During this week’s reading of Jane Eyre, Mr. Brocklehurst criticized Ms. Temple for allowing curls in the girls’ hair. He responded to Ms. Temple saying, “Naturally! Yes, but we are not to conform to nature: I wish these girls to be the Children of Grace: and why that abundance?”
Just as Mr. Brocklehurst does, society similar puts religion and nature in mutually exclusive categories. Religion is divine and nature is earthly. It would be a disgrace for such divinity to lower itself down to man’s level. Furthermore, nature’s actions would conflict with that of religion. This can be seen through the theories of creation. The Big Bang Theory, the theory of Evolution, and the Bible’s account of God creating the world all clash with each other.
Does it have to be this way? What makes religion divine is the way that it acts through nature. The New Testament’s account of Jesus’ miracles was exemplified because it denied nature. Nature gives us a solid foundation of knowledge. Religion sometimes stretches and goes beyond this solid foundation. In this way, nature strengthens the role of religion.
Furthermore, these theories of creation don’t necessarily disprove each other. Evolution doesn’t disprove the Christian belief that God created the world and life in it. It only describes how life came to be where it is now, not why. Evolution doesn’t remark on why common descent chose the paths that it did. God could have been the driving force behind evolution. Similarly, the Big Bang leaves scientists uncomfortable because they don’t have a complete explanation for it. It seems to come out of nowhere, and the Bible teaches creation “out of nothing” (with no pre-existing material). This is what the Big Bang looks to be. The universe did not come to be on its own. Scientists say that possibly an extremely, unimaginably high energy source could have caused the Big Bang and created “something out of nothing”. This can go hand in hand with the Christian belief in that God could have been that energy source and thus was the cause of creation.
Nature and religion don’t have to be separate concepts. They can be an explanation for each other, one can be the root cause of the other, one can fuel the other, and they both can balance each other. Maybe, religion and nature can coexist just as ying and yang do. Maybe, it’s not a coincidence that ying-yang is a symbol for the religion of Taoism. Taoism emphasizes living in accord with nature. Religion and nature in peaceful coexistence.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Blogging Around
I chose to first comment on Sam's blog which connected Heart of Darkness to the way we should view issues. She talked about how the multiple points of view and levels of storytelling made the novel so great. We should analyze other issues and make decisions in a similar way. I responded with the following:
"Sam,
Wow, I like the connection here and I fully agree with you. I'm influenced by what I read or learn. I don't know if that's necessarily a good thing for me personally. Whatever I read, I usually end up supporting that view if the claims are logical. However, when I read an opposing claim that's justified with good explanations, I also want to believe that as well. Then, it becomes an internal struggle for what I should believe. In some ways, it's almost like whatever comes to me first influences me best. Take religion for example. I was introduced to it as a child, without knowing anything else, and it has stuck with me ever since. I wonder sometimes if, for example, I grew up being influenced that religion is false. Would I stick with that view, or would I eventually convert to religious faith once I learned of it later on in my life. Is our belief predetermined by fate or is it something that is a result of what we're influenced by first?
Seeing the other side is very important. I try to think about this as much as possible, especially when reading about current news. When I'm perusing a newspaper, I am struck with surprising facts. However, I wonder "What's the other side that I'm not getting.?" I see this most relevant in news about wars or conflicts in other countries. You only get the side of the country reporting to you or from the side of the reporter who's telling you the news. Often information is lopsided in a view. This is why I value information (newspapers, books, articles, etc.) that encompass multiple points of view.
Nice job in relating this to Heart of Darkness and globally. I support that we should take in all aspects when analyzing issues that come before us because so much of the world's problems is just a lack of understanding of the opposite view. I also support, that taking in all the views is important in reading literature because it helps you to understand characters deeply and the overall plot like in Heart of Darkness."
