Industrial revolution (Blog #10)

Perhaps what bothers me most about the Industrial Revolution is its complete disregard for the environment and the people and animals that would suffer in the name of progress. I understand the need for alternative fuels to help account for the energy crisis due to rapidly growing populations, but I do not understand how this need could trump environmental protection; specifically of waterways and air quality. It is no surprise to me that this revolution led to water pollution that created waterways to be unusable. ‘The massive extraction of nonrenewable raw materials to feed and to fuel industrial machinery-coal, iron ore, petroleum, and much more-altered the landscape in many place. Sewers and industrial waste emptied into rivers, turning them into poisonous cesspools’ (Strayer, 568). This chapter made me question how different the world would be today if the Industrial revolution was created around a society that supported and cared for the environment as much as they did progress and capital. This revolution set the tone for other countries and the standards for progress; everything suffered at the hands of “human progress”, including humans. While not all aspects of the industrial revolution were harmful, for example it created the three social classes; it had devastating effects on those living in poverty as well as the environment. It was sad for me to see that India took to the industrial revolution after winning their independence from Britain and the death of Gandhi; even after Gandhi had spent so much time explaining the harmful effects that it would create for such a large nation to be as industrial as England. ‘Across the river from the site in New Delhi where Gandhi was cremated in 1948, a large power plant belched black smoke’ (Strayer, 567). This just goes to show how important progress is to humans all around the world.

Echos of the Revolution (Blog #9)

What I really liked about this entire chapter is that it illustrates how the American Revolution impacted the rest of the world, in regards to both personal and ideological revolutions.  It never ceases to amaze me how long it took for people to realize that equality and civil liberties should be extended to all people, women and those of color included. What surprises, or bothers, me the most is that the abolition of slavery had almost been ended around 1890, due to its success, while equality for women didn’t even really take off until the 1900’s. What was it about women that made educating them and letting them into politics that scared men so much? I don’t understand how white men could have fought for civil liberties for men of color, people not too early before that they enslaved, tortured and massacred, yet the women that lived by their sides were still considered inferior. (Not that I believe women are above those of color) I just don’t understand how their views of equality to all “men”, including those that they treated with such a lack of humanity, were not at the same time offered to their wives and daughters. Despite this fact I enjoyed reading about how creative the women were in getting their voices heard; specifically with the idea of “maternal feminism”, which was the idea that women had a right to protect the interest of their children which allowed them to have a voice in political issues. The idea that these women were willing to lay down their lives in resistance to political power during the Revolutions as well as their intelligence in legal matters should have been enough, in my opinion, to convince men that they were due their civil liberties as well.

Sisters of Notre Dame (blog #8)

Personally I found this article to be enlightening and inspiring. We don’t tend to think about, in today’s societies, the struggles that women faced throughout history mostly because the way men and women interact has drastically changed within our own societies; granted not all societies have changed the gender roles and gender equality. Especially when life at this time was so concrete for women, be a housewife or lock yourself away in a convent, the changes that these women made were considered radical and faced a lot of controversy. I think it would have been very easy for Francoise to indulge the lavish lifestyle she was born in to; I think what made it easier for her was the idea that she had seen firsthand the struggles of others which helped her remain humble even while dining at parties with such extreme dinner options. My favorite quote from her was where she talks about guiding purpose, “To find my happiness in procuring the happiness of others” (SND after Tomme 11). Both of these women had seen for themselves how the inequalities of their societies operated and the effect this had on individuals and societies; without this firsthand knowledge and experience the two may have never met and the Sisters of Notre Dame may not exist. I found their stories inspiring, it is difficult to stand up for others and dedicate your life to providing basic needs to those who are suffering but the rewards are endless.

