I Wonder If Heaven Got A Ghetto ?

I see no changes, all I see is racist faces

Misplaced hate makes disgraced races

We under, I wonder what it takes to make this

One better place, let erase the wasted

Take the evil out the people they'll be actin right

Cause both black and white is smokin crack tonight

And the only time we deal is when we kill each other

It takes skill to be real, time to heal each other

Although it seems heaven sent

We ain't ready to have a black president huh

And ain't a secret don't conceal the fact

The penitentiary's packed, and it's filled with blacks

I wake up in the mornin, and ask myself

Is life worth livin ,should I blast myself

I'm tired of being poor and even worse, I'm black

My stomach hurts, so I'm lookin for a purse to snatch

Cops give a damn about a negro

Pull a trigga, kill a nigga , he's a hero

Mo' nigga, mo' nigga, mo' niggas

Rather be a dead then a po' nigga

Let the lord judge the criminals, and If I die

I wonda if heaven's got a ghetto.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRJTQ7FHx0o

Masculinity

Masculinity can be defined as pertaining to or characteristic of a man or men: masculineattire. Men in today society can be described as being able to do things that women and children are generally incapable of doing. And masculinities are things that make one seem masculine. These ideals have a very weak base in biology, but are mainly created by society and culture.  Masculinity to me is anything related to being a man. Men are seen to represent power and authority. In the western world today, men are only "seen" as this. Our power and authority have weakened significantly since the dawn of the industrial revolution and the following feminist movements . Men were seen as the sole breadwinners, they protected and cared for the family. Now that females have a much greater role to play in the family dynamic as well as the social framework of our civilization, men try much harder to hold on to their masculinity through outward shows of power and authority.   In George Orwell's 1984, "Big Brother" ultimately holds absolute power in Oceania, because of this "Big Brother"  comes across as being the alpha male. This can be seen as being a masculine trait, when it comes to power males generally carry more of it. How often do you hear the term "alpha male" applied to a female? While everyone else has to abide by the rules of the Inner Party which forbids free thought, sex, and individuality, Winston feels frustrated with the oppression given by the party. He also feels insecure about his body image, stating that's it's pale, thin, and weak. (Orwell 128) Now thinking of the term masculine and Winston's view of his body, they don't seem to go hand in hand. Winston is repressed by his true identity and desires. He is emasculated by the “brotherhood” composed of males that control Oceania. What might be a possible intention for Orwell in writing this is to emphasis the significant gap between male and female. In so doing, he described woman as weak while showing the male to be dominant. In a patriarchal society, the distribution of power causes immense gender inequality. As an example, he creates a character that’s possibly the only women in the whole story, Julia. She is a flat character because she we know very little of her as she is faded into the background. In parts of the story she is portrayed as helpless, vulnerable and dependent. Ironically, by the end of the story she shows to be stronger emotionally than Winston by not complying with the pressures of society.

No Matter how Hard You Tryy To Stay Happy, There Always Someone Happier Then You !

Is it possible to be happy? Being happy in itself involves one of the two concepts that a person seeks to be happy, or alternatively seeks to avoid unhappiness. which can be further specified. What is the definition of happiness? Or more importantly, what is happiness determined by?  Our happiness is no longer fulfilled by simply acquiring our needs in life; rather in order to attain happiness one must possess their wants as well. As Freud Says “we can derive intense enjoyment only from a contrast and very little from a state of things. Unhappiness is much less difficult to experience. We are treated with suffering from three directions: from our own body, which is doomed to decay and dissolution and which cannot even do without pain and anxiety as warning signals; from the external world which may rage against us with overwhelming and merciless forces of destruction; and finally from our relations to other men.”(43-44)Does this make it impossible to attain long-term happiness? Essentially, Bernays believes happiness is directly related to the transformation of technology. If one takes the time to thoroughly analyze Bernays' theory, it is quite reasonable. Bernays' theory can be easily applied to companies today, such as RIM And Apple. RIM and Apple are constantly coming out with newer versions of the Blackberry phones and Iphones.  Until approximately two months ago, everyone was perfectly content with owning the Blackberry Bold 9700, 9780, and Blackberry torch 8900. However, during the summer of 2011, Blackberry released Different Advanced Software’s of these phones: the Blackberry Bold 9900, which replaced the 9700, and 9780 and Blackberry Torch 8910: Which replaced the 8900. Marketing tricks had them under there palms, people were not satisfied with the 9700, 9780 and 8910; Unfortunately, the 9700 and 9780 and Blackberry Torch 8910 became considered ‘out dated ’ in minutes, because everyone knew there was something better! But does this end? On October 14, Apple release  the new IPhone 4s, which started the cycle of new wants!  I am not being an hypocrite to this Theory. I do own An Blackberry 9000, and an Iphone4s.  However, even after watching Curtis’ film based on how society is ‘stupid’, it didn’t really impact me. Yes, we are the easy target by the media and are manipulated easily, but happiness is based on consuming things. In regards to happiness, you may be happy with what you have, but marketing will always be happier then you!

