spillingtheteasis

[spillingtheteasis]

Aizawa: Today, you're learning about 2020/2021

Iida: Sir, is it true you are, what they called, a Gen Z?

Aizawa: *Flashbacks to drop kicking a cop in the face*

Aizawa: Yes.

Bakugou: Tch

Aiawa: Listen here you greasy ipad baby-

[spillingtheteasis]

You May Have a Point, But Please Research More (I’m Begging Here!!!)

Something common in older people and even younger people is that they don’t believe America was founded by immigrants. Tell someone who believed America is the best country in the world, that is the literal embodiment of America that it was founded and created by immigrants and you may get screamed at. Personally I’ve never done such a thing but it can be because I am too chicken to do so. Nonetheless, that fact remains. Former citizens of the UK revolted against the kings because they deemed it unfair (or something similar to that word) that they be ruled by a king who is across an ocean. They were subjects of UK land, born and raised for most; thus immigrants. The real natives of America are the various Native American tribes that once settled in this vast country before getting kicked out.

So why bring up immigrants anyway? By now you must have read articles upon articles, seen newsreel after another during Trump’s presidency because he promised to do something about immigrants. The promise of making a wall between the U.S. and Mexican border may ring a bell to some. For years there has been some hatred towards immigrants, more emphasis on hispanic/latino immigrants above others. Common phrases tossed at immigrants are “Go back to where you came from!” or “Terrorist!” and even “Rapists!”. Some insults may be targeted towards specific immigrants while others are for everyone, yet it remains that there is a deep hatred for immigrants. This is a heavy problem in America with no solution in sight.

You may question why this is a heavy problem. Afterall, immigrants “steal jobs” and “take children” and other things that, yes are true, are outweighed by all the good contributions they bring from all races. Take for instance Albert Einstien, a German immigrant that official moved to American when Nazi’s were rising (Britannica), however whether he came illegally or not is left unsaid. Regardless Einstein was a German immigrant, someone who advanced sciences and was one who aided the creation of the first atomic bomb. There is also Sergey Brin, a Russian immigrant, who co-founded Google; Pierre Omidyar, a Iranian immigrant, who founded Ebay; co-founder of WhatsApp, Jan Konum, is a Ukrainian immigrant; and those are only a few examples.

While the immigrants listed above are all famous people who have made accomplishments and created things used today there are immigrants that greatly contribute to the economy. Hispanic/latino immigrants will be the main focus as they are most hated upon and discussed about. A common accusation people make about Hispanic/Latino immigrants is that they “steal jobs”, which is wrong on several accounts. For starters most of the jobs they hold are farmers, janitors, child care, maids, gardeners, fast food workers, construction workers, and many more. All of these jobs are considered lowly or even lame to people that believe themselves better because of where they’re born. Something they fail to notice, however, is that these very workers are the reason you can eat ripe fruit and use good vegetables in your dishes; they are the reason you lawn is pretty and your house is clean; they are the reason why both parents can go to work and leave their kid with a sitter; and they are the reason you can take an aesthetically pleasing picture in a park where the natural life is flourishing. Hispanic/Latino immigrants take heavier jobs that others refuse to take up because they seem lowly (like really, can you imagine yourself constantly bending down hunched over picking fruits and vegetables from 5am to 6pm everyday for years?). And this is just one thing they contribute towards.

Multiple studies and research have founded that immigrants are more likely to start a business than anyone else, and it's true! Recount to the Chinese restaurant you constantly order from, the Mexican taco shop or paneria, or that good taste of Indian food. None of those would exist if those owners, all from different regions on Earth, decided not to immigrate to America. There is also mention in those studies and research that these businesses give large sums of tax contribution both state and federal that is refunded into programs, buildings, street reforms, and the ever loved military funds.

