Underground Economies: Theoretical and Empirical

In analyzing the productivity of nations worldwide the difficulties countries face in growing economically derive from a sector that is unmeasured and unknown, the underground economy. This informal sector has tangible and noticeable effects on the actual economy of a nation. The challenge to economists today is figuring out how to measure the effects of an entity that is inherently overlooked and disregarded. In “Does the Informal Sector Thrive under Democracy or Autocracy? The Case of Nepal” there is a focus on how politics affect the growth in the informal sector. In this text, the authors, Solomon and Shrestha, make the implication that the more political freedom there is in a state the smaller the informal sector becomes. Invisible, Outlawed, and Untaxed by Harry I. Greenfield emphasizes the different components that allows us to identify and quantify the underground economy more so than examining the effects of other entities on the underground economy. Moreover, in the VICE article “Slangin’ Dope at Art Basel” one receives an informal first-hand account of the underground economy by someone who is a part of its productivity. In the assessment of all three texts we find that both scholarly texts share a level of formality and complexity that is not present in the VICE article. However, the two scholarly pieces differ in that Solomon and Shrestha’s work relies more on the use of inductive reasoning while Greenfield uses deductive reasoning to grow his logic. An indicator of how Greenfield’s work takes a conceptual approach to the topic of underground economics, while Solomon and Shrestha take a more empirical one.  

Examining the diction and word choices in both of the scholarly pieces, Invisible, Outlawed, and Untaxed and “Does the Informal Sector Thrive under Democracy or Autocracy? The Case of Nepal”, we find evident similarities between these two scholarly texts. The tone of these two works is sophisticated and academic via the presence of conventions as complex vocabulary and well-developed syntax. For example, take this passage, “There can be no quarrel with those who take that point of view as long as what is included in the scope of underground activities is made explicit” (Greenfield 5). Words like “explicit”, “quarrel”, and “scope” are all words that can be replaced with simpler versions that retain the same meaning, but are purposely included to add an intellectual tone to the piece. This purposeful inclusion of academic diction is also noticeable in the work of Solomon and Shrestha where they us words and terms such as “irregularities”, “null hypothesis”, and “calibration” (Solomon and Shrestha 246). This style of diction, evident in both pieces, points towards the target audience and context of the works. In that these pieces are situated in the context of academic writing meaning an audience that is well educated enough to understand and appreciate the level of complexity shown in the texts holds them to certain expectation of writing.
Furthermore, the texts’ use of economic terms also contributes to the assessment of their target audiences. In reading the pieces there are words and terms that tug at a well-rounded understanding of economics. To exemplify take the following passage, “The size of the informal sector is estimated using the Multiple Indicator Multiple Cause (MIMIC) model . . . the MIMIC’s model estimates of the informal sector in Nepal as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP)” (Solomon and Shrestha 247). Terms like “GDP”, “MIMIC”, and “informal sector” make the text harder to understand and assure that an understanding of economics is needed to grasp fully the concepts expressed in the article. The use of economic terms hints at scholars that specify within the field of economics that fully understand the terminology in the text.  

In contrast to these two text is an article from the magazine VICE entitled “Slangin’ Dope at Art Basel”. This text is neither academic nor scholarly and is instead informal and casual. In analyzing the writing conventions in this text the diction is noticeably nonchalant. The title contains words like “slangin” and “dope” these words are informal in that terms like these are usually used in casual settings such as a conversation with friends. “Once a year, thousands of rich assholes flock to South Beach to buy artistic shit like papier-mâché balls at Art Basel… After rich people finish buying garbage, they like to let their hair down and party with copious amounts of cocaine, as white people are wont to do” (Im). The informality of these words gives the article a cool and trendy tone that suggests an audience of young adults who can relate the most with this type of language.
Furthermore, there is also a distinct difference on the treatment of sources between the VICE article and two academic texts. In Im’s article, his only source is an interview with an active participant of the underground economy, a drug dealer. He presents this interview, in his piece, untouched and without any sort of analysis. This is contrary to the two academic pieces in which sources are thoroughly evaluated and used to construct ideas regarding economics. The purpose of the article, however, is not to provide analysis on the economic implications of the source, but to just report it and provide sensationalism.

While the audience, purpose, and context for the scholarly texts share striking similarities, the approach they use to engage with the subject matter differs. Invisible, Outlawed, and Untaxed handles the topic of underground economies in a theoretical manner and one can get a sense of this approach through its use of sources. The text uses sources that are for the most part conceptual in nature and serve as reference points that bring a sense of legitimacy to its own arguments, “In the rise of currency J.R.S. Revell of the OECD stated that . . . in view of all these reasons for not holding cash, as well as some others to be discussed shortly, why then do we find the persistent and seemingly perverse growth in currency held by the public” (Greenfield 20).  Greenfield uses his sources to catalyze further lines of logic that can be supported and expanded by more sources. Deductive reasoning is apparent in his work and in his use of sources in which he places the quote or idea of a supporting scholar before he begins his own reasoning. Furthermore, he uses sources to move his discussion along and expand his reasoning. This use of sources as supportive tools for further analysis gives the text a sense of intellectual exploration.

