benbartosik DOT com <script type="text/javascript" src="http://springvalestudents.org/benbartosik/wp-content/themes/colorpaper/js/jquery-1.2.6.min.js"></script> <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="benbartosik DOT com » Culture Tag Feed" href="http://benbartosik.com/?feed=rss2&tag=culture" /> <script type='text/javascript' src='http://springvalestudents.org/benbartosik/wp-includes/js/prototype.js?ver=1.6'></script> <script type='text/javascript' src='http://springvalestudents.org/benbartosik/wp-includes/js/scriptaculous/wp-scriptaculous.js?ver=1.8.0'></script> <script type='text/javascript' src='http://springvalestudents.org/benbartosik/wp-includes/js/scriptaculous/effects.js?ver=1.8.0'></script> <script type='text/javascript' src='http://springvalestudents.org/benbartosik/wp-content/plugins/lightbox-2/lightbox.js?ver=1.8'></script> <script type='text/javascript' src='http://springvalestudents.org/benbartosik/wp-includes/js/swfobject.js?ver=2.1'></script> <script type='text/javascript' src='http://springvalestudents.org/benbartosik/wp-content/plugins/podcasting/player/audio-player-noswfobject.js?ver=2.0'></script> <link rel="EditURI" type="application/rsd+xml" title="RSD" href="http://springvalestudents.org/benbartosik/xmlrpc.php?rsd" /> <link rel="wlwmanifest" type="application/wlwmanifest+xml" href="http://springvalestudents.org/benbartosik/wp-includes/wlwmanifest.xml" /> <link rel='index' title='benbartosik DOT com' href='http://benbartosik.com' /> <meta name="generator" content="WordPress 2.8.6" />  <script type="text/javascript"> //<![CDATA[ document.write('<link rel="stylesheet" href="http://springvalestudents.org/benbartosik/wp-content/plugins/lightbox-2/Themes/Black/lightbox.css" type="text/css" media="screen" />'); //]]> </script>   <script type="text/javascript"> AudioPlayer.setup("http://springvalestudents.org/benbartosik/wp-content/plugins/podcasting/player/player.swf", { width: 290, transparentpagebg: 'yes' }); </script> <style type="text/css"> .better-tag-cloud-shortcode li, .better-tag-cloud-shortcode li a, li#better-tag-cloud ul.wp-tag-cloud li, li#better-tag-cloud ul.wp-tag-cloud li a { display: inline; } </style> <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="Podcast: Springvale: Thursday Night Talks" href="http://benbartosik.com/?feed=podcast" /> <link rel="stylesheet" href="http://springvalestudents.org/benbartosik/wp-content/themes/colorpaper/styles/teal.css" type="text/css" /> <link rel="stylesheet" href="http://springvalestudents.org/benbartosik/wp-content/themes/colorpaper/style.css" type="text/css" /> <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="benbartosik DOT com RSS Feed" href="http://benbartosik.com/?feed=rss2" /> <link rel="pingback" href="http://springvalestudents.org/benbartosik/xmlrpc.php" /> </head> <body> <a name="top"></a> <div id="footer-back"><div id="footer-bg"> <div id="main"> <div id="main-top"> <div id="navigationed"> <ul id="navigation" class="clearfix"> <li><a href="http://benbartosik.com" title="Hello">Home</a></li> <li class="page_item page-item-183"><a href="http://benbartosik.com/?page_id=183" title="About the Author">About the Author</a></li> </ul> </div> <div id="container"> <div id="content-back" class="clearfix"><div id="content-bottom"> <div id="left-col"> <div class="clearfix"> <div id="colors"> <a href="http://springvaleyouth.com/" class="color-blue">Blue</a> <a href="http://whatisthealivemovement.com/" class="color-orange">Orange</a> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Springvale-Youth/164406855197?ref=ts" class="color-green">Green</a> <a href="http://www.youversion.com/groups/springvalesrhigh" class="color-pink">Pink</a> <a href="http://www.wordle.net/" class="color-purple">Purple</a> </div> <div id="page-title"> <div class="page-title-content"> <h3 class="page-title">Posts Tagged ‘Culture’</h3> <div class="post-meta-single"> <div class="small"> <p class="small verdana">You can use the search form below to go through the content and find a specific post or page:</p> <form method="get" id="searchform" action="http://benbartosik.com/"> <div><input type="text" value="" name="s" id="s" class="text" size="40" /> <input type="submit" id="searchsubmit" value="Search" class="btn submit btn-teal" /> </div> </form> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="left-content"> <div class="post"> <div class="post-date"><span class="month block">Apr </span><span class="day">30 </span></div> <h4><a href="http://benbartosik.com/?p=151" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to Peace? Try the Self-Help Section.">Peace? Try the Self-Help Section.