Office Hours
Monday 2-3 in Humanities 121P
Tuesday 12:15-1:15 in Humanities 121P
Wednesday 2-3 Zoom Office Hour
Thursday 12:15-1:15 Humanities 121P
Number One Thing You Can Do to Achieve Success in This Class:
Turn in your assignments on time. Being punctual is a sign of efficient time management, self-accountability, organization, and discipline. These characteristics will push you in the direction of success.
In contrast, being late in turning in assignments, especially as a habit, is a sign of chaos, entropy, and disarray. These characteristics are huge impediments to success.
The best thing I can do for you is to encourage you to turn in your assignments on time.
Late Policies:
I’ve been teaching since the 1980s and I’ve observed that students who turn in their assignments on time are successful 99% of the time; the converse is also true: Students who turn in their essays late barely pass or outright flunk the class 99% of the time. Also, when you leave college and get a job, being late for anything is a disaster. Therefore, I have to encourage you to turn in your assignments on time.
5 Days of Grace Except for Essay 4:
Except for Essay 4 at the end of the semester, you get 5 days of grace after the due date. I can’t give you a grace period for Essay 4 because on December 14th, Canvas closes, the semester ends, and I can’t submit late grades on a closed Canvas system.
Having said that, all the other assignments due lose one or two grades depending on how late they are:
5 days late: No grade reduction because of the 5-day grace period.
6-10 days late: One grade reduction
11 or more days late: Two grade reduction
Once Assignments Are Closed on Canvas, They Do Not Open
You are given some grace to turn in late assignments on Canvas, but once those assignments are closed, they remain closed, so use that knowledge as an incentive to upload your assignments before the closing date.
Grading
Four Essays, 200 points each for 800 total
Eight Building Blocks, 25 points each for 200 total.
Grand Total is 1,000 points.
900-1,000 = A
800-899 = B
700-799 = C
600-699 =D
Assignments and Due Dates
Building Block Assignment #1 for Follow Your Passion: Due September 6
Choose A or B. Don’t do both.
1A Essay 1 Option A Building Block 1
In a 200-word paragraph, write about the conflict you have between passion and practicality in the context of your college major. Use at least two signal phrases to address content from the recommended online articles for Option A.
1A Essay 1 Option B Building Block 1
In a 200-word paragraph, write a psychological profile of Ray Kroc based on your viewing of the Netflix movie The Founder. Use at least two signal phrases to address dialogue that is pertinent to your profile.
Building Block Assignment #2 for Follow Your Passion: Due September 13
Choose A or B. Don’t do both.
1A Essay 1 Option A Building Block 2
Write a 200-word counterargument-rebuttal paragraph to gain credibility with your readers by showing them you have considered opposing views to your thesis or claim. Use at least one signal phrase to address quoted or paraphrased material.
1A Essay 1 Option B Building Block 2
Write a 200-word paragraph, which will be your second paragraph, write your thesis or claim: This is the paragraph that addresses the claim that the Netflix movie The Founder, about McDonald’s Fast-Food King Ray Kroc's rise is a cautionary tale about following Cal Newport’s notion of the craftsman mindset without a moral compass.
1A Essay 1: Is Following Your Passion Bad Career Advice? Due September 21
The Purpose of Essay 1:
The purpose of your first essay is to explore the potential dangers and weaknesses of following your passion at the exclusion of other factors to achieve success. In what ways is following your passion dangerous? In what ways is the notion of passion a meaningless cliche? Why do such meaningless cliches become influential? What kind of audience hunger
for these empty platitudes? How is Cal Newport’s idea of the craftsman mindset offered as an antidote to the dangers of following your passion? What moral considerations should be factored into cultivating a craftsman mindset?
To explore these questions, you can choose from one of the following 2 prompts:
Choice A:
In a 1,200-word essay that adheres to current MLA format and provides a minimum of 4 sources for your Works Cited page, write an argumentative essay that defends, refutes, or complicates Cal Newport’s claim from his YouTube video "Core Idea: Don't Follow Your Passion," his online article “The Passion Trap” and "The Career Craftsman Manifesto" and Ali Adbaal's YouTube video "Follow Your Passion Is Bad Advice. Here's Why" that the career advice to follow your passion is dangerous and should be replaced by the craftsman mindset. Be sure to have a counterargument-rebuttal paragraph before your conclusion. Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 sources.
