http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_cloning
My topic is on human cloning and whether it should or should not be legal.
This article on wikipedia is considered a controversial topic. Reading through the discussion page, basically everything that is mainly based on the writer's point of view was taken out. A lot of the statements which were taken out were, in my opinion, somewhat disagreeable. I didn't notice this, however, when I read the article itself. I thought it was very informative and it broke things down for me very well. It also explained each side of the controversy instead of being one sided or biased.
This page is, in my opinion, is a great example of wikipedia's potential.
It defines the topic and breaks it does into subtopics.
Not only, since so many people are contributing to the page, it shows all the different biases it could have.
I think wikipedia just needs more time to get better and better. It may have problems now but we should be taught how to identify these problems instead of shunning it out of our schools all the way.
Maybe one day we can wikipedia a topic and find it sufficient enough for whatever we need it for.
Sunday, April 1, 2007
Monday, February 26, 2007
Prompt Four: I was an ugly baby.
The way I feel physically influences how I feel overall in my daily life. Sounds kind of superficial? Well, many criticize our celebrity-laden, superficial society and I've seen these criticisms against celebrities and their lifestyles in our classroom in the past week. But I just accept that I live in a superficial society and that everyone is superficial whether they want to accept it or not. ( that is my cut down version of what I had to rant about...I wrote out a page of stuff and then I just thought it was too long...)
Being physically attractive is a very big deal to me. I had a traumatic childhood you see. It's pretty sad but my mom has a lot of fun with this.
I was born in Korea and I lived there until I was three years old. For one thing, Korea is very superficial and they have very strict standards. Korean girls need to have small everything! Small face, nose, lips, body, etc. They need to be skinny and have large eyes in order to be considered pretty. I, on the other hand, came out looking like a boy. I had a large nose, large lips, big head and short legs so people always made fun of me and they liked to make me cry and all but one of my relatives didn't like me. My sister on the other hand had the typical Korean girl look and they spoiled her!
I always thought the result of my childhood would make me like Michael Jackson and his obsession with his nose.
So, I think for all my life, I have always been very concerned with my looks because I just wanted approval.
In America, I have come to appreciate the fact that anything can be beautiful and these standards have been set by all the celebrities who come in different shapes and sizes and are still considered beautiful.
Angelina Jolie: Angelina Jolie has thick lips and it is her most distinct feature. She makes me feel as if big lips are an attractive feature.
Beyonce Knowles: She was thick but beautiful when she was in destiny's child. Weight is always an issue and she made being thick being sexy.
Tyra Banks: I gained a great amount of respect for her when she came out on the cover of People in a bathing suit titled "'You call this fat?' Mocked after gaining 30 lbs the ex-model fires back at her critics"
Here's a clip from her show.
Sylvester Stallone: God he just looks like he got whacked by a bat too many times but I still find him strangely attractive.
Also this part doesn't really help my argument but I want to age really attractively and die around 50 or 60. I'm kind of afraid of being old, loosing my memory and having my kids fight over my money. I'm also afraid of being one of those very bitter and very old grannies who just comes off as a burden to her family. But before I die, I want to always be attractive like Diane Keaton. She's past her menopause and she's coming out in the movies in her underwear looking better than me! If that means plastic surgery, botox and lipo, I'll do it.
My notion of the good life is partly defined by physical appearance which influences my confidence as a female. I'm not so resistant the whole superficial society thing because I know that everyone's superficial deep inside them.
I've just come to reach deep inside and embrace it.
If looking attractive helps me feel confident and good inside, then I don't see a problem with that. Do you?
Being physically attractive is a very big deal to me. I had a traumatic childhood you see. It's pretty sad but my mom has a lot of fun with this.
I was born in Korea and I lived there until I was three years old. For one thing, Korea is very superficial and they have very strict standards. Korean girls need to have small everything! Small face, nose, lips, body, etc. They need to be skinny and have large eyes in order to be considered pretty. I, on the other hand, came out looking like a boy. I had a large nose, large lips, big head and short legs so people always made fun of me and they liked to make me cry and all but one of my relatives didn't like me. My sister on the other hand had the typical Korean girl look and they spoiled her!
