Machiavelli is a man of many words.  Some of the words he writes are more comedical, while others are more serious.   Either way, i believe that in the Prince, Machiavelli has a satirical but truthful tone.   As I look at his words, I realize that they are profound, but also simple at the same time.  One quote that I think is outrageous is, “the vulgar crowd always is taken by appearances, and the world consists chiefly of the vulgar.”

This quote is quite absurd as it is a huge generalization of humanity to state that the world is full of vulgarity.  The definition of vulgar is to lack taste, or something unrefined.  I think that many times we as humans are unrefined and we do not realize it.   I feel like Machiavelli analyzes life versus looking more at human values.  With his slight satirical outlook, I think Machiavelli mocks how humans are vulgar and try to please crowds.   I think Machiavelli has a point in saying that humans are not very logical, and they make a lot of mistakes based on their own natural will and their choices that are based more on impulse.

To me, this quote is an outrageous generalization about the world, but it really is true.   We are a vulgar crowd looking to please.  Facebook is just another creation of a bunch of people looking to please one another through posts, social statuses, or photos.  Everything we do is self gratifying, and we are becoming more and more taken by appearances.   People are starting to care more and more about what is on the outside and not the inside.  The satire in Machiavelli’s writing is telling us that we are judged by the images we portray.

Another quote that is kind of absurd, but I found interesting is, “those princes who have accomplished most [are those] — who knew how to manipulate the minds of men craftily.  In the end they won out over those who tried to act honestly”.   I think this quote also coincides with Machiavelli’s satirical view on humanity, and how those who are more manipulative and dishonest, are those that succeed in life.  I think that those honest people, are not respected because they are looked at as too soft.  Just as the quote above, the world is becoming more vulgar because people want to flaunt their riches and show outward appearances.

Reading is like a passport that allows me to travel to many places.  Through reading, I am able to use my senses to feel like I am a certain place in books.

I also read because it informs me and keeps me up with current events in today’s world. I read newspaper articles, and CNN in order to gain a knowledge of what is happening in the world both locally and globally.

Another reason I read is because it allows me to take a look at sentences and make my them my own.  While there are the same words on the page, everyone has a different interpretation of these words.  Sometimes the author plays on words to twist the meaning in reader’s minds.  I am able to twist meaning, and take different approaches to the author’s words as I read.

Overall, reading is a passport that can take me places in the world, keep me up to date, and help spark my creativity.

In Dante’s Canto V, reading is a way for Paolo and Francesca to show passion and alleviate grief.   The love between paolo and Francesca only intensifies more as they read and start an affair together.   They also read to pass time away and to justify what they are doing.  I think that they both chose to be idle and bored, and therefore turned to reading.   I think for Francesca, she found both her happiness and her misery in Paolo’s love.

Reading for some is more of a routine than a big enjoyment.  For me, I like to really dig into what I am reading and let it take me somewhere. I think for these two reading  is more of a routine or something to fill time, but they are also able to show love and passion through it.

Similar to the problems found in America, Rome also faced many problems.  Some of the problems that Rome faced were concerning wealth distribution, gender equality, substance abuse, and moral judgement and honesty.   Juvenal’s Satire III portrays many of these problems.

Rome regarded wealth as a very important attribute.   While today in the United States wealth is important, it is not as crucially important as it was to the Romans.   Romans would have multiple dining rooms, live in huge houses surrounded by a courtyard, and their homes would be furnished with riches.   The wealthy would look down upon the poor people or people that were housed in “insulae”.   “Of all the woes of luckless poverty none is harder to endure than this, that it exposes men to ridicule” (Juvenal 148-149).  Here poverty is regarded as the most hard to endure and it mocks the people that are not wealthy.   Romans believed that wealth was very significant and determined who a man was.  “They do not easily rise whose abilities are repressed by poverty at home”.

