Week Three Blog Post
July 21, 20111. Continuing to consider time and space and how it is experienced by people, I want you to think about how you experience time and space differently here in Scotland than you did in London. Consider how the different environment, housing, and money situation makes you see time and space differently.
2. With that in mind consider what you know about the people from the past. How would they have experienced time and space differently from you? No electricity, no rapid form of transportation, everything including cooking was a long process, how would time and space feel different to them?
3. Following today’s discussion of “Utopias” I want you to consider the role of pain, loss, and deprivation in the creation of a human longing to make the world better. Where does most utopian thinking come from? How does the awareness of human suffering create a desire in some to try to better the world? What responses to pain (utopian or otherwise) can be seen in the present or the past?
4. How has this part of the trip effected the way you will approach your final paper subject?
1. My time here in Scotland seems very different than my time in London. It seems that time has stretched and become longer now that I am here. I think the two biggest factors for this are not having a convenient source of transportation (like the Tube) and living in my own room. Not having something similar to the Tube here makes it harder to go out spontaneously and go out on my own. In London, I knew I could find my way back from wherever I was because I just needed to ask where the nearest Tube station was. But here in Scotland, the bus system makes it a little difficult since we have to pay for it every time we ride. Even though I had my own room in London, we had a common room that we all used to hang out in that would make time go by faster. Here, we all have our own room and we don’t have a space to hang out in altogether.
2. Time might have felt longer for them. Their days were busier, but without having electricity or transportation, it would cause tasks to take longer, and it would tire them faster. Also, their world probably felt smaller because they were more confined to their village or house. It would be very difficult to go to the next town over.
3. Utopian thinking comes from the desperation of wanting a better world. People who come up with Utopias are going through a very difficult time in their life, but they believe that the world can be better. Human suffering is often times something that is avoidable. Things such as hunger, war, and disease might not happen if people take action to prevent it, and the way to having a Utopia is taking action and helping to prevent these things. Some responses that can be seen are political movements such as communism and socialism. Wilson’s 14 Points came from Utopian thinking as well, it came out of the desire to prevent wars in the future. Also, the progressive movement came out of Utopian thinking because of the terrible living and working situations that people had to deal with everyday.
4. This part of the trip has allowed me to take some more time to get focused and work more on my paper. Due to my paper being about the Irish Revolution, I have not seen a lot here that would necessarily help me do research, but not doing something every night has helped me to stay focused.
1. Continuing to consider time and space and how people experience it, I want you to think about how you experience time and space differently here in Scotland than you did in London. Consider how the different environment, housing, and money situation makes you see time and space differently.
The experience of time and space is drastically different in Scotland than from what is experienced in London. Driving into the city of Edinburgh was like driving back in time. The architecture is so well maintained; even the new buildings have an old-world feel. It seems to me that people here are aware of technological advances, yet are apprehensive of slow to catch on. It’s almost as though they want to stay in a simpler time, rich with culture and history.
2. With that in mind consider what you know about the people from the past. How would they have experienced time and space differently from you? No electricity, no rapid form of transportation, everything including cooking was a long process, how would time and space feel different to them?
Time and space would feel much grander to the people in the past. Technological advances such as electricity, rapid transportation, and the telephone seem to make the world a smaller place. Nowadays, we are able to connect to people across the world instantaneously. This is something that seemed impossible to people in history. It took days to get places and for messages to be sent. Patience was a virtue and space was something that had to be dealt with.
3. Following today’s discussion of “Utopias” I want you to consider the role of pain, loss, and deprivation in the creation of a human longing to make the world better. Where does most utopian thinking come from? How does the awareness of human suffering create a desire in some to try to better the world? What responses to pain (utopian or otherwise) can be seen in the present or the past?
The people who were cared for in the world were not the ones dreaming of a better world; they were content with the way things were. Someone who is struggling in war, has no property, or is being religiously discriminated against is bound to dream of a utopian society. A utopia is considered a heaven that the earth can be transformed into. This is something that was believed from the time of biblical text writings all the way to John Lennon’s “Imagine”, which is much more modern. The people who are in pain seem to be the ones who are trying to make the world a better place for everyone.
4. How has this part of the trip affected the way you will approach your final paper subject?
Edinburgh is one of the most haunted cities in the world, much due to mass murders across the city. I am keeping in mind what would possess these killers to do what they did. I’m not just going to look at the historical impact of the killings, but what was going on in history before the serial killers became who they are known as today.
1. It is rather odd to look out of my window and see a giant hill, or volcano, or whatever it is. Even though Edinburgh is a big city, with the same types of stores and tourist attractions as London, the geography of the area makes it seems very different. There are no rolling hills, volcanoes, etc., in London. The architecture is quite different as well, which makes the city seem more medieval. Whether or not the architecture is actually medieval, it still gives me that vibe. Even in the more modern areas filled with stores like H&M, McDonald’s and such, the architecture just makes all parts of the city feel much older than London. The general gray skies and grayish-brownish buildings do make me feel slightly depressed every now and then, but the Scotish accents make up for it. To be in honest, the money situation doesn’t make me see anything differently, as everything is pretty much equally expensive (side note: the money here is prettier than in London. I like the purple).
2. Space in general would feel much greater Considering that it only took several hours to get from Detroit to London and years ago this trip would take months, it is safe to say that in this day and age, people think of the world as a much smaller place. The internet is also responsible for that. I regularly gamble with people from Vietnam and Zimbabwe online, something that few people, if any, were able to do years ago. Even just traveling a few miles was a relatively grand task back then. For this reason, it seems to me that their time would be much more precious, although it is hard for me to decide. In today’s society, especially in big cities, everyone is always in such a rush. We are definitely an ‘immediate gratification’ society. Many people in the group, including myself, get frustrated with having to take a bus or the tube instead of being able to drive five minutes to our destination. Whereas people in the past were used to having to take longer to get places, cook food, etc. I would assume that they would appreciate time in general much more, and probably complain a lot less about it taking a half an hour to get somewhere.
3. As discussed in class, most utopian thinking comes from those who are less privileged, in anguish, or perhaps have witnessed others who are in great pain, danger, etc. It seems fairly obvious that someone who lives a very sheltered life would have no desire to make the world a better place. If one is completely satisfied with their own life, and is unaware of the suffering going on in other parts of the world (or apathetic of it), they would have no reason to attempt to make the world a better place. To them, it is already perfect and trying to make the world a better place is not worth their time, or maybe not even possible. As for responses to pain, there are very many in very different forms. For some reason, the first person I thought of was Gandhi. He and his people experienced much discrimination, turmoil, lack of independence, etc. and his response was non-violence and non-cooperation. A more general response to pain is charities. They allow people to minimize other’s pain in a less hands-on way that people can help form the comfort of their own homes.
4. This part of the trip, and what was discussed in class yesterday, made me realize that I need to expand the timeframe and geographical area of my paper. I was initially just going to do how British music had changed form the start of WWI to the end of it. After discussing it with Rebekka and giving it some more thought, I realized that music is not going to drastically change in the course of four or five years. If I expand the timeframe and involve areas other than England, I will be able to see a bigger difference and will have much more to go off of. I also really enjoyed yesterday’s lesson, and would like to incorporate some of those artists into my paper.
