For this blog post, I watched a Ted Talk about the rise and fall of the Mongol Empire. There were many different elements that led me to choose this specific video and why I enjoyed watching it. First off, I liked how organized the website was; it was very easy to find this video. I also like how there was a brief summary of the video and it gave credit to those involved. Regarding the video itself, I thought the animations were a great way to keep the audience engaged while brining the lecture to a visual medium; they definitely made the history subject of the video cooler but also shows how Ted Talks are willing to connect with the audience. The narration is also very calm yet grabs attention; narration and pace is important when giving any kind of speech and this Ted Talk does it well. Finally, the Ted Talk did a good job of mentioning the good and bad aspects of such a controversial empire like the Mongols; they mentioned how the empire was short-lived and was prone to infighting but also mentioned how trade and culture flourished. Overall, I would say this Ted Talk provided an excellent presentation and provides a good model to follow for this next project. I think this specific one about the Mongols is good because people remember them in good and bad ways; I think that can relate to our project because a paradigm shift can include a change in feelings about a certain civilization and the complex legacy of Genghis Khan and his descendants is prone to such shifts.
I have a few ideas regarding the subject of my paradigm shift project. I’ve always been fascinated as to how gangsters, drug barons, and other organized criminals are portrayed in modern culture yet how ruthless and terrifying they are in real life. I think its interesting how they used to be some of the most feared people alive and how today they seem romanticized. My one issue with this is that that lifestyle has always been romanticized in one way or another. Movies such as the Godfather came out at a time when the Mafia was at the height of its power in the United States and before the time of the legendary cruelty of Colombian and Mexican cartels. Either way, I think it’d be really interesting and fun to talk about the shift of how we portray these criminals versus how they are in real life.
Another topic I would be interested in covering is how people’s views of mixed race couples and children have changed over time. As a mixed raced person myself, I’ve always been fascinated by this and wondered what my life would have been like if I had been born in 1950s America or during Apartheid rule in South Africa. Many countries, including America, have long histories of racism and discrimmination. Mixed race people were seen in a negative light but now there are more and more mixed people. In countries like Brazil, nearly the entire population is mixed race due to generations of interacial marriages. I even watched a documentary in my Anthropolgy class about mixed race people. I think this would be an interesting topic because it falls under the general umbrella of racial issues in our world; I also feel a more personal element to this topic. I’ll definitely think of more topics but these two were at the top of my mind for this next project.
Your topic ideas are definitely very different, but they both could be really interesting. I also think that the TED Talk you watched fits in with this assignment very well and could provide a framework for discussing a paradigm shift.
I honestly don’t know what idea is better. They are both so interesting and very prevalent in society. I am originally from an area that is known for having gangs and it is true they are so romanticized. I also liked the idea of interracial couples. My dad being Mexican and my mom being white, I too often think about if I was born in an earlier time…how much harder would life be?
I always think about how I’d be treated if I’d been born 40-70 years earlier, especially since I live in a predominantly white area. My favorite mixed race questions are, “So what are you exactly” or “Let me guess where you’re from”. I think it’s crazy to how interracial marriages used to be illegal but now people seem so interested in it. I saw in a video that there are literally instagram pages full of mixed race babies and I’ve always dealt with people asking about my ancestry.
I really like the idea of your paper. I think it has grounds to be super interesting and informative. Even in our lifetime there has been such a shift for interracial relationships since the early 2000’s. It also helps to be familiar with the topic. I am looking forward to reading your paper if you choose this topic. I think the questions you posed are really good and open the doors for some serious answers and ideas. If you need any help at all, let me know.