tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592569627099639025.post7295641622237749913..comments2018-08-21T05:37:58.102-07:00Comments on Greed and Other Human Desires: An Exhibition Blog: Human DesireLindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833927749919826650noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592569627099639025.post-86975140262791951632010-11-04T13:05:25.983-07:002010-11-04T13:05:25.983-07:00James Cameron's film "Avatar" (2009)...James Cameron's film "Avatar" (2009) offers an entertaining perspective of what it might be like for modern settlers to follow in the footsteps of traders and speculators as they seek out new frontiers for much the same reasons as those who came to the the Genesee region of western New York. Foremost among their obstacles, just as they were in Oliver Phelps's day, are the indigenous peoples that preceded them by thousands of years. Anyone interested in a more contemporary view of the similar ethics involved in the disposession of Native lands should check this film out - if you haven't already. Although disposession occurred without direct military action in Oliver Phelps and Nathaniel Gorham's day, the Six Nations were already aware of the military capabilities of the young United States as a result of Maj. Gen. John Sullivan's 1779 campaign against the Iroquois during the American Revolution. Therefore, though force was not necessary during the process of dispossesion in western New York, its very real possibility was likely never far from the minds of the Seneca people. Let me know what you think.RShedrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02803860833511228968noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592569627099639025.post-6537139856425979782010-11-04T07:39:42.577-07:002010-11-04T07:39:42.577-07:00Ray and I have been having an on-going conversatio...Ray and I have been having an on-going conversation about what motivates people to seek to acquire land, power, wealth OR minister to (or control) people in the area of faith. <br />Here is our list of motivators:<br />Freedom from the influence of government, religion, civilization<br /><br />Seeking economic self-reliance<br /><br />Leaving an imprint on prosperity<br /><br />Seeking a new start or new beginnings<br /><br />Having control over others - political or religious<br /><br />Seeking personal success<br /><br />Seeking professional opportunities<br /><br />Seeking survival and maintaining self-determination<br /><br />Following tradition<br /><br />Maintaining community welfare<br /><br />Seeking the spiritual<br /><br />Serving political loyalties<br /><br />Seeking community acceptance<br /><br />Do readers have other thoughts to add to our list?<br />And ponder these questions as well - <br />If one identifies primarily as an individual or conversely if one identifies first and foremost as a member of a group - How does that affect the motivations that rise to the top?<br />How does the person's perspective of time, short term or long term, affect the motivations and choices that become primary?Nancy Parsonshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13078404007437212628noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592569627099639025.post-34438631586344641062010-10-29T13:07:51.144-07:002010-10-29T13:07:51.144-07:00More questions to ponder...
- Why is it that it is...More questions to ponder...<br />- Why is it that it is always the "other" person is greedy?<br />- Is there some advantage to the advancement of mankind in the sociological phenomena thet the stronger take from the weaker.<br />- What would be the future of society if everbody acted in deference to others.<br />- Need for love and need for freedom are strong motivators. At wht point do they become excessive and dysfunctional. <br />Just some thoughts on a Friday afternoon.EdVarnohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04942903511612325685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592569627099639025.post-70829509936998558272010-10-28T13:39:12.630-07:002010-10-28T13:39:12.630-07:00This should be a fun, introspective and possibly c...This should be a fun, introspective and possibly controversial exhibit. At the top of the list of controversial motivators is "greed" and the question of whether or not an individual or group can ever have too much. If we are to believe Michael Douglas's character Gordon Gekko from the hit movie Wall Street, "greed is good" because of the improvements it fosters. Nevertheless, Native Americans might argue that the white man's "improvements" are as undesirable as his insatiable want for land. That also said, stating that someone is driven by greed alone is not so simple. Behind greed itself, there are a myriad of other motivators that cause us to be greedy. Self-preservation and the preservation of our beliefs being chief among them. Can a religion go too far to extend its influence? How many souls are enough? How much can a man fairly be expected to endure in the name of the Church or God? Can a person's acquisition of property and wealth through risk, speculation and personal vision cause one to become catagorically "greedy" in the eyes of his benificiaries? How far can one's personal desires for political, religious and normative freedoms press him into the abyss and dangers of wild animals, wilderness and savages? How long can one's attachment to community values, traditions, and spirituality keep him from recognizing the writing on the wall, and as a result, selling out those time-honored ways in the name of personal welfare? Is the white man greedy because he wants land to grow on as an individaul or a nation? Or conversely, are the Native Americans "greedy" as Thomas Morris would have them believe during the negotiations surrounding the Treaty of Big Tree (Geneseo, 1797) because, in Morris's words, they were holding onto way more land than they could ever use? The questions we are faced with are complex and the viewer's answers will be as subjective and varied as they may have been a hundred or two hundred years ago. Through each one of our chosen historical actors, we will not only be inviting the viewer to make personal assessments and judgments of our character's actions and motives, but also illustrating to them the fluid nature of norms and expectations as well as outlining the influential nature that discontents have on how we, as a society, are allowed to not only behave, but also how we are acceptably allowed to either celebrate our successes or admit our shortcomings. Hopefully, what we will be left with is a better understanding of the ways in which individuals navigate the conflictory expectations that society, communities and families may place on them. The Question we are left with becomes: How far are individuals willing to - or should they - go to meet personal or communal expectations? This exhibit should certainly go a long way in giving the viewer not only a feel for contemporary expectations faced by our characters, but should also allow the present day viewer to ponder why we do the things that we do and whether or not they are for the right reasons. **Let us know what you think**RShedrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02803860833511228968noreply@blogger.com