Thoughts on My Brand

The junk mail I receive seems to speak for my brand. Today, National Geographic told me that I'm a worldly person:

The Economic Space of a Children's Hospital

We’ve been analyzing spaces as part of a class I’m taking (qualitative research methods), and we’ve been examining how a space fits into one of the three spheres described by Habermas. Habermas talked about the economic sphere, the public sphere, and the private sphere. For example, a Wal-Mart clearly lies in the economic sphere – it’s a place where you consume, and that message is clear from the minute you walk into the store, with prices displayed prominently and the resounding beeps that Wal-Mart registers make. Habermas contested that the economic sphere is gradually encroaching on spaces that were previously meant to be public spaces. This example was laid bare when we examined the lobby of the new DeVos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Parking Lot Movie

I recently watched this Independent Lens feature (available to stream on NetFlix). This movie documents what happens when dudes with a lot of education run a parking lot. The film's strength is how it portrays people's suspension of civil behaviors and rationality when they are driving their cars, and especially when they are trying to find a parking spot for their cars.