A trip down memory lane that includes my time in High School Journalism class/club as well as some essays I wrote throughout college. These are unedited (outside of typos & grammar) and really just showcase the ones I still enjoy.
Nicholas J. De Moss
Mrs. *Redacted* (Great high school Teacher/Mentor)
English 2
3/25/14
Merchant of Venice Analysis
Shylock The Anti Hero
Shylock cannot really be described as simply good or bad. The term that suits Shylock best is morally grey. Every action Shylock took was justifiable until he chose revenge over what he was owed and treatment. From the beginning Shylock has been portrayed as the villain or fiend. One would not believe the court ruled fairly and I think he was wronged. Shylock was a victim of christian tyranny.
As a Jew Shylock suffered much intolerance and abuse. Shylock wasn’t born full of malice, he developed it over time. Antonio was the worst for example “Signor Antonio/You call me misbeliever, cutthroat dog, And spit on my Jewish gaberdine” (1.3.6) Antonio tortured the man simply because of his heritage. Shylock was Jewish and practiced usury, which Antonio frowned upon, but how else was he supposed to survive? When Antonio was confronted on his abuse he gave no explanation, he simply said “I’ll probably call you those names again and spit on you, and reject you again too.” (1.3.6). There is no reason or cause for it, so it must be just how things were. His reply makes it sound like his actions are virtuous. Since everyone does it that means it’s okay.
Shylock was treated worse than nothing. He was constantly shunned, hated, abused, embarrassed, wronged and mocked. Jessica was merely the straw that broke the camel’s back. When she abandoned him, she stole from him and disowned him as well as her religion. Honestly, it’s no wonder he snapped, but can anyone really judge this man’s actions? What would one do if they were treated this bad and your only relative stole all your valuables? After that the bond for Antonio’s flesh was all he really had. Revenge was the only thing this man had left.
Although some of Shylock’s actions seem reprehensible, the punishment was extreme to say the least, so neither Shylock’s nor the judge’s choices were defensible. When Portia found that loophole to save Antonio’s life that was reasonable, and so was when she denied Shylock three times the amount. “Why doth the Jew pause? Take thy forfeiture.” (4.1.14) When she denied Shylock the amount Antonio owed that was unreasonable despite what Shylock intended to do, they basically stole from him. If Shylock was a Christian they would have certainly treated him very differently. In addition to not getting his loan, they also forced him into practically giving away his possessions. Not receiving his ducats had to be immensely challenging, since most of his valuables were stolen and he was in his own personal economic crisis. Shylock in a way is a truly interesting man considering all the suffering he has gone through. Suffering both financially and emotionally. As I mentioned before, Shylock is a victim of a Christian society.
Nicholas J. De Moss
Mrs. *Redacted* (This teacher mocked me in front of the class completely unprovoked. The only teacher I openly dislike.)
Ap English Language and Composition
18 November 2015
Thailand’s Façade of Free Press
A participatory democracy is the individual participation of citizens in politics within a democracy and is usually without elected representatives. Free press is the freedom of communication and expression through either published or electronic outlets. Freedom of press exists because it is an essential part of democracy and for journalists to use it in order to inform the public of global events. When freedom of press does not exist in a certain country it is usually because it allows governments to hold the majority of a country’s power without informing the public. Thailand may claim to be a participatory democracy, but according to Freedom House Thailand is ranked 134 out of 199 nations in free press. As long as there is no free press there cannot be a democracy, therefore Thailand is neither a participatory democracy nor a democracy in general.
When researching the words Thailand and free press in the news typically one would find that various articles about the Thai junta appear. The majority of articles about the press in Thailand show the junta oppressing Thai journalists every opportunity that they can get. Junta is a spanish term for an administrative council, but another definition would be a military group that has taken over a country by using force. Gen. Prayut seized power over Thailand approximately a year ago, then he gave himself the position of prime minister. Thailand was denied a fair election for prime minister to which the army chief-turned-prime minister replied to reporters “Why is there all this fuss about elections?” Showing the generals as well as the juntas truly blatant disregard of democracy as a principle and political process.
Thailand’s junta has imprisoned a senior newspaper reporter simply because he and many others decided to criticize their government. Thepchai, the editor and chief of English-language Nation said “There is no justification whatsoever, … We see this as a direct threat to press freedom.” The fact that not only are journalists not allowed to question their own government, but get detained and unjust treatment for it truly shows the flaws in Thailand’s so-called democracy.
Work Cited
“Thailand.” – Committee to Protect Journalists. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Oct. 2015.
“Thai Free Press Needs Your Help!” / Media Activism & Theory / Root. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Oct. 2015.
Kubiske, Dan. “Thailand: Where Exporting Free Press Is An Issue.”Journalism and the World RSS. N.p., 22 Sept. 2015. Web. 02 Oct. 2015.
“Thailand’s Military Junta Forces Cancellation of Press Freedom Conference.” 29 Jan. 2015. Web. 18 Aug. 2015.
“Thailand.” Participatory Local Democracy. N.p., 29 Jan. 2014. Web. 17 Aug. 2015
“Thailand Press Associations.” Thailand Press Associations. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Oct. 2015.
“Thailand.” Thailand. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2015.
“Freedom House Condemns Coup in Thailand.” Freedom House Condemns Coup in Thailand. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2015.
Reporters Without Borders For Freedom of Information. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2015.
“Press Freedom Watchdog Slams Thai Junta’s Media ‘Blitzkrieg’ in Report.”BenarNews. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.
“Thai Junta ‘invites’ Then Detains Journalist.” N.p., 14 Sept. 2015. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.
“Junta Urged to Drop Case on Reporters.” CNN. Cable News Network, n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.
Article #4 (Est. 2015)
Cold Showers Offer Unexpected Health Benefits
Nicholas J. De Moss
News Editor
Many people prefer hot showers and often shiver at the thought of taking a cold one, but several studies advocate the healthful benefits of cold showers.
Cold showers have been known to increase virility and close pores.
In addition, they relieve depression by overloading the peripheral nerve endings with electrical impulses sent to the brain. Along with a boost in mood, cold showers are known to wake individuals up by increasing the heart rate.
In addition to the emotional health boost, one can potentially lose weight by taking showers of lower temperatures,
Supposedly, brown fat is activated and can possibly increase up to 15 times its average quantity.
Brown fats are adipose tissue that are responsible for increasing heat in the body and getting rid of other harmful fats that surround vital organs.
An increase in testosterone production also correlates with the brown fat stimulation, which can lead to a much healthier body.
Colder temperatures greatly aid the body during the healing process. Athletes sometimes participate in cold showers just to recover after their workouts.
Because of its physical and mental benefits, winter swimmers are notorious for taking cold showers. They are known for strengthening physical and emotional willpower, which has the potential to increase antioxidative stability.
Colder temperatures can greatly aid the healing process. Cryotherapy is a popular therapy among orthopedic treatments.
For example, professional basketball player Lebron James once took an ice bath when he was injured. “[It was]one of the most difficult things I’ve ever had to do,” said James.
Many websites challenge people to do the 30-day cold shower challenge, which allows others to test their boundaries and explore the changes to both their mind and body.
As Lifehacker blogger Patrick Allan said, “ I’m certainly considering adding cold showers into my regimen. If you have what it takes to brave the cold, hop in and reap the benefits.”
Article #5 (Est. 2015)
The Migrant’s Plight For Seeking Asylum
Nicholas J. De Moss
News Editor
Countries such as Syria have been decimated by civil war, forcing migrants to flee their homeland and seek asylum in others.
Approximately 12 million Syrians have been scattered around Europe and the Middle East due to this exodus.
The majority of the migrants are fleeing the violence in the Middle East. Some claims suggest that many are leaving due to the economic crisis, but this common misconception was debunked.
An astonishing half of the refugees that migrated to Europe by sea were from Syria trying to escape the constant violence and repression.
Economists and professionals said that assuming that the refugees would have a disastrous effect on the economy is not correct and could in fact have a positive everlasting effect on the economy. Hein de Haas, a migration expert said “it would be outrageous to suggest that migration is either the cause of structural unemployment, which is one example, or the precariousness of labor.”
A violent riot broke out in Finland where approximately 50 rioters assaulted buses filled with migrants seeking refuge with fireworks. The rioters were throwing stones at Red Cross workers as well.
Among the buses were children and one of the rioters was reported to be in a Ku Klux Klan outfit with a sign that read “Go Finland .”
Sweden, Turkey, Germany, Italy and France are especially under strain from the migrant crisis.
There have been 1.2 million refugees from Syria seeking asylum in Lebanon. Hungary claims that the migrant crisis will destabilize the entire continent.
One of the most significant difficulties to the migrants is xenophobia of other countries and individuals.
Viktor Orban, the Prime Minister of Hungary is strongly committed to opposing immigration. He plans on closing borders with Croatia claiming muslim presence would threaten Christian values.
“Those arriving have been raised in another religion and represent a radically different culture. Most of them are not Christians, but Muslims,” said Prime Minister Viktor Orban. “This is an important question because Europe and European identity is rooted in Christianity. Is it not worrying in itself that European Christianity is now barely able to keep Europe Christian? There is no alternative, and we have no option but to defend our borders.”
Ban Ki-Moon, the Secretary-General of the United Nations hosted a meeting that included up to 70 countries concerning the migrant crisis. He said “the future does not belong to those who seek to build walls or exploit fears.”
Four Syrian citizens were charged with human trafficking, suspected of being responsible for the death of ten migrants heading to Canada that were found washed up on a Turkish beach. A toddler named Aylan Kurdi, his mother Rehana Kurdi and his 4 year old brother Galip Kurdi were among the bodies found.
The father Abdullah Kurdi was the only one of his family to survive the voyage. “I don’t want anything from this world” he said to CNN. “Everything I was dreaming of is gone. I want to bury my children and sit beside them until I die.”
Article # 6 (Est. 2015)
Potential For Extraterrestrial Life Conceivably Endless
Nicholas J. De Moss
News Editor
Astronomers at the University of Auckland have approximated that 100 billion habitable planets are located in the Milky Way galaxy alone.
The previous estimates were around 17 billion; however, after several observations through the Kepler Space Telescope and a technique called “gravitational microlensing,” the estimation was raised. The Kepler Space Telescope has discovered over 4,100 possibly habitable planets with approximately 1,000 confirmed.
Phil Yock, associate professor from the University of Auckland said, “Kepler finds Earth-sized planets that are quite close to parent stars, and it estimates that there are 17 billion such planets in the Milky Way.
These planets are generally hotter than Earth, although some could be of a similar temperature (and therefore habitable) if they’re orbiting a cool star called a red dwarf.”
The closest planet that is even possibly habitable is Tau Ceti e, a planet that is approximately 11.9 light years away from Earth. That would take the most advanced spacecraft on Earth over 50,000 years to arrive there.
An exoplanet named Gliese 832c is a massive planet which is at least five times the mass of Earth. Gliese 832c is estimated to be 16 light years away, and it has an orbital period of a mere 36 days compared to Earth’s 365 days.
Another exoplanet named GJ1132b is 39 light years from Earth and could be a possible twin of Venus. Since Earth is remarkably similar to Venus it would make sense that GJ1132b is considered Earth-size.
On July 23, an exoplanet, a planet beyond our solar system, called Kepler 452b was discovered. Although Kepler 452b is significantly larger than Earth, the 385 day orbit is only slightly longer than that of Earth.
Kepler 452b is also hypothesized to have twice the gravity of Earth and has a sun which is 20 percent brighter than the Earth’s.
