The american school system is in an abysmal state. It is oriented towards one direction; getting the best scores to go to the best college so you can get the best job. Do we learn anything in the process? Sadly, it seems we do not. again and again it is shown that the current school system is geared towards blind memorization and not learning subject matter, to understand it completely. However,t his problem is not limited to the united states, but has been shown to spread across both time and place
In his book "Surly your joking, Mr. Feynman" Feynman relates to us the condition of the Brazilian school system when he began his short period of teaching there. He later, at the end of his year, goes up to the school board and tells them that there entire school system is a failure. That the students, so intent on passing quizzes, were clueless on the subject matter, but could memorize the information easily. he said that, barring two exceptions, every single student was completely and utterly unfit for the career they wanted to join (Engineering). The two exceptions turned out to be people who had resorted to teaching themselves the proper way as they didn't have access to school. That the Brazilian school system had a %100 failure rate. Thus we can see that this problem is not only limited to the united states.
Mark twain once said "I will not allow my schooling to get in the way of my education" he was referring to the way that school doesn't teach you everything you need. While I have learned a ton of specific stuff at school (Math, History, English) the thing that I use the most was taught to me out of a class room,and completely indipendantly. How to properly use a computer, how to code, and how to basically build a robot (Although to be fair that was partially done on school property, in the robotics club.
Thus it becomes clear that the school system of the entire wold needs a massive revamping, with more hand-on exercises, and more freedom of the student to pick what he wants to do. More the entirety of school be more like college with the core classes, basic history, English, and science, while the student can decide what he wants to focus on.
How to Live
Work, try, learn
Work on the unknown
Try new ways
Learn from the failures
Work, try, learn
Work on being nice
Try to pass it on
Learn to be human
Work, try, learn
Work to your goals
Try to not fail
Learn to go on tangents
Work, try, learn
Work hard
Try to enjoy life
Learn you can do both
Work, try, learn
Work now
Try to make deadlines
Learn now is better then never
Work, try, learn
Work for a better tomorrow
Try to avoid those working for a better today
Learn great things take time
Work, try, learn
Work to see the future
Try to stay in the present
Learn it's impossible
Work, try, learn
Work on a project
Try applying it to others
Learn things that can be used everywhere
Work, try, learn
Work for fun
Try to create the impossible
Learn nothing's impossible
Work, try, learn
Work on your dreams
Try them out, now
Learn dreams turn to reality quickly
Work for sake of working, try for the sake of trying, learn for the sake of learning.
What you learned can never be stolen, and you can only try to apply it to your work
If you never try, you always work of naught, and your learning is to waste
Work, try
and ultimately
learn
For this is how you live.
This will be in the stall of a mens bathroom of Coronado high school.
Work on the unknown
Try new ways
Learn from the failures
Work, try, learn
Work on being nice
Try to pass it on
Learn to be human
Work, try, learn
Work to your goals
Try to not fail
Learn to go on tangents
Work, try, learn
Work hard
Try to enjoy life
Learn you can do both
Work, try, learn
Work now
Try to make deadlines
Learn now is better then never
Work, try, learn
Work for a better tomorrow
Try to avoid those working for a better today
Learn great things take time
Work, try, learn
Work to see the future
Try to stay in the present
Learn it's impossible
Work, try, learn
Work on a project
Try applying it to others
Learn things that can be used everywhere
Work, try, learn
Work for fun
Try to create the impossible
Learn nothing's impossible
Work, try, learn
Work on your dreams
Try them out, now
Learn dreams turn to reality quickly
Work for sake of working, try for the sake of trying, learn for the sake of learning.
What you learned can never be stolen, and you can only try to apply it to your work
If you never try, you always work of naught, and your learning is to waste
Work, try
and ultimately
learn
For this is how you live.
This will be in the stall of a mens bathroom of Coronado high school.
Propoganda!
War propaganda is one of the most powerful instruments that a military has for gaining popular support, sans good reasons. Lets take this propaganda poster from North Korea, for example:
"Though the dog barks, the procession moves on!"
