Sunday, December 14, 2008
Final Response
In response to my blogging experience, I feel that all in all I really didn’t have strong feelings about it one way or the other. I liked the way it allowed me to centralize all my writings and have them easily accessible, much like a portfolio would. On the other hand, I didn’t like the way that all my works were made so public and easy to access for other people. I prefer that my writings are only viewed by people I choose and though I tried to not let the public nature of the blog have an effect on the way I wrote, I can’t help but wonder if I could have written better had I only been writing for a professor’s eyes. If I could choose one essay to revise it would be my event essay on the explosion of the star halfway across the galaxy. I would choose to revise this particular essay not because of the quality of the writing but the way I formatted my topic and following paragraphs. In retrospect, I probably should have taken more time to research the event and find a way to relate its significance to people’s everyday lives. A celestial event often doesn’t have much impact on people’s daily routine (unless you’re one of those morons who reads your horoscope everyday) but I feel that with a little more research and time spent, a perhaps deeper and more philosophical connection could have been made. In conclusion, while I didn’t really mind blogging, it is something I won’t be pursuing past this class and I feel that my event essay could have stood for some more effort put into it.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Event Essay
Ryan Klaus
Professor Yerkes
Comp 106
25 November 2008
Twinkle Twinkle
If you ask any English-speaking young child to sing you a nursery rhyme, I am willing to bet that at least half of them will start in with the melodious tunes of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”. This fascination with the stars, however, is not age discriminative. The stars have captivated humans as long as they have been on this planet, sometimes dotting the midnight canopy with diamonds and providing a brilliant scene to gaze upon, and sometimes helping sailors find their way home. Whether your interest in stars is for their aesthetic value or is academic in nature, a recent event regarding a star forty times the size of our own sun is sure to pique your interest.
On Friday, March 21, 2008 at 2:12 a.m., the light from a star that exploded in a massive gamma-ray burst halfway across the known universe was detected by the NASA “Swift” satellite, which picks up gamma-ray bursts.
“NASA's Swift spacecraft is being readied for a mission to scan the sky for gamma-ray bursts, cosmic explosions that can burn with the intensity of billions of suns in less than a second. Researchers hope the mission will identify the events that trigger the bursts.” (Malik)
“The gamma rays were detected by NASA's Swift satellite at 2:12 a.m. "We'd never seen one before so bright and at such a distance," NASA's Neil Gehrels said. It was bright enough to be seen with the naked eye.” (Borenstein).
The burst of light given off by the star actually happened when the universe was only half its age. The reason for this delay is the incredible distance between the star and the Earth; the light from the explosion, even at its speed of 299, 792, 458 miles per second, took roughly seven and a half billion years to reach Earth. These numbers are staggering, as it proves just how unfathomable the size of our universe is. However, the truly thing amazing about the explosion was the fact that it was visible with the naked eye here on Earth. That means after traveling all that huge distance over billions of years, it still was bright enough to be seen with an unaided eye.
“The starburst would have appeared as bright as some of the stars in the handle of the Little Dipper constellation, said Penn State University astronomer David Burrows. How it looked wasn't remarkable, but the distance traveled was.” (Borenstein)
The reason the light given off by the exploding star was so intense and visible was that the star experienced what is known as a supernova.
“One of the most energetic explosive events known is a supernova. These occur at the end of a star's lifetime, when its nuclear fuel is exhausted and it is no longer supported by the release of nuclear energy. If the star is particularly massive, then its core will collapse and in so doing will release a huge amount of energy. This will cause a blast wave that ejects the star's envelope into interstellar space. The result of the collapse may be, in some cases, a rapidly rotating neutron star that can be observed many years later as a radio pulsar.” (Tyler)
As you can see, a supernova from a star forty times the size of our own sun would be a devastating force, destroying any matter in its path and giving off light and gamma rays that would be detectable some seven billion light years away.
“Before it exploded, the star was about 40 times bigger than our sun. The explosion vaporized any planet nearby, Gehrels said.” (Borenstein)
I believe this even holds significance for its scientific importance and for its humbling nature. The exploding star set a new world record for the most distant object that could be seen from Earth with the naked eye. This fact alone is mind-blowing, but it also provides us with a sense of perspective. Think about how fast the speed of light is. It is faster than anything in the universe and yet it still took over seven billion years to get here. That’s a one with nine zeros after it, and it’s not just days or months but full years. When faced with a distance such as that, it makes everything we do seem a little less important and it allows us to take a step back and realize just how small we, and our problems, are.
“Star Explodes Halfway Across the Universe.” Foxnews.com 21 March 2008. http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2008Mar21/0,4670,ExplodingStar,00.html
“The Swift Gamma-Ray Burst Mission.” Heasarc.nasa.gov 3 November 2008. http://heasarc.nasa.gov/docs/swift/swiftsc.html
“Supernova.” Heasarch.gsfc.nasa.gov 26 June 2003 http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/snr.htmlarch 2008.
