Part A
One of my old friends- very low key, wears makeup but its not that noticible, its sheer most of the time, she's pretty open and honest I think.
Can I ask you some questions for my humanities class?
Sure. Go ahead.
What are your reasons for dressing in the style you do?
Its the style I feel comfortable with. That I learned through watching and trying out. It depends on my mood too, sometimes I feel like dressing up but most of the time I'm very low key.
When did you start wearing makeup?
Hmm.. I don't really remember when, it was awhile ago. I saw my mom wearing it and you know how kids are, they want to be like their mom and dad.
Why did you start?
What I said before and I wanted to look good. Partly for other people but mostly for myself. When I think I look good I feel good so that's why I started wearing makeup. Its just like an addition to my little routine. I'm fine without it too but I usually don't feel like wearing its when I'm feeling lazy or not like doing anything. Its just part of my "ritual". Make up isn't much different from clothes, its still another method of adorning yourself. Some people feel comfortable in certain clothes and stick to that style and other's like to change it up.
Her answer was kind of the "because I like it" answer but she admits that part of it is for vanity. I think her answer is true too that it is for herself as well as for other people. I think when you're only looking for one answer, then that's the answer you'll get, like if you expect people to have the "because I like it answer" you only see that one. But I think it could be true too that its a way that she expresses herself because she said she also uses it to show her moods. Which I have generally observed that she does.
Part B
I think I do sometimes is cooking. Cooking to me is interesting and so I assume other people will find it interesting too. I like the learning aspect of baking because you can always try out a new recipe and its like a little experiment. When I see the finished product I feel happy because its like "look I was able to do it". I feel like I accomplished something especially if it was a harder recipe. When I made popcorn with a kettle and kernels for the first time I felt that way. It wasn't hard but it was new and I kept burning it the first few times but when I was able to get it right I felt pretty good. I get to learn and develop a way to make it. That's exciting for me. I like being able to learn new things and try them out and baking lets me do that. That's why I find it worthwhile for me to do it. Its something I can share with people too. When I bake something that I'm proud of I want to share with my friends and have them try it out too.
I use to play the piano and I'm not an expert but I can play a few songs. I started because I saw a movie when I was younger and in the movie a character played the piano really well and that made me want to learn it because I wanted to be able to do that as well. I think that sometimes I do that to aggrandize myself because having a skill like being able to play an instrument is something people usually think of as cool. When I'm playing around other people I think I try harder not to make a mistake than when I'm playing alone. I think if they like how I play or think its good then I think I'm good. When I was younger and I first started, I kind of played to impress other people. They heard the song and they liked it so I kept on playing it. But the effect kind of wore off on me. When I play now, its usually because I'm in the mood to play even with other people are around. I'll try a little more to get it right if they around but when I don't, I don't mind too much either.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Thursday, December 17, 2009
HW 30- Psychological and Philosophical
Humans instinctively crave to be filled. They want to fill their stomachs rather than empty because that means hunger, like their stomach this is a hole that continually needs to be filled. This might be filled by a (constant) stream of love (don’t people feel empty when someone they love dies?), being needed, creating a sense of themselves, or a type of heroism. Some things fill the hole better and longer than others. The hole is like your stomach, you have to keep feeding it, because after it digests whatever you feed it, it’s “empty” again. But defining emptiness like this, it can be seen as a need, that we need to be met and when its not we’re looking for things that will meet it. Emptiness is then interpreted as a lacking.
Buddhism however believes that the emptiness and acceptance of emptiness is enlightenment. Emptiness is a key concept in Buddhist philosophy. Buddhists define emptiness as a state of mind. Once your mind is empty you can see the world clearer, better, and deeper. So in Buddhism, rather than seeking to be filled, Buddhists seek to empty out their minds so their mind has space to fill more things. Like drinking a cup of water, you need the cup to be empty to fill it with more water (Fu). Meditation is an important tool used in Buddhism to achieve this state of mind. In Buddhism, emptiness is defined as a state of being rather than nonbeing (nothingness).
This kind of emptiness is interpreted differently than the kind we have been talking about in class. That’s the problematic and magical nature of words; they often hold more than one meaning to the one saying it and to the one listening. The kind of emptiness we’ve been talking about in class is more emotional. It wasn’t clarity of mind, but a need that wanted and needed to be filled: for attention, for love, for someone to believe in you or look up to you. It really depends on what sense of emptiness we are talking about. In what sense is it used? In what sense does it mean? What sense do we hear it? What sense is it interpreted? The answers to these questions will be different if we are talking about different things.
Sigmund Freud believes the source for the sense of emptiness we have been discussing in class stems from separation from the mother at the womb and the trauma of being born. That the kind of attachment a child forms to their mother or caretaker is instinctual and being separated from them causes them to feel anxiety. What the child seeks afterwards is a sense of connection again. Anna Freud, his daughter and a psychoanalyst herself has some similar points. From her own observations, she found that although babies are completely dependent on a mother-figure, they did not seem to need a particular person to fulfill that function and quickly re-adjusted after separation. It is only when they are around 3 years old that the effect of separation was found to be particularly traumatic. They then externalize their grief from their separation and seek out to meet this need by finding substitute affections among peers when parents cannot give them this. Anna also observed that being buried under rubble was not as tramatic for children than a comparably brief separation from the mother. This reaction and feeling of emptiness is primal and biological, rather than learned, and it’s a instinctive need that people have to have a connection. Both Anna and Sigmund Freud argues that this feeling’s origin comes from the separation from the mother-figure.
Buddhism however believes that the emptiness and acceptance of emptiness is enlightenment. Emptiness is a key concept in Buddhist philosophy. Buddhists define emptiness as a state of mind. Once your mind is empty you can see the world clearer, better, and deeper. So in Buddhism, rather than seeking to be filled, Buddhists seek to empty out their minds so their mind has space to fill more things. Like drinking a cup of water, you need the cup to be empty to fill it with more water (Fu). Meditation is an important tool used in Buddhism to achieve this state of mind. In Buddhism, emptiness is defined as a state of being rather than nonbeing (nothingness).
This kind of emptiness is interpreted differently than the kind we have been talking about in class. That’s the problematic and magical nature of words; they often hold more than one meaning to the one saying it and to the one listening. The kind of emptiness we’ve been talking about in class is more emotional. It wasn’t clarity of mind, but a need that wanted and needed to be filled: for attention, for love, for someone to believe in you or look up to you. It really depends on what sense of emptiness we are talking about. In what sense is it used? In what sense does it mean? What sense do we hear it? What sense is it interpreted? The answers to these questions will be different if we are talking about different things.
Sigmund Freud believes the source for the sense of emptiness we have been discussing in class stems from separation from the mother at the womb and the trauma of being born. That the kind of attachment a child forms to their mother or caretaker is instinctual and being separated from them causes them to feel anxiety. What the child seeks afterwards is a sense of connection again. Anna Freud, his daughter and a psychoanalyst herself has some similar points. From her own observations, she found that although babies are completely dependent on a mother-figure, they did not seem to need a particular person to fulfill that function and quickly re-adjusted after separation. It is only when they are around 3 years old that the effect of separation was found to be particularly traumatic. They then externalize their grief from their separation and seek out to meet this need by finding substitute affections among peers when parents cannot give them this. Anna also observed that being buried under rubble was not as tramatic for children than a comparably brief separation from the mother. This reaction and feeling of emptiness is primal and biological, rather than learned, and it’s a instinctive need that people have to have a connection. Both Anna and Sigmund Freud argues that this feeling’s origin comes from the separation from the mother-figure.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
HW 29- Merchants of Cool
The way the media works and the way the media sells kids a product is not for the kid's best interest, its for theirs. To be truthful, everyone is very impressionable. Everyone is influencable. No matter what they say they are affected by what they see and the thing is; influence is power. It isn't used wisely in our culture. It is used carelessly to promote whatever product they can, usually in a way that is socially degrading and makes caricatures out of everyone. But what they do is effective. It's popular and its attention grabbing. People will still want to see it.
I think what the way the WB did these shows, was done in a more thought out way because it wasn't done in a way that degraded sex or sexuality instead what they did was acknowledge that this was a topic that was relevant for teens and they took it and said this is what happens, these are the consequences, good and bad. what MTV does is it shows sex as this one big party fest with no reprecussions and no strings attached. In a way all these ads have desensitized teens to seeing this.
Sex sells, and marketers will do whatever sells the fastest and attracts the most people. So what we have now is an oversexualized culture. Britney Spears type media, her audience was actually mainly preteen girls. The ones who are most impressionable and hardhit by this is this age group. "They are taught to flaunt their sexuality even though they don't even understand it yet". Should it have been done? No because it spreads the message that this is how kids/girls should be if they want attention. But coporations would have done it anyways despite the consquences because that is how marketing work. They find a point of interest and exploit it as best as they can to promote what they want.
I don't think kids are stupid though. They have just been shown one option of being and they attempt to reanact it at times but eventually they have to decide for themselves if that is really what they want to do and be. Sooner or later they get wise to all of this or they risk staying in this art mimicking life mimicking art loop.
I think what the way the WB did these shows, was done in a more thought out way because it wasn't done in a way that degraded sex or sexuality instead what they did was acknowledge that this was a topic that was relevant for teens and they took it and said this is what happens, these are the consequences, good and bad. what MTV does is it shows sex as this one big party fest with no reprecussions and no strings attached. In a way all these ads have desensitized teens to seeing this.
Sex sells, and marketers will do whatever sells the fastest and attracts the most people. So what we have now is an oversexualized culture. Britney Spears type media, her audience was actually mainly preteen girls. The ones who are most impressionable and hardhit by this is this age group. "They are taught to flaunt their sexuality even though they don't even understand it yet". Should it have been done? No because it spreads the message that this is how kids/girls should be if they want attention. But coporations would have done it anyways despite the consquences because that is how marketing work. They find a point of interest and exploit it as best as they can to promote what they want.
I don't think kids are stupid though. They have just been shown one option of being and they attempt to reanact it at times but eventually they have to decide for themselves if that is really what they want to do and be. Sooner or later they get wise to all of this or they risk staying in this art mimicking life mimicking art loop.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Hw 28- Informal Research
Blair aka juicystar07 "How to curl your hair: Celebrity Inspired" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kn0hFQCyL1I Youtube. 27 November 2009
On youtube there are "gurus" which are basically people who show you how to do certain things and give tutorials. Coolness is associated with fashion and style and celebrities have a little following where people want to do things that they see celebrities have done and try to emulate them. This clip shows you how to style your hair and is inspired by celebrities. On the sidebar are the list of the products so people watching can easily buy the products and recreate the look.
This youtube clip exemplifies that part of our culture where people want to get the "celebrity look". Clips like this have hordes of views (this one has almost half a million) and it goes to show how popular clips showing people how to get a certain look are. Having your own style is associated with being cool but people tend to follow popular trends as well, which is one of the paradoxal natures of being "cool". How can you be cool when most things people do are fairly homogenous? In the grander scheme of things, anything you do is fairly homogenous as there are 6 billion people on earth, doing something that hasn't been done before is relatively one of the harder aspirations of coolness for people.
TV show- Hannah Montana
Hannah Montana is a popular kids show on Disney Channel and ABC a bout a girl leading a double life of being a famous singer and a regular girl. She is especially popular with preteen girls. Younger girls emulate people like Hannah Montana by dressing like her because she is depicted as cool, kid. Cool connotes a bit of celebrity and they want that. Why do people aspire to be cool? Because when people think they're cool they feel valued versus being uncool. People notice them and admire them. As a star, Miley Cyrus has fame and because of that plot, Hannah Montana so appealing to the kids who watch it, because Hannah Montana is just a regular kid but she's a star. Kids want that too. They want to stand out while fitting in.
Shampo, Diana "How to be cool at any age." http://www.ehow.com/how_5688564_cool-age.html Ehow. December 7 2009
This is four tips on being cool and its basically how cool people act. They don't say they're cool, they're interested in other people. They don't "fly off the handle" in a bad situation, they don't use language that's not their own, like slang.
-Ted Gioa
Ted Gioia, the author of The Birth (and Death) of Cool argues that cool is dead, that blunt earnestness has made cool obsolete. He cites Pop culture as one area where he sees the fall of cool. He argues that on reality TV shows, like American Idol, uncool earnestness (Taylor Hicks) often triumphs over celebrity cool (Katherine McPhee). Cool is "uncool".
"There are always new styles and fashions," he says. "But now people are drawing them more from their own group of acquaintances rather than these corporately endorsed cool trends. It's a fundamental change."
That's interesting that having a "blunt earnestness" trumps being "cool" and that may be because when people see someone openly working hard on a goal they think its admirable. But for his second argument, that status brands are not as cool to have as it was a few years ago because its mainstream, that cool is dead it means something else is cool. That now, being anti-cool is cool.
-Steven Soderbergh, Made Ocean's Heist Movies
For Soderbergh, cool isn't what you buy, watch or listen to. It's what you do.
