Category: humanity

As people learned through decades artists create art which is about compatible providing an inspiration to themselves why they require being animatedly existent and taken as creators. Depending on the time period art was focused on different tendencies such as historical or inner self directions, although the one I am going to explore in my essay is the Western Romanticism movement. I aim to discuss three Romantic paintings by Caspar David Friedrich, Henry Fuseli and Théodore Géricault.

To begin with explaining the importance of the Romantic perspective for the human as a creature opposite to a machine I am going debate whether Romanticism really changed that view.

In the heart of the Romanticism lays the idea of emphasizing permitted freedom and primacy of the individual, and it is characterized by emotions, inner world and imagination. One of the most significant artists who shaped Romanticism was the German painter Caspar David Friedrich. ‘Friedrich’s paintings are strangely sadder and lonelier when they are inhabited by a turned figure than when they are empty. ‘ (Koerner, 161) In my opinion by quoting the Joseph Leo Koerner in this particular sentence it shows Friedrich’s ability to create a piece in which he makes the viewer to perceive the man as an object full of negative emotions such as loneliness and sorrow , but at the same time it offers the fact that the man is peacefully on his own wandering in search for answers. Commenting on Wanderer above the Sea of Fog(Fig.1), David Blayney Brown: ‘…and it is no accident that the poet, wrapped in thought on his mountain, recalls Friedrich`s alpine Wanderer (11) image of the artist in communion with the mysteries of nature and of his own inner life. The poet and the painter have climbed high to be closer to God who has given them these insights…’(26) He address the poet standing above fog and clouds as the supreme Romantic poet Thus William Wordsword. Brown also points out that the viewer can find a strong connection between the poet and the painter, compares the nature and how it reflects the soul of the artist itself. It shows his inner desire to reach the capability of being open to his feelings.

Figure 1 ‘Wanderer above the Sea of Fog’ (1818). Caspar David Friedrich. Oil painting, 94.8 cm × 74.8 cm. Kunsthalle Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

Another famous painting by Friedrich Caspar was ‘Monk by the Sea’ (fig. 2 ).

Figure 2 ‘The Monk by the Sea’ (1808–1810). Caspar David Friedrich. Oil painting, 1.1 m x 1.72 m. Alte Nationalgalerie

According to Charles Sala ‘It draws a spectator`s gaze with its contained intensity and absorbs that of the strolling monk with its immaterial immensity. ‘ (129 ) The ‘Monk’ absorbs same energy as Wanderer above the Sea of Fog (fig.1 ). which is not essentially positive and its rather in a search of the same inner balance as the ‘Wanderer’. Fig. 1 can also be seen as an answer against to Neoclassicism. The Neoclassicism itself is focused on Roman and Greek features and strove to preserve the classical values such as the use of columns. Mostly it was concentrated on architecturally and political side, as well qualities such as balance and order. (Brown, 4 ) From my personal standpoint two of Friedrich’s paintings fig.1 and fig.2 are outstanding examples which indicate Romanticism as a development after the Neoclassical lack of emotional expression due to the materialism in the modern world. That also included interpreted response to the late Renaissance philosophical movement – Neo-stoicism which associates with characteristics such as firmness, endurance and equanimity. (Sellars )

Henry Fuseli was a Swiss painter which artworks often were associated as Romantic or Neoclassical, also shows psychological and sensual imagery within his canvas. (Myrone, 6 ) Clark writes about artist paintings that: ‘…they are concerned with the two great irrational fear and sex , both communicated through dreams.’ (64-65) Great example of this statement is one of his most famous works is The Nightmare (fig. 3 ) which shows sleeping woman in a nightdress, demonic creature sitting on her chest and horse like ghost in the back.

