Jerzday

Jerzday article

In honor of the day of the week, I will discuss an article I found last week in the Times. At the UChicago Conference on Jersey Shore studies, (the fact that that exists baffles me), it was brought up that all the ruckus they caused in Italy was offensive to some Italian-Americans who watched from their couches.

My response to the claim that it is offensive is that I disagree. As evident in the article, many of the characters are not even full blooded Italian. I feel as though Jersey Shore is a means of entertainment, a foolish one at that. But for some reason, I, along with many americans, am captivated. Like a train wreck, you just can't take your eyes off it. In conclusion, I am not offended by a bunch of idiots making a million dollars being idiots, it's their prerogative.

Are you offended?

Back Home...

WTNH News Coverage

Earlier this morning, a student was tazed at my former high school in Hamden, CT. Though this is out of my pop culture realm, I still feel as though it is pertinent.

Apparently, PCP was an instrumental factor is the student's actions. But this isn't the first time that something of this manner has happened. For the four years I was there, we had six bomb scares, three of which evacuated the entire premises. There were guns, as well as knives on a fairly regular basis. For some reason though, I never felt endangered. Note the freshman mother's reaction to the incident. I laughed at her. What some naive people are yet to realize is that there is a ton of good to counter the bad everywhere. On some days unfortunately, the bad is what makes it to the news.

This spectacle will most likely bring up the question of whether or not to put metal detectors in schools. This always happens, and never gets passed. With all of the entrances and key cards, I do not foresee it happening. Plus, as the officer said, the system was proven effective today. Tasers had been put into effect two years ago, and since then no one involved in an incident was seriously hurt.

I would like to see if metal detectors in other schools have worked, or have they promoted other ways to conduct violence? Does anyone know of their former schools that use metal detectors?

Skewed Reality Presentation

Real News Story
Parody Auto-Tune

About a year ago in Hunstville, Alabama, Kelly Dodson was attacked by a rapist in her own bedroom. WAFF News covered the story, and interviewed her brother, Antoine Dodson who candidly warns the rapist that he is appalled, to say the least.

Rape is a serious manner, and the way the news channel covered it is tentative. A parody was made with Antoine's comments, and spread rapidly across the Web. If you were to YouTube search "Huntsville Rape", you won't be able to find the original news clip on the first page. The fact that a serious matter was over swept by a spoof shows how technology can actually skew reality. When the spoof went viral almost immediately after the original clip was posted, adults and children everywhere laughed at Antoine's auto-tuned speech. The fact of the matter is that a young girl was endangered, and half of the people who have made a joke about the incident do not know the initial incident that sparked the so called "hit single".

In True Enough, Farhad Manjoo suggests that "how you see something is how it really is" (155). Apparently, many people saw it as a laughing matter, when in fact rape is nothing to laugh about. Earlier in the novel, Manjoo proposes, "How can so many people who live in the same place see the world so differently?" (7).

As Farhad Manjoo said in relevance to All in the Family, "Even when the whole country is watching the same thing, in fact, we aren't, not really. Not everyone in America got the joke" (74).

Also pertinent are the two photoshop incidents, one involving an Army solider and the other involving John Kerry. Ken Light, the initial photographer of John Kerry before he was photoshopped into an anti-war rally, said that "Truth is now often ignored as phony" (82), which is exactly what happened with the news footage and the parody.

I'll end this by quoting Manjoo once more, as he reflects that "Digitalization has been good to us; it's given us the Web, DVDs, and the iPod, among other wonderful things. But computerized documents have also deepened the disconnect between what we perceive through our senses - what we see and what we hear - and what's actually going on in the world" (81).

In reality, an incident of rape had occurred, but to many Americans all it did was cause a laugh because technology had skewed the basis of the matter.

Dying To Live or Living To Die?

I now understand why George Orwell's thought provoking novel 1984 is so thoroughly discussed throughout American Literature. I find it incredible that people can still draw parallels to it so long after it was written. His predictions of the future reveal how genius of an imagination the man had. But more than that, the novel is filled with themes and symbols that are certainly open to multiple interpretations. There are certain human truths that great authors try to reveal within their work. In this case, one parallel I drew was between the classical Athenian character Socrates and Orwell’s Winston Smith. The relationship is much similar than it first might appear to be.

