On Pain

Quote:  Pain is one of them. It is the most difficult in a series of trial one is accustomed to call life. And examination dealing with pain is no doubt unpopular get it is not only revealing in its own right, but it can also shed light on a series of questions preoccupying us at the present. Pain is one of the keys to unlock mad innermost beings as well as the world. Whenever one approaches the point where man proves himself to be equal or superior to pain, one gain access to the sources of his power and the secret hidden behind his domination. 

Interpretation: Here I believe Jungar is introducing how pain is associated to life. He makes the claim that in each and everyone of our lives we will experience some sort of pain, and it is one of the most unpopular experiences a human Being will had to deal with in life. The type of pain a person can handle and the type of pain a person experiences sheds light on who the person really is. Pain is a motivating factor in what shapes a person into who they sometimes become. When a person can overcome the pain they experience, whether it be mental, emotional or physical they seem to believe they have gained more control over life. 

Why I chose it: I chose this because it an great introduction to the tone pain sets in life. In another  Leh 300 class I am currently taking, we discuss the lives of soldiers after war. I find that the soldiers who fought in any war, whether it was WW2, Vietnam or the Middle East and survived it without any actual physical harm done to them feel a sense of strength  knowing they overcame such a painful experiencelike war. Pain does two things: but fear in your heart or makes you stronger. I think out of all our experiences at humans. Pain has the most dealings into who we are what we become.

Conformity and obedience is not a real solution to pain because it does not stop pain from occurring but it only decreases the likelihood of pain happening to you.

NAZISM

The following passage: Then, gentlemen, not you will be the ones to deliver the verdict over us, but that verdict will be given by the eternal judgment of history, which will speak out against the accusation that has been made against us. I know what your judgment will be. But that other court will not ask us: Have you committed high treason or not? That court will judge us, their quartermaster-general of the old army, its officers and soldiers, who as Germans wanted only the best for their people and Fatherland, who fought and who were willing to die. You might just as well find us guilty a thousand times, but the goddess of the eternal court of history will smile and tear up the motions of the state's attorney and the judgment of this court: for she finds us not guilty.

My interpretation: here in his conclusion paragraph I find his words and use of words very clever. We see here that Hitler believes although the German people, although the world believes that Hitler has done something wrong, has done something to betrayed Germany he is claiming that he was only doing the best for Germany. Hitler believes that he was tearing Marxism away from Germany to build it a new. he believes in order to build Germany to the best of this potential it had to slay Marxism. During this time of this speech Hitler believed even though the people of the court deemed him guilty and in his mind he believed that history, future history will see him as someone who try to change a world to do something great. He may see that him leading Germany may be one of the greatest profound steps Germany has ever seen in finding grand leadership for its nation. It's quite simple really, Hitler thought that he was doing the right thing and that the current courts didn't understand his purpose to crush Marxism and great something greater than himself. 

Max Weber: Politics as a Vocation

Following paragraph, "To take a stand, to be passionate--ira et studium--is the politician's element, and above all the element of the political leader. His conduct is subject to quite a different, indeed, exactly the opposite, principle of responsibility from that of the civil servant. The honor of the civil servant is vested in his ability to execute conscientiously the order of the superior authorities, exactly as if the order agreed with his own conviction. This holds even if the order appears wrong to him and if, despite the civil servant's remonstrances, the authority insists on the order. Without this moral discipline and self-denial, in the highest sense, the whole apparatus would fall to pieces. The honor of the political leader, of the leading statesman, however, lies precisely in an exclusive personal responsibility for what he does, a responsibility he cannot and must not reject or transfer. It is in the nature of officials of high moral standing to be poor politicians, and above all, in the political sense of the word, to be irresponsible politicians. In this sense, they are politicians of low moral standing, such as we unfortunately have had again and again in leading positions. This is what we have called Beamtenherrschaft [civil-service rule], and truly no spot soils the honor of our officialdom if we reveal what is politically wrong with the system from the standpoint of success. But let us return once more to the types of political figures. Since the time of the constitutional state, and definitely since democracy has been established, the 'demagogue' has been the typical political leader in the Occident."

