Essay 6

Jofran Mendoza


Earlier in the year our very first essay was if I were a Cyborg. And my answer still remains to be yes. As the year progressed I came to understand the meaning of being a “Cyborg”, the definition that Dr. Smith one used was vaguely “A cyborg is someone that cannot live without technology.” One doesn’t necessarily have to be a robot to be a cyborg, just live in a society that’s so depended on technology. I’ll be using examples from the Matrix film, Me++ and other sources to support my statement, including my own personal experiences. I’ll argue that we in today’s day and age live in a network, that we are all connected to each other.
William J. Mitchell repeatedly mentioned that the world is beginning to get smaller and smaller each day. In better understanding he says that, though the world isn’t shrinking, every material thing that we own is. He also mentions over and over that we all live in a network, a network that relies on everybody else to do their job or else nothing would ever go right. Mitchell states “And networks of different types and scales are integrated into larger network complexes serving multiple functions” (9). He says that everything is connected to the other, one small network is connected to another, while that other is connected to an even larger one, it’s a never ending circle of networks depended on each other to co-exist. Take for instance the Matrix film, the machines depended on the humans to survive, the only way the Matrix was able to keep running was because of the energy the machines took from the humans. And later on in other films of the Matrix it is realized that the humans also rely on the machines for their water rand heat, all of the essentials for human survival. Networks its everywhere, to make an ordinary plastic cup seems like a simple task but the truth would be that that cup went through a series of steps to become a final product. It went from one network to another to become, the product it is now, a cup.
Everything is shrinking, all our material things that we used to have to keep track of is disappearing. All of your things can be easily accessed at the palm of your hand, thanks to technology. William says “We can now keep almost unimaginable quantities of digital information on servers the size of domestic appliances” (83). More and more our devices are starting to become engraves on to us, we no longer have to stay home to watch tv, listen to music, look up information on the internet. We can now take all of that with us, as if it were a part of us now, attached to us somehow. Dr. Smith mentioned that in a way we are becoming part of the technology rather than they being a part of us. I myself fell like I’ve become a tool to my technology, I’m constantly on my iphone which obviously has a lot of features that some have to go home for. I can do countless things on my phone, things that before I would be able to do. I’ve become so overly engrossed on my phone that I simply cannot function without it; it’s become very essential to me.
Networks are all around us, it governs us now and so does technology. There is a society that Dr. Smith mentioned that knew nothing of the outside world, they lived among themselves, and they all had their own jobs and had their things to do to keep the tribe going. Dr. Smith was trying to explain to us networks with to my opinion with success, he said if one person were to die in the tribe that the tribe would not be affected at all, they’d still be able to continue living. Then he mentioned in this world if just one thing/person was not able to do their job than the whole network would come crashing down, everything needed to be working properly for anything to get done. To my understanding that is a network, a connection of different people/things that relied on each other to work. As Barry Wellman said “People in networked societies live and work in multiple sets of overlapping relationships, cycling among different networks. Many of the people of the related social networks they deal with are sparsely knit, or physically dispersed and no not know one another”(17). Also this world and its inhabitants have increasingly grown more dependent on technology, everyday losing their human instincts and relying on their tools to live. We are becoming Cyborgs more and more each day.

Sleep Dealer

There were certain elements that made it a "Mexican" film, like language. The entire movie was in spanish (although there were a few occasions when there was some english dialogue), but also the the slang was Mexican. I'm "latino" myself so I didn't think I would need to read the subtitles, but the language was different even to me, it was "Mexican" I don't want to sound racist but that is the case. In certain countries some languages are spoken differently, with a different accent or slang's. Another element would be the setting, it was all in a Mexican setting, in a forgien country. Some of the connections in this film and the Matrix are more obvious than the others. First in both films it involved having to be plugged in/connected to enter an alternate world or reality. Other similarity would be that both bring up the concept of a dream world, a world that is only produced ion your sleep which in return means what they were living was a lie. Both films feature futuristic elements like machines and advanced technology. In Sleep dealer the whole country finds themselves under the control of the United States, oppressed by them, there is a border separating the country and they are cut off from their water supply that can only be obtained threw the government. In the Matrix the humans are under the control of the machines, that have in slaved their minds as its their method of energy. In the Matrix it was more like a fight against machines, race was not an issue, most of the freed minds were mixed races, there wasn't just one main race. In Sleep Dealer it was more like Mexico versus United States/government, their were racial elements in the film. In Sleep dealer they portrayed as having a rural life as the better lifestyle, having to work hard everyday for something that you own, while living in a urban life was too confusing and depended on others rather than yourself.

