Education and the Proliferation of New (Old) Concepts

The essay opens with a discussion regarding the "No Child Left Behind" act that leads into a review of the modern education system. A major portion of this essay is the theory that Americans have lost all of the following values: "frugality, good neighborship, the avoidance of risk, and the psychological profit in work done well". Frugality-- I would definitely agree that as Americans, we have lost all sense of frugality. In general, people are extremely wasteful. There is little to no sense of living below our means and making a comfortable living by making good choices within the U.S. Good neighborship-- I also agree that we lack this value. The American way of life makes everyone seem like they are in it for themselves and for no one else. The sense of carrying people through life when it gets tough is a sentiment expressed by few people. The avoidance of risk-- I think that this value is still present, just in the wrong way. I would agree that people are not making the good kind of risks that ultimately yield a profit. They are making the bad risks that land in major debt and destruction. Psychological profit in work well done-- I think because of our high-speed lifestyle we have lost sight of the benefits of psychological profit. There is not even time nowadays to be proud of a job well done...


I, personally, believe that our education system is in trouble. After watching many documentaries and reading articles for my sociology class, it is clear that a vast majority of students are given a mediocre or less education, and it is factual that not everyone has the opportunity for an equal education. Heck, for a vast number of students in the United States, a good education is based on a lottery system; if your number is not called, you are stuck in a school that statistically dooms students for failure. The article makes a good point-- education needs to be more than just preparing people for the work force. We need to prepare our students for other human needs like global issues, other cultures, community service and involvement, etc. I'm thinking some major education reform for our country is due...


A review of 

"PAUL THEOBALD and HIBAJENE SHANDOMO, Education and the Proliferation of New (Old) Concepts"

Indigenous Resistance and Racist Schooling

Michael Marker wrote this article to explain what happened to the Coast Salish Indians in the 1900s. This Indian tribe lived on the US- Canada border. The US and Canada determined that the Indians needed to be modernized so Canadians forced Indians on the Canada side to go to traditional school, and the US sent the ones in America to boarding schools. Obviously,  in Canada racial discrimination ensued which caused much trauma for the Salish Indian students. The United States did not have much of a problem because the boarding school were Salish Indians only (which actually could be discrimination in and of itself). A little later, the Boldt decision was made which said the Indians were entitled to 50% of the fish population; everyone began blaming all the Indians for the slump in the fishing market.

Surprisingly, this article really kept my attention. I had never heard of this Indian group before. I think it is terrible that once again people were discriminated because they belonged to a different culture. Culture should be embraced if our country is truly going to call itself "free". Making these people change because we thought they "needed" our culture was a horrible idea. Sometimes I wonder why, as United States citizens, even today, we can't start to learn how to embrace different cultures instead of just rejecting them.

"The Meatrix"

As cheesy as this series may be, I feel as though its point is getting across quite well...

"The Meatrix", a spin-off of "The Matrix", features three undercover animals, Moopheus, Leo, and Chickity, on their adventure to expose what is really happening in the meat processing industry. They all begin under the illusion that all meat comes from healthy and perfectly treated animals and brought to the store from family farms. They believe the meat is all natural and healthy to eat. Once they take the "blue pill", they are able to see what is really happening.

The animals are not treated humanely because they often lose their beaks, are grown to fast that they can barely stand, are seperated from their mothers way before it would naturally be time to do so, etc. Once they are grown to the full unnatural size, they are sent to slaughter houses. These slaughter houses are nasty; oftentimes spreading E.Coli throughout the meat and providing such dangerous work conditions that employees are hurt along the way. Also, the animals are pumped full of antibiotics which we ingest causing our bodies to slowly become immune to antibiotics we may need later in life to save us that now will not.

In Georgetown, Guyana, the meat industry is actually safer than can probably be found in the United States right now. The safety standards are the same of the U.S. but because of lack of funding in Georgetown, money for antibiotics and hormones can not be found. Their animals are fed what they are supposed to be eating and by the time it makes it to the store, it is actually very safe to eat and free from the additives that we have in the United State. Because it is unsafe to drink the water that is used in meat production, it is not safe for international travelers to eat unless the meat is found at a reputable restaurant directly in the city. It is just very surprising to me that meat coming from a third world country would actually be healthier for its citizens than meat from the United States, who boasts all of the lavish things it has to offer...

