Log #7

How Should We Define Ourselves?

In addition to reading novels to explore myself, I also have some rewards from watching movies. Today, I watch the movie, Dangal(我和我的冠軍女兒). The meaning of dangal is honor. The story is about the father who could not realize his dream placed his dream on his daughters' lives. The father, Mahavir used to be a wrestler. Due to the reality, he needed to give up his dream and work for his family. He was eager to have a son and train him as a wrestler. Unfortunately, he had four children who are all girls. When he decided to totally give up the dream about wrestling, he suddenly found his girls had the potentials to be wrestlers. Then, the challenges for his daughters, Geeta and Babita were coming.

At the beginning of the movie, I start to wonder about how I should define myself. Geeta and Babita had no choice but to be wrestlers for their father's expectation. They received training for their father. They complete contents for their father. They cut their adorable hairs for their father. There are nothing they chose for themselves. I start to ask myself: Am I also live under my parents' expectations? After thinking for a while, the answer is no. Although sometimes my parents will advise me do something, they just want to lead us to the right direction. I still can make the decision while receiving their advices. I think I am lucky to have such intimate parents.

However, I cannot deny Mahavir's love for his daughters. He hoped that his daughters could be stronger than others, even boys. Girls are not inferior to boys. At the end of the movie. Mahavir had some problems so he could not accompany with Geeta for the contest. Bearing the motto of Mahavir, Geeta won the prize on her own. Most importantly, she did learn something from her father and herself. It is glad to see that Geeta defined herself based on her understandings.

Concept Map

Log #6

        Today I participate in the speech that is hold by NTUST. The speaker has a well-known fan page, Lessons from Movies. You can find it on either Facebook or Instagram. The fan page includes many meaningful sentences learned from movies. I am one of the fans and keep following for this fan page for a long period of time. Hence, I was excited when I learned that she were going to give the speech in our school.

        The topic of the speech is closely related to the project which we are working on. The speaker leads us to go deeply in our hearts. She says that we are forced to grow up and give up our dreams due to the reality. When we are little, we dare to dream big. We want to be teachers who can educate people, nurses who can help those who are injured, or even the president who can govern the country. We dare to dream because of the fantasy. We have many imaginations for our future. However, we lose these dreams and the ability of fantasy when we grow up. We know that there are too many impossibilities in the reality. The huge difference between adults and children is the ability of fantasy.

        She also mention the movie, The Bucket List. There are two men who both have the cancer. They decide to complete their bucket lists before the death is coming, so they start their journey. I think this is a movie worth of watching. We don’t have to start over; we just need to start now. It is never too late to do something. I will have some times to watch this movie on the weekend.

        To conclude, I am really benefited a lot from the speech. I will keep following for this fan page and learn more life mottos from it. 

Log #5

Better Than Before

I choose "Better Than Before" as the reading material for my personal project. When my classmates introduced this book in last semester, I was impressed by its content. This book is mainly talked about how to develop good habits. Moreover, the author teaches people with different ways of developing habits according to their characteristics. The content of how to master habits is not the most attractive for me. I am interested in the way the author analyze a person. She also provides lots of concrete examples which really happened around her. I think I can through those analyses to find out what kind of person I look like.

Initially, the author divides people into four tendencies: Upholder, Questioner, Obliger, and Rebel. Upholders respond readily to outer and inner expectations. Questioners question all expectations, and they respond to an expectation only if they conclude that it makes sense. Obliger meet outer expectations, but struggle to meet inner expectations. Rebels resist all expectations, outer and inner alike. There are two standards to classify the four tendencies---meets or resists outer expectations and meets or resists inner expectations. According to the author's experiment, most of the people are Questioner and Obliger.

Basically, I think I am an Upholder. I always do my best to make myself and others down. I will try my best to make whatever I can do perfect. Sometimes I will have a sense of achievement when I receive good comments. Sometimes I will feel disappointed when it comes out with bad results. To avoid others' and my disappointment, I always try my best. It also reminds me one of the slogan from Adidas--- "All in or nothing." It means that do it as perfectly as possible. Otherwise, you can just choose not to do it and you don't waste your time.

Maybe, I am a so called "perfectionist." However, I am not always an Upholder. To be honest, I feel stressed when I want to make everything perfect. I am still striking the balance between perfection and moderation.

Log #4

Social media

Bullying has become a serious problem from then till now. People used to bully others by actions or in person before. Now, people can bully or be bullied in all places and at all times with the well-developed technology. Bullying exits in our lives as many forms.

