Staten Island
Murder: 4.2
Rape: 10.7
Robbery: 94.7
Felony Assault: 87.1

Queens
Murder: 3.8
Rape: 17.7
Robbery: 219.2
Felony Assault: 133.1

Manhattan
Murder:  6.9
Rape: 17.6
Robbery: 316.0
Felony Assault: 208.5

Brooklyn
Murder: 8.9
Rape: 17.1
Robbery: 326.2
Felony Assault: 238.3

Bronx
Murder: 11.3
Rape: 24.3
Robbery: 359
Felony Assault: 320

• I added a bunch of features to my webcomic. Podcasts of my radio show are now up.
• I went to UCB Theatre twice so far, and a comedy show at Central Park hosted by Dave Attell.
• Performing chin-ups on the tree in my backyard is a free way to stay in shape.
• I went to a class reunion of people I grew up with. I wish it lasted longer, like some sort of weekend vacation. I had a better time than expected.

1. Create vector images of other friends
2. Animate on a white board
3. Make 3 good HDR photos
4. Make 3 new comics
5. Gain 3 pounds
6. Take before and after pictures of Mario
7. Put more writing and photos on this site
8. Play the keyboard better
9. Read four books
10. Cut my hair
11. Write three papers needed for my internship
12. See Rocky Balboa and Little Miss Sunshine
13. Write a song
14. Learn to write left-handed
15. New suit:
    • Buy one
    • Get it tailored

The effect of expert status on a group of naïve subjects could be demonstrated using the experimental methodology of the Moscovici, Lage, and Naffrechoux study. Confederates, who claimed, with consistency and conviction, that blue shapes were actually green, were able to influence some of the test subjects to make the same claim. In that study, the confederates were of no higher status than the test subjects. However, it is possible to create a variation on this design such that the confederates are proclaimed expert on color. The expert confederates would likely have had a greater influence over the naïve subjects than did the inexpert confederates, and their opinion might even become the majority. The subjects would be more likely to question themselves, and find the confederate opinion legitimate. In addition, some would publicly agree with the confederates in order to put themselves in the same status, but would disagree privately, and still know that the shapes were blue. This contradicts Moscovici (1980), who argued that minority influence tends to change the subject’s idea privately, but without a change publicly. Conversely, majority influence tends to change the subject’s idea publicy, but not privately. He termed the effect of minority influence conversion, and majority influence compliance. However, it seems that when status is involve, the minority gains a degree of majority influence as well, as expert opinion can increase both compliance and conversion.Certain people may also join any consistent minority to increase their own status, instead of only giving weight to high-status minorities. As we discussed in class, the UC Berkeley student who consistently protested in support of nudity had certain attributes—conviction, daring, fearlessness—that can be applied to any minority seeking to influence others. Students who publicly supported the movement were attributed the same characteristics, which are considered desirable, especially among young men. Even though the supporters may have not been interested in having the same sanity of educational status as the leader, and may not have believed his arguments, they could have joined the minority publicly to improve their own social status. Once again, students who supported the movement publicly may have privately disagreed, but being part of any major movement is considered desirable. Certain societal norms gave the minority position more status and therefore more influence. For instance, many high school and college students value chaos and passion. Apathy is considered low status. The promise of increasing one’s status simply by agreeing with a minority may be a tempting option.

This theory carries over to many high school and college situations. These age groups value risk-taking and individuality, and also feel alienated from society as a whole. Individualistic cultures emphasize the value of standing out and being different, so minorities might have more influence in such cultures. At first, people seek ways to be individuals, and become inspired in some way. If two people have the same tastes, they may form a small group, settling on a style. A trend may be formed, depending on their status and consistency. At Stuyvesant High School from 1999-2003, a minority of students were very socially liberal. They happened to be more physically attractive than most of the other students. To be a part of this group, or perhaps because they respected the attractive people’s ideas, many students who previously acted one way began to get pierced, experiment with homosexuality, and go to liberal rallies. There seemed to be a definite conversion of ideas among most of these students, rather than compliance. The group gradually grew over four years, as Nemeth, Wachtler, and Endicott (1977) found that a larger minority was more likely to exert influence, since their argument was considered more credible if they had more supporters. The group partied together, sat in the hallways together, ate together, and went to outside rallies together.

