“The gene for brown eyes is dominant for the gene for blue eyes.” (Dawkins 26)
Here’s the thing, out of my four grandparents, three had blue eyes, one had green eyes and one had brown eyes: that makes three with light eyes against one with dark eyes. My mom has brown eyes and my dad has blue eyes. Both my dad’s parent had blue eyes so it makes sense that he would have them too. My mom’s mom had green eyes and my grandfather had brown eyes, and unluckily yet understandably, my mom has brown eyes. Now, my mom guessed I was going to have light eyes… and damn I wish she was right.
When I was a kid, about five years old, I always told people my eyes were blue. Around the age of seven I understood it wasn’t true and finally admitted my eyes were brown… but they were GOING to turn blue later on. When I finally stepped out of denial and realized I was a brown-eyed girl, I was up for anything to make my eyes blue, which was a good thing for my mom.
According to my mom my eyes would only turn blue if I ate my veggies, did my homework and cleaned my room. It was a lot of hard work only to go through about another year of maturity and then learn that it was virtually impossible for my eyes to become blue.
“My name is Kristie and I’m in AA because my eyes are brown”
domingo, 25 de octubre de 2009
The selfish Gene: "Shark" (1&2)
I’ve never been really sure of what I wanted to be when I grew up. When I was still a little girl I stared to develop a fascination for things such as ghosts and sharks. I spent most of my time looking into either subject and watching videos and recordings, but then I eventually got bored and returned for my fascination for Barbies. It wasn’t until about two ears ago that I went scuba diving for the first time that I fell for sharks again. I saw a couple of nurse sharks just sitting there quietly but I was drawn to them almost instantly. They were rather large and had the liberty to simply turn around and bite my hand off, but the simply lay there and stared back.
I remember sitting with my dad on a weekend and watching the videos he had taken when he was younger during his diving trips. He used to love it: he even got in a cage with great whites and swam along with a whale shark. He stopped when I was born because he simply couldn’t afford to take such risks anymore, but he’ll never deny that he would be more than glad to jump right back in that cage to watch those amazing beasts.
When I think about what I want to do when I grow up I usually think about going for something I enjoy doing or something to help others but lately I have a growing grudge against the human race and it’s destructive nature, so I decided that it was enough with the people and what I want to help with is animals. “If I say that I’m more interested in preventing the slaughter of large whales than I am in improving human conditions for people, I am likely to shock some of my friends.” (Dawkins 9) I have done my research and I came across a man named Paul Watson, who is technically a pirate. This man will break the law in order to save whales from being haunted by Japanese ships and I think he should be praised for risking his life for the cause. Not many people realize what is going on and I’ve even heard someone say “overpopulation of the wrong fish” when referring to the murder of sharks for their fins.
It really makes me sad when people lack the heart (and the brain) to know that it is wring and that it is simply stupid to keep on doing it. There is something that prevents us from realizing that drowning sharks by cutting off their fins is torture and that is it just as bad as if it was done to one of us. I believe it might be biology that build that wall in our comprehension, but lets face it, its nothing that can’t be fixed.
I remember sitting with my dad on a weekend and watching the videos he had taken when he was younger during his diving trips. He used to love it: he even got in a cage with great whites and swam along with a whale shark. He stopped when I was born because he simply couldn’t afford to take such risks anymore, but he’ll never deny that he would be more than glad to jump right back in that cage to watch those amazing beasts.
When I think about what I want to do when I grow up I usually think about going for something I enjoy doing or something to help others but lately I have a growing grudge against the human race and it’s destructive nature, so I decided that it was enough with the people and what I want to help with is animals. “If I say that I’m more interested in preventing the slaughter of large whales than I am in improving human conditions for people, I am likely to shock some of my friends.” (Dawkins 9) I have done my research and I came across a man named Paul Watson, who is technically a pirate. This man will break the law in order to save whales from being haunted by Japanese ships and I think he should be praised for risking his life for the cause. Not many people realize what is going on and I’ve even heard someone say “overpopulation of the wrong fish” when referring to the murder of sharks for their fins.
