Week Twelve Journal Entry

As with most college courses at the conclusion we (the student) often wonder what exactly we learned and if we determine that there was in fact some measurable amount of knowledge gained we then wonder how we will be able to use it. Taking mathematics for example, it is a much more cumulative discipline and in most cases for the college student it is seen as just another class that is required or it is a stepping stone for the next, more difficult mathematics course. Its uses are mostly applied only in other math courses (of course there are some professions such as engineering, accounting, and finance which require in depth knowledge), but how many times has a college graduate found him or herself performing integral calculus?

In taking the Kirkpatrick Signature Series course, however, we find that the learning gained is much more readily applicable in our daily lives. Everyday we are forced to face many social, political, and religious issues, and what the Kirkpatrick course has done is provide a base of objective understanding and interpretation. Through discovering how many of our most influential leaders and thinkers contributed to their respective cultures we can learn that it is possible and justifiable to stand up against many opposing forces in reverence to our beliefs.

I found this to be one of the most valuable courses I have taken thus far. I have always been interested in our American political dynamics, and so a course such as this opened my mind up to better ways of looking at our world. The course has further initiated my desire to continue to acquire a more thorough understanding of these topics and learn more about some of the contributing authors in our text Western Vision and American Values.

Week Eleven Journal Entry

There was one substantial point brought up by Derek C. Bok about the distrust of our government which then leads to lower levels of civic involvement (most notably in voting turnout). I am always reminded of how adamant my grandfather was about exercising our freedom to vote. He had a much greater perspective on such matters and blessings than most people I have every known, and he involved himself in many situations in which he defended or supported some decent cause. I have come find elections, especially the presidential and congressional elections to be almost as thrilling as a sports event. I get just as excited and anxious. During the last election I was stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C. and I remember staying up all night monitoring the updates on my laptop computer. Even though I had to be up very early the next morning, I wanted to be current with the results of the election.

This trend in diminishing levels of American participation in voting is becoming increasingly evident as many of the politicians are aggressively trying to appeal to illegal immigrants for gaining more votes. There is a large sector of the average American demographic that is retreating from these types of civic participation primarily because they are becoming more aware of the corruptibility in all levels of government. As a result, the politicians feel that they have to tailor their message to other elements of the population. This also has a negative effect in that the average American who deems to vote regardless of the corruption is also less likely to vote now, because the politicians are ignoring the issues relevant to the average middle class American citizen.

I will continue to remain engaged in the function of our government, and I will do my part in taking advantage of the freedom to vote. I will show my support for those politicians who appeal to my concerns most appropriately.

Week Ten Journal Entry

One of the most realizing concepts I learned this week was that what I currently do for a living is by Auden’s standards a job, and not work. Certainly, there are times when I deeply appreciate having my job, and there are moments when I can take pride in what I do. But, mostly, I look at how my talents, abilities, and skills are largely inconsequential in performing my daily tasks. This has always presented a sobering perspective, and I went into my job knowing that I would be there for only as long as it would take me to complete my degree and move on to something where I can contribute more effectively.

One of my responses to a post regarding the question about the movie Other People’s Money inspired my recollection of a documentary about Enron’s rise to the top; and subsequent fall. I always heard stories about their executives from my father and uncle who both worked for Enron for many years. I never really understood what exactly was happening, but I learned that the primary motive was greed. It wasn’t until I watched the documentary that I discovered the extent to which the executives manipulated the entire organizational culture to foster some unethical behaviors. So long as the stock was going up, everyone involved in these dealings was alright with the way things were being handled. Unfortunately, it was the many employees who had no idea of these improper practices that also got burned when their stock purchases in the company tumbled in value.

The SEC has done much to ensure that these business practices are avoided. As a matter of fact because of companies like Enron and Worldcom, there have been new regulations and checks initiated for accounting procedures which have ensured that more accurate information about a company’s actual state of financial affairs is reported.

Week Nine Journal Entry

The weeks seem to be getting more challenging as we near the completion of our semester. I spent most of my efforts working on my rough drafts for both the digital story and my thesis. I dreaded working on the abstract for my thesis, as this is something that can easily be overlooked, but yet it is a very important part of the paper. I have already completed most of the rough draft so I was able to review much of what I had written to help with the abstract, but I still anticipated that it would take me quite some time to complete it, but once I began the ideas kept flowing in.

The readings for the week and the corresponding assignments (the primary post and the responses to other classmates) seemed to draw out our true personalities regarding some very hot topic issues. It can be all too easy to take a hard-line stance on some of these issues, but we have to remember to think through each of these as they would apply if we were experiencing them. For instance Crittenden’s essay about working mothers vs. stay-at-home moms propels me to react in gross favor of stay-at-home moms. I was raised that way, and that is how I envision raising my kids. However, I have to imagine the struggles or challenges a family now faces when the American dollar does not compare to the value it once had when it was easier to raise a family on only one member’s income. I cannot predict if I will be in such a situation, and therefore, I cannot look down on a family who is doing the best they can to provide for their children.

