So, we enter week 7 with roughly 3 left. I am not going to rip off a saying from a soap opera, "Days of our Lives" however, there is some truth about the like sand in an hourglass.
Last night we got our midterm grades and I am somewhat baffled. I am not going to use this platform to air grievances so I will end this quietly.
These chapters are lengthy so I will take the parts of the chapter that I found most interesting to discuss.
We went from the creation of the universe to what Chapter 16 is going over 1750-1914? That was fast. Quickly I discover, there was a lot of chaos during this period. The opening few sentences on page 782 summed it up quite nicely. "My dear philosopher, doesn't this appear to you to be the century of revolutions?" (PG 782). The person who made that statement was right. Take a gander at the graph on page 783 and perhaps you might get a small taste of the strife that was around during this period. What is so interesting even in today's time of "genre violence," war cost money! I can see why the "Seven Years War" took such a financial toll on Britain and France. Both sides introduced taxes in order to close the gap from firing money out of the barrel of weapons. No, nobody learns from the extent of conflict accept for the families that are directly involved from loss and returning home in not the best of shape.
"The French Revolution"
I won't forget the scene in the movie "The Tail of Two Cities" of when the guillotine on back of a black and white canvas coming down. What I didn't know (imagine that) was there were French soldiers aiding the colonists in America to defeat the British and when they came home, the ideology of starting over or rather "returned home with republican enthusiasm." (PG 787). There was a lot of times when I was reading this section that I found myself reading it again. I was in a captured state by the way Strayer wrote about it and described in a way that I was more in line with what the French citizens were attempting to achieve. There are a lot of comparison's here in the US with the lower class being pushed further and further out while people living in the hills looking down at those masses sipping on their $100.00 a bottle whine. No wonder why I don't like to go to wealthy neighborhoods even in my professional occupation.
I have to ask when Napoleon is discussed, why is it negative in so many ways as depicted here in the US? That has been my experience. I found evidence from the reading that he contained the revolution and pointed in a direction that facilitated growth. Not bad given the revolution was on its way of being totally out of control. He maintained order, observed equal rights, religious tolerance, and ended feudalism.
This chapter is filled with strife and then potential positive change. There is the beginning of the slavery abolishment and also the women's voting rights movement. All good for sure. The end reflection from Strayer on how he explained if revolution is good or bad, was very interesting. I feel if the group involved wants change and in their eyes it is for the good, then what can the population do when this happens? Change is inevitable.
Chapter 17
Industrialization or the introduction for pollution and putting the human race in a rapid forward motion for being overworked? "Global energy demands began to push against the existing local and regional ecological limits." (PG 828). I think we are still having this argument?
Again, Europe is getting the credit for making these immense discoveries and leaving out other groups. I can see Strayer's argument that perhaps it was due to Europe's location on why this part of the world expanded so quickly. I can see this part coming into contact with many cultural groups as Strayer has suggested making it possible to exchange ideas and get moving towards something of this magnitude.
The middle class gets mentioned as one of the groups that benefitted from this industrial revolution and one group to be left behind - women. They couldn't vote and had to work equally hard as the men in order to maintain the lifestyle. I found the title "The Laboring Class" to speak volumes before even reading the passage. The title alone depicts the group well. Even today, I see a similar group here in the US that works the hardest with the lest benefit. Some things may have changed within this part of the book however, many things have not.
Why should we become like anyone? Hence the progression of what Latin America wanted to do in order to immolate Europe. How do you do that? Attract more Europeans! It's too bad that Latin America found it necessary to become like something else instead of building on what they had. Sure, the European economy was strong and the insight of invention was potentially better. I just hate to see that other groups feel it necessary to change thinking it might be "better."
Chapter 18
Her we go - Colonization. That word creates different meaning inside of myself. Does it mean to help out a country through collaboration and exchanging of ideas? Or does it mean to take over and putting the indigenous population in a subordinate role?
Reading this chapter, I couldn't help but to ask myself this question. If I was to surmise the impact, I don't see the overall value of colonization. The opening part of the chapter when Strayer discussed his time in the Peace Corps in Ethiopia and noticed when the British wouldn't converse with the native population. Why was that? It was Britain who set up shop there and why didn't want to be more cohesive? Yes, I am puzzled as much as Strayer was.
Please forgive me for starting this next passage in the way I do.
WTF? The table on page 883 is so disturbing. How arrogant of the white race to even go there. Perhaps this week also has brought out a lot of angst in me with the shooting under the banner of the Confederate Flag.
I didn't like reading this chapter for many reasons. It reminds of my original question to myself. Does it help or hurt the societies that are involved? I may have any answer for my own review. I see it not benefitting anyone to be honest. Britain has it's octopus arms extended to almost every part of the globe. I am sure their economy suffered as having your hands in all of these pies are costly. It's like having a home here in every state and having to manage the taxes, cleaning, and upkeep of each property.
Strayer's reflections on page 911 made the most impact. Who does make history? The one with the most money and military might? Or the silent working class person who serves their community but has the most direct impact on the population? There are too many similarities to what I see in today's world of the US extending themselves too far and trying to create their own history and at times, serving it up with an iron fist. I do enjoy how Strayer puts history into words. He allows me to feel at the core of what history is and what it means to me.
Now, onto to the next assignment!
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