In this paragraph, Weber is clarifying the role of a politician compared to a civil servant.  The job of the civil servant is to pass down the orders given by his superiors exactly as they are given. Even if the civil servant does not agree with the orders, he must execute them as is.  This differs from the role of the political leader in that the actions of the political leader are a direct result of his personal opinion. Decisions in this role come from a more moral responsibility rather than just dictating commands given by an authority figure. Weber believes that those who possess high moral standards make poor politicians and those with low morals are the ones who often hold the leadership positions. Weber reminds us that since the creation of democracy, the Western world has been fond of putting leaders of a “demagogic” personality into office.  The Western world’s use of written and spoken word emphasizes this personality and rationalizes why the political leader is viewed in this way.

Weimar Republic

Article 48
If a state (8) does not fulfil the obligations laid upon it by the Reich constitution or the Reich laws, the Reich President may use armed force to cause it to oblige.In case public safety is seriously threatened or disturbed, the Reich President may take the measures necessary to reestablish law and order, if necessary using armed force. In the pursuit of this aim he may suspend the civil rights described in articles 114, 115, 117, 118, 123, 124 and 154, partially or entirely.The Reich President has to inform Reichstag immediately about all measures undertaken which are based on paragraphs 1 and 2 of this article. The measures have to be suspended immediately if Reichstag demands so.If danger is imminent, the state government may, for their specific territory, implement steps as described in paragraph 2. These steps have to be suspended if so demanded by the Reich President or the Reichstag. Further details are provided by Reich law.

Article 48 gives the president the power to suspend civil liberties in times of crisis. we see this means that in a country's time of crisis the president has absolute control over civil liberties. I do not believe civil liberties should be suspended. These freedoms are what people in general are or should be in this case simply entitled too. I believe this is so much power for president to have. This is a perfect example as to why the idea of "checks and balance" is very important.


Article 161: “In order to maintain health and the ability to work, in order to protect motherhood and to prevent economic consequences of age, weakness and to protect against the vicissitudes of life the Reich establishes a comprehensive system of insurances, based on the critical contribution of the insured.”

Here in article 161, we see that the Constitution is saying that the need for health insurance is not just a privilege but a right. They believe (which I totally agree with) in order to maintain a society, to protect motherhood, working community every citizen needs access to health care for the country to run as a whole. I definitely believe that this right is important because maintaining good health is necessary. In the United States billions of dollars are spent every year due to the effects of lack of healthcare. If health-insurance was a government right, less people would be sick, less people would be on disability income andin response more people will be working and healthy.

German Revolution and Spartcus: Luxemburg Quote

LUXEMBURG QUOTE: Social democracy is simply the embodiment of the modern proletariat's class struggle, a struggle which is driven by a consciousness of its own historic consequences. The masses are in reality their own leaders, dialectically creating their own development process. The more that social democracy develops, grows, and becomes stronger, the more the enlightened masses of workers will take their own destinies, the leadership of their movement, and the determination of its direction into their own hands. And as the entire social democracy movement is only the conscious advance guard of the proletarian class movement, which in the words of the Communist Manifesto represent in every single moment of the struggle the permanent interests of liberation and the partial group interests of the workforce vis à vis the interests of the movement as whole, so within the social democracy its leaders are the more powerful, the more influential, the more clearly and consciously they make themselves merely the mouthpiece of the will and striving of the enlightened masses, merely the agents of the objective laws of the class movement. (“The Political Leader of the German Working Classes, Collected Works 2, 280)

In the above quote, Luxemburg is stating that social democracy is not what really represents the working class and the fight for social change is the historical foundation for the working class. The working class are the masses because the working class are in true control of the functions of the current economy. It's seems here Luxemburg perceives social democracy as a benefit for their class when when run by a specific group in power it doesn't allow the working class to take control of their struggles. She goes on to say that social democracy is not necessarily the a powerful protective instrument consciously aware of the needs of the working class when handled by a certain clique, but it needs to be handled by the true masses in order to start a revolutionary change.

