Reading Analysis (Under the Sign of Mickey Mouse & Co.)

Ryan Lubell

April 28, 2013

Instructor Stacey Knapp

Reading Analysis

In the article titled, Under the Sign of Mickey Mouse & Co., the author, Todd Gitlin divulges into his opinion on corporate America. Gitlin discusses how American popular culture has infiltrated countries all over the world and infested them with popular American icons such as Disney. In today’s culture, entertainment is one of the of the worlds top exports. Gitlin explains his point of view of corporate American when he states, “Everywhere, the media flow defies national boundaries” (Gitlin). What Gitlin is stating is that, no matter who or where someone is, if they have access to a computer with an internet connection, they can gain access to knowledge their government may or may not want them to be in possession of.  Gitlin gives examples of how no matter where a person is in the world, if they ask a random person if they know what coke-a-cola is, there is a one hundred percent chance that random person will know what they are talking about. Although these evil corporations are supplying American products, which society foolishly buys into, that is only the first half of it. With all the supply that these corporations are pumping into stores across the country, comes a demand from the buyers. People all over the world not only recognize the products American corporations are selling, but they demand and want it to be in their possession.

Gittlin has a valid point with how insane advertisement and social media has become in today’s culture. I agree with Gittlin that American corporations are greedy and will stop at nothing to study children in order to figure out how to sell the most amount of product in the least amount of time. It is ridiculous major corporations hire top scientists in order to maximize the potential of selling their products.  I remember being a child, how excited I would be when I would watch television and there would always be some advertisement directed toward me to buy some stuffed toy or game. I would immediately demand my parents to buy this certain toy otherwise I would be miserable for the rest of my life. The way this certain advertisement impacted my emotions was no accident. Major corporations direct advertisements at children to maximize the potential of selling a certain item, and it happens all the time, all over the world. Many parents have a hard time saying no to their children, especially when they have had a long day and their child is screaming and crying in their ear over some toy, and its not worth arguing over! Many parents find themselves giving in to their children desperately craving a toy from the television when they are tired and fed up. Corporate America has slowly but surely taken over the “media” world and will not stop until they have taken every asset they can.

If I could change anything in my society or community.

If I could change anything in my society or community, I would change the form of currency we use, what we do in our spare time, and many more alterations. First off, it would be much more convenient if around the globe everyone had the same currency. That way, it would be much easier to exchange or trade valuables with strangers for items that you need. If I could, I would make spending one’s free time more like it was in the late 20^th century. It makes me sad to go outside and see a fraction of the amount of people playing or enjoying themselves as compared to how things were before the current updated technology we now possess. If I could alter my society for the better, I would sway people to not be racist or sexist, and to help others in need like homeless or with the elderly crossing the street, more often. If I could change my society or community, I would make it so little kids are not so mean to each other, and are taught to teach others with respect so that they grow up to behave in this manner. Children who are nicer to each other and do not name call or cause violence in their schools will be rewarded exponentially to act as a better role model for the other children.

I would cut down funding to the major corporations that maintain control over America currently. Major businesses like Viacom basically run corporate America and make it much harder for the middleman to start their own business. Their should be a limit to how big a company could get, but in modern day America, those huge corporations just pay off everyone in the business and always get what they want. There should be something done about the one “percenters”, although they did work hard to earn their position and status, it is unfair that so few are doing so well in today’s society, while so many are doing so poorly. The wealth of America should be spread to benefit the needs of the many, most definitely not the needs of the few.

In today’s society, one big alteration I would make is of the funding for education. Education is supposed to be the most vital funding asset of our country, but instead it is the least important. Getting into college or a university has become some huge competition. The government should have education as their top priority of funding, that way more colleges would be less competitive and much more people would have the opportunity to get the education they deserve. Also I would change the education system entirely. It seems wrong that we only teach general education starting at a very basic level. If a child or parent knew what type of education they strived to achieve, it would make little sense to put them through the basic routine of school right away. Per say one wanted to be an actor, why would he or she have to start at school learning things he or she will never use again for the rest of their life. It would be more ideal for that child, if it is their passion, to just start early from acting school, to better their skill of their passion in the future. 

KILLER CULTURE.

