Final Blog

For my Lit Circle book I read Fareed Zakaria's The Post American World.
I looked around for another book in my class that was closely related to mine but couldn't find on I thought was that close. However, when I looked at some of the books in the other classes I noticed that one group was reading The Political Mind by George Lakoff. I read a blog written by Doug Cummings. He talks about how Lakoff writes about how politcs are changing and that it is important for liberals to not live in the past and rather use more modern politics. This is an example of changing the status quo in the geo-political landscape. That is the main idea of The Post American World. Zakaria believes the power in the world is shifting away from being dominated by the US. He believes te U.S. shouldn't live in the past and try to continue with the status quo. He believes (as Lakoff does for liberals) that they must act to modernize and go with what is currently happening.

Metacognition: First Semester

        This first semester has been an interesting one in humanitites. I feel like I've learned a lot of thing that I couldn't learn in any other class. To be honest, I took humanities because it sounded more like anI art class than an English class in the description and I was a little disappointed to learn that we would still be reading books. But I have taken away something from this first semester that I can't learn in any other class. I feel like I'm learning how to appreciate.
        It first started at the beginning of the year when we did activites such as the vertical listening excercise. I learned to find deeper meaning and to look more closely at details. This has allowed me to appreciate things I used to not enjoy. I am having multiple Jackson Pollack moments. I can now appreciate dance and classical music if for no other reason than I realize now how much work and talent it takes.
        I also have found more interests of my own. I came into the class as someone who had many interests, but throughout my young life the main focus of my interests has been sports. But I love art and I love music. Because of humanities I have spent time outside of school looking at art. I'm a big fan of crazy modern art. My to favorite kinds are optical illusions and street art. My two favorite artists are M.C. Escher and Banksy.
I'm also spending a lot more time with my music. I am expanding the genres of music I listen to and am spending a great deal more time playing the guitar. I even picked up a new intrumen: the ukelele. I am glad my interests are expanding and my horizons are broadening.
        This ability to appreciate is something extremely important to learn in life and I'm glad I learned it before I left high school. I feel more educated and sophisticated, and I feel like my options for later life will be much greater. I will be able to meet more people and be able to love the world around me more.

Metacognition: Organizing My Music

        For my tribute for Aristotle, I organized my music files on my computer. It was something I really needed to do, but couldn't motivate myself to do it. Thanks to this project I was given motivation and I'm glad that this project is finally out of the way.
        Before beginning to organize my music I realized I was facing a daunting task. I had let my music stack up unorganized for such a long time. I had music saved in files and CDs on my computer I had never transfered to my itunes library. Also, I must admit I do some downloading and all of my downloaded songs didn't have the right names or they didn't have artist or album names. TO give you an idea there were over one hundred of these songs. I was going to have to listen to most of this music just to find out what it is and then transfer it to my library then to my itunes. "This is gonna take awhile," I thought.
        I decided I would do this project over the course of Thanksgiving break, a little bit at a time. It was just the opposite of what I thought it would be. It was easy and moved relatively fast. It may have only gone fast because I enjoyed myself. It was relaxing going back and rediscovering this music. It was almost like I had lost my music and late at night over break I found it while organizing. It was a good way to unwind after a long day. I would just sit down at my computer and listen to songs while I typed in the names and artists and albums. After I finished it was nice not only because of the music that I discovered, but what I discovered about myself.
       I discovered that organization is a feeling. It is something that you feel in the back of your mind and having less on your mind allows for more relaxation. Although not having my music organized doesn't seem like a big deal, it gave me a feeling of accomplishment and got one more little thing I had to do off my back. I now know that if I can continue to take care of these little things that I procrastinate about then I will be a much lessed stressed out person. I also know how much music I really have.

Best of Week: Which Hellenistic Class Do You Agree With?

