Meghan Stackhouse Blog 01-30-20

01-30-20

Meghan Stackhouse, Pd. 5

Aim: How does the theme of "anonymity" affect the mood and tone of 12 Angry Men?

For the Do Now, we all guessed as to what race we presumed the defendant was. Majority of the class answered African American, despite the deomgraphic statistics about Italians, Irish, and Jewish making up the majority of the "slums" in the 50's, or what we know as the Lower East Side. 

We revisited the fallacy of false equivolance that we learned yesterday, as well as familiarizing ourselves with the rest f the fallacies listed on the chart posted on the syllabus-

- most particulalry hasty generalization. To make a hasty generalization is "to make a sweeping idea over a brief moment". Another important thing to remember about these fallacies is that for Moral Equivolance, the exaggerationns are felt literally, unlike their use in a hyperbole, where the exaggerations are present to further accentuate a point.

What did we learn?

Through discussion, we learned that the relevance of anonymity in the story is the essence of power that comes with it. When you remain anonymous, the fear of the consequences of your actions is muh less inflicting. 

Why did we learn it?

By creating a bridge between a concept that is prevalent in our lives, especially as teenagers with our level of access to the internet and how we choose to utilize it, learning the relevance of anonymity in a story becomes much more straightforward. We become more self aware of how this applies to us, therefore making it easier to understand in several other scenarios presented to us such as in the story.

How will we use what we learned?

We can use this knowledge to increase our mindfulness in the ways it applies to us, as well as keeping this in mind for the rest of the story as well as other stories we may find similarities to this in. We can pay attention to how vulnerable and suspicious the other jurors become when someone has anonymously disagreed, which is also a great example of human nature we ourselves undergo.

Additional Notes:

The Do Now instructions, as seen in the capture of the slide, was to create an assumption about the race of the boy being put on trial. Majoriy of the class aswered African-American, even in spite of the racial demographic of what would be referred to as the "slums" in the 1950s. This is an iportant example of Hasty Generalizations.

1/29/30 Julia Song PD5

1/29/20 Julia Song Pd.5

Sophomores 2020: Blogger #22

Aim: How does characterization contribute to the development of the theme of JUSTICE?

Do Now: How can we define “justice”? How do we know when “justice” has occurred?

1. Think: My own definition of “justice” would be doing what’s right, and making sure that the people who have done wrong get punished. Justice occurs when people get what they deserve.
2. Pair: Riya
3. Share: My partner Riya defined “justice” in one word: fairness. She acknowledged that different people have different ideas of what’s fair, which I agree with. We both said that “justice” is not a simple term, which also linked to a previous quote that we learned from Macbeth: “Fair is foul, foul is fair.”

Ms. Fusaro decided to give us a live demo of what is fair or not, taking the tallest boys: Mark and Jayden. One by one, they jumped to see who could reach the highest point on the wall. The whole class agreed on this situation being unfair because Ms. Fusaro was shorter. However, Michelle made a good point because you cannot control your height and giving someone else a stool is unfair. I had this thought of putting Ms. Fusaro in heels so she could match the height of the other jumpers, but I realized that jumping in heels would also be unfair. Michelle Z proposed a new situation in which every candidate could be placed on a stool, the stool being a control variable in the so-called experiment. I disagree with this because the floor is equally flat for all of them. 

From this example, we can see that coming up with justice is very complex with so many different viewpoints. Some say that Ms. Fusaro not being able to touch the wall was fair because height is not something that can be controlled, while others see this as unfair because she is so much shorter than the other two candidates. 

False Equivalence Fallacy: It’s when you set up two opposing sides of an argument, and make it look like they hold equal weight, when they really don’t. And presenting both of these views as valid is a logical fallacy or a “false equivalence.”

Example: Apples and oranges are both round and grow on trees, so that means they must taste the same.

In this example, common traits are used as logical evidence, leading to the assumption. The two things may share some common characteristics, but they have important differences that are overlooked for the purposes of the argument. 

The video we watched on false equivalence can be seen in the real world. For example, in everyday media outlets, articles that attempt to cover both sides of the story but one side has little regard for the truth. False equivalence is also used in politics, in which the minor flaws of one candidate may be compared to the major flaws of another. 

Finally, we began reading “Twelve Angry Men.”  I played juror #4, he is described as a very serious and factual man. He is rich and very knowledgeable, hence his profession as a stockbroker. 