Kracauer's: Democratic Values vs Authoritarian pre Nazi Films Essay

Later theorist have rejected Kracauer's suggestion that films made per Nazi period reject authoritarian and promote democratic values and it is Kracauer's suggestion that I agree with. Lets take a quick look at the three films we have watched (The Blue Angel, 'M' and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari). The Blue Angel is about a young attractive free spirited woman named Lola working at a night club. At the club she dresses provocatively and is sort of a shared woman among the other men of the nightclub. Rath ends up going crazy because of the jealousy created in his love for Lola and through rejection and humiliation he dies. This 1930s film reflects democratic values because during this time in history the woman's role was to stay home and mind children. They had no say and were treated in submissive roles.  But here we see Lola represents all of that the typical woman is not at this time, independent, strong willed, doesn't seem to have any children and works for her own money. She represents a change, a free democratic society. In the 'M' we see the same democratic values when we see the town is looking for the child murderer. The city intensifies their search for the murderer and so the city's criminal bosses get together and organize an underground manhunt for the child murderer through beggars. When they find Beckert, instead of taking him into the police they actually have their own secret underground "trial" to convict him for his crimes. The police sort of rescue him in time. Here we see a society rejecting authority when the community decides to take the law into their own hands to punish the villain. And lastly, we have The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari which was a difficult film to interpret. I see this film as huge film marking one of films greatest form of silent horror expression. It went against all other films of its time. Because of the I see it representing democratic values because it shows free reign of expression.

'M'

1)One of the reasons the author gives for the lack of success of many of the child murders found in cinema is based on a few things one being so graphic dramatization of the child murders. I notice in both films Nightmare on Elm Street and 'M' (1931) were such a wide success because we do not see graphic dramatization of the murders of the children in the films. I also believe that children murder in cinema has such a lack of success because seeing the rate, butchering and the killing of young girls or delinquent boys is emotionally unappealing to the viewer.

2) The two films I have sampled that I have chose from the reading is Lovely Bones and darkness falls. In Lovely Bones, a young girl named Susie is murdered by a man named George Harvey. Just as in the movie 'M' we do not see Susie actually being murdered but we see symbolism of her murder when we see Harvey wiping off blood and mud off himself in his bathroom. Harvey is never actually caught for Susie's murder but we can save the universe punished him when he accidentally died at the end. In 'M' we also do not see the actual murder of the young girl but we see her balloon floating away into the telephone wire symbolizing her death. In 'M' we do see the murderer punished as well but not by the universe but by the citizens of the town. In contrast, in the Lovely Bones we see the family of the victim Susie getting closure at the end but in 'M' we see no evidence of the victim's mothers receiving any sort closure for the death of their children. 

Darkness Falls is the quiet opposite to me. This movie is more of a horror movie. It is an unrealistic movie that can not be identified with anything realistic like in lovely bones and 'M'. The widow was hung to death for the assumed murder of two towns children. She did not even kill the children because after her death the children were found. She comes back to haunt young children but her spirit is killed by a huge light source (the town lighthouse ). In all three movies we see the villain being punished for their crimes but we never actually see the villain murdering its victims but each movie shows symbolism that the young children were murdered. 

PARAGRAPH 175

I found comparing PARAGRAPH 175 to the lecture kind of difficult to do. Paragraph 175 seeks to dismiss the idea of bring queer. It puts a hault to any idea of sexual reform for gay men. The law goes so far as to imprison or take away the civil rights of any man caught before these sexual acts. But the the lecture during the depression era we see a huge leap in film for reform. This can be seen in actress Marlene Dietrich who played a free spirited non housewife material woman in the Blue Angle. She was even an open bi sexual during this time. She was seeking reform and even left Germany to support American troops. It sort of seems like a supporting direction for reform for women which can be seen in film but an unsupportive role for gay men. It seems that was something Germany was not ready for.

