Winter Poem

Winter is here, there's a new feeling, a new spirit, the days are short, feels like life is short, cold yet warm, family's together, makes you feel grateful, family's gone, quiet, time to reflect, more cold, snowy days, making igloos, dark days, thinking, what's next, laughter, winds, ice, songs, fire, hope, despair, life, winter.

Globalization

Globalization is an economic, social, and political phenomena that has taken place during the last fifty years. Economically, it is the interdependence of the economies of various nations. It is the United States exporting things like food products to all parts of the world as well as importing things from China. A corporation in the United States now can communicate ideas to Chinese factories, have Chinese labor manufacture a product, and ship/distribute the products to markets across the world. Economic globalization can sometimes be seen as an inevitable manifestation because of how economics has evolved throughout the years. If we were to go back to colonial America, most everyone was a farmer, self-sufficient, making everything they needed. During the Industrial Revolution, it was more efficient to allow a factory manufacture a specific type of product than farmers making everything themselves. The United States soon became a market economy in which people could buy what they needed. Globalization could be seen as the next extension of the market economy; since China can manufacture goods more efficiently and cheaper than the United States, it would make sense for the United States not to compete with China in this field. Countries have become dependent on one another to supply them with goods in the same way how the American farmer had become dependent on stores to supply them.

We can now communicate and transport ideas and goods faster and to more places than ever. Western popular culture is being diffused throughout the world. The attraction of the mainstream culture often times weakens local cultures. The domination of Western culture throughout the world has disturbed the cultural diversity of the world as more and more people are becoming westernized. Some people whose local culture is being destroyed rebel against the strong pull from popular culture.

From an American standpoint, globalization has been great. Americans are the ones who are dominating the word culturally and benefiting much from it economically. With globalization, I can buy things relatively cheap. I can call my grandmother in India and can even visit her several times, but I do not know if others in other countries would have the same luxuries as I. While I benefited, others may be suffering from globalization.

Sports in My Life

Sports have played a big role in my life. Ever since I was little I played sports, I watched sports on TV... pretty much anything related to sports. My first and best sport that I have ever played was basketball. I was in an organized league when I was 3 years old at a YMCA. Ever since, I have been playing basketball. During my elementary school days, I was in my park district's b-ball league, and the summers were frequented with pick up games from the park across the street. As a spectator, I watched many differnet kinds of sports--football, bastketball, a little bit of baseball, even some golf-- both on the professional and collegiate levels. Pretty much I was a sports nut. I loved to talk about sports-related topic, showing everyone my incredible sports IQ. My infatuation with sports was influenced by my family. I have two brothers about the same age as me and many cousins (only 2 girls), and we just all naturally gravitated toward sports. In our family gatherings, all the kids would go out and play something. We basically encouraged each others interests. For me, back then, sports were kind of like my escape. The excitement for a big game would always get my adrenaline rushing. I would make sure that I did all my work so I could watch some national championship game. I have watched some amazing games, plays, moments in sports. These moments now seen nostalgic. Also, too many times the team that I intensly desired to win fell short. An example is the 2004-2005 Fighting Illini basketball team. I was madly in love with that team. I watched as we did not lose a game...until the last game of the regular season, and later in the NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!! For a fan so invested in the success of the Illini, I was devastated....

However, when I grew older, I noticed that my interest in sports was at times unhealthy and that sports weren't really important. I needed to prioritize my life according to what was actually important, so I tried to be less involved in sports. I tried to step away even though it was painful. Sometimes when I told my friends that I had decided not to hoop one day, they said I had "retired." Essentially, I was asking the question "Why should I devote my time and energy to follow something that won't benefit me?" As time went on I developed a more balanced approach toward sports, somewhere in the middle of fanatic and ascetic. I came to believe that sports were healthy and can benefit me. I am more likely to play a sport than to watch it on TV. I try not to get overwhelmed  by what some basketball player did in the NBA, but its hard because I had idolized these people during  my childhood.

