Blog Moved.

Hey everyone, sorry about the lack of posting it wasn’t actually a lack at all… I’ve just been posting elsewhere! My blog moved —> http://phetitria.wordpress.com

Add it! soon this blog will cease to exist! add it add it add it.

K.thanks.bye!

Gulliver’s Travels

I just wanted to share with you a passage from Gulliver’s Travels, a satire by Jonathan Swift. Although I can’t say I’ve enjoyed every part of the novel, there are some very clever commentaries on politics and Western culture. One is documented below.

After the narrator describes a cannon and its powers for destruction to a foreign king, the King is disturbed at the notion that such a weapon should exist and be used upon his own country. The narrator reacts to this:

“A strange effect of narrow principles and short views! That a prince possessed of every quality which procures veneration, love, and esteem; of strong parts, great wisdom and, and profound learning, endued with admirable talents for government, and almost adored by his subjects, should from a nice unnecessary scruple, whereof in Europe we can have no conception, let slip an opportunity put into his hands, that would have made him absolute master of the lives, the liberties, and the fortunes of his people. Neither do I say this with the least intention to detract from the many virtues of that excellent King, whose character I am sensible will on this account be very much lessened in to opinion of an English reader: but I take this defect among them to have risen from their ignorance, they not having hitherto reduced politics into a science, as the more acute wits of Europe have done. For I remember very well, in a discourse one day with the King, when I happened to say there were several thousand books among us written upon the art of government, it gave him (directly contrary to my intention) a very mean opinion of our understandings. He professed both to abominate and despise all mystery, refinement, and intrigue, either in a prince or a minister. He could not tell what I meant by secrets of state, where an enemy or some rival nation were not in the case. He confined the knowledge of governing within very narrow bounds; to common sense and reason, to justice and lenity, to the speedy determination of civil and criminal causes; with some other obvious topics, which are not worth considering. And he gave it for his opinion, that whoever could make two ears of corn or two blades of grass to from upon a spot of ground where only one grew before, would deserve better of mankind, and do more essential service to his country than the whole race of politicians together.”

-Jonathan Swift

What is idealism doing in your pocket?

Everyone knows John F. Kennedy’s famous quotation, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” Even so, no one abides by the core meaning of the phrase. Every day I hear people argue about war, injustice, climate change, a failing economy and high unemployment, but they aren’t arguing for the means of a solution but for the demand that their government would implement some important change. Perhaps on a societal scale these tasks seem daunting and unchangeable for the individual. But, ask yourself what you can do for your country, or rather — for yourself.

I have friends who are idealists, or at least they have high standards for their life and do not believe in conforming to an imperfect system. I highly respect those who can think outside of the box and carve out a path for themselves. However, most of them keep their idealism in their pocket, only referencing it in conversation but never using it to any constructive purpose.

Example: Perhaps you, like me, believe in the ideal that a job is for more than the wage which one earns, and serve a greater purpose by providing a service to society or oneself. Given that ideal, a believer must accept that there are many positions which do not conform to the ideology and must look deeper into one’s work to find something more meaningful. Instead, many will sit and complain that their job at a fastfood restaurant is not worth their time, and that they are above that job. Furthermore, they will spend their free time at some task which contributes nothing to ones own growth or the growth of those around him.

If no action is taken, what is the purpose of the ideal? To care about something strongly enough to be tormented by its implications requires action. Thoreau said, “Things do not change. We change.” The man is a genius, but if I may humbly alter that suggestion — we change things. Oppressed peoples are not liberated because time altered their situation in some way, they were not approached by opportunity — they dug their claws into the dirt and used their idealism to pave a new path. We cannot stand idly by in our own lives. Perhaps you believe in eternity, or another life beyond this one and think that gives you time to waste. But, moments make eternities and life is made of moments.

“Do not simply be good. Be good for something.” — Henry David Thoreau.

In Crisis

I am not freaking out because I don’t know where I’ll be in May, June, July, August… the prospect that I could be anywhere is actually very exciting. I like new places. I like meeting new people.
I am freaking out because I don’t know how to make a decision about what I want to do. I may be getting ahead of myself, considering I may not have a choice. I have two interviews in May, but neither is a guarantee that I’ll get hired. I’m definitely not banking on getting hired by Teach for America, I’m pretty certain that they are off the table, actually. But… lets assume that all three of these places are options.