Professor Yerkes
Comp 106
25 November 2008
Twinkle Twinkle
If you ask any English-speaking young child to sing you a nursery rhyme, I am willing to bet that at least half of them will start in with the melodious tunes of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”. This fascination with the stars, however, is not age discriminative. The stars have captivated humans as long as they have been on this planet, sometimes dotting the midnight canopy with diamonds and providing a brilliant scene to gaze upon, and sometimes helping sailors find their way home. Whether your interest in stars is for their aesthetic value or is academic in nature, a recent event regarding a star forty times the size of our own sun is sure to pique your interest.
On Friday, March 21, 2008 at 2:12 a.m., the light from a star that exploded in a massive gamma-ray burst halfway across the known universe was detected by the NASA “Swift” satellite, which picks up gamma-ray bursts.
“NASA's Swift spacecraft is being readied for a mission to scan the sky for gamma-ray bursts, cosmic explosions that can burn with the intensity of billions of suns in less than a second. Researchers hope the mission will identify the events that trigger the bursts.” (Malik)
“The gamma rays were detected by NASA's Swift satellite at 2:12 a.m. "We'd never seen one before so bright and at such a distance," NASA's Neil Gehrels said. It was bright enough to be seen with the naked eye.” (Borenstein).
The burst of light given off by the star actually happened when the universe was only half its age. The reason for this delay is the incredible distance between the star and the Earth; the light from the explosion, even at its speed of 299, 792, 458 miles per second, took roughly seven and a half billion years to reach Earth. These numbers are staggering, as it proves just how unfathomable the size of our universe is. However, the truly thing amazing about the explosion was the fact that it was visible with the naked eye here on Earth. That means after traveling all that huge distance over billions of years, it still was bright enough to be seen with an unaided eye.
“The starburst would have appeared as bright as some of the stars in the handle of the Little Dipper constellation, said Penn State University astronomer David Burrows. How it looked wasn't remarkable, but the distance traveled was.” (Borenstein)
The reason the light given off by the exploding star was so intense and visible was that the star experienced what is known as a supernova.
“One of the most energetic explosive events known is a supernova. These occur at the end of a star's lifetime, when its nuclear fuel is exhausted and it is no longer supported by the release of nuclear energy. If the star is particularly massive, then its core will collapse and in so doing will release a huge amount of energy. This will cause a blast wave that ejects the star's envelope into interstellar space. The result of the collapse may be, in some cases, a rapidly rotating neutron star that can be observed many years later as a radio pulsar.” (Tyler)
As you can see, a supernova from a star forty times the size of our own sun would be a devastating force, destroying any matter in its path and giving off light and gamma rays that would be detectable some seven billion light years away.
“Before it exploded, the star was about 40 times bigger than our sun. The explosion vaporized any planet nearby, Gehrels said.” (Borenstein)
I believe this even holds significance for its scientific importance and for its humbling nature. The exploding star set a new world record for the most distant object that could be seen from Earth with the naked eye. This fact alone is mind-blowing, but it also provides us with a sense of perspective. Think about how fast the speed of light is. It is faster than anything in the universe and yet it still took over seven billion years to get here. That’s a one with nine zeros after it, and it’s not just days or months but full years. When faced with a distance such as that, it makes everything we do seem a little less important and it allows us to take a step back and realize just how small we, and our problems, are.
“Star Explodes Halfway Across the Universe.” Foxnews.com 21 March 2008. http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2008Mar21/0,4670,ExplodingStar,00.html
“The Swift Gamma-Ray Burst Mission.” Heasarc.nasa.gov 3 November 2008. http://heasarc.nasa.gov/docs/swift/swiftsc.html
“Supernova.” Heasarch.gsfc.nasa.gov 26 June 2003 http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/snr.htmlarch 2008.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Activity IV
This is a screencapture from my Activity IV powerpoint. The "ism" is Annihilationsism which is the belief that instead of going to hell upon death, sinners are simply eradicated. The picture is of a burning corpse with its arms held above its head and hair splayed out above it. Tounges of flame are consuming the corpse and leading to what I assume will be its annihilation. This is my favorite "ism" and picture because of the finality to it all. It appeals to my religious sense as well as my belief that no quarter should be given to sinners.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Essay
Ryan Klaus
Professor Yerkes
Comp 106
6 November 2008
Formality’s Assassin
Is text messaging a key player in the destruction of formality and person-to-person relationships? Does it undermine the school system’s emphasis on correct grammar and spelling as well as sentence structure and sentence cohesion? The answer to both questions is a resounding “yes”. Despite their convenience and popularity, text messaging is silently and subtlety creating an environment and mindset in which emphasis is placed on quick, effortless sound bites and face-to-face interactions are discouraged.
