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11/11/2017 0 Comments *Gender stereotype* In our class, I and my classmates discussed gender equality. I have an older brother and younger sister. I sometimes feel gender inequality between my brother and me. In my opinion, I can see gender stereotypes as a problem in some reasons. It makes me annoying and feel uncomfortable.
My parents always say to me that your brother and you are different because he is boy and you are girl. When my parents say to me that, I always feel it’s unfair. I always think is there any difference between boys and girls? For example, when I hanged out with my friends, my parents say to me that you must come back to home by 10:30p.m. when I was 19 years old. However, when my brother hanged out with his friend until late night when he was 19 years old, my parents don’t say anything to him because he is boy. I asked my mom that why you don’t treat me same as him. You treat differently between my big brother and me. My mother said you are girl and he is boy. Girl is weaker than boy. If something happens to you, you can’t deal with the problem but he is more likely to deal with the problem. It’s really stereotype. I always feel it’s unfair but I can’t say anything because it’s actually true. I have to understand because it happens to me, I can’t do anything more than my big brother. That’s true. In addition, my mother say to me that you have to keep your room clean because you are girl, not boy. I know I should keep my room clean. But why my mother says to me that I have to keep clean because I’m girl? Both boy and girl have to keep clean. When my mother says to me that I feel uncomfortable as well. In conclusion, stereotype make me feel annoying. However, on the other hands, it is sometimes true. In my opinion, sometimes stereotype become discrimination, but sometimes people should understand. It’s depends on situations. If it is discrimination, people have to stop saying that.
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11/5/2017 0 Comments *am i Introvert or extrovert* In our class, we discussed about am I introvert person or extrovert person. When I ask question to my friends that am I introvert person or extrovert person, almost of my friends say I am introvert person. In my opinion, I’m an introvert person for some reasons. I just pretend to be extrovert person.
Firstly, I don’t feel energized when I’m surrounded by others. I feel pressure when I surrounded by many people. For example, when I’m doing my presentation, I usually can’t do my best because of nervous. If I were extrovert person, I wouldn’t feel like that. In addition, I engage in indoor activities such as watching movies and TV, reading books, staying with my dog. I usually don’t go outside by myself. When I have free time, I usually spend the time in my house. Finally, I feel comfortable when I’m alone. Of course, I want to eat meals with friends. However, I need time to spend and think something alone. It makes me feel better. I don’t usually consult many things to my friends. I usually think about it by myself. In conclusion, from these reasons, I’m introvert person. Sometimes, I have to be extrovert person, but I have to try to be extrovert. It is not my natural personality. In business, extroverts are more likely to successful. However, personality is hard to change. People sometimes are forced to be extrovert. Therefore, in my opinion, Many people pretend to be like extrovert person, but many people prefer alone to be surrounded by many people. 10/28/2017 0 Comments *global health* I have read an article about pandemics and epidemics. Our classmates and I have discussed about that should people collaborate to find solution or restrict to promote safety. This is quite difficult question to conclude. However, in my opinion, for preventing pandemics and epidemics, people need restriction more than collaboration. I have three reasons why I think people need restriction more than collaboration.
