Coetzee 2

       I have been thinking about this subject quite a bit lately. I can’t seem to escape it. It’s true though—no longer being ignorant about the torture that my chicken strips went through en route to being so delicious makes them not as enjoyable as they once were. My tasty piece of bird probably led a very sad, horrendous life. It probably spent its whole life in some inconceivably small cage: “to him, the world [was] bars.”[1] It most likely was murdered on a conveyor belt o’ death, hanging upside down while gurgling its own blood. Its like a clip form Saw. Eventually, it flew its way onto my plate at Jester City Limits. Don’t get me wrong, I am no Franz Kafka. Meat still tastes good and I am going to continue to eat it. It’s just that now I tend to think about what I consume. Also, I tend to think about why and how we came to become so dominant over our fellow earthlings. So, now I am going to do my best Costello impersonation.

[P1] I STILL EAT FOODS LIKE THESE, BUT I HAVE A HARD TIME NOT THINKING ABOUT WHERE THEY CAME FROM. 

            I, like most of us I’m sure, would love for animals to be able to “lead a utopian life in which everyone is miraculously fed and no one preys on anyone else.”[2] If this were possible, I can’t think of who wouldn’t be in favor of it. However, the truth of the matter is that such a situation is just that—a utopia. It is not realistic, for the mighty dollar, and contemporary society’s mighty appetite, take priority over the care of animals. Such a perfect world could only exist in an “economic vacuum,”[3] which, like all vacuums, doesn’t exist naturally. The meat business makes who knows how much money, and that is what we have to remember about this whole situation—that this is a business. As sad as it is, our main supply of meat no longer comes from small farms owned by a trusted town family. There is simply “no time to respect and honor the all the animals we need to feed ourselves”[4], nor enough land, for the industry to exist this way, and, as the old adage goes, time is money. The companies are going to produce as much meat as they can while doing so in the least expensive way. They don’t want the animals to be treated kindly or killed humanely (if that is possible) because of the cut it would take out of their profits.

 

  [P2]A UTOPIA LIKE THE ONE DESCRIBED ABOVE IS AS LIKELY TO BECOME A REALITY AS ALICE'S WONDERLAND. 

         I believe that another reason that we kill our food the way we do is a result of our beastly roots. We are all animals, and animals kill their prey in the most efficient way possible. A lion does not kill its dinner while considering its feelings, nor does it go about the process making sure that its death is as painless as possible. No—it murders the animal in a way that is the most convenient, quickest, and easiest for itself. Are we any different? We as a species do not possess the speed of the cheetah, the jaws of a hyena, the strength of a tiger, the cunning of a crocodile, nor any other extraordinary physical gift that would allow us to successfully hunt wild animals. We must instead rely on our creativity and ingenuity. It is these attributes that have led to our creation of guns, slaughterhouses, and farms, resulting in our dominance over animals. Our mental capabilities have allowed us to gather our food in the way that is the easiest for us. I am not saying that our greater mental capacity justifies our treatment of animals, but it is simply a way of showing that we are simply utilizing the skills we were born with.

            

[P3] ANIMALS ARE PHYSICALLY ABLE TO HUNT THEIR PREY WITHOUT TOOLS AND WITHOUT GUILT. WE APPARENTLY ARE NOT ABLE TO DO THE SAME.

I don’t know how important the answer to why we treat these animals so badly is. I am not sure if that would change anything. There are over 6 billion people in this world, and the majority of them “like eating meat.”[5] The demand for our increasingly carnivorous appetites is growing, and the only way to meet such expectations is to harvest these animals as if they grew out of the ground: via “factories of death”[6]. “You do not feed four billion people through the efforts of matadors or deer hunters armed with bows and arrows.” It is definitely possible to care deeply about such animals. “If they relate to us as individuals, and we relate to them as individuals, it is possible for us to have a personal relationship.”[7] Yet, it is nearly impossible to do so when they are created by the thousands and slaughtered by the thousands. It would be asking a lot to genuinely care about that many humans, let alone another type of animal with which we can’t communicate.

[P4] IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO GENERATE ENOUGH MEAT FOR 6 BILLION PEOPLE USING THESE PRIMITIVE METHODS. 

            As long as our affinity for meat and our obedience to the dollar persist, animals will continue to be killed in a way that is nothing short of unappetizing.

---

[1] Rainer Maria Rilke, “The Panther”, translated by D.C. Barranco, X763H

[2] J.M. Coetzee, Elizabeth Costello, pg. 110

[3] J.M. Coetzee, Elizabeth Costello, pg. 110

[4] J.M. Coetzee, Elizabeth Costello, pg. 97

[5] J.M. Coetzee, Elizabeth Costello, pg. 104

[6] J.M. Coetzee, Elizabeth Costello, pg. 97

[7] Barbara Smuts, “Reflections,” X759

[P1] http://www.jbrestaurants.com/chixnstripsbasket.jpg

[P2]http://www.artgame.com/images3/wonderland.jpg

[P3] http://www.cartoonstock.com/lowres/shr0874l.jpg

[P4] http://www.magherafelt.gov.uk/uploads/23b9fcc6fb4412444aa078a9b1c96d60.jpg

Wow. That was gross.

