“You want to do the pentathlon, or to wrestle? Look at you arms, your thighs, inspect your loins” (sec 29) Make your choice according to your situation. One thing I finally agree with Epictetus, we can´t follow instincts when taking choices is in the line. We or at least I evaluate every possible outcome before choosing. I can’t´ become an athlete with my body even if I wanted to so I naturally don´t become an athlete. But with my brains I can become a lawyer or something that requires more thinking than moving. I have to make choices every day, and sometimes I do not have the time to think and analyze everything so I make an educated guess, and almost always I get the outcome I was hopping.
Surprisingly I found another thing in common with Epictetus, I have to work for the things I want. One thing I can´t stand is spoiled people, if you want something get it yourself. “You must be disciplined, keep a strict diet, stay away from cakes.” (sec29) I liked this quote particularly because of the cake part it made me laugh but mostly because it explains if you want to be in a marathon you have to be disciplined and do it yourself. Our actions depend on none else but us. If I want to be skinny I stay away from the cake, like I do. The cake mention was interesting for me because is something teenage girls tend to worry excessively about weight so I could analyze that Epictetus is directing to everyone, making me contradict what I had said before about this handbook being on mindless fools who try to become leaders. This Handbook provides a life style, that regardless to what I said I still would not follow it.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Dear, Robbie
Dear Robbie,
I am writing to you in account of your poem “The Road Not Taken”. First of all, if you call that a poem you obviously have not read my handbook, I will make sure you get a copy and for you to be able to write something good. If there is something I teach is never to be sorry, “if it ever happens that you turn outward to want to please another person, certainly you have lost your plan of life. Be content therefore in everything to be a philosopher, and f you want to seem one, make yourself appear so to yourself, and you will be capable of it” (sec23) if you are a philosopher then you now there is not two roads and that you can´t be sorry but you have to deal with it. Make best of what is given so in the case that there is two roads travel them both!
Ok, now I have a problem with this line “I took the one less traveled by,” how can you take a road less traveled by? if in here you mean the road of life you and I both now that there is only one road of life and it is traveled on because we can´t stop time. “I doubted if I should ever come back” Robert now you have disappointed me your doubting yourself? If there is one thing I know is that we have to be sure and have confidence, never do that to yourself!
There is more damage than what it thought the original purpose to this letter has been derived now I want to invite you to my house so I can teach you how to write, and be a mindless fool of a leader! And so you can stop that sensibility and deepness and become insensitive and all the opposite of a great poet!
Sincerely,
Epictetus
I am writing to you in account of your poem “The Road Not Taken”. First of all, if you call that a poem you obviously have not read my handbook, I will make sure you get a copy and for you to be able to write something good. If there is something I teach is never to be sorry, “if it ever happens that you turn outward to want to please another person, certainly you have lost your plan of life. Be content therefore in everything to be a philosopher, and f you want to seem one, make yourself appear so to yourself, and you will be capable of it” (sec23) if you are a philosopher then you now there is not two roads and that you can´t be sorry but you have to deal with it. Make best of what is given so in the case that there is two roads travel them both!
Ok, now I have a problem with this line “I took the one less traveled by,” how can you take a road less traveled by? if in here you mean the road of life you and I both now that there is only one road of life and it is traveled on because we can´t stop time. “I doubted if I should ever come back” Robert now you have disappointed me your doubting yourself? If there is one thing I know is that we have to be sure and have confidence, never do that to yourself!
There is more damage than what it thought the original purpose to this letter has been derived now I want to invite you to my house so I can teach you how to write, and be a mindless fool of a leader! And so you can stop that sensibility and deepness and become insensitive and all the opposite of a great poet!
Sincerely,
Epictetus
Dr. Epictetus I Am Afraid You Are Wrong
If we see something too much we will get used to it, “let death and exile and everything that is terrible appear before your eyes every day, especially death; and you will never have anything contemptible in your thoughts or crave anything excessively” (sec21) okay sure, I will have a brain wash dr. Epictetus. It will make my life easier I bet.
