Time Travel

Once confined to fantasy and science fiction, time travel is now simply an engineering problem.

-MICHIO KAKU

My reaction toward the future is bleak.  Based on the current situation, the future makes me feel like there is going to be more negative outcomes than positive. Look at our present economic rut. People are losing their jobs, their homes and due to that, their minds. Something like the economy will not change overnight which means we will have to live through this for the next several years. In the essay by Carl Sagan he says, “If we could travel into the past, it’s mind-boggling what would be possible” (Sagan, 2010, p.824). Changing the past would lead to a “butterfly effect”.  For instance, no matter how much we would like to, we cannot change 9/11. If we could travel back in time to prevent 9/11, then we would not be the country we are today. Perhaps bad things just need to happen. Would we want to stop the fall of Rome, the American Revolution, or World War II? No matter how tragic these historic events were, they had to happen in order to make the future we have today.

            Only the future will tell if we are truly alone in this universe. I do not agree with Sagan’s essay on extraterrestrial life. Maybe there are extraterrestrials that can solve all of our present and future problems. Maybe they can stop humanity from driving itself to the ground. Otherwise, we are doomed to commit the same mistake we have made in the past.

Mind

All intelligent thoughts have already been thought; what is necessary is only to try to think them again.                                                    

 -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

There is a general consensus that the heart is the core of all of our emotions. That the decisions we make with the heart are the ones that betray us. We hear such phrases as making decisions with our heart not our head. To me, the mind is at the core of our emotions. The mind is just as emotional, if not more emotional than the heart. It is in our mind that we weigh the pros and cons. We debate the right and wrong. It is the center of our decisions. When we give the mind time to think about a matter it might be the right decision. On the other hand, when we do not stop to think we can also make that harsh regretful quick decision.  

            The mind can only be trusted if you use it correctly. One may not know if it is the right decision until after you see the consequences. How many times have we seen the car we absolutely need right now? How many people rationalize buying that 80 inch flat screen television just because the super bowl is next week? Our minds are notorious for being impulsive. It does not matter how smart you are or your social class. Sometimes our minds fool us. For example, when we see the commercial for that delicious new hamburger at a restaurant and suddenly we are hungry. We were not hungry 30 seconds earlier, but now we need to eat something. We need to eat that burger. For some people the mind is the source of their mental illness. No matter how hard they try they cannot trust their thoughts.

            The mind is an amazing instrument. We think we have control over it, but sometimes we chose to let it control us. The mind can only be trusted if we allow it.

Hip-Hop

If you could dream it, you can do it.

-Walt Disney

I mostly agree with Chang’s statement that hip-hop has become a way for a generation to view the world. I grew up in an urban inner-city and hip-hop was my way of life. Sure I was a young Latina who spoke Spanish at home, but outside of my house, it was all about the hip-hop lifestyle. I heard the music, I dressed like the singers, and I practiced what they preached in the songs. It was the way I viewed life because I was a minority and I felt like a minority. I could relate to lyrics about racism. I could relate to hearing about someone getting shot. I could relate to the struggle of being poor. Simply stated, hip-hop made me feel like I was part of a group and that is why I think this generation sees the world through hip-hop goggles. The teenage years are a time of self-discovery where a lot of young people are looking to fit in. Here is hip-hop offering to give that young person a voice. Whether it is a young African-American kid from the projects or a wealthy Caucasian kid from the suburbs, hip hop is a representation of that young person’s struggle. To the African-American kid; the struggle may be society, while to the white kid; the struggle might be his parents. No matter what it is, hip hop is the voice that speaks to them.

I enjoyed how Chang went through the history of hip hop by including the different genre’s of rap and its rappers. He demonstrated how hip hop has evolved through the years. Hip hop is no longer an underground culture. Hip hop is main stream with the ability to be in the top 10 on the music charts and sell out arenas throughout the world. Basically, hip-hop is the modern day equivalent of rock n’ roll. The younger generation loves it, while parents hate it. Most of this generation is mimicking what they see and hear through hip hop. How often do we see a young person blasting hip hop music from a car and wearing his pants slightly above the knees? This is how most of today’s generation lives, but it’s not the way this whole generation views the world. There are still some people that would rather listen and imitate the country music lifestyle or the Christian music lifestyle. To say that hip hop is the lens for which this generation sees the world is an overgeneralization. Hip hop is probably the most popular, but it is not the only lens in a field of many.

Environmental Awareness

The earth we abuse and the living things we kill will, in the end, take their revenge; for in exploiting their presence we are diminishing our future

                                                            -Marya Mannes

Environmental awareness is very important.  Many people forget how important Mother Nature really is.  There is an old saying that says, take only pictures, leave only footprints; however, that statement does not seem to apply anymore.  More and more people are forgetting the beauty of Mother Nature.  Mother earth can supply only so much before she stops supplying altogether.  Mountains will soon be without trees and our ponds will soon be without water.  The abuse that people have with our natural elements is ridiculous.  People are destroying more trees than can be planted and abusing fresh water like it will never end.  Pretty soon we will not have these natural resources anymore.  Ralph Waldo Emerson states in his writing that “the stars awaken a certain reverence, because though always present, they are inaccessible; but all natural objects make a kindred impression, when the mind is open to their influence” (Emerson, 2010, p.562).  If more people could see the beauty of our mother earth, then maybe they would leave it alone.  “To speak truly, few adult persons can see nature” (Emerson, 2010, p. 563).  This is the problem, people are blinded by other things such as greed and do not think of the harm they are causing our environment.  If people would stop to think and actually looked around, they would see that not a lot places have much room.                 

