Monthly Archives: February 2018
I Study T-shirts by Gary S. Smolker
“The Man Who Grasps Principles Can Successfully Select His Own Methods” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Gary Smolker, Cultural Anthropologist
I am a cultural anthropologist.
Below are copies of two photographs I posted on Instagram @garyspassion in the past two weeks and an edited summary of the comments I made in each post.
Q. As a cultural anthropologist what do I do?
A. I study people, especially the state of mind of people.
I study how their state of mind is reflected in their actions.
I am fascinated by how the sate of mind of a person is influenced by the culture that person comes from.
I am intrigued by the fact (my theory) that a person’s state of mind is reflected in t-shirts that person wears. Often people wear t-shirts which say things the person wearing it would never say out loud.
Q. How and where do I go to get information – where do I do my field research?
A. Everywhere I go, I keep my eyes open for interesting things to think about.
For example, on February 7, 2018, I found myself in “Abraham Bagels Cafeteria”, in Encino, California, for the first time. While there, I ate a bagel lox and cream cheese sandwich.
I told the owner of the store, that his bagels were the best bagels I had ever tasted. He told me that his bagels are out of this world.
That inspired me to create a post, on Instagram @garyspassion, which I posted on February 7, 2018.
At the time I had a couple of outer-space pictures that had been sent to me in connection with a lecture I was going to attend on Friday night, Friday 9, 2018, about the existence of liquid water in our solar system.
In my post on Instagram I combined one of those pictures with various comments, including the comment that Abraham Bagels Cafeteria has the best bagels in the universe
See two photos below.
You’ve heard about the discovery of liquid water on Mars. But did you know that Enceladus, a small moon of Saturn, has geysers that spout liquid water into space contributing to the formation of one of Saturn’s rings?
Imagine you live here and you order a bagel from Abraham Bagel Cafeteria in Encino, California. Abraham Bagel Cafeteria’s bagels are the best in the universe and beyond. ADVICE: Use evidence and rational decision-making to achieve the best results, the most good. Appreciate the value of thinking consequentially. People move to Los Angeles for the weather and the bagels. The temperature here in Los Angeles at this moment (at noon) is 80 degrees.
For details see Instagram @garyspassion post posted on February 9, 2018.
People from out of the country who read my posts on Instagram @garyspassion might come away with the idea that Los Angeles is the land of bagels and tacos.
Below is a picture I took of a woman standing in line behind me at the Bank of America branch on Ventura Blvd., in Sherman Oaks, California.
I posted that photograph with comments on Instagram @garyspassion on January 30, 2018.
Below is a reworked summary of what I wrote/posted on that post.
In Los Angeles, California, Tuesday is called “Tacos Tuesday” because on Tuesdays Mexican Restaurants have special promotions. For example, my favorite local Mexican Restaurant charges $2 per taco and $2 per beer on Tuesdays. The above photo was taken by me today (January 30, 2018) of a woman standing in line behind me at the Bank of America bank branch on Ventura Blvd., in Sherman Oaks, California. I study and follow how modern day culture is depicted on t-shirts. I believe what is depicted/shown/expressed/communicated on t-shirts symbolically represents and celebrates on-going current day external influences in society and is a reflection of the pressures of social, economic, and political tensions and circumstances. QUESTION: Is fashion modern or the tool of towering taste makers and indelible personalities? Oftentimes t-shirts explore moral dilemmas and spiritual torment with unabashed painful honesty.
For details see Instagram @garyspassion post posted on January 30, 2018.
I have a lot of fun studying what is written on t-shirts.
For details see Instagram @garyspassion post posted on July 22, 2017.
For details see Instagram @garyspassion post posted on July 13, 2017.
I have a lot of fun doing field research.
Below are photos of a few more t-shirts I have studied.
Copyright © 2018 by Gary Smolker, All Rights Reserved
Profound Performance by Gary S. Smolker
“The Man Who Grasps Principles Can Successfully Select His Own Methods” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Gary Smolker, Cultural Anthropologist
I am a cultural anthropologist.
Below is a copy of photographs I posted on Instagram @garyspassion, in the past two weeks, and an edited summary of the comments I made in each post.
Q: As a cultural anthropologist what do I do?
A: I study the state of mind of people.
I study how their state of mind is reflected in their actions.
It is my belief that the actions of people in a society define the state of culture in that society.
I am fascinated by how the state of mind of a person is influenced by the culture that person comes from.
I am also fascinated by the fact that a person’s state of mind is reflected in the t-shirts they wear, and sometimes they wear t-shirts that say things they would never say out loud.
I am intrigued by the way things people do and the actions they take reflect what is going on in society.
Q: How and where do I get information?
A: As a cultural anthropologist, I interview people on the street, complete strangers, who I don’t know, who look interesting to me.
