Third Reading
Power, “Excuse Us
While We Kiss the Sky” (pp.144-157)
Part I: Definitions
(again!)
derelict (145)
subversion (146)
paraphernalia (147)
clambering (150)
ethos (150)
pseudonymous (151)
ubiquitous (152)
aficionado (153)
clandestine (153)
sublime (155)
Part II: Questions,
any 2 of the 4, in a short paragraph
1. What is the
“ethos” of urbex? Why do people risk life, limb, and law to
pursue it? How does the growth of this
sport/exploration reflect the “tourist” mentality of modern life, particularly
in major cities?
2. How does the
author experience a sense of the “sublime” while investigating the urbex
subculture? Where does he most
experience this? Would he be able to
have this experience without being “clandestine”?
3. At the end of
the essay, Power writes that “People tend to age out of urbex, to get
respectable and lose the spark of curiosity that called them to explore in the
first place. There are very few people
who doe it after 40” (157). How does
this relate to some of our previous essays, which generally center on the
travel experiences of young people (460
Days, Fifty Shades of Greyhound)?
What does youth have to do with urbex and/or exploring the world?
4. In the beginning
of the essay Garrett is hauled off a plane and arrested for his involvement in
various urbex activities (as are many of his friends). Why do you think the British Police took his
escapades so seriously, especially when he claims they are “non invasive” and
even “wholesome”? What is the risk of
twenty-somethings running around London Paris
Elyse Marquardt
ReplyDeleteDerelict: No longer cared for or used by anyone
Subversion: A systematic attempt to overthrow or undermine a government or political system by persons working secretly from within
Paraphernalia: Objects that are used to perform a particular activity
Clambering: To climb or crawl in an awkward way
Ethos: The distinguishing character or sentiment of a person or group
Pseudonymous: Bearing or using a fictitious name
Ubiquitous: Seeming to be seen everywhere
Aficionado: A person who likes and knows a lot about something
Clandestine: Done in a private place or way; done secretly
Sublime: Causing strong feelings of admiration or wonder
Question 3: When people are young, they tend to see the world in a brighter, more interested light. Urbex probably appeals so strongly to younger people because they are still so curious about what's out there. Once they grow up, they tend to lose the desire (not to mention the physical agility and stamina) to continue this hobby of clambering up walls just to see what is on the other side, or of crawling down into sewers to find century-old graffiti. It is an activity for young folks.
Question 4: "Twenty-somethings" are not the most trustworthy or responsible members of humanity. The police certainly deserve to view these individuals with some concern. Not only could they physically harm themselves by falling from a roof or catching a deathly illness in the mucky sewers; they could also (and this is more cause for concern) decide that while they are going into off-limits places anyway, why not steal something? People who are into urbex could very easily turn criminal, since they already have a lot of the paraphernalia needed for criminal activity.
Derelict- abandoned
ReplyDeletesubversion- to overthrow; cause a downfall
paraphernalia- miscellaneous articles of equipment
clambering- to climb using both hands and feet
ethos- the spirit of a culture; sentiments behind what they do
pseudonymous- bearing a false name
ubiquitous- existing or being everywhere
aficionado- a fan; enthusiast
clandestine- something done in secret
sublime- impressing the mind with a since of grandeur/inspiration
1.) I feel like the ultimate "ethos" of urbex is it is kind of like the ultimate freedom. People will do anything to achieve feeling like they are in complete control of their own lives. I think that is why people risk so much for it as well. They want to feel like nobody can tell them what to do, and it is our right to know the secrets of the city we live in or want to visit. The growth of this is affects the "tourist" state of mind because when you go there with this sense of "ethos" it is not your city, it is not your land, and you are disturbing the peace and rules they have established, however, I believe going there and doing urbex is a great thing simply because they may figure out more about the city than the people who live there already know.