I was talking to a friend the other day about war, why is it that a soldier gets mental illness after war. First of all like dr. Epictetus said if you see something excessively then you will get used to it, and then become insensible. In sec 11 Epictetus mentions that we should be insensible to reach glory, now we learn how to. I have to ask if Epictetus wants me to kill someone every day to get to glory? No wonder soldiers are screwed up they have no feelings left, they stopped being humans for god’s sake. “so the idea of preventing war on earth is stupid” (sgh5 pg 117) so losing our humanity is inevitable, then soldiers should reach glory but guess what, is not working. We should not follow Epictetus because as far as I have seen, war soldiers without feelings reach as far as a mental hospital and doomed lives. So what can you say about that Epictetus.
I was talking to a friend the other day about war, why is it that a soldier gets mental illness after war. First of all like dr. Epictetus said if you see something excessively then you will get used to it, and then become insensible. In sec 11 Epictetus mentions that we should be insensible to reach glory, now we learn how to. I have to ask if Epictetus wants me to kill someone every day to get to glory? No wonder soldiers are screwed up they have no feelings left, they stopped being humans for god’s sake. “so the idea of preventing war on earth is stupid” (sgh5 pg 117) so losing our humanity is inevitable, then soldiers should reach glory but guess what, is not working. We should not follow Epictetus because as far as I have seen, war soldiers without feelings reach as far as a mental hospital and doomed lives. So what can you say about that Epictetus.
The Joy Of Humanity
The thing that makes us all go weak and break down is human vulnerability. What I mean by vulnerability is human feelings the weak side in every one. It could be kittens it could rainbows it could be love, is that thing that makes us cry and sigh is that sweet part in everyone. Epictetus states very well how we should all be strong and avoid emotions to control us, “if you see a beautiful boy or women, you will find the capacity of self-control for that. If hardship comes to you, you will find endurance.” (sec11). Humans are resilient, we can recover from almost anything but there is still that side, so is sensibility and compassion a bad thing for leadership]?
We often criticize people who lack of sensibility but we also criticize them for having too much. I think there should be a middle point, but I wonder is there? You are in the last part of a contest, your “enemy” is your best friend he has his reasons for being there as you do, the reasons are as strong as yours what do you do? Do you squash him and win or are you sensible and let him win and in the long run you still have a heart. “if you want to make progress, let people think you are mindless fool about externals, and do not desire a reputation for knowing about them” (sec13) one would guess that this is the right thing to do, and my point here is strong. Hitler was a leader, a bad one and he was following Epictetus he had no desire of a good reputation and he did not care about externals. Now, should we follow Epictetus and become a mindless fool like Hitler? I think not, so I strongly disagree that we should be leaders without love and care as Epictetus state.
Humans are the advanced species, because we have the privilege of choice and mind, an ant has no choice but to guard his colony instead of running they have no courage, they have instinct. If by any chance a alien species came to us, they would see that most humans are naïve on making this vulnerable decisions and believing that “you want your children and your wife and your friends to live forever”(sec14) but that humanity that we have makes us unique, and strong and yes we have hard times because we care but I simply cannot care or making the end justify the means as Nicholas Machiavelli states. There is no possible way of all humans make in to progress or win if we stop caring.
Epictetus handbook applies to a small group of people who are willing to lose humanity to get their way. But I have to ask do we really want to lose such a big part of our lives. I would not want lose the smile I have on a baby, or my naïve way on thinking my family is there forever, yes I might get hurt but that is the joy of being human.
We often criticize people who lack of sensibility but we also criticize them for having too much. I think there should be a middle point, but I wonder is there? You are in the last part of a contest, your “enemy” is your best friend he has his reasons for being there as you do, the reasons are as strong as yours what do you do? Do you squash him and win or are you sensible and let him win and in the long run you still have a heart. “if you want to make progress, let people think you are mindless fool about externals, and do not desire a reputation for knowing about them” (sec13) one would guess that this is the right thing to do, and my point here is strong. Hitler was a leader, a bad one and he was following Epictetus he had no desire of a good reputation and he did not care about externals. Now, should we follow Epictetus and become a mindless fool like Hitler? I think not, so I strongly disagree that we should be leaders without love and care as Epictetus state.
Humans are the advanced species, because we have the privilege of choice and mind, an ant has no choice but to guard his colony instead of running they have no courage, they have instinct. If by any chance a alien species came to us, they would see that most humans are naïve on making this vulnerable decisions and believing that “you want your children and your wife and your friends to live forever”(sec14) but that humanity that we have makes us unique, and strong and yes we have hard times because we care but I simply cannot care or making the end justify the means as Nicholas Machiavelli states. There is no possible way of all humans make in to progress or win if we stop caring.
