Fashion is something people deal with everyday. Even if some people who say they don't care about what they wear, they still choose clothes that other people can say a lot about who they are and how they are feeling. Fashion is revealing. For me, gangster rappers and iconic sports figures have always influenced my sense of attire and appearance. This is not the case now. However, back in high school, this was the case and the theme of my style of fashion was trying to be "gangsta", and that got me into a lot of trouble as my clothing not only challenged and violated against my school's dress code policy, but also the society within me. Here's my story/crime:
During my freshmen year in high school, my friends introduced and advised me to listen to a new upcoming rapper named The Game. Being a fan of hip-hop, especially gangster rap for many years, I agreed and became instantly hooked on this sensational rapper. His aggressive and cocky attitude and dominant flow had me "on his jock". Everyday I would listen to him on repeat, downloading all of his music and watching all of his music videos. I would spend hours and hours researching about him on the internet and reading as many articles about him as I could find. I was so obsessed with this rapper that I wanted to be just like him. Since our characteristics aren't exactly the same, or way off, I realized the only way to be like The Game was to dress like him. I started wearing baggy jeans, hoodies, tall white T's, and I would always wear Converse shoes, just like The Game. I even shaved my head and started to collect baseball caps in order to look like him. All I was missing were some tattoos and pierced ears. But here comes trouble.
When my parents saw my new look and my sagged pants, they were so furious that they wouldn't let me out of the house unless I pulled my pants up and wore a belt at all times. They told me this wasn't how they expected me to dress and that I was suppose to dress conservatively - regular jeans and a t-shirt, something plain and simple. They lectured me on how people who wore baggy clothing are the people that are associated with the fringes of society, such as hobos, drug dealers, and prisoners. They warned me that people would taunt and downgrade me in society, especially people of my own race (Asians). Even though I wouldn't listen, no matter how hard they tried to lecture me, I still would sag my pants and turn my hat around whenever I leave the house. However, my parents were right. Since I live in Cupertino, wheres its peaceful and the population is predominantly Asians, wherever I went, I could feel the negative vibe surrounding me and I could tell people were bothered by my presence. The trouble didn't stop there as I began to wear this style to school. The ways my teachers looked at me were in shock and disappointment. I could tell some teachers would grade my assignments more strict and they would treat me differently than other students. Wherever there would be trouble, all heads would be turned to me. Everyday a teacher would purposely ask me if I wore a belt, and if i didn't, they would give me a yellow caution tape and I would have to strap it around my waist to hold my pants up. This became a daily issue and I was called into the principal's office. Like my parents, he lectured me on how my attire violated the school's dress code, and if it happens again, I would be suspended. He told me that the way I dressed disrupts the studies of other students because I bring fear upon them. He also told me that the first impression people present to others is not by the way they look or by the way they act, but by the way they dress. Although the way I dress doesn't necessarily make ME think I'm a bad person or a trouble maker, but almost everyone else around me will think I am. Trying to avoid suspension and more trouble with my parents, I reluctantly threw in the white flag and promised my principal I would dress properly. Since then, there was no more trouble with the way I dressed.
Fashion is a manner of self-expression that entitles people to take on many roles in life. For me, my role was to be like The Game.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Informal Writing Assignment #4
John Randolph, also better known as Jay Smooth, is the artist that I choose to write about in this week's IWA. He is the founder of New York's longest running hip hop radio show, WBAI's Underground Railroad, currently running on its 20th year. Using his website, ill Doctrine, Jay posts video blogs to evaluate and engagingly talk about frequent issues, such as racism, politics, and homosexuality to name a few, from a hip hop perspective in his humorous and notable technique. Jay's choice of words and language isn't too harsh as he tries to set an example by showing a little benevolence and redemption to the people he criticizes while still being fully aware of their wrongdoings and foolishness. But simply, Jay just wants to be part of the global conversation and have his voice be heard.
