Hey it's Amy, again.
With the Birthmark, the line that I found most interesting was, "...it was not unusual for the love of science to rival the love of woman in its depth and absorbing energy." In today's society we also have this major dependence on technology and science, and in some cases put it above emotions or the importance of others in our lives. When someone is asked to name three things that they would want to bring with them on a deserted island, I've never heard anyone say their family or friends, it's always their laptop or cellphone or TV, along with food and some movie star.
Even back when this story takes place, society is becoming dependent on technology to solve its problems, like the little birthmark on the wife's face. Not only is perfection a theme in this story that we can all relate to, but also the impact of science on our lives. It is technology that has created this strive for perfection, with the ability to change the way we look or even the ability to spread information on the web or through the media, so that we see these celebs that have a certain "look" that we all need to have. Technology is the leading cause behind the obsession with appearance and self-perception. With science we can have those plastic surgeries, those operations, we can almost play God in some senses. Man's love of technology out-weighs the importance of other humans, as we become more and more dependent on advancements in science. I hope this makes sense, I'm really tired and falling asleep as I write this.
3 comments:
I agree with the majority of what you said. I am one of those people who, when asked what they would bring to a deserted island, responds "my laptop" instead of my friends or family. However, this is not because I am addicted to technology (although I'll admit that I would struggle without it) but I simply don't want my friends and family, who I love dearly, to suffer on that stupid island with me! They would hate me if I dragged them all the way to some deserted island because I selfishly wished them there! But this is all beside the point...
I also found that line particularly interesting. Hawthorne wrote it many years ago, but it still has incredible relevance to modern society. Our passion for science has only deepened with the passing years, and remarkable technological advances. But sometimes I can't help but wonder what the world would be like if romanticism had actually suceeded and we lived in a world without technology, and nature ruled. Would we live in chaos or harmony? Science is responsible for some amazing things - medical advances, improvements in communication, etc. - but it has also opened the doors to a lot of negative things. For example, our police force has access to highly sophisticated technology and can monitor criminal activity much more easily, but because almost anyone can access the internet, almost anyone can learn how to build a bomb and detonate it in a public place. Would we all be better off with less science? I'm not a luddite, but I can't help but wonder...
-Ashley
Hey, it's Erin.
Amy, two posts in a row. I'm impressed.
I have to say that "The Birthmark" made me kind of angry because Aylmer completely destroyed Georgiana (both physically and emotionally) to the point where she was disguisted by herself and felt that Aylmer was so "noble" for not allowing a single imperfection on her (although as his lab book shows, he was full of imperfections). The whole time I was shouting, "If he really cared about you, let alone love you, he wouldn't care if half of your face was gone. So forget him." The fact that Georgiana had to be "perfect" relates to today, where everyone has to look perfect. I remember in "Merchants of Cool" that one girl (who was trying to figure out how old she could look) said that if she didn't look "perfect," she got really upset. In a sense (I guess a romantic one) people aren't natural as "perfect." But they try to look it and sometimes drive themselves crazy or change themselves completely doing it.
I agree with Ashley that you sometimes wonder "why would someone create that." But I guess that things (and technology is no exception) can be used for both good and bad. Mr. McDermott said that LSD was created to help people learn, but we all know what LSD does.In a way, what they were created for doesn't matter.
In answer to your question, I always say that I'd bring a boat or a plane because there is no way I'm staying on that island by myself :)
You tell him Erin! It's Amy...again. I can't help but think of the movie Lord of the Flies in this discussion (I think that's the movie), where a bunch of kids are stranded on an island away from society and end up following the law of survival of the fittest and become savages that kill each other in order to be on top. It is such a strong reminder, though fictional, of our dependence on society and on technology, without which if we were to live in nature we would just become savages. However, nature is what makes us mortal, and to try to destroy that aspect that ties us to the world, we are no longer human. It is difficult to maintain that sense of nature as a part of our lives when technology is advancing every day and we have the ability to change anything we want about ourselves or our society.
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