When asking people about their style or the reasons they are the way they are you need to be cautious. You don't want to look like the enemy and you don't want to look like a nosy a**hole either. Play the field... Be cool.
The person that I interviewed in many ways was 'stereotypical' let's call him John Smith, no relation to the Caucasian Disney 'savior'. Mr. Smith to me had a style that I have seen on many teenage boys a million times. Skinny jeans, just low enough to see his Family Guy boxers, his hair cut low (what I later learned was a dark Cesar) I asked him where he bought his clothes from. He said that he shopped wherever 'they' sold his clothes. Smith later gave specifics, H&M seemed to be the
main store. I asked him why he bought what he bought. He said he buys what he buys because it's what he likes.
I felt that I wasn't getting anywhere with Mr. Smith. I didn't want to sound too rude or too into him business but I think I needed it. I asked if he knew of any people that dressed like him. I was expecting him to say that he was the one that invented his style and that he was the one that perfected it to it's current 'wonderful-ness' but Mr. Smith said that his style was every ones style.
It made me think about how there is a style that is given to the kids of this generation and then there are different cliques that take it and put their own spin on it. What's weird is that we know it.
But can we escape it?
Our styles are given to us and we take it for what it is. When I think about it everything about everything is kind of unoriginal. We look up to rappers, singers, bands, actors and actresses. We take catch phrases from movies and we like brand named jackets
Who are we really?
What just occurred to me was that we are okay with the things that are given to us. It bothers me but at the same time I'm okay with it. I can't really say that 'I know who I am' because at 17 I don't think that anyone could really know who they are or what they really want. We are still trying to figure out what we wanna be and what the definition of love is or our sexuality.
I bet society has a cure for teen angst as well.
While my mind was bouncing off the walls in sure that Mr. Smith was thinking about the price of his next plaid shirt.
As for me I think that partly who I am comes from what I listen to ad what I watch. I think that I wear what I wear because I think it most fits my style and it matches the motto 'this is how I want to look' I feel like people change too quickly in order to pin point what we are.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Hw- 30 Extentions
We find ways to fill our holes however we see fit. Its not a bad thing and its not a good thing. But the way to fill these holes I would say are very common. We all belong to different groups:
Teens
Adults
Children
Senior Citizen
Etc
But then there are subsets to those groups like:
Teens
- Goody two shoes/teacher's pet
- Stoner
- Class Clown
- Etc
Adults
- Teacher
- Parent
- Oppressor
- Etc
You get the point. But because there are so many groups and then there are so many subsets, that means that there are many ways to fill the many different holes that we acquire through life. None of us are complete and none of us are completely empty.
I think that we believe that we have to be full all of the time and we think that we can fill the holes in our lives with whatever junk comes floating our way.
Teens
Adults
Children
Senior Citizen
Etc
But then there are subsets to those groups like:
Teens
- Goody two shoes/teacher's pet
- Stoner
- Class Clown
- Etc
Adults
- Teacher
- Parent
- Oppressor
- Etc
You get the point. But because there are so many groups and then there are so many subsets, that means that there are many ways to fill the many different holes that we acquire through life. None of us are complete and none of us are completely empty.
I think that we believe that we have to be full all of the time and we think that we can fill the holes in our lives with whatever junk comes floating our way.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Hw - 30 Spongebob Move Over
Whence this emptiness?
How can one person say that someone else is empty? What if we are all empty, how can you know if you're empty? What if being empty makes us whole? Other peoples thoughts on emptiness..
Granted we all want something and we all in our own ways want to get something out of living. I feel as though our emptiness can come from something we want or something we once had but was taken from us. Robert Frost once wrote: "So was I once myself a swinger of birches. And so I dream of going back to be" This makes me think of how Frost may have felt whole in a way by being childish and swing on trees, feeling natural. But something pulled him from it and he dreams of being the way he was, whole.
I find myself wondering what does it mean to be empty. I tend to believe that we are the only ones who can tell if we are empty. I think that it is us who know ourselves. Do we even have to fill the holes? I would say that nowadays we have been taught to think we need useless things in order to feel safe or whole or cool.
Cool, might forever be a mystery to me. There are hundreds of ways to be cool and then on the flip side there is one way to be cool. I think that cool is one of the ways that we try to feel complete.
I think that we have many holes, as opposed to having one huge hole. Its like we are sponges. We absorb bits of other peoples; personality's and styles and language choices to fill our holes. Other people make us up but no one wants to admit that.
No one wants everyone else to know that they are a sponge.
We hide behind the illusions of what's cool and whats 'in' that way everyone likes us and people notice us so that we feel important.
That's the rule.
Here's the exception.
The people who don't care about cool are the coolest. Though it might be hard to believe I think there are people like that out there, I've met a few. There are people who aren't obsessed with how they look or sound. But that doesn't mean that these people aren't empty.
Its just that they have bigger holes to fill. These people are much larger sponges.
Where the feeling of emptiness comes from is an even bigger thing topic to tackle. Its like life chips away at us and in the end we are left with holes of all different sizes. But leaving the empty spaces empty is what makes us who we are. When we try and fill theme we become posers, we loose ourselves.
How can one person say that someone else is empty? What if we are all empty, how can you know if you're empty? What if being empty makes us whole? Other peoples thoughts on emptiness..
Granted we all want something and we all in our own ways want to get something out of living. I feel as though our emptiness can come from something we want or something we once had but was taken from us. Robert Frost once wrote: "So was I once myself a swinger of birches. And so I dream of going back to be" This makes me think of how Frost may have felt whole in a way by being childish and swing on trees, feeling natural. But something pulled him from it and he dreams of being the way he was, whole.
I find myself wondering what does it mean to be empty. I tend to believe that we are the only ones who can tell if we are empty. I think that it is us who know ourselves. Do we even have to fill the holes? I would say that nowadays we have been taught to think we need useless things in order to feel safe or whole or cool.
Cool, might forever be a mystery to me. There are hundreds of ways to be cool and then on the flip side there is one way to be cool. I think that cool is one of the ways that we try to feel complete.
I think that we have many holes, as opposed to having one huge hole. Its like we are sponges. We absorb bits of other peoples; personality's and styles and language choices to fill our holes. Other people make us up but no one wants to admit that.
No one wants everyone else to know that they are a sponge.
We hide behind the illusions of what's cool and whats 'in' that way everyone likes us and people notice us so that we feel important.
That's the rule.
Here's the exception.
The people who don't care about cool are the coolest. Though it might be hard to believe I think there are people like that out there, I've met a few. There are people who aren't obsessed with how they look or sound. But that doesn't mean that these people aren't empty.
Its just that they have bigger holes to fill. These people are much larger sponges.
Where the feeling of emptiness comes from is an even bigger thing topic to tackle. Its like life chips away at us and in the end we are left with holes of all different sizes. But leaving the empty spaces empty is what makes us who we are. When we try and fill theme we become posers, we loose ourselves.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Hw- 29 Its Cool That You're Cool
There is no way in hell that advertising will be banned. Everything seems to run on money, and I don't think that anything is going to come between corporate and their money making machines: teens. I believe it boils down to will-power. If you are smart enough to see through the tricks that media pulls then whoop de do.
By the time you're 17-20 you should be smart enough to know what you like and what you don't like. By that age I think the argument of "media is spoiling my brain". Because by then you have the ability to turn the page in the magazine or to change the channel.
But when you're marketing a Dora with sex appeal...that kind of marketing may be something that should be banned and if that's too drastic then maybe the marketing should be tuned down a little bit.
Marketing is about making money first and if anything making more money second and lastly maybe caring about who they are corrupting and how...(maybe). Marketing sex is all about making money. "All teenagers talk about is sex" As a teenager, I can say that I don't spend my days and nights talking about sex.
But for those other teenagers, its possible that all they talk about is sex because that's all that's ever on TV.
just a guess.
I would guess that a great number of people, (meaning not just teens) get their identities from something on TV, or in a book, or from a movie or a song or another person. No matter what everything is advertising, its you seeing something and liking it or disliking it. I feel like there is no way to rebel against it. We all end up buying something that was made by some kind of corporation.
It ranges from food to clothes to cars to bikes to TV's etc. We can try to rebel by buying cheaper things or "natural" things or placing tape over logos. But still you can't escape it. Its up to us to decide what we do after we see a commercial or read an ad or comment a blog post.
Now enjoy this brief message from our sponsors.
By the time you're 17-20 you should be smart enough to know what you like and what you don't like. By that age I think the argument of "media is spoiling my brain". Because by then you have the ability to turn the page in the magazine or to change the channel.
But when you're marketing a Dora with sex appeal...that kind of marketing may be something that should be banned and if that's too drastic then maybe the marketing should be tuned down a little bit.
Marketing is about making money first and if anything making more money second and lastly maybe caring about who they are corrupting and how...(maybe). Marketing sex is all about making money. "All teenagers talk about is sex" As a teenager, I can say that I don't spend my days and nights talking about sex.
But for those other teenagers, its possible that all they talk about is sex because that's all that's ever on TV.
just a guess.
I would guess that a great number of people, (meaning not just teens) get their identities from something on TV, or in a book, or from a movie or a song or another person. No matter what everything is advertising, its you seeing something and liking it or disliking it. I feel like there is no way to rebel against it. We all end up buying something that was made by some kind of corporation.
It ranges from food to clothes to cars to bikes to TV's etc. We can try to rebel by buying cheaper things or "natural" things or placing tape over logos. But still you can't escape it. Its up to us to decide what we do after we see a commercial or read an ad or comment a blog post.
Now enjoy this brief message from our sponsors.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Hw 28 - Yes, You 2 Can Learn How 2b Kewl
Well it seems that being cool ultimately boils down to people liking you, and that's all that anyone seems to want these days. So the key to coolness might be recognition and possibly renown.
Davis Mark, Link Tool, Sophie Caley, Sondra C, and Lucas Halbert. "How To Get People To Like You." WikiHow. WikiHow, Web. 7 Dec 2009..
Link:http://www.wikihow.com/Get-People-to-Like-You
This site gives you tips on how to get people to like you and notice you more. It suggests nice calm things like "don't brag" and other traits that might attract people to you in a positive cool way.
Moving on...
Wanting to be cool suggests that people want to be noticed and possibly in a romantic way at that. In all those movies we see prime examples of this. Take a movie like John Tucker Must Die. There was a popular guy who was basically the "king of the school" and there was an unpopular girl who some popular girls made popular by telling her how to act and what to wear and say. Here's a summary: http://www.starpulse.com/Movies/John_Tucker_Must_Die/Summary/
Epps, Angela. "How To Get A Guy To Notice You At School." eHow. eHow, Web. 7 Dec 2009..
This movie suggests that in order to be noticed, one has to be known by all of the right people first. It suggests that the only way to become popular or "cool" you have to be connected to someone that everyone already believes is cool. This website: http://www.ehow.com/how_4457097_get-guy-notice-school.html provides instructions that one should.could follow in order to get that special someone to look their way.
Moving On...
"How To Be Cool." Life Style Lounge. Iloveindia.com, Web. 7 Dec 2009..
http://lifestyle.iloveindia.com/lounge/how-to-be-cool-3148.html
Gives the reader simple tips to help them to further develop their cool status. Its funny that the first tip is "Don't care about what people think" Which is odd, because it looks like the fuel to being cool is the opinions that other people have.
Moving On...
Janes, Beth. "Cool styles for summer hair: what are some easy ways to change my hairstyle? … and more of your questions answered here - Beauty Q+A." BNet (2002): 1-3. Web. 7 Dec 2009..
Part of being cool consists of looking cool. "If you wanna play the part look the part!" Of course both men and women are always looking for ways to improve their looks so that they look "hot" and "sexy" some might even say "he's a catch!" something along those lines... This site: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0846/is_11_21/ai_87691313/
looks like a beauty site. Its a Q and A about how one can change their hairstyle to fit their look.
Moving On...
Lastly how can one expect to be cool if they don't talk cool. Here is a site: (this one is a forum) of people saying cool phrases that were once cool. Its pretty self explanatory.
Davis Mark, Link Tool, Sophie Caley, Sondra C, and Lucas Halbert. "How To Get People To Like You." WikiHow. WikiHow, Web. 7 Dec 2009.
Link:http://www.wikihow.com/Get-People-to-Like-You
This site gives you tips on how to get people to like you and notice you more. It suggests nice calm things like "don't brag" and other traits that might attract people to you in a positive cool way.
Moving on...
Wanting to be cool suggests that people want to be noticed and possibly in a romantic way at that. In all those movies we see prime examples of this. Take a movie like John Tucker Must Die. There was a popular guy who was basically the "king of the school" and there was an unpopular girl who some popular girls made popular by telling her how to act and what to wear and say. Here's a summary: http://www.starpulse.com/Movies/John_Tucker_Must_Die/Summary/
Epps, Angela. "How To Get A Guy To Notice You At School." eHow. eHow, Web. 7 Dec 2009.
This movie suggests that in order to be noticed, one has to be known by all of the right people first. It suggests that the only way to become popular or "cool" you have to be connected to someone that everyone already believes is cool. This website: http://www.ehow.com/how_4457097_get-guy-notice-school.html provides instructions that one should.could follow in order to get that special someone to look their way.
Moving On...
"How To Be Cool." Life Style Lounge. Iloveindia.com, Web. 7 Dec 2009.
http://lifestyle.iloveindia.com/lounge/how-to-be-cool-3148.html
Moving On...
Janes, Beth. "Cool styles for summer hair: what are some easy ways to change my hairstyle? … and more of your questions answered here - Beauty Q+A." BNet (2002): 1-3. Web. 7 Dec 2009.
