Here is the doc:
Here is my first email. I'm rather long-winded and I tend to ramble whereas Prof. Daynes clearly provides short, succinct and thoughtful responses without being wordy.
"I think what fascinates me about this skateboarding in Afghanistan is the way that it demonstrates that teenagers seem to be the same and have the same interests all over the world. I'm making blanket statements of course, but there are certain things/hobbies/interests, like skateboarding, that interest groups of people no matter their location or countries. It may not be skateboarding per se. I saw a documentary at Sundance a few years ago about Palestinian rappers. They were part of a Palestinian subculture that was into rap music. They were inspired by some American rappers and they had started rapping. I don't remember too much of the documentary at the moment, but much like the skateboarders in Afghanistan, they were just a part of some youth minority that had an interest in something that interests a lot of American youth.
The documentary also made me think about a recent Malcolm Gladwell article about Twitter and social networking. I don't know if you read that article. Its here: http://www.newyorker.com/
It was interesting and raised some interesting points. I think as a whole I mostly agree with Gladwell in that I think social networking does connect us and help spread ideas, but Twitter doesn't really connects society or people in a way that motivates them to action; or the action that it does produce isn't nearly as effective as the action that personal interaction can and does produce. I'm not entirely sure if that was his main thesis, but that's what I got out of it.
So while I don't think Twitter is really an effective tool for a revolution, I think even Gladwell admits social networking spreads ideas and connects people. With current technology, skateboarders in Afghanistan can watch Tony Hawk videos and stream things like the X Games. They can easily connect with a community of skateboarders all over the world. Much like the boys that rapped could download rap songs and listen to them as they walked to school in Palestine.
I think that I think there is more to these stories that what is presented on it's face. I think it's beyond just a small group of teenagers finding interest in American pop culture or hobbies. For starters, these are two hotly contested parts of the world that definitely have a strong anti-American sentiment in parts or throughout the entire country. Here is a group of youth that are interested in an "American" activity. Granted, they aren't waving an American flag or anything, but the gap between a 15 year old in Kabul, Afghanistan and the 15 year old in Long Beach, CA just shrunk dramatically - through skateboarding and the internet. They may have vastly different backgrounds and nothing else in common, but they have skateboarding. They may not agree on anything else in life, but having at least one common interest does wonders to break down barriers and prejudices.
I'm not pretending to think that skateboarding and rapping can and will resolve the ongoing issues between the US and Afghanistan or Israel/US and Palestine. But can't skateboarding or rapping sort of help bridge that gap? Doesn't it build common ground? Isn't there a connection now with youth in Kabul and those in the US or other parts of the world? And while I realize that peace won't happen because of skateboarding, couldn't it contribute? Doesn't most major change take place through small scale items/events? What if those small scale things were things like this skate school in Afghanistan? Couldn't someone like Tony Hawk have a greater impact on Afghanistan than Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama? What if skateboarding continues to grow and many youth adore Tony Hawk because of what they watch on facebook or youtube and some of those youth have high ranking parents who arrange for Tony to do summer camps in Kabul? Eventually skateboarding takes off and skate parks are built all over the country. At the very least you have two groups of people that are a part of two countries that are fighting, but those two small groups share an interest unrelated to the fighting. Surely that has to count for something.
Or what if Eminem arranges for a international Arabic rap contest to be held in Palestine. Seems unlikely and difficult for travel arrangements, but through facebook and twitter they could arrange some underground meeting/concert. Suddenly, teens from all over the Arab world are gathered to have a rap duel. I'm sure a lot, if not all would have different views politically or religiously, but as youth things like that aren't as important as rap music. Differences would be set aside for the music and in the end they would walk away having enjoyed their time with each other."
Prof. Daynes response:
"To me the question turns on how important politics (or revolution in the Gladwell case) are in maintaining a good society. If you think they are very important, then you need systems to create the sorts of ties that Gladwell talks about. Those same ties are important in other settings where close connections and sacrifice matter--religion, families, the military, rock bands, etc.
