Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Diversity

Comic books have been the most interesting representative for our society. In those, we can see the political, economical, social allegories. Our heroes and villains have been created just like our desires. Good looking, well-educated heroes and ugly and always rude villains. That is the most stereotypical featuring of our comic book characters. When we think about Captain America; we think about a white, good looking and Nazi ass-kicker guy. Or when we say Thor; funny talking, British accent and the destruction are the first things we think about. We have always a thought about what a superhero or a villain should be about. All those years, the comic book creators have been created the characters just like we wanted.
Even accepting some changes was difficult because we always see the characters with some secure features and if we think we are losing the features, we publicly will be against those changes because people don't like the changes. Thus, they fear that they are losing the control. You may think that it is too much about a comic book but you may look around. If something so-called cliche is changing or is about to change, public will be against the changing. The reasons may be in varieties but the point is the losing the control. Because we don't know if “the new” is good or bad, reasonable to not. Because we don't know the purpose exactly.
When we think about Captain America for example, the reason about it because there was a huge changing of it, we always see the white, blonde, “perfect” guy and he is an unquestionable man in the world about fighting with the evil. Marvel company made a huge decision about him and long story short, we had a new Captain America and this time our character was Sam Wilson a.k.a. Falcon. Afro-American and not so popular. Captain America wasn't the only character Marvel has changed. Ms. Marvel has become a young Muslim girl, Thor has become Jane Foster, Thor’s love interest, Hulk has become an Asian kid and so on.
It must be a good reason for all these changing for example, marketing or story development. We can see MCU -Marvel Cinematic Universe- has been the highest grossing film franchise and the age gap for the target audience is teenagers. Some people don't like the idea for changing because they think it would affect the target audience but some people are happy about it. The reasons can be different from the money issue to the lack of diversity of the characters.
Before Marvel, DC has made a huge changing. Even not just one. Marvel can be the most fan-based favourite comic book publisher in the world but DC owns the stage. About the backstories, characters’ history DC has definitely more varieties than Marvel Comics. But why did DC make four Flash characters or more than four Green Lanterns? The ratings or the popularity can be answers or the competition. When we take a look at the Flash; there was first Jay Garrick for almost 10 years he was the Flash, then suddenly Barry Allen took his place then Wally West has been replaced and he was the main Flash for almost 25 years. Then Barry Allen returned. And I can remind you that with all the replacements, people were against them. So, we can say that we can make people happy for sure because they are going to be against the change all the time. We have to remember that Robin a.k.a. Jason Todd has been killed by the people via telephone texts during 80’s but when he returned to the storyline people were happy about it and now his alter ego, Red Hood is one of the favourite characters.
The result for those examples can be explained with the fear, I think.

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

The Moments

       I personally don't write this as a different story or something that I have bragged about. I write this as the most interesting moments of mine. We have some moments that we feel and say to ourselves just a big “wow!” and this writing is going to be my “wow!”. I don't make these things up or I don't steal anyone’s story. It’s just the moments of mine and my friends’. We shared these short and interesting moments together in a small fractions of time and we had no idea that we would move on those things. They are sometimes serious problems but sometimes they are just funny. Personally, I have been amazed what I have lived during the time and because I am more stable where I have been than my friends. I see myself as a train station or as an airport. I welcome so many people around the globe and I share my feelings and life and they do the same in a period of time then their train or plain calls them. It is not because I am young or inexperienced in life, I feel I have gone through enough for good stories, yet I feel I am going to live the moments more. 

Sunday, November 27, 2016

Parents Meeting

That was a really different experience for me. Also that was my first and -I assume the last- parents meeting. As a young teacher, I was very nervous and very excited. But in my mind, I had a plan. A plan that all the parents either like me or hate me. Thankfully, they liked me and even I told my age to them, I thought they were going to say a bad thing about it but they were really cool with it because they thought it is good thing to have a young teacher, especially an English teacher. I realised at the same, I have told the same things to all the parents. But it is not a bad thing because when I used non-orthodox ways to speak with the parents. All the teachers have the classrooms for them including me but I didn't use it because both I had to share a classroom with three teachers and I wanted to speak with the parents in the hall. Plus I spoke with them like I do with their children. Relaxed and friendly. I told everything about me so they can think that I am a good teacher. Well.. At least for a year. When I spoke to them, I realised something. I realised, I have had some experience about speaking people about education. I didn't know that but I realised when I spoke with a parent and suddenly all the parents gathered around me and they were listening to me like listening a young man who accomplished something. Or they were listening to me so good like listening to their own children. Also I noticed that some teachers were complaining about some kids. All the time. This is one of the reasons that I won’t be teaching in schools too. They were complaining but they weren't right all the time. All the parents have come to me they were sad and I thought that was so disappointed. I wanted to help them so whenever they came to me I thought it would be a good idea to talk about their children’s good sides. And I did. They were so happy after I talked to them and one of them said she had wished all the teachers were like me. Well.. That may be a bad idea but still I think I am doing a good job. They call me idealist in the teachers room. So be it. I am an idealist teacher because I wasn't a great student but I turned out as a good person. At least I have a job and plans. That is the important thing about the students. They are going to realise it will be a serious thing when they graduate from the high school. Mostly, I tried to tell the parents this. Because at the end, they need to be a well-behaved and respected people. 

Saturday, November 19, 2016

Laziness!!!


