Class Discussion of Tragedy

When you look at the world and see different languages, culture, governments, religions, physical characteristics, etcetera, you'll find that regardless of the fact that we are all human, we are still different in many ways. Every society has their own way of thinking and how they perceive life. In class we understood that the Greeks saw tragedy as a great fall of someone who was great. With that being said, I believe I'm pretty awesome and a very important person. Just saying. But look at the American point of view. We see tragedy as something bad that has happened to people regardless of their social statues and typically believe that everyone is important in life. Sometimes we are even able to bounce back from something horrific in life that can classify as a tragedy. If you look at the Sandy Hook shooting, we find that no one famous was killed or some messiah. Many of them are children who, to the Greeks, are not important enough for their definition of tragedy, yet we still use the word because we saw the massacre as something horrific. Certain words we see and try to define should be based on how each society sees it and since this is America, I do believe our use of the term tragedy out ways the Greeks term in this country.

What do you think? America's point of view versus Ancient Greek point of view on tragedy? Is it the media's fault for the way we think on the term of tragedy? Can ice cream make you cold or warm? Please leave a comment!

Media Heroes and Heroines

Long ago, people heard about heroes through stories told vocally, or by using some type of writings or drawings. Their were few Heroes as compared today from what I believe is from lack of documentation and the spread of information. That of course has changed over the span of human development and now we here about heroes and heroines, whether or not they are frauds or legit, ever day on the hour of every hour (over exaggerated statement). With the use of social media, internet, and news, the documentation of people's journeys and deeds can be simply publicized to billions of people throughout the world. In Africa, a man might be fighting against corrupt rebels and his story is captured by a reporter who shows it in the New York Times. In Brazil, some middle class American might have given all his savings to help spread his money and knowledge to the poverty and is shown on Facebook (both of which are example). With the knowledge of these modern day Heroes help inspire a lot of our younger generations to get more involved and inspire to do great things.

What do you think? Can Facebook and Instagram be a good source for the awareness of Heroes? Did you know dried fruits and vegetables are not as good for you as thy seem?

How Heroes Affect Our Lives

Regardless of whether the Heroes originated from Homer or from the newest novels of 2015, Heroes generally help define the values, morals, and goals of a society.

The Ancient Greeks would worship Heroes with rituals and offerings for the deeds they have done. Many would view their actions as inspirational, leaving the many to try and continue the same acts the same heroes did. Now a days we don't worship heroes with tribal rituals like the Greeks use to do, but that does not stop us from giving them praise. Modern heroes might get things like awards or parades, even special events catered to their action. Social media has given us a way to show our own praise with things like "shoutouts" on Instagram with a picture of the heroes. This in turn causes people to be all like "Hey! This woman ran into a burning building to save 3 babies, a cat, and some old ladies collection of coins. Maybe I can do some type of good deed today." Heroes can cause people to do amazing things in their lives which is why they define some of our aspects of our society and, I don't want to contradict some of my earlier posts, can be leaders of today by leading by example.

What do you think? Do we praise and worship heroes and heroines today much like how the Greeks did? What do you do to praise our heroes and heroines? Does Sugar cause cancer?

The Creation Story of FrenzHindmanMolinaPate

There are different stories on the topic of how we are created based on different people's culture and morals. The benefit of this class (English 2111) to get the chance to make their own story will give everyone an insight of what some may value and how creative they are. The Fallen Star was an interesting tale especially since half of the tale was based on a female character similar to Eve from the bible. Many creation stories are based either on a male character, or emphasized the importance and inferiority of the woman.

The way they presented the story was in a animated video, which I found to be quit humorous. I have no clue if the actual purpose was to be a little funny, but the look of the dark shadowy based people make the whole story so much fun. But don't let that deceive you. The story is simple, yet to the point. The ending even has a deep emotional point upon the death of one of the couple's children and how the child's death created vegetation. It's even more important to the who plot since a huge part of the conflicts with the characters is hunger.

What do you think? Is it rare that a creation story focuses a lot on a female? Who are you rooting for this season (football)? Please leave a comment!

The Heroes of Today aren't the Heroes of Yesterday

What most people today find as heroes is kind of skewed and misunderstood. Governors will get up and simply talk about labor issues and become a hero to the people it affects. A celebrity has a gender change, they are perceived as heroes to everyone by the media and fans. A mom raising a child can be considered a hero. Are these people truly heroic? Don't get me wrong, these types of people and many more have done great deeds that allow them to earn that respect of praise, but wouldn't they be  more along the line of role models or saints? People who simply do good deeds or done things that expressed themselves or possibly achieved riches like some CEO of a company.