It really makes me sad when people lack the heart (and the brain) to know that it is wring and that it is simply stupid to keep on doing it. There is something that prevents us from realizing that drowning sharks by cutting off their fins is torture and that is it just as bad as if it was done to one of us. I believe it might be biology that build that wall in our comprehension, but lets face it, its nothing that can’t be fixed.
Candide:"Ya feel me?" (Final)
"that a man's soul is tested in the freedom to choose evil or good and is perfected by suffering" (Voltaire 8)
I started and finished the book by the introduction. After reading it, the rest of the book was such a disappointment since the actual beauty of Voltaire's writing lies in how he can express his intentions (in most cases sarcastic) on ink and paper. There is a passage from that starts at the begging of page eight and ends at the very top of page nine, too long to quote word by word, but definitely something that shouldn't be overlooked. I enjoyed reading his views on Catholicism so much because he doesn't use 'The God Argument' but instead he aims at how shamelessly religion preaches about all kinds of suffering when the preacher might not even know what suffering is. If the book was written by those who had to face death, hunger, pain and cold it would be something almost entirely different.
"Event he Christian doctrine of purification by suffering can be made to sound callous by a preacher who does not know what suffering means" (Voltaire 9)
I wasn't really raised to believe anything in particular, but given the choice to stick to a doctrine i would chose none, I've been told I am an agnostic, but i don't even know what the word means so i cant really relate to it.
I'd rather keep my opinions on the book to the minimum since they varied a lot thoughout the journey, but I wholeheartedly advise anybody who reads Candide to take a minute and read the introduction, because it was there that i found the most enjoyable page-and-a-bit of the book.
I started and finished the book by the introduction. After reading it, the rest of the book was such a disappointment since the actual beauty of Voltaire's writing lies in how he can express his intentions (in most cases sarcastic) on ink and paper. There is a passage from that starts at the begging of page eight and ends at the very top of page nine, too long to quote word by word, but definitely something that shouldn't be overlooked. I enjoyed reading his views on Catholicism so much because he doesn't use 'The God Argument' but instead he aims at how shamelessly religion preaches about all kinds of suffering when the preacher might not even know what suffering is. If the book was written by those who had to face death, hunger, pain and cold it would be something almost entirely different.
"Event he Christian doctrine of purification by suffering can be made to sound callous by a preacher who does not know what suffering means" (Voltaire 9)
I wasn't really raised to believe anything in particular, but given the choice to stick to a doctrine i would chose none, I've been told I am an agnostic, but i don't even know what the word means so i cant really relate to it.
I'd rather keep my opinions on the book to the minimum since they varied a lot thoughout the journey, but I wholeheartedly advise anybody who reads Candide to take a minute and read the introduction, because it was there that i found the most enjoyable page-and-a-bit of the book.
lunes, 19 de octubre de 2009
Candide: Bring It On (14-16)
Voltaire strikes again, now he brings along Cunégonde's brother's blood past with him. As if lying on a pile of dead boys and having his eyes burnt with salt holy water (absurd much?) wasn't enough, the young man barely lived long enough to receive news on his sister. The young man loses control of his manners and his temper and slaps Candide across the face with his sword as a sign of disagreement towards his engagement to Cunégonde for which he is sliced to death by Candide himself.
It is such outbreaks of rage that puzzle me so much about human nature. The inability to keep out emotions under control remains a mystery to me: ever aspect of us, even seemingly illogical love or hatred towards someone, can be explained with our biological needs. I understand that maybe the inclusion of a weapon in the equation might've caused Candide's instinct to spark and caused him to defend himself, but it still makes no sense that someone with Candide's loving, peaceful personality would all go down the drain in the blink of an eye.
Candide's change from being calm and collected to being a murderer might be part of the satirical aspect of the novel. I have found many characters to be far from what their fellow characters think them to be (Pangloss is a good example), but I still don't find any reason why this would add to the humor in the novel.
