I really enjoyed reading Naima’s post, “Islamophobia in the Modern World” and agree with her statement that we still have a long way to go as a society in terms of toleration. Naima’s example of Islamophobia is truly touching and her discussion of Islamophobia in the context of how tolerant people are or are not, made me consider the meaning of this word and the weight that it holds to different people. To tolerate refers to an allowance of something to exist without interfering with it but this is definitely not the same as respect. To respect each other, no matter the differences, would be an ideal any nation or society would strive for but in our current position this seems quite far and hard to reach. Tolerance, therefore, is what we have settled to strive for because respect has become more of a dream in the eyes of many. In our geography we analyzed how, in the context of globalization, it has been argued by people such as Thomas L. Friedman, (who in The New York Times) argued that the world is becoming increasingly flat. I do not agree with it and one of the reasons why, is the ongoing lack of tolerance and discrimination for people, such as Muslims, that do not make up the dominant groups in society which are composed by primarily white, American or western looking, men.
Response to Harnoor’s blog on “Juliana Spahr: First Impressions”
Hey guys!
In her last blog post, Harnoor explores the soothing and hypnotic characteristics of Juliana Spahr’s poems in This Connection of Everyone with Lungs. Throughout her insightful analysis of Spahr’s juxtaposition of romantic nature of lyric poetry to the real tragedies that she talks about in her poems, I realized that Harnoor made a very important point; when we watch the news broadcast, read the newspapers, or even listen to the radio, we tend to disconnect and disassociate from the events taking place in different parts of the world. Because as Harnoor explains, “news headlines reduce tragic events to statistics and factual descriptions”, whereas Spahr uses the “I” providing the reader with a different perception of these events. Spahr’s approach to current events is brilliant, because it allows the reader to actually connect to what they’re reading, in contrast to what they would otherwise do if they were merely scrolling through their newsfeed on Facebook. The point is that the way in which we talk about things, regardless of the variety of the modern media events, has a big impact on the readers. Therefore, Spahr manages to get the reader to engage with the current events and let them sink in for a moment, because the way she talks about them is very personal and intimate, it’s something that we can all relate to, something as simple as This Connection of Everyone with Lungs.
In Georgia’s post this week, “How the War on Terror Effected Pop Culture as We Know It”, she mentioned a highly popular podcast called Serial that has been dominating the charts since its release. I also had the pleasure of listening to some episodes of the podcast after a high school teacher recommended it to me. I remember the podcast being so addicting because of the real investment that grows in wanted to believe in the innocence off the convicted teen Adnan. I really liked the connection she made between this podcast and the concepts we’ve been exploring in ASTU as both have to do with the idea of how the existing frames in our daily lives effects the way we value (or don’t value) other human lives. Further, Georgia mentioned a second podcast that will be released soon about a soldier who was taken as a prisoner by the Taliban. This post made me wonder about the reasons behind the public’s immense fascination with Serial. And I’m interested to see whether this media frenzy will be the same for this new podcast whose focus is on a subject that is ironically a little more touchy for American media than murder, as it will revolve around effects of the War on Terror.
Thanks for reading and I highly recommend taking a listen to Serial!
Hi Jen, I thoroughly enjoyed your January 26th blog post. Given that I was unable to find time to visit the exhibit, it was interesting see what you thought of it. I’ve been to a fair few museums myself, however none of them like c̓əsnaʔəm, The City Before the City. The oral nature of the exhibit seems very engaging. The personal accounts I have listened to in previous experiences were always my favorite part, so I think I would have liked it. In our ASTU we have talked a lot about the authority of speech, specifically tied to reporting on a large traumatic events. This was was something that triggered thought during class for me, and I appreciated the way you connected it to your experiences in the museum. The thought provoking subject of the delicacy of authority makes me scrutinize how the same challenges might apply to other industries that seek to tell the stories of others, such as the film and entertainment industries.
Looking forward to further dialogue,
Chase T-R
Response to Ben’s post “Trauma is Global, not just in the West”
Last week, Ben posted a blog post comparing our reactions to trauma when it happens in the West and when it happens around the world. He brought up an interesting point, that when “every single day in Iraq and Syria countless innocent lives are claimed or put in danger by ISIS “we” (the West) for the most part go on living our normal routine lives”.
Although I agree with the sentiment of Ben’s message, I want to play devil’s advocate for a quick minute. Perhaps the reason we’re so concerned with trauma when it happens in the West is not because we feel like other lives aren’t important. Perhaps it’s the proximity that makes it more dangerous. Maybe, the threat of something happening so close to home is more dangerous and less dismissable then the threat of something happening in other parts of the world.
It seems like an awfully self-centered point of view to think that you only care about trauma when you know it can affect you, however, it’s a very logical conclusion to make. I’m sure “we” (the West) do care about innocent lives being taken away in every part of the world, but there’s something more fearful about innocent lives being taken away in parts of the world where you have family and friends.
Just a thought; perhaps we’re not terrible, just a little bit self-centered?
Response to Mariana’s 9/11: When the world stood watching
In Mariana’s post when we were reading Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, she writes about the perspectives of 9/11 from the people involved with this tragedy such as those trapped within the Twin Towers and the others trying to find out if their loved ones were safe.
What really struck me was when Mariana mentioned that when one remembers 9/11, we only think about the number of lives lost that day and the terrorists who perpetrated it; but one does not really think about the individual lives that were lost that day and how they spent their last moments: how they felt, what they thought. To me, when I read that, it seemed that when just solely thinking of the amount of lives lost is in a way “dehumanizing” the individual lives – we don’t think about the individual lives as individual lives lived by different people, instead we just lump them all together to get a statistic. This can be seen in other tragedies such as war. The reason why we turn all those lives into a number in my opinion is not just so we can grasp how many people were lost, but in a way make it easier for those not involved to stomach the event.
Those are my thoughts for the day! Let me know yours!
Fiona Tse
Response to Chase’s Post “Parallels: 9/11 Response and Fear Tactics in the 2016 US Presidential Campaign”
Chase touched very strongly on the current prominence of trauma transfer in the upcoming presidential elections in the United States. Although the benefits of trauma transfer are often discussed, I thought that Chase highlighted very well the unsubtle consequences of doing so. Taking away from the personal and individual component of trauma and using it as a political and sociological tool towards complementing a certain agenda seems to be a the heart of trauma transfer in our current world, and Chase did a very good job at bringing that to the front and center stage this week through his detailed accounts of one such a series of events, focusing in specific on islamophobia.
Personally, I totally agree with him, however; I would have loved to read a little more about a contrast of the described perspective. If put in context we can arguably see that trauma transfer can also benefit people in various ways. The overall conclusion of the post, I believe, is that trauma transfer has shifted from a tool of learning to a method through which people can be exposed to extremes without bringing the individual component in, thus being able to portray very selective aspects of a series of events.
Overall I really enjoyed reading Chase’s post!
Ramon Melser
I think your post on how people have different perspectives and reactions to trauma was really accurate and insightful. It’s true how there are many, many ways to react to and interpret trauma, and many are showcased even within Oskar’s family. Oskar’s very distinctive “heavy boots” and “one hundred dollars” moods, one of the ways he seems to deal with the trauma, seem to have been inherited from his Grandmother, after she moved to America and tried to familiarize herself with the culture and the language and the idioms as a way of coping with her own personal tragedy.
The way he refers to 9/11 as “the worst day”, as you pointed out, is another sign of this trauma-coping tactic. While some people might say that referring to 9/11 as “the worst day” is a form of avoidance or denial or distancing himself from what happened, I actually find it to be quite a bit more emotive, and honest, than just referring to the date. The same goes for “heavy boots” and “one hundred dollars”. Oskar’s diction and perspective on trauma invokes pretty strong aural imagery, which helps to make the reader more empathetic.
In Lauren’s «What Is Our Common Interest?» Lauren discusses what we all have been trying to decipher, the beauty that is Judith Butler. As Lauren explains, Philosophical Scholar Judith Butler works to answer why the sanctity of human life is spread evenly across people despite them living and dying in a similar way. She answers this human complex with the idea that all humans are subject to violence and the threat of death daily through our environment and other mankind should be matched with broad spectrum vulnerability in order to live a life of precariousness. Lauren says that Butler’s answer is utopian, but that the idea of humans saving the natural environment for our greater good holds hope and truth into what Judith Butler is preaching. The fact that people all over the world are fighting for the environment show that we as a species can recognize a collective threat and recognize collective vulnerability. Recognizing our interconnectedness and our collective vulnerability is key to valuing each other in a equal manner because if people have an understanding that the same things affect all of us, we can potentially unite as one, even if thats not what she’s saying. In this way, I completely agree with Lauren, and I really think that Lauren did an excellent job in bringing a real world example of Judith Butler’s answer of acknowledged preciousness into the our conversation.
