Reading Response on Matched

          It’s true, I have an obsession with science fiction. Recently I have been reading more of it than usual. I finished reading Matched yesterday and am on to Crossed, by Ally Condle. Now this may be just my opinion but I wasn’t extremely impressed with the book because I feel like the plot line was exactly the same as all the other sci-fi books. The characters live in a futuristic world where there are tons of rules to keep the prisoners “safe.” Now although I was not totally impressed by the plot line, the book does bring up some interesting ideas to think about that take a look at the life we live today and questions it.

          The whole “Society” is shaped around being better than the past life when the decades were thought to be chaotic and harmful. For example, when the Society took rule of the people, they decided life was too cluttered with stuff so they limited the poems, artwork, and music citizens can enjoy down to a list of 100. The rest were destroyed. But I wonder, why was all that art considered to be clutter? I don’t think it is bad at all to have a wide range of art to look at or listen to. If this were the law today, why would painters even paint pictures, or composers compose songs if only 100 would be chosen to be available to the public? I think that the Society judged what should be put into the 100 songs/100 paintings/100 poems by substance. I think that the Society believes some art works will put rebellious ideas into peoples heads, or even just thoughts that aren’t as peaceful or uniform as the Society would like them to be.

          Also, each citizen is only allowed one Artifact. An Artifact is an object from the past years, often passed down from generation to generation. Cassia’s Artifact is a gold stopwatch given to her by her grand-father. I really want to know why they are only allowed one Artifact. It’s not like they are dangerous for you. They are the things that keep the past alive! Unless of course, the Society doesn’t want to keep the past alive. At one point in the story, the artifacts are taken away from everyone because “a person who did not own an artifact was seen with one” and “this way it will be fairer for those who do not own artifacts.” I think the Society had a greater reason behind taking them all away, other than to make it “fairer”.

          While reading this book I was forced to think about life today and the principles we live by. While I agree that society can be chaotic, messy, and full to the brim with art, at times, I certainly think it is better than to have a limited selection. I’m also not saying that more is better than less, but in this situation I would choose the disorganization over rules and laws and more rules. 

Non Fiction post #2 Dance on depression

           The article “Dance Intervention Improves Self-Rated Health of Girls With Internalizing Problems” documents the finding the use of dance as a type of therapy on112 girls (age 13-18) in Sweden struggling with depression and other psychological stress.  Since exercise is known to raise spirits and help cope with depression, 59 girls of the group suffering from pains, headaches and increased tiredness were sent to participate in dance classes twice a week for eight months. The other 53 were assigned to the control group. The main results were that the group participating in the dance class had a higher improved Self Rated Health. According to the authors, the girls showed “high adherence and positive experience,” (Duberg, 1).

            The author wants the reader to understand that dance can result in positive experiences for young girls, and the use of more healthy lifestyles. The authors make this clear by repeating this sentence more than once in throughout the article. They also use words such as "The key finding” and “high adherence,” showing that they truly believe dance is an effective method to beat psychological problems.

I found it interesting how Ann Duberg and her colleagues from the Centre for Health Care Sciences, Örebro County Council and Örebro University, Sweden went about doing the experiment. The fact that they were interested in dance instead more conventional treatment like medication or psycho therapy for treating girls who were suffering from depression or anxiety was intriguing. Further, I was impressed and please to find that dance was more effective than the control group without. It is reassuring to know that letting off steam and expressing your emotions through dance can be helpful for suffering teens. 

I always get mad when people tell me, “dance isn’t a sport.” In my book, something that burns calories, exercises both sides of your body, keeps you in shape and is a way to express your emotions is a sport. Now that we some evidence that dance is a possible method to help adolescent girls through stress related problems, are we going to use this method more and more? I know for a fact that after I dance I feel a whole lot more relaxed. Also, although not as many boys would be interested in this program would it work for them? Either way, it is always good to know about more ways to help teens.

Bibliography:

. "Scienec Daily." Science News. November 12, 2012. . February 12, 2012 <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121112171319.htm>.