Some don't even deserve praise like Kim Davis, Rowan County Clerk in Kentucky, who is described as a hero to many extreme religious groups. She is thought of a person who has stood up to the Government and the Supreme Court by expressing her moral values of her religion when it came to marriage. Unfortunately the reality of the situation isn't that sugar coated, and her troubles from the federal government came from denying the rights of not just homosexual, but heterosexuals as well, on their ability to gain a marriage certificate. A county clerks position is an elected position just like any political or sheriff position; positions that swear to serve the people and up hold the constitution for their county. So this makes her no different from a corrupt senator going against his/her duties. Of course this is a bit of an extreme example but she is still considered a hero to many and a bad person all the same. Something to think about.

The definition of of heroes has become something more of a personal opinion on a person rather than a title. The Ancient Greeks defined a hero as person who, in the face of danger and adversity or from a position of weakness, display courage, bravery, or self-sacrifice for the greater good. People like our Founding Fathers, Medal of Honor recipients, fire fighters, Martin Luther King Jr., etcetera, and etcetera, are true hero who lead and go above the norm through difficult times that would end their lives or status. Take a look at Moses from the Bible, who lead the Hebrews out of Egypt and away from their destine slavery. 

I would encourage everyone, especially my readers, to at least consider their usage of the word hero. It's one thing to call someone a role model but that doesn't necessarily make them a hero by any true definition. With that said, I cannot make someone believe a certain way, for even the definition of a modern day hero has changed from the ancients times. I believe everyone has the chance and quality to become a hero, and it takes determination and selfless thought, but please don't use the term so loosely.  

For more information, you can go to this site for more understanding on Greek Heroes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hero

Modern Definition of Hero:

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/hero

What do you think? Maybe my view on a bonafide hero is not correct? How do you think the term hero should be used as? Is Venice, Italy sinking or is the water levels rising (Yes! Their is a difference)??? Please leave a comment!

PS: I believe women can be heroes. They are called Heroines! :)

Eroticism

Up until I started my World Literature class this semester, I never really took the time to understand the topic of eroticism. Society has always dubbed it as something inappropriate or something that must be done behind closed doors. For some, it's a topic that will only stay inside the mind of the individual. What I have come to understand is that most people find eroticism to be mainly emotional rather than physical, which I would agree but only for that first part. I thing Eroticism can be physical as well, and I'm not talking about sex. eroticism is something dangerous and misunderstood. It's something people have in their minds that they want to do yet forbidden to actual partake. But what if we do partake in the desire. 

Maybe we are in a relationship with someone and then we find some sort of erotic desire for another and we itch that feeling, but no one knows we went through it. And what we did didn't have to involve sex. 50 Shades of Grey is always on everyone's list of what erotic is, yet their is that physical aspect that the characters participate in. Look at dominatrices for example. What they do is very erotic and very physical on top of emotional. I think eroticism is something you hide and express, dangerous and fun. 

What do you think? Can Erotic desire be physical as well as emotional? Will I ever get an iPhone? Please leave a comment!

Can Animals Be Erotic????

Please watch this video below before participating in this post please.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p006mzpy


The title says it all: "Can Animals Be Erotic????" Animals don't necessarily act the way humans, or even primates, do when it comes to sex and romance, but like many species of birds, they are generally colorful and do things in overdramatic ways to attract a mate. Many would say they are just attracting a mate in order to reproduce, but what if that female bird finds what that male bird is attractive, maybe kinky. Kind of like how some women find a hard working man attractive in a sexual sense. Wolves tend to mate for life just like humans so why wouldn't a female wolf have some type of deep sexual desire, some type of erotic tensions, toward other wolves. The young female wolf in the video above knows that it is wrong to mate with another male outside the pack, but she is apparently willing to take the risk. What she is doing is risky and dangerous as well as looked down upon. Isn't that erotic in its own way? I think animals can be erotic. Some say it's animal instinct but jumping up in the air after a victory is a pretty common human instinct that everyone does. I believe that female wolf has a dirty side for bad boy dogs.

What do you think? Can animals be erotic? Or do animals still mate based on pure instinct? Is wrestling fake? Please leave a comment!