Response to Naima’s post,
Naima’s most recent post “US. v.s THEM” caught my eye. The past few years, really since the Obama administration is when I began to hear about Guantanamo Bay. As well as Naima, the poetry we read written by the prisoners triggered something for me. After thinking it further, I realized it was too that the poetry made the prisoners human in my eye. Why is it that poetry triggered this?
As Naima said, it is a very complex. I do not want some of these men in regular society but I do not want them living under these conditions. Is there a middle ground in this? If so, will we ever be able to find it?
Thank you Naima (the Serena Ryder joke was cheesy, but I chuckled),
Amy
This week, Amy related Asad and Butler’s theories of how we react and respond in terms of other’s crisis to how Canadians are reacting to the current Syrian Refugee Crisis. Amy explains, like Asad, how influential the media is on our reactions. Despite the amount of positive media surrounding the refugee crisis, Amy explains that there are many Canadians who look negatively towards the refugees, concerned that they are terrorists or will damage our economy. Amy asks, “Are we conditioned to not come to the aid of other human beings in fear of them impacting our economy?”
I think that the question Amy is asking very important. I also find it odd that despite the positive attention that these refugees are getting in the media, how so many are not welcoming towards them. Maybe it is not just the impact on the economy that is upsetting people, but this is just an excuse to speak negatively towards them. I wonder if these negative feelings have derived from this leftover notion of “us vs them” that was driven into the minds of Americans, and even Canadians after 9/11. I wonder if, as Butler is suggesting, it is because of the vulnerability that people feel that has them clinging onto this negative mentality. Maybe it is easier for these people to distance themselves from the people they refer to as “them,” rather than accept them into our “us.”
I really enjoyed reading Harnoor’s blog post “De-Framing Frames of War,” as she explained what Judith Butler introduced as socially constructed “frames” through which we observe trauma, and gave current examples of the negative affects that they can have. Harnoor insightfully suggests that “the stories that catch the most empathy from the public are those that seem the most relatable,” and that because they hit close to home they can provoke “feelings of vulnerability and fear.”
The mass shooting in La Loche, Saskatchewan last week made me reflect on this point. This story jumped out at me in the news, and I was overcome with emotion hearing about this tight-knit, remote community being torn apart. I think that the reason I felt connected to this tragedy, is because I come from a small community in the Okanagan that bears many similarities to La Loche in demographics and relative isolation. These factors not only gave me perspective, but, as Harnoor said, drew on my vulnerabilities by making me think, “that could have been me.”
Although this tragedy did not make me want to go out and buy a gun to protect myself, or demand that all schools have armed guards, these are not uncommon thoughts in societies that have been “framed” to turn tragedy into fear and vigilantism. I can only wonder what it would be like to live in a society where I was bombarded by divisive media messages while trying to cope with a traumatic experience. In imaging this negative effect of narrative framing, I agree with Butler’s suggestion that we need to try to possess a “dislocation of perspective,” in order to connect with others in times of tension rather than turning on each other.
Thank you for reading, and thanks for the great post Harnoor!
I really enjoyed reading Harnoor’s blog post “De-Framing Frames of War,” as she explained what Judith Butler introduced as socially constructed “frames” through which we observe trauma, and gave current examples of the negative affects that they can have. Harnoor insightfully suggests that “the stories that catch the most empathy from the public are those that seem the most relatable,” and that because they hit close to home they can provoke “feelings of vulnerability and fear.”
The mass shooting in La Loche, Saskatchewan last week made me reflect on this point. This story jumped out at me in the news, and I was overcome with emotion hearing about this tight-knit, remote community being torn apart. I think that the reason I felt connected to this tragedy, is because I come from a small community in the Okanagan that bears many similarities to La Loche in demographics and relative isolation. These factors not only gave me perspective, but, as Harnoor said, drew on my vulnerabilities by making me think, “that could have been me.”
Although this tragedy did not make me want to go out and buy a gun to protect myself, or demand that all schools have armed guards, these are not uncommon thoughts in societies that have been “framed” to turn tragedy into fear and vigilantism. I can only wonder what it would be like to live in a society where I was bombarded by divisive media messages while trying to cope with a traumatic experience. In imaging this negative effect of narrative framing, I agree with Butler’s suggestion that we need to try to possess a “dislocation of perspective,” in order to connect with others in times of tension rather than turning on each other.
Thank you for reading, and thanks for the great post Harnoor!
In response to Georgia’s post “The Importance of Visuals in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close”:
This post highlights how images throughout the book allow for reality to be shown in Oskars experiences and creates relatable memory for the reader. This is interesting because I think that’s what allowed me to connect more to the book and interpret and think why the author chose these images to express Oskar and the other characters. Without these visuals I feel like the book would have had less meaning and more transparency in the story telling and creation of emotions.
Quoting Georgia: “Having a book focus on the after of an incident shows a different side because everything is perceived with a different lens or idea,” which is true, and with this novel we are able to perceive the trauma in a more direct way through images. I think that just like Persepolis, the graphic novel depicting the Iranian revolution, we as readers can get a more clear interpretation of what the authors are trying to portray. These visuals could be helpful in many aspects of how people understand events in the aftermath, especially using them as a more creative media.
In response to Ramon’s post: Trauma through the eyes of a child.
Ramon’s post examines how we have seen each of the child characters that we have read about this year experience and deal with trauma. Ramon also looks at the example of Anne Franks diary and how trauma is perceived through the eyes of a child in a non fiction narrative. Ramon also talks about how living through the Holocaust undeniably is not a normal childhood, but through Anne Franks diary we are able to experience it too an extent. This is also a characteristic of the other children that we have read about in that their goal of sharing their story be it fiction or non fiction based.
I personally agree with Ramon that reading a story through the eyes of a child and how they experienced the events has immense value because of the innocence that they ultimately have. I also believe that as Ramon stated Anne Frank ties up loose ends when discussing the value of a child telling a story as her recollections have become an invaluable piece in attempting to understand the horrors of the Holocaust through the eyes of a child.
Overall I enjoyed reading the post very much keep up the good work
Robert Bernheim
I have really enjoyed reading this week’s blogs, which have mostly been in response to our recent work with poetry. I find it very interesting to see which poems stuck out for each person and why. In her blog this week, Benny describes why she enjoyed reading the poems “The Names,” by Billy Collins, and “September 1, 1939,” by W. H. Auden. She explains that these poems were effective, especially after 9/11, because of the interpretability of their genre. She explains how with “September 1, 1939,” most readers did not interpret the poem as it had been intended to be when it was written when connecting it to the 9/11 attacks. I agree with Benny that it is probably the interpretability of these poems that makes them so easy to connect to in times of trauma and grief. However, I wonder, is there a danger in creating meanings to literature that is alternative to what the poet intended? Could it be harmful to associate W.H. Auden’s poem to 9/11 if we were to take it for more than face value and consider its context, or should we just consider poetry an art form from which we should interpret anyway that helps us connect to it and find catharsis?
Joey shared his thoughts on W.H. Auden’s poem “September 1, 1939,” taking particular interest in the author’s choice to alter the final line to: “We must love one another and die” instead of, “We must love one another or die.” I agree with Joey that the altered version carries more weight than the original because the original’s message that a unification of the world through love can prevent the inevitability of death is not a realistic message, and in my opinion, subtracts from the power of the poem.
One of the reasons this poem was moving for many mourners of 9/11, as Joey suggests, was because it highlighted the fragility of human life, and thereby played on the emotions of human precariousness. I would add to this observation that perhaps the very reason that this poem, which is written about an entirely different historical trauma, can be read in the context of 9/11 is because it draws back on universal feelings of vulnerability that Judith Butler has argued connect all humans.
Response to Olivia’s Blog “To Mourn or Not to Mourn”,
I really enjoyed this blog, Olivia was very honest and thoughtful regarding Butler’s work “Survivability, Vulnerability, and Affect”. Olivia asked many questions that obviously, aren’t answered easily if anything can be answered at all.
Where is the line between mourning too much or too little? Are we supposed to mourn for every human being or only the ones we know personally? What is the proper way to mourn? Is there a proactive way to mourn?
Mourning is such a intimate process and everyone deals with it differently. I think that this is why the entire concept of mourning is so complex.