Thankful for a Classmate

I am thankful for my all my classmates because they create a distinct personality for the class. I love the class because of all the different perspectives that arise. It would not be as fulfilling if we sat there agreeing all the time, so thanks guys. I am also grateful those who help form my own ideas. When we do group work I am with Dohyun and Rich, and they help me understand concepts in class, even though they laugh at some of my suggestions. Sometimes we disagree on something, but we accept each others view. I am thankful for Jessica because she always has something to say. Sometimes I take a look back at her just to see how see reacted to something. I am also thankful for Jackie, whose involvement in class gives me my needed inspiration to be a better student. I am thankful for those who speak their opinion. I am often fascinated with what comes out of their mouths. People like Colin, Eric, Greg, Vanessa, Courtney, Annie, Hannah, and everyone else that talks (sorry, I wasn't trying to leave anyone out). I often wonder "what makes them thinks that way?" There views help me shape my own views. Thanks. I am grateful I can have a class with all of the classmates I have.

Open Letter to Cormac McCarthy

Dear Cormac McCarthy,
I have recently read your book The Road. I thought it was quite interesting. I liked that the setting was a place that no human being could directly relate to. The descriptions in the book have made me shiver few times when I think of the cold and barren land.
I would have questions about the book like, “what did you mean by this” but I do not think you are willing to answer such questions or if there really is an answer. Some questions I do want to ask are: what made you write this book and what was the inspiration? How has your own experiences contributed to your work? I have read a little bit of your biography and remember you saying that you find no point in writing if it is not dealing with death. Does this mean that you often see death in all things? In The Road there is death all around the boy and the man. It is interesting how the characters cope with this misery. To have hope in this situation is difficult yet the love of the father towards his son and vice-versa sustains them.
I do not know if you were trying to use anything as symbols in your book. Apparently, a critic once said that the boy represented something like “goodness incarnate”. I thought an important part of the book was that the father continued to hold to his ideals and did not become lawless like many other survivors. This could have symbolized that there is something that is universal for human beings in every situation. For example, money is lauded, but it has no intrinsic value, so when it loses its backing it loses its value. In The Road, I think you are showing that there are things that have intrinsic value, things that retain its value, like bonding with your child.

Defend the Poet

Charles Bukowski makes some outstanding claims in his poem Dinosauria, We, but claims that are worth considering. I think he is seriously concerned about the outlook of our society. The way the society is set up is ultimately leading it to its destruction. The negative affects of the society keep piling up and eventually take over. The poem may present an extreme scenario which may not happen. Bukowski is assuming that since A happened then Z happens, but he may have forgotten the steps B through Y that also have to go about before the eventual extinction of mankind. This is not to say that I do not think Bukowski's forecast might ever happen. I do think that with the examples Bukowski offers, we can examine the destructiveness that society can have. For example, in Dinosauria, We, it says that that we are "Born into this/ Into hospitals which are so expensive that it is cheaper to die/ Into lawyers who charge so much it's cheaper to plead guilty". The system is set up in such a way that the services are exploiting the very people that they are supposed to help. The system is more considered with who has more money than with providing justice. This analysis makes me think that there is something fundamentally wrong with our society. These examples are relevant to our current circumstances. Bukowski also observes our society become inhuman. Abusing other people and our environment. I can see how our society can be moving in this general direction, but I think Bukowski expresses to much cynicism about our society. There are some good agents in our society that are mitigating the damage of the bad ones. Things like pro bono work. But maybe I am also just being too optimistic.

A Direction the Class Needs

I think the class is going in a good direction as of now. I like that the primary manner in which the class operates is a discussion format. Mr. McCarthy or the literature which we read poses an idea and we all can have different beliefs about it. As a result, ideas bounce around in our head. When someone shares his/her ideas with the class, the whole class is enriched because everyone is better able to understand the idea from a different perspective. I think this creates a better learning environment.

I like that the class is not very rigid and is very open. The class is very enjoyable because not only do we learn but we laugh too. The discussions are open to most if not all ideas. The only thing that might be considered a flaw is that some of our discusssions drift way too far from the current topic. We do get on tangents and I have no problem with that. It's just that sometimes there's no relevence to class. This class has made me think harder about certain things that I have not thought about before. Overall, I like the current direction of the class, although it could be more focused.