One of the videos that I watched was called "How To Tell Someone They Sound Racist". In this video, the featured topic is racism and Jay explains to us how to approach a conversation dealing with race. He starts off by differentiating two types of conversations - the "What They Did" conversation and the "What They Are" conversation. The "What They Did" conversation focuses mainly on the person's words and actions and explains why what that person did or said was inappropriate or racist. The "What They Are" conversation takes the conversation to another level and uses what that person said or did from the "What They Did" conversation to draw conclusions and to pinpoint what kind of person he/she really are. Jay's stance on a conversation dealing race is that everyone should focus on the part that matters to them the most and states that everyone is accountable for the impact of his/her own words and actions. It's not about who they are, but about what they did or said. Although this video show no direct relation from a hip hop perspective, Jay manages talks about the truth using his political and personal analysis, something that hip hop artists tries to do in their music. His voice is poised and invigorating and he has a versatile flow from the beginning to the end. Finally, Jay is blessed with the skill to wrap his all thoughts together.
Another video that caught my attention was "A Layman's Guide to No Homo". In this video, Jay describes the popularity and growth of the phrase "No Homo" in hip hop culture. The term "No Homo" is one of hip hop's most beloved and intriguing phrases, invented by a Harlem rapper named Cam'ron of the Dipset crew. "No Homo", according to Jay, combines hip hop's everlasting love and passion of language and wordplay with our insecurities about sexuality. People say "No Homo" after they unintentionally say something that sounded homophobic or gay. It was used as a defense mechanism by young males who were afraid not because they were being gay or looked gay, but afraid of the words that they spoke sounded gay. Jay explains that the majority of people use the term "No Homo" more as a comedic device without realizing its absurdity rather than being classified as anti-gay. Its basically just harmless fun, but if taken the wrong way, it could lead to a lot of controversy. Although he loves the creativity of hip hop's wordplay, Jay's always been on the anti-"No Homo" side because he finds it offensive no matter how people use it. Just like any other word, people should judge it on a case by case basis and see if its really appropriate to say it.
Both videos expanded my knowledge greatly as one video provided me some good communication advice while the other video gave more insight on a slang term that I once used pretty frequently. In my opinion, Jay Smooth is as talented as any artist or blogger there is. He is clear and precise about the issues he talks about and his approach is very intriguing. His thoughts definitely deserves recognition and his messages needs to be heard.
One of the videos that I watched was called "How To Tell Someone They Sound Racist". In this video, the featured topic is racism and Jay explains to us how to approach a conversation dealing with race. He starts off by differentiating two types of conversations - the "What They Did" conversation and the "What They Are" conversation. The "What They Did" conversation focuses mainly on the person's words and actions and explains why what that person did or said was inappropriate or racist. The "What They Are" conversation takes the conversation to another level and uses what that person said or did from the "What They Did" conversation to draw conclusions and to pinpoint what kind of person he/she really are. Jay's stance on a conversation dealing race is that everyone should focus on the part that matters to them the most and states that everyone is accountable for the impact of his/her own words and actions. It's not about who they are, but about what they did or said. Although this video show no direct relation from a hip hop perspective, Jay manages talks about the truth using his political and personal analysis, something that hip hop artists tries to do in their music. His voice is poised and invigorating and he has a versatile flow from the beginning to the end. Finally, Jay is blessed with the skill to wrap his all thoughts together.
Another video that caught my attention was "A Layman's Guide to No Homo". In this video, Jay describes the popularity and growth of the phrase "No Homo" in hip hop culture. The term "No Homo" is one of hip hop's most beloved and intriguing phrases, invented by a Harlem rapper named Cam'ron of the Dipset crew. "No Homo", according to Jay, combines hip hop's everlasting love and passion of language and wordplay with our insecurities about sexuality. People say "No Homo" after they unintentionally say something that sounded homophobic or gay. It was used as a defense mechanism by young males who were afraid not because they were being gay or looked gay, but afraid of the words that they spoke sounded gay. Jay explains that the majority of people use the term "No Homo" more as a comedic device without realizing its absurdity rather than being classified as anti-gay. Its basically just harmless fun, but if taken the wrong way, it could lead to a lot of controversy. Although he loves the creativity of hip hop's wordplay, Jay's always been on the anti-"No Homo" side because he finds it offensive no matter how people use it. Just like any other word, people should judge it on a case by case basis and see if its really appropriate to say it.
