The Good Behind the Clouds of Sin

While thinking about Gilamesh and the interesting hero he is, I stumbled on a thought of a similar character from a category of story-telling I normally wouldn't reference: A video game. In Prototype, a game released on the Play Station 3 and X-Box 360 earlier this year, a man named Alex Mercer helps create a human-enhancing virus that goes wrong. After news of the virus is spread to the public, the scientist responcible for the public outburst, Mercer, is ordered to be executed. In his defense, Mercer steals a vial of the virus and threatens to unleash it upon the city if anyone attepts to subdue him. His pursuers do not restrain and Mercer drops the vial as he is shot to death. However the virus flows into his bloodstream, and essentially heals him. However, when he wakes up he notices he has super strength and has the ability to shift his body into many different shapes. In retrospect, the game is about Mercer fending off all the infected people the virus gets to in the city and seeing himslef turn into a true hero. Now Gilgamesh didn't unleash a virus on his people of Uruk, but he did treat them arbitrarily and have unconsensual sex with mass amounts of women. Gilgamesh and Alex Mercer are both heroes, and although they both did bad things of different magnitudes, they both appear to me as flawed heroes, and in the end, they both come to find peace and improve their qualities as people. Gilgamesh went on a long journey that involved fighting a demon and overcoming the loss of a true friend. Through that journey he came to find himself. Alex Mercer came to find himself through fighting off the havoc he caused in the city, and becoming a protector rather than destroyer. I believe the flawed hero is always the most interesting because one can relate to him or her. It seems to me that we all have a hero inside of us waiting to get out and do some good, but many times the good is outmatched by the clouds of sin we are born with.

Is Gilgamesh a Hero?

In my opinion Gilgamesh is not a hero for many reasons. First off, a hero should not cower in fear from demons like Huwawa, and fail to fight the Bull of Heaven until Enkidu had taken control of the fight. A hero should not take all of the credit for something that he really didn't do. Gilgamesh did just that, he took all of the credit for killing Huwawa and for killing the Bull of Heaven even though he couldn't have killed either of them without the help of Enkidu.

Last week I was watching the movie Beowulf and realized how Gilgamesh and Beowulf are polar opposites. Beowulf didn't take credit for actions that he didn't do and he didn't gloat about victories that he had mad. He also wouldn't say that he was "the perfect, or the terror" like Gilgamesh would. Beowulf was modest, and that is what a hero should be. Beowulf also didn't cry all of the time like Gilgamesh did. Beowulf fought without fear of anything, he would go into battle without worry about the result. He also didn't have a companion who was equally as powerful as he is like Gilgamesh had Enkidu.

So, Beowulf is an example of an epic hero with all of the attributes a hero should have, while Gilgamesh is lacking in those attributes.

why we still need religion

In class this week someone brought up the point that many religion is slowly loosing its place in society because of scientific advancements. Now that people are provided an explanation for earthquakes, hurricanes, and other previously mysterious occurrences, there is less need for a belief in God, gods and goddesses, and other higher powers. In my opinion however, there will always be a need for these beliefs. Although we may know how an earthquake happens and how a tornado forms, we will never know what caused those plates to move or why a it the wind blew it to that town. In the modern world we may have a scientific diagnosis for dying but that does not bring the peace of mind that religion does. Two weeks ago on my sixteenth birthday, I received a text from my dad telling  me my grandfather had stage four pancreatic cancer and probably only had a few weeks to live. My grandparents are Episcopalians and therefore belief in heaven and hell so my grandfather is comforted by the though of spending eternal life in the heavenly kingdom. To be able to believe that you are going to heaven or whatever, regardless if it is true or not, is comforting and allows us to be able to accept the thought of mortality.

What makes a Hero? Gilgamesh vs. Enkidu

If you were to look up the word Hero in the dictionary it would read: a person, typically a man, who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. Some might argue that Gilgamesh has the characteristics of a hero, but I would disagree. As the definition states a hero is one "who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities." The people abhorred the great King Gilgamesh, distrusting him and are just completely disgusted by him. Now Enkidu has the characteristics of a hero. He destroys the demon Huwawa, stands up to Istar, and dies for his noble actions. Gilgamesh cowards in fear in the face of danger and seeks immortality for himself.

