Block+B+Journal+Eunice+Jang

If Rabbit is too Smart for his own good, Owl is the Brain, and Piglet... Pooh?**
 * 2/23/09

I think Pooh is relaxed mind which doesn't go against nature's will. He is calm and simple mind. He just let things go through his mind and doesn't keep those for a long time. Even when he has a trouble, by just simply letting it goes, he can achieve what he wants to do. In the other hand, Piglet think too much, which causes even more problem. By over thinking, Piglet can't actually take a action and even fail to do what it could have achieve without thinking. Also instead of doing it by itself, it tends to depend on other people.

Many leader tends to rule people by making other people to do something by force. They order people to do this and do that. However, if we rule by inaction, we don't have to force people to do what you want them to do but they will do it by themselves even before you tell them to do it. The best way to achieve this is to show example first. When you want them to pick up trash, you have to pick up trash first in front of them. And by doing this people will eventually pick up trash. So by doing this, one can lead people to the way that he or she wants without forcing them.
 * 2/26-2/27 The Tao says that the ruler should "rule by inaction" How do you make sense of this? Is it at all possible?**

3/11
 * Explain right mindfulness and right concentration. Do you see how you could apply this to your daily life? Why or why not?**

Right mindfulness is requires accurate and specific recognition. For example, it is when one cares about even the smallest details and focuses on what's going on at the current situation. Right concentration is focusing on objects or concepts in order to meditation to develop deeper inner mind. Without this right concentration, one can't think and absorbs things as they are. So without a discipline, or meditation, we can't even perform the Eightfold Path. Through meditation, we can make a space between preoccupation with ourselves. By applying this to my daily life, I can see this world as how and what it is. Without any bias, we can examine people, ideas, and concepts in this world. However, in real life, it is hard to actually apply this to my daily life. In order to perform right mindfulness, we have to mindful of every single detail and in order to perform right concentration, we have to look at things without any bias. However, it is impossible to recognize everything that's going on around our life and as a human, full of selfishness and only look at things that he or she wants to see, it is really hard to look at things without any bias.

4/1 I**n describing Japanese development, a British Professor in 1873 declared that he felt 400 years old by the end of the century. Explain the historical context behind this quote.** The reason why the British Professor in 1873 declared that he felt 400 years old by the end of the century because Japan had developed at incredible speed in such a short amount of time. They reformed their social system and government system in the westernize way and economy in their own way. So they changed all of these, which was supposed take 400 years, in a really short time. Thus after observing Japan's rapid development, he declared that he felt 400 years old.

Analyze the quote from the New York Times, April 5, 1872: "The question is not infrequently asked... is not Japan going ahead too fast? In some respects we fear she is."** **What is the context of this quote, and do you agree with this quote?**
 * __4/3__

Japan had developed in tremendous speed. Some British Professor even described Japan that he felt 400 years old by the end of the century. So it means that in short times, Japan had developed incredible amount that takes 400 years for other countires to achieve. So when Japan was weak and undeveloped country, European countries and U.S. didn't care about them. However, as they develop really quickly, they started to consider Japan as one of their threatening enemies. And some afraid that Japan might dominate them in some day. So I agree with the quote that Japan is going ahead too fast. If Japan grows too fast and gets similar power with other powerful countries, there might be a war between them in order to dominate each other, which would causes a new war.


 * 4/10, 4/13 What do you find most shocking about what you have read so far? How do make sense of such cruelty?**

This book, the Rape of Nanking, was shocking to me from beginning till so far. However, even among these cruelties, the most shocking scene was in the intro, when the author mentioned that Japanese made Chinese to rape their own family, such as father to rape his daughter and son to rape his mother, in front of other family members. When people are in the situation of absolute superior over other, they becomes really cruel, such as how Nazi did to Jewish. Even the worst incident that Nazi did was to put everyone in the gas room. However, Japanese killed not only their physical bodies but also their mental faith and world. So Japanese cruelty couldn't be justified and make any sense. Or maybe Japanese were so in the state of superior over Chinese and express their pure evilness.


