Gonzo Journalism

This video offers a small introduction, to the documentary "Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson." that was recently released about the iconic writer, reporter, artist, and thinker. Hunter S. Thompson committed suicide in 2005..talk about a loss. Possibly the single most influential pioneer of free form journalism, Thompson married fact and fiction in his work, and injected himself into the situations he was writing about, creating a controversial approach to reporting which came to be referred to as "Gonzo Journalism." It's involvement of journalist participation turned traditional reporting on its head. In the sixties, Thompson depicted the severe police brutality that occurred at the Democratic National Convention, as a totalitarian state crashing down upon the shoulders of the American people. This was only one of many critiques Thompson performed throughout the course of his life and works that lead people to question the legitimacy and source of his creative process, and which challenged the system through his way of relaying information and presenting truth.

Sand Art

I think everyone has reached that point in the semester..the point where even the most basic school- related task feels like the equivalent of trying to haul a backpack of cement up a freaking mountainside...during a snowstorm...with no shoes on..while fighting pneumonia..you get the idea. This is probably why I find this video so inviting. It's just so easy: easy to watch, easy to digest, and easy to contemplate, though contemplation isn't even really necessary. I love to "create," and enjoy watching others as they move through the creative process as well. This video is an ode to art, creation, and simplicity. It demonstrates the impermanent nature of that which we create, and subsequently leads me to ponder the very transient nature all things. It is relaxing to watch the artist move from picture to picture, and if nothing else, will allow you to “turn off your brain” for 8 minutes and appreciate something that is not prescribed on a syllabus. Cheers…

Progression...Could It Be?

This video recaps some of the touchstone events that took place during the Civil Rights Movement. It blows my mind to think that had the Caucasian sector of my generation been living out the duration of their twenties less than 60 years ago, we would have had classrooms, bathrooms, water fountains, restaurants, and transportation separate from our African American counterparts. This is backwards, it is disgusting, but it happened. If for no other reason in the world, the victory of President elect Barak Obama on November 4 this year is a testament to the human spirit, the ability to change our previously conceived ideals and modes of operation, and a beacon of hope that we can (and may, in fact,) be moving toward a more forward and free-thinking society. It has been a huge encouragement to see this country ban together, think outside of the box for once, and elect a leader that does not physically (or fundamentally,) resemble every other leader elected by the American people throughout the history of this nation.

Do I think this is a sign that we have achieved equality? No. This may anger some of you, but I’m still of belief that we have a long way to go before true equality is reached, as it’s not something that can be pushed across a desk and simply legislated into existence. It’s something we must CHOOSE to embrace, support, and perpetuate as members of the human race. No one can MAKE us love one another, only we can elect to do so.