Blog 10

When I write my essays I tend to procastinate a lot, and I hold things off to last minute. And I think thta's the case for most writers who really don't like thier topic or are just simply to lazy to write. In my case the reason I procastinate is because I don't really plan anything out, I have no structure and usually have no idea of how or what I'm going to write. I think if I planned everything out and knew the steps I would take and make to time isn't a factor I would probablyhave better reports. This year I have worked hard to keep myself on pace, I planned everything i was going to write, I wasn't going to let myself wait till last minute. I've taken not that if I do wait, then my work sufers and I don't give the best of my ability due to the fact that I had to rush. Also I think most reearch writers deal with the fact of really trying to be careful of not plagerizing and using information and qoutes the right way. I know I tend to stress over what information I should or should not use, I stress over the fact if I have to much information and not enough opinion. I get worried of plagereism all the time and try to parahprase as much as I can. But this years I feel I've sdone better on my esays than before, I've really worked hard to make sure I can write the paper at the best of my ability.

My november 12 blog is on my other blog. I forgot to mention it.

Blog 9

I've decided to make a documentary. More like a mock "doc", I have been noticing a trend latley in movies, books and television. Vampires. It is on the rage right now, everywhere I turn I see a vampire now. It's like we're in the vampire era. I have nothing against them, I'm actually very fond of them and I've always enjoyed thier genre. So in honor of vampires and vampire fanatics across the world I have decided to make a documentary, about the life and day of an average vampire. Of course I will try to stay true to some vampire myths and tales but for the most part I will make a mockery of the vampire nation. This is all out pure fun of course, I respect vampire's and thier fanatics but I feel this mock "doc" will be very fun and funny. I will also try to make it as scary as possible, for the fanatics of course.

At first I was thinking about making a short movie but i don't think I would of done a very good job, and frankly it would of been a little cliche. I thought to myself what would be more interesting than the life of an "actual" vampire? What could be funnier? I feel that I can combine both fear and humor well, I've seen a lot of movies and know how things work. I've done film before in highschool, I know the differnt angles I could use, I know cinematic elemants.

The documentary itself will be for Louis of course, and the blog I will be working on will be for Dr. Smith. I'll keep track of everything i do, and all the research I do for my project. First I'll reaseach any myths about vampires, all possible tales about them. Then I'll watch a couple vamp. movies. I'll try to get as much research and details about them as possible. I'll try and convince my audinece that what they are watching are actual vampires, but also I'll have a hint of humor to my video.

This week I'll mostly be working on my outline and script. Who's going to star in my mock "doc" and what materials I'll be needing. I'll aslo start up my blog page and begin writing a couple entries. Also I'll begin my research so that I can strat my documentary as soon as possible.

Essay 2

I feel that there is no such thing as fate, there isn't somebody out there who has planned out my life. For what ever reason I'm here today in this class is because of my own doing, my choice. I made myself what I am now, not fate. We all make decisions, and based on these decisions we live out our lives. I refuse to believe that there is nothing I can do to change it. I will use examples from the Matrix film related to the decisions Neo had to make in the movie. I will also use examples from Theodore Schick Jr's essay to help support my statement.

Neo in the movie said, "Because I don't like the idea that I'm not in control of my life," in response to one of Morpheus's question. I agree with his answer because I too don't like the idea that I am doomed to live out a life that is already planned out for me. I'd feel so enslaved, almost like I have no choice. If I had no choice then what happened to my freedom? There would be none. Why bother with trying to live life if I have no choice or power over it, its just going to play out the way its supposed to be. I don't believe in fate or determinism, I can't. If I did then all my attempts to change my life would be meaningless, a wasted effort. Schick writes, "In a completely deterministic world, no one should be held responsible for their actions because nothing they do is up to them," page 96. This is a good example of stating no one will ever do what it is they want because they were supposed to do it anyways. The freedom of choice builds persona, characteristics. It lets others judge on my actions, whether or not I'm a good person or bad; trustworthy or nor; mean or nice. But if we had no choice in out actions, what character do we have? None. People will just say that I'm doing exactly what I was born to do, I can't help it. B.F. Skinner claims, :that we should give up the notion humans have free will and with it the notion that they should be praised or blamed for what they do." (96). I believe that we should be praised or blamed, we make the choices. That's the beauty of being human, the ability to make rational decisions.

