Apple. Coca-Cola. Google. Louis Vuitton. BMW.
The power of these brands is not just in the number of people who consume them. It's also a matter of excellent image management and careful attention to semiotics--the study of meaning-making.
This blog provides a public place to write about how mass culture and branding can be explained by examining what it is that they signify. Texts deal with dinosaurs, Cosmopolitan magazine, zombies, pornography and Nazis--among other things.
Jennifer Toth tried to portray life beneath the earth surface.She clearly studied the qualitative attitude of these people rather than the quantitative. She also wanted to know the reason why these people moved underground and wish not to return back to the earth surface. She realize that there is a misconception about the mole people, and that they are not as mean as people thought they were.
I find this story quite unusual but also insightful to a world other then our own. Even though they are obviously living amongst us on earth, they live a life completely different then we all live. These people almost never see sunlight and prefer it that way. I find it depressing and strange but they prefer to live like this. There are positives to a life like this such as acceptance. These people are all accepted and accept each other. No one sticks out or doesn’t fit the social norms of this group. These people have there own specific issues with the outside world and were longing for a chance to escape. I find it brave for them to pick up and leave. Some of them don’t plan on going back either. I respect them for making this hard decision. In my opinion it’s like being in the army. They leave for long periods of time and don’t look back, but in this situation they don’t want to come back. The lives they live down there are impressive for such conditions. They are a well-established community. They are a clean, intelligent and well-nourished community, which in my opinion would not be expected for such conditions. I salute them for making such a strong choice to live under ground where the sun doesn’t shine and there’s little interaction between other humans.
WOW! Just…wow! I am not sure what is to come in the readings but this one has to be my favorite thus far. As I read I felt like I was being invited into the underground world of the mole people. It is an amazing thing that these people have formed their own community and are content with their lifestyle. Its surprising to me that people like the “community school teacher” or the “community’s nurse” who are certified by the state are found living underground. I guess they are really there by choice like the mayor claims. A lot of the things the people the author interviewed said things that helped me understand why these people choose to live underground. I think the mayor’s story sums up the reason as to why these people choose the underground world over the aboveground when he states, “All have been cast out and forced to find an alternative way of living.” After reading this story the stigma on homeless people I used to withhold completely changed although they aren’t necessarily “mole people” now more than ever I am curious about every homeless persons story because they are all different. I’m curious to find out if, like mole people, homeless people are homeless by choice and whether they are content with their lifestyle. By the looks of it, I assume they weren’t but everyday I am reminded that we should not judge a book by its cover because you never know what you’ll discover.
You know the old saying, “Never judge a book by its cover?” With the exception of the mole people, I can’t think of a better subject to apply it to. Going into the story, I expected these people to live like rodents, hence their names. I pictured them scurrying around the underground, scavenging the smallest bit of food and supplies that they could find. Now that I have finished reading this, Jennifer Toth has shown me the light of the actual situation. I was amazed to find out that these people are a self-sustaining civilization. They have qualified nurses and teachers, leaking pipes that they use as showers, and even places to clean their clothing. I was even more surprised to find out that they are a drug-free society. This isn’t secluded homeless shelter, where its survival of the fittest, this is an underground utopia…right? I mean everybody seems content with their living standards, especially the mayor. However, I wouldn’t be so quick to assume this. Something tells me that being nearly completely isolated from the world “aboveground” isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Just thinking about putting myself in their shoes makes me cringe. I’m not sure if my blessed lifestyle can handle the conditions that the underground has to offer. For instance, light. I’m so used to living in a world where visualizing vibrant colors is the norm. Taking light away from me could cause me to have a mental breakdown. It’s unthinkable to live in a world filled with darkness. The list goes on, but I can’t see myself living in those conditions.