3.) A big part of why people "age out of urbex" is they lose their sense of wonder. People go on these adventures and get so caught up in things, but soon it turns into a job and they lose their sense of wonder for it. They no longer enjoy the thrill of the chase. Also, when people grow up they no longer are only looking out for themselves. They have families and jobs. They can no longer risk their lives for something so exotic. Just like in "Fifty Shades of Greyhound", older people do not appreciate the awe and humility riding on a bus can do for you. The youth are so much more curious. They have yet to see the scary things of the world or the wonderful things. Curiosity is what gives our live meaning and adventure and when you grow up, you fill your kids with your adventure and watch them have the same awe you once did.
Amber Simpson
ReplyDeletederelict – abandoned.
subversion – destruction; revolution.
paraphernalia – personal belongings.
clambering – to climb, using feet and hands.
ethos – the moral element in dramatic literature that determines a character’s action rather than his or her thought or emotion.
pseudonymous – bearing a false or fictitious name.
ubiquitous – existing or being everywhere, especially at the same time.
aficionado – a fan, enthusiast.
clandestine – private.
Sublime – supreme or outstanding.
3.) In 460 Days and Fifty Shades of Greyhound, the characters were young. Young people have few responsibilities and tend to be more adventurous than older people. Being young, your mind wonders and you feel the urge to experience new things. You see your life as being “ahead of you,” so you try to do as much as you possibly can before it all catches up to you. If you hear the acronym Y.O.L.O., you usually hear a young person say it before they do something a little crazy or spontaneous.
4.) The police probably took Garret and his friends so seriously because the places they went were not supposed to be entered. Garret and his friends could have accidentally caused damage to the property. The police were so serious about it because there are thieves out there who break and enter. Honestly, with today’s society, if you hear about someone breaking into someplace, isn’t one of the first questions you ask, “Did they take anything?”
Hayden Blakemore
ReplyDeletederelict- In a very poor condition as a result of disuse and neglect.
subversion- To attempt to transform the established social order and its structures of power, authority, and hierarchy
paraphernalia- Miscellaneous articles, especially the equipment needed for a particular activity.
clambering- Climb, move, or get in or out of something in an awkward and laborious way, typically using both hands and feet.
ethos- The characteristic spirit of a culture, era, or community as manifested in its beliefs and aspirations.
pseudonymous- Writing or written under a false name.
ubiquitous- Present, appearing, or found everywhere.
aficionado- A person who is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about an activity, subject, or pastime.
clandestine- Kept secret or done secretively, especially because illicit.
sublime- Of such excellence, grandeur, or beauty as to inspire great admiration or awe.
2. He goes on various journeys with Garrett and his crew all over London. Going through its sewers, to buildings that are heavily secured, and to high places with amazing views. Everywhere he went with the crew, he became more and more like its culture and also more involved and loving of the urbex. He learned to appreciate the various places he was taken and the sights he got to experience that most people didn't. If it would have been done without secrecy, they would have been taken into custody and probably fined for trespassing.
4. The British Police are very uptight people and love to harass those who even think of "threatening security". Although, yes, some of the places that these urbex explorers go could cause some security issues that should be addressed, they shouldn't be incarcerated for exploring and seeing the sights that people marvel at. (in my opinion of course.) All they did was explore the sights and see the world in a different view. Yes, the photos could compromise security and cause places to go into risk, but Garrett also points this out and asks them to hire him and his friends as consultants to help up security of many places.
Krysta Brown
ReplyDeleteDerelict – Left or deserted, as by the owner or guardian; abandoned
Subversion – the act or instance of overthrowing and causing a downfall, ruin, or destruction of something
Paraphernalia – Equipment, apparatus, or furnishing used in or necessary for a particular activity
Clambering – to climb, using both feet and hands; climb with effort or difficulty
Ethos – the character or disposition of a community, group, person, etc.
Pseudonymous – bearing a false or fictitious name
Ubiquitous – existing or being everywhere, especially at the same time; omnipresent
Aficionado – an ardent devotee; fan, enthusiast
Clandestine – characterized by, done in, or executed with secrecy or concealment, especially for purposes of subversion or deception; private or surreptitious
Sublime – impressing the mind with a sense of grandeur or power; inspiring awe, veneration, etc.
