Final Essay

Anthony Lee
Professor Lay
4/25/10

Waiting On a World to Change

You walk around New York City to do some shopping and get a bite to eat. Before you call for a cab, you see an empty water bottle sitting on the ground beside the green figure. You ponder; do you go pick it up and throw it out? Or do you just ignore it? The next thing you know, you are on your merry way home. But is it merry? You have just walked away from a serious problem. Maybe if you haven’t, the world would be a better place to live in. And being in a better place to live in is what we want. So let’s start doing something to get what we want and stop waiting; waiting for our world to change.

The film, “Just Add Water”, depicts many symbolic references that relate to Specter’s “Big Foot”. In the film, the town of Trona is a deserted wasteland in California run by a drug-dealing teen named Dirk. His business consists of making and selling drugs. Drugs in this movie is a spotlight because it emphasizes how run-down the town is, and how corrupt it has become. His name is also symbolic because it gives him a “title” of the town. A dirk is a type of dagger, as if he was the feared leader of Trona. Because he is in charge, the rest of the town pays their rent to him. In reference to Specter’s “Big Foot”, Dirk is like carbon. Specter states, “It is to take an economy where human comfort, activity, and growth are inextricably linked with emitting carbon and to transform it into one which can only thrive without depending on carbon.”(Specter, 273) Dirk is in charge of the power, water, and food supplies in the film. However, Specter mentions that we should try to live in a world without depending on carbon. Simplified and in relevance to “Just Add Water”, Trona needs to change from depending on Dirk to becoming independent. Ray and Specter share the same idea. Specter states, “We are going to have to rethink the way we live and work.”(Specter, 273) Throughout the film, Ray is the main target of Dirk, because Ray is a strong and confident human being who has no fear. Dirk threatens him, increases his bills, and goes to the extent of blowing up his car. It gets to a point in the film where Ray cannot take the abuse anymore. This is where Ray “rethinks the way he lives and works”. In “Big Foot”, Sir Terry Leahy, chief executive of Tesco Supermarkets, believes that when scientists talk about how climate change is affecting the social, environmental and economic aspects, humans must know then what they have to do. Similarly, Ray knows what he must do. He must is take action for the good of his environment.

Ray’s actions can be described by the idea in Wendell Berry’s “Faustian Economics.” Berry believes that greed is the poison that is damaging our Earth. Greed is like a disease which turns one inhuman. Selfishness is the result. Humans who take advantage of Earth’s resources create catastrophic problems. However, greed does have another side. Berry does not realize what greed is to the full extent. There are two types of greed. The acceptable greed is in the end, you help yourself and others are benefited as well. The other side of greed, selfishness, is caring only about yourself. Greed is power, and people who misuse power are execrable. Power can also be handled with care. Those who treat power with control are wise. One has to be somewhat greedy. It is nice to help others, but yourself is most important. The film portrays this concept of greed through the character Ray. Throughout the beginning, Ray is shown to have a great reputation, one who is very generous, caring, and always puts others first before himself. For this particular reason, he was always taken advantage of. This image can be described as “not being greedy”. How is this image shown in the film? He offers mints to every car that passes at work, he gives money to his neighbor for rent, and he lets Dirk push him around. Ray needs to care more for himself, but not to a point where greed overwhelms him. In taking revenge of Dirk, he is helping himself by letting himself free from burden, but he is also doing a favor for the town. Dirk on the other hand, is selfish. His responsibility is to run the town. However, he takes his power to a different level; a level of totalitarianism. He takes advantage of the residents, using his power to spread fear. The flaw of this type of leadership is that uprising may occur. For example, if a CEO of a company uses the income of a charity for his own leisure, he creates a terrible reputation. The charitable turn against him, and may take action. And as a result, his job is ruined. Alike in “Just Add Water”, the town joined the resistance with Ray to take down Dirk. In “Faustian Economics”, Berry states, “We have obscured the issue by refusing to see that limitlessness is a godly trait. We have insistently, and with relief, defined ourselves as animals or as “higher animals.” But to define ourselves as animals, given our specifically human powers and desires, is to define ourselves as limitless animals.”(Berry, 1) Berry is correct when he says that humans have pronounced themselves as animals and limitless. However, it’s a different sense in “Just Add Water.” Ray and the others can be characterized as animals because they revolted against Dirk and his crew. Ray is limitless because he is not afraid to break out of his shell, showing that he is capable of doing anything. What Berry is saying is that we are not acting the right way. Ray on the other hand is doing so for his dignity and pride. He is acting as an animal the right way. It seems as if all of the the wants are necessities today. Society is inhuman, wanting and getting every single thing, without distinguishing what’s needed and wanted beforehand.

