Thursday, March 15, 2012

Reflect and Connect #5



    




          The art critique helped me to appreciate that kind of work. I am often not the kind of person who enjoys the typical kind of art I like movies much better but the museum truly surprised. It made me realize the fact that art is a great form of expression for many around the world. It was a lot of fun to walk around the museum and critique the art to see what pieces I truly enjoyed. It was really funny but after my first real museum experience I had the chance to go the high school art exhibit in Springville, UT and I truly enjoyed myself.

Monday, March 12, 2012

Hudson River School Painters




            The Hudson River School was a government funded school of American Art. The artists of the Hudson River School were paid by the government to travel west and create art using the landscape of the West. The purpose of this was to inspire Americans to travel west. The Hudson River School used romanticism within their paintings because within the paintings they did not include Indians, people, or animals. Because of this the West was very appealing and it created a myth about the West. These paintings helped to prove that America had one that Europe did not Wilderness. People often fantasize about untamed wilderness and living within that. The Hudson River Painters helped that dream blossom within the minds of many Americans.


Thomas Cole: The Oxbow

            Thomas Cole was born in Lancashire England. He immigrated to the United States in 1818. Cole discovered his love for wilderness at a young age and began to paint what he saw. The Oxbow is in Connecticut which not West at all but was a great example to Cole of the power and tranquility of nature. The rain clouds in the background prove the power which nature holds and the untamable force it possesses. This painting portrayed the ideals of the Hudson River Painters by showing nature rather than the people within it. Cole wanted to show the power of nature which he did by the rain clouds but more importantly by water. In a majority of the Hudson River School Painting water is present this was a way the painters used to show the force and unrelenting power of nature.


Thomas Cole: Romantic Landscape

            Romantic Landscape by Thomas Cole has several elements that are within many of the Hudson River School painting. Some of these elements include, water, broken wood, large rain clouds, and mountains. Each of these elements helped Cole portray the way he saw nature. He saw nature as an almighty force that should be preserved and respected. This was an ideal that the Hudson River Painters shared with Transcendentalists and Romantics.  This era was important to nature because it was the beginning of government involvement. This is because due to a Hudson River Valley student Yellow Stone became a national park along with many other areas. The Romantic Landscape is a good example of untouched nature which was an element that was often portrayed in these paintings.







Rainy Season in the Tropics

            Rainy Season in the tropics was created by Frederic Edwin Church in 1866. This picture contains many of the elements that the other Hudson River Valley paintings have. The most important of these is the waterfall. This painting is so beautiful and the most important and influential part of it is the waterfall. The waterfall portrays power along with the beauty of nature. Church was very influential with this painting from South America because it showed nature in a tropical way which many Americans had never experienced.

            The Hudson River Painters and the art they created were very inspiring. They helped create a relationship with humans and nature that helped to create preservation. Because of The Hudson River Painters and many others we get to experience nature with national parks. The Hudson River Painters and the work they created reminded me of The Peach Blossom Spring by T’ao Ch’ien. This is because the poem is about a town that “had lost all communication to the outside world.” (pg. 344) The Hudson River Painters were painting The West which had not been exposed to the outside world.


Easter's End



            The general argument made by Jared Diamond in his work, Easter’s island is that people can destroy a complete paradise on Earth because of the disrespect they give land and nature. This work was about Easter’s Island a beautiful and spacious island that any man would be lucky to live on and cherish. More specifically, Diamond presents that fact that the destruction was not a quick thing it happened over a long period of time. He writes, “The forest the islanders depended on for rollers and rope didn’t simply disappear one day—it vanished slowly over decades. This is true with many places around the world. Human beings will often not realize what they are doing to the Earth and their land for their own progression. This is exactly what happened on Easter Island. In Diamond’s description of Easter he also wrote, “…blessings should have made Easter a miniature paradise.” The islanders could not recognize this however because they were stuck in their present rather than looking to the future.  In conclusion it is Diamond’s view the presence of humans and our society may very well turn the entire earth into and Easter Island and our existence could end up being just as much as a mystery.

            In my view Diamond is wrong because people learn from their mistakes and they will look at Easter Island as an example. Furthermore in recent years human beings are doing more to protect the environment. No one in the time period of Easter Island realized what consequences come with their actions. Even though Diamond might argue that people repeat history I maintain that they will use Easter Island as an example to show that it is important to protect Earth. Even though it might take a long time to do this it is important that people are beginning to notice the problems occurring and I do not think it is too late. Therefore I conclude that the human race is smart enough not to allow the Earth to become a greater example of the problems and mysteries faced with Easter Island and their existence.

