Seminar #2... The Persuaders

For those of you that watched "The Persuaders" during the last breakout session, please answer the following questions...

1. When others are trying to "persuade" you (politics, advertising, school debates, etc), which of the following WOKs have a greater impact on you, language or sense perception? Give an example (academic or personal).

2. How has your view of the worlds of advertising and politics changed after watching "The Persuaders"?

Mr. Malone

Marla and the Seniors

For those of you that took TOK last year and watched "My Kid Could Paint That" last breakout session, please answer any of the four posts below for seminar credit. This includes those posted by Oliver, Kelly R., alm, and Zoe.

To check out Marla's work... Click HERE.

And for those of you that haven't seen it yet, we'll be watching it in January.

Mr. Malone

What is Art?

One of the biggest questions that watching "My Kid Could Paint That" left me with is: How do we judge what is termed 'art' and what isn't? For that matter, should we even be allowed to? If the old saying holds true, and beauty IS is in the eye of the beholder, then shouldn't the only standard for art be whether or not it sells? I personally have never cared who wrote a book, or who published a piece of music, or who painted an artwork. For me, when it comes to art, I use almost solely sense perception. If it sounds good or looks nice, if I enjoy it, then I consider it 'art'. That isn't to say that it isn't art if I don't enjoy it, because that isn't true either. Maybe it would be better to say that as long as someone, somewhere, feels an emotional connection to an artwork, it can be termed art.
Ultimately, I guess what I am asking is: how do you personally define art? Should there be societal standards like the ones that exist today, or is the old saying true? Is beauty in the eye of the beholder?
(Oliver)

The Art of Politics

I was flipping through a Newsweek and I found this article that is about how different political leaders were artists and this influenced their actions. I would like you to read the article and tell me what you think of it. For Anyone knowing anything about Hitler: Look at some of Hitler's pieces of work, what do you think? How do you know what you think?

The Art of Politics

Abstract Real Art

Looking at different pieces in a museum does it matter if it is an abstract piece or realistic? Which is real art, or does it matter? Please justify why you believe so: Knower's perspective. I think that individually you need to address this question before jumping to any conclusions about the movie. Either way you are biased (I know I'm not suppose to use that word but oh well). To show you what I mean I'm express mine:
Kelly Rappe: I'm an abstract artist myself so growing up seeing different artists and how they boil down their art down to the true essentials amazed me. I wanted to strive and see if I could do that. Don't get me wrong but I do enjoy realistic art, even though I'm horrible at it. I feel my emotions for all the abstract artists turned down in society make me want to stand up for all of them, even if it isn't true. I think both are real art. My sense perception also pays a role. Anyone who has been in an art class with me learns really fast that I think there art is really amazing because I think that criticizing it isn't true understanding.
-Kelly Rappe

Marla: Yay or Nay

So it seems like the main question the documentary, My Kid Could Paint That, was trying to answer at the end is: "Is Marla solely responsible for her artistic creations?" After watching the film I am still not sure how I would answer this. So what do you guys think, did she have help? Is she a child prodigy? Should it even matter? And of course, how do you justify your beliefs :)

My Kid Could Paint That - Filmmaker's role?

After watching "My Kid Could Paint That" on Friday (and after our short conversation during seminar) I was still left with lots of questions. One thing brought up both in the film and in our discussion was the role of the filmmaker in making the documentary. We talked about this before with the bridge/suicide video (should the filmmaker have intervened when filming people jumping off the bridge to save the people or should he have been completely distant - and could he have done the latter?) but do you think that his involvement of himself in the film helped the family's cause, hindered it, helped him answer his own questions etc? Basically, how do you think his intervention changed the film as well as others' perceptions of the family?

By the way...people who didn't see it today: Mr. Malone says you will be watching it in January. You can go to the website to see her paintings and some of the story though.

Concession Speech

On election night I was watching McCain's concession speech and I thought it was very well done. One thing I noticed though was the booing coming from the crowd, and I found I was proud of these people. Though I agree that at some point in the very near future they need to accept Obama as their president, I felt that it would have been pointless for all of McCain's supporters to not show their displeasure at his loss of the election. Many of them have been campaigning for him and supporting him for two years and I thought it very appropriate that they stayed with him right up to the very end. Being an Obama supporter I asked myself what I would have done had he lost, and I realized that on election night I would not have been able to change my loyalty immediately. So the question is, should this behavior be considered anti-patriotic or being a bad-sport??