Arts & Culture
Ethnic Technology
Jan 5th
It is puzzling why a particular technology does not spread everywhere throughout the world once invented. Why didn’t the plow, for instance, or backstrap looms, or the buttress arch, or any number of thousands of ancient inventions spread to all parts of the world once they had been refined? If they were truly advantageous, why would not their benefits ripple through a culture at the speed of news? After a century or two, any worthwhile invention should be able to cross a mountain or valley. We know from archeological remains that trade moved steadily, while innovations did not. Instead the spread of technology has always been uneven, even among places with similar resources, geography, climate and culture. It is very common for an innovation to be held up in one place and not cross into another region even as other innovations overtake it on the same route. It is almost as if technology had an ethnic dimension.
Anthropologist Pierre Petrequin once noted that the Meervlakte Dubele and Iau tribes in Papau New Guinea had been using steel axes and beads for many decades but their use had not been adopted by the Wanos tribe a “mere day’s walk away.”
This is true today still. Cell phone use is significantly broader, deeper, faster in Japan, say, then in the US. Yet the same factories make the gear for both countries. Similarly automobile use is broader, deeper, faster in the US than say, in Japan. This bifurcation is again not obvious in the similar state of technological infrastructure between both countries. Another example: the adoption of credit cards is wildly uneven among the developed world. But that unevenness is not for a lack of plastic, or electricity, or banks.
This pattern is not new. From the birth of tools, humans have preferred some forms of technology over another. They may avoid one version or one invention – even when it appears to be more efficient or productive — simply as an act of identity: “Our clan does not do it that way,” or “our tradition does it this way.” People may skip an obvious technical improvement because the new way does not feel right or comfortable, even though it is more utilitarian. Anthropologist of technology Pierre Lemonnier has reviewed the patchy interruptions in history and says, “Time and again, people exhibit technical behaviors that do not correspond with any logic of material efficiency or progress.”
The Anga tribesmen of Papua New Guinea have hunted wild pigs for thousands of years. To kill a wild pig, which may weigh as much as a man, the Anga construct a trap using little more than sticks, vines, rocks and gravity. Over time the Anga have refined and modified trap technology to fit their terrain. They have devised three general styles. One is a trench lined with sharp stakes camouflaged under leaves and branches; one is row of sharpened stakes hidden behind a low barrier protecting bait, and one is a dead-fall – a heavy weight suspended above a path which is tripped and released by a passing pig.
Technical know-how of this sort passes easily from village to village in the West Papua highlands. What one community knows, all know (at least over decades, if not centuries). You have to travel many days before variation in knowledge is felt. Most groups of Anga can set any of the three varieties of traps as needed. However a one particular group, the Langimar, ignore the common knowledge of the deadfall trap. According to Lemonnier “members of this group can name without difficulty the ten pieces that make up the dead-fall trap, they can describe its functioning, and they can even make a rough sketch; but they do not use the device.” Right across the river the houses of the neighboring Menye tribe can be seen; they use this type of trap – which is a very good technology. Two hours walk away, the Kapau tribe uses the dead-fall, yet the Langimar choose not to. As Lemonnier notes, sometimes “a perfectly understood technology is voluntarily ignored.”
It’s not as if the Langimar is backward. Further north of the Langimar, some Anga tribes make their wooden arrow tips barbless, selectively ignoring the critical technology of injurious barbs that the Langimar use, despite the fact that the Anga “have had many occasions to note the superiority of the barbed arrows shot at them by their enemies.” Neither the availability of wood type, nor available type of game hunted explains this ethnic dismissal.
Technologies have a social dimension beyond their mere mechanical performance. We adopt new technologies largely because of what they do for us, but also in part because of what they mean to us. Often we refuse to adopt technology for the same reason: because of how the avoidance reinforces, or crafts our identity.
Clip 178 Web
Not a Moroccan waterwheel
Whenever researchers look closely at the dispersal patterns of technology, both modern and ancient, they see patterns of ethic adoption. Sociologists have noticed that one group of Saami rejected one of the two known types of reindeer lassos, while other Lapplanders used both forms. A peculiarly inefficient type of horizontal waterwheel spread all over Morocco, but no where else in the world, even though the physics of waterwheels are constant. And in France farmers in one region (Hautes-Corbieres) continue to plow their vineyards while using herbicides while the rest of the country only used herbicides. As Frenchman Lemonnier (1) notes: “These technically arbitrary [variations] appear to be largely produced with respect to factors whose logic is not orientated towards an action on matter.” In other words, technology is more than it seems.
