Coetzee

After reading his book, I thought of Coetzee to be a very boring person. His tone would always manage to put me to sleep. In person, he’s quite the opposite. His speech upon censorship was very well received at least by me. He has had many honors including a Nobel Prize which UT celebrated by making the Tower glow red in his honor in 93. Immediately, an accolade such as that increases the gravity an individual holds within a room. All of a sudden, everything they do makes sense and is amazing, so before Coetzee started, I told myself, “Don’t fall for the Nobel-Trap… hear him for what he says.”

My Camera died so y'all have to settle for Online Pics :(


So I took to my gut and strapped down to listen. His whole thought process about censorsh8ip started when he read a book titled “The Literary Police” by Peter McDonald. He claims it’s absolutely eye-opening however I have yet to be a critic there. Still, Coetzee himself was significantly affected by censorship in South Africa as during the peak of his writing career there were bans placed on many books trying to get published in South Africa. Of course, the censors were anonymous, but years after these incidents, Coetzee managed to get a hold of the report upon his books by the censors. His books were almost always deemed to be “read only by intellectuals” (Michael Kay, one of Coetzee’s censors) and therefore, Coetzee posed no threat to South Africa, and his books enjoyed the privilege of being published.

This made me laugh


Later on while reading these reports, Coetzee learns that he personally knew almost all of his censors. Which makes him wonder… why do people censor? The most similar and sound comparison I found to Coetzee’s conclusion was a parent. I know that every time I was forbidden to do something it was for my own good. For example, my mom would say, “Sharad don’t touch that plant… it’s poison ivy!" Things are censored from kids by parents not because parents are trying to be mean, but they simply have their child’s best interest at heart. A censor works the same way except for an entire nation. They don’t want a literary document floating around that will inspire civil unrest, and they don’t want to ban all literature as that is an important art form that inspires people to achieve their best. So censors are analogous to parents in that sense. Coetzee didn’t make this analogy, but it just dawned upon me naturally at the same time as Coetzee’s argument.

Parents shield their child the same way a Censor shields the nation!


Coetzee’s style of speech and tone of voice were everything but boring! I enjoyed his speech very much and was thrilled that I will receive extra credit for it. It’s sort of like going to Nam Le back in the Fall. I went in with zero expectations and left enlightened! It is funny how in college that seems to happen more often than one can count to three. Immediately, I understood from the quality of his speech that he was a Nobel Winner. His gravity in the room grew after his speech and I applauded from the bottom of my heart. That’s right! It wasn’t a fake applaud… that was real! The Honor bestowed upon him 93 most definitely manifests itself in his speech. Coetzee is brilliant!

UT vs PETA

I would like to believe that UT always wins, but that debate went to PETA for sure. Partly because the PETA-guy was a much better speaker than the UT State Champion Debaters... I have for the majority of my life been a vegetarian, so I was naturally inclined to support the PETA argument, however I never saw an argument against eating meat other than me seeing it as unethical. There is another argument as proven by the PETA spokesman and it's an economic argument. The UT team didn't refute this at all which sort weakened their support, and all they said basically was that eating meat isn't unethical but only natural. Maybe it's a little clearer now why the debate winner is crowned as PETA who actually debated with UT instead of agreeing with them.

A Pun that Would've Helped UT


So going into some form of detail about the PETA argument. First Point: There is no ethical meat. Even on farms where animals are cared for and killed "gently," the act of killing itself instills an environment of fear within the other animals, and with the EQ of animals, it's obvious that it's not a pleasant environment for them as they know they're not safe. UT would say that it's only natural state of being considering that chickens ans such animals aren't at the top of the food chain, and to that I say, "How much fun is it to be the buffalo in front of a pride of lions?" That's such a stupid argument on the UT Debate Team's part. They weren't debating; they were being diplomatic. "Umm.. PETA guy I agree with you but you can't say that..." I mean there was no tact in their argument whereas the PETA guy had charts, videos and statistical figures that gave the "legit" status.

Legit Status


Main Point: It costs more to society to raise and slaughter animals than to go vegetarian/vegan. Apparently in terms of food, animals are fed a lot, and for every pound of meat, the return on that investment is substantially less. Therefore, the slaughter industry is an expensive one at a macroeconomic level. Using alternate options for our nutrition (vegetarianism) would significantly increase the food supply in the world which in turn could save many humans who are dying from hunger. PETA guy argues that human life is more valuable than animal life. UT guys basically ignore this as they most probably agree with it. But this is the most economical and rational reason I have ever heard to go vegetarian and at this point I was blown away by PETA's argument. UT in my books lost right there... Sorry longhorns!

