mitjones004-blog

[mitjones004-blog]

unscripted.

UNSCRIPTED 

Dear Me,

“There is only one rule… Do not stop typing.” -Fish Burton. Hearing this for the first time had put me to a temporary halt. I began to enter into my thoughts hoping to find something clever, or of some importance, only to really find a blank page.

 Where does this abrupt blank stare come from? As a child, writing was never made into an enjoyable form of expression. Reading novels was under the same category. I remember my mother taking her kids to the library in the hopes that her children would take interest into those black printed words on those off gray colored pages. Her success was never seen until recently. On a timescale, and for the sake of acknowledging improvement, this was within the last few years.

 Writing with a topic vs. writing with a purpose can be acknowledged as two different things. However, one may write with a topic but without a purpose. Or, with a purpose, but not without a topic. Let me explain, over the course of basic education, teachers and professors provide topics on the subject of writing about them. It is simply how it is done. So when one comes along with a topic unscripted and purpose flaring like fireworks, misunderstanding and confusion is most likely the result. Exponentially improving this semester has been the key to my purposeful enjoyment of writing. To elaborate more descriptively, here are some examples (in chronological order).        

 The Morality of Money:

https://mitjones004.tumblr.com/post/615880792876466176/out-of-class-stuff

 Finding a topic has always been difficult, but this essay changed that. This was when I found a passion I never knew was there. Politics is something I thoroughly enjoy writing about. As soon as I returned home to this great American country after two years of being outside, I knew that “We the people…” could be a lot more grateful for the circumstances presented to us in this land. And where this sounds much like pathos, I actually think of it as logos. It is what has given a persuasive, logical appeal in my essays. And the Morality of Money is a great example of that.

 Innocence is:

https://mitjones004.tumblr.com/post/615880792876466176/out-of-class-stuff

 This paper is definitely what brought pathos in as an existing character into my writing. My older brother has Cerebral Palsy, therefore watching him day-to-day can be very humbling. Seeing others with similar and/or the same condition as him brings a lot of emotion to the table. He is innocence, he is influence, and he is my brother.

 The Sanctuary:

https://mitjones004.tumblr.com/post/615880792876466176/out-of-class-stuff

 Humor is a very important element in writing, and this, at least in my opinion, was one of the most humorous short essays I have ever compiled! Not necessarily because of what’s written on the page, but because of the memories it contains. Which brings up the previously mentioned subject of class titled, “memories.” It is not the words on the page that are the memories. But perhaps, the best words are the ones that remind us of the best memories. And sure enough, Taco Bell has lots of those.

 Accountabilities Irresponsibility:

https://mitjones004.tumblr.com/post/615880792876466176/out-of-class-stuff

 I definitely saved the best for last on this one. To give an idea of what it took to write this short essay, I read a total of 6 books titled, Atomic Habits, Take the stairs, The Compound Effect, Business of the 21st century, Rich Dad Poor Dad, and The Greatest Salesman. These books influenced me a lot this semester. They made me realize that I can be good at anything I put both my mind and effort to. One of those things I had the desire for was writing.

 Annotated Bibliography:

https://mitjones004.tumblr.com/post/615880792876466176/out-of-class-stuff

 In terms of my best essay submitted this semester, this one is definitely it. Research is the best part of every essay, it’s when your imagination can come alive and brainstorm. Learning about the topic your writing about is the biggest and most enjoyable part. It will show you whether your writing is just a topic, or actually purposeful. That is the real beauty of knowing you have the right topic. Purpose comes from desire, and desire comes from your ability to obtain knowledge. Learning more about politics through this essay allowed me to gain more of a broad perspective, as well as an appreciation for this country we live in.

 Perspective

Every one of these things positively changed the course of my writing over the course of 2020. However, the road blocks which made the process more of a growing experience as well. I previously mentioned having been accompanied with the only rule ever heard of in the UVU English 2020 course instructed by Fish… “Don’t stop typing.” This allowed creativity, this allowed perspective, and this allowed open mindedness. This let creativity flow through a series of events, as we began writing most of what I had ever written were current events occurring in my life. Perspective was incorporated as soon as a wider viewpoint was established in order to continue typing, and open mindedness went hand in hand. There is purpose in this, not just a scripted topic.

