Toronto Centre Island: Threats of Urban Sprawling

Toronto Centre Island: Threats of Urban Sprawling

Introduction   

            Toronto Centre Island is a favorite tourist destination because of its beaches and favorable characteristics versus the negative effects of urbanization in the Toronto Area. This part of the province had experienced a boom in population and unbalanced urbanization characterized by social polarization and urban sprawl. Despite the island’s efforts to maintain the cleanliness and good environmental condition to improve conservation, it is not immune to the destructive urban planning that had been happening in Toronto. In this report, we look into the history of urbanization in Toronto and the threats of urban sprawling and pollution as urban issues for Toronto Centre Island.

Urban Planning

Urban planning is often a complicated undertaking that many fail to realize the scale of its effects on the present and future generations. To some it is a purely intellectual and straightforward practice. However, there are those that say otherwise, especially in the case of Toronto’s planning practices (Crawford 2011). One of the views espoused is that planning systems are essentially political and ideological creations that demonstrate the current trend among western economies that try to balance competitiveness on one hand, and sustainable development on the other. And yet they fail to realize that urban planning is more than an academic or economic undertaking. Urban planning should also take into consideration the impact upon the environment as well as the people who will actually live these masterfully designed urban spaces (Crawford 2011). Another problem is that there is a tendency for government to come up with “narrow-mandate” agencies with specific goals that are based on fragmented planning visions and poor public engagement, which results in suboptimal results.

This only emphasizes the need for planners to be transparent about the dynamics of power relations. Planners should also drive for community engagement because doing so would come up with better results (Crawford 2011). This is in relation to a research conducted that refers to concept of the level of reward that individuals get from their social networks. The notion is that in order to garner support for local development initiatives government should enhance the social networks that locals have in the communities because if an individual gets more satisfaction from social networks outside the community then they would not support local initiatives. In essence, an individual would only care about initiatives in their community only they can get satisfaction from the social networks within the community.

Jacobs and Appleyard (1987) note that it has been over 50 years since Le Corbusier and the International Congress of Modern Architecture (CIAM) came up with its manifesto, and yet it is still a strong influence. It has come under attack from many concerned sectors such as sociologists, planners and even architects themselves. In hindsight, it grew out as a response to the growing number of ill-planned cities that emerged in the 1930s. The manifesto laid down physical requirements for establishing humane, healthy, and beautiful urban environments for people (Jacobs and Appleyard 1987).  Jacobs and Appleyard (1987) noted various problems that modern urban designers must face, such as poor living environments, giantism and loss of control, the loss of public life and large-scale privatization, centrifugal fragmentation, destruction of valued places, placelessness, injustice, and rootless professionalism. Indeed, when one looks into the problems presented by the authors, it would not be hard to see that these problems are increasingly becoming evident in Toronto.

History of Urbanization in Toronto

            In about two centuries, Toronto was able to grow from being a British colony into an urban region composed of 5 million people (Young & Keil, 2005; Solomon, 2011; Cullingworth, 1987). One of the most distinguishing features of Toronto is that it is located near a body of water. As such, its waterfront has been an integral part of its history. Prior to European settlement, Toronto was home to Aboriginal Peoples who utilized the area as the start of a shortcut from the lower to upper great lakes (Waterfront Toronto 2013). Although early French settlers knew of the Toronto passage, it was not until the 1720s that they set up permanent residence in Toronto. It was in 1720 when the French set up a small trading post in the Humber River. By 1750, Fort Rouille was built on the Lake Ontario shoreline just east of Humber. At the end of the American Revolution, Toronto gained prominence as a site to exploit the fur trade and to settle.

The British saw Toronto’s potential as a naval base because its defensible harbors would allow General John James Simcoe to Lake Ontario (Waterfront Toronto 2013). The Toronto passage would also allow the passage of supplies and troops if the Americans had captured Lake Erie. It was the construction of Fort York that is considered the birth of urban Toronto in 1793. By the 1800s it was quite evident that since much of trade was by boat, building manufacturing sites close to the waterfront was the wise thing to do. Building factories along the shore allowed for the easy delivery of supplies and for finished products to be effectively transported. In the 1830s and 1840s as manufacturing grew, it became apparent that the land along the waterfront was limited (Waterfront Toronto 2013). Shipping, railway, and industrial infrastructure could not grow under such circumstances. As such, massive lake filling was undertaken to reclaim the land. For the next hundred years, it became a practice to gradually fill the land southward in order to accommodate the expansion of the city.

The original shoreline of Toronto now can be found north of today’s rail corridor. Front Street was built along the edge of the shoreline. The filling and reclaiming of land would continue until the 1950s when present shoreline was achieved. As the waterfront became known as an industrial area, the city’s relationship with the shoreline changed. By the end of World War II, much of the city’s wealthier residents fled to the suburbs (Waterfront Toronto 2013). The core of the city had gained a reputation as an undesirable place to live. As people began to live in the suburbs and outlying areas, access to the downtown core was needed. Despite living in the suburbs, many people still worked downtown. It was common practice at that time to build highways in rings around cities. For most cities located beside water, it was common practice to build on or near the waterfront. In Toronto, it was very much the same, Gardiner Expressway was built, which resulted in cutting off people from the lake. A new trend in the 1970s appeared, and that is the fact that cities were now revisiting their waterfronts as well as outlying locations in the city. The newly developed waterfronts around the world began to attract more residents, more employers, and more visitors. Sadly, Toronto would only follow suit much later. There have been sporadic attempts to redevelop the waterfront but none were successful enough to spark a major change in the waterfront.