I think this epic tale can be related to the movie Spider Man 3. The Hero Peter Parker as Spider Man and his arch nemesis Green Goblin Jr. have to put their differences aside and team up to kill Venom. Just as Gilgamesh had to cope with the idea that their is someone as equally strong as he is. They team up and destroy the evil demon Huwawa. Each one completes the other; Enkidu and Gilgamesh equals one super hero and if one falls the hero is broken.

Written by Bryan Tonti right at the deadline!

Journey

This year i recently joined crew. It seemed like a lot of fun at the time I was asked to join by a junior. They said that they needed 1 more girl to make a quad, so I was like why not! As the first practice came around I was nervous, but I gave it a shot. I did not realize that it would be such a difficult sport. It was going to be a very long journey, just to get in good enough shape for our first regatta. Gilgamesh never gave up when he was on his way to find the flower of immortality. We have practices 6 days a week from 4 to 6, but in the end it all works out. We work hard for a reward that is worth it all. It also relates to Gilgamesh because Gilgamesh and Enkidu, were better together, than they were apart. They were able to defeat the monsters when the worked together. In crew you are in a boat with 3 other people. If someone is lazy and does not want to work, then your whole boat goes slower, and you get nothing accomplished. You all have to work as a team and then everything will be okay. Today when i was rowing, i got sick on the water so i had to go in. I left my team behind, but they still finished their piece. Like Gilgamesh, when Enkidu dies wants to finish to find the flower of immortality. He succeeds, but in the end it is stolen from him. This makes him such a better person, he has learned so much from Enkidu, and through his journeys. He is a hero.

In the 2008 movie, Hancock, Will Smith portrays a superhero that is not always on some people's good side. At the beginning of the move he stops the bad guy's car but then takes it too far and flies to the top of a building and drops the car on a spike at the top of the building. We can pull from the movie that he has done something like this many times before. Gilgamesh is like Hancock because he is a guy that does not always appeal to the people. He, also like Hancock, is a questionable hero. In the beginning we know that he was sleeping with the most of the women in Uruk and no one could stop him just as Hancock was alone and everyone thought that he was the only one of his kind. One other similarity is the companion that each of the characters has but they have an opposite reaction. In Gilgamesh, Enkidu was Gilgamesh's counterpart and his only match. He and Gilgamesh were apparent best friends after their fight and were by each other until Enkidu's death. In the movie, Hancock's opposite was his only weakness. The longer they stayed together, the weaker he got. They are the only two of their kind on the planet and somehow always seem to find each other. Both of these stories have a questionable main character that ends up being the good hero.

The Long Journey

Throughout the cross country season, I have 2 friends that I can always count on to never let me fall behind and push me to be stronger. Last weekend was my first race with out them. I found myself, without even thinking about it, going slower than usual. They give me my mental strength to get through the pain after a mile and a half. This was different, I didn't have anyone beside me telling me to keep going. This reminded me of how Gilgamesh had Enkidu to help him carry on in his journey and when he got tired Enkidu would help him win his battle. I know have a small idea of the lonely journey Gilgamesh had to take without Enkidu. Gilgamesh made it through the journey and I finished strong in my race but it still didn't compare to the journeys with friends at our side. Friends are there to help and make you stronger when you feel weak.

Who Is the True Hero?

Yesterday in class Hunter Crow brought up the point that Gilgamesh wasn't a hero because he took credit for most of Enkidu's actions, and he compared it to Barry Switzer winning the super bowl with Jimmy Johnson's team. This got me thinking about whether Gilgamesh really is the hero or if Enkidu was the true hero in the story. In addition, i got to thinking about how people take credit for other peoples work all the time. It could be as simple as stealing a joke from a friend or as big as taking credit for a project that your friend did all the work but you were partners with him so you take credit. Just like how Gilgamesh says he killed the bull then mention that Enkidu helped him kill the bull, but in reality Enkidu started fighting the bull then Gilgamesh joined in. In a way i saw this as a low thing to do because hero's in my opinnion are better people for being humble instead of being all out their like i did this i'm the greatest. Gilgamesh likes to boast about how he was able to kill Huwawa or how he killed the bull. To the contrary Enkidu is kind of the quiet one who sits back and lets Gilgamesh take the credit when in reality he should be the one to take the credit. Although Gilgamesh does this in my opinion he is still a hero because even though he is cowardly at some points he still gets the job done with his companion Enkidu. Furthermore, i do still think Enkidu is a hero who displays more characteristics of a hero but i don't it he or Gilgamesh would have been able to become heroes without each other. I say this because when they are in the forest going to kill Huwawa both Gilgamesh and Enkidu run and hide from the face of the demon because they are afraid, but their companion comes to save them and together they accomplish great deeds no by themselves. Finally i think that the story of Gilgamesh is the transformation of a normal person to a hero. I say this because in the beginning Gilgamesh was always making the people of Uruk mad doing whatever he wanted, but by the end of the story he tried to take the plant of eternal life back to uruk to share with his people. I bring up this example because i am definately positive that in the beginning i think Gilgamesh would have eaten the plant the first chance he had and not have even considered sharing the plant. So what i am trying to say that no matter how one hates a person because of their past boast a heroic deed is a heroic deed making both Gilgamesh and Enkidu heroes.