Non Fiction response #1: Sitcom originality

I can always look forward to watching an episode of my favorite T.V shows a couple times a week, because all I really need is a laugh. My favorites include “The Office”, “Modern Family”, and “Parks and Recreation”, which is why this article which discusses all of them really caught my eye. The author, Emily Nussbaum discusses comedy shows like the ones I listed above starting to turn downhill, all except for “Parks and Rec”. She realized this after actually beginning to take a closer look at the concepts and anatomy’s of the shows. Are they actually as ethical as they seem? And what defines when a T.V show should actually stop running?

            Modern Family “swept the Emmy’s” in September. In the article “I Love Leslie”, Nussbaum says that she was fond of the diverse modern mockumentary, but as it went into more and more seasons, her doubts began to grow. I think that Nussbaum want us to be more critical of the characters starring in the show. For example, she brings up the point that Jay, the oldest father, is really a wealthy old man who just complains about and to his “ trophy wife”.  The author also uses heated, opinionated words in this section; “When I squint and reimagine ‘Modern Family’ as a harsh multi-cam series rather than an urbane mockumentary, its gags tend to shrivel like slugs under salt.” Wow.

            Nussbaum also talks about how “The Office” seemed to go downhill from the point that Steve Carell left. I personally agree with this, and while I have still been following the show in hope that I can get some more laughs after the successful 7 seasons, it just isn’t the same. She believes that “The Office should’ve come to an end there after finding “a fresh idea inside the severe structures of and old.” But while I agree “The Office” will never be the same without him, I don’t think that the show needed to end. In fact, I see it as sort of an insult to the current actors to say that they couldn’t keep the show going without Steve Carell, when they are all comedians themselves.

            When I watch these shows, I really just watch them for pleasure. However, after reading this I think that I should watch through a more critical lens. I have never really thought about analyzing T.V. shows, only just texts. On a different note, Emily Nussbaum wrote an article that caught my attention and kept it, and while I don’t agree with all of her views I think it was well written and thoughtful. 

Source Cited:

Nussbaum, Emily. "I Love Leslie." The New Yorker October 22, 2012. On Television. January 28, 2013 <http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/television/2012/10/22/121022crte_television_nussbaum>.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower: Critical response

*SPOILER ALLERT*

(Just a warning because you will probably hate me forever)

We all know what it is like to grow up in a place where there are influences we have to deal with and decisions that we have to make. And whether you are in 1^st grade, 8^th, or 12^th, we all have dealt with the social pressures of school. But by the time we get to high school, we have been through a fair amount of school to have an idea of what to expect. Now imagine having to start school for the first time after being in the hospital for a while. You wouldn’t know what to expect. This is a little like what Charlie has to go through. Over the break, I finished the book The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky. Although it was a fairly long time ago, the book is still fresh in my mind. It was a really intense and emotional book, and at some points I had to actually put (or throw) down the book because it was painful to read anymore. Part of the reason I think the book was so intense was because of topics that I think some people find uncomfortable to talk about, such as sex, drugs, and extreme social rejection.

The thing is, these topics are at large today and would be unfair not to talk about them because it is a part of what goes on in society. In fact, the author talks about them in a very blunt manner through Charlie, the main character. Charlie has never been to high school before so I think he just accepts what he sees, causing for a very matter of fact story telling. So, there were two critical thinking questions that were going through my mind as I reflected on this book. One was about the difficult problems and issues that were mentioned in the book, and that I mentioned earlier. These issues like drugs, sex, suicide and crazy parties that are mentioned in The Perks of Being a Wallflower are real issues, and the book is about having to grow up in a world where these issues exist. And sometimes, it is a little uncomfortable to read about, but I think the book is supposed to have a little harsh tone.

Which brings me to my next topic and critical question- at some points in the book, do you find yourself resisting the writing and characters? My answer is yes. Actually a lot during the book I found it hard to read and I disagreed with the characters choices. For example, the main character Charlie, who is told later that he needs to stand up for himself and make his own choices, often takes everything literally and seriously, and sometimes it hurts to see his goodness. He is too innocent and good yet stupid at the same time. At one point in the book, his best friend is having a crisis, and Charlie lets his friend kiss him when he is drunk, or even just sad, but he never said a word to anybody. Another time, his other best friend who told him not to think of her romantically breaks up with her boyfriend. When she asks Charlie why he never made a move, he sais something along the lines of “Because, even though I wanted to, at that moment your happiness was more important than mine.” When I read that, I wanted to cry.