The poster is created to drive into the mind of the north Koreans that North Korea will plow ahead while the US, a ragged old dog, will be left behind. The whole pint that the government who sponsored this piece is simple: We will progress faster then the US to the point that they are nothing. This is intended for north Korean eyes only, like most propaganda to their respective countries, as it's purpose it to make north Koreans think they will soon be above the US. This shows that North Korea hates the US for some reason.
"Death to US imperialists, our sworn enemy!"
From North Korea yet again. this time they are saying we are their sworn enemy. It is clear to see, from the "US imperialists" part of the propaganda, that they dislike us due to the Korean war that we supported. Thus, here they are showing an US soldier, wrapped in a flag, about to get murdered. The red stands for North Korea, thus North Korea is killing the US.
"Do not forget the US imperialist wolves!"
Here is another North Korean piece again showing the US as imperialists, but with an added extra. This time the propaganda is also showing us as horrific bastards who are dropping a baby into what we can only assume to be a well (It could also be a planter box, but I'd hazard a guess that the North Korean government does not want to spread the the US drops babies a foot into planter boxes.) Thus the North Koreans are showing us, combining all three posters, as horrific imperialists who would kill babies, and are also behind them. This series (For more click here) is clearly commissioned by the North Korean government who wish to make its population believe, in any way possible, that is US is both horrible and nothing.
100 year trip
He awoke not to the expected gleaming white light overhead, surrounded by doctors, but to a darkness lit only by a small crack above his head. After several moments of feeling around he discovered a handhold, and eventually find a direction in which to slide himself, and the drawer he was in out. Now he was able to see light, still much dimmer then expected, along with the horrific small of decay and mold. Sitting up he saw a familiar sight, only drastically changed. He was in a large tall room, each inch of the wall dedicated to the front of a drawer, each containing a man (Or they used to, hopefully they are currently empty). The metal they were made of was heavily tarnished, however, and the bottom few were destroyed by the large pool of black water that filled the bottom of the room. The lights above, normally bright white, shown a dark orange due to build up on the bulbs. The vaste majority of the drawers were closed, some where open, and the open ones were devoid of people...
On panning of the room he had come face first with the decayed corpse hung by its neck on a open drawer to his left. Started, he managed to fall from into his perch high on the wall into the blackness below, which turned out to be much deeper then he expected. Struggling for breath, he managed to somehow work his way up to the surface, grasping for the putrid air above. He managed to grab a drawer to save himself from the water, only to have it slide out, exposing a human corpse. Pushing the body into the water, where it immidiently sank, dissapearing, he sat on the drawer, crying.
"A toast to the adventures of us! To see the future before it finds us!" The man raised his glass high to an applauding group. "This is our last party in the 21st century, make it last! Up next, parties in the 22nd, the 23nd, and onwards and upwards!" to this the group chugged their drinks. Others continued to give their own speeches to this joyous environment, and the night melted away into a party only those who never have parties party.
Prof Lott loves technology, he loved it to the point where to imagine that he would die soon, and miss out on all the advancements, was a fate worse then death. So he choose death; suspended animation that was. The technology had recently come out, and he was going to be one of the first to jump aboard the famous "100 year trip" in which you spend 100 years death, with two months alive. Lets you learn all about the world, experience it fully, then continue on to when theres more technology. This was his last day alive, then in a hundred years he'll awake to learn all about the new world, then die again. This'll repeat until the death of him or the world. He was worried about how it would work out, even if it would work, but he put it up to the hands of fate.
He and his party awoke to the shiny new world of 22nd century to party and visit tech museums, talk with the heads of fields, and learn the worlds. It was the best month of his life. So was the next. and the next. the next was by far the best. During his 100 year death the world had changed, they had found life on a different planet. Sadly the "Aliens" were set to arrive to earth a month after he slept, which was unchangeable due to the strict schedule's held. Another hundreds years of death, only to wake up to more.
As he sat crying in the drawer he thought about how he had come here, and why had he done this. He had exchanged life for discovery, which is typically a good choice, but something had happened. He did not know what, but he knew that he was never going to leave. The door was well below the waterline, in which he would never go into again, and there were no other ways out. Eventually he climbed up to his drawer he started in, and took the place of the person hanging there, the body of the previous occupied of the noose tumbling into the waters blow, while his pulse slowly stopped.