Next, I responded to Bill's post on how the media likes bad stories. He describes how negative stories and "trash" fuel the media because it gives the people what they want and thus makes the media more successful. I commented with the following:
"Bill,
This post is interesting and I often think the same. I agree that the media loves "bad" stories, but I also believe that there are exceptions where the media has a keen interest in "good" stories. I think the media loves good stories and thrives on them when they're "historic." For example, similarly in the Olympics, the media thrived on Michael Phelp's quest for a record breaking number of 8 gold medals. I would argue that this "good" story "outweighed" a "bad" story of the Olympics or even of Phelps himself. Even after Phelps's marijuana controversy, people are still going to remember him most by his positives in his success at the Summer Olympics. This is what will be historic. This is why the media focused and broadcasted this longer than his controversy with drugs.
Somewhere in the middle of the media "loving stories" are runs in sports. In the 2007, NFL season, the New England Patriots finished the regular season 16-0 but lost to the New York Giants in the Superbowl. On one side, the media emphasized throughout the entire run the "good" news on how they can go for the perfect season and that would arguably classify them as maybe THE best team in history. However, once they lost, the media again exploded on the "bad" news on their defeat, or maybe it's "good" news in favor of the underdogs. Same goes with the University of Connecticut's woman's basketball team. As of now, they're on a 72 game win streak. There's controversy in the media on whether this is good or bad for womens' basketball. Does a dominant team make things boring for the media or does it make things more exciting to follow their run?
Like I said, I still agree with you. Some sort of "bad" struggle makes things more exciting for the media. Whether it's Michael Jordan's "flu game" in the 1997 playoffs, gossip about a celebrity's personal life, or other things that provide obstacles in someone's life, it makes the media's narrative more interesting. They don't want to present information describing the perfect life. Globally, the media presents "bad things" because that's the only way to get attention. They show tons of images of disasters and conflict in other regions because that's the only way to bring aid.
I think I'm walking both paths here. Although I agree with you, I think the media just likes "bigger" things. If that ends up being "bad", then so be it, but it isn't always."
"Sam,
Wow, I like the connection here and I fully agree with you. I'm influenced by what I read or learn. I don't know if that's necessarily a good thing for me personally. Whatever I read, I usually end up supporting that view if the claims are logical. However, when I read an opposing claim that's justified with good explanations, I also want to believe that as well. Then, it becomes an internal struggle for what I should believe. In some ways, it's almost like whatever comes to me first influences me best. Take religion for example. I was introduced to it as a child, without knowing anything else, and it has stuck with me ever since. I wonder sometimes if, for example, I grew up being influenced that religion is false. Would I stick with that view, or would I eventually convert to religious faith once I learned of it later on in my life. Is our belief predetermined by fate or is it something that is a result of what we're influenced by first?
Seeing the other side is very important. I try to think about this as much as possible, especially when reading about current news. When I'm perusing a newspaper, I am struck with surprising facts. However, I wonder "What's the other side that I'm not getting.?" I see this most relevant in news about wars or conflicts in other countries. You only get the side of the country reporting to you or from the side of the reporter who's telling you the news. Often information is lopsided in a view. This is why I value information (newspapers, books, articles, etc.) that encompass multiple points of view.
Nice job in relating this to Heart of Darkness and globally. I support that we should take in all aspects when analyzing issues that come before us because so much of the world's problems is just a lack of understanding of the opposite view. I also support, that taking in all the views is important in reading literature because it helps you to understand characters deeply and the overall plot like in Heart of Darkness."
Next, I responded to Bill's post on how the media likes bad stories. He describes how negative stories and "trash" fuel the media because it gives the people what they want and thus makes the media more successful. I commented with the following:
"Bill,
This post is interesting and I often think the same. I agree that the media loves "bad" stories, but I also believe that there are exceptions where the media has a keen interest in "good" stories. I think the media loves good stories and thrives on them when they're "historic." For example, similarly in the Olympics, the media thrived on Michael Phelp's quest for a record breaking number of 8 gold medals. I would argue that this "good" story "outweighed" a "bad" story of the Olympics or even of Phelps himself. Even after Phelps's marijuana controversy, people are still going to remember him most by his positives in his success at the Summer Olympics. This is what will be historic. This is why the media focused and broadcasted this longer than his controversy with drugs.