The scene unfolds: the jurors are still arguing with each other, juror 8 being the only one advocating for the suspect’s innocence. All the evidence was brought to light with the witness accounts. The old man heard noises, the lady across the street saw the man fall to the ground through the windows of a passing train , and the storekeeper selling the knife to the boy. The boy is also found to have a record of grand theft auto and mugging. However, the jurors couldn't help but talk about the boy’s upbringing in the “slums” as one of the reasons why he is guilty, claiming that they are the “breeding grounds for criminals.” We ended the reading with the guard coming in and juror 4 (me) presenting the knife that was supposedly used to stab someone. So far, the verdict is still guilty.

My Reflection: Today I learned that the requirements for fairness and justice are not set in stone. There are multiple viewpoints and criteria for each person, none of them are the exact same. I also learned a new fallacy of false equivalence, and how it can be used in the media and the justice system. While reading, I noticed that this applies to each juror. For example, juror 5 was raised in the slums so he empathized with the boy put on trial. However, juror 3 had a bad relationship with his son and was taking out his anger on the boy that supposedly murdered his father. I noticed that the jurors (especially 3 and 10) often used false equivalence because they were adamant on the suspect being guilty. They insisted that just because the old man downstairs heard the boy yell “I’m going to kill you” and the sound of a body thudding onto the floor, that the boy killed his own father. 

1/30/20 Ryan Patino Period 8

Ryan Patino

Modern Mythology 2020

Aim: How is honor, earned through loyalty, emphasized in funerary rituals and tradition.

Do Now: Describe the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC. Explain the purpose and effect. 

As the groups began to discuss most thought long and hard and finally came to a very complex and profound realization that may shock most. *wait for it*. Located in Washington DC, the towering statue of Abraham Lincoln, aptly named the Lincoln Memorial, was actually used to memorialize Abraham Lincoln. Easily a plus 1000. But as we delved further into the discussion there seemed to be even more to this already deep answer. 

What's the point of memorializing Lincoln in a great statue?

Now you might be saying to yourself, 

"Well duh Ryan Lincoln shaped the course of American History, without him the U.S. might've not ended up the way it is now, there's some way we have to honor him. It's almost as if he's constantly watching over the United States for the years to come, for even an eternity." 

So by creating this statue, you can say that we've immortalized him. Never to be forgotten. That's quite powerful to not be forgotten. Although he may have died more than a century ago, he still lives on in our memories today. The second I heard these words the lyrics to Macklemore's "Glorious" echoed through my mind:

"I heard you die twice, once when they bury you in the grave

And the second time is the last time that somebody mentions your name”

We’re all scared of death not because we’re scared of death itself, instead, we’re all scared of the idea of being forgotten, our existence just completely being erased by time. Since what’s the point of living a life that has no meaning and makes no difference. The thought itself is paralyzing.

At this age, we may not yet realize what our purpose in life is and “pragmatically” we’re all not going to change the world. It’s a statistical fact. Does that now mean that the lives of those that don’t change the world have no meaning?

We were then asked, “What have you done that makes you deserve a memorial?”

After some deep thought, most of us had arrived at the same thoughts:

Hmm... what have I done to deserve memorialization…

I mean my first grade Macaroni art portrait was kinda fire so clearly I’ve already changed the world

No but seriously, hmm…

I had to have done at least something.

…

Well, “pragmatically” I’m not gonna change the world so it’s fine if I don’t.

But then who’s gonna remember me. 

Oh heck what’s the point of life if no one remembers me.

After I die am I just gonna be forgotten?

...

To raise is from this death-inspired existential terror, we were now shown an uplifting poem by Bessie Anderson Stanley titled “To Have Succeeded”:

 

To laugh often and love much; 

To win the respect of the intelligent people 

And the affection of children 

To earn the approbation of honest critics 

And endure the betrayal of false friends 

To appreciate beauty; 

To find the beauty in others; 

To leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, 

A garden patch, 

Or a redeemed social condition; 

To know that one life has breathed easier because you lived here. 

This is to have succeeded.

We were then told by Mrs.Fusaro that we are her purpose. That although it may seem like little we brighten up her day, that she looks forward to having the opportunity of teaching us. And that alone deserves memorialization since although we may not have changed the course of history, we all changed someone’s life.  

The next two lines of Glorious fill my head:

“So when I leave here on this earth, did I take more than I gave?

Did I look out for the people or did I do it all for fame?”

Fame is just another way of being memorialized and extending one’s legacy but after a while fame too, disappears.

