Hw#31

Francesca

Part:1

Q: What is the reason that you have many piercing on your ears?

A: I like them.

Q:What is signficance about them?

A:It was just the spur of the moment everbody had them. It was like "lets just go get it!".

After hearing her responses i found it that it was typical because lots a time people get piercings/tattoos because they like them or just living in the moment instead of looking in the future.

Part 2:

Looking at myself i think i present myself that people remeber me even without piercings or tattoos even though i got my ears pierced when i was a baby. When it comes to myself i just like to dress nice and just act myself though it sounds cliche and that is what gets me notice. Not by what i have on my body even though that is how people remeber others. Do not get me wrong i like to get the latest things and trends that are out so i do stand out a little more but not to an extreme.

Hw#30-Psychological and Philosophical Theorizing of Cool

I decided to look up the sense of emptiness and i came up with this:

It seems as if we look at ourselves we are empty and just use things to distract us in life to full up this emptiness. There's nothing really there. "Sometimes we feel an inner sense of emptiness. When we look within, it seems like nothing is there, so we distract ourselves with something on the outside, like food or television; and yet, these outer distractions only temporarily take care of the emptiness, or more accurately, they only temporarily keep our attention. When the distraction is over, the emptiness returns." I agree that we feel up with objects around us to have no kind of emptiness but at the same time do we really know what it is? No we do not. I feel like everybody once in a while has had an empty part of themselves patched it up to hide it but then it slowly seem to uncover itself. I do not think we can find the emptiness because we always seem to hide it with things such as being"cool". Everybody always wants to accepted and feel like their somebody but at the same time that somebody is not them is that considered being empty?

http://www.endless-satsang.com/emptiness.htm

Adding more later.....

Merchants of Cool

Before watching the "Merchants of Cool" i did not really understand the concept of cool and how it impacted and manipulated so many people. After watching the video it really opened up my mind and understand how "cool" is interpret in different ways and how companies like MTV and advertising manipulate young teenagers such as myself and just basically use them for their profit. The part of the video that i thought was interesting and what we discussed was how the MTV company pay other kids in the video like for the promoting Sprite so the kids watching the television can seem cool which i find is kind of ridiculous. It so true because i know i do it sometimes and is like "I wish i was in their position right now". Its like a trap that they put for us and we fall for it every single time.

One part of the video that i was surprised at was how the one of the woman who was talking about how the teenagers these days are the reason for all the sex appeal but in reality in the media is giving off that sex is okay because celebrities are doing it and publicizing it. Personally i think the lady is dumb for her to saying that because its the media that puts all this stuff out and grabs the teens attention. If the media was not presenting sex on t.v and showing that it is okay and "cool" of course kids are going to start doing it. Most of the blame is the media not the children which should be responsible for. Just like some video games provide aggression and violence kids take that to real life and do it.

When they started to talk about Britney Spears and how she showed a lot of sex appeal, it really popped a light bulb in my head on how it affected the little girls watching her. All these girls want to be just like her and be "cool".  The media just chewed her up and spit her back out the world just to make their money which selfish of them.  When the guy talks about girls flaunting their own sexuality even though they do not understand it yet i find that to be so true because the girls just do what ever the media tell them to do so they can seem "cool". I feel like its a job for the girl to do these things to remain on top or be cool so other people approve of  them.

Informal Research

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cool_(aesthetic)


In this text, it talks about the different elements of being cool such as paintings and historical figures. It has the behavioral characteristic, the state of being, the aesthetic appeal, and artistic and "fight for your right" appeal. "There is no single concept of cool. "One of the essential characteristics of cool is its mutability—what is considered cool changes over time and varies among cultures and generations."

After reading this, i thought it was very interesting how the word "cool" branches off into different things. In the quote above i thought that it was true because over time the word "cool" changes all the time epecially in today's society, it changes everyday. They use Malcolm as a "cool" who showed cool qualities because he fought for what he thought was right with anger and agression which is "cool".


http://www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetailsKids.aspx?p=335&np=287&id=1478



This text is basically talking about what other people think and it has the typical reasons and thoughts on what people think is "cool". It shows what kids nowadays consider cool.


I thought that it was actually kind of funny. The way the kids describe what "cool" is. I agree with most of the stuff that they said. It said a lot about "being you" and being a great person overall.


http://www.wholefamily.com/aboutteensnow/relationships_peers/friends/wyatt_history.html


In this article he talks about making his own theory on the word "cool". His story i find is kind of ridiculous. He thinks that the term cool origned from the Paleolithic Era. Most of his points where mainly about when you come across the word and who people use it. He thinks they use it in a opposite way then they are suppose to use it.

Strangers and Family Member Interviews

Stranger #1: Casey

What do you think is cool?

"I think spirituality is cool."

Who's cooler, the pope or the president?

"Obama. He's real, he's honest, and he doesn't make empty promises."

What do you think is cool about yourself?

"I'm 58 years old, and I can still play ball. I am a Surrogate Father. I lived with seven sisters, and my mom, and I was the only boy. Also, I have lived through two occasions where I was supposed to be dead. I got stabbed in September, 1973, when I was seventeen. And I survived a gun shot. I was saved because of the luck of a priest."

Stranger #2:Arista
What do you think of as cool?

Like clothes, cell phones, style, materialistic things?

"Clothes are pretty cool I guess."

What do you think is cool about yourself, if you think of yourself as cool?

"I'm all over the place, and crazy. I like myself. I'm weird cool."

Do you spend a lot of time thinking about popularity, and coolness?

"I have a whole bunch of magazines I'm always looking at to see what's in."

Who, -on television or celebrators- do you think of as cool?

"I watch a lot of Nickelodeon things. I think Sam from I-Carly is cool. She has her own style, she's girly but she's not really girly. She's different."

Do you spend more time now trying to be cool, or did you spend more time trying to be cool in high school?

"In high school I didn't really care what was cool. I guess I spend more time trying to be cool now."

Stranger #3:Nia

Who do you think is cool?

