In 'Why I Take Good Care of My Macintosh' Gary Snyder expresses his attachment to his computer by giving us multiple reasons to why this attachment is present. We can also feel the poet's interest in nature throughout the poem. I couldn't relate to the poem simply because I believe we have become so used to technology in our lives that it doesn't fascinate us anymore like it obviously fascinated Gary Snyder.
Before reading 'Why I Take Good Care of My Macintosh', I predict from the title that it talks about technology and its benefits in our days. Upon reading the poem I see that it exceeds my broad thinking and reflects more the realtionship that the poet Gary Snyder has with his technological device. He tries to put into words how he feels towards his Macintosh. He expresses how and why he praises it through the use of deep words and phrases that clearly shows his devotion to the subject.
When I first read this poem, my attention was directly drawn to its structure, and the way Gary Snyder wrote it. In fact, the whole poem is an answer to a question (why does he take good care of his Macintosh?), but what hit me at first is that the poet directly started his poem by “because”, as if he was already in the middle of a conversation with someone, and continues to list all his reasons that way throughout the poem. Snyder’s clearly trying to give us, readers, a positive impression about his computer as the poem is a praise of his Macintosh. By using loads of comparisons, and imagery, the poet highlights how convenient, practical and useful the Macintosh is, and stresses out the good quality of the product (it is a small, light but still made of strong material device). In other words, Gary Snyder shows the easy and good life one can have thanks to technology, especially the Macintosh. Also, after reading the poem, the relationship of Gary Snyder to his computer becomes pretty clear. His is strongly attached to his Macintosh, and, in a way, brings life to it. For example, by saying “my computer and me are both brief in this world”, or “it goes out with me every morning”, the poet is actually treating his computer as a human being. In my opinion, “Why I take good care of my Macintosh” is an unusual, unique, and even a bit strange poem. At first, I found it complicated and confusing, hard to understand. At a certain level I even asked myself: is he really talking about his computer? Why is he comparing it to a “perched falcon” and a “skittish horse”? Besides, this praise of the Macintosh, and the list of everything that is great about it made me feel, at some point, that I was reading an advertisement. However, after reading the poem several times and eventually understanding it, I found it more interesting as well as original when it comes to the structure of the poem (especially the repetition of “because”) and its content, as it is the first time I read a poem about a computer.
As Gary Snyder had said" And it goes with me out every morning", indeed this is absolutely true, since nowadays my laptop is not only a machine that facilitates my life,it is also my confederate that stores all my data and work. My mac is a golden machine in my own eyes, more valuable than any other adornment. Every person's attachment to his own electronic device stays an enigma, a truth hidden behind the curtains that will someday be revealed. Moreover, the pc that we are using is a proof that man indeed is the undisputed master of earth, uniquely distinguished by his intelligence which helped us reach this level of technological advancement. This supports the poet's point of view regarding his idolized poem 'Why I Take Good Care of My Macintosh'.
I agree with the fact that that man is distinguished from other living creatures by his intelligence, which helped him reach technological advancement. However, I don't think that man is "the undisputed master of earth" as you said, simply because there are many things that man cannot control, despite his intelligence and technology. For example, man cannot stop an earthquake from happening. Yes, he can be aware of it and spot dangerous zones, thanks to technology, but when the earthquake occurs, there is nothing he can do to just stop it. He is weak in front of nature(and will always be).
Before even reading the poem of Gary Snyder, we can look at it trough a rhetorical perspective: it is a short poem where almost every verse begins with “because”. The poet stresses on this conjunction to show that he has not one, but multiple reasons to love his Macintosh. In a way, he is trying to make us love his device as much as he does. After reading the poem, I came to realize that Gary Snyder is personifying his Macintosh. He is attributing it human traits “And it goes with me out every morning;” Moreover, his poem is lyrical since he is expressing his personal emotions towards his device. We can find many metaphors in the verses that invite the reader to understand and relate to the bond between Gary Snyder and his Macintosh. If this is the strategy Gary Snyder adopts to persuade us, I, for one, do not share his point of view. It looks like he depends on his Macintosh and values it more than anything. As useful as it is, I don't look at my computer the same way the poet does.
While reading the poem for the first time, it seemed to be filled with 'double entendres', mostly because the poet was describing his Macintosh using figures from nature (perched falcon). So then I checked the background on Snyder and found out he's a Zen Buddhist which pretty much explained his relation with nature and natural figures so it was natural that he describes something so involved in his daily life such as his computer in such a way.
However, reading the poem for a second time gave me a better understanding of what he actually means and how he wants us to relate to his writing. His description of his daily routine with the Macintosh complies with what we now do in our daily lives and our continuous use of the computer and why are we so attached to such a machine. He doesn't convey this directly but still manages to make us think about it, the role this machine plays in our day to day life and the extreme "care" we give it.
To be frank the title didn't really draw me into reading the poem, but the content turned out to be much more interesting than what I had actually thought it would be...
Frankly speaking, i'm not a big fan of English poetry. However in this poem, the connection between nature and his Macintosh was amusing , for the diction and the style used by the writer expressed a lot of superiority in imaginative writing. The ideas used by the writer to express himself were interesting and of great meaning, for example , his use of "broods under its hood like a perched falcon" was a really powerful statement.
The title, once read, gives an idea of the poem, however reading this poem provides a totally different perspective concerning the idea discussed, for he surprised me with his use of ideas, and his correlation between two opposites, the nature and technology!
The writer proved himself to be of great abilities and of superior expression, however the main idea of the poem does not serve our current interest, a Macintosh to him is that fascinating, but when it comes to me, its normal to talk about technology because it became a daily aspect in our lives...
"Why I Take Good Care of My Macintosh", a descriptive poem by Gary Snyder, reveals the rigid bonds between the writer and his laptop. This poem is full of imagery and personifications. Snyder gives life to his computer to express how deep his relationship with it is. His laptop is a necessity that facilitates his daily life activities so he takes it with him everywhere.
Relating this topic to our modern life, technology indeed plays a huge role in facilitating ones work. However, up till now, technology is not yet in full control over people's lives as Snyder demonstrates in his exaggerated poem.
"Because my computer and me are both brief in this world, both foolish, and we have earthly fates."
"Why I Take Good Care of My Macintosh" is definitely idiosyncratic to say the least. When I first read it, as other people have suggested, I thought it was pretty ambiguous. I mean who knew an ordinary Macintosh could move anyone in the way Gary Snyder described. But after I did a little background check, the poem, in my perspective, changed. One, supposedly Gary hated any technological equipment. "He hated cellphones and thought texting was useless." And yet, he was fascinated with his Macintosh which make things interesting. And two, I thought the sentence: "Because plastic is sad, strong material that is charming to rodents" ironical because now the Macbook is made of aluminum, but now I see that he meant the old Macintosh that was of course made of plastic. Anyways, in a nutshell, the poem is quite entertaining and requires repeated reading for a person to grasp what the poet meant. (I don't even think I remotely understood what he meant.) I also think everyone would understand it in a different light.
I agree with you especially on the last part " everyone would understand it in a different light ". Some readers considered the poet to be sarcastic others believed he was serious.
In "Why I Take Good Care of My Macintosh" by Gary Snyder, the poet uses his poetic piece to answer the question introduced in the title. "Because it broods.." "Because it jumps.." "Because plastic is a sad.." As we all know, a macintosh is an inanimate object without an earthly life, and therefore,no feelings. However, as we can see above in the quoted lines, Snyder gives the macintosh human like qualities, using a literary technique known as personification. Through this personification, I can deduce that Snyder values his macintosh, and looks at it as more than a piece of metal and plastic. The poet may even consider his macintosh as an important entity whose worth is equivalent to the poet's own life. This is emphasized when the poet says "And because my computer and me are both brief in this world, both foolish,and we have earthly fates".
