Bill Joy's thesis is that we are becoming too advanced and are trying to make things easier but at the same time we are digging our graves. We create these spectacular machines that can do all sorts of things for us, in turn creating devolution. We want these robots to do everything for us so we can sit around being lazy which is making people fat, lazy, and unmotivated. If you look back to when we didn't have computers or even cars for that matter; how many people were obese? It's because they got up and worked for a good portion of our lives.
The human race can avoid becoming obsolete by creating devices that can do everything we don't want to but the difference is that we still have to provide manual labor. It won't be as hard to accomplish the tasks at hand but, it will get done and possibly a lot better because there will be someone there that can fix any necessary problems. No matter which way it's thought about people are always going to be necessary for the future because the future needs the human race for there to be intelligent life on this planet.
I think Huxley would say something on the lines of that is exactly what he was trying to get at with "Brave New World". He would either say that or he would completely disagree with it or argue until no end. It's basically a different version of BNW there a just a few differences that you can easily connect to one another.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Harrison Bergeron
Kurt Vonnegut is trying to tell us that we are becoming too advanced and eventually our world will be similar to what he has described in his short story, Harrison Bergeron. This story argues that eventually we will not be free that there will be so many laws every way we turn to stop us from doing anything we want to. It also argues that if we believe what ever the government tells us then we are for sure doomed. Most of the theme is despair and joy. It is despair because of the communist government that has been established making everyone miserable. Joy, because it ends and there will be a new free government. Not exactly because a little of this was fantasy. It doesn’t need to be because it all balances out with certain scenes in the story. It is told in first person. It would be like if you were the narrator and in the story telling someone else. Because now you can be involved in the story and you can imagine what it would be like and it’s not so boring. Two sympathetic critics of Vonnegut’s work, Karen and Charles Wood, have said of his stories. The two main characters that are mostly talked about in this story are surrounded by all kinds of technology and yet are held back by all sorts of things. The man is really smart but wears an earpiece to keep him from thinking.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
"The Ones Who Walked Away From Omelas"
The piece, in my opinion was very odd; it wasn't the worst image that I have received from a book or any reading for that matter. Although it was somewhat disturbing when people would lock up one person make him miserable so that they can all be happy. After I read a little bit more I came to relies the people weren't all psychopaths when people came to see this boy in what I envision to be closet of some kind. Some of the people would go see him and they would cry and become curious, and sometimes they would even leave the town or not come out of their own home for multiple days. In the end it made me think about our society and the way things are and now I think it may have done me some good.
In terms of 1984 it's almost like when people get taken away by the thought police. Everyone knows where they go and what happens to them. The only things they don't know are the details of what goes on in the ministry of truth. They would like to do something about it but they can't because they know that they will succumb to the same fate as the person before them. Winston would have to be one of the people that came to visit the little boy and then go home to cry for a couple of days. I think this would be his character because in "1984" he wants to leave and be without what he has seen and known about for his entire life.
Why were the people so selfish as to keep a boy locked up in a closet for their own good? Where would Winston fit in, in this story? What are the differences between the two? Why would some of the people leave their own happy lives and leave town because of the boy? Why would people go back, time after time to see this young boy?
In terms of 1984 it's almost like when people get taken away by the thought police. Everyone knows where they go and what happens to them. The only things they don't know are the details of what goes on in the ministry of truth. They would like to do something about it but they can't because they know that they will succumb to the same fate as the person before them. Winston would have to be one of the people that came to visit the little boy and then go home to cry for a couple of days. I think this would be his character because in "1984" he wants to leave and be without what he has seen and known about for his entire life.
Why were the people so selfish as to keep a boy locked up in a closet for their own good? Where would Winston fit in, in this story? What are the differences between the two? Why would some of the people leave their own happy lives and leave town because of the boy? Why would people go back, time after time to see this young boy?
Saturday, September 29, 2007
3 Top
The three colleges I want to go to is 1.Schoolcraft 2.wayne state 3.UofM I really hope i can get at least a 3.3 this year. I also want to get a 4 on the AP test.
Robot dreams
Some similarities that I noticed between "1984" and "Robot Dreams" are that the robot is told what he can and can not do. Winston and the robot are one in the same where they defy the rules and do what they want instead of falling under the status quo. A difference is that the so called "government" in "Robot Dreams" isn't as harsh until he gets to out of control, as in "1984" Winston gets much further in defying Big Brother. I think they would have a very interesting conversation consisting of many things, like politics and the future. For example in the future they may agree that the countries we know today will not exist and become one giant super power. Then again, I think they would argue about who would run the world how it would be ran.
Monday, September 24, 2007
post #1
What is Watts' thesis? Just what should a young man or woman know in order to be "in the know"? Is there in other words, some inside information, some special taboo, some real lowdown on life an existance that most parents and teachers either don't know or won't tell?
