Global Soul

“The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation. From the desperate city you go into the desperate country, and have to console yourself with the bravery of minks and muskrats. A stereotyped but unconscious despair is concealed even under what are called the games and amusements of mankind. There is no play in them, for this comes after work. But it is a characteristic of wisdom not to do desperate things.”

--Henry David Thoreau, Walden, Chapter 1

“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practise resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms, and, if it proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world; or if it were sublime, to know it by experience, and be able to give a true account of it in my next excursion.”

--Henry David Thoreau, Walden, Chapter 2

Prompt: After reading the following quotes, write your final blog post of the year synthesizing your responses to Into the Wild, Lost in Translation, Cosmopolitanism, The Global Soul and “Planetary Culture” with the wisdom of Thoreau. Follow the permanent  standards for blog posts and you must reference directly all three readings in your post. Other than that, the content of the post is up to you, but I have provided some guiding questions below which you must read and be prepared to discuss even if you do not use them in your post. Enjoy!

Prehistoric hunter-gatherers encountered fewer people in a lifetime than we would on a single day walking down New York's Fifth Avenue. We live in a world where our most trivial deeds can affect unknown millions on the other side of the globe. In “Cosmopolitanism” by Kwame Anthony Appiah, he proposes two principles to enable us to cope with this situation. We are, he asserts, responsible for every other human being. His second principle advocates "universal concern and respect for legitimate difference".

    

Watching the movie "Into the Wild", I felt like I could strongly relate to Chris' (or "Alexander Supertramp's") view on society and need to escape and find himself in the woods. About 5 years ago, my immediate family and I embarked on a life-changing journey, in which we enrolled in a home-schooling program and hit the road, trading in our 3200 square foot mansion in the suburban town of Anthem, Arizona, for a 300 square feet mobile home. That two year RV trip taught me more things about life than could ever be taught in any class or lecture. I found my love for a simple and unpretentious life, and living with less stuff made my life easier and happier. In “The Global Soul” by Pico Iyer, he finds Buddhist anti-materialism more realistic than the American pursuit of happiness, a preference dramatized when a firestorm destroys his California home turning it into a burning house; a Buddhist symbol of freedom from possessions. Chris feels this way of trying to escape the American mentality of “bigger is better” and focusing on the natural joys and gifts he receives from God. The way Chris feels when to the extreme, thinking he does not need even human relationships to be happy. On the other hand, I feel as if human relationships and sharing your life with special people is the key and source of happiness. As stated by Chris, “I will miss you too, but you are wrong if you think that the joy of life comes principally from the joy of human relationships. God's place is all around us, it is in everything and in anything we can experience. People just need to change the way they look at things.” In the end, however, Chris came to find that “happiness only real when shared.”


Iyer analyzes the global soul: to want to be at home anywhere in the world. Snyder suggests the possibility of a planetary culture: devoid of nations and national identities. Appiah prescribes a method for us all to get along: conversation. I agree with all of these ideas; before reading these essays and philosophies, I felt as if, like Appiah, getting along could just mean getting to know one another. So many times, people hate each other for no reason, their thoughts made up of preconceived ideas and stereotypical opinions of people they do not even know. If people would just converse and get to know one another, one might find out that the person they thought was one way could be exactly the opposite.

I feel like I am a global soul; I have “lived” so many different places for as little as one week while traveling in the RV and have felt at home for every second. However, I always needed a “constant variable”, if you will. My family was always there while we were traveling; I feel as if journeying alone would be a much more inauspicious however as well as more evocative. To me, a global soul is one who can adapt to diverse and unique languages, cultures, foods, and experiences, no matter where they are. Charlotte and Bob adjusted to the culture of Japan; however they had a common variable with them, which was the ability to speak English. As Alex/Chris did on his journey to Alaska, he lacked a human connection, as talked about above. However, having someone with you on a trip or being with someone does not always mean one does not feel comfortable. In “Lost in Translation”, Charlotte was with her husband in Tokyo, however she was inevitably secluded. Some people can feel lonelier when they are surrounded by others.

"Loneliness does not come about from not having people around one but from feeling unable to communicate what seems important to oneself, or from having certain views that others would find inadmissible." –Carl Jung

Word Count: 734

Are we Bystanders to Genocide?

