Subscriber Comments for
Joseph White, philosophy professor at Santa Barbara City Col...

Comments in order of when they were received | (reverse order)

COMMENT 283981	2012-05-31 09:10 AM
Why not start a Year without Gang Killings right here in Santa Barbara to see how this approach works in real life and real time, before taking it global?
COMMENT 283983P	2012-05-31 09:12 AM
Start a Year With A Work Sabbatical for all of us not privileged enough to work in a taxpayer sponsored educational institution.
COMMENT 283995P	2012-05-31 09:28 AM
How can Joseph be so old, yet so optimistic and not jaded?! I obviously don't believe in the evolution of the human race. We are a warring species. (I was a student at SBCC the year Joseph White started; dear, departed philosophy prof. Peter Angeles was my first real, important professor; my mentor.)
ZIPPER101	2012-05-31 09:36 AM
I fail to see how "reaching people" via so-called social media such as FB would make any difference in anything. Of course, all rational people hope for the end of war! This works only as a rather self-serving public relations device, `a la Kony2012, if that even, for the school and serves to contribute to the increasing perception that academia has lost touch and strayed from its core purposes of real education vs. polito-social dabbling. 981 has a better idea.
COMMENT 284003	2012-05-31 09:42 AM
Right on Zipper!
COMMENT 283995P	2012-05-31 09:43 AM
Bravo, 981. Think globally, act locally. Or simply be reasonable and realistic. And effective, if one is lucky. I believe this project is caused by social media technology as much as it is by a sabbatical. Little ole citizens can pledge peace all they want -- bigger forces and fundamentalists of all stripes (including little citizens) make war and war ain't going away, as much as we would like it to. I realized many decades ago that, for myself, philosophy was mental masturbation and that the big questions are unanswerable. But there should be Diogeneses in the world!
COMMENT 283981	2012-05-31 10:20 AM
To validate this theory, get 10% of Santa Barbara gang members to foreswear violence and see how this solves the problem. Your laboratory door opens to your own backyard. Global networking only puts 10% like-minded people together, solving nothing. You still will not be able to get from the Kinshasa airport to your hotel without getting bribed, extorted, robbed, raped, maimed and/or killed because those people will not be gathering around their internets singing kumbiyah. Get out of the ivory tower and down into the mean streets of your own backyard. Give your students real life educations, instead of filling their heads with idealistic pap. Global organizing is doomed from the outset or else it would have already worked: League of Nations thru United Nations.
COMMENT 284030P	2012-05-31 10:38 AM
I wondered if there would be the usual snark here and, sure enough, there it is. Good going, ayearwithoutwar, and let's consider also that a year without war would include local actions such as a year without gang wars. War is war and only the scale varies. Peace, the absence of war, starts at home and although I am not fond of Facebook, that's a good way of reaching, informing others.
COMMENT 284047	2012-05-31 11:15 AM
Good cause i'm signed up. Good idea and someone is actually doing something to try and help. How many of you snide commentors have ever done anything positive towards war and or local violence? How many dem's say they are anti war and support Barack? Ron Paul is the only real anti war president.
COMMENT 284057	2012-05-31 11:43 AM
(Or 051, since Edhat seems to display different post IDs depending on whether you are viewing the comment thread from the All Comments page or on the individual comment thread... Whatever.)
COMMENT 283983P	2012-05-31 11:49 AM
He wants to get rid of Unions for a year, not government - at least that's what he wrote. I like 981's post. The prof can walk to the Westside from Campus and work on gang war issues 'right there'.
COMMENT 284068	2012-05-31 12:13 PM
035: Your "reality" is only that of the US citizen. The life of an average US citizen is pretty cushy compared to some other countries in the world. People that have to walk miles everyday simply to get water. Don't feel so sorry for yourself.
COMMENT 283981	2012-05-31 01:17 PM
Some people walk a mile for water, but most today now swig it from plastic bottles. Billions and billions of plastic bottles. Every single day. All around the world. Even the third world. Looks like more than the professor needs to get out more. Something obviously has not worked in our schools teaching realistic global awareness for a very long time. But hey, what about the dolphins? Talk to me Charlie.
