IRB Intro Post #3

The book I will be reading this marking period is Hearts of Fire: Eight Women in the Underground Church and Their Stories of Costly Faith. After just a peek I can see it's not the smoothest writing, but it is still reviewed to be a collection of powerful stories. The ideas presented are definitely relevant to me, and I think it will be interesting to read as a piece for rhetorical analysis, possibly forcing me to approach it from a different angle than I might otherwise.

TOW #16 - A Whole New Mind (Part Two)

"Making the transition from the Information Age to the Conceptual Age, moving from a landscape of L-Directed Thinking of one of R-Directed thinking, adding the capacity for art and heart to our penchant for logic and analysis, won't be easy. Few worthwhile things ever are. But maybe that's the point… the purpose is the journey itself."

     In the second half of A Whole New Mind are Daniel Pink's "high-concept aptitudes" of Symphony, Empathy, Play, and Meaning. His ideas are presented clearly and convincingly, through well-developed examples and a cleverly organized overall structure. Readers are persuaded to seriously consider his advice on living in the Conceptual Age, when creativity, design, and overall right-brain thinking have risen to unprecedented significance in society and the working world.

     One main reason his writing is so effective is the fact that he connects every new idea back to the main point of "automation, Asia, and abundance." Also, every chapter includes thorough explanations of how his ideas relate to 'high-class' careers in medicine and law, realms that are more affected by the Conceptual Age than generally realized. In addition, Pink seems to have a never-ending list of exemplary people, most of whom are not classic celebrities, but all of whom have fantastic stories that wholly support his ideas. Admittedly, at times there are almost too many different examples and anecdotes, often with a "transition" that is just a new subheading. However, for the most part, the abundant exemplification works well.

     Overall, the book was very enjoyable and relatable. Concepts like "drawing on the right side of the brain," the new age of video gaming, and the innovation of laughter clubs are all intriguing and inspiring. It's inspired me to think about my life a little differently. I would definitely consider myself right-brained, but I've always planned to leave art on the side. I'm more seriously considering a future that's more art-dependent, less 'safe', and more about design, communication, and simply taking advantage of this Conceptual Age that Daniel Pink says to be "why right-brainers will rule the future."

TOW #15 - Fading West

Switchfoot's ninth studio album, released January 2014

Accompanying film, released late 2013

     

The images above are recent works alternative rock band Switchfoot. The artwork effectively communicates main themes of their album and film, both titled Fading West, such as  going back to their roots on the West Coast, expanding and diversifying their music, and the adventures and inspirations of a world tour. From the representative title to the raw photography to the layer of editing, the covers are truly works of art.

     Switchfoot has been a relatively well-known band since the early 2000s and have built up quite a fanbase over the years. One motive for creating the film was to reveal a deeper layer of their lives as musicians, surfers, Christians, and simply people. For the album, they wanted to keep pushing their sound outside of the box, drawing inspiration from music from around the world, and building "a landscape of sound" as described by one member.

     With respect to the artwork, the raw photograph is very simplistic but meaningful: the five band members stand facing west, among them a camera, a surfboard, and a guitar. One interesting detail is that in the image "west" translates to "left", and moving left is often considered backward (right is forward), reinforcing the idea of going back to their roots. The well-placed props represent different loves of the band, the camera communicating a desire to capture and share their journey, and the surfboard and guitar rather self-explanatory. The backdrop, an untamed beach, adds a spirit of exploration and adventure. These aspects of the artwork parallel the very natural, beachy, alternative vibes found in the album.

     The artwork also represents their hope to diversify and explore cinematic themes, both in the film and in their music. This is shown in the editing of near-psychedelic red and blue lighting and film-grain-like streaks. The cooler tones are reminiscent of the ocean and more serious times in their journey, while the warmer tones read like sun flares, bringing warmth and an adventurous spirit.