 Nationalistic Compatibility:

https://mitjones004.tumblr.com/post/615880792876466176/out-of-class-stuff

 Of them all, this essay was the hardest, and most learned of. Choosing a topic for this essay was rather difficult, especially considering how I chose the wrong topic. This gave me a leap in my writing skills, learning how to compensate for the lack of available information. In the last semester English course, I wrote a very similar paper to this one. Overall, it was a very successful paper, and very similar to the one I wrote this semester. This helped my knowledge of the overall topic increase exponentially. For the future, I will absolutely expand onto other topics, expounding my knowledge.

 Continuing my writing career is going to be different from here on out. Writing won’t just be a topic, or even black printed words on those off gray colored pages, it is going to be purposeful. I’ve changed my perspective on writing, but I am still the same.

[mitjones004-blog]

out of class stuff

The Sanctuary

I’ve put in some long and hard thought into what I would write about in the short 250 word free-write. When it finally hit me I became more stoked than anything else could have ever made me in that moment. This is something that has driven and fueled my passions for years, other than my hormones. This is Taco Bell.

         To put into words the history-making experiences I have with my buddies at Taco Bell will be extravagantly, and explicitly kept as though it were the dying emblem of one of my very own ancestors. Kept where you may ask? Just as the saying goes, “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.” The same is done with Taco Bell. Therefore I will make the suggestion that you finish reading this free-write essay inside of the sanctuary of any chosen Taco Bell location.

          Senior year, PROM; As the limousine approaches, it is noticed by the gentlemen that the windows are tinted both inside, and outside of the vehicle. Just as expected; our dates had been waiting for very long to find out what we would be enjoying as dinner on that night, and to each questioned raised on the subject, the response remained the same as a mere, “We’re figuring it out.”; Suddenly, the limo comes to a halt, stepping out of the limo the reaction defined in one word could have been nothing less than priceless. Each one of our dates knowing full well the obsession, addiction, passion, religious devotion, or whatever you may call it to Taco Bell was worthy of our senior year prom’s dinner. Years would pass on and these extravagant, and most explicit experiences would continue. Whether it was passing by Taco Bell Headquarters in Irvine, California, entering into the one and only Taco Bell merchandise store in Las Vegas, or just simply competing with our own record of eating at Taco Bell more than 8 times in one week. There is no end.

332 words

 Accountabilities Irresponsibility

         Going through life we must remain accountable for all of our actions. There is a consequence for every action taken, both good and bad. And to avoid the bad, one thing I have found useful is planning. Not just in your head, making a general idea of how things will work out, but creating a detailed outline of life. That is a part of where pure accountability comes from. When one decides that they are accountable, they decide that everything which comes their way is 100% due to their actions. Even when you clearly had no control over it. This has very little to do with fault, and everything to do with accepting what comes your way. Whether you are ‘lucky’ or not. Through life, I have found that my ‘luck’ has gotten increasingly better as I have bettered myself in my habits, attitude, and so much more. This “luck,” has turned into mere results for my hard work. If anybody thinks Lebron James got into the NBA because he got lucky, they are sorely mistaken. Clearly it is because of hard work ethic, determination, good habits, and accountability. That is why I think ‘luck’ is the irresponsibility of accountability. It has no correlation with it, yet, benefit still comes from it. This benefit is just what has come from hard work. Each person has the opportunity to create what I like to refer to as atomic habits using a compound effect. If one person wants to do better in any aspect of their life whether it be in athletic ability, eating habits, education, work, family, all they have to do is begin one habit. If one wants to start a better eating habit, start to track every calorie that goes into your body. That will surely do the trick every time you need to write down, “slice of chocolate cake” on that piece of paper. You’ll think at least twice before taking your first bite.

330 words

The Game Plan

   A Routine

 The Morality of Money

Money is one of the greatest known influences in the world today. It determines much of what you do, depending on how much or how little you have. As humans, meeting our basic needs with the amount of money we have is what we strive for in our day to day activities. Everything revolves around that basic concept. We go to the store so we can buy food to survive, we have a job to make money providing for these needs, we take care of our own children to be able to not only sustain our race on this planet, but to help sustain our emotional, and even spiritual necessities. Everything revolves around meeting these basic needs, and so much more. What will determine how well these needs are met, is the money we earn, which is determined by the amount of qualified labor exerted. 

