Friday, March 4, 2011

En 12: Blog topic #2

Please take time to comment of the following prompt related to 1984:

What should citizens value most?

13 comments:

  1. Citizens should value the rights given to them by there government, with out these benefits one cold be forced to live in an intolerable state, such as "totalitarianism." As long as one respects these simply laws humanity shall be kept just, and should no longer fear the thought of falling in to the hands of a "revolutionist." With this in mind, we must recognize which rights are given, and which are earned. If these rules are taken advantage of the grasp of the governemt could slip away and this is when things go from bad to worse.

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  2. I would say that the average citizen values equality and fairness most of all. We have fought for many years to demolish racism and prejudice and for the most part we have succeeded, but not entirely. Just because someone has more money, shouldn't mean that they deserve more respect and be considered better. Everyone should be equal at some level or another. Also we value our freedom. The freedom to say what we think and do what we want (to a certain degree). Unlike in 1984, we have rights. If the citizens of Oceania were given the chance, I am certain that they would appreciate what we have. It's valuable to us because we deserve it and achieved it.

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  3. If these rules are taken advantage of, the grasp of the governemt could slip away and this is when things go from bad to worse.***

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  4. I believe that citizens should value life and freedom for the most part. Every citizen in the world is able to value life because everyone has there own unique life. On the freedom topic there are some countries that don't have as much freedom as Canada or United States. Either way they get to enjoy and value life. All in all citizens should value anything and everything.

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  5. I personally cant say what the average citizen values most, because every one person has different views,alas i consider thought and freedom of speech are important something taken from the people of Oceania from the Party. Everyone should have the chance to grow up in a safe society and make their own choices on their own lives

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  6. In general citizens should value life itself. Everyday and everywhere around the world lives are constantly lost and at risk. Many people constantly take their lives for granted, not realizing just how valuable they are. In places such as Canada and the United States, among many other things there is freedom of speech, religion and conscience. For the most part people are allowed to think and do as they please, and practice whichever religion it is that they wish to. People seem to forget, or not realize that it's not like this all around the world, and that there are restrictions to such things. Here people are allowed to express themselves and their opinions, and that is something to be valued.

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  7. Human beings seem to take a lot of things for granted, as if the good things in life are normal. It often takes loosing something to realize that it was actually important or worth appreciating. I think that life in general, and freedom are all great things to value. However but those can disappear at any time. They should be appreciated while they can be. Most Importantly I think Citizens should value their own self as an individual, to know that they can be who they want to be, and fight for what they believe is right. Rather than living in someone else's dream or nightmare, Waiting for the day that someone else stands up for themselves. When someone is trying to shape who you are, it can be hard to remember what it was you were. If you are not yourself, but a mold made by someone else, how can you be free? If you exist in someone else's reality, how is it that you're living?

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  8. What a citizen "should" value the most depends on who they are, and what they believe in. Personally, above all I value the freedom of expression, and women's suffrage. I like having to right to believe in anything, say whatever I wish, and love whomever I choose. Also, here in Canada, women have many more rights than some other countries like Lebanon, or Saudi Arabia. In Lebanon, women have "limited" voting rights, and in Saudi Arabia, women have no voting rights. So what a person values most is their choice, and maybe all some people values is having the right to citizenship.

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  9. You all seem to have taken to this task with genuine care. It is interesting for me to note that many of you touch on the notion of individuality - be it in the form of personal freedoms or in terms of self. A cynical adult might think that you have responded so because, as teens, you are egocentric persons; how would you react to that stereotype?

    Many of you also allude to our "rights." It could be argued, as Janine does, that our right to vote (and thus our ability to replace those who legislate our laws and create our rights) is paramount to all others. And yet, an election usually sees far less than 100% voter turnout. What does that say about what we really value? Aren't we more concerned with having lots of money and free time to spend it?

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  10. I wonder if its to late to comment on this...?

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  11. "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness" is what I believe citizens should value most. Life is our health it should be consider important because without your health you have nothing. In our country we believe government should provide healthcare to all its citizens. Liberty is our freedoms which we need every day to give us a feeling of individuality. Without that we could not have our happiness, and without our happiness we would not want to live.

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  12. I agree with Zach. Freedom is for sure one thing citizens should value most. Living life in "1984" with the "Thought Police" and "Tele-screens" by your side is the last thing anybody would want to live with. Every aspect would destroy your freedom to do anything. For example, no matter what you did "they were soon to get you". On the other hand, Citizens don't value the simple things like friends, spending time with family, and being able to live in a house with windows. Overall,Life has completely evolved and the only wonder i'm left with is how?

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  13. I believe that what citizens should value more than anything is family and friends because no matter what your rules are or what type of life your living they are the people that are always there for you. They are the people that lift you up to your greatest potential and keep happy.

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