Energy and Place Project!
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
1. How does energy production impact* place?
2. How does your sense of place**, environmental ethic and understanding of our energy needs influence your
perception and decisions regarding energy production
REFLECTION:
1. In this project, we disscused/explored our environmental ethics and then took them to our place project. We found how energy affects our individual placce or the other way around. leading up to exhibition, we all worked really hard on our sense of place essays and our capstone labs in Steves class. Lots of effort was put into the projects and it was an interesting exhibition when it came around.
2. During the Energy and Place Project, I added a lot to my sense of place poem. It was the main piece I did for my project and so I refined it a lot. I grew a lot in the refining process of the sense of place poem because I found my environmental ethic, which are sustainability and innovation.
3. I liked my poem best because it was fun to write and I learned some about myself. There was also a few people at the exhibition which I connected to through my poem and my capston lab so that was pretty cool. The poem went into depth abpout a problem wwe are facing and the capstone lab provided a solution to it. Im really excited to use what I did in the capstone lab in the future.
1. How does energy production impact* place?
2. How does your sense of place**, environmental ethic and understanding of our energy needs influence your
perception and decisions regarding energy production
REFLECTION:
1. In this project, we disscused/explored our environmental ethics and then took them to our place project. We found how energy affects our individual placce or the other way around. leading up to exhibition, we all worked really hard on our sense of place essays and our capstone labs in Steves class. Lots of effort was put into the projects and it was an interesting exhibition when it came around.
2. During the Energy and Place Project, I added a lot to my sense of place poem. It was the main piece I did for my project and so I refined it a lot. I grew a lot in the refining process of the sense of place poem because I found my environmental ethic, which are sustainability and innovation.
3. I liked my poem best because it was fun to write and I learned some about myself. There was also a few people at the exhibition which I connected to through my poem and my capston lab so that was pretty cool. The poem went into depth abpout a problem wwe are facing and the capstone lab provided a solution to it. Im really excited to use what I did in the capstone lab in the future.
FINAL WRITEN PIECE:
Of Plastic Flesh
Jj Joyce
Abstract
My definition of sense of place is wherever you feel comfortable mentally/spiritually with your surroundings. Even though I do not really have an environmental ethic I would say that I most relate to sustainability, innovation and intrinsicism. This is shown in my poem from the line, “My place is of waste, and doom follows close behind” also,” its more than just some place to be it's a place to see and say exactly what you need.”
I find my place behind the wheel of a machine
engine throbbing tires spinning
as I take pedal down to metal
and this suicide box on wheels lets loose
without a doubt; my place isn’t stationed
like a vacation, a noose,
or some new creation,
to make haste in, it’s great tastin’,
the feeling of life responding to your touch,
another heart beat, another tone
an extension of your own, with more power than known.
It’ll make moves to break bones
of the ones that hurt you close to home.
Place is more than just some place to be.
It’s a place to say and see,
exactly what you need,
a place to go when there's no one for you to hold,
a therapeutic cavern
where you can discern without concern.
My place is of waste
of crumbling earth is where it’s based
so let’s speak mind, cause its time.
we all saw the truth.
The gas cap’s calling
when I’m haulin’
mileage fallin’
I’m killing the air you breath
the world you see
is broken from people like me
pumpin CO2s like
‘agh there's no way to choose!’
between fun and a bike,
theres gotta be some way to tie my hands,
but keep them loose.
My relationship with this planet,
is one of caring and sharing
but utility calls too
and resources are needed to do,
what fun is left to be sued,
I choose to let the sueing pursue,
if this world takes happiness, take me with it,
and lay waste to what’s left of our race.
With that simple phrase “that just how it is”
that sentence, those words…
it’s a fucking excuse, nothing but a purebred lie
to stop people from doing something good, and why?
Why oh why do you let us breathe yesterday's fumes
and swim in the leach ponds of our neighborhood power plants,
and crack our skins with the beating hammer and chisel of the sun’s rays.
I want good to prevail for just a night oh please let good win just once.
Why world, do we put each other through so much pain
for the few dollars we ‘need’ to gain.
Makes me wanna puke it all up
back in smug corporations faces yup.
We gotta start providing some form,
of some sort of norm,
that the ground we walk on,
is as important as sisters or brothers,
there’s no other like earth,
that we can reach out and sculpt,
so bring production to a halt,
find no fault, but start anew.
