I figured that since many of you expressed an interest in having bad times for your teenagers if you become parents someday that it would be beneficial for you to know what you're going up against. You'd be surprised at how little parents know or want to know about their teenagers' sleeping behaviors. 12% of the teenagers I surveyed had bed times while 62% of the parents I surveyed said they enforced bed times. Somewhere along the way 50% was lost. When I asked parents what time their teenagers went to bed not a single answer was after 11 pm, and yet 42% of the answers teenagers gave were over 11 pm. Once again nearly half of these teenagers are lost. The discrepancies show how difficult it is to actually enforce a bed time.
The studies I found showed that parental influence with bed times is positive in helping teenagers get more sleep and I came to the same conclusion with my own study, but it's difficult. In my study, teenagers with bed times had more difficult times falling asleep and waking, and they fell asleep on average an hour after their bed time.
My research certainly isn't the end all to sleep research, but I do believe that there is a general discrepancy between how much sleep teenagers get versus how much parents think they get which accounts for a general lack of parental influence on sleep.
By my percentages, there's a 50/50 chance your kids will not be on the same page as you with their sleeping habits. It seems to me, that being aware of how much sleep your teenagers are getting is most important in deciding whether they need a bed time or not.
I know my mom and sister both filled out the survey, and their numbers were certainly off, and I know they're even more off with my youngest sister. It might be easy to say you'll have bed times for you kids, but it won't be easy to enforce it.
Have a very nice summer everyone!
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
The Effect of Advertising on Pre-teens
For the preliminary research of my final paper, I looked into the effect of advertising on pre-teens in order to provide a basis for my study. I found that it is proven fact that younger children and teens are greatly affected my advertising, not only because of their quest for identity and the struggle to fit in, but their impulsivity and desire to buy things that are "cool". I found this video which illustrates this well and also embodies some of the final conclusions of age-related advertising influence that I was able to draw from my final study.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1KWofXSt6c
Have a great summer everyone! :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1KWofXSt6c
Have a great summer everyone! :)
Adolescence as a Social Construction
Hey guys,
After our last class I started thinking about the idea of adolescence being a social construct. I thought that idea was really interesting because I can see how it may be a social construct but there's also no denying the biological changes that define this life stage. So I got on the internet and started reading more about this debate and I came across this article that Professor Kenneth J. Saltman wrote that basically identifies adolescence as a socially constructed stage because it varies from culture to culture but also has a biological standpoint that has to be taken into account. It's a short article, only about six pages so you guys should definitely check it out. It's been a great semester! Have a great summer guys!
https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/cmayo/www/EPS%20427/Saltman.pdf
Nushi Baksh
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Teens and Cosmetics
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/29/fashion/29tween.html?_r=1
This article discusses several things we've mentioned periodically throughout our course. The first being how tweens and teens are affected by marketing, especially that of cosmetics. The girl mentioned in this article is age 11 and has started wearing more "sophisticated" makeup, to which her mother has reacted by buying her makeup and taking her to get a makeover. The question asked by the author is about the parent's action; is it poor adult judgment or progressive parenting? There's also the idea of whether makeup sexualizes young girls by making them look more like adults. Given our discussions about how younger girls nowadays are already somewhat more mature when it comes to appearance and interests, how can we view their move towards more sophisticated makeup and the role of parents in this stage? Moreover, what do we make of shows such as "Toddlers and Tiaras" in which parents very actively encourage physical makeovers of their toddlers?
This article discusses several things we've mentioned periodically throughout our course. The first being how tweens and teens are affected by marketing, especially that of cosmetics. The girl mentioned in this article is age 11 and has started wearing more "sophisticated" makeup, to which her mother has reacted by buying her makeup and taking her to get a makeover. The question asked by the author is about the parent's action; is it poor adult judgment or progressive parenting? There's also the idea of whether makeup sexualizes young girls by making them look more like adults. Given our discussions about how younger girls nowadays are already somewhat more mature when it comes to appearance and interests, how can we view their move towards more sophisticated makeup and the role of parents in this stage? Moreover, what do we make of shows such as "Toddlers and Tiaras" in which parents very actively encourage physical makeovers of their toddlers?
Monday, April 30, 2012
Differences in how Males and Females Process Television Advertisements
Throughout the semester we have discussed the differences between males and females across a variety of topics. One of the many topics this idea has applied to is the topic of the media. We have discussed how the media influences adolescence, and how this differs among gender. A study done for the Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media titled, "Adolescent Evaluation of Gender Role and Sexual Imagery in Television Advertisements" yields some interesting finds.
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1207/s15506878jobem4703_7
This study's participants were 227 males and 158 males aged 13-16 from selected public schools. Students were offered anything from 6$-10$ to participate. The most interesting idea that I gained from the study was the result analyzing the fifth hypothesis of the experiment: The more traditional gendered and sexist beer ads, with and without sports content in them, will elicit more counterarguments compared to other ads, from females than males. The results stated that, in response to hypothesis five, "more overall counterarguments resulted if the ads presented traditional gender roles, higher sexist or sexual imagery, and were targeted to males, compared to ads with less traditional gender roles, and low sexism or sexual content." This result may seem expected and appropriate, however, what can we make of this in terms of how the media influences gender roles? Does this mean that the media influences females more than males in regards to gender roles, or vice versa? I am interested to see what you think.
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1207/s15506878jobem4703_7
This study's participants were 227 males and 158 males aged 13-16 from selected public schools. Students were offered anything from 6$-10$ to participate. The most interesting idea that I gained from the study was the result analyzing the fifth hypothesis of the experiment: The more traditional gendered and sexist beer ads, with and without sports content in them, will elicit more counterarguments compared to other ads, from females than males. The results stated that, in response to hypothesis five, "more overall counterarguments resulted if the ads presented traditional gender roles, higher sexist or sexual imagery, and were targeted to males, compared to ads with less traditional gender roles, and low sexism or sexual content." This result may seem expected and appropriate, however, what can we make of this in terms of how the media influences gender roles? Does this mean that the media influences females more than males in regards to gender roles, or vice versa? I am interested to see what you think.
Napping
Since my presentation I’ve
been looking into adolescents and napping, and I’ve found that there are a very
limited number of studies on the effects of napping and adolescents other than
it being just thrown in with the sleep they get at night. I did find one study with 231 adolescent
participants that was done to test a correlation between napping and
dysfunctional cognitions and negative effects. I was most interested in the
number of nappers verse non-nappers in their sample. 65, or 32%, were nappers,
which they defined as adolescents that habitually napped at least twice a week
compared to 140, or 68%, who were non-nappers. So the nappers were still a
significant third of the group compared to my number of kids that have bed
times. Napping could be an alternative to going to bed earlier because teenagers seem to have an easier time
self-regulating naps, no one tells them to take them, they just listen to their
bodies and sleep. Interestingly enough the study seemed to conclude that
napping was not wholly positive.
“…nappers demonstrated significantly more
dysfunctional cognitions, anxiety, and stress symptoms, when compared to
non-nappers. In contrast, no significant difference was
found for depression.”
It doesn't seem to be an extensively researched and discussed topic which I find surprising considering how many teenagers do take naps.
I found the study on EBSCO so you'll probably have to log in if you'd like to read it, but here's the link.
EBSCOhost Link
Its title is "Adolescent napping behavior: Dysfunctional cognitions and negative affect." if the link doesn't work.
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Drinking Laws
Hey Everyone,
I have been doing a little reading in between frantic writing for all my finals, and I came across a quote I liked from an addiction expert by the name of Stanton Peele LINK. He said, “Making hard-and-fast rules creates the sense that alcohol is some magical potion.” So in combination with the discussion we had in class about teen partying and laws related to teens' age restrictions, should we lower age restrictions, especially for drinking? European countries, that have little to no stigma about drinking and have for a long time. Their laws show this, as well as the statistics of drink and drive accidents.
What do you think?
Saturday, April 28, 2012
How I Met Your Mother
Something I’ve been thinking about ever since our class
discussion on the hook-up culture prevalent in our age group is the premise of
the sitcom “How I Met your Mother” which my younger sister got me into. The title through me off at first, it seemed like it'd be met with an older audience. The
show’s demographic is primarily 18-49 year adults, but I know my younger sister
and her friends who are 16/17 are also dedicated viewers and they aren't the only ones in that age group. The show’s protagonist, Ted, is a single male
who wants nothing more to fall in love, get married, and have kids. The entire
show is being told in a series of flashbacks to his two kids as a form of
punishment from the moment he started searching for their mom. His two best
friends are a couple, Lily and Marshall, with the perfect relationship who get
married during the series and have only ever been with each other. He’s also
friends with a womanizing single male, Barney, who’s the champion of the
hook-up culture who has keep a list of the 200+ women he’s slept with.
As I’ve progressed along in the series I can’t help but
think of it as a very strong reaction to the hook-up culture. From the marriage
of Marshall and Lily who meet in college and have been together ever since, and
the two characters who seem most opposed to having kids and settling down, Robin
and Barney, changing as the series progresses. Where I am at currently, Barney
wants to be back in the first serious relationship he’s ever had and Robin is
in one where it’s serious enough that she moved in with the guy.
My sister’s favorite characters interestingly enough are both
Barney and Ted, who represent the opposing sides of hook-up verse marriage. I’d
be interested in knowing what kind of effect it has on teenagers and the twenty
somethings, because it has certainly caught the audience’s attention, but my
sister want talk about it aside from “it’s perfect” and it’s relatively new so
I haven’t found anything written on it.
