Justine: Connecting the movie Once to other Hollywood movies. Deliberating on similarities and differences.
I agree with you, that the movie Once was so different from some of the movies that I usually want to see or watch. It was kind of a nice change from the typical love story from those Hollywood movies because most movies have gotten very predictable and they're not that fun to watch anymore. What happened in this movie was definitely unexpected because I was totally predicting that the two main characters were going to end up together. Like you said, the way he showed her that he cared about her was something new, but still cute at the same time. I also agree with your point about Once and other Hollywood movies; Hollywood movies are now being filmed in a way for the audience to feel like they're watching a home video and for the audience to feel that the story is real. It was something far-fetched from the movies I am used to watching, but it was nice. Great job on your blog!
Rachel: Talks about the inconvenient truth about technology, how it evolved and how it may be hurting us more now than helping us.
Everything you said about technology was so true. I do believe that technology has become a total obsession than a helper. I could never, never, never get rid of my iPhone because it's like a part of me. I just couldn't imagine life without it and I keep wondering how I lived without it before; that makes me sound like a totally iPhone obsessed person, but I bet half the teenage population would agree with me. I almost never just use my phone for texting now, it's always for social media apps and games. It is definitely a need now. I think we should take a break away from technology as well and get back to going outside and hanging out with friends in one place instead of talking to each other and staring at a computer screen all day.
Friday, February 15, 2013
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Change of Mind: Postmodernism
Before going over the Modernism and Postmodernism chart in class, I payed no attention to those two words; to be honest, I didn't really know what those words meant. Then, we went through a very organized chart that differentiates between Modernism and Postmodernism. I took an interest in the Postmodernism side, because it's from 1945 to the present, the time period in which I lived in and am living in now.
In "The Individual" part of the chart under Postmodernism, two ideas spoke to me. The first, "space is corporate" (Allen) was something I didn't think about before. I didn't look around and notice all the ads that were plastered in every open space or the arenas, buildings and other places named after companies. When I watch the Blackhawks play, the rink is covered in advertisements from all their sponsors and there isn't a space left untouched by corporations. By talking about this, it helped me realized that space is corporate, companies own almost everything we use and the places we walk into everyday. The second, "mediation of experience: what is distant can be close and what is close can be distant" (Allen). Another idea that I also did not think about before discussing it in class. I admit that I'm the person that is always on their phone, but then again, so are my friends. We all have iPhone's now, so we get anything instantly and we can access anything when we want to, it's all in the palm of our hands, literally. But, I guess that's the problem isn't it? We distance ourselves from the people close to us who are there then and there, by using our phones to connect with people who aren't there.
The section, "Worldview" changed the way I see the world today. Two more ideas, changed my mind on my worldview. I learned a new word: Pastiche, it is the coexistence of the past and present (Allen). We examined how the people from the past influenced the way we built, created, and mastered things in today's society. How architecture from ancient Greece can be seen on modern buildings, how we took old inventions and made them better and more efficient. The little things from the past are sprinkled here and there and now I know that they're there. Then, there is the idea that "the distinction between economic and cultural breaks down" (Allen). Commercials are supposed to help sell a product, but nowadays they seem more like a public service announcement and they use like 3/4 of the commercial to talk about something other than the product... like the Chrysler Superbowl commercial... was that supposed to be about the car or a farmer?
Lastly, the section "Truth" and the fact that it is "impossible to have historical authenticity" (Allen) changed my mind as well. I always thought as a kid and even now, that places like Disneyworld and places where we can go on cool safaris were really fun! but apparently places like that destroys historical authenticity, because instead of visiting the actual place we can get the fake version right here close to home. I understand that they're trying to make it convenient so we don't have to travel to those far away lands, but I would actually much rather see the real, true thing in person where it's naturally supposed to be.
So, by going through the Postmodernism side of the chart and seeing all the examples, my mind has been changed and I look at the world in a different perspective.
In "The Individual" part of the chart under Postmodernism, two ideas spoke to me. The first, "space is corporate" (Allen) was something I didn't think about before. I didn't look around and notice all the ads that were plastered in every open space or the arenas, buildings and other places named after companies. When I watch the Blackhawks play, the rink is covered in advertisements from all their sponsors and there isn't a space left untouched by corporations. By talking about this, it helped me realized that space is corporate, companies own almost everything we use and the places we walk into everyday. The second, "mediation of experience: what is distant can be close and what is close can be distant" (Allen). Another idea that I also did not think about before discussing it in class. I admit that I'm the person that is always on their phone, but then again, so are my friends. We all have iPhone's now, so we get anything instantly and we can access anything when we want to, it's all in the palm of our hands, literally. But, I guess that's the problem isn't it? We distance ourselves from the people close to us who are there then and there, by using our phones to connect with people who aren't there.