In the modernized west, our decisions about technology are not made by the group, but by individuals. We choose what we want to adopt, and what we don’t. So on top of the ethnic choice of technologies a community endorses, we must add the individual layer of preference. We announce our identity by what stuff we use or refuse. Do you twitter? Have a big car? Own a motorcycle? Use GPS? Take supplements? Listen to vinyl? By means of these tiny technological choices we signal our identity. Since our identities are often unconscious we are not aware of exactly why we choose or dismiss otherwise equivalent technology. It is clear that many, if not all, technological choices are made not on the technological benefits alone. Rather technological options have unconscious meaning created by social use and social and personal associations that we are not fully aware of.
We should expect technology to continue to exhibit ethnic and social preferences. Groups or individuals will reject all kinds of technologically advanced innovations simply because. Because everyone else accepts them. Or because they clash with their self-conception. Because they don’t mind doing things with more effort. I know an author who writes science fiction books today in long hand. At least the first draft. Efficiency and productivity may, in the future, be seen as something to avoid.
Difference Between Graphic Novels and Comic Books
Jan 4th
There are several standout differences between graphic novels and comic books. Typically, you could observe that the standard comic book is usually thin, with a paper cover, and it continues, begins or concludes a story that has been addressed in other comic books. Both the graphic novel and the comic book tell their story primarily with pictures and some words, but graphic novels tend to cover one story only in its entirety (though there may be sequels). Unlike comic books, any sequels aren’t serials in the graphic novel, but are instead new, complete and entire stories with the basic novel components of beginning, middle and end. Comic books conversely might start a story, begin in the middle of things, or end a story but you can’t read one comic book and get the whole story.
There can be a little confusion on the distinctions between graphic novels and comic books, because many comic book series get republished in book form. This means the whole series, or a particular story arc can be purchased in a book after it has already been published as a series of comic books. These are sometimes called trade paperbacks, and they may be sold at major book retailers and through sites like Amazon. Another version of this is a comic book collection, for instance reprinted strips of series like Garfield, Peanuts, or Calvin and Hobbes, to name just a few. Again these are book length comics, but collection methods may differ. They may follow the dates of publication of the strips, or they may be organized by theme. For instance a Peanuts collection could feature only those comics that pertain most to Snoopy, which means they wouldn’t necessarily occur in the order published.
Though you can find graphic novels in some comic book stores, you’ll find them in great supply at traditional bookstores and large booksellers like Amazon. You’ll also find a few comic books at such stores, but the greater supply of comic books is sold directly through comic book stores. Only a few get larger distribution to booksellers.
Furthermore, theme in graphic novels, which are usually about 60-120 pages in length, tends to be more mature than in many comic books. This again can get confusing, since there are definitely comic book series that are for mature audiences only, particularly many of the Japanese Manga series. However, in the main, the graphic novel is not written for kids, and may be completely inappropriate to young readers, whereas many comic books are written specifically for kids or young teen audiences (or older audiences that still love their themes).
For instance, much of the work by one of the most recognizable graphic novelists, Frank Miller, like Sin City and 300 are definitely not for the faint of heart and contain significant reference to sex and very violent pictures. Since they are rendered mostly in illustration, they leave very little to the imagination. You don’t simply read about violent deaths; you also see them.
Another way to look at the graphic novel is to consider its shelf life. Just like any other novel, graphic novels are given an International Standard Book Number (ISBN). Comic Books conversely, and like magazines, may be given an International Standard Serial Number (ISSN), suggesting their more temporary status. Graphic novels are also often available in libraries and in the US, have Library of Congress filing numbers. It may be much harder to find comic books in libraries, though a few carry them.
However the old and exceptionally rare comic books won’t be available, and there does exist a certain old time prejudice against the comic, even though many of them are just as delightful and interesting as any other style of book. The graphic novel, though some are prejudiced against it, is considered more of an art form, and this certainly shows in the way that some of these novels have even made bestseller lists, like those printed by The New York Times. They are placed in direct competition with any other more traditional novels sold at the time.
What is a Parody?
Jan 4th
A parody imitates a work of art, literature, or music for the purpose of making playful fun or a joke of the original work. A parody may take an ironic or cynical approach to the work it is imitating or may just be for comedic relief. Most times, a parody involves a serious work that has been changed to make it seem absurd by mocking or pointing out shortcomings in the original work. A parody is similar to and may also be referred to as burlesque, lampoon or a spoof.
