5/1/20 Warren Shum PD 7

Warren Shum

Blogger #26

PD 7

Write about what you learned in your online English lessons.

We have just finished the vampire unit and are starting the zombies unit. The first lesson talks about the history of zombies and how they came into the popularity that they now enjoy in pop culture. They originated from Haiti, where accounts of actual zombies in the sugarcane fields existed. The lesson also talks about one of the first zombie movies, Night of the Living Dead and its message about commercialism and consumerism. But I was most fascinated by the article about the U.S. government preparing for a zombie apocalypse. I found it interesting how the government would prepare for something that seems so much in the realm of fiction, although the idea was to replace real life threats with fake ones to protect diplomatic interests. 

What is it like working from home?

Working from home is a very interesting experience. Although one might advocate for being able to work at home, I can very clearly see the benefits of going somewhere else to do work. At home it’s much easier to become distracted and to slack off a lot. I think I will gain a new appreciation for the commute to work and school and the fact that you can do work somewhere else. 

What are you learning about your world/community based on the reactions?

I am learning that the government, in its current state, is not as prepared for large disasters as it probably should be. As a result of the unpreparedness, the economy is tanking and everyone is out of a job. It will most likely be a while before we as a nation, or even we as a world will be able to start to recover from this. I am also learning that people will turn anything in politics, or partisan support. Normally disasters create a rally-around-the-flag effect, where people band together and help each other out. This happened right after 9-11 when support on both sides, democrat and republican, for President Bush surged. However, people seem to still be very bi-partisan even in the midst of a disaster. On the more positive side, I have been seeing many signs and posters around the neighborhood thanking people for their service during this crisis, so I suppose there are some people out there that are still very gracious and humble.