Teachers

Education is an issue that requires all the assistance possible to repair it, but the "status" of teachers is completely irrelevant. This country used to be a leader in education, and is now thirteenth (approx.) in rank. The United States is laughed at and hated around the world - improvements in education would help our reputation. The reputations of teachers does not matter when addressing educational issues. The problem lies within the students and the teachers' abilities to reach them, interest them, teach them - not the social standing of teachers. Workers in any occupation will complain about their job; a lineman who decides he is not appreciated enough will refuse to work, equating to darkness, while an under-appreciated teacher will refuse to teach, leaving students ignorant, but still able to make a living, doing the various low-level jobs that need to be done (which would not be such a bad thing, especially since college acceptance rates are dropping). http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2011/03/27/how-to-raise-the-status-of-teachers/let-us-teach I agree with Williams that education would greatly improve if teachers were left to their own devices, able to decide what and how to teach, instead of relying on administrators who have never known anything about the position teachers are in to tell them how high to jump. Teacher A: begins teaching from Chapter 1, going through all the information, terms, questions, unit tests - continues this all year Teacher B: uses the textbook as one resource, calling on other sources to educate their students. Teacher B is clearly the more effective educator, as Teacher A is not a teacher at all - A's method of teaching could be undertaken by the students themselves. B's method of teaching actually requires the teacher's prescence for the students to receive an education.

Gatsby Analysis

Fitzgerald comments on the American way of life, reminiscing about events he couldn't possibly have been present at, evaluating the course humanity has collectively chosen to pursue (by living in and indulging on what this country has to offer). The intentionally evasive way he writes leaves his over-all purpose open to debate. We have left our humanity "somewhere back in that vast obscurity beyond the city, where the dark fields of the republic rolled on under the night." His speaking of the all-natural, beautiful land-mass, landed on and corrupted by the invaders ("the old island here that flowered once for Dutch sailors' eyes..."), leads readers to believe that with the de-naturalization we wreak upon this "new world," converting it into a "great country," such as "Its vanished trees, the trees that had made way for Gatsby's house..." the moon refuses to illuminate us. Our natural satellite, a natural occurence, cannot, will not, brighten the fields of this nation; once teeming with earth-born life -- now devastated by the manipulations man conducts. This, especially, because mankind has learned how to create artificial light (thus, the absence of the moon)(and how to make our own food ("the dark fields" (containing nothing but ourselves))). "A fresh, green breast of the new world" is an opportunity to be profited from in the conniving hands of man. "The inessential houses began to melt away," until the realization that we have indeed corrupted what was once pure becomes clear; inessential because nature is the natural safe haven. "For a transitory enchanted moment man must have held his breath in the prescence of this continent, compelled into an aesthetic contemplation he neither understood nor desired, face to face for the last time in history with something commensurate to his capacity for wonder." The transition man underwent when he arrived to this place was from the classical world of minor crimes to the modern world of death, destruction, pollution -- advanced technology, with which we enslave the world itself. The aesthetic contemplation He (mankind) felt was a wondering of all the changes we could force upon our new home to accomodate for our evolving needs (ridding ourselves of what is no longer required (things natural)). This, long ago, was the last time man will ever be able stare in awe at beauty and possibilities; beauty to be harvested, ripped from whence it came, and possibilities we can create and force upon the ground we stand. We arrived at this country to make a new home, but the advances we have made as a race have blinded us to our true cause (lost long ago because of rapid modernization), leading us to soil the natural beauty, to waste our lives worrying about the trivial. The American Dream is like courting a whore, who was once a marvelous maiden, but has become our sultry harlot, able to suck the life from the tyrants (United Statesians) that made her Her. We fight futilely against what we have created, complaining all the time, never knowing anything -- or why.

"My Wood" Response

disagree with Forster's claim that consumerism corrupts humanity.
the notion that obtaining property causes greed to fester is absurd;
people don't buy things to stay current and ahead of their
"competition" anymore - petty rivalries over what is owned are
hardly prevalent anymore (although it is admittedly present
somewhat what with newer versions of technology being released
every week (and war)), especially with the economy the way it is.
things are bought for survival, comfort and practicality (entertainment,
safety, and so on (GENERALLY genuinely significant reasons)), not to
show up the neighbors. supporting the economy will not turn the majority
into greed driven zombies, bent only on increasing their wealth. money is
indeed what makes the world go round, the mechanism which turns it
being consumerism, the fuel (wealth), the incentive for thinking of and
creating new and better things, improving the lives (of those who can afford it (a "downfall" of the supposed snake in the garden)); currency is exchanged for these innovations, allowing for even more. wielded correctly, consumerism may very well be viewed as a catalyst for true humanity (since we are a (generally) ponderous people); back in Forster's time, though (revolutions in culture, technology, etc.) this tool of mankind quite possibly could have been wielded and swung unjustly, for petty human reasons.

3rd Quarter Reading List

I read two books, the equivalent of six books.

"The Catcher In The Rye" 200 pages (counted as three books)

"DMT: The Spirit Molecule" 358 pages (counted as three books)

"DMT" is about a doctor's attempt at dissecting the unknown parts of life,
DMT acting as a catalyst for these events, the human body
usually the location. Though his book is about ethereal
things, it affects secular things on earth. His experiments the first
DEA approved since the '60's, his revolutionary ideas can be viewed
as either pure conjecture or enlightening. Either way, his theory
on metaphysical, spiritual and bodily matters are quite interesting,
especially those that involve the pineal gland. According to his
thoughts, the pineal gland is indeed the seat of the soul; where
the soul enters and leaves the body, where DMT is manufactured
in the human body, is surrounded by mystery (the origin, its actual
purpose, why it has moved throughout evolution, etc.).