Figure 3 ‘The Nightmare’ (1781). Henry Fuseli. Oil painting , 1.02 m x 1.27 m. Detroit Institute of Arts

‘The Romantics believed that dreams were second life, lived on another plane; they connected the dreamer with eternal unities lost to the rational mind, and transcended time by recalling a spirit past or foretelling the future’ (Brown, 317 ) Brown refers to fig. 3 and specially the meaning behind the girl laying down near to her fears. It shows that by converting dreams into paintings the Romantics expressed not only positive emotions that were supposed to be felt during sleeping, but those which people rarely discussed about – negative ones. By using the contrast between the two dark creatures and the girl wearing white dress, Fuseli used a metaphor for how pure and untouched human slowly destructs itself because of its inner thoughts and the battle of its inner demons. It also questions if people were viewing the dreams as something that can give us access to other worlds or it could be a connection to human memories.

However Myrone interpretation on fig. 3 , the woman specifically is slightly different. ‘In contrast, The Nightmare has been read as a revenge-fantasy directed at Anna Landlord, the woman he had loved and been rejected.’ (Myrone, 70) Author of the quote stated that Fuseli created the artwork to reveal his personal story and declare it as a response to the rejection of the loved one. The Nightmare represents his fantasies about Anna Landlord that could be elucidated as sensual and erotical. Although connecting the figure in the painting as individual who attended in painter’s life could be an approach to link his deeper thoughts and the pain from his unrequited love to the dramatic composition in fig.3 . ‘Here, the woman is reduced to a limb and lifeless almost shapeless form, virginal in her revealing white nightdress , but yielding under the suffocating weight of the imp on her chest… ‘ Coming to agreement with Myrone who states that demonic creature on woman’s chest can be understood as the artist itself only confirms the theory that Fuseli’s painting as a form of revenge and way of pouring over his feelings from the emotionally painful experience into the figure of the woman. In my opinion the artist wanted to reach the pureness of his loved one, but representing him as a demon only led him to obsession, almost as if he took her spirit from the ‘lifeless’ body. As I presented The Nightmare could be interpreted with many theories but my assumption is that the first belief symbolize more clearly my thoughts on how Romanticism slowly started to change the view on dreams and nightmares in humans life, showing the individual as someone more vulnerable and exposed.

Théodore Géricault was a French Romanticism painter, within the canvas of one of his rarest landscapes deployed a whole tragedy into masterpiece which became one of the major event of its day and he ‘proclaims the agony of desperate men lost at sea’ (Alhadeff, 45 ) – The raft of Medusa (fig. 4 ). The artwork mirror a real incident involving forty-nine passengers abandoned by their captain and followed by cannibalism due the tragic circumstances. (Clark, 185)

Figure 4‘The Raft of the Medusa’ (1818-1819). Théodore Géricault. Oil painting, 4.91 m x 7.16 m. Louvre Museum

‘We feel, as Géricault intended we should, that all humanity is a raft of desperate men, surrounded by the dead and dying, but suddenly united by hope.’ (Clark, 185) Kenneth Clark statement about fig.4 is clearly an example of supporting my thesis how each of the figures there were illustrated to show variety of emotions when the only thing left in their life is to hope, which is shown as the only savior in regardless of their situation. Within the painting there are variety of emotions in each of the figures, such as desperation (fig. 5 ), extreme anger (fig.6 ) and desire, praying for miracle(fig.7 ).

Figure 5 ‘The Raft of the Medusa’(Detail) (1818-1819)

Figure 6 ‘The Raft of the Medusa’(Detail) (1818-1819)

‘As one vindictive voice wrote, they had “forgotten God” and, since none were on their knees praying to the almighty, they ”all must die.” ’ (O’Mahony, qtd. In Alhadeff, 29 ) O’Mahony says that the ‘scapegraces’ whose were left alone even by God deserve their destiny, although on fig. 7 there is a noticeable rage in one boaters who sense that the whole crew is already left alone and that provokes disturbance rather than praying like as the rest of the survivors around (fig.7).

Figure 7 ‘The Raft of the Medusa’(Detail) (1818-1819)

‘The rescue vessel was barely visible, yet the castaway, signaling with colored bunting, hoped against hope the distant ship would not turn away from them.’ (Alhadeff, 45 ) This quote support my statement about fig 8, where the ship in the background represents faith and sailors who attempt to hold on it as their last hope for surviving.