Friday, April 27, 2012
HBCU Overview
The clip below provides an overview of the significance of HBCUs in America. Considering that many of your enjoyed my presentation, I figured that you would appreciate an explanation from an expert and historian within the field. Hope you enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzwi95N7arw
The Crazy 20-Somethings
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2012/04/24/why-we-need-to-take-20-somethings-seriously/2/
I questioned the connections between the quarter-life crisis and our economy in class yesterday, trying to bridge why it is that our generation seems to be going through this phenomenon. We concluded something along the lines that consumerism and socio-cultural attitudes about gender and education have all placed extra pressures and expectations on us... This article discusses why we need to take the 20-somethings seriously; the author gives biological reasons, citing that our brains are not fully developed--this is an argument we've all discussed in class but have overrided with arguments more for nurture, rather than nature. The author also explains the how relationships have changed and even how the economy factors in to this... So, going back to the question posed yesterday, should we officially recognize the 20-somethings as a developmental stage? It is obviously a very different stage for people and a lot the issues faced by this age group are specific to our culture now, so should we adapt to this or not?
I questioned the connections between the quarter-life crisis and our economy in class yesterday, trying to bridge why it is that our generation seems to be going through this phenomenon. We concluded something along the lines that consumerism and socio-cultural attitudes about gender and education have all placed extra pressures and expectations on us... This article discusses why we need to take the 20-somethings seriously; the author gives biological reasons, citing that our brains are not fully developed--this is an argument we've all discussed in class but have overrided with arguments more for nurture, rather than nature. The author also explains the how relationships have changed and even how the economy factors in to this... So, going back to the question posed yesterday, should we officially recognize the 20-somethings as a developmental stage? It is obviously a very different stage for people and a lot the issues faced by this age group are specific to our culture now, so should we adapt to this or not?
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Financial Strain and Perception of 20 year-old's
http://www.circleofmoms.com/moms-of-teenagers/how-do-i-get-a-20-year-old-to-stop-texting-all-day-get-off-her-butt-and-do-something-487341
Guys, the above link is to a blog I found while doing some searching for info on 20 year-old's. Most of the blog is not scholarly, but I thought it raises an interesting point. The topic is about a mother's struggle with her daughter, who seems to be obsessed with texting and not motivated to go school. In the article we read for class, Epstein mentions the idea that there appears to be a strong connection between parents and their children, and that neither the parent, nor the child wants to let go of this connection. However, I feel that Epstein neglects to realize the importance that the economy has on this connection. Epstein hints at the fact that more schooling is required and much fiercer competition exists today for even the most basic of jobs. If a teenager is unable to find a job, how are they able to support themselves in a society that places so much emphasis on financial prosperity. Without a job, a teenager does not have the wealth necessary to survive. Statements on this blog such as " She's 20 cutr the cord. Who's paying her bill?" and "Where does she get the money for the phone? In my mind, the mother and the people responding to the blog post seemed to be overly concerned with the financial strain of having a daughter obsessed with texting. Moreover, those responding to this question seemed to support the idea that texting obsessively is acceptable if the person doing so pays the texting bill. I ultimately believe that society's main concern with 20 year-old's is financial. Modern society enforces the idea that a person at the age of 20 cannot depend on a parent for money. I simply ask "why is this a problem."
Guys, the above link is to a blog I found while doing some searching for info on 20 year-old's. Most of the blog is not scholarly, but I thought it raises an interesting point. The topic is about a mother's struggle with her daughter, who seems to be obsessed with texting and not motivated to go school. In the article we read for class, Epstein mentions the idea that there appears to be a strong connection between parents and their children, and that neither the parent, nor the child wants to let go of this connection. However, I feel that Epstein neglects to realize the importance that the economy has on this connection. Epstein hints at the fact that more schooling is required and much fiercer competition exists today for even the most basic of jobs. If a teenager is unable to find a job, how are they able to support themselves in a society that places so much emphasis on financial prosperity. Without a job, a teenager does not have the wealth necessary to survive. Statements on this blog such as " She's 20 cutr the cord. Who's paying her bill?" and "Where does she get the money for the phone? In my mind, the mother and the people responding to the blog post seemed to be overly concerned with the financial strain of having a daughter obsessed with texting. Moreover, those responding to this question seemed to support the idea that texting obsessively is acceptable if the person doing so pays the texting bill. I ultimately believe that society's main concern with 20 year-old's is financial. Modern society enforces the idea that a person at the age of 20 cannot depend on a parent for money. I simply ask "why is this a problem."
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Body Image and Increased Exposure to the Media
I stumbled into a video tonight on youtube, and ended up watching the entire documentary. It is produced by Cutting Edge, a documentary series from the UK that was founded in 1990. The documentary focuses on Dana, an 8 year-old girl from the UK who developed anorexia. She is sent to an eating disorder clinic for teenagers for a 12-week program, the entirety of which is seen in the video. The producers also interview the staff members and other patients of the clinic, as they discuss how eating disorders are affecting younger and younger people today. They believe that a lot of this is due to the increased media attention that dieting and beauty have had in recent years, and that children are more and more susceptible to these influences. The documentary is posted in 5 parts (totaling about 50 minutes), and if you have time to watch it, I highly recommend it. It is very interesting and makes me wonder what the future of eating disorders will be like. Dana is only eight and is already wearing make-up on a daily basis and concerned with her body image enough to completely starve herself. What will happen to children, say a 6 year-old, in another ten years or so, when the media is probably even more influential and prominent?
this is part 1 of the documentary: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zz0NkVtSdkQ
this is part 1 of the documentary: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zz0NkVtSdkQ
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Interesting Study on Body Image
After observing Joe's presentation today, I was inspired to research a study that discussed issues with body image satisfaction and influences on this satisfaction. What I found was a study that matched perfectly with what I was looking for.
http://dro.deakin.edu.au/eserv/DU:30001199/mccabe-parentpeer-2001.pdf
This study was conducted among 1,266 students (622 males, 644 females). The students ranged from grades 7-10 and were from Melbourne, Australia. The results confirm almost everything Joe discussed and hypothesized, so I thought now would be a good time to post this. The results address the overall satisfaction of body image between males and females, and they also address the influences of parents, media, etc. One thing that Sonam suggested in class today was that the media has more of an influence on females than males regarding body image. The results confirm that this is also true. To see more interesting finds on this topic, check out pages 235-238 under the discussion section. This study is pretty awesome it definitely deserves a couple looks.
http://dro.deakin.edu.au/eserv/DU:30001199/mccabe-parentpeer-2001.pdf
This study was conducted among 1,266 students (622 males, 644 females). The students ranged from grades 7-10 and were from Melbourne, Australia. The results confirm almost everything Joe discussed and hypothesized, so I thought now would be a good time to post this. The results address the overall satisfaction of body image between males and females, and they also address the influences of parents, media, etc. One thing that Sonam suggested in class today was that the media has more of an influence on females than males regarding body image. The results confirm that this is also true. To see more interesting finds on this topic, check out pages 235-238 under the discussion section. This study is pretty awesome it definitely deserves a couple looks.
Teen Proactiv Commercial
Also, this is the second advertisement I had people watch for my survey (for some reason, it wasn't working in class).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyET522rKMA
I followed it up by asking whether or not it was a convincing advertisement. Why or why not? The majority said no, it wasn't as convincing as the first one I showed (which was just a generic Proactiv commercial with no celebrity endorsement). They argued that it was less relatable and that celebrities don't always tell the truth. They're just endorsing it for money so it's hard to believe everything they say. However, those who said yes argued quite the opposite. They said it was relatable and that being a fan of the celebrity, having that celebrity give their stamp of approval would cause them to want to buy the product even more so they can be "just like them". Only a small number thought it was convincing though, and curiously enough, they were all girls. I wasn't sure if that was just because I used Justin Bieber as a celebrity example since people tend to have strong opinions of him one way or the other, but it was curious nonetheless.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyET522rKMA
I followed it up by asking whether or not it was a convincing advertisement. Why or why not? The majority said no, it wasn't as convincing as the first one I showed (which was just a generic Proactiv commercial with no celebrity endorsement). They argued that it was less relatable and that celebrities don't always tell the truth. They're just endorsing it for money so it's hard to believe everything they say. However, those who said yes argued quite the opposite. They said it was relatable and that being a fan of the celebrity, having that celebrity give their stamp of approval would cause them to want to buy the product even more so they can be "just like them". Only a small number thought it was convincing though, and curiously enough, they were all girls. I wasn't sure if that was just because I used Justin Bieber as a celebrity example since people tend to have strong opinions of him one way or the other, but it was curious nonetheless.
Video Games and Teen Depression
I came across this article today that was somewhat related to Jack's research topic (in the video game aspect).
We got to talking about how violent video games affect teen behavior outside of the video game environment, and I found it kind of ironic that there are actually video games being made to combat teen depression. The video games are violence-centered, allowing teens to literally shoot down GNATS (Gloomy Negative Automatic Thoughts) which eventually become SPARX (Smart, Positive, Active, Realistic, X-factor thoughts). I for one think it sounds a bit silly, but apparently studies have shown that this game is actually pretty effective in reducing depression levels versus traditional therapy. Any thoughts?
Monday, April 23, 2012
Teenage Brain Video!
