Thursday, June 11, 2009

Final Essay

I don't think I will ever know the true meaning of life or even if my life has any meaning, but I think the most important thing is to have fun and live YOUR life not what others want you to be. There will always be certain things that you can say are and aren't meaningful but at the end of the day it is already done and that is that. Once you do something there is no going back and changing it. There is not one person on this earth who can say that everything they have done is meaningful or everything they have done is meaningless. No one has the right to decide if an other's life is meaningful or not. You make that decision about your own life.

I think a lot of the time having a meaningful life can be mixed up with having a successful life. The successful life that most people think of as just having money and a good job. Not everything has to have a purpose or meaning. I play basketball and I know that it is not going to bring me any "success" but I do it, because that is what I like to do and is fun to me. I try making my life "meaningful" by having fun. Everyone can have their own solutions. For example my parents tell me all the time to spend less time having fun and doing what I want and that instead I should be doing homework and studying. But I tell them that this is my life and they can do that stuff in their life if they want to.

As life goes on your mind evolves and you learn more. You become more wise and understand life is not what you thought it was in high school. Things you may have thought were meaningful may not be meaningful anymore. The longer you live the more experience you gain and experience is the best teacher.

I think that in our society today the dominant corporate messages are that materials will make you happy. For example in the commercial that says "Every kiss begins with a Kay". The commercial is for a jewelry store and basically what they are trying to tell the viewers is that the jewelry will make your girlfriend/ boyfriend happy and that their love for each other will become greater.
In the magazines that teenage girls read talk about what the celebrities are wearing and what they think is cool. When the girls read this they think that dressing and being like the celebrities are going to make them popular and feel better about themselves. The girls think they feel better about themselves but really feel better that they are more like the celebrity so really they are not feeling better about themselves. The dominant message that materials will make one happy cause people to rely on the materials they want so that if they don't get what they want they are angry until they get that thing. I think it is sort of similar to a drug addiction. People who are addicted to heroin or cocaine try it and then their bodies rely on the drugs and the junkie must get the drug or they go into a different state where their body gets all messed up. Then to keep on getting the drugs for their system they do things like become prostitutes so they can get what they need. People who think that the materials will make them happy buy and buy then when they don't have enough money or can't get the material they rob banks and steal from people because they think they will be happy with the money.

Another Dominant message is from religion. Everyone must do what their "God" or leader thinks is right. You must follow their beliefs or do what they would have done. Sometimes I think that religion is a way for people to be controlled because they don't want to sin. No one wants to sin so it is a way to scare people and get them to do what they think is right.
"I believe
Man made god, outta ignorance and fear
If God made man, then why the hell would he put us here?
I thought hes supposed to be the all loving
The same God who let hitler put the jews in the oven" -Dead Prez

I still think that these are dominant messages that most people tend to follow. They will probably always be the dominant because the media, religion, government, etc push them on us. I don't think that they are needed to live a meaningful life but that is what the media trys to tell you that you need.

If I was to organize my own funeral I would invite family and friends. I wouldn't want people to be sad and crying, because thats not going to do anything but waste time. I don't really think that death should be thought of as a bad thing. Me personally I'm not really scared of death because once you die you die. You don't know how you will feel when you are dead or where you will go. It could be another world for all we know and we just start over. I think the only message that I would want to get out is that death doesn't have to be a bad thing that is feared and that sitting around crying that someone died is a waste of time because they are not coming back.

I still feel the same way about death and how I would want my funeral organized. I am not the type of person that wants people to feel sorrow for me. I would rather them forget about me than mourn for the rest of their lives.

To me being emotionally healthy is just being able to survive and think on your own. I don't think that I feel more emotionally healthy than other times, because no matter what my "emotions" are whether Im happy, mad, sad I am still able to make my own decisions that I feel are best for me. I don't think that "constantly happy" is the same thing as emotional healthy. One being constantly happy may make them feel like they are emotionally healthier but for me i don't think constantly being happy makes my mind work any better. On wikipedia it says that to be emotionally healthy it includes enjoying life. I disagree with that because in life many times things happen and you don't always enjoy life but that doesn't mean you are not emotionally healthy. What makes it wrong to not enjoy life and who gets to decide weather or not someone is emotionally healthy or what it means to be emotionally healthy?

