8/28: Introductions

Hello Everyone!

Part 1: My name is Mahir Mahdi, and I am an aspiring Mechanical Engineer. I was born in Bangladesh and moved to the United States when I was eight years old. One of my favorite books is “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho. I am, also, a big fan of Christopher Nolan films, and if I had to pick one to be my favorite it would be Interstellar. I like listening to Japanese Rock; however, I am open to any type of music. I enjoy working at night and find it difficult to function in the morning. I usually go to the New York Public Library Rooftop when I want to clear my mind and focus on studying. Bengali is my mother tongue, and I can speak it fluently.

Part 2: One of my favorite quotes is in the book “The Alchemist”, which states “When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better, too”. I feel this is an optimistic motto to live by because it tells people that if they strive to be better people, then the people around them will also become better.

8/30: Response to “Only Daughter” by Sandra Cisneros

A quote that stood out to me is, “‘Use this,” my father said, tapping his head, “and not this,” showing us those hands. He always looked tired when he said it.” This quote stood out to me, particularly because I know exactly the kind of work an immigrant family has to put in to build a life in a new country. Cisneros’s father told her to use her head instead of her hand, both in a figurative and literal way because he wanted to tell Cisneros to study hard, so she could have a career and live a happy life. This is clear when Cisneros described her father as “tired when he said” to use her head and not her hand because the father was reminded of the work he had to do to ensure that his family of 7 children could have a stable life. I connect with this story very much because my father also came to the US to give me the opportunity to have the best education possible. More than anything he wants me to be happy, which is something Cisneros related to, as well, about her father throughout the story and never doubted it even when it seemed like her father was not giving her attention. The story starts with Cisneros being conflicted about her contributor’s note in her anthology: She regrets not providing context to the reader on what she meant by “I am the only daughter in a family of six sons. That explains everything”. She is conflicted because she wants to convey that she is a girl and is shadowed by her brothers. This is what ultimately Cisneros to write a story in her anthology about her father.

Today I learned the word “Woo”, and it means to attract or interest.

9/6: Response to “Mother Tongue” by Amy Tan

Amy Tan’s essay “Mother Tongue” explores the complicated relationship between language and identity, shedding light on how language can shape our lives and how others perceive us. Her central thesis in the essay is that one’s “mother tongue,” the language they first learn and use at home, can impact life experiences, self-identity, and how society perceives them.

One of the most resonating aspects of the essay is how Tan weaves her own experiences into her thesis. She shares anecdotes about her mother’s limited English proficiency and the challenges they had to face as a result. These personal stories help make Tan relatable to her audience.

When Tan introduced the idea of “broken” English, the language her mother spoke, and contrasted it with the “perfect” English she uses in her writing and professional life, it made the essay very relatable to me personally. Whenever my parents had to speak English, they would do it in this “limited” English because Bengali was their mother tongue. I could understand them perfectly, but others often did not. As a result, I would have to step in and re-state what they were trying to say in “perfect” English. Tan wrote “The Joy Luck Club” to prove that just because someone can not speak a language fluently, it does not make them less sophisticated than someone who can. I love that message because I relate to it firsthand. My parents are far more intelligent than I will ever be, and my better English skills do not make me superior.

9/8: Response to “Nobody Mean More to Me Than You” by June Jordan

Reading June Jordan’s essay was an eye-opening experience. There are many things to take away from this essay; however, if I had to choose one thing that resonated with me, it would be the extent to which the author broke down “Black English.” He gave an example of a letter in”Black English” translated to “White English,” and he then broke down how it was “translated.” I found that very intriguing because the same language was being spoken, and the message of each letter was the same but written in a completely different way. One quote that I found meaningful was when Jordan said: “I listened to what they wanted to say and silently marveled at the similarities between their casual speech patterns and Alive Walker’s written version of Black English.” This quote stuck out to me because the students were speaking “Black English” without even realizing it. It makes me wonder if I, also, have a unique version of English. Thinking a little harder, I realized how important language is. Language changes as time changes: people don’t speak English the same way they did during Shakespeare’s time. This made me realize that language is not only a form of communication but, also, a method of conveying culture.

One word I learned is polemical, which means strongly attacking or defending a particular opinion or idea.

