When I signed up for this class, I wasn’t exactly looking forward to it. I expected this literature class to be full of busy work, writing long papers, and reading boring books. Thankfully I was wrong and Dr. Mortimore made this class very enjoyable. This class was a lot different than a typical class of lecture and notes which made it fun. The themes and texts we discussed were very interesting and they drew many questions and discussion. I liked expressing my opinions and thoughts as well as listening to what other people had to say. I really enjoyed the books we read in this class as well. I’m not a fan of reading, but these books kept my attention. I never really thought about how the themes and topics discussed in this class closely relate to our world today. Many of the topics we talked about in class reflect reality.
In this class, I learned how the major topics we talked about such as consumerism, censorship, technology, etc. relate to our society. It’s crazy how attached we are to technology as well as the media. It was shocking to watch The Second Skin and see people sit at their computers and play games all day and all night. It’s also disturbing to realize how we have become so far from the “natural world”. Many of us couldn’t survive in a log cabin in the woods for even a day. It was interesting to talk about how we like watching certain shows and are entertained at the cost of others. I find that disturbing as well. It’s also true how we “ burn” books and rely more on Sparknotes and the internet. We are known as the “Dumbest Generation” because we have become so lazy. We know more about celebrities than we do history.
I found myself responding to literature throughout the entire semester. Each book contained big ideas that were either interesting, disturbing, shocking, surprising or alarming. I never really thought about these topics before this class. I felt like I always had a strong opinion on these subjects and it was neat to be able to talk about them with my small group and even in the large group. I think we need to look more at the important things in life rather than getting so involved in the media, technology, advertisement, or whatever else. We are always wanting more and even though we have enough, the idea of “plentitude” still plays out. We all have “feeds” in our own way. Corporations are beginning to “consume” us and that is horrible.
Overall, this class was very enjoyable. I’m glad I got to take this class and view literature in a different way. I never liked reading books, but I view them differently now than I have before. I’m sure I’ll find myself responding to readings more now. It’s much better to stop and think about what I’m reading instead of just trying to get it over with. This class taught me many things and it opened my eyes to reality.
There are an infinite amount of books all around the world. Without them, the world would be a lot different and as a whole we wouldn’t be where we are today if there were no more books. Like I’ve stated in other blogs, I am not much of a reader. I think of reading more of a chore than it is a leisure. I probably wouldn’t instantly start crying if someone told me all the books disappeared. But I do, however, know the importance of books and reading. I believe reading makes a person smarter. Without books, I wouldn’t have half of the knowledge I have today. Many people love to read and they rely on books for so many things. I was in a Barnes and Nobles the other day, and I didn’t realize how many books there was for pretty much anything you could imagine. There was of course, fiction and nonfiction, then there were cook books, books specifically on one country, books on how to lose weight, educational textbooks, books on firefighting, books on how to stitch, every language dictionaries, etc. There were so many! I wouldn’t be totally heartbroken if there were no more books, but let’s be honest, we need them!
During my education, I have relied heavily on books. As much as I don’t like to read, I actually read a great deal for school. Ever since first grade, I have read the textbook involved because it helps me understand the subject a whole lot better. A lot of the time the teachers will go right out of the textbook and it makes it easy for me to follow along. Now that I’m in college, I honestly don’t think I ever read so much in my life than I have in the past two years! The textbooks I have for every class are huge! Without them, I’d probably be failing every class because the professor only covers so much, but we are required to know it all so reading the chapters makes the exams go a whole lot smoother. Many of us learn from books and they are very important in our education. Without books, I would probably not know as much as I do now. Education needs the involvement of books.
If there were no more books, it would be pretty scary. How would people learn? What would people do as a past time if reading was it? What would hold history? Books are very important in our world and we would be lost without them. Slowly, our generation is “burning books”. We are becoming too lazy to pick up a book to educate ourselves, since we can just “Google it”. Books are becoming movies, which we would chose over rather than reading it. Many of us distance ourselves from books because we would rather be doing so many other things before it came down to reading. I don’t think many of us have patience for reading. Because it takes a lot longer to read than it is to watch a movie, many of us would choose the movie in a heartbeat. There are people who only read when they have to, or there are people who love to read and have read more books than I can count. Either way, it’d be horrible if we no longer had books. I like having the option of being able to read when I need to. I don’t know what I would do if I was told all the books are gone.
