en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/2396151 Comments by Stew08 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/18/war-through-the-ages/#IDComment145170456 The United States likes to disguise its actions by saying that we are fighting to bring democracy to others, or we liberated the Iraqis from Saddam Hussein. War is not necessarily a bad thing; it is just the way life is. We can’t really change the facts of life. All nations strive to have power, influence, and wealth. Why wouldn’t you want to be apart of a prosperous country? It is much more comfortable to live in a country such as the United States as opposed to a war torn country such as Somalia. You can’t blame countries such as the United States for wanting power, but it’s also understandable that countries with less success would be angry. All of this is directly caused by our competitive evolutionary programming. One thing is for certain; war is not going to disappear anytime soon. Unless humans evolve to a higher level of understanding; we will always wage war. Of course war could also end if humans were to become extinct Fri, 22 Apr 2011 17:36:17 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/18/war-through-the-ages/#IDComment145170456 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/18/war-through-the-ages/#IDComment145170424 War is almost guaranteed to be around as long as humans walk the face of this earth. The roots of war are deeply embedded in every civilization. Just like our ancestors, we will continue to fight among ourselves for many years to come. From an evolutionary point of view, war makes total sense. War is simply cause by a group of people banning together in order to survive. This is clearly a reflection of Darwin’s survival of the fittest. Alliances among groups of people fight to further benefit themselves as a whole. An alliance could take the form of a prehistoric tribe, or a modern day country. These alliances fight over a variety of things varying between land and resources. No war is waged without someone trying to benefit from it to some degree. As Sam Richards pointed out in class, even the United States is fighting over resources to this day. The United States is currently waging wars in the Middle East to gain access to oil rich areas. If the United States was not in power and waging this war, then another powerful country such as China, India, or Russia would most likely be over there fighting the exact same war. . Fri, 22 Apr 2011 17:36:09 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/18/war-through-the-ages/#IDComment145170424 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/11/the-cost-of-empire-soc-001-blog/#IDComment142644659 The United States is spreading itself too thin across countries it doesn’t need to be in. All empires throughout history have made this same mistake and have failed. In reality, it isn’t good to try to be an empire. We could be spending our military money elsewhere within our own country to improve our nation. I would have to agree with Thomas Jefferson’s foreign policy the most. Jefferson actively promoted non-interventionism. If we were to stay out of world events that don’t concern us, our country would be in a better state. Conflicts in countries such as Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya could be avoided. Our economy might also do better in the long run if we adopted a foreign policy leaning towards isolationism. We should never completely cut off the rest of the world. Obviously it is still necessary to intervene when widespread crimes against humanity are being committed, such as Nazi Germany in World War II. The United States should downsize its military. If any one branch needs to be expanded, it should only be the coast guard. Thu, 14 Apr 2011 01:37:04 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/11/the-cost-of-empire-soc-001-blog/#IDComment142644659 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/11/the-cost-of-empire-soc-001-blog/#IDComment142644603 “The Cost of Empire” raises some serious questions about the American military size and budget. The United States spends a ridiculous amount on maintaining its military and influence around the word. It is essentially an empire, but as one person says in this video, all empires fall at one point or another. America has the toughest, largest, and most advanced military in the world. Even with half of the current military budget, the United States would still be at the top. It seems like a lot of money is being wasted on our armed forces. Why is it important that we remain so influential? The people in this video estimated that the United States has roughly 1,000 military bases in foreign countries. This does not seem necessary, since the majority of these countries are not at war with us anyway. The United States is also following a double standard by saying it promotes democracy, while still occupying foreign countries to maintain influence. Not only is this expensive, but it is rather pointless. Thu, 14 Apr 2011 01:36:57 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/11/the-cost-of-empire-soc-001-blog/#IDComment142644603 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/23/managing-crowds/#IDComment141090216 Initially the American people supported the war in Iraq because they were afraid. The American people had just been attacked on 9/11 and the threat of weapons of mass destruction caused Americans to support a “pro-war” policy. It wasn’t until after the American people found out there were no weapons of mass destruction that the war in Iraq began to lose its support. Another way to control a crowd is to convince them that following the group will be advantageous. Something as simple as an advertisement on TV would fit into this category. A store may try to attract crowds of people by offering large discounts. This store is trying to control potential customers by using advertisements that would entice crowds into their shops. The news also plays a huge part in crowd control. Scare tactics are commonly used on crowds through the media because the government has a large