 * 4/28 Do you think it was safer to be a communist or anti-communist during the Korean War?**

During the Korean War, non-communist (innocent people), were not armed, so was threatened by communist and in great danger. However, communist weren't also safe, as later, American soldier came and killed communist. As a result, neither of them were safer. However, if I have to choose between communist and non-communist, I will rather choose non-communist, as they don't have to fight in the battle like communist, when all of the communist supposed to fiight for the war. As a result, non-communists are safer.


 * 4/30 Do countries have an obligation to compensate each other for injustices done in time of war?**

I think countries do have an obligation to compensate each other for injustices done in time of war. Long time ago, the strongest person was the rule. So weaker person or group didn't get any compensation. However, these days, a country can't stand by itself. All countries are interconnected to each other. So even when the stronggest country did some injustices to the weakest country, they still have to compensate for it, as when even the strongest country is isolated by rest of the world, the country cannot survive. So all the country have an obligation to compensate each other for injustices done in time of war.

5/7 U.S. have to consider the Chinese intentions, rather to march to the Yalu river or not.
 * 1. What did the U.S. have to consider in regards to China and the Yalu River?**

Because of the sacrifice of so many Koreans in the Chinese revolution and the anti-Japanese resistance.
 * 2. According to the reading, what was the reason China entered the war?**

They attacked the UN front lines savagely. ROKA retreated in disarray, and badly bloodied American forces(US).
 * 3. What effect did it have on the US, ROK, and UN troops?**

Explain the meaning of "Shattered Faith" how does it relate to the story?** In this chapter, the author "Shattered Faith" in many different ways. First, she lost her son, Yongwoon. During the war, the most important thing is to survive. However, she fails to do so and even lost her son. Also, she lost her faith in God, which she had always relied on, even when she was imprisoned or had the hardest time. And since she lost her son, her faith towards God completely crashed and started to question God and shattered her faith toward Christianity. So since then, her behavior changed. Before, she tried her best for everything, but now, she doesn't show motivation. Third, she losses her faith in her country, North Korea, which propaganda people and spread wrong information to attract people. Along with her faith in North Korea, she also shattered faith in mankind.
 * 5/11


 * 5/26 Explain what the main ideas of the last few paragraphs are, evaluate Biao's reasons for the revolution. Does his argument make sense? Is it reasonable? should be about three paragraphs to answer.**

The main ideas of the last few paragraphs are that people shouldn't fear chaos, as the fear of chaos would cause people to make errors and mistakes. So people should believe in themselves and work in a good mood in order to avoid facing chaos. By putting faith into oneself and adopt a correct attitude towards mistakes, people would be able to correctly removes errors. And this would help people to unite better and further.

I think his argument makes sense in somehow. Usually when people get really nervous and puzzle, they cannot perform all of their task with full effort. However, by trusting oneself and not being nervous but working in good and calm mood, people would be more productive and make less errors.

However, I don't think the last part of his argument is really reasonable. He argued his ideas without any reasons. He is just simply stating several statements. He said people should put faith in their messes s as it makes less errors drives from individual's errors. However, this might make the whole group to go towards the wrong directions. So without any evidence, his argument is not reasonable.

Reactions to Mao who/when : Narrator - he -26 years old chinese middle school teacher, Bei guan cheng / 1966 summarize main points : A letter that he saw Mao and by seeing Mao, he became so excited. / He even decide that day as his birthday. purpose : This shows how people are devoted and loyal to Mao. who / when : 1966 19 years old student. RongFen summarize main points : He sent letter to Mao about Mao's fault / He criticized Mao and his red army purpose : This show that not all people in China is devoted to Mao and support cultural revolution. significance : He probably a proletarian. effect : He was sentenced for a life as he spoiled others / he ended up with causing suicide.
 * 6/2 Notes that I took during the discussion...**

Red Guards smash the four olds who/when : from article written by red guard, middle-schooler. / date : not written purpose : written to explain what people has to do to carry out revolution summarize main points : justify rebel / everyone needs to carry a little red book. / people should constantly look at it. / everyone needs to have a picture of Mao / Only few from hundreds way to destroy old China. How News paper needed to be printed. On every news paper, should print Mao / Always have to be related to how great Mao is / Children has to sing about Mao Zedong / They can't produce for service / No discrimination effect : Very radical, go against everything that's on the way / extreme faith in Mao significance : The author is only a middle-schooler -> Show how deeply Mao's power is affecting people.