Cal Newport, in his best-seller *So Good They Can’t Ignore You*, takes a sledgehammer to the Passion Hypothesis—a sweet little fairy tale that whispers in your ear, “Find yourself, discover your passion, and the world will lay out the red carpet to your inevitable stardom.” But let’s get real: this theory is a flaming pile of nonsense, a wolf in sheep’s clothing that leads the naive straight into the abyss of disappointment.
The Passion Hypothesis sells you a dream that passion alone is the magic key to unlocking your potential. But here’s the unvarnished truth: passion without action is as useful as a chocolate teapot. Imagine your partner professing undying love while gallivanting off with the next charming face they see—does that love mean anything? Absolutely not. Passion, like love, requires more than just lip service. It demands fidelity, sacrifice, loyalty, and a dogged commitment to the grind.
Successful people don’t just feel passion; they bleed for it. They endure the soul-crushing drudgery and mind-numbing tedium that would make lesser mortals throw in the towel. They carve out time from the frivolities of socializing and the dopamine deluge of social media to hunker down and master their craft. They aren’t chasing happiness; they’re building an unshakeable work ethic and integrity that turns them into indispensable assets wherever they go. These are the people who don’t just survive; they thrive, and they do it on their own damn terms.
But here’s the kicker—many of these success stories didn’t begin with a passion-fueled epiphany. They started with a window of opportunity, often something they weren’t particularly thrilled about, and through grit and relentless focus, passion followed. The tales of these individuals are tangled webs of contradiction and complexity, far more nuanced than the dangerously simplistic Passion Hypothesis would have you believe. Passion is just one ingredient in the recipe for success—a sprinkle, not the main course. The real meat? The strength to endure solitary practice, the self-discipline to shun the siren calls of instant gratification, and the foresight to take the long view of their careers.
Now, let’s not pretend Newport’s argument is bulletproof. Even the most relentless work ethic won’t guarantee success—sometimes, it’s just a roll of the dice. Take Taylor Swift, for instance. Sure, she works hard, but luck has played a colossal role in her rise. With a voice that’s, let’s be honest, nothing extraordinary, she’s managed to market herself as a global sensation, raking in more cash than genuinely superior artists like SZA. “Good Days” by SZA is a masterpiece that eclipses anything Swift will ever write, but here we are, living in a world where luck often tips the scales.
Newport could also do us a favor and clarify what he means by “passion.” Not all passion is created equal. Mature, enduring passion is a far cry from the fleeting infatuations that fizzle out before you can say “career burnout.” Newport should hammer home this distinction, but even without it, his argument still packs a punch. It’s a valuable, cogent, and persuasive antidote to the toxic simplicity of the Passion Hypothesis, even if it’s not without its flaws.
Choice B:
In a 1,200-word essay, address the claim that the Netflix movie The Founder, about McDonald’s Fast-Food King Ray Kroc's rise is a cautionary tale about following Cal Newport’s notion of the craftsman mindset without a moral compass. Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 sources.
Building Block 1 for Essay 2 on African-American History Due October 5
1A Essay 2 Option A Building Block 1
Write a 200-word paragraph that defines Jordan Peele’s Sunken Place in the context of Frederick Douglass’ interrogation of slavery’s inhumanity as rendered in his memoir. Be sure to use at least two signal phrases that address Douglass’ memoir.
1A Essay 2 Option B Building Block 1
Write a 200-word paragraph that defines Jordan Peele’s Sunken Place in the context of Frederick Douglass’ interrogation of slavery’s inhumanity as rendered in his memoir. Be sure to use at least two signal phrases that address Douglass’ memoir.
1A Essay 2 Option C Building Block 1
Write a 200-word paragraph that defines The Lost Cause. Be sure to cite credible articles in your definition and use no fewer than two signal phrases and quote or paraphrase credible sources for your definition.
English 1A Essay 2 Option D Building Block 1
Write a 200-word paragraph that defines The Lost Cause. Be sure to cite credible articles in your definition and use no fewer than two signal phrases and quote or paraphrase credible sources for your definition.
English 1A Essay 2 Option E Building Block 1
Write a 200-word paragraph that defines Jordan Peele’s Sunken Place in the context of the movie Get Out. Be sure to use at least two signal phrases that quote or paraphrase dialogue from the movie.
Building Block 2 for Essay 2 on African-American History Due October 12
Choose one of the following:
English 1A Essay 2 Option A Building Block 2
Write your thesis paragraph and be sure to have at least 4 reasons in your paragraph that you’ll show support your claim.