Hey guys,
So in my neuroscience class, we're reviewing for the final and we watched this really cool video in class that definitely relates to our discussion of the teenage brain and its development. It relates the biological aspects of the adolescent brain to behavior and discusses how the brain actually grows and develops. I really enjoyed the video, its only about seven or eight minutes long, so you guys should check it out!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPMP68QP698
So in my neuroscience class, we're reviewing for the final and we watched this really cool video in class that definitely relates to our discussion of the teenage brain and its development. It relates the biological aspects of the adolescent brain to behavior and discusses how the brain actually grows and develops. I really enjoyed the video, its only about seven or eight minutes long, so you guys should check it out!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPMP68QP698
Research Help Please!
Hey guys!
So I believe I already did this after my presentation about crisis but I wanted to double check that I got the numbers right, as a part of my research for the final paper. I defined crisis as an unstable or significant time in which decisive change may occur. According to Erikson, in adolescence a crisis is considered to be a result of "pressures placed on the adolescent as they attempt to construct and identity that will gain the support of their friends, family, and society at large." Based on this description do you believe that you have experienced a "crisis" during your adolescent years? If you don't feel comfortable discussing the particular event, I totally understand. I was just hoping to see how many identified with this concept. Thanks for your time!
So I believe I already did this after my presentation about crisis but I wanted to double check that I got the numbers right, as a part of my research for the final paper. I defined crisis as an unstable or significant time in which decisive change may occur. According to Erikson, in adolescence a crisis is considered to be a result of "pressures placed on the adolescent as they attempt to construct and identity that will gain the support of their friends, family, and society at large." Based on this description do you believe that you have experienced a "crisis" during your adolescent years? If you don't feel comfortable discussing the particular event, I totally understand. I was just hoping to see how many identified with this concept. Thanks for your time!
Teens and the News
Hello everyone. I created a news survey today on my topic for my final research paper that is more geared toward teenagers and their news media intake. I will certainly utilized my original survey as well but feel like this new one will provide more tailored answers for my research. I figured that I would post it to the class blog for people to view and perhaps take if they can spare a few minutes. I understand that we are all extremely busy this time of year so any responses would be much appreciated.
Here is the link to my survey: http://www.eSurveysPro.com/Survey.aspx?id=c5d25c43-d18f-43a4-9586-56d0c712e2aa
Here is the link to my survey: http://www.eSurveysPro.com/Survey.aspx?id=c5d25c43-d18f-43a4-9586-56d0c712e2aa
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Blue Light
Article Talking About the Study: http://www.lrc.rpi.edu/resources/newsroom/pr_story.asp?id=182
Study's Abstract: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20150866?itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum&ordinalpos=1
When I gave my presentation last Tuesday I brought up the topic of blue light in relation to how much sleep teenagers are getting based on a study I had found while researching melatonin. The study was testing the importance of blue light by having 11 eight grade students wear specialized glasses that stopped blue light from reaching their eyes. They did the study for five days and by the end of the study there was a 30-minute delay in sleep onset. So by delaying blue light onset, it delayed sleep onset by 6 minutes each day they were restricted from it, which over time can significantly add up.
The implication of the study was that a lack of morning light could be a strong factor in later bed times for teenagers. Especially since there are periods of time where it is especially dark in the morning when teenagers are heading to school, sometimes the sun doesn't rise before they enter their school building. The positives are that school schedules would not necessarily have to be moved forward if school room designs allowed more sunlight inside their rooms or other adequate light sources.
From the research I've been making on the biology of sleep, light seems to be a really important factor in how much sleep teenagers are getting, and I wanted to share this particularly interesting study.
Study's Abstract: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20150866?itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum&ordinalpos=1
When I gave my presentation last Tuesday I brought up the topic of blue light in relation to how much sleep teenagers are getting based on a study I had found while researching melatonin. The study was testing the importance of blue light by having 11 eight grade students wear specialized glasses that stopped blue light from reaching their eyes. They did the study for five days and by the end of the study there was a 30-minute delay in sleep onset. So by delaying blue light onset, it delayed sleep onset by 6 minutes each day they were restricted from it, which over time can significantly add up.
The implication of the study was that a lack of morning light could be a strong factor in later bed times for teenagers. Especially since there are periods of time where it is especially dark in the morning when teenagers are heading to school, sometimes the sun doesn't rise before they enter their school building. The positives are that school schedules would not necessarily have to be moved forward if school room designs allowed more sunlight inside their rooms or other adequate light sources.
From the research I've been making on the biology of sleep, light seems to be a really important factor in how much sleep teenagers are getting, and I wanted to share this particularly interesting study.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Beauty Industry
In class we talked a lot about media influence as well as the idea of an "ideal" woman or man. I just saw this commercial from Dove, which I thought was quite interesting and related directly to what we talked about about. In the video it shows little girls and then a bombardment of different media all talking about what woman should look like. At the end it says "talk to your daughter before the beauty industry does." What do you all think of this campaign? I find it fascinating and I'm curious to see what else they do with it.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Teen Mom!
Also, here are the videos I planned on showing the class about the TV show I researched: Teen Mom (1 and 2).
Teen Mom Season 3 Trailer: http://www.mtv.com/videos/misc/661378/teen-mom-season-3-trailer.jhtml#series=2214&seriesId=29240&channelId=1&id=1665305
Teen Mom 2 Season 2 Trailer: http://www.mtv.com/videos/misc/711497/teen-mom-2-season-2-trailer.jhtml#series=2214&seriesId=34714&channelId=1&id=1674362
The show is clearly targeted towards a teenage girl audience, focusing largely on the teenage mothers (hence the name of the show), and their relationships with their parents and significant others, but not actually focusing on the parents' or males' individual lives. The show features a variety of situations that young mothers may face, and while some of the drama on the show seems almost scripted to me, I believe that many teenage mothers can relate to the scenarios seen in the show. I think this show has definitely influenced some teenagers to not have sex (or to at least be a lot safer about it) and it has helped other teenagers cope with becoming young mothers.
Teen Mom Season 3 Trailer: http://www.mtv.com/videos/misc/661378/teen-mom-season-3-trailer.jhtml#series=2214&seriesId=29240&channelId=1&id=1665305
Teen Mom 2 Season 2 Trailer: http://www.mtv.com/videos/misc/711497/teen-mom-2-season-2-trailer.jhtml#series=2214&seriesId=34714&channelId=1&id=1674362
The show is clearly targeted towards a teenage girl audience, focusing largely on the teenage mothers (hence the name of the show), and their relationships with their parents and significant others, but not actually focusing on the parents' or males' individual lives. The show features a variety of situations that young mothers may face, and while some of the drama on the show seems almost scripted to me, I believe that many teenage mothers can relate to the scenarios seen in the show. I think this show has definitely influenced some teenagers to not have sex (or to at least be a lot safer about it) and it has helped other teenagers cope with becoming young mothers.
Teens and Sleep as Portrayed in the Media
This article relates to both Cori and Ray's research topics. The article discusses the negative side effects of teenagers not getting enough sleep; however, it doesn't mention that nearly all of these side effects also happen to adults who don't get enough sleep each night. It also serves as a simple example of how teenagers are negatively portrayed by adults in the media.
http://health.msn.com/health-topics/addiction/sleepy-teens-prone-to-bad-behaviors-study-finds
http://health.msn.com/health-topics/addiction/sleepy-teens-prone-to-bad-behaviors-study-finds
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
The Go-Nowhere Generation
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/11/opinion/sunday/the-go-nowhere-generation.html?_r=1&src=me&ref=general
This NY Times article mentions an issue that we touched upon during our discussion about the Internet and teens. We all seemed to agree that teens do spend a lot of time on the Internet, but they don't consider their lives online to be reality. Though this article is largely concerned about how immobile our generation is and how these less risk-averse behavioral changes will affect our economy, there is also mention of how teens who are opting to spend more time on the Internet are not opting to do more functional things like get a driver's license. Of course this is very small point to make given the larger argument in this article, but I think there is reason to believe that the way teens now percieve risk has also changed because of the Internet. Why go out in to the real world and take real risks where real consequences can occur when one has the option to play on the Internet and construct multiple identities and realities without tangible consequences?
This NY Times article mentions an issue that we touched upon during our discussion about the Internet and teens. We all seemed to agree that teens do spend a lot of time on the Internet, but they don't consider their lives online to be reality. Though this article is largely concerned about how immobile our generation is and how these less risk-averse behavioral changes will affect our economy, there is also mention of how teens who are opting to spend more time on the Internet are not opting to do more functional things like get a driver's license. Of course this is very small point to make given the larger argument in this article, but I think there is reason to believe that the way teens now percieve risk has also changed because of the Internet. Why go out in to the real world and take real risks where real consequences can occur when one has the option to play on the Internet and construct multiple identities and realities without tangible consequences?