As previously mentioned, General Simcoe envisioned the place to become an arsenal for Lake Ontario because it was a much more defensible place as either Kingston or Niagara. By the early 19^th Century, Toronto was already the gathering place for shipmasters, shipwrights, and mariners, whose schooners took wheat, flour, potash, lumber, and farm produce to ports that included Kingsburg, Cobourg, Rochester, and Oswego (Moir 2011). As they returned to the city, they brought along with them manufactured goods for the hinterlands. This continued on for years until as mentioned there was a need to expand the place to accommodate the rapid expansion. There were plans that were made and one of them was to redirect the Don River into the marsh. The original mouth of the Don was joined by another channel to the north that was most likely created as a defensive measure during the American invasion of 1813 (Moir 2011). Surveys from 1834 showed that the openings were roughly the same size. Early on, the commissioners saw the river as nothing more than a vehicle for transporting alluvium to the bed of the harbor.

Another plan was to construct a breakwater from the tip of the peninsula west across the top of the shoal to prevent the aforementioned silt from reaching the harbor’s entrance. However, there were also those against the said plans that painted the river as destructive to the harbor. For example, Richard Bonnycastle of the 1^st Royal Engineers noted that the river had little effect on the condition of the harbor (Moir 2011). Nevertheless, he also advocated redirecting the river so its silt would fill up the marsh. However, action on the Don would not commence until years later. Despite the constricted entrance of the harbor, activity still increased in the mid 1800s. It was during this time that several new piers were built on the east end of the north shore. It was quite evident then that the private expansion had precipitated the uncoordinated expansion of the port. Private interests would also be the reason for the expansion of the city south into the lake. By the 1880s large scale reconfiguration of the waterfront began to take form. Nevertheless, the piecemeal evolution of the harbor continued.

In 1900 the edge of the waterfront had already moved south by three hundred meters (Moir 2011). This had resulted in the 180 hectares of the bay being reclaimed. By 1911, Toronto’s population would grow with majority of the population working in manufacturing. Space was also becoming a prime concern because railways had tied up most of the available properties. The city itself was also expanding towards outlying communities. As such, the expansive wetlands of Ashbridge’s Bay became the focus of reclamation schemes and the creation of a deepwater port. In a referendum conducted in January 1911 effectively placed the reclamation of Ashbridges Bay in the hands of a harbor commission (Moir 2011). In 19 May 1911, the Toronto Harbour Commission was created by an act of Parliament. The development of the waterfront is directly related to the Toronto Islands because of their proximity to each other. Whatever is done on one side directly relates to the other. However, it can be said that despite the unending development, Centre Island and the adjoining islands took an a more relaxed and recreational nature as opposed to the industrial nature of the waterfront.

In the last thirty years, the greater Toronto area has experienced explosive population growth. Extensive suburban expansion is manifested in the current state of the city, as there are scattered subdivisions and large shopping malls that do not have enough parking spaces. This problem is identified as urban sprawling, a major urban issue in the 21^st century.Urban sprawling is defined as a “pattern of urban and metropolitan growth reflecting low-density, automobile-dependent, exclusionary new development on the fringe of settled areas often surrounding a deteriorating city (Squires, 2002, p. 49).”However, contrary to the experience of Toronto, Toronto’s Centre Island has a different view. The island itself is not a residential location, as such it is somewhat shielded from the ill effects of the urban sprawl. But it would be too simplistic to think that since there are no residents in the area, it is not affected by the problems brought on by the constant march of urban expansion. Even if the residents of Toronto do not live in the Centre Islands, this does not mean that they do not use motor vehicles to access the launch point for the location. It would be ridiculous to think that in order to go to the environment-friendly location, people would not use vehicles that cause pollution in their wake.

Centre Island welcomes hundreds of visitors every week, but has no residents. In the 1960s, the city began to evict the residents who had been living in that section of the islands. For 20 years, residents of Ward’s island struggled against government efforts to remove the community (Rawlings-Way & Karneef, 2013; Relph, 2014). Today, the Centre Island is a park where children, families, and other visitor enjoy biking, walking, and eating picnics. It is also one of the very few urban communities in Northern America to call itself car-free. This somewhat mitigates the effects of air pollution in the area. It is an attraction composed of parks and playgrounds designed to welcome hundreds of visitors every week. One side of the Island is composed of traditional playgrounds with puppet shows, miniature ponies, and tram rides. On the other side, there are lagoons, bike rides, and viewing points to see the stunning view of the city point (Dunn, 2013). However, just 15 minutes away from downtown Toronto Area, Centre Island is not immune to environmental problems. The threats of urban sprawling have important implications to the island’s effort to maintain this tourist destination. As the development of Centre Island into a recreational destination intensifies, more people will want to go the place and as such, the traffic caused by it can cause severe problems in transportation and making it more accessible. However, this should not be a major problem if the planners envision and implement environment-friendly ways to make the area accessible.