English 1A Essay Option B Building Block 2
Write your thesis paragraph and be sure to have at least 4 reasons in your paragraph that you’ll show support your claim.
English 1A Essay Option C Building Block 2
Write your thesis paragraph and be sure to have at least 4 reasons in your paragraph that you’ll show support your claim.
English 1A Essay Option D Building Block 2
Write your thesis paragraph and be sure to have at least 4 reasons in your paragraph that you’ll show support your claim.
English 1A Essay Option E Building Block 2
Write your thesis paragraph and be sure to have at least 4 reasons in your paragraph that you’ll show support your claim.
1A Essay 2: Frederick Douglass Champions African-American History Due October 19
The Purpose of Essay 2:
You will examine Frederick Douglass as the Northstar of African-American history to address the claim that teaching African-American history is a form of anti-American, “woke” indoctrination by examining Frederick Douglass’ rigor in presenting the truth of American history. By studying Frederick Douglass’ life, you can interrogate common assumptions about freedom, democracy, and social justice. You can study Frederick Douglass’ witness to slavery as an antidote to the American revisionist myth of the Lost Cause, which perversely celebrates slavery as a blessing by God ruined by “Northern aggression against state rights.” You can also study Frederick Douglass’ life as an exemplar of discipline, literacy-fueled transformation, continual self-improvement, and commitment to helping others overcome what Jordan Peele calls the Sunken Place. In sum, the life of Frederick Douglass is a repudiation of false claims and Strawman arguments that depict African-American history in a derogatory manner to silence African American voices.
For Essay 2, choose one from the following:
Choice A: Frederick Douglass Lifted Others Out of the Sunken Place
In recent years, there have been critics of teaching slavery, Jim Crow, and racial injustice in the classroom. These critics claim that such teachings have degenerated into biased and extremist political ideology that is intended to indoctrinate students into an anti-American mindset with America painted as the unredeemable devil; that this anti-American mindset encourages helplessness and victimization, and that this mindset has corrupted educational institutions so that rather than teach critical thinking, they foster “Woke” political indoctrination. However, some will counter-argue that such renditions of African-American history are a perversion of real African-American history, which through ignorance or malice twist the essence of African-American history in order to attack it and silence African-American voices. These defenders of African-American history will posit that while it's true there are political dimensions to the study of African-American history, there are also spiritual, psychological, and spiritual dimensions. To truly understand African-American history, we are well advised to look to Frederick Douglass whose writings were designed to uplift the oppressed from what Jordan Peele calls The Sunken Place. Based on the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, American Slave (available as a PDF online) and Clint Smith’s essay “Monuments to the Unthinkable,” write a 1,200-word essay that addresses the claim that teaching about the life of Frederick Douglass and learning about Germany’s post-World War II moral reform is a way of learning about racial injustice that avoids the aforementioned pitfalls because Douglass’ life and Germany’s moral reform embody the importance of helping others rise above the Sunken Place, bearing witness to the truth, embracing individual self-agency to resist societal injustice, fighting to redeem a society’s past racial sins, and championing the wisdom of the Ancients for our continual self-improvement. Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 sources. For this assignment, I recommend two excellent books for further reading: Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom by David W. Blight and The Pursuit of Happiness by Jeffrey Rosen. I also recommend the 2022 documentary Becoming Frederick Douglass.
Choice B: Frederick Douglass and the movie Black Panther Point to a Way Out of the Sunken Place
In recent years, there have been critics of teaching slavery, Jim Crow and racial injustice in the classroom. These critics claim that such teachings have degenerated into biased and extremist political ideology that is intended to indoctrinate students into an anti-American mindset with America painted as the unredeemable devil; that this anti-American mindset encourages helplessness and victimization, and that this mindset has corrupted educational institutions so that rather than teach critical thinking, they foster “Woke” political indoctrination. However, some will counter-argue that such renditions of African-American history are a perversion of real African-American history, which through ignorance or malice twist the essence of African-American history in order to attack it and silence African-American voices. These defenders of African-American history will posit that while it's true there are political dimensions to the study of African-American history, there are also spiritual, psychological, and spiritual dimensions. To truly understand African-American history, we can compare the themes in the 2018 Ryan Coogler movie Black Panther and Frederick Douglass whose writings were designed to uplift the oppressed from what Jordan Peele calls The Sunken Place. In this context, write an essay that compares the way we can learn the essence of African-American history in the movie Black Panther and the writings of Frederick Douglass. This comparison should address the importance of helping others rise above the Sunken Place, bearing witness to the truth, embracing individual self-agency to resist societal injustice, fighting to redeem America, and championing the wisdom of the Ancients for our continual self-improvement so that we can find our “Inner Wakanda.” Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 sources. For this essay, I recommend the following YouTube videos: “Black Panther: Symbolism Explained” and “Black Panther--Creating an Empathetic Villain.”
