For the past few years, every time I come home to Louisiana, I am reminded of what a foreigner I am (and really always was). It's like I have a big sign on me that suggests it would be a good idea to pick on me. Last year, a lady in the gas station in Thibodaux said "you're not from here, are you? you're not, um, complete." I still have no idea what she was telling me by telling me I wasn't complete, but I basically took it as a compliment. I assume it meant something to the effect of not being a complete coon ass (i.e. cajun).
Today, I was caught off guard because I was called out in the major (um, okay, minor) metropolis of Baton Rouge...and at the Good Year tire place of all places. I jumped out of the shower and didn't bother drying my hair because I was going to get the oil changed in my sister's car. I forgot that in south Louisiana that means you have to put on make up, do your hair, and it would be a good idea to get your nails done while your car is being worked on so that you look even better when you pick the car up. Well, I showed up at Good Year with my hair wet, and all three men working behind the counter started asking me if I got caught in the rain or if this was a new hair style. And I was like what are you talking about? And they, pointed to my hair, and I was like, um, "it's called a shower." They laughed, and I was confused. I'm thinking, um, I'm pretty sure that the nickname for people who work at Good Year is grease monkey, and since when are you questioning my appearance?! Only here. Seriously.
I share this story because it is so absurd, and also because people are always asking me about the differences between Louisiana and everywhere else. Most of the deep differences are encapsulated in moments like these when the way people communicate with one another in public is fraught with assumptions about gender, class, race, heritage, etc. that are highlighted by people who are just handing you french fries or selling you beer. It makes the south endearing in a lot of ways because people do take a moment to notice that you are a person and not another number or something like that. But it is interactions like these that make this area hard to maintain relevancy in a postmodern and pluralistic world we live in today.
Friday, December 16, 2011
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Compassion...Empowered?
Today I heard about the new Justice Party that Rocky Anderson formed with plans to run in the 2012 election. I really like the idea of new parties forming in response to the failure of current politicians, even though I'm generally cynical about politics and doubt that a third party will ever have success in my lifetime.
There doesn't seem to be a Justice Party website up and running yet, but Rocky Anderson is Executive Director of High Road for Human Rights, so I went to that website. I'll be honest, I haven't yet read beyond the headline because I'm so struck by the tagline "compassion empowered." What the hell does that mean? I suppose it is meant to talk about empowering people to translate their compassion into action against social ills. However, I think compassion is the absolute wrong word for this, and I'm so sick of it being used in politics.
To see new parties popping up using the same old propaganda of other parties is really frustrating. I thought that one of the big lessons from fascism was one about language and the effects of language as an instrument of power. George Orwell says that the English language "becomes ugly and inaccurate because our thoughts are foolish, but the slovenliness of our language makes it easier for us to have foolish thoughts." What foolish thoughts in American culture have made compassion a political term that supposedly marks the higher moral ground of a political candidate or party?
A lot of people are studying this question in a very interesting, theoretical way, which is very important. Kathleen Woodward has an EXCELLENT article on this topic called "Calculating Compassion." But I'm really also interested in the basic sense of compassion and what we can do in an everyday sort of way against politicians hijacking personal emotions and co-opting them so that every feeling translates into a political statement.
Trust in ourselves and in others is what Kathleen Woodward suggests is powerful enough to redirect these influences. I guess I've got to figure out who and what I actually trust.
There doesn't seem to be a Justice Party website up and running yet, but Rocky Anderson is Executive Director of High Road for Human Rights, so I went to that website. I'll be honest, I haven't yet read beyond the headline because I'm so struck by the tagline "compassion empowered." What the hell does that mean? I suppose it is meant to talk about empowering people to translate their compassion into action against social ills. However, I think compassion is the absolute wrong word for this, and I'm so sick of it being used in politics.
To see new parties popping up using the same old propaganda of other parties is really frustrating. I thought that one of the big lessons from fascism was one about language and the effects of language as an instrument of power. George Orwell says that the English language "becomes ugly and inaccurate because our thoughts are foolish, but the slovenliness of our language makes it easier for us to have foolish thoughts." What foolish thoughts in American culture have made compassion a political term that supposedly marks the higher moral ground of a political candidate or party?
A lot of people are studying this question in a very interesting, theoretical way, which is very important. Kathleen Woodward has an EXCELLENT article on this topic called "Calculating Compassion." But I'm really also interested in the basic sense of compassion and what we can do in an everyday sort of way against politicians hijacking personal emotions and co-opting them so that every feeling translates into a political statement.
Trust in ourselves and in others is what Kathleen Woodward suggests is powerful enough to redirect these influences. I guess I've got to figure out who and what I actually trust.
Monday, December 12, 2011
Natural Flavor with Other Natural Flavor
Not plural "natural flavors," just the singular, "Natural Flavor" and "Other Natural Flavor."