“Does the Informal Sector Thrive under Democracy or Autocracy? The Case of Nepal” approaches the topic of underground economies in a style that resembles scientific papers and uses more inductive reasoning than the previous work. Throughout the work, we see an analysis resembling inductive reasoning in which concepts are drawn from data pertaining to specific circumstances, “Table 1 shows that between 2006 and 2010, Nepal experienced an improvement in the level of democracy but no further improvement since 2010. The reason for this stagnation may be linked to the fact that people in Nepal have yet to experience the sense of empowerment, ownership and responsibility that comes with democracy” (Solomon and Shrestha 246). Furthermore, the work includes an abstract that directly states the aims and objectives of the paper. The works states, “Our paper investigates the size and development of the informal sector in Nepal using aggregate data over the period 1991 to 2009” (Solomon and Shrestha 245). This simple statement describes the purpose for this article to be more empirical than conceptual.

Taking a close look at the sources in both texts, and how they are used, supports the notion that the texts employ a practical and theoretical approach. For example, most of the evidence used in Solomon and Shrestha’s piece comes from experiments done by credited economists like Fredrick Schneider and data centers like the Democracy Index and STATA. While Greenfield uses conceptual works from scholars like Thieβen who also approach economics theoretically. Solomon and Shrestha’s sources provide mostly statistical and raw data that they than evaluate and interpret for the reader. They procedurally take data, analyze it, and, via inductive reasoning, generate concepts that are relevant to the subject of underground economies. This is different from the theoretical and deductive approach we saw in Greenfield’s work where his sources provide concepts that he then uses to support and develop his own ideas. This serves to show that the field of economics is not purely a theoretical one or empirical one. That in economics there is a blend between conceptual and empirical analysis, and a combination of deductive and inductive reasoning. In which concepts are generated through a practical analysis of data and then developed via a philosophical process.  
Solomon and Shrestha’s work empirical approach to the subject of underground economies adds a level of statistical analysis to the text that may dismay beginners in the subject. The reading can be cumbersome at points due to the constant insertion of charts, graphs, and tables that split the text a part. Furthermore, the inclusion of abstract data and mathematical equations increases the level of complexity in the text that requires a slightly greater knowledge of economics to grasp. Greenfield’s piece appeals more to disciplinary novice due to its theoretical approach to the discipline. The flow of the text is one that encourages understanding and learning because each new concept adds on or connects to the previous one making the work easier to follow. One can see college level students reading this to get a good basis on underground economies because while it is complex it still can be dissected and appreciated with time.    

These three works give a broad sense of the variety of pieces that can be written on the topic of underground economies. While there are intellectual and academic tones in the two academic pieces, a more relax and casual style presides in VICE article. Further analysis reveals that Solomon and Shrestha’s work has an empirical tone that focuses more on inductive reasoning to form new concepts from raw data. While Greenfield has a different approach, in which he uses deductive reasoning to build upon the concepts and ideas of other scholars to arrive at his own theoretical conclusions.

Continue

IB Historiography: To What Extent does Fidel Castro’s Cuba Coincide with Marx’s Theory of Dialectical Materialism?

Part A

Fidel Castro, perhaps one of the most controversial figures of the twentieth century. In 1959, he stablished the first communistic movement in the western hemisphere. As Castro's Revolution celebrates its 61st anniversary, it stands as a monument to successful communism in Latin America. However, following the failure of Leninism/Stalinism, one must question, to what extent does Fidel Castro's Cuba coincide with the idea of dialectical materialism presented by Karl Marx? During the scope of this investigation will investigate these two political philosophies. In order to accomplish this I will first investigate their methods of implementations and finally evaluate their relative successes.

I will reference the books: Laughing Under Castro by Modesto Arocha, The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. I will also look at several interview of the great Cuban president as well as other primary sources, secondary sources and internet media.

 

 

PART B

"Not only did we destroy a tyrannical system. We also destroyed the imperialistic bourgeois state apparatus, the bureaucracy, the police, and a mercenary army. We abolished privileges, annihilated the great landowners, threw out foreign monopolies for good, nationalized almost every industry, and collectivized the land. We are fighting now to liquidate once and for all the exploitation of man over man, and to build a completely new society, with a new class contents."

Philosophy of Dialectical Materialism

• Dialectical Materialism – the science of the general laws of motion and development of nature, human society and thought –a revolutionary philosophy, challenging capitalism in every sphere and substituting science, for dreams and prejudice.
  

Dialectical Materialism method of Implementation

• Abolition of property in land and application of all rents of land to public purposes.
  
• .A heavy progressive or graduated income tax.
  
• Abolition of all rights of inheritance
  
• Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels.
  
• Centralization of credit in the hands of the state, by means of a national bank with State capital and an exclusive monopoly.
  
• Centralization of the means of communication and transport in the hands of the State.
  
