A major part of the humor of this video is the characters' obsession w/ how to get from point A to point B. This is pretty ironic for a bunch of NYC comedians to make fun of this California obsession w/ routes. I've never been around so many commuters who are interested in discussing their routes as New Yorkers. This is also an aspect of Underground. Nearly every interview subject talks about the line he or she takes, the time their train arrives, what car they prefer to take, and even where they like to sit or what door they exit or enter through. What do you think this obsession w/ travel tells us? Is it an urban concern or is it a contemporary concern that affects everyone regardless of their city's size?
We have now read 26 interviews. What does this accretion of detail tell us about the subway attacks? What does it tell us about the Japanese psyche?
These are the questions I will ask in class on 2/18. Feel free to write about them here too:
a) What does 9/11 mean to you?
b) Describe one historical event that you personally remember.
c) How is this book affecting the way you ride public transportation?
What questions do you have?
This book is affecting the way I ride public transportation. Because it makes me be more alert to things that happen next to me. I used to be with my headphones and fell sleep. Now I don’t do that anymore. I think the subway and the buses are not a place to be sleeping. We are with a lot of people that we don’t know they are strangers to us. I think this book tell the sad true. Sometimes bad thing happens, because we don’t pay enough attention. And as people we don’t communicate one to another. In Japan it was worst because everyone was minding their own business. I think if something like that happen in New York. We will be more alert. I think that people from Japan were sure that something like that will not happen because Japan is a very safe country. Even though in the book said that something similar to that happened before another gas attack. When I see someone acting weird in the train, I even change my seat to another place. I think the craziest people from New York are in the trains. After I read this book I look up and I find everyone suspicious. I used to be on my phone now I try not to be on my phone a lot. Horrible things can happen in any minute. Sometimes it’s a matter of seconds for bad things to happen. An incident like this can happen to anyone. No one is safe while taking public transportation. Or even in the street. In that book some of the stories are very sad. Sometimes I ask myself why they took the train. I want to get in the book and change their minds and tell them not to take the train that something bad will happen to them.
ReplyDeleteHe is scared of dying but the idea of meeting his first grandchild gave him the hope to comeback to life. He was very anxious of meeting his grandchild that he didn’t wanted to die without meeting him. He couldn’t hear whatever other people were saying but he heard when the lady says “what if you don’t have the chance to meet your grandson” that sentence stayed in his head and make him wanted to live more.
ReplyDeleteThis book can affect me from transportation because we have to be alerted and ready for any situations. Another reason this book affected me by the transportation because when I take the train I try my best not to sleep on the train because what if someone tries to do something to harm people and not paying attention. On page 122 he talked about how the train smelled and that is another reason why it affects me because of the odor of person or the train as well.
ReplyDeleteThe 9/11 means a lot to me since it is a day where people who died on that day are commemorated. On a normal day, many people doing their daily routine lost their lives. The desperation of the people caused much sadness throughout the nation. Although, many people wanted to help them, nothing could be done since it was too late, the towers were destroyed. No one could believe what was happening that day. The country was facing an unfortunate situation of terrorism since innocent people were being attacked. In the news you could see how people ran desperately. Other people threw themselves out of the windows thinking about saving their lives. Even though, I was little at that time when I grew up, I heard stories about my uncles telling us what had happened at that time. They didn't even imagine that these things were going to happen in a country that is practically under supreme vigilance. The sadness of the people who lost their families is still felt today 19 years later. I can say that because of this act of terrorism many laws have change in the United States to try and protect the country and the American people.
ReplyDeleteA historical event that I personally remember was when Barack Obama was elected into office. This has to be one of the most historical moments because he is the first African American overall to hold a position in the White House. However, there are critics out there that confidentially have stated that Obama is not completely Black. My take on that is it doesn't necessarily matter whether you are mixed or fully African American to be elected into office. Anyone of a diverse ethnic background can run for any position in the White House, whether you're African American or not. Race has nothing to do with position or status, furthermore, it is a historical aspect of American history for a Black man to obtain the title as the 1st African American President of the United States. Not everyone is going to be in favor of him, but that is besides the point. Race does not differentiate any individual's intentions of what they are obligated to do for the people, because all candidates are running for the same position. Some candidates just have a different approach of handling certain aspects of government. Even though Obama made some controversial decisions while holding position in office, he was still an important part of our history.