Threats of Pollution

The problem on urban sprawling in Toronto has been going on for 50 years. The local government initiated the creation of the Greenbelt, a massive development-protected swath of land in the area. The project involves enforcing no-build zones around the country’s largest urban center. However, this project resulted in the recent boom of high-rise housing in Toronto (Landau, 2013). One issue involving urban sprawl is poor living environment. While living conditions in advanced countries have improved in terms of light, air, space, and surroundings, some neighborhoods remain dangerous, polluted, noisy, and an urban wasteland. Traveling around cities characterized by urban sprawling becomes more stressful (Jacobs & Appleyard, 1987). Hence, with these problems in the provincial capital, tourists tend to visit Toronto Centre Island. It is recorded that about 1.25 million people visit the island every year (Dunn, 2013). Thus, the city is taking extra precautions to protect its natural and recreational resources. According to the Blue Flag Program, Toronto has some of the best beaches in the world. The City of Toronto takes daily water samples from the supervised beaches(Young & Keil, 2005).

The environmental problems of Toronto are intensified whenever there is a major storm because it flushes the sewage from the Toronto’s old-fashioned combined sewers into the Lake Ontario. The road salt and motor oil flows from the drains into creeks and rivers. Likewise, the levels of ground-level ozone that form smog over the river area have increased five percent in just ten years (Gonzales 2005). Scientists have expressed concerns about the resurgence of phosphorous in parts of the Great Lakes. In fact, the safety of consuming fish from the lake has been constantly questioned and tested. Thus, the problem resulting from urban sprawl has also resulted in not only water pollution, but also air pollution (Wee, 2013; Gonzales, 2005). Moreover, we also know that tourism itself poses important threats of pollution, as various ferries go back and forth the island; water pollution can also be a problem. Hence, the city is also watching transportation and mobility because these are related to larger issues of water pollution (Martin, 2007). This is a problem that is a consequence of the large urban sprawl that Toronto has become. Motor vehicles have become a mainstay of transportation and as such, it is the only means of moving to and from residential locations to places of work or recreation. This then is a problem created by the urban sprawl, because as cities like Toronto began to claim outlying areas, the distance from one location to the other necessitated the creation of roads that carved up communities in their wake in order to facilitate the transportation needs of its residents.

Conclusion

            One reason for studying urban planning history is to avoid repeating the mistakes done in the past, especially those which concerns failures in urban planning. Indeed, the great urban parks are sanctuaries to millions of residents. Architects, social reformers, environmental activists, and other stakeholders of modern urban planning needs to consider the factors that govern these past mistakes so that the future generations can be guided (Legates & Stout, 1998). This should be evident in the case of Toronto Centre Island because despite the efforts for preservation and conservation of the island, it is not completely isolated from environmental problems created by urban sprawling in the Toronto area. The failing sewage system causes water pollution and air pollution as well to affect the Centre Island. It would be naïve to think that a pristine and well-kept location would be immune to the effects of an ill-planned urban sprawl. The Centre Island lies in the wake of pollution caused by problems in urban planning caused in the mainland. Likewise, transportation to and from the island can also have contribute to pollution in the lake. It should also be noted that aside from contributing to pollution in the lake, transportation also causes air pollution that also affects Centre Island. Thus, the municipal government of the island, along with all urban planning professionals, should act on these issues in order to protect its beaches and other attractions that allow its visitors escape from the stressful environment to the main island.  Many of these problems have been caused by poor urban planning in the past. But this does not mean that urban planning cannot mitigate the effects of bad urban planning done in the past. 

References

Crawford, Jenny (2011). Toronto Waterfront: Piecemeal Planning. Planning (14672073). 4/21/2011, Issue 1907, p37-37. 2/3p

Cullingworth, J. (1987). Urban and Regional Planning in Canada. New Jersey: Transactions Inc.

Dunn, K. (2013, August 20). Toronto's Centre Island a Welcome Escape from Urban. Retrieved November 6, 2014, from Vancover Sun: http://www.vancouversun.com/travel/Toronto+Centre+Island+welcome+escape+from+urban+life/8811190/story.html

Gonzales, A. (2005). Urban Sprawl, Global Warming and the Limits of Ecological Modernization. Environmental Politics, 3, 34-36.

             

Jacobs, A., & Appleyard, D. (1987). Toward an Urban Design Manifesto. American Planning Journal, 491-501.

           

Landau, J. (2013, May 14). Examining Urban Sprawl Through Satellite Timelapse Imagery. Retrieved November 5, 2014, from Urban Toronto : http://urbantoronto.ca/news/2013/05/examining-urban-sprawl-through-satellite-timelapse-imagery

Legates, R., & Stout, F. (1998). Modernism and Early Urban Planning: 1870-1940. Early Urban Planning.

           

Martin, G. (2007). Global Motorization, Social Ecology. Area , 66-73.

Moir, Michael (2011). Planning for Change: Harbour Commissions, Civil Engineers, and Large-Scale Manipulation of Nature. Reshaping Toronto's Waterfront. Eds. Desfor, G. and Laidley, J. University of Toronto Press, Scholarly Publishing Division.

Rawlings-Way, C., & Karneef, N. (2013). Toronto: City Plan . Toronto: Lonely Planet.

Relph, E. (2014). Toronto: Transformation of a City and Its Regions . Toronto: University of Toronto.

Solomon, L. (2011). Toronto Sprawls: A History. Toronto: Toronto University of Toronto.

