Comment on The 1st Assignments- the value of television

The article focuses on the value of television by Paul Robinson he was a teacher’s history at Stanford University, specializing in modern European intellectual history. The following is an excerpt from his award winning essay, which he received from the American Conservative Union. Details of the author and his work can be found on the Stanford university website.

It will give a positives impact. This is because the writer will manage to convince the reader by inserting powerful and persuasive facts or phrases for example, ‘TV corrupts very notion of education and render its victim uneducable’.

Comment On the 1st Assignments- The Jews and The Deceits

“The Jews and their Deceits” article by Adolf Hitler is an interpretation type of text that gives readers specific information and background about Jewish people personality and characteristic. In the article, the writer tries to picture real situation.

This article happens based on the writer said that the Jewish is deceits and everyone should be aware when confront them in any ways. However, they still practice their religion secretly and joined the upper class. Thus, Adolf Hitler had warns people to must not trust them and they must be stop forever. Besides, the Jewish pretend to learn about people but they have their own agenda. In addition, the writer also mentions that this people are always hungry for power and shameless.

Comment on The 1st Assignments- The influence Heredity on Malay Race

The Malay Dilemma is a controversial book written by Mahathir bin Mohamad in 1970.

At the time of publication, Mahathir had been expelled from the ruling party UMNO and Malaysia had recently been rocked by the racial riots later known as the May 13th Incident. The book analyzes Malaysian history and politics in terms of race, and posits the following basic positions:

The Malay race are the indigenous people (bumiputras) of Malaysia.
The sole national language is the Malay language and all other races are to learn it.
The tolerance and non-confrontational nature of the Malays has allowed them to be subjugated in their own land by the other races with the collusion of the British.
A program of affirmative action is required to correct Chinese hegemony in business.
The "dilemma", thus, was whether Malays should accept this governmental aid — and Mahathir's position was that they should.

Prone to sweeping statements about other races, such as describing Jews as "hook-nosed", the book entrenched Mahathir's image as a Malay ultra and has been even compared to Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf. However, it is worth noting that Mahathir also dissects the multiple failings of his own race, and the book was intended as a solution leading away from violence towards a harmonious, integrated Malaysia (albeit one where political and economic power is firmly concentrated in the hands of the Malays).

Mahathir was readmitted to UMNO in 1972 and became Prime Minister of Malaysia in 1981, and in time most of the policies suggested in the book were indeed adopted by the Malaysian government. The dilemma was revisited in 2000-2002 by Mahathir and his successor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who now argued that Malays were well on the way to catching up, and that they should now be weaned away from the "crutches" that had allowed them to compete.

JEWS PERCEPTION TOWARDS PALESTINIAN

1.It is natural and healthy to view the world and make decisions that promote the survival and well-being of my people over the interests of other peoples.This was the essential, non-verbal understanding of my introduction to all politics learned as a child.; “Is he or it good for the Jews?” I could see the tightness in my father’s face in watching or discussing the news, taste the bitter or sweetness in my mouth, and “know” the answer. While some would view this as the natural and healthy way in which individuals identify with their tribe or people, others argue that it is this that leads to many if not most of the great conflicts in the world.

Some people may agree that honoring one’s “people” is a good thing, but might question the rightness of giving them advantage over others. In any case, it is a belief that can be examined and on which people may feel or think differently. One can easily see the different stances people take on what is happening in Gaza as related to this concern.

As it relates to Israel/Palestine, one could say that strong (9 or 10) believers in this statement, would say simply, “Yes, the Palestinians were or are there, and we are taking their land, and that’s ok. We need it”, or even “God gave it to us.” End of story. Benny Morris, the Israeli historian who broke new ground in revealing the ethnic cleansing that took place at the birth of Israel now simply states that this was necessary for our people. It was the right thing to do. Right wing Zionists have often been the most blunt and honest about the reality of the Palestinians and their rational resistance to Zionism. Being unabashed adherents of CB#1, they tend to not concern themselves morally with whatever is happening to the “other”.