Topic: No one in our class doubts that genocides will continue to be perpetrated in our world. What will you do about this? Will you be a bystander or will you take action?

When we look back on events such as the Holocaust, it's hard not to wonder: why didn't anyone do anything? This phenomenon of standing by and watching as an entire race is practically exterminated is known as the bystander effect. By definition, the bystander effect is a social psychological phenomenon that refers to cases in which individuals do not offer help to a victim. (What is the Bystander Effect?) Bystanders watch the ongoing, usually progressively increasing mistreatment of a group of people yet have great potential power to influence events. However, whether individuals, groups, or nations, they frequently remain passive. This allows perpetrators to see their destructive actions as acceptable and even right. As a result of their passivity in the face of others' suffering, bystanders change: They come to accept the persecution and suffering of victims, and some even join the perpetrators. Regarding small crimes and actions such as stealing, many of us feel as if we do not offer help because someone else is already helping them, or we do not want to get caught or entangled into the crime. On a large scale, such as murder and rape, we feel it is too dangerous for us to get involved and it is not our responsibility to help, as we might not know or have any relation with the victim or aggressor.

"For the dead and the living, we must bear witness." -Elie Wiesel

What about standing by watching genocide occur? With the increasingly advancing technology these days, it is easy to witness either on television, YouTube, or any other Internet-based site what is going on around the world. We see mass devastation and destruction happening to fellow human beings, yet we go on with our lives like its nothing. An outstanding example of this is from the movie "Hotel Rwanda" is when Jack says "I think if people see this footage they'll say 'Oh my God that's horrible', and then go on eating their dinners." Concerning global context with nations and states refusing to intervene when witnessing mass destruction in countries around them, powerful countries such as the United States will often stand by and watch as other countries experience the horrors of genocide. A primary example is the Holocaust, which resulted in the killing of between 5 and 6 million European Jews by Nazi Germany during World War 1. Other examples are the genocide of the Armenians in Turkey in 1915-1916, the "auto genocide" in Cambodia between 1975 and 1979, and the genocide in Rwanda in 1994. (The Worst Genocides in the 20th Century) Many of the same influences are also present both in the widespread uses of torture and in terrorist violence. In the United Nations charter on genocide, the term denotes the extermination of racial, religious, or ethnic groups.

So the real question is, what would I do in the case of genocide? Would I be just another bystander, or would I do something? Almost everyone who receives this question would usually think “Yes. I would do something if another genocide occurred.” What we fail to realize is that there is a genocide currently ongoing; the genocide in Darfur (Six Things You Can Do to Stop Genocide). However, to contribute or help people in need while their country is undergoing genocide does not mean hopping on a flight and leaving everything you’ve ever known to lead protests in a foreign country. Even small things like donating money or raising awareness in a community can help bring a stop to these ongoing killings. (Preventing Genocide)

This history course has made me become a more aware and conscious person about the terrors going on in our world, not only in the past, but today as well. If more people can get educated and get involved with trying to prevent and stop today's genocide, we can truly make a difference.

Stop Genocide Now

Word Count: 645

IB Program Thoughts

We are going to go loose this time: Just simply express your thoughts on the guidance you have received in terms of your IB program and your career planning.

What have you learned from the process? Especially anything that has surprised you.

What worries you about what you have learned? What excites you?

What is your plan of attack? How are you going to use what you have learned?

Whenever I explain the IB (International Baccalaureate) to a friend or family member, their initial reaction is always, "Oh god, that sucks." Sure, it is a lot of homework, commitment, and time to be spending on school, when most people would like to be out with friends instead, and I am always seeing those "IB memes" in which students taking the program sympathize with each other about how hard life is during the program. However, I feel as if it is an amazing opportunity for me and my future. 

Over the past couple of weeks, my sophomore class has been receiving guidance and presentations on IB courses we are to chose from in preparation for next year. I am very fortunate to have arrived at ISC before I began my IB courses, because now I have time to really give thought to the classes I'm going to choose and why. My brother, Andrew, arrived right before his junior year, and had to pick his classes on the spot, without even really knowing what the IB program was. In this process of hearing each teacher present about their subjects, high level or standard level, I have found that I am leaning away from maths and sciences and more toward English and History; last year I probably would have said the exact opposite.