John Grunsfeld, associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington, said, “Kepler-452b is 60 percent large in percent larger in diameter than Earth and is considered a super-Earth-size planet. While it’s mass and composition are not yet determined, previous research suggests that planets the size of Kepler-452b have a good chance of being rocky.”
The Kepler space telescope mission was $600 million and the mission began about six years ago.
According to National Aeronautics Space Administration data, Earth most likely formed before the rest of the habitable planets. When the Earth was formed, only eight percent of habitable planets were formed.
Molly Peeples, a researcher of the Space Telescope Science Institute, said, “There is enough remaining material [after the big bang] to produce even more planets in the future, in the Milky Way and beyond.”
Article #7 (Est. 2015)
Australia’s Controversial Solution to Their Invasive Species Problem
Nicholas J. De Moss
News Editor
Ten years ago on Middle Island, Australia the original population of 800 little penguins was diminished by foxes to less than ten penguins.
The Australian fox is capable of reaching Middle Island during low tides and leaves the Little Penguins highly vulnerable to attack.
A simple and extremely innovative idea from a chicken farmer was able to bring the population back up to the hundreds. Allan Marsh also known as “Swampy” had a territorial breed of sheepdogs that scare away foxes from penguins.
Maremma is a breed of sheepdog from central Italy originally meant to protect sheep from wolves, and now to protect the penguin.
However, some tactics in Australia used to protect native species are much more aggressive and controversial than other solutions.
For example, feral cats threaten over 100 native species, and because of this is Australia’s government plans to kill approximately ten million feral cats. There is much more of a backlash to this plan compared to the plan on Middle Island.
Feral cats are such efficient predators that a single feral cat can kill anywhere from three to 20 animals a day. Andrews claims that feral cats are even more threatening to native species than foxes.
Animal activist organizations such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals have many members outraged and shocked about Australia’s plan to eradicate 2 million cats. Animal activists are conflicted by this and often refer this plan as an “animal genocide”.
“Not only is shooting and poisoning cats cruel, culls have been shown to be unsuccessful in the long term,” Ashley Fruno, PETA Australia’s campaign manager said “The use of poison in suburban areas also puts domestic cats, dogs and carnivorous wildlife at risk.”
Zoos Victoria is an official Australian channel for Melbourne Zoo, Werribee Open Range Zoo and Healesville Sanctuary.
Zoos Victoria is attempting to introduce sheepdogs into protecting other animals such as the eastern barred bandicoot and possibly other endangered species.
Kimberly Polkinghorne, a communications manager for Werribee zoo said “we are very excited about its potential to not just the bandicoots but other threatened species as well.”
Article #8 (Est. 2015)
Toxic algae threatening sea lions again
Nicholas J. De Moss
News Editor
This year had a record number of stranded sea lions on the west coast, because of a growth in toxic algae in the Pacific Ocean.
Along with rising ocean temperatures, it seems that the growth of toxic algae has been thriving. The toxic algae, pseudo-nitzschia, produces domoic acid, which can cause seizures in birds and is sometimes fatal in marine mammals.
“The bloom is laced with some toxic species that have had far-reaching consequences for sea life and regional and local economies.” said the National Oceanic and Atmospheric.
“The behavioral deficits accompanying brain damage with domoic acid are severe and may negatively impact foraging and navigation in sea lions, driving strandings and mortality,” said Peter Cook, a cognitive psychologist for Emory University.
There have been brain scans performed on 30 California sea lions and brain damage has been found. The damage in sea lions were mainly lesions in the hippocampus, the center of emotion and memory in the brain. The neurological harm that domoic acid causes seems to debilitate sea lions ability to successfully forage.
Sea lion pups on the San Miguel Islands are suffering from the effects of malnutrition. These pups weigh 33 percent less than their average weight, which varies between 13 and 20 pounds.
Global climate change among other factors have led to a warmer ocean, which causes mother sea lions to dive deeper and burn more calories than they consume.
Warmer waters strengthen the development of pseudo-nitzschia on California’s coast. “That’s a scary thought: As our Oceans warm due to climate change, there’s absolutely no doubt we’ll see a change in the dynamics of the ocean’s ecosystem,” said Kathi Lefebvre, lead research biologist for NOAA’s Wildlife Algal Toxin Research and Response Network.
Domoic acid is under no circumstances a new problem, but has recently become more of a threat over the years.
“Domoic acid-producing blooms have been in the environment for a very long time, but the current pattern of much larger and more frequent blooms causing more visible damage to marine animals has been going on since the 1980,” said Cook.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/sea-lions-toxic-algae_566fdc8ae4b0fccee16fc3cc
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Sea-lions-in-trouble-again-off-California-coast-6690177.php
Article #9 (Est. 2015)
Sleep Deprived Teenagers Need Later Classes
Nicholas De Moss
News Editor
There are five basic human needs to live: oxygen, water, food, shelter and sleep.
Sleep is a requirement that many teens are seeming to lack.
As teens go through puberty, their internal clock is set forward approximately two hours. This is why waking up at 6am is the equivalent of waking up at 4am.
When teenagers age toward their senior years this process reverses, so they wake up as they did before adolescence. The sleeping cycle of a teenager has been described as otherworldly and erratic.
Sleep has an essential role in teen growth development. Sleep deficiency has been linked to obesity, heart disease, kidney disease, stroke and high blood pressure.
Teens are the most prone to be sleep deprived, more so than any other age group
It has been proven that the average teenager requires at least 9 hours of sleep while the majority of high school students get less than 8.5 hours, according to the National Sleep Foundation. The average amount of sleep that teenagers get is about 7.25 hours.
Most teenagers have issues falling asleep before 11pm, so the appropriate time to wake up for the average teen would be 8am.
Teachers often wonder and complain about why their students are so dazed through the first period.
The two obvious solutions would be to start school later or for teens to go to sleep earlier.
Since it would be very impractical to fall asleep before 11pm, some may inquire if it would be more logical to start school later. The main reason schools are so hesitant to start school later is the financial factor with buses and rerouting.
“These kids are essentially in a permanent state of jet lag,” said Judith Owens, a director for sleep medicine at Children’s National Medical Center.
The other issues would be that sports, extracurricular activities, practices and homework would be delayed.
An article written in 2007 by a brain doctor claims that making students wake up this early is cruel. “Teenagers` body clocks can be delayed between two and four hours and they don’t start until 10am or as late as noon,” said Russell Foster, Professor of circadian neuroscience at the University of Oxford.
Another reason why teens suffer from a lack of sleep could be the unpredictable schedule of the average teen in the morning.
MHS Health teacher Ms. *Redacted* (2023 Insert: Excellent Health Teacher and very funny) was asked if her first period classes seemed more tired compared to others, to which she said, “Yes, but they’re much easier to control than the afternoon classes. Easier for teachers maybe, but not ideal for students.”
When asked why she thinks schools start around 8am or sometimes even earlier, Ms. *Redacted* said, “It has to do with bus drivers and elementary/middle school schedules, traditions and general unwillingness to change even in the face of new scientific understanding of the teenage brain.”
(I definitely had an agenda for this one)
Article #? (Est. 2015)
Anniversary of a Genocide
Nicholas J. De Moss
News Editors
The Armenian Genocide began on April 24th, 1915 in the Ottoman Empire.
The Armenian Genocide has many names, the Armenian Massacres, known traditionally as Medz Yeghern and the Armenian Holocaust.
There were two million Armenians within the Ottoman Empire while around 1.5 million were killed in this genocide. The remaining Armenian population was under 400,000 after 1922,and the majority of the survivors were removed by force.
The Ottoman Rulers, like the majority of their civilians, were Muslim. They allowed religious minorities, but saw them as infidels.
An organization started in 1908 known as The Young Turks that aided in the massacres.
Although Armenians were taxed within the empire, they managed to overcome that and tended to be more educated than other Turkish people.
Shortly before the Armenian Genocide, many massacres took place for two years from 1894 to 1896.
When the genocide began, many Armenians were sent on death marches through the Syrian desert with no water or food. Those who stopped were shot and the ones who survived were drowned in rivers, thrown off cliffs or burned alive.
Most of the fatalities of the death marches were women and children. It is currently illegal to talk about what occurred to Armenians during that period.
In 1981, April 22, Ronald Reagan said “Like the genocide of the Armenians before it, and the genocide of the Cambodians which followed it, . . . the lessons of the Holocaust must never be forgotten.”
Every year April 24th is known as Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day and it is a national holiday in Armenia.
Pope Francis will hold a mass on April 12, 2015 for all Armenian Catholics and the Armenian Church.
The Armenian Genocide was unrecognized by the majority of the world. In 2014 the governments of 22 countries recognized the Armenian Genocide.
Forty three out of fifty states in the United States recognize the Armenian Genocide.
The Armenian Genocide denial is the belief that the genocide did not occur the way it was described or was exaggerated by historians. The Azerbaijan and Turkish governments deny that the Ottoman Empire tried to eliminate the Armenian population
Many scholars speculate the Armenian Genocide inspired Adolf Hitler to a certain extent to start the Holocaust.
On September 1, 1939, a week before Poland was invaded by Nazis, Hitler gave a speech.
“Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?” Adolf Hitler said in his Obersalzberg Speech
Article #1 (Est. 2016)
Oldest Vertebrate Inhabits Greenland
Nicholas De Moss
Editor in Chief
Researchers have disputed the previously inaccurate claim that bowhead whales were the oldest living vertebrate; this has been debunked due to the analysis of the Greenland shark.
The Greenland shark has a minimum estimated life expectancy of 272 years. In the Arctic seas Greenland shark’s are unable to mate until around 150 years old.
Occasionally Greenland sharks are observed resting on continental plates and reach depths over 2,000 meters below sea level. These sharks are able to reach a length approximately 20 feet which rivals great white sharks.
Scientists have discovered that out of the two sharks analyzed, both have been alive for over three centuries. Julius Nielsen, a doctoral candidate and the author of this study said “We only expected that the sharks might be very old,” Nielsen said “But we did not know in advance. And it was, of course, a very big surprise to learn that it was actually the oldest vertebrate animal.”
In addition to being the longest living sharks, the Greenland shark is also among the biggest. The process to determine each shark age is by analyzing the eye lenses.
“I wouldn’t want to put a date on it, but I think 400 or 500 years si in the realm of possibility,” Aaron Fisk, a Greenland shark specialist from Windsor University, said. “And that’s pretty extraordinary.”
The Greenland sharks observed were all dead females because male Greenland sharks are far more elusive than their female counterparts.
Although the Greenland sharks may be the longest living vertebrate, there are cases that still surpass their lifespan such as certain quahogs and clams that live to be over five hundred.
Currently Greenland sharks are determined to be partially blind, due to a parasite located on their eyes present in all observed sharks. Many biologists and researchers alike are unable to precisely find the exact age, despite the thorough process of analyzing eye lenses.
“We know that in sharks and bony fish size is a very poor predictor of age,” Simon Thorrold a biologist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institutions said. “That’s why we spend millions of dollars every year to age fish — because we simply can’t use size.”
Public Domain
Article #4 (Est. 2016)
Famous Cat Memorialized in Turkey
Nicholas De Moss
Editor in Chief
Tombili, was a relaxed overweight cat in Istanbul who had a statue made in her memory; she was quite famous in both the city and online.
Tombili is a Turkish name used commonly for pudgy animals. Istanbul is renowned for being a sanctuary for cats and stray cats alike.
Online Tombili’s relaxed pictures were often photoshopped with alcoholic beverages or somebody would write a caption about the weekend.
Istanbul’s general outlook on cats likely has roots in Islam due to the prophet Muhammad’s love for cats. In Istanbul a famous proverb is said “If you kill a cat you need to build a mosque to be forgiven by god.”
