Sunday, November 28, 2010
"Good" Conversation
Good conversation is subjective. My idea of what a good conversation is can be completely different from another person's idea. To me, good conversation has been established when members of both parties share ideas without feeling threatened or belittled. Also, I believe that a good conversation includes thoughtful reflection afterwards. My favorite type of conversation is one that leaves you thinking after a class period or even just a casual encounter with a person. This type of conversation also allows for honesty and trust to be present in the relationship. It requires listeners to listen with an open mind and speakers to speak with an open heart. Having a conversation forces people to look at an issue from all angles in order to appropriately assess a situation. I think that the best conversations are had when many different people who are honest, accepting, and thoughtful provide insight and enlightenment in discussion.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
My Home
Today's discussion centered heavily on architecture. Questions of where campus buildings drew their architecture from, where other colleges drew theirs from, where Jefferson drew his from, etc... All of this discussion made me wonder where my family got ideas and inspiration from in order to build our house.
My parents built our house the year I was born, and it is the only house that I have ever lived in. To me, its design is unique. For one, it is made out of limestone, and secondly, the design seems almost timeless. Although the house was built in the early 90's, I think that I would have a hard time pinning a date to it simply from its outer architecture. I know that my parents worked with a local architect in order to build it, but I have no idea what their collaborations were like or what they debated and discussed. After 18 years of living in the same place, the only design aspect I've ever heard discussed was the living room's vaulted ceilings. Apparently, my dad wanted high ceilings and my mom did not.
Today's discussion has prompted me to ask my parents more questions about my house and its "architectural origins". It may not be based off of great European architecture, but I might learn something more about my parents, their values, and the original ideas for my childhood home.
My parents built our house the year I was born, and it is the only house that I have ever lived in. To me, its design is unique. For one, it is made out of limestone, and secondly, the design seems almost timeless. Although the house was built in the early 90's, I think that I would have a hard time pinning a date to it simply from its outer architecture. I know that my parents worked with a local architect in order to build it, but I have no idea what their collaborations were like or what they debated and discussed. After 18 years of living in the same place, the only design aspect I've ever heard discussed was the living room's vaulted ceilings. Apparently, my dad wanted high ceilings and my mom did not.
Today's discussion has prompted me to ask my parents more questions about my house and its "architectural origins". It may not be based off of great European architecture, but I might learn something more about my parents, their values, and the original ideas for my childhood home.
Americans and Houses
The first paragraph of Upton's article struck a chord with me:
"Americans are obsessed with houses- their own and everyone else's. We judge ourselves and our neighbors by where and how we live. We categorize the poorest members of contemporary society not as hungry, badly dressed, or unemployed, but as 'homeless'. For those people who are able to own homes (never the majority), a house is a largest rite of passage as important as marriage or a first child. This has been true for many generations. In the past, it was not uncommon for home-owners to inscribe construction dates on their houses, marking them as mileposts on the road to success. Some included the initials of both husband and wife, to identify the house as a bench-mark in the generations-long process of an entire family line."
I find so much truth in everything that Upton has said. How American is it of us to make the ownership of a home a "rite of passage". There has been such a great significance placed on home ownership, even in economically hard times. All young Americans dream of owning a home someday- I know I did and still do. The home is a symbol of freedom from parents- independence- and a sign of wealth. In America, the great assumption is that the larger the home, the greater wealth of the family living there. I agree with Upton that Americans have categorized people by their home ownership, and yes, a home's style/contents/architecture/etc. says a lot about the people living in it. But, I almost don't want to give it all that much significance. America has a very high home ownership percentage compared to most countries, but that doesn't mean that we can afford it. Reflecting back to the economic crisis of 2008, a huge problem was caused by the housing industry which sold homes to people who couldn't even afford them, and the banks who gave loans to those people. Maybe if Americans didn't place so much importance and value on owning a home, then financial troubles could be avoided. For most Americans, a home is the most expensive thing that they will ever own... It should be a privilege and not a right.