1.) Urbex holds a sense of absolute freedom that few people have known. It provides people with a chance at control in their own life in a world where what we are given the permission to view and accept as truths. It allows you to decide for yourself whether you are going to stay behind the line and live how you are told to or if you are going to see history as it was made to be seen and felt. I don’t think that Urbex has anything to do with tourism, I think it has everything to do with traveling. To tour a place is to see what everyone is shown and experience it how every other outsider sees it. To travel to a place is to immerse yourself and learn and experience every single detail in every way possible.
2.) The moment of total awe that the author experiences occurs at the top of The Notre Dame amongst black lead shingles and gargoyles grimaces. In that moment he recounts that he is not a believer, yet he feels a sense of sublime and awe and fear. He experiences the Notre Dame how the creators of the Notre Dame wanted everyone to experience it. If the author followed the laws set to “protect” this piece of history and any people who may view it, he would never have felt this moment of sublime, he would’ve felt the same prescribed sense of awe that every tourist experiences when on a tour of the Notre Dame.
Faith Armstrong
ReplyDelete1. derelict – poor condition as a result of disuse.
2. subversion – open source version control system.
3. paraphernalia – miscellaneous articles, especially the equipment needed for a particular activity.
4. clambering – climb, move, or get in or out of something in an awkward and laborious way.
5. ethos – ethical appeal.
6. pseudonymous – writing or written under a false name.
7. ubiquitous – present, appearing, or found everywhere.
8. aficionado – a person who is very knowledgeable or enthusiastic about an activity.
9. clandestine – kept secret or done secretively.
10. sublime – inspiring awe.
3. This relates to our previous essays because they include young people who travel as well. They may have travelled when they were older as well, but it started whenever they were young. I think the correlation between young people and urbex or travelling has to do with the fact that whenever you are young, you don’t have many obligations and responsibilities to fill as you do whenever you get older. It is easier for them to be spontaneous, and to “live in the moment”, so to speak.
4. The British Police probably took his escapades so seriously because although he said they were “non-invasive”, they were, in fact, invasive. This is simply because he entered areas that were restricted. They probably thought that if he could enter, then how many other people could enter somewhere that they may have tried diligently to protect. It would be a risk to have young people that pursue urbex because there is no telling what could happen. They could break something, mess something up, or even steal things. All of the historical things that they feel the need to see on another level are protected the way they are for a reason.
1. derelict – abandoned.
ReplyDelete2. subversion – open source version control system.
3. Paraphernalia – Equipment, apparatus, or furnishing used in or necessary for a particular activity
4.. clambering – to climb, using feet and hands.
5. ethos – the moral element in dramatic literature that determines a character’s action rather than his or her thought or emotion.
6. pseudonymous – bearing a false or fictitious name.
7. ubiquitous – existing or being everywhere, especially at the same time.
8. aficionado – a fan, enthusiast.
9. Clandestine – characterized by, done in, or executed with secrecy or concealment, especially for purposes of subversion or deception; private or surreptitious
10. sublime – inspiring awe.
Q1. Some people want adventure. Since most everything has been done people want to say climb a huge church in Paris instead of a mountain. They do this because of the thrill of the possibility of being caught. To them the saying “nothing is illegal if you don’t get caught” is like a code. They want to see what the pamphlets and laws direct you away from. Like the sewers for example, there isn’t many places that will advertise “Come see the 1,200 mile stretch of sewers we have!” nor would they want to. For it might attract the wrong kind of people to their home cities.
2. How does the author experience a sense of the “sublime” while investigating the urbex subculture? Where does he most experience this? Would he be able to have this experience without being “clandestine”?
Q2. The author experiences this sense when he is about to climb the Notre Dame Cathedral. Though I don’t think he would have done it without being clandestine because the whole thrill was not getting caught. He goes into detail saying that he really wanted to climb it but also didn’t want his face all over the tabloids in France “being that idiot American that snapped off a gargoyle.” Pg 155
Preston Hawkins
ReplyDeleteQuestion 2.