We “burn” books when we chose an alternative to finding the information. Because most of don’t have the patience or are too lazy, we chose not to read. But reading really is good for you! Reading is educational and it makes us more knowledgeable. Sometimes, when I have to read novels, I actually am surprised at how much I enjoy the book and end up reading the whole book in a short period of time. When someone tells me about a book that is super good, I’ll read it because I don’t want to miss out. My grandparents love to read to continue to educate themselves. When I’m older, I will probably look at reading as more of leisure then a chore just because it will be on my own time. Without books, this world would be a whole lot different. It would be a horrible thing, if there were no longer books. We will always need books. They are important in every person’s life, whether we chose to believe so or not.
Hunger Games was a book that kept me on the edge of my seat, and those are the types of books I enjoy reading and I’m not in any way much of a reader. At first, I dreaded having to read another book, but this book was by far one of the better books we have read so far in class. Every chapter left me hanging, which made it hard for me to put the book down because I was always left curious as to what was going to happen next. It surprisingly only took me two days to read which isn’t normal for me because I never get excited to pick up a book, sit there, and read it, but this book I did get anxious about it. I wasn’t expecting it to be so similar to the Lottery, where picking a person to die was totally normal in a society. Both of the readings were so shocking to me, Hunger games especially. Not only did one person die every year, but twenty-three. It’s horrible that an audience would enjoy watching the death of someone. This ties into why we get so excited about watching reality TV shows filled with drama. Why do we enjoy it? I can understand watching reality TV, but not the hunger games. It’s not nearly the same thing- watching someone die in real life. I don’t think that’s normal.
I was very nervous for the twenty-four that had gotten elected to enter the games. I couldn’t imagine how terrified it would be to go through with it. I had a lot of respect for Katniss when she volunteered herself and rather put her life at risk than her sister’s. She loved no one more than Prim, who obviously she would have done anything for- even dying. When she heard her sister’s name being called, she was terrified. She instantly volunteered herself without hesitating to be the girl tribute for their district rather than her twelve year old sister. I felt very highly of her for doing that. I think anyone would have risked their life for someone they loved. Katniss was a very responsible, caring, and tough person. Throughout the whole book, she kept her emotions together, not something most people would be able to do if they were in her situation. Katniss held a bundle of responsibility for her family. Every day, Katniss would find a way to scavenge for food to put on the table for her sister and mom and she would work very hard to make sure of it. It must not have been easy for her, but it was normal in her town to not have enough food. I felt sorry for them because it seemed like a daily goal to find food to keep them alive. It didn’t seem like an enjoyable life, but Katniss fortunately had Gale on her side. Katniss always relied on him and it seemed as though they had a very special connection. I was happy she had someone to relate too and be there for her.
As I was reading, I was surprised to notice how quickly all of the events took place. It’s like Katniss couldn’t even prepare herself for what would be the worst day of her life. The time it took from reaping day to the games was so fast. There were so many emotions going through her head, and I felt so bad for her. Katniss would get mad at multiple times during the pre-game process because of Maymitch constantly getting drunk, Effie always having a bad attitude, and Peeta kept pretending to be Katniss’ friend which made her very upset. Many times, Katniss would get discouraged and believe there was no way she could win the games. During training, the panel wasn’t even paying attention to her. I felt horrible that these people were taking her life so lightly. She ended up blowing them out of the water by aiming the arrow at them, shooting the apple in the pig’s mouth, and pinning it to the wall. I was happy to hear she received a high score, which would have hopefully made her chances higher for surviving. I thought the games were unpredictable, which made it interesting to read about. Peeta and Katniss’ relationship was hard to figure out. They’d sometimes get along, and at others absolutely despise each other. During training, interviews, and the actual games I was scared for Katniss. At any moment, she could have died. Lucky for her, she had Rue and Peeta to help her through the game. I was so happy for her and Peeta –when they announced that they could both win the games, being from the same district. They both had feelings for each other and it was very exciting, except Katniss was only acting. I was very disappointed when I read that, because I feel Katniss and Peeta were perfect for each other, especially since they almost experienced death together.
Something I was really amazed at was how the tributes that were in the arena wanted to put on a good show for the audience. Katniss and the others helped the gamemakers out by trying to put an act on. I was so surprised that they were even concerned about this with their lives at stake. It wouldn’t be something I would care about if I were in an arena of death. It was bad enough that the gamemakers were making it harder for them to survive in the arena by the smoke, bees, fireballs, etc. The gamemakers would have done anything to make sure their audience was entertained and to make sure they were enjoying every minute of it. I don’t think they were considering the tributes suffering through it. That made me very mad. I was constantly responding to the tributes, especially Katniss. The whole time, I was actually worried for her.