Figure 8‘The Raft of the Medusa’(Detail) (1818-1819)

An interesting feature of the painting is that on fig. 4 it can be observed that theright half of the survivors are looking at the direction of the ship which indicates their expectations to be saved. On the other hand the left half had already been lost their desire for living, gave up on life and accepted their fate. Fig. 5 perfectly illustrate this miserable moment as one of the sailors is carrying his dead body’s companion.

By comparing fig.1 and fig3 which at first glance are unlikely to have something in common, I find one major similarity – we are unable to see they eyes. Even though we do see the woman’s face in The Nightmare we cannot really tell how she is feeling. Same goes with the Wanderer in Wanderer above the Sea of Fog. Both painters did not gave us the opportunity to view what are their true emotions, so instead that the viewer focus sight at the rest of the landscape and what is surrounding the individual, in search of answers. However if we take a look at fig. 4, it is entirely different environment. Not only we have more than one human figure, but the landscape is a combination of people which faces and eyes can be seen, and those we cannot. In The raft of Medusa as a result that the viewer can see some of men’s faces they could guess the rest of survivors’ emotions which seem to be uncommon in fig.1 and fig.3.

The use of the human figures in Western Romanticism was one of the main weapons to determinate the perspective that people were seen as a machine and nothing else. Its persistence completely changed the atmosphere in the indicated landscapes, the way artists associated the figures with nature and sometimes with the one hiding in them as well.

Annotated list of sources

1. Alhadeff, Albert. The Raft of the Medusa : Géricault, Art, and Race. Prestel, 2002.
2. Brown, David Blayney. Romanticism. Phaidon, 2010. pp.
3. Clark, Kenneth. The Romantic Rebellion : Romantic versus Classic Art. J. Murray Sotheby Parke Bernet Publications Ltd, 1973.
4. Koerner, Joseph Leo. Caspar David Friedrich and the Subject of Landscape. Reaktion, 1990.
5. Myrone, Martin. Henry Fuseli. Princeton University Press, 2001.
6. Sala, Charles. Caspar David Friedrich : the Spirit of Romantic Painting. Editions Pierre Terrail, 1994.
7. Sellars , John. Neo-Stoicism. The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, [Martin, TN] Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy Pub, N/A https://www.iep.utm.edu/neostoic/

“To deny people their rights is to challenge their very humanity” claimed Nelson Mandela, perhaps, as a sigh of caution to all humankind, waking their senses against discrimination. The human race is so special a creation, that, it possesses unique powers to both create and destroy things, like nothing else can do. And so do we share a larger chunk of responsibility in saving this world from tearing apart. Scorching Earth, hungry stomachs, begging hands and craving souls- better define where we stand today! The business- as usual model followed now depicts further signs of deterioration.Its time, we wake up to this fact.

The only saviour we can rely upon is the ‘path of sustainability because no life on either Mars or Mercury can be as diverse and fantabulous as the one that this blue planet holds. All we need to do is to inculcate environmental awareness and kindness towards beings, in all that we do and speak. The hardest part is, to drive this initiative globally and not in a polarised manner. Swathes of sub-Saharan Africa, Central Asia, and parts of Indo-Malayan region already face the brunt of feeding ever-increasing populations with drained resources and revenues. Quiet alarming a fact is that these agricultural regions are also those unlucky ones, which are first to face the disastrous consequences of the most haunted events in the history of mankind- the Global climate change! While there are no quick fixes to reverse this, we can make some smart moves to decelerate its pace. Hence, modifying our lifestyles to make ourselves more adaptive and resilient to this ongoing change is the primary step. Every single drop of change in us can contribute to refill the lost ocean of peaceful coexistence(man-nature). Perhaps, we have already taken those baby steps, as we see today, a lot more NGO’S, trusts, and foundations work on promoting organic, green, and peaceful lifestyles than ever before.