COMMENT 284097P	2012-05-31 01:53 PM
284035 - actually they would not. The States coffers are filled faster if people are employed and spending their money. Budget deficits go down if all people are paying their fair share of taxes, and more people are employed. If fewer people are able to spend, the worse off the state is. Check Europe - austerity has failed big time. The best economic system was what we had under Clinton. Everyone was doing well - poor and rich alike, and the deficit was down and we had entered surplus-land - something not seen since 1980. Then there were two huge tax cuts, two huge wars, and everything went to hell in a handbasket.
COMMENT 284068	2012-05-31 02:32 PM
981 - I never disagreed with your intent, I think that getting the ball rolling at home is the best way to combat a larger issue. I applaud men like Father Greg Boyle, who thought outside the box to attempt to end gang violence in LA. If you have any ideas for our local issues, I'm sure everyone is all ears.
COMMENT 283981	2012-05-31 03:26 PM
Clinton inherited Reagan economic policies. Read up on Reagan if you want to return to the Clinton years - don't forget after only two of the "Clinton years" Newt Gingrich and the Republicans came roaring back with their Contract With America. Maybe getting these students to study economics rather than studying war no mo' is the better path to solving global matters. Starting with Thomas Friedman's classic "The Lexus and the Olive Tree". Drop by the Reagan Ranch Center downtown and find out what it was about the seeds of the Reagan Years that blossomed during the Clinton Years and give credit where credit is due.
COMMENT 284068	2012-05-31 03:55 PM
If you knew anything about economics, you would know that a surplus of economists would lead to a pretty bad economy, wouldn't it? Not everyone majors in economics, and I don't think anyone who did major in economics knows how to properly fix the financial issues of the world today. Every prosperous country's existence relies on debt, which, if you ask me, IS the fundamental issue. History has shown that there is always benefit of one at expense of another, regardless of the individual's actual ability. Economics doesn't trump nature when it comes to who DOES and who SHOULD be allowed to continue their existence.
COMMENT 284144	2012-05-31 04:02 PM
0132. I agree even Democrats that had thriving business used to thank Reagan for their fiscal success. When his fiscal policies came to fruition the nation and small businesses were thriving.
COMMENT 283981	2012-05-31 04:22 PM
Reagan took on the unions and won. That too was part of his success story. Just like Ohio today. And California tomorrow. The public unions war on taxpayers is another war that has to cease. Take this one to the polls. Studying economics is not asking students to be economic majors; just functionally literate about various economic systems exploring their pros and cons. They are just getting a one-sided con job today in our public schools.
COMMENT 284157	2012-05-31 04:26 PM
Sure, Reagan was responsible for all the good things that happened during the Clinton years. If you're a republican you like to attribute all good things to the Gipper, even though he was too moderate to get elected in today's climate. He raised taxes! Got us out of Lebanon after the bombing! Sent missiles to the Ayatollah in Iran! Republican in name only, according to today's standards.
COMMENT 283981	2012-05-31 05:53 PM
My memory says Clinton took on health care and failed, got too far ahead of a conservative-leanding social agenda and failed again. Then he had his wings clipped by midterm with the Gingrich thing. He did not get a mandate in his first election and after a few false starts stopped acting like he had, and rode the rest of his two terms down the middle. There is a lesson in that. Both recent presidents have acted like they had mandates too on the slimmest margins of victory, which led to their own ultimate ineffectiveness. Reagan surprised a lot of people showing leadership combined with a simplistic political savvy and well-crafted key phrases that spoke for all. (Tear down that wall .... Just say no to drugs ....morning in America .....) He/she who weaves agreed upon and well-articulated values for America as a nation, as well as the political chops to get their values agenda accomplished will endure.
COMMENT 284208	2012-05-31 06:11 PM
200 - duck and cover as the progressive's will take offense - Scott Walker is - and will stay in office - Hard decisions that the unions will /and did fight - Share the isle boy's and girls - its the only way it works - Head out of ass - move to get the country moving -
COMMENT 283981	2012-05-31 08:59 PM
Conservative lady, you will enjoy the new book "Dirty Words on Clean Skin" which details the past progressive's presidential campaign's war on women candidates - against both the liberal and conservative sides of the fence.
