Frustrated with Grizzly Man

The juxtaposition of "Grizzly Man" with "Across the Wire" made me especially frustrated with Tim Treadwell. While we watched the first half of the movie, I kept thinking, "What a waste!" Here is a healthy man who has the means to live each summer off the land without working and spend the rest of his time touring and talking about how we can be nicer to bears. At the same time, people are suffering from diseases, exploitation, starvation, and abuse around the world. I can see how someone like him, healthy and resourceful and full of energy, could make an impact among his own species which is certainly suffering much more than bears in a protected wildlife area. I do understand his dream to connect with wild animals and recognize his idealism and desire to live freely, but I just don't understand how he convinced himself that this is the best possible use of his life, or the life of his girlfriend. Maybe they never asked themselves that question.

The Poverty of Across the Wire

"Across the Wire" touched me deeply, I think because of my socio-economic status and the never-ending debates about immigration. I am impressed and awed by how Urrea could write the story without, as he said, "shouting at the readers". The descriptions of living conditions infuriated me and I kept thinking that this just shouldn't be possible, this shouldn't happen to human beings ever, anywhere. Where I live is a solidly middle to upper middleclass area and if you asked anyone, they would say that they're just getting by and they're certainly not rich. I want to make each of them work for a week in Tijuana and then come home and re-evaluate their lives. I also want them to re-evaluate their stance on immigration. How can we not welcome people into our country when the misery there is so abject?

I've done some missionary work on Native American reservations, in the Appalachians, and in Puerto Rico, but have not seen the level of suffering or hardship described in this work. I know people who have spent their lives in missionary work and I deeply respect their dedication and willingness to immerse themselves in that environment.

The book also touched me because the author worked so hard to connect us with real people, flawed and beautiful and going on with life in the worst of conditions. Because Urrea showed us individuals, not generalizations, we can feel and suffer along with them, and I hope, carry their stories with us always to make changes in the world.

Treadwell's Impact on National Geographic

While doing some personal research on Treadwell, I came across this article in National Geographic.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/08/0812_050812_grizzly_man_2.html.

I am curious to know everyone's opinion on this article, as it seems to demonstrate both positive and negative ways to view Treadwell's main goals. While some experts seem to think that his mission ultimately taught nothing except "how NOT to act around bears," some think that his mission to educate the public and habituate the bears worked to a very large extent, and might have had a serious impact on the mainstream viewers and readers.

The main purpose of the article seems to examine whether or not the thought of habituating bears, or telling people that they can, is actually a good idea. Will this increase the amounts of people killed by bears, or will it lead activists to pursue more work from a safe distance?

The Grizzly Man

I enjoyed the first half of the Grizzly Man movie so much that I greatly look forward to the conclusion. Agreeing with what Professor Urea said the other day, I appreciate the formatting done with the film, as his ultimate death is not the only climax to the tale. The Grizzly Man may have been slightly crazy, but he did seem to have a genuine passion for bears and other wild friends, and ultimately did have some kind of connection with them. Despite the fact that he put himself, and later another, into the dangerous territory of the unknown, the bears' typical response to him was one that surprised me very much. It was almost as if they did recognize him as someone who was not a threat, almost being "one of them."

His obvious loneliness shows through his many subtle and direct references to women, or perhaps the "baby talk" with the bears, and seems to humanize him in the greatest possible way. After a while, as I anticipate in the ending of the film, all the times of loneliness and craziness will catch up to him, and from a psychological perspective, I think it will be interesting to see his progression over time. I can't help but wonder if he purposefully or subconsciously entered himself into situations that would allow for some kind of ending to his worry and restlessness.  Overall, I am intrigued by Treadwell due to how much I am reminded of "Into the Wild" character Alexander Supertramp. There is a sense of finality in their work, as I think "What could you possibly expect to happen? or... "This guy is obviously crazy!," but I also do feel a sense of pity for these individuals, as they do seem to seek transcendence of some kind for humanity, as well as a connection with the souls of what we do not know. There is something hauntingly beautiful about this journey, although slightly suicidal in a traditional sense.

I hope the conclusion of this film will demonstrate more of Treadwell's personal transformation.