Father and Son, Mother and Daughter, Mother and Son, Father and Daughter

I have experienced and seen the father/son and mother/son relationship very closely because my parents have three sons. My father/son experiences are different from my mother/son experiences. I think this is because of their differing personalities, not necessarily because of gender roles they think they have to fill. My dad has always been the more stern one. Though he generally doesn't want us to make mistakes, he tries to make sure we feel the consequences when we do. I remember when I was in elementary school, my dad would always tell me "if your not ready by 8:00 [am], I'll drive off with out you." There were multiple times when I wasn't ready, and many of those times he drove off with out me. He would come back, though, but it would be five to ten minutes later, and would drive me to school. Soon I understood that he didn't have that heart to actually leave me but he had been tempted to do so a few times; there have been other occasions, though, when my dad has left without someone when we are going somewhere. On the other hand, my mom, if put into the same situation, would never leave with out us. Though she knows we are late she will either get angry or keep that anger within her. She doesn't try to let her feelings interfere with the bigger goal, which is to reach a certain place as a family. My dad cares less about this aspect and would rather make his sons feel the consequences of being late in order to get his point across (or at least that's what he outwardly shows). My opinion is that each method is effective to a certain extent: sometimes I prefer my mom's softer way, but other times the only effective way is being stern like my dad.

My parents are not always like this, and to generalize them in this way would be a crime. I just think that this stark contrast shows the differing relationships I have with my mom and with my dad. There is no question that occasionally my dad can be as soft as a teddy bear and my mom a hard-nose.

I have tremendous amounts of respect for both my parents, though I respect them in different respects. My dad can be humble and always tells his boys, "I want you to be ten times bigger than me." I respect his knowledge and wisdom. I like to discuss politics and world issues with my dad just to see what his perspective is. I also admire his work ethic. Another one of his signature quotes is "there is no substitution for hard work." It is because of his hard work that he is where he is today. I am often inspried by him and his past.
I would go to my Mom if I had emotional distress. She is more sensitive toward others and more understanding. She is easy to talk to does not just give me generic advice. I don't know if it is her "motherly touch," but she has been there for me when I needed someone with whom to talk.

Each of my parents has shaped me in different ways, some being ways that I do not even consciously recognize. They are a large part of why I am what I am today. I know they are trying the best, and I thank them for that.

How Do I Know What I Know?

It is kind of funny how this is our topic for this week because just earlier today I was unsure if something I had experienced was in my dreams or if it actually happened. It was something that was insignificant and only took a second of my life, but I still remember it from somewhere, though the source of that memory is hazy to me. How do I know if this memory is real or not? I believe the memory is real because I have it, but I do not know if it was derived from my actual experience or from my imagination. But then again, how do I know if anything is actually from reality? If dreams and reality can be so easily confused with each other, would it not be the case that I in fact do not know what is "real"? That begs the question: How do I know what I know?

This is my own form of the Descartes "Meditations". This actually did happen to me and I am not just trying to mimic Descartes. Descartes was trying to answer the question "How do I know what I know?" This question can be thought of in two regards 1) by what process did I come to know something OR 2) how do I know what I know to be certain?

I don't think certainty can be philosophically proven. Trying to prove certainty usually leads me into confusion. How do I know that my experience was imaginary or a dream? I do not think I can  prove one because there can always be an argument for other. Since this experience which I am talking about is insignificant, I will probably just shrugg it off and move on, never knowing if it was real or imaginary. I guess I will "almost certain" about something when I find it......clearly and distinctly.......wow, I am turning into Descartes!

Our Meaning

Our meaning in life can be reasoned many ways.
Is it to be happy or to be productive or to know God? Is it to be in communion with our fellow human beings? Or could it be something as simple and common to all animals as continuing the existence of our species? Do we have a specific (or even a general) purpose? These are some of the things I think about when I think if life has any true meaning.

