Other

To improve education, high standards must be implemented. Chinese students being required to learn Confucious teachings, as a standard, is most beneficial to the mental capacity of the Chinese children. As well as high standards, appropriate culture must be adopted by the people to value education. Education cannot flourish if it is undervalued, underappreciated, and undermined. This article will go over standards that should be met in every feel of general education.

History: A large effect takes place in children’s minds when they learn history. The way one learns history can truly make or break their opinions, outlooks, and perception of themselves, their nation, and race in general. White children in the USA learn that their people were the world’s oppressors, and colored children in the USA learn that their people were the oppressed. If history is taught in a way so that white, European conquerors are demonized, then that will lead to white guilt, which leads to liberalism. However, if history is taught in a way so that white European conquerors are glorified, it may lead to racism, prejudice, and entitlement. So the way history is taught must be truthful, free from bias, and balanced between glorified and demonized. When children of color learn that they are history’s oppressed, they must also learn of their people’s accomplishments and not only European accomplishments, so that the children of color do not grow to be racist, fearful, and distasteful for white people. Not only will these factors improve education, but society as well.

Math: People struggle with math. It happens. It is unavoidable. The best solution is not, however, to make math easier, or to lessen the criteria, or to lower the standards, but instead to provide support. Enough taxes are paid so that every school district in America should have support such as tutors, books, online guides, after school programs, etc., to help students especially in a field like math. The standards should not be lowered. I personally have noticed how much better I learn math when placed in groups. However, throughout middle school and high school I cannot recall ever going into groups while in math classes. Teaching strategies involving group work should be applied more in schools.

Science: There is so much science. Everything is science, and children often don’t get a grasp on what science really is. Introductory geography and biology are standards in American education, and have, at least for me, but I believe so with many other students, set the tone for what science is. Truthfully, I had friends in high school that were great scientists without even knowing! How many times have students philosophized with their peers, talked politics, talked (more like joked) about race and genders, or even just argued? These were all instances of students really being scientists without them even knowing! And then what make this worse is when the student declares that they don’t like science, but it is only because their perception of science are the hard sciences; biology, chemistry, geography, etc. More fields of science, such as political science, philosophy, and sociology should be taught from a younger age than college. I believe that at least one of the free thinking, more theoretical, soft sciences should be taught when children are in middle school. This would really encourage free thinking and science.

English: We are reaching an age where if English is not taught enough, the language will be butchered by slang and ‘internet language’. Many children engage in most of their social life online, and most of their communication is through text. We are even reaching an age where many children chat with robots, as Snapchat has an AI friend feature. That being said, the next generation will no doubt be extremely literate, but English will likely change with the generation, if it is not taught correctly. Students should learn advanced writing, and be required to write a book in high school. I know these standards seem high, but the level of competency may increase so much that it will be worth it. It’s only one book, and if all high schoolers were required to write one–the high school diploma would hold more weight.

Physical Education: This subject grows increasingly important as society strays further and further away from valuing physique. With corporations promoting pride in unhealthy physiques, fast food and unhealthy food becoming more abundant, screen times increasing, and physical activity growing less popular, children are at risk of severe mental and physical health disorders. High standards must be implemented to atone for this. It should be a standard for middle schoolers to be able to run 2 miles. This would ensure that at possibly the most physically active time in people’s lives, and the time that they are growing most, that they will be active and healthy. 

Rationalization of Paranormal Events

We as humans are a numerous species that survive and conquer in multitudes; swarms, or armies you could say–like bees or ants. And like bees or ants, our strongest trait is purpose; meaning. Ants are extremely strong, but the most valuable trait that they possess is synergy; it allows them to utilize outstanding teamwork. Bees can fly and have a stinger sharper than needles–it is like a large, extremely sharp, barbed pike. However Bees’ most valuable trait is also synergy. Like human armies are organized into Generals, Corporals, Lieutenants, etc., ant colonies and beehives are also well organized. This synergy is the way that humans, bees, and ants survive and conquer. All of this would not be possible if these three species lacked purpose, for synergy derives from purpose. All these three species–when they lose their purpose, have been proven to be useless, suicidal, and unwilling to proceed with the struggles of life. (Bees, when contracted of a virus, deprived of a Queen that can reproduce, or deprived of their ability to fly, may kill themselves. Ants, when their leader kills themselves, will also kill themselves). Now, that may have been a harsh statement, but it is true. However, humans being a more complex and competent species than ants and bees–creates leeway for exceptions but suicide and uselessness are still prevelant traits when humans lack purpose. 

