LATE LAST POSTING! Eriks comments that will do no good! SRY! December 12, 2007

I chose david luce’s intro and conclusion.

I disagree that many americans believe that a democratic capitalist society is the best way to govern. I would like to see facts or data supporting that idea. I would definately remove the “we”s from your paper and possibly fix sentence structure of the 3rd or 4th sentence in. Lots of the word “Americans” when it’s people are not always to blame. Public opinion needs to be expressed differently then you have it in your paper. I know it’s your ideas, but you should think about your ideas carefully and make sure that they are what you really think. Cultures are all different, but people require structure. I know for a fact that our government is not the greatest in the world unless the criteria for that is our GDP or our greed. Based on happiness the United states isn’t ranked within the top 100 nations. Denmark and Sweden hold top countries. Anywho i hope the paper went well for ya. Sry the criticism was late and not exactly constructive…. I just wanted to make you think a bit.

Posting15– Response to Mariko’s Intro and Conclusion December 11, 2007

I really like Mariko’s intro and conclusion. When I read your intro I feel it is interesting and it makes me want to read through her paper. This intro catches my attention, in your intro she shows us the same things between humans and what make us different. At the end she gives us the solution. And I agree with your opinion. I think you did a great job in your conclusion paragraph, I also think people should not raise bias just because social status, races, cultures, or religious.

PLZ help me strengthen my intro. Erik Beil Post 14. December 3, 2007

    Intro

    [NEED LIKE A NUKE OF AN OPENING LINE If any of you have any suggestions i know i need a better         opening statement (The underlines are other areas I'd like help with)]

…… the term greed must be understood and considered thoughtfully. Greed is the selfish want of wealth, status, or possessions. Conversely the pursuit of these things in moderation is acceptable often even promoted societies of today. This poses the question of: When does human want become greed? The answer lies within human empathy. When the accumulation of possessions removes the awareness of other individuals needs, wanting crosses the threshold into greed. The next logical question becomes: “Why greed?” the answer relatively easy to see in our own lives. Society tells us, through use of advertisements and “reality” television, that money makes our lives easier and along with this ease comes happiness. As with all things in this world, the path of least resistance is often the most traveled. Human wants turn into greed because often they believe that wealth and status will make their lives easier and therefore make them happier. The pursuit of happiness is considered by many as the meaning of life. What these people who feel such need for possessions do not realize is that money does not create happiness. In fact it is quite the opposite.

Conclusion:

Greed controls human emotions and has a negative effect on the world. Want itself has been deemed a good thing, but man has always had a problem with modesty, especially when it affords them luxuries and makes their lives easier. Being uninformed and manipulated makes it easier for humanity to have their decisions made for them. Contrary to societal opinions life is not about a beginning and an end, life is about the journey. Life is moving too fast for appreciation of the things beautiful in this world. Humanity needs to take a deep breath and step back to realize that what makes them happy is not the possessions they have, but the friends and family that care for them.  Awareness of human emotions shows an inherent caring nature within us all, but if greed continues to run rampant in the world, the hope of ever achieving “real progress,” as Gandhi called it, will become harder and harder unless something is done. 

Posting 14 –Intro & Conclusion December 3, 2007

Human nature explained as the set of psychological characteristics, including ways of thinking and acting that all normal humans have. The biggest difference between humans and animals is human can thinking. Human nature should not be bad from beginning, but human nature still has good and evil, because not everyone will become positive after they are learning.  Therefore, there has some way can affect people’s human nature. Living environment and education affect human nature a lot, so human nature should be changeable.

Human nature is not a simple existence. Environment and education can change a person’s human nature by affect. So, it is most complicated thing. Most people will has different standard when they are facing at different event. As human nature is changeable, how we stay good? If everyone practices moral behavior, then it will help us to correct our behavior, then stay good.