Sunday, April 15, 2012
One Tree Hill
As I mentioned in class last week, I studied One Tree Hill for the teenage TV discussion. Unfortunately, because of time constraints, not everybody was able to show video clips from their respective shows. At Dr. K's suggestion, I decided to post the videos I wanted to show on the blog.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adq5PLAqRbs
This video is from the second season of the show. During this season, the cast is followed during their junior year of high school. This particular video portrays a slumber party scene that appeared in the show. I thought this video was a very effective example of the idea of the "girl code" that we discussed in class. As you can hear in the video, very typical name-calling is used with terms such as "slut" or "whore." Moreover, I believe that this scene encourages young girls to act in this same manner. They observe the attractive popular acting this way, and see many benefits from doing so. Ultimately, watching this show provides teenage girls with the ability to escape the consequences of acting poorly - an idea which Clark mentioned in class. When watching this show, girls quench their desire for drama, but are relieved of any of the consequences of involving themselves in it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wR3ta-woRpk&feature=related
This video is from the fourth season of the show. During this season, the actions of the characters are chronicled throughout their senior year until high school graduation. This particular episode addresses the "jock" and "cheerleader" ideas that we brought up in class. This particular episode definitely sensationalizes the teenage years; the basketball team wins the state championship, the star athlete wins the beautiful cheerleader. The ideas posed in this episode definitely exemplify the ideal teenage experience, an experience not every teenager is able to have. Viewing this show allows teenagers to develop an understanding of what having this experience entails, as well as emotionally experience it. This idea reinforces the concept that watching teenage TV shows allows teenagers to relate to a character and find a new identity in the show.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adq5PLAqRbs
This video is from the second season of the show. During this season, the cast is followed during their junior year of high school. This particular video portrays a slumber party scene that appeared in the show. I thought this video was a very effective example of the idea of the "girl code" that we discussed in class. As you can hear in the video, very typical name-calling is used with terms such as "slut" or "whore." Moreover, I believe that this scene encourages young girls to act in this same manner. They observe the attractive popular acting this way, and see many benefits from doing so. Ultimately, watching this show provides teenage girls with the ability to escape the consequences of acting poorly - an idea which Clark mentioned in class. When watching this show, girls quench their desire for drama, but are relieved of any of the consequences of involving themselves in it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wR3ta-woRpk&feature=related
This video is from the fourth season of the show. During this season, the actions of the characters are chronicled throughout their senior year until high school graduation. This particular episode addresses the "jock" and "cheerleader" ideas that we brought up in class. This particular episode definitely sensationalizes the teenage years; the basketball team wins the state championship, the star athlete wins the beautiful cheerleader. The ideas posed in this episode definitely exemplify the ideal teenage experience, an experience not every teenager is able to have. Viewing this show allows teenagers to develop an understanding of what having this experience entails, as well as emotionally experience it. This idea reinforces the concept that watching teenage TV shows allows teenagers to relate to a character and find a new identity in the show.
Friday, April 13, 2012
Teenage Portrayal in the Media
Hello everyone,
Yesterday I presented my status for my research project on teenagers and the effect that the news media has on them. I attempted to show two videos in class that I thought illustrated some of my points however the computer chose not to cooperate with me. Anyway, the two videos serve as examples of news media portrayals of teenagers. One delves into teenage violence as attempts to solve the issues behind what can drive teenagers specifically to the brink of murder. The other talks about the teenage obsession with texting.
I was eager to share them with the class and wanted to perhaps get some of your opinions. Since I was unable to do so, I figured I'd post the links here on the blog to see if anyone had any opinions on them.
Here are the links:
Violence ttp://cnn.com/
Texting http://cnn.com/video/
Yesterday I presented my status for my research project on teenagers and the effect that the news media has on them. I attempted to show two videos in class that I thought illustrated some of my points however the computer chose not to cooperate with me. Anyway, the two videos serve as examples of news media portrayals of teenagers. One delves into teenage violence as attempts to solve the issues behind what can drive teenagers specifically to the brink of murder. The other talks about the teenage obsession with texting.
I was eager to share them with the class and wanted to perhaps get some of your opinions. Since I was unable to do so, I figured I'd post the links here on the blog to see if anyone had any opinions on them.
Here are the links:
Violence ttp://cnn.com/
Texting http://cnn.com/video/
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy
Yesterday in class, we discussed the effect of technology on adolescent development. The question of whether there is distinct difference between "real" and virtual lives was presented. I came across this article about the use of virtual reality therapy for treatment of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans with PTSD. Reliving traumatic memories through a digital medium has proven effective in relieving stress and anxiety. I think it helps to support the argument that virtual experiences can have a strong effect on "real" perception.
http://www.army.mil/article/33128/
http://www.army.mil/article/33128/
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Does No Mean Yes?
Throughout the years the media has become a larger and larger force that can not be ignored. The internet is used by adults and adolescents alike, and although there are many benefits to using the internet, there are also many dangers. One of these dangers is the use of SEIM (Sexually Explicit Internet Material). As technology has become increasingly prevalent in our society, so has the use of SEIM. What are the repricussions of using SEIM? Are there positives? Are there negatives?
http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/pdf/10.1089/cyber.2010.0189
This study titled "The Influence of Sexually Explicit Internet Material and Peers on Stereotypical Beliefs About Women’s Sexual Roles: Similarities and Differences Between Adolescents and Adults" was written by two Ph.Ds for the "Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking"journal in 2011.
In particular, this article focus' on the concept of "token resistance" to sex among women. Token resistance is the concept that a woman says no to sex when she actually intends to have sex. The argument is that SEIM provides a lot of exposure to token resistance among women, and that according to Social Cognitive Theory, adolescents and adults alike will acquire beliefs about token resistance as a result of SEIM. Social cognitive theory suggests that individuals observe their environment and acquire or modify mental representations of ideas and behaviors that are rewarded. Do you believe that this process is the same for both adolescents and adults, and that SEIM will affect them equally? Do you believe the token resistance is a reality and not just something we see through SEIM? Do you feel that token resistance to sex can be expressed through both men and women, or just women? How do you feel about SEIM and token resistance? There is plenty of room for discussion regarding this topic please feel free to respond.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Gender differences in high school physics performance
After discussing the differences in gender throughout class, and reading some of the posts on the blog, the
notion that gender differences are a result of societal influence is apparent. Although many of the points raised in class are persuasive and valid, I am still not convinced that there is no biological difference between men and women. I truly believe that biology plays a part in the way women and men act. An effective example is the population of girls that were enrolled in high school AP physics classes in 2009. Roughly encompassing, 36.5% of AP physics students, female high school students are fairly represented (White 1). However, female performance on the AP Physics exams demonstrates a strong sense of incapability when compared to males’ performance. Males and females do not take and pass the AP Physics exam at the same rates (White 1). Not only do fewer eligible females take the end-of-year exam, but they also perform more poorly. Specifically, an average of 55% of females passes this exam in comparison to 68.5% of males (White 2). Although each student taking the exam covers the same material in class, is asked the same exam questions, and has nearly identical testing conditions to other students, females consistently perform more poorly on the exam. Statistics seem to favor the idea that men are more capable in science fields, such as physics. In a society that places a strong emphasis on science and technology, the argument that men have a sense of superiority is fair.
The article from which I obtained this material can be found at
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:793Q3CUluRsJ:www.aip.org/statistics/trends/reports/hsfemales.pdf+Female+AP+physics+scores&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESjdp4z9nlpGRbmR-BbAvqyW7vwNkTnOmheXXnuBGc2djajablhr6W26jitPeq9vJY-CgbyxZlN6qEvgxNuqgSbaJnptT2ltjC72mkmF0BhScx7xQzN89wYU6kCv0JPRqkG9-4s0&sig=AHIEtbQqhHyY0Rdg1D_QFYgsdtUXMGIKUQ.
This article provides numerous statistics and graphs that demonstrate significant differences between males and females. Although the number of females taking high school physics classes has increased, female performance on the AP Physics exam remains below the performance of males on the same test. Biology provides an answer for the differences in performance. Males and females learn the same material and are subjected to the standardized questions on the AP exam; yet, performance still differs. Such difference indicates the fact that men possess a particular biological quality that allows them to have a higher aptitude for physics.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
"I'm Christian...unless you're gay"
This article is starting to become viral, and I thought that it was definitely worth sharing on this blog. I don't think it needs any sort of introduction; its message speaks for itself. Just read this man's blog post, and I'm also attaching a very moving response to his post. Enjoy and I hope you feel the need to share it with others like I did. :)
http://www.danoah.com/2011/11/im-christian-unless-youre-gay.html
http://www.danoah.com/2012/04/a-teens-brave-response-to-im-christian-unless-youre-gay.html
http://www.danoah.com/2011/11/im-christian-unless-youre-gay.html
http://www.danoah.com/2012/04/a-teens-brave-response-to-im-christian-unless-youre-gay.html
Imitations of Immortality
Yesterday's discussion on the way Teen TV influenced teenage behavior and values was certainly interesting. It sort of correlated to my subject for my research assignment so I decided to take a piece of my research to somewhat further the discussion and to illustrate something that seemed interesting to me. The article that I came across was written in 2001 by Elizabeth Lewis and was titled Imitations of Immortality.
The basic premise of the work is that adolescents are being taught not so much by their parents but by the media. The author alluded to the fact that when children are young they question their parents all the time and their parents have the opportunity to mold their minds and teach them about the nuances of life. The article then asserts that as the children get older, parents begin to have to compete with the media for the role of primary educator when it comes to the queries of their children. The article characterized the media as preying on the naturally inquisitive minds of children. This creates a phenomenon where TV and parents have to battle for the right to teach their children about societal behaviors, life, sex, drugs, alcohol and all of the other things that a young impressionable mind needs guidance in terms of.
