A person wrote in to columnist Randy Cohen, asking him if she should be obligated to invite a registered sex offender to a school reunion she was putting together. The reader said that she would feel badly for discluding the offender, but that she felt the other attendees had a right to the information.
Cohen responded with,"Do nothing. It’s often the best thing." Quite a pleasant response for those inactive participants of life who would rather turn a blind eye and not call a spade a spade in the fear of having to make a statement for morality. Cohen continues saying, "Some parents might be uneasy about this fellow, but to respond to that anxiety would be catering to prejudice, not forestalling danger"(Cohen 2010). Are you kidding me? Would one actually have us be of the mind that excluding a sex offender from a family event would be discrimination? I am so sick of that word and how casually it is thrown around! Sex offenders should not be discriminated against? In what sick ass world would this really take place? Oh wait. I know the answer to that question. Ours. SO called "political correctness" has been the downfall of morality on many fronts. What those are exactly,is a discussion for another time, another place, for now I'll stick to being anti-sex offender. Where do we draw the line on not speaking our minds, having moral limits, and judging our fellow brethren? If we are going to play that game of not judging others unpardonable actions, then we might as well just do away with the whole justice system because I'm sure criminals find it discriminating. Hush we should ever offend their gentle senses! Cohen back's his argument for the sex-offender further by claiming that he is not a danger to society because, "“Sex offenders were less likely than non-sex offenders to be rearrested for any offense.” The more I re-read this the further the ick seep's into my stomach. Is this guy for real? That can't a sane, logical person writing that crap. That statement is pure bullshit, and I consider that to be pure advocacy. Apparently the offender spent some time on probation for his crime against a child and Cohen says of that, "He has paid his debt to society; you ought not extract a further toll by exiling him from ordinary social interactions" (Cohen 2010). Really, he paid his debt to society? I don't feel repaid. do you? No silly probation sentence will ease my mind for that child whom he hurt, either. Does the child feel repaid? Does she say to herself, "Well at least he got a couple years probation, now it's all over, he paid for his crime against me!" Hell friggin no I say. That is an unpayable crime. This is not a sex-trade, nor is it a democracy, nor is it anything but wicked. There is no room for forgiveness, from here on out there is only room for caution. That is why we LABEL them as sex-offenders, they cannot live or work near children, and they are watched. They should be forever segregated from society. I don't think their desire is something that just goes away like a bad idea. No room for second chances when it comes to the children. And I will speak up against anyone who has a different opinion.
What should Cohen have said? He should have said "Hell no, don't invite the guy. Don't invite trouble into your home. Stand firm against those that hurt our children.He chose his path, now we are responsible to keep people like him from our ranks. They are not equal members of society, they are those who crawl among us." There are too many action groups who are allowed to many opinions. lawsuits, and frivolous behaviors. It's time to pull your pants back up and bring back morality and family values. They are almost gone people, don't let them become extinct.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Friday, April 23, 2010
Fahrenheit 451
3. Captain Beatty says, " The important thing for you to remember, Montag, is we're the Happiness Boys, the Dixie Duo, you and I and the others. We stand against the small tide of those who want to make everyone unhappy with conflicting theory and thought. " Are there people today who would agree with Beatty that debate and uncertainty lead to unhappiness? Do you agree with him?
First of all, by this point, Beatty's words to Montage were tongue in cheek as this statement was merely a pre-emptive to Beatty forcing Montag to burn down his own house; so I don't take it as an endearing situation of camaraderie, it was a snake like statement designed to further rip at the edges of Montag's suffering willpower.
The statement itself? Would people today agree with it? I would say there are quite a many that do. How often do we hear different voices crying out within the crowd as to what is or is not "politically correct?" Nearly on a daily basis, someone is crying out to shut down the voices of someone else, or to free someone else's voice. A lot of society is forced in certain directions because a population of people desires it so.
