Am I a Transcendentalist?

This is an incredibly difficult question because I kind of agree with both sides. Both make points that I agree with, and that makes it very hard to choose a side.

One point that I really do agree with is the point that the transcendentalists make about all men being inherently good. Emerson says, "...the wide universe is full of good..." Self-Reliance is filled with these kind of allusions to the truth about man's true nature. I can truly relate with this point because I very passionately believe in both trust and that given the opportunity, more often than not people will do the right thing. I think that the poem at the very beginning of Self-Reliance really sums up my beliefs nicely. "Man is his own star; and the soul that can render an honest and a perfect man, commands all light, all influence, all fate..." This really shows the true beauty of humanity and shows that even if the world is not perfect, man can still shine like a star and do something that is kind and good.

Another point of Transcendentalism that I believe is the basic idea of self-reliance. Throughout both Emerson and Fuller's essays there is a clear belief that people need to learn to believe and rely on themselves. This point definitely rings a bell with me. I have always thought that people need to be prepared to live and be on their own. Everybody needs to be self-dependent to a certain degree in order to function in today's society where so many things need to be done by oneself.

Even through all these things about Transcendentalism that I think are excellent points, there is one thing that holds me back from completely agreeing with the ideas that it presents. That thing is the fact that Transcendentalists are very anti organized religion and I just cannot agree with that. Religion is a big portion of my life and I disagree wholeheartedly with their thought process about relying wholly on your "inner god." I believe that you should rely on yourself, but I also believe that church and gatherings of people with similar beliefs is one of the best things to do in order to grow closer to whatever God that you choose to worship. You are able to learn more about your own faith, and you are also able to get together with others for moments of prayer and accountability.

So, am I a transcendentalist? I have to say no. Through all of the points that I agree with, I cannot shake the feeling that my very ideas of faith counter with their ideas. This alone makes me say no.

Map Post

Maps and Atlases

http://www.libs.uga.edu/darchive/hargrett/maps/1633m4.jpg

One thing that is really prominent in these maps is that there are not yet really any states or colonies formed besides “Floridae” and “Virginiae.” This is really interesting because it shows how old the map is. Another aspect that helps show that the map is incredibly dated is the shapes of the coast. Everything is extremely flat which shows that they had not really mapped out the area very well to tell what was actually there. What really drew my eye to the map was all of the small and detailed pictures that are drawn without. Babb says in her essay that there was “a…transition from mapmaking to storytelling…” and while I think this is definitely not a pure story map, it does tell us a lot about what the mapmaker thought and knew about the land.

This map is really good at telling a story through pictures. Strewn throughout the seas and oceans are drawings of little boats. This tells us not only the kind of ships that were being used back then, but also shows the ships that must have been the best of the best. These were the ships that were used to come over to the New World and therefore must have been huge and sturdy to survive that long of a journey. Another interesting thing about this map is the actual representations of living creatures. It is interesting to see where the mapmaker drew what because I believe that it can show us where these creatures are in abundance. They also have pictures of sea serpents on the map. I am not speculating that these people believed in mythical creatures of the sea, but it could represent areas where it is hard to land ships or the weather is often bad. It could show a place that ships might want to avoid, but that is only a possibility. “Resembling a modern comic strip, the map has…tiles.” This map may not look close to a comic strip, but it does have images next to the title that show how different towns and villages might have looked.

http://www.libs.uga.edu/darchive/hargrett/maps/1763s6.jpg

The first thing that jumps out at me about this map is how detailed it is compared to the one that I first saw. I attribute most of the details simply to more exploring and to the fact that this map was made much later than the other one. It is also scary accurate which is very neat. It very closely resembles a modern day map with the shapes of the lakes and the coastline. This is clearly done by an expert map maker. It does not have all the extra fluff in pictures and such, but it shows a detailed map of North America which includes names of rivers, territories, and mountain ranges that were absent from other maps that I looked at. This was made possible by becoming familiar with the land through “approximation and past discovery.” What amazes me is the way that this artist is able to write in perfect calligraphy all the way through the map.

This map does not tell a story in the same way as other maps do. There are no fancy pictures. There are no comic-esque squares. But there is still art and there is still a story in this map. The story that is told by this map is by this day in age, the late 18^th century; people were no longer looking for maps filled with guesswork and pictures of boats. People must have wanted facts without all of that extra stuff. Just as smith’s map did in the reading, this map “lessened the threat posed by unfamiliar people.” It created a landscape of the US that showed exactly where everything is, and this took away the mystery or danger that the Native Americans once possessed. Why would the owner of this map be afraid when he/she knew where everything was? It was in this way that this map told a story about the needs of the average American, and was able to fill those needs quite nicely.

