This week was the most stressful thus far, with back to back essays and quizzes. Still, things improved a lot over the weekend. I went to the hockey game, climbed Kennesaw Mountain, and went to college night at the High Museum. Those events definitely made up for the craziness of classes, and I am ready to start a new week.
As busy as this week was, it was very apropriate that time management was at the forefront of the discussion in KSU 1111. For me, that class solidified the idea that working ahead and planning out the semester before hand will make my life significantly less chaotic. I loved one of the quotes in the book that said how time is always passing, regardless of whether or not we use it effectively of waste it. It was also somewhat ironic that I saw Salvador Dali's work featured at the High considering one of his most famous painting emphasizes time and its lack of structure: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Persistence_of_Memory In Business, Tuesday's topic pertained to public speaking, specifically about how to plan for it. From that discussion, I took away that the best thing I can do for myself when public speaking is being prepared. By applying time management and taking your time to formulate exactly what you want to say, you will feel more confident and be more knowledgeable. However, if you wait until the night before, your speech will not be nearly as effective.
In Sociology, we did not talk about anything relating to time management, but I enjoyed the discussion on social stratification. In the U.S., we do not have a strict caste system or defined class structure. Instead, several factors like class position, status, and power affect how we view others.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Food?
Although this past week has gone very well, I am much more concerned about all of the assignments I have due for the week ahead. None the less, I went to Volunteer KSU which proved to be an informative experience. Being so close to Atlanta, there are many non-profits in the area who work with anything from animal cruelty to women’s health. It is refreshing and inspiring to see so many people who are genuinely passionate about what they are doing for the community, and I am looking forward to volunteering for a cause that I care about.
The one word that I heard consistently used every day in at least one of my classes was food. Usually, when people talk about food, I start to get hungry, but this week’s discussion made me lose my appetite. This week’s discussion in KSU 1111 focused on the world’s growing demand for resources and how innovative technology such as genetically modified crops can aid this problem. Currently, farmers and businesses are profiting from their ability to grow crops faster and with better quality. The problem with GM foods lies in the fact that the long term effects on the environment, human health, and business are still unclear. We watched “Food Inc.” in Sociology, which expands on the idea that the long term implications of the things manufacturers are doing now to satisfy demand are costing us our health. Much of what we eat has been so chemically modified that our dinners have become science experiments. For example, chickens that are given hormones that cause rapid gain weight may be what are causing girls to reach puberty increasingly early. The sad part is that many food manufacturers are not using genetically modified crops or hormones to provide the consumer with more nutritious food. Rather, most of this science is being used to get a leg up on the competition. In BUSA 1000, the reading material covered the advantages and disadvantages of different types of businesses and how they compete in the market. In businesses run by the few like sole proprietorships, the people in charge are liable for their gains as well as their losses. Essentially, they can sell whatever they want (within the law) regardless of how healthy or ethical it is because they are the ones who are responsible for their business. But in huge corporations like McDonalds where thousands of stockholders are involved, you would expect a higher standard to be applied. One would assume that with so many people eating their food and investing their money into their business, people would hold them accountable for providing better quality food. It does not seem right that a place that sells such unhealthy food is recognized as being one of the most successful corporations in the world. At the end of the day, fast food sells.