On the topic of taxes, seperate research has proven that immigrants both documented and undocumented give more than born Americans. There may be the argument that immigrants first moving here take money to be used to support themselves and special programs such as DACA instead of it being used for better reasons is valid. Yet something missed out is that while the first generation is unable to pay back what the government has provided the second generation is able to provide more tax contribution than the first generation could as well as more than the estimated amount used for immigrants. What’s more is that by the third generation they will be contribution as much as the second generation. It may take time but the overall effect results in a boost towards the economy for the children of the future.

See how vital immigrants are to America? See how this hatred can disencourage more immigrants from coming? The information is there for the public yet unseen because nobody bothers to search for it. Which is why one solution to fixing this hatred is spreading word on the good immigrants bring instead of the bad. Another solution to this problem is teaching children more what immigrants bring to America, both their accomplishments and economic features. Teaching them young will give them the mindset that not all immigrants are bad as well as inspire children of immigrant parents to work hard in school to accomplish things people like them have accomplished.

In all the hatred to immigrants is awful with a terrible history of discrimination and ugly peridos to back it up. There is so much more information to learn about immigrants and the good they bring which is why there will be links below to some research and studies mentioned as well as an article or two.

[spillingtheteasis]

Attack on Titans rhetoric usage

One of the resources used was anime/manga Attack on Titan (Aot) a very popular anime in the United States for it’s newest season. The entire manga is intriguing because creator Hajime Isayama has created an incredibly complex world that leads many to believe he lived in that world and is retelling it in this universe. With that said the usage of rhetorical devices are present in the anime that give depth to Isayama’s creation.

The biggest rhetorical device Isayama uses is foreshadowing. Even as early as the first few chapters there has been foreshadowing leading to the anime’s very moment and the manga’s ending. Examples of foreshadowing can be Eren’s father, Grisha, passing on the titan power to Eren; Reiner’s speech before revealing himself makes sense once learning where he is from and what they believe, and Eren’s head steaming before he learn he is a titan shifter. Little things here and there are hinted throughout the manga that make little sense until later on.

With foreshadowing present there is also a belief of allegory as the anime in whole. I say allegory because the anime’s current season brings the moral question of what Eren is doing being good or bad? It makes watchers pause and have to consider because what Eren is doing to the enemy is to stop what the enemy has been doing to him and his people, even if that includes killing innocent lives by his own hands and painting himself as the enemy even among his friends and comrades. Not to mention the entirety of AoT can be interpreted in many ways to various people to have multiple meanings.

One final rhetorical device I want to brush up on is Isayama’s use of pathos. The creator gets into the people’s hearts by creating scenes where beloved characters are brutally killed, people who seemed like allies turn out to be the enemy, and the many mysterious has watchers wanting to know more, to piece all the puzzle pieces together to make it all make sense. Isayama’s world of Attack on Titan has watchers screaming at big reveals of who the true enemy is, gasping when learning that people who seem bad really aren’t, and crying when characters who are smart or funny or even endearing suddenly die without warning. In a way Isayama does things that ignore some invisible rules within other animes that give watchers a hint to what might happen, and is what captures our hearts.

[spillingtheteasis]

Can you be a hero? Lets find out

The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about heroes is someone strong or flash with cool powers beyond our reality. Or maybe you think about soldiers in the government that fight wars doing things that many don’t have the stomach for. And by no means do I want to express, somehow, that soldiers are not heroes, because they are and I respect the things they have done to keep this country safe, but what does it mean to be a hero?

My answer can side with your opinions or maybe not. This post is merely my take on what a hero should have and why. These are my opinions and not everything present is the only qualification to being a hero, simply some I believe are needed. Although to be warned that I will be using various anime’s for reference so possible spoilers ahead!!!

1. Simply because

 My Hero Academia is a manga/anime that follows the story of protagonist Midoriya Izuku to become the best hero in the world. Born without powers, or “quirks” in this universe, Midoriya has a chance encounter with All Might, the #1 hero in the world, and later is given All Might’s quirk of incredible super strength that can change whether momentarily.

Facing many villains, Midoriya comes across a prominent hero killer: Stain. Stain kills heroes calling them all “fakes” and believing that All Might is the only worthy “true” villain. To Stain “fake” heroes are heroes who only became heroes for fame, fortune and other selfish reasons, not because they simply want to help and want nothing in return.