Op-ed Piece

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203716204577016362277046348.html?mod=rss_opinion_main

This is a link to the op-ed piece that I have chosen. The article is called The Cain Bonfire and it discuses the recent sexual harassment scandal surrounding the presidential candidate. Recently, the media discovered that years ago, Herman Cain faced sexual harassment charges from two women. These women reached a settlement with the Restaurants Association. The article discusses the poor way that the Cain campaign has handled the recent situation, and how it is possible that it could have cost him the election.

Not only was the topic of this essay incredibly interesting, but also the writing was extremely strong. I loved the way he began the piece by comparing Herman Cain to Greek Mythology’s, Icarus. As the article continued, the author maintained a strong voice. His tone showed that he knew what he was talking about, but unlike so many political writers, he is able to create a readable piece that is going to make sense to the average American. The strongest point in the piece is the fact that he remains unbiased on the sharing of the facts and did not knock Cain’s campaign with any cheap or unnecessary shots.

Sound and Fury

I really enjoyed the film Sound of Fury. It tells the story of two families who are faced with the choice on whether or not to implant their deaf child so that they will be able to hear, and in response, talk. The entire movie describes the controversy of getting the cochlear implants. The deaf community is completely against it and they argue that these types of advances will destroy their group of people. The other people believe that giving the implant will only enhance the lie of the child and it will allow them to live a more normal life.

In the end, one family decides to give their child the implant, while the other veers away. To be honest, I think that it is very wrong to withhold this treatment from your deaf child. I don’t care what you say about the richness of the deaf community; the fact is that a child that is not deaf has a better chance of succeeding at whatever they want to than a child who remains deaf their entire life. Their decision to not give the implant truly angered me because clearly they were oblivious to the opportunities that they were withholding from their child by doing so.

My Biggest Fear

When I was little, I remember walking to the bus stop every day. Our bus picks us up down the road, so my siblings and I have to walk a couple of blocks to get there. It was not uncommon that we would see a passing jogger or a dog. Of course every time we saw a dog we just had to stop and pet it. I remember this story clear as day. It as a brisk August morning and my sister and I were nearing the end of my street when a big golden retriever came marching into view. My sister immediately ran over to it and started to rub its back. Unfortunately, this dog became a little too friendly. It began to lick my sister’s eye, which resulted in her having to wear an eye patch for a couple of weeks. Needless to say, dogs have not been my best friends since then.

Stemming off of just that one incident, my irrational fear of dogs has really stayed with me over the years. I find myself standing in the corner of friend’s houses to wait for their dogs to move before I can sit on a sofa or go downstairs. I can’t really explain why dogs freak me out, they just do. If a dog comes up and starts to rub against me, nine times out of ten I will shove that dog away.

It is very unfortunate to me that the one animal that I dislike so much happens to be considered “man’s best friend.” Haha, what a joke. If there is one thing I know, it is that dogs are evil, and I am one of the smart ones….maybe.

A Song for the Times

Looking for the perfect song to sum up the heart of America is virtually impossible. There are so many songs that discuss what America is, but the song I have chosen is focused upon making a change from the attitude that we have right now. I chose “Man in the Mirror” by Michael Jackson. Looking at the lyrics made me really think about the attitude of most Americans and how if that attitude could change, than America could do so much good in the world.

“I see the kids on the street/With not enough to eat/Who am I, to be blind?/Pretending not to see their needs.” This quote from the song really personifies the selfish ideals of America. We don’t want to stop and help someone because we are so convinced that our own problems are the only ones in the world.

The main reason that I chose this song was because of the chorus. It is so simple, but it gives a message that everyone should here. “I’m starting with the man in the mirror/I’m asking him to change his ways/And no message could have been any clearer/If you wanna make the world a better place/Take a look at yourself and make a change.” This is the attitude that we need to adopt. Being born in America means that we are blessed beyond belief because of the opportunities that are given to us. It is our responsibility to take the prosperity and use it to help others. We have to start with the Man in the Mirror.

Writing Style

I have always loved to write, and for as long as I can remember I have been a strong writer. During my middle school years I took part in advanced writing classes known as WCATY, and these really molded me into the writer I am today. They taught me to be concise, but not too quick. Be relatable, but do not turn a serious matter into a joke. Look for ways to improve your writing, but remember that there are always strong points in whatever you churn out. These three points have really dictated a lot of my writing in the past.

I think the reason that I enjoy writing so much is because it has always come so naturally to me. I am one of those kids who can write a paper in an hour, skip proof reading, turn it in, and get an A. But that is why I am excited for this class. It is an opportunity to really put all I have in writing, and also learn new ways to grow and mature as a writer. I look forward to expanding my voice to become a more talented and enjoyable author.