Modern but problematic times

“Modern Times” is a very good movie, where the great Charles Chaplin made an excellent critic about the problems lived by workers in those times. Chaplin wrote, directed and starred the movie. He did an awesome job. Moreover, he could express and portrait ,in a magnificent way, all the consequences that modernization broth. For example, stress, hard-work, poorness, injustice and big social changes.

Charles Chaplin represents a man of the working class, who works in a factory with large and new machines. He suffers terrible consequences because of the hard-work he has to do. This situation make him feel so stressful and depress, that he drop out work. Here is when he decides to go to the doctor, who tell him to be the calm and relax, but how could he be relax if people of his town are living a terrible period. This process was well known by the Great Depression. This was an ideological system of work that was focus more in productivity than in the workers needs. The consequences of this situation were terrible, because people never thought that this would bring economical and social problems.

The film is a good way to realize how modernization worked in those times. Besides, it gives you a vision of the bad conditions that workers had to face to continue working and don’t lose their jobs. The movie has a lot of shots, which express the difficult moment that people had to live. But, even this events are very terrible and sad, the hilarious Charles Chaplin could catch and represent them in a funny and interesting way. Modern time is a silent movie, even tough you can understand everything very clear.

Charles Chaplin masterpiece, is a good and meaningful movie to watch. I recommend this film to everybody who wants to learn and understand in a better way The industrial Revolution period. It shows all the problems that workers had to deal with and how, in way, the power of love is involved there. You would also see, the consequences that technology has in that period, and how some of that chain problems have continued in our times.

I was very delight watching the movie, and I really recommend it. It’s amazing how Charles shows the positive side of life, because, even he was living a difficult time he never gave up. He continues doing what he though was correct. Apart of learn a lot about industrialization you would enjoy the great performance of Charles Chaplin and the co-star Paulette Goddard. They create a nice atmosphere meanwhile they are acting. Personally, I think that both show how important is to have a clear view of what you want for life, and obviously fight for that, no matter what the consequences will bring. You should see the movie and prove that all what I said is true, and at the end you would have a similar view, or maybe a different one. It depends on the perspective that you’ll watch it.

The Industrial Revolution: Social Changes and Education

The Industrial Revolution started, not with the industrial machine installations in England, but with trade agreements. The bourgeoisie wanted that their activities were governed by themselves, and obtained that the government couldn’t have so much intervention. They believed that this will bring a prosperous and virtuous society. Moreover, they wanted to eliminate the privileges of corporations, the tariffs and barriers to the traffics of goods and eventually the differences in legislation, languages and customs.

This indicates that the freedom of trade was an essential issue for the bourgeoisie, as it also was the free trade of beliefs and ideas. That is how, the domination of the bourgeoisie was consolidated over the other social classes. Whit this situation, “armies of free workers”, who has just their hands to live, were forced to offer their hands to the bourgeois.

With all the acceleration in production and trade expansion, The Capitalist Appropriation appeared. This means, that the capitalist gave a salary to the worker, for what he did in the labor. Several times, less than the value of the produced by him. Obviously, the capitalist earned thanks to the hard-work of others.

With all these sociial and economical changes, a new educational system started. In that time, there should be two classes of schools, “The Big scchools” for poor, and the “Small Schools” for rich. With this, we can realized how huge was the gap in differences and habits between classes.

High class’ children were forced to begin their education process early, because, as rich boys they should go farther than poor children, that’s why, they have to study more. However, children of the “Big Schools”, were taught to learn how they should work with the brain and not with hands. Capitalists knew that in few years machines and tools would became more sophisticated and they would need people with high quality of labor to operate the new machines.

This situation favored the technical education, which quickly became in a vital condition for capitalism. Polytechnics schools began. Thanks to this, the student who entered in hig school institutes, were able to start earning and living as citizens at the age of 22 or 23. But, these students could only come from the better classes.

Thus, education was defined by the needs of the dominant classes and the vision of the future in the world. In twentieth century, the Bourgeoisie found how to disguse the contradiction of classes in conflict gave in the educational field. This way, they brought the school into a technical criteria, based on the psychology of; the poor has to learn to produce and the rich has to learn to order and manage.

