ISpy Assignment 2

I hated ISpy. I feel as though Mark (last name too complicated) had nothing important to say. I understand what he is saying, and in fact, I feel like I’ve learned that a million times already as an MCS major. I feel like it is a concept that we learn all the time, and he brought nothing new to the table. I didn’t feel like any of his ideas were great, and he never made me feel as though I should really question myself or the corporations. He is dumbing us down as the consumers or viewers of the media industry and corporations. That is all he is doing. There isn’t any type of new insight that makes me say “Maybe what he is saying is a good point…” All his ideas made me say “Yeah, I already knew that… Thanks…” Also, if you are going to dumb us down, Mark, you better do it right by making some damn good points. But instead, you really didn’t. You just repeated what the world has already said a million times. Thanks for the insight… again…

Ask Yourself: Who Are These People

I’m sitting in Starbucks right now, and I noticed earlier a heavy-set man around his mid-30s sitting down having some coffee. He looks like he is of African decent, and he is wearing a light blue business shirt with some khaki colored slacks and some brown fancy shoes. I noticed him earlier sitting alone at a small round table. Half an hour went by, when a woman and a young boy joined him. The woman looked around age 28, and the boy looked like he was age 7. He sat down next to the man and started playing on his laptop. The woman went in line to order some coffee for herself, as well as a cappuccino for her son. I believe that the woman and man are the mother and father of the little boy. The parents are divorced and this was some time for the boy to spend time with his father. They don’t communicate that well, which was obvious by the way the son never even looked at him once straight in the eyes.
They sat for about an hour, and the father was trying to help him with his homework. The son was not really paying attention, and he really didn’t want to be there at that moment. Mom forced him, and he’s not so happy about sitting at Starbucks trying to talk to his dad that was never around in the first place. The only thing he is happy about is getting his Caramel Frappuccino. The father is still in love with her, but she can’t have him anymore. He broke her heart one too many times, and at that point… it hurt to love him. She let go and loved on beautifully. She is more gorgeous, successful, and thinner than ever before. They left, and the father was still left alone sitting at Starbucks. He was reminiscing and trying to figure out where his life would go next…

Whip Out The Recorder

I did this activity with my father. It was really interesting, because I always thought I knew everything about my dad. But there are just so many stories incorporated into one lifetime that it almost seems endless. My father had so many stories that each had a beginning, middle, and end. These were experiences through out his lifetime that really defined him as a person. One question that I asked him was what was the hardest thing to let go of when you came to the states? His response was hilarious. He said it was the women that he left behind in Turkey. That one question had about 10 different stories about 10 different girlfriends that he had at the time when he first left Turkey. He didn’t know my mother at that time… Thank God.
It was great to hear all those stories from one person. I start to forget that all of us have different stories. I always start to think that everyone goes through about the same experiences in life. However, I think it’s important to remind oneself the different experiences and stories that we have all been through. This shows how we, as humans, can all come together in this world to conquer. We each have something different to bring to the table and that is the most interesting thing about life, in my opinion. The fact that we can continue to hear stories for as long as we live, and see how they shape the world that we live in on a daily basis.

But Out...

The list of things I would like to change in my life along with what’s keeping me from realizing them.

I’d like to spend more time with my family, but I have so much studying to do for school.

I’d like to travel more, but I always take summer and winter courses.

I’d like to write more poetry, but I’m not always inspired or motivated.

I’d like to start filming short films, but I don’t have the skills or tools that I need.

I’d like to make money, but I don’t have time for a job while being in school.

Exchange the but for and…

I’d like to spend more time with my family, and I have so much studying to do for school. So, I’m going to have to find ways to spend more time with them over the weekends.

I’d like to travel more, and I always take summer and winter courses. So, I’m going to have to take advantage of spring breaks in order to go travel, or I could take online courses instead and study while traveling.

I’d like to write more poetry, and I’m not always inspired or motivated. So, I’m going to have to find out what inspires me and make sure to always try to come across motivation on a daily basis.

I’d like to start filming short films, and I don’t have the skills or tools that I need. So, I’m going to have to experience more in order to get the things that I need.

I’d like to make money, and I don’t have time for a job while being in school. So, I’m going to have to find side jobs where I can make some cash, such as baby-sitting or catering jobs.