There’s limitless possibilities to solve the problems we all made
and there'd be time for saving if we’d just stop creating
from the resources that are failing
and take what we already made
to change the effects of our social behaviour.
Theres a war on this world for the places you all love,
whether its here or there or anywhere
your place affects something too
not that it’s a bad part of life,
but some others could use without the strife.
So next time you go camping, to the beach
or wherever you find what you need,
remember, this world is just a chain reaction
waiting for pressure to build so a disaster can happen
no one’s to blame, we all did the same.
Just look at what you’ve done
and what you can do about it
cause without place in your life,
you’re stranded, its undoubted.
When I feel emotions
like white caps on an ocean
I crawl in the front seat
turn the music louder then it should go
and scream from the depths of my lungs,
‘why the fuck!?’
but in the end, one finger points forward
and three point back
so I drop my hand and open the door,
cause in my car
I can accept the shit around me
I can fight the shit that stounds me
and I can be more than helpless
even if it’s less than helpful
it sounds confusing I know
still figuring it out myself
but I know my place
and my place knows me
I found it behind the wheel of a machine.
Link to Chemistry page!!!
Of Plastic Flesh
Jj Joyce
Abstract
My definition of sense of place is wherever you feel comfortable mentally/spiritually with your surroundings. Even though I do not really have an environmental ethic I would say that I most relate to sustainability, innovation and intrinsicism. This is shown in my poem from the line, “My place is of waste, and doom follows close behind” also,” its more than just some place to be it's a place to see and say exactly what you need.”
I find my place behind the wheel of a machine
engine throbbing tires spinning
as I take pedal down to metal
and this suicide box on wheels lets loose
without a doubt; my place isn’t stationed
like a vacation, a noose,
or some new creation,
to make haste in, it’s great tastin’,
the feeling of life responding to your touch,
another heart beat, another tone
an extension of your own, with more power than known.
It’ll make moves to break bones
of the ones that hurt you close to home.
Place is more than just some place to be.
It’s a place to say and see,
exactly what you need,
a place to go when there's no one for you to hold,
a therapeutic cavern
where you can discern without concern.
My place is of waste
of crumbling earth is where it’s based
so let’s speak mind, cause its time.
we all saw the truth.
The gas cap’s calling
when I’m haulin’
mileage fallin’
I’m killing the air you breath
the world you see
is broken from people like me
pumpin CO2s like
‘agh there's no way to choose!’
between fun and a bike,
theres gotta be some way to tie my hands,
but keep them loose.
My relationship with this planet,
is one of caring and sharing
but utility calls too
and resources are needed to do,
what fun is left to be sued,
I choose to let the sueing pursue,
if this world takes happiness, take me with it,
and lay waste to what’s left of our race.
With that simple phrase “that just how it is”
that sentence, those words…
it’s a fucking excuse, nothing but a purebred lie
to stop people from doing something good, and why?
Why oh why do you let us breathe yesterday's fumes
and swim in the leach ponds of our neighborhood power plants,
and crack our skins with the beating hammer and chisel of the sun’s rays.
I want good to prevail for just a night oh please let good win just once.
Why world, do we put each other through so much pain
for the few dollars we ‘need’ to gain.
Makes me wanna puke it all up
back in smug corporations faces yup.
We gotta start providing some form,
of some sort of norm,
that the ground we walk on,
is as important as sisters or brothers,
there’s no other like earth,
that we can reach out and sculpt,
so bring production to a halt,
find no fault, but start anew.
There’s limitless possibilities to solve the problems we all made
and there'd be time for saving if we’d just stop creating
from the resources that are failing
and take what we already made
to change the effects of our social behaviour.
Theres a war on this world for the places you all love,
whether its here or there or anywhere
your place affects something too
not that it’s a bad part of life,
but some others could use without the strife.
So next time you go camping, to the beach
or wherever you find what you need,
remember, this world is just a chain reaction
waiting for pressure to build so a disaster can happen
no one’s to blame, we all did the same.
Just look at what you’ve done
and what you can do about it
cause without place in your life,
you’re stranded, its undoubted.
