RE: Status Update

“Transmissions from Camp Trans”
Style: Classical
Claim: Camp Trans is a good place for transsexual women to go and have fun.

"Dark Webs Goth Subcultures In Cyberspace"
Style: Classical
Claim: Gothic people seem really strange and different to people in public, but they use the Internet like everyone else and connect with people just like everyone else.

"The Truck Stop As Community And Culture"
Style: Toulmin
Claim: Although truckers seems like unfriendly, curmudgeon people, they are often times nice and lead normal lives within their own little trucker community.

"House For The Homeless"
Style: Toulmin
Claim: The stereotypical view of homeless people are that they are all low-life, drug addicts who do not want help. However, many homeless people were educated, innocent, or foreign victims of unfortunate situations.


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I have been to my fieldsite, ask questions, taking notes and gathered lots of information. I have not obtained many books or articles about my topic so most of my information is primarily from first hand experience. I am going to travel to my fieldsite on more time and I'm going to retrieve articles and books regarding my topic. I have yet to decide upon a claim. I am going to ask the peer editors if my information is too scatter brained and not focused.

Body Building

*What is going on in the field site
-when i first walked in the gym, it was a typical gym scene: the floor was covered with large exercise machines that made a constant clanking sound as they were being used. there were many large, muscluar, finely chisled men as well as skinny, scrawny, normaml men ranging from very young to very old. there were a handfull of men standing in one section of the gym, posing in the wall lined with mirrors. the men constantly posed, flexing their muscles as if they were on stage displaying their robust features to invisible judges. this scene was amusing because it looked so stereotypical and cheesy. the people working on the machines were working hard, grunting and sweating. a few of them had a partner with them to help them with their reps. some men were wearing headphones and listening to music on their Ipods while others talked only sedomly to let their partner they were ready to end their sets.

*How do the members of the subculture interact with each other?
-although they are in close quarters, the bodybuilders stay little to nothing to the other members of their subculture. the only time they speak is when they are done with their workout routines and are ready to hit the showers. the times they do talk to eachother, they are asking about the equipment or asking them to spot for one another. after they are finished, some groups of friends get to together and chat. while others quicky and quitely leave the floor.

*Make a list of terminology used at the fieldsite with which you might be unfamiliar.
-in the zone = when someone is working out and they giving total attention to what they're doing. they arent thinking about whats going on around them and they are focused on their reps.
-just one more rep = is what the person working out says to their spotter when they want to do another rep but need their help finishing it
-IFBB = International Federation of Bodybuilders
-can i work out with you = means someone wants to claim the bench before anyone else does, so they offer to be their spotter
-max out = when a person is working out and they cannot finished their reps
-juice = steriods
-chalk = power used on the hands for a better grip
-bulk up = to get bigger; buffer; more musclar

*What details, behaviors, surroundings did you have questions about?
-i was curious about the men who stood in the mirrors and posing. i was wondering if they were going to competition soon and were practicing or were they just flexing.
-i wondered how much some of the really muscluar men worked out.

*Find at least one person at your fieldsite you can speak to and ask them a question about something you observed that you didn't understand.
-I spoke to a bodybuilder named Timothy, he's 25 years old. he's been training for 1 years but he hasnt competed in any competitions yet. he is going to attend the 2008 NPC Georgia Bodybuilding Championships on July 12th. i asked Tim about the men posing in the mirrors because he was one of the men that i was observing. He said "well me, personally, i'm just bangin' out these knuckle heads," he jokes around as he gestures to his group of bodybuilding friends, meaning he is showing off. Then after we share a laugh he says that he is practicing the poses that his older brother , Mark, a professional bodybuilder, showed him. He said "Mark showed me techniques and poses that the judges look for...it's harder than you think."

Criminal Subculture: To be, or not to be in prison

What makes this fieldsite a good one to study this subculture?

-this is a good fieldsite because the prisoners are able to share their real emotions with the interviewer. as stated by the narrator, the prisoners have connected with the character which they play and can open up to the interview on an emotional level, they are not hidding the way the feel.

What observations does the author make that are particulary useful when talking about the subculture?

-the author observes the hierarchy of the prison system, the settings in which the prisoners live, the different types of prisoners. he also sees a bit of contradiction in the hierarchy of the prisoners when one particular prison claims that he is a "killer whale" and the program is full of "guppies," however he is one of the main characters.

What are the norms and values of this subculture?

-bigger and meaner prisoners rule the facility, more educated artsy prisoners take head in the educational programs, mostly straight men, they value their families, they almost always change from being cruel and confused to calm and remorseful

What interview techniques does the author use?

-he is nice to the prisoners, he talks to them as if they are his friends

"We want to pump...you up!"

Topic: Male Body Building

Sources:

Berardi, John. "John Berardi." Body Building. 18 Mar. 2008 .

Klein, Alan M. Little Big Men: Bodybuilding Subculture and Gender Construction. New York: State University of New York P, 1993.

Klein, Alan M. "Pumping Iron: Crisis and Contradiction in Body Building." 18 Mar. 2008 .