“Another thing is that there is already a strong social pressure to carry a mobile phone (and therefore even strong opposition among some marginal groups, such as certain academic intellectuals). This is very much generational: the youngest generation could almost be identified with the help of the mobile phone so important it has become to their lifestyle. The use of textons (text messages or SMS; this French innovation should become universal) is one of such generational dividing lines, especially their use for serious messages (such as “I am leaving you, sorry”). (Roos 2001)”
Were people given fingers and thumbs for communication? Despite the importance of the written word in our daily lives, oral communication remains the most important means of communication between two individuals. It allows you to put emphasis on words, to instill emotions in your sentences. Oral communication creates a unique connection between to humans that just isn’t present in any other non face-to-face interaction; facial expressions and cues are lost and meaning is open to interpretation without the use of inflection. Communication is reduced to simply a means to an end, forgoing any personal benefit or lasting connection.
In fact, McKenna et al. (2002) found that the
lonely and socially anxious were better able to express themselves and develop close
friendships on the Internet than in the ‘real’ world. Whilst people with extensive
social networks and frequent intimate social contacts also use the Internet for social
purposes (Birnie & Horvath, 2002), many turn to it as a relatively safe environment in
which to form close and meaningful relationships “to make a reality out of their
virtual lives” (McKenna et al., 2002, p.30).
The preceding quote provides the base for my next point: that text messaging robs the less social-natured people the ability to develop intimate or even friendly relationships. Why would a socially anxious person ever need to venture outside their home or support structure if they can simply send a text message in place of actual encounter? In spite of the difficulties, face-to-face interactions actually end up helping nervous people cope with their social anxiety in that it forces them to overcome it. A nervous person isn’t going to be socially comfortable if they are constantly presented with the reinforcement (in the form of text messaging) that personal, social interactions are not necessary to function in society.
“According to Nokia’s world-wide survey of 3300 people (Nokia, 2001), the core mobile phone market is the under-45 age group. Over 80% of those sampled in this survey reported text-messaging as the most used function on their mobiles. Other studies have found that, in Britain at least, nearly 80% 14-16 year olds own mobiles (NOP, 2001; as cited in Thurlow, 2003), and that it is this teen market that dominates text-messaging, with 90% of teenagers claimed to text more than they talk on their phones (Haig, 2002). However, despite a small number of qualitative studies of teenagers’ use of text messaging (e.g. Thurlow, 2003;
Page 2
Kasesniemi & Rautiainen, 2002; Ling & Yttri, 2002; Puro, 2002)(Reid and Reid 2004)”
The other point I wanted to touch on was the fact that cell phones undermine the school’s teaching of the subject of English.
“While everyone recognizes that IM is widely used by adolescents and teens in the United States, there seem to be two distinct opinions of its effect on student academics. There are those who see the use of so-called "Internet English" as a breakdown of the English language – according to a recent newspaper article, "Some teachers see the creeping abbreviations as part of a continuing assault of technology on formal written English" (Lee, 2002).(O’Connor 2005)”
I have witnessed this breakdown of our language firsthand as emphasis is removed from correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation and instead placed on speed and punctuality. What use does a person have for proper English and grammar when it isn’t needed to communicate with his or her friends? It may not outwardly seem like it’s a big deal, but the destruction of the English language is just the first step on the path to the destruction of the other formal aspects of our society.
Bibliography
O’Connor, Amanda. “Instant Messaging: Friend or Foe of Student Writing?” New Horizons for Learning. 2005. The University of Washington. http://www.newhorizons.org/strategies/literacy/oconnor.htm
Reid, Donna. Reid, Fraser. “Insights into the Social and Psychological Effects of SMS Text Messaging.” 2004. The University of Plymouth. http://www.160characters.org/documents/SocialEffectsOfTextMessaging.pdf
Roos. “Mobilezation.” Staff Papers. 2001. The University of Helsinki. http://www.valt.helsinki.fi/staff/jproos/mobilezation.htm
Professor Yerkes
Comp 106
6 November 2008
Formality’s Assassin
Is text messaging a key player in the destruction of formality and person-to-person relationships? Does it undermine the school system’s emphasis on correct grammar and spelling as well as sentence structure and sentence cohesion? The answer to both questions is a resounding “yes”. Despite their convenience and popularity, text messaging is silently and subtlety creating an environment and mindset in which emphasis is placed on quick, effortless sound bites and face-to-face interactions are discouraged.
