Imagery of Patriotism

Throughout history, we see the use of film, photography, and sound to invoke emotion in people. When thinking of early imagery that depicts Patriotism we see many scenes that give us a sense of pride and desire to serve our country. One such use of Patriotism is an image of a poster originally created by J. M. Flagg in 1917. This poster is actually based off the original British Lord Kitchener poster 3 years prior which was used to recruit soldiers for World War I and World War II. Flagg used a modified version of his own face for the depiction of Uncle Sam, and Veteran Walter Bolts provided the Pose.

The poster states in bold black letters “I WANT YOU FOR U.S. Army” with the word “You” in bold red color. The words that follow in a smaller text are “Nearest Recruiting Station.” This image is meant to depict “Uncle Sam” as the United States government dressed in a red, white, and blue. He is wearing a hat with blue stripes and stars which is clearly symbolic of the American Flag. He also has a stern face while pointing directly at the viewer to emphasize action needing to be taken.

Since the time this poster was created until the present day, it has served as something that encourages patriotism within people. It serves as a reminder of the past and will continue to remind people in the future of the obligations to the country at any cost. Do you agree with this? Do you think other imagery does this better? Tell me what you think!

Sources: Wnat is Patriotism?

                    My topic for our upcoming writing prompt is that of how the media portrays patriotism and how the U.S. government uses these representations to gather support from citizens or from other countries. In researching a source for this topic, I made an attempt to look through the TAMU library website to locate a journal from Jstor. What I have found is a scholarly journal titled What Does it Mean to Be an American? Patriotism, Nationalism, and American Identity After 9/11. This article comes from the Political Pschology Journal Vol. 25 and was written by Qion Li and Marilynn Brewer from Ohio State University. Before I even read the article, we can safely assume this is a credible scholarly article due to where I found it, (its location on Jstor); it’s documentation of who wrote it, and where they gathered their information. 

  

                 The article itself discusses the psychological impacts of buzzwords such as nationalism and patriotism in the media and how they affect the masses.  The article describes this by stating, “The differentiation between the positive and negative manifestations of national identification is represented in social psychology by drawing a distinction between ‘patriotism’ and ‘nationalism’ with the former connoting pride and love or the country and the latter referring to chauvinistic arrogance and desire for dominance in international relations.” This is a very important point that the article is making to describe the disparity between the two. The article continues to go into pre-9/11 history and how this was consistent throughout history with Presidents such as President John F. Kennedy’s quote, “Ask not what your country can do for your, but what you can do for your country.” This rhetoric itself, which the article concludes, is the reason that we see a sense of “with us” or “against us” mentality in the political spectrum.  Do you believe that this discourse is correct? Incorrect? Tell me what you think!

Cultural and Social Acceptance

            The other night, I was sitting on my couch watching national news when a headline about Texas A&M University came up. This headline described some of the buzz I have been hearing on campus about a bill that was passed by Texas A&M’s student senate this week. The bill which is known as the “Religious Funding Exception Bill” gives students which was originally drafted to allow university students to opt-out of the university fee that funds the GLBT resource center. This has caused a huge outcry from students and many human rights groups across the nation.

            Regardless of who you are, how you feel about particular group, or what religious group you conform to this bill raises a few questions not only about the idea of cultural norms on campus, but sensitivity to minority organizations on campus. 

Firstly, the fact that these senators would single out a specific group based on “religious beliefs” can be very detrimental to the university.  This principle in itself can be used in any regard. If a person claims their religion does not support people of color then would the university allow them to cut funding for African American groups on campus?

Secondly, this issue continues to brand the university as a university deeply rooted in discrimination and bigotry. As one of the few minority aggies on campus, it makes me feel as if we aren’t progressing forward.

Although these are true, a large portion of the student body expressed their concerns with this via social media and wrote to the Student Government President Claybrook to veto this bill. Today, President Claybrook sent out a press release stating that he vetoed the bill and hopes that the senate limits this type of controversial legislation in the future. Through these issues comes optimism for the future. Do you believe that this was the right decision by the president? Do you agree with congress voting this bill in? Tell me what you think! 

Traveling: The most effective way to understand culture

As I am getting ready to graduate with my bachelor's degree from Texas A&M University in 6 weeks, I have started to get ready for my summer vacation that I will be taking to Istanbul, Turkey at the end of May. My parents informed me one day that they were gifting me airline tickets as a graduation present, which was honestly the best graduation present I could have asked for. The reason I feel so strongly is because I absolutely love to travel.  From the moment I walk into an airport, I am overly stimulated by the various people with endless travelling possibilities. What I mean by this is that the airport is symbolic of a gateway to escape to a distant land whenever and wherever you want.

            Anytime someone travels for leisure, it is very important to do research about the historical relevancy of the country. The languages they speak, the currency they use, the history of the creation of the country, and other superficial research will allow you to recognize and internalize the sites and smells that you will experience the minute you walk of the plane in a different country.