Ok I’ll admit it. When I first saw what this topic was I honestly thought it wouldn’t affect me in any way. I love meat. Always have. And I didn’t think anything could change my mind. I was definitely one of those “cling to a vague belief that conditions cannot be too bad, or else the government or the animal welfare societies would have done something about it.”[1] However, after reading through Earthlings, as well as watching several clips of it on Youtube.com, I think I may have to reconsider my previous opinions.

            I never thought of killing animals for food as a way of domination or specieism. I always just felt that we aren’t very different from other animals. We kill for our food just as any other carnivore; we just happen to do so in a much more sophisticated (at least I thought) way. We can’t help the fact that we are on top of the food chain. Yet, now I realize that “it is the human earthling (us) who tends to dominate the earth, often times treating other fellow earthlings and living beings as mere objects.”[2] I simply could not believe some of the things I read and saw over the past hour. How did it come to this? The truth of the matter is “change is inevitable. Either we make it ourselves, or we will be forced to make it by Nature itself.”[3] Unfortunately, I am pretty sure our society is at a point of stubbornness.

            There are many reasons that this method of slaughter, however wrong, will continue. For one, when it comes down to it, these processes are efficient. As with nearly every other industry in the world today, the food business is about making money. I don’t think business owners particularly enjoy the fact that they inhumanely kill animals, but they certainly have no problem turning a blind eye if it nets them a greater profit. They will always choose the least expensive way to produce their product, regardless of how that end is reached.

          SADLY, THE DOLLAR IS VALUED MORESO THAN AN ANIMALS COMFORT OR LIFE, AT LEAST BY THOSE WHO CONTROL THEIR FATE.

  Another reason is that consumers flat out “don’t really want to know”.[4] I certainly didn’t. It is too easy, and burgers are too tasty, for most people to concern themselves with how that piece of meat came to be on their plate. There is an overwhelming attitude of “don’t tell me, you’ll spoil my dinner.” [5] We ignore for our own convenience, just as we kill for our own convenience. This is why “the architecture of slaughter is opaque, designed in the interest of denial, to insure that we will not see even if we wanted to look (which we don’t).”[6]

          AND TASTY, APPARENTLY.

  One final encompassing way of thinking that is the cause of such cruelty is that animals are often viewed as objects—things. To so many, they aren’t much different from a rock or any other part of nature. When people think of equality, they tend to think in terms of only our species, rather than us with other “earthlings.” We hunt them, nowadays more for “game” and wall decorations than for actual food. Growing up where I did, hunting was a very popular hobby among my peers, and one that I really despise. I just don’t get how murdering a defenseless animal with a fucking high tech rifle that practically does all the work can amount to any sense of accomplishment, pride, or satisfaction. In all honesty, it is not only inhumane, but the deck is stacked beyond belief as well. While these “hunters” try and defend their idea of fun, “there is no denying it, if hunting is a sport, it is a bloodsport.”[7]

IN MY OPINION, HUNTING ONLY PROVES THAT ONE HAS A LONGING TO FEEL BADASS OR DOMINANT, WHICH DOES NOT JUSTIFY THE DEATH OF AN ANIMAL.

 Also, when you truly look at it, owning a pet is not too far off from owning a slave. Granted the animal is cared for, and not meat to do work, but it is meant to serve a purpose, and not given a choice about whether it wants to fulfill that purpose. They are obtained in to provide one with companionship and entertainment. It’s like buying a friend, or a DVD. Thus, the question must be asked: “Is our keeping companion animals in their best interest, or are we exploiting them.” [8]I believe this stems from our difficulty to empathize with animals, particularly those that we eat. Personally, I can’t read a cow. I don’t know what indications it gives for how it feels, nor do I know what it would be like to walk a day in its hooves. Can you blame our inability for not empathizing with these animals though? Do people even want to? Understanding a creature is very difficult, especially when we can’t really communicate with them. Our world is no Wonderland. Our animals don’t ask us self-discovery questions such as “who are you?”[9], they don’t tell us “dry stories”, they don’t say a word.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmiH27KDpzE&feature=related    

        THIS SCENE FROM NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN PUTS A HUMAN IN THE SHOES OF A COW THAT IS ABOUT TO BE SLAUGHTERED. 

As long as these feelings continue to be that of the majority, these conditions will not change. “These supremacist notions take a long time to erode.”[10] It is a sad truth, but the truth no less. As for me, I am going to go eat a salad now.

---

[1] Earthlings, by Shaun Monson, X729

[2] Earthlings, by Shaun Monson, X701

[3] Earthlings, by Shaun Monson, X730

[4] Earthlings, by Shaun Monson, X707

[5] Earthlings, by Shaun Monson, X729

[6] Earthlings, by Shaun Monson, X714

[7] Earthlings, by Shaun Monson, X722

[8] Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll, 48.

[9] Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll, 30.

[10] “When Human Rights Extend to Nonhumans,” by Donald G. Mcneil Jr., X732

Ignorance does not a hero make

To me, a hero doesn’t have to leap tall buildings in a single bound, doesn’t have to dress up like a bat, doesn’t have to get bitten by a radioactive spider. In my opinion, what constitutes a hero is someone that is willing to relentlessly face fear and make the necessary sacrifices to accomplish their goals. However, by fear and sacrifice I don’t mean having to save an old woman from a burning building or having to create an alter ego. The fears can be as simple (and as prevalent) as not knowing what to do for a living, and a sacrifice can be as simple as giving up fatty foods for a diet. Under this broad definition, anyone from any walk of life can be a hero.