Somewhere in the middle of the media "loving stories" are runs in sports. In the 2007, NFL season, the New England Patriots finished the regular season 16-0 but lost to the New York Giants in the Superbowl. On one side, the media emphasized throughout the entire run the "good" news on how they can go for the perfect season and that would arguably classify them as maybe THE best team in history. However, once they lost, the media again exploded on the "bad" news on their defeat, or maybe it's "good" news in favor of the underdogs. Same goes with the University of Connecticut's woman's basketball team. As of now, they're on a 72 game win streak. There's controversy in the media on whether this is good or bad for womens' basketball. Does a dominant team make things boring for the media or does it make things more exciting to follow their run?
Like I said, I still agree with you. Some sort of "bad" struggle makes things more exciting for the media. Whether it's Michael Jordan's "flu game" in the 1997 playoffs, gossip about a celebrity's personal life, or other things that provide obstacles in someone's life, it makes the media's narrative more interesting. They don't want to present information describing the perfect life. Globally, the media presents "bad things" because that's the only way to get attention. They show tons of images of disasters and conflict in other regions because that's the only way to bring aid.
I think I'm walking both paths here. Although I agree with you, I think the media just likes "bigger" things. If that ends up being "bad", then so be it, but it isn't always."
Monday, March 1, 2010
Best of Week: The Matrix
The best idea(s) from class this week for me were the ones after viewing clips from The Matrix. We made many connections to postmodernism and modernism that I never would have seen independently. The system within the Matrix is one you can’t escape and must strategize within to find meaning. The world within the Matrix is corporate and questions your fundamental beliefs. It asks questions like: Can you escape the system? Do you want to escape it? One of the scenes we viewed included a rotary dial phone that defined what Pastiche is. It took an element from a different time and added it as an artistic complement to the film. It wasn’t performed in a taunting manner; what it emphasized was the blurriness of distinguishing between the past and present in the background setting. Furthermore, when Neo glanced into the mirror, he saw himself through multiplicity and fragmentation. These are just a few of the connections we made in the hundreds possible.
This makes me think about the complexity of meaning within a movie and within anything now that I ponder it. I’ve seen The Matrix before, but not one of the ideas we discussed in class raced through my mind as I viewed it previously. I was clueless to what “the system” was. I didn’t pay attention to the details either; all I really focused on was the action and overall seeing it with a one-dimensional view. Even after seeing the small amount of clips in class, it made me realize how much of the overall meaning I missed in my first viewing. Without having knowledge of modernism/postmodernism or the even an idea of the depth of the thoughts that occurred in the movie, it really restricted my overall experience. Only when you understand some of the meaning behind works of art will you appreciate its value.
This connects to my own knowledge and beliefs because I believe you shouldn’t impose a view without looking at it from various angles first. Without this 360-degre thinking, ignorance will always undermine one’s view. Similar this applies to my viewing of The Matrix. Previously, I wasn’t looking at this film from all angles. Therefore, ignorance in this case stole meaning from its plot.
I see myself using this when being a critic of various items- movies, art, songs, etc. On one note, I was surprised seeing the application of modernism and postmodernism within a familiar film. For this reason, I’m going to be on the lookout for other films/media incorporating these elements. On another note, I’ll be careful not to have a final verdict on items without attempting to find the full meaning by analyzing it from different perspectives. Even then that verdict isn’t final because I’ll probably still be missing a view.
