Prior to the first chapter, Ishmael describes a brief conversation he had with his high school friends in New York City. How do you feel about his friends' response that seeing people running around and shooting each other is "cool"? Do you think that response is an expected one for students here in the United States? If so, what do you think has attributed to thinking things like that are cool?
~ Now please take time to critique one of your classmate's comments. Remember that good comments justify, specify, argue, extend, question, explain or elaborate!
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I feel like Beah's friends' response is a one that was made out of desparity. It's like when someone says something that makes you really uncomfortable and you don't quite know what to say, so you say "uhhh...cool." I do believe that the response is an expected one for students here in The United States because of the fact that very few, if any of us have had to live through that sort of physical, and emotional trauma. When you don't know how something feels, you don't really know what to make of it when it is brought upon you. For example, if someone who was born deaf was trying to have a conversation with you, it is probably true that you wouldn't understand you. It's not your fault, it's just that they have never heard a voice, so they don't know how to use theirs. The same goes for students in the US trying to relate to people living through this violence in Africa. We haven't lived through it, so we don't know how to relate. And if we could relate, things that could attribute to thinking violence is cool would be things like movies, wars, and bullying. Every day when you turn on the TV you see some sort of act of violence, whether it is a war or a bunch of girls beating someone up and putting it on youtube. Violence has become such a normal part of our everyday life that it is just something that we will brush of as "cool."
ReplyDeleteAyesha Mohammed
will someone please reply i've been waiting centuries.
ReplyDeleteHuman beings are the most brutal and savage creatures on earth. Of all the plants and animals on this planet, humans are the only ones that kill for pleasure. This is why the Romans liked to watch gladiators and why football is the most watched sport in America. People love violence. Every other animal kills only what they need to survive.
ReplyDeleteAmericans in particular, i believe, love violence more than other cultures because of the media. TV shows, music, and especially movies portray war and fighting to be cool. Because of all these factors, i think that the students response was completely expected.
On the other hand i think that the students comment about war being "cool" was not a well thought out comment. If the students would have considered what Beah had seen and what he had been through before speaking, then maybe their responses would have been different.
-Matt
Matt,
ReplyDeletethough you make a valid point, I feel obligated to ask you: have you ever seen a plant kill period, let alone for pleasure?
I agree with your thinking that the student saying that war was "cool" was not well thought out. He probably didnt mean for it to sound the way it did, but unfortunately it will and has been taken the wrong way by many people
however I do disagree with you saying that americans love violence,
in movies and tv shows, violence sells, and everyones major goal these days is to make money, I don't believe that Americans love violence, however I do believe that Americans will do anything necessary to make money
I think Ishmael's friends comment was to be expected from someone who has never seen violence like many Africans have. People think violence is cool probably due to media influences. Violence is everywhere: in video games, movies, and even tv shows. It is now "cool" to see peoples heads getting blown out and bodies smashed and that is just a shame. I think Americans cant even come to realise how bad violence actually is.Again it is a shame that violence has become cool because in real life it isn't. I feal sorry that Ishmael had to go through some tough experiences and if I was him I would be offended if someone thought what I had gone through was cool.
ReplyDeleteMatt,
ReplyDeleteI think you are right about many things but what I dont agree with is how you say that Americans think it is cool above other cultures. While Americans do think violence is cool I think many other cultures who are more advanced like ours do to. Think about European cultures and many Asian cultures to. Many of these cultures have very similar thoughts about violence to ours. But, besides this I whole heartedly agree with you on many of the other statements that you made.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI personally think that Beah’s friend didn’t take the conversation seriously. Because he didn’t know what exactly happened to Beah, so he might have said “cool.” He should have considered what Beah has been experienced, and be careful his word choice.
ReplyDeleteI believe his friends’ response could be expected one for students here in the United States. More people, especially teenagers are affected by media such as video games, or TV shows. As a result, they are more likely to show aggressive behavior, and attitudes towards other people.