Is Ignorance Really Bliss??

The world we live in overwhelms us instance gratification and immediate facts. We get instant texts, email, sports scores right in the palm of our hand. People today have very little time to think about what there future may hold because our future is now. Our lives are constantly bombarded by information and other people. I like having instant information because I have grown up with it. My mom didn't grow up with this kind of fast pace life so she doesn't like to constantly know what is going on around the world or what someone's facebook status is. This begs the question: Is ignorance really bliss? My mom thinks ignorance is bliss when the ignorance is from the daily information and instant gratification. She always says to me, "the best things you get are the ones you wait on most." I think this is very wise and something we often overlook. The story of Gilgamesh bring the question of "Is ignorance really bliss?" into focus. Gilgamesh is so fearful of dying, he seeks immortality. We, like Gilgamesh don't know when we are going to die and I think this is good. I don't want to know when I am going to die. I try to live everyday to the fullest and I am ignorant and not fearful about when I am going to die. My personal opinion is that ignorance is truly bliss but others may not agree. We live in a world where we don't have time to be fearful about what the next moment or day may bring; we have to react with whatever is thrown our way and respond accordingly.

Heros Get Remembered, but Legends Never Die

When one thinks of a hero, they think of an individual he distinguishes himself above all others, and saves everyone from danger. Another great aspect, when people think of heros, is that they have super powers.

In the story of Gilgamesh (2700 BCE), many wonder if Gilgamesh is really even a hero. Although he is three fourths god, he does not show the aspects of a hero. Unlike Enkidu, who is Gilgamesh's equal, shows many examples of heroism, but to me I believe he is above a hero; a legend. The reason why I believe Enkidu is above Gilgamesh, is because I think that Enkidu really knows better the difference between right and wrong, and he has self control. Unlike Gilgamesh who take any woman he wants and does whatever he wants because he knows he is above everyone else, Enkidu does none of that because he knows what is right and what is wrong.

I am convinced that if Gilgamesh is in fact a hero, then Enkidu is the legend. I believe this because, during the story of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh knows that he will die, and he wants to be remebered. It does not matter if he is remembered in a good way or bad way, he just wants to be remembered. However, with Enkidu although he dies, it is as if he never truly died because once he is gone, it is like his spirit still lives within Gilgamesh. Interestingly, once Enkidu dies, Gilgamesh seems to go through a metamorphosis and completely change into a different person; a better and more compassionate person.

It is like Enkidu lives throughout the story, and continues to live on after the story ends. Although Gilgamesh may be remebered, it is Enkidu who will never die.

by Andrew Leffer

Gilgamesh-Hero or Not

Many people in class earlier today stated that Gilgamesh was not a true hero, but I believe that Gilgamesh is.

What makes a hero?

1. A hero is someone of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities

Gilgamesh shows courage by fighting the terrifying Huwawa and the Bull of Heaven. Although he did need Enkidu to help him with his courage, he did fight the pain of the death of Enkidu and went through the twelve passes by himself. No mortal has ever gone through the twelve passes, showing how he was strong mentally and physically. Every pass would make it harder to breath and he had to walk all night, showing his physical strength. Although walking for a night would not be that difficult, Gilgamesh walks at great distances, which is shown in tablet IV where he walks one hundred fifty leagues in three days where a normal man would in three weeks. Not only is Gilgamesh physically strong, but he is mentally strong. Walking in the complete darkness ALONE is scary, and many people go crazy because of it. Gilgamesh was frightened and even weeped, but he is mentally stronger than any other mortal.