I think that the therapists believe enjoying life means one is emotionally healthy. So then they would probably just look for ways to make you feel like your life is good and you should want to live it. I disagree with this because life isn't always fun and can't always be enjoyed but that is part of life. Existentialist therapist look to try and make their patients feel like their lives are meaningful and have a purpose. To me everyone's life has meaning just because everything has a meaning but just because it has meaning doesn't mean they must want to live. And it shouldn't be considered emotionally unhealthy if one doesn't want to live their life anymore. Either way they are going to die sooner or later so why should they waste there time with something they feel is a waste.

I still feel the same way about emotional health. As I am thinking about the sentence I wrote "Either way they are going to die sooner or later so why should they waste there time with something they feel is a waste." maybe it is the best thing if they just kill themselves instead of wasting oil (Just kidding if anyone reading this is thinking about suicide). But I also think the same way about a meaningful life. You don't have to be emotionally healthy or happy to life the meaningful life its just whether or not it is meaningful to you.

I think it is wrong how the animals are treated on these farms. They should not be tortured while becoming food. At least put them to sleep or something when their necks are slit and they get chopped up. It is bad enough how the animals are raised on these farms and the conditions they must survive in. When watching the video and seeing how the animals are treated and the way they look before going through the machines makes me not want to eat. I could not imagine being cramp up in a small space with other creatures surround me and never being able to fully stretch my legs before be killed in a terrible way. I prefer the way that the Muslims kill the animals. The animals are actually treated like they have brains and can think for themselves. I think that most of the food that Americans eat are raised on these types of farms. I eat food from mcdonalds and all the other fast food places and that food does come from these farms. I think that the farms are able to get away with this because a lot of people don't really care they think that animals don't have minds are just on earth for us humans to eat.

I think that the way that these animals are tortured make their lives meaningless. The only reason the farmers raise these animals is to make money for themselves. The animals never get to experience anything but cruelty and terrible ways of living. These techniques of farming should be put to a stop because it is wrong.

I think that this class really helped my thinking. It helps the students see what is really going on in this world. Before this course many of us were blind folded not having an idea about the units we covered. Andy is a very intelligent teacher that can see things below the surface. Not believing what you are told by the media but finding the truth on your own. Every school needs to learn these types of things so maybe we can change the world and prevent this collapse. I think this class is important, because what I learned in the classroom I also take outside the classroom and use in my everyday life. We learn all this other bullshit in school that I will never think about or need in my life after high school. The things I have learned in Andy's class will stick with me for the rest of my life because it is a new way of thinking and see things.

Collapse Assignment 2 - Short and Smart

I think that America will eventually collapse. I don't think that it will happen as soon as everyone thinks but it will happen. The Easter island collapsed because they depended on the trees and ended up cutting ever tree down in their forest. America depends on the oil. We keep on using more and more oil. Sooner or later there will either be no more oil left or it will take up to much oil to get more oil. While the oil decreases the population and demand of oil will increase causing America collapse.

Almost everything produced needs oil. "Oil in particular is the most convenient and multi-purposed of these fossil fuels. Oil currently accounts for about 43% of the world's total fuel consumption [PDF], and 95% of global energy used for transportation [PDF]. Oil and gas are feedstocks for plastics, paints, pharmaceuticals, fertilizers, electronic components, tyres and much more. Oil is so important that the peak will have vast implications across the realms of war and geopolitics, medicine, culture, transport and trade, economic stability and food production. Significantly, for every one joule of food consumed in the United States, around 10 joules of fossil fuel energy have been used to produce it."http://www.energybulletin.net/primer This shows how much we rely on oil and how fast we use it up.

Once peak oil is reached the amount of oil starts to decrease. Meaning that America will not have the oil that they need to prevent a collapse. As the amount of oil decreases the amount of people will still be increasing, causing a larger demand of oil. There will be more people which means more oil is needed. In 1930 there were about 1.5 billion people. In 30 years that number doubled so there were 3 billion people by 1960, 4 billion by 1974 and there should be 7 billion by 2010. These statistics show how the growing population is out of control. Since there will be less oil the price for oil will also start to increase, which will cause the oil dependent companies to collapse. When oil dependent companies can not afford these prices their products will not be made which will leave humans without many resources that are relied on to survive.