This book, while touching and beautiful, is also heartbreaking. What I liked about it was that it was down to earth, and real. Even if that realism it had to be “the 10th most challenged book on the American Library Association's list of the 100 most banned or challenged books of 2000-2009” because of controversial topics in the book. But, on the other hand, those topics are ones that are still around today, and we can’t just keep avoiding them. But just as a book, I think it was marvelous.

Critical Thinking Question #2: Tales of the Madman Underground

In Tales of the Madman Underground, by John Barnes, the therapy group nick-named “The Madmen Underground” is full of people with tough lives and back-stories. Even if those kids need therapy, they are often placed there automatically because of what has happened to them in the past, or because they are seen doing something that defines them as “insane” or “crazy” by teachers, but those people don’t always have the right to judge someone, especially if it isn’t the child’s fault.

I think this situation is really unfair because of the way the members of the Madmen Underground are being treated. All of those kids are there because they are thought to be “crazy” by one teacher or another. But what deems someone to be crazy? Some of the kids in the Madmen group are given the ticket to therapy because something terrible happened to their family, for example Paul, who’s mom was run over by a car, instantly earning him a ticket to the therapy classes. But while something traumatic like that is very harsh to a young child, that doesn’t automatically mean they are crazy.

Other kids have been put in the group because they were seen crying in class, which brings me to my next point. The pressure that many are feeling at home is unhealthy, and that’s what causes the kids to be stressed, or become depressed, or to have these “crying jags” at school. For example, the main character Karl has been living without a father for 3 ½ years and with a mother who creates even more work for him. Though while narrating, Karl never complains about it, I don’t think he enjoys having to mature so quickly, having to make the money and then pay the bills, and it just causes more stress in his life. I don’t think it is fair that kids like him and the other Madmen have to take on 7 odd jobs to take care of people who don’t deserve it, just because they are their “parent”. For most of the kids, their mom (or dad) are blood related to them, but again that doesn’t make them a parent. If the adult figure is not present or more of a burden than the child, I don’t believe they qualify as a parent, let alone a caring one. And most of all, I don’t think these kids should have to suffer because of their parents mistakes.

While many of the Madmen may be working multiple jobs and being the adult figure in their lives as a “defense mechanism” because they don’t have anything else to protect them, others may be doing it because they have no choice. Kind of like the saying “don’t judge a book by its cover” a person’s back-story may not be a sign that they need help. I’m not saying that they don’t either. But the story is often more complicated than a simple, “they’re crazy.”            

Critical Thinking Question:Tales of the Madman Underground

          In every school there are groups. Even the people who may think they are loners are in some part of an “individual group.” As long as I have been attending school I have come into contact with social groups and statuses, whether it is kindergarten shunning or 8^th grade hierarchy. Either way, it can be hard to find where you fit into all of it. I have just started reading the book Tales of the Madman Underground, by John Barnes. (I am on page 20!) Even so, I can already start making inferences about this character and his life. From what I know, the main character, Karl, a high-schooler, lives in a house with his mom, who is not in the best condition. She takes her son’s money, comes home drunk, and over all does not seem like a supportive figure which is unexplained, but I assume has to do with the death of his father and her husband. His mom being lacking, I get the feeling that he is very independent and has most of the responsibility. He has his own stash of money, does the accounting, looks after their numerous pets and takes care of himself. With his dad dead, and his mom mentally absent, Karl has too much pressure put on him, and being such an independent kid who relies on solely himself is unhealthy.

            The theme of being an individual carries into his school life. Karl has always been in a therapy group in school, a routine he is determined to get rid of this year. His best friend since kindergarten, Paul, named the group the Madmen Underground. This is where groups start to come in. I got the feeling that where social groups were concerned, Karl and Paul were part of the Madmen Underground, even if no one was aware of them. This is how groups tend to work out, everyone considers themselves to be a part of a group, even if it is invisible to others who establish themselves over those “invisible groups.” Even the “social outcasts” tend to gravitate towards each other. What I noticed is that the title of this book is called Tales of the MADMAN Underground. Madman, not men. I think that Karl doesn’t want to be associated with that group anymore, no matter how invisible it may be to others.