Quotation On Consumerism Response

Advertising signs: they con you into thinking you're the one
That can do what's never been done
That can win what's never been won
Meantime life outside goes on all around you

-Bob Dylan, It's Alright Ma, 1965

those companies that advertise only care for the money obtained from those gullible consumers. actual, real-life life continues in the face of this opressor; if only you can realize the scrubbing of minds THE CORPORATIONS do every day through media sources, you can set yourself free. free from succumbing to the evils of misleading products/campaigns for those products and go outside where all the life continues around you (though more and more rapidly, the life that is going on outsde is growing slimmer and slimmer, more victims of the evils of consumerism)

Reading Journal 4: 2/4

Throughout the story, Holden makes several references to an ex-female friend of his, whom he had liked as a girlfriend but never really did anything with - Jane Gallagher. Every time he thinks of her, he also contemplates giving "...old Jane Gallagher a buzz," but he never does, for one reason or another (always amounting to his being scared to) (Salinger 202). Paranoia about ailments was common back then (the magazine article he reads about hormones and cancer (pages 195-196)) and identification and treatment of those ailments by the afflicted themselves (under supervision/advision) was the norm' (the modern-day health tonics of the late 1800's). Holden admits often that he is crazy; Salinger's almost mythic portrayal of Jane leads the reader to believe that perhaps she is a method of self-medication that he is too timid to pursue.
Salinger, J.D. The Catcher In The Rye. Boston: Little, Brown Books. 1945, 1946, 1951

(pages 201-204) Holden, while writing a letter to Phoebe in her school, notices an obscene statement (rhyming with "truck fume") and thinks about killing the supposed bum who wrote it while cleansing the wall of it. He comes across another statement of condemnation and finds it scratched in the wall (still in the school). Holden, after delivering his letter, goes to the Museum to wait on old Phoebe. Walking down the corridor to the mummies, which was lined with stones from the tomb of a Pharoah, sees yet another "Eff You," "written with a red crayon or something (Salinger 204)." Already extremely depressed and deprived, Holden comments that it is impossible to find a place of peace, for rest, as the world will always ruin the proverbial paradise of secluded narrow passages dead men are shut up in. Salinger explains the intensity of Holden's "manic," shall we say, depression, always qualified by Holden as "sort of," by alluding to the fact that so long as Holden breathes, his mind/shortcomings will prevent any semblance of happiness from staying long.
Salinger, J.D. The Catcher In The Rye. Boston: Little, Brown Books. 1945, 1946, 1951

Holden's little sister is pretty much the only thing he has to live for - his world. When Phoebe reads his letter stating his plan to leave his life behind for the West, she meets him with a suitcase full of clothes, as she wants to accompany him. Holden becomes greatly angered: "I thought I was going to smack her for a second... 'I thought you were supposed to be in a play at school and all,'... I almost hated her. I think I hated her most because she wouldn't be in that play any more if she went away with me (Salinger 206-207)." Holden makes mental plans for her to visit him in his self-built cabin on holidays, as he couldn't live without her in his life. But for the world to follow him in his pursuit of autonomy would defeat his purpose and deprive the world of continuing and enjoying its own revolutions. Phoebe, life incarnate, would prevent him from achieving solitude, his apparent sought after method of self-medication; Holden desires to live a martyr for himself - the most convoluted, perhaps noble, even, cause of all. Phoebe, mad at Holden's denying her her request, "...turned her back on [him]... She can turn her back on you when she feels like it (207)" Yet it is Holden who aspires to leave behind his/the world.
Salinger, J.D. The Catcher In The Rye. Boston: Little, Brown Books. 1945, 1946, 1951

Reading Journal 3: 1/28

While Holden converses with Mr. Antolini, who steers the conversation towards Holden and aspects of his psyche, a prediction of Holden's future (what it may be, hold for him) appears; this future referred to as "...a terrible, terrible fall... (Salinger 186)" The sentences begin: "It may be the kind [of fall] where... Then again you may just pick up enough education to... Or you may end up in... (186)"; informal, inebriated palaver, heard by a youngster's ears, are read through the clouded goggles of matured adolescence that Salinger forces and keeps upon us, through his quite effective methods of story-telling.
Salinger, J.D. The Catcher In The Rye. Boston: Little, Brown Books. 1945, 1946, 1951

While watching the show with Sally, Holden remembers watching "Hamlet" with D.B. and Phoebe. He comments that he got a big bang out of watching "...Ophelia...sort of horsing around with her brother... (Salinger 117)," which was "the best part in the whole picture... (117)" "But you don't see that kind of stuff much..." indicates Holden's love of actors' comfortability to live while performing (117).
Holden also confides that he has to read the play, rather than watch the actors play it out, as he is always distracted by whether or not the players are "...going to do something phony every minute," phony being considered grand acting by others (117).
Salinger, J.D. The Catcher In The Rye. Boston: Little, Brown Books. 1945, 1946, 1951

Reading Journal 2: 1/20

In Chapter 17, Holden, having decided loneliness is too much, and having made a date with an old "girlfriend," Sally, (after watching the show that constituted the date) joins Sally in ice-skating. The struggle to outweighing the fun, they take a break within the bar beside the rink, where she and Holden begin discussing things - not all trivial. On a whim - a method Holden often utilizes in thoughts, actions, feelings - Holden steers the conversation to several topics, beginning with "Did you ever get fed up?" leading to "How would you like to get the hell out of here?" and ending with "You give me a royal pain in the [mule], if you want to know the truth." (Salinger 130, 132, 133) During his ramblings, Sally keeps asking him not to shout - "I wasn't even shouting," - and comments a few times on the fact that Holden makes no sense, though she thinks that mainly because of the blatancy of his conversation, which she mostly drifts through (though usually he doesn't make complete sense because connections he sees and makes are impossible for readers to fully make out): "I don't know what you're even talking about...You jump from one [thing to another]...," "What?... I can't hear you. One minute you scream at me, and the next you [whisper at me]..." (130, 131, 133)
Salinger, J.D. The Catcher In The Rye. Boston: Little, Brown Books. 1945, 1946, 1951.

