TOW #23 - Zak Ebrahim's "I am the son of a terrorist. Here’s how I chose peace"

            In modern society, islamophobia, has undoubtedly become a growing issue. This factor connects to the stereotype that a person of the Islamic faith must practice terrorism, or justly, that terrorism in a trend in certain families. Due to the repercussions of these issues, peace campaigner and author, Zak Ebrahim, gave a TED Talk entitled, I am the son of a terrorist. Here’s how I chose peace. In the lecture, Ebrahim argues that a son does not have to be like his father, in order to break the stigma surrounding peace in the Islamic faith. A societal belief is that Muslims and Jews are enemies, and therefore cannot be friends; fortunately, Ebrahim did not let this false hood impact his childhood friendships. He describes, "I had never had a Jewish friend before. And frankly, I felt a sense of pride in having to overcome a barrier, that for most of my life, I had been led to believe was insurmountable" (Ebrahim). The fact that Ebrahim was willing to overlook the difference of religion, and the beliefs his father instilled in him, proves that acceptance is more powerful than family trend (of hatred). In other words, the history does not matter; the ability to forget that history is what matters. In addition, to wrap-up his argument, Ebrahim shares the inspirational tale his mother told him. He says, "She looked at me with the weary eyes of someone who had experienced enough dogmatism to last a life time, and said "I'm tired of hating people."" Her weary eyes represent the hatred that had been placed in her mind for years on end. Hatred is not natural, it is only a concept that is taught, which is what Ebrahim stresses is possible to overcome. The saying “like father, like son” can apply in some cases, but not all, and Ebrahim is proof of this, and that stereotypes do not define a person.

Visual: http://www.halalinthefamily.tv/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/take-on-hate.jpg 

Caption: "Take on Hate"

TOW #22 - Margarita Engle's "Enchanted Air"

Imagine spending your days trapped in a place that does not feel like home; present is a strong longing to be somewhere else. In the memoir, Enchanted Air, Newberry-honor winning author, Margarita Engle, tells her tale of living in Los Angles but longing for her home country, Cuba. The memoir is styled similar to poetry through the use of stanzas, and takes place during the Cuban Revolution (1953-1959). In the first section of the memoir, Engle describes the beauty and benefit of Cuba – why it means so much to her – by employing a simile of innocence, and imagery in order to captivate what home represents. Engle looks back in time, and embellishes, though the use of a simile, on the first time that her parents took her to visit family and Cuba. She writes, “Already this Island is beginning to seem like a fairy-tale kingdom, where ordinary people do impossible things” (Engle 7). As an innocent child, as Engle is when experiencing Cuba’s air for the first time, the world seems like a magical place; a place filled with color and wonder. Similarly, that is the magical aspect to innocence, that a country has the ability to seem like a “fairy-tale kingdom.” Engle has hope for Cuba because she recognizes that everyone there strives for the impossible, one reason why she feels so comfortable with those people. Presumably, she admires them. In addition, Engle employs imagery when describing the memories of a house in Cuba. She writes, “Cool ceramic floor tiles on a hot day, and an open-air kitchen with roll up walls that are only needed during hurricanes” (Engle 10). The fact that Engle describes the specifics of the house, shows that she has paid close attention, that she cares about the little aspects. She cares because she feels at home in Cuba, and wants to experience all that there is about it, even the floor tiles or walls of a house.

Visual: http://www.esenciaexperiences.com/cuba-travel-ideas-luxury-cuban-holidays/bespoke-1950s-style-havana-holiday/

Caption: "1950s Cuban Home Style"

TOW #21 - Tim Urban's "Inside the mind of a procrastinator" (TED Talk)

                For some people, deadlines come easy; go home, do work consistently, and be cool as a cucumber the day before an assignment is due. Unfortunately, deadlines and homework in general, do not come second nature to some people, including myself. In April of 2016, Tim Urban, American internet writer, shared a TED Talk Lecture entitled, “Inside the mind of a procrastinator” where he employs visual metaphors and eye-opening diction in order to convey that there is a procrastinator in all of us, one we may never realize. During his presentation, Urban takes advantage of the digital board behind him, thus using it to literally illustrate the mind of a procrastinator. He does this with metaphors which are meant to represent parts of the brain, and the reasons why a procrastinator procrastinates. Referring to a procrastinator’s decision making process (area of the brain), he says, “An easy and fun place that's entirely out of the "make sense circle"; I call it the "dark playground”” (Urban). Personally, I know it is a frustrating time when the brain switches over to the “dark playground” when it is time to do work, so Urban comforts his audience by relating on this level. However, we are all human, everyone must go on break mode, which is a point that Urban stresses, while employing eye-opening diction, towards the close of his lecture. While presenting a calendar visual of the entirety of weeks in an average person’s life, he states, “I think we need to all take a long hard look at that calendar, and we need to think about what we're really procrastinating on because everyone is procrastinating on something in life” (Urban). After consideration, procrastination is not only involving homework or deadlines, but more importantly, life itself. There is something in life, whether it be relationships, exercise, religion, that people procrastinate on. Therefore, Urban makes a clear point that life is short, so we must not spend our time awaiting it, just living it, and doing what we need to do without hesitation.