How people should act is a very complex question. There’s an ethical component and a logical component. We are not forced to be a certain way, but we should be aware of what our actions are creating. Wendell Berry and Michael Specter both have the same perspective on human activity and the environment. Our future is highly valuable, and it’s our duty to mold it the best we can. Our generation is depended on for the newer generations. Every human should be similar to Ray, who is the role model for the ideal being. We have been sucked into the depths of greed and selfishness, transforming us from the humane into the inhumane. If we want our future bright, we must take action now. There’s no more time to wait.

"How We Evolve"

The way we live today affects how we live in the future. This is exactly Phelan's argument in "How We evolve". It is also called "Self-inflicted instinction". Our generation does not care about how we treat the environment. Although we are aware of the consequences, we continue to stay the same. People today have adapted to be selfish, greedy, and self-centered. This causes problems not just in society, but environmentally.

Phelan believes that human beings haven't changed since...like forever. Also, we are at fault for our own actions. Extinction is coming faster than ever figured it would. How do we need to change? We need to stop taking every single thing for granted, stop overusing resources, and learn to be green. If we don't now, the future is ruined, for human beings on Earth.

"The Effects of Climate Change"

Our world, by the minute, is slowly deteriorating because of our actions. What do these actions include? Littering, driving cars, creating newer technology, and so on. People, us, do not realize what kind and how much harm we are dealing to our Earth. We have totally lost sight of what is good for our world. In John Broome's "The Effects of Climate Change", the question of what should we do as to what can we do is raised. There are many ways to help lessen climate change. But the real question is what is ethical? Our actions today are what they are because we have adapted to them. If we are forced to change our actions to benefit the world, then it goes against our human freedom in a way. Of course, today, we are encouraged to make healthier decisions, but Broome is saying that forcing us to change is not right.

People are not willing to give up their luxuries in order to prevent a worse future. Broome is saying that we don't need to concentrate on now, but to concentrate on creating a better future. People have to come to realize that if we work on the problem now, we will have better rewards in the future. And that is a better life.

Turtle

In the film "Just Add Water", the environment is completely abandoned and dreadful. The land is very dry and it hasn't rained since back in the 80's. It looks as if nothing will be able to survive out there. There is one small symbol in the film that means something large. Ray's put turtle that lives out in the front yard. The living turtle symbolizes life, and the ability to survive in Trona. Although it hasn't appeared in many scenes, it gave an "important" vibe when it was. In the film, the turtle lives out front in a small enclosed fenced area. This small area depicts the idea that the lives in Trona cannot reach out and they have limits restricting them. Also, this coincides with the idea that Trona is stuck in the past, and can't reach for the bright future. There are two sides of the meaning of the turtle. The turtle is like Ray, but also the people of Trona. The people of Trona are slow, and carry on with their lives on a daily basis with no change, just like the turtle. However, Ray is like the turtle too. A turtle is able to contain water under its shell, keeping it moist and alive. This is like Ray because it symbolizes strength and the ability to withstand. He is a sign of hope, hope for rebuilding Trona. In the end of the film, Ray does change Trona and turtles are reproduced, which shows that Trona is able to survive after all.

Quantum.

I am fascinated by Quantum physics. People would think, "who would?" Because of my interest, I didn't find Roebke's writing to be boring at all. As a student in an astronomy class, I actually ponder about if these theories that would change the way the world would think about how the world works. I believe we should know a little, at least a tiny bit, about how our world works. Roebke brings up a very simple question. "Do we create what we observe through our act of observation?"

The act of observing is a very unique action. When people look around, every single thing around them is being observed. Most of these things are disregarded in a sense that we don't scrutinize it. In other words, they have greater meaning behind it, but we look at it generally and consider it unimportant. An example was used in Roebke's "The Reality Test." Light can be observed; through lamps, electronics, and such. When we see light, we just think, "it makes things brighter." But light is such a complex thing in detail. Light is made up of photons, which are atoms of energy. To the general human, we don't think scientifically. We just think thats its something bright. Roebke's thesis is strong because it gives us the image that shows how our people create what we observe through the act of observation.

Blogging

For me, blogging is a writing experience that i feel was interesting. In high school, I was in a class called creative writing, a course where we were able to write freely, no limits. Blogging is a similar type of writing because our ideas can just spill out. However, the only thing i didn't like about blogging was blogging about assigned topics/questions. Blogging about ideas that are wandering in your head is what makes it unique. The one thing positive about our blogging assignments was that it trained us to analyze pieces of writing and extract important ideas. I feel that it would have been more interesting to see what others are thinking about.

Water

Is water the magical ingredient that forms life? Or add something that may be simple and everything will be better? If you add water to a wilting plant, it will come back to life. Is water like sugar? You put it in some coffee, and it will taste better. What is it about this simple liquid that works as the basis for everything? Is it that easy? Yo just add water, and get what you want? Can i add water to a dollar and expect it to grow more? What about a rusted old car? Pour some water on it and BAM, you got yourself a new Ferrari.