In Chapter 15, Holden sets up the date with Sally, and encounters two nuns at a deli while killing time. "It isn't important, I know, but I hate it when somebody has cheap suitcases." (Salinger 108) The chapter alternates between his story on suitcases and his conversation with the nuns. Though two completely unrelated things, it seems Salinger was subtley relating the luggage to the Women of Christ. Holden, being well off, carried Mark Cross bags, that "cost quit a pretty penny," while the nuns had "very inexpensive-looking suitcases." ( 108, 108) The comparison, though, is between what is inside the two different containers: in the Mark Cross, petty materialistic things bought with money at the price of the soul (which Holden hints at realizing); in the nuns, genuine spiritualism, peace, a promise of everlasting ecstasy, propelled along by the shell (the body) that seeks money to improve lives and spread the word of God. From then on, a change in Holden occured; nothing really tangible or able to be explained, but he becomes more introverted, searching himself for answers, though his search usually must be provoked (like by Mr. Antolini in Chapter 24).
Salinger, J.D. The Catcher In The Rye. Boston: Little, Brown Books. 1945, 1946, 1951.

Reading Journal 1: 1/13

"If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is," reading this book is, like, like reading the testament of a teenager who does not know exactly how to get his point across (the '40's male version of a Valley Girl)(Salinger 1). Simple run-on sentences litter the pages, as does "graphic" language and references to things that involve him (talked about as if the feelings, events, etc. are common knowledge); to references only people living in those times will fully comprehend ("...all that David Copperfield kind of crap," - an assumed reference to the long introduction in which Copperfield opens (the "Twilight" of the time))(1). Occuring as often, if not more than, punctuation marks, "and all that," "(it) really does," "I'm not kidding,"' these sayings sometimes make the book tiresome to read. Yet, the story of madness affecting a sixteen-year-old (though funny only half the time, despite several attempts to make light of the situation (though, when funny, you will L.O.L. (not J.K.'ing))), as told from the point of view of the afflicted, written from the pen of a near-thirty-year-old man (written so well and convincingly that those who do not know better may assume it to be a sort of biography), is well worth reading.
Salinger, J.D. The Catcher In The Rye. Boston: Little, Brown Books. 1945, 1946, 1951

Holden Caulfield despises the movies. His brother, D.B., "used to be just a regular writer" but "now he's out in Hollywood... being a prostitute." (Salinger 1, 2) Such a strong label/image for a Hollywood writer. Later in the book, for the details you must read, a confrontation leaves Holden on the ground because of a fist to the gut. The madness is really becoming evident halfway through the book (his imaginings rival the actual event I'm about to divulge, as he sometimes makes a sport of "horsing around") after admitting to being crazy, several times, Holden starts to pretend/act/believe: "[the man he got into a confrontation with put a] bullet in my guts...had plugged me...coming out of the...bathroom with my automatic in my pocket, and staggering around a little bit...I'd hold onto the banister and all, with this blood trickling out of the side of my mouth a little at a time. What I'd do, I'd walk down a few floors - holding onto my guts, blood leaking all over the place...he'd see me with the automatic in my hand and he'd start screaming at me, in this very high-pitched, yellow-belly voice to leave him alone. But I'd plug him anyway. Six shots right through his hairy belly," (21, 103-104). He qualifies this by commenting "The god*** movies. They can ruin you. I'm not kidding." (104)
Salinger, J.D. The Catcher In The Rye. Boston: Little, Brown Books. 1945, 1945, 1951.

thINK #2

"The Boy Who Couldn't Die," a sixteen year-old-character in the book of the same name, became "invulnerable" to death by unknowingly becoming a zombie (a mindless creature that roams eternally (obeying its master)), through spiritual means. The common conception of becoming a zombie is that a virus invades your system, putting a stop to all conscious thought, transforming the remaining shell into a creature bent only on sustaining, attempting to satisfy its insatiable hunger; only able to be quelled by ingesting "other" humans. Of all the components of life, there are countless interpretations of each, usually either: spiritual, logical.



"Spiritual Satanism" advocates "using one's brains to their maximum potential" and "does not in any way conflict with science." They "believe that all spiritual and paranormal phenomena can be scientifically explained in a rational manner; scientific knowledge has not yet progressed far enough to comprehend or explain much of the so-called 'supernatural.'" "True Satanism... is based upon total transformation of the soul... The goal of Spiritual Satanism is to apply this knowledge [which was brought by Satan] and transform [their [the ones who practice this religion]] souls into godhead..." Spiritual Satanism apparently strives for the realization of all truths, however natural they may be, while understanding that all is because Satan wills it (which combats with Christians' vehement denial of the theory of evolution). This religion seems to cross the boundries between thought and feeling, utilizing both trains of thought. {I do not advocate Satanism, in any form, though, being a Baptist, I cannot say I am for it, I tolerate it}



Edgar Cayce, "the modern/new Nostradamus," apparently had access to the "Akashic Records" while in self-induced trances. These Records, prophesied of in several ancient religions, more of an allusion to (thought so because of broad interpretations), hold the collective knowledge of every plane of existence. A set of supposed logical data that exists because of and is known only through spiritual means.