"I think anyone who is original, with their own sense of style is cool. "

Who is cooler, the pope or the president?

"The pope is cooler." Really? Why? "The pope is cooler because he just chills and gets money. He could be at a strip club right now, and no one would know it."

Do people consider you to be cool? Do your friends consider you cool?

"I think my friends think I'm cool."

Do you think your friends are cool?

"No, not really. Not a lot of them."

What about your friends do you think is cool?

"We have our own inside jokes, and we understand each other.

Family Member:

Do you think your cool?

"Yes because im down to earth and in tune with today's society."

What people do you consider cool?

"Not according to my daughter.

Besides me Ma?

"Because im open."

When you think of the word "cool" what pops in your head?

"A cool climate. I think of air conditioning. Refreshing and a margarita."

"Cool" Interviews

Stephanie

Q: Why do you think your "cool"?

A: "I think I'm cool because of my style and personality. Because of my personality i am popular and that also helps me with my "coolness."

Q:What is it about your "look" that makes you cool?

A: "My sneakers definitely helps my coolness because i have sneakers that many people don't have because they are exclusive. So i definitely think my sneakers help my coolness."

Francesca

Q: What about you makes you "cool"?

A: "My funniness and i can laugh at myself."

Q:Do you think your looks make you "cool"?

A: "I think the way someone carries themselves like the other way people gravitate towards them."

Q: On a scale of one to ten, where in "cool" do you fall in?

A: "8 because 10 is too high and 1 is too low. I have a lot of friends (popular).

Aisatou

Q: On a scale of 1-10, how cool are you?

A: 9 because i could stand alone and be by myself. Be my own person. I am a trendsetter.

Q: What is your initial thought when you think of the word "cool"?

A: I think of the world being perfect, cartoons, good hair, good weight, good clothes, and athletics.

Q: Would you like to be cooler?

A: Uhmm no, in movies people really like the cool person but their something their not. Not meeting the true them. You know what I'm saying.

Comments

Hey Steph,
i thought your short story was funny and interesting. I think the message you were conveying about being cool is to stay in class and get an education in order to do something you have passion for such as basketball. Also that getting good grades is good but it seems in your story that the character does not do that at all. Overall your story was good and i hope to read more of them.


Heyyy Norra,
Your story was good. It reminds me of me when i first went to middle school and making new friends. The character thought that being able to make friends that can be a meaning to be cool or even a start. I agree with Ean about you going into detail about the two different towns and schools. =)

Matt
I thought your short story was cool. I like how you talked about the defintion of being cool is being an indivdiual. Charlie kind of reminds me of myself because i don't follow anyone i tend to do my own thing. Overall i agree with steph it was creative and hopefully read more of your stories. =)

Francesaaa
I really liked your story. I liked how you explained how the main character wanted to more of an individual and keep to herself instead of being the popular one which i believe was the "cool" part. It showed the two different cools, the appearance of cool and the cool within you. Great Story! =)

Hi Sarah,Your story was cool. It seems your character was being who she was which is waht you consider "cool". I agree that being yourself is cool and whoever does not like it screw them. Your character is cool and the other kids in the class think so too which makes her even cooler! =)

From the stories i read, lots of people were a teenager and going to a new school or High School and talking about fitting in and trying to get the approvals of others. Some of them is just appearance cool and just have a mask on. Most of the stories i read people were more individuals and rather just be themselves and not care what others think which is a symbol of "cool".

I believe that to most of students short stories cool is not being popular or getting fresh or anything its more just following your own instinct and being a leader. Instead of following those who wanna be "cool". For example, in Sarah's story and Francesa's story the main characters decided to do themselves and forgot what others thought which was "cool".

Short Story

It was the first day of school when she walked through the door. She had long curly brown hair and hazel eyes. She was so stunning. She had on dark skinny jeans with a vintage shirt and these awesome pair of cowboy boots tucked in. All Susie could repeat is "she is so cool". It was that moment that Susie wanted to be her her friend and just as cool as her. Her name was Giselle just like the model. "Class i would like to introduce Giselle who moved all the way from New York" said the teacher. Ms. Aren assigned her to see right next, i was scared of what she would think me and this small town. All i could do was keep my head low and keep as little as no eye contact towards her.

Thats when she said "hi my name is Giselle whats your name? My name is Susie Wow thats a nice name." In the back of my mind i was surprised by what she said. "Really? thanks. Your welcome" she said. "So class can anybody tell me the answer for number 15?" asked the teacher. Giselle raises her hand with excitment and a tiffany's braclet hanging from her wrist "the answer is 5x=3.14... Very good Giselle" All i could do was raise my head lower and not pay attention at all. "Brriingg!!!" the bell rang and i jumped out my seat and quickly left for lunch i felt so uncool sitting next to Giselle.

Hw 23 1st Constructivist Exploration of Cool

I think that being cool is very controversal. For example, if someone who does not go to school and just hangs out on a corner hanging out people may consider that cool. Or if someone is really smart and they going to college with a scholarship other people may consider that cool. A person i consider cool is someone who stands out and is their own person not following others which in that case other people want to mimick and be cool themselves. Aspects of being cool i think is being charmatic, well-rounded, and it well-known by others.

There are the smart "cools", rebel "cools", sporty "cools". Like in highschool, there are different cliques and each person in that group think their clique is "cool" because they are "different". When i think of the word cool i think of celebrities because they are famous, well-known, and people want to be them. Whatever celebrities are wearing, people who not famous want to wear it because they think they will be considered cool.

In today's society, people who are considered cool are people who are can afford things that are expensive and who are to update with latest fashion. People use the terms like "being fresh". If you are not "fresh" then you are not cool. It kind of relates to Feed a little on some level because they were listening to the Feed telling them to buy the latest trends and they were addicted to them.

I feel the word "cool" can be anything you want it to be not just what people assume or what it should be. I think i am a cool person, i dont consider myself higher than anybody else. I think when people are trying to be cool are being fake because they just want to fit in. In class, people who says "like i do not care" other people might think be like "ohh they are so cool because they do not care" but that is not the case all the time.

