We Are Training Our Kids to Kill By Dave Grossman

In this essay Grossman explores the different factors that contribute to the increasing murder rate in America. He mainly focuses on one fundamental factor in his essay, which is the effect of the media. He begins by explaining that killing ones own kind is an unnatural response to a conflict. Grossman than compares and contrasts how the people in the military are trained to kill, and how that training is similair to the media's influence of violence. He explains that in the military they are trained to shoot pop up targets resembling human beings and after a time of training, shooting to kill becomes a stimulus response. This tactic is called operant conditioning. The same is with the video games children play. In violent shooting video games produced by the media, children are similairly trained to kill targets that pop up out of no where. This explains how kids that have never handled a gun show remarkable talent in shooting. He also explains the tactic of classical conditioning. This is when people are motivated to perform tasks through reward. He explains how in the japanese military they were trained to kill captive chinese soldiers in terrible ways, and that the japanese soldiers would be rewarded with the pleasures of women and great food. He explains similairly that children are rewarded the pleasure of winning a game when they kill all the people that game requires them too.

I like how insightful this essay was on the tactics that the military uses to train soldiers to kill, and also how much of an influence the media has on gamers. I dont really find it shocking that the government has not taken great action towards this issue. What if the government isn't strictly regulating laws against this because it is raising a nation of super soldiers that instinctively know how to wield weapons of mass destruction. Each country contributes its own specific material of neccessity to the international economy. America is best known for contributing weapons and arms of mass destruction. Therefore, is it so crazy to believe that the government would have a secret agenda to pre-train young minds into a state of total warfare while being able to use the best weapons that the world has to offer? The government's military makes a nice entrance to a soldiers life as soon as they graduate from high school. At this stage of life people are more likely to be interested in games than any other later time in life. They have gone through high school playing games of shooting and killing, most are deeply indulged in the media, and they are fresh out into the real world feeling successful and looking to further prove themselves. All this is a perfect recipe that can sicken a persons ability to distinguish the harms and hidden agenda's of the government and its media propaganda.

How Bingeing Became the New College Sport By Barrette Seaman

In this essay Barrette Seaman argues the different approaches to supress the abuse of alcohol by the undergraduates in college. He establishes the seriousness of the issue by providing the information that 300 deaths occur from alcohol poisoning a year. He also mentions that during the time he was visiting Hamilton college several people were hospitalized from alcohol posioning including a freshman whom had consumed 22 shots of alcohol. He lets the reader know why the children abuse alcohol so much, calling it the "forbidden fruit"(491), and a way of cutting loose. He introduces the reason why the alcohol legal age limit was upped to 21. He says its because of lobbying by the mothers against drunk driving that congress blackmailed states to raise the legal age limit. Seaman shows us two approaches throughout the essay to supress alcohol abuse. The first was the one he argues against, being that laws will play their effective role in supressing undergraduates' urge to binge drink. The other approach he introduces is to reduce the age limit back to 18. He details how the abuse will increase, but only momentarily, till undergraduates treat alcohol like adults. He supports his hypothesis with Montreals Mcguil's University. This university's drinking limit is 18 and although they have the freedom to drink all of the time, around final exams they treat alcohol like adults.

I agree with Seaman's approach to binge drinking. I believe that it would take away alot of the value of alcohol for undergraduates if they can simply have it whenever they want. I've known students that have abused this drug not from just freshman year in college but freshman year in high school. I suppose students may think that it doesnt really matter how old you are when they decide to drink since even a 20 year old is under the age drinking limit. Also, I think another reason for this abuse is to just relieve stress from the pressures of their lives. I think that students should resort to less harmful drugs than alcohol to relieve them of stress. I would rather have students abuse no drugs at all but I dont think this is possible for every single student. Especially when there is so many promotions of different kinds of drugs from the media, and society. I think if the age limit is reduced to 18 for alcohol then this will impact students from the time of high school, since they will know that by the end of high school they will be able to drink. This way, by the time they reach college they will give less value to alcohol and treat it just like adults would. It would also unmotivate younger teenagers in high school to abuse it since they legal age limit would be just a few short years away.

