Thursday, February 26, 2009
Marx Questions
2. What is Marx's reason as to why people are less willing to help people in different societies and countries that do not have a close relationship with a person as a family member would have to that person and what would he about those people less willing to help?
?s -- Marx
production that capitalism utilizes be changed so that it will no longer lead to the exploitation of the proletariat, while still maintaining capitalistic ideals?
2) How under the communist social structure, would the less desirable, yet almost necessary, jobs of your society be filled? Not everyone can follow their passions and the economy remain stable; someone must fulfill the menial jobs that help to maintain social order and structure. How would Marx suggest we fill those positions? How is determined who the duty falls upon?
Question "Marx"
If we decide to create a society based upon “From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs,” wouldn’t some exploit the system? What if I decided that I didn’t really want to work and then made up some reason that I did not have the ability to work anymore, I would still get everything I needed? Then how is that fair? If everyone was trying their hardest, it would be fair, but how can you judge that?
p.s. I love Marx's last name....it makes for fun titles!
Many Questions
How exactly is the society supposed to move from a capitalist to a communist one? Do the proletariats simply overthrow the bourgeois by war or something more? I understand it must be gradual as Marx alludes to in Critique of the Gotha Program, but I do not understand how exactly it can move to a communist society. If he wants to convince everyone to move to a communist society, I would sure hope he has answers on how exactly to get there.
Pirates- 8 vs. Phillies- 2 Lets go Bucs!!
2. Communism seems to be a lot of give and take between citizens of the country, but what if someone with intentions of taking over a country rises up? How does Marx plan to deal with people like Hitler in the world?
two questions
2) What did the U.S.S.R. do wrong that led to their collapse?
Questions, Questions, Questions
What's a question?
Typically in a capitalist society, the more something costs the better quality it is. So the more you pay for a doctor, the better that doctor is and the doctor gets more intensive to stay as good as he is. What is to stop doctors from not caring or from doing worse work when they are not getting paid in a communist society?
2. I also believe Marx has to elaborate more on how a worker who is smater than another gets paid more for working the same amount of time. I don't understand how he figures that worker the same amount of time is unequal labor. Yes the smarter worker may be producing more, but the other worker would have to put in more effort during that time period.
unanswered Qs
2. Does Marx's view of an equal society apply to everyone, such as women and Blacks?
3. Marx mainly focused on the gradation of society in terms of how much money one makes. But what about the separation of groups in terms of religion? What would happen to religion in a communist world?
Yeah, I thought of 3....
Two Reoccurring Questions
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Hey Bud, I got something to ask you.
I also want Marx to answer to the fact that there are some people who cannot contribute the the community due to mental health issues, or physical limitations. What do we have these people do? Just as above, the rest of the community may see them as dead weight, dragging them down. If that happens, people could begin to selectively kill those who could not contribute and a second form of the Holocaust could begin.
I would want to hear a reaction on these two topics from Marx.
blog assignment
In capitalism, people are given individual freedoms, or it is claimed that they are. This individual freedom is the driving force for acting on self interest and producing captital. My question is does Karl Marx believe of recognize INDIVIDUAL freedom/free will? I would like to add how his writing suggests almost as if people are forced into certain positions, customs, and ways of living through some sort of brainwashing of society.
Everything that Karl Marx has written and explained deals with society as a whole, and what is fair/unfair for the community. Going along with the common theme of CIE, does Karl Marx endorse the idea that human beings have certain unalienable rights? Individually? In extension to this question I would like to add how Locke was a certain way in explaining how people have rights, but Marx does not take this route. He certainly would not use God to explain this, but most probably Darwinian Evolution. (Survival of the Fittest?)
Questions for Karl Marx
2) What is the ideal structure and functionality of a Communistic society/government.
