Is the end of world imminent?

In this days is usually to listen that people says things like this: "According to Maya`s prophecies 2012 is the date of great cataclysms like floods, earthquakes and tsunamis";  "The corruption of Catholic church, the conflicts and wars around the world, the new viral sickness are unanswerable signals of the Apocalypsis, you must read the sacred texts, we are in the end of the times, regrets of your sins". But, is really the end of world imminent? We need regrets of our sins?

The last year wasn`t the Judgement Day .

In year 2000, date of end of millennium, all people was worried. According to theory`s of the moment the collapse of informational systems could to break a nuclear holocaust. But nothing was happen and all people was happy until the Maya`s prophecy turns in popular knowledge. The profecy of the moment says that Mayas  people, an advanced civilization that disappear mysteriously and that developed precise and high detailed studies of cosmic cycles, could have predicted the end of a cosmic cycle that could represents the end of solar system and consequently the annihilation of Earth. It`s popular interpretation derives of the following fact: "According the scientific calculations the Maya`s calendar finish in the year 2012". The logic of the popular interpretation reveal that the form in what`s occidental reason concibed the time is linear. It means that the facts in the natural order has a develop determinated by the succesive relation of causes and consequences until an indeterminated anomaly marks the end of the serie; for example, in religious natural order the situation that marks the end of the succesion of causes and consequences is designated the Judgement Day. Then, the possibility that a consequence turns into a pure cause is impossible because that involves that natural order of the facts could be circular. Precisely, the maya`s reason conceive the order of the facts in a circular way, and it`s implies that times return. Because of, a linear reason can`t be used to understand the way in that a circular reason conceive/construct the natural-social world: that times has a neccesarily is so different to that times return. By this I don`t share te opinion of fatalistic people that lives in a fatalistic world. The end of a cicle is just the end of cicle and the beginning of a new "somersault".

The famous Maya`s calendar.

I don`t believe in apocalyptics theories, the "end of world" is part of a teleological system of ideas and I think that teleology is a mechanism of mental control developed in societies where inequalities is the estructural principle of order. By this reason I prefer not to talk you what I would do in the remaining time I have; it`s is really irrelevant because the end of "the personal world" could be today or the day after tomorrow and you shouldn`t to planificate your life, you just should try to feel comfortable and enjoy your days: the end of the world happens all days a lot of times. Then, is most amusin to think that Maya`s cosmological thinkers were joking us.

A possible answer to the mistery.

Remember friends, the Judgement Day could be today. I see you in march.
 

Ecological practices.

Today I’ll talk about the ecological practices. Honestly I must recognize that I’m not an ecological person, I don’t have much time for develop this type of activity. But in my apartment, my roommates are very green persons. They participate in ecological organizations, making gardens and recycling garbage. So, in our apartment we have the politics of to recycle some elements of the garbage like plastic, paper, cardboard, and organic residues. But, I don’t do more than this. I just cooperate with the planet being careful with the garbage, not smoking, using my legs instead the public transport and recycling in my house.

The first house made of bottles in África.

But, I think that I’m a strange case in my friends circle because today all people are ecological. The ecology and the love for the nature has become in the fight flag of many organizations. And this is because today that topic is widely discussed in the internet and the news. Also in the schools has installed environmentally friendly practices, encouraging the children to care for the earth and nature.

Children working in organic agriculture.



I would like participate in some organization, like “Greenpeace” for example, but I don’t have much time. The university consume my entire time and I think that this type of organization require so much commitment and a complete dedication. Also I would like to have a bike, because this is a great way of reduce the contamination and the vehicular congestion. But I don’t have money for now, so I have to keep using my legs…

Regards, see you in class!

The place that I would like to visit before dying...

Hello everybody, in this time I’ll to talk about the place that I would like to visit before dying.

First of all I have to say that I would like to know all my country before to visit another country. And one place that is really interesting for me is Easter Island. Why this place? I think that this island is like another country into Chile. They are very different culture, in fact, the rapanui people doesn’t feel like “chilean people”.

Rapanuis on the beach of Anakena.

