Blog #10

First of all, I survived more than a month without Facebook and I LOVED it!  I felt so disconnected to the drama, and more connected to myself.  I was able to stop worrying about everything going on in other people's lives and worry about how I'm living my own life.  I never would have even bothered to even try getting away from Facebook if I hadn't had this class.  I enjoyed that every book that we read was different but they all shared common themes.  They all focused on the media and technology, they all discussed the things that rule our lives, whether it be Big Brother or the Feed, and they all discussed past and future cultures.  This class has made me critically think about my views on some topics, and figure out exactly why I feel the way that I do.  It has helped me form solid arguments for the beliefs that I strongly hold.  I especially enjoyed the "Because It's good for you" segment.  It reminded me why General Education classes are so important, and opened my eyes to how little I know about my own culture.  I think that this class was taught extremely effectively.  I learned so much more than I have in any other class and this class has prompted lots of deep and meaningful thought for me.  I think I learned so much more than just literature, and I made friends through my discussion group as well! I really have taken a great deal from this class. 

Blog #7

American Idol, Survivor, and The Biggest Loser are three very popular reality TV shows today.  Why is that?  Some say it is human nature to enjoy the failure of others, which explains why people enjoy watching contestants on American Idol strike out time after time.  My take on it is that maybe seeing others struggling makes us not feel so bad that we cant sing either, or can't lost that extra weight either.  It is comforting to know that "its not just me" for a lot of people.  I also think that shows such as survivor and the biggest loser play up the competition aspect.  People watch sports because of the competition.  It is intriguing to involve yourself in something completely out of your control and escape to the world of the sport.  I think that shows like survivor and the biggest loser are the same way.  People watch these competitive reality TV shows for the same reasons that people watch sports.  They just need an escape from the reality of their lives and they feel the need to involve themselves in something else.

Although the Hunger Games are supposed to be a punishment for the rebellion of the citizens, I think that the reason that they are still being punished today is the enjoyment that the crowd and the Capitol get out of the competition.  It is the biggest event of the year. I think that the betters and the observers enjoy investing themselves in something that they cant control.  

Blog #6

To me, Big Brother is a ruthless dictator in Oceania.  He controls not only the actions of the citizens, but also the thoughts, facial expressions, and every aspect of their existence.  He completely removes their uniqueness and individuality.  There is no sense of self left in the lives of those citizens.  They didn't get to be who they wanted to be.  They didn't get to do what they wanted to do.  And they didn't even get to think what they wanted to think.  He controlled them and forced them to forge a false history.  Their entire lives were created by lies and dedicated to continuing those lies.
Some have made a connection between Big Brother and Hitler.  I think that it makes a lot of sense to make that connection.  The world portrayed in the novel is similar to what the world would likely be like had Hitler taken over and succeeded.
The novel is very saddening to read and negative but it does really make me think.  It brings up points about history that I had never considered before.  It makes me wonder about what is good and bad about our own government.  There are obviously laws in our government that control our actions too but we can still express our feelings and differentiate ourselves.  We can still be who we want to be.  We do still have privacy.  We can think what we want and for the most part still do what we want without having somebody tracking or "watching" us at all times.  We are still free to enjoy sex and make the decision to conceive or not to.

Blog #5

One entire year of living "deliberately" is incredible.  I think that I could easily go a year without something small such as Facebook, but giving up my entire lap top, cell phone or TV would be an extreme adjustment.  I don't think that living without technology sounds as devastating as living without human contact for a year.  I would miss just being with someone and having company before I would miss my technology.  I do want to point out that Thoreau did this when the amount of technology was substantially less prominent and developed as it is today, and he already boycotted the idea of it.  There is a difference between him leaving the presence of technology, which he rarely used anyway, and someone who uses technology constantly to suddenly be cut off.  But with that said, I still believe that he made some serious sacrifices and had the will power to do something that most people would not even attempt, let alone succeed.
I like that both writers believed in the idea of taking a "pause" from everyday life.  I seldom practice this, but when I do I really enjoy the peace and quiet.  It is so helpful to just sit and think sometimes and let your mind wander from the stresses that hang over you constantly.  My favorite idea of Emerson's is the idea that envy is ignorance.  I have come to realize this lately, it took me 19 years, but I actually understand it.  I really like who I am, and I accept my flaws.  I strive to always be a better person than I am now, but I do not envy who others are, what others look like, or what others have.  Occasionally, everyone finds themself straying from their true beliefs, but I am always reminded of who I want to be and why.  I like Thoreau's idea of living simply.  Sometimes we get so caught up in the complicated drama created between friends, the stress of class, and the worry of what comes next that we overwhelm ourselves with detail.  I want to try to put this idea of living simply into practice every day.  I think sitting down at the end of the day and reminding yourself that tomorrow is another day can help keep yourself grounded.  I like the idea of separating myself from all distractions for at least an hour a day to just let myself relax, let my mind wander, and enjoy the simplicity of life.
I think this would be virtually impossible for anyone with the "feed" to do.  You really can't turn it off, which means you can never separate yourself from the distractions of life and enjoy a relaxing summer breeze.  Even when Violet and Titus go to the beach to get away and try to live life they still have commercials running through their head the entire time.  It is virtually impossible to live "deliberately" in a world such as the one portrayed in the novel Feed.

