I guess what I love most is that this is another view of an issue he's already covered. Which, not gonna lie, totally rocks. And I could not give Mr. Drezner enough kudos for being able to argue two sides of one story. He doesn't just argue both sides, but he argues both sides well.
He uses this combination of charts that kind of blows my mind... in a good way. They show various countries' public opinion on whether or not the free market economy is the best system on which to base our future. The chart basically shows that while, yes, things kind of suck right now, global public opinion has grown in favor of the free market economy. This means that while everyone agrees we need to take action, yet disagrees on what the action may be, we can be certain it won't be "autarky", as Mr. Drezner puts it.
He also previously expressed fear, like many of us, for possible violent reactions to the state of the economy. In this post, he quotes the same paper from before, but this time with statistics denoting that the probability of democratic nations experiencing actual violence, like England, is extremely low. Hopefully, he's right when he says "...London, in other words, might prove to be the exception more than the rule".
Basically, based on all the data provided, it's not probable that things will get too terribly worse on a social or political level. So, things suck, but maybe we've hit rock bottom. Maybe it's time to crawl out of this hole? The G20 and WTO have a lot on their hands, but we at least HAVE a G20 and WTO this time. Surely, this is no 1930's re-run.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Daniel Drezner - Is the world cracking up?
This article didn't really astound and woo me with witty phrases and videos, but it did interest me. Firstly, for how it started out. It was a list of things going on in the world today, personifying nations. I use that, the personification of nations, to help myself understand things I learn and talk about in Model UN. It's a great way to help the visualization of the world's state. I appreciate his use of it, obviously.
The other reasons I found it interesting were, 1) the quote he picked, 2) the way he leaves it open to interpretation at the end, and 3) the way he connects with the reader.
The quote he chose was from a working paper by Henry Farell on "what causes societal unrest in developed economies", and is as follows:
From the end of the Weimar Republic in Germany in the 1930s to anti-government demonstrations in Greece in 2010-11, austerity has tended to go hand in hand with politically motivated violence and social instability. In this paper, we assemble crosscountry evidence for the period 1919 to the present, and examine the extent to which societies become unstable after budget cuts. The results show a clear positive correlation between fiscal retrenchment and instability. We test if the relationship simply reflects economic downturns, and conclude that this is not the key factor.
I thought it was interesting since he himself draws correlations between the Great Depression and the current economic recession earlier in the post. He also kind of uses this quote as a way to say, without saying, what he's afraid will happen in our future, "politically motivated violence and social instability". Which, isn't to say that we aren't already there, but at least America hasn't experienced the particularly violent side of the die just yet. Though, as stated, Britain is, indeed, "on fire".
I think it's refreshing that an author chooses to invite his readers to discuss the issue in the comments, and not only this, but even shares that he's posting a counterargument later. Unlike a certain New York Times columnist whose book we were subjected to, Mr. Drezner manages to display two sides to one story. Kudos.
Mr. Drezner is a talented man when it comes to connections with the reader. He seems like a genuine person when he writes, which is something I think a lot of us forget to do when we write for an audience. The voice he uses to describe and explain his thoughts helps us to put ourselves into the issues he chooses, from his perspective. He also mentions that he is, as most people not living under rocks are, scared for the future. It's nice to know I'm not alone, Mr. Drezner.
The other reasons I found it interesting were, 1) the quote he picked, 2) the way he leaves it open to interpretation at the end, and 3) the way he connects with the reader.
The quote he chose was from a working paper by Henry Farell on "what causes societal unrest in developed economies", and is as follows:
From the end of the Weimar Republic in Germany in the 1930s to anti-government demonstrations in Greece in 2010-11, austerity has tended to go hand in hand with politically motivated violence and social instability. In this paper, we assemble crosscountry evidence for the period 1919 to the present, and examine the extent to which societies become unstable after budget cuts. The results show a clear positive correlation between fiscal retrenchment and instability. We test if the relationship simply reflects economic downturns, and conclude that this is not the key factor.
I thought it was interesting since he himself draws correlations between the Great Depression and the current economic recession earlier in the post. He also kind of uses this quote as a way to say, without saying, what he's afraid will happen in our future, "politically motivated violence and social instability". Which, isn't to say that we aren't already there, but at least America hasn't experienced the particularly violent side of the die just yet. Though, as stated, Britain is, indeed, "on fire".