"Doing your own thing is always cool and always will be," Soderbergh says in an interview. "Even if whatever you're doing is no longer interesting to anybody, to continue to do it well is still cool. That's different from hip, and it's different from popular.
I find this true too, Soderbergh defines cool differently from Goia. People admire people who can do their own thing. For Soderbergh cool is like a "personal earnestness". If you do something you personally find interesting, that's important to you, than that's cool. In general "cool" is different for everyone. Its a very subjective and broad term and may not be the same for everyone. "Cool is where you find it and what you make of it." One person's cool can be another's square (Vognar).
On youtube there are "gurus" which are basically people who show you how to do certain things and give tutorials. Coolness is associated with fashion and style and celebrities have a little following where people want to do things that they see celebrities have done and try to emulate them. This clip shows you how to style your hair and is inspired by celebrities. On the sidebar are the list of the products so people watching can easily buy the products and recreate the look.
This youtube clip exemplifies that part of our culture where people want to get the "celebrity look". Clips like this have hordes of views (this one has almost half a million) and it goes to show how popular clips showing people how to get a certain look are. Having your own style is associated with being cool but people tend to follow popular trends as well, which is one of the paradoxal natures of being "cool". How can you be cool when most things people do are fairly homogenous? In the grander scheme of things, anything you do is fairly homogenous as there are 6 billion people on earth, doing something that hasn't been done before is relatively one of the harder aspirations of coolness for people.
TV show- Hannah Montana
Hannah Montana is a popular kids show on Disney Channel and ABC a bout a girl leading a double life of being a famous singer and a regular girl. She is especially popular with preteen girls. Younger girls emulate people like Hannah Montana by dressing like her because she is depicted as cool, kid. Cool connotes a bit of celebrity and they want that. Why do people aspire to be cool? Because when people think they're cool they feel valued versus being uncool. People notice them and admire them. As a star, Miley Cyrus has fame and because of that plot, Hannah Montana so appealing to the kids who watch it, because Hannah Montana is just a regular kid but she's a star. Kids want that too. They want to stand out while fitting in.
Shampo, Diana "How to be cool at any age." http://www.ehow.com/how_5688564_cool-age.html Ehow. December 7 2009
This is four tips on being cool and its basically how cool people act. They don't say they're cool, they're interested in other people. They don't "fly off the handle" in a bad situation, they don't use language that's not their own, like slang.
I think cool is a certain attitude. If you're corny and you use slang to be corny and you know it, then its okay. If you're earnest in being who you are and being who you are doesn't hurt anyone, then it doesn't matter whether its cool or not and that's cool right?I think the trying to keep yourself calm and not flying "off the handle" is a good tip. She uses an example of a ten year old trying to steal your purse. If you freak out at a little kid then nothing gets solved and it justs looks pretty bad because you didn't handle the situation well. I think by that age, if you're an adult and yelling at a little kid....that's not that great since there are other ways to go about it. I think showing interest in people other than yourself is a good tip is a good tip because you're more open to the world and you might learn a thing or two.
Vognar, Chris. "Plano Resident's book argues that the concept of cool is yesterday's news." http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/121309dngdcool.3ffff0d.html. The Dallas Morning News. December 7 2009-Ted Gioa
Ted Gioia, the author of The Birth (and Death) of Cool argues that cool is dead, that blunt earnestness has made cool obsolete. He cites Pop culture as one area where he sees the fall of cool. He argues that on reality TV shows, like American Idol, uncool earnestness (Taylor Hicks) often triumphs over celebrity cool (Katherine McPhee). Cool is "uncool".
"There are always new styles and fashions," he says. "But now people are drawing them more from their own group of acquaintances rather than these corporately endorsed cool trends. It's a fundamental change."
That's interesting that having a "blunt earnestness" trumps being "cool" and that may be because when people see someone openly working hard on a goal they think its admirable. But for his second argument, that status brands are not as cool to have as it was a few years ago because its mainstream, that cool is dead it means something else is cool. That now, being anti-cool is cool.
-Steven Soderbergh, Made Ocean's Heist Movies
For Soderbergh, cool isn't what you buy, watch or listen to. It's what you do.
"Doing your own thing is always cool and always will be," Soderbergh says in an interview. "Even if whatever you're doing is no longer interesting to anybody, to continue to do it well is still cool. That's different from hip, and it's different from popular.
I find this true too, Soderbergh defines cool differently from Goia. People admire people who can do their own thing. For Soderbergh cool is like a "personal earnestness". If you do something you personally find interesting, that's important to you, than that's cool. In general "cool" is different for everyone. Its a very subjective and broad term and may not be the same for everyone. "Cool is where you find it and what you make of it." One person's cool can be another's square (Vognar).
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Hw 27- Informal Interviews
Strangers:
The first person we interviewed was a man in his thirties holding a cup of coffee. He wore a med-length brown coat. Seemed in a hurry on 23rd and lex. Remy asks him "What makes a person cool?" He replies, "What does?" I tell him we're asking him that to see his pov. Then he says "Popularity."
"Do you think you're cool?"
"No, I'm too old to be cool" I don't think that's true, older people can be cool too.
The second person we interviewed was wearing darkwash jeans. Had a hoodie on and a cap, and plug earrings. Seemed to be in his twenties. "Do you think you're cool?" "No." I asked him if he thought other people thought he was cool and he said 'Oh yeah.' Which made me think he thought he was cool but didn't want to admit it. He told us he taught music and I asked what kind of instrument he taught he said "rock and roll guitar" and that he was in a band and traveled the world. I kind of thought he wanted to make himself seem more important because he mentioned his band and playing "rock and roll guitar". I thought that the part about his traveling seemed more interesting. Jia Min said. "That's cool." I think people are just narcissists by nature because people feel that they are important when they get notice, which is fine. Its apart of the human nature that is stronger in some than others but everyone has their moments.
The third person we asked was a girl who seemed to be a college student. Around 19-20 maybe older. She had a tan jacket on carrying a brown bag. She was fiddling with a table hook which was kind of interesting and Jia Min and Remy asked her about that. Remy asked what is cool. She said "Confidence. And age" and that personality was important but some people pretend and you don't always know if they are. One of asked who is cool and she said "Everybody can be cool" which I thought was interesting. She differentiated cool from popular which was different from what our first interviewee thought. "cool and popularity are different things. Like an unpopular person can be cool such as someone who draws and is really good at it and is passionate about it."When we asked her if she thought she was cool she said "I think I am really cool." then she laughed and said "No." I guess it seems pompous to people to just say they are cool and they don't want other people to think that.
I asked her why some people thought cool was important and she said "Because its idealize in the society, and its a positive thing that people want to think about. Since everybody wants to be cool. It also depends on our own interpretation."
Friends:
Jo- She's a girl from my after school program and it was an in person talk
What do you think is cool? A nice person. I don't know. (I think she's pretty nice)
Do you think you're cool? I don't know (People never use their own definition of cool when I ask them this...)
Do you think you're nice? I don't know
Reggie-I asked this in person. She seemed kind of apprehensive with the questions.
Do you think its important to be cool? I don't know
Do you think you are Cool? No
Why not? Because I don't.
Why? Because I don't. This conversation is getting nowhere.
(Agrees and wonders why she won't tell me a specific answer. Every one I asked for this question will without exception say they don't think they're cool. I think its because people think its uncool to say you think you're cool since it might seem like they are full of themselves.)
Can give you give me a specific reason? I don't know because there's a set system
What is cool in this set system? I don't know being beyond norm but maintaining a connection to the norm.
What is the norm? Something established by society but viewed as something right. I don't know. (Alot of people seemed to do that as well, add "I don't know" after making a statement. I guess this topic kind of makes some people more guarded)
Curly
I talked to my curly-haired friend online and they seems more comfortable with the topic.
Can i ask you some questions for my humanities class
What do you think makes a person "cool"?
Hmmm....I don't no any cool people ._. (I thought his answer was interesting because that was the first thing I thought when we began this unit. I didn't really think of anyone as cool, just as different kinds of people.)
who do you think is the coolest celebrity?
I don't think there r any cool celebrities cuz if i think they're cool than that makes me think I'm lesser then them and I don't think I am so I don't really think anyone is cool.
What makes a person uncool?
LYING (thinks this is the first time I heard someone said this, wonders if he is referring to being true to yourself and all that since that's technically lying to yourself if your not)
About what? Anything. Well little white lies are okay and lying to not hurt people as long as it ultimately hurts no one thats okay but other than that any lie sucks.
Is there anything else that makes a person uncool? Um ya being clumsy is okay, but clumsiness in excess that's not cool (thinks I can get pretty clumsy, wonders if bumping your head into multiple objects counts as excessive) and I don't mean just lying not being true to yourself is a better way of saying it.
mm..Do you think being cool is important to people? To other people yes. To me no.
why? well theres no being cool for me there's only being uncool and if your uncool then I don't like you by my means of uncool not other people's.
What about for other people? Why is it important to them? Other people's view I don't care and its important to them for social ranking.
Family: Is talking to my cousin over the phone, who happens to be at a very noisy club...(surprisingly) but is nice enough to find a quiet spot(s) to answer my questions. There are many what?? moments that I didn't include in the transcript. They are in college.
Hi. Are you busy?
No. Its kind of noisy though.
Can I ask you some questions for school?
Sure.
What is cool? Is this my personal opinion or what society says?
You can do both.
You have a weird school. I personally find libraries to be very cool. Yes I like libraries and computers too.
What about people-wise?
A person I find Cool?
Yeah.
I find. Damnit. Who do I find cool? Tom Delay.
Why do you find him cool? Because he was an asshole.
You like assholes? Because he bullied people I don't like.
Who is that? Democrats (He used to be a Democrat by the way. Now he considers himself a Republican with Democratic values)
Hey!!
I'll make an exception for you since you're my little cousin.
Alright. *he is deaf*
What do I think is cool? Extremist people who don't go along with what everyone thinks because that's what they're told.
Do you think being cool is important? No.
In what way? No its not important to be cool, its very important to rich and then you will be cool.
What qualities do you find to be cool? There are alot. Intelligence is very important and Wealth.
Why do you think being cool matters in our society? It doesn't. Because people are dumb. When you are older you will realize that cool isn't the most important thing. *thinks briefly that he's is being slightly patronizing *
I know that already. Do you think you are cool? Yes, because I have money.
What are difficulties of being cool? The difficulties are obtaining enough money.
I feel like you think cool is synonymous with wealth. It is. If you have wealth you can buy anything.
Laughs. That's not true.
If you were in a store with someone and they bought you everything wouldn't you think they were cool?
No I'd think they're a piggy-bank and are trying to buy me with money.
If it was as a gift.
A gift? noo...still... *thinks that is alot of gifts for someone to have..*
What do gifts require?
Compensation? (was thinking in terms that you have to give something in return like reciprocating with another gift)
My little cousin has grown up so fast.
-laughs-
*background friends are in the subway*
Oh do you have to go now?
Yeah. I'm in the subway. Ask me any last questions.
So far, most people when I ask them if they're cool, all the people I asked said no and you're the only one to say yes. Why do you think that is? Those people are losers. Because they are losers and they know it.
My cousin's pretty funny. I think he is cool because he's not typical in his comments, he is in other ways. Even though he said that cool means wealth, he wasn't really being stuck up, he likes making extremist statements. I think he does mean it though, at least partly.
The first person we interviewed was a man in his thirties holding a cup of coffee. He wore a med-length brown coat. Seemed in a hurry on 23rd and lex. Remy asks him "What makes a person cool?" He replies, "What does?" I tell him we're asking him that to see his pov. Then he says "Popularity."
"Do you think you're cool?"
"No, I'm too old to be cool" I don't think that's true, older people can be cool too.
The second person we interviewed was wearing darkwash jeans. Had a hoodie on and a cap, and plug earrings. Seemed to be in his twenties. "Do you think you're cool?" "No." I asked him if he thought other people thought he was cool and he said 'Oh yeah.' Which made me think he thought he was cool but didn't want to admit it. He told us he taught music and I asked what kind of instrument he taught he said "rock and roll guitar" and that he was in a band and traveled the world. I kind of thought he wanted to make himself seem more important because he mentioned his band and playing "rock and roll guitar". I thought that the part about his traveling seemed more interesting. Jia Min said. "That's cool." I think people are just narcissists by nature because people feel that they are important when they get notice, which is fine. Its apart of the human nature that is stronger in some than others but everyone has their moments.
The third person we asked was a girl who seemed to be a college student. Around 19-20 maybe older. She had a tan jacket on carrying a brown bag. She was fiddling with a table hook which was kind of interesting and Jia Min and Remy asked her about that. Remy asked what is cool. She said "Confidence. And age" and that personality was important but some people pretend and you don't always know if they are. One of asked who is cool and she said "Everybody can be cool" which I thought was interesting. She differentiated cool from popular which was different from what our first interviewee thought. "cool and popularity are different things. Like an unpopular person can be cool such as someone who draws and is really good at it and is passionate about it."When we asked her if she thought she was cool she said "I think I am really cool." then she laughed and said "No." I guess it seems pompous to people to just say they are cool and they don't want other people to think that.
