6. What Shapes Me?

Define a key characteristic that shaped you as a person.


One thing that shaped me as a person is being educated under an American system in Taiwan. Living in such a peculiar lifestyle has caused me to develop some pretty ironic ways. If asked, I would undoubtedly say that my English writing skills are much better than my Chinese. However, in terms of culture and speech, I would identify myself more towards the Taiwanese. I sometimes feel like I am living in this cultural mixture and it can sometimes be pretty confusing. When I am at school, it feels like I am live on a small island of American culture (with Taiwanese influence). However when I leave school, I return to the “reality” of the Taiwanese culture. In terms of the food and housing, my family is pretty Taiwanese. However, my shelf is covered with English books and I seldom even write a single word of Chinese. At home, I am pushed to study like other Taiwanese students. At school, we are encouraged to pursue our leadership and interests. I feel like I am part of both cultures, but cannot fully grasp the whole ideal of either.

5. Educate OUT of Creativity

Response to Sir Ken Robinson's video on education. What do you value in education?


In the RSA Animation video on changing education paradigms, one thing that strikes me is how almost ALL children in kindergarten start off with genius levels for divergent thinking. (Up to 98%) However, as we get older and receive more education, most people’s divergent thinking skills drop. This caused me to raise questions about our current education system. Does this mean that we are educated in the wrong direction? Are we getting dumber? What measures intelligence? One thing I had to consider is that if we raised children so that their divergent thinking do not drop, then would this effect their abilities in math and reading, which seems to be the determining factor in today’s definition of intelligence? In the current system, we teach facts and skills, but what about ways to think critically and divergently? If we taught children to think divergently, it is likely that conformity would decrease. Instead of the 10 to 15 ways to use a paper clip, now each person would be able to think up 200 ways, and those 200 are likely to differ greatly! After watching the video, I am filled with questions. However, one thing I do know is that if we want to change our education system to increase divergent thinking, it would be a revolution to the current idea of intelligence and education.

4. "Disability" by Nancy Mairs: Purpose

What is the purpose of Disability by Nancy Mairs?

Writers write for a purpose, especially those that write to persuade. It is apparent that Nancy Mairs is writing for purpose in “Disability”, in fact, she is for several purposes. First of all, she is dissatisfied with the way the media portray disabled people. She uses herself as an example and tells what it is like to disabled. She wants to show all the able-bodied people that being disabled “doesn’t devour one wholly”. She wants her readers to understand that disabled people do much of the same things that normal people do, and they do not like being treated a different type of person. They can also be independent persons. They also do not being underrepresented in the media, because this makes them feel shameful and unusual. In the end, she writes about her hopes that disabled people will be included, because one day (when we get old) we would be disabled too.

3. “Disability” by Nancy Mairs: Tone

What is the tone of Disability by Nancy Mars?


The tone of an essay gives personality to a piece of writing. It also shows the writer’s attitude toward the subject. In Nancy Mair’s “Disability”, she takes up a conversational yet sophisticated and serious tone. This encourages the readers to read on, but at the same time acknowledge that the subject at hand is not facetious, which is exactly what Mairs seeks to achieve. In the passage, she narrates on some of her personal experiences, adding direct remarks and personal ideas to them. She also writes as if she is talking directly to the reader. (“So when I tell you I haven’t noticed any woman like me on television, you can believe me.”) However, it is apparent that Mairs is writing for the educated mind. Here and there in the essay, she uses big words like “blandishment” and “effacement”. Also, the subject matter she presents and argues about is not something light and funny. 

2. FREEDOM!!

Define freedom.


To me, freedom is the power to do anything of one's will, but not at the expense of another person's power to do the same. Hurting people, for example, would not be a freedom. However, that is a pretty formal and stiff definition of freedom. I'd like to focus more on my understanding and emotions towards the word. When I think about freedom, the first feeling that comes to mind is happiness. The scene I picture would be a bunch of friends dancing and running on grass on a warm sunny day. To me, the sense I get from freedom is to be able to embrace what people love, so clearly I would agree that every person would have a different scene in their mind when they think of the word freedom. 
I feel like wether a person has freedom depend greatly on the situation they live in: the country they live in, the family they live with, and the economic condition they live under. For me, I feel that I am blessed to live in a pretty free world. The conditions I live in has given me chances to a taste of freedom and I am surely thankful of it.