Toth’s “The Mole People” really made me open my eyes and realize what the homeless situation is like down in New York City. I’m 22, born and raised in Brooklyn, and I have never realized how poorly the homeless was viewed upon. In a way I feel kind of guilty because I too used to act a bit uncomfortable around the homeless as if they were not human and there was something wrong with them. It is easy to judge someone when they are not what society deems as normal. You see someone who has dirty clothes, un-groomed, and a strange odor and you immediately try to avoid them and you feel unsafe. But at the same time, you know nothing about them. We often forget that they are people too and their living conditions were just like us. One small unfortunate event and they ended up where they are. It could happen to anyone. A good example of this is on page 80 in the 2nd paragraph when Toth describes her encounter with a homeless woman with a shopping cart. She finds out that the woman had just lost her apartment a few days earlier and she was just combing the streets for “cans and luck”. This made me realize they are just trying to get by and hopefully their luck would change and something good might happen. Living in NYC I have seen plenty of people combing the streets for bottles and these were people with homes and clean clothes. This reading made open my eyes and made me feel more compassionate towards the homeless.
Toth’s Introduction and J.C’s Community from The Mole People was definitely eye opening. It went against everything that I believe about homeless people or people that live underground. I always assumed that all homeless people were dirty people that were loners. Toth’s story has taught me to think differently. The people that live underground are not smelly and by themselves. They are very organized and like the way they live. It is like a small community underground. It was amazing to discover that people underground have things like a mayor, nurse and teachers. They had everything people aboveground had except sunlight. The community is loved by all in it. Everyone involved respects each other and takes care of each other. The mayor says, “(The children) are all of ours. We take all the children here as our own.” Everyone is accepted and they are expected to take care of each other. Take care of each other is even an act in their religion called ‘human religion’. The people who live underground have a system of showers and wash areas, which is amazing and completely goes against the stereotype of smelly mole people. Being a mole person is not sort of as being a bad thing, many consider it their way of life.
Jennifer Toth’s “The Mole People” has discovered a unique topic in which I believe most people are unaware of. Through Toth’s underground study of the homeless, she described a specific community of homeless “squatters” who have decided to take shelter in the underground tunnels of New York City. The way in which Toth formatted the paper kept me on my toes in what would happen next, which I was grateful for. Initially, I thought of the “Mole People” to be dysfunctional and unwashed, but to my surprise, they were the exact opposite. The fact that this community is fully dependable on each other, as well as being completely self-sustaining is astonishing. Also, it is very intriguing to hear about the medical services, washing stations, and academics that are brought to the “Mole People.” The amount of detail Toth uses to describe her journey allows the reader to feel like they are there. Her take on this ethnographic study in my opinion is executed well.
The subculture known as the mole people are very undervalued in society as they live a lifestyle that is not customary to the average person. Jennifer Toth has a brilliant way of showing her readers that the perception of the homeless is very different than the reality. I found this article insightful and I believe that the author had a way to expose the homeless differently than how most would see them. This article compliments my personal ethnography that was on homeless people known as squatters. A choice to live homeless form in society and choose to integrate their children into the lifestyle that is not traditional although it is not wrong. Society fears talking to the homeless with the presumptions that they will be harmed in one way or another. The reality is, these mole people have education, political status in society, voting rights, morals, goals, and stories that are worth hearing. In a way, I assume the fear that some have corresponding with the homeless works as a shield of protection to the mole people as well. The homeless know that others fear them, in an essence this will allow the majority of people to stay away from them. On the other hand, with society’s stigma around the mole people, they are vulnerable to harmed being brought to them from others. The area of the article that I struggle with is knowing that children are forced to grow up when they are living as a mole. I don’t agree that children should be exposed to homelessness and are stripped of their innocence and childhood. Overall, I enjoyed the article and this has been my favorite article to date that we have read.
Very powerful writing to say the least. In a society where the homeless or less fortunate are degraded and viewed as inferior because of socioeconomic status, it is a beautiful thing how this article shines a light on this group. Society often views the homeless' world as rather "dark", as stated in the article, but ironically the homeless carry certain knowledge and maintain certain skills that is the utmost valuable. To express my personal opinion on this topic, it does disturb me to know that these groups of people are viewed as socially and morally inferior because they are lower on the social-economic hierachy. These groups of people carry with them real-world knowledge, experience and wisdom that is dervied from living under the most brutal circumstances. This article did a fantastic job in bringing out its key points, that the homeless are as part of our society as any other group is and that it is possible to develop friendships with the homeless; these friendships are the sparks that light up their otherwise dark world.
