Manufactured Landscapes Response

          I recently viewed the film Manufactured Landscapes on Hulu. I was surprised at first how the film included some of the communication between the camera man and I assume the artist/director about where to point the camera, and what the lighting  was like, etc. This is something that we rarely encounter when we watch a professionally made film. I felt that it actually added to the film's meaning though, because it is showing us how things are, unfiltered and unbiased. At one point the makers of the film are trying to get access to shoot at a certain industrial spot. The company representative tried to say that it is not a beautiful place to shoot, but one of the filmmakers explained that through the camera lens, through certain eyes it can be beautiful.
          One of the parts of the film that stuck with me was about the people who lived in the cities that were going to be flooded when the very large dam was completed. These people not only had to leave their homes behind, but they were being paid to destroy them as well, brick by brick. In this scene you get a sense of how we as a human race are willing to sacrifice in the name of progress. Is the sacrifice worth it? Where do we draw the line? It is probably impossible to tell, and depends very much on one's personal opinion. China is developing very fast, but what are the consequences? They are using large-scale coal mining operations to fuel this industrialization, which causes large amounts of pollution. People are working in unbelievably large factories, standing in place putting irons together for many hours.
           Since I was watching the film on Hulu, there would be occasional ads that would interrupt the movie. It was so strange to see all of the work and various sacrifice that goes into making products, and then see American consumers using the product and being very carefree. Industrialization is not a polished or pretty thing. But what it accomplishes can be beautiful, as well as ugly if you so wish to see it. Something we need to keep in mind as the world continues to develop and industrialize: Is it worth it?

Blog Post #3: Crushed Hopes

           During the Vietnam War and during various other political difficulties some Vietnamese people have tried to find refuge in other countries by escaping on boats. Because of their method of leaving the country the are referred to as "boat people". These people sail out to sea, and when they get to neighboring countries they are sometimes received, but sometimes not. (Salgado 62)
          In Indonesia the refugees from Vietnam were told to sail to the island of Galang, where their boats were destroyed and they were imprisoned (Salgado 62). These people escaped one bad situation and tragically landed right in another, this time with even less hope of escape. To me the boats represented these peoples' hopes and means of creating a better life for themselves. Salgado's picture shows the destroyed boats sitting on the shore, never to be used again.
          Without their boats nor their freedom, these boat people of Vietnam are stuck; they cannot control any outward aspect of their lives, and that is true tragedy.

(Page 62)

Work Cited

          Salgado, Sebastião. Migrations. 1st ed. New York, NY: Aperture Foundation, Inc., 2000. Print.

Blog Post #2: Salgado Reading

          Sebastião Salgado made it his mission to make sure the world knows about the great hardships that millions of people go through as refugees. He hopes to be able to spread awareness so that more can be done for these people than what he is able to do by himself. 49
          The picture I chose depicts migrants riding a train to Northern Mexico by sitting in between the cars. Salgado explains that this spot is a good hiding place on a train, but has many dangers. One can fall off, or get hit by debris thrown up by the train (Salgado). 99
          These people go through tremendous risk to try and get into the United States. They leave their homes in search of a better life. I cannot imagine doing such a thing. I am unsure about whether it is best to let more immigrants into the U.S. right now, but I definitely admire the courage and perseverance.

From Migrations page 25

Work Cited

          Salgado, Sebastião. Migrations. 1st ed. New York, NY: Aperture Foundation, Inc., 2000. Print.

God Grew Tired of Us Review

      The film God Grew Tired of Us showed me a perspective of refugees that I have never truly thought much of before. To see what conditions the boys were living in while they were in the refugee camps and to see their transitioning into American life was something new to me. We are so used to our way of life that we sometimes can forget how fortunate we are to live in a place where we have shelter and lots of food available to us.
      The guys who the documentary followed all went through so much hardship, and it was cool to see how they were still able to keep going, and build a better life for themselves. I thought it was amazing how dedicated they were to sending money back to their family and friends when they could have used that money to go to school or live in nicer apartments. They consistently made the best of hard situations, and were able to keep hope through some depressing times. They showed how no matter what we may go through in our own lives, we can still turn out okay, and even help others out at the same time.
      The film was persuasive in many ways. When most people think about a refugee camp, they think impersonally about a large group of people living somewhere to escape a war. But this film showed us that each of the people in a refugee camp is an individual, with hopes and dreams much like ours. Following the individuals in the film showed how these people are really just the same as us. We can all relate to some of the loneliness and sorrow that these people have felt, and that makes us really see what they are going through and why something more needs to be done to make things better.