The Fall of the Euro (Current)

The creation of the European Union has been seen by many as something both good and bad. The EU has made in a sense a "united" Europe, easing travel between countries, lowering import/export taxes and setting the European continent on a similar standard of living, education, medicine, etc. Unfortunately, the other side is that a united Europe has brought in new problems for many nations to face. Illegal immigration to many EU countries such as Greece, Italy and France has caused culture clashes, riots, misunderstanding and job loss for the citizens of each nation. Greece has been dealing with an influx of thousands of illegal Albanians who have come to the country and stripped Greece of many of jobs for its own people. Italy is dealing with the same problem as well as France.
The worst thing the EU has done is create a single-currency system: the Euro. This currency in my opinion is destroying Europe. Inflation has been on the rise the past decade and now hard economic crisis has hit the nations of Portugal, Ireland (ROI), Italy, Greece, and Spain. The introduction of the Euro has hit the smaller and weaker economies of the EU the hardest. The cost of living in each of these countries has skyrocketed. From going to Greece this past summer and multiple times in the past, the price of living in Greece has become more expensive than living the USA. People over here may marvel at the Euro and what it has done for Europe, but the Europeans themselves hate it. There are calls in Greece by many Greeks to abandon the Euro for the Greek Drachma once again because people cannot get by with all the inflation the Euro has caused. The idea of the Euro to me is good on paper, but when applying it to almost 20 countries who have varying cultures, people, and especially economies it is a recipe for disaster. The wealthier nations like Germany and France are paying to keep their currency tangible at this point creating bailout packages for their neighbors to the South. This is not going well with their own people, for they themselves feel they shouldn't be paying another country's debt. I say down with the Euro and bring back the Drach!

Piet Mondrian's "Composition 10" (WWII)

Looking at Piet Mondrain's "Composition 10" I began to realize how modern art came to be. The painting uses many geometric shapes specifically the square. It reminded me of modern art and architecture such as the Guggenheim Museum in New York City. It also reminded me of the contemporary art that became popular during the 20th century. The art also made me think about stain glass windows in churches as well. The use of the white background and black lines with the other colors filled in made me connect that to the way the countries of Europe were divided. The black lines represent the borders of the countries and the different colors represented the different races/cultures that Europe contains. This paintin perfectly represents the division on the continent and the lack of being able to come together as one in order to solve problems. It also reminded me of life today with the divisions that separate us. Whether it is religion, color or heritage there is still division among us today. We as humans feel more comfortable with those who are similar to us. These divisions don't seem as prevalent though in cities such as New York where people from all backgrounds are able to live with each other in peace.

Edward Hopper's "Nighthawks" (WWII)

Reading up on Edward Hopper's "Nighthawks", I learned some new things about this famous painting. The painting shows people sitting in a diner in Manhattan late at night. Hopper painted this very soon after the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The painting is meant to illustrate the overall gloominess the country was in after the attack on World War II. It was a time when people were afraid to leave their homes. This made me think of the attacks on the World Trade Centers on September 11, 2001. People were afraid, depressed and unsure of what the future held. In the 1940's people knew this attack would launch them into the war in Europe and they were afraid of what that would bring. With news coming in about what was happening to other nations in Europe and already being attacked at home, people were scared that it could happen again. When would the attack come? Would it happen on the mainland this time? Would New York, Chicago, Washington or LA be next? Or would small towns and military bases be the next places to be attacked. What was coming next?

"Cut the Line" Thomas Benton (WWII)

Looking at "Cut the Line" I began to see the sheer work and emotion that the effect of the war had on people at home. In the picture, the crowd seems to be somewhat distraught at the ship leaving the shores of the United States. The American flag is waving in the background with the men cutting the lines of the ship for it to prepare for setting sail. The ship is carrying thousands of American men over to Europe to fight in a war that distraught thousands of people. It seems this picture illustrates the frustration that people had with having their family leaving to fight a war that was thousands of miles away. People were war-weary by 1944. World War I had just occurred a few decades earlier and people were not in a position to want to fight another war. Looking at the past, even after the war people were damaged mentally if not physically by the war for the rest of their lives. You can see war having lasting effects on people even today with the war in Iraq. Soldiers come home facing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as well as other injuries both physical and mental. War only leads to pain, and that pain can last much longer than after the last bomb is dropped.

