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.