Option #1: Teach for America – 2 year fellowship, +/-$35,000 per year, Location: unknown

Teaching either English or elementary education in an inner-city or rural area. Summer training in Los Angeles or Boston from June – August, and then start in September.

Pros: Teaching has been my dream since I was old enough to think about having a job. Guarantee of making a difference. Opens doors into other positions in education. Its only 2 years, so I could always do something else — which I like.

Cons: I could end up in elementary education rather than high school. Hardest job imaginable. No opportunity to take classes at the same time. No opportunities in or near Michigan or SC.

Option #2: US-PIRG, 2-year fellowship. $23,000 per year + loan assistance, Location: unknown

Public policy research group, where I would either be researching issues like the environment, transportation, health care and advising politicians on policy changes OR I would be organizing college students to participate in public policy and politics.  I would have training in August in Boston. I preference locations during interviews, but wouldn’t be told where I was working until August, and start work in September.

Pros: Making a difference in policy change. Familiar work (research and campus life). Positions available in Ann Arbor. Could probably manage taking classes at the same time. It’s only 2-years, so I could always do something else after that, which I like.

Cons: Wouldn’t find out where I was living until August. No idea where it would take me after 2 years.

Option #3: Environment America, 2-year fellowship, $23,000, location unknown
Almost identical to Option #2 only the issues are only surrounding environmental issues, and there is no participation with colleges.

Pros: Same as 2.

Cons: Same as 2, + Concentration on environment means limited opportunities afterward.

I have to make the following decisions:

1. What states should I preference for the two policy fellowships? If I preference more states, it is more likely I’ll get the job because there are more possible positions. However, the more I preference the more likely I am to be far away from my family and friends, and possibly in a place I won’t end up liking.
2. Under what criteria would I take Teach for America? If the position is in elementary education would I still take the job? If the job is in a city where I don’t want to work? If its high school, english, in a great location?
3. Does salary factor in? I hope not.

4. What do I want to do FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE, and which of these positions will get me there. I actually don’t want to do one thing for the rest of my life — the better question is, which of these positions is likely to get me my own coffeehouse/venue in the long run, and in a place where I can continue going to school.

I can’t leave my friends out of the equation. If there is one thing that I’ve learned about myself this semester, its that I am one of the luckiest people in the world to have met an amazing group of friends at home. I always thought that I wanted to get out of Michigan and never go back and start over… now I don’t know if I want to leave. Actually, what I want is for everyone I know to come with me, but since that isn’t a possibility — how should I decide?

What is more important to me? What I’m doing or where I am? If I stay in Michigan will I regret it when I quickly realize that what I’ve wanted my whole life has not been unfounded (to leave). Or, will I move to some far away city where I don’t know anyone and realize that having a job that I love is not enough.

What if I don’t love any of these jobs? What if I love all of the options, but none of them are the right fit? What if they’re all the right fit?

What if I don’t get offered a job at all…

Who can say Barista!

There is no Truth, at best there are Truths

According to a famous Greek author, Darwinian Ethics suggests that anything in motion is good, and anything stagnate is bad. Imagine the edge of a seaside cliff, looking down at the ocean tide as it moves. The pattern of its motion is dictated by the moon, and it swells in to the shore and out to sea, slightly further down the coast and back in to meet the sand. I am a drop, a molecule, of water in the tide. I swell with the people around me out to sea, to Cameroon, to Connecticut, to Dublin, London and Athens. And I bring grains of sand to sea with me, and always bring shells to leave on shore when I return.  But, can I ever return to the same place on the beach? Am I always destined to drift further down the coast until my origins are out of sight?

Where does the tide stop? Can it be true that motion is good, regardless of where it moves? A bullet soaring the air and piercing the heart of a child is in motion, and the tendons that squeeze the finger closed upon the trigger are in motion. The once beating organ is now stagnate.

I may both move, and stagnate. Maybe the swelling tide never changes. Life grows from stagnant water.

The same author says that there is no “Truth,” at best there are “Truths.” Truth: Nothing is so simple that it can be reduced to one summary truth about motion.

