This debate continues in France....
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Monday, October 11, 2010
Liberty, equality and fraternity. Myth?
When you think of France, images of a relatively egalitarian world comes to mind, a society in which people of all ethnicities - White, Black, Arab, Asian, etc - have more or less the same standard of living, in which everybody has cheap healthcare, good unemployment benefits, paid vacations and freshly baked baguettes whose soft insides seem to melt in your mouth. On a superficial level, that's what I thought. It turns out this is not the case.
In the course of the next seven months, I will be teaching English to little French kids between the ages of 6 to 10. I have been assigned to three schools, where for the past week I have been shadowing current English teachers in their respective classes. One school, called Michel de la Fourniere, is quite pleasant. I would say it'll be the 'easiest' out of the three. The students are disciplined to a degree that I can tolerate and the atmosphere makes me feel welcomed, not just by the students but by the faculty as well.
The other two, however, are another story. Recently at one of these schools, often referred to as 'ecoles difficils', there was an incident where three classrooms were set on fire, resulting in a situation in which classroom sizes had to increase due to a lack of space. Books, important documents containing information on students, equipment were lost. To my surprise, I found the school's ambiance quite pleasant and didn't seem like the students - comprised mostly of Arabs, Blacks, Asians and a small White minority - were affected by the fire. They seemed very enthusiastic about learning English, which makes me feel better. All in all, good vibes from this school despite its reputation and recent controversies.
Ecole Gutenberg. When that name comes out of my mouth, I receive the same reaction from everybody. People role their eyes and look at me in a way that makes me feel pitied. I went to observe a class for the first time at Gutenberg and it's safe to say that the school definitely lived up to its reputation. While the students were rowdy and loud,the teachers seemed aloof and not wanting to be there. The director of the school was making phone calls concerning business for a vineyard he owns, clearly not attentive to his surroundings. But that's only my impression. In any case, during class the instructor must've yelled 'je demande du silence absolu !' at least 10 times to no avail. All in all, I just didn't feel good about this school. The neighborhood in which it's located didn't help either. I felt as though I was in a foreign country based on the demographics of the people walking in the street.
I guess it's good that I saw an aspect of France that people don't really have in mind. The dark aspect. Upon seeing it, the expression 'liberty, equality, and fraternity' started to have a different meaning to me. I start teaching at a full capacity starting this Thursday. My exploration continues...
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Give me Libertarianism or burn down my house!
An interesting debate I am having with a friend of mine about Libertarianism, particularly concerning the recent story about fire fighters who let a house burn to the ground. See below.
Sometimes the practical application of Libertarianism seems extreme, I agree, but I still choose a Libertarian bent than a leftist one.
The question that this article seems to ask is "Is Libertarianism morally wrong?" That question seems to be answered as well by the article--if you do not assist your fellow man, then you are immoral. This is quite a reductive argument and, taken further (as in healthcare), suggests that when our fellow man doesn't know what's best for him, we should "help" him by forcing him to take what he needs.
The idea that my government knows what's best for me when most of their government programs are failing and not providing anywhere near the quality of service provided by the private sector seems more foolish. Why, at this moment, would they suddenly be able to run healthcare (when their sponsored health programs are not solvent)?
The question that this article seems to ask is "Is Libertarianism morally wrong?" That question seems to be answered as well by the article--if you do not assist your fellow man, then you are immoral. This is quite a reductive argument and, taken further (as in healthcare), suggests that when our fellow man doesn't know what's best for him, we should "help" him by forcing him to take what he needs.
The idea that my government knows what's best for me when most of their government programs are failing and not providing anywhere near the quality of service provided by the private sector seems more foolish. Why, at this moment, would they suddenly be able to run healthcare (when their sponsored health programs are not solvent)?
Also, didn't he burn barrels of TRASH in his backyard? Because that's smart. Don't get me started on THAT.
Me:
My interpretation of the article is this. The practice of Libertarianism creates a situation in which immoral actions are more likely to occur. That is, it is the systematic framework that is at fault and the question morality doesn't really apply on an individual level. For example, the fire fighters who let the house burn, if you assume they are rational and empathetic human beings, probably wanted to put the fire out. But because of the Libertarian framework in which they were operating, they more or less encouraged or obligated to do nothing.
