Critical Summary 1 : The Flight From Conversation by Sherry Turkle
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/22/opinion/sunday/the-flight-from-conversation.html?_r=0
Flashpoint: "if we don't teach our children to be alone, they will know only how to be lonely"
In Sherry Turkle's April 21st 2012 article "The Flight From Conversation", she addresses the technological advancement of communication that she believes "sacrificed conversation for mere connection". Sherry provides a background of how over the past 15 years she has spent time talking to "hundreds of people of all ages and circumstances about their plugged-in lives". Turkle brings attention to the fact that in the modern age of communication, people choose what they desire to focus their attention on. Turkle suggests that human connections are depleting for a wider technological connection. This change is seen from the workplace environment to college campuses.
One of the article's main points of emphasis is that with an increase in technological communication, we lose the ability "tend to one another". She expands on this by saying how face to face conversation "can attend to tone and nuance. In conversation, we are called upon to see things from another's point of view". In texting or email, conversations and messages tend to be direct and short. This does not allow one to truly self-reflect from conversation. She argues that one of the most important aspects of face to face conversation is the ability to self-reflect in order to gain a deeper meaning from conversation. When shortchanging each other through text messages or a Facebook message, the only thing gained is a connection not a true reflection.
Finally, one of the last major points Sherry Turkle tries to make is that technology is becoming a replacement for companionship. With growing artificial intelligence that can produce conversation with realistic responses, humans are growing attached to this artificial comfort. She argues that eve with constant connection, humans will be lonely. She claims that "if we don't teach our children to be alone, they will know only how to be lonely". With children getting phones and iPads as early as middle school or below, this could be a growing problem in the future. Throughout the article I generally agreed with all the major points that she addressed throughout. As a college student, I find myself frustrated with the lack of opportunity for conversation due to the fact that so many of my peers find themselves glued to their technology. Unfortunately, technology is only becoming more immersive as we move forward into the future which brings up thoughts of direct conversation becoming eventually extinct. This is a scary thought for the future in the present.
Critical Summary 2 : 21st Century Dating : Is Traditional Romance Dead?
http://www.collegemagazine.com/21st-century-dating-traditional-romance-dead/
Flashpoint: "lazy,entitled, confused, and addicted to instant gratification"
In Tamiera Vandegrift's November 12th 2015 article titled "21st Century Dating : Is Traditional Romance Dead?", she begins to explore the way dating and relationships have changed and evolved dramatically with the new generation of millennials. Recalling what dating was like back in the 1950's, she describes a typical date night that involved going out to a drive in movie and even introducing each other's parents. This idea is very foreign to young people, college students especially. She claims that "older generations says millennials are "lazy,entitled, confused, and addicted to instant gratification". I can see a lot of truth with this statement. With new technology advancing right before our eyes, it is easy to see why my generation is used to having things instantly. When you need to look something up, a simple google search will yield more than you likely needed to know. When it comes to dating or meeting new people, phone applications like tinder allow you to "swipe right" and potentially be available for an immediate match and conversation with the opposite sex. It seems that the majority of younger men and women have this idea of wanting to meet as many people as possible, quickly as possible. Another factor I believe that comes into play here is that many people at my age are coming out of long term relationships or are still trying to define themselves. These two factors would lead to people not wanting to set themselves up for a relationship when they feel it is not the right time in their life for one.
However this is not the case for everyone. Many people still hold out for the right relationship and partner despite being pressured by friends or peers to "play the field" or see how there are "other fish in the sea". One student at Florida State University claimed that our generation is not actually against relationships, it is just rather that we are so exposed to different social media that we are very publicized. When she said this, I believe that she meant that due to social media and our constant connections through technology, we are more focused on individualistic advancement rather than a focus on partnership. I found this article to be very true to the thoughts and ideas many of my peers have shared with me. The author did a good job at presenting both older generation's and today's youths opinions as well. One thing I would have liked to have seen more of was when this shift in dating and relationships began to change.
Critical Summary 3 : The Makeup Tax
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/08/the-makeup-tax/400478/?utm_source=SFFB
Flashpoint: "Years of research has shown that attractive people earn more. Thus the Makeup Tax,: Good-looking men and good-looking women both get ahead, but men aren't expected to wear make up in order to look good".