Burning Books who/when : written by the Daughter of the blackgang / during the late 1960s. purpose : Primary source info about how does this girl used to go to school and red guard came in and burnt all the books but the one that praise Mao. summarize main points : Red guard tortured black-gang, a group goes against cultural revolution effect : inform reality to reader, the truth significance : we lost so many info, as they burnt all the books.

6/4 1) When was this document written and by whom? -> 1981, submitted by the CCP Central Committe on June 28, 1981, 5 years after the cultural revolution.
 * Questions on Reflections on the Cultural Revolution pages 82-84**

2) According to the document, who was largely to blame for the excesses and mistakes of the Cultural Revolution? ->Even though it is Mao, who actually causes all the errors of the Cultural Revolution, it is Gang of Four – Lin Biao, Jiang Qing, and others who were placed in important positions by Mao Zedong, who were largely blamed for the excesses and mistakes of the Cultural Revolution. They attempted to seize supreme power and taking advantage of Mao Zedong's error.

3) What errors does the CCP believe Mao was responsible for? -> Mao Zedong's principal theses for initiating this revolution conformed neither to Marxism-Leninism nor to the Chinese reality. They represented an entirely erroneous appraisal of the prevailing class relations and political situation in the Party and the state. -> Mao committed many crimes behind his back, bringing disaster to the country and the people. -> The first error is that he place the four gangs into the important positions.

4) Who seems most responsible according to the document? How does this play into the memory of Mao as a leader and his Cult of Personality? -> It seemed like Gang of Four got more responsiblility for the errors occured during the cultural revolution. Even though Mao is the main cause of the errors, it seems like people doesn't have a bad or negative memory towards Mao. However, the Gang of Four is really considered as the bad one. So the Cult of Personality of Mao is like a father-like figure and praise and support by Chinese.

5) What does the CCP believe the consequences of the Cultural Revolution are? (4 of them) each person in your group read one, and explain it to others -> CCP thought that there was no grounds at all for revisionist line or the capitalist road. This led to the confusing of right and wrong on the important theories and policies. Man things denounced as revisionist or capitalist during the Cultural Revolution were actually Marxist and socialist principles, many of which had been set forth by Comrade Mao Zedong himself. Also the cultural revolution negated many of the correct principles, policies and achievements of the seventeen years after founding of the People's Republic. In fact, it negated much of the work of the Central Committee of the Party and the people's Government, including Comrade Mao Zedong's own contribution. It negated the arduous struggles the entire people had conducted in socialist construction. -> The confusing of right and wrong also confuses people with the enemy. Lin Biao and Jiang Qing took advantage of their positions in the CCP. The confusion of Lin Biao, Jiang Qing caused many educated people to death, who are the members of the Party. -> Different levels of party organizations were partially or wholly paralyzed and attacked. So they were criticzed and struggled. -> The Cultural Revolution didn't show any revolution or social progress in any sense. As a result, it have done nothing. Under socialist conditions, there is no economic or political basis for carrying out a great political revolution in which one class overthrows another.

6) Why do you think the document mentions achievements made by China during the Cultural Revolution? -> The document mentions achievements made by China during the Cultural Revolution in order to emphasize their achievement during the Cultural Revolution and to explain how China was able to handle the anti-revolutionists. Also by mentioning their achievements during the Cultural Revolution, it shows the Chinese's nationalism.

7) Describe the tone at the end of the document. Why do you think it ends this way? -> At the end, the author talks about many achievements that the Cultural Revolution did. So the tone at the end of the document is really positive. And by ending in positive tone, it makes the overall documents seem positive and makes the Cultural Revolution look successful.