The Lie Detector is a marvelous essay with details concerning lie-detecting technologies and the moral implications thereof. The author is clearly against using lie detectors although he does not shoot down some of their uses. In The Lie Detector the author first explains how lie detecting technology works and some of their uses. Clearly the technology would be quite interesting and useful in certain settings. Albeit, a person with the correct skills and training could falsify the results.
Finally the author ends with the moral dilemma concerning Lie Detector technology. And that is a humane and moral one. We shouldn't need lie detectors, most of us know inherently that lying is wrong; Some of us know that lying in any case even when it seems good, is wrong. When we have to resort to a lie detector, there is a problem. And as the Author says, God forbid man ever creates a machine that can see into the mind and heart.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Embalming in the USA
Embalming in the USA is a descriptive essay describing how Embalming works. Embalming is the rather unsightly practice of preserving our dead. It is necessary so that bodies refrain from decomposing while they're being viewed in a funeral setting. The process starts by draining the blood by making slits at the wrist and filling the body with Formaldehyde. A large needle is stuck into the stomach to drain it of its fluids. Eyes are tied shut and so is the mouth. The entire operation is rather grotesque.
Reading about the embalming process was definitely enlightening. While I knew the filling of formaldehyde I wasn't aware of the other things morticians did to the body. Like draining the stomach, sealing shut the orifices and the eyes. Putting the body back together in the case of dismemberment. It puts a cold and logical feel to something that is supposed to entirely logical. It makes an emotional catastrophe into a job aspect. Some one once told me, "The money is in being a mortician, because you can run out of products, but you can never run out of corpses." The statement itself is a very grim prospect but in its own twisted way it is the truth.
Embalming in the USA is not just a description of the job, but the effects of the job. And it can apply to other aspects of our lives, metaphorically.
Reading about the embalming process was definitely enlightening. While I knew the filling of formaldehyde I wasn't aware of the other things morticians did to the body. Like draining the stomach, sealing shut the orifices and the eyes. Putting the body back together in the case of dismemberment. It puts a cold and logical feel to something that is supposed to entirely logical. It makes an emotional catastrophe into a job aspect. Some one once told me, "The money is in being a mortician, because you can run out of products, but you can never run out of corpses." The statement itself is a very grim prospect but in its own twisted way it is the truth.
Embalming in the USA is not just a description of the job, but the effects of the job. And it can apply to other aspects of our lives, metaphorically.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Cinema Types
Cinema Types is a category classification essay about the men the author has dated and their correlation to cinema. The essay begins by explaining the first man she dated which was into artistic films, or, independent films as we know them. It goes onto explain the next date which was a man that enjoyed films of political intrigue and war. Lastly, the final man who enjoyed comedies and light-hearted films.
To put my thoughts into words, Cinema types offered an insight into the lives of three men, and how their personalities coincided with the films they watched. The independent film lover was solemn, rather introverted and had eccentric tendencies. The second one, the political film lover, was a fort of moral rectitude and was the deepest of the three. The last one was the most romantic and light hearted, though he was a bit of a two-timer. I believe she liked the third best. However, in the end, none of them truly managed to capture her heart, and failed to enjoy the cinema as she had.
Cinema types offers a brief glimpse into the life of this woman, her experiences and her strong beliefs revolving Cinema and romance.
To put my thoughts into words, Cinema types offered an insight into the lives of three men, and how their personalities coincided with the films they watched. The independent film lover was solemn, rather introverted and had eccentric tendencies. The second one, the political film lover, was a fort of moral rectitude and was the deepest of the three. The last one was the most romantic and light hearted, though he was a bit of a two-timer. I believe she liked the third best. However, in the end, none of them truly managed to capture her heart, and failed to enjoy the cinema as she had.
Cinema types offers a brief glimpse into the life of this woman, her experiences and her strong beliefs revolving Cinema and romance.
Why we crave horror movies
Stephen King's Why we crave horror movies, what can be said about it? It takes a look at man's most basic and aggressive instinct and shows us the correlation between it and violent video-auditory horror movies. Mankind has a history being violent, enjoying scenes of excess violence and even participating in them. Public lynchings, executions, arena battles, stoning, mankind has been there for each one. But in modern day where all of the above are illegal, what does man has to turn to? Simple, horror movies and horror games.
Mankind has a fascination with violence, a fascination with death. Stephen King says metaphorically that there is an alligator pool somewhere in the confines of our mind, constantly threatening to break lose and bite some one. He said he believed in happiness, as long as we kept the gater's fed. And perhaps there is some truth to what he said. The masses were always more content where blood was spilled. In Rome, people were desensitized by Arena fights and ignored their own needs. Perhaps in truth, Horror movies do keep that gater fed, and bring satisfaction to our most basic instinct.
Overall, I enjoyed reading Stephen King's Why we crave horror movies, and I think it poses an interesting point for all of us.
Mankind has a fascination with violence, a fascination with death. Stephen King says metaphorically that there is an alligator pool somewhere in the confines of our mind, constantly threatening to break lose and bite some one. He said he believed in happiness, as long as we kept the gater's fed. And perhaps there is some truth to what he said. The masses were always more content where blood was spilled. In Rome, people were desensitized by Arena fights and ignored their own needs. Perhaps in truth, Horror movies do keep that gater fed, and bring satisfaction to our most basic instinct.
Overall, I enjoyed reading Stephen King's Why we crave horror movies, and I think it poses an interesting point for all of us.
Sexisms in the English Language
Sexisms in the language is a new spin to an old truth. While it is widely known that males are mostly favored over women (Though it has much changed in the past decade) we seldom look into sexisms within the language itself. If language is a cultural reflection of that culture's identity, then by analyzing it, we can tell the current state of the culture. And one woman set out to see if sexism was present within the English language itself. Little surprise, the sexism within the English language was overwhelming.
From sexisms of title such as, Master and Mistress, Callboy and Callgirl, and even names of things such as Kingdom and Sportsmanship, the author explores it all. It is clear that Sexism is quite present within our language, and it labels women as sexy and men as successful. Even the name for women, woman, is simply a term used to describe "man with a womb." All-in-all, it was a great read for me and a good amount of knowledge to add to my repertoire.
From sexisms of title such as, Master and Mistress, Callboy and Callgirl, and even names of things such as Kingdom and Sportsmanship, the author explores it all. It is clear that Sexism is quite present within our language, and it labels women as sexy and men as successful. Even the name for women, woman, is simply a term used to describe "man with a womb." All-in-all, it was a great read for me and a good amount of knowledge to add to my repertoire.
Monday, July 28, 2008
I have a dream
I have a dream is exactly as it explains... It is the dream Martin Luther King Jr. had for his people, put into words. It explains the means in order to reach an ideological future where men, white, black, any color, could stand together in unity. Where men are not judged by the color of their skins, but by the color of their hearts. I have a dream was a breathking speech in which Martin Luther King Jr. masterfully used Ethos, Pathos and Logos in spectacular fashion.
Affirmative Action
Affirmative actions deals with the consequences and the nature of that which we call Racial Equality via Affirmative Action. The professor goes on to explain that Affirmative Action is the antithesis to Racial Equality. Rather than solve the problems of racial inequality by giving equal opportunity, Affirmative Action gives opportunities to those who do not deserve them. It belittle a race, creates supervictims, and then does not allow them to go beyond a certain point. Affirmative Action gives a very good outlook on something many of us previously thought as good, but now we know is quite bad.
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