Angelina Lui, Period 2, 3/1/23

 ○ Socio-political Consciousness

■ What are your thoughts and feelings about issues of inequity, oppression, and/or power?

■ How do you reflect critically on your own beliefs, assumptions, values, and experiences, and

how these can influence your perception of self and others?

Issues of inequity and oppression are still prevalent in the United States today. Although the

country has progressed in terms of civil rights, with racial segregation being outweighed and the

Constitution guaranteeing the right to vote for black people and women, it is important to

acknowledge and keep talking about current social and political issues. Just recently, on June

24, 2022, the Supreme Court decided that the Constitution does protect the right to abortion,

effectively overturning Roe v. Wade. The basis for this decision is that the Constitution does not

explicitly mention abortion nor are there any implied protections by any provisions of the

Constitution. This reasoning is basically saying that the legal penumbra for the protection of the

right to privacy in the 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 9th Amendments do not exist. It has been ruled that the

legality of abortion and abortion policies should be in the state’s hands. However, the impact of

this decision may extend beyond reproductive rights. Other cases such as Garner v. Texas,

which invalidated laws against sodomy, and Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized same-sex

marriage, may also be at threat of being overtruned since the decisions were made on the

principle of the right to privacy. The issue of institutionalized racism is something that I feel also

needs to be addressed. Criticisms of the law enforcement system and how racism is built into

the structure of the police force became a lot more prevalent after George Flyod’s death. I feel

like there is definitely a problem with police violence towards black people and higher arrest and

arrest and incarceration rate of African Americans compared to white people but it is hard to

know what should be done to address issues like these and how we can make our society more

fair and just.

Literature is a way I reflect critically on my own beliefs, assumptions, values, and experiences.

Reading the works of people who have been affected by discrimination, oppression, or inequity

helps me better understand their perspectives on these issues and the reasons behind their

thinking. Historical texts can also inform me about the past sociopolitical issues and the

impacts they had. Dystopian novels such as Fahrenheit 451 and 1984 provide meaningful social

commentary on government censorship and oppression. Currently, we are also reading Grendel

in class which was written in the 1970s, a time period with the counterculture hippie movement,

anti-war sentiments, and the civil rights movement. The values of the author at the time it was

written can be found in the novel. It is in the perspective of Grendel, who is seen as a monster

and different by the humans which is why he is treated differently. Analyzing Grendel has made

me consider my own values, beliefs, and philosophies.

Carina Liu, Period 2, 2/27/23

 Socio-political Consciousness

What are your thoughts and feelings about issues of inequity, oppression, and/or power?

Issues of inequity, oppression, and power are deeply rooted in our society, and something that people have been fighting for for centuries. Through the continuous struggle and efforts of major historical figures who were brave enough to speak up about issues of social and racial injustice, we were able to make major progress throughout history. However, inequity is something that can never fully be prevented or resolved. The seeds of our understanding of justice, and our understanding of right and wrong are part of our biological nature. An experiment was done on babies to find out the natural morals of human beings. Studying babies and infants is significant because they are “perfect” and their morals haven’t been influenced by anything yet. When the babies were shown a puppet show that clearly depicts a good and bad character, ¾ of the babies reached for the good guy. This shows that as young as 3 months old, humans prefer people that are nice. The study doesn’t end there. The babies choose their favorite cereal between two. One cat likes the same snack as them, and the other cat likes the other snack. 87% of the babies preferred the cat that liked the same snack as they did. In addition, when shown a puppet show of the different cat getting punished vs helped, they preferred to see the different cat being punished. This is really interesting as it shows how inequity, power, and hatred is built into our nature. Coming from babies that can’t walk, talk, or even crawl yet suggests that it must come built in. In 2023, we have already come a long way in being conscious about inequality and oppression, but there are still people that are stubborn, and unwilling to change their beliefs. 

How do you reflect critically on your own beliefs, assumptions, values, and experiences, and how these can influence your perception of self and others?

I grew up in a pretty protective and privileged environment. My whole life I have attended small schools that have a high percentage of asian students. I’ve always felt really comfortable where I am, and a lot of my classmates shared the same interests as me. I never experienced serious discrimination. Honestly, since it didn’t seem to directly affect me, I haven’t done much to advocate for this topic. Only in the beginning of the pandemic did I become more aware of how real racism and discrimination is and that it is happening so close to me. During the height of the pandemic, I heard countless news stories about hate crimes near me, and my parents taught me to be aware of my surroundings and how to defend myself. It was the first time I was scared to go outside, afraid that I would get attacked just for the way I looked. In a few months, I will be going to college, breaking out of my comfortable and familiar circle. In the future, I want to be more active in fighting for change. 

Zack Millevoi, Period 2, 3/2/23

As I age quicker and quicker by the day, I begin to enter a world where many responsibilities are placed on me and yet despite all the freedoms that adulthood comes with, In a changing world, it feels like we are becoming increasingly less important in the grand scheme of the world. Talking about the power of one person is a subjective thing because certain people, depending on their standing in the world, have more power than others. The CEO of Microsoft definitely has more of a say in the world than the homeless man on the corner, begging for donations in order to stay alive. However, even when talking about the average working class American, we cannot seem to find power over anything in this changing world, whether it be in our government’s decisions, or our salaries at work, or the traffic on the road we deal with. Every day on the news, we see BIPOC groups being harassed by law enforcement and ravaged by organized crime daily, becoming desensitized to it through constant exposure. Not only that, but the amount of wars that supposedly end in peace, only to see 2 different countries fight, resulting in thousands of more civilians killed in foreign conflicts are disheartening to witness. It genuinely sickens me to see what elected officials are allowing to happen to citizens of their own country, with years and years of no change at all, while they sit at the top lining their pockets at our expense. Becoming an adult I know I still don't have the answers to everything, but what I do know is that the system we have where the weak rule the strong isnt working, and I want to help truly dedicated individuals to make the changes we need in the world.

Looking in on myself as I become older, I make sure to reflect on my good and bad habits. Habits are important, as they shape one’s day to day decisions and their quality will have a huge impact on their day to day life. Notably, one belief I always held close to me was that I always respected kindness in people, and when I showed kindness to others, I usually expected it back in some way, whether it be a thank you, a thumbs up, or some sort of gesture in that sense. Because of that, more shy people who don't tend to open up as easily I always saw as being rude, despite them not doing anything to indicate such. Now, reflecting on it, I hope I can make strides to change my attitude on others despite first impressions. Going forward, I want to try to give more people a shot, and try to actively talk to people who may seem a little cold at first because who knows, they may make for a great friend if I put in that effort, something that one can always cherish having.