The section, "Worldview" changed the way I see the world today. Two more ideas, changed my mind on my worldview. I learned a new word: Pastiche, it is the coexistence of the past and present (Allen). We examined how the people from the past influenced the way we built, created, and mastered things in today's society. How architecture from ancient Greece can be seen on modern buildings, how we took old inventions and made them better and more efficient. The little things from the past are sprinkled here and there and now I know that they're there. Then, there is the idea that "the distinction between economic and cultural breaks down" (Allen). Commercials are supposed to help sell a product, but nowadays they seem more like a public service announcement and they use like 3/4 of the commercial to talk about something other than the product... like the Chrysler Superbowl commercial... was that supposed to be about the car or a farmer?
Lastly, the section "Truth" and the fact that it is "impossible to have historical authenticity" (Allen) changed my mind as well. I always thought as a kid and even now, that places like Disneyworld and places where we can go on cool safaris were really fun! but apparently places like that destroys historical authenticity, because instead of visiting the actual place we can get the fake version right here close to home. I understand that they're trying to make it convenient so we don't have to travel to those far away lands, but I would actually much rather see the real, true thing in person where it's naturally supposed to be.
So, by going through the Postmodernism side of the chart and seeing all the examples, my mind has been changed and I look at the world in a different perspective.
Friday, January 25, 2013
Connection: Humanties & Sociology
Lately, I've been noticing that some things I'm learning in one class are very closely related to something I'm learning in another class. It's like de ja vu, but not really. Anyways, a new semester means new classes, which means everything must feel new, right? wrong. I thought that by switching some of my electives, I'd get some new information, but turns out, the history and english departments are put in the same wing of the school together for a reason; because they mysteriously go over some of the same topics.
In Sociology we're talking about social "norms" and deviant behavior. In an article we read in class, social "norm" is defined as what a society expects an individual to behave and deviance is defined as behaviors that go against a society's rules. Then, we elaborated on social control -which is how a society keeps people from breaking the rules- and came up with external controls (authority figures), internal controls (morals), rewards and punishments. The people of a society conform to these rules in fear of punishment; which means that conformity and "going with the flow" both play huge parts in how people act, but deviant behavior comes from nonconformity and going against the flow.
What does this have to do with humanities you ask? Well, to start off the new semester in humanities we discussed challenging the status quo.We had to read a letter Martin Luther King Jr. wrote while he was in Birmingham jail, and annotate for sections in which he talked about how one should and why one should challenge the status quo.
So, the two things I read have multiple things in common. External forces were involved in both passages: police officers, parents and other authority figures keep the inhabitants of a society in check, while MLK talks about how external forces (like policemen, politicians, white people) are keeping African Americans from fully practicing their God given rights. Internal forces also play a role: people decide to take part in deviant behaviors because they lack internal morals, MLK talks about how morality should help African Americans in their fight for equality. Those who commit deviant acts are punished to maintain order in a society, MLK lists many occurrences in which African Americans are punished for being born a certain color, which is absolutely unfair.
Most importantly, these two passages taught me that sometimes conformity isn't the best thing one can do; because nonconformity and challenging the status quo can lead to changes that a society may need.
In Sociology we're talking about social "norms" and deviant behavior. In an article we read in class, social "norm" is defined as what a society expects an individual to behave and deviance is defined as behaviors that go against a society's rules. Then, we elaborated on social control -which is how a society keeps people from breaking the rules- and came up with external controls (authority figures), internal controls (morals), rewards and punishments. The people of a society conform to these rules in fear of punishment; which means that conformity and "going with the flow" both play huge parts in how people act, but deviant behavior comes from nonconformity and going against the flow.
What does this have to do with humanities you ask? Well, to start off the new semester in humanities we discussed challenging the status quo.We had to read a letter Martin Luther King Jr. wrote while he was in Birmingham jail, and annotate for sections in which he talked about how one should and why one should challenge the status quo.
So, the two things I read have multiple things in common. External forces were involved in both passages: police officers, parents and other authority figures keep the inhabitants of a society in check, while MLK talks about how external forces (like policemen, politicians, white people) are keeping African Americans from fully practicing their God given rights. Internal forces also play a role: people decide to take part in deviant behaviors because they lack internal morals, MLK talks about how morality should help African Americans in their fight for equality. Those who commit deviant acts are punished to maintain order in a society, MLK lists many occurrences in which African Americans are punished for being born a certain color, which is absolutely unfair.