"Philosophy of science," once thought to be a solidly founded principle, a way to enlighten (on(SOME) spiritual subjects)(an interpretation, not concrete fact) through the use of logic, reasoning, is beginning to quiver because of "the existence of unobservable entities and processes (atoms, fields, genes [god[s]])."



"To attain evidence that is unnatural is unreliable because it is so outside the realm of materialistic, historical evidence." Knowledge attained "tangibly" is, of course, easy to believe because it is founded, discovered perceptibly. The entire point of religion (things spiritual) is to explain things we know nothing about in ways we can believe; to comfort us; all knowledge in spiritual matters is based on faith - unsure. In this highly logical era, it is understandable that religion suffers, dwells within the shadow of science, leaving those true believers dull and in the dark. The duality of man, the paradoxes, permeate through all creatures of man by man, knowledge discovered through methods we deem secure.



Time travel, a concept highly promulgated in science fiction, has been pondered by actual scientist and has had several theories involving it made (wormholes, those mythical portals scattered in the void, + vehicles = possibility(/ies)).
Time travel, a concept highly promulgated in crystal balls, has been achieved - to the point of knowing of past lives (possible through reincarnation (a highly improbable claim because all prior knowledge is forgotten when a new body is entered by the soul))(no physical evidence to support the claim).

Perhaps the origins of phenomena we encounter on a daily basis may never be fully understood, be it 'cause of skepticism, hard-headedness, or any other flaw branded into our selves by the Creator. Without knowing how or why something came to be, to truly understand stuff - the explanations for things will always be somewhat flawed. All that can be done is to have our salt shakers at the ready and to be content with knowing we know everything about nothing and nothing about everything; logic always being flawed because of all the things we know not of; religino being flawed because of the uncertainty.

12 Sentence Story

Ripe fruit refuse sustenance, their vines growing taut over the expanded forms, their color becoming more vivid despite the sinking sun, their creator appalled at the progress, and the foundation growing less stable.

Nature dominates the world; the inhabitants dominate things natural.

All humans, creators at heart, can build anything to manipulate accordingly, and never do they refuse refuse a place to be recycled.

However, Earth feels a growing tension springing from within, then across the sky, behind the towers, inside the beings, and throughout the waters.

Mother runs and revolves and finally discovers a solution to the forthcoming problem.

Yes indeed.

She hoped that they would learn and that the self would be preserved and that her children would have some peace.

Thoughts abound, but none are realized.

In the elements, terrible saviors found, released.

"What did we do to deserve this?"

Descendants prosper, or perish, or become mobile, or remain standing, or fall, or tremble.

Mother Earth, by allowing therepeutic typhoons to rip asunder that which man has laid before Her, by allowing man to pollute Hr with the trash he refuses to clean up, by allowing all forms of existence near Her salutory neglect--wreaks vengeance upon those conscious.

Style Analysis Essay: "America Needs Its Nerds"

Leonid Fridman's urgency in revealing the injustices done on a daily basis against those who practice anti-"anti-intellectualism" conjures up several emotions in readers. Sympathy or empathy is felt for the victims, as Fridman's portrayal is comparable to commercials advertising abused animals, starving children. However, the modern world is already plagued by an overwhelming liberalism, was even in 1990; the (almost) necessary acceptance and respect, (and fear of infringing on these) social requirements. Because of this already instated tolerance, an almost tangible disgust for Fridman spawns ("Really?!" followed by laughter is a common response among readers). Agreed, bullying is a problem that needs to be adressed, solved. Disagreed, the method in which Fridman chose to state this. His advocation of the ever dominant liberalism (when no more propaganda advertising this mindset is needed), the way he conveys his idea(s), his call to arms to embrace those smarter [aimed at those smarter; meant as fuel for the attempted negotiations between these and their tormentors, when these arguments are hardly ever fruitful anyway]; noble in their own rights, laughable when stated by Fridman.



The intellectuals who practice "refusal to conform to society's anti-intellectual values," which indicates that "something (is) very wrong with the system," are ostracized and suffer because of their intellect. The United States is a country of and for the ignorant: those advancements made by the minority taken advantage of by the majority; this fact instills fear into those with aspirations. The inevitable collapse of the world (this country) will come when those "children who prefer to read books rather than play football, prefer to build model airplanes rather than get wasted at parties with their classmates" cease to be individuals.

The shift, "Enough is enough," an example of epanalepsis, seperates his analysis of and stating the problem and his condemning the ways of the greatest country on Earth. The problem, "that someone dedicated to pursuit of knowledge is compared to a freak biting the head off a live chicken," and the analysis, "anti-intellectualism is rampant," correctly summarizes a world threat. Committing treason in the guise of one of the most well known cities on Earth in the U.S., "there are very few countries in the world where anti-intellectualism runs as high in popular culture as it does in the U.S.," Leonid committs hara-kiri; dies a literary martyr, rivalling the burning monks.

"For America's sake, the anti-intellectual values that pervade our society must be fought," a haunting prediction from a modern Nostradamus. Illuminating the sophisticated to the plight affecting their apprentices, Fridman preaches "It is high time to face the persecutors who haunt the bright kid with thick glasses from kindergarted to the grave,"; voices his desire to see bullying taken to ((kangaroo)) court(((s))). The idea that supression only creates more pressure (/will to strive harder) is laughable; the very lives of the future leaders are in the hands of those tyrannically bored and envious true traitors to this country. Maintaining our status is of the upmost importance as it will be impossible "to compete in the technology race with Japan or remain a leading political and cultural force in Europe." [stated even after his damning of the (popular) culture of the U.S.] Inaction by the capable caused by the active may result in our home being forgotten, even wiped out.