Stains ideology, that heroes should help for the good of their heart, is interesting because in a way is true. In spin-off series MHA: Vigilantes a hero from America named Captain Celebrity who favors attention and showing off instead of helping during crises. Take the manga panel below and how Captain Celebrity is waiting for cameras to appear before taking action to save lives. That type of thinking is what leads to bigger problems and higher rates in casualties; exactly the thing Stain hates within heroes.

Same could be said for people who become heroes for the money. In the MHA universe the government mandates cash flow for heroes. Horikoshi, the creator, does not delve too much into how the payment is processed but the vague idea is that heroes are paid by how many villains they take down and what type of villain they take down. If that second factor is involved then heroes who aim for fortune are more inclined to take higher ranking villains than lower ranking villains or regular crimes.

Imagine this scenario: a girl is surrounded by shady people in a desolated area. Nobody is around to help however a hero just happens to be nearby and sees the situation. Heroes who are focused on money only will likely leave the scene or do a half-assed job because it doesn’t pay as much as higher ranking villains. If they do that they may turn a blind eye to other crimes or risk harming civilians for doing their job half as well.

That is the problem Stain sees with heroes who became heroes for other reasons than just because. Becoming a hero just because or simply doing it to help without wanting anything in return (like All Might and Midoriya) keeps them from being biased to any crime happening and helping everyone feel safe and feel that someone is looking out for them

(Although that isn’t to say heroes who do look for fortune are not entirely bad. Uraraka Ochako, a classmate of Midoriya, wants to be a hero for fortune because she wants to pay back her parents for everything. It’s a noble cause in whole especially when told that her parent’s construction company has left them nearly broke).

2. Kindness

Heroes have to be kind because they are celebrities. Just like the real world, fans of celebrities will follow them about anything: what they like, what they dislike, who is cool, who should be hated, etc. Because of this heroes need to express kindness as civilians, many who are learning children, watch them with wide eyes.

Take this at hand: if a hero were to be rude towards a certain group others are inclined to follow hating that group as well. If that group is hated they are isolated, isolation leads to various reactions one which is violence and crime rates increase.

In MHA: Vigilantes there is a group who have criminal backgrounds and one that looks very much like a criminal. The protagonist in that spin-off, Koichi, is kind towards them. His kindness is what ensures they don’t slip back to villainous ways and even helps them open a cafe where other people who appear “villainous” can go in without face of judgment. That act of kindness is a domino effect because that cafe is a safe space for people in that universe who are constantly judged for their quirk or their appearance. If they have a safe space with others who understand they are less inclined to commit crimes and thus reduce criminal rates.

See how kindness pays off in the long run? If heroes show kindness in their own way then others will follow suit and eventually small problems will be resolved without bloodshed or violent conflicts.

3. Strength

Heroes gotta be strong to lift people out of trouble like All Might did during his debut.

Or be able to receive and throw back punches/hits. Though what exactly counts as strength? Plenty of things really but there are three that come to mind: physical, mental and emotional.

Physical strength is covered for and anyone with brains knows a hero has to have some strength to be a good hero. However mental strength is not as well covered yet as essential.

Mental strength can be defined as having that mental fortitude to bounce back from any situation no matter how dire. Mental strength can also be turning any bad situation into one that can help despite how many obstacles are directed towards you. Perhaps the best example of this is anime/manga Fullmetal Alchemist.

Fullmetal Alchemist is set in a universe where alchemy is an advanced natural technique revolved around equivalent exchange. The series itself follows the Elric brothers Edward (Ed) and Alphonse (Al) in their search for the all powerful Philosopher’s Stone to restore their bodies after failing to revive their dead mother via alchemy.

Both Edward and Al face many trails throughout their search that rely heavily on their mental strength. For example, when attempting to revive their dead mother Al, the younger brother, has his entire body taken away and lives solely because of a transmutation circle that was written in Al’s blood in a body of metal armor. Meanwhile Edward, the older brother, has his arm and leg taken away.

