Today, I got a tattoo.
And I learned a lot about growing up in Russia in the 1990's.
My tattoo artist, Julian, told me with a heavy accent about how he decided to become a tattoo artist. He said he was going to art school, which his father did not approve of at all (sound familiar?) and he and a friend found a magazine on a building's fire escape that was full of American Tattoo Art. His friend convinced him that they ought to drop out of school and start tattooing. So, they dropped out of school, built a machine, and made needles out of guitar strings that they filed to make into needles.
He said, "I busted a lot of people up, but I fucking learned, man."
While Julian did not tattoo me with sharpened guitar strings, he did tell me how he came to America, to live in Orlando, Florida. You'll be happy to know that we bonded over our hatred of Disney World for awhile. While in Orlando, Julian saved up enough money to buy his own machines and guns, hanging out in other local tattoo shops to learn new techniques. He said, "In Europe, they all want small cars and small houses and small dreams. In America, they say, 'FUCK YOU, I want a huge house and a big truck and I'll do what I want! I love America!"
So, made me think of the Networking that Anil Dash described in his video. If we are all introduced into the same sorts of networks, how do we use these tools we are given to further ourselves and our society, or government, like Dash suggests? God knows I haven't used any guitar strings to start tattooing people in Russia, but the point is that I network the same way Julian did -- only in a different context.
I don't play video games. So, our two TED Talks on gamers almost flew over my head. Except for the fact that I began thinking of the implications of these games and motivations in my everyday life. We are given Turkey Bucks at the grocery store. Coffee stamps on our card at the Daily. Champ Change all over campus. We are given rewards for our actions all over the place. So, how do we start using these for good? I don't know, but it's something I'm going to start thinking about.
By the way, who the fuck gets a PhD in Gaming? That chick knows what's up.
Wow very personal blog post...Enlightening.
ReplyDeleteI think your first question about Anil Dash is captivating. I think that we are not put into the same networks, not even close. When I hear Anil talk it feels to me like he is imagining this all connected world of opportunity. The fact is that your tattoo artist had to tattoo people with guitar strings because he didn't have the same opportunities as other people. He had to work harder the Anil who seemed to have opportunities to meet new people and build his own network. I am going to have to disagree with you and Anil. When you say "only in a different context" you really mean it is similar in the fact that your paths both lead you to similar places. You paths(networks), in my opinion, are very different.