en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/2445186 Comments by nmusto8991 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/27/family/#IDComment143029323 While this article is mainly about having strong ties to family and friends outside of prison, there is one line that I could not stop thinking about. The writer mentions that there are a lot of good guys in prison that just made bad decisions. To be honest, I never thought about it like that, but it very well may be true. Ultimately, I consider myself a good guy. However, I admit to making a ton of mistakes over the past 20 years. I guess when I look at it that way, I can understand how people can make really bad decisions that put them in jail. Next, I think it is essential for good people who have fallen on hard times to have friends and family to support them. Without getting into detail, I have a family member who was a well-respected and well-known citizen who has recently been accused of wrongdoing. In the weeks and months after, some of his so called "friends" did not want to associate with him, which I'm sure was hurtful to him. However, he has other close knit friends and family that have his back. And, just like the writer of this article, perhaps some new friends will arise out of the situation. I understand that it is painful for good people to have to lose friends because of a tough situation. However, I think it is satisfying to know who your true friends really are. A tough situation can filter out those that really care about you from the ones that don't. In addition, the writer's last paragraph talks about how mistakes should be learned from. I completely agree with him, even though I do not feel like I always achieve that. I can remember getting very frustrated about not being able to identify and correct my mistakes as a high school basketball player. What I'm saying is it can sometime be hard to identify these mistakes, and even harder to correct them. It takes concentration and understanding to do so. However, when you finally do learn from a mistake, the catharsis that ensues is extremely satisfying. Fri, 15 Apr 2011 06:16:25 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/27/family/#IDComment143029323 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/03/what-a-man-is/#IDComment141294536 It is not very often that you find a man that feels like this. It appears that this man has had some issues with women throughout his life, and wants to make it up to them by being his idea of a "perfect man." He talks about how the media affects how women are treated. I think that is absolutely correct. If you turn on MTV, there are tons of music videos from all kinds of genres that make women out to be "sex hungry." While the natural tendency for males is to succumb to the image that is being represented, it is not realistic to think that women can possibly be this way in real life. In addition, I don't think it is fair for women to think that men are like the rich, super cool guys from t.v and movies. However, I'm not a women and I am straight, so for me to know how women stereotype men is beyond my knowledge. Nevertheless, it is these stereotypes that lead to many problems between men and women, such as this man's problem with respecting women. Although I agree with what this man is saying about how men should open up, I realize how hard that really is. I'm a guy, and believe me, opening up is probably one of the hardest things I've tried. In fact, a lot of my close friends find that I can be pretty closed off and private. I don't necessarily think I am rude to people in this way, it is just how I operate. To be honest, I'm the kind of guy that can go to a frat party and lean against the wall by myself, because I'm so shy around that many people. Regardless, you can understand how I like to be private and not open up about a lot. In addition, the author of the article talks about how men should treat their women, but I would be interested in how a women would believe the right way to treat a man would be. If you think about it, women might feel that they have to sexually satisfy their man in order for them to be happy. Sound familiar??( music videos, movies). Women that answer with more sex are being influenced by the media and society, while the author of the article is trying to break the media's threshold on the average males' thoughts. It's pretty crazy how these kind of things can go around in one big circle. Sat, 9 Apr 2011 17:48:29 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/03/what-a-man-is/#IDComment141294536 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/24/b-s-response/#IDComment138501019 I thought this inmate's statement about prisoners that get released and end up back in jail was powerful. He has basically accepted the fact that it is often the really bad people that get another chance, and eventually end up screwing it up. Also, you can see sociology at work when he talks about how sociology guided him into drugs. Still, he admits that he thinks it is still his fault that he ended up getting involved in some bad things. It makes me wonder if he really had control over the situation, or if sociology plays a much larger role than he thinks. Next, it is evident that this person has gone through some sort of catharsis. A man that was once