Culture

Dystopia and Datopia?

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Soma or Big Brother? Destruction or distraction? For years “Brave New World” was balanced against “1984”, as though those two works defined the opposite ends of the dystopian spectrum, a spectrum one might presume to be exclusively in shades of grey. And though such an opposition ignores the many other fine works describing the range of hand-baskets in which we may be hell-bound, the pairing offered a useful metaphor. For many, the final word on the debate was Neil Postman’s “Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business” which in 1986 argued brilliantly that it was Huxley, not Orwell, whose map more accurately charted our society’s devolution.

Culture

The 9/11 Decade

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I grew up during the decade we are ready to leave behind. I was seventeen years old, and a junior in high school, when Al Gore lost the presidency by judicial fiat. I remember reading excerpts from Bush v. Gore in the New York Times in the cafeteria, a place that I always thought I’d recall more for its unpleasant and strangely unidentifiable odors than for its role in the formation of my political consciousness. That was how my decade began: as a passive spectator, unable to vote, disturbed by the news that four men and a single woman had decided who the president was going to be. But that wasn’t really the start of the decade.

Culture

Fears of a Future Rabbi

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Many religious leaders like to feel in control and give others advice. Though I am still a very much a rabbi-in-progress, with three-and-a-half years of study to go before ordination, I think it would show a great deal more strength for clergy to admit their shortcomings and be honest about how often they (and fairly soon soon we) don’t know what to do or how to do it. In the spirit of seeking, rather than giving, advice, I wanted to share some of the fears that I have about my future career – and lifestyle – as a rabbi. I was recently asked to record these as part of a professional development course at Hebrew Union College but thought they might be of interest here and foment conversation about the difficult life’s choices that many religious leaders face. As I look forward to life as a rabbi, I have a number of aspirations, tinged by concerns about achieving them – or missing the mark.

Culture

Nice Guys Finish First

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“Nice guys finish last.” That’s what we believe in this country. Without that assumption, advertisers couldn’t sell their latest energy drink and “Turn Boys into Monsters” as Derrick Kikuchi told us yesterday. Because of this notion, boys are besieged with images from marketers and the media that they have to compete rather than cooperate, go for the selfish power play rather than take part in the team, and become a macho man rather than a pansy. It’s every man for himself, these commercials say.

Culture

Emergent/Submergent: The World of Kim Keever

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“I love beautiful things and beautiful artwork so my first goal is to create that in my own way.” — Kim Keever
The feeling I have when I view one of Kim Keever’s photographs is one of serenity and astonishment at the richness of earth’s wilderness. Then I realize Keever’s process and serenity turns to irony, that a manufactured landscape has made me feel so heart-warmed. The nature scenes in Keever’s photographs are constructed by Keever inside of a 200-gallon tank in his studio in New York City. He fills the tank with water, submerging the miniature landscape.

Culture

Turning Boys Into Monsters

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Friend and colleague, Amy Jussel wrote a wonderful article titled “Turning Boys Into Monsters: Energy Drink Leaves A Foul Taste (Again)” today on her blog ShapingYouth.org. Amy writes, “With everything from motocross and macho madness to the thumping, screaming, over the top rebel yell, Monster ‘packs a vicious punch’ by creating lil’ monsters out of the male middle-school set without a clue (or a care) as to the impact of the jolt and crash ‘kick ass flavor’ to their adolescent bods. Wow. I feel like I got a testosterone infusion just reading the freakin’ label…” Besides writing about the obvious health implications of energy drinks on developing adolescent or even adult bodies, the article primarily focuses on the hype and specifically male gender-targeted marketing and messaging that is being used.

Culture

Sexy Jewish Stereotypes — Questions

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Josh Stanton’s post about Sexy Jewish Stereotypes was not just the most popular post of last week on Tikkun Daily: it actually overtook Rabbi Lerner’s Israel as Idolatry to become the third most popular post of all time on this blog, behind two about health care (here and here). The post featured a photo of a young Jewish woman in expensive blond hairdo, pink tiger-striped top and leather pants. Hmmm. What does this say about our readers? Happy for young Jewish women to be free and finally approved by the wider society as hot?

Culture

"Lights" and the "Dinner Party"

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When I take a vacation, I love the freedom it offers. And the experiences I would otherwise miss. This time those events included hearing our daughter Linnea sing and play drums with her band Lights (magnificently, I might add). They were at the end of their eastern tour and it was her 28th birthday, so all-round it was a unique occasion. If you want to hear (and see) them, check out their music video.

Culture

Alan Keyes Attacks Sarah Palin's Pro-Life Credentials

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This initially surprised me. Sarah Palin has been criticized on many grounds. (I would try to list them, but their number, like the demons that afflicted the Gerasene demoniac in the Gospel of Mark, are legion). Being insufficiently conservative on social policy is not one of them. Alan Keyes, however, never ceases to amaze even the most jaded political observer….