The Anatolian Cat Project petitioned that a statue be made in memorial for passersby to observe. Over 17,000 signatures were collected for the plea.
On Oct. 4 hundreds of people arrived at the bronze statue during World Animal Day in memorial of Tombili. Some of his fans even left gifts such as candles, food or flowers.
Batu Aksoy, a founder of the Anatolian Cat Project said “Tombili was [a] very proud cat and did not like [to] spend her time with other cats,” Aksoy said. “Because of obesity, she could not move much, so preferred to calmly lie on [the] sidewalk.”
Conflicting reports understandably confused Tombili with a boy, however she has been confirmed to be a female.
In Istanbul it is not uncommon to see passersby feeding cats and many of these stray cats are taken care of by the community. Many of Istanbul’s tourists often compare the cities relationship with
Tombili’s relaxed demeanor is undoubtedly what attracted locals and tourists alike.
Initially posters were put up in memorial many of them said “You will live in our hearts. Mascot of our street, beloved Tombili lost his struggle for life after a month and closed his eyes to life on first of August.” The lives touched by Tombili’s presence felt the best way to honor her would to be immortalized her.
Public Domain
Article #5 (Est. 2016)
Imposter Syndrome Plagues the Successful
Nicholas De Moss
Editor in Chief
Imposter syndrome is the constant irrational feeling of being unintelligent and on the verge of being exposed as a fraud.
Generally speaking, most people have times where they feel unworthy or that they do not know as much as others think they do. Feelings of inadequacy are not inherently harmful because they can allow people to reevaluate their life; however, constantly feeling this way is harmful.
The concept of imposter syndrome was determined in 1978 by two psychologists conducting observations of over 150 women with doctorates. Dr. Suzanne Imes and Dr. Pauline Rose Clance were the psychologists who wrote an abstract about the imposter phenomenon.
To those who are familiar with psychology, imposter syndrome can seem like the polar opposite of a cognitive bias known as the Dunning-Kruger effect. The Dunning-Kruger effect is when people are deluded into overestimating their abilities and completely unaware of their own incompetence.
A person that is attributing most of their achievements to luck can be diagnosed with imposter syndrome. For example, someone who suffers from imposter syndrome can feel that they have not earned any of their accomplishments.
Unfortunately, gaining achievements or receiving more prestigious ones does not necessarily ease people out of imposter syndrome. In fact, this could worsen the intensity by providing more examples of achievements that do not feel rightfully earned.
Imposter syndrome is more prevalent among successful people, especially observed among women. However, Dr. Clance later said, “In private practice, it wasn’t as common for men to talk about it. But when [the survey that diagnoses the imposter phenomenon] was anonymous, men were expressing it to the same degree as women.”
People suffering from imposter syndrome could be described as overly cautious, and they often avoid displaying confidence.
Although it is commonly observed in celebrities, it is not considered a psychological disorder.
Katherine Schafler, a private psychotherapist, said, “Any culture that doesn’t normalize the anxiety and identity challenges of beginning a new career working in a high-pressure job will be a breeding ground for imposter syndrome.”
Article #9 (Est. 2016)
Over Forty Whales Perished on Shores of Southern India
Nicholas J. De Moss
News Editor
On the shores of Tuticorin in southern India more than 40 short-finned pilot whales were beached and later died, but numerous pilot whales were directed back to sea.
Patterson Edward, the director of the Tuticorin-based Sugandhi Devadasan Marine Research institute said “at least 45 whales are dead and about 36 others which were rescued and pushed back into the sea are still in the vicinity of the shore.”
Approximately 81 whales were found beached on the Manapad beach. It is currently unknown what attracted the pilot whales there in the first place.
Many theorize that pilot whales follow a leader even though it is widely disputed. However, despite the lack of evidence this theory holds it may be a valid explanation to all the recent beachings.
It is not unusual for pilot whales to become stranded, but the reasoning behind it leaves many people and experts confused.
Others theorize that since pilot whales follow magnetic fields, they get disrupted by natural phenomena such as earthquakes.
S.A Raju a local forestry officer said “it’s very strange and we are examining the whales. We found some of the whales are still alive and struggling for their lives.”
Red tides are algae blooms that deplete oxygen and release toxins, which have been connected to whale strandings.
Unfortunately some of the whales that were guided back to sea found their way back to the shore. The fact that the pilot whales no longer have a leader to follow may explain their disorientation.
A fisherman named Rajan said “the whales started reaching the shore in groups around 5pm [Jan.11]. It is very strange. In 1973, when we were boys, we witnessed the same phenomenon.”
Records confirm this, as the last time there was a whale stranding of this magnitude in Tuticorin was back 43 years ago.
Nicholas De Moss
Professor Redacted (2023 Edit: Harsh but fair professor that called me out and pushed me to improve)
English 1A
18 September 2017
Word Count: 943
Delusions about Will
The overarching theme Harry Crews and Joan Didion explore in each of their essays revolves around control. In “Climbing the Tower” Crews expresses a deep longing to have a set path and completely release any control he has; Didion, however, wants greatly to take control of her own life. In “Holy Water” she has an insatiable desire to be in control and harness the overwhelming power of water. While Crews comes to see the Texas Tower as a the worst possible alternative, Didion views the California State Water Project Operations Control Center as a liberation. The concept of having options that could alter multiple lives or their own gives each of the authors radically different perspectives.
In “Holy Water” Didion has an eccentric fixation with water. Water it is an essential component to all of life. Every location be it city or state depends on water; for example, California has to prioritize water problems above the majority of other issues. Since water is an essential component of life, Didion finds being able to control water is a way to control her life and others as well. Water infrastructure is an unnatural source that is made by man; it is the pinnacle of controlling resources and industry. A room full of man made machinery shapes nature itself.
By being in the control center Didion’s actions not only have the power to change her life, but the chance to affect the lives of any individual in California. From her point of view water is the ultimate control. Didion realizes she is responsible for her own success and through her own actions she can be responsible for others lives as well.
One of the sharper contrasts between the two is undoubtedly the tone; Crews consistently has a pessimistic tone that is the opposite of Didion’s tone. The concept of choice has a different effect on each of the authors. Choice is a means of control for Didion, while choice is a burden to Crews. Didion visiting the Operations Control Center is an opportunity fulfilled by her own work and decisions. That location paired with her utter borderline obsessive passion of water gave her a euphoric memory of being in control of her own life (Didion). Crews begins to delve into the thought that lack of freedom is the ultimate control over one’s life. Without being tempted by the overall symbolism of “Climbing the Tower” Crews would be on a controlled set course (Crews). However, Crews knows that he is in control of his own actions, which makes the tower a valid option for him. This line of thought leads to disturbing implications of what boundaries people are capable of crossing.
It is plausible that the conclusion of “Climbing the Tower” led to Crews’s revelation about freedom and choice. In the introduction of “Climbing the Tower” Crews is lost; he does not know who he is. He broke a promise to himself, and this may mean he is no longer certain about free will. It is easy to speculate that Crews justified his situation to himself. He could have thought to himself, I do not have a choice. This is where I am supposed to be. By the end of the tour and introspective thought he knows that he is responsible. He is responsible for returning and he is responsible for whether or not he decides to climb that tower.
Crews’s view over control has many similarities to Sartre’s Bad Faith philosophy. Bad Faith is a form of self-deception; it often has people portray life as a set path rather than having any free will whatsoever. A person of Bad Faith would be constantly persuading themselves into something they do not believe in. Sartre thinks that people try to convince themselves that they have no other options in any situation they find themselves in. For example, a postal worker can convince himself that he can only do that job because that is his fate. He would justify his role in life by thinking that external attributions are at play rather than his own internal attributions. He would think to himself, I didn’t do anything wrong, because I can’t do anything. We’re all just products of our environment and completely at the mercy of the universe. In the words of Sartre, “Man is condemned to be free; because once thrown into the world, he is responsible for everything he does. It is up to you to give [life] a meaning” (Sartre 438).
The authors explore the concept of having sovereignty of one’s life, and the two have a major divergence in perspective. Didion wants the power to decide all the actions she makes, while Crews finds his own control by relinquishing it. A seemingly contradictory thought, that when studied, could dispel preconceived notions on the prospect. Having options allows Didion to make the choices that would advance her career into positions with even more control. Crews finds having options means being overwhelmed by the possibilities that can effortlessly paralyze most. In a universe where people are in control of their own well being, they can find themselves more astray than ever. The conclusion of both essays leaves both authors in utter discontent. Didion now has a longing to get back to that control center; Crews came to a bitter realization that he is in control and the tower will always be a path no matter how far he walks away.
Works Cited
Crews, Harry. “Climbing the Tower”. Classic Crews Touchstone 1993
Didion, Joan. “Holy Water”. The White Album, Simon and Schuster 1979
Sartre, Jean-Paul. “Being and Nothingness: an Essay on Phenomenological Ontology”, Methuen, 1943
Nicholas De Moss
Mr. Redacted (2023 Edit: Harsh but fair professor that called me out and pushed me to improve)
English 1A
3 October 2017
Word Count: 963
Comparison between Orwell and Jefferson
Root of Oppression
Tyranny might be simple enough to define, but the source of such a thing is vastly dependent on one’s perspective. Jefferson is united with the founding fathers against the obvious oppression of Great Britain. When delving into what Orwell defines as tyranny, it becomes a much more convoluted source to trace. Tyranny can appear in many different forms, whether it is subtle like “Brave New World” or more forceful like “1984”. The options eventually narrow down to whether people are ultimately oppressed by external forces or themselves. A government can become oppressive and limit an individual’s action; however, a government cannot take away free will. It is up to the individual to make a choice as “Shooting an Elephant” details.
Orwell during his narration of “Shooting an Elephant” is highly conflicted; he is oppressed by a government he abhors and vilified by those he serves. In a way his personal form of tyranny is from multiple sides. He is compelled to enforce the law as an imperial policeman, or face the consequences of failure. At the same time he is influenced by the opinion of the same citizens he is trying hard to serve. He has been ridiculed and humiliated by the people of Burma on several occasions. “As a police officer I was an obvious target and was baited whenever it seemed safe to do so. When a nimble Burman tripped me up on the football field and the referee (another Burman) looked the other way, the crowd yelled with hideous laughter. This happened more than once. In the end the sneering yellow faces of young men that met me everywhere, the insults hooted after me when I was at a safe distance, got badly on my nerves”(Orwell). The only positive response Orwell received from the Burmans was after he pulled the trigger to kill an elephant. He was not ever forced to pull it, yet he still felt pressured into doing something he felt was deeply wrong. The British Raj would likely have supported whatever decision he would make, however, these expectations placed on him made him feel as if he is not in control. That feeling of lack of control was irrational, because he was the only authority figure present as well as the only one holding the gun. His need to be approved by these forces shows that his oppression is deeply rooted within himself. It is actually his own internal weakness that subjugates every decision he makes.
Thomas Jefferson had a single target to direct his and his fellow Americans’ outrage at; this is a sharp contrast to Orwell’s dilemma. Jefferson and the rest of the founding fathers spent time debating and narrowly defining what is tyranny. Instead of detailing every example of tyranny, Orwell’s definition is rather abstract compared to Jefferson’s. Jefferson appears to be directing most of the tyrannical blame towards the monarch of that time, King George the Third. Eventually throughout the rest of the declaration, he condemned the whole system as oppressive. Jefferson said “He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people” (Jefferson). For Jefferson political freedom boils down to having access to equal representation. For the founding fathers it is essential for their rights and interests to be both heard and upheld.