I think this is would be an expected response by these students. War tends to be glamorized, in the United States, in movies, video games, and TV shows. In these mediums, war seems to be an unreal thing. They do not show the most graphic violence. War to them is something that happens in a far away place, and something the United States usually wins. So, to them, war would seem cool.
ReplyDelete~Alex SLater
Matt,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your point about Ishmael friend's response. But I disagree with the point, "human beings are the most brutal or savage creatures on the earth." Some of might be brutal but I think not all human beings are brutal, or savage and kill for pleasure.
Ayesha,
ReplyDeleteI do not agree with your thought that the American students said "cool" because they did not know what to say or were uncomfortable. If they were really uncomfortable, they would not had gone on to say, "You should tell us about it sometime." The kind of "cool" your talking about would be more like someone telling you something you think is bad or dumb.
I think these kids genuinely believed that what Ishmael was saying was cool or at least interesting. I do not think it had anything to do with not relating.
P.S. my previous screen name was supposed to say, "The Janitor". Unfortunately, it did not, so now i have changed it.
~Alex Slater
When Ishmael's friend made the comment about seeing people being killed was "cool" i don't think he actually meant it was awesome. From a spectators view the conversation sounds like his friend is interested in his past and letting Ishmael know that people are there to support him. After hearing Ishmael's remark of seeing people die all the time i think his friend sensed how hard that must be to talk about so instead of continuing to flood Ishmael with questions he just lets him know that someday he wants to hear about his past.
ReplyDeleteI think that his response to what Ishmael said is somewhat expected of kids in the United States today. Personally speaking, wars that are taking place in Afghanistan and Iraq which involve the US don't really register in my brain. What i mean by that is i have never really had to deal with running in fear from someone who is chasing me with a weapon. So when someone says that they see that all the time, i think a lot of teenagers reaction would be similar to "cool."
I think teenagers think this is cool because a lot of people see violence in movies and video games. I think teenagers are attracted to games which involve shooting and killing because it gives them a feeling of "achievement" because they killed the "enemy" of the game. Teenagers see movies which involve violence and killing because it gives them a suspenseful feeling, not knowing who will be shot next, or if the main character will survive.
Joe Pemberton
In the United States, violence has become mainstream. It is everywhere: music, movies, books, television shows, etc. I believe that when Ishmael's classmates were informed of his violent past, the first thing thing that popped into their mind was a scene from one of their favorite violent flicks. "Cool," was their first response, simply because the violence they see on television, hear about in songs, or read about in books is casual. One is not traumatized from seeing a man's head blown off on the television screen, so how different could it be in real life? Of course, this does not excuse Ishmael's classmate's insensitive comment, but only gives it reason.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I am not saying that Americans like violence, or support it. I am simply saying that they are not aware of the gruesomeness and sheer horror that lies in war, because the only violence they have ever experienced has been fed through the media filter. I know that when I cracked open "A Long Way Gone", I had no idea that human beings could be so cruel and despicable, and that things like this were going on in the modern world. I know this can be said for many American adolescents as well.
John,
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you said about teenagers thinking violence is cool due to media influence. I think this is a very valid point because for a lot of kids this is the closest they have come to seeing war, through a movie screen not first hand, so they don't grasp the seriousness of fighting. One thing i think you need to reconsider is the way he said "cool." I think your looking at it like he was saying, "Thats so awesome, and amazing." Personally i think he was trying to not make a huge scene and was trying to comfort him by not continuing to ask him questions when clearly Ishmael didn't feel like talking about his past.
Joe Pemberton
This is definitely an expected response for students in the United States. When students hear something like this, they get an image and they are immediately reminded of movies. We have all seen the movies that contain a scene where there is some guy from a third world country running around and blowing people’s heads off. When they are watching the movie, students think, cool, some guy just got shot in the head. And when people tell real stories of the same things, the students think, cool. I am sure that if the student was there at the time, they would not be thinking “Hey! This is so cool, I almost got shot!”