In my long and extensive 20 years on this planet (obviously sarcastic) I have experienced numerous occasions that one might describe as urbex. On one occasion a few friends and I clambered over a tall 8 foot fence surrounded at the top with with barb wire, we were very careful. We then proceeded to scale the old rusty water tower of Stratford Oklahoma. It was windy, very windy. As we nervously inched our way up the near vertical ladder I felt the sense of sublime. The feeling was brought on by a sense of terror, and the thrill of breaking the law. I think the author felt the same way throughout his urbex experience, feeling it most while in the sewers of London. He mentioned that it felt odd to not be monitored by security cameras, to be completely alone for once in the city with the tightest security in the world. Without being clandestine one could never have experiences such as these. The law would not allow you to explore catacombs, bunkers, and sewers.
Question 4.
While Garrett and his companions do not vandalise or steal, there are others who do. How do you differentiate between the two? When my friends and I climbed the water tower in Stratford no damage came of it. We did not vandalise or break anything. People who climbed it before us have spray painted names and other various obscene words upon the face of the water tower. Why should the Police assume that we arent going to do the same? Previous visitors to these locations, who have vandalized or defaced it, have ruined the fun for people who just want to explore.
derelict
in a very poor condition as a result of disuse and neglect.
subversion
an attempt to transform the established social order and its structures of power, authority, and hierarchy.
paraphernalia
miscellaneous articles, especially the equipment needed for a particular activity
clambering
climb, move, or get in or out of something in an awkward and laborious way, typically using both hands and feet.
ethos
the characteristic spirit of a culture, era, or community as manifested in its beliefs and aspirations.
pseudonymous
writing or written under a false name.
ubiquitous
present, appearing, or found everywhere.
aficionado
a person who is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about an activity, subject, or pastime.
clandestine
kept secret or done secretly, especially because illicit.
sublime
of such excellence, grandeur, or beauty as to inspire great admiration or awe.
derelict
ReplyDeletein a very poor condition as a result of disuse and neglect.
subversion
an attempt to transform the established social order and its structures of power, authority, and hierarchy.
paraphernalia
miscellaneous articles, especially the equipment needed for a particular activity
clambering
climb, move, or get in or out of something in an awkward and laborious way, typically using both hands and feet.
ethos
the characteristic spirit of a culture, era, or community as manifested in its beliefs and aspirations.
pseudonymous
writing or written under a false name.
ubiquitous
present, appearing, or found everywhere.
aficionado
a person who is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about an activity, subject, or pastime.
clandestine
kept secret or done secretly, especially because illicit.
sublime
of such excellence, grandeur, or beauty as to inspire great admiration or awe.
Question 3
Youth is where peoples lives are just beginning. The world is still a mystery, an adventure, and a puzzle to solve. Youth are normally full of life and this life is in itself a mystery. The purpose of each youth's life is still undiscovered and each life is still full of hope. And so this is what causes travel/urbex. The discovery and hope for a life worth living. Just like on the greyhound, how the author stated that despite the fact that people warn against travel on a greyhound, they looked back on it fondly. This is because at the time when they rode the bus the riders were typically youth looking for their place in the world.
Question 4
The biggest problems would be when these people invade historical sites (aka the catacombs). They are destroying historical sites that would be a benefit to all in learning about the history of the people. The best example would be when they have parties in the catacombs. These parties bring in tons of people who carry with them diseases, pheromones, and other toxic things that can harm if not destroy the preserved artifacts or this ancient site altogether.
Bessie-Mei Soh
ReplyDeletederelict - no longer cared for or used by anyone
subversion - to make (something) weaker or less effective
paraphernalia - objects of a particular kind
clambering - to climb or crawl in an awkward way
ethos - the guiding beliefs of a person, group, or organization
pseudonymous - bearing or using a fictitious name
ubiquitous - seeming to be seen everywhere
aficionado - a person who likes and knows a lot about something
clandestine - done in a private place or way
sublime - to elevate or exalt especially in dignity or honor
1. Urbex strives to claim everything in life the can, while trying not to harm others in the process. Some might call this a birthright, and even deem it unfair that few individuals patrol this world in which we were all born unto as equals. There is a thrilling sense of freedem and euphoria experience when one has the freedom to live, die, and be arrested... a freedom that can only be experienced once you realise it was there all along. The "tourist" mentality differs greatly from this; tourism is all about structure, safety, and everyone working as one unit. When you are a tourist, your pleasure is what is given to you by others... not what you claim for yourself. It isn't an experience that is molded to fit your personal soul.