Jefferson speaks for all Americans as he outlines how Britain has failed to uphold their basic human rights. Orwell, however, was speaking from personal experience. Another difference would be the tone of the two authors. Orwell appears to be defeated by the seemingly eternal British Raj and his own internal weakness to make his own choices. Jefferson and the rest of the founding fathers, however, must believe that British tyranny could be resisted. Otherwise the Declaration of Independence would be a pointless document. One could attribute his confidence to the support of his allies, while Orwell feels completely alone in this. Orwell comes off as someone trying to keep his head down; someone waiting patiently to escape this bleak regime.
The source of tyranny may or may not be as black and white as the founding fathers have decreed. Orwell’s “Shooting an Elephant” shows that there is not a hardline between oppressor and oppressed. Orwell is expected to follow and uphold the laws of the British Raj. He also became compelled to follow the whims of the people he served. Jefferson finds that while the monarch heavily imposes tyranny, it is the government system that allows oppression to fester in a country. However, the point is that it is dependent on an individual’s perspective. One perspective being it is a finely detailed list of examples that qualify as tyranny; the other one is the viewpoint of oppression residing in oneself. The source of oppression in politics is dependent on the system that governs the people. In general the beginning of oppression is deeply seeded in the individuals will. A person’s actions and equally important their inactions can greatly affect the spread of tyranny. An excerpt from Orwell says “Here was I, the white man with his gun, standing in front of the unarmed native crowd–-seemingly the leading actor of the piece; but in reality I was only an absurd puppet pushed to and fro by the will of those yellow faces behind. I perceived in this moment that when the white man turns tyrant it is his own freedom that he destroys” (Orwell). It is an individual’s own personal weakness is what turns him into his own tyrant.
Works Cited
Orwell, George. “Shooting an Elephant”. Secker and Warburg 1936
Jefferson. Thomas. “The Declaration of Independence”. 1776
Nicholas De Moss
Professor *Redacted*
English 1b
9 April 2018
Poem Analysis
The poem “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” by T.S. Eliot is more than a mere ironic title; it follows the melancholy of Prufrock. A man whose life is completely stagnated by pessimism and insecurity. Throughout the poem the audience hears what is going on in his mind. His interpretation and reflection of the world around him are described using such unique diction. Several elements of poetry are found in this poem.
For example, the title “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” would not be considered appropriate because it is misleading. Eliot’s poem would be more of a man with a profound depression. Prufrock is not bold nor handsome, and women are not concerned with him. Not even the mermaids would sing to him. The title itself is ironic.
Prufrock is quite knowledgeable in literature, he makes several allusions including “Divine Comedy” by Dante Alighieri, “Hamlet” by Shakespeare and mentions the great renaissance artist Michelangelo. He recognizes the value these people and works have had on the world, yet does not see that same worth in himself. He even admits that he does not see himself as the protagonist of his own life:
No! I am not Prince Hamlet, nor was meant to be;
Am an attendant lord, one that will do
To swell a progress, start a scene or two,
Advise the prince; no doubt, an easy tool,
Deferential, glad to be of use,
Politic, cautious, and meticulous;
Full of high sentence, but a bit obtuse;
At times, indeed, almost ridiculous–
Almost, at times, the Fool (Eliot 7).
The poem has constant rhyming almost a melody at times. Despite the rhyming, however, it is not a lyrical poem, but more of a dramatic monologue. Prufrock’s internal thoughts even makes the mundane and unappealing sound intriguing. He personifies the yellow smoke as if it were a cat, therefore making his setting more lively as well.
The tone of “The Love Song of Prufrock” would be one that is shrouded in hopelessness and anxiety. It is clear that Prufrock sees the city and the society in it as shallow and intimidating at times. Prufrock seems plagued by the thought of the vast amount of decisions that only take seconds to become a mistake. He tries to justify his inaction, by repeating the mantra there will be time. Feeling he is unworthy to interfere or bother anyone; if he were to do so, Prufrock fears the harsh judgement as if he was on display for all prying eyes to see. Procrastinating taking action in his life, Prufrock still remains acutely aware of his aging as well as the finite time he will have left. In the poem he consistently questions his impulses and debates if interfering with others would be worth it. Struggling in the midst between regretting all he has not done and worried that he still has time to try, Prufrock remains the same sad man.
Arguably the most impressive part of his poem is Eliot’s use of ellipsis to coincide with his final line:
We have lingered in the chambers of the sea
By sea-girls wreathed with seaweed red and brown
Till human voices wake us, and we drown (Eliot 7).
Throughout the poem several instances are found where Eliot used an ellipsis in between lines to create a pause. This pause, however, how Prufrock is drowning whether literal or not is open to debate. It is such a clever use of ellipsis to resemble bubbles of air floating towards above the sea.
(2023 Edit: This poem resonated with me far too much)
Nicholas De Moss
Professor Redacted (single handedly made me love history as a subject. Women & Minority POV and civil rights. She was a great person who trained seeing eye dogs. She had a golden retriever one named Heathcliff!)
U.S. Women’s America
2 December 2018
Unreliable Narrators and Sidelined Activists
History is generally written from the perspective of the dominant figures of history. In other words, history is from the perspective of white men. Women have always been marginalized by both the powerful and other factions within the civil rights movement. A noticeable point of contention is observable all the way back to the suffragist movement. The vast and prominent role of women in the civil rights movement are omitted due to the lack of unity and exclusion of women in untraditional roles. An example would be for the most part white feminists reached a consensus that race was insignificant in the civil rights movement.
During the suffragist movement, Mary Church Terrell spearheaded the National Association for Advancement of Colored People (hereinafter NAACP). Despite the progress and traction the organization received, they were excluded by white suffragists. No black women were invited to the convention at Seneca Falls in 1848. White suffragists were unable to hide their own rooted prejudice against African Americans. Elizabeth Stanton and Susan B. Anthony ended up being among the few women ever mentioned in history classes. The valuable narratives surrounding the suffragist movement were excluded and centered on white suffragists. Regardless that the Seneca Falls Convention took place before the civil rights movement, it proves to bolster the thesis about why women stories are not dominant throughout history.
Flappers are also an enlightening look at the differences between how women were perceived in their era depending on their race. White flappers were considered just women exploring their sexuality; all other flappers, however, were arrested and called deviants soliciting prostitution. Flappers seemed more intent on enacting social change rather than political change. In media and history, flappers are depicted as femme fatales, specifically by white actresses. For some, the flapper was a trendy new identity, when for most it served as probable cause in the legal system. Black women were considered prostitutes as far as the police were concerned just for being out in public. White flappers were so comfortable with their lifestyle they would pose with officers for pictures.
Fannie Lou Hamer was instrumental in putting a stop to public lynchings as well as an activist for women voting. She also fought against the discriminatory literacy test against black voters. She went on to be extremely influential within the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party. Her testimony towards the Credentials Committee was extremely powerful and controversial. That speech was about the police brutality that was beyond inhumane and ended up being completely blocked from being broadcast on the media. The most brilliant part of her speech was that she gave out her address so America knows who to hold accountable if she’s targeted.
Septima Clark was an exceptional organizer who mentored Martin Luther King Jr., but she was compelled to play a less prominent role in organizations such as the NAACP. She was an aficionado when it came to grassroots mobilization and deeply respected Martin Luther King Jr.; however, she thought he didn’t think highly of women. She was a natural at educating leaders about the importance of nonviolent protests.
Rosa Parks was a lifelong activist whose now remembered as someone who refused to leave her seat, rather than a member of the NAACP. The bus seat incident was not the straw that broke the camel’s back, because it was a planned event. She inspired the bus boycott, despite people disobeying bus segregation being somewhat common. Her prominence as a leader in her community and willingness to defy authority is what sparked the boycott, yet this perspective is conveniently omitted from history. Her status as a leader is overshadowed by other African American leaders.
Dolores Huerta was Cesar Chavez’s friend and equal in their movement; however, after he died the other men challenged and criticized her status as a leader. She was shamed for her personal life and many judged her for not being a full-time mother. These women faced not only the adversity of those in power but their own brothers and sisters as well. While some may classify her more as a labor rights activist, she was undoubtedly an important part of civil rights.
Well intentioned men and women still harbored prejudice and traditionalist views that blocked the advancement of everyone’s voices being heard in history. Instead of unity women were met with token positions. Terrell had to force her way into the suffragist movement. Clark was pressured into a less active role in the movement. Flappers are remembered as trendy upper class white women, rather than the rebellious apolitical women they were. Fannie Lou Hamer is rarely heard of when civil rights is brought up, likely due to the media censorship of her testimony. Rosa Parks is remembered as someone who just happened to be at the right place at the right time that started the movement instead of the intentional radical activist she was. Huerta felt betrayed by her own fellow activists. To emphasize, women are part of civil rights history, but it’s such a narrow perspective. It’s focused primarily on figures such as Martin Luther King Jr, Malcolm X, Cesar Chavez and perhaps Rosa Parks. The lack of women perspectives throughout history is an all too noticeable absence in the k-12 curriculum.
Works Cited
Kerber, Linda K., et al. Women’s America: Refocusing the Past. Oxford University Press, 2016.
Nicholas De Moss
Professor Redacted
U.S. Women’s America
4 October 2018
True Exceptions
During the 19th century the concept of True Womanhood became the dominant ideology of what a woman should be. Prior ideals from previous centuries while having occasional distinctions, overall have a similar effect of grounding women to a domestic world. True Womanhood may be the pinnacle example of extreme prejudice against working class women, slaves, disobedient women, infertile or any unmarried women in general. To leave the household was to leave your husband and children, which was a taboo concept at the time. Many women who deviated as described above from True Womanhood were heavily persecuted, however, some women managed to find loopholes in the ideology and turn the tables to their advantage.
The perplexing thing about True Womanhood is that it seems like such a complete shift from the prior belief that women are born of sin. Suddenly they are morally as well as sexually pure and expected to keep men on the right path. It shares many qualities of a Republican Mother or a Good wife, but has its own distinctions. Unlike a Republican Mother, True Womanhood places more value on having women teach than actually seeking to be educated themselves. True Womanhood goes by many different names. It’s known as the Cult of True Womanhood, Cult of Domesticity and Ideology of Separate Spheres. The last title is due to the ideology that there’s a distinction between public and private spheres. Women are expected to remain pure by avoiding the public as much as possible, all while creating and running a comfortable haven for men.
An example of leaving the inner private sphere would be the case of Mary Rice Livermore, she masterfully defended her autonomy from the household during the war by attributing her actions to patriotism. Regardless of this divergence of True Womanhood she was able to relatively secure her status within this belief of what a woman should be. She is white and married so she is not enslaved, nor looked down upon. She has children which she was unable to devote all her time to which would usually be scrutinized by the public; however, she is affluent enough to afford care which is an important quality for women of that time. Voicing her reasoning over her decision to aid all the wounded men flooding during the civil war was a valid concern. She makes it clear her husband is completely supportive of her efforts making her seem adherent to the thoughts of her husband. Besides sounding patriotic she was also showing an immense amount of compassion for the soldiers fighting against brother. While devoting less time to her household her justifications more than made up for the inevitable judgement from men and other women alike. Livermore regarded the probable counter arguments against women working beyond domestic work, and had this response “But the need of relief work for the sick and wounded men of the army became more and more imperative…. and I felt compelled to withdraw all objections and obey the call of my country” (Beller 268). She simultaneously rebuked likely outrage over such an act of being in the public world, while explaining it’s because of the love she has for her country. She makes women staying in domestic work sound absolutely contradictory to the ideals her society is so keen on preserving. Based on what an eloquent writer she was, it’s clear she’s well educated and had the potential to be quite influential. Whether intentional or not, taking such a prominent role in the U.S. Sanitary Commision gave women a greater foothold in the political world considered far too corrupt for a woman to withstand. This also somewhat began to normalize having a more active role distinct to what work is inherently expected of them.