The lesson that was predominant throughout most of this week’s readings was to be more open-minded and accepting of other people’s means of living and expressing themselves freely in our culture. We have to protect this freedom; it is a fundamental right for all Americans.

Week Eight Journal Entry

I found that among this week’s readings there were consequential overtones of the social structure of governments and societies. I remain convinced that most of the related social problems that governments are desperately trying to resolve would best be served by better education and personal responsibility. What I mean by better education is that much of our problems in society have their roots in money. I can recall a time when I was talking to my financial broker (who is also a personal friend) and he asked me a very striking question. To paraphrase he said something similar to this, “Why don’t elementary, or secondary education schools teach basic personal finances? And why is it that many parents rarely teach their children these same principles other than how to balance a check book (which is a task that is becoming a rarity in itself)?

I also believe that basic education should also include more extensive activities which involve the students in social activities and organizations. Our children will improve their learning in how to effectively deal with social situations to include small group negotiation. I also think that a major issue facing our society and culture is that there is an increasing lack in speaking and communication skills. When our children isolate themselves to their computers or video games they lose out on opportunities to refine their social skills.

We have many challenges facing our society and I sometimes worry that our reliance on technology may actually have a depressing effect on our human intelligence. Of course, humans may develop a greater sense of analytical or technological intelligence, but the cost of this heightened sense of knowledge will be a decrease in the importance of human social interaction. Without these necessary skills, we may discover that the only way to effectively interact in society will be with aided medication – if you want an example of how this is already becoming a trend look at the increase in prescriptions for Ritalin for our children. Our society might end up emulating Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World” in which most of the people of their world were dependent on their “soma” to get through their days.

Week Seven Journal Entry

I am very much for preserving our capitalistic society, and so I found this week’s readings to be very valuable. It became clear to me that we are straddling a very fine line between preserving our capitalist nature and delving into one of socialism. I say this because we see very often how our system of capitalism and democracy also possesses character elements of socialism. Much was discussed in the readings about private property rights for individual citizens. This is something that we have prided ourselves on as Americans. However, more and more we are witnessing our local and national governments claiming eminent domain rights in certain circumstances whereby, they take over the possession of an individual’s property rights. This purpose of this is usually stated as being done for the common good.

I normally feel very frustrated when I hear about these cases, but the part that I do tend to accept is that each case is adjudicated on a case-by-case basis – which may in fact lead to a necessary overtaking of one’s property at a fair value to be paid. For instance, certain road or highway improvements, extensions, or other construction related projects may be necessary if it means providing a safer, more efficient way of travel – especially for rural or isolated communities. What I disagree with is associated with urban developments such as convention centers, parking garages, or apartment buildings where the city acquires the private property for their benefit. These types of projects are really not at all necessary other than for some modernized development or cosmetic improvement to the city.

Maybe our concept of capitalism is proving to be what Schumpter describes as creative destruction in the sense that our systems of society and government are subjects of continual change and modification. These are not bad things; rather they are necessary for keeping up with technological, industrial, and political advancements.

Week Six Journal Entry

It is very educating to see how some of our most influential persons of Western culture are described as models of responsibility and moral righteousness. Individual responsibility is one of the most important issues to me. I look around in this society and I see such a defining line between those who are responsible and well-mannered and those who are neglectful of these characteristics. Often I see the direct relationship of success with responsible people and failure or a lack of fulfilled success with those who choose a life of irresponsibility or laziness.

“Mind your business” is a quote I once read about keeping control and dominion over your total livelihood. This means being in command of your homes, your possessions, and even your own mindfulness of your self and those around you – since, ‘your business’ is a matter that includes how you interact with others personally and professionally, we need to be mindful of our respect for other people. Judith Martin addresses this issue in her essay The Oldest Virtue which discusses the importance of etiquette and manners. It pains me to see how the customary manners and etiquettes we were taught not so long ago are being discarded at the wayside at such a rapid rate. As I pointed out in one of my responses to another student’s post, our culture seems to glorify this trend in movies, reality TV, and music.

Concerning another matter regarding our assignments, I was surprised that I was able to compose a poem. I do not think that I have ever done that for a class, and as I first perused over the assignments this was the one that I quickly disregarded. But, as I reviewed the list of topics after the readings I began brainstorming for a couple minutes about what I would make as the subject if I was required to complete this assignment. I could not believe how quickly a few thoughts about my job turned into an intriguing story.