The basic set up and routine for the project

Each week we will follow the same routine. This week will be slightly different because you have some set up and that human nature revision to add.

This week's steps:
1. Revise your Human Nature in-class writing. Make this the first post on your blog.
2. Email me a note with the URL for your blog copy/pasted into the body of the email by Sunday Nov. 2 at 3:00.
3. Read chapter 1.
4. Response for Chapter 1 is due posted on your blog by 5:00 Nov. 4th.
5. Comments on 2 other blogs due by 5:00 Nov. 6th.

Weekly:
1. Thursday, you'll get the week's question to respond to, but you'll also have to comment on the previous week's blogs
2. Tuesday, you will post your response by 5:00.

10/30, Chapter 1 Response

After reading Chapter 1, write up a 250 word (at least) response to the question:

Does London's use of Buck help us challenge the ideas of human nature?  Does it even matter if we challenge human nature?  Explain by going into detail.  While you must respond to both points, you may focus in on one over the other.  

This post is due by 5:00 Tuesday, Nov. 4th.  

What is HumaNature?

In Tuesday's class, I asked you all to write about what you thought the key component of human nature might be.  I think this is a good place for us to start our exploration of all things human naturey.  Make it your first post BEFORE you even get to the response for Chapter 1 of The Call of the Wild (COTW from here on out).  

For added fun, here's my take on that most basic of basics...

The Most Essential

Many of you wrote in your responses that the one thing that makes humans different from animals is the ability to reason or think, the ability to use logic in other words.  But I see things in a little different light.  When I was younger, I used to spend my mornings watching old Disney cartoons while I got ready for school.  One cartoon, in particular, has always stuck with me.  It featured Jiminy Cricket explaining (in cutesy song and animated dance) that we are "the human animal who can think, who can reason, who can read."  That idea has always stuck with me, but more recently I have seen how having the ability isn't always enough.

Ultimately, we humans have all the ability in the world, but until we do something with that ability, does it even count?  It's like that classic question, if a tree falls in the woods, but no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound?  If a person has the ability to think for him/herself, but does not, is that living up to the ideas of human, or is that living the mindless life of any old animal?  Maybe this active thinking means so much to me because I am a teacher, but more likely than not, I am a teacher because this idea means so much to me.  I am a firm believer in the idea that with a little knowledge in hand, anyone can take the ideas and run and do something.  For example, we can learn all we want about logos, ethos and pathos, but until we implement what we learn, it is useless.  We must share our ideas.  We must learn from others and apply lessons to our own lives.  

To go back to that Jiminy Cricket song, yes, we are the human animal.  We can think, reason and read, but I think that by acting on what it is that we think about, reason out, and read we show a extra depth to all that is laid out in front of us.  We interact with the ideas and open up dialogues to further our own thoughts and help others to formulate their own thoughts.  In that way, we show how human we are by showing that we are not mindless beings, but beings who can see the complexities in life, and yet, we are not daunted by these complexities.  We welcome them, we encourage them and find some source of personal growth and development in them.  That is what makes us different.  That is what makes us human.  

This message is approved by Lynn Ankney-Roessner :)  

(It helps to read this while listening to that great, inspirational music that plays in the background of positive political ads, especially the 30 min. Obama special)