But I think most of our world functions pretty well on superficial connections and similarities. After all, you don't have to be close friends to shop, learn, talk, solve problems, etc. And it is true that sometimes weak ties lead to stronger ones. So in your example, if you got 20 skaters from Long Beach and 20 skaters from Afghanistan together, most would get along OK, a few wouldn't get along at all, and a couple would find that skating was just the first step to a life-long friendship. The challenge comes when those weak ties are stressed by conflict or disagreement. Then what do you rely on to solve the problem. Good will? Friendship? Law? Power?"
My Response:
"I think what fascinates me is how 20 years ago, these connections between kids in Long Beach and Afghanistan could only be realized if they were pen pals or if the groups did an exchange program or something to the other's country. In that situation though, only those that made strong ties (life-long friendship group) in their short time together would continue the interactions. Everyone else would fall by the wayside and lose connection.
Now however, these groups are not only able to be introduced to each other through short videos and documentaries on YouTube, but they can then connect through facebook and other forms of communication. Like you said, some will forget about the other group, some will maintain a mild acquaintance, and some will really pursue their connection and friendship.
I think I'm fascinated by it because this is available to so many people whereas before these connections were only available to those that actually went to the country and found out when they got there that there were people in Afghanistan that like to skateboard just like I do. I realize that I'm one of the last people to be so 'wowed' by social media. Something about this just hit me for some reason. I think it was the realization that two countries that are so far apart politically and ideologically, actually have some (and probably many) things in common, especially at the youth level. I don't think Twitter can start revolutions as argued by Gladwell. At some point you need the human interaction I think. But the social media can at least connect you initially on some levels with vastly different people and let you know that it would be worth your while to purse that human interaction.
I think I was also fascinated by it because of the point you mention at the end of where do these people with weak ties through skateboarding turn when there is conflict? Is skateboarding enough of a tie to settle future differences? Probably not unless the tie was turned into a long term friendship. What do you rely on? War and power I guess. Seems to be the answer at the moment."
His response:
"It is interesting how connections like these change people's sense of identity and the ways they communicate their identities. Twenty years ago not only would they have had to be pen pals, but also their main identities would be national--Afghani and American. Now when these kids get together their main(or at least their first) identities are as skaters. They communicate their identities differently also--through brands and skate tricks rather than through language, flags, etc. It makes me wonder what will be the bases of our identities in the future. Will they remain tied to family, state, job, country, or will they be based on some other thing entirely?"
My Response:
"How important are those identities you mention? In particular I'm wondering about the national/country identity. I agree that I think that these kids don't recognize their nationality as their main identity. I think these other identities (skating) can/will be good in breaking barriers and these identities are probably what distinguishes the younger generation from the present older generation. I don't think that a national identity is that important to an Afghani. I don't know actually. I'm just basing that off of what little I know about Iraqi's or some other middle eastern countries where national identity isn't as big of a deal as other countries, at least not as big of a deal as their family or religious identity. But the American identity, for better or worse, has been such a strong identity for Americans for so long. I wonder if there is any long term negative consequences for losing the American identity. I know that people/studies/whomever always say that the breakdown of the family or fatherless homes leads to people joining gangs; or a loss of a family identity contributes to people joining gangs. If these kids base their identity off of some other thing and it's no longer the traditional family, state, country, will that produce a good result - stronger and unique ties and understanding between people from all parts of the globe? Or a negative result - stronger ties with random people from all over, but no longer a sense of identity with your own neighbors and people community?"
I think that last sentence/question adequately sums up the thoughts on the video. That's the reward for anyone that actually read all of this. You could have found out the main thought that I had/have about this if you would have just skipped to the end. Sorry.
My Response:
"I think what fascinates me is how 20 years ago, these connections between kids in Long Beach and Afghanistan could only be realized if they were pen pals or if the groups did an exchange program or something to the other's country. In that situation though, only those that made strong ties (life-long friendship group) in their short time together would continue the interactions. Everyone else would fall by the wayside and lose connection.
Now however, these groups are not only able to be introduced to each other through short videos and documentaries on YouTube, but they can then connect through facebook and other forms of communication. Like you said, some will forget about the other group, some will maintain a mild acquaintance, and some will really pursue their connection and friendship.