This book works in conversation with 1984. I think they both share in the common the idea of watching every minute of real life. They are different in a sense that, in 1984, Big Brother wasn’t broadcasting each person’s life to the world like they were in The Hunger Games. Big Brother, as well as the government, is a lot like the Capitol in this novel. They have very strict rules and they are very obnoxious rules at that. The thought police and the gamemakers controlled your every move. The characters in 1984 would be very careful about what they said or thought to prevent serving the consequences. The gamemakers would control the show and make the tributes time miserable as well. Overall, The Hunger Games was a very good book. I felt many emotions while reading it, but it only made me not want to put the book down.
I chose a clip from the movie “The Truman Show”. This movie is about a man who, from birth, had his life caught on video to display to the world as entertainment. He did not know this was going on until the very end. He is in his “own world” created by the director which acts as a stage just like the arena in The Hunger Games. Everyone in this created world of his are the actors and he is the main character. The director of the show makes it entertaining to watch because of the effects he adds just like the the gamemakers added to the games. People from all around the real world tune in to watch this show that is aired 24/7. This show goes as far as watching Truman sleep and catch on video his every move. There are hidden cameras everywhere. This movie goes along the lines of 1984 and The Hunger games. Take a look.
“If the basis of storytelling is the surprise of what's going to happen next, reality can be better than fiction because no one, not even the protagonists themselves, can predict the outcome” (Gabler).In our generation, reality TV is very popular. Most of the people I know have a particular reality TV show that they watch religiously. People will basically block out the world when their favorite reality TV show comes on. What makes reality TV shows entertaining? Everyone has their own drama going on in their lives; it makes it interesting to watch someone else’s. It’s entertaining to watch people who have worse drama, or maybe even better. Every week, when our show is on we tune in and get excited to see what is going to happen next because it’s always surprising. Most people love not knowing, others can’t wait to know the outcomes. Reality TV can be so entertaining because it’s a show that can reveal real life issues that we don’t have to go through. Reality can be very educational and we don’t even know it. For example: “The Biggest Loser” teaches us about obesity and healthy habits, “Teen Mom” teaches us the consequences of pregnancy at an early age, and “Survivor” teaches us about basic survivor skills in the wild. But do we watch this reality shows for educational purposes? Not really. Most of the time we watch reality TV as entertainment at the cost of others. As the fans and viewers of these shows, we promote the ratings which control the longevity of the show. We influence these “games” because we keep watching for our entertainment. We look forward to the “news” each show brings along with the drama that goes along with it.
I don’t watch reality TV shows often, but this past week, I watched Teem Mom 2. There are four girls who found themselves in trouble at an early age. They didn’t plan on getting pregnant and now they have to suffer the consequences. In this particular show, four “new” moms (Chelsea, Leah, Jenelle, and Kailyn) are dealing with several problems. Chelsea is dealing with the father of the baby who isn’t paying child support and who already has a new girlfriend. She also is struggling with school and obtaining her GED. She prevents the father from seeing their daughter because of his irresponsibility. Leah is strongly concerned with her one twin daughter who is going through tests to see what is wrong with her. She is also planning a wedding with the father at the same time and has concerns. Jenelle has issues with her mother who is taking care of her son. She also has financial issues and stole her mom’s credit cards and lost her job. Kailyn, is struggling to get her dental hygienist degree while taking care of her son. Her and the father don’t get along so well and would like joint custody over their son. The people in this show are very real. It’s entertaining because these girls have a lot going on and it’s interesting to see what’s happening in their lives. They each have a lot on their plate and it’s entertaining to watch them sort through it all. Most people that watch it might laugh at their situation, have sympathy for their situation, or are going through their situation and can relate. I couldn’t relate to any of their issues, but that is partially the reason of why it was so entertaining. Many people enjoy this show and that’s what keeps it going! There are many teen moms in the world and it is interesting to pick a few out and see what their lives are like, raising a baby before they are prepared to. It makes me feel thankful that I don’t have those issues, but feel bad for them.
