tp 10

In the chapter of Nowtopia, “A Vastly Better World Awaits,” Chris Carlsson summarizes that “Nowtopians are just folks who are a bit out front, moving ahead without institutional support to invent a more humane and ecologically sane world” (236).  Carlsson exemplifies that Nowtopians are driven by making the world a better through innovations and to delete the social status of “middle class” identity; however, Capitalism has been for years been the opposite of Nowtopians ideologies.  In 50 Essays, “On Compassion,” Barbara L. Ascher explains why people show compassion towards other human beings and how compassion is gain.

            Being Capitalism driven means the “degradation of the quality of work” (Carlsson 237).  Degrading the quality of work means that Capitalism starts focusing on the expedition of productions, profits, and prices.  Unlike Capitalist, Nowtopians are more concerned about the well-being of their fellow man and finding new ways to renovate old ideas for a better future as well as environment.  Some of the initiatives that Nowtopians undertake have been through the “waste veggie oil engine tinkerers are determined to radically alter our relationship with fuel; community gardeners and permaculturists are engaged in redesigning urban spaces” (245).  Nowtopians are giving back to their communities, by socializing and teaching their fellow man.  Under capitalism most technologies were left for private organizations and the government to run.  These two organizations never thought about interest of their fellow man, but for benefits of private interests.   Now communities are coming together to fight the “transnational capitalism and the atomization it seeks to impose on individual lives” (Carlsson 250).

            According to Ascher compassion is something we have and, “We cannot deny the existence of the helpless as their presence grows” (58).  Ascher believes that compassion is trait we get, but rather a trait that we can learn from our surroundings.  If we see someone suffering, we are intrigue to help them if that’s what we have learn from our upbringing. 

            In Nowtopia and “On Compassion,” both authors show how people are helping their fellow man.  Ascher gives to examples one being giving money to a homeless man in the corner street and the other the baker giving and elderly man bread.  In both scenarios there were no questions asked just act of kindness.  In Nowtopia, there are varies ways people show compassion towards others.  But just like “On Compassion” they both help their fellow people.

tp 8

In the chapter of Nowtopia, “Virtual Spine of the Common,” Chris Carlsson mentions “The Internet balances on radically opposite assumptions about the material basis of our lives” (185).  Capitalism is trying to exploit the human labor; however, the Internet is bringing people together with social networks as Myspace and Facebook.  While in a short essay of 50 Essays, “Never Just Pictures,” Susan Bordo expresses that the images seen in television are creating a self-expectation on how to look and causing them to change their body images.  And in another short essay of 50 Essays, “Television: The Plug-In Drug,” Marie Winn informs readers about how television is driving families apart.

            According to Carlsson the purpose of the internet “was to facilitate communications among researchers and analysts” (188).  In the beginning, the Internet was being used to break gaps and bring people together to shared ideas.  Capitalism has been using human exploitation to over work people for profit.  Carlsson also explains how Capitalism thought “The collective believed that computers and computing technology would be kept exclusively in the hands of large corporations, government, and the military, and never envisioned that computers would escape their control and become personal consumer items” (189).  Early on the Internet was to be used for large corporations only.   Nowtopians have using the internet to fight against Capitalism by using blogs, social networks, and sending electronic messages.  People are keeping each other inform by using the Internet. 

            In “Never Just Pictures,” Bordo said “Television’s contributions to family life has been an equivocal one.  For while it has, indeed, kept the members of the family from dispersing, it has not served to bring them together” (459).  During the early years when television was being advertise it would say that television would bring families together; however the inventors and advertiser never in vision a multiple sets of television in a household.  People have their own programs they wish to view.  Besides viewing the images are sending the wrong message.  In “Television: The Plug-In Drug,” Winn describes that, “such images carry fantasized solutions to our anxieties and insecurities, and that’s part of the reason why they are powerful” (88).  People are getting the wrong idea when see a model and think that’s how one is suppose to look like.  Our minds get played around with.

