The Suburbs

I mentioned in class today that the suburbs "are both a cradle and a trap." We are what we make of them. I choose to take this middleground not because I cannot make a decision and not because I think that we must always turn the negative into a positive, but because the suburbs are both beneficial and detrimental to our development.

The suburbs are a safe place to "test the waters" of the city or "the wild." However, to call the city "the wild" further promotes a definition of the suburbs that I do not agree with. This definition is that the suburbs are inescapable havens of false purity where reality does not exist. False. Suburbs cannot rule us unless we allow them to do so. In fact, we must appreciate the security the suburbs have given us. Thanks to this security, we can move forward away from the suburbs with confidence and strength of will. I refuse to allow the suburbs to hold me back, but then again, they are not trying to hold me back - I feel no pressure to remain "stuck." Those of us who use the suburbs as an excuse for our failures must come to grips with what they want from life.

On a different note, I think the historical context of the suburbs as home to the middle class is both ironic and interesting. In the past, the suburbs were a place where the middle class could commute to work and home without living in the city. This remains true, although neither of my parents work in San Francisco. Furthermore, the suburbs were a promise of the potential to rise in one's social status - whether or not that climb was achieved by the middle class individual or not. This concept renders the poem's claim of permanent stratification null and void.

To put a modern, and somewhat extreme, spin on the concept of the "urban Utopia," the suburbs are a battleground for material supremacy. I suppose this is not a large departure from the suburbia of the past, but this concept is present now more than ever. In the city, among the skyscrapers, it is difficult to stand out. Too many people obscure the one person's influence over another. In contrast, in the suburbs, a "flashy car" or a new paint job will be noticed more easily and will do much more to enlarge the ego than the conditions of the city will allow.

Everyone has a different reason for being in the suburbs. I'm not a fan of Desperate Housewives, but I am a fan of Bones. Just as there is something to be said about a television show that makes it's money off of the modern idea of suburbia, there is something to be said about the anthropology and psychology of suburbian trends — but that's far too much to say in a blog that I have already filled with ranting.

College Expectations

College.

Right now it's the word that is always in the air — following me. To be honest I'm not sure what I want anymore, I just know that I want to end up somewhere and be happy. Every day I ask myself, "how will it end for me?" Where will I end up? I do not know. 

Academically speaking, I want college to allow me to pursue the things I love and not constrict me. Biology and English/languages are my favorite subjects in school. I fear that I might not be able to decide my preference, and so my expectations are to not have to. I want to explore more in each subject. I think of college as not the beginning of a career in medicine, which is what I wish to pursue, but a chance to exercise my curiosity. While I study premed perhaps I will take that archeology course I've been dying to experience. Or maybe, I will finally learn Latin, so that one day, when I uncover that crypt, I will be able to decipher the message. It sounds childish, but I don't want college to be the end of my small fantasies. Everyone says that college is about growth and discovery, so I want to have options. I've worked very hard in high school and I do not regret it, but it would be a lie to say that I have had to take some courses that I did not want to take but felt obligated (or was obligated) to do so. I want to be in charge of my own education from this point forth. I feel we have all earned that right. 

I have many interests. For this reason, a liberal arts college that provides a well balanced and/or open curriculum suits me. The school does not necessarily have to be small, but discussion-based classes are the most inspiring to me. I want to collaborate with my peers and have an open mind.

My greatest college expectation is to be happy and to feel as if I have reached a resolution within myself. High school has been a fantastic experience that has treated me well, and as I suffer through applications, I want high school to end on a positive note. When all is said and done, I want to feel as if I have achieved all that I could and continue on with my life with no regrets and new, happy experiences in front of me.

Presentation Reflection

Today during the presentations, it was said that fate is greater than free will. This is a very interesting concept. I cannot decide if I agree with the statement or not because I am not sure if I believe in fate. If an individual does not believe in fate, then the equation cannot exist.
If in fact fate is greater than free will, what is there to live for? Also, is fate different than destiny?

Another idea brought to my attention was the connection between passion and law. In my group's presentation, we discussed contradiction and the power of passion to obscure reason. However, if passion is a form of emotional law - as can be argued in the case of Antigone - then passion can potentially be more reasonable than I previously described in class.

Lastly, it was mentioned that the parable alluded to working within the law in order to harness its benefits. If you do not believe in the law, should you still work with it? Or is the principal of the matter greater than the consequences of breaking/ignoring the law? This statement also made me think back to my grandmother advising me "to back down and be the better person when it's not worth fighting for." Ultimately, I think I agree with this statement - except in special cases, of course.

Reason

Two definitions come to mind when I read or hear the word "reason." 

a) purpose

b) logic/rational

My academic self is very rational. Academics can be very cold, dry and "reason"-able. I find this especially true in math and non-biological sciences - but maybe I'm biased. What I've just implied is not that reason is bad, but that it is more prominent in certain aspects of life. I find there is no room for being illogical when finding the derivative of a function or calculating the vertical and horizontal acceleration in physics. 

