Journal 4_7

Question from last week:
As we near the end of the year in Ethics class, my final question is what was your favorite part of the class?  Which lessons stayed with you most?

As we near the end of the year in Ethics class, my final question is what was your favorite part of the class?  Which lessons stayed with you most?

Ethics, this year, was a great class for me to take.  It introduced me to a lot of really random, interesting topics that I knew nothing about until this class.  It also challenged me to think crictically, something that I've always needed to learn to do and never have. 

The first lesson that I learned this year was to always look at all perspectives and do the research from different sources before forming your true opinion.  Believe or not, I was a fan of Michael Moore before realizing the amount of information he changes to fit his own beliefs.  It is amazing how biased he is on some issues.  But I do give him credit for bringing those issues to light.  The second lesson I learned in ethics was to think big, and follow through.  The concept of herioic imagination and taking action has really stayed with me and  I think will for the rest of my life.

This week in class: (I'm going to speak about this year.)

TED is an organization that has really brought a lot to light for me, and since this class was based loosely around TED, it really did become one of my favorite classes.  I love the idea of TED.  The most important thing the world needs to do is communicate with one and other about ideas and share the ways in which to take action in changing and fixing the problems of today.  I think TED brings about that creative energy while still being an incredibley useful source of information.  The speakers are extraordinary.  They are the true leaders of the world without being in a traditional mode.  They are innovators, specialists and people who are open to listening and working to create the best world this Earth can be. 

Because of this class, I was able to attend the TEDxteen conference in New York City in April.  It changed my entire year.  It could, possibly, be one of those events I look back on and say "that's when I got it, that's when I changed."  I listened to speakers, but not old men with PHDs who had invented some amazing astronomy tool, but kids.  Young adults, my age or just a few years older, who had created and taken action about something they cared about.  It was amazing to me.  One kid was thirteen years old when he started his own political party.  Another wrote the best selling book about sea turtles in the world in order to capture more sea turtle awareness for his beloved endangered species.  Another, an artist, drew one simple phrase all through New York City that spread throughout the world, "love me."  I could not help but think "why not me?"  I spoke to these people, had conversations with them and realized that I, too had the power and confidence to do something amazing. 

So I've started to.  My friends and I are forming our own TED conference.  I want it to be the kind of thing that has every kid going away with the same feeling I had at the end of TEDxTeen.  I want them to think that they are able to do something really amazing in the world.  I want everyone to know that this generation is going to fix all the problems our parents have created. We are resourceful, creative and know how to communicate with one and other efficiently.  I want to direct my peers and fellow young people down this path.  I want to be proactive and active in my own life, as well.  I want to make a difference.  I want to do something big.

Question for next year.

Can I do it?

Journal 4_6

Question from last week:
There are different themes with magic.  There is wizards and witches, phsycics, transformers, mind-readers and so much more.  What is the most believable form?  Why?

This was a dumb question.  There is no believable form of magic.  After watching a physics honors presentatino about the the "Physics of Magic" in my physics class today, I realized that there is no way that any kind of  magic could actually be believable unless you trick your minding into thinking so.  It is, however, easier to get caught up in a world a wizards and witches than to believe someone can read your mind.  This is why series like Harry Potter are so popular.  Yet, the more mystical and realistic something is, the scarier and more humans try to analyze it.  Phsycics and mind-readers deal with people in real life, and that is why they bring a different sense of mysticism than wizards and witches.

Magic is only successful when the viewers lend their minds to the trick.  The Cliche' phrase, "all you have to do is believe" is very prevalent here.  In fiction novels, a reader must become immersed in the story to enjoy it.  Analyzing every move will only ruin the point of the magic in the book.  Magic is supposed to be the unreal, the unimagined and the impossible.  That is why human nature is drawn to it. The magic of today may, however, be the science of tomorrow. Just like flight was magic 100 years ago. 

This week in class:
A) This week in class we watched a documentary on alternative medicine and the spread of its use in the US today.  The documentary we watched had several points to it.  Doctors are being mistrusted because of reputations of expensive medicine being prescribed without it actually helping the patient.  But the documentary focused on the popularity, and profitability, of an alternative medicine market.  The FDA does not have to clear these medicines in order for them to be sold, and yet, several thousands of people are buying them in hopes of a differnt method to recovery.  Right now, over 30% of Americans are turning to alternative methods.

B) Personal experience makes me wonder about alternative methods.  I think a mix of both is the true way to keep your body healthy.  My mom is a certified Yoga teacher, and many of her colleagues and mentors have pointed her in the way of alternative medicine.  It is more natural and organic, there is no question about that.  But I question how effective it really is, for still being relatively high in price.  I think a mixture of the two, in order to not put as many unneeded chemicals into your body as traditional science tend to do, yet still allowing some tradition in to make sure that you are getting the treatments you need is the right way to do things.


