Oh the places you’ll go . . .

You began your post-secondary education in CultureNet, an Associate of Arts in Culture and Technology, at Capilano University?  Now what?

Students have answered this question in a variety of ways, but we have yet to have a CultureNet student transfer into one of the four-year programs housed in SFU’s School of Interactive Art and Technology . . .

This however might be about to change:  Shanna Walters, a recruiter from SIAT will be coming to Capilano on Tuesday, February 2 between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. to discuss SFU’s program and transfer opportunities for students from Capilano who are interested in pursuing a Bachelor of Arts or Science in Informatics, Design or Media Arts.

The presentation will be  in Library 145.

For more information on SIAT: http://www.siat.sfu.ca/

CultureNet Friday Seminars

FRIDAY, JANUARY 29 | FREE GEEK

Free Geek: Helping the needy get nerdy since the beginning of the 3rd millennium.  Who are they? What do they do? And why do they do it?  Learn more about FreeGeek and their mandate at this Friday afternoon guest lecture.  Guest speaker: Ifny Lachance.  All are welcome. Light refreshments served.

1pm | Cedar 148

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5 | VCN Webteam + Community Access

What is the digital divide? Who are the local players determined to assist in overcoming it? Meet Julia Kozlov and Melissa L. Garcia of the Vancouver Community Network (VCN) Webteam describe the roles and goals of the Vancouver-based VCN WebTeam.  All are welcome. Light refreshments served.

1pm | Cedar 148

FRIDAY, MARCH 12 | Libraries in the 21st Century

What is the role of the public library in the digital age? Chris Koth, Supervisor – NonFiction/Electronic Services – North Vancouver City Library, and George Villavicencio, Capilano Systems Librarian, will be weighing in with his thoughts on this topic in mid-March.  All are welcome. Light refreshments served.

1pm | Cedar 148

FRIDAY, APRIL 23 | CULTURE + TECHNOLOGY:

An Undergraduate Journal

Production on Culture + Technology began in Fall 2009 with the students from CNET English 100.  The journal will include editorial commentaries + reviews and research articles by Capilano students.  The inaugural issue will be published in April 2010 complete with a launch party celebrating the work and accomplishments of the CNET English 100 students in getting this new journal up and running.  Come celebrate with us.  All are welcome.  Light refreshments served.

1pm | TBA

Negativity of the Urban Life: Review on “Urbanalities”

Chris Joseph’s work “Urbanalities” is a series of seven visual pieces that demonstrates the destruction and chaos of urban life.  Each scene in particular targets a certain idea about the city and how people view it to be; along with this, each person have a different aspect of how they view the city.

As I was watching the seven scenes unfold, there were a few scenes in particular that stood out to me specifically the portion with the sniper and the ticking clock scene.  The sniper scene reminded me of a revolution but exclusively the Chilean Coup d’Etat in 1973.  Perhaps my family’s background was an influence on me but as I saw the target moving around the screen it reminded me of the paranoia that occurred during that time.  Anyone could have been killed for doing anything; doing one small thing and you would be dead.  This piece is not relatively old, but other viewers would have a different idea on what the sniper scene could be about.  Another view that could be suggested would be about the amount of crime and corruption that is dwelling in urban settings; how things of violent nature is ignored by the public and there is nothing that could be done about it.

The ticking clock scene was a part of the visualization that ties in with the theme of urban culture, chaos and destruction; where there is no time to reconstruct an establishment of order.  The clock constantly ticking away makes the viewer feel anxious, as if time were wasting away and they have not completed their task and it must be put off until the next day.  The rushing of time reminds me of Canada’s response to vaccinating the country for the H1N1 virus.  Much was said about how prepared we were but with the flu season coming we are quickly running out of time.

Joseph’s work cannot be summed up due to the various scenes that he plays with to portray urban life in an artistic form.  What was enjoyable was the fact that the idea of Dada-ism was highly an influence to the piece.  The strict colours of white, black, red and blue where strung throughout the piece, gave it a sense of disorder but a conservative outlook on the publication, which again reflects the lifestyle of those living in the city.  The idea of Dada is especially enjoyable because of its nature of an idea as a random art form; again, reflects how random urban life is perceived.  The scenes of the moving target and the ticking clock are constant reminders of the fear of the city for it is constantly changing.   The randomness of this work would have particular views for each individual and in this case I had viewed it in a negative fashion.