Posting 13 —Mo Tzu Against Music November 28, 2007

I remember I was learned this article when I was in middle school in Beijing. Why Mo Tzu had something like Against Music? Nowadays, everyone loves listening to the music. But in ancient China, a lot of people dead because the music. Emperor is the most powerful person in the country, everyone has to do what he wants they do without double. There has an emperor, everyday just playing around, listening to the music without doing anything for this country. And everyday spends a lot of money because of the music, that money all from citizen. I think it should be tax money. The emperor supposes to use that money to develop this country but he spends the money for his enjoyment. That also because emperor can use all money in this country, and no one can say no to him. Everyday people die because of hungry and poor, but the emperor indulges in entertainment without known people’s situation. I think that’s why Mo Tzu write this article, he worried about the king will be destroyed this country, but he cannot tell the king directly. I am sure he will directly die with say something to the emperor like what you suppose to do. So he has to use some other way to remind the emperor. I think it is a hard job to stay close to the emperor ancient in China.

Posting 12 essay idea November 19, 2007

Texts: Mencius and Hsun Tzu

Mencius and Hsun Tzu’s ideas about human nature final goals are not totally different.

Thesis: Human nature should not just be good or bad; it is depend on what environment we live in and what we learn from other people around us.

Beer Strreet & Gin Lane By Julia G.K. November 18, 2007

Compare those two alcohols, Beer is expensive than Gin. And look at these two paintings we can figure out how different between people’s classes. Higher class they looks healthy, happy, rich, enjoyable, well-being, and they are drinking Beers. Another painting people look sick, poor, and died body around there. They even cannot buy food for themselves, but they can get cheap Gin everywhere. Everyone drinking Gin, there has a mother feeding her baby Gin. The two paintings are totally different; it shows us the difference between classes. It makes me feel bad, people should have their goals, and work hard to reach their goals. Not just simply give up, stay poor, until die.

Posting 10– By Julia G.K. November 1, 2007

I have a problem with focus on my thesis. I always forgot to keep focus on my thesis statement, so I will bring up lots of new ideas in my paper, it makes my paper too broad.

I should try to do free writing first, then I guess I will have many different ideas come out, and then I can chose what I want to write from those ideas. And then I can develop a thesis statement from what I wrote. It will be more effective to rest of my paper. And it also will makes my paper narrow down and be specific.

• Writing Center
• http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/process.html
• http://www.ipfw.edu/casa/writing/handouts.shtml

Posting 9– By Julia G.K. October 23, 2007

In Roy’s speech she talks about ”anti- national”. In her own country India those of who  have expressed views on Nuclear Bombs, Big Corporate Globalization and the rising threat of communal Hindu fascism- views that are at variance with the Indian Government’s- are branded “anti- national”. (P254) She is right that “anti- nationalism” should be against every thing in his or her own country, and agree with another country. I wondering why India government not allows them have speech on those topics. I mean like Roy, she is not against her own country; she just advocacy of nonviolence. I do not know if India afraid of infuriate other countries, because those who talking about things like Nuclear Bombs are Indians.

Thesis vs anti thesis October 9, 2007

Thesis: Hollingsworth knows my roommates Cousin is attractive
Antithesis: Hollingworth has a different standard of women
Synthesis: My roommate may lie about his cousin so his cousin may not really be attractive, but from the picture that Hollingworth saw, he believes she is attractive.

Thesis: Liberty is majestic and beautiful
Antithesis: A hard and bloody path is used to obtain liberty
Synthesis: If liberty was to be obtained, instead of being majestic and beautiful, we must fight a long gruesome battle for it.

Posting 2 – Newman – Due Wed 5 Sept September 1, 2007

For this posting, please answer one of the following questions.  PLEASE PUT YOUR FIRST NAME IN THE TITLE.  

A) What are some of the practical applications of different kinds of knowledge?  Is Newman correct in saying that knowledge need not serve any “useful” social purpose to be worth acquiring? Why or why not?

B) In Newman’s opinion, what role does enjoyment play in the motivation to acquire knowledge? In your opinion, is learning most enjoyable for its own sake or for its use value? Explain your answer.

Postings info August 24, 2007

Here is where you will submit posts as assigned throughout the semester, approximately one per week.  This postings page is an arena where students should be able to dialogue, respond to course readings, and organically generate ideas.  I expect posts to maintain the same level of respect and professionalism as is required for class.  To earn credit for your post, make sure it fulfills the following: 

• Posts should be academically thoughtful and constructive, remaining on topic and answering the posted prompt;
• My expectation is that student posts will range in length from 6-10 sentences (two paragraphs).

Make your brilliance a public affair, and don’t forget to read your classmates’ posts.  You are expected to check this site regularly.  We may bring ideas from this page up in class and vice versa, so be prepared.