Epictetus handbook applies to a small group of people who are willing to lose humanity to get their way. But I have to ask do we really want to lose such a big part of our lives. I would not want lose the smile I have on a baby, or my naïve way on thinking my family is there forever, yes I might get hurt but that is the joy of being human.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
When Rules Are Not Followed
Have you ever seen the TV series of friends? Each character is so complex and represents different stereotypes. Rachel is the typical Preppy who tries to work her way out of her stereotype. Chandler is my favorite character he is the entire not dos on Epictetus. He is a man with a rough childhood, a mom and a transvestite dad very interesting. He always uses sarcasm as mechanism of self-defense meaning he is uneducated by Epictetus standards. “And uneducated person accuses others when he is doing badly.”(sec 5)
Chandler is the example of wannabe successful in everything, he over cares the things and complains about everything that comes in his way. “And if it is about one of the things that is not up to us, be ready to say, you have no relation to me.”(sec1) everything bothers him, those things that are not up to him and he suffers he by not succeeding , he has a lousy job he complains no women no money and uses too much sarcasm or jokes no one understands(the misunderstanding of chandler is what makes the audience laugh).
Friends is the example of what happens when you do not follow the rules of Epictetus. Therefore, it would be a great advice to follow Epictetus or there is a chance we could
So It Goes
“One bird said to Billy Pilgrim, “Poo-tee-weet?” (sgh5 pg. 215). Why did Vonnegut write the end of the book on bird language? As I read this last chapter I understood one thing life nor death can be explained or reasoned one thing we can’t understand are birds. It is not explainable yet is so simple, so Vonnegut took this chance to write a three-syllable word, who a child of three can understand as not human. We cannot justify war or a massacre is not understandable not something, human beings do with reason.
“Martin Luther king was shot a month ago. He died, too. So it goes.” (Sgh5 pg 210) the so it goes, for me was a demonstration of the things we can do after someone dies which is nothing, maybe go on. So it goes is unavoidable as death so it had to be used as many times. The so it goes is sad like death because it leaves the reader wanting to know more about the piece but it ends suddenly and without an explanation like a human life.
As I read I knew the so it goes was coming wanting to stop it I could not it was a sure thing to expect from the book. However, as I waited for the next so it goes great things in the middle happened, a story developed, and before I knew it the book caught me. Now the end came nothing more to say but simple words as poo-tee-weet. What happened to the so it goes? i wandered, but then I remembered Gilgamesh he is eternal because his city is eternal. The book is still alive! is in our hands whenever we need it, is hidden on our memories .
So one thing I can say I learned from this book is that we are never sure of anything but a so it goes.
“Martin Luther king was shot a month ago. He died, too. So it goes.” (Sgh5 pg 210) the so it goes, for me was a demonstration of the things we can do after someone dies which is nothing, maybe go on. So it goes is unavoidable as death so it had to be used as many times. The so it goes is sad like death because it leaves the reader wanting to know more about the piece but it ends suddenly and without an explanation like a human life.
As I read I knew the so it goes was coming wanting to stop it I could not it was a sure thing to expect from the book. However, as I waited for the next so it goes great things in the middle happened, a story developed, and before I knew it the book caught me. Now the end came nothing more to say but simple words as poo-tee-weet. What happened to the so it goes? i wandered, but then I remembered Gilgamesh he is eternal because his city is eternal. The book is still alive! is in our hands whenever we need it, is hidden on our memories .
So one thing I can say I learned from this book is that we are never sure of anything but a so it goes.
Victory Came With A Side Effect
Victory came with burden.
Patient: Billy pilgrim
Disease: the patient happened to be a prisoner of war, the usual side effects. (“I was in Dresden when it was Bombed. I was a prisoner of war.” Sgh5 pg 193):
1. Hallucinations caused by possible brain exhaustion.
• “And then Billy was allowed to speak. Off he went, in that beautifully trained voice of his, telling about the flying saucers and Montana Wildhack and so on.”(Sgh5 pg206)
•
2. The patient may experience a possible creation of an alternate world, mixing the things he sees and pretending is magical.