I always thought the result of my childhood would make me like Michael Jackson and his obsession with his nose.
So, I think for all my life, I have always been very concerned with my looks because I just wanted approval.
In America, I have come to appreciate the fact that anything can be beautiful and these standards have been set by all the celebrities who come in different shapes and sizes and are still considered beautiful.
Angelina Jolie: Angelina Jolie has thick lips and it is her most distinct feature. She makes me feel as if big lips are an attractive feature.
Beyonce Knowles: She was thick but beautiful when she was in destiny's child. Weight is always an issue and she made being thick being sexy.
Tyra Banks: I gained a great amount of respect for her when she came out on the cover of People in a bathing suit titled "'You call this fat?' Mocked after gaining 30 lbs the ex-model fires back at her critics"
Here's a clip from her show.
Sylvester Stallone: God he just looks like he got whacked by a bat too many times but I still find him strangely attractive.
Also this part doesn't really help my argument but I want to age really attractively and die around 50 or 60. I'm kind of afraid of being old, loosing my memory and having my kids fight over my money. I'm also afraid of being one of those very bitter and very old grannies who just comes off as a burden to her family. But before I die, I want to always be attractive like Diane Keaton. She's past her menopause and she's coming out in the movies in her underwear looking better than me! If that means plastic surgery, botox and lipo, I'll do it.
My notion of the good life is partly defined by physical appearance which influences my confidence as a female. I'm not so resistant the whole superficial society thing because I know that everyone's superficial deep inside them.
I've just come to reach deep inside and embrace it.
If looking attractive helps me feel confident and good inside, then I don't see a problem with that. Do you?
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
Prompt Three: What makes an analysis innovative?
So...to tell you the truth...I'm writing this 30 minutes before the due date because I could not get the book. Why? To tell another truth, I just could not get out of bed today especially because my chemistry final was yesterday and I was just catching up on 3 days of sleep. So, I have been coming back to the library over and over hoping the book would magically reshelf itself with no success.
I have, however, found these essays online with extensive search so here goes nothing...
------
An analysis is innovative when something new is argued or presented in the content of analysis. However, in the world of today where thinkers, great or just ordinary, are analyzing the same topics over and over, how can we come upon an innovative analysis?
Haven't all the the topics been covered, analyzed, bent out of shape and ornamented in order to make an analysis seem innovative?
What I believe, however, to make an analysis innovative, an individual must to get away from everyone's influences and just seek out what their own take on the subject. When we are born, we have nothing but ourselves; our own perceptions, our own behaviors and our own desires. This is however effected by the world which teaches and influences us to conform to one another.
Therefore, I believe that to make an analysis innovative, we need to think from the pits of our stomachs where we left our childhood behind. Langston Hughes accomplishes this in Bop when he describes beatings on the head as music. Like a child who knows nothing but his five senses, he simply regards a beat to his head as music to his ears. Hurston also goes back to her earliest experiences with the issue of being colored as she, "remember the very day that I became colored."
Their analysis are simple, yet new and exciting, not only because it is from a new perspective, but because it is from a perspective that we can all relate to.
I have, however, found these essays online with extensive search so here goes nothing...
------
An analysis is innovative when something new is argued or presented in the content of analysis. However, in the world of today where thinkers, great or just ordinary, are analyzing the same topics over and over, how can we come upon an innovative analysis?
Haven't all the the topics been covered, analyzed, bent out of shape and ornamented in order to make an analysis seem innovative?
What I believe, however, to make an analysis innovative, an individual must to get away from everyone's influences and just seek out what their own take on the subject. When we are born, we have nothing but ourselves; our own perceptions, our own behaviors and our own desires. This is however effected by the world which teaches and influences us to conform to one another.
Therefore, I believe that to make an analysis innovative, we need to think from the pits of our stomachs where we left our childhood behind. Langston Hughes accomplishes this in Bop when he describes beatings on the head as music. Like a child who knows nothing but his five senses, he simply regards a beat to his head as music to his ears. Hurston also goes back to her earliest experiences with the issue of being colored as she, "remember the very day that I became colored."