Little variety in sentence structure, rhetorical devices, has little impact on the point. Proving himself an intellectual, by using extended, descriptive sentences, the passion emphasizes that much more [more of a look into his past than an article of any relevance]. Imagery set off by a professor's droning; nearly symmetrical sentences/paragraphs; the target audience is appealed to.

Of the limited rhetorical devices used, symploce and epanalepsis, the most stable of the devicese the most evident. In the third paragraph, Fridman explains that the problems in "prestigious academic institution(s)" also affect those inhabitants of "U.S. elementary and high schools,": "Children who prefer to... rather than..., prefer to... rather than..., become social outcasts." Fridman utilizes symploce to reveal the typical hobbies of the two opposites; to subliminally pose the question "Which end of the spectrum do you inhabit?"; to plant a desire in those who bullied to prevent future torture. The shift, "Enough is enough," an example of epanalepsis, provides more structure to the article, subliminally implanting a desire for unity, peace, stability, in the reader.


While I respect Fridman for wanting to put a stop to bullying, I laugh at the way he attempted to spread his word. Wanting to convey to his intelligent audience that he was too a victim via limited variety in sentence structure and rhetorical devices, with repetitive words and phrases meant to stir a strong emotional response that does so only because of the laughter that splutters forth, he fails to bring readers to his side. Bullies were born out of spite, scorn; why else did the "No Bullying" signs that choke hallways come a few years after his "America Needs Its Nerds" plea was published?



(extremely limited and picky internet connection at home; no way to go anywhere else to publish this; distracted by medical conditions still plaguing my sister and I; reasons for the delayed assignment)

thINK #1

Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas, a massive "article" written by Dr. Hunter S. Thompson, contains several powerful literary instances of his prowess as a writer ("gonzo" equaling "shocking"). One of the most striking excerpts from this "novel" is about the length of a paragraph; details his and his apparent attorney's literal car-full of intoxicants, more than two-thirds being illegal substances. These two are (almost) always intoxicated, going for great lengths without food, water, sleep (deprivation being the poor man's hallucinogenic), as well.
What would drive a man to push his body so hard, to abuse it with mind-altering, body-deteriorating substances?
Thompson's somewhat comedic, usually disturbing view ("beer" goggles being forced upon the reader as the author dons them) is entertaining and enlightening; pertains to aspects sobriety may cause the majority to overlook. As a journalist, this may have been his only motivation for punishing his body so: to write a piece that would force the readers to continue 'til no more pages remain (pain being universal, fodder for great art). Drug use/drinking/"fasting" is not uncommon among those who...
How to finish this sentence? There has not been identified any characteristics shared among all those who willingly seek an altered state of consciousness (though emotional problems and precarious perceptions (prior to use) are apparently common in these).
Ancient peoples would inebriate themselves to get in touch with a "universal force"-their gods. Holy men, past and modern, do so in the pursuit of enlightenment. Peer pressure, poor living conditions-little supervision; all factors contributing to addiction to these substances.
Any number of possibilities can be named.
I believe one of the most prominent reasons, though, is because reality simply isn't appealing to those who partake.
As stated by James Keenan of "Tool," if you desire for a "cure" to be found, you must destroy your favorite records, as the artists who made them were "r...eal ****'in high," (though this is not always true, of course; a generalization); but one of many ways to say that several aspects of life we take advantage of today have become so because of altering consciousness. Religion is a prime example (Greeks, civilizations prior (and after)).
I believe Cayce, "the other Nostradamus," was at least somewhat intoxicated while writing prophecy, despite the means by which he achieved this supposition (as the aforementioned Holy men and maybe even Nostradamus himself). I find him to be quite a "genius"-more so than Thompson because the drug use, if it indeed existed, was not flaunted by Cayce (subtlety is the key)-agreeing with several of his philosophies. He wrote that everyone has the capacity to do what everyone else (/he) can (/could) do, if willpower is honed and the desire exists. I may be guilty of plagiarism, though I wrote my/this philosophy prior to knowing of Cayce (writing without intoxication though).
I believe life is a journey, a point emphasized by Thompson despite the drama caused by the ever-approaching deadline and hectic-ness; the vehicle we find ourselves in (not a collective body) must be pushed to the limits to know what each of us is capable of (as retardation plagues several of us, in one way or another). The pursuit of enlightenment (/the knowledge of (how to obtain)), apparently able to be achieved through deprivation or gluttony, as it were, is ideal, otherwise a life is wasted. Opening your mind via secular means to escape secular bonds communally, as the filthy, dirty, hippies, would be a utopia; result in the end of the world.
What would drive a man to push his body so hard, to subject it to mind-opening, body-relieving substances?
The will/desire to live
(as we are all sadistic, prolonging Mother's and Father's punishment as long as possible, never wanting it to end).

Reading Plan

Being and Nothingness, Jean-Paul Sartre
"Its revolutionary approach challenged all previous assumptions about the individual's relationship with the world... challenging the reader to confront the fundamental dilemmas of human freedom, responsibility and action."
I have never heard of this book or author before, meaning I have no idea where I would obtain this text from. In the event no local library or store carries it, I will rely on Barnes and Noble to at least order it (if possible).

Meditations on First Philosophy: In Which the Existence of God and the Distinction of the Soul from the Body Are Demonstrated, Descartes (Donald A. Cress-translator)
"Many other matters respecting the attributes of God and my own nature or mind remain for consideration... Now... my principle task is to endeavour to emerge from the state of doubt into which I have these last days fallen, and to see whether nothing certain can be known regarding material things."
Again, to rely on book purveyors is most likely required if I am to obtain this/these books.

Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions, Edwin Abbott Abbott
"Part geometry lesson, part social satire, this classic work of science fiction brilliantly succeeds in enlarging all readers' dimensional prejudices... This new edition of Flatland illuminates the social and intellectual context that produced the work as well as the timeless questions that it raises about the limits of our perception and knowledge."
As the other two books, research must be conducted as to how to obtain the book and then be acted upon.