Part of being cool consists of looking cool. "If you wanna play the part look the part!" Of course both men and women are always looking for ways to improve their looks so that they look "hot" and "sexy" some might even say "he's a catch!" something along those lines... This site: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0846/is_11_21/ai_87691313/
Moving On...
Lastly how can one expect to be cool if they don't talk cool. Here is a site: (this one is a forum) of people saying cool phrases that were once cool. Its pretty self explanatory.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Hw 27 What Do You Think?
Everyone has their own views about what it means to be cool. Some or even most are influenced by what other people think is cool. I feel that being cool is something that should matter so much. Everyone has different tastes and different views yet "cool" is something that seems to somehow sparks up an argument. But then again we all feel the need to change each others minds as we see fit.
I asked 3 people what cool meant to them. I was warned that I was going to get fairly similar answers and most people probably don't really think deeply, they say whatever comes to mind. These are the answers I got from strangers:
1. Not sure
2. Trendy
3. Hip
4. Current
5. Humorous
6. Relevant
7. Not warm...
8. In touch
After a while I started to think that cool meant having something that other people admire. For instance alot of people listed qualities that they thought might be cool in a person on certain things that make people cool according to them. But that made me wonder, if they were listing their own qualities or the qualities of what they want to be. Is cool something that we are trying to reach? Does that mean that those who think they are cool have reached that level of self like that they admire? does that mean that "cool" people don't think that other people are cool?
There are questions that one could ask about this all night and still not be satisfied. My mom said these things:
Me: What does being cool mean to you?
Mom: That you listen and don't judge that you're open to different things?
Me: Who's cool?
Mom: Kat Williams, I got to meet him and he was really chill. He was concerned about his fans and he ate dinner with us and.
Me: What are qualities that make people cool?
Mom: If they are famous, being down to earth makes them cool. Being able to blend. And if it is someone not famous then they should be open.
It looks like a person who is cool for the most part listens, trendy and down to earth. I think that those are qualities that most people can find easily. To me I don't think people really think deeply about what it means to be cool at all. Since the question is so unusual no one really expect it. It's like their IM box is lagging when it comes to this question. Their hard drive has crashed for a little while, and then its back on track with generic answers.
As for insights on living. I honestly don't think I will be able to find someone in my family like that. I don't think that they think much about how life works and what to expect. There are people in my family that I find cool but not the right "type" of cool.
I asked 3 people what cool meant to them. I was warned that I was going to get fairly similar answers and most people probably don't really think deeply, they say whatever comes to mind. These are the answers I got from strangers:
1. Not sure
2. Trendy
3. Hip
4. Current
5. Humorous
6. Relevant
7. Not warm...
8. In touch
After a while I started to think that cool meant having something that other people admire. For instance alot of people listed qualities that they thought might be cool in a person on certain things that make people cool according to them. But that made me wonder, if they were listing their own qualities or the qualities of what they want to be. Is cool something that we are trying to reach? Does that mean that those who think they are cool have reached that level of self like that they admire? does that mean that "cool" people don't think that other people are cool?
There are questions that one could ask about this all night and still not be satisfied. My mom said these things:
Me: What does being cool mean to you?
Mom: That you listen and don't judge that you're open to different things?
Me: Who's cool?
Mom: Kat Williams, I got to meet him and he was really chill. He was concerned about his fans and he ate dinner with us and.
Me: What are qualities that make people cool?
Mom: If they are famous, being down to earth makes them cool. Being able to blend. And if it is someone not famous then they should be open.
It looks like a person who is cool for the most part listens, trendy and down to earth. I think that those are qualities that most people can find easily. To me I don't think people really think deeply about what it means to be cool at all. Since the question is so unusual no one really expect it. It's like their IM box is lagging when it comes to this question. Their hard drive has crashed for a little while, and then its back on track with generic answers.
As for insights on living. I honestly don't think I will be able to find someone in my family like that. I don't think that they think much about how life works and what to expect. There are people in my family that I find cool but not the right "type" of cool.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Hw- 26 I'm Ready For My Close Up (try 3)
Me: So, do you think that being cool matters?
Sandy: I think it does but it shoudnt, everyone is pretty judgemental and it seems as though we all want to impress others. Like everything is a competition and if we want status/recogition to make progression (in social life or in a career path), it matters how you are viewed by others
Me: Why do you think it matters what others think?
Sandy: For your own self confidence or progression like it matters what colleges think of you because it determines where you're going next year and i think it matters what your friends think of you so you know that your relationship with your friends is mutual
Me: Who do you think makes the standards for cool and uncool
Sandy: I think the media.
Me: Do you think that "being cool" matters to anyone?
Gavin: Yes. Everyone, really
Me: And why is that?
Gavin: Because everyone wants to be liked, to be wanted, to have proff that they matter to someone, anyone.
Me: Who, in your opinion makes the standards for being cool?
Gavin: i set myself as my own standard I find myself cool, and like to associate with people similar or contrarily, people who give me new perspective
Me: and lastly, what does "cool" or "being cool" mean to you?
Gavin: well, and i know this sounds cliche, but being yourself or rather actively trying to know yourself and understanding the point of yourself, why to be it.
Me: In your opinion, who sets the standards for being cool?
Amanda: Umm.... i guess i would say each individual person sets their own standards
i don't think there's one specific standard of 'cool', everyone has their own idea of what it is, so it can't really be measured up to one thing or one person
Me: Does "being cool" matter to anyone? does it seem like "being cool" makes you eager to impress others?
Amanda: What do you mean, eager to impress others?
Me: Like "im going to wear this today because i want someone to notice"
Amanda: So you mean, does it seem like people try to be 'cool' to get other people's attention?
Me: Yeah. that. sorry i can't word properly
Amanda: Ok well yes i think that's true but it's interesting, because some people are so desperate to look/act cool and attractive and put so much work into this persona, but at the same time, everyone seems to think that 'cool' implies effortlessness
Me: Why, does being cool seem to matter so much?
Amanda: I guess because people are social creatures and want to be accepted by others. 'cool' is your idea of what is desirable, and we try to live up to it in an attempt to be liked. even if someone's idea of 'cool' is to go against the grain, they're still trying to be rebellious to catch the attention of a certain type of person.and to present themselves a certain way.
Me: Do you think that what we think of as cool, comes from what someone else thinks is cool?
Amanda: Ok...i guess i think we can't help but be influenced by other people in some way. sometimes people pretend to also like the things that family, friends, celebrities, etc. think are cool, or even if they actually like something, like it just because someone else does. but i think sometimes when we think that something a friend or whoever likes is cool, we would have also thought it was cool had we discovered it on our own.
Me: You say that we all have our own view of what is cool. if that is the case does that mean that everyone is cool?
Amanda: I guess so! even if you don't meet your own qualifications for 'coolness,' you probably meet somebody else's somewhere!
Monday, November 23, 2009
Hw 25- Nice Stories People! + The Pattern of Boxes
To Sandy:
Werd! What happened? I really like it though. From this I could tell that your character is a nice person and she doesn't like to burden others with her problem(s).
By your ending I could kind of tell that she is hesitant to believe that good things can happen to her, and when they do she questions them.
This was really nice, I liked how you got the character down in about a paragraph.
To Yazmin P (12):
Hello, this was nice. Basically a list of awesome qualities that would be nice to possess. I liked that you basically gave your definition of cool and what it means to be cool.
Do you think that all those qualities can actually mix? What does society say about a mixing of those qualities?
All in all this was interesting.
To Esther:
Hey, I agree with Sandy this reminds me of you alot. I like how the character says goodbye to both of his parents and that the conflict was getting to school on time. This was really nice.
To Gavin:
I really liked your story. It reminds me alot of you. I don't know if this is related to something that actually happened but you made it easy for me to visualize this scene. But I must say it isn't cool to smoke.
To Mo:
Hey Mo, I really liked your story. It sounds like the attitude that alot of kinds have today. Its realistic and I can see the character being in a real highschool.
Part 2
I feel like in general there are only a very small amount of "cool" stories that one can write. There story would have to be generally stereotypical and very straightforward in a way. The trends were: perfect cool, class clown cool, popular cool, beautiful cool, timid cool, mysterious cool, sarcastic cool, down to earth cool. Basically the stories were really cookie cut. Its kind of cool to see which types of cool that people chose to write about. I think in a way it reflects them or at least who they want to become.
Why is it that the way we see "cool" in a way reflects us? Or how come we only see cool inside little boxes? Its as if it becomes a little awkward to see the popular jock in to the nerdy girl who sits at home with grandma on the weekends. But even something that doesn't mix generally has been done before. So if someone says "I'm unique because I'm the cool girl who likes the bookworm" I'm sure that someone has made that statement before. We can't really escape the boxes, we can't even make new ones. The only thing that does exist is hand-me downs.
Werd! What happened? I really like it though. From this I could tell that your character is a nice person and she doesn't like to burden others with her problem(s).
By your ending I could kind of tell that she is hesitant to believe that good things can happen to her, and when they do she questions them.
This was really nice, I liked how you got the character down in about a paragraph.
To Yazmin P (12):
Hello, this was nice. Basically a list of awesome qualities that would be nice to possess. I liked that you basically gave your definition of cool and what it means to be cool.
Do you think that all those qualities can actually mix? What does society say about a mixing of those qualities?
All in all this was interesting.
To Esther:
Hey, I agree with Sandy this reminds me of you alot. I like how the character says goodbye to both of his parents and that the conflict was getting to school on time. This was really nice.
To Gavin:
I really liked your story. It reminds me alot of you. I don't know if this is related to something that actually happened but you made it easy for me to visualize this scene. But I must say it isn't cool to smoke.
To Mo:
Hey Mo, I really liked your story. It sounds like the attitude that alot of kinds have today. Its realistic and I can see the character being in a real highschool.
Part 2
I feel like in general there are only a very small amount of "cool" stories that one can write. There story would have to be generally stereotypical and very straightforward in a way. The trends were: perfect cool, class clown cool, popular cool, beautiful cool, timid cool, mysterious cool, sarcastic cool, down to earth cool. Basically the stories were really cookie cut. Its kind of cool to see which types of cool that people chose to write about. I think in a way it reflects them or at least who they want to become.
Why is it that the way we see "cool" in a way reflects us? Or how come we only see cool inside little boxes? Its as if it becomes a little awkward to see the popular jock in to the nerdy girl who sits at home with grandma on the weekends. But even something that doesn't mix generally has been done before. So if someone says "I'm unique because I'm the cool girl who likes the bookworm" I'm sure that someone has made that statement before. We can't really escape the boxes, we can't even make new ones. The only thing that does exist is hand-me downs.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Hw 24 - Don't Make A BIG DEAL Out Of Everything
It was a daily routine, walk to the train station, put in headphones and enjoy the somewhat calming ride to school. The train came to a soft stop when it reached the station which was unusual, but didn't bother her. Monica walked in to the train and made her way to the middle of the car as quickly as possible.
She held the pole and closed her eyes as an Eisley song came on. The man in front of her had got up and Monica, was a little bit surprised to get a seat so early in the ride. She had prepared herself to sit, but she decided to turn and glance to see if someone else needed to seat.
Monica saw a woman who looked to be about 50, she glanced down at the seat "Would you like to sit?" the woman smiled in return and made her way to the seat in front of Monica. Monica looked up at the digital clock on the train, 8:17. The train stopped at 86th street, the train had quickly filled with more people that it had the capacity to hold.
Monica didn't seem to mind, she scrolled through her songs and clicked on Tegan and Sara. A man to her left had fit himself in to a non-existent space. Monica watched as the man attempted to set down the large bag he was carrying. She didn't want to cause a scene, so she placed her ipod in her pocket and tapped the man with her now free hand. He looked at her, "Sir maybe next time you should consider a smaller bag, or possibly and earlier train?" Monica smiled at the man then turned up her music and waited for her stop.
She held the pole and closed her eyes as an Eisley song came on. The man in front of her had got up and Monica, was a little bit surprised to get a seat so early in the ride. She had prepared herself to sit, but she decided to turn and glance to see if someone else needed to seat.
Monica saw a woman who looked to be about 50, she glanced down at the seat "Would you like to sit?" the woman smiled in return and made her way to the seat in front of Monica. Monica looked up at the digital clock on the train, 8:17. The train stopped at 86th street, the train had quickly filled with more people that it had the capacity to hold.
Monica didn't seem to mind, she scrolled through her songs and clicked on Tegan and Sara. A man to her left had fit himself in to a non-existent space. Monica watched as the man attempted to set down the large bag he was carrying. She didn't want to cause a scene, so she placed her ipod in her pocket and tapped the man with her now free hand. He looked at her, "Sir maybe next time you should consider a smaller bag, or possibly and earlier train?" Monica smiled at the man then turned up her music and waited for her stop.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Hw 23 - Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want
Cool [kool] - [kewl] Adjective, derived from the ancient idiots.
1. Marsha seemed cool as she deeply inhaled her blunt.
2. John thought to himself how cool he looked with Marsha holding his hand.
3. John didn't think it was cool that Marsha's breath smelt of smoke.
4. Becky felt cool as she stood atop the pyramid of identical dressed girls.
You see where I'm going with this. Cool makes its own definition, why should we even care? When I think about what cool means I think of society's version of what it means. I think of the head cheerleader and the captain of the football team. Cool is one of those stereotypical words, meaning it already has a well known picture to go with it.
When I think of cool in that way I think that everyone wants to desperately be seen, to be known. All we want is some attention. Now the ways in which we seek it may differ but in the end we all want to be seen. We want to be cool in our own ways, and we know it. Just admitting it makes it a teensie bit difficult.