Once your trip is in motion, use it as an opportunity to learn. This is the approach that most people take when traveling to another country. They are intrigued by a place and culture, and then attempt to learn these things while touring in the country. This is one of the most effective tools a person can use to breakdown stereotypes and truly understand other peoples cultures and customs.

According to Under30ceo.com in an article in 2011,

“In conjunction with Brightspark Travel we are on a quest to find out how travel as a student affects business leaders today. Brightspark Travel plans unforgettable trips that are designed to create long lasting memories and create “a bigger world for every student.” Knowledge of this bigger world is one that is said can give people a step ahead in business and may allow people to:

               Discover their true independence

               Become more aware of cultural surroundings

               Feel comfortable with the unknown

               Develop leadership traits”

Therefore, not only will traveling help you understand culture, but it has the potential to positively affect skills you need for a successful career.  Nonetheless, I am excited to be going to a foreign country that I have never been to have new cultural experiences. Are you going anywhere exciting soon? Do you agree that traveling is important? Tell me what you think! 

Mastering Formal Writing

When I was in elementary school, I attended a private school that had a strong emphasis on language. The school offered English and creative writing courses to 3^rd and 4^th graders. It also offered Arabic, German, French, and Italian to students who were interested in languages. I grew up in a household where my father spoke 3 languages and aspired to be like him.  Although this was the case, I felt that the only way I could get to that level was to master and perfect the sole language I spoke, English.

My teachers throughout elementary and intermediate school had a strong emphasis on grammar and sentence structure. One of my teachers would always say, “If you are unsure of a comma is needed then it’s most likely needed.” Although now I know that her statement is not entirely true, I have a habit of adding additional commas where they are not needed.  Ms. Tracy, my 6^th grade teacher would push for me to be more creative when I write. She explained the best way to do to this was to add as many adjectives and adverbs as possible to describe a situation. 

This is also another reason why I tend to have really long sentences when I write.  Up until my last year of high school, my Advanced  Placement English teachers would stress the importance of warranting a claim you make right after you make it. For example, when I make a bold claim, I will provide evidence as to why this is true immediately after I draw the claim.  This isn't always the case but this is the way that I learned how to construct argumentation.

In my experience, my English teachers have had a positive experience on my ability to learn to perfect my writing style. I do believe that a person’s parent play a significant role in the development of a person’s writing style.  My father would purposely use words I didn't understand so that I would be forced to look them up in the dictionary and embed them into my vocabulary.

What do you guys think? Who has impacted your writing abilities and style? Is your situation different or similar to mine? 

Food and Culture

       The New Era of technology has opened the flood-gates for a free flow of information. Many people have used social media sites to learn about cultures they typically wouldn't experience. Instagram for example, is known for being a place where people post pictures of delicious, different, or disgusting (to some) type of meals as a way to share the experience with the world. 

                  As a nation that is made up of many different cultures, there have been many restaurants from an ethnic and traditional cultural background that have opened up authentic food from different countries. If you ever have the opportunity to visit Austin, TX you will have the pleasure of eating authentic Thai, Bosnian, Turkish, Afghani, Japanese, Italian, French, Brazilian, Indian, and Mediterranean food in a small 2 mile radius in downtown.  This past weekend, I had the opportunity to sample a few of these ethnic foods and was surprised by it. What I found was that as long as I was able to keep an open mind and willing to try anything, it typically ended with me being flabbergasted by how amazing the food was.

                Not only is sampling wholesome ethnic food a great way to keep a healthy diet, but also allows you to learn about different cultures.  Due to the fact that most cultural practices revolve around food, familiarizing ones’ self with different ethnic foods will allow a person to break down barriers and learn about different cultures.  What kind food have you tried that you were surprised you enjoyed? Any suggestions for great ethnic food? 

Storytelling from a culture perspective

Different cultures throughout history have taken different approaches to documenting history.  The Egyptians, for example, used hieroglyphics as a means to communicate their stories in scared temples, in tombs, and in architecture.  The Roman Empire used scribes to document religious epiphanies, historical events, and even business transactions.  Storytelling is one way that is unique among the rest.  The Native American’s used narratives as a means to guide their everyday life. My grandma used to tell me about her mother (my great-grandmother), a full blooded Sioux woman who would tell her many stories of Native American mythology. According to Wikipedia:

“Native American mythology is the body of traditional narratives associated with Native American religion from a mythographical perspective. Native American belief systems include many sacred narratives. Such spiritual stories are deeply based in Nature and are rich with the symbolism of seasons, weather, plants, animals, earth, water, sky & fire. The principle of an all-embracing, universal and omniscient Great Spirit, a connection to the Earth, diverse creation narratives and collective memories of ancient ancestors are common. Traditional worship practices are often a part of tribal gatherings with dance, rhythm, songs and trance”

There are quite a few things that can be inferred from this; firstly, Native Americans used this as a means to not only document history but to create mythology from it. Narratives and folk tale legends such as BlackFeet Tales, Chief Mountain, and Old Man and the Beginning of the World are among a few that were told in cultural ceremonies. They used it as a means to warn their people and create a belief system of morals by which could guide their lives.  Regardless of whether these narratives were true or not, they served a higher purpose of guiding these people.In this day and age, what do you believe would be our generation’s equivalent to these narratives? Tell me what you think! 