Our Unhealthy Obsession with Sickness by Frank Furedi

In Frank Furedi's essay " Our Unhealthy Obsession with Sickness" he addresses the issues of the health organization, and how its impacted the cultural sphere of America. He points out four specific reasons that we spend an unhealthy amount of time and resources focusing on health and sickness. Furedi first points out the reason of "medicalisation". Medicalisation is used to make sense of extreme human experiences. The issue is that it can be sometimes unsure, and point out useless cures that may be solved in an easier way. The second reason he provides is "a presupposition that illness is as normal as health". Furedi explains that today, the cultural norm is to be ill, and that people who aren't ill are actually considered to be potentiall ill, and not just well. This title of being potentially ill instills the fear of getting sick and implies that wellness is not a normal state of being but rather something to be aspired for and achieved over time. The third reason he says is that "health (is used) to make sense of the human experience". He explains that people use the idea of health to give moral reasoning that is subjective, which can direct peoples understandings and actions. The final issue he arises is the "politicisation of health". Furedi explains that public health initiatives provided by the government are making people spend alot of money and resources that aren't always neccessary so that consumers will spend more money.

The essay was very informative. Although I found it a bit difficult to understand in the begining I soon got a hold of the concept. I could relate to the issues that Furedi arrises in his essay because as a child I had ADHD. When I was a child, a psychiatrist put me on some medication that made me lose my appetite and be reluctant to most fun activity. My older brother described me as being like a zombie. He said he would through pillows at my head while I was watching TV to get a reaction out of me but I would simply look back at him then look back at the TV again, being completely impassive to everything he would do. I would just calmly sit there and watch TV. I had lost some weight while I was on this medication and my brother after having noticed this weight loss and dramatic character change went on a strike and threatned to move out of the house unless my parents stopped feeding me that medication. After my parents agreed to stop, my character and appetite returned gradually and I was back to normal. It makes sense to give people a constant fear of health because it gets people to constantly go for check ups and spend money which goes into the pocket of the government. It makes more sense now than ever since are economy is in a recession, and the government desperately needs money. However, this understanding makes me uncertain about which health threats I should actually be concerned about, and which health threats I should just be aware of.       

Is Your Workplace Personality Out of (Birth) Order? by Ben Dattner

In this essay the author Ben Dattner gives us an insightful view on the psychology of siblings. Dattner first explains about first born syblings. He details the characteristics by saying that first borns are often "extraverted and confident, more conformist and conservative, more conscientious and academically inclined, and more dominant and authoritarian.". He then provides examples of successful people to support his point. Afterwards he moves on to detail the characteristics of second borns as being "more flexible and open to new experiences, more empathic and altruistic, more creative and innovative, and more rebellious, liberal and interested in foreign cultures, and more concerned with justice and fairness.". He provides several examples to support his point, then develops into the middle siblings. He describes them as more diplomatic and political with their character. Throughout the essay he provides reasons as to why syblings act the way they do. He implies that it is because of their upbringing. First born children are often viewed as more responsible than the second born, and therefore develop concern, and care for the second born in addition to a sense of responsibilty of achievement for themselves. Then theres the second born that often are open and flexible to situations since they have less to lose. The foundation of their character is built of this ideology according to Dattner.

I found this essay very interesting because im in a family of four. My family consists of my Mother, Father, Older Brother, and Me. I found the essay suprisingly accurate, because the laid out personalities were similair to that of mine and my brothers. I often seem to be more creative since I like to make art and appreciate it more, but he doesn't really have a taste for it. On most occasions I have found myself more empathic than my brother despite the obvious reasons that exist. I also feel comfortable taking chances to see what happens, and am interested in how other cultures function. My brother is also more ambitious, and a real go-getter whereas I am more laid back and relaxed. I also understand to a great deal that my brother really cares for me, and my education. I guess till a certain extent he understands that grades aren't that big of a deal for me so he really enforces it. An example would be last year for my senior year in high-school. For my first term report card I got a 3.5 for my GPA, and he complained that I should have atleast a 3.8. By the end of the year I graduated with a 3.8, and he still complained. I thought he was out of his mind, and realized that there is no winning with him. This unmotivated me, and made me want to rebel, and not go to college but I quickly realized why he is the way he is. I realized if he hadn't been so hard on me, than I would have likely let the 3.5 get to my head, and it would have dropped down to a low GPA. I found the essay insightful and fun since I was able to relate so well.