NOT ALL HEROES DRESS UP IN TIGHTS. THEY ARE OFTEN EVERYDAY PEOPLE. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaVjchmX-eY          

OH YEAH, I WENT THERE. ENRIQUE GIVES HIS DEFINITION OF A HERO.

  Despite this encompassing perception, I don’t view Alice as a hero. Sure, one could give example upon example of instances where she threw all caution and inhibition to the wind. She chased after a hind-leg walking, waist coat wearing, talking rabbit. When the rabbit went down the rabbit hole, “down went Alice after it, never once considering how in the word she was to get out again.”[1] Hell, that would freak out a grown man. She voluntarily ingested various substances that altered her height. At first she was slightly apprehensive, but by the end of the book, she was downing cake and drink like they were Flintstone vitamins. She reasoned that “something interesting is sure to happen.”[2] There are even those philosopher types that will say that Alice “encourages us to ‘know thyself’”[3] and “insists upon learning through experience.”[4]

Well, I’m not buying it. In my opinion, Alice was simply a typical seven-year-old girl: curious, dumb, and whiny. Stupidity can often be confused with bravery and heroics, never more so than in Alice in Wonderland. When she went down that rabbit hole, it wasn’t out of courage, but out of sheer inquisitiveness. She had never seen such a rabbit, so she (as ignorant people often do) blindly chased after it, not once thinking about the consequences. Her ostensible bravery is simply a mask for the fact that she is growing “curiouser and curiouser.”[5] The fact that she figured out how to control her size through food and drink was one of the few (perhaps even only) moments of brilliance she had in Wonderland. It is a lonely moment of enlightenment surrounded by a pool of foolishness. Also, while it is true that Alice asked the question “Who in the world am I?”[6], it is a riddle that she never answers. The closest she comes to a solution is saying that she “hardly knows”[7] who she is. Even then, the reason for her identity crisis does not stem some deep self-reflection, but as a result of her “being so many different sizes in a day.”[8] As for that whole discovery learning shpeel? Alice often reverted to asking others, like the Cheshire Cat or the Footman, what she should do. For example, she asks the “which way [she] ought to go from here.”[9] It is only after they gave her infuriatingly useless answers that she makes up her mind.

IN MY OPINION, ALICE OFTEN ACTED BECAUSE SHE WAS NAIVE, NOT HEROIC. 

It is for these reasons that I don’t see Alice as a hero. She behaved probably as any of us would have at her age. It is one thing to knowingly face obstacles (that is heroic), and an entirely different thing to face barriers as a result of one’s own idiocy.

---

[1] Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll, pg. 12

[2] Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll, pg. 38

[3] “How Alice Leads/Is a Hero”, E603A Course Anthology, Amber Berchlath, X692A

[4] “How Alice Leads/Is a Hero”, E603A Course Anthology, Amber Berchlath, X692A

[5] Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll, pg. 20

[6] Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll, pg. 23

[7] Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll, pg. 47

[8] Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll, pg. 48

[9] Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll, pg. 65

"I think board games can all have the same name: which one of my friends is a competitive asshole?" -Demetri Martin

                        These days, the UT campus is beaming with pride over its football team. Between the teams’ numerous appearances on prime-time television (3 weeks in a row!) and the fact that the tower might as well be permanently burnt orange at this point, an elevated sense of school-spirit has emerged. Post-game chants, signs in the Jester lobby, and even people’s facebook statuses have all been proclaiming the Longhorns’ spot at the top of the college football food-chain. Why does everyone care so much though? No one outside of that locker room has done anything to contribute to a win. No one outside of the locker room has paid the price during practice. Hell, a good portion of the people outside the locker room probably didn’t even watch football before they came here. Don’t worry, I’m not scolding us for having team spirit, but am instead pointing out that regardless of affiliation, people want to be associated with a winner. That third year biology student never played a down in his life, but since he goes to the school with the best football team in the land, he can rightfully raise his index finger proudly in the air. It simply stems from the fact that people, regardless of age, ethnicity, socioeconomic background, or interests, want to be connected with winners. People like to win—its human nature.

            I am no different. If I am participating in something that crowns a winner, I am going to do my best to make sure that I earn that distinction. By whatever means necessary (without resorting to cheating, of course). I believe that is what truly separates those who are winners in life (those that are successful, happy, accomplished) from those who are not: everyone wants to win, but not everybody is willing to make the necessary sacrifices to do so. I guess I have football to blame for this way of thinking. Every Wednesday we would have our “competition day,” which consisted of quite possibly the dumbest physical activities known to man. We didn’t even win anything other than respect from our peers and a brief sense of accomplishment. It didn’t matter though. Every player, including myself, wanted to win at sock wrestling and medicine ball basketball, and we fought tooth and nail to achieve that.

AS STUPID AS IT SEEMED AT THE TIME, CHALLENGES LIKE SOCK WRESTLING WENT A LONG WAY IN CREATING MY COMPETITIVE NATURE.