This makes me think about the complexity of meaning within a movie and within anything now that I ponder it. I’ve seen The Matrix before, but not one of the ideas we discussed in class raced through my mind as I viewed it previously. I was clueless to what “the system” was. I didn’t pay attention to the details either; all I really focused on was the action and overall seeing it with a one-dimensional view. Even after seeing the small amount of clips in class, it made me realize how much of the overall meaning I missed in my first viewing. Without having knowledge of modernism/postmodernism or the even an idea of the depth of the thoughts that occurred in the movie, it really restricted my overall experience. Only when you understand some of the meaning behind works of art will you appreciate its value.
This connects to my own knowledge and beliefs because I believe you shouldn’t impose a view without looking at it from various angles first. Without this 360-degre thinking, ignorance will always undermine one’s view. Similar this applies to my viewing of The Matrix. Previously, I wasn’t looking at this film from all angles. Therefore, ignorance in this case stole meaning from its plot.
I see myself using this when being a critic of various items- movies, art, songs, etc. On one note, I was surprised seeing the application of modernism and postmodernism within a familiar film. For this reason, I’m going to be on the lookout for other films/media incorporating these elements. On another note, I’ll be careful not to have a final verdict on items without attempting to find the full meaning by analyzing it from different perspectives. Even then that verdict isn’t final because I’ll probably still be missing a view.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Captured Thought: A Life Without Opposites
This may seem extremely random, but sometimes that’s just how my mind works. We’ve discussed many themes this year through the abundance of novels that we have explored. Power. Poverty. Rationality. Irrationality. Love. Greed. Politics. Morality. The list is endless. However, a thought came to me as I was being sidetracked from doing my other homework assignments. So much of what we know- our emotions, our judgment, our perspectives- is based on the knowledge of opposites. Opposites may not be the best word that fits here; maybe it should be dialectics, but opposites seem more applicable to any situation in society.
As we read Heart of Darkness and enter into Conrad’s documentation of the “spiritual darkness” his characters face, we are left with many questions. However, on a broader level, what is darkness? When we think of darkness, it’s in the comparison of light. Darkness is an absence of light. So the modifiers we use to describe darkness are thought of as everything that light is not.
What is wealth without knowing what poverty is? When we have nothing to compare our riches to, what does it become? How important does love become without the awareness of what desolation or hatred leaves a person? We enjoy the passionate emotions from our dear ones. They console your grief. They celebrate your happiness. They become the person you lean on during struggles. We don’t become aware of how precious this is without contemplating a life without love. This leaves a life without joy to share, without laughter to be heard, and without as much meaning.
When you take a look around us, opposites are everywhere. They’re within more grand dialectical relationships. Furthermore, there are opposites, if you will, within similarities. There’s a McDonalds for every Burger King. There’s a Wal-Mart for every Target. There’s a Walgreens for every CVS. They are within story plots. There’s a hero for every villain. They are within relationships. There’s a man for every woman.
The importance of opposites is that it provides a deeper meaning for what we experience. Knowledge is based on what we have only experienced or have come in contact with. If we are ignorant of the opposing side, then we never fully understand our own position. It truly makes me wonder what a life without opposites would be like. Is it even possible? Even nature has surrendered to this. Day is to night as sun is to moon. Life, itself, would be completely different and restructured. If it were possible, it would seem like a life I would not enjoy living. I would imagine it like a single path that you couldn’t stray from. A world without opposites almost restricts multiple points of view and is just an overall lopsided world. I know almost no one thinks about absurd situations like this, but sometimes my mind wanders too far. I apologize. However, I am still grateful for this world filled with opposites.
As we read Heart of Darkness and enter into Conrad’s documentation of the “spiritual darkness” his characters face, we are left with many questions. However, on a broader level, what is darkness? When we think of darkness, it’s in the comparison of light. Darkness is an absence of light. So the modifiers we use to describe darkness are thought of as everything that light is not.
What is wealth without knowing what poverty is? When we have nothing to compare our riches to, what does it become? How important does love become without the awareness of what desolation or hatred leaves a person? We enjoy the passionate emotions from our dear ones. They console your grief. They celebrate your happiness. They become the person you lean on during struggles. We don’t become aware of how precious this is without contemplating a life without love. This leaves a life without joy to share, without laughter to be heard, and without as much meaning.
