Tweedledee, Tweet at Me, Tweedledoo, Tweet at You

Been doing a lot of Twitter reading today, and I must say, language is the strangest thing. 

b4 Anzaldua, nvr rlly thought language=identity. kinda creepy when u think bout all the extinct languages. Are the speakers dead too? 

who died first, the language or the speaker? u no, here in the u.s. we preach freedom of speech, but how come u cnt speak no lang. but Eng?

not tryna say anything but this one time i was just sitting wo sayin anything at a meal and this old lady ask if I don speak Eng. like wtf?

Because my skin is tan and I'm silent, I can't speak English? What do you mean "you never know?" Excuse me, but isn't that #indirectracism?

srry for venting a bit, just a reminder that silence does not mean you have nothing to say. Language=Communication. Communication≠Speech

Ive been around two languages my whole life, English and Tagalog, but Im not fluent in the latter. It's hard to live w a foot in both worlds

if language shapes what u think, bilingual+ ppl must have a really cool worldview, bein able to think the same thing twice differently.

What limits you in one language you can express freely in another.

I am a cat

吾輩は猫である

俺は猫だぜ

わたくしは猫です

あたしは猫わよ

僕は猫だよ

What kind of cat are you?

Is language limiting or liberating? Can we scorn those w accents or those who speak in dialect? Are they deviants or languages of their own?

InfoSec Taylor Swift@SwiftonSecurity

How does anyone learn English as a second language? I've been doing this 25 years and I still don't know how many commas to use. 

@SwiftonSecurity Spoken lang. evolves faster than written bc we like to have a standard of comparison. To have a leader for "real" language

Then does standard language (English), not exist then? You can sort of ignore rules when you're famous, and we don't write how we speak, so

standard is used by everyone, so why does english use grammar rules based on latin for the sake of dead white guys? thats not our standard 

Must language be limited to words?

Rajiv Malhorta@RajivMessage
@saasira Agreed, especially since Sanskrit is not merely a language but the fabric of an entire civilization

Issa Celestine@Issa_GOLD
But then when I remind myself music is the universal language, and I am spreading the universal consciousness / light, it all makes sense.

Young Entrepreneur@YoungTrep
Finance is a language you have to learn if you want to create a rich life'

In order to exist, language must be an effective tool for communication. Right? (•ิ_•ิ)?

Jon Winoker@AdivicetoWriters
In any language it is a struggle to make a sentence say exactly what you mean
ARTHUR KOESTLER

Steve Stifler@StevStiffler
i am reminded that english is a flawed language every time I am forced to use "that that" in a sentence

it's not fair that that happens

Devon Batti-LoveYa!@DevonDoesTweets
Language is a blessing and a curse. Everyone interprets words differently. Consider all perceptions of what is spoken to you and others. ._.

On some level, we can('t) all understand each other. Even words can't convey everything about another person's heart. 

If what I've written was a skeleton, then this must be the meat, right? Or something like that. Twitter really makes you KISS.

bc you must KISS, it's easy to get to the point. no space for the unnecessary exists. The meaning must be clear.

But it is also hard to develop an idea when you must KISS. And keeping track of a chain of thoughts can be hard when reading.

When your thought is short enough, Standard English is fine. But more complex, or more difficult to say thoughts, must be shortened somehow

And a single idea over two tweets feels choppy. 

But as for talking with others, it's like being able to take conversation notes. You never have to lose your train of thought. Just tweet it

Don't think Standard English is necessary, or even effective, in a lot of situations. Guess we really don't need it.

Tweeting doesn't limit your use of language. It just forces you to be creative with expressing yourself.

 Each tweet should be a be all, end all, I think, to really work. 

Lang. is the ability to communicate effectively. Direct, living lang. is best way to cnvey meaning, tho smtimes lacking, and shdnt b ignored

Notes: If you don't get it, go google it!