When I feel emotions
like white caps on an ocean
I crawl in the front seat
turn the music louder then it should go
and scream from the depths of my lungs,
‘why the fuck!?’
but in the end, one finger points forward
and three point back
so I drop my hand and open the door,
cause in my car
I can accept the shit around me
I can fight the shit that stounds me
and I can be more than helpless
even if it’s less than helpful
it sounds confusing I know
still figuring it out myself
but I know my place
and my place knows me
I found it behind the wheel of a machine.
Link to Chemistry page!!!
Artist Statement:
The Point of this project was to raise awarness about population growth. Over the past 100 years of human life on earth, population has grown tremendously from around 2 billion to 7 billion people. This is really quite outstanding, that we can go from so little to so much in the span of 100 years. If this trend continues, we will be out of space for life and out of time besides using mass murder as a means of compensating for the large growth we all are witnessing. I chose to raise awarness on the lust of growth we all desire because I feel that it is connected to a number of challenges we face today, and will face in the near future.
The Point of this project was to raise awarness about population growth. Over the past 100 years of human life on earth, population has grown tremendously from around 2 billion to 7 billion people. This is really quite outstanding, that we can go from so little to so much in the span of 100 years. If this trend continues, we will be out of space for life and out of time besides using mass murder as a means of compensating for the large growth we all are witnessing. I chose to raise awarness on the lust of growth we all desire because I feel that it is connected to a number of challenges we face today, and will face in the near future.
Energy and Place assignment 4
Picture #6
The pipe rotted and rusted away behind the liqour store, left there by the plumber back in '92. It had been a long and happy life until that damn plumber came and unscrewed him from the basement water system to which the pipe belonged just because of a small leak. The pipe hated that plumber, more thand the rain that turned it from grey to red rust, more than the cold winter winds that shifted the pile of debris where it lie. You may be confused by the pipes hatred but you must understand that one pipe is only as good as the system that it belongs to, and to be stripped from that system left it without any sort of idea of what to do with itself. It wasnt ment to be part of something so much bigger, so much larger and meaningful. It had a place but all that was stripped from it as soon as that plumber layed hands on .it. Oh how it loathed for revenge, how it wished for justice, how it cried and struggled and bellowed," Make me whole again!" But that never came, and the pipe knew it never would, so it sat in the debris and thought of new place for itself, but could think of nothing. So it sat, rotting away, behind the liqour store where the plumber had left it. But as it sat and died, along with the rest of the rubbish, it began to change. There was something different about itself and the pipe felt it. It thought long and hard and realised that it was taking on a new place, the place of death. Why else would it be there? Its place was in death of itself and it drank deeply from the new knowledge that came with it. It was content because it knew after it died it would no longer have to worry about its place because it would be in its place for eternity. So, it kicked back and observed its decay, smug with itself, for it had beat one of the ties of existence by simply not existing at all.
The pipe rotted and rusted away behind the liqour store, left there by the plumber back in '92. It had been a long and happy life until that damn plumber came and unscrewed him from the basement water system to which the pipe belonged just because of a small leak. The pipe hated that plumber, more thand the rain that turned it from grey to red rust, more than the cold winter winds that shifted the pile of debris where it lie. You may be confused by the pipes hatred but you must understand that one pipe is only as good as the system that it belongs to, and to be stripped from that system left it without any sort of idea of what to do with itself. It wasnt ment to be part of something so much bigger, so much larger and meaningful. It had a place but all that was stripped from it as soon as that plumber layed hands on .it. Oh how it loathed for revenge, how it wished for justice, how it cried and struggled and bellowed," Make me whole again!" But that never came, and the pipe knew it never would, so it sat in the debris and thought of new place for itself, but could think of nothing. So it sat, rotting away, behind the liqour store where the plumber had left it. But as it sat and died, along with the rest of the rubbish, it began to change. There was something different about itself and the pipe felt it. It thought long and hard and realised that it was taking on a new place, the place of death. Why else would it be there? Its place was in death of itself and it drank deeply from the new knowledge that came with it. It was content because it knew after it died it would no longer have to worry about its place because it would be in its place for eternity. So, it kicked back and observed its decay, smug with itself, for it had beat one of the ties of existence by simply not existing at all.
Happiness and Meaning project!