Both videos expanded my knowledge greatly as one video provided me some good communication advice while the other video gave more insight on a slang term that I once used pretty frequently. In my opinion, Jay Smooth is as talented as any artist or blogger there is. He is clear and precise about the issues he talks about and his approach is very intriguing. His thoughts definitely deserves recognition and his messages needs to be heard.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Informal Writing Assignment #3
My experience at Valley Fair Mall was engaging and interesting. It wasn't like the past experiences where I just spent hours and hours shopping; this time I was here to do some critical thinking and expand my perspective on the mall, thus giving me a better knowledge on what Valley Fair really represents besides being just a shopping mall. Valley Fair is probably one of the best, if not the best, malls I've been to. With over 200 stores, this mall is beyond any shopper's imagination as they can shop at their favorite stores not only for themselves, but also for their family and friends. Valley Fair has its own flair and taste and each store is suitable and targeted for any specific group of people classified by their race, gender, or wealth. So how can one go possibly wrong with Valley Fair?
For outsiders and local shoppers, Valley Fair is located conveniently off highway 880 or 280, depending on which way your coming from, and is stationed on Steven's Creek Boulevard just in between the border of San Jose and Santa Clara. I guarantee you won't miss it. This area is highly populated due to the mall's popularity and its neighbor, Santana Row, which is located across the street. Personally, I feel very privileged to live so close to such a highly-favored mall, which is a mere 15-20 minutes drive for me. Since it is often so crowded, parking at Valley Fair can be hectic sometimes, but finding a parking space is a great way to test your patience and patience is a virtue. If the parking is really busy, one solution is to call up a valet and have them park your car for you. For a couple of bucks plus tip, it can save you tons of time, ease up on your frustration, and give you extra time to shop.
Valley Fair is designed in an upscaled two-story mall, consisting of approximately 240 stores. Although the makers of the mall wanted a Greek or western theme throughout the entire mall, its two-story design separated the appearance of the two floors completely. On the top floor, there are carpet flooring and dim lightning with high ceiling throughout the upper floor. The top floor also consists of the food court, consisting of fast generic foods from different countries. The bottom floor seemed much more exciting and fancy as it consisted of marble floors, chandelier lights, and large columns. What really set apart each floor was not the quantity of the stores, but the quality of the stores. It seemed like the expensive stores were located on the bottom floor, while stores that seemed affordable to most people were placed on the top floor. This goes to show that the mall is somewhat built towards segregation and classifies the rich from the poor. Also as I looked throughout the mall, there weren't many African-Americans or Hispanics shopping although they make up 34.8% of the minority race. Instead, I saw many Whites and Asians. This is because Valley Fair tends to target the more wealthier people. According to the San Jose Fact Sheet statistics, 79% of all households make under $100,000 a year, which means their shopping budget is not very high, so they can't afford to buy expensive items. This definitely isn't fair. Valley Fair should be a place for everybody, where everyone can come together and shop without any discomfort and realize that just because someone's less wealthy and can't afford expensive jewelry and clothing doesn't mean that person should be segregated and looked down upon. Valley Fair needs to treat people equally and realize that each person came here with the same motive - to shop, giving the Valley Fair mall more money. Valley Fair should just move some of the expensive stores across the street to Santana Row or mix up the mall a little, so it shows less segregation from the high class to the low/middle class.
Even though Valley Fair targets all people, it does not take that stance. This visit to Valley Fair gave me a new and fresh look on what the mall really represents. Next time I step in Valley Fair, my mentality of the mall will definitely be different.
For outsiders and local shoppers, Valley Fair is located conveniently off highway 880 or 280, depending on which way your coming from, and is stationed on Steven's Creek Boulevard just in between the border of San Jose and Santa Clara. I guarantee you won't miss it. This area is highly populated due to the mall's popularity and its neighbor, Santana Row, which is located across the street. Personally, I feel very privileged to live so close to such a highly-favored mall, which is a mere 15-20 minutes drive for me. Since it is often so crowded, parking at Valley Fair can be hectic sometimes, but finding a parking space is a great way to test your patience and patience is a virtue. If the parking is really busy, one solution is to call up a valet and have them park your car for you. For a couple of bucks plus tip, it can save you tons of time, ease up on your frustration, and give you extra time to shop.
