Blogs

economist.com/blogs - I have always wanted to read the economist, but never had the time.


trolino.com - comical images 


collegehumor.com - funny video blog skits

Dreams by Langston Hughes

Hughes urges people to hold on to dreams because without them, life is meaningless.  Dreams are what constitutes the meaning of a persons life, and we can not let them go, "Hold fast to dreams/For if dreams die/ Life is a broken-winged bird/That cannot fly."  Hughes then compares losing dreams to life being a "barren field/Frozen with snow."  If men can not dream, they can not hope.  I find this poem inspiring because it pertains to everyone.  Never give up on your dream.  Dreams are what we yearn for in life, and without dreams, life because boring and "barren."

Genesis

It is quite odd that the scientific theory for the creation of life on earth is in the exact same order as how god created it in "Genesis". First there was vegetation, then aquatic life, land dwelling animals, and finally people.  Could this prove that there is actually a God that oversaw this development of life and conveyed it to his people?  Or is it coincidence?  Although both agree on the order of the creation of life on earth, the two differ on the creation of earth.  Scientists believe that earth was, at first, a hot molten rock that eventually cooled down and obtained water (from either volcanos or meteors that contained water).  In "Genesis" god states that earth was a gigantic planet of water, and he formed land masses.  Could we be wrong in our theory on how the earth was formed? 

Conformity: 1st paragraph

Conformity is used as a tool for both society and individuals.  Society gains peace and unity by the conformation of individuals.   Although conformity is necessary for the progression in society, it can cause people to lose sight of who they truly are.  A common theory of conformity: to conform until it starts to negatively affect, or alter the individual, has helped people create a balance between conforming and being an individual.  When my grandma moved to America, she had to integrate into the American culture to become accepted and to be able to communicate with her fellow citizens.  However, she still retained her cultural values from her homeland, Korea, and was able to raise her children with a strong Korean background.  Conforming does not necessarily make one into a sheep that just follows the masses.  Although, there are some instances where this is true,  conforming keeps order throughout society.  The natural conformity is also what guides people to behave, what is considered proper in society, through years of tradition and what is thought to be "right/just."

Intro Paragraph: Conformity

Conformity and rebellion have actively shaped and guided people since the beginning.  Both ideals have their positive and negative aspects, and cannot be strictly classified as good or bad. The classification of good or bad is dependent on the perspective of the individual.  A rebel can state that they are a freedom fighter, while the conformist are simply sheep following the masses.  On the other hand, a conformist can state that they are perserving the peace, while the rebels are creating chaos and anarchy.  Aside from the classification of good/evil, both are needed for society to evolve and prosper.  Without conformist, there would never be order, and without the rebels/individuals, there would never be change.  Experiences in life has a big affect on people's decision to be a rebel or conformist, because it impacts the mind/thought process.  My grandma had lived through the Korean War, and when there was word of another war starting in Korea, she decided to flee the country so that her children would not have to endure the hardships of war she had faced.  My grandma had used the theories of conforming and rebelling/being and individual to her advantage. In America, she had to adapt to the culture and society in order to gain a stable lifestyle. However, she was able to stick to her Korean culture, since there were some Korean communities.  

Brainstorm Conformity:

Conformity and rebellion have both been apart of humans since the beginning.  The view on both is dependent on perspective.  A rebel can state that they are fighting for freedom while the conformist are simply sheep following the masses.  On the other hand, a conformist can state that they are perserving the peace while the rebels are creating chaos and anarchy.  However, both are needed for society to evolve and prosper.  Without conformist, there would never be order, and without the rebels/individuals, there would never be change.  Neither rebels nor conformists should be seen negatively.  Although, there are some negative consequences in being a rebel, such as becoming an outcast, and a conformists, losing one's true self.  

Conformity: Grandma Cont.

My grandma was afraid of the talk of war that was arousing between North and South Korea.  She had experienced the Korean war, and wanted her 7 children to have a better and safer life.  She had the opportunity to immigrate to America, because her sister already resided there.  My grandma had a difficult time integrating with the american society due to her incapability of speaking english.  She felt some prejudices due to her lack of communication (Didn't speak english) but she successfully ran a market and created a stable environment for her children.  She strongly stressed receiving a good education because she wanted her children to have economic opportunities.