          In a recent tweet published by Ilhan Omar; a politician in the House of Representatives for the 5th congressional district of Minnesota. She gives her moral standpoint of how money should be distributed, “Walmart CEO’s salary last year: $23,618,233. A Walmart worker’s median pay last year: $21,952 The issue isn’t that these employees aren’t working hard enough. It’s that our system doesn’t value workers. And it’s a moral outrage.” This text is implying that regardless of occupational status within one’s company, there should be a connection between the salary of the highest payed worker (the CEO), and the lowest payed worker (the store employee). This connection would reside in the overall net income of the company. Suggesting that the CEO makes 60% (ex.) of the overall income, while store employees make 40% (ex.) through hourly wages. The reasoning she gives for this, is to better value workers in the system. 

                    The amount of money earned is determined by the amount of qualified labor exerted. In other words, the value of any worker is based off of the tasks he/she is required to perform, along with the qualifications they possess. These qualifications may be expressed in several different ways. I have come to the conclusion that these qualifications consist of many different determining factors, however, I will state three of them, which for the purpose of the essay, are the most important: 1) An educational degree. 2) Years of experience within a particular field of work. 3) Ownership of ideas. At least one of these may be expressed situationally as a difference between the CEO of Walmart, vs. a store employee. That is what I will be analyzing throughout the rest of my essay.

          An educational degree is very important in this process of analyzing evidence. According to a study done in July of 2019, a college graduate makes anywhere from 38%-167% more than one without a university degree depending on the state you live in. This is a substantial difference that shows us the quality of jobs one obtains with a degree. Unless by choice, a person will not take a lower paying job such as a store employee, when they may have another with higher pay. On the other hand, persons without a university degree are limited as to where they may obtain a job. They lack the qualifications necessary for anything above an hourly paying job, unless they have several years of experience. Leading into my next piece of evidence. There are many benefits for staying with one company throughout an extended period of time. Many businesses will reward you with substantial benefits such as a pay increase, position upgrade, as well as others. This is due to the knowledge you have gathered throughout the allotted time you have stayed with the business. However, you may only excel to a certain point within one company, and it is very difficult, with little compensation compared to the amount of time you spend working. The CEO is someone who generally speaking, has some form of a college degree. He is well educated, and has very much experience in the market he resides in. While the store employee frankly does not. His salary, is no limited to anything, other than the amount of work he is willing to put into his company, to help it grow. Depending on the size of the company, and its products, the CEO will receive his salary.

          As an employee, you have very limited say in what goes on in the workplace. This is due to the lower position you hold. Any idea, or suggestion you have is not your own. It is the companies, or in other words, the CEO’s. In many cases, the most you will receive for any innovated idea is a verbal recognition. The profits made off of a profitable idea would all go towards the company, and thus ending at the CEO. While you are working on somebody else’s clock, you are essentially their property. You agree to do what they ask you to do, and decide that you are a part of them. One Walmart employee cannot create another store named “Walmart,” because it already exists somewhere else! Even if it were originally his idea. Because he was worked there at the time he mentioned the idea, he had no way of making it his own. This helps determine the difference in salary between the CEO and the employee. Generally speaking, the original idea of the business came from the CEO. He owns the creative mindset that had established everything around him (in the case of Walmart as well as many others), so he must be the one who profits from it. Therefore, for an employee to benefit more than he already is from his hourly wage, is not ethical. However, raising the hourly wage due to the quality of labor performed, or the educational level of the employee is a sound argument.