Also, we do see several start-ups working on inventing newer technologies to save our water, energy, fertility, and not the least, our future. While this makes us feel a little comfortable, the fact that these little drives can only have small-scale, slow-paced, and region-specific impacts, holds us back. An intriguing question can be, how to transform this change on a larger scale, as large as this whole planet? And the answer is, united as we act, broader grows the sphere of influence. Let’s expect that all governments of the day stand to this great cause for human welfare, that is, those hefty defense and nuclear budgets must be cut down to minimal while transferring more efforts and funds in fulfilling the universal obligations in the form of Sustainable development goals(SDG’s of the UN). The most significant is the role of Science, while it’s only a luxury that we make future plans to relocate on the moon, it’s an impending necessity that we prolong our quest for survival on this planet. Hence, I, as an individual would take pride when my people breathe clean air, drink pure water, live in better standards, for which, I shall make myself stand as a responsible human first and a citizen later.

According to science, the earliest sign of human existence can be traced to as far back as over five million years ago. Since then, there has been immense development, an increase in numbers, and a lot of division which gave rise to different communities as we know then today. Time has also helped with the understanding of the best ways these communities can relate with one another for mutual benefits.

The existence of man and how he relates with others is still being very much studied today from various perspectives, some of which are understandably confusing. In this post, we would do a humanities vs social sciences comparison by their definitions as well as some other important key factors that show how they are different from one another.

DEFINITION OF HUMANITIES

Humanities can be defined as a field of study that deals with human behaviors analytically with regards to factors like tradition, culture, and heritage of the society in question. It can also be defined as a sub-division of science that deals with the distinct study of the way of life of a people.

This study is said to have officially begun in ancient Greece in the fifteenth century, specifically by a group of people known as the Renaissance Scholars. These scholars were known to help in popularizing the European civilization marked by classical learning of revival and classical wisdom. The aim is to understand as many behavioral characteristics of different communities in the past, and how it can affect people of the same community in the present day and the future.

The basic method used in this field of study is mostly analytical, speculative, and critical, and the study is based on the subject matter of creation and humankind in the past and present.

DEFINITION OF SOCIAL SCIENCE

Social science can be defined as a scientific study that deals with the socio-cultural aspect of human existence. This means it is rooted in understanding the basics of interpersonal relationships between individual members of a particular society. This can be narrowed down to the lifestyle, method of interaction, the language of communication, religious affiliations, ideology, and even their diet. One can also say that it deals with the basic element of human culture.

If you compare social sciences vs humanities, you will come to understand that the former takes on a more objective nature of study, unlike the former which is more on the subjective side. They are both similar in the sense that they both deal with human existence, but their difference can be seen in the manner of approach and nature.

According to official records, social science was intentionally brought into view in the early nineteenth century, and it is part of the fundamentals of history as we know it today.

MAIN DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HUMANITIES VS SOCIAL SCIENCE

Let us take a look at some of the main difference between social sciences vs humanities. In the table below, you will see the variations between these two as it has to do with factors like the typical area of study, method of approach, nature, and concepts.

MODE OF COMPARISON HUMANITIES SOCIAL SCIENCE

Definition A field of study that deals with human behaviors analytically with regards to factors like tradition, culture, and heritage of the society in question A scientific study that deals with the socio-cultural aspect of human existence

Study approach Analytical Scientific

Branches Philosophy, art, literature, language, religion, and history Sociology, anthropology, and psychology

Nature Subjective – dependent on some factors which may be limited Objective – not dependent on some factors. Studies encourage thinking outside the box

Emphasis Understanding specific events and occurrences Behavioral patterns

Concept of truth Relativist Positivist

CONCLUSION

From the proven records of human existence, it is obvious that there has been continuous development from the days of the early men till the present day. Scholars believe that these developments will continue to eternity.

Seeing as this is the case, the study of human existence will continue to be fundamental. Understanding the difference between humanities and social sciences is instrumental to better interpersonal relationships for better development. These studies remain applicable in different works of life including law, economics, and international relations.