            As the book progresses, I want to see how Karl fits into groups at his high-school, in his neighborhood, and at home. I wonder how his friendship with Paul is going to play out, seeing as Karl might want to ditch the Madmen Underground. I hope that his mom starts to take responsibility because it is painful to read about him being neglected, although I am sure he is used to it by now. Whatever happens, I can’t wait to get further into the book because I have a feeling it will show an interesting side of the high-school groups and cliques, and everyday life.

            

Social Awareness Project

Following The News

November 18^th, 2012            New York Times

In Alabama many beach houses were destroyed by Hurricane Sandy, The western end of this Gulf Coast is a very hazardous place, being on the waterfront. Over the years, the place has suffered much damage from hurricanes and storms. But each time damage is done the area is given more money to fix it. In the whole nation, tens of billions have been spent re constructing buildings after storms or floods. This time, 30 billion dollars could be sent recovering in NY, NH and other states all from hurricane Sandy.

I don’t see why all this money is spent putting communities back together when it will just be destroyed again. I know that storms can be extremely detrimental, but so much money goes into putting things back as they were, which sometimes increases the vulnerability of places like Alabama. A Carolina geologist said that “we’re Americans damn it. Retreat is a dirty word.” But maybe it is time to be more careful about where we build, or at least how we do it.

November 19^th, 2012            NPR News

Recently, a new round of fighting has broken out between the Israelis and Palestinians. The fighting may seem similar to other attacks, but there are a few things that make this clash different: 1) Egypt’s role has changed; 2) some of the Arab leaders have gone to Gaza showing that neighboring countries are starting to care; 3) new technology. Palestinian rockets are now designed to reach Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. On the other hand, Israel has built the “iron drone” missile detector to shoot down Palestinian rockets while they are still in flight; 4.) the absence of a peace process; 5) US skittishness in the Middle East. Most US troops are gone form Iraq. We are not involving ourselves with Hamas. So the conflict has to be sorted out by the parties themselves.

I think it is bad that the fighting has started up again. With new technology today, the fighting can reach a whole new level. What with the US troops pulling out, hopefully, the conflict can be resolved in the Middle East instead of it dragging on.

November 20^th, 2012            Al Jazeera English

Wal-Mart workers are striking! Many have complained that they do not receive living wages. The workers started with small work stoppages, but are now organizing a longer, more widespread protest. In a video where workers were asked why they were striking some replied; “Because I am tired of being discriminated against in the work place.” “Because I like my job but I hate the way I am being treated.” “Because I’m tired of not being treated like a human being.” “Because if I weren’t with family, I would have to chose between healthcare and food.”

Wal-Mart is one of the biggest chains in the United States. I actually had no idea that they were treating their workers so badly, but now that I know, I think it is about time that the workers go on strike. It disgusts me that Wal-Mart has so many workers and makes so much money, but they don’t have the decency to treat their workers right, or pay them a living wage. A quote from a news anchor states; “If Wal-Mart increased all their workers’ salaries by $2,500 it would be only 1% of the annual sales”. Yet they don’t even want to do that.

November 24, 2012            CNN

Movember. You’ve probably heard the term before. What you likely didn’t know was that it is about much more than about mustaches. Each November men and women (mo sistas) grow mustaches to show their support for people suffering from prostate cancer. What started out as just thirty guys trying to bring back an old fad is now a worldwide support group for cancer patients.

I first found out about Movember by watching an episode of the Office that referred to it. Intrigued, I did some research. I did not expect to find a group of people fighting cancer with mustaches. It’s great though. Everyone participating seems enthusiastic about it and it is a fun way to help people. It is important to support all cancer patients, and prostate cancer had not been supported in such a major way. But last year, 126.3 million dollars was raised worldwide from Movember and hopefully this year will bring even more, using facial hair as an advertisement against prostate cancer.

November 24, 2012            NPR News

Today the 24^th is no longer just a Saturday. It has recently been dubbed “Small business Saturday”. Today is the day you are supposed to go out, reopen your wallets and shop local. But what is different about today? What can you get that you didn’t get on Black Friday? Dave Drake an owner of a small women’s boutique called Savvy Stuff says that he and other owners of small shops can offer customers what they are not expecting but what they want. He believes that today is a fund day that people can buy unique items that no one else has. Many local business owners count on today for good business.