Even the fire chief or the mayor, who supported the decision not to put the fire out, said something along the lines of, 'if you haven't paid, tough luck,' while we can probably agree that they empathized with the house owner and didn't want to see it burn to the ground. As for the article, it is not a question about whether people become immoral because they hold Libertarian values, but rather a critique on the extent to which what I believe is an idealistic view of human behavior can undermine the very goals it seeks to accomplish. Perhaps, Libertarians prioritize too much the purity of their arguments (i.e. freedom from government, etc) and forget that the results are often negative.
As a human being, we empathize with one another's struggles. So if for example I know there's a widow down the street who's supporting three kids by working night and day, my first instinct is to help her out. But much of the Libertarian argument, such as the one about individual liberty, encourages me to think, 'it's not my fault that she's like that, so why should I help her? Why should I pay more taxes for a person like that who probably got that way because she was lazy.' That is why there is the government, through which we can realize and satisfy what is at the core of human behavior, empathy and the desire to aid others. The private sector cannot do this.
And to respond to your last paragraph, which asserts that most government programs are failing in comparison to its private sector counterpart, I have to disagree. Social security, despite its criticism often unfounded and ideologically biased, is very successful and popular. People by and large still use the Postal Service. Same goes for the fire department, the police, libraries, etc. And a big reason why Medicare will go in the red soon is because of the concessions it has to make to the private sector-- to Big Pharma and the private insurance industry.
I've definitely failed to answer you in depth and in more detail, but the core of my argument is this. Libertarianism in theory looks appealing, but in practice, the results are quite negative to the common good.
Even the fire chief or the mayor, who supported the decision not to put the fire out, said something along the lines of, 'if you haven't paid, tough luck,' while we can probably agree that they empathized with the house owner and didn't want to see it burn to the ground. As for the article, it is not a question about whether people become immoral because they hold Libertarian values, but rather a critique on the extent to which what I believe is an idealistic view of human behavior can undermine the very goals it seeks to accomplish. Perhaps, Libertarians prioritize too much the purity of their arguments (i.e. freedom from government, etc) and forget that the results are often negative.
As a human being, we empathize with one another's struggles. So if for example I know there's a widow down the street who's supporting three kids by working night and day, my first instinct is to help her out. But much of the Libertarian argument, such as the one about individual liberty, encourages me to think, 'it's not my fault that she's like that, so why should I help her? Why should I pay more taxes for a person like that who probably got that way because she was lazy.' That is why there is the government, through which we can realize and satisfy what is at the core of human behavior, empathy and the desire to aid others. The private sector cannot do this.
And to respond to your last paragraph, which asserts that most government programs are failing in comparison to its private sector counterpart, I have to disagree. Social security, despite its criticism often unfounded and ideologically biased, is very successful and popular. People by and large still use the Postal Service. Same goes for the fire department, the police, libraries, etc. And a big reason why Medicare will go in the red soon is because of the concessions it has to make to the private sector-- to Big Pharma and the private insurance industry.
I've definitely failed to answer you in depth and in more detail, but the core of my argument is this. Libertarianism in theory looks appealing, but in practice, the results are quite negative to the common good.
It will go a little like this: Libertarianism doesn't stop the individual from helping another, but it does suggest that it's not the government's job to do so. It does NOT remove the agency from the individual, whereas the a public service does. It would then become illegal for you to provide any assistance that has been allocated as a government service--thereby making you at the mercy of those services.
Me:
I agree that it doesn't remove agency from the individual, so in theory that seems appealing, understandably. But often that is not enough to solve significant problems, or even those on an individual level. Because while I understand the argument that agency will not be taken away on an individual level, my argument concerns the institutional framework of Libertarianism, which will pose many problems in the modern in which we live.
Healthcare is a good example. If you get sick, you go see a doctor, whose services are understandably quite expensive. Or if you break a leg and need surgery. And this is where government works well, as opposed to the private system which has a legal obligation to make profits for shareholders and therefore has to 'ration' services by rejecting customers based on pre-existing conditions, etc. The public sector isn't required to make profits, therefore it does not discriminate and costs are cheaper due to the lack of administrative costs.
In this case, people are not at the mercy of the service the government provides but depend on it because it works. I'd argue that we are even more at the mercy of private insurers, whose malpractices and high costs needlessly victimize people in need and cannot do anything about it. And the only institutional force able to keep these the private sector in check is the government. Right now, we live in a society where government is expected to function democratically ALONG with the private sector (mostly big business, excluding small businesses, which are often ignored).
Maybe it's time for the government to function democratically IN SPITE OF big business. Furthermore, anti-propaganda, which Libertarians proudly spread, is not helping economic discourse, at a time when the government is the only force that can lift us out of the recession.
