Blog #2: Utopia vs. Dystopia

Utopia – “a place of ideal perfection especially in laws, government, and social conditions”
(Source:           http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/utopia)

Dystopia – “an imaginary place where people lead dehumanized and often fearful lives”

(Source:           http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dystopia)

            Utopia is an ideal place in which there are no imperfections in society. I often think of heaven when I hear the word ‘Utopia’ because it is either unrealistic or far-reaching. I believe a Utopia is never long lasting. For example, after the American Revolution the Constitution of the United States was established in attempt to create this ideal country which has the three branches. The main purpose of three branches is to separate powers of the federal government  to secure this Utopia everyone wanted to create after defeating the British. Now look at the United States today, we’re constantly battling each other in society to obtain what we want as individuals or in some sort of organizations. I guess I just don’t believe in Utopia because no one is ever completely satisfied. The only time I believe a Utopia exists is only in a person’s mind.

            Dystopia is like the opposite of a Utopia. Dystopia is a horrific place characterized by a dysfunctional system caused by issues relating to politics, beliefs, society, environment…or anything. Dystopia is like hell, a place nobody wants to be in. What the word ‘Dystopia’ reminds me of The Handmaid’s Tale written by Toni Morrison. The novel is about a Handmaid named Offred who become enslaved when the United States got replaced by totalitarianism in a Christian theocracy called the Republic of Gilead. Offred got all her rights stripped away. Women’s rights no longer existed. All the signs of the stores were replaced by pictures because they were not allowed to read. And females were enslaved for reproduction purposes only. Women that past the age of infertility would be sent away to a more horrific dystopia to be left to rot. 

Blog #1: Introduction of Self

Hello my fellow Classmates & Professor!

My name is Amy Guan, and I’m currently 19 years old. I am a transfer student from Cornell College in Iowa. The reason why I transferred out of the school was because of academic and financial issues. Cornell College is a unique college, almost one of a kind. It is designed to have One-Course-At-A-Time so basically students take one class for 18 days. Imagine taking classes like American Politics, Environmental Perspectives, Ethics, and Psychology for 18 days each? That’s what I did. Every day was like intense study day. There was not enough time in a day to join any clubs, work, or even hang out with friends. Here at LaGuardia Community College we do things back to the old school way of 2 terms a year instead of 8 terms; which I highly appreciate even if I have to take 5 classes a week.

To be honest, I used to hate New York because I have been in New York for my whole life. I hated the dirty and crowded trains, tall buildings that blocked the sun, and how little green we see in the city. That was one reason why I wanted to go out-state for college. As an Environmental Science major I wanted to see more greens instead of tall gloomy buildings. But going off to Iowa for half a year I missed everything I hated about New York. In Iowa I couldn’t go anywhere because there were no such things as the MTA transit system and I had to look for a ride to even just go to a movie theater or do some shopping. Back in New York, I just can’t imagine life without the MTA transit system no matter how much I used to complain about how slow the trains are or how dirty the train system is. Can anyone imagine life without the MTA?