Jason Rainer's Weblog

Reading Directions

jasonrainer — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 19:32:11 +0000

When reading my blog, I recommend a certain sequence. I would begin with the community story as it most clearly reflects my mood (feeling). I would then read the entertainment section as it most closely establishes my worldview (metaphysics). Last, I would read the family section which is the main driver of my morality (spiritul values). I suggest this order as I feel it best reflects the sequence in my emblem. I believe that this will ultimately allow for a clear understanding of my emblem and logo as it relates to my mystory (the popcycle discourses).

Emblem Accuracy

jasonrainer — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 18:49:16 +0000

Only time will tell if my Emblem is accurate. I do believe that the emblem I have chosen and the logo is very precise. Lady Liberty is enlightened just the way that I have been by my discovery. I believe that I now better understand the true meaning of happiness and what my goals are for the pursuit of this state. The emblem at least figuratively appears multiple times in each part of the mystory. In my Pursuit of Happiness, the Statue of Liberty will now always be in my thoughts. Through good times and bad, I will remember this iron-will and will never forget my unalienable rights.

A very powerful backdrop to an already powerful American Symbol

Insights and Self-Knowledge

jasonrainer — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 18:37:20 +0000

Discovery of my wide image was not an easy feat. The layout for the project was helpful, although not a guarantor of success when it came to the discovery. The community discourse was what really tied the knot for me; I noticed not just one but many repeating signifiers across each of the discourses when I thought of community. I thought of the persecution of my Jewish ancestors and their journey to America. At first, I was not exactly sure why my family came to the United States. It then became very clear to me that they were on a quest for freedom, opportunity, and to capture their unalienable rights of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. These rights were violated in their countries of origin and to deny such rights is a crime.

The motives of my ancestors lead me to question my own quest in life. The self-sacrifice of generations long before my time has allowed me to grow up with these unalienable rights. My mission then became to discovery what the Pursuit of Happiness actually meant and what it truly means for me.

Symbolism of the US' wish to be free from oppression and tyranny

The Colossus of Rhodes

jasonrainer — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 18:15:08 +0000

The Statue of Liberty in French is more formally known as La liberté éclairant le monde (Liberty Enlightening the World). The statue was dedicated to commemorate the centennial of the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence. It was a gesture of friendship from France to the United States. The designers modeled the statue’s appearance after the ancient Colossus of Rhodes. The Colossus of Rhodes was a statue of the Greek sun-God Helios that once stood tall on the Greek Island of Rhodes. This statue was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Dressed in a similar robe and wearing a “radiate crown” with seven spiked rays, we can understand the sculptors intent.

The Colossus of Rhodes

My Spiritual Value (Morality)

jasonrainer — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:33:00 +0000

Within my spiritual register, I feel a sense of commitment to keep striving forward. There is no external force that pushes me to be duty-bound; rather it is my own human nature that guides me. My emblem appears in each of my expositions of self-discovery. In my family story, I recall the day at work with my dad. This image drives my desire for success. There is a question that must be posed; what is success? Each person has his own meaning. I do realize that there are certain material drivers. Of course, who does not want the big house and nice cars? However, my hard iron will to succeed goes much beyond this scope. Students are formed in the home. The motive that brings them to the bricks-and-mortar of the university is economic in the specialized or ‘restricted’ sense of accumulation, upward mobility, success in every sense assigned to that value by the bourgeois family. My Jewish ancestors sought their unalienable rights to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. Their desire for Life and Liberty has placed in these shoes today. The Pursuit of Happiness is what drives my strong-will.

Another Day at the Office

I want to be like my dad in the way that he is amazing to my mother, and will do anything for his children. In some weird way, I feel that the harder I work now, the more time I will have for my own family later on. At the end of Kevin’s journey, he realizes that material riches are not really that important. He learns that family and friendship is what truly leads to happiness or success.

Family

Friendship

Metaphysics – A Worldview

jasonrainer — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:23:10 +0000

Materialism

The worldview I see is materialism on the surface. America promotes free capitalism which of course helps to drive the innovation and creativity that has made this country so great. Within this structure, I see greed. There are some who are truly socially responsible, those that believe in utilitarianism and really do hope to do the greatest good for the greatest number. However, I believe that many are in it for themselves. They would be cruel and selfish in the face of others misfortune. We witness cruelty in my community story; my Jewish ancestors were subjected to horrible acts of persecuting resulting from anti-Semitism. We witnessed this hatred during the Holocaust and Hitler’s Nazi campaign.