For online bullying becoming more often, I think there are two reasons. First, the digital device is all over the world. We used to see children playing with toys. However, most children play with cellphones, tablets, computers now.

Second, with the social media, people can deliver all they want. Maybe people think they won't have to be responsible for what they have said "online". They are less likely to feel the implications of what they are really saying. As a consequence, people tend to speak out their minds freely.

The reasons that I mention above have the negative effects of social media bullying. The worst consequence of cyber bullying is causing suicide. The bullying happens more often among teenagers. For example, we can see the event of bullying no matter on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. With the convenience of the internet, cyber bullying becomes serious. Not until I read these articles and watch the videos, did I know that how far the social media has affected us.

1. When online shaming goes too far: https://www.ted.com/talks/jon_ronson_what_happens_when_online_shaming_spirals_out_of_control

2. Social Media Bullying Has Become a Serious Problem:
https://nobullying.com/social-media-bullying-has-become-a-serious-problem/

3. Cyberbullying and Social Networks Statistics - NoBullying.com Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ES6nUrsVFQU

Log #3

The Solution for Media Chaos: Critical Thinking

Our group are going to discuss about the issue of media chaos. In addition to searching for the related information by myself, I also browse through my members’ logs and the articles that they share. I like one of the articles that Jay shares. It is about critical thinking.

There are many ways for us to get information in this modern age of advanced technology. How to distinguish information form right to wrong is a tough question. Basically, we should have the ability of critical thinking. Here is one of the pictures in the article. It shows the core skills for being critical.

First of all, people have different concepts to define the right or wrong information. Through different communication ways, people will have different ideas toward on things. As a consequence, there will be many versions of the same thing. I think we should learn one thing by ourselves but not by others. We should not follow others’ ideas, but develop our own ideas to increase the reading maturity. Second, those who know how to be wise for receiving information should teach others to question information. Not everyone knows what critical thinking exactly is. Many people will follow the mainstream that the most people believe. However, that kind of information is always not the truth. Wrong information is based on misunderstanding. We should be wise and teach others to be wise toward information.

With the advanced technology, we can learn a variety of information online. However, there is no one can guarantee the correctness. One of the solutions is critical thinking.

Social media make critical thinking critical

http://www.duperrin.com/english/2013/06/28/social-media-critical-thinking/

Log #2

Irresponsible Media

I have found some articles which are related to our topic, misleading media. The impressing one that I read is about the Indian media.(I put the link at the end of this log.)

Media gives us the insight of the world. As a consequence, one of the basic tasks of the media is to provide reliable and objective information to the people that will enable them to form rational opinions. According to the Indian article, there are four defects of the media—twisting facts, paid news, non-issues as real issues, tendency to brand. I think Taiwan media have the same cons, especially for twisting facts and non-issues as real issues.

Astonished by the fact that the news programs are divided from political parties in Taiwan, I take a deep look of this. TVBS and CtiTV(中天新聞) are tend to the Blue Party. SET (三立新聞)and Formosa TV(民視新聞) are tend to Green Party. These programs broadcast the positive news for the Party which sponsors them. However, I think they are not objective enough to give people the latest information. The programs may shield the parties from criticism and twisting facts.

Another problem is non-issues as real issues. You can observe the news paper often highlight and enlarge the unimportant news with sensational headline. However, the important news is left beside the column with tiny words. I think it is improper and and lead people to focus on negligible things.

All in all, the chaos of media are spread over the world. We should take action and stop it from happening again and again.

Media and issues of responsibility
http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/Media-and-issues-of-responsibility/article13059658.ece

Log #1

Media Misleading

Recently, the television kept broadcasting the same news. A young female model, Ms. Chen, was killed in the basement. Initially, people assumed that the murder was her best friend, Ms. Leung. The report went through rapidly. However, the report was not confirmed. People started to blame on Ms. Leung on Facebook and other social media platform. Yesterday, I watched the news and knew that there was another clues for the murder. Ms. Leung was proved to be innocent. People who attacked her through media were wrong. I am really disappointed that people mostly believe the reported news but not understand the news and realize it.

With the development of technology and network, people are easy to get information online. It also boasts the media industry. People tend to believe what they hear but not what the learn. We are lack of critical thinking. Take Ms. Leung for example, the mean comments on her Facebook must have a huge and negative effect on her life. She is blamed for what she never does. It is really pity and unfair for her.

Nowadays, everyone is media. We can have information from others. Others also can learn the information from us. What we need to do is content control. We should think critically and examine whether it is correct. Sharing is powerful. As a consequence, think twice before we share the information.

