Blog 5

During the nineteen eighties comic book stores began to boom and no longer could comics be found in local news stands and pharmacy magazine rack. Comic Book stores also promoted and sold independent comics that were created by fans thus began the black and white comic book boom. Two comic creators from Massachusetts Names Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird dominated at least a small fraction of the comic market proving that anyone who is an inspiring comic writer/artist. Don’t have to work for wither Marvel or DC comics.   

Blog 4

1) From what I gather during these four weeks of class is organizing my ideas and more in depth with my thesis/topics. I mention before in my about me blog that I want to become a writer specifically a comic writer, because I have a passion for it since I was fifteen. I had been told that I can come up with great ideas but keep having a problem with writing them on paper. My problem is that I sometimes having trouble organizing my material when writing an essay and it becomes a jumbling mess. In this class I learn how to create topic sentences, free writing, and clustering ideas to organize by paragraph.

          Topic sentence is nothing new for I have been doing it since high school and that’s all they teach about in the SAT essay portion of the test. This is not an issue for me except after my topic sentence I would sometimes meander away from the main point and not make a whole lot of sense, which free writing comes in. I’ve been taught by my sixth grade teacher about free writing but I never took it seriously and underestimated it. Eventually it came back to bite me in the worst case scenario when writing my first essay for this class. Not only could I get my ideas and main thesis pointed out, but also kept changing the introduction or any random sentence that I felt didn’t sound right. I’m practicing free writing more since I can jot down anything about the topic I’m writing and judge it later. For organization I write down a list of ideas that can go with my topic sentence and cluster the ones they have in common. This makes it easy for me to organize my ideas and improves my writing skills.

2) Interacting with other students from a different class was fun since now I can get feedback from someone else who stays up all night with nothing better to do then annoy my professor about my essay. Being an ass aside I can receive criticism of my work from the students prospective while learning what I can do to improve and make my blog post interesting to read. Though weird since I’m not use to having anyone else besides the professor seeing my work and now having my work display like a dog show contest is a new experience for me. So yes, these comment post I keep getting from students in ENA 099 or ENG101 are really helpful (please don’t stop). What is weird for me is that while pursuing a career as a writer I’ve become a very critical person, I guess it’s a package deal. Judging someone else’s work comes easy for me and makes me sound like a cold/calculative person. I’m the exact opposite in person though. I can get a bit harsh sometimes so I apologies to anyone I offend and will offend in the future (YOU HAVE BEEN Warned!!!!*laser beams are coming out of my cat’s mouth*).    

3) I love watching movies, since I’m becoming a writer I need more inspiration then just books and comics.  

Blog 3

After watching the matrix I can see the metaphorical meaning the Wachowski brothers were implementing before they realized it was a blockbuster summer movie and loses all meaning. The matrix dealt with many issues but what impacts me the most it the debate between Agent Smith and Morpheus of illusions vs. reality. In the movie humanity lives in a world that has seen better days, a dystopian future where vegetation and water is limited. Humans are in a war against sentinel machines that want to take over the world. The machines use humans as harvest energy to keep the fight going and there is the matrix a simulated computer reality world where people are able to do anything they want. Throughout the movie Morpheus along with his puppet trainee Neo enter a constant battle against Agent Smith who wants to stop Morpheus achieving his goal in saving humanity from the dystopian future.
     I can’t help but make a connection to Plato’s story “The Allegory of the Cave” in which Morpheus wants to help humanity out of the matrix or the illusionary virtual world and defeat the machines that inhabited the planet in order for the world to return back to it’s status quo. Agent Smith wants humanity to live in matrix or this illusionary dark cave since it can give everyone what they want. If given a choice I would side with agent smith for what the matrix for all is worth is their utopia. From my perspective in our country we take for granted with what’s around us and tend to ignore the rest of the worlds problems. Outside America you have countries that are suffering from famine, war, diseases, poverty, exploitation, etc. People from Cuba or North Korea would sell their souls to have the lives we have and never look back. Sure in our country everything is commercialized and our Government scares us to buy things that we really don’t need, but we still live in an illusionary world that brings us happiness. Agent Smith like the rest of humanity only wants to be happy in his own little world.
    Morpheus is blinded by his idealistic righteousness in restoring the real world back to the way it was (1999 in the movie). In the Matrix as I stated before is a computerized machine that can simulate anything the user wants and needs. In the matrix the world is literally at your finger tips and you the individual can do anything you want to your hearts content. Inside the matrix there is no crime, wars, famine, diseases, murder, etc. Morpheus argues that the matrix is just a simulated experience and people are being lied too. If the majority of people are happy then what’s the harm being done? Of course they are being lied to but at the same time the matrix offers everything that people can want and still feel like it’s real. If humanity goes back into the real world what could they possibly do to rebuild civilization. Even if they succeed in rebuilding and repopulating what’s to stop society being controlled and destroy by someone else. Throughout history humanity has done more harm then good, by living in the matrix all the desire these people want can be met without bloodshed or violence. Everyone is equal and human nature doesn’t exist in any form inside of the matrix.
    What is wrong living in illusion if the truth hurts more and brings humanity grief then good. As long as humanity continues to exist on this rock human nature will continue to take it’s course and eventually ends us all. I would rather live in a simulated world where all are needs and wants can be meet and achieve. Rather in reality where people can control, exploit, and destroy human lives for their own gain to achieve their goal.