“Another thing is that there is already a strong social pressure to carry a mobile phone (and therefore even strong opposition among some marginal groups, such as certain academic intellectuals). This is very much generational: the youngest generation could almost be identified with the help of the mobile phone so important it has become to their lifestyle. The use of textons (text messages or SMS; this French innovation should become universal) is one of such generational dividing lines, especially their use for serious messages (such as “I am leaving you, sorry”). (Roos 2001)”
Were people given fingers and thumbs for communication? Despite the importance of the written word in our daily lives, oral communication remains the most important means of communication between two individuals. It allows you to put emphasis on words, to instill emotions in your sentences. Oral communication creates a unique connection between to humans that just isn’t present in any other non face-to-face interaction; facial expressions and cues are lost and meaning is open to interpretation without the use of inflection. Communication is reduced to simply a means to an end, forgoing any personal benefit or lasting connection.
In fact, McKenna et al. (2002) found that the
lonely and socially anxious were better able to express themselves and develop close
friendships on the Internet than in the ‘real’ world. Whilst people with extensive
social networks and frequent intimate social contacts also use the Internet for social
purposes (Birnie & Horvath, 2002), many turn to it as a relatively safe environment in
which to form close and meaningful relationships “to make a reality out of their
virtual lives” (McKenna et al., 2002, p.30).
The preceding quote provides the base for my next point: that text messaging robs the less social-natured people the ability to develop intimate or even friendly relationships. Why would a socially anxious person ever need to venture outside their home or support structure if they can simply send a text message in place of actual encounter? In spite of the difficulties, face-to-face interactions actually end up helping nervous people cope with their social anxiety in that it forces them to overcome it. A nervous person isn’t going to be socially comfortable if they are constantly presented with the reinforcement (in the form of text messaging) that personal, social interactions are not necessary to function in society.
“According to Nokia’s world-wide survey of 3300 people (Nokia, 2001), the core mobile phone market is the under-45 age group. Over 80% of those sampled in this survey reported text-messaging as the most used function on their mobiles. Other studies have found that, in Britain at least, nearly 80% 14-16 year olds own mobiles (NOP, 2001; as cited in Thurlow, 2003), and that it is this teen market that dominates text-messaging, with 90% of teenagers claimed to text more than they talk on their phones (Haig, 2002). However, despite a small number of qualitative studies of teenagers’ use of text messaging (e.g. Thurlow, 2003;
Page 2
Kasesniemi & Rautiainen, 2002; Ling & Yttri, 2002; Puro, 2002)(Reid and Reid 2004)”
The other point I wanted to touch on was the fact that cell phones undermine the school’s teaching of the subject of English.
“While everyone recognizes that IM is widely used by adolescents and teens in the United States, there seem to be two distinct opinions of its effect on student academics. There are those who see the use of so-called "Internet English" as a breakdown of the English language – according to a recent newspaper article, "Some teachers see the creeping abbreviations as part of a continuing assault of technology on formal written English" (Lee, 2002).(O’Connor 2005)”
I have witnessed this breakdown of our language firsthand as emphasis is removed from correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation and instead placed on speed and punctuality. What use does a person have for proper English and grammar when it isn’t needed to communicate with his or her friends? It may not outwardly seem like it’s a big deal, but the destruction of the English language is just the first step on the path to the destruction of the other formal aspects of our society.
Bibliography
O’Connor, Amanda. “Instant Messaging: Friend or Foe of Student Writing?” New Horizons for Learning. 2005. The University of Washington. http://www.newhorizons.org/strategies/literacy/oconnor.htm
Reid, Donna. Reid, Fraser. “Insights into the Social and Psychological Effects of SMS Text Messaging.” 2004. The University of Plymouth. http://www.160characters.org/documents/SocialEffectsOfTextMessaging.pdf
Roos. “Mobilezation.” Staff Papers. 2001. The University of Helsinki. http://www.valt.helsinki.fi/staff/jproos/mobilezation.htm
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Some good, sound advice.
For my personal blog post of 500 words or more, instead of simply writing about something for the sake of writing something, I’m choosing to do anyone who reads this a favor. This favor comes in the form of advice, and that advice should be followed to the absolute letter. Never. Work. At. McDonalds. Are you writing this down? For the sake of your sanity and blood pressure, never join the fabulous team that is the Golden Arches crew. I don’t care what city, state, or country you live in, it doesn’t matter. I know people say they hate their job, but this is a separate manner entirely. McDonalds has an incredibly unique way of sucking the very life and soul out of someone until all that remains is a lifeless, husk-like shell of a human being. Am I over-exaggerating? Maybe. But that isn’t the point. The point is a person should never let themselves become desperate enough to submit their body and soul to such a mind-numbing job. And I can hear your words now: “Why don’t you just quit?” You can’t quit. They won’t let you. If you even mention the possibility of taking your life back into your own hands and leaving they hound and harass you until you simply give-in just to make the buzzing in your ears stop. For those of you who still think I am full of crap, let me break it down for you. I make 7.30 an hour. I’ve been working there for over 6 months and I still get paid less than every single other crew person. They say it is because of my “availability” but that’s bullshit because I work a 40 hour week. I am probably the most competent crew person there and because of that I get saddled with all the jobs that no one else wants to do if not only because I don’t whine and bitch when asked to do them. They take respect and kindness and turn it against you until you hate everything. And it isn’t just your co-workers that suck. No, that would be too much to ask for. If there was one group of people that I could systematically genocide (Yes, I made that word a verb and no, I obviously don’t want to kill anybody, it’s an expression) it would be people who eat at McDonalds. There isn’t any other group of people who are able to find more ways to piss me off than this cracker-jack group of fuckers. For the sake of convenience and ease, I am going to make a list of all their stupid little quirks and mannerisms that find a way to get under my skin.
