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On Wed, Oct 6, 2010 at 11:40 PM, Christopher Jew wrote: > Lipitz critics neo-conservatives in their view of history by noting a bias > towards a “certain kind of experience - white male upper - class experience” > but is it even possible to have a history without a bias towards a culture? > Even if the history does not have a bias towards a specific cultural or > ethnic group, would the history still be influenced by one of the other > cultures, i.e. high culture or popular culture? Can history exist without > culture as a framework through which to interpret it? >

The essays in Turkle’s book emphasize an individual’s relationship to an object in order to talk about a broader popular culture phenomenon. If popular culture is tied in this way to an individual’s experience, where does one draw the line between meaning for an individual and meaning to the masses?

How do objects play a part in personal memories and how can application of objects differ?

In what ways can the essays of Turkle’s book be tied to Schmidt’s work on consumerism with the greater argument that material objects of our lives are often connected to a larger meaning?

In Stefan Helmreich’s piece on his grandfather’s polaroid, instant film invention, he offers insight into the mind of his grandfather. After inventing such a popular and useful molecule, which made for the invention of the polaroid, his grandfather mused that he “felt intoxicated but more “all there” than usual — almost as if I were giant.” What does this mean? Why did the inventor of the polaroid feel so special and powerful even though he only created a recreational photo-capturing device?

Turkle spends a lot time talking about objects and how individuals can give them great meaning based on the time and emotion they represent. Do people use objects because it’s easier than trying to use words, or because the objects truly are more powerful than any words?

With the proliferation of the internet in this age, has this post-modern proliferation of objects able to be accessed through the web caused an increase in the meaningfulness that people attaches to objects because there are more things to attach to? Does it decrease because of the fact that there are too many things to observe that not as many will take hold as before? Does it stay the same?

Turkle states that “in the cyborg world, the natural and the and the artificial no longer find themselves in opposition” (325). Consider the resonance of this statement in connection to the popularity of the Second Life Virtual World.

In “Apples” essay, Susannah says “the apple is a good talisman because it can stand both as a symbol for nature’s careless sprawl, and as a focal point for the intense emotion, or contemplation, we sometime need these symbols to evoke”. How can the apple stand as a focal point for the intense emotion? The apple is her favorite fruit? Do you have any favorite fruit that has an expression to your childhood?

1) Why does Henry Jenkins use the tension between fiction and non-fiction? 2) Why does Rob Crease feel so confused about the pendulum? You cannot see the earth move at first, however by continuing to look at it, the pendulum can make you see the movement of the earth.

What everyday item would you write about and what framework would you use?

Why do objects, large or small, act as a reflection to time and emotion in our lives?

What is the first you think of when you think about your favorite superhero? What role do you believe superheroes play in children’s lives? Do you think superheroes impact children in a positive way?

It is part of her strategy in a world of displacements to make every effort to restore and preserve, keep things together for their value as remembering objects, a way of fastening herself to a life. -Don DeLillo, White Noise Amidst the post-modern flood of information, are the only ideas that remain significant those that are groundable in the physical world?