Beowulf, a great Anglo-Saxon hero who slew all the monsters in the sea ridding it of all evil. Destroyer of the evil Grendel and his mother. And finally, he is the only one capable of taking on the mighty dragon. 

Beowulf takes twelve of his most trusted Geat warriors and goes into battle. 

After having his sword break and drowning in a wall of fire, Beowulf is pushed into a corner. 

Eleven of the twelve Geats take off and run away. Wiglaf is the only Geat to remain and he attempts to help out Beowulf in his time of need. 

Thereafter Beowulf is fatally wounded and all he asks of Wiglaf is a simple tower to be built in memory of him. 

Beowulf, just like any other human, is scared to be forgotten. He’s scared that after chasing all of this fame, it would prove pointless. Without Wiglaf, if the legends are true, then we wouldn’t have Beowulf’s story, or be aware of any of the amazing feats he had accomplished. Without Wiglaf, Beowulf would have been forgotten. Wiglaf risked his own life and future in order to save Beowulf. But this raises further questions.

What’s the price of honor?

Is it worth living a long life remembered in infamy

Or a short one remembered in glory.

After some student facilitated discussion, we then arrived at the discussion of Wiglaf’s function as a character and came to the conclusion that he’s there to pass on the Beowulf story. And at the very last minute, we had made a great connection. 

“Then he brought their treasure to Beowulf, and found his famous king bloody, gasping for breath. But Wiglaf sprinkled water over his lord.”

That water, especially in Western literature, can be used as a purifying force, and if Wiglaf sprinkled water onto Beowulf this can be seen as a baptism, and that Beowulf had been forgiven for his sins and is now allowed to enjoy his second life in heaven. But instead of heaven, Wiglaf had allowed Beowulf to enjoy a second life by carrying on his legacy and story, therefore immortalizing him. Since we as people are terrified of being forgotten, and why should Beowulf be any different. 

Student Reflection:

Although I may not change the world that shouldn’t make me fear death. Since even though I may not be able to slay monsters like Beowulf, I do have the power to change a person’s life, and maybe they might end up being my Wiglaf. Also, this was the first time I realized the true fear behind death, and through feeling this fear I’m now motivated to change many people’s lives for the better. I also understand reason behind the instinct to help others in professions such as doctors, firefighters or policemen. It’s not that any of them are chasing fame, but instead trying to change peoples’ lives. So now I can use this new perspective on life and purpose in order to somehow not be forgotten. Since, I, like Beowulf, am also terrified of being forgotten. 

‘

1/30/20 Kyle Chan PD1

1/30/2020 Kyle Chan Period 1 Aim: How is honor, earned through loyalty, emphasized in funerary rituals and traditions? We started the lesson by describing the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC. Our task was to explain the purpose and effect of the monument. As a class, we decided that the monument was used as a way to represent his importance, his accomplishments, his legacy, and a way to remember him and to last forever. We all agreed that the monument was similar to Beowulf where he wanted a statue to be erected in his honor. This was a way for him to be remembered and not fade away in society. After this, we read, "To Have Succeeded", by Bessie Anderson Stanley. Through this, we discussed how people attempt to transcend fate by leaving a legacy, doing the unexpected, or by having kids that accomplish more. We continued to analyze the text of Beowulf and discovered the irony in how the Geats abandoned Beowulf when he needed help while Beowulf would never abandon them. Next, we pondered on what the Dragon symbolizes. The class suggested it represented death and its inevitability, the opposite of Beowulf''s traits, and sin. We also mentioned how Beowulf's greed and arrogance led him to his demise. We then discussed Wiglaf's symbolism where he represents an angel figure baptising Beowulf. We related Beowulf back to the conversion of Pagans to Christians and made connections between the Christian values and the characters in the story. From today's lesson, I was reminded that Beowulf was a story written by a Christian monk during a time where the Christians were trying to portray the Old Pagan gods as evil. I learned about the symbolism of the characters and their importance to converting the Pagan people. We learned this so that when we read Beowulf and the tales of Beowulf, we can remember that the whole purpose of the story is to convert the Pagans to Christians. We can use this information to further understand the symbolism and plot of the different tales that branch off from Beowulf.

1/30/20 Justin Lew Pd 2

1/30/2020

Justin Lew

Modern Mythology 2020

Aim: How is honor, earned through loyalty, emphasized in funerary rituals and tradition?

Do Now: Describe the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC (even if you’ve never been there, you’ve probably seen pictures.) Explain the purpose and the effect.