ReplyDeleteAyesha,
ReplyDeleteI disagree that Ishamel's classmates said cool because they were uncomfortable. I think they made an insensitive comment out of ignorance. Sadly, many people around the world, not just Americans, are oblivious about what is going on outside their world.
I do agree with your statement that violence has become a part of everyday life here in the United States because of constant media exposure. It has become a casual thing, and people don't really look beyond what they see on the screen.
Ayesha
ReplyDeleteyou are wrong, because the students genuinely meant to say cool. I probably would have said the exact same thing. Its the first thing they think when they hear guns probably.
you are also wrong again when you say that violence has become normal part of our every day lives. I hardly ever do anything violent, let alone everyday. I hardly see any violence at school and when I do, I dont think its cool. Do you think violence is cool?
as i said in my post I think it is the movies that compel us to say cool, when we think of people shooting guns.
that was alvin
ReplyDeleteI think it was terrible to say that violence is "cool". In no way violence can be cool. It is expected of people to say that in the United States. Especially younger kids. Now a lot of the younger population plays all these video games where the point is to shoot and kill people. They think it is a fun activity, but if people like Beah saw these games he wouldn't think it was so fun. Another place where people see these things is in movies and TV shows. They see the war and these big strong guys carrying guns and shooting down other people. They then become heros and get the girl in the end. When guys see things like that they are impressed and think guys like that are cool.
ReplyDeleteJoe,
ReplyDeleteWhen you said that war doesn't register in your brain that makes complete sense. I mean especially with not knowing people who have to fight there. A lot of kids are very separated from the war because they don't know much about it.I also agree with the achievement that people feel when they play games. Everyone has some kind of competition and they feel the achievement when the win. They are known as "cool" for winning.
I think that Ishmael's friend says that people shooting each other is cool because a lot of people that have not experienced war or violence don't understand how serious it is. People that have not experienced anything like that believe that it is all just like a game but don't realize what is happening. Among students in the United States that is an expected answer because like I said earlier, not many people have experienced war and most of those people do not understand how serious it is but also people in the United States generally enjoy violence or action. This becomes a big problem because there are many things in the United States that promote violence. Movies, video games, and tv shows all promote people to violence and since people like that kind of violence they think that violence in real life is also cool.
ReplyDeleteI think that violence and not cool at all, but i feel like many people here in the US think it is. People are obsessed with violence. Thats why there is dogfighting, boxing, ufc, and all other sorts of violence that we are using as entertainment. We think its cool here because we dont know what it is actually like. People that have actually experienced violence like Ishmel have a totally different view on it. Having all these fighters making millions of dollars, it makes kids think its cool, but they just dont know what its really like
ReplyDeleteMatt,
ReplyDeleteAlthough I don't really agree with the point that humans just kill for pleasure, some of your points make a lot of sense. Americans are exposed to more violence through the movies and media and that does make Americans more violent than some other cultures but I don't think that they are the most violent. Many other cultures expose their children to violence by making them be in the army and training them to shoot people, I think that these cultures are the most violent of all.
I think that, of course, Beah's friend's response was a totally and simply ignorant thing to say. To truly believe that murder, torture, and pure evil is "cool" is very Middle Age-like. Unfortunately; however, I would bet that more than 90% of American adolescents would say, if asked, that violence and war is "cool." I would add to that that more boys than girls would say that though. This is because the difference in which guys and girls are raised nowadays. Guys are taught to be the tough ones who get in fights and stuck up for the girls, thus they are indirectly taught to believe that war is cool and awesome. Girls; however, in a non-sexist way, are generally more calm and peaceful; they aren't normally as macho as guys are. However, girls also don't normally believe that violence is "cool" because they are generally more mature and understand things a lot better than guys do.