influence on what is being reported. Fri, 8 Apr 2011 21:12:09 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/23/managing-crowds/#IDComment141090216 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/23/managing-crowds/#IDComment141090196 Motivating crowds to behave in a particular manner is no easy task. Large groups of people need to be convinced that a collective behavior will be beneficial to everyone including each person as an individual. A crowd is very difficult to get moving but once you jump start it, it tends to have a snowball effect. There are a few different ways to motivate a group of people and get them to behave in a certain way. One way is to convince them that they are in danger and that they need to act immediately. This technique is useful for relocating groups of people in order to prevent a high death toll in a natural disaster. This can be slightly difficult because it must be planned out in great detail prior to the actual event. You can’t just expect thousands of people to all simultaneously leave a city on the same highway. Crowd scare tactics are also useful for raising support for a war or rebellion. If you can convince a large group of people that another political party or country poses a threat to them, they are more prone to submitting to authority if a solution is offered. For example, Americans were told that Iraq processed weapons of mass destruction. Fri, 8 Apr 2011 21:12:02 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/23/managing-crowds/#IDComment141090196 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/30/so-what-your-take-on-those-inequality-classes/#IDComment138941249 When humans feel threatened they need something more than just scientific knowledge about life. Science fails to give humans a sense of purpose, and this is where religion excels. For example, during the cold war people in the United States and other countries were constantly fearing the outbreak of a nuclear war. Ironically enough phrases such as, “in God we trust” were adopted as the official motto of the United States at this time. It began appearing on paper currency in 1957. If you were to study soldiers, you may find that many veterans that served in a war became religious around the time they were deployed. Events such as 9/11 may have also caused a spike in religion numbers. Right now the United States is relatively peaceful and people are living without fear or major hardships. If we were to feel that our very existence was on the verge of collapse, people would be far more likely to turn to their religions for a sense of security. It is highly unlikely that religion will die out; rather it would appear that its numbers may fluctuate based on world events around us. Religion may very well make a comeback, but only time will tell. Thu, 31 Mar 2011 21:49:51 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/30/so-what-your-take-on-those-inequality-classes/#IDComment138941249 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/30/so-what-your-take-on-those-inequality-classes/#IDComment138941219 I find it interesting that statistically religion is on a decline; however I am not very surprised. We have entered an age where mass education in universities and public schools is beginning to cause people to question the beliefs of past generations. More and more people are regarding religion as superstitious, outdated, and old fashioned. Science has gradually shifted to our primary focus, and we seek to answer questions through reason rather than faith. Despite the decline in religious people, I doubt it will ever disappear entirely. I would have to agree more with Barry Kosmin when he says, “religious fervor waxes and wanes in unpredictable ways.” There are just too many factors that go into predicting a religious pattern and this data becomes almost useless. Human patterns are very complex, and generalizations can’t just be thrown around so easily. External factors can scare humans into becoming religious. Thu, 31 Mar 2011 21:49:42 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/30/so-what-your-take-on-those-inequality-classes/#IDComment138941219 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/09/what-would-make-this-guy-less-white/#IDComment137132333 His mannerisms appear mechanical, and he has a hard time relaxing when he knows others are watching him. I find it funny that this man is talking about a holster for carrying concealed. His topic of discussion seems to reaffirm the serotype that white, middleclass men are slightly paranoid and fearful of the world around them. This man feels fear to the point where he has decided to carry a handgun. There’s nothing wrong with carrying concealed, but leave it to white people to market holsters that are placed on awkward parts of the body. Maybe this man has robotic movements while lacking expression because he is fearful. Fear can make any kind of person uptight. It’s possible that white people are more uptight because the minority groups around them are growing, while the “white” race is not growing at the same rate. It might be a bit far to say that this man is carrying a firearm and acting white because of minority groups, but it isn’t completely unbelievable. The more obvious question to why this man might appear so tense is because he has a firearm right between his legs… any person might begin to act “white” if they used one of those holsters. Thu, 24 Mar 2011 01:03:21 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/09/what-would-make-this-guy-less-white/#IDComment137132333 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/09/what-would-make-this-guy-less-white/#IDComment137132303 This guy really does seem to be your typical middle class “white guy” from the United States. Just like any other race, white people have a stereotype and this middle aged man fits it perfectly. For starters this man is of European descent, and he has average facial features, hair color, and stature. This man even dresses like an average white person. He wants to dress somewhat professionally, but he refrains from dressing up in a suit and tie. His polo shirt