Never Hold Back #LIVEWITHFIRE

In a shoe advertisement, a woman is bent, mid-leap, jumping over a tire atop a wooden box. She is the picture of athleticism, muscles prominent, dressed in her exercise attire of red sports bra, black shorts,  red long socks and red Reebok sneakers. She's breaking through chains as she jumps.  To her left is a red box with the words "Never Hold Back" written in large white font. The box in its entirety reads "Never Hold Back./ Reebok One Series Apparel/Powered by BAREMOVE/Move with freedom in ONE SERIES APPAREL, powered by the BAREMOVE system. Engineered for functional movement, there's nothing to hold you back from holding nothing back./Learn more at reebok.com/baremove/#LIVEWITHFIRE." To the woman's bottom right is a white box with "Reebok" written in it, the last thing to catch your eye in the image.

We might first consider the composition of this image. The left side, of the image, on the backside of the woman, is a dark wall, and the right side is white light, which comes through a window. With the chains painted white for contrast, we might say that the woman is jumping from darkness into light. And isn't that rather appealing for people? We see the color white as good, and black as bad, so while you may not notice it at first the ad might be saying that if you have these shoes, you can be good. You too, can come into the light.  

But, good vs. evil struggle aside, this ad does leave us with a few stereotypes to consider. The woman in the photo, with tanned skin, is most likely white when we factor in the texture and color of her hair. From one point of view she might be seen as portraying what a woman "should" be: fit, able, and skinny. Sports or athletic gear related ads tend to only show one type of person using their products- someone who is already fit.

However, the ad is also empowering. While the text in the box may not be expected to be read beyond "Never Hold Back," the ad is meant to encourage the viewer to exercise, to show that women too can be successful with physical fitness, as we can see with the use of a muscular model. Traditionally, we might think of men as being the ones who exercise. Also, showing that the woman is breaking through chains can leave a variety  of messages: of breaking past your personal boundaries, or maybe on a larger scale of women breaking the boundaries society has in place for them. In that sense, "Never Hold Back" can mean not only to not hold yourself back, but to not let society hold you back either.

And of course, all you need to break free is a pair of Reeboks.

Maybe the World Isn't Such a Bad Place After All

If we are what we eat, we are what we consume, aren't we? Consumption is not something limited to food, either. We can consume goods and services, as consumers, we can be consumed by consumption, as tuberculosis was known in times past, and we can consume the media, through television shows, the news, or music, or any other number of ways, or absorb any other number of things about the world around us.

So logically, if everything around us is what defines us, then surely that most prevalent television must have a huge role in our lives, right? At the very least, with the rise of Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, and even less-than-reputable sources, we don’t even need a television to have the experience of watching T.V. But let’s take a step away from Netflix and everything else for a moment, because while online streaming may be convenient, that is also it’s greatest problem. What you choose to watch online, or allow children to watch online, doesn't necessarily have to do with what actually airs on television. Sure you can watch Code Lyoko on the Internet, but most children (under 10) watching Cartoon Network today won’t have any idea what that is. Their prime-time after school viewing selection (assuming, of course, that they tune in to the actual television network) consists of shows including Uncle Grandpa, Clarence, Steven Universe, Regular Show, or The Amazing World of Gumball.

Each of these shows, then, has its own reasons for being able to stay on the air. But things included to stay popular aside, what does each of these shows leave with the viewer? When you’re consciously analyzing the shows, certain things do pop out at you more than others, don’t they? Let’s look at Steven Universe, a show I once hated but now look forward to each Thursday.

Steven Universe is the titular character of the show. He’s a young boy, half human and half Gem, and the show centers around his experiences in Beach City, a seaside town. The Gems (as far as the show has currently revealed) seem to be an alien race, and Steven faces many challenges in growing up with a foot in both worlds. As the show continues, more of the history of the Gems is revealed, as well as why Steven’s caretakers, Pearl, Garnet, and Amethyst, are on Earth.

