On Attaining Peace

                The other day, I cried. I cried for those who had lost their innocence. I cried for those who lost their children. I cried for those who had lost their lives, the heroic teachers and the little tykes. I cried for those who have lost faith in society.  But after a week of tragedies, what should we expect?  The world has unleashed a realm of hatred, violence, and grief that we have never known. From the Virginia Tech Massacre to the Fort Hood shooting to the current Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, the power of evil-doers has been witnessed. We claim that we have become so “advanced”. We claim that we have become “civilized”. We claim that we have become “modern”. Well, if this is advanced, civilized and modern, then I would like to live in the era before 1364 (the year that this hideous firearm was first used).

                Maybe we could restrict gun ownership. But because people love their hunting “rights” that won’t happen. Why don’t we provide each individual with a firearm for their protection? No matter what their age, age 4 (that innocent young person who shoot his sibling), age 20 (that malicious man who went on a killing rampage through a helpless elementary school) or age 65 (that senile man who “accidently” shot his acquaintance while hunting), everyone deserves a gun. Whenever someone feels harmed or threatened, they will have a gun by their side to protect them. Sure, it may cause collateral damage, but anyways we have a global population of 7 million – maybe we can afford some losses.

                We could just restrict the usage of guns or remove them completely. Maybe we could model our gun policy after Britain (they have one of the world’s lowest rates of intentional gun homicides at .07 per 100,000 persons compared to the US rate at 3.0 per 100,000). Maybe we could eliminate gun ownership by the general populace. Maybe we could attain our peace. But no, that would be ineffective.  In our society, we value being unique and not following those snobby Brits. In our society, it is a necessity to maintain our “right to bear arms”. In our society, we value our right to murder animals to fulfill our carnivorous diet. In our society, these reasons are more important than saving several lives. I guess restricting or eliminating guns from our society would overall be ineffective. So instead, let us give the populace guns, so we can attain “peace”.

See Articles:

Sandy Hook Elementary Shooting 

The History of the firearm

4yr Old shot his sibling

Cheney's Hunting Incident

Gun Control In the UK

Fort Hood Shooting

What is "hope"?

Hope. Wait. What is that?

Narration: When I travel to India, I frequently see many homeless children attempting to earn a living. Sad, right? Well, my grandmother used to be one of those children. At a young age, about five or six, my grandmother’s family faced a terrible financial situation. Her family was unable to provide for a house, her education, and new clothes. Thus, she was forced to make flower garlands and sell them to pedestrians on the sidewalk. Through her hard work and the gifts of many strangers, her family earned enough money to move into a house. She then had the hope to continue with her life.

Description:  A warm feeling arose in the center of her body. The feeling created the slight lifting of her cheekbones and required the tightening of her cheek muscles.  Her breathing slowed down as this new relaxed sensation took over her body. The smell of relief was omnipresent. As she gingerly closed her eyes and imagined the next day to be filled with success, her shoulders lowered and her muscles became limp, as if she were a marshmallow. She tasted the salty lines which streamed down her face. These used to be streams of pain and unhappiness. Now, the circumstances had changed with a glimmer of brightness.

 Example:  The Dalai Lama once stated, “I find hope in the darkest of days, and focus in the brightest”. His statement epitomizes the minds of the current Hurricane Sandy victims. These victims have faced the darkest times in this natural disaster, as it has ripped away their daily lives. But with the strength they find amongst their friends, family, and community, they are able to see the greater possibilities in the future. The victims focus on the bright side and the changes in their future. And with this hope, they will be able to achieve great feats.

Comparison/Contrast: There is no fine line between day and night, light and dark, and white and black. They are stark opposites. Similarly there is no fine line between hope and hopelessness. Hope represents the presence of shimmer of optimism, which has the potential to motivate one to continue with life. On the other hand, hopelessness portrays the pit of despair, in which one’s world is dim with pessimism, making it difficult to proceed with life. Therefore, it is impossible to draw any similarities as these two concepts are mutually exclusive.

Process Analysis: Instilling hope in oneself is a long and enduring process. It does not have distinct steps. Rather, it occurs in continuous stages. In the first stage one must experience an unhappy situation. Whether the circumstance is a daily stressor or life-changing event, one needs to experience an event that could potentially be catastrophic (this is very easy if one is a drama king or queen). This phase will eventually (at least we hope) lead into a phase of euphoria. One will be more optimistic in their future. And when a person reaches that brighter outlook, they have attained hope.

Division of analysis: Hope is a complex emotion. It has the potential to lift you towards to sky, as if you are an angel floating in the sky. But if the hope does not come in time, you can be sent into a pit of misery and despair. In order to attain the angel floating in the puffy-clouded-sky sensation, one must have a somewhat optimistic attitude immediately after suffering from a disappointing event. When the optimism is realized, the person will be able to face anything.

Classification: Instilling hope in oneself is a long and enduring process. It does not have distinct steps. Rather, it occurs in continuous stages. In the first stage one must experience an unhappy situation. Whether the circumstance is a daily stressor or life-changing event, one needs to experience an event that could potentially be catastrophic (this condition is very easy to fulfill if one is a drama king or queen). This phase will eventually (at least we hope) lead into a phase of euphoria. One will be more optimistic in their future. And when a person reaches that brighter outlook, they have attained hope.