COMMENT 284264P	2012-06-01 06:57 AM
A year without war would have many unintended consequences, and would not produce peace. This is basic philosophy 101 stuff. Anyone with an IQ above 100 can learn history and human development without resorting to childish utopian dreams that are fundamentally false logic. There are many examples of the advancement of human civilization brought about by the resolution of conflict thru war. The alternative is stagnation and death, ala Homer's "Odysseus". What is going on in our education system??? Who are these people/professors? Is history and philosophy not even taught anymore???
COMMENT 284030P	2012-06-01 07:25 AM
Uhhhh, 264P: Indeed, it is to wonder what is going on in our education system - "ala Homer's 'Odysseus'" says it all too clearly.
COMMENT 284264P	2012-06-01 08:09 AM
Not sure what you mean...I did not misspell Odysseus, not that spelling is at issue here
COMMENT 283981	2012-06-01 08:37 AM
Why are Star Wars movies so popular. Why do most movies pit good guys against bad guys or vice versa with violence, explosions and car chases the primary problem solving resolution choice? Methinks we do enjoy violence vicariously so to be serious about non-violent networking one must dig deeply first into one's own personal decisions and motivations that condone violence in their own everyday lives and entertainment choices. Choice and anger management sounds like a far more pragmatic exploration for students today, than utopian social media networking for a world without war. What is that biblical injunction about taking the log out of your own eye before attempting to remove the cinder in another's? Namaste.
COMMENT 284346	2012-06-01 09:58 AM
Joseph White: you don't know me but my 20 year old son took your philosophy class this semester and LOVED it! What's the big deal about that? Well this was a kid completely disinterested in school, bored to death by all of his high school teachers, and in danger of just dropping out of education and fading away... He took Mr White's class and fell in love with philosophy AND respected the teacher immensely. Again, this was a young man who was showing zero respect for anyone who wasn't one of his buddies! I have never met Mr White but I was already very thankful for him and his teaching - now I read about A Year Without War and I am even more impressed. Joseph White sounds like a "cool dude"; and he's making a difference one student at a time. Congratulations and thank you so much.
COMMENT 284346	2012-06-01 10:04 AM
For comment 284297P: OH DEAR!!! Tut! Tut! Tut! Would love to see how YOU resolved a conflict: how about we meet behind the bicycle sheds after school today and I show you what I mean? This is the kind of nonsense that makes everyone groan. We read this story and the comments aloud in class today and your comment made the whole class jeer. Does anyone take you seriously?
COMMENT 283981	2012-06-01 11:47 AM
Joe White's classes can teach students to think, to ponder and to question. And eventually to be able to critically analyze, when the disparate pieces come together.
COMMENT 284499P	2012-06-01 03:33 PM
@346 (the first one at 9:58 am) I have heard similar stories about Joe White from several students. He must be a fantastic teacher. I wish he was at SBCC when I took philosophy in 1970. On another note: There sure were a lot of comments in this thread that were off topic.
COMMENT 284516	2012-06-01 04:07 PM
Joe White is very smart, honest, and kind, and almost everything negative said here is false and illogical.
COMMENT 283981	2012-06-01 04:13 PM
Everything said here has been thoughtful and well-reasoned. Caution when rejecting what you don't like hearing as "false and illogical". Back to school for more critical thinking, please. If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. Polarizing issues is the problem.
COMMENT 284264P	2012-06-02 06:00 AM
So how about " a year without death", or "a year without taxes", or " a year without night" These are all analogous I understand that people here respect this man, this professor, but that does not change the fact that our children are not being taught the fundamentals of philosophic thought. Do any of you really believe this issue of war and human conflict resolution has not been addressed by great thinkers throughout history? If You are Western, then start with Socrates and Homer, work your way to Marcus Aurelius, St. Augustine, Sparta, Kant, Derida...Orwell... I am a product of an older educational system, I am guessing any thought over 50 years old is irrelevant to modern educators and students, otherwise this would be laughable, the thought pattern of children.

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