"Bliss" by Charles O'Rear (L), "After Microsoft" by Goldin & Senneby (R)
The default desktop image for Windows XP was called "Bliss," and became instantly recognizable. The image was taken by a photographer named Charles O'Rear, but now it's being phased out. The image on the right is what that hill in Sonoma Valley looks like today.
Charles O’Rear used to pass that hill almost daily between his home in Napa and his wife, Daphne, who lived in Marin County. He always carried his medium format camera.
It was hard even to slow down on highway 12/121. But one day, it must have been in January, he pulled over. After about a month of rain the sun comes up, and there is beautiful green grass. The weather during the winter can change dramatically. A break in the storm. Intense blue sky with cumulus clouds. Maybe later that day it rained.
Looking to brand XP as green, Microsoft bought the photo right around the time the soil recovered enough to replant grapes for vineyards. Link -via grow-a-brain.
Comments (7)
I do believe a "boo-yah" is in order.
The first generation is very aware of where they came from, and what they must do to succeed.
The second generation still hears the daily stories from their parents, but are now living in relative luxury and can relax a bit.
The third generation knows no other life, and have no idea of the suffering their ancestors went through to give them what they now take for granted. They hear the stories from their grandparents with skepticism.
TLDR: "Kids these days, they just don't know what they got. Now get off my lawn."
In saying that, the article doesn't seem to talk much about acculturative stress. These children are not simply 'becoming American'. They are dealing with the psychological stress of incorporating two identities into one child, the identity expected at home, and the identity expected at school (or the more "Americanized" identity).
For 2nd and 3rd generation children, they are now legally Americans (as they were born in the States) but are still struggling with being bi-cultural. Quite literally, bi-cultural children must learn twice as much as their established counter parts. Often that includes two languages and two sets of expected social time tables (education, marriage, children, ect). Of course, two sets is the simplest scenario. Then, these children must learn (all on their own) how to balance the two.
While building awareness about these children's struggles is important (as many were either transported as infants/toddlers or born here) we must be sensitive to their experiences as uniquely defined by their bi-cultural status.
-Usually by/after 3g, they've pissed it away because they're not visionaries anymore, they're Useless Aristocrats who know how to do Nothing but spend money.
Most immigrants who come here legally enjoy life here and make a go of it. Their children end up spoiled, period. Their grandchildren, even more so. What is so surprising about that?
As to WHY they are spoiled, well, put it down to how upwardly mobile immigrants can be here and stop bashing America.
You won't find many countries in the world where people can come, work hard and so quikly carve out a decent life for their family.
Jealous? Get over it. That's life.
But don't try to make us feel ashamed of the freedom we have to move up.
Habituation. We habituate and slacken on our morals and habits when the environment is so.