Comments for Globalization, Economic Justice and Human Dignity http://www.brophyprep.org/summit/globalization Summit on Human Dignity Fri, 05 Mar 2010 04:05:24 +0000 hourly 1 Comment on Jim Keady’s “Behind the Swoosh” Presentation by Nehal Samra http://www.brophyprep.org/summit/globalization/2010/03/jim-keadys-behind-the-swoosh-presentation/comment-page-1/#comment-7 Nehal Samra Fri, 05 Mar 2010 04:05:24 +0000 http://www.brophyprep.org/summit/globalization/?p=243#comment-7 I thought that the "Behind the Swoosh" presentation by Jim Keady was the most interesting of all the presentations given by speakers during the summit. It really grabbed my attention about what is really going on in the outside world that we are oblivious of. The fact that Keady got a first-hand experience on these matters is a privilege which I would love to also have. I thought that the “Behind the Swoosh” presentation by Jim Keady was the most interesting of all the presentations given by speakers during the summit. It really grabbed my attention about what is really going on in the outside world that we are oblivious of. The fact that Keady got a first-hand experience on these matters is a privilege which I would love to also have.

]]> Comment on An Important Question by JT http://www.brophyprep.org/summit/globalization/2010/02/210/comment-page-1/#comment-5 JT Fri, 26 Feb 2010 02:45:12 +0000 http://www.brophyprep.org/summit/globalization/?p=210#comment-5 The best way to end corporate exploitation is to convince corporations that they benefit more from better paid workers than workers paid as little as possible. If it could be proved that workers who are better paid and cared for are far more productive and thereby more than make up for the money lost by paying them more that would be otherwise be saved from low wages and no protection, than businesses would all hop on-board. Otherwise, it doesn't matter what system is implemented, businesses are still going to try to find a way to maximize their profits, and that usually involves exploiting their employees as feasible. The best way to end corporate exploitation is to convince corporations that they benefit more from better paid workers than workers paid as little as possible. If it could be proved that workers who are better paid and cared for are far more productive and thereby more than make up for the money lost by paying them more that would be otherwise be saved from low wages and no protection, than businesses would all hop on-board. Otherwise, it doesn’t matter what system is implemented, businesses are still going to try to find a way to maximize their profits, and that usually involves exploiting their employees as feasible.

]]> Comment on Workshop Day: What Worked and What Didn’t by JT http://www.brophyprep.org/summit/globalization/2010/02/workshop-day-what-worked-and-what-didnt/comment-page-1/#comment-4 JT Fri, 26 Feb 2010 02:39:49 +0000 http://www.brophyprep.org/summit/globalization/?p=226#comment-4 Many of the speakers this year were intimate with their topics but lacked the skill set needed to be a successful presenter - monotone voice, reading off their slides, getting off-topic and talking about something people weren't interested in, etc. Speakers should be carefully screened to ensure that their presentation will not only add something valuable to the summit debate, but also that their presentation will engage the attention of unruly high school teenage boys. Tyler's comment also rings true - the workshops felt unfocused. You could go from a talk on the lifestyle of refugees in the U.S. to a talk on covert American politics to a presentation on fair trade. It was a bit confusing and made it difficult to take away a few essential core messages. From what I've heard, the presentations that worked the best were ones that involved student participation. Students participating in Mr. Kline's simulation of the world market were quoted as saying, "Dude, I got screwed," when they realized how tough it would be to play as the country they were assigned. Activities that allow students to participate instead of just listen the whole time may lead to a more active participation in summit activities in the future. Perhaps simulations, perhaps think tanks, perhaps a summit-oriented rap-battle - a creative mind could come up with all kinds of ideas. However, things that DON'T work in this vein are: online activities - as evident by this year's website and previous years' forums, online activities are a flop. Students generally don't want to go home and participate in the summit, they just want to go home. Also, field trips, while better since they involve face to face contact and an actual immersion in the challenges facing the summit, aren't going to be a main source of participation within the studentry since many students do not want to put additional time into something they've already been giving their attention to. Finally, it is my personal belief that the summit should be done all at once or not at all. While it is true that spreading it out in bits and pieces does allow for more discussion, it also allows for more distractions. Students aren't going to be thinking about how to solve the world's problems if they've got a four-page English paper to write. Instead of having the summit over two weeks mixed in with classes, call all classes off for two or three or four days and devote them entirely to the summit. However, this is just my opinion, and is probably one formed with a very limited perspective since I am not aware of all the difficulties that arise with replacing school with the summit. Many of the speakers this year were intimate with their topics but lacked the skill set needed to be a successful presenter – monotone voice, reading off their slides, getting off-topic and talking about something people weren’t interested in, etc. Speakers should be carefully screened to ensure that their presentation will not only add something valuable to the summit debate, but also that their presentation will engage the attention of unruly high school teenage boys.

