Author Archives: Joanne Li

Age and Liberalism

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A touching film telling the story of the struggle in the creation of a union, Bread and Roses had me watery eyed at many scenes. Maya and her sister Rosa reflect two different ways to handle struggle. Maya, a headstrong girl , leads the fight for unionization. On the other hand, Rosa keeps her head down, shies away from trouble, and is happy with being able to put food on. Neither is better or worse, but what interests me is how age plays a role in their actions. Maya is the much younger, more naive, little sister while Rosa is married with two teenage kids. Their personality differences reminded me of how individuals generally become more conservative as they age. When I look upon our liberal campus bubble, I wonder how much of it is permanent. And what makes people change from being liberal to being conservative? Liberalism surely matches the freedom of youth, risk-taking and . The hard-hat riots, alluded to in the movie, were riots consisting of blue-collar construction workers beating youth student protesters as the workers saw the students as ungrateful. The idea of protesting is very much associated with youth and the response of those who are older has overall been seeing us as foolish. It will be interesting to see how our generation changes as we grow older to understand why and how this documented change occurs.

Bread and Roses has a realism that too many movies lack. The ending isn’t a happily ever after–Maya ends up with the troublemaking Sam instead of the sweet, hard-working Luis. But who knows, maybe she’ll change her mind when she’s older.

“Try new things” doesn’t apply to juice

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Last Saturday afternoon, I was finally able to check off something that’s been on my to-do list since the beginning of last semester: visit the Ithaca Farmer’s Market. I walked in thinking two-hours was more than enough time and I’d be ready to leave much earlier. After a quick stroll around all the booths and making the difficult but blissful decision to get a burrito for lunch, I realized that an hour had already passed!

My good purchases included the chicken lunch burrito, a raspberry scone with berries baked so fresh they easily burst open, and a large, fluffy cinnamon bun. One purchase I won’t be making again? The summer cooler–a juice that had already sold out once which I was told was made with a base of orange juice, hibiscus tea, and hints of peppermint and rose hips. I should have realized from the extensive list of ingredients that it was a bit too hipster and much for me. Roses have hips? I made the mistake of underrating freshly made, simple orange juice, and will be sure not to make the same mistake next time.

If the farmer’s market was enjoyable on a rather gloomy, cold day, I can only imagine how great it would be in nicer weather. Hopefully next semester will be better weather and more trips to the farmers market.

A Spiritual Fight

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The professor: Tai-Chi’s Journey West juxtaposed America’s turbulent 60’s with an Eastern art that has stood the test of time. As a daughter of Chinese-immigrants, the Professor’s attempt to unify the east and west in his classroom resonated with me personally. I’ve learned that it’s not always easy to bring together two cultures, and the older I get, the more difficult it seems.

Though tai-chi may have once taught enough skills to hold a person in a fight, in today’s age, I feel like it could not to the same extent. I see tai-chi more as a personal skill that shows resiliency and discipline but may not have as much external use as it once did. The film showcased Eastern values through tai-chi’s use of grace, serenity, and introspection, and it reminded me of other practices like yoga and meditation.

Overall, the professor’s journey is admirable and adds to America’s great mix of multi-cultural practices. It reminded me of the importance of being at peace with oneself, the ability for people to communicate beyond words, and has inspired me to practice yoga and meditate more regularly.

 

 

The contradiction between intentions and outcomes

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Dr. Strangelove is known for its satirical take on Cold War age fears of nuclear warfare, and is consistently ranked on lists of top comedies. However, beyond its comedic and historical value, Dr. Strangelove speaks to human error in negotiation and how multiple parties use unreasonable tactics to achieve their goals.

The Soviet Union’s doomsday device is a classic example of bringing forward an undesirable end. Instead of focusing on the Soviet Union’s own interests, the initiative behind the doomsday device focuses on retaliation. Instead of peace, the U.S and the Soviet Union are shown to focus on increasing levels of aggression, undermining each party’s wishes and exacerbating the issue. Sometimes, seeking to avoid an undesirable outcome brings about that very outcome.

Warfare causes groups of people to view each other as separate and non-human, leading them to discard any possibility of similarity, understanding, and reconciliation. Ripper embodies this notion through his belief that the Soviets are polluting the precious bodily fluids of Americans. This kind of dehumanization and separation of the self and other has been witnessed across the pages of history in genocide, imperialism, and racial tension. It is only by working together and understanding each other that numerous goals can be achieved together.

 

Parallels in Gattaca

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Though Gattaca is a science-fiction film which shows a dystopian society where humans are born to be the genetically best they can be, the society in Gattaca bears a lot of resemblance to our own. The idea of being born into your DNA is accepted to different extents for each person, and science has shown the effects of nature and nurture coming together to change outcomes. Even though this genetic predetermination is accepted, our society, like that in Gattaca, is widely stratified based on the circumstances a person is born into. The notion of inequality is very much stable and unchanging.