• Things like the life of a character in a book can be confused as his own. “The time-traveler in the book went back to the bible times to find out one thing in particular.”(sgh5 pg 208)
• “Billy closed his eyes, traveled in time to a May afternoon, two days after the end Second World War in Europe.” (sgh5 pg 193)
Observations: sleep talks, “all he does in his sleep is quit and surrender and apologize and ask to be left alone” (sgh50g. 184) observation made by his roommate.
Comments, and suggested treatment: this man time traveler, several days after release abducted by aliens so he claims. The medical report suggests strongly keeping the patient under severe physiological observation until further notice. A recent patient of mine, Valencia Pilgrim died in her way to the hospital who happens to be Billy Pilgrim’s wife. In conclusion, this patient clearly suffers from emotional exhaustion and post-war disease. Never under any circumstances leave this patient alone possible sign of dementia, he can overwhelm a person and making him believe that he was indeed a time traveler but now he is a lonely men suffering a victory burden.
Patient: Billy pilgrim
Disease: the patient happened to be a prisoner of war, the usual side effects. (“I was in Dresden when it was Bombed. I was a prisoner of war.” Sgh5 pg 193):
1. Hallucinations caused by possible brain exhaustion.
• “And then Billy was allowed to speak. Off he went, in that beautifully trained voice of his, telling about the flying saucers and Montana Wildhack and so on.”(Sgh5 pg206)
•
2. The patient may experience a possible creation of an alternate world, mixing the things he sees and pretending is magical.
• Things like the life of a character in a book can be confused as his own. “The time-traveler in the book went back to the bible times to find out one thing in particular.”(sgh5 pg 208)
• “Billy closed his eyes, traveled in time to a May afternoon, two days after the end Second World War in Europe.” (sgh5 pg 193)
Observations: sleep talks, “all he does in his sleep is quit and surrender and apologize and ask to be left alone” (sgh50g. 184) observation made by his roommate.
Comments, and suggested treatment: this man time traveler, several days after release abducted by aliens so he claims. The medical report suggests strongly keeping the patient under severe physiological observation until further notice. A recent patient of mine, Valencia Pilgrim died in her way to the hospital who happens to be Billy Pilgrim’s wife. In conclusion, this patient clearly suffers from emotional exhaustion and post-war disease. Never under any circumstances leave this patient alone possible sign of dementia, he can overwhelm a person and making him believe that he was indeed a time traveler but now he is a lonely men suffering a victory burden.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Who Would I Be In A War?
What makes us keep going after the worst has happened? Is human instincts, “those with eyes had seen it burn and burn, understood that they were on the edge of a desert now. Still-they had opened for business, had polished the glasses and wound the clocks and stirred the fires, and waited and waited to see who could come.” (Sgh5 pg 181). They eyes of the people had seen their city their friends die and still they opened the business they forgot about prejudice and pride, by letting the Americans stay there in the barn. This chapter remained me much of the twilight zone. A city destroyed no one else but enemies Americans and Germans, they need each other to survive. Would you let in your house the people who destroyed your city? That is what the Germans did with the rest of the Americans there is a point where you just can´t fight anymore. Parents divorce, because they hit the point were is not worth fighting anymore people take different interests in life. Yesterday in class I was asked is war justified, I answered that it depends on each case, but then is said is it worth all the suffering for then suffer even more, isn´t there a peaceful solution to avoid pain for everyone. I think there is, a mediation is much better where you talk a reach a solution to a problem.
“You’re going to have to fight the communists sooner or later, “said Campbell. “Why not get it over with now?”(sgh5 pg 164) this is ironic, they are in war all sore and weak and they ask them to join the people who did that to them just to get a war out of the way. The Americans are in a war and want to get it over with and then they ask of them to keep fighting and obvious answer would be a no. One of the characters, I enjoyed most of this book is Campbell although he is right about the communists he talks in a way that makes ask what is this dude up to. I like that about the book, we get to see difference characters acting differently in war. Would I be the same person in a war than what I am now? I don´t know but I do not want to find out because I like peace.
“You’re going to have to fight the communists sooner or later, “said Campbell. “Why not get it over with now?”(sgh5 pg 164) this is ironic, they are in war all sore and weak and they ask them to join the people who did that to them just to get a war out of the way. The Americans are in a war and want to get it over with and then they ask of them to keep fighting and obvious answer would be a no. One of the characters, I enjoyed most of this book is Campbell although he is right about the communists he talks in a way that makes ask what is this dude up to. I like that about the book, we get to see difference characters acting differently in war. Would I be the same person in a war than what I am now? I don´t know but I do not want to find out because I like peace.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Deal With It!