Socrates & Plato's / Apology/

 Do you think these charges are legitimate?  Is this a fair trial?

In Plato’s Euthyphro, Apology, & Crito, it can be argued if the charges against Socrates were legitimate or not. I believe the charges laid against Socrates were not legitimate; The charges are "...corrupt[ing] the young men growing up. (Euthyphro 2)" and "...for instituting religions reforms (Euthyphro 2)." The trial on the other hand, was unfortunately one sided where Socrates knew his ideas would not be favored by the elders of Athens.

During the Euthyphro and Apology, the argument of what is right pious and what is believed to be pious by the gods is constantly being questioned. Socrates isn't a man who would teach a particular view. Socrates is a man who mainly taught through questions. If you have a particular understanding, he wouldn't say you’re wrong. “…. I have gained this reputation, Athenians, simply by reason of a certain wisdom, But by what kind of wisdom? Is it by just that wisdom which is perhaps human wisdom. In that, it may be, I am really wise.” (Apology 25) Even though he say that he can not describe it himself, He also states that if any man [ Athenians] do, he lies and speak against him!  Socrates would question to see if you truly understand. He would make you think critically and then you would question to change your own mind. “…. He asked if thee was anyone who was wiser than I [Socrates]. The priestess answered that there was no one.” ( Apology 25)

Through the attempted teachings to the youth, the argument allowed the religious reform to be laid out. Socrates and Meletus engage in arguments whether or not Socrates believes in god or not. “ But do we not believe that divinities are either gods themselves or the children of the gods? Do you admit that ? [mel]  I do  [Socr] Then you admit that I believe in divinities.”(Apology 33)  Meletus’s main base argument was to prove that Socrates does not believe in any god. That ultimately he [Socrates] himself is a “complete Atheist” (Apology, 32), as again Socrates Twists Meletus words and proves his theory.

The charges and trial against Socrates does not seem to be fair and unbiased. The men of Athens appear to be angered at the teachings of the great philosopher and to want to put an end to the spread of his beliefs He goes on and explains that , “for to fear death, my friends, is only to think ourselves wise without really being wise, for it is to think that we know what we do not know” (Apology, 35). In the end, although he had persuaded some of the elders and youth, the one’s that had constantly “attacked” Socrates’ theories from the start were the one’s feared the most  A.K.A ( Meletus, Anythus and Lycon). In the end “ …. Death is a good. For the state of death is one of two things: either the dead man wholly ceases to be and loses all consciousness or, as we are told, it is a change and migration of the soul to another place, and if death is the absence of all consciousness, and like the sleep of one whose slumbers are unbroken by any dream, it will be a wonderful gain.” ( Apology 47-48)

If you were a citizen of Omelas, would you stay or would you walk? Please explain and justify your decision.

In my reading of Ursula Le Guin's "Those Who Walk Away From Omelas," my first thought after I read the story was that would you have the courage to leave ?,While Omelas is being projected as “…Joyus! How is on to tell about joy? How describe the citizens of omelas? They were not simple folk, you see, though they were happy. But we do not say the words of cheer much anymore. All smiles have become archaic. (2-1)“ If I was a citizen of Omelas I wouldn’t stay, I wouldn’t be able to bare the Greif of others, and will not sacrifice my happiness.
“…The trouble is that we have a bad habit encouraged by pedants and sophticates, of considering happiness as something rather stupid”(1-2). This can be viewed in different aspects of daily life situations we see here in our own society, We are blinded by the dilemma that exist in our world ( immoral and ethical) , our world which is pictured of in the moment can be a broad thought that can be physically and mentally there , or it may come in considerations and then disappear in a flask!, a perfect example ; millions of dollars may keep you happy, but suffering of a child may not keep you in the same state? This phrase can realte to our society today by Child labor that is done my Nike in third world countries for clothing, shoes etc. The quote below also judges how the life of a child may be seen “…. They know that they, like the, are not free. They know compassion. It is the existence of the child, and their knowledge of its existence, that makes possible the nobility of their architecture, the poignancy of their music the profundity of their science’.(4-2). There are gut feeling to this; there is nothing worth the torture of a child, and there are reactions that the lack of happiness in this one child, but is blinded with the joy that is made up for of the thousands of people living in Omelas. “… they feel disgust, which they had thought themselves superior to. They feel anger, outrage, importance, despite all the explanations. They would like to do something for the child, but there is nothing they can do.”  (3-4) , Even if they tried to help the child out,  there was nothing that could of helped   to help out the child, if they were to help the child in that moment, he may not be able to succeed later on, without any assistance in the future causes that he will face. I seriously believe that walking away would be the right thing to do even it came to the judgment of my happiness.  In this world no one will give up their happiness for someone’s Greif . Which defiantly deliberates me to leave!