Thursday, September 6, 2007

Newsweek's "What You Need to Know Now"

Remember to read Newsweek's article "What You Need to Know Now" and change your anticipation guide to reflect the correct answers according to Newsweek and their authors.

If you can't locate your copy of the Newsweek article, read it online.

If you want to take the entire Newsweek Quiz, click here.

Below are the Anticipation Guide statements:
  1. A definitive list of what Americans should know exists on Newsweek.com and in E.D. Hirsch’s book, Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know.
  2. We cannot thrive in the world today if we do not know what people love and hate.
  3. James Joyce based his book Ulysses on Virgil’s The Aeneid.
  4. Buddhism in its earliest form is atheistic.
  5. The White Album by The Beatles beat out Michael Jackson’s Thriller as the top-selling music album in history.
  6. There will be about 10 million bloggers by the end of 2007.
  7. The major religions of the world are essentially alike.
  8. Picasso created the most important work of art of the last 100 years.
  9. Ann Coulter outsells Jane Austen in 2007.

To continue the debate on whether you agree or disagree with some of the open-ended statements on the anticipation guide, click on the comments below.

38 comments:

David C said...

Even after reading the articles, I still disagree that "Les Demoiselles D'Avignon" is the piece of art that has had the most impact in the last century. The author makes this out to be a revolutionary painting that changed the way everybody thought about what art could be, but I think that abstract art still would have come about just as soon without the influence of this painting. Plenty of progress had already been made away from concrete subjects by this time, especially with regard to impressionism and related genres. The move towards abstractionism was gradual, and thus cannot be attributed to "Demoiselles."

Another work of art that I would offer up as of equal or greater importance is "Guernica," by the same artist. We studied this briefly in tenth grade, in relation to a book we were reading. I also came across this later, in relation to the book Slaughterhouse Five. This painting is much more well known, and it also had a concrete influence on the rest of the world, because it raised awareness about the bombing of Guernica. After all, raising awareness about an issue is one of the best things that any art can achieve.

Anonymous said...

I agree completely with Thriller being the top music selling album in history. I don't see how it could be any other way. Michael Jackson is the man and his dance moves are off the chain. I think its really cool that his skin can change colors too. Everytime I listen to the album I just start dancing uncontrollably .

Anonymous said...

I do not think that Buddhism was atheistic in it's early years. They always believed in a higher power.

Anonymous said...

yeah, Buddhism was atheistic in it's early years. they beleved in getting enlightened, but not a higher power persay

Anonymous said...

Snalex i agree. Michael Jackson's Thriller is easily the best seller. I think that the Beatles just try to be too balla in their beats. Teehee. Their trap music was pretty influencial though. Another album i really liked was "spice world". The spice girls can really throw it down I mean how large and in charge are they Papa Smurf. I also think that its great that there are going to be soo many bloggers but it sure works up my appetite! I'd love to keep blogging but I think it's time for a snack!!!!!

Anonymous said...

I agree that Buddhism at it's earliest form is atheistic. There is no real 'higher power' that Buddhists worship, Buddha is just a human being who achieved Complete Understanding--Nirvana. Buddha is more a teacher than a deity.

Also, Mrs. Roehl, I think this blog is awesome. It's really nice and helpful and helps me see you as more than just another teacher. (: Great idea.

Sean McG rollin on spinnerz said...

I do not believe buddhism was athiestic in its earlier years due to the fact that supreme power is a factor within the religon

Anonymous said...

I agree wtih snalex and snerrick completely. MJ is the man and it is easily understandable how he has the top-selling music album in history. He also is a very nice and generous guy who allows for children to roam around his house and go on his ranch. He touches little kids in the best possible way...with his heart. Just a real nice guy right there.

Jackie said...

I love Picasso. I saw "Guernica" at the Sofia Reina Museum in Madrid last year. I agreen with David that that painting is awesome. It's one of my favorite works of art. "Les Demoiselles" did cause quite a stir though, and I do believe cubisn really changed the world. If you can get to the Walker this weekend, you can still see the Picasso exhibit.

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

i don't think buddhism was atheistic in its early forms, because even though they were meditating and not acutally worshiping a higher being, i feel like they're trying to achieve a "higher being" of themselves - nirvana, in a way.

Anonymous said...

Buddhism was very atheistic in it's early stages due to it's lack of a central deity, and it actually is rather atheistic today. Modern Buddhist priests focus almost exclusively on the aspects of meditation and self-control to achieve Nirvana. In the context of worship, Buddah is merely revered as one who achieved Nirvana and thus should be followed as an example, not deified, as so many seem to think.

Anonymous said...

alexander h. 6th hour
snalex's and derrick's comments are spot on and very insightful. You can't get any better than MJ in his prime. Thriller was by far his best album and no one could beat him until he started to creep on little boys. It's a real shame.

Anonymous said...

Jennifer K
2nd hour
5. The White Album by The Beatles beat out Michael Jackson’s Thriller as the top-selling music album in history. False.

This statement just like other stories there are always two sides to the argument. One side is from the viewer: YEAH! Jackson was awesome! That song was so cool! Something you can get up and dance to and have a party! Sexy music videos! But on the other side the media could say: How can the public buy this, The Beatles were a revolution poet, Michael was an audience ‘Thriller.’ Has today’s media become so focused on what is a thrill rather then what is substantial. Have we fallen so far into this idea of sexuality and lost interest in spoken rights through an alternative form of publication.

