Hello, my little monsters. I've missed you. :)
I admit right now, I am stealing this idea (and some of the words) directly from my dear friend Ms. Hunter at Southwest. She's the bomb. She may be the biggest reason I got through Michael Jackson's funeral in one piece, but that's a story for another time.
The first component of your argument paper is due Monday, December 6th. Between now and 10 p.m. this Friday (the 3rd), you need to post some of your thoughts on this blog. Do not wait until Friday night to make your initial posts, or it will do you very little good.
The purpose of this post is to provide a virtual discussion board for questions, tips and useful links (for sources) as you are writing and revising your argument essay.
Make at least 2 comments to this thread this week. As far as content of your comments, you may choose from the following:
• Specific questions about an element of your essay
• An excerpt of your essay that you need help revising for syntax and diction.
• Links to online articles or video clips that would serve as reliable sources
• Detailed responses to someone else’s question
• Recommended revisions to someone else’s essay excerpt
Remember, if you post a question, leave an answer to someone else’s. This won’t work if everybody ASKS for help, but nobody GIVES any.
If you want to see this being done well, visit Ms. Hunter's blog and see what the Mavericks are doing. The link is on the right side of this page. I know they'd love it if you participated in their thread, if you are so inclined.
Your involvement in this blog (and hers, if you choose) will go toward a participation grade.
Happy writing!
52 comments:
When speaking about the dimensions of a human being, would that be considering their attributes portrayed or the posessions they have?
Well Ma'ghan,
i think it makes more sense if their dimensions are based on the possessions a person has.
Say if they have all the things in the world they would be happy and maybe not having that many dimensions. But if a person didnt have as much they would be multi dimensional because they have had many experiences.
idk if you get it but ill tell you in person(:
- from STEFANIE(:
Can someone explain what the question "What about human nature requires someone to be in power and someone to be subservient at all times?"
- Can it mean like a boss and employees?
-from STEFANIE(:
Alright Stefanie/Anthony,
From my perspective I think the prompt is asking about the "natural power" humans are born with & whatever they decided to do with it. Depending on whethere to make peace in the world or bring it down. Hope it helps.
Stephanie,
The question is asking why are humans so power hungry? Why are we always trying to move up the food chain? why do we want to be on the top?
To help you I think it has to do with where we come from. As Americans we have it in our DNA to want to keep moving up the ladder and be better than the person next to you. Mostly because we live in a capatalistic country which means that we are responsible to get ourselves to the top. we see everyone around us working hard, screwing people over or tricking the system to get to the top. to gain more power.
Hello wizards... I wanted to address a question. When talking about "wounded people", is there something in particular that we should discuss? Such as wounded people from hospitals or those wounded in the war? What type of wounded is the question: What does our society do with wounded people? What do we do with wounded people?
-God bless.
Anthony/STEFANIE(: ...are you sure that's what the question is asking? You sound so sure, which is a good thing. I thought it was asking what are some characteristics of strong powerful people/ weak subservient people. Then again there's nothing arguable about that...sooo HELP please
Diane,
I think the wounded people that the question is talking about is mostly from war considering that the paper is part of our war unit. At least that is what I get from it. Also or the type of wounded i believe i heard Ms. Rayburn say that it could be emotionally or physically wounded. I hope that helped.
Anthony/STEFANIE,
I thought for the question asking "What about human nature requires someone to be in power and someone to be subservient at all times" that it just meant normal characteristics. Everywhere we see we see where people have power over other people. For example teachers have power over students, and other example i can't think of right now.
Anyone know where i can get articles about patriotism and protest?
Quique! Although it isn't arguable that certain characteristics distinguish strong people from weak people, it is arguable where these characteristics come from. For example, what I'm writing about is leadership trait theories. You can do some research on that to understand what I mean better, but please don't steal my idea. [:
Does anyone remember books we've read in the past that have to do with people in leadership positions or characters that are purely in subservient positions? Or any parts in Slaughterhouse 5 that display that well?
Thanks for the idea Ayari :)...haha jk. Aggh I'm so confused I'm not sure what the question is asking. Oh and books we've read that show leadership are Lord of the Flies (good example in my opinion although they choose the leader by age lol), 1984, Fahrenheit 451 maybe, hmm that's all I can think of.
Here's an interesting link for those of you grappling with the wounded people question:
http://holykaw.alltop.com/superhero-a-visual-poem-about-mental-illness
Elias: Ok thank you for that response.
I'll return the favor by giving you links on patriotism articles & protest articles:
http://www.americanprofile.com/category/9804.html
http://www.articlesbase.com/article-tags/protest
*Hope they help in some way.
If I am writing about wounded people can I also talk about how people just place names or labels on people and show how they are actually wiser than what people put them out to be?
Ayari you can always go back to books that we read back in the past such as Animal Farm, The Crucible, or even 1984.