Healthcare is a good example. If you get sick, you go see a doctor, whose services are understandably quite expensive. Or if you break a leg and need surgery. And this is where government works well, as opposed to the private system which has a legal obligation to make profits for shareholders and therefore has to 'ration' services by rejecting customers based on pre-existing conditions, etc. The public sector isn't required to make profits, therefore it does not discriminate and costs are cheaper due to the lack of administrative costs.
In this case, people are not at the mercy of the service the government provides but depend on it because it works. I'd argue that we are even more at the mercy of private insurers, whose malpractices and high costs needlessly victimize people in need and cannot do anything about it. And the only institutional force able to keep these the private sector in check is the government. Right now, we live in a society where government is expected to function democratically ALONG with the private sector (mostly big business, excluding small businesses, which are often ignored).
Maybe it's time for the government to function democratically IN SPITE OF big business. Furthermore, anti-propaganda, which Libertarians proudly spread, is not helping economic discourse, at a time when the government is the only force that can lift us out of the recession.
The debate continues....
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
A emporter ou sur place?
September 27, 2010
14h30. Waiting for my train to Orleans at Gare Austerlitz.
I’ve got an hour to kill, so why not write a little. The past two days in Paris were quite amazing. Cat and I, despite being jetlagged and fatigued, made our way to some of the best parts of Paris. We first crashed and took a much needed four hour nap at the apartment where we stayed for two nights, located near Nation in the 20th arrondissement. Upon waking up, hungry and energized to explore the city, we decided to go the Opera district, just north of the Seine and the Louvre. We wanted to eat at a Japanese soup place, whose noodles are known to be deliciex, according to Cat, but when we arrived, there was a huge the line too long for our stomachs to wait in. Watching the hot noodles boil and people eating would be torture anyway. I definitely will try to go back the next time I’m in Paris. So we settled for another Asian place a few blocks away.
The food was pretty good, but my feeling about Asian food in Europe is that it always seems bland. Not enough of spice and kick. (I ended up putting loads of chili sauce in my noodle soup, which still wasn’t sufficient for my Asian tongue.) Maybe they don’t put enough MSG? Who knows… I already miss Canton Cooks and their House choumen. In any case, we then took a nice stroll through the neighborhood, stopped by a café at a square for espresso, and walked some more along the Seine and through l’Ile de la Cite. Walking is such a joy in Paris. Everywhere you look, you find buildings which probably date back hundreds of years and you see people all over even at 10 o’clock at night. I felt alive and part of a civilized society, not alienated from reality like I often feel as I drive around in the suburbs of Atlanta.
Of all the Europeans cities I’ve visited, I do feel most at home in Paris, maybe because I’ve been here two times before, but I think it’s mostly because I’ve learned the French language in college and learned to appreciate the Parisian way of life. I guess it’s based on a simple idea that life isn’t all about work, ambition and material success (though I know some would disagree) and that one should enjoy the little things in life – drinking espresso with friends while talking about n’importe quoi, going to the park to people watch, eating good food, watching old films at the local cinema, buying fresh fruits and veggies at the open market… the list goes on. This aspect of French living is something, I think, America could benefit from. Oh another thing I’ve noticed in Paris is diversity. I see people of all races and ethnicities: Whites, Blacks, Arabs, Asian, etc. Being a minority myself, that makes me feel included, not excluded.
Alright, time to ‘composter’ my train ticket and off I go to Orleans!
By the way, this is what it was like trying to carry all my luggage through Paris. It just didn't look right, quite laughable nonetheless.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
The Day After Tomorrow
"To be faithful is to act as though time didn't exist." Jean-Luc Godard
In less than two days (and visa permitting), I will be making my way to France. So excited! Last night I went out with most of my close friends for a night of strong margaritas and karaoke. It was indeed the ideal last hurrah I had in mind. I am going to miss all my friends here but I know I will see them in the near future. It's hard to surround yourself with good people and in the course of the last year and a half, I was lucky to have befriended so many awesome people. But like I said, I will see them again. And to think of it, eight months isn't too long and time seems pass increasingly faster as I get older. So I am not as saddened as I thought I would be.
I will miss:
- Chick-Fil-A
- Sweetwater Beer (or beer in general)
- Willy's Burrito
- CVS
- Waffle House
- Georgia fall
- Hot wings
- Speaking English
- Football (Falcons!)