“Murder is always a mistake - one should never do anything one cannot talk about after dinner”- Oscar Wilde
Lovely eh?
It is such outbreaks of rage that puzzle me so much about human nature. The inability to keep out emotions under control remains a mystery to me: ever aspect of us, even seemingly illogical love or hatred towards someone, can be explained with our biological needs. I understand that maybe the inclusion of a weapon in the equation might've caused Candide's instinct to spark and caused him to defend himself, but it still makes no sense that someone with Candide's loving, peaceful personality would all go down the drain in the blink of an eye.
Candide's change from being calm and collected to being a murderer might be part of the satirical aspect of the novel. I have found many characters to be far from what their fellow characters think them to be (Pangloss is a good example), but I still don't find any reason why this would add to the humor in the novel.
“Murder is always a mistake - one should never do anything one cannot talk about after dinner”- Oscar Wilde
Lovely eh?
jueves, 15 de octubre de 2009
Candide: The missing Piece (12-13)
Voltaire has a sadistic ambition for creating the most misfortunate female character of all times. After putting a lot of effort on Cunegonde, he decided it wasn't enough and aimed for something even more heart-breaking. The old lady's story is so much more terrible that it took two chapter to tell, and not only that, but the hag has a permanent reminder of the events: a missing butt cheek.
We are just lucky that "somehow [she is] still in love with life" (Voltaire 57) and she still looks at the bright side by claiming that she is "a woman of experience: I know the world" (Voltaire 57).
At the very end of the chapter the old lady says something that really caught my attention: "Just amuse yourself, persuade each passenger to tell you his story, and if you find even one who has not often cursed his life and told himself that he is the most miserable man alive, you can throw me into the sea head first." (Voltaire 57) I think by now every single on of us is guilty of self-pity. Self-pity is one of my pet peeves, it really annoys me when people complain about problem nobody else cares about, but i simply can't stand it when the don't do anything about it. I find it a complete waste of time when someone whines about something but refuses to even attempt to fix the problem.
If you have time to whine and complain about something then you have the time to do something about it. -Anthony J. D'Angelo, The College Blue Book
Quote found on:http://www.quotegarden.com/
We are just lucky that "somehow [she is] still in love with life" (Voltaire 57) and she still looks at the bright side by claiming that she is "a woman of experience: I know the world" (Voltaire 57).
At the very end of the chapter the old lady says something that really caught my attention: "Just amuse yourself, persuade each passenger to tell you his story, and if you find even one who has not often cursed his life and told himself that he is the most miserable man alive, you can throw me into the sea head first." (Voltaire 57) I think by now every single on of us is guilty of self-pity. Self-pity is one of my pet peeves, it really annoys me when people complain about problem nobody else cares about, but i simply can't stand it when the don't do anything about it. I find it a complete waste of time when someone whines about something but refuses to even attempt to fix the problem.
If you have time to whine and complain about something then you have the time to do something about it. -Anthony J. D'Angelo, The College Blue Book
Quote found on:http://www.quotegarden.com/
miércoles, 7 de octubre de 2009
Candide: Wee Woo Wee Woo (9-11)
As I read this chapter something was bothering me, and then I realized what it was: "what will happen to us now? A man killed in my house! If the police come, we are done for"(Voltaire 45). Don't get it still? Read it again.
If you still don't get it, the sentence simply doesn't make sense: how are the police going to know that the man is dead at her house? It's not like an alarm goes off every time a person dies to call the police to look into it (although it would be useful).
If there were an alarm though, it would be rather annoying since people die every second of the day (cant they just stay alive?). That thing would be going off all day long, in fact, murderers might stop just shut the damn thing up!
I just had to get that off my chest.
(By the way, the police do come right after the heroes leave... that's a double no-sense)
P.S.: "who could have robbed me of my moidores and diamonds?" (Voltaire 46) I feel her pain, I hate it when things get stolen from me, I should spray everything I own with that itchy scratchy powder (you know, just to make them suffer the consequences).