Remaining questions for Marx
History Lesson
My next involves motivation of the common worker, which Marx can make a greater case for even though I am still not entirely convinced. What is to motivate the worker to do the less desirable jobs? If the government will require everyone to share this job in shifts from time to time, would that not completely diminish the efficiency of these respective fields? Also, if people are required to do this mass amount of menial labor, presumably the amount of boring and tedious jobs outnumbers the unbridled passions a man has in life. Therefore, if a man found himself devoting 80% of his time to menial jobs and only 20% to his passion, is that not the same situation we are in inside capitalism? How would Marx avoid this? Not to mention the very narrow spectrum of passions the vast majority of people have. Mostly people want to be actors or athletes or writers, sure there will be a small minority of people whose passion is scrubbing toilets but they will be far outnumbered by the majority of the former. Perhaps I am a pessimist but I can just not see this form of government not falling apart or the masses losing morale within the system. Personally I have read Marx many times, studied the Bolshevik Revolution numerous times and am a huge Che Guevara fan, but each time I can just not see this form of government working. My conditioning may just make me so, or perhaps I am greedy, but I just cannot see it working.
Blog Assn #12: 2 Questions on Marx
Sunday, February 22, 2009
marx
Oh Yes!
this was fun to read...
Marxing Capitialism
Karl Marx and Capitalism
On the other hand, Karl Marx also acknowledges the negative effects of capitalism. One thing that Marx does not like about capitalism is that is leads to overproduction and this overproduction seem to destroy business. Marx writes, “The productive forces at the disposal of society no longer tend to further the development of the conditions of bourgeois property” (11). Marx also does not agree with the idea that in capitalism, the production of the workers is not equally shared between producer and consumer. Now that there are more means of production through technology and other inventions, the working class is being driven out. Marx explains, “Owing to the extensive use of machinery and to division of labour, the work of the proletarians has lost all individual character, and consequently, all charm for the workman” (12). Karl Marx’s answer to this would be for the working class to unite and drive out capitalism.
High Marx in some areas, Low Marx in others
blog assignment #11
A second advantage to capitalism is the sudden increase in invention, knowledge, and civilization. This “boom” has created a global market, a chance for countries around the word to make ties, where they before relied mostly on local markets. This boom has also made many barbaric countries into civilized, producing countries. World trade encouraged by Capitalism requires them to do so.
Capitalism has aided the destruction of some classes, but there remains a class system still. Marx has made a comment about the wizard’s own spells are now going to lead the wizard to destruction. The bone that Marx has to pick with capitalism is that there is a great amount of oppression between the owners of production and the laborers. The laborers, though far greater in number, are treated as poorly as possible. As Marx points out, the laborers are not seen as people, but as a means to a dollar sign. There is a comment made that the owners only see these people as extensions of the machinery they work. This is inhumane and it parallels slavery. Marx also points out that the laborers are doing the majority of the work, while the owners of production are able to make the most profit simply by owning the machinery. And the laws made by society side with the owners of production. Societal views, governmental leaders, aristocrats, and the church are all slanted and brainwashing---another means of control.
M-A-R-X MARX!
Marx, being the communist he is, sees flaws in capitalism as well. He claims that capitalism creates social stratification by creating classes based on economic standing. He thinks that those with less money and poor social standing will be subjected to worse jobs with no upward mobility. They will not get good wages and not be able to fend for themselves in a capitalist world. He believes that shopkeepers and handymen and tradesmen will become less profitable because they cannot compete with “Modern Industry”. In order for capitalism to fall Marx thinks that the lower class will have to rise up and try to overthrow the upper class so that they [the lower class] can impose their power.
For the Profit of Few
Friday, February 20, 2009
X "Marx" the Spot
Marx On Capitalism
Not only does capitalism degrade human relations, but also replaces the middle class with machinery. Humans become nothing but a commodity. Everything has a value including human labor. The proletariat also known as the middle class are “stripped of its halo every occupation hitherto honored and looked up to with reverent awe” (58). Marx even uses a metaphor explaining how the worker has become “an appendage of a machine”. On top of degrading the middle class individuals to become simply factory workers, Marx argues that capitalism forces nations to be dependent one another. Therefore sometimes the cheap goods of barbaric nations are needed and capitalism barges in. After capitalism takes the cheap commodities it sets up the barbaric and natural state into a capitalist society. “In one word, it creates a world after its own image” states Marx (59). It is clear that Marx does not respect capitalism in anyway other than the immense and vast products it can produce.
He Likes it, he likes it not..