Just Add Water

My Observations
-Area has no life
-Odd mother
-The turtle(symbolic)
-Ray is the only nice, normal guy
-Nora is very friendly with Ray

Questions
-Why does the mother act so strange?
-What is in Ray's box?
-How it came to be that kids took over the town?
-What is keeping Ray from leaving Trona?
-Why does Ray let his son have sex with a prostitute?

Greed is some nasty stuff.

You play with the stock market every single day, investing in million dollar companies. You read the news everyday, looking through the finance section. You own a Bentley, cruising down the streets on your sunday drives. Whenever you order your dinner at the new five star restaurants, you always tell the waiter to take it back and fix it. You argue over any small thing, and you always try your hardest to win. You go to top notch stores and customize your new suit. Tuesday's suit. Go home and tell your butler to fetch you your Cuban cigar.

A monster created from writing.

There are no boundaries to what you can write. Writing is free expression. A writers mind is a vast container of millions of thoughts that can be put down onto paper. However, with such freedom and power comes responsibility. Writing is so strong and very serious because it can change yourself or someone else. When pieces are out there to the public, it is vulnerable and It can also affect people. When he writes, he is in a state of tranquility, where the words from his mind flow to the lines of the paper. Derrida's fear is the thought, "How could you have written something like this!?". His fear is regret. When you are in a state of tranquility in writing, your mind is unstoppable and free. Derrida is afraid that after writing in that state, he has created something too strong. As a creative writer in high school, I have not felt the same fear. I felt that whatever was written down from my mind was worth to be put out there. I never had regret with what i have written because i know that my writings were written with passion.

Anxiety for writing?

Language is a slippery vehicle

In Robert Hass's poem, The Problem Of Describing Trees, he tries to describe the nature of a tree. He tries to use words that would portray the meaning of its nature. However, he claims that it is not possible to describe a tree's beauty and natural life. "And the tree danced. No. The tree capitalized. No. There are limits to saying, In language, what the tree did." Language is a slippery vehicle because there are limits. If you want to depict something so perfect and pure like trees, you must use perfect and pure words. If you don't use those words, then it is indescribable. This is the problem Hass has in his poem.

Words that are set onto paper are more meaningful than words that are thought in the mind. As the author, one chooses words to sound perfect in writing. Rodney Jones's Hubris at Zunzal describes how he tries to recover his words from the poem. He believes that once words are put down on paper, they no longer belong to the authors. His mind flows with words for poetry, and they are spilled out and can never be taken back. They belong to the readers.

Twelfth Night quotes. ( Act II)

Viola: " I am the man." (II.ii.25)
This quote is said while Viola was talking about the ring with Malvolio. She is shocked about how madly in love Olivia is to her. At the same time, she is insulting her saying that Olivia has gone crazy, as if "her eyes have lost her tongue." The quote is ironic because she is not a man, and she has allowed Olivia to fall for the disguise.

Malvolio: "...and yet to crush it a little, it would bow to me..." (II.v.143-145)
The note has tricked Malvolio thinking Olivia loves him. In the note contains the abbreviation M.O.A.I. He is saying that if he arranges it a little, it will spell out the order of his name. That is the "crushing" in this sense. "It will bow to me" means that it will be pertaining to him (Olivia's love).

Viola: "Then think you right. I am not what I am."
Olivia: "I would you were as I would have you be." (III.i.148-9)
Olivia wants viola to be how she envisions her. Viola is denying that she is not what Olivia thinks she is. Instead, she is the total opposite! Therefore, Olivia asks her to change and be how she wants "him" to be, so that they can both love each other.

Inkshedding Act II (edit)

Fortune forbid my outside have not charmed her! She made good view of me, indeed so much that methought her eyes had lost her tongue!
(2.2, pg.53)

This quote by Viola is saying that she was surprised that Olivia has fallen in love with Cesario, Viola's male disguise. Originally, Viola's task was to give Olivia a ring and make her fall in love with Orsino. Instead, Olivia doesn't accept the ring because she is attracted to Cesario. Not only is she attracted, but she is in such awe that she is at a loss of words. This has created a love triangle as well as confusion.

writing about ipods...

For me, writing the paper Small Object, Large Subject was not a hard essay to write. Because the topic I chose was something I can relate to, I was able to go on and on easily. It was a flowing process, mainly due to an interesting subject. If I were told to write a paper on the history of John Adams, I would probably sleep after the first word. The head start in class really helped me develop the essay because it gave me the structure and main points. All that was left to do was to expand. There was so much to write about ipods. But, the only hard part for me, like always, was the introduction. I didn't quite know if I should start off more general or to go right into detail. Thoughts were too crowded in my brain, until i finally landed the first line. Then from there, it was smooth sailing.

