Morgan Gerome ENG 101-C Final Exam-Visual Blog

Introduction

            Hi, my name is Morgan Gerome and I am a freshman at EKU.  At the beginning of this class I was not sure what to expect.  Professor Benningfield told the class that we would be reading a lot and many of the readings will involve history; this made me very nervous because I do not like history.  I looked over the syllabus and thought the class was going to be hard.  After taking this class, it was not that bad; the essays were spaced out and thoroughly gone over, we were not just reading to read, because the essays were all about the readings.  Despite the fact that I do not like history, I surprisingly enjoyed many of the readings, because of the content that was being discussed; these included the readings of Lao-Tzu, Machiavelli, King, and Singer and Mason.  This blog will show what I have learned throughout the semester and how this all relates to me in society. 

Government

This picture represents government
because it is crucial to vote in elections
because you choose who represents you. 
The Power of Voting

Government was a huge topic this semester and one that I particularly thought I would not like.  Politics and government are not very interesting to me, but to my surprise I actually liked this topic and began to see what a government is and how it should be ran.  What makes an ideal government is one who provides equal rights and equal treatment for all.

            The government is to provide equal rights for all through the law.  Mahatma Gandhi says, “my idea of society is that while we are all born equal, meaning that we have the right to equal opportunity, all have not the same capacity.” (140).  We may not all be the same race, color, weight, size or religion, but we all are born equal and deserve to have equal rights.  In the past discrimination has been eliminated through the amendments of women’s rights, blacks voting rights, and age voting rights. Therefore it is crucial that the government provides equal rights for all through the laws that they make, to ensure that no racism can be acted upon.

            Citizens have a critical role in the government by whom they choose for government positions.  It is crucial for one to vote in elections if they are concerned about their government and about who is making decisions about their country. Gandhi believes this to be true when he says, “the truth is that power resides in the people and it is entrusted for the time being to those whom they may choose as their representatives” (141).  My role in the government is just this, I vote in the elections when an issue of interest arises and I support this issue.  For instance, the presidential elections, I will vote in the next presidential election because I care about my country and it is in my power to choose a president who I think will make better decisions in concern of the people and for the good of the country.

Wealth and Poverty

            Wealth and poverty is a big issue in today’s society and an issue that really grabs my attention.  Eliminating poverty is a tough issue to resolve due to the lack of money that the government can provide for the poor, and the lack of others willingness to help the poor.  To eliminate the separation of rich and poor the wealthy need to be generous with their wealth and the government needs to provide the essential needs of living to all. 

This is one of the ways that I have
helped the poor, by collecting cans 
to donate. Relaycans

            The wealthy do not need to be as generous as handing over large sums of their money to the poor, but by donating money to organizations that help the poor can make a tremendous difference.  Andrew Carnegie was a big believer in this kind of giving, and he believed that “in bestowing charity, the main consideration should be to help those who will help themselves; to provide part of the means by which those who desire to improve may do so” (400-401).  Donating to organizations that help the poor is very influential on the poor because these organizations build parks, shelters, housing or even schools, which then aid the poor citizens and helps them prosper.  Also “society must provide, free for everyone, the minimum necessities of material existence in food, housing, and clothing” (Fromm 75).  This will ensure that all people are given the necessary items to live and to have an equal opportunity of being successful in their life.

Helping people within your community is a very worthwhile and rewarding action.  Some ways that I have helped the poor is through church and school; my family and I have bought Christmas gifts for a family in poverty, and at school we have collected cans to donate to soup kitchens and such.  There are many other ways to donate to help the poor families without even spending any money, such as going to a soup kitchen to help serve food or even mentoring them and spending time with them.  These things make a person feel like they belong and encourage them to work harder to make something of themselves.

Justice

This represents justice because 
the gavel represents justice for the entire
world because justice is served through
the law. Gavel and World

            Justice is a very loaded topic that can be controversial at times.  This topic was of some interest to me based upon the stoning articles we read and the stoning movie we watched.  I was not aware that so many people are being treated unequally in other countries.  Injustice is served in Iran through the stoning of women and the unjust laws implemented; this injustice must be changed so that all people are treated equally and fairly.  Injustice can be broken if and only if it is done in a rightful manner and this was not the case in Iran.
            Stoning takes place in Iran, usually against women and the most common reason is because they committed adultery. “Women are especially vulnerable to unfair trials, since they are much more likely to be illiterate and duped into signing confessions” (Death by Stoning).  How is this fair?  Women are not treated fairly in Iran; they are not schooled properly, they are not able to work for pay and their rights are very limited.  A woman does not have the ability to stand up for herself because of her lack of education and lack of protection from the government.  As we saw in the movie, The Stoning of Soraya M., Soraya was innocent, but could not prove her innocence because of certain Iranian laws that stated if the husband of a wife accuses her of adultery then he is telling the truth; a man is always telling the truth, according to Iranian laws.  This sort of treatment is definitely not just and should not be allowed in any country no matter what the circumstances may be. 

