Your Digital Lifestyle (by prasidp)

Lisbeth Echeverria

Professor Overman

English 113B

May 10, 2012

Living a Digital Life

     Does the advancement of technology really help us or is it simply weakening our minds? By weakening our minds, I mean diminishing intellectual acuity. Technology has advanced rapidly throughout the years. A century ago Americans did not depend on technology and instead found their inform ation by reading books and articles written at the time. Technology is a slave drug in our society. It has increasingly changed the way we live and our ways of thinking. It has even become a natural instinct to go to technology when in need of any kind of source. We are no longer accustomed to our natural environments because everything around us is technology based; this is the reason why I am against the usage of technology. What is the first thing one does in the morning? Is it to check our phone or turn on our laptop and television? These three devices are the main reasons why we no longer think coherent and logical. The usage of these devices has become part of our daily routine that at least one of these devices has to be used regularly.

     It all starts with a pencil and a paper. I logically think and express my creativity in my writing. In order to write an essay, I gather my thoughts and brainstorm. After I have thought of main ideas I create my rough draft. In order to be able to turn in my final paper I type up my work in a way where I can get my peers to correct any mistakes before printing the draft I will give to my professor. As I write my essay, my ideas come from personal experiences and books I have read in class. Once I start writing, I get into my own magical world where everything is possible and where nothing can stop me from expressing my ideas on that one piece of paper. I have become attached to the use of laptops and because of that I have gotten into the habit of looking for others’ ideas rather than expressing my own. Everything I have read online is information that remains in my head and that at some point does not let me think “outside the box”. For example, I can read an article stating how technology makes us gullible. I will most likely get convinced very easily and agree with what I have seen online rather than going with what I believe.

     Turning on my laptop is the first step in my daily routine. It is the first thing I do before brushing my teeth. I have made it into a habit to check my emails on Google, Facebook, and even update myself on the weather. The pencil and paper have now been replaced by computers. The use of technology has become a sort of “food” that we all need to eat in order to survive. The advancement of technology is the one to blame. We are constantly surfing through the internet trying to make everything easier for ourselves. For example, I can easily go to Google.com and search for the definition of “sanctum” and Google will then give me several website and options where I can find the definition, synonym, and antonym specifically showing me how to use the word in a sentence. This makes everything easier instead of flipping through pages and searching for the definition in books, dictionaries and a thesaurus.

     We only pay attention to what computers have to offer but we do not see how it is affecting everyone who is using it. Time is all we care about. Surfing through the internet and looking for the correct information just takes three clicks. Turning on the laptop, going to a search engine such as Goggle and then skimming through the answer that has popped up on the screen are the only steps to finding fast information. English teachers always assign books to read for their students where it helps them imagine what they are reading, see the spelling of the words and pay attention to how punctuation marks are used. In today’s society, a book that a teacher assigns can easily be found on the internet. We sometimes expect it to tell us where we can buy it but it does not. It tells us in summaries the main topic of each chapter, what main keys you should know, themes and especially quotes which makes reading easier. Nicholas Carr of “Is Google Making Us Stupid”states how easy availability of books would lead to intellectual laziness, making internet users “less studious” and weakening their minds. Now that computers have been advancing each year, using computers is our need. What if our internet was no longer available? We would become insane because we rely on everything to be found through the use of the internet.

     Is the use of technology helpful? Of course, it has changed the way we are living now but it has made an impact where it has brought us upon with helpful resources. As a college student, I am constantly surfing through the web because everything that has to do with my homework assignments has to be online. Homework assignments in college always have to be either turned in electronically or typed. College students of course have to be constantly using their laptops to get an assignment done. It is convenient to be online because I can do several tasks at the same time, giving me the chance to finish in an hour. It makes everything easier. I am living my digital life because I am online the entire day. I am obviously being stimulated because it has become my need to use technology wherever I go. I am invariably searching new information everyday but I do not realize that the information being read is not sinking into my brain.

     We are no longer thinking and challenging our minds because of the help brought to us by our phones. Walter Apai of “The Evolution of Cell Phone Design Between 1983-2009” states that cell phones have evolved immensely since 1983, both in design and in function. Phones lead from one idea to another and the advancement of them never stop. A cell phone has the capability to store as many numbers as one likes. Why memorize numbers if a cell-phone can store all of that information for you? There is no need for thinking when we know we can automatically get information from a click of a button on our phones. The invention of texting has also made an impact in our society. According to Tracey Halvorsen of “The Junkformation Age: The Internet Is Making Us Lazy” there is no need to know how a word is spelled because software is installed to the phone and can auto-correct as we type. The use of phones is what causes our brains to operate differently. It is ridiculous how there is software for auto-correction. I wonder how people are now able and willing to write an assignment by using paper and a pencil when there is so much technology surrounding them. Writing on a piece of paper would be difficult for “texters” since it has become a habit for them to text on their phone with the help of auto correct.