Far away a vaguely human shape sat in a chair, staring at a video monitor. He watched the slowly swinging body come to a rest, he knew why they were forced to never let them out, but every time this would happen he would still be saddened. He knew there was no place in the universe for them anymore, the aliens had helped them to advance; quickly and exponentially, into beings that weren't even separate anymore. The rest of the human race assured him this is is way it has to be, with all the other races in the universe chipping in with agreeance. He, nor anyone else, could not imagine how it would be to live without the "Hivebrain" but these beings did. They had searched for advancement, but their precious advancement had surpassed them and ran over them like roadkill, and to even come in contact with their germs would result in death of whoever touched them. They had passed their time.
(This was fun to write but the end was a pain to explain in a paragraph. the last paragraph warrants its own book. Also, it deals with love by his love of advancement leading to his downfall.)
On panning of the room he had come face first with the decayed corpse hung by its neck on a open drawer to his left. Started, he managed to fall from into his perch high on the wall into the blackness below, which turned out to be much deeper then he expected. Struggling for breath, he managed to somehow work his way up to the surface, grasping for the putrid air above. He managed to grab a drawer to save himself from the water, only to have it slide out, exposing a human corpse. Pushing the body into the water, where it immidiently sank, dissapearing, he sat on the drawer, crying.
"A toast to the adventures of us! To see the future before it finds us!" The man raised his glass high to an applauding group. "This is our last party in the 21st century, make it last! Up next, parties in the 22nd, the 23nd, and onwards and upwards!" to this the group chugged their drinks. Others continued to give their own speeches to this joyous environment, and the night melted away into a party only those who never have parties party.
Prof Lott loves technology, he loved it to the point where to imagine that he would die soon, and miss out on all the advancements, was a fate worse then death. So he choose death; suspended animation that was. The technology had recently come out, and he was going to be one of the first to jump aboard the famous "100 year trip" in which you spend 100 years death, with two months alive. Lets you learn all about the world, experience it fully, then continue on to when theres more technology. This was his last day alive, then in a hundred years he'll awake to learn all about the new world, then die again. This'll repeat until the death of him or the world. He was worried about how it would work out, even if it would work, but he put it up to the hands of fate.
He and his party awoke to the shiny new world of 22nd century to party and visit tech museums, talk with the heads of fields, and learn the worlds. It was the best month of his life. So was the next. and the next. the next was by far the best. During his 100 year death the world had changed, they had found life on a different planet. Sadly the "Aliens" were set to arrive to earth a month after he slept, which was unchangeable due to the strict schedule's held. Another hundreds years of death, only to wake up to more.
As he sat crying in the drawer he thought about how he had come here, and why had he done this. He had exchanged life for discovery, which is typically a good choice, but something had happened. He did not know what, but he knew that he was never going to leave. The door was well below the waterline, in which he would never go into again, and there were no other ways out. Eventually he climbed up to his drawer he started in, and took the place of the person hanging there, the body of the previous occupied of the noose tumbling into the waters blow, while his pulse slowly stopped.
Far away a vaguely human shape sat in a chair, staring at a video monitor. He watched the slowly swinging body come to a rest, he knew why they were forced to never let them out, but every time this would happen he would still be saddened. He knew there was no place in the universe for them anymore, the aliens had helped them to advance; quickly and exponentially, into beings that weren't even separate anymore. The rest of the human race assured him this is is way it has to be, with all the other races in the universe chipping in with agreeance. He, nor anyone else, could not imagine how it would be to live without the "Hivebrain" but these beings did. They had searched for advancement, but their precious advancement had surpassed them and ran over them like roadkill, and to even come in contact with their germs would result in death of whoever touched them. They had passed their time.
(This was fun to write but the end was a pain to explain in a paragraph. the last paragraph warrants its own book. Also, it deals with love by his love of advancement leading to his downfall.)
Post-colonial Lense in Rabbit proof fence
I wondered for several days to find out which subject to do this blog post on. I could never find a good one. New it's late Friday, and I feel like going for a easy one. Rabbit proof fence, the best example of Imperialism I can think up.
