FINAL BLOG

This class shocked me. Coming in to this class I expected to be totally bored and just read books and write papers and discuss everything. However, that wasn't really the case. One thing I really liked was that all the text tied together and connections could be made. Every book built into the idea of the previous book or media clip we viewed. I alway have trouble relating to books and digging to find a meaning. These pieces of texts related to things that teens can relate to. I never pictured America in the way these books showed.To me, it seems that our society is heading in the direction these books depict. 

The idea of Big Brother in 1984 is a little out there and I doubt that will ever happen. It was such a hard book to read and follow. But Feed isn't too unreasonable. I really liked Feed and couldnt put it down. Even the font in that book helped me stay entertained. We already have media and technology that influences everything we know and do and persuades us in a huge way. One thing that inspired me was the sections from Henry David Throeau’s Walden. It made me ask myself if I was living deliberately. If when I came to die would I feel as if I had actually lived. I thought it was brave that he would seclude himself for a year in the woods. I don't think I could do that. But if I could, it would make me look at life in a whole new sense. 

Overall, I learned how to think critically and express myself in ways that i never have. Through the blogs, discussions, and writing responses it challenged me to dig into the books I read. The idea of having a lit class scared me. Surprisingly, im leaving this class feeling like I have a better understanding of the subject. I loved all the people in my group and I enjoyed doing work with them. However, the semester is over and I am so ready to be done :)

Blog 8: 15 Minutes of Fame

For this blog I decided to hit on the idea of “15 minutes of Fame”. Andy Warhol came up with this idea. Its hard to believe that even back in 1966, Warhol knew that fame was something important to people. Something that made them feel special. The 15 minutes of fame is short-lived and often in the media publicity of an individual or phenomenon. The expression was coined by Andy Warhol, who said that, "In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes." The phenomenon is often used in reference to figures in the entertainment industry or other areas of pop culture, such as reality tv and youtube. Pretty much anyone can become famous today. You don’t have to be an amazing singer or football player anymore to be seen in the news, magazines, or internet. Usually, people are the exact opposite of amazing. They go on American Idol, for example, and sing like idiots. All of America laughs at them and the next morning they are on Good Morning American and plastered all over websites home pages. Other times, people become famous for horrible things. For instance, their young child goes missing or someone kills someone else. This is related to violence. Its hard for me to believe that someone has the mind set to harm someone just to become famous and I hope this isnt whats going on. I feel like everyone will become known for something sometime in their life. Maybe you live in a small town and your name is posted on a board for your birthday. Or you go hunting and get the biggest deer in the town and your name is in the paper. It may not be world wide but it still would make that person feel good and maybe like a “star”.

Someone that is really memorable for this is William Hung. He went on American Idol and totally sucked at singing. Because of this, he became so famous! He was everywhere in the media. He couldnt have possibily thought he was a good singer. There is no way! Blows my mind.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqmy5qrvaVQ&feature=related

Reality TV

I decided to watch an hour of the Bachelorette. The episode was from the last season which was season 7. I absolutely love this show. I wouldn't miss a single episode of it. It was mine and my boyfriends favorite TV show and we pretty much made it a date to watch it. The bachelorette was Ashley Hebert. She was an attractive girl. There were 25 guys that she was introduced to. These guys were for the most part were all attractive too. Ashley makes dates with these men and has to chose who she wants to keep to the next week. She gives them a rose and they have to accept it. 

This shows a typical girl looking for a fairy tale love. Its like any other dating show or site. You are introduced to complete strangers and are expected to fall in love. You have to think along the lines that one of these men, chosen at random, will be your soul mate. The love of your life. The person you spend forever with. But will this really happen?

If young girls watch this show, they will believe that there will be someone for anyone. This show makes us believe that love is out there for everyone. We feel bad for the people who don't receive roses. We have all been through rejection and heart break. We feel like with this rejection to these people, we know them. We don't though. I believe we do feel worse for them because they are “average joes”. If these were all celebs we wouldn't mind much. We all know they get married and divorced in one week tops. 

I decided to watch episode 3 because this is the episode when Ashley gets rejected. There is one guy that came in, Bentley, who thought Ashley would be someone else. He says he isn't attracted to Ashley at all and basically that he was just going to lead her on. He goes to her and uses his daughter as an excuse. This whole deal with Bentley was a long time coming. The show showed previews of him saying mean things behind her back and I was always so pumped to watch the next episode to know what would happen with him. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKd2Wd-rAuU&feature=related

Obviously, a channel is going to air shows that they know will get high viewer ratings. They need to have something that will pull as in and the subject of love usually does this. 

Big Brother.