"Americans are obsessed with houses- their own and everyone else's. We judge ourselves and our neighbors by where and how we live. We categorize the poorest members of contemporary society not as hungry, badly dressed, or unemployed, but as 'homeless'. For those people who are able to own homes (never the majority), a house is a largest rite of passage as important as marriage or a first child. This has been true for many generations. In the past, it was not uncommon for home-owners to inscribe construction dates on their houses, marking them as mileposts on the road to success. Some included the initials of both husband and wife, to identify the house as a bench-mark in the generations-long process of an entire family line."
I find so much truth in everything that Upton has said. How American is it of us to make the ownership of a home a "rite of passage". There has been such a great significance placed on home ownership, even in economically hard times. All young Americans dream of owning a home someday- I know I did and still do. The home is a symbol of freedom from parents- independence- and a sign of wealth. In America, the great assumption is that the larger the home, the greater wealth of the family living there. I agree with Upton that Americans have categorized people by their home ownership, and yes, a home's style/contents/architecture/etc. says a lot about the people living in it. But, I almost don't want to give it all that much significance. America has a very high home ownership percentage compared to most countries, but that doesn't mean that we can afford it. Reflecting back to the economic crisis of 2008, a huge problem was caused by the housing industry which sold homes to people who couldn't even afford them, and the banks who gave loans to those people. Maybe if Americans didn't place so much importance and value on owning a home, then financial troubles could be avoided. For most Americans, a home is the most expensive thing that they will ever own... It should be a privilege and not a right.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Tea Party Editorial
Tea Party Transforms the Republican Party
During the most recent midterm elections, Republicans won the House majority and made significant gains in the Senate. In addition to President Obama’s plummeting approval ratings and the unstable economy, the Tea Party Movement was a major contributor to the November election results. Many people are trying to sort out the differences between the Tea Party Movement and the GOP, but few recognize the striking similarities. In Idaho, Republican Rod Beck showcased just how the Tea Party Movement has reshaped the GOP. The Tea Party Movement did not borrow all of its ideals from the Republican Party, but through the growing importance and influence of the Tea Party, Republican voters have been forced to examine themselves for what they truly believe in.
In June of 2010, Beck changed Idaho’s GOP from within at the state Republican convention. In an article by Associated Press, John Miller explains how Rod Beck used Tea Party outrage to reshape Idaho’s GOP. Beck came into the June convention frustrated by his failed attempts to rejoin the state Senate when primary election rivals whom he insisted did not support party ideals defeated him. The Republican convention was his chance to sway delegates to his conservative beliefs. After just three days, joined by Tea Party members, Beck transformed 500 Idaho delegates’ platforms with a “spasm of anti-fed outrage.” They created a platform urging Idaho Republicans to seize federal land, end elections of popular U.S. Senators and support an inflation hedge to U.S. Federal Reserve-issued greenbacks. These Republicans, using the Tea Party’s momentum, hoped to also reshape Idaho’s policies on concealed weapons and force their inmates into performing hard labor in exchange for meals. Conservatives all across America are changing the 2010 political landscape amid anger over bank bailouts, health care reform, federal deficits and illegal immigration.
Polls are now showing not only Republicans gaining more presence in government, but also Republicans and Tea Party members being decidedly more conservative. Conservative Republicans now outnumber moderate/liberal Republicans by almost a 2-1 margin, as shown in a Gallup poll conducted in the summer of 2010. That gap among Tea Party supporters is a 3-1 ratio, showing that the Tea Party is a very conservative movement. The study also identified 8 out of 10 Tea Party supporters as Republican, and thirty percent of Americans, on average, identifying themselves as Tea Party supporters. The Tea Party is a young, new movement that has grown tremendously over a years’ span of time. If thirty percent of Americans are identifying themselves as Tea Party members, that means that Americans are becoming more and more conservative. The Tea Party’s conservatism is not only greatly influencing American politics but is also altering the Republican Party.