Most importantly, these two passages taught me that sometimes conformity isn't the best thing one can do; because nonconformity and challenging the status quo can lead to changes that a society may need.
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Blogging Around
Maura blogged about getting organized. She explained how she always lost clothes due to a "monster/black hole" in her dresser and what she did to kill that monster and get her dresser drawers in a more organized manner.
Maura, I liked how you used a clothes-eating monster as an excuse for losing your clothes.. haha just kidding! Losing clothes is nothing new to me either, so I'm pretty sure there is also a monster/black hole in my closet. Whenever I reorganize my closet I always make piles for clothes I want to keep and those I want to donate as well. Feeling guilty about giving away certain items of clothing always keep me from finishing my task right away, but in the end, I always think that someone out there probably needs this sweater or this pair of jeans more than I do. I am such a neat freak all the time so I get the piles of clothes into nicely folded stacks in no time like you did! After accomplishing something like the task you described, I feel much more relaxed and I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders just like you said you felt. Overall, great blog entry because I was able to relate to everything you explained!
Justine thought that the best of the week of November first was the video of the starlings. She talked about the process her group went through to come up with a myth and a scientific reason as to why and how the starlings fly around the lake the way they do.
Justine, I agree that each week is very different in humanities. I thought that the most interesting idea that week was also the video about the starlings. It was so cool to watch them fly over the lake like that and without colliding. My group got their creative juices flowing and we found that the only thing hard about the assignment was picking ONE of the endless amounts of myths we made up. I like how you brought up that this activity helped us see like the people back then who actually believed in myths. It was also interesting the way you ended your blog by saying that we still don't know everything because I love the saying, "we learn something new everyday" and there have been many times that that statement has been proven.
Maura, I liked how you used a clothes-eating monster as an excuse for losing your clothes.. haha just kidding! Losing clothes is nothing new to me either, so I'm pretty sure there is also a monster/black hole in my closet. Whenever I reorganize my closet I always make piles for clothes I want to keep and those I want to donate as well. Feeling guilty about giving away certain items of clothing always keep me from finishing my task right away, but in the end, I always think that someone out there probably needs this sweater or this pair of jeans more than I do. I am such a neat freak all the time so I get the piles of clothes into nicely folded stacks in no time like you did! After accomplishing something like the task you described, I feel much more relaxed and I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders just like you said you felt. Overall, great blog entry because I was able to relate to everything you explained!
Justine thought that the best of the week of November first was the video of the starlings. She talked about the process her group went through to come up with a myth and a scientific reason as to why and how the starlings fly around the lake the way they do.
Justine, I agree that each week is very different in humanities. I thought that the most interesting idea that week was also the video about the starlings. It was so cool to watch them fly over the lake like that and without colliding. My group got their creative juices flowing and we found that the only thing hard about the assignment was picking ONE of the endless amounts of myths we made up. I like how you brought up that this activity helped us see like the people back then who actually believed in myths. It was also interesting the way you ended your blog by saying that we still don't know everything because I love the saying, "we learn something new everyday" and there have been many times that that statement has been proven.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Metacognition: Organizing My Room
On a beautiful, sunny Sunday, I spent exactly fifty-three minutes re-organizing my room. I threw away unneeded papers, put clothes back into my closet, cleared the desk space of random objects, and put everything laying around back into its designated space.
Before actually starting this project, I felt super lazy and not motivated at all because it's a lot of work re-organizing my bedroom and I just didn't feel like doing it. During the process though, I got more motivated and I didn't feel lazy anymore and I was on a roll putting things back where they belonged and being able to see my actual desk and floor made me feel good. After organizing my entire room, I felt proud of myself for accomplishing such a big task all by myself.
This project made my mind feel more organized and peaceful. I wasn't worrying about the mess and all the random objects cluttered around my room. My thoughts were just more relaxed I guess and I didn't feel as stressed as before.
I now know that I have too many clothes, I keep papers that I don't really need, I own a bunch of random things that pop out of no where and that I should really just put things back where they came from after I use them because that would be easier than re-organizing my room every week. I also realized that I have a lot more storage space than I thought I had.
Nothing really surprises me about my thinking anymore. I mean I always think about things ahead of time, like what outfits I'm going to where that week or projects and homework I need to do. If something needs to be done within a certain amount of time, then it's always on my mind until I get it done.