Blog 1: Repost.

    It has been stated that it will always be human nature to live in blissful ignorance. Accepting fact or truth some how is a discomfort to the illusion people enjoy. In the “Allegory of The Cave” Socrates states people will ignore the truth or enlightenment only to remain ignorant or live in their habitat. This has been proven throughout history especially in Monkey Scopes case in Tennessee and McCarthyism during the 1950’s. These two events people have refuse to accept the truth because in the world they are accustomed to the truth or being enlightened is taboo. People are afraid of accepting their minds being enlighten for it is to change their perception of thinking or belief. Change is for the better for without change or seeking enlightenment the world would not have advances for it takes advantage of today.
    In the nineteen thirties a man named John Thomas Scopes was trialed for committing a state offense for teaching evolution in the state of Tennessee. John Scopes was only trying to enlighten his student the truth of evolution. Evolution is a proven fact that we evolve from primates to complex beings we are today. John Scopes according to the text “Allegory of the Cave” is the “Freed Prisoner” who saw what was outside of the cave. William Bill Riley represents the cave’s non believers or the “ignorant” who refuse to believe in evolution and believes in the bible. William was asked several questions on how far fetch the bible was and his belief of the old and new testament stories to be true. William was a pastor who hated to accept evolution or the change that “God” did not create human beings from his rib, but an evolutionary process that allowed us to be complex and thinking individuals. This is still being debated amongst religious fundamentalist and atheist’s today.
      During the nineteen fifties America entered a silent war with the Soviet Union due to the fact that the U.S.S.R rivaled the U.S.A militarily. This war was not fought with guns or nukes, but instead with propaganda and fear put into both opposing countries. Both countries created the illusion to the public that their economic, political, and lifestyle were endanger from each other. Joseph McCarthy was put into power to fight against the threat that never existed in America. Joseph McCarthy eventually let the power go to his head and accuse everyone that he hated or was conspiring against him for being communist. Many writers like Arthur Miller accused him of bringing back the Salem Witch Trials back in America. Many celebrities and social commentators tried to enlighten the American public to the real threat and it wasn’t communism. Instead it was Joseph McCarthy. The public at large continue to ignore their claims and listen to McCarthy up until the sixties when he claim the Kennedy’s to be communist. The Kennedy’s fought tooth and nail to prove their innocence and to strip McCarthy off of his position in power. People soon learned that there was no real threat in their cave. The light had blinded them to finally see the real threat and it was the person whom they had trusted in.
    Accepting the truth is hard but it enables us to be more realistic and to avoid making mistakes. It can also aid us to progress further seeking knowledge. To be enlighten is not a bad thing for it gave us the modern advances we take for granted today. Staying in the cave maybe safe but won’t get us anywhere if we are told what to believe or accept what is customary. We must question everything the darkness that the cave offers and seek the light that’s the end of the tunnel. If we continue to live in the cave humanity will continue to make the same mistakes it has in the past.  