Reality TV is something many people enjoy watching. The more people watch it, the more shows they are going to make. There are so many reality TV shows to watch, and people will always continue to watch them because they are entertaining and interesting to watch. Everyone can find some sort of enjoyment in other people’s drama. It’s unfortunate that these people have these kinds of issues, but they are broadcasting it to the world for us to watch and enjoy. It was their choice to go on the show and let everyone in on their personal lives, so they obviously don’t mind. We look forward to tuning in and seeing what’s new each week without having a clue of what’s going to happen each show.People love not knowing and the suspense draws them to the show each week. Reality TV is very common and it is so darn entertaining.
The idea of Big Brother is scary and the idea of “being watched” exists in our own lives today. People invade our privacy more than we think. We can be looked up or seen in a variety of different places. Luckily, it isn’t as bad as having a Big Brother to listen in on our thoughts and see every little thing we do. It is, however, disturbing to know that internet websites hold information about a person without them putting it there. I think taking a little bit of our privacy away is fine, because it’s intended to keep us safe. There are cameras in stores and on street corners as witnesses to what goes on. It doesn’t bother me to have those cameras because I have nothing to hide. Other people, however, do and that’s not okay so the cameras come into use. I’d rather have the invasion of my privacy than to be in danger. Personally, I think the cameras and videos that are in public places are important. People that aren’t doing what they’re suppose to can easily be seen and tracked down. It’d be better to feel safe than sorry. In the novel, 1984, Big Brother is excessive and unnecessary. I don’t think it would be ok to have our privacy taken completely. Winston and Julia couldn’t even go anywhere to be “alone” and away from the telescreen. I don’t agree with that. People should be able to feel free and have their right to privacy. I don’t feel like my freedom is taken away because there are security cameras. I feel safer.
A common place people think their privacy is invaded in on Facebook. People can look you up, but it’s the person’s choice to display their page. I don’t think this would count as an invasion of privacy. If people don’t want their page to be seen, they can prevent it. The thing is, people don’t make their pages private and they’ll blame people for “creeping” on their page. Businesses are also able to look at people’s Facebooks if they’re open to the public, but they can’t blame them for doing it because it’s the persons fault for not making it private. Also, in airports, our privacy may be considered invaded but it’s only for the protection of us. If our privacy wasn’t invaded, then people could carry things on the plane and endanger other passengers on board. I don’t see anything wrong with our privacy being invaded a little to protect us. I do believe our privacy still exists. We aren’t viewed on a telescreen 24/7. The cameras or videos are only up in most public places. Our homes are completely private. I think, without protection people would worry more and feel unsafe. The cameras are, in a way, assuring because if something were to happen such as a crime or a motor vehicle accident, it can be monitored and hopefully corrected. I think we need an even balance for having our privacy invaded for our safety and total privacy.
Subway would be a frequently played ad on my Feed because it’s my favorite fast food restaurant. I like eating healthy so Subway is the way to go. Me and my friends or my boyfriend will also go there when we can’t decide on anywhere else. Its food we all enjoy! It’s quick and so yummy! Not only is it healthy, but it’s cheap! I don’t really like greasy foods from McDonald’s or Burger King so I’ll usually get a sandwich from Subway. The sandwich is always so fresh and it’s even better toasted! Subway, in my opinion is so much better than Quiznos. I love being able to pick all the vegetables you want on your sandwich and they make it just the way you like it! It’s nice to have a Subway so close to campus and there is also one close to where I live back home. I think more Americans need to eat Subway instead of choosing the “unhealthy” fast food route. Subway is a healthy, delicious, fast food restaurant that I greatly enjoy!
Target is probably my favorite store. I could go shopping at Target any day. They have everything you could possible want for a good price! I can never go in that store and not buy anything. I’ll get anything from electronics to clothes to food at Target. Even if I didn’t have any money, id love going into the store to look at all the stuff I’d want to buy and then go back and get it when I had the money. Anyone could shop at Target. It’s for all ages and it pretty much has anything you need. My bed set, school supplies, bins, pretty much a majority of my things are from Target! My family and friends know how much I shop there so I will get gift cards to there often and they don’t last long!
