Personal Philosophy: 沈着冷静

　“沈着冷静”(Chin chaku lei sei) is a saying in Japan that means to observe matters and situations clinically and calmly. In sports and studies, it is quite tempting to indulge yourself emotionally over excellent grade in the test or disappointing results in sports. Even in daily life there are moments when you want to let your emotion take over, for example, to hysterically buy newly designed cloths (like my Mom) and to restlessly pout over the failure to win a competition (like my Dad).  However, if we always allow ourselves to be moved by emotions, we might fail to understand or comprehend some important issues in our daily and academic lives. No matter how small the issues or desperate I become, I believe that clinical observations and calm judgments are the necessary factor to not become overly excited or overly upset, especially in crucial moments, and perceive the important ideas or choices.

            To be honest I had great difficulty understanding this philosophy when I was about 10 years old, which was just about the time when I was allowed to participate in matches and tournaments in Kendo: Japanese sword martial art.  As I walked to my very first match, my mind was going crazy! I could feel my blood pumping throughout my body and adrenaline rushing in my brain; I was completely in the state of over-excitement. I quickly lost my first match without using my full potential and felt great disappointment over my loss. No matter how much I practiced, I could not forget that match. I tried very hard to remain composed in matches but I would continue to become emotional and excited during the matches. As I struggled for about two years, my Dad came up to me after my loss in a tournament. My Dad, one of the eight instructors of our dojo, told me “Don’t look at your opponent but his sword”. On my next match, as usual, I was recklessly striking my opponent and ended up losing a point because of his well-placed counter strike (you lose a match if your opponent has more points than you or your opponent obtains 2 points first). As I placed myself in position, I remembered about my Dad’s advice and decided to only observe my opponent’s sword. As strange as it sounds, I felt a strange sensation as I calmly observed my opponent’s sword. I could listen to his breathing and detect even the slightest movement as I slowly crossed blade with him. The time seemed to slow down as my breathing slowed and at that moment, I was in complete control of my mind and body. My mind was in the state of “無心” (mu-shin): a state of complete concentration where irrelevant details are erased. I kept my emotions in minimum and calmly observed my opponent who was starting to get agitated. Then in split second, I immediately parried his strike and countered with a thrust to his torso. The match ended as a tie but I obtained a distinct idea on the importance of calm observation. After the match, I quickly honed my observation in Kendo through practice and elevated my rank up to 1^st degree black belt. Through the revelation of calm composure and close observation, I could see my world a little differently. By limiting emotional thoughts, I could see how the mechanisms and the systems in the daily life operate. I could feel whether the opponent will try to strike my head, my arm, or my torso by observing the way the sword moves in the hand. Through composed thinking, I was able to observe beyond the cloud of emotions and “see the unseen”.

            Though the clinical perception may seem like a cliché or easy to learn, it is neither omnipotent nor practical for everyone. I won’t be able to perceive abstract arts, to understand the true feeling of people, and to see the answers on test because there no psychic powers involved. Composed observation is to observe how the things work and react without preconception or emotions. You can try to interpret the government’s actions without favoritism of Republican or Democrats in order to realize their intentions. You can see what Barack Obama accomplished in his two terms without the criticisms from Fox News. You can interact with other ethnic groups without worrying about nationalities. You can suppress your sorrow in your Grandparent’s death to truly realize what they have left for you. As in Buddhist saying “無我の境地”: to remove worries and hate to truly understand.

           

The Changing Unity in the Journey (Ch.16 – 19) (D) *

The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck, introduces the journey of the Joad’s family and the others as they head toward California for the better life in the nourished land. The Joad’s family first starts their long journey with Casy, a drinking preacher, on the truck with their luggage and supplies. Through their journey, they meet with the Wilson family as they were stuck in the desert with the broken down vehicle. The Joad welcomed the Wilson on the truck and decided to head toward California together. As they slowly bond in the truck, the truck suddenly brakes down and the group had to make a desperate decision. Tom made an idea where few men will ride to the nearest post to fix their truck while the others wait in the desert. As Tom’s idea was approved by others, the mother argued against the decision by stating “What we got [left] in the [world]? Nothin’ but us. Nothin’ but the folks.”(169). She decried the decision to split the group and illustrated the fear of isolation. She feared that the decision to split the group will dissolve the bonded group even though everybody already has “nothin’” left. Her strong passion to maintain the strength and the bond among the group illustrates the strong unity in the group. However, as the challenge to go to California proves too difficult for some, few members’ passion and unity slowly dissolves. 

