Faber Est Suae Quisque Fortunae

こんにちは

It's been a while since my last post - 残念に思う (｀・ω・´)

私は忙しかった - 学校関連




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Ｏｃｔｏｂｅｒ　１，　２００９，　ｔｈｉｓ　ｗａｓ　ｗｈｅｎ　Ｉ　ｇｒａｄｕａｔｅｄ　ｆｒｏｍ　ｍｙ　ｈｉｇｈ　ｓｃｈｏｏｌ，　Ｆｏｒｔ　Ｓｔｒｅｅｔ　Ｈｉｇｈ　Ｓｃｈｏｏｌ，　ｗｈｉｃｈ　ｉｓ　ｉｎ　Ｓｙｄｎｅｙ，　ａｎｄ　ａｌｓｏ　ｈａｓ　ａ　ｓｉｓｔｅｒ　ｓｃｈｏｏｌ　ｉｎ　Ｊａｐａｎ　－　

Ｔｈｅ　ｌａｓｔ　ｔｗｏ　ｄａｙｓ　ｏｆ　ｓｃｈｏｏｌ　ｗｅｒｅ　ｂｕｓｙ　ａｎｄ　ｔｈｅｒｅ　ｗｅｒｅ　ｓｏ　ｍａｎｙ　ｅｖｅｎｔｓ　ｇｏｉｎｇ　ｏｎ！

Ｌｅｓｓｏｎｓ　ｃｏｎｔｉｎｕｅｄ　ｕｎｔｉｌ　Ｓｅｐｔｅｍｂｅｒ　３０，　ｗｉｔｈ　ｍｙ　ｆｉｎａｌ　ｃｌａｓｓ　ｂｅｉｎｇ　Ｂｉｏｌｏｇｙ！　Ｏｎ　ｔｈａｔ　ｄａｙ　ｔｈｅｒｅ　ｗａｓ　ａ　Ｙｅａｒ　１２　Ｆａｒｅｗｅｌｌ　Ａｓｓｅｍｂｌｙ　ｉｎｖｏｌｖｉｎｇ　ｔｈｅ　ｅｎｔｉｒｅ　ｓｃｈｏｏｌ．　Ｉｔ　ｗａｓ　ａｌｓｏ　ｔｈｅ　ｌａｓｔ　ｔｉｍｅ　ｔｈａｔ　ｔｈｅ　ｓｃｈｏｏｌ　ｓｏｎｇｓ　ｗｅｒｅ　ｓｕｎｇ．　Ｔｈｅｓｅ　ｉｎｃｌｕｄｅｄ，　’Ｇａｕｄｅａｍｕｓ　Ｉｇｉｔｕｒ，　Ｃｏｍｅ　Ｌｅｔ　ｔｈｅ　Ｓｔｒａｉｎｓ　Ｒｅｓｏｕｎｄ　ａｎｄ　Ｆｏｒｔ　Ｓｔｒｅｅｔ’ｓ　Ｎａｍｅ　Ｒｉｎｇｓ　Ａｒｏｕｎｄ　ｔｈｅ　Ｗｏｒｌｄ．　

Ｔｈｅ　ｆｏｌｌｏｗｉｎｇ　ｍｏｒｎｉｎｇ　ｂｅｇａｎ　ｗｉｔｈ　ａ　ｂｒｅａｋｆａｓｔ　ｆｏｒ　Ｙｅａｒ　１２　ａｎｄ　ｓｔａｆｆ，　ｗｈｉｃｈ　ｗａｓ　ａ　ＢＢＱ　ｉｎｃｌｕｄｉｎｇ　ｓａｕｓａｇｅｓ，　ｂａｃｏｎ，　ｅｇｇｓ，　ｍｕｆｆｉｎｓ，　ｆｒｕｉｔ，　ｂｒｅａｄ　ｒｏｌｌｓ，　ｃｏｆｆｅｅ，　ｔｅａ　ａｎｄ　ｏｒａｎｇｅ　ｊｕｉｃｅ！　Ｉ　ｄｉｄｎ’ｔ　ｅａｔ　ｍｕｃｈ，　ｂｕｔ　ｓｔｉｌｌ　ｌｏｖｅｄ　ｉｔ　(≡^∇^≡)

Ａｆｔｅｒ　ｔｈｅ　ｂｒｅａｋｆａｓｔ　ｗａｓ　ｔｈｅ　ＦＬＯＰ　－　Ｔｈｉｓ　ｉｓ　ｔｈｅ　ａｎｎｕａｌ　Ｙｅａｒ　１２　ｒｅｖｉｅｗ　ａｎｄ　ｉｎｖｏｌｖｅｓ　ｗａｔｃｈｉｎｇ　ｖｉｄｅｏｓ　ｍａｄｅ　ｂｙ　Ｙｅａｒ　１２　ｓｔｕｄｅｎｔｓ　ａｓ　ｗｅｌｌ　ａｓ　ｌｉｖｅ　ａｃｔｓ．　Ｉｔ　ｗａｓ　ｅｎｊｏｙａｂｌｅ　ａｎｄ　ｑｕｉｔｅ　ｅｎｔｅｒｔａｉｎｉｎｇ，　ｅｖｅｎ　ｔｈｏｕｇｈ　ｔｈｅｒｅ　ｗｅｒｅ　ａ　ｆｅｗ　ｔｅｃｈｎｉｃａｌ　ｄｉｆｆｉｃｕｌｔｉｅｓ　ｉｎｖｏｌｖｉｎｇ　ｓｏｕｎｄ！

