4 Thursday, May 16, 2013 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com CONTRIBUTE TO THE CONVERSATION Readers are encouraged to submit letters to the editor and viewpoints. Thursday, May 16, 2013 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com 5 Service not required Letters are fewer than 300 words, while viewpoints should be 550-850 words. Send the writer's full name and University affiliation to tothedaily@michigandaily.com. Motion ofthe ocean Is the glass half-full, or half-empty? All our lives we're haunted with these perspectival questions that determine what we can be clas- sified as: pessimists or optimists, realists or ide- alists. These questions can become especially prevalent at this time of ' year - finals-are over, it's the cusp of summer and we're packing every item PAIGE we own into boxes, stuff-PFLEGER ing pillow cases full of _______ socks and the teddy bear we don't want to admit we brought to college, and garbage bags with empty alcohol bottles and notes that we took so painstakingly in class but are rendered useless now. It's hard to see ourselves boiled down to a minivan-trunk-full of boxes and feel any kind of uplifting optimism, and we find ourselves asking - is this an ending or is it another beginning? Like as the waves make towards the pebbled shore, So do our minutes hasten to their end; Each changing place with that which goes before, In sequent toil all forwards do contend. -William Shakespeare, Sonnet LX Is this an ending or is it another beginning? The entire idea of an ending has a certain inevitability that is hard to escape. All things must end, our childhood ends when we go off to college, get our first real job and enter the real world, exploding outwards like we've just been thrown from a violently revolving door and are expected to keep up. As Shakespeare describes, even something as seemingly end- less as the ocean experiences an ending when its waves break on the shore, and we're pretty minuscule in comparison to all that water. There are many kinds of endings, my per- sonal favorite being the ever-elusive "happy ending". The entire concept of a happy ending seems to be a paradox in and of itself - if it's FOLLOW DAI Keep up with columnists, rea the deb so happy, it wouldn't end, would it? Wouldn't I remain infinitely happy forever? I guess if the Twilight saga has taught us anything it's that infinity only creates tortured souls, but it seems to me that a happy ending is indica- tive of just that - happiness ending. Prince Charming and the Princess may get married at the end of the movie, but I'll bet their marriage isn't all they thought it was cracked up to be. Then you have the endings that leave you wanting more, like the feeling you get after turning the very last page of a good book - you have a feeling of accomplishment and yet a small, bothersome yearning has taken root in your brain like a seedling, and it needs to be fed more of the story. This is the ending we can best deal with as humans - it's in our nature to constantly want more, so it's easy to suppress this yearning and continue on. Then comes the kind of ending that we are most familiar with - the endingthat shatters your well-being in a way that makes you feel like it is just that - The End. The end of a relationship can plunge us in a downward spiral of unhappiness - and when it comes to this kind of ending, how can we find any sort of positive spin? How can we see a beginning when the most obvious aspect of our lives is this ending? The wave that breaks on the shore doesn't just dissipate into nothing. It collects itself and rolls back out to sea to become something new, to begin a new wave that could be even better thanthe last. There's somethingexcitingabout an ending that's sometimes difficult to think of when we are faced with it, and this excitement is always there - just looming with potential. Shakespeare reminds us that everything continues onward, that our lives are full of this amazing forward motion. In the case of an endingthis constant forward motion of the waves to the shore can be harnessed and used to our advantage. You're moving back home for the summer? Set goals, reinvent yourself, take the time to do things you are passion- ate about and don't dwell on the fact that you are leaving the beautiful Ann Arbor or living under your parent's roof. You're experienc- ing a bad break up? Clearly that person wasn't right for you, so don't fight it, go with the flow and see how it carries you to new opportu- nities. It's important to remember that with every ending comes a new beginning, and the only place to go is forward. -Paige Pfleger can be reached at pspfleg@umich.edu. The government gives us plenty of reasons to complain - see the 113th Congress. Taxes are high, there aren't enough jobs and at the rate tuition is rising, our debts are going to take lifetimes to pay off. The future looks bright, right? Yet, if there's one thing that can be DEREK agreed upon, it's that WOLFE our most basic rights are rarely infringed upon. Sure, the gun control and abortion debates loom, but for the most part, we can do what we want when we want. In many respects, it wouldn't be far off to say that many of us take our freedom for granted - myself included. This year - for the first time - I started to consider the privilege of living under these circumstances. My roommate, Josh, was from Korea - yes, he knew who Psy was before Gangnam Style - and he had been trying to decide whether to return to the University in the fall or embark on his mandatory two-year military service and return in 2015. Also, two of my friends decided to voluntarily serve in the Israel Defense Forces instead of coming to school in the