What I don't get, is why we care about being cool. How come it isn't enough to just be seen by the people that actually mean something to us? Why can't we be happy? Why is there always a need for more? How come the people that see "cool" as something that is insignificant get talked about and ridiculed?
I believe that if I made a list of the coolest people I know, it would be my friends, family, then maybe one or two "celebs". I could list the "well known" people in school but how the hell does that make them cool? No one knows, and if they say they do then they really mean that they don't. I've only met a handful of cool people in my life and I know that meeting people like that isn't an easy task. So if your "cool list" is overflowing something is wrong.
The different types of cool, wow.
1. Cutting school
2. Class clown
3. Bookworm
4. Music fiend
5. Movie fiend
6. Drug fiend
7. MVP
8. Sex fiend
9. Food fiend
10. Ethnicity fiend
That's all that I care to list right now. Yes, I used the word 'fiend' alot. Its because I think that most people see cool = popularity, so most people become popular by excelling at one thing more than other people, thus being a fiend in one subject or another. People think that person is cool because they can't do whatever the cool person is excelling at.
I think that in different cliques, there are different cool people. But that would mean that everyone is cool... Is that true?
Its like being cool only proves how well you can please others, and nothing more.
1. Marsha seemed cool as she deeply inhaled her blunt.
2. John thought to himself how cool he looked with Marsha holding his hand.
3. John didn't think it was cool that Marsha's breath smelt of smoke.
4. Becky felt cool as she stood atop the pyramid of identical dressed girls.
You see where I'm going with this. Cool makes its own definition, why should we even care? When I think about what cool means I think of society's version of what it means. I think of the head cheerleader and the captain of the football team. Cool is one of those stereotypical words, meaning it already has a well known picture to go with it.
When I think of cool in that way I think that everyone wants to desperately be seen, to be known. All we want is some attention. Now the ways in which we seek it may differ but in the end we all want to be seen. We want to be cool in our own ways, and we know it. Just admitting it makes it a teensie bit difficult.
What I don't get, is why we care about being cool. How come it isn't enough to just be seen by the people that actually mean something to us? Why can't we be happy? Why is there always a need for more? How come the people that see "cool" as something that is insignificant get talked about and ridiculed?
I believe that if I made a list of the coolest people I know, it would be my friends, family, then maybe one or two "celebs". I could list the "well known" people in school but how the hell does that make them cool? No one knows, and if they say they do then they really mean that they don't. I've only met a handful of cool people in my life and I know that meeting people like that isn't an easy task. So if your "cool list" is overflowing something is wrong.
The different types of cool, wow.
1. Cutting school
2. Class clown
3. Bookworm
4. Music fiend
5. Movie fiend
6. Drug fiend
7. MVP
8. Sex fiend
9. Food fiend
10. Ethnicity fiend
That's all that I care to list right now. Yes, I used the word 'fiend' alot. Its because I think that most people see cool = popularity, so most people become popular by excelling at one thing more than other people, thus being a fiend in one subject or another. People think that person is cool because they can't do whatever the cool person is excelling at.
I think that in different cliques, there are different cool people. But that would mean that everyone is cool... Is that true?
Its like being cool only proves how well you can please others, and nothing more.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Hw 21- Who Says Music Cant Be Art?
If the playlist is not working, try this: http://www.playlist.com/playlist/18408908043
I was unsure about what kind of “art” project to do. This idea might seem a little weird but it’s worth a shot.
I picked 7 songs that I liked and I thought about the parts of the songs that had lyrics that could be interpreted to connect to "being digital"
I've figured that alot of people have a compulsive "I NEED MY DIGITAL" syndrome. And in turn have forged a type of dependant relationship on them. I've provided lyrics for the songs I've chosen (at least the most important lyrics). And I'll explain what they mean to me in the "digital sense".
Song 1. Love's Not A Competition (But I'm Winning) By Kaiser Chiefs
For full lyrics: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/kaiserchiefs/lovesnotacompetitionbutimwinning.html
"I won't be the one to disappoint you anymore...
The trick is getting you to think that all this was your idea.
And that this was everything you've ever wanted out of here"
When I think of those lines and how dependant we are on our digital things and vice-versa it makes alot of sense. I'd like to believe that our digital toys don't want to let us down, and we depend on our phones, ipods and TV's to work for us all the time. What we don't realize is that these products are designed to keep our interest and our attention. Our products trick us in to thinking that we need them to have a life and to have fun.
Song 2. In One Ear By Cage The Elephant
For full lyrics: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/cagetheelephant/inoneear.html
" So it goes in one ear and right out the other
People talking s**t but you know I never bother"
This song kind of makes me think about Feed. The lead singer is talking about being a kid, and having people look down on him because he is young. He says people basically keep talking but it doesn't bother him. I would imagine that the people talking about him are adults who look down on his style of lyrics or clothes etc. It makes me think of Titus and the attitude that he took with most of the book, "in one ear and out the other".
Song 3. You And I By Anarbor
For full lyrics: http://www.6lyrics.com/music/anarbor/lyrics/you_and_i36.aspx
"We're always stuck in repeat day by day
Watching time drift away as we burn away"
I feel like that's a great line for alot of teens today. No matter what new things come out and what new shiny things are invented we are always and forever moving in a circle. I think we live very routine lives, we may try and mix it up every now and then but in reality we aren't really doing anything new.
Song 4. Consoulers Of The Lonely
For full lyrics: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/raconteurs/consolerofthelonely.html
"Haven't seen the sun in weeks
My skin is getting pale
Haven't got a mind left to speak
And I'm skinny as a rail.....
Conversations getting dull
There's a constant buzzing in my ears
Sense of humor's void and numb
And I'm bored to tears"
These lyrics are very interesting. The singer is admitting that he lives his life on the inside. Which when it comes to digital matters alot of us do retreat in to our bubbles, forgetting to think, blink and as he says eat. When he says "conversations getting dull" that reminds me of Feed too. Because there weren't any conversations in the book that were about anything important or meaningful except for when violet was around.
Song 5. Blue Light By Bloc Party
For full lyrics: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/blocparty/bluelight.html
"If that's way it is
Then that's the way it is"
This like makes me think of the truth about how things are with teens today. We are addicted to our gadgets. Its like no one can change the way that we think and the way that teens today operate. There have been books, new reports and articles on how the teens today are being lost to the screens. But as you can see nothing is really happening.
Song 6. Maintain Consciousness
For full lyrics: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/relientk/maintainconsciousness.html
"Our concentration it contains a deadly flaw
our conversations change from words to blah, blah blah"
This song is pretty simple and pretty straight forward. He's singing about how he and he his friends can't concentrate on anything. he goes on to say that since he was 17 he's been living in routine, that nothing has changed except the fact that he can't pay attention.
Song 7. Make Out Kinds By Motion City Soundtrack
For full lyrics: http://www.plyrics.com/lyrics/motioncitysoundtrack/makeoutkids.html
"Hooray for the madness, we are better by design"
I think this line is very fitting. Some would call this digital overflow and our constant dependency on screens madness. This line reminds me of praising the chaos. "We are better by design" makes me think of how alot of teens would fight the people who are against them, by saying that they are "more advanced"
Questions
1. I think that this is more like a mirror because it reflects the "truth". I feel like a hammer is more threating and to me I think a piece of art that connects to a hammer would have to wake people up. I don't think that these songs are going to wake anyone up I think that they will just reflect what people see in themselves already.
2. These songs make me feel okay. I don't really see a problem in the way that I use the digital things in my life. I don't really want to make an impact on anyone's digital life right now. I really love music and I try to get out of it what I can. These songs don't wake me up, they just help me to understand and to agree.
3. The most interesting thing about this project was actually finding the right songs that I could use. It was harder than I thought it would be. I think the hardest thing was finding the right lyrics and the right site to use. It was interesting to actually look up the lyrics to these songs, since I rarely have to look up lyrics to songs.
Monday, November 9, 2009
I Was Just Thinking...
I have been thinking about why this stuff matters as a closer to the whole digital thing. I think I've been really morbid about this whole thing and I think it makes me see it a little clearer. With the whole "thinking about life" thing going on in Manley's class I've figured something like being digital strikes me as insignificant and I think its silly now to discuss it further because people will sit here and talk about how bad digital things and and blah blah blah shame on you, but they won't do anything abut it. Its like knowledge going down the drain and it seems like a major waste of time.
Of all things to talk about, why this? No one is going to change, everyone is going to absorb...maybe.
Of all things to talk about, why this? No one is going to change, everyone is going to absorb...maybe.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Hw 20- Additions, But Still Pretty Solid To Me
I think my paper is okay. I liked it and I was being honest in all my arguments. There weren't any comments and I didn't think it was necessary to chase people down. I think the only thing I needed to work on was this part.
Opposing View Johnson (Incomplete)
Technology is not bad, it is something that is looked down upon. But it is possible that it is good for us. What if technology was here first would there be a whole new view on how much time is spent in front of screen?
I feel like Johnson in a way mostly agrees with Anderson but he is saying "you could also look at it this way" Its like Johnson is the nice uncle that all the kids run to when all the other adults are being jerks. But when the kids go to sleep he complains to all the other adults about the kids whining.
When it comes to all that Johnson said I feel like we [teens] can't really take all that he says to heart. I feel like if i agree with him it makes me feel even more stupid, I feel like I'm saying something like "OOOOh see look, we aren't stupid after all!" All of this makes me think that when it comes to being digital there isn't another side to it there is only truth. We are dependant on the things that should not be significant.
I just realized that after all of this it has only made me aware of how much time i spend on my gadgets, I don't really care what it says about me.
I honestly don't care anymore about the image.
For full paper see hw 18 please, thank you
Opposing View Johnson (Incomplete)
Technology is not bad, it is something that is looked down upon. But it is possible that it is good for us. What if technology was here first would there be a whole new view on how much time is spent in front of screen?
I feel like Johnson in a way mostly agrees with Anderson but he is saying "you could also look at it this way" Its like Johnson is the nice uncle that all the kids run to when all the other adults are being jerks. But when the kids go to sleep he complains to all the other adults about the kids whining.
When it comes to all that Johnson said I feel like we [teens] can't really take all that he says to heart. I feel like if i agree with him it makes me feel even more stupid, I feel like I'm saying something like "OOOOh see look, we aren't stupid after all!" All of this makes me think that when it comes to being digital there isn't another side to it there is only truth. We are dependant on the things that should not be significant.
I just realized that after all of this it has only made me aware of how much time i spend on my gadgets, I don't really care what it says about me.
I honestly don't care anymore about the image.
For full paper see hw 18 please, thank you
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Hw 19- Let Me Help You Out
Comment to Ian, Paper
Hopefully I can offer some help. So I'm assuming your thesis is:
"The digitilization has become a major tool to further change our values to make us better fatter more complacent cattle"
I love that, but I think that you should remove 'The' and just start with digitilation. Also I think that you should include something taht connects to cattle in the thesis as well. Maybe something like:
"Digitization has become a major tool that makes us much like animals, corporate media is slowly changing our values to make us better fatter cattle"
Its just an idea :]
I like how you start your paragraph here, talking about how we are tuaght that everything is supply and demand and everything is about buying and selling and making profit!
What i'm getting is that being digital is making it eaiser for us to be the puppets that are controlled by corporate media?
Great point i completely agree. Maybe a posible out line could be:
1. You explaining how we are already born being taught that we need to buy and sell to make a living
2. How corporate pours their lies in to our pockets to get the money out of our wallets.
3. How we continue to beocme more and more obiedent since we constantly depend on corporate to invent new toys
4. Tie in how we are fed garbage, thus making us animals and you can connect finally how the cattle metaphor works.
I hope I helped. Let me know. I'm really excited to read your paper!
To Sarah:
Sorry I took so long. I liked your paper alot.
I feel like you have a bunch of information everywhere and you just throw it in wherever you see fit.
I'm assuming that the question "What over looked damage is the obsession of technology leading to?" is the question you are trying to answer.
I think its very interesting but I was unable to find a thesis of some sort that you can connect all your info to.
Something like : Many may see technology as advancement but in reality it's setting us back.
And from there you can incorporate all of your ideas which seem to be:
1. Health problems
2. Connecting to yourself
3. Global problems
4. History
5. Conclusion
I think thats how your paper flows. Which is great.
I think you should divi up the paragraph where you talk about yourself. Maybe you want to connect yourself to other parts of your paper?
All in all Sarah, this is a very interesting paper and its backed up by tons of evidence.
Maybe you should think about making it a little more personal, because it sounds really general. Just an idea.
Hopefully I can offer some help. So I'm assuming your thesis is:
"The digitilization has become a major tool to further change our values to make us better fatter more complacent cattle"
I love that, but I think that you should remove 'The' and just start with digitilation. Also I think that you should include something taht connects to cattle in the thesis as well. Maybe something like:
"Digitization has become a major tool that makes us much like animals, corporate media is slowly changing our values to make us better fatter cattle"
Its just an idea :]
I like how you start your paragraph here, talking about how we are tuaght that everything is supply and demand and everything is about buying and selling and making profit!
What i'm getting is that being digital is making it eaiser for us to be the puppets that are controlled by corporate media?
Great point i completely agree. Maybe a posible out line could be:
1. You explaining how we are already born being taught that we need to buy and sell to make a living
2. How corporate pours their lies in to our pockets to get the money out of our wallets.
3. How we continue to beocme more and more obiedent since we constantly depend on corporate to invent new toys
4. Tie in how we are fed garbage, thus making us animals and you can connect finally how the cattle metaphor works.
I hope I helped. Let me know. I'm really excited to read your paper!
To Sarah:
Sorry I took so long. I liked your paper alot.
I feel like you have a bunch of information everywhere and you just throw it in wherever you see fit.
