Audition Pop Quiz

Reading Blog 1

While eyes distinguish differences between objects, our ears can hear the interactions between them. Our ears can discriminate more sounds than our eyes can objects, and hearing music can help us make sense of connections to nonhuman life. Music has existed in every human culture in existence but has been a source of entertainment. In the 20th century, some musicians aimed to change the definition of music, going beyond regular pitch and melody, calling to attention the sounds of everyday life. Music can help us reconnect to our environment that we have irreversibly altered, and that we must change in order to maintain a livable world. The author of this performed experiments in which he studied the interactions of nature and animals in creativity. In one, he found that Mockingbirds mimic the sounds of the zoo, Volkswagons, and washing machines, and is just as interested in them as he is sound from another bird. He critiques the marketing of soundscapes to the public as a facade of environmental protection efforts. These sounds are manufactured to make the public believe that they are still romantic and wild, when that is not really the case. He spent time in Africa where the calming wilderness sounds meshed with cars passing and water pumps pumping water into the savanna. He cites sounds at a pond, as he finds a pattern in them, yet they also sound alien. His conclusion is that humans have thought of themselves as above other living things because of their language abilities, yet language does not define capabilities for thought.

Project 1: Claudius

For this project, I chose a persona that was the very opposite of myself. Claudius is sociable, materialistic, and popular, especially on social media. I didn't really like the idea of a more serious "alter-ego" so I chose a cartoon tomato to add humor and emphasize the fictional aspect of the character. The symbols like the selfie stick, iPhone, and keg stand were intended to connect with teens in the 21st century, and be instantly recognizable. I looked at people like David Dobrik and James Charles to draw some inspiration on what influencers post. I wanted to capture the allure of social media and the trends that have come along with it, as well as those who have taken those trends and used them for social gain. As with most social media posts, my depictions of Claudius only showed the good aspects of his life, especially with his leisurely floats and expensive trendy items like the Lamborghini and iPhone. In the public eye, people's worth tends to be determined by the things they own. Because the public views you this way, we tend to start to view ourselves the same, getting sucked into capitalism and greed. We try to do and get bigger and better things in order to be equal to those we see online. The more we use social media, the more and more we feel a want to "keep up with the Joneses", and that makes us more and more unhappy. Claudius is an example of one of those who have mastered the art of showing off his great enviable moments to the world. But is that all that there is to him?