2. A person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act and is regarded as a model or idea.

Although Gilgamesh is not a good role model at the beginning, he changes into a good one. Gilgamesh used to do whatever he wanted, but after the death of Enkidu, he changes. I would say that Gilgamesh would be my role model after tablet 8. Gilgamesh truly shows that he loves his dearest friend, Enkidu, that he is strong both mentally and physically, and he can fight many obstacles, even by himself. Gilgamesh shows heroism through his killing of Huwawa and defeating the Bull of Heaven. People would say that a hero is not selfish though, or at least does good for the good of others. Gilgamesh was selfish, but he changes. In tablet 11, Gilgamesh shows that he is not selfish by saying "I will give some of the plant to the elders there, to share among them"(80).

3. Classical Mythology.

a.	a being of godlike prowess and beneficence who often came to be honored as a divinity.

b.	(in the Homeric period) a warrior-chieftain of special strength, courage, or ability.

c.	(in later antiquity) an immortal being; demigod.

Many times in the reading, it will say that Gilgamesh is the king of Uruk and two-thirds god but one-third mortal. Since Gilgamesh is part god, part human, he is a demigod. Not only is Gilgamesh high is status, but he is incredibly strong and powerful. Gilgamesh shows courage, his ability to fight, and strength (as told before).

Barry Switzer wins the SuperBowl?

Recently in class, we have been learning and reading about the adventures of Gilgamesh. We quickly learned by the actions of Gilgamesh, or the lack of actions, that he is not truly the hero he is renowned for. We learn this when he is placed beside his new partner Enkidu. Enkidu is a strong believer in following the rules and showing respect. Enkidu is a true hero because he wasn’t famous, yet he fulfilled his duties to save people and even save the life of Gilgamesh. This Situation is very familiar to the 1994 Dallas Cowboys. After Jimmy Johnson retired from coaching, they hired a new coach named Barry Switzer. That year the cowboys had a 15-4 season and won Super Bowl XXX. Barry was recognized as a great coach. In reality it was Jimmy Johnson who should have gotten recognition. Jimmy had trained all of his players, recruited them, and got them ready for that season when Barry just stepped in. All Barry had to do was call plays and watch the Cowboys march their way to victory. The Cowboys and Jimmy Johnson represent Enkidu and their honest hard work to be the best football team in the league. Barry represents Gilgamesh because he walked on to the Cowboys just in time to win a Super Bowl. In the end, people are not truly heroes if they don’t put honest hard work into what they are trying to achieve.

Neverlasting Beauty

My little cousin (4 yrs. old), Paola, loves ladybugs and butterflies. She loves them so much!!! She catches them and then puts them in a jar and pokes tiny airholes for them to breathe. Paola gathers leaves, flowers, twigs, grass and water-- everything that she thinks the insects need. Sadly though, the butterflies and ladybugs do not last long. The butterfly's wings become droopy and the ladybug stops moving. Paola always cries when they die. I tell her that the ladybugs and butterflies need to be free instead of being in the jar. She concluded that if that is true, then the butterflies and ladybugs will live forever. So the next butterfly she caught, she let it fly in her room. Yet the butterfly still died. Paola did not understand why the butterfly died, for she did what I advised. I had to tell her that in the end, everything comes to a halt. I told her that even when they are not trapped inside a bottle or just free in nature, butterflies still die. Paola thought this sad, but I told her that although the butterflies have a short life, they have a beautiful one with freedom. This makes me think back to Gilgamesh, and how he learns that human beings are mortal and in the end they all have to die. Life is a neverlasting beauty.

The Nature of Gilgamesh

Most people would think Gilgamesh is a hero. He seems to be brave, courageous and can take charge. Although it may seem like he is a hero he really doesn't posses any of these qualities besides taking charge. I think Gilgamesh is rude, selfish and a coward. Gilgamesh will not even give credit to his companion Enkidu when without Enkidu Gilgamesh would not of been able to do anything. In fact Gilgamesh runs and hides in fear half the time. The fact of the matter is though after the death of Enkidu, Gilgamesh started to change, and I could not completely hate him anymore. Enkidu really was Gilgamesh's other half and without him he was lost. Finally after everything Gilgamesh was able to give credit to Enkidu even if he wasn't alive. I think Gilgamesh really started to see what was important in life. Sometimes it takes losing something to know what you had. I have seen this happen in my own family as well. My sister and I used to fight all the time, even over stupid things like who gets to ride in the front seat. I never appreciated her being there in my life and having her there to look up too and get advice from. My sister was always there for me when I had a problem. Wether it was with school work, my mom being annoying or boys. I never saw how much she really impacted my life until she went to college. Now I miss her like crazy and I am starting to realize how much I really need her in my life. Without her I qould of never been able to get through those tough days when my mom was on me about grades, or when my friend and I were in a fight. All I was ever able to think about when I was with her was our fights and how bossy she was to me. Like I said sometimes it takes losing something to realize what you had, for me it was my sister, my best friend.