Monty Python - Charles Atlas. Dir. Monty Python. Perf. Charles Atlas. YouTube. 18 Mar. 2008 .

Reflection:

This is a very interesing subculture. It is one that Alan M. Klein, Professor of Sociology-Anthropology at Northeastern University, accuses of being filled with "narcissism and fascism" (Klein). In all of his journal articles and books he demonstrates a disapproving tone of bodybuilding because it promotes self-loathing. He has a general negative tone about the American sports he writes about. Klein is a good reference to have because he shows the counter-argument for the positive side of body building. John Berardi, on the other hand, is a reowned body builder, and thusly demonstrates the exact opposite attitude of Klein. Berardi is very enthusiast about body building and sees it as having its own"unique set of values and mores that are often very different." (Berardi) I think uses opposing views will help me to develop a great paper because I will be able to give a well rounded discussion.

Straight From the Horses Mouth

Home page vs. Forum

Where did you look, and why did you decide to look where you looked. What were some of the advantages and disadvantages to looking the place you did?
I used the internet to search for information about Common. Because Common is a famous rapper, especially in the inner city communities, I figured it would be very easy to find information about him on the internet. Initially, I typed “Common” in the search bar at Google.com. The first website to come up was Common’s Home Page. I choose to visit Common’s Home Page because it contains the most valid and current information relating to the life Common, his music, and his thoughts and feelings. The only problem with using Common’s Home Page is that is it mostly likely biased. It is probably biased because he is the owner of the page and he can edit the page to say whatever he wants.

http://www.common-music.com/default.aspx

Another website I used was a website for blogs called a forum. This website is called “Real Talk NY.” It is basically a site where someone poses a question or a statement about something, this website is specifically hip hop, and asks the readers to respond to the question or make comments. This website is great because not only can I see what other people think about the song, in addition, I can find new interpretations. Another advantage to this website is I can view “truth telling” both ways without having to change my frame of mind. Some people are fans and can relate to the song, therefore the can tell how the song is correct and true. On the other hand, some people are not fans and can tell where the fallacies or falsehoods may lie in the song. Some disadvantages of this website are that the people writing the responses may not be credible or they may also be biased. They may not like Common the rapper, therefore they may automatically misjudge and hate everything he does. On the contrary, the could be a huge fan and praise everything he does.

http://realtalkny.rawkus.com/2007/06/topic/topic/videos/throwback-common-i-used-to-love-her/

Spectacular Venaculars

Hip-Hop and the Politics of Postmodernism

This book explains how hip-hop is viewed as a "postmodern successor” to African American culture. For example, hip hop was influenced by many different elements of African American culture such as jazz. It examines the role that hip-hop plays in the African American experience. By using many political and rhetorical terms, the book demonstrates that hip-hop is a form of rebellion by historical standards. This book seems like it would be very interesting for me because it describes hip-hop in a different way than I have ever seen.

This book seems to use theory and practices of other postmodern movements in comparison to hip-hop, which is why it is seen as a "rebellion." Seeing as how the author, Dr. Russell A. Potter, is a white man it is easy to see why he, a professor at Rhode Island College, would describe hip-hop in such a rhetorical tone. For most fans of hip-hop, this book would not be very viable. Because the book is coming from a white man who seems to have no personal interest in hip-hop, only its rhetorical elements, I think most hip-hop fans would resound with a unanimous "it’s not that serious." However, I allow myself to view this book with a different perspective. I read the book as if hip-hop were not apart of my upbringing nor my current life, and see it as an unidentifiable entity.

The only reason this author is qualified to write a book about hip-hop is because he is a Doctor of English Language and Linguistics, History and culture of the Canadian Arctic, Victorian visual culture, Media Studies.

"This better my lucky star" - Dizzee Rascal

I remember the first time I heard about Dizzee Rascal about four years ago. He was mentioned on a MTV "Artist to Look Out For" Special. As the first couple images of him flashes on the screen, I thought "another typical black dude rapping...wahoo." But then I heard a snippet of him rapping and he was obviously not another typical rapper. He had the most unique accent. Then the narrator of the program proclaimed that he was from London. I thought "how queer!" a rappper from London! When I pictured London, I pictured the Queen, Big Ben and cold weather, but never a hip social scene with rappers. Naive, I was.

Now, Dylan Mills, also known as Dizzee Rascal has taken the world by storm! Although Dizzee had a hard up-bringing, detained for stealing cars and being expelled from secondary schools, he was very talented. He began MCing on the radio and at parties at fifteen. In 2004, Dizzee Rascal made an international endorsement deal with the brand Eckō Red and designed his own shoe with Nike in 2005.

Not only has Dizzee crossed over in terms of location and business skills, he crossed over genres. Dizzee worked with artist Beck on a remix of the song "Hell Yes."

PCU and the City

"These, Tom, are the Causeheads. They find a world-threatening issue and stick with it for about a week. "

This remark from the witty, main character, Droz, is an example of "poisoning the well." As Droz gives a campus tour he points out the group of students who similate the cause-driven hippies of the 1970's. By making such a caustic remark, he is warning the guy not to be like them or apart of their group because they are lame and he would be wasting his time.