• Extension of factories and instruments of production owned by the State; the bringing into cultivation of waste-lands, and the improvement of the soil generally in accordance with a common plan.
  
• Equal liability of all to work. Establishment of industrial armies, especially for agriculture.
  

  Combination of agriculture with manufacturing industries; gradual abolition of all the distinction between town and country by a more equable distribution of the populace over the country.
  

• Free education for all children in public schools. Abolition of children's factory labor in its present form. Combination of education with industrial production.
  
• The proletariat will use its political supremacy to wrest, by degree, all capital from the bourgeoisie, to centralize all instruments of production in the hands of the State, i.e., of the proletariat organized as the ruling class; and to increase the total productive forces as rapidly as possible.
  

 

Implementation of Dialectal Materialism

• "At least in the case of our county, we have no other path. And in our opinion like in a huge majority of Latin American countries, there was no other path than through armed struggle."
  
• The Castro government is still supported by the majority of the Cuban people today
  
• In the first two years of her agrarian revolution she already has confiscated all the big estates and haciendas and nationalized the land.
  
• Of the total of more than 700,000 caballarias of cultivated land in Cuba, 290,000 caballarias are now cultivated as state farms and cooperatives, 270,000 caballarias by peasants owning less than 5 caballarias each and united in the National Association of Small Producers (ANAP), while 140,000 caballarias are operated by proprietors of farms ranging from over 5 to 30 caballarias each. (A caballaria is about 33 acres).
  
• The large rice plantations, as well as the cattle ranches, have been turned into state farms; the sugar plantations into cooperatives run by agricultural workers formerly employed by the sugar firms.
  
• About 115,000 working people immediately joined the cooperatives. Large numbers of landless workers and share-croppers have been given the smaller parcels of land enumerated above.
  
• Cuba has an extensive public healthcare system, to which all citizens enjoy equal access.
  
• Youth literacy rate (15-24years) 100 percent.
  
• During a speech, Castro asks: "Is there one, only one among you, who is hungry?" A poor hapless man raises his hands. He is immediately seized by the police and forced to drink a glass of water, then another, and yet another, until he has drunk ten altogether
  
• What is so shocking about Cuba is this: that a revolutionary movement stemming from the urban middle classes and winning the support of the peasantry, which gained power when the U.S. finally decided to dump its former puppet, Batista, proceeded once in power to follow an authentically revolutionary course. It broke up the old army and police forces and armed the workers and poor peasants, expropriated the major economic holdings of U.S. capital, broke with the representative political leaders of the Cuban liberal bourgeoisie. And all this without the existence (Not to speak of the intervention) of a revolutionary socialist party and without any autonomous action on the part of the working class!
  

  
   

  The inconsistency of all this with certain of our expectations deriving from the Theory of Permanent Revolution is only too obvious. If we rightly believe that every revolution in our time must go beyond "bourgeois-democratic" bounds in order to achieve real success, and can find full vindication for this aspect of the theory in the Cuban Revolution, we also have believed that this process can take place only under the leadership of the working class and with the guidance of a Marxist party!
  

Ideology

• When we left the University, especially in my own particular case, I had already been greatly influenced — I wouldn't say that I was a Marxist-Leninist, far from it. It is possible that I had two million petit bourgeois prejudices and a string of ideas that I'm glad not to have anymore, but fundamentally — if I did not have all those prejudices, I would not have been in the position to make a contribution to the Revolution, as I did.
  

  
   

Part C

On the 17^th of August,1960, Shane Mage, Tim Wolfforth and James Robertson submitted The Cuban Revolution and Marxist Theory to the January 1961 Plenum of the Socialist Workers Party, for the purpose of evaluating the Cuban revolution to the Soviet Revolution standards. This source was valuable to my investigation because not only does this presented a more accurate depiction of Fidel Castro's Cuba, but it assessed to what extent Cuba was Marxist. This is extremely important because during the time this document was created, Cuba claimed to be socialist. It also reveals that Fidel Castro is genuinely loved and cherished throughout the country. However, the source is limited to interpretation to Marxism by individuals raised by communist regime.

However, in 1961, Arminio Savioli interviewed Cuba's great leader, Fidel Castro for the Italian newspaper, L'Unita, Rome, No. 32 on 1 February 1961. This was for the purpose of informing the communist Italians back home of the victory and state of the communist country that took forth in America's back yard. This source is valuable because it introduces us to Castro's original thoughts on communism and he gives his take on the triumphs of his revolution. He even sheds light on the Russia's original distrust for Cuba. However, this source is limited to Fidel Castro's self-censoring, as he promotes his country and thus we did not receive any objective information on the state of Cuba.

 

 

Part D

In 1961, Fidel Castro announced to the world, that Cuba had, "destroyed the imperialistic bourgeois state apparatus..." He boasted that Cuba had once and for all "abolished privileges, annihilated the great landowners, threw out foreign monopolies for good, nationalized almost every industry, and collectivized the land."

