From: Arlo J. Bensinger (ajb102@psu.edu)
Date: Sat Jan 29 2005 - 04:10:58 GMT
Hey again Refugio,
Some initial thoughts,
I have to say that I am only 22yrs old, so if my
> form
> > of communication comes off as "ignorant," or "close-minded," i mean not to
> > offend.
The simple fact you are here, and interested in critical discourse demonstrates
that you are neither "ignorant" nor "close-minded". If your age or writing
style "offends" anyone, that is their problem, not yours.
> > The reason for my post is to introduce myself and to hopefully spawn a new
> > dialogue on the future generation that is coming into fruition. I speak of
> the
> > children who grew up in the 90s (myself included) and what effect they will
> > have on this world.
What effect do you think they will have? Or, what directions do you see it
going? Your generation is the first to have global information be a
fact-of-life, rather than a miraculous invention. Some feel your generation is
either hopelessly optomistic about the "medicinal" (economic, social or
political) effects of technology, or deliberately unwilling to participate in
civic discourse (social responsibility, national and global matters, etc.).
What do you think your generation stands for? Having read Pirsig, do you think
more people are getting the notion "that there is this thing called Quality",
or less people?
(A lot of questions, I know).
Of course I can only speak through one perspective...my
> > own, and so in order to fully understand "my own generation," i will need
> help
> > in obtaining that bigger picture. So please share with me your views of my
> > generation and what you believe is to become of us.
External perspective is rarely accurate in cases like this. But, my personal
response is: I think your generation has the unique opportunity on the global
stage to either reach beyond the idea of "nation-state supremecy", and embrace
"people as people", or to fall back on the last static-latch of nation-state
supremecy being all that's "worth fighting for".
In other words, your generation is the first that has access, easy acceess, to
global discouse, with not just "leaders" or "journalists" or "academics" from
other nations, but with people just like you, 22 year olds who are trying to
figure things out just like you are, but who happen to be French, German,
Japanese, Arabic, Mexican, etc. Most of America had no exposure to this before
recently, and lived comfortabley in English-speaking enclaves and had little
concern with cultural differences. You can easily get on the web, AIM, or GAIM
or any of a dozen or more net groups or IM clients, and talk to people, or
argue with people who live elsewhere. Thus, your generation, more so than any
other American generation, has a mandate to learn other languages, to learn and
respect other cultures, and to understand cultural norms. Or, you could draw
the line in the sand and repell from this, and react with nationalist fervor
and supremecy. As said, I think your generation will be a turning point,
towards the future, or towards the past.
> >
> > As for my perspective, I have experienced experiences within the confines
of
> > the United States barrier, which must be further confined to a city known
as
> > Los Angeles. The furthest I have ventured from my hometown is to a small
> > town in Mexico near the city of Rosarito. But that "trip" had little to do
> with
> > experiencing the cultures and peoples, in fact I have not had such
venturings
But, you express interest, and seem to show respect. What is your feeling on the
Mexican culture, its economy, poverty and situation? LA harbors many Mexican
citizens. Do you consider them "aliens" or "fellow humans"?
> > So as to not drag this into a long message, I will say that my belief of
the
> > generation here in Los Angeles will continue along the path of imitation
and
> > for lack of a better word "fakeness."
Pirsig talked, of course, about the same problem in Chicago when he was at the
University there. If this has not changed since ZMM, do you think it can
change?
And if you want to see this, because
> > you can actually see it, then a drive down one of downtown LA's streets
would
>
> > serve the purpose. All you have to do while driving through is look up and
> > you will see a plethora of enormous, architecturally magnificent buildings
> > towering over you. But once you bring your vision down to the horizon
level,
> what
> > you will see is people, actual human beings, living on the sidewalk.
Some (okay, one) on this list are "social darwinists". Not sure if you are
familiar with the term, but it is a view that people who are poor are poor
because they are lazy or slothful. It is an extension of "survival of the
fittest" into "wealth for the fittest". I take it, thankfully, you are not a
social darwinist. What do you think we can, or should, or should not, do about
this wealth disparity? Is it good? Is it "moral" (not sure if you've read
Pirsig's Lila yet, but our resident social darwinist will tell you that is is
"moral" in Pirsig's view, others disagree) to advance a system where most are
poor so that a few can succeed "unfettered"? Or is it "moral" for society to
"level the wealth"? Is there another option?
The
> > question that always lingers in my mind is how could a city of this size
> bleed
> > so much poverty? How can people drive in their $50,000 cars after seeing
> > something such as this?
Cogntive dissonance. :-) <-- let me know if you don't get this jab.
And then I think...will this get any better or will
> it
> > get worse?
We are all thinking the same thing. You are right to ask it. I wish I, or anyone
else, could provide an answer.
Arlo
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