The scorching weather, the lack of water, and the cramped truck steadily dissolved some group member’s resolve to start a new life in California. One who succumbed to the difficulty, Noah decides to quit the journey to the Promised Land when the group rests at one of the stop. Noah expresses his feeling that the “folks are nice to [him but] they don’t really care [him].” (208) He explains that the kindness that that the “folks” express are not the true unity. The isolation of Noah illustrates the true feelings among the supposed unity in the group. The scorching difficulties slowly dissolves the resolve that the groups held along the journey.

Picture Source:

Michael. "Grapes on a Vine." Travel Studies. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Mar. 2014. <http%253A%252F%252Fwww.travel-studies.com%252Ftaxonomy%252Fterm%252F23%25252024%25252025%25252057%25252026%25252027%25252028%25252029%25252030%25252031%25252058%25252032%253Fpage%253D9>.

 

Like that of the ... (Ch.16 - 19) (C)

Like that of the bugs
I would find myself in cluster
Filled with fear and sadness

Like that of the pigs
I would find myself in shelter
Finding a place to huddle for warmth

Like that of the men
I would find myself toward fire
Gathering toward the source of hope

Like that of the drinking preacher
I would gaze ahead the horizon
Drinking the liquor filled with illusions

Like that of the World
I would shroud myself with words of hope
Only to hide the dusts and canyons



Source:
Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Viking, 1939. Print.

The Selfless Acts in the Road (Ch.11 - 15) (G)

During the 1930s, the farmers and the migrator had to survive in harsh economy when everyone had no spare time to help others however there were some people that reached out their hand to help the helpless in the "mother road". These people, described in The Grapes of Wrath, helps the helpless people even though there are no merits. In the story of a man at the service station, "there was a family of twelve and they were forced off the land. They had no car. They built a trailer out of junk and loaded it with their possessions [...] and a sedan picked them up [...] to California [...] and the man who pulled them fed them" (122) The man at the service station questions why the man who picked them up had "such faith in their own species". (122) John Steinbeck, the author of The Grapes of Wrath, illustrates the events that had happened during the 1930s to show an example of selfless action by the migrators. The stories of the deeds expands the human moral to help people in desperate need. The migrators during the 1930s had one single goal, to go to California so they can rebuild their destroyed life. Because the migrators shared a common goal as well as common background, the drifters grouped together to help each other during the desperate times. The "faith" engenders from the common background and the similar situation during the helpless times. Also, the farmers were mostly educated to upheld their moral deeds in the churches during their childhood so the act to help others are imprinted within their minds. The similar backgrounds and educated moral drives the people to help each other to reach their common goals. Steinbeck describes the selfless actions through the Joad's encounter with the Wilson's family during the travel. Ma would explain "You won't be no burden. Each'll help each [other and] we'll get to California." (148) The Joads show their moral kindness to the people in need of help. The action of the Joads to help the Wilson family illustrates the kindness that Steinbeck conveys to the readers, the kindness that people offer comes from the sense of similarity between the two families as they try to rebuild their life in "California".

Book Source:
-Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Viking, 1939. Print.
Photo Source:

-"The Harvest Gypsies: Cultural References." Steinbeck in the Schools. San Jose State University, n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2014. <http://as.sjsu.edu/sits/content.jsp?val=works_harvest-gypsies_glossary-cultural-references>.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Highway 66 (Ch 11 - 15) (B) *

 

Also known as the Pontiac Trail, Osage Indian Trail, Wire Road, Postal Highway, Grand Canyon Route, National Trails Highway, Ozark Trail, Will Rogers Highway, and the Main Street of America, the Route 66 had many names because the route crossed multiple towns. The Route 66 was first created on November 11, 1926 by Cyrus Avery, an Oklahoma highway commissioner, who used the already existed roads to connect them into a single long route that spanned from Chicago, Illinois, and ran through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California, before ending at Los Angeles, encompassing a total of 2,448 miles. Route 66 was the most important route for the migrants who went west, especially during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, and for the communities that make business along the road. The stores and business along the route became prosperous due to the growing popularity of the highway. The people who stayed in the route later fought to keep the highway alive even with the growing threat of being bypassed by the new Interstate Highway System. Though the route was removed by the government on June 27, 1985, the route was able to maintain most of the roads as "Historic Route 66".

 

 

The rest stops and trading posts were common along the route, mostly in the Southwestern area, and allowed the travelers and the migrators to rest by the station. The worn out travelers can sleep or buy some Native American souvenirs. One of the best known stops, the Jackrabbit Trading Post, at Joseph City, Arizona opened in 1947 with original owner, James Taylor. The owner was obsessed with advertising for his business and had multiple “Here it is” signs with jackrabbits pointing the way along the Old Road as well as along the Interstate.

