If you can’t learn to do it well, learn to enjoy doing it badly.
Archive for October, 2007
October 30, 2007 at 11:50 am · Filed under Uncategorized
For me, the word “apprehensive” comes to mind when thinking about the next chapters of the Outsiders. This is primarily because after Johnny had killed that Soc, they did not know what to do. They were in shock and they were nervous, scared, and horrified at what had happened and what they thought probably will happen. I think that apprehension means anxiety and fear, and that was exactly how Johnny and Ponyboy were feeling. So again, I think that the word apprehensive would be suitable for Chapters 3 and 4 of the Outsiders.
October 24, 2007 at 3:00 pm · Filed under Uncategorized
A couple weeks ago I had a chance to have a conversation with students from Canada over a moodle site. We had talked about “power” and how it can affect relationships. We had also had a skype call that also went well. On that skype call we had presented what our answers for those questions were. All the different groups had various answers for those questions. My thoughts and opinions on those questions and the answers that were received have interested me in a way that makes me want to ask more questions about why my peers thought that way.
Define Power: My group had said that power was when you have control and you are dominant over something. Now that I have heard other people’s perspectives on the questions, my thoughts on how power is defined have slightly changed. I now agree with how power is a force and a feeling that we have that we can use foolishly or wisely. Power isn’t something that you can see or touch, it’s not concrete. Power can also be considered knowledge, and it is very commonly used especially in interactions with others. Since I agree with my peers about the answer, I’m interested in why they thought of that and how come our views aren’t different even though some of us live in different societies. One member from my group had said that it is an emotion that revolves around you. I would probably try to get more information on what he’s trying to say and ask him why those are his thoughts.
How does power affect personal relationships?: We had said that power can affect relationships because when you have a lot of power you get engulfed in it and you start to get more and more away from the people you really care about. My group had also said that you can lose all of your friends, and also that you can become a whole different person if you choose to use your powers negatively. Our views were the pretty much the same and that’s maybe because some of us have experienced things similar to what we’re talking about and maybe some of us know how to relate. And even if we have the same opinions, I still wonder why we do. Probably personal experiences have contributed to these thoughts, but I’m not sure. Anyways, by hearing other people’s perspectives, my opinions about how it can affect relationships is still the same. My peers said that power can make relationships better or worse. I agree with this and I think that it all depends on how the power is used.
What role does power play in a person’s decision making process?: Again, my group and the rest of the groups said that it all depends on how the power is used. My thoughts about this still haven’t changed; I still think that power can be used foolishly or wisely. I also think that if power is used correctly, it can be advantageous and your decisions can be ones that benefit you. Power can also affect other people and what they think of you based on the way it’s used. Power gives you the force that you use to make your decisions.
Why is having power important to a person?: Some groups had said that power is important because you use it to make decisions, and some said that it lets you do what you want to do. My group had said that power is important because you can use it to control and without power, people will step all over you. I still personally think that power is important because it lets you make order of things and you are able to make decisions that can be positive or negative. I now also think that power is important to a person because it gives you the ability to achieve something, to succeed in what you do. It gives us the potential to do whatever we want. Again, everyone in my group had said the same thing and I STILL wonder why. Could it be that maybe we think the same way? I don’t know, but I would also like to know if any experiences or anything have affected their thinking and maybe why. I want to know this because then I could have a better understanding of my peers so communication can be more productive.
So many of my opinions to these questions haven’t changed, but some of them have. And this pretty much sums up my impressions and opinions on what power is.
October 18, 2007 at 12:00 pm · Filed under Uncategorized
For me, the word affection is used to describe the first 2 chapters of the outsiders. Ponyboy and his gang are really close together and they support each other no matter what. He and his gang show that they care for each other when something bad happens. An example would be when the gang rescues Ponyboy from the Socs. They are all basically one big family of brothers who stick together. Another reason I used the word affection is because they show concern not only for themselves, but also for others including the two girls at the drive-in. So this pretty much sums up my thoughts.
October 14, 2007 at 12:21 pm · Filed under Uncategorized
Identify situations in personal relationships that reflect power struggles.