If we start with Steven’s living situation, we can see that Steven is a part of a non-nuclear family. The Gems most closely resemble human females, and as such we might say that Steven has three “mothers.” His father, from whom his human lineage comes, was once a musician, Mr. Universe. He lives in a trailer. However, contrary to the image we tend to have of fathers that don’t live with their children being dead-beats, Mr. Universe tries to take an active role in Steven’s life, trying to be a good parent despite the fact that he often makes mistakes or is unsure of what to do next. The same is also true for the Gems, who do not know how to raise a half-human boy, and work on a trial-and error basis as well. But Steven is very forgiving of both parties, and shows growth by boosting the Gems’ confidence as well when they need it. In this way the show encourages not only the acceptance of what is outside “the norm,” but also presents the new reality as changes take place in America. Families can no longer simply be defined as a father, mother, and child(ren). And even in nontraditional families, a child can grow up to be healthy and mature.

Acting as a foil to Steven is his best friend, Connie. Connie is a dark-skinned girl, and she comes from what we think of as a more traditional family: a father, a mother, and herself. However, unlike Steven, who is usually portrayed as positive and outgoing, Connie is more unsure of herself and less willing to take risks than Steven. Potentially, this could be a nod to gender roles, with the female being more timid and the necessity of being pushed out of her bounds by someone stronger than she is, and being seen but not heard, but put in a larger context probably has more to do with parenting styles. From what we know of Connie, her parents come off as authoritarian. She continually acts in fear of disobeying them, occasionally causing friction with her relationship with Steven. In one episode, where Connie’s parents want to meet Steven’s at a dinner party, Connie is concerned because of Steven’s lack of a “normal” family. She doesn't want her parents to disapprove and never be able to meet with Steven again. Steven and Connie try to run away together, only to be reprehended by their respective guardians when their plan fails and they return. Connie’s mother approves of the way the Gems “punish” Steven, and decide that maybe it’s alright for Steven and Connie to continue their friendship after all.

From this we can take note of a number of things. Firstly, that having a traditional family isn't necessarily the key to developing well emotionally, as Connie is never fully truthful with her parents regarding Steven. Secondly, we see a reversal of traditional gender roles, as Connie’s mother is consistently portrayed as the one in charge. Thirdly, we see the value in not condemning others. Even though it was through her approval of the Gems’ “punishment” of Steven that Connie’s mother came to accept them as parents, she still found a way to begin bonding with someone very much unlike herself. Whether or not this has a positive influence on Connie’s parents remains to be seen, but Connie benefits from her friendship with Steven. She’s learning to stand up for her own opinions, and to assert herself, as well as try new things. Between Connie and Steven and Steven and his family we see an emphasis on healthy relationships.

But healthy relationships are not the only kind that exists. There is the very questionable relationship of Lars and Sadie, two adolescents/young adults who work at a doughnut shop. Sadie has a crush (of sorts, and it’s mutual, sort of) on Lars, stemming from the time he let her be Player 2 for a video game. Lars is aloof, or at least tries to be, which may account for why Sadie took it to heart that the two of them played a video game together. However, we consistently see Lars brushing Sadie off, or abusing her kindness. He faked an injury to get out of work and hang out with the people whose friend group he wants to be a part of, he leaves her to open and close the doughnut shop alone a lot of the time, he slacks off at work, and is seen getting weirded out by open displays of emotion. At one point, Sadie calls him out it, and Lars expresses remorse, leaving the impression that not only is he salvageable, but that treating others the way he does is wrong. Steven too has called out Lars on his behavior. However, Lars hasn't always been the way he is now, and in childhood used to be friends with Ronald, a person he now shuns. In a flashback to this time we saw that Lars is afraid of being the object of ridicule. He stopped being friends with Ronald after Ronald wanted to send a picture of paranormal activity where Lars could be seen in a bad light to the media. So now we see Lars as wanting to hang out with the “cool kids” and reject others before he is rejected. In this way we might say that the reason why Lars and Sadie can’t have a healthy relationship is because they have yet to resolve their own personal problems, and say that it is just as necessary to have a strong sense of self as it is to be able to get along with others.

