It's not wood! It's a USB memory stick! Maybe the perfect product for Portlanders...
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Hipsters are NOT Authentic
Ok, so I'm a little bitter that my front wheel was stolen in front of the school yesterday in broad daylight...!!!!!!!!
That being said, I'd like to say that the 'cult' of the hipster is one of the least authentic social groups I can currently think of ('indie' kids often fall into this category as well). In their efforts to be part of the 'counter culture,' they have created an image-driven social network where your degree of 'authenticity' is measured by how tight your pants are, how sweet your ride is (bike, not car), and how big your lensless glasses can be. They are not as independent as they may like to think... unless you can be independent collectively. But perhaps this isn't all-bad?
I've been thinking a lot about what it means for an individual to be truly 'authentic,' and I think I'm coming to the conclusion that it's not the people that are inauthentic; it's the social groups and the role of products within these social groups. No matter how 'hipster' or 'indie' someone is, each person comes from entirely different backgrounds which dictate their reactions to, and choices in the world around them. I would like to believe that because of the human ability to make conscious decisions and value judgements, it is impossible to be an inauthentic person. However, this does not mean that people are then excluded from participating in inauthentic activities, or associating with inauthentic groups.
A term that runs very close to inauthenticity for me is 'trendy.' When ideas like global warming become trendy, they become less authentic. For me, 'trend' implies a lack of knowledge about the object or idea that is being designated as such. So, when people decide to get rid of their 3-year old car and trade it in for a more environmentally-friendly hybrid car, they are not reacting to the actual need of the environment, but rather the trend based on the needs of the environment (because if they were to think about it, the impact of going through so much material has a greater impact than how much gas one may save).
Back to hipsters. In the end, the hipster and indie cultures provide a blanket of security that protect individuals within these groups from confronting the idea of being individual. Authentic people are everywhere, but are typically hidden by the facade of a chosen group-identity.
"The Hunt For Gollum"
My friend recently showed me "The Hunt for Gollum," a fan-created movie response to the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
While the story was really pretty lame, I was extremely impressed with the quality of the acting and graphics. Not only did they seamlessly copy the style and mood of the trilogy, but they succeeded in creating beautifully rendered computer-graphic scenes. Overall I was quite impressed!
This reminded me of a discussion we had in class at some point related to music mixing vs. video mixing. Because the movie was so well done, from what I understand the 'copyright' infringements were excused as long as the fan-movie didn't make money (which then allows other fans to see it for free online). After exploring the site a little more, it looks like the group of people who made "The Hunt for Gollum" are now trying to make a feature-length film (possibly for profit). While it is unfortunate that the movie was not allowed to make profit, I feel the 'corporate' response was pretty understanding. It makes sense to let fans create quality 'remixes'! Also, by allowing fans to carry-out such intense projects, the film industry can see what their audiences are craving. It's brilliant, really!
The Authentic Artist: Ryan McGuinness
"I liken myself to a politician who hates what's going on and therefore wants to change the system, change what's going on...
... I hate art, and that's why I make art."
My Own Authentic Experience:
Forest Park. To me, there is nothing more "Portland" than biking only minutes to get to any entry point in the nation's largest forested area within city limits. At a staggering 5,100 wooded acres and over 70 miles of hiking and biking trails, Forest Park provides the ultimate Portland escape for me. Not only is the park unique to Portland, but it feels quintessentially "Oregon" as well. Yay for trees!
Portland Public Service Building: An Authentic History
A controversial icon of post-modern architecture, Michael Graves' design (commonly referred to as the "Portland Building") remains an example of one of the first post-modern buildings of the time, and certainly in the area. Known to architects as the reason post-modernism failed, the building's structural problems also stand as a running joke to the civil servants inside.
To me, the building is distinctly authentic to Portland simply because of the renown controversy and its historical significance. The addition of the bronze statue of Portlandia also seems unique to Portland (the building is not complete without the statue, nor the statue without the building).
An Exploration in Production and Consumption
Yes, it's kindof trendy to be 'green' right now, but this website, though it may just be rephrasing things said in Bill McDonnough's "Cradle to Cradle," or Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth," still makes a good point in a unique way. A short 20-minute video presentation narrated by Annie Leonard, this video is entirely animated diagrams. Not only does this "blank" format allow people to identify with the presentation much like people identify with cartoons, but the creative use of such diagrams allows the pace of the video to maintain its fast and informative pace.
www.thestoryofstuff.com
Additionally, if you are interested in furthering you understanding of where the products you buy are manufactured, artist Natalie Jeremijenko has started a project called "How Stuff is Made." The format is much like a wiki in that the users are typically the ones inputing the information. It's a very interesting and different approach to getting the same message out!
https://wikis.nyu.edu/xdesign/menupage.html
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