1. Paying for a one dollar item with a twenty dollar bill. Oh wow! Big spender, huh? Mr. Bigshot in his Honda Civic dropping the Jacksons? Can I get you some caviar with your small french fries, jackass?
2. Asking if I can mix drinks into you own moronic, disgusting concoctions.
3. Going through the drive through and ordering 20 things during a rush. Why the shit are you going through a drive through if you’re just going to have to wait 20 minutes to get your food?
4. Ordering sweet tea. I know this sounds unreasonable, but after making my 60th sweet tea each a day I just can’t take it anymore.
5. Ordering a cheeseburger and asking for no cheese on it. This just in! It’s called a hamburger!
6. Asking for things that aren’t on the menu, or never have been on the menu. This takes a special breed of stupid that is hard to come by. Yes, we have a secret, hidden menu that only an astute person like you is able to order off of. It’s like these people exist to piss me off.
7. Yelling at me because our nuggets are more expensive than Wendy’s nuggets. Does the sign out front say “Now welcoming stupid comments about things that I have no control over”?
8. And finally, the one thing that pisses me off about McDonalds customers more than anything else. Over 90% of the people that come into our store and go through the drive through do this and as a favor to me and everyone else who works at McDonalds, please, STOP DOING THIS. This #1 pet peeve of mine is thinking that I have the uncanny ability to read your fucking mind. When you order a “medium soft drink” or “Snackwrap” or “chicken sandwich” or “ice cream sunday” or “milkshake” in the drive through, I promise you I have no idea which kind you want. I’m not holding a list of your personal favorite menu items and just pretending to not know for the sake of being difficult. We have over 7 types of soft drinks and teas you can get, we have 6 types of snackwraps, we have 5 types of chicken sandwiches, 2 Sunday types, and 3 milkshake types. How, in the name of all that is good and holy, am I supposed to know which one you want? I know at least some of the people reading this have done this in the past, and you should be ashamed. There is something so inherently stupid about ordering a “medium soft drink” or “chicken sandwich” in the drive through that it boggles my mind that people are able to do it.
So, that’s that. If there is anything you should retain from wasting your time in reading this, let it be these two points. One, never work at McDonalds, and two, stop acting like a moron when ordering food.
1. Paying for a one dollar item with a twenty dollar bill. Oh wow! Big spender, huh? Mr. Bigshot in his Honda Civic dropping the Jacksons? Can I get you some caviar with your small french fries, jackass?
2. Asking if I can mix drinks into you own moronic, disgusting concoctions.
3. Going through the drive through and ordering 20 things during a rush. Why the shit are you going through a drive through if you’re just going to have to wait 20 minutes to get your food?
4. Ordering sweet tea. I know this sounds unreasonable, but after making my 60th sweet tea each a day I just can’t take it anymore.
5. Ordering a cheeseburger and asking for no cheese on it. This just in! It’s called a hamburger!
6. Asking for things that aren’t on the menu, or never have been on the menu. This takes a special breed of stupid that is hard to come by. Yes, we have a secret, hidden menu that only an astute person like you is able to order off of. It’s like these people exist to piss me off.
7. Yelling at me because our nuggets are more expensive than Wendy’s nuggets. Does the sign out front say “Now welcoming stupid comments about things that I have no control over”?
8. And finally, the one thing that pisses me off about McDonalds customers more than anything else. Over 90% of the people that come into our store and go through the drive through do this and as a favor to me and everyone else who works at McDonalds, please, STOP DOING THIS. This #1 pet peeve of mine is thinking that I have the uncanny ability to read your fucking mind. When you order a “medium soft drink” or “Snackwrap” or “chicken sandwich” or “ice cream sunday” or “milkshake” in the drive through, I promise you I have no idea which kind you want. I’m not holding a list of your personal favorite menu items and just pretending to not know for the sake of being difficult. We have over 7 types of soft drinks and teas you can get, we have 6 types of snackwraps, we have 5 types of chicken sandwiches, 2 Sunday types, and 3 milkshake types. How, in the name of all that is good and holy, am I supposed to know which one you want? I know at least some of the people reading this have done this in the past, and you should be ashamed. There is something so inherently stupid about ordering a “medium soft drink” or “chicken sandwich” in the drive through that it boggles my mind that people are able to do it.