A few examples are evident is instances such as, the removing of certain entries in scholarly textbooks as reported by Fox News. Texts are scanned to find material that may be deemed "offensive" to any particular group of people."A textbook review process taking place in states across the country has changed or eliminated references to everything from the Founding Fathers to hot dogs, leaving many to charge educators with distorting history in the name of political correctness." Certain images such as hot dog, snow-men, and butter are deemed inappropriate for tender eyes. Even Mount Rushmore has been renamed "The Framers" for some obscure reason of offense.
Deputy superintendent of education in California, Sue Strickel gave the reasoning for such actions as being in the best interest of the community at large. "I think our textbooks should, to our greatest capacity, be free of any type of stereotyping," said Sue Stickel, deputy superintendent for curriculum and instruction for the California Department of Education. "We need to make sure that all ethnicities are represented. We need to make sure that both males and females are represented. We need to make sure that our materials cover the full gamut." I can't help but wonder at what expense is history being damaged so someone or another doesn't get the wittle feewings hurt. History is history people. Not a gentle re-enactment where vital pieces are left out to make it seem more charming. We need truth, we need facts, and we need the right to experience those realities.
So, is Beatty's world upon us? Certainly not as egregious as in Fahrenheit 451, but it is slowly creeping into a possible existence. Stop killing the truth. We will eventually forget the truth if we do not keep accurate record, and accept it as a hard reality. We're not supposed to rewrite history to appease anyone. I'd like math to be easier. Can’t we just make everything 2+2=4 because I am offended by geometry? Flat out, this is censorship. If we don’t tackle the problem now it well could lead to a problem like Fahrenheit 451.
First of all, by this point, Beatty's words to Montage were tongue in cheek as this statement was merely a pre-emptive to Beatty forcing Montag to burn down his own house; so I don't take it as an endearing situation of camaraderie, it was a snake like statement designed to further rip at the edges of Montag's suffering willpower.
The statement itself? Would people today agree with it? I would say there are quite a many that do. How often do we hear different voices crying out within the crowd as to what is or is not "politically correct?" Nearly on a daily basis, someone is crying out to shut down the voices of someone else, or to free someone else's voice. A lot of society is forced in certain directions because a population of people desires it so.
A few examples are evident is instances such as, the removing of certain entries in scholarly textbooks as reported by Fox News. Texts are scanned to find material that may be deemed "offensive" to any particular group of people."A textbook review process taking place in states across the country has changed or eliminated references to everything from the Founding Fathers to hot dogs, leaving many to charge educators with distorting history in the name of political correctness." Certain images such as hot dog, snow-men, and butter are deemed inappropriate for tender eyes. Even Mount Rushmore has been renamed "The Framers" for some obscure reason of offense.
Deputy superintendent of education in California, Sue Strickel gave the reasoning for such actions as being in the best interest of the community at large. "I think our textbooks should, to our greatest capacity, be free of any type of stereotyping," said Sue Stickel, deputy superintendent for curriculum and instruction for the California Department of Education. "We need to make sure that all ethnicities are represented. We need to make sure that both males and females are represented. We need to make sure that our materials cover the full gamut." I can't help but wonder at what expense is history being damaged so someone or another doesn't get the wittle feewings hurt. History is history people. Not a gentle re-enactment where vital pieces are left out to make it seem more charming. We need truth, we need facts, and we need the right to experience those realities.
So, is Beatty's world upon us? Certainly not as egregious as in Fahrenheit 451, but it is slowly creeping into a possible existence. Stop killing the truth. We will eventually forget the truth if we do not keep accurate record, and accept it as a hard reality. We're not supposed to rewrite history to appease anyone. I'd like math to be easier. Can’t we just make everything 2+2=4 because I am offended by geometry? Flat out, this is censorship. If we don’t tackle the problem now it well could lead to a problem like Fahrenheit 451.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Thursday, April 1, 2010
What is the role of modern technology in generating, spreading or sustaining conspiracy theories?