Ｓｃｈｏｏｌ　ｆｉｎｉｓｈｅｄ　ａｔ　１　ｔｈａｔ　ｄａｙ，　ｂｕｔ　Ｉ　ｓｔｉｌｌ　ｈａｄ　ｔｏ　ｂｅ　ｂａｃｋ　ｔｈｅｒｅ　ａｔ　７　ｂｅｃａｕｓｅ　ｏｆ　ｔｈｅ　Ｇｒａｄｕａｔｉｏｎ　Ｃｅｒｅｍｏｎｙ　ｗｈｉｃｈ　ｌａｓｔｅｄ　２　ｈｏｕｒｓ！　Ｉｔ　ｗａｓ　ｇｒｅａｔ　ｌｉｓｔｅｎｉｎｇ　ｔｏ　ａｌｌ　ｔｈｅ　ｓｐｅｅｃｈｅｓ　ａｎｄ　ａ　ｂｉｔ　ｎｅｒｖｏｕｓ　ｈａｖｉｎｇ　ｔｏ　ｇｏ　ｕｐ　ｏｎ　ｔｈｅ　ｓｔａｇｅ　ｔｏ　ｒｅｃｅｉｖｅ　ｃｅｒｔｉｆｉｃａｔｅｓ　－　ｂｕｔ　ｅｖｅｒｙｏｎｅ　ｇｅｔｓ　ａ　ｃｅｒｔｉｆｉｃａｔｅ　ｆｏｒ　ｇｒａｄｕａｔｉｎｇ　ｆｒｏｍ　ｔｈｅ　ｓｃｈｏｏｌ，　ａｓ　ｗｅｌｌ　ａｓ　ａ　ｂａｄｇｅ　ａｎｄ　ａ　ｐｅｎ　ａｓ　ｇｉｆｔｓ　ｆｒｏｍ　ｔｈｅ　ｓｃｈｏｏｌ！

Ｏｈ，　ａｎｄ　Ｉ　ａｌｍｏｓｔ　ｆｏｒｇｏｔ！　Ｗｅ　ｗｅｒｅ　ｇｉｖｅｎ　ａｎ　ａｍａｚｉｎｇ　ｓｈｉｒｔ．　Ｉｔ　ｒｅｓｅｍｂｌｅｓ　ｔｈｅ　ｌｏｇｏ　ｏｆ　’Ｓｅｓａｍｅ　Ｓｔｒｅｅｔ’　ｂｕｔ　ｉｎｓｔｅａｄ　ｓａｙｓ，　’Ｆｏｒｔ　Ｓｔｒｅｅｔ’！



Ｂｕｔ　ｅｖｅｎ　ｔｈｏｕｇｈ　Ｉ　ｆｉｎｉｓｈｅｄ　ｓｃｈｏｏｌ，　ｉｔ’ｓ　ｎｏｔ　ｒｅａｌｌｙ　ｏｖｅｒ　ｙｅｔ！　Ｍｙ　ＨＳＣ，　ｗｈｉｃｈ　ｉｓ　ｔｈｅ　ｆｉｎａｌ　ｅｘａｍｓ　ｆｏｒ　ｓｃｈｏｏｌ　ｓｔｕｄｅｎｔｓ　ｉｎ　ＮＳＷ，　ａ　ｓｔａｔｅ　ｉｎ　Ａｕｓｔｒａｌｉａ，　ｂｅｇｉｎｓ　ｏｎ　ｔｈｅ　２１ｓｔ　ｏｆ　Ｏｃｔｏｂｅｒ，　ｗｉｔｈ　Ｅｎｇｌｉｓｈ　Ａｄｖａｎｃｅｄ：　Ｐａｐｅｒ　１，　ａｎｄ　ｃｏｎｃｌｕｄｉｎｇ　ｏｎ　ｔｈｅ　４ｔｈ　ｏｆ　Ｎｏｖｅｍｂｅｒ　ｗｉｔｈ　Ｐｈｙｓｉｃｓ！　Ｉｔ’ｓ　ｂｅｅｎ　ｔｉｒｉｎｇ　ａｎｄ　ｏｖｅｒｗｏｒｋｉｎｇ　ｂｕｔ　ｉｔ’ｌｌ　ｂｅ　ｏｖｅｒ　ｓｏｏｎ　ａｎｄ　Ｉ　ｊｕｓｔ　ｎｅｅｄ　ｔｏ　ｋｅｅｐ　ｓｔｒｏｎｇ　ａｎｄ　ｓｍｉｌｅ！　

Ｔｈｅ Ｒｅｌｅｖａｎｃｙ ｏｆ Ｏｒｗｅｌｌ

The relevancy of George Orwell’s essays, Politics and the English Language published in 1946, and Notes on Nationalism published in 1945 was and still is dependent on individual interpretation of his writing within a contemporary context.