Reefer Madness 2

I am a member of the Turkish American community in the Maryland/Virginia area. Our community standards are set pretty high when it comes to the children. We are all supposed to be good muslim sons and daughters, and we are all supposed to go to school to get a master’s degree. At the same time, we are all supposed to marry other Turkish people at a young age. The standards are set high and they are set really strong. These concepts are never really upheld within the community because it’s a lot to accomplish. Also, not everybody experiences the same things. It’s as if they form this one idea of a person within our culture, and everyone has to follow it. However, everyone is so different that there is no way that we all would experience the same things at the same times in our lives.
I belong to this community for the simple reason of being born into a culture. I grew up with it, but it was my choice to be close to my ethnicity. My sister and I have grown up in the same home with the same culture, however, I have a higher degree of salience towards my culture. I think that being a part of this community shows my strengths and my openness to new ideas and theories. I love it, and I am proud to be Turkish. It also means to be very family oriented and socially friendly. That is very important to me as well.

Reefer Madness 1

I believe that the government should not regulate the content of the Internet the way it does other forms of media. The Internet has provided the public with things that media has never really given to us. It gives us knowledge and access to almost everything we can get our mouse to. Television and other forms of media really only gave us a way to entertain ourselves. TV and radio have given us news updates, however, most of tv and radio were a way to entertain. I think the Internet has much more than just entertainment underneath its belt. We use the Internet on a daily basis just to search something, plan our days, check the weather, check email, and even make video and phone calls.
Yes, maybe the Internet does have a lot of pornography, and some sick stuff that maybe sickos would like to look at everyday. But.. we can’t be against Internet just because some sickos are around. That would mean that we couldn’t even go to a public place because sickos are around. We have to see the Internet for what it provides us. It provides us with information, knowledge, a place, an identity, and communication globally.

The Argument 1

My political identity is not fully formed yet. I’m still learning a lot about politics, and I still don’t know much at all. I just started to really become influenced by and interested in politics. Before I actually started to read about politics, my political identity was developed through my party affiliation. Basically, I was born in Maryland, and my family members are democrats, so I was a democrat too. That still is basically the way I develop my political identity now. However, I’m much more concerned with what that actually means.
Even though I would say I’m a democrat, that doesn’t mean I necessarily think that the democratic party is better than the republican party. I think that the government and this country needs a little of both sides to really be the best. My father really influenced me on being open minded to everything. He said never say that something is the only thing, because you would find something else to replace it. Instead, you should enjoy everything that comes your way, so you never have to replace your ideas or beliefs, you can instead make your own ideas and beliefs stronger than before. That’s why I really tend to step back from being involved in politics. There is a lot of pressure to be on one side or the other, and there are a lot of judgments that go along with politics. I just back off, and let others get so emotionally drained.

Become a Design Detective

At my work I started to look around to really notice the area in which I worked in. It’s basically an office space set up with lots of cubicles and some conference rooms. The cubicles are set up in a way that you are not facing anyone, almost like you are facing your own wall. The person that had a cubicle next to you or behind you isn’t even visible from the corner of your eye. However, you can hear everything from the other departments that were about 10 feet away. The colors are very dull. The floors are gray, the cubicles and desks are cream, and every computer on someone’s desk is black. The conference room don’t even look like separate rooms, because they were extended from the space, instead of placed inside the space. The doors are large and a dark wood color.

I think that the environment itself is very work-oriented. However, I don’t think it does anything to motivate anyone to work 8-10 hour days. I believe that it is designed that way in order to not create distractions, and also in order to fit as many employees as they can in the space. It definitely doesn’t create distractions, except for what you might hear. If the person that designed the room didn’t think about the sounds, then they were not that great of designers. As soon as you here people making jokes or talking about unrelated things, you are completely distracted. Then there is nothing around the room to really motivate yourself to continue to work hard. I think this is why when I go in, I really don’t enjoy my work.

Create an Inspiration Board

I began to collect anything that caught my eye in magazines. I had about 10 Bazaar Magazines that I have been keeping in order to create a collage. I had beautiful pictures of models that were wearing high-end designer clothing. However, each picture was more than just a girl wearing clothes. I started to see powerful women with determination. It was as if each model was thinking about their dreams, and going for them. Some of the models weren’t even that beautiful, but the story behind the pictures were. As I collected about 75 different ads, I started to cut the labels off, so that the only thing I could see were the women themselves.