So why is this important? In the fall campaign, Republicans gained ground in American politics. The Tea Party backed candidates in crucial races against other Republican candidates and succeeded. Not every state has a Tea Party candidate though, so when it comes down to a Republican vs. Democrat vote, Tea Party members will most likely vote for the Republican candidate. It’s important for St. Olaf students to recognize this new-wave conservatism in order to better knowledge themselves about the direction of American politics. The Tea Party Movement is one of the fastest growing political groups in the country, but many students are unsure on what they stand for. For starters, Oles should turn to the hard evidence. Tea Party supporters are conservative Republicans at heart who are changing the heart of the Republican Party.
During the most recent midterm elections, Republicans won the House majority and made significant gains in the Senate. In addition to President Obama’s plummeting approval ratings and the unstable economy, the Tea Party Movement was a major contributor to the November election results. Many people are trying to sort out the differences between the Tea Party Movement and the GOP, but few recognize the striking similarities. In Idaho, Republican Rod Beck showcased just how the Tea Party Movement has reshaped the GOP. The Tea Party Movement did not borrow all of its ideals from the Republican Party, but through the growing importance and influence of the Tea Party, Republican voters have been forced to examine themselves for what they truly believe in.
In June of 2010, Beck changed Idaho’s GOP from within at the state Republican convention. In an article by Associated Press, John Miller explains how Rod Beck used Tea Party outrage to reshape Idaho’s GOP. Beck came into the June convention frustrated by his failed attempts to rejoin the state Senate when primary election rivals whom he insisted did not support party ideals defeated him. The Republican convention was his chance to sway delegates to his conservative beliefs. After just three days, joined by Tea Party members, Beck transformed 500 Idaho delegates’ platforms with a “spasm of anti-fed outrage.” They created a platform urging Idaho Republicans to seize federal land, end elections of popular U.S. Senators and support an inflation hedge to U.S. Federal Reserve-issued greenbacks. These Republicans, using the Tea Party’s momentum, hoped to also reshape Idaho’s policies on concealed weapons and force their inmates into performing hard labor in exchange for meals. Conservatives all across America are changing the 2010 political landscape amid anger over bank bailouts, health care reform, federal deficits and illegal immigration.
Polls are now showing not only Republicans gaining more presence in government, but also Republicans and Tea Party members being decidedly more conservative. Conservative Republicans now outnumber moderate/liberal Republicans by almost a 2-1 margin, as shown in a Gallup poll conducted in the summer of 2010. That gap among Tea Party supporters is a 3-1 ratio, showing that the Tea Party is a very conservative movement. The study also identified 8 out of 10 Tea Party supporters as Republican, and thirty percent of Americans, on average, identifying themselves as Tea Party supporters. The Tea Party is a young, new movement that has grown tremendously over a years’ span of time. If thirty percent of Americans are identifying themselves as Tea Party members, that means that Americans are becoming more and more conservative. The Tea Party’s conservatism is not only greatly influencing American politics but is also altering the Republican Party.
So why is this important? In the fall campaign, Republicans gained ground in American politics. The Tea Party backed candidates in crucial races against other Republican candidates and succeeded. Not every state has a Tea Party candidate though, so when it comes down to a Republican vs. Democrat vote, Tea Party members will most likely vote for the Republican candidate. It’s important for St. Olaf students to recognize this new-wave conservatism in order to better knowledge themselves about the direction of American politics. The Tea Party Movement is one of the fastest growing political groups in the country, but many students are unsure on what they stand for. For starters, Oles should turn to the hard evidence. Tea Party supporters are conservative Republicans at heart who are changing the heart of the Republican Party.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Slavery & The Declaration of Independence
During Monday's discussion, we talked for several minutes about slavery and its place in the Declaration of Independence. Many students brought up the sort of irony that Thomas Jefferson's original draft mentioned the cruelty of the King's use of slavery, when the Founding Fathers and virtually all wealthy white men of that day owned slaves themselves. In previous class periods, we had talked about how slaves were common, and the colonists did not view slaves as being equal to themselves because it had become ingrained into them that it was the "right" thing to do. By the time colonists were writing the Declaration of Independence though, we considered in class whether the colonists knew the error of their ways. After continuing on this discussion for awhile, the realization that helped me better understand why the colonists chose to not include "abolishing slavery" as an objective was one of my classmate's observations. He said that the Declaration's purpose was obviously more aimed at the King, and pointed out that discussing an issue such as slavery in this document would be a huge political move. Of course, I don't think that it was right that the colonists owned slaves, but I do consider that perhaps some of the signers of the Declaration of Independence had radical ideas with the hopes to abolish slavery one day, knowing that the Declaration would be a strong precursor. 
