Zeitoun: fabricated hero?

Hello to all my faithful and wonderful blog readers!
That was a joke. I’m 100% positive that there are zero people that faithfully follow this blog.
In our ASTU (at UBC) class we recently read the book Zeitoun by Dave Eggers. This book is about one man’s struggle and the injustices against him during the 2005 hurricane Katrina. The main character, Abdulrahman Zeitoun, courageously stays in New Orleans (even though his family left for Florida) during the devastating hurricane and aids others as much as he can. But he is unfairly taken to a make-shift jail in a Greyhound on the false account of looting. This book ends with a sense of uplift and hope that we can all overcome our struggles, no matter what the circumstances. After reading Zeitoun I decided to Google what the family has been up to in the past ten years and to also to put a faces to the names. I was shocked when the only articles that appeared on Google were about how Zeitoun had recently been in jail for assaulting his wife, Kathy, and then allegedly hiring someone to kill her on his behalf. In the novel Kathy and Zeitoun appeared to have such a loving relationship!

We discussed in class how this affected our initial impressions of the novel. Some class members thought that Zeitoun’s present situation should not change the overall message of the novel. I agree that the novel portrays a sense of hope but it’s hard to see the book in the same light once the main character is brought down from his heroic pedestal. Throughout the novel Zeitoun is portrayed as the valiant protagonist who deeply cares for his family and others. However, I just can not see him in the same after learning about what he did to his wife.

Our discussion in class made me wonder if it was actually the author who changed the character. Everybody loves a hero so perhaps the author changed the actual personality of the protagonist in order to make a more interesting and engaging novel. In the media things can be portrayed in whichever way the author chooses so maybe Eggers knew that their marriage wasn’t perfect but decided to fabricate a story that would be more appealing. Eggers has also made no public announcement or comment on what has been happening with the Zeitoun family. I understand that he would have had to establish a deep connection with the family and throughly get to know them in order to write this novel but something just seems fishy to me. It just seems too odd that a man who was portrayed as such a heroic man could completely change in less than a decade.

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Why does she want those jeans?

In ASTU class we’ve begun focusing on our big questions for the big research essay. I have been trying (albeit struggling) to make the connection of the Levi jeans from Joe Sacco’s Safe Area Gorzade to the theme of distance/proximity and connection/disconnection. The narrator/author, Joe Sacco, is asked by a Bosnian woman for a pair of authentic Levi’s 501 jeans. During the time period that this novel takes place, the 90s, Levi jeans were very “hip.” Even though their country is riddled with war and desolation do they still want to feel like a part of the global community? I am trying to find the connection between Western culture’s prominent control vs. countries of disconnection and distance.
It’s always baffled me why our Western culture has such a profound global influence.
So, out of blatant curiosity, I typed into Google: “Why is Western culture…” and the most common searches that appeared underneath were:
Why is Western culture so sexualized
Why is Western culture superior
Why is Western culture dominant
Why is Western culture bad

All these searches got me thinking.. What do they all have in common? Is it maybe that Western culture is seen as more liberal and hyper-sexualized and therefore bad? Or is it because of our liberty and freedom of sexuality that we are dominant?
I decided to click on the first option: Why is Western culture so sexualized
To summarize, it seems that there was a personal liberation movement headed by the Protestant Reformation in the 1500’s. This apparently gave way to the open culture in which we live. However it is the power of the media that pushes sexuality. As they say: sex sells.
So, with that cleared up, I moved on to the next search: Why is Western culture superior. Just to note, I do not in any way believe that Western culture is superior. Anyways, most of my findings on this topic were bias although there was some emphasis on Westerner’s obvious individual rights. Western dominance was much of the same results. For the final and perhaps most interesting search: Why is Western culture bad? This search resulted in a bevy of strange answers. A large portion of them being bias bloggers ranting about negativity in society.
It seems that there is a key term that is bringing all these thoughts and ideas together: individual rights. So is that why Western culture is idolized; because we have more liberty within our society?
Going back to my initial thoughts which was does Western culture have the control. Well, I am looking forward to going into further depth for my essay and hope filling bridging the gap between a poor Bosnian woman and her need for a pair of Levi’s 501 jeans.