I too, agree with Olivia when she brings up this relating to genocide. Is the rest of the worlds negligence for all of these deaths an important factor in the phenomena of a genocide? It is not our fault for emotionally not being capable of mourning for thousands of people, but what is our moral duty to do?
Very thought provoking Olivia,
Thanks!!
-Amy Main
If you haven’t already, be sure to read Michael’s newest blog. In it he describes how Judith Butler, or “Judy”‘s article has changed his view of world vision. Is it even possible? Michael cites Butlers terms the “I” and the “other”. If these terms are constantly applicable, will there ever be global unity? Is there a way to break down those socially constructed terms? I agree with Michael’s view of global unity, that it should consist of a universal government which works for the global rather than the local, but since we, as humans, are already divided by so many things: race, ethnicity, social status, economic status, political borders, etc… could we ever unite as one?
Response to Naima’s post “The Falling Man”
I really enjoyed this post and I admire you writing about this sensitive subject. I found you created a unique perspective when deciphering the social response to the picture and the poems . This response speaks volumes with regard to trauma and as you put it “social protocol”. Your post and discussion in class makes me think of how we as a collective deem published remarks on sensitive event as appropriate and attention worthy. The point you raised about the poem capturing the entirety of the photo, not the specifics makes me wonder if our public approval is a matter of abstraction.
I look forward to reading more of your work,
Chase T.R
Response to Joey’s post:
I really enjoyed reading Joey’s last blog post, where he analyzes W.H. Auden’s decision to alter the last line of his poem September 1st, 1939. Joey raised excellent points on what Auden’s thought process might have been in choosing to replace “We must love one another or die” with “We must love one another and die”. I think the quote that Joey brought up, “death is the great equalizer”, is a perfect way of justifying Auden’s change, because the inevitability of death reaffirms why our lives should be spent in harmony with others in the world, regardless of our differences. I agree with Joey on the optimism of the original line, in that it proposes that loving one another can serve as a sort of saviour from our ultimate fate. However, Auden’s edit emphasizes the futility of acts of war and violence. If we can’t escape our own fate then what is the use of undermining that of another?
Thanks for reading thanks for the post, Joey!
-Harnoor
In response to Benny’s post: “Let the poem speak to you”
In Benny’s blog, she talks about how two of the four poems we discussed in class: “The Names” by Billy Collins and “September 1, 1939” by W. H. Auden really spoke to her. Benny talks about how these poems were effective after 9/11 due to their interpretability as poems. Because of their interpretability, people were easily able to “alter” the poem to channel their current emotions which at the time was grief and anger. Benny then goes onto explain that due to this interpretability, people may miss the original meaning of the poems, especially W. H. Auden’s poem. I completely agree with Benny’s statement in that the freedom of interpretation to suit one’s feelings could lead to the opposite meaning to what the poet intended. I wonder whether or not this could pose a risk to those who end up with the alternate conclusions.
Response to Mariana’s blog post: When The World Is Far, Far Away
Mariana wrote a very interesting blog post a few weeks ago where she talked about her experience and understanding of Juliana Spahr’s poem “This Connection Of Everyone With Lungs”. She mentioned how although our beds may be “safe havens” full of comfort, and as escapes from reality, others may go to bed anxious, stressed out, and even terrified.
This got me thinking. I have, on more than a few occasions, took naps if I was stressed out. The phrase “sleep on it” is how I’ve made almost all of my decisions. I’ve always felt that a good night’s sleep, or a nap in between classes was the best way to deal with problems. Sleeping is my favourite passtime, my friends.
However, I know I’m very lucky to have this experience. For many people around the world, sleep is not an end to their problems, but rather just a delay. The world, and their life will still be there when they wake up. Their problems are not “far, far away”; in fact they may just be outside their bedroom door.
It’s terrifying to think that while I’m asleep, having the time of my life, someone somewhere, in a different part of the world, could be having the worst day of their life. And unlike me, they’re not able to “sleep on it”, and no amount of naps are going to help them.
Each time I wake up from a nap, I’ve never felt like I missed anything important. I’ve missed texts, some FaceBook notifications, and maybe a few snapchats (if I’m particularly popular that day), but I’ve never thought about what I missed globally. While I was sleep, did I miss a bombing? A school shooting? For some people, they can never “miss” something of that magnitude, because it’s happening to them, while they’re asleep or not.
Thank you, Mariana, for helping me realized what I missed, and great job on your blog post.
Happy blogging, everyone!
Hi guys and galls,
I thoroughly enjoyed Benny’s post “Let the Poem Speak to You”, for several reasons.
Her notion of interpreting factors that are involved in poetry was quite simply exactly on point in my perspective. As could obviously be seen be the many different perspectives our class always has on matters(, as is represented by their posts), everyone takes home something different from any given source material. Both poems that she brings up by Auden and Collins are, as poetry tends to be, a simple vessel for a complex series of thoughts. The very meaning of a poem is to provide a medium through which one can reflect on that which the poem is founded on, and I strongly believe Benny exemplified that particularly well in her post.
The personal component to poetry is where its very value is found. The ability to convey something so specifically worded and crafted, yet whilst doing so creating so much room for interpretation, is, for me at least, why poetry has such prominent power in the life of man and woman, it is timeless through the very things highlighted in this discussion.
One line and a few words can be very powerful and they can haunt your mind for hours and hours long after you have read them. There lies the wonder of poetry: its ability to evoke so much feeling from such little wording. Benny’s post Let the Poem Speak to you analyses two of the five poems we read in our ASTU class and she focuses on specific details and areas of those poems that grabbed her attention. Benny looked further into the line “Those to whom evil is done, Do evil in return” in W.H. Auden’s September 1, 1939, a line that had also made me think twice when I read it. These words are very strong, powerful, and, quite frankly, burdening to read because they carry with them the weight of centuries of wars, battles, struggles, and revenges. I understand how people who were victims of 9/11 can read those words and feel connected to them or find a context in which to read them more clearly. These words are put to life in the wars that followed the 9/11 attacks. When the victims of 9/11 read this, they probably read the word evil as a descriptor of the attackers. However, when I read it, I understood the subject of these words to be the United States as they were the ones attacked by the so called axis of evil and reacted with violence against the middle east. This brings me back to a point discussed by Benny and that is that poetry is so powerful because it can be read differently by everyone and I agree with that as it is exactly what happened with me. Not only can it be read different by everyone but I would like to add that one same poem can be read and interpreted differently by the same person if read in a different time or under different circumstances.
Robert’s blog spoke about the discrepancy between Canada and Europe in the way we see and perceive trauma, “because of how long each has actually existed as an entity influenced by European values,” which is true, however I believe a few things need to be added onto his statements. While I agree with the comment that Canada is open minded and accepting culture, I believe that this may be too general to say, since in fact many people of Canada aren’t fully aware of how much trauma has occurred within our own country. The idea that Canada doesn’t perceive one trauma as more important than another may be relevant for many, however the country isn’t as “young and innocent” as one may think and although we are liberal there are a lot of unanswered questions that entice thought as to if Canada is as understanding as many believe.
I feel as though stating that one trauma can’t be compared to another also means that one country shouldn’t be compared to another in whether or not it has experienced more trauma throughout history, since the trauma transfer of such events as Residential Schools and the Holocaust both have very real effects on those living today and both have created different legacies. Although, perhaps it is more common for a country such as Europe who has experienced “more trauma” to have a different view on occurrences today, it isn’t applicable to compare whole countries whose population views may vary greatly in which sees trauma in the worst ways, in my opinion. It is more that every individual’s experience and ways they perceived trauma is different, depending on their direct surroundings and personal history, as well as the Western viewpoints that both Canada and Europe are so closely influenced by.
I really liked your blog post Lauren and I thought you brought up a really good point with “slacktivism” and I also share your concerns with our generation’s possible problem of “slacktivism.” My favourite word to describe this phenomenon of hashtaging and Intsagram videos is “arm-chair activism” because I look at social media phenomena like the ALS ice bucket challenge, Kony 2012 and black lives matter as a quasi-activism.
However, I do believe that there is hope because when there is a will there is a way, and if young people are passionate about addressing socio-political or environmental problems there will be actions made. After all I think social media is a great way at identifying and exposing problems to the masses. In conclusion I believe that your worries have a very simple solution and I think that is you. I think we need to use our individual agency tactilely and actively demonstrate our worries and proposed solutions so that we can accomplish our dreams. I truly believe people people will follow suite when there is an opportunity given because I know I would follow you in a rally when the time comes.
