The Fog of War: Class Reflection 9

The movie The Fog of War was powerful and informative. I think some of Errol Morris’ conclusions were interesting and gave a different perspective on “the facts.” He starts by saying that “there is no learning with a nuclear war.” I believe history is taught so that we can see the mistakes that were made and ultimately, as rational people, learn from them. His concept about empathizing with the enemy is probably better seen as “understanding” or “predicting” the enemy’s next move. I believe empathy and war are complete opposites, there is no empathy in war or else there would be no war. No one ever wins in a war, victory is a term used to declare or justify some sort of notion of achievement. I think Morris’s “empathy” can be reflected as trying to interpret the “perspective” of the opponent. His example of Thompson using empathy to predict Krushov’s move would be a correct interpretation of perspective rather than “empathy.” This depicts that perspective is different between cultures, situations, and most importantly “individuals.” Every person has their own ‘perspective’ which determines how they interpret situations and act upon them.  How we see things ultimately affects what we do about them. History and life are examples of this.

“Luck prevented nuclear war,” is a very irresponsible statement. Was it lucky that so many innocent Japanese civilians died? Would they consider themselves lucky? I believe the situation, and the various perspectives, and their resulting actions prevented nuclear war.

The portrayal of Japanese cities being destroyed, in comparison to US cities, was a great example of proportionality.  Morris’ definition of proportionality would differ from this visual example. He believes that war should be proportional, however, isn’t war about ego and a sense of power over an opponent? Isn’t the theme of war, in some way, to inflict pain to the enemy so they surrender completely?  In this case, how can we integrate proportionality into war?

One of the most striking thoughts that Morris revealed was, “we would be war criminals had we lost.” In this statement, I feel, he is accepting his mistakes. However, just because we were “lucky” to emerge victorious does that mean that our “moral” responsibilities are forgone?

Finally, “history will vindicate them” would be a statement suggested by the weak. I feel, this equivalent to passing the buck. It explicitly seems that, since we don’t have reasons for our action we hope history or the future generations will find some.

I thought Morris’ movie was a reflection of his thoughts and important facts of the cold war. It gave a deep and interesting insight into the politics and people involved. Furthermore, it portrayed Morris’ perspectives on a personal level. I don’t think Morris feels guilty, nor is this a study of events, it’s  a personal narration of aspects that were important to Morris.

A similar ‘cold war’ was also in place a few years ago. India and Pakistan have been enemies since the partition of Pakistan from India; and the differences between the two countries are marked by religious beliefs and both their claims to Kashmir. A few years ago India “showed off” their nuclear capacity. Pakistan retaliated a year later “showing off” that they had nuclear weapons as well. There was an increasing strain in the region call Kashmir, and people and the media were speaking of “nuclear war and destruction.” Many speculated who would launch the first “nuke,” and who would be destroyed, and to what extent. It is interesting to see how in small ways, history continuously repeats itself. Have we learned from our mistakes is the larger question.

Reflection 8: The Second World War (4/14/08)

The old advertisements were thought provoking. It was interesting to learn the “themes,” or the larger ideas, that an advertisement for socks was actually appealing too.  In the Paris Gaters advertisement, it was revealing to note the generalization: from socks to social acceptance. In fact, generalizations relating commercial products to larger themes are extremely important today. This trend obviously has persisted overtime. I liked the difference in portrayal between the successful man and women. It was good to note that “women” were also seen as successful (although not “as successful” as a man). The illustration of the man seemed “larger” than that of the women which explicitly represents the perspective of the time.

I hadn’t realized how important the US victory in World War II had been for the American ego. I remember visiting the WWII memorial and the first two words that I would use to describe the memorial would be:  magnificent and glorious.  Perhaps, this is a true representation of the US perspective of WWII, this is as aspect of history that the US is proud off.  It was surprising to find out that marriages were being held in the memorial. I found this to be a little strange, considering that the magnificent structure was still a memorial. Perhaps, this was for the actual visual scenery rather than in relation to the WWII memorial. Finally, it was important to notice how architecture represented perspective. The alarming disparity between the WWII memorial and the Batann Death March memorial spoke volumes.

I believe learning the origin of the “lend lease” of weapons in support of wars/ politics was important. This is an important part of international relations today. The fact that USA was the first nation to ever use nuclear weapons was revealing. It is ironic how they advocate so strongly against nuclear weapons today while holding the largest stock of such. Is this a result of learning from history, or another means of extending US domination?

I believe that WWII, served to “emphasize” women as second class citizens to men. Women truly were a convenient substitute for men; however, this also gave women a chance to prove their capabilities which is important.

Finally, the horrible nature with how the Japanese were treated in the US was alarming.  It was interesting to note that such an effort was made to distinguish Chinese from the Japanese. I left the class wondering:  the Japanese, Irish and the African Americans faced great racial discrimination by Americans, how do American citizens with these racial descendents feel about this? Is this a part of the past that they don’t care about, or is could there possibly be a sense of resentment?