So, that’s that. If there is anything you should retain from wasting your time in reading this, let it be these two points. One, never work at McDonalds, and two, stop acting like a moron when ordering food.
Activity III: Critical Essay Option #2
In today’s society, stereotypes and generalizations are made out to be the greatest form of social injustice. What is more offending than having one’s identity reduced to a simplistic, misinformed statement? Stereotypes have existed for as long as man has been capable of independent thought and they will always exist, if not only in the minds of ignorant people. That all young people are tech savvy and incapable of other forms of communication outside of their chosen interactional mediums is a modern stereotype that is not only an untrue generalization, but also potentially detrimental to our “generation’s” progression. I personally believe that no one model for today’s young people is entirely correct. Now more than ever, the name of the game is diversity and not even traditional models can be applied to young people anymore. The closest thing that comes to an accurate model for young people is a very loose conglomeration of traditional and modern generalizations, and even that has its flaws.
The technology-driven model stems from, for lack of a better term, the “generational” gap between older and younger people. The two groups of people could practically be from different cultures. The older people were raised in a world where manual labor reigned and hard work mixed with effort was the only way to get things done properly. The only way a writer, composer, or artist can have his or her work seen or heard by the public was to actually excel in their chosen field. Now, young people are raised in a time where anybody can write or compose anything and have it read by millions Today’s youth are assumed to be living like lazy kings compared to their parents. They have access to an unlimited amount of information at any given time and are free from many of the physically demanding tasks their parents were subjected to, if not only because of the presence of machines to do their work for them. While this does hold some ground in the realm of truth, to presume that all young people are of the same breed as these self-employed writers and lethargic delinquents is just another form of the despised discrimination that is such a great evil in our time. Generalizations are untrue simply because it is impossible to hold a fact against a large group of people and have it hold true to all of them. Young people are being discriminated against because of their age; something that is such a weak unifying factor in terms of personality that it is almost laughable to be a category entirely.
As I previously mentioned, a loose hybrid model for today’s youth is the ideal option for the most accurate generalization. The model would have to encompass every universal trait of young people, rendering it almost completely ineffective if not only for the fact that the same universal traits of young people also apply to every other age groups as well. Some of the traits would have to include a need to be accepted and loved, a desire to excel, and a demand for freedom. Clearly, to say these traits are exclusive to young people is wrong. This is, however, the only model that can be truly applied to the youth, proving that universal models are nothing more than a selfish attempt by our culture to divide society into distinguishable segments able to be marketed to and manipulated. What should actually be done is recognize that human nature is the only one true unifying factor in our society.
In conclusion, I agree with Vaidhyanathan’s assertion that a technology-driven model is an incorrect generalization. Our society and culture is constantly looking for ways to stereotype every subsection that possibly has a chance of being marketed to. The first step towards progression is understanding.
In today’s society, stereotypes and generalizations are made out to be the greatest form of social injustice. What is more offending than having one’s identity reduced to a simplistic, misinformed statement? Stereotypes have existed for as long as man has been capable of independent thought and they will always exist, if not only in the minds of ignorant people. That all young people are tech savvy and incapable of other forms of communication outside of their chosen interactional mediums is a modern stereotype that is not only an untrue generalization, but also potentially detrimental to our “generation’s” progression. I personally believe that no one model for today’s young people is entirely correct. Now more than ever, the name of the game is diversity and not even traditional models can be applied to young people anymore. The closest thing that comes to an accurate model for young people is a very loose conglomeration of traditional and modern generalizations, and even that has its flaws.
The technology-driven model stems from, for lack of a better term, the “generational” gap between older and younger people. The two groups of people could practically be from different cultures. The older people were raised in a world where manual labor reigned and hard work mixed with effort was the only way to get things done properly. The only way a writer, composer, or artist can have his or her work seen or heard by the public was to actually excel in their chosen field. Now, young people are raised in a time where anybody can write or compose anything and have it read by millions Today’s youth are assumed to be living like lazy kings compared to their parents. They have access to an unlimited amount of information at any given time and are free from many of the physically demanding tasks their parents were subjected to, if not only because of the presence of machines to do their work for them. While this does hold some ground in the realm of truth, to presume that all young people are of the same breed as these self-employed writers and lethargic delinquents is just another form of the despised discrimination that is such a great evil in our time. Generalizations are untrue simply because it is impossible to hold a fact against a large group of people and have it hold true to all of them. Young people are being discriminated against because of their age; something that is such a weak unifying factor in terms of personality that it is almost laughable to be a category entirely.
