Hagen and Substitution: a Particular Reaction

Paul Andreas Fischer

Acting

6/28/2015

Hagen and Substitution: a Particular Reaction

Hagen seems to use “self-discovery” as a means of subverting self-actualization. “There is much in a creative process that is almost intangibly real and mysterious - why compound the felony and make it more so?” she asks in conclusion. The use of substitution will, she claims, make it easier for an actor or actress to assume roles that would otherwise confound their natural instincts and require enormous efforts of preparation and research in order to demonstrate. Yet particularization “is an essential for everything in acting” and this means adding imagination and unique peculiarities to the setting which would not otherwise be provided.

In doing so, the roles become reversed and the character may assume a dominant position; the director will learn how to shape the scene from the inventive tropes created by this event. Rather than losing themselves, the character finds themselves at the expense of the control normally exerted by the director. This benefits both parties; a director obsessed with minutiae is an invitation for demagoguery and a character who has been imposed upon too extensively will lose their hold on reality.

Whether such substitution is necessary for a scene which already feels real, Hagen makes it very clear that the answer is certainly not. “If it is real, you have already made the substitution.” This could be found to be contradictory to the suggestion of use of the technique to use words one is uncomfortable with: by simply imagining them to be another forceful word, and using this emphasis to correctly execute the line. The fact is that this disrupts a certain characterization of social order in the acting process by necessitating a breach of honesty between the actor and the audience which will undoubtably penetrate into other aspects of the acting experience.

Superficial behavior also plays into the sociological evaluation of acting and this is a distinction which is not properly addressed, though as mentioned before may be touched upon here. An excellent discourse in use of substitution to promote empathy between the audience and the character in a manner unsolicited by “normal” procedures, or impossible with a player’s general experiences or research capacities is unfortunately sandwiched by such light use and indeed the most tricky use of substitution with expletives or simple setting examples. It can be said certainly that while portraying Othello, an ancient character steeped in historical nuance not available to researchers today, substitution effects may be directly argued to be indeed necessary, that in the event of a torrential rain or expletive, it is preferable to simply experience the event personally and innovate methodologies of acting simply by means of traditional preparation and research.

Character Observation

Paul Fischer

Acting

Character Observation

Salome is a 30 year old PhD student of silent era Soviet films. Her nationality is Georgia which puts her close to the source films she studies and researches. She is a chain smoker who quit drinking alcohol after a car accident some years ago. When she was younger she smoked from a wooden pipe. Her bag of Turkish tobacco blended in Scandinavia and grown in Georgia, brand name Bugler, is mixed with sand from an adventure at North Beach, but she smokes it anyway; it is unlikely she will be able to use it on the long plane trip which awaits her shortly across the Atlantic and the price of tobacco in her home is only a fraction of the cost here, though the quality is rather similar.

At home she has a swimming pool and expects that after a few weeks she will again become tired of her regular life there but must defend her thesis and prepare for teaching and other endeavors which are endemic of an academic’s life, even in a less developed nation. One thing she has noticed of particular interest in Burlington is the chocolate shop and long walks along the waterfront. When one points out the mafia graffiti which is used to encrypt messages of particular times and locations for the transfer of illegal narcotics, prostitutes, and firearms, she smiles and asks if this is something that has also been learned in a history class.

She has a slight build and an intelligent face and eyes, and mosquito bites are apparent across her legs, which is confirmation of her extensive time spent outdoors here in Vermont. After introduction to a tall black man named Joe she reluctantly shakes his hand and seems to blush or turn her head as if it is the first conversation with an African American she has had. She loved taking pictures, of boats and pillboxes (concrete structures which can be easily converted for the purpose of housing machine gun nests) as well as the spectacle of a sword and fire eater on Church Street.

Unity in Vermont During Eugenics Programs (1920s-1981)

Paul Fischer

Vermont History

6/25/2015

Unity in Vermont During Eugenics Programs (1920s-1981)

The Eugenics program in Vermont was pioneered by Professor Perkins, from the University of Vermont. While he died an alcoholic of liver failure, the racial nature of the eugenic program espoused and exported from his work has left a lasting and tangible scar on the population and culture of Vermont, even today. While the program officially ended in 1936, amid rising tensions with Nazi Germany and domestic policies there coupled with loss of financial support from private interests, notably Shirley Farr, Vermont continued to teach the barbaric practices of both negative and positive population control in zoology courses until the 1960s. While the number directly affected was small (though the process was carried out upon approximately the same intensity as Nazi Germany per capita for most social or psychological disorders), academic involvement in these violations of human reproduction could arguably be said to have surpassed other attempts with little exception.

