A very interesting response Arnelle, but I was thirsty for more on the Aztecs' indoctrination to solidify the analogy between anorexia and human sacrifices. I however must laud you for such a sound analysis. By the way, who is Arthur's friend?
According to the OXFORD CONCISE SCHOOL DICTIONARY, perception is the ability to see, notice or understand something. In the video above, a girl is looking at her self in the mirror. Now her perception of her self in the mirror is a fat girl, but in reality, she is skin and bones. She is severely under weight. The Aztec culture is very simular to this girl. The Aztecs believe in many gods. According to the Aztecs, these gods are thirsty for blood, and not just any blood. Human blood. If each god does not get their portion of blood, the sun wouldn't rise, the universe will cease to exist, and all human life will be destroyed. There fore, to satisfiy the gods, theey sacrifice humans in front of everyone in the empire, and they rip out the heart of the person. Now the Aztecs, to save their own lives, used persons outside of the Aztec empire as human sacrifice. Now as mentioned before, the Aztecs perception was that the world would end without the human sacrifices. But the reality was that they were murdering thousands of people and creating enemies for themselves. In the above video, the girl's perception of herself was that she was fat, but in reality, she was skin and bones. In the Aztec empire, the Aztecs perseption was that they were saving the world by offering human sacrifices to the gods while in reality, they were committing genocide and they were causeing themselves to be hated. Both situations are quite related.
Welcome Rashauna! Your definition intrigues me: "the ability to see, notice or understand something." How accurate is this definition my people? Does perception varies or is it merely dependent on the individual's eyes? Rashauna’s intro has titillated me so much I want to delve into the psychology and philosophy some more. Can one's perception be synonymous with one's reality? Who determines who's fat and slim? I think I am slim. Do you agree? You better be honest! Could the Aztecs' world really end if human sacrifices ceased? Did it after the Spaniards emerged victorious? What about figuratively if not literally? Thanks Rashauna! Your response evoked much needed discussion. Is reality really reality or is it merely what we want it to be?
Perception is the ability to see, hear, or become aware of something through the senses and understanding it based on social upbringing and values. Reality on the other hand is the world or the state of things as they actually exist, as opposed to an idealistic or notional idea of them. The anorexic young lady in the video above PERCEIVED herself as being slightly overweight when in REALITY she was horribly malnourished. This is most likely due to society PERCEIVING being slim as being socially acceptable and attractive thus in the mentality of some the slimmer the more attractive and drive themselves to a false PERCEPTION of perfection. The Aztecs PERCEIVED themselves as the chosen race to keep the universe stable and thus had all right to dominate and conquer other weaker tribes. In REALITY they were a power hungry people who wanted riches and enjoyed lording their powers over others, forcing thousands of innocents into servitude. The Aztecs PERCEIVED human sacrifice as a glorious action, that it kept the cosmos running and fed their gods, when in reality it was barbarous, disgusting and inhumane. They were killing thousands for their selfish gain and to sate their wanton blood-lust.
Again, another student is forcing me to question even more. Now Jaron's definition of perception is treading the same line like Rashauna. But notice he says perception is "based on social upbringing and values." How many of you agree? How can one's perception alter reality? Is there anything wrong with wanting to dominate and being the best? What do you think Merrique? Is the Aztecs' vision and thirst for dominance so different from a student wanting an A? Look up what the Marxists say about religion and its impact. Remember history is also interdisciplinary. Look at Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and use it in any essay when necessary.....the need to be loved, feel secure and the highest point, self actualization. The analogy between the girl in the mirror and the Aztecs religion involving human sacrifices is crucial to understanding why people take certain actions. Thanks Jaron!
Dissatisfaction is the condition of being discontent with your current lifestyle. Humans are almost always dissatisfied with their appearance, wealth, possessions, status, associations and many other aspects of life. Simply put, we are creatures that always want more, despite how much we have at present.
In the video above, the theme that struck out most to me was "Dissatisfaction". I gathered that the young lady in the video desired a slim body, probably because society deems fat unfavorable. Due to her eating disorder, her body had become bony, unsightly and frightfully slim but she still considered herself too fat. She was determined to find areas on her body she considered pudgy and unlikable. As a result, even though her slimness was at an extreme, her aim was to do more, try harder and lose more weight. In my opinion, she will most likely remain dissatisfied with her body until the day she dies. Her obsession with perfection would lead to her own end.