Anonymous said...

the article about all religion being basically the same is basically wrong or more or less completely wrong. If they were as close as the general public may they think they are they clearly don't understand that the so called "small details" are not just ornate designs on the fabric of religion but more or less is the religion and fabric that holds people together.

Anonymous said...

There are no big points that can sway the religion argument it really comes down to personal opinion and whether you see it as generally the same or whether you take in the details and pick out all the differences

Anonymous said...

Newsweek should reconsider their opinion regarding religions all being essentially different. All religions have some form of belief; whether it be a belief in a god or idol, a belief in themselves, or even a belief in nothing. That seems pretty similar to me.

Lucy said...

I think it was very interesting to learn that they thought that all of the major religions were not essentially the same. I would have predidcted that they would have decided that they basically all had the same principles and that the reason for the disagreements and wars would be becasue of the small differences between them.

Anonymous said...

I believe that at the core of all religions, it's very similar. Although religions are very different they do have many similarities, it's just the small things that separate them.

Anonymous said...

After reading the article on art i still don't agree completly with newsweek.i agree that"les Demoiselles D'avignon" is an important work of art but who is to say it has had the most impact in the last century.

Anonymous said...

Caitlin hr 6
I thought this was a really interesting article. Turns out some of the answers in Newsweek were a lot different than what I expected.

Anonymous said...

caroline g. 1st hour
I first thought that to say that "Les Demoiselles D'Avignon" was the piece of art that had the most impact in last 100 years was very subjective. After reading this article I learned that it was not only a revolutionary piece, but also paved the way for many other art forms, such as cubism.

Anonymous said...

I was suprised with what the articles thought was right. Saying that the most important work of art in the last 100 yrs was created by Picasso.. It may of brought up a lot of commotion and got attention, but art is more of an opinion, not everyone is going to think that his work of art was the greatest.

Anonymous said...

I was also hesitant to think that "Les Demoiselles D'Avignon" could be selected as the ONE most influential piece of art. However, after reading a little anout the work, it seems to be considered the piece art that set the tone and style for modern art. It also revolted against typical art "guidlines" as to what was painted an how. Now I understand how it was quite influential, yet I still believe that a single piece of art can't be given a title such as the one is has.
-Shannon R. 1st hour

Anonymous said...

Although Michael Jackson is cameleon like in respect to his skin color he has a superb moonwalk and so is able to sell a lot of albums

Anonymous said...

i found it really interesting that budism was atheistic at some point because when i think of budism i automatically think of Buddha and the worshiping of him, so its weird to think that he wasnt part of the picture at one point. but i guess its understandable seeing that budism is all about reaching nirvana and Buddha was the first to do so, so it makes sense how they would then worship him from that point on.

Anonymous said...

The quiz in the article was nice to read becuase I did not know the answers to most of the questions and was able to learn new things.

Anonymous said...

Not quite sure if I agree with everything on that list but it is still a good one to have. I also agree with David about Guernica. I'm not saying it is the most significant but much more so than the Demoiselles one.

Anonymous said...

I agree with Ted Owen with his comment on MJ's dance moves. He does have some very good moves which explains why he sold more albums. And his skin changing color effect is spectacular.

abby said...

I agree with the statment "But we cannot survive and thrive if we do not know what that world is like-what it loves, what it hates, and why" (37). I stongly belive this is true that you need to know what countries love and what may defend them in order to protect our country.

Courtney said...

I think what abby means is what offends them, and i agree with that.

Anonymous said...

I really liked learning new intersting things from that article that i hadnt known that much about before!

Anonymous said...

MJ= king of pop... enough said

Anonymous said...

Andy W. hr. 2
I was at all suprised to find out that Thriller was the best selling record. MJ at his prime could not be touched, this however did not stop him from touching little kids... allegedly. As a Beatles fan, I am a bit dissapointed but I realize that thriller probably has more mainstreem marketability and doesnt really step on anyones toes like the batles had been known to do

Anonymous said...

The statement that i have the most hard time believing in is that "we can not thrive if we do not know what people love and hate." The words love and hate are so over used in our generation and thrown around so loosely that they no long carry their intended meaning. If this were re-worded to likes/dislikes or interests even it would be a simple and easy statement to believe in-that in a way you must know what people like to please them. The terms love and hate are just so subjective in this generation that many people will interpret this one differently.

BigMack said...

I strongly disagree with picasso being the most influential peice of art for a few seperate reasons.
#1 art is 100 percent objective and is not to be judged on whether its good or bad, art is all opinion and is different for every single person
#2 ive never even seen this art before so in no way is that one of the most important if i have never even seen it
#3 if i HAD to chose one piece of art to be most influential it would be either the 4 quarterd marilyn monroe photo, or the can of soup becuase almost anyone who is over 8 yrs old can recgonize that photo


-Mack Gittleman, Roehl, Hour 2

Talal said...

dp, im gonna have to agree with you that MJ is the man and dominates all these other lights

Anonymous said...

What surprised me the most was that the article stated that the religions of the world are not alike. In my opinion they are because the majority of the people of those religions seek the guidance of a higher power, have restrictions on their words and actions and leave their fate in the hands of their God.