I have always been interested with outer space because I believe it is filled with mystery and majesty. Sometimes I like to look at the night sky and see the thousands of scattered stars. The magnitude and awesomeness of the universe begins to sink into me and I try to see where I might fit into all of it. Essentially, I am a speck compared to the Earth, the Earth is a speck compared to the galaxy, and the galaxy is a speck compared the entire universe. What, then, is the significance of me, a speck of a speck of a speck? Would the world be different with out me?

I do not think that I am totally insignificant; this reflection, I would like to think, helps me to put some perspective as to how small I am relative to the rest of the world, putting me in my place so to speak.

As to the question if we are all important in the grand scheme of things: My belief is that even an individual can make a big difference. Sometimes he or she can make a difference in someone else’s life without even knowing it. Ideas are created with the interaction of individuals. Without individuals, there would not be countries or ideas. Though it may have been the country or idea that made an impact, everything had to originate from an individual. I would like to believe that famous people are the way they are because of other normal individuals who might have made a difference in their lives.

My American Literature teacher once said the people we remember in history are the ones who had original thoughts. I think I believe him. We remember people from centuries ago because they had a novel idea that changed the way things were. We usually don’t remember people who went with the flow of status-quo. I sometimes wonder if I want to be remembered in a hundred years or if I want to an “average” person. I am not sure if to be famous I need to make myself do something or if the circumstances will just naturally come to me.

God in 2010

What has God or the idea of God become of in the year 2010?
The concept of God has evolved over time. It is safe to say that many years ago, a lot (probably the majority) of the people believed in polytheism, and that these gods had control over a certain range of activities. Now the predominant belief is that there is only one God.

In the past, religion was an integral part of daily life. Now, in our more secularized West, religion has fallen in authority. I am not sure, though, that this means that God has also fallen in our society. I do not know if God is synonymous with religion; so to say that God plays a smaller role in our culture because the role of religion has diminshed is not a great argument. It is probably because our concept of God is changing from that which was in the past. Before, the concept was related to many gods and then to a single God. Before, God was only accessible through the religious, but now there is greater belief that God is equally accessible, even to the layperson and the poor. Before, natural forces like lightning and earthquakes were eqauted to God and his attitude toward humans. In the future there maybe another evolution to the concept of God will take place.

Are these evolutions showing us a clearer picture of what God might be? Maybe we are slowly hacking away what God is not, which helps us see what God truly is.

I think many people today get comfort from the idea of God, that there is someone who can look after them or understand them. In this strange and complicated world, it is hard to get the emotional and spiritual nourishment that people need, and God can be the nourishment they need. Also some people may feel comforted that God is protecting them. I have sometimes thought of a situation in which I have no control and am totally helpless. I imagine myself as a soldier in war. In this case, should I ask God to guide and protect me because I do not have any control over the situation? I am not sure if I should keep my trust in God at this point or whether I should trust in my [God-given?] abilities.

The nature of God is not always agreeable among people today. Is God a personal God with whom each and everyone of us can have a unique and intimate relationship? Does God actively involve "Himself" in the affairs of people on Earth or is God on the sidelines, just having been the role of a catalyst for creation?

Candide's Punishments: Do they fit the Crime?

To decide whether Candide's punishment fits the crime one must first analyze the crime and the punishment. What was the crime? Well, according to Baron Thunder-ten-tronckh, the crime was kissing his daughter, Lady Cunegonde. Candide was then punished by being literally kicked out of the Baron's castle. Obviously, the Baron did not like what was going on with Candide and his daughter, so what other choice did he have? If he did not agree with their love, but let Candide stay in the castle, nothing would have probably changed; and Lady Cunegonde and Candide would continue the love that was not favored by the Baron. The only punishment that would stop them from seeing each other would be to kick Candide out from the castle. This is in the viewpoint of the Baron.