When you take a look around us, opposites are everywhere. They’re within more grand dialectical relationships. Furthermore, there are opposites, if you will, within similarities. There’s a McDonalds for every Burger King. There’s a Wal-Mart for every Target. There’s a Walgreens for every CVS. They are within story plots. There’s a hero for every villain. They are within relationships. There’s a man for every woman.
The importance of opposites is that it provides a deeper meaning for what we experience. Knowledge is based on what we have only experienced or have come in contact with. If we are ignorant of the opposing side, then we never fully understand our own position. It truly makes me wonder what a life without opposites would be like. Is it even possible? Even nature has surrendered to this. Day is to night as sun is to moon. Life, itself, would be completely different and restructured. If it were possible, it would seem like a life I would not enjoy living. I would imagine it like a single path that you couldn’t stray from. A world without opposites almost restricts multiple points of view and is just an overall lopsided world. I know almost no one thinks about absurd situations like this, but sometimes my mind wanders too far. I apologize. However, I am still grateful for this world filled with opposites.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Connection: Postmodernism and Barack Obama
Recently in class, we have made comparisons between the two different modes of thought of modernism and postmodernism. We have seen physical examples of postmodernism (i.e. the Nike commercial) and have discussed it in-depth. However, postmodernism is much more than a dry concept of the past used to accompany the learning of Heart of Darkness. It is present in the living examples of daily life. I believe President Obama is a postmodern man.
In a postmodern era, nothing is sure because you can’t express or grasp the “whole.” There’s no sure career path, no sure relationship, and no sure bet. This era is about shades of gray on a daily basis. President Obama knows how to cross this grey zone with utmost skill and more importantly, persuades us all into following along while simultaneously easing our worries about it.
Biologically, Barack Obama is a postmodern man. From his family tree to his psychological makeup, Obama is an integration of multiple worlds and points of view. From his Kenyan father to his Kansas born mother, from his stay in Indonesia as a child to growing up in Hawaii, from his Muslim name to his Christian faith, and from his Ivy League education to his community service with the poor defines his current interaction with politics. President Obama unifies distant characteristics to form his character.
Along with that, Obama’s emphasis on the community rather than the individual illustrates his postmodern mind. His slogan is “Yes WE can!” as opposed to “Yes I can!” Obama states, “WE are the ones WE’ve been waiting for. WE are the change that WE seek.” For example, Obama’s belief on health care is that the government has the responsibility to provide it to ALL citizens. This is rooted in his sense of community. The community, not each individual, is charged with the care of each other, instead of the individual first.
Furthermore, the creative style Obama utilizes is far postmodern than the normal modernist actions used by past politicians. His use of technology allows him a fresh way of doing things in Washington. He utilizes Facebook, email, television commercials, community blogs, and much more to be an “innovative, creative solution seeker.” No one else is playing the “fresh and new ideas” like Obama is, or can.
In addition, Obama also has the mental and physical toughness to stand in chaos and come out of it a stronger man. When you look at Obama’s face when his truth is being questioned-instead of an evil eye or a smirk like you get from some other politicians- you get the sense that his whole being is absorbing the question.
Unlike modernism’s awareness of savagery and distrust, within Obama’s postmodern world are the two central themes of hope and faith. His hope radiates a sense of promise for the future and optimism even though events may seem to be going in the opposite direction. His faith allows him to believe in something for which there isn’t definitive proof. Hope and faith make change and political option possible in the face of uncertainty. Obama knows the secret blend of hope, faith, and politics. President Obama personifies the contradictions of a postmodern man. There’s substance behind the image, ideas behind the rhetoric, and a man behind the politician.