ReplyDeleteWithin the interview "What if you never see your grandchild's face?" with Hiroshige Sugazaki, I've noticed that Sugazaki was much more aware of his surroundings comparing to other victims that were interviewed by Murakami. Other individuals who have experienced the attacks at the station have said that they would go about their normal daily routine, so they kind of gave a blind eye to the odd events that were taking place in the subways with the foul odors and civilians coughing all at the same time. However, Sugazaki seemed slightly oblivious to what was going on as he was on the train. It is clear that he had a reason to stay alive after recovering from his coma. The very last words he could remember being said to him was "What if you never get to see your grandchild?" His strong belief in faith is probably what kept him alive so that he was able to live and see his grandchild. He was brave enough to conquer his internal fears by going back to the exact location of the scene where he was able to recollect his short-termed memories for when he was bedridden. Just like the other victims, he noticed something unusal was going on, but didnt pay much attention to the situation. A similar aspect of each interview that I've read so far with the victims of the sarin attacks was that they've all felt a side effect from the attack, but solemnly put the blame on themselves for feeling how they feel. Victims usually put the blame on themselves because they might start to question: what if they didn't show up for work, or what if they had the instinct to stay home that exact day on March 20th, but still went about their day anyhow?
ReplyDeleteThis book affects the way your ride public transportation since sometimes you don’t know what can happen in a normal day. This help us to be more alert of things around us. When I was going to High School, I use to take the bus and the train. I always use to have my headphones while I travel and when I went in train I use read and practice for the test if I have the next day. When I didn´t had nothing to do I fell sleep. One day, people start screaming and fighting so that make me scared so I don´t do that anymore. In New York people are more alert. In Japan was so different since they never thought that people of their own country were going to attack them. They stronger believe that their community was the safest. I believe that things can happen in a minute so always we have to be alert. Now, when I travel in the train, I always saw people around me since we don´t know which people is good or bad.
ReplyDeleteIn this interview, Sugazaki like every day take the train to go work. In that day, he didn´t imaging that something wrong was going to happen to him. He used to read a book while he travels. He never imagined that he will be affected by the sarin attacks. The symptoms were so strong that send him to coma. The only words that gave him strength were when his daughter told him not to die since he need to see his first granddaughter. Those words helped him to fight to survive. Even thought, he didn´t had a normal life after the gas attack. He enjoys with the family and thanks God to survive. The most important thing about him is that he didn´t let fear take hold him.
ReplyDeleteThis accretion of details tells us a lot about the subway attacks since we can see how Japanese people take their work seriously. In the interviews, they said that most of the time they knew what train to take so as not to be late for work. They took the train an hour or half an hour before their time of entry since responsibility is very important to them. The moment they got on the train during the attack, they didn't know that they were been attacked by sarin. They saw that many people had like flu since they were coughing but they did not put importance on them. They never imagined that they were going to be attacked by sarin. Instantly, when they began to feel symptoms they start open the windows and at the same time they began to despair. It was impressive that people studied in college were going to attack them that way. Many victims on the train thought it was a syrup or perfumes but they never imagined that they were been attacked by sarin. When the train station agents approached seeing that they felt bad and asked for information. They did not know what to say since the product was too strong that almost killed them. They thank God for not being killed since some died during the attack. The experiences that they live were strong since it was something that they were not going to forget. In the interview, the victims said that they did not hold a grudge against the attacker but they did not want that bad experience for anyone. Others victims said that they were not going to rest until they saw the person who attacked them in jail. They want court give them the death penalty for all that they cause. They also said that you never know the despair until you experience it. Japanese had in mind that this day was marked forever as despite the fact that they continued in their daily routines, they were greatly impacted since they could never forget, even more if they lost a relative. Responsibility is a fundamental part of success.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this book I have become much more aware of my surroundings when I ride the bus to school. I now try to sit in different seats (when I can) and stand closer to the exits in case I have to leave quickly. I wear only one of my earbuds now so I can hear any announcements or at the first sign of trouble. I have anxiety already, but now it has elevated. I know this heightened state will only last until I am lulled back into a false sense of security. I am just more surprised that there are so few terrorist attacks here in New York City. In other parts of the world people have to worry if there will be a bus bomb. Some places have to worry if there will be people that will take them from their homes, because they spoke up against their government. To livin in fear is no life. While I may be worried, it will not paralyze me from living a free life. I will still go to concerts and large scale events. I will still look for the seat on the bus. I will still be cautious. I will still say something if I see something. Actual terrorism is not when someone kills someone else or says something. Actual terrorism is when people decide to stop living their lives.