It made me wonder, do parents have a chance against the influential abilities of some of the teen television that we discussed in class and that permeates television? Also, why does it seem that parents so consistently lose their grasp in terms of being the main molder of their children's minds? This may not be the case in every situation because many of us attested to the fact that we did not develop values from what we saw on TV growing up, but some teens certainly do. In those instances, what roles could parents and adult influences potentially play in terms of curbing the media's profound influence?
The basic premise of the work is that adolescents are being taught not so much by their parents but by the media. The author alluded to the fact that when children are young they question their parents all the time and their parents have the opportunity to mold their minds and teach them about the nuances of life. The article then asserts that as the children get older, parents begin to have to compete with the media for the role of primary educator when it comes to the queries of their children. The article characterized the media as preying on the naturally inquisitive minds of children. This creates a phenomenon where TV and parents have to battle for the right to teach their children about societal behaviors, life, sex, drugs, alcohol and all of the other things that a young impressionable mind needs guidance in terms of.
It made me wonder, do parents have a chance against the influential abilities of some of the teen television that we discussed in class and that permeates television? Also, why does it seem that parents so consistently lose their grasp in terms of being the main molder of their children's minds? This may not be the case in every situation because many of us attested to the fact that we did not develop values from what we saw on TV growing up, but some teens certainly do. In those instances, what roles could parents and adult influences potentially play in terms of curbing the media's profound influence?
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Female Body Image
I stumbled into this article last night that reminded me of Tuesday's discussion about girls, led by me and Nushi. This articles is regarding recent criticism of Jennifer Lawrence, the lead in the new Hunger Games movie, because she isn't "skinny enough" to play a teenage girl from a poor area. Jennifer can be considered a role model to many girls. Not only is her character the protagonist/heroine of the series that can very easily be considered a good influence, she is personally a moral young actress who believes that dieting is never the answer. So not only is this criticism disrespectful to Jennifer (in no way is she overweight), it also sends negative, and potentially harmful, messages to young girls regarding their own bodies. Just search her name on Google Images, and see for yourself; Jennifer is a very healthy, and average-sized, 21 year-old. Yet even she is criticized. So what kind of effect will this criticism have on today's youth?
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/entertainment/2012/03/jennifer-lawrences-body-criticism-toxic-psychologists-say/
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/entertainment/2012/03/jennifer-lawrences-body-criticism-toxic-psychologists-say/
Cultural differences in adolescent sexuality
After Thursday's class on adolescent sexuality, I decided to do some research on the cultural differences on sexuality, specifically among teens. By using summon through the TU library, I came across a very recent article that contained a lot of information on this topic. This is the link:
http://www.sciencedirect.com.libproxy.temple.edu/science/article/pii/S1083318811002312
You may have to type in your TU portal information to get to the link. The thing that interested me most about this article was that its main point seemed to conclude that cultural boundaries and differences in sexuality are diminishing to a more uniform sexual culture among teens. It also discusses in the article that the media is a primary factor in this,
"Despite cultural traditions that are peculiar to different societies there is a growing globalization of sexuality and sexual behavior among teenagers, changes that are rapidly coalescing cultural responses to a primarily generational effect rather than the more traditional adherence to local cultural heritage. Electronic and digital sharing and merger is explored further below and appears to be developing into the most important influencing factor affecting future adolescent sexual behaviors.
http://www.sciencedirect.com.libproxy.temple.edu/science/article/pii/S1083318811002312
You may have to type in your TU portal information to get to the link. The thing that interested me most about this article was that its main point seemed to conclude that cultural boundaries and differences in sexuality are diminishing to a more uniform sexual culture among teens. It also discusses in the article that the media is a primary factor in this,
"Despite cultural traditions that are peculiar to different societies there is a growing globalization of sexuality and sexual behavior among teenagers, changes that are rapidly coalescing cultural responses to a primarily generational effect rather than the more traditional adherence to local cultural heritage. Electronic and digital sharing and merger is explored further below and appears to be developing into the most important influencing factor affecting future adolescent sexual behaviors.
Digitalization and technology mean that cultural isolation is less likely to occur and teenagers are exposed to information and influence in ways that would not have been dreamed of previously. The speed of change is particularly rapid as evidenced by the effects of social networking on recent political events such as in the Middle East. There is an increasing presence of sexuality on the internet, with the development of intimacy, the association of texts with sexual scripts, the emergence of cybersexuality as a sexual space midway between fantasy and action, and the question of boundaries and the location of the person in sexual interaction.16 An unpublished survey of teenage cell phone owners aged 12–17 years showed that as many as 15% had received a sexually explicit text (or sext) with 4% admitting to having sent sexts themselves."
The article goes on to further discuss media influence, among other very interesting factors within contemporary teenage sexuality. There are a lot of important and interesting topics in this article worthy of discussion, please tell me what you think of it and if you agree or disagree with the article.
Joshua Russo
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
All Blacks AND Whites - All PEOPLE - dervive from Africa
Going back to Sara's reaosn for not referring to Blacks as African Americans because she was informed that all Blacks are not descendants of Africa, I believe that Sinead's "Open Letter to America" regarding the Trayvon Martin case can provide her with further explanation. The letter can be read here: http://www.evilbeetgossip.com/2012/03/26/sinead-oconnors-open-letter-about-the-death-of-trayvon-martin/ The transcript of her letter is as follows:
I would like to extend my very deepest sympathies to the family and other loved ones of murdered teenager, Trayvon Martin. I am very sad today (and am certain the whole of Ireland is) to learn of poor Trayvon’s terrifying ordeal and horrified by the fact his known and named and admitted killer has not been arrested, despite the crime having taken place a month ago. This is a disgrace to the entire human race.
For those out there who believe black people to be less than pure royalty, let me inform you of a little known, but scientifically proven, many times over, FACT. Which after reading, you will hopefully feel both very stupid and very sorry. For you dishonor your own mothers and grandmothers.
EVERY human being on earth, no matter what their culture, creed, skin colour, or nationality, shares one gene traceable back to one African woman. Scientists have named it ‘The Eve Gene’. This means ALL of us, even ridiculously stupid, ignorant, perverted, blaspheming racists are the descendants of one African woman.
One African woman is the mother of all of us. Africa was the first world. You come from there! Your skin may be ‘white’.. because you didn’t need it to be black any more where you lived. But as Curtis Mayfield said.. “You’re just the surface of our dark, deep well”. So you’re being morons. And God is having the last laugh at your ignorant expense.
If you hate black people, its yourself you hate. And the mother who bore you. If you kill or wish ill on black people, its yourself you kill and wish ill on. As well as the mother who bore you..
When you dishonor the the utter glory and majesty of black people, you lie. Your heart lies to you and you let it. Despite seeing every day, all your life, how you and your country would be less than wonderfully functioning and inspiring to the world, without the manifold and glorious contributions made by the descendants of African slaves, who did not by the way actually ask to go to America and leave their future families there to be disrespected for eternity..
What are you doing hating yourself by hating your brothers and sisters who daily show you nothing but inspiration and love, despite having NOTHING, in their own country? Despite having barely a chance of anything, because of racism. Despite being granted no ‘permission’ for proper self-esteem.
These beautiful people continue to believe in and even manifest Jesus Christ better than you do. That alone could stand as the greatest reason your racism is blasphemy, were it not for all the other reasons.
These people you hate and fear ARE the body of Christ, just as we all are. Every child, woman or man. And they know it. Maybe thats why you cant bear to look at them. Because you see Jesus Christ and you cant stand the light..
Stop this ridiculous and uneducated attitude. You would be dead without black people. Think of all the greatest music ever composed. The greatest songs. The greatest inspirational heroes.. Muhammad Ali, Mandela, Martin Luther King, Harriet Tubman, Soujourner Truth, Bob Marley, Nina Simone, Curtis Mayfield. So many absolute angels, sent from God.
Without the inspiration of these people many millions of so-called ‘white’ people, including myself would not have had the strength to pay the price of life.
And black youth in America. I’m talking to you here too. I love you. So I don’t mean to sound cross, I’m just being a mother.. Why are you killing each other? Why are you hating yourselves? You are the most important people God ever sent to this earth, every man, woman and child among you! Don’t let uneducated people win and take your self-esteem or your esteem for each other, and make you kill each other. over guns, drugs, bling, or any other nonsense.
You are now entering YOUR version of a sort of civil rights movement and you’re gonna see history being made in what has certainly the profoundest potential to become THE most wonderful country on earth. Because soon ALL ‘isms’ and ‘sits” will end. including racism, as the people of the earth begin to understand, we are all one.
We came from one mother. We are all brothers and sisters. And we CAN get beyond this ILLUSION of separateness. With prayer and love. It CAN change. It WILL change. And YOU guys (young people of all kinds) are the ones who are gonna GENTLY change it. And you know where it starts? With MUSIC.
Don’t be guided by rap. Gangsta or otherwise. Sure.. enjoy it.. adore it.as I do.. but realize this.. rap ain’t about your civil or spiritual rights, baby boys and girls. It.. along with most music nowadays.. is about falsenesses and vanities. Bling, drugs, sex, guns and people- dissing. Its giving you the message you ain’t ‘good enough’ if you don’t have bling and ting.. and money. Or if you’re not what it deems ‘sexy’.
Poor Curtis Mayfield must be crying all day and night ALL day and night in heaven, every day and night.. To see what has been so successfully achieved by those who sent guns, drugs, and bling to squash the civil rights movement. Now you all don’t have to be murdered by racists any more.. you’re murdering each other FOR them! And your parents and grandparents are left crying.