This is also my favorite piece thus far, Jennifer Toth is excellent in her way of making me visualizing and really makes me feel her tone throughout her writing. I too was dubious about the idea that there is such person living underground in the tunnels, creating this whole civilization that’s isolated from our world; it’s just crazy to even think about. Reading this gives me another view and perspective that I can learn throughout my life, for example, not being afraid of those who may seem and not being as ignorant. It reminds me how good I have life and how I shouldn’t be taking it for granted. Also, it gives me a feeling of being more open to the world around and sparks this feeling deep within where I have an urge to travel the world and explore new places and meet new people. Because Jennifer Toth reveals how these people are able to live their life under the “upper hand” and seeing how everyone respects each other as human beings gives off and uplifting feeling. Overall, this piece reminds me about the world we live in today and even though life can be so dark, you can always find your light to brighten things up. Not only that, but this reading can help me with my ethnography because Jennifer Toth is practically doing the same thing where she goes into depth and studies a certain community and their customs. She gathers information and talk to certain people to get what she need in order to gain a better understanding and lets the world know.
I found that the passage written by Jennifer Toth was a very interesting one. Being from New York, I found it very easy to relate to this story in terms of being a person who has seen a lot of homeless individuals on the streets of the city. At first glance to the common public, these “homeless” people seem to be just that, homeless. Passersby view these people as helpless individuals who beg on the street in order to survive. While this may be true in specific cases, Jennifer Toth introduces a bit of perspective and insight among this common uncertainty of urban areas. The irony that presents itself in this situation is very unique. What one may see as a helpless and unworthy individual is actually someone who does have a home and a have a community that they are a part of. This community of “hidden” “mole people” is one that is structured and ordered. Toth introduced a new angle of viewing these people to me instead of the typical one that had been established long ago. After reading the passage, I couldn't help but think if I encountered one of these “mole people” or anyone similar in the past while in the city.
Mole people seem to get a negative reputation just by the name they get. The way the kid in the article referred to the mole people made it seem so. It’s not their fault though. I admire the people who played at Columbia University at midnight for the homeless. The mole people seem to be the type who enjoys the little things in life. The gathering of the mole people near the school statue seems like a time of peace and gathering. The complaint the author got by the organization for homeless people making them look freakish was weird. So what if it makes them look freakish, is it wrong? Someone labeled as freakish can be someone who behaves or lives in irrational ways. This is exactly how the mole people live and it does not necessarily mean it is a bad thing. When Toth and J.C. get to the lower levels on the subway, it’s noted J.C is more calm and relaxed. It makes it seem like he is comfortable because this is his home and he is used to it. I wonder why it seems like this lower level is an exclusive sort of area. It was interesting to see how there are these social statuses between the homeless. There seems to be a lot of children that live there too. I liked the idea of the mayor saying “we don’t lie down here.” It’s simple to say that if you don’t say anything at all.
This story really makes you reflect on your own life. In our society it's hard to be content with what you have and who you are because of the standards and stigmas of our ever changing culture. Yet, these people live underground and are much more happy in many ways than we are. They experience life in some would say awful conditions, but that's not how they see it. Their world is so remote from us and they experience so life in a totally different way, yet physically so close. If this article doesn't make you think parallel universe I'm not sure what would. These people could be wearing the same clothes as us and eating food that we had the day before, but in no way does their daily routine look like ours. Yet we are similar in the sense that we're doing the best to better ourselves, make a living, and all of the stuff that comes naturally to humans. I think what I thought about most reading this though is why homeless people have such a bad name for themselves. Is it because they're life seems so different from ours? Do they really look that different from ourselves? Is it because of past experiences that have just traveled orally? It's interesting because most "homeless" people started out the same way we did, but they just ended up in a different place. It really makes you question the way you're living and the way you look at others.