Western Revolutions (Blog #7)

Something that has been a recurring irritation for me as we read through these chapters is the position and roles of women throughout the history of the world. It seems that no matter what women do to become educated or participate in history they are never seen as more then housewives; incapable of doing anything important. Throughout this chapter I found it repeatedly irritating how women, especially in France and Latin America, participated in revolutionary actions and fought for change in many different ways yet they failed to gain any liberties or benefits for their actions. I truly believe that slavery, racism and classism are all bad and should never be institutionalized within a society; however I am curious to understand why after the revolution people of color were granted civil liberties and rights while women were not. What made them so inferior to men? How could perspectives of those from a different race be drastically altered while those for women stayed the same? I feel like women, just like those of color, had to and still do work harder than white males in many ways yet they are not taken seriously or considered “smart enough” to participate in “male” duties or roles. For example in the French Revolution, women participated in the “major events of the Revolution” yet afterward they were seen as such a threat to men that the legislature shut down all of the 60 women’s clubs and some declared that, ‘women are ill-suited for elevated thoughts and serious meditation’ and one orator said, ‘women who aspired to do so were “denatured viragos” meaning not really women at all’. What is it about women participating in political matters that becomes so threatening to males, and why does it lead to such degradation of the female species?

The Scientific Revolution (Blog #6)

After reading the rest of chapter 15 I would have to say that I was highly surprised with how much conflict the scientific revolution created. Some seemed to embrace the new scientific ideas, while others saw it as a direct challenge to religious beliefs and traditions. Since this time religion and science have been viewed as opposites, or contradictory, if you believe in one you can’t believe in the other; but this is not the case. As we see in the reading many, if not all, of the early scientific thinkers had religious beliefs that became more confirmed over the course of their discoveries. For example the book talks about Galileo and how he attempted to illustrate how religion and science worked together, ‘Nor is God any less excellently revealed in Nature’s actions than in the sacred statements of the Bible’ (517). Or how Newton believed that knowledge of the planets, nature and the human body further illustrated the works of a more powerful being, ‘This most beautiful system of the sun, planets, and comets, could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent Being’ (517). Despite the efforts of many of these early scientists some saw science as a direct threat to religious practice, while others saw it as disproving religion altogether. It bothers me how worked up people get over their beliefs, no matter what they are, that they are willing to publicly shame, humiliate or kill in order to protect and promote their own ideas and values. For example, burning Giordano Bruno at the stake for ‘proclaiming an infinite universe and many worlds’ and how the Church forced Galileo to publicly reject his own ideas of how the Earth rotates. It is my belief that science and religion go hand in hand, and should be working together to build a better understanding of our physical and spiritual world. There are many aspects of our world that can’t be explained through science or religion alone, so by working together it is my belief that we can gain a deeper understanding of ourselves, the natural world as well as the spiritual realm; the key is adaptability, acceptance and understanding.

Religion (Blog #5)

I found chapter 15 really interesting because it showed how different religions spread around the world and because it illustrated the instability of those religions. First I enjoyed learning about how the different subtypes of religions were formed and how they spread around globe. It seems to me like one of the biggest problems facing humanity today is the lack of understanding and tolerance for members of a different faith, and religious wars have been a part of human history forever. What amazes me the most about this, is that two religions can have similar views or beliefs about how to treat others, while at the same time they are murdering others simply for disagreeing with their religious practices. For example, the Christian religion teaches understanding and kindness to your enemy, yet Christians have been on the front line of many religious wars. I am a Christian who believes in God and I try, not always successfully, to be honest and kind to everyone regardless of their religious background, because I feel this is what’s right. Being cruel and unjust to others isn’t going to make them want to become Christians; it is most likely going to push them away from it. This doesn’t mean one has to agree with others on matters of religion, but it does mean that we should respect the beliefs of others. I found it really interesting that some religious groups forced conversion onto native populations with a surprisingly high success rate, mostly due to fear, while those who attempted to slowly persuade natives to convert ended up failing miserably; like in China. While many would consider the forced conversion a success, it is unclear how many of these forced conversions actually led to a legitimate faith.

Secondly I found this chapter to illustrate the instability of religion, since often one religion was altered either in order to accommodate the native people’s beliefs and practices or in response to public challenges of the existing religion. I don’t understand how it was so easy for people to change or alter their religion so many times. Religion is supposed to be somewhat concrete, at least with some idea of the basic structure of religion, but this chapter illustrated how easily it could be changed on a large scale. I know that, while alive at least, one will never know the truth about God, Heaven, Hell or sin, but if you are willing to persecute others for not adhering to all aspects of your religion you should probably have a solid understanding of what it is.