Sophia Liu, Period 2, 2/28/23

 Socio-political Consciousness:

Issues of inequity, oppression, and power have certainly improved over time as awareness spreads and generational stigma changes but to say that these issues don’t exist anymore is absurd. These issues such as racism and gender inequality certainly still exist today and it sometimes feels like the US is progressing backward rather than forwards. Roe v Wade 1971 recently overturned in Dobbs v Jackson last year no longer protects one’s right to have an abortion and is now up to the state’s discretion. The overturning of Roe v Wade will arise other issues as the protection of same-sex marriage, interracial marriage, and purchase of contraceptions may now be at risk. It is scary to think about the future as the decisions are made by predominantly white Christian men whose values may not reflect the majority of the people of the United States. This decision impacts everyone regardless of gender whether it’d be you, a family member, or someone you know. Personally, I would’ve never imagined that these rights be taken away because I believed that it should be up to the individual and their decision what to do with their body. These restrictions on abortion are a setback and may ruin many people’s lives if they are forced to keep a child they were not capable of raising or result from traumatic events. There really is nothing impactful I can do right now to create change until I am the age to vote.

The issue of racism has been deeply rooted in the United States with slavery, immigration, and past events. The Japanese internment camps, Jim Crow laws, Trump’s US-Mexico wall proposal, Asian-American hate crimes, and the list goes on. These issues of inequality shouldn’t exist but it does and is hard to change. Growing up I have been exposed to racism mostly through the mocking of my language and culture. Although it didn’t happen frequently, it still left an impression on me since most of these comments were from white males my age. I found myself thinking that I was inferior to them and was ashamed that I was in fact different and Chinese. Embracing my own identity and culture is a stepping stone I have to go through to realize that my culture is something I should be proud of. The color of one’s skin shouldn’t dictate your perception of them as they are born with it and isn’t something that can be changed. More recently, witnessing people mocking other cultures irritated me as the comments they were making were uncalled for. They were people from this school who were of Asian descent as well. I thought that they would know better as this is a “specialized” high school after all. The fact that they were also a minority and may know how it feels to experience racism made it worse for me to grasp why they said such comments even if it was supposed to be a “joke”. However, these could have just been my assumptions; they might have been lucky and privileged enough to not experience these issues at all. Thinking back, I should’ve said something but I didn’t. Moving forward, all I can do right now is have an open mind and be mindful of my own words and actions toward others. 

Karen Khvan, Period 2, 2/8/23

 Socio-political Consciousness

What are your thoughts and feelings about issues of inequity, oppression, and/or power?

How do you reflect critically on your own beliefs, assumptions, values, and experiences, and

how these can influence your perception of self and others?

I believe that inequity and oppression are pressing issues in our society, and that

ignorance and unwillingness to listen and change are the things that will lead humanity into

destruction. While my generation may be considered more accepting and more open, there are

still major steps we have to take. The main problem is stubbornness- people are unwilling to

communicate and budge on their standpoints (particularly those who may be more

conservatives). It is also easy to dream of a reality where everyone is happy and joyous, but the

truth is that it is incredibly difficult to actually inspire change and make people want to change. It

seems as though every day varies- sometimes I will see something that makes me believe there is

hope for change, and others I just want to scream and yell and lash out at the world for setting up

such a future. Even with all of the resources available I sometimes feel absolutely hopeless. I

know it’s not true, but it can be difficult not getting caught up in the news or the recent going

ons. There are also days where I just want to let go and not care, but doing that is worse than

doing anything at all.

I understand that I have yet to experience a lot, and that things are constantly changing

and we will never be certain of our future. However, I do believe that I have a strong stance in

my beliefs, and that I will stand by and support them. One could always be doing more- signing

more petitions, going to more protests, etc, and sometimes that guilt does lie on me for not doing

enough. But in the end, I am willing to stand by what I think and say, and I think that is

important. When doing our Norse project for mythology, our group was considering various

perspectives that we could delve into. In the end, we chose to give voice to Freya, a goddess who

is only perceived as a prize. As much as I love being a woman, it is incredibly frustrating to be

diminished to nothing more than my gender. While I have been privileged in that I have received

what is considered to be “minimal” gendered comments, I was not immune. Even though I was

not a Norse goddess I related to Freya- her lack of a voice and having to act tough to deflect

comments. All that one can do is not stay quiet- to speak out against the subtle commentary and

remarks. People who stay silent only enable those with wrong views and opinions, and that does

nothing to change.

Wendy Li, Period 6, 3/1/23

 Wendy Li

Period 6

3/1/21

Modern Mythology 2023

Literacy & Learning

The story of Grendel begins with him questioning his existence on earth. He feels like he doesn’t belong anywhere humans are scared of him, while animals mostly ignore him. Thus, Grendel expresses his frustration by screaming at the animals and pointing a defiant middle finger to the sky. Similar to his experiences, I was reminded about growing up Chinese in an American dominated environment, which often led me to question my own identity. 

I wasn’t fully considered Chinese, yet I was too Chinese to be American. This separation didn’t hit me until I realized my dumplings were everyone else’s grilled cheese and my version of tomato soup was oxtail udon soup. In order to fit in, I asked for pancakes during breakfast and pastas for dinner. I even stopped speaking Chinese so I could hide the Chinese part of me. However, when I wasn’t able to communicate with my grandparents anymore, being “American” didn’t matter anymore. As all our memories together came rushing through my head, not being able to understand them felt like I purposely threw away a portion of my childhood. I always thought I had to fit into one category. Either I was Chinese or American. But actually the answer to my question was that I should have checked off both boxes. 

As a result, I dove into my culture: discovering backgrounds, interpreting traditions, and exploring dialects. This new information provided me with various perspectives to view the world. For example, the color red in Chapter 8 of Grendel symbolized war and bloodshed but in Chinese culture, red is the most sought after color, standing for prosperity and luck. Outside the classroom, I learned about how traditional Chinese medicine centers around the ying-yang (hot-cold) balance in the body, allowing illness and disease to fall on those that upset the balance. Thus, this explains the opposite water drinking temperatures, with Chinese people opting for warm water instead of cold. All in all, from celebrating New Years in February to having cereal every morning, I can proudly say I’m both Chinese and American.

