Anna would quickly tell you that since last Tuesday, They Might Be Giants has been shaking the walls of our studio apartment. The melodies of Science is Real, Meet the Elements, and both of the sun songs seem to be permanently stuck in my head. It's been fun to discover that it is not just good music to listen to and share, I am actually learning! Little facts from the lyrics stick with me, and I feel like a kid again, looking at the sun and the salt shaker in a whole new way.
The topic of inquiry has been one of my favorite so far. This Christmas I had the enlightening experience of visiting my brother and his wife in Boston. Anna and I attended church with them at the Cambridge ward, a small, tight nit congregation comprised mostly of ivy league professors. The experience was eye opening. Their Sunday School teachers tackle difficult topics with gusto, citing multiple sources from scriptures, church history documents, and scholars. In the third hour, we both experienced in depth questioning of basic gospel concepts, which in our ward, were mostly taken for granted. One of the older brothers in the ward said these profound words that I will never forget: there are a lot of people in this ward who have left the church. But no one left because they knew too much.
As conservative Mormons, I imagine that I may not have been the only one to initially cringe at Here Comes Science. Though I believe in evolution and the scientific method, such phrases as "the facts are with science. The truth is with science" and "my brother the ape" still seem irreverent to some degree. Would I really have my children listen to this? The answer, after brief yet meaningful contemplation, is a resounding yes. Like the members in Boston, my children will not abandon what they know to be true because they know too little. Quite the contrary. By encouraging inquiry, the honest quest for knowledge, we can assure ourselves that we will always find truth around us, and can be constantly learning from good sources.
My favorite part of Here Comes Science is 'The Sun is a Miasma'. I love that They Might Be Giants not only re-wrote the song to be more scientifically correct, but included it on the album with their first version. It teaches us an important truth about inquiry. It must always be happening, even in adults. More important than teaching us facts, Here Comes Science fills us with a sense of wonder, a desire to go out into the world, do research, perform tests, and discover truths on our own. The same can be said for 'Cathedral' and the other films we watched for home fun. None of them have the goal of being the definitive source of knowledge on their topic. They know that, due to the audience, they will only be giving a fraction of the information they could give. But this does not weaken the media, it strengthens it. By bringing up more questions than facts, inquiry based media encourages questioning and discovery rather than blind acceptance. Inquiry based media fills us with curiosity, rather than confirmation.
I have made a commitment to consume more media of this type in my own life. And just so you know, in my astronomy class I learned why the moon changes positions in the sky! You can ask me about it if you want...or just look it up on your own I suppose.
Tuesday, January 31, 2017
Tuesday, January 24, 2017
Online Response: Pinnocchio
Though I have watched Pinocchio several times and appreciated the incredible craft that went into that film, this was the first time I watched it with the education of children in mind. Though at first glance, Pinocchio appears to be an easily understood tale of black and white didacticism, I would argue that the story allows the children to identify with all of the characters on screen, even the villains. Though it pounds home clear moral lessons, it also teaches that everyone has their reasons.
The film Pinocchio has taken on greater meaning since reading the original story by Carlo Collodi. In the original tale, Pinocchio is a bitter child, who kicks Gepetto as soon as he has legs, and flees the home. Pinocchio consistently makes poor and selfish choices which lead to his own demise, and the role of the tempters in his life is minimized. Reminiscent of other old folk tales, such as Little Red Riding Hood, the blame is placed solely on the protagonist. He makes many mistakes, and must pay for them. Only when he begins to make good choices, does he become a 'real boy', and in effect, leaves the wooden form, a metaphor for his childhood.
Walt Disney changes the story in many ways. Pinocchio is easy to relate with for children and adults alike. He is naive and curious, but well meaning. When he makes mistakes, it is for the most part because he is deceived, though he is rather well meaning. Instead of killing the cricket early in the story, Disney's cricket faithfully follows Pinocchio through thick and thin, a constant mother/friend figure who dispenses advice and forgives Pinocchio quickly. The fox and cat, though certainly villainous, are also silly and are trying to make their way in the world. Stromboli is certainly mean, but he is a business man, who simply does not understand Pinocchio's needs. Lampwick, though a poor influence on Pinocchio, is a misguided child himself.
This makes for a difference in the way that morality is addresses in the story. Disney's Pinocchio is a story about how children can be buffeted about in a world of confusing messages, and must stay close to their parent figures or spiritual guides. In this light, I consider the film accurate in its teachings. Whenever Pinocchio stays close to his 'guides' or true friends, he is lead on the right path. Furthermore, even when he is lead astray, he is given the opportunity of coming back. In the end, he ultimately receives forgiveness, saves his family, and sheds his childhood ignorance. Though this story does not address problems of villains being within your family or friend group, it is effective at teaching moralism within a strong family structure.
What I feel like Pinocchio lacks is a praise of adventure. Though I know we are going to address this later on in the semester, it is disappointing to me that if Pinocchio were to always stay at home, it seems all he would ever do would be go to school. Though his adventures often get him into trouble, I believe that it is those very situations that teach him how to become a real boy. If he had not put his finger into the candle, he would have never though to smoke out the belly of the whale. Likewise, if Pinocchio had never gone from the beaten path, he may have never learned what he needed to finally receive the blessing from the blue fairy.
The film Pinocchio has taken on greater meaning since reading the original story by Carlo Collodi. In the original tale, Pinocchio is a bitter child, who kicks Gepetto as soon as he has legs, and flees the home. Pinocchio consistently makes poor and selfish choices which lead to his own demise, and the role of the tempters in his life is minimized. Reminiscent of other old folk tales, such as Little Red Riding Hood, the blame is placed solely on the protagonist. He makes many mistakes, and must pay for them. Only when he begins to make good choices, does he become a 'real boy', and in effect, leaves the wooden form, a metaphor for his childhood.
