I find this photograph incredibly fascinating and thought provoking. I know all photographs are stills, but there is something about this image that seems especially peaceful and noiseless. From afar the earth appears untarnished, a pristine united whole, but as anyone who inhabits this planet knows that is definitely not the case. Our sphere is segregated by culture, religion, and politics. Sometimes it’s hard to believe we all occupy the same planet, but it’s something we all share and have in common, it’s the only thing that unites us. When I first caught a glimpse of this photo where the earth was rising, the earth seemed new and untouched, yet there is so much history on this sphere that occupies only a small part of the universe. To me, this image evokes thoughts of humanity’s progress and perhaps at times regression over centuries.

What do you think?

Does earth seem different from afar?

Thinking of how far we’ve come technologically, which innovation do you think has had the greatest impact (positive or negative) on humanity?

Do you think there ever was, or will be a time when segregation is nonexistent?

Decadence of American Youth

Recently, academia has become a central focus in the lives of today’s youth. Its influence is expanding towards children in preschool and kindergarten. The Alliance for Childhood recently came out with a press release detailing the newest academic approach in kindergarten. Basically, the average kindergartener spends most of their school day on standardized testing, and very little time is devoted to play or choice time. Honestly, this is ridiculous. Kids shouldn’t be burdened with test prep at such a young age. Progressive brain development varies from child to child. Some develop faster than others; yet, the results on these tests determine a student’s entire future academic program. It’s unreasonable and illogical to measure a child’s aptitude using standardized testing, especially at an age where brain development is still in its earliest stages. This test-driven approach is not yielding long-term gains. Meanwhile, behavioral problems and preschool expulsion rates are soaring. Furthermore, creativity is cultivated at a young age through exploration and stress free activities; however the newest preschool and kindergarten curriculum is completely void of opportunities to discover inner creativity. I find it unfortunate that children are being pushed too hard at such a young age. I feel that these approaches and burdening responsibilities are slowly extinguishing the enjoyable and essential transition between childhood and adulthood.

If any changes should be made to education, it should be abolishing 20th century methods, and establishing a 21st century education system structured around critical thinking or teaching students how to think rather than what to think. Our current education system is predominantly structured around textbook learning. In class, most of my professors basically reiterate the text using PowerPoint presentations provided by the textbook’s publisher. Sometimes I wonder why I even attend class, when I can stay home and learn perhaps more by teaching myself. This teaching method isn’t engaging and it fails to stimulate students’ attention. More needs to be done to bridge the gap between academic training and real-world application, and I think the best way to do this is through critical thinking. Furthermore, incorporating critical thinking into class lectures will prompt class discussions and thus a more engaging environment. The rapid progression of technology is transforming the working environment. Entire fields are collapsing and new ones are advancing. Students need to be prepared for situations like these, where their jobs could be eliminated entirely. I think the best method of preparation is cultivating flexible minds at a young age, so students are able to adapt quickly to such complexities.

ØAre the benefits of a well groomed job applicant more imperative than the detrimental effects of a lost adolescence?

ØDo you believe technology has inhibited our intellectual growth?

ØAre you satisfied with the education you’re receiving?

ØIf UM offered you the opportunity to earn your degree online, would you choose this method or would you prefer the traditional classroom setting?

ØHow would you define intelligence?

ØThinking globally, do you think American students are less intellectually gifted than students in other countries?

Giving into Convenience at What Cost?

America is selfish, there I said it. But before you start throwing some of Barbara Kingsolver’s Dolly Parton tomatoes at me, please hear me out. American consumers have the luxury to eat whatever they want whenever they want, but as Kingsolver indicates in Animal, Vegetable, Miracle we pay a heavy price “in untallied debts that will be paid by our children in the currency of extinctions, economic unraveling, and global climate change.” It’s true that Americans consume resources without any regard to the consequences their actions will have on future generations. But as with any greedy consumption of limited resources, you ultimately reach the plight of vacuity and have no choice but to adapt and transform your habits of consumption.

Kingsolver is an atypical model of transformation. Her admirable mission to eat locally grown food is more than a means to eat healthily. It’s a protest against the manner in which we produce and procure the foods we eat. Throughout Animal, Vegetable, Miracle Kingsolver adamantly expresses the absurd amount of oil that goes into producing and transporting food. America alone, “glugs down a quarter of all the fuel” consumption in the world, and we only represent 5% of the world’s population. Since the 1970s the rapid depletion of the world’s oil reserves has been a known fact and nearly four decades later not much progress to wean ourselves off this diminishing commodity has been made. Consequently, the price of oil continues to skyrocket thereby increasing the cost of production and ultimately the cost of living for the American consumer.

Imagine the incredible impact an oil-free America would have on the nation’s economy. First off, an oil-free nation can only be oil-free through utilization of alternative energy sources. Alternative energy research and production would create a whole new industry for employment, thus creating jobs for the millions of Americans who are currently unemployed. Additionally, alternative energy sources such as solar and wind are clean sources of fuel that won’t pollute the environment. But, most importantly, envision the lives saved from unessential global oil wars.

For decades America ignored the momentous transition that needed to be made to rid ourselves of our dependence on oil. It’s a transition that requires true leadership and massive effort and funding. In times like these we turn to the government for guidance. However, the government has enormously failed in promoting alternative energy research (current administration excluded), in fact, they promote the use of oil by providing corporations tax-deductions for transportation. I’m sure America’s continued dependence on oil is a result of oil company lobbyists and the ever so redundant theme of government stupidity in regards to the future and what’s best. Consequently, the effort to transform our habits rests solely on individuals. Individual crusaders like Barbara Kingsolver, who takes initiative in being energy independent even if it’s in the form of something as simple as eating locally grown food. Kingsolver lives a life that we should all pursue. Now, I’m not saying to start logging in daily entries into your garden journal, unless of course you want to. However, if each individual made a small change whether it is in the form of eating locally, or expressing preference for greener sources of energy, the change would be astronomical. Successful corporations would have no choice but to supply what consumers demanded.

America has continuously given into convenience. An early visionary, Buckminster Fuller, recognized this selfishness and expressed it in his 1969 book Utopia or Oblivion: “The exploiters of fossil fuels, coal and oil, say it costs less to produce and burn the savings account. This is analogous to saying it takes less effort to rob a bank than to do the work which the money deposited in the bank represents. The question is cost to whom? To our great-grandchildren, who will have no fossil fuels to turn the machines? I find that the ignorant acceptance by world society’s presently deputized leaders of the momentarily expedient and the lack of constructive, long-distance thinking-let alone comprehensive thinking-…render dubious the case for humanity’s earthian future.” In accordance with visionaries like Fuller and Kingsolver, America needs to acknowledge the effects its selfishness will have on future generations. For once, we must eradicate our reluctance to endure immediate strain for the promise of long-term advancement.


Do our current eating habits make us selfish? And, how far are we willing to go to maintain the luxury of eating whatever whenever?