 The class discussed that the Lincoln memorial honors President Lincoln and his achievements. Furthermore, the size and grandeur of the memorial represents the magnitudes of Lincoln’s contributions. It was also discussed that the structure inspires onlookers to become leaders and creates a sense of patriotism towards the nation. The architecture of the memorial adds on as it ultimately centers towards the Lincoln statue. Furthermore, the positioning of the Lincoln statue appears to be sitting down and looking down on tourists, which, Henry points out, may lead to a negative connotation of being a symbol for tyranny as a ruler but is ultimately a representation of Lincoln as a guardian.

The class was asked, what is scarier than death?

The answer was to be forgotten after death. It is likely that most, if not everyone, desires to cement him/herself in history. In other words, we all want to create and leave behind a legacy.

To Have Succeeded - Bessie Anderson Stanley

“To laugh often and much;

To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;

To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;

To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others;

To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition;

To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.

This is to have succeeded.”

Question: How do people attempt to transcend time? Is Beowulf’s quest for fame arrogance or is it a relatable human emotion?

In class, Benjamin Evelson points out that how people follow others by example regardless of morals. This includes committing crimes that are well known or doing something that led to great controversy. As a result, people become remembered due to their infamy. However, in current times, media tries to focus more on the positive aspects of major events rather than the negatives. Examples include the censoring of criminals or greater coverage of positive reactions by communities.

Following the class discussion, Mrs. Fusaro reminds us of the harsh reality that it is unrealistic that any of us will “change the world.” However, we can change ourselves (if necessary) and help others. No matter the scale, we have an impact and leave a mark regardless of whether we believe it or not.

“And death/Would be better for them all, and for you, than the kind/ Of life you can lead, branded with disgrace!”... - Wiglaf

Beowulf is deserted by his companions, except one - Wiglaf. Based on what we read, the conclusion of Beowulf is considered a Tragedy. As Beowulf lies on the ground, Wiglaf gives drips water on Beowulf. As discussed in class, we analyzed that Wiglaf is giving Beowulf a baptism, thus purifying him. Unlike the other companions that Beowulf shelters and protects for years, Wiglaf is a true kin to Beowulf as Wiglaf stays by his side, carrying the legacy of Beowulf to be remembered throughout history (including a memorial in Beowulf’s honor).

Text analyzation: There is an aspect of Paganism which is portrayed in the final battle between the dragon and Beowulf. The dragon is a representation of the devil and its death symbolises the cleansing or removal of a religion from the land. As Beowulf’s death nears, he is conflicted between leaving an honorable legacy and dying from his greed. On the other hand, the dragon that Beowulf fights, like most other European dragons, is filled with greed and dies alone as it focuses on materialistic wealth over building relationships with others, leading to its death in isolation (in the sense that it died alone [in the sense that it had no companions]). In the end, Beowulf and the dragon are the ultimate destroyers of one another.

Reflection:

As a student, this lesson helps me understand the strong connection between myths and reality. Just as many myths reflect the fundamental nature of humans, Beowulf portrays an important, yet misunderstood human emotion that existed and continues to exist in humanity - the desire to leave a mark in history to ensure our existence.

Unlike other mythologies studied in class, the story of Beowulf is unique in its integration of 2 notable and opposing religions. As a result, the analyzation of Beowulf helps us understand how the influence of one religion on another can help us understand the interaction of different mythologies can affect how history is portrayed.

NOTE: This section was not part of my class’ discussions but I felt that I had to add it.

Song: Glorious - Macklemore featuring Skylar Grey

Lines 12 - 15:

“I heard you die twice, once when they bury you in the grave

And the second time is the last time that somebody mentions your name

So when I leave here on this earth, did I take more than I gave?

Did I look out for the people or did I do it all for fame?”