getting in trouble has reached out and discovered the arts, such as painting and music. This is something that I find comforting. Unfortunately, I know first hand that some other parts of the government do not live up to their standards of fair and just. However, here is one example of how the punishment system in the United States seems to have worked. I also find it interesting that prisons allow people to be artistic and play music. I guess the people in charge of the prison realized that prison could be more than just a place to store convicts. It can be a place that people who have broken the law can change, if they set their mind to it. I think it is cool that he has become close to his family through this whole ordeal. He raises the point that if he did not end up in prison, he never would have become closer to his family. I guess it's funny how things like that work out. As far as suicide goes, it seems like this man is clearly thankful that he did not submit to killing himself. Like I said earlier, he has obviously changed into a different person since he's been in jail. Someone who he never thought he could become, and I'm sure that is extremely satisfying to him. In closing, it really is too bad that this inmate probably won't be released back into society. He is one who has changed, and it's unfortunate that more people might not discover his story. Wed, 30 Mar 2011 01:42:10 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/24/b-s-response/#IDComment138501019 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/23/fear-2/#IDComment137336264 If his account is completely truthful, then those parents deserved to be killed. I can't understand how parents could behave in such a sick way. I don't hesitate at all when I say that they were evil people. As far as the siblings go, I think they are also terrible, but don't forget that they were raised by evil people. This inmate, who was abused and raped for years, had every right to kill his parents. While it probably wasn't the best way to go about dealing with the problem, can you really blame him? He grew up being told that if he went to the police, he would be killed. He grew up in such a messed up environment that when it came time for him to make decisions on his own, he did not know what to do. As an adult, he did not know the "legal" way to deal with the problem (although what he did is not a problem, if the parents really were the monsters that he claims). The tale of this man's life is a perfect example of how the invisible strings affect people of the same family. The parents (and probably their parents) were sick people that did terrible things. Their children all turned out to do some pretty crazy things. First, the inmates of the siblings went along with their crazy parents in abusing the kid, then they refuse to tell the truth after the parents were killed. Furthermore, I know I've been saying that the inmate had every right to kill his parents, which he did, but I'm not saying that this is normal. My point is that the same invisible strings that made the parents crazy ended up making the kids crazy. After reading horror stories like this, it makes me rethink my life. I complain about a lot of things, but there is no way that my family is as bad as the inmates. All in all, this essay makes me appreciate the life that I have, and the way that my parents brought me up. In other words, I'm thankful for the invisible strings that have guided me this far in life. Thu, 24 Mar 2011 21:42:08 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/23/fear-2/#IDComment137336264 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/18/m-s-story/#IDComment135922609 This is a very interesting and thought-provoking article. First of all, I do not understand why this man is serving a possible life sentence in prison. It is true that he was involved in something heinous and terrible. It is also true that he should be reprimanded for his actions. However, he was still a young child when this all happened, not even fifteen. Even though it was a terrible decision that he made, he was still a boy. Next, according to him, he was not even part of the physical murder. He was not even in the same room until it was time for the clean up. Like I said earlier, the man should have been reprimanded for his actions. But I do not think that a fourteen year old boy who wasn't the mastermind or direct killer should be serving a life sentence. I wonder if this bothers him. From the article he wrote, he does not indicate that that he disagrees with his fate. He seems like he has accepted his fate and is forever regretful for his actions. Next, it is apparent that he was confused at this time of his life. He repeatedly mentions how he used to run away from his home. The invisible strings that affect us all had negative effects on him, causing him to do some bad things and get involved with the wrong people. In my opinion, the beginning of the teenage years are the time when the invisible strings play a major role in development. Again, it is debatable if a confused adolescent who committed his crime should be jailed for life. In conclusion, it is apparent that this man has accepted the magnitude of his situation. He is not campaigning to get out of jail. In my opinion, this man should be upset that he could be in jail for the rest of his life. Granted, I'm basing this off of only his testimony, but from the information that he provides, he is serving longer than he should. Perhaps since he has had time to think about it, he realized that it might not help him if he expresses those feelings. Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:22:49 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/18/m-s-story/#IDComment135922609 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/16/reflections/#IDComment130490354 I thought this was the most interesting article that I have read during while in this class. Perhaps it is because I, like the author, have recently (and probably currently) have raging hormones that make me crave sex. Although his cravings seem to be much stronger and more powerful than mine, it is a link that I share with the author. This article teaches me that if you let those urges take control of you, the results can be drastic. One thing that I am curious about is if he would have the same problems if he didn't live it a bad neighborhood. If he lived in a small town, would he still suffer from such strong urges. Also, there probably wouldn't be the same amount of beautiful/easy women if he grew up in a small town. In my opinion, while he did let his urges get the best of him, it is tough for an adolescent to hold back that craving when there are so many beautiful and willing women. In other words, as much as he acknowledges that his sexual desire is what ruined him, he must understand that there are invisible strings involved. We just learned in class on Wednesday about the needy penis. Well, the same strings that we talked about on Wednesday played a role in this prisoner's adolescence. This situation reminds me of a movie I saw part of. That movie is "A Bronx Tale". In the movie, a boy is enamored by the lifestyle of mobsters, even though his father always told him not to get involved in that business. As he gets older, the boy does get involved. This relates to the article because the prisoner also goes against his father's wishes. To me, this is another set of individual strings working, the ones that influence trying something you were told not to do. Unfortunately, this inmate could not help himself after he experimented with adolescent lust. All in all, this inmate is trying to lesson the importance of the individual strings to get to the main reactor of his problems. However, he can not underestimate their power. As much as he wants to say that it was all his fault, he must take into account the invisible strings, and acknowledge that social class, area of residence, etc,,, all play important roles in his past struggles. Fri, 25 Feb 2011 04:06:47 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/16/reflections/#IDComment130490354 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/04/the-not-so-invisible-structure-that-shapes-us/#IDComment127022298 It does not surprise me that Americans are hesitant to travel. What does surprise me is that the article failed to mention how the September 11th attacks have influenced the traveling patterns of Americans. It would be interesting to see how many people would admit to being afraid of flying on airplanes after 911. In addition, I know people who have cut back on travel because it seems much more difficult, due to stricter rules. As far as the points laid out in the article, I can really argue many of them because I have never left the country. The only time I was on a plane was years ago when my family and I went to Disney World. I can probably relate to two specific points that the article talked about. First, in the last six or seven years, it has become increasingly difficult for all 5 members of my family to work around their schedules, so not many vacations have been planned due to hectic work schedules. Next, my parents had three kids to put through college, so money was always an issue. Years ago, we would stay at a beach house in North Carolina for one week each summer. That was always a lot of fun, and not over the top expensive. One point in the article that can relate to me is not knowing much about the country you are visiting. Not that I have ever had to pick which country I would like to visit, but I feel like it could pose a problem. For instance, there are people who I do not associate with because I do not know much about them. It seems only natural that I would have a similar perspective if I were to travel. Also, when I think about it, native foods could pose a problem if I were to travel internationally. I'm a pretty picky eater, so that would affect my decision to travel. I guess that can be described as ignorance of other cultures, but apparently I'm not alone, because most Americans seem to be ignorant and skeptical too. Thu, 10 Feb 2011 01:09:52 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/04/the-not-so-invisible-structure-that-shapes-us/#IDComment127022298 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/30/conformity-rules-the-day/#IDComment125826226 I believe that this video is spot-on in its portrayal of human behavior. It is human nature to go with the flow. Often times (more often than I like to admit) I am the one who feels awkward in social situations. For example, being at parties with people I don't know can make me feel very awkward. In other words, when