Art Project 1

Click-Click

Click-Click
Thats all i hear
From one to another
Ear to Ear
Edgy and Bright
Is what attracts me
Getting to see all these
Digital things
Click-Click-Click
Scroll up-Scroll down
Click Here!
Jump into the screen
Makes the world go round
Be lazy, Be Free
Be anything you wanna SEE!

I think that my art is hammer because its the one that is molding the person to do something. My art is talking about a computer/computer screen and i am saying that it engages you to do things that make your mind go somewhere else that is why i say it is a hammer. Its breaking you to go here and go there and clicking everywhere! After reading my poem i thought it was kind of interesting and im not just saying that because its my own work. I think most people who use their laptops or computers would understand and feel like this when they are using them. Making this poem actually took me a while. I really had to think about and put all my thoughts together.

Final Paper

Introduction

In today's world people lives consist of their ipods, cellphones, and laptops, that is most people's main priority. People are absorbed by the technology around them because they are not themselves anymore such as when people were doing their video projects and they alienate themselves causing them to be lifeless monsters. In today's society people are addicted to digital media and obsessed with latest technology just as they do in the book Feed. Society are using digital devices which allows us to become socially challenged and give us an excuse to be lazy which relates to the movie Wall-E. Overall the digital world has a big impact on life today and affects us significantly. Digitization causes people to alienate themselves from the outside world (real world),become addicted to their devices and develop lazy behavior (unhealthy lifestyles) which negatively impacts their lives of digital uses.

Argument 1:

Digital media causes people to leave the real world and enter a place where they become motionless/new person. It causes a person to not know what is going around just what is right in front of the world. The video project that we have done in the past had caused us to be like zombies and we did not realize what the digital things were doing to us such as being so focused on a computer screen or listening to their music etc. Looking at the videos, you see people become so hypnotized by their screens and they switch their minds to different modes which make them to alienate themselves from other things such as errands, work you seem to forget the real world. In Stephanie's thoughts on her video project she said "After watching my video i looked like i wasn't really there...i was to into the game like moving the control from side to side when in reality that has no effect...They should be played in moderation."Matthew also said "when I saw my video, I thought that I looked really entertained. I was on the computer, my phone, and my ipod at the same time. I do this everyday when I get home so it felt natural to me" this shows that digital devices allow people to close out the world, they get so sucked in the image of this digital thing that people become this like digital person within not even who they are. Its as if they have split personalities. People are possessed by the screen having not ate for 2 hours and not sleeping for a whole day. If people allow themselves to stare at a screen for hours, slouching, hair all messed up that is not good for them.There is much disembodiment going on when people are using digital devices. Their body is there physically but the state of mind is on the screen.

Argument 2:

Society today has become overly addicted to their digital devices. The book Feed relates to the lifestyle as the digital media today because the story is based on us. Just as teens are listening to their "feeds" and always trying to buy the newest technology. Its kind of like we have a feed ourselves except its in television, cellphones, and other digital devices which we become overly obsessed with. Feed, i believe is a parable of modern teenage life. We do not really think for ourselves and are socially lazy with everything we do. Titus and the other characters in the book besides Violet are addicted to what their Feed tell them to do because they rely on it and use it as a communication for everything just as we do today. Titus looks into his Feed and becomes distant from the world because he watches television in his head, his relationships with his friends and family are nothing more than a digital connection that does carries no emotions. In one part of the book Titus says "I was currently disconnected from feed net, of course and i was starting to get scared...I missed the Feed. I don't know when they first had feeds. Before that they used their hands and eyes. Computers were all outside of them, in their hands, like if you carried your lungs in a briefcase and opened it to breathe." Once Titus's Feed was hacked and he did not what to do with himself he was so used to the Feed and addicted to it. Its as if he lost his whole life. He forgot to live real life and how to feel real things, everything that natural for him is actually fake. Its as if he believes something that is not there, he became so brainwashed. People are under control of the Feed and are not allowed to think for themselves.

Argument 3:

Using these new digital devices it allows us to become socially challenged and give us an excuse to be lazy. People were so disfigured by the technology that when they were left alone they did not know how to find themselves which cause them to have a unhealthy lifestyle. In the movie Wall-E, Wall-E had entered some sort of spaceship where all these people were attached in a chair busy watching a digital screen he accidentally bumped into a lady causing the digital screen to dis attach and turn it off. When this happened the lady was in shock and did not realize her surroundings. She seemed brainwashed, she did not know there was a pool in the premise. She was so distracted by the digital stuff. Previous from that Wall-E had knocked down a man and he was so over weighted he could not get up. The technology was leading them to a harmful habits in life. The robots and the chairs took care of their every need having them not do anything causing them to gain weight. The people have become so depended on them it makes them less worry about other things and focus on themselves. They closed out the rest of the world and care about what is happening in front of them. Its unhealthy for them to sit there and nothing using no physical activity or exercise. In a source that i read said "i work 10 hours a day on a computer which made my health and also isolated me from other people in my job which caused mental health issues too." Sitting around all day on a computer screen or using digital devices doing nothing productive rises health issues mentally and physically. Another source i read that was written on Kaboodle website a person put up a post saying the following: "I decided to post obesity among children because I noticed that one of the common problems of children today is becoming overweight. Maybe because of today’s generation, modern technology including Internet gaming can be one factor that cause obesity. I observed that children are lack of physical activities such as exercise, running, jogging, playing outside, and involve in sports, they become addicted in Internet gaming." Just like in the movie Wall-E, in modern day today people are becoming excessively overweight being attracted to the Feed of the Internet and video gaming and do not realize they are jepodarizng their own health. This also brainwashes the people and kind of shows they do not know what they are actually doing to their lives.

Conclusion

Digital technology is kind of like brain damage. It sucks everything out of you and insert all these digital thoughts in your head. Cellphones, ipods, computers, are brainwashing materials that consent us to leading unhealthy lives and pull us down. Digitization i believe is also like a cover-up to cover all the blemishes like when we go on computers and become this whole motionless person. We allow ourselves to isolate each other causing us to be addicted leading yourselves to technical difficulties with our bodies physically and mentally.