Homeplace by Scott Russell Sanders

In this essay Sanders debates between whether or not it is better to be in an inhabited place or is it better to keep progressing in terms of total fulfillment. He begins by introducing us to a family with a farm that were victim to a 3 time freak series of tornadoes. He goes on say how despite being the victim of 3 tornadoe accidents they still stayed on their ground, and did not move. He wonders why, and comes to understand that they have invested to much time, and effort in the land to just leave so ultimately they are stubborn. But beyond that understanding Sanders explores a deeper question of desire to progress or to just progress without moving. Throughout the essay he questions humanities desire of progression. He brings up many good points with great refrences to various writers, physicists, and scientists. He eventually settles on the idea that it is better to be inhabited in one place, and to understand its value rather then just quickly dominate it, and move on to the next place, like our nation has done throughout history. He mentions how the American heritage is based off people that have migrated from different countries, and developed our land. He also mentions how people that have migrated or rather invaded to other countries have caused much pain and anguish through destruction for development.

I enjoyed the essay very much. It offered much insight on the extents that humanity will go through in order to reach total satisfaction. I learned that total satisfaction is never total, and that desire is like a treadmill. By the end of your desire you may look better but you certaintly would have not gotten anywhere. Instead of constantly moving from place to place we should focus on the never ending moral offerings that our inhabited place has to offer. We shouldn't be narrow minded, and notice all the temporary things that different places have to offer. Sanders put together a nice collage of quotes to support his point of view, and the opposing point of views of the patriotic progressing American. All together it was a good, and insightful read.

Multi-Colored Families by Tamala Edwards

In this essay Tamala Edwards introduces us to information both on a factual, and a sentimental level about Multi-Racial families. She shows us the pains and struggles these families endure. She informs us on the different offensive questions and stares these families recieve from ignorant people. She tells us about families with adopted children and Bi-Racial families and how through there development they question their color of skin and why its not similair to one of the parents which is a heartfelt question. She also tell us factual information on how to deal with such scenarios of peoples insensitivity and how to deal with their confused Bi-racial children, or adopted children. The information provided details how we shouldn't be angry at people that are insensitive and ignorant because our children learn from our actions, so we should rather reply with a swift and reasonable answer that allows our children to learn, and reply in the same way without getting angry at peoples ignorance. In addition to that we should also treat the children's upbringing with great sensitivity about their race, and culture with introductions or support in learning about all the different cultures they may have. All these can help a Bi-Racial or adopted child develop into a well rounded individual with no self consciousness about their race or culture they may come from according to Tamala Edwards and all the other sources she included in her essay.

I found this essay very informative about the different issues Bi-Racial families endure, and although I don't come from such a type of family I can still relate to the racism they may endure. In Iran most the people are ethocentric when compared to the minorities of different races in the country. The country has an amount of people from Afghanistan that work in construction and house maintenance to pay for their families in the neighboring country of Afghanistan or to just support themselves as growing young adults. They are often insulted, treated harshly and are looked down upon by most Iranians. It makes me sad that they think this way and I feel really bad about the way they are treated, but even the very own citizens of the country are powerless to the culture that supports this ethocentricism. They also look down upon their very own race because there is majority of Iranians that speak Farsi and a minority that speak more Turkish than Farsi. These minorities are often reffered to as stupid, and often have jokes about their non-existing stupidity. Although when confronted they jump back behind the facade of the infamous quote "It's just a joke, have some humour wont you?" Jokes are only funny once but get stale and offensive after a while.

Beliefs about Families by Mary Pipher

In this essay the author Mary Pipher describes her perception of family in addition to how it applies to success in our modern day society in terms of material and moral fulfillment. She mentions that her idea of family is a group of people that stick together and are supportive in the best ways they know how, to help one strive in life. She details different types of families as being Biologically Nuclear, Foster, or certain organizations that allow those from dysfuntional families to join together as their own family. Mary Pipher also mentions how there may be two types of families: One is the Idealized version. Where families are well oriented, and all loving/supporting. Two is the Dysfunctional version of family. Where the people in it are often more individual achievers and less family oriented. She mentions how the Dysfunctional version of family is more abundant in the U.S. and how its less driven towards moral fulfillment and more towards stale material gain. She mentions how we are sold the idea that happiness can be bought, but that its not the case at all.