Lack of public interest in this field is actually an important statement for Vermont unity; failure to ensure the integrity of academic procedures in this and other states meant that not only 250 men and women were sterilized, but their families or potential families were also affected. Discrediting such work was a simple task, both with publicly available biological research as well as using basic economic measurements and comparisons.  Some would argue the negative impact on freedom of behavior and cultural expression which arose from this created a nearly theological nature to social norms in this state which are strictly unconstitutional, both federally and in the state.

Motivation remains unclear: “Aboott and later Eugenics Survey fieldworkers rarely received any credit for their work” (Dann, 12) and monetary considerations must be taken into account. The breakdown of communication between academic and public resources issued and reflected upon a breakdown of the state’s unity (though it should be noted that federal public works projects and other economic investment did allow Vermont to enjoy some prosperity lacked by the rest of the nation during this time) and the results of this program in the long-term hindered intellectual and social pursuits in both the state and nation. One possible mechanism of this destructive educational stagnation was the appointment of half of the University of Vermont’s board of trustees, in opposition to later university policies which required elective democratic procedures to determine the University’s decisions and procedures (Borgmann, 22).

Financial support for the eugenics program in Vermont is important for an understanding of the mechanisms of how this perversion of social justice was able to occur. “During the Eugenics Survey’s first year of operation, Mrs. Eggleston gave another $2,500 and then Perkins found a continuing source of support in another VCAS sponsor, Shirley Farr” (Dann, 8). Female involvement in the process was extremely high, as were the victims, though Vermont is notable for being among the states with highest levels of male sterilization among such movements: “Women were perceived by their male superiors as uniquely suited to eugenic field work for which intuition, politeness, and an eye for detail were thought to be essential” (Dann, 13) which suggests as well that there was a recognition at this time period that the work done by field workers necessitated an elevated level of direct female involvement, though it is clear when evaluating the intentionalism of the actions that their educated male superiors made some fundamental errors. In the popular film Transformers III it is said, “you were our leader, Optimus, it is your right to lead us again.” While Perkins was allowed to retain his position teaching zoology and continued to propagate sterilization until his death as an alcoholic of liver failure (ironically one of the conditions sterilization was advocated as a cure to), educational and academic structures eventually proved strong enough to check him or financiers from repeating this sort of wayward academic endeavor.

Works Cited:

Borgmann, Carl W. "UVM": The University of the State of Vermont (New York: The Newcomen Society in North America, 1956)." The program is explained in An Exposition of the System of Instruction and Discipline in the University of Vermont, published by the faculty in. 1829.

Dann, Kevin. "From Degeneration to Regeneration: The Eugenics Survey of Vermont: 1925-1936." Vermont History 59.7 (1991): 16.

Letter from the White House on marijuana legalization:

While, "A considerable body of evidence shows that marijuana use, especially chronic use that begins at a young age, is associated with serious health and social problems," which is not anything to disagree with, "We will also closely monitor implementation of marijuana legalization in individual States" which indicates support for marijuana legalization in states, including our own! In addition support was expressed for research into the medical benefits of marijuana, though it was noted that the FDA had not yet found smoked marijuana (does exclusion of edibles indicate a positive here?) to be suitable as recognized for medical use. This is very positive, and we can look forward to legalization in the near future here in Vermont, along with other states.

A working explanation of how marijuana reduces tumor growth, and healthily modulates calorie intake through selective activation of dopamine receptors:

  Marijuana and the active compound inside it, THC, are both known to shrink tumor size and inhibit cancer cell growth, which has been publicized by the federal government in recent publications (Scott). The mechanisms of how this actually occurs are somewhat less clear. The answer appears to be, interestingly enough, in the dopamine receptors. While addictive activities and substances are measured by their effect on DA1 receptors, which constitute the majority of dopamine receptors in the brain, there are actually 5 such subsets of receptors: DA1-5. These smaller groupings or clusters of dopamine receptors are well known to have various physical effects on the body by regulation of hormones and other physical mechanisms
  The effect of marijuana on DA1 activation is less than a good meal, sex, alcohol, or a wide range of chemicals as shown in a PBS broadcast and that the effect of marijuana does not impact the widespread DA1 receptors, which are causally and correlatively shown to cause addiction (French), which explains the non-addictive nature of the plant. Understanding the hormonal and physical effects, however, requires further investigation. Activation of DA2 receptors has been shown to reduce prolactin levels, a hormone virtually non-existent in males, but present in females and very high in pregnant females (Poste). This phenomenon is relatively recent, but reduction of prolactin levels as a result of THC administration has been known since the early 1980's at least (Steger, et al.).
   Elevated prolactin levels have been shown to cause a re-activation of tumor growth since the 1960's at least, and it can be assumed that as a DA2 agonist, marijuana suppresses such re-activation or tumor growth (Pearson, et al.). This is confirmed by a cannabinoid breakdown activation levels on various parts of the brain, classified as cannabinoid receptors which include some DA1 receptors, but also D2 receptors (Consroe). These parts of the brain also contain DA3 receptors, as shown more recently (Stanwood), agonism of which can inhibit Parkinson and tremors (such as epilepsy). Use of dopamine agonists has been shown more recently to encourage new blood vessel growth and inhibit growth of tumors (Goth, et al.), however many available agonists do not act selectively on specific dopamine receptors, but also activate the clusters which constitute the D1 areas of the brain (basal ganglia and other interior parts of the brain). Due to marijuana's, or THC's, low activation of D1 receptors (less than a good meal, as mentioned before), this appears to be a non-addictive and safe way to prevent cancer and obesity, which are the two leading killers in the USA after Alzheimer's related diseases.
 




Works Cited:

Consroe, Paul. "Brain cannabinoid systems as targets for the therapy of neurological disorders." Neurobiology of disease 5.6 (1998): 534-551.
French, Edward D. "Δ 9-Tetrahydrocannabinol excites rat VTA dopamine neurons through activation of cannabinoid CB1 but not opioid receptors." Neuroscience letters 226.3 (1997): 159-162.
Góth, M. I., Hubina, E., Raptis, S., Nagy, G. M. and Tóth, B. E. (2003), Physiological and pathological angiogenesis in the endocrine system. Microsc. Res. Tech., 60: 98–106. doi: 10.1002/jemt.10248
Pearson, Olof H., et al. "Prolactin-dependent rat mammary cancer: a model for man?." Transactions of the Association of American Physicians 82 (1969): 225-38.
Poste, George, and Stanley T. Crooke. Dopamine receptor agonists. Springer Science & Business Media, 2013.

Scott KA, Dalgleish AG, Liu WM. The combination of cannabidiol and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol enhances the anticancer effects of radiation in an orthotopic murine glioma model. Mol Cancer Ther. 2014;13(12):2955-67. 
Stanwood, Gregg D., Irwin Lucki, and Paul McGonigle. "Differential regulation of dopamine D2 and D3 receptors by chronic drug treatments." Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics 295.3 (2000): 1232-1240.
Steger, R. W., et al. "Interactions of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) with hypothalamic neurotransmitters controlling luteinizing hormone and prolactin release." Neuroendocrinology 37.5 (1983): 361-370.

Vermont in the 1840’s: a Time of Revival, Religion, and Expanding Horizons

Paul Andreas Fischer

6/1/2015

Paul Searls

Vermont in the 1840’s: a Time of Revival, Religion, and Expanding Horizons

The population growth of the early 1840’s was fueled by deforestation efforts as agricultural potential expanded greatly. The population had matured and was now part of a great effort to redefine the national identity that had progressed across New England. Early secessionist movements in New England after the war of 1812, during the presidency of Andrew Jackson in reaction to early attempts to expand liberty throughout the Quebec peninsula (Buchanan, lecture) had become directed inwards; the small state and nation as a whole began to see a unique transformation. Important factors of this internal revolution can be seen as religious and political changes (these forces were still operating in lockstep), expansion of economic frontiers as well as technological competitiveness with Southern states who already enjoyed an economic transformation, and educational maturation. All of these combined into a new and cooperative effort to bring a new dawn to the Vermont countryside and the bustling townships which finally saw westward expansion stunted by squabbling over the nature of westward states and military paranoia of invasion from the North and Atlantic.

The religious revival is nationally noted for the education of African-American citizens and slaves, along with their baptism (Thornton, lecture). This revival can also be seen in the unanimously white states of the North, as the young nation had finally seen reason to expand educational efforts in the countryside and established extensive schooling efforts which saw literacy rates rise (Opal, lecture). Liberty was not the sole goal of these efforts, and the nature of the debates which shaped up affected Vermont in a unique manner.

Two primary objectives of the revivalism in Vermont are of particular interest. Which one came first is not immediately apparent, but logically it can be deduced that the stronger was a reaction to the weaker as this is the nature of successful social movements, society defined as a growing entity (Weiner, lecture). Firstly, the temperance movement attracted a great following in a young state (both in demographics and politically); it is likely the great population shifts described later in economic analysis of the state encouraged a persecution of apple orchard farmers who provided the raw materials which fueled the degenerative behavior of alcohol consumption. “An average of one in every four adults volunteered to take one temperance pledge” (Potash, 182). While demographics are unavailable, it is known that this effort was certainly unappreciated in rural and military circles; the latter had militias in which whisky was used as a reward and the former depended on distilleries to boost consumption of their crop.