Class Reflection #7 Comsumer Identity ( 4/7)

Although being a consumer important part of our daily lives, most people never acknowledge that they have an ‘identity as a consumer.’  I perceive that consumption is a form of expression in America today. What you buy and how you live identifies you as an individual.  The choices you make as a consumer today reflects your personality, your beliefs, and helps you express yourself. The entire marketing and advertising industry help define our self expression as consumers. Choosing to buy Abercrombie jeans depicts our expression as ‘cool yet stylish;’ whereas, buying Versace slacks would emit our expression as ‘elite and fashion conscious.’ The advertising industry gives identity to the products, and when we buy a product – we buy the identity that comes with the product; in this way, as a consumer we express ourselves.

The roots of consumer identity may have started with the Boston Tea party. Rejecting British Tea was an expression: it was expressing the rejection of British culture and fortifying an identity of being “Americans.”

The concept of consumer identification is marked by the cultural change for “convenience” rather than “reuse.” Reuse is still a cultural norm in most third world countries such as Nepal and India. In these countries it is common to see shops that “mend clothes,” peddlers that come to your house to buy scrap and specially ‘empty bottles,’ shops that repair everything from furniture to electronics for a small price, and clothes  that are still handed down. In fact, people in Nepal store empty bottles and wait for the “scrap buyer.” Personally, my parents still take my old clothes and give them to their friends’ children! I believe that this continues in countries because, unlike America, these countries are not as economically strong and don’t have such a developed ‘consumer identity’ practice. Consumer identity was formed by ‘abundance,’ whereas, in most third world countries scarcity still prevails which leaves little choice to support such a culture. In America, abundance is a way of life and choice is integral to people’s lives. I believe it is economic progress that has led to the culture of ‘convenience.’ And this in turn has helped people save time, and made them more productive resulting in further progress. The need for progress influenced products like “Kotex” and many more, which have enabled people to do more with their time. Perhaps Kleenex, instead of handkerchiefs, was an item of convenience due to the time it saved on washing! In America, time has great value and this is seen with the system of “hourly pay.” Most developing nations don’t have such a system.

The most interesting concept that was discussed in class was “living wage.” I conceive that it is hard to precisely determine living wage. I believe every person has their own standard as to what they believe is “necessary to live,” and there is a vast difference in people’s definitions as to what is “living.” What is a necessity for one maybe a luxury for another person.  A villager in Nepal would define living wage as the ability to have two meals, have 2-3 pairs of clothes and have enough wood for winter.  But this is an example of poverty. The American definition of living wage is vastly different, and I would assume what may have been “living wage” in the 1800’s could not be considered living wage today. The increase in living wage reflects on the expected quality of life; which breeds progress and thereby the need for convenience.

The most significant idea in consumer identity is “consumer rights”.  The right to consume what you want is paralleled by the right to work and live. This sounds synonymous to the ‘right for pursuit of happiness.”  A consumer’s rights, enabling expression and inspiring them to work and live better – goes hand in hand with the American dream to “express freely and live well.”

Post #3: Irish Stereotypes Yesterday and Today.

 

“He who controls the past commands the future. He who commands the future conquers the past.”

“History is written by the winners.” –George Orwell (S.Barnes)

In 1840, the Great Famine in Ireland, prompted thousands of deprived Irish to immigrate to the US. In fact, “In one year, Boston’s Irish population jumped from 30,000-100,000”(alwala). The Irish came to America in search of a better life and opportunity; however, their struggle extended beyond survival – the Irish were discriminated against and ousted by American society. The ‘elite Bostonian Brahmins’ perceived the Irish as an uncivilized “servant race.” “The Irish were ostracized from American society for many things besides just being newcomers ” (alwala).  This intense discrimination resulted in the development of stereotypes that were misleading generalizations associated with the Irish race. Stereotypes are simplified characteristics associated to a group of people resulting from prejudices; stereotypes are a  form of ‘racial discrimination (alwala).’

Irish stereotypes consisted of: alcoholic and drunken Irishmen, uncivilized and even racially primitive impressions of Irish, violent and abusive Irish, and many others. These stereotypes have been inherited into the modern world, and similar stereotypes of drunk and violent Irish persist. Although stereotypes of drunk and violent Irish have persisted overtime, the reasons for these stereotypes have changed; in the 19^th century theses stereotypes were fueled by nativism, fear of foreign culture and Darwin’s theory. Today, these same stereotypes are sources of entertainment.

Stereotypes of the Irish in the 19^th century were a form of racial discrimination. This discrimination, and the resulting stereotypes, had its roots in American nativism and fear of different cultures.  Americans at the time were faced with a large number of immigrants. The US wanted to assimilate these immigrants to have American ideals and values. The Irish, in particular, was perceived as a race that could never be ‘assimilated.’ Irish were seen as violent and drunk, and they could never hold American values.  This belief led to the common stereotype of the Irish as a violent and drunk race which is illustrated in caricatures of Irish. The “Know Nothing Movement” (Exist) furthered prejudices and resulted in stereotyping. The Know Nothing Movement fought to oust Catholics from public offices. The Irish Catholics were feared, as American’s viewed the Catholic religion as being against the American value of individualism. Movements, like this one, furthered the belief that Irish could never hold American values, and resulted in further discrimination and strengthened stereotyping (Exist).  

