Ishmael # 7

According to Ishmael, the only way to save the world is to revert back to being leavers. We'd take life out of our hands, and put it back into the hands of the gods. No more exterminating all your competitors, or keeping all the food to yourself, everyone would live out their lives peacefully. I believe that this is one solution. But earlier in the book, it was also stated that the problems could be fixed by gaining even more control over the planet. Taking control of the weather, the animal populations, and all the resources could lead us out of the bad situation that we're in. But who knows? Maybe it would only make things worse. So, I do believe in Ishmael's solution, but I also believe that there are other possibilities.

Ishmael QQC 4

"Why should your people know what story they're enacting as they destroy the world?"
"So they can stop enacting it."

Would the realization that we're enacting a story cause the 'Takers' to change the way they live?

What would happen if everyone learned that their whole lives, all they were doing was living out a story, that ended with the destruction of the world and the human race? Would we yearn to break free of this story? I would hope so. With everyone realizes that we are on the road to destruction, they would be forced to change the way they live, or face extinction.

Ishmael QQC 3

"Consider it. The Takers have a knowledge that enables them to rule the world, and the Leavers lack it."

Why do we need to rule the world?

The 'leaver' people seem to live less destructive lives then the 'takers.' If its because they lack the knowledge needed to rule the world, then we shouldn't have that knowledge in the first place. We fight massive wars, pollute the world with trash and gases, and continue to eradicate different species of animals. If this is what the knowledge to rule the world does, I don't think it's a good thing to have.

Ishmael #4 Interview

For this blog, we were given the assignment to interview anyone we knew with five questions about the state of the world right now. Whether it be about economical problems, world hunger, pollution, or global warming. So I interviewed a friend of mine.

Me: (7:52:43 PM) HEY

Me: (7:53:07 PM) I need to interview someone.

Me: (7:53:12 PM) And I can't find anyone

Friend: (7:53:34 PM) interview the tooth fairy

Friend: (7:53:46 PM) or interview

Friend: (7:53:49 PM) RICHARD NIXON

Me: (7:54:30 PM) You mind doing the interview? I just need to ask 5 questions about global warming and world hunger and whatnot

Friend: (7:54:40 PM) Oh yeah, sure!

Me: (7:54:44 PM) K

Friend: (7:54:45 PM) I'll help ya out

Me: (7:54:49 PM) Thanks

Friend: (7:54:53 PM) no worries

Me: (7:54:59 PM) First off

Me: (7:55:08 PM) What is your opinion on Global Warming

Friend: (7:55:37 PM) aah, it's really not as bad as a lot of people are making it out to be, and from what I've read, not happening for reasons that people say it is.

Friend: (7:56:09 PM) From what I've read, it's being caused by a hotspot in the earth's core (as a heating of the water would melt ice caps a ****load faster than a heating of the air caused by pollution)

Friend: (7:56:25 PM) so as there's nothing we can really DO about it, it's not that big of a concern of mine

Me: (7:57:01 PM) Oh really? Huh. I've never heard about that before now.

Me: (7:57:04 PM) Then again

Me: (7:57:11 PM) I really don't look too much into it

Friend: (7:57:21 PM) A friend of mine sent it to me a while ago

Me: (7:57:25 PM) ah

Friend: (7:57:26 PM) I forgot most of it, save for that

Me: (7:57:41 PM) Ok

Friend: (7:57:42 PM) I wish I could find it again and read it more completely

Me: (7:57:50 PM) Next question

Me: (7:58:04 PM) How would you explain the situation the world is in today?

Friend: (7:58:13 PM) what kind of situation?

Me: (7:58:39 PM) Bad economy, loss of jobs, raising oil prices, etc.

Friend: (7:59:12 PM) economically, dude, it sorta sucks, especially considering the fact that, as much as we complain about it, we're not doing the worst in the world

Friend: (7:59:32 PM) and the fact that everything has to be so much more expensive is dissuading people form buying stuff

Friend: (7:59:42 PM) and if people aren't buying anything, then the economy sinks LOWER

Friend: (8:00:02 PM) so not only is it mostly our fault for the crisis in the first place, but it's our fault that it's not getting any better

Me: (8:00:38 PM) K

Me: (8:02:06 PM) Do you think there's anything you could do to help the environment?