William He, Period 7, 2/27/23

 Atomic Habits and Growth

At this point in my life, now that I am getting ready to go to college and finally closing in on my long term goal of pursuing the career I want, my goals have significantly changed to fit my situation. Some goals I currently set for myself include connecting more with others, learning to work well in a team environment, improving my work ethic, and also participating in more extracurriculars. Many different careers require these skills and it would make sense for me to set standards in preparation for my future. In class, many of these skills are already being used through group work, projects, and presentations though there is still much to improve on. For example, knowing when to be a leader and initiate the conversation is something I found very important. From experience, I found it hard to start a discussion with my group but once it gets going, everyone has an easier time participating and sharing their thoughts and ideas. Being a better initiator would help accelerate progress with faster and more effective communication. This also helps with networking because being a good communicator and teammate helps land long term connections and success. However, something I definitely need to improve on is my work ethic. I have a tendency to procrastinate on almost everything which could be a problem if I can’t meet deadlines especially when working in a group setting. Not meeting deadlines my team sets means being less productive and slowing down progress overall; the complete opposite of what I want. Not procrastinating would also help improve the quality of my work, not having to worry about rushing, and leaving extra time to fix mistakes. To try and combat this problem, I have been removing distractions around me when I work, and I can say that it has improved my focus and efficiency. Finally, I feel that I could spend some more time on extracurriculars like sports instead of just sitting at home all day doing work or playing video games. Not only will this lead to a healthier lifestyle, but also allow me to have more experience in various things and expose me to the teamwork and leadership skills required in sports, maybe even improving those skills. Overall, I can note the changes as I improve in these areas and make adjustments as necessary if something is not working.

Jessie Lee, Period 6, 2/27/23

 Jessie Lee, Period 6, 2/27/2023 

Modern Mythology: Atomic Habits & Growth 

These past few weeks have been especially eye-opening and unnerving for me as the realization that I am an adult preparing to go to college in a few months hits. My whole life, I have been physically and emotionally reliant on my parents and family, so going to college will be a huge adjustment for me. I have set standards recently to improve my lifestyle and create optimal schedules that work for me. For example, I have made it a goal to correct my sleep schedule, so I try to always get my work done earlier in the day and not procrastinate to do it at night. I want to learn to study better so that instead of only studying for really long periods of time, I can learn to be more efficient with my studying. Another standard I have set for myself recently is learning to be proud of myself. For the past few years of my life, I have spent a huge amount of time studying and focusing on my academics, and never allowed myself to address my mental health. Now, especially with college decisions coming out soon, I have been more stressed than ever. But I have learned to understand that college is not only defined by prestige. It is about choosing a college that is best fit for me and my future aspirations. No matter where I end up, even if it is not the school I was dreaming of originally, I will make my own college experience, and hopefully continue on to further my ambitions. I will be proud of myself regardless of what happens, because a college admission does not define my worth, my achievements, or my abilities. I have come to craft these standards because I realized that I am going to college soon, and I will be responsible for so many more aspects of my life beyond studying. I will have to be even better at balancing my time, finding time to go out on my own, to cook, to clean, and to visit my family. By crafting such standards for myself, I gain inevitable skills of self-awareness and time management. I am learning to develop a healthier mindset, and not one that is only driven by results. I am capable of more than what others tell me, but I need to start by believing it. So I will begin by being proud of myself and how far I have come. And I will continue to push myself to be better and achieve the goals I had set for myself a long time ago. I will be proud of the little accomplishments I make on my way to my larger aspirations. 

I demonstrate resilience towards achieving these standards because I have learned to accept and embrace change. Through trial and error, I learned to understand what works for me and what doesn’t. For example, I know that when I study, it is more about quality than quantity. To become a more efficient student, I take breaks when I study, giving myself time to actually understand the information I am studying and not forcing my brain to work for hours at a time. I have tried extensive planners and schedules, but I realized that marking events down on my calendar and jotting little notes to myself works best for me. I am also always learning more about myself. Sometimes, telling myself something is not enough, because I know that I will not believe it. But by learning to allow myself to celebrate even small achievements, I have allowed myself to focus more on the good than the bad in my life. I see such accomplishments as small successes, worthy to be proud of because they all play a crucial role in my becoming the person I aspire to be. I assess myself by journaling. I like to journal right before I go to bed not only as a way to express my feelings, but also to help me recall memories. Especially after a stressful day, I realize that I prefer spending time alone, and documenting events and what I am grateful for has become my way of coping with my stress. I will make adjustments if I feel like I cannot keep up with the standards I have created for myself. The point of giving standards for myself is to hopefully create a more balanced lifestyle, but this also comes with healthy and realistic lifestyle choices and changes. As much as there are changes I would want to make to my lifestyle, I understand that there are some changes I will not be able to keep up with. For example, sometimes on weekends, I really want to wake up extremely early so I can have what I call a productive morning. However, after being in school all week, I can be really tired, so waking up early is not always an option for me if I want to get enough sleep. Instead, I choose to let myself sleep in a little, and become more productive in the rest of my day so that I have time to get my work done, but also to relax and find alone time. While learning to be more proud of myself, I also realized that sometimes it is not a realistic route for me. I am someone who tends to dwell on failure, and it is something that I am still trying to improve about myself, so sometimes, it is difficult to always think positively about myself. However, I try to use the concept, “If it is not something that will affect me in five years, then I will not spend more than five minutes dwelling on it” to think about things that do not go my way. Instead of focusing on the bad, I will learn to be proud of the good, as I continue to reflect on myself and grow as a young adult.

Miles Chen, Period 2, 1/31/23

Socio-Political Consciousness 

Racial inequality is a well-known issue, yet there seems to be little progress in overcoming it. With the recent Black Lives Matter movement, I expected things to change, but it only seemed to create even more discrimination than before. What started as an inspirational campaign quickly lost momentum as its cofounder allegedly used a portion of the $90 million the movement earned on personal matters. Not only that, but although statistics show that 93% of BLM protests were peaceful, a survey revealed that 42% of people believed that most protestors associated with BLM intended to incite violence. It’s a clear indicator that the actions of the minority are enough to sway the public’s opinion. It is a simple idea, but that’s also why inequality is such a persistent problem. People stereotype and judge races off the worst experiences they’ve had, and to be honest, I sometimes find myself doing the same.