I think it's refreshing that an author chooses to invite his readers to discuss the issue in the comments, and not only this, but even shares that he's posting a counterargument later. Unlike a certain New York Times columnist whose book we were subjected to, Mr. Drezner manages to display two sides to one story. Kudos.
Mr. Drezner is a talented man when it comes to connections with the reader. He seems like a genuine person when he writes, which is something I think a lot of us forget to do when we write for an audience. The voice he uses to describe and explain his thoughts helps us to put ourselves into the issues he chooses, from his perspective. He also mentions that he is, as most people not living under rocks are, scared for the future. It's nice to know I'm not alone, Mr. Drezner.
Daniel Drezner - Today's Great Moment in public relations
May I just say, Mr. Drezner, that you are absolutely fantastic. I began reading in foreign relations because of my Model UN background, in hopes that it would better prepare me for the next competition (killing two birds with one stone, and such). I was greeted on my exploits with one of the most sarcastic writers I've ever read.
I adore his style. Mostly, I admire the usage of slow-clap footage to sarcastically reward the company in question for nailing themselves to a coffin. He also uses a lot of rhetorical questions, which make me stop and think about the issue. Not only this, but he uses so many sarcastic comments, I honestly had to read the article maybe three times to be sure I'd caught them all.
I'd definitely say his argument is effective in this one. He gets his point across in tangible, stinging strikes against whoever he needs to. I admire the sharpness of his wit, which clearly shines through his words in this article.
I adore his style. Mostly, I admire the usage of slow-clap footage to sarcastically reward the company in question for nailing themselves to a coffin. He also uses a lot of rhetorical questions, which make me stop and think about the issue. Not only this, but he uses so many sarcastic comments, I honestly had to read the article maybe three times to be sure I'd caught them all.
I'd definitely say his argument is effective in this one. He gets his point across in tangible, stinging strikes against whoever he needs to. I admire the sharpness of his wit, which clearly shines through his words in this article.
Friday, August 5, 2011
Death of a Salesman 5/5 : THEMES :D
I'm going to start this off my saying that not only have I found these blog posts to be extremely helpful insights into my own life, but I think that this final one is totally unnecessary for my own purposes. I say this because I believe I've covered the themes in the other posts, as well as the characters and plot. However, all that aside, thanks for assigning something outside of the norm. I appreciate it :).
The first theme I'd like to mention is that family and the responsibilities coinciding with it, while an integral part of your life, should not dictate what you do. Which is not to say that those who choose to create families should by any means neglect their responsibilities. It simply means that those who choose to create families should understand how they will be meeting their family's needs. What I mean to say is that Willy Loman drives himself absolutely bonkers by trying to make ends meet in a way that doesn't suit his talents and isn't who he is. Don't jump into things out of desperation. Make decisions that allow you to fulfill yourself, doing so allows others to be fulfilled.
The second theme I'll bring up is that sometimes one needs to physically leave the expectations of others behind them in order to mentally realize what they expect of themselves. Biff has to physically leave his own home, roam around the country for years with little contact to his past, in order to understand that there is a difference between the man his father pushed him to be and the man he was meant to be. Being back in their presence, even for a short period of time, creates a drama so complicated it was turned into enough adaptations to account for three Tony awards and a Pulitzer Prize.
Honestly, those are the two that most effect me. I am, once again, thankful that the assignment was ambiguous enough to only request that only more than one theme be explored. So :) shanks.
The first theme I'd like to mention is that family and the responsibilities coinciding with it, while an integral part of your life, should not dictate what you do. Which is not to say that those who choose to create families should by any means neglect their responsibilities. It simply means that those who choose to create families should understand how they will be meeting their family's needs. What I mean to say is that Willy Loman drives himself absolutely bonkers by trying to make ends meet in a way that doesn't suit his talents and isn't who he is. Don't jump into things out of desperation. Make decisions that allow you to fulfill yourself, doing so allows others to be fulfilled.
The second theme I'll bring up is that sometimes one needs to physically leave the expectations of others behind them in order to mentally realize what they expect of themselves. Biff has to physically leave his own home, roam around the country for years with little contact to his past, in order to understand that there is a difference between the man his father pushed him to be and the man he was meant to be. Being back in their presence, even for a short period of time, creates a drama so complicated it was turned into enough adaptations to account for three Tony awards and a Pulitzer Prize.