Overall, this poem is a represantation of the poet's ideals and beliefs, and the way the people looked at technology in that era.
When I first started reading it, I faced a problem in understanding the meaning behind it. Yet, after several readings, I personally considered that the poem deals with an interesting universal topic, to which everyone can relate to, since there is no arguing that the world today is going through a technological boom.
In the poem "Why I Take Good Care of My Macintosh", Gary Snyder shows us his attachment to his macintosh and how it is involved in his daily routine. He gives many reasons as to why he is so attached to his computer by using metaphors related to nature and animal imagery since Gary is involved in Zen Buddhism and values nature. He also refers to the macintosh as if it is a life companion which never leaves his side. I think his aim was to show how this innovative device can affect and become such an important invention in our lives.
One of the things I noticed is Gary Snyder's use of descriptive diction, similes and metaphors (i.e. like a perched falcon, like a skittish horse). The advantage of this literary style it enables him to express and clarify the special bond that he has with his Macintosh.
"Why i take good care of my macintosh " a poem by gary snyder, in which he shows us readers this special relation and attachement towards his mac. Through out the poem, defined in such a special structure , the usage of because at the start of each sentence ( indicating that all the poem is a response for the rhetorical question in the title ). Snyder's choice of words, was not easy to grasp at the begining . And after a through search for the meanings, and many attempts I got to maybe understand some of the poem.
"Why I Take Good Care of my Macintosh" is a descriptive poem that gives the feel that a Macintosh is somewhat human due to the amount of praise that it is given. Gary Snyder uses a catchy song-like tone in writing this poem which gives it sort of a playful mood. Although it is playful, it is very expressive. This poem caught my attention and interested me because it gives us a fun feel about technology which we use in everyday life .
As a first thought of the title "Why I Take Good Care of My Macintosh" by Gary Snyder, it seemed to be a repelling one. Then, as I went further through his poem the more it appeared to be ambiguous and lacks clearness. However, Gary Snyder's poem described the astonishing relation between himself and his Macintosh. It was as if that Macintosh made him feel so complete that nothing else mattered anymore. This point in particular shows us that technology became an indispensable factor of our daily life ;thus, Gary might have wanted us to see that our whole life relies on technology.
Despite its fascinating description of a dull topic, the poem didn’t appeal to me in any sense except when Snyder said: “Because whole worlds of writing can be boldly laid out and then highlighted and vanish in a flash at “delete”, so it teaches of impermanence and pain;” If I were able to ignore everything written and focus on this specific line, I would say that the poem is a perfect portray of what life truly is since impermanence or if we can say mortality is strongly and firmly related to what we know and expect of life. However, it remains hard to ignore the writer’s talent in poetry and his amusing style that was able to grasp my attention and drives me to predict how he’s going to end this poem. Also, it’s necessary to acknowledge the poet’s creative imagination since if I were to write a poem, and may God forbid it, the last thing that would come to my mind or inspire me is a laptop… And because “ a good writer is one who’s able to address any topic,” then dear Snyder, chapeau bas. In addition to that, I would like to oppose my fellow colleagues in what they mentioned regarding the fact that this topic is not one that would interest us. In my opinion, such topics are all that would interest us now and in the future as we head to become critical thinkers. Finally, all I was able to think about throughout this poem was his girlfriend’s reaction… She definitely cried in silence as she read “Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day.”
While reading "Why I Take Good Care of My Macintosh" I couldn't but realize that almost every verse begins with the conjunction "because" which indicates that Gary Snyder has several reasons that explain his deep attachment to his Mac. The connection between the poet and his machine is portrayed through the diction and the literary elements used. Snyder makes use of personification, "And it goes with me out every morning", to attribute to his Macintosh a character with whom he shares a close relationship.
"Why I Take Good Care of My Macintosh" is an imaginative poem in which Snyder praises his Mac and discusses the importance of this technology in making his life easier; however, a Macintosh now a days is just regarded as another common electronic device.
The small introduction about the poet, Gary Snyder, clearly suggests how he was in to loving and admiring nature. His love and passion to nature appeared through animal imagery in the very first few lines of the poem, describing his Macintosh as being superior, just like a falcon builds its nest up high, or like a skittish horse runs wildly in the pastures. This shows us that this technology was a breakthrough at that time, knowing that the poem was submitted in March of 1988, where we can say that Snyder was mesmerized about the new technology. Whereas nowadays, it's almost "shameful" for anyone not to own any piece of technology, or at least not to be introduced to such elements of the modern world. Other than that, the poem was hard and challenging, yet interesting, catchy at some points, and the indirect way Snyder used to deliver his emotion made the poem much more attractive where the reader had to feel the poem in order to understand what the poet wants.
In "Why I Take Good Care of My Macintosh", the author provides an interesting poem about the importance of his computer and why he cares for it affectionately. He provides human and animal attributes to it and explains how it is more than just "plastic". He explains how the computer appears to be no more than a dull and lethargic contraption that serves no purpose at first glance, however upon capably accessing its services, a world of opportunities and information would be opened up. To such an extent is its power, that the term "World at your feet" would no longer be just an overly stated exaggeration, but rather a factual statement. The author emphasizes his Macintosh's importance in his daily life from performing the most simplest of functions to the more complex ones. It serves many purposes, however it also attaches the user to it, to an extent that he is almost a "slave" to the machine.
Eventhough the poem is called "Why I Take good care of my macintosh", he never says mac in the poem. He just lists features that any laptop has. never anything specific for macintosh. In addition, he said that they both have earthly fates which is not true for any device. so he is kinda mocking the people who are attached to a device.
but if u actually look at the date when the poem was written, laptops weren't abundant. this takes us to the point that actually all the things he said might have been restricted only to a mac. moreover, "earthly fates" has a possibility to apply over here considering the fact that laptops at the time weren't durable as laptops nowadays.
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In the poem "Why I take good care of My Macintosh" the author, Gary Snyder provides us with many reasons why he cares for his Macintosh. Gary seems to be speaking about his Macintosh as if it were something that could never leave his side, as if it were his best friend. In fact, in the lines "because it winks when it goes out" and "because it is poky when cold" Gary Snyder seems to be describing his Macintosh as if he was describing a human being's behavior. Gary Snyder also reflects his connection with his Macintosh, through the following line : "Because my mind flies into it through my fingers". The author uses the verb "fly" to describe how fast he could relate and associate with his Mac. Furthermore, when Gary Snyder says "so it teaches of impermanence and pain", we could see that his Mac is not only a machine for him, it is rather something that is able to connect and reflect humanity.
I did not really relate to this poem because i could not understand the author's feelings towards his Macintosh. The idea of caring for a laptop so much seems to be odd for me...
Gary Snyder wrote this poem where he glorifies and exalts his laptop, a Macintosh. And we can conclude that just by reading the title “Why I Take Good Care of My Macintosh”: taking care of something shows that you are interested in it, that you like it and that it means something to you. In addition, by saying “My Macintosh” and not “My Laptop” that also exposes the admiration towards it and the pride felt because of owning it. In the whole poem, we can feel that the writer treats the electronic device as a person or more as his cherished pet what unmasks his attachment to technology like most of the people these days. But when I finished reading the poem I felt like he was making fun of the people too attached to technological devices. I felt that every comparison and every metaphor was too exaggerated. This could be an irony about the people of the 21st century who can’t live an hour without using an electronic device.
I agree with you that the writer might have had a mocking purpose for writing the poem. But, relating it to reality, some people do exhibit exaggerated attachments to their precious belongings such as their Mac; so the purpose of this poem remains ambiguous.