I ask one thing why care? Who said we have responsibilities and if we do, why should I do them. I still accomplish my responsibilities or at least try, I am writing this blog. But can you imagine just stop caring and start doing what pleases you sometimes in life we feel like that, why keep going when we eventually are going to die why clean if it will get dirty tomorrow again. I don’t know but we humans tend to search for a meaning in life, what if there is no meaning. We can´t do just because we do, no there has to be a why do it so we do it. It gets confusing, imagine a world where we don’t have to ask the why we just do because we can is all alright and ok. “It was all right with him. Everything was pretty much all right with Billy.” (Slaughterhouse-five pg 157) humans should just learn to deal with it, the world would be so much easier if there was tolerance much more quiet you get what you get and there is no way of solving. Everything would be still and I would enjoy it. People get in their minds that a so-called greater power will mysteriously change their life course but there really isn´t. I think that destiny or life is up to you and you are the only one that can change it you are in control of your life. If people would see that power they have life as we know it would be different people would stop self pitying and try to make something of what they have. I think this blog is a response of an anger caused by people who avoid responsibilities. There is a slight chance it took a different focus that what I meant.
Billy´s Slippers
“Anybody ever asks you what the sweetest thing life is-“said Lazarro, “its revenge” (Slaughterhouse-five pg 139). Sweet as what? As sweet as lollipop you just started and you lick repeatedly like if you were a kid? Waiting for your dad in bed, hoping he reads Cinderella and tucks you in. Why is, Cinderella even mentioned in this story? “The boots fit perfectly. Billy pilgrim was Cinderella, and Cinderella was Billy pilgrim.”(Slaughterhouse-five pg 145. Well we have established before that Vonnegut uses satire throughout the novel, and I think is allegorical. The real Cinderella story is in German, its name comes from the cinders in the fireplace and she used to sleep besides them therefore Cinderella. Cinderella’s mom died when she was young and her stepmother killed her father for money. As time passed, the ball came and she had a magical appearance by the ghost of her father who helped her get ready, she forgot her glass slipper and the story begins. Cinderella’s stepsisters tried everything possible to make sure the slipper would fit them, which is when they cut their feet so they glass slipper would fit them.
Why is Vonnegut using Cinderella’s boots, I believe is since Billy does not belong in war he finds this boots and he tries them on waiting for a perfect fit. The next we hear is that Billy pilgrim was Cinderella. Billy after all the war suffering comparing to Cinderella’s suffering with her stepmother was a war, Cinderella got married because of the slippers and Billy solved a problem because of them. I made the connection that is when we see that someone as simple as Billy is a. Like a Campbell soup simple life made great, Billy was nobody why examine him why take the time, why even mock him. Because simplicity is beautiful and Billy is a soul in suffering, like everybody else but seen as great.
Why is Vonnegut using Cinderella’s boots, I believe is since Billy does not belong in war he finds this boots and he tries them on waiting for a perfect fit. The next we hear is that Billy pilgrim was Cinderella. Billy after all the war suffering comparing to Cinderella’s suffering with her stepmother was a war, Cinderella got married because of the slippers and Billy solved a problem because of them. I made the connection that is when we see that someone as simple as Billy is a. Like a Campbell soup simple life made great, Billy was nobody why examine him why take the time, why even mock him. Because simplicity is beautiful and Billy is a soul in suffering, like everybody else but seen as great.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
War Inc.
I came to a very deep conclusion after I finished chapter 5, Human beings are very complex subjects. It may sound vague and a cliché, it’s been said to me repeatedly but it just passed through my ear and went out the other. As Billy Pilgrim, heard Howard W. Campbell Jr., read through the monologue that described the typical Americans I had to re-read that section several times until I got it. It says, “They do not love one another because they do not love themselves.”(Slaughterhouse-five pg 130) humans in order to tolerate have to be able to tolerate themselves, differences happen because if you are unhappy with who you are you take it out on another. Most of the time I think people just smile and pretend to be ok and therefore faking. Some people have a problem with fake people but I think at the end were all-fake, I can’t even tell the difference between real and fake. Reality hurts, and fiction is an escape, for humans.