Those who question this very basic cultural precept generally come to have a more universalistic view. Martin Buber, Albert Einstein and others, though strong in their Jewish identity, would be lower on the scale of attachment to CB #1 and so they arrived at very different conclusions and advocated for very different policies in the formative years of Israel. Current defenders of Israel’s actions in Gaza, such as Thomas Friedman, may not be willing to acknowledge the role of CB #1 in their thoughts. But, it does seem that if look below the surface of many debates about Israel and the Palestinians, we find that below the argument, this core belief guides to whom one can feel empathy and thus what we think about each military action or peace proposal.


2.The Jewish people are viewed by others (Christians and Muslims especially) with an inherited hatred that can be turned into mass violent actions with very little warning. This belief has a more particular historical context, stemming from centuries of the Christian Church (and nations heavily influenced by that Church) teaching among other things that the Jews killed Christ, killed “our Lord”. This teaching was universal throughout the Christian empires and was frequently used to scapegoat Jews when there were problems of any kind. People were whipped into frenzies of anti-Semitic actions toward individual Jews and whole Jewish communities.

It is also important to recognize that Jews have a very long history and that they have at various times felt comfortable and largely accepted into nations in the past, most notably Spain preceding their expulsion in 1492 and Germany prior to the Nazis. These are real collective memories. One can see them as inducing collective trauma, causing irrational fears in the present that are not warranted. Or, it could be argued that Jews draw rational, cautionary lessons from these experiences and that for example; “Christian America” (a concept which is itself a a core belief of a large number of Christian evangelicals) would be capable of all of what Isabella or Hitler did if certain conditions prevailed.

The relevant question is whether there is any truth in the statement today. At a casual level of observation it certainly doesn’t appear true in the U.S., Europe and outside the Muslim world in general (which is not to deny the existence of anti-semitism in any of those places). There is also the question as to whether Muslim anger towards Jews is not primarily related to Israel and the very powerful influence of Israel and American Jews on U.S. foreign policy vis-a-vis the Muslim world.


3.The Arab world, and in particular the Palestinians, have an irrational hatred of Jews and have an agenda to kill them or at least drive them out of the middle east. This belief certainly has a shorter history, mostly involving the last 100 years. However, especially since Israel’s creation in 1948 and the beginning of the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza in ‘67, it has become very widespread and deeply felt in the Jewish community. No one can question that violent acts have been committed against Jewish Israelis including civilians and children and in some instances Jews outside of Israel. Athough this has a shorter history than the first two core beliefs, immense amounts of “pro-Israel” literature, website posts and circulating e-mails throughout the Jewish world, drive this message daily into the psyches of those listening to these outlets. “Arabs hate Jews”, ”They learn it in school as children”, “It’s in the Koran, mosques, textbooks…” and in it’s most extreme, racist form, “It’s in their blood, their nature”.

American Jews with the strongest conviction in this have generally never actually talked with any Arab person, much less a Palestinian. It’s been my observation that those who have engaged in dialogue groups or forums in which they have gotten to know Palestinian fathers, mothers and children, generally recognize the distinction of Arab anger over Israeli policy from generalized anti-Semitism. (Likewise, Arabs meeting Jews usually get to understand the difference between being Jewish and being supportive of Israeli policy).

EUPHEMISTIC LANGUAGE.....

We use euphemisms to smooth over the rough edges of life, to make the offensive inoffensive, and to help make the unbearable bearable.

Whether speaking or writing, we humans use language to influence the thinking of one another; but some individuals and groups try to influence—even manipulate and control—our thoughts. In order to avoid being unconsciously manipulated, we must understand how language functions. If we do, we can distinguish actual arguments, information, and reasons from the persuasive techniques that others may use to promote our acceptance of their viewpoints.

We use euphemisms to smooth over the rough edges of life, to make the offensive inoffensive, and to help make the unbearable bearable. Additionally, people sometimes use euphemistic language to make themselves sound more important and to boost their sense of self-worth. For example, a man may say that he is “a sanitation engineer” instead of a “garbage man.” Or a woman may say that she is “a beauty consultant” instead of a “hairdresser.

Who Is Socrates?

