Rhetoric and Ideology
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Thesis
The development and industrialization of communities within the United States of America lends itself to improving the standards of living unilaterally, in addition to ensuring the supremacy of American military and political might. To this end it is imperative we work towards the nationalization of high priority industries, and the reindustrialization of gentrified urban centers.
Introduction
The American Industrial Sector has been in decay for the better part of the last four decades. From the exportation of labor and the increasing demand for foreign made goods, and raw materials, the American productive capacity is rapidly being replaced by our economic opponents in China. The extraction of raw materials is likewise in decline, with lobbyist groups and external investors rapidly mobilizing to favor distant nations in Asia and Africa. It seems as if the globally dominant industrial might of the United States may soon be diminished to nothing more than the luxury and artisan production bases found in Europe. I see no alternative to the degradation of American industry than a rapid crackdown on the exportation of American jobs, and a nationwide push towards the reindustrialization of major urban centers, and government spending on farms owned by small bodies. It is my hope that through the reindustrialization of our country, and the reconstruction of essential industrial infrastructure we can drastically increase the standards of living, as well as the employment opportunities of communities throughout the nation. Furthermore through a new wave of investment in industrial production, we can begin to supplant and supersede the growing influence and military might of our collective enemies in Asia.
Reflection
For my rhetoric and ideology project, I wrote an extremely short thesis paper on my current stance of international political economics. In particular I collected an small amount of rhetorical and anecdotal evidence and drafted an short paper on the nationalization of high priority industry, and how I believe that it could lend itself to the unilateral reindustrialization of gentrified American communities. My minimalized research into the ideological basis of this mostly ended up with neo-Nazi websites whining about how the Fascist system was perfect. Hence my understanding of politics and international economics has not increased in any major capacity. I can say that the intensive alt-right propaganda has helped stock my meme folder for weeks, and that hopefully I can pursue them for details at an later time for an deeper understanding of the more interesting parts of the internet. Through this project I have not been exposed to any particularly new ideologies, however my understanding of the economic policies purported by corporatism has drastically broadened as has my comprehension of neo-Nazi slang. With this I may become an slightly more aware denizen of the internet.
Your Life on Earth
For this project we worked to produce an piece that outlined out own personal philosophy on life. After examining historical perspectives on the same question we worked to produce our own definition of eudemonia (a life well lived) to this end we studied the various outlooks on life, from mindless fear to fanatic faith on the outcome of human life. For this project I chose to produce an short manifesto on my own personal worldview on human life and death. The short piece used traditional topic format to deliver the message of my own personal outlook with extensive reference to outside material. All in the interest of asking the essential questions about life on earth, and the private outlook on the human experience. Particularly I wrote regarding the eventuality of human death, and how the unavoidable fact is not particularly bothering to someone in the right state of mind, with an guest appearance by JRR Tolkien's works.
Project Description
Insights
From this project, while I was already aware of all the concepts covered in class, and have already read the works of referenced philosopher, i.e Walt Whitman, and Aristotle. However I would say that my greatest insight into this subject was when I researched the work of JRR Tolkien and his own personal life view of death, especially when I found his extra literate works. In addition to some of his journals about the war, he also an extensive record of the plants he saw on an day to day basis. I think that this is an interesting look into his phycology, especially when paired with the fact that in his writing he had an strong affiliation with naturalism and nature, and that he would reportedly "stare at the trees" when going on walks. I think the works of JRR Tolkien are an excellent source in the interest of developing ones morality, due to its unique fusion of Judea Christian morality and pagan story methods.
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Throughout time and history, humanity has been driven forwards by the encroaching blanket of death, encouraged both to leave pieces of themselves behind and to work for the ultimate goal of being remembered so as to stave off the final death when the last person mentions your name. Cities have been raised and leveled, tombs as large as palaces constructed and countless statues carved and commissioned to bring basis to the flickering hope of eternal remembrance of those who otherwise fear being forgotten. Such arrogant and presumptuous events as the roman dictator Julius Caesar building and statue of himself in a temple reserved for the worship of gods, so to do the countless swirling masses of the modern era seek to leave their mark behind them. Through the production of art and music, and the completion of notable tasks, do we in our own selfish way attempt to live forever. While Caesar has achieved his own form of godhood and immortality, and while he himself will doubtlessly be remembered as long an humanity shall draw breath and sustenance from the earth, most of us will be forgotten and discarded by history. Thus through the lens of human existential desire for immortality, can one attribute the motivations of the countless human gods throughout history, to blindly reaching out into the darkness in search of something that lasts forever to attribute themselves to. The problem with the human desire for immortality is that even the gods one day must die, just as the world and heavens will burn so too will the memory of the past and with it the lives of those departed.
However, while the finite time of the human race is claimed as the greatest of curses bestowed upon us, that which drives us to build and that which drives us to destroy. Thus with the razor edge that defines the universe and the human race inexorably linked together, the only real question to be asked is what humanity has done to deserve such an benevolent gift as death. The eventuality of death to me and others of a mind, is verily the greatest facet of the human race. The simple fact that we will neither be here forever, nor exist forever is among the most comforting things that a man can know, that his mistakes and shames are only temporary, and that to his greatest glories mean little in the face of eternity. It seems self evident that the development of an person is impossible without the threat of death, that the creation of society is impossible without death, that the very things that make us human are simply due to the eventual truth of our own mortality. Just as a society will form from the collective need for food and security that the threat of death provides, so too does an individual form themselves from the collective in the interest of living beyond their physical mortality. In defining themselves as something other than a unit in the fact of a living mass of nondescript personalities.