Diana Castellanos Post #1
We have thought about how objects influence our daily life, but rarely do we think about how objects have gotten us to do their bidding for them. For example, the apple has become a staple in the households and diets of not only many Americans but also people all around the world. But do humans have too tight a grip on the existence of apple? From the reading, “In Search of the Primeval Apple Forest” in the book Apples by Frank Browning, I have learned that the apple has traveled throughout history by being transported by humans and other mammals. But I’ve also learned that science and the search for sweetness has changed and stopped the way the fruit evolves. Farmers now grow only a select few types of apples that can easily be marketed and sold to the public. But scientists realized that this technique could eventually kill the apples, and have tried to keep up the evolution of the apple by visiting the start of its history: the apple forests of Kazakh. I think it’s important to re...
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ReplyDeleteMost telephone ads in the 1960s portrayed telephone as a convenience for most age groups and an instrument to democracy. This ad I found is a little further than the other ones. The ad is called ‘Bell Long Distance Service’ (1960) and I believe the phone company tried to encourage people to integrate the use of telephones as early as possible in their life, which in this case is very early childhood. In my opinion, this might be disrupting the usual mode of socialization for babies, which should not be promoted. As discussed in lecture, the disruption of socialization was also brought up by professor Kaplan when the operator was switched to be automatic. Furthermore from an economic perspective, by promoting this telephone concept to more segments of customers, telephone companies are more likely to generate more profit, which is one of their main objectives.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you that the introduction of telephone to children at early ages will disrupt their social and mental development. This can have a large negative impact on them further on in life. I am quite surprise that such type of marketing strategy exists back in the old days when telephone is still considered to be a luxury item to households.
DeleteI agree in the sense that the phone was also able to reach the teenage population during the 50s and 60s which boosted their marketing target and brought economic prosperity. The promotion of it then shifted it from a luxury to an everyday object.
DeleteSo my Post#1 will be about my thoughts regarding the lecture (and articles) that we learnt in class on Tuesday regarding the Telephone market. Throughout the whole article, most the author made a lot of points on the negative aspects of having a monopoly market for telephone (ran by Bell). This includes Bell using its market power to raise the price on the consumers and charge them above the running cost of maintaining communication lines across the country. However, in my opinion, as an Economics major student, monopoly is not always bad, particularly in the case of the telecommunication industry. As we all know, the fixed cost (e.g: building transmission lines) of opening a telecommunication business is very high while the running will be very low. Hence, it might be more efficient to let just one company running it for several reasons. Firstly, having a single telephone company will mean that our city will not be filled up with tons of electric wires from different firms, preserving the natural beauty of the landscape. Secondly, charging above running costs will enable the firm to recover its fixed cost so they can have a larger budget on investing in newer technology (e.g: 5G) that will enhance the consumer's experience in the future. Thirdly, by having a single company, the customer base will be larger. As a result, the fixed cost can be spread over a larger number of users so it is possible that each user pay less than in the case where we have multiple firms.
ReplyDeleteI agree that having only one telephone company/provider would simplify the process for consumers. The paradox of choice (being presented in a capitalist society with too many choices, leading the shopper feeling overwhelmed and stressed out even if it is subconscious) can be completely eliminated. It's possible that only one phone company can reduce anxiety and stress when deciding what to chose for a phone plan!
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DeleteI agree with your perspective and the advantages listed on having a monopoly market for telephones. It goes to show how important perspectives are when weighing the costs and benefits. Although aware of word limit, I wish that you could include some examples to solidify your argument.
DeleteNatural beauty yessss. Props to you for mentioning that. I feel like natural resources often get left out of the conversation when it comes to business and economics.
DeleteThe apple has grown to be one of the most iconic American symbols of all time. From traditional American food like apple pie to the NYC’s famous nickname, the “Big Apple”, it goes without saying that the apple has earned its spot in the heart of Americans across the country. However, even when it comes to America’s favorite fruit, the playing field isn’t even for consumers everywhere. Apples of certain genetic modification, for example the Red Delicious, are designed with a thicker skin in order to preserve them for days of transpiration and various climates. While other brands, like Honeycrisp apples, are genetically modified to have the perfect crunch and taste. Since they don’t travel nearly as well as other apples, they are only available at a higher price in grocery stores that can afford to not only purchase but market this produce in bulk to consumers. For areas considered, “food deserts”, urban areas in which it is difficult to buy affordable or good-quality fresh food, the proposed question is how can we make fresh and delicious produce widely available to all consumers? Is it the ethic responsibility of the companies marketing this produce so high to reconsider their prices? Should there be more money invested in preservation technology so that fresh produce can be accessible to all demographics?