            In all three essays, corporations are out for our money.  Whether it be selling latest brand jeans, big screen televisions, and selling software’s, companies just want our money.  They would do anything to buy their products.  I think to the point they would provide false advertisement to get our attentions.  In the end, it really is up to us to decide to let advertisement influence us, and make our families antisocial with each other.

tp 6

In the chapter, “Outlaw bicycling,” in Nowtopia, Chris Carlsson expresses that bicycles are not just a piece of equipment but rather an unifier, expresser, and thinker.  Bicycles, to Nowtopians, are view as a rejection to capitalism’s and anti-social that comes when using cars.  One way Nowtopians fight against capitalism is by forming cliques of riders; however, these groups are not the same as bicyclists that compete in competition.  Nowtopians claim that bicycles unite communities together, which can be seen with do it yourself workshops.  Do it yourself workshops brings a diverse group people in a community to work together to accomplish one task, and that’s fixing their bikes.  Besides bringing communities together, bicycle outlawers express themselves through renovating bicycles and zines articles.  According to Carlsson, zines are significant because, “The passion that zines producers pour into their will work when driven by the heart instead of the wallet” (Carlsson 128).  These bicycle subcultures are more than just words and remodeling bicycles but are expressions and reinventions.  At last, a bicycle allows Nowtopians to channel their thinking, because they are alone without distractions.

As for short essay, “The insufficiency of Honesty”  Stephen L. Carter defines the word integrity as “…discerning what is right and what is wrong; acting on what you have discerned, even at personal cost; and saying openly that you are acting on your understanding of right and wrong” (Carter 104).  Carter states three main ideas and he mentions the difference with integrity and honesty in all three examples.  First example is people may tell all the truth (being honest) but it may hurt someone in the process.  Integrity may counsel us to keep some truth to ourselves.  Second example, believing on something that hasn’t been tested or seen both sides of a situation.  In other words, don’t go by what’s been embedded on you unless you tested it out.  And using honesty as an excuse to avoid any personal obligation; having integrity is not escaping responsibilities.

While in William F. Buckley Jr. short essay, “Why Don’t We Complain?” he informs that Americans, “have given up trying to rectify irrational vexations” (Buckley 98).  Americans have come to conclusion that others would speak for them and make complains on their behalves.  In others words we let the experts handled the problems such as plumbing, electricity.  During Buckley’s New Year resolution, he had an epiphany why he doesn’t speak up or complain.  He realized that his courage to speak out is when he is in the point of boiling.  The message is not to rely on others to speak for others, but if something needs to get done, just simply do it yourself. 

As in chapter five of Nowtopia and “Why Don’t We Complain?” are getting in the mentality of doing it yourself.  Both essays are getting away from the fact on relying on other to their work when they can do it themselves.  As for Carter’s story, we can implement our integrity, it something is simple that we can do it, let it be our responsibility to fix it.  All three authors capture the following three things: speaking in “Why Don’t We Complain?,” expressing in “Bicycle Outlaws,” and thinking for yourself in “The insufficiency of Honesty.”  Implementing all three of the stories can make an individual a better person.

TP5

In the short essay, “The Way to Rainy Mountain,” N. Scott Momaday mentions the memories of Rainy Mountain through views of his grandmother, his tribe, and his own.  Oklahoma is a plain state, but in the midst of flatness there is a one knoll; this is where Rainy Mountain is located.  The people of this land originally came from western part of Montana; they were the Kiowas.  To the Kiowas, the mountains meant confinements, due to the vegetations, landscape, and the sky was narrow.  In the mountains, there is freedom; however, no in the case of the Kiowas, as Momaday said “it belongs to the eagle and elk, the badger and bear.”  (Momaday 292).  In the plains, the sky is infinitive, animals roam, and the sun bask.  Kiowas decided to migrate to the southern plains of the United States; made friendships with Crow people, who show them the ways of the plains and of the sun.  Aho, Momaday’s grandmother, was one of the last of the Kiowas’ sun dancers until the cavalrymen of Fort Sill disperse them.  The memory of his grandmother was that of her talking about the history of the Crow, the Kiowas, and the stories such as the origin of the Big Dipper.  Before the dismantlement, the Kiowas were a gathering tribe, especially in the summer.