I asked her why some people thought cool was important and she said "Because its idealize in the society, and its a positive thing that people want to think about. Since everybody wants to be cool. It also depends on our own interpretation."
Friends:
Jo- She's a girl from my after school program and it was an in person talk
What do you think is cool? A nice person. I don't know. (I think she's pretty nice)
Do you think you're cool? I don't know (People never use their own definition of cool when I ask them this...)
Do you think you're nice? I don't know
Reggie-I asked this in person. She seemed kind of apprehensive with the questions.
Do you think its important to be cool? I don't know
Do you think you are Cool? No
Why not? Because I don't.
Why? Because I don't. This conversation is getting nowhere.
(Agrees and wonders why she won't tell me a specific answer. Every one I asked for this question will without exception say they don't think they're cool. I think its because people think its uncool to say you think you're cool since it might seem like they are full of themselves.)
Can give you give me a specific reason? I don't know because there's a set system
What is cool in this set system? I don't know being beyond norm but maintaining a connection to the norm.
What is the norm? Something established by society but viewed as something right. I don't know. (Alot of people seemed to do that as well, add "I don't know" after making a statement. I guess this topic kind of makes some people more guarded)
Curly
I talked to my curly-haired friend online and they seems more comfortable with the topic.
Can i ask you some questions for my humanities class
What do you think makes a person "cool"?
Hmmm....I don't no any cool people ._. (I thought his answer was interesting because that was the first thing I thought when we began this unit. I didn't really think of anyone as cool, just as different kinds of people.)
who do you think is the coolest celebrity?
I don't think there r any cool celebrities cuz if i think they're cool than that makes me think I'm lesser then them and I don't think I am so I don't really think anyone is cool.
What makes a person uncool?
LYING (thinks this is the first time I heard someone said this, wonders if he is referring to being true to yourself and all that since that's technically lying to yourself if your not)
About what? Anything. Well little white lies are okay and lying to not hurt people as long as it ultimately hurts no one thats okay but other than that any lie sucks.
Is there anything else that makes a person uncool? Um ya being clumsy is okay, but clumsiness in excess that's not cool (thinks I can get pretty clumsy, wonders if bumping your head into multiple objects counts as excessive) and I don't mean just lying not being true to yourself is a better way of saying it.
mm..Do you think being cool is important to people? To other people yes. To me no.
why? well theres no being cool for me there's only being uncool and if your uncool then I don't like you by my means of uncool not other people's.
What about for other people? Why is it important to them? Other people's view I don't care and its important to them for social ranking.
Family: Is talking to my cousin over the phone, who happens to be at a very noisy club...(surprisingly) but is nice enough to find a quiet spot(s) to answer my questions. There are many what?? moments that I didn't include in the transcript. They are in college.
Hi. Are you busy?
No. Its kind of noisy though.
Can I ask you some questions for school?
Sure.
What is cool? Is this my personal opinion or what society says?
You can do both.
You have a weird school. I personally find libraries to be very cool. Yes I like libraries and computers too.
What about people-wise?
A person I find Cool?
Yeah.
I find. Damnit. Who do I find cool? Tom Delay.
Why do you find him cool? Because he was an asshole.
You like assholes? Because he bullied people I don't like.
Who is that? Democrats (He used to be a Democrat by the way. Now he considers himself a Republican with Democratic values)
Hey!!
I'll make an exception for you since you're my little cousin.
Alright. *he is deaf*
What do I think is cool? Extremist people who don't go along with what everyone thinks because that's what they're told.
Do you think being cool is important? No.
In what way? No its not important to be cool, its very important to rich and then you will be cool.
What qualities do you find to be cool? There are alot. Intelligence is very important and Wealth.
Why do you think being cool matters in our society? It doesn't. Because people are dumb. When you are older you will realize that cool isn't the most important thing. *thinks briefly that he's is being slightly patronizing *
I know that already. Do you think you are cool? Yes, because I have money.
What are difficulties of being cool? The difficulties are obtaining enough money.
I feel like you think cool is synonymous with wealth. It is. If you have wealth you can buy anything.
Laughs. That's not true.
If you were in a store with someone and they bought you everything wouldn't you think they were cool?
No I'd think they're a piggy-bank and are trying to buy me with money.
If it was as a gift.
A gift? noo...still... *thinks that is alot of gifts for someone to have..*
What do gifts require?
Compensation? (was thinking in terms that you have to give something in return like reciprocating with another gift)
My little cousin has grown up so fast.
-laughs-
*background friends are in the subway*
Oh do you have to go now?
Yeah. I'm in the subway. Ask me any last questions.
So far, most people when I ask them if they're cool, all the people I asked said no and you're the only one to say yes. Why do you think that is? Those people are losers. Because they are losers and they know it.
My cousin's pretty funny. I think he is cool because he's not typical in his comments, he is in other ways. Even though he said that cool means wealth, he wasn't really being stuck up, he likes making extremist statements. I think he does mean it though, at least partly.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Interviews- HW 26
Kate 
What do you think is of a cool person? Someone who doesn't conform or care what other people think and such.
What makes you think a person is uncool? Bossy mean snotty people that look down on you.
Do you think you're cool? Not really, I'd like to think so, but I don't think I am.
Can you tell a person is conforming? Yeah, you can see how much they put themselves out there.
Do you think cool matters? No. Well. I can say no, but in reality everyone's trying to be cool and get attention.
Remy
Do you think cool matters? I think cool matters in terms of social stuff more and I think cool matters to me in terms of interesting stuff more.
Where do you think we get our idea of cool from? From society, but we sometimes build based on that on our preferences. We can also be influenced by our friends more than just what society tells us.
Who are people you think are cool? Damien Danziger is cool and I think Iron man is cool, Tony Stark.
What qualities that make them cool? Those people are cool because they're badass. They are...pretty much everyone Robert Downey Junior plays is badass actually. They just..I don't know..have certain badass qualities going on. The whole liquor and women thing..I mean i don't think the whole liquor and women thing is cool, I think the fact that they can get away with it is cool.
Jia Min
(Pic: N/A. She doesn't want to post her picture and thinks that is cool :))
Who are people who you think are cool? No one. --and Everyone! No one and everyone.
Why? I think because everybody has their own thing. I don't know what thing but that-that lets others notice about them, doesn't mean everybody will notice, that person. Sooo what I mean, umm that no one is cool is because we all notice different things through our eyes.
What do you notice? I notice that everybody has their own reasons to become cool or not.
Do you think cool is important? No, I think cool is not important because I say cool to people alot of times because of how their personality reveals to me.
Rachel
What kind of people do you think are cool? I think they're people who don't try to conform and they're just who they are. They have their own style. They don't care what people think.
Do you know any people like that? Kate or Carrie.
What makes you uncool? When you try to follow what everyone else says, you're not really being yourself.
Do you think being cool is important? Yeah.
Why? I guess its kind of like a status, a social status.
Na Lin
Who are people you think are cool? I think my cousin's really cool. She always thinking different things, she has her own style is pretty cool, she makes her own clothes. I think the character that my sister made is cool. She's really smart a young age, a prodigy, people will deny that now, skipping grades. I think its cool to graduate older grades at a young age. She's always carrying a laptop around even though she's a midget.
What are some cool qualities you think you might have? I don't think I have any. I just don't like that category all to myself.
What are some qualities that you have that people might admire?
Whatever quality I say someone will find a weakness in it. Some people say kindness is a weakness, but I think it can be a strength.
What do you think is of a cool person? Someone who doesn't conform or care what other people think and such.
What makes you think a person is uncool? Bossy mean snotty people that look down on you.
Do you think you're cool? Not really, I'd like to think so, but I don't think I am.
Can you tell a person is conforming? Yeah, you can see how much they put themselves out there.
Do you think cool matters? No. Well. I can say no, but in reality everyone's trying to be cool and get attention.
Remy
Do you think cool matters? I think cool matters in terms of social stuff more and I think cool matters to me in terms of interesting stuff more.
Where do you think we get our idea of cool from? From society, but we sometimes build based on that on our preferences. We can also be influenced by our friends more than just what society tells us.
Who are people you think are cool? Damien Danziger is cool and I think Iron man is cool, Tony Stark.
What qualities that make them cool? Those people are cool because they're badass. They are...pretty much everyone Robert Downey Junior plays is badass actually. They just..I don't know..have certain badass qualities going on. The whole liquor and women thing..I mean i don't think the whole liquor and women thing is cool, I think the fact that they can get away with it is cool.
Jia Min
(Pic: N/A. She doesn't want to post her picture and thinks that is cool :))
Who are people who you think are cool? No one. --and Everyone! No one and everyone.
Why? I think because everybody has their own thing. I don't know what thing but that-that lets others notice about them, doesn't mean everybody will notice, that person. Sooo what I mean, umm that no one is cool is because we all notice different things through our eyes.
What do you notice? I notice that everybody has their own reasons to become cool or not.
Do you think cool is important? No, I think cool is not important because I say cool to people alot of times because of how their personality reveals to me.
Rachel
What kind of people do you think are cool? I think they're people who don't try to conform and they're just who they are. They have their own style. They don't care what people think.
Do you know any people like that? Kate or Carrie.
What makes you uncool? When you try to follow what everyone else says, you're not really being yourself.
Do you think being cool is important? Yeah.
Why? I guess its kind of like a status, a social status.
Na Lin
Who are people you think are cool? I think my cousin's really cool. She always thinking different things, she has her own style is pretty cool, she makes her own clothes. I think the character that my sister made is cool. She's really smart a young age, a prodigy, people will deny that now, skipping grades. I think its cool to graduate older grades at a young age. She's always carrying a laptop around even though she's a midget.
What are some cool qualities you think you might have? I don't think I have any. I just don't like that category all to myself.
What are some qualities that you have that people might admire?
Whatever quality I say someone will find a weakness in it. Some people say kindness is a weakness, but I think it can be a strength.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Imagine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2erwcpc37lY&feature=related
glee cover of imagine-john lennon
a scene from glee when the when the two glee clubs were singing together.
imagine there's no heaven
even if you try
no hell below us
above us only sky
imagine all the people
living life for today
imagine there's no countries
its not hard to do
nothing to kill or die for
and no religion too
imagine all the people
living life in peace
you may say i'm a dreamer
but i'm not the only one
i hope someday you will join us
and the world will be as one
imagine no possessions
i wonder if you can
no need for greed or hunger
a brotherhood of man
imagine all the people
sharing all the world
you, you may say i'm a dreamer
but i'm not the only one
i hope someday you will join us
and the world will live as one
glee cover of imagine-john lennon
a scene from glee when the when the two glee clubs were singing together.
imagine there's no heaven
even if you try
no hell below us
above us only sky
imagine all the people
living life for today
imagine there's no countries
its not hard to do
nothing to kill or die for
and no religion too
imagine all the people
living life in peace
you may say i'm a dreamer
but i'm not the only one
i hope someday you will join us
and the world will be as one
imagine no possessions
i wonder if you can
no need for greed or hunger
a brotherhood of man
imagine all the people
sharing all the world
you, you may say i'm a dreamer
but i'm not the only one
i hope someday you will join us
and the world will live as one
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
HW 25- Story comments
Rachel
Rachel, I liked the way you used another character to depict the new girl. She seems aloof and she's cool to other people because they don't know much about her and want to know more. She has a nonchalant attitude because doesn't try to impress people which is what the character is so impressed with. She also has physical attributes and a style people admire.
Rachel, I liked the way you used another character to depict the new girl. She seems aloof and she's cool to other people because they don't know much about her and want to know more. She has a nonchalant attitude because doesn't try to impress people which is what the character is so impressed with. She also has physical attributes and a style people admire.
Jia Min,
When I read the story I can hear your voice in my head reading it lol. I liked how the girl gave advice to the little boy. The way she helped him is cool because she doesn't just save him she tries to get him to become stronger too. How she helped him is cool and she is admired for those qualities, plus she is very talented in archery.
Bao Lin
“Hey, I know. But seriously fishing doesn’t mean it is not cool. It is one of DJ Becareful’s favorite activities.”
“Oh! Cool. I still have to shoot a few more photos. See you and have a good one.”
I thought it was an interesting point that when a cool person does something, that activity is cool by association, even if it usually isn't. The twist at the end is interesting. Parkho is the cool character at the beginning because he's just doing what he likes, by taking pictures and kind of appreciating everything but he thinks Eddie is a loser for being the class clown. When it turns out the anonymous blog that he admires is Eddie he seems less cool because he was looking down on him. So in the end, it shows that people you think may not be cool may be cooler than you.
Dinorah
Damn it... I really should've said no...