Valley Fair is designed in an upscaled two-story mall, consisting of approximately 240 stores. Although the makers of the mall wanted a Greek or western theme throughout the entire mall, its two-story design separated the appearance of the two floors completely. On the top floor, there are carpet flooring and dim lightning with high ceiling throughout the upper floor. The top floor also consists of the food court, consisting of fast generic foods from different countries. The bottom floor seemed much more exciting and fancy as it consisted of marble floors, chandelier lights, and large columns. What really set apart each floor was not the quantity of the stores, but the quality of the stores. It seemed like the expensive stores were located on the bottom floor, while stores that seemed affordable to most people were placed on the top floor. This goes to show that the mall is somewhat built towards segregation and classifies the rich from the poor. Also as I looked throughout the mall, there weren't many African-Americans or Hispanics shopping although they make up 34.8% of the minority race. Instead, I saw many Whites and Asians. This is because Valley Fair tends to target the more wealthier people. According to the San Jose Fact Sheet statistics, 79% of all households make under $100,000 a year, which means their shopping budget is not very high, so they can't afford to buy expensive items. This definitely isn't fair. Valley Fair should be a place for everybody, where everyone can come together and shop without any discomfort and realize that just because someone's less wealthy and can't afford expensive jewelry and clothing doesn't mean that person should be segregated and looked down upon. Valley Fair needs to treat people equally and realize that each person came here with the same motive - to shop, giving the Valley Fair mall more money. Valley Fair should just move some of the expensive stores across the street to Santana Row or mix up the mall a little, so it shows less segregation from the high class to the low/middle class.
Even though Valley Fair targets all people, it does not take that stance. This visit to Valley Fair gave me a new and fresh look on what the mall really represents. Next time I step in Valley Fair, my mentality of the mall will definitely be different.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Informal Writing Assignment #2
If someone came up to you and said that everything seen before you was an illusion and that taking a certain pill would make reality clearer, will you go for it and take the pill? In The Matrix, Neo asks Morpheus why his eyes hurt and Morpheus goes on to explain that he has never used his eyes before; the presence of reality is there for all to see and and nobody seems to want to open their eyes and look. It is the same as when people get older, they get wiser, but their presence of reality are more restricted and they become more and more pessimistic. However, young children won't shut the door on any idea because they believe that anything is possible. So why not take this pill to escape and live in the real reality?
The movie, The Matrix, is filled with many philosophical thoughts and questions. Perhaps one of the main question conveyed to the viewers was when Morpheus asked Neo which pill would he take - the blue pill or the red pill? Its simple as Morpheus describes it. "You take the blue pill – the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill – you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes". Given the choices, the red pill seems to be the more appealing pill for me. If I do take the red pill, it will open my eyes to a new reality and a new perspective for my mind. It will give my life a new meaning, hopefully a fresh start, and it will give me a better understanding of the world around me. Being able to escape from the present society would broaden our boundaries and allow us to change the rules and manipulate our freedom. It would open up closed doors and allow for greater adventures. Therefore, by taking the red pill, a new meaning of life will be exposed.
Throughout the course of mankind, many people have been searching for the true meaning of life. It is impossible to know the true meaning of life, especially when you don't really know what life is. However, The Matrix is a world that has guided and brought us closer to knowing the truth. Before taking the pill, the true meaning of life is only a dream. No one really knows why its existent or what the purpose of it was.
By taking the red pill, the truth will be exposed. From an outsider's perspective, they thought the purpose of the Matrix was to fly spaceships and fight off robots. However, the Matrix's objective is dealing with survival of the fittest. The choice inside the Matrix is either human or robot, whereas humans are the minority. In order to survive in the Matrix, fighting for the right to exist represents a new meaning of life. Knowledge and truth are also important and inevitable, both in the Matrix and in the world. As long as one is in the Matrix, one will continue to search for all three of these materials. By taking the red pill, the possibility of finding these things are outstanding. I bet there is a vast majority of people just like me that would like to know the answers to life and its meaning, and being inside the Matrix is one of the ways to to help understand our questions.
Having taking the red pill allows me to see that true meaning of life and existence. It reminds me that I must keep in mind to let go of all fear, doubt, or any discomfort. It lets me free my mind and let the truth be my guidance. By knowing the meaning of life, I can develop a better understanding of the world around me. Like Cypher said, perhaps "ignorance is bliss", but for me, the red pill is definitely the way to go.
