Month: February 2016

Anne

Food, I tried:
1. Vinegar
2. Lemon
3. Chocolate

Prior Associations:
1. Sour, acid, erosive, salad, wine, balsamic, raspberry, chips
2. Fresh, sour, summer, Tequila, juicy, lemonade, fruit salad, healthy, tea, garden
3. Sweet, soft, tasty, smelting, tender, unhealthy, ice cream, children

New Associations:
1. Sweet, juicy, summer, tasty, soft, fresh
2. Sweet, tasty, sugary, sweets, summer, fruits, happiness
3. Tedious, stale, medicine, unbearable,

I was really looking forward to this workshop and was curious about whether I would really taste a difference, and if yes, how I would experience it. Shortly before taking the berry, I became nervous and excited how the effect would impact my perceptions. As a result, I was very cautious when tasting the different food. I realized that my perceptions and associations regarding the food have changed dramatically after I had tried the berry. Normally before I bite in a lemon, I hesitate and shiver slightly. The sweet and juicy taste that I experienced while eating the lemon completely surprised me. And with the change in taste, my associations changed from sour to sweet and sugary. My attitudes for example towards lemons would change if this effect would stay over time. I would eat them without any hesitation and would enjoy them as much as I normally enjoy oranges. However, my perception of surprise and enthusiasm would change with frequency towards habitualness.

Anne

I love watches – not just for their purpose of pointing out the time, but even more in their role as a fashion item. A watch is a great combination of usage and aesthetics in one object. It basically exists since hundreds of years and still today it has its reserved place at the wrist of millions of people. The complexity and beauty of watches fascinates me.
I bought this particular watch during my semester abroad in Los Angeles some years ago. Every time I look at it, it reminds me of one of the best times I had in my live and brings back all those amazing memories.

I think it would be valuable for people to take a closer look at things and try to see below the surface. Owing to the large bulk of objects, people, and thoughts which surround us constantly, we are unable to perceive all aspects and settle for a superficial understanding. However, this makes us susceptible to delusions of different kinds, be it advertisements or radical, political beliefs.

Of course, such a close analysis is not pursuable for every single object, idea or person we face or meet. Hence, we need to select cautiously when it is necessary to look at the world in such a depth. I think, for instance, we need to take a closer look before we judge people based on their first appearance. Besides, we need to analyze objects and needs in detail when we develop new products or services.

For me the meaning of the object changed a little bit. By analyzing and drawing the watch in detail I became aware of all the associations that I link to it. While those associations existed already before, they have been more unconsciously.

Jann Speyer

Foods tried:
1. lemon
2. vinegar
3. grapefruit
4. blueberry
5. jalapeno

Old associations:
1.) sour, healthy, bitter, juicy, tequila, party, cocktail, lemonade
2.) salad, sour, cough, acid, wine, balsamic, olive oil, unhealthy
3.) bitter, sour, healthy, refreshing, juicy,
4.) sweet, healthy, strawberry, cornflakes, fruit shake

New association:
1.) sweet, sugar, tasty, laughing, chocolate, sweets, happy,
2.) juicy, apple juice, sweet, healthy, drinkable
3.) sweet, sugar, tasteful, addictive, happy, not bitter
4.) salad, bitter, wired, boring
5.) salad, annoying, not tasteful

I have been really looking forward to this experience. I was expecting some minor changes in my taste, but what happened after I ate that tiny little pill left me speechless. I tried the lemon and the grapefruit first and could not stop laughing, as I couldn’t belief how what I was usually expecting to taste so sour and bitter could taste so good and sweet. I have been sharing and discussing my experience with a lot of friends. It is wired that in some way, the pill could be actually compared with drugs, as they are also changing your perception. I was also wondering why mostly unhealthy things taste that good and sweet and that it would be much more beneficial for humanity if healthy food would always taste that good.