I never loved no body fully, always one foot on the ground. & that protected my heart truly, and I got lost in the sound. I hear in my mind, all of these voices, I hear in my mind all of these words, I hear in my mind all of this music…

Interesting Article

Read Me, I’m Interesting.

I posted that link about a week ago and then forgot about it. I meant to comment and say — the world’s “hungry population” has increased by 100 million since 2005, according to this article. Is there someone else out there that thinks this is unacceptable? Here we are, the privliged ones with not only access to the internet, but our own $1000+ laptops, with earbuds hanging from the headphone plug that actually go to our 4GB Ipod with 1,000 songs that the world’s hungry won’t get a chance to hear, because they are too concerned with things like what they will feed their children.

In a world where we can invent laptops that are an inch thick and t-shirts that can recreate the feeling of being hugged (thats true), we cannot figure out how to make sure that the human population is not hungry. Why? Because living sustainably isn’t appealing. I know I am sitting on my high horse here, preaching about a problem which I contribute to. I know I buy useless amounts of crap, I know I took 3 flights in the last 4 months, I’ve spent ridiculous amounts of money to “see the world.” What good is seeing the world if I do nothing to change it?

I am frustrated, angry, tired — I had a wonderful day. I walked through the streets of Athens listening to Chris Bathgate, Matt Keaney and Eric Hutchinson on my Ipod. I felt sunshine, and a warm day, and I invested time in writing again. But I want everyone to have today. I don’t want everyone to have an Ipod and a computer, because the planet can’t support that. But I do want everyone to feel sunshine and be able to bathe in it without feeling hungry, or thirsty, or tired. I want people like me, who have all of the material things they want and more, to figure out a way to stop living like our consumption is owed or deserved. We did not get these things by hard work or God or because we are somehow more accomplished than those who have nothing to their name. We have these things by chance. We lucked out being born to a family who was wealthy enough to afford us. Chance stepped in and granted us the most destructive flaw of all: entitlement. That we would believe that because we were born into a place with everything that we should have everything too, and that our breaking the norm of consumptive behavior would do nothing for those who have nothing. That there are some who have things and some who don’t, and thats just the way it is.

I hope that I can summon the humility, and strength, and conviction to make a dramatic change.

Where you live, should not determine if you live. – Gulu Walk.

new blog.

Hey Everyone… for complex reasons, I am going to have 2 blogs. One for my political/opinionated ramblings (this one), and one for travel updates/everyday experience type of things.

To visit my travel blog go to http://pheditria.wordpress.com — I’ll be updating it with all my journal entries since I left the states in the next couple of days.

This blog may become private, it may not. If you want to continue reading it if it becomes private, just send me your blog name and I’ll add you to the list of people who can see it. 🙂 Good deal.

Athens:

As the people who read this blog already know, I am studying in Athens this semester. I have put together a list of observations in my first week here:

Do’s and Don’ts
1. Do Not “High-Five” a Greek: The pushing of your palm outward in a “high-five” or “talk to the hand” like gesture is an insult in Greece much like the middle finger in the United States. Attempting to give a Greek a high five will inevitably lead to your counterparts complete disgust and anger.

2. Do Not leave food on your plate: When eating at a restaurant, do not leave half of your meal uneaten. This is an insult to the cook, and someone from the restaurant will undoubtedly ask you if you did not like the food. Even assuring them that you did, in fact, like the enormous pile of scrumptious Greek food in front of you, they will conclude the conversation with “I’m sorry you did not like the food.”

3. Do Not grab a “quick bite to eat”: Greeks spend hours at the dinner or cafe table. They make a lot of food, or they make what is there last. Do not expect to go to a restaurant and eat quickly. Most coffee places will charge you for your chair, because they are expecting you to stay for hours and talk, only ordering one drink.

4. Do speak Greek: Although most Greeks speak English, a “ya sas” (hello) to start an interaction will show that you are making an effort, even if the rest of the conversation takes place in English.

Quirks:
1. Note the strays: Greece is not uncomfortable with stray animals. In fact, they have special programs to spay/neuter and give shots to stray animals which roam the streets day in and day out, surviving on the kindness of passersby. Thus, mixed breed dogs and cats are everywhere looking for food and companionship. Do not be afraid, but watch out for the poop.

