Reflections on Mass Media

The act of absorbing information and the media at which it travels is quite an interesting thing. We send and receive information everyday both consciously and unconsciously. Information helps us communicate to one another or to many to express needs, wants, demands, findings, expression of feelings, thought etc. The transfer of information occurs through our bodies senses: touch, smell, sight, hearing, as well as taste.

We had some disagreements in our last class regarding the current state of how much our information is mediated via the Internet. Obviously since the advent of the Internet, the amount of information and the ability to share and access from all over the world has taken leaps and bounds undefinable. Although we have such means to create and consume information across the entire world, the question I pose is this; Why does this matter? What are you going to do with this information once you've absorbed it? Can you ever know enough to know that you have correct information?

In principle, I think the attempt to find the most accurate and honest information is imperative. But in retrospect, knowing the most accurate, honest, unmediated information doesn't always matter. Maybe it mattered to me at the time, but because there are so many sources of information on the internet, it is easy for one to become mislead or confused. This leads me to feel that in our current state of information sharing, we have too much information which can often lessen our ability to gain control over our lives.

And isn't this the main reason why we want so much information. To have control over our lives. To have the answers to the "whys" so we know our purpose is not trivial. For me, it's hard to say if we have control as a World, country, culture, let alone myself. Although I attempt to keep my life in order, I find many of my experiences are due to circumstances. We can choose to be somewhere at a certain time with a specific purpose but others are making choices and sometimes those choices affect our lives unexpectedly. These circumstantial events can influence our lives both in a positive or negative way.

I enjoy having the ability to access worlds of information over the internet but I feel like we as a country, are becoming less in control over our government, our communities and our lives.

Sorry for the run ons but I just wanted to get it all out. :)

First Things First 1964 Manifesto

Is advertising really the best way to utilize the talents and time of professionally trained designers and photographers? Can a consumer society ever reach a point where advertising reaches its end? Is it possible to make value judgments on the work we do or the things we consume? Can one job, say designing the cover to a diet book, be any less respectable then another job of designing a math book for 6Th graders?

In the 1964 First Things First Manifesto, the point is made to me that its not an all or nothing scenario. But some form of balance or at the least, a shift in priority over high pressure consumer advertising must occur.

I feel like there is a shift in the utilization of design talent. Consumers are become more educated and more sophisticated in what they like. Clothes, furniture, movies, music, art, architecture and so on are all growing at many levels. The only problem and that's if you think its a problem, is that as consumer markets of the world become more interconnected, more aggressive mass advertising will occur.

I should back up. The real problem in my mind is this. 100 years ago our world had about 1.5 billion people. Today, we have over 6.5 billion humans on this Earth. I think the real problem is that we have too many people to sell stuff to. For instance, World wide this year, 233,344,500 and counting computers have been sold, 42,402,810 cars have been produced, 89,025,400 bikes have been made, 10,369,177,000 movie visitors, 4,283,293,400 Tons of food has been produced, and over 27.7 billion dollars has been spent on dieting in the US alone to date this year.

My point is that we produce and consume a lot! I'm not inferring that consumption is equal for every person on the planet, but I'm saying we have a lot of people to put to work. People that need jobs and hence become consumers themselves.

As long as people have enough money (whether they actually have cash or its credit) they will want things. And as long as people have jobs, products and services will be available for consumers to purchase.

I believe as consumers become more educated about the goods and services they are purchasing they will demand better and more sophisticated designed goods. Its only been since the 1950s that modern advertising and the concept new has come about. And its a two way process, designers have to lead the way and persuade consumers that good design is worth their money. All those things mentioned in the manifesto as more noble effort: (street signs, buildings, books & periodicals, educational aids and so forth) are all part of the consumer market.

FYI: As a World, we have emitted over 18.2 metric tons of Carbon Dioxide this year. As designers, we need to develop sustainable solutions from the beginning. Can this material in one product after its used up be safely reused in some other product?

What Is Music & Why Do We Like It?

Music is an artistic form of communication consisting of sound and silence. Elements of music are pitch, (which governs melody and harmony), rhythm (with its associated tempos, meter, and articulation) dynamics, structure, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture. Furthermore, music goes beyond this simple definition and crosses over into cultural dimensions that evolve over time.

Music's relentless rhythmic pulse or other repetitive architectural elements helps explain time and set up the frame work to match new phrases against the old. Contrasting differences with change, music works well when the change is merely a slight shift from the original similar to thought and vision. Often this slight change from the original best reveals the object's form and even acknowledges that the original exists.

Playing music has been around since before recorded history. It is something that brings people together, breaks down barriers and most often leads to a good time. Making music is fun! Even more so, playing music is good for you brain in developing spatial-temporal reasoning. Playing music is good for your body be relieving stress, increased levels of melatonin which all helps support a healthy immune system. Playing music is great for the soul by reducing stress, anxiety, depression and even loneliness. Which brings me to how playing music is good for ones social life. Yes, you could play music by yourself, but one of the most beautiful things about music, is that you're interacting and communicating with others in a creative way.