Based on my personal experience, most of my experiences with racism have come from white males, so it only makes sense that I’d have that preconceived notion whenever I meet another white male. If he isn’t racist, then there’s no problem, but if he is, then at least I won’t be caught off guard. I’ve also had my fair share of harassment from African Americans, whether they’re random students around my age or a bus passenger that’s probably high or drunk. I’ve had my mood ruined by being made fun of and having to listen to distasteful jokes and uncomfortably laugh along. Even without experiencing it myself, I’ve heard countless stories from my family and friends about random violence against the elderly, women, and Asians. I’m not saying that it only happens to Asians or that we have it worse, but it’s heartbreaking that I have to worry about my family because of how others will treat them because of their race.

As one of the most welcoming and positive environments I’ve been in, I had honestly forgotten how cruel society is during my experience at Staten Island Tech. I hope I’ll find a similar environment in college, but I’m sure life won’t be sunshine and rainbows. I have thought about my mindset and how to change it because that’s the only thing I can control. For example, even if my fear of others and possible discrimination is well-founded, I can’t say with absolute certainty that I’m the best person. I haven’t done much to combat Asian hate or any kind of hate, and I’m not the friendliest. I’m generally cold to strangers, and I’ll admit that there’s a chance if I was kinder, I’d probably build a lot more relationships, and others might be more inclined to treat me with the same respect and kindness. Of course, there will always be people I can’t change, but that means I’ll have to work on improving myself to balance it out. Eventually, I want to help implement changes to improve safety and decrease discrimination against minorities. I don’t have any bright ideas right now, but as a high school senior, I still have a lot of time to brainstorm.

Ivan Hu, Period 7, 3/1/23

 Socio-Political Consciousness

     “Lookism” - a South Korean webcomic made popular with the supernatural concept of a high school student being able to switch between two bodies: one that is deemed ugly by society and another that is seen as handsome. 

     When searching for this word in Google, only information about the recent Netflix animation, past live-action series, and the original work itself pop up on top of the results. With these exciting adaptations of Bak Tae Jun’s creation, this long-standing form of prejudice based on physical appearance has been heavily shadowed and romanticized by modern culture. 

     Let’s say that a feeble man with scruffy clothes entered the train from an MTA station. Most passengers would have become cautious just by being around this person. Some would even move seats to be away from him even if he showed no malicious intent. I would have done the same, my parents included. We are drawn to engage in our fight-or-flight response because our perception of homelessness often correlates to the image of mental instability in NYC. It is not that we don’t empathize with these individuals, but rather we accept the effect of systemic corruption in our values of self-protection: “if you see something, say something.” 

     None of the actions or beliefs are necessarily immoral. However, the fact that we discriminate against others by how they look daily shows our desensitization to this ongoing problem with our exposure to media and real-life experiences.

     Lookism can be even more extreme when targeted to people with conditions, such as Tourette’s syndrome and autistic spectrum disorder. We often stigmatize their inability to conform to the norms at first glance. Nonetheless, most of us make an effort to spread affection to them without furthering our indulgence to resist change. 

     If we look back to the first U.S. debate to be televised decades ago, it was apparent who most people paid attention to. With JFK’s subtle gestures, such as wearing a dark suit or looking directly to the camera, it swayed the audience to believe that he could possibly outdo Nixon, who was clearly not educated in TV etiquette. This comes to prove that one’s presentation and youthfulness can alter our judgment in them.

     In my previous years, I have felt the sensations I described above, not knowing better and being ignorant more than anything else. But, after spending time reading articles about people who are marginalized and mirroring our iniquity in my work, “The Tale of Lupus,” I have come to notice the flaws of our city as a 17-year-old that will soon decide for himself as a young adult and as a citizen.

Frederick Len, Period 2, 2/14/23

 Modern Mythology 2023: Literacy & Learning

• Write about your thoughts regarding any of the fiction or nonfiction covered in class.

The most exciting fiction we have read thus far is Grendel, a reimagining of the Beowulf mythology through the eyes of its primary monster. Under the witty/bizarre writing comes a philosophical examination of existentialism, nihilism, and propaganda. (As it turns out, John Gardner wrote the character of Grendel as a stand-in for the French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, one of the leading proponents of existential philosophy in the 20th century). The story sees Grendel constantly struggling with finding his purpose in life and what he truly desires. He contends with the humans, who threaten him yet give him meaning, and the dragon, who protects him yet undermines his identity.

• Reflect on any new information you have learned in English class by considering how that learning influences your critical perception.

Grendel was a surprisingly nuanced perspective to a classic and relatively simple myth that challenged my preconceived notions on the characters involved in the story, similar in some ways to the Norse Mythology Transformations but with much more polish and philosophical connotations. It has influenced my critical perception by forcing me to think more critically and not take information for granted. When told to differentiate between “legitimate violence” and “coercive repression,” many of us hadn’t even thought to critique the premise of this comparison. While the class struggled to answer the prompt, we soon learned that the question had been flawed from the start! Such learning experiences have been pivotal in improving my ability to perform critical analyses.

• How is what you’re learning applied to other classes/the world around you?

Although I have yet to apply mythology to my everyday life, the experiences I gained through analyzing these stories have allowed me to hone my ability to view a story from multiple perspectives. This skill is vital for navigating through online discourse on political topics. Critical examination of information on the internet has helped me avoid misinformation and combat my biases by seeing the issue through diverse lenses.

Stefani Mindrebo, Period 2, 3/3/23

 Stefani Mindrebo - Atomic Habits and Growth

Personal goals have always been a present, driving force throughout my life. As a dancer of 13 years, I have always found myself seeking to achieve goals, both in and outside of school. As a student, I hold myself to the standard of trying my absolute best, but the definition of this definitely changed as I got older. At the beginning of high school, my goals were more centered around numbers, and earning perfect grades and high test scores. As I got older, I learned that, while it is important to perform academically, expecting to push myself and focus on self-improvement would be a more substantial goal than expecting myself to earn straight A+ grades.