One of the first themes I began to investigate as soon as I began reading was the recurrence of hope throughout the novel. Winston’s thoughts early in the novel are, “Truisms are true, hold on to that. The solid world exists; its laws do not change. Stones are hard; water is wet, unsupported objects fall toward the earth's center” (Orwell 83). This passage reveals Winston’s sufficient understanding of the world he lives in despite all the control imposed upon him. This is also significant because Winston previously had questioned the meaning of life in a society like such. For him to grasp and formulate those ideas reveals that he is a truth-seeking human, a very hard characteristic to maintain in a state where thoughts are controlled by an external group, such as The Party.

His rebellious nature only grows once he meets Julia, whose attitude I believe he feeds off. Julia is a free spirit who Winston is captivated by, and precedes to fall head over heels for. During their “good” times, I feel Winston is on his way to finding happiness. Then it all goes awry. O’Brien is not the rebel who Winston perceives him to be, and Winston and Julia are separated as Winston is sentenced to The Ministry of Love. There he is tortured, and Orwell’s descriptions are gruesome. Winston is faced with a head cage of rats, his worst fear. At the last moment, he opts to pass on the punishment to his once beloved Julia and ends up surviving “Room 101”.

Furthermore, the end of the novel left me in disbelief. I had faith in Winston that he wouldn’t act in the selfish manner that he did, but I guess that is due to The Inner Party’s controlling nature. When he passed on the pain to Julia, I felt as if I was the one receiving it because of how much I thought Winston would overcome the odds of being pushed into the mindset of Ingsoc. I had faith in Winston to not give up his rebellious nature and optimistic philosophy. As I look back though, it was inevitable, and not as bad as I first thought it to be.

After analyzing the plot and reflecting upon it, I drew a parallel to the story of Socrates and “The Apology”. Socrates, like Winston is a free spirit in a bound society. Both are convicted because the majority do not approve of the way they think. Though the fates of both men differ towards the end of each story, I feel as if they resemble the same person in their respective eras.

Winston’s focus has long been to simply survive in the society he found himself in. “They can’t get inside you. If you can feel that staying human is worthwhile, even when it can’t have any result whatever, you’ve beaten them” (Orwell 170). This foreshadows the surrender of himself to Big Brother to stay alive.

It can be argued that Socrates followed a similar path in the sense that they both had to make a decision that questioned their motifs and desires. Socrates has a firm belief along the lines of any man who knows a thing knows he knows nothing. He questions all those labeled as “wise”, and finds that it is those who admit their flaws and lack of knowledge to actually be wiser. Once Socrates is convicted of corrupting the youth and not believing in a god, by a rather slim margin, he reflects on his upcoming execution:

“I think that any man, I will not say a private man, but even the great king, will not find many such days or nights, when compared with the others. Now if death is like this, I say that to die is to gain; for eternity is then only a single night. But if death is the journey to another place, and there, as men say, all the dead are, what good, O my friends and judges, can be greater than this?” (Baird 123).

As evident in the above passage, Socrates is not terrified of his sentence. He was known to be a traveler as well as an inquisitor, and it appears he is ready to continue his journey, wherever it may be. Socrates does seem timid about one thing, that being where he is actually going after death. He thinks death consists of either one night or a whole new life in which other deceased members can congregate.

Previous to his appearance in court, Socrates’ life had been full of exploration while he gained vast amounts of wisdom. It seems that he accepts death, as it will ironically further his exploration of life. Though Winston Smith lives and Socrates “dies”, they both do so in hopes of gaining something. Socrates blatantly explains that, “to die is to gain” while Orwell writes upon Winston’s submission to Big Brother:

“He gazed up at the enormous face. Forty years it had taken him to learn what kind of smile was hidden beneath the dark moustache. O cruel, needless misunderstanding! O stubborn, self-willed exile from the loving breast! Two gin-scented tears trickled down the sides of his nose. But it was all right, everything was all right, the struggle was finished. He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother” (Orwell 308).

The use of the term “the struggle was finished” confirms Wilson’s state of being content, and his willingness to proceed on in life despite the tribulations that The Party brought him. Winston’s sacrificing of his own thought process is not an act of weakness, but an act of wisdom, as was Socrates’. Socrates chose death because he had done what he wanted to do with his life, and wanted to continue exploring what comes next. Similarly, Winston gave in to Big Brother because he had done all he could, and his ignorance towards The Party had lost its strength that was once so powerful. His mindset changed from rebellion to conformity. Winston’s decision to surrender shows how cynical the society truly is, but also how smart he is to finally realize he is a prisoner of The Party as well as his own body, and that there is no other option in order to stay alive. Both figures understand what is needed in order to continue on their respective ways, that being death for Socrates and submission for Winston Smith. 