Jann Speyer

The peregrine falcon used to be my favorite animal when I was a child. When I played in the woods with friends pretending to be a pack of animals the peregrine falcon was always my first choice. I was always fascinated by their flight capabilities. The peregrine falcon is the fastest animal on the planet. When diving it can reach up to 320 km/h, which is as fast as a formula one car. It therefore adapts to the aerodynamic shape of a teardrop. What also impressed me is it’s power and strength as a predator. Today I still have strong sympathy for this animal and whenever I think of it or see it, it reminds me of my childhood.

If we would look at our world more analytically and really make up our mind about of how and why we judge our surroundings, interpret our world and how we create associations it would most certainly diminish prejudices, racism and exclusion. Furthermore it would be interesting to discover how much our perception and association can influence our mood and behavior. Here I want to emphasize the marketing and advertisement industry that most certainly tries to take advantage of these mechanisms in order to trigger a purchase decision. I think being more aware of these effects and analyzing them would make us more reluctant towards manipulation and more objective in our judgments.

Breaking down the peregrine falcon into formal steps has not changed too much about my perception. At first I felt like I was kind of looking at the animal from a slightly different perspective, but I feel like my memories and interpretations deriving from my childhood are very engraved. What I did realize, is what my whole interpretation of a peregrine falcon consist of and how many different facets it has.

Elena

This owl was a hand-made present from my sister. It is the only “toy” that made it into my suitcase when I was moving from Ecuador to here. This object means a lot to me for three reasons. First, she invested her time to think about it, design it and make it. Second, she gave it to me on a normal day, it was not a special occasion such my birthday or Christmas. There was no excuse for it, she gave it to me just because she felt like it (I felt special!). Third, it is made of recycled materials which resonates with my beliefs about taking care of the planet. When I look at my owl the words that come to my head are love and family.

It was very interesting to “take it apart” and think about all its constitutive parts from different perspectives (scientific, formal, representational and interpretative). I would say that looking at all objects, people, things and thoughts in this way, all the time, would be most certainly overwhelming. However, I appreciate to know that this way of seeing the world around me exists, and that I am capable of using it whenever I need it. I think this skill would be very useful in academic settings when I am trying to understand something new, or when thinking about a new design. Nevertheless, I can also see myself thinking in this way when I am just walking around, enjoying nature and thinking about how certain things work.

Overall, the essence of the meaning of the object has not changed. It still makes me think about my sister and my family. However, now I might see it differently… I think it would be accurate to say that I have expanded the way I think about it. Never before I stopped to think about where the different parts came from, how many people were involved in their creation, or the science and technology behind them.

Emily Paul

I tasted bread, lemon, radish, jalapeno, and white wine vinegar. I intentionally picked foods that I like eating, and made sure to include vinegar since I had heard that the effects of the taste-altering berry are particularly noticeable with vinegar.

The three images show my foods before I tasted them, the same foods after I tasted them before eating the berry, and then what was left of my foods after tasting them with the berry’s effects. I like how the last image shows which things tasted the most palatable to me after eating the berry. The most surprising taste I had was the jalapeno. I am not sure whether I unintentionally ate a seed with my post-berry bite but it was much spicier on my second bite; to the point that my eyes were watering and I could feel the effects of the spice in the back of my mouth and nose. One association that I carried forward was not eating the lemon rind. I did try it after taking this photo and realized that it also tasted quite sweet and good. I am so accustomed to not eating citrus rinds that I did not even try it at first. I was curious about doing this workshop. I have been to one flavor tripping event before but I was not as intentional about which things I tasted and thinking about my associations with them before doing so. I took a very slow and methodical approach to the workshop: arranging my bites, writing down associations about each, tasting them, then dissolving the berry, and then writing further observations after trying them again. I also approached this as a solitary activity at first, though I found that once I ate the berry and started tasting things I reengaged with the rest of the group because people were making a lot of connections through sharing their reactions to different foods and giving each other recommendations for what to try. I also found myself comparing my reactions to people nearby. The bread was the first thing I tasted and it tasted the same so I thought the berry might not be working and asked my neighbors. The connections that occurred through trying to make sense of a new experience were my favorite aspect of this workshop. If foods tasted like this all the time I would likely alter some of my eating patterns, and get used to eating very sweet tasting foods. Over time I think I would adjust my tastes to accommodate this new palate and they would no longer be surprising. Though I do think I would continue to be surprised when I tasted different dishes because while I may more quickly update my associations with individual food items (e.g. lemons are sweet) I might not think about how those individual foods are used in dishes I like (e.g. roasted chicken with lemon might also taste very sweet).