I'm very excited for my junior year, not only because I will be starting IB, but because I am going to be moving in the direction of my career and planning for the future. Whenever someone asks me, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" I usually respond with civil engineer, architect, or something that has to do with structure. However, when we did an activity in Academic Leadership in the beginning of the semester "What would you do if money was no object?", I responded with photographer for National Geographic. I have always been strongly interested in photography, and I love to travel. However, I think there is a time between childhood and late adolescence that we have to become aware that being a rock star, princess, astronaut, and many other popular "careers" young children often want to engage in is simply not going to support a certain lifestyle. Also, we have to keep in mind that according to the U.S. Department of Labor, 65% of children in grade school today's jobs have not even been created yet (Wayne).

But how are we supposed to decide? Colleges and universities reported nearly 1,500 academic programs in the Department of Education in 2010; 355 were added added over the next few years to stay competitive and current. At schools like Arizona State University and the University of Michigan, students have around 250 majors to choose from (Simon). Hopefully, the IB Program will help me filter my many interests into a general field I want to go into. Luckily, the United States' universities and colleges offer an "undecided" major, so I will be able to look around and get a feel for each before I settle down on one. 

Our class, filled with over-achieving and stressed-out geniuses, is dreading IB next year; however I am determined to make it my best year and am looking forward to it. However, what worries me is that junior year is the most important year for college applications, and I fear that with the change from AP to IB, I will take a while to adjust and not achieve my full potential.

Hopefully, I can get a couple of tips from my brother and the other junior and seniors about what to do and what not to do in IB, but mostly I will be "exploring new territory." My plan of attack is to keep as organized as possible. I already have developed a system in which I write all of my upcoming homework, tests, and to-do's on my calendar on my iPad, and it gives me updates on what I have to accomplish that day. In order to do well, I have to always know what, when, and how I need to do my work. Also, I have to make use of my precious time; time-management is something we learned last year and a couple of times this semester, and it is my biggest problem. 

Overall, I am excited to become an IB student, and I am looking forward to the bags under my eyes and the stress wrinkles on my forehead! 

Resources:

Holland Codes

Difference between AP and IB

Life as an IB Student

Most of our jobs are not created yet

Subjects to take for architecture

How to Survive IB

Major Decisions

Social Networks:

About.me

Twitter

Response to Seattle Boycott

January 30, 2013

A boycott of Seattle’s mandated MAP tests by teachers has spread past the Washington state and won support throughout the country by students, teachers and administrators. The boycott was first started by the teachers of Garfield High School, claiming that the Measures of Academy Progress exam measures the teacher’s teaching skills without evaluating the student’s knowledge. The boycott has been recently publicized by major news broadcasts and companies, helping to spread the world to the rest of the United States about the injustice of these standardized tests. The authorized exams for students are not actually testing the students’ abilities, however doing the exact opposite: the test doesn't affect the students in anyway. In my personal experience with MAP tests, almost all of us try to do our best; but we don’t spend more than around a minute on each question. If we don’t know it, we don’t try. The test is not for a grade or helping you get into a good college; most of us students have no idea that the test reflects much about anything. The ones that do, however, might try to excel and give it their best shot for the sake of their teachers and themselves; yet again not all students have a particularly loving relationship with their teacher. Who knows if some students actually try to fail out of hatred for their superior? Although these would be the worst circumstances, the MAP test isn't really testing much at all. Almost all of the teachers and staff at Garfield High are boycotting the test because they say it is not aligned with curriculum and is inappropriately being used by administrators to evaluate teachers, a purpose for which it was not designed. District administrators have defended the test, however the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers have both praised teachers at Garfield High saying “[I] proudly support their efforts in saying ‘no’ to giving their students a flawed test that takes away from learning and is not aligned with the curriculum.” After reading through several articles on the boycott as I have posted links to below, I have found that not only the majority of superiority leaders such as stated in the Seattle Times Editorial, have claimed the teachers are being not only irrational but have chosen the wrong topic and timing to boycott. They proclaim that, “An objective measure of student and teacher performance is critical. Student portfolios and peer reviews plus student-parent surveys are among the many ways to assess teachers. All of those ideas should be examined by the new assessment task force and the district’s own review of its assessment tools.” After reading this article, it sort of opened my eyes about the boycott: there are many other ways of evaluating teacher and student progress. I am not saying that I have revoked my previous opinion on the injustice of MAP testing, however this boycott might have been a bit histrionic. In the Seattle area, 87 out of 95 tests have already been distributed. With that being said, I think it is still very important that the teachers voice their opinions to, in theirs and many others eyes, an unsophisticated bias—after all, isn't that what a “free country” is all about?