Jennifer Toth tried to portray life beneath the earth surface.She clearly studied the qualitative attitude of these people rather than the quantitative. She also wanted to know the reason why these people moved underground and wish not to return back to the earth surface. She realize that there is a misconception about the mole people, and that they are not as mean as people thought they were.
ReplyDeleteI find this story quite unusual but also insightful to a world other then our own. Even though they are obviously living amongst us on earth, they live a life completely different then we all live. These people almost never see sunlight and prefer it that way. I find it depressing and strange but they prefer to live like this. There are positives to a life like this such as acceptance. These people are all accepted and accept each other. No one sticks out or doesn’t fit the social norms of this group. These people have there own specific issues with the outside world and were longing for a chance to escape. I find it brave for them to pick up and leave. Some of them don’t plan on going back either. I respect them for making this hard decision. In my opinion it’s like being in the army. They leave for long periods of time and don’t look back, but in this situation they don’t want to come back. The lives they live down there are impressive for such conditions. They are a well-established community. They are a clean, intelligent and well-nourished community, which in my opinion would not be expected for such conditions. I salute them for making such a strong choice to live under ground where the sun doesn’t shine and there’s little interaction between other humans.
ReplyDeleteWOW! Just…wow! I am not sure what is to come in the readings but this one has to be my favorite thus far. As I read I felt like I was being invited into the underground world of the mole people. It is an amazing thing that these people have formed their own community and are content with their lifestyle. Its surprising to me that people like the “community school teacher” or the “community’s nurse” who are certified by the state are found living underground. I guess they are really there by choice like the mayor claims. A lot of the things the people the author interviewed said things that helped me understand why these people choose to live underground. I think the mayor’s story sums up the reason as to why these people choose the underground world over the aboveground when he states, “All have been cast out and forced to find an alternative way of living.” After reading this story the stigma on homeless people I used to withhold completely changed although they aren’t necessarily “mole people” now more than ever I am curious about every homeless persons story because they are all different. I’m curious to find out if, like mole people, homeless people are homeless by choice and whether they are content with their lifestyle. By the looks of it, I assume they weren’t but everyday I am reminded that we should not judge a book by its cover because you never know what you’ll discover.
ReplyDeleteCameron Wagner
ReplyDeleteYou know the old saying, “Never judge a book by its cover?” With the exception of the mole people, I can’t think of a better subject to apply it to. Going into the story, I expected these people to live like rodents, hence their names. I pictured them scurrying around the underground, scavenging the smallest bit of food and supplies that they could find. Now that I have finished reading this, Jennifer Toth has shown me the light of the actual situation. I was amazed to find out that these people are a self-sustaining civilization. They have qualified nurses and teachers, leaking pipes that they use as showers, and even places to clean their clothing. I was even more surprised to find out that they are a drug-free society. This isn’t secluded homeless shelter, where its survival of the fittest, this is an underground utopia…right? I mean everybody seems content with their living standards, especially the mayor. However, I wouldn’t be so quick to assume this. Something tells me that being nearly completely isolated from the world “aboveground” isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Just thinking about putting myself in their shoes makes me cringe. I’m not sure if my blessed lifestyle can handle the conditions that the underground has to offer. For instance, light. I’m so used to living in a world where visualizing vibrant colors is the norm. Taking light away from me could cause me to have a mental breakdown. It’s unthinkable to live in a world filled with darkness. The list goes on, but I can’t see myself living in those conditions.
