Compter love: love digitally personafied

while taking this course, i happily remembered this classic tune by Zapp & Roger. In 1985, the hit "Computer Love" came to be a smash hit within an era obsessed with technology and electronics. Riddled with computer bleeps and robotic vocals, "Computer Love" is futuristic groove concerned with the futuristic, "digital feelings of love. But how can the concept of love, a feeling so tied to the soul and to human emotion, be quantified in a technological context? Well, the song actually does a very good job of doing such a thing. In one song abandons the typical obsession with astrology pertaining to love, and instead thanks "modern technology" in finding companionship. This is just one instance in which a human feeling is molded into a technological essence. As such, technology becomes the basis for which many important aspects of the human condition are molded into.

Harsh truths in America

http://www.cracked.com/blog/6-harsh-truths-that-will-make-you-better-person/

Describing these truths as simply "harsh" just doesn't cut it. The tone of this article is pretty mean spirited, condescending at times, and overall pretty offensive to everyday reader who more than likely does not have their whole life in order. But its over the top preaching is supposed to function as a very important tool for us: it tries to incite us to push towards success by shoving harsh realities down our throats. And much of the article does carry weight. Most of the article is concerned with the fact that the world that we live on requires action. Not only that, but action that actually does a service for people. by extension, it bashes the most notions on what a "good" person is. Bottom line-- If you aren't striving to hone your skills and contribute, your life is a waste. Of course, while this piece can be quite coarse, at its base it echoes the key concern voiced by people's morality within Habits of the Heart. No matter what one's ideology was, at its core, it was all a means to better the self. Although this article is an extreme example, it voices concerns that pertain to most of America's ideas of success.

Technological dependency

Just yesterday, right at a point of extreme determination to get my homework done, my computer completely died. It shut down unexpectedly at 80%, and wouldn't even light up at the push of the power button. I immediately scrambled to find the nearest computer repair shop, putting  aside all my other obligations to school. But it was imperative to fix my computer though. It held everything on it for me-- a chunk of social life, musical works i had composed and, ironically,  much of the homework i needed to get done. It's just amazing how much technology is a part of each us without even truely realizing its great ties to each individual.

Whole Earth Catalog

At its surface, the Whole Earth Catalog simply appears to fit its name: A book that sells products that pertain to living in various places on earth. But its contents contain deep, spiritual undertones that uplift the self and applaud independence. Without even focusing on the detail in some of its products descriptions, the Whole Earth Catalog's humor runs rampant throughout its publications. This trait breaks the mold from the more serious, business like tone of most other mainstream catalogs. The Whole Earth Catalog's ability to make jokes makes it more personal to the reader, making its humor an undeniable part of its message of self growth and preservation. Besides this small token of reliability, the products it offers are extremely unconventional, but are useful for humans in a varied amount of situations. From dessert moccasins to technological convenience , the catalog provides one common product: the product of freedom. As such, these products preserve a genuine uplifting of self by assisting humans in dealing with the earth on their own, mixing nature-based hippie culture as well as the rebellious hacker spirit of the time.

Steve Jobs and Religion

Jobs's speech contains many elements that fit well into the vein of religion and spirituality. Throughout his speech, Jobs has a strong focus on the concept of dying and dealing with impending death. He recalls his battle with pancreatic cancer, which ultimately led him to a new philosophy on life: To live life as if it were your last day on earth. Similarly, His earlier life findings led him to believe settling into life and being "comfortable" hurt the quality of life, leading to life's eventual decay. With these two tenants, Jobs gives both a model on how to live life correctly, and how to deal with one's own death. He clearly points out the "correct" way to live, with a correct outlook on death, while shaming other, less driven outlooks on life. In this way, Jobs's words share strong elements with the teachings in most religions. In most religions, a "correct" or "righteous" way of living is present that has dire consequences that follow, much like Jobs life advice. Additionally, religion also helps explain the mystery and fear surrounding death, promising paradise or reincarnation, while Jobs promises comfort in death as long as life was promising.