Review on Do Androids Dream of Electronic Sheep

           

        Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electronic Sheep focuses on the question of what it means to be human. Once in an interview, Dick explained his idea as he read the journal of a Nazi officer complaining about screaming children keeping him awake. At that moment, Dick realized the irony of "inhuman," which even nowadays, with highly developed technology, makes human contemplate about what is human in the era as artificial intelligence in Blade Runner are possible to exist.

         Based on the novel, the Voigt-Kampff test is the approach to differentiate human from replicant due to the latter’s void of empathy which has “existed only within the human community.”(p.30) when the protagonist Rick Dekard confronts and ponders the vague line drawn between those androids that are empathetic and those are not, he is convinced that “empathy must be limited to herbivores or anyhow omnivores who could depart from a meat diet. Because, ultimately, the emphatic gift blurred the boundaries between hunter and victim, between the successful and the defeated.” (p.31) However, in the later scenario, Phil Resch, a bounty hunter working in a shadow android police agency, cruelly tears down what Dekard at first believes after receiving the Voigt-Kampff test conducted by Dekard. Before the test, Resch asks “If I test out android, you’ll undergo renewed faith in the human race. But since it’s not going to work out that way, I suggest you begin framing an ideology which will account for ---” (p. 140) Resch’s statement challenges the norm of “being human” and echoes how Dick sees the Nazi officer in the journal as “inhuman human.” At this juncture, Dick employs Phil Resch to ask that other than empathy which may not exist within every human, what trait actually define human being? 

           Also, both in the novel and the film Blade Runner, readers may surprisingly figure out even androids can become as empathetic as human, which implies replicant as “life.” “Do Androids dream? Rick asked himself. Evidently; that’s why they occasionally kill their employers and flee here. A better life” (p. 184) Even in Blade Runner the 1982 theatrical version, soon after Roy’s death comes with Dekard’s monologue, “I don’t know why he saved my life. Maybe in the last moment, he has life more than he ever had before. Not just his life. Anybody’s life. My life. All he’d wanted were the same answers the rest of us want. Where do I come from? Where am I going? How long have I got?” This again provokes how we see androids as only intelligence machines, and, above all, trigger us to contemplate what exactly makes us human.  

Review on Mirror, Mirror

          

          The title Mirror, Mirror seemly derives from the words that wicked Queen uses to address her magic mirror. Judging from this caption, audiences can presume a story mainly focuses on Queen instead of Princess Snow White. With modern and creative plots, this film triggers reflections on feminism, body image, and ageism.

I read so many stories about prince saving princess in the end,

And I think it’s time to change the ending.

          In the forest, Snow White tells Prince Alcott “I read so many stories about prince saving princess in the end, and I think it’s time to change the ending.” Besides the ending, this film actually changes lots of stereotypes, especially on those female characters. In conventional fairy tales, almost all princesses patiently wait for someone to rescue them. Yet in Mirror, Mirror, Snow White becomes a leader of the bandit against Queen, and even kills monster. Moreover, her initiative kiss to Prince Alcott breaks both Queen’s spell and the traditional image of a passive female. As for villain Queen, she spares no effort to maintain her throne by transforming her husband King into a monster, and sending it to kill Snow White due to her identity of legitimate heir. Just like Queen, nowadays some women in high position with misandry may discriminate and pose threats to men. They become as resentful as chauvinist whom they hated before. (Similar to the Black Riding Hood discussed in class)

Mirror, Mirror on the wall,

Who’s the fairest of the all?

           Although Snow White is the fairest of the all, Queen still endeavors to improve her appearance. In one scene, Queen orders maids cover her body with bird excrement, meal worms, scorpions, and milk paste. This might be an irony to people who receive plastic surgery, arousing an awareness of body image. Everyone under health condition should be satisfied with their figures. Obsessively pursuing skinny beauty portrayed by media will only lead to destroy. Karen Anne Carpenter in Carpenters band is the most distinguished example. In her twenties, she cared more about her beauty but consumed less, finally suffering from anorexia nervosa. In 1983 she died at age 32 from heart failure caused by complications related to her illness. Carpenter's death led to increased awareness of eating disorder and body image, and made people introspecting what kind of beauty they pursue.

Age before beauty

             In the end, clever Snow White slices the poison apple to Queen in disguise, and says “Age before beauty.” This is a jocular and slightly rude way of encouraging elderly be given precedence over the younger. However, audiences can sense ageism in this line. No matter in stories or in nowadays society, old people suffer discrimination physically and inwardly. In Taiwan, over 90% owners of houses secretly refuse elderly renting their suites. Other ageism cases lie in animations (See how Disney portrays the transformation of wicked Queen) and daily conversations, stereotyping the aged as proud, vulnerable, and unable to consume new information. Yet ageists seemly forget someday they will become old, and live in the discrimination they set in their youths.