I think this is so interesting how everything snowballs like this for the main character. The ending is like he knew he shouldn't have done it but he does it anyways because he wants to be cool, but he's not really cool because he's going along with what everyone else says and not what he really wants. The way you show that from the "times", "first time", "second time", is like we're really following along with what's happening. I wonder if there will ever be a "last" time.
Lauren
Lauren, I liked how concise this story is. The new girl seems to be cool because she doesn't let Regina phase her and we kind of know from your character's reaction that she is cool, when she considers talking to her tommorow.
I think the pattern I see is that the characters who were cool, don't really let things phase them and they have their own pace. With Lauren's, Jia Min's and Rachel's story their character's don't get ruffled by what happens. Lauren's character isn't afraid of Regina, Jia Min's character doesn't get scared of the bullies, and Rachel's character is kind of like the mysterious loner and doesn't get phased by girls who are jealous of her. The uncool characters in these stories are usually the people judging other people or trying to put someone down. Like the girls who are jealous of the new girl. Or how Parkho thought Eddie was a loser for being the classclown. Or the bullies in Jia Min and Lauren's story.
What makes the characters in the stories cool is that they accept who they are and other people as who they are and also having their own pace. Alot of times people's opinions factor alot into the way other people views someone and themselves. If everyone thinks a person is cool then that's what they become.
Alot of archetypes appear in these stories: the loner, the bully, the athelete/jock, the hero, popular girl, etc. They're all someone's personal idea of what is cool/uncool. In stories, when the main character or someone else is deems someone cool, the reader usually thinks so too, because they see it through the character's eyes. What the character does will fit in with some aspect of what cool means to them. That's somewhat similar to how we see people. I don't think its as one dimensional, (sometimes its two or three...), but in the stories we take in the actions of the characters as evidence of their coolness because that's how the writer wants them to be seen, and sometimes people do that to other people because that's how they want to see them. They make archetypes of each other. But sooner or later everyone realizes they don't fits perfectly into the set role and will eventually come to see them as just people. They aren't the nerd, the savior, or the villan, they're just people.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Possibilities-(Corny) Short story on what is cool
(Sorry, sorrym sorry! I thought I posted it...but I posted it on the blog we had last year. Stupid, I know. I apologize for the overwhelming corniness of this story you are about to read...)
Remember when we were kids? When we thought we could be anything in the world? When we thought anything was possible?
"I want you to paint a mural, something that unifies us as a school." Said Principal Harding.
Jen stared at the yellow lines, orange strokes, and blue gradients. There was a light pinkish tinged of purple colors on the sides. In tiny meticulous strokes, Jen had written the words "Possibility" over and over a thousand times to create a large sunrise over an endless sky. Her hands and overalls were covered in blue and purple from the recent additions to the mural. She hummed to the music of her headphones as she painted in the hallway. She had been working on it for two months and it was almost done.
When we believed that we could do anything in the world?What happened to that?
"Do I have to say something?...Isn't the artist supposed to let the art speak for itself?" she asked. Her best friend, Jack, laughed. "Yeah, well when the school board let you paint something in the hallway of a public school; I think they expect a little public ceremony in return."
"Is it terrible of me if I confess I'm scared out of my wits just thinking about it?"
"Of course you're scared. You poured your heart and soul into that thing. Who wouldn't be?"
"Its just there. You know, for the world to see. To judge." She put her hands to her face. "Crap, and that feels so scary. It makes me feel vulnerable."
"You know what; I think it’s brave what you're doing."
"What exactly is that?"
"This." He waved his arm at the painting. "Look, Jen. All you can do is do what you like and care about it. You can't really control public opinion. But, being able to create something like this; it’s beautiful. Even attempting it is admirable in its own right and if other people can't see that, it’s their loss."
"Thanks. I feel better now."
"I'm just telling you what I think."
“Well, thanks for doing that.”
She stood in front of the crowd of students, before the unveiling. The mural was covered behind a dark blue cloth taped securely to the wall.“And now, the last of our Beacon High murals. I'd like to ask Jen Parker to step up, and share with us a few words about her creation.”
"Well, Principal Harding asked us to paint something that unified us and when you think about it, nothing really unifies us. I mean we’re all off doing our own thing most of the time. So the only thing that I could think of that unites us all, that we all have in common is...that we all start off in kindergarten thinking that we can be anything that we want to be, and by the time we get here, we… we've somehow lost that feeling. We've all started to believe whatever our parents or friends have told us about what we can achieve and who we can be in life, and... and we've forgotten about that possibility we had when we were younger. And that's what I think we all have in common, and that's what the symbol in my painting means - possibility. I painted it because I thought we could all use a daily reminder that, even when the odds seem stacked against you, anything's possible. So I hope you like it."
Applause.
She lifted the tape, and the covers fell, revealing the mural. The light shone in from a window onto the sunrise made of the words "possibility" and the mural gleamed from the wall as if it had its own light. The effect was one of those striking moments. The students clapped loudly when they saw. Jen smiled when she saw Jack. He was clapping with them and smiled back.
Anything is possible..
"You know what Jack? I think you're the coolest person I know."
"Huh, you must not get out much Parker."She laughed.
"You're the coolest one and you don't even know it. All this was able to happen because of you."
"As much as I'd like to take credit for this, it was all you Jen. You drew the mural."
"That’s just it Jack. That’s what you always do. You inspired me in a way that you inspire everybody. You're the quiet hero. The one who always steps in at the right time, lending your efforts, never asking for a reward in return. Like with the mural, I didn’t think that it’d turn out this good but it did and it makes me feel like anything is possible. That’s what makes you so cool too. You don’t do all that to get something in return; you just do it because you do.”She took a deep breath.“Basically, I just wanted to say thanks-- for being there for me.”
He laughed. “Anytime Jen, you would do the same for me anyways.”
"In a heartbeat.”
Possibilities.
The end.(Some of the things/ideas said in that paragraph is said by Joey Potter, a character from a TV alongside with some of my own thoughts) Ahh…I feel the story's message is somewhat corny... So I’ll admit parts of it are highly idealized. These are some of my ideas of what “cool” is. I think it’s cool if you are able to comfort your friend. I wish I always knew what to say or do, but I don’t, so when I do and when I’m able to, I’m pretty happy to be able to make someone feel better. I think it’s cool to be a good friend. I think it’s cool to support the people you care about. I think that’s what people need from each other, support, because in this world we can always find critique, but support is harder to find. I think….showing you care, even in simple ways is cool.
Remember when we were kids? When we thought we could be anything in the world? When we thought anything was possible?
"I want you to paint a mural, something that unifies us as a school." Said Principal Harding.
Jen stared at the yellow lines, orange strokes, and blue gradients. There was a light pinkish tinged of purple colors on the sides. In tiny meticulous strokes, Jen had written the words "Possibility" over and over a thousand times to create a large sunrise over an endless sky. Her hands and overalls were covered in blue and purple from the recent additions to the mural. She hummed to the music of her headphones as she painted in the hallway. She had been working on it for two months and it was almost done.
When we believed that we could do anything in the world?What happened to that?
"Do I have to say something?...Isn't the artist supposed to let the art speak for itself?" she asked. Her best friend, Jack, laughed. "Yeah, well when the school board let you paint something in the hallway of a public school; I think they expect a little public ceremony in return."
"Is it terrible of me if I confess I'm scared out of my wits just thinking about it?"
"Of course you're scared. You poured your heart and soul into that thing. Who wouldn't be?"
"Its just there. You know, for the world to see. To judge." She put her hands to her face. "Crap, and that feels so scary. It makes me feel vulnerable."
"You know what; I think it’s brave what you're doing."
"What exactly is that?"
"This." He waved his arm at the painting. "Look, Jen. All you can do is do what you like and care about it. You can't really control public opinion. But, being able to create something like this; it’s beautiful. Even attempting it is admirable in its own right and if other people can't see that, it’s their loss."
"Thanks. I feel better now."
"I'm just telling you what I think."
“Well, thanks for doing that.”
She stood in front of the crowd of students, before the unveiling. The mural was covered behind a dark blue cloth taped securely to the wall.“And now, the last of our Beacon High murals. I'd like to ask Jen Parker to step up, and share with us a few words about her creation.”
"Well, Principal Harding asked us to paint something that unified us and when you think about it, nothing really unifies us. I mean we’re all off doing our own thing most of the time. So the only thing that I could think of that unites us all, that we all have in common is...that we all start off in kindergarten thinking that we can be anything that we want to be, and by the time we get here, we… we've somehow lost that feeling. We've all started to believe whatever our parents or friends have told us about what we can achieve and who we can be in life, and... and we've forgotten about that possibility we had when we were younger. And that's what I think we all have in common, and that's what the symbol in my painting means - possibility. I painted it because I thought we could all use a daily reminder that, even when the odds seem stacked against you, anything's possible. So I hope you like it."
Applause.
She lifted the tape, and the covers fell, revealing the mural. The light shone in from a window onto the sunrise made of the words "possibility" and the mural gleamed from the wall as if it had its own light. The effect was one of those striking moments. The students clapped loudly when they saw. Jen smiled when she saw Jack. He was clapping with them and smiled back.
Anything is possible..
"You know what Jack? I think you're the coolest person I know."
"Huh, you must not get out much Parker."She laughed.
"You're the coolest one and you don't even know it. All this was able to happen because of you."
"As much as I'd like to take credit for this, it was all you Jen. You drew the mural."
"That’s just it Jack. That’s what you always do. You inspired me in a way that you inspire everybody. You're the quiet hero. The one who always steps in at the right time, lending your efforts, never asking for a reward in return. Like with the mural, I didn’t think that it’d turn out this good but it did and it makes me feel like anything is possible. That’s what makes you so cool too. You don’t do all that to get something in return; you just do it because you do.”She took a deep breath.“Basically, I just wanted to say thanks-- for being there for me.”
He laughed. “Anytime Jen, you would do the same for me anyways.”
"In a heartbeat.”
Possibilities.
The end.(Some of the things/ideas said in that paragraph is said by Joey Potter, a character from a TV alongside with some of my own thoughts) Ahh…I feel the story's message is somewhat corny... So I’ll admit parts of it are highly idealized. These are some of my ideas of what “cool” is. I think it’s cool if you are able to comfort your friend. I wish I always knew what to say or do, but I don’t, so when I do and when I’m able to, I’m pretty happy to be able to make someone feel better. I think it’s cool to be a good friend. I think it’s cool to support the people you care about. I think that’s what people need from each other, support, because in this world we can always find critique, but support is harder to find. I think….showing you care, even in simple ways is cool.
Monday, November 16, 2009
HW 23- What is "Cool"?
Cool is a very elusive word. Companies want to bottle it and kids want to be it. Many things evoke cool, the cigarette-smoking-leather-jacket-wearing-motorcycle-riding-rebel is one image that comes to mind and the other is the "popular kids" which in movies are the "cool kids", most likely a cheerleader or the high school quarterback. All of these are such caricatures of the word that it is almost laughable. True, though, here, that type of cool or even people who would be outrightly considered the "popular" kid isn't that prevalent; it almost makes me wonder where the movies get that from. Perhaps a time when that was more common, or maybe it is common in the suburban high schools they're set in (just a guess since I don't know firsthand). Nevertheless, cool is something kids wanted to be, when it was actually cool to be cool.We use that word alot. So what isn't cool? Its not cool to try too hard. Its not cool to try to be cool, it contradicts with the meaning and its obvious, and thus you are labeled "wannabe". To be honest, the kids I have met, don't really seem to aspire to that in the "lets be popular" way. That's just not how our social structure is like here. I think its defined more subtly than the glaringly obvious way books or television series depicts. When we think someone is cool, that feeling stems from a place of admiration and respect. Its not always pure, sometimes its a feeling tinged by jealousy. But basically, we admire something about someone and we think that is cool.
There are the cool instances, when someone does something that we think is cool, whether that
is playing well in a sport or standing up for themselves, it comes from their actions in a circumstance and we associate that feeling with them. Then there are the generally cool people, who have a type of personality we think is appealing. These personality types can range from the bold do-first-think-later to the calm with emotions-in-check type. Sometimes in these instances we admire them and think they're cool because they have a quality we think we lack and we try to emulate them. I think that's pretty common, when we admire someone we try to emulate them. It doesn't always work because sometimes it will clash with our own personality, but that just shows you shouldn't totally copy, you can copy a little bit, but more create yourself, you have to make it your way.
is playing well in a sport or standing up for themselves, it comes from their actions in a circumstance and we associate that feeling with them. Then there are the generally cool people, who have a type of personality we think is appealing. These personality types can range from the bold do-first-think-later to the calm with emotions-in-check type. Sometimes in these instances we admire them and think they're cool because they have a quality we think we lack and we try to emulate them. I think that's pretty common, when we admire someone we try to emulate them. It doesn't always work because sometimes it will clash with our own personality, but that just shows you shouldn't totally copy, you can copy a little bit, but more create yourself, you have to make it your way.Jackie Chan said something like that. (He is cool and wise!) I think he's cool because he's got a good philosophy and I admire the way he approaches things. He puts effort into his work and makes sure it is done well. He has a good work ethic. He has a sense of humour and values authenticity and will act even if he's afraid. Like instead of doing CGI, he actually set a building on fire and just started running once it started falling down. I admire that he can do something (his stunts) and do it well. Those qualities make him cool to me. People like that, I think are cool. People who aren't afraid of being authentic, and the things they are afraid of, won't let it hold them back. Those are traits I think are cool. His stunts are all real too, which is hard to grasp when I see him jumping off the roof of a ten story building onto the rope of a helicopter.
