This animated map (linked above) by Bill Rankin
provides an overview of the various places his friends and family have located
themselves across the country and abroad from 1990 to 2003. He refers to this
as “an exploration of middle class mobility.” It plots the progression of these
people from high school, to college, and beyond. Although this is a very
personal map that holds the most meaning for Rankin, we can apply a similar
analysis to our own lives. I would find it very interesting to create a map
such as this for my friends and relatives. Rankin’s concept makes my mind move
in two directions.
The first is that this type of map
represents the connections I have to many other parts of the country through
the people I know residing in these regions. I have relatives that live in San
Francisco, California; Sylvania, Ohio; and Manhattan, New York, to name a few. Even
if I have never physically traveled to all of these places or live there myself,
I feel that I know a little more about the world by living vicariously through
my family and friends. Relationships can stretch far beyond any border; these
can exceed all measures of space and time. I look forward to hearing all about
the adventures of my friends who will be studying abroad this summer and next
school year.
My second train of thought heads
towards Motivation Station. When we look at all the different places and
directions we take in our lives, it is amazing to see how our goals and
aspirations have motivated us to cross borders and explore other frontiers. Working
class men and women are willing to relocate their entire families in order to
take a higher paying or more personally rewarding position/job. Students are
willing to move to a new city or state where they do not know anyone in order
to accomplish their life goals, whether that means becoming a teacher,
pharmacist, lawyer, engineer…the possibilities are endless. Even more amazing
are foreign exchange students, who are forced to speak a different language and
must attempt to assimilate to a brand new culture. Charles Eastman made a
comparable adjustment when he transferred to the mission school in Nebraska. His
transition could be seen as even more challenging than the one college students or relocating families must make. The choice he made meant leaving behind one lifestyle to conform to another. Eastman is a prime example of someone willing to cross borders of
various categories (physical, racial, cultural) in order to challenge himself
or herself and fulfill one’s aspirations.
I agree with this post completely! We really do have family units and relationship extensions that span the entire globe. I think what you be even more interesting is to trace the migration of different family members and friends with a line to see how many times one person or one family can move around. I think at the same time, in today's world, the border or mental/social construct of what a family unit entails is being changed. We no longer have all family members located in one location and can easily get together on a limb. We must rely on other avenues of communication. In my opinion, having the family unit dispersed throughout the world creates an even stronger bond of family ties as other methods must be relied upon to stay in touch. This makes the times when you get to see those family members who live elsewhere that much more meaningful and special .
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting to think how easy it is to have relationships even across borders in this current day and age. The technology that we have now easily allows us to be connected to others as we have never been able to before, both locally and globally. I see now, especially that I am in college, how relationships can survive the border of distance thanks to technology and innovation. Although I am here in Pittsburgh, I still share many close ties with those who are far away from me.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your post and I thought this radical cartography map is very different from the others that have been posted so far. I liked how this map animated where Rankin's family and friends have traveled across the US. It's amazing today how often people travel the globe and cross so many borders in order to achieve their goals in life.
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