 Eyes were blackened, noses gushed blood, and lunches were regurgitated. It was days like these that taught me that it takes sacrifice to achieve goals; if you don’t have to fight for it, it is probably not worth having. That competitiveness carried over into my everyday life. I was by no means the smartest kid at my high school, I just outworked everyone else. When I play my young cousin in a game of Mario-Kart, I try to kick her ass. Its important to have an attitude such as this. That is how goals are reached and success is achieved.

          AH, THIS IS TOO TRUE. WHILE ONE SHOULD NEVER DO THIS TO ONE'S FRIENDS, ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT IF YOU AREN'T THE ONE PUSHING PEOPLE OVER, THEN YOU ARE MOST LIKELY BEING PUSHED. 

  However, that is not to say that the a good method to becoming a successful person is to simply be a competitive asshole. Compassion is necessary as well. If one goes through life stabbing people in the back, stepping on throats, or wins by cheating, then there will be no one left to share in and respect the success—and that is not true success, after all. That is how one gets “all the respectable inhabitants and well-to-do fellow-natives of the town against [them].” [1] Yet, no one ever got anywhere by letting people walk all over them, either. I found that, as with most things, the best way to accomplish goals is a midway point between the two. In this case, to always do the best that you can while surrounding yourself with those who do the same. By associating with the “fittest,” one becomes “fitter (more fit?).” I am always willing to help those who are having trouble understanding something or wanting to go over a homework together; yet, am not one of those who openly gives away answers. “I don’t like [to give answers] ‘out of charity’ at all.”[2] I enjoy helping those who are willing to help themselves, willing to put forth an effort. My friends and I often would lend each other a helping hand, for we wanted to see each other succeed. Yet, “the others that weren’t mine [friends] I didn’t feel so much for, as [is] natural.” [3] Also, this is a benefit because I know that those that I help would do the same for me in my time of need. Plus, there is no real pride to be had in a victory that occurs on an uneven playing field.

 WHILE IT IS IMPORTANT TO ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST, ACHIEVING SUCCESS IS HARDLY WORTHWHILE IF IT CAN'T BE ENJOYED WITH FRIENDS. ALSO, ONE'S PEERS ARE OFTEN THOSE CAN EXPLAIN THINGS THE BEST. IT IS ALSO GREAT TO HAVE A SUPPORT SYSTEM THAT TRULY WANTS TO SEE EACH OTHER SUCCEED. 

1.Thomas Hardy, Jude the Obscure (New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1999), 196

2.Thomas Hardy, Jude the Obscure (New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1999), 133

3.Thomas Hardy, Jude the Obscure (New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1999), 273

 

 “Chasing a stupid dream…causes nothing but you and everyone around you heartache. Notre Dame is for rich kids…smart kids…great athletes. It’s not for us. You’re a Ruettiger.” [1]

            These words from the movie Rudy—a modern day Jude the Obscure—have resounded in my soul ever since I saw that film. I wish I had never seen it. It would have made my college selection much less painful, for that tear inducing hour-and-a-half changed my life. I knew from that moment on that I wanted to attend the University of Notre Dame. Hell, I wanted to be Rudy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsmzDL61oME

HERE ARE CLIPS FROM RUDY. THEY INSPIRED ME TO PURSUE ACCEPTANCE INTO THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME.

My interest should have died down over the years (I mean a movie can only do so much), but the Irish simply kept creeping into my life. One of my parents’ best friends is a Notre Dame graduate, as is his son. Every time we went to his house, we had to walk through his room, though it would be more accurate to call it a Notre Dame shrine. The lights were covered with stained-glass leprechauns, blue and gold banners draped every wall, the coffee table was littered with books about their 11 national championships and 7 Heisman trophy winners, and I swear he must have had the fight song playing at all times. When I would go visit my grandmother every summer, I would often see her friend Ferd as well. Ferd, the brother of a priest and a man who is not afraid to voice his opinions, would always say that he loves three things “cigars, democrats, and Notre Dame.” He would go on for hours about how great of a school it was, and this is from a guy who didn’t even go there. I was enthralled with how much love and passion these people had for this school. I wanted to be a part of that.

THIS IS ESSENTIALLY WHAT OUR FAMILY FRIEND'S ROOM LOOKED LIKE. I LONGED TO BELONG TO A PLACE THAT EVOKED SUCH LOVE AND PASSION. 

I guess after hearing about how wonderful of a school it is all the time, I began to believe it. All of it; and I fell in love. As I grew older and actually began to consider schools, the Notre Dame was obviously the first one I checked. After my visit to the school, I came to the realization that “It would just suit me.” [2] It had everything I could have wanted in a school. The scenery, with its two lakes, endless trees, and awe-inspiring architecture, was unbelievable. The academics are obviously one of the top in the country. Catholicism was everywhere, from the grotto to the basilica on campus. The walls oozed tradition and history. It was the most surreal place I had ever been. It was truly a “castle, manned by scholarship and religion.” [3]

THE TOP PICTURE IS OF THE GOLDEN DOME, AND THE BOTTOM IS OF THE GROTTO. IT IS STRUCTURES LIKE THESE THAT MAKE NOTRE DAME SUCH A UNIQUE AND BEAUTIFUL CAMPUS.

