Communities

Sociologists argue that we are living in a post-modern society, in which people value individualism to an extreme. For example, Robert Putnam observed this is his book "Bowling Alone" in which he noticed trends among the general population to go bowling alone, instead of in groups, or as part of leagues. The argument is that in the post-modern age, communities are no longer as wide-spread and far-reaching as they once were, and the degree of their importance has diminished.

One way this phenomenon manifests is in Synagogue (and Church) attendance and participation. Since people no longer feel compelled to belong to a larger community, they are less likely to become members at Synagogues, or get involved with programming at these synagogues.

However, I think that Putnam, and like minded sociologists failed to recognize the role that technology plays in society. After all, our facebook friends (at leas the core of them that we share links and comments with) are a great example of how community exists in this "post-modern" age. The numerous events from which we get invites, testifies to the fact that community is alive and well and that friends do stay in touch and do activities together.

This is not only evidenced through facebook, but through online video game communities, or any website that contains a forum. Wherever there is an element of personal opinion that is linked to real individuals (this excludes anonymous posts on youtube which are meaningless), there exists a community. By real individuals, I mean individuals with an identity that can be identified and understood by others in that community, be it a pseudonym or actual name.

Therefore, I would argue that if synagogues or churches are struggling with membership and participation, then they are simply not tapping into the mediums that instill community in our "post-modern" society. Subsequently, I would argue that Synagogues should create forums and list serves, as well as revamp rituals, in order to close the distance between individuals in society.'

However, are these two types of community really the same?

Representative Art

One of the key ways I procrastinate is via Online Games. One site that I often visit is OMGPOP. On this site, they have a game called "Draw My Thing" which basically is a type of pictionary where you get a word, and you have to draw the word for other online players.

What I noticed is that when we communicate with pictures, we communicate through a symbolic sort of shorthand. Instead of drawing a real life human, it is easier to draw a stick figure. Instead of literally drawing lotion, we draw a man with a sunburn and a bottle - with the hopes that someone will guess "sun tan lotion" and therefore finding the word lotion.

This is not only true of "Draw My Thing" but also of games like Taboo. In such games, we tap into a cultural reference bank and think of other ways to arrive at words without actually describing the word directly (since such directness is either complicated - i.e. too hard to draw, or taboo - i.e. against the game rules)

On the converse side, I also draw what some people would consider "artistic picture". In one of my classes, I don't have a notebook and rely on some friends to lend me a piece or two per class. Then, I tax myself and draw them a picture to make up for my "burden". Usually my drawings might be of cars, or buildings. But what is interesting is that the picture of the cars that I draw in this class are more realistic and full of detail and size proportions, then my simple two dimensional, profile of a car with wheels that sort of resembles a punch buggy.

My point is: in different situations, we have different ideas to communicate. Often when we have time constraints or other limitations (rules or ability) we get the point across as best we can. Moreover, the our culture helps create and maintain symbols that we can utilize in order to more effectively get our idea conveyed to another person.

Overall, I think it is an interesting angle to think about communication.

Hair Length

Why does the hair on your head keep growing to an indefinite length, but some other hair stops at a certain length?
Take your eyebrows for example. If you pluck your eyebrows, they grow back quickly. But it never gets so long that it is hanging in your eyes...
Why indeed...

Walking a Thin Line

Up until this point, I have blogged purely about secular topics. However, since Judaism is in integral part of my life, it is something I spend a lot of time thinking about.

There were two reasons I previously chose not to deal with Jewish topics. The first reason stemmed from my belief of universal accessibility. I believed that by delving into Jewish topics, non-Jewish readers of my blog would feel alienated. However, upon reflection, I feel that there are many Jewish topics which have much in common with topics from other religions and therefore accessible for any religious person to reflect upon.

This brings me to my second reason for why my blog previously did not discuss Jewish religious topics; that there is a taboo against talking about religion in our post-modern society. In an era where individualism often conflicts with religious identity, the social discourse on religion becomes taboo. However, I feel that once one can look past the religious component of a concept, there is still much to learn about life and how humans experience it. 

With this preface in mind, I hope to talk about the first religious concept in my blog while proving the points I have made above. This topic is that there should be a thin line between what you think and how you act. 

As I was praying one day, I realized that it is not enough to just say the words and believe the words, but one must do those words. For example,  if we are praying about a world of peace, that means that we must seek peace (between ourselves and others, and peace within ourselves), and we must seek this peace now; not tomorrow, not later, but now. This does not only apply to Jewish religious practice, but to all religious practice. 

While this concept came to me through religious practice, it has implications for non religious practice as well. Most noticeably in my life, this concept was applied to my choice to become a vegetarian. As I realized that my reasons for eating meat diminished and that the reasons not to eat meat grew, I successfully minimized the line between thought and action and began to change my eating practices. Therefore, while this concept came through a religious medium, a secular practical implication of this concept can also be discerned if one can successfully look past this outer religious shell.

The questions to think about are as follows: (1) In what ways is religion a taboo topic? And more importantly: (2) How can one diminish the density/width of the line between thought and action?

Taking Offense to Ads

Every now an then I will be watching TV and some ridiculous commercial will vie for my attention. Usually, commercials are just uninteresting since I am not in the market for a car, and every so often you get a commercial which you think is just so interesting, you will mention it in your next conversation with a friend.

However, there are some commercials that are just so stupid, you are insulted that the company thinks so low of you. Such commercials tell you how to think, how to react. They presuppose that you lack intellectual integrity. In such instances  you might roll your eyes while lightly shaking your head side to side, or struggle to find the remote to change the channel.

Therefore, the question is: How effective are such stupid commercials? Do they do their job and successfully advertise an object you may or may not want? Or do they subtract from the product making you not want to buy it and suppress the advertisement from you consciousness?

Where's Waldo?

So I just got this great gift the other day. It was an all-in-one Where's Waldo book that had every Waldo book I've ever known. (Its Wally in England, אפי in Israel, and other names in other places)
I'm already done with two of the five books, but it got me thinking.

First, I began thinking about how busy the page is. There are so many things going on, I could look at the page for half an hour (sometimes longer) and still not take in every detail. I find that I particular like art that captivates your attention. Whether its through colors or detail, I tend to like art that I can spend a lot of time examining the details. Perhaps that why I like impressionism - specifically because the colors are not what you would expect them to be and the image still seems natural.

Second, I was thinking about puns. The clues in the back of the book often are puns relating to the pictures. For example, a flying ace was depicted as a biplane with a playing card (the Ace) in the drivers seat. Why is it that when depicted, puns are funnier than when they are spoken allowed? Why is it clever when represented in a physical form, but in the mental form it is not so amusing?

Think about it.

Cracking Knuckles

Why do people (including myself) crack their knuckles?
Its not like our knuckles hurt and need to crack them. And the "comfort" we receive after cracking them is nothing noteworthy!
Its a common habit that people have, but why do they start in the first place?
I think it has to do with the same reasons people twiddle their thumbs or absently play with things when distracted. Its just something to do with your hands (ultimately becoming a habit).
Moreover, there may be some element of OCD that a person can't just leave one knuckle cracked without cracking all the rest. I think therefore that this reinforces the habit and adds to the reason why people crack their knuckles.
Or maybe thats the reason for me. What do you think?