Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism

I found it interesting to learn about Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism in history class.  Confucianism involves the belief in the importance of an educated, proper, and orderly society.  Taoism involves the belief in the importance of a natural, balanced society.  Lastly, Buddhism involves the belief in the importance of following the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path.

Overall, I think Buddhism sounds too difficult for me.  Closely following the Eightfold Path in order to end desire would be too difficult.  To me, the ideal philosophy would be a balanced mix between Confucianism and Taoism.  I like the idea, with Confucianism, of an educated society.  It is important for people to be knowledgeable of the world around them.  It is also good with the idea of respecting relationships.  The young must respect their elders, and vice versa.  Rules and order are also good to have in a society, because it prevents people from attacking or taking away from other people.  However, I also like the ideas of Taoism.  It involves everything in the world being in balance.  Accepting the harmony of the natural world is an important part of Taoism.  Taoism is more about “going with the flow,” following the nature of events as they come.

Confucianism and Taoism are often thought of to be opposites, just like the Yin Yang.  Confucianism is more proper and orderly, while Taioism is more relaxed and in balance with nature.  I think the ideal belief would be a mix of the two.  It would include having an orderly society, but still in harmony with nature.  It would be proper and educated, yet at the same time relaxed and “going with the flow.”  It would also respect the Five Basic Relationships.  The idea of a mix between the two beliefs would also go well with the idea of Yin Yang.

Is More Security Needed For Standardized Testing?

http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2011-04-07-dcschools07_ST_N.htm

In the Washington, D.C. public school system, school board officials are concerned with the possibility that a security seal on text booklets might not be protective enough against tampering with the answer sheets.  However, I think that security on standardized testing is a little too protective.  It is good that they make attempts to prevent cheating with security measures, but sometimes they go a little overboard.  For example, tearing the wrong seal could result in an invalidation of one’s test as well as disciplinary actions.  What if someone did it by accident?  Most people who would happen to tear the seal likely would not be doing it for the intent of cheating, but rather by mistake.  The tests can be somewhat nerve-wracking due to the intense security.  I tend to worry more about accidentally doing something wrong security-wise rather than the content of the tests themselves.

In this case of this story, however, adding an additional seal that can only be broken by the student during testing probably would not be too bad.  It should reduce the amount of tampering, so in that case, it would likely be beneficial.  Reducing the amount of tampering would be more fair for everyone and would also improve the accuracy of statistics.  However, the security should also be altered in that consequences would not be as harsh for people who simply breached the security on accident.  Doing something such as breaking the wrong seal is not too difficult to do, and one should not be strictly disciplined for doing something they did not mean to do.  The ideal changes that could possibly happen would be the addition of additional security measures paired with the reduction of consequences for those who breach security by mistake, allowing the innocent to be able to take tests with less worries.   Hopefully, however, the rate of cheating or tampering will decrease over time, and standardized tests would become more fair for all.

Human Rights

Today in class, we watched a video involving human rights.  There are many countries around the world where people have limited or no rights.  I believe that that is unjust.  Every human being in this world deserves to have rights.  For example, everybody deserves to have freedom.  Everyone should each be able to do what they want in their life.  If they want to become a salesperson, they should be able to.  If they want to become a mechanic, they should be able to as well.  It is unjust for governments or other authorities to force people to be something they do not want to be.

Another right that everyone deserves is the right to a free education.  There are countries where not everybody has an equal opportunity for education.  For example, in some countries, women are not given the chance to be educated.  Without an education, a government can just rule over people, and the people would not be knowledgeable enough to know that it was unfair and unjust.  An education also helps people throughout their life.  They become more knowledgable about the world around them, and thus can make better decisions for themselves and their community.  Education is an important part of everyone’s life.

Everybody also deserves the right to freedom of expression.  People should be able to be who they want to be.  They should also be able to share their thoughts and beliefs without fear of being penalized.  If they are unhappy with their government, they should be able to express their beliefs and protest the government.  They should also be able to practice whatever religion they follow.  Freedom of expression allows for a better, more equal society.

There are certain rights that everyone in this world should have, but yet many people are left without.  We, in the United States, are very fortunate to have these rights, and we must hope that the countries that do not have these rights get them as well.

Culturefest: Great Fun

Honestly, before leaving for the Culturefest, I did not really want to go much.  The main reason I went was because I just recently joined the Freshman-Sophomore Council, and we were expected to go.  It ended up being much better than I expected.  I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.  I arrived about a half hour early, before many people were there.  I did not know what to do.  Fortunately for me, me being very clueless as to what exactly was going on, both the Freshman-Sophomore Council’s table and my Spanish teacher’s table were right next to each other in the cafeteria, and right near the cafeteria entrance.  People slowly arrived at the event.  Eventually, around 6:15, the majority of the people had arrived.  I was able to find friends and afterwords, everything was more exciting.  There was food everywhere, activities everywhere, and so many different countries and cultures everywhere.  Unfortunately, I am an extremely picky and limited eater, so I did not try much, not to mention I ate dinner not long before leaving for the Culturefest.  One activity some friends and I wanted to try was fencing, but the wait was too long.  Another event that was there was mixed martial arts.  I had gone to that martial arts center two separate years and quit both times, once around first grade and another around fifth grade, and I knew one of the instructors who was there.  I got to visit all areas of the event and see many interesting cultures.  One thing I would redo, however, is not eaten a large dinner before going to the Culturefest, because I did not get to eat many foods that I would have eaten had I not been full from my meal.  The pasta in the Italy section looked really good.  Overall, I would definitely recommend going to Culturefest next year, and I plan on going as well (if there is one again next year).

