Identity Thief Charette
The Lorax Charette
The Lorax Charette The Lorax, originally a book published by Dr. Seuss and made into an animated film, is a whimsical story that unpacks environmental and socio-economic systems. It reflects on the relationship between industrialized industry and the environment. By analyzing this relationship through the lens of systems, we can identify a multitude that interact with one another and within themselves. This transdisciplinary approach to comprehending the complexity portrayed in the narrative will identify the similarities and contrasts of the systems. Concepts such as complexity theory and, cybernetics can be implemented to furnish more thorough understanding of the narrative and its underlying themes created by Dr. Seuss. While The Lorax is a quick watch with many scenes that stand out as critical to understanding the plot the one I find most impactful is the climax of the movie. In this scene the Once'ler and the Lorax stand outside of the Once'lers thneed factor
Hi Will,
ReplyDeleteWhile reading your post, one thing that struck me was the idea that Diana felt like the impostor. This was not a connection I made at first but think has some validity. Looking at the way that she uses both the quality and quantity of things to justify herself is similar to how imposters in the work place may use numerical ranking systems to help foster some self confidence that is fleeting.
I also found it interesting how you tied together the idea that the corporate structure has impacted Sandy. Looking at how others view us does shape our identities, we can see that being called useless or unappreciated can impact the way we see ourselves and build our identity.
Expanding on your and Trent's ideas regarding Diana as an imposter, it is interesting to think about the basis of subjectification. To me, this concept is relational; as Austin and Rouse note, the self is not essentialist. In my experience, if not based off some true essence, then expressions of self are manifested by relations with others. If, like in Diana's personal history, there is no basis of grounding with others, then there is no basis to establish self. We see this manifest in Diana. Without a strong relational basis, she creates her sense of self based on her immediate surroundings and her wants or needs. As we see at the end of the movie, however, relational strongholds can cause us to find some sense of self. I wonder, however, if that sense of self is really ever "true" or if it is always changing over time.
ReplyDeleteI love both of these insights! Sarah, I think you make an excellent point about Diana’s lack of authentic relationships within her life. We meet Diana, where immediate experiences and desires shape her identity. The intro bar scene highlights this nicely, where she is grasping for connection with others but only when she feels like she can provide something of value (aka lots of alcohol). Austin and Rouse's notion that the self is not essentialist aligns well with the idea that identity is constructed through our interactions with others. This phenomenon highlights the fluidity of the self, as you noted. The movie's ending, where relational strongholds offer Diana a clearer sense of self, raises an intriguing question about the permanence of identity. If our ongoing relationships and experiences are in flux, it seems our identity is also evolving. This constant evolution suggests that while we may achieve a temporary sense of self, it is never fixed but continuously shaped and reshaped over time. I find this interesting since we are caught in a culture that holds ‘just be yourself’ as the paramount advice any parent has given a child. Who are we without our relationships? It makes me think about the mental health struggles that can be so pervasive for people without a robust social network. Given that there has been so much coverage on the state of the mental health crisis in boys, driven by a lack of meaningful social connection, I wonder where identity fits into this. How can you begin forming a sense of self when you lack relationships?
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