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DeleteI like the ways in which you propose questions at the end to encourage a more holistic ways of thinking. I agree that the growth of apples not only stay within the food industry but it is also found in its symbolism to America.
DeleteI agree that mass production of certain more durable breeds of apples has created a substantial, problematic quality gap for people unable to afford arguably better varieties. As far as shrinking that gap, a more achievable solution to making better produce more widely available might not be associated with funding newer technology or enforcing lower prices. With the individual varieties of apples and their specific ecological niches in mind, hope for better produce may lie within efforts to achieve more sustainable agricultural practices and thus increase local produce production as a form of income and higher food quality for less fortunate areas.
DeleteI agree that consumer input rarely influences the apple market. I also agree that many apple companies have chosen durability over taste. This may have been why my parents refused to buy apples and apple products when I was younger.
DeleteIn Frank Browning's article about tracking down the origin of the apple, the present-day prevalence of the fruit worldwide in addition to its connection to several hundred years of history is made evident. One particular historical connection, that of Soviet-era geneticist, Vavilov, and the successor of his apple research, Djangaliev, brings to mind the social anguish that occurred in Russian scientific research communities in order to learn more about genetics, in this case specifically the apple, a commonplace item to Americans. The initial secrecy associated with Djangaliev's apple research, due to the threats of imprisonment or death by the hands of Stalin and his cruel and undereducated science advisor, Lysenko, is a petrifying example of an attempt to stifle progress toward understanding major concepts in genetic science. With this in mind, the comparative development of apples in America in a fashion limiting the number of varieties available to the public while inflating the apple as an American symbol represents a stark contrast to the heartfelt protection displayed by Djangaliev over his vast collection of different varieties.
ReplyDeleteThe lecture about telephones sparked in me a train of thought. When the telephone had fully integrated itself into society in the 50s and 60s, criticism arose for how it disrupted normal social behavior. Obviously this is very pertinent to the world that we have experienced in our lifetime, because we all have witnessed cellphones dominate our society, and give us all excuses to be in the same room and not talk to each other. SO thinking about the past and the present - what's going to happen in the future? It's humankind's nature to want to progress and advance society, but what if it is also a fatal flaw - a double edged sword? What if we move on up too fast and give the everyday person too much power? That could become dangerous. What if there's no more problems in the world and everybody goes crazy because they're so bored? What would the human do with its existence at that point? Alternatively - imagine a timeline where the threat of technology moving too fast becomes so real that society bans the study of science and technology and only allows art... I could see that being a Ray Bradbury short story or some sort of sci-fi piece. Anyways like I said - just a train of thought - I'm curious to see if anyone has anywhere else to take it.
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One way to alleviate the obsession might be to make an increased effort to interact with older people and those from different generations, when technology was not as prevalent or central. By recognizing alternative ways of living in the world, perhaps the need to be connected to devices may not seem so great. Of course, this is not made any easier when the critical jobs of today rely on extensive use/knowledge of computers.
DeleteThis has become a serious problem but there is not really much we can do without limiting others' freedom. Self control seems to be feasible but not applies to everyone
DeleteI had never thought about what would happen if we, specifically the United States, stopped studying science and instead shifted all of our efforts towards art. I suspect we would find solutions to problems that seemed very difficult from a scientific viewpoint.
DeleteI found your perspective on this super interesting, because as you said, it's such a pertinent topic for the time. I feel like although phones can often cause isolation in social situations, technology in and of itself allows for global connection in a way no other form of social interaction could physically allow. The concept of the complete and total ban of technology is something I didn't consider, and it's definitely interesting to think about.
