Don't Be Dumb

My first reactions to this article was, "Wow, if people think this about our generation they are fools." At first I thought that it was comical, it somewhat angered me that people felt we were not as capable or smart as prior generations. Then I started to look at our generation and realized that we are almost more advanced than prior generations. We have had to learn to use a computer and everything involved with the Internet and different applications. We have also innovated communication and internet usage. We even created our own language. Y people say that we r not as smart when we can talk like this idk. It is true however, that we do not read as many books, but we read just as much, if not more online. I know that i read a blog everyday and usually read articles on espn.com or read online for homework. Really, our generation will learn more in school than every other generation. For example, my parents generation would not have studied the Iraq war and the 9/11 terrorist attacks because those incidents didn't happen until long after they were out of school. That scenario goes for every subject because new books are always coming out, new scientific discoveries, there have been more in depth studies in mathematics, and there are different economic scenarios. However, I don't believe there is such a thing possible as the dumbest generation. I think that every generation has different technologies and is more capable at something than others. For example our generation is more technologically advanced than any other generation before us. However, 200 years ago, people were probably better at hands on things like building houses or hand-making clothes.

Why Americans Are Often So Restless

2. A society devoted to equal opportunity weakens an individual because more people are trying to achieve what that person is. Instead of being one of a few striving for something, that person is one of many, all going for the same achievement. This leads people to look for the shortest short cut or to work tirelessly and if they believe that reaching their goal when they want to, people switch to another goal and try to reach that. Tocqueville observes this and records this when he says, "Add to this taste for prosperity a social state in which neither law nor custom holds anyone in one place, and that is a great further stimulus to this restlessness of temper. One will then find people continually changing path for fear of missing the shortest short cut leading to happiness." (166) One of the most important statements in this textual evidence is the passage, "neither law nor custom holds anyone in one place,". This is important because it states that the law or society hold people to limits because of their race, religion, intelligence, or other abilities. Anyone can strive to reach any peak they would like without being hindered or restricted based on who they are. Because of this, more people are trying to achieve the same standard. In modern day, this is similar to recruiting. More and more people are trying to get better at basketball, therefore one may not be good enough to play at the highest level or even at all. However, if they would have played 90 years ago, when African-Americans were not allowed to play and basketball was not quite as prominent and popular, they may have been one of the best players in the country. Tocqueville observed that people were competing with more people because people were starting to reach new heights.

5. Tocqueville believes that Americans are restless because they want what is unattainable. He says that Americans see others with something, and they want it, so they somewhat drop what they were working on to try to attain this new attraction. Tocqueville is more specific when he says, "A man who has set his heart on nothing but the good things of this world is always in a hurry, for he has only a limited time in which to find them, get them, and enjoy them. Remembrance of the shortness of life continually goads him on. Apart from the goods he has, he thinks of a thousand others which death will prevent him from tasting if he does not hurry." Tocqueville is saying that Americans are constantly looking for a new hobby or "toy" to have and they hurry through the things that they worked hard for because they have seen or found a new goal to strive for. This is similar to a small child. As a child of about six or seven, one is always looking for a new toy to play with. The child may have gotten a new toy the day before but now has seen a new toy on TV and wants that one instead. The toddler completely forgets about their new toy and focuses all of their efforts and attention on this new toy. Americans are also like this, but instead of little toys Americans focus on promotions, stocks, cars, phones, and other accessories to make their lives better. Americans know what they want, but that is because we seem to want everything.

Mitch Tanner

Blog 2

It is hard not to care about what other people think about you because humans are social beings. If people talk bad about you or do not like you, it is hard to have friends. Humans also want to be liked by everyone and it feels good when you have friends that have fun with you and it feels good when someone says something good about you. It feels good to be liked and it feels comfortable to be with a group that likes you and feels the same way about things that you do. That feeling is hard to describe other than it just feels comfortable and natural. However you can not expect every one to like you and think highly of you if you do nothing to deserve it. You must control what you can to make people like you. Things like holding doors open, helping someone pick up something they spilled, and saying nice things about other people help you become a likable person. However sometimes there is nothing you can do. There are some people that will not like you for some reason and there is absolutely nothing you can do to convince them other wise. Most of the time, you can affect how people view you and how nice and kind people think that you are. Most people will change there first impressions if you show that you deserve it and that the first impression was a fluke and not how you really are as a person.

Belonging

I dont think that there is really such a thing as not belonging in a certain environment. I think that you may not fit in well with a group or surrounding but you can still belong. I think not belonging is a mental barrier that can be torn down by trying. I will agree that it is easier to belong and feel welcome in certain environments and not in others. For example, I think that I fit in pretty well at Zionsville and I think I would have done fine but I felt that I fit in better here and this is also a better school. I think that belonging is all mental and not just fate. I think that belonging is possible every where if you want to belong. If you don't want to, subconsciously or not, you wont belong.

Favorite Character

My favorite character is Slim. He does not play a huge role in the story like George and Lennie but he still is a main character. He also is the most understandable character and smartest as well. He understands how George feels when he loses Lennie and he understands what the problem with Lennie is. He knows all of this but is still trustworthy and keeps these things to himself in order to protect George and Lennie. He is also the boss of the workers without the title. He is really not the boss but all of the other guys look up to him and follow him. He leads by example and the others usually agree and do the same thing. Slim also has the most realistic view on life. He lets Lennie have his dream about the farm because he understands his situation and realizes the implications for telling Lennie that his dream was impossible. He knows when to care and when to ignore things like Curley's Wife. Slim is the most realistic and down to earth character.