The list of dislikes outweighs the admirations of capitalism in Karl Marx’s view. Prior to the development of capitalism, feudalism was the driving force of the economy. Feudalism had resonated since the Middle Ages. It was biased and rooted in extreme inequalities for reasons simply as heritage and wealth. It was equivalent to a caste system. It took a lot of revolutions and ground breaking philosophies to eliminate feudalism. The industrial revolution ushered in the downfall of feudalism. With the industrial revolution came the rise of the bourgeoisie. This helped break the “caste system” and ushered its constituents into two main classes: the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. The new economic system was now based on competition for resources and survival of the fittest businessman. This theory of “equality of opportunity” was viewed favorably in Marx’s’ eyes.
Turning toward the dislikes, the list seems to be longer. Marx believed that in order to maintain capitalism, a consistently innovative society was essential. This required the continuous expansion of technology, which in time would put the mass amounts of the working class (proletariat) out of jobs. It also greatly cuts back on the wages of the citizens who are still working.
Another factor to Marx’s dismay was that of globalization. This also provided another window of intense competition. Globalization allowed every nation to work together and oppress the proletariat as a whole. (This is similar to out sourcing today.) This inspired the proletariat to compete with one another for the wages. Marx did not like this because he felt that the proletariat should be fighting the bourgeoisie.
Finally, Marx was disappointed that capitalism ruined the most sacred institution: the nuclear family. During the industrial revolution, children as young as four were being put to work in coal mines and the like. Children were most often seen in coal mines because they could fit in the small sections of the mines. Families were being torn apart. The movie Germinal clearly exemplifies this point. The family featured in the movie was constantly at work; they never had time to grow as a family. Marx would frown upon this because families, in general, are a place for people to turn to in times of need; families also shape who one is as a person.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
A Little Bit of This...A Little Bit of That
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Too much of a good thing
On Communism
But that is the extent of Marx's praise. Past that, he is quite unhappy with the system as a whole. Although Marx acknowledges this advancement, he identifies the problem with it: the exploitation of the working class. Through time, the working class is constantly sunk into lower positions by machinery, and in turn are also paid lower wages. But this exploitation is not taken idly, for the working class will band into unions and try to fight for rights of decent wages. And although capitalist may hold initial power over the working class, it is not before long that the working class bands together and works to bring down the capitalist. And in this conflict, it is the capitalist who loses, for capitalist require workers to function. Exploiting the very basis of fortune cannot last forever, and in the end, capitalist dig their own grave by exploiting those beneath them. Marx thinks that this is an ugly conflict: having men on top exploit those on the bottom, and at the same time have those on the bottom be motivated by having to take out those on top.
Blog Assn #11: Marx and the Manifesto
Based on the first section of the Manifesto, What does Marx like about capitalism? What does Marx dislike about capitalism?
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
The Power of Memories
Wordsworth
New #1 Pittsburgh Panthers
Tintern Abbey
I believe that the poem shows the transformation of William Wordsworth as a poet. As he grew older, his views of nature and possibly many other things in life have changed. Something that was once beautiful and innocent to him now is something that he is disgusted by.
Tintern Abbey
Tintern Abbey interpretation
I can connect to this poem with the camp I work at over the summer. I was a camper there for 10 years and this coming summer will be my 4th summer working there. And I feel that no matter how much changes in the world around the camp, nothing inside it changes. Everything is beautiful and appreciated, especially the nature growing all through its land. I could see Wordsworth having a similar feeling at this camp like the one he has at Tintern Abbey.
I think my brain turned off or something...
Nature and It's Value to Wordsworth
Even now revisiting this place, Wordsworth remembers the memories he had there, and how bittersweet it is to remember them. He feels that even though he cannot relive the memories of his boyish days, he doesn’t mourn it because he can now see this place in a completely new light.
Wordsworth feels that even if he did not return to this place in nature, he would be at peace with it because of his relationship with his sister. He hopes that even when he is not there someday, she can remember this place and think of him and be at peace. Although Wordsworth closes out the poem by saying that after all of his wanderings in this place, the years of absence made this place more dear and fond to him than it ever was before.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Untouched Nature Has Value
P.S. - This poem reminds me of a special time when I was young and rode horses. When I went on "trail rides", I would go alone and see a beautiful spot completely untouched by mankind. I would lie on my horse and dream of fairies and such. At times I wish to return to that spot, but yet have not.
blog assignment #10
On Tintern Abby
But the main point Wordsworth is trying to get at is that memories act as a refuge for our mind. Something of great positive impact upon us can serve as a sanctuary in time of hardships. We can reflect back on our past to bring back that feeling of joy we feel when we experience whatever it is. And whatever that thing is, it remains vivid and real within our mind, only changing over time but never becoming less of a joy. For Wordsworth, he finds it in nature. By wanting his sister to find the same joy in nature, he thinks that there are others who can do the same.