DeleteUntil the 19th century, the only ways to catch a glimpse of other areas of the world were through the acquisition of foreign goods or pieces of art. With the invention of the camera, there was a heightened realism with which people could peer into the lives of others; instead of a portrait or piece of jewelry, one could see detail in faces and landscapes. I am interested in looking at the history of audio technology and recording, because this too is able to transport oneself into environments previously unknown. Along with these inventions inevitably came recorded music, as well as an global industry of selling the sounds. It would be interesting to examine cases where upon visiting a new part of the world, say during imperialism, audio was preferred over photography as the means of documenting one's surroundings.
ReplyDeleteI would say that audio as a social medium has sprung up much more, and exponentially so, in the past century. The internet has made it much easier to share audio clips with someone across the world, and has taken telecommunication to the next level.
DeleteThe camera has truly transformed our society, especially with our use of social media. Where we have the ability to connect and see and the world around in just a few seconds. It helps spark our emotion, such as when we see videos of hate crime of war, or see a video of a bunny eating raspberries, pictures and videos are a very powerful tool.
DeleteThe guitar has had a long and storied history in the US - influencing the creation of genres and many sub-genres, and in some cases being the medium for the defining tone of the genre itself, as in Blues, Rock, and Metal music. Although it has taken a backseat in contemporary pop music, it is ever present in the studio sessions for many of the songs that become hits today. The instrument itself has morphed and evolved from such ancient instruments as the lyre, and the electrical components and add-ons of modern electric guitars have changed the sound, attitude and feeling of the instrument to an almost unrecognizable point. However, it is difficult to imagine music with guitars fading away for good, due to the constant reintroduction of the instrument by experimental artists in Hip Hop, Electronic music, Modern Jazz, and much more.
ReplyDeleteThe guitar is also a simple instrument, that could be seen easy to play, and is one of the most popular instrument used internationally. in different music genres ( if not almost all). Even though it seems like an easy instrument to play, it could be hard for some of us.
DeleteI was not really sure about what object to choose for the research paper until we were asked think about it in our first discussion and write down any ideas we had. The first thing that came to my mind was a piano. I've always wanted to learn about what goes into making a piano and how it originated. It's known as a Western instrument but I want to know how it is used transnationally. I do not know if this classifies as an ordinary everyday object but it definitely is an object that holds significance in my life. I started playing the piano when I was around 11 years old and I absolutely fell in love with it. The sound from a piano never fails to amaze me and I have always taken a liking to its structure and mechanics. I stopped going to piano lessons a few years back since I got older and did not have enough time to practice anymore. I still kept the piano in my room all these years and I would occasionally sit down and play some melodies whenever I needed to calm my mind. I wouldn't use it as often and eventually I noticed it was just collecting dust. It was a beautiful piece that created beautiful music and I just let it collect dust. It saddened me that I hardly played it anymore. But when I did, it put me in a place of comfort. I remember wiping off all the dust one day and feeling nostalgic. I played it one more time before moving for college - it brought back wonderful memories from my childhood. It's a piece of me and I hold the instrument dear to my heart. Now every time I see a piano, if possible, I'll play it. It's hard to imagine having emotional connections to inanimate objects but many people do it all the time. Sometimes we associate certain emotions, memories, or people we care about with certain objects and we don't even realize it but this class gets us thinking about everyday objects and just how much they impact our life.
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ReplyDeleteI took this class simply for GE credits but now I am so impressed that how these daily objects have shaped our entire life and I cannot even imagine how our life is going to be if we no longer have them. The way people lives keeps changing and due to whatever conditions we are under and whatever resources we can access. At the moment, all kinds of high tech have formed our life, and the telephone is a typical one. Unlike the ones being introduced in the lecture which was old-fashioned, immobile and faced criticism in the 50's, today small smart phones have already become a crucial part of our life. It not only eliminated the physical distance and made the instant communication convenient and affordable, also it could work as a small computer and satisfy all kinds of our daily needs such as reading books, listening to music and etc. However, it brings in the convenience but in the mean time it makes people get addicted to it and sometimes ignore what is more important in real life. This kind of instant entertainment is too accessible which has caused a considerable amount of social problems.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. i am also taking this class for GE credit. Yet i am amaze of how the different objects being discussed have affected our daily lives . And how we can be bind to them in many different forms. Even though many of this things had made life easier, it could sometimes get to thee point where we depend of them.