True Enough?

            In the book titled True Enough: Learning to Live in a Post-Fact Society, Farhad Manjoo attempts to investigate how modern day technological advances have shaped the sort of free-for-all society we now live in.

            Manjoo’s writings begin with the story of Eliza Jane Scovil. Eliza was taken to the doctor with what was presumed as a common cold. They treated her per usual for a child her age, having no idea that Eliza’s mother, Christine Maggiore was HIV positive since 1992. Manjoo writes, “Maggiore had come to accept the unconventional views of a sets of activists who argue that HIV does not cause AIDS” (Manjoo 10). This being said, once Eliza Jane had passed, her mother denied the fact that AIDS was a leading cause. Despite the denial, the child’s body underwent an autopsy, and the examiner most certainly ruled that AIDS took Eliza Jane. At this point in the book, I was wondering where Manjoo could possibly go with this idea until he continues to explain his thesis for us:

“The death of a little girl in Los Angeles may not look immediately germane to the thesis of this book: that the limitless choice we now enjoy over the information we get about our world has loosened our grip on what is—and isn’t—true,” writes Manjoo. “What killed Eliza Jane, then, was not only a disease but more precisely the lack of notice and care for a disease—a denial even, that her condition existed. What killed her was disregard for scientific fact. It was the certainty with which her parents jettisoned the views of experts in favor of another idea, their own idea, far removed from observable reality. It was a willingness to trade in what was true for what was merely true enough” (Manjoo 12)

            In the last sentence, it is seen what he is getting at. Our society is tricked into believing things that may in fact be partly true, but there is no effort that is put into personal beliefs. It is almost as if we develop our so-called morals and virtues throughout our childhood, being heavily influenced by our surroundings, and then they are set. The way we receive information once our beliefs have been established is classified by Manjoo as “selective perception”, a process in which filter out what we don’t necessarily believe in within a story and simply extract what we feel is pertinent.

            As the book continues, Farhad Manjoo runs with the idea that our society, as a whole, has the option to believe whatever we want, and in some cases this freedom is actually so widespread that there are multiple truths to every instance. He looks further into the Swift Boat Veterans and the John Kerry scandal, Fox News, Lou Dobbs, Bush’s reelection, All in the Family, Apple and Microsoft debates, as well as other examples of how we consider truth whatever we want it to be. Most relevant to myself and other Americans though, Manjoo discusses the incidents that occurred on the dreadful morning of September 11, 2001.

            However, as you read the book and begin to buy into his theory that society often is tricked into false truths via manipulation of reality. Manjoo’s points make readers start questioning what lies they could have potentially been living through, and a sense of trust is lost. Immediately, a reader then initiates distrust in the exact words being read. What if Farhad Manjoo is using the same psychological strategies he talks about in his book to in turn color the evidence and literally write a whole entire book of lies. According to Manjoo, this is acceptable because although it may not be entirely true, it is True Enough.

Lfe wthout my Phone4.

As you can see, something from the title is missing. That something is the letter "i". I stands for me, and without my iPhone, I must admit it to be fairly difficult to remember that at the moment, I do not have an iPhone in my possession.

My iPhone stopped working approximately 30 days ago, and I must say I have felt rather different. I couldn't text very efficiently and email was no where to be found. I couldn't twit twat and I couldn't post statuses on how often I walk my siamese cats. The service has flat out sucked, and I can't win any more games in Words With Friends. My world ranking in Tiny Wings has taken a blow, to say the least and I feel like an outcast.

In all seriousness, I realized how lazy and dependent new-age technology has made us. Though I am still trudging along with this Pantech piece of a phone [disregard that I anxiously await my new iPhone 4S], I think I'll be fine.

In even more seriousness, Steve Jobs was an innovator and I think that I, as well as many others, owe him more than what is had. Rest in peace to a man who truly made this place so easy to live in, and don't forget about him as you look down to answer your next text message on your iPhone plugged into your MacBook.

Enough With True Enough

I really wanted to read more about the 9/11 conspiracies, but it seems that Farhad Manjoo had alterior motives. Those being to talk about Lou Dobbs for an excruciating amount of words.

