I have now, for the second time in my studies at the university, read Nice Work by David Lodge. It was a couple of years since I first read it so I didn’t really remember it. Although I remembered that I for some reason liked it and I looked forward to reading it again.
The main characters in the book are Vic Wilcox, a wealthy Managing Director and the underpaid Robyn Penrose, lecturer in English Literature at a university. This naturally means that the story is either about economic or literature. Literature studies are not a big interest of mine so I didn’t care much for the parts of the book discussing these matters. I suppose that people who doesn’t care much for economy feel the same for these parts of the book. What do I make out of this? Well, obviously that people who care neither for literature studies, nor for economy probably find this book quite uninteresting. Thou – of course there are other matters and aspects in the book. For one thing, well, really what I think is the whole purpose of the book, even if it is published in 1989 and takes place in 1986 it’s still as relevant today with the prejudice and relationship between the industrial and the academic world. I believe the two worlds have come a little closer to each other today, but there is still a lot of prejudice between these persons and often one has a hard time speaking well of the other. This is a very interesting question and if you have your mind open to this, I think the book is worth reading even for those who doesn’t care for economy or literature studies.
So – why did I like the book the first time I read it? Do I still like it? I think I liked it for the reason of the rough language (even if I think it’s a little to rough sometimes) and the fact that it’s another country and another time but I can still relate to the story. It’s not an ordinary book but I can’t put my finger on what it is with the book that makes me so torn about it. Maybe this is since I don’t care much for literature studies, even if I like reading. I don’t think I will read it again, and I don’t know if I would recommend it to anyone else, but I definitely don’t regret having read it again.
Monday, 8 December 2008
Sunday, 12 October 2008
A world designed for consumption
As a part of my English studies, I watched Annie Leonards “The Story of Stuff” – a short instructive film about production and consumption. I have always known that there are several downsides of consumption but this film really got a grip on me. Leonards presents the facts in what I would almost call a selling way, with more than one ounce of humour and satire which really appeal to me. If you haven’t already seen it I truly recommend you to.
Leonard mentions that USA has 5 % of the earth’s population and uses 30 % of the natural resources. This actually scares me. Why won’t we realise what we are doing?? I don’t know what the numbers are for Sweden, but we just can’t keep on like this. We have to lower our consumption in every possible way in a drastic speed.
80 % of the world’s forests are gone and 2 000 trees are cut down every minute in the Amazonas. 2 000 TREES PER MINUTE! If we keep going like this the Amazonas will soon be a big clearing. That just can’t happen. The earth is way too beautiful and fragile to destroy. Not to mention the need of it for the survival of the human species.
Another thing Leonard mentions is how we take other peoples land without caring for them. I think this is slavery of today. We take their land and to survive they don’t have any option than to work for us and this work is dangerous in many ways and very poorly paid. How can we do this to other people? I’m really ashamed to admit to myself that I often close my eyes for this since I want the product to be cheep. I don’t let my self think of the consequences of it both for the environment and for other people. And even if this film is a really good wake-up call I still don’t know if I will lower my consumption. Probably in the short-term, but in a little while I think I will be back in my old habits. It’s a really bad excuse – because there are non – but this is how I was raised. I live in the consumption era and consumption is almost a reflex.
Then, what does Leonards blame this consumption and environment destruction on? The government and corporations. She says that shortly after world war two the American government and corporations wanted to ramp up the economy and the analyst Victor LeBeau came to this conclusion:
“Our enormously productive economy…demands that we make consumption our way of life, that we convert the buying and use of goods into rituals, that we seek our spiritual satisfaction, our ego satisfaction, in consumption…we need things consumed, burned up, replaced and discarded at an ever-accelerating rate.”
It’s really scary to think about these people with great power that uses it to decide what you and me should do – and make us do it without us really realising it. A world designed for consumption… I could write about this for ages – but I won’t. I just want you to think about it for a while. A world DESIGNED for consumption…
Anyway, I wanted to know more about this little movie by Leonards and I started Google. There are many voices out there that has things to say about “Story of stuff” and my conclusion is – It’s a great movie – but Leonards makes some things sound like something they are not. Some things are not as bad as she makes it sound. But at the same time, maybe it’s better to think it’s that bad and do something about it…
In one article I read about “Story of stuff” there was a link to a clip with George Carlin, a stand up comedian, who talks about Stuff. He sad among other things that “Your house is just a place for your stuff. … That’s all a house is. It’s a pile of stuff with a cover on. … A place to put your stuff while you go out and get more stuff.” It was fun, yes, but when I started to think about it, he’s correct. My house is obviously a place where I keep my stuff, but it’s also a place where I feel safe (because I have my stuff there). The main thing my house is for though is a roof above my head. But if that was all I needed - that could be any roof, anywhere. My house really is a place for my stuff. Without the stuff – I wouldn’t be needing a house. What would the human beeing of today be without all her stuff? Would she survive?
