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Anney Norton

Systems Thinking (Easterbrook) Response

Question responses:

1. I will be honest and say that I don’t know much about GMOs, but most of my understanding aligns with the stakeholders in group 7. The idea of “frankenfoods” is definitely something I have heard of, and, for the most part, people that I talk to and have been exposed to worry about the risks GMO foods pose to their health. They (and I) see organic and locally sourced foods as better for their (my) health and the environment overall. I worry about GMOs in general mostly because I don’t know much about the science that goes into them. Not knowing what my food is made of and what kinds of processes went into creating it makes me nervous. I think the majority of their stakes for these stakeholders deals with human health. It’s unclear if GMOs can have serious impacts on health. The reading cites allergies as an area of concern which definitely lines up with some parents I have talked to who worry about their kids being affected by GMOs.

2. Three stakeholders for DMZs:
1. The countries at war. They operate in a system of conflict with each other. Each believes they have a claim to the territory. Usually one side is the aggressor, trying to assert it’s claim to more territory, while the other is the retaliator, seeking to defend it’s land from outside forces.
2. Neighboring countries. They operate in several systems. One is systems of commerce and trade. Often neighboring countries are engaged in trade agreements which can be impacted by war or even the formation of the DMZ itself which may disrupt trade routes.
3. Wildlife. DMZs offer opportunities for wildlife to return to areas which otherwise would have had a greater human presence. This allows for the reclamation of lost territory, and even allows for certain species that may have been on the verge of extinction to flourish. One of the surprising results of several DMZs is the formation of wildlife preserves.

Borders: DMZ

Notes from research so far
• DMZ is area where no military personnel, activities, or installments are allowed
• Usually the result of a treaty or agreement
• They can form a kind of border (example separation of North and South Korea) but don’t necessarily need to
• Space is a DMZ! So is Antarctica!
• There are currently thirteen DMZs on Earth and they are pretty spread out.
• A lot of DMZs become wildlife preserves or even just stay demilitarized
• There are fourteen former DMZs
• They can vary pretty dramatically in size from a few kilometers or less to massive (all of space)
• They are actually a subcategory of buffer zone which is a neutral zone between two+ bodies of land, and they are usually set up to avoid violence like in the case of a DMZ
• Demilitarization is the reduction of a country’s military forces usually through the reduction of soldiers or military equipment
• Demilitarization is often imposed after wars, particularly to the losing side, as a means of punishment and to prevent future violence
• There are usually towns or other gathering places within DMZs that become neutral zones
• Just because a region is marked as a DMZ does not necessarily mean that the border the DMZ creates is enforced. In the case of North/South Korean DMZ, there have been troop crossings and continued violence throughout the years especially during the initial years of the DMZ. This means that the DMZ is not totally effective in stopping violence or avoiding conflict.
• The most prominent DMZ is the Korean DMZ between North and South Korea
• DMZs are formed by verbal or written agreements. They are usually very detailed and outline how a DMZ should be fortified and watched. Sometimes there are even policing forces placed within or around the DMZ to ensure that both sides are abiding by the terms of their agreement.
• There is also a type of DMZ called a DMZ Network that works as a border between a private and public server. Basically, you use the DMZ Network to protect your private server from potentially untrustworthy public servers.

Emergent Strategy

Prompt 1: In your view, what is a function of humans in the universe?

I think the core function of humans is to create. Through creation we are able to build and experience. We collaborate and expand. Creating brings us together and allows us to express our individuality and perhaps, if we’re lucky, to leave a lasting mark that can tell future generations and species that we existed.

Prompt 2: How would you define emergence? What is its opposite?

I would define emergence as collaboration. It is a process that requires the individual to work with others around them bringing a mindset of “let’s solve this together, slowly”. It very much involved individuals working together is a cohesive and seamless manner to achieve a desired outcome. One example cited in the reading is the migration of birds. If they are grouped too closely together, they cannot move efficiently. If they are grouped too far apart, they cannot gain the benefits of streamlining, etc. So all of the bird need to collaborate in order to achieve the outcome of migration.

I would say it’s opposite is isolation. When we silo ourselves and focus on individual output rather than collaboration we are unable to get more out of the system than we put in. When there is the absence of collaboration, individuals don’t reap the benefits of their communities.