The standard fiction has begun to bore me. The modern nonfiction never interested me. Only so many "classics" exist - 1984, Farenheit 451, I, Robot, Of Mice and Men, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, the works of H.G. Wells and Robert Louis Stevenson, etc. - therefore, new parameters for reading must be crafted for the prevention of reading becoming monotonous. Philosophy has always interested me and the books I have listed prior to this paragraph seem to be written on subjects I wish to learn more about.

Second Quarter Reading List

Ginsberg, Allen. "Howl And Other Poems." San Francisco: City Lights Books. 1956, 1959.

Ginsberg wrote "Howl" for a friend of his, Carl Solomon. If Solomon had not been in his life, Ginsberg may have committed suicide as he had "...from all the evidence, been through hell." The "Other Poems" do not seem to have any relevance to "Howl," other than the seemingly incomprehensible way in which Ginsberg wrote and the similarities of his condemnations (he blames drug use, capitalism, the modernization of the world for destroying "the best minds of [his] generation,"). "Howl" is a sort of love letter to Solomon in which Ginsberg dons insanity; the reader is allowed to delve into the minds and the relationship of the two men, with all the consequences surrounding them being revealed. The "Other Poems" seem to be written for the same reason; an almost tangible plea from Ginsberg: "know what I know, see as I see, I Dare You."
Some of Ginsberg's words ("Mohammedan angels," "who vanished into nowhere Zen New Jersey," "migraines of China," "who burned cigarette holes in their arms protesting the narcotic tobacco haze of Capitalism,") make little sense taken literally, logically, but, his words being poetry, may have a deeper meaning understood by those crazy enough to. The boundaries between religions are hazy; that which is applauded by the masses may very well be evil.


Sleator, William. "The Boy Who Couldn't Die." New York: Amulet Books. 2005.

Sixteen-year-old Ken undergoes a spiritual procedure to become "invulnerable" to death after his best friend dies in a plane crash. He unknowingly agrees to becoming a zombie, his soul being controlled by the bokor who granted him "immortality." With the aid of a native girl who knows of these spiritual matters, Ken embars on a journey to reclaim his soul.
The book, narrated by the "uppity teenager," is set off with italicized passages that are reminiscent of old vampire stories in the content and the way they are written. Still first person, the actions Ken committs and the details surrounding those actions seem otherworldly. The way in which Sleator embeds these pieces keeps the reader interested, even after the explanation of what these (") dreams (") mean is revealed. Two seemingly unrelated, parallel stories intertwined into one proves Sleator an experienced author.


Thompson, Hunter S. "Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas." New York: Vintage Books. 1971.

Hunter S. Thompson, a reporter on location in the (south)western United States, is expected to cover his various assignments (a massive race and a police convention among them) professionally and ably. The persuasion endowed him and his attorney through inhuman substance abuse allows him to to gather "necessary supplies" (an extremely impressive, to say the least, collection of intoxicants) completely unrelated to his mission (through the eyes of his superiors). What begins as a journalistic endeavour, in the warped hands of Thompson, morphs into a work of nonfiction more twisted and entertaining than some of the best fantasy; that dissects human nature through the altered perception of users.
There is no basis for comparison while analyzing the style in which this book was written. It being a massive article, "Fear And Loathing," contained several exerpts from various documents and articles Thompson encountered throughout his adventure(s). Chapter 9 of Part 2 begins with an Editor's Note in which it is revealed that "the original manuscript [was] so splintered that [the team at Rolling Stone magazine] were forced to seek out the original tape recording and transcribe it verbatim." The entire chapter is written as dialogue in a script is written.


Burgess, Anthony. "A Clockwork Orange." New York: W.W. Norton & Company. 1962, 1986.

Alex, a mentally disturbed fifteen-year-old, participates in horrific crimes with his fellow droogs in a futuristic nightmare world. When his soft side (his adoration of women who sing opera) clashes with his companions' strictly horrorshow look on life, they double-cross him, leaving him to be incarcerated. Desperate to resume his criminal career, with revenge closer to the front of his mind, he agrees to participate in a program guaranteed to reform him and which would allow him release much earlier than his sentence length. Alex's fantasy is put to the test and the conclusion of the story was cause for much controversy.
Burgess's Introductino reveals that the book was among his least favorite works, despite the world renown it gained, the American film adaptation being one of the main reasons for each of these. This version of the book contains the original final chapter; the next to last chapter was the end of the film - the ending the majority of the "readers" knew. One ending leaves Alex at peace and completely reformed and mature, his violent urges a product of adolescence. The other leaves him still violent, still rebellious, still a droog. In respect to the last chapter, the actual ending, Burgess wrote: "I meant the book to end in this way, but my aesthetic judgement may have been faulty."


Smith, Alexander Gordon. "Escape From Furnace: Lockdown." New York: Square Fish. 2009.

Alex, while robbing a house with his friend, experiences his last moments of freedom in pure horror. Massive blackcoats and a wheezer infiltrate the house, kill Alex's partner, and taunt Alex to run. Futilely, he flees, to be captured within grabbing distance of his home. He is sentenced to Furnace Penetentiary for the murder committed by the overseers there; that he was blamed for. The tagline of the book correctly elaborates: "Beneath Heaven is Hell. Beneath Hell is Furnace." Along with a few accomplices, not all invited, friendly, Alex devises a plan to escape, in the face of a fate worse than death, leering ever closer because of snitches.
Although the book was written to appeal to pre-teens, Smith crafted a text that leaves all readers in suspense, eagerly awaiting the next segment (especially because of the Sneak Peek at the next piece) of the series. One of the ways he does this is by appealing to peoples' dramatic side: revealing the conditions of the prison. The standard ideas of prison gangs adn small scale riots, real to us, blend with his fiction: the sadistic, otherworldly guards and their mutated minions and assistants, the rumors that are all too real, the psychotic warfare waged on the inmates; lockdown means more than boredom and slight physical pain/discomfort.