Music whether played or listened to, can impact emotions. For pleasure or misery, music is necessary for so many aspects of our lives. It can enhance the atmosphere of the party, it can lead you to cues in a play or movie, it can lift you spiritually or calm you after a stressful day. Music is educational as it reflects the culture and history of people and their countries.

Thesis Site Selection

This winter term, I will begin my thesis project and I have decided to design a school of music located here in Portland, Oregon. I have been playing the drums and various percussion instruments for over 16 years and played all over the West Coast, Canada, and in several countries in Western Europe. I love all styles of music but I always come back to Jazz and Blues. Of course I love Miles Davis and John Coltrane, but many people forget or never get into the music of say, Dextor Gordon, Sonny Rollins, Jo Jones, or Charles Mingus. The list could go on forever with each musician bringing something to the table in their own way.

So for my thesis, I'm currently writing my thesis statement and selecting my site. Last week I thought I found the perfect site and to my surprise, I found an even better location while I was on foot.

I am proposing my thesis project to be in Portland, Oregon located in the Cultural District on the corner of SW Park Ave and SW Main Street. The location is currently a surface parking lot. The Portland Art Museum is the next block south on SW Park Avenue. Other places of interest that are immediately near by are: Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Portland Center for the Performing Arts, Oregon Historical Society Museum, as well as the South Park Blocks. Similar to Berklee School of Music in Boston, this school's curriculum would center around Jazz, Blues, R&B, World Music and beyond.

So if you're interested or know the area very well (maybe you live near by) feel free to suggest and or make comments about this area. Anything cool I should check out. Anything that could be related or supportive toward the vision of a school of music project.

Cradle to Cradle

I'm reading the book, Cradle to Cradle by William McDonough and Michael Braungart. They develop this metaphor between the Titanic Ship and the Industrial Machine, "It attempts to work by its own rules, which are contrary to those of nature" and thus bring decline to almost every ecosystem on the planet. But this opposition to nature, as to work toward economic progress does not have to be so. We as humans can design products and systems that celebrate human ingenuity, culture, and productivity.

Although I'm aware of our landfill waste problems, this book has brought to my attention that our industrial system in most cases is a linear one way process where many of the materials after consumer use still has material asset value; and that stuff just sits in a waste heap un used.

At some point, we must find a way to rethink the way we produce. We need enough forethought and collaboration between designers product specialist (chemists) to design products that not only last longer and work more efficient but as they expire, their materials can become the input for the production of new products. Oh, and without making me sick or leaching toxins into my drinking water too.

Sbux

So I'm coming out and admitting it. I've kept it from most people but I thought its time to just get it off my chest and once and for all just let it out... I work for Starbucks Coffee Company. There. I said it. I've worked at various coffee shops as a Barista over the last, oh man I think going on 7 years now. I take pride in my work and I enjoy talking with people as they take their coffee breaks. I think most people can relate. The breaks in the day where you're just like, "man I can't work on these TPS reports anymore, i need some coffee". Well I've been that guy you chat it up with in the mean time between failure so to speak. And even though these conversations are short and most of the time single serving, I personally take away something that helps me gain perspective of my life. In short, my life's experiences (good and bad) become a little more relative in relation to the people I meet and talk with.

Working at Starbucks in comparison to small, less corporate coffee companies, I have seen first hand how they have sucked all that's good about a coffee house and created a production line for the coffee industry. Its suppose to be customer service driven. But its the most unfriendly(fake) impersonal, hurry the customer through their order, lowered standards for speed efficiency coffee shop I've ever worked for.

I don't really make drinks anymore. I'd call it pushing a button or two , putting a lid on that cup and proceed to yell out in perfect order, "decaf venti 2 and a half pump vanilla extra hot no foam skinny vanilla latte" when the person is just a few feet away. Oh, and I remember to say thank you. Not thanks, or thanks again, but thank you because that's what I'm told I have to do. Its a part time job for now while I'm school but sometimes I reminisce of the good days when a macchiato was simply espresso with a mark of foam. Ahh. The good old days

Media - What is it?

I really enjoyed Dana Plautz's lecture today! The way she defined this new media was fascinating because its something that continually changes. Change created often by the collaboration between artist and scientist. "New Media provides a new common ground between art, technology, and science." But most importantly, "its the connection you make through it". The connection between artist and scientist is very interesting. In the E.A.T. short video, the narrator expressed how the two are complementing to one another. One is imaginative and creative while the other is empirical and calculating. Yet they both share so many similarities: exploration into the unknown, experimentation, observation, openness, analysis, and the process of discovery. This lecture brings me back to the idea I had several years ago of incorporating nanotechnology with various building materials as to development an architectural element that through the use of electrical signals, you can create shapes and shape-shifting walls, panels, and the alike.

Beginning of the End

I'm new to blogging. This marks the first term of my 3rd and final year here at the UO Masters of Architecture Program. I may use this opportunity to document my experience over the course of this year. I spent the last summer delivering autoparts and the thought crossed my mind of making a mini documentary. Between the various mechanics I delivered to...Russian, Ukrainian, South American, Korean, American, and the diverse characters that I worked with back at the parts store, lets just say it truely could have been a reality Tv show.