I'm assuming that the question "What over looked damage is the obsession of technology leading to?" is the question you are trying to answer.
I think its very interesting but I was unable to find a thesis of some sort that you can connect all your info to.
Something like : Many may see technology as advancement but in reality it's setting us back.
And from there you can incorporate all of your ideas which seem to be:
1. Health problems
2. Connecting to yourself
3. Global problems
4. History
5. Conclusion
I think thats how your paper flows. Which is great.
I think you should divi up the paragraph where you talk about yourself. Maybe you want to connect yourself to other parts of your paper?
All in all Sarah, this is a very interesting paper and its backed up by tons of evidence.
Maybe you should think about making it a little more personal, because it sounds really general. Just an idea.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Hw 18- Somewhat of a Big Paper
INTRO
When you talk about digital things I feel like it becomes a little personal. This unit is targeted toward us, so let’s talk about it from a teen’s perspective. We like our ipods, our Mac’s or plasma’s, our blackberry’s and our sidekicks. The thing is when we use what this great nation has provided its leaders of tomorrow we get ridiculed! How is this possible? We are like the little obedient lab rats. Corporate says “Here try this on for size” and us with watering mouths waiting to be fed more corporate bull. I believe we think that there is no choice. I think that corporate is scared of a technological regression, and we are too oblivious to notice. If there was no progress then what should be done as a pastime? We must live up to the expectations to be better, to be futuristic. Out of fear of regression there must be blind progres
ARGUMENT 1: Using Teens Attention Spans To Market
In a poll taken by Teenage Research Unlimited (TRU), teens in 2004 spent 169 billion. Well guess what? Corporate knows this, they know what appeals to us poor teens and they know just how too keep us staring at their clever commercials. New products come out so quick and so often there is little time in between products so naturally, the “new” things that come out are just like the old things that barely had time to collect dust on the shelves.
Look at ipods for example, when the ipod came out in 2001 it had a mechanical scroll wheel and had up to 10 GB in memory, when the 2nd ipod came out in 2002 the scroll wheel was touch sensitive and the USB port was covered this ipod was also available in 10 GB, the 3rd ipod was released in 2003 was slimmer and still had a touch sensitive dial and was also available in 40 GB. The 4th, 5th and 6th ipod’s were all the same basically but were made slimmer and were available in 80 GB and in a new color! … Grey. Apple shook it up in 2005 with a new design, the mini. The mini came in 4 GB and 6 GB and in several different colors, but it was still the same touch sensitive dial and small square screen. Basically they all do the same thing, touch sensitive and available in black, grey and only specific colors of the rainbow.
We as consumers don’t see it as the same old song and dance we see, advancement. We see something new and better. We teens have such short attention spans that when the new toys come out we completely ignore the old. I’ve done it, and when I think about it I can’t figure out why. Its like we are just following in the foot steps of corporate. I stopped playing my old x-box just because I had gotten a new one. There was nothing wrong with the old one but something in me just told me to reject it and forget about it, because corporate had forgotten about it. But when I really think about it the X-box 360 does the same thing that the X0box did…plays games, movies and you can go online. Same thing just more expensive.
I think that companies also use peer pressure to get teen consumers to buy the crap that they put out. Everyone knows that if Kid A bought the new Jordan’s that Kid B is going to eventually want the new Jordan’s thus starting the chain reaction. It’s the same way with digital things, its like a virus infecting us and then passing on to a new host and we don’t notice we keep sharing drinks and coughing and touching subway polls. Where would we be if production stopped at that first ipod? No one would complain, but the burning question of “what’s next?” will always be at the back of our minds and that’s when we get mindless products. We have been taught to think that nothing is ever enough.
ARGUMENT 2: Digital Overdose
We love our toys so much that we don’t notice when our face has become contorted in to the shape of a mindless zombie. What is mind boggling is that some of us know that we are slowly turning in to puppets. We think that it is okay to completely zone out in front of a screen. We have been taught to trick ourselves into thinking that all we need to have a life is a charger and a screen and we are mistaken. No one realizes that sometimes the digital toys are things that are bad for us.
I don’t think people realize that we have basically forged fake lives for ourselves. We can shop, communicate, travel, and download all from a chair. We can be totally different people from the comfort of our own homes, how great! Because of the mass rapid production of digital things there has been a large dependence on digital products and people think that it is okay. I didn’t realize this until I asked people what they thought of their digital products and how much time they thought that they spent on them. Surprisingly many people admitted to spending 12+ hours in front of screens knowingly and being okay with it.
I saw a banking commercial a little while back and one of the people in the commercial said that technology is making us better, which is something that took me by surprise. People agree that more screens is what we need.
ARGUMENT 3: Anderson
Teenagers are the ones being made fun of and talked about when it comes to technology. I think its because we are the digital puppets and we abide by what is being sold, I bet that if you asked a teenager why they buy the things that they buy I bet they wouldn’t know what to say. Anderson does a good job in Feed talking about how teens are so easily told what to do and how to do it and in the end we don’t even see why.
In Feed the teens don’t bother to think about what is happening around them they are only concerned about the things that are happening in their heads (nice) because a lot of teens are self centered and a lot of us only care about something if it only directly has anything to do with us. If we were to rebel then what, will we go back to caves? We are scared to see what would happen if the teens of today stopped being so obedient and stopped spending every cent we earned on something with a screen.
Opposing View Johnson (Incomplete)
Technology is not bad, it is something that is looked down upon. But it is possible that it is good for us. What if technology was here first would there be a whole new view on how much time is spent in front of screen?
CONCLUSION:
This is becoming a bit redundant. I feel as though nothing is going to change, we are going to be stuck in the same digital circle for a long time. There might be a few teens who think about it and wonder about it but nothing drastic is going to happen. More books about stupid teens will be published, but who cares? da da da
Works Cited (So Far)
Feed
Everything Bad is Good For You
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPod
http://www.window.state.tx.us/comptrol/fnotes/fn0508/teens.html
When you talk about digital things I feel like it becomes a little personal. This unit is targeted toward us, so let’s talk about it from a teen’s perspective. We like our ipods, our Mac’s or plasma’s, our blackberry’s and our sidekicks. The thing is when we use what this great nation has provided its leaders of tomorrow we get ridiculed! How is this possible? We are like the little obedient lab rats. Corporate says “Here try this on for size” and us with watering mouths waiting to be fed more corporate bull. I believe we think that there is no choice. I think that corporate is scared of a technological regression, and we are too oblivious to notice. If there was no progress then what should be done as a pastime? We must live up to the expectations to be better, to be futuristic. Out of fear of regression there must be blind progres
ARGUMENT 1: Using Teens Attention Spans To Market
In a poll taken by Teenage Research Unlimited (TRU), teens in 2004 spent 169 billion. Well guess what? Corporate knows this, they know what appeals to us poor teens and they know just how too keep us staring at their clever commercials. New products come out so quick and so often there is little time in between products so naturally, the “new” things that come out are just like the old things that barely had time to collect dust on the shelves.
Look at ipods for example, when the ipod came out in 2001 it had a mechanical scroll wheel and had up to 10 GB in memory, when the 2nd ipod came out in 2002 the scroll wheel was touch sensitive and the USB port was covered this ipod was also available in 10 GB, the 3rd ipod was released in 2003 was slimmer and still had a touch sensitive dial and was also available in 40 GB. The 4th, 5th and 6th ipod’s were all the same basically but were made slimmer and were available in 80 GB and in a new color! … Grey. Apple shook it up in 2005 with a new design, the mini. The mini came in 4 GB and 6 GB and in several different colors, but it was still the same touch sensitive dial and small square screen. Basically they all do the same thing, touch sensitive and available in black, grey and only specific colors of the rainbow.
We as consumers don’t see it as the same old song and dance we see, advancement. We see something new and better. We teens have such short attention spans that when the new toys come out we completely ignore the old. I’ve done it, and when I think about it I can’t figure out why. Its like we are just following in the foot steps of corporate. I stopped playing my old x-box just because I had gotten a new one. There was nothing wrong with the old one but something in me just told me to reject it and forget about it, because corporate had forgotten about it. But when I really think about it the X-box 360 does the same thing that the X0box did…plays games, movies and you can go online. Same thing just more expensive.
I think that companies also use peer pressure to get teen consumers to buy the crap that they put out. Everyone knows that if Kid A bought the new Jordan’s that Kid B is going to eventually want the new Jordan’s thus starting the chain reaction. It’s the same way with digital things, its like a virus infecting us and then passing on to a new host and we don’t notice we keep sharing drinks and coughing and touching subway polls. Where would we be if production stopped at that first ipod? No one would complain, but the burning question of “what’s next?” will always be at the back of our minds and that’s when we get mindless products. We have been taught to think that nothing is ever enough.
ARGUMENT 2: Digital Overdose
We love our toys so much that we don’t notice when our face has become contorted in to the shape of a mindless zombie. What is mind boggling is that some of us know that we are slowly turning in to puppets. We think that it is okay to completely zone out in front of a screen. We have been taught to trick ourselves into thinking that all we need to have a life is a charger and a screen and we are mistaken. No one realizes that sometimes the digital toys are things that are bad for us.
I don’t think people realize that we have basically forged fake lives for ourselves. We can shop, communicate, travel, and download all from a chair. We can be totally different people from the comfort of our own homes, how great! Because of the mass rapid production of digital things there has been a large dependence on digital products and people think that it is okay. I didn’t realize this until I asked people what they thought of their digital products and how much time they thought that they spent on them. Surprisingly many people admitted to spending 12+ hours in front of screens knowingly and being okay with it.
I saw a banking commercial a little while back and one of the people in the commercial said that technology is making us better, which is something that took me by surprise. People agree that more screens is what we need.
ARGUMENT 3: Anderson
Teenagers are the ones being made fun of and talked about when it comes to technology. I think its because we are the digital puppets and we abide by what is being sold, I bet that if you asked a teenager why they buy the things that they buy I bet they wouldn’t know what to say. Anderson does a good job in Feed talking about how teens are so easily told what to do and how to do it and in the end we don’t even see why.
In Feed the teens don’t bother to think about what is happening around them they are only concerned about the things that are happening in their heads (nice) because a lot of teens are self centered and a lot of us only care about something if it only directly has anything to do with us. If we were to rebel then what, will we go back to caves? We are scared to see what would happen if the teens of today stopped being so obedient and stopped spending every cent we earned on something with a screen.
Opposing View Johnson (Incomplete)
Technology is not bad, it is something that is looked down upon. But it is possible that it is good for us. What if technology was here first would there be a whole new view on how much time is spent in front of screen?
CONCLUSION:
This is becoming a bit redundant. I feel as though nothing is going to change, we are going to be stuck in the same digital circle for a long time. There might be a few teens who think about it and wonder about it but nothing drastic is going to happen. More books about stupid teens will be published, but who cares? da da da
Works Cited (So Far)
Feed
Everything Bad is Good For You
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPod
http://www.window.state.tx.us/comptrol/fnotes/fn0508/teens.html
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Hw 17 Outline Comments, Well Kind Of
To Ian:
Wow, the thesis was the thing that pulled me in to be honest. I've never read anything like that before it was interesnting. I like how you compare humans to animals (correct) that are constantly manipulated.
I think that it is clever how you mention that we must fit in to the roles that we are given and therefore we buy the stupid shit that fit our roles.
Your paper seems like it will be funny, interesting and metephorically true. Its going to kick major cattle ass.
Wow, the thesis was the thing that pulled me in to be honest. I've never read anything like that before it was interesnting. I like how you compare humans to animals (correct) that are constantly manipulated.
I think that it is clever how you mention that we must fit in to the roles that we are given and therefore we buy the stupid shit that fit our roles.
Your paper seems like it will be funny, interesting and metephorically true. Its going to kick major cattle ass.
Hw- 16 Possible Outline?
Possible Thesis: We must live up to the expectations to be better, to be futuristic. Out of fear of regression there must be blind progress.
Topic One: Using attention spans of teens to make profit.
The majority of people who are entranced by tiny screens are teenagers. We, (well most of us) continuously buy different models of basically the same product just because we can. Teens keep feeding in to the idea that we need to be kept up in the know. The advertising schemes are catchy enough to keep us interested and shielded from the fact that everything is the same. Corporate is afraid of what would happen "God Fah-bid" there was a pause in production.
Topic Two: Digital Overdose
We have been programed to need our fix of digital drugs...or else. Interviewing people in the street shows how we as a nation have become overly dependant on the digital things that we buy. Its like we in a way have also become like our products: temporary and rechargeable.
Topic Three: Anderson
Feed, the book we all know and love... Talks about how we teens are so dependant on our toys that we don't realise the things that are around us. (More ideas to come)
Topic Four: A lesson in Romantics
We have lost touch with the things that are around us. We have forgotten that there used to be things around us that made us happy that did not have screens and flashing lights. Which feeds into our rapid stupidity and our desire for small plastic things.
Topic One: Using attention spans of teens to make profit.
The majority of people who are entranced by tiny screens are teenagers. We, (well most of us) continuously buy different models of basically the same product just because we can. Teens keep feeding in to the idea that we need to be kept up in the know. The advertising schemes are catchy enough to keep us interested and shielded from the fact that everything is the same. Corporate is afraid of what would happen "God Fah-bid" there was a pause in production.
Topic Two: Digital Overdose
We have been programed to need our fix of digital drugs...or else. Interviewing people in the street shows how we as a nation have become overly dependant on the digital things that we buy. Its like we in a way have also become like our products: temporary and rechargeable.
