The Panopticon and Its Continuous Inspiration

I was very intrigued reading the article on Jeremy Bentham, who created the idea of a Panopticon in his attempt of reforming the prison system in the late 18th Century. The morals of authority back then were not as civil and righteous as they are today. Abuse occurred within rehab services consistently including prisons and mental institutions. Jeremy Bentham created a prison that would keep eyes on the prisoners, or so it may seem, at all times; he did this through setting a tower for a guard within a circular prison, in which the prisoners cells would be circling the tower. In this way, Bentham thought this would create the illusion that the prisoner would not know if the guard was watching him or not.
Along with this, he wanted to give the prisoners more humane treatment within the prison walls.
Michel Foucalt made numerous works; one in which used Jeremy Bentham's panopticon and treatment in prison as a foundation of one of his works. I was not sure if this was an attempt to make his support against the treatment of people in prisons or it just interested him, but either way he must have really enjoyed Bentham's ideas. I found it interesting that the name, panopticon, derived from a mythical story of a creature, Panoptes, with numerous eyes and was used as a watchman. Myths and legends really take my attention because I find it so interesting that these myths (sometimes so ridiculous) can have such an impact of words and phrases we may not even know relate to such old fables.

Regarding the article of "The World of Wrestling", I agree with the authors' opinion that wrestling is not a true sport, but just a bunch of "players"that give the crowd what they want and think of them. In all likelihood, the entire entertainment show is scripted and does not seem worth it to watch if this be the case. On the one hand, boxing compared to wrestling, I guess, in some way can do things similar. On the other hand, boxers make genuine movements and decisions to play fairly, instead of relying on someone to tell them what to do. However, in both wrestling and boxing, the floor in which the fighting takes place is settled within a circular venue just like the Panopticon was set up. Just as what I was saying before, the idea of this set up for boxing and wrestling could be indirectly, yet definitely, reflecting the idea Jeremy Bentham created. Passed down through generations and generations, the structure of something in the middle of a circular frame is a genius idea for many people to take on and keep taking on for the years to come.

Are Circus Shows Endangered?

Circus shows have been a long-loved source of entertainment. Even dating back to the 1800s, people would crowd around a woman riding an elephant or a muscle man lifting hundreds of pounds. It was something to do, something to be entertained by, something that has been around long before technology progressed to what it is today. Due to this, I think its safe to ask.. Are circus shows going extinct?
As a child, my parents would take me to the Big Apple Circus in New York City with family friends. I loved going to the circus; its so appealing to the eye for a child with its big lights, odd people, clowns, dancing animals, and more. Every year, my dad would tell me its carnival season and I would know exactly where I was gonna be soon in the future. But nowadays, where I am more busy with school and work I don't have time to go to the circus.. and even if I did, with who? It is apparent that circuses are not as cherished as they used to be.
It seems to me that children today are so enveloped in ways of entertainment that are solely through technology. If its a game, its on an iPad. If its an activity, the only activity being made is changing the channel on tv. If its an outside activity, its sitting on one's phone. There is a big connection between technology's role in children's lives today and the gradual decline of interest in circuses. Maybe I am not so familiar with news of circuses today.. but seriously, the time of circuses is coming to an end.

What do you think about it?

http://www.bigapplecircus.org

Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ The Madama Butterfly Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ

At first look of the video, I was a little weirded out. I mean, who was expecting the first two minutes of the video to be two dolls having sexual relations? Anyways, as the video progressed I realized it was not about the dolls' relationship to each other but more so about the doll who was treated so cruelly. The female doll was much less attractive than the male doll who had color to him and more definition of his body. (on a scale of how much a doll can even be attractive) However, she had a beautiful butterfly follow her around that eventually left with the male doll when he abandoned her. The female and male doll were also obviously different races - the male being American and the female being from some type of Asian decent. Not only did he impregnate her but left her to wait for him and raise a child on her own. It was apparent that she loved her newborn child and waited upon the day the male doll would return to her. Unfortunately, when he finally did return it was not by himself but with another female doll that clearly owned more beauty and substance than the female doll left behind. He was smiling when he arrived, which really got me heated. Who does this guy think he is?! Anyways, back to what's important. When he arrived, he took the child out of the female doll's hands as if he were happy to be reunited with his long lost lover. Yet, instead of meeting the female doll with open arms, he took her child, put the child in his car, and waved a goodbye.