1/29/20 Benjamin Zhu PD1

Benjamin Zhu 1/29/20 Vocab Quiz in the beginning of the period Secrets of the Viking Sword we create importance on physical objects; an extension of oneself We watched video master swordsman cuts objects He has used many different types of swords A good sword is not about cutting with a sharp edge Viking sword made of pure steel Ulfberht, perfect sword of form and function especially for a Viking battle of that age Viking started from scandinavia, a lot of men fought with axe and spear but rich men used swords because it allowed for close combat 171 Viking swords have been identified as oofberd We have to reverse engineer to find the construction of the ulfberht sword, the materials and the reason why these swords are different from others Alex Williams found shocking information on ulfberht, smelted iron source of material for most swords. Crushed ores are heated to separate iron from rock, iron too soft as a strong weapon so they add carbon to harden the weapon and made into steel. Slag is found on swords and it was hard to remove because the heat back then wasn’t enough to remove it. Nowadays, the heat can reach up to thousands of heat so it can remove the slag. Slag makes the metal brittle. Most Vikings were pagans who worshipped their weapon. They believe their sword could lead them to Valhalla if they die in battle with a sword in their hands. Ulfberht was extremely flexible which is good because if a normal sword gets stuck in a shield, it can break. Ulfberht’s flexibility is almost seen as magical Some Vikings even use their ancestors’ bone to make it into the perfect steel which is source of powerful yet personal type of weapon The Vikings didn’t even know how to make the steel, theory has it that it originated from Asia Reflection: The purpose of today’s lesson was to explain the physical and symbolic significance of the ulfberht sword. The sword was a sort of holy weapon that reflects one self and was passed down for generations. Furthermore, it was a weapon that is way above its time; the materials used to construct it and the amount of accuracy and precision needed proved that the sword was available to those who are the higher ups. The sword not only prove to be unique, it also proved to be extremely competent in battle. Due to its precise construction, the sword can bend more than others which allow it for superior close combat of its time.

1/29/20 Raphael Morgenshtern Period 8

1/29/20

Raphael Morgenshtern

Period 8

#21

Today in class we started with the beloved vocabulary quiz. Hopefully we all did well. After that Mrs. Fusaro played us a special by National Geographic about an ancient weapon of the vikings called Ulfberht. The historical context the video gave was brilliantly displayed, how these swords were hailed as the top of the line, were very important for an advantage in battle, and for a warriors chances of getting to Valhalla. The presentation brought in a direct connection to the way we look at cars today, signs of wealth and top line performance that we all hope to have. 

Ulfberht was a particular kind of sword, so unique that it was considered to be magical. The steel swords of the time were all brittle because of the ore left in the material, Ulfberht however, was the polar opposite. This sword was almost pure iron and carbon, a feat of engineering unknown to any other blacksmiths at the time. So amazing, that even today we have trouble figuring out exactly how they accomplished the creation of the weapon. 

The special then continued to take us on a journey of a modern blacksmith, swordsman, and historian trying to reverse engineer the swords creation to make a full replica from scratch. With just 170 Ulfberht swords found, all in horrible condition, this was extremely difficult. We got to see the blacksmith start the crucible for the iron to separate from the ore and harden with the carbon, sadly that was when the period had ended. Nevertheless, this gave me an entirely new outlook on the standard weapons were held to in these times of history, and for that the class was an amazing experience that I walked away from learning something new.

1/29/20 Nicole Ko Pd 2

Nicole Ko

January 29, 2020

Period 2

We started off today’s class by taking a vocabulary quiz on unit 6. After everyone handed the quiz in, we watched a video called The Secrets of the Viking Sword by National Geographic Nova. We watched this basically the rest of the period. The video talked about how difficult it was to recreate Ulfberht, the viking sword. It was hard to replicate exactly because it was something way ahead of its time and blacksmiths didn’t have any record of how the blades were made. It was light and flexible. The video also talked about how the strength, flexibility, weight, and shape determine the sword’s superiority, which explains why the Ulfberht was an important weapon. Although it was important, it was quite rare and expensive so not everyone had them. Vikings were skilled navigators and traders, which meant that they needed skills in combat since they were often forced to go to war. It is important to note that viking blades tend to not touch each other directly; they wanted to go straight for the kill. They also used shields. Where other swords would get stuck, the Ulfberht was flexible enough to withstand the stress of being stuck in the shield. This is due to the lack of impurities. 

Reflection

The video provided an understanding of fighting in Beowulf, specifically the weapons. Swords play a big role in Beowulf. For example, he used a Sword to kill Grendel’s mother. It showed how important weaponry is to a person.

1/28/20 Bernard Kelly Pd 2

01/28/20

Bernard Kelly

Period 2

Aim: How does Beowulf fail to illuminate the humanism of Grendel’s Mother?