Toth’s “The Mole People” really made me open my eyes and realize what the homeless situation is like down in New York City. I’m 22, born and raised in Brooklyn, and I have never realized how poorly the homeless was viewed upon. In a way I feel kind of guilty because I too used to act a bit uncomfortable around the homeless as if they were not human and there was something wrong with them. It is easy to judge someone when they are not what society deems as normal. You see someone who has dirty clothes, un-groomed, and a strange odor and you immediately try to avoid them and you feel unsafe. But at the same time, you know nothing about them. We often forget that they are people too and their living conditions were just like us. One small unfortunate event and they ended up where they are. It could happen to anyone. A good example of this is on page 80 in the 2nd paragraph when Toth describes her encounter with a homeless woman with a shopping cart. She finds out that the woman had just lost her apartment a few days earlier and she was just combing the streets for “cans and luck”. This made me realize they are just trying to get by and hopefully their luck would change and something good might happen. Living in NYC I have seen plenty of people combing the streets for bottles and these were people with homes and clean clothes. This reading made open my eyes and made me feel more compassionate towards the homeless.
ReplyDeleteToth’s Introduction and J.C’s Community from The Mole People was definitely eye opening. It went against everything that I believe about homeless people or people that live underground. I always assumed that all homeless people were dirty people that were loners. Toth’s story has taught me to think differently. The people that live underground are not smelly and by themselves. They are very organized and like the way they live. It is like a small community underground. It was amazing to discover that people underground have things like a mayor, nurse and teachers. They had everything people aboveground had except sunlight. The community is loved by all in it. Everyone involved respects each other and takes care of each other. The mayor says, “(The children) are all of ours. We take all the children here as our own.” Everyone is accepted and they are expected to take care of each other. Take care of each other is even an act in their religion called ‘human religion’. The people who live underground have a system of showers and wash areas, which is amazing and completely goes against the stereotype of smelly mole people. Being a mole person is not sort of as being a bad thing, many consider it their way of life.
ReplyDeleteJennifer Toth’s “The Mole People” has discovered a unique topic in which I believe most people are unaware of. Through Toth’s underground study of the homeless, she described a specific community of homeless “squatters” who have decided to take shelter in the underground tunnels of New York City. The way in which Toth formatted the paper kept me on my toes in what would happen next, which I was grateful for. Initially, I thought of the “Mole People” to be dysfunctional and unwashed, but to my surprise, they were the exact opposite. The fact that this community is fully dependable on each other, as well as being completely self-sustaining is astonishing. Also, it is very intriguing to hear about the medical services, washing stations, and academics that are brought to the “Mole People.” The amount of detail Toth uses to describe her journey allows the reader to feel like they are there. Her take on this ethnographic study in my opinion is executed well.
ReplyDeleteThe subculture known as the mole people are very undervalued in society as they live a lifestyle that is not customary to the average person. Jennifer Toth has a brilliant way of showing her readers that the perception of the homeless is very different than the reality. I found this article insightful and I believe that the author had a way to expose the homeless differently than how most would see them. This article compliments my personal ethnography that was on homeless people known as squatters. A choice to live homeless form in society and choose to integrate their children into the lifestyle that is not traditional although it is not wrong. Society fears talking to the homeless with the presumptions that they will be harmed in one way or another. The reality is, these mole people have education, political status in society, voting rights, morals, goals, and stories that are worth hearing. In a way, I assume the fear that some have corresponding with the homeless works as a shield of protection to the mole people as well. The homeless know that others fear them, in an essence this will allow the majority of people to stay away from them. On the other hand, with society’s stigma around the mole people, they are vulnerable to harmed being brought to them from others. The area of the article that I struggle with is knowing that children are forced to grow up when they are living as a mole. I don’t agree that children should be exposed to homelessness and are stripped of their innocence and childhood. Overall, I enjoyed the article and this has been my favorite article to date that we have read.
ReplyDeleteVery powerful writing to say the least. In a society where the homeless or less fortunate are degraded and viewed as inferior because of socioeconomic status, it is a beautiful thing how this article shines a light on this group. Society often views the homeless' world as rather "dark", as stated in the article, but ironically the homeless carry certain knowledge and maintain certain skills that is the utmost valuable. To express my personal opinion on this topic, it does disturb me to know that these groups of people are viewed as socially and morally inferior because they are lower on the social-economic hierachy. These groups of people carry with them real-world knowledge, experience and wisdom that is dervied from living under the most brutal circumstances. This article did a fantastic job in bringing out its key points, that the homeless are as part of our society as any other group is and that it is possible to develop friendships with the homeless; these friendships are the sparks that light up their otherwise dark world.