The infernal "they" are always up to something that send a chill up ones spine. From the Sony laptop battery recall wherein some conspiracy theorists claimed that the "new batteries have GPS RFID chips in them to track the computers and so when you replace the batteries under these recalls they will know everywhere you go" Why you ask, would Sony go through such great lengths to find out where I am at all times, presumably toting my lap top to the can or the grocery store? Well the answer is simple, it's claimed that Sony is working with "the secret NSA police and they were working with the aliens to track humans because all the humans are getting plump and ready for harvest."
It's long been fantasized throughout the string of generations that "Big Brother is Watching You." (Orwell, 1984). Is it fact or fantasy? Is there a glimmer of possibility that it is true? I say certainly. A glimmer. What gets me every time is the apocalyptic view. We have long heard the warning cries in the chapter of Revelations in the Bible. "He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark of his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name". - Revelation 13:16-17. Of this Jeremiah Prophet says, "The book of Revelation reveals that the Antichrist will be able to track and control all financial transactions and that NO MAN will be able to buy or sell anything unless he has the mark. Advances in digital technology have placed the world today on the verge of an identification system capable of monitoring virtually every human transaction. " The ominous feeling of this puts a boogey-man in ones proverbial closet to contend with. The things that are the scariest are those that could actually come true.
Is this technology's fault? On the surface I'd say no... but delving a bit deeper could I acquit technology of any wrong doings against humanity? No, I could not. There is something lurking, unusual behind it. A seeming savior at sometimes, but a destroyer of much in many other senses. The world gets more and more complex, running it's fingers along the edges of a one world order... and if anyone could do it, it would be in the name of technology.
The big technology debate right now stems around two issues. One being RFID chips. These chips are tiny little bar codes that do track our purchases not only by linking sales to a customer, but eventually perhaps to even track your purchase physically upon leaving the store. On a positive note it could be an anti-terrorist thwarting technique, but it is still an invasion of the American life we know and the rights within it. But, creeping in slowly, the seeds could be planted. 'They can't get inside you, she had said. But they could get inside you." (Orwell, 1984)
Secondly, we have cloning, and genetic manipulations as another big technological debate. Technology in the scientific field is growing at an alarming rate; to the point of playing God himself. Am I comfortable in the connotative shadow of this idea? Surely not. There is too much room for discomfort here. The further we get, the more unusual, the less explainable, the more potentially devastating technology could become. All superpowers run the possibility of global domination. Conspiracy theorists though many times having gone off the deep end, they are bound to be right some of the time. And this is a quite long running issue. Maybe they are on to something... maybe not, but it's worth a thought.
It's long been fantasized throughout the string of generations that "Big Brother is Watching You." (Orwell, 1984). Is it fact or fantasy? Is there a glimmer of possibility that it is true? I say certainly. A glimmer. What gets me every time is the apocalyptic view. We have long heard the warning cries in the chapter of Revelations in the Bible. "He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark of his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name". - Revelation 13:16-17. Of this Jeremiah Prophet says, "The book of Revelation reveals that the Antichrist will be able to track and control all financial transactions and that NO MAN will be able to buy or sell anything unless he has the mark. Advances in digital technology have placed the world today on the verge of an identification system capable of monitoring virtually every human transaction. " The ominous feeling of this puts a boogey-man in ones proverbial closet to contend with. The things that are the scariest are those that could actually come true.
Is this technology's fault? On the surface I'd say no... but delving a bit deeper could I acquit technology of any wrong doings against humanity? No, I could not. There is something lurking, unusual behind it. A seeming savior at sometimes, but a destroyer of much in many other senses. The world gets more and more complex, running it's fingers along the edges of a one world order... and if anyone could do it, it would be in the name of technology.