 What Ilhan Omar suggests, is that $23,618,233 is too much money for one person to be profiting off of, and therefore must be distributed among the other workers.  Specifically, to the lower class within the workplace. This political mindset is to help put government regulations on how much money one person can make. Whether that means putting a limit as to how rich you can be, or how poor you can be. This would be ethically wrong, putting this limit would hinder the upper class by putting a cap on how successful they could be. Or in other words, just how smart and educated one could be. For example, one group of people who are within the upper class are doctors. They are in this class due to the amount of education they must receive to be certified for the tasks performed. They receive their compensation for this. However, if a limit is placed, yes, more of their money would be distributed to the lower class, but the success of the upper class would be inhibited entirely. As Omar suggests, establishing a percentage as to how the profit of a company is distributed would create chaos in the business market. This is due to the gap between large and small businesses. An employee who works at Apple, Nike, or Tesla would have a very high revenue, while an employee at a small startup business would take home a significantly lower revenue. Over time, this would cause a downfall in small businesses, due to a lack of employees with the desire to work for these smaller companies, because of the amount of money they would receive. And eventually, creating an even larger gap between the upper and lower classes, defeating the purposes to which Omar suggests would help.

In 2009, China took the lead in implementing a restricted salary for CEO’s, due to the argument that executive pay was excessive and unjustified by performance, and should thus be restricted. The results for this were just as drastic as the cut in CEO salary, affecting primarily the performance of the overall companies for the worse. CEO’s had decided that if they couldn’t increase their salary, they would instead increase their benefits such as company cars, bonuses, company vacations, etc. These incentives didn’t benefit the average employee whatsoever, thus demotivating them from doing their job. These performance issues could happen here in the most industrial country that exists in the world today. Our capitalistic economy is used to benefit everybody that seeks out success.

 In our economy today, capitalism is used help each American to achieve their dreams. And in this land of opportunity we may achieve those based off of the quality of labor that we perform. Hence the phrase, where little is expected, little is given. Where much is expected, much is given. Each person has been custom built the opportunity to succeed in this country, and whether they take this opportunity is their choice. Any successful CEO earned their profits through their own proper labor. To distribute a CEO’s pay to anything less than what he has earned through his business would be immoral, and unethical.

 Hidden Figures:

The movie “Hidden Figures” Margot Lee Shetterly was released January 6, 2017. A movie based off the 1930’s-1960’s. This was an interesting time in history when segregation was being inflicted on people of color. And women being discriminated against as well. This movie shows how three intelligent women of color made a difference in society. The first one is Mary Jackson, a dedicated Engineer being used as a “computer” for the N.A.S.A. Space Program. Segregated along with about 30 other women of color, she decides to jump out of her social norm, applying to be an Engineer for N.A.S.A. She is reluctantly declined for the position due to new standards of having to graduate from a specific University. Of which was only accepted white colored people. She was quickly put right back where she started. Until she decides to take a stand. File, and present a court case. After months of waiting, studying, and preparing, she presents, and becomes the first black woman to enter into an all white university.

Kathrine Golbe also presents a significant role in this true story. As a remarkable mathematician she is accepted into the N.A.S.A. launch program. Working in a room where she stands alone. Alone as the only colored woman. Where all she gets are awkward stares and extra labor. She is widely discriminated against, because, as Paul Stafford says, “That’s just the way things are.” Kathrine does everything in her power to represent what is morally and ethically right. In the end, her ideas and her color are more widely accepted.

Dorothy Vaughan was an activist in striving to improve the work environment for her Native American employees at N.A.S.A. Fighting against power in the workplace, she takes an initiative in educating herself, and 30 other women to operate a newly developing machine. Successfully, her and her entire team get promoted into the program.

This movie demonstrates good morals, by showing us that people and government should always stand up for what is morally and ethically right. Running against society if needed, just as these three women did.

   Glory: 2hours2minutes

Glory is a film released in 1989, based off the true story of Robert Gould Shaw. This is a traumatic story, beginning with Robert being injured during battle. Receiving a medical leave, he returns home only to be offered a Colonol position of the 54th Massachusetts Regiment. This wasn’t any regiment, this was the first all colored regiment ever established. In the beginning, all the way up towards the end, the 54th faced many trials. The men learn that, in response to the Emancipation Proclamation, the Confederacy had issued an order that all black soldiers would be returned to slavery. Black soldiers found in a Union uniform will be executed as well as their white officers. They each had a single moment to back out with an honorable discharge, leaving in the night with their belongings. By the time Colonol Shaw had woken up, he walked outside with a sight before his eyes. Every soldier had stayed. With a devotion stronger than ever to serve their country. They all continued on through intense training, awaiting the day for when they would finally see battlefront. This was one of their biggest struggles, they were being used for nothing but manual labor, and pointless missions, until Colonol Shaw decided to put his foot down. To fight for his men to see battle.