10/10: Response to “Ghosts of The Future” by Sarah Kaplan

The article discusses the significance of the Burgess Shale fossil site in Yoho National Park, British Columbia, and its implications for understanding Earth’s history and the effect climate change has on it. The author reflects on the Cambrian explosion, a pivotal moment in evolution when complex multicellular organisms emerged. The fossils found in the Burgess Shale provide valuable insights into the diversity of life during that time. However, the article also highlights the urgent threats of climate change, which causes habitat loss and the decline of species and ecosystems. To look at the past, we compare the fossils we find with the species currently present, and if species continue to decline like it is, we will have less evidence to explore our origin. Furthermore, climate change has a direct effect on how fossil sites like the Burgess Shale are preserved. This leads to the author’s emphasis on the responsibility humans have to protect Earth’s biodiversity and concludes by underscoring the need for action to combat climate change and preserve the planet for future generations.

10/25: Response to “The Moral Clone” by Kenan Malik Options

This article discusses the controversy surrounding human cloning, focusing on the perspective that opposes cloning and advocates for its prohibition. The author identifies three main objections to cloning: undermining human dignity and personal identity, using people as objects, and being unnatural. The author also refutes the claim that clones would be exact duplicates by explaining the scientific process, emphasizing that having the same genome does not mean being the same person. However, the author, also, emphasizes that ethical considerations against cloning should be based on safety rather than the idea of it being inherently immoral. This is because the author introduces the concept of therapeutic cloning, a method of growing human tissues for medical purposes, and argues that it has nothing to do with creating new human beings. In fact, he advocates for the development of cloning techniques for therapeutic purposes, asserting that banning cloning research prevents the advancement of medical treatments that could save lives and alleviate human suffering. My personal opinion on this subject is also similar to that of the author of this article. I agree that cloning should have major restrictions, but it should not be banned completely. The moral aspect of cloning is the biggest factor that prevents me from supporting it. In my eyes, we would be playing the role of god by creating a full replica of a person. Humans should not have the responsibility of systematically creating another life form. It simply goes against the laws of nature. However, I do not believe in complete oppression. There should be restrictions, but blind oppression cloning might prevent a future that could help solve many problems we face today.

11/13: “Shitty First Drafts” by Anne Lamott

In this essay, Lamott stresses the fact that good writers don’t start with perfect, polished drafts but instead messy and imperfect ones. She dispels the myth that accomplished authors effortlessly produce flawless work from the beginning, emphasizing that writing is a challenging and often chaotic process for even the most seasoned writers. Lamott encourages writers to let go of the pressure to produce a perfect first draft. Instead, she suggests allowing the initial draft to be imperfect, letting ideas flow freely without worrying about perfection. According to her, the first draft is a “child’s draft,” where you let your creativity roam without worry of self-censorship. It is the drafts that come after that you move your focus into refining and shaping the material into perfection. I resonate with this statement very much because my writing process is also very messy and chaotic. Whenever I am writing an essay, I write down everything I know about the topic and then start free writing. The first draft usually ignores a lot of grammar rules and includes spelling mistakes. However, I believe the hardest part about writing is getting started. Once I know what I am writing, it becomes natural what I want to write. Once I create my first draft, I read it out loud and create a new paragraph directly underneath. In this paragraph, I include any new changes I made from the first paragraph. If I am content with the new paragraph I make the entire thing bold. I do with the rest of the paragraphs. In the end, I am just left with a long document with many paragraphs. I then create a new document and in this document, I paste only the paragraphs that I highlighted in bold. That is my final draft.

11/1: “Quit Social Media: Your Career may Depend on it” by Cal Newport

This article shines a light on the potential harm of social media on a person’s career. The author challenges the notion that a person needs to have a strong social media presence to maintain a professional career and instead argues that social media use is more harmful than helpful in a capitalist economy. The author suggests that the pressure to maintain an active social media presence has led many people to engage in low-value activities that do not necessarily contribute to their professional success. The author believes that true professional success comes from honing a valuable craft and applying it to things that people care about, rather than relying on social media as a shortcut. Additionally, the author disputes the claim that social media exposure is necessary for creating opportunities and connections, instead, he asserts that interesting opportunities and useful connections are not as scarce as social media advocates claim.

Another issue raised by the author is, in my opinion, the most important, which is the potential harm caused by social media to the ability to concentrate on hard tasks. Social media was designed to be addictive, which is detrimental to concentration. The author expresses concern that the addictive nature of social media can make it difficult for individuals to focus on tasks that require deep concentration. I wholeheartedly agree with this statement because I struggled with this as I was working on this assignment. The addictive nature made me procrastinate many times. I know I am not the only one struggling with this problem. However, in the aspect of professionalism. I disagree with the author’s claims. Although I agree it is not necessary; however, I believe that social media is a great place to find jobs. For example, it is almost a must to have a LinkedIn in today’s job market. I think it is a great way to connect with people quickly and efficiently.