Opposing Views

Even though the digital world has a lot of bad things about it, it also has some good thing about it too. It allows you to keep in contact with close family/friends which is a great use. Also its a faster way to do things such as checking the weather or looking up things you need instead of other things that take too long. Digital devices allow you to think about things you never thought about before. A quote that Andy wrote on the board is a positive aspect on the digital world is that "the constant improvement of digital technology has helped the economy while simultaneously reducing resource consumption and social communication in our age has lessened loneliness and helped people live happier lives." Things like love dating websites and websites where you can interact with people and show them your true identity without actually meeting them and with dating websites you can find someone you are compatible with with a simple survey instead of blind dates.

Connections

This connects to everything bad is good for you because the author says that the digital world allows you to open up to things you never thought of but other people believe it is bad because reading came first. Is it possible that if digital came first and reading came second would people feel the same way or would they think digital devices are better. This also connects to the book Feed, Wall-E, and the video experiment that was done which was already mentioned in my arguments. All three of these texts showed how digitization creates isolation leading to addiction causing you to get bad health issues.

Significance

Digitization is significant because it allows you to think about how it helps you and affects you in many ways. Its kind of like a new millennium. Its important how digitization can be made into one thing and transformed to multiple things affecting society and the world good and bad. Its significant in a way that others use it for useful things while others abuse it. I think that its important how we get to see how digitization can be really bad for you and branch out to so many things but then at the same time its good for you and can allow you to open your eyes to bigger ideas and learn more.

Work cited
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090117143603AAMuqIT

http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/obesity-and-overweight-among-children-causes-prevention-and-effects
Feed
Video Project
Wall-E

Big Paper Revised

In today's world people lives consist of their ipods, cellphones, and laptops, that is most people's main prority. People are absorbed by the technology around them because they are not themselves anymore such as when people were doing their video projects and they alienate themselves causing them to be lifeless monsters. In today's society people are addicted to digital media and obsessed with latest technology just as they do in the book Feed. Society are using digital devices which allows us to become socially challenged and give us an excuse to be lazy which relates to the movie Wall-E. Overall the digital world has a big impact on life today and affects us significantly. Digitalization causes people to alienate themselves from the outside world (real world),become addicted to their devices and develop lazy behavior (unhealthy lifestyles) which negativetly impacts their lives of digital uses.



Digital media causes people to leave the real world and enter a place where they become motionless/new person. It causes a person to not know what is going around just what is right in front of the world. The video project that we have done in the past had caused us to be like zombies and we did not realize what the digital things were doing to us such as being so focused on a computer screen or listening to their music etc. Looking at the videos, you see people become so hypnotized by their screens and they switch their minds to different modes which make them to alienate themselves from other things such as errands, work you seem to forget the real world. In Steph's thoughts on her video project she said "After watching my video i looked like i wasn't really there...i was to into the game like moving the control from side to side when in reality that has no effect...They should be played in moderation."Matthew also said "when I saw my video, I thought that I looked really entertained. I was on the computer, my phone, and my ipod at the same time. I do this everyday when I get home so it felt natural to me" this shows that digital devices allow people to close out the world, they get so sucked in the image of this digital thing that people become this like digital person within not even who they are. Its as if they have split personalities. People are possessed by the screen having not ate for 2 hours and not sleeping for a whole day. If people allow themselve to stare at a screen for hours, slouching, hair all messed up that is not good for them.There is much disemobiment going on when people are using digital devices. Their body is there physically but the state of mind is on the screen.



Society today has become overly addicted to their digital devices. The book Feed relates to the lifestyle as the digital media today because the story is based on us. Just as teens are listening to their "feeds" and always trying to buy the newest technology. Its kind of like we have a feed ourselves except its in television, cellphones, and other digital devices which we become overly obsessed with. Feed, i believe is a parable of modern teenage life. We do not really think for ourselves and are socially lazy with everything we do. Titus and the other characters in the book besides Violet are addicted to what their Feed tell them to do because they rely on it and use it as a communication for everything just as we do today. Titus looks into his Feed and becomes distant from the world because he watches television in his head, his relationships with his friends and family are nothing more than a digital connection that does carries no emotions. In one part of the book Titus says "I was currently disconnected from feednet, of course and i was starting to get scared...I missed the Feed. I don't know when they first had feeds. Before that they used their hands and eyes. Computers were all outside of them, in their hands, like if you carried your lungs in a briefcase and opened it to breathe." Once Titus's Feed was hacked and he did not what to do with himself he was so used to the Feed and addicted to it. Its as if he lost his whole life. He forgot to live real life and how to feel real things, everything that natural for him is actually fake. Its as if he believes something that is not there, he became so brainwashed. People are under control of the Feed and are not allowed to think for themselves.



Using these new digital devices it allows us to become socially challenged and give us an excuse to be lazy. People were so disfigured by the technology that when they were left alone they did not know how to find themselves which cause them to have a unhealthy lifestyle. In the movie Wall-E, Wall-E had entered some sort of spaceship where all these people were attached in a chair busy watching a digital screen he accidentally bumped into a lady causing the digital screen to dis attach and turn it off. When this happened the lady was in shock and did not realize her surroundings. She seemed brainwashed, she did not know there was a pool in the premise. She was so distracted by the digital stuff. Previous from that Wall-E had knocked down a man and he was so over weighted he could not get up. The technology was leading them to a harmful habits in life. The robots and the chairs took care of their every need having them not do anything causing them to gain weight. The people have become so depended on them it makes them less worry about other things and focus on themselves. They closed out the rest of the world and care about what is happening in front of them. Its unhealthy for them to sit there and nothing using no physical activity or exercise. In a source that i read said "i work 10 hours a day on a computer which made my health and also isolated me from other people in my job which caused mental health issues too." Sitting around all day ona computer screen or using digital devices doing nothing productive rises health issues mentally and physically. Another source i read that was written on Kaboodle website a person put up a post saying the following: "I decided to post obesity among children because I noticed that one of the common problems of children today is becoming overweight. Maybe because of today’s generation, modern technology including internet gaming can be one factor that cause obesity. I observed that children are lack of physical activities such as exercise, running, jogging, playing outside, and involve in sports, they become addicted in internet gaming." Just like in the movie Wall-E, in modern day today people are becoming excessively overweight being attracted to the Feed of the internet and videogaming and do not realize they are jepodarizng their own health. This also brainwashes the people and kind of shows they do not know what they are actually doing to their lives.