For the Soul
The overall tone of the poem seems to be one of lament, yet still fond remembrance. He speaks of the joys nature brings him and its purifying effect on the human soul, but there is an underlying feeling of the sadness of loss. Possibly, this lament is referring to the loss of the freedom and naturalness of childhood and loss of the natural state of all humanity to the busy cities and worries of industry and commerce. He writes that, now that he is older, he looks to nature and hears “The still, sad music of humanity,” as if humanity is to be mourned for its now stagnant place in the routines of industry, being left without the freedom of nature.
Beauty Around Us
Nature
Coming Home
For the first few stanzas William Wordsworth seems to hold an optimistic outlook when he discusses his views on nature. He describes the scenery around him with great detail and passion. Wordworth seems to parallel his childhood with that of the state of nature. He says that things were simpler and perfect in his youth and the state of nature. Now that he has grown, many aspects of his life have become difficult; now that we have left the state of nature; daily life has become lonely, weakening and poor.
Wordworth makes a statement that seems to resonate in my mind. He says, “Thy memory be as a dwelling place.” This statement still applies today; when one is stressed or upset, he or she may go for a walk in the woods to clear his or her head or think back to better times. When one is stressed out he or she may turn to old memories to comfort him or her. Wordworth is saying that he needs to leave the current state he is in and return to the state of nature because this is where he can contemplate things and feel safe.
Wordworth states, toward the end of the poem, that he is a worshipper of nature which is analogous to a transcendentalist. The poets love for nature breeds a desire in him to leave the state he is currently in and return to the state of nature in which he knew and loved. Wordworth hints that in order to do this he will have to break away from society. Wordworth ends his poem with the hope that his return to the state of nature will be glorious. He describes it so well that it is easy to visualize: “steep woods,” “lofty cliffs;” the adjectives are romanticized.
Blog Assn #10: "Tintern Abbey"
What is Wordsworth saying in "Tintern Abbey?"
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Proverbs by Blake..
Be selfish, it is the only way to fulfill your desires.
9 Days till spring training
Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what your gonna get.
proverbs?
To wait for true love is to wait for a world of peace.
I hope I did it right
If others are willing to do your work for you allow them and take the free time.
Hopefully I got them right this time....
Appreciation is what you make of it, if you want too much, you will never appreciate anything.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Proverbs of...
The man of self is left to embrace self alone in the darkness of flames
Friday, February 13, 2009
blog assignment #9
But blindeth the eyes who dare to match its loftiness
Irises germinate not by remaining still
But only after the aggitation of whirlwind
Attempt #1 Proverbs of Hell
Take a step into the water even if you do not know how deep the water may be; for the person who never takes the steps cannot find new knowledge.
My Proverbs from Hell
The man of high justice finds himself in a personal prison; the man of high thievery finds everlasting happiness.
2 Proverbs in hell
An eagle in mid-swoop does not stop to consider how a full stomach might affect its prey
proverbs 1 and 2
The sermon blasphemes; experience glorifies.
Proverbs of Hell (Take 2)
Proverbs
2. He engulfed in water will always be better off than he who is parched.
Two Proverbs of Hell
Blog Assn #9: Proverbs of Hell
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Lincoln and Delbanco
p.s. I used to play with Lincoln Logs!
Who Are We? And How Can We Be Defined?
The Inner Lincoln
Blog Assignment #8 Delbanco
In Agreement...
Patience Over Desire
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Blog Assn #8: Delbanco
Offer an argument against one of Delbanco’s claims (in the 4:30 PM talk in the Lenfest Theater in the “Kleid”); or offer a fresh argument (that Delbanco himself doesn’t) in favor of one of his claims.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Sex Slavery
Starting at the Roots..