NOTE: This was my first time watching The Matrix. I thought it was awesome.
The movie, The Matrix, is filled with many philosophical thoughts and questions. Perhaps one of the main question conveyed to the viewers was when Morpheus asked Neo which pill would he take - the blue pill or the red pill? Its simple as Morpheus describes it. "You take the blue pill – the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill – you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes". Given the choices, the red pill seems to be the more appealing pill for me. If I do take the red pill, it will open my eyes to a new reality and a new perspective for my mind. It will give my life a new meaning, hopefully a fresh start, and it will give me a better understanding of the world around me. Being able to escape from the present society would broaden our boundaries and allow us to change the rules and manipulate our freedom. It would open up closed doors and allow for greater adventures. Therefore, by taking the red pill, a new meaning of life will be exposed.
Throughout the course of mankind, many people have been searching for the true meaning of life. It is impossible to know the true meaning of life, especially when you don't really know what life is. However, The Matrix is a world that has guided and brought us closer to knowing the truth. Before taking the pill, the true meaning of life is only a dream. No one really knows why its existent or what the purpose of it was.
By taking the red pill, the truth will be exposed. From an outsider's perspective, they thought the purpose of the Matrix was to fly spaceships and fight off robots. However, the Matrix's objective is dealing with survival of the fittest. The choice inside the Matrix is either human or robot, whereas humans are the minority. In order to survive in the Matrix, fighting for the right to exist represents a new meaning of life. Knowledge and truth are also important and inevitable, both in the Matrix and in the world. As long as one is in the Matrix, one will continue to search for all three of these materials. By taking the red pill, the possibility of finding these things are outstanding. I bet there is a vast majority of people just like me that would like to know the answers to life and its meaning, and being inside the Matrix is one of the ways to to help understand our questions.
Having taking the red pill allows me to see that true meaning of life and existence. It reminds me that I must keep in mind to let go of all fear, doubt, or any discomfort. It lets me free my mind and let the truth be my guidance. By knowing the meaning of life, I can develop a better understanding of the world around me. Like Cypher said, perhaps "ignorance is bliss", but for me, the red pill is definitely the way to go.
NOTE: This was my first time watching The Matrix. I thought it was awesome.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Implicit Association Test
The two tests I took were the Weight IAT and the Asian IAT. The Weight IAT requires the ability to recognize faces of people who are obese and people who are thin and also reveals the automatic preference for thin people with respective to obese people. The Asian IAT requires the ability to recognize White and Asian faces, and the images of American and foreign places. Both tests require three tasks - two questionnaires and the actual test in between. The actual tests asks you to sort words and pictures based on the categories they give you. The test must be done as quickly as possible while making the fewest mistakes as possible.
For the Weight IAT, the categories were Good, Bad, Fat People, and Thin People. The items for the Good and Bad category were words, while the categories for Fat and Thin People showed images.
Good - Joy, love, peace, wonder, etc.
Bad - Agony, terrible, horrible, etc.
My result states that I have a "strong automatic preference for thin people to fat people". 25% (2nd highest) of other web respondents gotten the same results as me. The top result was "moderate automatic preference for thin people compared to fat people" (27%). Personally, I am somewhat bewildered by my results as I hang out with both thin and fat people. I don't think I really have a strong preference for thin people to fat people, but it was very interesting to see how this test made me seem different from that I thought I was.
For the Asian IAT, the categories were Asian American, European American, Amiercan, and Foreign. The items were all images of the respective categories.
My results for this test suggests "a slight association of Asian Americans with American and European American with Foreign compared to European American With American and Asian with Foreign". Unlike the previous test, my results was the 3rd lowest percentage (9%) compared to other respondents. I still am baffled once again by my results because I feel like it isn't true. If I am reading my results correctly, I feel like I associate with more foreigners than my own race. Then again, it was still interesting to see how I am classified by this test.
For the Weight IAT, the categories were Good, Bad, Fat People, and Thin People. The items for the Good and Bad category were words, while the categories for Fat and Thin People showed images.
Good - Joy, love, peace, wonder, etc.
Bad - Agony, terrible, horrible, etc.