My Choice of Good or Evil Five Minutes Ago

About five minutes ago at about 10:40 P.M. (October 6, 2009), I looked at my e-mails. Reading each one carefully so that I would be prepared for school, I read one that was sent by my english teacher, Ms. Hepp. She asked me why I did not have a second blog post, and if I had a noteworthy excuse, to explain. My only excuse was that I forgot or that I had a regatta meeting that weekend, which I had to leave from school on Friday. I knew my excuses were no valid, for the blog post assignment has been assigned for three weeks. I had the decision of telling the truth (good) or telling a lie (evil). I know that lying is bad, but I thought that a little lie wouldn't hurt anybody, but then I thought that this lie could be on my concious forever. One lie could destroy my life (unprobable but could) and would definately hurt me. Then, I thought about what Confucius said about how to live one's life. I followed "the Way" and chose to tell the truth, that I had no reasonable excuse. Although I would have a zero on my homework, the truth is more powerful and my concious is clean.
I believe that human nature is good. Just doing something good can show one that there is good in the world, and that it is more common than evil. I had a choice, but my concious told me that it was better to tell the truth even if the circumstances are bad for me. Although Confucius said that it is okay to lie if it is to save, but I understand that it would be saving my grade, instead of someone and that would be greedy. I knew that I would not be able to sleep very well when I try to go to sleep. I would probably forget about the lie or even joke about it, but I know that someday that I would remember it and regret it. The choice of good and evil is everywhere. Choose the right decision, tell the truth. You don't even have to try, just do it with instinct.

Human Nature at School

We spend time analyzing others views on human nature; we read books, discuss them in class, and write essays about them. At ESD I think we all pretty much start off good. From beginners, most of us do everything we can to avoid getting into trouble or hurting someone’s feelings. Our favorite TV shows reinforce our good behavior with songs and stories but as we start to grow, we are influenced by older sibling and family; we learn its sometimes cool to rebel, and by the time first grade rolls around there are already cliques starting to form. Going to an Episcopal school, we are introduced at a young age the importance of living like Christ and treating others how we would treat ourselves.  Unlike the school the boys in Lord of the Flies, ESD does not attempt to crush all freedom and although there are no doubt many rules here, they are mean to guide people to make their good decisions on their own. The schools likes Ralph’s can make people turn; because of the strict rules set in place, people are more likely to rebel.

 Through the years, both our good and bad influences strengthen and can ultimately determine whether we remain good in life or turn evil. Its funny how easily we are influenced. I believe that ultimately, the majority of, if not all of, our grade is good. 

Human Nature in Sports

After watching the football games last weekend, I realized that human nature has a lot to do with the intensity of a game. The players all have a certain level of anger that they release on game day. This burst of energy cover the three hours or so that the players battle for control of the score. This especially takes place in the college level. The student-athletes are competing for their school for the love of the game. The entire crowd that fills the stadium to the max is on their feet, in most cases, and cheering for their team to win. Weather it be their Alma mater or the school that they currently attend, the fans are excited for the first whistle. In the pros, they just play for the money, and the fans are there tho support their home team. Although the pros make better plays and hit harder, the intensity of the players is not as high as the college level. During the game, the human nature of the players is in a different range and they become more aggressive, thus making the game more interesting. This aggressiveness is the same as Hsun Tzu's depiction of human nature. He says that humans are born evil and through conscious activity they become not as evil. The players, although some may say are using conscious activity, do not think about how hard they should really hit the ball carrier. They just hit him as hard as possible in the hope that he will go down or lose the ball. A good example of this is the hit on Tim Tebow. The Kentucky player came around the outside and hit Tebow in the chest, forcing him to fly backwards and in to his teammate's leg. Tebow ended up motionless on the field for a few minutes before getting up and being carted off the field. It was later noted that he had suffered a concussion and he might not be able to play against LSU a week from Saturday. Tebow is there biggest threat and without him, the #1 ranked Gators might fall to the LSU Tigers. The hit from the Kentucky player was not just a normal hit, but he released his evil human nature out on the quarterback without any penalty. The fact is that the game of football is like that all the time and that is what the fans come to see. They want to see there team not only win but also they would also like to see a player get "jacked up"(hit hard) like Tebow unfortunately experienced. The game of football is all about unleashing your human nature and trying to hit the man with the ball. Human nature is a violent thing when released in the game of football.