While these two academic goals may not seem to hold significant differences, to me the simple shift from basing my goals around a numerical result to basing them off of my perception of my work made a huge difference. I crafted this standard while I was at dance one day in my sophomore year. The COVID-19 pandemic was at its height, and I was learning a particularly difficult dance alone in my basement. I remember catching my breath and wondering what my teacher would think of my messy turns and slouched posture. Upon rewatching the video, I had acknowledged that there were many flaws, however, I could see just in my facial expressions that I was pouring so much of my heart and emotion into the dance. After that evening in my basement, I extended that mindset to my studies in school as well, as I truly learned that achieving my goals is always possible when I genuinely want to, rather than doing it to receive an award or a high grade. 

Demonstrating resilience in this goal is extremely different than demonstrating resilience in my initial goal. Now, I demonstrate resilience by focusing on what I can do to ensure that I am doing everything to the best of my ability. For instance, I make sure that I always study for my upcoming exams and fully understand the material before I go to school the next day. However, I do that to make sure that I am prepared, rather than doing it to earn an A+ on the exam. I demonstrate resilience even further in dance by attending every class, regardless of how tired I may be or other plans that I might have the same day. My classes are not always easy, and there have been countless times where I came home exhausted and sore. This commitment pushed me to learn how to properly manage my time, so that I can have time to grow academically at school, socially with my friends, and personally at dance.

Assessing myself with this goal comes naturally, as it is centered around my efforts more so than a tangible recognition. That being said, I am able to assess myself frequently and effectively based on how I am feeling. After finishing a day of school, or practicing a new dance number, I often check in with myself and pay attention to my thoughts. I am able to determine whether or not I felt like I could have done better, and if needed, I recognize the changes that I need to make in order to succeed the next day.

Eric Chen, Period 6, 2/2/23

 Eric Chen

Period 6

2/2/2022

Modern Mythology 2023

Literacy and Learning

Out of all of the pieces of literature we’ve read in this class so far, the one that’s had the most impact on me by far is Grendel. Despite being only three chapters in(and reading the fourth one today), Grendel has done something no other piece of literature has done in this class so far: it surprised me.

I have always liked mythology. I grew up watching dramas about Chinese tales based around mythological characters like Sun Wukong and Jiang Ziya. Then, in eighth grade, I had a mini fascination with history, which included stories from a vast array of cultures. I started looking into stories from various mythologies and over time, I had a basic understanding of a good amount of myths from around the world. This eventually led to me taking myth because it was a topic I thoroughly enjoyed. 

So far, this class has covered Norse mythology, Greek mythology, fairy tales as well as Abrahamic and Egyptian mythology(though to a lesser extent). One of the big themes of this class has been taking some well known myths(as well as some of the lesser known ones) and taking a deeper look into their themes and aspects of the story that we might have originally overlooked. This meant I knew a sizable portion of the stories we’ve read, even if some of them were altered to fit the author’s vision(looking at you Neil Gaiman). Grendel was the first major work we’ve been given that has a vastly different story from the original myth, and it does so by making the protagonist the antagonist from the story of Beowulf. While it’s not the most unique premise for a story I’ve seen, it does accomplish its goal of showing the story of the villain, painting Grendel in a more sympathetic light. On its own, however, this change barely stands out. I’ve read through many stories covering the antagonist’s point of view and when I read the first chapter of Grendel, I thought that the story would be the same as all the other stories I’ve read that tried to fill that niche. 

I think the thing that changed my perception of this iteration of the classic Beowulf story is the historical context of this novel as well as the connection between Grendel and John Gardner, the author. After reading chapter 1, we learned about the historical context of the novel in class. It was written in the 1960s, a time of civil unrest, a time where people protested for civil rights and peace. We also learned about the life of Gardner and how his brother died when he was 11, something that he thought he caused and blamed himself for throughout his life. Grendel became a narrative about the life about a monster trying to find meaning in life to a commentary on the civil unrest at the time Gardner wrote this book as well as an allusion to his own life. Scenes like the one where Grendel questions why humans killed each other during the war became less about Grendel and more like the growing protests against the Vietnam War at the time as well as Gardner’s own feelings on the matter since he knew the feeling of losing a loved one(and the feeling that he took a life). It was something that we could’ve easily missed without someone guiding us through the story, but just knowing the backstory behind the author and the time period it was written in added so much depth to the story. It shows that intent behind a piece matters and has reminded me that everyone has different circumstances and that I should make sure I take that into consideration. Lastly, I’m looking forward to reading World War Z and Interview with the Vampires as they’re both stories I’ve never heard of.

Carolyn Lee, Period 2, 2/13/23

 Modern Mythology 2023 - Socio-political Consciousness

1. What are your thoughts and feelings about issues of inequity, oppression, and/or power?

Issues of inequity, oppression, and/or power are always present no matter how many times it is addressed or how loud people make their statements. One of the biggest issues of our current society is the lack of people who are in power and have the resources to make changes actually willing to help those in need. The individuals who have those benefits are usually greedy, letting strength and money get to their heads. Compared to them, most people like myself are powerless. With so many human desires, there simply aren't enough selfless individuals to fulfill everyone’s wishes. 

Even on a smaller scale, a scale that doesn’t have to do with money or political power, inequity exists. For example, I’ve witnessed countless times of older Chinese men and women who cannot speak English well, be glared at or judged by strangers. Even people like waiters whose jobs are to treat these people as fair customers. They judge these older men and women simply because of a language barrier; like they’re on a high horse solely because they can speak the nation’s main language and the elderly cannot. 

2. How do you reflect critically on your own beliefs, assumptions, values, and experiences, and how these can influence your perception of self and others?

Honestly, although I've always been aware of social issues, growing up I’ve never been active when it came to social justice. It wasn’t until the pandemic when I really started to be conscious of all these issues surrounding me and my community, both in and out of the minority groups I am a part of. I began to question why people are so quick to judge and assume the worst about others. Why do people automatically believe unjustified and hurtful claims about a community as if they can’t think for themselves? Why do these people then use these judgements as a means to act violently against others who are in a weaker position? Of course, it’s relieving to know activist groups rose up to counter these attacks. For example, the BLM (Black Lives Matter) movement against the murder of George Floyd and the Stop Asian Hate movement following the attacks on elderly Asian people as a result of racist claims of “Asians being the cause of the COVID-19 pandemic.” However, inequity and oppression will forever exist as long as greed exists in human nature. Although in the present day, people are beginning to be more aware of these cries for change, I can only hope for the day major action begins to occur on a larger scale that for now is too far out of my reach. 

