Anarchical Arches: 3 Problems with Commercial Skycrapers

Hi, this is Benjamin. I’m an aspiring architect, and one thing that any artist needs are standards. If you don’t have standards, you have no ability to judge the quality of your own work or the work of others. Fundamentally, what standards are, are the ability to judge what you like and what you don’t like. I can tell you, I do not like commercial skyscrapers, here’s why, threefold.

     1. Aesthetically

What are the most famous US city skylines? - QuoraThey’re an eyesore, and it astonishes me that I have to say this, because there are genuinely people who think they’re not. There are people that look upon a city skyline and think “Cool, giant steel pillars, awesome!” In this case, I believe their standards are skewed because they have been raised to believe that anything aesthetically pleasing in a skyline is a famous monument and could not possibly be ordinary.

     2. Psychologically

skyscrapers, view from below, architecture 4k view from below, Skyscrapers, ArchitectureI don’t know who the hell looks up when walking in a place covered in these buildings, but do so if you want to feel pure dread. I remember going to Vancouver as a child during the 2010 Winter Olympics, the monstrosities there made it a not-so fun experience. You look up, especially as a tiny child, and there seems to be a dark, glass wall having over you everywhere you look. How on Earth can that be fun?

In higher latitudes, they, along with their slab compatriots, prevent any sunlight from pouring onto the street. When the entire ground is covered in solid concrete and the only life is the periodically placed small tree, it seems a lot like living underground in a sterile tube.

     3. Philosophically

Ancient City Seeks to Host China’s Sundance | China Film InsiderThere’s an architecture firm, I forget which one. A spokesman noted something along the lines of “…With skyscapers nowadays you take an elevator from your apartment down to the car-park, drive to your work, and hop on another elevator up. There’s no journey to this like there is in an old East Asian city, where your path to and from your house is a journey through the clear, vegetated, winding streets and alleys.” Then they went and built one of these bloody things, because in the end, the only reason they exist is to make a fat check as simply and inhumanely as possible.

New Media 11 Challenge

Anti-sociality

In Wesch’s video, he mentions how by doing that which his sister enjoyed, he understood the variable purpose of country music, it is not just a certain genre, though it is, each song conveys a different idea and feeling. He says thus “…I was over-intellectualizing everything, denying the trials of life itself….” This can be applied to sociality in and of itself as-well.

In Adiche’s lecture, she conveys how it was her student’s understanding that Nigerian men were generally abusive; “…he told me it was such a shame that Nigerian men were physical abusers like the father character in my novel.” Even though it was not necessarily the case, and of course, isn’t the case. I felt similar since Lauren and I are in proximity, and when we were supposed to discuss an idea, I felt as though it was her initiative to converse with me since I am behind her. When we did discuss the ideas, she seemed uninterested, and I figured that may be because of me, since, for one, my ideas may be more outlandish, but also it’s possible that I am just weird. I now know, having engaged with her, she thinks it is the initiative of others to converse with her. She was talking about how her uncle doesn’t talk with her at Christmas (she was explaining why Christmas isn’t her favorite holiday), and I said “Well, you don’t talk with him either?” This was the case, because as she said: her uncle was the adult, so it was his responsibility. However, I think we can probably both agree, that the subjects themselves are uninteresting.

Looking at the other posts, there is a very clear theme of introvertedness. This makes sense with two things, for one, most people seem to have chosen symbolic or object images, only some have chosen selfies. A selfie is obviously a more extroverted thing. This also makes sense since the class is largely quiet, and this cannot merely be explained by the dehumanizing social implications of masks, physical distancing and computers. With introvertedness, there seems to be a kind of barrier, which is hardened by dehumanization and factory-like conditions. It also speaks to a generation which has grown up with computers, in an era of extreme passiveness or over-protection on the part of parents.

The idea is that an introvert may do well in speaking to others, but because he has no personal responsibility to build relationships, he does not. I believe it falls as a responsibility on me therefore, and this of course is a natural conclusion of anyself in understanding of this, to reduce this barrier. As John said “After this time, I learned that the growing environment and the friends around me really make a big difference between people.”

Blog Log Three: Dual Reality

Dual Reality

I Believe in Reality

I clicked on this post because reality is so often overlooked, and so for someone to say they believe in reality, it is interesting to see what they conceive reality to be. The author uses descriptive and personal tone to get across the idea that reality is a disgusting thing which people develop fantasies to distract themselves from. For instance, he juxtaposes two ideas, that of the “miraculous” childbirth, and that of the ‘real’ childbirth. “Far from miraculous, childbirth was about as real as it gets: bloody, messy, gooey, dirty, and real…. As I held her, I realized that the stakes were different now. I wanted what I could never have: I wanted my daughter, beautiful and perfect as she was in my eyes, to live forever.” The conclusion is that he understands why people believe in “fantasies” but that he prefers his “reality-based” perspective, and that reality also has “wonder and beauty and smiles and kindness.” There seems to be this misunderstanding that reality only counts for that which is immediately sensuous. The “fantasy” actually comes from the irrational human brain, and so the dismissal of it is a purely rational idea. To embrace reality, is to accept irrationality as-well as death.

Blog Log Two: Wake Up

Wake Up

OK Boomer.

“OK Boomer” is a not so subtle title, which peaks my interests because the irony of the phrase is lost on many who use it. Generation War: Boomers Vs. Millennials - AARPThe author maintains a tone as stubborn and dismissive as the phrase she’s talking about, seemingly tired and uninterested but also biased, compare “The old and young are feuding — yet again. Oh bother.” with “They’re right to be angry about coming of age in a world made ugly by selfish choices.” In an attempt to seem objective, but also to take up and justify the phrase without question, or counter-arguments for that matter. One thing I did like was the certainty and challenge, despite the falsehood, in parts like “…the entire episode reads more like an Onion article—complete unintelligent nonsense….” While I did not learn much from the article, it certainly reminded me of the real problem in the world, lack of self-responsibility. Many from Generation Z seek to viciously blame their ancestors, but have no thought as to what they’re doing wrong. It’s like two alcoholics pointing the finger at eachother, whilst the guy who sells them all their alcohol sits in the corner quietly chuckling to himself, that guy being the central bank and bankers in reality.