Cause and Effect: Hope is caused by the optimistic attitudes of those who have faced the terrible circumstances.  Their experiences instill greater expectations for the future. The future, they believe, can only get better. Whether they believe that poverty will change to riches or sickness will change to good health, victims will always foresee a brighter future. This brighter and optimistic side ensures the numerous possibilities for a happier existence. Thus, victims are given the ability to assimilate into their current conditions because they can only improve. Or at least, they think that.

Definition: Hope is not an overly optimistic attitude, which is irrational and unnecessary. Hope is also not the panacea for all pain and should not blind persons of their problems.  Instead, hope provides an optimistic yet, rational view of the future. It enables the person to maintain a positive outlook and take the required steps towards a more happy state, while remembering that the world is not a blissful universe. It requires a balanced state of mind and emotions. And once that balance has been achieved, the idea of hope has the potential to change lives.

Argumentative/Persuasive: Keep an optimistic outlook at all times. Sure, it is common sense. It may even sound banal. But, we often forget to follow this advice. Despite being taught to value an optimistic attitude from age 5, society has now become filled with pessimism as we face the daily toil of life. We even view being rational as the equivalent to optimism. Pessimistic attitudes are even becoming popular through social media and literature, including Barbara Ehrenriech’s novel, “Bright-sided”. It is now up to us to change this pessimistic trend and display that hope and optimism are not outdated. They have just been forgotten.  

The social ladder

            “Okay Mackenzie, here you go. One, two, three, “, Mackenzie’s mother stated (nameless as I still do not know her name) placed her hands on Mackenzie’s back, and gave her a slight push.”Wee,” Mackenzie exclaimed, as she started her upward flight. Other children were present too. The toddlers waddled around, as the woodchips crunched underneath them.  They maintained a jubilant mood as they had recently discovered how to wander freely, without their guardians constantly picking them up and ending their long crawling journey. The two neighbor boys, ages five and six respectively, were slipping down the tube apparatus. They also cried, “Weeee!”.  As they emerged from the green tube, the telescope, upon the deck of the “pirate’s ship”, captivated the attention of Katie and her younger sister (who also is nameless as I have not learned her name in these eleven years). The blue tube was swirling around, as Katie and her nameless sister attempted to search the green grasses for the nearest piece of land. All the kids looked so happy. All of them had found their place in the neighborhood kid’s hierarchy. Meanwhile their mothers huddled around their steaming cups of high-noon tea (I never did understand this concept as we were living in Minnesota, not England). Their conversation drifted from work, to fashion, to families, to their children. While everyone appeared to be deeply interested in the conversation, one of the mothers looked up and saw my mother gardening. “Hey Dee-pee-ka! Why don’t you join us?,” she called to my mother.

                My mother turned away from her gardening work to see who had called. As their friendly faces came into view, she slowly took off her yard gloves and placed them aside. “Sure. Coming, “she called back. My mommy paused to turn back at me once and ask me if I wanted to go play with the six imaginative children. I had no idea where my place in the social hierarchy was. And I did not intend to search the playground for it and risk the possibility of being embarrassment, if I found out that it was non-existent. Thus, “NO,” was the automatic response she received. As she made her way towards the high-noon- Minnesotan tea, I gazed at the children, and wondered if I had missed my opportunity to assimilate into those regular childhood affairs. My contemplative trance was quickly halted, as I thought Nahh.

                Throughout my childhood, my refusal to interact with the other neighborhood children continued. Of course, I wanted to find my place in the neighborhood kid’s clan. Of course, I wanted to fit in. Of course, I would rather have miraculous adventures with my companions rather than silently watch them from afar (Who doesn’t want to explore the green grasses for the nearest piece of land. Duhh!). But, how could I? What if they did not like me? What if I realized my non-existent position on the social ladder? How would I face that humiliation?

                Eleven years later, with improved self-esteem and better social skills, I regret my actions. Why didn’t I say YES to my mom? What if I had approached them? What if we became great friends? I still do not know many of my fellow peers that live in my neighborhood. They have their own friends and I have mine. But times like these make me realize the need for a time machine.   

Why do we do this?

                BUZZ. BUZZ. BUZZ. That is how I wake up every morning. I arise to the tune of my melodious alarm clock. What a wonderful way to welcome the new day. In fact, this is the way most Americans wake up. The typical American starts their day by waking up with this instrument and continues his or her regimented schedule. For me this includes a ten minute shower ( not a minute over), seven minutes to gobble my breakfast of a yogurt cup and a prepackaged orange juice can, and two minutes to get dressed in my warm (but dreaded) winter gear. After all this is completed, I scramble out the door and hurry towards the sleet covered carriage that awaits me.  If I spend too much time on any item in my daily schedule, my routine will go haywire and my life will seize to be blissful (not like it already is).

                I always wondered if I was a special case. Maybe this was just my problem. But now I have realized that this is a common occurrence.