Art Critique





1.      Which museum did you visit?

·         University of Utah

2.      In 150 words describe at least one of the broad collections on a theme, period, geographic region, or topic within the museum.

·         One of the collections in the museum is “Art of Utah and the West.” This collection consists of landscape paintings that portray the West when it was wild and untamed.  When I in the museum this collection reminded me a lot of the Hudson River painters and the art they created. Especially considering the fact that the paintings in the museum and the art they created were of the same place. The Wild West and unsettled land are both consistent in these paintings. The paintings in this collection also had a lot of horses and cabins. This is another aspect of the west that was often accepted a long time ago. These paintings were more water paintings rather than oil or other types of paintings. I really enjoyed this collection even though it was not very large it was very interesting to me and I found them very artistic and I thought the artists were very talented.

3.      Give a brief, one paragraph (100 words) description of a special exhibit.

·         One of the special exhibits in the museum is “At Work: Prints from the Great Depression.” This exhibit was very inspiring to me because it portrayed the labor intrusive work men and women went through to provide for their family in a long stretch of economic turmoil. One of these pictures reminded me so much of my dad because my dad has no education but has always done hard, life threatening tasks to put food on the table. I have often seen my parents and grandparents do whatever it takes to keep us safe, happy, and healthy and when I was looking at this exhibit I truly related to the pictures and could feel the worker’s pain and worry.

4.      What kind of information is provided about the works? Tell me three places you might find more detailed information that doesn’t include the web.

·         The origin, type of artwork, the title, and the authors name.

·         You can find more information in a tour, an artist’s collection of works, or an information desk.

5.      Choose several works that particularly appeal to you. Explain why you were drawn to these works. Comment on the subject, style medium, time period, etc. Who were the artists? (500)

·         The first work that particularly stood out to me was a picture of a chalkboard that has “America” written on the top and then a very witty description of the country. I don’t know why this was so appealing to me but I guess during election time America is a very important topic and is very appealing. It is also great in my eyes to see someone stand up for America especially when the past few years of our existence have not been great but it was very inspiring. This is called “How do you spell America?” and the artist is Willie Cole. The second picture that appealed to me was one that I could not look at. The foreground was desert and the background had mountains. There is a car in the middle of the picture and it was very cool because it was by the mountains and the desert and it was in this blank space and it hit me. Here this car was completely by itself around two different kinds of nature and it is the only thing in this barren place. This picture is called, “Chrysler Newport, Bonneville Salt Flats, 1992,” and the photographer is Richard Misrach. Another piece that stood out to me was a sculpture. This sculpture is called, “Discarded Memories” and the artist is Chakaia Booker.  I was so intrigued by this piece because it looked like the artist combined random pieces of metal to make this beautiful piece of art. Some of the parts used reminded me of something that would be found in an old car’s engine. And when I considered the name of the sculpture I came to the conclusion that one of the discarded memories was the artist’s first car. This is because your first car you remember but you do not keep it forever.  This sculpture was one of the most interesting pieces of art I have ever seen. One of the other pieces that stood out to me was a statue named, “Ethnic Man.” This piece was created by Viola Frey. This piece was so appealing to me because the statue reminded so much of Denzel Washington. It was shocking to me how much the statue resembled him especially in “Renaissance Man.” It was so shocking to me that I couldn’t even look at the statue without picturing Washington and imagining parts of movies he had been in. I was a little disappointed however because I was not supposed to get Washington out of it. I should have seen the struggle African Americans have gone through but instead I saw Denzel Washington. But I guess that is okay because I did enjoy the piece of art. Finally, another great piece that inspired me was an old photograph of two women talking to each other. This picture reminded me of immigrant workers from Austria or Ireland and it especially reminded of a really old television shows, “Rich Man, Poor Man.” This is because the main character’s family immigrated to the United States and the stern faces on the women in this photo by, Helen Levitt. You can see the worry and frustration in these women’s faces and it is up to the viewer to decide why. I thought this was a great photograph and I looked at it for quite a long time and just thought about the meaning behind it.