and belted jeans show that he’s a middle class guy trying to come across as clean cut while staying comfortable and casual at the same time. Like a lot of white people, this guy comes across as rigid and slightly tense. He makes subtle hand gestures while talking, but he is not overly expressive. His movements lack smoothness, and they are slightly awkward. It seems like everything he does lacks expression. While speaking this man keeps a straight face, and he can’t even manage to smile when he makes a lame joke. Thu, 24 Mar 2011 01:03:10 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/09/what-would-make-this-guy-less-white/#IDComment137132303 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/09/the-r-word-and-the-oblivious-others/#IDComment135925901 On the flip side of the argument, exactly how far should we go with when dealing with derogatory language? How far should we change our language as to not offend anyone? It can get quite complicated when everyone is too politically correct. For example, if we stop using the word “retard” then eventually we might have to stop using the word “stupid” as well. After all, people below average intelligence might take offense. Regardless of this result, the “R” word should not be said by any person in a position of leadership. Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:43:44 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/09/the-r-word-and-the-oblivious-others/#IDComment135925901 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/09/the-r-word-and-the-oblivious-others/#IDComment135925874 I was glad to see that Frank Stephens has stepped up to the plate to be a voice for the people with disabilities like his own. Frank pointed out in his interview that the “R” word has become way too common. Even politicians have been using this word on multiple occasions. Politicians are supposed to be setting an example to the people. Using derogatory words is one of the least professional things that any political leader could do. If Frank wants to change America’s vocabulary, he picked the right place to start critiquing. While you can’t expect everyone to change their vocabulary, we should hold our representatives responsible for their choice of language. Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:43:35 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/09/the-r-word-and-the-oblivious-others/#IDComment135925874 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/09/the-r-word-and-the-oblivious-others/#IDComment135925797 Like most other people, I am guilty of using this word as well. It’s a bad habit that unfortunately many people have. This word is particularly offensive, because it directly mocks a group of people. To make matters even worse, the people that are being mocked have mental and physical disorders. Most people are not trying to degrade people with down syndrome by using the word “retarded”. However unintentional or not, this phrase is offensive because it is being used to describe something that holds a negative quality. The same goes with calling something “gay”. This is another word that is commonly used by people in our society as a substitute for the word “foolish”. The words gay and retarded are essentially the same thing when thrown around within the vocabulary of an American teen. It’s a shame that people commonly do this. This is just as offense to mentally handicapped people as it would be to call a black person the “N” word. To make matters even worse, most mentally handicapped people can’t bring this issue to the attention of the people around them. Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:43:02 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/09/the-r-word-and-the-oblivious-others/#IDComment135925797 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/01/lighting-our-way/#IDComment132233170 I liked the ideas that the people in Finland were using to try and brighten up their days. The school that I attended had invested in really bright lights which helped to keep all of us awake and alert. My family also tried to brighten up our house by painting our rooms with bright colors, keeping lights on, and enjoying the fireplace frequently. What CNN doesn’t mention in this article is the flip side of things as well. During the summer we tend to get too much daylight. I prefer this over the winter, but it can be quite annoying when the sun is still up and you are trying to go to sleep. The night can last only an hour or so, and then the sun is rising again. This time of year makes me just as tired as well, and there is only so much light that your blinds can block in the window. Depending on where you’re living, the sun can be a very influential invisible string. Having too much or too little sunlight can really influence a society of people. Fri, 4 Mar 2011 00:15:16 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/01/lighting-our-way/#IDComment132233170 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/01/lighting-our-way/#IDComment132233154 Finland provides a great example of how factors that are beyond our control such as the climate and the environment we live in affect our society. The lack of sun that the Finnish people deal with for part of the year is an invisible string that has a huge impact on a person’s habits, behavior, and mood. I have never been to Finland, but I have lived in Alaska for about a year. In the winter where I was living, there were a few weeks were the sun only rose for a very short time. We would have a very short day with some light on the horizon for about 6 hours. In some cases the sun would never even fully rise. Having limited access to the sun sure did drive me crazy. I remember feeling very tired and easily agitated throughout those few weeks. I also was not surprised to find that suicide rates peak during this time of year. The lack of sunlight is a phenomenon that has a huge impact on our attitudes. A long Alaskan night is much gloomier than short night in the Bahamas, and our moods conform to reflect this. Fri, 4 Mar 2011 00:15:06 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/01/lighting-our-way/#IDComment132233154 