The word parody comes from the Greek paroidia meaning a song sung alongside another. In modern culture, a parody can involve print, audio and visual media. Copyright laws are complicated when dealing with a parody. Since the original work is copyrighted to the original creator, the legal debate stems from the new work based on the original. In many cases, the creator of parody must obtain permission from the creator of the work they intend to spoof.
Film is a popular industry where a parody may be created. Iconic films that contain a parody of an original work include the Scary Movie series, which are spoofs of many top box office horror films and Spaceballs, which spoofs the George Lucas film Star Wars. Numerous others exist, many of which star infamous Hollywood comedians.
Music is almost as equally popular a venue for parody. The number one selling artist of parody in modern music is Weird Al Yankovic, who has recorded over a dozen albums containing parodies of popular songs and some original pieces and has had numerous Grammy Award nominations and two wins.
Other forms of parody or spoof exist within television, with Saturday Night Live leading production. Other shows have been developed as a parody of reality. Though parody in print is rarer and lesser known, books, magazine, and newspapers have also contained parodies of original works or situations.
What is the Difference between Yay, Ya, Yah, and Yeah?
Jan 4th
English is an interesting language when it comes to short words that often have similar spellings, pronunciations, and meanings. Perhaps one of the most confusing for non-native speakers, and sometimes for native speakers as well, is the word yeah. There are at least five words with a similar feel that are used commonly in English: yeah, yah, ya, yay, and yea.
Yeah is the most common of these words, and seems to have originated sometime at the end of the 19th century or the beginning of the 20th century. It is an adverb, and is used simply to mean yes. It is often used as just a one-word answer to a yes or no question, so that if someone were to ask, “Do you want to go to the park on Saturday?” you could respond simply, “Yeah.” Yeah likely derived from either the word yes or the word yea. Yeah is pronounced like the beginning of the word yam and with an end like the interjection uh.
The word yah is usually just used as a more modern, slang spelling of the word yeah. It is often used in instant messaging or texting, and is likely just a shortening of the slightly longer yeah. It is also used most commonly just to show agreement with an idea, in the same way yeah does. The pronunciation may be the same as yeah, or it may be pronounced more like yaw. An older use of the word yah is as an interjection that usually showed some sort of negative feeling about something said, often insulting it, or sometimes showing impatience.
The word ya can be used as an even further shortening of yeah, and is seen that way sometimes in texting or online communications. More often, however, it is used as a synonym for you, with a dialect pronunciation. This can be seen in a sentence such as, “How are ya today?” In this sense, the word is pronounced as yuh, rhyming with duh. An archaic sense of ya was also as a synonym for the word yea, but this is seen only in very old English writing.
The word yay is usually used as an interjection and exclamation to show jubilation. A person might say something like, “Yay! My new kitten finally arrived!” The word is likely derived from yea, meaning simply yes, but shifted spelling either to distinguish an excited agreement or just as a result of time’s passing. The word yay has the same pronunciation as yea, and rhymes with hay. Yay can also be used as a placeholder to denote physically representing something, usually height, in sentences such as, “Oh, I reckon the plants were about yay high.”
The word yea is the oldest of the group, and it is likely that yeah, ya, and yay all derive directly from it. Yea goes back more than a thousand years, from the Old English gea by way of Middle English ye. It has a number of meanings, but all are roughly affirmations, much as yeah is. Yea can be used as a synonym for indeed, as in the sentence, “Yea, it did come to pass.” It can mean something like not just this, but also this, as in the sentence “a large, yea, a titanic wave came crashing in.” It can be used simply to mean yes, as in the sentence “Yea, I will do it.” In modern usage, however, yea is only really seen in voting, where it is used to denote an affirmative vote, in contrast to nay. The word yea has a pronunciation the same as yay, rhyming with the word may.
What is Hindi?
Jan 4th
Hindi is a language spoken throughout most of northern India, although it is understood in much of the rest of the country. It may be used to describe either the language known as standard Hindi, spoken mostly in India, or increasingly, to describe the combined language of Hindustani, which also includes a standard form known as Urdu. The main distinction between standard Hindi and Urdu are their writing systems, and most people consider the two to be different registers of the same language.
The differing definitions of what does or does not constitute Hindi, as opposed to Hindustani, and whether some speech patterns constitute a dialect or an entirely different language, make pinpointing the exact number of Hindi speakers difficult. Estimates range as high as 800 million speakers worldwide, making it the second-most spoken language on Earth. Even conservative estimates place the number of total speakers at about 500 million. Hindi is part of the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages, along with languages such as Punjabi, Bengali, and Nepali. It is often known as the language of songs, because of the many epic poems and songs in Hindi.