The awful and terrible truth is that slavery is real. It is present in our world today. The unfortunate truth is that we don’t recognize it; we see it as something separate from the life we know and the “world” we live in. And in seeing ourselves apart from the world of human trafficking we are doing nothing to stop it or fight hard to save those greatly affected by it. We need to open our eyes to the truth and not turn and sweep it under the rug. Human trafficking is real, and it’s devastating. Over seven hundred thousand individuals are trafficked every year worldwide and that number includes hundreds of thousands of girls and young women, kidnapped by neighbors and sold by relatives to help pay off debts and support families. We need to save these girls. As a country, we have everything; we need to make a difference.
Marching into Cambodia and leveling every brothel is not the answer, as it will most likely drive human trafficking and prostitution further underground. While that may seem like an obvious solution, the problem needs to be completely uprooted. The most impacting and influential place to start is with the establishment of schools, with education and literacy young girls are less likely to be tricked or convinced into prostitution. Additionally, third-world governments need to be driven to strongly crack down on prostitution, settling laws and enforced restrictions.
Emancipation alone will not save these girls, as “rescuing them involves more than just opening a door” (9). Acceptance is all they long for and after the loss of their innocence it’s the last thing they expect to receive. Often the freedom they find outside of the brothel is so unsettling that they return to the captivity of a sex slave. In working to wipe out human trafficking, it needs to begin by addressing the needs of young girls through literacy and job programs; they need to find their place in society with an alternative way of earning a living.
As a nation, we CAN make a difference. Those young girls have a right to their freedom and it’s within our power and ability to help them attain that. We can assist other nations in achieving that goal. As the liberalist view holds for the protection of rights, the securing of freedom for these girls is not only what they need, it’s what they deserve.
Huh, we start out with slave girls and end with slave girls
Should the United States Intervene?
Since I do believe sex trafficking is wrong and should be stopped, I have a liberal view. I believe every person has the right to the pursuit of happiness. However, my view of what the United States should do is completely opposite of liberalism. I am pretty much saying that the United States should not be concerned with other people’s freedom at this point in time. However, making sure girls in Cambodia are living a better life is not a main concern in America at this moment. The main concern should be making sure Americans are living a better life.
Not worth it
"But what I do have are a very particular set of skills..."
I do not think that the US should get involved with the sex slavery in other countries. Yes, sex trafficking is a terrible thing and no teenage girl should have to go through that, but the US should focus on our own problems and stay out of other countries’ problems, unlike what we did in Iraq. There isn’t really a good way to even help with the problem in Cambodia, our army can’t just stroll into Poipet and rescue all the prostitutes and arrest all the pimps. That just isn’t our place to act. In Kristof’s articles, he said that the women’s organizations are being lazy with this whole situation. But what really can they do? I mean, if sex slavery is going on in America, then I sure as hell hope these women’s groups and everyone else would be trying everything possible to put a stop to it. But in another country, with their own government and laws, we can’t really do much unless we force our way in and take over (and that just isn’t cool) The best we can do is let those countries know our opinion on the matter and let them know we are more than willing to help end the slavery.
A liberal society would want these women to have their own individual rights, and not be forced to have sex for money or to be keep locked up 24/7. Personally, I think nothing about sex slavery is right and it should be stopped. But I think Cambodia and all the other countries where this is going on need to step up and try and put a stop to it themselves, and not need the US to threaten them to get it done.
:)
Slavery in the 21st Century
The fact of the matter is that this idea of human trafficking is in fact slavery. These women are forced into prostitution. Just as slavery with blacks was viewed as an issue and handled, slavery of women should be considered as well. In my opinion, the government should put an end to this trafficking. Some people have become aware of this issue and are acting upon it. For example, “the new director of the trafficking office, John Miller, has bludgeoned foreign governments, telling them to curb trafficking or face sanctions” (9). I believe that there should be laws against sex slavery and if broken, there should be consequences. Some other obvious solutions could be “pressure on foreign governments to crack down on brothels with underage girls or those held against their will, promotion of condoms to keep prostitutes alive and above all, literacy and job programs to raise the status of girls and women” (10). Slavery was an issue of the past that should have been ended when the slavery of African Americans was abolished – this includes sex slavery.
This whole idea of sex slavery goes against the views of liberalism. However, my view on this issue is compatible with liberalism. Liberalists, as well as I, believe in individual freedom, and idea which is clearly being broken with sex slavery. “But the real mystery is why most Democrats, liberals and feminist groups have been complacent on trafficking” (9).