At least one incident at Stuyvesant High School demonstrates how students can join a minority group with which they do not even agree. This liberal group decided to protest that the school no longer allowed students to leave the building during a free period. Most students did not care about this issue, and may have not even respected the liberal group. However, hundreds of students decided to skip their class and chant on the second floor that the rule was unfair. It was “fun” and “cool” and simple to protest against the establishment, so they joined the liberal group’s demonstration. When the administration threatened to suspend the protesters, those who were simply complying went back to class. The administration knew that most of the protesters would leave with that threat, because most students were not seriously interested in the issue, and had no credibility. Joining the minority in this protest consisted of mostly compliance rather than conversion, indicating that when minority influence includes status, and joining the group at least temporarily is simple, there can be a majority influence effect.

This minority group at Stuyvesant High School has grown due to their status and consistency to the point that New York Magazine covered the school in the February 6, 2006 issue, and wrote about petting in the school, cuddle parties, and widespread sexual experimentation. One line in particular mentioned that one of these liberal girls was dating the most popular boy in school. When this boy decided he wanted a committed relationship, the girl ended her playing with other girls. Her lack of commitment to her previous lifestyle shows that it had attained majority group status. The original members had all graduated, and the minority group no longer converted the new members. The minority group’s demonstrated lack of commitment to these ideas may soon further reduce their legitimacy, and the liberal ideas may prove to be a relic of the former student body that was rigid with their ideas. Since they are no longer at the high school, their influence might have diminished, and since they had no contact with the current students, the current students might lack good reasons for their ideas.

Conforming to a minority group produces a greater sense of belonging, rather than lacking a defined role, and may also increase status. As a result, people may join a minority not only because they agree with the minority, or because they wish to be seen as the same status, but also because they want to be part of a group, and because they want to be attributed the traits of minority protesters. When status is involved, a minority group may win more converts to their beliefs, but they will also gain compliance among some. This may give some minorities less credibility, knowing that some of their members may only be involved in order to increase their status.

Expansion of the shopping center
Destroyed the charm.
An underground coolness
Yielded to family lameness.
The weeds- cleared in favor of a movie theater,
And the Gap and Express stormed in.
The old movie theater- castrated.
Its remnants reestablished as Applebees and Victoria’s Secret.

Traffic lights now clutter the streets,
Forcing my brother’s and my hockey games
Onto a side road, where we sigh,
And yearn for the time when
Flies and mosquitoes ruled the land.

As an African American, Dr. Copeland knew how enslavement felt. His people’s apathy towards a movement for equality of black people infuriated him. He felt like a slave. “But we are forced to sell our strength, our time, our souls during almost every hour that we live. We have been freed from one kind of slavery only to be delivered into another” (Heart 191). Dr. Copeland felt like no one understood his struggles. He dealt with racism on a regular basis. White people did not want him around, and viewed black people as inferior in a number of ways, including intelligence. Dr. Copeland tried to instill his beliefs in equality in his children, but they grew apart, and his wife left him. Dr. Copeland spent much of his time trying to help his people. “The grievous love he felt within him was too much” (190). He loved black people as though they were all his family. He wanted justice, and for them finally to live as free men and women, but they could not be free until they loved their people as he did.

Mick loved music, but came from a poor family, so her musical ambitions would have to wait until she had money. She tried to make a violin, but failed and grew frustrated. Mick wanted a piano, a radio, and music lessons, but she understood that her family’s poverty made these dreams impossible at that moment. Mick lost hope. She did not love God as Portia did, and thus felt hopeless. Portia told her, “But you haven’t never loved God nor even nair person. You hard and tough as cowhide. Your heart going to beat hard enough to kill you because you don’t love and don’t have peace.” Mick needed support, and she needed to feel at peace.