</a></h4> <p>I’m wondering if anyone else finds it comforting that there will always be a book to read.</p> <p>I’ve turned browsing Chapters into a sort of therapy session, the end result of which is a sort of calming effect. I’m obviously never going to read the all the books that have been written and will probably miss out on some great ones; but that doesn’t seem to worry me. Instead, I have discovered a great pleasure in simply looking at books and slowly searching for a good one. It’s a feeling that I don’t have to worry about losing either because people will always write books.<br /> I get a similar feeling going into HMV and looking through cds; though browsing music usually makes me anticipate certain releases which takes away from the zen-like state I’m aiming for. Books seem to do it for me. There’s no rush, no waiting for a new arrival, no sense of urgency or regret. I can take my time, sip my Starbucks, and stumble across good finds in a somewhat accidental way.* I especially like going to different Chapters locations and getting an even deeper sense of loss in the book stacks. It’s quite nice.<br /> I was recently told by a doctor that the best way to deal with anxiety is to try to find a calming exercise. What’s yours?</p> <p>On a completely separate thought, I wondered today how I would feel if I died before Lost resolved itself. I think it might be the first question out of my mouth when I’m reunited with someone who lived long enough to see the end.</p> <h5>*I was able to find Marvel Zombies: Dead Zone and Scott Pilgrim 3 last time.</h5> <script type="text/javascript">tweetcount_url='http://benbartosik.com/?p=151';tweetcount_title='Peace? Try the Self-Help Section.';tweetcount_cnt=0;tweetcount_src='RT @benbartosik blogged';tweetcount_via=false;</script><div style="float:left;margin-right:10px;"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.backtype.com/tweetcount.js"></script></div><a href="http://www.google.com/reader/link?url=http://benbartosik.com/?p=151&title=Peace? Try the Self-Help Section.&srcTitle=benbartosik DOT com&srcURL=http://springvalestudents.org/benbartosik"target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://springvalestudents.org/benbartosik/wp-content/plugins/wp-google-buzz/icon/small_horiz.png" style="opacity:1;filter:alpha(opacity=100)" onmouseover="this.style.opacity=0.7;this.filters.alpha.opacity=70" onmouseout="this.style.opacity=1;this.filters.alpha.opacity=100"/> </a> </div> <div class="post"> <div class="post-date"><span class="month block">Mar </span><span class="day">19 </span></div> <h4><a href="http://benbartosik.com/?p=115" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to Top 5 Cultural Phenomenon That Have Shaped My Life">Top 5 Cultural Phenomenon That Have Shaped My Life</a></h4> <blockquote><p><i>I did these on <a href="https://springvalestudents.sslpowered.com/springvaleyouth.com/Episode%205.m4a">the podcast</a> this week but since they were originally conceived for this blog I figured I might as well post them. These are cultural influences that I truly believe if removed would actually alter my life in some way. They’re in a chronological order.</i></p></blockquote> <p><b>5. Action Figures.</b> I’m not thinking of one in particular, just action figures in general. I had a bin of them that I used to play with for hours of imaginative cultivation. <img src="http://www.kidzworld.com/img/upload/article/21549/a2870i0_rotateWA.gif" align="left" height="85" width="103" />Every now and then my parents would take me to the mall and we’d go into Toys ‘R Us and I would be allowed to pick out a new one. I had everything from Batman to Ninja Turtles to Earthworm Jim to Reboot; you name it. Those times definitely instilled within me a very powerful and definitive imagination that still exists to this day.</p> <p><b>4. The Chronicles Of Narnia</b>. C.S. Lewis’ seven book fantasy masterpiece that I first read during a summer up at my cottage.<img src="http://www.timelesstexts.com/images/bookpics/d137.jpg" align="right" height="122" width="96" /> These books appealed to my previously mentioned imagination and took me to places I still fondly look back upon. The idea of discovering a secret world was about the greatest thing I ever heard and to this day I keep my eyes open just in case. I re-read them almost every year and still enjoy what they have to teach; the guy was one of the smartest men to ever write.</p> <p><b>3. Boy Meets World.