Firstly, restriction prevent spreading out virus. If people collaborate and try to share virus to make vaccine of the virus, the virus is likely to spread out. Even if it is not on purpose, people should prevent the possibility of spreading out virus. If the virus is evil and incurable such as HIV or SARS, it becomes pandemic. People mustn’t do this and try hard to prevent this situation. In addition, if scientists or countries collaborate, someone or some country might use the virus in bad way. For example, someone or some country try to spread out or threaten people by using evil virus. If some bad guy get terrible virus, it will be nightmare. The possibility of this case might be low, but it is possible. People not only have to think about benefit of collaboration, but also people have to think about terrible situation. Finally, if government restrict use or sharing the virus, people can’t get the virus easily. If government allow countries or scientists to use or share virus, people could get virus easily. It might be cause of terrorism or terrible situation. If terrorists get terrible virus, it will be terrible problem. In Japan, there was a terrible case of terrorism of virus. It is called Subway Sarin Gas Attack. The virus killed a lot of people. People have to try to stop this kind of cases. In conclusion, people need restriction more than collaboration. Of course, if scientists or countries collaborate for new vaccines, it makes the scientists or countries find ways of creating new vaccine easily. However, the collaboration might be cause of spreading out virus, and it might be pandemics or epidemics. Therefore, people should restrict. 10/19/2017 0 Comments *artificial intelligence*Nowadays, technology makes people’s life comfortable. Smartphone makes people connect easily and many machines make productivity efficient. However, the technology could break and destroy our lives if people are making smart technology continuously without concerns. Technology such as AI could become smarter than human. When it comes to prevent smarter technology than human, it is more difficult than imagine.
When I was elementary school student, I watched a movie which is called IROBOT. It was released in 2004. The movie is that robots support people’s lives in 2035. They support people and make people’s lives comfortable. People made the robots not to hurt people. However, the robots become smarter than human and they try to think about they attacke human and invade earth. When I watched this movie, I was sure that it wouldn’t happen in the future. When I was elementary school student, people didn’t have even iPhone or Android. Therefore, I didn’t imagine I could speak computer after a few years like Siri. I thought it is just a movie. However, today, we can make conversation with robots a little bit and today, I can imagine robots might be smarter than us and attack people’s life. What I mean is the speed of technology revolution is so fast. In my opinion, if people want to smart technology, it is not hard for human to make machine which is smarter than human. It won’t take long to make it. In conclusion, technology could break and destroy our lives if people are making smart machines continuously without concerns. Technology definitely helped us to make our lives comfortable. However, people should think about making smart machine such as AI deeply and people should be afraid of that technology could destroy our lives because people can make smart technology which is smarter than human easily. 10/8/2017 0 Comments *new technology revolution* Nowadays, people use technology in daily life. It is common for people to use technology every day. Even little children and elderly people use many technologies. That is because of technology revolution. It made our life more convenient. However, technology revolution doesn’t always make our life better. Sometimes, it threatens our life. I read an article which is The Next Technology Revolution Will Drive And Income Disparity. I would like to share the author’s concerns for some reasons.
Recently, machine learning is making rapid progress in complex decision-making. It is becoming more sophisticated and nuanced than trained human judgement and it might will exceed human judgement in a few areas. Technology revolution such as smartphone or laptop made people life better. Smartphone allow people to get contact easily and laptop allow people to carry computer easily. However, machine learning revolution might be not positive revolution. The author said if machine learning technologies become superior in both intelligence and the knowledge relevant to a particular job, human employees may be rendered unnecessary or in the very least, they will be in far less demand and command lower pay. I agree this idea. If car driver become technology instead of human, many car drivers lose their job and they have to look for another job. Moreover, if many jobs displaced, many people lose their jobs and jobs become not enough. In addition, the author said efficiency in the business world generally means reducing costs, which results in using fewer well paid. I agree with this idea as well. The technology could increase productivity and abundance, however, it means people can’t get well-paid because the development makes costs lower and lower. Efficiency is important in the business, but it doesn’t mean machine have to do everything to make efficiency better. People needs jobs and people have to earn money. Technology should to be used for people’s life better, not deprive jobs from human. Finally, in my opinion, computer can make better decision in some areas, but human have to make decision in some areas as well. For example, politics. If technology manages politics or some important areas, people will be controlled by technology like AI. In conclusion, technology revolution doesn’t always make our life better and I share the author’s concern. Technology revolution is important for our life and we should keep improving our life by technology. However, people should think about carefully whether the technology revolution makes our life better or not before use it. I read an article, Opinion: Technology is a huge threat to humankind; this means you, Silicon Valley. The author says I cannot emphasize enough that before any new technology is unleashed, it must be subject to the most rigorous audits of its human and social impacts, both negative and positive. And, it must continue to pass on-going audits as its impacts become clearer. I agree with this opinion and I don’t think he is overly concern.