Terrible Tragedy in Japan

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/20110316/ts_yblog_thelookout/japans-nuclear-crisis-where-things-stand

It is terrible what has happened to Japan.  First they get one of the worst earthquakes in their history, along with strong aftershocks.  Then they get slammed by a powerful tsunami that sweeps through towns and cities.  They estimate the death toll can be over 10,000.  Now, they have to worry about nuclear radiation.  Six reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant were compromised as a result of the disaster, which in turn caused a failure of the cooling systems.  There have been explosions and releases of poisonous gases at the plant.  The approximate 140,000 people that live within an 18-mile radius of the plant were told to stay indoors by the government.  Some experts criticized the Japanese government for underestimating the severity of the crisis, and the Americans within 50 miles of the plant were recommended by the U.S. embassy to stay indoors or evacuate the area.  It I were anywhere near the plant, I would frightened.  I would evacuate the area if possible.  I would not want to risk getting poisoned by the noxious gases.  We must hope that the situation will get better.  Fortunately, it is easy for one to help.  By texting a certain number, one can donate $10 to relief efforts.  Artists and celebrities are also selling items whose proceeds will go towards relief efforts, and are urging fans to donate to the cause.

What I find odd is that every year, there seems to be at least one major disaster somewhere around the world that requires the help and attention of many.  Last year, there was the Haitian earthquake and the Gulf oil spill.  In past years, there was Hurricane Katrina and the Indian Ocean tsunami.  Hopefully, the pattern will not continue and there will be nothing big next year, especially with the 2012 prophecy that has many worried.

Industrial Revolution Brought Many Good Long-Term Effects

If it had not been for the Industrial Revolution, life would not be the same way it is for us today.  We would not have televisions, telephones, computers, iPods, automobiles, airplanes, and all other kinds of modern technology that we often take for granted.  All of these complex inventions can be traced back to the Industrial Revolution.  The Industrial Revolution brought with it some terrible side effects, but now looking back at it, the long-term results have been great.  We are currently in an “Information Revolution,” as nearly the whole world is connected through the Internet, television, telephones, and the media.  Friends and family can remain in touch from opposite sides of the world.  The entire knowledge of the world is scattered throughout the Internet, which can be accessed anywhere with Wi-Fi.  People can share ideas, experiences, personal thoughts and feelings, and information literally with the touch of a button.  Every day, countless videos are uploaded to YouTube, millions of messages are posted on social networking sites such as FaceBook and Twitter, and people everywhere have access to these postings.  Information is everywhere.  None of this would have been possible without the Industrial Revolution.  The factories of the Industrial Revolution were crucial then and now.  Factories are necessary for today’s society and economy, as they produce everything.  From televisions to machinery, food to clothing, factories are efficient because of their speed.  It would be impossible to keep up with the demand of the six billion people in our world without factories.  Also important in the Industrial Revolution was the steam engine.  The steam engine was a vital element of ships and trains, and led to their inventions.  The ships and the trains evolved over the years, branching off and becoming the modern forms of transportation we have today.  Overall, the Industrial Revolution made everything we have today possible.

Thoughts on Animal Farm

I have enjoyed Animal Farm throughout what we have read so far.  One of my favorite aspects of the book is how it can be read on multiple levels—as a fairy tale of maltreated animals taking over a farm, or as an allegory of the Russian Revolution.  While reading the novel, I find it interesting to read it on both levels, and see the comparisons from the characters and events to the actual Russian Revolution.  Napoleon, who stands for Joseph Stalin, becomes to be ruthless leader, doing whatever he feels necessary to remain in power.   Snowball, who represents Leon Trotsky, often fought with Napoleon over power earlier in the novel.  This compares to how there was a power struggle among Communist leaders after the death of Lenin in 1924.  Trotsky and Stalin were the main competitors.  Eventually, Stalin was able to take Trotsky down, and Trotsky fled.  This compares to when Napoleon turned things around after losing in the number of supporters, sending the dogs he trained to attack Snowball, who then fled.  Napoleon then took over Animal Farm, and insisted to the animals that Snowball was an agent of Mr. Jones (who stood for Tsar Nicholas II).  Later on, when working on the windmill project that had been the idea of Snowball (although Napoleon insists it was originally his idea), work on the farm comes to be more difficult than ever.  Poor Boxer, who represents the Proletariats, motivates himself to keep working harder, and tells himself that if Napoleon says something, it is true.  This compares to how the working-class Proletariats were responsible for all of the hard work, yet received nearly nothing in return for their labor.  As Napoleon continues to make changes to the laws without the animals’ knowledge, they soon begin to realize that they do not always remember their existence.  Even Boxer, who is not of first-rate intelligence, begins to notice something odd is happening.  These ideas suggest another revolution might be approaching.  Overall, I enjoy reading Animal Farm, and recommend it to anyone, whether or not they know much about the Russian Revolution.  If they do not, this story will be a great aid when the time comes that they do learn about the Russian Revolution.