Similarly, the Aztecs rose to be a powerful and immense empire because they remained dissatisfied. Multiple human sacrifices need to be performed daily, so nearby villages were constantly raided for captives. Pyramids were never grand enough so additional stories were added as the years went by, using slaves. Tenochtitlan's wealth was too small so surrounding tribes were conquered to boost tribute. They never paused! They always needed to grow, improve and outdo the former generation. Of course it is not a fault to desire excellence but at what cost? Due to the Aztec's vicious, ruthless and overpowering nature, it was not difficult for Hernan Cortes to acquire an army of natives, who were determined to see the empire fall. The success of the Aztecs meant the desecration of several tribes, yet they never stopped. After becoming the greatest civilization in the Americas in their prime, the Aztecs remained dissatisfied. They would remain so until the day their aim for perfection led to the fall of their entire empire.
Overall, dissatisfaction can lead to the accomplishment of ANY goal. However, if left untamed, dreadful consequences can follow those who seek obsolete perfection. (^_^)
Yes Cody we hear you. So tell us why Arize gets your vote? Time for me to let you critique. The rest of you get ready. What are the strengths of Arize's analogy? Do you believe dissatisfaction was the root cause of the Aztecs' bloody religion? Were the Aztecs, like the girl in the mirror, obsessed? Thanks Arize! Different but valid perspective!
Perception is the belief in oneself that they are a particular way but in reality this is not so. The video above is a short clip which depicts a young girl suffering from a disorder known as anorexia. The girl looks into her mirror and sees a fat girl which she is evidently upset about. This however, is a perception. She is in fact a very thin girl, to the point where it seems like she is literally skin and bone. Many young girls suffer from this disorder because the media and, to some extent, society have a certain perception of how a woman should look. As a result many young girls try to conform to meet society’s standards. Ultimately they become blinded by their perception and head down a road of destruction. This can be related to the Aztec culture is some respects. Firstly, the Aztecs were a fanatically religious group of people. The Aztecs believed that they were the dominant culture and on the planet and felt like they were mandated by their gods to keep the world in motion. As prescribed by their religion, the Gods demanded human blood and in turn they would provide blessings to the Aztecs and keep the world from ending. According to Sophie D. Coe and Michael D. Coe, “the Aztecs are almost universally viewed as a cruel and sadistic people,” because of their beliefs. Thousands of humans were sacrificed at regular intervals during the year and even their own people were slaughtered! The religion can be related to our modern society and media. They had a particular perception which the Aztecs, like the young girl, felt they had to adhere to. Due to this perception the Aztecs conquered and pillaged lands and sacrificed their populations. This would have many adverse effects and would create some factors which aided in the decline of the empire. Apart from that, the Aztec’s high perceptions of themselves also lead them to neglect and impose exorbitant tributes on their client states. This created uneasy tensions between the central authority and the city states. Some cities even went as far as to revolt against Aztec rule but generally anti- Aztec sentiment were spreading through these city states and again this would be a contributing factor in the decline of the Aztec empire. The Aztecs, because of their perception, were always in the pursuit of perfection and greatness. They made many great innovations and some marvelous engineering feats, but at what cost. To build the great palaces, causeways, temples and other infrastructure they needed a strong labour force and the various resources. They enslaved people and conquered resourceful territories to fulfill their desire for perfection. They showed no compassion for their subjects or the people they conquered. They also were not afraid to exploit resources for their own interests. Their perception blinded them from the threat that Hernan Cortes and his conquistadores presented. If they had come down to reality they would have been able see the imminent danger ahead of them but once again perception prevailed. They let enemies into their capital city who would then uproot the political structure of the empire and ultimately destroy the Aztecs from within. The irony in this is that over many years the Aztecs took the hearts of thousands; however their own heart was finally ripped from them by European blades. Their perception of themselves may have pushed the Aztecs to greatness but in the end it could only have lead to their downfall. It was Anthony J. D'Angelo who said “Reality doesn't bite, rather our perception of reality bites.”
Really, go easy Arthur. I love that quote. Tell us what that quote actually means Arthur. Class you have the floor now. Critique this piece. Starting with you Andrae. All of you will tell me what you think about it. Ensure to highlight both weaknesses and strengths. Thank you Arthur. Right on target!
What we have here, is a classic case of perception versus reality. In Psychology & Zoology, perception is defined as the neurophysiologic processes, including memory, by which an organism becomes aware of and interprets external stimuli. Our perception is influenced by the things around us. Whereas, reality is defined as, the state of things as they actually exist as opposed to an idealistic or notional idea of them.
