4/3/20 Julie Kutuzoff Pd5

Julie Kutuzoff
4/3/20
PD 5
Blogger #13

How is what you’re learning applied to any other classes/the world around you?
I’d heard of 1984 several times before we began reading it in class, but after reading it I am noticing a lot of things that seem to link to either 1984 or ideas discussed in it. For one, the surveillance state certainly feels more realistic to our modern audience than it did in 1949, especially now that it is not only somewhat possible, but that to some extents it does exist actively, and there is a present day discourse about how far it will go. Originally intended as a cautionary tale against fascism and totalitarianism, it can still be used for commentary in any society. After finishing my AP world essay today on the extent of change of the French Revolution and the communist chinese revolution, after discussing the anatomy of an uprising for a solid two pages, I noticed some similarities to 1984. For instance, the main reason for the French revolt was unfair taxing, with the third estate that consisted of peasants and made up 98% of the population paying all the taxes and living in poverty, while the first and second estate that was considered the upper class payed none. Within 1984, a similar situation occurs with the party living in luxury, while the people are living in dire circumstances. It also brings up the point of the government’s manipulation of its citizens and the truth. The popular phrases “he who holds the pen writes history/the victor writes history” seems to take on a whole new meaning after this novel, and leaves me wondering how much of the history taught to us is influenced by propaganda? With the current state of the global affairs due to the corona virus, it is difficult to see to the truth in the midst of so many different sources with different goals reporting on it.

What is it like working from home?
There are definitely both good and bad parts to online learning. While initially I found it simple to manage the workload, each week it feels the workload gets a bit heavier and thus harder to manage. I find myself engaging with the material much more since I have been able to set my own pace and on my own time, since sometimes it is difficult for me to concentrate so early in the morning. The social aspect of learning has continued into online learning for me, for instance sometimes I will FaceTime my peer while going through lessons together for better understanding and to discuss the content. However there is also a certain level of stress at the online aspect, with so many posts and emails each day, it is easy to lose track of something. The testing aspect that is supposed to be implemented is so far rather confusing, and each teacher seems to take it completely differently. Overall, online schooling seems not to be that different from regular schooling fundamentally, however it does bring about different lifestyle aspects and changes your daily routine entirely.

Your own personal feelings and thoughts about what is happening right now.
It feels very strange to be living through a worldwide crisis that is surely to go down in history. Quarantine has changed everyone’s life significantly, and has even affected how my education and life will go on for a while. Not knowing when the quarantine will be lifted is probably the scariest part for me. Since this crisis requires you to be inside for such a long period of time, with the only link to the outside world being the news, it feels a bit surreal. Today there was even an emergency alert on my phone that asked for medical volunteers in New York City, which made me a bit anxious considering it implies that New York is not armed to defend itself against this virus. New York currently being the epicenter of the pandemic in America, is hard to even conceptualize. Personally I am trying to stay aware of the dangerous while not panicking, because I feel panicking in this situation would make it not only worse but more dangerous for everyone.