Human Life is valuable


The argument was still interesting, especially the questions that followed as some "got really heated" (quote from Maysie Ocera). UT lost which is sad, but the result was fair in my opinion. Members of the crowd that supported meat were more enthusiastic about defending the subject than the UT guys; I mean either they went there with the intention of bending over and pulling their pants down or they totally sucked. I doubt it's the latter since no one at UT sucks! PETA hats off to you for a great debate and great speaking; I learned a few pointers.

LBJ

Hands down, my second most favorite president (First one being Lincoln). LBJ pushed a lot of legislation through during his term that would help resolve problems within his day and age. Since then, these projects have grown much bigger and their need has never been greater. Still, the library was a very enlightening experience. The transfer of power from JFK was never really that important an issue to me until I was standing in front of the model of the car JFK was said to be in. What an experience that must be for any individual! My respect for LBJ grew right then!

El Presidente!


The most enlightening experience was the short film that we watched. OMG! That film was so informational. I had no idea that LBJ grew up in such living conditions. No electricity in the winter and other poor conditions. Plus, the man was an absolute workaholic. Even before presidency, he was always working like a million and one hours per week. It was a shock to him and many others when party leaders elected JFK as the presidential nominee, but LBJ was definitely the most logical choice for a VP, and such being the case the duo ran the race and rest as they say is history.

LBJ in his natural habitat


So let's examine some of LBJ's legacy here. During his time, the Civil Rights acts were pushed through and so was Medicare, Welfare... etc. LBJ was a visionary and all in all, his life's work is a legacy. The most important characteristic that I learned about him through the museum was commitment. His commitment to the people was extraordinary, and I hope to be just as committed to my visions so as to at least reach the bar that has been set. LBJ was committed to the people of the US and to the people around him. I read the letter from Jacqueline Kennedy to LBJ and the gratitude that was reverberating through her words was absolutely astounding!

Kind of like LBJ- content with himself but always doing more for the people


LBJ was great and we all know that some critics disagree, but there are always going to be haters in this world. Einstein once said, "Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds." LBJ worked hard to get around this opposition, lost one election, became VP later on and eventually, President. He was a great mind, and to hear his inaugural address was a wonderful experience to say the least. I always wanted to be a lawyer, and LBJ inspires me to follow this passion of mine. My action upon his will is still tentative, but there's a growing commitment to the idea. LBJ is still changing the world through the bits and pieces he left behind.

Who Are You?

Well, I'm still looking for the answer to that question, but I know that I'm most certainly not who I was before. That is to say that since this past Summer, I've most definitely changed throughout my first semester at UT. For one, I'm much more aware of my surroundings at all times. It's amazing at how much one can observe when the desire to learn arises! I've grown into a calmer and, I would like to think, much wiser person. In the summer, I sort of focused upon my experiences which have shaped my relationship with most animals (save monkeys), but in this essay, I want to focus on me! Who am I indeed?

There's still No Monkey Business about me!


The very first response is my name. I am Sharad Sharma. Not this Sharad who was always used to just running around doing as he pleases, but a Sharad who is a bit more patient. I'm able to listen to people on a whole different level. I think primarily due to the emphasis on empathy in World Lit. The Earthlings video surely affects my opinion about animal slaughter, but the analogy that was drawn to the holocaust suggested to me that humans practice ignorant emotions more often than they should, and I for one have chosen to reverse that particular humanitarian policy. Help should be wholehearted, not meticulously planned for PR sakes, but here the patience within me helps me to realize, that help is help, it's motive isn't that important.

People who need Help should get it!


The most dramatic change in my persona is my temper. Pre-college I had some anger issues; I wasn't by any means a candidate for Adam Sandler in Anger Management but I had my days. However ever since the very first day in Austin, I have been able to suppress this side of me, no matter how far the situation escalated. For instance, one day while walking to class in the fall on a rainy day, this particular white BMW drove by a huge puddle of water going about 30 mph with no regard for pedestrians on the sidewalk. I was one of the unlucky individuals. Normally, I would've chased down this vehicle and offend the driver somehow, but for some reason, I just let go. It's as if I was able to step outside of myself and observe this situation from a third person perspective. Of course, this is Austin, and this girl walking by comes up to me and says, "What an Asshole right?" That statement however did piss me off because she was mocking me and my situation which was sort of rude, but again, I stepped outside of myself and let the annoyance walk on by. This methodology is a whole new mental model on how to perceive things, and it has been wonderful for dealing with my frustrations.