However, one could argue that Fidel Castro's Cuba became the exact "tyrannical system" he had sought out to destroy. We could argue that it is through interviews like the one given by A. Savioli for L'Unita , that one party state propaganda is created, presenting the rest of the world with a false representation of Cuba. That Fidel Castro merely replaced the old "imperialistic bourgeois state apparatus, the bureaucracy, the police, and a mercenary army" with his own in the name of the "State"; of the people, as seen in the incident and long running joke in Modesto Aracha's book, Laughing Under Castro, where a man had been forced to drink water until he was full by police as punishment for telling Castro he was hungry. Or as seen in the lines for rations experienced by the people of Cuba.

    Yet, when it comes to fulfilling the list of principles presented by Marx and Engels, Fidel Castro has not missed a beat. Fidel Castro insured the confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels. the centralization of credit in the hands of the state, centralization of the means of communication and transport in the hands of the State, and not to mention all factories and instruments of production were also owned by the State. In fact, as stated in part B, in the first two years of revolution all the big estates and haciendas had become nationalized by the State. Fidel Castro had even committed to provide "free education for all children in public schools." As of today the people of Cuba have a literacy rate of 99.99% according to the UNICEF organization.

The only thing one could argue is that Fidel Castro's Cuba failed to complete the notion that this "revolution" would be carried out by the proletariats as they seized control of the means of production, and thus crippling the bourgeoisie. There was in fact no natural cycle as presented in Engel's law of transformation. Since, as he stated himself in the documentary, Fidel Castro, "At least in the case of our county, we have no other path. And in our opinion like in a huge majority of Latin American countries, there was no other path than through armed struggle."

Part E

To what extent did Fidel Castro's Cuba coincide with the principals of Dialectical materialism? While it did accomplish most of the outlines goals for a "workers' paradise" , to simply state that Fidel Castro's Cuba coincided with Marx and Engels' dialectical materialism, would be an understatement. For what Cuba was and what the dialectical materialism suggest are two completely different things .As stated in part B," he was greatly influenced, but would not say that he was a Marxist". And yet he was the leader "a revolutionary movement stemming from the urban middle classes and winning the support of the peasantry, broke up the old army and police forces and armed the workers and poor peasants, expropriated the major economic holdings of U.S. capital, without the existence (Not to speak of the intervention) of a revolutionary socialist party and without any autonomous action on the part of the working class!"

 

 

Part F

Works Cited

Arocha, M., 2003. Laughing Under Castro. 3rd ed. s.l.:Alexandria Library.

Castro, F., 1961. L'Unita Interview with Fidel Castro: The Nature of Cuban Socialism [Interview] (3 January 1961).

Clapp, R., N.D. An Introduction to Dialectical Materialism[Pamphlet]. s.l.:n.p.

Fidel Castro. 1967. [Film] s.l.: s.n.

Mage, W. a. R., 1960. The Cuban Revolution and Marxist Theory, New y: s.n.

Marx, K. E. M. D., 1992. The Communist Manifesto. s.l.:Oxford Universtiy Press.

Roda, A., 2012. FIdel Castro: A Last Minute Marxist, s.l.: s.n.

Taafe, P., 2005. Cuba Revisted. Socialism Today, February.

UNICEF, 2013. Cuba Statistics. [Online]
Available at: http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/cuba_statistics.html

Weisbord, A., 1962. Perspectives of the Cuban Revolution. La Parola del Popolo.

Weston, T., 2012. Basic Concepts of Dialectics. [Online]
Available at: http://marxistphilosophy.org

 

Word count: 2000

Continue

Two Worlds: A Cultural Dissonance Within Writing

My first attempt at writing in English was horrible. I had no idea what I was doing. All the strange symbols and rules only catalyzed confusion. Therefore, at the age of five I had made up my mind that English was just not for me. Eventually I would rethink that judgement, but at that point in my life all I had ever known was Spanish, and replacing it with English was something fundamentally challenging. I had just moved from Mexico to the United States, and that transition came with many different expectations. One was that I needed to write and communicate using a totally different language. The strange part was that I never really felt like I left Mexico. The tamales tasted the same and the people that lived around me looked and sounded the same. The only thing that was different was that the dominant language in my new society was English, and this was most evident at school. For when I sat down at my desk I learned in a different tongue, and more importantly that when I picked up that pencil I was no longer comfortable. I soon realized, however, that writing was to become the vehicle that drove my assimilation into this new system.

Strangely at home nothing had dramatically changed or reflected the culture shock that I was experiencing at the time. This created a big contrast in my young life, and it was almost like I was living in two distinct worlds. At home I experienced a reality rich in my own culture and dominant by my native tongue, while at school I faced a new and different culture that was personified by the difference in language. Driving down the street everything was writing in English. Most of the shows on the television were in English. However, at home everything was in Spanish. If the television was on it was probably tuned in to a Spanish speaking station. All the people I came into contact with at home spoke in Spanish. Every time we met someone the same question was asked, where are you from? The answer came in different forms like Michoacan, Jalisco, and Hidalgo, but it all meant the same thing. If I was planning to assimilate into this new country I was going to need to master the language, and my home was not the place where I would find help.

