Reaction to Shreeve

     How to use the word "race"? That is the Shreeve's main question. He explain that the word race is difficult to use and it is different definition from people to people. Sometimes, people think that their race is what they look like or where they born. Moreover, people may have gap with the race what they thought and their biological race. In addition, Jonathan Marks says that people's race is same as their cultural category, so people cannot divided into group by only one category. On the other hand, Alice Brues and Vincent Sarich think that there is no problem to use the word "race" and it is good to grouping people. it could work for identify people to people and define they are developed person or not. Shreeve conclude the article with the definition of word "race" is depends on what people think the difference and what the question is.
     This article made me think with the my definition of the word "race". It seems easy to use the word race, but there is no clear definition of that. So, it is really depends on user of the word and the meaning could be easily change.

Reaction to Golud

     In Gould articule, there is Blumenbach's idea of "race" introduced. Gould thinks that Blumenbach made big mistake with spreading idea of race and his thinking of race is so different from now days. Blumenbach thought human race starts from white people called "Caucasian" He explain with the race as the most beautiful race. He got idea of the race from his teacher Linnaeus. Linnaeus divided the human (Homo sapiens) into four varieties. It was Europaeus (Caucasian), Americanus, Asisticus, and Afer (African), and Linnaeus divide the varieties by geographic way. However, he define these varieties with personality or characters, so people think there are ranked by the beauty of looking. Therefor, Blumenbach add the four race system to Malay and he ranked the race. Gould think he should not make such a misunderstanding change to the world. In addition, he thinks that people should have correct view for "race".

     I think Blumenbach and Linnaeus's view point is interesting, because they were not try to divide the human with ranking them but they did by accident. However, Blumenbach made the five race system and it was obvious that he divided human with developed or not and it was ranked. I think we should know the historical thinking and learn not to do that again. 

JLP&ELP

           It was so much fun to have ELP&JLP exchange class. At the JLP time, the topic got me think about Japan more. Our group's topic was "日本人と外国人" and I never think the difference. Some of JLP students have negative image of Japanese personality. For ELP time, I think it was good chance to hear different opinion about my essay topic. I could realize what I was not think about or have not done researching. Their opinion was different point of view with Japanese people and it was new for me, so it was great time for me.
          I think every ELP or JLP class should do that. It is useful and good chance to make new friend, too. :)

Essay Topic

I am thinking that my essay topic will be something connect with intercultural communication and study abroad.

In my opinion, student should go studying abroad, learn different culture or language, and study different thinking way or systems. However, the number of Japanese people go studying abroad is decreasing. The issue is how the Japanese government increase the number and why they should do so. In addition, we need to know what is the benefit of going abroad for studying. I am also wondering what other country do for problems for study abroad how does it work and why not Japanese government does not do anything for this problems. If the government do something, why does not work?
Those are my possible essay topic.

Reaction to Fisher

           I liked to read the article, "Perception Of Self" by Fisher, because it was interesting to read. In addition, it was pretty easy to read, because it easy to connect our own experiences. What I was most interested in was the section "Perception Is Inaccurate". It is, of course, true but people do not think that way. Fisher said, Perception is experiential, selective, inferential, evaluative, and inaccurate. I think people tend to believe their own perception is most likely true and correct, because they see things with their own past experiences, select what they want to believe or see, inference if necessarily, or evaluate with their own view point. However, Fisher said perception is more likely incorrect. When I read this Fisher's explanation was so natural for me, but we do such thing as normal thing. In my opinion, it is important to know perception is different with people to people. Furthermore, it is important to understand those perception could be inaccurate.

Reaction to Barna

                I thought the content of Barna is interesting. For some part, I know about it and I could totally agree with. Language difference and some biased view or assumption are of course would be the difficulty of intercultural communication. In addition, many people tend to do easily and people do not realize their misunderstanding or prejudice. I may have prejudice or arbitrary assumption when I communicate with person who is from different culture or who has different way of thinking. Furthermore, some part like “High Anxiety”, I never thought that it would be the difficulty of intercultural communication. At this part, I had fun with reading and study new things. 

Summer Reading Book Reaction

          The Giver by Lois Lowry

          I chose this book, because I have heard the name of the book and it says, “There are no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the Community” for the synopsis of the book. I could not get the meaning, so I was interested in and wanted to read the story.
          The main character of the story is Jonas, who lives in the Community and 11 years old. He is excited to be 12, because he will be assigned for a job. When he becomes 12, he is assigned for the Receiver of the Memory. It is very special job for the community, so that Jonas is afraid of having the job. Jonas receives a lot of memories from the Giver, like snow, sunshine, color, and even feelings. It is all that the community does not have and they cannot see any colors. People in the Community takes pills to stop their emotional feelings. All because of the thinking way of "sameness". Jonas begins to have questions about the community and he escapes from the community for change them.
         I liked the part, which Jonas receives memories. Especially, when he receive the memory of the color or feeling of Love. At first I was surprise that they do not have colors and some kind of feeling. At the same time, I could not image the Community and interested in the story more. I did not like the part, which Jonas gets the memory of the feelings of anger or pain, and memory of the war. However, it shows importance of the knowing those things. This book made me think about the "sameness". At first, I thought sameness is not good for our life, because we should have individual and we should have chance to choose by our own opinion. However, if there are organized by sameness, we will not have fight or feeling of hates. I thought it would be nice to have sameness for some time at the right point, but I do not really know nor it may be different thinking by person to person. 
          I really enjoyed the book, "The Giver", so I hope my section mate will read it someday in the future.