It's Nice to Make a Positive Impact


At the start of college, I would've never thought that I would change so much. I'm a member of a fraternity for one, and I never planned on that coming into college. The things that happen in college. I guess it's our bubble to experiment with who we want to become because there are so many opportunities to just get up in the morning and say, "I am not going to this particular activity from now on...." or "I am going to be more ____ from now on." College is our change bubble. We change and see who we've become. If we like the result, we keep that aspect of our persona. If not, then we change again. It's sort of like we transform into our very own ambassadors! We hire and fire ourselves every semester or every week or however often as we chose.

The President Supports the Change that happens on UT

Indigenous Show

Never have I been more ticked off by a jam fest! I went into this performance half envisioning a musical performance that was delivered within the PowWow from last semester. One big drum played by 7 or 8 adults, and dancers dressed in Native American attire going about expressing the roots of the culture, but Indigenous was more of a modern blend of guitar, vocals and rock drums. Honestly, they were bad, but somehow, those Southwestern kids appeared to be having the time of their life. I was shocked! I couldn’t even stand to stand, yet these college kids were dancing away…. I wish I could have experienced the show through their perspective, but you know how the saying goes, “Be careful what you wish for.”

A round of applause for Indigenous... Where's the Crowd?


For the record, I’m just trying to blend in with the crowd right. I start moving my feet a little, and what do I experience? Nothing! Even through all my efforts to try and like this band, I absolutely hated their guts, so I decide to experience some other Native American aspect of the night. I go on a spirit walk. Not far from the entrance, I discover a food stand, and my spirit animal told me it was time for a stop. I ate corn-on-a-cob; it was pure heaven! I decided to drink some lemonade and head back into the pit of banging drums and a cacophony of guitar mixed with a hideous singer (no offense to the singer, it just wasn’t my style).

A few older members of the Crowd seemed to enjoy them heavily... A classic manifestation of the Generation Gap!


With a stronger mental tolerance, I was able to withstand the rest of their performance, but I realized that the college crowd wasn’t as enthusiastic as I’d hoped. Turns out, more than half of them were only there to collect extra credit points, and a lot of them wanted to be at some sorority party that I had somehow managed to notice on my way in. Oh! I must say there was a lack of Native American Culture at the Indigenous show. I for one was completely fooled by the name.

This seems a bit more like what I was expecting...


Which brings me back to my main point, the show was an utter failure in my eyes. There was no cover to pay, so I don’t know how or why Southwestern paid these people to come down here (I overheard a conversation about this so I know they were compensated). The food stand was a total failure as well; I think I was one of the brave who actually tried the food. All in all, the Indigenous show felt very un-indigenous to me. It was a rather bland and uninteresting attempt at modern rock fusion of Native American vocals and rock-and-roll. I was the only Indian there!

Year-In-Review

This class has been a bubble from the rest of college for me. NO matter what is going on, I am always just so relaxed and nonchalant in Parlin Hall. Ultimately, in this pseudo-bubble created by the awesomeness that is Plan II, I've been reborn! And not only that, I've awakened in my rebirth to realize that college, like high school, will one day be over. It's just another stop on my road, and like another wreck, I realized that I don't know where I'm going! Like Alice, I'm just taking a stroll through Wonderland. I wonder if I'll ever find my way back to the real world. It's unbelievable how life was going so smooth, but now, I'm a wreck. I've got to lead myself through the Wonderland of college, and then once I'm back in the real world, I've gotta do it again-repeat!

Life is one big circle...


I suppose that's how it should be. College is supposed to prepare you for the real world, but college is also a part of the real world. It's sort of like a parallel verity. People are different; they believe in different ideals. We fight. We party. We help others. Altogether, we do it all! We do it all because we're curious. If Alice could be here, she would say, "Curiouser and curiouser" (Carrol, 20). With such diversity and a vast array of different perspectives, one can't help but to be interested. All of their ideologies make sense to a certain extent, and I want to adopt some of them. I feel a little lost in this pool of perspective as I lose sight of my own... Yet, I'm still here writing this blog; I'm still here somewhere! I feel like the Dormouse, "[I] shook [myself] and began singing in [my] sleep" (Carrol, 74).