This wasn’t all he had demanded, his troops were lacking proper uniforms, and shoes. With their feet being torn up throughout the intense training, Shaw fought to have his men get what they deserve as soldiers for the army. Towards the end of the film, the 54th is faced with a trying task. They volunteer to attack Fort Wagner. A troop charge that is certain to result in heavy casualties. And when asked if the regiment is ready for such a task, Shaw replies, “There’s more to fighting than rest Sir, there’s character.” This is a bold statement that showed courage. And that is what I believe is one of the things this movie shows representing good ethics. The 54th was not just simply fighting for themselves. As a matter of fact, they were fighting for all the people within the country, and for their generations to come. “We fight for men whose poetry is not yet written.”

  Hearing His Voice - David P. Homer

 When I was on the mission. Our mission Presidents wife had looked at us, and asked how well we could recognize other peoples voices. Like your moms, or your best friends, or anyone else around you! We all kinda knew where she was going with this. But then looking at us, she said, “Well let’s see how well you can recognize this voice…” After playing the voice recording, nobody had even remotely recognized who was talking. Until a hand went up and said, “Was that my mom??”

It was. As missionaries we got quite a bit out of this training. Including being trunky out of our minds as she went through some of the missionaries mothers voices.

 There are so many competing voices in our world today. People who are willing to do anything to gain our attention. Anything from breaking news, to tweets, Siri, and so many more. And we must pick and choose which voices we will trust.  Sometimes we’re going to follow what is most convenient, sometimes, where everyone else seems to go, and other times simply whichever offers the most pleasing outcome.

And it will not always be, that these choices will lead the the right path. David P. Homer says, “What is popular is not always what is best. Halting between two opinions brings no direction. Convenience rarely leads to things that matter. Fixation on a single voice or issue can impair our ability to see. And relying solely upon our own thinking can lead us into a hyper intellectual stupor of thought.”

 Many people believe, that the only voices which affect them are the ones they choose to listen too. But just as those create an impact, the ones you choose to NOT listen to will affect you as well. We cannot be careful enough in choosing who we’re around, who we follow, and even what ads pop up on our technology devices. Too much time in faithless places, will let well-intended voices dry us out of a more spiritual voice we must so attentively pay attention to.

 OBEY the Commandments

If you want to here Gods input for your life you must be worthy of it. I had a guy once look at me on the mission and tell me that even though he was selling drugs, that God was still with him. Helping him. He could not be more wrong. No member of the Godhead can be before even the least allowance of sin. Daily repentance is needed. And God not only asks us, that we remain worthy of this special gift he so freely gives. But that we ask, seek, and knock.

How can we just “not be sinning” and expect to have his divine help. We would be as said in general conference, “casually living the gospel.” Instead of devotedly. If you are casually living the gospel, I invite you to do better, and be better.

 Paul is a great example of this. Over and over again, he gives his conversion story to anybody and everybody that is willing to hear. He was a great, devoted member of the church! Today he is known as a man of great faith, that obtained success through his efforts, and belief in the Savior. But just as he was and is all this that’s been said, he was also very much like each one of us. I don’t think he walked around saying, “Man I’ve got all this faith why don’t I go move a mountain right now. Or baptize enough people to get pneumonia! (Jefferey R. Holland)

He mightave been a little scared at times. Didn’t always know what to say. But if there were ANY difference between him, and us. It would be his diligence in adhering to the word of God, and his ability, to listen to the spriit.

  A Word of Caution

I would like to extend a word of caution. The Holy Ghost is there to guide us, protect us, lift us up, and so much more. But “hearing his voice,” does not mean we sit in our rooms on our knees, waiting for a voice to come and tell us what to do.

Moroni 7:16-17  For behold, the aSpirit of Christ is given to every bman, that he may cknow good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.