It's finals time, and to get through it all, snacks are a necessity. I'll admit that I am not the most avid label reader. Sometimes, the grocery trip is just too rushed to take the necessary time to read everything, so I choose the things that I usually eat and go on about things.
Well, today I was surprised at the label on my Triscuits when I got home. One of the reasons I usually buy them is because they only have three ingredients: whole grain wheat, soybean oil, salt. Today I picked up a new flavored Triscuit called "Chile Pepper," and when I got home, I was surprised at the front label, which advertises "Natural Flavor with other Natural Flavor." What?!
What distinguishes natural flavor from "other natural flavor?" The list beyond the basic three ingredients are: chili peppers, onion powder, garlic powder, whey, spices, citric acid, natural flavor, yeast extract. So, there is an actual ingredient called natural flavor. Apparently, this natural flavor is the same manufactured flavor that Eric Schlosser discusses in his book Fast Food Nation. I'm not so much interested in the science right now as I am about the flavor of this new "chile pepper triscuit" because as a chili afficionada, I actually don't think these crackers taste anything like chili peppers.
I have a pretty sharp palette and can taste things in food and drinks that others may not even notice. I couldn't identify what was so strange at first bite, until my third cracker made me realize that the flavor I was eating wasn't chili pepper at all. It just tasted salty and slightly spicy, but not at all like a chili pepper. I got to thinking today after the failure of this new flavor that if I don't succeed in getting into a PhD program, maybe I can become a flavor scientist. Okay, perhaps not scientist, but flavor consultant. I know that I can do way better at making chili pepper flavors and for that matter, BBQ-flavored chips. That's just a start to what I could contribute to this field! I even found this taste science website: http://www.tastescience.com/aboutus.html. They have scientists and psychologists, but no folks talking about how labels and words change the way we taste something. My official plan b is: "taste consultant, studies human gustatory sensitivity and the effects of contradictory word and taste experiences."
It's finals time, and to get through it all, snacks are a necessity. I'll admit that I am not the most avid label reader. Sometimes, the grocery trip is just too rushed to take the necessary time to read everything, so I choose the things that I usually eat and go on about things.
Well, today I was surprised at the label on my Triscuits when I got home. One of the reasons I usually buy them is because they only have three ingredients: whole grain wheat, soybean oil, salt. Today I picked up a new flavored Triscuit called "Chile Pepper," and when I got home, I was surprised at the front label, which advertises "Natural Flavor with other Natural Flavor." What?!
What distinguishes natural flavor from "other natural flavor?" The list beyond the basic three ingredients are: chili peppers, onion powder, garlic powder, whey, spices, citric acid, natural flavor, yeast extract. So, there is an actual ingredient called natural flavor. Apparently, this natural flavor is the same manufactured flavor that Eric Schlosser discusses in his book Fast Food Nation. I'm not so much interested in the science right now as I am about the flavor of this new "chile pepper triscuit" because as a chili afficionada, I actually don't think these crackers taste anything like chili peppers.
I have a pretty sharp palette and can taste things in food and drinks that others may not even notice. I couldn't identify what was so strange at first bite, until my third cracker made me realize that the flavor I was eating wasn't chili pepper at all. It just tasted salty and slightly spicy, but not at all like a chili pepper. I got to thinking today after the failure of this new flavor that if I don't succeed in getting into a PhD program, maybe I can become a flavor scientist. Okay, perhaps not scientist, but flavor consultant. I know that I can do way better at making chili pepper flavors and for that matter, BBQ-flavored chips. That's just a start to what I could contribute to this field! I even found this taste science website: http://www.tastescience.com/aboutus.html. They have scientists and psychologists, but no folks talking about how labels and words change the way we taste something. My official plan b is: "taste consultant, studies human gustatory sensitivity and the effects of contradictory word and taste experiences."
Thursday, December 1, 2011
The Black Keys
http://www.theblackkeys.com/elcamino/
Apparently, for five days you can listen to five new songs from their new album until it is released on December 5th. I think the song "Gold on the Ceiling" is my favorite from this list. Its a great list for air guitar...which I can't do right now because of my dizziness, but I'm looking forward to getting back to my rockstar self soon, and this album will be on the playlist.
It's a pretty perfect playlist for hustling through submitting my first PhD applications, which are due TODAY. I have deadlines from today through January, so the heat is on.
Apparently, for five days you can listen to five new songs from their new album until it is released on December 5th. I think the song "Gold on the Ceiling" is my favorite from this list. Its a great list for air guitar...which I can't do right now because of my dizziness, but I'm looking forward to getting back to my rockstar self soon, and this album will be on the playlist.
It's a pretty perfect playlist for hustling through submitting my first PhD applications, which are due TODAY. I have deadlines from today through January, so the heat is on.
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