CafEd

Based on the Ed Café we did in class, it's surprising the true amount of items that one can research about World War II. There are so many elements from all over the world, it's surprising to think that anyone can really call themselves an expert or claim that they have studied all of it. It was, truly, a world war, with people living on the southernmost tip of South America still inadvertently contributing to the war effort. Between the topics discussed, such as the Aleutian Island Campaign, the role of women on the home front, or my personal favorite topic: the Manhattan Project, it surprises me that we barely even began to scratch the surface of the war effort. The Manhattan Project, a massive campaign of innovation and engineering, had hundreds of thousands of people working on it, and took place in over 30 locations across the United States and Canada, while using research from the British Tube Alloys program. All of this, however, only amounts to a mere fraction of what was even discussed, not to mention all that is there to discuss in the first place. It really puts into perspective the true scale of the World War.

Prop-O-Ganda

Propaganda. It has permeated the society of wartime nations for centuries, and has provided a useful role in the morale of troops and citizens alike during difficult times. There is both positive and negative propaganda, and it has had a huge effect, especially in the 20th century onward. World War II has some of the most well-known and widespread propaganda. The Keep Calm and Carry On poster, shown below, was made by the British government at the beginning of World War II. It's a very well known quote and image, and is prevalent in popular culture today, namely due to its popularity among graphic designers.

The iconic Keep Calm and Carry On image promotes nationalism and attempts to quell the fear that is rising in its citizens. This is part of a whole category of propaganda, which encourages its citizens to pitch in however they can, and to support their troops. They instill feelings of pride and nationalism, and try to create a stronger, more united nation. Not all propaganda is about nationalism, however. There are other kinds of propaganda that paint the "enemy" in an evil light and try to instill anger and contempt in the citizens of one's own nation, spurring them to support the war effort. These kinda of propaganda would depict the enemy as pigs or animals or even demons, or simply state the horrible things they have done to try and push people towards a stronger opposition. A derivative of this kind, there is a third type of wartime propaganda, which attempts to instill fear in the citizens, and tries to guilt them into supporting the war effort. These have images reminding them to be more conservative in their use of food and resources, or telling them that if they do not help our troops, they are supporting the enemy.

However, these can raise the question of just how morally just is propaganda? To what extent can a government go with it before they've gone too far? Is it just in peacetime as well or only during war? Oftentimes propaganda is seen as a bad thing, and is considered to be manipulative and deceitful, even. Governments spread messages and tell their people what to do and even what to think. They ostracize those that don't follow what they say, and some societies can even reject them altogether for disagreeing with it. A common trope of a dystopian society is widespread and invasive propaganda.

George Orwell's 1984 proves the effect that widespread propaganda can have. Many dictators and fascist governments use constant propaganda to keep people in line or promote their own public image. How can we, then, as a supposed "free nation" use the very same methods to condemn others for doing it?

Greatest Depression?

The Great Depression, as we all know, was a tragic incident that greatly affected all of America's, as well as the world's economy. It was a simple chain reaction from one man to another, going across the stock market and eventually resulting in a huge crash of the country's economy. This raises the question, however, could it happen again? The short answer is yes, it could. The very same events or similar ones could happen, resulting in a very plausible Greater Depression. A different series of events could transpire, with the same outcome. While both of these situations are very possible, it seems rather unlikely. We, as humans, and as a society, learn from our mistakes. New infrastructure is set in place to prevent another crash from happening. We know more about the economy and how it works. We know what caused the Great Depression and how it can be prevented, just like we know what resolved it. We know what worked and what didn't, and in the event that another crash like it happens, we are prepared and know what to do. We are currently in an economic recession, and not a small one either, but the likelihood of it eventually becoming one on the same scale as the Great Depression is very low. The reason the Great Depression reached the point that it did and had the effect that it did is because we as a nation did not see it coming, and had absolutely no idea how to handle it or what to do. Equipped with this knowledge, we have grown and are more prepared for similar situations in the future. 

Amaerican Draeme - Revisited

In my previous post, I talked about the American Dream. In my opinion, the American dream is equal opportunity for all, to achieve and accomplish their goals. Anyone, regardless of age, class, race, immigration status, or gender can achieve their goals. Everyone has a chance to expand, grow out, go from rags to riches. The thing to note, however, is that not everyone can do this. If everyone were able to do it, society would fall apart. That does not change what I've written in the past, it expands upon it. The American Dream may not be equal success, but it certainly is equal opportunity.

Amærican Dræme

What is the American dream? In my opinion, the American dream is equal opportunity. The American dream is giving everyone a chance to succeed. Anyone can become a success story. Anyone can go from rags to riches, if they try. The American dream is that anyone can come from all over to get a new start, to live a different life. Anyone can change who they were, and can achieve great things. That, in my opinion, is the American dream. Equal opportunity for all, regardless of where they come from.

Fresh Princes of Celt Air

Druidism was commonly practiced throughout Celtic Europe and Galatia up until the 3rd Century AD. Druids were very important members of Celtic society, ranking as high priests and soothsayers. they were often counsels for the village leaders, or were elders and made executive decisions in a community. Very little is known about the druids, as they left few writings, only accounts from the Greek, Roman and local authors remain. Druids believed greatly in the healing power of nature. They gathered herbs and made potions and remedies, believing that they would heal or grant special abilities. They worshiped the nature gods and sacrificed animals according to the moon. They believed in reincarnation, and often held secretive, cult-like practices. The Romans attempted to suppress the druidic beliefs, as did christians when christianity spread into Gaul and Celtic lands. They believed that through practice and belief, mystical powers could be used, such as transmutation, teleportation, healing, fertility, strength and communication with the afterlife. They served as judges often, and observed the stars. Once a year they would all gather together in a very secretive ritual. The sources that we have on druids however, are few and far between, and their credibility has been greatly questioned and criticized. All in all, druids are a very mysterious and oft-forgotten sect.

Chairnobyl