If you still don't get it, the sentence simply doesn't make sense: how are the police going to know that the man is dead at her house? It's not like an alarm goes off every time a person dies to call the police to look into it (although it would be useful).
If there were an alarm though, it would be rather annoying since people die every second of the day (cant they just stay alive?). That thing would be going off all day long, in fact, murderers might stop just shut the damn thing up!
I just had to get that off my chest.
(By the way, the police do come right after the heroes leave... that's a double no-sense)
P.S.: "who could have robbed me of my moidores and diamonds?" (Voltaire 46) I feel her pain, I hate it when things get stolen from me, I should spray everything I own with that itchy scratchy powder (you know, just to make them suffer the consequences).
Candide: Like, Oh Mah Gawd, Disembowelment (7&8)
I shall beg Lady Cunégonde to teach us the secret of how to survive disembowellment. Before I knew what that word meant i supposed she had really indeed suffered from minor violent acts, but no, she's just that perfect, apparently "people don't always die of those mishaps"
In the list of modern-day cause-effect situations, right above "If you lend your cellphone to a stranger he/she will take off" it says, "never sleep in a strangers house or she will steal you kidney". Unless Cunégonde is missing one kidney or one lung (or both), there is simply no way she is back in the story. This is ridiculous, ever since I watched Rosario Tijeras I like it better when characters stay dead.
I just cant seem to like Lady Cunégonde, like, ugh, she's complaining how they killed her brother and her mother and, like, her father and, like, everybody else around in like a bloody massacre, and I'm just like, oh my gawd, like, you're not the only one okay lady? like, honestly, who does she think she is?
"Candide [...] gazed at her the whole time in rapt attention, [and] did not miss a single world" wow... just... you sure he's not gay?
In the list of modern-day cause-effect situations, right above "If you lend your cellphone to a stranger he/she will take off" it says, "never sleep in a strangers house or she will steal you kidney". Unless Cunégonde is missing one kidney or one lung (or both), there is simply no way she is back in the story. This is ridiculous, ever since I watched Rosario Tijeras I like it better when characters stay dead.
I just cant seem to like Lady Cunégonde, like, ugh, she's complaining how they killed her brother and her mother and, like, her father and, like, everybody else around in like a bloody massacre, and I'm just like, oh my gawd, like, you're not the only one okay lady? like, honestly, who does she think she is?
"Candide [...] gazed at her the whole time in rapt attention, [and] did not miss a single world" wow... just... you sure he's not gay?
Cadide: Reason Shmeason (5&6)
"I am a sailor and was born in Batavia. I have had to trample on the crucifix four time in various trips I've been to Japan. I am not the man for you Universal Reason!" (Voltaire 34)
What Universal reason? Pangloss is the most mediocre metaphisico-theologo-cosmolo-nigo-logist ever. At the begging of the book, when he explains that everything happens for a reason I actually came to believe Pangloss was a worthy philosopher, but once he went on to talk about the explanation behind his theory I was disappointed to the verge of laughter. We do not have noses to put glasses upon and he do not have feet shaped so they'll fit in shoes, quite the opposite actually. I might even dare say I'm glad Voltaire got rid of this ghastly man for once and for all... might.
*"Flogging - whipping: beating with a whip or strap or rope as a form of punishment"
"Auto-da-fe:the burning to death of heretics"
It feels good to learn new words.
P.S. I found this: http://www.stumbleupon.com/s/#1RaPDx/www.pangloss.com//search:pangloss
... I'm not quite sure what it is though...
*definition from:wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
What Universal reason? Pangloss is the most mediocre metaphisico-theologo-cosmolo-nigo-logist ever. At the begging of the book, when he explains that everything happens for a reason I actually came to believe Pangloss was a worthy philosopher, but once he went on to talk about the explanation behind his theory I was disappointed to the verge of laughter. We do not have noses to put glasses upon and he do not have feet shaped so they'll fit in shoes, quite the opposite actually. I might even dare say I'm glad Voltaire got rid of this ghastly man for once and for all... might.