As I previously mentioned, a loose hybrid model for today’s youth is the ideal option for the most accurate generalization. The model would have to encompass every universal trait of young people, rendering it almost completely ineffective if not only for the fact that the same universal traits of young people also apply to every other age groups as well. Some of the traits would have to include a need to be accepted and loved, a desire to excel, and a demand for freedom. Clearly, to say these traits are exclusive to young people is wrong. This is, however, the only model that can be truly applied to the youth, proving that universal models are nothing more than a selfish attempt by our culture to divide society into distinguishable segments able to be marketed to and manipulated. What should actually be done is recognize that human nature is the only one true unifying factor in our society.
In conclusion, I agree with Vaidhyanathan’s assertion that a technology-driven model is an incorrect generalization. Our society and culture is constantly looking for ways to stereotype every subsection that possibly has a chance of being marketed to. The first step towards progression is understanding.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Thursday, October 2, 2008
The Blame Game:
Why Video Games are not the Cause of Youth Violence
I feel that this project has been as enlightening to me as it has hopefully been for the viewers. Going into the project, I already had developed solid opinions about the subject of violent video games. I thought that I could easily create a PowerPoint based on what I already thought about the subject, breezing through the written part, simply copying down my opinions. However, this was not the case. I found myself staring at my empty slides, struggling to actually put my thoughts to “paper” so to say. While I knew how I thought about the subject, it was almost impossible to translate those thoughts into a way that would make sense not only to others, but to me as well. This was rather disconcerting as it forced me to re-evaluate my once solid beliefs. How could I feel so strongly about something yet not find the words to describe how I felt? I sat back and decided to take another look at the issue. I spent upwards of two hours contemplating how I actually felt about the issue and I finally came up with my true beliefs. In the past, I had simply scratched the surface of the subject of violent video games, only examining the superficial aspects of the issues. Now however, I began to truly understand the reasons and causes for blaming video games for violence in today’s youth.
I feel that my choice of presentation, the PowerPoint, is the greatest tool for advocating my point. It allows quick and easy summarization of the key points in correlation with the main oral presentation. I chose 5 main points to be the subject of my slides: The reasons people blame video games for youth violence, the cases of the famous school shootings, video games as a positive, the truth about violent video games, and who really is to blame for youth violence. I feel that together, these 5 points accurately portray my feelings and beliefs about violent video games’ role in youth violence. The pictures I chose to put in the slide are all related to the point of the slide and are there to provide a visual stimulus as well as aesthetic appeal. In conclusion, I feel that this project has been a rewarding experience in the sense that I have gained a better understanding of my own views on the subject of violent video games and their influence on today’s youth. I enjoyed creating a visual composition in addition to a written one and hope to use this type of visual medium more often.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Misanthropy Pure
This is the song “Misanthropy Pure” by the band Shai Hulud. The song is about how negative emotions can be channeled into progression and progress by a strong mind. Intolerance and violence are often said to be best countered by patience and understanding, but the song explains how sometimes the way of the pacifist isn’t always correct in combating the injustices of today’s world. The band takes it even one step further and say that not only is it possible to channel “hope within hatred” but it is a “birthright and obligation”. The excerpt I chose from the song explains their ideas most clearly; the negative emotions people associate with injustice can be turned towards progression and peace. Emotions are not inherently good or bad, a fact people often overlook, and the song advocates that if you use a powerful ‘negative’ emotion towards hope and peace, it can often be more productive than a ‘positive’ one. As the song progresses, the lyrics go on to say that hatred and contempt are often misused at the hands of the weak and thus rendered useless, if not hampering, towards the positive goals of humanity. The “spiteful and ill-tempered” should not be accepted into the lives of the truly strong of heart and mind. The song advocates an almost vicious negligence of the prideful and belligerent, saying that they should be denied their inheritance to the planet.
In spite of the misanthropic view on life that the song portrays, I agree with their message. No rest should be given to the spineless cowards who abuse their negative emotions and fail to see that hatred and contempt can be just as strong and positive as love and acceptance. When is a country more united than when they have a common enemy? For example, after the tragedy of September 11, the country was united in an almost fervent desire to see justice upheld and have the terrorists brought to justice. Hatred can be a positive tool to see a goal through to its end and can further progression in a way that no ‘positive’ emotion can. I understand that my views are perhaps “outside of the box”, but I strongly believe that upon introspection of themselves, people can realize and understand that “contempt born of clear perception is a birthright to those who channel it towards progression.” In other words, if your mind is clear and your heart pure, contempt can be a positive driving force.
I chose to design “Misanthropy Pure” in a way that conveys its message of positive hatred through a cold, unfaltering manner. The grey background is devoid of warmth, helping invoke the feeling of an almost stoic passiveness. The opening two lines are arranged so that the key words are distinguished in a way that exhumes their inherent meaning. The 3 lines after are of equal importance, explaining the ways that negative emotions should be used towards progress. The last line is the driving point of the song, tying together the central theme that the use of negative emotions towards progression isn’t just a suggestion. I hope that someone viewing my interpretation of the song will feel the same thing that I do when looking at it; a keen sense that something needs to be done about the attitude of today’s society.
