[RESEARCH] The Others and the Theories of Post-Colonialism

Colonial Possession around the World

Colonial Possession means what part of the world does a certain colony have (Word Reference, Colonial, 2013). Maybe through influence or alliance, there is no certainty by how these possessions were made, only by utter power. Because of these places being taken around the world, influences are slightly different from other colonies. Certain laws will be slightly different, and the way the areas surrounding it will be maned is completely up to the people in power. Which is why there’s such a big difference between many countries regarding this fact; depending on whom is running your country, really influences the way people live and run in the country.

Post-Colonialism is the interaction between both European union and the areas in which they have populated, communicating different ways in which time lines and other facts and opinions really went down in history.

Historical Rewriting and Change of Beliefs

Because of the way people have re-colonised many areas around the world, history or hearsay facts about that certain country gets passed down for generations upon generations. It’s crazy how something so little can collide to create something so big, so fascinating to others that they begin to believe and understand it as a true fact. Because European influences has become so strong over the years is because of a domination in world culture as we know it today.
There is more change then meets the eye, as some countries tell children at a very young age, or even adults through the media (news stories and other story telling genres) show different scenarios in the world, and how it is prevented and changed for the good of all man-kind. But in reality, the media feeds the public by sugar coating their stories to make others sound good or bad, depending on where about in the world they are. If a person carries a certain profession (ex. Customer Assistant) they will label the person just like their own profession (this goes for race, gender and even religion differences).
Years and years ago, these beliefs in culture or news stories around the world were different from those today. Possibly the impact of sudden change around the world (such as wars) or even agreements from people high in power may have been different, and give people a completely different opinion based on those options. It becomes a talking point, which is why the media around the world is so world wide, and everyone takes on this information as fact.

Change in Cultural Desires

Holidays are used for a time of relaxation and learning more about the world around you. However, for some holiday makers, they find it hard to get by without seeing something which strikes their own eyes as familiar. 
For example, McDonalds, an American company which has many branches around the world (over 33,000 restaurants (About.com, Number of McDonalds Restaurants, 2012)) are best known for their fast-food making techniques and gorgeously tasting food which is fit for any one with a rumbley tummy. That said, there is no way you can go some where in the world and not actually find a McDonalds in the area, because the food has become so iconic that it’s what children and adults crave. So if holiday makers are scared about tasting the food of the country they are in, they are familiarised with fast food restaurants which are built to keep tourists from complaining. Could we then say that McDonalds has slightly taken over the world with their own iconic meals? If everyone knows it, they’re comforted by it, knowing what it smells and tastes like, with their own opinion made. This then breaks the bond between orientalism and their own cultural standards, keeping their wallets and experiences safe with giving them the know how. Unlike Chinese Restaurants, Indian Take-Away’s and Sushi bars, it’s all very different. Even to today’s cultures on the west side of the world, trying these foods and exploring the oriental difference, it’s not all for every one, which is why fast food places like McDonalds, KFC and Subway exists.

Is Cultural Influences Really Bad?

Many cultures change for the better/worse, but as this happens, everything else begins to change along with it. This is because anything that changes has a slight domino effect on everything else relating to it. Some cultures suffer because of this, and become an outcast in which people believe that they are wrong and they shouldn’t have anything to do with the Others.

A war which happened ages ago, still spoken and debated about today.

The Others is a term which is used for another culture that isn’t their own, which is exotic and not familiar with what is already known by that culture. Normally, the term Other is used for people lower then themselves, thinking less of them, treating them as a thing rather then a full being.
The Swastika (About.com, History of the Swastika, 2013) from the Nazi’s icon was originally a sign for peace. As they changed it to become a symbol of power and war, to represent them in battle, it has never been seen so lightly ever again. What I was talking about before was the domino effect, and this is a great example of it. If a faction takes influence by another, that significant other then becomes part of them. What ever that faction decides to do with that ‘other’ is then related to both parties, creating a single entity.