Allison Gandlin, Period 7, 2/10/2023

Goal Setting & Growth
At this current point in time, what specific goal(s) do you have for yourself? Why How do you demonstrate resilience towards achieving this goal? (or these goals?) How does the world around you affect your perception of this goal? (or these goals?)

In the beginning of the year, we discussed in class the importance of one’s “loss of
innocence.” Regardless of society’s perception of this, we labeled it as a heartbreak of some
sort. This heartbreak will forever change the way one thinks or feels and the way one makes
decisions in the future. Senior year has been my heartbreak. If I were to discuss my goals in
August 2022 versus now, January 2023, they would differ completely. I don’t believe I have
changed that much as a person, I have simply learned more about myself in my responses to
the events that have happened. If anything, I am more myself than I have ever been. For this
reason, at 18, I am addressing goals both mentally and physically, whereas at 17 years old I
would have merely focused on tangible goals. I would not have been able to identify my
personal objectives just a few months ago.

In middle school we were taught how to set a goal. They used the acronym SMART goals. It
stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-Based. I will not get into why each
adjective here is useful because I believe that is a question everyone has to ask and answer
themselves. For myself at this moment, I understand that I struggle with creating measurable
goals. This is unfortunate because I am not able to feel fulfilled in reaching these goals. To help
explain, some mental goals I have set include, focusing on myself, choosing happiness, and
sticking to my word. Maybe these can be considered resolutions more than goals. But it is still
an intention I have for my future.

My definition of ‘focusing on myself’ includes setting time aside to spend by myself rather than
filling my days with company. I would also like to notice a shift in my mindset from “Ooh I can’t
wait to tell someone this...” to “This is exciting! I love that I am thinking about this...” This is
where I implement ‘sticking to my word.’ I am not a liar, I actually pride myself on always being
honest. I just don’t fulfill promises to myself. I always attempt to take into account my intentions.
I am noticing that most of the time they are good, and some of the time, when I have petty or
vengeful tendencies I make sure I understand where those are coming from and how I can
make them more pure. But regardless, I know what I want from myself right now. It took me a
while to realize, even though my gut probably always knew, but I know what I want. Now, I need
to be disciplined enough to get it done. I want to choose happiness. I want to have more control
over my emotions and minimize their affect on my decisions. In order to do this I must keep my
word to myself and to others. I will eat well, I will keep my living areas clean, I will stay off social
media, I will stay away from people who do not enrich my life, I will stay productive, and I will
take care of my body.

I want to be happy, everyone does. But what most don’t realize is that being truly happy is
hard work. You have to change the way you think. You have to go against your natural instinct.
That is one of the hardest things a person can do. Once you have power over the way you think,
you will be unstoppable. As an athlete I believe this is partially instilled in me already. However,
as a teenage girl, I understand that I have to practice a lot of mindfulness to move past the
obstacles I see now. This can include a variety of subtleties in a patriarchical environment. For
instance, I notice how stronger, deeper masculine voices, no matter the volume, will always be
listened to over my own. My opinion is subconsciously valued less than that of my male
counterpart regardless of talent or knowledge. Not only by males but by other females too,
including myself. My goal is to grow without bounds. My goal is to stay true to myself and
understand that every little thing I do creates my character. I know the character I want, I now
finally understand who I want to be. Next step is to follow through and stick to my word.

Kenny Chui, Period 6, 2/7/2022

 Creativity & Fiction

Craft a piece of FAN fiction related to any of the reading we’ve done in class

• Literary elements (i.e. structure, tone, diction, mood, irony, and figurative language) to craft a narrative.

• Structural features of drama (stage directions, character attributions/tags, dialogue, monologues, and/or soliloquies) to craft a script.

• Multidimensional characters to develop themes and create socio-political metaphors.

The nihilistic monologue of the Dragon from “Grendel”

There is no past. There is no future. There is only now–the present–this current moment that my physical body is tied to. Why do I say such things? Because I know it. Because in a way that lower beings like you, oh dear reader, could not comprehend… I can see them all. From the beginning of this timeline, and on to the next, all things are but a consequence of compounded chance. Your very existence comes from specks of dust drifting together, and when you’re gone, which is pretty soon honestly, it will go back to that state. Just some atoms that happen upon each other, making shapes that temporarily hold on for dear life. Even your kind is  starting to realize it already, right? That you have no chance in making a mark on space, or time, or matter, that has any meaningful purpose. Every little thing you deem important, every idea you have, is but a response to the universe saying no. Your planes are an answer to gravitational forces, your phones allow you to communicate with others despite being on the other side of the world, medicine to slap a handful of extra years on one's life, etc. But when the universe no longer exists–when you and I no longer exist, and the next universe expands and contracts upon itself over and over and over and over again, who will need a plane? Who will need a phone? Who needs to live?

All you can try to do now is understand how your limited reality works, for the limited number of people coming from your race to then fail at understanding, and then turn away to lounge in the life you made just a smidge easier. What a waste, honestly, that your generations try to grasp at your accumulated knowledge like grasping at sand with your human hands, while only a select few can figure out that shovels are so much easier. Why waste your little time on such a pointless future of your race, when you know that they’ll go around killing eachother with it anyway? 

That reminds me of that violent child, that son of Cain. Grendel was his name. A violent idiot, really. He had come to try at my knowledge, however much he could scrounge, but of course, he couldn’t fathom an ounce of my words. He was placing hope in the lies of even lesser beings than himself: you folks. *sigh* What a joke. In every meadhall, humans hire a Shaper, a musician of sorts, that tells stories and shapes your history with twisted truths, embellishments all over. Tall tales, pleasing words, all to stroke the ego of whichever human they sang about, or to call anything that wasn’t like itself nor served them, a moster. Imagine wanting to trust and befriend an ant that hates you, fears you, and downright wants to kill you. It’s so ridiculous it still riles me up. But do you know what I told him?

It doesn’t matter if you scare them, hurt them, kill them or not. Either you do it, or something else they call a monster will. The only two things for sure is that they will never accept you because they don’t understand you, and that monsters like you push them forward. You are the universe saying no to their joy, peace of mind, and pleasure. 