Euthanasia

Websters Dictionary defines Euthanasia as the act or practice of killing or permitting death of hopelessly sick or injured individuals (as persons or domestic animals) in a relatively painless way for reasons of mercy. I think Euthanasia of humans is wrong unless the person who is dying says that it is okay and that person is mentally stable and competent. If the person is not stable, is in a coma, not competent, or being forced to make certain decisions I think that the person should be kept alive, even if their will says otherwise. I think this because they may have felt that way at the time that they wrote their will but there feelings might have changed or they may feel different about the situation now that they are in it.
I think the Euthanasia of animals is wrong unless the animal is termanally ill or has a life threating injury. Euthansia of race horses is usually done because a horse has a broken leg. This is wrong because the horse most likely will not die because of a broken leg. Its true that the horse may never race again, but it can still breed and live. Those horses can usually walk again and can be sold to the amish for a horse to pull a buggy. If an animal has a heart disease or other serious injury then it is okay to euthanize it.

Why do dreams sometimes fail

Dreams sometimes fail because the dreamer expects to much. Dreams are usually the best possible thing that can happen to someone. If that happened the world would be chaos with serial killers that wont be stopped and robbers that get anything that they want. Many dreams dont come true because they are not backed up by hard work. Some people dream of becoming a professional athlete but dont put in the work to accomplish their goal. Even though it is still their dream they either dont want it to come true that bad or think that it will happen on its own and if it doesnt then it is no big deal. Some dreamers just recognize their dreams as a dream and that they would be extremely lucky if it came true and if it did not come true they would just move on with their lives. Some dreams dont come true just because of bad luck, like a car accident or other emergency that interupts the process of making the dream succeed. For example, Ismael Beah's dream was to be a famous rapper, but their was a war going on in his country where kids were forced to fight. He was captured and had to be in the army and could not become a famous rapper like he dreamed.

Belonging

I think it is important to belong in a group but belonging is not necessary. It is important because belonging can raise your self esteem. Belonging in any group makes you feel wanted. Most often you can be yourself in that group and dont have to be fake or act a certain way to fit in. Belonging in a group is not necessary if you dont feel the need to. If you feel good about yourself and dont fit in with just one group then you dont have to be in a group. If you have friends that are all different and are in different groups, it doesnt matter.

Why is it important to have friends

It is important to have friends because they will always have your back. No one is perfect and when you make a mistake, your friends can help you fix that mistake or move past it. Friends also make you feel better about yourself and can help you get through tough situations like the loss of a pet or loved one, a crime, a disappointing grade or effort. Friends only want what is best for you and can give you good advice and suggestions to help you be a better person and not make wrong and stupid decisions. Friends will also encourage you to try new things and help you grow as a person. Friends will also be there when you feel like no one cares about you. Friends will keep you in mind ahead of themselves. Most of all, friends are there to be someone to have fun with. They are people that you can be yourself around them and not have to be fake and fit a certain mold. Friends like you for who you are.

Was it right for Friar to give Juliet the Potion? Yes, I think it was smart to give Juliet the sleeping potion. But, I think he should have sent the letter to Romeo in advance and made sure he got the letter. Juliet would have needed to stall for a few days. Doing this would have prevented Romeo thinking that Juliet was dead so he would have stayed alive.

Do you think Romeo and Juliet is really a Tragedy? Yes, I think it is a tragedy because 5 of the main characters including the characters in the title die. Paris, Tybalt, and Mercutio die as well. I think it has to be considered a tragedy if any main characters die, especially if 5 of them die.

Who was ultamatly responsible for all of the death in this story? I think that Mercutio and the Prince are most at fault for the deaths. Mercutio was responsible for his death and the death of Tybalt. He challenged Tybalt to a duel and lost. This angered Romeo and also put fear in him. He killed Tybalt out of anger and fear that Tybalt would kill him as well. The prince is responsible for the death of Romeo, Juliet, and Paris. If the Prince had not banished Romeo, Juliet would not have faked her death and both would still be alive.

Why does Juliet kill herself when she could have been free? I think Juliet killed herself because she was actig without thinking. I also think that she loved Romeo, or thought she did, that she did not want to live without him. She was to devoted to him to live without him.

Do you think Juliet should have faked her death? Yes, if she was devoted enough to not want to marry someone else when it wouldnt matter and no one would suspect anything then she should do whatever it took to be with Romeo. I think she should have thought more about it though.

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I think that the characters are they way i expected them to be. Romeo is a very emotional lover and has strong feelings that can quickly change. Romeo does not really love Juliet, even though he will eventually. He thinks he is in love because he listens to his heart not his mind and is very emotional. Love at first sight is not possible because you have to know something about the other person. If you dont know them personally you can not know if you connect with them emotionally. I think Romeo was just being over-dramatic about Rosaline. He clearly did not know her and did not love her because he switched so fast to Juliet. He is just emotional and was looking to fill a gap. I dont like the wordplay and the puns. They are not funny and I dont get them. I understand that Old English was just common language but i also think that the language was exaggurated a little for that time as well. I dont really like it. I like the story more this time because I understand what is going on better and it is more entertaining.

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