*"Flogging - whipping: beating with a whip or strap or rope as a form of punishment"
"Auto-da-fe:the burning to death of heretics"
It feels good to learn new words.
P.S. I found this: http://www.stumbleupon.com/s/#1RaPDx/www.pangloss.com//search:pangloss
... I'm not quite sure what it is though...
*definition from:wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
lunes, 5 de octubre de 2009
Candide: "The Good Old Cause" and the Good Old Effect (3&4)
I was well aware that because the book is satirical, it might have some dark humor in it, but I didn't expect the post-war scene in chapter three to be so gruesome. It described inch by inch the butchered bodies of the innocent victims of the battle with the king of Abars: "Whichever way he looked , the ground was strewn with the legs, arms, and brains of dead villagers."(Voltaire 26) I'm just glad he didn't make a joke out of that scene, it would've been sick.
I'm starting to think that the target of the book are the epic stereotypes: the damsel in distress, the hero and even the wise old man. When Candide escapes the battlefield and heads for the nearest town, he think himself lucky because he has reached a christian town, which is supposedly going to make it easier for him to find some help.
When he reaches the first house and the man behind the door askes Candide if he believes in "the Good Old Cause" Candide replies by quoting one of Panglos' reflections: "There is no effect without a cause [...] All thing are necessarily connected and arranged for the best."(Voltaire 26-27) He sounds so sure of himself we might actually think it makes sense... but it doesn't.
Candide is an idiot who has no idea what is going on in his life at the moment but he is our hero in the story and we must love him very much for that.
I'm starting to think that the target of the book are the epic stereotypes: the damsel in distress, the hero and even the wise old man. When Candide escapes the battlefield and heads for the nearest town, he think himself lucky because he has reached a christian town, which is supposedly going to make it easier for him to find some help.
When he reaches the first house and the man behind the door askes Candide if he believes in "the Good Old Cause" Candide replies by quoting one of Panglos' reflections: "There is no effect without a cause [...] All thing are necessarily connected and arranged for the best."(Voltaire 26-27) He sounds so sure of himself we might actually think it makes sense... but it doesn't.
Candide is an idiot who has no idea what is going on in his life at the moment but he is our hero in the story and we must love him very much for that.
Candide: About a Man With Luck (1&2)
In Candide it is difficult to find the humorous part because when you usually read a book you read to pick up the information wether it is an informative article or a story line, but in Candide you have to slow down so you ca pick up on when to not trust what lies on the page.
As Voltaire mentions as he describes the of Westphalia: "The Baron was one of the most influential noblemen in Westphalia, for his house had a door and several windows and his hall was actually draped with tapestry" (Voltaire 19). What he is really saying is that one of the men of highest prestige in the town is considered to have luxury simply because his house has windows and doors and hid floors are carpeted. It is all in the tone, Voltaire writes it as it is meant to be something that might impress us, and we actually get that feeling until we realize that the house is only "impressive" in comparison since the house stands in the middle of Westphalia, or rather, a dump.
It is a very tedious book if you read it without stopping to realize how comedy is hidden between the words, if you don't think it over, you might just think it is a very boring book about a man with luck.
As Voltaire mentions as he describes the of Westphalia: "The Baron was one of the most influential noblemen in Westphalia, for his house had a door and several windows and his hall was actually draped with tapestry" (Voltaire 19). What he is really saying is that one of the men of highest prestige in the town is considered to have luxury simply because his house has windows and doors and hid floors are carpeted. It is all in the tone, Voltaire writes it as it is meant to be something that might impress us, and we actually get that feeling until we realize that the house is only "impressive" in comparison since the house stands in the middle of Westphalia, or rather, a dump.
It is a very tedious book if you read it without stopping to realize how comedy is hidden between the words, if you don't think it over, you might just think it is a very boring book about a man with luck.
domingo, 4 de octubre de 2009
Handbook of Epictetus: FIRE! (26-30)
Epictetus said: "Just as target is not set up to be missed, in the same way nothing bad by nature happens in the world" (Epcitetus 10), and I agree.