Walt Disney changes the story in many ways. Pinocchio is easy to relate with for children and adults alike. He is naive and curious, but well meaning. When he makes mistakes, it is for the most part because he is deceived, though he is rather well meaning. Instead of killing the cricket early in the story, Disney's cricket faithfully follows Pinocchio through thick and thin, a constant mother/friend figure who dispenses advice and forgives Pinocchio quickly. The fox and cat, though certainly villainous, are also silly and are trying to make their way in the world. Stromboli is certainly mean, but he is a business man, who simply does not understand Pinocchio's needs. Lampwick, though a poor influence on Pinocchio, is a misguided child himself.
This makes for a difference in the way that morality is addresses in the story. Disney's Pinocchio is a story about how children can be buffeted about in a world of confusing messages, and must stay close to their parent figures or spiritual guides. In this light, I consider the film accurate in its teachings. Whenever Pinocchio stays close to his 'guides' or true friends, he is lead on the right path. Furthermore, even when he is lead astray, he is given the opportunity of coming back. In the end, he ultimately receives forgiveness, saves his family, and sheds his childhood ignorance. Though this story does not address problems of villains being within your family or friend group, it is effective at teaching moralism within a strong family structure.
What I feel like Pinocchio lacks is a praise of adventure. Though I know we are going to address this later on in the semester, it is disappointing to me that if Pinocchio were to always stay at home, it seems all he would ever do would be go to school. Though his adventures often get him into trouble, I believe that it is those very situations that teach him how to become a real boy. If he had not put his finger into the candle, he would have never though to smoke out the belly of the whale. Likewise, if Pinocchio had never gone from the beaten path, he may have never learned what he needed to finally receive the blessing from the blue fairy.
Tuesday, January 17, 2017
Online Response: Son of Rambow
As a child who grew up without a television, Son of Rambow felt eerily autobiographical. I too spent hours dressing up in costumes and throwing myself about the house, pretending to (complete with dialogue, theme music, and multiple episodes) destroy imaginary foes. For this reason, Son of Rambow was deeply instructive as it brought me back to a mindset that I had as a child. As a creative writer, I find that my maturity often leads to a pessimism that is at ends with the boundless optimisms I felt as a child. Son of Rambow helped taught me again some of the truths I knew as a child.
I believe that this is one of the main purposes of this film. Son of Rambow and other films about young children, but which are intended to be viewed by teens or adults, are instructive in that they can bring us back to the worldview we may have had as a child. As discussed in class, lots of children media has the opposite goal: of helping children to understand the experience of adults. The value of this is greatly important as we mature. We may, however, discount the value of a piece of art which can take us back to the things we learned as a child. From this purer, more curious perspective, our more mature hearts may learn anew.
Son of Rambow is full of this exuberant child-like energy. The animations appear hand drawn. The almost magical aesthetic of the film is representative of the way in which children see opportunities in the world, as opposed to limitations. For film makers, the film is particularly enjoyable. Many of those who work in film have fond memories of the first films they made as youth. Though it is comical to see the kids in Son of Rambow mimic the work ethic and lingo of adult filmmaking, this scene may serve a deeper purpose. In the capitalistic pressure of the film industry, that child-like exuberance is lost. When we take a moment to learn from children, and learn from art made by children, it may help us to focus on the creative aspect of art as opposed to its marketability.
Finally, the virtue of forgiveness and friendship is expounded in Son of Rambow. This is perhaps one of the most pure memories of childhood. In many ways, this film, like many other films about children, are drawing upon a nostalgic childhood that never existed. As Baudrillard might say, our desire to return to childhood is to return to an simulacrum, a fake reality that never actually existed. Though I do believe this plays into the charm of Son of Rambow and others like it, I simultaneously believe that it can teach us of the joy and exuberance of childhood. Son of Rambow is not just a movie to be enjoyed by kids, it as a movie to teach us about the joys of childhood and childlike imagination.
I believe that this is one of the main purposes of this film. Son of Rambow and other films about young children, but which are intended to be viewed by teens or adults, are instructive in that they can bring us back to the worldview we may have had as a child. As discussed in class, lots of children media has the opposite goal: of helping children to understand the experience of adults. The value of this is greatly important as we mature. We may, however, discount the value of a piece of art which can take us back to the things we learned as a child. From this purer, more curious perspective, our more mature hearts may learn anew.
Son of Rambow is full of this exuberant child-like energy. The animations appear hand drawn. The almost magical aesthetic of the film is representative of the way in which children see opportunities in the world, as opposed to limitations. For film makers, the film is particularly enjoyable. Many of those who work in film have fond memories of the first films they made as youth. Though it is comical to see the kids in Son of Rambow mimic the work ethic and lingo of adult filmmaking, this scene may serve a deeper purpose. In the capitalistic pressure of the film industry, that child-like exuberance is lost. When we take a moment to learn from children, and learn from art made by children, it may help us to focus on the creative aspect of art as opposed to its marketability.
Finally, the virtue of forgiveness and friendship is expounded in Son of Rambow. This is perhaps one of the most pure memories of childhood. In many ways, this film, like many other films about children, are drawing upon a nostalgic childhood that never existed. As Baudrillard might say, our desire to return to childhood is to return to an simulacrum, a fake reality that never actually existed. Though I do believe this plays into the charm of Son of Rambow and others like it, I simultaneously believe that it can teach us of the joy and exuberance of childhood. Son of Rambow is not just a movie to be enjoyed by kids, it as a movie to teach us about the joys of childhood and childlike imagination.
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