Into the Wild: Life, According to Christoper McCandless

Is McCandless’s story so sensational/controversial because it doesn’t match the stereotype we usually see for college students?

Christopher McCandless’s story is one similar to Henry David Thoreau, Jack London, and a personal favorite of Candless’s, Leo Tolstoy. All were great American wanders. They were men who had great educations, stemmed from decent families but longed to All who found themselves by separating from society and assimilating into nature. However the major difference between Christopher McCandless and his nomadic predecessors is that they had not died in their prime. Thoreau, London and Tolstoy had passed away when they were older, while Christopher McCandless had many more years left in his gifted soul. Christopher McCandless was a candid young man, who was full of questions and had a sprightly urge to answer all of the earthly enigmas that consumed him.

Christopher McCandless was born in Washington D.C. and graduated from Emory University in Atlanta in 1990. Christopher McCandless was a intelligent and determined individual. According to his family and friends, he frequently pushed himself and the people with whom he was close to extreme physical and mental limits. After completing college and finishing his studies, Christopher McCandless seemed to simply disappear, and started wandering across the United States of America with no clear idea of where he was going. It was clear to his friends and family that life on the edge has always appealed to Christopher. He prided himself for frequently surviving on little more than his intellect. McCandless rarely maintained consistent contact with his family. The more they worried about him, the less he called. He did not think they had any reason to worry. When he was on the road and working trivial jobs he kept books written by Jack London and Leo Tolstoy. He met many people who admired him for his courage and strength. However, in 1992, at the age of twenty four hitched into the Alaskan wilderness with a meager amount of supplies, a surfeit of knowledge and the intent to die.

The story of Christopher McCandless is one that is filled with valor, courage, aptitude, stride, mystery and eventually sorrow. Christopher McCandless’s story is so fascinating because he was a recent college graduate. However, Christopher McCandless’s story was not one of keg parties or wild road trips, typical of twenty somethings. His life short and seemingly fulfilling without the typical college stereotypes. Christopher McCandless was able to conquer what other his age or even older wish they could have accomplished.

Christopher McCandless, according to modern ideology, is not a typical college student, which is why his story is so sensational. He had a different mindset, compared to the typical college student. The world was amazed by Christopher McCandless because he was not like the rowdy, rebellious and often times lazy college students depicted on television and movies. College is seen as a place where teenagers live out there last four years as adolescence. It is the place where they can be free to live wildly before they have to start making serious career choices.

United Colors of Benetton’s Philosophy on Advertising

According to the United Colors of Benetton’s campaign history, their ads are based on the idea that “communication should not be commissioned from outside the company, but conceived from within its heart.” United Colors of Benetton wants to suspend their customer’s obsession with the actual clothes and make them aware of what is important in the world. They feel that by using controversial images such as AIDs activist David Kirby on his death bed or a new born baby (umbilical cord and all) or a sea of condoms, they can appeal to their clients emotionally. United Colors of Benetton tries to appeal to the younger generation by relating to current events.

If you are a loyal customer then you will always buy their clothes. If you are a customer that keeps up with current events, then United Colors of Benetton not only appeals to your fashion sense but also your conscience. The point of their controversial ads is to demonstrate that they have the same values as their customers. The fact that the United Colors of Benetton wants to relate to their consumers on a personal level is amenable. The United Colors of Benetton claims that “by addressing an individual rather than a customer” the company can have a better relationship with their clients. Their clients can refer to the company as an understanding friend rather than a giant, faceless corporation who only wants their money. Ideally, the United Colors of Benetton’s ads are more compassionate and thought provoking than a regular ad with perfect models in rigid poses.


This specific ad of David Kirby is disturbing, emotional and thought provoking, all at once. This ad does not appeal to the consumers commercial needs. It does not reveal the latest trends in jeans or the United Colors of Benetton’s assortment of colorful sweaters, but it is an image of a man dying with AIDs. Depending upon the mentality of the viewer, this ad can be very appealing or not appealing at all. If the viewer is open minded they can see that the image is not to persuade them to buy their clothes, but to trust and appreciate the United Colors of Benetton. They use images such as these to say to the customer “hey! I’m on your side! You see what’s going on in the world! And I see it too!” This makes the company more heroic and endearing.

Conversely, today’s viewer may not see the image of a feeble Kirby as appealing in any way, shape or form. To younger viewers it is a picture of a dying man, no message, nor advertising. I, myself was confused and taken aback by the image; but after researching the campaign history of the United Colors of Benetton, I was able to understand the message. Be that as it may, viewing this image with “2008 eyes” as Ms. Irving calls it, is strange. I understand the message that the image is suppose to relay, but looking at such a disturbing image does not appeal to any of my senses. People who are my age are not used to looking to clothing companies to provide a significant message about the world, with the except of the Gap and the (red) campaign. Nonetheless, the message is still there, it just takes a little more thought.