     The artwork captures the mood and message of the works inside the packaging so well. Even with the editing, it appears vulnerable and honest, not playing on their styling or fame, but highlighting the band members and their loves, their journey.

TOW #14 - Faking It

     Faking It is an excerpt from Michael Lewis's book Next: The Future Just Happened, written on the Internet-triggered "status revolution" that gave unprecedented power to the amateur. (Even if the name Michael Lewis does not immediately ring a bell, his Oscar-nominated titles "The Blind Side" and "Moneyball" may provide him with some credibility as a skilled storyteller.) The article presents the story of Marcus Arnold, whose fifteen minutes of fame in 2001 stemmed from the then-15-year-old's profile as the #3-ranked criminal law expert on AskMe.com. Lewis presents a compelling commentary on the Internet's effects on the previously "privileged" status of information as a three-in-one story, interview, and social report.

     One way that Lewis constructs an emotionally engaging piece is through a generous use of narration, regarding his own life and Marcus's adventures. He transitions into the central story using in anecdote about his father's firsthand experience as a lawyer in a time of super-commercialization and the Internet. He also includes bits of dialogue from Marcus and his parents to better portray the teen's genuine obliviousness to how amazing his story was.

     Similarly, he uses imagery to make ideas easy to visualize and understand. He describes the increased accessibility of information as "[making] life harder for pyramids and easier for pancakes," with respect to company power structures. He also describes the youth obsession with the Internet as an antiparallel to "the way adults often use their pasts. The passage of time allows older people to remember who they were as they would like to have been. Young people… imagine themselves into some future adult world." His various insights are all very thought-provoking and clearly support his thesis of how the technology revolution is so youth-empowering.

     Lewis's writing reaches out to an unbounded audience, asking and answering, "What is the wider society's instinctive attitude toward knowledge? Are we willing to look for it wherever it might be found or only from the people who are supposed to possess it?" As an adult reader, the take-away is simply to realize that things are changing, and that sometimes giving up power to kids and "amateurs" can be a good thing. As a younger reader, it's an almost inspirational piece that shows kids are capable of more than realized, and that present times are perfectly structured to facilitate exploration of their potential.

"[Marcus] was the kind of person high school is designed to suppress... he had refused to accept his assigned status. The Internet offered him... the opportunity for new sorts of self-perceptions, which then took on a reality all their own."

*Note that article's Marcus Arnold actually passed away in 2005 from diabetes complications.

TOW #13 - Distracted Walking

     "Distracted walking" is a phenomenon that almost all of us have witnessed or may even be guilty of ourselves. Jane Brody, New York Times writer of various topics under the "Personal Health" category, describes the danger and blatant ignorance attributed to the action of walking with eyes glued to smartphones, a parallel to "distracted driving." With the help of humor and appropriate statistics, Brody builds an argument to discourage the continuation of this terrible habit.
     Brody narrates, "people looking down to text, tweet, read or play games on their smartphones crash into us, typically as we walk in a straight line and they don’t." The concrete imagery allows the reader to visualize a scene, which has a humorously relatable ending. It is amusing and also plainly calls out those guilty of distracted walking, setting up the very blunt but friendly tone used throughout the article. Her use of humor also transitions into one of her main ideas - many people thought of "distracted walking [as] 'embarrassing — in a funny way,' which suggests they don’t really think it’s all that serious."
     She admits the idea is amusing at times, but argues that it is still a serious concern, supporting this position with appropriate facts and statistics. She describes data that shows an increase in hospitalization for distracted-walking-related incidents and references various surveys on the topic. This appeal to logos allows her to reach out to all the people who do not think it is a serious problem. She shows that she is not speaking out simply from frustration or irrational worry, but through  logic. Also, she concludes the article with a list of suggestions on how to personally avoid issues related to distracted walking, which provides readers with a concrete take-away and makes them less likely to just brush off the article as many might do otherwise.
     Brody addresses this issue appropriately, keeping a lighthearted tone (and avoiding criticism that she is overreacting), but also substantiating her ideas with statistics to show that there is some weight to the situation. It is ultimately a well-written article and very relevant. As for myself, I am clumsy enough without "distracted walking," so this is definitely something to take into consideration.