Topic Three: Anderson
Feed, the book we all know and love... Talks about how we teens are so dependant on our toys that we don't realise the things that are around us. (More ideas to come)
Topic Four: A lesson in Romantics
We have lost touch with the things that are around us. We have forgotten that there used to be things around us that made us happy that did not have screens and flashing lights. Which feeds into our rapid stupidity and our desire for small plastic things.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Hw 15- All Over Again...
To Francesca on post 11:
This post was really interesting. Your honesty about how dependent you are on your ipod was amazing.
You state how you are more aware of your surroundings. I got the feeling that being aware made you uncomfortable. Do you prefer to be isolated in your own bubble?
I know just what you mean about feeling uncomfortable and feeling the need to stare or look at pictures or just even zone out. I feel like ipods are just little things that keep our attention and they keep us from really interacting.
Its interesting how you call it your "security blanket" it makes me think of something that you depend on to keep you safe. What do you think you would do if ipods had never been invented? Would you be okay with staring at other peoples books?
Me myself I feel like we would feel just fine with staring at people on the train because that would be all we have ever known and nothing would be wrong with that because in a way it would be normal.
This was a very interesting post, I could really relate to what you were saying.
To Ian G, on Feed B:
I like this post a lot, the way you write is really original and interesting.
I like how you introduce a different way that you might be able to intertwine a story. a picture and an elaborate allogory all in to one.
I completely understand how you connect Anderson's story to your farm house idea. Because it goes to show that anything can be meaningful if given the right character and importance.
Personally I don't really care about waking the world up when it comes to being digital. I mean it is how it is and most likely its not going to change, but there are going to be a 1,000,001 "Anderson's" who make a point and then do nothing.
How would you tell your kind of allegory? Do you think that more allegories on digital things are needed?
This makes me think of how people like to point out the bad in life 100 times over and nothing gets done about it.
Ian this was a great and funny post. I look forward to more :]
This post was really interesting. Your honesty about how dependent you are on your ipod was amazing.
You state how you are more aware of your surroundings. I got the feeling that being aware made you uncomfortable. Do you prefer to be isolated in your own bubble?
I know just what you mean about feeling uncomfortable and feeling the need to stare or look at pictures or just even zone out. I feel like ipods are just little things that keep our attention and they keep us from really interacting.
Its interesting how you call it your "security blanket" it makes me think of something that you depend on to keep you safe. What do you think you would do if ipods had never been invented? Would you be okay with staring at other peoples books?
Me myself I feel like we would feel just fine with staring at people on the train because that would be all we have ever known and nothing would be wrong with that because in a way it would be normal.
This was a very interesting post, I could really relate to what you were saying.
To Ian G, on Feed B:
I like this post a lot, the way you write is really original and interesting.
I like how you introduce a different way that you might be able to intertwine a story. a picture and an elaborate allogory all in to one.
I completely understand how you connect Anderson's story to your farm house idea. Because it goes to show that anything can be meaningful if given the right character and importance.
Personally I don't really care about waking the world up when it comes to being digital. I mean it is how it is and most likely its not going to change, but there are going to be a 1,000,001 "Anderson's" who make a point and then do nothing.
How would you tell your kind of allegory? Do you think that more allegories on digital things are needed?
This makes me think of how people like to point out the bad in life 100 times over and nothing gets done about it.
Ian this was a great and funny post. I look forward to more :]
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Hw 14- Johnson Vs. Anderson. Feed Us Bad B.S That Is Good For Us
Well to be honest I ended up skimming over all of the provided texts. And I noticed that about 1/2 way through the longest text I began to think about how it connects to everything else. I realised that I was no longer reading but sating and thinking.
At the end of my skimming/thinking/staring I understood like the vexing title of the book that everything bad is good for you. Johnson brought up alot of good points that me being an oblivious teen had never thought of. In the first few pages of the long text, Johnson brought up the argument of timing and placement. Which I thought was clever.
He mentioned that if video games had been introduced centuries before books that we would say that books are bad and cannot be trusted. I felt like that argument in itself was a pun for stupidity. Basically because we have been exposed to it longer then it can be trusted. Which I found as odd and increasingly interesting. Johnson made a point about how when we are learning to read we are focusing on what the plot and what the point of the book is rather than learning.
Johnson mentions a point that Spock made about reading being something that helps us to gain knowledge because we stay focused on something for long periods of time and it is actually us Reading word by word doing all the work. Johnson retorts by saying video games offer the same stimulation.
Personally I like video games and I like reading. I think that it depends both ways. For example if I'm reading something that I am not interested in then most likely I'm not going to gain any knowledge from it and the whole theory of reading to gain knowledge goes down the toilet.
Connecting Feed to this should be interesting.
Feed is saying that digital things are turning the teens of today in to mindless stupid fools who don't feel. Which in many ways could be true. Anderson is basically screaming at the reader to wake up and look around at what we are becoming. To detach from the screens and go outside and feel. So we as the readers go on thinking that digital is bad. Then Johnson comes along saying that actually digital isn't all that bad and tuning in might be in your benefit.
Anderson is talking about a large dependence on digital and here Johnson is talking about a slight comparison and that the screen should not be shunned but it shouldn't be depended on to live either.
There is always going to be a good and a bad side to something like "digital". Personally it doesn't really matter to me anymore. I feel like this has been going on for a long time. People pointing out the problems in the world and then not doing anything about it. I feel like this is only going to make us see both sides of the argument and we are going to go about our lives and keep texting and logging on.
So, what is the point?
At the end of my skimming/thinking/staring I understood like the vexing title of the book that everything bad is good for you. Johnson brought up alot of good points that me being an oblivious teen had never thought of. In the first few pages of the long text, Johnson brought up the argument of timing and placement. Which I thought was clever.
He mentioned that if video games had been introduced centuries before books that we would say that books are bad and cannot be trusted. I felt like that argument in itself was a pun for stupidity. Basically because we have been exposed to it longer then it can be trusted. Which I found as odd and increasingly interesting. Johnson made a point about how when we are learning to read we are focusing on what the plot and what the point of the book is rather than learning.
Johnson mentions a point that Spock made about reading being something that helps us to gain knowledge because we stay focused on something for long periods of time and it is actually us Reading word by word doing all the work. Johnson retorts by saying video games offer the same stimulation.
Personally I like video games and I like reading. I think that it depends both ways. For example if I'm reading something that I am not interested in then most likely I'm not going to gain any knowledge from it and the whole theory of reading to gain knowledge goes down the toilet.
Connecting Feed to this should be interesting.
Feed is saying that digital things are turning the teens of today in to mindless stupid fools who don't feel. Which in many ways could be true. Anderson is basically screaming at the reader to wake up and look around at what we are becoming. To detach from the screens and go outside and feel. So we as the readers go on thinking that digital is bad. Then Johnson comes along saying that actually digital isn't all that bad and tuning in might be in your benefit.
Anderson is talking about a large dependence on digital and here Johnson is talking about a slight comparison and that the screen should not be shunned but it shouldn't be depended on to live either.
There is always going to be a good and a bad side to something like "digital". Personally it doesn't really matter to me anymore. I feel like this has been going on for a long time. People pointing out the problems in the world and then not doing anything about it. I feel like this is only going to make us see both sides of the argument and we are going to go about our lives and keep texting and logging on.
So, what is the point?
Monday, October 19, 2009
Feed B- Art?
Anderson,uses his words as art. He paints a picture in your mind but it is strategically set up so that each reader sees it in a different way. For example and adult interpretation would be: damn kids, they are so dumb these days. A teen would say something like: I really want a feed. I believe that Anderson wanted to show how dumb we were because the majority of people reading this book won't get the message until later informed. Which I think is a great technique, kind of like a blanket over the truth so the unveiling makes the point so much more epic.
However I think that Anderson does have a point about saving the large point of the book until the last pages. What I like about his work is that he picked a topic that can be cared about and at the same time brushed off. Writing about teens who depend on technology might not turn alot of heads. But at the same time its waking people up. Writing about a teen tragedy isn't really attractive and the thoughts of "art" don't really come to mind for me.
As for what art is, I think that it is what you make it. It can be both the hammer and the mirror. It makes it so much more fun when one thing can be seen as several different things. There is a much deeper understanding when more interpretations can be pulled because the art touches everyone and there is a mesh of thoughts rather than one great big grey blob of emptiness...
On the terms of being successful I can't really say. I mean how on earth would you judge that?! If I got the point of the book and someone else didn't does that mean that the book was unsuccessful?
In all honesty I don't really care about what my art would say, if Anderson is correct about us then really all we care about is getting something new and shiny. So I figure art wouldn't really interest too many people in our age group.
Anderson is stating the problem, but if the people that read the book can't figure that out then the point of the book/art is pointless. At this point in the game nothing is really going to be done about this whole technology fad. Instead of fighting why not embrace? Would that make us dumb?
However I think that Anderson does have a point about saving the large point of the book until the last pages. What I like about his work is that he picked a topic that can be cared about and at the same time brushed off. Writing about teens who depend on technology might not turn alot of heads. But at the same time its waking people up. Writing about a teen tragedy isn't really attractive and the thoughts of "art" don't really come to mind for me.
As for what art is, I think that it is what you make it. It can be both the hammer and the mirror. It makes it so much more fun when one thing can be seen as several different things. There is a much deeper understanding when more interpretations can be pulled because the art touches everyone and there is a mesh of thoughts rather than one great big grey blob of emptiness...
On the terms of being successful I can't really say. I mean how on earth would you judge that?! If I got the point of the book and someone else didn't does that mean that the book was unsuccessful?
In all honesty I don't really care about what my art would say, if Anderson is correct about us then really all we care about is getting something new and shiny. So I figure art wouldn't really interest too many people in our age group.
Anderson is stating the problem, but if the people that read the book can't figure that out then the point of the book/art is pointless. At this point in the game nothing is really going to be done about this whole technology fad. Instead of fighting why not embrace? Would that make us dumb?
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Feed A - Lol R We Rly Dat Dum (Revised)
Let's see, this book is basically mocking every teen. Now first instinct tells us that we should get upset, deny it with all our souls or just ignore the book. Instead of that why not think about it? We know how much time we spend on our knickknacks I think that admitting that we spend at least 2/3 of our day texinging,instant messaging...yada yada yada is where the road block comes in. (See my earlier post "Not AA...")
Feed does touch on many things that we as teens in 2009 do, like disregard our parents, get in crappy relationships, go to parties just because... I could go on for a while. Feed is an allegory for the majority of teens today. Granted there are those who spend their Friday nights reading with their phones off just waiting for mommy and daddy to come home but for the most part the book is spot on.
What's weird about self discovery is that we try to deny it. I mean no one wants to be called dumb and no one wants to be a stereotype but when you have 5 hour conversations that look like this: lol, omg Bobby was so totally looking at you! :-) there might be a problem...
Look in to that
There are ways in which Feed can be false. You can assume the the lives of teens today are not tragic. Most of us are obliviously looking forward to the days to come where we can stare blankly at screens just because we can. Feed is saying that this is the direction that we are going in. Feed is saying that eventually a large dependence on computers and technology will lead us further into stupidity.
Most teens today are not bothered by that. Most people don't see technology as our downfall. Most people see that smoking, overuse of oil and pollution are going to end the world!! But I'm almost sure that technology can lead people to do all of the above. 1. You get frustrated that your phone doesn't work and your ipod is always freezing and you pick up smoking...as a nervous habit. 2. most phones, TV's and computers are made of plastic. 3. eventually you'll throw it out.
"Some say" (see earlier post for the joke) that using technology actually hurts us more than not using it. Lets say you watch TV all day (most of us do) and you're sitting there mindlessly eating (this can happen). Say potato chips out of a plastic bag, you run out of them. So you get up get in your car and drive to the nearest Wal-Mart which is atop a hill, so you get out and walk and you're out of breath (lets say your overweight from all those chips) wasting precious air. You pay and drive back and return to your TV. A month later the bill comes and since you've watched plenty of TV the bill is like 7 pages long. Sounds like just watching TV wastes more resources than getting off your butt and doing something.
Think about it as well. But if a Titus is reading this then...da da da da da
Feed does touch on many things that we as teens in 2009 do, like disregard our parents, get in crappy relationships, go to parties just because... I could go on for a while. Feed is an allegory for the majority of teens today. Granted there are those who spend their Friday nights reading with their phones off just waiting for mommy and daddy to come home but for the most part the book is spot on.
What's weird about self discovery is that we try to deny it. I mean no one wants to be called dumb and no one wants to be a stereotype but when you have 5 hour conversations that look like this: lol, omg Bobby was so totally looking at you! :-) there might be a problem...
Look in to that
There are ways in which Feed can be false. You can assume the the lives of teens today are not tragic. Most of us are obliviously looking forward to the days to come where we can stare blankly at screens just because we can. Feed is saying that this is the direction that we are going in. Feed is saying that eventually a large dependence on computers and technology will lead us further into stupidity.
Most teens today are not bothered by that. Most people don't see technology as our downfall. Most people see that smoking, overuse of oil and pollution are going to end the world!! But I'm almost sure that technology can lead people to do all of the above. 1. You get frustrated that your phone doesn't work and your ipod is always freezing and you pick up smoking...as a nervous habit. 2. most phones, TV's and computers are made of plastic. 3. eventually you'll throw it out.
"Some say" (see earlier post for the joke) that using technology actually hurts us more than not using it. Lets say you watch TV all day (most of us do) and you're sitting there mindlessly eating (this can happen). Say potato chips out of a plastic bag, you run out of them. So you get up get in your car and drive to the nearest Wal-Mart which is atop a hill, so you get out and walk and you're out of breath (lets say your overweight from all those chips) wasting precious air. You pay and drive back and return to your TV. A month later the bill comes and since you've watched plenty of TV the bill is like 7 pages long. Sounds like just watching TV wastes more resources than getting off your butt and doing something.