DeleteI agree with both of you; this class definitely gave me an appreciation for different objects I interact with on a daily basis. It's quite interesting to explore how these objects came to be and their journey through the test of time.
DeleteWe have thought about how objects influence our daily life, but rarely do we think about how objects have gotten us to do their bidding for them. For example, the apple has become a staple in the households and diets of not only many Americans but also people all around the world. But do humans have too tight a grip on the existence of apple? From the reading, “In Search of the Primeval Apple Forest” in the book Apples by Frank Browning, I have learned that the apple has traveled throughout history by being transported by humans and other mammals. But I’ve also learned that science and the search for sweetness has changed and stopped the way the fruit evolves. Farmers now grow only a select few types of apples that can easily be marketed and sold to the public. But scientists realized that this technique could eventually kill the apples, and have tried to keep up the evolution of the apple by visiting the start of its history: the apple forests of Kazakh. I think it’s important to remember that objects, especially living objects, had or have a journey before us.
ReplyDeleteDiana Castellanos
From the telephone lecture, it sparked my interest in learning how it has shaped American culture throughout history. The way that the telephone has specifically shifted the influence on teenagers in American culture is still as accurate now as it was during the 1950s and 60s. Professor mentioned movies like Pillowtalk in 1959 that highlighted the idea of party lines and how that era communicated. This idea can be similar to the type of technology teenagers have access to now a days like having multiple calls or lines at once within each other. These practices amongst teenagers from the time they were popularized till now illustrates the significance the telephone role has played in the life of teenagers. Teenagers continue to be the target market even today as the new updates of smart phones are most appealing to the teenagers. This telephone culture is part of American culture because of the way it is present in our daily lives. Teenagers alongside of the general population have incorporated the telephone, or smart phone, now as an essential tool of everyday use. From apps such as Snapchat and Instagram to basic emailing, the telephone has become an essential object in our everyday life since it was popularized in the 50s and 60s.
ReplyDeleteI was very unsure what object to choose for my research paper. I have always been interested in food and how it spread across the world. At first I wanted to research coffee, however I realized that I am not very passionate about coffee so I decided to change my object. After Thursday’s lecture, I realized that fruits have a significant role in American culture and wanted to learn about the history and significance of other fruits, especially oranges. Despite my American upbringing, my family rarely bought apples or apple products. We mostly bought oranges thus I developed a fondness for oranges and want to use this opportunity to learn more. So far, I have learned that the common orange is not a wild fruit, andis a cross between a non-pure mandarin orange and a hybrid pomelo. Oranges are first mentioned in ancient Chinese literature. Europeans began cultivating bitter oranges around the 9th century but only began cultivating sweet oranges around the 15th century. Just like the apple, oranges come in many varieties that have different purposes. American citrus breeders, have developed a specific variety that is used exclusively for juices. I would like to learn why orange juice gained popularity and was considered healthy despite its large amounts of sugar. I also want to research orange juice advertisements and analyze some of the strategies used to lure consumers.
ReplyDeleteanother fruitful (no pun intended) is to talk about how the fruit industry has directly participated in imperialism: united fruit's meddling in Latin american affairs was responsible for the term Banana Republic and Gunboat Diplomacy. Also the overthrow of the last queen of Hawaii was orchestrated by several missionary families with interests in the canned pineapple and sugarcane industry.
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ReplyDeleteAs we've progressed through the lectures in the class, I developed a picture in my head regarding what topic I'd like to write about that is of value to me as well as rich in its historical relevance to society. For that reason, I chose to write about watches and its journey and purpose throughout the course of the century. What started off as a utilitarian necessity gradually morphed into a status symbol and fashion accessory. I also believe it to be an object of great sentimental value. When Professor was discussing her appreciation for her grandmother's rolling pin, I felt the same way towards my grandfather's wristwatch. It connects generations and represents the state of society in its corresponding time period.
ReplyDeleteI agree watches are a timeless symbol as they contributed to society in a variety of ways. Along with the development of watches our society has been increasingly fast paced
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DeleteI find your topic really interesting. I believe that watches are something that are worth appreciating especially because of their movement. Something that might be worth talking about if you're interested is the development of mechanical watches made by machines, specifically the swatch Sistem51, and what it means. This is contrary to the art and belief that mechanical watches are hand-made by professional watchmakers. Perhaps you can also explore on smart watches. I look forward to seeing your paper if you do choose to share it.