American Eagle is where I get most of my clothes so this ad would show up very often on my feed. This is another one of my favorite stores. It could be a bit pricey, but I love all of their clothes so it’s hard not to buy anything. It’s sad to say, but sometimes I’ll spend my whole paycheck on a trip to American Eagle. Every season, I’ll look forward to their new line of clothes they put out. It’s always neat to see what the new styles are and what’s coming “back” in style or what’s going out. Many other people our age like to shop at American Eagle as well, and usually you see people that have the same shirt or pants as you. I’ll typically buy things from American Eagle and somehow make it my own style for that reason. Back home, there is an outdoor mall with an American Eagle that I frequently visit to check out the sales and the new stuff they put out. It’s an awesome store and it’s just my style.
iTunes is amazing! I don’t know what I’d do without it. Whether I’m doing work, getting ready, taking a shower, cleaning, driving, running, or pretty much anything, I am listening to music! I have a bunch of iTunes cards that don’t last long when I get them and I’ll download the newest and latest songs. I enjoy listening to a wide variety of music so my iTunes list is pretty long. I love to run outside with my iPod and iTunes allows you to make playlists which is also neat! I make several playlists for the “mood” I may be in. Since I like to stay active, music always pumps me up. In high school, id always listen to my iPod before a softball or field hockey game, and especially before a cross country meet. Music is awesome and it’s great to listen to!
Nike is one of my favorite brands! Like I said before, I like to stay active so ill get most of my active wear from Nike. They make the most comfortable sneakers and active shorts and shirts than any other corporation (in my opinion). Because I’m a runner, I have a sneaker fetish so I have multiple Nike sneakers as well as active wear. I like to dress comfortably most days so, I’ll throw on some Nike sweats, a Nike sweatshirt, and some Nike sneakers. I’m also a big Penn State fan, and most of their apparel is sponsored by Nike which is also neat. Nike is a great brand!
It feels so good to be finally done with this challenge! I can’t believe I made it a week without using technology. Thursday and Friday were rough, probably because it was the last two days of the challenge. I was pretty much going crazy without being able to check my Facebook or my cell phone. The silence in my room was starting to get to me and all I wanted to do was listen to my iTunes or turn on the TV. I have been sick all week so the temptation wasn’t too hard because I was bumming around getting lots of sleep, but it still would have been nice to listen to something! It also would have been nice to watch TV while I was lying in bed, but instead I caught up on some more reading. Fortunately, I was getting better toward the end of the week so me and my boyfriend ended up enjoying the weather and went outside to throw some football. Thank goodness for the beautiful days we had on Thursday and Friday because if I were stuck in my room again with nothing to do, I would of cried. My boyfriend and I also went for a walk to McDonald’s to get shamrock shakes! It was a lot of fun. It was nice to get out and actually do something! Towards the middle of the week I was so sick of board games, but since there was nothing else to do we got a hold of the game Life and played. This past week has been very interesting. I didn’t think I could come up with things to do without the use of technology, but I (surprisingly) did. I honestly don’t think I would have been able to do it, if my boyfriend wasn’t doing it with me. I probably would have quit a long time ago! Since he was in this challenge with me, it was a lot easier to find things to do together, rather than just trying to do things on my own.
On Saturday, I finally was able to get my cell phone out and turn it on! It took me about two hours to reply to all the messages I’ve had and reply to all the missed calls that were on my phone! It was so nice to talk to my family and friends from home to tell them about everything that’s been going on in the past week. I also turned on the TV and watched movies all day. Luckily ABC Family and TBS had movies on back to back. I was so happy to be able to do whatever I wanted again with technology. I went online and checked my Facebook and ended up doing multiple things at once on the computer. I was getting a technology overload all at once! It feels good to be “back”. I wouldn’t say I regret doing this challenge, but I don’t think I could easily do it again for a very long time! It has showed me that I do rely on technology more than I thought and it’s possible to live without it for a week, and probably even longer. I personally don’t think I could have gone any longer. Thankfully it’s over and it I can honestly say it was quite the experience!
Going a week without using technology is extremely difficult. By day 3 I already wanted to quit, but I knew quitting wasn’t what I had signed up for. As I mentioned before, two of my good friends came to Shippensburg to visit me for the weekend. Luckily, they kept my mind of technology and I managed just fine for those two days and then Monday came. It was so hard not to call home to talk to my family about my weekend and ask them about theirs, especially since we passed Valentine’s Day. I really miss talking to them! I can’t wait to finally be done with this challenge so I can catch up with everybody from back home. Not only do I miss using my cell phone, I miss watching TV and using the computer. Monday night was very difficult for me because the Bachelor, one of my favorite shows, was on and I missed out on watching it with my friends. Same happened with Glee on Tuesday night. I didn’t realize how hard it was going to be until I was actually living without it. Another thing that is different is all the silence. I feel like my room is so boring with it constantly being so quiet. It actually allowed for me to catch up on sleep.