 

–Stephanie Moreno

The Betrayal

People have given up what is most sacred to them; their conscience. They haven’t done this willing or knowingly. The bombardment of advertisement from every angle has finally seeped into us and has become part of who we are. It is this constant relaying of mass made messages where the betrayal has happened. We no longer make friendships to have a shoulder to cry on, someone to drink with, or go to the new blockbuster. We make friends so we can recite unintelligent dribble that’s been openly forced into us without any of us thinking twice about it. In Hari Kunzru’s short story “Raj, Bohemian” the Narrator comes to the sad realization that all of his friends are selling him something wether that is their intention or not. We have become a brained washed and without knowing it we are doing work for companies that we have no ties to.

The Narrator of “Raj, Bohemian,” can’t seem to escape from being pitched some new and useless product. His eyes have been opened and that he thought were his friends have become constant sellers of new things. This is the betrayal. Wether we know that we’re doing it, like Raj, or if we are indirectly doing it like Wei Lin, we added something to our friendships and it’s a cancer spreading, soon becoming everything that we ever hear from any of the people we associate our selves with. Even the Narrator had thought that he had found someone that was different, that hadn’t been consumed by the rising tide of advertisement. However, this was not the case, this someone also had become of the advertising movement. This leads us to question what is sacred about friendships? We rely on the constant repetition of catchy advertising slogans for conversation.

We have lost a bit of ourselves and filled it with repetitive dribble called advertising. We are more like the Narrator of “Raj, Bohemian” then we think; we, like the Narrator, have the advertising cancer too. It is this unwanted attribute that has caused us to relate to people through mass made media thrash and because of that we have lost a part of friendships and that is the biggest betrayal.

Brave New World: In Review

From the very beginning of, “Brave New World” author, Aldous Huxley captivates the reader with his enticing plot line and subject matter. The story begins in a Hatchery for humans in the year, 2540 a.d, where society has developed a way of producing and “conditioning” humans in laboratories to acquire specific intellectual and physical levels as well as programming morals and removing strong emotions. There is no such thing as aging due to the affects of a drug, “Soma” which is also used to stimulate “Happiness”. Bernard Marx is different from the others, he wants to get away from this society and witness a different way of life. On a trip to the Savage Reservation where life is simpler and everyone lives life freely, he meets an intriguing mother and her son. Bernard returns with them to the “Brave New World”, a decision which causes fate to fall down upon them. 

Throughout the book, the reader becomes engaged in the story by Huxley’s strong use of descriptive language. For example, at the beginning of the book, Huxley creates a strong, sensory image of the hatchery by vividly describing colours and texture like, “Pale corpse-coloured rubber” and “Yellow barrels of… a rich and living substance, lying along the polished tubes like butter.” The type of language Huxley uses consumes the reader with sounds and images that are roll over the tongue and ease into the mind.

 Even though this is a science-fiction novel, readers of the general public can enjoy and relate their own society to Huxley’s novel. Regardless of the fact that it was first published in 1932, it still manages to remain current and relatable to this day. Many of Huxley’s frightening predictions of a futuristic society have become true already. His unique perspective encourages the thought that the rest could, including the removal of all personal liberties, which is uncomfortable but intriguing to the reader. Another current issue in society that’s touched on in this book is the media and their effect on people in the public eye. Huxley’s concepts of society make the reader uncomfortable but entice them to keep reading.

Huxley writes in a fluid and relaxed, but concise style. “Brave New World” is written in clear font with appropriate spacing. It is in third person narrative which allows the reader to feel as one with the story. Another captivating feature is the character development throughout the story, “Bernard Marx…[and] Mustapha Mond” are just a couple of the interestingly named and dynamic characters interacting in the novel. In addition to a humorously sarcastic undertone, this book makes for an exciting and enchanting read.

Overall, “Brave New World” is an intelligently written book that continues to successfully adapt to modern society years after it was written. Its’ coherent and riveting plotline (Including an appeasing ending) keep the reader engaged in the material. I enjoyed this book and the issues affecting our world today that it raises for discussion. I recommend it to science-fiction fans, people concerned with society and civil liberties, as well as any fiction readers looking for something unique and thought-provoking.