I see all of the other people laughing, talking, and dancing, I feel awkward because I can't really be as social as they are. Another example (much like the video) is when I am standing on the bus and it seems like everyone else is standing the opposite way. Unless I turn around and stand the same way that everyone else is, I feel out of place. It is just a weird feeling having everyone facing you while you are the only one staring back. Also, in the case of the man with the hat, it is a bad feeling to be the one on the outside looking in. Most of us know what it is like to be the odd man out, and it is a terrible feeling. If I were in his shoes, I would have acted the same way. Fri, 4 Feb 2011 04:04:57 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/30/conformity-rules-the-day/#IDComment125826226 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/24/life-without-parole-001-blog/#IDComment124235885 Our morality is something that is very hard to measure. In other words, there is not a unit of measurement that corresponds to morality, nor their internationally accepted guidelines. For instance, there is no way to measure the morality of Ghandi vs the morality of Mother Teresa. Therefore, finding our own morality can be difficult because it is hard to compare your own morality with others. Next, a person from France may have a totally different opinion on strong morality than does an American. The reason for this is because people from different areas of the world live very different lives. A woman that many Americans believe has strong morality is Oprah Winfrey. However, people from outside the United States may think of her to have no morals because she drives a car that uses a lot of gas. Well, here in America, almost everybody uses a large amount of gas, so nobody really blames her. In essence, one thing may be perfectly acceptable in one culture, yet frowned upon in another. So characteristics of morality change from country to country. I think that this inmate makes a good point when he says that he practices the best moral judgment that he knows of. That is what all humans should strive to do, regardless of they are imprisoned or free. As far as how certain we are of our morality, you can only go as far as your experience lets you. Often times when a child does something wrong, he gets excused because "he didn't know any better". In other words, you can't blame someone for doing something wrong if they didn't know they were breaking the rules. One's morality can only be measured by the individual themselves. Therefore, someone that is confident in other aspect in life can be confident in their own morality. Fri, 28 Jan 2011 02:20:28 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/24/life-without-parole-001-blog/#IDComment124235885 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/15/what-does-it-mean-to-be-free/#IDComment122453087 I think that freedom is something that many people, especially Americans, take for granted. In my opinion, freedom is the same thing as having choices. In the letter provided by the prisoner, they run through a number of everyday choices that a free person can make. Ultimately, as we talked about it class, suicide is the most powerful form of freedom that anyone can practice. Here's an example: Say a person murders another person, and goes to jail for the rest of their life. Even though they are in jail, they still are allowed some freedom (although it is limited). When a person commits suicide, that's it. You can't wake up the next morning and choose what kind of coffee you want. You can't even choose to do the most basic things, like breathing. In essence, the most powerful display of freedom (suicide) can take away every other single freedom you could have had (breathing, deciding what you want for breakfast, or what to watch on t.v). While it may be an exercise of freedom, it is debatable whether it is worth losing all other choices. I also liked what the prisoner said about the few freedoms that he has left. This man is making the best of what he has, unlike most of us. I can't help but imagine if all of us were using our freedom to its maximum potential. I know for a fact that I'm not. For example, it has been said that World Hunger is problem that we are more than capable of solving. Yet, we pretty much choose not to. This is a horrific display of freedom. If people were to understand this, and seriously maximize the choices that they have, world hunger could be cured! The point is, people should understand the potential that freedom allows us. Unfortunately, no real push has been made to rid the world of these problems. Celebrities, philanthropists, and everyday people have tried to help, but not nearly enough. To win, humans across the globe must excercise the freedoms that they have. Unfortunately, it is human behavior to ignore of these problems and focus on their own lives. Thu, 20 Jan 2011 07:06:24 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/15/what-does-it-mean-to-be-free/#IDComment122453087 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/10/last-name-%e2%80%9cm%e2%80%9d-%e2%80%93-intense-debate/#IDComment122448911 soc001 Thu, 20 Jan 2011 06:31:06 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/10/last-name-%e2%80%9cm%e2%80%9d-%e2%80%93-intense-debate/#IDComment122448911