1. I find it really funny that at the time, such a small and untapped region, such as the New World, was traded by the Dutch for a 2 mile, by 0.5 mile sandbar in the Indian Ocean. It is very ironical that Manhattan eventually grew to become part of New York and eventually one of the major cities in the world, while not many people have heard of Run. Standage also makes another, lesser seen argument. He is saying that at one time, a possession may be valuable, but sooner or later, it depreciates, and that other possession becomes grossly valuable. In a sense it’s a trade-off.
2. Once again, the irony of the events is shown. I find it quite interesting how much the origins of the food/spices matter to the price. Like a certain spice may cost
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At the beginning of the 19th century, potatoes were arguably the most commonly/most important crop grown in Europe. Standage makes the claim that potatoes have fueled the Industrial Revolution. I find that potatoes played a part in the revolution, but that turnips played a larger role. Turnips can be planted almost all year round and especially are beneficial when planted in the winter as they replenish the soil. During the industrial revolution, turnips were one of the greatest sources of nutrition for laborers and was a common part of the diet. If you are able to make an argument why potatoes were the cause of the industrial revolution, then you can definitely make an argument why turnips were influential …show more content…
The quote from the book consistently reminds me of current events in North Korea. The Regime, as outsiders call it, has been in power for 50 years, and have failed to keep famine, disease and poverty at bay. The Regime uses ideological torture to subdue any revolts along with imprisonment. The leader of the regime, Kim-Jong-Un is a very young an aggressive leader and one of the most powerful leaders on earth, yet he fails to feed the majority of his people. North Korean citizens have little to none food, and are deprived of any outside information. No one in the Regime defies Kim-Jong-Un because he will no doubt execute them and their families. So in this sense, the people in the Regime are afraid like the Chinese party officials of losing their positions. And the officials will make fake propaganda to appease Kim-Jong-Un. In both of these cases, the control of food was put in one person’s hands, and both times, the power has led them astray on what is
Blaine Harden, former national correspondent and writer for the New York Times, delivers an agonizing and heartbreaking story of one man’s extremely conflicted life in a labor camp and an endeavor of escaping this place he grew up in. This man’s name is Shin Dong-hyuk. Together, Blaine Harden and Shin Dong-hyuk tell us the story of this man’s imprisonment and escape into South Korea and eventually, the United States, from North Korea. This biography that takes place from 1982-2011, reports to its readers on what is really going on in “one of the world’s darkest nations” (back cover of the book), that is run under a communist state and totalitarian dictatorship that was lead by Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-il, and currently lead by Kim-Jong un. In Escape from Camp 14, Shin shows us the adaptation of his life and how one man can truly evolve from an animal, into a real human being.
... All the people should become aware of what the government is doing to them, and decide that it is time to take a stand and make a change. Let humanity rule the world! Present day society is not great, but humanity still rules. And after reviewing all the evidence you just read, isn’t it obvious that the message both writers are trying to give is that perfection is impossible, plus we should keep society how it is, or improve it by using humane approaches?
1984 demonstrates a dystopian society in Oceania by presenting a relentless dictator, Big Brother, who uses his power to control the minds of his people and to ensure that his power never exhausts. Aspects of 1984 are evidently established in components of society in North Korea. With both of these society’s under a dictator’s rule, there are many similarities that are distinguished between the two. Orwell’s 1984 becomes parallel to the world of dystopia in North Korea by illustrating a nation that remains isolated under an almighty ruler.
The author manages this by consistently drawing parallels between the state of Ingsoc and that of the Soviet Union. These parallels focus on the dangerous path of dictatorship as both governments they “are not interested in the good of others; [they] are interested solely in power.” (Orwell 301 – 302) Looking solely at the methods of societal control it is evident that Orwell is calling out the communists and drawing the attention of nations to the horror of communist nations as they attempt to control their population. Despite Orwell’s readiness to denounce extreme communism he does not offer any real solution to the issue at hand. He does intimate that maybe the power to overthrow the government lies with the proletariats (89), however he quickly condemns this idea saying that “Until they become conscious they will never rebel and until after they have rebelled they cannot become conscious” (90) suggesting that if a nation were ever to reach this nightmarish level of totalitarianism they would not even know that they could live differently, and then there would be no
Hardin fails to admit the ethical problem that the government poses on their people. His focus seems to be of lack of membership in urban or lack of policing those areas. He does not admit that part of the failure is that the policy was not a shared belief by the Chinese. It was imposed from above and with many contradicting and disrespecting the ethics of many generations.