Harriet Jacobs, despite being forced into an abusive and disturbing upbringing upheld many of these ideals. For not being white she was not only enslaved, but denied access to True Womanhood. However, she endured the cruelty of her master, and still she recognized how abhorrent the man’s actions were as well as his wife’s treatment of her was unusual. For the focus of this essay it would be best to focus on the mistress of the Flint household rather than the detestable man himself. The mistress is supposedly possessing True Womanhood, when she lacks basic compassion, feeling more pity for herself than the young slave girl. The mistress was also obviously married, white and rich, yet she was the one who received sympathy. Jacobs was wronged on a much grander scale than the jealous mistress, but she still retained compassion. Even with finite chance to remain unviolated, she went to great lengths to avoid Dr. Flint. “At night I slept by the side of my great aunt, where I felt safe. He was too prudent to come into her room. She was an old woman, and had been in the family many years. Moreover, as a married man, and a professional man, he deemed it necessary to save appearances in some degree” (Jacobs 51-52). Enduring such hardships at a young age, yet remaining virtuous as her grandmother taught her is admirable. When she eventually escaped and became free she became a great abolitionist. Her documentation of her personal enslavement likely made great strides. Giving her own input about her situation and observations on the hypocritical tyrants that go above and beyond to keep their true nature hidden. Both the mistress and master would do anything to keep up appearances, while the only genuinely compassionate person in that household was one of their slaves. While remaining morally pure she taught herself how to write in a system meant to oppress her. Being denied the status of True Womanhood because of her pigmentation while displaying care and grit speaks volumes about the time. How she used these qualities to eventually fight against slavery is exceptional.
A white woman trying to have opportunity outside of her household is fundamentally against the ideals of True Womanhood, yet somehow she’s logical and articulate enough to retain her status within this ideal, saving face and at least some additional scrutinization. Conversely there’s a young slave that is immediately predetermined as unfit to be a “true woman”. However, her admiration of her grandmother as well as her virtues stayed with her despite the perversion and violence that threatened her on a daily basis. Eventually, she attains her freedom and uses her own observations to fight the system that so unjustly oppressed her. Her writing’s also provided proof that there are people who call themselves true women who didn’t have an ounce of empathy for helpless victims such as herself. It has become evident that the deciding factor of how to compensate for a lack of True Womanhood was race. This is because even though a woman could literally rebel against her preassigned role, she could use those same ideals against those that would object. A slave, however, would have to accept these ideals knowing that they would most likely never be able to convince others that they were nothing more than a slave. Both Jacobs and Livermore regardless of the whims of their society, were able to fight for change even if it was indirect and under the semblance of a fundamentally flawed ideology.
Works Cited
Beller, Susan Provost. The Civil War. Benchmark Books, 2003.
Jacobs, Harriet A., and Lydia Maria Child. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. Washington
Square Press; 2003.
Kerber, Linda K., et al. Women’s America: Refocusing the Past. Oxford University Press, 2016.
Nicholas De Moss
Professor Redacted
(2023 Edit: The most interesting course and professor I’ve had. Very eccentric in a great way MPC > UCI)
Sociology Crime & Deviance
17 April 2019
Falling Down: Becoming Deviant
The film Falling Down follows a man that the audience could actually relate to for the first couple outbursts of deviance, before his journey begins to spiral out of control and continues to escalate. I will be outlining the several criminal acts as well as deviant behaviour.
We follow a middle aged man with a buzz cut and dressed in business attire stuck in traffic in his pinto hatchback with a broken AC on a scorching day. He’s tense sweating gritting his teeth while traffic remains stagnant. We could already deduce quite a few things from this intro. It’s later revealed that he has an estranged family and he lives with his mother unable to even pay child support. He was recently fired from national defense. Michael Douglas plays William Foster, a middle aged white man that’s lower in his socio economic status. Later on in the film he reveals an extreme societal resentment and outrage regarding wealth inequality. He’s stuck in loud and unending traffic, he’s clearly agitated possibly having a panic attack. It’s speculation, however, he appears sweaty, shaking and has a clear sense of detachment. He leaves his car in the middle of a highway somewhere in Los Angeles. When cars around him and ask what he’s doing he says “I’m going home.” and only brings his suitcase with him. Abandoning his vehicle and responding so nonchalantly and detached would be the first sign he’s displaying deviant behaviour and a possible breakdown.
He starts walking home and stops by a phone booth to call his estranged ex wife. She answers, but he can’t bring himself to say anything. He seems to have a hard time expressing himself unless he’s under extreme circumstances. He ends up assaulting a convenience owner, vandalizing his store and taking his bat. That all happened because he was outraged over the price for a can of Coke. He begins a nationalist rant about asians before it escalates and he seems insulted when the owner tells him to just take his money. He says something on the lines of “You think I’m a thief? You’re the thief!”. He feels completely justified at his outrage. A righteous deviant almost. He paid for his drink, assaulted him and vandalized the store. But he thinks being a thief is detestable; however he kept the bat when he left. It’s revealed that he has a history of aggression. His ex wife said he never hit her or their daughter, but there were times where she thought he would. His mother who he lives with confirmed the detective who’s trying to find him suspects. He has a short temper. Eventually he’s being mugged for his briefcase, but decides to fight instead, even when he’s at knife point. It’s worth mentioning that he tried to reason with them first. His actions would’ve been self defense at first; however, it became excessive when he began hitting a thug while he’s down. He even threw the bat at them as they ran. The men who tried to mug him planned a driveby revenge shooting and end up crashing in front of him missing him completely. He walks up to the wreckage most of the shooters dead, but one is crawling. He takes their bag of guns and shoots the wounded one in a leg for revenge. He stops at a fast food chain and when they refuse to serve breakfast when he asked a minute too late he snapped. He began shooting the roof and asked nobody to leave. He created a hostage situation as a result. Later on he murders a white supremacist and attempts to murder a gut shot while trying to see his family despite having a restraining order against them. He seems very delusional at this point and it’s heavily implied he intends to murder his family and kill himself. “Then everything will be like it used to be. We’ll sleep in the dark.” When he’s disarmed, he decides he’d rather die than continue living in this society and commits suicide by cop pulling a water gun on him.
There are several factors at play here and an extensive amount of crimes committed. To summarize, he’s always had a temper, lost his job, family and any hope of the “American Dream”. Besides being generally unstable, he feels cheated by society he made missiles for the military and lives in an apartment, but he sees a plastic surgeon living in a mansion. His inability to communicate with his family agitates him more. He has adversarial behaviour as well as antisocial behaviour throughout the film. His desire to be left alone and have the “American Dream” with his family contributed to his instability. He can’t afford child support which he clearly feel shame about. Even after he’s fired he still carries around briefcase and dressed for work out of habit. There are demographic factors at play here; for example, he lives in a bad neighborhood so crime is already prevalent where he lives. The fact that his mugging escalated to a drive by would suggest the neighborhood is a important detail when considering his deviant behaviour and crimes. When his rooms searched it’s brought to attention besides anger issues he seems to have some form of OCD which could be a factor at play.
I believe there’s sufficient evidence to suggest that a biological issue or chemical imbalance is the primary factor provoking his deviant behaviour. In other words, his deviance would fall under a psychotic explanation. I would say multiple theories could be applied to Foster. The most obvious explanation would be Biological Theory, which proposes that mental illness and hormone imbalance play a significant role. His anger issues, OCD, inability to express his emotions, his mother’s eccentric personality and bouts of disillusionment would seem to indicate a lack of mental health treatment. While I believe this is the primary theory, I would like to put emphasis on societal theories, because the movies purpose is to point out flaws in society.
Robert Agnew’s General Strain Theory puts forth that facets of life such as financial, family and career can manifest as negative stress that precipitates deviant behaviour. From the beginning of the movie he just wants to go back to his family, before the restraining order or being fired. He did as he was told in national defence and he had expectations that he’d be rewarded for his actions and he’d live a happy suburban life. The fact was that he couldn’t realistically achieve these goals perpetuated by society with little to no means of achieving them. The loss of his family due to internal dispute and verbal abuse is clearly a great source of stress for him. That likely led to him being fired though it isn’t specified within the film. Regardless it caused severe financial stress.
Robert Merton came up with the most influential sociological article about the Anomie Theory. American society has been known to provide certain cultural goals that change with trends. Foster is a man that’s becoming outdated as time moves forward without him. He still feels entitled a nuclear family, a job with mobility, and a nice house with a white picket fence; however, he finds out that he has none of these. This could explain some of his actions, because he holds the same cultural goals, but he rejects the means that have failed to get them. He thought by working for national defense he’d be able to provide for a loving family, yet none of that happens. At one point he trespasses on this mansion only to find that it’s owned by a plastic surgeon. Knowing he doesn’t have more upward mobility and that he’s not economically viable, he decides to be with his family even if he has to kill them all and himself just to be with them.
An increased availability of mental health resources such as therapists and psychiatrists likely would have prevented Foster’s crime spree or at least restrict it. Destigmatizing mental illness would likely have helped him seek out these hypothetical resources and perhaps improve his personal relationships with his mother, ex wife and daughter. A screening and diagnosis of his mental state while working in national defense could’ve helped with his personal life and take steps to remain a functional member of society. I’d argue that while the majority of his mental break was due to preexisting biological and hormonal imbalance factors, various external factors as well influenced his actions. It’s implied in the movie that his ex wife lied in order to get a restraining order from him, because she was worried it would escalate to violence eventually. People share many societal goals, but the fact of the matter is that for most there are scarce to none acceptable means of achieving said goals. Wealth inequality is a major theme throughout the film and before his actions became further aggressive he was a relatable character to identify with. He’d have genuine insights and concerns about society despite being delusional and unhinged.
Nicholas De Moss
Professor Redacted
(2023 Edit: The most interesting course and professor I’ve had. Very eccentric in a great way MPC > UCI)
Sociology 120
20 November 2019
Dysfunctional Perceptions of Crime and Deviance
The social issue this paper will be addressing is on how different types of crime and deviance are portrayed, defined, and why they occur. Deviance is often associated with crime, however, while it can encompass crime, it can refer to any behaviour that diverts from the expected social norms; in other words, all nonconforming behaviour. These definitions of deviance change as society progresses; despite the offensive or negative connotations of the word deviant, it serves to show how malleable and often dysfunctional societal values can be. Things that used to be stigmatized like being a single mother or a stay at home dad are now socially acceptable, or arguably not depending on where you are or who you ask. Crime is committed for a variety of factors, but through a sociological perspective anomie is a significant reason. Similar to deviance, crime is disproportionately treated and punished based on how it’s viewed. While there is significant overlap between the two, I intend to address the specific disparities that exist within each.
These perceptions on crime and deviance are important because they reveal unconscious biases that heavily influence our society. Another theory Merton uses is the labeling theory, which outlines how reputations affect a person’s status and outlook. For example, if someone’s labeled a delinquent because their dad has been in and out of prison, they might feel helpless and succumb to a self fulfilling prophecy. Understanding and defining deviance is important, because it’s a widely used term and general enough to be applied to a large demographic. Assuming the word deviant, makes the subject an offender of society rather than a targeted scapegoat.