U.S. As an outsider to the idea of mandatory military service - also known as conscrip- tion - the thought of delaying my edu- cation and potentially being deployed is frightening. By no means am I emotionally stable enough to live thousands of miles away from my friends and family. Heck, that's why I chose a school 45 minutes from my house. But Josh sees it differently. "I never real- ly thought about (serving) because if you're born in Korea as aguy, you have to do it," he told me in a conversation before leaving. "I knew (I had to serve) since I was a young kid, so it didn't really affect my life." It also became evident while talking to him how much of a culture difference existsbetween countries that have manda- tory service and those that don't. "When I lived in Korea, I never realized it was such a big deal. But when I came here and talked to people about it, they freaked out." Why is it that most Americans fear serv- ing in the military and that even though the U.S. was engaged in two wars for over a decade, the idea is still so foreign to them? According to a study by Pew Research, only half of a percent of the U.S. popula- tion has served since the beginning of the Afghanistan war. This has contributed to an increasingly growing military-civilian gap with discrepancies between how the general public and veterans view today's societal issues. Because so few people know others who have served, the experi- ence is unimaginable. In February, Rep. Charlie Rangel (D- NY) introduced a bill that would require Many of us take our freedom for granted. mandatory military service for all Ameri- cans. I've always joked with my familythat if this were ever to happen, I would run away to Canada since the military is some- thing I definitely don't want to deal with especially during my college years. However, Josh gave me a new perspec- tive on how meaningful serving in the mil- itary can be - likening the experience to taking a gap year that many students take before undergraduate or graduate school. "I kind of want to go (to the military) because I think I need a break from study- ing and academics. I think it would be a good opportunity to reflect on my life." Right now, it appears that Americans have nothing to fear in regards to a draft. With the two wars seemingly winding down, there shouldn't be a need for more troops. Nonetheless, the conversations I've had recently with Josh and others have made me reconsider the value of the brave men and women who do choose to serve in the military. Their service has allowed me to be free without worrying about being free. As more veterans return home in the near future, I've come to realize it's our duty to acclimate them back into normal civilian life. Considering the time and energy they spent serving, it's the least we can do. -Derek Wolfe can be reached at dewolfe umich.edu. New 'Gatsby' stays faithful Luhrmann's latest film succeeds with arresting visuals By BRIAN BURLAGE Daily Arts Writer In the decade of jazz, at the con- clusion of the First World War, when booze was as inexhaustible as money, America roared into sud- den primacy as all the major world The Great powers tilted off their axes. There GatsbY upon the world At Quality16 stage, all light and and Rave warm sensibility beaming down, Warner Bros the lone figure of the United States danced and jigged in celebration. Baz Luhrmann's "The Great Gatsby" - based on the novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald - mirrors the tri- umphant, if not over-the-top, grace of America in the roaring '20s. As the narrator Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire, "Spiderman") describes, "the parties were bigger, the cit- ies were taller and the liquor was cheaper." More could be enjoyed at less expense. Extravagance was just a way of life. Luhrmann succeeds in delivering a colorful, explosive retelling of American grandeur in the 1920s. But not all American hearts sang in jubilation. Jay Gatsby (Leon- ardo DiCaprio, "Inception") is an enormously wealthy, mysterious resident of West Egg. Carraway, who moves into the ramshackle house next door, gradually makes his acquaintance and learns of the tragic love affair between Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan (Carey Mul- ligan, "Drive"), who is Carraway's cousin. Though Daisy is married to Tom (Joel Edgerton, "Zero Dark Thirty") and lives in old-money East Egg across the bay, Gatsby is determined to recreate the love they shared before he went to war. Every night he wanders to the end of his dock, stretches out his arms in undaunted hope and reaches toward the green light emanating from Daisy's dock across the water. Luhrmann's "Gatsby" explores the darker nature of the times - the rivalries between old and new money,theever-expandingdiscrep- ancy between rich and poor, the tumultuous and corrosive bonds of love among the wealthy - and also of Jay Gatsby himself. Captivatedby his undying hope to regain Daisy's love, Gatsby is driven to corruption, greed and, in the midst of a whirl- wind affair, even madness. But with the costumes, set designs, acting and with Jay-Z's modern score, the film certainly pushes the boundaries of extrava- gance. Jewels bedazzle each shot; each character's appearance is almost too vibrant and pristine and the first third of the movie is seemingly dedicated to revealing the extent of the filmmaker's party- coordinating skill. In fact, when Carraway reflects on his partying experience, he feels it necessary to ask "What's it all for?" as though the point of the excess is to have no point at all. For all the film's shortcomings, however, credit must be given to Luhrmann, who does a phenom- enal job of aligning the script with the