RABBIT PROOF FENCE
Rabbit proof Fence is a depressing story of three African children who are the victims of Imperialism and get taken from their family. They then proceed to attempt to return to their loving families, through a long series of fortunate events, backstabbing, and horrible events. They eventually return to their families, however. Imperialism is rich in this story; The entire reason they were taken from their homes was because the Europeans thought they were doing them a favor; by making their children white. In several points of the film the Europeans say that they are "Upgrading" the Africans to white. This is just the most prominent example of Imperialism
I post-colonial critic would have mixed thoughts about this film: Unhappy as this movie is full of Imperialism; figuratively dripping with it, and happy a they can write a book on the subject! In all truthfulness, a post colonial critic would view this movie in a good light as it portrays the imperialism as bad and evil, litterly having imperialistic forces as the antagonist in the film. However, the movie shows that not all Europeans follow imperialism, with a European man helping the children out, and even an Africa calling them out (to counteract the previous scene).
This text is suppost to be viewed in a post-colonial lense; if forces you to employ the lense via its numerous scenes outlining the ideals of Imperialism. Watching the movie without this lense would give you a dry and quite boring show; if this were possible.
I believe that in general this is a wonderful film, it brings about the evils of Imperialism in an easy to understand way to those who probably never understood how these people thought.
RABBIT PROOF FENCE
Rabbit proof Fence is a depressing story of three African children who are the victims of Imperialism and get taken from their family. They then proceed to attempt to return to their loving families, through a long series of fortunate events, backstabbing, and horrible events. They eventually return to their families, however. Imperialism is rich in this story; The entire reason they were taken from their homes was because the Europeans thought they were doing them a favor; by making their children white. In several points of the film the Europeans say that they are "Upgrading" the Africans to white. This is just the most prominent example of Imperialism
I post-colonial critic would have mixed thoughts about this film: Unhappy as this movie is full of Imperialism; figuratively dripping with it, and happy a they can write a book on the subject! In all truthfulness, a post colonial critic would view this movie in a good light as it portrays the imperialism as bad and evil, litterly having imperialistic forces as the antagonist in the film. However, the movie shows that not all Europeans follow imperialism, with a European man helping the children out, and even an Africa calling them out (to counteract the previous scene).
This text is suppost to be viewed in a post-colonial lense; if forces you to employ the lense via its numerous scenes outlining the ideals of Imperialism. Watching the movie without this lense would give you a dry and quite boring show; if this were possible.
I believe that in general this is a wonderful film, it brings about the evils of Imperialism in an easy to understand way to those who probably never understood how these people thought.
How the office portrays modern day society
In episode 56 "The coverage" dwights friend makes an excellent remark at the 27:30 mark that works wonderfully well as a topic sentence so I'll just allow you to recall back to that and I'll continue.
I'm kidding. I'll attempt to write this as if you've never read the office. So don't worry, everyone should understand.
The office is an extremely popular show on NBC. It portrays the lives of several people working inside of a mid-ranged paper supply company. The Office shows us every day life in a hilariously satirical manner, each member exhibiting some stereotypical member of an every day American office. Each one is working twards the best life they can, and (for the most part) doing it horrbily due to mostly self-inflicted issues.
Michael
Michael is the Branch manger of the office the show is set. He's the stereotypical boss we've seen on countless movies; incompetent, never does work, and clueless.He spends his days doing a horrible job at his job, and procrastinating on the simplest tasks. He personally believes he's in the job he wants to be in, while in reality he is missmatched. He dirires a job where humor is appreciated and communication is endless. He's in a quiet job manenging. He spends his days hoping for the career to be a screenwriter, however never follows this carrer interest of his. He believes he's happy but in reality he's killing his own and everyone in the office's happiness. He's the perfect example of smeone who thinks they're happy.
Pam is the office receptionist who loves drawing. Although I do not recall any time in which she states how much she likes her job, I can only assume she doesn't believe it to be the greatest thing in the world. However, like Jim' doesn't work hard to find a new job. She does, however, make some steps to improving her artistic carrier, but all of them amounted to nothing. Thus she is a portrayal of one who has talents but doesn't act upon them.
I'm kidding. I'll attempt to write this as if you've never read the office. So don't worry, everyone should understand.