6.      How did the artworks you looked at relate to the material we have discussed in class? (150)

·         The artworks I looked at played along very closely with our current unit, wildlife. Several paintings that I saw were paintings of beautiful landscapes. I feel like painters love to create nature scenes because nature is so beautiful. Nature is a wonderful thing and so many people throughout history have tried so hard to preserve, protect, and enjoy nature. The nature painting I saw reminded me a lot of the Hudson River Valley Painters because several of their works helped to preserve nature and create an interest in other people. One of the paintings reminded me a lot of the visual created in “Fable for Tomorrow” from, Silent Spring by Rachel Carson. This painting was a landscape portrait of a Western town that showed the men, women, and children all working together. Wildlife is a theme often used in artwork because it is delightful to look at and for everyone to enjoy.   

7.      What was your personal reaction to this experience? Would you enjoy attending this type of event again? Why or Why not? (100)

·         My personal reaction to this experience was surprise. I was very surprised at how much I enjoyed the museum. I am often not the kind of person who enjoys activities like this. I enjoy sitting at home watching movies and do not enjoy going out and looking at art. But I truly enjoyed attending the museum and would love to go again. Not only did I have fun but just attending the museum but I was beginning to realize that this was a cultural experience and by going to a museum I was being active in my community, I was very proud.

Fable for Tomorrow


              "A Fable for Tomorrow" by Rachel Carson is about a beautiful town. This town is and the people in it are one with nature. She writes, “…lived in harmony with its surroundings.” (pg. 371) But an evil came to this town that ruined the harmony. This evil came to the town and nature and animals started dying off. The plants would not grow and the animals would not feed. This evil ruined this town and the harmony and happiness that used to be a part of it. This was not a real town however just a simple example used by Carson in her book Silent Spring.
            “A Fable for Tomorrow,” is a section out of Rachel Carson’s novel, Silent Spring. Carson wrote this novel in order to provide an example of mosquito repellent on nature. The mosquito repellent she was trying to portray is DDT. Carson was worried about the effect this would have on birds and other species of the planet. Not only was it dangerous to animals but also to humans. This story helped Carson save the environment from DDT and discontinue its usage. I was very surprised to read Rachel Carson because we learned about her In A.P. U.S. history and there was a question about her on the test. I do not have a personal response about nature that goes along with this but I do have one about Rachel Carson. Last year in A.P U.S. I was very delighted to read and learn about Margaret Thatcher and Rachel Carson. I think that their work helped women be in the place they are today and that is very important to me.

Polemic: Industrial Tourism and National Parks



            The general argument made by Edward Abbey in his work Polemic: Industrial Tourism & National Parks is that he growing industry in outdoor recreation is threatening national parks along with nature itself. More specifically, Abby argues that increased profits and growth should not subject national parks to unfair treatment from Washington. The point of national parks is the preservation of nature, not to make money or serve tourists. He writes, “…the greater the quantity of traffic, the higher the value received.” (pg. 387) I this passage, Abbey is suggesting that national parks are for preservation and they should not be altered for human enjoyment or profit. In conclusion, it is Abbey’s belief that national parks should not be changes for any reason, especially profit or accessibility.


            In my view, Abbey is wrong because parks are meant for human enjoyment, national parks do strive for preservation but there would be no purpose of preservation if people did not have the chance to enjoy the park, this way people can enjoy and see nature the way it used to be. For example, places such as Yellowstone and Arches allow children to see nature with little distractions that are present within a city environment. Although, Abbey might object might object that nature is not preserved the way it used to be with so much human involvement and the building of roads I maintain that national parks help people recognize the importance of nature. Therefore I conclude that national parks should be readily available to those who want to enjoy nature.

Wildlife in American Culture




       The general argument made by Aldo Leopold in his work "Wildlife in American Culture" is that nature is important to the formation and make up of culture. More specifically, Leopold argues that wildlife has a large affect on America's culture in various areas. He writes, "Suffice it to say that by common consent of thinking people, there are cultural value in the sports, customs, and experiences, which renew contacts with wild things." (pg. 372) In this passage, Leopold is suggesting that wildlife is important to American culture and is the very thing holding it together. In conclusion, it is Leopold's belief that the preservation of wildlife and nature is very important.
            In my view, Leopold is right because nature has always shaped how people eat, live, and look. For example, it is only recently that people have used other materials besides animals to clothe themselves. Before recently when hunting was necessary all of the animal was used for all materials even clothing. Although, Leopold might object that there is still wildlife present in out culture I maintain that its importance is quickly fading from American life. Therefore I conclude that the importance of wildlife in American culture is fading in America's eyes but is still equally important and it must be preserved. 

