Houses for Writing

The word propaganda is easy enough to define. Misleading information, usually biased to promote the benefactor or slander the opposition. Sometimes both, I guess it depends how much free time one has on their hands. Anything that gives you information can be twisted to be false, or half a truth, such as: newspapers, advertisements, radio, and other forms of mass media. The most frequent use of propaganda is for political gain, such as during elections. Finding out the republican you were going to vote for doesn’t like puppies might change your opinion. As untrue, and sometime ridiculous, as propaganda is, it can only be untrue and ridiculous if someone knows the truth. If a person doesn’t know, they become prey to ignorance, and mind control, in a sense. Not to bring up the novel 1984 by George Orwell, as that was definitely an extreme situation; still, the book had a good point. The lies are going to keep coming, from more than the politicians we can expect them from. Individuals need to take it upon themselves to remain aware and educated, instead of blindly following the masses. However, in a world that can be digitally corrupted and every news network having a biased opinion, maybe we’re already screwed.

As with most arguments I put thought into, I'll go ahead and take the liberal, or slob, side of things. I would say Susan is free, because she believes she's free. I mean, that's religion for you, right? Belief is a powerful thing. There are people who still believe the earth is flat. Rather than commit such a person to a psychiatrist that moonlights as an astronomer, we are more inclined to tell these people to form a club and believe whatever they're feeling. I would say Susan should get that same half judgemental opportunity.

In a distorted mirror way, Westerners shouldn't be trying to force ideals on anyone. Susan is exercising her religion's practices, something every American has the luxury, or right, to do. Take the ending cartoon of the reading, for example, that was the woman in a bikini walking by an Islamic woman. Our cultures are so different they’re opposites, and yet they have the same basis: freedom. Susan is free reserve her looks for her family, while Westerners are free to bare their skin to whomever they please. I'm defining the word free to mean the ability to follow through with a choice without reprimand. To consider Islamic women oppressed is to also consider Western women oppressed; which isn't what I've decided to argue, though my feminist room mate would have a field day with that prompt.

The 'free will is a lie' argument is the perfect counter argument. Susan isn't even aware she's being oppressed, she has probably been raised to believe that baring her skin in public is a sin and an Islamic God will punish her something fierce. Westerners should push so that these fast food companies show that male s and females are equals, just like it is in the places these companies originate from! Really though, do Westerners always have to be right? It's a different culture; one that the majority of its population agrees shouldn't change its values to match that of another culture. These women in abayas are scientists, professors- women who are well educated and see themselves as more than just equal to men. Only people ignorant enough to think an entire religion should change to fit one more visually appealing would argue that different values should be passively forced on these women to make Westerners more comfortable.

My father would be shocked by where I stand in this paper. Had I asked him how I should write this essay, I'm sure he would have responded that I should place myself in an Islamic woman's shoes and attempt to walk that mile. Unfortunately , I can't get more than a few feet before kicking them off and running around barefoot in shorts and a t-shirt. I may not understand an Islamic woman's religious practices and traditions, but I will stand by my American upbringing of religious tolerance to not scrutinize her for it. If that means she's more comfortable, and freer, removing her abaya in the all-female side of McDonald's to eat her burger mess free, to each their own.

The word 'morality' has fallen into the unfortunate category of words thrown into sentences as enhancers to really drive someone's point across; the words 'irony' and 'propaganda' are also in this category. Instead, these words can make a sentence veer off course and crash with its misuse. Didion argues that, due to assuming the definition of the word morality, everyone uses it in a vague context to say when an action is good (moral) or bad (immoral). However, Didion further argues that the morality of an action is near impossible to define. Say a man robs a drug store for medication he can't afford, to give to his dying mother to easy her pain. How is an individual supposed to judge this man morality?

Through their own bias, of course. A woman whose father is gravely ill might be sympathetic, while a pharmacist will have no pity and quickly point an accusing finger. Each individual shapes the definition of the word morality to fit their own standards, or the law's standards, of right and wrong. Do I agree with what Didion is arguing? Absolutely. I have no idea who is in the wrong with the robbery scenario. Well, it would be the robber because that's against the law, but morally I wouldn’t be happy with that outcome. People yearn for an easy enough way to define things; a nice black and white outlook, even as they make up their own excuses to smear the colors to gray. Ethically, it's only wrong when you don't feel it's right (sarcasm).

I chose to attend poet Linda Hogan's reading of her latest collection of poems from Dark. Sweet. New and Selected Poems. The venue for the event was in a subsection of a DC restaurant, which provided an intimate setting for a small audience. One line really stuck with me throughout the rest of her readings: "Finite, Older, the seams of myself coming apart." I found that her words brought on strong imagery.

Age and time have been delicate subjects for me lately. I understand that I'm still in my youth; however, from my perspective, twenty years of my life have gone by. In another twenty years I'll be forty- and where will I be? What will I be doing? I can relate to Hogan's words because right now, I'm supposed to feel the opposite. Infinite, young, still well sewn together- though the material may be a bit frayed. Instead of feeling this way, I feel a more daunting foreshadowing. Time continues counting forward, and I see all the things waiting to happen. It's overwhelming, really, trying to control and prepare for an inevitable future. I try to cope by keeping it to a mindset. By thinking these things, I make myself finite and older already. If I embrace that maturity doesn't need to age me, maybe I can be forever young and infinite (in mindset, anyway).

When in Japan, it is custom to introduce yourself by using your last name, as well as addressing the person you’re speaking to by their last name. If they are older or are of a higher social status, like your boss, they might call you by your first name followed by -san. Also, if you are a westerner, you may be addressed this way since Japan acknowledges that that is your custom. These same rules apply in a family setting. However, a child would refer to their parent kinship terms, such as mother, father, older sister, and older brother. When talking amongst your siblings or your peers, you may be addressed by your first name, which may be followed by –san. As you respond you can use their first name, while also adding –san, or a variation if appropriate. Kinship terms are followed by –san, while –kun may be added after if they are a young boy. If you are speaking to a small child, you can add –chan to the end of their first name. When in doubt, one should ask how the other wishes to be addressed. This is somewhat similar to how people are addressed in American culture by Mr. or Professor.

One type of nonverbal behavior used when you’re introduced to someone Japanese is to bow. Feet should be placed together with men keeping their hands to their sides and women placing their hands in their lap. The bow should be at a fifteen degree angle at the waist, and your eyes should lower to the ground. A deeper bow shows greater respect, as does multiple bows. Handshakes are another type of nonverbal behavior, but it’s not customary in Japan. However, if someone’s hand is extended, you should shake it without squeezing too firmly. While handshakes are also an American custom, bowing is a distinctly Asian ritual. Business cards are important to carry around as they are an important part of meeting someone for the first time. This mainly applies to adults, such as professionals and graduate students. Undergraduate students aren’t considered complete adults, so they don’t usually have them. Once the business card is taken with both hands, it should be read through carefully to identify the person’s title or position and the name of the organization they belong to. This information is extremely important, so that you may interact with the correct formalities and politeness. This is the same for a formal American meeting as a means to exchange information, usually in a business setting.