SOCRATES, the celebrated Greek philosopher and moralist, was born at Athens in the year 469 B.C. His father, Sophroniskus, was a sculptor and he followed the same profession in the early part of his life. His family was respectable in descent, but humble in point of means. He had the usual education of the Athenian citizen, which included not only a knowledge of the mother tongue, and readings in the Greek poets, but also the elements of arithmetic, geometry and astronomy as then known. Excepting in connection with his philosophical career, few circumstances of his life are known. He served as a hoplite, or heavy-armed foot-soldier, at the siege of Potidaea, at the battle of Deliurn, and at Amphipolis, and his bravery and endurance were greatly extolled by his friends.
Somewhere about the middle period of his life, he relinquished his profession as statuary, and gave himself up to the career that made him famous. Deservedly styled a philosopher, he neither secluded himself for study, nor opened a school for the regular instruction of pupils. He disclaimed the appellation of teacher; his practice was to talk or converse, "to prattle without end," as his enemies said. Early in the morning he frequented the public walks, the gymnasia for bodily training, and the school where youths were receiving instruction; he was to be seen at the market-place at the hour when it was most crowded, among the booths and tables where goods were exposed for sale. His whole day was usually spent in this public manner. He talked with any one, young or old, rich or poor, who sought to address him, and in the hearing of all who stood by. As it was engaging, curious, and instrutive to hear, certain persons made it their habit to attend him in public as companions and listeners.

Another peculiarity of Socrates was his persuasion of a special religious mission, of which he believed that he had received oracular intimation. About the time when he began to have repute as a wise man, an admirer and friend, Chaerephon, consulted the oracle at Delphi, as to whether any man was wiser than Socrates. The priestess replied "none." The answer, he said, perplexed him very much; for he was conscious to himself that he possessed no wisdom, on any subject, great or small. At length he resolved to put the matter to the test, by taking measure of the wisdom of other persons as compared with his own. Seleting a leading politician, accounted wise by himself and others, he put a series of questions to him, and found his supposed wisdom was no wisdom at all. He next tried to demonstrate to the politician himself how much he was deficient; but he refused to be convinced. He then saw a meaning in the oracle, to the effect that his superiority to others lay not in his wisdom, but in his being fully conscious of his ignorance. He tried the same experiment on other politicians, then on poets, and lastly on artists and artisans, and with the same result. Thereupon, he considered it as a duty imposed on him by the Delphian god, to cross-question men of all degrees, as to their knowledge, to make them conscious of their ignorance, and so put them in the way of becoming wise. According to Xenophon, he would pass from his severe cross-questioning method, and address to his hearers plain and homely precepts, inculcating self-control, temperance, piety, duty to parents, brotherly love, fidehty in friendship, diligelice, etc.

Cicero said that "Socrates brought down philosophy from the the heavens to the earth." The previous philosophies consisted of vast and vague speculations on nature as a whole, blending together Cosmogony, Astronomy, Geometry, Physics, Metaphysics, etc. Socrates had studied these systems, and they had left on his mind a feeling of emptiness and unsuitability for any human purpose. It seemed to him that men's endeavors after knowledge would be better directed to human relationships, as involving men's practical concerns. Accordingly he was the first to proclaim that "the proper study of mankind is man;" human nature, human duties and human happiness make up a field of really urgent and profitable inquiry.

In the year 400 B.C., an indictment was laid against Socrates, in the following terms; "Socates is guilty of crime; first, for not worshipping the gods whom the city worships, and for introducing new divinities of his own; next for corrupting the youth. The penalty due is death." The trial took place before a court composed of citizen-judges, like our juries, but far more numerous; the number present seems to have been 557. His defense is preserved by Plato, under the title Apology of Socrates. He dwelt on his mission to convit men of their ignorance for their ultimate benefit; pronounced himself a public blessing to the Athenians; declared that if his life was preserved he would continue in the same course; and regarded the prospect of death with utter indifference. By a majority of five or six he was adjudged guilty and sentenced to death by poison. The last day of his life he passed in conversation with his friends on the Immortality of the soul. He then drank the hemlock, and passed away with the dignity and calmness becoming his past career.