Biotechnology

      The first section of the required reading discusses the logistics of how to make environmental writing persuasive yet informative and legitimate. The author says that context and content are important. Who one is writing to and what they are writing about must be taken into consideration. If these two things are done in the write way, then the writing will appeal to the reader instead of turn people away.
        The author also says that certain rhetorical strategies must be used to harmonize passion, reason, and scientific evidence. Writing needs to be persuasive and opinion does need to be incorporated, but if scientific evidence is not provided and is not accurate than many readers will not take the piece seriously.
      The next section of the required reading is an essay on biotechnology. It discusses many of the controversial issues that surround the whole idea. The entire essay has commentary in the margin that shows the reader exactly how a good essay should be written. This is nice because it helps me to have a better understanding of exactly what I should be turning in to Dr. Taylor. I also liked the fact that the essay provided data tables; it gives the reader a break from straight reading and better explains some of the harder facts that may be difficult to interpret for someone who is not familiar with biotechnology.

Fracking

Fracking, a radically new and improved way to collect oil, seems to be getting much publicity. What is it? Is it safe, and what are the potential effects? These are the questions that seem to be asked after each news story or mention of fracking to the public. An incident in Pavillion, Wyoming seems to maybe answer some of these questions for us...

Fracking seems to do no harm. It is a relatively simple process that brings the much envied oil to the surface to be used or sold. But citizens in Pavillion have a very different emotion towards it... People began to notice a drastic change in the water quality near where the fracking took place. Upon going out to the well to get water, citizens would discover that the water was completely brown and continued to go into sinks and showers that way. Upon contacting the EPA, the water was tested, and the pollutants found were the same components of the fracking process.

So, is it really safe? Well, if you try to call the drilling company to ask prepared to be ignored. Shoot an email to them and their response will be that the pollutants found in the water (you know, the ones that are identical to the ones used for fracking) are "natural" pollutants and are definitely not their doing. The EPA is still investigating the pollution claims and cannot completely confirm that fracking is the cause until further research is conducted. I can almost guarantee you, however, that I know exactly what they will find... and it will not be in the oil company's favor.

Powerpoint... or Essay?

I will just say it like it is...

I absolutely HATE writing essays; what I want to say never accurately is portrayed through papers. Even after finally mustering up the strength to get through an entire essay, I feel as though the grader never fully comprehends what you are trying to say anyways.

Power points are much more cut and dry. I can highlight key idea and then speak my mind whenever I feel the need. It's kind of like stories. When you were little, would you have rather your parent read a story word for word to you or fabricate some type of story with personality and information, often times only prompted by the reaction you gave to them? I, personally, always enjoyed the second option over the first.

In my opinion, papers do not truly allow you to express yourself. Okay... maybe if you're one of those people who has always been exceptionally good at paper writing you may be able to, but for the average student in this class, papers do not really work. Power points provide the information that needs to be given while allowing for a visual stimuli that actually keeps the audience's focus.

Change

After a discussion in class about changing environmental conditions and Wilmington, NC, I figured it was appropriate to bring up Wrightsville Beach erosion. In the above picture, it is evident that the land is unnaturally changing. The beach is jutting out every which way as if there is a missing puzzle piece. This erosion is horrible in about every way possible. Popular spots along the beach are being ruined, the like the well-known "Wrightsville Beach mailbox". This is a mailbox that was once well into the sand dunes surrounded by trinkets left behind by those who chose to visit and even a small tree. Now the only thing left is just the mailbox stand; beach erosion has destroyed the ambiance of the place.

Also, wildlife, such as sea turtles are no longer aware of the layout of the beach from year to year when they return to lay their eggs. They lay them in their usual spots which are no longer protected, and many of the babies that would have survived do not even have a chance. Also, dunes that protect the million-dollar houses behind them are being destroyed and thus destroying beautiful property.