We need to genetically modify domesticated organisms in order to survive as a human race. There are many plants in the wild that are useless to humans. For example, in Mr. Patino’s class we learned about a plant having sour leaves, thorns, and immunity to parasites. But after asexual breeding with the correct plants, we created a plant with sweeter leaves and no thorns. After finding the qualities of our choice, we then bread the plant through asexual breeding in order to keep those qualities. If we had never modified that plant, the plan would have remained useless and without purpose.
    Another example is the kalo, a Hawaiian staple. In ancient times, the kalo was pretty much inedible. After sexually breeding the kalo through a process called “selective breeding”, we were able to make a kalo that could be eaten. We then used asexual breeding to keep the kalo uniform.
    The opportunities of GMO are endless. Eventually I believe we will have plants that will be doing things beyond our wildest dreams, we just have to invent them first through sexual reproduction and then keep those qualities through asexual reproduction. The world will never be the same.
    GMO is very important to our human race because it turns plants into something of use. Had it not been for GMO, the Hawaiian race might have turned out differently because they would have never had one of their main sources of food. GMO saved the Hawaiian kingdom, as it will save the human race as well.

    People are greatly influenced by the judgment of others. According to the video about Academic Reform, there are two kinds of people: academic and non-academic. This does not necessarily mean that the academic people are smarter than the non-academic people. People who weren’t educated have been judged against this particular view of the mind. Since people call them dumb for not being educated, they believe this stereotype and just go with it. This is a common misconception and is absolutely false. There is more to being smart than just being well educated. I believe that you pick things up in the real world that you otherwise wouldn’t have learned in school. Non-academic people are just as intellectually inclined as academic people.
    Kamehameha Schools supports the factory model of education. We categorize students due to age, not ability. It seems more efficient to do it this way because you surround children with similar learning abilities and put them together. If there is a genius in a class of lower life forms, it may stunt his learning. To refrain from holding him back, it only makes sense to surround him with people at his level. This might allow the student to communicate with peers as equals, therefore increasing his knowledge even further. We are moving in the completely opposite direction in terms of this. We need to begin to see things in different ways, to see things divergently.
    Divergent thinking is the ability to see multiple solutions to a problem. It is the ability to interpret a question in different ways. Creativity is the process of having original ideas that have value. It is an important trait to have in order to be a divergent thinker. In a study on kindergarteners, data revealed that 98% of them were on the genius level in terms of divergent thinking. As the years rolled on, that percentage decreased. This proves that we are all born with the ability to be divergent thinkers, but our environment and education changes us to be something less of our potential. We develop a mindset that is set on only one answer. In reality, there are countless solutions available, we just need to open our minds to see it. It is important to have a divergent approach to problems because it encourages critical thinking and helps to find multiple solutions to a single problem.
    Makawalu relates to divergent thinking n many ways. Makawalu means “8 eyes.” This could be translated into many different meanings. For me, it means to see things from different perspectives. Divergent thinking means to see multiple solutions to a problem. This relates because they are both seeing things from different points of view. If you are a divergent thinker, you are practicing Makawalu because you are looking at things from different perspectives, or seeing things with “8 eyes.”