Think about it as well. But if a Titus is reading this then...da da da da da
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Hw 11- I'm Not A Scientist, But I Can Get A Degree Online
How the heck are we supposed to do a "digital fast" when all the homework for this class is due online?
Anyway, I didn't watch TV yesterday. Which to be honest was not that hard. I didn't have a burning urge to watch it and I didn't start foaming at the mouth at the thought of not watching TV.
Uh then I tried only using the computer. It wasn't hard either since its the second digital thing I use most, the first being my ipod. I was tired by 12:30, not because its an artificial stimulator but because I was just simply tired. Despite what was said in class.
I don't consider myself to be a very digital teenager. I think that it would be hard to cut digital things out of my life completely because I wouldn't be able to do anything that is considered "anything" in this day and age. Since everything has been converted to being digital, not being digital would cut you off from society...which might not be that bad... Someone told me that cell phones are leaches. They are there so that parents can keep tabs on their children, something to consider.
Technology is boss. No one defies the boss. (I say there should be no boss...cough cough...Anarchy) Its almost as if we have to be digital...or else. We are forced to depend on these things to function and therefore we are labeled the 'dumb generation'
I say that every generation had things that they were dependant on, just these days the things we depend on are rechargeable...not saying we're better but hey.
Anyway, I didn't watch TV yesterday. Which to be honest was not that hard. I didn't have a burning urge to watch it and I didn't start foaming at the mouth at the thought of not watching TV.
Uh then I tried only using the computer. It wasn't hard either since its the second digital thing I use most, the first being my ipod. I was tired by 12:30, not because its an artificial stimulator but because I was just simply tired. Despite what was said in class.
I don't consider myself to be a very digital teenager. I think that it would be hard to cut digital things out of my life completely because I wouldn't be able to do anything that is considered "anything" in this day and age. Since everything has been converted to being digital, not being digital would cut you off from society...which might not be that bad... Someone told me that cell phones are leaches. They are there so that parents can keep tabs on their children, something to consider.
Technology is boss. No one defies the boss. (I say there should be no boss...cough cough...Anarchy) Its almost as if we have to be digital...or else. We are forced to depend on these things to function and therefore we are labeled the 'dumb generation'
I say that every generation had things that they were dependant on, just these days the things we depend on are rechargeable...not saying we're better but hey.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Hw 10- "Some Say" I LOL @ "Concerned Parents"
For the Music Lover:
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1827159,00.html
Ipod volume has always been the talk of the town. I think that it's interesting to know about the damage that can possibly be done to your ears by listening to a simple song. Let me put emphasis on the words: long term, so no you won't go deaf tomorrow more like when you're 40. The article is talking about how listening to loud music for certain periods of time. I only skimmed it but the phrases "concerned parents" and "some say" came up often. I'm not sure if they even bothered to ask us..
For the TV Lover:
http://www.abc.net.au/health/talkinghealth/factbuster/stories/2007/10/31/1910306.htm
This is a short article. Basically "concerned parents" again asking if their children will be harmed by sitting too close to the TV. So it looks like no matter what you are staring at your eyes are working. The site suggests some tips for long term TV watching.
For the Naughty Kid:
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/05/19/emotional_problems_mobile_phone_report/
This is weird. "Some say" that if kids are acting up in school blame cell phone usage. Basically the article is saying that mothers in Denmark who talked on the phone excessively during pregnancy may have altered the behavior in their children. A study was taken for children up to age 7 in 1993 linked to their academics.
For the Text Lovers:
http://www.irishhealth.com/article.html?id=9085
-and-
http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=is-texting-making-us-bad-spellers-09-09-23
So the first article is saying that texting could be doing horrible damage to your hand and wrist muscles. "Some suggest" that you need to take routine breaks during texting (which may defeat the purpose, texting is supposed to be quick) The second is explaining how texing can make people horrible spellers. "Critics say" that texting can lead to sloppiness.
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1827159,00.html
Ipod volume has always been the talk of the town. I think that it's interesting to know about the damage that can possibly be done to your ears by listening to a simple song. Let me put emphasis on the words: long term, so no you won't go deaf tomorrow more like when you're 40. The article is talking about how listening to loud music for certain periods of time. I only skimmed it but the phrases "concerned parents" and "some say" came up often. I'm not sure if they even bothered to ask us..
For the TV Lover:
http://www.abc.net.au/health/talkinghealth/factbuster/stories/2007/10/31/1910306.htm
This is a short article. Basically "concerned parents" again asking if their children will be harmed by sitting too close to the TV. So it looks like no matter what you are staring at your eyes are working. The site suggests some tips for long term TV watching.
For the Naughty Kid:
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/05/19/emotional_problems_mobile_phone_report/
This is weird. "Some say" that if kids are acting up in school blame cell phone usage. Basically the article is saying that mothers in Denmark who talked on the phone excessively during pregnancy may have altered the behavior in their children. A study was taken for children up to age 7 in 1993 linked to their academics.
For the Text Lovers:
http://www.irishhealth.com/article.html?id=9085
-and-
http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=is-texting-making-us-bad-spellers-09-09-23
So the first article is saying that texting could be doing horrible damage to your hand and wrist muscles. "Some suggest" that you need to take routine breaks during texting (which may defeat the purpose, texting is supposed to be quick) The second is explaining how texing can make people horrible spellers. "Critics say" that texting can lead to sloppiness.
Hw 9- Old Habbits Die Hard, G-K
To Ian G
Thank you so much for your comments on my video, they were so nice. You said alot of things that I didn't even consider.
When you mentioned that I was multitasking through alot of my video that helped me. I didn't really consider that that was what I was doing.
Your comment actually helped me to think about the things that we do but we never really notice. I think that an act like that would help to bring out the "natural" feeling in our videos.
I like how you mention the point of "self defeating" I think that it goes great with the term "double edge sword". Its like how could this possibly be natural if what Im doing is planned?
How can we seem or become as natural as possible without seeming fake? I think its a hard question because its assuming that we are already real...
If you get an aswer please let me know.
To Francesca T:
Thanks for watching my video, your comment made me think deeper in to the meaning of what it means to be digital and disembodied.
When you mentioned the scene where my dad was talking and I looked like I didn't care, that helped me alot to notice the little subconcious things that people do and don't notice them until they are pointed out.
I had thought that my video was personally not very good and I felt uncomfortable. But your comment and POV is from a different angle and that makes me think that when we view ourselves we feel fake in a way but when others see us, it seems real to them. Do you think it helps to be able to see ourselves?
Do you think that we should see ourselves on a regular basis?
I liked your comment it made me think more. Thanks for taking the time out to do it.
Thank you so much for your comments on my video, they were so nice. You said alot of things that I didn't even consider.
When you mentioned that I was multitasking through alot of my video that helped me. I didn't really consider that that was what I was doing.
Your comment actually helped me to think about the things that we do but we never really notice. I think that an act like that would help to bring out the "natural" feeling in our videos.
I like how you mention the point of "self defeating" I think that it goes great with the term "double edge sword". Its like how could this possibly be natural if what Im doing is planned?
How can we seem or become as natural as possible without seeming fake? I think its a hard question because its assuming that we are already real...
If you get an aswer please let me know.
To Francesca T:
Thanks for watching my video, your comment made me think deeper in to the meaning of what it means to be digital and disembodied.
When you mentioned the scene where my dad was talking and I looked like I didn't care, that helped me alot to notice the little subconcious things that people do and don't notice them until they are pointed out.
I had thought that my video was personally not very good and I felt uncomfortable. But your comment and POV is from a different angle and that makes me think that when we view ourselves we feel fake in a way but when others see us, it seems real to them. Do you think it helps to be able to see ourselves?
Do you think that we should see ourselves on a regular basis?
I liked your comment it made me think more. Thanks for taking the time out to do it.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Hw 8- A Digital Representation Of My Comments on Videos...Blah Blah A-F
For Ian G.
I loved the music that you were listening to during your video. Not only can you multi-task but you also have great taste.
I like how you made the point about how real reactions can come from fake things and you found that you couldn't just sit still you had to be doing something else.
I feel that somehow these videos are not really the best way to "capture" how we are when it comes to using out digital products. I can't help but think that some part of this video was staged. Like somehow I don't think that every aspect was real. I'd like to believe that we act out for the camera. Were you acting out?
You say that it is sad to think you might waste a whole day getting mad at a screen when you could be out creating things. That's something that I haven't thought about. But when you're out creating things is it not possible to fall victim to the activity that you are doing outside. Either way we are becoming enslaved by something. Wheather its an ipod or a volleyball we alwasy end up depending on something.
I think that it's easy to waste a whole day doing anything, sleeping, school, screens. But how can we really decide what's is good or bad? Whats going to fry our brains and what isn't? 1/2 the things we learn in school will most likely perish into the deep corners of our brains so whats the use?... I don't hear anyone complain about that.
This was a great post. The video was AWESOME by the way. Looking forward to more!!!!!!
For Sam R:
I loved the music I haeard throuour the video if anything. Kings of Leon is a kick ass band.
I noticed that throughout the video you looked preoccupied, like you weren't completely in to what you were doing. Like you didn't care one way or the other. I noticed that you mentioed that. Why is it weird to see yourself? Do you think you would feel differently if you were doing something else besides being digital?
I think that we all are in a way much more aware of ourselves when we know that we are being watched. I feel that it drastically alters the way that we act/look. I think that if you didn't know that you were being watched the outcome of the video would have been different.
I noticed that you mentioned that you said you looked like you were looking for something else to do all the time. I think that was an important observation that you umade about yourself. It connects to what I was saying about acting differently because you are being watched, do you think that has an impact?
I think that I looked a bit bored in my video as well, it was a weird assignment and while filming I was a bit distracted.
Sam, awesome post as always looking forward to more.
I loved the music that you were listening to during your video. Not only can you multi-task but you also have great taste.
I like how you made the point about how real reactions can come from fake things and you found that you couldn't just sit still you had to be doing something else.
I feel that somehow these videos are not really the best way to "capture" how we are when it comes to using out digital products. I can't help but think that some part of this video was staged. Like somehow I don't think that every aspect was real. I'd like to believe that we act out for the camera. Were you acting out?
You say that it is sad to think you might waste a whole day getting mad at a screen when you could be out creating things. That's something that I haven't thought about. But when you're out creating things is it not possible to fall victim to the activity that you are doing outside. Either way we are becoming enslaved by something. Wheather its an ipod or a volleyball we alwasy end up depending on something.
I think that it's easy to waste a whole day doing anything, sleeping, school, screens. But how can we really decide what's is good or bad? Whats going to fry our brains and what isn't? 1/2 the things we learn in school will most likely perish into the deep corners of our brains so whats the use?... I don't hear anyone complain about that.
This was a great post. The video was AWESOME by the way. Looking forward to more!!!!!!
For Sam R:
I loved the music I haeard throuour the video if anything. Kings of Leon is a kick ass band.
I noticed that throughout the video you looked preoccupied, like you weren't completely in to what you were doing. Like you didn't care one way or the other. I noticed that you mentioed that. Why is it weird to see yourself? Do you think you would feel differently if you were doing something else besides being digital?
I think that we all are in a way much more aware of ourselves when we know that we are being watched. I feel that it drastically alters the way that we act/look. I think that if you didn't know that you were being watched the outcome of the video would have been different.
I noticed that you mentioned that you said you looked like you were looking for something else to do all the time. I think that was an important observation that you umade about yourself. It connects to what I was saying about acting differently because you are being watched, do you think that has an impact?
I think that I looked a bit bored in my video as well, it was a weird assignment and while filming I was a bit distracted.
Sam, awesome post as always looking forward to more.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Hw 6 - Lets Get Digital, Digital
I didn't really have any thoughts about my video. It looked like any regular day that occurs in my house. I looked natural to me, but not completely because the things that I did were kind of planned (besides the conversations). I feel that once you know that you are recording the feeling of your "natural actions" change.
I was looking at blogger and listening to music on some of the clips and eating a bowl of cinnamon toast crunch with soy milk. I felt awkward because I knew the camera was there and I didn't want to look like a fool. Uh, I also had to modify some of the things that I did too. For instance I don't watch TV on the floor but when I sat on the couch I couldn't get both the TV and myself so I had to sit on the floor.
I don't feel bad about the amount of time that I spend on the computer, I know that my little brother spends a lot of time in front of the TV and my mom often tries to get him out of the habit. (He and my father are in the background doing homework) I'm on the computer doing homework, 1/2 listening to my father and also looking for something better to do online.
Personally I don't think this assignment will make me change any of my digital habits. I think its useful to know what you look like dazing out in front of a screen, but I didn't really get much out of it.
Seeing what I look like makes me feel weird beyond content, but there isn't really nothing that can done about that. I would imagine that I would feel weird watching myself do anything. When you see yourself staring at a screen I think you look the same way when your staring at anything. There's a certain spaced out look that many people maybe concerned that they have but most likely that look has haunted your face more than once.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Hw 7 - You Talk, I Text
"People love to talk about themselves" this quote makes a difference to me when it comes to asking to people questions about anything. If you make question personal, the person that you are talking can almost be guaranteed to get an answer that is "deep" and or "thoughtful"
Conversation with my step dad
Why do you use the things that you use? Why do you need your iPhone?
-To keep in touch with you guys. Its necessary in order to communicate.
Don't you think that it is taking over our minds in a way brain washing the people who seem to depend on it?
-Absolutely, people will take anything that is made easier. More things for our society (technology) makes us lazier. (personally that means a revert in my eyes, you get lazier and you get dumber. You become dependant upon one thing in order to do your daily deeds)
If you believe this then why don't you prevent it?