Yet, there were definitely other reasons that I wanted to go to Notre Dame. I wanted to do something that no one at my school had ever done. The majority of college-eligible students from Crosby go to that place in College Station. No one had ever been accepted into Notre Dame. I wanted to accomplish something that the people in my town would remember and be proud of. My “dream was as gigantic as [my] surroundings were small.” [4] I worked really hard in high school, as well. I didn’t always want to, but what kept me going was the thought that it would all be worth it the day I got accepted into Notre Dame. So I sacrificed memories and friendship for my “lofty desire.” [5] As a result, I didn’t want to go somewhere that 10% of all Texas high schoolers could. I ignorantly felt like I deserved better. Also, I truly enjoyed the look of disbelief when I told people where I wanted to go to school. Going to a school like Notre Dame wasn’t even fathomable to them; it didn’t seem possible. I liked the fact that my acceptance letter brought tears of joy to my parents and grandparents. I wanted to make them proud. However, the biggest lure of the university stemmed from that damn line from the movie. I, like Jude, hated being told that there was a “place much too good for [me] ever to have much to do with.” [6] I guess when it comes down to it, when Rudy’s father tells him that Notre Dame “isn’t for us” I felt like he was talking to me too (as weird as that sounds). I wanted to prove him wrong while simultaneously proving to myself that I could compete and belong with these rich, smart kids.

    PART OF MY MOTIVATION WAS TO PROVE ALL OF THE HATERS WRONG. 

   Well, I was accepted to my dream school, but quickly learned that life is not like the movies. It seems that Notre Dame (and its $45,000 tuition) “hates all men like me”: middle class white people [7], as I was not offered a single dime. As a result, in my mind, Notre Dame “[stands] not so much for excellence as for exclusion.” [8] In the long run though, I am glad that I didn’t go. I love it here. It was just a stupid dream. And, on that note, I just have one thing left to say (will you join me, Mary?)…fuck Notre Dame. 

I NOW KNOW THAT THINGS TURNED OUT FOR THE BEST AND I AM SO GLAD THAT I CAME HERE. HOOK 'EM.

1. The movie Rudy.

2. Thomas Hardy, Jude the Obscure, pg. 23

3. Thomas Hardy, Jude the Obscure, pg. 23

4.Thomas Hardy, Jude the Obscure, pg. 20

5.Thomas Hardy, Jude the Obscure, pg. 24

6.Thomas Hardy, Jude the Obscure, pg. 16

7. Unknown author, "The Writing on the Walls: From Premodern to Postmodern", X644

8.Unknown author, "The Writing on the Walls: From Premodern to Postmodern", X636

A Pair of Ls.

I can’t say that I would normally draw comparisons of my current everyday life to the adventures of Alice in Wonderland, but after being prompted to do so I guess her adventures do mirror my, albeit more mundane, experiences. There are seemingly endless parallels between her imaginary universe and the one that I am contemporarily residing in, some of which I will list and explain.

1)   The University of Texas’ commitment to discovery learning with several other characters in the book refusing to give Alice a straight answer.

The University of Texas is of the belief that students learn best through discovery learning, for “active learning supports the belief that knowledge can be constructed by you rather than received from a higher authority.”[1] Like Alice, we as students are in an environment much different than what we have become accustomed to in the first 18 years of our life. We are used to being presented with facts, a handout, or a PowerPoint that lists all we need to know about a subject. We never really had to think. However, now our professors expect us to learn things are our own; the process is no longer cut and dry. Doing so “forces [us] to confront [our] current ideas about the subject, many of which may be misconceptions, and reconcile them with what [we] now observe to be the case.” [2] Much like our teachers, the inhabitants often answer Alice’s question with a question. For example, the caterpillar tells Alice that “one side will make you grow taller, and the other side will make you grow shorter,” but he offers no further instructions [3]. Also, when Alice asks the Footsman how to get into the Duchesses house, he merely replies with “Are you to get in at all,” [4] and that she should do “anything [she] likes.” [5] Much like Alice, students come to the conclusion that when it comes to these kinds of professors, “there’s no use in talking to [them].” [6]

WHILE AT UT, IT IS THE STUDENTS WHO MUST MAKE THE DECISIONS, THE DISCOVERIES, SO THAT THEY MAY BETTER UNDERSTAND THE ANSWERS. 

2)   Every student’s unique degree, career, and life goals with the Caucus Race.

The majority of the students here at UT have a declared major, with the intention of using their degree to help them get a job in a field that requires such a degree. However, not everyone’s degree plans, career goals, or life goals are the same. For the most part, we are allowed to create a very unique path that will ultimately end in graduation. How we get to this finish line is up to us. In terms of accomplishing life goals, there is “no ‘One, two, three, and away!’” [7]. Instead, people begin “running when they like, and leave off when they like, so that it is not easy to know when the race is over.” [8]. Yet, in the end, if we all achieve our goals, then “everybody has won, and all must have prizes (satisfaction),” [9] just like in the Caucus Race.

EVERYONE IS A WINNER IN THE CAUCUS RACE, THOUGH THE TRACK IS DIFFERENT FOR EVERYONE.

3)   The amount of culture and city life that UT’s students are exposed to in Austin with Alice no longer being surprised by the odd things that are happening around her.