I do not believe that our society is even close to “Orwellian”. We do have a government and they are controlling BUT the people in the book, including Winston, are way more than just controlled by their “government”. They can’t think, move, of even breathe without people watching them. Big Brother sees everything these people do. Winston has a little alcove where he escapes to where he can get away from Big Brother. This is the only place he can express himself. The fact that these people can’t express themselves takes away from individuality.  The Thought Police doesn’t allow these people to have any thoughts. 

It would be very hard to live in this kind of world. We express many of our feelings through facial expressions. We are very judgmental people, even if we just keep our thoughts to ourselves. It would be almost impossible to not think at all or have someone that would punish us for thinking.

As I said earlier, our government is controlling but it isn’t too bad. They aren't keeping us from thinking or having relationships with people. As far as monitoring calls and searching our properties, the government may be a bit intruding. On the lines of searching properties, as long as there is proper suspicion and a warrant to search, I feel it is okay. In other words, there shouldn’t be any freedoms lost to the government. If they do these things to keep us safe I also think it is okay. For example, if they monitor a call and someone is planning to bomb something and they can stop this person because they listened to the call, I personally think that was a success and no one will be complaining that they listened to this call. If we have nothing to hide from the government then what should it matter if they listen? Just my opinion though. Another example of having the government very much involved is air line safety. It may take longer to get boarded or get off your plane but this keeps us safe. 

This book is very challenging and sometimes hard to understand. Im not a fan of how dark and lonely the feel of this book is. 

Living Deliberately.

To be honest, I dont know if I could live in the woods with nothing for a year. I think the absolute most hardest thing would be leaving the people around me. My family, boyfriend and friends make my life complete. The fact of losing technology wouldn't be that big of a deal. It would take a little to get over the fact that it was missing but with in a short time I believe I wouldn’t even notice it was gone. I think that living in this solitude may get a little boring after awhile. Our lives today are so full that we never have a pause just to really do nothing. Moving into this little house in the middle of the woods would be such an extreme from our normal day lives. I wouldn’t know what to do with myself. I would have so much free time on my hands. That could be nice though. Catch up on all the sleep I have lost because of college. But in reality, all the free time would drive me nuts and I probably wouldn’t make it a year.

Dumbest Generation?

I don’t believe what Mark Bauerlein is saying is truthful. I believe that our generation almost needs to be smart. In todays society everyone feels the pressure to go to college just so they can be successful and have a good paying job. Obviously, we have to have motivation to make it through college. The fact that he stated about us only spending an hour studying can not possibly be true. Every free second I get is spent doing something for one of my classes. College is very hard and a lot of work is required. Along with school, we have jobs and the two put together is very time consuming. The economy today doesn’t really allow for our parents to just give us all the money we want or need. So, we have to work and earn money for ourselves. I don’t see how this can be considered to be lazy? 

Our quiz in class proved something that I believe. We didn’t know all the part two questions but knew everything on part one. But, if I asked my grandma the questions she wouldn’t know any of the ones from part one. This just shows that we know information from the time period we are raised in. American idol and Jersey Shore are what our time period is about. Whats the big deal if we know all this info? In the article we read, “The Dumbest Generation? Don’t Be Dumb.”, there is a fact that says IQ scores have been raising since the 1930’s. This proves that we aren’t the dumbest generation. Basically, information changes and new things become more important and other things die out. We retain and care about the information we need to know to advance in our own generation. Generations are always changing and changing. Every generation thinks the one after them is dumb and the cycle just continues on and on. 

The assumptions that Bauerlein made, I believe, is based off extremes. I think he just based this off the laziest people in our generation and said, “Oh you all are this, that and everything else.” But really, its not everyone. I think we all have goals and dreams that we work hard to reach. 

Second Skin

Second Skin, was actually kind of mind blowing. It introduced me to a world that I never knew really existed. I knew people played online games but I didn’t know they got so involved and committed so much time to their virtual worlds. Technology is ruling our world right now. Its so different than how it use to be. So many things can be done on the web and we don’t hardly even have to move a muscle. From banking to dating. I believe it has its up but also has its downs. 

I don’t see how people can call the virtual world a real world. You are playing with wolves and dragons and even those objects are so far from being real. It would be hard for me to imagine my character of me, as a real person. I don’t understand what is so addicting. Especially because most of these people are like 30? Aren’t they more mature at this age? They should have jobs, a spouse and maybe children.

However, I believe that this gaming is simply a hobby of these people. It’s what they like and enjoy doing. I do believe though that letting your house go bankrupt or taking time off work to play is a little ridiculous. I’v never played these games or don’t know of anyone who plays them so I have no idea how addictive they can be. I recall the gamers saying that they like to get to a certain level before quitting the game. I do play Sims and I know that I personally always have “goals” I want to complete before turning the game off. Usually to get them to the next career level or making them have a child. I know how frustrating it can be if you cant reach the goal and I usually stay on much longer than I had originally planned just to complete my goals. I have never fell asleep playing or peed in a bottle though because it was too detrimental to quit the game. Thats a little nuts.