Both boys are faced with deep despair. One lost his entire body while the other blames himself for initiating the foolish idea without knowing the full consequences. However, instead of wallowing in despair or doing nothing about it, Edward decides to search for all powerful Philosopher’s Stone that can cast any alchemy without consequences. That ability to bounce back after something heavily traumatizing, and the ability to still help others and keep people safe and put their own mission aside for others, is some next level mental strength.

*SPOILER COMING UP*

Other instances of these boy’s mental strengths are tested throughout the anime/manga. There was the time that the Elric Brothers were unable to save a little girl, Nina, in forcefully becoming a chimera by her own father and then later unable to save her from a brutal death.

*SPOILER COMING UP*

There was the time Edward was impaled by a metal rod, yet despite bleeding out he moved to save two people who were his former enemy because they were in danger. Another time has Al choosing to give up his hold on the metal body in order to return Ed’s arm and leg to defeat the main villain. There are other instances with other characters in the anime that reveal how strong their mental strength is.

When it comes to mental strength a hero needs it because they need to keep bouncing back no matter what has happened. They cannot allow people to see them defeated or lose hope because if heroes lose hope the people will fall into despair and should they fall into despair society can be thrown into chaos. Not to mention, having the ability to keep level headed while in a stressful situation is a must for heroes otherwise they will be overwhelmed and effectively harmed or killed while in battle. 

The final type of strength is emotion. Emotional strength is the ability to not allow emotions to control a hero’s decision. In some instance that rush of emotion can be useful; ie. Midoriya rushed in to save Bakugou from the sludge villain in MHA.

However if one allows their emotions to control their actions then the feelings such as anger can lead to rash, unthought actions. Take Eren Jaeger from Attack on Titan as an example of emotional strength. He would allow his anger to take action and go into a fight without planning ahead. There was a source I once read/heard (and sadly don’t remember where I read/heard it!!) that explained how Eren originally allowed his emotions to control his actions. He would go into fights without planning ahead or cooperating with others but as time went on Eren began cooperating with the people around him in order to effectively take out their enemy with minimal deaths.

One example of Eren allowing his emotions to interfere would be during a scouting mission that involved several soldiers with one squadron of soldiers protecting Eren, the target of the enemy. What occurs during this scouting mission, however, is everyone in that squadron is killed by the enemy, by a female titan. Eren has become familiar with that squadron and while they didn't know each for too long he still got attached. Seeing them die for his sake sends Eren into a rage and decides to fight the female titan instead of running away as instructed.

What ensues from that emotional decision is Eren getting captured by the female titan and almost kidnapped. The only reason Eren has been saved was due to the best fighter arriving on time.

Emotions can be good in some instances, it can push a person past their limits giving them superhuman strength or reflexes, but they can equally harm a person by acting rashly based purely on rage or negativity.

4. Intelligence

 Being strong is not the only thing that makes a hero a hero. Being strong is half of the equation with intelligence being the fall component. If a hero relies only on strength then casualties are through the roof. Heroes need to make strategies, create plans with other heroes and figure out how a villain might move or what their power can be.

Although intelligence can also be used to weed out traitors. Erwin Smith, captain of the scouts in Attack on Titan, is an incredibly intelligent man that the anime gives little credit toward. Admittedly I had not known how intelligent Erwin was until coming across a reddit post  that I will be linking to. Though to sum up what the Reddit post stated one must know the basics of Attack on Titan.

In the Attack on Titan (AoT) universe, a small number of people live behind these walls to keep man eating titans away from them. One day the outer wall falls because a titan taller than ever recorded appears and a titan with armor crashes through the gates that ordinary titian’s cannot break through. Many people die by the protagonist Eren witnesses his mother being eaten by a titan and thus wants to become a Survey Corps soldier to kill titan and avenge his mother.