The article “Killer Culture”, by David Kupelian, discusses how popular culture has taken over the media and is corrupting the minds of youth society. David discusses about how certain aspects of popular culture like MTV have a huge negative aspect on society. Everything that MTV displays on their channel is a commercial in an attempt to sell the viewer something. MTV consists of music television videos, sponsors, advertisements, and much more all with the sole purpose to get into the viewers head. Today’s youth society has drastically changed from the youth society of the previous decades. Across the nation, there are teenagers in rebellion because of not being loved absolutely, for “children deserve and desperately need firmness, patience, fairness, limits, kindness, insight, and a good, non-hypocritical example” (Kupelian). These are the traits that every parent should possess and without these traits, a child may rebel and everything they were taught to dislike to maintain the right path may eventually seem attractive to them. This includes body piercings, tattoos, and meaningless sex with countless individuals. For a parent this is a gruesome nightmare, but in the mind of Kupelian, it is all the parents’ responsibility.

I believe Kupelian is correct in the sense that if a parent does not act in the way a good parent should, it could have very negative effects on the child. Without a parent to justify between what is right and wrong would lead to complete and utter chaos in a child’s life. However, too much parenting or over-protection can also lead to the same disastrous outcome. Parents need to guide their children toward the right path and control the atmosphere in which they live and learn in, but to try to control one’s child will never end in the way that parent wants. Many parents blame social media on why their child is so nasty, but many parents forget about parent control. It is very hard to uncorrupt a child who has been exposed to popular media, but if one were to simply block channels on the television that they found unsuitable for their child, there would be a huge disaster averted. Many parents just let their children surf the web and scroll through the television, but the Internet can be a terrible place. If a child is pre-exposed to adult content the psychological effects can be quite damaging. The ideal situation would be not to expose a child to the vast and disturbing ways of the Internet until their brains have matured enough to where they can understand and comprehend what they see. By doing this, these children will not become corrupted or addicted to the Internet and will live more “normal” lives, spending more time outside and free. It is only fair to a child that they be raised in a suitable atmosphere where they can grow and educate in a healthy environment not infested with popular culture.

            

MLA citations

WORKS CITED:

"12th Imam." Popular Issues - AllAboutPopularIssues.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2013.             <http://www.allaboutpopularissues.org/12th-imam.htm>.

"Al-Muraja'at." Al-Islam.org by the Ahlul Bayt DILP - Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Apr. 2013. <http://www.al-islam.org/murajaat/62.htm>.

Bakash, Shaul “Iran” American Historical Review (1991): 1479-496. Web.

"Biography of Imam Mohammad al-Mahdi - Islam Guidance." Sibtayn. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2013.             < http://www.sibtayn.com/en/?Itemid=467>.

"The Panjtan Society Youth Group."Panjtan.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2013.                         <http://www.panjtan.org.au/psyg/node/110>.

For my Iran Topic report I used a plethora of sources, including web pages, journal articles, journals, scholar articles and online web sources. According to to the University Library website, to avoid perjury and plagiarism one should follow these guidelines for MLA format: 

Spacing

In MLA style, the works-cited page is double spaced, with the same spacing within and between citations.

Order

Citations beginning with names and those beginning with titles are to be alphabetized together. Numbers in titles are treated as though they have been spelled out. For names, alphabetize based on the letters that come before the comma separating the last name from the first, and disregard any spaces or other punctuation in the last name. For titles, ignore articles such as "a" and "the" (and equivalents in other languages) for alphabetization purposes.

What to include

The title "Works Cited" indicates that the list you provide contains only the works you actually cite in your paper. If you wish to also include in your list works that you consult but do not cite, give your page the broader title "Works Consulted."

This information was helpful to me but some parts of the citation process are still giving me trouble. I always have a reference to look at when citing sources. Library 10 directly coincides with this material however I feel that the method of online coursework takes a little longer for me because I sometimes need further explanation and detail.

This information was helpful in the sense that when confused, I could always look back at these guidelines for more information. MLA format has never come to my understanding quite easily so to have this guideline as a fallback was quite helpful. I know understand with full clarity how and why MLA format is used, and how to properly cite my sources. 