            Unjust laws can be broken if it is done in a rightful nonviolent manner.  Martin Luther King Jr. had a very sound way of taking up this action and this was through the  “collection of the facts to determine whether injustices exist; negotiation; self-purification; and direct action” (215).   By following these few steps, you can ensure that you are taking action in a rightful manner.  If there is a case of injustice such as a broken promise by the government it is right for you to protest, but do it in a way where attention is brought to your cause in order to help your cause and not harm it.  I do not fight injustice, because this is a heavy issue that needs people who actually know what they are doing and can get the attention of the government properly. 

Ethics and Morality

            Ethics and morality are a confusing topic that I did not understand very well.  I thought that ethics and morality were all about religion.  I have learned that this is not completely what ethics and morality are; you can have ethical and moral behavior without religion.  Ethics is the idea between what is morally right and wrong.  From the readings of Peter Singer and Jim Mason, and Aristotle ethics is found through food and happiness.

This picture represents morality
because we have a duty to do things
the right way or wrong way and the things
we do are either forbidden or good.

Morality

            Aristotle discussed that it is of every mans desire to be happy.  Happiness is ethical and happiness “involves not only a completeness of virtue but also a complete lifetime for its fulfillment” (Aristotle 704).  Happiness is something that lasts a lifetime when it is acquired.  Happiness is acquired through ones' study and diligence and cannot be attained by chance or through wealth (Aristotle 704).  I agree with Aristotle that wealth might make someone happy, but happiness is not something that can be bought, it is something that one needs to work hard at to acquire.  That is what makes happiness ethical because you are attaining happiness through your hard work and through the things you do right.

            It is ethical to be selective with your food and eat those foods that are processed organically.  One should eat organically because of the poor way that the slaughter farms treat their animals and because of the unsanitary process the slaughter farms have.  Singer and Mason believe that “drawing a clear line against eating animal products may be the best way to ensure that one eats ethically” (787).  If you are a supporter of eating only those meats that are organic you might be sending the wrong message to others as to why exactly you do this.  So to effectively support the cause of how wrong the animals are treated it would be more effective if you refuse to eat all animal products, and be a vegan.  To me this is very ethical, even though I am not one who is a vegan or selective eater.  At times I have considered it, but I love meat and cannot imagine not being able to have a steak for dinner.   

Individual

            I was not so sure what to except in the individual unit of this class.  I was kind of leery about the topics that would be discussed and even what the readings would be about.  After reading Ralph Waldo Emerson’s writing of “Self-Reliance” I got a better feel for the topic and began to understand that as an individual my duty is to look out for myself and not be influenced by others.

This picture represents individualism because
to be an individual you need to be 
a leader and be who you want to be
not who someone else leads you to be. 
Anonymous-leadership

            As an individual I thought that we should be looking out for others and always try to help them out in every way possible, but Ralph Waldo Emerson stated that it is not our obligation to help the poor men and to help them come out of their situation and that we do not belong to them and they do not belong to us (263).  This makes sense because we as individuals do not own the poor people, so it is not our job to help them come out of their situation.  My duty is to look out for myself and I need to do this by not being persuaded by others, “if mankind commits suicide, it will be because people will obey those who command them to push the deadly button” (Fromm 333).  I do not want to be a follower of others, I want to be my own individual person and be able to do things on my own with my own perspective.

            Emerson said, “my life is not an apology, but a life” (263).  This is such a strong statement because it is so truthful.  I should not apologize for who I am or what I do because it is my life and I am the one living it. What I have learned from this unit is that I am to be myself and not be persuaded by others.

Conclusion

            I really enjoyed this class and many of the readings that we read.  I liked the readings from the government section to the wealth and poverty section.  I felt that these readings were very informative, and worthwhile to talk about it.  I also agreed with many of the authors in these sections.  The sections from justice to ethics and morality, I did not enjoy as much   I felt that the readings were very difficult to understand and I struggled on the last essay due to the fact that the readings were harder to understand.  I did like the Singer and Mason reading though, that was a very interesting and a much different reading from what we have read.  I also liked the Stoning of Soraya M. movie and the stoning articles, this was a very brutal topic, and it was such a shock to hear about all that goes on in Iran and how women are treated. The individualism unit was a bit rushed, but I thoroughly enjoyed these readings and the material discussed.

I really enjoyed having Professor Benningfield as my teacher; she really made my first freshmen English course smooth and successful.  I was worried about 20 page papers and thousands of pages of reading, but she really knew how to split up the readings and papers so it was not overwhelming.  She is a fair grader and when we got behind she adjusted our schedule in order for us to stay on track and not rush things.  If there were one thing I would change about the class it would be the reading topic for ethics/ morality, even though I really enjoyed the Singer and Mason reading.  If we had to write an essay on this topic it probably would have been the worse essay I would have written, due to its difficulty to understand.  Other than that I thoroughly enjoyed the class and glad that it turned out how it did.

Works Cited

Aristotle. “The Aim of Man.” A World of Ideas. Ed. Lee A. Jacobs. Boston: Bedford/St.

            Martin’s, 2010. 707. Print.

Carnegie, Andrew. “The Gospel of Wealth.” A World of Ideas. Ed. Lee A. Jacobs.

Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2010. 400-401. Print.