So what does any of that have anything to do with paranormal events and providing logic for them? Answer; Purpose is human beings’ superpower, and whether we are aware of it or not, we gravitate towards finding purpose the more we are pushed towards depravity and suffering. We must survive in suffering, and to do that we must find meaning. If meaning cannot be found anywhere else, we will find it in what may or may not be real. It is paranormal events and ideas that have perhaps fueled humans’ most valuable trait–purpose–allowing us to survive and conquer all these years. Humans are extremely smart, relatively athletic, and relatively cooperative, but it is purpose that takes these traits to the next level. 

To put in perspective how powerful purpose is; The Bible goes against perhaps all of man’s desires, wants, and wishes, but because it provides purpose, people have followed it and lived by it since its creation, and will probably continue to do so for centuries to come. This shows that humans will deprive themselves of nearly everything they want or want to commit–sex, money, murder, stealing, fighting, gluttony, pride, fortune telling, etc., just to fulfill their purpose. Purpose is our superpower, and if it cannot be fueled by known existing things, it may be fueled by paranormal ideas. 

Ok, now let's get into dissecting a specific paranormal event/idea. Palm reading. As a child, I remember it being fun to participate in activities that were said to reveal the future, such as the paper fortune teller, and 8 balls. It is amazing that what seems like such a ludicrous idea like palm reading, has made its way from around 400 BC India (Kelly 2) to 21st century America, or more like the whole world. There are many perspectives and reasons that palm reading has sustained and grew its popularity so much over time. Aristotle said, “Lines are not written into the human hand without reason.” (Kelly 2). 

I have said this in my week one essay, that magic is only magic until logical understanding and reason is provided, then it falls under the realm of science. I remember someone (I forgot who), was reading me and my brother’s palms when we were very young. They said that because there are large gaps between my brother’s fingers while closed, he will make a lot of money in his life. Now, at 24, my brother has found much success in a business he started, and is able to reside in New York, also providing for his girlfriend, displaying relative wealth and success. The palm reader also said that because there is a line within my brother’s thumb crease, also known as life line, that something tragic will occur at this period of his life. The line was about halfway through my brother’s life line. When the palm reader read my hand, they pointed out that the length of my life line was short, indicating a shorter life. And just about where my life line ended, is where the line indicating a tragic event was on my brother’s life line. 

All that being said, I still don’t believe the palm reading held any truth, but deep down I want it to, really bad, because it would provide insight on who I am, as if who I am is determined long before I realize it. This, in actuality, may be true considering the perspective provided in Maya: The Physics of Deception, that we exist in time and not on top of time, regardless of how much as it may seem that way. “...It actually takes eight minutes or so for the light from the sun to reach us… We are not seeing the stars as they are but as they were hundreds and thousands of years ago.” (Lane and Diem-Lane 14 and 15). So, considering this, something like my palm may just contain information of who I am, but in my limited perspective, only of who I will be. Life is just filled with tests of faith, isn’t it? Anyhow, insight on who I am would ultimately give me direction; purpose; meaning; which is ultimately power.

I have tried to find scientific explanations for palm reading and I simply have not. As much as scientific explanations go with palm reading, are indications of one’s occupation, or mental state, such as calluses or bit nails displaying nervousness. “Although there is no scientific support for the contention that the physical features observed in palmistry have psychic or occult predictive meaning, the human hand does show evidence of the person’s health, cleanliness, and occupational and nervous habits. (Tikkanen 2). That being said, I cannot pinpoint a logical explanation behind any truth that palm reading may reveal. However, my reason for why palm reading has grown so much over time is the same reason I think any paranormal idea would–the purpose that it provides.