Personal relationships usually mean your relationships with your friends and family. But it can also mean relationships that you have that you consider personal. In families, there can be siblings that argue excessively. No matter what they argue about, it displays a power struggle because they are fighting for power, for control. Another example of power struggles can be in relationships that include boyfriends and girlfriends. Couples can either get along or they can get into lots of arguments. There can be instances where they fight over nothing. Maybe it’s over who should buy dinner or over who should pay for the movie tickets. Whatever it is, they are arguing over power; they are struggling to see who should have control.
Give examples of personal experiences of power struggle situations and what was the outcome?
Usually power struggles occur between siblings, but since I’m an only child that doesn’t happen. Instead, I have power struggles with my parents. An example of one situation is when I was a child and I wanted something. Usually my parents would buy it for me, but when they didn’t I would have tantrums. And if my parents got that item for me, I wouldn’t share. I would just keep it to myself and have power over it. But then I learned to share my possessions and I had the power to do that.
When and how do you use power in interactions with others?
When interacting with others, communicating by talking is usually what occurs. When talking, we are using our powers to have a discussion. We also have the power to do whatever we want during that discussion. We can invalidate people, hurt, insult, compliment, and make people feel appreciated with interactions. Everyone has the power do to this, and our interactions can change the way we are and what people think of us. We use power in interactions all the time, but it depends on you to choose how you use those powers in interactions.
Where do you see or have seen power struggles occurring in your surroundings? (neighborhood, community, local government)
Power struggles can occur anywhere at anytime. In government, power struggles occur all the time. People always argue and debate on how to govern, what to do about wars, and many other subjects. In the upcoming election in 2008, the candidates are fighting and debating for power over the US, power to control and govern. In my neighborhood and community, power struggles are not very common. But there are occasional incidents that occur. In school power struggles are very familiar. Students argue for power over almost everything. For example, usually when my peers and I play soccer, everyone fights on who should be the team captains. So again, power struggles can occur anytime and anywhere.
October 9, 2007 at 1:36 pm · Filed under Uncategorized
What kind of relationships do you see in The Veldt?
In the story of the Veldt, the relationships are between the members of the family. The relationship that I see is an unhealthy one. Usually in a typical family, the parents are the ones who have power and control. But in this story, the spoiled kids have the power. The house that they bought had literally replaced the parents because it was doing everything for them. But this uncommon relationship was started by the parents. The parents did not seem to care about controlling and enforcing their children. They had thought that by getting their kids everything they desired, the children would love them. And the relationship between the children and the parents had not been formed by love, but by desires and guilt. This insalubrious relationship soon led to the death of the parents.
How do you see Power? How is power displayed?
In an average relationship in a family, parents have the power. They are able to “control” what’s going on in the household. But in the Veldt, the parents build an unhealthy relationship with their children, and the kids become very spoiled. In this relationship, the parents are pretty irresponsible and don’t use their power wisely. Instead, they just decide to pamper their children with a high-tech house. Because of their decisions, the house replaces the parents and the kids end up with all the power. I think this because since the house takes care of everything, the kids think that their parents are “useless”. An example would be when the son demands his father to open up the nursery after he had locked it. The children also get “brainwashed” in a sort of way. Since everything is taken care of by the house, the kids start to loose touch with reality and start to only think about the nursery in the house. So in the Veldt, power is shown more by the kids than by the parents.
October 4, 2007 at 7:37 pm · Filed under Uncategorized
Is having everything you desire a good thing?
When you desire something, you have thoughts about something that you yearn and wish for. Desires are basically cravings. And when we attain everything that we long for and desire, it might seem terrific for some. But having everything we desire is not always a good thing. You can become a whole different person formed from avidity and greed from obtaining your desires. But you always have the choice to either use everything you have wisely or foolishly. So having everything you desire can be good and bad, but that is determined on how you use your desired objects.
Desire Vs. Need
Desiring something is when you want something that you think will be pleasing to you. Desires aren’t always necessary things though. You might just want something because you want to look cool around friends. Your desires might not always be provided either. This means that when you want something, that desire might not always be fulfilled because it’s not like you’ll die without that desire. A need is different because it is a requirement or a necessity. Water can be an example of a need because it is required for your survival. Despite the fact that you can’t live without water, you can live without an iPod. The iPod would be an example of a desire because it isn’t necessary, we just think it’ll make us happier. In conclusion, a need and a desire can be very different from one another.