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
1. What is the purpose of your existence?
2. What is happiness and what makes you happy?
3. What does it mean to live a meaningful life?
4. To what extent can literature shape your personal philosophy on happiness and meaning?
Link to project description
PERSONAL PHILOSIPHY STATEMENT:
“Make the most of your regrets; never smother your sorrow, but tend and cherish it till it comes to have a separate and integral interest. To regret deeply is to live afresh.” Henry David Thoreau
Emotions are power. They hold in their hands our decisions, our ideologies, our words, our every action, but most importantly they carry the willpower to do these things. Emotions light our nerves on fire, explode chemical feelings throughout our minds and drive us through and out of insanity. Emotions are what my world revolves around. When that emotion of desire flows up through my body and deep into my heart, I know I desire- no, need to do that certain thing, it seems as if a bomb of meaning explodes from my soul, raining down its radiation on the once simple, unpurposed world. The most important emotion is regret or restlessness, which drives us all to change ourselves. I have felt regret to deepest part of my being, the pressure of it imploding and gushing over me like the weight of a thousand sledge hammers coming down on cracked concrete poured over my half-curtained but waking eyes and I see, yes I see that everything has a meaning. Though, the only meaning we humans seem to choose are the chains we shackle ourselves with INDIVIDUALLY, not by which we restrain others with. Night or day, natural things continue to hold their meaning, and continue on with it. But synthetic beings such as ourselves tend to lose our line of sight if our meaning or purpose is not careful observed, respected and practiced, with self reliance as a factor.
1. What is the purpose of your existence?
2. What is happiness and what makes you happy?
3. What does it mean to live a meaningful life?
4. To what extent can literature shape your personal philosophy on happiness and meaning?
Link to project description
PERSONAL PHILOSIPHY STATEMENT:
“Make the most of your regrets; never smother your sorrow, but tend and cherish it till it comes to have a separate and integral interest. To regret deeply is to live afresh.” Henry David Thoreau
Emotions are power. They hold in their hands our decisions, our ideologies, our words, our every action, but most importantly they carry the willpower to do these things. Emotions light our nerves on fire, explode chemical feelings throughout our minds and drive us through and out of insanity. Emotions are what my world revolves around. When that emotion of desire flows up through my body and deep into my heart, I know I desire- no, need to do that certain thing, it seems as if a bomb of meaning explodes from my soul, raining down its radiation on the once simple, unpurposed world. The most important emotion is regret or restlessness, which drives us all to change ourselves. I have felt regret to deepest part of my being, the pressure of it imploding and gushing over me like the weight of a thousand sledge hammers coming down on cracked concrete poured over my half-curtained but waking eyes and I see, yes I see that everything has a meaning. Though, the only meaning we humans seem to choose are the chains we shackle ourselves with INDIVIDUALLY, not by which we restrain others with. Night or day, natural things continue to hold their meaning, and continue on with it. But synthetic beings such as ourselves tend to lose our line of sight if our meaning or purpose is not careful observed, respected and practiced, with self reliance as a factor.
Native American Historical Inquiry
Essential Question: How can an examination of multiple sources and perspectives lead to a more enlightened understanding of history, contemporary social, cultural, and political realities?
Journal 5
While reading the essays by post college Native Americans and short stories by Sherman Alexie, one main theme stands out to me; choosing between Native and U.S. identity. Native identity seems like the reasonable part of identity to go with because it is them but many things
can influence this. for one, the way Natives were and are treated and brought up by Natives and Non-natives alike affect this decision. If a Native was brought up on the res. and was included in the community and culture, they may be more likely to choose the Native lifestyle over modern U.s. culture. If they were not backed by their community and culture, they may be more open to choosing the path of the modern U.S. citizen.
If a native was raised in a family that was supportive of their cultural ties then they might end up looking towards their traditional ties. They would possibly continue tradition, go to powwows, and continue to support their tribes. This is the continuing Natives story, attempting to continue on the lifestyle of their fore Fathers, Mothers, Sisters and Brothers.This seems to be the harder of the paths, though many natives choose it. In Sherman Alexie’s short story”, A Drug Called Tradition”, he goes into depth about the lifestyles that they may have lived in the past if the U of S wouldn’t have formed and discusses connecting with these parts of their lives. The magic and difference in the lifestyles of natives, from what I see as a person of modern culture, is amazing. The ideas and perspectives of these people are truly unique and fabulous. It is sad to see it destroyed by the action of the government and us all as a country.