ANIMAL FARM-FILM REVIEW

Animal Farm is an allegory of the 1917 Russian Revolution, and stems from George Orwell's hatred for Communist Russia and its Bolshevik leaders. It is about the revolution of animals on Manor Farm against Mr. Jones, and the growing disparity between the animals in what was suppose to be an "equal society." This change is brought about by Napoleon, the leading pig, who accomplishes his power hungry goals though force.



1 Character List
1 Napoleon
2 Snowball
3 Boxer
4 Squealer
5 Old Major
6 Clover
7 Moses
8 Mollie
9 Benjamin
10 Muriel
11 Mr. Jones
12 Mr. Frederick
13 Mr. Pilkington
14 Mr. Whymper
15 Jessie and Bluebell
16 Minimus


Chapter Summaires

Chapter I
The chapter opens with the drunk Mr. Jones, proprietor of Manor Farm, stumbling into his house and falling asleep. As soon as the lights turn off, all the animals on the farm, except Moses the tame raven, go to the large barn for a meeting. At this meeting the prize winning pig Old Major tells all the animals of a dream he had, where all animals are free from human oppression and live happy and well fed. He incites the animals to rise up against the humans and have all animals live in harmony, and tells them that they must not adopt any traits of the humans. He then proceeds to teach them the inspirational song "Beasts of England" (see below).

Chapter II
Three days later, Old Major dies, and all the animals start planning to take over Manor Farm from Mr. Jones and creating a utopia for the animals. The planning falls to the pigs, who are the cleverest of the animals, and two pigs in particular Snowball and Napoleon. Another pig named Squealer, who is a very eloquent speaker, explains the plans to the animals. They create "Animalism" which are the principles that everyone will live under and take to calling each other "comrade". Moses takes to tell the animals about a place called "Sugarcandy Mountain" where all animals go when they die, and how fantastic it is. The pigs try very hard to stop this rumor, and with the help of the cart-horses Clover and Boxer, are successful.
The revolution comes very swiftly. Mr. Jones takes to drinking because he has lost money in a law suite and forgets to feed the animals. The cows break into the grain store and all the animals begin to eat when the farmhands find out and start to whip the cows. The cows turn on the farmhands and they with Mr. Jones run away in fear. After winning the battle they all take double portions of food, destroy the objects of their oppression (i.e. whips, bits, harnesses), and sing "Beasts of England" seven times before falling asleep. The next morning they go into the farm house and witness the luxury that Mr. Jones lived in, and decide to keep the houses as a museum. Mollie tries to stay in because she likes to look at herself in the mirror and put on ribbons, but the animals make her leave. The pigs reveal that they have taught themselves how to read, and then change the sign from "Manor Farm" to "Animal Farm". They also turn the ideals of "Animalism" into 7 key commandments and paint them on the wall (below). All the animals are about to go gather the harvest, when the cows begin to complain that they haven't been milked in days. The pigs milk them and say that the five pails of cream will be attended too. All the animals except Napoleon go out to gather the harvest, and when they come back later that nigh, the cream is gone.
Seven commandments of Animalism:
1. Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.
2. Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend.
3. No animal shall wear clothes.
4. No animal shall sleep in a bed.
5. No animal shall drink alcohol.
6. No animal shall kill any other animal.
7. All animals are equal.

Chapter III
The animals work very hard in the fields over the summer, and they have the greatest harvest Manor Farm has ever seen. The pigs figure out ways that the animals can use human tools, and only the cat and Mollie don't work as much as they could. Boxer does most of the heavy work and takes up the motto "I will work harder", Benjamin is the only one who seems to see no change in the farm. The animals begin to raise the flag on sunday mornings, and hold debates over animal farm issues, in which Napoleon and Snowball have the loudest opinions, and they always clash. Snowball creates many different committees, most of which fail, except the committee to teach all the animals how to read. The pigs can read and write, the dogs learn to read the seven commandments, Muriel can read, Clover knows the alphabet but cant read, and Boxer only knows up to the letter "D". Jessie and Bluebell have pups, and Napoleon takes them under his own care for personal education. The animals find out that the pigs are eating all the apples and milk, but squealer explains to them that they need it to keep their brains working well, and that if they don't Mr. Jones might come back. This causes all the animals to forgo their apples and milk.
Chapter IV
The pigeons that Snowball have sent have started to spread the rebellion to other farms. Meanwhile Mr. Jones is continually drunk in Willingdon, complaining about losing the farm. Mr. Pilkington and Mr. Frederick worry about rebellion on their farms, but refuse to work together, spreading lies about animal farm instead. In October, Mr. Jones and farmhands from Mr. Pilkington and Mr. Frederick's farms come to try to take back Animal Farm by force. Napoleon readies an ambush on the men, and the animals easily defeat them with the loss of only one sheep, who is buried as a war hero. The only one who doesn't fight is Mollie, who instead hides. Snowball and Boxer are give the medal "Animal Hero, First Class" for their part in the battle. The animals find Mr. Jones gun and decide to fire it twice a year, once on the anniversary of the "Battle of Cowshed" (the battle they had just fought), and once on the anniversary of the rebellion.