ReplyDeleteI think that a majority of America and the world thinking just like Beah's friend is due to three things. Firstly, many people in the world are simply ignorant a don't really see war for what it is, i.e. blood, gore, murder, torture, pain, etc. They see war as cool guns, big tanks, and destructive "shooty thingies," which, I'm sorry, is simply stupid. Also, as mentioned earlier, people think violence is cool simply because of the way they were raised. Finally, the media takes much of the blame for why the world is ignorant and so war-centered. In the movies, shooting and killing seems to be the main focus and the thing the audience is looking for. Also, many comic books are about people with super powers of special weapons killing other people. It seems that the media has nothing better to write about than pure sadistic violence.
i dont know why i was in matt's account but that was gabriel
ReplyDeleteI think that many people use the word "cool" to justify how they feel about a situation, but I think that this word is used so loosely now a days, that it isn't taken so seriously if a teenager says it. I feel that that kid might actually think that violence is "cool" which is totally wrong, because violence is "uncool."
ReplyDeleteI don't think that this kid realized how much affect violence has on people. Most of Americans haven't, luckily, witnessed much violence. I think that when the teenager heard that heard Ishmael had witnessed or performed violence, the teenager was probably fascinated.
Murders shows, wrestling, video games and many other things are based on an act of violence. Many people are interested in violence and I think that is why the teenager thought it was "cool".
I beleive Peter Kraft's argumentis spot on. When he said that people think itscool because people havent experienced it is a good analsys. When you havent experienced something its hard to have a clear opinion on it. That would be like me trying to give an opinion on what i think of the government of Zinmbabwe. I havent been there or know anything about it so i wouldnt know what it is like. That is how kids in the US are like about violence and war. They are clueless. So i beleive Peter was correct on this
ReplyDeletethat was JD
ReplyDeleteAyesha,
ReplyDeleteI do agree with you on the basis of that most Americans have not witnessed violence, therefore, they know nothing of it. But, I disagree that the friend said "cool" out of disparity. I think that the friend had full intent on what he was saying, and that he truly thought that violence is "cool"
Matt,
ReplyDeleteFirst I would like to say that I am writing about your comment because many others have and I want to fit in. Well, anyway, i agree with most of what you said. I think that people do enjoy watching violence and thus have this twisted idea that it is cool. However, I only think that people kill for pleasure in video games. For example, I liked your astute comment on gladiators but they did not, unfortunately kill for pleasure. They were mostly slaves either prisoners of war of people kidnapped from Etruria by Roman militia and fought because Romans liked to watch it not because they liked to kill. Besides that though, I think that you have valid points in respect to why people seem to like violence: the media.
Ayesha,
ReplyDeleteI don't like disagreeing with you but I have to because Mrs. Da Costa says you so blame her not me. Well I think that you are wrong about why Beah's friend said what he said. He wasn't uncomfortable nor lacking the right words to respond. He knew exactly what he wanted to say and that was "cool." Even if he was given 9999999999 days to think about a response to what he thinks about violence and war, he would say "cool," or maybe a couple more days because 9999999999 days is a long time for a one word answer. I think he is just simply believes that for whatever reason you so choose but still the point is he truly thinks that and I don't think he didn't "quite know what to say" (Mohammed 1).
I think that his friends didn’t really know what to say. They probably didn’t know what war was actually like and related it to what they saw in movies. Thinking about how cool the actors in the movies were just shooting everyone up and thought that’s what Ishmael was doing. Even though it’s kind of rude to say to someone who had to deal with those traumas, I feel Ishmael sort of understood that they had no clue what they were talking about. I think that response is expected from someone from the United States because most of us haven’t experienced war first hand or know what is really happening in the world. Like I said before, we know war as we see it in movies. Directors make it seem cool and don’t show the emotional aspects of war or even the truths of it.
ReplyDeleteIshmael's friends' response about violence being cool sounds kind of uninformed because those who have actually been through war, like Ishmael, would know that it is not cool. Most likely, the people who thought that war is cool have not experienced what it is like to be in a war. Or, maybe when informing his friends about being in war, Ishmael didn't sound serious, which could have made his friends think that he was just joking about it, or that it didn't really affect him.