Human Nature's Deadly Weakness

For the past few weeks, my class and I have discussed and argued the question, What makes us human? We used examples and exerts from Mencius, Hsun Tzu, and Confucius to help us formulate our own answers and conclusions. I believe Mencius's idea that "the tendency of man's nature to good is like the tendency of water to flow downwards." We are all born with goodness within, it all depends on the factors that affect us such as desire, greed, and curiosity that drives us to be evil. We also read an article in the December 2007 issue of Time Magazine called, "What Makes Us Moral?" In it were some interesting situations called, Moral Dilemmas. In one situation you are adrift on an overpopulated boat. You are sinking quickly and the only solution is to throw a sick member off the boat to save the rest of the crew and yourself. Now you know that this sick person is going to die, but by knowing this key detail would you still be able to throw him/her off? Could you make the life or death choice that no one else can? You have his/her life in your hands. Would you do it. I would, only because I know he/she will die anyway so why not save the rest of the crew. In the next situation "a runaway trolley is heading down the tracks toward five workmen who cant be warned in time. You are standing near a switch that would divert the trolley onto a siding, but there is a single unsuspecting workman there. Would you throw the switch, killing one to save five? Suppose the workman was on a bridge with you and you could save the men only by pushing him onto the tracks? (He's large enough to stop the train; you're not.) Suppose you could throw a switch dropping him through a trapdoor thus not physically pushing him?" (Kluger 57). Personally, I would use the trapdoor. I say this because I would never physically touch a man to save five people. I actually would consider diverting the train too. I would never push a man to his death. In the final situation you are in a war stuck in a basement with a group of people and a crying baby. You are hiding from the enemy, which is straight above you, and the baby decides that this is the perfect time to start crying. Now your stuck in a difficult and unethical situation. Smother the baby to save the group and yourself, or let the baby keep crying and get everyone killed? Now you are given the option to let the baby be yours or another person's baby. No one really knows what they would do in the actual situation. Most of us who say they would be the tough guy and follow threw with it are actually the ones frozen in fear in the corner. If it was my baby I probably could never even think about smothering it. But if it was the other person's baby I would lean more towards smothering it to save the rest of the group. Other examples were gathered from Hsun Tzu's "Man's Nature is Evil." I disagree with his views that all humans are created evil.

An example from my own life:

On one cool, fine winter night I was enticed by a sweet smell of freshly backed cookies creeping from the kitchen up the stairs to my room. As I used my ninja stealth I silently moved down the stairs and I noticed the room was clear. At once I lept onto my prey and took no prisoners. I heard footsteps in the distance, so reacting as any innocent young man would, I darted into the next room. The next thing I heard was "O MY GOD... WHO ATE MY COOKIES!!!" The voice was coming from non other than my dad. I went into the kitchen and I simply did what any good son would do; I blamed it on my mom. Now the thing I didn't know was that there was still cookie crumbs on my face even though I thought my quick swig of milk should have done the trick. The Jury (aka my dad) exclaimed guilty for murder of cookies in the 1st degree. I was sent back up stairs to think about what I had done.

Now the moral to this story is that one of Humanity's weaknesses is lying. That Lying is a way to cover up our desires. I desired more than one cookie and blamed it on my mom to cover it up. Also lying is bad and you shouldn't do it.

Written by your favorite student...

Bryan P. Tonti

What Trash TV Teaches Us About Human Nature

I was sitting on the couch a couple weekends ago with my cousins nanny, Chevy. Chevy has been there for us since we were about 2 years old. My cousins and I have tons of fun with her, but she watches all those reality ABC shows. One day while Corinne was at the doctor, Chevy and I decided to watch Super Nanny, the show were parents invite the "Super Nanny" to come tame their out of control children. Now looking back on that show, it relates to Hsun Tzu's philosophy on man's nature. These troubled children represent the evil people in the world and the super nanny represents the instructors or teachers. While the evil is running wild the instructor comes in an punishes the man. The teacher teaches them the ritual principles to keep evil out of man. Correspondingly, the Super Nanny comes in and punishes the children for their wrong doings and teaches them otherwise. Through this the children become much better behaved and less of a hassle for their parents. Super Nanny reflects Hsun Tzu's ideas to correct man's original nature of evil through punishment and instruction leading man down the right path to being inherently good.