There is a trend: It seems that my favorite subjects in school, english, history and biology are far more "human." They are less calculating and more open to interpretation - I am more passionate about them and less "logical" in my study of them. I experiment and express curiosity. 

So, is reason a hindrance? No, but I do think that there should be a balance between reason and imagination/passion (whatever you wish to call the opposite of cold, hard logic). 

Reason is a good starting point - to get the "facts," set goals, interpret data and use common sense. However, sometimes a little lack in reason can be inspirational. Too much reason is a barrier - it restrains our thoughts. We often find ourselves conforming to reason. 

 

It should be clear, though, that I express reason in most everything I do to a certain extent - my level of reason fluctuates. So, I do not consider myself full of reason all the time. Although, the fact that I just attempted to self diagnose my level of reason might make me more rational than I originally intended....

I believe I've just confused myself. 

My point: reason is a baseline in my life - but it's not really the heart of the matter. 

The Purpose of Villains....

In my opinion, the villain can be worth more than the hero. I say this because the villain, or antagonist, serves many purposes. In his or her simplest form, the villain is a foil to the protagonist. The values and goals of the hero are contrasted and challenged by the villain. 

On a deeper level, the villain and the hero both play different roles in the plot. While the villain initiates and develops the conflict, the hero finds the solution. It is this statement that leads me to admire the villain — albeit not in the same way as the hero. In many novels and stories, the villain is far more complex than the hero. What led them to choose his or her path? Is it simply due to a sadistic nature? A hero may have "greatness thrust upon him," but a villain leads a life of isolation. What I mean to say is that no matter how difficult it gets for the hero on his or her journey, Good will always be there for support. In contrast, the villain chooses Evil —knowing that nobody will support him or her. The hero has the reader on his or her side (morally speaking). 

The antagonist and villain figures of fiction and real life teach us more about ourselves than the hero. In the villain we identify our best and worst qualities by either disagreeing with the villain's actions or attempting to comprehend the vile deeds he or she commits. 

It must be emphasized that heroes and villains are interchangeable and far from black and white, but in their most stereotyped forms, they contrast. A hero may struggle, but his or her values are strong and unwavering. A villain, like Darth Vader, may switch to the Good side. 

Villains provide fiction with entertainment, plot and philosophical depth. In many ways, it is the villain that defines the hero - chooses him. 

Academic Literacy: Beyond the Grade

"Academic Literacy" handout

Main Points:

• Although students in college appear to be working harder than ever, they have digressed in the realm of critical thinking and curiosity.
• The ability to analyze text thoughtfully assists the student to improve their own writing.
• Competence in critical/analytical thinking is achieved through hard work and through the instruction of teachers.

Agree

I agree with many ideas in the excerpt. Primarily, I, too, have noticed that students have become less focused on the text and more focused on the grade - thus, their ability to think critically, analyze and appreciate literature is significantly decreased. SparkNotes is a prime example of how the experience of reading, which in my opinion allows one to better think critically, is eliminated. To a lesser extent I also agree with the statement that if students can think critically, then they can write coherent and well-structured essays. Having experience with analyzing literature will no doubt help a student become more familiar with the structure of critical essays, but sometimes essays are simply difficult to compose. Thinking an idea and then putting that idea to words are two separate skills. 

Our ability to analyze and think critically about a text is parallel to our capability to understand ourselves and our values - the way we "tick." Our decline in this ability to analyze and our obsession with results instead of curiosity is unfortunate and truly a loss. As a reader, I often find myself immersed into the lives of the characters I read about. If I care about the characters, or even the plot, all homework assignments and essays are made that much easier. When I make a connection with a character, be they from Hogwarts, Manderley or even Salem, I learn about the way my mind works. When I truly think about a piece of literature, I am allowed to live, for a moment, free from the judgement of others - just my curiosity, imagination and me. 

The Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog

The wanderer is a man with a hidden expression. With his back turned to us, literally and metaphorically, the wanderer leaves his motivations and thoughts open for interpretation — allowing us to connect with him through the use of our imagination. Should my assumptions be correct, I find it relatively easy to connect with the wanderer, for he and I share concerns, aspirations and a milestone in life. 

It is ironic that the wanderer is labeled as a wanderer, since his clothing and stance imply determination, confidence and purpose. Perhaps his thoughts define his "wanderer" qualities. What next? Now that he has climbed the summit, what else is there to accomplish, and how will he choose? Similarly, I have worked with purpose for 12 years to reach my educational climax. However, now, the numerous options before me mixed with my indecision have obscured my sense of "destination" much like the fog and mist in the painting. I have blazed my trail up to the top of the rocks, and now I must decide a path down into the mist. The future lies before me. I am in control, and that is what I find difficult — choosing. 

The cliffs in the background are not clear, but they are an aspiration, an ideal. Like the wanderer, I must maintain confidence without losing rationality. The fog and the milestone I have reached in my life may temporarily change my perspective or jeopardize the quality of my judgement, but I will strive for the cliffs and not lose sight. The wanderer is proud, pleased, yet cautious.