1. Continuing to consider time and space and how it is experienced by people, I want you to think about how you experience time and space differently here in Scotland than you did in London. Consider how the different environment, housing, and money situation makes you see time and space differently.
The slower pace of Scotland, Edinburgh, as well as the friendlier occupants has made this place very interesting. As well as it historic buildings and folklore. I once heard several stories of the history of this place. For this place to be so small in size and people, it has really opened my eyes. This place has so much history, which is well preserved and not tapped into. The housing, food and money is very different then London. It shows true heritage that the Scottish really embraces. I have yet to really meet a full blood Scottish person.
2. With that in mind consider what you know about the people from the past. How would they have experienced time and space differently from you? No electricity, no rapid form of transportation, everything including cooking was a long process, how would time and space feel different to them?
The people who are now dead will of have experienced time and space different than any of us in current day time and space. They would have been a little more primitive then us. They would of have to take massive amount of time slots out of their lives to properly plan for major events like the ones.
3. Following today’s discussion of “Utopias” I want you to consider Mr. the role of pain, loss, and deprivation in the creation of a human longing to make the world better. Where does most utopian thinking come from? How does the awareness of human suffering create a desire in some to try to better the world? What responses to pain (utopian or otherwise) can be seen in the present or the past?
Well ever since the beginning of time all of the leaders at least been trying to create this ultimate utopia. A place where violence, murder ,hate, envy , greed and all of the other things that make living in this world very hard to do. There is going to be a lot of pain and loss as well as deprivation. Because inside of this crazy world, you have people who are happy living miserable and you have the other ones who dislike it. And thus this brings wars about and peace treaties. In order to try to gain what you want you have to go through pain, loss and deprivation. It is a part of being a human and living. It goes without any particular saying. Human suffering is something that we all do not want to experience. Even though it is the inevitable of humans. We must go through it to live and learn from it. Great leaders have tried to make life easier and suffering free. As current , the people of the world are trying to cure aids, cancer, and end world hunger. That is suffering that a utopian environment could provide release for.
4. How has this part of the trip affected the way you will approach your final paper subject?
By being an active participant in all that Edinburgh has to offer I feel even the more drawn to write my final paper on the “Treaty of Versaille”. The treaty of Versailles is something that I did not have prior knowledge about. And I would like to dig deeper and touch on the subject in a more intense manner. This trip has taught me that in order to do through research that I need to dig deeper into history. So I must approach my paper in a way that I can truly deliver the information correctly and directly.
1. Continuing to consider time and space and how it is experienced by people, I want you to think about how you experience time and space differently here in Scotland than you did in London. Consider how the different environment, housing, and money situation makes you see time and space differently.
I have spent my time in Scotland very differently in comparison to London. In London, I could walk 2 blocks and be on the Tube to wherever my heart desired but in Scotland, I have to walk or take a bus to town, which is a little more time consuming. Scotland is a more relaxed environment compared to London. In London, I was constantly on the go to places and out to bars at night. In Scotland, we leave in the afternoon for an activity and then stay out until later to come home since transportation is not as readily accessible as it is in London. I feel life is a little more laid back, time passes by slower and that I am more productive than I was in London due to spontaneity cannot be followed due to a limited amount of mass transportation options compared to London’s tube. I also notice that since we do not have a common room to hang out in that I have more time to myself and space to myself but also that I have accomplished more homework here in comparison to the busy and noisy London flats.
2. With that in mind consider what you know about the people from the past. How would they have experienced time and space differently from you? No electricity, no rapid form of transportation, everything including cooking was a long process, how would time and space feel different to them?
Walking through the main part of Edinburgh yesterday, I noticed that most parts of the terrain are hills or sloped. Thinking back to people of the past, this would make most tasks that we deem simple to be hard for them. Everyday, they would have to climb the slopes of the roads with bags of groceries, pushing carts, visiting friends or going to pubs. Everything required walking or horse and carriage, depending on what you could afford. Walking everyday to get daily necessities would have been a task because there is no easy way to walk in crowded, sloped streets with packages in your hands and only being able to carry what you could carry. Without electricity, cooking, refrigeration, lighting and even sanitation methods, the streets were dirty, food was hard to keep around and store and everything had to be done before sunset unless you had candles or lanterns. This made everything harder because there was only so much daylight and time. Their lives were much different from ours today. Today, we have everything that they did not. We have rapid transportation and electricity which make our lives incredibly easy. Time and space would feel different to them because what we consider close, they would consider far due to having to walk everywhere and not use a car. We are fortunate enough to have buses and trains in order to travel from London to Scotland or from the Dorms to the middle of town; thus, travel is rapid in comparison to walking. Our lives are faster paced in comparison to the people in the past because we have the advancements in transportation and electricity.
3. Following today’s discussion of “Utopias” I want you to consider the role of pain, loss, and deprivation in the creation of a human longing to make the world better. Where does most utopian thinking come from? How does the awareness of human suffering create a desire in some to try to better the world? What responses to pain (utopian or otherwise) can be seen in the present or the past?
I believe this utopian thinking comes from a horrible experience. For example, in the movie Behind the Lines, as a coping mechanism, Owen would write poetry to express his utopian ideas of what he wished for besides war or he wrote for comfort and to feel something besides the effects of war. Thus, utopian thinking rises from a horrible situation such as fighting in the war in order to have something to hope for or feel. Owen wrote poetry as a means to express what he wanted the world to be like in comparison to the fighting that he did not want in the world from the war. The war and craiglockhart hospital heightened Owen’s awareness of human suffering which created his desire to write poetry in order to create a utopia of what he wanted to see in the world. Some responses to pain of the after effects of war would be shell shock or post traumatic stress disorder. Behind the lines was centered around the men at Craiglockhart hospital with mental disorders that were brought on by their memory of traumatic experiences of the war.
4. How has this part of the trip affected the way you will approach your final paper subject?
After exploring and spending more time in London and then traveling to Scotland, my paper subject has changed from the beginning. Originally, I was going to write about the british secret service after a visit to the imperial war museum until I visited the Churchill Cabinet War Rooms. I decided to change my subject and write about Churchill’s political career since he was a very influential man in Great Britain during times of war and influential in general for fifty years. Being in Scotland is a little more relaxed in comparison to London; thus, I have more time to do research about my topic and having the thought process to put the paper together. I feel I have a clearer mind and am able to concentrate better than I was in London.
1. I think we can all agree that there are substantial differences between the two countries we’ve stayed in, and I can’t believe I’m actually typing this, but I prefer Scotland slightly more than its busy big sister. Everything here seems more quaint and historical than it did in London; walking down the road here you’re more likely to see nothing more than the wide open blue sky and perhaps a hint of the green volcano should you cast your eyes upwards, rather than the hundreds of buildings crammed together in “leftover” space as you would in London. London feels busier, like everyone has some great deadline they have to meet and woe to the tourist that gets in their way (though there was a fairly friendly Scotsman with a baby stroller here the first day that yelled a harsher version of “goddamn tourists” at us on the sidewalk). It’s also been a breath of fresh air (literally) not having to allot ½ hour to travel time in the morning before class. Having your housing, meals, and classroom so close together has allowed me to stop and smell the roses and appreciate the natural beauty of the campus, rather than sweat it all out on the Tube in the morning. As far as meals go, I had the most delicious food I’ve tasted all trip tonight at the Whiski (yes that’s correctly spelled) Bar & Restaurant, though it has been an unpleasant change having to buy both lunch and dinner here. Nonetheless, I enjoyed losing myself in the city the other night in search of food and cake rather than monotonously standing in line with my tray and student card, eating yet again a salad and veggies.