Blog 2

Throughout the centuries Humanity has a difficulty of accepting the truth as if it would change their perception of thinking or way of the lifestyle their accustomed to. The truth seems taboo and we have a hard time accepting it. Case in point the Allegory of the Cave were one of the prisoners sees the light of the cave and tells his experiences of the outside world to the other prisoners, only to be shun  and ignored by those who haven’t seen it. Plato’s metaphor can be applied into many events throughout history especially when we are given the illusion to fear something we don’t understand or a threat that never existed like the Monkey Scopes Trail or Salem Witch Trials.

After the end of World War II a new chapter beings in world history were both worlds divide into east and west. In the 1950’s the Soviet Union once our allies against Germany, had the technology and weaponry that could rival the U.S.A. Thus began the cold war were both nations used propaganda to create the illusion of one’s economic, political and social lifestyle is better than the other. McCarthyism was the false illusion that society in America accepted, the belief that soviet spies roam around the neighborhoods of families and friends. The government granted Senator Joseph McCarthy power to spy and arrest anyone who is suspected to be communist. McCarthy let the power go to his head and like the Salem witch trials he accused actors, politicians, writers, anyone who opposed him or question his power for being a communist. He had no evidence or support to his claim other than continuously feed his ego and the American public of a threat that never existed. Most of the people he accused of lost their Jobs or flee the country. Eventually Senator McCarthy would enter his downfall when he accused the Kennedy’s for being communist. JFK fought tooth and nail proving he wasn’t communist and strip Senator McCarthy of his power.

I understand it can be hard to accept the truth yet we must continue to pursue it instead of accepting the illusion that we coexist with. The people in power know that by ruling with fear they can manipulate us into believing what is an illusion or something that never existed. McCarthyism is an example of power and trust being abused by someone who didn’t have self control and allowed his moral judgment and hatred of communism consume him whole. We as a society should accept the truth and ask questions instead of coping with the lie or illusion that our society is marketing like the swine flu, If not humanity will progressively get worst. 

Steven F. 

Blog 1: The Cave and I

Throughout history humanity will choose to live in ignorance over the truth.  In the “Excerpt from the Republic” Socrates uses metaphor to describe human nature on its willingness to accept truth. The cave representing human nature, prisoners who represents society and the light represents true knowledge or being enlighten. One of the prisoners eventually gets free and witnesses the outside world, when he told the other prisoners about his experiences he gets shun and scorn.  There are many events that can relate to this metaphorical story like evolution; Galileo’s theory of the world is round, ECT. These beliefs have been looked down upon and to this day still give people a hard time to accept and I wonder why? Why should society live in ignorant bliss instead of accepting what is real and not what is proven to be a fact? I personally believe that we as a society should live in the world of truth and not told what to accept just because someone said so. Why is it wrong to accept change and question what religion, the media, or anything/anyone else says what should accepted to be truth.

 During the nineteen fifties America was a part of a silent war with Russia that shook the world by storm. The separation of east and west over the belief of whose economic system is the most beneficial to the world.

My first Blog.

Hello there I'm Steven Figueroa and this is my first blog I have ever written in my whole entire boring life. It's funny since back in high school I would make fun of people for doing this, oh irony is a cruel mistress who demands alimony. Any who since I have a gun pointing at my head forcing me to tell people about myself I figure why not. I love my life and I don't want to go six feet under the dirt since my body dosen't compliment the local cemetary. Hello I'm Steven Figueroa I yeild from Queens New York and that's all I can say about that (looks at the gunman). My hobbies include being awesome, writing stories, playing video games, and reading. I want to become a writer because I was told by multiple people that I have the talent for it and I figure why not pursue it, I've got nothing to lose? My favorite authors are Neil Gaiman, Stephen King, Alan Moore, and S.E. Hillton. My list keeps expanding so feel free to add anymore authors I've never heard off so I can learn there style and try to emulate them. Hell I've use the author from "Twilight" as an example of what not to do when writing a book.