See Article:

http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/07/13/study-for-women-india-is-the-most-stressful-country-on-earth/

                I always knew my family was slightly prone to stress. However, I never expected this to be tied to the rest of my heritage.  But now that I look at the women in my family, it is understandable. I doubt my mother has ever lived without stress. Unlike most young children, my mother had been exposed to financial difficulties. She was clearly aware of her economic situation. She was aware that her parents could not afford any delicacies like beet root or tindora. She was aware that it was difficult for her parents to pay for her education (they barely had the funds required to pay for her school uniforms). She was aware that her father’s business venture was very risky. She was aware that her family was on the brink of boom or bust. Thus, her awareness of the financial circumstances of her family gave her stress (maybe ignorance is bliss).

                Her stress levels did not decrease once she came to the United States. In fact, they probably have increased. When she came here, my mother did not assimilate easily. It was difficult to find vegetarian food. It was difficult to find a job. It was difficult to become like a sponge and undergo the verbal abuse from her co-workers because of the “funniness” of her three-syllabled-name. It was difficult to stay away from her beloved parents and extended family. Due to her circumstances, life in the United States was still stressful.

                Millions of immigrants live through these common stresses. Thus, it is understandable why the United States is not one of the top ten happiest countries in the world.

See Article:

http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/20-most-happy-countries-in-the-world/

                But is life really worth living if we do not enjoy our daily schedules? We idealize the benefits of our life in the United States. I mean, the average American would not be able to fathom a world without cell phones, tv’s, laptops, computers, gaming devices, cars, planes, and much more.  But is our goal of attaining these material pleasures worth the high blood pressure, the gray hairs, and the emotional breakdowns?  This material pleasures now seem meaningless. 

Child Labor

Although child labor has significantly decreased in many parts of the world, child labor continues to be a pressing problem in many developing nations today. Please take a moment to think about this video.
Child Labor

The ringmaster

                Family reunions are a big deal in my dad’s side of the family. I rarely meet up with my entire family since we live all around the world – United States, England, India and Australia. My grandparents are in their sixties and seventies, therefore we typically visit my grandparents, in India, once every two or three years. Although we keep in close contact via awkward phone calls, which my relatives use to interrogate me about my post-graduation plans, these visits are a great way to reconnect with my family. A few years ago my family- my dad, mom, brother and I- went to one of these family reunions. After 20 hours of flying, 6 hours of lay-overs, and 2.5 hours of driving, we finally had reached our destination, Mysore, India. As we approached the gate to my grandparents’ house, I lugged our luggage and wondered if we had accidently thrown a couple of bricks in the bags. Meanwhile, my grandparents waited by the gate and gazed at us as we walked towards the gate. The hugs and kisses commenced only after we got inside the compound. But two weeks later, when my aunt Vani, aka the ringmaster, arrived, their reactions were different.

                Despite the ringmaster’s small stature, with a height of 5’4”, her piercing black eyes could make her appear intimidating to almost any creature. Even the typically stubborn vendor, at the Sydney flee market, found himself intimidated by her after she had haggled with him for 30 minutes straight. She still carries her trophy around, her cheap knock-off coach purse. In all types of weather she wears those same black “sunnies”(as the ringmaster’s country would say). These are her favorite accessory, which leads me to believe that she wants to appear intimidating to people.  Once she uncovers her beautiful but sleep-deprived eyes, it is clear that her “sunnies” are required.

                For her dramatic entrance to our family reunion, she decided to spare her family members and wear her beloved “sunnies”.   Unlike us, she did not pull up to curb in a taxi. Heck no. My grandparents would never allow their precious little daughter to travel via taxi to their house. Instead, they made one of her cousins drive to the airport- a three hour drive one way- and then bring her back home.  And when she swung that familiar door open, my grandparents rushed onto the street and showered her with hugs and kisses.  Although it was a sweet sight, it did highlight the power that the ringmaster holds in her family.

                Even though she smells like a harmless mixture of Pantene anti-frizz conditioner and flowers, she is made of iron. Once she reached home, I realized this. When she did not like the food that was being served, she would reluctantly eat it while making grotesque faces. In order to appease the ringmaster, my grandmother would prepare delicacies for her, such as tindora. When she had an urge to shop, her posse (my older aunt, my grandmother, my great-aunt, mother and me) followed her every beckoning on these sprees. When she wanted to enjoy city life, the family paraded behind her, despite our fatigued state.  

                I noticed that my family was accustomed to this treatment. Maybe it is because she was the youngest child my grandparents had (My dad and aunt have an age difference of 15 years).  Maybe it is because everyone is sympathetic to her, since she lives in Australia without any family around. Maybe it is because they have an earnest urge to please her. Or maybe it is because she can truly be lovable and adorable. Despite her whims, intimidation tactics, and her immature behavior at times, she is my aunt. And she has done many remarkable things in her short 31 years. She put herself through college, moved to Australia, met her husband, became a project manager, got her first home, and bought the best car ever. So Vani, I guess I do love you-even though you probably already assumed that.  