I don't think of myself as cool. I probably wouldn't be the first thing that comes to mind when people are thinking of cool either. I don't seem to fit into the that prototype. I'm too dorky and gluttonous for that. But that's fine. I think I'm just me and I'm "cool" with that.
Look I just used a pun!... which is exactly why...
(I infringe upon you one more Jackie Chan pic...I just finished watching a documentary on his stunts...and I can't delete the pic...No really. I can't delete it.)
Sunday, November 15, 2009
HW 21- Art Project 1
I think my art is a mirror. I wrote the quote because we're living in a world where everything has been digitalized and its sometimes easy to forget ourselves and that we're not digital beings and the technology we have been using ends up using us. We stay up late because we have alot ot work on, like technologyThat along with the media and all the messages sent with it gives us all of these roles that we are expected to fulfill. Like from the television we get that we should be young and pretty and that we should be outgoing. I think with western culture's media in particular values the trait of outgoingness. So if you are not naturally outgoing you should make yourself outgoing. So I guess with all these things we're supposed to be, its easy to forget who we are when all the time we're following all these inlaid rules. Even though there are two people in the picture, the "us" in the quote is all of us. The message is to find a place for us on our own terms, not ones laid out for us by other people or things. So I think its a mirror because it reflects that, the way we're all trying to sort through this technology and our way of life and find a place that we belong.
I think the most interesting aspect of making this is what I was thinking of while making it. It was Gestalt's Prayer, and even though its a prayer its not religious but it has that aspect of being like one in that its projects something we want out into the world.
It goes like this;
"I do my thing and you do your thing.
I am not in this world to live up to your expectations
and you are not in this world to live up to mine.
You are you and I am I.
And if by chance we find each other, then that is beautiful.
And if not, then it can't be helped."
I liked this because sometimes we're always trying to measure up to someone else. Someone who we think is great. But we are great in our own right and so the "You are you and I am I" makes sense to me because we aren't them, we are who we are and that is beautiful. So when I drew the drawing I thought doing your own thing and finding your own way of life, that too, is beautiful.
I think that probably counts as what doing this project made me feel and think. Other interesting tidbits, or maybe not so interesting tidbits, is all the changes this picture went through. I fixed this picture up, or at least tried to, alot of times. When it started out it was just going to be two people behind a text of letters, and then I changed it to two people in some place that was natural and simple and not so complicated, then I cut it out and drew in a background and a quote I wanted it to say. Then I scanned it and rescanned because I didn't like how it came out so I added some more things in. The scanner made the picture lose some of its color so its not exactly how it looks in real life but its similar. I tried photoshop because I thought the colors would be better that way but I didn't have the first clue about it and it took me a while for that to finally get that through my head, so I stuck to color pencils afterwards. Then I decided to color in the quote yellow so it'd stand out. It was a really long process for such a simple drawing. But I liked it so I didn't mind as much I guess. I think I just went on about the troubleshooting. That's behind the scenes for you. Well, I always think its kind of interesting to find out about that stuff. On dvds I always watch the behind the scenes and producer commentary if they have it. So I thought maybe this would be something interesting to include...I don't know if people will agree or not, but here it is anyways.
~End~
Saturday, November 14, 2009
300,000 birds
Its a bird! It's a cloud! Its a bird cloud
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81wFZavdhPU&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81wFZavdhPU&feature=related
Monday, November 9, 2009
Hw 14- Everything Bad is Good For You
In "Everything Bad is Good For You", Steven Johnson talks about different aspects in technology that makes everyone smarter. He does this through analyzing things like tv and video games and the postive effects it may have on us.
In the chapter on video games, Steven Johnson talks about how it is not the content of the games that makes us smarter but the thought processes that the player goes through when playing the game. It teaches the player to analyze all the possibilites, make snap decisions, and strategize. Johnson calls this probing and scoping. Probing, exploring the game and find its limitations and using that and scoping, focusing on immediate problems while still maintaining a long term view. He argues this type of mental thought process can be applied in real life situations. Video games are designed to spike our dopaimine levels so we enjoy playing it and we learn these ways of thinking unintentionally as a result. He calls this the sleeper curve.
On Televison, Johnson says that it engages our brain in different things as well. It is more passive but He argues that since its invention, television shows have become more complex. Previously, things were spelled out for the viewer but it has come to a point where shows intentionally obscures so the viewers will infer for themselves. It makes viewers keep track of complex relationships which will engage the long term memory. But watching televsion has secondary affect. Watching actors go through a series of emotions, we learn to pick up emotional cues from their faces. In that way it would raise our emotional intelligence.
I thought the video games argument was interesting. Games are not much different from puzzles, you need to solve something. Instead of seeing what edge fits you encounter changing situations and have to make to make the "piece" was the right choice in order to go on to the next level. If puzzles are supposedly good for us, then video games should be as well, they both require us to use a mental function and they both are rewarding to us when we win. I thought it was interesting for him to say television is good for our memory because nowadays people don't have the extensive memory people as compared to people in history and this is because of technology. We no longer need to remember because we can write things down as notes. No one can recite the Oddesey from memory and that's because we can read it. So there's a mixed reaction on that. Remembering certain parts of a show does require the use of memory but that doesn't mean our memory is better than before. As for emotional intelligence, I think this can be true, because even though the actor is acting, they are portraying a feeling. That feeling has to arise from somewhere. I think we begin to recognize if its true or not. I bet we have had moments where we thought the acting for a show was horrible and that was because we could tell they were acting. The emotions were not realistic to us.
The most obvious way that EGIB4U and Feed contradicts each other is that one is saying Techonology is making us dumber, while the other argues that it is actually making us smarter. Feed does this by showing how the people in that society act, and is highlighted by Violet saying "We are raising a Nation of idiots". EGIB4U does so by analyzing what mental processes it might stimulate. But I think what they are analyzing is different. Feed is mainly analyzing the affects of technology and advertisement on people as consumers. But EGIB4U is focusing more on technology's direct affects on the brain, what skills people can gain from it. Feed is about the corporational use of technology, and the wayauthor of EBIG4U doesn't contradict Feed is that by citing all the positive effects of video games and television, he is promoting the products, which in turn promotes the advertisement that goes along with it. These books are about different things but have the same topic. They both offer different points of view and we can take different things away from both.
In the chapter on video games, Steven Johnson talks about how it is not the content of the games that makes us smarter but the thought processes that the player goes through when playing the game. It teaches the player to analyze all the possibilites, make snap decisions, and strategize. Johnson calls this probing and scoping. Probing, exploring the game and find its limitations and using that and scoping, focusing on immediate problems while still maintaining a long term view. He argues this type of mental thought process can be applied in real life situations. Video games are designed to spike our dopaimine levels so we enjoy playing it and we learn these ways of thinking unintentionally as a result. He calls this the sleeper curve.
On Televison, Johnson says that it engages our brain in different things as well. It is more passive but He argues that since its invention, television shows have become more complex. Previously, things were spelled out for the viewer but it has come to a point where shows intentionally obscures so the viewers will infer for themselves. It makes viewers keep track of complex relationships which will engage the long term memory. But watching televsion has secondary affect. Watching actors go through a series of emotions, we learn to pick up emotional cues from their faces. In that way it would raise our emotional intelligence.
I thought the video games argument was interesting. Games are not much different from puzzles, you need to solve something. Instead of seeing what edge fits you encounter changing situations and have to make to make the "piece" was the right choice in order to go on to the next level. If puzzles are supposedly good for us, then video games should be as well, they both require us to use a mental function and they both are rewarding to us when we win. I thought it was interesting for him to say television is good for our memory because nowadays people don't have the extensive memory people as compared to people in history and this is because of technology. We no longer need to remember because we can write things down as notes. No one can recite the Oddesey from memory and that's because we can read it. So there's a mixed reaction on that. Remembering certain parts of a show does require the use of memory but that doesn't mean our memory is better than before. As for emotional intelligence, I think this can be true, because even though the actor is acting, they are portraying a feeling. That feeling has to arise from somewhere. I think we begin to recognize if its true or not. I bet we have had moments where we thought the acting for a show was horrible and that was because we could tell they were acting. The emotions were not realistic to us.
The most obvious way that EGIB4U and Feed contradicts each other is that one is saying Techonology is making us dumber, while the other argues that it is actually making us smarter. Feed does this by showing how the people in that society act, and is highlighted by Violet saying "We are raising a Nation of idiots". EGIB4U does so by analyzing what mental processes it might stimulate. But I think what they are analyzing is different. Feed is mainly analyzing the affects of technology and advertisement on people as consumers. But EGIB4U is focusing more on technology's direct affects on the brain, what skills people can gain from it. Feed is about the corporational use of technology, and the wayauthor of EBIG4U doesn't contradict Feed is that by citing all the positive effects of video games and television, he is promoting the products, which in turn promotes the advertisement that goes along with it. These books are about different things but have the same topic. They both offer different points of view and we can take different things away from both.
Hw 13- Feed B
In Feed, Tobin's uses Allegory is try and reveal a more indiscreet side to technology. How overuse and consumption can affect the world. It's a mirror, reflecting the part of society that is so induced by a technological advancement. The people are consuming and being consumed. Feed "emphasizes the problem but doesn't offer a solution". Doing so makes the reader think, rather than proposing a solution, we have to find that out for ourselves. That's just as well, because much too often, we wait for the answer instead of searching for it on our own. Maybe that's the reason he left it as he did, so we would acknowledge the problem instead of ignoring it like we usually do. Maybe he did it so we would think about it and maybe even care. Maybe he didn't know the solution. Or maybe its e) all of the above.
In this aspect I think Feed, is a hammer as well. However deeply it affects you is, however deep an influence it'll have on you. If it has the ability to get someone to change their perspective or point of view than it has the quality of being a hammer. That is the quality in art that can be a hammer as well. I think all art aspires to be the hammer, to be able to affect someone and deeply move them. So I guess I'd like for my art to be a hammer. If you can change the anyone in some way, then that is the hammer you'd wield. That influence is power, and "with great power comes great responsibility" (Spiderman).
I think his book speaks to both adult and teenage readers. Even though its a Young Adult genre, adults could read it as well. Though its for teens its probably more geared towards the older teen. I read this book when I was younger, and I got the plot and the story, but I didn't fully appreciate it. I didn't understand many aspects and nuances to the book. I think at that point of your life you aren't supposed to. Its like when we read books, sometimes we get something different things reading the same book at a later point of our lives. That's because we're different people at that point of our lives. We're the same person, but not exactly the same as we used to be. Our experiences change us and affect how we'll read a book. I think that's why this is true. I think I understand the book a bit more now, than I had when I read it a few years ago.
In this aspect I think Feed, is a hammer as well. However deeply it affects you is, however deep an influence it'll have on you. If it has the ability to get someone to change their perspective or point of view than it has the quality of being a hammer. That is the quality in art that can be a hammer as well. I think all art aspires to be the hammer, to be able to affect someone and deeply move them. So I guess I'd like for my art to be a hammer. If you can change the anyone in some way, then that is the hammer you'd wield. That influence is power, and "with great power comes great responsibility" (Spiderman).
I think his book speaks to both adult and teenage readers. Even though its a Young Adult genre, adults could read it as well. Though its for teens its probably more geared towards the older teen. I read this book when I was younger, and I got the plot and the story, but I didn't fully appreciate it. I didn't understand many aspects and nuances to the book. I think at that point of your life you aren't supposed to. Its like when we read books, sometimes we get something different things reading the same book at a later point of our lives. That's because we're different people at that point of our lives. We're the same person, but not exactly the same as we used to be. Our experiences change us and affect how we'll read a book. I think that's why this is true. I think I understand the book a bit more now, than I had when I read it a few years ago.
HW 12- Feed A
I think Feed is a reflection of our society. As an allegory of modern teenage life many points it is on target, like the relationships dynamics and the want of fitting in and getting along with others. That aspect of it rings true. Like when Titus is with his friends and with Violet, Violet is kind of rejected by them and hurt because of her differences and Titus just wants her to fit in. He wants her to get along with her friends but at the same time resents her for being different. In general many teenagers want to fit in to their group. The use of slang is also realistic too, like "null" or "unit". Kids today do the same things. They've always had. We say things like "cool" or "what's up". Though in the past it may have been "gee golly" or "groovy".