Leonard mentions that USA has 5 % of the earth’s population and uses 30 % of the natural resources. This actually scares me. Why won’t we realise what we are doing?? I don’t know what the numbers are for Sweden, but we just can’t keep on like this. We have to lower our consumption in every possible way in a drastic speed.
80 % of the world’s forests are gone and 2 000 trees are cut down every minute in the Amazonas. 2 000 TREES PER MINUTE! If we keep going like this the Amazonas will soon be a big clearing. That just can’t happen. The earth is way too beautiful and fragile to destroy. Not to mention the need of it for the survival of the human species.
Another thing Leonard mentions is how we take other peoples land without caring for them. I think this is slavery of today. We take their land and to survive they don’t have any option than to work for us and this work is dangerous in many ways and very poorly paid. How can we do this to other people? I’m really ashamed to admit to myself that I often close my eyes for this since I want the product to be cheep. I don’t let my self think of the consequences of it both for the environment and for other people. And even if this film is a really good wake-up call I still don’t know if I will lower my consumption. Probably in the short-term, but in a little while I think I will be back in my old habits. It’s a really bad excuse – because there are non – but this is how I was raised. I live in the consumption era and consumption is almost a reflex.
Then, what does Leonards blame this consumption and environment destruction on? The government and corporations. She says that shortly after world war two the American government and corporations wanted to ramp up the economy and the analyst Victor LeBeau came to this conclusion:
“Our enormously productive economy…demands that we make consumption our way of life, that we convert the buying and use of goods into rituals, that we seek our spiritual satisfaction, our ego satisfaction, in consumption…we need things consumed, burned up, replaced and discarded at an ever-accelerating rate.”
It’s really scary to think about these people with great power that uses it to decide what you and me should do – and make us do it without us really realising it. A world designed for consumption… I could write about this for ages – but I won’t. I just want you to think about it for a while. A world DESIGNED for consumption…
Anyway, I wanted to know more about this little movie by Leonards and I started Google. There are many voices out there that has things to say about “Story of stuff” and my conclusion is – It’s a great movie – but Leonards makes some things sound like something they are not. Some things are not as bad as she makes it sound. But at the same time, maybe it’s better to think it’s that bad and do something about it…
In one article I read about “Story of stuff” there was a link to a clip with George Carlin, a stand up comedian, who talks about Stuff. He sad among other things that “Your house is just a place for your stuff. … That’s all a house is. It’s a pile of stuff with a cover on. … A place to put your stuff while you go out and get more stuff.” It was fun, yes, but when I started to think about it, he’s correct. My house is obviously a place where I keep my stuff, but it’s also a place where I feel safe (because I have my stuff there). The main thing my house is for though is a roof above my head. But if that was all I needed - that could be any roof, anywhere. My house really is a place for my stuff. Without the stuff – I wouldn’t be needing a house. What would the human beeing of today be without all her stuff? Would she survive?
Tuesday, 9 September 2008
Surveillance
Different forms of surveillance are a hot topic, and will probably be so for a long time. In the article “Snooping bosses”, surveillance at work is discussed. Reading this article did not make my opinion when it comes to surveillance clearer, though, I will give it a try to reflect over the phenomena.
In general I am against snooping at work and I like to keep my private life to my self or to those I choose to share it with. Though - under some circumstances I think a certain amount of surveillance could be accepted.
Take for an example when your co-worker surf on Face book, You Tube, or whatever it might be, while you do all the work. This is – I hope – to draw it to the limit, but I think you see my point. A certain amount of surveillance could take the edge of that kind of surfing, which also might improve the climate at work between colleagues since talking behind the back about surfers “while we other do all the work” probably will end if there is a harder pressure from the bosses to stop the non-work related surfing.