Olivia raised some challenging questions in her post “Un-relatable” about how to understand and communicate with those with PTSD or mental illnesses, as “it is hard to support those suffering from [mental illnesses] without personal experience.” Although I can’t really offer an answer, I think that poetry and literature play a potential role in filling the gap between trauma-sufferers, and those of us without a relatable experience. In both Klay and Foer’s texts, there is a way to connect with the characters who struggle with mental illnesses like depression and anxiety. Although this is not the same as understanding the complexities of these illnesses in reality, I think that these literary works serve as a means for readers to better understand how people live with invisible scars of trauma, as well as finding commonality with readers who struggle to connect with others about their personal struggles.
– Lauren Shykora
Response to Devon’s post “Ambiguity and Fundamentals”
I have really enjoyed reading all the many interpretations and theories that have arisen from reading “The Reluctant Fundamentalist.” I thought it was really cool how Devon highlighted the way that Hamid left so much room for interpretation in the novel, specifically, as Devon points out, within the character of Erica. After reading and discussing Peter Morey’s paper, “The rules of the game have changed”: Mohsin Hamid’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist and post 9/11 fiction, I think it’s really interesting to look at previous observations, such as Devon’s different interpretations of Erica, “through the frame” of Morey’s argument. Perhaps, Hamid left so much room for interpretation purposely, in order to “destabilize” and “defamiliarize” the reader’s relationship to the narrative, as Morey suggests (136).
Response to Devon’s “Thanks for Listening to me” Post
I definitely agree with Devon’s post and felt very connected to her ideas when she wrote about how this class has served to connect her to fellow classmates. As we discussed deep topics with these people who started out as strangers, we grew closer and they became friends with whom we share a safe environment in this class. Yesterday we realized with my friends that, at the beginning of the year, I worked in a project about collective memory with Robert. He was a complete stranger to me and I met him during this project. Today, Robert, Ramon, Benny, and I are really close friends and have lunch every time after class. With them, we often spend hours and hours discussing seemingly controversial or “taboo” subjects that flow smoothly and without fights because we have grown used to these kinds of talks in ASTU. This would not be the case if it hadn’t been for ASTU. ASTU has opened up the floor and trained us through practice to participate in discussion that are respectful. Among large amounts of other useful lessons, ASTU has taught us to communicate and participate in discussions better.
Response to Ben’s Blog
Ben’s post this week nicely summarized the feelings that I’m sure many students in the Global Citizens CAP stream have as the year comes to an end. Like Ben, I believe that the wide array of global and domestic issues and events that we have learned about in CAP have made me more “in-tune and aware” of the issues happening in our world today. Entering the stream at the start of the year, I did not have as clear of a vision as perhaps a science student would of the specific skills and knowledge that I would be taking with me in April. However, looking back now, it is clear that the knowledge I have now has better prepared me to look at current events such as ISIS, Trump, and Syrian refugees, with a more informed and scholarly perspective. All in all, I agree with Ben that it is “imperative” that students like us are properly educated about these issues so that we can hopefully steer the world into a better direction!
Thanks for the post Ben,
Harnoor
Response to Ben’s Blog,
While reading Ben’s blog I immediately thought of when I first got into UBC arts last year… I was usually embarrassed to respond “just arts” while all my friends are going to school to become engineers or doctors, I just really liked geography, history and my other social sciences. However, similar to what Ben was saying, now I am truly proud to be an arts student. I can have worldly conversations with adults and am able to give my insight into deep issues that I never dreamed of being about to confront. I am also very proud of being in the CAP stream “Global Citizens”, it was such an eye opening year. From Poli Sci, ASTU, Sociology, and Geography we have looked into so many issues from many different perspectives.
Now I can reflect on how much I have grown this year as well, and all my CAP classes contributed to my growth as a human being. I am excited to see where time will take all of us Global Citizens.
Thanks Ben,
Amy
Devon’s latest blog post talked about the CAP Stream that we’re all fortunate enough to be a part of. She reflected on her time in ASTU especially, and the number of friends she’s gained through this experience.
For me, moving far away and leaving my friends and family behind made me nervous about finding a “clique” in University. I imagined lecture halls with boring professors and 300 students where no one knew each other’s names. And while this may be the case for other students, it certainly isn’t for many and most CAP students. Having 3 classes (and 2 discussions!) with the exact same group of people has made it relatively easy to make friends.
I’ve talked to people outside of CAP and heard them complain about not making very many friends in their classes. They’re experiencing the “Lecture hall with boring professors and 300 students” phenomenon I mentioned earlier.
Devon’s post (and let’s face it, my aforementioned near-friendless peers) have made me feel really lucky about being in the CAP program. It’s not only provided me with countless friends to edit GEOG papers at 3 AM, but also teachers I feel comfortable talking to, classrooms where I can share my thoughts and opinions, and a better idea of what I want to do in my future.
Thankful for CAP, Devon’s post, and the fact that the GEOG paper is over.
Response to Devon’s post “Thanks for listening to me”
In her latest blog, Devon talks about her time in the CAP Stream, especially her time in ASTU and all the friends that she has gained in the Stream.
When I read her post, I could not help but think back to my views on University when I first stepped foot in UBC as a university student instead of being part of my high school band waiting to perform at the Chan Center. I thought that I would have zero or close to zero friends due to everyone being too focused on school and also due to my shy nature – I also thought that I would be drowning in work with no free time like one of my friends last year (she’s year 2 now). However after almost finishing my first year, I cannot help but think how silly my thoughts were at the beginning of the year. It is true that I am still shy at making friends, but I found out that even if you are shy, just extending a word of friendship is all it takes. In addition to this, being in the CAP Stream and being surrounded by the same faces everyday helped me find my place in this university. Although there were times I did feel like I was drowning in work, there were other times where I spent time just hanging out with friends. However in hindsight, the times I felt that I was drowning in work this past year will be nothing compared to when we are drowning in work in the upper years I think.
I am grateful to all the friends that I have made for a memorable first year!!!
Thanks Amy for your post, I really like the way it brought the class around full circle, ending with the question we were challenged with at the beginning of the year. It feels like so long ago when we had our 50 word limit to describe the term “Global Citizen”. I enjoyed the way you tied in multiple themes from the novels we have read throughout the year into your analysis. It’s crazy to think how far we have come, and how much we have learned in this class alone over the past 2 semesters. I Think it would be interesting if we were to answer the question again, and compare our answers to those from the beginning of the year.
Love this recent post you did about the “The Recant Fundamentalist,” I loved it almost as much as the intro to your essay. Your blog post was beautifully written as always especially as you were introducing Erica as a truly complex character in this story, but I liked more so your explanation of Erica as a “tool” in this story to exemplify the “personal and political aspects of the novel,” which I completely concur with. You discuss her possible death and compare it to the isolation Changez felt after the events of 9/11, however, do you think her possible symbolism stretches beyond the events of 9/11 and speak to more larger abstract problems such as religion, nostalgia, and notions of value between east and west, or stick with repercussions of 9/11? Anyways rad job man, and rock on!
Response to Joey’s blog on “Relationship Between Individuality, Culture, and Global Relationships”
In his blog, Joey reflects on what he is taking away from the Global Citizens’ stream and the realizations that this year has brought to him. A very important reflection that Joey makes is on the “individuality that populates our world” and how individuality influences the potentials and consequences of humanity and global relationships. I never thought about that, I never thought that our need and our desire for individualism would ever lead to influence compassion and care, let alone did I ever reflect on the negative aspects of it, such as the Islamic State and its emphasis on terror and war as Joey puts it. Furthermore, I like the idea that we have of being recognized and appreciated because we are different, because we deserve to stand out, and in turn, we give back to the world by making a difference and helping the people in need. This is a very important reflection as a global citizen, and I think that Joey made a wonderful job at it.
Response to Naima’s Post
I really enjoyed reading Naima’s post, “Islamophobia in the Modern World” and agree with her statement that we still have a long way to go as a society in terms of toleration. Naima’s example of Islamophobia is truly touching and her discussion of Islamophobia in the context of how tolerant people are or are not, made me consider the meaning of this word and the weight that it holds to different people. To tolerate refers to an allowance of something to exist without interfering with it but this is definitely not the same as respect. To respect each other, no matter the differences, would be an ideal any nation or society would strive for but in our current position this seems quite far and hard to reach. Tolerance, therefore, is what we have settled to strive for because respect has become more of a dream in the eyes of many. In our geography we analyzed how, in the context of globalization, it has been argued by people such as Thomas L. Friedman, (who in The New York Times) argued that the world is becoming increasingly flat. I do not agree with it and one of the reasons why, is the ongoing lack of tolerance and discrimination for people, such as Muslims, that do not make up the dominant groups in society which are composed by primarily white, American or western looking, men.