Media misleading public
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2017/feb/27/media-should-stop-misleading-public/

Log #8

In Order to Live

Yeonmi Park

        Identity is who a person is, or the quality of a person or group that makes it different from others. Every people need identity to live, so does Yeonmi. She need to have an ID card in order to work. Only finding the job could help her and her mother to earn money to live. On the way she asked for someone to get an ID card, she was kidnapped by the man, Huang. Fortunately, Hongwei saved her again, and he decided to let her go instead of forcing Yeonmi to stay with him. Finally, Yeonmi and her mother were on the way of freedom－heading for South Korea. Far from their image, they were regarded as criminals after they reached there. They were sent into the prison. All they could do were watching the birds outside the window and dreaming that they could be the birds to regain freedom one day.

        As for Yeonmi’s experiences, I feel pity in her. All she wants is to live with freedom. It’s regretful that the North Korean Government cannot guarantee the human right for its people. Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, whatever our nationality, place of residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, color, religion, language, or any other status. We are all equally entitled to our human rights without discrimination. These rights are all interrelated, interdependent and indivisible. It’s unfair for these North Korean people to be treated as criminals in other countries. They were so eager to have the freedom, but they failed to make it.

        I hope in the following chapters in which I can see these North Korean people regain their freedom and be treated like most of the people living on earth.

Log #7

Yeonmi and her mother

        Sometimes we pursue going somewhere or achieving something because the places or things are so wonderful in our imagination. However, we will eventually find out that they are not at all. What we have imagined is far from what we go through.

Yeonmi bore the mind of escaping from North Korea to China. She finally realized her dream and persuaded her mother to leave without her father. Everything she had been told since she left North Korea had been a lie. Yeonmi and her mother were sold to China by human trafficking. They deeply believed that they can leave the awful country, North Korea, without all the terrible conditions. They would pick up Yeonmi’s father after they settled down in China. Unfortunately, she and her mother were sold separately for different families. What’s worse, they were raped by the broker on the way to China, even though Yeonmi was only thirteen years old.

When Yeonmi’s mother was going to be taken away, her mother said something to her. “Be a good girl. Clean the house every day and cook for these people so they can see the value of keeping you here.” Although there were only few words, I could see the motherhood in Yeonmi’s mother’s heart. Her mother wanted her to grow up well and also told her the principle of behave. It was so touching that I could imagine the scene of saying goodbye.

There are also some sentences that I really like. “If the Chinese government would end its heartless policy of sending refugees back to North Korea, then the brokers would lose all their power to exploit and enslave these women. But of course if North Korea wasn’t such a hell on earth, there wouldn’t be a need for the women to flee in the first place.” I think it was the reasons why Yeonmi wanted to escape. 

Log #6

In Order to Live

Yeonmi Park

        We know much about South Korean, while we know less about North Korean. North Korean is a self-isolation country. The government closes down the information for its people, and forces them to give up the good opportunity to have knowledge of the outside world. Yeonmi Park and her family are those who suffer from that regime. They lived in Hyesan which is a small country in North Korean. Compared with other families, they lived a richer life. It’s because her father made smuggling business between Pyongyang and China. Although it was illegal, it was the only way for them to make a living. Unfortunately, his father was arrested and sentenced to the jail. Poor little Yeonmi and her older sister, Eunmi, were almost starved to death.

        Before reading this book, the word that I can think up to describe North Korean is isolation. However, I don’t know what the exact lives are in this country. To my surprise, the author gives lot of specific example in the book. For instance, cows are regarded as public property. Once there was a starved man eating the beef. He was arrested and fired to death. It’s a pity that a person life wasn’t worth than a cow’s. As for their great leader, they also believed that Kim Jong Il could control the weather with his thoughts. If it happens in other countries, it would be too ridiculous to believe.

        For the one to seven chapter, the author brings us into the insight of North Korean people’s lives. It totally widens my horizon. Also I like the way of the author telling her own story by using her own language. You will see the words, songbun, inminban, or kimchi, which are the Korean language. I can learn some when I read this book.

Log #5

In Order to Live

Yeonmi Park

The book that we chose as our group reading material is “In Order to Live.” It’s a story about a North Korean girl’s journey to freedom. Compared to other novels, the book is based on the real story. It’s a biography which describes the girl’s wish of getting rid of the control of North Korean.