Visual: https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&ved=0ahUKEwjLpYLU7sDSAhXL5CYKHTmcD3oQjxwIAw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwaitbutwhy.com%2F2013%2F10%2Fwhy-procrastinators-procrastinate.html&psig=AFQjCNGwsNJ7OkrLkdQdSarJEkmINgO37Q&ust=1488854840947111

 
Caption: "Rational Thought Ruined"

TOW #20 - Hackschooling Makes Me happy by Logan LaPlante (Visual TED talk)

Reading Education by Emerson gave insight into school, its meaning, and how that meaning is distorted to the disadvantage of the student. However, Emerson was not the only wise mind to propose an ingenious schooling system; 13-year-old student, Logan LaPlante gave a TED talk in 2013 where he also presented similar ideas to Emerson. The lecture entitled Hackschooling Makes Me Happy, LaPlante addressed his connection to happiness, and how his unique “homeschooling” system has helped him to achieve that connection. His philosophy on schooling, I agree with due to his informal and personal tone; this connects him with the direct audience, and students across the country hoping for a different chance at education. An example of this philosophy is exposed when he says, "What if we based education on the study and practice of being happy and healthy?" (LaPlante). In reality, happiness is the key to life, so whatever in life makes one happy, has just reasons to be involved. Education is also a major part of life as schooling typically lasts from ages five to twenty-two, and lessons continue throughout the entire life. Therefore, if society spent those years on preaching the key to life, happiness may be more achievable overall. In addition, LaPlante continues the theme of happiness when he concludes, "If you ask me what do I want to be when I grow up, I'll always know that I want to be happy." (LaPlante). Upon hearing this in his lecture, I smiled. LaPlante, being only a young teenager, does not have much life experience, but certainly enough to realize how vital happiness is to a fulfilling life. When grown up, it does not matter what job one may have if he/she is not happy. Furthermore, his conclusion revolves around happiness rather than the schooling system because happiness comes first, which as LaPlante states, is why it should be a focus point in schooling. In other words, society can “hack” school, “hack” life, to achieve happiness.

Visual: https://outsidetheboxhomeschoolers.wordpress.com/2013/02/15/hackschooling-tedxuniversityofnevada-talk-by-a-13-year-old-logan-laplante/


Caption: "Hackschooling in a Nutshell"

TOW #19 - "How a Pro-Palestinian American Reporter Changed His Views On Israel And The Conflict" by Hunter Stuart

            The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is arguably like no other, a greater force than that over just land. Much of the time, a person’s opinion on the conflict stems from their religious and/or political views. Justly, an American journalist, Hunter Stuart published an article in earlier February describing his stay in Israel, and moreover, his developed view on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Rather than seeing the conflict in the eyes of most Americans, thousands of miles away, Stuart lived through it, marking him as a credible source. In addition, Stuart’s central claim, which is in support of Israel as well as keeping an open mind on the conflict, is in firm agreement with my beliefs. Prior to staying in Israel, Stuart, like many liberal Americans, viewed Palestinians as the “underdog” in the conflict, and therefore was in support of a two-state solution. However, the unfortunate fact, that Stuart remarks is that Israel is surrounded by people who believe Israelis have no place on this earth. He says “Personally, I’m no longer convinced it’s [two-state solution] such a good idea. If the Palestinians are given their own state in the West Bank, who’s to say they wouldn’t elect Hamas, an Islamist group committed to Israel’s destruction?” (Stuart). Stuart aims to highlight the fact that he has seen the behavior between Israelis and Palestinians, and peace is not near reach. It is not as simple as most Americans see it. If Israel loses the Gaza strip, loses Jerusalem, Israel is lost; it rightfully gained that land from the Palestinians, and desperately need it for protection. On the other hand, Stuart’s argument is not biased due to the fact that he explains the importance of keeping an open mind, and looking at both perspectives of the conflict. He remarks, "I guess, at least, I can say that, no matter how socially unacceptable it was, I was willing to change my mind. If only more people would do the same." (Stuart). Both sides, the Israelis and Palestinians, do have valid reasoning as to why certain land belongs to their side, which is why it is necessary to truly seek perspective from both sides. This way, each perspective can be analyzed, and viewpoints can change based on that. Stuart’s mind changed after staying in Israel, something that will stick with him in his travels, and life lessons.