DeleteWatches are a super interesting object to look at. I think that it would be very interesting to look at how being 'on time' became a factor in society. Watches have contributed to our constant necessity to control all of the time around us, instead of us just enjoying the time that we have. I think that that could be something else interesting to look into when working on your paper.
DeleteOver time objects such as the telephone, apples and pens have had a profound effect on our society. I believe that pens are just as important as objects such as telephones and apples since they have been crucial to how we literally and figuratively record our history. Recording major events was a crucial turning point since now teachings and beliefs could be shared with a wide of range of people. Just as the telephone changed how teenagers communicated, writing also allowed an easier way to share without solely relying on passed on stories.
ReplyDeleteI agree that this has been an overlooked object that we use on a regular basis. As you said these tools helped record our history, which in turn has shaped our current understanding of many things such as people's rights and theories about the world.
DeleteI am planning on writing about keys for my paper. I have begun doing some research on their history and I've learned many interesting things so far. For example, keys were historically made of materials such as wood. As we discussed in class, in my paper I would like to touch on the invention of the key, its evolution in time as relates to their material composition, shapes, size, etc. I am still brainstorming a way to incorporate a section in my paper that analyzes the symbolism of the key in art, literature, and society in general. On the internet I was able to find an old advertisement for "Yale" brand locks and keys (1950's). Their marketing was based on promoting safety in the home. I thought this was a strong marketing because safety in ones home would appeal to everyone, especially those who had families to protect. They backed their claims by explaining how much force the lock could withstand and claiming there was no other lock and key quite as good.
ReplyDeleteI think an object like a key is a great choice for the research paper as it is an ordinary object we use daily and do not even think about what it does for us. Many of us would lose our mind if we misplaced our key and got locked out of our house or car but we don't think about the role of a key in our everyday lives. I think its evolution throughout history would be very interesting to read about.
DeleteI would like to talk about the way smartphones have influenced the personal interactions and daily routines of every day Americans. Smart phones have become affordable and ubiquitous staples in the lives of Americans of all social classes. In many ways smartphones have acted as tools of portable enabling convenience for decisive and effective people: the ‘flat world’ that Thomas Friedman proclaimed in the mid 200’s allowed for levels of global connectivity, creativity, and collaboration that are unparalleled and unique in all of human civilization. In other ways, smartphones have served as a form of distraction and have contributed to shrinking attention spans and lowered self-esteems of countless others. This is an invention created by the rugged determination and will of an adopted Syrian American Immigrant-the late Steve Jobs-in the visionary tradition of Ford, Edison, Whitney and Sanger (arguably an Objectivist tale of individual will rivaling The Fountainhead) while utilizing the creative power of countless South and East Asian American minds who comprise a cradle of innovation routinely compared to 15th century Florence—countless other countries and competing states (outside of California)--now proclaim that they have recreated the conditions of their own ‘Silicon Valley’ yet none have a record of prolificicty to rival the 50 square mile home of Apple, Netflix, Ebay, Hewlet Packard, Paypal, Yahoo, Google, Twitter, and countless other companies. At the same time, rates of depression and suicide are at an all-time high: fueled by intense competition/existential angst caused by academic and social media competition, high pressures and expectations by immigrant parents, and radically decreased self-esteems/attention spans by an industry made to exploit the dopamine cachecolomine pathway. Whether or not smartphones have been a force for liberation and innovation or depressive authoritarian tyranny will be considered in my quarter paper
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I definitely agree that smartphones have had an enormous impact on our culture and how people interact with each other in a relatively short amount of time. The expectation and ease of communication changes the pace of life and can make people feel quickly overwhelmed by others. However, I think we were told to be careful of making our papers about phones/smartphones. Just make sure to check in with the TA/prof!