        In the first three chapters, the author describes the way her family live in Hyesan. People in North Korean live close to nature. Without television, they have their own way of predicting the next ‘s day weather. When the lights come, people will even feel excited and jump up and down. This is the way that people in North Korean live.

        Not being able to image the live in North Korean, I am astonished by the underdevelopment in North Korean. The convenience of the internet and the universalness of the public facility are common in everywhere. We may not even feel gratitude when we read with lights. This makes me think of the lives that my grandparents and the ancients used to have. Nowadays, we take many things for granted. I think there are many people living the same lives as the author’s in many places. Moreover, I like the way the author describes her childhood. The descriptions are so vivid that I would like to read more.

Three best presentations

1.      Sally: Brooklyn

I like Sally’s sharing the most. She mentions the feeling of homesick. For most of us, we come from different countries to study in college. So she successfully raises the mutual feeling between her and the audience. I am attracted by her presentation and I am looking forward to what she is going to share. Moreover, there are too many words on her slides, but her pronunciation and content is clear enough for us to understand.

2.      Ingrid: Divergent

The second presentation that I like is Ingrid’s. She gives us the concrete ideas of the classes in Divergent thoroughly. For me, if the novel has too complex relationship, it will decrease my interest in it. Through her explanation, I have more interest in this novel and I want to take it a look. She also mentions “Don’t get confused between what people say you are and who you know you are.” This is such a good quote that I cannot agree more.

3.      李昱: The Road

The third presentation I like is his sharing of the road. There is a quote on his presentation. “You forget what you want to remember, and you remember what you want to forget.” It is completely true in my life. When I have some bad experiences, I will feel upset for days. It takes lots of time for revise my mood.

These are the best three presentations in class.

Log #4

Me Before You

Jojo Moyes

        I have started my second book, Me Before You. It’s a romantic novel. Actually, I have watched the movie. The story is so appealing that I want to buy this book and read it thoroughly. This book is mainly talked about the love story between Louisa and Will who is a wheelchair-bound after an accident. Their rendezvous is begun with the unemployment of Louisa.

        Louisa is an ordinary girl living an exceedingly ordinary life－steady boyfriend, harmony family－who has barely been farther afield than her tiny village. Unfortunately, she need to find a new job because she loses her job in a café. Going through thick and thin, she successfully finds a job which is being a caregiver. At first, she is completely nervous because she doesn’t want to help someone elder to do something private. That is such an embarrassing for a young woman with no caregivers’ skills. However, to her surprise, she is required to take care and company with a young man who is paralyzed after a car accident. Although she is not quite sure who the man is, she still takes this job. Louisa has to afford her family’s living.

        As for Louisa’s situation, I have every sympathy for her. She is so glad that she can work in the café. She likes the environment, the people, and the things happening there. Due to her boss’s personal factors, she suddenly loses her career. If I were her, I will feel panic because I lose something that takes a large part of my life. Unemployment has been a concept, something will give people disheartenment. Moreover, she is the person who need to support the whole family’s living. I am glad to see that she finds a new job. And I also look forward to see what will happen in the following story.

Log #3

Atonement

Author: Ian McEwan

   There is something terrible happening in the evening. When the family and the guests have the meal together, they find out that the twins were gone. They call the police and goes out to find them. What’s worse, Rolla who is the babysitter of the twins is raped when she tries to find the twins in the forest. Hearing the moan, Briony runs over to Rolla. With the prejudice at Robbie, Briony insists that Robbie is the person who does the sexual assault. Without any evidences, Robbie is arrested by the police due to Briony’s testimony. Little Briony is too young to understand that Robbie has never done something offensive to her older sister, Cecilia. Robbie and Cecilia kiss and hug because they love each other. Sadly, Briony misunderstands their behavior and thinks of Robbie as a sex man.

With the years, Briony grows up and realizes what she has done can never be retrieved. Robbie is sent into the jail. However, the government gives him the chance of joining the army, so Robbie chooses to join the army instead of staying in the jail. With remorse and shame, Briony gives up the opportunity of entering the University of Cambridge. She interns in the hospital which her sister used to work for. At the end of the novel, Cecilia and Robbie reunion and walk along the beach. However, it is all about Briony’s imagine. In the reality, Robbie was died in the war. As for Cecilia, she was died because of the water flood. It is a sad and unfortunate ending.

After many years, Briony gets older and older. She decides to write this story as the novel in order to show her regret toward Cecilia and Robbie. Being interviewed in the TV program, she says that she made the mistake in the reality. She wants to compensate in the fiction. She gives the couple, Cecilia and Robbie, a happy ending at the end of the novel.