My dysfunctional and lovable family

                Thanksgiving, for most families, is usually the time to catch up with members of your extended family. But, because the majority of my family lives half-way- across the world, I did not meet my extended family this Thanksgiving. Instead, I met up with some of my friends who were also in the same situation. Although meeting my friends was splendid, I still wish that I could have met my family then. I realize by the way that I idealize meeting my family, it sounds like we are an enjoyable bunch. You may picture us as that family who never shouts or yells and resolves disputes by “talking it out”. You may picture us as that family which never has major relationship problems. You may picture us as that family who is very open and interacts with each other frequently. But I don’t want you to keep fantasizing this lie.

                In fact we can be a very dysfunctional bunch. Our household is filled with arguments, yelling, ignoring, forgiving, and then repeating the whole cycle.  And if my family is not experiencing this cycle, then one member of my family is probably putting on a charade.  I guess it may be better to live far away from each other.  Thus, it is probably better to focus on my immediate family’s interactions.

                 My Immediate family:

                My immediate family consists of my brother, Amma (mom), and Appa (dad).

My mother and I are inseparable. We truly are best friends. I tell her about everything that bothers me and in return she attempts to solve them for me. Although she is not always able to solve my problems, I really treasure the advice that she gives me.  We rarely argue. But when we do get into a disagreement, I try to resolve the issue as soon as possible. This weekend she gave me one of those looks. The look that makes you feel so guilty that you wish that you could hit the un-do button. I cannot bear these looks from my mother. Maybe this is because I am my mommy’s girl. Even though I adore her, I hate it when people call us sisters. On the other hand she takes this “compliment” gleefully, as her wide smile showcases all her teeth. I witnessed these moments a couple of times this weekend as friends talked about how similar we look.  So even though, I do not enjoy this “compliment”, I love the way my mommy’s face lights up when someone calls us sisters.

Next in line is my brother. Whenever I show my friends pictures of him they exclaim, “OMG! He is so cute!” But looks can be deceiving. Even though we have a ten year age difference, we still fight. I think he is spoilt. Whenever we go to the store, he attempts to get his way by screeching. So, in order to salvage the hearing of other customers my parents buy whatever my brother desires. They call it “rewarding him for being a good boy”. I call it being a marshmallow.  But recently, I think my brother has become a little bit more mature. He has limited his shrieks for only a few items. My brother and I have also become closer. Yes, we still yell at each other. Yes, we are not that kind to each other. But we do love each other. Occasionally our love for each other will show through gifts like this:

So maybe my brother can be cute at times. Those times are just very rare.  But I still love him.

Next comes my dad.

Although I love him dearly, I still don’t understand him the majority of the time. Even though we are embracing each other in this particular picture, we tend to get on each other’s nerves quite frequently. This weekend my family and I went to several homes and ate a lot of food. On our way to one house I defended my right to drive (a struggle in my family because I am surrounded by people who love driving). Initially, everything was fine. I accidently started taking the wrong turn, when I heard a scream that sounded like nails scratching a chalkboard from the backseat. I glanced at the rearview mirror and realized this was not my brother. Instead, I was shocked to find my father with fiery eyes. “If you can’t drive the way I tell you to drive, pull over right now and I will drive,” he exclaimed. Although this offer may have been appealing to the tired working mom of two kids, I took this as an insult. As a self-righteous person myself I retorted by telling him to calm down. Although this method was ineffective for his temper, I was able to notice the awkwardness in the car. My mom stared out the window, while my brother was so engrossed at the iPad, that neither seemed interested in the drama that was unfolding in the car. I guess these petty arguments are common in my family. Because as soon as we returned home, my dad and I gave each other a long hug and said, “Good Night”.

                I never understood my family dynamics as a young girl. I ALWAYS thought that each member of my family understands the others and rarely fought. But as I grew older, I started to realize that this family was a fantasy. Although members of my family do avoid others and get into arguments, they try to make it seem covert. Often they would succeed in this task. All in all, even though my family may not be the perfect, idealized bunch, we certainly do love each other and maintain strong connections. 

A-literacy? Or hasty generalization?

The Dumbest Generation. When I first read these words, I could not believe that an author would be so overt at attacking my generation; the generation who typically is the most skilled in all kinds of technology like laptops, cell phones and television. But as I read this book a little bit more, it became apparent that Bauerlein did not maintain a polite facade. Instead, Bauerlein created a steady stream of insults for my generation.  But, there were times when I understood his viewpoint and even agreed with him.

                In his book, The Dumbest Generation, Mark Bauerlein argues that the current generation has become too preoccupied with an overdependence on technology, rather than absorbing the immense knowledge that the world has to offer us.  Bauerlein starts his argument by displaying the current lack of basic knowledge. He believes that this ignorance amongst teens contributes to the issue of a-literacy versus illiteracy. When someone is illiterate, they simply are an unlearned person. On the other hand,  a-literacy is having the ability to read but being unwilling to do so,  Bauerlein sees that our generation has focused on other aspects of life, such as social media, instead of taking advantage of our resources.  Not only have we been careless about our literacy, but our teachers and professors now have become overly dependent on technology for teaching. Thus, they unable to effectively teach us.  Through these points, Bauerlein vouches for the argument that the youngest generation is the dumbest generation, because it does not reach its full potential.