Reflection: Reading

Catch-22 was the first book i attempted to begin my eleventh grade reading career with; failure. This caused me to, basically, give up on reading for a while. Once this passed, more than halfway through the quarter, I, Robot was the next attempt; success. Though it took longer than it should have, I finished the book and comprehended the content. Brave New World, assigned by the mediator, was embarked upon in a different manner: reading was accomplished in irregular, far-between intervals, though when reading was done, several chapters were behind the left hand. Life: The Movie was read daily. Being in bed by 2300 hours is demanded of me; after reading, 0100 is a more prominent bed-time.

"Inking your thinking," though thought tedious and, somewhat, unnecessary, the benefits have been realized. The friendship I sustained with the dictionary has recently been renewed. I think that my "inking" my thougts has broadened my mind, but the thougts translated into text on paper may not be able to be comprehended by others of a name not mine.

If only I knew how to more precisely render my thoughts tangibly, it would be done. How to go about doing this though, as said, is unknown. Trial-and-error/experience seems to be the only way.

I used to favor fiction that allowed for the derived evaluation of human nature and the components of life (I, Robot); now, with the discovery of Life: The Movie, more philosophical texts that actually reveal components of human nature and of life are desired. The cataloging and genres of nonfiction, however, are unknown to me; perusing of libraries will now take much longer to find that which interest me.

Socratic Seminar Reflection

The point of the socratic seminar seems to have been lost on me. The forced simulation of deep, intellectual discourse to be viewed and critiqued by others; the fixed time limit in which the discussion must be accomplished in; the strict regulations that could potentially hinder/intimidate the participants: all criticisms of the act.

The idea of an organized meeting designed to nurture the intellect and thought is, of course, a noble idea and something that should be pursued. Gathering information from the indicated source in the light of a proposed question/idea yields a greater understanding of the text, a greater understanding of the underlying themes.

My actual experience in the socratic seminar is not comparable to what is desired, ideal. Not liking the idea that the conversation is forced (though I do understand upon retrospect that this is really the only perceptible way to be able to grade the act), the fact that interrupting others is frowned upon and that anything mispoken or thought wrong by the majority would result in ridicule or a complete unacknowledgement in the future, to speak seemed an impossibility. Again, the concept is respectable; the actual act in action leaves much to be desired.

Annotated Bibliography for Brave New World

Miller, Stuart. "http://media.www.the-standard.org/media/storage/paper1059/news/2003/05/02/Opinion/California.Embraces.Dangerous.Excessive.Textbook.Censorship-3364436.shtml". Missouri (State University). "The Standard." 2003.

In Brave New World, the collective government, namely The Controller, Mustapha Mond, directly decided what was able to be accepted by the public without stirring any (substantial) feelings or thoughts (at all). In this article, California is pasted onto the dartboard of scrutiny and is not allowed to fall off until the several spears of Miller's criticisms penetrate/reveal. "The whole politically correct, ultra-sensitivity movement continues to escalate," the whole "justified" censorship, over-protective elements of today's media, by the government (the whole point of the censorship being to protect the public from what we do not wish to hear), is not inching, maybe "mile-ing" us towards a newer, braver realm.


Dunn, Douglas. "http://www.wordwiz72.com/cloning.html". Douglas Dunn/World Wizards. 1998, 2001.

Directly referring to Brave New World in his article, Dunn, without hesitation, allows his rambling arguments to spill forth, with no actual evidence to support his claim that "In their hearts, human beings know that it is not so terrible to have a genetic double," hoping to disprove the world Huxley envisioned. Stating that in-vitro fertilization underwent the same skepticism from the public as cloning is now, apparently hoping for the conversion of people from "Cloning is morally wrong," to "It is but progress."


"http://www.scienceclarified.com/Qu-Ro/Reinforcement-Positive-and-Negative.html".

"Conditioning," in the context of Brave New World carries an evil connotation. This article reveals that conditioning is nothing to be feared or avoided at all; it is actually what enables us to learn (touch a hot stove, recoil; conditioning); strengthening the belief that the ones who crafted the world After Ford were in all reality evil, despite whatever the intentions were. The architects of this "improved" world utilized conditioning to teach the children/sprouts what they "needed" to be taught, rather than allowing natural conditioning to run its course, allowing the man-plants to be in control of their own destinies; the choices made in life yield exposure to different elements of life, different knowledge applicable to life, different paths through life. The latter is the way in which the world runs now-for now-is the best way for people to live.

Annotated Reading List for Independent Reading

(NO FORMATTING COULD BE APPLIED, IN ALL ATTEMPTS)

Huxley, Aldous. "Brave New World." New York: HarperCollins. 1932, 1946.