17 But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do aevil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no, not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject themselves unto him.

 The best thing we can do, in any given moment, is to go about doing good. And I promise that on your path you will be placed before you. During the last two years, I was pretty conflicted on deciding which university I would attend. I searched for an answer for months. In every way possible. Until one day I came across this statement by Dallin H. Oaks (I have read it already, to a small group of you. But I feel it’s important), “A person may have a strong desire to be led by the Spirit of the Lord but… Unwisely extends that desire to the point of wanting to be led in all things. A desire to be led by the Lord is a strength, but it needs to be accompanied by an understanding that our Heavenly Father leaves many decisions for our personal choices. Personal decision making is one of the sources of the growth we are meant to experience in mortality. Persons who try to shift all decision making to the Lord and plead for revelation in every choice will soon find circumstances in which they pray for guidance and don’t receive it. For example, this is likely to occur in those numerous circumstances in which the choices are trivial or either choice is acceptable.

“We should study things out in our minds, using the reasoning powers our Creator has placed within us. Then we should pray for guidance and act upon it if we receive it. If we do not receive guidance, we should act upon our best judgment. Persons who persist in seeking revelatory guidance on subjects on which the Lord has not chosen to direct us may concoct an answer through the medium of false revelation.”

 Most of the decisions we make in our lives, come based off our own knowledge and understanding. Rarely the spirit will be able to place something in your mind you don’t already have a base knowledge of. That’s what the scripture, “Line upon line, precept upon precept,” means. And the last part of that scripture reads, “for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have.”  That is why studying the gospel, is so important. That is why we ask, seek, and knock. And why alma wants us to plant a seed in our hearts, so that one day it may grow into a perfect knowledge. God, the Holy Ghost, the Savior plead that we make our own decisions. They will lead us and guide us but the decisions are ours. That was the plan. That is free agency.

 The PLAN was not to send us down here for him to tell us where to go, what to do, and what to say in any and all moments. That is the opposite. I don’t want to say that God will not help us make our decisions. I want to say that he will NEVER take away our free agency. Our right to choose. And as you choose carefully, he will bless you, and help you to know you are on the right path.

So now I ask, what is the relationship between our own personal judgement, and relying on the spirit? It is exactly what we’ve mentioned. Free Agency. And the knowledge of good and evil, or in other words, the “Light of Christ.”

These things have been with us since the beginning of time.

  How you use your free agency will align your own judgement with the will of God, or not. But if you use it wisely, you will remain sensitive to his promptings. As well as to what isn’t right. It is very possible for us to become num, or even routined with things that aren’t morally, or spiritually right. As the spirit did to the Lamanites and Nephites, he will withdraw himself more and more.

 Where we can find his voice

 There are numerous ways we can find his guiding voice. They’re all the primary answers. And looking for the Holy Ghost in any one of these places is good! But looking in several of them is better! After listening carefully, we can do as President Thomas S. Monson directs, “We watch. We wait. We listen for that still, small voice. When he speaks, wise men and women obey.”

 I would like to finish off with a quote by our prophet, of which I’m pretty sure gets mentioned at least once every week. It’s powerful. He says, “in coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.”6  

 I know the Holy Spirit can reveal all things unto us, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amem.

[mitjones004-blog]

Nationalistic Compatibility

         The connections between people on both a national and global scale are greatly studied between philosophers, psychologists, politicians, as well as many other groups. These connections are more widely recognized as nationalism and globalism.  These two completely different scales are defined very independently of one another, yet still have many similarities. Nationalism is often noted as a patriotic movement which supports the idea of a specific nation moving forward separate from any other. Where globalism is defined as determining the interconnections people and nations have on a world-wide scale. I will be analyzing these similarities and differences between both a nationalistic and globalist ideology.

    What is a nation? What is its purpose? A nation is what occupies sovereignty over a specific territory. A territory is essential to differentiate the ingroup from the outgroup in order to obscure the historical contingency of the nation. Leaving or entering into a nation is a typical feature that defines individual rights a nation has. The only legitimacy a nation owns is based off of sovereignty recognized by the United Nations (UN). Generally representing an ideological movement for attaining and maintaining autonomy, unity and identity for a population which some of its members deem to constitute an actual or potential nation.

