The Dumbest Generation

In my opinion teens these days are not as full of knowledge as teens in previous generations. Most of us probably couldn’t tell you much about politics or world history. However, we have to be taught it in order to know it. I think the things we are taught are different than the things other generations of been taught. Things that seem like common knowledge to adults isn’t common knowledge to teens. Even if they did teach us, some information I don’t think we would learn. In Ortega’s article we read it said that students have to have a need to learn in order to learn something. I think that need has gone away in most kids. There are so many easier ways to find the information we need without having to learn anything. The internet is a big part of that. For an essay you have to do for a class you can simply type the question in on Google and you will have all you need to know without having to really learn it. This is how it is for most homework assignments. The internet really takes away our motivation, it takes away our need to learn, therefore we can’t learn. I still think that teachers don’t teach us certain thing that most adults find to be common knowledge. At the beginning of the article it talks a lot about ignorance. I think it’s because to some extent life has become too easy for us and teachers don’t try to teach us in the way Ortega y Gasset believes we should be taught. Children need to be taught how to learn.

Why Americans Are Often So Restless Interpretive Questions 2&5

2. Each person has their own limitations. In an equal world we would all be forced to share everyone's limitations. "the same equality which allows each man to entertain vast hopes makes each man by himself weak. His power is limited on every side, though his longing may wander where they will." (166) Here Tocqueville is explaining how equality may give some people a better chance of getting success than they would have in an unequal society, but others will be held back from reaching their full potential. It's like we discussed in class, if your whole life you are trying to get to the top of the mountain some people are born at the top while most have to start from the bottom. In an equal world, those who start at the top will have to be dragged down and start at the bottom with everyone else. This is bad news for those being dragged down, but better for those who had to originally start at the bottom anyway.
5. Tocqueville thinks Americans are restless because once they get what they want they don't want it anymore. Maybe it's because they don't know what they want so they keep trying to find it in new things. Everyone is searching for happiness, but they don't know what will bring them that happiness. I think it's attainable, but people don't want to work that hard to attain it. Like Tocqueville writes, we don't want the labor in trying to reach our goal take away from the enjoyment we should feel once we reach it. "For as their ultimate object is enjoyment, the means to it must be prompt and easy, for otherwise the trouble of getting the pleasure would be greater than the pleasure when won." (166) So maybe, they know what they want, but they are not willing to try hard enough for it which then makes it unattainable. "Every instant they think they will catch it, and each time it slips throught heir fingers. They see it close enough to know its charms, but they do not get newar enough to enjoy it, and they have fully relished its delights." (168) What he means is as Americans we get so close to what we want, but once we get so close we are almost scared and no longer want to fight for it anymore. Once we stop reaching for it it becomes unattainalbe, because Americans are often so restless.

Peasants vs. Ruling Class

The main difference between the peasants and ruling class would be the fact that the ruling class just doesn’t care. The peasants get upset and demand better treatment, but the ruling class couldn’t care less. Why should they? After all, they are the ruling class. A great example would be when the Marquis kills the man’s child and just throws him some money. Money can’t fix anything. The peasant knows that, so he throws the money back to the Marquis. Later, he gets revenge and kills the Marquis. Now, that may not be the best way to go about things, but in a sense the Marquis got what he deserved. Also, when Lucie tries to free her husband, Madame Defarge just sits there knitting like they aren’t discussing anything important, for all we know she is knitting Lucie’s name into the register. Madame Defarge doesn’t even care about the people whose names are on there where as Lucie begs for her husbands freedom. There are several instances throughout the book where the peasants show plenty of emotions while the ruling class seems to have no emotion at all.

A Tale of Two Cities Questions

1. Jarvis Lorry believes the man in his thoughts has been buried for nearly 18 years.
2. All we know is he works at Tellson's, which is a bank in London and he is on his way to Paris.
3. Dr. Manette is Lucie's father who is in prison, even though he is innocent. He has been in jail for 18 years, but he has now been released. Since he has been in prison for so long he is crazy.
4.Monsieur and madame Defarge are the proprietors of the wineshop.
5. Dr. Manette was just imprisoned by nobility and Defarge believes if Manette meets the Jacques he will be inspired want a revolution.
6. Dr. Manette is making shoes.
7. When asked his name Dr. Manette replies One hundred and Five, North Tower. This shows what has happened to him in the past 18 years. It shows how he is mentally ill.