In spite of the misanthropic view on life that the song portrays, I agree with their message. No rest should be given to the spineless cowards who abuse their negative emotions and fail to see that hatred and contempt can be just as strong and positive as love and acceptance. When is a country more united than when they have a common enemy? For example, after the tragedy of September 11, the country was united in an almost fervent desire to see justice upheld and have the terrorists brought to justice. Hatred can be a positive tool to see a goal through to its end and can further progression in a way that no ‘positive’ emotion can. I understand that my views are perhaps “outside of the box”, but I strongly believe that upon introspection of themselves, people can realize and understand that “contempt born of clear perception is a birthright to those who channel it towards progression.” In other words, if your mind is clear and your heart pure, contempt can be a positive driving force.
I chose to design “Misanthropy Pure” in a way that conveys its message of positive hatred through a cold, unfaltering manner. The grey background is devoid of warmth, helping invoke the feeling of an almost stoic passiveness. The opening two lines are arranged so that the key words are distinguished in a way that exhumes their inherent meaning. The 3 lines after are of equal importance, explaining the ways that negative emotions should be used towards progress. The last line is the driving point of the song, tying together the central theme that the use of negative emotions towards progression isn’t just a suggestion. I hope that someone viewing my interpretation of the song will feel the same thing that I do when looking at it; a keen sense that something needs to be done about the attitude of today’s society.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Compositions That Advocate
For my project, I will be advocating that fact that violent video games are NOT the main cause of violence among today's youth, paying specific attention to school shootings. I will be drawing on examples such as the Columbine High School massacre, the Virginia Tech Massacre, and other related examples of youth violence. I feel that violent video games are pointed to when blame is cast aside from the true propagators of violence: the parents and the environment in which the child is brought up in. The debate to ban or censor violent video games is never ending and as a result, we often lose sight of the true issues. Violence is becoming an increasingly prevalent thing in today's society with all the school shootings not just in America, but around the world. When the dust settles, the only thing society does is cast blame instead of looking at exactly why the person did what they did. Video games are an easy scapegoat when blame is cast because of the amount of time people today put into them. Is there anything better to cast blame at than a common pastime of today's youth?
But why do people play violent video games in the first place? Is it because they are captivated by violence? Or is it something deeper, something more constructive and personal than base human instinct? People fail to realize that everyone possess free will. They can make the choice on whether or not to act on their violent feelings. Video games don't control your mind and make you hurt people.
I will be constructing a powerpoint presentation for my project. I hope that I can convey my beliefs in an informative and friendly manner and, hopefully, provide a different insight into a worn-out topic.
But why do people play violent video games in the first place? Is it because they are captivated by violence? Or is it something deeper, something more constructive and personal than base human instinct? People fail to realize that everyone possess free will. They can make the choice on whether or not to act on their violent feelings. Video games don't control your mind and make you hurt people.
I will be constructing a powerpoint presentation for my project. I hope that I can convey my beliefs in an informative and friendly manner and, hopefully, provide a different insight into a worn-out topic.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Screen Capture
This is a screen capture of a term paper I did last year on the influence of the Germanic tribes on the downfall of the Roman Empire. I spent a few months doing research on it, investing a decent size chunk of my life in learning all I could about the subject. The screen capture is just a window into the hard work and time put into a paper such as this. It brings to the surface memories of long hours and a satisfying payoff at the end when the work was complete. It also shows the simple space I like to maintain when working on a project such as this. I tend to avoid distractions on the computer such as AIM or computer games, etc. When composing in a digital space, the entire dynamic of the process changes. A digital space allows you to access millions of resources with the click of a button. Changes can be made to your document with minimal effort, allowing drastic content overhauls to be made quite easily. Digital composing processes can be understood better by taking the time to sit down and explore the digital writing process thoroughly. Taking courses in digital composition can also lead to a better understanding of the process.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
95 Theses
Martin Luther wrote his 95 Theses in response to the Catholic Church's mayn abuses, chief among them the selling of indulgences as well as many other financial scandals. Recognized as the greatest factor in the schism between the Protestant and Catholic churches, Luther's 95 Theses would create a rift in Christianity that would never be completely healed. The reaction of society was split in response to the Theses: some embraced Luther's ideas and others condemned them. Eventually, the two sides would come to peace with one another, but not before enduring many conflicts, including a bloody war. Luther's 95 Theses offer a unique look into religion in the medieval times, portraying it as somewhat of a hypocrite. A priest would preach salvation for all and God's willingness to forgive at a sermon then walk out the door and convince the naive people of the time that the only way to obtain salvation was to purchase indulgences, or pardons. Luther's 95 Theses, while ripping apart Catholicism at its core, fortified the church agaisnt further grievances and led to a healing process that would mold the church into what it is today.
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