Hindi uses the Devanagari alphabet, a descendant of the earlier Brahmi alphabet which also gave rise to Khmer and Tibetan. Devanagari first appeared sometime in the early 13th century, and became widely used not long after. After Indian independence on 15 August 1947, the Devanagari script was fully standardized and diacritic marks were added to help write words from other languages in the Hindi script. While Hindi is one of the official languages of India — alongside English — many people have commented on the distinct lack of social status the language holds. English-speaking is still seen widely as a prestige marker in Indian culture, and therefore much business and media is conducted in English.
Hindi is derived from the older Sanskrit, dating back to sometime before the 5th century BCE. The first Hindi poet, Siddha Sarahpad, composed his masterwork Dohakosh in the mid-8th century, helping to herald in the era of Hindi as a truly distinct language. By the 12th century, grammars were being written for Hindi. At the end of the 18th century, a printing press was established using the Devanagari script, and allowing a new age of Hindi-language works to flourish. Finally, at independence in 1950, the constitution refers to Hindi as “the official language of the union.”
Over its long lifetime, Hindi has been heavily influenced by languages as diverse as English, Arabic, Persian, and the Dravidian language family. Its vocabulary is very wide, and particularly when it comes to modern terms, may derive many words from other languages.
The distinction between Hindi and Urdu is a contentious one, with most linguists holding it to be a socio-political difference and alphabetic difference only, and many nationalists strongly opposing a view that defines them as the same language. The more neutral term Hindustani has gained much favor as a way of avoiding cultural prejudice towards one register or the other, and so is widely used in media such as the Bollywood movies that are popular in both India and Pakistan. Unless otherwise indicated, the term Hindi should be assumed to refer only to the register spoken in India and written in Devanagari, while Hindustani should be assumed to include the Urdu register spoken in Pakistan and written in a Persian-derived script.
What is a Bazaar?
Jan 4th
The word “bazaar” is used to refer to several different types of marketplaces, depending upon their location. In the Middle East, where the word originates, it refers to a central open market which a large number of goods can be found for sale. In the West, it is used to refer to a flea market or a store which sells miscellaneous objects, frequently to raise funds for a charity. It is also used in the context of stores stocking Middle Eastern or Asian themed items. In all instances, the bazaar carries a wide assortment of goods.
In the Middle East, a bazaar is typically located in a street or partially covered area specifically set aside for the purpose of establishing a bazaar. Individual salespeople have stalls with rear areas which can be secured at night. The word “bazaar” comes from a Pahlavi word, baha-char, which means “place of prices.” The word was adopted into the Persian language as “bazaar”, and then became widespread throughout southern Asia and the Middle East.
Numerous old Middle Eastern cities have famous bazaars, including Tehran’s Grand Bazaar in Iran, which is believed to be the largest in the world. The open market bazaar contains food, instruments, household goods, clothing, storytellers, books, and many other items, often sold by competing salespeople who attempt to win customers from each other with bidding and price wars. For visitors, the bazaar is an interesting place to step into, as the layout and bargaining style have not changed dramatically in many centuries.
Outside the Middle East and neighboring nations, a bazaar is most frequently a store filled with miscellaneous objects. The word is also used to refer to a Middle Eastern themed store, and the Middle Eastern quarters of many large cities have bazaars which sell items like Indian saris, Persian rugs, and everything in between. These stores are frequently run by people who have immigrated from the Middle East or Southern Asian, and usually cater specifically to an immigrant clientèle.
A bazaar in the sense of a shop filled with an assortment of items, usually for charity, is often found in Britain. They are frequently attached to churches and charities established to promote animal welfare or provide assistance to the poor. This type of bazaar usually is stocked with items donated by members of the general public who wish to support the charity, meaning that a widespread of goods can be found for sale.
Gladiator
Jan 4th
Gladiators were professional fighters in Ancient Rome who participated in organized fights for the purpose of public entertainment. These fights were typically staged in large arenas with a huge audience, and in the modern sense, people sometimes use the term “gladiator” to describe someone who fights tenaciously and overwhelmingly for something in front of an audience. Thanks to a number of popular films featuring gladiators, there is some public interest in this ancient practice, along with a number of misconceptions about gladiators.
A gladiator in Rome could come from a number of sources. Many were slaves, convicted criminals, or prisoners of war, all of whom were purchased by people who specialized in training and managing gladiators. Others were freed men who fought as professionals, and in some cases, someone would sell himself or herself to a lanista, or manager of gladiators, out of a lack of alternatives. And yes, there were indeed female gladiators, although they existed in smaller numbers than men.