 

 

 

Along the route, the travelers would go to the nearby diner to fill their empty stomach with cheap meals served in the diner. One of the diner, the Ariston café, opened in 1924 in the Litchfield, Illinois. Many cafés and diners stationed themselves along the route to catch tired travelers and gained profit with cheap meals. Some had bands playing in the diner while others had entertaining surprises for the travelers like eating the 72oz. steak in 60 minutes to either get a free meal or $72.00 check on the table. 

 

Photo Source:



-"Route 66." Angelfire. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2014. http://www.angelfire.com/ca/xanadu55/Route_66.html.

Information Source:
-"Route 66." Angelfire. N.p., 4 June 2008. Web. 12 Mar. 2014. http://www.angelfire.com/ca/xanadu55/Route_66.html.
-Edklein69. "Route 66 History." Route 66 World. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2014. <http://www.route66world.com/66_history/>.

Man vs. the Monster with Moustache (Ch. 1 - 10) (G)

 

During the 1930's Depression, most corporations like the Pacific Railroad, the bank, and the corporations were often viewed as money robbers that took the living of the common people and the farmers. In reality, the wealthy did have some effects from the Depression but most managed to keep their vast wealth and presented their higher status in the public. With the social difference between the poor and the wealthy, the people mostly viewed wealthy as the man with a scary grin and possibly with a moustache like that of the photo above. Though many saw the upper-class as treacherous, some "[...] hated the mathematics that drove them, and some were afraid, and some worshipped" (31) The multiple accounts on the wealthy defines the different diversity that John Steinbeck wants to present. The people who hated the "mathematics" were the people from the upper-middle class where they held decent jobs and educations back then. They understood the concepts of the power by the business and banks, so they resented the thoughts and procedures that the corporations acted upon. The people who "were afraid" were those within the farmers and the lower class. They felt the fear to fight the higher-ups and understood the limited strength they had. The people that "worshipped" were the children and the pure people who admired the lavish life-style of the wealthy. They watched as the wealthy wore magnificent cloths and held parties in the public. The people who resented the wealthy also tried to find the source of the corruption. The banks and the corporations "gets orders from the East. The orders were, 'Make the land show profit or we'll close you up.' "(38) The banks and the wealthy that gave orders to seize the land were controlled from afar by the higher-ups of the business. The higher-ups that ordered to seize the land shows their ignorance of the condition of the land when they ordered to "make the land show profit". They do not understand the condition of the Dust Bowl in the land and fails to consider the farmers that need to work on the land. The novel presents the displeasure of the farmers to the ignorant higher-ups that commands in the wealthy "East".



Photo Source:
-Hopps, Mara. John Dillinger. Digital image. Pinterest. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Mar. 2014. http://www.pinterest.com/pin/239464905157607996/.

Book Source:
-Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Viking, 1939. Print.

Time Machine to the 1930s (Ch. 1 - 10) (A)

In the photo above, there is a man walking on the railway with his baggage in his arms. The man with the large moustache and beard is one of many that had to leave their home because of the Depression during the 1930s. These traveling wanderers were seen throughout the 1930s  searching for any jobs and labors that are available.
The Dust Bowl Migration, one of the episodes during the Depression, occurred during the 1930s when large masses of jobless farmers in Oklahoma, Texas, and Arkansas moved to California where they believed there were new hopes and new starts. The migration was first sparked by Paul Taylor, a economist, as he presented the nutritious futile land in California. Due to the harsh dusty climate in the Texas region, the farmers hoped they can bet on the better land in California where oranges and grapes grew. In John Steinbeck's novel, The Grapes of Wrath, the characters view California as the land of promise. For example, when the agents of the Banks took the farmer's land, the agents advised the farmer to "[...] go on west to California. [There] are works there, and it never gets cold" (34) The characters believe that California is the land where farmers can restart their ruined lives. However, the hope that brought the farmers to California was destroyed as 400,000 farmers were stationed to the camps. Called Dust Bowl refugees, the people had great difficulties in searching for jobs and opportunities in the land they thought as the promised land.


Photo Source:
-"Stock Photo - 1930s GREAT DEPRESSION ERA MAN HOMELESS HOBO WALKING DOWN RAILROAD TRACKS." 1930s GREAT DEPRESSION ERA MAN HOMELESS HOBO WALKING DOWN RAILROAD TRACKS. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Mar. 2014. <http://www.masterfile.com/stock-photography/image/846-05648510/1930s-GREAT-DEPRESSION-ERA-MAN-HOMELESS-HOBO-WALKING-DOWN-RAILROAD-TRACKS>.

