Paul Brockmann Extra Credit

Paul's presentation was not only interesting because we got to hear what it was like in Sierra Leone and how the Ebola camps were set up but I also gained new insight that in fact gave me the hope and confidence I needed. In other words, after hearing that you do not have to be a doctor to manage doctors and do something that important for a community, I was inspired. He seemed like a nice guy that I could relate to. I was reminded that like him, I too have skills such a people skills and public speaking skills that will also take me far in life. I remembered that school and textbooks are not all there is to life. Thinking this way really pushed me to cease comparing myself and my "book smartness" to others. 

Blog 2

The sugar plantation economy began in the Mediterranean. After observing its success, the Portuguese brought this economy to the Atlantic and brought it to islands where African Americans resided. Because In the late 1400s the Portuguese began to trade enslaved African labor, they used this to their advantage and had them work in sugar cane plantations. Black labor then became associated with sugar. The Portuguese then served as the model for later nations to follow. From Portugal, black labor made its way to Brazil and the Caribbean. Then Spanish and Portugal was displaced as the economic leader by Britain. The British were then in control of sugar production. Because sugar was cheap and addicting, the demand for it increased. In Europe, when sugar was combined with tea, it gave the illusion of a hot meal when there was no time or money to fix a real one. This made it ideal for even the poor to afford and desire sugar. By the late eighteenth century sweetened tea became a part of the diet of all classes of the British society. Because sugar cane had to be planted year round so that it could be harvested year round, there was always a need for plantation workers. Cheap and unjust labor took place in order to meet the high demands for sugar.

Blog 19

I found it interesting that religion, global modernity, feminism and government were all talked about in this chapter. Although it seems they have nothing to do with one another, they have everything to do with one another. The problem is where to start. My theory is that because religions have set rules and guidelines followers are expected to abide by, they are taken seriously. However, what about religious freedom? It seems that for the most part, California has that down. That is why a secular government has been so attainable. In other nations however, religion is an essential part of everyone's life. It even becomes essential to many policy maker's lives. This can lead to policy makers establishing rules and regulations in correspondence with religious beliefs. However, the problem with this is that there may be some individuals that do not practice the same religion or are atheist. In the eyes of many, religious texts should be taken seriously however, we must keep in mind that religious texts may be ambiguous and can be interpreted differently by many. In relation to feminism, religious texts and many religious rules are patriarchal. This is why a secular government is important and needed.

Blog 18

In the early 1900s, dissent against the government began to arise. It began with Gandhi's return to India from South Africa in 1915. From this time on, people began to revolt as other key characters and exemplary figures arose like Nelson Mandela. The ending of the Empires fueled a demand for a democracy. In addition, the economic disappointment many nations faced led to more support for a democracy. However, one of the nations that is still in bad condition is South Africa. There is a great divide between the educated since they earn a substantial amount of money compared to those who are not. In addition, in the modern day, Africans have little trust in their government and are not as enthusiastic about their democratic government like once before. However, a lasting legacy from history is Ghandi's wisdom and courage that we still admire today. Ghandi's actions are in accordance with many of the hallmarks of the sisters of Notre Dame. For example, he abides by the hallmark that states "we educate for and act on behalf of justice and peace in the world".

Blog 12

The first wave of colonialism took place during the 16th and 17th centuries when the European powers, mostly the Spanish and Portuguese, colonized the Americas. The first wave was responsible for the beginnings of the Atlantic Slave Trade. Not only did European influence remain as a long-term effect but also the idea of racism developed. The second wave of colonialism took place in 1750 through 1914 in Africa and Asia. The European powers Germany, Italy, Belgium, and the United States and Japan were the main actors. Unlike before, the second wave involved military force, or at least the threat of it. Furthermore, new economic interest in cash crops introduced the idea of capitalism. The second wave colonizers also believed they were bringing a superior religion to the Americas. During this time, social Darwinism, the theory that rooted from Darwin’s survival of the fittest theory, justified conquest stating that some are superior over others because they are more evolved.

Blog #4

Though some slaves were treated better than others and some were able to gain status, 12.5 million slaves were traded in the Atlantic Slave Trade. Not only was this a huge amount of people who were treated badly and in many cases killed, slavery continued through generations. In other words, people were born into slavery so, the children of slaves were automatically slaves as well. In the documents section of the chapter, primary sources are presented so that the readers could get a better sense of the situation. In the documents, one notices that slave owners treated slaves like items, depriving them of their dignity. For example, Olaudah Equiano explains "after about a month, I was again sold... The people I was sold to used to carry me very often, when I was tired, either on their shoulders or on their backs" (pg 701). In another source, a slave owner, Thomas Phillips, describes the business of slave trading. During this process, we see how slaves are dehumanized and treated like items when slaves were being marked as property. In addition, he explained how palm oil was placed on the area to be marked before being marked. He states that this made it less painful however, a burn to the skin is always painful. Here, we can see how slaves owners tried to justify their actions and make their actions seem trivial. Similar types of reasoning and justification can be seen in World War II during the holocaust.

Blog 16

The Five Year plan seemed it would helpful in many ways. Especially because Stalin had a strategic way to pitch this idea. His ideas of capitalism might have seemed to benefit society. It seemed that early society at the time were not aware of the dangers that capitalism were going to bring. Although there are a dew benefits to capitalism, it drives society to be money hungry and competitive. When these two things are combined, corruption could easily happen. With the existence of the divided peasants, being forced to work a job sounds all too familiar for this generation. A society where the poor has a poor quality of life due to the demanding means of production seems like something history and the present shares. Those living in a capitalist society do not only comply to the manipulation of advertisement but to the big industries who negatively affect the lives of many. In many cases today, the job industry seems to be corrupt and focused on producing quickly and efficiently rather than ethically. In the case of the article "Red Bread" by Maurice Hindus, it references a kulak that explains how the new capitalist government is ripping families apart because work and production has consumed their lives. The change in attitude and sense of morality was noticed by some kulaks however which caused them to defy capitalist ideas. In the article "Nadya Speaks", it is evident that communist leaders try to advertise and convince peasants to join the Kulaks. During this process, they use a manipulative  advertisement technique that makes the listener seem like they are being left out of society if they do not comply to the capitalist ideas that everyone else seems to be doing. In today's society, this is strategy is most used on television commercials and in social media.