In Japan, we have a system which is called the My Number Card. This is also called The Social Security and Tax Number System. The number is made by 12 digits and it is issued every person, not only Japanese, possessing a resident record. The main purpose of the system is to make information management of social security, tax, and measures to deal with disasters be effective. It allows technology to manage our personal information. Thus, manual work replaced automatic work. In addition, it can be identity card. Therefore, it became more convenient. However, if it is stolen, the personal information is leaked and it becomes big problem. The person has to change the number but it’s not easy. Although this system started from 2015, some troubles already occurred. In fact, many leakage of information cases happened in Japan. Many people’s information were leaked by hacking. In my opinion, Japanese government should have had to consider about more negative effects, not only positive effects. Before this system started, leakage of information cases sometimes occurred, but it was not as many as now because it was manual works. Technology makes our life convenient, but it doesn’t mean everything is perfect. In conclusion, before any new technology is unleashed, it must be subject to the most rigorous audits of its human and social impacts, both negative and positive. I don’t say technology shouldn’t replace manual work and people should do all of important things manually. However, we have to keep in mind that technology isn’t always right and we shouldn’t rely on technology too much. 9/22/2017 0 Comments world hunger Hunger and malnutrition are one of the biggest issues in this world, especially developing countries. Even now, many people are suffering food loss in the other side of the earth. Many people lose their lives because of these issues. In my country, almost all people can eat enough and delicious foods. Therefore, many people live in Japan have never worried about whether I can eat something tomorrow or not. There is always something to eat when I am hungry. However, we should take care of these issues and make efforts to reduce it. Many people are starving in all over the world. In Japan, many people don’t exactly know about the hunger of this world, but many people try to do volunteer works to know the environment of the country. I read three articles from the text book and one article from internet. According to these articles, this issue has reached a tipping point as David Nabarro suggested. From the three articles of textbook, these show forty countries from Africa, Asia, and Latin America are at the front of the Scaling Up Nutrition Movement. The result is that they reduce the percentage of their children who are chronically undernourished. Furthermore, Latin America and the Caribbean countries have made significant process in tackling hunger and malnutrition, reducing the number of hungry. In 1990-1992, 14.6 percent of the populations were hungry, while by 2010-2013,8.3% were hungry. Next, from the article of internet, it shows the rate of stunting, underweight, and wasting is decreasing. First of all, between 2000 and 2013 stunting prevalence declined from 33 percent to 25 percent. In addition, between 1990 and 2013the rate of underweight declined 25 percent to 15 percent. Moreover, wasting in the under-five years old declined from 1990 to 2013. In conclusion, overall progress is not sufficient and millions of people remain hungry, however, it has reached a tipping point. When it comes to compere the articles from the textbook to the article from internet, Both of them shows that the rate of hunger is getting down. In addition, nowadays, many people care about the issues and many people donate money or stuff to some organization because many people think that they want to do something for the people who lives in poor country. Furthermore, some people gather some stuff and take those to poor countries as a volunteer. Besides, many projects contribute to decrease hunger and malnutrition. If they keep doing this projects, the issue will be getting better and we can make it eradicate. In my opinion, important point to eradicate hunger and malnutrition from this world is that don’t give up and keep it up. Reference World Child Hunger Facts http://www.worldhunger.org/world-child-hunger-facts/ In Harvard University, one scandal occurred. it is called “unprecedented in anyone’s living memory.” The case is that more than 100 students of Harvard cheated on the final exam of a course called “Introduction to Congress”. 60 students were suspended and the rest received some sort of probation. However, I don’t think collaborate is not cheating and should be encouraged.