My result states that I have a "strong automatic preference for thin people to fat people". 25% (2nd highest) of other web respondents gotten the same results as me. The top result was "moderate automatic preference for thin people compared to fat people" (27%). Personally, I am somewhat bewildered by my results as I hang out with both thin and fat people. I don't think I really have a strong preference for thin people to fat people, but it was very interesting to see how this test made me seem different from that I thought I was.
For the Asian IAT, the categories were Asian American, European American, Amiercan, and Foreign. The items were all images of the respective categories.
My results for this test suggests "a slight association of Asian Americans with American and European American with Foreign compared to European American With American and Asian with Foreign". Unlike the previous test, my results was the 3rd lowest percentage (9%) compared to other respondents. I still am baffled once again by my results because I feel like it isn't true. If I am reading my results correctly, I feel like I associate with more foreigners than my own race. Then again, it was still interesting to see how I am classified by this test.
Informal Writing Assignment #1
In the documentary "Examined Life", one of America's well-known intellectuals, Dr. Cornel West, stood out to me the most. Dr. West compares his theory of philosophy to music, reminds us how courage can be so vigorous and powerful to a life of the mind can be, and makes us think about truth. I find his topics to be the most intriguing out of the other philosophers because of his creativity and genuineness.
Dr. West starts off by giving us a little bit of optimism by saying that you don't have to go to school to be a philosopher. This doesn't mean I'm going to not go to school and become a philosopher. He states that "a philosopher's a lover of wisdom". He believes it takes a great amount of discipline and courage to think and examine oneself. Courage is the enabling virtue for any philosopher or for any human being. In the end, he is a heavy believer in courage because it gives the people the right to love, think, and hope. I believe courage means the state of mind or spirit that enables us to face any adversities, such as danger, pain, etc, without retreating. I think courage is born from love and compassion. Courage comes from the heart and it seeks the truth because our courage is what guides our heart on its true course and makes who we are.
Another heavy topic Dr. West discusses is about truth. He ponders on a simple question - What is truth? How do we understand truth and what are they ways we deal with truth? Dr. West believes "that the condition of truth is to allow suffering to speak". This condition of truth gives it an existentialism emphasis, so he believes that truth is a way of life as opposed to a set of theories and ideas that correspond to a set of things and objects in the world. Truth is one of the largest and central theme in philosophy. Philosophy is also about speaking truth to the power and the powerless. The difference between them is that the powerful have no monopoly on greed, hatred, or ignorance, while the powerless have nothing. I think, if we ever hope to determine if there is such a thing as truth apart from cultural and personal preferences, we must accept the fact that we must strive to find and achieve something greater than ourselves and something that goes beyond our cultures and individual desires and wishes. To do this, I believe, the only way to understand truth is that we must look beyond ourselves.
Besides being a philosopher, Dr. West is also an artist because he points out to us about different kinds of knowledge by being poetic. He states that "different kinds of knowledge and the degree to which the poetic is shot through the philosophic and the philosophic is shot through the poetic". Dr. West is an artist because of his interest in music are central and fundamental to him. He separates himself from other philosophers by stating that he is "a bluesman in the life of the mind and a jazzman in the world of ideas. When talking about poetry, he acknowledges Plato for talking primarily about his choice of words, by which he compares to himself talking about his own tone, timbre, and rhythms. He believes music is fundamental; "philosophy must go to school not only with the poets, philosophy needs to go to school with the musicians". I found his topics and ways of thinking very interesting because Dr. West is very authentic and the way he describes different kinds of knowledge by using two different subjects - music and philosophy is very fascinating and absorbing. He also seems like a very down-to-earth person. Also, by citing Plato, one of the greatest thinkers to have ever lived, Dr. West reveals philosophy's power to transform the way we see the world around us. Like Dr. West, I believe that philosophy is about your experiences in life, whether it be at home, in the streets, or in a variety of different circumstances. Ultimately, it is about how you come to terms with living your life and trying to live it to the fullest with compassion, courage, and truth.