2. I think were we forced to live as those did way back when before the Internet, let alone electricity, indoor plumbing, cars, and microwaves, we would not survive for very long. We are prime products of “Generation HTML” and western living that disallows us to even comprehend how we would survive without all the luxuries and inventions of our century. I was thinking about this kind of question on the train ride to Edinburgh from London, and again on the bus tour around Edinburgh. Our tour guide said the journey from Edinburgh to London would have taken about 13 days plagued with slow-moving coaches, uncomfortable quarters, and even the very high possibility of victimization (both of property and of life). Our train ride took just about five hours and even then people were complaining about where they got to sit, the drink selection at the bar, and how “long” the ride was. As I stated earlier, a lot of people can’t even begin to imagine how monumentally different and (in most cases) difficult life was for people in the past. People back then would be more prepared to spend much more time and effort travelling from place to place as well as be completely comfortable knowing that they couldn’t just do a quick run to the store when they ran low on some ration; a lot of times it was a major production just to go to the closest town, which would often be several (sometimes hundreds of) miles away.
3. You know how you often have a song stuck in your head all day? Well sometimes I repeat movie lines over and over in my head, like they’re stuck there like a song. During our chat about Utopias, I had this line stuck in my head from “A Walk to Remember.” Jamie and Landon are chatting on the bus about faith and beliefs and she says “without suffering there would be no compassion,” and he comes back with, “yeah, well tell that to those who suffer.” I think that quote ties in well with our discussion that people tend to feel that they need to better the world when they, or someone they’ve witnessed, is in dire straits. If everything was hunky dory, obviously people wouldn’t want to change anything, perhaps for fear of disrupting their serenity. That’s why I agree with Jamie that there wouldn’t be any compassion without suffering, and thus there wouldn’t be the urge to achieve utopia unless there was fault found in a situation. This is apparent in every protest, war, or declaration I can think of both past and present. Women wanted equal rights as men, so there was a major uprising of suffrage movements; the Nazi’s thought they could create the perfect race, thus WWII; Sassoon saw unnecessary death in the trenches, so he protested the war through his declaration.
4. While I have LOVED Scotland and all that it has to offer, there isn’t as much affecting my topic (trench warfare) here as there was in London. The small except may be that we’ve done more with the war poets here and I’d like to use some of their accounts about life in the trenches for my paper. As far as my approach, I’ve decided that I shouldn’t write off poetry and war poets completely just because I personally dislike reading or studying the subject, because they could be very beneficial to my final paper.
1. Here in Scotland, it feels as though we’ve taken a step backward in time to a quieter, more docile age (despite the crazed taxi drivers). London is so cramped and fast; my perception of Edinburgh is exactly the opposite of that. This is a city that moves at my speed. Time doesn’t race here for me as it did in London, and the highlands give me a feeling of dissociation from reality—almost as if the rest of the world would stop turning if I were to stay hidden here. Some people aren’t fans of the weather, but this environment is perfect for me; likewise, the campus seems to fit me well, since I’ve always been a big fan of smaller schools (how I ended up at MSU, I’ll never know). My money situation is pretty much the same as in London, although my budget is enjoying the slightly cheaper prices here. I keep saying that I wish this time could last forever; I can’t believe how it has flown already, and how it’s going to continue to fly. Perception of time is such a funny phenomenon; in the cognitive psych lab where I work, we study perception of time and space and it is so fascinating that although time does not quantitatively speed up or slow down, our minds make it do so. I would love to slow this down.
2. I would imagine that time would be much more valuable to someone who lived in an age where everything took a long time to complete. Space would seem so much greater; when our tour guide mentioned that it would take thirteen days to get from London to Edinburgh—a trip that took us five hours—I was shocked. I would never travel for thirteen days straight if I could help it. Distance must have been much more daunting, and patience must have been absolutely necessary in order for people to tolerate such distances. In today’s world, a coffee that takes more than two minutes to get to the customer is unacceptable; people today would not possess the patience to deal with time and space in the past.
3. Pain is necessary for perception of happiness. There can be no appreciation for a good day without the bad days in between to provide the contrast (given my…unique perspective on human emotion, I feel fairly confident in that assessment). Naturally, no one enjoys suffering, so of course people strive to eliminate it; there are also forms of suffering that are so tragic and terrible that no human should ever have to endure. Utopian thinking begins with these unforgivable sufferings and aims to relieve them, with the ultimate goal of relieving all suffering in the end. Any decent person would want to end another’s suffering; a utopia would be the ideal way to do so. People have always used utopian ideals to ease their pain—dreams, goals, and temporary fixes are all forms of utopia, a way to deal with the harshness of being human. We deal with pain in whatever ways we can. While complete utopia is an impossible endeavor, it doesn’t hurt to relieve a little suffering when we we’re able to do so.
4. Since my final paper focuses a lot on the events inside Craiglockhart hospital, I hope to visit soon and gain a little more insight. Outside of that, it still amazes me how many WWI memorials are peppered all over the cities here… Back home, I don’t know if I’ve ever seen one at all (I know they’re there, I just don’t think I’ve seen them). I feel very naïve to have known nothing about WWI; I’ve just been blissfully unaware of the great horror and devastation. It forces me to reconsider my perspective on the history of the world and begin to understand why certain regions of the world are still struggling in the way they are.
1. Time in Scotland has felt somewhat slower to me, than it had in London. In London I always felt like I was in a hurry. I was always rushing to get on or off the tube, rushing to get to class on time and rushing to get to events and fieldtrips. However, in London, I was never the only person rushing around. The pace of the people who live in the city is faster than my pace at home, and the pace in Scotland. Having been in Scotland for only three days now I have already noticed a slower pace. The space we have in Scotland is greater than the space we had in London. Obviously the housing is different in that we all have our own rooms, naturally giving everyone more space. But that is not the only special difference. There is more room on sidewalks, in restaurants and at bars. I have more area to myself here in Scotland than I felt I did in London. The biggest difference to me is simply looking outside my window. In London I saw another flat, which I felt like I could reach out and touch. Here in Scotland is a giant green mountain surrounded by space. Being in two different places that have such different feels of time and space makes a person really notice the difference between those elements. It makes me think about the kind of place I want to live. London is cramped and small, but also fast paced and exciting. Scotland is open, with a beautiful landscape but more laid back and less demanding.