Although this is an accurate description, I think it may be helpful for Bauerlein to explain his thesis himself:

                In order to support his viewpoint, Bauerlein uses testimonials, research data and surveys. This data measures the teenagers over-dependence on technology. Bauerlein typically uses a testimonial by offering it as an opposing viewpoint to consider. But then, Bauerlein tries to break away the argument and point out its faults. This is his attempt to break away the argument, often through the usage of hasty generalizations. Bauerlein also chooses the most apt portions of evidence, from the surveys and other data in order to support his ideology. Thus, he is using the confirmation bias, in which a person only uses information that supports their viewpoint.

Although I disagree with portions of Bauerlein’s argument, he did include some interesting passages of the responsibilities of leaders in society and the importance of print.            

 “[The custodians of culture] They maintain the pathways into knowledge and taste- the school curriculum, cultural institutions, and cultural pages in newspapers and magazines- guarding them against low standards, ahistoricism, vulgarity, and trendiness. If pathways deteriorate, don’t blame the kids and parents overmuch. Blame, also, the teachers, professors, writers, journalists, intellectuals, editors, librarians, and curators who will not insist upon the value of knowledge and tradition”.  (page 161)

                At this point of Bauerlein’s argument, I think it is interesting that he states that society is partially responsible for the way that the students end up. I agree that the students are not the only ones to blame as society does make a huge impact on a child’s life. Since these intellectuals are seen as wiser, they are supposed to lead the students. It is understandable that they would also be responsible for creating a thirst for knowledge in the students. It is also interesting that he states that we should blame persons involved with the media, schooling, and intellectuals, because this is what modern-day students are most influenced by. So, these “enlightened” persons should be able to show them the light.

“Print far exceeds live and televised speech, even to the point that a book by Dr. Seuss falls only slightly beneath the conversation of intelligent adults on the rare-word-per-thousand scale. And when compared to a television show for the same ages, Sesame Street, preschool books outdo it by a hefty factor eight, Adult books more than double the usage of rare words in adult TV shows, and children’s books beat them on the median-word ranking by 137 slots.” (page 129)

                I think this study is an eye-opener. I now realize why my dad would force me to read newspapers or news articles because it had a huge impact on my vocabulary.  It is also very  interesting to think that reading a children’s book will expose you to 30.9 rare words per minute compared watching a prime-time adult TV show  with 22.7 rare words per minute. This piece of information is vital to Bauerlein’s argument that there is an importance of avoiding a-literacy.

However, this data becomes somewhat controversial when compared to Steven Johnson’s article, “Watching TV makes you smarter”: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/24/magazine/24TV.html

Even though Bauerlein did include interesting aspects, his overall argument included several portions that I did not agree with.

“A 2002 report by the Corporations for Public Broadcasting titled Connected to the Future found that using the Internet has made Hispanic and African-American students ‘like school more,’ and that ‘these positive attitudes from children and parents in under-served populations underscore the potentially vital role that the Internet can play in children’s education.’” (page 119)

                I think Bauerlein’s usage of this piece of information was slightly insulting. Because Bauerlein does portray the overdependence of technology in a negative light, stating that these racial groups are dependent on the Internet in order to make school more interesting, a conception that is looked down upon in society, also portrays these racial groups in a negative light. This negative light on these particular racial groups shows that he made a generalization that these races are over dependent on technology, when it comes to motivation for schooling. Also, since motivations for schooling greatly differ from person to person, it is not a well-thought idea to generalize about a particular race. I do not think that he had to only focus on a few races to make his point. If he wanted to make a point using the racial ideas, he should have included information about more racial groups.

“Young Americans haven’t answered the call, though. According to the National Science Board, engineering degrees awarded in the United States have dropped 20 percent since 1985…The 2006 American Freshman Society found that only .5 percent of first year students intended to major in physics, .8 percent in math, and 1.2 percent in chemistry, although engineering improved to 8 percent.” (page 22)

                I think Bauerlein made some hasty generalizations in this passage. First off, it is unfortunate that Bauerlein believes that engineering is the main science that students can be interested in. Thus, he ignores other types of science like biology or astronomy. After the decades that he refers to, several other job opportunities in the science field have been created. Thus, it is not reasonable to draw a link between the decrease in interest in engineering and an emerging lack of interest in the scientific field. Secondly, he mentions in the American Freshman Society, that some intended majors in science decreased. However, it would be more accurate to gage the interest in the scientific field by looking at the declared majors. This would be more effective because in freshman year, many college students are still deciding what their interests are. So, the final decision would display the person’s interest.

