In “Fifty Shades of Greyhound,” Harrison Scott Key praises the idea of a “bus person.” A bus person, he says, is not like a plane person, who is pretentious and talks about skiing or doesn’t talk to you at all because they will be off the plane in a few hours and why would they […]
#commonplace
Stupid Americans or Stupid Europeans: Commonplace
In America the Marvelous by A. A. Gill, the commonly held notions between the view of America from a European lens is explained. “Americans are stupid, crass, ignorant, soul-less, naïve oafs without attention, irony, or intellect” This is a commonly understood way of how Europeans view Americans, and in all honesty, it is correct. The […]
Selfie and the way of the influencer: Commonplace
“much of the negativity that surrounds social media and selfies can be contextualised within broader cultures of youth shaming” Something that I found lacking in this article was the way in which Cardell and Douglas, perhaps, do not fully understand social media from the aspects of Gen-Z. Specifically, I want to highlight the fact that in […]
Going it Alone- Rehawa Haile
Going it Alone- Rehawa Haile Progym: Commonplace Rehawa Haile opens up her story with a seemingly normal everyday activity, being hiking. Hiking is done all over the world, by all different types of people. As she hikes she is approached by a stranger coming from the opposite direction. This is when she gets hit by […]
“Going It Alone,” by Rahawa Haile
Progym: Commonplace With its mild humor and compelling, dynamic narrative, I found Haile’s “Going It Alone,” extremely insightful, and topical. It highlights a major human flaw, and one that is very noticeable in our modern American society: we, at large, are stuck in the past, be that in racism, xenophobia, or the like. One could […]
A Small Place – Jamaica Kincaid
Jamaica Kincaid uses Commonplace throughout her book in order to expose the system that has been the root of all the corruption in her country, rather than a single person or persons. In the book she talks about the colonization of Antigua and how the English loved their country so much that they tried to […]
Corrupt Islands
Type of Progym: Commonplace About two days after Election Day, I continue to feel extremely cynical about my home island’s government. While Kincaid showcased a lovely side to Antigua, she even compares the beauty of the island to “a stage set for a play” (77), I couldn’t help but focus on her criticism about Antigua’s […]
Commonplace – The Role(s) of Gender in Advertising
Understanding where the aspects of the advertisement industry originate is quite intriguing given the role that advertisements have on popular culture and society as a whole. I could always see that women were deemed as “consumers” by the advertisement world given the commonly held notion that women like to shop, and men do not; whereas, […]
Supposedly Fun Thing Part 2
In the latter part of his essay, Wallace starts describing the faults and dissatisfactions he now sees in things he previously marveled at. The commonplace vices he now sees in the aggressively loud flush of his toilet, the embarrassing dance routines, the too-small tray holding places under his door were all things he marveled at […]
The Tourist Gaze “Revisited” by Urry
Progym: Commonplace Many people like to describe tourism as “going out to see the world,” or going abroad to “see things.” In this way, travel is considered a purely visual exercise, and the “tour” in tourism is taken very literally as if at all times you are following a guide, going where he goes, in […]