            Besides the history of origin and migration of the Kiowas, in chapter five of Nowtopia, Chris Carlsson states that urban gardening dates back to the Industrial Revolution and has been feed, educating and bringing communities together.  Back in the Industrial Era, big cities made ghettos around the city.  People were coming from across the United States to work in cities.   In the midst of the city expansion, many city dweller move to the suburbs and left vacant lots; as well as city riots contributed.  There were hundreds of vacant lots, sitting there, and attracting crime.  Urban gardening came to place to bring, feed, and educate communities.  In addition to bringing communities together, it gives the chance for communities to socialize, and as Carlsson said, “with the creation of community gardens, neighborhood blocks can become arenas for a new kind of extended family living not based on blood relationships, but on friendships, mutual aid and intergenerational support among neighbors” (Carlsson 94).  Even though positives outcomes came from urban gardening, Capitalism wants to destroy it.  Vacant lots once left abandon now are being surrounded by high prices houses sere ideal for real estate agents. These lots have been gregarious, making friendships, and feeding them is being taken away by idea of having money.  People wanting to destroy these positives things only see dollar signs in their eyes.  Still people are fighting to keep this urban gardening going.

            After reading Chris Carlsson chapter five of Nowtopia, I was amazed that it dated back to that long.  I was under impression it started back in the 1960s.  In the chapter, there were so many organizations that wanted to make their communities better.  The Kiowas left western part of Montana to live in the great plains.  The plains seem endless, and the Kiowas wanted to make the most of the land like the urban gardeners.  People gather in gardens just like the Kiowas gather in sun dances and in the summer.  I think the overall message was people want to socialize and be happy with what they do, whether it be gardening or practicing rituals.

TP4

In Natalie Angier short essay, “Men, Women, Sex, and Darwin,”  she talks about men being polygamous and women monogamous.  Natalie Angier goes on in more depth to explain that males and females have natural instincts and views of one of another.  For example, males are more adapt to various partners when it comes to sexual relationships than females are.  As well males prefer younger and gorges females in relationships.  Second, females tend to prefer a steady relationship with one partner only rather than multiple.  In addition, females tend to look for older men, with an unlimited amount of resources and finances.  Why is there a difference in sexual preference and views of a personal preference in males and females?  One answer is a natural instinct or is embedded psychologically.  According to Ms. Angier, males can’t help themselves and is almost like, “asking a man not to lust after a pretty young woman is like telling a carnivore not to like meat” (Angier 31).  Still, both males and females get married, even though they have different views.  The reason is that males and females get married is for the best interest for both of them.  Men would find it financially stable to stay with one partner and for females are getting the comfort of knowing they would be taken care of. 

            Besides having natural instincts and personal preference views, we are all made up of atoms according to Bill Bryson in his short essay, “How You Became You.”  Atoms are the smallest particles found in planet Earth.  These small particles construct us, even though they do not know that we exist.  These atoms are found throughout the universe, but only in planet Earth they sustain life.  Mr. Bryson best explains the significance of atoms when he said, “The only thing special about the atoms…is that they make you” (Bryson 94).  In addition to atoms making us, these small particles are part of the evolution.  Our ancestors adapted to various changes of Earth’s weather and eras. 

            Next is chapter four in Nowtopi, Chris Carlsson explains how Capitalism continues to exploit the world resources.  As Chris Carlsson states, “the rape of the planet is proceeding at a faster pace than ever” (Carlsson74).  Even though Capitalism narrows the thinking process of individuals through work wages, still people find ways of reinventing and changing how we do things in our planet.  Permacultures are coming up with new alternatives to save the resources of the planet.  Community gardens are found in the urban landscape as well as permaculture activists are teaching their ways of gardening to small farmlands of Mexico. 

            Both essays of “Men, Women, Sex, and Darwin” and “How You Became You,” explained who we are inside and our desires.  Atoms are found throughout the universe; however, is only here on planet Earth were life exists.  This small particle gives us life, but human instinct gives us different desires from male and female. Both a man and woman get married in order to benefit one another just like an atom links with one another to form a molecule, which eventually makes us.   In chapter four of Nowtopia we learned thinking outside the box can lead to safer alternatives to ensure we have place to live thousands of years from now.