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BLOG OF THE NEW YEAR

Hello my loyal and non-existent blog readers!
In ASTU class (a writing course taught at UBC) we have read and are discussing extremely loud and incredibly close by Stephen Foer. This fiction book centres around a young boy named Oskar who’s father dies in the twin towers during 9/11. Although this book may be a fictional account of one young boys experience dealing with losing someone it brings to light very real issues. Thousands of people lost friends and family in the tragedy of 9/11. That is thousands of people who grieved and suffered the impact of loss.
It’s easy to become de-sensitized about past terrorist attacks. Especially those that are not in own country and are not personally connected to. It’s easy to just think “Wow, what a terrible thing. I hope that never happens again.”
But something similar, although with less fatalities, happened just last week.
The Charlie Hebdo incident. Brief summary for those living under a rock: Charlie Hebdo is a weekly French magazine which is known to publish anti-racist and anti-religious articles. On January 7th 2015, Islam extremists raided the Newspaper’s headquarters in Paris causing 12 fatalities and 11 wounded. The attack was in response to controversial cartoons of Mohammed in the Hebdo magazine.
What ties this all together for me is I was in Paris when the 9/11 attacks happened. I distinctly remember sitting in my hotel room watching cartoons on TV when all of a sudden every channel was showing the planes crashing into the twin towers. Every. Single. Channel.
Paris, being a large and highly populated city like New York felt threatened and the shift in the atmosphere was almost tangible. For me, that was the closest I have ever come to truly experiencing a terrorist attack. I lived in Paris last year and I still have friends living there and I see through their instagrams, facebooks, snapchats and twitters the realness and chaos of what is happening over there.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that in Canada we have become so accustomed to feeling safe that we never imagine ourselves at risk for a terrorist attack. Canada is known as a peaceful country and it would shock the entire nation if another country, or group of extremists, attacked us. Reading extremely loud and incredibly close made me realize that after I watched those planes hit the taint owes on my TV, thousands of people, if not the entire nation, had to deal with the painful aftermath.
Sorry is this blog post was a bit scattered but I have the flu so I will blame any incomprehension on the medicine.

http://www.euractiv.com/sections/eu-priorities-2020/911-charlie-hebdo-eus-response-terrorism-311264

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Class Blogger

Hello faithful blog readers! (the few that exist)
This week I have the pleasure of being the class blogger.
I went through several other ASTU student’s blogs this week and all of them were about our field trip to the archives.
Our ASTU class had a fun and educational trip to the UBC archives where we were treated to Joy Kogawa’s life documents. By popular opinion it was definitely an interesting and helpful trip. We were given further insight into her life and even found letters from a possible affair!
Some people were more blessed than I was with the box that they had gotten. Mine was mostly drafts but the people next to me had the letter from Brian Mulroney which was interesting to see.
From observing other blogs, it is clear that the rest of the class agrees that having this “secret knowledge” into Joy Kogawa’s life makes it more interesting to read and write about her.
It feels like we, as a class, have this awesome sort of advantage.
It’s hard to appreciate the work that goes into writing a book when all we see are the heavily edited published pages. We got to see all the hard work and detail that went into writing Obasan and it really enunciates how hard it is to write a book. Especially for Joy Kogawa because she had to look back on her tough past.

I can collectively say that it was a successful trip and everyone was thankful we were given the opportunity.

I wish my other classes had field trips…. !

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Blog #4

In ASTU (a writing class taught at the University of British Columbia) we have begun reading Obasan by Joy Kogawa. I was, admittedly, reluctant to read this book and had not one single clue as to what it was about. But as I began reading this book I was shocked and slightly embarrassed. In Chapter 4, we learn that Grandma Nakane was imprisoned right here in Vancouver at Hastings Park in 1942. How could I have grown up in Vancouver but never known about these internment camps? Or the racism towards Japanese? Or anything!?

This reminded me of earlier this year in Sociology when we learned about the Komagata Maru. The Komagata Maru was a boat full of (potential) immigrants from India. Ultimately the ship was not allowed to unload it’s passengers into Vancouver. These people were searching for a better life and a new beginning but were brutally turned away. Canada found a loophole which legally rejected them from our society even after they had travelled for months and just wanted to get off the ship.
Both incidents are racist blemishes on Vancouver and Canada’s past. We have a holiday to remember the war (Remembrance Day). Of course we can’t forget the war! But why do we have to forget everything else?