CABARET SONG 2: the lavender song

The Lavender Song" (Das Lila Lied)

MY INTERPRETION WILL BE taken from, "Round us all up, send us away
that's what you'd really like to do
But we're too strong, proud, unafraid
in fact we almost pity you
You act from fear, why should that be
What is it that you are frightened of
The way that we dress
The way that we meet
The fact that you cannot destroy our love
We're going to win our rights"

Here we see a song representing the LGBT. This song is an empowerment song. Sort of like an anthem. The queer are saying we aren't afraid of who we are. They are telling society you may not like what we stand for but who cares. The queer community are tired of being treated like an outcast. They are fighting for there rights to be treated like any other straight person. There love isn't as different as any other straight person and they want people to stop them like it is. They are proud of who they are and don't want to hide it. They want there rights and  like the singer says, "We're going to win our rights"

English Translated Lyrics:
What makes them think they have the right to say what God considers vice
What makes them think they have the right to keep us out of Paradise
They make our lives hell here on Earth
poisoning us with guilt and shame
If we resist, prison awaits so our love dares not speak its name
The crime is when love must hide
From now on we'll love with pride
CHORUS:
We're not afraid to be queer and different
if that means hell -- well, hell we'll take the chance
they're all so straight, uptight, upright and rigid
they march in locksep we prefer to dance
We see a world of romance and of pleasure
All they can see is sheer banality
Lavender nights are our greatest treasure
where we can be just who we want to be
Round us all up, send us away
that's what you'd really like to do
But we're too strong, proud, unafraid
in fact we almost pity you
You act from fear, why should that be
What is it that you are frightened of
The way that we dress
The way that we meet
The fact that you cannot destroy our love
We're going to win our rights
to lavender days and nights


German Lyrics:
Was will man nur? Ist das Kultur,
da jeder Mensch verpönt ist,
der klug und gut, jedoch mit Blut
von eigner Art durchströmt ist,
da grade die Kategorie
vor dem Gesetz verbannt ist,
die im Gefühl bei Lust und Spiel
und in der Art verwandt ist?
Und dennoch sind die meisten stolz,
da sie von anderm Holz!
Wir sind nun einmal anders, als die andern,
die nur im Gleichschritt der Moral geliebt,
neugerig erst durch tausend Wunder wandern,
und für die ’s doch nur das Banale gibt.
Wir aber wissen nicht, wie das Gefühl ist,
denn wir sind alle andrer Welten Kind;
wir lieben nur die lila Nacht, die schwül ist,
weil wir ja anders als die andern sind.
Wozu die Qual, uns die
Moral der andern aufzudrängen?
Wir, hört geshwind, sind wie wir sind,
selbst wollte man uns hängt,
den müte man beweinen,
doch bald gebt acht, es wird über Nacht
auch unsre Sonne scheinen.
Dann haben wir das gleiche Recht erstritten,
wir leiden nicht meht, sondern sind gelitten.
Wir sind nun einmal anders, usw.

CABARET SONG 1: Friedrich Hollaender, “Raus mit den Männern” (1926)

Friedrich Hollaender, “Raus mit den Männern” (1926). Performed and recorded by Ute Lemper, Berlin Cabaret Songs  (Decca 1996)

MY ANALYZE AND INTERPRETATION: " The men get their pick of professions they're policemen or scholars or clerks
They get rich and acquire possessions like we wives who keep house for these jerks
They're ruining the country while we mop up the floor
They're flushing this whole nation down the drain
Sisters stand together, let's show these men the door
before they drive us totally insane"

Here in the chorus the singer is saying to us this is a new time for woman. A new era to make way for a woman no longer wanting to be that housewife. They do not like how men are running the country and they want change. They A&R letting us know they have found their voice and are ready to stand together for a new feminist movement. They are no longer settling for a position as a housewife and want to be professional women. During this time in history, women were finding there freedom of expression and were challenging the masses of men to accept the new objectives women of Germany wanted.

English Lyrics:
The battle for emancipation's been raging since history began
Yes, feminists of every nation want to chuck off the chains made by man
Hula girls and housemaids and wives in Maribou
hear all our voices thunder in protest
Anything that men do women can do too
and more that that we women do it best
CHORUS:  Chuck all the men out of the Reichstag
and chuck all the men out of the courthouse
Men are the problem with humanity
they're blinded by their vanity
Women have passively embraced them
when we could have easily outpaced them
Yes we should have long ago replaced them
or better yet erased them
If we haven't made our feelings clear
we women have had it up to here
As babies men all howl and bluster they cry through the night and the day
perfecting the techniques they'll muster for the times when they don't get their way
Nursie holds the monster and feeds him from her breast
and baby is contented for a bit
But when he sees his nurse is trying to get some rest
the little man decides to have a fit
CHORUS
The men get their pick of professions they're policemen or scholars or clerks
They get rich and acquire possessions like we wives who keep house for these jerks
They're ruining the country while we mop up the floor
They're flushing this whole nation down the drain
Sisters stand together, let's show these men the door
before they drive us totally insane
CHORUS