TP3

Chapter nine in Nowtopia, “Burning Man: a Working-class, Do-it-Yourself World’s Fair,” Chris Carlsson talks about how the participants of Burning Man express themselves and reinvent themselves from the typical norm of a Capitalist society.  Chris Carlson takes a trip to the outskirt of Reno, Nevada to visit and explore Burning Man.  In addition, to visiting the event, Chris Carlson interview participants and asked these participants about what is class in their own words, what defines middle class or upper class, and many other works.  The interviews informed him of various answers, but all have similar taste.  The main idea of having Burning Man was to let these so called mere workers a get away from their 9-to-5 jobs and have fun creating new things.  Capitalism takes away people creative side, most often people don’t do what makes them happy.   These people must follow a set of rules that either society or capitalism set upon them.  In Burning Man they are free to invent stuff using tools they haven’t use before and just having fun.   

Besides having Burning Man, Chris Carlsson talks about do it yourself attitude in chapter three in Nowtopia.  About three decades ago, people started to revolt against capitalism in the 1970s, whether it is music such as punk rock.  During that time period, glam rock and rock and roll was being exploited to the public as the new hit thing.  Punk rock came in as a rebellious form of music.  People don’t want to be order and told what to do was the theme and most jobs tell you what to do.  Chris Carlsson mentions people with a self attitude of do it yourself.   In the course of the chapter, we are informed of people setting up their bike shops, gardens, and making books on how to do it yourself.  The main point was people were not being dependent upon someone else, but becoming independent and trying new ways.  In 50 Essays, “Where I live And What I lived” is about how a place where you live or visited can help you chose and accept what is that you have to write.

            In all three stories there was one main point and that’s to do things own your own without having someone looking over you.  In addition Chris Carlsson states, “human beings want to congregate, socialize, party, discuss and debate, share and cooperate.  It may be the most powerful drive we have” ( Carlsson 43).  One way this is implied is through Burning Man in the outskirt of Reno, Nevada.  The participants use tools that they never use before, they meet new people in the vast of communities camping out in Burning Man.  There is a display of art, raves, and gatherings across the playa.   The people that participate in these events or organize them, do it because they want to.

tp 1

According to Samuel Cohen, “Reading and writing are most of what you will do in your college courses” (Cohen 1).  The main ideas for the introduction of 50 Essays, Samuel Cohen expresses the importance of active reading, critical thinking, and writing processing.  The introduction stresses a lot in active reading, in order to be a proficient writer and express ideas clearly.  Readers must be critical thinkers by simply looking further and beyond the summary of the text.  In addition to the writing process, a reader must observe other writers ways of writing.  By observing others, the reader gains knowledge and implements the new skills to their writings.  The first short essay in 50 Essays, “The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me,” Sherman Alexie tells the story of Native American writer becoming a proficient writer by reading every chance he got and not caring what other thought of him for doing so.

            The main idea for the introduction in Nowtopia, Chris Carlsson mentions people are finding new ways of identifying themselves and not being identified by capitalisms.  Chapter one of Nowtopia the author wants us as inhabitants of this planet to look beyond, find new ways of finding ourselves, and getting away from the identity of capitalism.  According to Chris Carlsson in Nowtopia, “Refusing class identities, people create other ways of knowing themselves and resent attempts to objectively categorize them in terms of class…” (Carlsson 10).  Capitalism and social identity is giving the wrong impression of an individual who they are truly inside. 

Active reading is a key component to becoming a better writer.  Readers can analyze others writers techniques of expressing their ideas and the reader can use these new techniques to improve their writing.  By reading other writer’s ways a reader can see new ways of expressing their ideas.   Reading actively does require the reader’s full attention in order to comprehend.  One way to keep the readers alert is by having a pencil in hand to make side notes on the text.  When it comes down to critical thinking, the reader must keep in mind the main topics, secondary topics, and being inquisitive.  The readers can look further into text by asking questions if they are in agreement with what the author said and was the author argument convicting in the text.  The writing process is revision of your writing.   A reader can only get better by revising his or her paper.  The writing process has stages that include the prewriting, drafts, and revision.  In “The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me,” Sherman Alexie informs readers that he read every chance he got and did not care what his fellow Spokane people  thought of him.  If someone wants to better themselves there might be some trials and tribulation.  In the case of the young Spokane Indian boy, his fellow classmates pretend to be stupid in the classroom in order to be accepted by the elders in the tribe.  The Spokane Indian wanted to do what he enjoys the most and that was reading. 