Palm reading is different from other paranormal ideas because there is little leeway to really be fooled. What I mean by that is; someone who thinks they see a ghost may have seen something else, and believed it to be a ghost. The many perspectives provided in Maya, The Physics of Deception, show how easy it is for someone to be fooled by what they see, and how it actually occurs daily, even when we look at the stars. However, with palm reading, the recipient’s belief relies solely on their vulnerability in finding purpose. There, to my knowledge, are no type of optical illusions going on when looking at your hand, with the exception of anomaly situations. So, it is not optical illusions but people that fool themselves when looking to palm reading for guidance. It is also the person who carries out the palm reading that fools others. The online reading, How to do a Cold Reading, shows that the reader does not utilize some type of magic, or knowledge of occult, but simple psychology. “These responses can often give away how the client is feeling about what you are saying. In this way it is generally quite easy to tell if you are on the right track, or completely wrong.” (Daniels 7). So, the science behind palm reading is not magic, witchcraft, or anything supernatural, but simple psychology, and it is vulnerable people looking for meaning and purpose that allow for palm reading to prosper.

Works Cited

Tikkanen, Amy. “Palmistry”. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/palmistry

Daniels, Michael. “Lean Psychic Cold Reading”. Psychic Science. Coldread

Lane, David Chrstopher and Diem-Lane, Andrea. “Maya The Physics of Deception”. MSAC Philosophy Group. 2017. 

Kelly, Aliza. “A Beginner’s Guide to Reading Palms”. Allure. 2 December 2021. https://www.allure.com/story/palm-reading-guide-hand-lines#:~:text=Though%20its%20precise%20origins%20remain,of%20Animals)%202%2C500%20years%20ago.

European countries have notoriously colonized the majority of the world and committed heinous acts like genocide to do so. From the early Romans, to the Spanish conquistadors, to the ruthless British, these mass conquerors have left non-European people with scraps, and their homes in ruins. While most of these events took place hundreds or even thousands of years ago, they still affect non-white people today, especially in America. Minorities in America are often left with undesirable jobs, dangerous living situations, and other disadvantages compared to the white majority. This causes some white people to feel guilty even though they personally have not contributed towards racial inequality. Over the course of the twentieth and twenty first century, white guilt has grown rapidly in the United States. In the following paragraphs I will explain the significant impact of white guilt, and its pros and cons.

First of all, I’m choosing to address white guilt because I believe white guilt is one of the main motivators for white liberals and acts as the counter to white supremacy. Before diving into why that is, we must look at the factors that cause white guilt. A main factor is education; when learning history from a young age, white children are vulnerable to believing they are superior, while conquered minorities are prone to inferiority. The only counter to that is instead of children being taught in a way for European conquerors to be idolized, to instead be demonized, which we are seeing is more commonly done nowadays. This will result in white people feeling guilt instead of superiority, which ultimately results in more white liberals. Whether that is a pro or a con, I leave to the reader to decide. It is important to know, however, that just because white people may feel guilty, does not mean they do not think they are superior. Their white superiority might not be acknowledged, but feeling guilty for the “poor little black kid”, or the “poor little mexican” still displays white superiority. Matter of fact, I believe white superiority goes hand in hand with white guilt; it is possible that white people only feel guilty when they truly believe their race is superior, thus leading them to feel guilty for being born with such an advantage.

From a functionalist perspective, white guilt is a main factor contributing towards more charity and white liberals, which ultimately leads to more advantages for minorities. For white people, it gives them a position in anti-racism, which provides psychological and social benefits. White guilt, which leads to more tolerance and acceptance of minorities, allows minorities to pursue paths they wouldn’t have been able to. However, possibly the largest contribution white guilt makes for society is acting as the counter to nationalism. In many instances, nationalism is a good thing and American nationalism being positive can be argued. However, regardless of one’s opinion on the United States’ military actions, white guilt has been a driving factor in the lack of support for America’s wars since the Vietnam War, which led to many anti-war protests and the hippie movement. This is because American nationalism is often associated with whiteness, and white supremacists are often nationalist. If white guilt did not exist, then an extremely large amount of white people in America would be nationalist white supremacists. Essentially, white guilt is the foundation for white liberalism, and without white guilt, the country would be overly nationalist, and minorities would have even less opportunities.