Greed

My entertainment story gives insight into this materialistic worldview. We see Kevin McCallister in the Plaza Hotel and at Duncan’s Toy Chest. “If I had my own money, I’d go on my own vacation. Alone. Without any of you guys. And I’d have the most fun in my whole life.” Kevin was looking for something more than a vacation free of supervision where he could roam the streets of New York City. He was looking for freedom to explore and separation from his parents. He thought that his dream vacation, toys, pizza, ice cream sundaes, and candy would make him happy. He sought material items. He finally had his freedom and he was able to do whatever his heart desired.

"Howdy do. This is Peter McCallister, the father. I'd like a hotel room please, with an extra large bed, a TV, and one of those little refrigerators you have to open with a key. Credit card? You got it."

A Feeling Within

jasonrainer — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:11:50 +0000

This emblem evokes a specific mood within my spirtiual register. Lady Liberty reaches high as she marches forward ; she is free to make her own choices and strive toward the stars. Her torch signifies enlightenment that speaks for her state her mind ; she has reached a spiritual state on which she will thrive. The tablet in her hand represents knowledge, an understanding of her unalienable rights. The Declaration of Independence that she carries will attest to her rights of Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness and she will make this clear to anyone who steps in her path. These feelings are exactly the ones evoked within myself when looking at the statue.

Unalienable Rights

Now you can see that this simple object is much more than a lifeless piece of matter. These feelings steer me toward the discourses of my popcycle. The mood is a yearning for freedom, opportunity, and happiness. My Jewish ancestors felt this mood when they left their quarters in Europe. They sought a better life for their families, free from persecution and maltreatment. They sought America which to them represented opportunity, hope, and freedom. They were victims, slaves within society and were looking to break the shackles like Lady Liberty. America represented hope, the land of the free where the streets were said to be paved of gold.

Immigrants Arrive in the New World

An Atmosphere Surrounds this Icon

jasonrainer — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:04:19 +0000

Freedom

There is a similar experience for most when viewing or even visiting this National Monument. For Americans, we are taught in our early childhood what the statue represents. Even without a prior education, there should is still a general consensus. Worldwide, the Statue of Liberty is one of the most recognizable icons of the United States. Lady Liberty has become a symbol of freedom and democracy.

Democracy

Located precisely in the New York Harbor close to Ellis Island, the statue welcomes immigrants and visitors returning to America by ship. For first time arrivees, the Statue of Liberty is often the very first view of America. This is symbolic of the democratic nation in which we live. Objectively speaking, the statue represents freedom, enlightenment, and opportunity. The physical attributes of the monument evoke senses or feelings from within.

Declaration of Independence

Lady Liberty – More Than An Object (Attributes)

jasonrainer — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:51:16 +0000

Not a Lifeless Object

When I scan this object, my eyes are not drawn to just one feature. The statue in its very essence has many attributes that are quickly observed. To keep it simple, I see a robed woman holding a torch high above her head. She holds a tablet in her left hand, wears a crown on her head, and appears to be almost as if on the move. While the statue is stuck in one place, constrained by the very boundaries of science – it appears that Lady Liberty is moving forward and resisting her thing like tendencies.

The Attributes

Now if we enter a more intelligent conversation, we learn the true meaning of each of these attributes as intended by the artist. The classical appearance is derived from Libertas, ancient Rome’s goddess of freedom from slavery, oppression, and tyranny. Her raised right foot is on the move. This symbol of Liberty and Freedom is not standing still or at attention in the harbor, it is moving forward, as her left foot tramples broken shackles at her feet, in symbolism of the United States’ wish to be free from oppression and tyranny. She wears a radiate crown with seven spiked rays; these rays represent sun rays or the Greek and Roman Sun-gods (Helios and Apollo). These spikes are also said to epitomize the Seven Seas and seven continents. The tablet in her hand is supposed to represent the United States Declaration of Independence.

Greek Sun God Helios - Colossus of Rhodes

Statue de la Liberté (The Thing)

jasonrainer — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:36:26 +0000

In this section we will look to a logo or an icon that in physical appearance is actually nothing more than object, a thing that is composed of scientific matter. To the human eye, this is just a thing; however, once the other natural senses are evoked, said object comes to life and can represent whatever that person so chooses. The object (thing) depicted here is the Statue of Liberty, a National Monument that can be recognized most anywhere in the world.

The Thing

More than a simple object, the Statue of Liberty is a massive structure located on Liberty Island in the New York Harbor. The statue was a gift from France that arrived to America in 1886. The monument was designed by Sculptor Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi and engineered by Maurice Koechlin who helped design the Eiffel Tower that stands in Paris.

Built in France