Say a person of native descent was raised around the modernized world, with little to no ties to their culture. This would probably affect them to the point of becoming a person that has more U.S. cultural ideologies and basis.They might choose U.S. culture solely because they were raised in it. It would be hard to be a person that has Native in them but no idea what their actual cultural identity is though. They would be faced with a choice, learn more about their culture on their own or find their way in a different culture or subculture.
It would be very hard to be a native finding their way in one of these settings.
While reading the essays by post college Native Americans and short stories by Sherman Alexie, one main theme stands out to me; choosing between Native and U.S. identity. Native identity seems like the reasonable part of identity to go with because it is them but many things
can influence this. for one, the way Natives were and are treated and brought up by Natives and Non-natives alike affect this decision. If a Native was brought up on the res. and was included in the community and culture, they may be more likely to choose the Native lifestyle over modern U.s. culture. If they were not backed by their community and culture, they may be more open to choosing the path of the modern U.S. citizen.
If a native was raised in a family that was supportive of their cultural ties then they might end up looking towards their traditional ties. They would possibly continue tradition, go to powwows, and continue to support their tribes. This is the continuing Natives story, attempting to continue on the lifestyle of their fore Fathers, Mothers, Sisters and Brothers.This seems to be the harder of the paths, though many natives choose it. In Sherman Alexie’s short story”, A Drug Called Tradition”, he goes into depth about the lifestyles that they may have lived in the past if the U of S wouldn’t have formed and discusses connecting with these parts of their lives. The magic and difference in the lifestyles of natives, from what I see as a person of modern culture, is amazing. The ideas and perspectives of these people are truly unique and fabulous. It is sad to see it destroyed by the action of the government and us all as a country.
Say a person of native descent was raised around the modernized world, with little to no ties to their culture. This would probably affect them to the point of becoming a person that has more U.S. cultural ideologies and basis.They might choose U.S. culture solely because they were raised in it. It would be hard to be a person that has Native in them but no idea what their actual cultural identity is though. They would be faced with a choice, learn more about their culture on their own or find their way in a different culture or subculture.
It would be very hard to be a native finding their way in one of these settings.
Essential Question: How can an examination of multiple sources and perspectives lead to a more enlightened understanding of history, contemporary social, cultural, and political realities?
It can bring about a more enlightened understanding on these things because you can learn so much from peoples standpoints that caused many different actions to be taken, forming what is now around us.
Key Terms
Assimilation: Forming culturally to fit in with other cultures.
Theme: A key part of a written piece that goes in depth of a certain idea or underlying meaning.
Juxtaposition: A literary device in which 2 or more characters, ideas, places or events are put up for comparison.
Identity: Characteristics of yourself, how you are viewed, how you view yourself.
PART 1: HISTORY
1. Questions from Edmodo to ask during seminar:
1.1. Alex c. ”If you were a settler, how would you deal differently with native people in order to contract their land?”
1.2. Katie A. “Do you think it would have been possible for the English to coexist with the Indians?”
1.3. Sean N. “how do you think America would have been if Columbus wouldn't have found it?”
2. Three important lessons from Zinn
2.1. Don’t invade places and claim it if there are already Natives in that area. You will get cut.
2.2. Don't conquer Natives because that’s mean and they are people to. Living together would be a lot better than destroying each other over differences
PART 2: MODERN DAY
3.2. What is the relationship between the lady, Victor, and Crazy Horse in Crazy Horse Dreams?
3.3. What is one of the main messages behind Indian Education?
It can bring about a more enlightened understanding on these things because you can learn so much from peoples standpoints that caused many different actions to be taken, forming what is now around us.
Key Terms
Assimilation: Forming culturally to fit in with other cultures.
Theme: A key part of a written piece that goes in depth of a certain idea or underlying meaning.
Juxtaposition: A literary device in which 2 or more characters, ideas, places or events are put up for comparison.
Identity: Characteristics of yourself, how you are viewed, how you view yourself.
