post #2
Privacy and aesthetics has always been a major concern when it comes to 21st technological accessories or objects. Access to instant personalization potablesness and privacy are attributes people look for in today's day and age due the lack of these attribute in the modern environment where there are ears, eyes and cameras tuning in. One of the most essential objects that that get applies to this category are headphones. A stroll around any 21st environment will show you how common this object has become. Headphones are commonly used by the younger generation by the ages of 13-30 but they are not limited to that certain age group but rather appeal to a wide range of people. Due to the versatility that headphones have in terms of listening to media without disturbing or informing the people around you, it has world wide appeal. But the use of headphones was not always about getting private access to media.
The origin of headphones are form the early 20th century during the world wars that took place. In this era invention demand of new technology was at an all time high, this was due to the fact that each side of the war wanted to get an upper hand on the the other. Invention in this was not limited to firearms although it was the main focus, the bigger role industries were to improve on the technology they had in all terms of making certain tasks such as communication easier.
the next step of my paper would be to introduce the modern use of headphone and the sony walkmens influence.
I really like how you decided to introduce your object by briefly mentioning privacy concerns. This really hooked me in to your post and made me want to know more about the history of headphones.
ReplyDeleteYes I also agree that bringing in an introduction without explicitly stating the object entices readers to get curious about what you're referring to. Also mentioning the overall aspect of the evolution of technology and then going into specifically the object of headphones.
ReplyDeleteMy object falls under the category of cosmetics and although it isn't necessarily makeup, it uniquely is something you apply similar to makeup. Nail polish has been utilized ever since 3000 B.C. in China when the people used nail tinting as a way to distinguish royalty from the working class. Then, it progressed its way to the 1920s and being mass produced by big companies that we recognize today as Revlon and Cutex. Nail polish is a by-product of car paint which became popularized throughout the 1920s and 30s as a way to incorporate style and identity as more and more nail colors popped up. This era popularized many other products at the same time in which the nail polish industry contributed to which is how it is a significant object for American Studies.
ReplyDeleteI really like how you chose an object like nail polish. It is something that has been popularized in many cultures which can be tied to transnationalism. When we think of nail polish, we do not think of where it came from or what it used to mean. But learning about these things can help connect us to the rest of the world.
DeleteI also like the approach you are taking to describe your object! I think its great you are able to tie in themes from the class such as mass production.
DeleteI remember learning about the Vietnam War in high school so the lecture on the rifle brought back earlier discussions I remember having in my high school years about the Vietnam War. I remember feeling awful about all of the innocent lives that were lost during that war, and simply because profit was favored over lives. I knew that the war had caused such disillusionment among the soldiers. They went into the battlefield thinking they were fighting for something great, but they were left disillusioned - wondering what it was they were truly fighting for. By the end of the war, it was clear that soldiers were expendable in the eyes of those who were profiting from the war. In the lecture about the rifle, I learned a little more about an integral part of the Vietnam War. Modifications of the M4 rifle was compromising soldiers lives. No one cared about winning the war as much as they did about profiting off of the war. This is why it took so long to bring these soldiers home long after it was clear there was nothing left to fight for. It amazed me how much a rifle can have such a huge impact on society as history continues to repeat itself.
ReplyDeleteIt's very interesting to think about how people would prioritize profits over lives. I think that the the issue with the rifle is that the government did not care about the lives enough to pay to have better and safer guns. It's very sad.
DeleteAs you pointed out, this example is particularly eye-opening because of the disparity between lives lost and "winning" the war. Perhaps as it became clear the goal of a U.S. backed government would not be attainable, we tried to cut our losses and have something (money) to show for the bloodshed.
DeleteI think it's a very interesting point that you are connecting the importance of aesthetics in this case. It's not something that we directly associate with the importance of an object, but it really is a significant factor someone considers when buying something.
ReplyDeleteanother interesting angle could be, 'ease of convince'. One angle is technological advancements. You can look at different types of headphones and portability leading into the Walkman, over ear design, transition to ear buds, and finally wireless headphones. Another angle is the trade offs between convenience and privacy.
ReplyDeleteI recently watched the optional video “Winchester: The American Legend” from the course syllabus. As someone from the Bay Area who has driven by the Winchester Mystery House many times, I was interested in learning more. Professor Kaplan’s lecture and the video both emphasized how important the early publicity of the company through association with iconic celebrities was. Fortunate for Winchester, new innovations in media also helped to publicize their company. For example, the invention of the Latham Loop allowed videos to be viewed by large audiences. Theodore Roosevelt became associated with the Winchester company when he bought and brought the company’s products on his 1-year long African Safari. The Winchester Company was very fortunate to have grown in an era during which new inventions and associations with iconic figures furthered its popularity.
ReplyDeleteI thought the hand gun readings were especially interesting. In particular, I did not know the history behind the Glock, let alone that it was named after someone. I think it showed how even firearms, which are heavily mass produced, have roots traceable to individual people and individual ideas. Another interesting consideration the article raised was how global gun sales affect the violence that occurs here. The Glock, being a foreign produced item, took the place of the long-standing revolver in the FBI's tool kit. So innovation from many places can be drawn upon for benefit or hazard.
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting that they seem to make them for everyone. It was comical how, during lecture, Professor Kaplan showed the many different customizations, including a gun with Hello Kitty logos on it. -Truman Wayne
DeleteI was intrigued by the lecture on cod fish a couple weeks ago. Unaware that I enjoyed the food in the slightest, I have been mindlessly eating fish sticks for years without knowing what was in them. (Yes, I obviously knew there was fish, but I did not care to find out what kind.) The fact that such a wide range of people, from different regions and socioeconomic classes, found cod fish to be a staple in their eating habits is astonishing. Those fishermen held the belief that there was virtually a limitless amount of them, and were sadly disappointed, and it is strange for me to think that it will take decades for them to reach their previous numbers.
ReplyDelete-Truman Wayne
DeleteMy object is the soccer ball and a big part of the production is leather. The development of leather has helped shape the look of the soccer ball. In 1855 when Charles Goodyear made the first soccer ball it was way to hard and people would get hurt with head injuries every day. The leather would also get ruined and when it rained and after that the soccer ball was useless and you would need to get a new one. Today the leather used for the soccer ball has developed to the point where water has no effect on the ball and head injuries are not as common. Because of the advancement of leather the soccer ball has become a world wide object that culture uses.
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