The Holocaust (WWII)

Continuing to learn about the Holocaust, I was more clearly able to see and learn about the atrocities the Jewish people faced during the mid-20th century. This also makes me think about the genocides happening all over the world today. I can't imagine how the rest of Europe did not know what was occurring across their borders. It was not like they were the United States thousands of miles away across the Atlantic Ocean. Why did it take so long for anyone to react? For other European countries to claim they did not know what was happening is a bit hard for me to stomach. I also don't believe the Pope did enough to condemn the killings. He is the leader of the Catholic Church. He is the vicar of Christ, and as so he should have done anything possible in order to help the others. That is why he was elected to be the Pope. He instead stayed in the Vatican where he could not be touched. I would hope if something like this happened today the Pope would be more apt to speak up and bring attention to such crimes against humanity. This not only goes for the Pope but other leaders of other religions as well. It can be argued that we don't do enough in other areas of the world such as Darfur where a genocide is occurring today. We must act now in order to prevent more innocent killings.

Edward Hopper's "The Long Leg" (1935) (Age of Anxiety)

Looking at Edward Hopper's "The Long Leg" painted in 1935, I began to get a sense of the relaxation and peace he painted with the calm of the ocean and sailboat. When I looked at the date it was painted, 1935, I began to connect it to a sense of the "Calm before the storm". Things in Europe were bad at this time, and people could begin to see that a conflict was on the horizon. This also made me think of the calm that was in the USA for the problems the world were facing were thousands of miles away across the Atlantic, where the USA could not easily get involved. The scene itself reminded me of the Hamptons, and this location for the picture makes sense in my mind since the painter lived in New York City. The colors used, primarily blue and white both send messages of purity, innocence and peace. No splashes of red or black to depict blood or death. Looking at the picture, one immediately senses calm and ease of a place far away where conflict does not exist, where simply the splash of the ocean waves on the beach creating a serene scene the is untouched by conflict. The painting helps me understand also what people back in the 30's enjoyed doing. Even today, one can still see thousands of people sailing at beaches as a getaway from reality and conflict.

Georgia O'Keeffe "Radiator Building" (1927) (Age of Anxiety)

Looking at Georgia O'Keeffe's "Radiator Building" I felt the painting describing to me the new energetic life of the Big City that the 20's and 30's helped build and give a personality to. In the picture a skyscraper in New York City is pictured filling the night painting with light giving the city life at night. Behind it are pictured spotlights that you can see, giving the city a celebrity-feel as well similar to the lights you might see at a movie premier or a club. This picture shows how many people like O'Keeffe who came from small-town Wisconsin came to the big city and found an energy and life that was completely unknown until the time. The rise of New York City, the new capital of the world, the new Rome, was coming with its famous Art Deco buildings rising up daily. New York as well as other cities in the USA such as Chicago were becoming hubs for culture, life, commerce and trade. People were moving from the rural life of the previous decades and going to the cities to pursue their dreams. Even today people harbor feelings of leaving their homes behind for the energy and excitement of the big city. This painting is essential in understanding the mindset of the people of the 1920's; Excitement-driven with the ability to spend money wherever and whenever. The city helped bring people to their knees with the Great Depression and owing debt left and right. The city is still a dream for millions today, but hopefully those going will be a bit more money conscious.

Tamara de Lempicka; "Tamara in the Green Bugatti" (Age of Anxiety)

Looking at art from the 1920's and 1930's I came across the artist Tamara de Lempicka. She was born in Warsaw Poland and later came to fame as a Polish Art Deco Painter. She eventually made her way to Paris where she lived during the roaring 20's. She lived a very bohemian lifestyle and surrounded herself with artists such as Pablo Picasso, Jean Cocteau and Andre Gide. She was also known to be a bisexual which is pivotal to understanding her art and the freedom and liberation she portrayed in them especially when painting women. Her lifestyle was not the norm at that time in history. Looking at this self-portrait, I can see that Tamara has seductive eyes as well as a confident and provocative face. This picture tells me she is a free woman who will not let anything stop her, which connects with the prestige, speed, elegance and class of the Bugatti car she is driving. She lives in her own world, not the world men seek to make for her. She is a free spirit and this I believe glorifies the lifestyle of the 1920's; New, exciting, experimental and most of all FREE. Society was evolving and things that were not accepted before were becoming the norm . It was a period of transition, and this art helps show that.

Stock Market Crash (Age of Anxiety)

Learning about the Stock Market Crash of 1929, I was able to see how bad the times really were. People were starving, their were no jobs, the unemployment rate was 38%, and to make it worse it took many years for the economy to bounce back. It wasn't until 1933 did the economy really begin to recover. Thanks to FDR's social programs and the eventual entry into WWII, America was able to get out of the Depression as the world's wealthiest and most powerful nation. Unfortunately, the Depression that was felt in the United States spread to many countries around the world, although I was surprised to discover that France was for the most part unaffected. Learning about the Great Depression also made me think of the recession we are in currently. The entire world is now in a recession with nations around the globe being affected. The United States has proven to be one of the hardest hit countries as well as rebounding the slowest. The dollar has sunk to a low that the Euro is and has been higher for almost a decade. Long ago were the days when the US dollar was the currency to carry with you in Europe. This does not excuse Europe completely from this disaster as the nations of Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece, and Spain are reeling especially hard because of the economy in the EU. Greece especially is doing particularly bad now causing the Euro to fall against the US dollar in recent months as well as causing markets in the USA to be hit as well. This I feel does not compare to that of the Great Depression. Today the media makes the economy out to be the oncoming death of all of us. The jobless rate in this country is no where near what it was during the Depression. I feel we must step back and realize we are still far better off than those people in the late twenties and thirties.