After I cut them all, I continued to look through the magazines for more inspiration. I went by one page that was about designing the interior of your home fashionably. One phrase stood out at me, “And God Created Woman…”. That was all I needed. I knew that what I wanted to express was the creation of the powerful determined driven woman, against all hate and judgments. I crated my collage and put it up on my wall. It inspires me everyday.

Take the 20-10 Test

If I had $20 million in the bank or knew that I had ten years to live, would I be doing the same thing I’m doing now? This is a really tough question. However, I have different answers for each situation. If I had $20 million in the bank, I would be doing the same thing I’m doing now, but more. I would be getting all of my family members everything they need. I would basically set them up with homes and cars, and I would also be getting them out of any debt they were in. I would try to move most of my family members, at least all of my first cousins, out of Turkey into the states. I would still be trying to get my college education, and continuing to pursue a master’s degree. I would still be living where I am with the same friends that I have. The only difference from my daily actrivities would be instead of purchasing a shirt while being concerned with how much it costs, I would not be so concerned.

If I knew that I had ten years to live, I would definitely be living a completely different life. I would leave school, and try to spend as much time with my family and friends. I would try to schedule traveling the entire world for the next ten years, along with family and friends. I would just try to enjoy the rest of my life with the closest people that I have, and try there for them as much as possible. I don’t know if necessarily this means that I’m not doing anything important in my life right now, or that what I am studying in school is not what I love. It just means that my family and friends come before anything in my life, even now. If I knew that my father had only ten years to live, I would do the same thing. I would leave school and live with him for the next ten years. My first priority in life is my family, and that will never change no matter what I am doing in terms of my career.

My Dedication

Everything I’ve done, whether it was cheerleading, getting A’s in my classes, or even writing my poetry, was definitely done for my father. He has changed his entire life, and lived his entire life for the sole purpose of his two daughters succeeding. He went through so much just to live for us, and I can never do enough to show the appreciation that I have. I thank him almost everyday for the work that he has put into raising us, and he made us who we really are today. If it wasn’t for him I would have never had any opportunities to do the things that I do. I love him, and I can only hope that one day he will look at me and say “You’ve done good.”

Participate in the Third Industrial Revolution

“The proliferation of mass customization of consumer products… will have a powerful and empowering effect on how ordinary people see design” (Pink, 94).

I think that this is really important in today’s world because of our high abundance and technological advances. This is exactly why design is so important today. It gives us a chance to be different than the rest of society, which has gotten a lot bigger and a lot more crowded by people, things, and ideas. I can make my own shoe, and I feel like I can stand out in a world of so much. The only reason why I can make my own shoe is because of how the Internet has become a shopping mall itself. It is affecting how ordinary people view design because they want to be a part of it. We must separate ourselves in order to make a difference in this world of manipulation.

Keep a Design Notebook

I went to London for spring break to visit a friend and look at some graduate programs while I was there. Because I was basically a tourist, I had a digital camera on my hands at all times. As I was traveling around to all the museums and tourist hot spots, I started to notice the most beautiful design I have ever seen in my life. Take a guess… Duchamp at Tate Modern? No... it was the street art. I saw unbelievable graffiti art while I was there, and took pictures wherever I could. Instead of taking pictures of all the scenery and beautiful famous buildings, including Buckingham Palace, I took pictures of graffiti art and street art. It was amazing to me to see how many different pieces there were, and how it literally surrounded me in London. People actually knew all of the artists names, and they were famous for their work. My friend actually mentioned many of their names, and I honestly can’t remember any. I didn’t write them down, but I sure as hell got a picture of it.

I guess what I realized is that anything can really be considered art today, even some spray paint on bricks and cement. Design is really important in our everyday lives, especially for the people that are trying to make a statement in the world. If you want to get heard, you have to incorporate some good design to not only differentiate yourself from the other people surrounding you, but also in order to get people to notice you.

