In her New Yorker cover illustration, Ana Juan implies that the events of 9/11 may have destroyed the towers and taken lives, but their memories continue to live on. Juan does this through a simple illustration- the New York skyline at the top, with the now missing towers reflected in the water. Her purpose is to create an image that will speak to people in order to commemorate the tragedy of 9/11. The illustrator creates a somber mood with her cover, beckoning the readers to open the pages of the magazine and remember the event that forever changed our country.
2. I was only three years old when 9/11 happened. I don't remember anything about that day. I probably didn't think twice about the fact that my mother picked me up from school early, or that she remained glued to the television, waiting for more news as she was forced to confront the unthinkable. The New York I know is the one at the top of the illustration, above the water. Juan's cover is simple, yet effective. She helps someone like me visualize what was once there- two towers that people walked by every day and likely paid little attention to. How crazy that they now represent a post-9/11 world in which we no longer feel the same sense of security. A more subtle statement is the fact that, in the cover, New York is still up and running. The lights are on, the city is intact. It serves as a reminder of how successfully, although slowly, we have recovered from something that shook up our world so intensely.
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
Tuesday, March 8, 2016
Apple vs the government
The fight over unlocking the San Bernandino shooter's iPhone seems a little ridiculous at first. Just unlock it, right? What's the big deal?
In an age where the debate over privacy and safety is at the forefront of people's mind, (think Snowden and the NSA) this is a huge deal. In their 1984 commercial, Apple presents themselves as the antidote to "Big Brother" IBM. They're progressive, revolutionary. They will bring down IBM and its ruthless control over the computer industry. Their computers will forever change what it means to be a computer.
Apple has always seen itself as a revolutionary company. They constantly challenge the way people view technology. This remains true today. In a way, the FBI and the U.S. government has inched closer and closer to being the new "Big Brother." This is certainly the image projected in the case of Apple vs. the government. Apple is the rebel, the defender of democracy. It will fight to uphold our right to privacy.
The ramifications of Apple creating new software to unlock this iPhone are far-reaching. There is much concern over what it would mean for future cases. If Apple were to follow the government's orders, it could open up a can of worms. What if this software got into the wrong hands? What would this mean for the masses?
Apple is not only concerned about the U.S. government using this technology in the future, but also about other countries, such as China, who is more than willing to encroach on its people's privacy. The company is making a statement about its commitment to its customers' privacy. The effects this new software may have on the world is just too risky to them. And I have to agree. We have to be so careful about how much we allow the government into our personal lives. There are just way too many uncertainties about what this new software could mean.
I'm all about security and justice. But when we have to sacrifice our rights as citizens to achieve these things, this is when we have to be wary. There has to be some way we can do both. If Apple can find a way to unlock the iPhone without opening a Pandora's box, great. If not, Apple is right to continue its fight to protect privacy.
In an age where the debate over privacy and safety is at the forefront of people's mind, (think Snowden and the NSA) this is a huge deal. In their 1984 commercial, Apple presents themselves as the antidote to "Big Brother" IBM. They're progressive, revolutionary. They will bring down IBM and its ruthless control over the computer industry. Their computers will forever change what it means to be a computer.
Apple has always seen itself as a revolutionary company. They constantly challenge the way people view technology. This remains true today. In a way, the FBI and the U.S. government has inched closer and closer to being the new "Big Brother." This is certainly the image projected in the case of Apple vs. the government. Apple is the rebel, the defender of democracy. It will fight to uphold our right to privacy.
The ramifications of Apple creating new software to unlock this iPhone are far-reaching. There is much concern over what it would mean for future cases. If Apple were to follow the government's orders, it could open up a can of worms. What if this software got into the wrong hands? What would this mean for the masses?
Apple is not only concerned about the U.S. government using this technology in the future, but also about other countries, such as China, who is more than willing to encroach on its people's privacy. The company is making a statement about its commitment to its customers' privacy. The effects this new software may have on the world is just too risky to them. And I have to agree. We have to be so careful about how much we allow the government into our personal lives. There are just way too many uncertainties about what this new software could mean.
I'm all about security and justice. But when we have to sacrifice our rights as citizens to achieve these things, this is when we have to be wary. There has to be some way we can do both. If Apple can find a way to unlock the iPhone without opening a Pandora's box, great. If not, Apple is right to continue its fight to protect privacy.
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