The Modern Day Socrates/Gadfly

Someone who I think may be a modern day Socrates is the artist, K’Naan. Now, I am not a very music savvy person, so I do not have much to compare him to, but he sings about current issues in a different light than the mainstream media. He is from Somalia, and many of his songs are about the turmoil that is happening in that country right now, and he also talks about the superfluousness of modern, commercialized hip-hop. He sheds light on some issues like how education is also lacking in poor neighborhoods and the Somali pirates and why they might have been led to such activities. For example, in the western media the Somali pirates were portrayed as lunatics and heartless people (which some of them were), but the media usually never got to the bottom of the real issue for the piracy, which had to do with Western political and business interests that had played in that country for many years. In this example, K’Naan tries to change the perception of what the media says is true and question the bias of the media, something that I believe Socrates would have done in his time with what the authorities said were true. K'Naan is sometimes even known as the "Dusty Foot Philosopher".

He may not look as deep into the issues as other people who could be modern day Socrateses, but he does have some similar qualities. A big quality, though, that K’Naan has but Socrates did not is that K’Naan is a performer/entertainer. When asked if he was trying to outlet his viewpoints through his music, K’Naan responded by saying “not really” and that his first priority was to make good music. He just wrote about his observations. It is clear, though, that he has made keen observations.

The Unexamined Life

Is the unexamined life not worth living? I believe it is essential for us to question ourselves and the world around us, to question why we do things and why others do the things they do. Through questions we can slowly find out what is true and what is not true. For you to be in control of yourself and your own actions you must be able to know the justification or reasons why you do certain things. If not, it is often the case that you are just doing what another tells you to do. You are in their control and are essentially their pawn.

Many different ideas come into our brains from different sources, and, without critically examining these ideas, putting them through a mental test so to speak, we can fall victim to what is not beneficial for us. Ignorance may be bliss, as the saying goes, but it can lead not just that person but the rest of society into a worse situation. For example, if we questioned our government’s decision to go to war in Iraq and did not openly accept it as the government gave it to us, how it was a war protecting America from weapons of mass destruction and a war for spreading democracy in the Middle East, then we would have probably been able to make a more prudent decision. Ignorance and not questioning what is going on can lead to poor decisions. By questioning what has been done, I believe that we can become wiser with our decisions. Ultimately, I believe that if someone is living in a situation of untruth, influenced by it everywhere, the only way to rise out of something like that is to question everything until that person realizes what they once thought to be true was not.

“The power to question is the basis of all human progress.” This quote from Indira Gandhi exemplifies how without examination we will not be able to do away with our fallacies that still control our actions and hold us back. Questioning a belief can help support it with more sound reasoning or make it crumble because of lack thereof.

Eulogy

Anil Methipara was a simple person who could find joy in the simplest of activities. Some days he could be seen competing on the basketball courts; other days he could be seen just lying on the grass gazing at the intensely blue sky on a beautiful summer day. He tried to enjoy the little things in life.


From the very beginning he had a big heart. He was, more often than not, very thankful for the blessings that were his, especially those of his family who had always been there for him. He understood that family was the only people in the world who actually genuinely cared about his well-being for the long term. He worked hard not just for himself but also for the greater good of the family. He felt pity for those in the world who were struggling more than he was, and he often volunteered his time, even for just a short while, to serve them. Anil has volunteered at his school, local library, homeless shelters, and with the intellectually disabled members of the community. He also helped raise funds to build a school in Malawi, Africa.


Anil was a very bright kid who was interested in learning; sometimes he couldn’t decide what he wanted to learn first! This may be why Anil often gravitated towards his elders rather than his own peers. His elders had a bank of wisdom and experiences which amazed him. Anil had a curiosity that drove his inquiries; his father even mockingly called him “Curious George”. His insatiable desire to know everything often found the response of annoyance. Even so, his teachers agreed that he had great potential.


Anil was a very lovable person who always tried to present a pleasant expression. It was difficult for him to make enemies because he tried not to offend others to the best of his abilities. Though he was a shy person, at times he showed a confidence and purpose that took notice among his peers. Deep down, though, he was a confused kid trying to fit into this mysterious world.


Anil left behind his mother and father, two brothers, and his grandmother. Anil was truly unique and will be truly missed because there was no one exactly like him. Through death, may his soul rest in peace.