From a conflict theory perspective, white guilt causes inevitable conflict in multiple ways. The psychological impact that both white people and minorities can get from growing up learning that their race is either history’s oppressors, or history’s oppressed, is detrimental. Minorities will learn that they are victims of actions done in the past, which causes minorities to blame their problems on anything else but themselves. White people feeling guilty for actions that they have nothing to do with can add unneeded stress for them, and give them a savior complex. While trying to help others is definitely good, a savior complex also leads to codependent and unhealthy relationships, which we see on a large scale in society. An example is minorities relying on government aid for simple necessities like food, or even relying on cheap food sources like fast food, which costs them their health and ultimately benefits corporations (McDonald’s or other fast food chain) and government (Healthcare industry), often owned or operated by white people. Most white people do not have to depend on these programs. Another way in which white guilt causes conflict is between the white race. Now these conflicts between the white race; I have explained in the previous paragraph, do lead to positive factors that play a pivotal role in the way America functions. However, in this paragraph I will only focus on the negatives of the increased division between white people that white guilt causes. White guilt leads to a more divided America; when less white people felt guilty back in the early twentieth century, the country was more united but also more blatantly racist. So while white guilt may cover up for much of the blatant discrimination in America, it does cause more division.

Great differences in situations and management separate two of the world’s most powerful nations–China and the US. This article will compare the United States of America to China in terms of ethnic group conflict, following Donald Rothchild’s take on ethnic group conflict and conflict management.

Group Competition in the U.S.

Group Competition in the US is healthier than it is in China; the US, especially in its most progressive states, is amongst the most educationally, socially, and culturally competitive places to be in the world–everyone has countless opportunities at their fingertips, and resources become more limited as immigration (or rapid population growth) increases. While this makes for lots of civil conflict, ranging from mass lootings and protests throughout cities to the capitol riot on January 6th, US group competition also works to strengthen society by pushing its people to their limits. Think of it as cultural evolution; if one group of people cannot adapt to their environment, then their culture and ways will deteriorate, which many Americans are in fear of, and this fear has escalated in recent years largely due to ethnic outbidding.

Regulated group competition ensures that the US will not only push its people to flourish educationally and socially, but also to make different ethnic groups more passionately nationalist, socialist, and generally more strongly opinionated–increasing social polarization which increases civil conflict (enough), which decreases chances of lower class overthrowing upper class or the government, which considering gun policies in the US, could happen if healthy group competition is not maintained. This functions against Karl Marx’s theory that a capitalist system will inevitably overthrow itself–a strong capitalist system along with healthy group competition can lead to the most powerful nation in history… along with a trillion dollar military.

This does not go without saying that there are unhealthy forms of ethnic group conflict in the US as well; there is a significantly different rate of modernization between areas and ethnic groups in the US; lack of funding and modern resources combined with the covid-19 pandemic has resulted in education being more skewed. Studies have shown that school districts consisting of mostly minorities (specifically black and latino students) have received less funding than majority white school districts. This has resulted in unequal education and opportunity, which has led to increased civil unrest.

Group Competition in China

Group competition in China is unhealthy and unethical. The reason stems largely from irredentism and recent history. In the past century, China has undergone one of history’s deadliest civil wars, which resulted in around 6 million casualties, with some sources suggesting as many as 70 million dying from famine and disease. Since then, China has been ruled with an iron fist, pushing its people to work vigorously with little to no opportunity to grow socially. Currently, about 92% of China is Han, however ethnic minorities inhabit about 64% of the area of China. Much of the areas inhabited by minorities are areas that have belonged to foreign nations in the recent past.