I can't deny it, I did feel very sorry for the female doll. My first take on the video I was so confused as to what I was watching but as minutes passed I realized that the author was pretty creative in his depiction of this love story. I believe he was talented in his ability to manifest an emotion out of me from watching just a video on a love story of DOLLS. I sympathized for the mother who lost her child but it became clear that this was not going to be a story that left the viewer feeling sad. The mother doll began to detach herself (I honestly thought she was committing suicide) but as she became completely soulless, she began to be blown away by the wind. Within seconds, those broken pieces of her mounted into another beautiful butterfly. And that beautiful butterfly became her old self again - the pale long-haired female doll with the butterfly always following her.

I attempted to step back for a second and really think of the message the author of the illustrations was trying to convey. So here's my take on it: I believe the butterfly signifies the female dolls' love. It seems that she does not have much substance besides the butterfly that follows but that is much substance in itself. Once the sailor doll leaves her, her love goes with him and is taken from her. And then, when her baby is born, her baby becomes her new love and even flies just like the butterfly did. Furthermore, when her baby is taken from her and she detaches herself to the bone, she begins to be blown away and turns into another butterfly as if her love has been revived. I am not exactly sure if this means her baby was returned to her or she had some sort of epiphany to not end her life but instead move on to something more positive. Either way, the female doll's story is not left on a dark note, yet transitions within the last piece of it to be a love not able to be taken so cruelly from someone who can love so much. 

Raul Cuero: Creating Creativity

I believe it is the utmost triumph for a person to break out of their shell (culture, social group, work group, etc.) and transcend over the expected norms pushed upon that person. Raul Cuero, a talented inventor, came from a unhealthy and illiterate family. Consequently, his abilities intellectually were limited and he therefore turned to basketball as a foundation for himself as an individual. However, when Raul moved to a bigger city, he faced discrimination and the burden that he, as a Columbian and person of that ethnic background, could not be academically advanced. Undoubtedly, he was seen as a talented basketball player but only in the physical sense; it was expected just from his image that he would not be one to be intellectually inclined. For anyone, it would be a hard step to not only take this type of criticism lightly, but also turn it into encouragement rather than discouragement. From the interview with Raul Cuero, I have been enlightened thoroughly on the fact that taking such criticism to heart is only self-destructive; it is through using the expected norms put on you by your outside environment that can motivate you to want more out of your life than what is standard. Raul used the prejudice he faced and translated it into the push he needed to make a more educated life for himself.

Confidently, Raul states that a life without complete intensity for your passion is not going to help you achieve your ultimate goal. Moreover, he believes that committing yourself to a goal and putting all your efforts into it is not only rewarding but also makes the outcome of your efforts more prone to being successful. On a more moral level, Raul believes keeping a universal consciousness throughout your life will bring respect to others but more importantly to yourself. Pertaining to the previous idea, Raul has disregarded the local expectations put on himself and instead utilized the idea that any human can accomplish any obstacle with the self perception of universality. I, myself, cannot say I have received such discrimination like Raul has endured, but I can confidently say I have acquired more knowledge by understanding his strength throughout this hardship. Conclusively, Raul made himself a well pronounced individual not by the usual pattern of one gaining fame through wealth or being a part of a prestigious community, but pushed himself beyond the limits society believed he would never be able to pass. 

The Gist of Things

My name is Elise Gutekunst and I am currently a Fine Arts major. I am excited to take this class in its analysis of art and technology as a pair. As an arts major, I am always using my hands to physically create or depict art in numerous ways. The only time I ever remember using art and technology together is playing with Paint on an old computer as a child. Consequently, it is intriguing to think of art with also technology due to the fact that I am not familiar with exercising art in a technological way. I am from New York but would like to lead a life for myself in California in the future. Being selfless and creating pieces that come within yourself rather than a forced factor in creating art is very important element of my work. I believe this class will challenge my imagination as an artist by using technology in a way I never have before.