Squires, G. (2002). Urban Sprawl: Causes, Consequences, and Policy Responses. Washington, DC: The Urban Institute Press.

           

Waterfront Toronto (2013). A Brief History. Waterfront Toronto, 2013. Retrieve from http://www.waterfrontoronto.ca/about_us/history_and_heritage

             

Wee, M. (2013, August 24). Toronto's Clean Little Secret: The Fishing is Healthy . Retrieved November 6, 2014, from The Globe and Mail: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/torontos-clean-little-secret-the-fishing-is-healthy/article13933727/

           

Young, D., & Keil, R. (2005). Urinetwon or Morainetown? Debates on the Regulation of the Urban Water Regime in Toronto. Capitalsm, Natuure, Socialism, 61(83), 127-128.

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One Man’s Compassion that Broke through the Hutu and Tutsi Divide

            Africa is a continent known for its rich natural resources, but it is a continent that is also known for the violence that taints both the past and the present. The continent has a history of being abused by western powers that were after its resources. In the process, these western powers instituted many policies that would have a lasting effect on the nations that they would soon leave at the end of colonization. Even after their independence from colonial powers, many of nations that comprise Africa were hounded by problems that were caused by their colonizers. Such is the case of Rwanda, whose long history under the Belgians would eventually lead up to the genocide that happened in 1994. This was chronicled in the film Hotel Rwanda that was directed by Terry George. The film tells that story of a hotelier named Paul Rusesabagina, who used his position in order to shield may Tutsis from the genocide occurring outside the gates of his hotel (Hotel Rwanda). The film not only speaks of the heroism that the protagonist displayed in real life but also the effects of ethnic conflict and human rights violations that the world seemingly turned a blind eye to.

            The lead up to the genocide that happened in Rwanda in 1994 has roots deep in the nation’s history. Rwanda is a nation that is divided into two ethnic groups, the majority Hutus and the minority Tutsis. The tension that sparked the genocide came from a time when the nation was still under the power of the Belgians, who found that the Tutsis, who were tall and slender in build were superior to the Hutus, who were short and stocky (Mboti 323). As such, it became common for many Tutsis to hold positions of power under their regime. This seemingly arbitrary decision would eventually build resentment among the Hutus. By the time of their independence, power had resided among the Tutsis who held positions of power. However, the independence would eventually ensconce Hutus into power.

            The years of resentment against the Tutsis would eventually build up. This was despite the fact that Hutus were already in power, and were the majority in Rwanda. This was quite peculiar because even though one would say that they were ethnically different, the two ethnic groups were technically not different because they came from the same Bantu stock that migrated into the region thousands of years before. The only real distinction was that of class, because the Tutsis were cattle herders, while the Hutus tilled the land (Mboti 320). However, this class distinction would eventually come to fore at the arrival of the Belgians, who as earlier stated would install Tutsis in positions of power. This built up resentment and would eventually lead up to the point where Tutsis would be blamed for the problems of the young Rwandan nation. Power in this case transferred from the minority Tutsis to the majority Hutus.

This would eventually blow out of proportion when Juvénal Habyarimana and Cyprien Ntaryamira were assassinated and the blame thrown against Tutsis. The speed at which the violence escalated was remarkable because an estimated 200,000 Hutus had managed to decimate over half a million Tutsis (Waldorf 103). The speed at which it was executed spoke of a deep-seated resentment that had built up over decades. The power the Tutsis held over the Hutus in the past was no match for the hatred and violence that would follow the aftermath. All it took was one accusation of assassinating two Hutu leaders. Later investigation would show that the missile that downed their airplane would come from Hutu extremists in the Rwandan Army. This speaks of how propaganda tactics can be used to sway the opinions of an already tense people. The film shows us that power resides in the opinion of the majority.

Although the film shows that violence of the genocide, it also presents us with the concept that even though there was an ethnic divide, it was also possible for one race to care for and take a compassionate stand towards another. As in the case of Rusesabagina, who could have turned his head in the other direction and just took care of his family (Hotel Rwanda). However, he could not turn his back on his neighbors and the refugees that would fill up his hotel. What is peculiar about this is how the world would turn a blind eye to the events that were happening.

The film shows us that the United Nations contingent was busy evacuating foreign nationals but had their hands tied when it came to helping the Tutsis who were literally being slaughtered right in front of them (Hotel Rwanda). It had to take one man and his clever maneuverings to save the lives of over a thousand of his countrymen. From this point of view, power resides in the resolve of one man to make a difference. While it can be said that he was in a position of power, this would not have been enough if he did not resolve to take action. It also shows that although the rest of the world had the power to make a difference, they did not do anything until close to a million Tutsis and Hutus had already died (Waldorf 115). The irony of it all was that the racial tensions were started by colonizers who build up tension gradually and eventually created a divide that was not supposed to be there in the first place.

Hotel Rwanda merely presents a slice of genocide that happened in Rwanda. It speaks of how power can corrupt the minds of people and lead to violence that was uncalled for. It may be simplistic to think that the problem was could have been solved at a snap of a finger because the problem has its roots far back into the history of Rwanda. However, much of the killing that happened could have been mitigated by dialogue and intervention. The bravery and compassion shown by Rusesabagina towards his fellowmen are remarkable but what is remarkable is how one man saw through ethnic lines and put his life and job on the line to make a difference.

