The Aftermath or The Sky is Falling.

If I was watching all of this from some celestial place like Mount Olympus or heaven I would be most entertained. I would be able to see from that aerial view that it was the experience and knowledge that I gained that was most exquisite. All of the emotions felt during that journey were of no consequence in the end…

For the successful man, the goal of history is not to know a set of events and dates, but to get to know the men and women behind those events and dates and learn from their mistakes and triumphs…


I have been thinking…Again. I realize that this comes as no surprise to anyone who follows this blog but today I find myself wondering if my cousin’s warning about thinking too much was indeed a valid one. My current thought process is the result of a recent visit from the state of New York concerning my school’s status on the Schools under Registration Review list a.k.a. (S.U.R.R.). Anyone who works in the school system knows that this is not a good thing. I am still trying to process what happened here. The only thing that I can articulate is that it feels very quiet; kind of like ground zero after the planes hit. Some may think that this description is a little dramatic but I can only speak from the purest of emotions when I describe what occurred after the army of suits left the building.

On the week prior to the states’ arrival there was a feeling of tension in the air. It was as if everyone knew that there would be bad news…they were right. I have decided not to go into the particulars of what they reported because frankly it was too much to remember. But one thing I can recall is that from my vantage point in the back of our huge auditorium, I could not see the state representative. But from the tone of his voice as he flayed at the very culture of our school and its faculty, I pictured a man wagging his finger and shaming a room full of adults…It wasn’t pleasant. Another thing that I can remember is that during his tirade I could also visualize a little man in my head next to a chalk board. On this chalk board there was line drawn in the middle with boxes on either side. One side was for things that I was guilty of doing. The other of course was not guilty. Honestly, I cannot say how often he checked the guilty box but the fact remains that I was indeed responsible for some of the infractions that he mentioned. So what now? Honestly, I am not certain. But one thing that experience has taught me is that sitting around waiting for this thing to blow over is the worst thing that I could do.

I am curious how others feel about this. We are living in time in our country’s history when everyone’s usefulness is being tested. In this era of scarce resources every individual’s character will be evaluated. Misfits will be outed and everyone will have their opportunity to play judge or jury. But in the midst of all of this I have decided to burn a candle of optimism. I am hopeful that people will begin to talk to one another face to face instead of behind each other’s back. And I am also hopeful that love and honesty will prevail. Naïve? Maybe. But in spite of my naïveté I am certain that although this is probably not the most that we have ever needed each other in our history, it still does not mean that it is any less urgent. What has happened here in my little world is only a small example of what’s to come.

The Tower of Babel and the 6 People Involved

After the debate generated from my last entry I decided to take a breather from the political side of things for a while. Although I still faithfully watch CNN and other news programs with a healthy interest, I have come to realize that some people just want to engage in a little small talk from to time. Hey, what can I say? I ain’t mad at those folks but as the title of this blog suggests, small talk just ain’t my thing. That said, I still maintain that any discussions had in this forum have the capacity to teach even when the original intent of the message is completely pushed aside. With this in mind I decided to do a little research on the art of communication. The following is a theory of communication from Osmo Wiio in which he states:

“No form of communication is simple. Because of the number of variables involved, even simple requests are extremely complex. Theorists note that whenever we communicate there are really at least six "people" involved: 1) who you think you are; 2) who you think the other person is; 3) who you think the other person thinks you are; 4) who the other person thinks /she is; 5) who the other person thinks you are; and 6) who the other person thinks you think s/he is.

We don't actually swap ideas; we swap symbols that stand for ideas. This also complicates communication. Words (symbols) do not have inherent meaning; we simply use them in certain ways, and no two people use the same word exactly alike”.

I must admit that Wiio’s theory has forced me to confront the notion that maybe I originally retreated to the realm of cyberspace because I have become somewhat disheartened with the rigors and disappointments of human communication. I would even further admit that last week’s debacle momentarily made me somewhat disenchanted with my current form of communication; not because of differing opinions but because it seems that the goal of reaching understanding was never achieved. But I digress.

When I began blogging it was at time when I felt extremely over stimulated and under attack in the midst of a growing population of individuals whom I felt had much to say but no time for authentic interpersonal connections. I decided that maybe a more effective way to get any message out would be in a forum where there would be no distractions. I would blog passionately with one goal in mind: to send a message and have it received completely unmolested. Oh how naïve I was! If Wiio’s theory of communication is correct however, no one is to blame. A pessimist would suggest that the advances we have made in communication are simply another attempt to build yet another tower of Babel. However, the higher the tower gets the more true understanding is lost. But like Wiio also states ‘There is no way to not communicate’. Even reluctance to interact suggests something. So I have decided to leave the waters of my own personal Walden Pond, dry my self off, and re-engage in the conversation…Even if I am the only one talking and/or listening. But as always other talkers and listeners are welcome.

p.s. I thought Jukka Korpela’s analysis of Wiio’s theory was quite interesting. Maybe others will also.

