Vine Project

As I was thinking about this project, I had no idea how to relate Vines to our Reading Place class.  As I was  first thinking about what Vines to create for this project (after the Wild game), I realized that it was the perfect opportunity to demonstrate the lack of nature in downtown St. Paul, and the lack of care for the little amounts of landscaping still left in that urban environment. As I sat at a stoplight with Chloe White, it occurred to me that all of the fans, pouring out of the Xcel Energy Center, were stampeding over grass, bushes, and rocks in the heat of getting away from the crowd and disappointing loss. Though the poor lighting may not convey the message well enough, the herds of fans streaming from the arena had a complete disregard for the nature around them, and almost every person had their head down looking at their phone or was looking at the traffic lights and police to direct them to their cars. The disregard for nature can be related to "Mob Mentality," when people act in such a way with a crowd that they would not act if they were all alone.  As the "Mob," (in this case MN Wild fans) fumed over the loss, they trotted over grass and bushes, still wrapped up in the game. To demonstrate, the "Let's Go Wild" chant was soon picked up as we drove out of earshot of the Xcel.
The other Vine depict the main current uses for nature by humans.  It shows how instead of adapting around nature, humans have just forcefully controlled and abused nature to their own advantage, not taking any care or interest of the world around it.  Drinking fountains, finished wood, and glass/bricks are all examples of how humans have harnessed the natural world and used for their own prosperity. The final Vine illustrates humans' fear of the outside world, and the lengths to which they will go to protect themselves.  The bars on the window suggest both the innate need to stay safe and stay out of harm, as well as the lack of concern for any animal that could get hurt by humans' use of bending metal. If a deer, turkey, squirrel, or antelope were to get stuck in the space between the bars and window in the window-well, they would be helpless to get themselves out.

https://vine.co/v/MJv6wOUJmK6

https://vine.co/v/MJd5qVFWzMK