The common use of Orwell’s ‘Politics and the English Language’ among today’s writers and ideologues is testimony to Orwell’s literary prowess, but more importantly, to his continued relevancy in society more than fifty years after the publication of his essay. Orwell’s essay was born out of a criticism of the Communist and Fascist leaderships from the thirties onwards and while some would have viewed it as worthless due to Orwell’s frequent hypocrisies, others valued it for its seemingly prophetical quality.
For example, one year after publication, the American ‘War Department’ was renamed the ‘Defence Department’. Yet Orwell’s essay criticises more than seemingly deceptive name changes. In essence, Orwell challenges his contemporaries to question the rise of political language and jargon which clouds “the gap between one’s real and one’s declared aims”. He further develops this concept, stating that “all issues are political issues, and politics itself is a mass of lies”. Orwell introduced terms such as ‘pacification’, which later became the pacification programs of the Vietnam War, which were effectively mass murder and political suppression. Even Orwell’s own use of language challenged his reader to be proactive; ‘never use the passive when you can use the active’.

Orwell’s ‘Politics and the English Language is perhaps more relevant today than to his original readership, due to the continued decline and misuse of English. Words have fast become the new political weapon. It is only in a modern society that the new ‘political cuttlefish’ of journalism and the media have truly risen to power. Orwell’s essay seems to have become little more than an ‘ace in a hole’, referenced by left and right wing intelligentsia in political debates. Ironically, this simply convolutes any political discussion, precisely what Orwell preached against in his essay. As Orwell states in his essay, “it is clear that the decline of language must ultimately have political cause”. Surely this is applicable in the recent war on terror? When it was coined, ‘terrorism’ was a term for the suppression by the State against its people. While “it is almost universally felt that when we call a country democratic we are praising it”, labelling a country responsible of terrorism is to damn it without needing explanation or proof. Where better can this deliberate manipulation of language be seen then in America under the previous conservative Government? Even the title ‘conservative’ is a misnomer, considering conservatism has come to be the American Republic Party, geared towards military and economic expansion. As Chomsky states, “A true conservative like, say, Robert Taft would turn over in his grave to see what’s being called conservative. Everything the conservatives have fought for is being turned over by this administration.” Examples of the new political ‘correctness’ can be seen throughout society. The ‘police force’ becomes the ‘police department’, ‘bullying policies’ become ‘positive expectation policies’.

Notes on Nationalism was highly relevant to a post World War II reader, as Orwell questioned the function of nationalism across Europe after the rise of the Nazi party. Orwell makes the important distinction between patriotism and nationalism early in his essay with “patriotism is of its nature defensive...Nationalism on the other hand is inseparable from the desire for power.” In questioning the dangers of nationalism, Orwell focuses on the effect of nationalistic tendencies on a human mindset. While the Second World War might have superficially seemed to be a clear cut ideological battle, in reality there was very mixed sentiment on both sides, as Orwell comments “For quite six years the English admirers of Hitler contrived not to learn of the existence of Dachau and Buchenwald. And those who are loudest in denouncing the German concentration camps are often quite unaware…that there are also concentration camps in Russia.”

In a contemporary and increasingly globalised world, it is perhaps harder to spot the nationalistic streaks of “obsession, instability and indifference to reality”; however, Orwell’s essay is still as relevant today as it was at publication. One of the clearest indicators of the continued importance of ‘Notes on Nationalism’ is the acceptance of Orwell’s interpretations in modern politics. Paul Keating referenced Orwell in a 2007 speech in which he stated “I am a patriot, John Howard is a nationalist.” He goes on to support Orwell, stating that nationalism is “jingoism, populism and exclusion of the most calculated kind.” Furthermore, Keating calls Hitler “the key advocate of the nationalist principles John Howard subscribes to.” While Orwell states ‘In this essay I am concerned with nationalism as it occurs among the English intelligentsia’, in a modern world it is perhaps more appropriate to examine nationalism outside of such confines. Orwell defines nationalism as “recognising no other duty than that of advancing the country’s interests,” a definition which seems applicable to the world economy, or more particularly, the manipulation and domination of the global market by America and Europe at the cost and detriment of other countries.

砂塵嵐

今朝目が覚めた

そして、その窓の外を見た

空が赤く輝いていた

これはシドニーでの砂塵嵐だった (ノ◇≦。)

Some people were absent from school

Ｉｔ　ｌｏｏｋｓ　ｌｉｋｅ　ａｎ　ａｐｏｃａｌｙｐｓｅ　






しかし、すべては大丈夫です

を除く。。。

HSC 試験 next month