...so going green isn't on my immediate to-do list. I'm going to get away from the research side of things for a bit, but since I just started yesterday, I don't think anyone will mind that much. This is an issue that bugs me a bit (just a smidge) and I feel like ranting. I believe the cause behind this whole "going green" charade is well-meaning--heck, I even partially agree with the idea of global warming, but this whole propaganda "bs" is getting on my nerves, to be perfectly frank.
I think I officially blew up with the start of the Mastercard commercial. Do you know it? It's the one where the little boy is (for lack of a better word) training his father to be eco-friendly, which is all well and good--but then the "priceless" tagline at the end is "Helping your dad become a better person..." AHHHH! What, he's a bad guy all-of-a-sudden because he left his water faucet on for a full minute while brushing his teeth?! It's not that much more water than when you flush the toilet!!
(*clears throat*) Okay, done screaming now. The point is that I don't think I've seen a better example of government propaganda since the LBJ "Daisy" commercial during the time surrounding the Cold War...and it doesn't end there. Did you know that there is now a channel devoted to the whole "going-green" campaign? Oh yeah, believe it--and don't think for a second that it's aimed toward the adults. Don't even believe that it's aimed towards people in my generation--it's for all the kids my generation is spawning at the moment.
Al Gore realizes that he won't be able to change our stance that significantly--we grew up knowing, but not really caring. No--the idea is to "get 'em while they're young." If they grow up hearing nothing else on the subject, they'll believe that's the way the world ought to be. Who knows? Maybe what they tell us on the TV is true--maybe the ice caps surrounding the North and South pole really are melting. My stance is: if it has already progressed to the point that Gore is proposing, then will shortening the time I spend in the shower really make a significant difference?
Like I said, I believe the cause--I'm just tired of being bombarded with all this media telling me I'm an evil human being for using a standard light bulb or owning a car that's actually fun to drive, that's all. Hug your trees--I prefer paper, myself.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Sunday, June 7, 2009
It's a Small World--Visit It!
"I was amazed to realize that we are--we're the only country th-that tells the rest of the world, on a nearly constant basis, that we are the greatest country on earth...the amazing thing is there're people who've never left this country who talk about the fact that we're the greatest country on earth. How...dumb is that?!"
-Lewis Black, "Black on Broadway"
"...And now, when you talk about America everywhere in the world, people are afraid--having fighting very strongly against, uh...the war in Iraq, I mean, fighting also against what the Bush administration is doing inside the WTO against the developing countries, the United States have to be now, have to change its policy, has to say very clearly, 'We are going to stop dumping on the developing countries, and this is not fair.'"
-José Bové, "'Death to America': Anti-Americanism Examined, Episode 1" Justin Webb, BBC
Radio 4. April 2007.
José Bové's views on America are not rare--in fact, José is a popular figure in French culture, where anti-Americanism has a strong history dating back to Georges-Luis Leclerc de Buffon in the 18th century, who "declared America a primitive place fit only for degenerate life forms" (Harriss 51).
The question that remains on my mind is: why? With global communication as easy to access as it is these days, why is the world view of America basically the same as it was over 200 years ago? Some of it is our past administration, but some of it is also due to what Lewis Black pointed out in the above quote--we simply come across to foreigners as arrogant and obnoxious. There is an easy way to fight against that stereotype--go abroad! Explore cultures outside of your own and gain a new perspective on your world. This is made easier in American colleges and universities through their various study-abroad programs. My argument is that despite the obstacles--finances and fear of being away from your family chief among them--the benefits of studying abroad are invaluable.
According to Karin Fischer in her article for The Chronicle of Higher Education, "over the past 10 years, the number of students participating in overseas-study trips...has increased nearly 150 percent." Due to the economy being as slow as it is today, people are worried that the number will start to go down again, with costs increasing around the world in general.
