Category Archives: Week 4

Philippe Petit: The Human Definition of Dream

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Philippe Petit definitely must be one of the most driven men in history.  His entire life from the point he saw the construction of the towers in a paper in the dentist office, to his achievement of walking across the towers, was consumed by the desire to just do it.  It is impressive how much practice he had done on other great public places knowing just what the consequences would be such as getting arrested.  The sad thing is that he could not do it alone and he essentially just used all of his friends throughout the entire process.  His girlfriend had even mentioned that she had to put her own dreams aside while she was in the relationship.  She had to help him realize his own dream before hers and then after the success and fulfillment of that dream he left her for someone else.

This was not only what happened to her but also to all of his closest friends.  All of them had contributed to Petit’s success and realization of his dream but all were essentially abandoned after the completion of his dream.  While he was granted amnesty for his act that was considered to be illegal, his friends were all kicked out of the United States and were not allowed to come back.  Petit did not even do anything to make amends with his friends.  It truly was sad to watch one of his long time friends start to cry during the documentary, because of the memories that are all now almost faded.  A big part of his life was to be able to help his friend accomplish his dream and then once it was done it was all over for him, the friendship and this big role.

I also can not imagine how Philippe reacted at the end of it all.  I understand he still performs publicly his art of tightroping but there is nothing else to really strive for.  After accomplishing such an immense dream, what else is there really to do in life?  It seems he has made peace with it but I can not imagine how he would be able to view his life in the same way as he did before his walk between the towers.

The Significance of Humanity

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Upon reading the journal entries I have gotten back today, I noticed a particular interest in one phrase I used by Professor Drabik.  My phrase was “humankind as a whole has no significance” and the response to this phrase was “Are you sure?”  This entry dates back to our fourth class, we were discussing the poems “Man Listening to Disc” and “The Weary Blues.”  I believe during this class we entered into one of the most heated debates about the significance of man.  Many believing that we do in all ways have much significance however my point is that in a cosmic scale we do not.  Even on a more global scale, the history of the conquered is always lost to those that conquer.  One specific example was the burning of the libraries at Alexandria, which set back medical science and research centuries of work.  The significance of those that published and researched for the good of all of mankind was lost because their only legacy left to the ages was also lost, burnt in a fire.

Simply put, humans only have significance because we give each other significance.  It is only in society can we have any effect on the scheme of things.  Without society, we are nothing.  You can not rebel against a society that does not exist, you can not progress a society that does not exist, you can not influence, control, manifest or do any like action on a society that does not exist.  If you look up the term significance in the dictionary, you are returned with this: the quality of being worthy of attention; importance.  When you really think about it, our whole existence is in no way signifiant.  If there was any cataclysmic event that were to wipe us out, a mass extinction of man, there would be nothing left of us.  No one, even if there were other intelligent forms of life, would know or hear about what we have endured, what we have created, or what we have suffered.  Without knowing, there is no “importance” in our existence because any step toward progress will eventually be forgotten to the cosmos and to time.

As I said this is all relative to the global scheme of things.  As long as there is society, we all have some individual significance.  We all effect those around us, for the good or for the worse and we all have some small local meaning and “importance.”  It would be an imprudent decision now to stop striving for progress because the in the present, the end of our species currently is unforeseeable.  However our significance as a species overall will eventually run out with time, but in the present, as long as there is a present, we will maintain our importance and significance.

Cold day for the Pulaski Day Parade

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I was at the Pulaski Day Parade yesterday like all Polish people from New Jersey and New York. (The reason I mention New Jersey first is because almost all of the floats were from New Jersey.) It was rather cold on that day, and I only had a Polish t-shirt and shorts on. Luckily, my friend let me borrow his sweat shirt. I think that the pretty Ms. Polonias must have been really cold in their dresses in the parade.

The Weary Blues

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My favorite part of this poem is the way the words flow as you read it out. There’s this sort of natural rhythm to it and when read aloud in the right tone and the right attitude, it’s really something. I really like how it mimics the rhythm and the sound of actual blues as well as how the writer uses slang to really capture the time and the language that was used. If you can’t tell already, I really like it when something sounds good and pleasing to the ear, whether it be a poem or music, etc.

Meant to Live – Switchfoot Concert @ Columbia University hosted by Pulse

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This past thursday night, after receiving a guaranteed ticket (from the CCNY Intervarsity) to an already free concert featuring Switchfoot, I made an impulse decision to finish my English 210 paper within 2 and a half hours so that I could attend this concert. After finishing class at around 4 pm, I sat myself down in my dorm room and got to work on my paper. Luckily, I finished my paper and submitted it literally 5 minutes before I had to leave for the concert. And man, was I glad that I did.