First Impression of CCU

        Silently lying in southern Taiwan is Chaiyi, kindly demonstrating its beauty-inviting landscape-to such a short-sighted person like me. A wide wisdom has held that stretching arms of lush meadow, a gentle touch of refreshing breeze, and a warm hug of scorching-hot weather all define Chaiyi .However, it is a pity that a starry night at here is seldom appreciated by newcomers. As the crescent moon blows her horn, all I can perceive is thousands of silver eyes twinkling above,whispering that a human to the cosmos is what a dust to a mammoth.For my part,  this touching view is unparalleled to anywhere else.

         Nonetheless, there is no place like heaven on earth; a bucolic town with lack of convenient public transportation as well as stores frequently bothers me a lot .These problems never pop out without making me ponder if I had chosen an extremely various place like Taipei after high school, what  would it be ? I might lead a bustling life just like a hundred and five in that metropolis, enjoy the city in all directions as well as numerous stores, and obtain latest information promptly.Yet growing bumptious and snobbish or hitting the top with countless advantages at there is hard to say for I believe the maxim "Attitude is everything."

在分享之後，是激起的回憶

今晚，聽完Chiashin Liao印度歸國分享後，不只感動，也重溫這個寒假我也去印度的記憶.....

聽她的故事，像是在見證一個勇敢的女孩突破外界給予的性別刻板印象，努力透過去印度的海外成長，交換一個嶄新的自我 ! (堅持採著厚底鞋勇闖印度的故事真的頗幽默的XD) 在她的分享中，感受到一個親切的國家熱切地以宗教信仰、街頭景象、紗麗與美食對旅行者產生文化衝擊。透過她的生動描述，印度有著熱鬧繽紛的色彩，分外有趣。至於這位台灣女孩大冒險究竟途中遭遇過多少次拉肚子; 買了多少件當地手工小物與衣飾;怎嚜學會與當地商家協調溝通; 後來如何自我定位並從中找到嶄新的自己......等，有興趣的人可以來中正AIESEC 在11/06 管理學院R107 的說明會一探究竟囉^^

  

我個人寒假跟著另外的志工旅行團，則是體驗到有些不同的多元印度文化 (可能是工作內容與地點造成的差別)。在那裡，因為工作關係，時常與當地孩子生活、一起遊戲、打掃、跳舞。與她的分享相似處就是印度的工作安排總會留下一大段空閑的午後時光，而我都以到處亂晃、發呆、觀察人打發到時間。>< 不同的是我眼中的印度像洋蔥; 外層包裹著熱鬧繽紛的色彩，直到一層層剝開後，才發現裡面蘊涵著深厚的寧靜氣息、深厚文化。那種沉靜的色彩，我不是在街景看到，而是在工作地點時體會到的：

  

每當孩子們圍著工作人員一起看報紙時，我有時也會一起湊熱鬧，聽著他們談論國際時事、對整頁的心靈啟發及社論版發表意見。(真的是滿滿整頁，不同於台灣報紙的少數小專欄) 每當老師們問小朋友"What do you want to do in the future?" 原以為會清一色聽見工程師、律師、銀行家等錢途光明的答案，卻發現不少孩子信誓旦旦地說 "I want to be a volunteer like you all."、 "Make good influence to the world."....等。也許他們或多或少受到各國志工影響，或是受到當地組織創辦人的照顧而想成為那樣的偉大改革家(另一個觸動人心的成長故事)。但不管如何，我都看見一股單純的愛與改善這個世界的衝勁，從印度大人與小孩眼神中奕奕地散發出來。

另外的寧靜感動來自當地的老師希望志工們在05:30起床和孩子們一起參予晨間禱告(一種當地宗教早上打座的活動)。於是，我們每天頂著澄靜的夜空和孩子們爬上頂樓，等待日出時一起復頌梵文祝禱並打座。剛開始孩子們不時三三兩兩小聲交談，當東方逐漸透出魚肚白時，老師便出聲示意祝禱開始。我嘴裡複頌著根本不知發音是否正確的梵文 (其實只是模仿音調  ><)；盯著旭日從遠山那螞蟻大的寺廟頂端升起；聆聽鄰近村落裡牛隻、駱駝、村民開始作息的嘈雜聲，霎時充滿感動! 那種悸動，不只是受當下莊嚴寧靜的氣氛所致，也因印證以前課堂知識而感到單純地興奮! 我憶起高中社會課老師提到印度的慢活哲學、太陽、天地萬物、人類相互影響的生態觀(間皆影響印度修行和吃素文化)....等。以前只能在課堂上憑空幻想，如今沐浴在其中，那樣深刻的悸動實在難以形容。果然，唯有身在其中，才能著實知全貌吧! 

  

這趟旅程其實沒有為我帶來劇烈的轉變，但我隱約感受到自己正重新定，並逐漸蛻變成嶄新的自我。回國後，在受到這次旅行的啟發下，我藉由大二下學期英文作文課的自由研究作業長期進行一份關於童工的小論文(這次旅行是和印度解放童工組織合作)，純粹希望藉由研究這個議題的發展歷程而發揮文章的影響力。

夜深了，我卻發瘋似地憶從前而不睡覺! 大概是受到印度研習生分享而激起日前沉澱的心得吧! 同時，也很開心能源源不絕地發現自己回國後默默做了不少小改變。現在，準備帶著這些新發現和回憶入夢。期待每天有嶄新的啟發與小蛻變!

