The Earth is Flat

            It is often difficult for people to accept something that goes against what they are taught there entire lives. It seems that humans are naturally inclined to prefer what they already know rather than acknowledge something new that radically changes the world (in this case, literally). Hundreds of years ago, when people “discovered” the earth was round, people who always thought the earth was flat were asked to abandon there beliefs and adopt the new, now incorrect, notion that the earth was in fact round. It seems the tables have now turned, and once again, the earth is believed to be flat. The evidence that supports this is simply unshakable. The most damning piece lies in logic from long ago, that ships could fall off of the world if it was flat. The people thought there was absolutely no way this could happen, wouldn’t every ship eventually go missing then? What they never thought about was the many ships that DID go missing. Mysteriously enough, almost all of the ships that go mission are destined for far away places, where they eventually met the edge of the world. One of the most famous spot for ship disappearances, the Bermuda Triangle, is now thought to be one of the edges of the world. Another key piece of evidence is that we would be able to walk on the face of the earth if it was round. People would constantly stumble and fall over trying to walk on a perfectly round surface. Even with gravity, people are still unable to walk on an exercise ball, for example. There is a list as long as the earth’s flat sides that this is in fact the correct theory, but these to reasons alone should suffice for most people, at least those with common sense.

Poem analysis

This poem truly captures what everyone goes through when they turn 10 years old. It is viewed as being the first time you are a “big kid” with more responsibility than ever before; the yearning for the simpler years, the years where they could pretend to be a super hero instead of having chores. One of the most effective lines in the poem is when the author says that turning 10 is the first “big number.” Almost everyone probably thinks of it the exact same way. I cannot relate to this, however, as I was looking forward to getting older.  

Definitions

Beauty is a made-up term extorted by corporations in order to sell their products.

Denial is a term mainly used in the context of modern psychology, meaning that it refers to repressing the truth of an event in a self destructive (or in some cases, destructive to others) manner.

Evil is a complex thought that is ever present in the world in many different forms, and it has expanded due to globalization.

Definition Essay Question

1.      The explanation of the attitude of a “Yankee” was a very fresh idea. Everyone associates the term with the northern forces or the baseball team, but a description of what a regular “Yankee” is was clever and interesting. A similar term would be to define what a patriot is.

2.      The allusions add detail, and in some cases humor, to the essay. I feel it was a very effective method. If one did not “get” the allusions, then they may actually subtract from the essay, as the reader would get hung up on what they mean, rather than the point of the essay.

3.      The writer first said what people think of when thinking of a Yankee and then used an anecdotal story to describe what a Yankee is. I think the writer put the right amount of time into each element.

4.      “According to my friend, that's the first tenet of Yankee-ness.”