What is civilization?
Why has the West dominated the rest?
List the "killer apps."
https://youtu.be/wR6SFLhD32Q?list=PLJA4Jys7jT0LR-Ze9Joi2OHsC6_BbY-Hp
Civilization Part 2 - BBC Series by Niall Ferguson, 46:54
https://youtu.be/Yc1me9jOxgk?list=PLJA4Jys7jT0LR-Ze9Joi2OHsC6_BbY-Hp
Civilization Part 3 - BBC Series by Niall Ferguson, 47:33
https://youtu.be/XGV1jAQVnBU
Civilization Pt4 - BBC Series, 46:52
https://youtu.be/myUPIh0UnEo
Civilization Part 5 - BBC Series by Niall Ferguson, 47:00
https://youtu.be/xUXqSm3TWrI
Civilization Part 6 - BBC Series by Niall Ferguson, 14:45
https://youtu.be/WtSGWciDg04
Civilization Part 6.2 - BBC Series by Niall Ferguson, 14:22
https://youtu.be/Hcu-feea2jk
Civilization Part 6.3 - BBC Series by Niall Ferguson, 12:44
https://youtu.be/giqxIxAgpE4
Civilization Part 6.4 - BBC Series by Niall Ferguson, 4:58
https://youtu.be/qcnCn8Kt2Ig
Americans in particular as the leading representatives of Western Civilization are particularly important in maintaining the "killer apps" of civilization.
Yet, it is obvious to many that America is facing enormous challenges that the political system seems unable to solve.
Is there a potential solution, neither left nor right, Republican or Democrat, that the Founders envisioned?
Convention of States
2:13
The Problem
The federal government has overreached its constitutionally-established boundaries and has its hands on almost every area of our lives. Our children and grandchildren will inherit a bankrupt nation run by an unaccountable bureaucracy.
The Solution
Article V of the United States Constitution allows us to call a Convention of States to restrict the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, effectively returning the citizen’s rightful power over the ruling elite.
The Strategy
Working together, state legislators and American citizens can restore the checks and balances on federal power that were put in place by our founding Fathers to protect our liberty from the abuses in Washington, D.C.
https://www.conventionofstates.com/ https://youtu.be/JdsjrVR-JUkThe diversity of immigration has enriched America and some of the most important values of America and the West are continued by immigrants.
The movie, Avalon, tells about one such American immigration family.
1:32
Avalon Trailer (1990) The Polish-Jewish Krichinsky family began to emigrate to the United States in the early twentieth century, settling in Avalon, an inner city immigrant neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland.
Although they brought with them many of their traditions, including a strong family network punctuated by several generations of the same family living under one roof and important decisions about the extended family being made by consensus (by what they call the family circle), they were in search of the American dream.
By mid century, the second and third generations of the American side of the family began to search for their own ideals of the American dream, which included assimilation into American culture (as displayed by an Anglicization of their family name to either Kaye or Kirk), success and prosperity through owning a thriving business of one's own choosing (rather than going into the existing family business), owning a house in the suburbs with only one's own immediate family, and owning a television.
Some of these goals are against the ideals of the older generation, which may cause some family friction, especially in the decision making process at the family circle meetings.
Regardless, life within the Krichinsky/Kaye/Kirk family will go on. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b37auo3dSuM&app=desktop
1914 For Jewish people fleeing the pogroms around 1914 does an immigrant appear appreciative of his adopted country or does he want to remain rooted in the ways of the old country?
What does he say to express his emotional reaction to the new country?
https://youtu.be/8vWKJbQT06o
The cousins are upwardly mobile, are partners, and open a successful furniture business.
For decades, immigrants arriving on U.S. soil have welcomed their new country by adopting a fresh and more American-sounding name—popular choices included William, John, Charles, and George.
Whether they knew it or not at the time, that assimilation did more than help them fit in around the neighborhood.
Whether they knew it or not at the time, that assimilation did more than help them fit in around the neighborhood.