In the Matrix film Neo had to make a number of different choices through out the entire film. One of his first more important decisions was choosing between blue pill or red pill. Neo chooses the red pill only because he wanted to, also he already had some knowledge of the Matrix. Knowledge plays a big part ion free will, the more you know the more choices you have. Lets just say if Neo had no idea of what the matrix was, or had no idea that it even existed, he would have no reason to pick the red pill. If that were the case and he still picked the red pill then maybe there was fate (or complete coincidence). But because he knew he chose the red pill, driven by his curiosity and one question. What is the matrix? Another example would be be when Neo decides to go back into the Matrix to go save Morpheus. After having spoken with the oracle, he was told that he would have to make a decision to either save Morpheus or not. Of course, if Neo was never told maybe he wouldn't have cared as much that Morpheus was going to die. But because he knew that he had a choice to save him, decided to go in and save Morpheus. The oracle didn't tell Neo that he was going to save Morpheus, just that there was going to be a moment when he had to chose. IN the essay there is a statement, "Caplace's demon - or any oracle for that matter- can be trusted to make accurate predictions about people's behavior only as long as the person involved are not aware of the prediction."(97). This is another example of knowledge, maybe if someone were to make a prediction that I was going to sleep at 8 and I didn't know that they made that prediction I might sleep at 8. If I knew they predicted something, I might me inclined to stay up longer to make their claim false. If someone were told a prediction of their life, the still have the ability to change it. Just because they were told it was going to happen, doesn't mean it has to.

I don't believe in fate or determinism. I don't believe that I have no control of my life, I run my life the way I want to. I have my choices and these choices shape the way my life is planned out. The more knowledge I posses, the more choices I have. The ability to chose also gives us characteristics, that people judge us on, its who we are. Without them we are just entity's living out our scripted lives. We'd be machines that are performing the actions that were assigned to us. I am in control of my life, no one else (or thing) is.

Mid-Term Reflection

To be completly and perfectly honest before I started my midterm project I had no idea as to who I would do it on. I didn't want to choose someone who's been done a million time already, I wanted someone who really impacted the world but isn't that well known today (by minors atleast). I wanted someone who really revolutionized the country, someone who impacted the country in a way that no one else can.
I first got my idea during american film class, where we watched a mvie about a man. This man was Walter Winchell, and of course I I had no clue as to who he was, like evryone else in the class. And frankly I didn't care who this man was, why does he even derseve a movie? But then as the movie went on I learned that we worked for the newspaper and changed journalism for ever. Then I new what my topic would be, Walter Winchell. Becuase I knew little about the man, I had little interest in him, I just wanted to do my report and get it done with. I was sure I would get some credit for choosing someone who was much less iconic (right now) then other topics chosen.
So I hit the books (more like internet). I was preparing my self for a moth of complete boredom, working on a paper, with a topic I didn't care for. To my surprise I found my self more and more interested about the man who invented the gossip coulumn. A man that was loved my many and hated ny just as many. A man (journalist only) who could makle or break careers, a man who people were scared of. A man who for about 4 decades was the biggest thing in the country. As I went on learning about his life and impact, I wanted to find out more. I was his movie completly this time (we only saw alittle in film class).
I began writing my essay with ease now, not feeliong the anxiety of having to write an essay I didn't want to. Winchell inpacted the nation so diversly it was very easy to write a 7 page essay on him. I was feeling pretty confident in myself because I know enjoyed my topic now. The deadline was comeing soon and I had taken off some time off the mid-term essay to do the American-film essay. I hadn't finished it yet, so I had to think qiuck.
I think I was doing everything fine so I woundnt know what I'd do the same , everything I guess. The only thing I would work on would be to time everything better, so that I don't overlap and still have time to right a well though out paper. For the most part I would rate my effort an 8, might have been more if I didn't run out of time and didn't have to rush, but even in the short amount of time I still did my best. I would rate my paper a 7.5, I definetly feel I could have done way better, but then again that is always the case. The way I had to hurry up in the end kinda disapointd me, I'm sure my next one will be good.