In Olga Kazan's August 5th 2015 article titled "The Makeup Tax", she explores a very disturbing double standard in today's society. Beauty is a major factor in how women are perceived in the workplace and outside in society. The beauty industry is one that nets over 60 billion dollars annually. A personal finance site claimed that women will spend over $15,000 in their lifetime on beauty products. This made me think of the underlying factors beneath this spending. I know that some women enjoy doing makeup and the whole process of "beautifying" ones self. However, there has to be more to it than meets the eye. As a man, I am aware of my personal hygiene and grooming but I do not think it can be related to the extent that modern women have to endure. In a society that is fighting for equal rights, pay and opportunities that all women should be entitled to, beauty has almost become intertwined with a women's worth. That should not be the case. A powerful quote from the article stated "Years of research has shown that attractive people earn more. Thus the Makeup Tax,: Good-looking men and good-looking women both get ahead, but men aren't expected to wear make up in order to look good".
Unfortunately, beauty discrimination extends further than that. Typically, men tip better when women are wearing makeup and even prestigious jobs tend to go to women in makeup over women without any. I found this article to be very informative due to a different gender perspective. As a male, it is tough to be made aware of social issues many women face daily because I do not face the same problems. The author did a good job at describing many of the social problems and even offered a solution without pointing any fingers at who is to blame. I thought the author's use of statistics strengthened her arguments and provided a good backdrop to future thoughts. One way I felt the way the author could have strengthened her article would be through the use of personal stories and reflections from women that have tried to go against the standard and how it has affected their lifestyle.
Critical Summary 4: Tame Impala music video
Flashpoint :
"It's always around me, all this noise
But not really as loud as the voice sayingLet it happen, let it happen (It's gonna feel so good)"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFptt7Cargc
In Tame Impala's music video titled "Let It Happen" the music group explores the idea of going through life without reserve and finding ones self so that they are not influenced by the outside noise and distractions in life. The group uses a man in the music video who is in a rush throughout the entire duration of the video. It appears as if the man is paranoid and has lost track of where he is in his life. I believe this is symbolic of his journey through life as he tries to find himself. One of the main climaxes of the music video is when the man finds himself strapped into a seat on a plane that begins to disintegrate before him. I believe that when this occurs it is used to symbolize the man's journey to his destination. However when the plane begins to disassemble, it is used to show that life's journey is not always straight forward and it can be a rough ride at times.
To accompany the music video, the lyrics help parallel the major themes throughout. One of the main chorus features the lyrics "I heard about a whirlwind that's coming 'round.It's gonna carry off all that isn't bound. And when it happens, when it happens (I'm gonna be holding on). So let it happen, let it happen". I believe that these lyrics relate to a major event in ones life. The group does a good job of exploring the ideas of restlessness and misdirection in life through their music and especially in this video through a simple but powerful theme.
Unit 1 Reflection:
Throughout this unit, I felt very comfortable with the subjects and material that was presented. During the first critical summary which was presented to me in class, an article written by Sherry Turkle titled "The Flight From Technology". This was a very good article to introduce the unit because it set the tone and offered a lot of opportunity throughout the article to analyze and draw logical ideas from. I felt the quality of the source was very good and since it was from the Wall Street Times, a popular and well established news reporting website I was comfortable agreeing with the information presented.
My second article titled "21st Century Dating : Is Traditional Romance Dead?" came from a website titled collegemagazine.com. At first glance this was not a very good website name to get attention as typically college websites can be filled with tabloid information and ads. However the article was well written and presented nicely. I liked the article's ideas and direction. I would most likely not use a website such as this again though. Like the previous critical summary source, it presented many opportunities to analyze the discussion and generate thought provoking questions.
My third critical summary source was an article titled "The Makeup Tax". This came from another .com website but was frequently featured on many other articles and sites. I felt this was better than my second source because it cited sources.
Overall I was very happy with how my critical summaries turned out. I felt I had analyzed both the articles main theme as well as some underlying tones the authors may have been trying to put across. One of my favorite aspects of the critical summaries however was the non written piece of work that I was asked to analyze. I chose a popular music video that had a very good theme and message behind it. I felt as if it was easier to write about something that I enjoyed and would have watched or viewed in my personal time.
One thing I wanted to focus on when choosing a good source was that it presented an argument that could be seen from more than one side. When discussing Sherry Turkle's article, one may argue that despite all the technological advancement we are still becoming closer to one another through technology. A second thought that could arise from that article is that one's ideas and views about technology may stem from how old they are and when they first began to be introduced to technology itself. In my second source, which discussed dating in the modern age, an argument could also be made for the other side about how technology and dating has evolved to better be able to find someone meant for you. This can be achieved through the capability of technology which allows meeting an immense amount of people in a very short amount of time. Finally my third written source was written from a women's perspective and could be tough for men to relate to due to the specificity of the subject but could serve as a good perspective for the readers.
