BLOG ENTRY 6

How would an Athenian of the 5th Century BCE criticize our present-day representative democracy?

An Athenian of the 5th Century BCE would criticize our present-day representative democracy by saying our democracy does not give the common man enough power. To have any power in our current democracy you must be a politician and win elections. It takes much time and effort. Few common men and women have the time and patience to do such a thing. Athenians were randomly chosen and given power. Any man could represent his village. Not the case n our current democracy. Also Athenians biggest terms were 2 years. Currently our biggest terms are 6 years (not counting judges who serve for life). The Athenians would criticize us because in their opinion it would be very easy for a politician to abuse their power, and keep it for those 6 years.

BLOG #5

How do we see Mayan values exemplified in modern society?

There is many ways we see Mayan values in modern society including love for art, importance of religion, and being advanced as a country. Art is an appreciated aspect of modern society. In your every day life you must see or hear at least one work of art, whether that be a painting on the wall or the music you listen to on your ipod. Art is everywhere and valued highly just like in Mayans times. The Maya put there artwork every where, from on doorways to on murals in temples. Today in our society of you do not believe in some sort of religion you are seen as an outsider. Religion is so important to our society that the whole USA gets days off work and school to celebrate religious holidays. The Mayans also believed very strongly in religion and in their gods. Many aspects of the Mayan culture was related to religion. Also the USA tries to be the number 1 nation on the planet with its technological breakthroughs. From inventing the light bulb to inventing the car the US has done much to help the rest of the world do every day things faster and easier. The Mayans also prided themselves with being very advanced. They invented a calendar with 365 days a year which we still use today. They built pyramids on par if not greater than the rest of the world, even though the Mayans had no contact with the rest of the world. One can tell Mayans had a direct influence to America and modern society on our values.

Two Ancient Philosophies Blog

Daoism and Legalism are two very different philosophies that I believe both work effectively in maintaining order. Legalism believes that the human nature is selfish and needs to be contained. Law keeps the common man in his place. If one breaks the law death could be a punishment. Legalism is so strict that the common man is too scared to do anything wrong. Legalism effectively maintains order by enforcing the law very strictly and by discouraging education which could maintain a revolt. Daoism is the opposite. The philosophy of Daoism wants you to ignore society and laws, and follow nature. By being at peace with nature, the common man does not do any wrong. Having choice and being free the common man in Daoism does no harm. Daoism does for an effective way to maintain peace and order. One philosophy is extreme strictness, one is extreme choice, both work to maintain order.

Effective Order 9/29

What is the most effective way for a ruler to maintain order?

The most effective way for a ruler to maintain order is through reward and punishment. This means the ruler sets up a traditional punishment facility like a jail. If you steal, you will go to jail. The flaw to most ruler's punishment systems is there is no reward system. The most effective way to cut down on crime and stealing is to give out money/bonuses to the people who do nothing. For example when you come of adult age (18) that is when you would start my reward system. Each month you would get a sum of money, less taxes, or something along those lines. The longer you do not accumulate any crimes the more of a reward you will get. So now you do not only have the motivation not to steal because you will go to jail, but also because you will gain a reward at the end of the month.

I do agree to Jared Diamond's thesis of geographical luck. Eurasia is home to 13 of the 14 domesticated animals in the world, and home to better crops and plants. New Guinea has no domesticated animals, and New Guinea's crops cannot sustain a big population. Wheat and Barley have many calories and give much energy a civilization's people. New Guinea's taro root and bananas do not give enough calories to sustain a big population. Also,New Guinea has no domesticated animals. This means they have to do all hard labor themselves, and do not have reliable milk, meat, and wool from such animals as cows, goats, and sheep. Eurasia does not have to worry about hard labor or not getting enough meat because they are home to 13 of the 14 domesticated animals. Jared Diamond's thesis is the best explanation I have heard of why the "white men" have more "stuff."

Farming Advantages Disadvantages Answer

Farming creates a vast, reliable source of food for a colony settled in one area. Advantages of farming agriculture include a source of food you can rely on and control. If you rely on wild plants, the plants could disappear at any time. When you farm your own plants you can protect them and water them. Another advantage of farming is that you can feed much more people than hunter-gatherers. With farming you do not have to search every night for a new source of food. One of the disadvantages of farming is that farms are not mobile. If you are a group of people that travel around a lot, a farm will not suit you at all. Also to maintain a farm you must put lots of energy and resources into it. Some colonies prefer to hunt and gather than maintain a farm.