Play Photo Finish

The photo that I chose for this is a magazine advertisement for a designer. The two models in the photo are Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen. They both have beautiful elegant gowns on.
In this photo I see two sisters that have a lavish lifestyle. Their family is very wealthy, and they have a lot of inheritance in their futures. They really have nothing to worry about, or even work hard for because everything is going to be given to them. On a daily basis, they get up in the mornings, dress into their gowns, and act as hosts everyday as important people throughout the world come to visit their family. They speak of nothing but they’re materials and future families. In the photo, one is looking in the mirror, while the other is looking at the camera. They seem closed up and clueless as to what is going on around them. All they know is their beautiful images in their beautiful home. But what is out there? She’s looking at herself in the mirror and wondering if there really is anything outside of their walls and iron gates. She is looking at the camera guy, and wondering what his life is really like. She doesn’t understand why he is taking her picture, and why she never has to do that. However, forever they will be locked underneath the roof of fortune. They stand still wondering… and they will never learn.

Put It on a Table

One object that holds a special place in my heart is my very own journal. When I look at my journal I think about all those times that I sat down and started writing. I start to feel every emotion that was pouring out onto blank pages. I have a sudden urge to open the journal and start reading every line I wrote, even though I always think I didn’t write well. I also remember all of the past experiences I wrote about, whether they are good or bad. I start to realize that every experience that is written down in that journal has made me the person I am today. It’s as if the journal really defines me, and if one were to read it they would know who I am and how I think. Some things that someone would find out about me are 1) I make bad choices in picking boyfriends, 2) I have a fear of the unknown, and 3) I believe in something bigger than mankind. When I stare at my black leather journal, I want to untie it and grab a pen. I know that my journal is my accomplishment.
My five senses; sight, scent, sound, taste, and touch. As I said before, the sight of my journal triggers so many emotions I can’t even keep count. As soon as I see the journal I have so many urges that I sometimes can’t make my next move. I start to hesitate because I don’t know what to write about next. My journal also has a great connection with scent. It’s odd, but I actually smell my journal. This is one of the reasons why I bought a leather cover. I love the smell of fresh leather and it actually helps me focus on my writing. The pages also have a distinct smell of an old library filled with dust. These scents are always apparent while I write, and it’s one of my favorite things about writing. It does trigger a sense of creativity and imagination for me. The only sound I ever hear from my journal, as cliché as it may seem, is the sound of turning a page. It helps me continue writing, and it makes me feel like writer’s block is so far away every time I turn the page. Taste is one of my senses that are not so clear when it comes to my journal. First off, I don’t lick my journal like a dog to see what leather would taste like (thank god for that). However, one of the things that I have to do while writing in my journal is smoke a cigarette. I’m not saying that cigarettes have a great taste, but it does let my mind wander off into imagination land. It allows my thoughts to develop, and my ability to think of perfect words for a single thought begins to increase. Touch is the most important concept when it comes to writing. I write creatively, so my senses all have to be ready for whatever comes their way. However, touch is what I really write about. I need to be able to explain each texture I feel while I write, otherwise my true thoughts aren’t written. This is another reason why I chose a leather cover for my journal. The touch is soft and relieves stress for me. I need to be able to write on something soft in order for me to be comfortable while writing.
There are definite connections with the way I feel about my journal and my five senses that I use while writing. It’s very obvious as to why I have sudden urges while looking at my journal. It’s also obvious why there are so many emotions connected to my journal. All of my senses are triggered while looking at my journal, or writing in my journal, or even reading my journal. I have so many emotions attached to my journal that it does trigger all of my senses. When I tried this exercise with something that I don’t have an emotional connection with, my sunglasses, I could not connect my five senses to the object. It didn’t trigger any emotions, and I think it’s because I never used my own creativity to design it. I helped design my own journal into something that can be a part of me. I purchased my sunglasses because I thought they looked good on me. I never helped create anything with this object, and for that reason I never had an emotional attachment to it. Because my journal is designed for me, I can release all of my emotions in it. Because my sunglasses were designed for the everyday woman, it was just an object.