The big technology debate right now stems around two issues. One being RFID chips. These chips are tiny little bar codes that do track our purchases not only by linking sales to a customer, but eventually perhaps to even track your purchase physically upon leaving the store. On a positive note it could be an anti-terrorist thwarting technique, but it is still an invasion of the American life we know and the rights within it. But, creeping in slowly, the seeds could be planted. 'They can't get inside you, she had said. But they could get inside you." (Orwell, 1984)
Secondly, we have cloning, and genetic manipulations as another big technological debate. Technology in the scientific field is growing at an alarming rate; to the point of playing God himself. Am I comfortable in the connotative shadow of this idea? Surely not. There is too much room for discomfort here. The further we get, the more unusual, the less explainable, the more potentially devastating technology could become. All superpowers run the possibility of global domination. Conspiracy theorists though many times having gone off the deep end, they are bound to be right some of the time. And this is a quite long running issue. Maybe they are on to something... maybe not, but it's worth a thought.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
It's not Always Black and White
Why are so many people uncomfortable with the idea that many problems don't have a single solution? Give an example of a current controversy in which there are different factions arguing that theirs is the one RIGHT answer and explain why there is in reality no one right answer to the issue.
There are, speculatively, over 40 different organized religions and faith groups in the world today. Views within the “churches” are wide in spectrum, and some carry no commonalities at all. For example, most followers of Christianity, (The worlds most largely practiced religion) believe that there is one God, and that Jesus Christ was his Son incarnate, come to earth to pay the blood price for mankind’s sin. Most denominations within the Christian religions believe that Jesus Christ is the only way into heaven. Yet as singular as Christianity seems, according to religioustolerance.org, “One source estimates that there are 34,000 separate Christian groups in the world.” Given just that example, how can we determine yes, or no; black or white? The whole area is “grey” to begin with. Once we factor in all of the other religions that believe theirs to be the gateway to salvation, we have a whole other mathematical improbability to contend with. This is exhibit A in my attempt to address the question “Why are so many people uncomfortable with the idea that many problems don't have a single solution?” Religious beliefs and practices are so far wide, that though mostly every religion declares their belief to be “The One”, there are too many nuances within each denomination that make this determination impossible.
Jehovah Witnesses' fall into the category of Christianity. They do not believe in the trinity and they believe Jesus Christ was once the archangel, Michael. Catholics also fall into the category of Christianity, they do believe in the trinity, and do not believe that Jesus Christ was Michael the archangel. There are many other differences of opinion to point out within the various denominations, but the key point here is that each of those denominations believes that their given group is the chosen one. Many folks want to say its black and white, but they do not realize that they are smack dab in the middle of the grey area themselves. Harvey Cox, a professor at Harvard Divinity says, “The thing that is forgotten in these discussions is that any single religious tradition is itself already a composite," His book, "The Secular City," ( 1965). “Is considered a theology classic. He considers the idea of isolated religious traditions to be "a big myth." Cox continues with, "What we have are streams that have been fed by other streams and have fed other streams all along," he says. "Even what is advertised by clerical leaders as the kind of ‘pure package' is already the result of the collage."
Some people within the Christian faith even stray from the box and pick up wisps and whatnot’s from other religions, pulling them into their own practices. Take for example the Jew who practices yoga, or the Christian who meditates. Each person, or faith seems to pick out bits and pieces that are conducive to their own lifestyle. Some Christians celebrate Christmas traditionally as the birth of Christ, shunning the neopagan Santa Claus, others delve into the merriment, and combine the two, others celebrate only the pop culture driven holiday.
I understand that some people want to attest that a certain religion is the only one that God has deemed worthy, but with all of the branches, stems, leaves, and derivations, there is no clear answer as to what religion, if any is the end all, be all. It is all grey area. Likely the religion that one has encumbered is just a branch off another branch, etc, etc. All religions are in someones black area, or someone else's white area, or are we all just a part of the same painting in different hues? I think that seem's likely, I'm hopefull that it's in fact true.