We had discussed Hrunting, an ancestral sword that was given to Beowulf, which was unable to kill Grendel’s Mother. This was because the sword was made during pagan times and therefore evil, so it was unable to kill another evil being(Grendel’s mother). The only thing that can kill Grendel’s Mother is something holy/blessed, such as a holy sword, one forged by giants yet survived the biblical flood, showing that it was pure and holy. We then began discussing the conversion of Anglo-Saxons from paganism to Christianity, which is very explicitly shown in Beowulf. Hrunting failed to kill Grendel’s Mother, and it has been said that the sword was given to Beowulf by Unferth who knew that the sword wouldn’t work. This was because Unferth wanted Beowulf to fail, as Unferth had failed before him and didn’t want to be defeated. Grendel’s Mother was evil because, like Grendel, she was the descendant of Cain and also a woman, who, in these stories, were either evil or eye candy. She had to kill one person after the death of her son, as it was only fair. This can be useful in real life as what not to do when you are wronged by someone. It is almost always better to turn the other cheek, be a better person, and to grow from the experience.

Bernard Kelly #18

Julia Song Blog 1/29/20 :)

1/29/20 Julia Song Pd.5

Sophomores 2020: Blogger #22

Aim: How does characterization contribute to the development of the theme of JUSTICE?

Do Now: How can we define “justice”? How do we know when “justice” has occurred?
Think: My own definition of “justice” would be doing what’s right, and making sure that the people who have
done wrong get punished. Justice occurs when people get what they deserve.
Pair: Riya
Share: My partner Riya defined “justice” in one word: fairness. She acknowledged that different people have different
ideas of what’s fair, which I agree with. We both said that “justice” is not a simple term, which also linked to a previous
quote that we learned from Macbeth: “Fair is foul, foul is fair.”

Ms. Fusaro decided to give us a live demo of what is fair or not, taking the tallest boys: Mark and Jayden.
One by one, they jumped to see who could reach the highest point on the wall.
The whole class agreed on this situation being unfair because Ms. Fusaro was shorter. However, Michelle made a good
point because you cannot control your height and giving someone else a stool is unfair. I had this thought of putting
Ms. Fusaro in heels so she could match the height of the other jumpers, but I realized that jumping in heels would also
be unfair. Michelle Z proposed a new situation in which every candidate could be placed on a stool, the stool being a
control variable in the so-called experiment. I disagree with this because the floor is equally flat for all of them. 

From this example, we can see that coming up with justice is very complex with so many different viewpoints.
Some say that Ms. Fusaro not being able to touch the wall was fair because height is not something that can be
controlled, while others see this as unfair because she is so much shorter than the other two candidates. 



False Equivalence Fallacy: It’s when you set up two opposing sides of an argument, and make it look like they hold
equal weight, when they really don’t. And presenting both of these views as valid is a logical fallacy or a
“false equivalence.”

Example: Apples and oranges are both round and grow on trees, so that means they must taste the same.

In this example, common traits are used as logical evidence, leading to the assumption. The two things may share some
common characteristics, but they have important differences that are overlooked for the purposes of the argument. 

The video we watched on false equivalence can be seen in the real world. For example, in everyday media outlets,
articles that attempt to cover both sides of the story but one side has little regard for the truth. False equivalence is also
used in politics, in which the minor flaws of one candidate may be compared to the major flaws of another. 

Finally, we began reading “Twelve Angry Men.”  I played juror #4, he is described as a very serious and factual man.
He is rich and very knowledgeable, hence his profession as a stockbroker. 

The scene unfolds: the jurors are still arguing with each other, juror 8 being the only one advocating for the suspect’s
innocence. All the evidence was brought to light with the witness accounts. The old man heard noises, the lady across
the street saw the man fall to the ground through the windows of a passing train , and the storekeeper selling the knife to
the boy. The boy is also found to have a record of grand theft auto and mugging. However, the jurors couldn't help but
talk about the boy’s upbringing in the “slums” as one of the reasons why he is guilty, claiming that they are
the “breeding grounds for criminals.” We ended the reading with the guard coming in and juror 4 (me) presenting the
knife that was supposedly used to stab someone. So far, the verdict is still guilty.

My Reflection: Today I learned that the requirements for fairness and justice are not set in stone.
There are multiple viewpoints and criteria for each person, none of them are the exact same.
I also learned a new fallacy of false equivalence, and how it can be used in the media and the justice system.
While reading, I noticed that this applies to each juror. For example, juror 5 was raised in the slums so he empathized
with the boy put on trial. However, juror 3 had a bad relationship with his son and was taking out his anger on the boy
that supposedly murdered his father. I noticed that the jurors (especially 3 and 10) often used false equivalence
because they were adamant on the suspect being guilty. They insisted that just because the old man downstairs heard
 the boy yell “I’m going to kill you” and the sound of a body thudding onto the floor, that the boy killed his own father.