Before reading "Why I Take Good Care of My Macintosh", I wondered why we were assigned to read it and blog about it since I thought it would be a dreary and mundane essay explaining the importance of technology to our lives. However, after reading it, I found out that it was rather intriguing.
Gary Snyder was able to bring to life a piece of aluminum and circuitry, to show it as an important factor in his daily life. His involvement in Zen Buddhism explains why he resorts to utilizing natural models to describe his relationship with his Macintosh; a relationship we all possess(to a certain extent) in this epoch.
Although this poem demonstrates vivid imagination and creativity on the part of the author, the title was uninteresting and stale and personally I wasn't drawn in by it but the content is quite interesting to say the least.
It is obvious that Gary Snyder is strongly related to his Macintosh. He describes it as a character and not a device. Despite of the content of this poem, the idea of having poems rich with emotions about an electronic device is of great significance. We are used to dry articles about technology, but such poems reveal how technology has become a part of man's life.
At first, the title “Why I take good care of my Macintosh” didn’t attract me at all. I thought it was just another technology topic like high school days. But then when I read the poem,the writer’s way of presenting the topic that I perceived as boring in such an unusual way changed my mind. His analogy to nature was really amusing, and his reasons were interesting because personally the first reason that would make me take care of my Mac is that it’s expensive but the writer had so many different reasons that I never thought about before.
Good analysis:-) I haven't thought of this particular point. We've all seen it odd for an environmentalist to develop such an attachment to a technological device, but you pointed out at an interesting point: he loved his Mac for very unusual reasons.
Your analysis was really impressive, i never thought of the ideas you expressed. I also liked the idea of taking care of a Mac cause it's expensive. HAHA
Before i read the poem "why i take good care of my Macintosh"i thought the text would be about technology and the advantages of having a Mac . But when i read it for a few times , i began to get the point of the poet , and how he is describing his relationship with his Mac , and how he can't let a day go without using it "And it goes with me out every morning" . We can see how the poet is really attached to his Mac , and in a way , we can see how this reflects how humans became more or less slaves to technology and can't survive without it . If it were for me , i wouldn't have written a poem about anything if it hadn't had a strong impact on my life . So , the poet(almost 85 years old ) must have witnessed the evolution of technology especially in computers , and has been affected by it .
In this poem, Gary idealizes, praises and even equates to his own self an electronic device. "And because my computer and me are both brief in this world..." Considering he was born in year 1930, his enthusiasm towards his Macintosh is justified. As for us, thrown into the arms of technology since birth, it is only natural that we don' look at our electronic devices in the same light.
However, after reading the poem multiple times, I figured digging a little into Gary's background will help reveal its underlying purpose. After a little web-search, I learnt that Gary was involved in Zen Buddhism. One of the commonly known Buddhist beliefs is that we are a part of nature and thus we must always conserve its beauty. Furthermore, throughout the poem, Gary used nature to describe his Macintosh "Because it broods under its hood...", "Because it jumps like a skittish horse..." This gave rise to the following question: When has technology ever existed in harmony with nature?
The problematic you raised at the end of your post is quite interesting. The mainstream opinion always states that nature and technology can't exist in harmony, but actually if you look at it from a different lens, technology can be of great aid in the new quest of preserving what's left of nature and also attempting to get it back to its previous state.
The new trend in technology and science all leans towards eco-friendly and also eco-enhancing projects and inventions. All projects that earn awards these days in competitions go to technological inventions or discoveries that actually help preserve the ecosystem and attempt to revive what previous advances killed off. I think its the abuse of technology and nature that can't coexist not technology as a total.
In "Why I Take Good Care of My Macintosh" Gary Snyder uses animal imagery to clarify his attachment to his computer. However, I found this technique repelling. Although I can relate to the writer's fascination(to a certain extent), I can't relate to his interest in nature. Before reading the text I expected a different approach towards the topic and reading the text was actually a disappointment. The text is brilliant from a rhetorical perspective, whereas it is actually weak from a social perspective. People have got used to their computers as a general purpose device such that only few can relate to the writer's relationship with his Macintosh.
In the poem “Why I Take Good Care Of My Macintosh”, Gary Snyder illustrates numerous reasons for glorifying his personal computer. In fact, we could remark throughout the poem, the repetition of the word “Because”, indicating the multiple reasons he advances. In addition, Snyder specifies “Macintosh” and not any computer, in a way that touches Mac users, and to sympathize with the readers/owners of a Macintosh. Gary Snyder, who lives without electricity and uses rarely a cellphone, glorifies his Macintosh, by the means of personifications such as “sometimes throws me” on the second verse. The poet even characterized the structure of the Macintosh as “strong” on the fourth verse, as if he is advertising Apple products. The author even expresses his excessive admiration to the Macintosh by even flirting with it in a way, through the use of “charming” on verse 4, and “it winks when it goes out” on verse 9. Snyder extends his glorification of the Macintosh by explaining that his “mind flies into it”. His personal computer serves then as a mean to express his ideas to the outside world. Gary Snyder tries even to amalgamate and mingle between nature and technology, being an environmentalist and a zealot mac users. For instance, he compares the Macintosh’s key clicks to “hail on a boulder” (verse 8), in a geological context, or even he compares his computer to a “perched falcon” (verse 1). Snyder even uses words that belong to botanical studies, such as seedpods and vine. The poet continues by paralleling his word-heaps, or data, to “dozens of pockets of gold under boulders” on verse 10. This way, Snyder treats his personal data on his Macintosh as a hidden treasure. In addition, he explains how he can boldly express himself, in an independent way, and evades creating pain to others, just by pressing the “delete” button. In the conclusion of the poem, Snyder shows noticeably his excessive personification “I have let it move in with me”, “it goes with me”, “We fill up our baskets”, as well as he relates himself to the Macintosh “my computer and me”, “both foolish, and we have earthly fates”, in a way that a poet addresses his passionate lover.
In "Why I Take Good Care of My Macintosh " Gary Snyder seemed fascinated by his computer and its technological capabilities which revealed that technology , at that time , was still not spread as it is nowadays or even not advanced thus explaining why the poet was that thrilled by the computer . Another thing is that Gary Snyder tended to show resemblance between his computer and natural components ( horse , falcon ) which marks his environmental interests besides the technological ones . The poem wasn't easy , I had to read it more than once to get the poets point maybe because technology isn't that fascinating anymore and has been a common factor .
As someone already mentioned, it was pretty odd how a person that into nature and that 'aware of the harm being done to nature' would be that fascinated by a technological device. People who appreciate nature are usually the ones that are against the emotional attachment to such devices. I personally didn't enjoy this piece even though I like and read poetry, I just felt like he was trying too hard to be profound in a subject that doesn't need such deepness.
Thanks for clarifying that point. If he you actually see his pic, he looks like the usual hippy (ponytail- Beard- skinny body). In other words areally cool grandpa:P
You make a good point! Gary Snyder's background reveals the respect he had towards nature since he was involved in Zen Buddhism. He wrote poetry about his experience with nature, so it is quite ironic how he showed great attachment to a technological device. I really don't find a relation between the two.
Throughout the poem Gary Snyder values his Macintosh. He describes it as a person, a pet. In fact, according to him, his laptop is a useful and indispensable invention that makes life easier. Otherwise the author's unique writing style and his use of imagery astonished me. However I did not relate to this poem because this topic doesn't interest me.
In “Why I Take Good Care of My Macintosh”, we dive into the perspective of a Zen Buddhist regarding the aspect of technology. Quite frankly, the opinions and descriptions posed in this poem differ from our normal look at Zen Buddhists, where ironically Gary Snyder uses metaphors and similes regarding nature to describe the beauty and admiration he sees in his Mac. This is quite abnormal for, as we all know; technology right now is the leading cause of nature pollution and destruction. Nonetheless the way of words and statements posed by Gary, not only grabs the attention of the readers and fascinates them, but also portraits his love and attachment to his Mac. This poem proves the point where we can learn to use and benefit from technology while admiring the beauty of nature.