     Our society has been addicted to smart phones because it offers us many features. David Wygant of “Are Smartphones Making Us Stupid” states that more and more people are buying smartphones because they can surf the web, text message, watch television and video highlights, as well as many other functions beyond the capability of a regular cell phone. Look around you! Most of the people in a public place are looking at their phones as if their lives were depending on it. I am one of them! I am always looking at my phone to see if I have received text messages, mails, pictures, etc. I can always rely to this device because it makes me feel I am talking to a person in front of me. Whatever happened to the word socialize? Socializing with another person has decreased with the advancement of phones. There is no need to have a one on one conversation with someone while being face to face because you can simply text them what is needed to say. “The more people get these [smart phones], the more people become addicted to them, and the less social interactions people have” (Wygant). It is weakening the way we speak to one another. It is going to be hard to develop good social skills because when we text there is no need to look at a person in the eye when having a conversation. Someone who texts regularly are most likely to feel uncomfortable when talking or having a conversation with someone face-to-face. Texters describe their emotions by abbreviating such as “lol” or “smh”. There social skills might not be as good as a non-texter because of the way they are communicating with people.

     Are Smart Phones convenient? Of course, they are but we have to remember not to get too attached with our phone. It can fix problems such as fixing a car to making doctor appointments and even scanning barcodes for information needed. Smart phones have the capability to store as many numbers as the user wants. A business owner needs to have a phone because of the several clients he has to keep contact with. Having numerous phone numbers on their phone would be a helpful resource. Communicating with others has made everything easier.

     Going a bit further, television also weakens the mind because of the amount of time spent watching television instead of doing something productive like reading a book. A television has several shows to offer: the 70s show, Supernatural, house, bones, etc. that has techniques for their audience to get engaged in less than five minutes. These techniques involve keeping people watching their shows buy making the show entertaining. These shows automatically grab the audience’s attention. Once they have you hooked, commercials interrupt the intense scene leaving you wanting more. Television weakens the mind because instead of interacting with your family or friends one is usually going to decide to watch television. “TV is one of the most powerful brainwashers there is” (Mercola). Commercials always have something to sell to an audience. We are then gullible because we end up buying products that do not do what is guaranteed in the commercials.

     I was multitasking while typing this essay. I had my laptop in front of me, texting and leaving my phone right beside me along with having the television on. It has become very difficult not to use these devices because someone is always trying to communicate through the web, phone or television. Writing this paper was challenging because I was constantly being distracted and checking my emails. I only made it hard for me because it took me about six hours to type this essay. Of course it is bad relying on these devices because sooner or later it will weaken the mind. The advancement of technology is going too far with all the applications, software offers that are being offered in commercials. In the future, technology will end up doing everything for everyone. Even though, simple devices offer many features it is unnecessary to use them constantly. Our brains operate distinctively because information is given in a matter of seconds. Relying on technology will soon lead to people becoming frivolous and indolence. We have already taken technology for granted and it will keep on affecting ourselves if kept for our everyday routines.

Apai, Walter. “The Evolution of Cell Phone Design Between 1983-2009.” Web Design Blog. Web designer depot, 2012. Web. 22 Apr. 2012.

Carr, Nicholas. “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” The Atlantic. Atlantic Monthly Group, July-Aug. 2008. Web. 19 Apr. 2012.

Dr. Mercola. “How Television Affects Your Brain Chemistry — And That’s Not All!” Articles.mercola. 2012. Web. 22 Apr. 2012.

Wygant, David. “Are Smartphones Making Us Stupid?” The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 16 Jan. 2011. Web. 22 Apr. 2012.

Halvorson, Tracey. “The Junkformation Age: The Internet Is Making Us Lazy.” Web log post. Think Design Interact. 13 Aug. 2010. Web. 18 Apr. 2012.

Lisbeth Echeverria

English 113B

Professor Overman

May 10, 2012

                                              Viewing Placita Olvera

     When I think of a sacred place the first thought that comes to mind is a place where people can practice their religion publically and freely with no fee required. Scott Mowaday of “Convergences” mentions that some public sites become sacred to a community because of their history. An example of a public site can be the Placita Olvera located in downtown Los Angeles. The Placita Olvera has a unique spiritual openness that provides a place to relax and enjoy special events. This specific place depicts the Mexican culture and is a place that brings a community together. At the Placita Olvera, people of Mexican descent have the ability to celebrate their unique and creative culture by buying or selling hand-made products, clothing and delicious food without being judged.