Choice C. Glory Vs. The Lost Cause
The Lost Cause is a perversion of African-American history, a fabrication that claims that slavery was blessed by God and that in the system of slavery, whites and blacks lived in peaceful harmony, but the evil North ruined this harmony through “Northern aggression” and the “violation of state rights.” Write an essay that addresses the claim that the 1989 movie Glory provides an effective counter-narrative to the heinous mythologies behind The Lost Cause. Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 sources.
Choice D. Misinformation Is the Enemy of the People
Write an essay that addresses the claim that the misinformation that fuels The Lost Cause as interrogated by Clint Smith’s essay “Why Confederate Lies Live On” and the the lies of Alex Jones evident in the HBO Max documentary The Truth Vs. Alex Jones makes a persuasive case that misinformation is the enemy of moral decency and liberal democracy. Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 sources.
Choice E. Condescension and Stereotyping
Comparing Jordan Peele’s movie Get Out with Cord Jefferson’s movie American Fiction, write a 1,200-word essay that analyzes the way both films are a critique of white liberal condescension toward African Americans and how this condescension can be a subtle cause of the Sunken Place. Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 sources.
English 1A Essay 3 Building Block 1 Due November 4
Write a 300-word paragraph that compares how the Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma and Jonathan Haidt's essay "Why the Past 10 Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid” interrogate how social media manipulates us into a condition of stupidity, tribalism, and political polarization.
Essay 1A Essay 3 Building Block 2 Due November 11
Write your thesis paragraph and be sure to have at least 4 reasons in your paragraph that you’ll show support your claim.
1A Essay 3: How Social Media Manipulates Us Due November 23
The Purpose of Essay 3:
The purpose of Essay 3 is to interrogate the claim that social media is manipulating us and turning us into “thirsty” social media addicts. Is this claim true? Or is social media not the cause of our downfall? Is social media merely exposing the pathologies and mental frailties that are already there? Could it be that we are in the beginning stages of a Social Media Learning Curve and that our mental strain in the face of social media is both natural and predictable?
The Assignment
Using as your sources the Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma, Jonathan Haidt's essay "Why the Past 10 Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid," and Sherry Turkle’s Ted Talk video “Connected But Not Alone," write a 1,200-word essay that explains the "nosedive" or mental breakdown of Lacie Pound in the Black Mirror episode "Nosedive." Did social media cause her “nosedive” or merely expose the “nosedive” that would have happened regardless? Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 sources.
Essay 1A Essay 4 Building Block 1 Due December 4
Write a 300-word introduction paragraph that defines Groupthink and write about yourself or someone you know who succumbed to Groupthink resulting in a degree of self-destruction and moral compromise.
Essay 1A Essay 4 Building Block 2 Due December 10
For your thesis paragraph, your thesis, compare two works of fiction, movies, or media content. Be sure your thesis is demonstrable in that it presents at least 5 points of comparison so you can have at least 5 body paragraphs.
1A Essay 4: Groupthink, Moral Compromise and Mass Hysteria Due December 14
Comparing two works of fiction, movies, or media content, develop a thesis about the connection between Groupthink, moral compromise and mass hysteria.
For paragraph 1, define Groupthink and write about yourself or someone you know who succumbed to Groupthink resulting in a degree of self-destruction and moral compromise.
For paragraph 2, your thesis, compare two works of fiction, movies, or media content. Be sure your thesis is demonstrable in that it presents at least 5 points of comparison so you can have at least 5 body paragraphs.
Paragraphs 3-7 are your body paragraphs.
Paragraph 8 is your conclusion, a powerful restatement of your thesis.
Your last page is your Works Cited page in MLA format. It should have a minimum of 5 sources.
Here are a list of stories and movies you can use for your comparison:
- “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson
- "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas" by Ursula K. Le Guin
- “The Country of the Blind” by H.G. Wells
- The 1976 movie Network
- The 1998 movie The Truman Show
- The 2019 documentary FYRE: The Greatest Party That Never Happened
- The Twilight Zone episode “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street”
Thesis for Essay 1 Exampes
In agreement with Cal Newport, the doctrine of using passion as your foundation for a career choice is a fool's errand doomed to fail because passion for a young person is fleeting, passion doesn't equate into having an expert skillset to make you a compelling job candidate, and passion isn't the same thing as the kind of appreciation that grows from long years of focused hard work.