ReplyDeleteUsually, when people say some sad or scary things, such as about Ishmael's life, students here in America would sympathize with the person and ask for more of the story. But some people, who are very adventurous, would probably have a similar response, just because they are adventurous and have never experienced it before. But still, this is not that common of a response among American students. There are many things here in America that have led to creating this type of response, such as violent movies and video games, which in a way, promote violence.
Maria Korah
Ayesha,
ReplyDeleteI agree that people in America can’t really relate to people that have experienced events that they have not. However, I do not agree that the students were uncomfortable. I feel it was just ignorance of the matter that caused them to say “cool”. They have no clue what Ishmael experienced, and I’m sure if they did know, they would not say cool to something as serious and terrible as being a child soldier.
Cassie,
ReplyDeleteI really liked what you said because of many reasons, and I completely agree with the points you've mentioned. You are right about how students here didn't know what war was like, and therefore didn't know how to respond to it. But here is one point though: if they had been informed about wars, such as through books like "Night," they wouldn't be respoing using the word "cool." If Ishmael came to you or me and said that he was in a war, neither of us would probably respond like that because we have been kind of informed, although only to a limited amount, on what war is like.
I also agree with you that movies give false impressions on things like wars, and that those movies are what students would relate to or think about. But I also believe that video games are another influence on American students for such responses.
Maria Korah
I think that the boy that responded "cool" to people running around shooting people was underestimated.I think that the boy does not think it is a big deal becasue in the United States you never see that and that does not happen. He may think that he is joking or it is part of a movie making. He pictures it as not a big deal and something that does not affect amny people. I do think this is atypical answer for someone who has lived in the United States their whole life. somethnig like that is not very common at all in the United States.
ReplyDeleteCassie,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about his friend connecting the shooting to the movies and action because in the United States people never see that and only see it in the movies and on tv. i also like how you said that Ishamel expected them to respond in this way because he cant expect them to inderstand what it is like and the horrible things he went through.
The friends' response as violence being "cool" was alarming in my opinion. It frightens me to think that people hearing about shooting and fighting would believe that it is "cool." Violence in any shape or form is a very serious issue that affects our world every day. For people to respond to all of this as being "cool" scares me. For those who have unfortunately witnessed or experienced violence, they know the effects that it can have on one's life. I believe that some Americans have gained a certain misunderstanding about violence. In my opinion, video games have been a major cause of this perception that violence is "cool." However, I think that this kind of response would be unexpected amongst the majority of Americans.
ReplyDeleteLee Johnston
Maria,
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with your comment that Ishmael's tone could have affected the response from his friends. If he was more emotional about the topic, then I believe that they would have responded in an appropriate manner, based on those feelings. However, you could consider characterizing those who have not experienced the war, and think that it is "cool", as being misinformed rather than adventurous.
Lee Johnston
The friend's response that thinking that violence is "cool" is one that is actually quite sickening. War is a gruesome and terrible thing that no one should ever have to experience in their lifetime. For many people who have never experienced war and its horrific side effects or never learned about how war is played out, I can understand how one might believe that violence is "cool." America's culture has led us to believe this. When growing up, most everyone has played with water guns. We have always associated this with fun, which may aid to the thought that violence is "cool." Video games are also a very big influence in kids today. Many of these games have very strong violence in them, and the kids enjoy that aspect of the game. Perhaps, it is the natural evil of man that can lead us to believe that violence is "cool."
ReplyDeleteAlex,
ReplyDeleteI would have to agree with your comments saying that a reason people from America think violence is "cool" is because we tend to win wars and because we are the strongest nation in the world. If we were on the other end of the battles, then i do not believe many people would still think violence is "cool." When war knocks down your front door and affects you directly, you are much more likely to understand the true horrors war can cause.
However, I disagree that war is shown as an unreal thing in media today. Many war movies are extremely gruesome. One in particular that comes to mind is Saving Private Ryan. In many of the modern media war may be glamorized, but you cannot say that all of it has been.