Works Cited

Hotel Rwanda. Dir. Terry George. 2005. Lions Gate Entertainment/United Artists

Mboti, Nyasha. To show the world as it is, or as it is not: the gaze of Hollywood films about Africa. African Identities. Nov2010, Vol. 8 Issue 4, p317-332. 16p.

Waldorf, Lars. Revisiting Hotel Rwanda: genocide ideology, reconciliation, and rescuers. Journal of Genocide Research. Mar2009, Vol. 11 Issue 1, p101-125. 25p.

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Belief Addiction and Emotional Biochemistry: The Mind-Body Connection

            These two articles present unique concepts that are only now being understood. The article “Belief Addiction” presents a peculiar concept that is encompassed in a category known as addiction. It presents us with the concept of “belief addition” which is basically a form of addiction wherein those afflicted “are enslaved by the pleasure provided by belief” (DeGrazia). This means that like any addict, those with belief addiction are essentially saddled with a brain dysfunction. In essence, this kind of addiction is displayed by people who refuse to see the truth and trick their minds into believing something other than what they know as the truth. It is interesting to note that such addiction can be very dangerous because the effect on the brain is so overwhelming that like addicts it causes people to repeatedly do something, which can explain why religious zealots or people who cling to obscure ideas keep on doing so even if one tries to convince them otherwise.

            The other article “Emotional Biochemistry” speaks of another mind-body connection wherein the author speaks of how emotions can affect our body and vice-versa (Gerasimo). While it has been said a long time now that what you feel can affect your body, the article takes a more scientific approach and explains who researchers have found that a certain emotion or memory can trigger changes in the body. Much like the earlier stated “Belief Addiction”, what goes on in the mind can definitely affect the body. It is very similar to how people tend to try and forget bad memories because it makes them feel sick. On the other hand, addicts tend to do something over and over again in order to repeat the same sensation that their body feels when they are doing it. These two articles merely tell us that despite common knowledge, the brain and body are not two different entities. What goes on in the other will definitely affect the other on a chemical level.

Works Cited

DeGrazia, Emilio. Belief Addiction. Web. 25 August 2011 < http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/blog/emilio-degrazia/belief-addiction>

Gerasimo, Pilar. Emotional Biochemistry. Web. November-December 2003 < https://experiencelife.com/article/emotional-biochemistry/>

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Driving While Texting and Driving While Drunk: A Comparison and Contrast

To many people in the developed world, driving or operating a motor vehicle is an undertaking that comes as almost automatic, especially when one has been doing it for a long time. With so much technology going into automobiles, they now practically drive themselves. However, this mentality of familiarity and complacency when driving often leads to people not paying attention while driving. Most people are unaware that driving takes a lot of concentration to do. This often leads to road mishaps and accidents that cause damage to property and even the lives of people who get involved in accidents.  The two most common causes of road accidents right now are driving while under the influence of alcohol and texting while driving. This essay will compare and contrast the two in order to get a better understanding. However, it should be stressed despite popular belief, driving while texting is far more dangerous than driving while drunk.

            The two are major causes of road accidents because in essence they are distractions that rob drivers of the much-needed attention that they should be giving to driving. Driving while texting for that matter takes the eyes of the driver from the road, this can lead to accidents. Driving is a delicate balance of the senses that requires motor coordination to operate the vehicle alone. Of utmost importance is the sense of sight. When a driver uses a cellphone, they take their eyes from the road and have to use the hands to operate the phone (Arce 2014). This in turns leads to precious minutes taken off the road and in operating a vehicle.

Drunk driving, on the other hand, is another type of distraction that causes drivers to lose focus. It is has gotten a bad reputation because majority of those accidents that happened in the 70s, 80s and early 90s were caused by drunk drivers. Drinking alcohol causes a person to lose focus because alcohol reduces reaction times. As earlier stated, driving requires utmost concentration, and if a person does not pay attention long enough or react on time this causes accidents (Arce 2014). Just like texting, driving while drunk can also cause a person to take their eyes off the road because there are instances when a person under the heavy influence of alcohol sleeps for a few seconds. Like driving while texting, this can lead to catastrophic consequences.

In contrast, studies show that operating a motor vehicle while texting is far more dangerous than driving while under the influence of alcohol. In a study conducted by the Transportation Research Laboratory of UK, it was found that drivers who occupied themselves with texting while driving were 35 percent lower reaction times than those who were driving alone (Arce 2014). Those who were drunk while driving had only 12 percent slower reaction times (Arce 2014). Because the act of texting while driving takes the eyes of the driver away from the road that causes them to drift lanes and put the lives of other drivers in danger. Driving is an exercise where attention and reaction times are important so the results of the study alone show that despite what many may think, it is still driving while texting that is more dangerous than driving while drunk.

With the current trend of cellphones being ever more ubiquitous in modern societies, very few people really understand its dangers. For some it may be easy to point a finger at drunk driving as the greater evil, but studies increasingly show that texting is far more dangerous. People tend to ignore this fact but this does not mean that it is not dangerous. It is tantamount to not looking at the road and this could cause big problems because one is not only putting the lives of other people in danger. It would be like driving blind for a few seconds at a time and this is unacceptable especially when other drivers are doing their best to avoid road mishaps.