Friend: (8:04:25 PM) so, anything I can do?

Me: (8:04:34 PM) yes

Friend: (8:04:38 PM) Well, EVERYONE can do something. It's only a question of how much

Friend: (8:05:13 PM) I can do my part by picking up this here and there, and being more aware about where I put my trash (don't really need to personally worry about fuel emissions as I'm gonna be walking anywhere anyway)

Friend: (8:05:40 PM) but in the long run, that doesn't really help against things like air/ocean waste, so long as I'm not personally throwing things into the ocean

Friend: (8:06:05 PM) it helps make streets and things look clean, which can,optimistically, inspire others to keep their orginizations clean

Friend: (8:06:38 PM) but for the most part, that responsibility lies most heavially on larger factories and power plants, and governmental orginizations who monitor such things

Me: (8:08:42 PM) Do you think that more environmental friendly power supplies will help lower the pollution that factories and power plants make?

Friend: (8:09:13 PM) it CAN if used properly.

Friend: (8:10:06 PM) Those who control such things just need to make sure that the energy necessary to utilize such power is worth switching power sources in the first place.

Friend: (8:10:42 PM) I read somewhere that, if pure ethanol were to be used as an alternative to gasoline, there would need to be, like, stupidly humongous farms of nothing but corn

Friend: (8:10:50 PM) I'm talking MASSIVE.

Friend: (8:10:55 PM) so it wasn't really worth it in the end

Friend: (8:11:35 PM) if we can find something that both saves energy when used, and doesn't take a bunch of energy to make useable, then it could definately work

Friend: (8:11:38 PM) we just have to find that first

Me: (8:12:03 PM) Ok, one last question

Me: (8:14:08 PM) Do you think that if we need to do something soon about pollution, world hunger, economical issues, etc. and if not, why?

Friend: (8:15:24 PM) well, there's no reason NOT to do anything, as they're all problems. Though, as far as those issues go, the economy takes priority over all, as the strengthening of that will give us the resources to work on the other two issues

Friend: (8:15:50 PM) what we need to do is, as obvious as it is, get people to just buy more stuff

Friend: (8:16:12 PM) which is hard, as prices keep going up because companies need to pay their employees and suppliers

Friend: (8:16:36 PM) and said companies don't have money because nobody's buying stuff because prices are high, blah blah blah, it's a giant circle

Friend: (8:16:59 PM) if we can get the economy back on it's feet, then we can start worrying about other things with more attention focused towards them

Friend: (8:17:12 PM) so yeah, we should focus on those things

Friend: (8:17:20 PM) we just need to prioritize

Me: (8:17:48 PM) And that is it

Me: (8:17:55 PM) Thanks for the awesome answers dude

Friend: (8:18:05 PM) NO WORRIES MAAANG

QQC #2

"In order to become fully human, man had to pull himself out of the slime." (Quinn 75)

What makes someone fully human?

Ishmael is saying that people had to put themselves above the rest of the animals to become the humans that we are today. We needed to stop being primitive, and begin to be civilized. This led to all the things that we have done to help to desecrate the world so far.

Ishmael #2 "Story of Man"

Billions and billions of years after the big bang, the Earth came to be. Many more years later, life evolved, and continued to evolve. Eventually, apes evolved into man, who also continued to evolve from cave people, to the people we see walking around on the streets today. Empires rose and fell, diseases spread across the land, wars were waged between neigbouring regions, but man continued to adapt and change. Eventually, we industrialized, and made things faster and more efficient. We continue to do all of these things to this day.

Ishmael QQC

"I can't shake the crazy feeling that there is some small thing that we're being lied to about."

Have you ever gotten the feeling that someone is lying to you about something, and whether it be about something small or important, don't you want to know what it is they're hiding from you?

Everybody has lied sometimes in there lives. It could be a universal lie, like Santa, or the Tooth Fairy. It could be a lie that can get somebody into serious trouble, such as a husband cheating on his wife, or stealing money from someone. It could just be a small lie, for example, if someone doesn't really feel like spending time with someone else, they could just tell them that they have a prior engagement or they're sick. In any case, almost everybody has lied at one point in their lives. Some people will believe them, and others won't. Some are gullible, believing anything, while others might be paranoid, thinking that everyone is out to get them, and that nobody should be trusted. Some will just accept the lie, while others will go to the ends of the earth to find out the truth. Sometimes lies can be good, but, they're usually wrong. The more people that believe in a lie, the further we get from the truth.