Casper, Martin. “Anonymous-leadership.” Photograph. Empower 2 Go. 25 Feb. 2011.

            Web. 6 Dec. 2011.

“Death by Stoning.” The Week. The Week Publications, 2011. Web. 7 Nov. 2011.

Emerson, Ralph Waldo. “Self-Reliance.” A World of Ideas. Ed. Lee A. Jacobs. Boston:

Fromm, Erich. “Humanist Socialism.” On Disobedience. Ed. Betty Lew. New York: First

            Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2010. 263. Print.

Harper Perennial Modern Thought, 2010. 75. Print.

----“The Individual in the Chains of Illusion.” A World of Ideas. Ed. Lee A.

Jacobs. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2010. 333. Print.

Gandhi, Mahatma. “Democracy and the People” All Men are Brothers. Ed. Krishna

            Kripalani. Switzerland: Columbia University Press Unesco, 1938. 140-141. Print.

King Jr, Martin Luther. “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” A World of Ideas. Ed. Lee A.

Jacobs. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2010. 215. Print.

Lambert, Cynthia. “Gavel and World.” Photograph. cjac. 20 Nov. 2008. Web. 30 Nov.

2011.

Mason, Jim and Peter Singer. “The Ethics of Eating Meat.” A World of Ideas. Ed. Lee A.

            Jacobs. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2010. 787. Print.

“Morality.” Photograph. The Worrywart. 9 Oct. 2010. Web. 6 Dec. 2011.

“Relaycans.” Photograph. Lake Stevens Journal. The Lake Stevens Journal, 9 May 2011.

Web. 30 Nov. 2011.

The Stoning of Soraya M. Dir. Cyrus Nowresteh. Roadside Attractions. 26 June 2009.

DVD.

Thompson, Domonique. “The Power of Voting.” Photograph. Socialtik Mag. Web. 30

            Nov. 2011.

ENG 101-A Blog Daniel DeLuca

Section One-Introduction

            Hello Everyone, My name is Daniel DeLuca and this semester I learned a lot in my English 101 course with Ms. Benningfield.  Our English class looked at different key aspects in literature: wealth and poverty, justice, ethics/morality, government, and what it means to be an individual in society. All the readings related to these topics were very interesting, some more intriguing than others. English 101 was fun to be a part of because topics and authors were broken down and dissected to make a clearer understanding of the topic. The class, as a whole, made excellent strides on the way to becoming experts in understanding different topics of literature and improvement of overall writing skills. The importance of being a good author in each of our essays was stressed and improvements of things such as grammar, paragraph length, and voice were made. Overall, this semester was yet another great leap in our learning period and a step to becoming a better writer. Enthusiasm by our Professor contributed dramatically to the development of our class and I really enjoyed being a part of it.

Section Two-Government

            The ideal government consists of many factors and aspects that relate to protecting and governing a society. Governments are required to rule justly on a society (ties into our justice section), and to help out those in need. In a just government, members of society are given rights that a government has no right to punish. Rights are to be equal and to be punished by that of the government equally. Take into consideration the words of Thomas Jefferson when he says, “…that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness,” (Jefferson, 80). A government grants citizens the right to live a free life, and that that life be full of happiness. Obviously in some societies today, governments do a poor job of this. The societies where a government lacks the power to fully control, citizens need to play a key role and stand together in trying to live an ideal life.

            Citizens play a very critical role in government. In a Democracy, the power is in the hands of the citizens. The citizens are encouraged to vote and run for positions in government. The role of a citizen has the most power in a democratic government, and that power cannot be abused. The role I play in government is to vote leaders into office and do so ethically. Who knows, maybe someday one of us will be able to run for office and be the eyes and ears of the citizens that voted one of us in to office.  Without citizens, a government would not be able to do its job fully. Citizens are a key ingredient in an ideal government.

 <http://shashanknd.wordpress.com/2011/04/11/how-the-government-is-killing-indian-startups/>

Section Three-Wealth and Poverty

            Based on our readings, the best way to close the gap between the rich and poor is to unite the people and develop a way/method to where poverty is limited. The poor need at least something to live in decency and comfort and that can be made possible from the efforts of the rich. Showing compassion and concern can go a long way in life. John Kenneth Galbraith said, “An affluent society that is also both compassionate and rational would, no doubt, secure to all who needed it the minimum income essential for decency and comfort” (Galbraith, 412). Just a little bit can help the poor live in comfort and it takes a “real” society to unite to do this for the less fortunate.

            I handle money by trying not to spend a lot of it on needs; rather I spend the most on wants. I’m talking like food and clothing being an everyday necessity. I do not like to spend a lot on those so I always enjoy a free meal or sales at Macys. Wants may not be as important, but we buy less of what we want rather than what we need.

            Everyone should help those in need, even if it is a dollar in change you give to a homeless man on the street or a dollar bill to put into the collection basket at church. On Thanksgiving this past November, I was fortunate enough to serve a Thanksgiving meal to the homeless in Lexington. I really enjoyed this experience because it made me realize how fortunate I was to be as lucky as I am to go to college and earn a degree and not have to worry about money at this time. The poor are so friendly and I feel as if it is my duty to help them out anyway I can. Some people think otherwise, for example our good friend Andrew Carnegie, who believed that everything must be earned in this world and what is earned is kept. I cannot follow this because in order for this gap to be tightened, we must act out towards helping those that live in poverty.