4. Of course the urbex explorers strive to do no more that reap personal pleasure without negatively affecting ordinary citizens, but that's just it: they strive. Striving does not always end in success, and success is not always possible for a typical, flawed human being. For instance, a climber might fall and land on an innocent pedestrain, injuring or even killing them both. It's probably hard for the authorities to trust the abilities of a single individual to be undoubtably "non-invasive." This sort of "independance" could even be considered aggressive, as invasion usually is. They might feel the everyday, community-driven unity of status quo is being threatened by the whims of the few.
Savannah Lincoln
ReplyDeleteDerelict- no longer cared for or used by anyone
Subversion- to make weaker or less effective
Paraphernalia- objects of a particular kind
Clambering- to climb or crawl in an awkward way
Ethos- the guiding beliefs of a person, group, or organization
Pseudonymous- bearing or using a fictitious name
Ubiquitous- seeming to be seen everywhere
Aficionado- a person who likes and knows a lot about something
Clandestine- done in a private place or way
Sublime- to elevate or exalt especially in dignity or honor
Q1.
I think urbex has a certain sense of freedom. Doing things that you wouldn't normally do, it probably comes with a feeling something like an adrenaline rush. Maybe it's addicting and that's why people are willing to risk so much for it. The feeling of trying something new, or changing can have great effect on one's life, maybe even change the way they view things. It's different from tourism, because tourism is more like taking a safe, structured path. You listen to what someone says, look but don't touch, see but don't experience. It's not the same, no rush comes with it.
Q4.
Because in a legal sense, he is/has been breaking laws. Although he's researching, exploring, whatever you want to call it, he's challenging people to do things out of the ordinary. If people, these twenty-somethings, see him getting away with these things, with no contest, more and more people will be willing to try it. He says it's non-invasive," but I see where some could feel intruded on, invaded government or personal space.
Richard Helms
ReplyDeleteDerelict- an item that is no longer cared for or used by anyone.
Subversion- to make something weaker or less effective.
Paraphernalia- a certain kind of object.
Clambering- to climb in a strange way.
Ethos- the set of beliefs that a person uses for guidance.
Pseudonymous-using a fake name.
Ubiquitous- something that seems like it is everywhere.
Aficionado- someone who have good knowledge of something and enjoys it.
Clandestine- performed in a private setting.
Sublime- to raise someones honor.
1. They believe that they can go anywhere that they want. These people know that what they are doing in most cases is illegal but their sights are not set toward something that is as set to the normal world such as laws. They seek out something more from life while still not having to travel far they enjoy the world that they live around but don't actually see unless you take the risk to go for it.
3. When you are young you may not see all the dangers of the world as clearly as you should like the girl in 460 days. This leads to a person who is practically blind to the real world and only has their eyes set upon what is majestic and what is to be upheld as beautiful. They wish to be able to tell stories of the places that they have been and mock about how cultured they are while sipping on a Starbucks coffee with their friends.
Christian Beeler
ReplyDeleteDerelict – Poor condition due to neglect.
Subversion – Attempt to transform established social order.
Paraphernalia – Miscellaneous equipment used for a particular activity.
Clambering – Get in something in an awkward way.
Ethos – The spirit of a culture as in its beliefs.
Pseudonymous – Writing under a false name.
Ubiquitous – Found everywhere.
Aficionado – A knowledgeable person enthusiastic about an activity.
Clandestine – Done secretly because illicit.
Sublime – Of such grandeur as to inspire great admiration.