The one word that I heard consistently used every day in at least one of my classes was food. Usually, when people talk about food, I start to get hungry, but this week’s discussion made me lose my appetite. This week’s discussion in KSU 1111 focused on the world’s growing demand for resources and how innovative technology such as genetically modified crops can aid this problem. Currently, farmers and businesses are profiting from their ability to grow crops faster and with better quality. The problem with GM foods lies in the fact that the long term effects on the environment, human health, and business are still unclear. We watched “Food Inc.” in Sociology, which expands on the idea that the long term implications of the things manufacturers are doing now to satisfy demand are costing us our health. Much of what we eat has been so chemically modified that our dinners have become science experiments. For example, chickens that are given hormones that cause rapid gain weight may be what are causing girls to reach puberty increasingly early. The sad part is that many food manufacturers are not using genetically modified crops or hormones to provide the consumer with more nutritious food. Rather, most of this science is being used to get a leg up on the competition. In BUSA 1000, the reading material covered the advantages and disadvantages of different types of businesses and how they compete in the market. In businesses run by the few like sole proprietorships, the people in charge are liable for their gains as well as their losses. Essentially, they can sell whatever they want (within the law) regardless of how healthy or ethical it is because they are the ones who are responsible for their business. But in huge corporations like McDonalds where thousands of stockholders are involved, you would expect a higher standard to be applied. One would assume that with so many people eating their food and investing their money into their business, people would hold them accountable for providing better quality food. It does not seem right that a place that sells such unhealthy food is recognized as being one of the most successful corporations in the world. At the end of the day, fast food sells.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Idiosyncrasies
This week, I have struggled to find the common thread that links all of the Learning Community classes mostly because the focus has temporarily veered away from Brazil. None the less, all of the lessons were informative, and I think I have managed to come up with an idea that brings them all together.
Earlier this week, I stumbled upon a Barbara Kingsolver quote from The Poisonwood Bible that says, “In Kilanga, people knew nothing of the things they might have had- A Frigidaire? A washer-dryer combination? Really, they’d sooner imagine a tree that could pull up its feet and go bake bread. It didn’t occur to them to feel sorry for themselves.” Agree or disagree, I love this quote because it raises the question of whether or not westernizing the rest of the world is truly what the rest of the world wants. In Sociology, we discussed Karl Marx, Max Weber, and Emile Durkheim. Weber believed that humans are constantly shifting from a traditional to a rational society, always looking for a more practical and efficient way to do something. Consequently, the more rationalizing that occurs the more alienated you feel from your own way of life. For example, buying food from a fast-food place is much simpler than making it on your own, but it is also far less personal and rewarding to eat. Today, with the help of technology, we are forcing our rationalizing ways onto other countries without recognizing their appreciation for a more traditional way of life. Perhaps by avoiding the temptations of rationalizing every element of life, they are living better because they fully value everything they have.
In Business, we indirectly expanded on this idea by reading about different types of businesses such as corporations, partnerships, and franchises. Sole proprietorships require much involvement and the owner does not feel alienated from his job because he or she is involved is every business decision. Conversely, in large corporations, workers are extremely alienated from their jobs because there are so many different jobs to be done and people doing them.
This week in KSU 1111 we learned about how people learn and comprehend things various ways, whether you are an auditory learner or a visual learner or an introvert or an extrovert. The main idea I drew from this experience is that we all do things differently, so there is no sense in making people change their ways just for the sake of conformity. In other words, if it’s not broke, don’t fix it. Better yet, improve it.
Overall, every culture has a different way of getting things done. Sometimes interventions like new technology are helpful, but other times it is best to simply leave everything alone and respect the traditions of others.
Earlier this week, I stumbled upon a Barbara Kingsolver quote from The Poisonwood Bible that says, “In Kilanga, people knew nothing of the things they might have had- A Frigidaire? A washer-dryer combination? Really, they’d sooner imagine a tree that could pull up its feet and go bake bread. It didn’t occur to them to feel sorry for themselves.” Agree or disagree, I love this quote because it raises the question of whether or not westernizing the rest of the world is truly what the rest of the world wants. In Sociology, we discussed Karl Marx, Max Weber, and Emile Durkheim. Weber believed that humans are constantly shifting from a traditional to a rational society, always looking for a more practical and efficient way to do something. Consequently, the more rationalizing that occurs the more alienated you feel from your own way of life. For example, buying food from a fast-food place is much simpler than making it on your own, but it is also far less personal and rewarding to eat. Today, with the help of technology, we are forcing our rationalizing ways onto other countries without recognizing their appreciation for a more traditional way of life. Perhaps by avoiding the temptations of rationalizing every element of life, they are living better because they fully value everything they have.