Reflect and Connect #4

        Reading these works about nature really helped me to realize how important it is for habits in America to change. I realized that I have a lot of bad habits that are contributing to the Earth's poor health. Although my footprint was much smaller than others in my class, (I use 2.3 Earths) it is still really poor. I have been so moved by the change that I have to make for the planet that I have been walking to school when it is warm enough. I truly enjoy it because i get time to think but the part that sucks is that my walk is just streets so I do not get to enjoy nature but I am still outside and helping the planet a little bit. Sometimes I wish there were no cars and we still rode horses but only sometimes.

Peach Blossom Spring


            The general argument made by T’ao Ch’ien in his work “The Peach Blossom Spring” is that nature is the element missing in people’s lives that will make them truly happy. More specifically, Ch’ien suggests that with embracing nature comes pure happiness rather that the artificial happiness this is encountered with money or possessions. He writes, “The wild flowers growing under them were fresh and lovely, and fallen petals covered the ground—it made a great impression on the fisherman.” (pg. 444) Ch’ien later describes the happy and prosperous lives of the villagers without wealth or power. In his passage Ch’ien suggests that nature is the true source of happiness. In Conclusion, it is Ch’ien’s belief that nature is the only element in life that provides true and pure happiness.

In my view, Ch’ien is wrong because nature for some people is not a source of happiness. For example there is a poem that I read in my English class that was about a man who didn’t like nature and enjoyed literature much more. Although Ch’ien might object that he is not truly happy, I maintain that everyone has different paths to happiness and not everyone should be happy in nature. Therefore, I conclude that nature is great for some people but for others they hate to be in it and would much rather spend time inside.

Introduction to Responses to the Land



            The general argument made in Introduction to Responses to the Land: Nature, Ecology, and Materialism is that every culture embraces nature differently. More specifically, some cultures embrace nature and feel as if they are one, others believe that is there to help them by providing materials. The passage says, “…there existed a strong sense of the positive role that nature played in spiritual life.” (pg. 342) This passage suggests that cultures embrace and view nature in many different ways. In conclusion nature is a universal element but is very different around the globe.


            In my view the passage is right because it is shown through history and religion that nature is treated differently within cultures. For example, in Native American cultures nature is their lord and they respect it in other cultures however, nature is feared and many see “natural disasters” as a plague from nature. I maintain that cultures and history will always progress and with progression the way nature is embraced will constantly change. Therefore, I conclude that  the embrace of nature differs among cultures.

Reflect and Connect #3

      This week of readings reminded me immensely of what we are taught in Honors English. i have spent so much time learning about poems and how to read them. i do not feel however that I was taught so much to enjoy the poetry and literature we read. I rather feel that understanding was more important than enjoyment. But personally, I enjoy poetry as long as it is not really deep that I don't understand. The funny thing is that I used to hate literature and say that I couldn't read because it was too boring but starting in ninth grade with Count of Monte Crisco that all changed. I can now say that I truly enjoy reading but I can not say that I enjoy analyzing literature.

Education Through Poetry



                     The general argument made by Robert Frost in his work "Education by Poetry" is that poetry should be the basis of education. More specifically, students should be graded on judgment, rather than basic memorization abilities. He writes, "There are still two minimal things we have to take care of, taste and judgement." (pg. 48) In this passage Frost is suggesting that poetry is taste and that students should be taught to read and appreciate poetry. In conclusion, it is Frost's belief that poetry should be the basis of education and by using poetry this way American students would have taste.
                      In my view, Frost is wrong because poetry is not he only device for teaching good taste. For example, books and music help students develop both judgment and taste. Although Frost, might object that poetry has deep meaning and requires critical thinking, I maintain that other do not and that music and books are easier for students to relate which means more to them. therefore, I conclude that poetry although important should not be the basis of education.

Why Literature



            The general argument made by Mario Vargas Llosa in his work “Why Literature?” is that literature is no longer the backbone of society. More specifically, Llosa argues that literature is no longer a pass time for modern society and mainly read by women. He Writes, “It is something between sports, the movies, a game of bridge or chess; and it can be sacrificed…” (pg. 39). In this passage, Llosa is suggesting that literature is less important to modern people and that as people find more pass times it will continue to decrease. In conclusion, it is Llosa’s belief that literature and its importance in education and daily life is vanishing from society.
            In my view, Llosa is right because less and less students my age enjoy reading. For example, if a student likes what a book is about they will often say, “I will just wait to see the movie,” students are growing impatient and do not want to read a book because it takes too long. Because of this they will often read book summaries when an assignment is given to them or simply watch the movie. The problem with this is they do not get the full affect the book would have had on them if they were to have read it. Although Llosa might object that it is completely dying out I maintain that because of the e-reader it is becoming more popular among youths.  Therefore, I conclude that while literature is receding the e-reader is helping children reconnect to it.