Tyler’s comment also rings true – the workshops felt unfocused. You could go from a talk on the lifestyle of refugees in the U.S. to a talk on covert American politics to a presentation on fair trade. It was a bit confusing and made it difficult to take away a few essential core messages.

From what I’ve heard, the presentations that worked the best were ones that involved student participation. Students participating in Mr. Kline’s simulation of the world market were quoted as saying, “Dude, I got screwed,” when they realized how tough it would be to play as the country they were assigned. Activities that allow students to participate instead of just listen the whole time may lead to a more active participation in summit activities in the future. Perhaps simulations, perhaps think tanks, perhaps a summit-oriented rap-battle – a creative mind could come up with all kinds of ideas. However, things that DON’T work in this vein are: online activities – as evident by this year’s website and previous years’ forums, online activities are a flop. Students generally don’t want to go home and participate in the summit, they just want to go home. Also, field trips, while better since they involve face to face contact and an actual immersion in the challenges facing the summit, aren’t going to be a main source of participation within the studentry since many students do not want to put additional time into something they’ve already been giving their attention to.

Finally, it is my personal belief that the summit should be done all at once or not at all. While it is true that spreading it out in bits and pieces does allow for more discussion, it also allows for more distractions. Students aren’t going to be thinking about how to solve the world’s problems if they’ve got a four-page English paper to write. Instead of having the summit over two weeks mixed in with classes, call all classes off for two or three or four days and devote them entirely to the summit. However, this is just my opinion, and is probably one formed with a very limited perspective since I am not aware of all the difficulties that arise with replacing school with the summit.

]]> Comment on Workshop Day: What Worked and What Didn’t by Anonymous http://www.brophyprep.org/summit/globalization/2010/02/workshop-day-what-worked-and-what-didnt/comment-page-1/#comment-3 Anonymous Thu, 25 Feb 2010 18:30:34 +0000 http://www.brophyprep.org/summit/globalization/?p=226#comment-3 I have been disappointed by the extreme bias that has been shown in this Summit so far. I understand that the Summit is supposed to influence us to help the people that are in distress because of the issue that the Summit is about but please, I have so far not experienced any non-left opinions from any speakers. The first speaker was bordering socialism and stated that we should become more like China as everyone is treated by health care and other social programs. There was no mention of the communist state that China is and no mention of the actions the government of China takes such as kidnapping children that families were not authorized to have born. And do not challenge me saying that Father M was only saying we should take the good things from China and enact them here. He stated that we should be exactly like China and use it's government as a model for our own. I would like to see more views from both sides instead of limiting what we see and hear to only far-left bias. I have been disappointed by the extreme bias that has been shown in this Summit so far. I understand that the Summit is supposed to influence us to help the people that are in distress because of the issue that the Summit is about but please, I have so far not experienced any non-left opinions from any speakers. The first speaker was bordering socialism and stated that we should become more like China as everyone is treated by health care and other social programs. There was no mention of the communist state that China is and no mention of the actions the government of China takes such as kidnapping children that families were not authorized to have born. And do not challenge me saying that Father M was only saying we should take the good things from China and enact them here. He stated that we should be exactly like China and use it’s government as a model for our own. I would like to see more views from both sides instead of limiting what we see and hear to only far-left bias.

]]> Comment on Workshop Day: What Worked and What Didn’t by Tyler Mallon http://www.brophyprep.org/summit/globalization/2010/02/workshop-day-what-worked-and-what-didnt/comment-page-1/#comment-2 Tyler Mallon Thu, 25 Feb 2010 15:48:04 +0000 http://www.brophyprep.org/summit/globalization/?p=226#comment-2 This years summit topic is far too broad. I'm a senior this year and this summit more or less encompasses the past three summits altogether. I feel that this summit would have been more effective if we had taken a specific issue and examined that more thoroughly. This years summit topic is far too broad. I’m a senior this year and this summit more or less encompasses the past three summits altogether. I feel that this summit would have been more effective if we had taken a specific issue and examined that more thoroughly.

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