At the start of the video, we see a young lady of average weight checking out her body in the mirror. She is examining the parts of her body that she finds to be “pudgy” probably seeking areas that she believes needs drastic improvement. However, as the video progresses we see a completely different story begin to unfold. The young lady, checking herself in the mirror, who we first believed to be of average weight, turns out to be severely underweight. It becomes quite apparent, that this young lady is suffering from some sort of eating disorder. However, this is not a strange phenomenon; many a young women suffer from these disorders as they try to conform to society’s standard of true beauty. Disorders like these are mental illnesses. It causes these young women to have a distorted self image. They perceive themselves as chubby or overweight, so they binge and start themselves in order to be looked upon as beautiful. They will never see themselves as skinny enough; they will forever seek to be thinner. When the sad reality of the matter is, these poor young women simply cannot afford to lose any more weight lest they wither away and die. Only with the help of extensive therapy, will these young women come to truly love themselves and realize how beautiful they really are.
This relates to the Aztecs because they were in a somewhat similar situation. The Aztecs had many gods, and to appease these gods they had to offer human sacrifices. They believed that without these sacrifices, they sun would cease to rise and the universe would literally die. They Aztecs believed that it was their sacred duty to prevent this from happening. These Aztecs perceived themselves as agents of their gods, doing their solemn duty to keep the universe alive. Their deeply religious views influenced their perceptions of themselves. However, in reality such things were not necessary; they viciously murdered hundreds of thousands of innocent people and offered them as sacrifices. Just like young women with eating disorders, the Aztecs perceptions of themselves differed greatly from reality.
Thank you Dr. Cody! Again the same concepts of murder and reality resurfacing. Arizee has voted for you. Tell us why Arize. Is Cody's response better than yours? Explain what you like and if possible, dislike about it. And for those who are yet to vote you will tell me in class who deserves the bonus marks. Thank you Cody! Like your peers, I am impressed.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteBoth me and my friend think you made some very good points so my vote has to go to you.
DeleteA very interesting response Arnelle, but I was thirsty for more on the Aztecs' indoctrination to solidify the analogy between anorexia and human sacrifices. I however must laud you for such a sound analysis. By the way, who is Arthur's friend?
DeleteAccording to the OXFORD CONCISE SCHOOL DICTIONARY, perception is the ability to see, notice or understand something.
ReplyDeleteIn the video above, a girl is looking at her self in the mirror. Now her perception of her self in the mirror is a fat girl, but in reality, she is skin and bones. She is severely under weight. The Aztec culture is very simular to this girl.
The Aztecs believe in many gods. According to the Aztecs, these gods are thirsty for blood, and not just any blood. Human blood. If each god does not get their portion of blood, the sun wouldn't rise, the universe will cease to exist, and all human life will be destroyed. There fore, to satisfiy the gods, theey sacrifice humans in front of everyone in the empire, and they rip out the heart of the person. Now the Aztecs, to save their own lives, used persons outside of the Aztec empire as human sacrifice. Now as mentioned before, the Aztecs perception was that the world would end without the human sacrifices. But the reality was that they were murdering thousands of people and creating enemies for themselves.
In the above video, the girl's perception of herself was that she was fat, but in reality, she was skin and bones. In the Aztec empire, the Aztecs perseption was that they were saving the world by offering human sacrifices to the gods while in reality, they were committing genocide and they were causeing themselves to be hated. Both situations are quite related.
Welcome Rashauna! Your definition intrigues me: "the ability to see, notice or understand something." How accurate is this definition my people? Does perception varies or is it merely dependent on the individual's eyes? Rashauna’s intro has titillated me so much I want to delve into the psychology and philosophy some more. Can one's perception be synonymous with one's reality?
DeleteWho determines who's fat and slim? I think I am slim. Do you agree? You better be honest! Could the Aztecs' world really end if human sacrifices ceased? Did it after the Spaniards emerged victorious? What about figuratively if not literally? Thanks Rashauna! Your response evoked much needed discussion. Is reality really reality or is it merely what we want it to be?
Perception is the ability to see, hear, or become aware of something through the senses and understanding it based on social upbringing and values.
ReplyDeleteReality on the other hand is the world or the state of things as they actually exist, as opposed to an idealistic or notional idea of them.