"Why I Take Good Care of My Machintosh" is quite and odd poem. Where the author, Gary Snyder, reflects his strong attachment to his computer giving it animal characteristics. I didn't relate to the text, however, I liked his style of writing and his wide imagination.
In this poem, Gary Snyder, gives life to his computer, by describing and treating it as if it’s a living thing for he compares it to a perched falcon or a skittish horse. Gary heaps praise on his Macintosh for he makes it seem as if his relationship with his Macintosh is a relation full of admiration and respect , because he gives his Macintosh a significant role in his life and justifies a part of his admiration towards it by appreciating its characteristics . In addition to that , Gary gives his Macintosh the character of a partner by saying “We fill up our baskets …” . Personally i was surprised after reading this poem because of the Gary's love and admiration towards nature
Through his poem, the writer expresses his attachment to his computer by sharing some special moments he have had with it that left unforgettable feelings, I personnaly experienced some of his feelings and I understand his point of view since, these days, we're dealing more often with these electronic devices thus, we face some similar situations more frequently
Although technology is indispensable in our lives and it facilates a lot of things, I don't think we experience nowadays Snyder feelings simply because we've become so used to technology, and it doesn't blow our minds anymore like it did to Snyder.
In this poem the author considers his computer as his best friend because he mainly does anything he wants him to do. I personally disagree because "people are made to be loved and things are made to be used but these days people are confused because things are being loved and people are being used" . A computer can never replace a human brain and attitude and behavior.
Gary Snyder begins his poem with "because" which means that the whole poem is an answer to the title "Why i take good care of my machintosh". The repetition of the word "because" in the beginning of each sentence shows that Snyder is listing all the reasons that make him take good care of his macintosh. By using metaphors and personifications, Snyder describes his strong relation and attachment towards his computer. His machintosh becomes a part of himself. The main idea of the poem is to show us that technology is indispensable in our daily life. In fact, if we relate this poem to our modern life, we can see that technology facilates a lot our lives, and the whole society is in touch with it. The situtation will increase in the future with that revolution of technology.
Before starting to read the actual poem, I paused for a few minutes at the introductory paragraph that summarized Snyder's life events. Apparently, he is an enviromentalist, and a very active one (membership in the Beat Generation). Furthermore, many personifications of the laptop were used throughtout the poem, as if it were a person he shares his enviromental interst with ("earthly fates", "inside the tent"). Synder built a strong attachment and evoked such feelings to his Mac because this poem is pretty old, when the Mac revolution was at its begining. At that time, any new technological invention would fascinate people, contradictory to nowadays, where anyone can get his hands on almost any electronic device.
In "Why I Take Good Care of My Macintosh" the writer doesn't discus the technological aspect of his computer;however, he explains his attachment to his laptop through animal imagery and metaphors. The author Garry Snyder is a known lover to nature which explains the relation he makes between his Macintosh and some animals.
In "Why I Take Good Care of My Macintosh" Gary Snyder tries to outline the relationship he has with his computer. Through the use of figurative language, including metaphors, personification and repetition, he is able to breathe life into this machine. His appreciation of his computer can be associated with his admiration for wilderness, and this can be inferred from his reference to things in nature like horse, falcon, streambeds, boulder, etc. The poet makes the machine seem like a sentient being, something we as readers can relate to due to our increasing dependence on it.
Well, considering the fact that he's somewhat obsessed with his Mac (or device since he didn't really use the term Mac throughout the poem) , I would say he still does. If anything, his admiration may have increased due to the obvious advances in technology nowadays.
Honestly, I don't think he would be as admired because, again, he wrote the poem when technology was, let's say, a "luxury". His Macintosh was a rare creation, and now it's something incredibly commercial. And anything commercial would not provoke such a peculiar fascination.
Actually he follows up on technology to a certain extent,in 2010 Gary Snyder was interviewed in which he expressed his appreciation for his laptop(Macintosh) and how he liked it and he called PCs sentient beings.
In "Why I Take Good Care Of My Machintosh" the author personifies the laptop in order to express his unnatural attachement to such a materialistic object.Although I disagree with most of his exaggeration, I can not but admit the ugly truth:technological devices have creeped into our lives without out notice.
In the poem “Why I Take Good Care Of My Macintosh”, Gary Snyder shows how attached he is to his computer in different ways. This can be viewed by more than one perspective. Gary provides throughout the poem many reasons that illustrate his passion to his computer. In addition, Gary admires his computer, and he uses metaphors to show that to the readers. On the other hand, the poem exposes the strong attraction between a man and a machine in nowadays; it demonstrates how technology invaded our lives with no reaction done by people or authorities to impede its domination.
"why i take good care of my macintosh" is indeed a very interesting poem. The author shows his attachment to his laptop by giving it human and animal characteristics rather than treating as a simple object. His style of writing also draws us to read more especially due to his use of imagery.
M. Snyder is describing the relationship between him and his Macintosh. He considers his laptop as his best friend, he carries it with him wherever he goes, and we can see through his writing that he can not live without it. Personally, I didn’t like the poem, because I found that M. Snyder made a very weird and confusing description of his “relationship” with his Macintosh. Also because the people who don’t own a Mac can not imagine or understand that weird connection that joins the owners to the machine.
The author, "Gary Snyder", talks about his personal computer as if it was a living soul.
When he describes it in many ways, showing us how much he truly appreciates this machine and cares for it; he even compares it to himself and try to find common things between each other: "And Because my computer and me are both brief in this world, both foolish, and we have earthly fates." He loves it because it interacts with him all day long, it is a life companion: "Because I have let it move in with me right inside the tent, And it goes with me out every morning; We fill up our baskets, get back home."
In my opinion, the author exaggerated a bit while talking about a simple machine. We all know that the creation of Personal Computers changed the whole world, made our lives much easier, and created new fields of study. We all love our Personal Computers as well, but not to a point of writing a poem to some machine made of silicon and plastic, as if it was a living being. But who knows; maybe these machines made out of silicon and plastic, might become an indispensable utility for everyone! Robots are being developed, and researchers from all over the world are spending their full time to make them a "Smart Creature".
In 'Why I Take Good Care of My Macintosh' Gary Snyder expresses his attachment to his computer by giving us multiple reasons to why this attachment is present. We can also feel the poet's interest in nature throughout the poem.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't relate to the poem simply because I believe we have become so used to technology in our lives that it doesn't fascinate us anymore like it obviously fascinated Gary Snyder.
You make a good point!
Deleteyou have a point concerning relating the poem , but you have to keep in mind that for the author , it was a big thing back then .
DeleteBefore reading 'Why I Take Good Care of My Macintosh', I predict from the title that it talks about technology and its benefits in our days. Upon reading the poem I see that it exceeds my broad thinking and reflects more the realtionship that the poet Gary Snyder has with his technological device. He tries to put into words how he feels towards his Macintosh. He expresses how and why he praises it through the use of deep words and phrases that clearly shows his devotion to the subject.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteWhen I first read this poem, my attention was directly drawn to its structure, and the way Gary Snyder wrote it. In fact, the whole poem is an answer to a question (why does he take good care of his Macintosh?), but what hit me at first is that the poet directly started his poem by “because”, as if he was already in the middle of a conversation with someone, and continues to list all his reasons that way throughout the poem. Snyder’s clearly trying to give us, readers, a positive impression about his computer as the poem is a praise of his Macintosh. By using loads of comparisons, and imagery, the poet highlights how convenient, practical and useful the Macintosh is, and stresses out the good quality of the product (it is a small, light but still made of strong material device). In other words, Gary Snyder shows the easy and good life one can have thanks to technology, especially the Macintosh. Also, after reading the poem, the relationship of Gary Snyder to his computer becomes pretty clear. His is strongly attached to his Macintosh, and, in a way, brings life to it. For example, by saying “my computer and me are both brief in this world”, or “it goes out with me every morning”, the poet is actually treating his computer as a human being.