It’s incredible how, this situation is still working in our times. It’s clear that our educational system was design to rich and poor in different ways. However, we can not see this clearly, because the government would never recognize that they implemented this underneath the curriculum of schools. Richs, have to order poors and poors have to obey them. I could observed this very close, because I was in a private school in Vitacura and in a social risk school in Pedro Aguirre Cerda. In Vitacura children are educated to go to University, to travel and to think that they are in the top of the society triangle. They are teach to think independently and to criticized what is not fear for them. In terms of English, most of them learned it without problem, because they know they will use it. Maybe in their future job or just because they have to travel to an English speaker country. In the other hand, Pedro Aguirre Cerda’s school is educated in a completely different way. First, teachers have the wrong idea of that students cannot be more than bus drivers or garbage collectors, and so on. Students here, are educated to obey and not to discuss if something is wrong, they have to comply with what is ordered. With English, they are not very interested in learning it, because they think, when am I going to use it? But, the saddest thing here is, that our society works like this. I think our role as future teachers is to change that gap and give the opportunity to every student. This way, they could dream with go to university, with traveling and have a better life, because they CAN DO IT!

Sourcess: - Pinilla de las Herreras, Esteban. Reacción y Revolución en una Sociedad Industrial, Ediciones Signos 1970, Buenos Aires Argentina.

- http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1981/2/81.02.06.x.html

Industrialization

Outline

• Introduction: What is industrialization?
• Social impact (changes)
• Political impact
• Consequences to the people, children
• Educational consequences
• How that consequences affect our society.
• Conclusion

The industrial Revolution: Social Changes and Education

The industrial revolution processes had a big impact in society. The way people live or work changed considerably.

Queen Anne (1665 - 1714)

"Queen Anne was the last of the Stuart monarchs, and the first sovereign of Great Britain."

She was born on 1665 in London and was niece of King Charles II. Anne was raised as Protestant, eventhough her father was Catholic. After some years, she married with a Danish prince.

Two years later her father became king. When he died her sister, Mary, took the royal position. When she passed away, Anne became Queen. Meanwhile her reign last, her decisions were made with her friends and ministers advices. During Anne's role a series of events happened; The War of the Spanish Succession started. In that time success was by their side and allowed England's negotiating postion. In 1713 France recognized Anne as a real Queen and confirmed England's possession of Gibraltar.

In 1707 England and Scotland were combined into a one kingdom. A common flag and coinage was created but Scotland kept their Church, laws and education rules. Anne became the first sovereign of Great Britain. Queen Anne's reign was divided by the power's competition betweem Whigs and Tories. Finally, the Whigs dominated.

Anne died at the age of 49 and she was succeeded by Geroge, a Protestant prince from Germany.

The Knight Queen

A spectacular film, with beautiful scenery and shots, well designed and produced. Moreover, it is the story of a woman, who has been judge for her thoughts and strong beliefs. Irresistibly for the eyes, to be seen but not to be touched. She fought with all her energies and glory to feel and see how the Spaniards knee in front of her, the Queen, the Queen Elizabeth I.

The story was focused on the Queen’s life and the conflict among the reign of one of the most important and famous countries in that time, England. The country was divided by two religions, Protestants with Elizabeth and Catholics (Spain). The Queen felt satisfied knowing that her country was half Catholic, as long as they stay royal to her crown. This situation led Philip of Spain to start a conspiration against Elizabeth I.

Before the enterprise began, a foreign capitain arrived to England, Walter Raleigh, who tried to capture the Queen’s heart, but with all her crown activities she just felt hypnotize for him and his adventurous stories. Nevertheless, Elizabeth didn’t feel just affection for Sir Raleigh, she was self-confident and advised to his side.

Going back to the holy war, Spain assembled its invincible army to fight against the Queen in a sea battle. Elizabeth I was standing in the top of a cliff when suddenly the wind’s direction changes. This situation makes that The Spanish Armada wrecked letting clear that God was with the Queen.