Hope you all have a great day,
Andrea Barraza
Response to Harnoor’s blog on “Juliana Spahr: First Impressions”
Hey guys!
In her last blog post, Harnoor explores the soothing and hypnotic characteristics of Juliana Spahr’s poems in This Connection of Everyone with Lungs. Throughout her insightful analysis of Spahr’s juxtaposition of romantic nature of lyric poetry to the real tragedies that she talks about in her poems, I realized that Harnoor made a very important point; when we watch the news broadcast, read the newspapers, or even listen to the radio, we tend to disconnect and disassociate from the events taking place in different parts of the world. Because as Harnoor explains, “news headlines reduce tragic events to statistics and factual descriptions”, whereas Spahr uses the “I” providing the reader with a different perception of these events. Spahr’s approach to current events is brilliant, because it allows the reader to actually connect to what they’re reading, in contrast to what they would otherwise do if they were merely scrolling through their newsfeed on Facebook. The point is that the way in which we talk about things, regardless of the variety of the modern media events, has a big impact on the readers. Therefore, Spahr manages to get the reader to engage with the current events and let them sink in for a moment, because the way she talks about them is very personal and intimate, it’s something that we can all relate to, something as simple as This Connection of Everyone with Lungs.
Thanks for reading, have a great week!
-Mariana
In Georgia’s post this week, “How the War on Terror Effected Pop Culture as We Know It”, she mentioned a highly popular podcast called Serial that has been dominating the charts since its release. I also had the pleasure of listening to some episodes of the podcast after a high school teacher recommended it to me. I remember the podcast being so addicting because of the real investment that grows in wanted to believe in the innocence off the convicted teen Adnan. I really liked the connection she made between this podcast and the concepts we’ve been exploring in ASTU as both have to do with the idea of how the existing frames in our daily lives effects the way we value (or don’t value) other human lives. Further, Georgia mentioned a second podcast that will be released soon about a soldier who was taken as a prisoner by the Taliban. This post made me wonder about the reasons behind the public’s immense fascination with Serial. And I’m interested to see whether this media frenzy will be the same for this new podcast whose focus is on a subject that is ironically a little more touchy for American media than murder, as it will revolve around effects of the War on Terror.
Thanks for reading and I highly recommend taking a listen to Serial!
-Harnoor
Response to Jen Paxton’s post
Hi Jen, I thoroughly enjoyed your January 26th blog post. Given that I was unable to find time to visit the exhibit, it was interesting see what you thought of it. I’ve been to a fair few museums myself, however none of them like c̓əsnaʔəm, The City Before the City. The oral nature of the exhibit seems very engaging. The personal accounts I have listened to in previous experiences were always my favorite part, so I think I would have liked it. In our ASTU we have talked a lot about the authority of speech, specifically tied to reporting on a large traumatic events. This was was something that triggered thought during class for me, and I appreciated the way you connected it to your experiences in the museum. The thought provoking subject of the delicacy of authority makes me scrutinize how the same challenges might apply to other industries that seek to tell the stories of others, such as the film and entertainment industries.
Looking forward to further dialogue,
Chase T-R
Response to Ben’s post “Trauma is Global, not just in the West”
Last week, Ben posted a blog post comparing our reactions to trauma when it happens in the West and when it happens around the world. He brought up an interesting point, that when “every single day in Iraq and Syria countless innocent lives are claimed or put in danger by ISIS “we” (the West) for the most part go on living our normal routine lives”.
Although I agree with the sentiment of Ben’s message, I want to play devil’s advocate for a quick minute. Perhaps the reason we’re so concerned with trauma when it happens in the West is not because we feel like other lives aren’t important. Perhaps it’s the proximity that makes it more dangerous. Maybe, the threat of something happening so close to home is more dangerous and less dismissable then the threat of something happening in other parts of the world.
It seems like an awfully self-centered point of view to think that you only care about trauma when you know it can affect you, however, it’s a very logical conclusion to make. I’m sure “we” (the West) do care about innocent lives being taken away in every part of the world, but there’s something more fearful about innocent lives being taken away in parts of the world where you have family and friends.
Just a thought; perhaps we’re not terrible, just a little bit self-centered?
Response to Mariana’s 9/11: When the world stood watching
In Mariana’s post when we were reading Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, she writes about the perspectives of 9/11 from the people involved with this tragedy such as those trapped within the Twin Towers and the others trying to find out if their loved ones were safe.
What really struck me was when Mariana mentioned that when one remembers 9/11, we only think about the number of lives lost that day and the terrorists who perpetrated it; but one does not really think about the individual lives that were lost that day and how they spent their last moments: how they felt, what they thought. To me, when I read that, it seemed that when just solely thinking of the amount of lives lost is in a way “dehumanizing” the individual lives – we don’t think about the individual lives as individual lives lived by different people, instead we just lump them all together to get a statistic. This can be seen in other tragedies such as war. The reason why we turn all those lives into a number in my opinion is not just so we can grasp how many people were lost, but in a way make it easier for those not involved to stomach the event.
Those are my thoughts for the day! Let me know yours!
Fiona Tse
Response to Chase’s Post “Parallels: 9/11 Response and Fear Tactics in the 2016 US Presidential Campaign”
Chase touched very strongly on the current prominence of trauma transfer in the upcoming presidential elections in the United States. Although the benefits of trauma transfer are often discussed, I thought that Chase highlighted very well the unsubtle consequences of doing so. Taking away from the personal and individual component of trauma and using it as a political and sociological tool towards complementing a certain agenda seems to be a the heart of trauma transfer in our current world, and Chase did a very good job at bringing that to the front and center stage this week through his detailed accounts of one such a series of events, focusing in specific on islamophobia.
Personally, I totally agree with him, however; I would have loved to read a little more about a contrast of the described perspective. If put in context we can arguably see that trauma transfer can also benefit people in various ways. The overall conclusion of the post, I believe, is that trauma transfer has shifted from a tool of learning to a method through which people can be exposed to extremes without bringing the individual component in, thus being able to portray very selective aspects of a series of events.
Overall I really enjoyed reading Chase’s post!
Ramon Melser
In response to Matthew’s post,
Matthew,
I think your post on how people have different perspectives and reactions to trauma was really accurate and insightful. It’s true how there are many, many ways to react to and interpret trauma, and many are showcased even within Oskar’s family. Oskar’s very distinctive “heavy boots” and “one hundred dollars” moods, one of the ways he seems to deal with the trauma, seem to have been inherited from his Grandmother, after she moved to America and tried to familiarize herself with the culture and the language and the idioms as a way of coping with her own personal tragedy.
The way he refers to 9/11 as “the worst day”, as you pointed out, is another sign of this trauma-coping tactic. While some people might say that referring to 9/11 as “the worst day” is a form of avoidance or denial or distancing himself from what happened, I actually find it to be quite a bit more emotive, and honest, than just referring to the date. The same goes for “heavy boots” and “one hundred dollars”. Oskar’s diction and perspective on trauma invokes pretty strong aural imagery, which helps to make the reader more empathetic.
Hope you’re having a good day,
Joey
In Lauren’s «What Is Our Common Interest?» Lauren discusses what we all have been trying to decipher, the beauty that is Judith Butler. As Lauren explains, Philosophical Scholar Judith Butler works to answer why the sanctity of human life is spread evenly across people despite them living and dying in a similar way. She answers this human complex with the idea that all humans are subject to violence and the threat of death daily through our environment and other mankind should be matched with broad spectrum vulnerability in order to live a life of precariousness. Lauren says that Butler’s answer is utopian, but that the idea of humans saving the natural environment for our greater good holds hope and truth into what Judith Butler is preaching. The fact that people all over the world are fighting for the environment show that we as a species can recognize a collective threat and recognize collective vulnerability. Recognizing our interconnectedness and our collective vulnerability is key to valuing each other in a equal manner because if people have an understanding that the same things affect all of us, we can potentially unite as one, even if thats not what she’s saying. In this way, I completely agree with Lauren, and I really think that Lauren did an excellent job in bringing a real world example of Judith Butler’s answer of acknowledged preciousness into the our conversation.