In my opinion, “Why I take good care of my Macintosh” is an unusual, unique, and even a bit strange poem. At first, I found it complicated and confusing, hard to understand. At a certain level I even asked myself: is he really talking about his computer? Why is he comparing it to a “perched falcon” and a “skittish horse”? Besides, this praise of the Macintosh, and the list of everything that is great about it made me feel, at some point, that I was reading an advertisement. However, after reading the poem several times and eventually understanding it, I found it more interesting as well as original when it comes to the structure of the poem (especially the repetition of “because”) and its content, as it is the first time I read a poem about a computer.
As Gary Snyder had said" And it goes with me out every morning", indeed this is absolutely true, since nowadays my laptop is not only a machine that facilitates my life,it is also my confederate that stores all my data and work. My mac is a golden machine in my own eyes, more valuable than any other adornment. Every person's attachment to his own electronic device stays an enigma, a truth hidden behind the curtains that will someday be revealed. Moreover, the pc that we are using is a proof that man indeed is the undisputed master of earth, uniquely distinguished by his intelligence which helped us reach this level of technological advancement. This supports the poet's point of view regarding his idolized poem 'Why I Take Good Care of My Macintosh'.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the fact that that man is distinguished from other living creatures by his intelligence, which helped him reach technological advancement. However, I don't think that man is "the undisputed master of earth" as you said, simply because there are many things that man cannot control, despite his intelligence and technology. For example, man cannot stop an earthquake from happening. Yes, he can be aware of it and spot dangerous zones, thanks to technology, but when the earthquake occurs, there is nothing he can do to just stop it. He is weak in front of nature(and will always be).
DeleteBefore even reading the poem of Gary Snyder, we can look at it trough a rhetorical perspective: it is a short poem where almost every verse begins with “because”. The poet stresses on this conjunction to show that he has not one, but multiple reasons to love his Macintosh. In a way, he is trying to make us love his device as much as he does.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the poem, I came to realize that Gary Snyder is personifying his Macintosh. He is attributing it human traits “And it goes with me out every morning;” Moreover, his poem is lyrical since he is expressing his personal emotions towards his device. We can find many metaphors in the verses that invite the reader to understand and relate to the bond between Gary Snyder and his Macintosh.
If this is the strategy Gary Snyder adopts to persuade us, I, for one, do not share his point of view. It looks like he depends on his Macintosh and values it more than anything. As useful as it is, I don't look at my computer the same way the poet does.
I agree with your point of view, and especially with your last remark about Gary Snyder's attachment to his laptop :)
DeleteWhile reading the poem for the first time, it seemed to be filled with 'double entendres', mostly because the poet was describing his Macintosh using figures from nature (perched falcon). So then I checked the background on Snyder and found out he's a Zen Buddhist which pretty much explained his relation with nature and natural figures so it was natural that he describes something so involved in his daily life such as his computer in such a way.
ReplyDeleteHowever, reading the poem for a second time gave me a better understanding of what he actually means and how he wants us to relate to his writing. His description of his daily routine with the Macintosh complies with what we now do in our daily lives and our continuous use of the computer and why are we so attached to such a machine. He doesn't convey this directly but still manages to make us think about it, the role this machine plays in our day to day life and the extreme "care" we give it.
To be frank the title didn't really draw me into reading the poem, but the content turned out to be much more interesting than what I had actually thought it would be...
i like your view point :), it really expressed the real idea of this poem ;)!!
DeleteI fully agree with your opinion, especially when it comes to the title being a bit boring.
DeleteFrankly speaking, i'm not a big fan of English poetry. However in this poem, the connection between nature and his Macintosh was amusing , for the diction and the style used by the writer expressed a lot of superiority in imaginative writing. The ideas used by the writer to express himself were interesting and of great meaning, for example , his use of "broods under its hood like a perched falcon" was a really powerful statement.
ReplyDeleteThe title, once read, gives an idea of the poem, however reading this poem provides a totally different perspective concerning the idea discussed, for he surprised me with his use of ideas, and his correlation between two opposites, the nature and technology!
The writer proved himself to be of great abilities and of superior expression, however the main idea of the poem does not serve our current interest, a Macintosh to him is that fascinating, but when it comes to me, its normal to talk about technology because it became a daily aspect in our lives...
"Why I Take Good Care of My Macintosh", a descriptive poem by Gary Snyder, reveals the rigid bonds between the writer and his laptop. This poem is full of imagery and personifications. Snyder gives life to his computer to express how deep his relationship with it is. His laptop is a necessity that facilitates his daily life activities so he takes it with him everywhere.
ReplyDeleteRelating this topic to our modern life, technology indeed plays a huge role in facilitating ones work. However, up till now, technology is not yet in full control over people's lives as Snyder demonstrates in his exaggerated poem.
"Because my computer and me are both brief in this world, both foolish, and we have earthly fates."
ReplyDelete"Why I Take Good Care of My Macintosh" is definitely idiosyncratic to say the least. When I first read it, as other people have suggested, I thought it was pretty ambiguous. I mean who knew an ordinary Macintosh could move anyone in the way Gary Snyder described. But after I did a little background check, the poem, in my perspective, changed.
One, supposedly Gary hated any technological equipment. "He hated cellphones and thought texting was useless." And yet, he was fascinated with his Macintosh which make things interesting. And two, I thought the sentence: "Because plastic is sad, strong material that is charming to rodents" ironical because now the Macbook is made of aluminum, but now I see that he meant the old Macintosh that was of course made of plastic.
Anyways, in a nutshell, the poem is quite entertaining and requires repeated reading for a person to grasp what the poet meant. (I don't even think I remotely understood what he meant.) I also think everyone would understand it in a different light.
I agree with you especially on the last part " everyone would understand it in a different light ". Some readers considered the poet to be sarcastic others believed he was serious.
DeleteI like how you went deap into the poem and you did ur own research. I salute ur work and perspective
DeleteIn "Why I Take Good Care of My Macintosh" by Gary Snyder, the poet uses his poetic piece to answer the question introduced in the title.
ReplyDelete"Because it broods.."
"Because it jumps.."
"Because plastic is a sad.."
As we all know, a macintosh is an inanimate object without an earthly life, and therefore,no feelings. However, as we can see above in the quoted lines, Snyder gives the macintosh human like qualities, using a literary technique known as personification. Through this personification, I can deduce that Snyder values his macintosh, and looks at it as more than a piece of metal and plastic. The poet may even consider his macintosh as an important entity whose worth is equivalent to the poet's own life. This is emphasized when the poet says "And because my computer and me are both brief in this world, both foolish,and we have earthly fates".
Overall, this poem is a represantation of the poet's ideals and beliefs, and the way the people looked at technology in that era.
When I first started reading it, I faced a problem in understanding the meaning behind it. Yet, after several readings, I personally considered that the poem deals with an interesting universal topic, to which everyone can relate to, since there is no arguing that the world today is going through a technological boom.
In the poem "Why I Take Good Care of My Macintosh", Gary Snyder shows us his attachment to his macintosh and how it is involved in his daily routine. He gives many reasons as to why he is so attached to his computer by using metaphors related to nature and animal imagery since Gary is involved in Zen Buddhism and values nature. He also refers to the macintosh as if it is a life companion which never leaves his side.