In order to be interested in the Lou Dobbs issue, I feel as if one must be already somewhat politically inclined. In comparison to the 9/11 scandal, Lou Dobbs does not stand a chance. This is the case because of the fact that the September 11th terrorist attacks affected the nation, and as a patriotic American citizen, it is almost automatic to be appalled at the proposition that our government could do such. But even with the little evidence that Manjoo draws from his sources, it is far more believable than you first may think.

I also like how Manjoo goes after "selective exposure". This reminds me of the cat in the box conundrum. If a cat is covered by the box, does it still exist. There are a few different possibilities, but you cannot prove with immediate logic that in fact the cat is still beneath the box. Basically, Manjoo is saying that the evidence for anything is so far up in the air with all of our technological advances that it is hard to decipher what is true and what is not, and that sometimes something has to simply be declared "True Enough".

I would like for Manjoo to go deeper back into September 11th, but if he does not, perhaps we can watch some film in class?

Initial Thoughts on True Enough

To be quite frank, I came to college with no political intelligence nor any interest in it. Unfortunately, our country is extremely political, and after taking fair notes in my American National Government class, I can tell you honestly that now I know what a Democrat and what a Republican is. If you don't believe me, here's how I know:
R=Right Wing=Conservative=Republican
L=Left=Liberal=Democrat
Elementary? Maybe, but don't they say everything you need to know you learn in kindergarten.

Back to the book though, which I find extremely interesting. Speaking from a seminar standpoint, none of these conspiracies ever entered my public sphere. Needless to say, I am shocked and scarred at the fact that there is evidence that our country may have, indeed, terrorized itself. Or that a presidential candidate may have blatantly lied about his military credentials.

Excuse me while I [clear my throat] and continue with Manjoo's writings.

True Enough Reflection

Coming straight from Orville, this book is definitely a change-up. Or a fastball. Regardless, Farhad Manjoo
takes aim at discovering the truth beyond the lies, or lies behind perceived truth. 


I am interested in all the angles he can venture in after reading the first section. John Kerry's iffy false patriotic actions were foreign to me, and I feel like there is a lot that Farhad still has to share.


He begins with the story of a little girl from California who got AIDS from her mother.


“The death of a little girl in Los Angeles may not look immediately germane to the thesis of this book: that the limitless choice we now enjoy over the information we get about our world has loosened our grip on what is—and isn’t—true,” writes Manjoo. “What killed Eliza Jane, then, was not only a disease but more precisely the lack of notice and care for a disease—a denial even, that her condition existed. What killed her was disregard for scientific fact. It was the certainty with which her parents jettisoned the views of experts in favor of another idea, their own idea, far removed from observable reality. It was a willingness to trade in what was true for what was merely true enough.”


An awakening start, I am interested to see where he goes. I would really be excited if he went into 9/11 matters.

Men and Power

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-katz-md/biologys-effect-on-mens-behavior_b_977466.html?ref=mostpopular


This article, written by Dr. Katz touches on the power men feel entitled to, without being ashamed of it at all. In fact, he remarks that "it's more natural to procreate with more than one partner over a lifespan than to be with one person until death do us part."


Though we live in a society that believes marriage is the key to happiness and eternal love, this may not be the case for everyone. 


He also draws parallels to the celebrities who have found themselves in a trap.


"Biology is often the cornerstone of bad behavior. The pattern is well-established: Powerful, successful men (often with attractive, intelligent, successful wives) find themselves caught up in high-profile sex scandals. We somehow always manage to seem a bit surprised, as well as appalled, although I suspect our surprise is more feigned than real. And of course, for every high-profile peccadillo of this sort, there are countless others too mundane to tempt the paparazzi."


His choice of the word "mundane" really shows how sick our society is. He is basically saying that a conversation goes along the lines of this:


Person 1: Have you heard about him and her?
Person 2: No I haven't because she's not rich enough and he's ugly (or vice versa). 


For starters, this is where the media controls those who are influenced by it. People want drama, and for some reason they are easily provided it. 

Unacceptable

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/20/jamey-rodemeyer-suicide-gay-bullying_n_972023.html


While glancing over the Huff Post home page, I came across a title that has become way to regular in the news. "Boy Commits Suicide After Gay Bullying".


