America in Six Words

"This works adequately, So should you."

Broadness in Ideals

I believe that not all ideals have to be predefined. For example, if someone were to ask me my feelings on the insanity plea, I would have to think and most likely discuss for a while. I would try to gather facts and make an informed decision. I think that people run into problems when they circumvent this process and try to come up with their own opinions just to have an opinion. They often make the wrong decisions due to ignorance.
However, I also believe that a firm set of guiding principals is necessary for every person to have. These principals can come from religion, family, society, yourself, or any mix of the above. Once these principals are decided and ingrained in your thoughts, then your ideology is much more likely to have deeper meaning.

Personally, I draw much of my ideology from Judaism. While I am far from strict in my belief, I do see a lot of sense and reasoning in Jewish teachings. For example, I do not believe that there is an old man with a long white beard staring down at us from the clouds named God. Nor do I believe that eating a ham and cheese sandwich is wrong. However, I do agree with Judaism's teachings of tolerance, peace, and love. I firmly believe that one human being should not hate another just because of where he was born, and that war accomplishes very little in the long run. It is these guiding principals that I use to form my ideals.

So, to put it simply, rather than pretend to know everything, I prefer to form my ideals based on facts and my strong opinions (such as those described above).

Che and America Are NOT the Same

I think these two operations are almost complete opposites. What Che was trying to do in Bolivia was upset established governments by training guerilla warriors. What America and Pakistan are doing together is strengthening the Pakistani army and government in the fight against terrorist insurgents like Al Qaeda and the Taliban. Che’s aim was to topple established governments and begin revolutions, while America and Pakistan are trying to maintain order.
The operations do have some similarities, however. Both sides of every conflict believes that they are doing the right thing. Che thought that by reconstructing some Latin American governments, he could improve the quality of life for the people. And, the Americans and Pakistanis believe the same thing now. Overall, intentions tend to be good.

It was the Bolivians.... in the jungle.... with the gun

I think the Bolivian’s killed Che. He was a prisoner, a high officer was sent to see him, and he died. I think it’s pretty clear what happened. The Bolivian’s probably did it because of what Che had done and what he was planning to do. He was using their country as a training ground for rebels to overthrow the governments of Bolivia and other Latin American Nations. A person like that, from their perspective, is simply too dangerous to be left alive.

There is Nothing Lonelier Than Adventure

There is nothing lonelier than adventure

Not the abandoning presence of wonder
Not the unnerving silence of power
Nor the gut-wrenching, heart-throbbing, mind-bending, nothingness of death.

No,
There is nothing lonelier than adventure.

What Grinds Che's Gears

Since I missed a day of the documentary, I feel like I’ve missed some crucial turning points in Che’s life story. Based on what I do know, however, I think Che’s philosophy would consider the working class and common welfare top priorities. He would categorically denounce elite wealthy treatment. I think this because of his blatant refusal of special treatment due to his government status. I especially think of how he insisted on having illiterate peasants as bodyguards and teaching them to read. Other than that, I think Che’s mission statement would try to achieve the true socialist goal of total and utopian equality.

Documenting a Martial Art of Peace

If I were to make a documentary, I would make it on Aikido. Aikido is a Japanese martial art created around the WWII era that focuses on using an attacker's energy against them. The techniques used in Aikido are designed to keep the attacker and defender safe, rather than trading well aimed and practiced kicks, punches, and blocks.

I think this documentary would be interesting because Aikido is such a unique martial art in theory and visually. It's something that is hard to explain in words, but is very interesting to see and feel.

The Documentary (worthy?) Man

Is Che worthy of a documentary? I think he is. Whether or not he did good or bad things, Che definitely seemed to have made an impact on our world. If I were to be making a documentary on Che, I would focus on his political agendas. Obviously, he was a revolutionary, but what did he do to earn that title?

I would ask questions relating to his motives. I highly doubt that Che did the things he did to be evil, so why did he do them? What was his vision for the future, and why do people now see that as so controversial?

The Middle of Nowhere

The closest thing I’ve ever had to a real road trip is riding a train home from Florida. My family normally flies anywhere that would take too much driving to get to, so this was unusual. We flew down to Florida but thanks to a ruptured ear-drum on my part, we were grounded for the trip home.
I really enjoyed the train ride home. Even though it wasn’t the same as riding in a car, I thought it was fun. We could get up and walk around, have meals, and sleep pretty comfortably. The scenery that we saw on the train was much better than the highways we would’ve seen in a car. We must’ve passed through the middle of nowhere at least 6 times. I remember seeing dirt road towns and really old cars, and I also remember feeling like we were in an unsettled country entirely. It was surprising how much of America is still not modernized and city-like.

Motorcycle Diaries Preview

This book sounds like it might just be my favorite one so far. It sounds like the author, even if he is controversial, writes with passion and humor. I don’t think he’s trying to analyze societies problems in such a deep way like the other books, but he is obviously providing at least a little social commentary.

I Love Judging Books by Their Covers (...maybe that's why I don't read more...)

Certain books can catch my attention just because of their reputation (from authors or series). For example, the last Harry Potter book caught my attention as soon as it came out just because I had read the previous books. Other than that, books that contain pictures (like motorcycle diaries) catch my attention. Other factors such as genre, author, and awards/achievements listed on the cover catch my attention. Often, the cover is enough to catch my attention.

Disturbing Ignorance

I can’t help but agree with Beck’s claims. He seems to have substantial proof of what he is saying, and I have absolutely no background knowledge on the subject on which I could base any disagreements. Beck says that Che is not the hero he is made out to be, but a communistic killer instead. I’ve never really heard of Che before, so I have to take this argument as true. If it is true, I think it is disturbing how easily we are convinced to buy into a fake hero.
Beck is very convincing because of how he speaks and what he says. He uses facts and statistics to back up his opinions and even has a reputable outside source provide more facts and statistics. He also uses a very convincing style and voice. He uses animated hand gestures and passionate speaking tones to convey his message, and it is very effective.