ReplyDeleteI think his aim was to show how this innovative device can affect and become such an important invention in our lives.
One of the things I noticed is Gary Snyder's use of descriptive diction, similes and metaphors (i.e. like a perched falcon, like a skittish horse). The advantage of this literary style it enables him to express and clarify the special bond that he has with his Macintosh.
ReplyDelete"Why i take good care of my macintosh " a poem by gary snyder, in which he shows us readers this special relation and attachement towards his mac.
ReplyDeleteThrough out the poem, defined in such a special structure , the usage of because at the start of each sentence ( indicating that all the poem is a response for the rhetorical question in the title ).
Snyder's choice of words, was not easy to grasp at the begining . And after a through search for the meanings, and many attempts I got to maybe understand some of the poem.
"Why I Take Good Care of my Macintosh" is a descriptive poem that gives the feel that a Macintosh is somewhat human due to the amount of praise that it is given. Gary Snyder uses a catchy song-like tone in writing this poem which gives it sort of a playful mood. Although it is playful, it is very expressive. This poem caught my attention and interested me because it gives us a fun feel about technology which we use in everyday life .
ReplyDeleteAs a first thought of the title "Why I Take Good Care of My Macintosh" by Gary Snyder, it seemed to be a repelling one. Then, as I went further through his poem the more it appeared to be ambiguous and lacks clearness. However, Gary Snyder's poem described the astonishing relation between himself and his Macintosh. It was as if that Macintosh made him feel so complete that nothing else mattered anymore. This point in particular shows us that technology became an indispensable factor of our daily life ;thus, Gary might have wanted us to see that our whole life relies on technology.
ReplyDeleteDespite its fascinating description of a dull topic, the poem didn’t appeal to me in any sense except when Snyder said:
ReplyDelete“Because whole worlds of writing can be boldly laid out and then highlighted and vanish in a flash at “delete”, so it teaches of impermanence and pain;”
If I were able to ignore everything written and focus on this specific line, I would say that the poem is a perfect portray of what life truly is since impermanence or if we can say mortality is strongly and firmly related to what we know and expect of life.
However, it remains hard to ignore the writer’s talent in poetry and his amusing style that was able to grasp my attention and drives me to predict how he’s going to end this poem. Also, it’s necessary to acknowledge the poet’s creative imagination since if I were to write a poem, and may God forbid it, the last thing that would come to my mind or inspire me is a laptop… And because “ a good writer is one who’s able to address any topic,” then dear Snyder, chapeau bas.
In addition to that, I would like to oppose my fellow colleagues in what they mentioned regarding the fact that this topic is not one that would interest us. In my opinion, such topics are all that would interest us now and in the future as we head to become critical thinkers.
Finally, all I was able to think about throughout this poem was his girlfriend’s reaction… She definitely cried in silence as she read “Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day.”
While reading "Why I Take Good Care of My Macintosh" I couldn't but realize that almost every verse begins with the conjunction "because" which indicates that Gary Snyder has several reasons that explain his deep attachment to his Mac. The connection between the poet and his machine is portrayed through the diction and the literary elements used. Snyder makes use of personification, "And it goes with me out every morning", to attribute to his Macintosh a character with whom he shares a close relationship.
ReplyDelete"Why I Take Good Care of My Macintosh" is an imaginative poem in which Snyder praises his Mac and discusses the importance of this technology in making his life easier; however, a Macintosh now a days is just regarded as another common electronic device.
The small introduction about the poet, Gary Snyder, clearly suggests how he was in to loving and admiring nature. His love and passion to nature appeared through animal imagery in the very first few lines of the poem, describing his Macintosh as being superior, just like a falcon builds its nest up high, or like a skittish horse runs wildly in the pastures. This shows us that this technology was a breakthrough at that time, knowing that the poem was submitted in March of 1988, where we can say that Snyder was mesmerized about the new technology. Whereas nowadays, it's almost "shameful" for anyone not to own any piece of technology, or at least not to be introduced to such elements of the modern world. Other than that, the poem was hard and challenging, yet interesting, catchy at some points, and the indirect way Snyder used to deliver his emotion made the poem much more attractive where the reader had to feel the poem in order to understand what the poet wants.
ReplyDeleteIn "Why I Take Good Care of My Macintosh", the author provides an interesting poem about the importance of his computer and why he cares for it affectionately. He provides human and animal attributes to it and explains how it is more than just "plastic". He explains how the computer appears to be no more than a dull and lethargic contraption that serves no purpose at first glance, however upon capably accessing its services, a world of opportunities and information would be opened up. To such an extent is its power, that the term "World at your feet" would no longer be just an overly stated exaggeration, but rather a factual statement. The author emphasizes his Macintosh's importance in his daily life from performing the most simplest of functions to the more complex ones. It serves many purposes, however it also attaches the user to it, to an extent that he is almost a "slave" to the machine.
ReplyDeleteGary snyder is an environmentalist so it doesn't make sense that he's writing about an electronic device and his attachement to it
ReplyDeleteWhy Do u say that?
DeleteI'm so glad u asked. He's a renowned environmentalist and he's always camparing he's device to nature.
DeleteDon't you mean macintosh
DeleteEventhough the poem is called "Why I Take good care of my macintosh", he never says mac in the poem. He just lists features that any laptop has. never anything specific for macintosh. In addition, he said that they both have earthly fates which is not true for any device. so he is kinda mocking the people who are attached to a device.
DeleteSmart ;)
Deletebut if u actually look at the date when the poem was written, laptops weren't abundant. this takes us to the point that actually all the things he said might have been restricted only to a mac. moreover, "earthly fates" has a possibility to apply over here considering the fact that laptops at the time weren't durable as laptops nowadays.
DeleteAfter sufficient research, I found out that the poem was published in june 23, 2003
DeleteSo there were a significant amount of laptops other than macs.
Thanks for the reply rayan. You had a good point.
I should have looked into the date of publication
Genius !!! That's all I can say regarding what I just read.
DeleteI had to double-check your name, and excellent job Ebrahim... you've blown my mind :|
I salute you Ebrahim Karam.
DeleteThanks jad najdi. I'm glad u found the comment interesting. As we agreed then, your payment will be ready under ur desk
DeleteThanks Malak Sabeh. I salute u too. I wish i could put a face to the name. I hope to do that soon so just say hi to me whenever u like
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIn the poem "Why I take good care of My Macintosh" the author, Gary Snyder provides us with many reasons why he cares for his Macintosh. Gary seems to be speaking about his Macintosh as if it were something that could never leave his side, as if it were his best friend. In fact, in the lines "because it winks when it goes out" and "because it is poky when cold" Gary Snyder seems to be describing his Macintosh as if he was describing a human being's behavior.
ReplyDeleteGary Snyder also reflects his connection with his Macintosh, through the following line : "Because my mind flies into it through my fingers". The author uses the verb "fly" to describe how fast he could relate and associate with his Mac.
Furthermore, when Gary Snyder says "so it teaches of impermanence and pain", we could see that his Mac is not only a machine for him, it is rather something that is able to connect and reflect humanity.
I did not really relate to this poem because i could not understand the author's feelings towards his Macintosh. The idea of caring for a laptop so much seems to be odd for me...
I fully agree with you :)
DeleteGary Snyder wrote this poem where he glorifies and exalts his laptop, a Macintosh. And we can conclude that just by reading the title “Why I Take Good Care of My Macintosh”: taking care of something shows that you are interested in it, that you like it and that it means something to you. In addition, by saying “My Macintosh” and not “My Laptop” that also exposes the admiration towards it and the pride felt because of owning it.