References

Arce, Nicole (2014) Texting is more dangerous than drugs, alcohol while driving: Study. Tech Times (http://www.techtimes.com/articles/8185/20140609/texting-is-more-dangerous-than-drugs-alcohol-while-driving-study.htm)

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Chivalry as the Governing Concept of Courtly Life

When one speaks of knights and nobility during the Middle Ages the thought that would immediately come to mind is their battles and conquests. However, knights are merely a facet of what is known as the court culture during medieval times. The conquests that most people associate with them are merely a small aspect of their life and the people that comprise medieval societies especially those in the royal courts like noblemen and noblewomen. There were also a great number of intricacies that comprise court culture, or the way noblemen and noblewomen were supposed to act in certain situations. It can be said that despite the romanticism associated with the literature of the era, it is chivalric ideals that define court culture.

Being a knight meant that one was part of a royal court. It forms a unique culture that dictates how the men and women who comprise the court would treat each other and react in certain situations. Knights, for example, would have to follow what is known as the chivalric code. The word chivalry itself is derived from the French word cheval, which means horse. In essence, this would refer to a code of conduct that is followed by horsemen, which knights essentially were (BoiseState 2014). This concept is what defined the model knightly behavior during the 12^th and 13^th centuries. Chivalry can be defined as the way a knight constantly pursues the ideal of keeping his promises and showing his loyalty to his liege as well as to God. As well as the idea that he is supposed to honor and obey his lord to whom he owes his allegiances.

To a certain extent the concept also encompasses the performing feats of skill and bravery. An example of this would be that of Sir Gawain who took up the challenge of the Green Knight (Greenblatt, S. & Abrams, M.H. eds 2006). This shows his extreme devotion and loyalty to his uncle King Arthur.  Aside from the worldly aspect of chivalry, equally important is the concept of incorporating religion by honoring God in their desire to be good Christians. This concept is equally important because religion played an important part of lives of noblemen and noblewomen. In hindsight, Sir Gawain in the story provides us the perfect conjunction of the aspects set forth in the chivalric code (Greenblatt, S. & Abrams, M.H. eds 2006). In essence these are knightly virtues, Christian ideals and courtly love.

Gradually, the concept would evolve to include virtuous ideals such as honor, courtesy and courtly love. If one were to look at the concept, it would be quite similar to the concept of being a gentleman in later times. However, it is much deeper because chivalry literally governed the daily lives of noblemen and noblewomen, and not just knights. It can be said that breaking away from or not following the prescribed manners set forth by chivalry would be the worst crimes that they could commit. As a nobleman or noblewoman, one should display honor and courtesy (BoiseState 2014). Being crass or displaying brutish behavior was frowned upon. It would be safe to say that any display of unrefined manners would not only raise eyebrows but also result in being ridiculed and repudiated by other noblemen and noble women. Breaking the oath of loyalty to God and one’s liege is also considered a crime. Among noblewomen, showing impropriety would also be considered a grave offense.          

The relationships and most importantly the hierarchy that were formed during medieval times were also quite peculiar because they were so strongly ingrained in court life that they literally governed the way noblemen and noblewomen acted. A knight is typically a soldier who owes allegiance to two masters. One is the God and the other is his Lord to whom they owe their loyalty (Greenblatt, S. & Abrams, M.H. eds 2006). The Lord or royal would provide whatever the knight requires and in return, the knight is at the beck and call of their Lord. It should be noted that, in a way, the relationship is mutual because both sides benefit from the arrangement. An example of this would be Sir Gawain, who perceiving the King Arthur’s honor was being trampled upon by the Green Knight said “I beseech, before all here, That this melee may be mine”. (Greenblatt, S. & Abrams, M.H. eds 2006). The concept of loyalty is also quite important in courtly life because as previously mentioned a knight owes his allegiance to his king or his liege. In times wherein there would be a dilemma, loyalty towards his Lord would be the prime motivating factor in the decision making of a knight. This would often be problematic because it would put the knight in situations where in their lives would be endangered. However, such as was part of the life of the knight who swore loyalty to his lord.

The relationship between the Knight and a lady, on the other hand, is also unique, because they are also governed a strict set of rules that dictated the way they interacted. A knight is supposed to show utmost respect. They are also supposed to be able to carry a good conversation and show perfect manners. Ladies were literally held up high on a pedestal, and that any disrespect shown to them by knights or any other man for that matter could result in besmirching their honor. Ladies would interact with knights in a way that they would befit the honor and adoration that they are given (BoiseState 2014). Doing otherwise would result in awkward situations. It should be stressed that Ladies were held to a high regard knights who admired them.  The knights’ interactions with them should always be bereft of any sexual connotations (Greenblatt, S. & Abrams, M.H. eds 2006). Knights and Ladies would often interact in a civilized and genteel manner.

A concept that almost always accompanies romantic tales of knights is that of the quest. The knightly quest or errand is often characterized by a seemingly insurmountable task that a knight must undertake. An example of this would be the quest for the Holy Grail (Greenblatt, S. & Abrams, M.H. eds 2006). This is perhaps one of the most popular quests that are known by many. Another is that of the quest of Sir Gawain to fulfill his promise to the Green Knight to return the favor when he chopped off the head of the said knight (Greenblatt, S. & Abrams, M.H. eds 2006). Although this might seem ludicrous to some but in reality this is another way of showing loyalty one’s Lord. There is a spiritual aspect to the quest because it shows the faith of a knight in God’s divine providence. It is also a display a knight’s loyalty, honor, and prowess. Shirking from embarking on their quest would mean that the knight was a lesser man, one who is not fit to labor under the name of his lord and most importantly, God.