There are, speculatively, over 40 different organized religions and faith groups in the world today. Views within the “churches” are wide in spectrum, and some carry no commonalities at all. For example, most followers of Christianity, (The worlds most largely practiced religion) believe that there is one God, and that Jesus Christ was his Son incarnate, come to earth to pay the blood price for mankind’s sin. Most denominations within the Christian religions believe that Jesus Christ is the only way into heaven. Yet as singular as Christianity seems, according to religioustolerance.org, “One source estimates that there are 34,000 separate Christian groups in the world.” Given just that example, how can we determine yes, or no; black or white? The whole area is “grey” to begin with. Once we factor in all of the other religions that believe theirs to be the gateway to salvation, we have a whole other mathematical improbability to contend with. This is exhibit A in my attempt to address the question “Why are so many people uncomfortable with the idea that many problems don't have a single solution?” Religious beliefs and practices are so far wide, that though mostly every religion declares their belief to be “The One”, there are too many nuances within each denomination that make this determination impossible.
Jehovah Witnesses' fall into the category of Christianity. They do not believe in the trinity and they believe Jesus Christ was once the archangel, Michael. Catholics also fall into the category of Christianity, they do believe in the trinity, and do not believe that Jesus Christ was Michael the archangel. There are many other differences of opinion to point out within the various denominations, but the key point here is that each of those denominations believes that their given group is the chosen one. Many folks want to say its black and white, but they do not realize that they are smack dab in the middle of the grey area themselves. Harvey Cox, a professor at Harvard Divinity says, “The thing that is forgotten in these discussions is that any single religious tradition is itself already a composite," His book, "The Secular City," ( 1965). “Is considered a theology classic. He considers the idea of isolated religious traditions to be "a big myth." Cox continues with, "What we have are streams that have been fed by other streams and have fed other streams all along," he says. "Even what is advertised by clerical leaders as the kind of ‘pure package' is already the result of the collage."
Some people within the Christian faith even stray from the box and pick up wisps and whatnot’s from other religions, pulling them into their own practices. Take for example the Jew who practices yoga, or the Christian who meditates. Each person, or faith seems to pick out bits and pieces that are conducive to their own lifestyle. Some Christians celebrate Christmas traditionally as the birth of Christ, shunning the neopagan Santa Claus, others delve into the merriment, and combine the two, others celebrate only the pop culture driven holiday.
I understand that some people want to attest that a certain religion is the only one that God has deemed worthy, but with all of the branches, stems, leaves, and derivations, there is no clear answer as to what religion, if any is the end all, be all. It is all grey area. Likely the religion that one has encumbered is just a branch off another branch, etc, etc. All religions are in someones black area, or someone else's white area, or are we all just a part of the same painting in different hues? I think that seem's likely, I'm hopefull that it's in fact true.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Does Technology Make us Smarter or Dumber?
Life today is about as dependent on technology as it is oxygen. The idea of technology, and someone who is technologically capable immediately carries a connotation of being intelligent; but on further consideration of the topic, I am led to play devil’s advocate, and to point out why I think technology may be both destructive and essentially “dumbing us down” individually while making society as a whole, “smarter.”
Merriam Webster online dictionary defines technology as such: “The practical application of knowledge especially in a particular area.” Now, there is no shortage of smarts for those who develop technological advancements, but for the large variety of those who are consuming the technology, often less independent brain power is required. Someone else, or something else, is always there to come up with the answers for you. Let’s look at three different branches of technology:
1. Internet Dating
2. Automotive electrical systems
3. Communications
Internet dating sites have become a major pop culture icon. Many sites brag that they will “do the work for you” and they set one up to create a virtual you that you advertise. In advertising, we buy what we like. You create your best self advertisement and see who will “buy”. This can be effective in some cases, many a true love has wound up happily ever after, sure, but it’s also a landmine filled with false advertising. Becoming reliant on using the internet to secure mates runs the risk of losing real time socialization skills where a person can find a mate relying on factual, first impression encounters. I read an interesting article in Reuters titled “Technology Overload Can Ruin Relationships”.
“John O'Neill, the director of addictions services at the Menninger
Clinic in Houston, Texas refers to it as "technology overload" when he sees addiction-like behavior in his patients using cell phones or emails.
"I think they share some of the same components as people who become addicted to alcohol and drugs in that we start to see that someone cannot really put it down and cannot stop the use of it even when there are some consequences," he said in a telephone interview”
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2221996620080123
We were born with innate abilities to draw in mates, just like in the wild. There are certain breeding characteristics that dominate our desires to procreate. Sometimes maybe we lessen our abilities to think logically and to draw on those instincts when we bypass the primal functions.