Blog #4

Are we the dumbest generation?  I think it is somewhat a matter of opinion.  I do believe that as a generation, we are fairly lazy.  We look up whatever we need to know when we need to know it, rather than learning the information and obtaining knowledge.  But although we don't have quite as much knowledge as we probably should, we do use our brains and skills in many ways.  Learning a new computer program or software uses problem solving skills.  Researching for a paper is still done, just on the internet rather than in a book.  We still gather information and apply it to our topic.  I noticed a few people using phrases such as "general education classes don't matter to me...I'll never use this..." and "it's a lost cause."  I find it scary that some people think that learning general knowledge is pointless.  I think that learning is the most productive thing that a person can do.  Knowledge is such a powerful thing to have.  If someone is lucky enough to have the opportunity to receive a college education, they should be grateful and soak up as much as possible.  Does anyone think that a college education is a waste of time?  I think that a comment that a student made in class today was very interesting.  She said that in the interview, Bauerlein's only arguments are based on statistics and that really doesn't represent the entire generation.  There are plenty of adolescents that don't fit the stereotype whatsoever.  There is a difference between texting a friend to plan a face to face bonding event in which strong personal relationships are formed and just having long meaningless conversations over texting.  I think that he is assuming that just because teenagers are on their phones all the time, they are constantly doing something unimportant and don't socialize personally face to face.  He makes a lot of generalizations and assumptions that are a bit unfair.  The quiz that we took in class today was a big wake up call and it opened my eyes.  It made me realize that we do need to be more aware of the world around us, even though some of the statements made in the video and by students were just a bit harsh. Here is an article that I found very interesting. The Net Generation Tapscott makes some good arguments about the constant rise of IQ scores and the number of students not drinking alcohol and taking drugs.  He also discusses how they approach work in a different and more productive way.  I think reading this article will get you thinking a little more about what our generation is really all about.  Thanks for reading and I look forward to hearing some other opinions!

Blog #3

The dictionary definition of "Media" is the means of communication, as radio and television, newspapers, and magazines, that reach or influence people widely.  It is the plural form of the word "medium."  Which is the channel in which you communicate something.  The media was initially a wonderful thing.  It provided news to people everyday through the paper and news stations on television.  It provided them with information that was extremely useful to everyday people.  Now the media has been abused to bring not only information and news but advertising, celebrity drama, and brainwashing.  In no way do I think that the media is a bad thing, but I do think that in many cases its not used to its potential in a productive way.  
I think that Lasn makes a good point when he says that our emotions have become emoticons. We often express ourselves through them more than through physical signals that can only be detected in person.  But I'm somewhat confused on what he means when he said that our authenticity has become fractured into multiple identities.  Does he mean that we put on our "public face" and act a certain way when around people in person and a different face when communicating through impersonal means such as a text message?  Any ideas guys?  
I think that the virtual world that gamers often enjoy has a high level of value, meaning, and significance for sure.  They play the game because they have fun when they play and it means something to them.  Eventually they may be playing because of addiction.  But for many, it never reaches that extreme, its merely a hobby they enjoy.  That being said, I do not believe that those "synthetic" worlds that many enjoy are "real"worlds.  
The very end of the video Second Skin when one commentator states that "gaming is just like watching football or working on a car all night long," really struck me.  To many of us, this world is completely foreign but that doesn't mean there's anything wrong with it.  It is just another hobby that people take part in.  Of course, some of the people from the video have health problems due to an addiction to the game, but that is another story.  I feel, at least from our discussions in class, that many people associate a negative stigma with gaming and I don't think that its really fair. 

Blog #2

Hello Classmates!

I find the reading we're discussing very intriguing. "It's gotta be the cheese" seemed to have so many different meanings on several levels.  In a way, I thought that the fact that American cheese is individually wrapped in its outside package represents the different cultures in America that co-exist but do not mesh together or cross over at all.  I also really liked a comment that another student made in class that we consider it the best cheese there is, because it represents America when in reality it is processed, unhealthy, and overall nothing spectacular.  There are many cheeses out there that taste much better.  The same messages show up in Culture Jam, as well.  A section that really stands out to me (page 78) is the section that mentions "a day in your life" and goes through common American lifestyle activities.  Most of them sound very familiar in my life.  But what I didn't know, and I'm not pleased to learn, is how artificial and chemically enhanced the supermarket fruit is.  It really makes me think twice when I eat fruit now.  There were a lot of other things I didn't know as well.  Another quote that really stands out is on page 35, and it says "In today's media environment, advertisers rule-the sponsor is king."  Do you think that advertisers and sponsors really do rule America like a king?  Do you think that advertisers or sponsors influence us and control us more than our own president?  People hear what the president has to say, and if they disagree they are not likely to be influenced by it.  If someone sees something on TV that they didn't necessarily agree with at first, they are likely to eventually accept it on some level after seeing it many times.  I noticed a good example of this on TV today, here is the link: http://www.winrumors.com/microsoft-builds-a-third-pc-store-in-a-house-for-%E2%80%98i%E2%80%99m-a-pc%E2%80%99-commercials Notice that the narrator says "...she wont update her four year old computer..." when in reality computers can last much longer than four years and it even implies in the commercial that there is nothing wrong with her original one.  But by the end of the commercial the advertisers convince her to buy a new computer.  I think that this is a prime example of the media convincing us to keep up to date with the biggest and best item out there.  It even reminds me of a form of brainwashing.  I think that Americans are not necessarily hurting anyone with this obsession we are all getting sucked into.  But I do think that personal relationships and family dynamics are starting to struggle because of a lack of real intimate communication.  That may be my Human Communication Studies mindset showing through.  I can't wait to hear what you guys have to say! :)