Honestly, those are the two that most effect me. I am, once again, thankful that the assignment was ambiguous enough to only request that only more than one theme be explored. So :) shanks.
Death of a Salesman 4/5
So, I've been thinking recently. A dangerous pass time, I know. And I thought to myself that one of the characters that probably isn't covered much in anyone's little blog posts, is the waiter that waits on the Lomans at the restaurant. I feel like he's a pretty important guy. He shows the audience how other people react to the insanity and the effect that the main characters have on their surroundings.
Stanley is probably the nicest guy in the whole play. He's an honest guy, trying to make an honest living at a crap-shoot job. He greets the brothers with smiles and warm words. He's patient when they make a complete scene in the middle of a quiet restaurant. He picks up the pieces of Willy's broken mind when the brother's have run out of patience and out of the scene all together. Stanley reminds me of the fish that get caught in tornadoes sometimes. He was just swimming along, minding his own business, when all of a sudden he gets swept up by this unstoppable force, this thing so much larger than him or any of the others swept with him. A while later, he may fall back down. A temporary part of a larger body.
It's a little refreshing, I think, to have someone, some third party, involved in the story. He gives you a different perspective on the whole matter. Instead of choosing sides between brothers or parents, Stanley gives a more clear vision of the entire situation. He'd be like the reliable narrator, if it weren't already told in dramatic format. That's another thing I've noticed, though. The way the plot is told gives off a bias, obviously. Generally I had always thought that being said in third person meant that the plot's points were unbiased, but
Death of a Salesman has changed my mind on the matter. Everything is biased. No matter how you tell it.
Despite that, Stanley is still a refreshing change of pace. Everything is biased, yes, but to certain degrees. Stanley provides a different level and quality of bias.
So, I guess, in short, I appreciate the author's new perspective on the situation via Stanley. But mostly, I feel bad for the poor sap. He probably has enough issues of his own, but he still winds up getting to serve the town crazy-pants. Poor guy, right?
Stanley is probably the nicest guy in the whole play. He's an honest guy, trying to make an honest living at a crap-shoot job. He greets the brothers with smiles and warm words. He's patient when they make a complete scene in the middle of a quiet restaurant. He picks up the pieces of Willy's broken mind when the brother's have run out of patience and out of the scene all together. Stanley reminds me of the fish that get caught in tornadoes sometimes. He was just swimming along, minding his own business, when all of a sudden he gets swept up by this unstoppable force, this thing so much larger than him or any of the others swept with him. A while later, he may fall back down. A temporary part of a larger body.
It's a little refreshing, I think, to have someone, some third party, involved in the story. He gives you a different perspective on the whole matter. Instead of choosing sides between brothers or parents, Stanley gives a more clear vision of the entire situation. He'd be like the reliable narrator, if it weren't already told in dramatic format. That's another thing I've noticed, though. The way the plot is told gives off a bias, obviously. Generally I had always thought that being said in third person meant that the plot's points were unbiased, but
Death of a Salesman has changed my mind on the matter. Everything is biased. No matter how you tell it.
Despite that, Stanley is still a refreshing change of pace. Everything is biased, yes, but to certain degrees. Stanley provides a different level and quality of bias.
So, I guess, in short, I appreciate the author's new perspective on the situation via Stanley. But mostly, I feel bad for the poor sap. He probably has enough issues of his own, but he still winds up getting to serve the town crazy-pants. Poor guy, right?
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Death of a Salesman 3/5
It occurred to me today that the actual DEATH of Willy is not the only thing the title refers to. I mean, I had known from the beginning that it meant his spirit's death, the cessation of his will to carry on mentally, but I realized that it is also a comment on America's ability to take a vacation.
I mean, we act like energizer bunnies for the majority of the time. Our mentality is that if we work hard enough, we can take a break. But what about taking a break so that we can work hard? It seems to me that Americans have gotten into the habit of running just to catch ourselves. We do so until we burn out. And the whole time, there are people like Willy Loman that just never catch a break, never mind catching themselves.
This will be a short post. As it can all be summed up with a song.