Digital technology is kind of like brain damage. It sucks everything out of you and insert all these digital thoughts in your head. Cellphones, ipods, computers, are brainwashing materials that consent us to leading uhealthy lives and pull us down. Digitalization i believe is also like a cover-up to cover all the blemishes like when we go on computers and become this whole motionless person. We allow ourselves to isolate each other causin us to be addicted leading yourselves to technical diffculties with our bodies physically and mentally.

Opposing Views

Even though the digital world has a lot of bad things about it, it also has some good thing about it too. It allows you to keep in contact with close family/friends which is a great use. Also its a faster way to do things such as checking the weather or looking up things you need instead of other things that take too long. Digital devices allow you to think about things you never thought about before. A quote that Andy wrote on the board is a positive aspect on the digital world is that "the constant improvement of digital technology has helped the economy while simultaneously reducing resource consumption and social communication in our age has lessened loneliness and helped people live happier lives." Things like love dating websites and websites where you can interact with people and show them your true identity without actually meeting them and with dating websites you can find someone you are compatible with with a simple survey instead of blind dates.

Connections

This connects to everything bad is good for you because the author says that the digital world allows you to open up to things you never thought of but other people believe it is bad because reading came first. Is it possible that if digital came first and reading came second would people feel the same way or would they think digital devices are better. This also connects to the book Feed, Wall-E, and the video experiment that was done which was already mentioned in my arguments. All three of these texts showed how digitalization creates isolation leading to addiction causing you to get bad health issues.

Significance

Digitalization is significant because it allows you to think about how it helps you and affects you in many ways. Its kind of like a new millennium. Its important how digitalization can be made into one thing and transformed to multiple things affecting society and the world good and bad. Its significant in a way that others use it for useful things while others abuse it. I think that its important how we get to see how digitalization can be really bad for you and branch out to so many things but then at the same time its good for you and can allow you to open your eyes to bigger ideas and learn more.

Work cited
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090117143603AAMuqIT
http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/obesity-and-overweight-among-children-causes-prevention-and-effects
Feed
Video Project
Wall-E

Comments on Steph's and Matt's rough draft

Steph's

I think your arguments are godd especially how you said it gives social challenging and brainwashing i agree with you. I think that you should include quotes like search in google or you can use quotes that we did in class to support your thesis and arguments. Also include your opposing views and conclusion. Other than that you did a good job! =))

Matt's

I think for a rough draft you did a good job. I liked the how you said people in today's society eat,breathe,drink technhology and we revolve around it. You aslo included quotes from a person you met on the street which was good. You should include a signifciance part in your paper and a opposing view. By the way what is your EQ? Great first draft =)

Rough Draft

Digitalization causes people to alienate(brainwashing) themselves from the outside world creating addiction and fostering unhealthy lifestyles. People are absorbed by the technology around them because they are not themselves anymore such as when people were doing their video projects and they alienate themselves causing them to be lifeless monsters. In today's society people are addicted to digital media and obsessed with latest technology just as they do in the book Feed. Society are using digital devices which allows us to become socially challenged and give us an excuse to be lazy which relates to the movie Wall-E. Overall the digital world has a big impact on life today and affects us significantly.

Digital media causes people to leave the real world and enter a place where they become motionless/new person. It causes a person to not know what is going around just what is right in front of the world. The video project that we have done in the past had caused us to be like zombies and we did not realize what the digital things were doing to us such as being so focused on a computer screen or listening to their music etc. Looking at the videos, you see people become so hypnotized by their screens and they switch their minds to different modes which make them to alienate themselves from other things such as errands, work you seem to forget the real world. People are possessed by the screen having not ate for 2 hours and not sleeping for a whole day its as if they leave their body physically and travel to the computer screen causing disembodiment.

Society today has become overly addicted to their digital devices. The book Feed relates to the lifestyle as the digital media today because the story is based on us. Just as teens are listening to their "feeds" and always trying to buy the newest technology. Its kind of like we have a feed ourselves except its in television, cellphones, and other digital devices which we become overly obsessed with. Feed, i believe is a parable of modern teenage life. We do not really think for ourselves and are socially lazy with everything we do. Titus and the other characters in the book besides Violet are addicted to what their Feed tell them to do because they rely on it and use it as a communication for everything just as we do today. Titus looks into his Feed and becomes distant from the world because he watches television in his head, his relationships with his friends and family are nothing more than a digital connection that does carries no emotions. Once Titus's Feed was hacked and he did not what to do with himself he was so used to the Feed
and addicted to it. Its as if he lost his whole life. People are under control of the Feed and are not allowed to think for themselves.

Using these new digital devices it allows us to become socially challenged and give us an excuse to be lazy. People were so disfigured by the technology that when they were left alone they did not know how to find themselves which cause them to have a unhealthy lifestyle. In the movie Wall-E, Wall-E had entered some sort of spaceship where all these people were attached in a chair busy watching a digital screen he accidentally bumped into a lady causing the digital screen to dis attach and turn it off. When this happened the lady was in shock and did not realize her surroundings. She seemed brainwashed, she did not know there was a pool in the premise. She was so distracted by the digital stuff. Previous from that Wall-E had knocked down a man and he was so over weighted he could not get up. The technology was leading them to a harmful habits in life. The robots and the chairs took care of their every need having them not do anything causing them to gain weight. The people have become so depended on them it makes them less worry about other things and focus on themselves. They closed out the rest of the world and care about what is happening in front of them. Its unhealthy for them to sit there and nothing using no physical activity or exec rise.

