Do schools kill creativity?

I think this is true. Of course that schools kill, in different grades, the creativity, which depend of the kind of school: most competitive schools will be more aggressive with non-conventional behavior or the creative initiative. Anyway, in general way, every school has a basic principle: Teaching. And this mean to insert in the little heads of children the conventional structure of society that every citizen must put in practice into the civic life.
I think that the educational system is very mechanical, so this make impossible to exploit the creativity of children. They must behave according the behavior patterns of the mechanized world in a mechanized system. Although there are some subjects that allows to get out of the limits that are impose, like art class, music class, literature; in the most important subjects -or the subjects that our society consider more important, like the scientific subjects, is very difficult to act for yourself, because schools teach you the method to get your answer; you replay information; so if you didn’t memorize very well you’re wrong. Is very hard to find the opportunity for creativity in schools today, especially in the competitive world that we live today; where the knowledge is given by the method, not by the own initiative, the creative initiative.

7: Future

My future... It’s little hard for me trying to think about my ideal future, cause usually I don’t think about it. I am that kind of person who have not idea what is going to do even on weekend. Anyway, if I am studying anthropology is because I must have an idea of what I would like to do in the future. That I'd like to be professional devoted to solve social problems, or something like that. But before that of course I must finish this career and then have a kind of specialization in the area of social anthropology(like a post degree, master program, PhD, whatever) ideally in another country, Like Spain or Germany. But in the second case I should be learning german and I don’t feel I want to do that (It’s enough with English class!) May be if I like Europe could stay living there. May be I return and start working to affor a nice house or department near the beach, like Valparaiso because I love that city, and what I'm sure is whenever I could I will leave Santiago.

6: The best in my area

Hi! Before I start talking about who I think is the best anthropologist I want to make it clear that I don’t feel I have the authority to differentiate between better or worse anthropologist. I think I need much more knowledge in my area to say ”Hey! This is the best anthropologist in the world!”. Anyway until now, I guess that is Marvin Harris (1927-2001) who most convinces me. He was a north American anthropologist who highly influenced the development of cultural materialism, which in my opinion, is the most concrete and complete anthropologic theory. He takes the essential elements from others authors and anthropological theories and create such a perfect way to respond the hole problems and incongruities about cultures, society and people in general. His definition of Anthropology (and it method) is the approach this science need to be renowned with the quality it deserves. For example, in one of his books -"Cows, Pigs, Wars and Witches”- he explains some characters of some cultures which have no sense from our point of view (western thought), but he shows the usefulness of these seemingly incoherent actions according environmental, social, political situation and others factors you can watch in their specific reality.

photograph

There is a picture that I took on my summer vacation of the last year, I mean, in february of 2008 that i like very much. This photo was taken (by me) upward to my feet with the sky and some clouds as background. And I liked it a lot cause when I see that picture I recalled the moment when I took it, how I felt then, so it give me such a big sensation of peace and calmness. Becuse when I took that picture I was lyied down over the sand, under the soon, in front of a beautiful lake, surrounded by trhees and nature, far away from the noise of the city and the disagreeable people; thinking in nothing, just enyoing the peaceful and the sky of that day. Because the sky you can see in the picture is dreamelike, with a lot of clouds in diferents forms you imagine and create diferents objects, concepts, wathever. And my feet give you the idea to be there. like you were that person who's under that beautiful sky.

website

The career-related website most I visit is wikipedia I gess. it is an online encyclopedia that maybe it isn't a very "anthropological" web site, but I like it -and I use it very much- because it have information about everything! You can get, at least, a general idea about anything you're trying to understand, becuse not everything is very complete and when this happend the encyclopedia offer you other links where you cand deal with the idea in depth. Also you can prove the fidelity of the information because any user of this website is abble to discuse the information and wikipedia force you to share the sources when you write an article. For doubts, also the website show you the historial of discussion about the article. the most part of information in Wikipedia is very good explained, very synthetic and fast. Wikipedia is the faster and reliable source to get some information about concepts you don't understand very well or you ignore at all. have a look! --> www.wikipedia.org

I almost forgot! another adventage of wikipedia is it global character: you can find this website in ten diferents languages! amazing, isn't it?

technology

no doubt that my favorite piece of technology is the computer. I love computer cause i can spend a lot of time enteretaining in front of the computer and if I don't use it in few days I miss it very much. Also if the computer is conected to the web I enyoi it much more. The reason i like so much the computer is the countless things you can do with it; the level of enteretainment, pleasure and fun is ilimitated: Listen to music, watch videos, movies, read interesting articles, read books, chat with your friends, saw pictures, go shoping, travel around world, etc. And also is a great instrument for the study, I can't explain how does the computer make easier the things in this way. From looking for information around the world wild web in few seconds, to be conected with my teacher and resolve doubts instantly. And the best part; all these things I do only from my room.

Falls

I'm gonna write about falls exclusively cause I've just fell over and it was awful, sad, stupid and funny at the same time. the stupid thing was that before i had fell a girl had the same accident in front of my eyes, only that she was going down the slope (the damned place) and i was goin up, so if I had been less stupid I could avoid the misfortune. The girl looked very posh and refined, walking with her high quality sandals and white skirt in a sunny day; but suddenly the fall comes up and she slip down the slope cause the mud and all her polished style was ruin. I lought deep down inside me, but also felt pitty for her "Oh my god she's covered of mud, poor her!" -I though- So, as I was wearing my outdoors sneakers it wouldn't happened to me and I dared to going up the muddy slope. The Slope was more threatening than I thought and in one second the whole right side of my body was covered, even more, Sumerged in the mud. "damn it!" were the softy words I said. First I felt angry and stupid cause I made the same mistake that the girl did -walking over the mud- although I wasn't wearing high quality clothes like she was (lucky me!) But then I lough about my ridicoulus appareance, and the spectacular fall just happened to me.