This relationship matters to me because it illustrates the true application of postmodernism and its benefits. This breaking away from the customary “modern” world of affairs is most likely what allowed Obama to win the election. Previously, I’ve mostly been in contact with a lot of negatives of postmodernism and especially Obama’s use of it. However, this connection helps me understand that postmodernism can be adapted to the current, developing society and used to encompass all these characteristics. We talked about how the film about President George Bush should have been based off postmodern principles rather than modernism. In this regard, it is crucial that we equate President Obama to postmodernism to truly understand his character and actions.
In a postmodern era, nothing is sure because you can’t express or grasp the “whole.” There’s no sure career path, no sure relationship, and no sure bet. This era is about shades of gray on a daily basis. President Obama knows how to cross this grey zone with utmost skill and more importantly, persuades us all into following along while simultaneously easing our worries about it.
Biologically, Barack Obama is a postmodern man. From his family tree to his psychological makeup, Obama is an integration of multiple worlds and points of view. From his Kenyan father to his Kansas born mother, from his stay in Indonesia as a child to growing up in Hawaii, from his Muslim name to his Christian faith, and from his Ivy League education to his community service with the poor defines his current interaction with politics. President Obama unifies distant characteristics to form his character.
Along with that, Obama’s emphasis on the community rather than the individual illustrates his postmodern mind. His slogan is “Yes WE can!” as opposed to “Yes I can!” Obama states, “WE are the ones WE’ve been waiting for. WE are the change that WE seek.” For example, Obama’s belief on health care is that the government has the responsibility to provide it to ALL citizens. This is rooted in his sense of community. The community, not each individual, is charged with the care of each other, instead of the individual first.
Furthermore, the creative style Obama utilizes is far postmodern than the normal modernist actions used by past politicians. His use of technology allows him a fresh way of doing things in Washington. He utilizes Facebook, email, television commercials, community blogs, and much more to be an “innovative, creative solution seeker.” No one else is playing the “fresh and new ideas” like Obama is, or can.
In addition, Obama also has the mental and physical toughness to stand in chaos and come out of it a stronger man. When you look at Obama’s face when his truth is being questioned-instead of an evil eye or a smirk like you get from some other politicians- you get the sense that his whole being is absorbing the question.
Unlike modernism’s awareness of savagery and distrust, within Obama’s postmodern world are the two central themes of hope and faith. His hope radiates a sense of promise for the future and optimism even though events may seem to be going in the opposite direction. His faith allows him to believe in something for which there isn’t definitive proof. Hope and faith make change and political option possible in the face of uncertainty. Obama knows the secret blend of hope, faith, and politics. President Obama personifies the contradictions of a postmodern man. There’s substance behind the image, ideas behind the rhetoric, and a man behind the politician.
This relationship matters to me because it illustrates the true application of postmodernism and its benefits. This breaking away from the customary “modern” world of affairs is most likely what allowed Obama to win the election. Previously, I’ve mostly been in contact with a lot of negatives of postmodernism and especially Obama’s use of it. However, this connection helps me understand that postmodernism can be adapted to the current, developing society and used to encompass all these characteristics. We talked about how the film about President George Bush should have been based off postmodern principles rather than modernism. In this regard, it is crucial that we equate President Obama to postmodernism to truly understand his character and actions.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Metacognition: First Semester
First semester was a chaotic one for me. I struggled to balance my life for a good amount of the semester. The unique thing about English though was it actually helped me get back on track and allowed enriched learning in my classes. In class, we emphasize the importance of having an open mind, and I see that in the assignments we complete. The broad array of tasks we complete address multiple types of skills that varying people are suited for. We have the formalized vocabulary tests, the spontaneous reading quizzes, “philosophic” essays if you will, creativity spread across numerous projects (like those King Lear skits), explorative discussions, and much more. English class helps me find my strengths and weaknesses and be able to focus on improving that. Something pretty cool I noticed was that once I started finding the right balance between all our “genres” of English assignments, I simultaneously was balancing all my other classes much better. It could be all the skills English puts to use or maybe there’s something magical about English class (ha-ha...I kind of the like the second one).