            My goals and aspirations for my money are to open a driving range up for less fortunate kids and teach them about golf, and I want to create my own charity. Of course I will most likely spend some for myself, but I believe in the motto “better to give than to receive.” 

  <http://www.iloveindia.com/indian-heroes/mother-teresa/index.html>

Section Four- Justice

            Justice in my mind is something that clarifies an end to a mean. The punishment has to fit the crime. Justice is a word that is mixed up in our world and is often confused, because it seems like there are a lot of injustice acts in the world today. People are being executed for either a crime they didn’t commit or because of their race or gender. Take for example the punishment of stoning to death, a subject we discussed and watched a movie about. Women are being stoned in the Middle East for crimes they didn’t commit, or because husbands want revenge or think they are up to something. Preposterous reasons for taking the life of a human being and those people fulfilling the execution should be ashamed. Another instance of injustice was a nineteen year old Muslim girl, Katya Koren, was stoned to death by participating in a beauty contest. One of the men that were suspected of killing her said that he felt no regret or remorse for doing it (Muslim Girl). Many more acts of injustice take place every day in our world and the reasons why are simple: people will always disagree between things, and other cultures besides ours practice more religious customs. Both of these reasons will always be around in our lifetime. Someone has to do something and step up to take charge in changing people’s perspectives.

            The things I would do to change injustice is to protest and to lead a group of people in protest, but do so nonviolently. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. led African Americans in protests and marches, but did so nonviolently. Even though violence was sometimes a problem during their marches, Dr. King would speak out and tell everyone that violence is not the way to go and is not the only option for standing up in what we all believe in. Dr. King stood up for justice by trying to tackle the injustice events. In a letter he wrote from Birmingham jail he says, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” (King, 214). So any acts of injustice threaten justice and cause justice to take a backseat.

Laws that are unjust make laws that are just seem to be wrong and confusing. The saying “laws are made to be broken” is phony. Just because a law is unjust, does not mean that it should be broken. Follow every law in a respectful manner, and if it happens to be a law you do not agree with, consult with a local representative or leader. All laws are punishable and the punishments are not worth breaking the law.

I do not often fight injustice because I am not old enough yet to where it affects me emotionally. I really do not know what stops me; I guess it would be a lack of confidence in standing up for what I believe. Justice is a big word in our English language, but injustice is also one that overshadows the good, just things in this world.  

<http://revphil2011.wordpress.com/2011/02/18/423/>

 

Section Five-Ethics/Morality

            Ethical/moral behavior is that of living, or trying to live, by the virtues. Living a virtuous life requires a lot of discipline and self-control. One can say that they live a virtuous life, but it is easier said than done. Virtue is “the most evident bridge between morality and religion” (Murdoch, 733). Iris Murdoch said this in her piece titled “Morality and Religion.” Most authors would agree that virtues are very important in living an ethical/moral life. Always in the world, you will have people who behave unethically in every society that exists. Even in our society in the United States, unethical behavior happens every day.

            Examples of unethical behavior include those that are involved with the drug scene, selling drugs. Another would be child molestation or being sexually abusive to a minor. A very big occurrence of this is in the news today. I am talking about Jerry Sandusky and the Penn State football program. Sandusky was scene showering with twelve, thirteen year old kids. Now, that is a prime example of being unethical and living against morals. He knew he was doing wrong things, but kept doing them anyways. The case is yet to be heard, but most likely justice will be served towards Sandusky and it should be.

            The idea of ethics/morality coincides with religion. Without virtues, there is no way to connect the two, and religion helps enhance those virtues in daily life. I’m not saying that a certain religion must be practiced, but at least some form of religion would help to strengthen virtues and faith. A person must be happy and a religious community or community in general would definitely help. Aldo Leopold says, “All ethics so far evolved rest upon a single premise: that the individual is a member of a community of interdependent parts” (Leopold, 749). An individual is most happy when he is participating in any form of community that branches out.

            Now, happiness is definitely tied into ethics/morality, but happiness differs from pleasure. The two have to be separated and known when each is in use. To be happy it takes friend support and confidence with what you do in everyday life. If someone succeeds at a certain task or event, happiness is usually involved with that. Happiness is tied in with honor, a feeling of accomplishment. Talking about happiness and honor, Aristotle says, “Men of superior refinement and active disposition, on the other hand, identify happiness with honor, this being more or less the aim of a statesmen’s life” (Aristotle, 698).  Pleasure can also be present, but pleasure is also tied into selfishness, seeking pleasure for one’s own benefit. Pleasure does not have to be there for happiness to be present.

            The way I find happiness is I either turn music on that cheers me up, or just do something that I like. I play golf so whenever I am playing or practicing, I am happy because I love the game. I do not need to do a lot to be happy since I am a happy person overall. I enjoy life and try to live by the virtues the best I can.