The society in Gattaca emphasizes the genetic makeup of the individual, but the film shows the power of the individual beyond his DNA. Gattaca conveyed the importance and self-determination of identity in a protagonist who rises above what his genetic makeup destines to create his own life. In this same sense, our society values the underdog who is able to rise above circumstances to success. Overall, Vincent’s perseverance left a hopeful message, inspiring us all to look past our flaws and believe in our ability to succeed.

“Civilization” of the Self

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I walked into Flora’s Friday Film ready to see Mad Max Fury Road, as I didn’t realize “Mad Max” was a larger concept. Instead, I saw a younger Mel Gibson and Tina Turner in a film which spoke about the nature of civilization and naivety of children beyond the low-budget but surprisingly well-done action scenes.

Mad max is the prototypical loner-hero combo, a wandering nomad. When he battles Blaster in the Thunderdome, Max stops, sparing Blaster’s life when he finds out he is mentally challenged. His behavior sharply contrasts that of the residents of bartertown, who show no mercy and demand a death. Civilization is not so civilized, and this installment of Mad Max shows the humans living together may congregate towards more feral, mob-like mentalities instead of good.

On the other hand, the children who rescue Mad Max are innocent and unknowing in nature, akin to the lost boys of the Peter Pan story. The create a reality for themselves based on limited evidence and are able to stand by it despite the accumulation of facts presented.

The movie caused me to think about how humans get from being those children, to being members of a society whose core beliefs are not always good. The contrast between individual and group, and child and man run deep, and may be astonishingly accurate even now.

What’s Cooking Today?

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Cooking in the Cornell food lab made me think of companies such as Blue Apron and Hello Fresh, which deliver weekly boxes of ingredients with easy-to-follow instructions on how to cook delicious, professional-chef-created, recipes from the comfort of your own home. These companies emphasize organic ingredients and healthy eating, while catering to the convenience today’s consumers are longing for. At only 5 years old, Blue Apron has amassed a net worth of about 50 million dollars, and is good evidence that America is experiencing a transition away from fast food to more healthy, wholesome options. Indeed, a Rose Cafe from last semester examined the food industry and explained this very trend–consumers care more and more about the ingredients of what they’re eating.

The cooking class resulted in a decadent display of dishes I was impressed with. For college students who live off the House meal plan, we outperformed expectations. I think this speaks to how anyone is able to cook up a delicious meal when the the right ingredients, tools, and instructions are provided. And that’s exactly what the success of these food delivery companies shows.

Over February break, I received a trial box from the company Hello Fresh. At the discounted trial box price, it was well worth the well-rounded, tasty meals I cooked. Though I wouldn’t think of purchasing a full price box at $60 for 6 meals right now, I can see how it would be a great option for a busy working couple or family.

Overall, cooking at the food lab made for a great rose scholars event and a thought-provoking few hours. It will be interesting to see how the food industry will change in response to consumers’ new demands of healthy, wholesome eating alongside convenience.

 

Perception is Reality

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My first time watching the matrix resulted in a questioning of reality, right and wrong, and annoyance at the portrayal of the only female character in the film.

Neo is faced with a choice to either take a red pill and be aware of the matrix or take a blue pill to return back to the matrix, ignorant of what the world truly is. When I first considered the decision, I decided on the red pill because it seemed like the right decision. After all, it was the decision the courageous protagonist made. Shouldn’t truth be valued above everything else?

After thinking about it, even though I value the truth in knowing what reality is, it’s not right for one person to decide the realities of many. Though Morpheus is a hero I respect and admire, perhaps his unending search for “the one” is not a worthy goal. Reality is what you make it. And unearthing the reality of the matrix throws an entire system into chaos. What I see facing the humans when they wake up is not more real, and it’s certainly less happy and certain. The red pill is overrated and taking it shows inconsideration of the fate of humanity as a whole.

What History Leaves Behind

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Eileen Keeting caused me to closely examine the lens through which I’ve learned history. I had not heard the name Martha van Rensselaer before the talk, but I left wondering why I had not. This woman had changed the lives of numerous farmers’ wives, been in social circles with Eleanor Roosevelt and Susan B. Anthony, and revolutionized the education of women, especially those not well-off. History is not as simple as learning about the past and how the present has come to be. History is created and people decide what information is relevant to be passed on and whose accomplishments are great enough to be mentioned. Countless men and women are left out of the textbooks. Unwritten, their names vanish.

In a way, Cornell’s home-economics program has performed a similar vanishing act. I love how a prestigious institution like Cornell had a home-economics department. The pamphlet sent to farmers’ wives included tips and tricks that hint at studies in scientific management, efficiency, and psychology–telling women how best to perform in task with regards to steps and their husbands thoughts. Though I realize a home economics department is much less necessary in this day and age, I wish that Cornell retained some of those classes. It seems as though all we have left of the home economics department is its history.