PART 1: HISTORY
1. Questions from Edmodo to ask during seminar:
1.1. Alex c. ”If you were a settler, how would you deal differently with native people in order to contract their land?”
1.2. Katie A. “Do you think it would have been possible for the English to coexist with the Indians?”
1.3. Sean N. “how do you think America would have been if Columbus wouldn't have found it?”
2. Three important lessons from Zinn
2.1. Don’t invade places and claim it if there are already Natives in that area. You will get cut.
2.2. Don't conquer Natives because that’s mean and they are people to. Living together would be a lot better than destroying each other over differences
PART 2: MODERN DAY
- The way the media shapes the identity of natives pretty different than what they are actually like. For example, in the movie Reel Injun Natives that were played in old western movies actually had different generations and changes were made to Native culture throughout these generations. These ranged from savages to welcoming peaceful Natives, and the reel funny part about it is that none of the Natives in these movies were actual Natives, they were all white people painted.
- Im not sure the history helped me understand modern day texts but it helped me understand the way writing was in the past and ways to decipher readings that would be not comprehensible otherwise.
3.2. What is the relationship between the lady, Victor, and Crazy Horse in Crazy Horse Dreams?
3.3. What is one of the main messages behind Indian Education?
Project Reflection
In this project we learned about the history, culture, and experiences of being a Native in the past and present. We went into depth of Sherman Alexie’s short stories and explored essays from Natives that went to Dartmouth College. The project was set to dive into how Natives came to be the people they are today and the ways the U.S. government played into it, developing hatred between the different cultures.
I learned mostly about the ways and wrong doings of the U.S. have built what they now have. This was the most interesting part of the project to me because I feel like governments aren't good when it comes to cultural affairs. My perspective on this matter evolved from what it was by being challenged by the truth of what happened to Natives. They’ve been treated horribly by us and don’t deserve that at all. I never knew what happened between us and them and its really sad. This project evoked mostly just weird anger mixed with that want for something different for Natives.
During the seminar we discussed many things that were all very interesting. I learned different viewpoints from the other people in the seminar and we kept topics rolling and it was very in depth. Throughout the seminar, we talked about what actions, if any, should be taken for Native rights. Towards the end of the seminar it started to seem like any actions we could take beyond what we have done would only ruin Native culture and lifestyles even further. The damage has been done and no matter what we may do the past will always be there.
Our investigation of multiple sources and perspectives was useful in the way that a better understanding of Natives ideology, identity, and cultural history was better explained. We learned what has happened to Natives, their strives for freedom, and their successes and failures in life in the modern world as well as the past. The history of Natives is now more open than ever to me and I respect them as a people more than ever. They are strong, interesting, and colorful people, with a harsh but beautiful past that has been dimmed by the government to seem like we were doing well by attempting to crush them. I am also more disappointed in the United States than ever.
I learned mostly about the ways and wrong doings of the U.S. have built what they now have. This was the most interesting part of the project to me because I feel like governments aren't good when it comes to cultural affairs. My perspective on this matter evolved from what it was by being challenged by the truth of what happened to Natives. They’ve been treated horribly by us and don’t deserve that at all. I never knew what happened between us and them and its really sad. This project evoked mostly just weird anger mixed with that want for something different for Natives.
During the seminar we discussed many things that were all very interesting. I learned different viewpoints from the other people in the seminar and we kept topics rolling and it was very in depth. Throughout the seminar, we talked about what actions, if any, should be taken for Native rights. Towards the end of the seminar it started to seem like any actions we could take beyond what we have done would only ruin Native culture and lifestyles even further. The damage has been done and no matter what we may do the past will always be there.
Our investigation of multiple sources and perspectives was useful in the way that a better understanding of Natives ideology, identity, and cultural history was better explained. We learned what has happened to Natives, their strives for freedom, and their successes and failures in life in the modern world as well as the past. The history of Natives is now more open than ever to me and I respect them as a people more than ever. They are strong, interesting, and colorful people, with a harsh but beautiful past that has been dimmed by the government to seem like we were doing well by attempting to crush them. I am also more disappointed in the United States than ever.
Morality and Politic's of Justice project!!!
Visual piece:
Quote: There is no better illistration of that crisis than the fact that the president is openly violating our nations laws by authorizing the NSA to engage in warrantless surrveilance of U.S. citizens.
