UCLA Bruins Football. Every season without fail, I get excited and amped up for it. We win a few games, even pull off a few upsets. Then the rest of the season happens. Disappointing performances, punctuated by close and blowout losses seasoned with random wins against mediocre teams, just for effect. The fact that “we”… [Read more…]
October 24, 2011
Johnny Itliong brought me to the Metro station in downtown LA. A very casual affair. In the short ride from Temple St to the Metro blue Line, we talked about bike riding without the proper tools, Cesar Chavez’ egotism, AK-47s, Cambodian history, all in an evenly-paced, solid manner that reminds me of Native American storytellers.… [Read more…]
October 19, 2011
Abstracted by Brian J. Delas Armas According to economist Timur Kuran, culture can often be an obstacle to economic growth and developments. He opines that “cultural lock-in” or the idea that people are “trapped” in their cultural beliefs and communities is among the causes of persistent underdevelopment.” He assumes that with this “cultural lock-in”, there… [Read more…]
October 16, 2011
Abstracted by Brian J. Delas Armas In the vein of Mary Douglas’ “The Uses of Goods”, Orvar Lofgren argues that Swedish consumption of home products is an active site where culture was constantly being made and contested. He argues against the ideas that social identity has been lost in this consumption, that consumers are shallow,… [Read more…]
October 12, 2011
Nonprofits and educational institutions are the only places I’ve been around since I did my u-grad in 2006. I’ve had this thought many times, but finally decided to type words to blog entry. When I think of the word nonprofits, one word comes to mind: “burn”…and the last syllable…”out.” Burnout! I’ve endured though I have… [Read more…]
October 3, 2011
You give me a bag of Lays BBQ chips, I’ll give you an empty bag of Lays BBQ chips. They once had a marketing line “you can’t just stop with one”, something that circulates my mind each time I open a fresh bag, planning to eat “just a few.” I eat that few. I don’t… [Read more…]
October 1, 2011
Abstracted by Brian J. Delas Armas The chapter by Mary Douglas is a theoretical exploration of the idea of consumption and how meaning is made through consumption. She supports her assertions thru anecdotes, exchanges, and hypothetical situations common in her Westernized social context, a context in which I participate. For Mary Douglas, the Capitalist society… [Read more…]
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October 29, 2011
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