In the “Peaceful Liberation of Xinjiang” (1949), the People’s Republic of China occupied Xinjiang, which at the time was ruled by a coalition government consisting of three groups, who all either surrendered or fled. Xinjiang is now the north west province of China, makes up for a large portion of China, and is a key strategic region because it connects China with the rest of central asia. The province is split nearly 50–50 between Han people and Uyghur people, resulting in lots of civil conflict. The Uyghur people have retaliated by methods ranging from peaceful protests to terrorist attacks. The Chinese Communist Party under the Xi JinPing Administration has been criticized for harshly regulating the Uyghur people with methods such as mass surveillance, incarceration without trial, and internment camps targeting muslim minorities. Chinese immigrants living in the US have reported not wanting to go back to China due to being spied on. This is not a form of healthy group competition; it does not encourage people to pursue educational or social success, but rather builds fear and distaste for the government, and causes its people to view their government as an illegitimate, repressive regime.

Underlying Causes in China

While China faces irredentist threats on the west, they face revanchism on the east; Taiwan, a neighboring country, is made up of millions of Han people who once belonged, or parents/grandparents have once belonged to China, but since the Chinese Civil War, mass diaspora to Taiwan from China has been constant. With help from the US, Taiwan has been able to successfully build a strong state, and over time a strong nation as well. Studies indicate that 83% of Taiwanese citizens identify as purely Taiwanese. This is socially and geographically a large threat to China, and China deals with this conflict with unhealthy methods as well; on multiple occasions China has ran “military exercises” which involved firing missiles around the surrounding waters of Taiwan. Recently, on April 9th 2023, China simulated an attack on Taiwan by dispatching dozens of fighter jets and several warships towards the island. These methods are unhealthy because the threats have only solidified the Taiwanese identity even more, and has built more distaste for the Chinese government.

To the south, China faces more ethnic unrest with Tibet. The People’s Republic of China annexed Tibet in 1950, and has since imposed policies of intense measure to control Tibetans. The Tibet region is nearly 90% Tibetan, and about 10% Han. Tibetans identify as Tibetan before Chinese, and for good reason; they speak a different dialect, have a different culture, and have a long and prideful history as Tibet was once a great empire until the Mongol Invasions of Tibet (1240–1253). Harsh policies imposed by China have included the denying of passports. Human rights groups have reported that hardly any Tibetans have been issued international passports. Tibetan Buddhism, a form of Buddhism, has also been prevented in spreading, threatening its survival. Many monasteries in Tibet have been abandoned, with its monks living in exile to avoid government interference. A Tibetan writer named Woeser wrote about his experience arriving on a train to Lhasa: “…the majority of non-Tibetans breeze through… The dozen or so Tibetan passengers, on the other hand, are stopped by armed police and their identity cards checked… We are all taken into the police station next to the railway station.”

Similarities

The US and China are in quite different situations in terms of ethnic group conflict, and most definitely manage them differently, but there are similarities as well. Both countries deal with geographic separation of ethnicities; of the 11 million Uyghur people that live in China, nearly all of them live in the XinJiang region. For the US, white people inhabit over 90% of the population in states such as Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, West Virginia, Wyoming, and Idaho while in states such as Hawaii, California, Texas, and Nevada–white people make up less than 50% of the population. The majority group in the US, white people, exist with multiple other significant minorities causing fear and entitlement.

Ethnicity groups in both countries feel discriminated against; In the US, black people have been discriminated against by police, media, politicians, and laws. People have responded with protests, riots, and movements such as the BLM movement. Discrimination has led to relative deprivation; In recent times, white students have felt discriminated against because they felt they were losing university positions to minority students. Some sources suggest that most minorities have a significant advantage in college admissions, while other sources suggest otherwise. It nonetheless has the effect of acute governmental discrimination that has led to conflict. In China, the Uyghur people feel discriminated against because of China’s unhealthy means for managing irredentism. Other Chinese minorities like the Hui people and Kazakh people feel discriminated against for being Muslim; Islamophobia is common in China, and the government has been accused of actions such as holding Muslims in internment camps and force feeding them pork. In XinJiang, where approximately 58% of the population is Muslim, it is illegal to fast during Ramadan.

