Thought Paper 1: 8 September 2012

Kendall Steele

Professor Asher

Visualizing San Francisco

8 September 2012

Thought Paper: What to Expect?

I am really looking forward to finally making my way through the city. I’ve been here for three weeks, and have only managed to make it a few blocks from University of San Francisco. I am looking forward to all the places that we plan on going, but in particular I am looking forward to going to China Town. I’m planning on majoring in Anthropology. Therefore, I feel that visiting China Town will be a great way to learn about another culture and begin my fieldwork. Furthermore, I think that I will be able to find a lot of signage that I will draw inspiration from. I’m not much of a photographer, but I relish at the chance to learn and gain new experiences. Besides China Town, I am looking forward to going to the Castro district. I’ve spent the majority of my time in a conservative town where people keep to themselves. While in Castro, I want to experience a different type of setting, where I can learn more about the different type of people that are out there. I’m so used to be around the same “cookie-cutter” people, and I just want to meet new people, people who have amazing backgrounds and stories. Furthermore, I feel that the signage in the Castro District will be particularly eye-catching, with bright colors and lots of drama. This type of signage will be particularly fun to capture and I’m really looking forward to the trip. However, I believe that signage can be found anywhere, whether it’s the Financial District or the infamous Tenderloin District. I truly relish what’s to come, and I feel that by the end of these 13 weeks, I will be more informed and comfortable with this unfamiliar place I hope to call home. I will gain a new perspective and learn about the cultures that inhabit this melting pot of a city.

            Speaking of culture, I believe that signage is a great way to learn more about the ethnography of San Francisco. So much of what we gather information from comes from different types of signage, like advertisements and propaganda. This signage is molded and constructed to fit the different needs of different cultures. For example, a billboard featuring Alcatraz may be present at Fisherman’s Wharf, because people at Fisherman’s Wharf are most likely looking for a tourist attraction. These different forms of signage are made to connect with different types of audiences. We unknowingly favor some signage over others. We do this, because of our cultural background. If a person was raised in a culture where dogs were seen as pets and not food, they might feel concerned or appalled when they see an advertisement for a restaurant serving “man’s best friend.” However, this is not to say that people are unable to learn and expand their cultural views. Signage is a great way for people to learn about other cultures, perhaps altering their current state of mind. Clearly, signage is a great way to study ethnography, and in the future, our current signage will be a great way for anthropologists to learn about the past and how people of the 20^th century co-existed. Anthropologists will be able to learn about our eating habits, what we do for leisure, the battles and adversities we faced, and many other important things that take a group of people and transforms them into a cultured society.