Automobiles used to be reliable old metal hunks of nuts, bolts, wires, and an engine. Today they are convoluted instrument panels ran by an internal system that requires a degree just to understand the owner’s manual. Any average guy used to be able to fix his own truck, now some guys are lucky to be able to get their door open if the keys get locked in. People rarely even bother trying to fix their own cars anymore because of the difficulty in facing the technological advancements. Though convenient, cool, touted as the next new must have, it seems like a de-evoloution of independent capability to me.
Communications is the most widely pop culture technological advancement I see today. Every category of person, every soicioeconomic society, and every age set of consumers is demanding that they deserve the next best thing. Self worth is widely determined here. To be a third grader without the latest texting, tweeting hand held electrical gadget is a sure sign of a technologically malnourished human. I’m sure they must live far away on a long cold dark road in a hut with no running water! What do you do when the neighbors 8 year old has a better phone than you do? Perhaps it’s the biggest most effective advertising campaign of the century! And the communication that is taking place with the advancements of these electrical devices? Sure, we have been connected to the world in a plethora of different ways, some good, some bad, but the current pop culture communication fads seem to be reverting to some sort of cave man speak! LOL. LMAO. IDK. BRB. WTF? So easy a caveman could do it indeed! WebMD.com has some interesting ideas in an article about technology addiction where 24/7 reliance on PDA’s, cell phones. Computers, email can cause destructive behaviors in ones life. http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/features/when-technology-addiction-takes-over-your-life
There are some amazing advances that have been brought forth with the rapid growth of technology. Medical technology has saved billions of lives, will only continue to save more. We have developed many more ecologically friendly products from paper to houses. Transit has become more stable than ever, with ever lessening effects on the environment. I don’t know about you, but I want to be able to appreciate the usage of technology when I need it, but I don’t want to rely on it or be subservient to it. I want to remain in control of what I do, buy, say, and need. Some areas of technology have progressed our world incomparably, but in other ways it has become an addiction, a crutch, an artificial sense of self. I want to be smarter, wiser, more conscious of what I do, what I take part in. I want to do my own thinking, reach my own conclusions, and have reasons as to why I make those decisions. I won’t be “dumbed down” by technology, but I want to grow with it.
Merriam Webster online dictionary defines technology as such: “The practical application of knowledge especially in a particular area.” Now, there is no shortage of smarts for those who develop technological advancements, but for the large variety of those who are consuming the technology, often less independent brain power is required. Someone else, or something else, is always there to come up with the answers for you. Let’s look at three different branches of technology:
1. Internet Dating
2. Automotive electrical systems
3. Communications
Internet dating sites have become a major pop culture icon. Many sites brag that they will “do the work for you” and they set one up to create a virtual you that you advertise. In advertising, we buy what we like. You create your best self advertisement and see who will “buy”. This can be effective in some cases, many a true love has wound up happily ever after, sure, but it’s also a landmine filled with false advertising. Becoming reliant on using the internet to secure mates runs the risk of losing real time socialization skills where a person can find a mate relying on factual, first impression encounters. I read an interesting article in Reuters titled “Technology Overload Can Ruin Relationships”.
“John O'Neill, the director of addictions services at the Menninger
Clinic in Houston, Texas refers to it as "technology overload" when he sees addiction-like behavior in his patients using cell phones or emails.
"I think they share some of the same components as people who become addicted to alcohol and drugs in that we start to see that someone cannot really put it down and cannot stop the use of it even when there are some consequences," he said in a telephone interview”
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2221996620080123
We were born with innate abilities to draw in mates, just like in the wild. There are certain breeding characteristics that dominate our desires to procreate. Sometimes maybe we lessen our abilities to think logically and to draw on those instincts when we bypass the primal functions.