The main influence English class has had on me this semester was massively enhancing my ability to EXPLORE. Rhythm within sentences- that’s what jumpstarted this idea. Once I learned the power that the simple formation of words could yield, my mind completely viewed things from a different perspective. From then on, I was able to discover deeper meanings in literature in a new and unique manner. I try to pay attention to the details of the way it’s structured. It’s like I’m competing in the author’s own scavenger hunt. I love our discussions in class because it really pushes my thinking to go the limits. After hearing an interesting idea, I ponder it awhile and new ideas continuously branch off as I explore it.
In Sophie’s World and in some other discussions, we’ve talked about the thinking process. Now, more often than ever, I attempt to find middle-ground thinking in any given situation. It helps with my exploration process.
When my thinking is driven by exploration, that’s when it’s at its best. I also tend to enjoy these results more because I felt I plunged into something deeper independently. Independent discovery guided by classroom assignments has an awesome feeling. Something I was frustrated about with my thinking was the fact that on numerous occasions it was stunted. I think the reason for this was because I couldn’t choose to stick with one idea to explore. I tried dealing with many at once. This pertains most well when being forced to write class essays. As I transition into the second semester, I’m going to choose more effectively what I explore to hopefully avoid these “brain stunts”. Overall, this semester helped me explore myself down to the roots of my thinking process and it helped me discover myself to a fuller extent.
The main influence English class has had on me this semester was massively enhancing my ability to EXPLORE. Rhythm within sentences- that’s what jumpstarted this idea. Once I learned the power that the simple formation of words could yield, my mind completely viewed things from a different perspective. From then on, I was able to discover deeper meanings in literature in a new and unique manner. I try to pay attention to the details of the way it’s structured. It’s like I’m competing in the author’s own scavenger hunt. I love our discussions in class because it really pushes my thinking to go the limits. After hearing an interesting idea, I ponder it awhile and new ideas continuously branch off as I explore it.
In Sophie’s World and in some other discussions, we’ve talked about the thinking process. Now, more often than ever, I attempt to find middle-ground thinking in any given situation. It helps with my exploration process.
When my thinking is driven by exploration, that’s when it’s at its best. I also tend to enjoy these results more because I felt I plunged into something deeper independently. Independent discovery guided by classroom assignments has an awesome feeling. Something I was frustrated about with my thinking was the fact that on numerous occasions it was stunted. I think the reason for this was because I couldn’t choose to stick with one idea to explore. I tried dealing with many at once. This pertains most well when being forced to write class essays. As I transition into the second semester, I’m going to choose more effectively what I explore to hopefully avoid these “brain stunts”. Overall, this semester helped me explore myself down to the roots of my thinking process and it helped me discover myself to a fuller extent.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Blogging Around
I chose to first comment on Taylor's blog which analyzed the song "Sleep Through the Static" by Jack Johnson. She discussed how music allows us to express ourselves and criticize society and how people are more receptive to music. She also talked about how society tends to ignore issues that occur around the world. I responded with the following:
"Taylor,
You have an interesting post here. I wholeheartedly agree that society is more receptive of music probably more than any other form of communicative expression. The power of music is often not taken for its full importance, but it is much more powerful than some believe. When you have a good artist writing a beautiful song with passionate emotions and meaningful lyrics, the strength of their message is much more powerful, and listeners can feel that. Fans of music and even those who are not are reeled in by the rhythm that makes your head nod and opens their ears to listen to the words with a clear mind. People tend to listen to views they normally wouldn’t when it’s in the form of music.
I also agree that people are often unaware of the issues going around them; I find myself a victim to this from time to time. Sometimes we hear or see tragic events, and all we do is make a small comment and then push it out of our minds. People don’t want to think anymore past that. People don’t know about the importance that events in other countries can have on their lives. Maybe it’s fear that’s holding them back? The fear of exploring into an unknown territory. Maybe it’s ignorance? Maybe it’s something more than that?