2. The author had never known a lifestyle such as the one he experienced while travelling underneath London’s streets, and that was just the beginning. While travelling with the group he had only just met, he, at first, thought of the smell and atmosphere as not pleasant, but soon, as he states, he was “swept up in the general enthusiasm of the company.” I think he developed, just like most of us would, a minor case of ‘mob mentality’ as he got caught up in the excitement that his fellow comrades shared. The point that he felt the greatest sense of “sublime” was when he and a few from the group travelled up the Notre Dame Cathedral. I can only imagine how exhilarating this journey must’ve been for him, given the obvious excitement of climbing such a large, irreplaceable monument, and the drunken musicians probably only added to the experience that much more. They were, in a twisted way, a very vital part of this journey… The cover up for the group. Not only was this exciting for the author, but also a nerve-wracking one. He states, “They warn you in journalism school – or so I hear – about the risks of going too deep with the subjects of your work, of losing grasp of the dispassionate objectivity necessary to report a balanced story.” He would have never experienced this “wake-up call,” or self-realization had it not been for this semi-long journey he’d committed to. If he’d always continued to “play by the rules,” or follow the law, in a more realistic definition, he would have never had the “breath of fresh air” that a lot of people need sometimes to wake up from the unconscious routine that we fall into so easily.
3. From the previous essays I’ve read, it is clear that the drive of the authors is to experience something other than the “old” and “dingy” places that we call home. Had the author of Fifty Shades of Greyhound never taken that step out of the “black and white” of everyday life, he’d have never even thought of getting to a place where he, after travelling for hours on end and rushing to the next greyhound to make the trip, stopped caring so much about looking “sane” to everyone that boarded the bus, but instead, try to look “like an animal.” In the same way, the reason the author of 460 Days travelled to all of the “dangerous” yet curious places, was to experience something more, and, whether or not we want to admit it, sometimes, it is nice to experience common things in uncommon ways. An example of what I mean is, if you are a smoker, perhaps one day, you would smoke on a tobacco free campus, or if you enjoy sight-seeing, maybe one day you want to get a different perspective on something so common, so you break a few rules to see things “up close and personal.” “Now, why would people do such crazy things,” some might ask. There is something revitalizing about breaking a few rules to feel something more. We do it because, not only do we know it’s wrong, but because we know we can, more than likely, get away with it. Once we reach a certain age, I can only observe, we are more likely to appreciate the small things. We outgrow the urge to break rules, but instead, take a deep breath, and enjoy the things like birds flying in the sky, or our children getting married and having children, and then enjoy spoiling our grandkids just to provoke something so simple as happiness from them that is then represented in a smile spreading across their face.
derelict (145)--in a very poor condition as a result of disuse and neglect
ReplyDeletesubversion (146)--Undermine the power and authority of (an established system or institution)
paraphernalia (147)--Miscellaneous articles, especially the equipment needed for a particular activity
clambering (150)--Climb or move in an awkward and laborious way, typically using both hands and feet
ethos (150)--The characteristic spirit of a culture, era, or community as manifested in its attitudes and aspirations
pseudonymous (151)--Writing or written under a false name
ubiquitous (152)--Present, appearing, or found everywhere
aficionado (153)--A person who is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about an activity, subject, or pastime
clandestine (153)--Kept secret or done secretively, especially because illicit
sublime (155)--Of very great excellence or beauty
urbex--Urban exploration (often shortened as urbex or UE) is the exploration of man-made structures, usually abandoned ruins or not usually seen components of the man-made environment.
Q3. When power wrote this he was talking about how young men and women are more likely to explore because they are young. When your young you feel like you have stayed in one place for to long and need to visit other places so you travel wether it be on a greyhound bus or just unknown parts of your city. when you get older you start to feel a need to settle down and contribute to the world in a different, i.e. starting a family and going on vacation for your children.
Q4. the main reason he was arrested was because most of the places he was exploring were restricted. another reason was because it made them look like terrorists in the wake of the upcoming Olympics. I believe the real reason was because it wasn't a view the normal life of people like it says in the article. what the ubrex people were doing was so different it scared people and when people get scared it makes them think that what they are scared of is a crime. the ubrex is also showing flaws in the cities security which is not a good thing either.