en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/2402534 Comments by cdecock89 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/07/4827/#IDComment141117593 On the surface, many people look at the oil companies and place all of the blame on them. I’m not saying that the way the government and big oil companies operate is ethical, but people need to realize that our daily habits are what contributes to the ‘necessity’ of oil in our culture. The government is looking out for our best interests and though our country may come off as a bully to others it’s what is needed to sustain the culture we’ve created for ourselves. We are one of the wealthiest countries in the world and to live that way we need to be greedy. Our lavish lifestyle is a result of our indirect greed and most people won’t even realize it. I laugh every time I see a bumper sticker on a car protesting war. If it wasn’t for the war we create for ourselves that car wouldn’t be on the road. I feel terrible for the soldiers and their families who are making such a sacrifice for us to live the way we do. We need to create conflict so we can ‘justify’ taking the spoils of war. By offering large oil companies tax breaks, we are able to acquire energy at a faster rate. This is a quick fix but is harming us in the long run. If the amount of money that was invested in war was allocated to researching effective alternative energy we wouldn’t be digging ourselves the hole we currently are. By harnessing the other options of natural resources we would be able to alleviate the stress on big oil companies and indirectly reduce the prominence of war in American culture. Obama is in a difficult position to do what is required while trying to keep the general public complacent. In reality it isn’t even Obama calling the shots though. The people who are really in charge are the ones with money and power, supporting candidates and politicians who will do their bidding. These are the oil businessmen, who obviously are doing what they have to in order to gain the upper hand. It’s all a big loop, nothing that I am able to solve single handedly so there’s no reason to worry about it anyways… Fri, 8 Apr 2011 23:44:00 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/07/4827/#IDComment141117593 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/28/the-lottery-as-a-blessing-or-a-curse/#IDComment136863706 It made me laugh when Sam said in class that the lotto is a tax on people who are bad at math, that is something my grandfather always told me. The unfortunate truth is that people living in lower income families are predisposed to receiving a lesser quality education, especially on such matters. The American dream has always been living comfortable and prosperously, and in many peoples' eyes the only way the know how to achieve this is to buy lottery tickets and cross fingers. This can generally be related to the marriage of social classes as well; people with similar thoughts, beliefs, and social status will form a union raise kids and teach their children the only thing they have ever known. The offspring become slaves to the viscous cycle and unless they are made aware of such circumstances will never be able to break free. Personally I think the lottery is a terrible thing, just another way that large government takes advantage of those with less monetary wealth without them even realizing it. I'm so lucky (and it really is all luck) to live as comfortably as I do as well as being born into a well educated family. The small percentage of people who win the lottery become figures for members of the lesser off community, something for others in a similar financial situation to strive for. "It happened to him/her, it could happen to me too" is the mentality spawned from this and unfortunately as I said before, these people do not have a high enough level of education to understand that astronomical numbers and percentages involved with this process. As for unfortunate things that happen to people who win the lottery, it really is just a matter of greed. Some people become so lustful of others fortunes that they will stop at nothing to get what they want from someone else. The unfortunate side of this is that many people do not realize how fortunate they really are. MTV and Jersey Shore plant seeds of greed the general public's mind. I find it corny to quote music that I listen to, but I can't help think of a line from one of Rage Against the Machine's "No Shelter." It says; "Chained to the dream they got you searching for, the thin line between entertainment and war." Tue, 22 Mar 2011 22:46:28 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/28/the-lottery-as-a-blessing-or-a-curse/#IDComment136863706 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/15/blog-1-freedom-and-toddlers-in-tiaras/#IDComment125761781 It's unfortunate that some people don't know how to raise their children to be functional in society. I personally don’t think this is something parents should be having their daughters participate in. All the attention and just the overall experience in general that these two and three year olds are getting is not something that the average child will go through in their upbringing. That being said, they will probably end up with this mindset (at least on a subconscious level) that being the center of attention and always being in the spotlight is a normal part of life. They will most certainly have a warped sense of reality by the time they are older. The conditioning of behavior (especially at such an early stage of life) is very closely related to the concept of freedom of choice and free will. IF it is what they are taught to do, they won’t even realize that there is another option to choose. If a child is taught that performing some action will result in praise and attention, they are going to continue to repeat the behavior without asking why. The mother, while she may justify this because her daughter is smiling and enjoying herself probably doesn’t even comprehend the