Reflect and Connect #2



    


      I was shocked and amazed about "Shakespeare in the Bush." I would never have the patience to do something like that. It's kind of strange but as I was reading it I was constantly reminded me of my job. This is because no one can ever understand how I like my job or the uniform I wear but it is one of the most important thing in my life. When she was trying to explain the "weird" things it reminded of when I have to explain to customers why my job is so awesome and important.They often leave not believing me or thinking I am a liar. Which is a similar experience to hers.

Reading and Interpretation Exercise




Reading and Interpretation Exercise: Musee des Beaux Arts: Auden (1939)

Pg. 36-38

Melody Nipper

1.     The subject of the first line is The Old Masters.

2.     The Old Masters are found in the second line.

3.     The words in the sentence are not in the correct order.

4.     Auden is trying to say that life goes on, despite a catastrophic event.

5.     Auden’s argument is that people turn their head away from tragedy.

6.     Auden makes his argument by pointing to evidence in the picture.

7.     Auden’s evidence is the people who turn their heads from Icarus.

8.     The title is in French and it means the Museum of Beautiful Arts.

9.     The Old Masters include: Breughel, DaVinci, Rembrandt, and Michelangelo.

10.                        This is capitalized because it is respectful to the great artists.

11.                         You could find out more by searching it on Google.

12.                        Auden develops his argument from starting at general and moving to specific details.

13.                         “Breughel’s Icarus” is a painting portraying the myth Icarus.

14.                         The thesis he is arguing is generally that people turn away from tragedy.

15.                        I agree with Auden’s argument because people are involved in themselves and do not want to deal with disaster if it does not exactly involve them.

16.                         Auden’s result may be affected by the major historical events and the response to those events.

17.                         Auden’s views were affected by the Concentration Camps and the way that the other countries reacted to them.

18.                         Auden said that the Old Masters were never wrong because the Old Masters especially Rembrandt suffered.

19.                         The Old Masters are held to such esteem because they are able to connect with pain and suffering and reflect that suffering in their art work.

20.                         This is the case because they can sympathize and empathize with them.

21.                         Auden’s presence in a museum does affect his views about what he sees because it is the Old Masters and the painting are of pain and suffering.

22.                         He uses “Brueghel’s Icarus” to support his thesis by pointing out examples within the picture. Such as, “everything turns away quite leisurely from the disaster.”  

23.                        The Old Masters had similar historical context to Auden which accounts for the way that he views the painting by not feeling accepted himself along with the Old Masters.

24.                        Different styles and looking at the art differently allow for a different interpretation of The Old Masters.

25.                         Painting can help convey a message that can be read by the value, color, and light that is used within the painting.

26.                         Using the title we would expect to see a description of an art museum.

27.                        We see an explanation of a single painting and the author’s view of the world and the people in it.

28.                        What we see dominates over what we would expect to see.

29.                        The painting composition makes us see Icarus last which outlines the story behind the painting and poem; the color does the same by making the painting very dark where Icarus is in the water.

30.                         Icarus is small and is in the ship’s shadow.

31.                        He is so small to portray the central meaning and illustrate the way human beings react to tragedy.

32.                         The people in this painting are ignoring the tragedy they are just looking away.

33.                         Auden said, “How everything turns away,” is the exact example from the painting.

34.                        Auden’s interpretation is good because based on his examples and looking at the painting they are true.

35.                         Historically the painting takes place a long time ago which portrays a way in which the culture was different.

36.                         No his interpretation was wrong because in the myth it says that the people stood there amazed rather than turned away.

37.                        To find out for sure we need to read the original source.

38.                        The scene is different because in the myth the people are standing there amazed.

39.                         Ovid’s view is so much different because is so much different because it is from another time period.

40.                         I the 1st century B.C.E. many empires were coming to life such as Greece and Rome.

41.                         This could have affected his story telling because the Grecians were fascinated by stories and myths and would have found this amazing.