I have been exposed to so much since I have been here in this city and at this university. Coming from a small, conservative town, I experience something new nearly every time I go out, from an old man wearing a thong and a bra, to walking numbered streets, to having a professor that likes to dress up as his favorite Alice character. I am very confident that after I graduate form here, nothing (at least culturally) will surprise me anymore. Even at the beginning of her trip down the rabbit hole, nothing seemed too weird to Alice: she took it all in stride. She did not “think it so very much out of the way to hear the Rabbit say to itself ‘Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late’” [10] Like me, Alice “had got so much in the way of expecting nothing but out-of-the-way things to happen, that it seemed quite dull and stupid for life to go on in the common way.” [11] I have definitely learned to expect the unexpected.

I HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO SO MUCH AT THIS POINT THAT I THINK THAT IF I WERE TO SEE THE WHITE RABBIT, I WOULDN'T THINK MUCH OF IT.

4)   The temptation of drinking and partying with Alice’s willingness to drink and eat things.

After numerous instances where Alice ate something, she comes to the conclusion that eating and drinking in Wonderland will result in her changing size, or at least she “know[s] something interesting is sure to happen.” [12] After going to a few parties here, I can say that I came to the same conclusion. Enough said.

WHILE THE OUTCOME MAY BE GOOD OR BAD, ONE THING IS FOR SURE: WHEN YOU DRINK OR EAT THINGS AT PARTIES, SOMETHING INTERESTING IS BOUND TO HAPPEN.

5)   The sometimes confusing E603A course website with the poem about the Jabberwocky.

The E603A course website, while helpful, can at times be pretty confusing (though I think we discussed this enough in class already). Similarly confusing is the poem about the Jabberwocky whose first line reads “ ‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves” [12]. That is three fake words in one line. My spell check just went nuts by the way. However, they also both seem to be commonly popular. Apparently, this poem is one of the more memorable parts of the book, and Professor Bump’s former students all vividly remember their course website (though maybe not in a good way). To put in the words of Alice, “[they] seem very pretty, but [they’re] rather hard to understand.” [13]

AN EXAMPLE OF HOW SCARY THE COURSE WEBSITE CAN BE.

 

 

1) “Discovery Learning”, X343D

2)“Discovery Learning”, X343D

3) Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll, pg. 53

4) Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll, pg. 59

5) Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll, pg. 59

6) Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll, pg. 59

7) Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll, pg. 31

8) Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll, pg. 31

9) Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll, pg. 31

10) Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll, pg. 11

11) Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll, pg. 19

12) Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, Lewis Carroll, pg. 148

13) Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, Lewis Carroll, pg. 150

 

 

P2: ROUGH DRAFT

 Since I am passionate about helping those who are injured, I have set before myself the goal of becoming an orthopedic surgeon. However, I do not want to be just some run-of-the-mill doctor: a practitioner who simply blends in with the crowd and occupies no more than a tiny splotch on the orthopedic spectrum. Instead, I would love to bring a sense of deep compassion to my work place with the hopes of creating an atmosphere that would inspire my coworkers and patients alike. Friendliness and optimism would be of the utmost importance when interacting with patients—no more of the stark, grim projections and hollow relationships.

THIS IS THE MESSAGE THAT I HOPE TO CONVEY AT MY WORKPLACE. HOPEFULLY, BY SHOWING THE PATIENTS THAT I TRULY CARE ABOUT THEM, THEY WILL BE MOTIVATED TO ATTACK THEIR REHAB RATHER THAN BE OVERWHELMED WITH SELF-PITY. [P1]

 While this is my ambition, I realize that I am a long way away from revolutionizing how surgeons interact with patients, let alone just being an orthopedic surgeon. The road to becoming a member of such a prestigious association of professionals is both a rigorous and treacherous one, but it is my mission and I have chosen to accept it. There are pitfalls on either side and there is really no room for failure, no proverbial safety net.

I AM METAPHORICALLY STANDING ON THIS BRIDGE RIGHT NOW. ITS CREAKY, THE ROPE ISN'T VERY STURDY, AND I BETTER NOT LOOK DOWN. [P2]

My journey began on August 27, 2008: my first day of class at UT. I am taking the first tier of pre-med requirements: the first rung on the surgeon’s ladder. So far I have had success in these classes, but it has been far from easy. I have seen many nights turn into mornings, P.M.s into A.M.s, in attempt to be prepared. The rest of my undergraduate career is mapped out as well. All in all, I will have to have not just taken but gotten A’s in five more biology classes, seven more chemistry classes, and four physics classes—it doesn’t help that I absolutely despised the sciences in high school. What makes it so infuriating is that the knowledge I will obtain in these next few years will most likely be of no use in medical school; a carpentry class (for that is essentially what surgery is) would be of more practical benefit). I just have to not focus on this fact and understand that, when chasing down any goal, certain sacrifices have to be made. These classes are meant to distinguish who the best students are: who is really cut out for the next step. I am willing to partake in such a competition and pay my dues as every other doctor before me has. If I happen to survive this gauntlet of academic torment, I must then face my biggest adversary yet: the stress-causing, sleep-depriving, soul-sucking MCAT.  Once this crucial battle is over (which hopefully ends with me stabbing the foul beast with my number two pencil), I can finally apply to medical school. Even then though, nothing is guaranteed.[1]

THE ROAD TO MED SCHOOL IS MUCH LIKE THE JOURNEY THAT FRODO TOOK THROUGH MIDDLE EARTH. BOTH END WITH A MOMENTOUS BATTLE. [P3]

 My future will reside in the hands of some admissions couselor; my dreams will depend on how well I look on a piece of paper, a medium that cannot fully convey a person’s desire nor their heart. If I do happen to (gasp!) get rejected from medical school, all hope is not lost. I could continue to reapply and, if my application is lacking in certain areas, a master’s degree is usually sufficient in making up for dificiencies. Yet, to me that simply translates into two more years of school, two more years of debt, two more years before I can truly start my adult life.