Other aspects of the lifestyle like the extent the technology is used is exaggerated at times. Since in the Feed, that is all their lives revolve around because they are never able to shut it off, not even in their dreams. For us, we can shut it off, and take a break from it. We can never go completely without it, unless by some drastic change forces use to, but we can pause and walk away just for a bit. We can go have a picnic at the park, run around, play, go to the pool. There's both aspects of it, times when we can't avoid it and times when we can.
Some tragic parts, is that like the "veal farms" in Feed, technology replaces things. To have technological advancement means something must be given up, whether that is tradition or some aspect of your culture, something has to be changed to make a place for technology. Right now, its not really in my own life, but in China, many pavilions and traditional houses with outdoor gardens are being torn down to make way for huge concrete buildings. Those buildings represent thousands of years of culture and the thought of them being replaced so easily and thoughtlessly saddens me. That and the fact that no one seems to mind either because China is so eager to "catch up" with the rest of the world. It is something we'll never get back, with technology, it is all about the need to be "current" and in such a world, where is the place for "history"? Does the modernness that technology brings have room for that? Is it possible for the two to co-exist? I hope so.
Other aspects of the lifestyle like the extent the technology is used is exaggerated at times. Since in the Feed, that is all their lives revolve around because they are never able to shut it off, not even in their dreams. For us, we can shut it off, and take a break from it. We can never go completely without it, unless by some drastic change forces use to, but we can pause and walk away just for a bit. We can go have a picnic at the park, run around, play, go to the pool. There's both aspects of it, times when we can't avoid it and times when we can.
Some tragic parts, is that like the "veal farms" in Feed, technology replaces things. To have technological advancement means something must be given up, whether that is tradition or some aspect of your culture, something has to be changed to make a place for technology. Right now, its not really in my own life, but in China, many pavilions and traditional houses with outdoor gardens are being torn down to make way for huge concrete buildings. Those buildings represent thousands of years of culture and the thought of them being replaced so easily and thoughtlessly saddens me. That and the fact that no one seems to mind either because China is so eager to "catch up" with the rest of the world. It is something we'll never get back, with technology, it is all about the need to be "current" and in such a world, where is the place for "history"? Does the modernness that technology brings have room for that? Is it possible for the two to co-exist? I hope so.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Final Draft
Introduction
When we think of a modern society, we think of one involving technology. We think of one with machinery and computers. Technology has permeated our lives in such a way that it is entrenched in everything we do. Our overuse of digital devices persists in our culture because many, if not all, aspects of our lives become dependent on it, socially, economically, as well as personally.
Social Dependence
Finding friends, classmates, dates? No problem. There's a site for that. From social groups to online dating, people have turned to the Internet to connect. Sites
such as Facebook and Match.com fills this quota in a simple and convenient way. With a click of a button you are "connected". There are more than 300 million active users on Facebook. 50% of these active users will log on to Facebook on any given day. The fastest growing demographic are those 35 years old and older (Facebook). This means even the older generation is getting in on this. This has changed the face of social networking in many ways.
"Technology, especially cellphone and texting technology, dissolves obstacles. Suitors now contact each other in an instantaneous, frictionless sphere separated from larger social institutions and commitments." (Brooks).
The social etiquette of the past, has slowly been erroded by this form of technology. Everything is instantaneous and very informal. Its simple to post on someones wall and its an extension of the cell phone and e-mail. We still have that. When people are too far to see face to face, they supplement the relationship by talking on the phone or e-mailing until its possible to see each other in person. Until then, the phone, and words in the mail, will be your contact. In today's world that is common. Technology is made available in all forms of communication, from talking on the phone, to sending a message online and people have become reliant on technology as a way of social contact.
That's for the people you know. For romantic relationships sites like Match.com or Chemistry.com have become the modern matchmakers. It opens people to meet people they might otherwise have not met. It's their device to romance. Of course, people actually have to meet up in person. The downside to this is that people often can and will present themselves in way that is not completely accurate to who they are. Either by editing out things that might be a turn off to a potential mate or filtering e-mail responses to be a certain way. "Suitors now contact each other in an instantaneous, frictionless sphere separated from larger social institutions and commitments".The world of Internet dating is not always truthful. Of course, who in real life ever is? In some ways that is representational of the actual world, presenting a persona that you want to represent yourself. In the digital medium it just makes it easier to do so. As a new medium for setting up meet-ups, people are liable to using these match-making sites as a main place to look for romantic partners.
Historical Connections-(How widespread use of Technology came t
o be)
As Post World War I America grew in prosperity Americans earned higher salaries, worked shorter hours, and invested in the stock market and they began to shift their focus to leisure time activities. This was called the Jazz age, a time when wealth seemed limitless and everyone thought things were going to be like this for a long time. Since the 1920s, a nation of consumerism was borne(Shultz). "American society became increasingly standardized as automobiles, electric appliances and mass entertainment became available to ordinary" citizens (Filip). With the rise of consumerism, the industrial revolution provided technology that could be incorporated in the lives of the masses (Filip). The Henry Ford assembly line method made the widespread consumption and use of technology not only possible but affordable in the lives of everyday Americans.
Economical Dependence
Today our consumerist culture is aided by this technology. Using the technology that is available companies are able to reach a wide demographic. In Feed, Violet says "They're also waiting to make you want things. " (97). She is talking about the corporations and in our society corporations do the same things. Their goal is to make us, the consumers, want things, to need things and if they've done that they've done their job. They do this by putting advertisements in places where we can see it (Andy). When we watch TV or use the Internet there's always an ad lurking nearby. When we're walking down the street, there are billboards on buildings to displaying the latest product or a brand. What they want is for one of those ads to appeal to us and have us purchase their product. To get the product out there in front of the consumers, companies will run ads and those ads will be placed to hit their targeted demographic. For example ads from companies selling fitness gear are more often placed in fitness magazines and sugary cereals are placed on lower shelves where it is at a child's eye level. The economy is dependent on this cycle.
Personal Dependence
We use digital technology to keep us entertained and stimulate us. Things such as television, the Internet and video games distracts us from the dreaded boredom.
Phrases like "I'm bored." often pass the lips of today's teen. Its funny, because when my mom sees me online she says that I am boring for being on there. But we use technology to keep us entertained and in many ways it is one of our main sources for our entertainment. Television, video games, and Internet keep us in a constant state of frenzy, going from one thing to the next. Sometimes the result of it is that we are overstimulated. Since the invention of electricity the hours that the average adult sleeps has dropped from 10 hours to 6.9 hours (NBC). Part of the reason why is because technology keeps people plugged in and the artificial lights disrupts their sleep cycles and their internal clocks. So instead of resetting like it normally would their times are scattered sporadically and they may not feel sleepy until much later. This is true for me. Sometimes I'll sleep later than I should and the only thing that's keeping me awake is the increased production of cortisol and adrenaline, pumping through my system (Breus). This rush of anxiety we sometimes mistake for energy that we'd get when we're sleep-deprived (Breus). Using this hormone rush to further stay awake makes me feel wired at first but I end up even more fatigued (Breus). Even with this result, technology is often the first thing we turn to when we have nothing to do because we can count on it to provide some form of stimulation.
Mental stimulation is not the only use of technology. Some forms of it encourage the lack thereof or as little as possible. Many people utilize tools like spell check as a replacement for proofreading. This along with our frequent usage of things like text messaging or messenger develops a familiarity in writing a certain way that involves technology. Its an impediment to our spelling and vocabulary. Online its faster to acronym and short spell words like "what" to "wat" or "I don't know" to "Idk" but as a result there are more moments where we get used to the misspelling and almost forget how to spell the actual word. But we think spell check will catch such instances. Our frequent usage has developed into a lazy comfort where we use technology as our crutch in dealing with things like writing.
Opposing Point of View
But some may say that we are not wholly dependent on technology and that it is possible to get on with our lives without it. For example, many developing countries like Africa or Asia are able to get by without technology. That's because in areas facing poverty, they can't afford technology, just having enough to eat on a daily basis is a greater problem than having a car or a computer. Technology is not necessary in their lives. Many people will walk or ride a bike instead of driving in a car. But even developing countries are trying to gain technology and though they have less of it, technology is becoming incorporated in their lives as well. One case being China, who's attempting to catch up to their predecessors, one way is through the growing use of technology, even in its rural areas. As a result for a growing amount of people in those areas technology is slowly taking over.
I find myself guilty of turning to technology for many of these things I mentioned. It is so ingrained in my way of life that it's hard not to. Technology is something that can be good or "evil" but something that it definitely is, is changing. The invention of technology has definitely changed many things; the pacing of our society, the way we interact, and our form of entertainment. But what does this say about the future if things continue along this path; would we soon find ourselves in the land of mechas--part human, part machine? Or in some way, has that already happened, and if so, was it worth it?
Works Cited
Anderson, M.T., Feed. Somerville: Candlewick Press, 2002. Breus, Michael, Good Night,
Ehrenfeld, Temma. "Seven Facts About Body Rhythm." Newsweek (2008).Http://www.newsweek.com/id/144396. Newsweek, 2 July 2008. Web. 4 Nov. 2009.
Sleep Facts and Stats. Your Total Health. NBC, 2004. Web.
Filip, Lulia. "Rise of Consumerism and Mass Entertainment." History. Suite101, 3 July 2009. Web. 5 Nov. 2009. http://modern-us-history.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_1920s_rise_of_consumerism_and_mass_culture.
Shultz, Stanley K. "The Politics of Prosperity: 1920s." Lecture. H102: Lecture 15. William T. Tishler, 1999. Web. 2009.
Facebook. RSS. Statistics. Statistics. Facebook, 2009. Web. 04 Nov. 2009.
Klemann, Jurgen. "Some Thoughts on Living in the Less Developed World." Emerging Markets. Escape Artist, 05 Nov. 2009. Web. 05 Nov. 2009.
When we think of a modern society, we think of one involving technology. We think of one with machinery and computers. Technology has permeated our lives in such a way that it is entrenched in everything we do. Our overuse of digital devices persists in our culture because many, if not all, aspects of our lives become dependent on it, socially, economically, as well as personally.
Social Dependence
Finding friends, classmates, dates? No problem. There's a site for that. From social groups to online dating, people have turned to the Internet to connect. Sites
such as Facebook and Match.com fills this quota in a simple and convenient way. With a click of a button you are "connected". There are more than 300 million active users on Facebook. 50% of these active users will log on to Facebook on any given day. The fastest growing demographic are those 35 years old and older (Facebook). This means even the older generation is getting in on this. This has changed the face of social networking in many ways."Technology, especially cellphone and texting technology, dissolves obstacles. Suitors now contact each other in an instantaneous, frictionless sphere separated from larger social institutions and commitments." (Brooks).
The social etiquette of the past, has slowly been erroded by this form of technology. Everything is instantaneous and very informal. Its simple to post on someones wall and its an extension of the cell phone and e-mail. We still have that. When people are too far to see face to face, they supplement the relationship by talking on the phone or e-mailing until its possible to see each other in person. Until then, the phone, and words in the mail, will be your contact. In today's world that is common. Technology is made available in all forms of communication, from talking on the phone, to sending a message online and people have become reliant on technology as a way of social contact.
That's for the people you know. For romantic relationships sites like Match.com or Chemistry.com have become the modern matchmakers. It opens people to meet people they might otherwise have not met. It's their device to romance. Of course, people actually have to meet up in person. The downside to this is that people often can and will present themselves in way that is not completely accurate to who they are. Either by editing out things that might be a turn off to a potential mate or filtering e-mail responses to be a certain way. "Suitors now contact each other in an instantaneous, frictionless sphere separated from larger social institutions and commitments".The world of Internet dating is not always truthful. Of course, who in real life ever is? In some ways that is representational of the actual world, presenting a persona that you want to represent yourself. In the digital medium it just makes it easier to do so. As a new medium for setting up meet-ups, people are liable to using these match-making sites as a main place to look for romantic partners.
Historical Connections-(How widespread use of Technology came t
o be)As Post World War I America grew in prosperity Americans earned higher salaries, worked shorter hours, and invested in the stock market and they began to shift their focus to leisure time activities. This was called the Jazz age, a time when wealth seemed limitless and everyone thought things were going to be like this for a long time. Since the 1920s, a nation of consumerism was borne(Shultz). "American society became increasingly standardized as automobiles, electric appliances and mass entertainment became available to ordinary" citizens (Filip). With the rise of consumerism, the industrial revolution provided technology that could be incorporated in the lives of the masses (Filip). The Henry Ford assembly line method made the widespread consumption and use of technology not only possible but affordable in the lives of everyday Americans.