Help would come from within myself. I started to enthrall myself in my new language, and as a youthful kid this was not a difficult thing to do. I watched cartoons in English instead of my prefered Spanish, and read all the books I could get my hands on. The one thing that aided me the most, however, was writing. Something about writing called out to me. The way you could write about anything that crossed your mind captivated me as a young child. I would spend countless hours writing about random thoughts and ideas. Creating stories for my own amusement. At first most of my pieces made no grammatical sense, but as I kept writing my stories became better and better. The writing I did for recreation would later prove fruitful at school, for my understanding of the language that was at first daunting became more and more manageable.

Once I took on this new hobby of writing my grasp of the English language became infinitely better. Moreover, one of the things I enjoyed most doing in elementary school was writing short stories. I remember jumping at any chance I had to write tales about talking horses and invisible bridges that had gnomes living underneath them. Second grade was when this passion of was truly recognized and solidified by someone I considered a mentor. Mr.Yock, my second grade teacher, greatly encouraged my zeal for writing. He truly cared about my development as a student, and that left an impression on me that has lasted till this day. I recall vividly the time he was so impressed with one of my pieces that he read it out loud to the entire class. This small gesture meant the world to me at the time, and solidified my love of not only writing but of learning in general. This is when writing became more than just a hobby, but something that was crucial to my development as a student and person. After this defining experience I started to put more time in developing my writing ability.

My writing style at the beginning was unoriginal. I imitated the style and techniques of authors that I enjoyed reading. I was still not fully comfortable with the language, so mimicking writing methods utilized by proven writers made me feel more confident in my pieces. They were like a security blanket to my insecurities as a writer. For example, one author I really took a liking to is John Green the very free-flowing ambiance that his writing had was something I tried to add into my work. Moreover, his writing was very comical, and easy to read, I took this and also applied it to my own writing. For a time a lot of my writing had a comical and fun mood. This, however, did not last for as I became more affluent at English I started to move away from mimicking other authors, and trying to find my own style of writing. Parallel with this development as a writer was my assimilation into the American culture.

As I became more original as a writer I also became more of an individual within my new adopted culture in the United States. All the things that confused me and were foreign were now commonplace and familiar. Writing gave me a medium in which to reflect about my own assimilation into American society. During high school much of what I wrote dealt with social issues that I felt passionate about. I wrote about American history and its relationship with the history of Native Americans. I wrote about great American authors like F. Scott Fitzgerald and Toni Morrison. All these topics made feel closer to the culture I once felt so far apart from. These subjects revealed to me the social consciousness that permeates American society. The innuendos and ideologies that are riddled through the story of America. Through writing I was able, to a small degree, add on to the continuous tale of this country. Thus, catalyzing in me a full incorporation of the American aesthetic.

In college, my writing now faces a different challenge. All those years I spent reading and writing my way into the American culture had an adverse effect on the part of me that remains Latino. Part of my development as a writer, and person, is trying to find factors that make me an individual. Now that I have become a part of the social discussion I need to find a way to contribute something unique and add on to the communal think tank. I believe that the culture I arrived to this country with and the perspective that it provides me with is where I want to take my writing. However, just as I did with the American culture I find myself very detached from the ideas and values I use to hold. Nonetheless, just like writing was a vehicle to my understanding of American values so will it lead me to a better grasp of Latino ideas and culture.

I no longer feel the same doubt I once felt picking up the pen. Even now as I’m taking a similar journey into the Latino aesthetic I go at it with a new confidence. A new found respect for the art of writing and its ability to connect me with a language and more so with an entire culture. My development as a writer runs in parallel with the my Americanization through public education. As I became more in tune with my visions of writing I also became more connected with american culture. Now as I attempt to marry two sides of me that I saw as completely apart, I can say with full confidence that writing will play a crucial role in that process. Writing is a vehicle of understanding.

Continue

Yertle The Turtle: How Does Man Exercise Power?

Power, in whichever form that it may be in, is an entity that most human beings want to posses. This is a primitive urge, for if you have power it is more likely that you will survive in order to spread your genes. In modern time,  “power” has ceased to be so simple, and has become more of a complex apparatus. However the pursue of power is fueled by the same motives as our ancestors had. Power gives man a sense of authority that subjugates others into his control. Therefore, one can conclude that man exercise power and authority through primitive fashions, but with a rather complex goal in mind to restrict other men’s liberties, therefore increasing his power.