The Way We Are Viewed

Often times the way others view us is the way we view ourselves. We are easily influenced by what others think because it is instinct to want to impress everyone. If you want someone to like you, obviously we are going to care what they think. Should we? Probably not, but we do. In order to be liked we take other people's criticism and what is "wrong" with us, or what they just don't like about us. Once someone says they don't like something about us, it sticks in our heads. Once it's there it's hard to forget. In return, we will subconsciously try to change their opinion. Whether it be changing something about us, or simply defending ourselves to make it sound better, even if it's a lie.
We all have different groups of friends we hang out with. When we are with some people we act one way, with others we act a different way. I know I do. That's because we are letting our peers determine our behavior. We let that happen because we don't want to be seen as an outcast or abnormal to our friends. The fear of not fitting in is more overpowering than many would like to believe. We just want to be good enough, but no one really knows who determines what good enough is, so, we let our friends decide what is good enough. Naturally, we try to fix what ever is supposedly wrong with us. At this point, the need to be perfect overcomes us.

Freedom vs. Survival

Freedom vs. survival


With out your freedom you are not living your own life, so why live at all? In my opinion there’s no point in living with out your freedom, therefore, freedom is more important than survival.
So many people risk their lives for freedom. That’s the main reason we have wars. If people didn’t feel that freedom was more significant than survival they wouldn’t risk their lives for it. In the words of John Quincy Adams “give me liberty or give me death!” Many found inspiration from that quote. It showed bravery. Bravery is a big part of freedom verses survival. I think a lot of people would choose freedom over survival, but it takes a lot of courage to stick to that decision.
Some of the most famous people in history are famous due to their decision. Harriet Tubman for example risked her life for her own freedom, and other’s freedom. Soldiers, slaves, and so many more are willing to give their life for freedom.
Where would we be without freedom? What if people thought survival was more important? We could still be under control of Britain. One thing I think the United States is special for is our freedom.
I just think freedom is a vital part to life so without it I don’t see what you would live for.

War

War

In my opinion war is never good. I suppose war has solved problems, but it’s also been a problem itself. There’s never a good excuse for killing someone. People go to fight in a war and they don’t even know who they are shooting at. There has to be a better way to solve these issues. Hasn’t anyone hear violence is not the answer? Honestly, most of the time they just have to talk it out and figure things out, but realistically that wouldn’t happen.
I think if I had the guts I would go and fight for my country, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good thing. I am proud of our soldiers, but I’m not proud of the war. I don’t get what fighting is going to fix. Don’t get my wrong, I’m all for fighting for what you believe in and all but war is different from fighting. Killing innocent people that did nothing to you. But, if my country needed me I would do my part.
Some wars have changed our lives forever. The Revolutionary War gave us our freedom from Great Britain. That's probably the one thing I would fight for, freedom. I just can't see myself killing anyone. In my opinion there is just no excuse for killing someone, especially people you don't even know. But, I understand why it is necessary. War is just not a smart concept. During the war with Iraq gas prices sky -rocketed. War creates enemies, obviously that’s not good.

Where do I belong?

At this point I'm not sure where I belong. Where I'm at in my life I'm happy in Carmel. However, when I'm older I definitely want to get out of Carmel. I really could see myself anywhere. A small town, in the country, in the city... I really have no idea. I think I made a good choice coming to University. For a while I was almost positive I was going to Carmel High School. I even had my schedule set. Now that I'm here I don't want to be anywhere else. At certain times I think of what it would be like if I went to Carmel, and sometimes it sounds good, but I know I could never leave University. I'm only a freshman, I haven't seen a lot of places and there are so many places I want to see. Since I'm so young, right now I just want to figure out where I should go to college. I have no idea what I'm going to do or where I'm going to go. I'm not really the type to plan ahead, I used to be, but now I feel like I do belong somewhere, and where ever I end up is where I belong. Who knows what could happen...

