Children of the Screen

                We are indeed children of the screen as Baylon writes. There is an inordinate amount of truth in the statement “the overwhelming influence in society is the media.” As seen in the reaction of society, many will believe whatever the media tells them to, and adapt the same beliefs of the media. Whether it is due to many unfortunately believing the media is unbiased, or just the sheer amount of media in our environment lambasting us relentlessly, the result is the same. We adopt the media’s beliefs as our own, just as a child does of their parents’. The key word in that statement is child, since it seems as though society automatically accepts what the media says as truth, much like a young child does of their parents, not, like children in adolescence or older who can form their own opinions, sometimes disagreeing with those who raised them. When people go away on vacation, it is not uncommon to hear of how they want to “get away from it all.” However, the moment they come home they indulge in all the offerings of the media such as the news and internet.

Baylon’s concern is just. With the immoderate amount of power the media wields over society in general, all individuality is lost. Just by showing the new hot celebrities wearing a new style of clothing can create a mass wave towards a new fashion line because it is the cool thing to do. Political matters can be decided solely by the producers of a network. If they so choose, they can air scathing reports of propositions and those behind them, and candidates, while praising others.
                As a race, our environment is completely mechanized and produced as Baylon says. No longer is it important for us to adapt to weather changes, all we need to do is sit inside with the thermostat set at 72. If food is running scarce we just import it from another area of the world. Our fight is no longer that of survival, but one of wealth, as we continually see on the screen (subliminally) the happiness that is supposedly brings.

                The photograph included at the end of the essay clearly states Baylon’s fears. The chain around her neck shows the strength of the bounds the screen (media) has us in. The duct tape over the mouth emulates that we have no voice, but must listen to that of the media’s. The neutral color of the gray makeup and the lack of hair, clothes, and colors show the individuality that is lost by someone when everyone conforms to the norms of the media. The blank screen in the background makes me think that nothing else is important to the individual other than the next program to come on.

Transient Beauty

The Picture of Dorian Gray is a very well written, timeless movie. It tells the story of a man whose soul ages in a portrait, while his appearance stays his innocent twenty-two year old self. The message this film addresses is that beauty is transient and that any attempt to make it anything other than that leads to the corruption of one's self. This true beauty comes from innocence.

                In the scene that I like Lord Henry describes how this innocence can be stricken away when trying to hide from oneself. When Dorian first meets Lord Henry, Basil entreats him to not listen to a word he says, as he is a bad influence. When Dorian asks him if he really is a bad influence, Lord Henry replies “There is no such thing as a good influence, Mr. Gray. All influence is immoral-immoral from the scientific point of view.” Dorian of course inquires further, and Lord Henry continues with “Because to influence as person is to give him one’s own soul. He does not think his natural thoughts, or burn with his natural passions. His virtues are not real to him. His sins, if there are such things as sins, are borrowed. He becomes an echo of someone else’s music, an actor of a part that has not been written for him. The aim of life is self-development. To realize one’s nature perfectly-that is what each of us is here for. People are afraid of themselves, nowadays…” This turns to be true at the end of the movie, that people are afraid of themselves, as Dorian is afraid of the true man he becomes, as he can see in his portrait.

                The most important part of this scene though is when the portrait is finally revealed to Dorian himself. Basil and Lord Henry never cease commenting on his beauty while looking at the final portrait, and Basil insists the portrait painted itself, as if it were guiding his hand. When Dorian finally laid his eyes on the portrait, the scene is shot in color, showing the true innocence of Dorian’s soul, and the last of his innocence at that. The beauty Basil and Lord Henry had been commenting on, whether they were aware of it or not, was of Dorian’s soul, not his earthly body.

                When Dorian sees this beauty, and hears Lord Henry speaking of how transient it really is, he says “If it were I who was to be always young, and the picture that was to grow old! For that I would give everything! Yes, there is nothing in the whole world I would not give! I would give my soul for that!” And thus Dorian seals his fate of destroying his innocence with the immorality that comes from eluding the brevity of beauty.

Who is that Person?

Written as a narrative by the subject in picture 14

With a heavy heart I sit here in my employer’s cellar. The life of a scholar I chose, but never did I imagine I would be here in this hopelessly dark room. I am not a slave, though sometimes my occupation leads me to believe I am. I will stay here going over my research for who knows how long (months, years, my entire lifetime?) only for my employer to publish my work as his own. It is not all hopeless however. The room and board I receive are more than I can ask for in these trying times, and I am not fighting for my life as a soldier or working myself to exhaustion as a blacksmith.

                I’m taking a break from my work pondering my life. As a child I dreamt of raising my own family on the land my father tilled as I took over the farm. However, in school mathematics dazzled me, and I was able to advance quickly enough to gain acceptance to Oxford. Tuition was far too expensive for a child raised on a farm however. Luckily, a wealthy man who had heard of my predicament offered to help me with my fiscal troubles, as long as I agreed to work for him after I graduated. All I wanted was to explore the vast, unexplored world of math, and this man was my gateway to that world.

                If only I had known what I was getting myself into. Ever since I graduated I have lived in his manor’s cellar working on my theories. Only after I was published for the first time did I realize abhorrently large mistake I had made by accepting his offer. I was introduced to my fellow mathematicians as my employer’s assistant! The mathematics journal, with my theory, held his name, not mine. When I confronted him he said that I was in his debt, and such was only fair. I don’t know if I will ever be able to pay off my debt. I cannot leave, as I do not have the skills to avoid detection of those he will surely send to seek me out. Nor do I have the money, as my wage consists of a place to sleep and food in my stomach.  I even sill wear this old blue jacket that my mother had gotten me for my interview with Oxford.

What is bothering me right now however, is my yearning for a wife and family. If I had chosen a different path would I have a family now? I fear it is too late now to begin a family. I am almost forty, yet the years I have spent solving equations by candlelight make my eyes appear as if I am sixty. I could never hope to charm the golden haired woman I see when I go out. Even if I could, how would I provide for a family? The reimbursement I receive for my work is just enough to support myself alone, and I have spent too much of my life on these algorithms to give up now.

This is what I have devoted my life to. These numbers and variables are my wife and children, these equations my land, and these theories my harvest.

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