All in all, nice post! Also, nice song choice!"
Next, I chose to respond to Chelsea's blog which connected classroom collaboration to collaboration on the volleyball court. I commented with the following:
"Chelsea,
I can really connect to your post since I’ve experienced some of these feelings when playing volleyball. I’ve learned a lot of helpful qualities from volleyball, but the most important would probably be teamwork. One of the hardest things for me to overcome was to let other people pass/set the ball. I used to run into other peoples’ “areas” and return what should have been their volleyball to hit over. I used to have that mindset that I had to be the one to hit the volleyball over. Eventually, I came to realize that I couldn’t get every ball that came onto our court, and if I tried to it could actually hurt our team. If I went into someone else’s area to return the ball, I would be slow in getting back to my position and miss a spike that I should have returned.
Finally being able to trust others through volleyball truly helped my teamwork skills. It has translated over to academics, specifically when we work on group projects. You said that a “real team” is one that works together to overcome hardships and battles. I agree and I feel like the best groups for an assigned project are those that utilize the strengths and weaknesses best of everyone in that group. Your analysis on the leader-follower struggle is also great. I have to agree with you that both positions are equally important. A group can’t function without having both leaders and followers; finding the balance is difficult but it leads to the best outcome.
Overall, connecting athletics to academics on your part was interesting. Personally, I enjoy these two areas and feel there should be more connections like these that extend beyond the academic setting. Hope club volleyball goes great!"
"Taylor,
You have an interesting post here. I wholeheartedly agree that society is more receptive of music probably more than any other form of communicative expression. The power of music is often not taken for its full importance, but it is much more powerful than some believe. When you have a good artist writing a beautiful song with passionate emotions and meaningful lyrics, the strength of their message is much more powerful, and listeners can feel that. Fans of music and even those who are not are reeled in by the rhythm that makes your head nod and opens their ears to listen to the words with a clear mind. People tend to listen to views they normally wouldn’t when it’s in the form of music.
I also agree that people are often unaware of the issues going around them; I find myself a victim to this from time to time. Sometimes we hear or see tragic events, and all we do is make a small comment and then push it out of our minds. People don’t want to think anymore past that. People don’t know about the importance that events in other countries can have on their lives. Maybe it’s fear that’s holding them back? The fear of exploring into an unknown territory. Maybe it’s ignorance? Maybe it’s something more than that?
All in all, nice post! Also, nice song choice!"
Next, I chose to respond to Chelsea's blog which connected classroom collaboration to collaboration on the volleyball court. I commented with the following:
"Chelsea,
I can really connect to your post since I’ve experienced some of these feelings when playing volleyball. I’ve learned a lot of helpful qualities from volleyball, but the most important would probably be teamwork. One of the hardest things for me to overcome was to let other people pass/set the ball. I used to run into other peoples’ “areas” and return what should have been their volleyball to hit over. I used to have that mindset that I had to be the one to hit the volleyball over. Eventually, I came to realize that I couldn’t get every ball that came onto our court, and if I tried to it could actually hurt our team. If I went into someone else’s area to return the ball, I would be slow in getting back to my position and miss a spike that I should have returned.
Finally being able to trust others through volleyball truly helped my teamwork skills. It has translated over to academics, specifically when we work on group projects. You said that a “real team” is one that works together to overcome hardships and battles. I agree and I feel like the best groups for an assigned project are those that utilize the strengths and weaknesses best of everyone in that group. Your analysis on the leader-follower struggle is also great. I have to agree with you that both positions are equally important. A group can’t function without having both leaders and followers; finding the balance is difficult but it leads to the best outcome.
Overall, connecting athletics to academics on your part was interesting. Personally, I enjoy these two areas and feel there should be more connections like these that extend beyond the academic setting. Hope club volleyball goes great!"
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