                All in all, Bauerlein easily gets his message voiced. His message declares that the younger generation does not use the vast amount of resources it has in order to further its knowledge. Therefore, this generation can be considered “dumb” and should use the resources that it has. Even though Bauerlein wishes to spread a banal message, with his terse diction and logical fallacies, he is not able to easily persuade people. First off, the reader who approaches the novel will most likely be insulted as a result of the provocative title, “The Dumbest Generation”. Calling the younger generation “the dumbest generation” can also be seen as an ad-hominem argument because through his action, he is attacking the younger generation.  He continues insulting the younger generation while he makes hasty generalizations and non sequitur arguments.  Although Bauerlein uses an immense amount of statistics and research, which should increase the effectiveness of his piece, Bauerlein uses cherry picking often in order to support his ideology. If Bauerlein had presented his information in a slightly different light, I think he would have been able to achieve his purpose. However, I thought he was somewhat condescending when I read the book because it made me feel like inferior. This is because I am a part of the dumbest generation. Thus, if Bauerlein had stated that most people of youngest generation are part of the dumbest generation instead of making a blanket statement, it would have been much more palatable.

Observations in a cafe

While sitting in a café in Maple Grove, I was covertly observing the people in the café…

An adolescent taps her foot on the ground, to a beat that is much quicker than the elevator music in the background. Her eyes wander from side to side, as she waits for the next customer to come to the counter. When the next person does come, her face goes into plastic mode; her features are twisted into a non-genuine smile. The teen keeps this facial expression when she rings up the customer. But as soon as the customer says, “Thank You. Bye”, she redeems her previous expression.  She turns and discovers me staring at her. The teen narrows her eyes and forces her plastic smile.

At the neighboring table, couple, brunette and blonde women with stethoscopes and lab coats, chat about their current medical cases at hand. The doctor exclaims, “We were finally able to get that little sucker out after 14 hours!” Her colleague smiles and pats her on the back. They chat about frivolous matters, in order to keep themselves awake. Once in a while the brunette’s head starts to bow down. However, after few seconds of being phased, it snaps back up and her brown eyes become twice as large as they originally were. Once the two medical professionals have finished their bowl of lettuce, tomatoes, croutons, and dressing, they gaze at my onion rings in wonder. The straight-haired blonde, is urged into my unhealthy lifestyle as she order her own plate of onion rings.

A young woman, with brown hair tied up in a blonde bun, a loose fitted shirt, and a scarf, gazes at her Apple screen. As she types, her numerous rings clack to a certain tempo. Her ice blue eyes dart back and forth, while she gazes at the screen. Her face maintains a blank expression; achieving the ultimate poker face.  Periodically, she pauses and extends her frail arms towards the steaming hot cup of coffee. The coffee is consumed slowly, as she carefully tips the cup towards her mouth. But then her pupils dilate and her neutral expression turns to a frown. The mac sign off ring tone just appeared. Her fingers move at a rapid speed to recover her work. But her efforts are not fruitful. Instead, a thin stream of salt-water runs down her face. She clutches her head, and exclaims a silent moan.  

TRICK-OR-TREAT!

            TRICK-OR-TREAT! Every Halloween, mobs of children run from door to door and rob the good souls of candy. The princesses, superheroes, animals, devils, and vampires are alive, as they roam helpless neighborhoods and scream their rhymes, like ‘Trick-or-Treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat’. But how did this all come about? As early as the 1750’s, American society retained a well-bred fear of witches, but now we devote an entire holiday to this celebration of beings which we once feared. This change in mentality, can be seen when modern parents attempt to forcefully dress up their child as a witch, devil, or animal. So how did this holiday take it’s prominence in American society?

            The auspicious practices of Halloween dates back 2,000 years ago, to the Celts. On October 31^st, they would celebrate the holiday of Samhain, when they paid their respects to the deceased. The Celts made large banquets to avoid undesirable spirits. Later generations then modified this practice, when people dressed up as undesirable spirits, such as ghosts and witches, in exchange for food. The Church later adopted this pagan practice by creating the Old Soul’s Day. On this date the dead were given their respects and children were made to start “souling”. No, souling isn’t when you sell your soul. This practice was when children went door-to-door in hopes of receiving gifts or alms for their departed relatives. But America’s grand introduction to Halloween, was a result of the potato famine and the increase in Irish immigration. In the 1920’s the “tricks” played on Halloween, caused great damage to metropolitan areas.  But by the start of the Second World War, sugar rationing decreased the popularity of the holiday. Once the war was over and the baby-boom started, the holiday of Halloween revived its popularity. Thus, the holiday has risen to the position of commercial importance, that we give it today.

            So, why have we changed this once religious holiday into a basis for commercialism? I believe the answer lies within our economy. Due to our drive for capitalism, America has lost sight on other respects of life. Halloween is not the only holiday, which has now been commercialized.  American holidays like Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are now more valued in American society due to their ability to create a profit. Holidays are supposed to celebrate the people’s morals. But if we solely focus on profit, have our morals diminished? 

Superheroes and Candy

My family is not organized. We do not keep the car keys in a specific cabinet, have certain days to do laundry, or even keep the family room floor tidy. Therefore, many pictures from my childhood cannot be easily accessed, including the Halloween photos. Therefore, I have selected a photo of my younger brother (the one farthest to the right) and his friends from last year. I believe he was supposed to be Thor.

Their costumes argued that these preschoolers were strong and hefty super heroes.  The extra padding on their costumes portrays these children as strong individuals. Although we are able to recognize that these barely-potty-trained-boys have not developed any muscles, their costumes make us believe that they have are mighty men.