Something that really touched me in the documentary was the people who were disabled. They see playing these games as a way to escape their problems. In todays society, everyone is so judgmental to people who don’t fit in with the “norm.” If we see a person who is in a wheelchair we stare or even turn around to get a better look. When a gamer can create their own character i’m sure they don’t put themselves in a wheelchair. People who are disabled probably feel the opportunity to be the person they wish they could be and do all the things they dream to do. However, they will still have their disability and when they turn the computer off they have to realize that and that has to be hard.

Culture Jam

This book, Culture Jam, is interesting. I like that someone actually is brave enough to write this book and make us, American Citizens, realize how we are living. I feel like everyone knows what is going on but no one acts on it or even brings it up. Its the way things are and thats how it goes. A lot of passages made me say wow and see all the truth in what is being said.

A passage that really stuck out for me was on page 23. The passage stated, “The first time we saw a starving child on a late-night TV ad, we were appalled. Maybe we sent money. As these images became more familiar though, our compassion evaporated. Eventually, these ads started to repulse us. Now we never want to see another starving child again. Our sensitivity to violence has been eroded by the same process of attrition; likewise our sexual responsiveness.” This passage really opened my eyes. It is heart wrenching but so very true. Its almost to the point of being annoying and we think of it as an interruption of the TV show we are watching. It’s just another stupid commercial. But in reality, these kids really need the help. If we would see how these kids live first hand, not how the media shows it, we would have a totally different feeling toward the situation. It basically comes down to the fact that its being overplayed and its totally worn out. Thats TV for you.

Another passage that goes along with this is on page 10. “... Americans can unashamedly claim to be “suffering,” when compared to the rest of the world they are immensely blessed”. This is so true. We have the opportunity to get an education, get a job, better ourselves in life and we all take it for granted. We have food, water, shelter and we all take it for granted. These very simple things that we take for granted are much appreciated to others around the world. We appreciate our Mac computers, Iphone 4’s, super fast cars, wide screen TV’s, Xboxes, PS3’s, Nike sneakers, Abercrombie clothes, being skinny, McDonalds, shall I keep going on? We dont appreciate who we are, our family’s love, having a house, taking a shower, eating a home cooked meal. Its crazy.

One of the biggest things that I believe is screwed up today is how people feel the need to fit in. They “neeeeed” to look good and have this and that and that and this. TV ads for make up play a huge part in this. They have the hottest girls at the time to be in these commercials. Of course we want to look like them. Will us wearing that product make us as hot? No. But we buy, waste money, and are disappointed with the results. A never ending cycle. 

There is a passage, page 18, that goes along with this in the book. “If you look like a TV star or a model, a desirable mate will be available to you; if you don’t, it won’t. Try telling me that living with that message your whole life hasn’t changed the way you feel about yourself.” This statement made me laugh quite a bit. It is funny, obviously, but has truth behind it. You HAVE to look good to feel as if you will find a mate. If someone is told that they will never find someone, that has to suck. They have to feel terrible and that may even drive the need to buy the “coolest” clothes or the most expensive jewelry. But there are some people who just don’t care at all. Is there ever an in between?

One passage that hit home in a sense, was on page 19. “You drive through the heartland and the view of the wheatfields is broken by enormous billboards.” I live in the country and love it very much. It would be devastating to see our fields taken over by more media. Its unnecessary. 

Everyone can go on and on about how effed up this world is but will we change? 

No, I highly doubt it. It will never go back to the times of no cell phones or no facebook. That was the past, this is the present and I know the future only means worse. Its hard to imagine what could come next. Our generation, 50 years from now, may look back and think we were “normal” and how much worse it has got. 

Americans have issues, just deal with it. 

Introduction

Hi! My name is Brielle Cordrey and I am a sophomore here at Shippensburg. I am a Biology Major with a secondary education certification. In my free time, when im not in class or working, I enjoy being with my family, friends and my boyfriend. I love being outside and am so excited that fall is quickly approaching! I love music, especially country music. Ultimately, I just love being a student and the whole college experience. English is not my strong point so I took this class simplify because it was required. I am taking this class with my best friend, Megan Warner, so hopefully that makes it even more exciting. Im hoping for a great turn out at the end of the semester! The last book I read was, The Glass Castle in my WIFYS class. I did enjoy this book, surprisingly. The type of pop culture that im most interested in is music and movies. I love new movies and love having many DVD's to watch in my spare time. "Digging deep" can be hard for me when it comes to literature. I tend to just notice the big picture. I hope to be able to change this though through this class. Literature, in my opinion, is basically books, reading them and discussing what happens.