Celebrating the "national holiday"? Think again.

To my mind, being chilean has never meant anything too great and too fabulous. In fact, I have to say that my lack of patriotism is stronger. I think this is because I grew up seeing contradictions everywhere. In History, for example, they taugh me about original tribes and where they used to live, how they were so uncivilized, how wild and destructive they were, and so many things they used to do when they were a living culture. At the same time, my family was always telling me about the unjustices mapuche people had to coup with. This was because my mom's family has mapuche heritage; that's why I have a mapuche lastname. My mom told me that I should know the meaning of it as minimun, and that i should be proud of it. So, I was caught in the middle of two different perspectives about being chilean. Therefore, I never really have a feeling of belonging. Actually, I hate cueca and the national holidays, and I hate the Parada Militar even more because they seem to be so proud being a country with so many military equipment like if that was actually a way of achieving peace. At the end I realized about everything and discovered that what is considered culture is not even nearly to what people think. You have to pay attention to reality and think a bit about what is going on with the country before celebrating something which you don't even understand. In fact, Chile shouldn't be celebrating at all. Chile (as a government) should be rebuilding houses, helping those who are in extreme situations after the earthquake in the south, eliminating the antiterrotist law that is doing nothing but killing natives who are not even terrorist, paying attention to education seriously, and not rebuilding museums or making shows of lights and expending money in meaningless things.

The Yes Men

I think the hoaxs of Yes Men organization are what people needed to see how things are really going on in this world. I mean, in Chile the Thermoelectric proyect did not work for the businessman not because of the government authorization, but because the country itself was clearly against it. If the people hadn't showed their disappoval by making marchs and protests, would have anything taken into account? I strongly believe the Yes Men actions are completely justified. In a world where some people have the power to destroy human life, and are allow to do so IF they make some money, the Yes Men corporation are blessing. They are trying to make a strong point where people (meaning us) should be aware of what is actually happening, how people are being used and what twisted terrifying reality we are living in.

Vida de un loco: tres relatos.

By Ryunosuke Akutagawa
895.63 A315j.E 1a. ed. c.1


The book I read had 3 stories.

El biombo del infierno (Hell screen - 地獄変 Jigokuhen 1917)

The title of El biombo del Infierno relates directly to the story with no further meaning, where El Biombo is a screen where the scenary of Hell was painted.

The Hell Screen is about how arrogance, haughtyness, and selfishness can take over the heart of a man, who had never cared about the consequences it might have. In the story, Yoshihide (the painter) loses his doughter who is burnt alive by The Great lord's orders. This is due to the attemp of having Yoshihide's request of sacrifing a human life just to see the process of someone dying among flames... just to paint it and finish his work.

To my point of view, the writer was quite concise through out the story in terms of telling exactly what happened. He made an interesting point by focus his attention on Yoshihide's daughter as well as in the faithful friendship the monkey had with her. In my opinion, is was this what makes us despise Yoshihide at the end.
I think the main lesson of the story was that as a human living in a society, you can not be individualist nor can you be arrogant thinking that you are the best of the whole universe. I mean, you can and perhaps you are the best of the best, but it is has to do with the attitude or approach you are showing.

Los engranajes ("Spinning Gears" - 歯車 Haguruma. 1927)

This story's title is related to gears the main character would see time to time, as well as a process of a series of situations that took place. It seems to me it is like a metaphore, because the spinning gears are usually mentioned in relation with insanity. As for the main points, there were any, since the main character was telling what he was doing or where he was but mostly you have to read between the lines. This is because he's hidden message is insanity, yet not the kind of insanity that you all consider. This insanity, which is depressive, you cannot fight against.
Akutagawa is not inventing this story, he is not trying to make a point. He is just a victime of modernity, which changed (and killed) much of the japanese people's beliefs. Culturaly speaking, once Japan opened its doors in the 20th century, people got lost inside, and did not know where the belong anymore (kind of what happens to some of us nowadays).

Vida de un loco (Fool's Life - 或阿呆の一生 Aru Ahō no Isshō. 1927)

Fool's life is the last story Akutagawa wrote before he commited suicide. Akutagawa actually presented it as a joke to laugh about. Nevertheless, it is as funny as a grave with worms. Again, the story is about his own day-to-day life, how he met his wife, how he felt when he was about to be a father, his reflexions about life, etc. I think, Akutagawa's perspective can be seen explicitly in this story, i.g. how unhappy was with his life and with the world as well as with the whole idea of life, society, family, etc. I believe it is hard to tell you about this story, since it is complex and simple at the same time. I mean, you have to be miserable to understand the point he was making. As for the main lesson, not even death can save your twisted mind of itself.

わかりました!

Review~ on phrasal verbs

Make it easier: to make sth less difficult (That makes it easier to decide)

Make do: To make sth work (I'm gonna make do with less)

Make a difference: To do sth that will be taken seriously against the traditional point of view (We will make a difference with our OpenSource program!)

Make a point: to express an idea which is strongly considered (Ana made a good point there, when she was talking about the pinguins)

Make time: To consider sth and make a bit of space for it on your schedule. (I'm gonna make the time for my personal hobbies)

Make or break: To cause something to succeed or fail . (She's gonna graduate next week. This could be make or break for her)

Make the most of something: to get as much out of something as is possible (She doesn't know how to make de most of her life.)

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To name but two, three, etc.: To mention just 2, 3, etc (of all the others).

To name but a few: To mention things with out numbering them

To mention but two: To mention just 2

Such as: like (example)

In particular: Mentioning one thing in specific

Among other things: among things that you won't mention.

For instance, for example: giving examples
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Idioms

To be under the weather: feeling down/blue

To be given a clean bill of health: means you’re perfectly healthy

To be at death’s door: means you’re feeling worse than ever because of a illness

To be going/coming down with something: starting to have a cold or sth.

A bug going around: viruses on the air that make people sick

To be in good shape: perfectly healthy