In the year A.F. 632, there are is a significant difference in the ratio between types of people to number of people from our time. Inflicting a feeling of ominousness on the readers, achieved by enlightening the time travelers that "...the World State's motto [is], COMMUNITY, IDENTITY, STABILITY," it is almost certainly known before the end of the first chapter that some kind of, basically, moral dilemma is going to affect the way the world will evolve.
John the Savage, a man born of natural causes, (even mentioning this act in public arouses hysterical laughter or wary uneasiness of whoever spoke such "blasphemy") is actually quite civilized, rather as civilized as is possible, with being exposed only to the primitivity of, not really "his" people but the ones that he has been forced to live amongst. Because of this, it is quite plausible to believe that Huxley, in prophesying the dys-/u- topia that is sure to become, implied a certain, sort of devolution of the human race. Yes, the technology in this new world is extremely exceptional ("feelies" are movies that, by interacting with an apparatus, cause real emotions, sensations to be felt by the "viewers"), but by applying these advances (particularly to cloning), almost everything that makes humans human has been wiped from the civilized world (i.e., nothing but happiness is ever felt). This is what makes John such an easy character to identify with. Our world is constantly being "improved" by the daily technological developments, but humanity is still something to be treasured and flaunted (though it is slowly being marginalized by entertainment); John was raised by "savages," ones who forsook the progression of the world and decided to retain their traditionalist values (it is quite amazing how people in the future were able to revert back to a world almost identical to that of the Indians/Native Americans, especially with all history before the revolution (that brought on the "A.F." prefix to dates) being wiped from earth). ((259))

"I, Robot" began as seperate stories in science fiction publications.

Asimov, Isaac. "I, Robot." New York: Fictioneers, 1941; Street and Smith 1941; Street and Smith, 1941; Street and Smith, 1942; Street and Smith 1944; Street and Smith, 1945; Street and Smith, 1946; Street and Smith, 1947; Street and Smith, 1950. 1950

A reporter, Asimov incarnate, is extremely eager to interview the most prominent robopsychologist in this year, 2057. Robots have completely overtaken assembly lines, and the popularity of these machines is balanced by the criticisms of the traditionalists, effectively outlawing their presence on the earth (interplanetary travel has been "mastered," colnies exist on several other planets). Every chapter in this book was once published as its own story; Asimov crafted the story of the reporter and his interviewee, one Susan Calvin, to tie these seperate entities into one anthology, which reveals the history of robotics, how what progress has been made was made, problems and solutions to quandaries pertaining to robots and the Three Laws that bound them into servitude.
Of course, to do all this, Asimov had to become a robot during the writing process; the transformation from entity of flesh to an object of metal is completely seamless. In "Reason," one of the most advanced robots, at that time, questions everything his "masters," those foolish beings "...made of...soft and flabby [material], lacking endurance and strength, depending for energy upon the inefficient oxidation of organic material...", inform him of: the Energy Converter that powers the Solar Station #5 is not a tool created by humans for humans, absurd, it is the Master; space is "exactly what it seems-a black material just beyond this glass that is spotted with little gleaming dots... That is all." ((272))


Gabler, Neal. "Life the Movie." New York: Vintage Books. 1998

Hypothesis: Entertainment is slowly overtaking reality, becoming reality even. Discuss: Through the natural progression of humanity in every field, particularly technology, (')men have become lazier but more rebellious (of the ever ruling aristocracies), more wary (of those in any kind of power) but (despite that) content, more advanced but even more delusional (/ignorant). Chronicling the path to our current situation, to be informed is less significant than to be entertained, (entertainment represents the baser instincts and art is equated to the pursuit of knowledge, of the betterment of oneself on a transcendic level ("the difference between entertainment and art is the difference between 'spurious gratification and a genuine experience as a step to greater individual fulfillment.'")), from the 1800's to the present, so in-depth and precisely, that Gabler's opinions are hard to actually be called that.
Gabler's overall mission in having spawned this literature is to enlighten people of what is happening to us: we have become blinded by our addiction to entertainment, which we are exposed to almost ceaselessly, and from birth even!, and, while it is satisfying to "us," it hurts us, the true inner beings that need legitimate intellectual discourse, no matter what the means of achieving this. That description makes Gabler seem more like a (far-out) philosopher, which he is not, than a true crusader for men to, at least acknowledge what he has discovered, at most change their ways in pursuit of a higher level of civilization. ((303))

ARTICLES RELATED TO B.N.W. COMING SOON

Analysis Paragraph: "A Whole New Mind"

Pink's self-righteous humor (that is to say, he knows he is correct in what he writes ("On the off chance that you're still not convinced, let me offer one last-and illuminating-statistic."), but he attempts to use "comedy" to smoothly 'suade others rather than blatantly stating his truths) (somewhat) subtly warns his fellow academics of the impending doom progress bears for them: "our left brains have made us rich...(but) the very triumph of L-Directed Thinking has lessened its significance. The prosperity it has unleashed has placed a premium on less rational, more R-Directed sensibilities-beauty, spirituality, emotion." The development achieved thus far is due to the abundance of worldly knowledge cultivated and the applications found for that knowledge. Whether more progress cannot be made in this same way, or whether humans have grown weary of academics and would rather explore what our ancestors did, it is hard to say; regardless, "In an age of abundance, appealing only to rational, logical, and functional needs is woefully insufficient." To ensure modern legacies will be carried on, offspring must be exposed to as many members of the "hippie" (politically correct term unknown) population as possible (evolution will prevent any ancestors from being shamed, as these "hippies" will don suits), far from the domain of public education, where they must spend only the minimum amount of time required (until the education system realizes in what way the world is traveling), to become successful members of society. Attractive and somewhat functional services/products/etc. will sell more than plain services/products/etc. that are extremely functional. The all too necessary pursuit of (applicable (to the world)) knowledge will become the pursuit of "Why?" (knowledge applicable to (just) ourselves) (transcendence), which will, ironically, be trekked upon (/achieved) by means of creativity. Worldly pursuits do not make people happy; what else is there? The answers can only possibly exist in the "abnormal." "The paradox of prosperity is that while living standards have risen steadily decade after decade, personal, family, and life satisfaction haven't budged." Prophesying the end of (the flourishing) of minds like his, Pink uses this book as what could be a last opportunity to sound smart while smartness is treasured.