Visual: http://www.jpost.com/Jerusalem-Report/A-view-from-the-frontlines-480829 

 

Caption: "Stuart in Israel"

TOW #18 - "Slime Wave" by Tom Avril (The Inquirer)

In the digital era that is today, it is a relief for parents to see their children playing with toys, and exploring creativity. The new phase of playing and crafting for kids all across the globe is slime, also known as ‘gluep’, originating in the 70s and 80s. However, rather than buying slime pre-made, kids are stocking up on glue, and borax, the two key ingredients in home-made slime. An article from “The Inquirer” entitled Slime Wave by staff writer, Tom Avril entails the recent uproar of slime, and argues that slime is more than just a ‘messy toy’ by employing deductive reasoning. First, the article introduces its claim being that slime has productive uses, and then goes on to list the multiple reasons to back the claim up; due to the fact that making slime is considered a craft, the process embraces creativity, and scientists have been teaching classes using slime as a model. A head-marketer at Newell Brands, an organization with relations to Elmer’s Glue factory, stated that he has “been impressed by the evidence of creativity on social media sites” (Avril). Kids invested in making slime are posting recipes online, and sharing their ideas with the web, using the internet for something positive along with using their hands for something crafty. Here, the author of the article backs up his claim with valid opinion from the head-marketer, making his argument even more believable to the audience. In addition, slime has also been used as a learning tool. For example, the article reads, “Under another name, the science museum also has used the substance [slime] for a lesson on the immune system” (Avril). The current slime phase is proving to be more than just a game; this claim is further backed up with information from scientist explaining that since the slime is so appealing to play with, it is making kids more interested in educational lessons when slime is used as a model. Therefore, the article succeeds to prove, through the use of deductive reasoning, that slime, if used properly, can actually be a tool for creativity and education.  

Visual: http://ourbestbites.com/2010/09/kids-in-the-kitchen-slime/ 

Caption: "Creative goop"

TOW #17 - The Onion's "Study Reveals Pittsburgh Unprepared for Full-Scale Zombie Attack"

The fear of a zombie apocalypse, while unrealistic, is still fairly relevant to a handful of Americans, entailing why a satirical newspaper, The Onion published an article entitled, “Study Reveals Pittsburgh Unprepared for Full-Scale Zombie Attack” in 2005. Despite the sarcastic tone of all articles from this news source, examples of “zombie organizations and administrators” along with a daunting metaphor do not fail to make the threat of apocalypse possible. These aspects are employed in order to prepare Pittsburgh for an attack from the undead. According to the Zombie Preparedness Institute (ZPI), a mock scientific organization mentioned in the article, “when it comes to defending ourselves against an army of reanimated human corpses, the officials in charge have fallen asleep at the wheel” (The Onion 2). The metaphor describes the government officials, typically thought to ‘keep the state safe’, as the opposite in this case; “falling asleep at the wheel” refers to the officials not paying attention and taking charge of the issue at hand, the threat of a zombie apocalypse. This daunting metaphor aids to warn the audience, citizens of Pittsburgh, that they must take charge to remain safe in times of chaos. In addition, the article uses the words of mock zombie expert, Dr. Milton Cornelius to further describe the state of disaster. Cornelius remarks, “Today’s zombies quickly learn to open doors, break windows, and stage ambushes” (The Onion 4). Cornelius’ description of the zombies’ attributes aids to inform the audience what they will be facing if they do come across one of the undead, so they can be prepared to fight for their lives. Also interesting is the fact that Cornelius states that the zombies are capable of learning, something usually not associated with walking human corpses. Thus, by employing a metaphor, and mock information from zombie experts and organizations, The Onion was able to help prepare the citizens of Pittsburgh for a fight with the undead.  

Visual: http://all-that-is-interesting.com/survive-zombie-apocalypse

Caption: "Best to be Prepared"