The theory that will be applied to this social issue will be by one of the most cited sociologists, Robert Merton. He’s categorized as a structural functionalist, not unlike Talcott Parson. Though in methodology he would be closer to Emile Durkheim due to his emphasis on utilizing empirical data instead of relying on subjective claims. His middle range theories outline his mindset well. Merton’s strain theory suggests deviant behaviour occurs when two societal factors are misaligned. Cultural goals are anything a society promotes and gets heavily integrated into the average citizen; for example, when people hear The American Dream many might imagine a house, a nuclear family, a fresh cut lawn, and the white picket fence. Legitimate means are the permissible ways to achieve said goals. Strain theory is also called anomie theory as anomie, according to Merton, leads to deviant behaviour. This fundamental disconnect between legitimate means and cultural goals cause significant dysfunction that affects the interrelated parts of society. Merton’s anomie theory is well defined by Jon Gunnar Bernburg:
Thus Merton’s (1967/1994) influential essay, Social Structure and Anomie, does not cast in doubt the fundamental cultural ends of the society, that is, the normative ends of action. In Merton’s theory social values are clearly defined in the mainstream egalitarian ideology and in the universal emphasis on monetary success. On the cultural level, Merton emphasizes the lack of equilibrium between socially described means and ends of action. Anomie is caused by the imbalance that results when cultural goals are overemphasized at the expense of institutionalized means (Bernburg, 2002).
While this paper will focus on Merton, it is important to recognize Durkheim’s contributions to the sociological field when he coined the term anomie. Anomie, also known as normalness, refers to either an individual or a society in a state of lacking moral regulation. What sets Merton apart regarding his anomie theory is that he believes anomie causes deviant behaviour, while Durkheim thinks deviant behaviour prevents a state of normalness from persisting in a society (Hilbert, 1989).
Sociologists strive to theorize how societies work, or more often what ways they don’t work. Structural functionalists use a specific framework that views and treats society as a system made up of interrelated parts that create a sense of order and an overall stability. Parson, as a structural functionalist is credited with influencing Merton.
Deviant behaviour can array from violating unconscious norms we hold; it can span from something as trivial as talking with your mouth full to breaking the law. Both crime and deviance apply to Merton’s strain theory, as they both relate to a disconnect with either the cultural goals or the institutionalized means. To emphasize, deviant doesn’t have to be unethical or illegal, it just has to be stigmatized, such as any sexuality or gender identities outside of norms. As societies enter transitional phases there’s often developments of moral panic; the context of the deviants as well as the threat of them at the time are severely overstated (Grattet, 2011). These overemphasized deviant labels are extremely telling of the state society is in.
When the topic shifts to crime there are clear general assumptions made by individuals, communities, and society overall. Often criminals are dismissed and it’s implied that crime is a result of deficient internal attributes rather than a dysfunctional external environment. For example, an ex-convict wants to reform and get a job, but there’s a noticeable aversion and stigma to hiring former criminals, as a result he’s compelled to go back to crime. In that example he accepted societies goals, but lacked legitimate means so he resorted to illegitimate ones. Grattet’s article frequently references Devah Pager’s book Marked. The book covers life after prison and the challenges of reforming. Pager coined “Negative credentials”, the term means the common scenario many ex-convicts face that puts hard limits on opportunity and upward mobility. He references the book further:
Pager’s work is also useful for countering the simplistic treatments of the secondary deviation hypothesis: that labeling leads directly to further involvement in deviance. She details the way criminal labeling affects employment opportunities, which leads to a greater likelihood of reinvolvement in crime (Grattet, 2011).
In Merton’s deviance typology chart there’s five different responses to societies goals and legitimate means. The categorization varies based on acceptance and rejection of one or both factors. Innovation refers to those who accept the goals and reject the means, often due to a lack of said means in the first place. Those in the innovation category are frequently linked to criminal behaviour. The aptly named ritualism is when deviants accept the legitimate means, despite having little to no interest in the goals ingrained by culture. The term retreatism is used in a literal sense. Rejecting the means and goals usually leads to deviants isolating themselves from others and society. A hermit would be an example of this. Deviance is applied to all misalignment of goals and means making conformity the counter to deviance. Finally rebellion rejects both, but unlike retreatism take an active approach against the status quo; this can include a violent revolution or a civil rights protest. Whether or not they are a criminal is heavily decided by labeling. Labeling is often utilized as a means of social control.
An interesting distinction between white collar and street crime is the treatment and punishment disparity of the two. Street crime has a knee jerking association with violence which can be attributed to this disparity. For the most part, street crimes are much more straightforward than white collar crime due to the organizational and convoluted nature of white collar crimes; it’s often much more expensive to investigate and harder to assess the damage of white collar crime. There’s a perceived moral ambiguity with the scope of culpability regarding white collar crime specifically the ethics of bribery compared to endorsements; in “Public Perceptions of White Collar Crime Culpability: Bribery, Perjury, and Fraud” there’s a table outlining responses to a bribery study that outlines this disconnect and lack of consensus on the response and blame of their outlined scenarios (Green & Kugler, 2012).
The American Dream is used as a framework of the idealized life defined by materialism and financial success while downplaying other facets to happiness and fulfillment; it gives an idealized scenario to work towards with intentional vagueness of how to get there without resorting to less scrupulous means (Bernburg, 2002). The problem with this disconnect between legitimate means and cultural goals is that society places more importance on achieving the goals and normalizes when people disregard them by cheating, lying, and exploiting others. We define success through comparisons to others, if those who are considered successful are so from illegitimate means it creates an imbalance. A society that promotes using unfair advantages that give an edge when competing has several unintended consequences for those who try to compete within the limitations of norms (Cohen, 1965).
When Merton’s strain theory is applied to the current perceptions of crime and deviance, there’s a fundamental dysfunction that prevents most from achieving their shared cultural goals. The goals presently set often dismiss the other potential values that could fulfill people and be more readily achieved. Trying to climb the economic ladder is an inherently competitive and limiting goal. Since these goals are almost exclusively measured in wealth, the emergence of crime isn’t only inevitable, but to be expected. The preexisting biases regarding different types of crime can expose how truly ambiguous many of the ethical factors are in a crime; the intense response to street crime compared to white collar crime suggest a variety of flaws in the treatment of these issues. There’s clearly disproportionate limits on opportunities based on a variety of demographic factors that prevent people from being a functional part in the system; acknowledging the strain ever present within American society can help us better understand these deviants. By taking a more sociological approach, the public can reevaluate its role in what defines a deviant in the first place as well as how society can proceed with these definitions in the future. Acknowledging the fallibility of these stigmas and approaches to crime and deviance can go a long way to making gradual but nonetheless beneficial changes to our approach.
Works Cited
Bernburg, J. (2002). ANOMIE, SOCIAL CHANGE AND CRIME: A Theoretical Examination
of Institutional-Anomie Theory. The British Journal of Criminology, 42(4), 729-742. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/23638963
Cohen, A. (1965). The Sociology of the Deviant Act: Anomie Theory and Beyond. American
Sociological Review, 30(1), 5-14. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/2091770
Grattet, R. (2011). Societal Reactions to Deviance. Annual Review of Sociology, 37, 185-204.
Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/41288604
Green, S., & Kugler, M. (2012). PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS OF WHITE COLLAR CRIME
CULPABILITY: BRIBERY, PERJURY, AND FRAUD. Law and Contemporary Problems, 75(2), 33-59. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/23216757
Hilbert, R. (1989). Durkheim and Merton on Anomie: An Unexplored Contrast and Its
Derivatives. Social Problems, 36(3), 242-250. doi:10.2307/800693
Final Portfolio
Nicholas De Moss
Professor Redacted
Social Science 189
4 February 2020
Introductory Statement
Finding sources for each of the main themes from our class was a lengthy endeavor and proved to be quite more challenging than I anticipated. I am used to gathering sources and narratives, but collecting them directly from another person was certainly unfamiliar territory. I knew immediately it could be especially awkward and difficult to collect racial fears in person, making it a straightforward first step.
I listen to podcasts frequently and found the disappearance of Roanoke to be both fascinating and tragic; considering how well colonists initially got along with Native Americans. The host of that podcast spent a significant amount of time talking about how much this colony’s unexplained disappearance spearheaded prejudice. When Dan Cummins mentioned that the first baby born in Roanoke became a symbol for white supremacy I was enthralled by the reasoning. His podcast also reminded me of when the pizzagate conspiracy took off during the last election. It was such a surreal thing to hear about that it really stood out as a candidate for the conspiracy section.
I was fortunate enough to have an idea in mind for the supernatural stories section. A close family member of mine told me about this story after we discussed spirituality when I was younger. I always respected them, so despite being a skeptic this story stood out to me. Plus it involves some family pets who I miss very much. I used two other family members and an old friend from high school stories.
Racial Fears: How a Baby Became a Banner for White Supremacy
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/timesuck-with-dan-cummins/id1156343076?i=1000420842289 (This podcast is by a comedian, his humor can be confusing without context, so I highly recommend listening to the link above from 1:24:01-1:27:47. It’s not even a full 4 minutes!)
Dan Cummins is a stand up comedian, who also has a podcast called Timesuck where he researches and reviews a variety of topics. These topics can include historical figures, serial killers, mysteries and conspiracy theories. He utilizes news sources primarily for his research, though he will use wikipedia along these sources. Some of the news sources include BBC News, Britannica, and the Washington Post among others. The topic I want to explore is the colony of Roanoke and Virginia Dare.
Before the first permanent colony of Jameston, Virginia, there was the colony of Roanoke. This colony is famous for all of the English settlers disappearing. Despite the fate of the colonists being a mystery, people have a variety of speculation of what happened. Historians suggest the possibility of assimilation with local Native American tribes as the leading theory of what happened. Another explanation is that relationships with local tribes deteriorated to the point of massacre. White supremacist groups unsurprisingly go with the latter narrative.
All of the prior race narratives and speculation about Virginia Dare led to more formulaic rumors. White women being terrorized by Native Americans being the most common rumor spread. There’s significant overlap since many rumors advanced into legends once they are polished. I would claim that what began as formulaic rumors centered around race, developed into a legend with a primary character named Virginia Dare.
Virginia Dare was the first recorded English colonist born in the United States. Racial fears of the lusty savages and the threat to the White dominance. Her life along with the rest of the colonists contributed to the negative perception of Native Americans as savage. Dan Cummins describes how Eliza Lanesord Cushing created the legend of the innocent, virginal, and pure colonist fighting off the “Swarthy Savages” (Cummins, 2018). This worsened anxieties about english colonists in the midst of a foreign land assailed by the native population. As a result, perceptions and relations with Native American tribes continued to deteriorate.
Virginia Dare’s name was somewhat dormant until it resurged in the early 20th century. Anti-Native American sentiments and stereotypes rose in the form of poetry. Similar to Cushing’s The poet Sallie Southall Cotten, depicted an evil shaman turning Virginia Dare into a white doe; she’s supposed to represent the “heir of civilization” symbolizing the triumph of righteous Britain over superstitious savages. Manifest destiny among other colonial mindsets. She was later celebrated in the Jamestown colony in Virginia as the first child of Anglo-American descent in 1907. When we see Virginia Dare’s name in the present, it’s primarily from the white supremacist, alt-right, and anti-imigration website vdare.com.
What initially centered on a single tribe, called the Croatan, the narrative became generalized so it can be associated with all Native Americans. Then the name Virginia Dare was presumed victimized by marginalized groups. Her name then became a rallying cry for white supremacists group. Fearful of their own “purity” being threatened by other races. Among their many anxieties, also included the panic of “race suicide”. The legend of Virginia Dare, began the fear of non-Britain immigration that rose in the 19th century. While white supremacist groups are less known for harassing Native Americans nowadays, this discrimination undoubtedly stoked the overall xenophobia and panic over immigration seen today.
In many ways this legend set historical precedent for future views about immigration, and in a sense all immigration rumors. The legend contributed to the fundamental view of America versus the other, Whites against non-Whites. Websites and hate groups alike believe minorities are inherently inferior and uncivilized, these beliefs are parallel to views held in the 19th century.
