|
dunkin_sherman
|
read my profile
sign my guestbook
Name: Dunkin
Birthday: 8/16/1987
Gender: Male
Interests: Music. History. Apologetics.
Expertise: Radio DJ, live sound mixing, slideshow presentation programs (PowerPoint, MediaShout), music-related advice, the life of General William Tecumseh Sherman, and a working knowledge of Spanish.
Up Next: Banjo
Occupation: Student
Industry: Engineering
Message: message me
Member Since:
10/5/2005
|
|
| Hello all. Things are going well. I have been living in my new apartment in Chicago for almost a month now (with my three roommmates). I finished my second semester at Columbia (with nothing under a B!) and I am taking summer classes starting today. That's 'bout it. Hopefully I will update this more often, but I always say that.
| | |
|
A major theme I
saw in Sophocles’ play Antigone was
the conflict between the rights of the ruler and the rights of the people he
rules. It is seen through the action of
the play that Creon’s choice to punish Antigone for burying her brother is very
unpopular with the Thebans. Creon does
not notice it because the Thebans live in fear of his retribution, but both
Antigone and Haemon mention that the vast majority of Thebes
is against him (in line 730 Haemon declares that all of Thebes denies that Antigone is a criminal).
This
does not matter to Creon. In lines
655-678, he details why he cannot allow Antigone’s crime to go unpunished. The most blatant declaration of Creon’s
philosophy is found in lines 666-667: “But when the city takes a leader, you
must obey, whether his commands are trivial, or right, or wrong.” Creon, having full rights as leader of Thebes according to Theban
law, believes that his will must be followed for the good of the city;
otherwise the entire government will fall into anarchy. Anyone who acts against his will is in
rebellion and whether they are right or wrong in their actions is irrelevant. If he sways by every whim of the people, then
he has failed to properly serve his people as leader.
Antigone
holds the differing view that the will of the gods is beyond any human
law. Antigone believes that it is much
nobler to follow the laws of the gods than the laws of her mortal authority. This can be translated into the idea of civil
disobedience: doing what one believes to be right even if it is against the
law.
Both
Creon and Antigone seem to want what it best for Thebes, but both cannot have their own
way. If Creon gave in to Antigone, he
could be seen as a weak leader and even open up room for others to openly defy
him. Yet when Creon punishes Antigone, he is seen as a tyrant and a dictator
who has neither mercy nor sense of right and wrong. Therefore, Antigone shows how difficult it is to rule with both respect and
benevolence, and how at times one must be sacrificed for the other.
| | |
| So today it snowed. A lot.
Since it was snowing so much, I thought it therefore prudent to wear boots to school. That way I would not have to worry about stepping in snow drifts or puddles when walking through Chicago. So, I took my train to Chicago and then went to the lower level of the station to get some lunch. As I was walking with my boots, I noticed something: goose stepping is way more comfortable with boots than regular walking. At that moment, it all made sense to me. The fascists aren't just avid Monty Python imitators; they walk like that because it is more comfortable! Fascism gained an entirely new appeal at that moment.
So I was now enjoying myself and goose stepping across the food court, when I saw a lady with a faint mark on her forehead. Immediately I thought, "Oh crap! It's a jaffa!" So, I shot her with my Zat'nik'tel and ran away screaming "You snake heads will never take me alive!!" Actually that last sentence was a lie and she was just a Catholic and today is Ash Wednesday.
Then it turned out my class was cancelled, so I went back home. Then it turned out my class wasn't actually cancelled. So that is why I hate commuting.
| | |
| Political philosophy class today. So, not only am I the most conservative in the class, I am THE conservative in the class. We had a little round-the-table intro, and practically every response (except mine) fit in one of these two models:
1. I grew up in a very conservative family (or town), but in high school I (insert "life-changing realization" here) so now I am a liberal.
2. Where I grew up, no one talked about politics so now:
a. ...I am a liberal
b. ...I just stay out of other people's business.
Not to mention a consensus or two of general disgust towards southerners or southern ideals. Reminder: I prominently display a confederate flag in my room. This should be very very fun.
| | |
| First day of class. What did I learn today?
1. Gyro is an anagram for orgy,
2. Newton and the Net Forces would be a cool band name.
| | |
|