In Rome women were regarded as lowly and did not have huge roles.   Women could not act in plays and could not be involved in politics.  Ancient Roman society as a whole was based on a patriarchal social structure.  Men were rulers and women were considered as almost nothing.

In roman society, Romans would be dishonest in daily life and also would commit adultery.  It would be common to see men have affairs and mistresses.  Men were dishonest and women could not trust them.

Roman society would eat, drink, and be merry.   While ancient Romans did not use marijuana or other drugs, they did drink a lot.   “Your drunken bully —  passes a night of torture”.      In many instances, wine and strong drinks would be a way to celebrate. Drinking was very common around Romans and so it was a large problem that many people would get drunk.

I believe that the biggest social problems in the United States today are:

1.  Same Sex Marriages- There is a huge battle for people to love who they want to love.   While many people believe in marriage between a man and a woman, there is a growing number of people that believe in same sex marriage.   People all over the U.S. are protesting the fact that they cannot choose who they want to marry.  People do not feel equal if they cannot legalize gay marriage.  As of this month, nine state governments including New York, Washington, D.C., and Massachusetts, among them have already legalized gay marriage and offer same-sex matrimony.

2. Debt and Poverty- Today, many people are going into debt by buying more than is within their means.   There is a growing number of people who think they have more money than they actual do and are in great debt.    People now days are becoming enslaved by debt and it has become a sad way of life.   As of December 2011, consumer borrowing rose by another $19.3 billion. On October 24, 2013, debt held by the public was approximately $12.122 trillion.  Overall, consumer debt in America has increased by a whopping 1700% since 1971.

3. Obesity- With the rise of fast food chains, more and more busy Americans are eating out.   In September, First Lady Michelle Obama told host Dr. Oz that obesity is a national security threat.   People make more and more excuses to eat out and to eat out often.  More children are getting obese, and it is causing an ever growing problem.   As people are getting more obese, they are also getting more lazy.  People all over the United States are getting used to getting things their way and without effort.   Fast food and processed foods are easy to get and causing more and more obesity.

4. Abortion-  Abortion has always been a huge issue with our society.  However, the United States is viewing abortion as a more common choice as woman become more and more independent.   Many women are choosing to abort babies because it is too difficult a task, or they simply do not want to become a mother.   Abortion being pushed only destroys our nation even more and kills the future children that could be a part of our nation. A sad fact is that nearly half of all pregnancies among American women are unintended, and four in 10 of these end in abortion.

5.  Racial and Religious Discrimination- While racism has seemed to decline, there are still many huge groups out there that do not accept people of a certain race or religion.   Racial prejudice has increased slightly since 2008.  There are more feelings of racist attitudes and many explicit anti-black attitudes since the election of President Obama.  There is also a slight increase in religious discrimination among Christians.   Whether a person is Christian, Muslim, or Jewish, people have become more judgmental in recent years.  This racial and religious discrimination has created a small rift in our country and overall hurts our unity.

A golden age is a time period marked by peace, unity, prosperity, happiness, advancement, and inspiration.    In every culture, there is a period of time when advancements are at their highest point.   This Golden Age creates opportunity and economic wealth.

Rome experienced a golden age when it became wealthy and prosperous.  Under the rule of Augustus, the people became more individually wealthy and this in turn created a more wealthy nation.   Augustus also  reorganized the army, cut the senate down, rebuilt Rome, and promoted family values.   Great advances where made in both architecture and art.  Under the rule of Augustus, Rome became more imperial and organized.  

What affect did Augustus have on the people?  The people began to unite under Augustus’s rule; they became more happy and willing to work together.  Think about it, advancements today only bring people together.   The modern advancements that we have discovered like the internet and social networks, let people connect from everywhere.   The advancements under Augustus  like more public buildings, and a better food supply system may be different than Today, but they still make people happier. This great harmony and happiness brought peace.    