I love weekends. Feeling the laziness till your bones. Even if you are listening to Miles or Ray, oh! that’s the life. Drinking your coffee and eating your dessert. Or some French music like Carla. I don't know. I like her voice. Sometimes I really believe that a person should award itself. Even with a cup of baileys, you feel like there is no Monday anymore. I heard it on a Youtube video. The universe is so big that we can’t even imagine and the history of humanity is very complex that we are very lucky to have this earth to us, I remember the narrator’s last words; he said “if you feel tired and sick of this world or your life, just think about the universe and humanity”. Normally, it may sound very very optimistic even little bit hippier but on the weekends, sometimes I feel that way. Like now, drinking my coffee while the weather is being awesome. Just feel it. You have to feel it. Doesn't matter if you are alone or not. Personally, it doesn't matter but being alone and enjoying the life -everything surrounds you- it is awesome. I recommend to you from the bottom of my heart. If I can describe the perfect weekend, I will describe the moment that I am in. Of course, this romanticism is not suitable for our city life. We have ups and downs but I am really happy to live this small fraction of utopia. There are some moments like when you are with your girlfriend or boyfriend or when you are the guy in the group. You'll feel the coolness or you'll be the one that everyone is paying the attention to. If you ask me, I will describe the weekends like this. The moments. You're are the stars. Do whatever you want till Garfield is sad again. Make your plans and meet your friends because you have to feel your laziness through your bones and say “eh, don't care!”. Happy weekends everyone.

Sunday, November 13, 2016

Making a Superhero

Tell me… Who are you? What is your purpose in this predictable and boring routine? Why don't you act like you have no strings to hold you? I see you… I can feel your energy… You hide them. You don't know what you can do with all of it. You don't even know you have the power. That routine… I can’t understand how you are living with it. Once, I was like you but something happened and now I am… this… First, I was afraid… To feel every…thing… But, then… I watched you… all of you… I started to feel like I was given this power. After that, I learnt how to use it. Suddenly, I became to pity you because I have seen your suffer. Everyday, I can feel that you need help. Because I don't need it and that’s why I am here… I am different than you…all of you… I don't need you to be better… You have the potential I would give that to you but that’s not enough. See… That’s the difference you and me… You waste your power to live in this inevitable, ungracious and purposeless life but me… You have just made my power source. Your devices for living in this hell. Those things are feeding me and whenever you use them… I am just grateful to you for using it. I am everywhere and I AM THE DYNAMO. 

Growing Up

You feel you grow up. Your moves change. The money you spend changes. You start to care about your next move. Even when you are still young. You are afraid of doing something wrong. It is not like the mistake you do in high school. It may affect your life, that’s why you are scared. You notice that you now a part of a greater universe. You feel like you should start doing something for good. Your family looks different to you now. You have some bigger responsibilities than ever.  Even for love, you feel different. Different than ever because you start to feel like you become alone. Not having fun, feeling responsible and sharing thoughts become priority. I guess those things are good. Can’t judge now of course. Even people who are older than you seem strange to you. You are afraid that you will be one of those. Don’t get me wrong… You feel becoming “one of them”. Because you are still young and you want to become a “cool” person when you are at the same age as them. I guess that’s why parenting is important.

The Story of A Young Man

This is story of a young man who has a different choices and interesting life. The life that he sometimes regrets but sometimes he thanks. He has doubts about what to do at the right time and right place. In a modern city like this, he doesn't know what to do. His school, his work, his relationships… There is no plain answer or solutions to those problems. Everyone comes here to save their lives or change their lives, but maybe because he is from here he thinks that he needs to get out of this place. The big problem is this, though. Inside of him, he doesn't want to leave. He doesn't know the answer but he feels like this prison is his one and only home. His family had lived or had traveled before. This is one of his interesting parts, just one of them. He has never left the city; even he wants to leave, he doesn't know where to start with. He only knows this, except everyone who is his life. He has met with so many people. That makes what the big city is actually but, maybe because of his job. He has some doubts about it as well, just like everything in his life. He has met with different people thanks to his job. Sometimes he regrets, sometimes he loves to meet with them. Maybe he has issues with the society because he is young, he thinks that like every young people that people don't understand him. Probably, he is wrong according to life’s unbeatable legacy about teaching the life. He probably will understand that one day. Recently, he has met with a person. That person had a different country, culture and language. Totally and surprised stranger in this bag of flour. He was surprised, too; because it was a coincidence which made him pleasant about it. He didn't even think that that person will affect him since all the life’s problems are enough to him. He has had ups and downs as every human being has in this melting solid. He has done again. Those ups and downs affected him this time big. Morality hasn't been this strong on him. He paused in this machine that keeps going without any ending line and he questioned himself one more time but this time it was a different situation. He knew that the situation was awkward to his past experience. Maybe he hasn't faced with a problem such like this. What was the choices, though. He had known that he did a big mistake. Maybe that is why for the first time, all those problems that he has were pushed away this time. Once he paused the life, he listened to music. That’s his way out because he thinks that all the songs are about adventures and experience of other people’s lives and he has taken the advices from them. He will keep taking advices from other people’s experience and he believes that because he knows for him music is the only way out. The headphones are stopping the beats from the world for only to find some answers about what to do. Maybe that’s why he is alone in this race because he always stops the life and looks other people. He has no experience about how to survive and this makes him the deer in the jungle in front of the jungle. That’s the modern life but now he cannot understand. He will or he won’t… That’s his choice but I understand him sometimes. The reason is simple. He doesn't want to hurt anyone even he makes mistakes that had caused him so many problems including the problem that he has been facing, her. He takes advices because he wants to fix what happened before he put the headphones on. He makes the mistakes knowingly and wants to find solutions right away because he fears that he is going to lose again. Why or what did he make a mistake in the first place? That is the biggest problem of his. Inevitable mistakes because of his ups and down just like his environment which happens to be just like him.