Digital technology is kind of like brain damaging. It sucks everything out of you and insert all these digital thoughts in your head.

Opposing Views

Even though the digital world has a lot of bad things about it, it also has some good thing about it too. It allows you to keep in contact with close family/friends which is a great use. Also its a faster way to do things such as checking the weather or looking up things you need instead of other things that take too long. Digital devices allow you to think about things you never thought about before. A quote that Andy wrote on the board is a positive aspect on the digital world is that "the constant improvement of digital technology has helped the economy while simultaneously reducing resource consumption and social communication in our age has lessened loneliness and helped people live happier lives." Things like love dating websites and websites where you can interact with people and show them your true identity without actually meeting them and with dating websites you can find someone you are compatible with with a simple survey instead of blind dates.

Connections

This connects to everything bad is good for you because the author says that the digital world allows you to open up to things you never thought of but other people believe it is bad because reading came first. Is it possible that if digital came first and reading came second would people feel the same way or would they think digital devices are better.

Significance

Digitalization is significant because it allows you to think about how it helps you and affects you in many ways. Its kind of like a new millennium. Its important how digitalization can be made into one thing and transformed to multiple things affecting society and the world good and bad. Its significant in a way that others use it for useful things while to her abuse it.

Comments

Stephanie's Outline

I think your outline is good so far. Your thesis i enjoyed because i have the same ideas and how you talked about people being socially challenged. I think you shoud talk more about the movie Wall-E and what happened exactly. I agree with Matt that you have good arguments and you
have potential for a great paper. =)

Matthew's Outline

I thought your outline was well put out and on point. You were very specific on your arguments and elaborated well. I thought your thesis was simple and staight to the point which is good. For your rough draft you might want to use useful sources in class that we use especially Feed for your argument.

Outline

Thesis: Digitization causes people to alienate(brainwashing) themselves from the outside world creating addiction and fostering unhealthy lifestyles.

Argument 1: People are absorbed by the technology around them because they are not themselves anymore.

Argument 2:  Digital media causes people to leave the real world and enter a place where they become motionless and become a new person.

Argument 3: Using these new digital devices it allows us to become socially challenged and give us an excuse to be lazy.

Evidence#1: Feed

• People are under control of the Feed and are no allowed to think for themselves.

Evidence#2: Wall-E

• People were so disfigured by the technology that when they were left alone they did not know how to fend themselves which cause them to have an unhealthy lifestyle.

Evidence#3: Video Project

• People were alienate themselves and did not know what they were doing causing them to be zombies.

Hw 15-ABCDEF 3- Treasure Hunting

Dear Mi Amor,


After reading your thoughts on the book Feed i found it very interesting. Your tone of your writing was great and i liked the overall meaning you were trying to explain. I think you are a good writer. I liked how you connected Feed back onto the real world and showed how they were very similar to today.

Feed to us is our blue tooth we talk to it and communicate with it just like Titus does and so does the rest of the characters. Its a digital connection with no emotions. Feed connects to the way teenagers act today, they want the latest technology and get sucked into this digital world. The author is awaring us that we are socially dumb and how Titus is a perfect example of this.

This connects to my lifestyle a little bit because the digital world has a big effect on me. I feel so attached to it just as Titus does with his Feed. Its so distracting and its something you cannot let go of. This also reminds me of my cousin who spends so many hours on AIM no matter what is going on in his surroundings its as if the sidekick is glued to his hand. The digital world can corrupt your mind.

Next time you might want to proofread your work and make sure you spell the words correctly.

One question i have is do you actually feel socially dumb or offended by what he author wrote in Feed? In what ways is this actually good? Why or why not?

Thanks, it was great reading your ideas. Hope you enjoyed mines! =-)


Dear Matt,

Wow i really liked this post of yours. I thought it was cool and exciting the way you described how you played the games. It kind of felt like i was there. It created imagery to me. I liked how you said you weren't socially active and felt very lazy after playing i thought it was kind of funny.

After playing Guitar Hero and Call of Duty you realized that it did not really help you, you just got a kick out of playing the game. It did not do anything for you. In addition you actually causing yourself to pay more money and you got overly excited. Playing/Doing digital things you isolated the rest of your house when you could have been doing chores or something to actually productive but instead you were wired to the Xbox.


I can relate to you on this which is one of the reason i liked this post. When I'm at home and i got on my Internet on AIM i get so addicted to it and cannot sign off and i do not know why. Its something that is grabbing you mentally but not physically. Its kind of like the Feed. Just like you feel you do not accomplish anything from it either to I which disappoints myself nobody else. I could be busy doing other things that are worth my time.

Next you might just read your work over for spelling mistakes. Also tell me how does this connect to other things beside yourself but with the outside world.

This makes me think twice about digital media and question should i do it or not. There like a devil on one of my shoulders and an angel on the other. We the people do not realize how digital media is alike a black hole sucking all in it. Will it always be like this?

I enjoyed reading your post. It was funny and interesting. Can't wait to read more! =-)

Hw#14-Second Text

Short Excerpt 1 TV

In the excerpt they made points out such as that movies like horror films(student bodies and Halloween) that they use these flashing arrows to help you know was going on like referring back to the scene and tell you the main idea or help you keep track of whats going on. Also in the text they talked about "reality effect" are designed to create the aura of real life through their sheer meaninglessness which are described throughout the text of how television shows do those types of things. One main argument that the writer talked about that was catchy was how when television starts off in the beginning they may say words or something that is confusing to engage the viewer and make it more enjoyable which i think allows the viewer to think more and later understand the show and actually make them more smarter.

In the excerpt when the writer showed E.R as an example of how they do not talk down to the audience instead they talk fast using words that people do not usually understand and they use the flashing arrows to help understand the text even though it was ambiguity. After reading the script and the author elaborating what it means and breaking it down, it help me have a better understanding of the text and the main point about the how the kid's blood type was rare.