            In Nowtopia Chris Carlsson wants readers to know that people get identify by what they do for a living and how they look.  The author gives examples of people doing different activities away from the nine to five jobs.  These people have reinvent themselves and stayed away from the stereotypes of society.  People who live in urban environments are making gardens and business people having their own bike repair shops.

I can agree with Samuel Cohen on the importance of reading, critical thinking, and writing process.  Someone can get new ideas by reading other peoples’ works or writings.  By analyzing what the author saying helps you look more into the reading.  Writing is process and not all things come to flow in the mind.  It takes steps to get writing portion.  As for the Spokane Indian essay and Nowtopia both say the same thing in their stories lines.  Society might give you an identity but is up to the person to live that role or not.

TP 7

In the Nowtopia chapter“Free Fuel: The Tinkerer’s Grail,” Chris Carlsson defines biofuels users as “sustainability” and centralized government and corporations as “Big Capital.” While in “Once More to the Lake,” E.B White talks about his fishing experience in a lake in Maine and his memories.  And in “Salvation,” Langston Hughes describes his personal story of lying to get the church people of his back, but then breaking down for not doing the right thing. 

According to Carlsson, “The ‘oil crisis’ of 1973-74 heightened awareness of society’s structural dependence on oil and fossil fuels” (Carlsson/160).  But before the crisis, society has been always been fascinated working and fixing cars.  Working in cars has been the norms and naturally cars have been a bastion for doing it yourself.  The use of biofuel may be a new technology, the usage of waste of vegetable oil as an alternative to gas; people have been finding new ways to reinvent everyday usage such an electric car.  So innovating is not a new thing to today society.  Since the early 1990s, college students and others have promoting as ambassadors that vehicles can run by using vegetable oil or other biofuel alternatives.  These Nowtopians have displaying the use of biofuel by traveling across the country and crossing borders solely on alternatives to gas. Besides alternating the use of gas, biofuels have been making people come together, sharing ideas, and making friendships.  Carlsson mentions “Big Capital” centralized government and corporate organizations have been keeping knowledge within them and hoping that people remain ignorant so they depend on the manufacturing system.  Capitalism does not want people to do it yourself, but instead rely or remain dependent of other work.

In short essay, “Salvation,” Hughes tells his story of going to church and following the book of God.  Church serves as a place of worship, friendship and gatherings of community.  Hughes lied and told the priest that he witnessed God and was ready to let God into his life.  The reason he lied because he did not want to disappoint the church and his aunt.  He wanted to be part of the group, but instead he fail.  Like many business that started with biofuel, many have failed because they did not stay in course with core values of helping the one another, teaching, and socializing.  These companies and Hughes must keep truth to their practices.  As for “Once More to the Lake,” White describes his visit to a lake in Maine. The lake is a symbol to White and “this was the American family at play, escaping the city heat…” (White/453).  The lake is almost like biofuel; both gather people, socialize, and teach each other such fishing and making biofuel. 

  I think that biofuel is a metaphor that Chris Carlsson uses in Nowtopia in order to get people to connect, socialize, and help each other out.  Just like do it yourself and bicycle workshops, and biofuel have brought communities together.  Looking deeper I think the message is people want express themselves and be sustainable or let their voice be heard.

chapter two

Section two of Everyday Writer Andrea Lundsford gives helpful advices in the writing process.  Since writing can connect to a massive audience, it is important to have an effective means of communication.  A writer must identify a topic and purpose, audience, and credibility.  In addition to choosing a topic, a writer needs to know a little about their topic and his targeted audiences.  As well, a writer must establish his or her credibility.  According to Andrea A. Lunsford, “…we write best about topics we know well” (52.)  Hence if a writer cannot come with any ideas, try brainstorming, looping, sketching, clustering, and ask questions.  Once a writer compares ideas and establishes similarities, the writer can start his first sentence and move forward.   Next is making sure the topic sentence is narrow, and having a working thesis.  Within a working thesis, make sure there is information to support the thesis in the body paragraphs.  In the first paragraph make sure to catch the reader’s attention and eager to read the next paragraph.  During reviewing and revising have your peers look over the assignment.  The peers should make sure the following are stated clearly: the thesis, topic sentence of each paragraph, and supporting ideas. 