As much as it hard to use my cell phone, the computer, etc. I am fortunately getting ahead in all of my classes. I ended up doing a lot of “catch up” reading that I had wanted to get done for upcoming exams. I didn’t realize how distracting technology could be when you use it. When I just sit down and do work without the TV on or music playing, I get a lot more done. As far as “down time”, I whipped out Monopoly and Backgammon and me and my boyfriend (who is also doing the challenge) played many games of it so far. It’s a shame; those are the only two games we have. Let’s just say, I won’t want to play board games in a long time. Being stuck in the room without being able to use technology is hard. Me and my boyfriend couldn’t take much more of it so we decided to go shopping. We ended getting goldfish which have been entertaining me the past couple of days. How sad is this? I am extremely bored without using technology! I can’t wait until its Friday and can get back to checking Facebook and getting a hold of everybody. I made it this far, I can’t quit now!
Today I started my “Thoreau Challenge” and it’s going well so far. I do admit, it is hard not to get on the Facebook page while I’m on the computer right now, but I won’t. I didn’t realize how much I used technology until today. I am usually constantly listening to music or watching TV, and without being about to do it is very difficult. I think this challenge will be good for me. It will help me understand that technology isn’t everything and I can surely live just fine without it. I wanted to start on a Friday so it makes it a little easier on me because on weekends I surprisingly use less technology than I do during the weekdays anyhow. It’s also going to help that a couple of my best friends are coming to Shippensburg this weekend so that’ll take my mind of the temptation of texting them or getting on the computer. So far what I’ve done all day is, get ready without listening to music which was very peaceful. Usually I can’t stand the silence and need the TV on or my iTunes playing, but it was nice to actually just get ready in silence. I had already called my family to inform that that they wouldn’t be hearing from me all week because of this assignment. I also told my other friends to try not to text me this week unless it was an emergency so I don’t feel the need to text back. And as for TV, I realized I will be missing some of my favorite shows this week which will be extremely difficult. Every week I get so excited to watch them and this week it will be sad to being playing a board game or something else instead of watching. I will get over it.
This challenge is very eye opening. It’s sad to realize how much technology affects my life. Maybe more people need to take this challenge so they realize the same. I don’t exactly know what I’m going to do with myself all week as far as technology goes, but sometimes it’s exciting trying to figure out how to entertain myself without it. I can definitely catch up on some reading for my classes and start studying for upcoming tests which will help me. This challenge will benefit me in a lot of ways. I can live “normally” without all of the noise that goes on in my life everyday typically. As long as I’m with my friends and visit my family, I’ll be fine. They’re what matters most anyway. It also helps that my boyfriend is on campus and is also doing this challenge. We will help each other and find other things to do that could be just as fun as using technology. This week will be rough, but I don’t have any doubts that I won’t be able to get through it. I think the hardest part will be the temptations of wanting to use electronics or technology or trying to find something other to do that could be fun. With my friends visiting this weekend, I know I will be occupied at least during that time. After the weekend, I don’t know what I’ll be doing. I guess I’ll let you know where I’m at!
“Why should we live with such hurry and waste of life? We are determined to be starved before we are hungry” (Thoreau).I strongly agree with this quote. I think Thoreau makes an excellent point. I think we become starving for many things such as technology, bad foods, and bad life styles. Americans become starved before they become hungry. We don’t just think we want something, but we think things like Facebook and cell phones are a necessity. We couldn’t live without it. We get to the point where if we haven’t checked our cell phones or the internet in twenty minutes, we go through withdrawal. It’s sad. I don’t believe technology is more important than my friends or family. I don’t think technology should be such a “craving” for people as much as it is. I think people should be more focused on the important things in life. I think people need to be isolated from what they think makes them “starving” such as the cell phones, TV, computer, etc. During this process I think people will begin to understand life in a different way. Being away from those types of things could allow a person to find who they really are and get connected to the important things in life rather than being connected so much with technology.