What is his view of religion? He thinks thay are all the same with some sort of taboo that will eventually be regular everyday talk amongst the citezins of the world.
What does Watts see as the problem with the concept of "conquering" nature? To conquer nature you must conqure that universe which in it self means you muct conquer yourself because you and I are all one and not one seperate being.
How does Watts define the "new experience"? A new feeling of what it is to be "I" (p. 11)
What does Watts see as the purpose of myths?A way to understand life.
How does Watts think someone finds his/her true identity?Draw a connection between this reading and 1984 and/or the song, "2+2 = 5." Cite specific passages to support your claim. In 1984 he is part of a bigger being weather he wants to belive it or not. Soime may say the party or the world or anything outside of london, but the fact of the matter is, he is a small part of it. What he does, doesn't matter at all because he doesn't move the people the people move him. Watts says that what we do is just a ripple in the universe that we can't see and that we don't matter, and it is the same thing in 1984. No matter what one person does, it will not change the fact that big brother rules everything and will have his way with your country.
What is his view of religion? He thinks thay are all the same with some sort of taboo that will eventually be regular everyday talk amongst the citezins of the world.
What does Watts see as the problem with the concept of "conquering" nature? To conquer nature you must conqure that universe which in it self means you muct conquer yourself because you and I are all one and not one seperate being.
How does Watts define the "new experience"? A new feeling of what it is to be "I" (p. 11)
What does Watts see as the purpose of myths?A way to understand life.
How does Watts think someone finds his/her true identity?Draw a connection between this reading and 1984 and/or the song, "2+2 = 5." Cite specific passages to support your claim. In 1984 he is part of a bigger being weather he wants to belive it or not. Soime may say the party or the world or anything outside of london, but the fact of the matter is, he is a small part of it. What he does, doesn't matter at all because he doesn't move the people the people move him. Watts says that what we do is just a ripple in the universe that we can't see and that we don't matter, and it is the same thing in 1984. No matter what one person does, it will not change the fact that big brother rules everything and will have his way with your country.
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
A Final Farewell
First of all, I would like to thank you for being a part of this mentor program. It has helped me in so many ways such as; giving me more confidence in my school work, inspiration to strive for sucsess, and more of an interest in english literature. I believe that I can do much better than I am and could get an all "A" average. As a matter fo fact I think anyone could, they just have to simply stop being lazy like I used to be. Now if I pick up a book, I can't seem to put it down at night untill I get to tired to keep my vision from fading away.
This summer I will hopefully be getting a better job at costco making $11 an hour wich is good for someone at the age of 17. I'm planning on going up north on Memorial day weekend for four days. I want to go fishing, have a camp fire, sleep in a hamock, and hopefully just hang out with my friends while I am up at St.Helen. also I plan to hang out with my girlfriend as long as possible. This friday on the 11th we will have been together for an entire year.
My junior year hasn't been all that great just becasue of making the mistake of being lazy and not turning in work, sleeping in class, and having a bad attitude. Other than that it was a great year; I met a bunch of new people, learned some cool and interesting things, and gained a lot of wisdom from the many teachers I have encounterd. I'm also planning on taking all that wisdom with me through college and the rest of my life to help me along the hard time ahead.
In the next school year I am planning on doing all my work to the best of my abilities even if I have to get extra toutoring some someone else. Also in the next year I will be duel enrolling into an image processing class in the second semester.
Again thankyou for corresponding with me through this second semester of my junior year and I appreciate every bit of what you have said to me. If I can I will keep corresponding over the summer with this blog just see whats been going on, if it's alright with you.
~Anthony Boyd
This summer I will hopefully be getting a better job at costco making $11 an hour wich is good for someone at the age of 17. I'm planning on going up north on Memorial day weekend for four days. I want to go fishing, have a camp fire, sleep in a hamock, and hopefully just hang out with my friends while I am up at St.Helen. also I plan to hang out with my girlfriend as long as possible. This friday on the 11th we will have been together for an entire year.
My junior year hasn't been all that great just becasue of making the mistake of being lazy and not turning in work, sleeping in class, and having a bad attitude. Other than that it was a great year; I met a bunch of new people, learned some cool and interesting things, and gained a lot of wisdom from the many teachers I have encounterd. I'm also planning on taking all that wisdom with me through college and the rest of my life to help me along the hard time ahead.
In the next school year I am planning on doing all my work to the best of my abilities even if I have to get extra toutoring some someone else. Also in the next year I will be duel enrolling into an image processing class in the second semester.
Again thankyou for corresponding with me through this second semester of my junior year and I appreciate every bit of what you have said to me. If I can I will keep corresponding over the summer with this blog just see whats been going on, if it's alright with you.
~Anthony Boyd
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