I am a very strong supporter of small businesses. I don’t like to shop in large chain stores if I don’t have to. However, this “small business Saturday” seems a little silly to me. All anyone wants to do anymore is shop, consume, buy, consume, and take more and more stuff home. Between “Grey Thursday”, “Black Friday”, “Small Business Saturday” and “Cyber Monday” there is barely any time to relax and think about the true meaning of Thanksgiving.

Final Reflection

After looking back at the five news stories that I wrote about his week, I noticed that none of them were connected at all. All of the stories varied immensely. Over one week, I read about international crisis, such as the current bombings between Israel and Palestine, and then gone on to read about local economic issues and stories, like Black Friday. Of course there was an article about the damage left by Hurricane Sandy, which we are still cleaning up from. Watching reading about and listening to the news for two weeks helped me to be more aware about current events. At the dinner table I could actually contribute facts about the renewed tensions in the Middle East and have a conversation with my mom about it.

I usually listen to the news in the morning on a daily basis, but I am half asleep anyway. Watching the news is a totally different experience. When I was watching the news about the Wal-Mart strikes, I was actually very touched. Although it is sometimes easier for me to obtain information when I am reading, watching a story has a very powerful effect. I want to continue watching the news at night if I ever have time, because I like being aware of all the issues and general being of everything around me.

Daily List

Poverty- people sleeping on the streets, without food, richer neighborhoods having better schools and better foods sometimes.

Race- poorer neighborhoods tend to be filled with more people of color… ?

Gender- job pay, teacher roles (more male as you get into the higher grades?)

Favoritism- people picked for no reason other than they appeal to someone more than others, they become the best in someone’s eyes from then on out.

Education- not everyone can afford to go to college when they should have the opportunity.

Immigration issues- if children are born here from illegal parents, they have a right to get as good of a life and education as anyone else. Is it right for people to come here illegally anyway?

            The first item on my list is poverty. I put it there because while, fortunately, I don’t experience it, I do see people suffering from poverty every day in the U.S. It is mostly visible to us on the streets, of course we all see people begging for money near stores, and homeless people sleeping on the subway, and that’s what most people think of when they hear the word poverty. In fact, there are many different types, levels and degrees of poverty. In fact, often the most egregious types of poverty are invisible.

Poverty doesn’t only mean seeing a homeless person. It doesn’t only mean seeing a beggar, or watching someone pay with food stamps. Poverty in our country is often hidden. It is about opportunity. In wealthy neighborhoods, you might find better schools than in poorer areas. This is because property taxes are funding our schools in New York, along with other things. Richer neighborhoods have more expensive houses leading to higher taxes that can fund public schools more adequately. In affluent areas, parents are also more likely to supplement their local public schools through fundraisers and bake sales. In poor areas, parents don’t have time or money to do this. Furthermore, a lot of funding for public schools comes from the lottery, and a lot of people who play the lottery are poorer people. People often call this the “poor tax.” I find this immensely unfair, because a lot of money that is put into the lottery from people who don’t necessarily have enough to begin with, and all that money is going into the schools instead of their meals. Granted, the schools with their children are being funded too, but not enough anyway.

Poverty may mean that the neighborhood you live in has more fast food restaurants than richer neighborhoods. Studies have shown that McDonalds targets poorer neighborhoods. This makes sense because if you can get a $1 happy meal and you don’t have that much money for dinner, you are not going to worry about what is the healthier meal, chances are you will end up buying the Big Mac. Unfortunately because of this, if you live in one of these neighborhoods and can’t afford a healthier meal, you have a higher chance of gaining weight.

           

There are many causes of poverty in this county, more than I can go into here. But one of the many reasons that poverty is still at large is because not enough people notice it. Or, maybe they see it but choose not to notice it. Either way, poverty shouldn’t be invisible because it happens right before us everyday.