</b> The symbolism behind the title to this show was certainly true in my experience with it. <img src="http://a.media.abcfamily.go.com/abcfamily/Shows/BoyMeetsWorld/Editions/2007-1-1/Images/BoyMeetsWorld_r.gif" align="left" height="133" width="232" />Corey Matthews’ misadventures (seemingly) taught me more about life than my own limited experience could ever hope to achieve. Of course that’s the irony of watching a show about a character roughly the same age as you learning from everyday life situations; you end up living your life vicariously through them and miss out on your own opportunities. I have certainly never been more concerned with the outcome of any relationship, fictional or not (possibly including my own) than I was with Corey and Topenga’s. To this day I still believe in my heart that those two are still together since I am incapable of separating their existence with reality.</p> <p><b>2. The Get Up Kids.</b> Do you ever listen to songs from the past that seem to conjure up old memories and feelings? <img src="http://www.timmcmahan.com/images/getup1.jpg" align="right" height="147" width="221" />That was the Get Up Kids for me. They truly were a significant part of my teenage life, though I don’t think I realized it until later looking back. I had love affairs with many bands, referred to several as “my favourite” and yet none stick out quite like the Get Up Kids. They were by no means extraordinary and certainly will not stick out in music history; there were “better” bands by far. However, their music was with me through so many standout points in my life, both happy and sad, that the vault of feelings and memories that are triggered when I listen to them now make them truly the most important band of my life so far. Certain songs such as Anne Arbour, Campfire Kansas, and Valentine and the memories of their live show will probably be with me for the rest of my life. They shaped those important moments and for that reason, they did play a role in my life.</p> <p><b>1. High Fidelity. </b>Despite my love for the cinema, few movies have left quite the impact that this one did. <img src="http://www.scene-stealers.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/robplacing.jpg" align="left" height="134" width="197" />I first saw it in high school and have been watching it ever since. I confess I actually own two copies of it, though that is a separate story. Not only is it funny, witty, and thoroughly entertaining, it has taught me more about relationships than any other single source in my life. This is the movie that taught me that <i>settling</i> isn’t a bad word. It taught me about knowing when things are just<i> good</i> <i>enough</i>. I found a strange semblance of familiarity with Rob Gordon’s sad excuse of a life and realized that I always wanted to own an unsuccessful record store and sit around all day making up top five lists and talking about music. Though many have disagreed with me on the “greatness” of this movie, I will still hold it as my favourite and most significant movie of the past 7 years and for that it takes the number one place on my list.</p> <script type="text/javascript">tweetcount_url='http://benbartosik.com/?p=115';tweetcount_title='Top 5 Cultural Phenomenon That Have Shaped My Life';tweetcount_cnt=0;tweetcount_src='RT @benbartosik blogged';tweetcount_via=false;</script><div style="float:left;margin-right:10px;"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.backtype.com/tweetcount.js"></script></div><a href="http://www.google.com/reader/link?url=http://benbartosik.com/?p=115&title=Top 5 Cultural Phenomenon That Have Shaped My Life&srcTitle=benbartosik DOT com&srcURL=http://springvalestudents.org/benbartosik"target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://springvalestudents.org/benbartosik/wp-content/plugins/wp-google-buzz/icon/small_horiz.png" style="opacity:1;filter:alpha(opacity=100)" onmouseover="this.style.opacity=0.7;this.filters.alpha.opacity=70" onmouseout="this.style.opacity=1;this.filters.alpha.opacity=100"/> </a> </div> <div class="post"> <div class="post-date"><span class="month block">Jan </span><span class="day">23 </span></div> <h4><a href="http://benbartosik.com/?p=51" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to J.J. Abrams, Prophet Of Our Time">J.J. Abrams, Prophet Of Our Time</a></h4> <p align="center"><b>(Or, Why Exactly Is Cloverfield So Great?)