I knew this place through of a subject that I took in the university, called “Etnology of Rapa Nui Culture”. In this subject I learned different aspects of this culture: it history, the colonization process, the traditions, etc. I would like to know this place, especially for the “Tapati”, the cultural carnival of the island. This carnival last long ten days, and it consist in reproduce the ancestral traditions of the island. For example in the Tapati, rapanui people recreate ancestral sports like “Vaka Tuai”, where each team should recreate a traditional boat of Polynesia. Another activity is called “Takona” and consists in a competition of body painting. This competition is very particular because the participants keep the ancestral technique based in to mix the natural pigments of the island and to describe, in front of the audience, the meaning of the painting.

Rapanui body painting.

As anthropologist I would like to visit this place, live with the natives and learned about them. Definitely I would like to do ethnography about the rapanui culture.

Have a good day!

Looking for the meaning of life.

Is really difficult for me to talk about that, because is a topic very deep, complex and transcendental. What is the sense of life? Can somebody define it? Honestly I can’t define the sense of life, but I can say something about it.

Life is something complicated. To live in this social system is a challenge every day: You have to fight with the stupid demands of this system, like “to study for obtain a job”, then you have to agree to any job and work all day long, without time for you, without time for to be happy and develop your spirituality or your mind. So, how can you ask for the sense of life? There’s no time for questions like these. In this accelerated and individualist world there’s no time for deep questions. The human beings are required to carry out with the demands of the capitalist system: to study, to work, to get money, to produce for the system. And that is the wheel of life, there’s no space for develop yourself.

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       Young man holding a banner.

However, I’m conscious about that. Always I’m thinking in my life, in what I want of this life. I think in the way of get out of this system and to be happy. I try to think in the way of to find the sense of my life, even being inside of this system. Sometimes I’m feeling pessimistic and I can’t see the sense of life, and I think that all of us are like a piece of a big joke of god or something similar. Also, sometimes, I got happiness in little details, like the smile of my friends, the love of my family… and I think: “perhaps, the sense of life is in these small things”, and enjoy them is to know the real secret. 

See you soon!

A great truth.

A little about my life project.

This time I´m going to talk about my life project, about some plans I have for near and distant future. First, I will refer to my future plans on a personal and emotional level. Then, I will refer to those related to my studies and work. Finally, I will refer to life projects of another nature.

The university has required me great sacrifices, especially in the emotional and familiar sphere. The principal of these sacrifices has been away from my family and friends to come and study in Santiago. Moreover, the distance and lack of time not allow me to travel frequently. As a result, have been weakened the relationships with mi family and friends. For this reason, in short term I intend to finish my studies, back to lands and retrieve last time. That is, spend a long time with my family and friends, without concern for essays or examinations. I want to do the trips that I could not do with them; I want to celebrate the festivities that we does not celebrated together; I want to talk with them about everything that we did not discussed.

About my academics projects, my main project is to finish my studies with good marks, to make a profitable practice in a motivating place, and to prepare a good “tesis”.  In the medium term, perhaps in a few years, I would like to apply for a graduate program abroad. I would like to specialize in political science or international relations. In relation to my work projects I have no thought, but anyway I would work anywhere where I can work on issues of interest to me.

Also, I would like to enroll in a political party. I think the institutional policy must be reformed and the only way is that people participate in it. Also, in the future, I would like to make a long trip, I do not know where, but I think we need some time away from all responsibilities and roles that society expects us to fulfill.

Nothing more to say. Greetings to all.

Southern of Chile. In the background Volcán Osorno.

Free Topic: Living in Santiago.

Today I’ll talk to you about that means for me live in Santiago. I have lived in Santiago during six years. I came to this city for to study, because always I wished study in University of Chile, so I’m here.

I’m from Puerto Montt and when I came to this city I though “It’s so different!” The people were very cold, and distant, many of them don’t saluted. It was so hard used to this lifestyle: accelerated, individualist, hottest. But through the time I learned to appreciate the good things of this part of my country and I founded very nice people, beautiful and interesting places, inexpensive and great restaurants and bars.

But what I like of Santiago is, undoubtedly, its wide range of cultural shows. Theatre, dance, music, opera, zoo, etc. Unfortunately I don’t have much time for enjoy of all activities, but when I can, I like go to museums, libraries and walk around of the historic town. The neighborhood Lastarria, for example, is really beautiful, and it has many stores and coffees. It’s a place very quiet for read a book or takes pictures.

After all, I think that I like so much this city. Every time I travel around the city, I like it more.

Santiago. A view from the Cerro San Cristóbal.

A supernatural experience.