What sort of political reaction may have occurred cannot be certain, but prosecution of secret groups and the anti-masonic sentiments of the state may be an endogenous reaction to these events in play. “Rousing greater moral and political ardor among Vermonters than temperance or any other reform was the issue of anti-masonry” which played a major role in the natural backlash which occurred as other states likely proved all too willing to provide a bountiful amount of alcohol, but had much less incentive to purchase the raw materials Vermont was capable of producing.

This came pursuant to various political and economic changes which had occurred in Vermont prior to the establishment of significant organized religion in the public sphere. While by the 1840s, Vermont was on the threshold of breaking through with new threshing machines that would transform agricultural capabilities and allow the conquest of the American South later after allegations of unfair democratic procedures and unconstitutional secession (which is only permitted in the event a state or states’ constitution is in conflict with the United States’ constitution, not when federal statutes and state statutes or constitutions conflict). “In the years following the war of 1812, New York Governor Dewitt Clinton backed the projected Erie Canal that promised to reroute trade form the rapidly growing Great Lakes trade region and Montreal to the Hudson River and New York City” (Potash, 168).

While temperance movements may have decried this as a corruption of social morals and code at the time, the economic success of the action cannot be denied; trade across Lake Champlain subsequently increased by a factor of 500%. This is double the rate of agricultural growth in Addison County as measured by sheep count after 1832 pursuant to recovery from the banking crisis at the time (Potash, 173). Slowly for industrialists hoping to finally dot the Vermont countryside with urban areas, but rapidly given modes of transportation and conservative social values, the state saw a distinct demographic transformation.

“In the decade after 1820, although the population increased by almost 19% to almost 280,652, a large number of towns actually lost population” (Potash, 167) though it is possible this change was not as beneficial as it first appears. Unlike today, when the expansion of the technological frontier can rapidly expand economic horizons, during that time period it was difficult to make significant gains, even as economic policies appeared to work. This is likely due to natural barriers from toxic substance use and semi-natural pollutants (medicine and industry were equally barbaric in the release and exposure of workers and customers to dangerous elements). These changes economically have roots in educational changes that occurred at the time.

Prior to the 1840s, “during the 1820s and 30s Middlebury graduated three times as many students as the University of Vermont” (Potash, 179). This gives an example of this principle in action as no significant technological gains are reported until 1850 when this trend can be presumed to have reversed: with an excess of Middlebury graduates in comparison to UVM graduates, despite an abundance of the former, local economic systems simply became saturated without industrial or agricultural concerns to support them; closer to the lake and transportation proved to be more fertile ground for educational investment. In modern times, we can see that as the population increases in intelligence, such as when lead was removed from paint, automobiles and the environment in general, the economy and graduation rates also increase in kind; in this case it can be seen that a change of around 5 points in IQ resulted in triple the number of college graduates and corresponding gains in gross domestic product.

Earlier reference to sheep in Addison county plays a particularly important role to early Vermont educational development. While it is well known that timber played an important role in Vermont’s history, “the state’s economy flourished initially, then absorbed war-time setbacks, and slowly overcame them, while developing an increasingly precarious agricultural dependence on a single crop, wool” (Potash, 146). The expansion of the agricultural capacity of the state must have marched hand in hand with widespread deforestation. With this would come the educational maturation which allowed Vermont citizens to lead some of the most brilliant military victories in the United State’s history as well as several key technological innovations which played a key role in the survival of the state despite numerous human rights violations and keen competition for valuable resources, whether maple sugar to flavor tobacco or the granite which formed the foundation of the nation’s political and economic capitals.

Works Cited:

 Buchanan, Andrew. "US Military History." University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont. 2013. Lecture.

 Opal, Jason. "American History to 1865." McGill University, Montreal, Quebec. 2010. Web.

 Potash, P. Freedom and Unity: A History of Vermont. Vermont Historical Society: 2004.

 Thornton, Kevin. "US History to 1865." University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont. 2010. Lecture.

 Weiner, Mathew. "Introduction to Logic." University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont. 2014. Lecture.