What comes from this is Erwin believing there are spies within the soldiers of the enemy. Without any prior knowledge Erwin is able to weed out the soldiers to narrow down that the spy is in the Survey Corps, a team that not many soldiers want to join as death rates are the highest there. From there Erwin brings a new round of weeding out who he can trust and who he cannot (the Reddit post explains in detail how Erwin does this). The end regular is Erwin suspecting three members of the Survey Corps who, spoiler alert, are actually the spies.

Erwin deducting and weeding out the spies and the loyal soldiers takes a long process with many acts at play. In one instance Erwin takes away Eren, the target of the enemy, while calling a meeting for the Survey Corps new recruits. The meaning of that meeting was to see who would be there and who would not; if someone were missing then they are the spy because they went to find Eren, however if nobody is gone and no act to kidnap Eren is pulled then that solidifies that the spy is within their ranks. Another instance has Erwin doing background checks on everyone and discovering that three members were in the same town the same day the outer wall had been taken out.

If not for Erwin’s intelligence in believing there are spies and for finding out who it might be the possibility of Eren’s kidnapping would have been higher as well as a higher death rate.

5. Inspire Others

I wholeheartedly believe that heroes need to have the ability to inspire others. Consider this, in the real world after watching a video of people saving others from committing suicide or even starting traffic because a dog or other animal on the road inspires you right? It inspires you to want to do the same should the situation arise. I know I’m right, or close to it, because I feel the exact way.

Heroes that inspire civilians to be heroes can make society a whole lot better because little acts can make a world difference. In a way it trails back to kindness. If civilians are inspired by heroes to do good and such then they will extend a hand to those who feel awful and lift them back up into the light.

In MHA Midoriya Izuku inspires almost everyone he meets. Saving Bakugou from the sludge villain inspires All Might, #1 hero who is on a time limit for how long he can maintain his hero form, to go beyond his limit because he is inspired by Midoriya’s rush to save Bakugou despite having no quirk/power of his own.

Midoriya inspires Todoroki Shouto, so of the #2 hero of Japan, to be a better version of himself after yelling that Todoroki’s other half of his quirk, his flames, is his own power and not his fathers. His father is not Todoroki and will never have control over Todoroki.

Even Midoriya’s homeroom teacher, Aizawa Shouta (Pro hero Eraserhead), told another teacher of another school that his class is constantly being inspired by Midoriya as well as Bakugou.

Inspiration even goes into AoT where Erwin gives a powerful speech to his soldiers inspiring them to ride out knowing fully well they are most likely going to die in the process.

“Everything that you thought had meaning: every hope, dream, or moment of happiness. None of it matters as you lie bleeding out on the battlefield. None of it changes what a speeding rock does to a body, we all die. But does that mean our lives are meaningless? Does that mean that there was no point in our being born? Would you say that of our slain comrades? What about their lives? Were they meaningless?... They were not! Their memory serves as an example to us all! The courageous fallen! The anguished fallen! Their lives have meaning because we the living refuse to forget them! And as we ride to certain death, we trust our successors to do the same for us! Because my soldiers do not buckle or yield when faced with the cruelty of this world! My soldiers push forward! My soldiers scream out! My soldiers RAAAAAGE!” -Erwin Smith’s charge speech

Inspiration is a cornerstone for heroics that anyone can do and anyone can act on. It can inspire someone to be nice towards kids who are alone as well as inspire others to extend a hand to those who are feeling down. It may be small, perhaps insignificant with how small it is, but the end result can go a long way including continuing to go on past the person of inspiration.

Conclusion:

Everything presented of what are qualifications needed to be a hero are not everything that is needed but things I believe are of the most importance. There are several other things that are needed to make a hero aside from what I presented. One big take away I want anyone reading this is that you can be a hero too. You may not have super powers like you’ve seen or read about but a hero can be someone picking up trash or helping the homeless by giving them food. Aside from MHA the other anime/manga references used have protagonist that are never called heroes yet they can be considered ones. Me pointing that out is to prove that you can be a hero despite never being called one. As long as you do actions for the good of others then you already are a hero.