Persepolis Reading Analysis

(Page 53/54 of Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi)

            The book Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi divulges in the daily life of a young Islamic revolutionist in Iran. Marjane Satrapi composed this text and she is mainly known for her multiple volumes of Persepolis. The audience she is intended to branch out and influence is not assumed to know much about her troubles. Marjane Satrapi gives a wide array of knowledge to inform those who do not know of typical life in Iran. Marjane informs the reader of the different styles of cloth they use, such as the veil, and the differences between typical American and Iran life.

            The two pages I have picked to interpret, deal with primary torture methods involved in the prisons of Iran. Marjane’s parents had an old friend from prison named Mohsen, whom of which was tortured so much they assumed he was dead (Satrapi, 50). Mohsen explains in detail the kind of tortures he had to endure in prison life (Satrapi, 52). Mohsen explains to the family that the prison guards were believed to be torturers from the C.I.A and real scientists that knew every nerve in one’s body. The author hopes to bring to light the cruelness and brutality of some men. One would be tortured until death if they wouldn’t give the torturers the knowledge they were looking for. The author may even been trying to scare the reader by showing them a little glimpse of what many of her beloved peers had to endure. The author’s intent is made clear through the dialogue her parents have with their friend. Marjane could have made it so her character had nightmares about torture. However, instead she made it so a real character had come to inform her family of real tortures that happened to people she knew. Many of these actions were presumably used only during wartime, however Marjane made it apparent to the reader that many people who revolt in Iran are tortured. It show’s the viciousness of many men and makes one analyze the world around them.

            The tone and style of this text is a very serious tone with an informational background. Marjane does a great job showing the horrors of her home as child. Although there are some humorous texts and a bit of satire, the overall tone of this book is a very serious tone. Throughout many parts of the book there are discussions of violence and revolution showing the dangers of Iran during rebellion. The style of this book is an informal academic one, for it is in a graphic novel and can be academic for it teaches one many knowledgeable aspects of Iran. While Marjane is trying to convey a serious message of a revolution, she does a great job of keeping the reader intrigued and constantly supplying new knowledge so the reader is never confused on what a certain item is. Through cultural differences comes change in daily life of that people, Marjane shows the reader just how different it is across the world. 

Persepolis 2

The book Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi, discusses the regime and how it became more repressive in Iran. This book follows the life of a middle-class teenage girl in Iran having to live her teenage years as a youth in revolt. Persepolis portrays stories of a young woman being executed at the age of 18, of innocent brave men risking their lives for the one’s they hold dearest to them, and many more intriguing memories of the author. The final chapters of the book discuss the tragedies of living in Iran in such a crucial time. At any given moment one family could we wiped out, such as a Jewish family in the book, the Baba-Levys. Marji was racing home after shopping to discover her family was almost massacred by a missal, and instead it was her neighbor’s house. This book brings to light the radical differences between the country of Iran and the United States of America. Just because people from the United States of America have a different lifestyle does that make it a better place to live in? One reason America and Iran have a feud is because of this very question.

            I personally have never had to deal with these kinds of dangerous predicaments the author Marjane Satrapi is discussing in her book. I am blessed to live in a time and country where I can feel safe and don’t have to worry about coming home to my house being hit by a missile. In America, we have the freedom of speech, freedom to express oneself, and many more rights not available in many other countries. Living here, I take for granted my every day freedom’s that people have died to uphold and people would literally die to have. Having read Persepolis, it has opened my mind to the world around me and how it is has been made more apparent that not every one on this globe is equal. Why is it that I have the right to say and do what I want, but on the other-side of the globe someone could be murdered by the very government sought to protect them for doing the same action I did? One quote that really stuck with me was “To die a martyr is to inject blood into the veins of society” (115). Basically, this quote states that if one dies for their country, they are doing a great service for that country. If this is true, what did the young girl in this story, Niloufar, die for? Marji believed her to be a real martyr who died for nothing. Marji rejects this quote and for good reasoning. She believes she can make a positive difference through education and she will avenge her friend by standing up for what she believes in. 

The Twelve Imams.

