Dollars and Cell Phones

I am fascinated by the aspects of human nature discussed in the current show
Stage/Studio: Space Transformed. This exhibition is up until April 3rd and I encourage everyone to come see it. As part of a class taught by Professor Maureen Ryan graduate students from OSU's College of the Arts investigated the uses of site specificity as a tool in the development of original theater works.

There are two works that have caught my eye: one centered on giving and receiving, the other focused on cell phones.

The latter has various componenets: a cell phone twister game, with some intense instructions,
a table with the question: "If you were about to die and could only make one phone call, who would you call and what would you say?" and paper and pens to write responses,and an old-fashioned play telephone (two cans connected with string). There are also quotes from various sources discussing the use of cell phones as they relate to: bringing people together, moving people further apart, being devices of rudeness and having the ability to make us look completely stupid (I like the discussion of the "cell phone service dance" the best). Many people take having a cell phone for granted but as the piece states:

"Cell phones represent the 20th Century's esccalation of imaginary need. We didn't need cell phones until we had them"
~Mary Schmich

The other piece deals with making people look at themselves and decide if they are givers or takers. The piece has $1 bills throughout it and the only rule of the piece is that once you enter that space you have to participate by either leaving a dollar or taking a dollar. This piece is great. It speaks to people's natural state and then the inner struggle that may ensue based on societal norms and values. I'm not going to lie, I was thinking about getting a coffee with one of those dollars, but then thought about how it would make me look. So you leave a dollar if someone is looking you take one (and get coffee) if you think no one is looking. I know not everyone thinks that way (some people prefer tea) but in it's simplest form that's the nuts and bolts of it. Seeing as how I just took a Public Finance final last night I could wax poetic about society's need to take dollars even when you don't need them to achieve some social ideal of amassing wealth but that class is over and therefore so is my obligation to think about the concept, terms and whatnots that went with it. I could also go on and on about how we should be giving dollars when we have them and don't need them (for coffee or tea) to others who do not have them, but then I'd be labeled a socialist, which someone will mistake for communist and then I'll spend the rest of my days "on the run" writing pamphlets under a pseudonym and eating beans out of a can. Since I don't like beans you all are saved from hearing me get on my soap box.

Back to the task at hand. My only problem with the show is that there are no names by the specific pieces. I do not know if each piece was made by a group or an individual and I would love the opportunity to give credit where it is due. It is finals week and anyone that can make me think and make me enjoy thinking deserves a gold star at the very least.