Ishmael Q&A

1: What are Ishmael’s two general rules on how to identify people from our culture? Do you agree with Ishmael when he says that people from all over the world are part of the same culture? Why or why not?

Ishmael's two general rules on how to identify people from our culture are, to see if they see themsleves as a flawed and doomed cluture or if all their food is owned, in other words, under lock and key. I do agree with Ishmael when he says that people from all over the world are part of the same culture. I agree because although people seperate themselves into different "groups", we all have the same fundamental goals and beliefs.

2. Ishmael disagrees with Mother Culture’s voice that says that humans are inherently flawed. After reading through page 66 of My Ishmael do you agree or disagree with him? Why?

After reading through page 66 of My Ishmael, I have to disagree with Ishmael and say that humans are inherently flawed. I agree with Mother Culture because we believe that everything has to be done the right way. If we find a way to do something and get comfortable with it, we immediatly forget about other ways to accomplish things; if we see some way that is different we immediatly judge it as bad or wrong. We do not see that it is simply just different, and just as normal.

3. Ishmael uses a parable of Tunes and Dancers to explain his idea of Takers and Leavers. Who are these Takers and Leavers and how do they relate to American culture?

I think the Leavers are the average people of america. The Leavers are people who just do what they have to in order to slide by in the society. In other words, they just dance as little as they have to, but still get a sufficent amout of their necesities. And the Takers are the people who take "dancing" more seriously and put all their effort into helping their society and try to get a much of their necesities as possible.