        On Tuesday, we talked about all the different Hellenistic classes of thought. There were five main philosophies, all of them very interesting. There were the Cynics, the Stoics, the Epicureans, the Neoplatonists and the Mystics. Each group in class was given a Hellenistic group to research and then would have to return to the class and report on their specific groups and their philosophy. After each group had presented, each individual in class was told to choose which Hellenistic school of thought they thought their beliefs best fit under.
        I really liked this assignment because it was interactive and interesting and people got a chance to really search themselves and I think that helped everyone understand the philosophies better. It was also interesting to see who I agreed with and who didn't. I also like hearing my classmate's explanations of why they chose the group they did.
        The overall class results were approximately this:
Cynics: 2
Stoics: 1
Epicureans: 6
Neoplatonists: 2
Mystics: 3
None of the Above: 6
      I was in the epicureans. I probably could have gone in the none of the above as I don't feel too strongly about any of the philosophies, but I decided to choose one and Epicureans was the one I thought I could believe in most. Here's a breakdown of my thoughts on each group ending with why I chose the Epicureans.
Cynics: I like the Cynics ideas. They believe that material things are not necessary for happiness. I totally wish I agreed with that, but I don't. I wish I could just go out in the woods and live off the land, but I know I won't. Desire is human nature. People always want things and including me. Especially in this material world we live in now, and being an American teenager I honestly don't think I would be happy.
Stoics: They basically reject emotion and I would find it hard to live a life without pain and suffering or without love, happiness and joy.
Neoplatonists and Mystics: I am not really a religous person and just find it hard to buy into either of these philosophies which both involve a higher being. Of all the philosophies I wish I could be a mystic because I like the idea of strongly believing in a God and coming so close to your God that he almost takes you over. It would be perfection to meet God.
Epicureans: The epicureans are all about indulging in pleasures. Sure they believe that to much of something at once can be bad, but they believe, contrary to cynics and stoics, that emotion and material things are good if they bring pleasure and happiness. I believe, on Earth, our goal should just be to obtain true happiness and have fun. We should love and do what we love. They also believe that after death there is nothing, so we don't have to worry about punishment in a next life. I would like their to be an after-life, that's how I feel about death. I'm not worried about dying because I know if there isn't after life I won't know it cause there will be literal nothingness.
        So, I guess as far as in class Hellenism goes, I guess you can call me an Epicurean.        

Connection: Sophie's World and Issues and Answers Class

        There is an obvious connection between Sophie's World and one of my classes. And no, that class is not humanities. Sophie's World is a book about philosophy. What a coincidence? So is Issues and Answers.
        In Issues Class we talk about all kinds of philosophies. One of the major ones we did last quarter was leanring about Plato's Allegory of the Cave. It was interesting, then, to learn more about Plato in Sophie's world. Some of the philosophical questions that arise in class have also been discussed in class. We talked about who we are and why are we here starting in the first week of school. So it was interesting that those were the first to questions that Sophie was asked as well. I haven't come to an answer yet and I decided I don't think I ever will. But I am finding more pieces to the puzle everyday and get a better idea of the answers to those essential questions. Both humanities and Issues and Answers have made me into a deeper thinker, exactly like what the philosophy classes are doing for Sophie.
        I think it will be interesting to keep track of Sophie's philosophical jounrey next to mine. Maybe I will notice more similarities. But having this experience has made me enjoy the book much more so far as it is quite easy to relate to.

iMedia: Oxford Comma

       

        I chose the song Oxford Comma by Vampire Weekend. Vampire Weekend is one of my favorite bands. Their style is kind of an intellectual indie/alternative. I recently went to a one of their concerts in Chicago and this song was one of the many they performed. I really like the way the song is written and the music. They are truly talented musicians. But the thing I am really writting about is the words to this song and its cultural implications.
        The members of Vampire Weekend are Columbia University graduates. They are from well-off East Coast families, but many of their songs are about the problems of high society and how snobby and prejudice they can be. They use parody in Oxford Comma to make fun of how people these days (especially high class) make a big deal out of the littlest things. The line from the chorus, "Who give a f*** about an Oxford Comma?" is talking about the arguement over whether or not an oxford comma is neccessary in sentences. The bands opinion is, "why is that something worth fighting over?" The song is actually about oxford commas, but that stands more as an example of the kinds of little things that are blown out of proportion and it questions why people feel the need to lie about and aruge over small things. Maybe to make themselves appear smarter or more powerful.
Why would you lie about how much coal you have?
Why would you lie about something dumb like that?
Why would you lie about anything at all?
First the window, then it's to the wall
Lil' Jon, he always tells the truth
        I like this song and chose to share it because I agree with their lyrics and what they are saying about society. I think there would be far less problems in the world if people cared less about being right and argued less about pointless things.
         
   

Best of Week: Born Into Brothels

        Two days this past week we watched the documentary Born Into Brothels, which is about children who were born and raised in the red light district of Calcutta, India. It was terrible to see the conditions that these children have to grow up in. As it is, its not a good life for their mothers, who put food on the table by working as prostitutes. Although it is sad and almost hard to watch, I'm glad I did because it was an eye opener for me. Seeing the kind of hardship and poverty others go through in the world always makes me feel lucky and want to do something to help.
        This is the reason for my going on the Habitat for Humanity trip originally. I saw what Hurricane Katrina hada done to the gulf coast and new five years later they were still rebuilding and still needed help. I saw it as an oppurtunity to use what I have (in this case time and the ability to build houses) to help someone who doesn't have anything.
        I think it would be cool if as a class we looked into the subject of the documentary in greater detail. I know we are watching it because it connects with the book, and I think it does have a strong connection in terms of the photography aspect, but I would like to research the children themselves. If not the actual children featured in the film, we should look into other children born into brothels and see if we can helo as a class. If not, I will certainly do somemore research and see what I can do to help.
        It's terribly sad, but I'm glad the filmaker noticed them. I think the cameras and the photography classes were a good idea because it gives them something to keep them of the street and hopefully enough money to support them or get them through school. I'm looking forward to watching the end of the movie this coming week.