Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Friday, March 23, 2012

When the student is ready ...

Just off the red-eye, the very smart (and beautiful) Joyce Maynard surprised me with an impromptu coffee invite. It's predictable that she leaves me with much to think about, and still my whirling feels unexpected--novel. This is the no brainer, she tells me as she gathers her things--get everyone who's read HENNY to comment on Amazon. It matters, she tells me as she exits. I collect my things. Head for the bathroom. Toss our garbage. Berate myself for my stupid outfit choice. I know she's heading west toward her day. I go east--home. I imagine her eyes on my city ... the construction on 79th will bug her; she'll enjoy the park. I'm glad I know her. She makes me want to write sixteen things at once.
Damn. It's New York City's turn for Joyce.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

The Personal is Viral

As many of you know, I was quite taken with the KONY 2012 campaign. I was fascinated that with all the content available to viewers—this half hour video was observed by so many—especially teens and young adults. While solutions in Uganda may be complicated—the historical horror is rather simple—that is, wrong. I appreciated that the KONY campaign didn’t suggest they had one solution to a complicated problem (or that donations would FIX the region). Instead they maintained that large numbers of people (as evidenced by film viewership and/or visible posters) would communicate to our government that the public is aware of Kony’s atrocities and want him convicted. While some dismiss this plan as simplistic slacktivism, I am awed by it. Social media is creating social change, and if you don’t believe me, refer to Susan B. Komen foundation reinstating Planned Parenthood funding or the Rush Limbaugh advertisers pulling out following virtual-vocal dissent. In college we used to say, the personal is political. Thanks to social media, the personal is viral. Rather than dismissing these click-campaigns, join me in marveling at the mediasphere’s influence on real policy change.
Last week, the KONY 2012/Invisible Children foundation continued to unfold. Filmmaker, Jason Russell was caught on camera in his underwear disrupting traffic and behaving bizarrely. Major publications reported that he’s been arrested for public intoxication and masturbation. Fortunately, the NY Times got the story right. They quoted a San Diego police spokesperson as saying that if Russell had been intoxicated they'd have arrested him--instead they took him to a hospital for what was almost certainly a psychotic episode. The police also noted that of all the calls they received about an anonymous man’s behavior (i.e. Russell)—only one mentioned that Russell MAY have been masturbating, yet, many newspapers reported that Russell was arrested, intoxicated and masturbating.
Many people (some even brilliant and talented) are diagnosed with mental illness. Fortunately, medication enables many to lead lives reflective of their potential. It is my hope that Jason Russell receives medical treatment and gets back to work, first responding to the public’s criticism and then resuming artistic/activist pursuits. Better yet, let his next film project take on the pervasive stigma related to brain chemistry—a.k.a. mental illness.

Best Place To Reach Me ...

I'm not saying I'll never blog here again. I'm not saying I am going to stop eating Coffee Ice-cream on a nightly basis, either.
(But I digress.)
If you want me, I'll be at twitter (@Rlsoo), Facebook etc. Also, my website will keep up to date on reviews and events.
rebeccalandsoodak.com
See you on the mediasphere ...