Today, I still think that humans need to “Connais-toi, toi-même” like Socrates said. So I encourage all of you to write and record what you think from time to time in a blog/diary/journal or whatever you want to call it.  Some of the best travels you can have are to discover more about yourself.

Here is some more information about Thoreau from Wikipedia (which means that I didn’t write this):

“Henry David Thoreau (July 12, 1817 – May 6, 1862; born David Henry Thoreau) was an American author, naturalist, transcendentalist, tax resister, development critic, and philosopher who is most well-known for Walden, a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings, and his essay, Civil Disobedience, an argument for individual resistance to civil government in moral opposition to an unjust state. Thoreau was famous for saying: “Any fool can make a rule, and any fool will mind it.” Thoreau’s books, articles, essays, journals, and poetry total over 20 volumes. His ideas influenced the development of anarchism, and are most evident with the American anarchists, the pacifist Leo Tolstoy, and the nonviolent activism developer Mohandas K. Gandhi.

He was a lifelong abolitionist, delivering lectures that attacked the Fugitive Slave Law while praising the writings of Wendell Phillips and defending the abolitionist John Brown. Among his lasting contributions were his writings on natural history and philosophy, where he anticipated the methods and findings of ecology and environmental history, two sources of modern day environmentalism. His philosophy had tremendous influence on leaders like Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr.”

Like I said in my previous posts, I would be very interested in having you read the post with the quote from “Civil Disobedience” and giving me your reactions. The questions are there in the previous post. If you are too shy to post something, then just bring in your reactions on a piece of paper for class.

See you soon. –Your professor, R. Charbonnier

Hello,

Now we can start blogging.

Here is the post about Thoreau from Wikipedia:

“Under a government which imprisons any unjustly, the true place for a just man is also a prison. The proper place today, the only place which Massachusetts has provided for her freer and less desponding spirits, is in her prisons, to be put out and locked out of the State by her own act, as they have already put themselves out by their principles. It is there that the fugitive slave, and the Mexican prisoner on parole, and the Indian come to plead the wrongs of his race should find them; on that separate, but more free and honorable, ground, where the State places those who are not with her, but against her— the only house in a slave State in which a free man can abide with honor. If any think that their influence would be lost there, and their voices no longer afflict the ear of the State, that they would not be as an enemy within its walls, they do not know by how much truth is stronger than error, nor how much more eloquently and effectively he can combat injustice who has experienced a little in his own person. Cast your whole vote, not a strip of paper merely, but your whole influence. A minority is powerless while it conforms to the majority; it is not even a minority then; but it is irresistible when it clogs by its whole weight. If the alternative is to keep all just men in prison, or give up war and slavery, the State will not hesitate which to choose. If a thousand men were not to pay their tax-bills this year, that would not be a violent and bloody measure, as it would be to pay them, and enable the State to commit violence and shed innocent blood. This is, in fact, the definition of a peaceable revolution, if any such is possible. If the tax-gatherer, or any other public officer, asks me, as one has done, “But what shall I do?” my answer is, “If you really wish to do anything, resign your office.” When the subject has refused allegiance, and the officer has resigned his office, then the revolution is accomplished. But even suppose blood should flow. Is there not a sort of blood shed when the conscience is wounded? Through this wound a man’s real manhood and immortality flow out, and he bleeds to an everlasting death. I see this blood flowing now.”

My questions:

1. Is the blood real or figurative?

2. Is Thoreau an anarchist or a pacifist?

3. What do you think of Thoreau?

Please also read the document about his influences. Posted as an attachment.

Happy reading! 

R.Charbonnier

The debate on Temptation Island at Sup de Co was not as hot as the debate at ESIEE (5th year students), but I still think it was good. I just wish that my classes were smaller though. You don’t have enough time to talk. I am sure happy that I am not out there looking for a significant other. Some of you made it sound like a meat market. And yes, I did not know WHAT you were talking about because I don’t have THAT problem. At least, I know that me and my significant other talk about those things and I HAVE been tested during 13 years of marriage only because I AM realistic/pragmatic about my couple.  Mistakes happen. “Real love” is a goal (never achieved) but it still has to be cherished, built and kept by TWO people who can trust each other.  So think about that everyone instead of  hoping for the ”perfect” partner who doesn’t exist. You have to develop yourself first before you can find the other person. Even then, you have to work to make it last. And you have to make it fun! Don’t worry, it can be!  You all seemed so cynical to me! Why are you so jaded?