Media is an important aspect of study as it is contemporary and always changing, the media as a whole has an effect on every individual in a certain way. Joseph Bazalegette, a civil engineer in the 19th century quoted “Media studies opens up your understanding on how things work, how people become informed-or-misinformed, and how myths and ideologies that govern all our lives are created and sustained.” The internet has a big role in the transmissions (data between two devices) and diversification, and most of the people who are on these websites is our youth, teenagers and early adults. The media has been blamed by critics for promoting violence, sexism, racism, homophobia, and other brutal social occurrences. Although it gives us another level of connection with what’s going on with our favorite celebrities and the recent events happening around us today, it comes to show the difference between masculinity and femininity, misleads our youth, and influences females to turn to substance abuse.

Social websites like facebook, instagram, twitter, snapchat enable users to upload their digital images, which is therefore of interest to see how gender is performed in this area. However, one particular relevant bias factor has still been overlooked in the literature, namely adolescents endorsements of stereotypical gender roles. Disney pixar promotes a new model of masculinity that acts into acceptance of its “feminime” aspects, combine both feminime and masculinity in both their “princesses” and their male characters. “Prince charming being too two dimensinal to do more than inadvertently shape the definition of the protagonists femininity”. In their films, it’s usually the male character that faces a problem “nomosocial life” and desire with a feminized object to achieve “what it means to be a man”. They show how the alpha male shows no emotion but anger, become “ombre macho”, unquestioned authority, physical power, social dominance, competitiveness for positions of status and leadership, lack of visible or shared emotions and social isolation.

While on the other hand, females characteristics are thin, beautiful, kind, obedient or punished for disobedience, and “headed for the alter”. An example of the alpha male that the authors give is the old-school famous Mr.Incredible when the start the movie The Incredibles he (Mr.Incredible) starts showing his physical appearance that is able to for him to stop speeding motiveicales, crashing through buildings, and keep the city safe from criminals. But then later in the movie when he stops his crime fighting to his wedding, he shows up late which gives him that emotional isolation state. But than pixar tries to show a combination of Mr.Incredible and his wife and daughter to escape in the movie film. “…, he must also admit to his emotional dependence on his wife and children”.

Secondly, media promotes our youth dangerous behavior, pornography, dirty language, and other activities that aren’t normal but advertisements make it seem that it is. Several videos recognize different ways of being gay and lesbian in diverse geographical contexts, advertisments also show how sex is more about “disconnecting and distance than connection and closeness”. Children, young teens, teens all know different ways on how to mainstream and find different gimmicks on how the world is growing. “Male violence is subtly encouraged by ads that encourage men to be forceful and dominant, and to value sexual intimacy more than emotional intimacy”. It comes to show that the men who show real intimacy with women they mock them just for doing the opposite and this is why it encourages boys to become like them. Researches on the effects of viewing violence on screen especially among children found that it may give out potential for aggression. The media is causing children to become less sensitive to the pain and suffering of others, more fearful of the world around them, and even become more likely to behave aggressively and even harmful towards others. Exposure to media violence can dull people to violence in the real world and for others, watching violence in the media becomes an enjoyable habit but doesn’t result in the anxious arousal that would be expected from seeing such imagery. The age of mass media was intent with problems of representation, homogenization, and manipulation, and these problems define the thinking about youth consumption and commercial culture in much of the 20th century.

Consequently, the media and advertisements make females the blame for how others react or do towards them, literally anything said or done could be taken out of context. Women have found a common statement that they are repeatingly the ones being objectified through advertisements and nothing has or will change that, sex pornographic advertisments especially because of fetishizes products, infuses them with an erotic charge which makes us disapointed since the “products” never can fullfill others sexual desires or meet their emotional needs (Jean Kilbourne 556). Us females seem to be held responsible as Jean Kilbourne demonstrate when sex goes the wrong way, as in getting pregnant or victim in a rape or sexual assult just because of how we show our apperence. “Constantly exhorted to be sexy and attractive, they discover when assaulted that they very sexiness is evidence of their guilt, their lack of innocence.” Some may agree with it, others believe that it’s all nonsense and even say a bit sexism, but were so desperate to believe we are in control of what happens to us that we get scared and shut out. It is encouraged that females can deny this by being the “good girls”, avoiding dark places, staying out of bars, dressing “innocently”. Kilbourne proves how the world seems to put women the blame for it all (domestic violence) due to disguise and seductiveness while on the other hand, men’s bodies aren’t as judged or invaded. She explains how men are not likely to be raped, harassed, or beaten. Not only is it women that take responsibility, also of all ages.