Whenever someone is bad, he or she is bad by mistake. We might say that if a child is born into a hateful family then the child was born to be bad as well, but also, if we fire a shot terribly, then we are bound to miss the target. I think Epictetus used a great example to communicate and summarize his theory of good and bad people.
When baby is born, it depends on the adults in charge of him to take care of him and teach him the ways of life, in other words, everyone's shot was fired by whoever was in charge of us when we were learning and it is very difficult to change the fate of the missile once it is in mid air. At the same time, if the missile is deviated, it is hard for it to shoot another missile in the right direction just the same.
How can we be good or bad if we don't know the difference between either?
Whenever someone is bad, he or she is bad by mistake. We might say that if a child is born into a hateful family then the child was born to be bad as well, but also, if we fire a shot terribly, then we are bound to miss the target. I think Epictetus used a great example to communicate and summarize his theory of good and bad people.
When baby is born, it depends on the adults in charge of him to take care of him and teach him the ways of life, in other words, everyone's shot was fired by whoever was in charge of us when we were learning and it is very difficult to change the fate of the missile once it is in mid air. At the same time, if the missile is deviated, it is hard for it to shoot another missile in the right direction just the same.
How can we be good or bad if we don't know the difference between either?
Handbook of Epictetus: Good and Bad (21-25)
"Let death and exile and everything that is terrible appear before your eyes every day, especially death, and you will never have anything contemptible in your thought or crave anything excessively" (Epictetus 9)
If we keep avoiding everything that is bad then we will live in a bubble where everything is good, but it is not reality. We need to face problems in order to be aware of what other people are going through and how reality is. If we let death happen before our eyes instead of looking away, then we learn how to cope better. It is all a matter of welcoming everything, good or bad, death belonging to both sides.
If we keep avoiding everything that is bad then we will live in a bubble where everything is good, but it is not reality. We need to face problems in order to be aware of what other people are going through and how reality is. If we let death happen before our eyes instead of looking away, then we learn how to cope better. It is all a matter of welcoming everything, good or bad, death belonging to both sides.
Handbook of Epictetus: Take a Chill Pill (11-20)
As much as I disagree with Epictetus that you should expect the worst from everyone and everything, I do agree with him that you should welcome everything as it comes. I think they should publish this handbook and put it up to sale everywhere in the big cities, because it is usually the hectic modern people who need this kind of advise the most. It is easy to read and doesn't take very long, but it says a lot and leaves behind plenty to think about.
"It is better to die of hunger with distress and fear gone than to live upset in the midst of plenty" (Epictetus 8) Epictetus talks about something many people suffer from nowadays. Since we have been taught that money solves any issue we might have then we gather it like there's is nothing else to live for. My own daddy has fallen for this: he has a beautiful house with a beautiful dog and a beautiful, smart and charming daughter, but he still is not satisfied. He wants boats and motorcycles and cars and many other big-boy toys he doesn't need but he think will make him happy at the cost of his current slavery to his company.Like Epictetus claims:"Whoever wants to be free, therefore, let him not want or avoid anything that is up to others" (Epictetus 8) my daddy should take a holiday at the beach and flush his blackberry down the toilet.
"It is better to die of hunger with distress and fear gone than to live upset in the midst of plenty" (Epictetus 8) Epictetus talks about something many people suffer from nowadays. Since we have been taught that money solves any issue we might have then we gather it like there's is nothing else to live for. My own daddy has fallen for this: he has a beautiful house with a beautiful dog and a beautiful, smart and charming daughter, but he still is not satisfied. He wants boats and motorcycles and cars and many other big-boy toys he doesn't need but he think will make him happy at the cost of his current slavery to his company.Like Epictetus claims:"Whoever wants to be free, therefore, let him not want or avoid anything that is up to others" (Epictetus 8) my daddy should take a holiday at the beach and flush his blackberry down the toilet.
Suscribirse a:
Entradas (Atom)