original text. The film begins and ends with the green light - the symbolic turning away of old for- tunes and past loves. Added empha- sis is placed on Gatsby's origin, as he embodies the ideal of the American Dream - a central theme of the novel. Detail is even placed on the eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg that lie quiet in the muck, watching over the sins and successes of each char- acter. on the gate of Gatsby's mansion, in wrought-iron lettering, there is a Latin inscription: Ad finis fidelis. Faithful to the end. As the story goes on and we see that Gatsby would sacrifice anything for his dream, we sympathize completely. Even Nick Carraway, a careful observer of Gatsby's hope, remains loyal to his ambition of retelling the story. And as Carraway reads the last few lines, we understand that we, too, byno fault ofour own, are captive to the dream that calls us. So we beat on toward the ruddy shore, all light and sensation suspended, souls for- ever magnetized to our own green light awaiting us. 'Vampires' mature with dark, cohesive album By KENDALL RUSS Senior Arts Editor To say that Vampire Weekend has made a career out of prov- ing people wrong would grossly understate its talent. But since A its divisive 2007 debut, the band Vampire has done exactly Weeked that. The image of four preppy Modern Ivy Leaguers Vampires of playing African- the City inspired pop music seemed XL odd (if not pretentious) to some - others objected to the band's numerous eccentricities, from Ezra Koe- nig's wail and peculiar lyrics to the airy instrumentation. When the band responded with Contra, an even weirder record that took the criticism of Vampire Weekend and reveled in it, it seemed com- fortable as a talented but polariz- ing band that paid little mind to critics. As the plaudits pour in for its latest album, Modern Vampires of the City, Vampire Weekend has changed the game again. While not radically remaking its aes- thetic, the band has revamped its sound, delivering its most mature, complete and unobjec- tionable record to date. From the delicate piano chords on the opening "Obvious Bicycle" to the wandering guitar on "Han- nah Hunt" to the percussion-less finale, "Young Lion," Modern Vampires witnesses Vampire Weekend exploring and operat- ing in the space between instru- ments. The clutter of "Cousins" APPLY NOW TO BECOME AN ARTS WRITER! Email arts@ michigandaily.com or "California English" is notice- ably absent; Koenig's voice is far more inviting, and the underly- ing restraint comforts against depressing themes. The mes- meric "Unbelievers" clothes its harrowing chorus ("We know the fire awaits unbelievers / All of the sinners the same / Girl, you and I will die unbelievers / Bound to the tracks of the train") in jovial harmony and buoyant strum- ming. It feels remarkably light for such a heavy song, a feeling that Vampire Weekend replicates throughout the album. Despite its distance from Con- tra, Modern Vampires undeniably has Vampire Weekend's finger- prints on it. There's the witty and erudite lyricism on the immacu- late "Step," the processed chant- ing on "Ya Hey" that would sound at home on the group's second album and Koenig's idio- syncratic wail on "Finger Back." But Modern Vampires stands out; it's more approachable than Con- tra and more interesting than Vampire Weekend. The complaints of superfi- ciality and worries of anxiety that pervaded Vampire Week- end's first two albums often felt impersonal, as if Koenig unob- trusively watched the fate of his characters unfurl. On Modern Vampires, the fear couldn't be more immediate. Despite the soft and serene feel to "Step," its final plea ("I can't do it alone, I can't do it alone") sounds helpless. "Don't Lie" captures the fear of the inevitable through images of youth over glittering instru- mentation. And while Koenig has never been afraid to let his voice soar, the way he belts the climac- tic chorus on "Hannah Hunt"pis among the most intimate, emo- tive and arresting moments the band has produced. Vampire Weekend reveals most when it's at its most reck- less. "Diane Young" and "Finger Back" captivate with relentless percussion and guitar, and both provide Koenig's clearest fears of dying young. Even if the darker themes are more evident throughout the album, however, the band ensures they do not overwhelm. Modern Vampires may be darker, but it can hardly be called a dark record. It excels precisely because of Vampire Weekend's ability to apply its weightless touch to a bleak theme and come across not as preten- tious or ironic, but as authentic, honest and deeply moving. Superior third release proves this group isn't 'Diane Young Given such a sterling, cohe- sive album, the vitriolic criti- cism Vampire Weekend faced for its debut and Contra seems less relevant. Perhaps it was misplaced all along. Whatever the case, Vampire Weekend isn't worried about answering crit- ics - it would rather change the conversation completely. After all, as Koenig declares on "Step," "Stale conversation deserves but a breadknife." As University of Michigan Alumni, We've been supporting the UM Community since 7939... LY OPINION ON TWITTER d Daily editorials, view cartoons and join in ate @michdailyoped. WANT TO GET INVOLVED WITH THE OPINION SECTION? Check out The Michigan Daily's editorial board meetings. Every Monday at 5 pm, the Daily's opinion staff meets to discuss both University and national affairs in order to write our editorials. E-mail opinioneditors@michigandaily. com to join in the debate. - - -- --- t} Ei f <,, , By Appointment 314 1/23. STATE ST. Above Ben & Jerry's 734 668 9329 r-- - - -- -- - - I L.a4 __ 1.' _ _ ----- WWWDASCOLABARBERS.COM WALK-INS WELCOME!