Choices! One of the best things you can do in life is create options for yourself. It is the reason CSS is so special. As a college preparatory school, CSS is providing you opportunities to place yourselves in the best possible positions to not only be admitted to college–but invited, recruited, scouted. The more universities knocking on your door, the better the opportunities to choose schools that will offer competitive programs you hope to specialize in. Why is this important? So you can then place yourselves in the most competitive position to get the job of your dreams. And as the saying goes, “Find a job you love–never work a day in your life.”
Having said that, welcome to the Mega Challenge Discussion. Remember that you are choosing to participate in a high level discussion–the expectations, therefore, are high. Just as in life, sometimes the high paying jobs offer us the best opportunities for the goals we have set for ourselves. For me, teaching (a not-so-high paying job) offers me more rewards. If you are choosing to participate in this assignment because of the points alone, you may want to look at the other options. Choose the option that makes sense to you individually–do you need extra points? Do you have the time to devote to a higher point option? Is it a choice you think you will enjoy?
Today’s discussion question is this: What do you know about Communism? What do you know about Socialism? How do you feel about these topics? Please DO NOT research these questions! I want to begin this discussion with an authentic evaluation of the background theme. Have fun!
October 13, 2007 at 8:58 pm
Some things that I know about Communisim are that you have very strict laws in a communist country. Everyone seems very uptight. I know this seeing as I have traveled to formally communist countries. There was still tension and conflict and you could tell that it had rolled over a little bit to the modern day world. Communisim also is not having freedom. When communisim was removed I don’t think that the people living in those countries realized that they were free of that kind of rule. Socialism on the other hand I do not know that much about. I am hoping to learn more about it by reading this book. I would like to know, if anyone has read the part when the animals decide to give the pigs the milk and apples, what do you think that symbolizes in the real life story that the author is refering to? Also why do you think the importance of this event is crucial in the story? I would like to hear what other people think.
October 14, 2007 at 3:50 pm
Hi, I guess I’m the first person to post! I am not a very political person so I don’t know much about these subjects. I do know that Socialism is based on the idea of the fact that everyone is equal, but this book has really got me thinking about that. Can everyone truly be equal? I believe that is difficult to answer, for once you put someone in charge they are autimatically viewed as a higher status than everyone else. They may say they are as equal as everone else, but even then they are still treated with more respect, or dislike, than a random person you meet on the street. This seems to be perfectly sumed up in the phrase “All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others” (133). What do you think?
October 15, 2007 at 1:34 pm
I’m so confused on the different assignments. I wanted to do this one but on Friday u said we could post two comments. What did u mean with that? Well I’ll just go ahead and answer the question. I don’t really know much about communism or socialism. I think that communism is when the government controls to economy and the people more then in socialism. In communism the also have less freedom and don’t get to make many choices. In socialism it is the opposite, they get to make their own choices, and the propel control themselves. I don’t think that communism is right. I think that people should be able to make their own decisions and control their own lives. Sorry Mrs. Gutierrez I don’t think I did it right. I will ask u tomorrow.
October 15, 2007 at 2:08 pm
I agree with Paige, I don’t know much about these topics either. Communism seems more like some places where they are strict on what you learn and your religion and when everyone must live under sertain expectations and there are no exceptions. This would be a place that you would have no freedom at all. Which is why there was America. America is so that you can have freedom and live the way that you want to live. Which is more socialist. Socialist is where everyone is just as important as everything else. But I am guessing on this and this is what I think it is, I am not comfortable enough with this topic that I would talk with the class about. This is not my strong point.
I agree with Taylor. What do the milk and apples represent? But I am also confused on how the animals are staying alive. Are they growing their own food or living off the supply of Farmer Jones? Although Paige makes a good point as well. Are people ever going to be treated equally or is this to be an on going fight for all of our lives? It is sad when you think about it. I beleive that there will always be some discrimination between people. Although as much as I wish there wouldn’t be, I feel there always will be.
October 15, 2007 at 2:21 pm
Hi! I, like Paige, am not a very political person and do not know a whole lot about history. However, I do know that Socialism is the idea that the government should control everything. Communism is the belief that everyone is equal and deserves equal treatment. For example, everyone would work and then the money would be totaled and spread out equally. Because I don’t know very much about either of these subjects, I honestly don’t really know what is so bad about Communism. I can understand that there are many cases where political leaders abuse their power, but that can happen even in a democratic society! I would very much like to learn more about both of these topics because they seem very interesting. I would appreciate it if anyone has anything to add to my descriptions. As for the apples and milk, I think it symbolizes special treatment. It seemed like just an excuse for the pigs to be treated better than the other animals because their job was more “important”. It appeared to be that the pigs made up silly excuses to get better food and saying that “they needed to stay healthy to lead Animal Farm” was just their way to back it up. This, in my opinion, is a great example of how a political leader abuses their power. Also, I just wanted to add that I think that Paiges post was really deep and really got me thinking. I agree with her: it seems like everyone in a “higher” position is veiwed as better and ends up making more money. What do you think?