2. Even up to less than fifty years ago, people had to utilize time and space more effectively than we do now. Simple processes, like cooking or going to the store could take hours. People then had to plan their day in advance and stick to a routine to get everything done. For example, we throw laundry in, grad a sandwich and take a shower in one hour. Their process would have been different. These things would take them hours, which gives our generation more time for leisure. The average working American probably spends 4-6 hours of leisure a day, whereas only two or three generations ago it was only 1-2, or less. With new methods of convenience for us we work to live, instead of living to work. Space was also thought of differently back then. The houses, rooms and d yards of people, especially living in cities were smaller. This meant sharing space, storing things and not having as much. Having more spaced has allowed our generation to consumer mass amounts of stuff, whereas a few decades ago there was no space, or money to have so many things. When looking at people of the past through time and space I realize they were probably simpler, harder working, and less consumed by luxury. I also realize leisure and fun may not have existed in daily life because they did not have time for it.
3.Most utopian thinking derives from suffering. The awareness of human suffering inspires certain people to create a better world because it is sad. Watching people suffer, let alone suffering yourself is awful, and most people think “there has to be another way.” I think watching others suffer brings people a feeling of guilt and unrest, especially if they are choosing to turn their heads. Another force of trying to better the world that comes from suffering, is watching in spread. Usually it is a downward cycle and many people fall into poverty, pain, and suffering if it is growing in their community. There are many responses to human suffering. Forms of government to prevent suffering, such as communism have been tried and failed. However, many organizations started by people help prevent suffering. Volunteer organizations definitely try to combat deprivation and make the world better. I think our society is finding better ways all the time to help those less fortunate than themselves.
4. How has this part of the trip effected the way you will approach your final paper subject
The few days we have here in Scotland have somewhat helped my final paper. Watching the moving regeneration brought some excellent ideas to me, that will help me in my paper, because I am writing about Sassoon partly. I do not think we can because they do not have visitors, but a tour of Craiglockart Hospital would be cool because it would put me in the same place as the poets I am writing about.
1. One of the biggest things I’ve noticed in Edinburgh in relation to time is just how much it’s slowed down. We’re in the same country, and everything is just as exciting but everything seems to move just a few steps slower. Instead of endless urban sprawl, mountains and the sea are the backdrop to our stay. It adds a rural flavor to a relatively large city. Another thing I’ve noticed is how getting around here has changed my perception of time. In London we walk to the tube station, wait for a train, take it through countless vista-less tunnels, and arrive at our chosen destination. Just getting across town can easily eat up an hour and you can not even realize it. Here in Edinburgh, everything is essentially within walking distance and provides us with the opportunity to take in everything along the way; to peer down the steep hills to the docks, to look up at Arthur’s Seat and marvel at it’s beauty, and if you’re lucky to experience the adventure that is getting lost in a city with no rhyme or reason when it comes to a street plan. The last thing I’ve noticed is how money has changed perceptions of time here. Most evident to me, have been the price of pubs and bars in both London and Edinburgh. In London we could go out to a pub and grab a pint for £4-5, and quickly exhaust our allotted “beer money.” Money goes quick in London and with it goes time. I can’t afford to spend all night at a pub or I’d bleed myself dry. Here in Edinburgh, you can enjoy a pint for £1.50, which goes a long way as far as dragging a night out and allowing you to just relax and enjoy your time instead of that constant worry.
2. People in the past would have undoubtedly experienced time different that us. Naturally, I think things would have gone a lot slower for them. Our trip from London to Edinburgh took us 5 hours, but would have taken them days! They had no internet to distract them, no television to waste hours watching, no tube to worry about missing. Nowadays we’re constantly worrying about time. We worry about deadlines, about missing out on something, about getting somewhere as quick as possible, but time would have been less precious (not sure if that’s the right word) to them. They would have definitely had more patience, and probably less stress related disorders!
3. Like we talked about in class, I think that most utopian dreams come from people in the most dire of circumstances. The people yearning for a better world, are more often than not, those who are left behind by the current system. One of the good examples brought up in class was that King George and Kaiser Wilhelm probably weren’t trying to create a utopia during their reign because they were content with the way their lives were going..but a peasant who lived under them probably had aspirations to better their lives. The first thing that came to my mind when I read this prompt was the rise of communism in China during the mid-twentieth century. Looking back from an American perspective I sometimes find it difficult to understand how people can fall in line behind a system that shows visible evidence of human rights abuses and the violent way in which they rose power. However, when you take into perspective the wretched circumstances the Chinese people were in and account for just how much they suffered under other regimes, it becomes easier to understand how anything would seem better, especially a movement led by charismatic and determined people. The same applies to the rise of the Nazi Party in Germany, countless corrupt regimes in Africa, and many others. When people are desperate and suffering they’re more apt to strive to better their predicament.
4. Just having that brief group discussion in class on Thursday really helped me get a feel for how I want my paper to pan out. It was nice getting to hear what everyone is interesting in and writing about, in addition to getting some good feedback and tips from the instructors.
1. Continuing to consider time and space and how it is experienced by people, I want you to think about how you experience time and space differently here in Scotland than you did in London. Consider how the different environment, housing, and money situation makes you see time and space differently.
-Scotland seems to be running at a much slower pace. Everything in London was faster and seemed to be more urgent where Edinburgh feels more relaxed. At the same time, since everything seems slower, I feel like I get to experience more because the day feels longer than it did in London. We may not be moving as fast and getting as much done per minute, but I am able to take in and enjoy more at a slower pace. The environment surrounding the city is breath taking and it seems to be more of a blue collar work oriented town than high class white collar community. This difference may also play a role because laborers are going run on a different schedule, make a different wage, and live a different lifestyle than the fast moving business people running around London. This city is completely different than anything I am used to and as I walk around observing its beauty and characteristics, I can’t help but compare it to what I know and many differences are quite obvious. The space is obviously different, from the geography to the architecture to the lay out and use of space. Time is a little more abstract to consider, but slower seems to be the best descriptor I can come up with.
2. With that in mind consider what you know about the people from the past. How would they have experienced time and space differently from you? No electricity, no rapid form of transportation, everything including cooking was a long process, how would time and space feel different to them?
-Honestly, I can’t imagine what time and space must have felt like to someone from the past. They used their time and space in a completely different way. All of our technology is meant to make tasks easier faster and more efficient, and we have learned to live with them. If we were forced to live like they did in the past, I don’t know if a lot of people would do very well. They had to allocate their time differently and the idea of fast and slow would have been something completely unheard of to us. Something that may seem slow to us, such as a slow loading internet page, would have blown the minds of people from the past. I don’t think our concepts of time and place wouldn’t have been comparable.
3. Following today’s discussion of “Utopias” I want you to consider the role of pain, loss, and deprivation in the creation of a human longing to make the world better. Where does most utopian thinking come from? How does the awareness of human suffering create a desire in some to try to better the world? What responses to pain (utopian or otherwise) can be seen in the present or the past?
-If someone is not aware of or faced with hardship, they have no reason to long for a better world. The desire for a Utopia is going to come almost directly from pain, loss and deprivation. Anyone living a life of pain and suffering is going to want something better and when that pain is wide spread there is going to be wide scale desire for change. If they aren’t living through the pain, people tend to be more oblivious. Religion talks about ways that one can live so that they get into a Utopia after death, usually some kind of heaven. Those who are faced with pain every day, don’t want to wait for heaven they would rather bring a kind of heaven to earth. Why wait to die if there was a way to make life here and now a utopia? There have been many examples of this search for utopia, Communism being the first that comes to mind. There have been different communist movements and that idea of making an ideal world through communism is an attempt at ending the suffering faced by society.
