Ahhh, the Old Ball 'n' Chain
School... **cue Supertramp**... I feel like I've been working all weekend and yet haven't accomplished very much. Three papers and a midterm this week - but we all go through it, so I shouldn't complain. I can't even be angry with myself for not working hard because I have been (for a change). It will be interesting to see if doing stuff NOT the day before it's due makes any difference. Because if it doesn't, well then I'll just go back to procrastination ;).So why am I writing in here, if I have lots of things to do? Well, it's my little indulgence I think; a little escape from the academia. A necessary sometimes.
I went to church this morning, and it was really special for one reason in particular - Kelly. I have been feeling incredibly discouraged about my family lately, so to have my little sister come was so COOL. I'm not sure what she thought of it, and I don't think she knows either, but considering she's been with me only once before, I'd say getting her in the door, introducing her to people who lead youth... it can't be a bad thing. I've asked her about going to the youth group on Thursday nights, and I think she's nervous but is showing a bit of interest. I want to nurture this interest.
Andrea and Kyra came as well. I love that little girl so much - I can't believe she's two! I've given up on trying to get her to call me Auntie, grumble grumble. Awww, her eyes are so blue, almost turquoise; they're stunning and just radiate from her little face. We danced together during worship and she clapped and laughed. Hmm... Andrea didn't even get paged to the nursery ever 10 minutes like normal. So I guess it was a good day for bringing family. Andrea might come to YA tomorrow night, which'd be cool - I like spending time with my cousin now that the age difference isn't as severe as it once was.
I read through the comments on my media entry. I was really glad that people read it actually, because it's been on my mind a lot lately. I especially found it interesting that the subject of Sudan was brought up. In this class, we have to do a research project and a final presentation and I've been trying to think of a way to incorporate that topic into my area of research. I wonder why it is that Southern Sudan has been largely ignored and now Darfur is sparking attention. I must admit, in my ignorance, I had NO idea that there had been 20 years of background in the south until recently, when I talked with people from Southern Sudan and heard them present at UBC.
One man told of his experiences with reporters. He emailed a group of them, wondering why there was such a limit amount of coverage, and the response from one journalist was that the interested of the readership just wasn't there. Why now -- why Darfur? Does it have something to do with the oil-rich areas? OK, now I'm just greasing the propaganda machine and it's really nothing more than speculation, but that's kind of where I want to head with this research project. It's a bit much to undertake, though, and I fear that this might be something that I will have to pursue not for a grade but for myself. Especially with my limited knowledge at this point, and the constraints of the project, maybe I'll just stick with something a bit easier. I tend to become emotionally attached to things like this very quickly anyway, and find it hard to be objective :p.
It would be interesting, however, to see how people from the Sudan are portrayed in the print media. Do they get any direct speech, or is it mostly the elites in control of a particular bureau who are quoted, leaving the Sudanese to be indirectly represented (if at all)? That might be a bit more tangible than "Sara's Research on Why She Can't Single-Handedly Fix What She Sees as Wrong With the World and Make People Care and Be Honest and...." etc. Though that would be interesting (especially if I handed it in)!
I'd like to read that book of yours, Kiri. If ever I have the time to read NOT for school.
I don't think that the kind of contextualization that I was alluding to is actually present in the media, for the most part. I was simply entertaining some thoughts. A lot of common sense has to do with the old cliche that we have to take things with a grain of salt. Using the knowledge of the world that we have, I agree that we should be able to decipher a general idea of what's going on.
In thinking a bit further, I wonder if misrepresentation has more to do with our cultural background rather than with something intentional. Certainly, we take what we see and we interpret it. The comment about the cutting room floor and not recognizing something - I think that is a crucial point. Being raised as we have been, each person has their own conceptions of the world... it is arguably nearly impossible to remove oneself from the culture from which s/he hails. It might be as easy as someone with pure and good intentions misunderstanding or not recognizing a situation or even appropriating by accident. It happens within a culture as well, where we have different people from different families learning different things. I guess we have a lot to learn from one another. Hmm... I feel like I'm typing in circles around what I'm trying to say without actually SAYING it, but maybe that's a good thing? I should get back to work.
But let me just say that despite cultural differences, I believe there is an objective Truth out there; a Good that can be found. It's things such as faith and love that can bind us together in working towards this good, or this truth, and in bettering the world, regardless of where we were born. [Which can lead back to the issue of Sudan... I believe that genocide is intrinsically and objectively wrong, and I think most people would agree. I'm no Hobbesian: I definitely think that there is good, and that it can prevail]. It's our responsibility to try to look at the world with this in mind and to try to care for people...
