I read a short story about a man's experience in Japan. His name is Tim Patterson and he was staying in Hokkaido with his friend, Ryan. Hokkaido stays freezing, and even in April there is blizzard-like snow. Tim and Ryan find a shelter in between the mountains and stay there for the night. Before they get inside they actually have to dig in the snow to get to the upstairs window.
I believe the point of the story is that the people in Japan are so much different than Americans that it is almost unbelievable. The Japanese in the Hokkaido Mountains actually keep up shelters for travelers because it stays so cold there. Not only do the Japanese keep up these shelters, but they provide unnecessary conveniences for the people that stay in them. There are morels to be learned from the story, and they involve the concept that you should always repay respect and kindness with even more respect and kindness. Tim talks about how the shelters are kept in such good shape, and how it is so important and honorable to leave these shelters in even better shape that they were found in.
The setting contributes to the story because if the weather was not so unbelievably cold then the shelters would not even be needed. If there was not a need for the shelters then there would be no point in the story because Tim would have to find another reason to express what he is trying to say about the Japanese. I believe the whole concept of the story revolves around how thoughtful people can be, and how you would not find shelters randomly spread throughout America during freezing weather.
I believe that travel writing helps to clear away cultural stereotypes because it can disprove believed ideas about cultures that are usually not true. In this case, at this time, many Americans do not respect the Japanese because of the ordeals that happened throughout WWII. However, because of travel writing and this story, people that have no respect for the Japanese can start to see that they ARE wrong, and that the Japanese are very compassionate people. Nothing says that they have to provide shelters for travelers, but they still do. I think the point of the story is to show people that everyone has concerns and that everyone can be generous.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Pangea Day!
The point of Pangea Day relates to the ability to really start to understand what life is like in different parts of the world. Personally, I believe that the idea to start celebrating the day was very good. On Pangea Day people from all over the world basically have an online video conference through videos taken of everyday life. No matter who you are, or where you are from, you don't have to speak the language that the documentary is broad casted in, as most of the actual footage speaks for itself. Everyone understands emotions, and no one should say that someone can not feel something because they have differences in beliefs or lifestyles. Everyone feels love, dislike, desperation, happiness and sadness. Emotions are basically a universal language, and Pangea Day helps people to understand that.
Pangea Day is not NECESSARY, but it helps the world a lot. People should understand that everyone shares something in common and that all people have emotions. If Pangea Day were to become more popular, many more people would watch and contribute to the activities involved in the day. If EVERYONE in the world were able to watch the Pangea Day videos, I believe that a lot of misconceptions and prejudices would be cleared away and forgotten. Many people do not understand where their prejudices even come from, and fail to realize that everyone lives differently. Just because someone is different from other people, they should not be criticized or shunned. Pangea Day represents Global Alliance and friendship. Everyone should be able see the Pangea Day videos, and no one should turn down the opportunity. People that have prejudices against people that are different than themselves are shallow-minded, and something like Pangea Day should help everyone to see that no one is a horrible person just because they are different.
Pangea Day is not NECESSARY, but it helps the world a lot. People should understand that everyone shares something in common and that all people have emotions. If Pangea Day were to become more popular, many more people would watch and contribute to the activities involved in the day. If EVERYONE in the world were able to watch the Pangea Day videos, I believe that a lot of misconceptions and prejudices would be cleared away and forgotten. Many people do not understand where their prejudices even come from, and fail to realize that everyone lives differently. Just because someone is different from other people, they should not be criticized or shunned. Pangea Day represents Global Alliance and friendship. Everyone should be able see the Pangea Day videos, and no one should turn down the opportunity. People that have prejudices against people that are different than themselves are shallow-minded, and something like Pangea Day should help everyone to see that no one is a horrible person just because they are different.
Friday, May 9, 2008
Boxes And Self-Betrayal
Being in the box applies to everyone, even though not everyone is racially prejudiced. Being in the box IS unavoidable, but making the right decision WHILE you are in the box is an option. There are two choices to choose from while in the box, one is the right thing to do and one causes misery. I am far from a racial person and I am faced with thousands of boxes everyday, especially in the school that I attend. I have many different friends that are racially and religiously diverse from myself and others. I face no issues that concern prejudices of any kind, and I always try to be outgoing in situations that I am not comfortable in myself. Not only do my actions educate me more, but they allow other people to follow my examples and start trying to be uncomfortable, too. Humans can not learn if they do not face issues, make mistakes and become uncomfortable with new situations. I love people that are diverse in every single way to me just as much as I would love someone that is extremely similar to me.
If two races are in the box towards one another the right choice to get out of the box would be clear if both of the people really thought about what the actual right thing to do was. Each race's view of reality can become distorted when they mix the actual right thing and the lower comfortable thing to do together into one idea. People tend to lean towards the things that they have been doing all their life and become comfortably accustomed to rather than anything else, even if the other option IS the right thing to do. I was raised to be myself and see people as they are, not as people label or judge them. I would see a Jewish person no differently than I would see a Japanese person. I would see a homosexual person the same way I would see a heterosexual person. I would see an African-American person the same way I would see a Caucasian person. Some people were raised with different ideas about what is right and how things should be seen. That blame falls on the parents and not the children, but as children grow older they should develop their own morals and ideals.
All of the characters in "Crash" were in a box at some point and most of the characters did not choose the right thing to do. All of the characters had choices about what to do, and none of the characters really had reasons to be racist in the first place. Due to the racism in the story, people started facing consequences and being hurt. All of the events that happened related to each other and all of the racism caused those events to take place. If the characters would have evaluated their decisions and the effects that they induced upon other people and their FAMILIES, they would have made the right choice instead of causing pain. All of the tragic events that were caused simply by prejudices could have been avoided with consciences. No one has the right to hurt someone just because they don't like something about them, and as a step further, no one has the right to judge someone and say that they think someone is wrong for the way they live, the things they believe, the ideals they follow and the ways they think. Racism and prejudice IS NOT NECESSARY and neither are RIGHT.
If two races are in the box towards one another the right choice to get out of the box would be clear if both of the people really thought about what the actual right thing to do was. Each race's view of reality can become distorted when they mix the actual right thing and the lower comfortable thing to do together into one idea. People tend to lean towards the things that they have been doing all their life and become comfortably accustomed to rather than anything else, even if the other option IS the right thing to do. I was raised to be myself and see people as they are, not as people label or judge them. I would see a Jewish person no differently than I would see a Japanese person. I would see a homosexual person the same way I would see a heterosexual person. I would see an African-American person the same way I would see a Caucasian person. Some people were raised with different ideas about what is right and how things should be seen. That blame falls on the parents and not the children, but as children grow older they should develop their own morals and ideals.
All of the characters in "Crash" were in a box at some point and most of the characters did not choose the right thing to do. All of the characters had choices about what to do, and none of the characters really had reasons to be racist in the first place. Due to the racism in the story, people started facing consequences and being hurt. All of the events that happened related to each other and all of the racism caused those events to take place. If the characters would have evaluated their decisions and the effects that they induced upon other people and their FAMILIES, they would have made the right choice instead of causing pain. All of the tragic events that were caused simply by prejudices could have been avoided with consciences. No one has the right to hurt someone just because they don't like something about them, and as a step further, no one has the right to judge someone and say that they think someone is wrong for the way they live, the things they believe, the ideals they follow and the ways they think. Racism and prejudice IS NOT NECESSARY and neither are RIGHT.
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