October 15, 2007 at 2:48 pm
I am not sure what the milk and apples symbolizes, but I think it might have something to do with people wanting to get their way. Often when people want something they make up reasons or excuses to get it. Squealer explained to the animals that it is essential for the pigs and helps them think better. And Squealer also knows that no one wants Jones to come back, so saying that the pigs need the apples and milk or Jones will come back puts the animals in a position that is impossible to disagree with. There was probably an event in the Russian rebellion that was related to this scenario. I am not sure what, though. Napoleon why do you think he did this? I think this might be because of jealousy, and realizing that Snowball’s ideas were good. What do you think?
October 15, 2007 at 10:35 pm
I honestly don’t know a lot about either political system. I am pretty sure that Communism is a form of government that rules VERY strictly over the society. I know almost nothing about Socialism, and so this question does not give me a lot to post about. I wish I had more to say relating to the question, but because I don’t know anything about the subject, I will reply to Paige’s post. I think that the milk and apples is an example of political leaders taking advantage of their position. In this case the pigs are eating the milk and apples, which all of the animals would like to have, but pretend that it is a necessity rather than a privilege. So far in the reading it has already become apparent that this book is based on the irony of politics. The animals vow not to act like humans, but all of their actions relate to human actions. To set aside leaders, to take advantage of less intelligent or less powerful beings, all of these are human traits that the animals begin to express. They begin to express them immediately after, maybe even before, they overthrow the farmer and his workers.
October 17, 2007 at 5:59 am
I grew up in the “Cold War” era. I distinctly remember sitting on the floor of some classroom, and I can’t recall clearly which grade I was in at the time, but the teacher was showing us a map of Russia and telling us how wrong its government was. It was a scary thing back then. The fall of communism in Russia didn’t take place too long ago. Some of your older siblings may even have been born. It fell in 1991. I was in elementary school during the late 70’s early 80’s. We were trained in “bomb drills” in addition to fire and tornado drills. Because these events took place so recently, our ideas about communism are still influenced by our fears. It wasn’t until I got into college that I realized that the ideas of “socialism” which led to the beginning of “communism” weren’t evil in and of themselves. My task for you guys is to think critically about the ideas themselves and ponder why communism failed both in Russia and in the novel.
October 18, 2007 at 7:40 pm
Hi! Mrs. G, thank you so much for giving us the packet and the link about Socialism and Communism. They helped alot! However, I do have a question and would appreciate anyone who would like to try to answer it. Why is Socialism or Communism so bad? It seems like a good system where everyone gets equal treatment. I understand that alot of systems like capitalism have many faults, but I fail to see why so many people go on about how bad Socialism and Communism are. Every system has its faults, buy why rag on Socialism or Communism? I agree with Paige completely. I think she is right about the milk and apples and how the pigs treat it as a necessity, rather than a privilege. Its rather ironic if you think about it! It really shows how corrupt the government can be and how it just covers it up using excuses like “we need the apples and milk to stay healthy, and if we don’t stay healthy, Jones might come back. And you don’t want that do you?” I think the irony in this book is hilarious and thats one of the reasons I enjoy it so much!
October 19, 2007 at 8:47 pm
I agree with u guys on how they are treated and work really hard. I think that its true how they predicted that that would happen. I agree with Kurstyn on everything she has said but I do disagree with her a little bit on how our school doesn’t see and poverty. I think most of us haven’t seen much if any, but a few people have. I have the real troubles that people go through, I have seen people who can barely survive. All this is sad and it really made me think, we go to CSS and we have a nice school, nice things, nice homes, and everything we have is nice. There are so many people who don’t have much. And I think tat something needs to be done about it because there are people who just keep getting more while others don’t have anything and still are getting stuff taken away from them. It really isn’t fair. Its not fair for the poor people to not have much and its not fair for the rich people to have so much that they don’t even know what to do with it. A part of me agrees that socialism might benefit society because then this problem with status and rich and poor and many others would be solved. The other half of me thinks well someone will always be the leader and will always take charge. There will be many problems and we need to figure them out without changing society too much. So I am in between the two. To decide I would need to do more research on each topic to understand it a little better.