Boycott of Standardized Test

Washington Post
Seattle Times

Word Count: 542

You briefly met with a college recruiter last week, and you reviewed a number of questions to ask about colleges. This must have gotten you thinking about your future, so tell us about it: Without any strict requirements, write about your expectations, goals, fears, concerns, questions that you have concerning your future in college. Additionally, now that you know that recruiters want to hear about you and your intellectual interests and pursuits, how do you think being an aware Academic Leader will give you an advantage when applying to the college of your choice?

Last Friday, we met shortly with a college recruiter from Baldwin Wallace University, and she presented her slideshow then answered our questions. The whole process got me thinking about when I do start having to start doing those interviews myself. I have many fears for college, from the interviewing process to taking my final exams. Yet through the stress, the panicking and tears, I have no doubt that the outcome will exceed my expectations thoroughly. I also acquire many goals and expectations not only for the whole college experience, but personal goals for myself.

When I think of going to college, I think just like any other average teenager: partying, no parents and complete freedom. But when I think a bit deeper, I also imagine the interviews, competitiveness of getting into the school, and cramming for finals. However, I am very optimistic towards the whole college experience. I look forward greatly to living in a dorm and having multiple room mates, eating Top Ramen every night to save money, and meeting new people from around the world. Academically, I expect not only the different classroom and number of students, but also the lack of professor-student time in a bigger university. I imagine that the classes I take will give me a rude awakening of the difference between the sheltered ISC we attend and the “real world of academics”. I understand that I must be organized as much as possible, and balance my academic and social life. Another thing I look forward to is the athletic privileges. I know it will take blood, sweat and tears to make the volleyball or soccer team but I am willing to work. I am devoted and enthusiastic about my sports, and can’t wait to represent my school in playing. Some of my goals for my college years is to not get below a C in any of my classes, and to meet at least one new person a day.

Even with all of these new and exciting experiences in the somehow near future, I cannot shake the sheer terror I have exiting my high school life and continuing onto college. It is like the end of a chapter in my life, flipping onto a fresh page unwritten on. We all have that gut fear that we will get lost on campus, go to the wrong class the first day, or get stuck with a smelly room mate. One of my worst fears is not getting into the university of my choice and having to attend a junior college first. I plan on going to a four-year university on the west coast in the United States, especially a University of California or University of Washington school. Some of my other fears are failing a class, not understanding any of my subjects, making no friends, and doing bad in my interviews. Hopefully, I will overcome these anxieties and have a phenomenal college experience.

In Academic Leadership, we cover a variety of subjects, from giving public speeches to studying them, learning about great leaders to becoming one, and discussing a wide range of topics. Some of the ways this class can help us get into the university of our choice is first off, starting early. This class is an IB prep class, and if we are prepared for IB, hopefully we will do well and receive our IB diplomas and that will reflect positively on our resumes. As well as academics, we learn crucial skills for taking interviews and speaking in front of the recruiters.

I have many expectations, fears, and goals for my unbelievably close college years. I want to make the most of my years in high school with my friends, living with my parents, and being a kid. All I can say is simply, I’m excited.