Though the names differ, the basis of the story is all the same. In this case, it was a 14-year-old freshman in high school named Jamie Rodemeyer. His parents thought he was handling the issue well, but it turns out that was not the case. Friends claim he just wore a really good mask to cover it all up, and in the end, the slurs of other careless students were the base of his demise.


This is pertinent because it is the simple language of others in their own public sphere that offended and ended up taking this innocent boy's life.


I find these cases to be extremely sickening. We live in such a free society, almost too free. I guess it is too free if kids can slang words at one another and get away with it. But the essence of it is that within our free society, some are trapped by bullying, no matter how good they can try to hide it.


Through it all, Jamey tried to keep his head up. "Thats all you have to do. Just love yourself and you're set. And I promise you, it'll get better,” he said in the video.


Gay bullying has been gaining to much attention in the public sphere, and not for the right reasons. Some states are enforcing laws against such hate crimes, such as California and "Seth's Law". Though I am not really involved in this issue, I feel guilty just reading these stories and not doing anything about it. There needs to be a change. 

Winston's Uncharacteristic Conformity

I now understand why George Orwell's thought provoking novel "1984" is so thoroughly discussed throughout American Literature. His predictions of the future reveal how genius of an imagination the man had. But more than that, the novel is full of themes and symbols that are certainly open to multiple interpretations. 

One of the first themes I began to investigate as soon as I began reading was the recurrence of hope throughout the novel. On page 83, Winston’s thoughts are quoted, “Truisms are true, hold on to that. The solid world exists; its laws do not change. Stones are hard; water is wet, unsupported objects fall toward the earth's center.” This passage reveals Winston’s incredible understanding of the world he lives in despite all the control imposed upon him. This is also significant because Winston previously had questioned the meaning of living in a society like such. For him to grasp and formulate those ideas says a lot about his character.

His rebellious nature only grows once he meets Julia, who I believe he feeds off. Julia is a free spirit who Winston is captivated by, and precedes to fall head over heels for. During their “good” times, I feel Winston is on his way to finding happiness.

Then it all goes wrong. O’Brien is not who Winston perceives him to be, and Winston and Julia are separated as Winston is sentenced to The Ministry of Love. There he is tortured, and Orwell’s descriptions are gruesome.

In a way, I drew a parallel to the story of Socrates and “The Apology”. Socrates, like Winston is a free spirit in a bound society. Both are convicted because the majority do not approve of the way they think. Though the fates of both men differ towards the end, I feel as if they resemble the same person in their respective eras.

That being said, the end of the novel left me in disbelief. I had faith in Winston that he wouldn’t act in the selfish manner that he did, but I guess that is due to The Inner Party’s controlling nature. When he passed on the pain to Julia, I felt as if I was the one receiving it. I had faith in Winston to not give up his rebellious nature and optimistic (for what its worth) philosophy. As I look back though, it was inevitable, and not as bad as I first thought it to be.

Winston’s sacrificing of his own thought process is not an act of weakness, but an act of wisdom, as was Socrates. Socrates chose death because he had done what he wanted to do with his life, and wanted to continue exploring what comes next. Similarly, Winston gave in to Big Brother because he had done all he could, and his ignorance had lost its strength that was once so powerful. His decision shows how cynical the society truly is, but also how smart he is to finally realize he is a prisoner of his own body and that there is no other option for life.

Travel by Mouse Instead of Jet?

A topic that has recently caught my interest is the global climate campaign. CNN has even called it “the most widespread political activity in the planet’s history.” (McKibben 1) I have been interested in how our world is maximizing productivity in lieu of the seemingly infinite technological advances.

In the article titled “Travel by Mouse Instead of Jet?” Bill McKibben investigates what is gained and lost by using software such as Skype and other videoconference programs.

Here is how McKibben describes his new methods:

“In recent years I've learned to tell an increasing number of the people who ask me to speak (about ten a day, most days) that the only way I can "be" there is via Skype video. I sit in my kitchen, turn on my Macbook Pro, line up the camera, and when the moment comes I talk. In this way I am able to say "Yes." to speaking to a multiple of the people I could speak to if our only option was being physically present. And the good news is that the technology is improving all the time. I've already had one venue send out a special camera that allowed me to appear as a three-dimensional hologram!”

One of the main gains of this strategy is to cut costs, and in turn cut back on pollution given off by jets. You can do one thousand Google searches for the energy it takes a plane to drive six tenths of a mile (McKibben 3).