 In a recent journal article by Olivia Miller on “The Effects of Nationalism On Humanity.” She begins by stating the difference between patriotism and nationalism. Miller settles the differences between them by describing them as ideological brothers rather than “distant cousins.” She says, “Nationalism is not an irrational sentiment that can be banished from contemporary politics through enlightening education; it is one of the modern world's foundational principles and is more widely accepted than its critics acknowledge.” This shows that nationalism isn’t considered an adopted form of government or even an idea implemented within a nation. But that it comes naturally acquainted with the nation and its people, as a form of patriotism, which in Millers case, can be taken to the extreme. Defining nationalism as a feeling people have of being proud of their country, often accompanied by the belief that it is better off, and far more important than other countries can potentially lead to a dangerous road. An example given of this was the underlying cause of World War I. She states, “Prior to the beginning of World War I, Europeans had a lot of pride in their nation, and honestly believed they were the best. This thought process also lead to the belief that other nations were threatened by them, and were plotting their demise.” This war is a prime example of nationalistic nations.

 Viewing nationalism from different perspectives allows individuals to see each one has a commonality. That is the fear of losing a nation's individual sovereignty. Having a place to call home is an important element in nationalism that fuels itself. 

Populism is a contributing factor to what nationalism is. This is defined as the pure people and the corrupt elites. And depending on whether you are on the left wing party or right wing party who the pure people are, and who the elites are tends to differ.

 In defending nationalism, Amartya describes globalism as westernization. What she seeks to imply is by implementing a form of globalism, or in other words, one world wide government, you are essentially expanding the western world. Since it is the western side of the world that is more technologically and industrially advanced, they would be forced to sustain and thrive the rest of the eastern side. This would prove to be most difficult. With her words she explains, “Western dominance--sometimes seen as a continuation of Western imperialism--is the devil of the piece. In this view, contemporary capitalism, driven and led by greedy and grabby Western countries in Europe and North America, has established rules of trade and business relations that do not serve the interests of the poorer people in the world.” Globalism, if implemented, would eradicate the drive for nationalism by eliminating borders between nations and thus intertwining the people of the world. However, this is just one effect to the cause of globalization. 

 Another influence on globalism would be a constitutional view of populism. Populism is a way for minorities to have a say in what is going on within a particular sovereignty. It means that the majority vote doesn't necessarily win. In this case, Tea Partiers intend to “be vigilant to insure that elites with what the movement calls their "one-world government" ideas and bureaucratic agendas of class privilege do not dominate foreign policy debates.” (Mead) The implication of this quote suggests that in a world wide government maintaining a populist ideology would prove to be more difficult. This is because of the form of government (some form of oligarchy)  that would take place on the front lines for the world.      

 Since social media has enabled both nation-wide and world-wide information to be wildly exploited it has allowed globalization to be pursued even more. However the current effects social media has on a nation are bigger than the effects there are on the world.

Addressing populism on a national level may be different depending on where you stand on a political scale. Whether that being left wing or right wing. Some on the right wing (more conservative) would view populism in a nation as “us (the nation) having access to the collective goods of the state, and the elites are those corrupt outsiders and their collaborators, who seek to undermine “our” sovereignty.”(Collins) While those on the left wing would say, “focuses on economic exploitation and inequality – the people are “us”, the exploited and economically deprived, while the elites are those associated with free trade, globalisation and Western imperialism.” (Collins) They therefore suggest that left wing and right wing are just as it is implied, complete opposites. To elaborate more, the left will view the elites as those attempting to expand the western world, also known as the western nations. 

 In the light of comparing globalism and nationalism side by side, some have different opinions of globalism vs. nationalism. One is in an article titled, “What do we need more of-- Nationalism or Globalism?” (Frank). Nationalism has two effects:  “It increases wealth and makes it more unequal. Nationalism looks better to a lot of people because it doesn’t cause the problems of income inequality that globalism does, but globalism with appropriate policies to deal with its tendency to exacerbate inequality would be better overall.”(Frank) This states that globalism is better on nations as a whole, and where this may be true in arguing income equality, it is not in obtaining wealth. Nationalism is the more pursued ideology in obtaining wealth, globalism actually accomplishes more in having income equality by diversifying the rich from the poor. This is because of the form of government that is created in a global government. It’s a form of socialism where money is divided less based on labor as in a market economy, and more through a form of taxation. The rich are taxed far more than the poor in order to divide wealth. 