The anorexic young lady in the video above PERCEIVED herself as being slightly overweight when in REALITY she was horribly malnourished. This is most likely due to society PERCEIVING being slim as being socially acceptable and attractive thus in the mentality of some the slimmer the more attractive and drive themselves to a false PERCEPTION of perfection.
The Aztecs PERCEIVED themselves as the chosen race to keep the universe stable and thus had all right to dominate and conquer other weaker tribes. In REALITY they were a power hungry people who wanted riches and enjoyed lording their powers over others, forcing thousands of innocents into servitude.
The Aztecs PERCEIVED human sacrifice as a glorious action, that it kept the cosmos running and fed their gods, when in reality it was barbarous, disgusting and inhumane. They were killing thousands for their selfish gain and to sate their wanton blood-lust.
Again, another student is forcing me to question even more. Now Jaron's definition of perception is treading the same line like Rashauna. But notice he says perception is "based on social upbringing and values." How many of you agree? How can one's perception alter reality? Is there anything wrong with wanting to dominate and being the best? What do you think Merrique?
DeleteIs the Aztecs' vision and thirst for dominance so different from a student wanting an A? Look up what the Marxists say about religion and its impact. Remember history is also interdisciplinary. Look at Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and use it in any essay when necessary.....the need to be loved, feel secure and the highest point, self actualization. The analogy between the girl in the mirror and the Aztecs religion involving human sacrifices is crucial to understanding why people take certain actions. Thanks Jaron!
Dissatisfaction is the condition of being discontent with your current lifestyle. Humans are almost always dissatisfied with their appearance, wealth, possessions, status, associations and many other aspects of life. Simply put, we are creatures that always want more, despite how much we have at present.
ReplyDeleteIn the video above, the theme that struck out most to me was "Dissatisfaction". I gathered that the young lady in the video desired a slim body, probably because society deems fat unfavorable. Due to her eating disorder, her body had become bony, unsightly and frightfully slim but she still considered herself too fat. She was determined to find areas on her body she considered pudgy and unlikable. As a result, even though her slimness was at an extreme, her aim was to do more, try harder and lose more weight. In my opinion, she will most likely remain dissatisfied with her body until the day she dies. Her obsession with perfection would lead to her own end.
Similarly, the Aztecs rose to be a powerful and immense empire because they remained dissatisfied. Multiple human sacrifices need to be performed daily, so nearby villages were constantly raided for captives. Pyramids were never grand enough so additional stories were added as the years went by, using slaves. Tenochtitlan's wealth was too small so surrounding tribes were conquered to boost tribute. They never paused! They always needed to grow, improve and outdo the former generation. Of course it is not a fault to desire excellence but at what cost? Due to the Aztec's vicious, ruthless and overpowering nature, it was not difficult for Hernan Cortes to acquire an army of natives, who were determined to see the empire fall. The success of the Aztecs meant the desecration of several tribes, yet they never stopped. After becoming the greatest civilization in the Americas in their prime, the Aztecs remained dissatisfied. They would remain so until the day their aim for perfection led to the fall of their entire empire.
Overall, dissatisfaction can lead to the accomplishment of ANY goal. However, if left untamed, dreadful consequences can follow those who seek obsolete perfection. (^_^)
Arize gets my vote!
DeleteYes Cody we hear you. So tell us why Arize gets your vote? Time for me to let you critique. The rest of you get ready. What are the strengths of Arize's analogy? Do you believe dissatisfaction was the root cause of the Aztecs' bloody religion? Were the Aztecs, like the girl in the mirror, obsessed?
DeleteThanks Arize! Different but valid perspective!
Perception is the belief in oneself that they are a particular way but in reality this is not so. The video above is a short clip which depicts a young girl suffering from a disorder known as anorexia. The girl looks into her mirror and sees a fat girl which she is evidently upset about. This however, is a perception. She is in fact a very thin girl, to the point where it seems like she is literally skin and bone. Many young girls suffer from this disorder because the media and, to some extent, society have a certain perception of how a woman should look. As a result many young girls try to conform to meet society’s standards. Ultimately they become blinded by their perception and head down a road of destruction. This can be related to the Aztec culture is some respects.
ReplyDeleteFirstly, the Aztecs were a fanatically religious group of people. The Aztecs believed that they were the dominant culture and on the planet and felt like they were mandated by their gods to keep the world in motion. As prescribed by their religion, the Gods demanded human blood and in turn they would provide blessings to the Aztecs and keep the world from ending. According to Sophie D. Coe and Michael D. Coe, “the Aztecs are almost universally viewed as a cruel and sadistic people,” because of their beliefs. Thousands of humans were sacrificed at regular intervals during the year and even their own people were slaughtered!