Go back to strong black musical guides who left you information in the 60s and 70s. when they were living through the civil rights struggle. Curtis Mayfield. The Impressions. Nina Simone, Mahalia Jackson. Sing back the Holy Spirit ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, as those artists did.
Forget bling. Forget “Get Rich Or Die Trying”. That is an evil message. Evil my dears is only life backwards. Turn it the right way up. With music. The messages American black youth are being given through music are not about the spiritual and therefore strong and conquering but PEACEFUL making of YOUR country into the wonderful place it secretly is and can be.. BECAUSE OF YOU, and BY YOU!!
You know not how you are adored, appreciated, valued, loved, cried for,smiled for, prayed for, all over the world. You know not how much inspiration and uplift-ment of heart you give to millions just by your presence on earth.
These musical guides will give you self-esteem. When you have self-esteem you can achieve anything. You can stand in the street as many did yesterday and change your country peacefully and with song. Chant down Babylon as the Rastas say. Rastafari will also give you self esteem. Investigate it.
You will notice, my beautiful sons and daughters, when you study, as you must, footage of all civil rights gatherings, how singing and music and sound and voice and the Holy Spirit were all employed and were so much part of the energy which moved things along.. just as running was in the South African gatherings I saw on tv in my own childhood, which inspired me to survive my own horrors.
What you listen to musically and whether or not you employ the Holy Spirit’s highest will for your life is whats gonna make you transcend all you’re having to suffer (the worst of which is low self-esteem.. or esteem based upon material ‘success’ or ‘sexiness’)) as a result of being the descendants of people who didn’t ask to be stolen and leave you where you are. Delete bling. Get conscious with your music. Demand conscious music from your artists. Go back to the artists who left you proper guidance.
This is some serious stuff and we (all manner of musical artists) are too silent on matters of enormous spiritual importance. Lemme ask you.. Jayzee and Eminem et al. Why was it always the black people only worked in the post rooms of record companies, which was always in the basement? Why was it that as each floor went up the skins got paler till it was fuckin ghosts at the top? And all us artists.. even me.. said nothing? Those buildings (record companies) always struck me as being a microcosm or painting of America, racially speaking. Christ almighty.. if its like that in the music business how is anything ever going to change?
We, musical artists are too silent on important stuff. And it is our job to be the gate-keepers of truth. ALL the people of this earth must come together eventually and see that we are one. ALL artists must stand up. Black, white, yellow, green, pink, fucking polka dot.. and be a light in these times.
The world is going to shift massively this year.. spiritually speaking. Musical artists are to be a massive part of that shift. Get up, lets all of us. And light Jah fire.. and BE lights.
Where’s the fire gone from music? Where is the love? the oneness? The knowing that music CAN and WILL move things in the right spiritual direction without hatred or violence? We must box clever. Sing the devil to sleep at your feet. Thats what Curtis teaches. He is the master of ALL musical masters. forget, forget, forget and forget again bling and guns and drugs and the worship of fame and money. Its time to wake up. We KNOW the power of music. Why aren’t we using it to change anything important?
Musicians all over the world should now gently demand this child’s killer be arrested immediately and the family of Treyvon Martin be immediately apologized to upon bended knee. Frankly. I myself would like an apology! America is a country I love and adore. what this man has done is un-American in the most horrific extreme.
Him not being arrested is extremely embarrassing and does absolutely NOT paint the true picture of of a country and a people who for the 90% majority are the kindest, most loving, intelligent, and wonderful people you could know.
Please.. ALL Americans should deplore this crime. As should ALL people of ALL nations. And deplore the fact this man has not been arrested. All Irish people should do the same. And I ask that we here in Ireland should express through our American embassy that we would like to see this man arrested this very minute. Because racism is not acceptable. Nor is vigilantism. And this was very clearly in no way at all a case of self-defense.
I leave you with some lyrics of Curtis Mayfield’s which I feel are appropriate for this situation. I am certain Curtis would have wanted to contribute to discussion on the issue of Treyvon’s murder and the condition of young black people in America today.. so here goes.. the song is called This Is My Country.. from the album of the same name.
Some people think we don’t have the right
to say its my country
before they give in
they’d rather fuss and fight
than say its my country
I’ve paid three hundred years or more
of slave-driving sweat and welts on my back
This is my country
Too many have died in protecting my pride
for me to go second class
We’ve survived a hard blow and I want you to know
that you must face us at last
And I know you will give consideration
shall we perish unjust or live equal as a nation?
This is my country.
Discriminative Disqualification?
After reading the article and watching "Straightlaced", both of which deal with sexual/gender identity, I found it interesting that I came across this article shortly afterwards.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2119786/Jenna-Talackova-Transgender-beauty-queen-kicked-Miss-Universe-Canada-pageant.html
It's basically about a transgender woman who was disqualified from the Miss Universe Canada pageant because she was not born female. There was a lot of outrage over this naturally, but it was later revealed that she had lied about being born female and only later admitted to having been born male. I think that, despite her dishonesty, this brings into light some more ethical questions regarding what is discrimination and how far should it be taken. After all, it's not like she would necessarily have an edge over the other contestants, at least not in my opinion.
Any thoughts?
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Gay As An Insult
On Tuesday we talked about how guys use "gay" as an insult to degrade each other. Here is a video that I think is wonderful about why it should not be used as an insult. The part where he talks about using Gay as an insult starts at about 1:40 but I find the whole video fascinating.
What do think about what he says? If you watched the whole video, what do you think of his points?
What do think about what he says? If you watched the whole video, what do you think of his points?
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Race and Identity
Hey guys, I thought this article was interesting in regards to our discussion of racial identity from last week. It discusses the banning of a book called, Mexican Whiteboy, from the Mexican-American studies classes in Tucson, Arizona. After a student read the book and related to it, she asked thw author to come speak to the class. The author discusses his difficulty with identifying with his mixed racial background.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/19/education/racial-lens-used-to-cull-curriculum-in-arizona.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&ref=education
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/19/education/racial-lens-used-to-cull-curriculum-in-arizona.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&ref=education
03/20/2012 Discussion Follow-Up
What's Up Guys?
Josh and I enjoyed leading the class discussion, but wanted to build on the discussion that we were having towards the end of class concerning the reasons why teenage boys call each other "gay." In the Bros Before Hoes Article, the author states "the homophobia that defines and animates the daily conversations of Guyland is at least as much about masculinity as it is about sexuality." Such a statement explicates the fact that many boys utilize the term gay to insult the actions of other boys, not their sexual orientation. Moreover, the term "gay is utilized as a means to inform other boys of actions that defy the the basic rules of masculinity. Throughout the article, the author does not heavily discuss the sexual relations between two teenage boys, yet he frequently utilizes the term homophoia. However, this use of homophobia is different from the traditional use. In this context, the author utilizes homphobia to describe "fear of other men." With this notion in mind, perhaps, all boys infatuated with masculinity can be considered homosexual, even those that abide by the rules of guy code.
Another interesting tool the author utilizes in the Guyand article is the reference to Eminem. In class we discussed why we believed Eminem felt the need to insult his enemies and opponents through the use of homosexual insults. The article I have posted below this passage discusses a situation that arose in 2009 when Eminem released his Elevator Song. In the song, Eminem pokes fun at celebrities such as Clay Aiken or Adam Lambert, both of whom are openly gay. However, Eminem deviates from his normal use of the "f word" and utilizes "fake it" to insult these celebrities. Many gay-news sites have deemed this action an attack at the gay community. Perhaps Eminem's actions provide evidence for the fact that boys are directly referencing homosexual behavior when they use the term gay.
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1627699/whats-eminem-saying-about-adam-lambert-on-elevator.jhtml
Josh and I enjoyed leading the class discussion, but wanted to build on the discussion that we were having towards the end of class concerning the reasons why teenage boys call each other "gay." In the Bros Before Hoes Article, the author states "the homophobia that defines and animates the daily conversations of Guyland is at least as much about masculinity as it is about sexuality." Such a statement explicates the fact that many boys utilize the term gay to insult the actions of other boys, not their sexual orientation. Moreover, the term "gay is utilized as a means to inform other boys of actions that defy the the basic rules of masculinity. Throughout the article, the author does not heavily discuss the sexual relations between two teenage boys, yet he frequently utilizes the term homophoia. However, this use of homophobia is different from the traditional use. In this context, the author utilizes homphobia to describe "fear of other men." With this notion in mind, perhaps, all boys infatuated with masculinity can be considered homosexual, even those that abide by the rules of guy code.
Another interesting tool the author utilizes in the Guyand article is the reference to Eminem. In class we discussed why we believed Eminem felt the need to insult his enemies and opponents through the use of homosexual insults. The article I have posted below this passage discusses a situation that arose in 2009 when Eminem released his Elevator Song. In the song, Eminem pokes fun at celebrities such as Clay Aiken or Adam Lambert, both of whom are openly gay. However, Eminem deviates from his normal use of the "f word" and utilizes "fake it" to insult these celebrities. Many gay-news sites have deemed this action an attack at the gay community. Perhaps Eminem's actions provide evidence for the fact that boys are directly referencing homosexual behavior when they use the term gay.