Ms. Rayburn I liked that clip. It told the viewers how this woman was able to overcome her illness. I think her point was that improvements cannot be made when trying to cope with an illness if everyone is breathing down your back trying to add their two cents to what they think about the problem. She sets the importance on being there for your wounded loved ones when they need you only as a bastion to feel some comfort. However, it is about the wounded person being their own hero and learning how to save themselves: letting go of who they once were, in the past, and morphing into a new and rejuvenated being that does not allow those past experiences affect them anymore. The clip had the ill people wearing a mask and when they past by people no one would notice them. It was as if society out casted them and did not see them as a real person anymore.
How could I define the way some war veterans are forgotten when they return from war? Are there any tips on how to research emotionally, physically, and financially wounded people?
Stefanie: I'm actually trying to answer the same prompt and I think that as human beings, there's always a need to find answers to questions. There's this fear of the unknown, thus answers must be present. Also, I think it might come from an issue of self-confidence and how there's an internal need to follow certain rules/people because people feel like they lack the ability to provide answers for themselves.
Adriana: Sorry, I didn't even finish my though. Ha! Like we're made to believe that everything is fine and dandy when soldiers return from deployment, but it's not what really happens. There's not much that people do about the effects of the war on soldiers, but it's something that is bigger deal than what we make it.
I am writing about how although the united states tries to help the wounded people(army people and just people in general)it fails to do so and they are a lot of wounded people left to fend for themselves. My question is what are some resources I can use? I am having trouble finding information to back my position. -marissa
Ayari the crucible is a perfect example that portrays leadership.Abigail was the leader of the girls and what she said the girls did. I am not sure if this is what you mean but I tried.
Diane,
There is not a a particular group of wounded you have to write about. Mrs. Rayburn said if you wanted to write about wounded people from war it was fine but you are not limited to this. It has to do with whatever you feel or consider "wounded" people.Hope I could help. :)
Ayari, I love to use The Metamorphosis for everything! It is easy to used motifs and themes in that book to argue your claim. So look into that. Gregor Samsa was a leader in being the sole financial provider for his family. It's worth looking into! :)
-Victoria
I am writing about what happens wounded people in our society. Any suggestions?
-Victoria
This is anthony,
I has wondering if anyone new or remembered any books that we have read that can relate to the first question of power? Please help!
Ignore my horrible spelling...
Marissa
You can also talk of wounded people as those not given the same rights as others. You can branch out and think of those who come here and are not given the same oppurtunity as others. there are many people being pushed to the side and thier needs are not being met. Welfare, unemployment...
Well these were just some ideas. Hope they helped in some way.
When you talk about multi-dimentional what exactly can you branch out into. I think I am just getting confused about the question.
@Veronica: another way to think of the question is to ask, what are all the factors that make us who we are? Which factor is most important? Possible options are genetics, environment, family, past experiences, religious beliefs.
A controversial thesis statement might argue that nothing affects our personality development as much as our birth order. It needs to be arguable, but also supportable.
This is O'Shea,
@Ayari...you can use the novel Lord of The Flies to discuss leadership positions.
Anthony,
Well if you are looking for a book that talks about having too much power, you could always refer to the stories of the classics that we have read. Frankenstein is a good example of a story where people search for power and always try to put themselves above another one.
This is O'Shea..In my paper I want to talk about the moral theory of Cultural Relativism, and how it is not true. My belief is that this is an excuse for murder. I will eventually give examples such as war, a traditional practice of a foreign country, and a scenario of a Ted talk. Please help me with my intro.
Human beings are multi-dimensional. These dimensions are defined by morals. A person’s morals define how they live and what they live for. Based on all the moral theories, cultural relativism is incorrect. The idea that different cultures have different moral codes is an excuse to justify murder. The idea that right and wrong differ from culture to culture is also a scapegoat. The definition of murder is to kill or slaughter inhumanly or barbarously. In the act of murder, one can say they believe that this is not wrong based on cultural relativism. Contrary to this, a person may be justified for killing based on self-defense or if they have no control over a situation and have to make a quick decision. Murder in my eyes is killing based on revenge or tradition. Revenge is an act of inner hate that is not justified. Tradition is not justified either. Just because it has always been a tradition to commit a certain act of murder, does not mean it has ever been right.
O'shea,
I feel like you have some solid ideas in here, but all of them should not be represented in the intro paragraph. Are you saying that culture is a scapegoat for the wrong deeds of others? How can people know what is wrong when they are raised differently? That is something you should consider. You should reference the Japanese regime here and their definition of Honor when they fought in WW2.
@Victoria: So when you talk about wounded people, there are mental, physical, emotional, and just problems with oppression that you can talk about. It's an angle thing. You can talk about the whole privilege thing if you want to. Wounded people are just those who have been given problems to overcome.
For the question about people in power and being subservient, I read articles on how people have the human nature of following someone but at the same time still strive towards efficiency, so how can one essentially break this trait and have the characteristics of a leader?