However, before we analyze the methods in which man flaunts his socio-political hegemony one must first realize where this power first originates from. To fully understand where a leader receives his authority one must look at cases where the people openly support the ruler or government. In these cases power is bestowed upon the leader democratically or willingly by the people making the practice of their power inconspicuous, for if you are willing to follow someone their orders do not really seem like orders at all. To exemplify take priests, who because of religion, have social power given to them through the facade of “love”. To the followers, the priest can do no wrong, and their commands only serve to benefit them. This is a dangerous type of power because it encourages a type of blind obedience. This can be seen in the Milgram experiment where test subjects demonstrated a complete obedience similar to the obedience seen in religious followers. However the key thing to note here is that this extreme obedience does not only stop at the extremely religious, but to common people as well. Good people can be pushed to do callous and severe actions by a powerful authority figure; everyday responsible men can be seduced by the trappings of authority. In order for any ruler to establish his power he will need a group of these complete followers the rest of the people can be subdued through conformity and force. From here one might be able to see the whole picture: conformity, obedience, and force all have to do with one thing, the people. Power comes from how much control one can exert over the general public.

In the short story “Yertle the Turtle” by Dr. Seuss, one can see this primal need for power unfold. King Yertle realizes that he is not content with the extent of his power. Power in this book is associated with how much Yertle could see, thus the only logical way to increase his power is to achieve greater altitude. Hence, Yertle decides to use his subjects, the other turtles to build a higher throne. This can be taken as a perfect analogy to the ideas expressed in the preceding paragraph. That the thrones of kings are made from the people they rule. This is most highlighted by the introduction of Mack, the last turtle in the pile, who Yertle is especially cruel to. This lack of compassion can be seen as a way in which ruler show their dominance. Yertle yells out his commands in a rough,brute, and intimidating fashion. This could be interpreted as a leader that uses force to gain control over the people.   

Force and physical intimidation are all very primitive ways to exercise power and this is seen in human beings. This is especially true when one looks at a more minute social aspect of human interaction. In ape society, a males main tool to secure a dominance status is aggression. This is applicable to how human males exert their power as well. I do submit that the methods in which humans are aggressive has evolved alongside us over the years. However the principle idea remains intact, humans, especially males, are aggressive to show of their power.

Furthermore, this use of aggression to demonstrate power does not stop at the physical, but extends to the practices of a more tactical approach. Take for example the secret police forces in totalitarian states that turned neighbor against neighbor, and subjugated nations to a ubiquitous surveillance of the people themselves. This can be seen in Nazi Germany with the Gestapos, in which people were telling on other people even if their suspicions were false or done to simply cause mayhem to their fellow person. Moreover, taking a more international approach to the use a force, one can observe militarization through nationalism as a way to demonstrate power to other countries through the use of the military. The military in this sense is a country’s muscles, and militarization is flexing these muscles. Nationalism is the vehicle that allows it to happen, the catalyst in other terms.

My final point will be that man exercises power by limiting other people’s liberty. I state this because the one instrument that can manipulate freedom in such a way is power. For this I point to Stalin’s russia, in which Stalin, due to his power, was able to ignore or strip away his people’s freedoms to enhance his ambitions for Russia. For example the economic policies Stalin implemented were brutal to the liberties of the peasants. One such policy was collectivization where Stalin imprisoned, deported, and even executed anyone who opposed him. Now in these circumstances we can see how power is clearly demonstrated through the oppression of the less-powerful. Every man desires to preserve his own liberty, and only true excessive power can take it away from him. Lastly, the more of liberties man can take away the more powerful he becomes.

Works Cited:

• Milgram, Stanley; Some Conditions of Obedience and Disobedience to Authority.
• Suess, Dr. Yertle the Turtle. New York, Random House. 1958
• Muller, Martin, Mitani, John. Conflict and Cooperation in Wild Chimpanzees.
• Russell, Bertrand. A History of Western Philosophy; 1945. New York

Continue

Origami Tales

My current boyfriend is really sweet and gave me this as a present. The origami is really neat and pretty and after I was done admiring it, I remembered how terrible I am at origami. And how terrible I am at...any 3D art in general! Ever since I was young I never grasped the art of making pretty stuff out of paper or cardboard or anything that involved gluing and cutting and folding. Ohhhh my god, it was so bad. It was so bad to the point that my parents actually felt bad that I was trying but could not do it to save my life. They ended up doing all of my projects that involved models up till about I graduated high school. And even then they would help me out with the projects. A good portion was my parents doing it and it ended up looking obviously done by them. What 5th grader could actually construct an Eiffel tower out of cut wire and hot glue. Not this 5th grader. This 5th grader cried because even though she tried, she couldn't do it. Which sucks because that is life. That's life when instead of trying to learn from your mistakes, you keep repeating them. Recently, I went through probably the hardest class I have ever taken in my life so far. An intro to oil painting class. It was terrible. Actually, no, it was a lot of fun. I loved it. BUT, even so, I spent hours upon hours finishing up paintings to get an A and fall short and up with a B.

