environmental issues, philosophical perspectives about nature
elizabet...@gmail.com
Undergraduate Studies in the Department of English at Arizona State
University. For several years at ASU, I have been teaching about the
history of women and science, ecofeminist theory, and our relationship
to the environment as those issues appear in literature by women.
I am really interested in how you talk about nature/the environment in
your literature courses at Sichuan University. I would also really
like to discuss how your personal philosophy about your relationship
to nature is similar or in some ways different from our philosophical
perspectives here in the US. I am also concerned about the current
industrialization of your country and its effects on the environment--
I wonder what your reaction is to what is happening there.
I have invited the students of my current senior-level undergraduate
course in women, science, and literature to engage in discussion with
you about all of the above issues, too. I hope they will soon be
active on the discussion board with us.
Dr. McNeil
cdw...@gmail.com
Science at Arizona State University. I am excited about this project
and the communication it provides us all!
My experience of the world as a whole is fairly limited. I wouldn't
consider myself much of a traveler and I feel my perspective could
suffer as a result. Therefore, one of my goals here is to obtain a
perspective from students at a university an ocean away from my own.
As a student in Dr. McNeil's class, my interest has been directed
towards the environment and our connection to it. I am curious about
the social views everyone has about the environment and nature in
general. Do you feel an internal or even spiritual connection to
nature? What are your views regarding the overall health of the
environment? I am also eager to see what your opinions are regarding
both the United States' and China's stewardship of the environment.
Should government be involved in environmental policy?
I am grateful for this opportunity to speak on these issues with you
all, and look forward to our dialogue. Our separate perspectives
should lead to a greater understanding of our social views regarding
the environment, nature, and life itself.
Thank you!
Sincerely,
Brent Wadas
On Sep 6, 5:30 pm, "elizabethamcn...@gmail.com"
Becky
authentic human relations with nature can be inaugurated by the power
of sexual awakening. However, I noticed that Lawrence's works are
criticized today by feminist critics for his androcentrism and
logocentrism. Later in Willa Cather's works, I find the idyllic
harmony between female body and nature. The lost of humanity in the
industrialized world can be restored by reuniting with nature. The
Canadian female writer Margaret Atwood's works, insightfully depicting
the relationship among man, woman and nature, become representative
literature texts for ecofeminism.
In a sociological sense, I think works like Rachel Carson's Silent
Spring are very important in advocating environment protection. This
book drew people's concern to environment protection on a large social
scale. Compared to this kind of publications, the movie as well as the
book "Kekexili" in China, about protecting the endangered antelopes in
Tibet, is not as seminal in depth and width, though still very
touching and influential.
Today China has realized some problems about the deteriorating
environment, and many ordinary people are making efforts to protect
the environment. The Environmental Protection Volunteer Association at
Sichuan University, has some cooperations with the national
environmental protection associations such as "Green SOS", "Green
River", and "WWF China". The local association "Green River", founded
by a photographer, Yang Xin, mainly aims at protecting antelopes in
Kekexili, Tibet. Volunteers at Suonandajie Station, which is operated
by "Green River," have been assisting Kekexili Nature Reserve
authorities in preventing poaching of the endangered Tibetan antelope
near the Qinghai-Tibet Railway construction site.
Brent
literature, but also a great outlook on your own environmental
responsibility! I am greatly encouraged by your response and
enthusiasm!
Xie xie,
Brent
Becky
I am enthusiastic because in fact I am a member of the Environmental
Protection Volunteer Association at Sichuan University.We do small
things to make our campus more green and pretty.
Neal Lester
What kinds of activities do you engage in as part of the association?
Neal A. Lester, Professor and Chair
Department of English
P.O. Box 870302
Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ 85287-0302
480 965 3535
neal....@asu.edu
Becky
them from polluting the environment. We also put up notices in
classrooms, encouraging people to save water and electricity. We
collect used books and send them to remote rural areas where children
are very short of books. In my association, I am in charge of the
"Green Salon". In this salon many environmentalists have been invited
to give us lectures or tell us their works or stories about
environment protection. Some of their stories are really very touching.
Brent
posed a question: Can you be an environmentalist, but not an
activist? A self contained environmentalist, if you will. I argued
that given the dire straits of our environment, one cannot, in good
conscience, seek to change the environment without encouraging one's
neighbor to do the same. It is just so reassuring to see a student
taking a forward role in not only being a positive change, but getting
the word out to others as well.
Way to be, Becky! Keep up the great work!