The reason of why Briony writes this novel is pretty touching for me. I think everyone will make mistakes. Some mistakes can be retrieved, but some cannot. People always would like to do something to compensate and Briony is no exception. If I were Cecilia, I would forgive Briony for what she has done. This novel not only teaches me the lesson of misunderstanding should be avoided, but also is a good example of our lives. I really like this novel.

Log #2

Atonement

Author: Ian McEwan

        Have you ever misunderstood people? Or do you justify others only through their parts of behavior? Not fully realizing one person or one thing, your own opinion cannot be the standard of right and wrong. The scene that leaps into the eyes in the following chapter is shocking. Cecilia only wears her underwear without her clothes in front of Robbie. Then, she jumps into the fountain. She seems to be angry, stares at Robbie, and runs away. From little Briony’s eyes, she doesn’t know what the adults are doing and she frowns on her face. This also makes her feel strange and have doubts in her mind.

        After I keep reading, I realize that Cecilia just wants to pick up the vase fell into the fountain. The reason why Cecilia stares at Robbie is that Robbie lets the expensive vase fall into the water accidentally. It’s just the way they get along with. However, Briony doesn’t figure it. What’s worse, Robbie writes a letter in order to apologize for his rude behavior. He writes two versions. One is a sincere version, and another is an obscene version which is only for fun. Robbie is going to give Cecilia the sincere one, but he brings the wrong letter. Robbie asks Briony to forward the letter to Cecilia. Due to a little girl’s curiosity, Briony opens the letter and reads it. She cannot believe what she has read. This misunderstanding between Briony and Robbie becomes more and more complicated.

        In my opinions, I think we cannot judge a person easily. People cannot show their every aspect of personality in few minutes. Only through getting along with one person in person, you can know him or her well. Understanding one person may take a long period of time. Briony's misunderstanding toward Robbie is lack of consideration. And I guess that it will cause more problems between them in the future.

Log #1

Atonement

Author: Ian McEwan

        From the cover of this book, you may regard it as a romance story. However, its content is more related to the title, Atonement. Everyone will make mistakes, even saints will also make mistakes. This is what Atonement want to convey. Briony who likes writing is a twelve-year-old girl. Due to her misunderstanding of adult motives and her precocious imagination, she makes an error which will change her entire life. Not only her life, but also her older sister, Cecilia’s life is affected.

The story begins with Briony’s interest, writing the play. She has just completed a play about a princess named Arabella and a good doctor. There must be some reasons why Briony enjoys writing. It’s because she can control over the whole story. Moreover, her family also encourages her to develop her writing skills. As far as I have read, I think Briony is a pretty lucky girl. She has something that she really likes to do at a very young age. Furthermore, her family supports her to do what she loves. I totally forgot what I was doing when I was twelve years old.

In the chapter one, it doesn’t describe the interaction and relationship between Briony and Cecilia. It mostly talks about Briony’s writing and imagination. Even a twelve-year-old can write a complete play. She must be mature and have lots of experience of sundry respects. I think these elements are the foundations of the following story. The brief introduction on its cover has a perfect connection with the first chapter.

My Reading History

First of all, I would like to say that I don’t consider myself a consistent reader. I only read when I am available or when I am really attracted to that specific book. For me, dynamic activities are more appealing than static ones. I would rather watch a film which was adapted from a novel than spend time reading a novel. Sometimes, I will tell myself to stick to reading. For long time ago, I set up a goal that I should read for half an hour before sleeping. However, I was fail to do that because of laziness and tiredness.

When it comes to who made me a reader, it’s my mother. I just began learning to speak and read when I entered kindergarten. My mom bought encyclopedia on different fields. For instance, chemistry, transportation, and body structure. She always encouraged me to read and explore more. I was curious about everything on the world when I was little. Consequently, I read a lot.

Recalling to my senior high school life, I started to enjoy the joy of reading. My major was language, so the department provided a variety of courses related to English. One of them was English reading class. The teacher bought us an original novel which was called Lunch Money. In that class, we had totally one hour to read the novel for every week. Then we would write reflections on it. We shared our opinions with others in class. I liked this way of reading because it became a more dynamic activity. Moreover, we would get into groups to display the novel by acting.

Although I have a lovely reading memory in senior high school, I still think reading regularly is tough for me. Hence, I must can have the motivation to read in this reading class. I usually read for preparing for exams, reaching teachers’ requirements, or certain purposes. To set up a goal and to reach it on my own is hard. However, if someone can supervise you, it would become easier.