After reading the excerpt about television and how it has these different threads and techniques about how t.v shows and movies use them, i thought it was really interesting even though it was a little confusing i got the overall meaning of it. I never really thought of t.v like that until reading this making have a deeper meaning about how t.v shows and movies actually work and make you brain execrise. I thought it was interesting how in the mid 1900s they made "TV simpler because they assumed that their audience at the time wasn't ready for anything complicated" i was on the fence with this because how did they actually know that were they supposedly stupid?


I think when reading Feed it was talking about all the bad things digitization does to the characters and stuck to that idea the whole time. It did not says anything good about digitization like Steven Johnson did. He other hand said like even though these things are bad there are also good things about them such as the threads and literary devices they use on shows and movies. I think that is the main difference between the two texts. Feed is i think is more bias and stuck to one idea that all digital things are bad for you.

Short Excerpt 2 Video Games

The excerpt i believe had mad some major points on video games and reading. First of all, the author makes it a point that children are better off reading than playing video games but then later says how video games are not so bad after all. In the text, says like why would someone who has worked all day at work to go home and spend hours on a computer in a virtual world that causes you to get frustrated but it is fun and pleasurable. At the same time he talks about how teachers, parents feel about the frenzy of reading such as that books are isolating while games have complex social relationships with their peers, building and exploring new worlds.

I think basically the author is saying how video games are addicting and how people spend somany hours trying to figure out these codes and spending money on cheat codes which in the end is not helping yourself at all. In addition, that reading does not allow you to some complexity but it has concentration,attention, and the ability to make sense of words.

After reading this i think it was really well thought out because i did not think reading can make you do all those things and i do not think as reading as active participation. I disagree when they said that people who do not read are more likely to go to musical performances and attend museums because not all people are like that, i know people who read a lot and do not got to museums at all. I feel like video games are more active than reading since you are in this virtual world it allows you to do things that are not happening in a book that is just full of words. There are video games like the Wii Fit which allows you to be active and execrise, so i do not believe that is true.

I found it interesting how a guy who does handy work for a living and came home became so wrapped up in this virtual world spending so many hours to just to do one simple task which took forever. I do agree that people do play games and get frustrated because they may not find a way to get somewhere or find something but they have fun doing so which i find weird. I wonder the same question of why is this fun and why people so wrapped up in it?

Reading this short excerpt rather than the first i feel it relates more to Feed because it talks more about the downside of video games. When it talks about people spending money and buying all these cheats sheets to find their way to same place or some where its just like when the Feed were telling the kids to buy all these clothes because they are so cool. I would also like to add that its like virtual world is a feed for the people in the real world they listen to the step by step manual to help get through things just like the in the book the Feed tells them what to buy and how to live.

Feed B

When Bert Brecht said that, "Art is not a Mirror with which to reflect the World. It is a Hammer with which to shape it", i agree with it in a way because the mirror can be a hammer we always seems to shape our world in certain way of how we want it to be. Just like in the book Feed they shape the world revolving around it. The Feed i believe is like this device in the people's head who tells them what to do and how to live, etc. In the real world i think the Feed is what we listen to on television and the digital media we use these days but not all the time the way it is portrayed in the book.

When it comes to me being the mirror or the hammer, i do not want to be. If i were the mirror would not want someone to shape into any way of form and then if i were the hammer i would want shape someone else. So i do believe its not art because either way you are not expressing yourself freely but how people want to precieve you or make you.

Feed A

The book Feed is similar to my current lifestyle as digital media today because the story is sort of based on us. Just as the teens are listening to their "feeds" and always trying to buy the newest technology so are kids today. Its kind of like we have a feed ourselves except it in television, cellphones, and other digital devices. On the other hand we think for ourselves and make our own decisions but in the novel the feed seems to make all the decisions for them and seem to know the best choice of everything from what to do to what to buy and how to live.

I think that Feed is supposed to be a parable of modern teenage life. I think that they saying we do not really think for ourselves and we are socially lazy with everything we do. I think we are Titus and the author is Violet and he is trying to tell us what is wrong with us. Its like we are dumb and we allow digital media to speak for us just like the Feed does for everyone in the book. In one part of book when Violet comes to dinner with Titus family and Violet and Titus father start arguing, it seems like she challenge him which i find relevant to how you can see the difference of a person who has a feed their whole life and one who adjusted it and wants to fight it.

I think that Titus is scared of living the feed or giving it up a little since he has been so used to it his whole life. Unlike Titus, Violet was not as fortune as he was and understood how to be "normal or not using the feed" which i think she prefers to think for herself and likes to write things down etc. If Violet was richer i think that maybe she would not think about the Feed as much as she does and would enjoy it more since she did recieved it at the age of 7. I think the author is right about what he is saying and i did not really think of it as much and it kind of made me feel like im dumbing down with the future technology.

Hw#11-Self Experiment 1

Description- My self experiment was digital fasting. I wanted to try and see if i could not go on the Internet for a least a few hours.

Analysis-My digital fasting worked out 5o 5o because when i got home i was on my laptop typing up my paper for my English homework and i was tempted to go on AIM, Facebook,etc. While i was using my laptop the Internet was calling me. So i ended up going on AIM and Facebook just to check my mail and talk to people but it only lasted like an hour. I think i did pretty well because i was not on chatting or on the Internet for a long period of time. I did feel an accomplishment but at the same time i felt like it was hard for me to not go on it. I feel if i did not go on the Internet that i would feel empty when i went to sleep and felt like i missed something.

Addiction?

http://www.theparentreport.com/resources/ages/preteen/kids_culture/130.html

In the article what i found interesting was how some studies show that excitement of video games causes the brain to release a chemical is addictive. A doctor by the name of Charles said that video games are "compelling with increasing complexity so the child becomes more facil, yet wants to know more about and apply new skills. Another thing i found interesting was that a professor of Computer Science thinks video games give children the chance for puzzle solving, strategic and critical thinking. I enjoyed reading this article.