<http://www.examiner.com/christian-living-in-houston/the-virtuous-life-of-the-proverbs-31-woman-photo>

Section Six-Individualism

            An individual in society is on that doesn’t rely on other people’s accomplishments or another’s fame. An individual has self-control, dignity, and can rely on him or herself for anything. The individual, specifically, plays a critical role in the society because each individual combined with other individuals, make up the community. Each one contributes something unique to the make-up of a society. Individuals are so important that without them, there would be no communities, no nations, and no world.

            The responsibilities of an individual towards his/her society are very simple: to work and contribute to the society. Effort has to be made by each being so the society continues to strive and prosper. I see myself contributing as an individual to my society by going and participating in church and going to school, two things that are usually part of every individual’s life. Contributing to society helps all individuals and unites the society.

            Individualism unites a nation or country; to stand up for what everyone believes in and to take pride in being an individual. Emile Durkheim says, “Not only is individualism not anarchical, but it henceforth is the only system of beliefs which can ensure the moral unity of the country” (Durkheim, 281). He is saying that individualism is the only idea or belief system that unites people to stand up for a certain cause. They rise up and speak out because they are unified and together. Each individual supports each other, so therefore the collective group has to have strong support. Every individual has to do their part to adding comfort and compassion to the collective community/society.

<http://modernreject.com/2011/08/the-lone-christian/>

Section Seven-Conclusion

            To conclude, I would just like to say that I have enjoyed this class very much. Reading authors such as King, Murdoch, Jefferson, Aristotle, and many more have influenced me and have helped me grow with the way I look at the world in perspective now. I really liked the section on government the most because I got to see different opinions on how a government is supposed to work. Overall, I had a really good time and got to read interesting pieces that I would not have normally read. I want to thank Professor Benningfield and the class for making this an enjoyable semester.  

Section Eight-Works Cited

Aristotle. “The Aim of Man.” Ed. Lee Jacobus. A World of Ideas: Essential Readings for College Writers. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2010. 698. Print.

Durkheim, Emile. “Individualism and the Intellectuals.” Ed. Lee Jacobus. A World of Ideas: Essential Readings for College Writers. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2010. 281. Print.

Galbraith, John Kenneth. “The Position of Poverty.” Ed. Lee Jacobus. A World of Ideas: Essential Readings for College Writers. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2010. 412. Print.

Jefferson, Thomas. “The Declaration of Independence.” Ed. Lee Jacobus. A World of Ideas: Essential Readings for College Writers. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2010. 80. Print.

King, Martin Luther Jr. “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” Ed. Lee Jacobus. A World of Ideas: Essential Readings for College Writers. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2010. 214. Print.

Leopold, Aldo. “The Land Ethic.” Ed. Lee Jacobus. A World of Ideas: Essential Readings for College Writers. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2010. 749. Print.

Murdoch, Iris. “Morality and Religion.” Ed. Lee Jacobus. A World of Ideas: Essential Readings for College Writers. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2010. 733. Print.

"Muslim Girl Katya Koren, 19, 'stoned to Death over Beauty Contest in Ukraine' | Mail Online."   Home | Mail Online. Web. 04 Dec. 2011.

<http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1392454/Muslim-girl-Katya-Koren-19-stoned-death-beauty-contest-Ukraine.html.>

Photograph. Shashank ND. Web. 27 Nov. 2011. <http://shashanknd.wordpress.com/2011/04/11/how-the-government-is-killing-indian-startups/>.

Photograph. “Mother Teresa Biography.” I love India. Web. 27 Nov. 2011.

            <http://www.iloveindia.com/indian-heroes/mother-teresa/index.html

Photograph. Revphil2011: through the Bible in a Year. Web. 4 Dec. 2011.     <http://revphil2011.wordpress.com/2011/02/18/423/>.

Photograph. “The Virtuous Life of the Proverbs 31 Woman.”  Examiner.  Web. 4 December 2011.

            <http://www.examiner.com/christian-living-in-houston/the-virtuous-life-of-the-proverbs-31-woman-photo>

Photograph. “The Lone Christian.”  Modern Reject.  Web. 5 December 2011.

            <http://modernreject.com/2011/08/the-lone-christian/>

           

Essay 5- ENG 101C

 

Section One

      My name is Amy Frommeyer and I am a freshman here at EKU.  I discovered during my four years in high school that I possessed better writing skills than I had originally thought.  Therefore, I decided to take ENG 101 with the intention of it being a fairly easy class.  It has, however, involved a little more work than I was expecting.  I am not complaining though; I enjoy a challenge in order to better my writing.  When we started some of the readings, I got a little nervous.  Many of them appeared to be more like history readings and I hate history.  Luckily, none of them have been too painful to read and I even found some of them to be quite interesting.  The rest of this blog looks at some of the main topics we covered and how the authors we read have influenced my opinion about different aspects in society.

 

Section two

The perfect government is one which provides and cares for its citizens.  Its duty is to ensure its people’s safety.

Government:

Government was the first topic we covered in class.  We discussed what we thought made the ideal government and ideal citizen.  The ideal government learns from its past, thinks about the present, and prepares for the future.  Learning from past mistakes can help prevent future ones from occurring. 

