iMedia: Apocalypse Please

The song, "Apocalypse Please" by the band, Muse, addresses issues within our society and human responses to these issues.

When confronted by a difficult situation or a dramatic event, it is natural for humans to turn to a leader for guidance. The lyrics,"Declare this an emergency/ come on and spread a sense of urgency/ and pull us through.../ this is the end of the world," demonstrate this dependence on leadership in dire situations.

Another reaction is for humans to turn to a higher, "other" power or spiritual being as is illustrated in the following lyrics, "It's time we saw a miracle/ come on it's time for something biblical/ to pull us through.../ this is the end of the world." There is a commonality throughout history for religions to expand and flourish during times of crisis, which could be due to loss of hope in any other guiding force.

I chose this song because of the recent buzz about the Mayan theory of the apocalypse on December 21, 2012. Recently, movies, such as "2012," TV shows, and books regarding the apocalypse have been spewing from every direction.

Not only does this song address recent concerns of the end of the world, but it also addresses human philosophy and responses to these situations.

"Apocalypse Please" by Muse

Poor Tom and the Ghosts of Christmas

A Christmas Carol tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a greedy man who is confronted by three Christmas spirits that help him achieve redemption and embody the Christmas spirit.

Edgar's disguise as Poor Tom relates to the Christmas spirits in the novel, A Christmas Carol. During his first appearance, to King Lear, Poor Tom catches Lear's attention because they share the feeling of misery. However, Poor Tom gives Lear a new perspective on his situation and calms some of his rage as he tells Lear that he had no daughters to drive him mad and that his insanity was caused by his own actions. Poor Tom sheds light on Lear's situation as Lear recognizes that others have it worse than him.

Lear echoes Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol as the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Christmas Yet to Come confront Scrooge concerning his way of life. These ghosts present varying perspectives on Scrooge's life and force him to realize his ways and change them for the better.

Hopefully Poor Tom's warnings will reshape Lear's thinking and force him to re-evaluate the immature treatment of his daughters as he refuses to talk to them like Scrooge changed his way of life.

360 degrees: The Pink Cow

The Pink Cow. What an interesting work of art. Andy Warhol strikes again with a display of dual vibrant colors that turn ordinary into extraordinary.

But not all see it the same way.

Some say, "The cow isn't even pink. It's red. And why would anyone make a cow red? Cows definitely aren't red. When was the last time you saw a red cow?

While others reflect, "I think Mr. Warhol's clashing colors present a deeper, underlying thought. The cow is clearly the subject of the piece as it is the darker color against the brighter yellow background. The sharp division in the pink and yellow illustrate the debated issue of animal rights."

Another perspective says, "This is pretty awesome. I like the vibrant colors and the random cow. It's even kinda comic-bookie. Andy Warhol was a cool guy."

A few others:

"I like the colors, but the cow doesn't fit."

"I like the cow, but the colors don't fit."

"What was this guy thinking?"

The last question seems to remain true in all of the perspectives: What was Andy Warhol thinking? We don't really know for sure, but he took a cow and made it "WOW" (I know, I'm so funny). This ignorance is present in all of these views, but it also makes each point of view question more.

Why did Warhol choose a cow as his main attraction? Was he actually trying to prove a point? Was he just trying to be funny? Personally, I think Warhol chose the cow for a number of reasons. Warhol's art revolved around American culture with subjects such as a Campbell's tomato soup can and Marilyn Monroe. The cow represents America's acres of farms and dependence on agriculture. Cows are also simple and, well, random.

What if Andy chose different colors? What if he didn't change the original color of the cow at all? What if he added a few more colors to the spectrum? The colors of a work of art lend great meaning and understanding. In any situation, a different palette would change the outlook entirely. Whether outrageous or conservative, the colors shape the perspective of the beholder.