ReplyDeleteIn the whole poem, we can feel that the writer treats the electronic device as a person or more as his cherished pet what unmasks his attachment to technology like most of the people these days. But when I finished reading the poem I felt like he was making fun of the people too attached to technological devices. I felt that every comparison and every metaphor was too exaggerated. This could be an irony about the people of the 21st century who can’t live an hour without using an electronic device.
I agree with you that the writer might have had a mocking purpose for writing the poem. But, relating it to reality, some people do exhibit exaggerated attachments to their precious belongings such as their Mac; so the purpose of this poem remains ambiguous.
DeleteBefore reading "Why I Take Good Care of My Macintosh", I wondered why we were assigned to read it and blog about it since I thought it would be a dreary and mundane essay explaining the importance of technology to our lives. However, after reading it, I found out that it was rather intriguing.
ReplyDeleteGary Snyder was able to bring to life a piece of aluminum and circuitry, to show it as an important factor in his daily life. His involvement in Zen Buddhism explains why he resorts to utilizing natural models to describe his relationship with his Macintosh; a relationship we all possess(to a certain extent) in this epoch.
Although this poem demonstrates vivid imagination and creativity on the part of the author, the title was uninteresting and stale and personally I wasn't drawn in by it but the content is quite interesting to say the least.
It is obvious that Gary Snyder is strongly related to his Macintosh. He describes it as a character and not a device. Despite of the content of this poem, the idea of having poems rich with emotions about an electronic device is of great significance. We are used to dry articles about technology, but such poems reveal how technology has become a part of man's life.
ReplyDeleteAt first, the title “Why I take good care of my Macintosh” didn’t attract me at all. I thought it was just another technology topic like high school days. But then when I read the poem,the writer’s way of presenting the topic that I perceived as boring in such an unusual way changed my mind. His analogy to nature was really amusing, and his reasons were interesting because personally the first reason that would make me take care of my Mac is that it’s expensive but the writer had so many different reasons that I never thought about before.
ReplyDeleteGood analysis:-) I haven't thought of this particular point. We've all seen it odd for an environmentalist to develop such an attachment to a technological device, but you pointed out at an interesting point: he loved his Mac for very unusual reasons.
DeleteYour analysis was really impressive, i never thought of the ideas you expressed. I also liked the idea of taking care of a Mac cause it's expensive. HAHA
DeleteBefore i read the poem "why i take good care of my Macintosh"i thought the text would be about technology and the advantages of having a Mac . But when i read it for a few times , i began to get the point of the poet , and how he is describing his relationship with his Mac , and how he can't let a day go without using it "And it goes with me out every morning" . We can see how the poet is really attached to his Mac , and in a way , we can see how this reflects how humans became more or less slaves to technology and can't survive without it .
ReplyDeleteIf it were for me , i wouldn't have written a poem about anything if it hadn't had a strong impact on my life . So , the poet(almost 85 years old ) must have witnessed the evolution of technology especially in computers , and has been affected by it .
"Why I Take Good Care of My Macintosh"
ReplyDeleteIn this poem, Gary idealizes, praises and even equates to his own self an electronic device. "And because my computer and me are both brief in this world..." Considering he was born in year 1930, his enthusiasm towards his Macintosh is justified. As for us, thrown into the arms of technology since birth, it is only natural that we don' look at our electronic devices in the same light.
However, after reading the poem multiple times, I figured digging a little into Gary's background will help reveal its underlying purpose. After a little web-search, I learnt that Gary was involved in Zen Buddhism. One of the commonly known Buddhist beliefs is that we are a part of nature and thus we must always conserve its beauty. Furthermore, throughout the poem, Gary used nature to describe his Macintosh "Because it broods under its hood...", "Because it jumps like a skittish horse..." This gave rise to the following question: When has technology ever existed in harmony with nature?
The problematic you raised at the end of your post is quite interesting. The mainstream opinion always states that nature and technology can't exist in harmony, but actually if you look at it from a different lens, technology can be of great aid in the new quest of preserving what's left of nature and also attempting to get it back to its previous state.
DeleteThe new trend in technology and science all leans towards eco-friendly and also eco-enhancing projects and inventions. All projects that earn awards these days in competitions go to technological inventions or discoveries that actually help preserve the ecosystem and attempt to revive what previous advances killed off. I think its the abuse of technology and nature that can't coexist not technology as a total.
In "Why I Take Good Care of My Macintosh" Gary Snyder uses animal imagery to clarify his attachment to his computer. However, I found this technique repelling. Although I can relate to the writer's fascination(to a certain extent), I can't relate to his interest in nature. Before reading the text I expected a different approach towards the topic and reading the text was actually a disappointment. The text is brilliant from a rhetorical perspective, whereas it is actually weak from a social perspective. People have got used to their computers as a general purpose device such that only few can relate to the writer's relationship with his Macintosh.
ReplyDeleteIn the poem “Why I Take Good Care Of My Macintosh”, Gary Snyder illustrates numerous reasons for glorifying his personal computer. In fact, we could remark throughout the poem, the repetition of the word “Because”, indicating the multiple reasons he advances. In addition, Snyder specifies “Macintosh” and not any computer, in a way that touches Mac users, and to sympathize with the readers/owners of a Macintosh. Gary Snyder, who lives without electricity and uses rarely a cellphone, glorifies his Macintosh, by the means of personifications such as “sometimes throws me” on the second verse. The poet even characterized the structure of the Macintosh as “strong” on the fourth verse, as if he is advertising Apple products. The author even expresses his excessive admiration to the Macintosh by even flirting with it in a way, through the use of “charming” on verse 4, and “it winks when it goes out” on verse 9. Snyder extends his glorification of the Macintosh by explaining that his “mind flies into it”. His personal computer serves then as a mean to express his ideas to the outside world. Gary Snyder tries even to amalgamate and mingle between nature and technology, being an environmentalist and a zealot mac users. For instance, he compares the Macintosh’s key clicks to “hail on a boulder” (verse 8), in a geological context, or even he compares his computer to a “perched falcon” (verse 1). Snyder even uses words that belong to botanical studies, such as seedpods and vine. The poet continues by paralleling his word-heaps, or data, to “dozens of pockets of gold under boulders” on verse 10. This way, Snyder treats his personal data on his Macintosh as a hidden treasure. In addition, he explains how he can boldly express himself, in an independent way, and evades creating pain to others, just by pressing the “delete” button. In the conclusion of the poem, Snyder shows noticeably his excessive personification “I have let it move in with me”, “it goes with me”, “We fill up our baskets”, as well as he relates himself to the Macintosh “my computer and me”, “both foolish, and we have earthly fates”, in a way that a poet addresses his passionate lover.
ReplyDeleteIn "Why I Take Good Care of My Macintosh " Gary Snyder seemed fascinated by his computer and its technological capabilities which revealed that technology , at that time , was still not spread as it is nowadays or even not advanced thus explaining why the poet was that thrilled by the computer . Another thing is that Gary Snyder tended to show resemblance between his computer and natural components ( horse , falcon ) which marks his environmental interests besides the technological ones . The poem wasn't easy , I had to read it more than once to get the poets point maybe because technology isn't that fascinating anymore and has been a common factor .
ReplyDeleteAs someone already mentioned, it was pretty odd how a person that into nature and that 'aware of the harm being done to nature' would be that fascinated by a technological device. People who appreciate nature are usually the ones that are against the emotional attachment to such devices. I personally didn't enjoy this piece even though I like and read poetry, I just felt like he was trying too hard to be profound in a subject that doesn't need such deepness.
ReplyDeleteThanks for clarifying that point. If he you actually see his pic, he looks like the usual hippy (ponytail- Beard- skinny body). In other words areally cool grandpa:P
DeleteYou make a good point! Gary Snyder's background reveals the respect he had towards nature since he was involved in Zen Buddhism. He wrote poetry about his experience with nature, so it is quite ironic how he showed great attachment to a technological device. I really don't find a relation between the two.