A government must be there for its citizens.  They are obligated to provide protection for them.  However, concepts like this can be taken too far.  Yes, the government should be involved in people’s lives, but only to a certain extent.  They do not need to be involved in the small details of everyday life like they currently are.  Fromm states that “man takes precedence over things…man must not be governed by circumstances, but circumstances must be governed by man.” (68)  Our government should be based on what the people want, and what they need.  Power-hungry individuals have no right holding a place in our government because they are simply there to further their own wealth, not to help the people of our country.

            When a government is doing its job, it becomes much easier for the citizen to perform theirs as well.  The citizen should be supportive of their government and all their choices.  If one does not agree, they have the right and the duty to speak up.  Fromm also tells us that citizens have the “freedom to participate actively and responsibly in all decisions concerning the citizen, [and] freedom to develop the individual’s human potential to the fullest possible degree.” (69)  The government should be helping the citizens reach their highest potential in life.  If the citizen feels that the government isn’t doing so, they possess the duty to rebel in order to make positive changes for the rest of the community.

Section Three

I think this is a good picture that represents both wealthy and poverty in our world today.  You are able to see a homeless woman sleeping on the street, right in a front of a wealthy- looking store.

 Wealth and Poverty: 

Wealth and poverty will always be a hot topic in today’s society.  I think that there will always be gap between the two, no matter what we do.  This gap can be seen as a positive aspect in society, or a negative one.  Some say that it is needed because it provides a barrier for people to know their spot in the community.  Others disagree saying that one should be attempting to unite our community, not separate it even further.  I think that this barrier needs to be removed.  However, this is much easier said than done.  The government would have to be behind a project of this size because it would take much effort and much time to get it done. Carnegie states that “the problem of our age is the proper administration of wealth, so that the ties of brotherhood may still bind together the rich and poor in harmonious relationship.” (Carnegie 391).  When the rich and poor are able to live together in a good relationship, I think society will run smoother as a whole and there will be fewer conflicts.

I do think it’s important to give to the poor.  But that brings up the question of what exactly classifies one as ‘poor’?  Galbraith states that “People are poverty-stricken when their income, even if adequate for survival, falls radically behind that of the community.” (Galbraith, 413) All humans should have compassion towards one another.  When one part of a community is suffering, the rest should be there to help them.  This can be done in multiple ways.  Not everything in life has to be about money and finical aid.  Although this is important and necessary, the poor also need emotional support.  The sense of belonging for someone lost is an emotion that money cannot buy.

Section Four

This picture sums up the meaning of justice.  If there is no justice in this world, there will never be peace.

 

Justice:

            In many people’s minds, justice will never be fully served.  Everyone has different opinions and feelings about justice.  I think that justice is upheld when there is no discrimination in a community.  When there is no discrimination, no group of people has benefits or advantages over others.  King states that “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” (214)  Even if there is the slightest act of injustice in a society, it puts justice at risk.

            So what makes something unjust then?  “An unjust law is a cod that a numerical or power majority groups compels a minority group to obey but does not make binding on itself.” (King 219)  King’s definition of an unjust law is a universal definition in my opinion.  It can be applied to all societies and many different situations.  The definition works for a variety of cases of unjust actions.  Justice and the law need to be upheld with obedience and respect; however, sometimes one must break the law in order to receive justice.  I do think that there are some cases in which it is okay for one to break the law.  In unjust situations, someone must stand up and fight to receive justice for those who deserve it.  If a law is causing harm to a specific group of people, it is okay to break the law to stop the harms being done.  If a law is favoring a certain group of people or if a law is hurting you in any way by obeying it, then these laws are unjust and need to be disobeyed.  An example of an injustice that occurs hundreds of times every day is abortion.  Laws like this are hurting human beings.  Because it is causing harm to a specific group of people (the unborn), the act is unjust.

            Injustice exists everywhere in society.  I don’t believe that it will ever completely disappear.  Although I do have hope that we can decrease the amount of injustice in our communities.  Through people like King, we can make positive progress in our society.

Section Five

 Sometimes it can feel like idea of morality and ethics work against one another in our lives.

Ethics and Morality:

            When people think of ethics and morality, they often first think of religion.  Some think that you have to have religion in order to be ethical or moral.  I think this is untrue.  I do think it’s possible to be ethical and/or moral without religion.  However, this doesn’t go without saying that religion will make your morals much stronger.

            We sometimes question what exactly makes us to do good things.  Murdoch discusses this sense of ‘duty’ in her essay.  She says that too much focus on duty, the feeling that we have to perform good works, diminishes the goodness.  If you’re only doing nice things for people because you feel like you’re obligated to, that doesn’t really make you a good person.  Murdoch believes that “Religious belief may be a stronger motive to good conduct that non-religious idealism.” (736)  Religions are structured, unlike many forms of idealism.  They lack the organization that religious people possess which makes it harder to perform good works. 