DeleteOf all of our lectures so far, the apple lecture stuck out to me the most. Since it was the first lecture subject to stand out as a "nontraditional" object, I found it the most interesting. As discussed in class, the marketization of apples help to classify them as an "object" that we can study in class. I found the taste test portion of Thursday's lecture very eye-opening, because it connected the concepts of transportation and taste. As discussed in lecture, the "thick skinned" species (Red Delicious) was genetically modified to be able to survive cross-country transportation. It's possible that this thick skin takes away from a lot of the apple's juiciness. The honey crisp apple, however, I found much juicer and crunchier. Considering that most of our apples are transported from China now, it is important to have this thick skin, but as a result, taste may be sacrificed.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Never before had I thought about the history of an apple so deeply! Though the aspect of current taste does not bother me so much, the origins of it intrigue me greatly.
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ReplyDeleteI found the lecture about the apple to be really interesting, because most people don't think of their food, especially "unprocessed" food like fruit as an industrialized, refined, or mass produced object. However, the apple serves as an excellent example of how engineering and industrialization impacts every facet of our lives from the objects we use and the food we eat. It puts into perspective how much planning there is in even a 50 cent fruit to go from seed to tree to truck to your shopping cart.
ReplyDeleteOn the same day after class, I went to Safeway and bought the highly regarded Honeycrisp Apple, which cost me a whopping three dollars for one piece. I inspected the fruit from all sides and thought about the many events that allowed that apple to end up in front of me. As I bit into that delicious fruit with the perfect combination of deliciousness and perfection, I closed my eyes and savoured such object that encapsulated the whole meaning of the latter. And of course, as the thought of using three dollars for one apple returned and dawned on me, I stood up and got ready sleep. Since the first lecture of this class, I have been more appreciative of the things that I see around me. And, although the lecture on refrigerators was primarily the reason behind this, it was the lecture on apples that really encouraged me to investigate the potentially rich history behind an object. Apples are fruits that I see almost everyday as I walk out the Segundo Dining Commons. Little did I know that there are a myriad of things going on to produce the apple that I simply pass by without a second glance. Initially, I thought that apples were just planted and grown, ready to be picked once the long-awaited harvesting season arrives; however, I am captivated by how the areas of genetic modification, industrialisation, and licensing have all greatly affected the supply of apples circulating the market today.
ReplyDeleteAn object I am personally interested in is the water bottle. Water bottles are objects that are very much taken for granted in the everyday life, and have come a long way in these past centuries. I am intrigued by the national outrage a simple bottle of water can cause, because of the usage of plastic correlated with it. Such outrage and consensus has caused bottles to evolve into the current trend of Hydroflasks found in many people's hands today. The overlooked health benefits confuse me, and I would love to do my own research on it to find out what others do not know.
ReplyDeleteBefore coming to college I never thought about the objects I used to meet my basic needs, but that changed when i came to college. Getting drink now means I have to go to the fountain but I can avoid going every time i feel thirsty by having a reusable water bottle. Reusable water bottles have helped many people with the waste of plastic which helps avoid the accumulation of trash. This helps protect wildlife on a global scale which in turn keeps the environment healthy. Protecting the environment can go a long way to help preserve the planet for future generations.
ReplyDeleteWhile reading the essay "Is the Honeycrisp Apple Engineered to Fail?", I began to think about how commercialized our food industry is. Apples that are grown only in November/December can be eaten year round to satisfy our consumer demand, but we never really stop to think about how we shouldn't be able to bite into an apple in June. Due to the globalization that occurred over the last few centuries, we are now able to ship our foods all over the world so most produce is available year round. Its hard for us as consumers to look at the environmental toll that that takes from preserving the produce for long periods and shipping it across the world just so that we can have not just apples but all produce all year long. This is not a sustainable way to produce food, but because there is a consumer demand for it, there will be a supply since a profit can be made. In the end, its hard to make conscious choices as a consumer because our options our limited to what has been deemed profitable.
ReplyDeleteI am amazed at how every object we see, use, and throw away has an origin story. Simple things like a hair tie, toothbrush, or socks, to very complex such as telephone lines, water supply, and the sewage system. Even the food we each has evolved and improved over the years. Each new invention is to make our lives easier and make everything faster. For my object is not as revolutionary as the phone, or as profound as medicine, but I think important to learn about the teddy bear. I am interested to see how teddy bear industry boomed, and how it lead to the creation of other animals, to its effects it has on children, to the age in which the children tend to forget about them.
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