I am not quite sure what we were supposed to put in the “other” section but I am going to write about chapter 5 and 6 here. I will change this later if necessary. What I was trying to get at in class about the jungle gym model was that even though the jungle gym model may be true and may be better, the corporate ladder model cannot be dropped. People will always have the notion that to move up, someone else has to lose (whether they consciously think about and respond to it or not). We cannot all fit on the jungle gym. I understand that you can move around and up and down in career fields but someone has to move down and out of the way for you to occupy your new spot. I think I understand why I’m having such a hard time being a normal person and embracing this clearly better second model. I am thinking about careers in terms of resources. Isn’t that how people talk about jobs though? In terms of, how much money will I be making? Is this culturally and socially respected as a career or should this be an in between job? Not everyone has the liberty to talk about the jungle gym as moving around to best fit your passions and dreams. It’s often moving around, side to side, up and down, to fit your financial demands. So, if we’re looking at the jungle gym in terms of resources gained (the jobs at the top are the highest paying ones because those at the top are the best in their fields)then it STILL holds the same problem as the ladder. The jungle gym model accommodates people who do not need to increase their income all the time and seek fulfillment rather than happiness. But for those who seek happiness and instant gratification and all of those things America tells us we should want, they follow the mentality of the ladder on the jungle gym. People think that they can do better. They think they can improve their lives and increase their pay and they even believe they deserve to have their income go up as they get older. This means that those going to the top win more resources for themselves, leaving those at the bottom of the jungle gym with little resources to choose from, or more accurately to work for. Do you see what I mean? Just because there is a jungle gym does not mean people won’t be stepping over other people to get to the top! It’s not all fun and games and helping each other out on the jungle gym (although that would be beautiful and I will totally help out anyone on the jungle gym in any way I can)! It’s still competitive! The jungle gym still supports the upward distribution of resources! So hurray that we can all enjoy the mental freedom of being able to switch occupations and grow but no! There is still vast inequality in America. Thanks to our individual autonomous mindsets we think it is up to us to climb up the jungle gym on our own. If things go wrong we are taught it is because we did not work hard enough or exhibit the right skills. But systems of privilege and power are in place that keep individuals from moving in any direction on the jungle gym. Why would those advancing to the top stop and help pull someone up from the bottom when they could reach the highest point of the dome? What if they can only carry their own weight? They don’t want to take that risk. Saying the career world is a jungle gym might work if there are multiple jungle gyms and there are obstacles on parts of it. Like if one part, the bars are covered in butter and its hard to hold on, that’s gender issues. Or spikes on some of the bars, that’s issues of race. I’ll let you think of the rest for age, sexuality, class, etc. But taking it for what it is, a more realistic vision of mobility in the career world I appreciate the representation of the jungle gym.

 

I can’t even imagine what went into making this workbook. Finding supporting stories and facts, putting the lessons in order (because I know there is a method to the madness), choosing questions at the end of exercises.) Anyways, technology. Technology is great. We are more connected than ever. Those that are not connected though suffer the consequences. So I’ve just come to terms with the fact that you have to be moderately tech savvy to do well now. That is that. If that’s the biggest sacrifice I have to make to function in society that is fine. Ofcourse there are pros and cons to every kind of technology and each person is affected differently by its use. So on a professional level I think technology is great at opening the doors for more creative thinking and pushing the notion of collaboration more than ever. Technology also has the chance to be incredibly empowering (especially seen in blogging. Think of Humans of New York! That book that started as a blog was inspiring! And super successful). However, on the level of a developing young mind, I am deeply afraid that technology breeds narcissism and a sense of never being alone. Young adults are all over social media, even when they’re out together. I am a firm believer that if you took away social media and deprived kids the chance of publishing everything they do, you would have a lot more thoughtful individuals who learned to be empowered through their individually made decisions rather than addicted to public feedback about the decisions they made. I can not even tell you how many times I have seen friends do something JUST so they can put it on facebook. It is BEWILDERING. Why would you do something just so you can show other people? Does that even make it a real interest of yours? My first semester of junior year I made a point to not care at all about what my facebook looked like. Anyone who knows me already understands that I rarely check my phone, go on facebook, or stay connected with the technology world. I send letters, I talk in person, and occasionally make phone calls. I guess that’s changing now that I’m in the city and have to stay connected to be professional. Every now and then though I’ll do what I did at Allegheny. I’ll turn my phone off for 2 hours and I’ll do anything creative that does not involve reality. I will be creative and odd for 2 hours straight. This usually involves painting a mural on my wall (I tape up huge sheets of paper first don’t worry), sending weird crazy fairytales to friends from back home in the mail, or dancing outside in my panda costume. It has to be done. Too much connection through technology at some point limits your creativity. You’ve got to get weird for a while and let yourself think about how there are things in the world that have not yet been imagined or thought about? What are those things? And then you just let your imagination go. But it’s hard to paint a mural when your phone is constantly vibrating with friends wanting to talk about class, wanting to hang out, or wanting to tell you what their doing. Alone time is ESSENTIAL, or creative time. Other people can be there but only if they’re cool about it. I really think everyone should take this kind of time for themselves. One of these paint sessions gave me the idea to turn my Final for my media and politics class into a movie of flipping paper. Teachers can’t just read essays all the time. They need something to wake them up. Google knows about weird creative time too! That whole office is filled with opportunities to drop reality and technology for a bit and be a great thinker. The lead technology, but also realize you need a break from technology. Oh! Back to first semester of Junior year and narcicism in relation to technology. I was super extroverted all freshman and sophomore year but junior year hits and you kind of realize what your character is about and things like that, and I realized that I valued genuine people and using my time usefully (productively or having good fun). I went to about four concerts, took 3 weekend trips, crafted everyday, and danced every day. I have ZERO documentation of this on facebook. I had some of the best times I’ve ever had in college and no one knows. It’s great to leave a little mystery! I know I take that to an extreme sometimes but I think it’s unhealthy that kids really do rely on “likes” and social media feedback to feel gratified in their interests, decisions, appearance, etc. I love facebook for keeping up with other people and talking to those that are far away, but anytime something is abused it has a bad effect. I know I only touched on part of the technology part, but I’m going to stop talking.