Rerite the above thesis to make it more lucid with clear powerful sentences an academic tone appropriate for a college-level essay.
Failed ChatGPT Response:
Cal Newport argues that relying on passion as the foundation for career choice is a misguided strategy destined for failure. He contends that passion, particularly for young individuals, is often fleeting and unreliable. Moreover, passion alone does not translate into the expert skill set required to become a compelling job candidate. Newport further asserts that passion differs significantly from the deep sense of fulfillment and appreciation that emerges after years of dedicated, focused hard work. Therefore, choosing a career based solely on passion is an ill-advised approach that neglects the importance of developing expertise and perseverance.
***
Changed the Prompt
In agreement with Cal Newport, the doctrine of using passion as your foundation for a career choice is a fool's errand doomed to fail because passion for a young person is fleeting, passion doesn't equate into having an expert skillset to make you a compelling job candidate, and passion isn't the same thing as the kind of appreciation that grows from long years of focused hard work.
Rerite the above thesis to make it more lucid with clear powerful sentences an academic tone appropriate for a college-level essay. Be sure not to summarize Newport's ideas so much as to present an argument.
The belief that passion should guide career choices is fundamentally flawed and often leads to failure. Passion, especially in young people, is transient and unreliable, making it a poor foundation for such significant decisions. Moreover, passion does not inherently develop the expert skills required to stand out as a strong job candidate. True career satisfaction and success stem from the deep appreciation and mastery that only years of focused, disciplined work can cultivate. Relying on passion alone neglects the crucial role of skill development and perseverance, making it an unwise and unsustainable approach to career building.
***
Newport's argument that a strong work ethic, not passion, should be the foundation of a solid career choice is a lame argument because telling people to work hard is a self-evident cliche, working hard doesn't guarantee success in a world where luck and connections often triumph, and discouraging passion is an oversimplification that fails to discern mature from immature passion.
Rewrite the argument in powerful language suitable for a college essay.
ChatGPT:
Newport's assertion that a strong work ethic, rather than passion, should form the basis of a career choice is reductive and ultimately unconvincing. The advice to "work hard" is a tired cliché, offering little beyond the obvious. Hard work alone does not ensure success in a world where luck, timing, and connections frequently hold more sway. Moreover, dismissing passion as a guiding force oversimplifies the issue, failing to recognize the distinction between immature enthusiasm and the mature, enduring passion that can drive long-term success. By ignoring the complexities of what truly motivates individuals, Newport's argument overlooks the nuanced interplay between passion and perseverance in building a fulfilling career.
Thesis for Essay 1 Examples
Passion as an Immature Impulse to Choose a Career
1. **Fleeting Infatuation**: An intense but short-lived enthusiasm that lacks depth, often leading to hasty decisions without considering long-term consequences.
2. **Emotional Whimsy**: A burst of excitement that drives one to pursue a career based on immediate feelings rather than rational thought or informed choices.
3. **Fantasy-Driven Ambition**: A desire fueled by romanticized notions of a profession, ignoring the realities and challenges of the field.
4. **Unfounded Enthusiasm**: A strong but uninformed urge to pursue a career, often influenced by external trends or the allure of perceived glamour.
5. **Naive Idealism**: A youthful eagerness to follow a career path based on dreams rather than grounded expectations, often leading to disappointment.
6. **Impulse-Driven Choice**: A decision made in the heat of passion without thorough consideration of one's skills, the market, or the demands of the profession.
### Passion as a Solid Foundation for a Career
1. **Informed Dedication**: A deeply rooted commitment to a career built on a solid understanding of the field, extensive research, and a clear vision of long-term goals.
2. **Skill-Based Enthusiasm**: A passion that is nurtured through the development of high-level skills and expertise, ensuring a strong foundation for success.
3. **Resilient Commitment**: A dedication to a career that has been tested and strengthened through hard work, challenges, and continuous learning.
4. **Purpose-Driven Motivation**: A career choice driven by a well-defined purpose and a clear understanding of how one’s skills and interests align with the demands of the profession.
5. **Strategic Passion**: A passion that is deliberately cultivated through careful planning, informed decisions, and a realistic assessment of the career landscape.
6. **Sustained Enthusiasm**: A lasting and mature passion that grows over time, supported by a solid foundation of experience, research, and skill mastery.