Economical Dependence
Today our consumerist culture is aided by this technology. Using the technology that is available companies are able to reach a wide demographic. In Feed, Violet says "They're also waiting to make you want things. " (97). She is talking about the corporations and in our society corporations do the same things. Their goal is to make us, the consumers, want things, to need things and if they've done that they've done their job. They do this by putting advertisements in places where we can see it (Andy). When we watch TV or use the Internet there's always an ad lurking nearby. When we're walking down the street, there are billboards on buildings to displaying the latest product or a brand. What they want is for one of those ads to appeal to us and have us purchase their product. To get the product out there in front of the consumers, companies will run ads and those ads will be placed to hit their targeted demographic. For example ads from companies selling fitness gear are more often placed in fitness magazines and sugary cereals are placed on lower shelves where it is at a child's eye level. The economy is dependent on this cycle.
Personal Dependence
We use digital technology to keep us entertained and stimulate us. Things such as television, the Internet and video games distracts us from the dreaded boredom.
Phrases like "I'm bored." often pass the lips of today's teen. Its funny, because when my mom sees me online she says that I am boring for being on there. But we use technology to keep us entertained and in many ways it is one of our main sources for our entertainment. Television, video games, and Internet keep us in a constant state of frenzy, going from one thing to the next. Sometimes the result of it is that we are overstimulated. Since the invention of electricity the hours that the average adult sleeps has dropped from 10 hours to 6.9 hours (NBC). Part of the reason why is because technology keeps people plugged in and the artificial lights disrupts their sleep cycles and their internal clocks. So instead of resetting like it normally would their times are scattered sporadically and they may not feel sleepy until much later. This is true for me. Sometimes I'll sleep later than I should and the only thing that's keeping me awake is the increased production of cortisol and adrenaline, pumping through my system (Breus). This rush of anxiety we sometimes mistake for energy that we'd get when we're sleep-deprived (Breus). Using this hormone rush to further stay awake makes me feel wired at first but I end up even more fatigued (Breus). Even with this result, technology is often the first thing we turn to when we have nothing to do because we can count on it to provide some form of stimulation.Mental stimulation is not the only use of technology. Some forms of it encourage the lack thereof or as little as possible. Many people utilize tools like spell check as a replacement for proofreading. This along with our frequent usage of things like text messaging or messenger develops a familiarity in writing a certain way that involves technology. Its an impediment to our spelling and vocabulary. Online its faster to acronym and short spell words like "what" to "wat" or "I don't know" to "Idk" but as a result there are more moments where we get used to the misspelling and almost forget how to spell the actual word. But we think spell check will catch such instances. Our frequent usage has developed into a lazy comfort where we use technology as our crutch in dealing with things like writing.
Opposing Point of View
But some may say that we are not wholly dependent on technology and that it is possible to get on with our lives without it. For example, many developing countries like Africa or Asia are able to get by without technology. That's because in areas facing poverty, they can't afford technology, just having enough to eat on a daily basis is a greater problem than having a car or a computer. Technology is not necessary in their lives. Many people will walk or ride a bike instead of driving in a car. But even developing countries are trying to gain technology and though they have less of it, technology is becoming incorporated in their lives as well. One case being China, who's attempting to catch up to their predecessors, one way is through the growing use of technology, even in its rural areas. As a result for a growing amount of people in those areas technology is slowly taking over.
I find myself guilty of turning to technology for many of these things I mentioned. It is so ingrained in my way of life that it's hard not to. Technology is something that can be good or "evil" but something that it definitely is, is changing. The invention of technology has definitely changed many things; the pacing of our society, the way we interact, and our form of entertainment. But what does this say about the future if things continue along this path; would we soon find ourselves in the land of mechas--part human, part machine? Or in some way, has that already happened, and if so, was it worth it?
Works Cited
Anderson, M.T., Feed. Somerville: Candlewick Press, 2002. Breus, Michael, Good Night,
Ehrenfeld, Temma. "Seven Facts About Body Rhythm." Newsweek (2008).Http://www.newsweek.com/id/144396. Newsweek, 2 July 2008. Web. 4 Nov. 2009.
Sleep Facts and Stats. Your Total Health. NBC, 2004. Web.
Filip, Lulia. "Rise of Consumerism and Mass Entertainment." History. Suite101, 3 July 2009. Web. 5 Nov. 2009. http://modern-us-history.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_1920s_rise_of_consumerism_and_mass_culture.
Shultz, Stanley K. "The Politics of Prosperity: 1920s." Lecture. H102: Lecture 15. William T. Tishler, 1999. Web. 2009.
Facebook. RSS. Statistics. Statistics. Facebook, 2009. Web. 04 Nov. 2009.
Klemann, Jurgen. "Some Thoughts on Living in the Less Developed World." Emerging Markets. Escape Artist, 05 Nov. 2009. Web. 05 Nov. 2009.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
HW 20- Big Paper Revised Draft
When we think of a modern society, we think of one involving technology. We think of one with machinery and computers. Technology has permeated our lives in such a way that it is entrenched in everything we do. Our overuse of digital devices persists in our culture because many, if not all, aspects of our lives become dependent on it, socially, economically, as well as personally.
Social Dependence
Finding friends, classmates, dates? No problem. There's a site for that. From social groups to online dating, people have turned to the Internet to connect. Sites such as Facebook and Match.com fills this quota in a simple and convenient way. With a click of a button you are "connected". There are more than 300 million active users on Facebook. 50% of these active users will log on to Facebook on any given day. The fastest growing demographic are those 35 years old and older (Facebook). This means even the older generation is getting in on this. This has changed the face of social networking in many ways.
"Technology, especially cellphone and texting technology, dissolves obstacles. Suitors now contact each other in an instantaneous, frictionless sphere separated from larger social institutions and commitments." (Brooks).
Its simple to post on someones wall and its an extension of the cell phone and e-mail. We still have that. When people are too far to see face to face, to supplement the relationship people can talk to them on the phone or e-mail until they can be able to see someone in person. Until then, the phone, and words in the mail, will be your contact. In today's world that is common. Technology is made available in all forms of communication, from talking on the phone, to sending a message online and people have become reliant on technology as a way of social contact.
That's for the people you know. For romantic relationships sites like Match.com or Chemistry.com have become the modern matchmakers. It opens people to meet people they might otherwise have not met. It's their device to romance. Of course, people actually have to meet up in person. The downside to this is that people often can and will present themselves in way that is not completely accurate to who they are. Either by editing out things that might be a turn off to a potential mate or filtering e-mail responses to be a certain way. Suitors now contact each other in an instantaneous, frictionless sphere separated from larger social institutions and commitments.The world of Internet dating is not always truthful. Of course, who in real life ever is? In some ways that is representational of the actual world, presenting a persona that you want to represent yourself. In the digital medium it just makes it easier to do so. As a new medium for setting up meet-ups, people are liable to using these match-making sites as a main place to look for romantic partners.
Economic Dependence & Connections
Since the 1920s the US has been a nation of consumerism (Shultz). As Post World War I America grew in prosperity Americans earned higher salaries, worked shorter hours, and invested in the stock market and they began to shift their focus to leisure time activities. "American society became increasingly standardized as automobiles, electric appliances and mass entertainment became available to ordinary" citizens (Filip). This was the beginning of the rise of consumerism and technology was now incorporated in the lives of the masses. (Filip).
Today our consumerist culture is aided by this technology. Using the technology that is available companies are able to reach a wide demographic. In Feed, Violet says "They're also waiting to make you want things. " (97). She is talking about the corporations and in our society corporations do the same things. Their goal is to make us, the consumers, want things, to need things and if they've done that they've done their job. They do this by putting advertisements in places where we can see it (Andy). When we watch TV or use the Internet there's always an ad lurking nearby. When we're walking down the street, there are billboards on buildings to displaying the latest product or a brand. What they want is for one of those ads to appeal to us and have us purchase their product. To get the product out there in front of the consumers, companies will run ads and those ads will be placed to hit their targeted demographic. For example ads from companies selling fitness gear are more often placed in fitness magazines and sugary cereals are placed on lower shelves where it is at a child's eye level. The economy is dependent on this cycle.
Personal Dependence
We use digital technology to keep us entertained and stimulate us. Things such as television, the Internet and video games distracts us from the dreaded boredom. Phrases like "I'm bored." often pass the lips of today's teen. Its funny, because when my mom sees me online she says that I am boring for being on there. But we use technology to keep us entertained and in many ways it is one of our main sources for our entertainment. Television, video games, and Internet keep us in a constant state of frenzy, going from one thing to the next. Sometimes the result of it is that we are overstimulated. Since the invention of electricity the hours that the average adult sleeps has dropped from 10 hours to 6.9 hours (NBC). Part of the reason why is because technology keeps people plugged in and the artificial lights disrupts their sleep cycles and their internal clocks. So instead of resetting like it normally would their times are scattered sporadically and they may not feel sleepy until much later. This is true for me. Sometimes I'll sleep later than I should and the only thing that's keeping me awake is the increased production of cortisol and adrenaline, pumping through my system (Breus). This rush of anxiety we sometimes mistake for energy that we'd get when we're sleep-deprived (Breus). Using this hormone rush to further stay awake makes me feel wired at first but I end up even more fatigued (Breus). Even with this result, technology is often the first thing we turn to when we have nothing to do because we can count on it to provide some form of stimulation.
Mental stimulation is not the only use of technology. Some forms of it encourage the lack thereof or as little as possible. Many people utilize tools like spell check as a replacement for proofreading. This along with our frequent usage of things like text messaging or messenger develops a familiarity in writing a certain way that involves technology. Its an impediment to our spelling and vocabulary. Online its faster to acronym and short spell words like "what" to "wat" or "I don't know" to "Idk" but as a result there are more moments where we get used to the misspelling and almost forget how to spell the actual word. But we think spell check will catch such instances. Our frequent usage has developed into a lazy comfort where we use technology as our crutch in dealing with things like writing.
Opposing Point of View
But some may say that we are not wholly dependent on technology and that it is possible to get on with our lives without it. For example, many developing countries like Africa or Asia are able to get by without technology. Part of the reason is poverty rates (Kleeman). It is simply not an option. They are able to make do without technology in their daily lives. That's because just having enough to eat on a daily basis is a greater problem than having a car or a computer. Technology is not necessary in their lives. Many people will walk or ride a bike instead of driving in a car. But even developing countries are trying to gain technology and though they have less of it, technology is becoming incorporated in their lives as well. One case being China, who's attempting to catch up to their predecessors, one way is through the growing use of technology, even in its rural areas. As a result for a growing amount of people in those areas technology is slowly taking over.
I find myself guilty of turning to technology for many of these things I mentioned. It is so ingrained in my way of life that it's hard not to. But what does this say about the future if things continue along this path; would we soon find ourselves in the land of mechas--part human, part machine? Or in some way, has that already happened, and if so, was it worth it?
Works Cited
Anderson, M.T., Feed. Somerville: Candlewick Press, 2002. Breus, Michael, Good Night,
Ehrenfeld, Temma. "Seven Facts About Body Rhythm." Newsweek (2008).
Http://www.newsweek.com/id/144396. Newsweek, 2 July 2008. Web. 4 Nov. 2009.
Sleep Facts and Stats. Your Total Health. NBC, 2004. Web.
Filip, Lulia. "Rise of Consumerism and Mass Entertainment." History. Suite101, 3 July 2009. Web. 5 Nov. 2009. http://modern-us-history.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_1920s_rise_of_consumerism_and_mass_culture.
Shultz, Stanley K. "The Politics of Prosperity: 1920s." Lecture. H102: Lecture 15. William T. Tishler, 1999. Web. 2009.
Facebook. RSS. Statistics. Statistics. Facebook, 2009. Web. 04 Nov. 2009.
Klemann, Jurgen. "Some Thoughts on Living in the Less Developed World." Emerging Markets. Escape Artist, 05 Nov. 2009. Web. 05 Nov. 2009.
Comments- tri rough draft
Charles
Your paper looks pretty good. Great intro, it introduces your topic in an engaging way. Your arguments include alot from class, like interviews and Feed, maybe add in a mix of some research articles too.
Proof read a little bit more, its easy to let grammar slip sometimes. Its just grammar, but it helps to get your paper in order. Like in the intro, "People want to find a way to do things with out have to work hard, and this is the problem we have now."
it would be **without having to work hard. after looking over it. I think usually when we write things our eyes can pass over things like that because our mind just fixes it with what we mean to say.
Add in an opposing view point, and for connections, you could add how you think it became this way, either from culture or politics, whatever lens you pick. Add significance if you didn't already as well. I liked that I could see how your outline fleshed out. Its pretty good. Looking forward to seeing what you add to it.
Jia min,
You have alot of arguments too, and the transitions between your paragraphs are great. I thought the signifance makes you think. I agreed with it. The evidence is well organized. Add a little more to the opposing point of view. What you have so far to rebute it is good.I would say add on to connections but you'll probably do that anyways. You have alot of interestin points. I'm interested in seeing how it'll look like when your done with all the editing.