If I had to live in a cabin in the woods like Thoreau did, I think I would enjoy it. I think it would be fun to try and come up with ways to have a good time without music or other technology. I would have to admit, it would be difficult because I do have a habit of always texting somebody, listening to my iPod, or going online, but it would be different and exciting. For one year, I could get use to living “normally” and away from all the noise. I could really get to know who I am and figure out what I would do with myself if I really didn’t have the things I use such as electronics and other technologies. I would really enjoy it if I could be with my family and friends while I was in the cabin, because I can openly admit that I couldn’t live without them. The other things, I could give up in a heartbeat, but not the most important people in my life. With them, I think spending a year in a cabin would be easy. When I say easy, I mean that the “craving” for the things Americas think are important wouldn’t exist.
Americans have the wrong idea if they think getting wrapped up in video games, internet, and other things is the way of life. Sometimes we need to just step back and look at what we think are our most worldly possessions. Is it going to be the things that shouldn’t matter or the things that do? I think for a lot of people, reality would choose the things that shouldn’t matter and it’s wrong. Going hiking, playing board games, enjoying nature might sound boring, but if more people tried it maybe they’d like it. The thing is, I think people are so use to their electronics and other technologies, they don’t even know what other fun they could have. The family in the beginning of the Lasn text went on a camping trip and they all hated it. I don’t think they even gave it a shot. They just thought about the things they didn’t have with them or thought about doing the things they wanted to be doing such as talking on the phone or getting online. They had each other and I think that’s enough to have a good time. The characters in the Anderson text were so wrapped up in the feed that they didn’t know how to live without it. We depend so much on technology today. So much that we forget how to live without it. Sometimes we need to just give life without technology a try.
“Fair enough, but we suspect that if young people don’t know the Bill of Rights of the importance of old COLORED ENTRANCE signs—and they absolutely should—it reflects not stupidity, but a failure of the school system and of society (which is run by grown-ups) to require them to know it.” (Bauerlein) Our generation doesn’t know near as much as people in earlier generations do in particular subjects. Our generation doesn’t know all parts of history, but we can recall most of the pop culture that we see and hear about today. This isn’t shocking. I think most of the people in this generation will be taught something, memorize it, be tested on it, and forget it because it doesn’t pertain to us. The information that we learn only matters when it comes to test time when dealing with a particular subject. I’m not saying I agree with this, but that’s reality. This generation is more focused on different things such as going on the internet or watching TV. Earlier generations didn’t have these types of tools so they read more books for their studies or as a pastime. Because our generation has access to the internet and television, we become more interested in that because it’s faster than going to a library, looking for a book, and taking the time to read it for the information we need. Also, the internet and other sorts of technology could benefit us such as helping us find cures for cancer or other diseases that are so common in our world. Since we are so equipped in using technology more so than earlier generations, we can help people out. Technology is more of interest to us than history, so therefore we are going to know more about it. Because we like to use the internet to find fast facts or not having a particular interest in something doesn’t necessarily makes us “dumb”.
I think our generation is smarter in different ways than other generations. We are going to know more about electronics and technology more so than the earlier generations. We are creating and inventing things to make life “easier” in a sense. Even in schools, they will have the TV on before class to show recent updates or they will have the iPads for students to do their research on, instead of enforcing reading and going to the library. We are more equipped in finding out information on our own through the internet than having it tucked away in our brains. We will learn about something and forget it very easily because we are involved in so many other things that earlier generations didn’t have the option to. Teachers don’t reinforce facts so the students can retain it, but rather make sure their students know what they need to for a standardized test so it doesn’t look bad on them for not teaching it. We aren’t necessarily at fault here. And if people think that we are the dumbest generations, what are they going to say about generations to come?
Bauerlein states that anyone under thirty is the dumbest generation. I don’t think that’s fair in any sense. Comparing us to a beauty queen isn’t right. She probably cares more about her looks and her desires more than who fought in World War I. Not everyone in this generation is like that. I would give credit to many people in our generation for how intelligent they really are. Everyone has different interests, so that could mean they aren’t going to know everything about history, but they may know a lot about science. Usually if you’re interested in something you’re going to retain the information and you’re going to want to learn more about it. It’s sad that more people don’t know what happened in history, but that could mean they are more interested in other subjects. In high school, history was probably the most boring subject for everyone. Everyone dreaded the history classes. I was one of them. I’m not saying the class wasn’t important because it very much is, but other things interested me more. I have more the love for science, but I still care about what happened before my time. The past affects our future and it’s very important to know the facts of history. We are where we are now because of what happened in history. I agree and disagree with Bauerlein when he says that we are the dumbest generation because we don’t know everything there is to know about history, but we should know the major things. I do think there are many people in this generation that are very smart. I can admit that there are people that don’t even know facts that you commit to brain at an early age that everyone should know, but they might be smarter in a different interest and we shouldn’t make them feel “dumb” if they don’t’ know who the speaker of the house is. Everyone’s different. It’s not fair to generalize our whole generation as “dumb”.