Yet upon meeting Mr. Singer, she became more hopeful. Mick found a supportive God figure in Singer. It looks like Mr. Singer has peace since he does not respond to noisy fights, and it appears that Singer knows what music Mick speaks of, because he cannot say otherwise. Her relationship with Singer energized her and she found time to do practice piano and go to school. “She loved him better than anyone in the family, better even than George or her Dad” (313). Singer’s purchase of a radio increased Mick’s love or him. The radio motivated and pleased her. She was most alive when music engulfed her.

Besides her poverty, her gender also made her a slave. When her family’s fortunes worsened, Mick felt responsibility to get a job. Unfortunately, the only jobs for a girl required that she miss school. Working drained Mick of her energy, and Singer’s suicide sapped her of her liveliness as well. Singer’s supportive face disappeared. A slave again, Mick retained just a sliver of hope, that one day she would have saved enough money for a piano.

Singer’s suicide resulted from his loss of the love that he relied on. John Singer clung to people who shared his disability. As a deaf mute, he had trouble communicating and making true friends. Yet he loved his friend Antonapoulos, despite his friend’s selfish behavior. “Sometimes he thought of Antonapoulos with awe and self-abasement, sometimes with pride, and always with love unchecked by criticism, free of will” (322). With Antonapoulos away at a mental institution, Singer felt alone and became depressed. Slowly, he entered the world without Antonapoulos, and met new friends. However, his love for Antonapoulos far exceeded his love of his new friends. It seems like these friends exist for him merely to tell Antonapoulos about. Singer always looked forward to meeting his friend in the future. Antonapoulos died, so naturally, without his love, Singer had no meaning in life. Singer felt incomplete, and put a bullet in his chest.

Fight Club’s Jack also had a meaningless life. Jack could not muster any courage or mental strength. He lost all hope. “This is your life, and it’s ending one minute at a time” (Fight Club 00:19:36). He too worked at a job that he hated. He became an insomniac with a mental illness. On one flight, Jack invented an alternate personality, a soap salesman named Tyler Durden, who worked to save him.

Jack had his life sucked out by his company. At work, he did not stand up for himself. He had to travel more than he liked, and his reports faced constant reprioritizing. Jack faced depression and insomnia. Everything seemed like “a copy of a copy of a copy” (00:04:08). Jack’s only goal was to have a fashionable wardrobe and a respectable apartment. “Like so many others, I had become a slave to the IKEA nesting instinct” (00:04:51). He wondered what kind of dining sets defined him as a person. He lost focus of his meaning for life, and sunk this low.

Jack and Tyler sought others who had hollow lives. In one scene, he found a convenience store clerk and threatened to kill him. The clerk wanted to be a veterinarian, but gave up because it took too long. He needed money. Tyler demanded that the clerk begin to follow his dream. Tyler assured Jack that the man would really begin to live then. Food would even taste better.

The fighting in the movie made the characters feel alive. No one told them what to do when they fought; they were in charge of themselves. Slavery ended.

By the end of the story, Tyler reminded Jack, “Think of everything we’ve accomplished” (00:02:59). Jack thought it over. “And suddenly, I realize that all of this: the gun, the bombs, the revolution, has got something to do with a girl named Marla Singer” (00:03:08). He saved her life, after Tyler tried to kill her. “I’m trying to tell you that I’m sorry, because I’ve come to realize that I really like you Marla. I really do. I care about you and I don’t want anything bad to happen to you because of me. Marla: your life is in danger” (01:58:00).

In this movie, Marla resurrected a man who died internally. Without her, Jack had no reason to live. He wanted to die, and shot himself in the mouth, but when she arrived, he had a reason to live. He could credit everything he accomplished to Marla. He transformed from a spineless, emotionless slave, to a man who lived, and loved. Jack found love, and finally smiled.

The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter and Fight Club overlap with their solutions to the struggles of life. With love, people lead meaningful lives. Without love, emptiness exists that eats away at their souls, leaving them hopeless.

Works Cited:

McCullers, Carson. The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter. Boston: Mariner Books, 2000.

Fight Club. Dir. David Fincher. Prod. Art Linson, Cean Chaffin, and Ross Grayson Bell. Perf. Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, and Helena Bonham Carter. DVD. Regency, 1999. Fox 2000 Pictures, 2002.