On the other side of the argument, sometimes change is a turn for the better. Artistically, Asia has a unique style of artwork called Anime/Manga. The east, so oriental and calm, beautiful and simplistic, influences the west slightly, and decide to take it on for themselves. Many artists now on the west side of the world have taken on the style of Anime/Manga because the style appeals to them in many ways.

A beautiful Anime styled artwork of a girl playing guitar.

Yet its still symbolised as an eastern thing, which brings speculation to account, as others want to learn more and more about the artwork produced by Asian cultures. So sometimes it can bring interest in the right way for many western cultures because they become familiarised by the content of the eastern, giving them more attention, and others more aware of how their culture is like.

[NOTES] Dystopian and Utopian Presentations

As each group did their own presentation, it was interesting to see the different ideas that everyone was giving out to the audience. Some of these games which were pitched, I felt, could have become games in themselves. The Utopians were beautiful, and very fluent in design. And the Dystopians has a gorgeous touch to them, with a lot of facts built into their own pitches.

Group 1 – Tears of Gaia (Utopia/Dystopia)

• The idea was set on both Utopian and Dystopian ideas. Basically it’s a complete balance like life, but has troubles where there are wars between both nature and human species. The main character is also a woman with muscle deficiency which makes it harder for her to move, run or gain any muscle to survive or move items. This is a great way to challenge the player.
  Nature has taken over this universe, controlled by an evil man which is formed and shaped like a tree (“mother nature” or “god”) himself. It’s a Utopia for him, as everyone is treated with natures care, an ‘innocent’ vibe from himself. Yet, from the womans point of view, it’s a dystopian figure, as everything it out to get her, and make her life a living hell.
• The plants in this world give off less oxygen, making the player’s character fatigue more and struggle doing many activities. Plant life is also used as weapons, as they are more efficient and capable then the normal mechanical weapons which are used in todays wars and battles.
• As the protagonist goes through stages in the game, she becomes mutated, broken and corrupted by the changes in the world, but also adapts more to the change. This can work as an advantage and at a disadvantage for the player. Each mutation helps you go through areas that are built for that purpose.
• Drugs are issued to enable change in the body’s development process, which is how it is possible to get certain powers. But, many enemies strive to get these drugs as they have become addicted to it, how it has become a pure substance which everyone should have. With the changing world, it also reduces the effects given from the world itself, to inhabit it much more easier.

Group 2 – Utopian Game (Utopia)

• The game itself is played inside a pod, a pod which can read your thoughts and feelings to process and condense certain ideas which you will need to progress into a game. It’s more of an imagination feed, with no distractions or probes to make you feel otherwise pressured into the state of imagination.
  You cannot fail this game, either, no sense of loss or progression, only your own thoughts and wishes.
• This game is a text based game, full of customization and self input. You can create your own world in your head and then tell the game of your world. It will the build and give you a musical tune or noise to match up this idea.
• Unfortunately there wasn’t much to go by on this game idea, but it was a very good idea none the less. Almost too much of a Utopia, and the group felt like if this game went ahead, it would possibly be some what of an addiction process and no one would leave their own pods and back into their own world.

Group 3 – Block 32 (Dystopia/Utopia)

• The world has been destroyed by something (unfortunately the group couldn’t figure out what exactly happened), and the humans which now live in this ‘dystopian’ world have been shoved into pods and live the lives in which they have always dreamed of. A Utopian world for just one person to thrive in, these machines are also maintained by small robots which wizz around recharging the batteries of the machines, and for themselves to keep living.
  Because its the humans on dreams, the robot will become the sidekick of that human to ensure that what they are doing is right, and that they get what they deserve. For example: a person wants to be a star footballer, the robot will ensure that all the goals that he shoots for, he scores. 
• The player plays as one of the robots called Q-pid, Q-pid then falls in love with a human woman, and tries to stay with her as much as he can, staying and recharging her pod a lot more then a regular robot should. It’s also noticed that it is very weird for a robot to love some one, which brings another crucial part to the story.
• Because, however, children can be born into the real world through the women in the pods (if the woman in the pods become pregnant, then in real life, they will also have a child) and taken to a place where they can meet people and take apart who or whom not they like. When they have become mature enough to enter the pods themselves, they can take the memories of the others that they had seen, or choose to forget them. Because, however, these children were brought into the life of ‘pod’s’, their own generation’s ideas become much more stranger and weirder.