DeleteThroughout the poem Gary Snyder values his Macintosh. He describes it as a person, a pet. In fact, according to him, his laptop is a useful and indispensable invention that makes life easier.
ReplyDeleteOtherwise the author's unique writing style and his use of imagery astonished me. However I did not relate to this poem because this topic doesn't interest me.
In “Why I Take Good Care of My Macintosh”, we dive into the perspective of a Zen Buddhist regarding the aspect of technology. Quite frankly, the opinions and descriptions posed in this poem differ from our normal look at Zen Buddhists, where ironically Gary Snyder uses metaphors and similes regarding nature to describe the beauty and admiration he sees in his Mac. This is quite abnormal for, as we all know; technology right now is the leading cause of nature pollution and destruction. Nonetheless the way of words and statements posed by Gary, not only grabs the attention of the readers and fascinates them, but also portraits his love and attachment to his Mac. This poem proves the point where we can learn to use and benefit from technology while admiring the beauty of nature.
ReplyDelete"Why I Take Good Care of My Machintosh" is quite and odd poem. Where the author, Gary Snyder, reflects his strong attachment to his computer giving it animal characteristics. I didn't relate to the text, however, I liked his style of writing and his wide imagination.
ReplyDeleteIn this poem, Gary Snyder, gives life to his computer, by describing and treating it as if it’s a living thing for he compares it to a perched falcon or a skittish horse.
ReplyDeleteGary heaps praise on his Macintosh for he makes it seem as if his relationship with his Macintosh is a relation full of admiration and respect , because he gives his Macintosh a significant role in his life and justifies a part of his admiration towards it by appreciating its characteristics . In addition to that , Gary gives his Macintosh the character of a partner by saying “We fill up our baskets …” . Personally i was surprised after reading this poem because of the Gary's love and admiration towards nature
Through his poem, the writer expresses his attachment to his computer by sharing some special moments he have had with it that left unforgettable feelings, I personnaly experienced some of his feelings and I understand his point of view since, these days, we're dealing more often with these electronic devices thus, we face some similar situations more frequently
ReplyDeleteAlthough technology is indispensable in our lives and it facilates a lot of things, I don't think we experience nowadays Snyder feelings simply because we've become so used to technology, and it doesn't blow our minds anymore like it did to Snyder.
DeleteIn this poem the author considers his computer as his best friend because he mainly does anything he wants him to do. I personally disagree because "people are made to be loved and things are made to be used but these days people are confused because things are being loved and people are being used" . A computer can never replace a human brain and attitude and behavior.
ReplyDeleteGary Snyder begins his poem with "because" which means that the whole poem is an answer to the title "Why i take good care of my machintosh". The repetition of the word "because" in the beginning of each sentence shows that Snyder is listing all the reasons that make him take good care of his macintosh. By using metaphors and personifications, Snyder describes his strong relation and attachment towards his computer. His machintosh becomes a part of himself.
ReplyDeleteThe main idea of the poem is to show us that technology is indispensable in our daily life. In fact, if we relate this poem to our modern life, we can see that technology facilates a lot our lives, and the whole society is in touch with it. The situtation will increase in the future with that revolution of technology.
Before starting to read the actual poem, I paused for a few minutes at the introductory paragraph that summarized Snyder's life events. Apparently, he is an enviromentalist, and a very active one (membership in the Beat Generation). Furthermore, many personifications of the laptop were used throughtout the poem, as if it were a person he shares his enviromental interst with ("earthly fates", "inside the tent"). Synder built a strong attachment and evoked such feelings to his Mac because this poem is pretty old, when the Mac revolution was at its begining. At that time, any new technological invention would fascinate people, contradictory to nowadays, where anyone can get his hands on almost any electronic device.
ReplyDeleteIn "Why I Take Good Care of My Macintosh" the writer doesn't discus the technological aspect of his computer;however, he explains his attachment to his laptop through animal imagery and metaphors. The author Garry Snyder is a known lover to nature which explains the relation he makes between his Macintosh and some animals.
ReplyDeleteIn "Why I Take Good Care of My Macintosh" Gary Snyder tries to outline the relationship he has with his computer. Through the use of figurative language, including metaphors, personification and repetition, he is able to breathe life into this machine. His appreciation of his computer can be associated with his admiration for wilderness, and this can be inferred from his reference to things in nature like horse, falcon, streambeds, boulder, etc. The poet makes the machine seem like a sentient being, something we as readers can relate to due to our increasing dependence on it.
ReplyDeletenice:)
DeleteI have one question for all:
ReplyDelete" What do you think is Snyder's opinion on the technological invasion nowadays? Do you think he still admires his mac.?"
Well, considering the fact that he's somewhat obsessed with his Mac (or device since he didn't really use the term Mac throughout the poem) , I would say he still does. If anything, his admiration may have increased due to the obvious advances in technology nowadays.
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DeleteHonestly, I don't think he would be as admired because, again, he wrote the poem when technology was, let's say, a "luxury". His Macintosh was a rare creation, and now it's something incredibly commercial. And anything commercial would not provoke such a peculiar fascination.
DeleteActually he follows up on technology to a certain extent,in 2010 Gary Snyder was interviewed in which he expressed his appreciation for his laptop(Macintosh) and how he liked it and he called PCs sentient beings.
DeleteI don't think he ever admired his mac
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ReplyDeleteIn "Why I Take Good Care Of My Machintosh" the author personifies the laptop in order to express his unnatural attachement to such a materialistic object.Although I disagree with most of his exaggeration, I can not but admit the ugly truth:technological devices have creeped into our lives without out notice.
ReplyDeleteIn the poem “Why I Take Good Care Of My Macintosh”, Gary Snyder shows how attached he is to his computer in different ways. This can be viewed by more than one perspective. Gary provides throughout the poem many reasons that illustrate his passion to his computer. In addition, Gary admires his computer, and he uses metaphors to show that to the readers. On the other hand, the poem exposes the strong attraction between a man and a machine in nowadays; it demonstrates how technology invaded our lives with no reaction done by people or authorities to impede its domination.
ReplyDelete"why i take good care of my macintosh" is indeed a very interesting poem. The author shows his attachment to his laptop by giving it human and animal characteristics rather than treating as a simple object. His style of writing also draws us to read more especially due to his use of imagery.
ReplyDeleteM. Snyder is describing the relationship between him and his Macintosh. He considers his laptop as his best friend, he carries it with him wherever he goes, and we can see through his writing that he can not live without it.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I didn’t like the poem, because I found that M. Snyder made a very weird and confusing description of his “relationship” with his Macintosh. Also because the people who don’t own a Mac can not imagine or understand that weird connection that joins the owners to the machine.
The author, "Gary Snyder", talks about his personal computer as if it was a living soul.
ReplyDeleteWhen he describes it in many ways, showing us how much he truly appreciates this machine and cares for it; he even compares it to himself and try to find common things between each other: "And Because my computer and me are both brief in this world, both foolish, and we have earthly fates."
He loves it because it interacts with him all day long, it is a life companion:
"Because I have let it move in with me right inside the tent,
And it goes with me out every morning;
We fill up our baskets, get back home."
In my opinion, the author exaggerated a bit while talking about a simple machine. We all know that the creation of Personal Computers changed the whole world, made our lives much easier, and created new fields of study. We all love our Personal Computers as well, but not to a point of writing a poem to some machine made of silicon and plastic, as if it was a living being. But who knows; maybe these machines made out of silicon and plastic, might become an indispensable utility for everyone! Robots are being developed, and researchers from all over the world are spending their full time to make them a "Smart Creature".