Loved your thoughts,
Michael Twamley
Response to Naima’s post,
Naima’s most recent post “US. v.s THEM” caught my eye. The past few years, really since the Obama administration is when I began to hear about Guantanamo Bay. As well as Naima, the poetry we read written by the prisoners triggered something for me. After thinking it further, I realized it was too that the poetry made the prisoners human in my eye. Why is it that poetry triggered this?
As Naima said, it is a very complex. I do not want some of these men in regular society but I do not want them living under these conditions. Is there a middle ground in this? If so, will we ever be able to find it?
Thank you Naima (the Serena Ryder joke was cheesy, but I chuckled),
Amy
Reply to Amy’s blog “Moral Responsibility”
This week, Amy related Asad and Butler’s theories of how we react and respond in terms of other’s crisis to how Canadians are reacting to the current Syrian Refugee Crisis. Amy explains, like Asad, how influential the media is on our reactions. Despite the amount of positive media surrounding the refugee crisis, Amy explains that there are many Canadians who look negatively towards the refugees, concerned that they are terrorists or will damage our economy. Amy asks, “Are we conditioned to not come to the aid of other human beings in fear of them impacting our economy?”
I think that the question Amy is asking very important. I also find it odd that despite the positive attention that these refugees are getting in the media, how so many are not welcoming towards them. Maybe it is not just the impact on the economy that is upsetting people, but this is just an excuse to speak negatively towards them. I wonder if these negative feelings have derived from this leftover notion of “us vs them” that was driven into the minds of Americans, and even Canadians after 9/11. I wonder if, as Butler is suggesting, it is because of the vulnerability that people feel that has them clinging onto this negative mentality. Maybe it is easier for these people to distance themselves from the people they refer to as “them,” rather than accept them into our “us.”
Response to Harnoor’s post
I really enjoyed reading Harnoor’s blog post “De-Framing Frames of War,” as she explained what Judith Butler introduced as socially constructed “frames” through which we observe trauma, and gave current examples of the negative affects that they can have. Harnoor insightfully suggests that “the stories that catch the most empathy from the public are those that seem the most relatable,” and that because they hit close to home they can provoke “feelings of vulnerability and fear.”
The mass shooting in La Loche, Saskatchewan last week made me reflect on this point. This story jumped out at me in the news, and I was overcome with emotion hearing about this tight-knit, remote community being torn apart. I think that the reason I felt connected to this tragedy, is because I come from a small community in the Okanagan that bears many similarities to La Loche in demographics and relative isolation. These factors not only gave me perspective, but, as Harnoor said, drew on my vulnerabilities by making me think, “that could have been me.”
Although this tragedy did not make me want to go out and buy a gun to protect myself, or demand that all schools have armed guards, these are not uncommon thoughts in societies that have been “framed” to turn tragedy into fear and vigilantism. I can only wonder what it would be like to live in a society where I was bombarded by divisive media messages while trying to cope with a traumatic experience. In imaging this negative effect of narrative framing, I agree with Butler’s suggestion that we need to try to possess a “dislocation of perspective,” in order to connect with others in times of tension rather than turning on each other.
Thank you for reading, and thanks for the great post Harnoor!
Lauren Shykora
Response to Harnoor’s post
I really enjoyed reading Harnoor’s blog post “De-Framing Frames of War,” as she explained what Judith Butler introduced as socially constructed “frames” through which we observe trauma, and gave current examples of the negative affects that they can have. Harnoor insightfully suggests that “the stories that catch the most empathy from the public are those that seem the most relatable,” and that because they hit close to home they can provoke “feelings of vulnerability and fear.”
The mass shooting in La Loche, Saskatchewan last week made me reflect on this point. This story jumped out at me in the news, and I was overcome with emotion hearing about this tight-knit, remote community being torn apart. I think that the reason I felt connected to this tragedy, is because I come from a small community in the Okanagan that bears many similarities to La Loche in demographics and relative isolation. These factors not only gave me perspective, but, as Harnoor said, drew on my vulnerabilities by making me think, “that could have been me.”
Although this tragedy did not make me want to go out and buy a gun to protect myself, or demand that all schools have armed guards, these are not uncommon thoughts in societies that have been “framed” to turn tragedy into fear and vigilantism. I can only wonder what it would be like to live in a society where I was bombarded by divisive media messages while trying to cope with a traumatic experience. In imaging this negative effect of narrative framing, I agree with Butler’s suggestion that we need to try to possess a “dislocation of perspective,” in order to connect with others in times of tension rather than turning on each other.
Thank you for reading, and thanks for the great post Harnoor!
Lauren Shykora
In response to Georgia’s post “The Importance of Visuals in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close”:
This post highlights how images throughout the book allow for reality to be shown in Oskars experiences and creates relatable memory for the reader. This is interesting because I think that’s what allowed me to connect more to the book and interpret and think why the author chose these images to express Oskar and the other characters. Without these visuals I feel like the book would have had less meaning and more transparency in the story telling and creation of emotions.
Quoting Georgia: “Having a book focus on the after of an incident shows a different side because everything is perceived with a different lens or idea,” which is true, and with this novel we are able to perceive the trauma in a more direct way through images. I think that just like Persepolis, the graphic novel depicting the Iranian revolution, we as readers can get a more clear interpretation of what the authors are trying to portray. These visuals could be helpful in many aspects of how people understand events in the aftermath, especially using them as a more creative media.
-Mckaylee Catcher
In response to Ramon’s post: Trauma through the eyes of a child.
Ramon’s post examines how we have seen each of the child characters that we have read about this year experience and deal with trauma. Ramon also looks at the example of Anne Franks diary and how trauma is perceived through the eyes of a child in a non fiction narrative. Ramon also talks about how living through the Holocaust undeniably is not a normal childhood, but through Anne Franks diary we are able to experience it too an extent. This is also a characteristic of the other children that we have read about in that their goal of sharing their story be it fiction or non fiction based.
I personally agree with Ramon that reading a story through the eyes of a child and how they experienced the events has immense value because of the innocence that they ultimately have. I also believe that as Ramon stated Anne Frank ties up loose ends when discussing the value of a child telling a story as her recollections have become an invaluable piece in attempting to understand the horrors of the Holocaust through the eyes of a child.
Overall I enjoyed reading the post very much keep up the good work
Robert Bernheim
Response to Benny’s blog: “Let the poem speak to you”
http://blogs.ubc.ca/globalviews/2016/02/11/let-the-poem-speak-to-you/
I have really enjoyed reading this week’s blogs, which have mostly been in response to our recent work with poetry. I find it very interesting to see which poems stuck out for each person and why. In her blog this week, Benny describes why she enjoyed reading the poems “The Names,” by Billy Collins, and “September 1, 1939,” by W. H. Auden. She explains that these poems were effective, especially after 9/11, because of the interpretability of their genre. She explains how with “September 1, 1939,” most readers did not interpret the poem as it had been intended to be when it was written when connecting it to the 9/11 attacks. I agree with Benny that it is probably the interpretability of these poems that makes them so easy to connect to in times of trauma and grief. However, I wonder, is there a danger in creating meanings to literature that is alternative to what the poet intended? Could it be harmful to associate W.H. Auden’s poem to 9/11 if we were to take it for more than face value and consider its context, or should we just consider poetry an art form from which we should interpret anyway that helps us connect to it and find catharsis?
Jen Paxton
Response to Joey’s post: “September 1, 1939”
Joey shared his thoughts on W.H. Auden’s poem “September 1, 1939,” taking particular interest in the author’s choice to alter the final line to: “We must love one another and die” instead of, “We must love one another or die.” I agree with Joey that the altered version carries more weight than the original because the original’s message that a unification of the world through love can prevent the inevitability of death is not a realistic message, and in my opinion, subtracts from the power of the poem.
One of the reasons this poem was moving for many mourners of 9/11, as Joey suggests, was because it highlighted the fragility of human life, and thereby played on the emotions of human precariousness. I would add to this observation that perhaps the very reason that this poem, which is written about an entirely different historical trauma, can be read in the context of 9/11 is because it draws back on universal feelings of vulnerability that Judith Butler has argued connect all humans.
Great post Joey!
-Lauren Shykora
Response to Olivia’s Blog “To Mourn or Not to Mourn”,
I really enjoyed this blog, Olivia was very honest and thoughtful regarding Butler’s work “Survivability, Vulnerability, and Affect”. Olivia asked many questions that obviously, aren’t answered easily if anything can be answered at all.
Where is the line between mourning too much or too little? Are we supposed to mourn for every human being or only the ones we know personally? What is the proper way to mourn? Is there a proactive way to mourn?