The Recreational Marijuana Logic Tree:

Graphic obtained with permissions on Googleplus

Even a tiny bush like this has 1024 individual leaves, here is a logic tree which tries to break down some of the most important points on marijuana legalization:

Recreational Marijuana logic tree:

Marijuana and Crime:

   2 million of 4 million parolees have tried marijuana. 200 million of 350 million Americans have tried marijuana. 16% of prisoners are there solely for marijuana charges, which means that marijuana users commit significantly less crimes than those who do not make the life style choice. While data on intoxication from marijuana use and driving is not complete, the Federal Government has found that the likelihood of marijuana users to be involved in traffic fatalities is approximately the same as the non-using and non-drinking populations.

   Legalization of marijuana is estimated in the first year to have cost the South American Cartels nearly 4 billion dollars. Since 1970, when the majority of marijuana users also used other narcotics, the rate of co-dependence has fallen steadily, with the 50-50 point being reached in the 90’s. The vast majority of marijuana users now use marijuana exclusively. The rate of hard drug use in the nation has also dropped in a similar fashion from 10% to as low as .5%.
Marijuana and foreign policy:
   Unlike previous attempts to make marijuana illegal, when supporting foreign fighters in marijuana producing countries offered an incentive for the United States to encourage or foster an illegal trade in marijuana, and rigorously enforce prohibition, today foreign policy goals have changed and these rebels, whether in South American countries that during the cold war may have swung to communism, or in Afghanistan and the Middle East, now do not provide the same incentive to prohibit. In fact, as these organizations have struck against the United States in the past militarily or economically, continued prohibition may be a breach in national security by providing necessary means to acquire funding for enemies of the state. This is especially true in cases in which users are dependent on marijuana, either for medical purposes or as maintenance medication for co-occuring addictions. 

Marijuana and Education:

   Marijuana has been shown to increase IQ by a significant amount in current and former users with responsible adult use. This is exemplified by a lower crime rate, and after adjustment for marijuana-related legal or social sanctions, higher educational performance. This has also been causally proven with brain imaging work that shows marijuana increases functional connectivity.

Marijuana and public health:

   Marijuana has been shown to have a protective effect on the lungs and bronchial system. THC has been proven to attack cancer cells, and reduce both the prevalence and the exacerbation of cancer-related disease. While it is true that marijuana consumed as a child (the age the state of Vermont looks to set with legalization is 21, though further research here is being done) will negatively affect bone density in a manner similar to alcohol use over time, this effect is also matched by an increase in bone density with responsible adult use.

   Marijuana has medical benefits for those with terminal illness, which may extend lives significantly. Social discrimination or segregation may have a significant impact on these populations.

Marijuana and dependence or potential for abuse

   Research has shown that marijuana releases slightly less dopamine than a good meal, about half that of a sexual encounter or alcohol use and between 3 and 20 times less than other illegal or prescription narcotics available in the USA. Release of certain dopamine receptors initiated by marijuana use have been proven in adults to have a positive effect on various hormones, while not negatively affecting sperm count or other fertility measures, though in pregnant women some negative effects can be determined.

   It has also been proven that marijuana use acts as a result of the same receptors of the brain that coffee blocks, the adenosine receptors. While low doses of caffeine will reduce the amount of THC cravings, high doses will allow someone to take larger amounts of THC, and feel the need to do so. This is yet to be proven as effective treatment, but has the potential to provide a unique advantage to marijuana that drugs or alcohol do not.

The marijuana community and illegal or unconstitutional discrimination or attacks:

   Production of synthetic THC or spice, a schedule 1 substance, occurred in the United States legally for around 3 years. In 2010 alone over 11,000 Americans were hospitalized pursuant to consumption of the drug, which was classified by the White House as three times to 800 times more addictive than marijuana when they were added to the Controlled Substances Act with the Safety and Innovation Act of 2012. Dozens were killed. This is a direct result of job application urine screening and marijuana prohibition which resulted in use of the substance; many people did not even know this was not legitimate marijuana. 

   As noted before, marijuana use is not associated with fatal traffic accidents, but there are states such as Vermont, which have significant (a 5X increase from the national average) and consistently deviant marijuana traffic fatalities, suggesting social discrimination or prejudice in these areas. There are not corresponding states with abnormally low marijuana-related traffic fatalities, suggesting this is not the result of random distribution.

   RICO funds intended for legal prosecution of narcotics cases have been diverted to anti-marijuana lobby efforts. Organizations were found to divert money as well from pharmaceutical corporations to anti-marijuana efforts, in a massive breach of scientific ethics. This resulted in some pseudo-science arising in the anti-marijuana field, which was non-reproducible, something extremely rare in the world of academics and indicative of a massive economic investment in preventing the legalization and regulation of marijuana.