Changing a name from purely foreign to a very common American one is linked to a 14 percent jump in earnings, according to a recent paper, “The Economic Payoff of Name Americanization,” cited by the Economist. The more uncommon the original name and the more typical the new American name, the higher the payoff.
The study is not the first to draw ties between people’s names and the salaries they earn.
The Economist notes that “a number of studies show that having an ‘ethnic-sounding’ name tends to disadvantage job applicants.” A 2013 analysis of data from today’s labor market by job search website TheLadders concluded that people who go by shorter names at work tend to earn more money.
For monikers as similar as Sara and Sarah, Michele and Michelle, and Philip and Phillip, each additional letter correlated with a $3,600 drop in annual salary.
The Economist notes that “a number of studies show that having an ‘ethnic-sounding’ name tends to disadvantage job applicants.” A 2013 analysis of data from today’s labor market by job search website TheLadders concluded that people who go by shorter names at work tend to earn more money.
For monikers as similar as Sara and Sarah, Michele and Michelle, and Philip and Phillip, each additional letter correlated with a $3,600 drop in annual salary.
In “The Economic Payoff of Name Americanization,” the authors find that immigrants who faced major obstacles in the labor market—for example, few employable skills or a high degree of discrimination—were more likely to Americanize their names.
By 1930, roughly one-third of naturalizing immigrants had forsaken their first name for a popular American one.
By 1930, roughly one-third of naturalizing immigrants had forsaken their first name for a popular American one.
The authors interpret this finding as a sign that when occupational mobility was limited, “migrants adopted alternative strategies to climb the occupational ladder.”
In other words, they changed their names to achieve not only cultural, but also economic success.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2014/03/28/american_names_immigrants_benefit_economically_from_cultural_assimilation.html
As part of the process of Americanization for immigrants, and to be successful, why or why not should the cousins change their family name to simpler, American names?In other words, they changed their names to achieve not only cultural, but also economic success.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2014/03/28/american_names_immigrants_benefit_economically_from_cultural_assimilation.html
Whose side do you sympathize with: the cousins who change their name or to the Jewish father?
Avalon Name Change
2:16
https://youtu.be/gp0Q1o9IMgA
What happens to an immigrant family in the late '40s, post-war prosperity period?
The upwardly mobile part of the family moved to the suburbs but the old guard remains in the city.
What tensions do you observe between tradition, family, class, income, and living location?
"You cut the turkey without me." Avalon
3:14
https://youtu.be/0EEl7uV6YQU
Today, immigrants to America often bring values from their former country and wish to retain them and not become part of the Americanization process.
Often today we hear academics describe privilege and how immigrants and others have benefited and done well in America. Let us consider typical experiences of the past immigrants and what their life was like as they came to America.
Do you see examples of privilege by immigrants in the past as you observe "The Salvation"?
The Salvation Official US Release Trailer #1 (2015) https://youtu.be/Imic4ACxSp0
The Salvation 1:32:00 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgMWBZhhXsI&t=630s
There are those from the left and right of the political spectrum who seek to answer the issues of our day.
Let us consider:
Is Fascism Right Or Left? 5:37
Every Republican president since the 1970s has been called a fascist. Ironic, no? After all, fascism has its roots in the left. Dinesh D'Souza, author of The Big Lie, explains.
1:09 Quiz
https://youtu.be/m6bSsaVL6gA
America: Imagine The World Without Her - Trailer 2:07
What would it be like if an immigrant reflected on America and the if the world did not have America?
Dinesh D'Souza is one such immigrant who has done just that.
Consider, "America: Imagine the World Without Her," by D'Souza.
https://youtu.be/g4svOofmAek
What would the world be like without America? America Imagine the World Without Her,
"Hillary's America" Trailer | Official Teaser Trailer HD 3:09
https://youtu.be/r7e6gLht6OQ
"2016: Obama's America" The Movie 1:46
https://youtu.be/vtv6XUT-hno
CLINTON CASH OFFICIAL DOCUMENTARY MOVIE ( FULL ), 1:04:56
https://youtu.be/7LYRUOd_QoM