Thoughts on Conversation Format
I really enjoyed Monday's class discussion. I felt that it was one of the most insightful discussions that our class has had in a long time, and the new format helped people to think more deeply about what they had to say and the rest of the class to listen to main "speakers". I was really pleased to hear some people engage in conversation that I had almost never heard before. Still, I haven't heard many of my classmates opinions during conversation and I am almost positive that they all have something meaningful to say. That being said, I hope that our professors will consider using this conversation format again. With more self-mediation and structure, I think it could prove to be a valuable tool in gaining new perspectives on the materials that we read. Anyway, the general idea is to have a conversation with everyone in the class- not just half.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Podcasts, Anyone?
I love listening to podcasts. They are free, can be as informative as books, and in my opinion, a much better "time-waster" (or maybe more of a "time-filler") than listening to music. (And I really love listening to music, so that is a bold statement.) Anyway, if you haven't checked out iTunes podcasts before, you should definitely download a few and see what sparks your interest.
Some podcasts that I currently subscribe to are Best of YouTube, Freakonomics Radio (especially interesting if you've read the book Freakonomics), NPR: Wait Wait Don't Tell Me, Stuff You Should Know (possibly my favorite), TED Talks, and This American Life.
Finally, this is less of an opinion and more of a question: Is anyone in AmCon an avid listener of podcasts?!? Which ones do you recommend? Why?... Happy listening! :)
Some podcasts that I currently subscribe to are Best of YouTube, Freakonomics Radio (especially interesting if you've read the book Freakonomics), NPR: Wait Wait Don't Tell Me, Stuff You Should Know (possibly my favorite), TED Talks, and This American Life.
Finally, this is less of an opinion and more of a question: Is anyone in AmCon an avid listener of podcasts?!? Which ones do you recommend? Why?... Happy listening! :)
The Tea Party Movement and Its Effectivity
Last class period we shared some of our own opinions about the Tea Party Movement with the rest of the class. I realized quickly that many of my own classmates do not support the Tea Party, dislike the Tea Party, or have negative opinions about the Tea Party. This does not surprise me, because I know that while the Tea Party may stand for some positive causes such as encouraging people to become more actively involved in government, they are also portrayed as having radical members in the media who stand for causes that my classmates may not support. What surprised me though, was that many of my classmates didn't seem to think that the Tea Party is very effective, or that it could have the potential to be much more effective. I feel that the Tea Party has actually been extremely effective in gaining support. When I think about all of the coverage that is done every single day on the Tea Party- It has to be the single most talked about issue in America for months now... The movement does not seem to have hit a plateau either- it keeps building, and the most recent election is a reminder of that. Now I think that GOP is strongly picking up on the importance of the Tea Party Movement for its own candidates and what it means for the future. Just as I'm going to write about in my paper, I think that the GOP and the Tea Party Movement are deeply connected and not divided in their ways. I would like to remind my classmates that just because you may not agree with the Tea Party Movement and their motives, that does not mean that they have not been successful. I'm sure that as we all begin working on our papers at least a few of us will discover reasons behind the Tea Party's success and appeal, and the rising number of Americans who support it. I'm excited to see if me or any of my classmates have paradigm shifts.
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