Chapter V
Mollie increasingly shirks off her work, and takes treats from farmhand on neighboring farms. She is eventually lured away form animal farm by a man who feeds her sugar. She pulls his cart and her name is never spoken of on Animal Farm again. In the winter Napoleon and Snowball still dominate the meetings, Snowball has the idea to build a windmill so they can make electricity, automating many of the farm chores and bringing them new luxury. Napoleon disagrees and says the animals should worry about themselves now, not in the distant future. He shows his disapproval by urinating on Snowballs blue prints. During the meeting to decide whether or not to undertake the windmill project, Snowball gives a very passionate speech, with Napoleon only giving a short retort. Suddenly nine dogs (the dogs Napoleon took from Jessie and Bluebell) run Snowball off the farm, and return to Napoleons side. Napoleon then announces that the meetings will now be ceremonial and that the pigs will make all the decisions. Squealer reassures all the animals that Napoleon is taking on a huge burden by taking over all the planning, and that Snowball was chased off because he was a traitor. With the threat of the dogs, this story is easily believed and adopted by the animals.

Chapter VI
The animals work hard to raise enough food, and build the windmill. Their rations are cut by the pigs, but since they they feel like they are working for themselves instead of Mr. Jones they are still eager to work. They run into a problem trying to figure out how to break the stone into manageable pieces, but remedy this by dropping the stones and having them break. Although they have alot of work, they are no less better off than they were under Mr. Jones. The farm is, however, running low on supplies they cannot make themselves, such as paraffin oil and nails, Napoleon says that he is going to engage in trade with humans, and says he has enlisted the services of Mr. Whymper. Mr. Whymper starts visiting the farm, and taking orders from Napoleon. Meanwhile there have been rumors that the pigs have been sleeping in beds, which is against the Seven Commandments. Muriel and Clover go to read the commandments, and it says "No animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets". Squealer says what the pigs are doing is acceptable because they have taken the sheets off the bed. A storm breaks out on Animal Farm during this time, and topples the windmill. Napoleon blames Snowball for sabotaging it and puts a death sentence on him, offering a bushel of apples to his killer. He then convinces the animals to rebuild the windmill.

Chapter VII
In winter, the animals work hard to rebuild the windmill, and they run dangerously short on food. They conceal this fact from the other humans, so they wont think Animal Farm is failing. Soon after a rumor spreads that Snowball creeps on the farm at night and sabotages things while the animals are asleep. Squealer announces that Snowball is in league with Mr. Fredrick and that hes been in league with Mr. Jones from the start. Squealer even says that Snowball tried to have the animals defeated at the Battle of Cowshed, which none of the animals can believe recalling his medal, but Squealer convinces them that it was really Napoleons bravery that had saved the day. Four days after, Napoleon uses the nine hounds to stage a purge of Animal Farm, killing many animals who confess to being "traitorous". The animals start to sing "Beasts of England", but Squealer tells them that that song is for the rebellion, and they can no longer sing it. Instead they sing a new song written by Minimus that glorifies Animal Farm and Napoleon.