In chapter 7 of Obasan the author brings to light the important issue: Should we remember?
The character’s responses display a broad spectrum of beliefs and are those that we still contemplate to this day. Aunt Emily is deeply angered by what happened to her people during WWII and she thinks that Japanese-Canadians need to understand what happened to them and their ancestors otherwise they will forever hold a grudge and pass on the resentment to future generations. On the contrast, Naomi (the narrator) is indifferent to events that are long past. Obasan (the other aunt) and Uncle are grateful towards Canada; thankful that they are allowed to live here. Allowed to live here.

Personally, I’d like to be more informed about the history of the city that I live in. I’ve learned more about Vancouver in these past 2 months of University than I have in 20 years of actually living here. Maybe they’re (whoever decides our history) just trying to keep up the image that Vancouver is an accepting and positively diverse city. Or maybe they’re embarrassed too.

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Blog #3

In last week’s ASTU class we had a midterm based on an essay that mainly focused on the role of social media. The essay really struck a note with me. It (somehow) had never occurred to me that we are basing a large part of our thoughts and feelings on what we see or receive through our cellphones and computers. The essay brought forth the term “culture of connectivity” which is all too true. We are constantly connected to a intangible world. This hollow and bias digital world that shapes our thoughts and feelings. As I sit here trying to write my blog, I am constantly distracted by multiple forms of social media bombarding me on my cell phone (ie. Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat). We are not victims, but rather culprits. We allow ourselves to believe what we see on social media. We allow ourselves to be deceived. Someone can be anything behind the security of a screen.

I read an article recently about how it was now a proven fact that Facebook causes “FOMO” or Fear Of Missing Out. We see photos of other people having fun and it can lead to actual depression. “We are a community plagued by the fear of missing out and being in love with our smartphones doesn’t help at all.” (Cornell Sun, 2014) On every platform of social media we are falsely connected to people. For instance, I have 800 people on Facebook but I only talk to about 20 of them. But within this vast group of “friends” I witness other people having seemingly more interesting lives. Such as traveling the world, meeting celebrities or becoming a model.
It truly bothers me that our society has succumbed to this level. However, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a part of it. I am no stranger to the feeling of sadness when I see a photo of friends having fun without me. Or (I admit this out of shame) posting a photo to make other’s jealous. For example “Haha I’m Hawaii and you’re in school!” Yes, I have done that. And, of course, we’ve all seen the post-breakup posts about how they’re “So much better off” and “Single and loving it!” Like, c’mon, we all know you’re sitting at home with a tub of Ben & Jerry’s watch Friends reruns. Or maybe that’s just me…

The midterm essay may have focused on how social media alters our memories but it made be realize other issues it causes. Along with FOMO, social media does a lot of harm. We use the anonymity of digital networks to be someone we are not. We are basing our beliefs in lies. But how can we change this?

News article about Facebook “FOMO” : http://cornellsun.com/blog/2014/10/09/milian-say-no-no-to-fomo/

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Blog #2

In ASTU class (A writing course at the University of British Columbia) we have begun reading Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi which embodies a prominent theme of feminism and gender inequality. Although this book takes place in the 1980s, it brings to light that the issue of gender inequality has been around for decades and still, unfortunately, exists today.
I was extending my procrastination on Facebook when I noticed someone had shared a speech made by Emma Watson (famously known by her character Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter film series). Out of boredom and an affinity for Harry Potter, I clicked the link and watched. 13 minutes later, there I sat, dumfounded and completely inspired. Her speech was unquestionably powerful and unexpectedly moving. Focusing on gender inequality, she reaches out to men in particular with the “He for She” campaign. The goal of this campaign is to once-and-for-all eliminate this issue. Watson states that “No country in the world can say that they have achieved gender equality.”