We often say “try to put yourself in the others shoes.” What I respond to it, is we do it all the time because I am being very honest with you here, if I was the real me all the time then I would probably break most of the society standards, and we are in other people shoes most of the time. “The American army, however, sends its enlisted men out to fight and die in a modified business suit quite evidently made for another man” (Slaughterhouse-five, pg 130) what it took out from this part is not literal is more allegorical. Soldiers go to war to fight something that has not much to do with them, it has to do with the government and interests, the business suit made for another man refers to fighting a war that is not your own. Each and every one of us, have a war, either being to pay the bills or struggle in school is a silent war, because life is a war. This part reminded me of a movie, which I did not really like called, War Inc. the plot of the movie is to explain or show the real point of war. To show what we will get there someday War is not a government thing anymore but a profitable thing humans care more about business than the life of someone else. “Before you kill somebody make absolutely sure he isn’t well connected.” (slaughterhouse-five pg 109) this quote is talking about Jesus and I strongly believe that what it says is right humans will kill as long as it does not affect their economic life. If you kill someone connected with Al-Qaeda, Al-Qaeda will hunt you down and kill you, as instead If you kill a homeless person nobody will avenge his death. I am not saying that I am going to kill anybody, but human morals have gone down to the point where self-benefit is what matters. In addition, we can’t get by looking inside ourselves but by destruction .
if you want to see the War Inc. trailer just go to this following link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9SFoiYIs_4#watch-main-area
We often say “try to put yourself in the others shoes.” What I respond to it, is we do it all the time because I am being very honest with you here, if I was the real me all the time then I would probably break most of the society standards, and we are in other people shoes most of the time. “The American army, however, sends its enlisted men out to fight and die in a modified business suit quite evidently made for another man” (Slaughterhouse-five, pg 130) what it took out from this part is not literal is more allegorical. Soldiers go to war to fight something that has not much to do with them, it has to do with the government and interests, the business suit made for another man refers to fighting a war that is not your own. Each and every one of us, have a war, either being to pay the bills or struggle in school is a silent war, because life is a war. This part reminded me of a movie, which I did not really like called, War Inc. the plot of the movie is to explain or show the real point of war. To show what we will get there someday War is not a government thing anymore but a profitable thing humans care more about business than the life of someone else. “Before you kill somebody make absolutely sure he isn’t well connected.” (slaughterhouse-five pg 109) this quote is talking about Jesus and I strongly believe that what it says is right humans will kill as long as it does not affect their economic life. If you kill someone connected with Al-Qaeda, Al-Qaeda will hunt you down and kill you, as instead If you kill a homeless person nobody will avenge his death. I am not saying that I am going to kill anybody, but human morals have gone down to the point where self-benefit is what matters. In addition, we can’t get by looking inside ourselves but by destruction .
if you want to see the War Inc. trailer just go to this following link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9SFoiYIs_4#watch-main-area
Monday, September 7, 2009
Mustard Gas And Roses And A Solved Dilemma
It was in the beginning of the chapter, to be exact the first page when I saw a quote and suddenly I felt a like an epiphany. It is just amazing what I felt, today we were in class discussing the different types of narrators in the book, me and my group came to a conclusion that there is 3 narrators Vonnegut who was at war with Billy and shared some of his life with him, a third person omniscient and Billy Pilgrim as a first person. We all can tell that in the first chapter is Kurt Vonnegut talking about the book then somehow we change narrators and talk about Billy, Vonnegut explains his time in war what he did after wards and says, “I have this disease late at night sometimes, involving alcohol and the telephone. I get drunk, and drive my wife away with a breath like mustard gas and roses. And then, speaking, gravely and elegantly into the telephone, I ask the telephone operators to connect me with this friends or that one, from whom I have not heard in years.” (Slaughterhouse-five, pg 4) we know that, calling the operator was the way Vonnegut contacted his friend O´Hare, we also know for a fact that Billy and O´Hare are friends. So how do we prove that Vonnegut and pilgrim are not the same people as some say? “Billy answered. There was a drunk on the other end. Billy could almost smell his breath—mustard gas and roses. It was a wrong number. Billy hung up.(slaughterhouse-five pg 73) aha, as clearly quoted Vonnegut said himself that he was drunk and called his friends and he had a smell of MUSTARD GAS AND ROSES who called Billy that had mustard gas and roses, it was obviously Vonnegut. In other words, Vonnegut is not Billy therefore there are three different types of narrators and this may sound like a cliché but this case is closed and today´s dilemma was solved by me!