I woke up that morning feeling really strange. I didn’t know exactly what it was but at once I remembered the last night. It was the strangest night of my life. I remembered that I was in the field, alone, walking around of the corn growing of my father. And suddenly I saw an intense light in the sky. The light was so intense and brilliant that blinded me.

Before of these events I was reading about some strangers finds in the town. Some of these events were: sighting in different places, some of those have been described as small flickering lights. Some people also have seen strange drawings in their fields, seems to the famous “crop circles”. I never was interested in this kind of things. It’s typical of small towns that people invent things and fantasy stories. But now, seeing what has happened and my own experience I think that I must start to believe.

That night in the field I felt a deep shiver and I felt that I wasn’t alone… somebody or something was watching me. Indeed I wasn’t alone. That morning I woke up on a stretcher. Around me they were, looking me, studying, they was taking some tests. I don’t know what they wanted; I don’t remember it very well. Now I feel that a piece of me stayed with them, and I’m no longer part of this world.

Anthropomorphic extraterrestrial entity.

Indigenous peoples from Andaman Islands tribe threatened by lure of mass tourism.

Striking news about the situation of the indigenous peoples from Andaman Islands. Gethin Chamberlain, a journalist from The Guardian, reports that it people is threatened by tourism business and the neglicence of who break the rules of the policy of non-interaction established by the State. According to Survival International, a human rights group, the precarious situation of indigenous is due to the lack of commitment from government.

This press release has publicly exposed the situation that is affecting to the indigeous peoples from a jungle reserve on South Andaman. Tour operators, associated with local police, have developed a lucrative bussiness from "human safari". A video shows how female members of Jarawa tribe, a reclusive tribe only recently contacted, are commanded to dance for tourist. Who commands is a police officer who says: "Dance for me...", "...I give you food". Pursuant to Chamberlain tourist threw bananas and biscuits to the tribespeople at the roadside, as they would to animals in a safari park.

Consulted on situation the superintendent of police for South andaman admit they are powerless to prevent some contact between the tribe and the tourists. He says that people should understand the policy of non-interaction and respect the rules. When he was asked about irregularities from police, he admits some officers are breaking the rules: "There may be incidents where our officers are negligent, and we have take action."

Apparently the government has tried to make and effort to protect indigenous peoples. In 2007 established a buffer zone around the reserve, hoping to protect the Jarawa tribe from further interaction will the outside world. But the safaris go on, four each way, dai in, day out. Although the authorities have cut the number of convoys to eight a day. However the supreme court ordered in 2002 close the road completely. According to the government, they will not close the road completely because too many people rely on it.

The great question seems to be: shut the Jarawa off from the world for ther own good, or allow those sho want to make contact to do so?

Dr. Anstice Justin, head of the Antropological Survey of India in Port Blair, thinks the only solution is to keep them apart from outsiders for as long as possible. He says that a "forced coexistence would be total genocide for them." While, Sophie Grig believes in the importance of the right to decide. She thinks that closing the road would at least allow the tribe to decide whether it has contact. On the other hand, the local MP has argued that trying to keep the Jarawa apart is futile.

At last, the future of the indigenous peoples from Andaman Islands is daunting. As pointed out the superintender of police for South Andaman: "Humans will be humans". However the concerns of some organizations and individuals delivers hope.

You can read the entire story in the link below:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/07/andaman-islands-tribe-tourism-threat?intcmp=239. 

                                                   Jarawa tribe Dancing for tourist in exchange for food.

I´m in a room classes. My friends (from private universities) in the beach.

In these days I prefer not to visit facebook. The last time that I did it I read things like these: “The last test and I will be on vacation”, “The latest effort”, “I don´t know what to do on vacation...”, “Tomorrow, I will do nothing but watch TV”. The next week It will be worse. Probably most of my friends will be on the beach! Meanwhile, I will be studying for one of the many tests that we are beginning to take.

I don’t envy them, I just feel cheated. Someone said life is not fair; now more than ever, I give it all the reason! We were mobilized for more than five months, like stoic “postmodern heroes”. And, what we achieve with this? A small adjustment in the education budget, which also will benefit both public and private universities. Further, private university students continued with classes regularly and now they enjoy vacations. And what´s more, the students number of private universities increased by over fifty percent. It´s inusual and shocking! And this is our situation… we still have a whole month of classes, another month doing research work and studying for tests, and finally when classes over, classes start again. Is like a tragicomedy! I just hope that we grant that this summer the temperature doesn´t too high.