GERMAN TRANSLATION
Raus mit den Männern!
(für Claire Waldoff)
Es geht durch die ganze Historie
ein Ruf nach Emanzipation
vom Menschen bis zur Infusorie
überall will das Weib auf den Thron.
Vin Hawai-Neger bis zur Berliner Range
braust ein Ruf wie Donnerhall daher:
Was die Männer können, können wir schon lange
und vielleicht ’ne ganze Ecke mehr.
Raus mit den Männern aus dem Reichstag,
und raus mit den Männern aus dem Landtag,
und raus mit den Männern aus dem Herrenhaus,
wir machen draus ein Frauenhaus!
Raus mit den Männern aud dem Dasein,
und raus mit den Männern aus dem Hiersein,
und raus mit den Männern aus dem Dortsein,
sie müten schon längst fort sein.
Ja: raus mit den Männern aus dem Bau,
und rein in die Dinger mit der Frau!
Es liegn in der Wiege und brüllen
die zukünft’gen Männer ganz klein.
Die Amme, die Meistrin im Stillen,
flöt die Kraft ihnen schluckweise ein.

The BLUE ANGEL

The Blue Angel represents an important time German expressionism. Many films of the Expressionist era dealt with insanity, madness, and betrayal. In the film, a turning point for me was when Lola sort of declines Rath'S marriage pros pal.  Lola, a wild, free loving woman backs off the idea of marriage. I found that scene interesting because it marks a defining point I'm women value during this new point in time. We see a change in a young women's value system.  We also see constant dark shadows and lighting which is an excellent example of expressionist films. Lola also marks a woman not afraid of her public sexually. She is performing at the cabaret and is not embarrassed about it as oppose to Rath who is full of jealousy. We see here Lola represents the "new woman", a woman not afraid of her sexual,y and her body,  who loves that attention and is ready for the idea of marriage.

The Cabinet of Dr. Cagliari

Existential Nihilism is the belief that life and human beings serve no real purpose and the life we live has no sort of intrunsic meaning or value. The cabinet of Dr. Caligari the specific scene that caught my attention was when Ceasare creeps into Janes bedroom to kill her, but instead he becomes to engulfed in her beauty that he decides to abduct her. Here is where the symbolism comes into play. Throughout the movie, Cesar plays a somnambulist who we assume is going around killing people. I think he is a representation of existential nihilism. Now we can see this displayed when we assume Cesar is simply taking lives of husband Alan and almost the life of Jane showing the viewer that life to Cesar has no intrinsic meaning. Even when he is laying in the box all day it is as if he serves no real purpose, again showing us human life has no real purpose.

Frankfurt School

FRANKFURT SCHOOL

THE theorist I choose was Friedrich Pollock.  And I quote, " So far I go with the Socialist as to think it a pretty general rule that where monopoly is necessary, it is better in public hands", taken from Pollock. Pollock was a German scientist and Philosopher. He was one of the founders of the Institute for Social Research in Frankfurt am Main, and a member of the Frankfurt School of neo-Marxist theory. Pollack was educated in finance 1911 to 1915. During this time he met Max Horkheimer, with whom he became a lifelong friend. He then studied economy, sociology and philosophy in Frankfurt am Main, where he wrote his thesis on Marx's Labor theory of value and received his doctorate in 1923. The Institute for Social Research was founded in 1924 by Pollock and fellow Marxist Felix Weil, who funded the group. In 1927/1928 Pollock traveled to the Soviet Union in honor of the tenth anniversary of the October Revolution. His research there led to his treatise: Attempts at Planned Economy in the Soviet Union 1917-1927. Thereafter he took a post as lecturer at the University of Frankfurt and he replaced the ill Carl Grünberg as Director of the institute from 1928-1930. In 1950, returned to Frankfurt, taking part in the reestablishment of the Institute, again taking the role of director. From 1951 to 1958 he was professor of national economy and sociology at the University of Frankfurt.