ReplyDeleteIt might seem odd, but I recall summer of 2001 as a series of various spectacles. The heavy news coverage of Timothy McVeigh’s execution earlier that summer. The televised demolition of decommissioned twin gas tanks in Greenpoint. The plane crash of Aaliyah toward the end of that August, how devastated my friends and I were. Something about all of these events, taking place all in one summer, just felt significant to me. It did feel a little like a harbinger of what was to come.
ReplyDeleteMy first day of high school began mere days before September 11th. I was a freshman at Richmond Hill high school, in their International Studies program. My first few days were hectic and I was filled with apprehension. My schedule was staggered, as in my school day would start at 10:00AM (to alleviate overcrowding). When I woke up on that Tuesday morning, my mother had just left for work, and my sister was still home. I turned on the television in the living room and tuned in to an unusual scene - the first plane had just hit the World Trade Center. Like many people, I wondered first if it was a movie trailer for an upcoming action film, until I quickly realized it was a live broadcast. I wondered if maybe it was just a very unfortunate accident, maybe something to do with a failure of air traffic control systems. Could that happen? Perhaps a malfunction in the aircraft. Numerous news choppers were orbiting the towers. The scene was surreal. TV morning reporters were just as confused as the rest of us. It didn’t seem good. I couldn’t imagine how they were going to put out a fire like that, it just looked hopeless. Then, in the middle of the confusion and awe, we all watched as the second plane sharply and very intentionally banked and smashed into the south tower at top speed. All on live television. My sister and I were dumbstruck. What the hell was actually going on here? It was like we all collectively understood that this was not an accident and that anything could happen at this point. Soon after, the Pentagon was struck by another aircraft, and then reports of yet another plane that crashed into a field.
At 14, I didn’t really understand the implication of an event like this, or what would happen as a result. I do remember the initial public response. The confusing breaking news reports. People recalling the truck bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993. Various racial slurs and hostilities, the casual calls for genocide. Harassment of cab drivers. Terror threat levels, yellow, orange, and red at various moments in the years following. In fact, every year of my life since then, I have in many ways tried to make sense of this event, since it is very much connected to the present day. There was so much noise, by politicians, pundits, public personalities. All manner of speculation and conspiracy theories, exploiting such a significant moment in modern history for political gain. Blindly being led into numerous wars and military interventions, as has been the case in the 20th century, have only ensured to make peace and stability harder to achieve, and have put the entire globe in an even more precarious situation in 2020. All I can offer is this: I was only coming of age when this event occurred - as time passes, and the more I understand this event in larger contexts, my confidence in the institutions, here in this country and abroad, has been irreparably damaged and replaced by distrust of its stated purposes. Words like “security” and “democracy” signal something completely different to me. Personally, I don’t think anything justifies the continuing destruction of populations, erosion of civil and human rights, and degradation of the environment since 9/11. To leave this off on a more positive note, even though I do experience sadness and anger when I reflect on September 11th, my pursuit of the reasons and answers to this whole thing has helped me develop more generous sense of humanity that only grows.
Transit transit
ReplyDeletelooking for my next exit
should I get on should I get off
too many people can't even cough
What was that who is there
gotta be tough can't show that I'm easy to scare
Bump bump bump goes the bus
Think thump thump goes my ❤️
When's it gonna happen when's it gonna pop
Lookin' round God I hope I see a cop
I'm almost there I can see the place
gotta move fast gotta pick up the pace
Steppin' off the bus, feeling that beat coming from the street
Walkin away a little windy gotta keep my hat on so I pull it
lookin to the sky knowin I just dodged a bullet
Can't stand it, stand it