Mourning is such a intimate process and everyone deals with it differently. I think that this is why the entire concept of mourning is so complex.
I too, agree with Olivia when she brings up this relating to genocide. Is the rest of the worlds negligence for all of these deaths an important factor in the phenomena of a genocide? It is not our fault for emotionally not being capable of mourning for thousands of people, but what is our moral duty to do?
Very thought provoking Olivia,
Thanks!!
-Amy Main
Hi Class,
If you haven’t already, be sure to read Michael’s newest blog. In it he describes how Judith Butler, or “Judy”‘s article has changed his view of world vision. Is it even possible? Michael cites Butlers terms the “I” and the “other”. If these terms are constantly applicable, will there ever be global unity? Is there a way to break down those socially constructed terms? I agree with Michael’s view of global unity, that it should consist of a universal government which works for the global rather than the local, but since we, as humans, are already divided by so many things: race, ethnicity, social status, economic status, political borders, etc… could we ever unite as one?
Response to Naima’s post “The Falling Man”
I really enjoyed this post and I admire you writing about this sensitive subject. I found you created a unique perspective when deciphering the social response to the picture and the poems . This response speaks volumes with regard to trauma and as you put it “social protocol”. Your post and discussion in class makes me think of how we as a collective deem published remarks on sensitive event as appropriate and attention worthy. The point you raised about the poem capturing the entirety of the photo, not the specifics makes me wonder if our public approval is a matter of abstraction.
I look forward to reading more of your work,
Chase T.R
Response to Joey’s post:
I really enjoyed reading Joey’s last blog post, where he analyzes W.H. Auden’s decision to alter the last line of his poem September 1st, 1939. Joey raised excellent points on what Auden’s thought process might have been in choosing to replace “We must love one another or die” with “We must love one another and die”. I think the quote that Joey brought up, “death is the great equalizer”, is a perfect way of justifying Auden’s change, because the inevitability of death reaffirms why our lives should be spent in harmony with others in the world, regardless of our differences. I agree with Joey on the optimism of the original line, in that it proposes that loving one another can serve as a sort of saviour from our ultimate fate. However, Auden’s edit emphasizes the futility of acts of war and violence. If we can’t escape our own fate then what is the use of undermining that of another?
Thanks for reading thanks for the post, Joey!
-Harnoor
In response to Benny’s post: “Let the poem speak to you”
In Benny’s blog, she talks about how two of the four poems we discussed in class: “The Names” by Billy Collins and “September 1, 1939” by W. H. Auden really spoke to her. Benny talks about how these poems were effective after 9/11 due to their interpretability as poems. Because of their interpretability, people were easily able to “alter” the poem to channel their current emotions which at the time was grief and anger. Benny then goes onto explain that due to this interpretability, people may miss the original meaning of the poems, especially W. H. Auden’s poem. I completely agree with Benny’s statement in that the freedom of interpretation to suit one’s feelings could lead to the opposite meaning to what the poet intended. I wonder whether or not this could pose a risk to those who end up with the alternate conclusions.
Response to Mariana’s blog post: When The World Is Far, Far Away
Mariana wrote a very interesting blog post a few weeks ago where she talked about her experience and understanding of Juliana Spahr’s poem “This Connection Of Everyone With Lungs”. She mentioned how although our beds may be “safe havens” full of comfort, and as escapes from reality, others may go to bed anxious, stressed out, and even terrified.
This got me thinking. I have, on more than a few occasions, took naps if I was stressed out. The phrase “sleep on it” is how I’ve made almost all of my decisions. I’ve always felt that a good night’s sleep, or a nap in between classes was the best way to deal with problems. Sleeping is my favourite passtime, my friends.
However, I know I’m very lucky to have this experience. For many people around the world, sleep is not an end to their problems, but rather just a delay. The world, and their life will still be there when they wake up. Their problems are not “far, far away”; in fact they may just be outside their bedroom door.
It’s terrifying to think that while I’m asleep, having the time of my life, someone somewhere, in a different part of the world, could be having the worst day of their life. And unlike me, they’re not able to “sleep on it”, and no amount of naps are going to help them.
Each time I wake up from a nap, I’ve never felt like I missed anything important. I’ve missed texts, some FaceBook notifications, and maybe a few snapchats (if I’m particularly popular that day), but I’ve never thought about what I missed globally. While I was sleep, did I miss a bombing? A school shooting? For some people, they can never “miss” something of that magnitude, because it’s happening to them, while they’re asleep or not.
Thank you, Mariana, for helping me realized what I missed, and great job on your blog post.
Happy blogging, everyone!
Response to Benny’s Post:
Hi guys and galls,
I thoroughly enjoyed Benny’s post “Let the Poem Speak to You”, for several reasons.
Her notion of interpreting factors that are involved in poetry was quite simply exactly on point in my perspective. As could obviously be seen be the many different perspectives our class always has on matters(, as is represented by their posts), everyone takes home something different from any given source material. Both poems that she brings up by Auden and Collins are, as poetry tends to be, a simple vessel for a complex series of thoughts. The very meaning of a poem is to provide a medium through which one can reflect on that which the poem is founded on, and I strongly believe Benny exemplified that particularly well in her post.
The personal component to poetry is where its very value is found. The ability to convey something so specifically worded and crafted, yet whilst doing so creating so much room for interpretation, is, for me at least, why poetry has such prominent power in the life of man and woman, it is timeless through the very things highlighted in this discussion.
Happy Blogging everyone!
-Ramon
Response to Benny’s Post
One line and a few words can be very powerful and they can haunt your mind for hours and hours long after you have read them. There lies the wonder of poetry: its ability to evoke so much feeling from such little wording. Benny’s post Let the Poem Speak to you analyses two of the five poems we read in our ASTU class and she focuses on specific details and areas of those poems that grabbed her attention. Benny looked further into the line “Those to whom evil is done, Do evil in return” in W.H. Auden’s September 1, 1939, a line that had also made me think twice when I read it. These words are very strong, powerful, and, quite frankly, burdening to read because they carry with them the weight of centuries of wars, battles, struggles, and revenges. I understand how people who were victims of 9/11 can read those words and feel connected to them or find a context in which to read them more clearly. These words are put to life in the wars that followed the 9/11 attacks. When the victims of 9/11 read this, they probably read the word evil as a descriptor of the attackers. However, when I read it, I understood the subject of these words to be the United States as they were the ones attacked by the so called axis of evil and reacted with violence against the middle east. This brings me back to a point discussed by Benny and that is that poetry is so powerful because it can be read differently by everyone and I agree with that as it is exactly what happened with me. Not only can it be read different by everyone but I would like to add that one same poem can be read and interpreted differently by the same person if read in a different time or under different circumstances.
Have a great day!
Andrea Barraza
Response to Robert’s blog:
Robert’s blog spoke about the discrepancy between Canada and Europe in the way we see and perceive trauma, “because of how long each has actually existed as an entity influenced by European values,” which is true, however I believe a few things need to be added onto his statements. While I agree with the comment that Canada is open minded and accepting culture, I believe that this may be too general to say, since in fact many people of Canada aren’t fully aware of how much trauma has occurred within our own country. The idea that Canada doesn’t perceive one trauma as more important than another may be relevant for many, however the country isn’t as “young and innocent” as one may think and although we are liberal there are a lot of unanswered questions that entice thought as to if Canada is as understanding as many believe.
I feel as though stating that one trauma can’t be compared to another also means that one country shouldn’t be compared to another in whether or not it has experienced more trauma throughout history, since the trauma transfer of such events as Residential Schools and the Holocaust both have very real effects on those living today and both have created different legacies. Although, perhaps it is more common for a country such as Europe who has experienced “more trauma” to have a different view on occurrences today, it isn’t applicable to compare whole countries whose population views may vary greatly in which sees trauma in the worst ways, in my opinion. It is more that every individual’s experience and ways they perceived trauma is different, depending on their direct surroundings and personal history, as well as the Western viewpoints that both Canada and Europe are so closely influenced by.
Mckaylee Catcher.
Response To Lauren’s Blog
I really liked your blog post Lauren and I thought you brought up a really good point with “slacktivism” and I also share your concerns with our generation’s possible problem of “slacktivism.” My favourite word to describe this phenomenon of hashtaging and Intsagram videos is “arm-chair activism” because I look at social media phenomena like the ALS ice bucket challenge, Kony 2012 and black lives matter as a quasi-activism.