Group 4 – A Block too Far (Utopian)

• Takes a good look of how the game Minecraft works, and how they could use it to their own advantage and make a strategy game from it. The game plays like an MMO, where players can make farms, weapons, buildings, and other cool facilities inside of the game. Then, players can help one another with their own buildings, and get praise or points to create more or different types of buildings. 
• When two players find each other for the first time, they are in a status called the ‘Cold War Status’. This ensures that the two players can then attack on neutral ground, without actually effecting any other player around the premise. Although, this isn’t the only status you can be in with other factions. For example, you can be in ‘Peace’ or fully ‘War’ status with any players whom you meet.
• Technology, however, comes with the times (which acts as experience), which most players will start off with the basics, such as fire and wood. This can be a problem, but there is always room for upgrades and other substances along the way, which is always nice when you are leveling up your faction.
• There are no NPC’s in the game. Makes the game a fully player based system which is very good for players who just want to get out there and have fun.

Group 5 – Eden (Utopia)

• The planet earth has unfortunately been destroyed whilst a large space ship has left the Earth in search of a newly formed Utopia. Though, through closer inspection, the ship served a rather great Utopia for all the crew members.
  
• The main character, a troubled Scientist, finds out that there is something afoot going on in the Utopia. He realises that the plants are mutating into the humans on board of the ship, and he needs to find a way to destroy them. Unfortunately, weapons aren’t aloud on board of the ship.
  The plants make the humans into plant infested monsters, loosing all vision and thought process when they are fully controlled.
• On board the ship, to make it a Utopian area and a safe place to live, weapons are not aloud to use as a defensive weapon. Using one is an offence and is quickly disposed of when confiscated.
• Because the ship contained a large area of green, a garden which harnessed all of their food and plant life, there are gardening tools which can be used as weapons against the monsters aboard the ship, as they start to take over everyone.

Group 6 – Dystopia of the Mind (Dystopian)

• You play as a customised character in a world where your mind is your enemy. As you slip into dream state, you can either have a alright dream by your demand or a complete nightmare which ruins the world around you completely, making you a nervous wreck, and almost an unstable one.  However, what ever happens in your dream world will effect the awake world depending on what actually happened.
• The game has something called a sanity meter which scales depending on what actually happens in both dream and awake worlds. As you complete quests to heighten or lower your sanity meter, you are racing to see whether you can get it to normal in time.
• When you become insane, the level designs will become different, triggering effects which basically ruins the players attitude towards the current situation, making it harder to progress. The complete opposite happens if you are in normal sanity mode. Depending on how you are will effect the ending of the game.

[RESEARCH] The Ideals of Ideology

What is the Meaning of Ideology?
An Ideology is when one person sets a set of ideas that are both conscious and unconscious decisions that contribute to a person’s goals. The world as we know it is built on these set ideologies, which contributes into rules that the world must follow as a whole.

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The Panopticon

The Panopticon is a great way to show the meaning of Ideology.
It’s a type of prison building that is souly based around the idea of fear (Wikipedia, Panopticon, 2013). Fear of moving out of line, or committing horrible acts in front of the huge watch tower that is stationed in the middle which ‘allegedly’ has a warden or some what which is monitoring the scene 24/7. Yet, the prisoners don’t know that, and live in the base of fear, agreeing that breaking a law would get them caught without them really knowing that some one is there.
The creator of the Panopticon, Jeremy Bentham, believed that this type of building in particular is a great way to win mind over mind. Tricking the inmates to believe that there’s something bad on the top of the tower, but really there could or couldn’t be any one. Then he thought that there could be something more to the design of the building which could be used for virtually anything: Schools, Workplaces, Offices, Stations, etc. Keeping an over all ‘big brother’ approach to the public, scaring them into doing the right thing in their day to day lives.