- Being able to wear gym shorts and t-shirt freely in public
- Drive-in banking
I will not miss:
- Georgia heat
- The lack of public transportation and having to drive everywhere
- American politics
-... Can't think of anymore.
Back to packing...
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Last shift at the Mill, Visa (enfin!), and some français
For almost six years I've been a public servant at the Terrell Mill Tennis Center. Tonight will be my last shift, at least for a while. It's definitely sad to leave the Mill but I always knew it had to happen sooner or later. It was pretty much the best job I could've possibly asked for as a college student --being able to write most of my college essays on the clock, watching beautiful sunsets every night, and having easy going, wise colleagues (one of whom is my best buddy) are just a few reasons, among many, that make this job so relaxing and peaceful. Not to mention I've met people who've become really close friends in the course of my time here. Who knows... maybe I'll find myself sitting behind this desk again.
I finally received word that l'arrêté (the copy of which I got through email) was sent to the consulate and that I could make an appointment to apply for my visa, which I did. Yes! Finally! So that was last Friday, exactly two weeks before my depature date. According to the consulate's website, it usually takes a minimum of two weeks to get a visa processed. So it's going to be close but I think I'll be okay since most assistants have gotten theirs in a week or so. And I gave the consulate lady my itinerary and tried to smile my way into getting it expedited. But her answer was: stop by the 23rd to pick it, I'll try to get it done by then. You'll try? That's not good enough! Uncertainty, sadly, still remains for when I'll be leaving this country. Oh well. On verra. All I can do is wait... once more.
Cela fait long temps que j'écris le français. Etant donné que je vais partir dans une semaine, j'ai cru que ce serait une bonne chose de practiquer un peu. Mais le problème, c'est que chaque fois que j'écris en français, je n'ai plus rien à écrire. Et après, j'abandonne. Malgré ça, je vais essayer quand même, en espérant que ma grammaire sera correct au moins. En tous cas, je deviens de plus en plus nerveux de mon voyage en France. Je n'ai pas commencé à préparer et j'attends toujours mon visa. Il me reste encore beaucoup de choses à faire, telles que m'acheter un caban et des gants pour l'hiver, préparation d'enseignement, faire mes valises, etc. Mais surtout c'est la préparation de la pensée. Penser que je serai en France d'ici une semaine, c'est absolument incroyable. De toute façons... A part ça, car je n'ai rien dans la tête en ce moment, je m'arrête. Plus de propos intéressant viendront un de ces jours ! Je vous le promet.
I finally received word that l'arrêté (the copy of which I got through email) was sent to the consulate and that I could make an appointment to apply for my visa, which I did. Yes! Finally! So that was last Friday, exactly two weeks before my depature date. According to the consulate's website, it usually takes a minimum of two weeks to get a visa processed. So it's going to be close but I think I'll be okay since most assistants have gotten theirs in a week or so. And I gave the consulate lady my itinerary and tried to smile my way into getting it expedited. But her answer was: stop by the 23rd to pick it, I'll try to get it done by then. You'll try? That's not good enough! Uncertainty, sadly, still remains for when I'll be leaving this country. Oh well. On verra. All I can do is wait... once more.
Cela fait long temps que j'écris le français. Etant donné que je vais partir dans une semaine, j'ai cru que ce serait une bonne chose de practiquer un peu. Mais le problème, c'est que chaque fois que j'écris en français, je n'ai plus rien à écrire. Et après, j'abandonne. Malgré ça, je vais essayer quand même, en espérant que ma grammaire sera correct au moins. En tous cas, je deviens de plus en plus nerveux de mon voyage en France. Je n'ai pas commencé à préparer et j'attends toujours mon visa. Il me reste encore beaucoup de choses à faire, telles que m'acheter un caban et des gants pour l'hiver, préparation d'enseignement, faire mes valises, etc. Mais surtout c'est la préparation de la pensée. Penser que je serai en France d'ici une semaine, c'est absolument incroyable. De toute façons... A part ça, car je n'ai rien dans la tête en ce moment, je m'arrête. Plus de propos intéressant viendront un de ces jours ! Je vous le promet.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Teaching program, l'arrêté de nomination, and limbo
So I'm at work and can't seem to find anything to do. Working at public park - as peaceful and relaxing as it may sound - is nothing but stimulating and it's very uneventful most of the time. But the sunset is nice to contemplate and the heat is no more. At least it's peaceful.