See the thing about this artsy stuff is that no one really cares. Haha. That's not true but to an extent there is a level of "it doesn't matter because when are you actually going to need these skills". People will ask you why it matters to you so much that you can't paint a bottle. And I guess you don't really notice that it bothers you until you're in a classroom at 3 am trying to figure it out because you're probably the slowest learner in the class. And you come up to the next class session and realize that everyone put twice the effort you did and got a better looking bottle. I mean, obviously. This time no one was helping you out in an area you struggle with the most. No one to hold your hand and guide you through what you have to do. "It's just a painting and you're not even a painting major!" Even so, my friends, even so. I will not lie and say it doesn't bother me that I can't do something right. It's frustrating when your whole life you kinda just spent it gliding by the easiest academic system known to man to finally deal with a struggle. It's a problem when you don't have enough motivation or dedication to working a hard day. Or maybe even that's not the problem. It's not finding the motivation to work on something you supposedly have dedicated your whole life to. Is passion a consistent thing as much as people play it up to be? Or is it a dedication of working on something although you hate it and looking back and then appreciating it? Is passion everything everyone makes it up to be? Then compared to a different problem of actually working to survive and thrive and keep your family safe. I wonder how far this spoiled thinking has rooted itself into my peers and I. My number one thought is that I'll prove myself when the moment is critical. But if I live like that, I'll never be prepared for that moment.

I'm torn between "Don't be too lazy or you'll regret it" and "Life is too short for you to work yourself to the bone". If you love something, work at it. But, also, work at it on your own pace. Sometimes I think people want to be a success at the age 22 when, let's be real, you'll probably be scratching the surface of your career. I don't wanna end this story on a sad note when it started off so cutesy so let's take a good look at more artsy stuff.

I guess, even if it takes a long time, that's okay. DaVinci would bite of more than he can chew but at least he was ambitious. Keep that in mind my friends. Have a beautiful day ♥

Continue

An Appropriation of Culture

Here's a neat little essay on Etruscan and Greek Pottery that I did for Art History. Maybe someone will enjoy it out there

Krater of Antaeus by Euphronios. Athens, c. 515–510 BC
Clay

            Due to most of the Etruscan cities being in ruins, not much is known about the 

mysterious Etruscans. Most of our information gathered on the Etruscans came from looking 

inside their tombs until very recently when other “non-funerary contexts” arose (Izzet 2008). The 

Etruscans were also not a unified state, but spoke a similar language and was connected 

culturally. This strong connection would enable those in Etruria to be able to get together and 

spread this cultural influence all the way to Pompeii and to Greek cities. With this strong 

connection and evenly distributed wealth, the Etruscans were able to trade with their neighbors 

more frequently (Camporeale 2005). And one of their favorite things to trade for were Greek 

vases. The fact that this piece of pottery and many others were found in Etruscan tombs instead 

of Greece itself it shows that there was a strong interest in Greek pottery held by the Etruscans. 

But this interest would go way beyond that of admiration. The religion and way of life depicted 

in Greek pottery in Greece was created for a show of wealth and ideas deeply rooted in their 

society, while the Etruscans would appropriate the vases into their daily lives.

Side 1

Side 2

            The “Krater of Antaeus” is a very well-known piece of Athenian pottery created by 

Euphronios. This red-figure calyx-krater portrays a scene of two men on the floor fighting each 

other, their heads interlocked, their bodies in movement and stress, and their faces starting to 

show some distress. The women in the background take notice of the men and put their hands up 

in shock as the gesture moving away, their clothes swaying as the begin to move. To the right, 

we see a slain animal. On the other side, the audience can see men in flowing drapery sitting 

down with their musical instruments, watching their companion take the stage. Their actions and 

faces showing a much calmer state.

Athenian Black-figure Olpe attributed to Amasis 540-530 B.C.

            One of the most noticeable characteristics that jumps out to the audience at first glance 

about this calyx krater by Euphronios is the very famous style that’s brought out by red-figure 

pottery. This technique and style would most commonly be associated with the Archaic Greece 

potters and was introduced around 530 BC after their experimentation with black-figure pottery. 

Comparing this piece of Athenian pottery to the black-figure olpe attributed to Amasis in c. 540 

BC, there is a great experimentation with naturalism in both anatomy, movement, and fabrics 

presented in the calyx krater by Euphronios. However, one thing remains consistent in both 

pieces of pottery, they both depict what seems to be daily life of the Athenians. In the calyx-

krater, a scene of young men in a music competition is being shown, while in the olpe the scene 

is that of two banqueters relaxing on a couch while young men and women entertain them. But 

these “daily life” scenes are not the daily lives of all Greeks but are very clearly aristocratic 

scenes being portrayed by the Greeks. There is a “social exclusiveness” in what they depicted in 

the vases, not every Athenian had the wealth to partake in these symposiums and music 

competitions (Snodgrass 1981). Due to the Etruscans not being able to fully understand the 

original meaning of Greek artwork, the vases are put out of context and can be given new 

purposes and meanings (Spivey 1991). They began to adopt these Greek Elite customs and began 

holding their own symposiums and using these exact vases to mix and drink wines from 

            Looking at this calyx krater by Euphronios, the women on the vase are made smaller than 

the men in order to put more emphasis on the men. The fact that there are no women partaking in 

the music competition gives the viewer a glimpse into Athenian ideals. Greece was the best place 

for men to live in for they were wealthy and they all had equal say, but women were not given 

the same luxuries as men. An example of this is in the olpe, where women were treated more as 

entertainers than equals. The artwork depicted in the Etruscan tombs are known for showing 

scenes of luxury and relaxation including both men and women. Women had more power in 

these societies and this concept was not taken from the Greeks (Camporeale 2005). This shows 

that although the Etruscans allowed themselves to be influenced by Greek artwork, they only 

took what they wanted instead of fully participating in Greek customs and ideals.

