Last week I attended the talk given by Nick Cheesman and his colleague Pornpen. It was very interesting, and currently very relevant, to hear about the role of torture in states where there is currently much political unrest.
While discussing the situation in South East Asia, specifically Myanmar and Thailand, I found myself most impacted by something Dr. Cheesman said regarding the way we look at torture. Dr. Cheesman asserted that the question “Does torture work?” is itself unnecessary and even harmful. He said that the question often directs attention away from the deeper moral issues of torture, and, while a popular question, is not one worthy of consideration.
I had never quite thought that way about the issue of torture, because I think that, in America, the issue of torture centers on its status as a “necessary evil.” Our society is very much one where the utilitarianism of a practice is considered above all else. Perhaps this is the nature of capitalism, or merely a product of our society. However, in consideration of Dr. Cheesman’s statement, I think it is important that we make a point to conserve morality above utilitarianism. This has implications beyond torture, for the availability of healthcare, social programs, environmental concerns, etc. This may be contrary to our current system, but I think that this change of perspective would do much to improve the state of our country.
Author Archives: Hannah Peirce
Program in Review
Last week I attended the open forum for the Rose Scholars program. This forum provided the Rose Scholars with the opportunity to have an open discussion about the program and suggest potential changes for future years. We also discussed the role of the program in the overall purpose of the West Campus community.
Overall, I have enjoyed be a part of the Rose Scholars program, and believe that attending the lectures and events, in addition to being part of the smaller Rose Scholar community, has positively impacted my time at Cornell this year. However, I do think that there are things about the program that could be changed. First of all, I think it is important to encourage a greater sense of community within the scholars, may that be via Scholar-only event or “forced bonding” activities. Second, I think it is important that there be a greater variety of times/events at specific time slots for people with busier schedules.
In terms of the role of the program within the context of West Campus’ goal, I think that there need to be changes made which promotes unity within Rose house as well as a specific culture for the house itself. It seems that removing the sign-up parameter for events would improve attendance of non-Rose Scholars, and creating more “social” events that are tied to an academic event would be beneficial to creating a more potent sense of community and encourage attendance.
In the discussion of the West Campus system as a whole, I think there were many points made which would improve the “house loyalty” concern within the community. In may other institutions, there is a much stronger house system, and I think it should be a goal of Cornell to develop this. Ways to do this include developing unique house cultures, including freshman in the West Campus System, e.g. each house adopting North Campus residences, as well as encouraging competition between houses. I personally think this sense of competition would encourage people to root for their houses and in turn increase the sense of community and loyalty within the system. While the development of house sports teams did not work here in the past, I think that some kind of game show, Family Feud, Jeopardy, etc., in which each house had a competing team, would be more successful as it lends itself better to the student culture here at Cornell.
I have enjoyed being a part of the Rose Scholars Program and West Campus System here at Cornell, but I do think there are changes which should be made. I hope that some of these changes can be made so that, in the future, the system will reach the point where it is fully achieving its goal.
The Transatlantic Series
This past Wednesday I attended the talk by Paul Willcox on the Transatlantic Series entitled “Freedom to Look at Life in a Different Way.” The Series is an international track and field event in which the Ivies, along with Oxford and Cambridge, take turns hosting track and field athletic competitions. This event involves the creation of joint teams, Cornell and Penn, Yale and Harvard, and Oxford and Cambridge.
In his talk, he explained the history of the Series starting in 1874. I found the history to be very interesting, but was more excited by the component of cultural exchange and community which exists within the event. The Transatlantic Series serves as an avenue for these athletes to be hosted by different universities both within their own countries as well as in another. The cultural differences experienced here are beneficial in that they simultaneously broaden the mind and expose these individuals to new communities. I find the travel is incredibly valuable in this aspect, but is even more enlightening when it involves the kind of immersive experience offered by the Series.
Additionally, I was interested in the way the Series promotes camaraderie between universities with stark rivalries. In they formation of joint teams, these universities learn to value the other’s particular culture and community. In this one, the athletes can expand their sense of community to include those outside of their own university.
Overall, I found Paul Willcox’s talk quite interesting. As someone who is not involved with sports, his talk provided me with a deeper understanding of the community formed within an athletic team. I came away wishing I was a part of the Series myself!