</b></p> <p>I went and saw the J.J. Abrams produced monster movie, Cloverfield, for a second time last night. Admittedly, I have become entirely obsessed with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viral_marketing">viral marketing</a> campaign this movie has generated. With everything to<a href="http://www.myspace.com/robbyhawkins"> Myspace profiles</a> for character development to a new online <a href="http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=12752">manga comic</a> to give backstory to the monster, this movie is truly an insightful glimpse into the technological world we live in. I had to go a second time just to take part in this experience again with even more knowledge than I had the first time. Happily, I can now say that I did see the mysterious splash in the last scene (rumoured to be a piece of a satellite owned by the Tagruato Drilling Co.) and have properly heard the “Help Us” radio transmission at the end of the credits. Once again it was another thrilling ride. What is unique about this movie though, is the way in which it fits into the world we now live in.</p> <p>The real achievement that this movie scores is its uncanny ability to capture a catastrophic event from the eyes of ordinary people with no real understanding of what is taking place. We are living in a society where when a news-worthy event happens teenagers with cellphone cameras are able to record the details well before a news network or Emergency Response Unit can arrive on the scene. One of the most haunting images of the last decade was the amateur video taken of the 9/11 attacks. In an interview in this weeks TIME magazine, J.J. Abrams states of his movie that</p> <blockquote><p>We came up with the YouTubification of things, the ubiquity of video cameras, cell phones with cameras. There are hundreds of incidents and images out of Iraq on handheld video that are horrifying. All of those images we considered because they show us the way things actually look.</p></blockquote> <p>This movie’s attempt to bring America to terms with her fears in a post 9/11 world, amidst a war on terror seems to be successful. In the same way that Godzilla was a representation of the post nuclear fall-out on Japan, Cloverfield has explored similar social fears. These feelings of public hysteria are encapsulated perfectly in one of the more memorable scenes immediately following the first tremors as the crowds gather on the streets in confusion. The Statue of Liberty’s head is tossed through the city in a flagrant symbol of terror and then a building comes crashing down, covering the city in dust; all of it captured on a hand held camera with no real understanding of the chaos taking place. For anyone present in New York during the terrorist attacks of September 11th, this would have been powerful imagery.</p> <div style="text-align:center;"><img src="http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/photo/2008-01/34791337.JPG" height="194" width="345" /></div> <p>Cloverfield has opened a whole new can of worms regarding the cinema of the future. Are these sorts of viral marketing and apocalyptic symbolism going to become common place? Its no question that the world is changing and that technology is the driving force behind these changes. News corporations can barely keep up with the way in which the internet has allowed people access to rumours and information before it can officially be released.</p> <p>No Country For Old Men makes the point that you can’t stop what’s coming and can either try and keep up with this changing world or be swept away by the waves. I can’t help but feel sympathy for the parents who attempt to keep up with their children, that’s practically a full time job. If your goal is relevance, falling behind is simply not an option.</p> <blockquote><p><font face="Courier, Courier New">Come gather ’round people wherever you roam<br /> And admit that the waters around you have grown<br /> And accept it that soon you’ll be drenched to the bone.<br /> If your time to you is worth savin’<br /> Then you better start swimmin’or you’ll sink like a stone<br /> For the times they are a-changin’.</font><br /> -Bob Dylan</p></blockquote> <script type="text/javascript">tweetcount_url='http://benbartosik.com/?p=51';tweetcount_title='J.J. Abrams, Prophet Of Our Time';tweetcount_cnt=0;tweetcount_src='RT @benbartosik blogged';tweetcount_via=false;</script><div style="float:left;margin-right:10px;"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.backtype.com/tweetcount.js"></script></div><a href="http://www.google.com/reader/link?url=http://benbartosik.com/?p=51&title=J.J. 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