C) To bring in a another point, there are some who allow their body to fight for itself without any form of medicine at all.  My neighbor is a firm believer in the strength of the human body and human immune system to fight off sickness and mend itself.  There is something to say for not allowing any kind of excess, foreign medicine into one's body.  I wonder if those are the healthiest, strongest bodies alive today.

Question for next week:
As we near the end of the year in Ethics class, my final question is what was your favorite part of the class?  Which lessons stayed with you most?

Sources:
The Alternative Fix | FRONTLINE | PBS." PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Web. 09 June 2011. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/altmed/.
Press Release | FRONTLINE | PBS." PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Web. 09 June 2011. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/press/2203.html.

"7 Basic Principles of Magic (Penn and Teller) « Andy Wibbels." Andy Wibbels. Web. 09 June 2011. <http://andywibbels.com/7-basic-principles-of-magic-penn-and-teller/

journal 4_5

Question from last week:
What is another controversial war in American history?
The Vietnam war was one of the most controversial wars in American history.  Until recently, it was also the longest war in US history as well.  It's main purpose was to support the policy of "containment" that America had adopted during the Cold War.  The purpose of containment was to fight communism abroad to prevent it from entering the United States.  The North Vietnam was communistic, and South Vietnam was under US aid and considered a democracy.   Fought mostly through guerilla warfare, the terrorist pro-communist factions in South Vietnam, the Vietkong, fought agaisnt the American soldiers under cover of jungles, identity and night.  Thousands of lives were cost in a war that didn't  need to be fought.  Through three presidents, the Vietnam war endured the anger of many American "doves" or radical peace advocates.  Anti- war rallies were thrown, and the controversy heightened during the shootings at Kent State Univeristy, where four students were shot and killed by government officials trying to end the rally.  Vietnam was a costly, controversial and unsuccessful war. 


This week in class:

A) This week in class we talked about the principles of magic.  The ten main principles in which magicians use to create their tricks, the ethics of magic and the difference between a magician and a conartist were all topics we focused on.  Through watching much of Penn and Teller and a man that disproves phsycis and others who claim to have supernatural powers.  It is interesting to see how much of a magic trick is just distraction.  When watching penn and teller, it was easy to see the trick when the volume was on mute, but when Penn narrated each trick I was immediately drawn into the distraction, and unable to think critically about how the two magicians performed the trick.  Penn's main point, that was a common theme throughout the unit, was that Magicians are telling you that they are tricking you, while conartists never state that they are about to trick you. 

B) I thought the most interesting part of the lesson was the phsycology of magic.  The success of Penn and Teller's shows rely soley on the audiences ability to believe that what is happening is really magic.  If as an audience member, someone sits there and analyzes every single move, the show would be a disaster.  Yet, something about the human brain wants there to be an element of magic in the world and that is why magic shows are popular and succesful. 

C) There are times in a people's lives where we don't want to be in control.  That is why magic is such a phenomemon that we love and appreciate.  In amusement parks, parties and magic shows, there is the element of not knowing what will happen, that the individual doesn't have control over the situation and someone else does.  In listening to modern music every artist speaks about "losing control."  I think that is the same element that makes magic popular.
 
Question for next week:
There are different themes with magic.  There is wizards and witches, phsycics, transformers, mind-readers and so much more.  What is the most believable form?  Why?

Sources :

"The Vietnam War." Digital History. Web. 30 May 2011. http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/modules/vietnam/index.cfm.

 

Penn & Teller. Web. 30 May 2011. http://www.pennandteller.com/.

 

Battlefield:Vietnam." PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Web. 30 May 2011. <http://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/>.

journal 4_4

Questions for next week:

What muslim community is there in Richmond, Virginia?



I couldn't find every part of the muslim community in Richmond, but there is definitely a foundation for the muslim community.  The Islamic Center of Virginia, centered in a suburb of Richmond in Bon Air, Virginia, focuses on education and unity of the Islamic faith in the richmond area. Their website shows something very similar to a "sunday school" and their breaking ground on a new location.  It is a newer organization, but contains sunday school, summer programs, funeral and marriage services and community outreach to get other faiths to understand the Islamic faith better.

The Islamic Center of Virginia is not the only muslim faction in Richmond, however, when googling "Islamic Mosques in Richmond" only three mosques came up.  This number surprised me, I thought there would be more.  It astounds me that there are over a hundred churches in a thirty minute radius of my house, but I would have to travel 45 minutes to get to one of three mosques in the area if I were muslim.

In class this week:

A) This week in class we watched another clip of thirty days called "outsourced."  It was about a middle aged American man traveling to India to find his old job that had been outsourced to India. His initial viewpoint of the idea of outsourcing was very negative.  He thought that outsourcing was taking away from the American people, and only hurting the American economy.  After living in India for 30 days, he realized that the cost of one American job will give 16 Indians a job, but that those indians are still in poverty.  He was astounded by the fact that the Indians did not complain, and were content in their one room shaks of homes.  He returned home with a sense of compassion for the Indian people.