            Morals are very similar to values in my opinion.  Everyone has certain characteristics that they think are valuable.  Ethics is how we put our morals into our everyday lives.  If we use our morals in a positive way, then we are ethical people.  Some may say that your morals correlate to your happiness.  I don’t agree with this.  One’s happiness depends solely on their state of mind.  If one is mentally satisfied, then they are happy.  When things go wrong in our lives, this tends of make us worry and we are then unable to cope with this emotionally. As humans we hate change and it is difficult to adjust to.  But the people who are able to adapt quickly are the ones who will spend most of their lives happy.

Section Six

 Being yourself is usually easier said than done.  Sometimes when we try to do this, we end up feeling even more isolated.  Is there any type of balance?

Individual:

            Being an individual is must more complicated than it sounds.  People always tell us, “Just be yourself” but that’s easier said than done. Every day there is more and more pressure to conform to those around you.  Although I think that the individual is important, I think that it’s more important to support the group as a whole.  I think it’s ideal to act in a fashion that does what is best for the group, but yet still supports each individual.  Again, this would be in a perfect world where conflict doesn’t exist.

            Emerson provides us with a lot of good advice on how to truly act as an individual.  He tells us to act honest and true to ourselves because if we begin to act like another person, then we are committing “suicide” which destroys our identity. (260)  He also states, “For non-conformity the world whips you with its displeasure.” (264)  I would have to agree with Emerson’s statement.  If you act against the grain, the rest of society tends to be displeased with your actions.  I think that’s a very sad realization that our world has come to.  People should be allowed to act as they wish but then acknowledge that they must deal with the consequences of their actions.

            Although I don’t always agree with conforming, I do think it is necessary sometimes.  In some organizations and institutions there are rules that must be followed and certain expectations that need to be met.  It is important, therefore, to act in such a matter that will allow one to follow the rules and meet the expectations without conforming.

Section seven

            I actually really enjoyed this class.  I usually am not a big fan of English classes because I don’t enjoy reading and discussing different pieces of literature.  Although there were still some essays we read that I didn’t like at all, as a whole I enjoyed most of the pieces we read.  I found many of them interesting and thought-provoking.  I also thought that some of the essays were very relatable in today’s society.  For example in Singer and Mason’s The Ethics of Eating Meat, going vegetarian and/or vegan is a hot topic in the 21^st century.  As gross as I found this reading and discussion, I still found myself very engaged in it.

            If I could change one thing about this class it would be the structure of it.  Sometimes I felt that there was too much lecture and wished that there were some more interactive aspects.  Even using a PowerPoint when discussing the author we read the night before would be helpful.  Despite the lectures every day, I can’t think of anything else I would change about it.  I feel like I learned a lot about the proper way to format papers and use MLA.  Those are things that I know I will be using all the time during my years at Eastern.  I also thought that the different unit topics we discussed covered a wide variety of subjects and definitely got me thinking.

            Overall, I really liked the class.  It was very informative and I feel like I will walk away from it knowing that I learned a lot of information.  I thought Mrs. Benningfield was a great teacher and I feel very prepared to move onto ENG 102.

Section eight

Works Cited

Berke, Diane. “No Justice- No Peace.” Photograph. Web. 25 November 2011.

Carnegie, Andrew. "The Gospel of Wealth." Ed. Lee Jacobus. A World of Ideas: Essential Readings
     for College Writers. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2010. 387-401. Print. 

Emerson, Ralph Waldo. "Self-Reliance." Ed. Lee Jacobus. A World of
     Ideas: Essential Readings for College Writers. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2010. 255-267. Print.

Fromm, Erich. On Disobedience: Why Freedom Means Saying "no" to Power. New York:            
        Harper Perennial, 2010. Web.

Galbraith, John Kenneth. "The Position of Poverty." Ed. Lee Jacobus. A World of Ideas:    Essential
       Readings for College Writers. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2010.405-414. Print.  

Ideeli. “Cult of Individuality.” Photograph. Web. 25 November 2011.

King, Martin Luther Jr. "Letter from Birmingham Jail." Ed. Lee Jacobus. A World of Ideas:          
       Essential Readings for College Writers. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2010. 211-29. Print.  

Murdoch, Iris. "Morality and Religion." Ed. Lee Jacobus. A World of Ideas: Essential Readings
      for College Writers. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2010. 729-741.Print.      

Otter, C.L. “Empowering Idahoans.” Photograph. Web. 25 November 2011.

SS Beak. “Wealth vs Poverty.” Photograph. Flickr. 4 November 2006. Web. 25 November 2011.

 “Homer, Angel or Devil?” Photograph. Web. 25 November 2011.

ENG 101-A Essay #5 Stef Giacchini

Stef Giacchini

Essay #5

ENG 101-A

Professor Benningfield                 

November 19, 2011

Section one

My name is Stef Giacchini and I’m a freshman at Eastern Kentucky University. I’m currently taking English 101.  Overall, I think this class was a good class because it taught me what is morally right and wrong. By learning other governments it makes me truly appreciate the United States of America. The freedoms we have such as the right to free speech and the right to vote is more important to me now than ever before. Free speech means to do whatever you choose to plan to study in college is a huge freedom. The ability to make choices and to understand not all countries in the world are the same and still fight for their freedom like we have today.

