Homework 11

Well to be honest, I haven’t had much time to really think about what I want to write about in these papers, but since I have just finished up my second paper, I should be able to focus more on it.  But I think, as I am sure my whole group will do unfortunately, since we really didn’t talk much else about anything other then the Hijab in class with the presenters, I’ll do my paper on that, however I was also thinking, that maybe I could combine some of the information from the turkish video as well. Were it talks about whether or not it should be legal for women to wear the Hijab. Personally I admire Turkey for being so progressive and secular  and accepting however I dont agree that they should be able to tell people what they find opressive. I think a woman should be able to wear a Hijab if she feels more comfortable, and in the end it may honestly have nothing or little to do with religion and it more culturally based.  Anyway, I think that is probably what I am going to focus on on my interview paper.

 

P.S. I know this has nothing to do with the homework, but since I have your attention here, would you like me to resend you the videos I used as my muse for my paper? I mean you have them both, the main one I used was the almost propaganda-like Egyptian- revolution video we watched in class.

Homework 9

1. In the article, the author talks to many different people, when an American thinks about talking to a person in the middle east, you don’t often like to admit you are from America.  We assume everyone from the middle east hates us and we should always be on guard to have to defend the US, but in the article, you see that the author has to do no such thing.  They didn’t assume she was a bad person or had no morals because she was an American, and they didn’t treat her with any disrespect.  Another example of a person defying their stereotype would be when they talked about the police control and censorship in Syria.  Because Syria is considered a middle-eastern country, as an Amercian we assume their government is controlling and over protective of anything and everything. Always in your business, and always keeping an eye. And while that maybe true to some extent, its not as we would picture it with very little police and a little intervening in day to day life as the article seems to be insinuating.
2. Sadly our media seems to portray “reality” on the other side of the world as a mirror of our own fears.  We fear that the middle eastern world is controlling and aggressive but in reality, just as the author talked about how she “feels safer in Syria then New York” it is different then what we watch from TV. Though its true many middle eastern countries can be rather harsh we seem to generalize the entire region and don’t remember that each country is individualized.  You could walk the entirety of Syria’s boarder and stop for lunch before getting through New York’s  airport security.  We are scarred shitless when we don’t need to be.  Another example would be too look at the race issue.  We judge another country for not being accepting enough but reflecting on our own country, we are probably one of the racist countries out there.  The average American would never admit it but when walking through an airport, we always look twice at an Arab-looking person.  Not because we think truly think we are a terrorist but because the media trains us too.
3. Two generalizations about Americans: we are scared to admit we are American. I agree completely. When overseas, rule of thumb: always say your Canadian, people like you faster and they try less ruthlessly to ask you to buy things. Second: All Americans are uncomfortable in arab situations: yes an no, its touchy because the media tells us to be, but its not because many educated Americans know (as the Syrians said) “its just politics”.
4. The phrase means that just because governments have tiffs with other governments doesn’t mean the real people of the country hold any true grudges against you because of your nationality.  I think this statement should be truer then most but sadly its not for many Americans.  However I think propaganda may hold a large reason for that.  But it always may be a layer of our culture I don’t quite understand yet.

PS: I have defiantly messed up my homework numbers. also, i have a few missing that I dont remember missing, but i may still have them saved on my computer. But i’m fairly sure I havent missed as many as my blog seems to think I have, maybe I didnt post them correctly?