Wiio's laws: Communication usually fails, except by accident.

Wiio's laws are "humoristically formulated serious observations about how human communication usually fails except by accident". Here's a quick summary (excerpted from Jukka Korpela's detailed analysis):

1. Communication usually fails, except by accident.
1. If communication can fail, it will.
2. If communication cannot fail, it still most usually fails.
3. If communication seems to succeed in the intended way, there's a misunderstanding.
4. If you are content with your message, communication certainly fails.
2. If a message can be interpreted in several ways, it will be interpreted in a manner that maximizes the damage.
3. There is always someone who knows better than you what you meant with your message.
4. The more we communicate, the worse communication succeeds.
1. The more we communicate, the faster misunderstandings propagate.
5. In mass communication, the important thing is not how things are but how they seem to be.
6. The importance of a news item is inversely proportional to the square of the distance.
7. The more important the situation is, the more probably you forget an essential thing that you remembered a moment ago.

Disclaimer

In my classroom I often use anecdotes from my life to express larger points about the day's lesson. In some cases I have used this same strategy in this blog to discuss current trends which I feel are driving American culture (ie: reality television and its affect on creativity, people's preoccupation with technology and gadgetry etc.) . All of the themes that I cover are written with the hope of stimulating thought and provoking conversation even if the discussions sometimes get controversial. Although the subject matter is sometimes political, this is not the sole purpose of this blog in general. The world is a place full of diverse peoples who bring with them many diverse ideologies. I am interested in reading about all of them if this is possible. Therefore my ultimate goal for writing this blog is to give my self and anyone who contributes the opportunity for growth and understanding. The views expressed here are never personal.

ps. I would also like to take this opportunity to apologize to anyone who has felt misrepresented in this forum.

Regards,


Cknight

Semantics, Sensibilities and Sensitivity

What happens when people stop being nice and start getting real?
-The “Real World” season 1


Last week in my 8th period class I had yet another confrontation with one of my students. This student who has a history of belligerence was going about his usual routine of non-compliance when I asked this question: “Are you and I going to get along in this class or are we going to continue to butt heads everyday?” The student then replied: “I ain’t no butt head…Don’t call me no butt head!” As laughable as this may seem, it represents in many cases how we as Americans react when we feel that we have been personally insulted. Most of us are dealing with beasts that are caged and pacing back and forth somewhere in our psyches, just waiting for the right opportunity to pounce any victim who dares to stick their hand in our cage. This beast does not listen to logic and has no use for logical discourse. It only wants to attack.


Ironically I was reminded the next day during my weekly snowboarding trip that although many of us have learned to contain the beast better than most, there is always a chance that someone might unwittingly open the cage. This moment happened when a seemingly benign conversation came up about the recent controversy surrounding the New York Post and it’s political cartoon which some allege was directed toward Barack Obama. The driver on this trip stated (I’m paraphrasing) how ridiculous he thought the whole debate was because presidents all throughout history have been subject to criticism in the press and that Obama was not exempt. He also stated that it was silly that people thought that this cartoon was offensive because in the past even president Bush was depicted as a primate. He went on to say that it was ridiculous for anyone to associate the gorilla in this cartoon with Obama since he did not write the stimulus bill. He only signed it. This was the point at which the beast in my cage began to emerge. The argument which followed later however is irrelevant because I consider this individual a friend therefore, a tirade highlighting all of the reasons why I felt he was wrong is not necessary. It is necessary however is to display what I learned from our discourse.

1. Each culture that makes up this country possesses a set of sensitive and inherent triggers derived from history. These triggers can at any time impede the progress of the country to move forward. For example, no matter what the intent of the New York Post cartoon was, it set off a trigger in African Americans because for generations since slavery we have been compared to the primate. Although some of us have transcended this insult, many of us still feel the pain especially when it could possibly be used to insult our first African American president whom I’m not ashamed to say I am quite proud. Also, when I think of all of the faces of older African Americans who openly wept after the election I cannot help but think that they are the ones who actually experienced Jim Crow. Some of them can actually remember a time when voting was a life threatening experience. My grandfather who is my last remaining grandparent remembers. I wonder how he feels about the New York Post cartoon.

What I learned: In hindsight, I see my friend’s point. Why should Barack Obama be exempt from criticism? If we start excusing every thing that he does and when attacking him starts to become a taboo then we begin to approach a dangerous realm reminiscent of the fascism that this country fought in the not so distant past. It is possible that because of my friend’s Jewish background that my defense of our president might have sounded too much like the kind of support that another leader in the 1940’s might have received. These triggers are real.