The image of violent and drunk Irish was also fueled by a labor struggle that was prevalent in the 19^th century US. Irish immigrants, in a struggle to survive, were willing to take any job to make their livelihood. This resulted in a labor struggle between the Irish and other immigrants including freed slaves. The labor struggle caused many acts of violence between races. This labor struggle furthered the perception of the Irish as a violent race. The labor struggle is indicated by job signs that read “NINA, No Irish Need Apply” (Exist). Signs reading NINA were believed to have been posted in job advertisements to dissuade Irish labor. 

The Irish were also considered uncivilized by the ‘elite.’ This thought was fueled by a prevalent theory at the time, Darwin’s “Theory of Evolution.” In light of this theory, many perceived the Irish to be “… a lower life form, not up to par with the more intellectual white Americans.”(associated) This prejudice is easily recognized in images and cartoons from the time period.

Darwin’s theory, nativism, and fear of foreign cultures resulted in a century of discrimination for the Irish. The Irish were viewed as a ‘menace’ to American society and were similar to the African American slaves.  Americans believed that The Irish could never be assimilated to learn American values. The Irish were perceived as a threat.

This perception of the Irish led to prejudices, which can be seen in the cartoons and caricatures of Irish in the time. Many cartoons from the 19^th century portray the drunken, violent, apelike Irish. [Please refer to Picture 1] In this particular picture, an Irishman is seen brandishing a gun and a bottle. This portrays the typical “drunken and violent” stereotype, a result of American nativism and fear of different cultures. The picture illustrates pronounced, apelike features; furthering the prejudice that Irish were uncivilized. This was derived from Darwin’s “Theory of evolution.” Finally, the portrayal of a drunk, violent, ape-like Irishman sitting on gun powder, that threatens the US, depicts the larger concern of the time – the inability to assimilate Irish. This cartoon portrays stereotypes of the Irish during the time

Two of these stereotypes have persisted over time into modern day American. Today many still picture the Irish to be drunk and violent. “Irish cops on TV, Notre dame; the Fighting Irish, pubs advertising “green beer”…”(Exist), are all examples of stereotypes. The drunk and violent Irish stereotype remains unchanged over time, and is still prevalent in modern day America. Although, some of the stereotypes of the Irish remain the same, the reasons and the roots for these stereotypes have changed. Today Irish Stereotypes are not fueled by fear of immigration, American nativism or a labor struggle; today’s stereotypes are predominantly a result of the entertainment industry. Today, racial discrimination is seen as a source of humor. The use of stereotypes to entertain can be seen in the depiction of WWF wrestler FInlay. [Please see picture 2] In this picture Finlay is seen in ‘green’ violently fighting his opponent. He seems savage and wild. This impression is very similar to many caricatures of the Irish from the 19^th century. This stereotype is furthered by playing Irish music when Finlay enters the wrestling ring. Finlay also has an assistant who is a ‘leprechaun.’ All these factors add to the typical violent and fighting Irish stereotype. Today, this stereotype is being used to entertain fans for commercial reasons. The same stereotype in the 19^th century was an extension of American nativism and fear of foreign cultures (Exist).

[Please see picture 3] A second picture taken of a drunken, silly looking, Irishman prior to the Saint Patrick’s day festival; is similar to many cartoons of drunk Irish in the 19^th century. In fact, the person seems somewhat ‘uncivilized.’ This is a modern portrayal of the drunken, uncivilized Irishman. The purpose of this picture is to entertain the viewer; unlike similar cartoons from the 19^th century, this stereotypical image is not a result of Darwin’s theory of evolution or other such factors. Although, the reasons and causes for this image are extremely different from that of the 19^th century, the image is very similar.

In all these cartoons and images, stereotypes have been used for various reasons. However, stereotypes still mark prejudices and racial discrimination. Today’s images of Irish stereotypes may not reflect deep beliefs of Americans and are chiefly for entertainment. However, despite the seemingly innocuous implications of modern stereotypes, alike the 19^th century stereotypes, they are still symbols of racial discrimination. I believe that although the reasons for these images have changed, the use of stereotypes in modern day America to entertain people is representative of racial discrimination. This discrimination of the Irish has persisted ever since the Irish set foot in America, and since “history is written by winners,” it is important to understand the plight of a race that constitutes a large part of America today.

PICTURES: http://www.flickr.com/photos/23261616@N07/?saved=1

 

 

Works Cited

 

alwala, omara. “The Irish in America: 1840’s-1930’s”. website. University of Virginia. <http://xroads.virginia.edu/~ug03/omara-alwala/IrishKennedys.html>.

Exist, DoesNot. “Irish Stereotypes: Where Did They Start?”  Ventura, CA, 2007.  (2007): web page. Associated Content. <http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/173444/irish_stereotypes_where_did_they_start.html>.

S.Barnes, Michael. “Imagery and Stereotyping: An Explanation”.  2007. Teaching Diversity With Multimedia.  (November 21, 2007): website. The Authentic History Center. <http://www.authentichistory.com/diversity/index.html>.