Seminar Pre-Write
George McQuinn
1. What is the overall message of Brave New World?
I think that the overall message of BNW relates to values and norms. What makes BNW so interesting is how everything is so different. They value only status and physical appearance rather than beauty and skill.
2. In what ways has Brave New World made you think about the concept of happiness?
The people of BNW value happiness in a different way than we do. If they are always happy, then being happy just becomes normal. In my opinion, for there to be highs, there has to also be lows.
3. What does John mean by saying nothing in civilization costs enough?
John is saying that getting through difficult situations is part of life. When everything is perfect you cannot learn from your mistakes. People never learn to fend for themselves. Essentially, everyone is a child from the day they are born to the day they die.
4. How much of our society do you think is focused on comfort and how much do you think is focused of truth and beauty?
I think that our society is getting more comfortable and less focused on truth and beauty all the time. I think that in America, the percentage of valued truth and beauty to valued comfort is 30 to 70. One example of valuing comfort over truth and beauty is our is our eating habits. Over 60 million people eat at McDonalds every day. The food served at McDonalds takes almost no skill to make and it costs very little. Now that this crappy food is so cheep, people are too comfortable with buying it and have less and less respect for healthy food that takes art to make.
George McQuinn
1. What is the overall message of Brave New World?
I think that the overall message of BNW relates to values and norms. What makes BNW so interesting is how everything is so different. They value only status and physical appearance rather than beauty and skill.
2. In what ways has Brave New World made you think about the concept of happiness?
The people of BNW value happiness in a different way than we do. If they are always happy, then being happy just becomes normal. In my opinion, for there to be highs, there has to also be lows.
3. What does John mean by saying nothing in civilization costs enough?
John is saying that getting through difficult situations is part of life. When everything is perfect you cannot learn from your mistakes. People never learn to fend for themselves. Essentially, everyone is a child from the day they are born to the day they die.
4. How much of our society do you think is focused on comfort and how much do you think is focused of truth and beauty?
I think that our society is getting more comfortable and less focused on truth and beauty all the time. I think that in America, the percentage of valued truth and beauty to valued comfort is 30 to 70. One example of valuing comfort over truth and beauty is our is our eating habits. Over 60 million people eat at McDonalds every day. The food served at McDonalds takes almost no skill to make and it costs very little. Now that this crappy food is so cheep, people are too comfortable with buying it and have less and less respect for healthy food that takes art to make.
Seminar Reflection
George McQuinn
During the seminar Jimmy made a comment that stood out to me. He said that by buying groceries for a homeless person, he gets a wonderful feeling of satisfaction inside. This statement really touched me because he expressed how making someone else really happy made him really happy in return.
I feel that in this seminar I did a good job of comparing and contrasting the BNW society to our modern society. I think that how I have grown from our last seminar is in making connections. Almost all of my annotations in the book were about connecting BNW to modern day. I noticed that part of what made the book interesting is how different everything is, but I also noticed that some of the things that seem so unrealistic are maybe less distant than we think.
I will take away so much from this book and the seminar. The thing that this book keeps me thinking about the is how our society is related to BNW and how our society could potentially become more and more like this as science progresses more and more. Like I said before, there are so many things in the book that I think are becoming more and more realistic even since Huxley wrote the book.
Seminar Pre-Write
George McQuinn
1) Danny and Uno each have to wear several different masks. Danny wears the masks of being Mexican and also of being white. On page 2 of the book, Danny talks about how since he is half white and half Mexican he never fits in no matter where he is. When he is in National City he is too white and when he is with his mom he is too black. Uno wears the mask of being a punk tough guy. Because of where he is raised, Uno is socialized to think that he must be tough and he can show no emotion. On page 14, Uno is flirting with Sophia and this shows how he is acting tough to impress her.
2) The book Mexican Whiteboy is a good, clear example of how people are socialized. Danny and Uno are socialized differently based on their race, location, family, and wealth. Danny was socialized by his father before he went to jail to think that he needs to be tough and beat people up. Although Danny fantasizes about beating guys up and acting like a tough guy, he knows inside that he really isn’t that person.
3) I have noticed how people living in poverty are socialized differently than people living in wealth. Uno has been socialized to think that he will not ever leave national city and that he will not go to college or get anywhere in life. Danny is socialized to be self confident and know that he can go far in life especially with his baseball skills.
George McQuinn
1) Danny and Uno each have to wear several different masks. Danny wears the masks of being Mexican and also of being white. On page 2 of the book, Danny talks about how since he is half white and half Mexican he never fits in no matter where he is. When he is in National City he is too white and when he is with his mom he is too black. Uno wears the mask of being a punk tough guy. Because of where he is raised, Uno is socialized to think that he must be tough and he can show no emotion. On page 14, Uno is flirting with Sophia and this shows how he is acting tough to impress her.
2) The book Mexican Whiteboy is a good, clear example of how people are socialized. Danny and Uno are socialized differently based on their race, location, family, and wealth. Danny was socialized by his father before he went to jail to think that he needs to be tough and beat people up. Although Danny fantasizes about beating guys up and acting like a tough guy, he knows inside that he really isn’t that person.
3) I have noticed how people living in poverty are socialized differently than people living in wealth. Uno has been socialized to think that he will not ever leave national city and that he will not go to college or get anywhere in life. Danny is socialized to be self confident and know that he can go far in life especially with his baseball skills.
Seminar Reflection
Coleman made a great point about Uno getting a fresh start in Oxnard. He commented on how Uno says that even though he is moving to Oxnard, he will always be on the streets. I strongly agree with this comment. Uno is downplaying his capability because of his race, ability level, and where he is from. By overplaying Danny’s potential and saying that Danny will be famous and go on to do great things, Uno is putting himself under and ruining his self esteem.
I relate myself more to Danny because there are more connections between his life and mine. Growing up in a mostly middleclass and wealthy community, I am used to seeing perfect fields and more legal actions than Uno experiences in National City. Danny is a more kindly, good boy than Uno and that more relates to how I have been socialized to be.
During the seminar, I think I did well with seminar leadership. I asked good questions that sparked new conversations. I need to work on making connections. I need to remember to connect the seminar topics to my life, past experiences, and other topics.
The most beautiful line was said by Danny. he says “I’m not like uncle Ray. I’m like me. I think this is beautiful because this is the point in the book where he takes off all of his masks and realizes that he is unique and that he doesn’t want to be like his uncle or his dad. He wants to be himself.
Coleman made a great point about Uno getting a fresh start in Oxnard. He commented on how Uno says that even though he is moving to Oxnard, he will always be on the streets. I strongly agree with this comment. Uno is downplaying his capability because of his race, ability level, and where he is from. By overplaying Danny’s potential and saying that Danny will be famous and go on to do great things, Uno is putting himself under and ruining his self esteem.
I relate myself more to Danny because there are more connections between his life and mine. Growing up in a mostly middleclass and wealthy community, I am used to seeing perfect fields and more legal actions than Uno experiences in National City. Danny is a more kindly, good boy than Uno and that more relates to how I have been socialized to be.
During the seminar, I think I did well with seminar leadership. I asked good questions that sparked new conversations. I need to work on making connections. I need to remember to connect the seminar topics to my life, past experiences, and other topics.
The most beautiful line was said by Danny. he says “I’m not like uncle Ray. I’m like me. I think this is beautiful because this is the point in the book where he takes off all of his masks and realizes that he is unique and that he doesn’t want to be like his uncle or his dad. He wants to be himself.