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Light In The Dark
I believe that Billy is coming to realize that he can’t change much of his life, although he may want to, I think he found himself trapped in destiny. “Among the things Billy Pilgrim could not change were the past, the present, and the future.” (Slaughterhouse-five pg 60) when you can’t change your fate, is because of destiny, and technically speaking if there is such thing as destiny you could sit in a chair waiting for life to happen. I do not understand why Billy has a problem with destiny, “GOD GRANT ME THE SERENTY TO ACCEPT THE THINGS I CANNOT CHANE, COURGAE TO CHANEGE THE THINGS I CAN, AND WISDON ALWAYS TO TELL ME THE DIFFERENCE.” (Slaughterhouse five pg 60) as the poster in his office says. He obviously needs help to deal with what is happening to him and I would imagine is a very difficult life. Imagine hoping around from moment to moment I would need COURAGE or WISDOM to know how to handle all the things I learn from time traveling. Billy needs sleeping, according to his doctor and a massager for his back, I would probably need one too if I had to relive the worst moments in my life, walking up in a different place and trying to figure out what year you are how old. Some people could say that, time traveling or hoping is good but the more I read this book, the more I want to freeze time and stay as I am.
Even though Billy is going through difficult times, Vonnegut makes you laugh by giving to the book good humor. ““Billy found the after noon stingingly exciting. There was so much to see-dragon’s teeth, killing machines, corpses with bare feet that we blue ivory. So it goes.” (Slaughterhouse-five pg 65) as I read this I felt guilty because when you talk about death is not very normal to laugh but the sarcasm of stingingly exiting, made me laugh very hard. Even in the darkest time, you can find light that is what my dad says to me when I cry or feel sad there is always a positive side of life or you can make it positive.
Even though Billy is going through difficult times, Vonnegut makes you laugh by giving to the book good humor. ““Billy found the after noon stingingly exciting. There was so much to see-dragon’s teeth, killing machines, corpses with bare feet that we blue ivory. So it goes.” (Slaughterhouse-five pg 65) as I read this I felt guilty because when you talk about death is not very normal to laugh but the sarcasm of stingingly exiting, made me laugh very hard. Even in the darkest time, you can find light that is what my dad says to me when I cry or feel sad there is always a positive side of life or you can make it positive.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Op-Ed essay Materialistic Who Said
Materialism,
What is materialism? For those who don’t know materialism is the importance of material things more than anything else. Who are the affected people? Teenagers mostly, women or men there is no difference regarding which sex is more materialistic than the other is. Why are they affected? Personality would be my first guess but most of the affected people, have lots of opportunities and have been taught in their houses that material things make them happier. What bothers me about it? First of all, they don’t have the worth ethic or the “working for it” because everything is handed to them. And when something is not handed they have to talk in an annoyingly way expecting you to solve it for them. Second, they can’t seem to get in to their heads that life is not only money, and lipsticks and cars and that this bubble they are living in someday will pop, and they are going to be unprepared for what it is life. I know what they do with their lives is not my problem but one of the materialistic characteristics is criticizing people’s lives, so when these people mess with what is not their business it is my problem. They can’t control themselves and believe is all about them, this people usually are found in rich people environments, not to be stereotypical but middle class people can’t afford to buy as much as materialistic people do. Self-centered people are grabbed by the hand with materialism it is very common for materialistic people focus on them and ignore all of their surroundings. Because they ignore their surroundings I just cannot have a serious conversation with them it is like talking to a pineapple with makeup, I dare you to try and explain to them what goes around you without getting annoyed by the winey voice you will get as an answer. Sometimes they are confused as lazy but the term I would like to use is spoiled, spoiled people do not do anything. This syndrome of spoiled is found on girls allot, who by stupidity try to flirt. One thing I can’t seem to get in my head is the idea of what person on earth enjoys stupidity. This is often called attention seekers, and I agree it is attention but I think there are much better ways to achieve it.