Conclusion

Courtly life during medieval times is somewhat an arcane concept to many because it entails utmost allegiance to following the chivalric code. However, once chivalry is understood, all the romance stories that came from that era are easily understood. Chivalry is a concept wherein Christian ideals, knightly virtues and courtly love intersect and govern the way noblemen and noblewomen acted. It is a concept that literally defined the actions, thoughts and ideals of people who lived during that era. It is also the wellspring where romance tales drew from. A knight acted in such a way that they displayed chivalry not because it is who they are but because it is what defines them. It was not a prescribed set of rules, it was a way of life.

References

Greenblatt, S. & Abrams, M.H. eds (2006)  The Norton Anthology of English Literature, 8th Edition, Volume 1

BoiseState (2014) Medieval Society (http://europeanhistory.boisestate.edu/westciv/medsoc/11.shtml)

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Analysis of How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

            In this day and age, it is often thought that reading self-help books is a sign of weakness. However, this is not an all encompassing statement, because not all self-help books are made for people who are clueless or those who do not have confidence. One such book that has greatly influenced many people through time is Dale Carnegie’s How To Win Friends And Influence People. In the strictest sense, this book was meant to be a self-help book. Nevertheless, its concepts and ideas presented in the book make it an enduring staple of many successful managers and leaders. The book was published in 1936 and until this moment is still being widely read and its ideas being applied by many people. The enduring trait of this book is that it is not only useful for people who are in management or business but they are also applicable in everyday real life situations.

            The book’s core concept is quite simple and yet one that is often missed by people whose job entails working with people on an everyday basis. Essentially the book’s premise is quite simple, and that is how to handle people. Carnegie (137) notes that “three-fourths of the people you will ever meet are hungering and thirsting for sympathy. Give it to them, and they will love you”. This statement lays out the foundation on how one is to go about doing just what the title says. The book itself is divided into four chapters that tackle topics such as techniques in handling people, making people like you, winning people over, and becoming a leader. These concepts presented may be simplistic to some who already know and practice these but to a person who has struggled in dealing with people, let alone handling them, they are eye openers. The title may be deceptively simple but in reality, they are concepts that people struggle to achieve even in real life situations.  Once mastered, these concepts can help change one’s life for the better.

            In terms of what were discussed in class, the book offers a wellspring of knowledge because the concepts tie up nicely and seemingly intertwine with the topics discussed, especially in terms of leadership and understanding individual behavior. The chapters themselves present a logical progression on how one is to achieve results in terms of leadership. In class, we learned that leadership is all about influencing people and motivating them to reach a certain goal that is shared by the group. It is also interesting to note that when one thinks of it, an organization is made up of individuals who have their own unique traits.

One cannot expect everyone in an organization to immediately work within the group. The book’s second chapter offers simple yet effective means to winning people over. Such as listening well and encouraging people to speak (Carnegie 76). This is a trait that leaders or people who are aspiring to become leaders often miss. It is also one of the keys to understanding individual behavior, because there is no better way to understanding human behavior than to let people open up themselves to you. This is because people often hide behind facades that can only be overcome by intently listening to them.

            Personally, there are certain concepts that I would apply in my day-to-day life. These are concepts such as always making people feel important (Carnegie 86). This concept is one that is very important to me because it is one that very few people consciously ever do. Letting people know and feel that they are important is something that I see is lacking in the world we live in. With our world increasingly veering towards impersonal communication aided by technology, letting people know that they are important is one that is lost among us who live in the present. The author may be long gone and his intended audience may be from a different era but his words still resonate as true in our modern world. Even in face to face conversations it is evident from this writer’s point of view that conversations and interactions often point to the fact that people want to feel important. I intend to consciously shift the focus on the person I am interacting with as opposed to hogging the limelight.

            Another concept in the book that is so simple and yet so lacking in this modern world we live in is to smile. Carnegie (64) advises us “actions speak louder than words, and a smile says, I like you, you make me happy. I am glad to see you”. As a person, I personally realized that although this gesture may be small, smiling does tend to change the mood and even demeanor of people one interacts with. It is also evident that smiling is not often used by people who believe that it is not needed in serious situations. However, smiling is something that tells people that you are sincere and this would make them open up to you. This opens up many possibilities that would have otherwise not been available when you do not smile.

            Many might say that this book may already be dated and that it does not apply in our modern context. However, this should not be the case because this book is concise, and offers insight into human nature and how one can navigate its intricacies into getting people to agree with you, as well as getting them to following your lead. I would give this book a high rating because it takes a very hard concept and explains it in simple terms but does not dumb down that the essence of its message is lost. Overall this book is highly recommended for people who interact with people on a daily basis, as well as those who want to gain insight on human nature.