短篇 The Picture of Dorian Gray (adapted version)

從前有個精神分裂症的患者，體內存在極度自責的偏執狂和一個恣意妄為的縱慾者。

有天，他發現自己的肖像竟然隨著夜夜笙歌而逐漸蒼老。懊悔之餘，他拾起桌邊的匕首，一刀劃向那已面目全非的醜惡。

瞬時一陣刺痛，他發現自己的腹部與匕首合一。

然後，他倒在血泊中，再也動彈不得。

News Feedback: Born to Anti- bully in This Way

                                

news: http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/15571302

  After viewing Lady Gaga’s news, I want to have a say on campus bullying. First, I partially agree with the concept that family, teacher and mess media share responsibilities on campus bullying. However, it seems that we frequently skip an important role who cannot shun the responsibility, either. That is the onlookers, who silently witness campus bullying occurring. These onlookers are bullies in disguise due to their silent permission to violent incidents. Their behaviors may be based on two different psychologies: one is the fear of being the next victim once they sympathize the bullied, and the other is the hatefulness toward victims just like those bullies. Nevertheless, whatever these onlookers ponder, their attitudes of standing by will only enforce the violence to happen instead of terminating it.

　　　Second, some myths about bullying are held by public, and require fixing. In some expeerts’ sentences, students with poor academic performance will bully others to draw teachers’ attentions. Conventionally, students who score low are apt to bullying their classmates. But do students with excellent grades not bully others? Another myth relates to Sharon’s feedback that the bullied do not want to get along with others due to their inferiority. A traditional concept is held that a shy or timid person tends to be a victim. However, conditions like lack of friendship or transferring to a new place may be crises for the long-term bullied. Other myths like bullies possessing a low ego remain discussed. Actually, there is no evidence to prove the relationship between bullies and low self-esteem. Contrarily, most of them are confident and popular among their peers, especially in junior and senior highs. Maybe adolescent youths consider rebellion and bullying ways to show their uniqueness and power. In sum, we should fix some stereotypes on campus bullying.

　　　Last, congratulate to Lady Gaga’s successful establishment of the Born This Way Foundation. Celebrity as she is, Lady Gaga still concerns human equality. She believes that no matter the homosexual or the transgendered should share the same equality as others, because God makes no mistakes. Now she strives to reach her goal by helping youths with anti-bullying issues. In her inspiring statement, Lady Gaga said, "Together we hope to establish a standard of bravery and kindness, as well as a community worldwide that protects and nurtures others in the face of bullying and abandonment." Hopefully, her dream of equal society will realize in the soon future. 


Lady Gaga's Born This Way Foundation: http://www.bornthiswayfoundation.org/

Age Under Thirty, the Eighth Sin?

"I won't  hire those under thirty. ........They are irresponsible, unwilling to do hard work. " As mr. Jiang blastes the youngsters uhder thirty during a magazine interview, Strawberry Generation then become widly discussed and consecutively reported. Strawberry Generation is used to labeled  people born in 80"s, even in 90's, with some bias traits: low endurance, low stabliity, hendonism as well as hylicism, selfish man, and having high degree but inept. However, I consider these sterotypes  partially off the fact and misunderstood in two aspects.First, Strawberry Generation is  originally used to describe people in Taiwan born in 70's, "post-baby-boom" in another term, by a Career Magazine maneger due to their extremely various values. This phenomenon is not distinct in Taiwan but in other nations with different names. Those born in 70's are called "Generation X" in America, "New Human" in Japan, and "Generation 386" in Korea. Their existence represents a generation gap and sturs an arguement around the globe.

Second, the 70's doesn't resemble the 80's as well as the 90's in job transference. The 70's often changing occupations at will directly relates to the bubble economy time, a period that numerous companys and factories from financial field to technology industry all need emloyees frantically. Thus, elders cannot stand their low stability and low endurance and irresponsibility, labling  these youths as Strawberry Generation. Yet we 70's and 80's transfer our jobs frequently for we face a dilemma on work declination instead. For the quantity of work, it is a common pratice that we born in 80's and 90's hardly find a job, let alone obtaining a career which meets our interests nowadays. For instance, there was always an opportunity for the office worker  born in 70's getting a promotion due to the large demands on infrastruction and human resource at that time. Contrarily,  we youngsters nowadays pound the pavement hard end up being refused by employers with a reluctance to hire  "strawberries." For quantity of work,  de-skilled labor with no need to have complete technique strangely defines one with high degree.We can find numerous people with master degree making a living as salesmen, college students moonlighting  to earn penut salary......etc.

To sum up, I consider what Mr.Jiang strive to emphasize is the importance of having right attitude instead of the working age.It is the mass media that puts off the topic and exaggerates his reluctance of hiring whose age is under thirty to make this news more appealingand provoking. Actually, I think Mr. Jiang tried to say those with strawberry-generation traits are more likely to be eliminated than those under-thirty youngsters in the workingplace.Just like Mr. Jiang emphasized,"Atttitude is everything! "