Weina Chen

Object: Sushi roll

1) Sushi is first and foremost, delicious. I chose this object not only because I was hungry when thinking about this assignment, but because it is the intersection of art and food, and it can be taken apart into many components. Sushi holds fond memories for me as a food that brings friends together, because who can say no to sushi for lunch? It is a food that is assembled right before your eyes in a way that I can’t seem to replicate at home. So for this assignment, instead of trying to make it, I decided to take it apart.

3) If we looked at the whole world the same way I analyzed this sushi, I would say that the world would be much slower and more methodical. This made me realize just how quickly we make associations, and there is no really formal step-by-step process of doing it. You make snap judgments of this memory reminding you of this other time something else happened and it just pops into your head. Very rarely do I see an object and think about the scientific makeup of it, then analyze the shape that it takes and all of the other relations that it has to all the other objects I’ve encountered before. I think the interpretive step is what I skip to most quickly.
The interesting thing to note here is that I have been exposed to more artificial intelligence and machine learning during the last few months and I can see the merit in approaching the world in this way. For a computer that doesn’t have its own unique experiences, it could be important to systematically dissect each object or idea it encounters into associations following a general rubric. This way, we can “teach” the computer what makes sense together. So while it is not the way that I think, maybe it could be valuable to be able to see the world in this way.
Luckily, I still think sushi is delicious and staring at it in the poster for hours has not changed my mind! I think one of the themes that came up in a few of the components was ocean and marine ecology. While researching for the project, I read many sources talking about species of tuna and salmon that were endangered and how overfishing was impacting our oceans. It got me thinking that sushi could be a finite resource, and that maybe keeping it as a special treat is more sustainable than everyone eating it for every meal.

Dina Bseiso

Part 1 — 
This object is the epitome of excellent and elegant craftsmanship. It’s a piece that has been cared for by its creator, and as a piece so respected I, as its latest owner, feel responsible to care for it, too. It also serves as a memento to my last trip to the Middle East, when I traveled with my father to Jordan to visit some family. It’s a reminder of a different way of life, of my current luxuries, and as a jewelry box it humbles me.

Part 3 — 
I believe if we looked at all objects, people, thoughts, and things in the world this way, we would have a more deliberate lifestyle. Perhaps the pace of life would be slower, more reflective, and so each of our actions would bear more precise consequences. Perhaps, too, society would be more compassionate and inquisitive, looking to further our understanding of our differences and our individual struggles.

When life seems to be getting ahead of us, it would be beneficial to look at the world in this way: it would force a rushed and racing mind to fight against a societal tide and pressure, to question why the state of being is the way it is, and whether there is any reframing — of perspective, of demeanor — to do. It allows us to look internally, too, as the environment around us is as much affected by us as we are affected by it.

I do not think the meaning of this object has changed for me. I think I have always appreciated it for its intricate design and craftsmanship, and respected it for the hands that respected it so. If anything, I have become more curious about the whereabouts and wellbeing of the artist, and I hope they’re doing well.

Dina Bseiso

I tasted most of the food options, but the food I was most curious about were the following: lemon, apple cider vinegar, sea salt and vinegar chips, and grapefruit.