Your paper looks pretty good. Great intro, it introduces your topic in an engaging way. Your arguments include alot from class, like interviews and Feed, maybe add in a mix of some research articles too.
Proof read a little bit more, its easy to let grammar slip sometimes. Its just grammar, but it helps to get your paper in order. Like in the intro, "People want to find a way to do things with out have to work hard, and this is the problem we have now."
it would be **without having to work hard. after looking over it. I think usually when we write things our eyes can pass over things like that because our mind just fixes it with what we mean to say.
Add in an opposing view point, and for connections, you could add how you think it became this way, either from culture or politics, whatever lens you pick. Add significance if you didn't already as well. I liked that I could see how your outline fleshed out. Its pretty good. Looking forward to seeing what you add to it.
Jia min,
You have alot of arguments too, and the transitions between your paragraphs are great. I thought the signifance makes you think. I agreed with it. The evidence is well organized. Add a little more to the opposing point of view. What you have so far to rebute it is good.I would say add on to connections but you'll probably do that anyways. You have alot of interestin points. I'm interested in seeing how it'll look like when your done with all the editing.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Hw 18- Big Paper Rough Draft
When we think of a modern society, we think of one involving technology. We think of one with machinery and computers. Our overuse of digital devices persists in cultures like our own because many if not all aspects of our lives become dependent on it, socially, economically, as well as personally. Technology has permeated our lives in such a way that it is entrenched in everything we do.
Social Dependence
Finding friends, classmates, dates? No problem. There's a site for that. From social groups to online dating, people have turned to the Internet to connect. Sites such as Facebook and Match.com fills this quota in a simple and convenient way. With a click of a button you are "connected". There are more than 300 million active users on Facebook. 50% of these active users will log on to Facebook on any given day. The fastest growing demographic are those 35 years old and older (Facebook). This means even the older generation is getting in on this. This has changed the face of social networking in many ways. Its simple to post on someones wall and its an extension of the cell phone and e-mail. We still have that. When people are too far to see face to face, to supplement the relationship people can talk to them on the phone or e-mail until they can be able to see someone in person. Until then, the phone, and words in the mail, will be your contact. In today's world that is common.
That's for the people you know. For romantic relationships sites like Match.com or Chemistry.com have become the modern matchmakers. It opens people to meet people they might otherwise have not met. It's their device to romance. Of course, people actually have meet up in person. The downside to this is that people often can and will present themselves in way that is not completely accurate to who they are. Either by editing out things that might be a turn off to a potential mate or filtering e-mail responses to be a certain way. The world of Internet dating is not always truthful. Of course, who in real life ever is? In some ways that is representational of the actual world, presenting a persona that you want to represent yourself. In the digital medium it just makes it easier to do so.
Many people utilize tools like spell check as a replacement for proofreading. This along with our frequent usage of things like text messaging or messenger is an impediment to our spelling and vocabulary. Online its faster to acronym and short spell words like "what" to "wat" or "I don't know" to "Idk" but as a result there are more moments where we get used to the misspelling and almost forget how to spell the actual word.
Since the 1920s the US has been a nation of consumerism (Shultz). As Post World War I America grew in prosperity Americans earned higher salaries, worked shorter hours, and invested in the stock market and they began to shift their focus to leisure time activities. American society became increasingly standardized as automobiles, electric appliances and mass entertainment became available to ordinary citizens (Filip). This was the beginning of the rise of consumerism and technology was now incorporated in the lives of the masses. (Filip). Our whole economic system is one based on the theory that a large consumpiton of goods is good for the economy(Shultz). Today our consumerist culture is aided by this technology. Using the technology that is available companies are able to reach a wide demographic. In Feed, Violet says "They're also waiting to make you want things. " (97). She is talking about the corporations and in our society corporations do the same things. Their goal is to make us, the consumers, want things, to need things and if they've done that they've done their job. They do this by putting advertisements in places where we can see it (Andy). When we watch TV or use the Internet there's always an ad lurking nearby. When we're walking down the street, there are billboards on buildings to displaying the latest product or a brand. What they want is for one of those ads to appeal to us and have us purchase their product. To get the product out there in front of the consumers, companies will run ads and those ads will be placed to hit their targeted demographic. For example ads from companies selling fitness gear are more often placed in fitness magazines and sugary cereals are placed on lower shelves where it is at a child's eye level. The economy is dependent on this cycle.
Personal Dependence
We use digital technology to keep us entertained and stimulate us. Things such as television, the Internet and video games distracts us from the dreaded boredom. Phrases like "I'm bored." often pass the lips of today's teen. Its funny, because when my mom sees me online she says that I am boring for being on there. But we use technology to keep us entertained and in many ways it is one of our main sources for our entertainment. Television, video games, and Internet keep us in a constant state of frenzy, going from one thing to the next. Sometimes the result of it is that we are overstimulated.
Since the invention of electricity the hours that the average adult sleeps has dropped from 10 hours to 6.9 hours (NBC). Part of the reason why is because technology keeps people plugged in and the artificial lights disrupts their sleep cycles and their internal clocks. So instead of resetting like it normally would their times are scattered sporadically and they may not feel sleepy until much later. This is true for me. Sometimes I'll sleep later than I should and the only thing that's keeping me awake is the increased production of cortisol and adrenaline, pumping through my system (Breus). This rush of anxiety we sometimes mistake for energy that we'd get when we're sleep-deprived (Breus). Using this hormone rush to further stay awake makes me feel wired at first but I end up even more fatigued (Breus).
But some may say that we are not wholly dependent on technology and that it is possible to get on with our lives without it. For example, many developing countries like Africa or Asia are able to get by without technology. Part of the reason is poverty rates (Kleeman). It is simply not an option. They are able to make do without technology in their daily lives. That's because just having enough to eat on a daily basis is a greater problem than having a car or a computer. Technology is not necessary in their lives. Many people will walk or ride a bike instead of driving in a car. But even developing countries are trying to gain technology and though they have less of it, technology is becoming incorporated in their lives as well. One case being China, who's attempting to catch up to their predecessors, one way is through the growing use of technology, even in its rural areas. As a result for a growing amount of people in those areas technology is slowly taking over.
I find myself guilty of turning to technology for many of these things I mentioned. It is so ingrained in my way of life that it's hard not to. But what does this say about the future if things continue along this path; would we soon find ourselves in the land of mechas--part human, part machine? Or in some way, has that already happened, and if so, was it worth it?
Works Cited
Anderson, M.T., Feed. Somerville: Candlewick Press, 2002.
Breus, Michael, Good Night,
Ehrenfeld, Temma. "Seven Facts About Body Rhythm." Newsweek (2008).
Filip, Lulia. "Rise of Consumerism and Mass Entertainment." History. Suite101, 3 July 2009. Web. 5 Nov. 2009. http://modern-us-history.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_1920s_rise_of_consumerism_and_mass_culture.
Shultz, Stanley K. "The Politics of Prosperity: 1920s." Lecture. H102: Lecture 15. William T. Tishler, 1999. Web. 2009.
Social Dependence
Finding friends, classmates, dates? No problem. There's a site for that. From social groups to online dating, people have turned to the Internet to connect. Sites such as Facebook and Match.com fills this quota in a simple and convenient way. With a click of a button you are "connected". There are more than 300 million active users on Facebook. 50% of these active users will log on to Facebook on any given day. The fastest growing demographic are those 35 years old and older (Facebook). This means even the older generation is getting in on this. This has changed the face of social networking in many ways. Its simple to post on someones wall and its an extension of the cell phone and e-mail. We still have that. When people are too far to see face to face, to supplement the relationship people can talk to them on the phone or e-mail until they can be able to see someone in person. Until then, the phone, and words in the mail, will be your contact. In today's world that is common.
That's for the people you know. For romantic relationships sites like Match.com or Chemistry.com have become the modern matchmakers. It opens people to meet people they might otherwise have not met. It's their device to romance. Of course, people actually have meet up in person. The downside to this is that people often can and will present themselves in way that is not completely accurate to who they are. Either by editing out things that might be a turn off to a potential mate or filtering e-mail responses to be a certain way. The world of Internet dating is not always truthful. Of course, who in real life ever is? In some ways that is representational of the actual world, presenting a persona that you want to represent yourself. In the digital medium it just makes it easier to do so.
Many people utilize tools like spell check as a replacement for proofreading. This along with our frequent usage of things like text messaging or messenger is an impediment to our spelling and vocabulary. Online its faster to acronym and short spell words like "what" to "wat" or "I don't know" to "Idk" but as a result there are more moments where we get used to the misspelling and almost forget how to spell the actual word.
Since the 1920s the US has been a nation of consumerism (Shultz). As Post World War I America grew in prosperity Americans earned higher salaries, worked shorter hours, and invested in the stock market and they began to shift their focus to leisure time activities. American society became increasingly standardized as automobiles, electric appliances and mass entertainment became available to ordinary citizens (Filip). This was the beginning of the rise of consumerism and technology was now incorporated in the lives of the masses. (Filip). Our whole economic system is one based on the theory that a large consumpiton of goods is good for the economy(Shultz). Today our consumerist culture is aided by this technology. Using the technology that is available companies are able to reach a wide demographic. In Feed, Violet says "They're also waiting to make you want things. " (97). She is talking about the corporations and in our society corporations do the same things. Their goal is to make us, the consumers, want things, to need things and if they've done that they've done their job. They do this by putting advertisements in places where we can see it (Andy). When we watch TV or use the Internet there's always an ad lurking nearby. When we're walking down the street, there are billboards on buildings to displaying the latest product or a brand. What they want is for one of those ads to appeal to us and have us purchase their product. To get the product out there in front of the consumers, companies will run ads and those ads will be placed to hit their targeted demographic. For example ads from companies selling fitness gear are more often placed in fitness magazines and sugary cereals are placed on lower shelves where it is at a child's eye level. The economy is dependent on this cycle.
Personal Dependence
We use digital technology to keep us entertained and stimulate us. Things such as television, the Internet and video games distracts us from the dreaded boredom. Phrases like "I'm bored." often pass the lips of today's teen. Its funny, because when my mom sees me online she says that I am boring for being on there. But we use technology to keep us entertained and in many ways it is one of our main sources for our entertainment. Television, video games, and Internet keep us in a constant state of frenzy, going from one thing to the next. Sometimes the result of it is that we are overstimulated.
Since the invention of electricity the hours that the average adult sleeps has dropped from 10 hours to 6.9 hours (NBC). Part of the reason why is because technology keeps people plugged in and the artificial lights disrupts their sleep cycles and their internal clocks. So instead of resetting like it normally would their times are scattered sporadically and they may not feel sleepy until much later. This is true for me. Sometimes I'll sleep later than I should and the only thing that's keeping me awake is the increased production of cortisol and adrenaline, pumping through my system (Breus). This rush of anxiety we sometimes mistake for energy that we'd get when we're sleep-deprived (Breus). Using this hormone rush to further stay awake makes me feel wired at first but I end up even more fatigued (Breus).
But some may say that we are not wholly dependent on technology and that it is possible to get on with our lives without it. For example, many developing countries like Africa or Asia are able to get by without technology. Part of the reason is poverty rates (Kleeman). It is simply not an option. They are able to make do without technology in their daily lives. That's because just having enough to eat on a daily basis is a greater problem than having a car or a computer. Technology is not necessary in their lives. Many people will walk or ride a bike instead of driving in a car. But even developing countries are trying to gain technology and though they have less of it, technology is becoming incorporated in their lives as well. One case being China, who's attempting to catch up to their predecessors, one way is through the growing use of technology, even in its rural areas. As a result for a growing amount of people in those areas technology is slowly taking over.
I find myself guilty of turning to technology for many of these things I mentioned. It is so ingrained in my way of life that it's hard not to. But what does this say about the future if things continue along this path; would we soon find ourselves in the land of mechas--part human, part machine? Or in some way, has that already happened, and if so, was it worth it?
Works Cited
Anderson, M.T., Feed. Somerville: Candlewick Press, 2002.
Breus, Michael, Good Night,
Ehrenfeld, Temma. "Seven Facts About Body Rhythm." Newsweek (2008).
Http://www.newsweek.com/id/144396. Newsweek, 2 July 2008. Web. 4 Nov. 2009.
Sleep Facts and Stats. Your Total Health. NBC, 2004. Web. .
Filip, Lulia. "Rise of Consumerism and Mass Entertainment." History. Suite101, 3 July 2009. Web. 5 Nov. 2009. http://modern-us-history.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_1920s_rise_of_consumerism_and_mass_culture.
Shultz, Stanley K. "The Politics of Prosperity: 1920s." Lecture. H102: Lecture 15. William T. Tishler, 1999. Web. 2009.
Facebook. RSS. Statistics. Statistics. Facebook, 2009. Web. 04 Nov. 2009.
Klemann, Jurgen. "Some Thoughts on Living in the Less Developed World." Emerging Markets. Escape Artist, 05 Nov. 2009. Web. 05 Nov. 2009.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)