ReplyDeleteThis is also my favorite piece thus far, Jennifer Toth is excellent in her way of making me visualizing and really makes me feel her tone throughout her writing. I too was dubious about the idea that there is such person living underground in the tunnels, creating this whole civilization that’s isolated from our world; it’s just crazy to even think about. Reading this gives me another view and perspective that I can learn throughout my life, for example, not being afraid of those who may seem and not being as ignorant. It reminds me how good I have life and how I shouldn’t be taking it for granted. Also, it gives me a feeling of being more open to the world around and sparks this feeling deep within where I have an urge to travel the world and explore new places and meet new people. Because Jennifer Toth reveals how these people are able to live their life under the “upper hand” and seeing how everyone respects each other as human beings gives off and uplifting feeling. Overall, this piece reminds me about the world we live in today and even though life can be so dark, you can always find your light to brighten things up. Not only that, but this reading can help me with my ethnography because Jennifer Toth is practically doing the same thing where she goes into depth and studies a certain community and their customs. She gathers information and talk to certain people to get what she need in order to gain a better understanding and lets the world know.
ReplyDeleteI found that the passage written by Jennifer Toth was a very interesting one. Being from New York, I found it very easy to relate to this story in terms of being a person who has seen a lot of homeless individuals on the streets of the city. At first glance to the common public, these “homeless” people seem to be just that, homeless. Passersby view these people as helpless individuals who beg on the street in order to survive. While this may be true in specific cases, Jennifer Toth introduces a bit of perspective and insight among this common uncertainty of urban areas. The irony that presents itself in this situation is very unique. What one may see as a helpless and unworthy individual is actually someone who does have a home and a have a community that they are a part of. This community of “hidden” “mole people” is one that is structured and ordered. Toth introduced a new angle of viewing these people to me instead of the typical one that had been established long ago. After reading the passage, I couldn't help but think if I encountered one of these “mole people” or anyone similar in the past while in the city.
ReplyDeleteMole people seem to get a negative reputation just by the name they get. The way the kid in the article referred to the mole people made it seem so. It’s not their fault though. I admire the people who played at Columbia University at midnight for the homeless. The mole people seem to be the type who enjoys the little things in life. The gathering of the mole people near the school statue seems like a time of peace and gathering. The complaint the author got by the organization for homeless people making them look freakish was weird. So what if it makes them look freakish, is it wrong? Someone labeled as freakish can be someone who behaves or lives in irrational ways. This is exactly how the mole people live and it does not necessarily mean it is a bad thing. When Toth and J.C. get to the lower levels on the subway, it’s noted J.C is more calm and relaxed. It makes it seem like he is comfortable because this is his home and he is used to it. I wonder why it seems like this lower level is an exclusive sort of area. It was interesting to see how there are these social statuses between the homeless. There seems to be a lot of children that live there too. I liked the idea of the mayor saying “we don’t lie down here.” It’s simple to say that if you don’t say anything at all.
ReplyDeleteThis story really makes you reflect on your own life. In our society it's hard to be content with what you have and who you are because of the standards and stigmas of our ever changing culture. Yet, these people live underground and are much more happy in many ways than we are. They experience life in some would say awful conditions, but that's not how they see it. Their world is so remote from us and they experience so life in a totally different way, yet physically so close. If this article doesn't make you think parallel universe I'm not sure what would. These people could be wearing the same clothes as us and eating food that we had the day before, but in no way does their daily routine look like ours. Yet we are similar in the sense that we're doing the best to better ourselves, make a living, and all of the stuff that comes naturally to humans. I think what I thought about most reading this though is why homeless people have such a bad name for themselves. Is it because they're life seems so different from ours? Do they really look that different from ourselves? Is it because of past experiences that have just traveled orally? It's interesting because most "homeless" people started out the same way we did, but they just ended up in a different place. It really makes you question the way you're living and the way you look at others.
ReplyDelete