2. Because everyone possesses these triggers, it is helpful when opinions are expressed in the appropriate setting. Although there was slight tension between my friend and me when this debate happened, it was completely healthy and beneficial to us both. I am confident that we both walked away a little more enlightened then we were previously. However, I cannot help but think about other situations when the same differences might not have been so neatly resolved.


What I learned: When our discussion ended we both agreed that the reason for our debate was that we both came from two unique backgrounds with different sets of issues. We also expressed that we have both been in somewhat awkward situations where we might have been outnumbered by the dominant culture and been forced to be diplomatic when we would have rather come out with our guns blazing. For example, he is a white male who moved to Bedford Stuyvesant right before its current gentrification boom. During that time he was subject to all sorts of insults designed to either discourage his choice of residence or to test his metal. I on the other hand, have been the subject of backhanded insults by some of my white counter parts which were designed to measure my level of intelligence or to see whether I was A. the type of ‘angry black man’ who was insulted by everything or B. the type of man who was only interested in getting along with folks and would turn a deaf ear to their coy banter. The bottom line is that in the hood whether it is Bed Stuy or Benson Hurst, no one cares about the type of discourse that we had the opportunity to engage. In most cases people just start pulling their triggers and letting metaphorical bullets fly. And there are some that would agree that this type of response is the best because it leaves little room for bull. Again, one must know their audience.




It is no secret that in the world of commerce, it is essential that no matter how many times during the course of our day that we are insulted we must maintain certain amount of decorum or be reduced to the level of lawless cowboys who settle our differences with six shooters. The insults that we feel most passionate about are mostly rooted in personal tragedies that we had to endure from our past. In a world that is so concerned with the present we may sometimes be unaware of the ripple effects of the past. Although there are many of us who possess the awareness needed to deal with some of these issues, there are others among us who find comfort in the simplicity of ‘hood thought’. And for some of us these roles are interchangeable. At the root of it all is raw emotion. Despite our social, financial or cultural backgrounds we have all been blessed and cursed with the ability to feel based on our life experiences. If enough of people feel a certain way it might behoove the rest of us to consider that these emotions have not been formed in a vacuum. In the case of the New York Post, maybe a simple apology and attempt at understanding would have gone a long way.

Who Will Dare to Watch?

About three months ago during the previews of the much anticipated film The Dark Knight, Legendary Pictures gave movie goers a glimpse of the next highly anticipated comic book inspired film that was waiting in the wings. That film of course was The Watchmen. The stunning visual effects and haunting Billy Corgan vocals were enough to peak the interest of this comic book nerd. However, when I was finally able to see it, a litany of reactions resulted. The first thing I remember thinking after the opening scene was this not your ordinary Hollywood comic book movie. After further thought, I decided that it may or may not be successful for four reasons:


1. The movie stuck to the original story more than any movie of its kind in my experience.
I have seen just about every comic inspired movie that has been made in the last 5 years and none of them were able to escape the firm grip of Hollywood’s manipulative hand. I hate to say it but I now understand why big movie execs often opt to change a few things to make a film more palatable to main stream audiences. Although I don’t necessary think it makes them better, it does address the fact that Americans get bored or scared quite easily (more on this later). Is it because the current trend of media that passes for entertainment today has shortened our attention spans?

2. It was extremely wordy. I have never seen this much dialog in a comic inspired flick. It was as if I was really watching a live action graphic novel without the text bubbles. Please note that the book which inspired this film was the most celebrated of its kind for a reason. Its courageous handling of themes like the pathology of costumed heroes, their role in a modern society and the various ways in which governments would undoubtedly manipulate their power was ahead of it’s time when it was written 25 years ago. Therefore, in my view the dialog was necessary. In the view of the mainstream consumer however, I would venture to say it was just overkill. I could hear the moans and groans in the climax when the character Dr. Manhattan decided to explain why life really did matter and why he decided to be its salvation. In his soliloquy this character revealed in my opinion the raison d’être for the story as a whole. The unexpected ending then of course further asserts his point that life is most essential when it is seen for its uniqueness and aesthetic value. Dr. Manhattan points out that these values are profound because often they are produced from the harshest and most impossible circumstances. He later proves as all of the heroes do with their indiscriminant violence that any part of humanity outside of this paradigm is expendable. Kind of deep for a comic book movie…right?

3. The running theme of human nature and its discontents was extremely heavy for a mainstream film. This movie was chock full of harsh criticisms of American culture, especially the urban squalor that was often expressed by the film’s narrator Rorschach. Throughout the film, he vocalized his contempt for the city and it’s penchant for feeding upon itself. His example of inner dialog throughout the film which was first introduced in two other Legendary Pictures releases; 300 and Sin City was brilliantly executed because it translated the character’s mental state much like an actual comic book. However, judging from the reactions around me, this was just another annoyance.