Ryan Lubell

Profressor Stacey Knapp

English 1A

March 12, 2013

Prophecy of the Twelfth Imam

            To understand the context of the Twelve Imams, one must first know what the phrase “The Twelve Imams” translates to. The Twelve Imams in Arabic translates to: twelve spiritual leaders who generally lead others in prayer. In the Islamic world the Imam of a community is known to enforce the laws of the Shariah. The Shariah is the religious laws and the basic fundamentals of principle set to Islam. The two primary sources of Shariah law derive from the Quran and the Islamic prophet Muhammad. The Twelfth imam, also known as the guided one, was said to be the son of the 11^th imam and is thought by certain followers of Islam to still lie in recluse, waiting to reemerge the spearhead of an apparently upcoming religious judgment day.

            Muhammad al-Mahdi, son of al-Hasan al-‘Askari, and Nagris, was born in Samarra’ on Friday, 15^th in Sha’ban (August) 255 AH. Muhammad al-Mahdi is said to be the living prophet of the Iranian culture. He is believed to still be alive and it is held by the faithful that he will bring the world justice once he returns on judgment day. Muhammad al-Mahdi is viewed to be the son of the 11^th prophet and is held in the same esteem as the holy prophet himself. It is perceived among Muslims that when al-Mahdi returns he, with direct insight from Muhammad would enforce the laws of Islam and:  “through his deputy the Imam would answer the demands and questions of the Shi'ah” (Islam Guidance). To the Muslims of Iran Muhammad al-Mahdi is the future savior to the Iranian Islamic culture and they believe one day he will return and be their messiah. Upon his return, it is believed that “the future will see a day when human society will be replete with justice and when all will live in peace and tranquility, when human beings will be fully possessed of virtue and perfection” (Islam Guidance). Ever since Muhammad became of this earth, man has thrived for perfection and peace, and if this were never possible it would not have been imprinted in the backbone of human nature. Just like if there were no water there would not be any thirst, if there were no pleasure there would not be any pain, Iranians believe that because the will of peace and tranquility lives on, there is a possibility that one day their savior will come down and bring justice and peace to everyone. To the religious Iranian There is only one savior, al-Mahdi Muhammad, and that after him: ”there will be no one in the future”(Islam Guidance) The return of al-Mahdi, to the religious Iranian, is an establishment of an everlasting society that firmly rests upon a strong moral, lawful, and peaceful social pillar that will be enforced by al-Mahdi’s benevolent Islamic hegemony.

Islamic belief is very similar to Catholic belief in that its members both believe in a sort of “judgment day.” It is believed in both religions that one day in the future the prophet of their religion will arise from a location removed from earth, and bring justice and tranquility to the world. To support Imam Mahdi's claim, Twelver Shi'as along with some other Muslim sects quote the following Hadith: "I and `Ali are the fathers of this nation; whoever knows us very well also knows Allah, and whoever denies us also denies Allah, the Unique, the Mighty. And from `Ali's descendants are my grandsons al-Hasan and al-Husayn, who are the masters of the youths of Paradise, and from al-Husayn's descendants shall be nine: whoever obeys them obeys me, and whoever disobeys them also disobeys me; the ninth among them is their Qa'im and Mahdi."[Al-Islam, 10]. It is more common than not to meet a person who believes that one day a savior will come and judge those who have sinned and reward those with faith. For many people, al-Mahdi represents more than just a religious man of great wisdom, power and drive, but also an idea that for many Iranians conveys a notion of striving for all that is just, moral and positive. With such attractive attributes, it is no wonder that Iran, with its relatively turbulent and fractured history embraces this apparent bringer of peace and united utopia.

WORKS CITED:

"12th Imam." Popular Issues - AllAboutPopularIssues.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2013.                                                           <http://www.allaboutpopularissues.org/12th-imam.htm>.

"Al-Muraja'at." Al-Islam.org by the Ahlul Bayt DILP - Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Apr. 2013. <http://www.al-islam.org/murajaat/62.htm>.

Bakash, Shaul “Iran” American Historical Review (1991): 1479-496. Web.

"Biography of Imam Mohammad al-Mahdi - Islam Guidance." Sibtayn. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2013.             < http://www.sibtayn.com/en/?Itemid=467>.

"The Panjtan Society Youth Group."Panjtan.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2013.                <http://www.panjtan.org.au/psyg/node/110>.