I think a good example of explaining Americas need for oil is: "The issue is not one of "running out" so much as it is not having enough to keep our economy running. In this regard, the ramifications of Peak Oil for our civilization are similar to the ramifications of dehydration for the human body. The human body is 70 percent water. The body of a 200 pound man thus holds 140 pounds of water. Because water is so crucial to everything the human body does, the man doesn't need to lose all 140 pounds of water weight before collapsing due to dehydration. A loss of as little as 10-15 pounds of water may be enough to kill him."http://www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net/. This shows how we don't need to fully run out of the oil. We can just have a little bit less that will have a large effect on America. Such a small amount being reduced can lead to many things not being able to be done.

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Collapse Assignment 1

I think it was interesting how the Easter island people were able to create these big detailed statues. They did not have the same machines and tools that we have today. I also found it interesting how the Easter island also did not have any industrialization. Most people would probably think that an island like this would not do so well because they didn't have all the resources that humans depend on today. I think that the Easter island was doing well in the beginning for what they had.

I think that America is very different from the Easter island because Americans depend on tools and machines for everything that we do. I think when most Americans would read this they would wonder how the statues were made without the tools and machines that are needed today. We depend so much on technology that we don't want to use our hands and do thing on our own. We always have an accessory to do everything instead of using our hands. I think that we are sort of similar because they cut down all their trees on the island. We keep cutting down trees and destroying our environment and soon there will be no more trees and plants leaving everything living to die.

I think America needs to make sure that we don't follow the foot steps of other societies that have collapsed. We depend on so many things and often over use them. If we were to be conservative and only use the amount needed not using it just because we have it then we will have these things for a longer period of time.

Monday, June 1, 2009

Final Food Assignment

The cows with guns video shows how the cows are thought of as important only for their meat and milk. The cows eat to grow, grow to die and then eaten by humans. The cows are given hormones to make them larger so that they have more meat to offer. The cows can get so large that their legs can no longer support their weight and so they are unable to go eat food and have their utters emptied. This leads to a long painful death. I think farmers will do whatever it takes to produce what they need even if it means torturing the animals and making their lives miserable.

This connects to the animal cruelty video because the animals are mistreated and abused. The only reason the animals are kept alive is for them to grow big and fat so they can be eaten and used for our food. I think it is wrong how the animals are treated on these farms. They should not be tortured while becoming food. At least put them to sleep or something when their necks are slit and they get chopped up. It is bad enough how the animals are raised on these farms and the conditions they must survive in. When watching the video and seeing how the animals are treated and the way they look before going through the machines makes me not want to eat. I could not imagine being cramp up in a small space with other creatures surround me and never being able to fully stretch my legs before be killed in a terrible way. I prefer the way that the Muslims kill the animals. The animals are actually treated like they have brains and can think for themselves. I think that most of the food that Americans eat are raised on these types of farms. I eat food from mcdonalds and all the other fast food places and that food does come from these farms. I think that the farms are able to get away with this because a lot of people don't really care they think that animals don't have minds are just on earth for us humans to eat.

I think that similarly to animal cruelty the farmers also abuse the seeds, fruits, vegetables and plants. Seeds, fruits, vegetables and plants are sprayed with all different types of chemicals and pesticides. In the video "VROOM - Farming for Kids" they show a plane dropping chemicals on a bunch of grown sun flowers. The chemicals kill all the flowers and then machines are used to drive over the dead flowers and pick up the seeds.

I think that most people don't realize that they are supporting these techniques of the farmers, because they think the food is already made so its not going to stop them. But if no one was to buy the food due to how the animals were treated the farmers would have to stop making as much, because no one would buy it and it would go bad.
Another reason why so many people may support is just because the food is so convenient. The food taste pretty good, is prepared quickly and doesn't cost a whole lot of money. Those are some of the reasons I also eat this type of food. You also don't really see a lot of fast food places that have the natural animal meat. If they did I'm sure people would buy that if it was as good, cheap and quickly prepared.