The office is an extremely popular show on NBC. It portrays the lives of several people working inside of a mid-ranged paper supply company. The Office shows us every day life in a hilariously satirical manner, each member exhibiting some stereotypical member of an every day American office. Each one is working twards the best life they can, and (for the most part) doing it horrbily due to mostly self-inflicted issues.
Michael
Jim
Jim Halpert is a sales man in the office, and the office prankster. However, on several occasions he's voiced his dislike of what he does and admits to seeing himself doing other things. However; he never acts on his ambitions, and prefers to spend his days joking around his job he dislikes. He never makes any effort to fix the situation. He's a good example of someone who hates their job, but doesn't care enough to find a better one.
Pam
Pam is the office receptionist who loves drawing. Although I do not recall any time in which she states how much she likes her job, I can only assume she doesn't believe it to be the greatest thing in the world. However, like Jim' doesn't work hard to find a new job. She does, however, make some steps to improving her artistic carrier, but all of them amounted to nothing. Thus she is a portrayal of one who has talents but doesn't act upon them.Dwight
Hard working, sinister, evil genius. Dwight is that odd ball everyone has in the office, however he also has grand ambitions. Of all the people on thi list, he's the one most actively looking for happiness. However, he has one major flow; he's a bad choice for the career path. He's an outdoor-sy man who owns a beat farm and hides weapons throughout the office; working a white collar job. No clue what he should do, but this job is definitely not a good one for him.
Creed
You need to watch the show to truely understand this guy. Basically a hobo who somehow got trapped in his job. Probably wandered in thinking it was a burger king and filled out the job request thinking it was a new way to order hamburgers. Probably would do best as a band member or a druggie. But I repeat myself. The only job he could possibly he happy in would be one where you get paid to get high or do nothing, which is what ho has (As he never does anything)
Stanley
Stanly is the simple man who wishes to make enough to get his daughter through college, and nothing else. He's extremely unhappy with the unprofessional behavior of the office. However he stays as its a way to pay the bills. Thus he has given up an happiness and now rely on just living; the sadist state. Probably should have started a company; that way he would get the money he needs and been able to keep himself in a productive and professional environment he desires.
All the people in the office think are here because they either think that they are happiness here, or they don't care enough to leave. Thus humanity is always looking for happiness, and they always trick themselves into thinking they have it, or they just stop looking.
The Art
Rain mixed with ash fell into the mans eyes as he looked onto the burning city. His face was contorted into a horrendous face of agony and fear as bombs dropped about him. he stood stock still and explosions blasted buildings in the distance. His friends were away, screaming at him to run, to run for his life. But they were of no concern to him. He had two kids. A wife. he was happy. he saw the house they were in tumble as a bomb hit it, no doubtingly killing them. His horrified scratching at the rubble yielded no results. He wondered how it could take their innocent lives, but he already knew the answer; the bomb does not pick its targets, it only snatches random handfuls like a greedy child, whether they were useful or not. Before his eyes stood the city he had know as a city, burning as it was destroyed by an unknown force. Suddenly he realized his friends, his allies, screaming at him to preserve himself. He turned to look at them, but it was too late. A bomb had grasped at has handful. His friends could only scream and run.
Far away a man sat on a cumphy chair, looking onto his map of the burning city of hundreds, now deducted to ashes. Hundreds of memories, ambitions, and dreams now gone.
"And that, my friends, is the Art of War." He said to a clapping crowd.
Far away a man sat on a cumphy chair, looking onto his map of the burning city of hundreds, now deducted to ashes. Hundreds of memories, ambitions, and dreams now gone.
"And that, my friends, is the Art of War." He said to a clapping crowd.
On Gender
Our society has changed everything about it in the last centuries. We have gone from racist sexists living in shacks with kings to people sitting in million dollar homes without (For the majority) a racist or sexist thought in our bodies. However we still have these ideas, primarily sexism, engraved in our subconscious. One example of this is my favorite activity; Robotics Club. Robotics club consists of 30 people (I believe primarily males). Removing those who never show up (~15 people), and those who only sometimes come (~5 people) we are left with a core group of ten people. In this its got a slight slant to men. In the average day we have 5 males at a time in the room and about three females. The sad part of this is that the females don't do any work. Now before I start analyzing this I must point out that usually the males don't do too much work (Excluding me and several others). The females do do work, just not mostly working on the robot, for instance they get food and go on shopping excursions to get pool noodles and the like. I am certain some would love to work on the robot itself, its just its as if they have some sort of mental block to doing so. While the males tend to jump into work, the females wait patiently to be told what to do. This is quite aggravating as I always feel like I'm discriminating against them as they're just in the corner watching. But I'm starting to believe that perhaps society has told them in such a way that men know what they're doing, and females need to ask. This is an idea that has persisted over the centuries and has no evidence of waning.
