The American Dream

One of the classes I am taking at San Jose State this semester is totally based off the concept of the American Dream. Ever since I can remember my parents have told me about the American Dream. They used to tell me that, in America, anyone can make something of themselves, regardless of the circumstances they are brought up in. In class today I was thinking about his topic, and if it is still readily accessible in today's society. Are people able to class jump the way that the American Dream claims they should be able to? If I had to think about it, I would say that the American Dream is very obtainable in today's society. There are so many opportunities accessible to the people of this country that many people would fight for. Not too many other countries see people hopping the border at such a pace the way we do. Almost all of the people that try to sneak into this country are attempting to obtain the great opportunities that we promise. One of the greatest examples of the American Dream is our president, Barack Obama. Here is a man that was raised by a single mother, with no advantages in life, and worked his way up to the highest office in the land. President Obama is the greatest example of how hard work, and determination can go a long way in giving someone a leg up in this world. People try to be pessimistic about the status of the economy in this country, and that people are oppressed in so many ways. This pessimism only hurts the people that spew it, and this country will always be a beacon of light that offers the American Dream.

Vocab Words

Apropos- fitting; at the right time

Hackneyed- made commonplace or trite; stale; banal

Politics in America Today

Personally, I believe being a Political Science major has made me more aware of the day-to-day interactions of what goes on between bureaucrats in Washington. Every time I watch what goes on between politicians I feel that I gain a greater understanding of how the system works. However, I become more and more frustrated every time I watch because these people are just so ignorant to what the people of this country truly want. Politicians on both sides of the aisle have such inflated egos that they have become completely out of touch to the wants and needs of the average American citizen. I definitely consider myself an average American citizen, and I want to map out what politicians need to do to attract voters. First of all, the partisan attacks by both sides need to stop. It is not respectable at all to see Republican Congressman Joe Wilson yell at President Obama "You Lie!", or to see ex-President Jimmy Carter criticize Republicans of being racists because they attack Obama's policies. We live in a civil society, and those displays of stupidity are not civil at all. Secondly, it is not acceptable to lie to constituents to get elected, or policy passed. Time, and time again we see people running for office make promises to the American people, and we are completely shocked when they don't come through. Finally, most Americans are have moderate views, and policy should represent that. I recall that John Stuart Mill once wrote that the best solutions come when two extremes come together, and meet in the middle. Did any of today's politicians ever read Mill? My guess is no. There are many more flaws to the system, but these are the main three I see. I don't expect any politicians to take advice from a twenty-year old who hasn't done anything in life, but I do expect them to reacquaint who voted them into office.

Vocab Words

Recidivist- repeated or habitual relapse.

Calumny-a false and malicious statement designed to injure the reputation of someone or something.

Kanye West is an Idiot!!

If you've been living under a rock for the past three days, then you probably did not see Kanye West's tirade at the MTV Video Music Awards. Out of all the stupid things this guy has said and done, I personally believe this one takes the cake. After nice, sweet nineteen-year old Taylor Swift received her award for Best Female Pop Video, Kanye West hopped on stage and decided to make an ass out of himself. Furious that little Taylor Swift won the award, Kanye took the microphone from here and said that Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time, and deserved the award. Dude, what the hell were you thinking? Scratch that, this is not the only time you have something idiotic on national television that has created controversy. After Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, and the U.S. government failed to react appropriately, Kanye said, "George Bush doesn't care about black people." Once again dude what the hell were you thinking? I do not care at all how you feel about the president's policies, but just because he is a affluent white man from Texas does not make him a racist. You blamed that hiccup on what you called "baby tourettes," and now you are blaming the fact that you humiliated a teenager in front of the whole world on the fact that you were drunk. Kanye let me put this politely, you are an arrogant pre-madonna who cares about no one but yourself. If your mother were still alive let's hope that she would chastise you, and never let you forget what you have done. Kanye, you are lucky that Beyonce Knowles is such a class act and shared the stage with Taylor Swift when she won Video of the Year. It is time for people to demand that Kanye West grow up a little bit, and stop making these types of mistakes.

Vocab Words

-adage- saying that sets forth a general truth and that has gained credit through long use.

-debase- to reduce in quality or value.

President Obama's Education Speech

Yesterday, President Barack Obama addressed the nation's youth by giving a speech on the importance of education. By streaming his speech to almost every classroom across the nation, the President hoped to instill the importance of education to the future leaders of the United States. Before President Obama even leaked the contents of his speech to the media, people were assuming that this speech had "socialist" ideas. Why not give the guy a chance before judging what he is going to say? Just because he is a liberal does not make everything he says have a hidden agenda. Did his words have some special message that was to brainwash America's youth? No. That type of assumption is absolutely absurd. I was completely unaware that liberal also meant brain washer. I guess I am out of the loop. Now, in all seriousness, my estimation is that the speech was very inspirational, and it is important that students listen intently to what he said. One of the most important messages that I saw was how the President told students to take their education by the horns, and to control their own destiny. In one instance the President said, "You make your own future." That sentiment does not hold more true in today's society where the demand for skilled workers is at all time high with a struggling economy. President Obama is the poster boy for someone who took his education in his own hands and directed his destiny. He is the best example for the possibilities in America, and he says all this can come with some hard work and focus. The controversy over this speech was ridiculous, and the message was an extremely important one that the students of America should pay attention to, and take to heart.

Vocab Words

-Panegyric- a lofty oration or writing in praise of a person or thing; eulogy.

-Effrontery- shameless or impudent boldness.

Dreaded Job Interview

Here we go with the second of about fifteen blogs I will be writing for my 100W class at SJSU, and I have just the right topic in mind for it. Tomorrow afternoon I will have a wonderful time experiencing one of the more dreaded things in life- The Job Interview. Every single time I go on a job interview I don't think it can get worse, but it never fails to disappoint. Before I get into the whole process sitting down with a complete stranger and talking about something I usually have no idea about, I want to address how to prepare for a job interview. Do you do research about the place you are interviewing at so you can have a little bit of small talk? How are you supposed to dress? Casual or Professional? If there are multiple people interviewing, do you dress to stand out, or to blend in? Is it serious enough of an interview to do a complete resume? The whole process is just so infuriating because there are a ton of different variables that go into the whole situation. Now let me get to the whole interview process itself. When you sit down with the interviewer, it is always so awkward to try and impress a person you don't even know based when, in this economy, getting a job is almost impossible. Another thing I always think about when I am there is if my latent psychic abilities will kick in and I will be able to read the interviewers mind. I always want to know what they are thinking, and if there is even the slightest chance I will be working there in the foreseeable future. Man, job interviews wrack my mind ridiculously, and make me question myself in whole new ways that I never thought possible. Thankfully, my job interview tomorrow if for a bartending position that I am almost guranteed to get. Maybe I won't have to think about all those things that I just addressed, but I probably will anyway.


Vocab Words (Week 2)

-neophyte- a beginner or novice.

-coalesce- to grow together or into one body.