6 Word America Poem

We are better than the rest.

My Ideology

I am a person of very few values and ideals. Perhaps my one great ideal is that "the ends justify the means." This Machiavellian principle is something that many people frown upon as being cold, and while there is certainly some truth to that, I don't believe it is a bad way to lead a lifestyle. Critics of such an approach argue that living one's life by this ideal would lead to breaches in morals; however, people such as myself who subscribe to this belief have a very loose interpretation of morals anyway. I would not say that I would go to ANY lengths to achieve my goals, but I do believe I would be willing to go quite a bit further than most. As long as the end result is just, then the methods to attain this goal are acceptable.

Pakistan

I don't really think the situation in Pakistan compares to what Che was trying to do in Bolivia. Al Qaeda and the Taliban are much more powerful then the group of rebels Che tried to lead. Che's group was made up of Bolivian's who wanted to overthrow their current government, whereas Al Qaeda and the Taliban have more ambitious goals throughout the entire middle east, not just one area. The only thing that I think really compares is the way in which the United States is intervening to protect our own best interests.

Che's Romantic Descriptions

Che uses specific and appropriate word choice as he describes his surroundings, painting a picture of his image in the reader’s mind. For example, the passage:

“The road snakes between the low foothills that sound the beginning of the great cordillera of the Andes, then descends steeply until it reaches an unattractive, miserable town, surrounded in sharp contrast by magnificent, densely wooded mountains.” (44)

This description is extremely vivid and descriptive and successfully depicts Ernesto’s surroundings. The reader can also conclude from the passage that Ernesto was aware and perhaps in awe of the scenery. Throughout much of the novel, Ernesto focuses on these specific descriptions of his surroundings. I believe that he probably does this in an effort to bring the reader on the trip with him. He wants to feel how small the great Andes mountains make a traveler seem. He the reader to fully understand the breathtaking beauty of his surroundings. Ultimately, he wants the reader to accompany him on his journey.

A second passage shows how Che has a tendency to be a bit dramatic.

“The enormity of our endeavor escaped us in those moments; all we could see was the dust on the road ahead and ourselves on the bike, devouring kilometers in our flight northward.” (33)

This passage is enjoyable to read, but it seems to me as though Che is trying to impress the reader by making the journey appear more adventurous than perhaps it had to be. This type of word choice is maintained throughout the entire novel as Che seems to embellish some of his experiences. While I do believe that this makes his journals much more interesting to read some of his descriptions seem a bit over dramatic and they dull the reader to the experiences that truly are unique. By making everything seem so special, the reader becomes a bit jaded and can't appreciate the parts of the novel that should stick out a bit more. Che almost considers himself to be a sort of knight on this journey instead of a bum who must rely on the assistance of others to sustain himself.

Che's Death

I think that Che probably was executed by the Bolivian government. He was captured by the Bolivian government and was basically trying to lead a coup. Such an offense would be punishable by death and so I believe the Bolivian government gave an order to have Che executed. It's interesting to me that Che's death seems to be completely without any type of meaning. He was in Bolivia leading a Revolution that would likely never succeed and he was captured and killed. Hardly heroic. In fact, his death is almost pitiful. A pitiful end to a life of misled purpose.

My Great Adventure

My quest began the beginning of the second semester of my senior year. The goal: to not open my backpack at home for the rest of the year. An ambitious undertaking, but not unachievable. My clever cunning and tremendous knack for attaining grades that far exceed my effort level made such an effort both appealing and possible. How does one complete such a task? Well, firstly, school time would have to be utilized to the max. If I wasted my time during study hall than I would surely be unable to complete my work without some sort of input at home. Next, I had to plan out my work that I would need to do at home before I got there. For instance if I had a calc test the following day, I would have to carry my binder home so as not to violate the rules of my task. It began easily, the start of the semester was a cakewalk. Unfortunately, the past week or so has not gone so well. Homework is getting more difficult to complete at school and my grades are suffering a bit as a result. With no work to do at home, I'm often extremely bored and I realize there is nothing lonelier than adventure. Despite these setbacks, the quest continues.

Che's Ideology

I believe that Che's ideology or philosophy would be governed by the idea of socialism and the "greater good." Che was a staunch advocate of marxist philosophy and he lived his life by trying to demolish capitalism and spread socialism. Perhaps his downfall is the fact that he bought into the idea of socialism a bit too much. He had visions of a Utopia in which no one worked for a personal profit and everyone was invested in the interests of others. While this would certainly make for a better world, it is impractical to assume that such a world could exist. Che was too socialist for Fidel Castro as he advocated that Cuba should give away their wealth to countries in need. While altruistic, this idea was absurd and Castro was against such charity.