However, I do believe that there is hope because when there is a will there is a way, and if young people are passionate about addressing socio-political or environmental problems there will be actions made. After all I think social media is a great way at identifying and exposing problems to the masses. In conclusion I believe that your worries have a very simple solution and I think that is you. I think we need to use our individual agency tactilely and actively demonstrate our worries and proposed solutions so that we can accomplish our dreams. I truly believe people people will follow suite when there is an opportunity given because I know I would follow you in a rally when the time comes.
-Sincerely Michael Twamley
Response to Olivia’s Blog Post
Olivia raised some challenging questions in her post “Un-relatable” about how to understand and communicate with those with PTSD or mental illnesses, as “it is hard to support those suffering from [mental illnesses] without personal experience.” Although I can’t really offer an answer, I think that poetry and literature play a potential role in filling the gap between trauma-sufferers, and those of us without a relatable experience. In both Klay and Foer’s texts, there is a way to connect with the characters who struggle with mental illnesses like depression and anxiety. Although this is not the same as understanding the complexities of these illnesses in reality, I think that these literary works serve as a means for readers to better understand how people live with invisible scars of trauma, as well as finding commonality with readers who struggle to connect with others about their personal struggles.
– Lauren Shykora
Response to Devon’s post “Ambiguity and Fundamentals”
I have really enjoyed reading all the many interpretations and theories that have arisen from reading “The Reluctant Fundamentalist.” I thought it was really cool how Devon highlighted the way that Hamid left so much room for interpretation in the novel, specifically, as Devon points out, within the character of Erica. After reading and discussing Peter Morey’s paper, “The rules of the game have changed”: Mohsin Hamid’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist and post 9/11 fiction, I think it’s really interesting to look at previous observations, such as Devon’s different interpretations of Erica, “through the frame” of Morey’s argument. Perhaps, Hamid left so much room for interpretation purposely, in order to “destabilize” and “defamiliarize” the reader’s relationship to the narrative, as Morey suggests (136).
Jen Paxton
Response to Devon’s “Thanks for Listening to me” Post
I definitely agree with Devon’s post and felt very connected to her ideas when she wrote about how this class has served to connect her to fellow classmates. As we discussed deep topics with these people who started out as strangers, we grew closer and they became friends with whom we share a safe environment in this class. Yesterday we realized with my friends that, at the beginning of the year, I worked in a project about collective memory with Robert. He was a complete stranger to me and I met him during this project. Today, Robert, Ramon, Benny, and I are really close friends and have lunch every time after class. With them, we often spend hours and hours discussing seemingly controversial or “taboo” subjects that flow smoothly and without fights because we have grown used to these kinds of talks in ASTU. This would not be the case if it hadn’t been for ASTU. ASTU has opened up the floor and trained us through practice to participate in discussion that are respectful. Among large amounts of other useful lessons, ASTU has taught us to communicate and participate in discussions better.
Andrea Barraza
Response to Ben’s Blog
Ben’s post this week nicely summarized the feelings that I’m sure many students in the Global Citizens CAP stream have as the year comes to an end. Like Ben, I believe that the wide array of global and domestic issues and events that we have learned about in CAP have made me more “in-tune and aware” of the issues happening in our world today. Entering the stream at the start of the year, I did not have as clear of a vision as perhaps a science student would of the specific skills and knowledge that I would be taking with me in April. However, looking back now, it is clear that the knowledge I have now has better prepared me to look at current events such as ISIS, Trump, and Syrian refugees, with a more informed and scholarly perspective. All in all, I agree with Ben that it is “imperative” that students like us are properly educated about these issues so that we can hopefully steer the world into a better direction!
Thanks for the post Ben,
Harnoor
Response to Ben’s Blog,
While reading Ben’s blog I immediately thought of when I first got into UBC arts last year… I was usually embarrassed to respond “just arts” while all my friends are going to school to become engineers or doctors, I just really liked geography, history and my other social sciences. However, similar to what Ben was saying, now I am truly proud to be an arts student. I can have worldly conversations with adults and am able to give my insight into deep issues that I never dreamed of being about to confront. I am also very proud of being in the CAP stream “Global Citizens”, it was such an eye opening year. From Poli Sci, ASTU, Sociology, and Geography we have looked into so many issues from many different perspectives.
Now I can reflect on how much I have grown this year as well, and all my CAP classes contributed to my growth as a human being. I am excited to see where time will take all of us Global Citizens.
Thanks Ben,
Amy
Response to Devon’s “Thanks For Listening To Me”
Devon’s latest blog post talked about the CAP Stream that we’re all fortunate enough to be a part of. She reflected on her time in ASTU especially, and the number of friends she’s gained through this experience.
For me, moving far away and leaving my friends and family behind made me nervous about finding a “clique” in University. I imagined lecture halls with boring professors and 300 students where no one knew each other’s names. And while this may be the case for other students, it certainly isn’t for many and most CAP students. Having 3 classes (and 2 discussions!) with the exact same group of people has made it relatively easy to make friends.
I’ve talked to people outside of CAP and heard them complain about not making very many friends in their classes. They’re experiencing the “Lecture hall with boring professors and 300 students” phenomenon I mentioned earlier.
Devon’s post (and let’s face it, my aforementioned near-friendless peers) have made me feel really lucky about being in the CAP program. It’s not only provided me with countless friends to edit GEOG papers at 3 AM, but also teachers I feel comfortable talking to, classrooms where I can share my thoughts and opinions, and a better idea of what I want to do in my future.
Thankful for CAP, Devon’s post, and the fact that the GEOG paper is over.
Response to Devon’s post “Thanks for listening to me”
In her latest blog, Devon talks about her time in the CAP Stream, especially her time in ASTU and all the friends that she has gained in the Stream.
When I read her post, I could not help but think back to my views on University when I first stepped foot in UBC as a university student instead of being part of my high school band waiting to perform at the Chan Center. I thought that I would have zero or close to zero friends due to everyone being too focused on school and also due to my shy nature – I also thought that I would be drowning in work with no free time like one of my friends last year (she’s year 2 now). However after almost finishing my first year, I cannot help but think how silly my thoughts were at the beginning of the year. It is true that I am still shy at making friends, but I found out that even if you are shy, just extending a word of friendship is all it takes. In addition to this, being in the CAP Stream and being surrounded by the same faces everyday helped me find my place in this university. Although there were times I did feel like I was drowning in work, there were other times where I spent time just hanging out with friends. However in hindsight, the times I felt that I was drowning in work this past year will be nothing compared to when we are drowning in work in the upper years I think.
I am grateful to all the friends that I have made for a memorable first year!!!
Response to Amy’s post
Thanks Amy for your post, I really like the way it brought the class around full circle, ending with the question we were challenged with at the beginning of the year. It feels like so long ago when we had our 50 word limit to describe the term “Global Citizen”. I enjoyed the way you tied in multiple themes from the novels we have read throughout the year into your analysis. It’s crazy to think how far we have come, and how much we have learned in this class alone over the past 2 semesters. I Think it would be interesting if we were to answer the question again, and compare our answers to those from the beginning of the year.
Chase TR
Dear Chase,
Love this recent post you did about the “The Recant Fundamentalist,” I loved it almost as much as the intro to your essay. Your blog post was beautifully written as always especially as you were introducing Erica as a truly complex character in this story, but I liked more so your explanation of Erica as a “tool” in this story to exemplify the “personal and political aspects of the novel,” which I completely concur with. You discuss her possible death and compare it to the isolation Changez felt after the events of 9/11, however, do you think her possible symbolism stretches beyond the events of 9/11 and speak to more larger abstract problems such as religion, nostalgia, and notions of value between east and west, or stick with repercussions of 9/11? Anyways rad job man, and rock on!
-Michael Twamley
Response to Joey’s blog on “Relationship Between Individuality, Culture, and Global Relationships”
In his blog, Joey reflects on what he is taking away from the Global Citizens’ stream and the realizations that this year has brought to him. A very important reflection that Joey makes is on the “individuality that populates our world” and how individuality influences the potentials and consequences of humanity and global relationships. I never thought about that, I never thought that our need and our desire for individualism would ever lead to influence compassion and care, let alone did I ever reflect on the negative aspects of it, such as the Islamic State and its emphasis on terror and war as Joey puts it. Furthermore, I like the idea that we have of being recognized and appreciated because we are different, because we deserve to stand out, and in turn, we give back to the world by making a difference and helping the people in need. This is a very important reflection as a global citizen, and I think that Joey made a wonderful job at it.
-Mariana Baldivieso