I think that Tyler Werbel is 100 percent correct on saying that most people have not experienced war and no one should have too. I also agree that that video games are a big influnce on kids today. Games like "Halo" are promoting violence and making kids think that war is ok and cool.
ReplyDelete-Matt
Gabrial,
ReplyDeleteWhen i was referring to the gladiators I meant that the people liked to watch it rather than the gladiators actually enjoying the fighting.
-Matt
I think that this student's response doesn't necesarily mean that violence is cool. The U.S. student certainly doesn't understand the details of the event. The refrence to being cool essentially means that the story is interesting and out of the ordinary. How many fellow classmates in high school lived through a civil war in Africa. I think that this response is expected. With the way that video games and entertainment portray violence, it is thought of as fun or cool. Kids spend their days shooting people on TV as fun and think that stories and violence in action movies is fun and entertaining. Violence in the technological world is not as real as the violence that Ishamael saw, and this may sometimes taint the actuality and loss that violence provokes. dylan
ReplyDeleteI agree with Maria that Ishamel's friend was most likely misinformed, from the way that entertainment protrays war today. It is a good point that maybe the friends didn't believe Ishamael or that maybe they didn't take him seriously. Either way, it was clear that they don't have an understanding of war in the same way that Ishmael saw it. The way that they said cool most probably means that they want to hear about as it sounds like something interesting.
ReplyDeleteIshmaels' friends' response does not concern me in any way because "cool" is a common English slang word often used among primarily younger generations. This phrase is often used for situations that may not actually be cool, as in awesome or amazing. Cool may not have been my response to Ishmael's statement; however, I am not rejecting it as a valid response. I prefer to believe that the intent of their response was to evoke a sense of interest, and desire to know more.
ReplyDeleteA response like such has become accpetable among the teenage population because it can be used to express something that is foreign. For example, the average American teenager has not been subjected to fighting of that degree. The lack of knowledge and experience among United States students in such circumstances most likely attributes to thinking things like war are "cool."
I agree with Dylan’s statement that the friends thought the story was interesting, not particularly cool. I believe that a person can be genuinely interested in a story and provide the same response. For example, if someone told me a story about a war, I’d probably be like “cool” because that was an exciting story. This is a good point because sometimes the full meaning of a phrase is not always understandable at first glance.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Dylan that violence has become a form of entertainment in America. These students surely don’t understand the severity of the Sierra Leone War, so they cannot possibly believe that it is a cool thing. I feel like the kids’ lack of knowledge adds to the expectance of their response. If you were subjected to Halo 3 and thought war was cool, how could you feel any different about war in reality?
I think that the American kids thought violence was cool because through out their lives, they have never experienced war in their backyard, only through television and comic books. The media associates violence with being dangerous. For example, the mafia is violent, but people think they are cool.
ReplyDeleteSince most children never grew up around violence, talk of it is interesting. Video games and board games portray violence as a past time, and a social event. Personally I think guns are fun, but if I were in war, they would be scary, not cool. While Ishmael grew up around war, guns, and saw many brutally killed, violence to him is not cool.
Violence is thought of as "cool" in our culture because we are so far removed from true violence. If the was a war going on in our backyard, people wouldn't think it was cool. It is just in our movies, video games, and news.
ReplyDeletePeople also associate violence with power, and it is human nature to like power. The violent movies that are very popular show evil being conquered by being destroyed. If the bad guy was winning all the time people wouldn't think violence was so cool.
Violence is being shown as "glamourous" in video games and movies. The main character that is fighting the battle for justice or any other cause, is always cool. The hottest actors play those roles, and the video game characters are always perfect, or at least someone that a person would want to be.
All of these things make violence "cool" in our society. Really, the image of violence that is in people's minds is the cool part.
Kristi
I do not agree with some of the things Andrea said. I think that the kid Ishmael was talking to truly believed that it was cool. the environment most young people grow up in, is sheltered. The only taste of violence most get is through television or movies.
ReplyDeleteWhen the kid heard Ishmaels comment, it was new to him; knowing someone who lived like the characters did in some violent movies.