4. How has this part of the trip affected the way you will approach your final paper subject?
-While here, I had a breakthrough with my final project. I finally have a clear idea of what I want to write on and how I want to structure it. I am writing about changing roles in society and how certain events affect them. This part of the trip has helped me think about this topic on a deeper level because it is so different from home and from London. I am able to see how this smaller society functions in comparison and think about why it developed this way. In turn, helping me see the different ways in which events, time and place can shape a person or community.
1)It really shocks me how different two cities can be even though in the same country-technically. London was just array of people shoving you into and out of the tube. I felt like London time went faster. Within one hour I would have already changed stops on the tube several times. Scotland is very different. Everyone walks a little slower and people will not push you off a tube partially because there is no tube. Scotland has this character about it. The beautiful architecture accompanied by the green pastures awakens something in the soul. I think in London I thought more with my head whereas in Scotland I think more with my heart . London there is something to do at all hours of the day whereas here there is a sort of break. Stores close much earlier which I think shows the need for relaxation. To compare London and Edinburgh is a little unfair considering London is such a giant. I was really shocked when I heard the Edinburgh was known for banking. Scotland is just a remarkable place because of the divine architecture and because of how old everything is. When walking in the Edinburgh Castle I was just awestruck by that fact that Kings and Queens once walked those paths. On the money side, let’s just say my bank account can take a breather. I think the phrase time is money is somewhat true and London and New york support that idea. The more active a city is the more expensive it is. Both cities possess and immense character, but a very different one.
2)I think time would have went on forever even though days would really be shorter because of the lack of electricity. I think they had time to stop and smell the roses. I always wish I could live in the Romantic Era where the main focus was beauty, painting, and everything else whimsical. Technology has had a double sided effect on society. On one had we have access to way more information are able to be more productive on the other it distracts us and almost makes us simple minded. Instead of picking up a book to find an answer we have Google find it. Instead of having a meaningful conversation over tea we get on facebook. In the past they had more time of focus on things they liked and that made them well cultured whereas now we must focus on 12 million other things before that. Sure the world is becoming a smaller place and we can travel to other places quickly but are we really experiencing. Are you really taking time to absorb the very space around you. This trip I have found myself thinking sure this museum is nice but it is not about cramming all 13 museums in because then you really lose the sheer beauty around you. I am fortunate enough to be able to see some of these things however it always annoys me that I am just one of those annoying tourists. I think the best moments I have had on study abroad is when I have immersed myself in the actual culture not just what is said to see in a guide book. In conclusion to the question I think people might have been farther from the distant world (lack of internet and transportation) but really took advantage of what they had around them.
3)Honestly who would not like to be told “Don’t worry about that house payment” or “student loans, no!” or maybe “Those groceries are for everyone to share”. Sir Thomas More wrote on Utopias in his books Of the Best State of Republic. He created a fictional Utopia named Atlantis. His Utopia was primarily based on Plato’s ideas of a Utopia. Are Utopia a place where everyone can live comfortably without judgment or pain. When you look at two contrasting countries like Africa and Sweden it is apparent which one would be more likely to desire a Utopia- Africa. Why would the Sweds care if the world is perfect and fair for everyone; they are content and well off, at least most of them . I think the more one has suffered the more they want a Utopia. I will not deny it, after reading Looking Backwards and The Communist Manifesto I really thought why all the attempts at Utopias have failed. Stanford prison experiment is a perfect indication of why Utopias fail. There will always be at least one individual that is driven by ill emotions like greed and power. It would be nice if the World could be like John Lenon’s song Imagine or The Black Eyed Peas “One tribe”, but looking at past and present communist countries we just see that is really unrealistic. Human rights are pretty Utopian ideas but I think that is as Utopian as the world is going to get. I think communist countries tried to be Utopian societies but the idea of power and the size of countries changed it from property and resources for all to rations and impeded natural rights
4)It has helped me layout it out in are more organized fashion. I chose a topic I was really interested so instead of just skipping Wikipedia I want to go to the library and find books on my topic. I do not just want to surface learn about it so I can write a paper in a few hours. I want to know enough information on my topic that I will be able to talk on it even a few years from now. Too many times I have learned information but have not grown knowledgeable from it. I want to research in such a way that I will be able to retain information and expand my way of thinking
1. Continuing to consider time and space and how it is experienced by people, I want you to think about how you experience time and space differently here in Scotland than you did in London. Consider how the different environment, housing, and money situation makes you see time and space differently.
I feel like Scotland has a much more relaxed air to it than London, with the overall slower pace of life, friendly people, and beautiful scenery. Even being able to walk to the city center from our dorms just gives you the sense of not needing to rush and it gives you the ability to take in your surroundings and observe the people. You can also definitely tell that economically Scotland is removed from London because of how much more inexpensive everything is here
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2. With that in mind consider what you know about the people from the past. How would they have experienced time and space differently from you? No electricity, no rapid form of transportation, everything including cooking was a long process, how would time and space feel different to them?
I feel like everything people did in the past would have been done with much more purpose, and little would be done without a need because of how much longer it took to accomplish anything. In the past there was also a much greater need for every member of a household to take part in chores and tasks that no longer exist today, so time—from sunrise to sunset—was used much more efficiently and carefully. Space would also have been a larger barrier, because of the lack of transportation. Trips to city centers would have been consolidated and probably much less frequent.
3. Following today’s discussion of “Utopias” I want you to consider the role of pain, loss, and deprivation in the creation of a human longing to make the world better. Where does most utopian thinking come from? How does the awareness of human suffering create a desire in some to try to better the world? What responses to pain (utopian or otherwise) can be seen in the present or the past?
I think most utopian ideas come from people suffering in preventable circumstances, or people who observe others suffering. I feel that many fortunate people can turn their heads from unfortunate circumstances, but a number of them see those same circumstances with compassion and work to alleviate them. The way people respond to suffering varies, but over the centuries the solutions have the same underlying themes: the end of wars, the distribution of wealth, and the equality of all.
4. How has this part of the trip effected the way you will approach your final paper subject?
I’m not really certain how our trip to Edinburgh will effect my paper, because I haven’t seen too much material here regarding women in the world wars.
1. Continuing to consider time and space and how it is experienced by people, I want you to think about how you experience time and space differently here in Scotland than you did in London. Consider how the different environment, housing, and money situation makes you see time and space differently.
Compared to London, I feel that the experience of time and space is a lot more laid back here in Scotland. The rush and crowdedness that we experienced in London was at times overwhelming. Going around in town today, I felt that it was way more relaxed and I wasn’t constantly worrying about what side of the sidewalk I was suppose to walk on or if I was going to be run over by a car. When it comes to housing, I am grateful that the buildings are so close together unlike when we were in London and getting to class was a half an hour process.
2. With that in mind consider what you know about the people from the past. How would they have experienced time and space differently from you? No electricity, no rapid form of transportation, everything including cooking was a long process, how would time and space feel different to them?