Information Source:
Gregory, James N. ""The Dust Bowl Migration"" Faculty Washington. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Mar. 2014. <https://faculty.washington.edu/gregoryj/dust%20bowl%20migration.htm>.

Cars and Engines of the 1930s (Ch. 1 - 10) (D) *

Although 1930s was filled with increase in Depressions and decrease in auto-mobile productions, the people in America still enjoyed the fabulous models and new technologies that made car rides comfortable. The cars back then mostly had "square noses, round noses, [...] shovel noses, and the long curves of streamlines, and the flat surfaces before streamlining." (65) The model cars of 1930s had wide variety of appearance and interiors from the nose to the tires of the cars. During the 1930s, the new models were mainly created by the "big 3 auto-makers",  GM, Ford and Chrysler. They emphasized  the cars on style and looks because the Depression decreased the number of willing buyers.

Popular for its styling and eight-cylinder engine performance, the Buick series 40 brought new models of the Series 40 in 1934, 1936, 1937, 1939 and 1940. Of the most popular was the 1934 series that had maximum horsepower of 87 with the eight-cylinder engine, and powered rear-wheel drive.

Famous for its relatively small proportions and powerful engine, the 1932 Ford V-8 Cabriolet outperformed other cars during its year. Created by the Henry Ford Organization, the car was improved on the previous V-4 engine and weighted 2,400 lbs. Differently styled with improved proportions, the car reflected Edsel Ford's unique design sense and appealed greatly to the costumers. Also, because of the down draft carburetor, as the air moves faster, the static pressure lowers, and the dynamic pressure increases. With innovations to the model, the 1932 Ford V-8 Cabriolet quickly gained popularity.

 

The automobile manufacturers' refinement of the manufacturing process and the invention of some interesting styles became the foundation for the modern cars. The models created in the 1930s created the building blocks for the new age of auto-mobile industry.

 

Information Source:

-Sam, Alexander. "Popular Cars in the 1930s." EHow. Demand Media, 18 Oct. 2010. Web. 06 Mar. 2014. http://www.ehow.com/list_7357357_popular-cars-1930s.html.

-Nash, Tim. "1930s Cars - Great Innovation." The Finer Times: War, Crime and History Resource. The Finer Times, n.d. Web. 05 Mar. 2014. http://www.thefinertimes.com/The-1930s/1930s-cars-great-innovation-despite-tough-times.html.

 

Picture Source:

-1934 Buick 60 Series 3 Window Sport Coupe – 27th Annual Twin Cities Classic Car Auction. Digital image. MidAmerica Auctions. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Mar. 2014. http://www.midamericaauctions.com/automobile/buick/1934-buick-2-door-coupe/.

-The image of Ford V-8. Digital image. Pinterest. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Mar. 2014. http://www.pinterest.com/pin/499618152381853480/.

 

Book:

-Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Viking, 1939. Print.

 

 

Pride, Faith, and Liquor (Ch.1 ~ 10) (F)

Reverend Jim Casy,  a preacher, was once a passionate preacher who "used to howl out the name of Jesus to glory."(20) But as time passes, his passion and faith slowly dissipates along with the "[spirit] in the people" (20). Casy's rendered state depicts the loss of pride and faith among the common people as they experience the Depression during the 1930s. The Depression during the 1930s greatly affected the farmers  and the common people as many were left in unemployment or in debt. Casy, one of the common people, losses his sense of pride as a preacher when he drinks alcohols to numb his loss of "spirit" and soul inside his body. The loss of faith makes him believe that he has "no hope [and] was a damned ol' hypocrite" (22) Casy no longer acknowledges himself as a faithful preacher and thinks himself  as a "damned ol' hypocrite" that sleeps with girls and drink liquors by the shade. As Casy indulges himself to the point of becoming drunk, he questions his integrity as rightful preacher. His loss of faith compels him to look for the faults in himself and corner himself into the spiral of disparity. He forgets his pride as a preacher and drinks whisky to escape from the despair, the reality, and "Jesus". Men, like Casy, who lost sight of their faith become indulged in liquors and forget about their pride as people to escape from hardships, and end-up somewhere in the desert.

 

Picture Source:

-Lyon, Denny. "Dennys Funny Quotes." : Funny End Of The World Cartoons, Late Nite Jokes, Funny Videos. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2014. http://dennysfunnyquotes.blogspot.com/2011/05/funny-end-of-world-cartoons-late-nite.html.

 

Book:

-Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Viking, 1939. Print.