At this point in my hypothetical career odyssey, I would be twenty-two years old and just starting med school. What would follow is four more years of school that would be followed by a five year residency. When putting this into perspective, I can definitely understand why Dr. Marymont was not the most compassionate of people. Thirteen years of higher biology bludgeoning can do that to anybody. That will be the hardest part of my journey: keeping my personality and not letting the constant influx of knowledge replace my compassion, my original reason for taking up this profession. I cannot let my left brain completely overtake the right, for “gifted leadership occurs where heart and head—feelings and thought—meet.”[2] I think the best way to prevent myself from becoming an educational drone would be to get involved in different programs and organizations here at the university. I have recently joined the rugby team and plan to try out for the Texas Wranglers next semester. Now, I notice that these organizations have nothing to do with the medical field, but that is the point. Rugby has without a doubt kept my mind fresh these past few weeks—it is something I look forward to all day. Just as football provided an escape during my high school career, rugby is a way for me to break free from the clutches of books and pressure. Also, student organizations such as these would provide me with a new kind of education that would not be taught in medical school: everyday interaction with a wide variety of people. It is a way of honing my skill of relating and communicating with others. These non-traditional classrooms will enhance the skills I need to remain a compassionate person, to keep from “defining myself narrowly” and adopting the attitude that “I’m just a surgeon. You really ought to discuss this experience with someone else.”[3] However, even by remaining a compassionate person as I entered into the final stage of my career journey, my goal would still not be realized. Only after years of treating my patients with actual care, showing them the kind of compassion I longed for in my experience, and communicating this method of treatment to my coworkers and understudies could I consider myself a success. After all, a doctor is defined as “somebody who can fix things” [4] and that to me applies to more than just bones and ligaments but also emotions and egos.

I WANT TO PREVENT MY UPCOMING 13 YEARS OF EDUCATION FROM BURNING OUT MY BRAIN, SPECIFICALLY MY COMPASSION. I MEAN TO DO SO BY BEING INVOLVED IN ACTIVITIES, LIKE RUGBY, THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MEDICAL PROFESSION. [P4 AND P5]

Plan II, specifically my World Literature class, has also gone a long way in keeping my mind fresh throughout this school year. if it isn't obvious enough by now, I am not really interested in chemistry and biology. In fact, they really bore me. I could care less about mitochondria; yet these are classes necessary for me to achieve my goal of helping and truly caring for those who are injured. It is in my Plan II classes that I am able to take classes that enrich my being. While I realize that learning about Greek physics serves (ok, I'll admit it) no practical purpose whatsoever, it is a subject that i enjoy learning about. So, my courses are essentially separated into the practical (and boring) and interesting (and useless). However, these inapplicable courses do serve a greater purpose than exciting my brain: they are assisting in making me a more dynamic, well-rounded person. What I love about my World Literature class is that we don't really focus on novels (as the title implies), but on developing ourselves into efficient, motivated young people who strive to be leaders in whatever they pursue. It is a class meant to make us not just into better students, but into better people. This will ultimately pay off in the end, I am sure, as med schools are looking for students who major in something other than a science. They want students who see patients as a "whole patient"; as a person.

It is quite apparent to me the enormity of the daunting task that I have set before myself. I understand that there is a possibility that I could encounter numerous bumps on the road to my goal; perhaps I may even get to a point where I can go no further. I accept the fact that I may fail in terms of the objective I have put before myself. I consider myself a leader “with high self-awareness” and I “know [my] limitations and strengths.”[5] I am not sure if organic chemistry is one of them. However, that thought does not worry me. Plus, I want to make sure that whatever I do, I am able to lead “a balanced life along the way.”[6] “[I am] not waiting for a heart attack, divorce, or job loss (or rejection from medical school) to wake [me] up to [my] relationships, spiritual life, community responsibility, and physical health.”[7] I do not plan on judging myself on career accolades, but rather on the kind of person I create over the rest of my years. I believe that no matter what profession I end up doing, whether it be repairing joints or repairing cars, I will be just fine because of the example that my dad has set before me.