In my opinion, collaborate is not cheating and the students in question shouldn’t be punished. In this case, actually, they worked together to find an answer. They didn’t copy. I think it should be encourage because school isn’t only place for studying, but also this is place for learning a lot of things from activities or friends. We’ll have to work together and solve some problem with friends by helping each other. It is one of the social skill and required in workplace. In addition, I agree with Farhad Manjoo opinion which is that students should be encouraged to collaborate, and if individual responses were required then the test should be taken in class. If the professor is really required for students to response, he could change the taka-home exam to in-class exam. Moreover, he should have shown why he made this role and why he prohibited. There is no detail or explanation about the prohibition on the Exam Protocol. Students can’t understand why collaborate is prohibited and if they don’t understand the reason why the collaborate is prohibited, students might continue collaborating. If they knew the reason, some students might be not punished. For the reasons above, I don’t think collaborate is not cheating and should be encouraged. However, students shouldn’t rely on their friends too much. They have to study hard as much as possible, and if they can’t figure out, then they should collaborate. I read an article which is about whether religion and spirituality promote ethical behavior in the workplace or not. In India, the society is multi-faith. According to an interview, 40 Indian top level executives suggested their opinion. 33 executives explained that traditions, such as Islam and Christianity, promoted virtues which is like integrity, flexibility. On the other hands, 7 executives who don’t believe in religions argued that non-religious-based virtues should be encouraged to rely on their own humanistic belief system. They think ethics is secular topic and should be practiced at a human level. This view was suggested help workers remain neutral.
Some people says that religiosity and religiosity-based spirituality could promote unethical behavior. For example, discrimination. Sometimes, conflicts occur between people who doesn’t believe in same religions. Besides, despite the rich tapestry of religions and spirituality, unethical behaviors such as corruption, bribery, cronyism, and nepotism is rampant in India. However, a paper shows that some virtues translate into competencies that helps foster ethical action. For example, empathy relates to the variety of ways to connect with employees and foster quality working relationships. We can grasp religions in bad ways and good ways. In Japan, almost all people don’t believe in religion. Therefore, there is no discriminations of religion and I can’t imagine that how religion and spirituality contribute ethical behavior. In my opinion, I think the most important things to promote ethical behavior is environment of workplace and make a relationship of mutual trust between the co-workers. If we can make good environment, our jobs will be successful and promote ethical behavior. Maybe, some people can’t agree with my opinion, but I think it’s natural and it’s interesting to me. 8/31/2017 1 Comment *2 student organization*When I went to Student Activities Fair, I found 2 student organizations which I'm interested in. One of them is for international students, and the another one is sorority. Why I'm interested in these organizations because when I was in Japan, I thought I want to make some action in U.S. and I’m interested in language and feminism. I don’t want to be here just studying English. The advantage of getting involved in the campus community is that I not only can make friends and talk to friends in English, but also it will be a nice opportunity to know about university activities and American culture.
The people who belongs the first organization, which is for International student, often meets on Saturday, but not every week. Their purpose is giving many opportunities for international students to talk to American students. One of the members of this group said that we want to make some chances for international students to talk to American students because they are alone when they come here. They don't have any friend who is from here. If they join this activity, we can give nice opportunities to talk with native speaker and become friends. That's why we set up this group.The another one, which is sorority, meet on Sunday at 3:00p.m. Their purpose is to be a community conscious, action and oriented organization. In my opinion, U.S. is one of the biggest countries which insists feminism. Actually, I have never seen this kind of community in Japan. We might have this kind of community, but it is not common. In my country, many universities have many communities. We call it Circle. There are many kinds of circles in Japan. For example, sport circle, handicrafts circle, volunteer circle like that. We can belong community of other university. Therefore, my friends who from my university belong circle of other universities. We can make friends of the other university student from there. I think that is one of the advantage of getting involved in the circle. When it comes to compare Japanese culture with American culture, these have many differences and I think it is very interesting. |
AuthorMiku Isaka/Japan/19 Archives
November 2017
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