In Business, we indirectly expanded on this idea by reading about different types of businesses such as corporations, partnerships, and franchises. Sole proprietorships require much involvement and the owner does not feel alienated from his job because he or she is involved is every business decision. Conversely, in large corporations, workers are extremely alienated from their jobs because there are so many different jobs to be done and people doing them.
This week in KSU 1111 we learned about how people learn and comprehend things various ways, whether you are an auditory learner or a visual learner or an introvert or an extrovert. The main idea I drew from this experience is that we all do things differently, so there is no sense in making people change their ways just for the sake of conformity. In other words, if it’s not broke, don’t fix it. Better yet, improve it.
Overall, every culture has a different way of getting things done. Sometimes interventions like new technology are helpful, but other times it is best to simply leave everything alone and respect the traditions of others.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Helping Others
Looking back, this week has gone very well, and I feel like I am starting to develop a routine in order to get everything accomplished for the week. One thing I have noticed is that because essentially everyday of class is planned out and printed on the syllabus, I know exactly what to expect each class and how to best prepare myself for it. This has definitely been a help for me. Outside of the Learning Community, I am running for a spot on the Resident’s Hall board, so I am looking forward to the elections this Tuesday.
The common thread I picked up on this week pertains to helping others. In KSU 1111, we took a slight break from the Seven Revolutions to discuss how we were to complete five hours of service by brainstorming different ways in which we could help our community. The main idea behind the brainstorming was to keep it simple. There are so many things that charities and organizations need to be done that require only your time and commitment. In BUSA 1000, we read a chapter in the book dealing with ethics. Although good ethics are something that should be considered normalcy at all businesses, oftentimes they are disregarded just for the sake of getting ahead. In a sense, maintaining distinct ethical and moral guidelines in a business is like doing a good deed. Businesses can create healthy, fair competition when their ethics are in check, and can compete based on who has the better good or service, rather than who is better at making shady business deals. In SOCI 2201, Karl Marx was one of the many theorists we read about. Marx recognized the conflicts between economic classes during the industrial revolution in London. He pointed out that repetitive labor like working in a factory prevents workers from finding any joy or satisfaction from building something. Ideally, he wanted workers to overthrow the factory owners, and then for a new social order to be established in which workers would be equal. Even though this may be drastic, I think all Marx wanted was for people to treat others with respect and to have lower-class factory workers not be regarded as second class citizens. A modern day difference in economic class is evident in many developing countries particularly in Brazil where Favelas run alongside wealthy neighborhoods. As a result, people such as Carlinhos Brown have dedicated their time to charities that attempt to close the gap between the wealthy and the destitute.
The common thread I picked up on this week pertains to helping others. In KSU 1111, we took a slight break from the Seven Revolutions to discuss how we were to complete five hours of service by brainstorming different ways in which we could help our community. The main idea behind the brainstorming was to keep it simple. There are so many things that charities and organizations need to be done that require only your time and commitment. In BUSA 1000, we read a chapter in the book dealing with ethics. Although good ethics are something that should be considered normalcy at all businesses, oftentimes they are disregarded just for the sake of getting ahead. In a sense, maintaining distinct ethical and moral guidelines in a business is like doing a good deed. Businesses can create healthy, fair competition when their ethics are in check, and can compete based on who has the better good or service, rather than who is better at making shady business deals. In SOCI 2201, Karl Marx was one of the many theorists we read about. Marx recognized the conflicts between economic classes during the industrial revolution in London. He pointed out that repetitive labor like working in a factory prevents workers from finding any joy or satisfaction from building something. Ideally, he wanted workers to overthrow the factory owners, and then for a new social order to be established in which workers would be equal. Even though this may be drastic, I think all Marx wanted was for people to treat others with respect and to have lower-class factory workers not be regarded as second class citizens. A modern day difference in economic class is evident in many developing countries particularly in Brazil where Favelas run alongside wealthy neighborhoods. As a result, people such as Carlinhos Brown have dedicated their time to charities that attempt to close the gap between the wealthy and the destitute.
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