     Placita Olvera is very known for their Roman Catholic church. My family and I practice our religion by attending church every Sunday morning. Each time I attend church I, pay close attention to the lesson the Priest has for the Congregation and part of the mass includes singing and clapping. I decided to do a naturalistic observation which is to observe people in their natural behavior, without them noticing. The majority of the people who attended the Placita Olvera Church are Hispanics. I also noticed that the priest was enthusiastic and lurid because the lesson of the week were for adolescents. Adolescents seemed interested and made an attempt not to talk during the entire mass. Once the priest instructed the congregation to pray for the health of themselves and others I observed my surroundings before sitting down. There were people either praising to God or expressing their feelings by crying. Nobody is being judged when they are in church, because it is good to let your emotions out; it is what makes a person stronger. During the middle of the mass, I stood up and walked towards a dark room where there were three candles; I kneelt down, folded my both hands together and bowed my head. It was a confessional booth; I confessed my sins to the priest who sits on the opposite side of me. When a person is at the confessional booth, they are talking to the priest about their sins in order for them to be forgiven by God. I told the priest about my sins and was able to clear my conscience. I felt a sense of tranquility after confessing my sins because it was affecting me from the inside. After I came out of the confessional booth, I observed the people who entered after me. The majority of the people would come out with their eyes red and tears streaming down their face.

     The people who attended the church in Placita Olvera wore religious items to show their faith to God; for example, some people took a bible, bracelets or necklaces of Jesus, and different colored rosaries. At the end of the mass, the priest told everyone to raise their holy items to bless them. I was holding a picture frame of the Virgin Mary and raised the picture as high as I could. The priest passed through each row and held his aspersory, which is a container that holds holy water, and sprinkled it with his aspergillum (utensil to sprinkle holy water). Not only was my item sprinkled with holy water but so was I. Everyone was satisfied; it is believed that once you have been sprinkled with holy water you are being protected by God. After the mass ended, I wanted to know how others felt. I asked a lady named Nancy if I could ask her a few questions about the mass. She was pleased to answer them.

I asked her “How do you feel when you are in church?”

She replied and said “I feel relaxed once I have talked to God about my concerns with the people who I love and care about the most.”

As I was nodding to her answer, I asked her “How do you feel after the mass has ended?”

Nancy said, “I feel peace in my heart…I know God is listening to me.”

She started getting emotional and continued, “I pray for my family and especially my children. I pray for my children all the time…I want them to continue school. I want them to go through the right path and not be influenced by gang members. ”

I said, “Thank you for your cooperation!”

     After the interview I had with Nancy, I came to the conclusion that people attend church for various reasons. Having faith for a specific religion makes a person become stronger and most importantly learn from their mistakes.

     Placita Olvera also has stores that are located all together in the main street of Olvera. There are several stores that are next to each other in three single rows and sell different handmade products from Mexico but are sold in Los Angeles. Roneau of“Bienvenidos Olvera Street” mentions that the stroll through this beautiful street and stop for the popular taquitos or tacos at the outdoor cafes. Olvera Street also offers a variety of traditional authentic Mexican cuisine, with delicious enchiladas, mole and other native dishes. The most popular items that they sell at the Placita Olvera stores have to do with the dance folkloric.This is a type of dance in which the dancers wear colorful wavy costumes that reflects on the Mexican culture. Since I was part of a folkloric group in high school, my family and I would always come to the Placita Olvera to buy my folkloric shoes and dresses. Some of the items that people sell at the Placita Olvera are shoes, dresses, belts, hats, hair accessories, etc. Once you are nearby the stores you can smell the leather that is used to make their handmade products. They also sell popular candies from Mexico and Mexican food. “You can wander around the marketplace and shop for souvenirs including handcrafted Mexican goods typical of old Mexico” (Roneau). It makes Hispanics resemble their native home. Iyer of “Public Space” states that a public space is somewhere many of us spend a good deal of time walking or hanging out. People who come to the Placita Olvera usually do not come to attend church but to spend quality time with their family and buying all sorts of items.