Wednesday, February 17, 2016
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
Three Critical Summaries 2/9/2016
Critical Summary 1 : The Flight From Conversation by Sherry Turkle
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/22/opinion/sunday/the-flight-from-conversation.html?_r=0
In Sherry Turkle's April 21st 2012 article "The Flight From Conversation", she addresses the technological advancement of communication that she believes "sacrificed conversation for mere connection". Sherry provides a background of how over the past 15 years she has spent time talking to "hundreds of people of all ages and circumstances about their plugged-in lives". Turkle brings attention to the fact that in the modern age of communication, people choose what they desire to focus their attention on. Turkle suggests that human connections are depleting for a wider technological connection. This change is seen from the workplace environment to college campuses.
One of the article's main points of emphasis is that with an increase in technological communication, we lose the ability "tend to one another". She expands on this by saying how face to face conversation "can attend to tone and nuance. In conversation, we are called upon to see things from another's point of view". In texting or email, conversations and messages tend to be direct and short. This does not allow one to truly self-reflect from conversation. She argues that one of the most important aspects of face to face conversation is the ability to self-reflect in order to gain a deeper meaning from conversation. When shortchanging each other through text messages or a Facebook message, the only thing gained is a connection not a true reflection.
Finally, one of the last major points Sherry Turkle tries to make is that technology is becoming a replacement for companionship. With growing artificial intelligence that can produce conversation with realistic responses, humans are growing attached to this artificial comfort. She argues that eve with constant connection, humans will be lonely. She claims that "if we don't teach our children to be alone, they will know only how to be lonely". With children getting phones and iPads as early as middle school or below, this could be a growing problem in the future.
Critical Summary 2 : 21st Century Dating : Is Traditional Romance Dead?
http://www.collegemagazine.com/21st-century-dating-traditional-romance-dead/
In Tamiera Vandegrift's November 12th 2015 article titled "21st Century Dating : Is Traditional Romance Dead?", she begins to explore the way dating and relationships have changed and evolved dramatically with the new generation of millennials. Recalling what dating was like back in the 1950's, she describes a typical date night that involved going out to a drive in movie and even introducing each other's parents. This idea is very foreign to young people, college students especially. She claims that "older generations says millennials are "lazy,entitled, confused, and addicted to instant gratification". I can see a lot of truth with this statement. With new technology advancing right before our eyes, it is easy to see why my generation is used to having things instantly. When you need to look something up, a simple google search will yield more than you likely needed to know. When it comes to dating or meeting new people, phone applications like tinder allow you to "swipe right" and potentially be available for an immediate match and conversation with the opposite sex. It seems that the majority of younger men and women have this idea of wanting to meet as many people as possible, quickly as possible. Another factor I believe that comes into play here is that many people at my age are coming out of long term relationships or are still trying to define themselves. These two factors would lead to people not wanting to set themselves up for a relationship when they feel it is not the right time in their life for one.
However this is not the case for everyone. Many people still hold out for the right relationship and partner despite being pressured by friends or peers to "play the field" or see how there are "other fish in the sea". One student at Florida State University claimed that our generation is not actually against relationships, it is just rather that we are so exposed to different social media that we are very publicized. When she said this, I believe that she meant that due to social media and our constant connections through technology, we are more focused on individualistic advancement rather than a focus on partnership advancement. I found this article to be very true to the thoughts and ideas many of my peers have shared with me. The author did a good job at presenting both older generation's and today's youths opinions as well. One thing I would have liked to have seen more of was when this shift in dating and relationships began to change.
Critical Summary 3 : The Makeup Tax
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/08/the-makeup-tax/400478/?utm_source=SFFB
In Olga Kazan's August 5th 2015 article titled "The Makeup Tax", she explores a very disturbing double standard in today's society. Beauty is a major factor in how women are perceived in the workplace and outside in society. The beauty industry is one that nets over 60 billion dollars annually. A personal finance site claimed that women will spend over $15,000 in their lifetime on beauty products. This made me think of the underlying factors beneath this spending. I know that some women enjoy doing makeup and the whole process of "beautifying" ones self. However, there has to be more to it than meets the eye. As a man, I am aware of my personal hygiene and grooming but I do not think it can be related to the extent that modern women have to endure. In a society that is fighting for equal rights, pay and opportunities that all women should be entitled to, beauty has almost become intertwined with a women worth. That should not be the case. A powerful quote from the article stated "Years of research has shown that attractive people earn more. Thus the Makeup Tax,: Good-looking men and good-looking women both get ahead, but men aren't expected to wear make up in order to look good".