What I want for christmas
Now in this particular assignment I'm tasked with a simple objective; analize one item on my wishlist, and explain how this explains me. To most people this is of no issue, as they have probably amassed a large list of items they'd like like, and can pick and choose. I don't have that luxury I'm afraid. I didn't make a wish list this year. Not for lake of time, beut for lake of wants. I sat down several times intending to pump out a list for my parents, but could never think of anything material that I'd like. Sure there's stuff I need, like a new desk, a new backpack would be great, and quite a few of my binders are falling apart, but nothing that I'd like. In fact, in the last year or so I've noticed a surprising amount of saving is being done, as I rarely buy things. Thus, out of lack of real things to report on, I'm forced to report on nothing.
Now, I'm not saying I don't usually ask for stuff on Christmas, usually my list is more like a book. However, my wanting far materialistic things has decreased drastically.I think its due to a changing personality, mostly due to a book. My English teacher told up to read a memoir of someone, and I dislike memoirs. So I picked one last moment and just started plowing my way through it. The last lecture. I soon realized how utterly astounding this book is. I started to see how this man has rejected the trappings of society; coddle your babies, money is happiness, and sue everyone you see. Instead this man makes a point of letting his kids do as they will, before he was married he drove a beat-up car and lived in a small apartment, while he could have easily done better. However he was saving for when the money could be spend on better things then an ego boot. This was an amazing no thought to me. and the more I thought about it, the more I decided that it was truly the best way to go. I never once decided that this is the course I'm going, however clearly somewhere I decided to move away from materialism. I used to spend my allowance instantly, but now I save it up for months and never spend it. I still have a list of things I want to buy, I had a whole list of things to get. I probably have enough to get it all at once now, but I don't think I will. I don't need a new computer screen, or now parts to the computer, or any of the things contained on that list. And I didn't even notice this until I started on my Christmas list.
Now the question I must ask myself is, is this temporary or is this something that I'll continue to do? I hope so. I guess I'll just remember Ghandi's words "Be the change you want to see in the world". And I'd love to see materialism decrease in this world.
Oh, and I lied. right before Christmas I added something to the blank wish-list, a twenty dollar "protoboard" that lets me make micro-controller things easier. I guess no one's perfect.
Now, I'm not saying I don't usually ask for stuff on Christmas, usually my list is more like a book. However, my wanting far materialistic things has decreased drastically.I think its due to a changing personality, mostly due to a book. My English teacher told up to read a memoir of someone, and I dislike memoirs. So I picked one last moment and just started plowing my way through it. The last lecture. I soon realized how utterly astounding this book is. I started to see how this man has rejected the trappings of society; coddle your babies, money is happiness, and sue everyone you see. Instead this man makes a point of letting his kids do as they will, before he was married he drove a beat-up car and lived in a small apartment, while he could have easily done better. However he was saving for when the money could be spend on better things then an ego boot. This was an amazing no thought to me. and the more I thought about it, the more I decided that it was truly the best way to go. I never once decided that this is the course I'm going, however clearly somewhere I decided to move away from materialism. I used to spend my allowance instantly, but now I save it up for months and never spend it. I still have a list of things I want to buy, I had a whole list of things to get. I probably have enough to get it all at once now, but I don't think I will. I don't need a new computer screen, or now parts to the computer, or any of the things contained on that list. And I didn't even notice this until I started on my Christmas list.
Now the question I must ask myself is, is this temporary or is this something that I'll continue to do? I hope so. I guess I'll just remember Ghandi's words "Be the change you want to see in the world". And I'd love to see materialism decrease in this world.
Oh, and I lied. right before Christmas I added something to the blank wish-list, a twenty dollar "protoboard" that lets me make micro-controller things easier. I guess no one's perfect.
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