Across the Wire II

Across the Wire still has me reeling from the experience.  I have always wanted to engage in some type of missionary-type work.  In the past I have always enjoyed volunteer work, especially when working with children, and thought that I gained just as much from the experience as the people that I was helping.  At some point in my life I would like to engage in a more serious form of service work that benefits people who really need it, such as the people of the garbage dump.

I do question, however, if have what it takes to do something like that.  As Professor Urrea says, poverty is personal.  The thought of getting lice and scabies is terrifying and revolting.  I feel like the shock of seeing people living in such poverty would make me emotional causing me to treat people with pity and unable to hide my disgust of the conditions, which seems like it would be offensive and not very helpful.  One of the events, that was a recurring thing, that would have troubled me and exemplifies this point is the accepting of food and drink from the people in their homes.  It would have been incredibly offensive to refuse the food, but the idea of taking someone’s last bit of food or coffee, especially when there is serious risk that I would get sick from it is a difficult situation to navigate. 

Another concern that I have (and meant to ask Professor Urrea about) is how to disengage from such work.  If I was able to overcome my fear and ineffectiveness I feel like I would have a hard time going back to a normal American life.  I wonder if Professor Urrea still visits Tijuana and how he feels going back there after achieving literary success and economic stability.  Realizing these difficulties makes Pastor Von an enormous hero or Jesus-like figure in my eyes.  I can understand how he has refused to learn Spanish throughout the course of his work in Mexico; it is probably the only way he can distance himself, slightly, and be able to continue.  Even for the people who do work there for a short time and never return, I’m sure the experience is something that never leaves them.

Maybe I’m not cut out for missionary work and should just focus on making a bunch of money so that I can be charitable.

Tijuana

I was in Tijuana about 12 years ago when I crossed the border......ahem....I mean, when I was coming back from my luxurious vacation. I was just passing; I did not stay for more than a couple of hours. And we really did not leave the coyote's...ahem...sorry got something in my throat, we did not leave our good host's house very much. But from what I remember it did not look very nice. Then again, I was about 12 years old and terrified out of my mind so perhaps I was not really paying attention, of even focusing on the pretty parts since my mind was not in a pretty state. Though, recently I saw a Rick Bayless episode (love that man) that painted Tijuana in a very good light. I will now try to go back and experience what Tijuana really is, whether it be good or bad.

Across the Wire

Reading across the wire was quite a shock. I've been exposed to such levels of poverty, though perhaps not to the extreme as in "Across the Wire". My home town of Taxco is well off because it's a touristy place, so there aren't many examples of extreme poverty. But once you get outside the city limits, the "suburbs" if you will, things change drastically. People living in what can generously be called shacks. Walls and roofs made of whatever they could find. They are really exposed to the elements. The roof barely keeps out the rain, and the wall barely stop the wind. Animals and insects could easily come in or out as they please. A bite from a scorpion, which is highly probably where I live, I should know, I've been stung by one, would mean death for some one living in these conditions. The anti-venom would be too expensive to buy. So they just wait it out and hope that the venom will merely cause immense pain and not death.
Though I have to say that they most of them seem really happy. I guess my dad had always been right when he says, La gente puede estar muriéndose de hambre pero siempre hay dinero para la pachanga y la cerveza.
When I went to Costa Rica I saw the same thing. I went for a medical mission trip, and I got to see some pretty messed up things.

I am the one on the right, with the terrible mustache

I guess these seem a lot better than what I imagine while I read the professor's book. But still, they were not the best living conditions. One of the natives told us that during the rainy season, of which Costa Rica has two, the streets get flooded or they become rivers of mud. They have to cross them to go to school. 

I think that my time in Costa Rica was the most memorable. I guess because my father was not there to show me the bright side. Also, I was there looking for the worst. We were taking care of people who had not seen a doctor for years. Some people were devastating to see. One little girl had a whole, like literally a whole, in her ankle because a cinder black had fallen on it. We asked the mother why she wasn't at the hospital since there was a lot of bleeding, she said that she was waiting for her husband to come home first to ask him what to do. We immediately told her there was no question, or else the little girl's ankle would get infected and they were not living in the best of conditions. Needless to say, we got her to the hospital. I was one of the people who found her; we were walking from house to house. I was flabbergasted. But what can you do. We did our job. Too bad her mother did not do hers.