Frank continues to argue that capitalism (as seen in our nation) has an inability to satisfy the needs of the entire population and has become a threat to democracy. This is clearly not true due to a booming economy. There is no factual evidence that capitalism is failing to aid the nation economically.

Maintaining government on a national scale would have some of these same benefits as well as consequences, however, on a different scale. Allowing an easier route to be taken. One of the most defining differences between nationalism and globalism is this scale at which both exist. Clearly one is larger than the other, creating a gap of size and population. This can be a positive or a negative factor depending on the resources provided. Little resources provided to a larger population will make the population suffer. On the opposite end if there are more resources than there are people within the population they will flourish. These resources are on a different level of attainability depending on where you live, which is why each nation or sovereignty would be affected differently under the same government. Now, deciding whether this is more beneficial in a global form of government over a national one would be deciding the fate, or flourishment of each group of people. Who would benefit more in globalism, whether it would be the rich, or the poor, for example. In analyzing this concept, we consider how globalism functions. All of the wealth and industries are distributed to help the world’s population expand economically. This is done to accomplish its overall purpose of the expansion of the Western nations as a whole, in order to help eastern societies progress and sustain themselves. Now, when we speak of dividing the wealth and industries, most of this must be taken from the rich, because the poor don’t have the substantial amount to divide among others. Therefore, the poor benefit more in the cause of globalism creating more of a socialistic form of government.  

Both globalism, and nationalism may also be taken too far. Globalism may be unfair to a lot of hard-working people who don’t have the skills, education, or simply the luck to be in the sectors that benefit from globalization. This would most likely be considered the western world. “The danger of nationalism taken too far is first of all the mistreatment of many in the society. Nationalism always poses a terrible danger to anyone who is not part of the ethnic majority. Or in other words, the elites. Nationalism is also bad for the economy because openness helps efficiency, and immigration helps the workforce.”(Frank) As with the article, I do agree that openness helps the economy due to trade. However, immigration does not help the workforce. These immigrates statistically speaking are not providing support in any way. They would only use government funding to build up not the nation, but themselves through government programs.

In the world there exist different types of globalism, whether it be globally shared social media, global trade, and several other examples. They then detail how they will use these already globalized subjects to determine more or less through analytical data how a global government would stand up next to a nationalistic government. Authors typically emphasize the economic relationships, while others point out the cultural ones. According to typical dictionary definitions an economic status would increase trade around the world, especially by large companies producing and trading goods in many different countries. As to a cultural  situation in which available goods and services or social and cultural influences gradually become similar in all parts of the world. Many people over time have slowly become more and more afraid of globalization according to the article. They become more afraid of the consequences it produces.

Arguing that any, and all contact with the world needs to be cut off is not beneficiary in any way to a nation, unless the ability to mass produce at an inexpensive opportunity cost were possible. They present more of an individualistic perspective in determining nationalism vs. globalism. Ron Paul explains his argument by saying, “We don’t need to be the world’s policeman.” In a sense, he is saying one country would essentially rule the world, governing, and dictating everything. 

In determining effects of nationalism vs. globalism there are many different factors which all add up in leading us to our own personal preference. Overall, maintaining political standpoints on a national level in order to keep a more individualistic, close-nit form of government will lead us to a more successful future as a human race. But if a globalized government will help in industrializing the world, helping to create more economic and political power, thrive the nations then that is what must be strived for. These forms of government exist independently of one another and have a similar base idea of how to help the world and or nation prove to be more successful. But the way they approach it, as well as the magnitude at which they exist is what determines their success. Similarly, both nationalism and globalism are each born of the same economic, social, and cultural factors that help shape the overall drive of the particular region.

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Opinion Series

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Annotated Bibliography

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Nationalistic Compatibility Continued....

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Nationalistic Compatibility

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the sanctuary

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Innocence is