Many have taken this approach, and the only downside McKibben can note is that occasionally some feedback is lost in translation, or the Internet so to speak. Other than that, costs are cut and time is gained, and as technology advances it will only become more and more efficient to do work via remote workstations.

I feel as if McKibben and his coworkers are setting a solid foundation in cutting back not only on travel costs but also on global air pollution. It is brainless if you are a traveling speaker to not start off by making one or two of your conferences a month done over a video stream. In a way, it exemplifies evolution, as things are constantly changing and people not only have to keep up with the world itself but also the technology that comes with it. The world stops for nothing. Except until it freezes over and we all die. 

1984: Section 1

To be frank, after the first few pages I was seriously contemplating just dropping the book and continuing on with my life. I persisted though, and was happily rewarded. George Orwell's accounts of what he believes the future will hold are surprisingly accurate.

To begin, I appreciate Winston's character, and how he is a born leader. He doesn't like being watched, and seems much smarter than other townspeople. I am anxious to see how he grows and if others follow him in his belief that the Party needs to go.

Secondly, two passages stuck out in particular, and coincidentally they were right beside each other. On page 83 Orwell writes, "Stones are hard, water is wet, unsupported objects fall toward the earth's center." He adds, "Freedom is the freedom to say two plus two equals four. Once that is granted, all else follows." For some reason these two lines caused me to think how so many things are definite in this world, yet others are so unrestrained. I almost can't explain how it made me feel, but I was considerably astonished as to how much sense Orwell had made.

I do not typically enjoy fiction, and usually stray away from it, but I think I can find interest in Orwell's tale. I look forward to how the novel plays out as we get deeper into the plot.

Ambassador Assignment

The area of the public sphere I chose to explore was "Pop Culture". Pop culture is a very vast category, allowing almost all areas of the public sphere to be connected. Defined as "Commercial culture based on popular taste," you can imagine how paths can cross.

I plan on using publications such as The New York Times, NPR, The Huffington Post, as well as anything else that I come across from a valid source to review opinion pieces touching on people's reactions to certain events, articles pertaining to pop culture and college students, as well as anything else I find interesting.

Reflection

Interestingly enough, if I hadn't spent the past five days here at college, I wouldn't be able to relate to the article "After Class, Skimpy Equality." However, I was able to and therefore can say that Lisa Belkin's point is considerably valid.

In today's day and age, it is fairly common that someone, unhappy with something about themselves, changes it in what seems the simplest manner to them. This is due in part to the fact that our world has ultimately become limitless. This can seem enticing, but only to a certain extent.

This is where a thing called the brain comes in handy. Dating back to 1.9 million years ago, the human brain has become less and less prominent to some as the future nears. Computers and processors are sweeping the nation. Robots build cars, drive cars, and even write sports articles simply by feeding it a box score.

With that being said, I see the solution to this problem that females dress as they wish, but if you do dress suggestively, expect the worst. In plain terms, just use that brain thing.

But this situation can be easily turned right around onto the males. I experienced first hand this weekend that it is substantially different around campus depending on your gender. For instance, freshman girls get made fun of by upperclassmen girls much more often than the older girls pick on freshman boys, but freshman girls don't get a door slammed in their face nearly as much as a freshman male.

(The previous was an exaggeration to a certain extent. Everyone I met and spent time with on campus were extremely helpful and considerate.)

Regardless, the moral of Lisa's article is that nightlife clothing (or lack thereof) is completely up to you. Just know that if you dress like you're someone you are not, chances are you won't get treated like yourself, man or woman.

MBM Response #1

I believe that Paul Farmer did wonders for the world through his unmatched dedication and empathy. Although his individual medical work was focused on the most throughout the book, he accomplished something that I believe cannot be surpassed. The amount of hope and cheer he spread throughout Haiti is remarkable. Whether it be on his  "routine" house calls or his infinite lectures, Farmer always manages to maintain composure and usually be the hero, whether he likes the attention or not. One of my good friends just came back from Haiti in August, and she said although they are still a bit behind with modern day medical care, everyone who knows of "Dokte" is more than grateful. Kidder words it perfect as he closes his book, remarking, "like so many hearts beating through one single stethoscope." Though there is a literal meaning to that, there is a bigger metaphor behind it. His witty, timeless approach he carries around with him has done so much for the current state of Haiti as well as for the future.