B)  After seeing "outsourced" I did agree that the Indians are living in poverty and it is good that new money is being put into their economy, but I disagree that it should be at the cost of American people's welfare.  So many people are losing their jobs to outsourcing that worked for American companies.  Shouldn't these companies take care of their own first?  With the American economy drastically falling, I think  it is time for us to close our borders and think about what we must do to better ourselves, not the Indians. 

C) This can be applied to American's foreign policy.  The Iraq war and dealings in the middle east are to aid and provide democracy in those areas of the Middle East.  In a lot of ways, these wars are honorable and good natured, however, they are costing American lives and trillions of American lives for some of the longest wars in American history.  Is it worth it?

Question for next week:
What is another controversial war in American history?

Sources: 
30 Days (TV Series)." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 23 May 2011. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/30_Days_(TV_series.

 Islamic Center Of Virginia. Web. 23 May 2011. http://ww2.icva1.com/index.php.

 CNN.com - Breaking News, U.S., World, Weather, Entertainment & Video News. Web. 23 May 2011. <http://www.cnn.com/>.

Journal 4_3

Question from last week:

As of September 2010, niether side was willing to compromise their originial positions on the conflict.  Israel is unwilling to split Jerusalem, saying that "Jerusalem, complete and united, is the capital of Israel."  The Palestinians want East Jerusalem as their capital because it contains the third most holy shrine in the Islamic faith, even though it was originally controlled by Jordan before the Six Day War. 

In Palestine, just a few days ago, two major political factions--the Farah and Hamas--signed a peace agreement.  Alothough this is not necessarily dealing with Israel, Palestine's new leadership should be elected in 2012 under both political factions.  Before the peace talks, these two parties had been competing among palestine, taking away from any chance at peace between Israel and Palestine.  Perhaps the new Palestinian government will be able to reach a compromise with Israel.

This week in class:

We began watching the show "30 days" where a West Virginian man goes to live in Deerfield, Michigan--the Muslim capital in the United States.  I think this show is controversial and important for Americans to see. So many of us live in fear of the Arabs and Muslims, when really they are people just like us!  It is hard to not be xenophobic in today's society, but one must keep in mind that only the extremists are out doing the terrorist attacks.  Many muslims integrate into society with us.  Others are harmless, and are simply preserving a culture that millions of people love and treasure around the world. 

Question for next week:
What muslim community is there in Richmond, Virginia?

Sources:

"BBC News - Middle East Peace Talks: Where They Stand." BBC - Homepage. Web. 01 May 2011. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-11138790>.

Question from last week:
Find another international peace-making operation that has worked in the past or is working in the present.  What is it about?


An organization I found is called the "International Peace Research Association."  IPRA has been working and researching issues in the world and how to create sustainable world peace since 1964.  Through the collaboration professors, political leaders and other world leaders they create publications, conferences and peace eduation to bring throghout the world in over 200 countries. 

Based out of Belgium, it has a much stronger influence in Europe, however, I found access to one of their journals through George Mason Univeristy.  The current Secretary Journal, Keven Clements, was appointed in 2010 and has begun to branch the organization out more.  There are several committees and working groups that have different professional minds working toward the common goal of peace.  A few of these committes include:

Art and Peace Commission Conflict Resolution and Peace-Building Commission Eastern Europe Commission Earth Charter Commission Forced Migration Commission Gender and Peace Commission Global Political Economy Commission Indigenous Peoples' Rights Commission Internal Conflicts Commission International Human Rights Commission Nonviolence Commission Peace Culture and Communications Commission Peace Education Commission Peace History Commission Peace Journalism Commission Peace Movements Commission Peace Theories Commission Reconciliation Commission Religion and Peace Commission Security and Disarmament Commission Youth and Peace Commission

This week in class:

This week in class we finished the documentary "Promises."  It was interesting to see the ending and what came of the children after the intial interviews.  They all changed signicantly in the interviews after the film.  When the children, two Israeli and several Palestinain, met in the film, they realized that the two races can coincide and live together.  That no matter their differences, many of them wanted to be friends.  They were all children, with the common pure purpose of finding cooperation and peace.  I found it interesting that only two Israeli children, who were twins, wanted to meet the Palestinian children and yet there were at least four or five palestians ready to meet and converse with the Israelis.  It is evident who wants change and who wants to ignore the conflict.  One Israeli boy, when asked if he wanted to converse with the Israelis, told the camera he had no interest.  Either way, the meeting was successful in the film.  However, it was identified that after the meeting the children would go their separate ways and their stride to peace would be forgotten.  That is exactly what happened, and several years later, the Israelis are serving in the army and the Palestinians and seperated and still supressed.  It is a realistic, meaningful ending.  Something must be done to stop the circle of the Palestinian conflict.  Parents teach their children to hate the other race, and by the time they are grown, they do.