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1627699/whats-eminem-saying-about-adam-lambert-on-elevator.jhtml
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Pink Legos
Hey guys. Amanda brought up the travesty of the rise of pink legos today and I thought it'd be a good time to share this youtube video on that exact topic.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrmRxGLn0Bk
(part 2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oe65EGkB9kA&feature=relmfu
The speaker touches on a lot of the subjects we talked about today, especially the genderification of kid's merchandise.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrmRxGLn0Bk
(part 2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oe65EGkB9kA&feature=relmfu
The speaker touches on a lot of the subjects we talked about today, especially the genderification of kid's merchandise.
Does Race Matter In This Case - Yes
By now you all should be well aware of the case regarding the murder of Travoyn Martin, the 17 year old who was murdered by a neighborhood watch captain, George Zimmerman, after appearing to be "suspicious and on drugs" and as if he were about to commit a crime. All Martin was carrying was an iced tea and skittles.
The fact that this guy's murderer followed went out of his way to follow him because he looked "suspicious" while making racial slurs such as "coon" and saying things like "people like him always get away" and is still not charged in his death due to an "ongoing investigation" is pure buffoonery. Not only did he have no right to follow him NOR have a weapon, but his account of what occurred is obviously inaccurate. This case has been passed from police district to police district to now the feds getting involved and it took place almost 1 MONTH ago.
Here are a few links to look further into the case.
I felt it was appropriate after discussing African American adolescents last week.
1. http://bossip.com/559416/newly-developed-trayvon-martin-shooter-calls-him-a-c00n-during-911-call-video69691/
2 http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-trayvon-martin-cell-phone-conversation-20120320,0,6034511.story
3. http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/03/20/911-calls-paint-picture-of-chaos-after-florida-teen-is-shot/?hpt=hp_c1
The fact that this guy's murderer followed went out of his way to follow him because he looked "suspicious" while making racial slurs such as "coon" and saying things like "people like him always get away" and is still not charged in his death due to an "ongoing investigation" is pure buffoonery. Not only did he have no right to follow him NOR have a weapon, but his account of what occurred is obviously inaccurate. This case has been passed from police district to police district to now the feds getting involved and it took place almost 1 MONTH ago.
Here are a few links to look further into the case.
I felt it was appropriate after discussing African American adolescents last week.
1. http://bossip.com/559416/newly-developed-trayvon-martin-shooter-calls-him-a-c00n-during-911-call-video69691/
2 http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-trayvon-martin-cell-phone-conversation-20120320,0,6034511.story
3. http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/03/20/911-calls-paint-picture-of-chaos-after-florida-teen-is-shot/?hpt=hp_c1
Sunday, March 18, 2012
We found it!
Hey Everyone,
Of all things, I like science and proven fact in anything. And here is something that can answer almost every question of why humans, and specifically teens, do ANYTHING!
I have to thank a friend of mine on Facebook for sending me the link. Perhaps I am exaggerating, but I really enjoyed watching the first part of the video, and could only think the whole time how much it related to this class. The second part is much harder to understand, let alone relate to the class.
Here is the link, enjoy!
Clark
Rutgers student convicted of invasion of privacy/bias intimidation
This case has lots of implications related to our discussions about the definition of teenager and what standards are appropriate for teens. In case you haven't heard, this student filmed his (male) roommate having sex with another man and invited friends to view it on the Internet. His roommate killed himself shortly after that occurred. He has been convicted of hate crimes, and his conviction carries a jail sentence of as many as 10 years and deportation to India. The headline for today's NY Times coverage read, "Verdict Repudiates Notion of Youth as Legal Defense."
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/18/nyregion/rutgers-verdict-repudiates-notion-of-youth-as-a-defense.html
Do you think the verdict is a just one?
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/18/nyregion/rutgers-verdict-repudiates-notion-of-youth-as-a-defense.html
Do you think the verdict is a just one?
Friday, March 16, 2012
3/15 Class Discussion Follow-Up
Towards the end of class, Cori and I touched briefly on the question of whether or not it is human nature to label and categorize people according to multiple identities, and whether or not this is inevitable across time. Someone also commented in class (I think it was Clark? Maybe?) about TV shows like "Glee" which feature many different ethnic groups and stereotypes in an attempt to create a more accepting environment for everyone and educate the viewing public about the new emerging societal norms.
However, another question we had was if discussing/analyzing different groups (whether it be racial-based, sexuality-based, anything) and drawing attention to them actually creates more tension. For example, while "Glee" does focus on many different kinds of people (gay couples, people with disabilities, "nerds", "jocks", etc.), it also often illuminates problems they face that are specific to those stereotypes (such as the gay couples being ridiculed and exiled for their homosexuality). By drawing attention to specific problems within different groups instead of showing that they are problems that everyone faces, is it possible the media is actually being less open and accepting of diversity in its attempt at openness?
Adolescent Sexuality and Media Influence
During Tuesday's discussion led by Jack and Kufere I remember discussing the media influence on Rap music and negative connotations of African Americans in general. This led me to further investigate the power of media influence, particularly regarding adolescent sexuality. We all know that in the modern American society we live in sexuality has become increasingly prevalent, particularly in the media. Whether it be Victoria's Secret underwear models on television, teenagers having or talking about sex on television shows, or the "50 ways to make yourself more sexy" article in cosmopolitan, sexuality is everywhere no matter where you go. So what effect does this have on adolescence growing up in this sexual era? Certainly this constant exposure to sexuality does not restrict a young teenager to be less sexual. So to find a quick and easy answer as to what magnitude the media seems to be affecting adolescent sexuality I looked for an article that would contain a study answering this question. Surely, there were many articles written regarding this topic, so I picked this one as it appeared to be reasonably credible:
http://www.pediatricsdigest.mobi/content/117/4/1018.full
This study was done in North Carolina as an in-home survey on over 1000 teenagers, ages 12 to 14. Some interesting results were found, check out the first section of the article including the methods, results, and conclusions, and let me know what you think. I believe this topic is one that definitely deserves further discussion, so feel free to post articles or studies of your own supporting what you believe.
Josh Russo
http://www.pediatricsdigest.mobi/content/117/4/1018.full
This study was done in North Carolina as an in-home survey on over 1000 teenagers, ages 12 to 14. Some interesting results were found, check out the first section of the article including the methods, results, and conclusions, and let me know what you think. I believe this topic is one that definitely deserves further discussion, so feel free to post articles or studies of your own supporting what you believe.
Josh Russo
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Separate, but Equal: The School Cafeteria?
We did not have the chance to truly discuss Tatum's chapter on Black kids sitting in the cafeteria, but I would like to expound on it here. Interestingly, a teacher who I interviewed for my senior thesis commented on Central Catholic race relations by stating, "Among some of our students they can be -- there can be negative attitudes towards our Black students. I'll give you an example, you probably heard this many times. If a group of Black students are sitting together in the cafeteria that bothers White students . . . White students will say something like 'why are they doing that?'" Similarly, I have interpreted Tatum's analysis of Black students sitting together in the cafeteria as more of a White issue; meaning White students/administrators find it more problematic than Black students/administrators.
With the use of the school cafeteria and the condition of Black schools prior to Brown v. Board (pg 65 in Tatum's chapter on Black kids sitting together) How do you think Black America would have progressed if separate but equal was actual given a true chance? Is "separate, but equal" inherently unequal as the Supreme Court suggests or is it possible to truly have a separate, but equal environment? Is the cafeteria separate, but equal?
With the use of the school cafeteria and the condition of Black schools prior to Brown v. Board (pg 65 in Tatum's chapter on Black kids sitting together) How do you think Black America would have progressed if separate but equal was actual given a true chance? Is "separate, but equal" inherently unequal as the Supreme Court suggests or is it possible to truly have a separate, but equal environment? Is the cafeteria separate, but equal?
Why use the term African-American
I found yesterday's discussion on the identity of black adolescents vs white adolescents particularly interesting. There were many interesting points made; however, there was one that stuck out and left me pondering on whether or not the statement made was valid.
When discussing whether or not to refer to darker skinned Americans as Black or African Americans, Sara made a comment that she took the term out of her vocabulary early on because she was told that not all Black Americans have African ancestry and may come from places as Jamaica and so forth. I informed the class that I disagreed however could not get into the topic too deeply because of the amount of time it would have taken. I can understand why many people who are not of African descent and those of African descent who are not properly educated on the subject may believe this to be true; however, the statement made is false.
For one, there is a term used known as the African "diaspora" which refers to people of African descent throughout the world which includes people from the Carribean and other countries. History shows that when slavery began, Europeans traveled to the continent of Africa and brought Africans back to the Americas and spread them not only throughout the Americas bu to other countries such as Jamaica. This caused children to be born in other countries other than Africa, which is why many say that their ancestors come from places other than Africa.
Despite this being true, Black ancestry can be traced back to Africa.
A great link of information is here: http://www.slaveryinamerica.org/history/overview.htm and there are countless history books, documentaries, and more that can further explain this complex subject.
When discussing whether or not to refer to darker skinned Americans as Black or African Americans, Sara made a comment that she took the term out of her vocabulary early on because she was told that not all Black Americans have African ancestry and may come from places as Jamaica and so forth. I informed the class that I disagreed however could not get into the topic too deeply because of the amount of time it would have taken. I can understand why many people who are not of African descent and those of African descent who are not properly educated on the subject may believe this to be true; however, the statement made is false.