The next likely topic of more serious discussion will likely be the LIMITATIONS OF LANGUAGE and why those limitations piss me off ;). That's had me thinking (and has been FRUSTRATING me!!!!!!) a lot recently as well.
I went to church this morning, and it was really special for one reason in particular - Kelly. I have been feeling incredibly discouraged about my family lately, so to have my little sister come was so COOL. I'm not sure what she thought of it, and I don't think she knows either, but considering she's been with me only once before, I'd say getting her in the door, introducing her to people who lead youth... it can't be a bad thing. I've asked her about going to the youth group on Thursday nights, and I think she's nervous but is showing a bit of interest. I want to nurture this interest.
Andrea and Kyra came as well. I love that little girl so much - I can't believe she's two! I've given up on trying to get her to call me Auntie, grumble grumble. Awww, her eyes are so blue, almost turquoise; they're stunning and just radiate from her little face. We danced together during worship and she clapped and laughed. Hmm... Andrea didn't even get paged to the nursery ever 10 minutes like normal. So I guess it was a good day for bringing family. Andrea might come to YA tomorrow night, which'd be cool - I like spending time with my cousin now that the age difference isn't as severe as it once was.
I read through the comments on my media entry. I was really glad that people read it actually, because it's been on my mind a lot lately. I especially found it interesting that the subject of Sudan was brought up. In this class, we have to do a research project and a final presentation and I've been trying to think of a way to incorporate that topic into my area of research. I wonder why it is that Southern Sudan has been largely ignored and now Darfur is sparking attention. I must admit, in my ignorance, I had NO idea that there had been 20 years of background in the south until recently, when I talked with people from Southern Sudan and heard them present at UBC.
One man told of his experiences with reporters. He emailed a group of them, wondering why there was such a limit amount of coverage, and the response from one journalist was that the interested of the readership just wasn't there. Why now -- why Darfur? Does it have something to do with the oil-rich areas? OK, now I'm just greasing the propaganda machine and it's really nothing more than speculation, but that's kind of where I want to head with this research project. It's a bit much to undertake, though, and I fear that this might be something that I will have to pursue not for a grade but for myself. Especially with my limited knowledge at this point, and the constraints of the project, maybe I'll just stick with something a bit easier. I tend to become emotionally attached to things like this very quickly anyway, and find it hard to be objective :p.
It would be interesting, however, to see how people from the Sudan are portrayed in the print media. Do they get any direct speech, or is it mostly the elites in control of a particular bureau who are quoted, leaving the Sudanese to be indirectly represented (if at all)? That might be a bit more tangible than "Sara's Research on Why She Can't Single-Handedly Fix What She Sees as Wrong With the World and Make People Care and Be Honest and...." etc. Though that would be interesting (especially if I handed it in)!
I'd like to read that book of yours, Kiri. If ever I have the time to read NOT for school.
I don't think that the kind of contextualization that I was alluding to is actually present in the media, for the most part. I was simply entertaining some thoughts. A lot of common sense has to do with the old cliche that we have to take things with a grain of salt. Using the knowledge of the world that we have, I agree that we should be able to decipher a general idea of what's going on.
In thinking a bit further, I wonder if misrepresentation has more to do with our cultural background rather than with something intentional. Certainly, we take what we see and we interpret it. The comment about the cutting room floor and not recognizing something - I think that is a crucial point. Being raised as we have been, each person has their own conceptions of the world... it is arguably nearly impossible to remove oneself from the culture from which s/he hails. It might be as easy as someone with pure and good intentions misunderstanding or not recognizing a situation or even appropriating by accident. It happens within a culture as well, where we have different people from different families learning different things. I guess we have a lot to learn from one another. Hmm... I feel like I'm typing in circles around what I'm trying to say without actually SAYING it, but maybe that's a good thing? I should get back to work.
But let me just say that despite cultural differences, I believe there is an objective Truth out there; a Good that can be found. It's things such as faith and love that can bind us together in working towards this good, or this truth, and in bettering the world, regardless of where we were born. [Which can lead back to the issue of Sudan... I believe that genocide is intrinsically and objectively wrong, and I think most people would agree. I'm no Hobbesian: I definitely think that there is good, and that it can prevail]. It's our responsibility to try to look at the world with this in mind and to try to care for people...
The next likely topic of more serious discussion will likely be the LIMITATIONS OF LANGUAGE and why those limitations piss me off ;). That's had me thinking (and has been FRUSTRATING me!!!!!!) a lot recently as well.
posted by Sara at
1:52 p.m.
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