I chose to interview my mom for this part of the project. And not just because “she is my mom, and I love her.” (Though I do love her very much.) I chose her because I do believe that she changes the world everyday, inside the house and out. When I interviewed her, she was in the middle of cooking. I admire her for what she does at her job, and as a mom. My 6-year old sister, who is helping my mom cook (or rather, taste) tries to help interviewing as well.

Me: So, mom, what do you do for your job?

Deena: I’m an… advisor, a technical advisor for microfinance.

Soha: You help people with their work, right?

Deena: Yup. Ooh Soha we need to take that pie out of the oven!

Me: Do you mind talking a little more about what that entails?

Deena: Okay, I work in economic development. So I work in developing countries supporting micro-finance, which is giving very small loans to poor people to help them start businesses.

Soha: (Soha’s first grade class just finished a unit on the park.) Do park people help change the world everyday?

Deena: Yes, they are very important…

Me: What places in particular do you visit?

Deena: I work mostly in the Middle East and Africa. Poor countries in the Middle East and Africa.

Me: What is it like working in those countries?

Deena: It’s fascinating. And humbling. Its amazing to see how other people live, learn about their culture, eat their foods see their architecture, but its also very difficult, Because people are very poor, and the people that I visit often live in abstract poverty and sometimes in war zones. Do you want some bean salad?

Soha: Yes!

Me: What made you want to take this job?

Deena: Ever since I was a teenager I wanted to work in the Peace Core. It was a program to send young people to volunteer in developing countries all over the world. And though I was never a part of it, I always admired it. So I went to school, and studied international affairs, worked abroad in China as a teacher to see how that felt, and that’s when I decided that I needed to go back to Grad School to study economic development.

Me: What was attractive to you about that type of work?

Deena: Helping people. Doing something for work that means something. Trying to make a difference in the world for those who are less fortunate.

Me: What do you like most about your job?

Deena: I like the people, all the different people. Actually one thing I like the most, I like the least. I love the travel aspect, even though it means I’m away from you.

Me: You say you like the people a lot. Do you still have contact with some of them?

Deena: Yeah I’ve actually made a lot of friends from all over the world that I visit sometimes when I’m working.

Me: Do you know people who now have businesses thanks to you?

Deena: You mean have I seen the result of my work? I’ve actually been involved in writing up laws that allow poor people access to finance to support their businesses.

Me: That must be very satisfying to know that you’re doing good for the world!

Deena: I feel very lucky that I have a job that I like, that I believe in, and it takes me to parts of the world that I would not normally see.

Me: Thanks, mom.

Reading Response

The comic books that I have read are usually about superheroes, or talking animals. However, the comic book or graphic novel, Persepolis is different. Using pictures and black and white drawings, the author tells a story of a young girl living in Iran, right at the time of the Islamic Revolution. The country is still recovering from the war with Iraq as well a brutal and protracted war between two neighboring countries, that left over 1 million Iranians dead.

            In this memoir, Marjane, the daughter of two revolutionaries is convinced she wants to be a prophet. Over the course of this story, she realizes that she wants to be a part of the demonstrations as well. She loses some of her interest in being a prophet and explores the revolution more and more as she is fed up with how her family and her are being treated, and some of the changes that are being forced upon them. For example, when she was in school just after the Islamic Revolution, the girls and boys were separated in schools and the girls were made to wear covering veils. Many were against that. They thought their children should have freedom, but they were overruled.

            The way that the Iranian soldiers treat the citizens is more than unfair. One thing mentioned in the book that I found outrageous was the child soldiers. Not only were they recruiting children to put in the front line, they handed out “golden keys” in school. The boys were told “if they went to war and were lucky enough to die, this key would get them into heaven.” This is so unjust and terrible! They are basically setting up these children to think that war isn’t a bad thing, and it will be fun to serve at the front lines because “In Paradise there will be plenty of food, women, houses, and riches.” They are trading a meaningless plastic painted key for an actual person’s son. It is horrendous.

            What was sad about reading this story was that I am the same age as Marjane. And while I can’t compare my self to what she was going through, I know what it is like to be a kid. I can’t imagine what it would be like to have to hide in the basement every time I heard a siren. Or to be worried at school about your parents, and if they were safe, or at another demonstration. This story is compelling and heartbreaking, and also one of the freshest memoirs I have read because of the graphic presentation.