After he overviewed the lost colony of Roanoke and Virginia Dare, Cummins said “So, while we don’t know what happened to the real Virginia Dare, we do know what happened to her legacy – it was co-opted by a bunch of aggressively ignorant assholes” (Cummins, 2018).
She represented many things to people, the first English colonist and to others the foreshadowing of white supremacy. When talking about how believable a narrative is, it often depends on the audience and their background. I would say many people do not still see Native Americans as savage, but I can imagine bigots having a sense of superiority over them as a whole.
Works Cited
Brunvand, J. H. (2014). Too good to be true the colossal book of urban legends. Norton.
Cummins, Dan (Producer). (2018, October 1). Timesuck [Audio podcast].
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/timesuck-with-dan-cummins/id1156343076?i=1000420842289
Fine, G. A., & Ellis, B. (2013). The global grapevine: Why rumors of terrorism, immigration,
and trade matter. Oxford University Press.
Teen Horror: Truant Tower
(Google Earth Screenshot. I’m unsure why it looks like a Salvador Dali painting, but it’s an accurate enough approximation.)
A friend and former classmate of mine who I’ll refer to as Ellen, reminded me of a classic local legend about our old high school campus. I have heard a less detailed variation of the legend myself. Though my version is more straightforward it’s far more lackluster or focused than Ellen’s. I decided to label it as a legend, because it follows human characters and is presumed to be at least somewhat true.
Ellen and I are still friends and we keep in contact almost daily. I’d say we’re both somewhat skeptical about the paranormal. We met sophomore year, but we didn’t really hangout until our senior year.
I always found this legend more as a way to deter students from ditching class, however, Ellen seems unsure and unwilling to rule out the possibility. I’ll begin with the version I heard and show how this legend transforms person to person.
There is only one two story building on our old campus. I recall during an orientation tour with a teacher they told the legend of how a student actually died falling down the stairs. There are stairs inside and outside of the building. We were inside when he told the story and he was suggestive with his body language that it was the wooden stairs on the first floor where we were walking on.
I nearly forgot about this story until Ellen gave a more detailed account than my former teacher did. She specified that there was more to the legend than just a student dying. She said it happened a long time ago, though, I couldn’t pin her down for a year. It used to be a popular spot for students to go ditch class and avoid hall monitors, because they rarely had classes in the tower. Since I’ve attended those details check out. According to her, it was a place truant’s would often go to smoke cigarettes. What surprised me was that in Ellen’s version there’s also a supernatural take on the tower. According to her one of these truant’s fell down on the second story stairs outside of the building. Unlike the interior, these steps are stone. Since then there have been rumors the tower is haunted, though it’s treated more as a joke. Ellen said “I heard it happened on the second story stairs and now if you look at the second story window you can see a creepy face appear.” This part of the story was rather vague as she seemed unsure whether the creep face is supposed to be the student who died or a malevolent force perhaps involved. Those being the leading interpretations, apparently a couple of her friends have claimed to see this face in the window.
Without passing judgement on the legend, it’s worth noting that I’ve only had one class within the tower, and while I walked there I’d often hear people giggle and joke about watching each other’s step. I myself never saw a face in the window people mentioned, but others supposedly have. Many of the people who did ditch class tended to stick by the bleachers or behind the gymnasium. It’s interesting that people tended to avoid the tower as part of it has since been restricted.
Interesting enough there’s a somewhat similar local variation at a neighboring high school in this variation it’s about a young girl that committed suicide by jumping off a bell tower, after seeing her boyfriend with another girl.
The fact that there’s multiple variations suggests that the story has believability. Even if you take away the supernatural element, the legend of someone dying by falling down stairs is believable if not mundane. The fact that it appears at different campuses does spread some doubt about the extent.
In the This One Didn’t Happen narrative in Too Good to be True: The Colossal Book of Urban Legends, it references specific details to give the mass murderer campus rumor some credibility. Supposedly 27 people would be killed in either a T or L-shaped building. What stuck out to me was the parallel of describing specific architecture as it would be easily identifiable to local students.
The moral of the story seemed to center on being an upstanding student. Truancy was still pretty common, but I’ll admit I rarely saw anyone hang around the tower so perhaps it was successful in that regard. Ellen seemed uncertain about the cigarette part of the story, but she did bring it up, if tentatively.
Works Cited
Brunvand, J. H. (2014). Too good to be true the colossal book of urban legends. Norton.
Ellen, High School Friend.
Fine, G. A., & Ellis, B. (2013). The global grapevine: Why rumors of terrorism, immigration,
and trade matter. Oxford University Press.
Whitehurst, P. (2019). Haunted Monterey County. Haunted America.
Contamination/Disease Fears: Pop Tarts and Dr. Pepper and Rodents, Oh My!
A family member of mine, I’ll refer to as Abe actually heard a different variation of a rumor I heard growing up. It’s a rumor because it was fairly unpolished and lacked details. Abe is an intelligent man, who seemed disappointed in himself when he heard this rumor was made up.
This rumor happened back in the nineties, he was hanging out with his older brother and their friends. At the time he was about 13 years old, right before high school. He heard a rumor about people finding pieces of rat meat including tails inside of their Pop Tarts. Abe was somewhat fuzzy on the origin, but he seemed fairly confident that he got it from watching MTV. It’s what he turned on as soon as he got home, as he didn’t read newspapers until later in life. He had an interesting detailed account of it saying it was a specific batch from his area. Abe actually believed this rumor until recently after noticing nobody else heard of this rumor. This was after he moved away, and after recently doing research he concluded that this was debunked.
I asked Abe about how long he believed this rumor and how often he spread it. He responded with “I remember telling friends about it in the desert… and later that Christmas at my aunt’s house. My cousin who is about five years older than me heard the same thing.”
When he told me about this, I found it uncanny how similar it was to a rumor a different family member told me about someone finding a whole rat inside a bottle of Dr. Pepper. After taking this class I learned it’s less that these stories are similar rather they are the same. Rodents contaminating a batch of a product from a corporation is a fairly common framework. The reason I found it convincing is that I once found a cockroach in a burrito. I luckily found it, but it made me feel sick and distrustful of sanitation with food and beverages.
Yet another variation I recall learning in class and reading in Too Good to be True: The Colossal Book of Urban Legends, was the “Kentucky Fried Rat” and “The Mouse in the Coke” (Brunvand, 2020, p. 189). It’s difficult to nail down why these narratives are so prevalent. What these four rodent related narratives have in common is that it implies a deep unconscious distrust in corporations.
In my personal experience as a participant in these rumors, I have found they become less believable the more similar rumors you hear. For example, when I heard Abe and Brunvand’s rumor, I began to question the validity of my own rumor. Contamination narratives seem common due to an underlying fear of our food and drink being tampered with. The massive demands from restaurants and other sources can leave room for contamination. A moral lesson about these rumors in general could be how much do each of us contribute to the spread of misinformation? In Aspray’s 9/11 conspirac theories, he highlights that many businesses were financially impacted by narratives alone.
Works Cited
Abe, Family.
Brunvand, J. H. (2014). Too good to be true the colossal book of urban legends. Norton.
Fine, G. A., & Ellis, B. (2013). The global grapevine: Why rumors of terrorism, immigration,
and trade matter. Oxford University Press.
The left is not an actual photo, just for imagery. The second photo is Chuco and myself.
Supernatural Stories: Good Dogs and Bad Spirits
A relative of mine, I’ll refer to as Kate had a fascinating account of a supernatural experience.We had two pit bulls during the span of these two experiences, Chuco and Lexi. Kate and Chuco will be the primary characters in this memorate. She considers herself very superstitious and relies heavily on intuition which runs on her side of the family.
Chuco was a great dog I had the pleasure of knowing. We would describe him as a gentle giant; he was great with people and animals. He was always protective of Kate when she was alone or around strangers, usually men. His first owner was arrested for dog fights, but Chuco was still a puppy when this happened. Pitbulls unfortunately tended to get put down on site, luckily we adopted him before that happened. He was a smart dog with an old soul. He used to carry this little mermaid book and press a button that would make a dog sound, and he’d carry it everywhere.
The first time Kate had a supernatural experience was over 18 years ago, she was on the bed multitasking watching tv and folding laundry. She described it as a mellow, sunny, and quiet day alone with Chuco in the master bedroom. Chuco was lying across the foot of the bed. It was silent, but she heard Chuco do a warning growl under his breath at seemingly nothing toward the doorway. Kate looked confused and told him to relax. He did not, in fact he stood up and interposed himself horizontally between Kate and the direction he stared down. He bared his teeth and flexed. This happened for less than a minute, but she started to worry and started petting him reassuringly calling him a good boy. A year later she had the house blessed. While Kate didn’t see anything in the doorway, she believes it was a male spirit. Chuco apparently had similar body language when feeling protective of her.
She’s always been very spiritual and believed in spirits, but never experienced anything like this before. She had a similar, but less tense encounter at a different house with Chuco. The house was still unfurnished. A few years later she was on the phone when she heard Chuco barking, it wasn’t aggressive at all. It was akin to a dog barking to get something’s attention. She was in a long hallway and hung up the phone to check on him. This wasn’t a malicious feeling, it was more eerie than anything. When she saw him he seemed to be investigating cautious, but very calm as well. She said at some point “He was literally tiptoeing like Scooby Doo.” He was a very expressive dog and he moved as if to say “I saw something. Where did it go?” He was tiptoeing towards my room, I wasn’t there at the time. He walked slowly near the wall carefully poking his head around the corner. He thoroughly investigated the area, even my closet. By this time we had Lexi, a younger pitbull, more energetic than Chuco. The usual dynamic between the two was he would sleep and if they heard something he’d let Lexi figure out what it was. Lexi was outside at the time. This lasted several minutes compared to last time,because it was less urgent and more controlled.
Kate had those two supernatural memorates, but she never flat out saw a spirit. It’s worth noting that a variety of factors are revealed through her telling, from the extent of spirituality and religiosity at play as well as being a pet owner. For many pets are considered part of the family, so Chuco was considered family. Kate self admittedly calls herself superstitious, but that doesn’t shake her certainty that it happened.
I wasn’t judgemental in the interview, but Kate knows overall I’m a skeptic. During her telling of her experience she paused and said “Unless you were there, you really don’t understand.” While that’s true, I respect Kate, and I don’t think she’s one to exaggerate. Also I believe dogs overall are very intelligent animals especially Chuco. Though the argument could be made I found it convincing due to it being a memorate.
In the 11th chapter “Strange Things Happen” of Brunvand’s Too Good to be True: The Colossal Book of Urban Legends, he addresses supernatural stories. Brunvand said “Belief, of course, is an individual matter, so that one person’s fictional scary story may be another person’s trusted true incident” (Brunvand, 2014, 238). I think that statement provides a lot of insight on ghost stories and how they are perceived by the public.
Similar to the ghost videotape and the disappearing hitchhiker, Kate’s memorate is eerie and mysterious. However, unlike Brunvand’s collection of supernatural stories, there doesn’t seem to be a clear moral message. I suppose one takeaway could be that there is unexplainable phenomena that’s open to interpretation. For example, if spirits did exist are they inherently malevolent? Animals have better senses than we do, then couldn’t our pet’s perceive what we can not? In the second memorate, it seemed less like a hostile encounter and more of a mysterious presence.
Works Cited
Brunvand, J. H. (2014). Too good to be true the colossal book of urban legends. Norton.
Fine, G. A., & Ellis, B. (2013). The global grapevine: Why rumors of terrorism, immigration,
and trade matter. Oxford University Press.