For example, yesterday morning (Friday, February 9, 2018), I met two people (43 year old Dave and 23 year old Emmy), who looked so interesting to me that I asked them if I may interview them, take photographs of them, then post pictures I took of them and my comments about them, on Instagram and on my “Idea Exchange Blog.”
They said yes, and gave me permission to post their photographs, etc.
I then took their photographs.
I showed them the photographs I had taken of them.
They approved the photographs I had taken.
Then I interviewed them.
Q1: How did I meet Dave and Emmy?
Q2: Where did I meet them?
A1: Dave and Emmy sat down at the same table I was sitting at in a Starbucks. I was drinking a cup of coffee when they sat down at the table I was sitting at. That is how I met Dave and Emmy.
A2: That Starbucks is located on Van Nuys Blvd., in Sherman Oaks, California.
I told Dave and Emmy that I am a cultural anthropologist.
I told Dave and Emmy I would like to interview them because they smile a lot and they have exceptionally attractive smiles.
I showed showed Dave and Emmy a series of photographs I had taken (as a cultural anthropologist), the previous morning (in the very same Starbucks), of a young attractive woman who was sitting at a table reading a book.
Below is a photograph of the woman I met the day before.
Below is a photograph of the cover of the book she was reading.
Getting on with our story: Below is a picture [photographs I took] of Dave and Emmy.
Dave and Emmy
After I interviewed Dave and Emmy, I then posted the picture shown below with my comments on Instagram @garyspassion.
For details see Instagram @garyspassion post on February 9, 2018
Below is a reworked summary of what I wrote/posted in that post:
Emmy and Dave (the woman and man in the photo above) have an interesting personal life story, which they told me this morning. In my interview with them I discussed the following: Often all that stands between you and what you want want is a better set of questions and/or a smile. If you want uncommon clarity and results, ask uncommonly clear questions and project positive energy. SMILE. If you want to build (or foster) a world class network, you need to interact in a way that earns it. PERSONAL: I was attracted to Emmy and Dave by their great smiles. Their smiles lulled me, relaxed me, charmed me and pulled me towards them. While talking to them I discovered: (1) They are both charming. (2) They are both great story tellers. (3) They have lived extremely interesting lives. Dave told me about his business. Dave provides “hot” (attractive) bar tenders to people who are having a party and to organizations that are having an event. Emmy told me about the customs practiced by an 84 year old woman. When she (the 84 year old woman) was a young beauty in Hong Kong she would require any man who wanted to take her out on a date to first take her to a jewelry store and buy her jewelry. [By the way, I have been told by a multitude of young women: that custom is prevalent among groups of men and women they know in Los Angeles.] Emmy added that Emmy does not want to live in a gilded cage, Emmy wants to pay her own way, to earn her own money, to be able buy herself her own airplane, etc. etc. rather than have a man buy her jewelry before they go on a date. Emmy is 23 years old. [ASIDE: I often see this independent streak in action when I am with beautiful women in Los Angeles.] ACTION IMPLICATION POINTER: Don’t worry about your flaws. Humans are imperfect. Worry about your character, ambitions and principles. You are the author of your own life. The most effective people look at their life’s journey as 25% finding themselves and 75% creating themselves. You can write your own story. Do it and don’t forget to smile. Smiling projects positive energy. Positive energy is contagious. Don’t let anyone take your happiness away. It is yours, keep it.
———
Below are more photos of the woman I photographed – the day before – reading her book, a book titled “The Gifts of Imperfection.”
Talk Less, Eat More Ice Cream
On January 29, 2018, a little more than a week ago, what I saw written on truck caught my fancy.
I couldn’t resist taking a photograph of that truck.
Below is the photo I took of that truck.
The sign on that truck inspired me to post my photo of that truck with comments on Instagram @garyspassion.
For details see Instagram @garyspassion post on January 29, 2018
Below is a reworked summary of what I posted in that post.
BE THE BEST VERSION OF YOURSELF. Note to single women: Life is to be enjoyed. Be a connoisseur. Don’t think all ecstasies are the same. You have good taste. Each man you come in contact with my appear to be a delight. Taste with caution. Hook-up with a a man who comes with all working parts fully assembled. You can’t fix the world and you certainly will be unable to fix a needy man with low self-esteem who lacks self-confidence. NOT TO SINGLE MEN: The same rules apply: Be a connoisseur. Each woman you come in contact with may appear to be a delight. Taste with caution. Testosterone is not your friend. Beware of Beautiful Sexy needly women. Beware of women adulterated with fear. Beware of women who need to do something/anything quickly. ADVICE: Your world is what you make it and what you create with it. Make the best use of your time by being the best version of yourself all the time. Be positive. Stay away from fatalistic people, fatalism, negativity and negative people. Above all, the quality of your relationships will determine the the quality of your life.
Copyright © 2018 by Gary Smolker, All Rights Reserved
Gary S. Smolker 