2. Locks work both ways: Keys not only lock and unlock doors from the outside, but the inside as well. So, first timers to an apartment or office complex may find themselves locked inside a building, and should use their keys to unlock the door.

3. Accept the stares: Greeks will openly stare at anyone who is clearly foreign or strange. Standing at a metro stop, the entire train of passengers on the other side will undoubtedly be staring at you: they are not ashamed, and nor should you be.

4. Siesta: Greeks have a siesta from 2:30pm – 6pm. During this time most small stores will be closed, and everyone is expected to be either out in a cafe talking to friends or relaxing at home. You are expected to be quiet and respectful of other people’s resting time.

5. The Night Begins at Midnight!: Lunch time in Athens is 2-3PM at the beginning of siesta, therefore, dinner is at 10PM. So, Tavernas (restaurants) will start to fill up at around 10pm, and then groups will head to cafes which will serve coffee between 9pm-11pm, and not until later will the alcohol start to come out. In Athens, clubs and bars do not get busy until 1 AM, and the party doesn’t end until 5-6 AM — even on weekdays! (I do not know this from experience)

Advice:
1. Traffic Control = None: Cars do not abide by speed limits, do not stay in their own lanes, do not stop at stop signs, and according to the law the car as the right of way. Motorcycles will plow you down, taxis will not stop for you unless you are a customer, and the everyday driver will “roll” through every stop light possible. Be careful.

2. Have a Frappe: Frappe is a very popular coffee drink. It is made with coffee, foamed milk, and lots of sugar. The drink is served with water and in a tall cup. It is sipped slowly during a long conversation at a cafe, or quickly slurped after a long night out for a pick-me-up. During long conversation, the water is used to make the drink last longer (and is often needed to dilute the power of the sugar and coffee!)

3. Eat Greek Food: There are American options all over Athens. But, eat Greek! The vegetables are served with olive oil and feta cheese (Greek Salad) and the flavor is delicious. Saganaki (known for the “opa!” in the states), fried cheese with lemon juice is a great appetizer (but eating too much may make you ill). There is so much to taste!

4. Prepare to climb: The stairs are high, spiraled, and precarious. Prepare to climb a lot of stairs up the tall, thin, elevator-free buildings — and if you are in an apartment or an old hostel/hotel, at night you may be climbing the stairs in the dark!

5. Greeks do not hate Americans: After WWII the U.S. came to the aid of war-torn Greece, and for that reason relations are very good. However, Greece disagreed with the Bush presidency and recent U.S. policy, and therefore in previous years has seen U.S. politics in a negative light. However, Greeks are very excited about our newly elected president, Barrack Obama.

So that is what I have learned so far — It has been a culturally rich week. I will continue to update but right now I am feeling not so great (too much saganaki, a throat infection, and a messed up knee). Off to class and then possibly a siesta! Peace.

Layover | Frankfurt, Germany

I am interrupting the narrative of my travels (which can be found at phetitria.wordpress) for a political rant. This has been inspired by two weeks of reading International media and now having read the first half of Newsweek’s Special Edition entitled “How to Save the World: A guide for the New President.” Media everywhere depicts Barack Obama as the world’s one hope. Article after article suggests that the United States is the be-all end-all of world politics, and subsequently that Obama is going to solve the world’s problems just by being smart and attractive. One article in GQ even had him posing as Superman with the title “Captain America.” Not only is Obama being presented as super-human, but as two red and blue super-heroes in spandex!

Obama will, if he lives up to his apparent intelligence, down-to-earth attitude and fairness, be an excellent president. But, he will not solve all of the world’s problems, and those who are expecting him to do so are not only being unfair, but will also be sorely disappointed.

Furthermore, the United States should not be in charge of solving the world’s problems. The Palestinian-Israeli conflict is not a platform on which the United States should stand to gain political power and influence. Palestine and Israel are fighting over territory which the United States only complicates by making one government appear more legitimate than th other. Who are we to decide who can live on those grounds and who cannot? Palestine and Israel with the help, guidance, and aid of the United Nations or united nations, should resolve this fight with the hope of gaining peace for their people. The victims of this conflict are not the political leaders but the civilians who have no say and no solution. What can the U.S. do but take sides and risk the lives of those caught in the middle? Giving monetary aid to either side will only offer resources for conflict and giving political support to Israel only suggests religious favoritism.