Truman Blog

Throughout the film, there are shameless advertisements and product placements presented as part of Truman’s life. Is it moral to use Truman’s life as a means to monetary gain?

I would say yes that it is completely immoral you use Truman's life as a way gain something. Truman was completely oblivious to his "controlled life", he had no idea of what was happening to him, and through out his life they shamelessly advertised every type of merchandise they could. They used a man's complete ignorance to further help themselves. There is absolutely no morality to taking advantage of (in a way blind mans) Truman's "life" for monetary gain.

During an interview, Christof states the following: "I have given Truman the chance to lead a normal life. The world, the place you live in, is the sick place. Seahaven is the way the world should be." Is Christof correct? What, if any, would be the benefits of living in Seahaven as opposed to the real world?

Christof is wrong, but I understand what he means. He tried to give Truman the "perfect life", a life that will never ever change, a life in which he will never be in danger, a life that will never do him wrong, a life that could offer him everything he can possibly ask for. That sounds great compared to the "real world", where everything is unpredictable, dangerous, hard, scary. If someone were to offer me that I would take Christof's life. But the thing with Truman was that he was never told or asked, he exploited Truman since he was born, without giving Truman the opportunity to choose for himself. Taking away a persons freewill is never alright, it is the one thing as humans we have guaranteed. The only things that are promised in life is disappointment, death and freewill. Truman could of learned a lot outside of Seahaven, rather than in, like disappointment. The world wouldn't be a cast anymore, he would get his way at the end, he would have to deal with being just a regular joe. That in itself is a lesson learned.

Consider yourself in Truman’s position. If presented with the choice to remain in Seahaven, a place where you have been promised that “you have nothing to fear”, or to enter into another world that you know little or nothing about, which would you choose?

If I were offered to stay or to leave, I would leave. I would be tempted to stay in a world where I have nothing to fear, but then that would get boring. Part of living life is living in fear. Fear of losing your job, feat of failing a essay, fear of getting killed there are many things to be afraid of. But if I were to live in a world where I didn't have to fear anymore, I'd frankly be bored out of my mind. I'd want to know what was in that other world, what's different in that world? I would want to experience that other world just out of plain curiosity.

Blog 4

Gracia and Sanford use the terms "source and ontilogical status" to distinguish between the real world and the unreal world of the Matrix. I've read thier essay over and over again to try and get an understanding of it. Little by little I began to realize what it is they were trying to explain, or express. They mention the "source" is a way to tell the difference between real thing or unreal one's. They claim that we know the source for the things in the real world, like machines and electrical signals are produced by humans and artificailyl intelligent machines. They say that the Matrix is not the cause for all the real things in the real world, although they don't know where the machines come from, or humans are reproduced they know that the Matrix has nothing to do with that. But unlike the real world they do not the source of the World of the Matrix, it was created by the machines. They claim that we can tell the difference between due to their different causes; one was created by the artificial machines, the other is the result of being freed from the machines. Although not mentioned in the first movie, in later one's you find out the source is the mainframe of the Matrix explained on http://matrix.wikia.com/wiki/The_Source. This now gives the unreal world a source, giving it a better cause for it's existence.

Thier second argument is the ontological status of the worlds, they way things exist. A way to determine ontological status is dependence, they say that the real world does not depend on something else for its existence. Becuase the unreal world depends on everything in the real world to extist, they say the unreal world of the Matrix has a weaker ontologcal status. The Matrix only stays running so long as there are machines still running the programs. Then they say in order for the freed prisoners to realize what was the difference between the worlds was the need of a teacher. If Neo never talked to Morpheuos he would have never known the difference.

I think the source means where and why anything is there, the real world was there because the prisoners were freed from the Matrix which is everything we know. While we didn't know why the Matrix is there, only that the machines created it. And ontological status means their dependence on something. The real world depended on nothing, while the Matrix depended on the Machines and humans prisoners.