I think I'm fascinated by it because this is available to so many people whereas before these connections were only available to those that actually went to the country and found out when they got there that there were people in Afghanistan that like to skateboard just like I do. I realize that I'm one of the last people to be so 'wowed' by social media. Something about this just hit me for some reason. I think it was the realization that two countries that are so far apart politically and ideologically, actually have some (and probably many) things in common, especially at the youth level. I don't think Twitter can start revolutions as argued by Gladwell. At some point you need the human interaction I think. But the social media can at least connect you initially on some levels with vastly different people and let you know that it would be worth your while to purse that human interaction.
I think I was also fascinated by it because of the point you mention at the end of where do these people with weak ties through skateboarding turn when there is conflict? Is skateboarding enough of a tie to settle future differences? Probably not unless the tie was turned into a long term friendship. What do you rely on? War and power I guess. Seems to be the answer at the moment."
His response:
"It is interesting how connections like these change people's sense of identity and the ways they communicate their identities. Twenty years ago not only would they have had to be pen pals, but also their main identities would be national--Afghani and American. Now when these kids get together their main(or at least their first) identities are as skaters. They communicate their identities differently also--through brands and skate tricks rather than through language, flags, etc. It makes me wonder what will be the bases of our identities in the future. Will they remain tied to family, state, job, country, or will they be based on some other thing entirely?"
My Response:
"How important are those identities you mention? In particular I'm wondering about the national/country identity. I agree that I think that these kids don't recognize their nationality as their main identity. I think these other identities (skating) can/will be good in breaking barriers and these identities are probably what distinguishes the younger generation from the present older generation. I don't think that a national identity is that important to an Afghani. I don't know actually. I'm just basing that off of what little I know about Iraqi's or some other middle eastern countries where national identity isn't as big of a deal as other countries, at least not as big of a deal as their family or religious identity. But the American identity, for better or worse, has been such a strong identity for Americans for so long. I wonder if there is any long term negative consequences for losing the American identity. I know that people/studies/whomever always say that the breakdown of the family or fatherless homes leads to people joining gangs; or a loss of a family identity contributes to people joining gangs. If these kids base their identity off of some other thing and it's no longer the traditional family, state, country, will that produce a good result - stronger and unique ties and understanding between people from all parts of the globe? Or a negative result - stronger ties with random people from all over, but no longer a sense of identity with your own neighbors and people community?"
I think that last sentence/question adequately sums up the thoughts on the video. That's the reward for anyone that actually read all of this. You could have found out the main thought that I had/have about this if you would have just skipped to the end. Sorry.
1 comment:
Hmmm, that email exchange was interesting. I liked that documentary as well. But I think we are lending too much significance to this documentary. The bare facts stripped away from softly lit cinematography I think are telling. According to their website, two australians just happened to travel to Kabul in 2007 and started skateboarding around town, they were surrounded by kids, and then started throwing money into building a small organization in Kabul to teach skateboarding to young afghanis. You ever wonder what type of laid-back blond australian skateboarder would just travel to afghanistan in 2007 (in the midst of an armed conflict) to skateboard around a city that has been the destructive stomping grounds of US, Soviet, Pakistani, Al Qaeda, Taliban, Iranian, Saudi, and countless other unsavory intelligence organizations?
I don't want to be paranoid or cynical, but I also worry about being gullible and naive. There are probably not unmanned drones monitoring skateboarding teens, but I could see a world where the US is pushing out billions of dollars into afghanistan that some of that money makes its way into 'hearts & minds' efforts. Even more troubling, consider that the our government has often attempted to shape US domestic opinion of foreign conflicts. What makes x-box playing 30 year-olds in the US feel like at least something positive is coming out of Afghanistan--maybe a well-shot piece that demonstrates that, given a chance, afghani youth would flock to our culture.
That is worst case. What seems far more likely is that skateistan is a vanity project of a few well-to-do westerners. NGOs in conflict ridden zones seem to be sort of a badge of honor among a certain group of western elite--something to put on your facebook page, to talk about at parties, and to check on from your modernist 5,000 square foot house in malibu overlooking the pacific. I can just see the 40-something year old executive at Diesel--someone who eschews suits, reads the Huffington Post, drives a Porsche or a Prius (or both), wears 7 jeans to work, shops at whole foods (if he ever really buys groceries at all), and loves his iphone, ipad, mac air, macbook pro--who shepherded funding for this documentary through the fun quirky layout of the remodeled warehouse that Diesel uses as chic new officespace.
Or maybe not.
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