CCTV Cameras – Panopticon Effect?

Today, we have CCTV, which watches us where ever we go, making sure we’re doing the right things all day, every day. That feeling that you’re being watched, and the certainty that it brings that you’re clearly being watched could just be a fabrication of what the ‘man’ is trying to say to you. This goes for speed cameras, or any type of camera that enables you to get caught no matter what you’re doing; you never really know whether that camera’s working or not.

I’m watching you~!

So when does our privacy become our privacy? There has yet to be any CCTV in houses, changing rooms or even toilets, but would that be plain wrong? Of course it would be indecency to enable cameras to be in such secure places as thievery and other actions take place in such areas. Heat sensors are always an option to see through hollow walls, but doesn’t stop ‘big brother’ from finding a way to keep track of what you’re doing in your day to day life so that they know you’re committing to great things.
Anything could be an invasion on privacy. For example, monthly checks from your landlord to see if everything in your house/apartment is out of place or clearly not how it should be. That sudden feeling that your stuff really isn’t your own, and you’re just looking after it all for them and not for you. It then starts to become a routine, and they make you do things which you wouldn’t normally do; an utter clean up or just making sure that nothing is broken or out of place. That’s placing an idea in your mind that you ‘must be perfect’, you ‘must be in line’ or ‘in check’ with all of your belongings, they scare you into believing that behaving like this is the only way in which your landlord approves of is an Ideology.

Role of Ideologies – What is Right and Wrong

You’re in a relationship with a person. To make each other happy whilst living together, you must complete a set of tasks that you have placed in your mind to enable that your other half is happy, and vice-visa.
Many years ago, and in some cultures today, the woman will find themselves house driven, keeping the house ship shape and beautiful every day. The men will create the income, getting money and valuables to the house hold and ensure that he stays as the man of the house. The Ideology is that woman must be woman and men must be men. Whilst being brought up in a certain environment with such an idea then places the image in your own mind, saying that ‘this is who I should be because I saw it’. Even though today there isn’t this imbalance between male and female, as men can complete womens tasks, and women can complete men tasks, but they are still stuck in an Ideology that they are doing these sorts of tasks, these ‘male’ or ‘female’ jobs.

There’s just something manly about doing dishes.

Then you think about the government, and the way the country changes by the power of one person. From their words, there is then provided a plan of action towards the people to ensure everything is going the right way. The set guidelines for education, teaching people at younger ages to follow the set rules provided to get by in life, controlling them in a way which is quite innocent. Or even the work place, and how retail workers and freelancers both have different income even though they may or may not do the exact same amount of work. The unfair balance that doesn’t seem unfair if you have been told it’s not

The Ideology of Other Cultures/Countries

Another example of an Ideology is our view upon other cultures. May you come from any place in the world, you would have been fed information as a child to ensure that you see a certain country in a different light. Or you could have been told by a friend who happened to travel to a country, explaining; “It’s totally like it said in the brochure!”

Take India for example (Kwintessential, India, 2012). Their culture is so magical, artistic and inspiring to many, with their much colourful clothing and the idea of celebration is truly incredible. But when you look past that, and find that there’s so much more to India then meets the eye on adverts and leaflets is that we only see what we want to see of India because that is what attracted us in the first place. When something else falls into our comfort zone, there’s a chance that a person could get pushed away from the Indian Ideology, could realise that this culture isn’t what they were told it was. But, as this rarely happens because of tour guides, certain maps telling you to go certain areas, or being stuck in just one area, stops the sheep from running of and realising the truth, keeping themselves in a Utopian heaven and caged in their own bubble of satisfaction.