Unfortunately, beauty discrimination extends further than that. Typically, men tip better when women are wearing makeup and even prestigious jobs tend to go to women in makeup over women without any. I found this article to be very informative due to a different gender perspective. As a male, it is tough to be made aware of social issues many women face daily because I do not face the same ones. The author did a good job at describing many of the social problems and even offered a solution without pointing any fingers at who is to blame. I thought the author's use of statistics strengthened her enlargements and provided a good backdrop to future thoughts.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/22/opinion/sunday/the-flight-from-conversation.html?_r=0
In Sherry Turkle's April 21st 2012 article "The Flight From Conversation", she addresses the technological advancement of communication that she believes "sacrificed conversation for mere connection". Sherry provides a background of how over the past 15 years she has spent time talking to "hundreds of people of all ages and circumstances about their plugged-in lives". Turkle brings attention to the fact that in the modern age of communication, people choose what they desire to focus their attention on. Turkle suggests that human connections are depleting for a wider technological connection. This change is seen from the workplace environment to college campuses.
One of the article's main points of emphasis is that with an increase in technological communication, we lose the ability "tend to one another". She expands on this by saying how face to face conversation "can attend to tone and nuance. In conversation, we are called upon to see things from another's point of view". In texting or email, conversations and messages tend to be direct and short. This does not allow one to truly self-reflect from conversation. She argues that one of the most important aspects of face to face conversation is the ability to self-reflect in order to gain a deeper meaning from conversation. When shortchanging each other through text messages or a Facebook message, the only thing gained is a connection not a true reflection.
Finally, one of the last major points Sherry Turkle tries to make is that technology is becoming a replacement for companionship. With growing artificial intelligence that can produce conversation with realistic responses, humans are growing attached to this artificial comfort. She argues that eve with constant connection, humans will be lonely. She claims that "if we don't teach our children to be alone, they will know only how to be lonely". With children getting phones and iPads as early as middle school or below, this could be a growing problem in the future.
Critical Summary 2 : 21st Century Dating : Is Traditional Romance Dead?
http://www.collegemagazine.com/21st-century-dating-traditional-romance-dead/
In Tamiera Vandegrift's November 12th 2015 article titled "21st Century Dating : Is Traditional Romance Dead?", she begins to explore the way dating and relationships have changed and evolved dramatically with the new generation of millennials. Recalling what dating was like back in the 1950's, she describes a typical date night that involved going out to a drive in movie and even introducing each other's parents. This idea is very foreign to young people, college students especially. She claims that "older generations says millennials are "lazy,entitled, confused, and addicted to instant gratification". I can see a lot of truth with this statement. With new technology advancing right before our eyes, it is easy to see why my generation is used to having things instantly. When you need to look something up, a simple google search will yield more than you likely needed to know. When it comes to dating or meeting new people, phone applications like tinder allow you to "swipe right" and potentially be available for an immediate match and conversation with the opposite sex. It seems that the majority of younger men and women have this idea of wanting to meet as many people as possible, quickly as possible. Another factor I believe that comes into play here is that many people at my age are coming out of long term relationships or are still trying to define themselves. These two factors would lead to people not wanting to set themselves up for a relationship when they feel it is not the right time in their life for one.
However this is not the case for everyone. Many people still hold out for the right relationship and partner despite being pressured by friends or peers to "play the field" or see how there are "other fish in the sea". One student at Florida State University claimed that our generation is not actually against relationships, it is just rather that we are so exposed to different social media that we are very publicized. When she said this, I believe that she meant that due to social media and our constant connections through technology, we are more focused on individualistic advancement rather than a focus on partnership advancement. I found this article to be very true to the thoughts and ideas many of my peers have shared with me. The author did a good job at presenting both older generation's and today's youths opinions as well. One thing I would have liked to have seen more of was when this shift in dating and relationships began to change.
