The materials
of week 1 mostly centre how the “Two Cultures” divide and influence to each
other. Although science and art are usually considered as two polar opposites,
I still deem that they are somehow linked in various fields and forms.
As a UCLA
student who majored in electrical engineering, I am deeply aware of the
division between the cultures of south campus and north campus. Students in the
south campus are passionate about technology. Science makes their sense and
life. However, north campus students have the stereotype of being active and
extroverted. It is like the left right brain theory, seems to be plausible, but
does not work out in all the cases. All the students majored in engineering are
required to take several courses besides their majors. Taking DESMA9 is for
fulfilling my GE requirement, and this is my precious opportunity to learn more
about arts.
That the
disparity between rich and poor is the main cause of the wide gap between art
and technology, which is mentioned in C.P. Snow’s famous lecture, impressed me
a lot. The entire western society is supposed to fix the education to narrow
the gap and draw connection. Over the past 50 years after Mr. Snow’s lecture,
there was some chemistry reaction occurred. John Brockman spent most of
his life on integrating arts and science, and created Edge Foundation. People have
put a lot of effort into integration. As 3D, even 4D movies, HD cameras and any
advanced forms of music players, they are all potent evidence of integration of
the two cultures.
Things have
been changed from 50 years ago. Our world has seen more overlap of the two
cultures. Meanwhile, we begin to talk about the lately recognized third
culture, which implies two cultures are now closely connected.
Citation:
Graham-Rowe,
Duncan. “Magazine.”http://www.wired.co.uk. N.p., 03 February 2011. Web. 5 Oct 2013. <http://www.wired.co.uk/magazine/archive/2011/03/start/matchmaking-with-science-and-art>.
Collins, Matt. An Update on C. P. Snow’s “Two Cultures”. 2009. Graphic. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=an-update-on-cp-snows-two-culturesWeb.
5 Oct 2013.
Top 100 3D
Movies Post. 2010. Graphic. http://www.cgsociety.org/index.php/CGSFeatures/CGSFeatureSpecial/vote_for_the_top_100_3d_movies_of_all_timeWeb. 5 Oct 2013.
Creative ads Awards Winner — Underwater
Camera: BEACH. 2010.
Graphic.
http://www.coloribus.com/focus/waterproof-cameras-ads/13751855Web. 5 Oct 2013.
Fly Tulcan. 2009. Photograph. http://pixelpastahome.blogspot.com/2010_08_22_archive.html Web. 5 Oct 2013.
I strongly agree with your remark about education; while it is education that is supposed to inform the society about the two cultures and the gap between the two culture, our educational system and structure have long been preaching the two culture. Such phenomenon is perhaps due to early subject specialization in our educational system modeled after intellectual culture of the enlightenment and economic circumstance of industrial revolution. And yet I still think education is the key to close the gap between the two cultures and nurture the third culture.
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