Preconceived Associations:
sea salt and vinegar — sharp, numbing, salty
lemon — always in need of sugar, trickery, bright
grapefruit — irredeemable, bitter, offensive
apple cider vinegar — easily overwhelming, pungent, sharp

The majority of those food options I do not indulge in on their own. Save for the sea salt and vinegar chips, the foods tend to be accompanied by other contrasting flavors. Even so, I do not enjoy all of them. Whether alone or in a medley of other options, grapefruit tends to be avoided at any cost necessary. Although I expect it to be sour, like a lemon, I feel mislead by its color. I associate flavors of a pinkish shade (and often deeper) to be sweet. Whenever I give grapefruit another chance, hopeful that “this one” will be the sweet one that buries the previous experiences away, I’m deceived. Indeed, none of the food options before the mberry were sweet. Great to know that this one day would not be the exception, and adhere to the rule.

Enlightened Associations:
sea salt and vinegar — sweet, honey barbecue, gentle, smooth, not painful
lemon — subtle, timid, wholesome, subdued, anticlimactic
grapefruit — invigorating, pleasantly surprising, exciting, tantalizing, nectar
apple cider vinegar — a mistake, burning, bitter, offensive, a prank

Curious, excited, and anxious, I gave the mberry ample time to coat my tongue thoroughly. With some hesitation, unsure if I had given it enough time to settle, I took a bite out of my favorite of the food options: the sea salt and vinegar chip. Indeed, my perception of its flavor was wildly different; now, it was so sweet I likened it to a honey barbecue chip. The sensation was so delightful, I was sure to go back for seconds.

Next, the lemon. I’ve had sweet lemons before, but not quite like this. As if sugar had been sprinkled on it, or as though it was lemonade in a solid form, I indulged in the lemon and its peel. It reminded me of a Palestinian lime from my sister’s garden — subtly sweet, without a hint of sour. I also had seconds of this food.

The grapefruit was next (admittedly because I had forgotten about the vinegar at this time), and I was most skeptical of how I would receive it. Grapefruit has never been a hit with me, and yet it was perhaps my favorite experience of the day. Tasting grapefruit so sweet was enough to change my opinion of the fruit, even though I know I’m tasting it in this way under very specific circumstances. If anything, it revived hope in me that I may discover the sweet grapefruit all those grapefruit lovers seem to be lucky enough to find.

After such success with the grapefruit, I had high expectations for the apple cider vinegar. I foolishly took a hefty gulp, and regretted it instantly. The vinegar was not sweet. It burned all the way down my throat. It was the most unpleasant experience of the day, and quite frankly I would have had an unsweetened grapefruit over it any day.

Overall, I enjoyed this experience. I believe going in with low expectations was the key to enjoying it to the extent that I did, and becoming overly excited was a mistake. I do not believe, under any circumstance, will I be open to taking a straight sip of vinegar of any kind. I think I am more inclined now than before to taste the other items, mberry or no. If the food tasted like this once a year, I anticipate my curiosity and excitement for the “one different day” would build and peak, whereas if the food tasted like this all the time my excitement would plateau or come and go with the seasons as they currently do with other fruits.

Noura Howell

If we applied formal dissections and cognitive mapping to all objects, people, thoughts, and things, I think we might become more self-reflexive. Perhaps we would become more aware of histories of thought, underlying assumptions, and the interactions of many perspectives around a single object. These are the kinds of things I try to do as a researcher – understand what different strands of thought came before, what underlying assumptions of other researchers or society might be, and play with multiple intersecting perspectives, technologies, and possibilities for experience. So, for me, research is when I might want to look at the world in this way. For others, perhaps it would be helpful when designing a product in order to understand the myriad of associations it might hold for users.

The meaning of my chosen object, my bicycle, has shifted slightly for me. I am now more aware of it as a study of physics – angular momentum, etc., and am reminded of the discomfort I felt during those class lectures. I am also more aware of how the circle and the triangle influence my perception of its smooth forward motion and strength.