-Because I have no control over it. People act as a society. (He said more, but I don't want to be here typing all night) ((His main point was that things get marketed and as a whole, we mush together to in a sense kind of devour these things, when it comes to 'upgrading' we are never alone))
Strangers, the pick of the liter
So while walking down the streets of New York City, I had to observe my prey and then go in for the kill.
Victim 1:
I found my first victim packing her car with plants. She seemed to be in a rush, but for the sake of the assignment my policy was, NO MERCY. I approached the woman and asked "excusemedoyouhaveamomenttotalkaboutdigitilzationinourlives?" she looked back at me wide-eyed "sure, but I'm in a rush so it has to be quick. I don't want a ticket" I looked down at my blank page and then back up at the woman who looked oddly jittery but calm at the same time. "Would you say that you spend alot of time using tech-tech" I didn't know where the stutter had come from "technology?" the woman shifted the plant she had been holding to her left arm, cradling it the same way one would a child. She looked up semi-thoughtfully and responded "I'm on the phone all the time" I quickly scribbled down what she said while asking "Do you think that's a bad thing?" She smiled and laughed to herself, my stomach grumbled, she responded "yes, but I can't stop. I tried but I can't" I scribbled down the words 'like a drug' smiled and said "thank you for your time"
Victim(s) 3:
My third victim(s) had to be my favorite, I caught them while they were exiting a restaurant and placing their ipones inside their inner top left pockets of their business suits. I clicked my pen and walked over asking "excusemedoyouhaveamomenttotalkaboutdigitilazitioninourlives?" They looked back at me and then down at my notebook which was only filled about 1/2way with the notes from the 2 previous victims. "What is this for?" businessman 1 (b1) asked inquisitively. I pointed towards Madison Square Park "I go to School of the Future on 23rd, its for a class assignment." B1 leaned back slightly in what appeared to be astonishment as if I had just offered the answer to a hard puzzle. "Well you gotta say that or else people won't know what you're talking about" I was taken aback "well I've done this several times before and I find that people seem to always be in a rush. So on instinct I skip introductions." Businessman 2 (b2) laughed and b1 joined in. I wanted to get to the questions, I was hungry. "So how much time would you say you spend on your ipones daily?" an immediate answer shot up, "all day" they said in unison as if it was timed. B2 cut in, "It's like you have to youcantgoaroundit..." his words were spilling out in excitement, he continued "youneeditforwork" I nodded writing his response slowly. I looked at b1, "do you think that this constant need for a screen is making us zombies?" B1 reached in to his top left inside pocket, it reminded me of how people look in movies when they are about to arm themselves. "its like the matrix..." he continued
now holding his weapon of choice "...everyone is connected" I looked down at my phone, 12:29. "Well thank you for you time" the words came out automatically. They smiled in return and wished me luck and I went to lunch.
My "best friend"
Well she thought that people as a whole use alot of digital things not just teenagers. People like to say "oh those darn kids" when adults use their ipones just as much as kids do. Focusing on other people what you hate to realize in yourself helps people to deal. She said that she would feel wrong saying that its a bad thing because everything depends on perception. How can you ever know what is truly good or what is truly bad? You can't. You can only look at statistics and charts and most likely you will be in conversation with people that agree with you or think like you on some level but what's good and bad differs depending on the person. I asked her if she thought that anything would change, i.e more phones and computers. She said that besides design and model numbers everything will be the same.
It feels like we are going somewhere but really we are stuck in a circle.
Conversation with my step dad
Why do you use the things that you use? Why do you need your iPhone?
-To keep in touch with you guys. Its necessary in order to communicate.
Don't you think that it is taking over our minds in a way brain washing the people who seem to depend on it?
-Absolutely, people will take anything that is made easier. More things for our society (technology) makes us lazier. (personally that means a revert in my eyes, you get lazier and you get dumber. You become dependant upon one thing in order to do your daily deeds)
If you believe this then why don't you prevent it?
-Because I have no control over it. People act as a society. (He said more, but I don't want to be here typing all night) ((His main point was that things get marketed and as a whole, we mush together to in a sense kind of devour these things, when it comes to 'upgrading' we are never alone))
Strangers, the pick of the liter
So while walking down the streets of New York City, I had to observe my prey and then go in for the kill.
Victim 1:
I found my first victim packing her car with plants. She seemed to be in a rush, but for the sake of the assignment my policy was, NO MERCY. I approached the woman and asked "excusemedoyouhaveamomenttotalkaboutdigitilzationinourlives?" she looked back at me wide-eyed "sure, but I'm in a rush so it has to be quick. I don't want a ticket" I looked down at my blank page and then back up at the woman who looked oddly jittery but calm at the same time. "Would you say that you spend alot of time using tech-tech" I didn't know where the stutter had come from "technology?" the woman shifted the plant she had been holding to her left arm, cradling it the same way one would a child. She looked up semi-thoughtfully and responded "I'm on the phone all the time" I quickly scribbled down what she said while asking "Do you think that's a bad thing?" She smiled and laughed to herself, my stomach grumbled, she responded "yes, but I can't stop. I tried but I can't" I scribbled down the words 'like a drug' smiled and said "thank you for your time"
Victim(s) 3:
My third victim(s) had to be my favorite, I caught them while they were exiting a restaurant and placing their ipones inside their inner top left pockets of their business suits. I clicked my pen and walked over asking "excusemedoyouhaveamomenttotalkaboutdigitilazitioninourlives?" They looked back at me and then down at my notebook which was only filled about 1/2way with the notes from the 2 previous victims. "What is this for?" businessman 1 (b1) asked inquisitively. I pointed towards Madison Square Park "I go to School of the Future on 23rd, its for a class assignment." B1 leaned back slightly in what appeared to be astonishment as if I had just offered the answer to a hard puzzle. "Well you gotta say that or else people won't know what you're talking about" I was taken aback "well I've done this several times before and I find that people seem to always be in a rush. So on instinct I skip introductions." Businessman 2 (b2) laughed and b1 joined in. I wanted to get to the questions, I was hungry. "So how much time would you say you spend on your ipones daily?" an immediate answer shot up, "all day" they said in unison as if it was timed. B2 cut in, "It's like you have to youcantgoaroundit..." his words were spilling out in excitement, he continued "youneeditforwork" I nodded writing his response slowly. I looked at b1, "do you think that this constant need for a screen is making us zombies?" B1 reached in to his top left inside pocket, it reminded me of how people look in movies when they are about to arm themselves. "its like the matrix..." he continued
now holding his weapon of choice "...everyone is connected" I looked down at my phone, 12:29. "Well thank you for you time" the words came out automatically. They smiled in return and wished me luck and I went to lunch.
My "best friend"
Well she thought that people as a whole use alot of digital things not just teenagers. People like to say "oh those darn kids" when adults use their ipones just as much as kids do. Focusing on other people what you hate to realize in yourself helps people to deal. She said that she would feel wrong saying that its a bad thing because everything depends on perception. How can you ever know what is truly good or what is truly bad? You can't. You can only look at statistics and charts and most likely you will be in conversation with people that agree with you or think like you on some level but what's good and bad differs depending on the person. I asked her if she thought that anything would change, i.e more phones and computers. She said that besides design and model numbers everything will be the same.
It feels like we are going somewhere but really we are stuck in a circle.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Hw 5- More Letters, Its Important
Respose to Ian and Sam:
I'm not sure if anyone thinks about this but really everything is a big circle when it comes to technology. No matter how many different types of phones there are, a phone is still a phone. The numbers are the same the purpose for the phone is pretty much the same. So why you ask do we buy more of the same old crap?
Because, we think we need it of course. It's simple, if one has the knowledge that there is something new and "better" then your mind automatically disregards that you basically have the same piece of plastic already.
You are scared of going back, you feel like you're in the past if you don't upgrade. If don't update your sidekick you feel old. Get it? I just figured this thought out completely just now as I wrote this post.
So even if you do have a piece of modern technology, and something else comes out what you have is old, what you have is in the past so we continue to need more.
Now, if there were to be a complete halt in technology, yes the world would continue to spin on its axis, yes your text inbox will still be full and yes your ipod will still charge at night. But people will wonder what's next. We are already in this pattern of getting something new when something gets "old".
So if nothing came out people might panic. I actually think that people will have more of an appreciation for what you already have and you won't mindlessly buy the same thing over and over again just because it has a new name.
Response to Francesca:
Thanks for the comment, I like how you think its important to proof read. I rarely do so myself.
I think that it is important during this unit to actually accept that being digital is something that a lot of us rely on. So I won't say that being digital is completely hurting us as you say but I think it a matter of balancing how much you use your whatnots and gadgets.
But your comment actually helped me to further my thinking about how we are so amazed with flat 2-D images. I think that you make a good point here. For humans we seem to be amazed with the simplest and yet the most expensive of things.
So here we are these "advanced" people that have this wild obsessive fascination with these small simple things that somehow end up controlling our lives. Why do you think this is? Why do we need these little things?
I'm not sure if anyone thinks about this but really everything is a big circle when it comes to technology. No matter how many different types of phones there are, a phone is still a phone. The numbers are the same the purpose for the phone is pretty much the same. So why you ask do we buy more of the same old crap?
Because, we think we need it of course. It's simple, if one has the knowledge that there is something new and "better" then your mind automatically disregards that you basically have the same piece of plastic already.
You are scared of going back, you feel like you're in the past if you don't upgrade. If don't update your sidekick you feel old. Get it? I just figured this thought out completely just now as I wrote this post.
So even if you do have a piece of modern technology, and something else comes out what you have is old, what you have is in the past so we continue to need more.
Now, if there were to be a complete halt in technology, yes the world would continue to spin on its axis, yes your text inbox will still be full and yes your ipod will still charge at night. But people will wonder what's next. We are already in this pattern of getting something new when something gets "old".
So if nothing came out people might panic. I actually think that people will have more of an appreciation for what you already have and you won't mindlessly buy the same thing over and over again just because it has a new name.
Response to Francesca:
Thanks for the comment, I like how you think its important to proof read. I rarely do so myself.
I think that it is important during this unit to actually accept that being digital is something that a lot of us rely on. So I won't say that being digital is completely hurting us as you say but I think it a matter of balancing how much you use your whatnots and gadgets.
But your comment actually helped me to further my thinking about how we are so amazed with flat 2-D images. I think that you make a good point here. For humans we seem to be amazed with the simplest and yet the most expensive of things.
So here we are these "advanced" people that have this wild obsessive fascination with these small simple things that somehow end up controlling our lives. Why do you think this is? Why do we need these little things?
This isn't AA. But lets think a bit
At the end of the day, you should know whether or not you are a digiaholic. Its as simple as that. Just because you are in a class that makes you think about why you need what you think you need doesn't mean that you should lie to yourself about what you use and how much you use it.
Here try this: My name is _______ and I am a digiaholic.
The first step is admitting you have problem. And if you don't have a problem then congrats. It isn't necessarily a bad thing if your thumbs start to bend into the shape of your blackberry. What makes a difference is how much you think about why you use the things you use.
Why do we feel the need to always need a new whatever? Whats the difference between "Mom I want a new phone" & "Mom I need a new phone?" Is there even a difference? What if there were no new phones? then what would you be begging for at Christmas, What if your current phone is the last phone that you'll ever have? Would you protect it just a little bit more? Would you think twice about leaving your phone in the charger all night?
Mind boggling, isn't it?
Here try this: My name is _______ and I am a digiaholic.
The first step is admitting you have problem. And if you don't have a problem then congrats. It isn't necessarily a bad thing if your thumbs start to bend into the shape of your blackberry. What makes a difference is how much you think about why you use the things you use.
Why do we feel the need to always need a new whatever? Whats the difference between "Mom I want a new phone" & "Mom I need a new phone?" Is there even a difference? What if there were no new phones? then what would you be begging for at Christmas, What if your current phone is the last phone that you'll ever have? Would you protect it just a little bit more? Would you think twice about leaving your phone in the charger all night?
Mind boggling, isn't it?
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Oh, So That's What We Go To School For
Statistics are lame, they never really have any depth, just numbers. How are we supposed to know the real truth if all we have is a number? Just because there is a TV in a room doesn't mean it is being used. Just because you carry a phone with you everyday doesn't mean its your go to text machine. You could be digital, just to be digital. Have it just to have it, better safe than sorry. Who knew that would make you part of a statistic?
Hw 4 - Comments, (Just In Case You Didn't Know Your Alphabet)
Ian: Wow, this was really good. From the beginning I like how you don't capitalize the "i's" I feel like it helps to add to your tone. This post has got your character all over it.
I noticed that you're getting at saying when we are being digital we don't really think, we are in a way, zombies. You went on to say that if we just sat down in a chair and did nothing we would be forced to notice the "natural things" I agree, do you think we do it because our minds need to be occupied? We've gotten so used to having our thumbs glued to something that we must reduce ourselves to thinking about our breathing.
That point reminds me about how I feel when its quiet. Its like you can hear everything, it makes me think that maybe quiet is better. But then again I feel like I do my best work with my headphones on (as they are right now).
I noticed that you said that through digital, things you talk to people all over the world. If this option wasn't possible would that bother you? If so then what would you do?
I notice that the option that most video games give now to talk to and challenge others who are online etc, but I never feel the urge to talk to these people. I just wanna play my game and get it over with. Bu the way you describe it makes it sound like it might be worth a try.
I loved reading this and I look forward to more blogs from you.
Francesca: I think its a great thing that during the whole post you kept on realizing new things and wondering how/if it would affect you.
I like that you are addressing what tis is doing to todays generation and how it started early back in the 90's when we were all small, that is interesting to think about. Its almost like we were taught to need digital things in order to function.