Whatever, each Hinzpeter´s ulcer, each new Larraín´s wrinkle, and each Piñera´s white hair still worth.

With four days of Christmas, yours “the ostrich”.

Work in summer isn´t impossible.

¿Everything has an end?

Beyond doubt, it was a fruitful experience. Most of the time I enjoy it. Only sometimes it was tedious, i think because clases were very early and I was sleepy. But I think, in general, the writing is not an activity that may displease someone, it is a fascinating way to socialize that you have in and you want to communicate. While, it is true that communicate in a foreign language is a particular experience. No only one sees limited his linguistic resources, especially when not handled properly the foreign language, but should try to connect to different ways of expression, peculiar to this language. This is extremely difficult at first, but as time passes begins to become easier and more enjoyable. It is a good way to write about everyday things like food, travel, books, music, photos that we like. These are the things that you talk normally and, therefore, it is easier and even useful in terms of learning a foreign language to talk about these things. It is also a good idea to be able to read the writings of other students because you can go looking for different ways to say the same thing. This can be learning new forms of expression that one would not have thought of. It is also good that the blogs are written during class time, as well one takes the time corresponding to perform activities without having to allow extra time. However, it is also in part a problem because the class time is not always enough to write as much as one tries to express.

The topics on which we write were entertaining, although it should have always existed the possibility to choose between two topics, like the time in which we had to choose between a food and a favorite book. Definitely, it was a good experience and I feel I could improve my level ofEnglish expression in some degree.

A part in spanish a part in english.

About social ties in city, between the flesh and stone.

The last book I read was Flesh and Stone: The Body And The City In Western Civilization. It was written by Richard Sennett, an eminent American sociologist and professor at London School of Economics. It`s an essay about the history of body conceptions in the Western civilization. The core is the way in that the body conceptions are linked with city conceptions. In this sense, Sennett points out that the form of the city is crossed by different meanings that articulate senses of human relations. To justify the plot the author exhibits the presence of the body conceptions, its character and the inherent relations with the physical and symbolical form that the city acquires in different places in the history of Western civilization. The sociologist began analizing the situation in the Athens of Pericles, the Imperial Rome and the medieval Venice to end with an analysis of modern cities. The chapter that I consider most interesting is that that analyses the implications of the transition from pagans beliefs to Christianity in the meanings associated to the body and the city in the Imperial Rome. According to Sennett it was a transition from an exalting of “flesh and stone“ to an annullment of the body, that is expressed in a “ pilmigraje in time” of Christianity.  Moreover, the text evidences the differences between the ancient and the modern Christianity, as well as the inconsistency between Christian dogmas and their social practices. Definitely, it’s an excellent essay in sociological terms. Its arguments are clear, fairly convincing and innovative. In addition, the author is one of the voices more important in the field of urban sociology. There's no doubt this is a book that social sciences students and people interested in the sociocultural processes linked to the development of the cities should read.

Title page of the essay.

The best day of my life?

I don`t have a best day in my life, but i have a lot of good times. I don´t believe in the possibility of define my life by a special moment. Perhaps not even through many good times. Not even all of them would suffice.  Although it might be able to say much about it. In this sense there are moments in our lives that can be significant for all. At least that's what they tell us.  Could this mean that our lives are more alike than we think? In some ways it may be so. But I think it's more a matter of uniform narrative strategies. Society tells us what we must relieve. Society makes us believe that we have a better day in our lives. Anyway, now I must talk about the best day of my life and I am in a small mess. Try to make it as simple as possible.

1. The best day of my life was when I was born.

2. I don´t remember that important day.

3. But I suppose it must have not been a nice day, at least in my opinion: I was born in mid-July, in mid of a typical rainstorm in southern Chile.

4. Why is it important? It is important for example for purposes of fulfilling my “English” work. Of course, apart from other considerations.

5. What is special about it? I suppose my mother was present. She wore hospital clothes and I was naked. There was a bald men dressed in white and a few little women who went from one place to another. They looked at me weird and I am not understand what was happening. In fact, I not understand yet what happens. Think of it, I do not know what is special about this. But it is special.

6. It was great. I hope born again.



The average family.



My darling notebook. My favourite piece of technology

I got my notebook four years ago when I join into university.  I bought it because my desktop computer was heavy and I can`t carry it from Puerto Montt to Santiago. A notebook is a light device and in this sense is easily transportable. Moreover, the hardware performance is similar to desktop computer; you can play movies or play videogames if you want. Furthermore, notebooks are easily of use: it physical use is easily comprehensible and operative systems generally are very intuitive. As if this were not enough reasons, you can use it in any place and when you want if supply battery is appropriately charged.