TOW #12 - Recreational Map of New Mexico

     The above image, titled "Recreational Map of New Mexico: The Land of Enchantment," was distributed in the 1940s by the New Mexico State Tourist Bureau to encourage people to vacation in New Mexico. It followed a time in which the tourism sector was flourishing due to dramatic advancements in transportation. The distributor was likely motivated by schemes of money and growing business, but it is recorded that the artist, Wilfred Stedman, was truly fascinated by Southwestern culture and nature and showed that in his projects. The map displays major points of interest, including various recreational areas, sightseeing locations, and historical landmarks. Dotted with colorful illustrations of cowboys, farmers, animals, and vacationers, it projects a feeling of liveliness, directly appealing to its audience of vacation- and adventure-seekers.

     In addition to the main title at the top, the map features a text bubble in the lower right corner. I found several different versions of the subtitle, the most common two reading "Make YOUR VACATION a Real Adventure" and "We’re Calling You to FUN Again!" The description below it promotes the area's cultural history, from the "prehistoric peoples" to the Spanish conquistadores to the Native Americans to the cowboys of the "Old West." The short text bubble provides a certain credibility to the entire map, acting as a finishing touch that connects all of the crazy illustrations and landmarks.

     Also fitting with the overall feeling of livelihood and adventure is the map's border of miniature plants, animals, and geometric patterns. Yet despite the boldness in color and line, the map remains professional-looking and not garish. This is partially due to attention to detail in topography, portraying major mountain ranges, forests, desert areas, and rivers.

     Overall, it is those details and the energy breathed into the entire illustration that makes me want to examine each point individually, out of both admiration for the artist's skills and curiosity about what really is in New Mexico. So I would say both the artist and distributor accomplished their goals.

TOW #11 - A Whole New Mind (Part One)

(Above: A Right-Brain Translation of the Historical Eras)
"L-Directed Thinking remains indispensable. It's just no longer sufficient.
In the Conceptual Age, what we need instead is a whole new mind."

     A Whole New Mind is a response to the developing Conceptual Age, founded on transcending the analytical, sequential left-brain and investigating the synthesizing, holistic right-brain. Daniel Pink, an experienced author on the dynamics of the workplace and business, uses a combination of statistics, real-world examples, and a humorous writing style to build his case for "Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future" (and why readers struggling through college or employment should really jump on that train).

     Pink organizes the book very logically and makes it easy to understand. Part One is constructed to emphasize the importance of a whole mind, to break down beliefs that the right-brain is either inferior or superior to the left-brain. Part Two explains Pink's philosophy of the "Six Senses." The first two are Design and Story: the first has recently flourished in corporate settings and the second is the basis of interpretation and memory. Each section is concluded with a "Portfolio" containing creative exercises to improve the sense, from fun project ideas to information on design seminars and storytelling festivals. I am definitely inspired to try some of the things in those sections.

     Pink's writing style is also very effective and engaging. He skillfully simplifies important concepts, often through humorous analogies and examples. There are many jokes but the main point is always clear. Consider his explanation of the necessity of both hemispheres: "Logic without emotion is a chilly, Spock-like existence. Emotion without logic is a weepy, hysterical world where the clocks are never right and the buses always late... The two sides work in concert--two sections of an orchestra that sounds awful if one sides packs up its instruments and goes home." His writing voice is balanced between silly and rational - perfect for this topic.

     This book is definitely right for me. It has introduced me to cool things like narrative medicine (the importance of a patient's Story) and the Rainbow Project (a very creative alternative to the SAT). It also gives me ideas about things like college and career.  I am absolutely looking forward to reading the rest of it.