If there is an obvious problem with personal matters being taken care of in working hours in a workplace, a certain amount of surveillance could help. Though - this surveillance should be known to the employees. Even if I think this kind of snooping, in small amounts, is justified, it might not be the best way to raise the moral. Other ways too deal with the problem could be less intruding on ones personal life, and also make the personal more positively inclined to the company and the company leaders – leading to a better working moral.
The “snooping” should of course keep within reasonable limits. Ones personal life should still be able to keep private, and I really do not think the surveillance should be so severe that it brings on an unpleasant feeling of supervision. The article “Snooping bosses” tells that there are companies hiring people just to sift through e-mail. This is a kind of surveillance I think is way too much. Even listening at, and tracking, a phone call is a bit too much according to me. Even if I do not think I have anything to worry about, the knowledge that someone else is listening at the conversation makes me feel uncomfortable. Even worse might be a tracking chip in my cell phone, or in my arm…
Over all, I think you should be careful with what you post on the net. Even if you think it would do no harm, everything cold be watched, and when you realise you would like to keep your privacy – it is too late.
When it comes to surveillance in our society I am just as torn. The regular use of store member cards is one way of surveillance that I have agreed to. I know that the stores can control my purchasing habits and use it for several purposes. As long as I am aware of it, and it is with my acceptance I think it is ok. Other ways means that I do not have a choice. Camera surveillance is one example. It could be the same as safety, but at the same time it might be in conflict with my integrity. Is it worth it? Probably, but I am not sure. In the wrong hands, in the wrong purpose, it can all of a sudden turn in to something I would never even dream about. Anyway. So far, so good. No real worries about the surveillance of today (maybe because I am so used to it). The surveillance of tomorrow might on the other hand be a whole other deal… What if we do not get a choice? What if we have to get the chip inside us, what if we will be constantly surveilled? Not a tempting thought, but the future will tell.
In general I am against snooping at work and I like to keep my private life to my self or to those I choose to share it with. Though - under some circumstances I think a certain amount of surveillance could be accepted.
Take for an example when your co-worker surf on Face book, You Tube, or whatever it might be, while you do all the work. This is – I hope – to draw it to the limit, but I think you see my point. A certain amount of surveillance could take the edge of that kind of surfing, which also might improve the climate at work between colleagues since talking behind the back about surfers “while we other do all the work” probably will end if there is a harder pressure from the bosses to stop the non-work related surfing.
If there is an obvious problem with personal matters being taken care of in working hours in a workplace, a certain amount of surveillance could help. Though - this surveillance should be known to the employees. Even if I think this kind of snooping, in small amounts, is justified, it might not be the best way to raise the moral. Other ways too deal with the problem could be less intruding on ones personal life, and also make the personal more positively inclined to the company and the company leaders – leading to a better working moral.
The “snooping” should of course keep within reasonable limits. Ones personal life should still be able to keep private, and I really do not think the surveillance should be so severe that it brings on an unpleasant feeling of supervision. The article “Snooping bosses” tells that there are companies hiring people just to sift through e-mail. This is a kind of surveillance I think is way too much. Even listening at, and tracking, a phone call is a bit too much according to me. Even if I do not think I have anything to worry about, the knowledge that someone else is listening at the conversation makes me feel uncomfortable. Even worse might be a tracking chip in my cell phone, or in my arm…
Over all, I think you should be careful with what you post on the net. Even if you think it would do no harm, everything cold be watched, and when you realise you would like to keep your privacy – it is too late.
When it comes to surveillance in our society I am just as torn. The regular use of store member cards is one way of surveillance that I have agreed to. I know that the stores can control my purchasing habits and use it for several purposes. As long as I am aware of it, and it is with my acceptance I think it is ok. Other ways means that I do not have a choice. Camera surveillance is one example. It could be the same as safety, but at the same time it might be in conflict with my integrity. Is it worth it? Probably, but I am not sure. In the wrong hands, in the wrong purpose, it can all of a sudden turn in to something I would never even dream about. Anyway. So far, so good. No real worries about the surveillance of today (maybe because I am so used to it). The surveillance of tomorrow might on the other hand be a whole other deal… What if we do not get a choice? What if we have to get the chip inside us, what if we will be constantly surveilled? Not a tempting thought, but the future will tell.
Monday, 1 September 2008
Welcome!
Welcome to my little nest on the Internet. This blog is a part of the Business English class I’m taking this fall. I still don’t know what will happen here, but feel free to check in every now and then to see what new thoughts I have managed to put into print.
And don’t forget to have a wonderful day!
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