Have a great “Saintly” Vacation!  –Your “Saintly” professor  :-p

Let’s face it; there is only so much one little professor can do. I can not sit in a chair and memorize vocabulary for you. I care about my students and I want you all to speak English, but I can’t force you to bring your photocopies back to class or make you be on time. I can only give you a bad grade because you are always late and forgetting your materials. Is that stupid mark the only tool I have?

What motivates all of you?

A friend told me to tell all of you that if you can’t speak English you will not be able to get a good job after you finish school. That, however, is NOT TRUE! Some of you young people come from very privileged families and your daddy is just waiting to give you a job in his company. I know that what I just said is not true for all of you, however.

Maybe I should tell you that you need English to be part of the European community– to become a normal adult living in Europe like all the other Europeans. I know that English is not an easy language to learn perfectly, but I am not even asking you to speak it perfectly. I would be happy with a comfortable level of International English called Global English, and heaven forbid that you accuse me of asking you to become like Americans. I think you should all know by now that I love my family back in the USA, but that I don’t believe that the USA is a model for all of humanity. 

Neither is France for that matter. Is there a perfect country here on earth? NO WAY!  Let’s be humble. I am one of the stupidest people on earth. 15 years ago I thought France was an Eldorado for someone like me who likes history, good food,  good conversations, old buildings and museums, and meeting interesting people. France can be a huge disappointment. The French food is getting worse and worse. Fortunately, I like to keep a positive outlook. I try not to see that cultural activities, museums, and books are becoming more and more expensive and exclusively reserved for an elite. There is also another kind of culture that is reserved for voters. The policy is: “Let’s keep everybody busy with loads of activities, then they can’t see what is happening and who cares if taxes go up and resources are wasted.” Fortunately, there is also a new movement of culture: self-culture. You don’t need to go buy a book anymore. You can write your own book for you and your friends on the Internet. What’s more it’s all free and the sky is the limit. You can do what you want and be who you want on the screen. It’s like scrapbooking. You can keep souvenirs of your own life in a ZAP book and also on screen. You can be the actor of your own life.

So is that what can motivate you? Can I manage to show you that you should be afraid of nothing? That you shouldn’t be afraid of speaking English in front of other people? That in my class, if you make a little mistake nobody will mock you? And even if we like to laugh a lot in class that nobody gets hurt? Can I show you that we can laugh together? Can you learn to laugh at yourself like I have learned to laugh at myself?

What about serious topics? Does anybody want to talk about anything serious? Or would you all like to exist in a cushioned de-sensitized world? Are you students fed up with talking about the world we live in? Should we just talk about happy topics and see the world through rose-colored glasses? Pollyanna all over again?

And my final question? What is the right mix in terms of business topics? Do you want to do any simulations of meetings? What percentage? 50% / 50%? 40%/ 60%?  The first percentage being for general topics and the second for business topics.

So, finally, do you really want to learn? And what do you all want?  The final choice, however, will be up to me because I have to love what I do, my job etc. and I know that no matter how hard I try, someone will always complain.

Take care all of you. Carpe diem and all that. I’ll enjoy reading your comments.   If I made any mistakes in my typing of this, I would be pleased as punch if you pointed them out to me. (Trust me, the punctuation is terrible, but I simply don’t have the time….)

Your Professor.

“Temptation Island 2 is supposed to test “committed couples.” But committed to what? Certainly not each other! It does appear that a couple guys are committed to having as much fun as possible, no matter what the consequence.” Susan says,

Your professor says: Please note that the aforementioned quote is NOT my personal opinion!  I just wanted to have you read it for discussion in class.

–Your Professor