It is hard for me to think about a time when there was no electricity, running water, fast food, etc. Therefore, I can only imagine what time and space must have felt like for the people in the past. I can see how back then family ties were really important because you had to work together to provide the necessary things that are needed for life by working on a farm or a low-income job. The environment must have been extremely different because there was more land and less parking garages and buildings taking up the space.
3. Following today’s discussion of “Utopias” I want you to consider the role of pain, loss, and deprivation in the creation of a human longing to make the world better. Where does most utopian thinking come from? How does the awareness of human suffering create a desire in some to try to better the world? What responses to pain (utopian or otherwise) can be seen in the present or the past?
In most ideas of Utopia all pain, loss, and deprivation are taken away and everyone is treated equally with the same amount of possessions and properties. There is no war and everyone is at peace. I think that people get so disgusted with where they are in the world and some of their circumstances so they try to create a place where they are on the same level as everyone else and so that they no longer have hardships or strife. For example, after World War I, Germany was blamed for the war and in turn it caused them a lot of pain. Their response to that was bitterness towards the other nations and therefore, it was easy for a charismatic speaker like Hitler to help them regain their pride to build what Germany thought was their utopia.
4. How has this part of the trip affected the way you will approach your final paper subject?
This time in Scotland helped with my paper because it allowed me to see another part of the world that was affected by the war. Touring the castle and seeing the memorials to people that fought in the “Great War”, helped me see just how many more people, not just in London, gave their lives for their country.
1. In London, the days seemed to go by very quickly because of the fast-paced lifestyle of the people and the city itself. There are people everywhere you look and you can always hear the noises of the city no matter what time of day, and it seems like you cannot escape this chaos. All these factors contribute to my perception that time goes by quicker in London than it does in Edinburgh. Here in Edinburgh everything seems more relaxed. The city isn’t as loud, there aren’t as many people, and the people generally seem nicer and more welcoming to foreigners. While it is still a very big city, it is missing a lot of the elements that make up London, and therefore it feels like time is moving much slower in Edinburgh. The space here seems less confining and more open than London. While I love London, I have to say that I would much rather live in Edinburgh because I don’t think I would be able to keep my sanity in such a fast paced town.
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The people of the past would have undoubtedly experienced time and space differently than us living in the 21st century. To us, 3 hours spent making a meal seems unnecessary, but back then they had no other choice. Their days must have felt much longer than they feel to us. I think one aspect that contributes to our perception that the days go by quicker is that we can do so much in a days time. In a single day we can travel hundreds of miles, visit multiple museums, attend class, eat three meals, ect. Before the 21st century, all these things would have taken much longer, making our days seem longer because of the amount of time that had to be spent on a single task. Space would seem different to them because they had nowhere near the kind of buildings and architecture we have today. Their idea of a big building would be much different than ours, as would their idea of it being a busy day, because cities are much more populated than they are now.
3. I believe that the most change brought upon the world are people who are actually living pain and deprivation, because one needs to experience it first hand to truly want to change their own world. Most people are unwilling to change their own lives until they have experienced deep pain and realized they’ve hit rock bottom, because no one would want to change their life if they are content with it. The same goes with changing with wanting to change the government, nation, or world. No one wants to change something that’s going good. And while there are a lot of people fighting for the rights of humans in foreign countries, it is hard to have the same desire for change as the people who themselves are being deprived. I believe to truly want to change something you have to experience the pain and suffering first hand.
4.Being in Edinburgh has really made me want to go to the Craiglockhart hospital, since it is where Regeneration takes place. My final paper topic is going to be on the psychological effects of the war on soldiers, so I think it would be very interesting to see a hospital that had to deal with these effects first hand, and see what kind of treatments they were using back during WWI.
1. Continuing to consider time and space and how it is experienced by people, I want you to think about how you experience time and space differently here in Scotland that you did in London. Consider how the different environment, housing, and money situation makes you see time and space differently.
Time seems to be very different here in Edinburgh. For one, we are closer to everything than when we were in London. That makes it nice that we don’t have to hop on the tube to get to class in the morning. Another thing that is nice is that we are close to the city center. It’s a nice walk to ride downtown and then you can pretty much get anywhere. When we were in London we had to plan everything out and where we wanted to go on the days. In Edinburgh, we are simply just wandering and finding all these shops.
2. With that in mind consider what you know about the people from the past. How would they have experienced time and space differently from you? No electricity, no rapid form of transportation, everything including cooking was a long process, how would time and space feel different to them?
One thing that I thought was interesting on the tour of the city was when the guide was talking about going to London on stagecoach. He said that it took thirteen days to ride there. It took us five hours by train. That got me thinking about how the trains really revolutionized travel for people. It must have really made Britain seem smaller because what took almost 2 weeks to get from the south of the island to the north could happen in less than the average work day. Trains revolutionized life for that generation like the internet revolutionized communication for ours.
3. Following today’s discussion of “Utopias” I want you to consider the role of pain, loss, and deprivation in the creation of a human longing to make the world better. Where does most utopian thinking come from? How does the awareness of human suffering create a desire in some to try to better the world? What responses to pain (utopian or otherwise) can be seen in the present or the past?
I feel that pain, loss, and deprivation are three strong feelings that greatly influence people’s thinking about utopias. The stronger those three feelings are, the greater the suffering. People need that longing for a better place in order to cope with the suffering. It’s that feeling that people who are suffering the most are the greatest optimists. I feel like that is true because in a sense, when you are suffering greatly you can only look up and be optimistic about things. Some people are greatly aware that there are others who are less fortunate and try to help those in need.
4. How has this part of the trip affected the way you will approach your final paper?
While here in Edinburgh I have changed my paper. While researching I found the memoirs of the French Ambassador to the Russian court. There are direct conversations with Tsar Nicholas II and it gives great insight to his thoughts on the war. This has made me focus my paper on how the effects of WWI made Russia the perfect place for revolution.
1. Continuing to consider time and space and how it is experienced by people, I want you to think about how you experience time and space differently here in Scotland than you did in London. Consider how the different environment, housing, and money situation makes you see time and space differently.
In my own personal opinion, I enjoy the area of Edinburgh much more than the area in London. There seems to be much more unoccupied space here. I believe the people here may have more of an appreciation for open land and the beauty of nature as opposed to those who live in London and may enjoy more of an urban setting. It isn’t that there is more space here, it is just less polluted by buildings and convenience stores and it gives the area a much more pleasant atmosphere. During our first couple days here we have not had to travel far to see any point of interest. There is less visual and physical stimulation, and there is less time spent in transit. As a result, time seems to go by slower which I don’t particularly mind.
2. With that in mind consider what you know about the people from the past. How would they have experienced time and space differently from you? No electricity, no rapid form of transportation, everything including cooking was a long process, how would time and space feel different to them?
Without the convenience of bussing systems or vehicles or trains I would imagine that time would be much more valuable a resource to the people of the past. If it took you three days to get somewhere it now takes us five hours on a plane, the time you spent at any given place or in the leisurely activity would be so much more appreciated. Space fits this description as well. We can throw a stick down the road and hit three of four convenience stores, whereas people hundreds of years ago or in rural societies today cannot. So the way space is utilized would hold a greater appreciation for them than for us as well. The simplicity of life hundreds of years ago is incredibly appealing to me. I imagine sometimes living in a space and time void of electricity, transport, and the all-powerful internet. To get what you want and what you need you would have to exert a real effort and show real ambition even for life’s smaller things. I feel like our values and even our morals would change drastically, and probably for the better.