Dr. West starts off by giving us a little bit of optimism by saying that you don't have to go to school to be a philosopher. This doesn't mean I'm going to not go to school and become a philosopher. He states that "a philosopher's a lover of wisdom". He believes it takes a great amount of discipline and courage to think and examine oneself. Courage is the enabling virtue for any philosopher or for any human being. In the end, he is a heavy believer in courage because it gives the people the right to love, think, and hope. I believe courage means the state of mind or spirit that enables us to face any adversities, such as danger, pain, etc, without retreating. I think courage is born from love and compassion. Courage comes from the heart and it seeks the truth because our courage is what guides our heart on its true course and makes who we are.
Another heavy topic Dr. West discusses is about truth. He ponders on a simple question - What is truth? How do we understand truth and what are they ways we deal with truth? Dr. West believes "that the condition of truth is to allow suffering to speak". This condition of truth gives it an existentialism emphasis, so he believes that truth is a way of life as opposed to a set of theories and ideas that correspond to a set of things and objects in the world. Truth is one of the largest and central theme in philosophy. Philosophy is also about speaking truth to the power and the powerless. The difference between them is that the powerful have no monopoly on greed, hatred, or ignorance, while the powerless have nothing. I think, if we ever hope to determine if there is such a thing as truth apart from cultural and personal preferences, we must accept the fact that we must strive to find and achieve something greater than ourselves and something that goes beyond our cultures and individual desires and wishes. To do this, I believe, the only way to understand truth is that we must look beyond ourselves.
Besides being a philosopher, Dr. West is also an artist because he points out to us about different kinds of knowledge by being poetic. He states that "different kinds of knowledge and the degree to which the poetic is shot through the philosophic and the philosophic is shot through the poetic". Dr. West is an artist because of his interest in music are central and fundamental to him. He separates himself from other philosophers by stating that he is "a bluesman in the life of the mind and a jazzman in the world of ideas. When talking about poetry, he acknowledges Plato for talking primarily about his choice of words, by which he compares to himself talking about his own tone, timbre, and rhythms. He believes music is fundamental; "philosophy must go to school not only with the poets, philosophy needs to go to school with the musicians". I found his topics and ways of thinking very interesting because Dr. West is very authentic and the way he describes different kinds of knowledge by using two different subjects - music and philosophy is very fascinating and absorbing. He also seems like a very down-to-earth person. Also, by citing Plato, one of the greatest thinkers to have ever lived, Dr. West reveals philosophy's power to transform the way we see the world around us. Like Dr. West, I believe that philosophy is about your experiences in life, whether it be at home, in the streets, or in a variety of different circumstances. Ultimately, it is about how you come to terms with living your life and trying to live it to the fullest with compassion, courage, and truth.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Scavenger Hunt
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Duck Bus stop
 Converse shoes  Someone who has seen Tron in 3D
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Personally, I thought the Scavenger Hunt was fun and a great way to meet my classmates. Also, I like to work in groups. The Scavenger Hunt really set a strong and legitimate impression on how exciting and chill this class is going to be.
If I had to do this hunt again, I would rely on the computer more. Most of the things on the list can be found on the internet.
My group's strategy, like most other groups, was to get the most pictures efficiently and quickly as possible because we didn't want to stay outdoors. That's when we decided to go to the library to use the computer and warm ourselves up. At the library, we found many items from the internet and also saw other groups use the computers, so we thought this idea was our best, but we didn't want to be "cheap" so we decided to actually go out and start to look for the items. It turns out that looking for items outside wasn't as bad as we thought it would be. It was fairly easy because we knew where to look for certain things and were fortunate to encounter the right people.
The problems my group members and I experienced during the hunt were very trivial and minor. For example, we couldn't find a coke bottle at the bookstore because the bookstore doesn't sell coke and it was hard for us to find two honda civics of the same color parked next to each other. Finding another person named April/Apryl was out of the question for us. For problems like these, we decided to skip because we didn't want to waste too much time and let these items drag us down. In the end, we just decided to find the items that was the easiest to find and save the hard ones for last.
The Scavenger Hunt definitely required creativity. My group and I had to be innovative and strategize a plan because it was a timed activity. In today's society, everybody has problems and challenges that need solving; they're an inevitable part of living. What many people don't realize, however, is that most of these problems can be overcome by using a simple, focused plan of personal creativity and brainstorming. This activity was a great way to use our creativity and imagination.
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