homework 5

1. The introduction of a money-based economy to a place that has had bearly any need for something like money can reek havoc on a country. It can destroy relationships by putting a wedge between people who once saw each other as friends and neighbors now see each other as competitors between jobs, money and status.  Once someone experiences luxuries and convince items they can learn how much more efficient and nice it can be to own. That’s when people become attached to these items and no longer feel they can live without them.
2. Well, I personally think I have no right to say whether or not the Ladakhis people where better off before or after the economy change.  I am not one of the Ladakhis people, I don’t live their life. It wouldn’t be right. I would say however, that both sides have positives and negatives.  One, they were perfectly happy to live secluded away from international economic pressures, and the global economy, surviving on subsistence farming. However on the other hand had the people not been introduced, they probably are more accessible now to things such as better health care, education, etc.  Having brought forth those two sides, I would like to point out the both arguments are moot though, because it is human nature to progress and move forward, and I don’t know if this would be considered true “progress” but it would be considered moving forward toward the rest of the world, just have all humans have done since we have had opposable thumbs.
3. From an Indian perspective, an arrange marriage can look appealing because of the fact that, they don’t have to deal with dating, and waiting years to find the right one. They put that pressure on the parents to work that out for them and they can focus on themselves. In addition, you know the in-laws already like you since they picked you out!
4. The idea of an arranged marriage as an American automatically means my inner angry feminist side is already applying her war paint as she get ready to protest such an oppressive idea. But then as a girl, I remember thinking when I was little about what it would be like if mom and dad just dealt with that for me.  I don’t have to pretend to be perfect, I wouldn’t wear makeup everyday, and I don’t have to pretend I care about youtube skateboarding videos you made only because your hot. the idea fascinated me and it didn’t always freak me out, but I would always come to the conclusion that romance it waiting for me on a white horse just as my Disney movies told me they would.  So far the only thing my guys have been riding up to me on is in a 1994 honda. I’m still waiting for the horse.
5. This is the basic outline of my parents romantic love affair in a nutshell: they dated, my mom was kinda slutty but hot, my dad didn’t know about what he thought of her, they kept dating, they fell inlove, he said, and I quote “so… uh.. I guess we should get married or something” and wha-la  19 years later I pop out and that’s how our blessed family came to be. For me, I know that even though they are kind of total opposites, they love each other no matter what. Its beautiful in a way that they accept each other’s differences, it brings the glow out of each other.  I just want someone to bring the glow out of me.  And I unfortunately believe that my parents wouldn’t be able to find that for me. I need to find it on my own.

Homework 4

Evaluating:

 

1.   Lots of times when you compare two different cultures, you think mainly of large superficial clashes. Like clothes, language, skin tones, etc. How digging deeper into a culture, like the author has, you start to really see distinct differences between person-to-person interactions. For example, For the Thais people, it would be completely inappropriate   to ask such a broad question like “Hi, how are you?” for an informal greeting. Its overly broad, and they would be expected to answer in-depth, and would be very confusing for them. It would be more well-mannered in their culture to ask specific questions they can quickly answer and become more personal with the other person such as “have you eaten?”. In contrast,  there are many things that would be considered taboo in American society that isn’t at all for the Thias. For example, it would be considered strange for an American child to become completely dependent on their parents until after college. That includes living with their parents and having all expenses be paid by the parent.

 

Extending:

 

1. In Thailand, it is expected that the family will always take care of the grandparents of the family. It is expected that all the members work to make sure they live a relatively good life and not let others care for them.  In contrast it is very common in American society to reach for outside help to care for the elderly, sending them to nursing homes, or hiring aids to live with or visit the home very often, therefore lifting much stress off the families shoulder to care for them.  As the Buddhist philosophy has so much influence on the Thai culture, it is no surprise this concept in both countries vary so much. The Buddhist ideology (and ergo the Thais beliefs) focus less on money and social achievement, and more on morals, family and restraint, it is no surprise the Thais people would be more uncomfortable with other people caring for their elders then themselves.
2. When I was in Indonesia, I remember definitely feeling a culture clash, and differences between cultures.  I remember the people being just as fascinated in my life in America as I was in their life.   One thing I remember though, was one time I got in the backseat of a car with an Indonesian family and my own party from America.  When we all piled in the car to go to dinner together, I asked if the mother of the Indonesian family if she would like to sit in the front, but she wouldn’t, and it was a little hard for me to understand why, but she honestly felt very uncomfortable taking the seat in the front of the car.  To me, I wouldn’t feel uncomfortable but to her it is a hierarchy thing, that I don’t feel in America.