            Besides having to narrow a topic, a writer must engage the reader’s attention in the first paragraph.  In the first paragraph, have enough details to keep it from being dull and boring.   Give the first paragraph some flavor by making the audiences “want to read this paragraph because it appeals to [their] senses…and [their] curiosity” (Lunsford 70)  Once the writer hooks the reader’s attentions, he must make the body paragraphs flow.  One away is by repeating key words and phrases, parallelism, and using transitions.  Having any of these three employ in the body paragraphs will keep the reader interest and engage. 

            I admit that I never put too much emphasis to thought into my opening paragraph before reading The Everyday Writer section 2.  One way of viewing the opening paragraph, is like going on a first date with someone.  If the writer wants to continue seeing this person, the writer must make a good first impression and keep the curiosity of wanting the reader to continue reading.  I agree with the main idea of having the readers engage in the opening paragraph.

            In chapter two of The Craft of Revision’s, Donald Murray discusses about getting a writing project started.  Once again the emphasis that writing is a process with steps to be accomplished.  Writers should not get frustrated if no ideas spring out from their head.  Even the professional writers have difficulties: “writers suffer the same problems in getting started as nonwriters” (25).  Murray ease the tension by writing on a daily basis,  by breaking the assignment into small tasks to allow the writer accomplish the task, by writing on a daily basis, by having a deadline to keep the writer on track, and by having a writing room or a place to concentrate on simply writing will help jot down ideas.

Again there is a usage of analogies to clarify the main ideas of The Craft of Revision.  Donald M. Murray, use a store keeper job to make a point.  Most writers get frustrated if their day is unproductive.  Writers should look at the situation as a store keeper, sometimes there aren’t any customers for a period of time; however, the store keeper remains open because it’s his job.  Also he uses truck drivers, because there is no such thing as having drivers block.  Like truck drivers and writers they both have a job to do.   The overall picture is writing is like a job, there is responsibility, and writer must uphold to his duties just like a store keeper and a truck driver.

Chapter One

Chapter one of The Craft of Revision,  Donald M. Murray informs beginning writers to understand that writing is a process and that it takes time.  Everybody that begins writing starts off being a bad writer even the publishers.   According to the Donald Murray, he mentions that “Writing is rewriting” (2).  Revision is a part of the writing process that cannot be ignored.   Draft after drafts only makes a writer become a much better writer and be able to communicate his or her ideas more clearly and precise.  The revision process should not be seen as something negative if someone suggest for the writer to revise.  With each revision you could recover forgotten information from memory.  Writers should not take it personal when someone suggest revision, but see it as an opportunity to improve and make their essay better.  In The Everyday Writer by Andrea A. Lunsford, section one is about grammar and how writing has changed for students in past couple of years.  Like the introduction of 50 Essays, section one mentions academic reading and critical thinking.  

Chapter one of The Craft of Revision support their main ideas by giving examples of professional writers’ insights processes during their writing process.  Many beginner writers struggle to get ideas to jot down in their papers.  Professionals’ writers use tools to help them get ideas such as brainstorming, circling the subject, try out lines, interviewing themselves, play with images, and make connections.  Sometimes ideas just come from nowhere and writers make note of their ideas in a notebook.  The author stresses to not fear failure but see as instructive failure.  A good example is when the author quoted Michael Jordan, a famous basketball player, which has failed and missed many shots in his career but still has learned and improve from his mistakes.  Revision can also be seen as a practice swinging the bat like a baseball player. Unlike baseball players, which only get three tries to swing at the ball, writers have many tries to improve their writings.  Some new writers get discourage about writing of the unknown, but author urges writers to write about the unknown and they will amaze about themselves on how much they know.  Writers should not fear about writing.  In The Everyday Writer the section shows common grammar and punctuation errors committed by previous students.  Section one shows how to be an academic reader such understanding the overall content of the text so you can summarize the story.

I agree with the main idea of revision.  I see revision as an improvement and clarifying my message to the reading audience.  I appreciate that author mentioning in The Craft of Revision that everybody starts off being a bad writer.  Mine impression of writers a first was they can come with masterpieces in single movement and had no problems jotting down ideas.  It was an eye opener to me.