Sincerely,
Brent
Micah
McNeil's class. In response to the environmentalist/activist
questions, I agree with Brent in some ways, as in it is beneficial to
speak out for the cause that is important to you (and to the planet in
this case). However, I also like to think that leading by example is
a good way to motivate people. I guess there must be a balance here:
it's good to be zealous (but not to the point of annoyance), and you
should always back your words up with your actions (but you should
speak up so that people notice what you're trying to accomplish).
It's funny, but this situation brings up this psychological study (I'm
a psychology student, by the way). Whenever people are leaving their
parking spaces, they take longer when another car is waiting to park.
Also, the people who are leaving take even longer when the person
waiting for the space honks at them to hurry up. They actually timed
this and found a consistence! I guess this is not a direct parallel,
but it seems like people are often spiteful when they know you are
trying to get them to do something. Kind of a silly example, but I
think this study is really funny.
Also, Becky, your quote about the loss of humanity in our
industrialized world was very thought provoking. Whenever I think
about our ever-increasing industrialization, I tend to focus on the
loss of nature in this world we are creating. However, I think you're
right; we do lose a part of ourselves in the process of destroying
nature. I guess it's like destroying a part of yourself. Anyway, I
guess that's all I have to say for now...
Micah
noticed your comment about Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, and it
reminded me of a lecture we had in a course called Biology and Society
(it's actually another science and society course, like Professor
McNeil's class. I am required to take two in order to receive
Bachelor of Science). We had a guest lecturer on Tuesday, who is a
microbiologist at ASU. He was talking about infectious diseases,
especially ones spread by mosquitoes, and their effect throughout the
world. He said that Rachel Carson's book killed more people than
Hitler, since it was her book that incited a public outcry against the
use of DDT. He did not say this maliciously; I think he just wanted
to us to think about how our actions can have various effects on the
environment. Carson's book was an important part of the
environmentalist movement, and she spoke out against spraying DDT into
the environment when we do not know what the various effects might
be. She claimed that DDT threatened wildlife and might even cause
cancer. I wonder what would have happened if she had never written
the book. Would we still use DDT? Would the effects have killed as
many people as those that died from infectious diseases as a result of
the banning DDT? It seems to come down to weighing human life against
the well-being of the environment, but is this fair? We are all
connected; we are all a part of the environment. I guess it's hard to
figure out what is best for all of us sometimes. Even if we harm the
environment to save ourselves, or make our lives more convenient, it
all seems to come back to us because we are the environment.
cran...@asu.edu
My name is Calley and I am a senior at ASU, studying creative writing,
and I am also in Dr. McNeil's class. I think this discussion
regarding what it means to be an environmentalist is very interesting
because it is something I find myself constantly struggling with. I
try very hard to live by Gandhi's words, "You must be the change you
wish to see in the world," but that task can be overwhelming when
faced with environmental issues that have a global impact. I don't
think you necessarily need to be an activist to be an
environmentalist, because I believe that first having a consciousness
and awareness of issues at hand is the first step toward change, and
that in itself allows for a personal activism. I was wondering
however, what are some opinions on large scale steps to environmental
reform, such as the Kyoto Protocol, and whether you think it is
beneficial act toward change.
Thank you for the great discussions thus far!
Calley
hele...@163.com
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Hi,Calley!My name is Helen and I am a junior at SCU,studying English.I appreciate your opinion on environmentalist very much.Really ,the sense and awareness of environment protecting should go first and only do this ,can every concrete method continue and take effect.
I am quite interested in your major that creative writing .Could you introduce smething about it ?
Finally,very glad to make friends with you!
Best wishes!
Helen
?2007-09-22?"cran...@asu.edu" <cran...@asu.edu> ???
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Hi,Calley!My name is Helen and I am a junior at SCU,studying English.I appr=
eciate your opinion on environmentalist very much.Really ,the sense and awa=
reness of environment protecting should go first and only do this ,can ever=
y concrete method continue and take effect.<br>I am quite interested in you=
r major that creative writing .Could you introduce smething about it ?<br>F=
inally,very glad to make friends with you!<br>Best wishes!<br> =
Helen<br>?2007-09-22?"crand=
e...@asu.edu" <cran...@asu.edu> ???<br>>Hi everyone!<br>><br>&g=
t;My name is Calley and I am a senior at ASU, studying creative writing,<br=
>>and I am also in Dr. McNeil's class. I think this discussion<br>>r=
egarding what it means to be an environmentalist is very interesting<br>>=
;because it is something I find myself constantly struggling with. I<br>&=
gt;try very hard to live by Gandhi's words, "You must be the change you<br>=
>wish to see in the world," but that task can be overwhelming when<br>&g=
t;faced with environmental issues that have a global impact. I don't<br>&g=
t;think you necessarily need to be an activist to be an<br>>environmenta=
list, because I believe that first having a consciousness<br>>and awaren=
ess of issues at hand is the first step toward change, and<br>>that in i=
tself allows for a personal activism. I was wondering<br>>however, what=
are some opinions on large scale steps to environmental<br>>reform, suc=
h as the Kyoto Protocol, and whether you think it is<br>>beneficial act =
toward change.<br>><br>>Thank you for the great discussions thus far!=
<br>><br>>Calley<br>><br>><br>><br>>--~--~---------~--~--=
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cran...@asu.edu
Hi Helen! It's very nice to meet you. I completely agree that
awareness is the first step in this very long process.