This is why I think that the filmmakers kept showing a shot of a tire rolling through the dirt, never stopping, caught on fire.  The Iranian-Palestinian conflict is a reocurring cycle of hatred.  The only thing that can break it is a new generation who is able to cooperate and learn from each other.  Palestinians and Israelis should be able to share the land and their holylands in peace.  Much of the land that the Israelis took from the Palestinians is not even being used!  Why should it matter if the land was returned to those who owned it before? 

In a completely different discussion, I vacationed in St. Augustine, Florida over springbreak this year.  While there, I realized that they was a strong deaf community in the town.  There is a prestigious deaf school there and due to our viewing of the documentary about the Cochlear Implant, I was immediately interested about these people.  I ended up seeing a group of twenty deaf students on the beach for three days in a row.  I played soccer with one who had a cochlear implant and could understand me perfectly.  It was interesting to see something we learned in class so very real.

Question for next week:
What is the current situation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?

Sources:

The Promises Film Project. Web. 27 Apr. 2011. http://www.promisesproject.org/.

International Peace Research Association." Redirect. Web. 27 Apr. 2011. http://soc.kuleuven.be/iieb/ipraweb/index.php?action=page.

CNN.com - Breaking News, U.S., World, Weather, Entertainment & Video News. Web. 27 Apr. 2011. http://www.cnn.com/.]

Journal 3_9

This weekend...: TEDxTeen

I walked into the TED conference not knowing what to expect.  I arrived early and realized how many different types of people were there.  I had no idea this was going to be an international event, or that all the people would look so professional.  It was daunting.  And then, out of nowhere, this little teeny bopper girls comes over to me.  I immediately felt relaxed...until she asked me, as serious as can be, "so...What do YOU do!?"  I replied that I was a high school student in virginia, and she repeated her question, "No, but what do you DO?"  I didn't know how to respond.  Thoughts raced through my head: what does she mean? whats she trying to ask?  What DO I DO?? It was a question I soon realized I needed to answer. 

My trip to TED made me understand how tangible global change really is.  The idea of kids younger than me and other young women and men going out and taking control of the future is infectious.  These speakers before me were not very different from myself, and had taken the intiative.  They provided examples, advice and connections to becoming an activist.

One man, an artist in New York City, gave me the idea of how the purest meaning of an idea or message will become contagious.  His message: Love me, has spread throughout New York City in graffiti and can now be found all over the world.  His simple idea can be teh same as Farah Pandith's (another speaker at the conference) "Youthquake."  A ripple effect young people have on society through social media and the information age.  A theme throughout the conference was how the connections on line have broke division and barriar in creating social change.  It has also elimanated a strong factor of fear.  One of my favorite speakers, Jeremey Heimans stressed the importance of the web over social change. Politicians are chanied by compting parties and re-elections.  They are a face in the public eye: an effective movement is not a face, but an idea.  A true social innovator, a disruptive innovator, someone who solves problems with news inventions and ideals instead of directly solving the problem--is effective.  These people are most effective when they are a so-called "anonymous extraoridanary," letting their idea lead instead of themselves. 

The first woman I met at TED, Tammy Tibbets, is a prime example of this new-age leader and changer.  She is the social media worker for Seventeen Magazine by day, and presdient of her own non-profit organization "She's the First" by night.  Shes's the First is an organization celebrating young women in education or the working world.  They partner with schools in Uganda, India and Tunsinia- to name a few.  Tammy was a college graduate, but her story made this life and actions seem so accesible.

These men and women have led me to my own beliefs about creating change.  They have made me feel as if I can do something.  That I need to focus on something.  That I can be the change they are, and that I really need to get going on it.

Creativity is key to the process.  Without a creative mind, and the idea of accepting failures with perserverence you will never achieve your goal.  The creative, ready and active minds of youth today are leading the world.  The effective change happening is inevitable.  Revolutions, such as the Egyptian Revolution, have been spurred by the ideas flowing at this conference.  Our generation has more technology and means to create movements than any previous generation.  Innovation, however, is the key to a progressive and prosperous future.  One quote that they showed at the conference that stuck with me was a quote by Steve Jobs: "The difference between a leader and a follower is innovation."  To be a leader today, you don't need to get up on a podium and make some big long speech and run for election, you need to be active.  You need to be communative.  You need to let an idea speak for itself.  And if your idea is good enough, it will create the change it needs to.

I have to begin to answer the question of: What do I do?  Right now, I am creating a sufficient list to What will I do?  I want to spread my ideas about the power of youth that I learned from this conference.  I want other kids to see that how plausbile it is to really, actually, change the world.