Before actually starting this project, I felt super lazy and not motivated at all because it's a lot of work re-organizing my bedroom and I just didn't feel like doing it. During the process though, I got more motivated and I didn't feel lazy anymore and I was on a roll putting things back where they belonged and being able to see my actual desk and floor made me feel good. After organizing my entire room, I felt proud of myself for accomplishing such a big task all by myself.
This project made my mind feel more organized and peaceful. I wasn't worrying about the mess and all the random objects cluttered around my room. My thoughts were just more relaxed I guess and I didn't feel as stressed as before.
I now know that I have too many clothes, I keep papers that I don't really need, I own a bunch of random things that pop out of no where and that I should really just put things back where they came from after I use them because that would be easier than re-organizing my room every week. I also realized that I have a lot more storage space than I thought I had.
Nothing really surprises me about my thinking anymore. I mean I always think about things ahead of time, like what outfits I'm going to where that week or projects and homework I need to do. If something needs to be done within a certain amount of time, then it's always on my mind until I get it done.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
iMedia: Stand Up To Cancer
She
performed this song on the televised event Stand Up to Cancer. This matters
because it is so important for people to support this event. It's a great cause
and it really does help those people who have cancer. I know that hundreds of
people die every day because of cancer and not many of them get media attention
like Ronan did, but by watching the event and donating any amount of money, you
can help someone out there.
This
matters to me because even though I have never had a family member die of
cancer, my heart goes out to those families who have; especially those who've
lost kids to it because they still had their whole lives ahead of them. I
really wish that I could do way more than just donate money and advertise and tell
people about this because I really want to help people who live with cancer,
who fight for their lives everyday.
It should
matter to others because no one can do something huge and life changing by
themselves, but if a group of people get together and try to make a change,
then something significant will happen; it may sound cliche, but the more
people that stand up to cancer, the more lives will be saved.
There are so many people out their fighting for their lives because they've been given a certain amount of time to live, while others go through everyday without a second thought about when their final day will come. People should donate to charities for cancer so everyone can get a chance to live their lives for as long as possible.
There are so many people out their fighting for their lives because they've been given a certain amount of time to live, while others go through everyday without a second thought about when their final day will come. People should donate to charities for cancer so everyone can get a chance to live their lives for as long as possible.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Best of Week: Aesthetics
When Mr. Allen wrote the word Aesthetics on the board in class on Monday, I had no idea what that word meant to me. The definition: the structure and rules of appreciating beauty. As I stared at the words written on the board, I realized that I never thought that there were rules about appreciating beauty. And that I never knew about this wonderful word. I was enlightened.
This made me think about how I have gone through seventeen years of my life without knowing such a thing as aesthetics. Maybe the word has come up before, somewhere in these seventeen years, but I don't remember ever using it or working with it. It makes me think about how there could be any rules to appreciating beauty? I always thought that one could find beauty in whatever they found beauty in, and that was it. It makes me wonder what the rules are.
Aesthetics hasn't really connected to my knowledge until we went through Sophie's World and picked out quotes and phrases that- I guess- represented the rules of appreciating beauty. So, because I have never heard of this word until now, that is the only thing that I can connect to my knowledge.
Once again, aesthetics doesn't really connect to me beliefs because I believe that there aren't any rules to appreciating beauty.
I am really glad that I've learned this word because now I can see the books I read, the paintings I look at, the music I listen to and everything else I happen to stumble upon in my life, in a different, more artistic way. Aesthetics has opened my eyes to the world around me.
This made me think about how I have gone through seventeen years of my life without knowing such a thing as aesthetics. Maybe the word has come up before, somewhere in these seventeen years, but I don't remember ever using it or working with it. It makes me think about how there could be any rules to appreciating beauty? I always thought that one could find beauty in whatever they found beauty in, and that was it. It makes me wonder what the rules are.
Aesthetics hasn't really connected to my knowledge until we went through Sophie's World and picked out quotes and phrases that- I guess- represented the rules of appreciating beauty. So, because I have never heard of this word until now, that is the only thing that I can connect to my knowledge.
Once again, aesthetics doesn't really connect to me beliefs because I believe that there aren't any rules to appreciating beauty.
I am really glad that I've learned this word because now I can see the books I read, the paintings I look at, the music I listen to and everything else I happen to stumble upon in my life, in a different, more artistic way. Aesthetics has opened my eyes to the world around me.
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