My Documentary

If I were to create my own documentary, I would make one for Wilt Chamberlain. I enjoy watching basketball and some of the records that he holds are staggering. I think it would be interesting to investigate the state of the NBA at the time he played as well as what sort of competition he was up against. Chamberlain also paved the way for future NBA players and the salaries that they make as he was the highest paid player in the league throughout much of his career. His personal life is also interesting as he once claimed to have slept with over 20,000 women in his life. All of these facets of his life would be interesting both to explore and document.

Che Documentary

If I were creating a documentary on Che Guevara, I think that I would put most of the emphasis on his involvement with Fidel Castro and the Cuban military. I think that the heroic revolutionary role has been sufficiently covered in his novels as well as general perception so I think the population needs to learn some of the reasons he is despised instead of idolized. I would probably hire Glen Beck as a director as I believe he would love to take the opportunity to reveal who the true Che Guevara is. Despite wanting to reveal Che's shortcomings, it would be unfair not to include aspects of his life such as his epic journey that he documents in The Motorcycle Diaries.

Road Trip

I have never been on a road trip and the idea, quite frankly, does not appeal to me. Something about being stuck in a car the majority of the time makes me think that such a trip would not be much fun. Despite that, I suppose if I were to go on a road trip, I would make it as short as possible. What exactly defines something as a "Road Trip" as opposed to just a long drive? Does it have to include multiple days on the road? If so, then I would definitely rent an RV and hire someone to drive it for me as well. Many would claim that this would take the charm out of the trip, but I don't really think there is any charm in aimless wandering. If I were forced into such a journey, I suppose I would want to take the trip during the summer and I would like to work my way down the coast including stops in Washington DC, North and South Carolina, and finally Florida. Really though, why not just fly?

Preview to a Novel and Impressions

Front Cover

The Motorcycle Diaries by Ernesto Che Guevara
New York Times Best Seller
The Book is about a Latin American Journey
Who’s on the cover?
What relevance does the motorcycle have?

The Back Cover

The back cover offers a brief synopsis of the novel’s premise that seems to simply be a diary of a young Ernesto as he goes on a journey throughout Latin America.

Inside the Book

Copyright 2003
Table of Contents with chapter titles
The author seems to write in a detailed and meticulous manner from the page that I read. It is very dull reading.


Overall Impressions: I feel somewhat conflicted between the Glen Beck segment and my preview on the novel. From the novel, I expect a dull account of a young man trying to find his way in life while traveling through Latin America. From Glen Beck’s account, I expected Guevara to be some bloodthirsty executioner. I suppose I will just have to read the book to fully understand this apparent discrepancy.
As far as general interest in the novel, I have very little. I anticipate struggling through yet another book this marking period. At least this one is short so it will likely be more endurable than Invisible Man.

Judge a Book by its Cover?

When I am getting ready to read a book, I rarely simply pick up a book that I have no previous knowledge and start reading. I would never walk into a library, pick up a book and decide to read it based on a cursory look at the cover, back cover, etc. I only read a book if I have read one by the author previously, if I'm forced to read it by my English teacher, or if the book comes with the recommendation of someone who has similar interests in books as me. Books rarely capture my attention and maintain it throughout, but the few exceptions are usually thrillers or suspense novels. The Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons both by Dan Brown. I think they were able to hold my attention because they had a fast pace with a particular emphasis on suspense and action.

The Two Faces of Che Guevara

I think that it is very interesting how Hollywood is willing to ignore the actual history of Che Guevara in order to make money. It is ridiculous that he has been romanticized in such a way that many people idolize him as a symbol of rebellion. As mentioned on the Glenn Beck Show, Fidel Castro effectively transformed Guevara from a brutal executioner to a heroic rebel. This has been made possible by the United States’ tendency to manipulate any story in an attempt to milk as much money out of it as possible.

The film is laughably inaccurate according to Beck, but it will likely entertain viewers nonetheless. I agree with the analyst that appeared on the Glenn Beck Show that the kids who where the shirts are likely just ignorant to his historical background. The Hollywood directors and the researchers involved in the film; however, have full knowledge of what they are romanticizing.

I hope that by reading the book, watching the movie, and doing some research on Che I will be able to come to an educated conclusion about how he should be viewed. I assume that the reason for the apparent difference in opinions about Che comes from the fact that his actions must have been considered quite provocative; with a group of people finding them admirable and another group finding them despicable.

Beck’s word choice and passion show how adamant he feels about the issue. It is clear from listening to him that he has a genuine interest in what he is reporting which makes him very convincing to listen to.