A Story About my Nephew Relating to Hsun Tzu Philosophy

Sherry, a girl in Jakes 2nd grade class is always following Jake around wanting to talk to him, and play with him and his friends. Of course, since Jake is only in the 2nd grade he does not like girls, and does not want anything to do with them. Sherry always tags along with him and finally he has had enough, so he tells her to go away. When she doesn’t go away he pushed her down which hurt her and made her. My Uncle heard about this and punished him, he took away Jakes videogames, some privileges, and he didn’t let him hang out with his friends. This was only for two days, but that is a huge deal to a 2nd grader. After this incident Jake never touched Sherry again, although he would tell her to go away sometimes when she followed him. (And yes she still followed him even though he pushed her, 2nd graders forgive and forget easily) This shows Hsün Tzu’s philosophy that human nature is evil. It also shows that through strict discipline, humans are steered towards righteousness. Jake naturally wanted to do badly, and he did do badly. But through the discipline of my uncle he became better.

Humans Selfish Nature

Human nature can be defined as the psychological and social qualities that characterize humankind, especially in contrast with other living things. Human nature tends to stay true and honest, but when a situation gets bad they can resort to cheating or not being honest for their own selfishness. A great example of this is was Bernie Madoff who was a financier and a chairman of the NASDAQ stock exchange. He was convicted of the largest investment fraud on Wall Street. In the 1980’s when his stock exchange wasn’t doing well he decided to take some money from unknowing investors for personal profit. This is where it all began. Since he decided to take money he was stuck in a trap, and he had to keep taking money so that the investors in his firm never knew he took the money in the first place. He kept taking money until 2008 when he was caught and convicted. As the years went on he had to keep taking more and more due to his decision for personal profit in the 1980’s. When he was caught, it was estimated that he had stolen more than 65 billon dollars. Human nature can be cause humans to stay prosperous even if it takes cheating, to keep from failing or going under. Humans look back and regret it, but at the time they think it is the best thing to do. Bernie is the ultimate example of human’s nature to compensate for losses by being dishonest and cheating someone to put yourself in a better situation. It’s unfortunate that humans act this way but sometimes its in some humans nature to be selfish.

Human Nature

Today at school, as i was walking through the commons on my way to the parking lot, i found a key chain. Attached to this key chain was a wallet with a picture of a 6th grader and it had about 20 dollars in it. I did not know who this little girl was but i was determined to find her and give her, her keychain lanyard. I thought it would get to her easier if i personally gave it to her, rather than a maintenance person finding it and putting it in the lost and found. I searched all through the commons asking the other children if this was their friend or where she was. I finally went outside and saw her standing with a group of her classmates. I asked if the lanyard was hers and she nodded, looking a little embarrassed. For the past few weeks in class, we have been talking about the Human Nature and how different people see us. Mencius says that we are born good and to become evil, there has to be a force. in his quote "Water indeed will flow indifferently to the east or the west, but will it flow indifferently up for down? now by striking water and causing it to leap up, you may make it go over your forehead." Now, when i found that lanyard, i could have taken the money out of it and left it to be found on the ground, but the good in me decided to find that little girl. I am sure that most of us would have not taken the money, unless we were pressured which is the FORCE that would cause us to be evil.

ANNA LEIB

In class we read two articles on human nature. One was Is Morality Natural? by Marc D. Hauser and the other was What Makes Us Moral by Jeffrey Kluger. Although we read these articles a while ago I can not get the questions asked out of my mind. Would I be able to push someone off a sinking lifeboat, even if they were already about to die? Could I divert a train to kill one man instead of five? Could I kill my crying baby to save the lives of others? Could I kill someone else's baby? All of these questions have been running through my head and have been making me think. For starters I do not think I could do any of things but I would not be opposed to let someone else do it. The thought of killing someone with my own hands made me already feel guilt but then the fact that i was letting someone else do it made me feel no guilt at all. Looking at the situation now though I realize I should feel just as guilty for encouraging someone else to do it. This is human nature. Humans see something going on and just because were not involved makes us feel as though its okay when really it is just as bad for us to not do anything about it. 

