The other day in English class Mr. Allen was talking to me about my short story. In the course of the discussion, the nature and likely responses of teenage boys came up. This was contextual to the likelihood that a teenager would stay and help an older stranger who needed help around the house or yard. Mr. Allen concluded that a kid would mostly like try and succeed in getting out of it, while I tried to defend myself and peers. That got me thinking. What if teenagers were selfless?
The most intriguing change would be in adults' perceptions. If teenagers were selfless, most likely brought on by better communal and self awareness, people like Mr. Allen wouldn't be so sure either of how my character or his students would respond to certain situations. We'd have a better reputation, and be able to take on much greater responsibility at home and in the community. That's not to say there aren't teenagers who don't do such things, this is just a question of perception. It seems like problems with substance abuse and accompanying illicit activities either wouldn't exist, or wouldn't be of concern to parents, authorities, or media, since they'd be assured of our appropriate, adult-like disposition to such activities. Isn't that why "responsible" adults drink?
Then again, there's a reason most teenagers are selfish; they're in the process of becoming selfless. Isn't that what growing up is all about?
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Dialetics: Opinion and Fact
Two controversial concepts, the realm of politicians and journalists alike. Opinion and fact are melded together, mutually-supporting, and essential to any interaction between two humans.
Fact-
Facts are what are in most cases the result of research, experimentation, and consensus-based experience. Although commonly considered "true," beyond doubt, or in other ways proved, the most important factor in determining the validity of a fact is the ability of that fact's evidential support to convince a majority of people of its truth.
Opinion-
Most people build opinions based around facts. These are the proclaimed and accepted realm of influence- from peers, media, and family alike. Opinions are allowed to change, and, although they might be built around "true" facts, their actual "truth" value is simply in the eyes of the beholder.
"Truth"-
Somewhere in between opinion and fact is the truth- what each of us holds to have relative staying power as far as correctness and perhaps relevancy to our lives. When we combine the two together, it helps us realize that all opinions, facts, and truths are relative to what we perceive and consequently believe. Humans can convince themselves of anything. Our peers can convince us of anything. What have you been convinced of?
Fact-
Facts are what are in most cases the result of research, experimentation, and consensus-based experience. Although commonly considered "true," beyond doubt, or in other ways proved, the most important factor in determining the validity of a fact is the ability of that fact's evidential support to convince a majority of people of its truth.
Opinion-
Most people build opinions based around facts. These are the proclaimed and accepted realm of influence- from peers, media, and family alike. Opinions are allowed to change, and, although they might be built around "true" facts, their actual "truth" value is simply in the eyes of the beholder.
"Truth"-
Somewhere in between opinion and fact is the truth- what each of us holds to have relative staying power as far as correctness and perhaps relevancy to our lives. When we combine the two together, it helps us realize that all opinions, facts, and truths are relative to what we perceive and consequently believe. Humans can convince themselves of anything. Our peers can convince us of anything. What have you been convinced of?
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Blogging Around
Dan made a post likening the treatment of Africans by Europeans in The Heart Of Darkness to that of factions on all three sides- American, Israeli, and Palestinian, of that conflict. I responded.
"I find your point interesting, but strongly disagree with your basis for comparison.
The way Americans, Israelis, and Palestinians treat and construct each other is very different from Africans and Europeans. Africans were made out to be the dark, mindless inhabitants of a place we need to bring the light too. While some aspects of our treatment of terrorists can be seen to be slightly similar, they are portrayed as a dangerous and capable enemy, ready and willing to directly threaten our way of life. While still try to bring our way of life to them, we realize that the leaders of these peoples, as well as moderate factions within Muslim states can be bargained and cooperated with, to help reach the goals of both sides- peace and prosperity.
To defend Israel directly- when Israel goes to war it deliberately avoids causing excess amounts of civilian casualties, a problem complicated by Hamas's use of civilians as shields. Saying that attempting to save lives in spite of war in this way is akin to the disposablity Africans were treated with is almost offensive.
More importantly, your comparison overlooks a fundamental difference between the conflict in the Heart of Darkness and that in Gaza and Israel today. Israelis and Palestinians coexist in the same territory. The mothers, wives, and children of the men fighting for their right to exist live in close proximity to the conflict. They fight to protect a way of life. In marked contrast, young men went to Africa in many cases for the sole purpose of exploitation for a profit. These fundamentally different motives reflect the fact that while Europeans happily took advantage of the lands they went to, those involved in the conflict in the Middle East only want stability- even if it is on different terms."
Jenna what ifed about the Matrix, wondering what it would be like to wake up like Neo did, and going as far as to suggest that we were in the Matrix, and the machines used the movie to trick us into thinking we weren't. I responded.
"Jenna,
Your what ifing is interesting, but I would respond, at least to your last thought, with a so what?
So what if we're in a matrix fantasyland?
So what if you can never really know who or what you could be or are?
So what if there are actually holes in you?
Well, I guess you might like to know. But let's say you couldn't ever know. Let's say your actual body is in a soupy machine cell being harvested for energy.
Does it matter?
The human body is pretty limited to just being able to process, understand, and experience what our senses take. We conjecture and dream a lot, but even that is just based around experiences we've already had. That means that if we're living in a dream world, our body behaves as if that dream world were real. Your body doesn't care. It's pretty easy to trick. Maybe your mind is the same?"
"I find your point interesting, but strongly disagree with your basis for comparison.
The way Americans, Israelis, and Palestinians treat and construct each other is very different from Africans and Europeans. Africans were made out to be the dark, mindless inhabitants of a place we need to bring the light too. While some aspects of our treatment of terrorists can be seen to be slightly similar, they are portrayed as a dangerous and capable enemy, ready and willing to directly threaten our way of life. While still try to bring our way of life to them, we realize that the leaders of these peoples, as well as moderate factions within Muslim states can be bargained and cooperated with, to help reach the goals of both sides- peace and prosperity.
To defend Israel directly- when Israel goes to war it deliberately avoids causing excess amounts of civilian casualties, a problem complicated by Hamas's use of civilians as shields. Saying that attempting to save lives in spite of war in this way is akin to the disposablity Africans were treated with is almost offensive.
More importantly, your comparison overlooks a fundamental difference between the conflict in the Heart of Darkness and that in Gaza and Israel today. Israelis and Palestinians coexist in the same territory. The mothers, wives, and children of the men fighting for their right to exist live in close proximity to the conflict. They fight to protect a way of life. In marked contrast, young men went to Africa in many cases for the sole purpose of exploitation for a profit. These fundamentally different motives reflect the fact that while Europeans happily took advantage of the lands they went to, those involved in the conflict in the Middle East only want stability- even if it is on different terms."
Jenna what ifed about the Matrix, wondering what it would be like to wake up like Neo did, and going as far as to suggest that we were in the Matrix, and the machines used the movie to trick us into thinking we weren't. I responded.
"Jenna,
Your what ifing is interesting, but I would respond, at least to your last thought, with a so what?
So what if we're in a matrix fantasyland?
So what if you can never really know who or what you could be or are?
So what if there are actually holes in you?
Well, I guess you might like to know. But let's say you couldn't ever know. Let's say your actual body is in a soupy machine cell being harvested for energy.
Does it matter?
The human body is pretty limited to just being able to process, understand, and experience what our senses take. We conjecture and dream a lot, but even that is just based around experiences we've already had. That means that if we're living in a dream world, our body behaves as if that dream world were real. Your body doesn't care. It's pretty easy to trick. Maybe your mind is the same?"
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