How do these concepts fit into my own mass culture? Well I don't think they do because we live in a capitalist society where social class systems exist and where the more money you have means the more power you can extend for yourself. But I do believe as citizens we long for equality especially in the distribution of wealth in our country. I don't think we long for a classless system but we long for a financial gap in spending to be closed. For example, the cost of a education decreases the chances of young people wanting to go to college after high school but increases their chance of joining the military in response to the the cost of college. We see more educated people with families downsizing and losing there homes because financially they just can't afford it. And we see young people fighting not to be socially  equal but to climb up the economic ladder because they are inspired by Americans like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg, great minds who did not go to college and created great money drawing empires. I disagree with these ideas because a classless system isn't as simple as it looks. Most People work hard and do amazing things because they need money to live. We go to college because we want go jobs so we can have the money to provide for yourselves. If we turned to a classless system people would be less motivated to step outside there box.  

CIA GERMANY'S ECONOMY

Germany has one of the largest and most powerful national governments in Europe. It has a highly skilled labor force and can represented by a few of their well-known German based companies such a Volkswagen, Adidas, Audi, Porsche, Nivea, Mercedes Benz and BMW. Germany is recognized for having many companies leading in the global market. However, the average national unemployment rate is currently at 6.7%. Regardless, of the fact that German is a “leading exporter of machinery, vehicles, chemicals and household equipment”, Germany continues to face significant economic hardships because of demographic challenges, low fertility rates and declined immigration. In 2011, Germany's economy as measured by GDP produced $3.085 trillion. This makes it the sixth largest economy, after the European Union, the U.S., China, Japan, and India. Germany benefited from its membership in the EU, and its adoption of the euro. Many say Germany profited the most from its membership.

Siddhartha

THE PASSAGE I AM BLOGGING ABOUT: "A goal stood before Siddhartha, a single goal: to become empty, empty of thirst, empty of wishing, empty of dreams, empty of joy and sorrow. Dead to himself, not to be a self any more, to find tranquility with an emptied heard, to be open to miracles in unselfish thoughts, that was his goal. Once all of my self was overcome and had died, once every desire and every urge was silent in the heart, then the ultimate part of me had to awake, the innermost of my being, which is no longer my self, the great secret."

MEANING OF PASSAGE: From the beginning of the story Siddhartha was longing for something. Even with all the wisdom his father and the other Brahman priest poured into him, Siddhartha was not happy or satisfied. He somehow believed at that point in the story that in order to truly find himself he had to empty himself of needs, desires, joy and sorrow. He had to detach himself from the world to find his true nature. But I do not think that was a good way for Siddhartha to truly find himself. In order for him to live in the world he must not detach himself for all his emotions.How can he find himself if he chooses to detach from the feelings in his world.

WHY YOU CHOSE THIS PASSAGE: I chose this passage because Siddhartha clearly states his goal in the reading. He clearly lets the reader know he wants nothing else but to not want anymore. He wants to leave worldly desires behind. He believes in order to find the tranquility he is longing for  he has to disconnect himself from everything.

NIETZSCHE QUOTE

The vain.-- We are like shop windows in which we are continually arranging, concealing or illuminating the supposed qualities other ascribe to us - in order to deceiveourselves.

from Nietzsche's Daybreak, s. 385, R.J. Hollingdale

 

In the above quote, I believe Nietzsche is trying to say that human beings are continuous living their according to what others are saying about them. Because all aspects of society give us a label and believe we have no choice but to conform to it. The things that people say affect the way we function in our society. We are to concerned about the thoughts of others. Human beings put themselves on display and then allow ourselves to be open up to judgement and critique, but instead of ignoring judgement and accepting who we really are, we arrange, conceal so others will approve our persona.

 

How it applies today: On a personal level, I am 5'3 and I weigh 200lbs. I gained alot of weight after after my pregnancy. People comment all the time saying I am very beautiful, attractive young lady. I tend to get alot favors and my personality allows me to move freely around others. But my opinion about my self is I am self conscious about my weight and I'm not comfortable about my self image. I feel my beauty only comes from when I high light my outward appearance.