Now here comes the good part after the hard work. Upon arriving in front of Lerner Hall at Columbia University with the Intervarsity group, my eyes immediately saw the enormous line (those who didn’t have tickets) that stood awaiting to get in. For those who did have tickets (mostly Columbia students and intervarsity groups) were able to enter straight in without a wait. To my surprise not too many people actually obtained tickets, which meant we were able to get pretty decent seats. The concert opened with the Colton Dixon band (I’ve never heard of them before then, but they’re pretty good) and then Switchfoot came on afterwards. In comparison to classical music and the music played at the opera, it is much, much different. But both were really good in their own aspects and style. So, what would have been a regular and boring night, had I not went out to the concert, turned into a great night with new friends, good fellowship, and late night pizza. Also, who doesn’t love free concerts in NYC?

A Subway Story

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Tuesday, September 30th.  The time? 10:30 A.M I had 30 minutes to get to class.

I was rushing to get on the F train from Hunter College. You might be thinking how and why I ended up in this most unfortunate situation. You see, because I started class at 11 A.M that day, I thought I would’ve been able to get some breakfast with my friends at Hunter and still make it to class in time, provided I left by 10:30. The breakfast was a success. Four of my close friends and I had an extremely entertaining and greasy breakfast at the local Golden Arches, reminiscing and laughing the time away. When it became time to leave, though, I realized that I would have to take the F from Hunter back a couple of stops in order to catch either the A or the D train to CCNY. Realizing I might actually be late to class, I panicked. I hurriedly said goodbye and vanished into the bowels of the subway station.

I was speed-walking, determined not to be late. With each step I took towards the turnstile, I got more and more hopeful.

My mind was focused on the single goal of getting to class on time.

I might not be late after all!! Yes!!

And then all of a sudden, BOOM!! I felt a sickening crunch in my stomach.

I had forgotten to swipe my MetroCard and walked straight into the turnstile.

(For those of you who are curious, I was, in fact, not only late, but very late, close to 30 minutes.)

Billie Holiday

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Despite saying I’ve never heard the blues before, I actually have! Billie Holiday is a famous blues, jazz, soul singer. She has many other talents but she is most well-known for her voice. I heard blues for the first time when I listened to Billie Holiday singing “Strange Fruit” in a Civil Rights Movement Through Photography workshop at the Museum of the City of New York. This song if you listen carefully to the words (or google them) is about the hanging of slaves in the South. This song perfectly combines the slow, heavy rhythm of the accompanying music with the lyrics that contain a powerful message.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4ZyuULy9zs

All’opera con Figaro

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(Note: I’ve added a category for this opera)

Though I had to leave early, I thoroughly enjoyed being able to attend Le Nozze di Figaro–especially in such good company.

I am always struck by not only the splendor of opera, but at how often the story being told is relevant to a contemporary world. I am familiar with Beaumarchais’s plays, though I greatly prefer the operatic versions. The plays were written during a time of immense upheaval in France — the country was building towards revolution (indeed the last of the trilogy was written during the revolution that began in 1789). At this time, immense tension had built between the ruling nobility and the poor commoners. The Sun King (Louis XIV) had run the country financially into the ground and the people were starving.

Though not entirely the same, this tension between economic classes in France during the 1780s and 90s resonates for me with the current national conversation about the disappearing middle class and the increasing number of citizens living below the federal poverty level. I appreciate Mozart’s opera so much because the struggle between classes is clearly present in the tale.

I’m pleased I got to hear “Voi che sapete” during act II, and bummed I missed one of the other pieces I enjoy immensely:

I’ve already made plans to see Carmen next week with a friend. A fantastic opera if you have the chance to get affordable student tickets!

The Metropolitan Opera House : Le Nozze di Figaro

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The Metropolitan Opera. Right near Lincoln Center, in the center of the city. A huge building with towering entryways. Floor-to-roof windows.

I enter and there is a sweeping staircase, front and center. It’s covered with red carpet and branches both to the left and to the right. The auditorium is a box, furnished with a extruded “U” of seating and a very tall stage. I am sitting in the family circle, and I realize that I am very high up; if I slip on the stairs, very bad things could happen. But we are still not yet in Siberia—that’s over to the left and right. I see the turntable move. This is going to be interesting.

I’ve heard the Overture to the Marriage of Figaro many times since I was in grade school; when the orchestra began playing, I marveled at the clarity of each of the instruments. I can see why surround sound systems and ultra-high-bitrate recordings are in such high demand—the sound coming from the pit orchestra can’t be replicated with a pair of speakers and an mp3 file.

The opera was confusing; I couldn’t keep one eye on the titles and the other on the stage, so I had to choose between understanding the dialogue and perceiving the movement of the actors. There was definitely a lot of humor in this opera, made clear through the liberally translated text and the shenanigans on stage.

Intermission: long lines at the bathroom for both genders, Lindt truffles (yes!), and sesame crunch (high-energy, “reinforcements” in the words of Prof. Drabik). The culture of opera-goers includes ordering food to be served during this 30-minute intermission. Hmm… what kind of occasions can be celebrated with this kind of extravagance? How would it make sense to spend that kind of money?

Back to the opera. A hiding of identities and a swapping of roles take place with the Countess and Susanna to make fools of their respective husbands (and if I may propose this, to elevate themselves over their spouses by requiring them to beg forgiveness for their infidelity).

And out. I can see myself coming back to experience Richard Wagner and Hector Berlioz.