 “The natural world in the year 2001 is everywhere disappearing before our eyes-cut to pieces, mowed down, plowed under, gobbled up, replaced by human artifacts” (Wilson, 2010, p.566). Mr. Edward O. Wilson wrote in his letter that the world around us is quickly shrinking.  He states the population is to blame for the decrease of our natural resources.  Back in the 1840, there were nowhere near a billion people.  This is true.  The natural world is dying before us as the population grows.  What will happen to our four legged friends?  They soon will have no homes.  The polar bears will soon have no Ice; hence, our forest creatures will have no trees to call home as well.  Our planet seems to be paying the price for the growing population.  Nobody likes to take blame as well.  It is a sad world to live in and will continue to be that way unless we as the people take a stand and start protecting our natural resources.  We need our natural elements around when other man-made functions fail.  The natural element was here before we were and if the human population continues to grow, they will be diminished before others get to enjoy them.  The trees provide shade, wind and home for animals. The water provides a source of energy, growth for vegetation and home to marine animals. Most importantly, earth, it provides a home for all things live and human.  If we do not take care of it, it will soon be extinct.

Prison System

Every experience is an opportunity to learn and grow.

-Unknown Author

            -Prisons do not diminish the crime rate: they can be extended, multiplied, or transformed: the quality of crime and criminals remain stable or worse, increases” (Foucault, 2010, p.456). Mr. Foucault believes that the prison system only houses more criminals and does nothing but feed and produce a shelter for them.  In some ways this is true, but it is not the prisons fault that the system of justice is not working.  Inmates will be criminals no matter where they go or where there at.  It’s up to the establishment to produce laws that will govern the officers in hand to reinforce them.  If certain laws and punishments are not being furcated, then how are they to learn from their wrong doings?  The establishment needs to govern stricter rule to which they must follow; hence, they will need a strong leader who will make sure these rules are being followed.  The so called prison is only at fault because the commander in chief is not following the rule nor have ductile rules that many do not find plausible.

            Prisons do not produce delinquents like Mr. Foucault states in his writing.  Prisons house the delinquents that are taken from the streets so that the public can rest at night.  If the proper authority figure was at place in the prison, these delinquents would learn a lesson.  I think the prison system is too weak when it comes to rules.  I am not saying abuse the power, which unfortunately, so do, but I mean force the rules when need be.  Foucault writes “When he sees himself exposed in this way of suffering, which law has neither ordered nor envisaged he becomes habitually angry against everything around him” (Foucault, 2010, p. 457).  He goes on to state that the prisoner sees any agent of authority as an executioner.  This to me sounds like abuse of authority.  This is somebody abusing their powers of the badge. 

            In the eyes of the prisoner, they see any officer as an executioner because from what they have seen or felt from them is unnecessary force that needs no place there.  This is how prisons produce delinquents.  Why should they listen and follow the rules, if the ones who govern them do not follow suit. If the prison system wanted, they can stop producing these so call delinquents from within.  All they have to do is enforce the rules they provide and they themselves lead by example.  Right now they do not have good role models.  The prison system has failed because they themselves have failed.  If you want the problem fixed, then you have to be part of the solution. Fix the prison and the rest will follow through.   

     

War Stories

Without courage, all other virtues lose their meaning.

- Winston Churchill

Reading about war is never an easy thing.  I never had much stomach for it.  The readings are sometimes very thorough and graphic. Images of war is even more stomach turning.  The “We Can Do It!” poster of Rosie the Riveter is one of the images that, to me, glorify war. It shows unity and equal Liberians for women of all kind.  That poster, although short lived, was an image that made headlines and most definitely a head turner.  An American artist by the name of Norman Rockwell painted a version of Rosie the Riveter.  It was not made famous until after the war, and during such times, was only hung for two weeks.  The poster became famous decades later. 

Another image of war that had heads turning was the photo of Nick Ut.  The image is in black and white and shows several kids running away from soldiers.  One of the children is seen naked and all their little faces show fear.  They are all crying as they run away.  I cannot comprehend why nobody was trying to help them or to at least try and stop them.  The whole thing was captured because a small village in Vietnam, Napalm to be exact, got bombed.  People are running away and for some reason these kids were caught fleeing to the streets.  It is a sad image of war.  The ones who pay the price are usually innocent civilians.  They know no better.  Images of war can tell a story without using words.  The saying is true that a picture can tell it all. 

Important Theme

“Sometimes the heart sees what is invisible to the eye”

-H. Jackson Brown Jr.

Love is a strong word.  Not a lot of people believe in that word or shall I say the meaning of that word.  Many can describe love to be a profoundly tender, passionate affection towards another person or a person toward who love is felt; sweetheart; beloved person.  No matter how one may describe it, were as a noun, a verb or adjective, love is a strong word that not many people use.  When I think of love and I mean true love, I think of my parents.  They have been together for fifty years.  My mother was sixteen when they met and it was not love at first sight.  My mother, like many other woman, dream of a tall handsome muscular man with caramel skin and dimples.  Now I don’t know about you, but men who look pretty on the outside and have at heart of gold in the inside, are as rare as a pearl in the sea. 

When my mother met my father, love was nowhere near her vocabulary.  He was the complete opposite of my mother’s ideal man.  He had light brown hair, the fairest skin in the entire island of Puerto Rico and blue eyes.  This did not hinder my father’s plan of winning over my mother. My father chased my mother for years before she finally gave in.  For him, love was at first sight.  It did not take long for my mother to forget that my father was not tanned nor had a muscular body.  He was an easy guy to love.  Ever since then, they have been inseparable. Whatever he did, she did.  If she was sick, he would soon follow suit.  If she read, he read too.  You get the picture.  To this day, they still do everything together.   It tears me to say this, but if one was ever to depart this earth before the other; the other would surely die of a broken heart. I could almost bet on that.  When I look at them, I see happiness, passion and best friends.  I hope to someday have what they have, true love.