implications of such behavior on a cognitive level. It doesn't matter if the child understands the context of sexuality at this point in her life or not. She is being applauded for her behavior of dressing the way she does and therefore reinforcing these actions to be carried out again in life later down the road without any second thought to why. It is the duty of a parent to teach their children basic rights and wrongs and I'm absolutely dumbfounded that parents think they can rationally justify this. I'm not going to go give my son or daughter cocaine and make the argument that they are smiling and having a good time so its okay for them to do; people need to be more aware of detrimental conditioning as so and realize the damage that is being done on a larger timescale. Poor kids. Thu, 3 Feb 2011 21:10:18 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/15/blog-1-freedom-and-toddlers-in-tiaras/#IDComment125761781 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/19/rise-in-national-guard-and-reserve-suicides-whats-it-all-about-soc-001-blog/#IDComment123990444 It is well known the levels of stress that men and women who serve in the armed forces undergo. On the battlefield the mentality is kill or be killed. Having that on your conscience day in and day out will surely take a toll on the souls of good people. It is no surprise to me that suicide rates are on the rise in this day and age among American forces. Many people I am close to, both friends and family, serve in the military but there was one person that came to mind when I saw this topic; One of my fraternity brothers is currently stationed in Afghanistan and he said there is an immense weight of fear and uncertainty day in and day out. Not knowing if that moment could be your last at any time of day, going to sleep hoping that you will wake up in the morning. These are things no human should have to experience in their lifetime, let alone have to live with on a day to day basis. In a situation as such, it may be appealing to some to end their life rather than spending every waking moment in doubt and despair of their seemingly imminent death. The video had mentioned that it is not only active servicemen, but people who have returned home from active duty as well who contribute to the rising suicidal trend. PTSD is a very real problem that many men and women face once they have returned home from their tour of duty. Having to live with the decisions they’ve made or visions they have engrained in their memory can be traumatizing and contribute to an overwhelming feeling of remorse. Taking another being’s life is one of the most emotionally distressing acts someone can commit. To quote Einstein, “It is my conviction that killing under the cloak of war is nothing but an act of murder.” The battle which the individual fights is far from over once they return home. I believe there is a lot that needs to be done for the men and women who have served their country with regards to therapy and other mental rehabilitation once they have finished their time of service. Wed, 26 Jan 2011 23:05:36 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/19/rise-in-national-guard-and-reserve-suicides-whats-it-all-about-soc-001-blog/#IDComment123990444 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/15/what-does-it-mean-to-be-free/#IDComment122328530 I agree that many people take for granted the freedoms they are given every day just as the inmate had said. Simple decisions that we make everyday are not even realized as free choices until they are taken away. I think the main point that the inmate is trying to make clear through his letter is that we are fortunate enough to run our own lives (for the most part) and we don’t even realize it. I work at an amusement park during the summer where I interact with a large volume of tourists day in and day out and it amazes me how little the majority of them appreciate the experience they are having. Families and groups of people that realize how unique the opportunity they are experiencing are few and far between but for the most part people will complain about how terribly hot it may be or how long the line is for a ride. Not once do they step back and say, “I am so thankful that I took the day off to be with my family and enjoy a day at the park. I am glad I made this decision to be here with them.” It must be an American way of life to expect entitlement to any and all luxuries but it honestly disgusts me how the majority of the people I interact with appreciate so little of what they actually have. Maybe it is just me getting agitated at my summer job but I hear people say, “It’s so terribly hot that I am sweating.” My response? Go to the water park, you have that choice to make. People living in third world countries probably live in weather hotter than you will ever experience and don’t even have water to drink let alone splash and play in to cool off. “These lines are so long, I can’t believe I have to wait for this.” Hey, at least you are here. At least you have the choice to be here. Citizens of countries like North Korea probably don’t even have any idea what an amusement park is or maybe I should go as far as to say free time in general. The point I’m trying to get at is that we are not entitled to things we experience every day. Rather we become so accustom to these freedoms that it is something we come to expect. So whether your freedom to make choices is removed due to imprisonment, poverty or an oppressive government, the fact of the matter is that, as cliché as it may be, you really don’t know what you have until it’s gone. Wed, 19 Jan 2011 17:50:58 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/15/what-does-it-mean-to-be-free/#IDComment122328530 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/10/last-name-%e2%80%9cd%e2%80%9d-%e2%80%93-intense-debate/#IDComment120938541 SOC 001 Wed, 12 Jan 2011 20:43:41 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/10/last-name-%e2%80%9cd%e2%80%9d-%e2%80%93-intense-debate/#IDComment120938541