     Another reason why I consider the Placita Olvera a public space is because there is a stage which is known as the kiosko which is located between the church and the stores. According to Roneau, “the kiosko has been filled with music and dancers, events, political rallies and filming”. In the kiosko there are several performances that are being hosted all at once. One tradition they celebrate is May fifth also known as “Cinco de Mayo,” which is when the Mexican and Mexican-Americans celebrate the Mexican victory between the French battle of Puebla in 1862. In Cinco de Mayo the Placita Olvera always host an event where young teenagers and adults dance folklorico and Aztec dances. There are also Mariachis and singers who come to this event to celebrate this victory. Other traditions that the Placita Olvera celebrate are: “The Day of the Dead” and “Cry of Dolores” which is known to be the Mexican Independence and “Posadas”, the Christmas festival for the search in Joseph and Mary. My family and I try to attend all the events that the Placita Olvera hosts because it is part of our culture. Attending these events has made me become aware of my identity and my beliefs. The kiosko is known to be a public space because nobody is being charged to watch or be part of these events. Flyers are sent to the visitors or attached on trees, which is a way to invite everyone to these events. These are some events that Placita Olvera hosts because it makes Mexicans not forget who they are. By coming to these events they are demonstrating that the Mexican culture is still important in Los Angeles.

     The Placita Olvera environment gathers a whole community together and is able to celebrate the Mexican culture. Everyone has different perspectives towards a specific place for example the Placita Olvera. I was able to view the Placita Olvera in two types of spaces: public and sacred space. The Placita Olvera is a place that reminds us of a small part of Mexico because of what they offer and sell. Knowing that there is a place where it brings a community together brightens up my day.

Works Cited

Echeverria, Lisbeth.”Ethnography.” Placita Olvera. 25 March 2012.

Lyer, Pico. “Public Space.” Convergences: Themes, Texts, and Images for Composition.Boston:

Bedford/St. Martins, 2009. Print.

Momaday, Scott. “Sacred Space.” Convergences: Themes, Texts, and Images for Composition.Boston:

Bedford/St. Martins, 2009. Print.

Orellana, Roxana. “With Mexican flair: Citlali celebrates Cinco de Mayo with traditional dances.”

America’s Intelligence Wire 2 May 2009. General OneFile. Web. 19 Mar. 2012.

Roneau, Ginette. “Olvera Street.” Bienvenidos Olvera Street. 2010. <http://www.olvera- street.com/>.

Web. 19 Mar. 2012.

Lisbeth Echeverria

Professor Overman

English 113B

May 10, 2012

                                  The Brutality Innocent Ones Faced

The art of storytelling was around long before we had a written language to document it.  It has survived many centuries because it captures a certain essence of time that no other historical document can accomplish. It is because of the storytelling traditions in many cultures that we know how societies have functioned throughout history. Sometimes retelling personal stories can be painful because they describe human atrocities, but this is when it is most important that stories be told because it is the only way of preventing them from happening again. Marjane Satrapi is a brave storyteller who in her memoir, Persepolis the Story of a Childhood, shares her personal insight on growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. Through the stories of Anoosh, Mrs. Narsine’s son, and the F-14s, Satrapi conveys not only her experience but also the power of storytelling. 

In the story of Anoosh, Satrapi’s uncle, the importance of remembering family stories is conveyed. Anoosh explains how he stood against the Shah and was being persecuted by the secret police. Anoosh was forced to flee Iran and his family to seek exile in the U.S.S.R. because he helped overtake an Iranian province alongside his uncle Fereydoon. Anoosh missed his family and returned to Iran where he was spotted by the police, arrested and tortured for information on other revolutionaries. Intertwined with retelling this historical event, Satrapi makes sure to include the friction that existed between Anoosh and his father who was a supporter of the Shah. Subtly, Satrapi captures the intricacies of the Iranian social struggle where neighbors and even family members were pitted against each other. Anoosh was a hero to Satrapi because he had been in prison and was in the U.S.S.R. He shared his stories because he did not want them to be forgotten, “I tell you all this because it’s important that you know. Our family memory must not be lost. Even if it’s not easy for you, even if you don’t understand it all” (60). Anoosh didn not want his family’s story to die with him. Later, Satrapi tells of her uncle’s re-incarceration and execution. This particular story greatly influenced who Satrapi became. Her support for the revolution grew stronger and she promised that his story would not be forgotten.  This event not only marked the beginning of the Iraq War in the book, but also the first time Satrapi experienced the violence so deeply. This made Satrapi view Iran in a different way and was to realize how corrupt Iran really is.