I rememebr wanting a gameboy so badly when I was young, I don't remember the grey one you mentioned but I remember when they made countless upgrades after that and I rememebr wanting each and everyone of them, even though they are all the same thing.
Do you think its a bad thing that you never really learned how to tell time manually? How would you fix that? Do you want to fix that? I think you should talk more about a change in habbits.
I feel that there are some people who are much more digital than others. I think its also laziness. Being digital makes everything so easy.
Sam R: I loved your honesty, it was amazing.
I like how you started off saying that you have digital rituals. Right from the start no bs getting to the nitty gritty. You're saying alot about how you're connected to the digital things that are in your life.
I connect alot to what you said about your ipod. I am the exact say way. I feel like I can put on a song and just tune out the world and many days my ipod is a much needed asset. In a way I think it make you smarter, why listen to mindless chatter on the train about last night Gossip Girl when you can plug in and tune out, analyze some lyrics.
I like the point you made about the digital things in your life taking you to a place of fiction and fantasy. Do you think that that is a good thing? Do you think that this could make most other teens "dumb"? Whats re the pros/cons?
I wonder how/when/or if we even realize when we have been taken over by the digital plastic in our lives. Is it good or bad? ... i'd like to know.
This was amazing, I enjoyed it all. The best post i've read all night.
I noticed that you're getting at saying when we are being digital we don't really think, we are in a way, zombies. You went on to say that if we just sat down in a chair and did nothing we would be forced to notice the "natural things" I agree, do you think we do it because our minds need to be occupied? We've gotten so used to having our thumbs glued to something that we must reduce ourselves to thinking about our breathing.
That point reminds me about how I feel when its quiet. Its like you can hear everything, it makes me think that maybe quiet is better. But then again I feel like I do my best work with my headphones on (as they are right now).
I noticed that you said that through digital, things you talk to people all over the world. If this option wasn't possible would that bother you? If so then what would you do?
I notice that the option that most video games give now to talk to and challenge others who are online etc, but I never feel the urge to talk to these people. I just wanna play my game and get it over with. Bu the way you describe it makes it sound like it might be worth a try.
I loved reading this and I look forward to more blogs from you.
Francesca: I think its a great thing that during the whole post you kept on realizing new things and wondering how/if it would affect you.
I like that you are addressing what tis is doing to todays generation and how it started early back in the 90's when we were all small, that is interesting to think about. Its almost like we were taught to need digital things in order to function.
I rememebr wanting a gameboy so badly when I was young, I don't remember the grey one you mentioned but I remember when they made countless upgrades after that and I rememebr wanting each and everyone of them, even though they are all the same thing.
Do you think its a bad thing that you never really learned how to tell time manually? How would you fix that? Do you want to fix that? I think you should talk more about a change in habbits.
I feel that there are some people who are much more digital than others. I think its also laziness. Being digital makes everything so easy.
Sam R: I loved your honesty, it was amazing.
I like how you started off saying that you have digital rituals. Right from the start no bs getting to the nitty gritty. You're saying alot about how you're connected to the digital things that are in your life.
I connect alot to what you said about your ipod. I am the exact say way. I feel like I can put on a song and just tune out the world and many days my ipod is a much needed asset. In a way I think it make you smarter, why listen to mindless chatter on the train about last night Gossip Girl when you can plug in and tune out, analyze some lyrics.
I like the point you made about the digital things in your life taking you to a place of fiction and fantasy. Do you think that that is a good thing? Do you think that this could make most other teens "dumb"? Whats re the pros/cons?
I wonder how/when/or if we even realize when we have been taken over by the digital plastic in our lives. Is it good or bad? ... i'd like to know.
This was amazing, I enjoyed it all. The best post i've read all night.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Hw 3 - Oh and One More Thing
Lets say for arguments sake, that the human brain can only concentrate on one specific idea at a time for a maximum of 10 minutes. And after that 10 minutes is up the mind automatically jumps to a new topic. Only after you have explored a generous amount of new topics can you go back and rethink on something. With a brain like that it doesn't seem that much information or concentration can be contained. What if that was reality? New things keep being introduced so quickly that there is a very small gap of time in between when product a is introduced relative to when product b introduced. This is how the buyers get tricked, they don't notice that everything that is coming out in the market has probably already been sold somewhere else at a cheaper price, hopefully in a place with free health care.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Hw 3 - It's Just Lights And Clockwork (Add On's)
America has been placed on a pedestal with a matching silver plaque that reads "most advanced" so if we don't have the latest phones,TVs and mp3 players then what. Yes, out of fear our eyeballs are glued to the screens, and our brains are always on the look out for the next closest outlet.
What happens when there aren't anymore idea's? No more shiny screens? no more larger TVs? Would there be a slow decline back to cassettes and black and white TVs? We're convinced that we need usb cords in order to live our lives, why? I'm not saying that its good or bad, lets be clear. but maybe just maybe there is a bigger better world beyond our 3 by 4 cell phone screens.
What happens when there aren't anymore idea's? No more shiny screens? no more larger TVs? Would there be a slow decline back to cassettes and black and white TVs? We're convinced that we need usb cords in order to live our lives, why? I'm not saying that its good or bad, lets be clear. but maybe just maybe there is a bigger better world beyond our 3 by 4 cell phone screens.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Hw 3 - It's Just Lights And Clockwork
Being "digital" as Andy put it, has evolved from being a dream for the future to a desire to a want to a need. In a matter of years you can do everything that you would normally do outside, inside. Who needs to walk 10 blocks to the post office?, just click send, who needs to bike to the gym? just plug up your wii. Are we to look at all this new technology as a blessing or a burden?
That's what makes it tricky, if you say "I like digital things" you automatically get meshed in with the 'dumb generation' and if you say "I don't like digital things" you get called a neanderthal. Needless to say that most teens are sucked, tugged, pulled and pushed in to using technology to the point where we become overly dependant on the tiny piece of plastic with a shiny screen. I will admit that there are many hours,days,weeks and months wasted away in front of screens. But there are many days,hours,weeks and months wasted in school,restaurants,and mindless family gatherings.
Its not very surprising to me that most people are accustomed to a digital lifestyle because its one of the major things that get marketed year long and like everything else that has an ad, people convince themselves that they need it. Why do we need all this? Is it a waste of money?
Advancement. I think that we ignore the fact that most of our lives revolve tiny screens because this whole theory of "the future" and "whats to come" has been deeply drilled in to our heads. We think that this is what we have to do because we are heading towards the future of computer chips and away from the past of clunky materials. If we erase whats coming i.e ipods, plasma TVs & touch screens do we have to revert back to the 60's? I think that the thought of rewinding time scares us so we keep dreaming up ideas, keep spending money, keep plugging in because what else is there to do?
That's what makes it tricky, if you say "I like digital things" you automatically get meshed in with the 'dumb generation' and if you say "I don't like digital things" you get called a neanderthal. Needless to say that most teens are sucked, tugged, pulled and pushed in to using technology to the point where we become overly dependant on the tiny piece of plastic with a shiny screen. I will admit that there are many hours,days,weeks and months wasted away in front of screens. But there are many days,hours,weeks and months wasted in school,restaurants,and mindless family gatherings.
Its not very surprising to me that most people are accustomed to a digital lifestyle because its one of the major things that get marketed year long and like everything else that has an ad, people convince themselves that they need it. Why do we need all this? Is it a waste of money?
Advancement. I think that we ignore the fact that most of our lives revolve tiny screens because this whole theory of "the future" and "whats to come" has been deeply drilled in to our heads. We think that this is what we have to do because we are heading towards the future of computer chips and away from the past of clunky materials. If we erase whats coming i.e ipods, plasma TVs & touch screens do we have to revert back to the 60's? I think that the thought of rewinding time scares us so we keep dreaming up ideas, keep spending money, keep plugging in because what else is there to do?
HW- 1, 25 Questions
1.Name: Jacara G
2.Section: D3
3.Birthdate: 5/16/92
4.Neighborhood: Bronx
5.Favorite musicians: (Bands) Tegan and Sara, Sick of Sarah, Motion City Soundtrack, Cartel, .. Anything that’s alternative really
6.Favorite films: Imagine Me and You, RENT, What We Do Is Secret
7.Favorite books: A Wolf At the Table By Augusten Burrows, also every book by Ned Vizzini
8.3 students you already know and like in this section: Ian, Ali Jo, Russell
9.Main things you do when not at school: Read, Watch Tv, Download music (legally), Hang out with my friends
10. Average daily amount of time you use for TV-IMin-/websurfing/social networking (Facebook)/videogames (in hours) – please specify hours per day for each form: of electronic stimulation.
I don’t spend much time on Facebook I see my friends in person a lot, I don’t spend much time on AIM anymore either. I only really like one game on X-box and that’s Assassin’s Creed and I beat it already so I don’t play many games. I’d say maybe 5 hours a day on TV. Less than 2 hours a day on Facebook.
11.Guardians’ names and what they do for a living or an interesting hobby: Tonia J. Being my mother.
12.Favorite teachers from SOF and why:
Ms McGinnis, Ms Baker, Ms Chen
Ms McGinnis because she was always witty and sarcastic and she always worked with us when we needed help and she had a great sense of humor.
Ms Baker because she was the first math teacher that I liked and the first math teacher that actually taught with a purpose and some spunk.
Ms Chen because she was a hard ass.
13. The 3 main reasons, in order of importance, that you come to school:
1st: Exercise
2nd: Friends and possible learning depending on the teacher, class, mood I’m in
3rd: Society makes us if you want to "get somewhere in life"
14.List 1-3 talents you have (e.g. trombone)
I play guitar, not very well. I’m pretty good at remembering movies, music and actors for a number of movies
15.What’s one of the main questions you think about intellectually?
Why are we in school so long?
16.Your email address: Jgill516@yahoo.com
17.Your cell phone # (or home phone)
718-------
18.Your guardians’ phone numbers and email addresses: N/A
19. Are there very good reasons to avoid bothering your family unless necessary?
Only if necessary may you call.
20.What are your academic strengths?
Writing & Reading
21. What are your academic weaknesses?
Probably math
22. Why did you sign up for this course (or if you didn’t, why did you sign up for what you signed up for, and how upset are you)?
I signed up for it because I didn’t like the other options that were given for history courses.
23/24. What are a few interesting ideas you have about the digital/electronic environment of teenagers in NYC today?
What are a few interesting ideas you have about the tendency of people to make masks for themselves for daily life – do you think most people are masked even to themselves?
Yes I think most people don’t know who they are and probably never will. How can you ever really find yourself in a racist, prejudice, sexist, capitalist, homophobic society like this one. If you don't fit into the mold that people want you to fit in to then you get shuned.
25. What are a few interesting ideas you have about how school has shaped how you see the world?
I think school forces things down your throat just like this society.
2.Section: D3
3.Birthdate: 5/16/92
4.Neighborhood: Bronx
5.Favorite musicians: (Bands) Tegan and Sara, Sick of Sarah, Motion City Soundtrack, Cartel, .. Anything that’s alternative really
6.Favorite films: Imagine Me and You, RENT, What We Do Is Secret
7.Favorite books: A Wolf At the Table By Augusten Burrows, also every book by Ned Vizzini
8.3 students you already know and like in this section: Ian, Ali Jo, Russell
9.Main things you do when not at school: Read, Watch Tv, Download music (legally), Hang out with my friends
10. Average daily amount of time you use for TV-IMin-/websurfing/social networking (Facebook)/videogames (in hours) – please specify hours per day for each form: of electronic stimulation.
I don’t spend much time on Facebook I see my friends in person a lot, I don’t spend much time on AIM anymore either. I only really like one game on X-box and that’s Assassin’s Creed and I beat it already so I don’t play many games. I’d say maybe 5 hours a day on TV. Less than 2 hours a day on Facebook.
11.Guardians’ names and what they do for a living or an interesting hobby: Tonia J. Being my mother.
12.Favorite teachers from SOF and why:
Ms McGinnis, Ms Baker, Ms Chen
Ms McGinnis because she was always witty and sarcastic and she always worked with us when we needed help and she had a great sense of humor.
Ms Baker because she was the first math teacher that I liked and the first math teacher that actually taught with a purpose and some spunk.
Ms Chen because she was a hard ass.
13. The 3 main reasons, in order of importance, that you come to school:
1st: Exercise
2nd: Friends and possible learning depending on the teacher, class, mood I’m in
3rd: Society makes us if you want to "get somewhere in life"
14.List 1-3 talents you have (e.g. trombone)
I play guitar, not very well. I’m pretty good at remembering movies, music and actors for a number of movies
15.What’s one of the main questions you think about intellectually?
Why are we in school so long?
16.Your email address: Jgill516@yahoo.com
17.Your cell phone # (or home phone)
718-------
18.Your guardians’ phone numbers and email addresses: N/A
19. Are there very good reasons to avoid bothering your family unless necessary?
Only if necessary may you call.
20.What are your academic strengths?
Writing & Reading
21. What are your academic weaknesses?
Probably math
22. Why did you sign up for this course (or if you didn’t, why did you sign up for what you signed up for, and how upset are you)?
I signed up for it because I didn’t like the other options that were given for history courses.
23/24. What are a few interesting ideas you have about the digital/electronic environment of teenagers in NYC today?
What are a few interesting ideas you have about the tendency of people to make masks for themselves for daily life – do you think most people are masked even to themselves?
Yes I think most people don’t know who they are and probably never will. How can you ever really find yourself in a racist, prejudice, sexist, capitalist, homophobic society like this one. If you don't fit into the mold that people want you to fit in to then you get shuned.
25. What are a few interesting ideas you have about how school has shaped how you see the world?
I think school forces things down your throat just like this society.
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