Negative political memories exist in both countries; In the US, people have had negative impressions on Muslims and Arabs since the 911 attacks and constant fighting in the middle east, causing hate crimes and prejudice towards Muslims and Arabs to be prevalent. Negative memories also exist between citizens and police; incidents like the Rodney King Beating, or the murder of George Floyd have made civilians afraid and skeptical of the police to the point of rebellion causing the defund movement. In San Francisco, $217 million was relocated from the police department elsewhere. In China, there are negative memories of the Japanese from the Second Sino Japanese War (1937–1945), in which 20 million Chinese people died, mostly civilians, and in the most brutal ways. Hostility and distrust towards the Japanese is now common in China. There is also hostility towards Japanese people in the US, from the Attack on Pearl Harbor (1941), which resulted in Japanese internment camps. However, over time Americans’ public opinion on the Japanese has grown positive; 83% of Americans view Japanese favorably as of 2024. Chinese people have negative memories of the government; the Tiananmen Square Incident (1989), was a series of protests that ended in a massacre. The Chinese government has notoriously attempted to cover up for this incident, but this one of many incidents that has made Chinese people hostile towards their government. More recently, Chinese people have been protesting against China’s Zero Covid Policy, which features strict lockdowns and mass testing.

The “Enemy” Idea exists in both countries; Chinese view the Japanese as natural enemies for their bad history with each other. White people and black people coexist prosperously in the US, but have a long and unpleasant history with each other. Black people and police in the US have a bad history, and are often in bad circumstances, causing a sense of being natural enemies.

Most ethnic conflicts in China and the US are in different phases of conflict. The border dispute in the US is currently in the gestation/politicization phase; issues regarding race and ethnicity have been politicized more in recent years; Former President Donald Trump used ethnic conflicts as a platform to become president which resulted in increased demands upon the state, such as the erection of a wall. While low scale conflicts have emerged on several occasions, the US government has been able to moderate and keep conflict from escalating. However, border issues and mass migration issues have been growing rapidly in recent years, resulting in conflict between the state of Texas and the US government. Texas has dispatched their own military to defend its borders and repel illegal crossings in what is called “Operation Lone Star”. While this separates the US government and the state of Texas to some degree, there is still a healthy correlation; illegal immigrants fill in for much needed jobs, and their children become US citizens.

Most of China’s ethnic conflicts are currently in the escalation phase. Intense and violent retaliation has occurred in XinJiang and Tibet, China’s most hostile regions. In the 60’s, Tibetan resistance funded by the CIA resulted in the massacre of thousands of Khampa people, a native people to Tibet renowned for being fierce warriors. More recently, in 2008, 2 monks led marches into Lhasa that led to a clash between Tibetans and Chinese police. The clash resulted in over 1200 Chinese shops, offices, and residences to have been burned. Death tolls varied between 140 and 219. While China’s ethnic conflicts are in the “escalation phase”, China being a strong state has been able to prevent conflicts from escalating into civil war.

Summary

Both The United States of America, and China, deal with ethnic group conflict on drastic measures. China, having conquered foreign lands more recently, is plagued with irredentism. The US, because of mass migration and mediatized politics, is plagued with relative deprivation and ethnic scapegoating. Where the two countries differ the most is in management; The US is able to utilize ethnic conflicts for the better of the country at the cost of low scale conflicts. China approaches ethnic conflict with a more authoritarian method, utilizing military and economic strength to overpower minorities. In the grand scheme of things, The United States of America handles ethnic group conflict in healthier ways than China does.

Works Cited
China and Taiwan: A Really Simple Guide. BBC, 7 January, 2024.

Domingo, Marta. Causes of Ethnic Unrest in China: The Cases of XinJiang, Tibet, and Inner Mongolia. Institute Barcelona, 2019.
Fisher, Max. China’s Latest Restriction for Tibetans: no passports. The Washington Post, 23 January, 2013.

ICT staffers. A Policy for Alienating Tibetans. International Campaign for Tibet, 2012.
Stokes, Dustin. Conflict over Tibet: Core Causes and Possible Solutions. Beyond Intractability, 2010.
The editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. Tiananmen Square Incident. Britannica, 21 May, 2024. The Current Situation in China | A USIP Fact Sheet. United States Institute of Peace, 2 December, 2022.
Tibetans Face Passport Dilemma. Radio Free Asia, 20 January, 2013.
What is China’s ‘Zero-Covid’ Policy? VOA News, 28 November, 2022.