I've decided to make a blog. For a long time I've avoided any sort of activity that would involve writing. More specifically, writing that would be read by people other than myself. I don't really know how to express this fear, but I think it's mostly due to the lack of confidence I've had in my writing abilities. My style, I admit, is not very fluid, but rather rigid and often dry. But at this point, I don't really care about how bad of a writer I am. I've given up trying to write like Orwell.
It was just two years ago that I made my way down the Loire Valley for the first time. In the city of Tours I tried soaking up what I considered authetic French culture and learning the beautiful - yet efficient - French language in the process. I was in a study abroad program sponsored by the university. The experience I had there was nothing short of inspiring, surreal in a certain way. It was the first time in years that I lived outside the US for a period longer than a month - I had left Japan, where I live for 5 years, almost 7 years prior. I was so happy to have gone and have wanted to return ever since.
Anyway in less than three weeks I depart for France once again. But this time around, I'm going for reason of employment. Once I get my paperwork taken care of, a subject to which I shall return, I will be off to Orléans, France for 7 to 9 months to be an assistant de langue at the primaire level - roughly equivalent to elementary school. I find this a bit daunting because I've never taught before. But for 780 euros a month and 5 weeks of paid vacation, I'll live with it. I just graduated with degrees in Film and French, which don't really make me the most marketable person to hire. I've had a few internships and freelance opportunities here and there, but nothing that I seriously considered committing to. And I think even if I did find a job, I would still be afraid about not being able to escape from the powerful gravitity that is the pressure to remain in the work force. As such, the temporary nature of this teaching job doesn't seem too bad and I'll have the option of renewing my contract for a second year. Ce n'est pas mal, ça.
Before leaveing, I need to take care of two things. One: to obtain what the French call arrêté de nomination. This is essentially my work contract that will serve as proof of employment in France. I am still waiting for this to arrive in the mail. I absolutely need this document because without it I cannot apply for my long stay visa (my second thing), for which I need to apply very, very soon (it takes 2 weeks to process a visa) and without which I cannot leave the country. It seems every assistant assigned to my region have received theirs except me. There's still no news as to the whereabouts of my arrêté. There's nothing I can do but kill time and wait for the mail to come. I feel my life is in limbo.
To make myself feel better, I have decided to put the blame on President Sarkozy for my troubles. It's not working so far.
I've decided to make a blog. For a long time I've avoided any sort of activity that would involve writing. More specifically, writing that would be read by people other than myself. I don't really know how to express this fear, but I think it's mostly due to the lack of confidence I've had in my writing abilities. My style, I admit, is not very fluid, but rather rigid and often dry. But at this point, I don't really care about how bad of a writer I am. I've given up trying to write like Orwell.
It was just two years ago that I made my way down the Loire Valley for the first time. In the city of Tours I tried soaking up what I considered authetic French culture and learning the beautiful - yet efficient - French language in the process. I was in a study abroad program sponsored by the university. The experience I had there was nothing short of inspiring, surreal in a certain way. It was the first time in years that I lived outside the US for a period longer than a month - I had left Japan, where I live for 5 years, almost 7 years prior. I was so happy to have gone and have wanted to return ever since.
Anyway in less than three weeks I depart for France once again. But this time around, I'm going for reason of employment. Once I get my paperwork taken care of, a subject to which I shall return, I will be off to Orléans, France for 7 to 9 months to be an assistant de langue at the primaire level - roughly equivalent to elementary school. I find this a bit daunting because I've never taught before. But for 780 euros a month and 5 weeks of paid vacation, I'll live with it. I just graduated with degrees in Film and French, which don't really make me the most marketable person to hire. I've had a few internships and freelance opportunities here and there, but nothing that I seriously considered committing to. And I think even if I did find a job, I would still be afraid about not being able to escape from the powerful gravitity that is the pressure to remain in the work force. As such, the temporary nature of this teaching job doesn't seem too bad and I'll have the option of renewing my contract for a second year. Ce n'est pas mal, ça.
Before leaveing, I need to take care of two things. One: to obtain what the French call arrêté de nomination. This is essentially my work contract that will serve as proof of employment in France. I am still waiting for this to arrive in the mail. I absolutely need this document because without it I cannot apply for my long stay visa (my second thing), for which I need to apply very, very soon (it takes 2 weeks to process a visa) and without which I cannot leave the country. It seems every assistant assigned to my region have received theirs except me. There's still no news as to the whereabouts of my arrêté. There's nothing I can do but kill time and wait for the mail to come. I feel my life is in limbo.
To make myself feel better, I have decided to put the blame on President Sarkozy for my troubles. It's not working so far.
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