What songs matter to you now?

What is your reaction to the essay you read and the song you listened to?

I briefly listened to the songs. My favorite song among the 25 Songs That Matter Now is ‘Old Town Road’ by LIL NAS X. I like the emotion conveyed in the music. I like the pace. I don’t actually know how to analyze music but I like it. I haven’t heard it before.

What is your favorite song right now? Was it included in the 25 songs list? How did you first hear that song? Did someone share it with you or is it from an artist you follow? What do you love about the song? Are there certain lyrics that you find powerful or moving? Is there something about the beat that you like dancing to? Does the musician’s personality or identity resonate with who you are or how you identify?

I don’t listen to songs that often right now. I used to have a list of songs in my music apps, a low accumulation over years for songs I like. But then I changed the phone and lost that list. A lot of songs are sometimes available sometimes not depends on how the apps buy from musicians. More trouble. Now I saved this collection: https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1Us411W7VE?from=search&seid=430287970353342676 A collection of Japanese instrumental music, without lyrics, just to play in the background to relax and calm down. I find myself prefer these eastern music instruments and the style. These music are all different in emotions. For the sections that I strongly resonate with, I will pay more attention.

Is It Immoral to Increase the Price of Goods During a Crisis?

Yes. This behavior is taking advantage of someone else’s suffering. It might also indirectly lead to the deaths of others.

Some masks cost a few dollars more, this is because the factory needs to pay for overtime and other things because a lot more masks are needed. In this case, the rise in price is completely understandable. But the middleman trying to earn more price difference than normal is absolutely shameless. I’m not saying that their labor doesn’t have a value. They can earn what they normally earn, but not more than that.

How much responsibility do online retailers like Amazon and eBay have to prevent price gouging during a crisis? Do you think these companies did the right thing in restricting sales of any coronavirus-related products from certain sellers?

They should try their best to ensure that everyone has equal access to products that are essential for survival because lives are equal. Equal access means that the price of masks and hand sanitizers should not place a barrier between people in different economic status. We trusted those platforms to be holding justice. Otherwise, if there’s no trust, no one dares to buy things online. They are doing good. There’s a saying in Chinese “不患寡而患不均”, basically means unevenness is more harmful than lack. Our society has to be together. If we want to overcome this COVID-19 crisis, we have to work together.

 How Can We Help One Another During the Coronavirus Outbreak?

‘People Need Immediate Relief,’ and Online Donors Make It Happen

What is your reaction to the efforts of people like Shea Serrano to help others during this crisis? Does it give you greater hope during a time of fear and anxiety? What strengths is the coronavirus revealing in our society?

I really admire people who can think of others during this hard time for everyone. Everyone is experiencing economic problems to some degree. I’ve seen lots of examples online. My family is relatively less impacted. To some people, a few months of no income could actually be deadly. We are so lucky that we have the internet and we can support each other. Those online donation systems give me confidence that the world is becoming better. However, I find it hard to trust strangers, especially online. There are many liers. People would pretend like they have great difficulty when actually they are capable of solving it by themselves. While people like Shea Serrano are nice and generous, some other people are just lazy or greedy instead of actually need help. I would just borrow the money instead of giving it directly, or go to a creditable organization for donations.

Read each article. What are the main ideas of each article? What do they have in common? Complete this diagram.  

Write a post reflecting on your initial thoughts in response to slide 4 in light of the two articles and the Home Fire extract. 

Consider also:

• How does language use vary amongst text types and amongst literary forms?
• How do texts offer insights and challenges?
• How might patterns remain or change within and among texts?
• In what ways can diverse texts share points of similarity?

The character of Karomat Lone argues that citizenship is a privilege, not a right. It can be revoked if the government thinks appropriate. Do you agree with him?

Lone’s belief that citizenship can be revoked if the government chooses to is disagreeable. The government has the responsibility to handle guilty citizens. For those who believe citizenship could be revoked, their belief is that the person chose to betray the state, therefore is no longer belongs to the State. It may sound like an argument, but first of all, join ISIS is not the same as joining an enemy country at war-time. Especially they didn’t actually do harmful things. Secondly, in a more Chinese or collectivist view, if a person betrayed an organization that he or she belongs to, that organization is responsible to punish that person, even to kill that person. Can never just say “we are not related anymore”. So that’s what I believe is right. But I do understand that the western governments don’t have that many responsibilities to their citizens. It’s sometimes a protect too but not in this case. Especially young people are vulnerable to the manipulation of terrorist groups such as ISIS. If the government failed at protecting it’s children from those dangers, how can it just left the consequences all to the victim? It’s such a shame for that government.