Work Cited

Carnegie, Dale. How To Win Friends And Influence People. Simon and Schuster.1981. Print

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The Vichy Syndrome: History and Memory in France since 1944

            Henry Rousso’s book entitled ‘The Vichy Syndrome: History and Memory in France since 1944” considers a rather different way of understanding the historical developments that happened in the country in the aftermath of World War II. Setting his focus in the Vichy period, Rousso tries to reconstruct his framework that the existence of repressed memories have influenced the way French people think about the realities that are happening to the events moving forward. To better place emphasis on his arguments, he divides the book into three different sections, where he believes that this repressed memories have been manifested.  These include the period immediately after the conflict, the period where Charles de Gaulle held power and the student demonstrations that occurred in the 1960s.

            Looking closely at the period immediately after the war, Rousso points out that the repression happened in this stage. He specifically cites the condition where people had limited time to react to what was happening. Alongside this was the attributed impact in the rebuilding process associated with the end of World War II. From the vantage point of Rousso, the leadership during the period repressed the actual impact to French society because it somewhat created a false impression of liberation. Citing Rousso, he mentioned that:

“The purge thus made everybody unhappy, because it had proved impossible to strike a satisfactory compromise between traditional justice, which as what most moderates (as well as those with most to lose politically) were calling for, and the need to rout out fascism. The dilemma was not merely moral: the law versus legitimate revenge, short-term memory versus persistent bitterness” (22).

Equally, the issue related to how the French people responded to the war immediately after its aftermath. Initially, there was clamor to memorializing what happened but this was somewhat constrained due to the necessary process of rebuilding. The end result created division on the perspective towards liberation, where each one featured a specific ideology of what really happened during the time frame. Citing Rousso, he mentions that:

“The Liberation thus represents an intermediate stage between the Occupation and the memory of the event. It contains in embryonic form the chief characteristics of the Vichy syndrome, which took the guise of ambivalences and rivalries” (26).

            The next argument then revolves around the times after liberation. This is the period when Charles de Gaulle was in power and how he tried to convey a sense of justice to what has transpired to people who have experienced the atrocities and destruction brought forth by war. Using different examples of propaganda, there was the recognition of how the French society, especially those who were born after the war to examine the realities that happened during the period.

            The period of the 1960s, also created the necessary stir in understanding the memories during the occupation. This clearly came during the time when leftist movements were becoming evident within French society. Equally, the introduction of new literature (e.g. films and documentaries opened the direction for recognizing the role of the local people during the conflict. In a way, this is referred to by Rousso as ‘areas of amnesia’ where it helped the development of groups and establish better recognition of the histories that are happening around. 

            The last sections of the book, Rousso then highlights the different vectors of memory shape perceptions related to War and Occupation. To achieve this, the book considered the statistical figures detailing how the French were familiar about the subject. The results he provided illustrate the lack of understanding or ignorance in the nature of changes that have happened in the past and the corresponding consciousness for such.  

            Considering the relevance and value of the book, as far as the thesis is concerned, Rousso was able to explore the different dimensions of this theory. The thing that is commendable about the book is its ability to separate its arguments into different sections. These are points where Rousso believes that the issue related to repressed experiences and memories come into place. Having this vantage point increases the potential of readers to bring forward connections to the case/situations he has pointed out. Equally, the ability to utilize historical events that have happened in the past also create justifications for Rousso’s arguments. Bearing in mind some significant events that shaped French history after World War II, the central themes offer ways to piece the information together and provide analyses that is derived from how memories might have contributed to either the creation of perspective or opinion about the issue. 

            Assessing the functional purpose of the book, the insights provide new perspectives about understanding the history of France from the Vichy until today. The framework utilizes a new direction to consider the repercussions of the incident and how it influenced the manner that French society reinterprets the specific condition over contemporary issues. In support of Rousso’s arguments, there clearly are psychological and behavioral manifestations that can illustrate his point. Using historical facts, he is able to examine clearly French society as it progressed in the aftermath of World War II. His depiction of how influences in the realm of politics and society does hold ground particularly if one seeks to understand the motivations that influenced the people to act in the specific period. These can be attributed to the repressions and the collective representations that in turn shape attitudes and behavior amongst critical issues involving the nation.

            On the other hand, operating solely on the realm of psychology and behavior also undermines the level of analysis concerning the history of France since Post World War II. Even if Rousso might have a good perspective and historical basis for his claims, the concept of objectivity and the ability to operate on the context of the situation loses because the book contends pointing the traumatizing experience of Vichy as the only facet that prompted such response. In addition, the level of analysis applied by Rousso can also be subject to criticism. Like those who operate from the viewpoint of resistance movement or communism, there are numerous ways to look into the role of history. Given the subjectivity of attributing factors related to each situation after Vichy, it might present limitations especially in helping understand historical information that contradicts Rousso’s chosen framework.

            In conclusion, Rousso’s book remains to be a good approach to understand French history since the Vichy period. It’s ability to look into psychological and behavioral approaches encourages readers to take consider the connection of things and identify the manner how memories of the situations in the past continue to shape and influence the way people perceive societal and political issues in France. In addition, operating on this lens encourages readers to step back in considering the nature of history and how the level of consciousness can be attributed the manner that memories and past can go together and establish a level of commitment towards achieving an opinion over a specific issue.

Work Cited

Rousso, Henry. The Vichy syndrome: history and memory in France since 1944. 1994 trans.

Arthur Goldhammer. Harvard University Press: Massachusetts. Print 

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