From a personal standpoint, I know what it is like to be objectified as a woman. Even in our so-called “open minded” and “liberal” society women are still seen as sluts for wearing low-cut tops or short shorts. Even yoga pants, which are very popular here in Vancouver, are seen as “sexy” due to the fact they are tight. In Persepolis, women are forced to wear veils and completely cover their bodies in order to conceal any signs of sexuality. Similarly, in high school we had a dress code for girls and if we disobeyed this code we had to wear the “skirt of shame.” But why should we be forced into thinking that the way we dress has a direct impact on men? Why can’t we just dress however we want? Why should we dress for anyone other than ourselves?
As a Canadian I see it as ludicrous for a country or any kind of community to tell women what they can and can not do.
However, we are not much better off. The issue of gender equality goes way beyond border lines and actually revolves around women on a global scale.

As Westerners we are often seen as (often by less “liberal” countries) being more advanced and open-minded. We are often idolized and envied by other cultures. In Persepolis, Satrapi goes through a Western-influenced, rebellious teenage phase. She wears Nikes and listens to Michael Jackson and provokingly shows some hair. But why should anyone idolize the West?
If Western culture has such an immense impact on the rest of the world, why don’t we start the domino effect? No country has reached gender quality, but why don’t we start? After all, isn’t that what it means to be a global citizen? To see everyone as your equal and eliminate the stereotypes and discriminations? To reach out to others globally? I leave you with the closing lines from Emma Watson’s speech: “If not me, who? If not now, when?”

He for She Campaign Website: http://www.heforshe.org/

Emma Watson’s United Nations Speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-iFl4qhBsE

There is, unfortunately, an attack being made on Emma Watson in response to this speech. An unidentified group of internet hackers have threatened to expose “sexual” images of Emma Watson. This group does not agree with her campaign and state that “feminism is a growing cancer.” Full article here: http://www.vox.com/2014/9/23/6832243/the-sexual-threats-against-emma-watson-are-an-attack-on-women

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Blog #1

The opening line of Farhat Shazad’s The Role of Interpretive Communities in Remembering and Learning clearly states that “Students’ memories and learning strategies are situated in their social relationships, political orientations, cultural meanings, worldviews, and historical experiences.” This is undoubtably a fact. We look towards our past, present and future with eyes clouded by the impressions of our communities. Whether it be our families, friends, neighborhoods, cities or nations. Every community that we are a part of impacts our mindsets.
But what’s nagging at me: is this a good thing?
Our selective memories are all too often seen through rose-coloured glasses. Shahzad referenced the “War on Terror” and used students to recall their memories of 9/11. Comparatively, 9/11 happened while I was on vacation in Paris. I distinctly remember staring at the TV screen and watching the twin towers crumble into chaos. However, when I look back to that time, my memory is shrouded over with thoughts of beautiful Paris and how innocently happy I was. Sitting in my hotel, 3,627 miles away from the epicenter of tragedy; nothing could possibly infiltrate my bubble of elation. When I recall that vacation I think of the ferris wheel in the Jardin Des Tuileries and the many, many crepes.

10 years later I moved to Paris. My rose-coloured glasses were quickly shattered when all my important belongings where stolen right from my hands. That was only the beginning of many disheartening experiences. Coming from Canada and having known nothing but safe neighborhoods and private schools I was disgustingly unprepared. I was living in my tiny, misguided bubble filled with embarrassing naivety. Paris wasted no time in bursting that bubble and spitting me out into the real world. One of the biggest differences was watching the news. Watching the news in Vancouver is like watching the “happy channel”. For instance, someone finding their cat or a new sea otter at the Aquarium. Paris news was the opposite; It embedded this explicit fear that Paris was constantly at the risk of war and terrorism.
People are told what they want to hear and nobody wants to hear the horror stories. Especially not Canadians. We live in a safe country and we are told by our communities that there’s nothing else to know. Why scare people, right?
We tell people what we want them to hear and that’s the problem.

It began to genuinely irritate me that I was so horribly misinformed. How did I not know that there are people in Paris that make their living off scamming tourists? Or that riding the metro would lead to someone following me home? Or the constant riots?
I had been living my entire life in a tiny bubble only knowing the selective truths that had been passed on in my communities. Paris left me brutally awakened yet thankful. I left with a new found sense of the world and fresh perspective.
I now know that everything is not what it seems. Living in Canada we are alienated from the big picture. There are many things going on in this great big world of ours and it is up to us, personally, to decide how we remember, interpret and learn.

Here is an example of a “top story” from the Vancouver Sun: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/metro/soldier+humiliated+after+service+denied+entry+restaurant/10216155/story.html

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