"I've learned one thing, and that's to quit worrying about stupid things. You have four years to be irresponsible here, relax. Work is for people with jobs. You'll never remember class time, but you'll remember the time you wasted hanging out with your friends. So stay out late. Go out with your friends on a Tuesday when you have a paper due on Wednesday. Spend money you don't have. Drink 'til sunrise. The work never ends, but college does...”  -Tom Petty

　

Tips on the first week of college:
 http://www.studential.com/universitylife/freshers_guide_2010/survival_tips

How high school is different from a University:

http://www.eng.mcmaster.ca/eng1/comparison.html





　
Word Count: 694

"In our first two weeks, you have read several articles, seen several videos and been engaged in several discussions related to the concept of academic leadership. At this point, and in your own words, what does the concept mean to you? What subjects or interests do you have a sophisticated, intellectual understanding of that you may want to turn into a major academic project in this class? How do people sometimes abuse academic knowledge to manipulate others? How would you feel if someone used your work to manipulate others (as Jared Diamond claims Mitt Romney has)? How can creating academically sophisticated, intellectual leaders help prevent such people from taking advantage of others the way they do? How can this create a stronger democratic society?"

            Academic Leadership in itself is an interesting concept for me. Never in the states was there a class you could take, even as an elective, that taught you the skills I’ve learned by being here for just a couple weeks. Some of the things I look forward to during the time period we have in class have a wide range. From taking about serious issues such as government and war to laughing and sharing ideas with one another, Academic Leadership has been a beneficial experience so far.
         The ideas I have for the major academic project this year are still extensive. One idea I had was somewhat nurtured from Ms. Barker’s history class, the connection between history and the Olympics. I thought that would be an amazing subject to study, since I have a strong love for both the Olympic Games and history. Yet, some people started to think of that as their project as well. I want my project to be thought up on my own, and to be new, undertaken and original. So I started to think of things I am enticed in. I immediately thought of music. I remember reading an article about how music affects the brain, and how you learn and think better while listening to it. I also have a couple vague brainstorms somehow involving sports and studying.
          In this world, some people don’t acquire the love of learning anymore. Many students are not only going to school and not caring about studying anymore, because in some societies, failing class is “cool” if you get good grades, you are considered “nerdy”. Thankfully that doesn’t stop most students from earning their diploma and continuing their education. On the other hand, people can abuse their academic knowledge in many ways. They can use intelligence to advertise and trick people into buying their products, and make money on others’ lack of knowledge. In the health care industry, there may be a desire to retain market share for a product, creating incentives to exaggerate its efficiency and safety. These things are just some ways academicians abuse their scholarship for their own sake. If somebody used my own work to employ others I would feel not only violated, I would feel ashamed and discouraged. If you spend time and effort on a project and gain knowledge on a new breakthrough discovery, only then to have your work transformed into something in fact the opposite by an arrogant other, I could only imagine how Diamond feels. He says at one point in the article, "I was especially interested in his (Romney) remark because he misrepresented my views and, in contrasting them with another scholar’s arguments, oversimplified the issue." I think Diamond had every right to say what he feels, because Romeny did in fact manipulte his words.
         In a sense, we do have leaders that are academically sophisticated and intelligent in this world. I would argue that Barack Obama is one of them. Yet, there is still crisis in America, and no matter which leaders we have, even if they possess all outstanding qualities. Some ways they do help is creating new laws, such as the law against piracy in order to stop people who take advantage of others. Yet those laws also have negative consequences, as the article states (Anti-piracy) below. In Gardener's essay, he states that "Leadership is a word that has risen up above normal workaday usage as a conveyor of meaning." I think what he means by that is being a leader is not to be taken lightly, and the word "leader" should only be applied to the very elite.
          Democracy is made of many different components, such as the involvement of active citizens, the protection of all human rights, a political system for choosing and replacing government through the vote of the people, the laws apply to all people, etc. Our leaders are often the people we look up to as role models, as in the activity we did the other day. Most of us would like to be like our leaders in one way or another. I think some ways to become a stronger democracy would be health care programs, rule of law, and civil societies.
         Overall, I think I will really enjoy taking Academic Leadership this year. As I stated before, not many students in the world have a class dedicated to learning new academic skills, becoming a leader for yourself and others, and many more. I look forward to sharing my thoughts and ideas with the rest of my class for the rest of the year.
　
　
Democracy:
http://www.stanford.edu/~ldiamond/iraq/WhaIsDemocracy012004.htm
Anti-piracy:
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120215/04241517766/how-much-is-enough-weve-passed-15-anti-piracy-laws-last-30-years.shtml

Musical activities affecting the brain:



Word count: 704