3. Following today’s discussion of “Utopias” I want you to consider the role of pain, loss, and deprivation in the creation of a human longing to make the world better. Where does most utopian thinking come from? How does the awareness of human suffering create a desire in some to try to better the world? What responses to pain (utopian or otherwise) can be seen in the present or the past?
In my opinion the most Utopian thought comes from times of War in a country. As we discussed in class, people who are content in their lives would feel no desire or necessity for change in their lives especially with the amount of energy and ambition change and organization of that caliber would require. When you are in a state of war and your sons, husbands, and friends are dying, not to mention the home front is in chaos due to increased demand for materials, work, and less food, you would obviously desire a Utopia. ( I place emphasis on war time, or any man made state of chaos, more so than something like epidemic because that is biological threat that cannot be avoided even in utopia.) In times of pain and suffering we see more liberal movements arising, stronger communal ties emerging, and publications of idealistic type literature. For example, after World War II, people desired a Utopian state so much so that George Orwell wrote 1984. It was a response to these strong desires and an attempt to show the public how horribly wrong a “Utopian” nation could quickly go.
4. How has this part of the trip effected the way you will approach your final paper subject?
Well since we have been in Edinburgh I have decided to completely change the topic of my paper, so I would say that it has influenced it greatly. After we took the on/off bus tour which outlined some sites of public executions and stake burnings I realized how interested I truly am in learning about the witch trials. My original paper topic was criminal justice systems in the UK and the USA so the witch trials is not too far off my original plan, and it is something I will find information on easier, and something I can narrow in on much easier.
1.Continuing to consider time and space and how it is experienced by people, I want you to think about how you experience time and space differently here in Scotland than you did in London. Consider how the different environment, housing, and money situation makes you see time and space differently.
The concept of time and space is something that is always present whether we are consciously thinking about the idea or not. When I first arrived in Edinburgh I noticed that there were significantly less people and the air was so much fresher than that London. At first I wondered if I was in a city, especially with all the scenery that surrounds it. The second thing I noticed was a calmer atmosphere that gave me a sense of relief since in London I always felt rushed or crunched for time, even if I had nothing to do. This feeling was confirmed today when traveling to Edinburgh Castle. People on the street did not seem in a great rush, pushing through the crowd to get home or to work or wherever they needed to go. Even the tourists in the castle were less in a hurry and less frantic to see something. When we went to the pubs and into shops, the workers were much friendlier than those that I had met in London. All I could think was that there must be something different with the general atmosphere in this city that is significantly different in London. Tonight I have found myself less concerned with time. Everything I need is right here or only a short taxi ride away compared to London where even a trip to get a few items at the grocery store can take thirty minutes. In general, even though this is still a city everything seems more open, even country like. The atmosphere is calm and friendly while still providing the fascinating history that an older city contains.
2. With that in mind consider what you know about the people from the past. How would they have experienced time and space differently from you? No electricity, no rapid form of transportation, everything including cooking was a long process, how would time and space feel different to them?
The concept of time that we have today, one that can be broken down into hours, minutes, seconds, etc. was not the same centuries ago. Also, the speed of transporting goods and people to different places was much slower, as well as the means of communication. That said, life in general had much slower pace. I think of the number of different things I can do in one day and think to myself that centuries ago all of it would take a person a couple days. I traveled to Edinburgh in four hours by train, at that speed I would still have time in the day to do many other things, while at one time it may have took someone a week to walk from southern England to Scotland. At the same time, in one of the museums today I saw a comparison between a family living in Edinburgh now verses the 18th century and space was what drew my attention. The exhibit described the living situation and cost for them. For a large family in the 18th century they would rent a one, maybe two bedroom apartment. Whereas today families will rent a place to house everyone comfortably, perhaps with each family member have a room to themselves. In addition to housing space, the concept of electricity did not exist and when it finally did only the wealthy could afford it at first. Anyway, electricity lengthened the day for the world. One used to get up when the sun rose and would go to bed when it became dark because unless you had candles there was not much you could do at night. Electricity on the other hand allowed people to make their own concept of time. They could stay up after dark and read, write, etc. allowing people more time in the day outside of daily work do tasks for their households or even for themselves. Now of course I did not live in a time like this. I have never had to live with a large family crammed into a single room apartment with little money to pay for rent and food, so it is difficult to truly understand their perceptions of different things such as time and space. At the same time I can imagine a slower type of life style. I live in a world in which multitasking is the norm. Even at this moment I as I am typing this response I am listening to music, chatting with two different friends from two different parts of the United States, and my brain is filled with lists of everything that I need to do from bills to homework. While I am sure people multitasked centuries into the past, we live in a time where everything is accessible to us. We are expected to be knowledgeable in so many things because information is regularly available. And despite technology’s availability to a large percentage of the population and its goal to simplify life I feel that it takes away from life’s simplicities and it is difficult to try to slow down and experience life at a slow pace as they had in the past.
3. Following today’s discussion of “Utopias” I want you to consider the role of pain, loss, and deprivation in the creation of a human longing to make the world better. Where does most utopian thinking come from? How does the awareness of human suffering create a desire in some to try to better the world? What responses to pain (utopian or otherwise) can be seen in the present or the past?
The idea of utopia comes from the loss, pain, and deprivation that people experience in the world. Without the feeling of hopelessness there would be little purpose in trying to improve the world. If everyone lived contently with no major problems in their life, everyone would be content with the world as it is. During World War I, there was this idea that this could be the last war ever fought, that people would live in peace after the fighting was over. However, as we know today that was not the case at all. Furthermore, people do not have the mindset that each war that happens will be the last. Currently the War in Iraq has been going on for about half of my lifetime and I have never thought that this will be the last war. However, at the same time I wish it was. Even those who support the war would probably desire peace and for the world to negotiate and work together. So with the pain and loss of today there is a general desire for the better world that everyone continues to long for. But at the same time, this desire is also paired with skepticism. We all want to live in a world without pain, loss, and deprivation. However, at least today, people cannot overlook human nature and its flaws and have doubts that a utopian world could really exist.
On a slightly different note, it is interesting to think about the utopian way of thinking. People who follow these ideas believe that “heaven” or utopia is not some far away, but something that can be created on Earth. Personally, this is a nice concept to think about, a world without greed, suffering, war, discrimination, etc. However at the same time I am a product of my time which does make me skeptical of this world ever being created on Earth. I grew up in a Lutheran family and since I was very young have been taught about heaven. It is a utopia in which people can enter after they have died. However, if heaven can be created on Earth, does that me that there is not a utopia waiting for people after death. I think the idea of life after death is hope people keep with them their entire life, especially in time of pain and loss. So while I like the concept of utopia, my religious upbringing looks at a utopian world differently. Nevertheless that does not mean that I have lost hope for this world. I wish the world could be better and I wonder everyday how and what I could do to make it better.