Just like the planes and phones of their future that you, reader, will have, they make things to combat that no. They bring men from all over to try and fight. They make better weapons and armor to kill. The Shapers inspire them with new, even more embellished stories. They make meaningless meanings in making their lives sleightly more bearable for however long they do. Compared to all the things I have analyzed, the “intelligence” of mankind is the least comprehensible yet. Perhaps it is my age. Perhaps it is my omniscience. Whatever the case, just do whatever you want or give up. Personally, I’ve taken to sitting on a hoard of gold and sitting on it. Hopefully you’re one of the lucky few lower beings that will get it.

Hinson Dong, Period 6, 2/9/2023

Hinson Dong

Period 6

2/9/2023

Modern Mythology Blog 2023

Blog #3

Atomic Habits & Growth

While entering this class, we were told that this course contained a lot of group work. In

the beginning, I struggled a lot with group work and had not been comfortable with taking up the

initiative while being in a group or working with another. After having done the Norse Mythology

Project, I’ve realized that I should have taken more initiative and shared more of my thoughts on

the project. There was also a lack of communication between me and my group members. Now

that I’m starting a new semester, we’ve chosen new group mates and we are starting a little

differently. Some standards that I’ve set are: trying to take more initiative and showing more

engagement while being on the team. I believe that in my last group and projects, I’ve been

doing the work but without the communication of my teammates and I think I should try and fix

that during my next project. However, being in the class, I think I’ve worked on organization and

being punctual which had helped me. Although I have a lack of communication with my group

mates, I have improved a little in working in a group but not to a certain extent. Some things that

I think I can work on are being more engaged with my group members and showing more

initiative with my group members. I think that these standards are important because it led to my

group’s misunderstanding of the project’s criteria and poor planning of the project; with more

communication, I believe that we would have had a better thought-out plan and that the project

aspects would have been more developed. Therefore, I think that with my current group, I need

to try to become more adaptive and communicate more effectively with my group.

Sophia Feng, Period 7, 2/9/23

Sophia Feng Period 7 2/9/23

Modern Mythology 2023

Atomic Habits and Growth

As the second semester of senior year begins, I want to continue my work ethic throughout all my classes. “Senioritis” tends to hit every senior at one point in the year and within a few days into the semester, I have already felt it. The lack of motivation to do homework, study for tests, and pay attention in class feels like the easiest thing to do, but knowing that my average starts at a 0 for numerous classes forces me to continue. 

Recently in Chemistry, we had a quiz and then a surprise test within two days of each other. The fear of keeping my never-seen-before 40% average pushed me to the front of my desk to work on the tedious four assignments. As a result, I passed with the highest test score I ever had. In BC Calculus, homework deadlines have become soft deadlines due to the presence of a substitute teacher. Hence, I have been far behind on homework and classwork assignments as there is no consequence for not completing them on time. In addition, as the Vice President of Korean Culture Club, I manage my own group of dancers for Multicultural. As the date of the performance draws near, I realize more and more details that have to be fixed. Many others say, “Practice makes perfect,” and I wholeheartedly agree. To avoid “senioritis,” the only thing I can do is to continue my current work ethic, not any less so that I have worse results and not any more so that I am tiring myself out. 

In Chemistry, I have been trying to study days before the day of the test rather than cramming it into one night. New seating arrangements that face the board also encourage me to pay attention for longer. I have also added more rehearsal dates for KCC so that my teammates have more time to practice and ask questions. Although some classes such as BC Calculus have caused me to start lagging behind, I have been attempting to match the homework assignments to the lesson being taught on the same day rather than the scheduled video lessons on Google Classroom. By doing this, I have more time to complete certain assignments and I have a better understanding of the topic. With more homework assignments, tests, quizzes, and projects up ahead, I believe that with my current work ethic, I will not fall into the pit of “senioritis.”

Arie Ioselevich, Period 2, 2/6/23

Socio-political Consciousness   

  Contrary to what I usually see in America, I am not someone who gets involved in

politics. I don’t have a favorite party or a favorite candidate because that’s the only thing politics

is right now. I don’t have any political bias which is what makes what I’m about to say very

significant. I feel as if I don’t have any say in how the country I live in is governed. I am neither

old enough or important enough to have a say, but that is beside the point. I feel as if the

average person has zero say as to what goes on federally.

    If I’m being honest, prior to recent events I was one of those people who believed the

1% owned the government. However, I find that the world is just so spontaneous now. In the

matter of seconds, Earth can be destroyed, economies can collapse, and wars can occur. With

the click of a button millions can die. The only people who have this power are the federal

government. They don’t ask citizens how we feel about these topics. Instead they just act and

hope that there are no ramifications. As someone whose parents pay their taxes, I feel like any

tax paying citizen in America should be able to have a say in the actions of the country.

    People usually vote for candidates because of party alignment. People only vote for

policies unless their party supports it. I think that people should get past this and do what they

want, not what they are expected to do. That in my opinion, is what causes a lack of the say of

the people. If the people just back up a party, there really isn’t any room for opinion. This lack of

opinion causes groups of people to become oppressed and very large gaps in the social classes

of America. I think that we should gather the confidence and power and vote for the legislation

we personally believe in. We shouldn't be afraid to speak out.

Tara Lago, Period 6, 2/14/23

 Tara Lago, Period 6, 2/14/23, Modern Mythology 2023 

Atomic Habits and Growth

I find it funny how my blog's due date falls on Valentine's Day, and anyone who knows me well can tell you that I am one of the most anti-romantic people you will meet. Still, while I shirk the roses, kisses, and expensive dinners, I reflect on the relationships I am a part of and what I can do to be a better classmate and groupmate.

If myth has taught me anything, it’s the necessity and power of group work. From discussions to slides presentations to full on play performances, my group and I had to rely on each other to get the work done and succeed. Overall, our collaboration has been fruitful, and thankfully we’ll be able to work together again in the spring semester. However, I notice that in many of my group project endeavors, I somehow have asserted myself as the leader. I came up with our name “The Unamused Muses.” I proposed the puppet show idea for the creation project. I told my group to analyze “The Wedding at Cana.” I said that our Norse story should be transformed into a reality tv show. 

I’m not a dictator, but I’m not an elected official either. I think my ideas are great, my groupmates agree, and we have our solid executions to prove it. Yet I feel that I exert too much control of our projects’ direction.  Thus, my goal for the spring term is to take a step back from my own vision to accommodate theirs. Instead of speaking my idea/opinion immediately, I will directly ask for their thoughts and their ideas. I want to be a facilitator of creativity rather than the definer of it. I have taken steps toward this goal. As a facilitator, I created our team’s group chat so that we can touch base outside of class, schedule times where we could work at the Makerspace for our puppet stage or rehearse our play. I also always wait for their feedback before making any changes. For instance, I initially wanted the Hindu puppets to be shadow puppets, but the rest of the group agreed that they should be detailed and colored. 