Kate, Family
Conspiracy Theories: Cheese Pizza Hold the Research
Yet again I found myself listening to a podcast called Timesuck. Dan Cummins, covers the disturbing conspiracy theory of pizzagate. It is a topic with heavy political overtones, so he does his best to remain non-partisan in his analysis. It will be categorized as political rumors as the conspiracy lacked any solid foundation or evidence as reviewed by Cummins. The first mention of this conspiracy theory was found in a Facebook post October 29th 2016.
He describes pizzagate as a detailed conspiracy born out of rumors from social media. This occurred during the 2016 election, and of course intertwined with other political conspiracy. The narrative focuses on a suspected child sex ring hidden under the basement of Comet Pizza in Washington D.C. It is associated with liberals and an underground membership with codes. For example, cheese pizza is supposedly code for child pornography. However, a believer of the conspiracy theory, Edgar Welch found out there wasn’t a basement in Comet Pizza when he fired a weapon inside there in a “rescue” attempt. The Clinton administration has been accused by conspiracy theorists, even going as far as to claim Jeffery Epstein had a private plane called the “Lolita Express” which Hillary would board on. Hillary has been accused of having a sexual preference for young girls.
Cummins points out these rumors gained an impressive following on social media. Samuel Woolley, a director of a digital intelligence research lab has claimed highly sophisticated social media bot networks. They are automated bots that repost content and harass critics.
An interesting example of how this narrative was manipulated was that people claimed Clinton’s pastor was convicted of child molestation, however, it was just a completely unrelated pastor in Clinton, New York.
Similar variations from pizzagate includes the Lolita Express I mentioned earlier. Another one includes Epstein having a pedophile island that liberal politicians including Hillary visited.
The difficult thing about conspiracy theories is the moment they are labelled as such they are assumed false. At the time the possibility of Russian influence and an organized bot network of disinformation for political manipulation had the same label as pizzagate.
Pizzagate was a major conspiracy theory that had incredible traction on social media. Disreputable websites such as Infowars were supporting and adding to the conspiracy theory. While it can be said about most elections 2016 was an especially polarizing cycle. It’s believability is surprisingly higher than most would think, because it is where fake news became especially popular. People with adequate research skills would likely not find the story believable. If a political candidate is not liked, scandals and conspiracy theories are more likely to be believed.
Not to overuse Brunvand’s point, but his mention of all urban legends containing truth applies here as well. Epstein and Weiner both are convicted sex offenders and associated with Democrats. For people, who are already jaded or skeptical of the Democrats, it can cause people to accept coincidences as patterns.
Whether or not this rumor thrived based on intentional deception or transformation is up to debate. There is a clear distrust of politicians, media, and government observable in many conspiracy theories.
As far as a moral message within this topic, it could be argued that if sex offenders can be found in politicians, what about the ones that haven’t been found yet. This is worsened by the sex offender by association within politics. I’m reluctant to use the phrase witch hunt, but if you look hard enough you’re bound to find one.
Works Cited
Brunvand, J. H. (2014). Too good to be true the colossal book of urban legends. Norton.
Cummins, Dan (Producer). (2018, October 1). Timesuck [Audio podcast].
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/timesuck-with-dan-cummins/id1156343076?i=1000420842289
Fine, G. A., & Ellis, B. (2013). The global grapevine: Why rumors of terrorism, immigration,
and trade matter. Oxford University Press.
Technology Fears: Y2K
A family member of mine I’ll refer to as Lauren, told me about her experiences with Y2K. Also known as the year 2000 problem. I was too young at the time to understand it fully myself. I always assume people thought it had to do with some sort of global malfunction with military technology. I knew about the amount of panic there was as well as the fact doomsday prepping was at play.
It’s challenging to categorize Y2K, due to the fact it became widely debunked. I’d categorize it as a legend because at the time it was presumed to be true, though many had different variations of rumors about it.
Lauren was fairly brief with her description of the premise of Y2K. She said that all the computers around the world were coded to only be able to use two digits for the year. Apparently the main issue was with banking.
She summed it up as “When the year 2000 came around the system would resent accounts to the year zero and everyone would lose all their money”. People were incredibly concerned and there was actual debugging needed. Lauren explains that it actually resulted in IT jobs opening up in India to help the process of debugging.
When I asked her if the panic had any basis, she said yes and no. It was certainly a problem that needed fixing, but it wasn’t as apocalyptic as people made it seem. She was not overly concerned due to being fresh out of high school with no money in the first place.
The other variant I heard was that all technology was going to fail. This was according to her the popular misinterpretation of Y2K. Everywhere she went people were talking about it and it was all over the news. She pointed out that once it passed everyone went back to their daily lives.
We have all experienced issues with technology at one point. While that doesn’t necessarily make everyone luddites, it can lead to a general fear, skepticism even or distrust in the development of technology. Technology is not infallible nor is the human psyche.
It’s worth noting that the variations of Y2K presented two different worst case scenarios. Either a financial crisis or the collapse of technology was expected. Brunvand, however makes an important observation about technology. We rarely hear about all of the positive experiences and privileges we enjoy in these legends (Brunvand, 2014, p. 302). Lauren’s retelling of the legend also reaffirms Brunvand’s point that to a degree all legends are somewhat true.
It was clearly a genuine concern to have at the time, however, certainly not to the extent that people thought it was. As if it was a game of telephone the legend continued to split into different narratives. Similar to the “Any Key” classic in Too Good to be True: The Colossal Book of Urban Legends, these complex and ingenious computers we use everyday often have simpler solutions far less daunting than the ones the imagination creates. Although Y2K was an issue it was far from an insurmountable one.
Works Cited
Brunvand, J. H. (2014). Too good to be true the colossal book of urban legends. Norton.
Fine, G. A., & Ellis, B. (2013). The global grapevine: Why rumors of terrorism, immigration,
and trade matter. Oxford University Press.
Lauren, Family.
Nicholas De Moss
Professor Redacted
GLBLCLT 191
12 March 2021
Once Upon a Time in the West: Didn’t Move to the City, the City Moved to Me
Sergio Leone’s “Once Upon a Time in the West” is a masterpiece for a variety of reasons, but this paper will focus on its interpretation of civilization. Although the theme is not particularly unique among westerns, it’s nonetheless interesting to see how different films have different takes on it. “Shane”, “The Big Gundown”, and “Django Kill… If You Live Shoot!”.
Our first film this quarter wasn’t a spaghetti western, but certainly, had an interesting take on nature and civilization. The taming of the west is best seen through the iconography of Shane and Joe Starrett working tirelessly to remove a tree stump through tools and their own hands. Shane is an example of someone who tries and fails to adapt to civilization; we see him rugged in a hide jacket and during his trip to town he buys regular clothes. The tragedy is he still seems to see progress as positive change but also fundamentally incompatible with people like him and Ryker.
Sergio Soliema’s film “The Big Gundown” briefly touches on civilization albeit in a less direct way than “Shane”. Corbett’s character seems to encapsulate paving the way for progress as he tirelessly hunts down outlaws as well as taking on political aspirations in this new world of ever-growing railroads and bustling cities. Brockston and Chet seem to represent the rampant corruption that tends to go hand in hand with progress.
Easily the most cynical take on civilization is Guili Questi’s film “Django Kill… If You Live Shoot!”. Narrative wise it is profoundly unconventional which makes it all the more engaging. It starts with the stranger being double crossed by a backstabbing outlaw named Oak. He’s gun downed and left for dead showing the brutality and chaos of an outlaw lifestyle. The ironic thing is that cruelty is almost tame compared to the town both the stranger and Oak’s arrive at. We see that the townsfolk are equal parts cruel and opportunistic to the point where they are more fearsome than Oak’s gang. The town itself is almost cannibalistic in how they immediately compete and turn on each other as soon as gold is involved. The feud between Alderman and Templer outlines the last point the best. Sorrow’s gang unlike other films doesn’t seem to terrorize the town so much as work with them. For example, townsfolk seem to volunteer information and offer help rather than avoid the gang altogether. Overall the corruption and greed seem to be widespread throughout the town slowly killing off anything good in it such as Elizabeth and Evan. Besides the fact that it has horror elements, the film also seems to have harsh implications about humanity as a whole.
Now that we have all these different interpretations on the age-old struggle between nature and civilization, it brings us back towards “Once Upon a Time in the West”. McBain Ranch seems to be isolated and particularly vulnerable to the lawless place the McBain’s live in. Early on we see the whole family, children included shot down by the ruthless mercenary, Frank. Fonda’s character is consistently a brute and a sadist with aspirations of being wealthy through underhanded business dealings. Later on, it’s revealed that Frank brutalized Harmonica as a child through a traumatic flashback. Morton is somewhat of an enigma as he is a corrupt tycoon, but certainly, a less malicious force throughout the film compared to Frank. Morton’s impatience, disease, and ambition seem to contribute to his downfall more than the changing times. Ultimately Frank knows he can’t overcome his violent nature and has to confront Harmonica. Most of the characters working towards building McBain’s town don’t get to actually enjoy it. As discussed in the lecture Sergio Leone’s film seems to parallel the interests of the heroes and villains through technology like trains. As technology constantly advances and expands what need will there be for horses, outlaws, and cowboys. Even Frank realizes that men of violence are a dying breed and tries to adapt to the business environment instead. Jill is consistently the only one ready for this new age.
The one thing all westerns agree on is that urbanization is inevitable. Protagonists and antagonists alike seem to thrash against the spread of civilization. “The Big Gundown” and “Django Kill… If You Live Shoot!” portray the negative aspects of urbanization as corruption can terrorize the helpless. “Shane” and “Once Upon a Time in the West” recognizes the value that progress has and simultaneously points out that it can also make people redundant and unwanted. Removing negative forces of violence and lawlessness such as Ryker, Oak, Cheyenne, and Frank are beneficial for the overall stability; however, this also removes the need for these “savage heroes” such as Shane, Harmonica, and the stranger.
Progress is often seen as a beneficial development that contributes to a peaceful and more convenient society. As some of the films point out this can also be exploited for selfish gains. Overall these western almost demigod-like heroes can’t ever have a normal life despite their usefulness; they tend to always solve these conflicts but compelled to live a nomadic lifestyle never staying in the places they have forever changed. The changing landscape and era of the end of the wild west is an intriguing time for films to explore as we see among American westerns such as “Shane” and countless spaghetti westerns as well.
Annotated Bibliography
Brock, I. (1997) Cowboy Dan [Recorded by Modest Mouse] [Lyrics]. Retrieved from
https://genius.com/Modest-mouse-cowboy-dan-lyrics
Leone, S. (Director). (1968). Once Upon a Time in the West [Video file]. Italy: Euro
International Film (Italy) Paramount Pictures (United States). Retrieved March 12, 2021, from https://drive.google.com/file/d/1W5UsYmaS2JZ0NhpZHQcLTE9naR7Ul6co/view
Questi, G. (Director). (1967). Django Kill… If You Live, Shoot! [Video file]. Italy: G.I.A. –
Società Cinematografica Hispamer Filmi. Retrieved March 12, 2021, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpoEWPwGXVA
Sollima, S. (Director). (1967). The Big Gundown [Video file]. Italy: PEA Produzioni
Cinematographice Tulio Demicheli. Retrieved March 12, 2021, from https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mpoxsyeFhYH8qzPnkDrzU5ynUwEsj4DQ/view
Stevens, G. (Director). (1953). Shane [Video file]. United States: Paramount Pictures.
Retrieved March 12, 2021, from https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RVPoVkg8CVWuebujguFh3kzs0yvpv1iA/view
Nick De Moss 