For one, there is a term used known as the African "diaspora" which refers to people of African descent throughout the world which includes people from the Carribean and other countries. History shows that when slavery began, Europeans traveled to the continent of Africa and brought Africans back to the Americas and spread them not only throughout the Americas bu to other countries such as Jamaica. This caused children to be born in other countries other than Africa, which is why many say that their ancestors come from places other than Africa.
Despite this being true, Black ancestry can be traced back to Africa.
A great link of information is here: http://www.slaveryinamerica.org/history/overview.htm and there are countless history books, documentaries, and more that can further explain this complex subject.
Teen Crime and Punishment
I stumbled into this news article from the Detroit Free Press about a 14 year-old boy who recently shot and killed his mother, and I couldn't help but think of our prior class discussions regarding crimes committed by teens without fully realizing the consequences, the issue of whether teens should be tried as adults, as well as possible complications of an underdeveloped teenage brain.
http://www.freep.com/article/C4/20120308/NEWS01/303080002/Teen-accused-of-killing-mother-told-police-he-was-tired-of-being-called-names-?odyssey=nav%7Chead
The events right before the crime do not seem to have been out of the ordinary. Joshua's mother had asked him to retrieve medication for her--she was on dialysis for kidney failure and had to take blood pressure meds--but he ignored her and continued watching TV, so she told him, "You ain't going to be nothing." He went upstairs to his room, but she told him to come out, so he retrieved the gun from a locked office, went downstairs, and killed her. His mother's fiance, Chika Lewis, was in the home and heard the gunshots. Apparently Joshua fired one or two shots, paused as his mother probably fell to the ground, and then fired another six shots...yet he claims he didn't intend to kill her. Joshua even aimed the gun at Lewis, but only didn't shoot because Lewis was holding Joshua's 5 year-old sister.
It seems like Joshua decided to shoot his mother on a whim, without even thinking about the possible consequences. Whether he felt an immediate sense of satisfaction after firing the first bullet, or whether he simply became scared and didn't know what else to do during that brief moment, it is unclear why he continued to shoot the gun. However, I feel like his actions are largely caused by his brain. At 14, he probably lacks many vital problem solving and decision-making skills, which may have caused him to overreact to his mother's criticism of his actions. With this overreaction, he quickly decided that one way to fix things would be to punish--or hurt--her. Therefore, he grabbed the gun and shot her, but he did not intend to kill her. I feel like he either felt numbness as he carried out the murder, not realizing the full extent of what he was doing, or he felt a small amount of relief after hurting her so he continued to hurt her, again, not realizing how badly he was actually injuring her.
Controversially, Joshua is being tried as an adult and he faces life without parole if convicted. Regardless of the fact that he single-handedly murdered an innocent woman, and is fully aware that his actions were illegal, he is still a young teenager in the process of developing. His actions may have been caused by his brain development, but he is still a child who may finish his development and like the rest of his life in a jail cell. I believe he should at least have the chance of parole, even if it's twenty or thirty years from now.
I apologize for the length of this, but I really found this article interesting and debatable, much like the few cases we discussed in class like this. So, I just want to know how you guys feel about this individual case. What caused Joshua to murder his mother, and almost shoot his mother's fiance? How much of his actions would you contribute to his brain development? Do you believe he should be tried as an adult, or should his punishment be lessened a bit since he is only 14 years old?
The events right before the crime do not seem to have been out of the ordinary. Joshua's mother had asked him to retrieve medication for her--she was on dialysis for kidney failure and had to take blood pressure meds--but he ignored her and continued watching TV, so she told him, "You ain't going to be nothing." He went upstairs to his room, but she told him to come out, so he retrieved the gun from a locked office, went downstairs, and killed her. His mother's fiance, Chika Lewis, was in the home and heard the gunshots. Apparently Joshua fired one or two shots, paused as his mother probably fell to the ground, and then fired another six shots...yet he claims he didn't intend to kill her. Joshua even aimed the gun at Lewis, but only didn't shoot because Lewis was holding Joshua's 5 year-old sister.
It seems like Joshua decided to shoot his mother on a whim, without even thinking about the possible consequences. Whether he felt an immediate sense of satisfaction after firing the first bullet, or whether he simply became scared and didn't know what else to do during that brief moment, it is unclear why he continued to shoot the gun. However, I feel like his actions are largely caused by his brain. At 14, he probably lacks many vital problem solving and decision-making skills, which may have caused him to overreact to his mother's criticism of his actions. With this overreaction, he quickly decided that one way to fix things would be to punish--or hurt--her. Therefore, he grabbed the gun and shot her, but he did not intend to kill her. I feel like he either felt numbness as he carried out the murder, not realizing the full extent of what he was doing, or he felt a small amount of relief after hurting her so he continued to hurt her, again, not realizing how badly he was actually injuring her.
Controversially, Joshua is being tried as an adult and he faces life without parole if convicted. Regardless of the fact that he single-handedly murdered an innocent woman, and is fully aware that his actions were illegal, he is still a young teenager in the process of developing. His actions may have been caused by his brain development, but he is still a child who may finish his development and like the rest of his life in a jail cell. I believe he should at least have the chance of parole, even if it's twenty or thirty years from now.
I apologize for the length of this, but I really found this article interesting and debatable, much like the few cases we discussed in class like this. So, I just want to know how you guys feel about this individual case. What caused Joshua to murder his mother, and almost shoot his mother's fiance? How much of his actions would you contribute to his brain development? Do you believe he should be tried as an adult, or should his punishment be lessened a bit since he is only 14 years old?
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Is Facebook Sexualizing Young Girls?
http://shine.yahoo.com/parenting/facebook-sexualizing-young-girls-183300178.html
In this article posted above, the author poses the question of whether social media, namely Facebook, encourages tweens and teens to act more overtly sexual. From what we've covered thus far in our course, I am reminded about our discussions regarding social acceptance, sexual identity, and the effects of the media on the female body. I think that technology and Facebook, just like MySpace before it, all publicize and intimate the social circles of peer groups and the lives of adolescents. It's a space quite similar to the high school cafeteria, but with the advantage of publicizing only the aspects of your life, appearance, and person that you feel will increase your social status.
So, what do you all think? Does social media just create a space for teens and tweens to "express" themselves, sexual identity and all (the same way they would even without this avenue), or is there something about the way these websites are designed ("likes" or "pokes" on Facebook) that encourage sexual behavior from teens and tweens?
In this article posted above, the author poses the question of whether social media, namely Facebook, encourages tweens and teens to act more overtly sexual. From what we've covered thus far in our course, I am reminded about our discussions regarding social acceptance, sexual identity, and the effects of the media on the female body. I think that technology and Facebook, just like MySpace before it, all publicize and intimate the social circles of peer groups and the lives of adolescents. It's a space quite similar to the high school cafeteria, but with the advantage of publicizing only the aspects of your life, appearance, and person that you feel will increase your social status.
So, what do you all think? Does social media just create a space for teens and tweens to "express" themselves, sexual identity and all (the same way they would even without this avenue), or is there something about the way these websites are designed ("likes" or "pokes" on Facebook) that encourage sexual behavior from teens and tweens?
Friday, March 2, 2012
Do We Need Social Media?
Hello All,
What ever happened to face-to-face talking? And why do people believe it is necessary to twitter what they are doing every single moment of their day? Should we even have any of these things? I may be a tad nostalgic, but sue me if I prefer speaking to people in the real world.
Above are two instances of people saying that social media - namely Twitter and Facebook - are completely useless or at least need to be toned down. The first talks about a study put on by the University of Chicago who outfitted 205 people with Blackberrys and messaged to ask them about their urges. Social Media was the #1 urge they could not resist, right after smoking and drinking. They were able to resist sexual and spending urges. The scientists attributed their inability to resist to social media's availability.
The second link goes to a girl's rant against Twitter, but she does bring up some good points. Her last one relates the best to my questions. "Twitter makes people anti-social. Why should you have to actually SPEAK to people when they can just read your tweets?"
Conversely, here is a link to an argument for social media.
Garret Pierson argues that those who rant against social media are usually the "emo's" and that:
"The funny thing is mostly the people who do complain about this rant are usually users who have not found a benefit in using Facebook or Twitter and merely have an account just to have one. They maybe update their account once every 2 weeks and has less than 50 friends. However there are your emos and haters who just like to bicker and rant on things."
While we let this flawed logic pass by, lets continue to look at the rest of his argument:
"The main point in displaying these updates are to open up conversations and provide the lead for engagement... [m]ost people don’t realize that this is an excellent way to strike up a conversation and a perfect time to engage so that you are effectively using your Social Network to its full potential. Why let anything go to waste when your not using it at full potential? That’s like buying a [f]ast [e]xpensive [c]ar that just sits in your garage."
I will grant that social media allow that which is in bold, but was that much of an improvement over the old way of doing things? I'm talking about phones, emails, letters, and regular talking! After this, he does make a point I like:
"Now some people may say that some updates are too excessive?
Yes I do agree, some people need to learn The Ultimate Social Media Etiquette Handbook by Tamar Weinberg[.]"
Apparently people needed a handbook to learn regular etiquette for any social interaction, but then again someone came up with the idea in the first place, which would mean that the author got the idea from seeing horrible interaction.
All in all, my point is that while social media is an interesting thing to do, it is hardly a replacement to emails, letters, phones, or regular talking which can do all the same things. Except Farmville.
What are your thoughts?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)