I don't agree with the quote above because I believe that survival is the state of remaining alive and carrying on. So how could beginning once again, have anything to do with the act of surviving? However, it could be argued that this quote is speaking about reincarnation, which is he belief that the soul, upon death of the body, comes back to earth in another body or form. If this is the underlying meaning of the quote, then I do agree with it! I am indecisive.
When Words Fail Me...
This feeling is one of the worst I have ever experienced; The inability to annunciate words or to not speak at all, in times where I have an astounding amount to say. It usually occurs when I have the most significant things to say to the most significant people in my life. People often question why I am such a quiet lad, and some may mistake me for someone who doesn't have much to say overall. This is definitely not so, and I wish I could inform them that I have answers to all of their questions, but as soon as I try to do so...words fail me once again. I ask why this happens to me? But, of course I can only ask this in my mind.
"When you think of the long and gloom history of man, you will find more hideous crimes have been committed in the name of obedience than have ever been committed in the name of rebellion."-C.P Snow
As I watched the test subject violently shake and foam from the mouth, I was simultaneously asked to turn the voltage gauge up two dials to 450 volts. Although my own moral judgement told me to immediately stop and leave the test centre, I still carried out the orders given to me by Dr. Milgram because I had great faith in his intelligence. Also, I knew that I would only be rewarded the money promised if I complied to his every word. This being so, as I turned the dial, I was subjected to every treacherous scream the subject let out. Dr. Milgram stopped the process, turned to me and said, "Thank you for your time, and here is your money" then he paused and questioned, "Are you generally this obedient to authority figures?". I was absolutely speechless and great feelings of shame and remorse flooded my mind. I was the test subject all along.
The Cruelty Crisis: Bullying Isn't a School Problem, It's a National Pastime
1)Behaviors
2)Vulnerability
3)Compassion
4)Courage
5)Imperfect
6)Cruelty
7)Confrontations
8)Humanity
9)Humility
10)Hostile
1)Behaviors
Human behavior is primarily affected by the people and/or objects that surround them. Such emotions as happiness, love, lust, anger, frustration and sadness wouldn't even come to be if not influenced by a humans surroundings. This may not come as a surprise, but it helps us (humans) comprehend why we do the things that we do. In essence, every characteristic a person has, is largely related to things that have occurred in their life and people that have influenced them to gain a particular perspective. I believe that the concept of nurture will always be dominant over the concept of nature. This doesn't mean that nature isn't part of creating the minds of humans, but only that it isn't as significant as nurture, and even then, nature is attributed to the genetics of parents.
For the reasons stated above, this is why we often see people segregated into groups with ideals they would put above their own lives. This is also why when we see people open to new ideas and with different opinions, they are ridiculed and made to feel as if they are different, not their ideals. Although I believe in this concept, I do not condone it and believe it is one of the most mallicious and destructive aspects humans bear. Humans must work together despite their differences, and accept others unless they are creating harm against the greater good of man. A peaceful world will be obtained when we reslove our issues with discussion and respect for life, rather then meaningless violence.
Although the picture I may have painted for you is a perfect utopia and overly-idealistic, if we can focus and put all of our consideration into the topic, perhaps we can recreate current systems for the advancement of humanity as a whole.
http://blogs.chron.com/talkingtolerance/2010/09/buddhist_gay_a_recipe_for_midd.html
Why Do You Think People Engage In Immoral Acts?
This is a very complicated question to answer because people have different ideas of what morality is and people hold different morals in general. For example, some may say that acts such as abortion and/or birth control are very immoral acts well others tolerate these subjects. However, I think it is agreeable on a wide scale that being engaged in acts of extreme violence and putting others in harm without necessity is immoral.
That brings us to the question, if the majority of people agree it is immoral, then why do we still see people involved in such brutality? Is it because of the pressure one faces at the hands on society, or because someone has put enough faith into something to risk the lives of others and their own for, is it because sometimes there is a trigger gauge in your mind and there is something in this world that will inevitably set it off, or is it just human nature? I believe that it is all of these, and they are almost impossible to control.
Although senseless violence is possibly the most immoral actions a being can be involved in, violence with reason is one of the most powerful forces against repression and injustice. Weather you are fighting to overthrow a criminal concealed by false doctrines, power and a Windsor Knot, or you're a victim of abuse, weather it be physical or emotional, it would only be fulfilling your rights as a human to take action. Because survival is key to life.
"I watched my mother and father die. I knew perfectly well that they were starving. But I wanted their bread more than I wanted them to stay alive. And they knew that. That’s what I remember about the blockade (of Leningrad): that feeling that you wanted your parents to die because you wanted their bread."-Russian Soldier during Battle of Leningrad
"If I share with you, an idea, you can't own it until you add to it"/Synthesis
Good and evil, just like the words themselves, are subjects created by man. I believe, the words good and evil have been used to separate both living and non-living things into categories so we have knowledge of what is right and what is wrong. However, there is no such thing as right and wrong, just facts and opinions.
Reflections on group talk:
-The roots of evil is produced by inaction.
-Sometimes the nicest people ask us to do the most appalling things and we just accept it because we believe what they are asking is right.