My Favorite Character

My favorite character would have to be Slim. Slim was really the only person truly happy with where he was. Sure he wanted more, but he was perfectly fine with what he had. He was always helping others and giving them advice. He is the only one who understands George and Lennie's relationship. He is a truly good person. He is also very wise. At the end, when George shot Lennie, he was the only one who understood what really happened. He was also there to comfort George. He also pulled his weight around the farm. No one ever had anything bad to say. Slime never complained and no one complained about Slim. Everyone could trust him, especially George. There are several times through out the book when George confides in Slime. George trusts Slime because he knows that whatever he says will stay between the two of them. Slim is the one person who knows the story behind George and Lennie's friendship, and he appreciates their friendship. He thinks it's nice that George is always watching out for Lennie in a world where "nobody seems to give a damn about nobody." This shows his good heart and it proves how understanding he is. No wonder George likes talking to him so much.

Euthanasia

Euthanasia is assisted suicide. An example of this is when people will put down their dogs.
In my opinion there are some instances where it is okay to be a part of euthanasia. However, there are some cases when it was completely unacceptable. It is okay when animals are in pain, I think most people can agree with that. However, the big controversy is when it comes to humans. It's okay to pull the plug. I feel this is okay because they are basically a vegetable and are unhappy and unable to do anything. At that point they are practically already dead. If a person is in a state where they can't get better then it is okay to euthanize. It's also okay when the patient doesn't want to take the medicine anymore. This happens with cancer a lot. Sometimes the patient just decides they don't want to take their medicine to get better, especially when it's not a definite possibility of them getting better. It's their life so it's their choice for what they want to do. However, if someone is in emotional pain, just go to therapy. Why die? I know that people can get depressed sometimes, but they just need to get help. Suicide doesn't just affect you, it affects everyone around you as well, and in this case they still have hope and they know they can make it better so they try. I think it's selfish to euthanize when there is still a chance.

Dreams

Dreams often fail because dreams are what people want more than anything in the world. Which often times means they are unrealistic. People set standards that are way too high so its impossible to achieve their goal. People dream and it's something so amazing that sometimes you believe it is really even though the truth is the dream will never come true. Dreams are usually so out of reach, that's why they are dreams. It's like if you could have one thing in the world you can't really have it. Because dreams are usually something out of this world. Something that when you get it everything will be perfect, but nothings perfect. Dreams will always be just dreams, nothing more.
Of course you should dream, it gives you something to work towards, but you will most likely end up sad because you couldn't get what you wanted. It's like the "reach for the moon, if you miss you will at least land in the stars." The moon are your dreams, way out of reach, impossible to get to, but the stars are almost as good. The second best thing is the stars, what you may get if you try hard enough to get your dream.

Where You Belong

Everyone needs a place to belong. Everyone needs someone to love them. No one likes to feel lonely. It's nice to be able to be with people who you can feel comfortable around. Someplace you can do whatever you want and no one will judge you. The truth is, most people want to be wanted, that is just how it is. If you have nowhere to belong you are on your own. If you are alone all your feelings will got bottled up until you finally explode.
Even if the place you belong is at home, at least you have somewhere to go. Somewhere that makes you feel safe and not insecure. Having a place you belong allows you to be yourself. No one likes to be on the outside. Especially as kids, kids are growing up and are vulnerable and scared, they need a good place to fit in and people that will help them. What are you supposed to do without a place to belong...? The hard part is finding where you belong.

True Friend

To me a true friend is someone you can go to for anything. Someone you can talk to about anything, but at the same time, when you just need to have fun it is easy for them to make you happy. Someone who knows who you really are, but loves you anyway. Friends are people you just like being around. Someone honest, loyal, funny, considerate, and fun. A true friend is someone you can just hang out with. There is never a dull moment with a true friend, and even when it is silent, there is never an awkward silence. They will be there for you when no one else is. Friends are there with you no matter what. They don't hold grudges and they don't let stupid things get in the way of your friendship. You might fight sometimes, but you always make it right in the end. They will encourage you and accept you when you change, but keep you going down the right path.