Their analysis are simple, yet new and exciting, not only because it is from a new perspective, but because it is from a perspective that we can all relate to.
Monday, February 5, 2007
Prompt Two: What does the individual owe the community? And vice versa?
In a perfect world, every individual would owe an equal amount to the community and vice versa.
In a fair world, every individual would owe the community the amount they receive and vice versa.
The thing that sucks is that our world is not perfect or fair and not everyone does their part in the community.
So given these conditions, I'll attempt at answering this question again, how much does the individual owe the community and vice versa?
Nothing at all! The individual does not owe anything to the community nor does the community owe anything to the individual. Nobody would expect the roads to be paved by the government if nobody paid taxes. Nor would the community expect volunteers for the marathon if there was no marathon held.
It is, however, the structure of our society to run the way it does by community service and aid to the individual. The individual owes as much as they can or is willing to offer to the community and nothing else. Even though this is an apparent claim, individuals do tend to give to the community. Whether it is because of their feeling of responsibility or the need to give back for things they have already received, there is much acknowledged as well as unnoticed actions by the individual. This claim also goes for the community.
It seems by this law that there would be a lack of community service in a society but the truth is that there is much community and individual aid in our own communities. The truth is that the individual cannot survive without the community, nor can the community survive without the individual.
In a fair world, every individual would owe the community the amount they receive and vice versa.
The thing that sucks is that our world is not perfect or fair and not everyone does their part in the community.
So given these conditions, I'll attempt at answering this question again, how much does the individual owe the community and vice versa?
Nothing at all! The individual does not owe anything to the community nor does the community owe anything to the individual. Nobody would expect the roads to be paved by the government if nobody paid taxes. Nor would the community expect volunteers for the marathon if there was no marathon held.
It is, however, the structure of our society to run the way it does by community service and aid to the individual. The individual owes as much as they can or is willing to offer to the community and nothing else. Even though this is an apparent claim, individuals do tend to give to the community. Whether it is because of their feeling of responsibility or the need to give back for things they have already received, there is much acknowledged as well as unnoticed actions by the individual. This claim also goes for the community.
It seems by this law that there would be a lack of community service in a society but the truth is that there is much community and individual aid in our own communities. The truth is that the individual cannot survive without the community, nor can the community survive without the individual.
Saturday, February 3, 2007
Prompt one: Can and should one live the unquestioned life?
In high school I wrote an awesome essay titled "Ignorance in the Pursuit of Happiness." Ever since then I have believed that for one to be truly happy, one must be truly ignorant.
The essay was on The Great Gatsby. The wealthy elitists lived a lavish life in their money and luxury while others on the other side of the island lived in great poverty and grief. Gatsby himself was not aware of this and he was overwhelmed by sadness when he first visited that place. Am I making this part up? I believe this was part of my argument, but I'm not that sure as of this moment. But using this example, here we see that the wealthy elitists were able to live an extremely happy life in their wealth without worrying about those who were less fortunate.
To others, and the readers alike, these individuals are living a horrible distasteful life. They might be criticized by their ignorance and materialistic lifestyles.
To them, however, they do not know of these criticism and they are not aware of their ignorance so why should they care? If they were to know then they would be consumed with grief and anger, but as long as they have their ignorance, this is not the issue. As long as long as they have their ignorance, they shouldn't have to really care about anything! and therefore live an extremely happy and carefree life.
So, having not really answered the question yet, lets ask again: should and could one live an unquestioned life. I say "should" first because the "could" part is pretty hard to answer.