For the future, I will assess myself with these two reminders: 

1. Wait to speak. Give everyone time to brainstorm. 

2. When we decide on a project, do not assume responsibility for all the work. Divide and conquer. 

These reminders will be especially helpful as we begin our Monsters in Society project. I already have a monster and story in mind, but I must exercise self-control and create a space for other, possibly better ideas to flourish. I will definitely take these reminders to heart as my team and I formulate our social contract and outline our strategy and communication expectations. I enjoy my group’s company, and based on our previous projects, I know that their contributions are wonderful, valued, and most importantly, uniquely them!

Evelyn Chow, Period 6, 2/6/23

 Evelyn Chow, Period 6, 2/6/23

Literacy & Learning

• Write about your thoughts regarding any of the fiction or nonfiction covered in class

• Reflect on any new information you have learned in English class by considering how that learning influences your critical perception.

• How is what you’re learning applied to any other classes/the world around you?

Since an early age, most of the deities that had been normalized around me have been strong, immortal, and almighty beings. From the God of Christianity, to Vishnu in Hinduism, these gods have existed since the beginning of time and for evermore. Although I’m not religious, I’ve never once questioned why this may be. It seemed obvious that of course, these all-powerful deities would be second to no other and live across the endless journey of time.

But, over time there appeared cracks in my ideologies.

Learning about Norse mythology for the first time in this class introduced me to the possibility of the flaws of these seemingly almighty deities. I knew already that gods were not perfect; Greek gods illustrated this concept incredibly well. But, Greek gods were still incapable of death. Heck, numerous of them were subjected to eternal punishment in compensation for their immortality. Norse gods, though possessing the same tragic personality flaws as the Greeks, were unfortunately much more vulnerable.

Despite each individual god being strong and formidable, ultimately all of them were susceptible to death—in fact, it was honorable even. For the gods who have fallen to Valhalla, they rise again in the wake of Ragnarok and die once more in the earthshaking battles, and this time, forever. When I came across this fact in class I was shocked and I couldn’t wrap my head around this concept. How could gods as mighty as Thor and respectable as Heimdall ever fall so tragically to death? Why would the creators of these myths introduce such somber themes to their works when depicting the gods of their civilizations? 

After the discussions we had in class, its purpose was finally clear to me. The gods weren’t supposed to be perfect—they reflected humans. They made mistakes because humans made mistakes. They died because humans died. After learning this, it was strikingly clear why this would be so. As they are a spiritual guidance for the common population, they are also influential figures for warriors. Since their society is notorious for their battle prowess, it’s important for them to be able to keep their fighting morale high, which they addressed with the existence of Valhalla.

This got me questioning other deities from different cultures around the world as well, and how theirs may reflect the values in which they emphasize in their societies. For instance, going back to the Greeks, their culture revolves around the heavy uses of music in daily life and religious events that can be illustrated by the frequent associations of music in their myths with their deities as well (Hermes with his lyre, the Muses, etc). In Chinese and Korean culture, they placed an importance on the concept of filial piety in which they also reinforced through their folklore such as the Chinese story of Wang Xiang and the Korean folktale Shimchong. 

Seeing the connections between societies and their cultures has broadened my perspective on the diversity of the beliefs possessed by people around the world. My fascination with history has only deepened and I aspire to explore more of the cultures shared by the people around me.  

Theodore Fan, Period 7, 2/7/2023

My thoughts about the Norse mythology we have covered in class: (Literacy and Learning)
I was originally thrilled to be learning about Norse Mythology as all I knew about it was from the Marvel Universe. Big golden palace of Asgard and Thor with his mighty hammer. The recent Loki show on Disney + also made me thrilled about Loki but then we actually started learning about Norse mythology. To hear that life was depressing wasn’t too great. The golden palace didn’t actually exist and giants weren’t actually giant. AND THOR DOESN’T HAVE BEAUTIFUL FLOWING LOCKS! 

The Norse culture that was developed was all about trying to coerce its people to keep striving even if there was no sign of hope in sight. That dying in battle was glorious and honorful so that you would continue to fight on. That you would want to fight on. It sounds really righteous at first but as I thought about it more and more it was just a control tactic used so that the people didn’t dissolve into mayhem. It’s honestly depressing in my eyes.
Which leads to a troubling issue we have in modern times with Marvel.

While Marvel did resurrect/give a resurgence to Norse Mythology popularity, it also came with a bunch of inaccuracies. But it’s a tradeoff right? Norse mythology gets a spike in popularity but also gets more inaccurate the more popular it gets. Part of me wanting to join this class was the fact I heard it covered Norse mythology. Which also leads to while the majority of people take it as inaccurate, there would be a larger population of people who go further than what Marvel covers and learns the real truth of Norse culture. More so than if Marvel never made those movies in the first place. 

The new information I have learned makes me a lot more annoyed at Marvel but as I’ve discussed in the earlier paragraphs, I can’t completely hate it for the influence it has spread. It influences my critical perception because just how many other movies in today's society have given false information? It brings thoughts back to the Fairy Tale unit and all the different versions of Cinderella that we read. They are all different versions of Cinderella yet they are still Cinderella. So then what makes a good transformation?

From what I’ve perceived in Mythology class, a good transformation sticks to the original. It doesn’t remove/wipe any old information with new but rather builds on the old information, giving it a different perspective. For example, in the Musical my group performed as a final project, we decided to take a transformation that looked at Loki’s point of view in the story “The Death of Balder.” In the end, the events still played out as the original but for the reasons why Loki did what he did was completely original/transformative from my group’s creation. 

Now there is still the trade off between originality and popularity but does that mean Marvel should’ve been completely original? I don’t think they should besmirch the original but certain parts of Norse mythology should be avoided if Marvel's goal was trying to invigorate today's society with passion for Norse mythology. But that’s probably not their goal. Their goal is probably just to make a ton of money. While I’ll still continue to be a fan of Marvel movies (probably), with the knowledge of transformations and cultures that I’ve learned about in myth class I can be more aware of what I take to be for the truth in a culture from any media I consume today.