three writings

Parasite

            According to the dictionary, an organism lives on or in another species which is known as the host.  The host is a source of nutrients.  Another definition is a person who is given support from others without properly returning the same to the one from whom they took from.

            When a woman is pregnant the fetus could be thought of as a parasite.  It is constantly taking nutrients from the mother.  Unlike some parasites, it is a benefit to the woman who wishes to be a mother.

            I look at humans as parasites of the earth because we feed off of its energy and give less in return.  Humans should focus on proper care when using the earth’s many contributions. Our host, the earth, deserves our attention to sustain its life and ours.

            I wish that we could live in harmony and only take what we need.  The idea of having the earth and the body conforming to each other is very beautiful to me.  It makes me think of parasites in a more compassionate way.

Gail Grinnell-Suyama Space

Thursday our class went to Suyama Space where we saw the work of Gail Grinnell on display. Her installation Ruffle consisted of using fabric interfacing which is traditionally used in sewing. Instead of sewing the pieces she choose to bind with pins to connect the many pieces she incorporated into her overall piece. The intricate patterns and designs intertwined amongst the beams of Suyama Space. Honestly it was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. Also the way the natural light from outside shown through the space and the interfacing itself created shadows on the walls that changed constantly. It was absolutely amazing.

Radio Lab Podcast

When listening to the podcast about parasites, I must say I was utterly repulsed. It is something I just don’t wish it think about. The part I thought was the most interesting, without being completely disgusted, was the part about how the parasite could control the thoughts of rats. Once the parasite had entered the rats system it could control the rat’s scents preference. The parasite is able to thrive the best in cats so therefore the parasite made the rats like the smell of cat urine. This inturn made the rats more attractive and more likely to be eaten by the cat. The whole idea of parasites seems very manipulative to me. I am not a fan.