Love Is Never Forgotten

The battle of Iwo Jima was one of the deadliest and most horrific battle the United States had with Japan. Estimated that 7,000 U.S soldiers lost their lives, and 20,000 more were wounded, and for Japan, they lost about 21,000 men. War is a terrible thing. It changes the most well-mannered gentlemen, into raging monsters carrying items that are used to kill.

On Sunday September 20, 2009 there was an article in the "New York Times," titled "With Love, From Iwo Jima." In this article, a man by the name of Franklin W. Hobbs III was a man who was orphaned at ten and lived with his wealthy grandparents. While at Harvard, he was forced to drop out because he was enlisted in the army, where he fought in Iwo Jima. When he was in Iwo Jima, Hobbs was walking on the island with his partner Schnarr who was a school teacher. While walking with him, Hobbs stumbled across a dead Japanese soldier who was lying lifelessly by a cave. Interestingly, Hobbs noticed that the man had no wounds on his body. No bullet wounds no mortar wounds; NOTHING! What caught Hobbs' eye, was a white envelope sticking out of the dead soldiers chest pocket. In it contained a drawing of children, and a photograph of a little baby girl.

The Japanese soldier's name, was Matsuji Takegawa. Unfortunately, he was sent over seas and never got to meet the baby girl in the photograph. Matsuji told his wife to name the daughter Yoko, which means "ocean child." Growing up, Yoko never thought of her father as a honorable man, in fact she almost ignored his existence and only acknowledged "his government pension pain for her schooling." Yoko's dream was always to go to the United States, and when she was 28, she left Japan and settled in New York City where she got married and had a baby girl. Later though she divorced her husband and struggled financially.

Decades after the war, Hobbs never forgot about the envelope he had found in the soldiers pocket. It was all framed and hung up in his son's room. When one of Hobbs' Japanese friends was going to Japan, he gave her the envelope to take with her to see if the envelope and the picture could find the family it belonged to. Amazingly, the envelope managed to find the Takegawa household.

While in New Jersey, Yoko gets a phone call from older sister Chie. Chie told Yoko that the envelope of her father was sent to their house. Yoko was shocked and went to Japan. Before Yoko was united with the letter, she said, "'My daddy carried the letter with my picture in his body, in his bosom." Then she says, "I felt something, a spirit, come down in my body. This is treasure, a treasure carried so much love to me. Before, i go to school with his money. But no, he sends his love to me." If it was not for Franklin W. Hobbs III, Yoko would still have those inaccurate thoughts about her father.

In this article, human nature is shown as a loving uniting form. Hobbs did not have to take the time to find the family that the envelope belonged to, but his good nature invoked him to go out and do what was right. Yoko realized after meeting with Hobbs, that her father kept that envelope containing her picture, as close to his heart as possible. This showed Yoko that her father really loved her and she realized the true meaning of her father, not just the fact she was going to school. Before, Hobbs and Yoko's father would be pointing guns at one another, but today they would hug and socialize. Yoko represented her father when Hobbs met her for the first time.

Andrew Leffler

Religious Human Nature

Human Nature has been studied for centuries by the most influential people in the world. In class, we have looked at the teachings and philosophy of Confucius, Mencius, and Hsun Tzu. These three men lived in ancient China and they all had different views on the essence of Human Nature, though all three men were guided by the Confucian teachings. Last week a man of the Islamic faith plotted to blow up the Fountain Tower in Downtown Dallas. This was a terrible plot and thankfully it was thwarted by the FBI before anyone was killed. This man wanted to commit "violent jihad" for his God Allah. I am of the Christian Faith and some of my friends are Jewish and Islamic. I know this man was Islamic and in todays society we sadly associate all Islamic people as terrorist or people that could harm us. Is it our human nature that makes this association? The religion of Islam is one of the fastest growing religions in the world and most Islamic people are normal, moral, hard working people. I think our human nature is to associate all terrorists with the Islamic faith and this is sad to me. We lived through the terrible events of 9/11 and we were scared by that day. All religions have their own unique rules or laws to live by. I think that our Human Nature is to be evil because we are all sinners but I don't like when a society associates one persons' actions with that of an entire race or religion.