So, thanks Mark Schultz: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXNg6gLumiY
I mean, we act like energizer bunnies for the majority of the time. Our mentality is that if we work hard enough, we can take a break. But what about taking a break so that we can work hard? It seems to me that Americans have gotten into the habit of running just to catch ourselves. We do so until we burn out. And the whole time, there are people like Willy Loman that just never catch a break, never mind catching themselves.
This will be a short post. As it can all be summed up with a song.
So, thanks Mark Schultz: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXNg6gLumiY
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Death of a Salesman 2/5
Ambiguity is a true marvel. When I read over the assignment for Death of a Salesman, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the only limitations were that my posts come from my thoughts of the plot and characters. No length requirements, no other stipulations other than that it come from me. So, I think thanks are in order.
In any case, what I've decided to post on this time is how I connect with Biff. Bearing in mind, I don't see myself as Happy. Biff and I have a few things in common. The first being that he felt like a favorite. He felt like he was looked to, almost like a last hope for his father. Why is it that fathers of all people seem to want their children to be the All Star they couldn't be? Biff and I have this weight to carry, this expectation from their fathers. It's no wonder he skipped town as soon as it became a viable option.
See, Biff doesn't just feel like the world is on his shoulders. He's got this guilt, too. He knows the tons of expectations that ride on him, but he also knows he can't hold it all. If he leaves town, gives his parents some sort of way to make up their own solutions to the problem, he doesn't have to try to hold it up. He needs to get distance from them, stop trying to fulfill their expectations, so that he can begin to understand what he expects of himself.
It would have been a great solution, if not for the need to be with people who love you. Which is another thing I don't like about Death of a Salesman. It's another thing Arthur Miller got right, no matter how screwed up they are, they're still your family.
The weirdest thing, I think, is that Arthur Miller nailed it from every perspective. He got the struggle of fatherhood and supporting a family that Willy deals (or fails to deal) with. He got Biff's guilt for not being the perfect son. He got their mother's love and worry. He got Hap's need to please their parents, whatever the cost.
And so, since there are no stipulations as to how I write these posts or what's in them, as long as it pertains to Death of a Salesman in some way, I'm giving a list of songs I relate to the story.
Giving Up the Gun - Vampire Weekend (Willy)
Walking on the Sun - Smash Mouth (Willy's salesmanship, his selling out)
Shadow of the Day - Linkin Park (Biff's leave at the end)
Walking Disaster - Sum 41 (Biff's leave and return at the beginning)
Pieces - Sum 41 (Happy and Biff... mostly Happy though)
Where'd You Go - Fort Minor (Their mom.... Linda? I have no idea...)
In any case, what I've decided to post on this time is how I connect with Biff. Bearing in mind, I don't see myself as Happy. Biff and I have a few things in common. The first being that he felt like a favorite. He felt like he was looked to, almost like a last hope for his father. Why is it that fathers of all people seem to want their children to be the All Star they couldn't be? Biff and I have this weight to carry, this expectation from their fathers. It's no wonder he skipped town as soon as it became a viable option.
See, Biff doesn't just feel like the world is on his shoulders. He's got this guilt, too. He knows the tons of expectations that ride on him, but he also knows he can't hold it all. If he leaves town, gives his parents some sort of way to make up their own solutions to the problem, he doesn't have to try to hold it up. He needs to get distance from them, stop trying to fulfill their expectations, so that he can begin to understand what he expects of himself.
It would have been a great solution, if not for the need to be with people who love you. Which is another thing I don't like about Death of a Salesman. It's another thing Arthur Miller got right, no matter how screwed up they are, they're still your family.
The weirdest thing, I think, is that Arthur Miller nailed it from every perspective. He got the struggle of fatherhood and supporting a family that Willy deals (or fails to deal) with. He got Biff's guilt for not being the perfect son. He got their mother's love and worry. He got Hap's need to please their parents, whatever the cost.
And so, since there are no stipulations as to how I write these posts or what's in them, as long as it pertains to Death of a Salesman in some way, I'm giving a list of songs I relate to the story.
Giving Up the Gun - Vampire Weekend (Willy)
Walking on the Sun - Smash Mouth (Willy's salesmanship, his selling out)
Shadow of the Day - Linkin Park (Biff's leave at the end)
Walking Disaster - Sum 41 (Biff's leave and return at the beginning)
Pieces - Sum 41 (Happy and Biff... mostly Happy though)
Where'd You Go - Fort Minor (Their mom.... Linda? I have no idea...)