            A common focus in Athenian pottery would be on Greek mythology. These scenes of 

Hercules wrestling Antaeus were not actually narratives but were instead used to evoke the 

viewer into remembering the facts of specific events. These scenes show the mental part of 

Greek culture rather than things that happened in their lives (Isler-kerenyi 2006). Etruscan 

religious artwork would depict some gods that were shared by the Greeks but would add their 

own twists. The Greeks understood that this artwork was in high demand but would not change 

their subject matter regardless (Spivey 1991). This is possibly due to the fact that the Etruscans 

were buying into the Greek mythology, that they did not have to change much of what was being 

            In conclusion, the Etruscans were able to pick and choose what part of Greek ideals they 

would like to bring into their lives. They took a few religious beliefs and events from the Greeks 

without always fully understanding the context. However, they did not fully conform into the 

ideas of the Greeks and this is apparent in their treatment of women and the act of placing these 

vases into their tombs. If most of these conclusions are based on funerary contexts, perhaps we 

would be able to understand whether the vase played a more important part in the afterlife than 

in the lives of the living if we held more information on the tomb it was found in.

In the end, I'm pretty sure I did not do well in this class. ♥

Sources

Bonfante, Larissa. 1986. “Etruscan Life and Afterlife: A Handbook of Etruscan Studies.” 

Michigan: Wayne State University Press: 72

Camporeale, Giovannangelo. 2005. “The Etruscans outside Etruria.” California: J. Paul 

Getty Museum: 18-23, 48, 87, and 256. 

Isler-kerenyi, Cornelia. 2006. “Dionysos in Archaic Greece: An Understanding through 

Images”, translated by Wilson, Wilfred G. E. Brill Academic Pub: 3

Izzet, Vedia. 2008. “The Archaeology of Etruscan Society.” Cambridge: Cambridge 

Snodgrass, Anthony M. 1981. “Archaic Greece: The Age of Experiment.” California: 

University of California Press: 193 

Spivey, Nigel. 1991. “Greek Vases in Etruria.” In Looking at Greek Vases, edited by

Tom Rasmussen and Nigel Spivey, 131-50. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press: 143, 144

Continue

Getting Dumped 9 Hours Before Your Labs Are Due:How I Spent My Frst Week of Senior Year

Ah senior year, cherished by so many ,as the final victory of lap of four years of awful institutional indoctrination; the first week should be the  delightful bridge between the summer time madness and the vast adventure laying ahead.That was not the case.---The clock reads 1:30 am, I have officially missed the deadline for my IB Biology lab. After carefully breaking up such a daunting task through out the week I should have finished this assignment by 8 o'clock pm . However like most things in life, it never goes according to plan. Yesterday, it was precisely 3:15 when the terrible news had knocked the wind out of my poor sleep deprived self. After spending the first  week of school  strategically avoiding the so called "talk". My long term boyfriend had ended our two year relationship. I will not go into details on what exactly was said, but it was enough to leave me an emotional wreck in between the lecture hall and the office. Only to be removed by my 15 year old brother,as he escorted my distraught self into our mother's vehicle.

I would spend the next five hours crying  my eyes out, as I attempted, without much success, in finishing my lab. I was not able to  eat, I was not able sleep, all I was apparently capable to do was cry without end. I could not help but notice , that I spent my  underclassmen years looking down on those who would allow something as "superfluous" as a boyfriend, to impede them from turning in an assignment in on time. I find it ironic that I am finally found myself on the other side of the fence. I have spent the last 10 and a half hours going through the five stages of grief, trying to make out how exactly those who go through this during their "finals" week survive this emotional down pour. I've come to the conclusion that those who manage to pull through are nothing short of genius.

My firsts week should have been the start of a great adventure, not an emotional avalanche waiting to crush me at the end of the week. Sadly, there's nothing that can be done to mend the situation, however that does not mean senior year won't get better, in fact, it is because of this that my future looks bright. You know what they say, once you're at rock bottom the only way to go, is up. So now after watching  at least 3 YouTube videos, and at least ten hours of breakup music I'm finally ok. I have been given the chance to really work on the yearbook, to prepare for mock trial and win medals for academic decathlon. So senior year bring it on I spent 13 years of my life without him, I can most certainly get though the next couple of months. I'm the brightest star in the solar system , you know SOLis.

 

I probably should get back to that lab.

Continue