My mother buys milk that says the milk does not come from cows who have been on growth hormones to make the cows bigger and produce more milk. I think this is important, because it as at least one thing that I am not supporting from these farms. It is hard for me not to buy the meat from fast food places, because I am on a low budget and the only other options really are salad but I need meat and chicken. I do eat halal food which is from Muslims. The Muslims don't get their meat from these torture farms. They have their own ways of killing the animals that don't include torture and harsh raising of the animals.

I feel like the growth hormones that the animals are given make the meat fake. The meat is not naturally grown by the animals. Its like when the athletes take steroids all the muscle gained is fake and unnatural. This shows that food is turning fake, because there is usually a substitute food that is similar to the real food but isn't the real food. For example when they were talking about when the baby is given either breast milk or formula. Pollan talks about chips and food that isn't good for you is okay every once in a while. It gets really bad when the junk food is eaten everyday. He says making your own food is the best way to eat, because you know exactly what is going into it. Many people don't really want to know what is in their food, because they like how it taste and don't want to dislike it due to the ingredients.

In Omnivores Dilemma, Michael Pollan also talks about Americans food culture. He thinks that Americans way of eating is mixed up with so many different food cultures that we don't have one of our own. I understand his point, because many Americans eat differently. America is known for obesity so everyone thinks that the American food culture is the only the unhealthy and fatty foods. Everyone bases their opinions of what foods are healthy and unhealthy on what the media and tv tell them. I think that to much of one food is unhealthy and also that everyone has a different body so they can react to foods differently than others. Many people go on diets and think that their body is becoming more healthy but a lot of the they aren't getting all the proper nutrients and protein that is needed.

Food # 8 - Industrial Food

Animal Cruelty
I think it is wrong how the animals are treated on these farms. They should not be tortured while becoming food. At least put them to sleep or something when their necks are slit and they get chopped up. It is bad enough how the animals are raised on these farms and the conditions they must survive in. When watching the video and seeing how the animals are treated and the way they look before going through the machines makes me not want to eat. I could not imagine being cramp up in a small space with other creatures surround me and never being able to fully stretch my legs before be killed in a terrible way. I prefer the way that the Muslims kill the animals. The animals are actually treated like they have brains and can think for themselves. I think that most of the food that Americans eat are raised on these types of farms. I eat food from mcdonalds and all the other fast food places and that food does come from these farms. I think that the farms are able to get away with this because a lot of people don't really care they think that animals don't have minds are just on earth for us humans to eat.

Pollan vs Colbert
I think that food is turning fake because there is usually a substitute food that is similar to the real food but isn't the real food. For example when they were talking about when the baby is given either breast milk or formula. I also agree with Pollan that chips and the food that isn't good for you is okay every once in a while. It gets really bad when the junk food is eaten everyday. I also agree with making your own food is the better way because you know exactly what is going into it. Many people don't really want to know what is in their food because they like how it taste and don't want to dislike it due to the ingredients.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Food Assignment 7 recipe

Mac and cheese recipe

Ingredients
1/2 pound elbow macaroni
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon powdered mustard
3 cups milk
1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 large egg
12 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh black pepper
Topping:
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup panko bread crumbs
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and mustard and keep it moving for about five minutes. Make sure it's free of lumps. Stir in the milk, onion, bay leaf, and paprika. Simmer for ten minutes and remove the bay leaf.

Temper in the egg. Stir in 3/4 of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Fold the macaroni into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.

Melt the butter in a saute pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat. Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving.

Remember to save leftovers for fried Macaroni and Cheese.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Food # 6 - Response to Pollan 1

In Omnivores Dilemma, Michael Pollan is saying that Americans don't have their own food culture. He thinks that Americans way of eating is mixed up with so many different food cultures that we don't have one of our own. I understand his point because many Americans eat differently but because America is known for obesity everyone thinks that the American food culture is the only the unhealthy and fatty foods. Also everyone bases their opinions of what foods are healthy and unhealthy on what the media and tv says. I think that to much of one food is unhealthy and also that everyone has a different body so they can react to foods differently than others. Many people go on diets and think that their body is becoming more healthy but a lot of the they aren't getting all the proper nutrients and protein that is needed.