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Death of a Salesman 1/5
I've already finished reading Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman, as its length was nothing to be impressed by. Bearing that in mind, I remember the first thing that I thought upon being introduced to the second most depressing and real character I've ever met inside of a play's script.
Willy Loman managed to, in my first impressions of him, make me wish I was never born. He seems like he'd be a noble soul. He works his life away to provide for his family, that much you can clearly tell. And if you can't, obviously you've never lived with a parent like that. My own mother is much the same to this point in the play. Both real and imaginary parents would sell their very souls if it meant paying the bills on time. That kind of commitment and dedication really makes a person wish they weren't around to bump up the expenses. In fact, I'm sure that's exactly how Biff and Happy feel (though I'll cover that later).
It's that same quality, that noblese oblige, that obligation he has to his family to provide for them, that drives him to work a job he hates for barely enough money. It's that very same quality that drives him insane. He can't handle the pressure of trying to provide for a family. He slaved his life away trying to make ends meet, and the pure weight of the responsibility put on his shoulders alone was enough to erode his sanity until there was nothing left of it.
There's nothing I hate more in this life than having to watch someone you love struggle for you. The second to worst part, I think, is knowing there's nothing you can do about it. The absolute most abhorrent part of it is knowing that they believe, in their heart of hearts, that they are doing the right thing. Let me tell you, right now, I would rather live in a box than watch my mother's sanity slowly slip with each passing day. Willly Loman thought he was doing the right thing. He thought he was being what a father ought to be. The problem with that is that sometimes what you ought to be, no matter how much you wish it could be otherwise, is simply not what you are or what you were ever intended to be. Father is not a word that will ever, in my book, describe Willy Loman. Not now or ever in the future despite any interpretation.
He is a man (by man here I mean human in general). Men make mistakes. Men fail. Men gain. Men try. Willy did all of these, just as men do. Willy wasted away, just as men typically do. He can't handle the pressure of being the sole provider for others. Neither can mine.
I think it's pretty safe to say that I despise this play. Though, if it hadn't been so creepily close to my own personal experiences, I don't think I would have understood the point of it at all. Long story short, I wish that Death of a Salesman wasn't as true as it is to today's world. I hope to God I'm not looking into my future.
Willy Loman managed to, in my first impressions of him, make me wish I was never born. He seems like he'd be a noble soul. He works his life away to provide for his family, that much you can clearly tell. And if you can't, obviously you've never lived with a parent like that. My own mother is much the same to this point in the play. Both real and imaginary parents would sell their very souls if it meant paying the bills on time. That kind of commitment and dedication really makes a person wish they weren't around to bump up the expenses. In fact, I'm sure that's exactly how Biff and Happy feel (though I'll cover that later).
It's that same quality, that noblese oblige, that obligation he has to his family to provide for them, that drives him to work a job he hates for barely enough money. It's that very same quality that drives him insane. He can't handle the pressure of trying to provide for a family. He slaved his life away trying to make ends meet, and the pure weight of the responsibility put on his shoulders alone was enough to erode his sanity until there was nothing left of it.
There's nothing I hate more in this life than having to watch someone you love struggle for you. The second to worst part, I think, is knowing there's nothing you can do about it. The absolute most abhorrent part of it is knowing that they believe, in their heart of hearts, that they are doing the right thing. Let me tell you, right now, I would rather live in a box than watch my mother's sanity slowly slip with each passing day. Willly Loman thought he was doing the right thing. He thought he was being what a father ought to be. The problem with that is that sometimes what you ought to be, no matter how much you wish it could be otherwise, is simply not what you are or what you were ever intended to be. Father is not a word that will ever, in my book, describe Willy Loman. Not now or ever in the future despite any interpretation.
He is a man (by man here I mean human in general). Men make mistakes. Men fail. Men gain. Men try. Willy did all of these, just as men do. Willy wasted away, just as men typically do. He can't handle the pressure of being the sole provider for others. Neither can mine.
I think it's pretty safe to say that I despise this play. Though, if it hadn't been so creepily close to my own personal experiences, I don't think I would have understood the point of it at all. Long story short, I wish that Death of a Salesman wasn't as true as it is to today's world. I hope to God I'm not looking into my future.
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