4. How has this part of the trip affected the way you will approach your final paper subject?
Personally, I have enjoyed this part of the trip because of the atmosphere that exists in Edinburgh. London is a city with a lot of history scattered throughout, however it is still a modern city that has many different cultures coming together. In Scotland there is a calmer, quieter atmosphere that reminds me of where I grew up. Edinburgh may be a city, but it is very different from London. The Scottish culture is very present in the part of the city I have seen, as well as the history that it contains. In London, it is difficult to distinguish what is the British culture, so the experience is different. This has reminded me that as a historian you not only have to put yourself in the time period of an individual, you also have to think about the place. Where and when a person lives are two important components to the study of history. In relation to my paper this has made me think about how different the experiences of people at the Congress of Vienna must have been depending on your nationality. The delegation from Britain came from a different culture than the French or Austrians for instance. And to expect these very different people to come together and agree was probably very difficult. Furthermore, we live in a world in which international diplomacy is a daily occurrence in our government. This is time in which negotiations and agreements with other countries and a global level were not common or unheard of. These delegates had to travel great distances to meet with individuals from other cultures in the hopes to agree. It would be very interesting to look at the atmosphere surrounding this event and how something that was once uncommon slowly became daily correspondence.
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1. 1. Continuing to consider time and space and how it is experienced by people, I want you to think about how you experience time and space differently here in Scotland than you did in London. Consider how the different environment, housing, and money situation makes you see time and space differently.
a. While being in Scotland, I think of time and space very differently. The “feeling” of Scotland is very different than London. The layout of Edinburgh and the “pace” of life in Edinburgh is differs from London. London is a much bigger city and more touristy and diverse in all aspects. Edinburgh is an older city. The architecture particularly, illustrates the history of Edinburgh. Walking through the streets of Edinburgh is much more relaxing than in London. In London I feel as though I am always in a rush to go places and see things, while in Edinburgh I am more relaxed and content. The days seem longer here because I am not constantly moving or doing something. The different environment is what mainly makes me see time and space differently while staying Edinburgh. Mainly because the “pace” of life in Edinburgh is a lot slower than in London. Edinburgh is older and more of a “quaint” city than London is. I also find it interesting how Edinburgh has a “Old Town” and “New Town”. I have found that in terms of touristy expenditures everything is on the “New Town” side, which to me is more similar to London than the “Old Town” of Edinburgh. The housing and money situation hasn’t really had an effect on how I view time and space in Edinburgh as compared to London.
2. 2. With that in mind consider what you know about the people from the past. How would they have experienced time and space differently from you? No electricity, no rapid form of transportation, everything including cooking was a long process, how would time and space feel different to them?
a. Looking at people lives in the past, time and space would have definitely felt different for them. The pace of life was slower due to no rapid form of transportation, and lower technological advances. Within almost every aspect of life the process of doing things took longer. In my opinion, I think that time and space would feel different to them mainly because the society in which people in the past lived in wasn’t as advanced as the society that we live in today. More time and thought would be placed into almost every action. I also feel as though, since the pace of life was a lot slower people probably paid more attention to detail and the moment of what was going on. In today’s world people are constantly moving, always multi-tasking and trying to balance a lot of things at once. I think that if I had lived in past I would be more focused and engaged in everything that I did.
3. 3. Following today’s discussion of “Utopias” I want you to consider the role of pain, loss, and deprivation in the creation of a human longing to make the world better. Where does most utopian thinking come from? How does the awareness of human suffering create a desire in some to try to better the world? What responses to pain (utopian or otherwise) can be seen in the present or the past?
a. Based on our lecture on “Utopias” it became relevant that most Utopian thinking sprang out of periods of unrest and war in history. I think that pain, loss and deprivation play a crucial role in a “human longing to make the world better”. Utopian ways of thought were not only promoted through philosophies and writings, but were promoted in the media as well, such as songs. To me, it is clear that most utopian thinking comes from personal unrest and anger at the conditions of society. When people are experiencing harsh living conditions and inequality they seek for better conditions. Utopian thinking derived from people wanting to live a better life, and for society as whole to be peaceful and equal. From readings that I have read based on Utopian thought, it seems as though people whom advocated for a utopia wanted a “free world” with some order. Responses to pain (utopian or otherwise) can be seen in present and past by the formation of various political parties, political movements, and revolutions. Whenever people are deprived of the necessities of life or deprived of “freedom” there is usually some type of reaction.
4. 4. How has this part of the trip effected the way you will approach your final paper subject?
a. This last part of the trip has affected the way I will approach my final paper subject by forcing me to be more productive! I have a good outline but in terms of reading what I need to write my paper I am lacking. Realizing that the trip is 3/5 of the way over has forced me to make sure I spend more time doing school work than I had in the beginning of the trip.
1. Continuing to consider time and space and how it is experienced by people, I want you to think about how you experience time and space differently here in Scotland than you did in London. Consider how the different environment, housing, and money situation makes you see time and space differently.
Rebekka’s earlier discussion on German nationalism plays into the Scottish as well, the picturesque mountains and countryside certainly gives a different coloring to the overall nationalistic feeling. In addition, England to the south is a much different issue than Scotland to the south. For London, especially as a port city on the River Thames, all of Europe lay before them, now this could be scary or enticing, but Londoners likey felt in a completely different place in the world sharing that island.
2. With that in mind consider what you know about the people from the past. How would they have experienced time and space differently from you? No electricity, no rapid form of transportation, everything including cooking was a long process, how would time and space feel different to them?
The lack of connectivity absolutely lended itself to the ease of nationalistic hatred. Humanity is what brings people together, and when “Germans” were more of an idea than an actual group of people, that picture could be painted as human or inhuman as fit the needs of the elite. The general ignorance of the scope of the world also contributed to the fear of the unknown. Obviously as electricity, trains, and telephones grew in prominance, the world became “Smaller”, this led to a different line of thinking, but what’s incredible to me is how much bigger the Internet has made the world. While it has provided a near miraculous method for instant communication and connection with near anywhere in the world, the relative anonymous nature has also brought out some of the nastiest and worst aspects in people. It’s almost as if putting it all out there has made the ever shrinking, interconnected world, far too big for anyone to really comprehend anymore, and the ignorance has led back to seething hatred.
3. Following today’s discussion of “Utopias” I want you to consider the role of pain, loss, and deprivation in the creation of a human longing to make the world better. Where does most utopian thinking come from? How does the awareness of human suffering create a desire in some to try to better the world? What responses to pain (utopian or otherwise) can be seen in the present or the past?
Looking at the Liberatarian movement, it seems to almost be a reverse utopia, not a dystopia, but a utopia in negative. Instead of being born from pain and suffering, it, in my opinion, is born from privelidge and entitlement. Today’s world is spawning humans that don’t believe the world can be “Made better”, but that everything is fine the way it is, and that centuries of social progress, including the very idea of social contracts, can be completely abandoned. The core belief in this is not hopefulness, but arrogance, that people believe they are so powerful and smart that they can have complete control over their fate.
4. How has this part of the trip effected the way you will approach your final paper subject?
The discussion on Utopias has completely shifted my paper, I wanted to examine music, and I wanted to examine religion, and with the competing utopia and cynicism discussions, I can now look at both through the eyes of that conflict. I am looking forward to this paper quite a bit