That does not have to happen, however--as Fischer makes clear, there are many programs around the world that are cheaper than the traditional Western European programs. In the university I graduated from, Heidelberg, many programs were available in places ranging from Mexico and Argentina to as far east as Japan and their costs were actually cheaper than a semester at Heidelberg itself!
Also, even if the school itself does not offer as much financial aid as most students may expect, there are many places to find grants and scholarships--the country needs worldly people and they will do what it takes to help you. Also, look for sponsors--many people are willing to give away their money for what they see as a good cause. It may be more work than most students expect to put in, but if you are determined enough, that will not matter in the long run.
What about the people who are afraid of being on their own in a foreign country? Look, it happens--when you are in a big city alone, you run the risk of being targeted by criminals or nationalists. That goes for here, as well--unfortunately, that's the world we live in...deal with it. The fact is that the same students who make this their primary concern are going to be on their own in 1-2 years anyways--the landscape of our country is not much better off in that regard. Take the risk and experience something new! After a couple of months on your own in a foreign country, life after education and away from your family is not going to seem quite so tough.
I feel that I can talk about this subject with experience, since I spent the fall semester of my junior year studying at the University of Oxford in England. While there, I heard from many people who lived in the city about how they view Americans--loud, rude and prejudiced.
In order for us to understand why they view us in this light, we have to look at their geography--Britain is little more than the distance from Ohio to South Carolina. It is also grossly overpopulated. Their attitude is that if you don't bother me, I won't bother you. Most Britains will not talk to you on the street unless you invite them to. Between gossip magazines and media, America is obsessed with everyone else's business. I have to say, after spending a couple months in Oxford and coming back home, their view on our behavior is not that far from the truth.
I was also teased by my Shakespeare tutor on a nearly weekly basis about how little I knew about geography. As she says, "Typical American, doesn't know the land outside his own borders." Again, is that really wrong? The "Brits" I made friends with could tell you nearly all of the 50 states that make up the US, but most Americans probably couldn't tell you which is the Pacific Ocean and which is the Atlantic.
I feel I know more about myself than I knew before the trip and I made memories abroad that I will never forget. In fact, as soon as I feel I'm financially comfortable, I want to move and live in England for a period of time. I love the culture.
I guess the main point I am trying to make in this blog is: study abroad. It is also to remind Americans that we are not as great as we make ourselves out to be--just because we live in America does not make us any better than a Brit or an Asian. By taking the opportunity to study abroad, you will get a chance to see how rich culture is outside our own borders and gain new perspectives on just what it means to be an American.
-Lewis Black, "Black on Broadway"
"...And now, when you talk about America everywhere in the world, people are afraid--having fighting very strongly against, uh...the war in Iraq, I mean, fighting also against what the Bush administration is doing inside the WTO against the developing countries, the United States have to be now, have to change its policy, has to say very clearly, 'We are going to stop dumping on the developing countries, and this is not fair.'"
-José Bové, "'Death to America': Anti-Americanism Examined, Episode 1" Justin Webb, BBC
Radio 4. April 2007.
José Bové's views on America are not rare--in fact, José is a popular figure in French culture, where anti-Americanism has a strong history dating back to Georges-Luis Leclerc de Buffon in the 18th century, who "declared America a primitive place fit only for degenerate life forms" (Harriss 51).
The question that remains on my mind is: why? With global communication as easy to access as it is these days, why is the world view of America basically the same as it was over 200 years ago? Some of it is our past administration, but some of it is also due to what Lewis Black pointed out in the above quote--we simply come across to foreigners as arrogant and obnoxious. There is an easy way to fight against that stereotype--go abroad! Explore cultures outside of your own and gain a new perspective on your world. This is made easier in American colleges and universities through their various study-abroad programs. My argument is that despite the obstacles--finances and fear of being away from your family chief among them--the benefits of studying abroad are invaluable.