Section two

 http://wirednewyork.com/landmarks/liberty/

       “That the government is best when governing the least.” (175, O’Sullivan and Jefferson) Reading about Henry David Thoreau believed this was his motto and followed it throughout his rhetoric. This is a strong point to make and understand that we as Americans have the opportunity to further our education and to choose what to study. Therefore to pick a career and delve our thinking into, so we can make a living and in what we want to do with our lives. The United States is the ideal government and of what we make of ourselves.

Section three

http://gita-bhagvad.blogspot.com/2010/07/wealth-and-poverty_21.html

           By using this picture it reminds me that I have a choice between wealth and poverty. Learning to save money for basic needs is more important to me then wasting it on wants. By saving money for a college education I can learn intrinsic rewards are more powerful in becoming the person I choose to be. By learning how poor the rest of world is and people that struggle just to meet their basic needs. In the future I hope to donate money for others that are less affluent and fortunate. By growing up in Madison County I never realized how much poverty we really have in our own state.

Section four

http://www.straighterline.com/blog/post.cfm/new-course-profile-introduction-to-criminal-justice

   Justice is fairness and righteousness for all people. I believe people must follow the laws of the land in which they live. Without laws our nation would be an unsafe place in which to live. In our country we have the right to an attorney and cannot be imprisoned without due cause. We are innocent until proven guilty of a crime. In our justice system a person on trial must have enough evidence to be proven guilty of the crime. There are situations innocent people have been  imprisoned for crimes in which they did not commit. This is an injustice, yet people have the right to a fair trial. In other countries a person can be accuse of a crime and never given a fair trial this is injustice.

Section five

http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/Mighty_is_Morality.htm

      According to Webster’s 21^st Century Dictionary, the definition of morality is concerned with moral principles. Ethics is the study of right and wrong actions. An example of unethical/immoral behavior in our society is the illegal pill problem that doctors prescribed for patients. This has become a problem for law enforcement officers throughout the nation. Another example is when people in business take advantage of the money flow and use money from the business this is known as embezzlement of funds. Another example is the problem of sexual and child abuse, the Penn State situation with the football coaches. This showed immoral behavior. Many cases go unacknowledged until it comes out in the media. Religion plays a strong part in ethical/moral behavior. Once a person has strong religious beliefs they will follow what is morally right. Happiness is tied to ethics/morality because happiness stems from achieving goals in a person’s life. Goal setting should be important to every human being. Goal setting can take years of development for an example obtaining a college degree.

Section six

http://www.iosho.co.in/index.php/2011/05/be-an-individual-and-pay-for-it/

       After reading many of the philosophies by the people we study they all had a common goal and that is to live by the morals that have a basis in religion. All religions deal with self-discipline and self-control. Many religious beliefs stem from the idea of doing what right for all people. The individual formulates how they intend to live their lives for the future. An individual in any society should follow the rules of the governing state or country. Each person does have the obligation to follow the laws of the land. Each person should know the laws and abide by them. When visiting foreign countries people need to know what is allowed and choose not to break any law because you are a guest in that country. For example in some foreign countries a woman must walk behind the man then that’s what you do. Even though you may not think it’s right.  If this is the law then choose to follow it. All individuals’ character and personality are developed through parenting. If foundations are applied early in life then it shapes the moral character of the individual.  

Section seven

      This class has taught differences of peoples’ thinking and how ethical/moral behavior becomes establish in an individual. One of the main philosophers that I believed was Aristotle. “Aristotle describes the search for the highest good, which he defines as happiness. In the process of defining the good, he relates it to the idea of virtuous behavior, living an ethical and moral life. For him, the concept of morality is communal, not just individual.” (xxiii, Aristotle) Another philosopher that changed America was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. His ideals and righteousness changed everyone’s thinking in America. From segregation at lunch counters, restrooms, and drinking fountains Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. changed America and gave hope for the future. This class I enjoyed. I enjoyed it because I realized people have been thinking about ethics and morality for centuries. As I tried to separate ethics/morality I realized it does comes from religion in my opinion. Some examples of being segregated could be used in class. If all brown eye people had to sit in the back and blue eye people in the front, people could realize what it feels like to be discriminated against. The exercise may make people understand how crazy the laws were during Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. time.

Section eight

Jacobus, Lee A.  A World of Ideas. Ed. Bedford/St. Martin’s. Boston. 2010. Print
Pictures:
Statue of Liberty (Liberty Englightening the World). http://wirednewyork.com/landmarks/liberty.
            Web. 8 Dec. 2011.
Wealth and poverty is two sides of the same coin- the wealth of everyone is in the sharing not in the
            keeping. 2010. http://gita-bhagvad.blogspot.com/2010/07/wealth-and-poverty21.html. Web.
            8 Dec. 2011.
Scale of Justice. http://straighterline.com/blog/post.cfm/new-course-profile-introduction-to-criminal-
            justice. Web. 8 Dec. 2011.
Evolution of Morality. http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/MightyisMorality.htm Web. 8 Dec. 2011.
Be an individual and pay for it... http://www.iosho.co.in/index/php/2011/05/be-an-individual-and-pay
             -for-it/. Web. 8 Dec. 2011.