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/21/stranger-kidnapping/#IDComment130401816 The case of a stranger abducting a child is an extremely rare event. According to statistics a friend or family member is much more likely to abduct a child than a random stranger. Maybe the media should tell us to isolate our child from friends and family… after all, they’re the real candidates for kidnappings. The same statistics apply to murders and other violent crimes. What reason does a stranger have for randomly running up and killing you? It seems like the media wants us to believe that there is a man with a gun waiting to kill us behind every bush, or alleyway. Strangers lack the motive to kill or kidnap. People close to us interact with us far more often, which can lead to conflict. The media never fails to bring us stories of random killings and kidnapping attempts. What they fail to tell us is that this is one case, on one day, in a city with over eight million people. Maybe the media should rethink the way they present their stories. Thu, 24 Feb 2011 19:56:48 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/21/stranger-kidnapping/#IDComment130401816 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/21/stranger-kidnapping/#IDComment130401799 As this news story shows, the media really has a knack for blowing an uncommon problem out of proportion and scaring the public. People tend to pay more attention to information that they are afraid of, and the media loves to play off of this fact. As the old saying goes, “if it bleeds, it reads.” While a child abduction attempt might not involve bleeding, it is something that all parents have feared at one time or another. The media uses this concept to gain more viewers while competing with other news networks. In reality, the media often wants all Americans to be scared into watching their programs and reading their newspapers. The media feeds off of the fears of Americans, and when a fear doesn’t exist, it creates one. Viewers should always keep this in mind when watching the news, and they should keep calm even though the media wants us to panic. Unfortunately the news is a necessary evil, but just because you see something on Fox or CNN doesn’t mean that it’s 100% accurate. Thu, 24 Feb 2011 19:56:42 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/21/stranger-kidnapping/#IDComment130401799 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/13/the-other-side/#IDComment128691090 Criminals are often stereotyped as cruel and heartless people. Would a heartless individual regret the pain he caused to his family and the victim’s family? This man even opens up his letter by saying that many prisoners are truly sorry for their crimes, and that they even manage to come to terms with it all despite being in prison. Maybe the criminal justice system is being too severe in some of these cases. In this man’s case prison has rehabilitated him, but he is unable to leave because he is serving for life. This man made a mistake, admitted to it, changed, and now is left to rot in his cell. It’s unfortunate that his immaturity as a child will cost him his life. Our countries criminal justice system is irrational at times, and very impersonal. Ironically enough the criminal justice system appears to be much more heartless than the majority of its prisoners. No wonder we have the highest incarceration rates of any other country in the world. Maybe the justice system could use some revisions. Fri, 18 Feb 2011 00:24:35 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/13/the-other-side/#IDComment128691090 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/13/the-other-side/#IDComment128691061 It seems a bit rough that this man received a life sentence for a crime that he committed when he was only 15 years old. He does not even get a second chance in life for a mistake that he made when he was a child. Despite his harsh sentence, this man has come to terms with his crime and he accepts his sentence with a positive attitude. You can’t help but admire this prisoner’s outlook on his situation. Some criminals would make excuses or enter a state of denial, but this man has chosen to admit to his mistake and take full responsibility for his action. In a sense, prison has opened this man’s eyes and he has given him wisdom. His determination to change can be seen through his desire to reconcile with the family of the victim that he murdered. This man confronted his mistake and did one of the bravest things possible by meeting with the family. Contrary the popular misconception, many criminals do feel remorse for the mistakes they have made. Fri, 18 Feb 2011 00:24:27 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/13/the-other-side/#IDComment128691061 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/04/the-not-so-invisible-structure-that-shapes-us/#IDComment127433230 Not only do travelers learn more about the world around them, but they also learn more about themselves. By placing ourselves in a new environment, we can see the world from another society’s perspective. A large number of Americans are ignorant when it comes to world news, politics, and culture simply because we stay within our own domestic bubble. If Americans were to travel more our perspective of our own country would even change. On a more personal note, my greatest learning experience came from living in Switzerland for 3 years. Before living abroad, I was completely indifferent to the world around me. Spending time overseas exposed me to so many opportunities that I could have never experienced here in the States. If more Americans were to go abroad, we would be able to relate better to other nations as a whole. While there are sociological factors that influence us not to travel abroad, they do not limit us from going. Any person with enough determination is capable of leaving the country for a while to see what the world has to offer. Fri, 11 Feb 2011 23:53:44 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/04/the-not-so-invisible-structure-that-shapes-us/#IDComment127433230