Op-Ed: I See You
I see you
Jj Joyce
“Your face, voice, and tattoos are the FBI’s business now,” read the headlines of an online article. This is talking about the FBI’s new Next Generation Identification system (NGI). It has been a project of the FBI’s for the past 8 years, compiling personal data to identify anybody who has or might commit a crime. Since the reality is anybody might commit crime, this means most of us are included in this new database, with the exception of higher up figures (people with money, power, etc.). With video surveillance and internet under constant watch by the NSA, this title does ring some truth. We are part of a new “security” system to keep us safe, yet it seems like we are more exposed than safe. This system seems to be restricting us more than it is providing security.
First off, does the FBI and NSA have the right to go into your personal information online as well as record people’s physical features and voice? Well, considering the 4th Amendment, I would say no they do not. The 4th Amendment was placed by our Founding Fathers to stop the government to do what they currently are doing, searching and seizing unreasonably; without a warrant and the only probable cause is that there’s probably a terrorist out there scheming to kill us all with unknown means. But the Government is not following these rules. Instead they are going through and viewing people’s private information. Scanning through peoples’ personal information from phone calls to emails, everyone is a suspect in this world wide scavenger hunt for criminals. And there is no provocation to make this justifiable. Yes, we have been terrorized and yes, we have criminals among us but that doesn’t give us the right as a whole country to be paranoid to the extreme measures of disobeying our own morals.
So who is really the criminal? To me, the criminal is not one who stays true to their national beliefs, but the one who follows the path corruption set forth. The government is doing what they have to too keep their heads above the water, which is respectable, but in doing so they are also destroying the nation. Cutting slack to the system to make things work is nice of them since it is probably out of good intention, but the morals that they disregard are important to guiding us through problems we are facing/may face. This country was founded on good moral ideology, especially at the time, and should stay that way since they aren’t bad. It’s funny though, in a weird way. The “criminal” leakers and hackers are in some ways staying more towards the lines of the founders of the U.S. Yes there are criminal hackers out there as there are corrupt government officials. But the hackers are fighting for a more righteous cause than the government. Why hold together something that has already fallen apart? We should definitely revise what our government’s morals are to include the amendments more.
J.S. Mills, a libertarian revolutionist, believed that individual liberty promotes over-all happiness. This seems like the most accurate standpoint to take up against the government. He promotes both freedom, happiness overall and happiness of the individual. In the book, Justice, by Michael J. Sandel, Michael says,” Mill thinks we should maximize utility, not case by case but in the long run. And over time, he argues, respecting individual liberty will lead to the greatest human happiness. Allowing the majority to silence dissenters or censor free-thinkers might maximize utility today, but it will make society worse off- less happy –in the long run.” (50)
Currently, this problem races like a plague through our society. We have lost our right to privacy and freedom, only written in script but not played out in reality. We need to solve this problem by creating an agency that fights for the people, and will not fall to corruption. Then abolish all the other agencies that currently exist in the law enforcement and homeland security, though create job openings for training and such in the new agency for people that were in past law enforcement etc. though this will be done after a series of personality tests and background checks to try and stifle the corruption in the current law enforcement. The new agents will follow the amendments at all times on the job, and will not break any at all times. If someone did break them they would be subjected to trial to see if it was for good reason, and if so will be forgiven and apologized too and then asked to continue their work. Also, it will be kept as small as possible to try and stop corruption. If anyone feels that the agency is operating poorly, or not following the rules set forth, they may put the agency on trial. If the whole or a large part of the agency has been disobeying the rules set forth, the agency will be terminated immediately. They will also be asked to explore their morals and write down their thoughts, and try to expand their moral viewpoints while abiding by the agencies morals. The agencies groundwork morals would be to not intrude on people without very good reason or without a warrant, always work in for the good of humanity, including all individuals and all groups, and to always search for the truth.
Bibliography
J Sandel, Michael. "The Greatest Happiness Principal/ Utilitarianism." Justice. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2009. 50. Print.
Lennard, Natasha. "Your Face, Voice, and Tattoos Are the FBI's Business Now | VICE News." VICE News
RSS. 18 Sept. 2014. Web. 15 Oct. 2014.
"Next Generation Identification." FBI. FBI, 17 Mar. 2010. Web. 11 Oct. 2014.