Automobiles used to be reliable old metal hunks of nuts, bolts, wires, and an engine. Today they are convoluted instrument panels ran by an internal system that requires a degree just to understand the owner’s manual. Any average guy used to be able to fix his own truck, now some guys are lucky to be able to get their door open if the keys get locked in. People rarely even bother trying to fix their own cars anymore because of the difficulty in facing the technological advancements. Though convenient, cool, touted as the next new must have, it seems like a de-evoloution of independent capability to me.
Communications is the most widely pop culture technological advancement I see today. Every category of person, every soicioeconomic society, and every age set of consumers is demanding that they deserve the next best thing. Self worth is widely determined here. To be a third grader without the latest texting, tweeting hand held electrical gadget is a sure sign of a technologically malnourished human. I’m sure they must live far away on a long cold dark road in a hut with no running water! What do you do when the neighbors 8 year old has a better phone than you do? Perhaps it’s the biggest most effective advertising campaign of the century! And the communication that is taking place with the advancements of these electrical devices? Sure, we have been connected to the world in a plethora of different ways, some good, some bad, but the current pop culture communication fads seem to be reverting to some sort of cave man speak! LOL. LMAO. IDK. BRB. WTF? So easy a caveman could do it indeed! WebMD.com has some interesting ideas in an article about technology addiction where 24/7 reliance on PDA’s, cell phones. Computers, email can cause destructive behaviors in ones life. http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/features/when-technology-addiction-takes-over-your-life
There are some amazing advances that have been brought forth with the rapid growth of technology. Medical technology has saved billions of lives, will only continue to save more. We have developed many more ecologically friendly products from paper to houses. Transit has become more stable than ever, with ever lessening effects on the environment. I don’t know about you, but I want to be able to appreciate the usage of technology when I need it, but I don’t want to rely on it or be subservient to it. I want to remain in control of what I do, buy, say, and need. Some areas of technology have progressed our world incomparably, but in other ways it has become an addiction, a crutch, an artificial sense of self. I want to be smarter, wiser, more conscious of what I do, what I take part in. I want to do my own thinking, reach my own conclusions, and have reasons as to why I make those decisions. I won’t be “dumbed down” by technology, but I want to grow with it.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
week four pre-class activity
My list of the elements of popular culture I used in a three day period.
cell phone, computer, Sonic, Mc Donalds, fax machine, satellite T.V., satellite radio, texting, remote controls, brand name clothing, Internet, Google, entertainment media, facebook and of course blogging.
1. I decided what to put on my list by thinking of things I don't need to have to get threw my days, but are expected to use in today's society.
2. Fast Food = Sonic and Mc Donalds
Computers = Google, Internet, facebook and blogging
Communication = facebook, cell phone, fax machine and texting
Entertainment = satellite T.V./radio, with those remote control of course
Brand name clothing = DC, ED Hardy, Aeropostale, Quick Silver and Dickies
3. Convenience, social responsibility, and pleasure.
4. the impact made on my life due to popular culture are probably spending money on unneeded items, feeling better about myself because I got something "cool", and thinking I will get left behind in technology.
cell phone, computer, Sonic, Mc Donalds, fax machine, satellite T.V., satellite radio, texting, remote controls, brand name clothing, Internet, Google, entertainment media, facebook and of course blogging.
1. I decided what to put on my list by thinking of things I don't need to have to get threw my days, but are expected to use in today's society.
2. Fast Food = Sonic and Mc Donalds
Computers = Google, Internet, facebook and blogging
Communication = facebook, cell phone, fax machine and texting
Entertainment = satellite T.V./radio, with those remote control of course
Brand name clothing = DC, ED Hardy, Aeropostale, Quick Silver and Dickies
3. Convenience, social responsibility, and pleasure.
4. the impact made on my life due to popular culture are probably spending money on unneeded items, feeling better about myself because I got something "cool", and thinking I will get left behind in technology.
Monday, February 8, 2010
My First Blog
Hey everyone, it's Dave here. This is my first Blog, we should have a good time blogging with eachother. See ya on the flip side!
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