Transcendentalism is an intersting philosphy that we've had to read over the last couple of days. It revolves largely around the concept of self-reliance, and self-worth. It says that we should worship the God within, and that determination and confidence in ourselves and our own ideas will lead to enlightenment.
"Speak your latest conviction, and it shall be the universal sense."
As a Republican, I agree with the concept of being capable of being self-sufficient and not absolutely relying on others. But if we push others away, we do lose a great deal of potential. I belive the pinacle of genius lies in collaboraton; did Lance Armstrong personally design, build, and launch the rocket that took him to the moon? No, he's just a grunt with the bowels to withstand high g-forces, who rode into space on the most advanced vehicle ever made.
On the other end of a spectrum, throwing a talented person into a group of other perfectly talented people could result in that's person's talents never having a chance to shine. It's a balance of both giving a person room to grow and develop while still having others nearby to collaborate with, and this is a balance that transcendentalism does not promote.
So no, I am not a transcendentalist. I agree with a few points that it makes, but overall it just doesn't fit with my beliefs.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Map Analysis
Florida et regiones vicinae
Florida et regiones vicinae is a map of what is literally translated from latin as “Florida and Surrounding Areas”. It is a noticeably bare map; while it gives a general shape of, well, Florida and its surrounding areas, it’s obviously not perfectly accurate to anyone who has seen Florida’s shape on one of many modern-day maps; the peninsular state is shorter and more pointed, there’s a massive coastline extended much further east than in reality, and it has its bays a bit over-pronounced.
The map is also lacking when it comes to markings; over what covers the Bahamas, Northern Cuba, and roughly a quarter of the United States, there are less than 50 marked unique locations, and what locations are marked are mostly rivers with native titles. Native Americans obviously were still in control of America. This map is obviously a very early and misinformed one.
However, it’s not designed to be a perfect representation, however, but rather an idea, a foundation for future maps to be based upon. “Early maps and travel narratives were the first accounts to chronicle English impressions of the New World. As they did so, they charted a psychic space within which American whiteness developed.”
Florida et regiones vicinae is a map of what is literally translated from latin as “Florida and Surrounding Areas”. It is a noticeably bare map; while it gives a general shape of, well, Florida and its surrounding areas, it’s obviously not perfectly accurate to anyone who has seen Florida’s shape on one of many modern-day maps; the peninsular state is shorter and more pointed, there’s a massive coastline extended much further east than in reality, and it has its bays a bit over-pronounced.
The map is also lacking when it comes to markings; over what covers the Bahamas, Northern Cuba, and roughly a quarter of the United States, there are less than 50 marked unique locations, and what locations are marked are mostly rivers with native titles. Native Americans obviously were still in control of America. This map is obviously a very early and misinformed one.
However, it’s not designed to be a perfect representation, however, but rather an idea, a foundation for future maps to be based upon. “Early maps and travel narratives were the first accounts to chronicle English impressions of the New World. As they did so, they charted a psychic space within which American whiteness developed.”
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)