Lost.In.Translation.

Two weeks ago in class, we watched the movie Lost in Translation. I had never seen it before and was excited to actually watch a popular movie in class. Although the movie was different and did not follow normal movie "guidelines" (predictable ending, predictable plot, etc.), I still was intrigued by it. The movie could be related to places vs. non-places, like we discussed in class. Much of the movie had scenes of people just sitting around, which would correlate to non-places. Also, it seemed that the two main characters might have in fact viewed Tokyo as a non-place, as they did not have any history in it and seemed to just be "drifting" around in it.
In class, we also discussed the possibility of turning a non-place into a place. We asked if someone spends a certain amount of time in a non-place and establishes relations, does this qualify as a place? I think that a non-place turns into a place as soon as the characteristics of a place (has history, has relationships, etc.) appear in the alleged "non-place". In addition, we felt that the language barrier in the movie presented a challenge for the two main characters to change Tokyo from a non-place to a place.

Non-places Part II

Last week's reading about places and non-places by Auge really interested me. Initially, I was skeptical of and confused by the term "non-place". I thought, "Isn't everything a place in some sense?". However, once I understood Auge's criteria for non-places, everything became clearer. Auge believes that non-places are spaces we merely visit. They most likely have an element of commercialization and anonymity. Also, non-places deal with travel and distancing. Examples of non-places could be a bus, an elevator, a big lecture hall, an airport, a bank, a hotel, or a mall. In this context, the idea of non-places began to make more sense to me. Places, on the other hand, have a historical context and are concerned with identity. Examples could be a town square, a church, and a long-term job. People generally spend more time in places than non-places. I realized that I visit non-places just as much as I visit places on a daily basis. Auge also points out that a person's daily routine is a continuous shift between places and non-places, which is certainly true in my case. On an average day, I might get up in the morning and leave my dorm (place), some days attend a large lecture (non-place), get money from the ATM (non-place), meet friends for lunch at the cafeteria (place), take the bus (non-place) to work, spend time at work (place), take the bus (non-place) home, go to the library (place) to work on homework, and finally sleep at home (place). Another point that was brought up in our class was that defining a certain space to be a non-place or place is very subjective. A coffee shop for some people may be a place to grab a quick cup of coffee. For others, it may be a place to meet friends every Tuesday night. Auge's discussion of places and non-places shed new light on a topic containing familiar elements but new ideas.

Non-places???

I chose a bus for my non-place. I observed the people and surroundings on my way to work one afternoon, and here's what happened:
First of all, I recognized a sense of solitude and anonymity as I waited for the bus with about fifteen strangers. Some people were waiting with friends, but the majority of us were standing alone. Most of us were listening to iPods or talking on cell phones, which also symbolized a loss of a relationship with the people around us (even though we might be expressing our relationship with someone on the phone).
When the bus came, we all gathered in a group and headed onto the bus. The bus driver seemed to be "counting" us as we stepped on, as he pushed a button for each new passenger. This gave me a sense that I was literally "just a number" in the world of the Metro bus line.
However, sometimes when I take the bus, I spot a co-worker and begin to talk. In this way, the bus seems to be transferred into a "place" because we are "regulars" of that schedule and bus, thus making a history.
A couple major components of non-places are the feelings of being in motion and traveling. This is pretty self-explanantory for a vehicle such as a bus, for it literally took us from one place to the next. However, it would not be considered a "place" because it was involved in the in between stage.
While on the bus, strangers sat next to strangers for the most part. Since many people use Bus 80 on campus, there was a good chance the person sitting next to someone would be a stranger. Everyone was simply using the bus to get somewhere-a "real" place.
One more characteristic of a non-place is the idea that people "use it and leave". This is certainly true of a bus or other public transportation system.

My experience with a non-place fit pretty well with Auge's definition of one, although there were some exceptions.