After reading this i agree with the Professor from Computer Science because not all video games are killing people and just doing stupid things, some video games can help you problem solve and actually make you smarter. I never knew that excitement of video games can cause a chemical to be addictive. I think that if a child has a equal balance of everything such as reading, hanging out, being active, video games would not be so addicted to them.

http://www.drugrehabtreatment.com/teen-cell-phone-addiction.html

In the article they said that teens are becoming overly obsessed with cellphones. More than 225 million people carrying cellphones in the U.S in 2007,up from 34 million in 2005, and nearly two-thirds of teens owning their own cellphones. Many teens spend an average of an hour a day of cellphones not including emailing, Ming, face book,etc. In Spain, 2 kids ages (12-13) were sent to a mental hospital for cellphone addiction. They also said in China that they found a study that almost one-third of H.S students had signs of addictions.

When i read this i was like WOW i did not think cellphones were really that addicting that you have to go to a mental hospital. I never realize how severe this can get. I also notice that they only mentioned teens who were addicted not any adults. Overall i thought it was an interesting article to read. I do not think i would get overly addicted or at least try not to be.

http://www.moseshand.com/media/kick.htm

Even though it article sounds bias. I liked how they said television has a curious quality. While you are watching television you are bored yet attentive. Also even though what you are watching is not interesting you continue to watch it no matter what. The writer said that t.v has a hypnotic-addictive quality,the attention is held thorough explotation and perevsion a surival instinct.

Out of all the articles i read i liked this one the best, it really caught my interest. I like how it showed different example on why television can be addicting. I think when they say that sometimes the t.v shows can be boring but we still watch it is so true because it happens to me all the time. My eyes are just focusing on the television and listening to every word. I feel like my ideas were just like te writer because he/she focuses on the t.v and not is aware of everything else that is going on which is true.

HW#8-Comment on Triangle Partners' Video Project

Stephanie's

I appreciated your video i thought it was funny. I liked how you realized that you were not yourself mentally but you were there physically. You did not show any emotions and you were doing things physically that had nothing to do with reality. I can connect this to my video because i did the same thing, i looked like a zombie and blocking out the real world. Maybe next time you can expand your ideas and elaborate why you they should play in moderation. Also would you want your younger siblings doing this or your future children. Looking at your video made me think twice of playing video games for a long period time or digital things period. I never realized doing things like this can get you so hypnotized. I hope to read more of your ideas and watch more of your videos. Good Job!

Matthew's

I liked your video it was very interesting and similar to mines. The video shows that you were very hypotonized while you multitasking with all these different digital devices. You became lifeless and like a zombie who dont have brains. This connects also i believe to others and myself because we were so focused on the digital device and not paying attention what is in front, back or what is going on around us. I aggreed with you when you talked about who the WII that it prevents people from playing sports physically. Whats the point of sports then if you can play outside? Watching your video makes me more self-consicious of who i look when im doing things digtially. Great job on your video! I hope to see more.

Homework#6

When i was watching my video i looked like a zombie and i did not hav that much face expressions or emotions. I never realized how digital media really effect me and how when im using a computer how its like a spell is put on me. It seems like im lifeless also since i dont show any type of feelings like i do when im outside doing physical things like in school or with my friends. I would not want my little sister to be doing this because it can get really addicting and it doesnt do anything postive for yourself except maybe get frustrated or make your eyes get tired from watching a screen for so long.

On the other hand i woudlnt mind them being on the computer just not on it for a great amount of time they it natural for them. When it comes to the Wii's becoming more stark i think its just a bunch of BS because they make a seem like "you buy this and lose weight oh my god its so healthy for you" they just want you to buy the product. No matter what its still a video game system just like the PS3 and XBOX 360. Instead of playing these sports outside in fresh air it seems your obligated to place indoors on a screen.

Interviews

My dad said....

"My view on digital world is i like the digital world it is connivance, you can shop and do your banking but then i think that it makes you lazy and use no skills. You go on a computer and it solves your problems. It is getting to the point where we depend on ti so much. I also do not like it cause people can track you down and it is accessible."

Stranger#1 said....

"Uh, bad for our community widens global community but alienates our smaller community."

Stranger#2 said....

"I didn't have a clue it goes fast. I think it is good because it improves the quality of life, makes it easier. I think that the downside it takes over your life. There's good and bad for everything."

Stranger#3 said....

"I really don't know what to say."

Stranger#4 said....

"It changed the world, changed in good and bad. Good because wonderful things to contempt to the world. Only had newspapers and channels. Bad because insane and crazy ideas."

Stranger#5 said....

"I don't think technology evolved so quickly. I spend hours on the phone. Oh my god! I have an iPhone, I'm on it all day."

Aisatou said....

"Like its a must ever hour of the day I'm on the phone. i think technology evolved quickly because a new ipod and an new sidekick comes out and people want it. i don't think its good for us because it kind of a uniform thing people trying to wear their best outfit and be cool and popular. When they come with this new devices they feel they have buy them to be down."

HW 4 - Triangular Comments 1

I appreciate how you talked about how maybe two possibilities why people use digital things. People are addicted to the digital world and don't even know it. A lot of these days i see little kids with high tech cellphones who do not even need it and my sister who is only 5 years spend time on the computer too sometimes even longer than me. It would be a good idea to expand more on your thoughts next time and be more specific on how people are so addicted to the digital world. I was wondering you say people are addicted to the digital world how addicted are you and does it affect you? It was great reading your blog and hope to read more.

Leah pp on digital media

What makes people so addicted to digital media? We seem to forget how to actually meet people and interacting and instead on the Internet you add whoever you want and become friends. With cellphones you can constantly text someone and keep in contact instead of physically seeing them. Its just easier. I think that the digital world is just an excuse for people to be lazy. What will happen when companies run of out ideas? I think people forget how this whole started. For example on my space some of people's personality are so shady. They might add a girl/guy just because they are exposing their body and are quickly "friends" with them. The person in real life might not even look as good or have a great personality. Will this ever come to an end? Will people realize it sort of taking over them without knowing it?