For the sake of the individual, one should live an unexamined, purely ignorant life. If they can accomplish this, they will be so happy they won't know what to do with all that happiness. So yea, the trend is hoop skirts but you think hoop skirts aren't that great so you don't wear hoop skirts which makes you an outcast in a superficial world and all of a sudden you're part of that group who wears black lipstick and smokes next to some retarded tree on campus. However, lets say you keep ignorant of the fact that hoop skirts are atrocious and are just part of the media trying to make more money for some designer who's already filthy rich who will then make some fashion magazine more credible. But in your ignorance, you can wear the hoop skirts and look, as the media has told you and everyone else, beautiful and be popular and become a great businessman with all the great business associates you have come to collect over the years of popularity in high school and college and have a great life.
Yea, Socrates would probably spit at you from his grave and say "The unexamined life is not worth living to be truly human and thereby truly happy each man and woman must subject his or her own life to careful testing." But whatever...Socrates is not going to come hunt you down from his grave nor would you really come to examine your life and ask yourself "Why am I so happy?" People usually ask themselves "Why is my life so effed up" so they can have as much happiness as you. And say you do ask yourself why you're so happy, your "true principle of right thinking and acting" is upon ignorance since its already made to so happy thus far.
Now the question of can we truly live an unquestioned life is that its pretty hard but lets not lose faith! Lets get a little idealistic and imagine that nothing is impossible! Say you do get informed of something which will only bring you more grief then take advice from my sister who told me this my senior year of high school when she saw how many APs I was taking. "Just eff it!" Who cares how many APs I'm taking and who cares what college I go to. YEA! WHO CARES! Put it away in some place in your mind where nothing is ever given a second glance and stalk on ignorance!
The essay was on The Great Gatsby. The wealthy elitists lived a lavish life in their money and luxury while others on the other side of the island lived in great poverty and grief. Gatsby himself was not aware of this and he was overwhelmed by sadness when he first visited that place. Am I making this part up? I believe this was part of my argument, but I'm not that sure as of this moment. But using this example, here we see that the wealthy elitists were able to live an extremely happy life in their wealth without worrying about those who were less fortunate.
To others, and the readers alike, these individuals are living a horrible distasteful life. They might be criticized by their ignorance and materialistic lifestyles.
To them, however, they do not know of these criticism and they are not aware of their ignorance so why should they care? If they were to know then they would be consumed with grief and anger, but as long as they have their ignorance, this is not the issue. As long as long as they have their ignorance, they shouldn't have to really care about anything! and therefore live an extremely happy and carefree life.
So, having not really answered the question yet, lets ask again: should and could one live an unquestioned life. I say "should" first because the "could" part is pretty hard to answer.
For the sake of the individual, one should live an unexamined, purely ignorant life. If they can accomplish this, they will be so happy they won't know what to do with all that happiness. So yea, the trend is hoop skirts but you think hoop skirts aren't that great so you don't wear hoop skirts which makes you an outcast in a superficial world and all of a sudden you're part of that group who wears black lipstick and smokes next to some retarded tree on campus. However, lets say you keep ignorant of the fact that hoop skirts are atrocious and are just part of the media trying to make more money for some designer who's already filthy rich who will then make some fashion magazine more credible. But in your ignorance, you can wear the hoop skirts and look, as the media has told you and everyone else, beautiful and be popular and become a great businessman with all the great business associates you have come to collect over the years of popularity in high school and college and have a great life.
Yea, Socrates would probably spit at you from his grave and say "The unexamined life is not worth living to be truly human and thereby truly happy each man and woman must subject his or her own life to careful testing." But whatever...Socrates is not going to come hunt you down from his grave nor would you really come to examine your life and ask yourself "Why am I so happy?" People usually ask themselves "Why is my life so effed up" so they can have as much happiness as you. And say you do ask yourself why you're so happy, your "true principle of right thinking and acting" is upon ignorance since its already made to so happy thus far.
Now the question of can we truly live an unquestioned life is that its pretty hard but lets not lose faith! Lets get a little idealistic and imagine that nothing is impossible! Say you do get informed of something which will only bring you more grief then take advice from my sister who told me this my senior year of high school when she saw how many APs I was taking. "Just eff it!" Who cares how many APs I'm taking and who cares what college I go to. YEA! WHO CARES! Put it away in some place in your mind where nothing is ever given a second glance and stalk on ignorance!
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