class and worked their way up to high class by the end of their lifetime.

People all throughout the world want to be a part of the higher class. It’s not just specific to America. Although we do tend to place more emphasis on defining each class, Asian cultures want to be the best of the best as well. The difference between American and Asian culture is Americans tend to focus on themselves and stepping on the little person to get ahead in life, whereas, Asian cultures focus on a unified group helping each other achieve the same goal together.

Many new social movements have surfaced around the world. With the new technologies, activity is improved through the availability of cell phones, Internet, email, blogs, and social networking sites. Social groups can easily stay in contact with each other through these technologies.

It's a Jungle Out There!

Anthropology. Sounds boring, so who knew it could be so fascinating?! The term is defined as the study of humanity, including its prehistoric origins and contemporary human diversity. Boring, right? So let’s break it down to something fun.

I bet you didn’t know that there are several types of anthropology and that they all tie in together to form one connected world. The four main categories are biological, cultural, linguistic, and archaeology and some argue that there should be a fifth element called applied anthropology. By far the most intriguing of them all is archaeology. This is where images of Indiana Jones and treasure hunting come to mind.

Through all of these methods, we are ultimately trying to study the culture of previous civilizations. By using the tools we have today, we can make determinations about how people lived, their religions, beliefs, hunting methods, and more. Cultural anthropologists agree that the study of culture is very important, but the means of defining it properly are still debated. The official definition is people’s learned and shared behaviors and beliefs.

Cultures can be defined and separated based on the smallest thing such as eating, drinking and sleeping. Each culture is accustomed to different foods and each food has its own meaning. In China, they turn their noses as cheese, but favor pork. In Islamic countries, pork is sacred and forbidden. In France, cheese is exquisite. Even in each culture, drinks can differ. Most Americans get water with their meal, but in India water is served after the meal. In French culture, wine is an acceptable drink even for children, whereas in America, we have an age limit of 21. Even something as simple as sleep can define a culture.

So what is the best way to research culture? It was determined by anthropologists that research would best be done in the field. Get off that chair and go outside. What a great idea! The best way to gather information to form a meaning of culture is to get out and dig a little.

Since there are very few isolated cultures in the world today, researchers have come up with different techniques. One method is multisided research, which is fieldwork conducted on a topic in more than one location and studying many topics. Fieldwork is exciting, but dangerous as well. It can be quick research or take several years. In the 1980s, Michelle Zimbalist Rosaldo lost her life in the Philippines due to a slippery path on a high-land.

Anthropology had to adopt a code of ethics due to two events in the 1950s and 1960s where researchers were sent out to gather data without understanding of the intended use of that information. The first event was in South America and the second was the Vietnam War. In 1971, the AAA (American Anthropological Association) adopted the code of ethics that states: an anthropologist’s primary responsibility is to ensure the safety of the people participating in the research.

The research techniques vary by using qualitative and quantitative research methods. While most anthropologists take notes in the field, the modern use of technology helps tremendously. Examples of the technology are photography, audio recordings, and video recordings. Using their data, researchers have also begun using collaborative research methods.