Rich or friends?

In my opinion it is more important to have close friends. Being rich isn't a necessity but my close friends mean the world to me. Some people spend loads of money to feel better, but it's healthier to talk it out with friends. Money isn't everything. You just need enough to get the basic life needs like food and clothes. Close friends are someone to talk to, who will always be there for you. You don't need extra money. You don't need fancy clothes and such, but in my opinion friends are much more necessary. Friends make you happy, money can't make you happy. With out friends you would feel lonely, no one wants to feel lonely. Friends allow you to have fun. With money you can buy a lot and go shopping all the time, but if I went shopping a lone I would feel like a total loser. Friends just make the world more fun. Money just gets you things, often times things you don't really need. Friends are people with emotions and you can do whatever you want with him, money is just an object. Money can't be there for you like people. You can't spend time with money. Money really can not make you happy.

Romeo and Juliet Reflection

1. What do you think of Capulet's orders that Juliet marry Paris? Was he correct to do so? Why or why not? 

Since Capulet wasn't aware of Juliet's love for Romeo, I think he had more of a right to force her into that marriage, however even if he did know about Romeo I'm sure he still wouldn't approve. Paris did seem like a nice gentlemen so I can understand why he thinks he would be a good match for his daughter, but he was too intense about it. Threatening to kick his own daughter out of the house is too extreme, he needs to understand that she just doesn't want to be with Paris. As a dad he should just want Juliet to be happy. However at the same time he just doesn't understand why such a successful man couldn't make her happy so his intensions are good for the most part, he is just being to harsh. 

2. Would you have lied to your whole family if you were in Juliet's position? Why or why not? 

I think I would've lied. Based on the Capulet's reaction when Juliet said she didn't want to marry Paris I would be way to scared to tell him I'm in love with someone from the opposing house. For all we know he would've killed Romeo. Or forced Juliet to marry Paris immediately. I think since the rivalry is so big between the houses it was a wise decision not to tell anyone but the nurse. However, it would be really hard to keep something so big such a secret. 

3. Do you think The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet is really a tragedy? Explain your response. 

I think in same ways it is, in others it isn't. Honestly, I think they were just two foolish kids. They might have been in love, but who knows how real their love really was. It was stupid for them to kill themselves. It's not really a tragedy, but it was unfortunate. Romeo kills himself because Juliet is apparently dead, but when she wakes to find Romeo dying, she kills herself. IT was more unlucky then full on tragedy. Especially if it brought the houses together. 

4. Why does Juliet kill herself when she could be free? 

I think it was a stupid idea, but at the same time it was a smart thing to do. She already faked a death so she didn't have to be with Paris because she wanted to be with Romeo. If she was going through all that and everyone thought she was in there dead already she might as well be. It just seems like that was her only choice at the moment. 

5. How would you feel if you were one of the parents in one of those families after all this happened? 

I would feel really stupid. Honestly, because if the parents couldv'e just worked it out and accepted it it all would have been fine. Now they both have lost close family all for a reason they can't even remember any more. Especially if i was Juliet's dad. He pressured her so much and now she's gone. I would feel like such a jerk. If the familes got a long it would all be fine. 

Act 1: Romeo and Juliet

This story is very hard to understand since it is written in early modern english, but since we are reading it in class, and the book has the summaries it is easier. It is a lot better than I was expecting. However, several things I didn't know about the story that I found out kind of ruined it for me. For instance, the fact the Romeo was supposedly in love with Rosaline right before he met Juliet kind of ruined it. One second he loves Rosaline, then he loves Juliet. Also, they are so young. Juliet is 13 and Romeo 14... love? I don't get how CHILDREN so young can basically kill themselves for love. That really killed the story. Those types of things really made me wonder if indeed they did love each other. On the other hand, they really have to fight to be together, and if they didn't really love each other why would they go against their family's wishes and be together. Romeo is a lot more dramatic than I was expecting. It was weird to hear him go on about another girl. I didn't mind Paris as much, because Juliet was never in love with Paris, in fact I think he makes the story better. Im curious to see if they really had to fight for their love and if they actually do love each other.