Their costumes give an allusion that they are well-armored.  It argues that they are invincible as these little boys are protected. Each of them also wore masks that year, which gave their costume a sense of secrecy. Secrecy added to their personas and showed the onlookers that they will never truly know their full potential. Just like their identity, their full potential is a secret.

All in all, these children are declaring their love for the festival of Halloween. By smiling and being proud of their costumes, they show the onlookers the amazing nature of this holiday. I remember being in their shoes at one time. My friends and I scoured houses until we retrieved our gold (Twix, Skittles, Almond Joy, Fun Stix, Milky Way and much, much more). And now the day has come, when I will be stuck at the door handing out treats to princesses, super heroes, and the average teenager. How I wish I could be my brother’s age! 

Facebook and me

            It is 1:00am. I have been on Facebook for two whole hours and I am very tired. But I pry my eyes open in order to tap the keys on my laptop to message my friends. I don’t want to miss anything important. I mean what if someone needs advice at 1:03am or my dance group starts to decide our costume at 1:14am? And as I sit here and type away I wonder if technology is actually needed for a healthy social life.

            I have never been so “In the loop”. However, I have also never monitored Facebook at all times. But this has led to a slight obsession with Facebook and it is like déjá  vu. I used to rarely check my Facebook page. I barely updated my status (I still don’t update my status) and I rarely messaged my friends. But now I feel like I am pushed to actually use a Facebook account.  If I don’t check my messages I will not know when my next dance practice is, whose birthday it is (yeah I realize this sounds bad), or current events in my friend’s lives.  Other school activities, such as Link Crew and NHS, are also much simpler with these new methods of contact. So many facets of life have actually started to require having a facebook account.

            But we didn’t always have Facebook. I only created a Facebook page at my friend’s insistence in seventh grade. I recall the days when I called each of my friends and talked non-stop for an hour or two on end. With this method of communication, I would know if someone was jubilant, sarcastic, irritated, or upset. I could hear their voice inflections and infer their mood. In this way, their voices acted as automatic lie-detectors. My home phone has now become archaic. I never use this appliance since I would rather text or chat people. Thus, it has become uncomfortable to converse with the friends for a long time.

            When I grow old and reminisce about my youth, I want to remember the crazy adventures my friends and I had. Recalling the hours I wasted to stare at a blank screen is not how I envision . And when I get over my addiction to Facebook, that will happen.

Humor & Speeches

There are numerous important events in a president’s career. Most people believe the president’s inauguration is the most entertaining portion of a president’s career. But those people aren’t political junkies. Junkies (like me)  know that the White House Correspondent’s dinner is highly vital in a presidency. Some of you may be wondering what this “White House  Correspondent’s dinner” is. For your information, this is an annual event where the president is roasted by a professional comedian. No, these comedians don’t roast the president like marshmallows (otherwise the secret service would be mad). Instead, comedians poke fun at idiotic actions the president has taken and embarrass  various members of the audience.  This is very simple for amazing comedians like Stephen Colbert. It becomes especially simple when the gracious President George W. Bush gives you so much material to make fun of.  

Stephen Colbert’s purpose is to amuse the audience, while making several jokes about controversial matters in the Bush presidency. He is able to make that into humor by making side comments. For example, before he starts he states that “someone from NSA will be over with a cocktail” if the audience speaks to the table numbers. Instead of blatantly saying that one BIG mistake in the Bush administration was the NSA wiretaps, he has slyly incorporated this into his speech.  Because his audience is well versed in politics (it is a white house correspondent’s dinner), he uses politics for much of his material.

Logical fallacies also play a key part in Stephen Colbert’s speech.  His audience is an intellectual group. Thus, they are able to comprehend when he is using a logical fallacy, even if they can’t put a name on the fallacy. With this technique he sounds humorous. For instance, Colbert discusses his knowledge about the gut. He claims to know a certain fact about the gut. But then he acknowledges that is wrong, which increases his credibility. However, Colbert then states this fact is true because his gut has told him so.  By proving that his gut is right because his gut said so, is an appeal to a false authority.

Lastly, Colbert has made his speech humorous through the delivery of these comical attacks. Despite the fact that the audience knows Colbert is a liberal, he talks as though he is a conservative making his speech ironic and funny.  He is able to maintain eye contact and look at the whole room with a straight face.  Even though he clearly does not believe what he is saying, Colbert takes on the conservative persona and delivers a speech as real politicians do (his stance at the podium). By using meaningful hand gestures and exaggerating his tone inflections, he keeps the audience’s attention. Colbert also takes pauses after certain ideas in order for the audience to laugh and continue to focus on the next joke.  

With these techniques, Colbert is effectively able to roast Bush.

Animal Rights

Vicki Hearne and Peter Singer view animal rights in two distinct lights.