Have you ever been treated badly by a friend/teacher/co-worker?
When I was younger, my grade four teacher would never allow me to drink my water in class and wouldn't allow me to go to the washroom when I requested. After awhile, I began to develop kidney problems and my family doctor wrote a letter to my teacher enforcing that I drink my water during class and am able to go to the washroom, whenever I asked. However, the teacher decided to disobey this note and only allowed me to have my water bottle located in the cubby hall. This meant that every time I would go to drink my water, I would have to leave the class and potentially miss part of the lesson he was teaching. Also, he still didn't allow me to go the washroom during class and would repeat "You should have gone during recess". My kidney problems only worsened and eventually I had to be hospitalized and still do this day I do not have a proper functioning kidney.
If you could write a letter to this person, what would you say?
Dear,
Mr. Anonymous
It is because of your actions towards me, that to this day I don't have a proper functioning kidney. However, I do not feel any personal anger towards you, I only pity you for holding a position where rather than helping your students, you use your position of authority to suppress your students. Why do you do this? Perhaps you are insecure and have been treated in the same way you now treat others. Even though, when I am 18, I can legally sue you, I will not do so, because I know you have a problem within yourself, that is far worse than an incompetent kidney.
How do your reflections relate to the short stories you read?
In "The Painted Door", near the end, John is completely speechless due to Ann's affair with Steven and this relates to the reflection "When Words Fail Me"
In "The Lottery", most of the townspeople are obedient to the tradition of brutality and this relates to the reflection on the quote, "When you think of the long and gloom history of man, you will find more hideous crimes have been committed in the name of obedience than have ever been committed in the name of rebellion."-C.P Snow
In "And Summer Is Gone" Amy completely ignores David and this relates to the reflection "Have you ever been treated badly by a friend/teacher/co-worker?".
Is there really such thing as pure altruism?
I believe that every action a human takes to help another, in some way, they are also bettering themselves. Weather it be Mother Teresa attempting to heal the people of Calcutta while in the same sense expecting them to cave in to Roman Catholic belief. Or what is seen as the ultimate act of sacrifice, where a person gives their lives away for another being, while simultaneously thinking they may become a hero for doing this, pure altruism does not exist. However, this does not mean selfishness is a terrible thing.
Why are we studying evil?
I believe we study evil because we as humans have a curiosity to want to know the other side of most things. I also believe this curiosity to know evil has existed since good was defined. For example, the Bible was written with two sides, one of what most people define as pure goodness and the other as pure evilness. People want to know what is immoral, to know what is moral. Also, evil is taught so we don't repeat the evil acts that have been engraved into history.
The Importance of National Shame
It is acceptable to be proud of the accomplishments your country has been involved in and to believe in your countries power to change things for the greater good. However you must also remind yourself often of the horrors and inconceivable acts that have also occurred within your borders. To accept history as it is, weather it creates a good or bad reputation for you or your country is one of the first steps of becoming an enlightened and intellectual being. You must own up to the atrocities dealt from your hands, ask for cleansing of guilt from them, while also maintaining nostalgic about the events. Perhaps if you keep this outlook and sense of level-headnesses, people will listen to why you're proud, rather then remaining dis-interested in your beliefs.
Downtown Eastside-Holocaust
One of the most apparent similarities I pulled out of the talk today and the situation of the Holocaust is the fact that so many people either know what's happening and choose to ignore it or have little to no education on the topic. Also, if you're to walk around downtown Vancouver you may notice that there can be an extremely wealthy area one block away from a poverty stricken place, yet you will feel you are in a completely different place in one or the other. When you go to such places as East Hastings you will notice a vast population of homeless, and or mentally disabled people and it seems quite like the segregation one would face in a camp.
The Book Thief/Phillip Zimbardo's Steps to Evil
It is better to write about nothing, then to not write at all. When you write about nothing, atleast you're engaging your thoughts into something. Perhaps as you write about nothing, an idea will form in your brain and you will have to ability to write about something meaningful. For now, it is okay to continue writing about nothing at all, but soon, i'm sure, the lightbulb will be turned on and the idea train will start it's locomotion.
Uncritical conformity to group norms. At this time, it was expected of a german citizen to join the Nazi party. If you did not, you wouldn't be given the same opportunities as others are given. So, it is very easy to accept the fate and mindlessly accept the offer.
"We thought, because we had power, we had wisdom" -Stephen Vincent Benet
Power is only a sense of self-entitlement. To have power, you do not have to be intelligent or thoughtful, you only need to draw out the flaws of citizens and strike at them. Then you will have the ultimate authority. Through manipulation and persuasion, not through knowledge and wisdom.
A great leader is not one who is able to guide it's people into war, or take them out of war. A great leader is one who never has to face this situation in the first place.
"The guilty think all talk is of themselves"-Geoffrey Chaucer
My Own Flaws
-I'm very passive aggressive and I have a bad temper. I like to destroy inanimate objects when I am raging and try to fix them when I am calmed down.
-I make my problems too personal
-I can be very mono-tone
My Own Strengths
I am very thoughtful
I strive for greatness
I am strong-willed
I am intellectual
I am well-spoken
No comments:
Post a Comment