Witnessing a war at such a young age placed Satrapi in a state of confusion. It was difficult to experience events such as the assassination of her uncle at the hands of the police and still feel patriotism. This confusion arose due to the discrepancies between what the media broadcasted and what her parents taught her. This is highlighted in the story of the F14s when the television news broadcaster says, “140 Iranian F-14s carried out bombing raids on Baghdad tonight” (83). Upon listening to this, Satrapi becomes excited at the idea that Iran was strong enough to defend itself against Iraq. Her father immediately crushes her spirits with his pessimism about their government. Although the news was telling the truth, many times the media disseminated false information causing Satrapi’s dad to question it. He immediately responds “You can’t always believe what they say in 8 o’clock. The BBC is broadcasting too. Where’s the radio?”(83). Satrapi’s parents have always taught her to question others, especially the media because it is important to fight for what one believes in. It is easy to be persuaded by the media as it constantly tries to manipulate people’s beliefs through their propaganda. Later we come to find that although the F-14s were in fact deployed in great force, there was not much reason to celebrate since many Iranian’s lost their lives. Situations like this created a lot of confusion for Satrapi and other Iranian citizens.  On the one hand they wanted to believe in their country but on the other they saw their loved ones killed in great numbers.

Another important and extremely ruthless event discussed in the book was when only young poor kids were given a golden “key.” They were told that the key symbolized a better life.  These boys, all from the lower class, were being brainwashed because in reality none of this was true, it was a scheme. Satrapi noticed this injustice when her maid’s son was given a key, but her cousin of the same age who was from a higher class was not. As a matter of fact, her cousin was having a party while her maid was crushed with the idea of her son being taken to war. Satrapi’s cousin, Shahab, who enlisted in the military voluntarily before the war, confirmed that this in fact was happening, “It’s nuts! They hypnotize them and just toss them into battle.  Absolute carnage” (101). Of course the secret police tracked the poor and innocent kids who were not aware of what was going on in Iran; the secret police new that kids would accept the plastic key. “The key to paradise was for poor people. Thousands of young kids, promised a better life, exploded on the minefields with their keys around their necks” (102). In this part of her memoir, Satrapi was trying to emphasize how much it disturbed her to hear these stories. The drawing on page 102 covers the entire page; we focus more on the drawing than the words. Here we see the contrast between the poor children dying in an explosion and the kids from more affluent families enjoying a party. This picture has a powerful meaning because it means that these sinless kids die with the hope of being in that “paradise” that never came true. The drawings show clearly how they died with their keys around their neck.  “They told the boys that if they went to war and were lucky enough to die, this key would get them to heaven” (99).  The government knew how to manipulate kids living in poverty and sadly they died with false hope.  

In addition to powerful storytelling through words, Robert Atwan of Convergences mentions it is important to acknowledge another element in this book which helps to convey a story. Satrapi’s use of illustrations have a more powerful meaning in each panel. Even though, Satrapi does not describe every detail with her words the reader can clearly tell the emotions on the characters by looking at the drawings. All illustrations are done in black and white. The black signifies all the torture that was occurring in her country while the white shows that there is still hope for Iran to be stable one day. Each image is used to make a point even stronger. “I really didn’t know what to think about the veil, deep down I was very religious. But as a family we were very modern and avant-garde” (6).  This particular image represents Satrapi’s sentiment throughout the book. In one half of the illustration she is wearing a black veil which represents her religious ideals. On the other side of the illustration she shows her short hair with different tools in background representing modern times.  Although the veil became a symbol of oppression during the revolution it nevertheless represented certain religious ideals that were still part of her upbringing. Satrapi was forced to be at a constant struggle with this. The words on the page convey this message, but the illustration captures a sentiment that words cannot.

After reading Marjane Satrapi’s stories, I reflect on one particular event in United States history-September 11, 2001 (9/11). This was the day when many people lost their lives due to a terrorist attack and the day when the United States waged a war on Iraq. However, many people continue to question the truth behind 9/11 and the purpose of the war.  Whether the United States may be keeping information from their citizens for safety reasons or for self-interest, it is important to notice how all this has been achieved through the media. Similar to the government in Iran, the United States has tried to indoctrinate its citizens by omitting information and using the media to brainwash them. The media plays a major role in dictating what people believe in and support; therefore, it is vital to question everything like Satrapi’s parents taught her. Questioning a government in an attempt to expose the truth can bring severe repercussions, but Satrapi’s stories teach others the significance in fighting for justice.  It is easier to remain silent in the face of adversity, but like the stories in Persepolis, the stories of 9/11 and any other injustice must be told despite fear.

Brutality is known to be everywhere but in this case it was all based in Iran’s culture and the way the secret police treated Iranians. The Satrapi’s family faced harsh struggles but managed to go on with their lives and protect themselves. Always fighting for what they believe in is what Satrapi got out of all this difficult situations. Writing the book Persepolis demonstrates that Marjane is a brave woman by teaching others the experiences of females and men in Iran. The way they lived is different from the life we are living now.

Works Cited

Atwan, Robert. Convergences: Themes, Texts, and Images for Composition. Boston: Bedford/St.

  Martins, 2009. Print. Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis. New York: Pantheon, 2003. Print.