E-waste. Worse than waste?

With the skyrocket of consumer purchase of electronics and the quick production of new technologies, this world will soon be filled with its remains. The article, "High Tech Trash" by National Geographic talks about the problem with the technology waste in the world. Carroll states that in the future, all of these computers, televisions and etc will be dumped out, creating a new waste called e-waste. Why is this bad? Not only does it look unattractive to have mountains of machines, but these machines can be broken down and chemicals can be extracted. The article focuses on Ghana, a poor third world country, where people melt machines from lumps of dispose, take parts from it, and sell it for just a dollar. Another problem with this is that these wastes are not properly handled with. Chemicals such as lead, cadmium and neurotoxin are contained. Without proper care, these chemicals are laying freely around the Earth. This worldwide pollution is a serious matter. Another efficient way to carefully dispose these materials must be found. If not, our planet will turn into solid metal.

small object, LARGE SUBJECT

What is the point of I-pods? Why do we walk around wired to the musical world? We are living in the age of the technologic boom, where the world revolves around technology. So what does that change in our society? Well, first off, we are no longer old fashioned, meaning no more books or such. Also, everything is new and improved. Back then, when technology first rose, items were the size of like boulders. The first computers, telephones, radios and televisions, or T.V, were very large. Today, these same products shrunk down to baby size. So how does that relate to the "i-pod" idea? Society has come a long way with the development of music and music technology. It used to be CD's and radios. There was no such as digital downloading and "burning". The main point of the I-pod is portability and simplicity. You see everyone with one of these things, which fit in their pockets, which aren't even big! Apparently, these days, the smaller the thing is, the more it is able to sell to the consumer. Second of all, why Apple i-pods out of all the other mp3 players? Apple climbed the popularity ranks in just a day because of it's clever innovation. Now, having an i-pod is like a trend. Everyone HAS to have one. And if you don't, well thats terrible.
Personally, I do own one of these. I am a techie person who also believes that music makes up most of his life. As a musician, I need to open my ears to music all day, everyday. I am one of those who can't ride the bus to school in the morning unless my i-pod is in my pocket. However, I am aware of the crazy phenomenon of the i-pod. There are some pros and some cons. One pro is that this product does in fact sky-scrape the rest of the products because of its sleek design. Instead of adding a plethora of details in the finish, it stays very simple, giving it the sleekness. Therefore, it is eye candy to those who walk past it in a store. Today, people are attracted to products only from its looks. If it looks nice, then they have to have it.
Technologically speaking, we can literally hold and listen to our favorite songs in a couple of clicks. This satisfies society in a sense that we want everything quick and easy. This is a result of the impact of technology. We are adapted to the incredible speed of the latest inventions. Apple is making it so easy for people to use their product, while making it enjoyable. Society demands it, Apple provides it.
We are attached to a tech toy that holds music that shows who we are. We can determine what kind of person one is by what music they have in it. Again, it is also about trend. Since there are new products one after another, we are temped to get the latest things. We have to keep up with everyone else, just because it's what's the "new thing" these days.

"Is Google Making Us Stupid?" Abstract

The crazy phenomenon of the net has twisted the heads of our generation. What it was known as a source is now known as a life dependent. Nicholas Carr believes that the life absorbing thing called "Google" has shut down our minds in the sense that we have become ridiculously lazy and we have developed short attention spans. When we want facts, we want them now. The result of the internet is we don't need to work for anything. It's basically like free food at a convention. Carr says, "They supply the stuff of thought, but they also shape the process of thought. And what the Net seems to be doing is chipping away my capacity for concentration and contemplation. My mind now expects to take in information the way the Net distributes it: in a swiftly moving stream of moving particles." It seems as if we are animals; free shelter, free food. The impact has gone so far today, that the person next to you in the diner can say the same thing. The next thing we know, libraries will be extinct, encyclopedia editors will be unemployed, and maybe even paper will disappear. Carr believes that google has made us so stupid, that if someone asks you something they don't know, we will say 2 words. "Google it."

"Is Google Making Us Stupid?"

The internet has morphed our minds to take reading to a different level. This level is efficient, but it is not good for us. In traditional times, people did not have net to depend on. They were forced to manually research information. Now that we have the net, every little possible piece of information is available to us in a single click. Because of this, we tend to want the info quick and easy. This is the problem with the net. As the title states, Google IS making us stupider. Our dependency is like poison, it slowly deteriorates our skill for reading and researching. Today, the net is a necessity for almost every aspect of the world and society. Business, medicine, and even art all require the internet. It is like our main controlling system. Our society has depended on the net for so long now that its what makes the world go around. In the short run, the net is beneficiary and has advantages because it makes our lives a whole lot easier, but in the long run, it will only make our minds weaker and our way of processing and thinking dull.