Follow a logic, whether it's your own or not, but know what logic it is!


Every night I dream of what could be the future. I vision things in a manner that Black Elk would've been jealous! Yet, I just vision. The leadership vision essay was an excellent manifestation of the reality that will await us after college. I mean think about it; everyone probably went through something like this, even Shakespeare. I bet no one's thought of that before; Shakespeare in school. He was in someone's English class! In the end, we all have that potential. Through Alice's eyes, Alice is my consciousness and I'm analogous to the White Queen. I've to consciously work on myself like when Alice dresses the White Queen she's shocked. "Am I dressing the White Queen," she says (Carrol, 194). We criticize ourselves more than we like to admit. Somehow everything goes wrong at the same time, and our inner Alice sees it and says, "Every single thing's crooked" (Carrol, 195). We have to utilize this energy in a constructive manner to ever have a chance at being successful in life.

Free Yourself!


But success is just a result. Brilliance is in the process. Life is not in the destination but in the journey itself. I haven't exactly piece together what I'm going to do with my life, but I know that I will have fun doing it. I will put every inch of myself and every possible heartbeat into my efforts. I may not know where I'm going in life, but right now, I'm enjoying the Wonderland of college, learning as much as I possibly can. I don't know what I'll need in the real world, so I'm stocking up on brain-power. I believe in myself. I've liberated myself from my deepest fear, and I know how to learn from others around me. I am different from others, yet I am still human, still the same, but still, being human is a gift!

Kingston 3 Discussion Outline

Language is obviously a barrier immigrants have to face, how do you see it?

Molly:

She is constantly pulled between American culture and Chinese culture, and her role as the child of Chinese immigrants is one of balance. Not only does language and lack of communication remove her aunt from her life; it also colors her interactions with her family and with the Ghosts around her.

Jade:

Maxine Hong Kingston also proves that the lack of talking can tell much about the person’s character.

Jose:

He argues that it makes no sense, and that if elected governor he would require the test be given in English only, so as to encourage people to learn English. "If you want to live here, learn [English]"

Hongrak:

I was terrible at English; my English competency score was that of a second grader.... My dad asked me if I wanted to cut mine [tongue], which would help me pronounce English words better.

Sometimes language can encourage integration..




In Woman Warrior, it's evident that there is a culture clash, but how significant is this clash?

Molly:

Ultimately, it seems, Woman Warrior may be less a tale of clashing cultures than a memoir of finding one’s voice.

Emily:

I think we can all relate to feeling suffocated at some point in our lives. Families tend to do that, especially when conflicting cultural values come into play. In fact, conflict with our families seems almost impossible because as time passes, values keep changing and the way we live our lives is totally different

Chris:

I like to think the ending wasn’t bitter, but was more of a memoir of a family struggling to reconcile two cultures.

I guess we kind of talked about this last time, but I feel it's important enough to bring up again. How do y'all feel about the marriage situation with Moon Orchid?

Lauren:

I was lucky enough to never have the traditional role of wife forced upon me, or even really encouraged.

Jade:

As an older woman, who was separated from her husband almost immediately after marriage, whose husband did not even bring his wife to America, who found out that her husband had remarried in America, Moon Orchid had more than enough justification to feel insecure.

Traditional Chinese Marriage


Parents are the biggest influence on a child, and a child usually has more trouble adjusting to his/her parents rather than the community. How do you feel the parent/child role is played out in immigrant families?

Side-Questions to this one:

Do you as a child adapt a new culture or stick to the old culture (parent)?
Traditions are important but do they lose meaning in a different country? Do some of them become unnecessary or tiresome to have?



Any Thoughts:

When people move, they change or at least people say they do. What is more significant in driving this change: a desire to fit in or a fear of not being able to?

How does the population of one country cause immigrants to feel unwanted? (Xenophobia perhaps)

Pictures like this can be discouraging...


Jade:

The theme of not fitting in continues in the final chapter. Kingston talks about her childhood days and about how she herself felt alienated.

How does this book connect with previous readings?

As a student, we move schools and it's similar to immigration. How is the culture clash for students considering that we're still in the same general geographical area(country)?

So, being this book is called Woman Warrior and more than half of the class is a woman, did this book meet your expectations?

All Journey's have a Groove to them... Enjoy!