-Matthew
Matthew,
Well I believe that there are two kinds of people: people who like to be on the very top and people who need someone to show them the way. One thing is for sure, no one wants to be the lowest of the lowest. some just like to hover in the middle. But first think what traits make a leader. How do we decide that a person is the leader? What things make that person worthy of being followed?
I also elieve that there is no way anyone can get to the top b themselves. Everyone that we look up to, everyone who has "power" has had to screw someone over. (Whether) we know it or not. In 2010 no one gets so high in the food chain with out cheating the system a bit.
Also what makes a stonge leader? I believe is knowing when to follow. People look up and praise the captain of a team but really there is more than one person who can lead that team. This is why leadership summits end in desaster and are not producted. there are so many leaders brought into one room to act as a team but then everyone is the leader where they come from that they want to be the leader in the summit as well. but the true leader is the one that can say " ok i know i am a leader thats why im here... today may not be the day to lead as # 1 but i can lead as #2". but no one sees this truth because everyone wants to prove something to others or themselves and are only focused on power not leadership.
I did not answer your question all that well but i just thought i would give you a few things to think about and maybe youcan come up with this answe you are looking for on your own.
disaster*
productive*
I am discussing wounded people in our society and how the government does not help them in the way they should, and how we as people do not help them but instead discriminate or mistreat them, but I can't seem to think of any books as evidence. Any ideas?
Matthew,
I agree with Anthony, when thinking about how do people break the trait, think more about how they get others to follow them. Also, there are also such things as the "quiet" leader, or the leader who does not have to scream to get peoples attention. There are also those who lead without actually knowing it, and instead blend in with the team to achieve the given task.
I don't know if I helped or not, but I hope I did!
@ayari
If I had to write about individuals in leadership positions or those who are in subservient positions I'd also look into Fahrenheit 451 or Invisible Man.
For Fahrenheit 451 you could talk about either Beatty or Mildred. Mildred was small minded and childish and completely brain washed. She is an example of someone who is completely submissive to rules.
In Invisible Man, the narrator is an example of someone who struggles under everyone else's power. even when he feels he is overcoming it, he somehow still remain oppressed. & the headmaster is an example of a person who had enough power to do as he pleases.
@ Victoria,
I'm also writing about the wounded people topic. the way I was thinking about going about the topic was kind of broad with wounds being anything that hinders a person's life. For example one of my literary texts is going to be Flowers for Algernon. Charlie is going to be the person with the "wound" which is his low IQ.
Do you or anyone else on the blog think that's a decent way to approach the topic or have any other ideas?
Maria
I think your approach is good, along with the book you chose. The only suggestion I would make is to make sure you decide on exactly what wounds you're going to discuss, because you don't want something to broad and have to talk about every aspect of what your trying to discuss. I am doing something similar with the wounded people question, discussing all types of wounds, but then I realized I would have to talk about a lot of different things and I would be making it harder on myself if I tried to talk about everything.
So my suggestion is to start of broad in your introductory paragraph, but make sure to zone in on what you really want to discuss, this way it won't seem like there are any gaps in your paper.
Hope this helps!
So what I have been trying to figure out is how I am going to get statistics about patriotism and protest. I have resources but nothing with statistics in them. Anyone have any suggestions on that?
Luis,
i though you were not going to talk about patriotism but now that i see you are let be try to help. i dont really know where to fine statistic but also what kind of statistics are you looking for? what is your argument?
To keep it short: The act of Patriotism is not just loving one's country, but it is attempting to change it for the better and sticking with your own ideals and protesting what you feel the country should do even if it is in the opposite direction of what the country is going. The act of violent and non violent protesting may vary, but the act of patriotism should always be definite.
"When a person suffers from a delusion it is called insanity; when many people suffer from delusions it is called a religion"
i just felt like sharing that with you luis use it as you will.
i dont think you will fine statistics where people are shown to be patriotic. maybe the rate of patriotism over time idk
AHHHH! this is robi...
i was gonna write about the wounded but i was going into the imperfect... like old people, extremely obese people,the mentally disabled, and obviously the wounded at war. I was gonna say something along the lines of "humans are so obsessed with perfection.. blah.. blah.. they reject people like this and shove them aside". I saw this true life episode where this lady who weighed like 500 lbs and when a little girl passed by her she began laughing and ran to her mom. i was gonna use examples from Frankenstein etc. Am i off topic or is this good?
Oh you mean like a spike of patriotism in this country after 9/11 or something? Maybe I can find some made up news statistics, those polls that they take that no one ever knows where they get their sources from.
I love that quote. Here is one for you from my boy, Einstein:
"I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones."
@ Maria,
I think we're thinking alike. I thought it was a good idea but I'm just scared that other people don't consider that "wounded". :/
thats a good quote... food for thought.
and yes thats what i meant
Robi that is excellent. Frankenstein is the perfect novel for this use of perfection thing. He builds a being that is perfect in every way but it's appearance and no one appreciates him for it. Your argument is beautiful.
Awww, thank you luis. :)
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