The religion can be related to our modern society and media. They had a particular perception which the Aztecs, like the young girl, felt they had to adhere to. Due to this perception the Aztecs conquered and pillaged lands and sacrificed their populations. This would have many adverse effects and would create some factors which aided in the decline of the empire. Apart from that, the Aztec’s high perceptions of themselves also lead them to neglect and impose exorbitant tributes on their client states. This created uneasy tensions between the central authority and the city states. Some cities even went as far as to revolt against Aztec rule but generally anti- Aztec sentiment were spreading through these city states and again this would be a contributing factor in the decline of the Aztec empire.
The Aztecs, because of their perception, were always in the pursuit of perfection and greatness. They made many great innovations and some marvelous engineering feats, but at what cost. To build the great palaces, causeways, temples and other infrastructure they needed a strong labour force and the various resources. They enslaved people and conquered resourceful territories to fulfill their desire for perfection. They showed no compassion for their subjects or the people they conquered. They also were not afraid to exploit resources for their own interests.
Their perception blinded them from the threat that Hernan Cortes and his conquistadores presented. If they had come down to reality they would have been able see the imminent danger ahead of them but once again perception prevailed. They let enemies into their capital city who would then uproot the political structure of the empire and ultimately destroy the Aztecs from within. The irony in this is that over many years the Aztecs took the hearts of thousands; however their own heart was finally ripped from them by European blades. Their perception of themselves may have pushed the Aztecs to greatness but in the end it could only have lead to their downfall. It was Anthony J. D'Angelo who said “Reality doesn't bite, rather our perception of reality bites.”
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteReally, go easy Arthur. I love that quote. Tell us what that quote actually means Arthur.
DeleteClass you have the floor now. Critique this piece. Starting with you Andrae. All of you will tell me what you think about it. Ensure to highlight both weaknesses and strengths.
Thank you Arthur. Right on target!
What we have here, is a classic case of perception versus reality. In Psychology & Zoology, perception is defined as the neurophysiologic processes, including memory, by which an organism becomes aware of and interprets external stimuli. Our perception is influenced by the things around us. Whereas, reality is defined as, the state of things as they actually exist as opposed to an idealistic or notional idea of them.
ReplyDeleteAt the start of the video, we see a young lady of average weight checking out her body in the mirror. She is examining the parts of her body that she finds to be “pudgy” probably seeking areas that she believes needs drastic improvement. However, as the video progresses we see a completely different story begin to unfold. The young lady, checking herself in the mirror, who we first believed to be of average weight, turns out to be severely underweight. It becomes quite apparent, that this young lady is suffering from some sort of eating disorder. However, this is not a strange phenomenon; many a young women suffer from these disorders as they try to conform to society’s standard of true beauty. Disorders like these are mental illnesses. It causes these young women to have a distorted self image. They perceive themselves as chubby or overweight, so they binge and start themselves in order to be looked upon as beautiful. They will never see themselves as skinny enough; they will forever seek to be thinner. When the sad reality of the matter is, these poor young women simply cannot afford to lose any more weight lest they wither away and die. Only with the help of extensive therapy, will these young women come to truly love themselves and realize how beautiful they really are.
This relates to the Aztecs because they were in a somewhat similar situation. The Aztecs had many gods, and to appease these gods they had to offer human sacrifices. They believed that without these sacrifices, they sun would cease to rise and the universe would literally die. They Aztecs believed that it was their sacred duty to prevent this from happening. These Aztecs perceived themselves as agents of their gods, doing their solemn duty to keep the universe alive. Their deeply religious views influenced their perceptions of themselves. However, in reality such things were not necessary; they viciously murdered hundreds of thousands of innocent people and offered them as sacrifices. Just like young women with eating disorders, the Aztecs perceptions of themselves differed greatly from reality.
I vote for Cody Burton.
DeleteThank you Dr. Cody! Again the same concepts of murder and reality resurfacing. Arizee has voted for you. Tell us why Arize. Is Cody's response better than yours? Explain what you like and if possible, dislike about it. And for those who are yet to vote you will tell me in class who deserves the bonus marks. Thank you Cody! Like your peers, I am impressed.
DeleteCONGRATS ARTHUR BONUS 5 AND ARIZE BONUS 1! THE NEXT CHALLENGE IS FAST APPROACHING!
ReplyDelete