Research Paper

Jonathon Wallach
Guerrero
Humanities
4 March 2009
The Industrial Revolution that was Heard Around the World
Imagine a world where scientists find out how to bring people back to life. Everyone is excited, and ready to see their lost loved ones again, when suddenly, it all goes horribly wrong. Years later, the well known ‘zombie virus,’ has ravaged the earth, leaving little to no survivors. Is something like that really possible? A situation such as this is unlikely. But, with continued research and breakthroughs in science, anything is possible. New technology and innovations are not bad things. They help everyone around the world with work, diseases, and many other things. Where would we be if there had never been an Industrial Revolution? It did have some drawbacks, but it also created so many new technologies and inventions during that technological era. But, what if we go too far, and delve into researching something that would best be left alone? In Mary Shelley’s book, Frankenstein, she shows how major scientific advancements, such as bringing someone to life, can drastically change the way we live and how we think, whether it be for better or for worse.
In the book Frankenstein, a scientist by the name of Victor Frankenstein makes the discovery of how to re-animate lifeless material. But no one could have been prepared for the horror that Victor unleashed upon himself, and those around him. “How can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe, or how delineate the wretch whom with such infinite pains and care I had endeavored to form?” (Shelley 55) After so much work and research, Victor finally brings his creation to life, only to realize the horrible mistake he has made at making such a gruesome monster. He runs away from his work, hoping to leave it all behind him. Unfortunately for Victor, the monster comes back later in the book, to kill Victor’s youngest brother, William. “Nothing in human shape could have destroyed that fair child. He was the murderer! I could not doubt it.” (80-81) The creature continues to kill his friends and family throughout the book, as revenge for mistreating his own creation, and leaving him to rot. “Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge, and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow.” (50) Victor takes the secret of bestowing life to the grave, realizing too late that such knowledge was far too dangerous. Even when we have the best intentions, things can still go horribly wrong. But, much scientific advancement was made during the Industrial Revolution that helped the entire world.
The new innovations in technology that happened during the Industrial Revolution changed how everybody lived and worked. It started the age of machine work, which started in Britain between 1780 to1850. (Arnold, Wiener 4-5) While many people were replaced with machines in factories, many new jobs were created, because the factory owners needed people to run the machines. With faster production, there were more products at lower prices. (45) Along with mass producing machines in factories, there were a lot of other new innovations as well, some of them even acting as a domino effect. New agricultural methods led to industries in textiles, pottery, and metal. Fermentation led to beer and sourdough bread, which in turn, led to a need for new methods of transportation. (9) This wasn’t the first Industrial Revolution to happen, and it probably won’t be the last. “Industrial Revolutions constitute those rare occasions when the human species alters it’s framework of existence.” (Stearns, Hinshaw vii) Industrial Revolutions have happened in many different places, and a variety of different developments have happened across the globe. (xi) The human race continues to advance, with new technologies and inventions that will help people all over the world, so who knows if the last Industrial Revolution ever actually ended? It was a grand time for machines and innovations, but, its history has more than a good side to it. While it had many upsides to it, the Industrial Revolution also had many downsides.
While it greatly affected the world, it also brought about a very hard time for all the workers in the factories, including women and children. The factories they worked in were “poorly ventilated, noisy, dirty, damp, and poorly lighted working areas. These factories were unhealthy and dangerous places to work. Normally, workers put in twelve to fourteen hours daily.” (Labor) Considering the poor working conditions, children had the worst jobs in the factories. Due to their small stature, they could move around the smaller, usually more dangerous, areas of the factory, and could be forced to work up to 19 hours a day with little time to rest. “They used to get 3 or 4 pence a day. Now a man’s wages is divided into eight eights; at eleven, two eights; as thirteen, three eights; at fifteen, four eighths; at twenty, a man’s wages about 15 shillings.” (Child labor) Around the time of the Industrial Revolution, death rates were quite high in most factories. Of course, this didn’t last forever. Eventually, workers realized that they were the ones made the factories work, and after a lot of work, they were given the right to organize into unions. Even later on, political leaders wanted to address the problems in the factories. (Labor) This led to the Factory Acts, which gave more rights to workers, and kept the factory owners from abusing their laborers. The Factory Act of 1819 limited the hours worked by children to a maximum of 12 per day. The Factory Act of 1833 banned children under the age of 9 from working in the textiles industry and 10-13 year olds limited to a 48 hour week, while the Factory act of 1847 made it so women and children could only work a maximum of 10 hours a day. (Working conditions) It was wrong of the factories to take advantage of their workers, and when they revolted against them, they were left without people to run the machines. The creature in Frankenstein was abused and mistreated, solely on his looks, and after being pushed around for too long, revolted against all of humanity. Of course, with new technologies comes new problems, but, they are eventually fixed. In fact, modern science has its own problems too.
Even today we are having trouble with new sciences. More, ethical troubles to be exact. We’re researching cloning, genetic manipulation, and the human genome. But, is it right? Should we have the power to play god, like Victor Frankenstein did? One of these new sciences is cloning. It began when Scottish scientists cloned a sheep by the name of “Dolly” around 1997, who was the first mammal cloned from the cell of an adult animal. Dolly was just one success out of 276 tries, but today there are many cloned animals big or small, however there are still many animals that are too difficult to clone. One day, after a lot of research and testing, scientists hope to use cloning to reproduce entire human organs and repair damaged cells. (Cloning) However, people still express that human cloning would not be ethical. Whether it is religious people saying that a cloned human would be born without a soul or that a child cloned from his parent’s DNA would essentially be a much younger version of one of their parents, but there is still much work to be done before human cloning becomes completely successful. Many modern sciences can relate to Victor and his creature in the book Frankenstein. Victor dreamed of making man immortal, and almost completely invulnerable, like how scientists try to find new ways to help extend a person’s life, or make him more physically fit, or super intelligent. Victor’s dreams came true, in the form of his grotesque creation, who was faster, stronger, and more resistant to the elements than a normal man, with all the emotions and intellect of one, but so hideous that people ran at the sight of him. Angered at peoples’ hatred of him solely based on his looks, including his own creator, he plots his revenge, making Victor as miserable as possible, leading to his early demise.
In conclusion, the Industrial Revolution was an era of innovation and new inventions that helped make peoples’ lives easier. There were some problems that were involved with it, but they were eventually fixed. Today, the human race continues to advance in different technologies and sciences. But, is there a line somewhere that we just cannot cross?