42.                         I personally enjoyed the works the picture and poem.

43.                        I feel that there is truth to both the poem and the painting.

44.                        The works predominately interests me.

45.                         I would respond by asking him a lot of question in regard to the piece of work.

Shakespeare in the Bush




This was an article about and educated American woman who adventured to the African Bush. She did this in order to prove to an English man that Americans understand Shakespeare. To prove this she promised that she could teach Hamlet to the inhabitants of the American Bush. Much to her surprise it turned out much harder that she had planned, almost impossible.

The general argument made by Laura Bohannan in her work, Shakespeare in the Bush is that language barriers among cultures change the ways others view topics. More specifically, Bohannan suggests that reading, writing, and language prevented the Africans from understanding Shakespeare. She writes, “There was a shocked murmur from everyone, A man should never scold his mother.”(pg. 33) In this passage Bohannan is suggesting that due to cultural differences and language barriers understanding can vary among different people. In conclusion, it is Bohannan’s belief that lack of understanding is due to cultural differences.

In my view, Bohannan is right because views and ideas are very different among other cultures. For example, many would not find the fact that Hamlet scolds his mother so shockingly; there is less respect to elders throughout the world. Although Bohannan might object that this is usually what causes conflict, I maintain that behind most conflict there are other causes besides cultural differences. Therefore, I conclude that Cultural differences can and often do affect others from understanding due to background and history.

Reflect and Connect #1



             I was in the first grade on 9/11and living in Las Vegas, Nevada. Like many children who watched the attack i did not understand what was going on or the importance of that day. But as I learned more and more about what happened I understood the cruelty that America had just faced and I have often found myself not accepting of other cultures, especially Middle Eastern. This is because due to the 9/11 attacks I grew hostile toward these cultures.

Friday, March 9, 2012

Life of a Closed Mind

          The general argument made by Anna Quindlen in her work Life of the Closed Mind is that post 9/11 the students of this generation are more closed minded. More specifically, Quindlen suggest that students only look at arguments from two sides. She writes, “Good and evil, holy and profane, them and us.” (pg. 67) In this passage Quindlen is suggesting that 9/11 was very damaging to students’ minds and their ability to express themselves and share their beliefs with others. In Conclusion, it is Quindlen’s belief that 9/11 has caused to students to be very closed minded and that this could grow on other generations as time goes on.
             In my view, Quindlen is right because students are often afraid to share their point-of-view with others. For example, they are often very afraid of offending others. Such as in class when someone is afraid to answer a question because it could offend another student. I have experienced this personally and believe that it is often for security and protecting yourself. Although Quindlen might object that this will never change, I maintain that eventually the students will become more open minded. Therefore, I conclude that it does seem very likely that 9/11 has affected the students of this generation.

Argumentation in a Culture of Discord


           The general argument made by Frank L. Cioffi in his work Argumentation in a Culture of Discord is that the media is eroding the ability of students to understand argument. More specifically, Cioffi suggests that the media does not allow for debate, which is diminishing the power of debate. He writes, “…they’re a venue for self promotion and squabbling…” (pg. 63) In this passage, Cioffi is suggesting that the media is quickly changing argument in a culture. In conclusion it is Cioffi’s belief that the media could be very dangerous.

 

            In my view, Cioffi is right because the media has changed many things. For example the understanding of students in areas such as, argumentation has changed. For example, the media has made arguments right or wrong rather than just opinion based. Although Cioffi might object that the media is all bad, I maintain that they are sometimes very useful and important. Therefore, I conclude that the media is eroding the use of debate in our culture.

Why Engage in Political Thinking




The general argument made by Glenn Tinder in his work Why Engage in Political Thinking? is that in society there is a bias against original thought. More specifically, Tinder suggests that thinking scares a lot of people even those in universities. He writes, “But perhaps the most conclusive evidence of a prevailing disinclination to think is simply the devotion among Americans of hours of daily time to television entertainment.” (pg. 15) In this passage Tinder is suggesting that original thought is scary. In conclusion, it is original thought that is truly lacking in society.

         In my view Tinder is wrong because the world and technology is always advancing. For example, it took original thought to develop the iPod and other great devices. Although Tinder might object those were not original, technology just eventually reached that point, I maintain that they are all original thought and also required great minds. Therefore I conclude that while Tinder makes a good argument I disagree because inventors, scientists, business men, and many others are developing and creating every day and for that to be possible they must have original thought.