George Orwell uses setting, characterization and symbols to show that true power come from following the dictates of one’s conscience. The state of power established through the imperialistic backdrop show that Orwell should have control over the Burmese. Also, the perspective and ideas given by Orwell show his true character and lessens the overall power set up for him. Lastly, the symbols Orwell uses show representation of traditional forms of power, but take on different implications in the story. These points come together to prove that power exists within one’s self and not through one’s position, conquests or by the items they possess. In the end, it can be said that man’s journey for power will be a continuous struggle until the end of time but that in order at attain power, one must learn to listen to one’s conscience.
“A revolution is not a bed of roses. A revolution is a struggle between the future and the past” (Fidel Castro). People of power can be creative with their utterances. They can say anything to the people that they want to control. In this situation, both countries tested the limits. The political leaders of Cuba and China gained support by attracting specific types of followers, motivation and the utilization of propaganda. These leaders had campaigns targeting specific types of people to help gain power and to get support for their revolutionary ideas. The same mindset was in place when these leaders used propaganda and used their own motivation to get into people’s heads.
Soyinka, Wole. “Every Dictator’s Nightmare.” The Arlington Reader: Contexts and Connections. 2nd ed. Ed. Lynn Z. Bloom and Louise Z. Smith. Boston: Bedford, 2008. 475-80. Print.
In 1985 one fifth of the worlds population was living under military controlled governments (Harper's Index Book), and it may around half now since China so brutally squashed its citizens' move toward democracy (Harper's Index Book). The reunificat...
The industrial revolution was the most important, which started around the eighteenth century towards the nineteenth century in Europe. This great event was the fastest spreading event in human history. The capacity of economy and population growth was unexpected especially at the areas in which it flourished. The industrial revolution benefited almost everyone around the world and brought about new social classes, large cities and many new innovations including medical discoveries especially in Britain as it based it is scientific innovations on experiments and practical work rather than theories and logic.
The Industrial Revolution is a period that started around the 1750s, and is a period we are currently living in; it is seen today as one of the most dramatic and impactful eras in human-history. Thanks to Britain’s start-up of the period, we now have a society in which progress is culturally embedded as a necessity to survive. This was developed by the revolutionary inventions of the period, along with the strive for innovation from other international countries.
Orwell not only demonstrates the detrimental effects of capitalism on the oppressed, he also portrays the dictators as victims as well. Orwell chooses to write a novel that exposes how totalitarianism and fascism, in the post-collapse of capitalism, strips figures in power, specifically the oppressors, of their individuality and of hope. In “Notes and Nationalism,” Orwell discusses the issues that lie in having a totalitarian and fascist perspectives when leading, which highlights how the oppressors become corrupt. Overall, he argues that having this perspective leads to having “obsession, instability, and an indifference to reality” (Notes on Nationalism). The problem is that if one is obsessed with his or her nation, it leads to a sense of
“Power is in tearing human minds to pieces and putting them together again in new shapes of your own choosing”. A resonating quote of the novel 1984 from George Orwell to another piece of his writing Animal Farm that interprets the process of establishing dictatorship and power through methods of intimidation, rectifying of information, and the structure of power distribution.
Within the development of Europe, one would think that religion and politics played the key roles in shaping the regions, in which they did, but many individuals don’t realize the true impact of the role spices played in the evolution of the economy and expansion of Europe. Food alone represented a vast field of human experience and shaped peoples’ beliefs and values, aesthetics and most importantly their social attitudes toward one another. Spices contributed to these attitudes, providing a potential window for the individual to change their understanding of the political and social life of certain cultures and nations. The main question that the author, Paul Freedman poses within the text is, why did the Europeans and the Romans before them, maintain such a high demand for spices for almost a millennium?
In “Freedom from Fear” Aung Sun Suu Kyi focused on clarifying that fear is what corrupts a person and eventually a nation, not power itself. She declared that “Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it.” Being an activist made her appearance stronger because of the fact that she is writing about how fear is what degrades society while she’s facing house arrest, and she does not allow the obstacles to stand in her way. That added character to her demeanor as a writer, especially in this piece. Through the use of rhetorical strategies such as; pathos, Imagery, organization, and authority, this writing allow readers to be captivated and ultimately agree with Aung Sun Suu Kyi.