I enjoyed this essay because it brought multiple valid reasons of affect that families have on modern day individuals. It showed me how much impact a dysfunctional family can have. Personally I think its true that we are manipulated into believing in the idea that family's get in the way of our individual success. I believe this because it makes sense to get the people of our country less tied up with family and more involved in work that contributes to the country and makes it more progressed and better as a whole. The issue is that countries are mean't to be homes for people and not places of work. Work is rather a choice people make in their life to contribute to the country in anyway through which the country contributes back to them in a specific way. However work may bring material success, but such success is not fulfilling. The desire to have more is the definition of desire. We as human beings have an inevitable desire to have more and better of what we already have. The very Greeks that the author reffers to as having valued individuality, is a perfect example of my point. At first in Greek art, the artists valued sculpting and realism. They strived for centuries to sculpt a realistic figure, with perfectly porportiante body parts and gesture/facial expression. Once they achieved this, they decided that they weren't satisfied, and stopped making that kind of sculpting. After that, they started making what we now know as Classic Greek art, where the sculptor makes a human body with unrealistic emphasized body parts. They supersize the perfection of peaked human conditons with detailed abbs, large pecks, etc. Altogether desire will be desire and so for happiness and fulfillment we should turn an eye to other things that aren't temporary or material, such as family or morals, and beliefs that satisfy the mentality of a person.

The Barrio by Robert Ramirez

This essay that was written by Robert Ramirez gave us a satisfying connection to his home area called "The Barrio" and how it differs from modern day cities. He gave us an even better visual description of "The Barrio", describing it in a comfortable home like scenario but also relatively harsh in terms of living conditions. He details how there are rocky roads since the townspeople dont have money to pay to the state so that they fix it, and also that running water is considered an actual luxury. He mentions many other attributes including barefoot children selling newspapers on a sunday morning to give their earnings to their families. But amongst all these harsh conditions he also writes about how much of a home it is. He describes how the people of the town are really layed back and will give credit to the locals for groceries and other neccessities. He also details predictable places and happenings that give the reader an idea of a home. He writes how people often play pool at the country club, where men try to prove themselves; while veterans stare at playboy foldouts. He also mentions how the houses are colorful, and dont have proper fences but rather old rusty ones or just green shrubs and flowers.

I like the essay for many reasons. I liked it because it was very visual and I really enjoyed how he was able to describe things through his perception. I loved how he described the passing lights through a train as "pulsing." He also made good refrences to the differences between developed cities today and "The Barrio". Its interesting how he describes cities were perhaps more cold and less oriented. It seem's like its more of a workplace all of the time rather then the home that Robert Ramirez described. I agree with this, and I can relate. I feel the same way because as I grow older I realize that im going to be in a workplace city thats more cold and industrious, despite all the goods that a city can offer. When I reflect back on my senior year at Fairfax High School, it seemed like a home to me. It seemed so because things were simpler, and the people  around me were closer than I presently feel. Everything had its own place, and was predictable to a certain extent. Reflecting on those times it makes me feel sad that they aren't around anymore.

Hey Nostradamus! By Douglas Coupland (P.229-244)

In this concluding chapter of the fictional novel "Hey Nostradamus!" By Douglas Coupland the narrator is now Reg in the year of 2003. This very insightful chapter reveals all the thoughts, feelings, and emotions that would circulate behind Reg's facade of relgion and rigidness. In this chapter we actually learn that he is an emotional and heartfelt guy deep down. We first learn about his background and upbringing. We learn that Reg's father was harsh, as was his childhood; where he details how somedays he would leave his home for hours or days at a time. He would contemplate about God and why he would have made such a person that is so empty and cruel, but still religious yet have no faith. We understand that the only reason Reg would act on Jason was because he was trying to be all that his father wasn't, and by the end was very similair to his father. Reg also speaks about his relationship with Ruth, and how she left him. He details that Ruth was a great person that was nothing but supportive but in the end left him because he wouldn't get a divorce and was ashamed of having an affair while still being married. Throughout his tone we learn that he is regretful and to an extent broken. By the end of the chapter we learn that the RCMP found Jason's shirt in the woods and that Reg is now writing this so that he may post it on all the tree's around the site of where they found his shirt, so that when Jason finds this letter addressed to him he will come home.

Im upset that this book is over, it was a very good read and I enjoyed Douglas Coupland's writing very much. I will probably purchase another book by this author since I liked his tone and attitude, along with the morals and understandings he introduced to his readers throughout the book. Reflecting on this chapter I guess I was right about Reg's character being influenced by his past, and we learn it was his childhood upbringing that seriously influenced him to push away from his father's image, and end up being just as similairly harsh on Jason. Although in the begining of the book I thought this was the only thing that made him act the way he did, and that he was just crazy, I actually learned that he is an emotional guy deep down. I also learned that he is in denial about his son's disappearence and still believes him to be alive; thats why he was writing. This is sad, because he is going to still be clinging on to something that is in the past and will never re-surface. It had a bitter ending but the whole novel altogether was a bitter-sweet one.