The day of a schedule gladiator fight was a big event. Typically the audience would be entertained in the arena first with animal fights and public executions, before the main event, in which two highly trained fighters would go up against each other or confront exotic animals with an assortment of weapons. Although the nature of gladiatorial combat was vicious, death was actually comparatively rare; gladiators were too expensive to train and maintain for them to be thrown away on the ring. Only when a gladiator showed cowardice or poor form would death be recommend.
Historical evidence suggests that the earliest gladiator fights occurred around the third century BCE, and the origins of these fights is somewhat unclear. By the second century, gladiator matches had become a major event in Rome and beyond, with a variety of exotic events accompanying the main fight to keep the audience interested. By the fourth century CE, the gladiator had largely vanished from Roman culture.
The position of the gladiator in Roman society was rather interesting. While Romans looked down on gladiators as slaves, they were also respected as talented and skilled fighters. Gladiators were paid for their fights, and some eventually bought their way to freedom. Many gladiators became celebrities, and worked as bodyguards after their term in the arena was over. Roman women in particular seemed to adulate gladiators, despite social taboos.
Cult Film
Jan 4th
A cult film refers to a movie that has a devoted following, perhaps undeserved by the movie’s quality, box office performance, or critical reviews. The cult film is often measured by its continued popularity in DVD sales or rentals, long after other popular films have lost their steam and are marked down for quick sale or remain collecting dust on the shelves of video stores. It’s not always possible to determine why a cult film becomes one, but there are a few factors which seem to influence a movie’s ability to become a cult film.
One aspect that may make a film a cult film is the lack of any redeeming quality. In some cases, a film is so unequivocally awful that it becomes absolutely hysterical, or loved for being bad. Some films actually aim at cult film status, like the Ben Stiller/Owen Wilson film Zoolander. Zoolander has quickly become a cult film because its premise is stupid, ridiculous and entirely unbelievable. In other words, it wins audiences by being so bad it is actually enjoyed.
Other “so bad they’re good” cult film examples include Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Mommie Dearest and Showgirls. They are all considered cult classics simply because they’re terrible. It’s an odd phenomenon that is not easily explained. Perhaps a certain admiration exists for a film that is completely awful in every way. Such films are not merely duds, but fail with flair and style, the equivalent of Viking funerals where someone deceased goes down in a blaze of glory.
Other types of cult film earn their cult status by enjoying frequent airplay. For example, when premium television stations like HBO and Showtime got their start in the 1980s, some films were played far too often. One of these is the sword and sandals film Beastmaster. Dennis Miller is credited with saying HBO was an acronym for “Hey, Beastmaster’s on!” Because some films got so much airplay, they are attached to a certain amount of nostalgia and have achieved cult status. Frequent airplay of other films like Kevin Smith’s Dogma and Office Space are turning these films into cult film classics as well.
A film is more likely to become a cult film if it is from either the science fiction or horror genre. In particular, B movies of the 1950s and onward, especially those directed by people like Ed Wood, become favorites for their poor production value. These can also be called camp films. Horror films that perpetuate sequels also frequently become cult classics. Films like Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, and all of their sequels are generally poorly reviewed but have a cult following.
Sometimes a cult film appeals to a certain audience. For example, The Wizard of Oz is a popular cult film for the male homosexual community. A film like Newsies has become a cult classic largely because young fans enjoyed it so much. Other films like those featuring the Brat Pack (Emilio Estevez, Molly Ringwald, Andrew McCarthy, Rob Lowe, Ally Sheedy, and John Cryer) evoke nostalgia for those who grew up in the 1980s and are considered cult film classics. These include Less Than Zero, St. Elmo’s Fire, The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, and Pretty in Pink. Some of these films were bonafide hits upon release and remain popular as “coming of age” movies among teens, and their parents.
It would be impossible to discuss the cult film without mentioning The Rocky Horror Picture Show, made in 1975. Some claim that it is the longest running movie because somewhere in America, on any given weekend, there are still midnight showings of this cult film. In common with many other cult films, The Rocky Horror Picture Show blends horror and science fiction with campy sets and low budget flair. It is also a musical, which often appeals to the many fans that show up and sing along with the picture, often dressing the part of their favorite characters.
The film appeals to older teens and young adults with a dramatic flair. Many can recall going through a Rocky Horror phase, and the film continues to draw new audiences. It should be noted the film deserves its R rating and is best not viewed by younger audiences. In fact the genres from which cult films usually derive make them mostly inappropriate to children and young teens.