Jason!

My Quasi Ethnography....... There presently lives a 27 year-old male, who calls Orange County his home. The year that I am speaking of is 2006 and this man of whom I speak, his name is Jason Chittenden. The text that follows is an examination of the culture and lifestyle in which our subject Jason finds himself. Some of the subjects discussed may be works in progress and their conclusion and certainty remains to be seen. Also there may be certain generalizations or vagarities put forth, but such or those as spun by our subject. This is not an attempt to analyze but merely examine one particular Jason Chittenden. Jason Chittenden was born in the city of Orange, in the county of the same name, in the State of California, in the United States of America, on one Sunday January 7th of 1979. He was named by his father with no other intention other than liking the name Jason. Our subject’s parents are Daniel and Lauren; these two individuals influence will have a great impact on his understanding and morals throughout his adolescence. The language is which Jason and his family communicate in is Americanized English. This is the language that has been spoken by the three generations that proceed him. Jason was born into a family that falls into the middle class of the Southern California lifestyle. The family structure of the Chittenden's is one of a nuclear family. He also has a younger brother of four years named Devon. The housing in which Jason has lived his entire life is a house constructed a cement block built in 1949. This house provides more than adequate space for all four members of his family. The cosmology of our subject Jason has not always been consistent, he has often been drawn into religious philosophy (aka dogma) only revert to a more scientific and humanistic understanding of the universe around him. Both of Jason’s parents were not of any particular religious affiliation, nor was Jason until he reached his rebellious teenage years, in which Christianity was radical in contrast to the secular view of his household. Jason was a committed member of his church and believed that God had created the world in six days and Jesus was the son of God who had died for his sins. However his origin myth became drastically altered when he began to investigate Darwin’s theory of evolution (not to mention the various forms of intolerance as practiced by the church and its followers). He found his belief system challenged to such an extent that he then converted and to-this-day subscribes to the scientific/evolutionary origins of human-kind.

The primary way in which our subject obtains sustenance is via any one of the many corporately owned and operated grocery stores. These stores provide him with meat, fruits, vegetables, bread, and too many sugary junk foods to be listed here. Many of these grocery stores also provide medicines for a variety of the illnesses he will experience in his lifetime, however occasionally he must visit a grocery store with a pharmacy to receive prescription medication. From time to time, Jason ventures from his home to visit a restaurant where more fanciful and expensive sustenance can be found. All to often he frequents various fast food establishments to receive copious amounts of greasy foods from their dollar menus. In terms of liquid nutrition Jason purchases carbonated beverages, alcohol and the occassional bottles of water from the grocery store. The clothing in which our subject has worn and continues to wear values fashion, but is more concerned with finding bargains and comfortability. He purchases clothes at various department stores and the occasional thrift shop. Due to the fact that he lives in a rather mild climate, he tends to wear t-shirts and blue jeans on a nearly daily basis. In colder months his clothing adapts by adding an additional layer usually of a hooded sweatshirt or a jacket in the instance of rain. The arts that Jason has always identified with most is that of film. He has always appreciated the cinema for its ability to transmit stories utilizing images and sound. Film is also what Jason has spent and continues to spend most of his leisure time on. These films allow him to experience possibilities and worlds that could never exist, but nonetheless fascinate him. He also is a great admirer of musical expression; he enjoys jazz, punk, folk, hip-hop and numerous other styles of musical expression. These two forms of art inspire our subject to believe that anything is possible and the only limitations are those that one establishes themselves. The ideology to which Jason subscribes to is a tad off from a majority of those he finds around him. He tends to believe that his fellow human beings are all of equal value and should be given the opportunity to make a living wage. He believes that the government should play an important role in social issues such as poverty, hunger and quality of life. Although our subject finds himself in a society that believes in the duality of the Republican and Democratic political structure, he believes that these two parties represent money rather than people. Jason firmly believes in the concept (or rather the dillusion of idealism) of the third party system, although many of his peers and elders scoff at such optimistic ideals. He also believes that war does not bring about any positive conclusions, rather that killing of another, no matter how just the cause may appear to be, will only result in the continuation of violence and such cycle will continue endlessly. These few beliefs are what assists Jason is the living of his day to day existence; believe in hope not fear and to protect humanity not destroy it.---
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.. The present situation of Jason Chittenden is one with possibilities and uncertainty. He is presently enrolled at Irvine Valley College with an emphasis on taking academic courses that challenge what he views as his lackadaisical Americanized world view. In order to receive monies he is currently employed by Disneyland, which despite its corporate status, he enjoys very much. He continues to live with his parents until he has secure finances to afford monthly rent. What will the future hold for our subject Jason? This is a question which perplexes him, but the one thing he does know for certain is that each tomorrow opens a world of opportunities yet untold. ---