Why does the world expect the U.S. to solve foreign problems? If anyone needs to step into these situations it is a united international organization with no political agenda. The United Nations has become obsolete and incapable of making any influential choices. However, an organization should be created that works as a republic of the world’s regions. With experts from all nations deciding by majority vote on how to resolve conflict. Conflicts are no longer restricted within borders, if they ever were, and almost always involve multiple nations or groups. We need organizations that can exist outside of the restrictions of national governments for global problems like epidemics, refugees, nuclear warfare, etc. We must be able to solve problems that hurt every day citizens without the politics and power struggles that nations cause.

It also shouldn’t be the responsibility of non-profits to scramble for funds to work in terrible conditions with little support by governments. There are so many NGOs for the same causes that they compete to fund a solution to the same problem. One unified entity to fight AIDs and other epidemics would be supported by nations regardless of their ideological differences, as long as their culture were taken into consideration in the solution.

This would mean countries like the U.S. would no longer be expected to solve all of the world’s problems, but it would also mean that all nations give up their own pride and power for some problem’s solutions. All nations struggle for sovereignty, and one overseeing organization would take away a countries ability to solve a problem in its own way. This not only raises power concerns, but also ideological concerns about how to end an epidemic spread by sexual intercourse in nations opposed to birth control — however, a representative council of global populations and the use of majority vote and expert advisors could resolve sensitive conflict in a way that is best for all involved.

Its an idea. Does anyone have a better one? I’m open to suggestions.

Human Beings — A Strange Species

I’ve been contemplating humanity since yesterday at approximately 2pm when one of my professors proposed the question, “what do each of these novels say about the human heart?” My first instinct was to roll my eyes, the next was to drum ba-bum, ba-bum, ba-bum imagining each American novel as an organ pumping the blood of the English language. Perhaps I am more cynical, or logical, or “heartless” than most English Literature majors. I did not become an English major to sit around and talk about feelings, but rather to discuss the important issues that novels address.

I have to say, the professor who proposed this questions is undoubtedly my favorite at Albion, and I highly respect her. She is one of the most intelligent, insightful people I have had the honor to get to know. Do not get me wrong.

However, the “human heart” is nothing more than an organ. And if the phrase refers to the soul, or spirit — I say, that is a cute concept, but I’m not buying it. Human beings love to think that we are somehow special, that there must be some design which makes us somehow more than other species. Much of this, I’m sure, comes from religion which says that human beings were created by God in his image, to be the chosen on earth — as an Atheist, I can see the appeal in believing this, but must ultimately reject the idea. To believe that we are somehow endowed with an eternal spirit is comforting, it allows us to believe that there is more to life than living, eating, sleeping and doing everything over again. It allows us to believe that we are meant to do something greater than ourselves, to put into motion some marvelous plan.

But, if so, where does that plan end? Does our spirit lead us to do great deeds which ultimately result in… what? The production of more spirits that will do  more great deeds which will ultimately lead to the production of more spirits? Life is a cycle, it begins with birth and ends with death, for all species. Things are born, reproduce, and die, or may not reproduce and then die. But there is no greater plan than that — and for me, that is the beauty in life.

Human beings are the only species that needs to justify animal action. For example, human beings like to say that sex is an act or expression of love — a commitment and an expression of trust. I say, bullshit. Sex is a hormonal urge, a biological institution (if you will), that allows the life cycle to continue when two species with the appropriate biological material (eggs and sperm) reproduce.

Then, you may ask, “Oh Cynical Amber, What is love?”  I have confronted this question many times, and I conclude it is a chemical reaction.  We love those people who are attractive to us for some biological reason — I love my parents because they nurture me when I cannot nurture myself. I love my friends because they offer comfort, protection in numbers, etc. I love men because they can impregnate me and would be a good match to do so. I think humans add more depth to this, obviously, by choosing their mate based on personality simply because of cultural practice — we have to be able to tolerate these people if we’re planning to live with them forever. Perhaps this is too harsh for you, but baby, don’t hurt me.