Charles Lindbergh (Age of Anxiety)/Connection Across TIme

Learning about Charles Lindbergh I began to truly think about the feat he was able to endure and conquer. Traveling across the Atlantic Ocean is no big deal or amazement today. Thousands of people do it everyday whether they are traveling to London, Paris, Rome or Athens. I've done it plenty of times simply taking it for granted, even complaining about how long it takes to travel over 5,000 miles. Back in the time of Lindbergh, traveling across the Atlantic in an airplane was a big deal. It also took much longer than just a few hours to reach Paris. The miracle of flight is dead today. People take flying for granted; it is just a way to get from point A to B. Back then, it was something people marveled at and took amazement in. Lindbergh helped fuel this passion among people all over the world with his flight. His flight was what the moon landing was to people in the sixties. These achievements bring people together to share in it. I think of things today such as the invention of the internet or the revolution of the iPod as bringing people together. What Lindbergh did made him a god among men during his time. His flight helped millions realize the possibility that anything could be done if you just put your mind to it. His example is similar to the example of Barack Obama, our first African-American President. They both have inspired thousands in doing what no one thought was possible and I commend both of them.

The Ineffectiveness of the League of Nations & Connection Across Time (WWII)

Learning about the League of Nations in this chapter I was amazed at how little power they really were able to use in the early 20th century. It seems to me that with all the feuding between the Big Three and a clear division among nations, nothing was able to get accomplished. With so many varying views, how could anything really have been accomplished. Something France might have been against, Britain could have been for or vice-verse. The problem is, with so many diverse cultures, ways of life and economic situations, each country really was only looking out for number one. It was hard for one nation to take the reigns of the League and try and accomplish anything without dissidence from other members. Also, not having a designated military force under the co-op control of the League of Nations also made anything the League of Nations passed was put on deaf ears of those countries who wished not to abide by a certain ruling. "Speak softly and carry a big stick"- once said by Teddy Roosevelt. Unfortunately for the world the LON only spoke softly. This also reminded me of our modern day United Nations. With an even greater number of members, it is almost impossible to the UN to have any real authority in the world. Even within the security council their is disagreement especially between the West and East. The UN seems to be a place of gridlock where nothing gets accomplished to really put a dent in the problems that face society today. The only time we as a world seem to listen to the UN is every September when some crazy from Iran or Libya speaks. Even then most representatives in the UN seem to exit the assembly room (haha) . I can only hope that in the future the UN gains a least a little more leverage in world affairs because not listening to the general consensus of what the UN thinks (Like I don't know going to war in a place called Iraq?) seems to pan out pretty badly.

Otto Dix's Self-portrait with a Gunner's Helmet/Conncetion Across TIme

Looking at Otto Dix's Self-portrait with a Gunner's Helmet I came to realize yet again the painting Dix created had more than simply meets the eye. Looking at the picture, one can see that the face is dark, sullen, and covered in something red. I interpreted this as a picture of a gunner who was forced to do vicious and vile things in the name of war. The red I assume to be blood and the blood of those people who he has killed. I feel as though the soldier is having a rough time dealing with all the stress and emotional roller coaster so much death and destruction does to one. His mouth seems to be in a frown as well, signaling the soldier is tired of fighting and just wants to return home to his life and family. I see this connected to our own day with soldiers who come back from war and suffer from PTSD. Coming home after years of war, one is different but what is pivotal to the hurt soldiers go through is that those around him have changed as well, and their lives have moved on since he/she has gone to war. This is a hard thing for many soldiers to deal with as well as attempting to ease back into civilian life. Unfortunately this disorder has increased over the past years, and soldiers have even gone as far as becoming mentally unstable or even committed suicide. The effect of war and killing stays with a person forever. The horrors of war never die and can take victims decades after the dust settles. The long-term affects of war are constantly paraded on tv specials informing us to be mindful that a soldier never really leaves a war, because the war comes home with him.