In my opinion, my father is the quintessential leader (and consequently the best person to idolize)—of our family, of the Crosby school district, of the entire Crosby community. As the superintendent of Crosby ISD, he has the weight of about 5,000 kids on his shoulders every day, not to mention all of the district’s employees, from the principles to the custodians to the bus drivers. He is without a doubt the most beloved man in our entire community and is its unanimous director. He goes to every school event, whether it be the first grade Christmas play or the varsity football games on Friday nights, is willing to give people second chances, calls employees or students to congratulate them on an accomplishment, and literally knows almost every high schoolers full name. Often, especially when we go to Wal-Mart and we have to stop every five minutes to say “hi” to someone, I am in awe of my dad in how he is able to genuinely care about so many people. Like Elanor Rigby, he always has a smile on when he goes out the door and is always willing to stop and talk to anyone. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boc7rnhkLAk

HERE IS A LINK TO THE "ELEANOR RIGBY" MUSIC VIDEO

I am so proud to have him as a father. He instilled in me at a young age when I would complain of having to do menial, monotonous chores that “it is certainly not what you do that defines you, but how you do it.”[8]

MY DAD IS WITHOUT A DOUBT MY HERO. HE IS THE GREATEST LEADER I KNOW. IF I CAN JUST APPLY THE MORALS HE HAS TAUGHT ME THROUGHOUT MY LIFE, I AM CONFIDENT THAT I WILL BE SUCCESSFUL. [P6]

My dad possesses many various types of leadership; yet, where he truly excels is in promoting teamwork, being transparent, and being proactive. At work he “generates an atmosphere of friendly collegiality and [is himself a] model of respect, helpfulness, and cooperation.”[9] When he interacts with people, everyone is treated the same: they all receive a look in the eyes, a smile on his face, and his full attention. He possesses an “authentic openness to others about one’s feelings, beliefs, and actions.”[10] He is not a faker; he truly listens and cares about others. When Hurricane Ike hit just a few weeks ago, my dad did not wait for someone else to worry about the community members who would not be able to evacuate. He did not wait for people to call and ask for help. Instead, he transformed the high school into a temporary shelter for any who sought it. It is actions such as these that have made my dad the revered character he is today, and all this is from a man who at my age wanted to work on a golf course for the rest of his life. These types of attributes are those I want—need—to become the type of surgeon I want to be. It does not take much to make a person feel important and cared for. Even when somewhere down the line my schedule is full and I am only allotted twenty minutes per patient, I will just remember his example, look them in the eye, truly listen, and as a result actually care.

MY DAD POSSESSES THE MANY QUALITIES THAT MAKE UP A GOOD LEADER. [P7]

When I truly reflect back on his life, I feel that as long as I continue to obey the core of values that he has instilled in me since birth I can be as successful and as great a leader as he is. If I end up applying these leadership skills in the field of orthopedics, as I hope I will, then great; if I end up applying them in some other profession, then that is fine too. It is because of him that I realize that “[I] don’t have to be anybody in particular. [I] don’t have to be ‘this’ or ‘that.’ [I] am free simply to be.”[11] Right now, I just need to focus on emulating the type of persona that my dad has, as well as simply concentrating on taking life one semester, one test, one day at a time by “setting measurable but challenging goals.” [12]

 

TOTAL WORD COUNT (WITH QUOTES): 1735

TOTAL WORD COUNT (WITHOUT QUOTES): 1582

---

[1] In 2007, the University of Texas had 480 students apply for medical school. Of those, 245 were accepted (about 51%). Of those who were accepted, their average GPA was a 3.74 and their average MCAT score was a 31. For example, in 2008, Baylor received 4,879 applications and admitted only 176. So even if I excel in school, volunteer at hospitals, do well on the MCAT—essentially focusing only on what I can control—there is still no guarantee that I will get accepted. Information received at http://cns.utexas.edu/hpo/File/files/Statistics2007.pdf

[2] Daniel Goleman, “Primal Leadership: Realizing The Power of Emotional Intelligence,” E603A Course Anthology, (Fall 2008): X62

[3] Ram Dass and Paul Gorman, “How Can I Help?” E603A Course Anthology, (Fall 2008): X145.

[4] Microsoft Word 2008 dictionary.

[5] Daniel Goleman, “Primal Leadership: Realizing The Power of Emotional Intelligence,” E603A Course Anthology, (Fall 2008): X67

[6] Daniel Goleman, “Primal Leadership: Realizing The Power of Emotional Intelligence,” E603A Course Anthology, (Fall 2008): X66

[7] Daniel Goleman, “Primal Leadership: Realizing The Power of Emotional Intelligence,” E603A Course Anthology, (Fall 2008): X66

[8] The Character Jude in Across the Universe, 2007

[9] Daniel Goleman, “Primal Leadership: Realizing The Power of Emotional Intelligence,” E603A Course Anthology, (Fall 2008): X68

[10] Daniel Goleman, “Primal Leadership: Realizing The Power of Emotional Intelligence,” E603A Course Anthology, (Fall 2008): X68

[11] Ram Dass and Paul Gorman, “How Can I Help?” E603A Course Anthology, (Fall 2008): X146

[12] Daniel Goleman, “Primal Leadership: Realizing The Power of Emotional Intelligence,” E603A Course Anthology, (Fall 2008): X68

 [P1] http://www.giveittomeraw.com/

[P2]http://www.irtc.org/ftp/pub/stills/1999-08-31/canyon.jpg

[P3]http://catholicdiscussion.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/mordor.png?w=314&h=169

[P4] http://www.cartoonstock.com/lowres/cfu0171l.jpg

[P5] http://www.cartoonstock.com/lowres/cfu0171l.jpg[P6] http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=579498&id=840904703

[P7http://www.loosetooth.com/Viscom/gf/leader.gif