Mad Max
Last Friday I attended the showing of Mad Max in Rose Main. I had never seen the film before, and was thus surprised by the societal commentary present. The depiction of the primitive law, and the way in which people conduct themselves in a post-nuclear society spoke to certain sociological implications of human nature and formation of society.
Specifically, the Thunderdome and “break a deal, spin the wheel” laws were interesting in their basis in retributive justice, which we have started to stray away from currently as a society. It was incredibly interesting to see the way in which the film explained the formation/need for order in a dystopian, post-apocalyptic society. Another component of the commentary I found interesting was the society of children who believed Mad Max was their deity figure. This scene in particular said much about the formation of religion, and has interesting implications for the way in which information can be distorted through generations to form a mythology, in addition to the way in which religion is a product of disastrous circumstances.
Overall, I found the film entertaining and interesting from an ethnographic point of view. The film’s setting really makes you think about the way our own society would degrade and rebuild in the case of such a circumstance.
Gattaca, Commentary on Eugenics and Discrimination
Gattaca, the sci-fi thriller shown at Rose House this past Friday, depicts a “not too distant future” in which society is driven by eugenics and organized hierarchically on the basis of genetic perfection. The film, beyond painting a vivid picture of the social consequences of eugenics, provides potent commentary on the role of discrimination in our society.
While this film is largely about the consequences of eugenics, I think that it truly speaks to a larger issue of systemic discrimination. By presenting such an extreme case of discrimination within this fictional society, the film encourages viewers to be introspective about the discrimination present in their own lives and society. One moment in the film which particularly struck me was when the main character, Vincent, described the various ways in which employers skirt the laws to discriminate against “in-valid”, or not genetically-modified, people. There are a variety of ways this kind of disregard for legality currently exists in our own society, specifically related to discrimination against women or people of color. In the way this connects to our own experiences the film potently displays how, even outside of the context of eugenics, the organization of our society fosters systemic discrimination and marginalization of specific populations. This speaks to the necessity of certain other social changes that are required before our society is capable of using eugenics as a solely beneficial tool, or rather if it is possible for eugenics to exist in our society without this kind of social consequence.
In regard to this concern, the film’s opening quotes present two opposing points on the issue of eugenics in stark contrast;
“Consider what God has done: Who can straighten what he has made crooked?”
-Ecclesiastes 7:13
“I not only think we will tamper with Mother Nature. I think Mother wants us to.”
-Willard Gaylin
On a side note, I take slight issue with the use of a biblical quote to describe the concern with eugenics, because it implies that objection to eugenics is seated in a sort of reverence for humans as a creation of a deity. I think that there are a variety of objections, on the basis of social and ideological impact, to eugenics which are not grounded in religion or necessarily “unscientific.” These revolve around the kind of sociocultural mechanisms which are in place in our society which create an environment which would breed detrimental consequences.
It seems that if there is a place in science and society for eugenics, it must be strictly controlled. If anything, it seems that this film depicts the slippery slope scenario of this practice, and perhaps speaks to the need for some degree of social or political change in regard to this issue and other issues of discrimination. This brings up a strong point about if we should participate in eugenics, given the damaging social practices that such a practice breeds. I would hope that there would eventually be a way to try to help people with the use of eugenics, without creating a damaging sociocultural cycle which creates the kind of dystopia presented in Gattaca.
Healthy Eating in College
This past Saturday I participated in a cooking workshop hosted by the Nutrition Lab. As an experienced cook, I found it to be relatively basic but certainly fun. The workshop had a lot of great tips for people who are new to or would just like to learn more about how to cook for themselves in a college environment. The event was also a really great way to learn about healthy alternatives to other meals students may turn to. Living on campus and eating in dining halls is incredibly convenient, but it often doesn’t offer student the opportunity to learn about cooking, food shopping, and healthy eating habits. At this point in our lives, it can often be hard to find the time to cook for yourself or to eat healthy, but learning skills like these are incredibly valuable in the long term. The habits we form in college will stick with us for years to come, so we might as well take the time to make sure they’re healthy ones.