The belief that they are “temptress” in disguise, maiden, sexually insatiable and seductive, conveniently transfers all blame onto women which isn’t fair, because of how far we’ve come to finally represent our image. There is such a widespread and “open contempt” that its hard for women and girls not to learn self hatred, harassment, violence, all that seem to hurt and damage the females who have already been surrounded with what can cause them to self destruction behavior and addiction. Many females turn to food, alcohol, cigarettes, and other drugs in a misguided attempt to cope. In The Invisible Alcoholics; Women and Alcohol Abuse in America, “In a culture that cuts off women from many of their own possibilities before they barely have had a chance to sense them, that pain belongs to all women. But at some level, all women know it is to lack access to their own power, to live with a piece of themselves unclaimed.” The media seems to put out that women exist only to fulfill the needs of a man, that men have power and women are the objects of that power, only due to the assumptions that we can control our feelings. If no ones realized, addictions are not incidental in the lives of women. Usually it’s because of disturbances in relationships in childhood(violent disturbances). When they’ve hit the isolation stage they reach out for a substance to numb their pain and to tend her isolation so she could connect again.

It is often argued upon that the media can give us another level of connection with what’s going on with our favorite celebrities and the recent events happening around us today. In retrospect, many people believe that social media has helped bridge a world together, but ultimately social media has continued negative aspects. It shows us about somebody else’s lifestyle and point of view on life and maybe even learn from their mistakes. Although the core of its claim is valid, it suffers from its flaws that celebrities do have a lack of privacy and also how we keep comparing our lives too much to somebody else’s. When it all comes to a personal use, there is a lot more to fear from the media on an individual level than on a comparison level. Plenty of celebrities and individuals fear the lack of privacy, punishment and negative responses others can give.

In essence, social media accentuates the differences between masculinity and femininity by promoting negative inperterpitation to our youth, and blaming women for others actions. The media studies shrugs (positive and negative attributes) observes what defines good online criticisms. Where lack of demand for content is and where career models have to finesse the art of being quick workers. The media highlights the destructive nature that social media provides creating social stigmas and chaos within the younger generations. At Least 70% of women experienced more than one type of harassment, threat or attack in the past. As the years pass on, technology is going to continue to keep growing and become more powerful than what it is right now, it’s one of the fastest growing industries. But how long more are we going to keep creating this, if partial of it is breaking us down and making us seem objectified, or even something that we aren’t? Reality of it is, we need to wake up and realize how little social media is making not only the world, but also us individually.

Works cited

1. Avdeeff, Melissa. “Beyonce and Social Media: Authenticity and the Presentation of Self.” From Inquiry to Academic Writing fourth edition, edited by April Lidinsky, Bedford St.Martin’s copy 2018, pg 496-505
2. David Gunkel. “The medif of truth; media studies in the post truth era.” web.a.ebscohost.com.libproxy.ocean.edu. October 2019, Vol.19 issue 4, p 309-323.
3. Gilliam, Ken & Wooden, Shannon. “Post-princess models of Gender: The New man in Disney Pixar.” From Inquiry to Academic Writing fourth edition, edited by April Lidinsky, Bedford St.Martin’s copy 2018, pg 542-552.
4. Kilbourne, Jean. “Two Ways a Woman Can Get Hurt”; Advertising and Violence. From Inquiry to Academic Writing fourth edition, edited by April Lidinksy, Bedford St.Martin’s copy 2018, pg 555-575.
5. Warner, Kristen J. “The Sustainability of film and media studies.” web.a.ebscohost.com.libproxy.ocean.edu. Winter2018, Vol 57 Issue2, pg143-147