Queen Elizabeth I showed how a female could have the power and strenghts to command a nation. She was a brave woman, who also showed sadness, angry and happiness, but she knew how to control her temper. Elizabeth was a virgin queen and she knew and accepted that. Her role as a wife and mother was with her country and the English people.

Stonehenge

During several years, researchers and experts have been studing the unknow construction of Stonehenge. How was it built?, Why was it built? What was its main purpose? Those are some common questions we do when we study Stonehenge. Nowadays, thanks to tecnology, experts, history, books, etc, which had give us datas and clues, we know a little more about this beautiful structure.

Some first researches said; Stonehenge was a sort of English calendar or a shrine to idolize their gods. But now, we have new information about the real intentions of the stones, it was a healing place. This situation let us think that from the very begining people had their own places to go and pray. They believed in something, their religiousness was showed through this structure. But, the important thing here is how this ceremony has continue for years and years.

It was believed that Stonehenge was a center which had special powers. Some people with health problems traveled from faraway places to be heal by the special force. Again we are seeing a situation that continues in our cultural habits, to have a place we can believe in. For example, Lourdes or the sanctuary of the Andacollos’ virgin. People believe in these places, they go with their ill relatives or children to switch helth for an offering. Maybe people who lived in that time, offered something to be healed. Thanks to the video we know now that they traveled from different places to be treat, maybe that was the possible offering.

Now, is time to wait and see what other things Stonehenge hides...

Daniela's presentation

Daniela presented in a good way. Her presentation was organized and clear, I could follow her rythm easily. I could notice that Daniela knew what she was talking about, because of her confidence showed. She answered what I was questioning, due to I chose the same theme (Ways of seeing). My classmates didn't ask to many questions, though.

Sometimes Daniela lacked of language use and strategies. These could help her to express herself clearly. Her voice volume was ok, I liked her voice.

Her slides where very clear, she used good images that made me understand her presentation better. I believe that this theme was difficult to show, in terms of images, but she found good pictures.

I would say that Daniela needs to be a little more serious when she is presenting something. I know that she is a smiling person and it's difficult to her to be serious. She has to work on that.

Maybe, she could move around the classroom, to have a better interaction and eye contact.

K'

What is Civilization?

People , culture, social issues, art and literature belong to civilization’s meaning that we have to understand. People create society and society creates civilization. Throughout the past, people were creating and forming progressive part of the human history, according to the social evolution in which they were involved. For example ancient Egypt, improved their levels of knowledge, for instance, moral and material life. Then, civilization was understood as evolution or progress.

Ancient hieroglyphic, monuments, like pyramids leaved a legacy that let us understand that there were cultures before us. They were organized as a social nation in terms of the construction of meaningful creations such as cities, laws, literature and art. These events would mark the patron of life in which heirs will live. Nowadays, we are living progress that is best known as “modernity”, which is growing faster and it is mainly related with technological and scientific progresses. They are giving higher levels of knowledge that are causing superior social welfare.

What is civilization? II

People, lifestyle, habits, beliefs, language, education, culture are part of what we understand as civilization. A group of people create society and society, (e.g. of a country or a continent) creates civilization. Why am I saying this? Throughout the pass of time, people were creating and forming progressive part of the human history, according to the social evolution of the period of time they were living. For example, old Egypt or the Aztec's Empire, raising their levels of knowledge, for instance, their moral and material life. Civilization was the equivalence to improvement or progress.

Nowadays, we are living progress, that's why we may understand civilization as modernity. A modernity that is growing faster and it is mainly related with technological and scientific progresses that are giving us highest levels of knowledge that are generating a better social welfare.

The world is facing a cultural globalization, which tends to become in the main prototype to all humanity. Referring to civilization in this sense of globalization means that there is a unique and common modernity, one group of universal culture.

We have to let that this universal culture make us have things in common and not to discriminate other cultures or civilizations because they have a different language or color. Lets build a multicultural world where we can share and live in peace. Maybe these could be the steps to keep our civilization alive.

I'm feeling great :)