Some of my favorite recipes were the salmon with quinoa stuffing and the one pot spinach tomato pasta. These basic recipes are great starting points to bounce off of and really experiment with ingredients and seasonings. Overall, the workshop was a great opportunity to get to know fellow Rose Scholars, and sample some tasty snacks! I would definitely attend an event like this again, and highly recommend that others do too.
Using Feedback as a Tool
This past Wednesday I attended the Rose Cafe held with Dr. Cynthia Hill, a house fellow and visiting researcher. This talk marked the first time I was able to attend a Rose Cafe in it’s new environment, and I thoroughly enjoyed the more conversational atmosphere it provided. I felt that I was able to gain more from the experience as the new structure fostered discussion and was much more conducive to posing questions and receiving feedback from the speaker.
I found Dr. Hill’s talk, which centered around how to maximize/understand feedback from professors, quite enlightening due to the perspective she provided as a former educator. In the discussion, Dr. Hill stressed that the dialogue this feedback creates between student and professor can be a critical tool for academic and intellectual growth, that is, if we take advantage of it.
In my personal experience as a student, I have found professor feedback to be either immensely helpful or incredibly confusing. Many times it is hard to decipher feedback but, as Dr. Hill stressed, the best way to understand your professor’s comments is to ask about them. Taking the time to speak with your professors regarding how you could improve your assignments not only helps you to perform better in the course, but also provides you with access to insights that make you a better writer and learner. In your time as an undergraduate, you should be gleaning more than just grades. It is important to also grow your ability to think critically and creatively, which will prove advantageous far beyond the boundaries of the classroom. With this goal in mind, always speak to your professors about their feedback, and use their knowledge to your advantage not only as a student in their course but as a life-long learner.
Cover Letter Workshop
This past Thursday I attended a cover letter workshop held by GRF Shiv and Cynthia Hill. In this workshop, we discussed the various ways that you can strategically mold your resume to a specific position, as well as the function of your cover letter to provide context to your resume.
I am currently in the process of searching and applying for summer internships/research programs. Since it’s often very difficult to distinguish yourself as a candidate for positions where you are competing with hundreds of other applicants, the importance of your resume and cover letter cannot be understated. With this in mind, I had attended the workshop in hopes of learning how to use these materials to my advantage.
My biggest concern is always what is relevant to put on my resume, as well as what to include in my cover letter without being overly discursive. In response to these questions, Dr. Hill instructed that “spinning” your experiences to fit the description for the position you are seeking is a key strategy for the creation of a resume. She also discussed how the context you provide in your cover letter could allow you to further expand on your experiences in a way which suits the job you are trying to get.
Overall I found this workshop very helpful in providing an understanding for the function and composition of a cover letter, and it would be great if more workshops like this were offered in the future.
The Super Bowl and American Society
As someone who doesn’t watch football, and barely understands it, I typically end up watching the game more for the advertisements than anything else. This year in particular I found that the Super Bowl provided a platform for political messages, and thus proved to be a very potent indicator of the current American sociopolitical climate. In this way, an event as essentially American as the Super Bowl can serve as a window into the ethos of our society.
Prior to the start of the game, there was a discussion about the cost of advertisements and general decline in viewership of the Super Bowl in recent years. In terms of viewership, it seems quite plausible that the progression of modern society has played a role in decreasing attention spans and encouraging individuals to check scores or video highlights the day after rather than watching the game real time. This also speaks to the declining social component of American life, as technology renders many forms of face to face interactions unnecessary and often discourages social gatherings. On the topic of advertisements, those found during the Super Bowl are often extravagant, and in past years have relied more on shock value than entertainment. This year, however, I found the sheer volume of political messages astounding. As a result of the last election, politics has come to the center of American media in a way it hasn’t for many years. This was incredibly visible in these advertisements, as even private companies feel both a. strongly enough about the current political situation to present an opinion, and b. that presenting this opinion is still relevant and accessible to the average viewer. Specifically, advertisements such as those for Budweiser, Coca Cola, and 84 Lumber presented potent imagery in response to the current immigration controversy. While this essentially differs from the expectation of the Super Bowl as a purely social and entertainment-oriented event, it is evident that this American tradition is just as much at the mercy of the current political atmosphere as anything else. In fact, it seems quite appropriate that these messages of unity were presented using the platform of an event which at its core represents both camaraderie and Americanism.