Overall, Steven Universe leaves one with a positive impression of acceptance and change, both of society and of yourself. It emphasizes the need for healthy relationships, and for the most part leaves you feeling as though there is always hope for the future, for even when an episode ends on a bad note, it never ends with the feeling that things must stay that way. 

All The Wheres We Need to Go We Go There Through A Hallway

A dilapidated hallway stretches before you. Bright light filters in from holes in the ceiling, holes that are right behind the actual lights, off during the day. The holes and lights continue on down the hallway at the highest point in the arch, and upon further notice you see that the arched roof itself is in a state of disrepair. The once white paint is peeling, and in places where the paint has disappeared completely you can see slats of wood, apparently held up only by wire mesh. Further down the walls you see the more of the white paint, curling off the walls like bark off dying tree. In the patch of light shining on the wall closest to you, above your head on the right, you can see the the wall has disappeared completely, leaving behind what appears to be some sort of yellow insulation. Both sides of the hallway are lined with  wooden doors, and while the ones further away are almost completely brown, from the door to your right you can tell that each door might once have been painted a shade of green. Coming out of the wall next to each door is something that looks as though it used to be part of a lock.The bottom halves of the walls were also painted green, and the green paint peels off to reveal that at some point these walls were all white, and below that, all cement. At the end of hall is a metal gate, but at this distance you have trouble making out if the door is open. Is that a guard you see, sitting by the entrance? You look ahead, around, and finally down, to notice that in stark contrast to the rest of the hallway, the stone floor looks relatively well-kept. Gray stone, laid out much like bricks, interrupted regularly by manhole covers, dirty white circles lined with a dark metal. Huh. At least it's daytime.

The doors lining the hallway, and the metal gate at the end, leave the impression that something is either being kept in or kept out. In going with the idea of things being kept in, hallway seems to be some sort of prison, lined with numbered doors to remind the prisoners that that is what they are, some object to be kept apart from the rest of society, in a plain space that pretends to be cheerful, for the mental health of the guards, if nothing else. The hallway is easy to look down. With everything uniform, it is easy to see when something is out of place, and there is nowhere to hide. The stone floor would also aid in echoing the sounds of running. However, with the idea that things are being kept out, the hallway might be some sort of low-income housing in a tropical area. Walls of cement instead of walls of wood make sense in the tropics, where the heat and humidity combined could quickly rot away the walls, and since the ceiling is apparently made of wood, it makes sense that it might have since deteriorated, if the housing project was abandoned. In addition, fire extinguishers in the center of the hallway are in plain view and easy to access in case of a cooking fire. A stone floor  is easy to maintain in the sense that it could be littered with cigarette butts and not catch fire, would not become muddy in case of rain, and is easy to walk on for sandals, with no debris to irritate peoples' feet. The gate, in that case, might have been for keeping those who would disturb the community out. Whether it be prisoners or projects, the hallway seems to be a place where people might have once lived, but only for practical or cost effective reasons. There is no sense of comfort, and now a sense of abandonment is all that remains.

Social Change Project Quarter 1 Reference Post

Format: Email

Subject line: Student Concerns Regarding School Rules

To: koroshetzs@norwalkps.org

Dear Ms. Koroshetz,

I am Leila Saint-Amand, and I am currently a junior at Brien McMahon High School. Being a student here has reinforced in me the idea that you have to speak up when you want things to get done. There are various groups within the school, such as the Peace Project and SCF, that strive to help the community by raising awareness for human trafficking and other human rights issues, but individual student acts to bring about change aren't something I see often. And, wanting to be a student who is actively involved in the school climate, I can no longer stay silent on what is a big part of maintain the bonds between students, staff, and the administration: school rules.