I bought my notebook particularly because in a social sciences discipline students must write essays frequently, and read books of a lot of pages that are un-printables –by a saving an a ecological issues. Moreover, when I join into university I discover an additional need: connectivity. We need connect with classmates and teachers to send them digital documents, to solve doubts or to draw up a plan for study. By it I use my notebook all day of weeks, at least thirty minutes by day. Sometimes I must use my notebook the whole day.

Notebook is a very useful piece of technology, especially for universitary students. Without it diary activities could be most difficult. I love it.

My darling notebook.

Seúl: the hipermetrópolis.

I would like to visit Seúl, the capital of South Korean. It`s the second most populated city in the world next Tokyo. It`s population is around thirteen millions in the city and around twenty five millions in the metropolitan area. The population density is of 17,219 hab./km, the double of Santiago`s population density. Because of this, it`s a very interesting place to observe the social dynamics and the individual behavior of people in extreme proximity. Another reason is the incredible total number of cars that amount to seventeen millions of units, seventeen times the total numbers of cars of Santiago. Because of this, it`s a very interesting place to observe the effects of incessant movement and his consequences in human spatiotemporal perception. How you see, is a fascinating place to field work and socioanthropological observation. However I didn`t like to live there, by an issue of mental health.

I would like to go in good company, but can be an interesting experience to go alone.

I didn`t saving money to go there because I use my savings in more immediate things, but would be a good idea begin to saving.

Time is off. Regards.

Seúl in the day

Seúl at night

Music to cheer up!

Sadness caused us a lot of problems. To top it all, sadness has no a definitive solution. Fortunately, are a lot of distractions for absent-mind. Distractions such as counting up to five thousands and half, reading about why cockerels crown, sing songs in Irish or to go out thinking about crab mortality. Things like that will help you to mitigate the sadness. However, today, I will recommend you something that I hardly ever do: to listen to music to cheer up!

As you know, exist an innumerable number of musical styles. Someones more pleasing to the ears than anothers. Thinking in the lesser of two evils I recommend you music from Baroque period. Quoting to Wikipedia, Baroque is an artistic style prevalent from the late 16th century to the early 18th century in Europe that produce works in fields like the literature, sculpture, painting, arquitecture, dance and music. In music, the most valuable composers are Johann Sebastian Bach, George Frideric Haendel and Antonio Vivaldi. Particularly I like Haendel`s and Vivaldi`s pieces such as Sarabande and the oratorio Messiah, by the first one, and The Four Seasons, by the last one. From this last opus I enjoy specially Winter and Autumn concerts by the stridency, the emotive and the explosiveness of the Nature. I think that Four seasons is a spectacular methafor from human nature. In this sense, I propose you and “emotional homeopathic terapy” in where humans passions faced human passions.

With nothing further to add, yours respectfully, the baroque ostrich!

Anthropology resources in the Net.

Today I would to present you a very interesting website related to anthropology thematics. The name of the website is Naya. It means "Noticias de Antropología y Arqueología". It  is described as a virtual city of anthropology for spanish-speakers. It was designed and is managed by argentinian anthropologists. In the website you can to find out about current affairs in world anthropology and archaeology. Besides, you can find out information about specifics matters like rock art, ethnohistory, cultural identity, myths and legends, cultural heritage, urban anthropology, museology, globalization or world religions. Furthermore there is information about the main events of anthropology in Spanish America, like official conferences, exhibitions and cultural interventions.

Is remarkable the urban anthropology section. At this you can find out papers, presentations of conferences and links to online journals specializing in the topic. For example, it is several papers of important researchers like the Spanish philosopher and anthropologist Jesús Martín Barbero or the French anthropologist and EHESS`s lecturer Michel Agier.

If you are interested to visit the website you must to click on the following link http://www.naya.org.ar/.

Thank you for your interest! Regards.



Naya`s website snapshot.



Overture.

If you are waiting for a interesting blog, dont let your time and leave this site rigth now. It is a place for the nonsense and the unimportant things, like the white feathers of the ostrich. If you like misspend your time you are welcome to venture into this place. Anyway, time is only an illusion.

Thank you for your interesting! Regards.