Blog 3

In the book "Matrix and Philosophy" I was intrigued by the chapter " The Matrix Possibility". Now I myself don't believe that the Matrix is real, but in this chapter there were a couple points that were arguable. If we were in fact in the Matrix then all our beliefs would have to be thrown out the window, being that everything was a dream. Like the author explains, how could someone believe another if they were told that they had been living in a dream land. It would be very hard to convince anybody. That means thier house, car, job, kids, memories are all fake. Good luck with that. The author talks about the possiblity of the Matrix, and questions all the cridentials of what makes things real. Through out the chapter the author constintly goes back and forth on his statment always refering to the possiblity, never saying that it's real. Which makes sense, who is who tell the reader it's real. He discusses Neo's realization of the Matrix, or better put Neo's struggle to beleive the Matrix. He talks about Neo having to trust Morpheus, who in reality doesn't deserve trust when he could of been giving Neo a pill to hallucinate. But of cousre the only thing that makes Neo take the pill is his own knowledge. Neo already vaugely knows about the Matrix, well atleast thinks there is one. Then the author discusses how everything thought to be true in his past can no longer hold accont in his new life. If the Matrix were indeed real then everything we were to think obvious, can not hold true no more. For example; the sky is blue, seems correct but if we lived in the Matrix we could not believe that anymore. The sky was blue in the Matrix, but the Matrix is a dream so it can't be real. Nothing can hold account anymore. What you been told was wrong can be good, and vice versa. Later in another chapter he talks about the senses in the Matrix, discusses how the senses can be decieving. He talks about the physical moments seen in the film. The author recollects situations when physical moments in the movie actually hurt Neo, even when he was in the matrix. Like when he jumps out from the building and lands on the pavement. There was blood trickling from his mouth. I was much like most viewers a little confused, if it was all a fake; a dream then how could it still cause any real harm? Soon my question was answered with an obvious response. When Neo asks him "If you're killed in the Matrix you die here?" Morhpeus responds "The body cannot live without the mind."

Matrix Blog

The Matrix was much like the story "Allegory of the Cave", there were a lot of themes that could be compared.In the "Allegory of the Cave", a prisoner who only saw shadows his whole life was released into the world, at first he could't believe what he saw. It took time for him to realize what he saw was in fact "real". Like the prisoner, Neo had trouble believing that the world he lived in his whole life wasn't real. The film "The Matrix" was a very creative way to question an old philosophy question. What is real? It was always believed, if you can; feel, smell, touch, see then it is real. But in the Matrix, to Neo it felt real, smelled real, he saw it, but still was not "real" according to Morpheus. But if he were to die in the matrix he would still die in the "real world".Morpheus said that the body can not live with out the mind. If your mind makes it real, then why can't it not be real? The Matrix film implied that, Neo along with the rest of the world lived in a constructed world. Everyone was living a lie, they could not see the truth. In the "Allegory of the Cave" the prisoners lived in a cave chained, staring at a wall where shadows constantly moved across. That wall and shadows was their version of the matrix. After taking into account countless examples I have come with one conclusion. I feel that what ever you believe in ,is real enough. Thats all it takes in the end, belief. In order for Neo to finally accept the Matrix, he had to belive that it wasn't real. In order for the prisoner to accept what he saw when he was out the cave was real, he had to believe. The question; What is real? Doesn't really have an answer. The answer to that would have to be another question. Do you believe it's real?

Blog 1

If I were one of the chained men in the cave I wouldn't know where I was, just that I'm home. If I was put there as I child, I’d grow up knowing only the shadows. The shadows would be my religion, it would be the only thing that I know held true. When I'd wake up it would be there, before I sleep it would be there, the only constant thing in my life. I feel that if you are raised believing in one thing all your life, then there is no way of changing the way one sees things. It lays deep in side you, your mind makes it the truth, and if you feel it then you won't fight yourself. Some examples are religion. Some believe in their religion so blindly that they are willing to fight and die for it. They were raised their whole lives in the belief of that religion, enough so that they would put their lives on the line for it. Other examples would be the way parents raise their kids. If a certain parent was raised one way, then most likely they would raise their children the same way. If as a child they were raised to belief, one way, behave one way, act one way; then when their older they would do the same for their children. If all I saw was shadows, then all I'd know is shadows. That would be real to me that would be the world to me. If someone were to tell me there was more than just shadows I wouldn't believe the. I wouldn't even listen to what they had to say, the shadows are always there for me. What ever they said would be a lie. The shadows are real.