Ziener, Markus. "Google and the German Angst." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 17 July
2014. Web. 17 Oct. 2014.
Jj Joyce
“Your face, voice, and tattoos are the FBI’s business now,” read the headlines of an online article. This is talking about the FBI’s new Next Generation Identification system (NGI). It has been a project of the FBI’s for the past 8 years, compiling personal data to identify anybody who has or might commit a crime. Since the reality is anybody might commit crime, this means most of us are included in this new database, with the exception of higher up figures (people with money, power, etc.). With video surveillance and internet under constant watch by the NSA, this title does ring some truth. We are part of a new “security” system to keep us safe, yet it seems like we are more exposed than safe. This system seems to be restricting us more than it is providing security.
First off, does the FBI and NSA have the right to go into your personal information online as well as record people’s physical features and voice? Well, considering the 4th Amendment, I would say no they do not. The 4th Amendment was placed by our Founding Fathers to stop the government to do what they currently are doing, searching and seizing unreasonably; without a warrant and the only probable cause is that there’s probably a terrorist out there scheming to kill us all with unknown means. But the Government is not following these rules. Instead they are going through and viewing people’s private information. Scanning through peoples’ personal information from phone calls to emails, everyone is a suspect in this world wide scavenger hunt for criminals. And there is no provocation to make this justifiable. Yes, we have been terrorized and yes, we have criminals among us but that doesn’t give us the right as a whole country to be paranoid to the extreme measures of disobeying our own morals.
So who is really the criminal? To me, the criminal is not one who stays true to their national beliefs, but the one who follows the path corruption set forth. The government is doing what they have to too keep their heads above the water, which is respectable, but in doing so they are also destroying the nation. Cutting slack to the system to make things work is nice of them since it is probably out of good intention, but the morals that they disregard are important to guiding us through problems we are facing/may face. This country was founded on good moral ideology, especially at the time, and should stay that way since they aren’t bad. It’s funny though, in a weird way. The “criminal” leakers and hackers are in some ways staying more towards the lines of the founders of the U.S. Yes there are criminal hackers out there as there are corrupt government officials. But the hackers are fighting for a more righteous cause than the government. Why hold together something that has already fallen apart? We should definitely revise what our government’s morals are to include the amendments more.
J.S. Mills, a libertarian revolutionist, believed that individual liberty promotes over-all happiness. This seems like the most accurate standpoint to take up against the government. He promotes both freedom, happiness overall and happiness of the individual. In the book, Justice, by Michael J. Sandel, Michael says,” Mill thinks we should maximize utility, not case by case but in the long run. And over time, he argues, respecting individual liberty will lead to the greatest human happiness. Allowing the majority to silence dissenters or censor free-thinkers might maximize utility today, but it will make society worse off- less happy –in the long run.” (50)
Currently, this problem races like a plague through our society. We have lost our right to privacy and freedom, only written in script but not played out in reality. We need to solve this problem by creating an agency that fights for the people, and will not fall to corruption. Then abolish all the other agencies that currently exist in the law enforcement and homeland security, though create job openings for training and such in the new agency for people that were in past law enforcement etc. though this will be done after a series of personality tests and background checks to try and stifle the corruption in the current law enforcement. The new agents will follow the amendments at all times on the job, and will not break any at all times. If someone did break them they would be subjected to trial to see if it was for good reason, and if so will be forgiven and apologized too and then asked to continue their work. Also, it will be kept as small as possible to try and stop corruption. If anyone feels that the agency is operating poorly, or not following the rules set forth, they may put the agency on trial. If the whole or a large part of the agency has been disobeying the rules set forth, the agency will be terminated immediately. They will also be asked to explore their morals and write down their thoughts, and try to expand their moral viewpoints while abiding by the agencies morals. The agencies groundwork morals would be to not intrude on people without very good reason or without a warrant, always work in for the good of humanity, including all individuals and all groups, and to always search for the truth.
Bibliography
J Sandel, Michael. "The Greatest Happiness Principal/ Utilitarianism." Justice. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2009. 50. Print.
Lennard, Natasha. "Your Face, Voice, and Tattoos Are the FBI's Business Now | VICE News." VICE News
RSS. 18 Sept. 2014. Web. 15 Oct. 2014.
"Next Generation Identification." FBI. FBI, 17 Mar. 2010. Web. 11 Oct. 2014.
Ziener, Markus. "Google and the German Angst." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 17 July
2014. Web. 17 Oct. 2014.