Google It

I definitely visit google on a daily basis. When I need a question to an answer, I use google. It’s funny that it has an answer for everything. Not only can I find stores’ locations, numbers, and addresses, but I can also find the top stories of celebrities and travel tips. The ideal viewer of google ranges of all races, ages, genders, religions, etc. It has advertisements for Youtube.com, CNN, and other huge “news” loaded media. The advertisements vary so much that it’s hard to really pin point their target audience. I don’t think they necessarily have one. I think that one of their goals might be to be a website for everyone. Google connects you to the world. It’s very globalized and people all around the world use it. It’s also a community that people recognize to be a part of. It’s interesting because whenever I am curious about a specific topic, the first piece of advise I hear from my friends is to “Google It”. Google has become a verb because of its influence on the entire world. I google information all day long and I googled it throughout the year. Google has become a reference for many people and for other websites, such as Yahoo. It definitely does connect people together and it makes people seem just as smart as the next guy. Our knowledge is turning into google’s knowledge. If all of us searched google for an answer to a specific question, all of us will have the same answer. It makes us equal in a way. It definitely attracted me as a viewer and a participant because it looks simple to use. There is a search bar where I type something, and millions of links come up as the results. It’s easy, simple, and it gives a wide range of answers that you can browse through. That’s definitely what attracted me at first, the simplicity. Now, what attracts me to it is the simple fact that everybody else uses it. Google is what people use. It’s almost become a social norm for us in our technological advanced community. If you don’t use google, what do you use as a search engine? Yes, there are many other search engines out there, but google seems to be the one, the one that will rescue us all and save our world.

My Consumer Citizenship

I don’t feel quite special as a consumer citizen because anyone can be one. I am 22 years old which means that I’m a huge target when it comes to companies trying to make profit. Unfortunately, I’m a great and very active consumer citizen. I spend a lot of money very carelessly. I haven’t been able to save anything and this might be because I’ve never really had to think about saving money… until now. Becoming adjusted to not spending and instead saving money is really hard. I have been trying my hardest by not buying so many expensive items. However, the only thing that I have changed is instead of buying one item for 200 dollars, I buy 10 items for 200 dollars. The amount of money I have spent has not changed at all. I’ve just been getting more for the buck. I spend my money on beauty products, clothes, and accessories. I am the dream of a company that makes products for a 22 year old girl. I fall for the advertisements and I am convinced that looking good is needed in our society. In fact, I could possibly even win a debate that has to do with that. The other day, my friend was telling me about Tim Gunn being a guest on the show, and how he admitted that fashion is not needed. Tim Gunn, the star and genius of fashion, admitted to it, and I went on and on about how it is necessary. I guess I didn’t want my consumer citizenship identity to be changed. I definitely have built my identity through consumption. Style is what I teach my friends and I am the person to call when it comes to dressing for an event. I saw an advertisement for Cmart’s designer sale blowout this weekend, and I immediately went online to look at the website. I got directions and I even called my friend to make a date to go shopping. I was one of the few people that actually woke up at 4 am on Black Friday. I was also one of the few at the mall every day of the week of Christmas. Shopping, consuming, spending money has become a part of me, just like the color of my hair (which I have continuously changed 10 times in two years).
I hope to become a much better consumer in the future. I wish I could just save money and not get tempted every time I see a sale or clearance sign. Hopefully, in the future I will be able to realize that my closet is already stuffed and I don’t need anything new. Instead of spending money on clothes and beauty products like I do now, I would like to save in order to provide my future children with their education in private schools and universities. Of course I am dreaming. However, it would be nice to believe that it is possible to pay for things without being in debt.
The priorities that determine my spending now are beauty, fashion, and style. For the past few years, I have been changing my style in order to find it. I believe that I have, so now I am trying to buy things that show that style. Also, my older sister works for a designer and that determines my spending as well. When she comes home to visit me I usually love what she has and I try to find it so I can buy it for myself. My sister’s influence on me has been torture. I thank her for my identity as a consumer citizen. Well… her and the hundreds and thousands of advertisements that are thrown my way… Sales and clearances also are a huge priority for my spending. I’m the ultimate gift buyer so I try my hardest to get great deals for expensive items. Also, if there is a clearance or sale on designer clothes and shoes, I’m there.
These priorities definitely connect with my personality. I love fashion and it has become one of my key interests. I talk about it a lot with friends and my sister. The way I spend my money is spending it on things that interest me and have grown on me. I truly formed my identity through my consumer citizenship. Consuming allows me to be who I want to be, a pretty girl that dresses well and looks great all day everyday. It might be superficial but it’s who I am and I love the way I dress. I love to change styles because every time I buy something new and different, I’m able to be that identity for a day. It creates interest, change, and spontaneous ways in my life.

About Me

Hey! My name is Reyhan Gezgec and this is my blog for MCS 370!