For the creative writing major at ASU, there are two concentrations
you can have: Fiction or Poetry. I'm studying poetry, and currently
writing my thesis on the American poet Anne Sexton wrote confessional
poetry around the 1960s. A great work to read regarding ecofeminism
is one that we are currently reading in class, a beautiful and
engaging poem entitled Woman and Nature: The Roaring Inside Her, by
Susan Griffin. The book essentially contains both a male and female
perspective on how women and nature are regarded, and the similarities
between the two, historically.
Thanks for the discussion, if you have any other questions about
creative writing, please feel free to ask!
Calley
elizabet...@gmail.com
so you can see what we're reading. Or ..., for now, here's a list of
the texts. We're also watching a few films, as well, in the course.
Bambara, Toni Cade. The Salt Eaters. New York: Vintage, 1980.
Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. Herland. 1915. Mineola, NY: Dover, 1998.
Griffin, Woman and Nature: The Roaring Inside Her. 1978. 2nd ed. San
Francisco: Sierra Club, 2000.
Hogan, Linda, and Brenda Peterson, eds. The Sweet Breathing of Plants.
New York: North Point P, 2001.
Piercy, Marge. Woman on the Edge of Time. New York: Fawcett, 1976.
Schiebinger, Londa. The Mind Has No Sex? Women in the Origins of
Modern Science. Cambridge, MA; London: Harvard UP, 1989.
Silko, Leslie Marmon. Gardens in the Dunes. New York: Scribner, 1999.
Warren, Karen J., ed. Ecofeminism: Women, Culture, Nature. Bloomington
and Indianapolis: Indiana UP, 1997.
FILM: WBGH Boston, Rachel Carson's Silent Spring (1992)
FILM: Erin Brockovich (2000)
Our library has a copy of Kekexili, but it is in Chinese, so I won't
be able to access it, unfortunately.
On Sep 13, 2:55 am, Becky <chenche...@gmail.com> wrote:
Becky
interesting. I will try to find them here.
Yes it is a pity that there is only a Chinese version of Kekexili in
your library, but I think there might be a film in English.
helen-qs
Smile
People always say that smile is the cheapest but best card of you in front of others.Exactly,when people are smiling ,we will say they are friendly and beautiful.Actually, smile,not only from the angle of physics or psychology,is good for ourselves and others.
Research over the last 20 years has been proving scientifically what aphorisms and popular song lyric have espoused for eon: smile ,and the whole world smile with you,and grey skies really will clear up if you put on a happy face.
“ A smile is central to our evolution and one of the most powerful tools of human behaviour. ” says Dacher Keltner,a professor of psychology at the University if California,Berkeley,who has studies the importance of facial expression –including the variety and impact of smiles.
The systematically categorised 43 separate muscle movements of the face and their move than 3000 meaningful combinations calling ther system the Facial Action Coding System or FACS.Some scientists coded the smiles of 114 women who posed for their university yearbook photo in 1958 and 1960.All but three smiled,but 61 did the fake courtesy smile,and 50 had spontaneous joyful smiles.Theor study found that over 30 years of follow-up the women who displayed smiles were more apt to get married and remain married ,and scored higher on tests of emotional and physical well-being.
If you don’t smile .you are very limited in your ability to pass on information and related to other people.There are some people who cannot smile for some diseases. There is a doctor who belongs to this kind of persons. He is confused that most patients think that he is hard to approach and communicate with. “Because I can’t smile, people think I am unfriendly,sad and angry or depressed, I can’t show them what I am really like.”So smile is such a powerful part of our conversation capability.
Putting on a happy face not only helps us make friends ,it translates onto altered brain chemistry that makes us feel better.Even a mother exchanging smiles with babies ,which is important for the babies development of attachment and intellectual development. I met a enfant this afternoon, he was just staring at me and I smile to him ,to make me surprise, he became excited and responded me with a sweet smile,staring at me all the time.I also became happy at that time and kept smiling as well with nice feeling.
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