Rules exist to keep everyone safe and happy. But what happens when rules can no longer function efficiently? A number of high school students, myself included, have some concerns regarding the rules that exist. Some students break the rules due to ignorance, unable to understand what is expected of them, and others because they find the rules illogical. Many mean no disrespect to their teachers or or other administrators. They're simply trying to get by in a way that works best for them. Blindly following every rule, even the ones we students find to be illogical, is just an empty promise of deference to authority. And that, unfortunately, undermines one of the principles of the school: Being respectful.

Mutual respect is an important part of maintaining a good school climate, but when students are dissatisfied with the rules that govern them, it becomes harder to maintain that respect.

For example, many students (and even some teachers) have issues regarding the 10/10 rule. The only time a student is allowed to leave a class is when there is a high probability of a lesson being taught, and in order to leave, they must get a pass signed by the teacher, taking learning time away from themselves and their classmates, and possibly disrupting the chain of thought of a lecturing teacher. Of course, the 10/10 rule is not the only one which presents difficulties for students and staff.

The difficulties and uncertainties associated with the administration of certain school rules, especially in regards to the 10/10 rule, the H-policy, passing, and study halls should not be overlooked when considering what helps Brien McMahon students to be respectful, make good decisions, help others, and strive for success.

For further information regarding these issues, please read my blog post “Why Should We? With a Firm Conviction, Expose the Truth” at http://emptytower.blogspot.com/2014/10/why-should-we-with-firm-conviction.html. If you have any questions or comments, please email me back at this address or leave a comment on my blog.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I appreciate your concern for the voices of students.

Sincerely,

Leila Saint-Amand

E Pluribus Unum (Out of Many, One) *A Speech*

Everyone in America was born with a silver spoon in their mouth. You can fight me if you want, with your fists, or with your wits, but please hear me out until the end. We’re not all millionaires, but we are rich in that great, flawed equalizer we call education. Here we are told to follow our dreams, that nothing is impossible if we try. And can this not be seen in the huge amount of courses available to high school and college students around the country? Where else do you find a high school that offers aeronautics and ballet? In American society, we value individuality, and individuals we create.

But what about places that don’t mean to create individuals? What about that Japanese proverb, “The nail that sticks up gets hammered down?” Well, what about it? Conformity, if that’s what it is, is only one way of looking at things. And conformity breeds a certain kind of individuality.

You’ve all heard of kawaii culture, right? In a nutshell, it’s the cuteness that’s so prevalent... everywhere in Japan. From facial expressions and way of speaking, to clothing and toys, to everyday items as plates and chopsticks, and even keychains on regulation book bags, kawaii is a way for people to express themselves in a culture that demands conformity. And the best part is, everyone is free to define kawaii in their own way, for while we take it to mean cute, kawaii quite literally means “the ability to be loved.” Everyone loves what they love, and they’ll show it to us, one way or another.

But why limit ourselves to reality? When it’s this late, why not take a fancy to Saleem Sinai and his belief in the mysterious  powers of midnight?  For do we not all know that our greatest inspirations (and our greatest fabrications) happen at that time of night when all we’d like to do is sleep and all that we can do is write? But I digress.

In Saleem’s story of India of generations prior, we see the usual things, of how  men work to support their families, of how a woman’s place is in the home, of how she should be ashamed of showing her body in public. And as such, Reverend Mother has nothing but disdain for her actress daughter-in-law, Pia, and provokes thoughts of a certain line in her daughter, Amina, when she takes to betting on horse races to keep her family afloat. She herself admits that she shouldn’t be doing it, saying, “Gambling is a terrible thing; it would be so shaming if my mother found out” (Rushdie 160). But for Amina, a wife’s duty is to her husband and household. So to defend her family’s place in society, to save her husband’s pride and honor, it only makes sense to do what she did.

In breaking the mold to sustain the mold, Amina too helped to show us how people interact with society. Whether we realize it or not, whether it is the intention or not, society shapes individuals. And yet, despite it all, all we can really be is ourselves.

Works Cited

Rushdie, Salman. Midnight's Children:. New York: Random House, 1981. Print.