According to Karin Fischer in her article for The Chronicle of Higher Education, "over the past 10 years, the number of students participating in overseas-study trips...has increased nearly 150 percent." Due to the economy being as slow as it is today, people are worried that the number will start to go down again, with costs increasing around the world in general.
That does not have to happen, however--as Fischer makes clear, there are many programs around the world that are cheaper than the traditional Western European programs. In the university I graduated from, Heidelberg, many programs were available in places ranging from Mexico and Argentina to as far east as Japan and their costs were actually cheaper than a semester at Heidelberg itself!
Also, even if the school itself does not offer as much financial aid as most students may expect, there are many places to find grants and scholarships--the country needs worldly people and they will do what it takes to help you. Also, look for sponsors--many people are willing to give away their money for what they see as a good cause. It may be more work than most students expect to put in, but if you are determined enough, that will not matter in the long run.
What about the people who are afraid of being on their own in a foreign country? Look, it happens--when you are in a big city alone, you run the risk of being targeted by criminals or nationalists. That goes for here, as well--unfortunately, that's the world we live in...deal with it. The fact is that the same students who make this their primary concern are going to be on their own in 1-2 years anyways--the landscape of our country is not much better off in that regard. Take the risk and experience something new! After a couple of months on your own in a foreign country, life after education and away from your family is not going to seem quite so tough.
I feel that I can talk about this subject with experience, since I spent the fall semester of my junior year studying at the University of Oxford in England. While there, I heard from many people who lived in the city about how they view Americans--loud, rude and prejudiced.
In order for us to understand why they view us in this light, we have to look at their geography--Britain is little more than the distance from Ohio to South Carolina. It is also grossly overpopulated. Their attitude is that if you don't bother me, I won't bother you. Most Britains will not talk to you on the street unless you invite them to. Between gossip magazines and media, America is obsessed with everyone else's business. I have to say, after spending a couple months in Oxford and coming back home, their view on our behavior is not that far from the truth.
I was also teased by my Shakespeare tutor on a nearly weekly basis about how little I knew about geography. As she says, "Typical American, doesn't know the land outside his own borders." Again, is that really wrong? The "Brits" I made friends with could tell you nearly all of the 50 states that make up the US, but most Americans probably couldn't tell you which is the Pacific Ocean and which is the Atlantic.
I feel I know more about myself than I knew before the trip and I made memories abroad that I will never forget. In fact, as soon as I feel I'm financially comfortable, I want to move and live in England for a period of time. I love the culture.
I guess the main point I am trying to make in this blog is: study abroad. It is also to remind Americans that we are not as great as we make ourselves out to be--just because we live in America does not make us any better than a Brit or an Asian. By taking the opportunity to study abroad, you will get a chance to see how rich culture is outside our own borders and gain new perspectives on just what it means to be an American.
Works Cited
Fischer, Karin. "For American Students, Study-Abroad Numbers Continue to Climb, but Financial Obstacles Loom." Chronicle of Higher Education (Nov, 2008). 55.13.
Harriss, Joseph A. "Finally, A Brit Who Gets It." American Spectator (Feb 2009). 42.1. 50-51.
My Little Experiment
Well, I've caved for every type of social-networking out there--why not now? As a college graduate in English, I thought it would be important to get some examples of my writing style out there (aside from my fiction and poetry, that is). Many journalism positions on and off-line require it. Seeing as I've got my own opinions on how the world works, what "erks" me, and why anyone else should give a *@!& (*grin*), I figured that a blog would help me in two ways: get my feelings out so that I don't yell out of my car at someone on their cellphone while driving (which I've done--often), and also show good examples of what a research paper can look like when you don't use overblown language while still keeping it academic. Trust me--I've proofread enough students' papers to know that using "cacophony" instead of "loud noise" doesn't nab you as many kudos from professors as you may think. Keep it simple...bigger isn't always better. Hopefully, I can create a somewhat interesting blog and give students or people in general some good examples of research. So enjoy, think and learn! I look forward to hearing from anyone who has any questions.
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