Critical Summary 3 : The Makeup Tax
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/08/the-makeup-tax/400478/?utm_source=SFFB
In Olga Kazan's August 5th 2015 article titled "The Makeup Tax", she explores a very disturbing double standard in today's society. Beauty is a major factor in how women are perceived in the workplace and outside in society. The beauty industry is one that nets over 60 billion dollars annually. A personal finance site claimed that women will spend over $15,000 in their lifetime on beauty products. This made me think of the underlying factors beneath this spending. I know that some women enjoy doing makeup and the whole process of "beautifying" ones self. However, there has to be more to it than meets the eye. As a man, I am aware of my personal hygiene and grooming but I do not think it can be related to the extent that modern women have to endure. In a society that is fighting for equal rights, pay and opportunities that all women should be entitled to, beauty has almost become intertwined with a women worth. That should not be the case. A powerful quote from the article stated "Years of research has shown that attractive people earn more. Thus the Makeup Tax,: Good-looking men and good-looking women both get ahead, but men aren't expected to wear make up in order to look good".
Unfortunately, beauty discrimination extends further than that. Typically, men tip better when women are wearing makeup and even prestigious jobs tend to go to women in makeup over women without any. I found this article to be very informative due to a different gender perspective. As a male, it is tough to be made aware of social issues many women face daily because I do not face the same ones. The author did a good job at describing many of the social problems and even offered a solution without pointing any fingers at who is to blame. I thought the author's use of statistics strengthened her enlargements and provided a good backdrop to future thoughts.
Thursday, February 4, 2016
Online survery/quiz 2/4/2016
http://www.gotoquiz.com/are_you_a_true_hockey_fan
After taking the survery, my results were
The hockey god has blessed you with 86%of hockey knowlege.
After taking the survery, my results were
The hockey god has blessed you with 86%of hockey knowlege.
86%
Wonderful! Great job! You're a true hockey fan. Are you from Russia or Canada? People from either of those countries would love you! Canada and Russia are the home of hockey...most of the people from those countries would know all you need to know to get the highest score on this test! I should know! =).
After taking this online hockey quiz, it turns out that I have above average hockey knowledge. I expected this to be the case since I am an avid hockey fan and viewer. I plan on attending a game tonight which will be the Boston Bruins versus the Buffalo Sabres. It will take place in Buffalo, New York at the First Niagara Center which is about two hours away from my place. By the results of the survey, it seems that the majority of respondents received a score of above 50% but below 100%. A perfect score is tough to achieve because some of these questions were meant to deceive. The questions also focused on very specific aspect of the games and as a result ended up being answers you just had to know. According to this site, the survey itself received a 7.4/10 which ranks among a mediocre survey.
http://www.gotoquiz.com/results/which_personality_do_you_have_1
Which personality do you have
Your Result: Clever Cookie
68%
You are smart. Maybe your on the mathletics team, love the library,or know and have made several websites.Possibly you were in the super-brainics clique and jocks never insulted. Remember to put those smarts to good use
I also took a second survey which was designed to help figure out what type of personality I have. This survey was garbage, especially considering how they were not even able to properly spell some words in my results. Comparing my results to others, I received the most frequently generated result. The second result, a sporty jock, covers about 48% of the generated responses.
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
1/26 What I..... and 250 word reflection on “selfies with a social conscience”
The exercise "selfies with a social conscience" was an interesting way to see how quickly opinions and ideas form when looking at a simple photo. When one thinks of a selfie they automatically go to the idea of Instagram and Snapchat. However, there is more to a selfie sometimes. One different idea of a selfie came about when viewing the Syracuse Football team's active roster. Although the roster featured a typical photo of the player, it also had more information about them. An example of this was how a draft prospect for the team had all his season's statistics and major plays he was involved in. Selfies allow for more than just a look at how a person is looking at the time. They have evolved and transformed in social media. Selfies are used now to mark a special event or place. When you take a selfie at a famous place and post it to Instagram, it is as if you are proving to your social media audience that you were there. In a way, it also allows you to share that moment with your audience to allow them to feel involved in your trip or event. Even though it may be small or insignificant, it allows people to connect on a digital level. However too many selfies or photos without any true social conscience behind them can be annoying or viewed as an attempt to get attention through media. This is seen increasingly in social media, as people will just post a selfie of themselves even though their is no deeper meaning or context behind the photo.  |
| Two cups of green tea post breakfast |
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| Dunkin Dark Roast with extra milk and caramel swirl |
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| A small bowl of pasta with meat sauce after workout for dinner |
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| A subway foot-long (not pictured) oven roasted chicken breast sandwich. (Deal of the month) |
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| A bowl of cereal for breakfast |
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