4. It was dark...very dark. The Watchmen is not a movie for the optimist. This point in my opinion is what makes it truly revolutionary. What has made films such as Superman, Spiderman and the Fantastic Four so popular is like their predecessors they have always focused on some boogie man who is external to our collective consciousness. Older comics even went as far as depicting actual villains such as Hitler and the Nazi Party in their features. Although The Watchman also presents the Soviet Union as an external villain they are only a smokescreen. The true enemy presented in contrast to the old paradigm is the darkest part of the human psyche; the most fearful part of ourselves that wants to be kept safe from harm without being privy to all of the dirty details that go into keeping us that way. I wonder in this age of war and its atrocities if Americans are truly ready for this kind of entertainment.

Frankly, this was a movie that was just way too heavy for the layperson who only wants to be dazzled with loose story lines and gaudy special effects. Yet, I still have confidence in its intellect. I am not saying that the mainstream wouldn’t get it. I am simply saying that in these bleak times most people would rather stick with what is safe. The fluorescent lights of cell phones, idle chatter and incessant fidgeting of some of the watchers of these watchmen suggested that the mainstream’s attention span is too short at this juncture to observe the insights they have to offer. My hope is that many will be patient enough to see its message. If the fate of this movie is bleak however, it will not be because it sucked. It will only be because it was ahead of its time.

The Great Black Hope

It is the year 2009 and our once thriving example of capitalism is now looking quite mortal. People all over the nation are beginning to feel the slings and arrows of uncertain economic times. Many political analysts have considered the idea that our once great nation will eventually take a backseat to other economic powers on the rise such as China, India or the European Union. I must admit that I was one of the people who possessed that fear. I also must admit however, that whenever such fears reared their ugly heads there was also a sense of incongruity that gnawed at my subconscious. It was a little voice that whispered “why are you so worried about where this country stands in the world economy? After all, you have always been poor; therefore you really don’t factor in the grand scheme of things”. I guess I could blame this line of thinking on all of the speeches I read from revolutionary speakers such as John Henrik Clark, Louis Farrakhan and of course Malcolm X. One quote that comes to mind is from the latter. In his speech the message to grass roots, Malcolm X said:

“If the master said, "We got a good house here," the house Negro would say, "Yeah, we got a good house here." Whenever the master said "we," he said "we." That's how you can tell a house Negro. If the master's house caught on fire, the house Negro would fight harder to put the blaze out than the master would. If the master got sick, the house Negro would say, "What's the matter, boss, we sick?" We sick! He identified himself with his master more than his master identified with himself”.

During my college years when I became more aware of literature like the above example, I found myself struggling a great deal with the concept of patriotism for a country that historically has been so cruel to African Americans. Therefore, when I found myself during those years at games saluting the flag or rooting for the home team while watching the Olympics the question in the back of mind was always why? I suppose I reconcile this conundrum with good old fashioned hope which is ingrained in the minds of every American who has been educated in this country. It is a hope that is so powerful that even in the most horrible of conditions there are many of us who still believe that we can make it.

When college ended I was forced to do some soul searching. Many of the questions that plagued me concerning how I would define patriotism still haunt me today. But even now that I struggle with what it means to be a patriot, I do know that it exists. The little boy in me who recited the pledge of allegiance in grade school still lives. Thomas Friedman helped me to discover this when he said:

“No other country can substitute for the U.S.,” a senior Korean official remarked to me. “The U.S. is still No. 1 in military, No. 1 in economy, No. 1 in promoting human rights and No. 1 in idealism. Only the U.S. can lead the world. No other country can. China can’t. The E.U. is too divided, and Europe is militarily far behind the U.S. So it is only the United States ... We have never had a more unipolar world than we have today.”

After reading this quote my first reaction was relief which was immediately followed by embarrassment. Had I become so indoctrinated with the competitive nature that is so characteristic of America (especially in the last administration) that it did not matter whether or not we were actually going to get through this crisis? In that moment it seemed more pertinent to me that we were still running the show, no matter what the cost. The fact that the whole world is watching with baited breath as we face our greatest challenge of the decade should not be in any way comforting even if we still are considered “the greatest country in the world”.
I have since gotten over my embarrassment and my temporary chauvinism. I have decided to be the same hopeful citizen of this country that I was as a child. It is this same hope along with stern criticism that motivated Martin, Malcolm and of course Barack Obama. These individuals knew that even with the brutal history that this country possesses it still has the potential for greatness. It is not the kind of greatness that is measured by military strength or monetary might, but that which is measured by valuing all of its citizens for their talents which in the end will help us get through these tough times. It is these principles alone which point me in the direction of patriotism. I will be watching closely to see where we are headed. And I too will be hopeful.