Otto Dix's Self-portrait as Mars (Selbstbildnis mit Artillerie-Helm)

Looking at his painting Self-portrait as Mars (Selbstbildnis mit Artillerie-Helm) by Otto Dix, I felt as though I was looking at the Greek God Areas, god of war and the many faces he had. In the painting, their are a variety of colors from red, black, gold, and a dirty white and blue. I felt it was essential to note these colors for they are all representative of being dirty, impure, tainted and a bloody death. Even the colors blue and white are tarnished in a way to show sin. This reminded me of the purity of the White Dove and its representation of Jesus. The white is pure, unlike in this picture. Using the god of war is significant because it puts the viewers' attention directly onto the World War I and the many faces it had to different people. To the Austrian/Hungarians it was an act of retaliation, to the British it was a war to save a falling Europe, to the French it was a war to survive, to the Japanese it was a war that stood to give them alot in the end. Each nation looked at the war in a different aspect. There was no one face of the war, but there were many. This is true to this day with looking at the Iraq War for example. To some Americans it is a War of retaliation, to Middle Easterners it is a war of the American Empire trying to further consume the land of their ancestors. As there are two sides to every story there are multiple sides to war. This is part of the reason why War is hard to be justifiable in the eyes of all parties. (http://www.ottodix.org/index/paintings)

Jean Hugo, Le regard de la mémoire

While looking at Jean Hugo's Le regard de la mémoire titled "The Desert and Hell" I immediately could see what the photographer was attempting to depict. The pictures illustrates a desolate world, in this case the nation of France and the bloodshed the nation endured. In the tree a body of a man can be seen contrasting a tree's representation of light and life with the darkness of death. The tree itself is barren showing how all life is affected by humans' war. The rest of the picture shows a desolate landscape with no grass or vegetation of any sort.This reminded me of how Global Warming effects our planet. With people having no respect or care for the environment it will not only destroy the planet around us it will help destroy us as well. This picture is pivotal to not only understand the magnitude of World War I but it helps illustrate what happens during any conflict. It seems to me those people who are always preaching "the War in Iraq was right" or "let's just blow the whole place up" seem to put aside any type of moral compass and use their anger and adrenaline as reasons to fight. War brings DEATH and nothing else. In this country we are lucky to have never seen our nation invaded by foreigners and not seen our homes destroyed by incoming missiles or gunfire. If those in power step back and truly examine war and the ugliness it brings we as a world would have less problems. The death of one innocent person due to a war between nations is unacceptable and as human beings we should stand up against war as a "quick go to solution". That's what was done in Iraq and to this day our military is still fighting. Was it really worth it? NOT AT ALL!

The Balkans

Looking at how the "Big Four" divided the nations in the Balkans and the former Ottoman Empire, I found it very disturbing that the leaders held no regard for where they drew the lines. No account was taken for clashing cultures, ideas, beliefs and ethnic backgrounds. It seems as though the leaders got out a pencil and drew some lines across Europe and the Middle East. In the Balkans their consists many cultures and peoples. From the Greeks to the Albanians, Slavs, Romanians, Bulgarians, and for lack of a better name Macedonians (Referring to FYROM who in no way shape or form are the real Macedonians or are the same people as those who were under Alexander the Great for those were GREEKS who were in Macedonia which is a section of Northern Greece around the city of Thessaloniki). Religions in this area range from Greek Orthodox, Sunni Muslim, Jew, etc. The area has peoples of almost every belief and this can cause tension. Ethnic cleansing seen after these nations were divided after World War I can be seen to have root with the "Big Four". Israel today faces the problems with the Palestinians because the Big Four at first gave the Palestinian people a home but after World War II, it was abolished in place for Israel. The war that occurred last summer traces back to this division the "Big Four" made. Hopefully in the future in dealing with redrawing borders, the governments of the world will take a step back and try to figure out how to avoid another war down the road.
(http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/places/images/photos/photo_lg_israel.jpg)

Germany is Blamed!!!!

I enjoyed learning about how through the Treaty of Versailles the German people were forced to claim guilt for the entire onset of World War II. I find this highly inappropriate and feel that Austria-Hungary should have shared more of the blame. Granted, Germany was not an innocent party telling Austria-Hungary that they would write them a "blank check" to wage war. I do although see why the Europeans felt the way they did against Germany and its people. France was destroyed, thanks to almost four years of trench warfare, the British had been blockaded and attacked viciously as well as Russia facing casualties of its own. Germany deserved to be punished, no question about it, but the punishment given to them by the "Big Four" helped bring about the rise of Adolf Hitler and eventually World War II. Looking back at the mistakes our ancestors have made, today we should be able to see that revenge is never the answer, for it will only help lead the nations of the world into more war and bloodshed. I find it unfortunate to see that our leaders today still make the same mistakes, such as former President George W. Bush entering Iraq in an attempt to seek out revenge against Saddam Hussein who made a threat against former President Bush. Hopefully in the near future we can have a world free from leaders who make war simply out of revenge.