Chapter VIII
After the purging of animal farm by Napoleon, the animals see that the commandment "No animal shall kill any other animal" now reads "No animal shall kill any other animal without cause". A previously unused pile of timber is now up for sale by Napoleon to either Mr. Pilkington or Mr. Fredrick. When one farmer seems ready to buy, the other one is vilified by Squealer and is said to be the hiding place of Snowball, when the other farmer seems to be ready to buy the wood, it changes. Napoleon and Squealer start fully vilify Mr. Fredrick when, to the animals dismay, he turns out to be the buyer. He pays cash, but the cash turns out to be forged, and Mr. Fredrick with his men attack Animal Farm and destroy the windmill. The animals chase the men off the farm, but at heavy losses of animal life, and the wounding of Boxer. Afterward a crate of whiskey is discovered, and the pigs drink and revel with it all night long. The next day the pigs are hungover and there are rumors that Napoleon may die, but he soon recovers. That night the animals see Squealer with a paint brush, and he has fallen from a ladder on the barn where the Seven Commandments are written. They fail to make a connection, and when the rule "No animal shall drink alcohol" is changed to "No animal shall drink alcohol in excess" they think it must be their memories.

Chapter IX
Boxer starts to recover from his injury and the animals start rebuilding the windmill, but Boxer doesn't seem to have the strength he once had. He says he wants to see the windmill started before he retires (which will be soon). Food grows scarcer and scarcer on Animal Farm, everyones rations are cut except the pigs and the dogs. When four sows give birth to Napoleons piglets, he demands that they build a school house for them (even though funds on Animal Farm are dwindling). The animals start having "Spontaneous Demonstrations" in which they march and glorify Animal Farm. Whenever anyone complains the sheep start shouting "Four legs good, two legs bad".
The government declares Animal Farm a republic, and Napoleon is elected leader (since there were no other candidates). Snowball is even further vilified as openly fighting for Jones at the Battle of Cowshed yelling "Long live Humanity", the battle was so long ago that the animals easily accept this story. Moses the raven returns and spreads rumors of "Sugarcandy Mountain" which the pigs officially dismiss, but still let him live on the farm without doing any work. One day Boxer collapses while moving stone from the quarry, and the pigs say they will have him taken to a human hospital to recuperate. Benjamin reads the sign on the side of the cart and all the animals warn Boxer that they are taking him to the glue factory, but he is unable to escape. The pigs claim that the doctors were unable to cure him. Not long after, the pigs buy another barrel of whiskey, but the animals have no idea how they got the money to buy it.

Chapter X
Many years go by on Animal Farm, and a new windmill is built. This one is built not for generating electricity, but for milling corn (which is far more profitable). The farm seems richer, but only the pigs and dogs live in luxury. Squealer takes the sheep off to teach them a new chant, and when they come back to their astonishment all the pigs are walking upright, and Napoleon has a whip. Just as some of the animals are about to complain the sheep chant "Four legs good, two legs better!". Only the last commandment remains, and when Clover asks Benjamin to read it, it says "All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others". The pigs also start to smoke pipes, read magazines, and listen to the radio.
Napoleon invites many farmers to tour animal farm, they praise him for his excellent farm, and Napoleon says they are getting rid of all the old customs, and referring to the farm as "Manor Farm" instead of Animal Farm. Napoleon and Mr. Pilkington get into a fight (since both of them played the Ace of Spades in a card game) and the animals realize they can no longer tell the humans from the pigs.

Important Quotes

"Beasts of England" Song
Soon and late the day is coming,
Tyrant Man shall be o'erthrown,
And the fruitful fields of England
Shall be trod by beasts alone.
Rings shall vanish from our noses,
And the harness from our back,
Bit and spur shall rust forever,
Cruel whips no more shall crack.
Riches more than mind can picture,
Wheat and barley, oats and hay,
Clover, beans, and mangel-wurzels
Shall be ours upon that day.
Bright will shine the fields of England,
Purer shall its waters be,
Sweeter yet shall blow its breezes
On the day that sets us free.
For that day we all must labour,
Though we die before it break;
Cows and horses, geese and turkeys,
All must toil for freedom's sake.
Beasts of England, beasts of Ireland,
Beasts of every land and clime,
Hearken well and spread my tidings
Of the golden future time.