How rhetorical conventions produce an effective message.

Anyone who has ever had to construct a logical argument knows how important rhetoric and diction are to the effectiveness of the point they are trying to get across. Whether it be through word choice, using rhetorical devices such as metaphors, similes, allegories, and personification to prove a point or using an antithesis, oxymoron, and paradoxes to disprove a point the result remains the same: One must use appropriate language and analysis to construct an argument.

                In Susan Welch’s blog  In Diversity, India Seeks to Rise Above Caste, Color she starts her blog stating of with giving statistical analysis of India’s ethnic background.  She uses empirical facts to appeal to her readers’ logos.  Welch states, “India represents a large swath of people. Roughly three-quarters of its roughly 1.17 billion people are Indo-Aryan, and Dravidians make up another large chunk. But the remaining 3% is divided among 2,000 ethnic groups. Hindi and English are two of the 18 recognized Indian languages.” to describe how diverse the country is and how it is breaking traditional social barriers such as the cast system which has plagued India for so long. She does this throughout her entire blog to show that there is an increase in women in education, but also an increase in discrimination against darker skin colors due to the increase in skin whitening products, and a decrease in age discrimination due to a rise in people under the age of 25 in the country.  These tactics Susan Welch uses are a great way for her to convince people she is right, since facts are empirical.

                In What Are We Searching for? By a blogger who only uses the name Katrina, uses allegorical examples by appealing to ones pathos. Describing how social medias attempt to appeal to people’s emotions by stating “All those postings on Facebook, Twitter, or whatever internet site your hanging out on, will not fill the void. (Before anyone stops reading, I have accounts on Facebook and Twitter), I’m just saying they’re not a substitute for the deeper longings. More time on the internet is not going to stop the yearning, it’s a band-aid, not a cure.” She uses many examples of diction, and logical paradoxes to sway her reader.

                Both writers attempt to use their own form of rhetorical devices to sway their readers through pathos and logos.  

The breakdown of Cultural barriers in America

As I sit here in my apartment at a large state school with a low number of minorities, one thing occurred to me while I started to contemplate what the causes of cultural assimilation are. Diversity is the key to breaking down cultural barriers and enables cultural and social assimilation among people. 

For large institutions such as Texas A&M University, there needs to be not only a focus on diversity in the classroom but a platform for individuals to express themselves in a manner that will enable them to truly get to know one another.   Pierre Dulaine, a champion ballroom dancer discusses his effort to use dance as a mechanism to do this saying, "Sitting next to each other doesn't get you to know another person in the classroom, but having danced with one another somehow is a different thing.  And I think this is a success of Dancing Classrooms."  (A link to the rest of Dualine’s interview can be found here)

Although dancing is a great way to break down barriers,  there are many other ways to do so. Sports, joining organizations, and being proactive are all great ways to do so but the most efficient and effective way to truly understand another cultural background is by simply learning about it without a judgmental eye. 

According to the U.S. Department of Education study stated that less than 8 percent of U.S. undergraduates take a foreign language course and less than 1% attain foreign language degrees. Language is at typically the root of most cultures. As Americans, if we can take a stance to learn about other cultures through language we can understand diversity not only on a local level but on an international level as well.  

What is Culture ?

With an ever changing world, technology allows for a free flow of information to be accessed through our fingertips. Whether it be cell phones, computers, portable devices and such, everyone is persistent on being "plugged in" to the virtual world. 

Social Media sites including Facebook and twitter have changed the way that we interact with each other.  Some theorists argue that this change is so drastic that it has obscured culture. To know if there is indeed a culture shift we must first define it, and thus must ask ourselves:

What is culture?

Merriam Webster’s Dictionary has two definitions of culture that seem appropriate to the context which we are discussing:

1. the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group; also : the characteristic features of everyday existence (as diversions or a way of life} shared by people in a place or time
2. the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution or organization

Most view culture from the sociological perspective, which would best be illustrated by the first definition. While the second definition gives us a better understanding of the term culture in terms of the Internet.

Cyberculture has grown quite prominent in the last few years. As we discusses in class, internet culture can be expressed in many ways including that of  memes , animated gifs , and an extensive amount of satirical imagery that aims to convey a message. 

Regardless of what most people view traditional culture as, one thing is for sure. We are moving towards an age where cyberculture is dominating social interactions around the world.