The time period most comparable to the Golden Age was In the 1950′s right after world war 2.  People were finding jobs more easily, people started watching T.V.  and listening to music regularly, and enjoying each other’s company. The 1950′s was also the time period of the baby boomers when many army members returned home and wanted to start families. Many of the music and movies produced in that time period reflected the happiness of the people.  This Golden Age was a new way of life and a new way of setting trends.   In the 1950’s the color t.v. was introduced, Disneyland was opened, Lego toys were introduced, and Truman signed a  peace treaty with Japan.   The 50’s was a period where people in the United States could feel joy again, and invent new things just like the Golden Age under Augustus.  

The word “tragedy” comes from the Greek words tragos, which means goat and oide or a goat song.   Therefore, in a Greek Tragedy, music is a very important element.  I think that Westminster did a great job in using music to portray theatrical responses.   There were scenes where the chorus would sing parts and use instruments.  I feel like the way the chorus and actors responded with song made it more of a tragedy.   

In Greek Tragedies, there were usually only two or three actors on the stage.  I liked how Westminster used the same actors in order to play different parts they just changed their costumes by flipping them.  I also liked how the actors faced the audience a majority of the time like they would do in an original Greek production.  

The last element that Westminster used well was that of drama.  Original Greek tragedies where performed mostly at festivals.  They were meant to be eye catching and dramatic to win over audiences.  I feel like actors used body language, expressions, and physical movements to portray the dramatic intent of the scene.  Instead of using masks like in usual Greek productions, they painted masks to attract attention.  

By definition, hermatia is a tragic flaw that leads to the downfall of a hero or heroine. 

According to Aristotle, the protagonist of a tragedy will bring about his own downfall not because of moral sin, but because he or she does not know enough. Oedipus fits this precisely, for his basic flaw is his lack of knowledge about his own identity. In lines 819-822, Oedipus even states his flaws saying, “And it is I, and no other have so cursed myself. And I pollute the bed of him I killed by the hands that killed him. Was I not born evil?”  Here Oedipus resents his great mistake of killing his father and marrying his own mother. Just as Aristotle states, Oedipus does not understand his identity and made a very bad judgment call. This judgment or error is his hermatia. 

Aside from not understanding his identity, Oedipus is very prideful, and his pride blinds him.  An example of his pride is found in lines 269-271 when Oedipus says, “Those who do not obey me, may the Gods grant no crops springing from the ground they plough nor children to their women!”(Greek Tragedies 121). Here, Oedipus thinks that he should be worshipped, and those that do not worship and obey him should be destroyed. When Oedipus is talking to the Chorus he also says that he can grant their prayers instead of the Gods.  Oedipus believes he is even more powerful than the Gods, and his pride eventually blinds him. When Oedipus saves the people of Thebes by killing the Sphinx, he feels confident and prideful in his actions. By defeating the Sphinx, he gains an unrealistic sense of power and only wants to be greater. The irony in this situation is that his greatness is cut down by his tragic flaw or hermatia.  

Overall, Oedipus cannot see his own negative flaws because he is too prideful.  He becomes so focused on himself and his glory, that he does not realize hisfoolish mistake of killing his father and marrying his mother.  Therefore, the hermatia of Oedipus lies in his inability to see his real identity. In the end, Oedipus wanders around blindly because he was too prideful and made mistakes.  

I love to eat and cook a variety of foods. I don’t like looking at recipes, but rather I improvise in my cooking. I try to cook Thai food, Italian food, Indian food, Peruvian food, and a ton of other takes on dishes. I will throw in weird and unique ingredients that I think will be delicious.

My creative juices are always flowing. Every week I coming up with new songs, ideas, and even artwork in our home. When I am not at home I transfer my creativity to the outdoors where I make mountain biking videos and take nature photographs. I like to draw, paint, take photos, and develop new ideas out of any resource I can find.

I have a baby named Reuben. Everyday I try to make him laugh in different ways. Since, he is a selective laugher I will have to come up with new faces, new voices, and new sound effects. At the end of the day it is his laugh and smile that keep me going.