Works Cited
Arnold, James and Roberta Wierner. A Turning Point in History. Danbury, Connecticut: Scholastic Library Publishing, 2005.
Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. New York: Pocket Books, 2004.
Stearns, Peter and John Hinshaw. The Industrial Revolution. Santa Barbara, California: ABC – Clio Inc., 1996.
“Cloning Fact Sheet.” Human Genome Project Information. March 4 2009
“Child Labor in Factories.” Child Labor in Factories. March 4 2009
“Labor.” The Indsutrial Revolution. March 4 2009
“Working Conditions in the Industrial Revolution.” Schools History. March 4 2009

Industrial Revolution Photography project

Artist's Statement

Adam Ridley, Aldo Romero, Christian Cacho, Jonathon Wallach, Nohemi Hernandez
Photograph

This photo was based on the 18th century industrial revolution period. In the photo people are dancing, listening to music and ignoring the fact that they are creating a monster which is Frankenstein. Frankenstein is moving in this picture and laughing symbolizing how all the technology and factories and machines we use are disguised as good when in reality they create pollution and are a danger to our environment. In the picture Jonathan is still enjoying the moment, since Industrialization is all about the moment, not even considering the effect it will have later on. On the other hand Nohemi is starting to notice the monster living in front of her and is surprised but she keeps dancing symbolizing how we ignore all the warnings the environment has given us.
This portrait is supposed to take place in a lab were the monster is being created. There is equations in the back, papers thrown all over, tools, a computer, and boxes covered in aluminum to create a scientific background.