Hearne’s definition equations: 

Animal Rights= Illogical

Animal Happiness= Conforming to expected behaviors

Pleasure and Suffering=Irrelevant

Mother Nature= Brutal life

Hypocrisy= against animal cruelty, but ignorant of mother nature

Captivity= good for animal welfare

Owner= Ultimate power holder

Owner+ happiness+ no hypocrisy + “captivity” =Good Animal life

Singer’s definition equations:

Animals=Humans

Animal Rights =Human Rights (including unalienable rights)

Animal Testing= Unethical torture= Animal Death

Speciaism=Inequality of all walks of life

Vegetarians= Wonderful

Omnivores= Animal cruelty

Euthanasia= Unnecessary Torture= Human Euthanasia

Vegetarians+ No Euthanasia+ Animal Rights+ No animal testing= Good Animal life

                

          Vicki Herane and Peter Singer both possess radical views on animal rights. Hearne believes that animals are emotionless pieces of property, whereas Singer believes that animals are the equivalent to humans. I take a moderate stance on this issue. I agree with Hearne that animals are not up to par with humans. Humans do have higher cognitive abilities. But that does not mean that we can treat animals however we like. In that respect, I agree with Singer that Animal testing and euthanasia are just socially acceptable forms of animal cruelty. Humans do not need to kill animals in order to advance the human race. And I do understand Singer’s point that euthanasia is unethical because by “taking the animal out of its suffering” is plainly killing the animal without its consent. Since these two issues are typically taboo issues, we should first limit simpler forms of cruelty; factory farming, puppy mills, and dog fighting. 

The Power of Imagery

          Humans are not as rational as we wish they could be. Just as the NPR clip states, “people use utilitarian, cost-benefit calculations sometimes. But other times, they make an emotional decision”. It seems as though being rational and being emotional are mutually exclusive. This is great for people who want to produce effective rhetoric and want to change the ideology of their audience. Even though acting purely on emotions is normal, it is not advised.

          Logic tends to be harsh. In the NPR situation, by pushing one innocent person to his death, you could easily save five innocent people from death. Even though the participant given the scenario may believe that five lives is worth more than one life, when the participant materializes the idea of killing one person to save others, they feel pain. This mentality is held by several people. If a person hears that a bomb blast has occurred, they will be upset with the current situation but will move on. Because they are not directly impacted by the situation, they would be able to able to think rationally and take the appropriate actions. If the same person saw a bomb blast occur, they would be directly affected. Most people may be stricken by fear or sheer shock. Therefore, these individuals would be unable to think clearly. For this reason, doctors cannot operate on other family members as their emotions may cloud their judgment. Thus, imagery has a great emotional impact on a person. Their emotions can easily decrease their rationality.

Imagery is aimed at being powerful. And with certain images it is important that people respond in a certain way. It is natural for people to respond to a gruesome event by being shocked or traumatized. But if people did not react that way, society would think they lacked empathy. To a certain extent being emotional is important. But we should be aware what the sources of our emotions are. It is dangerous to be a puppet due to our emotions, so people must attempt to be rational at all times.  

Writing Process

                Writing has typically been an uphill battle; I do not know how to start. I usually face “writer’s block” several times.  Towards the end, I have troubles with editing as well. And in order to avoid that dreaded downward spiral, I have devised a couple steps for the writing process.

                First off, I brainstorm all the possible ideas. If I am attempting to write a paper on a topic that I do not have enough supporting details for, I abandon it. I have found that this is a great way to prevent writer’s block and an easy way to come up with supporting details. At this stage, it is also easier to reject your idea, since you have not put that much thought into it yet. Therefore, you do not feel that all your efforts have been a waste. You should start researching, (if your paper needs more information).

                After brainstorming and research, I recommend creating an outline with all your supporting details. I typically create my outline immediately after brainstorming. Then, I have all my ideas fresh in my head. So, when I come back to look at my paper later I know what I have done and where I am headed.

                If I have not completed a basic outline, this is where my writer’s block usually kicks in. I want to start with a witty introduction, but my brain is incapable of doing so. I stare at a blank page for five minutes, then fifteen minutes, and before I know it an hour has past. I absolutely detest this feeling of being so unproductive. To avoid being mocked by a blank page, I suggest starting with the first body paragraph, instead of an introduction.  You can always come back at the end and create a great introduction. This is much better than settling down for some scribbles on a page, which sound like gibberish.  

                Now that a basic draft is completed, revise your paper AT LEAST 5 MORE TIMES. In each edit, pay attention to the individual phrases to see if they help support your thesis. See if you convey your ideas in a concise statement and refrain from flamboyant word choice.  If the phrase or word choice does not help you, cut it out of the paper. This is where I become slightly hypocritical. I always have trouble cutting out huge chunks of writing that I slaved over for hours.  I feel as though all my efforts were wasteful. But in reality, this was required. By cutting out a piece of my writing, I became a better writer because I became concise.

                So after all these steps, hopefully you will have a spectacular polished paper. But if the finished product is not what you desire, you should go back to the passages that need a lot of revision. If you see that an additional step is required in your process, use that. The writing process should be personalized, so each individual can get the best pieces of writing possible. Once you have found a method that works for you do not make it concrete. Thus, you should evolve throughout your writing years.  But most important thing to keep in mind is to enjoy yourself while you write.  Because, that is what creates the masterpiece. 

This is my first blog and my first post on my blog! As I am technically challenged, I really hope I can navigate blogger easily.