How to solve this problem? Well you can’t blame a person for having money and you can’t stop them. You can’t control what their parents teach them, but you can control the media influence. Three words very common on materialism is “I want” “I need” “I must have” notice the I is used in the begging because it is selfcenterd. Where do the materialistic get the idea that they need, that is the media such as the television programs (Gossip girls) girls my age using a prada dress more than $2400 and never use again. That is a start the advertisement super skinny models and young havind tha Gucci bag the superstar having the fendi glasses. Gets the idea of this girls to have and have and have. So who should I blame well the consumer system and always wanting more. I can stop it by controlling the media but how can I do it, is still under reaserch. And someday I will be able to control it you will se me!
What is materialism? For those who don’t know materialism is the importance of material things more than anything else. Who are the affected people? Teenagers mostly, women or men there is no difference regarding which sex is more materialistic than the other is. Why are they affected? Personality would be my first guess but most of the affected people, have lots of opportunities and have been taught in their houses that material things make them happier. What bothers me about it? First of all, they don’t have the worth ethic or the “working for it” because everything is handed to them. And when something is not handed they have to talk in an annoyingly way expecting you to solve it for them. Second, they can’t seem to get in to their heads that life is not only money, and lipsticks and cars and that this bubble they are living in someday will pop, and they are going to be unprepared for what it is life. I know what they do with their lives is not my problem but one of the materialistic characteristics is criticizing people’s lives, so when these people mess with what is not their business it is my problem. They can’t control themselves and believe is all about them, this people usually are found in rich people environments, not to be stereotypical but middle class people can’t afford to buy as much as materialistic people do. Self-centered people are grabbed by the hand with materialism it is very common for materialistic people focus on them and ignore all of their surroundings. Because they ignore their surroundings I just cannot have a serious conversation with them it is like talking to a pineapple with makeup, I dare you to try and explain to them what goes around you without getting annoyed by the winey voice you will get as an answer. Sometimes they are confused as lazy but the term I would like to use is spoiled, spoiled people do not do anything. This syndrome of spoiled is found on girls allot, who by stupidity try to flirt. One thing I can’t seem to get in my head is the idea of what person on earth enjoys stupidity. This is often called attention seekers, and I agree it is attention but I think there are much better ways to achieve it.
How to solve this problem? Well you can’t blame a person for having money and you can’t stop them. You can’t control what their parents teach them, but you can control the media influence. Three words very common on materialism is “I want” “I need” “I must have” notice the I is used in the begging because it is selfcenterd. Where do the materialistic get the idea that they need, that is the media such as the television programs (Gossip girls) girls my age using a prada dress more than $2400 and never use again. That is a start the advertisement super skinny models and young havind tha Gucci bag the superstar having the fendi glasses. Gets the idea of this girls to have and have and have. So who should I blame well the consumer system and always wanting more. I can stop it by controlling the media but how can I do it, is still under reaserch. And someday I will be able to control it you will se me!
Death And Life In A Smile
I could not help seeing how many times Vonnegut wrote, “So it goes” in this chapter. Honestly I think it is allegorical he uses it after talking about death, therefore making it common and simple. “He died there of pneumonia. So it goes” (slaughterhouse five pg 41) “… And you cut out his eyelids so he has to stare at the sun till he dies. So it goes.” (Slaughterhouse five pg 37) he explains how the death came and he moves on. It is allegorical, as I interpreted, we can’t let things like death stop us and we have to enjoy every moment of life, so time is irrelevant and inconsistent in this book because enjoying is not a matter of time. The Tralfamadorians for me were Bill’s idea of a God he tries to act like them: “I simply shrug and say what the Tralfamadorians say about dead people, which is ‘so it goes.’”(Slaughterhouse five pg 27) bill shows an admiration towards them by telling people that he follows his thoughts, I think that is very clear.
Another allegory I found was when Billy said, “Frames are where the money is.” (Slaughterhouse five pg 24) it sounds like something you wouldn’t normally pay attention too but I think this has a double meaning. It seems to me that this quote is talking more about life than about frames, the fact that Billy is an optometrist is just significant. If I am not wrong, optometry is the study of the eye and you need the eye to work in order to see life and to make something out of it, and by the eye, I mean the conscience. In other words, the optometry could represent the study of life in this world. You need safety hence the safety goggles s for your life. The frames is just the part we know about or the part we let people know about us. So when he means were the money is where we enjoy life so we enjoy life by letting people see it and money means joy because who does not enjoy money? It is complicated but I think this book is going to lead me towards interesting discoveries. Life and death it is all connected and we should all be enjoying life as we go on and time as it said it could be irrelevant.
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