Here is our group picture:
http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j267/Piedragon/industrialrevolution.jpg

Research Paper Outline

Jonathon Wallach
Guerrero
Humanities
02/25/09
The Industrial Revolution that was Heard Around the World
I. Thesis: In Mary Shelley's book, Frankenstein, she shows how major scientific advancements, such as bringing someone to life, can drastically change the way we live and how we think, whether it be for better or for worse.

II. In Frankenstein, a scientist by the name of Victor Frankenstein makes the discovery of how to re-animate life-less material. No one could have been prepared for the horror Victor unleashed upon himself, and those around him.
a. Victor dreams of destroying disease and making man almost invulnerable. (Shelley 34)
b. Victor brings his creation to life. (Shelley 55)
c. He discovers that his abomination killed his youngest brother. (Shelley 80-81)
d. Victor promises to make his creation a bride if he leaves forever. (Shelley 177)
e. Victor destroys his most recent work, and vows to never again make such a monstrosity. (Shelley 205)
f. The creature kills Victor’s wife. (Shelley 241)
g. Victor begins his pursuit for the monster, and vows to destroy him. (Shelley 251)
h. Victor dies. (Shelley 269)

III. Many, major changes happened throughout the world during the Industrial Revolution, that changed how everybody lived and worked.
a. Definition of an Industrial Revolution
b. Loss of jobs and new jobs
c. Most major innovations

IV. While the Industrial Revolution brought about much scientific advancement, it was also a very hard time for women and children before the “Factory Acts”, due to increased child labor.
a. Child Labour
• How women and children worked during the I.R.
• Abuse in factories
b. Factory Acts

V. Even today we are still having some trouble with newer sciences. More, ethical trouble to be exact. We’re researching cloning, genetic manipulation, etc. But, is it right? Should we have the power to play god, like Victor Frankenstein?
a. Info about cloning
b. Research on genetics and other related sciences
c. Relate modern sciences to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein

VI. Conclusion: The Industrial revolution was an era of innovation, and new inventions that helped make peoples’ lives easier. Even today the human race continues to advance in different technologies and sciences, but, is there a line somewhere that we cannot cross?

Thesis Statement

In Mary Shelley's book, Frankenstein, she shows how major scientific advancements, such as bringing someone to life, can drastically change the way we live and how we think, whether it be for better or for worse.

Refined Research Question

Why does the Industrial Revolution count as a real Revolution? How much exactly, did it change the world, and in what ways?

EDIT: What was the impact of science and technology on human life during the Industrial Revolution?

QQC

Quote: "Remember that I have power; you believe yourself miserable, but I can make you so wretched that the light of day will be miserable to you. You are my creator, but I am your master;- obey!"

Question: Why do people assume that having power means being able to have control over people?

Comment: Frankenstein killed one of Victor's brothers, and one of his friends. After agreeing to leave for South America, and never appear again if Victor made him a bride, he becomes enraged when Victor destroys months of work right in front of him. He rushes into Victor's lab and demands an explanation. The creature makes many threats to Victor, but he vows that he will never make another horrible monster, and set it loose upon the world. Frankenstein follows through with his threats, and murders another one of Victor's closest friends, and promises Victor - "I will be with you on your wedding day." It seems as if Frankenstein will never forgive humanity for his miserable treatment.

Frankenstein

Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley

The real plot begins when an old, half - dead man tells the captain of a ship, how he winded up floating on a piece of ice on the virge of death. He talks about where he went to school, and how he stumbled upon the means to animate lifeless material. After a year of work and study, he brings to life a gruesome monster, who he fearfully runs away from. Years later, he meets the monster again after it kills it's creator's brother. He finds the monster, who tells his own tale, and begs his creator to make a wife for him, and only then will he leave him alone forever. That's as far as I've gotten so far.

My group is studying the Industrial Revolution, which is believed to have happened around the 18th century to the 19th century. It originally started in Britain, and gradually the revolution enveloped most of the world. Over the course of many years, a lot of new and helpful inventions were created, (steam power, powered machinery, internal combustion engines, etc.)

One thing I want to know about this time period, is how the world advanced so much faster with technology during the Industrial Revolution then ever before. If the world HAS advanced like that before, when was that? (Besides the Enlightement era).