homework 3

Pressures

Pressures in high school from peers are probably your most influential stresses in your life, but I view them as positive and negative.  When I was in high school, I was obsessed with this one boy.  We used to date and now were only friends. But at the time he was only interested in one thing, smoking weed. I have no opinion on pot, if anything I’m probably on the legalize side because of the fact that its harmless and I just don’t care, but at the time, I just thought pot wasn’t for me. But I had liked the kid so much, he was able to talk me into smoking with him even though I had my doubts.  I knew I would have never done it if I was on my own to make the decision.  I smoked a couple more times after that for a year or two. From my view I see it as a life experience.  I don’t care either way about it being bad or good, but I’m glad it happened so I have the experience.  Outside pressures can be a very positive experience, as well as negative, but I think its important people try things they have to be talked into sometimes, because of the fact that its all learning.  If you never try something because since you were born everyone around you says its bad even though you know its basically harmless, its an ignorant thing to never know what you don’t try.  I’m not saying you should go out and murder people because someone tells you too, I’m saying people should have more of an open mind to the choices they make.

One Child Policy

If anything has to be remembered in this situation, it has to be the fact that China is a very very different place then America. They view government and look at social norms very differently then we do.  In America the most important word to us has to be the word “Freedom”.  But in china, though its an important concept and no one likes to be referred to as having “limited freedoms”, they focus more on the concept that it is better to be safe then it is to be free. There are plenty of things that work well around the world but not in America and visa versa. For example, a socialist government would never ever work in America, but does well in others.  So the One Child Act in China may work as well as it can over there, and even though it is an extreme, it is an extreme population issue that needs an extreme solution.  Having said that there are other possible solutions China can add on to the policy that will support the cause. One would be Supporting safe sex and giving free conception by the government. Second, young adult education on the financial difficulties of raising more then one child; promotion of adoption, the ideas are endless.

Homework 2

Article #1: Israel and France FOrm New Partnership

Recently, France and Israel together have signed a “declaration of intent for cooperation” to aid growing 3^rd world African countries and Haiti, who need the most support and are suffering from sever poverty.  Their main focus in the aid will be for counseling, experts, professional training, etc.  As well as the excellent contributions this will give to the countries in need, it plans to also benefit the relationship of France and Israel, bringing them closer together.

http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/About+the+Ministry/MFA+Spokesman/2011/Israel_and_France_aid_partnership_5_Sep_2011.htm

 

Article #2: Israel Isolates Itself

Last year, Israel had raided a “flotilla” (fleet of ships) from Turkey, killing 9, one being a 19 year old American citizen.  Because of Israel immediate refusal to apologize for the incident, Turkey has since decided to break the good ties Israel and them once shared.  The U.S. does not seem to be as harsh on the matter, and for he most part America has kept silent. With Israel continuing to stay silent however, its isolation from allies becomes closer.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/06/opinion/06iht-edcohen06.html?_r=1&ref=israel

 

Article #3: Israel Protest

A protest was held in Israel this past weekend, demanding against the “high cost of living and for social justice”.   About 400,000 people showed up to the protest, and people are saying its one of the largest demonstrations the country has been through this generation. The movement started with unaffordable housing and stretched to tax reforms, welfare, and other demands.  It doesn’t look like this is the last protest we will see in a while.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/04/world/middleeast/04israel.html?ref=israel

Homework 1

Country: Israel

On 14 May 1948 David Ben-Gurion, the Executive Head of the World Zionist Organization and president of the Jewish Agency for Palestine, declared Israel a state independent from the British Mandate for Palestine.  Neighboring Arab states invaded the next day in support of the Palestinian Arabs

Israel is a developed country and a representative democracy with a parliamentary system and universal suffrage

It has one of the highest life expectancies in the world

The area is known as the Holy Land, being holy for all Abrahamic religions including Judaism, Christianity, Islam and the Bahá’í Faith

In 2010, Israel’s population was an estimated 7.6 million, of whom 5,776,500 are Jews

Possible papers:

How the western world views Israel compared to reality of living there.

Understanding the truth of possible religious wars

Whose Holy Land?

Understanding the clash between co-exsisting religions