“Our culture has evolved into a consumer culture and we from citizens to consumers.” (Lasn pg 63) American consumption is a major theme in both the reading and the clip. In the American culture, consumption is very common and we have all (unfortunately) turned into consumers. The facts and statistics are startling. Americans are so addicted to consumption because they are never really satisfied. Consuming can be very dangerous and can ruin a person’s life. In the clip, video games were expressed as a bad addiction. They are taking all of the life and energy out of many people. For some, it became so addicting that they would game instead of sleeping, eating, or exercising. We, the Americas are the consumers, but some things consume us. As stated in the reading, the internet, the television, and other dangerous possessions are slowly taking over our lives. Most of us don’t even know how bad it actually is for us.
It is hard to see a man go as far as doing anything he can to plug his computer in during an electric failure to game. It is also sad how people aren’t satisfied with how they look, but continue to pass the fruits and vegetable aisle and continue on to the unhealthy snacks. People are becoming so involved in unhealthy habits that they lose who they really are. The bad things are becoming more important than the good. People would rather game than spend time with their family or friends. People would choose McDonald’s instead of a salad. Corporations are the reason for that. “In the early history of America, the corporation played an important but subordinate role. The people—not the corporations—were in control.” (Lasn 67) With the countless repeated commercials, these corporations are influencing Americans to go to McDonald’s or to buy the latest video game. Little do these corporations know what it is doing to their consumers, us. Today, these corporations are in control more so than the people that started them. They are going to continue to strive to sell things that we are going to want, instead of need. Americans are going to continue to want the newest and better item. We, again, are going to be consumed to a certain extent.
Reality can be so frightening that Americans would want to escape. Video games, the internet, and the television could be a place to do so. I believe there are many benefits to those things, but to a certain extent.Certain addictions that Americans have can be taken too far. Gaming could cause a person to lose their job, it could trigger depression, and it could begin a very unsocial life in the real world. People will find relationships in their virtual world and be so disconnected from the real world. For some people, they think it’s beneficial. They will be in a different “zone”. It may be their way of escaping the real world. For that particular man showed in the clip, he was unable to walk or talk. The video game allowed him to do things he never could. It made him a happier person without the game ruling his life. I believe when people consume responsibly, it may be a beneficial thing. That is, when they aren’t obnoxious about it. I don’t think it’s necessary to game during all hours of the day and I don’t think it’s right to have more meals at McDonald’s during the week than eating healthy, but if America consumes responsibly, then it’s ok.
My name is Kayla Ruth and I am a 19 year old sophomore majoring in Biology here at Shippensburg University. After four years here, I hope to move on to my Master's degree in Nursing. My ultimate goal is to become a nurse practitioner in a doctor's office or hospital. I have my license as a CNA and I love helping and taking care of my patients. I am from Coopersburg, which is about 2 hours away from here and I graduated from Southern Lehigh High School. During those four years I participated in varsity softball, field hockey, and cross country. I still enjoy playing sports and going for long distance runs. I like stay active, going to the gym and staying fit. As well as participating in sports, I greatly enjoy supporting the Philadelphia Phillies, Eagles, and the Penn Sate Nittany Lions. I have been a fan of these teams every since I was a little girl and every season I look forward to attending some of the games. In my spare time, I love spending time with my wonderful family, friends, and boyfriend. They mean everything to me! I enjoy listening to a variety of music as well as watching movies that are comedies. I'm not much of a horror, thriller, or action fan. My favorite television show would have to be Friends and I also am interested in watching the Food Network because I enjoy cooking and baking.
I am taking Intro to Lit because it is required as a gen ed for my major. Reading isn't something I typically enjoy. To be honest, I don't even remember the last book I read. Reading usually bores me and I prefer doing something else. Although reading isn't my idea of fun, this class seems interesting. I am looking forward to discussing different ideas and concepts and hearing other people's opinions about them. I think this class will be exciting to come to because it's not a typical class of notes and lectures, but rather interacting and talking with our group members about the readings. I think this class will benefit me in many ways and am looking forward to it!
