Final Project

In my final project everything should go pretty smooth. I have a good outline of how I want to get my information and do my interviews along with how I want to present my assignment. I feel like by interviewing my roommates it will help for me to understand more about them along with how they interpret what is cool. I am going to make one thing very clear when I am interviewing them, and that is not to talk to my other friends that will also be interviewed about what they think is cool. This will help so that they do not all give me the same answers, as I want to understand what everyone thinks is cool. Also, I have one question is part 3 now due on the same day that part 2 is due?

Klosterman in class discussion questions

1) Depending on the type of person you are will influence or pseud how you answer questions when asked. this directly correlates to your identity. 2)Klosterman is trying to figure out HOW or WHY people answer questions the way they do. Why do you answer the way you do, do you answer honestly or directly or indirectly. Why do people even answer a question when asked? Human nature. 3)He gives 6 reason's to why he believes he answers questions when asked. Yes, different people may have other reasoning's for their answers. 4)When you are being interviewed and all eyes are on you, sometimes a person may stretch the truth or may state things to make themselves sound better. Also, we feel as though it depends on if the two people feel comfortable with each other, may have a direct influence on to how the interviewee answers. 5)In a sense it is unreasonable to ask random people to answer interview questions. But, in a way it could be reasonable to answer simple questions for a person if you are not busy. Overall it is up to a person and really depends on the situation.

"Something instead of Nothing"

This article really got me thinking about how truthful people are when they are being interviewed. Especially in the interviews I am going to conduct, for my final project. Are the people that I interview going to give me honest answers, or will they be somewhat scripted, to fit the identity that I already know them as. Also, It made me want to make my questions to be pretty open ended, so that there is a lot of room to talk, while I will certainly be able to bring the interviewee back to my main points during the interview. One thing that specifically stood out to me in this article is that being interviewed is much harder than being the interviewer. I will be asking my friends very deep personal questions about identity, and I want them to give me their honest opinions. I do not want my interview’s to feel like interrogations, where I need directly specific answers. I want my interviews to feel more like an informational conversation. I don’t want it to feel like we are sitting in a sauna baking under the pressure of the questions I am asking. I have taken interviewing class, so I feel like I have some good experience as to being an interviewer. Another thing in the article that really grabbed my attention is that interviewer’s look for people to make a mistake and when they do they use it against the person who said it. So they are able to get hidden truths out of people and hold it against them in a way. When I conduct my interview’s I am going to make sure, if my friends – accidentally say something, and they don’t want me to use it then I won’t because I am not a “bad guy” trying to find hidden truths about people and use them against people. Overall this article really got me thinking about my final project.

In-Class Cool

Both the simpsons episode we watched and the Malcolm Gladwell article connected the idea of the irrationality of what is cool. At the end of the Simpson's episode, both Marge and Homer are perplexed by what is considered cool and ask Bart and Lisa several times if what they're doing is cool, but each time the kids respond that what their parents are doing is not cool. The article also talks about how the "cool-hunters" could spot who they considered to be a "cool kid". What is considered cool is often influenced moreso by the person that decides it is cool, as that person is a very influential figure in style and has a peer pressure type of effect.

PowerPoint

I would have to disagree with this article in the fact that PowerPoint is a very useful tool that helps to present things to people in an easy to understood manner. These presentations can be boring sometimes, but overall they are very informative. And yes I would have to say that they are scripted in the sense of being almost play-like. You have your intro body and conclusion, you know what is expected to be seen and what is coming next. In all of my group projects that I have done in college I have used PowerPoint to assist me while presenting information to my class. PowerPoint has always been very helpful to me throughout my whole life, and I will say that I still know how to write a paper. It’s not like I don’t know how to do it all, as I have been taught everything from school and PowerPoint is just one tool that I have utilized in my experiences.

Cool Hunters

This article really made me think about what was cool, or what other people thought was cool. I started to think about what I considered cool, and how I figured out why it was cool. I consider the things that I like to be cool and I don’t worry about what the new hip style is. I like to think about how I have my own style and how some of the things I own or wear might conform to what other people think is cool. Being a college student I personally do not have the cash to keep up with new styles, nor do I have the time to be worrying about new styles and what other people are wearing. Honestly a lot of the clothes I wear have been given to me as gifts, for Christmas and my birthday or just over time. My parents know my style, and although even if I receive a gift that isn’t exactly my style I most likely will not return it. I will wear it just because it was a gift and I understand that I will be judged for everything I wear. But, honestly that is not one of my biggest concerns, especially when I am going to class, I do not really care what I look like. I feel like everyone should have their own style and should not be overly concerned with what is considered “cool”. Ultimately, it is hard to ever know what is “cool” because trends are changing so often. My one question that I have is how can you be a “cool” person if your always trying to be someone that you might not really be..?

In class, google questions

1.) His mind is changing by the way that he reads and processes the information that he is getting from the article. 2.) The ability to find what you are looking for as fast as possible. 3.) "I had almost lost the ability to read and absorb a long article" -Bruce Friedman 4.) Since google is so easy to use and always readily available, we are becoming very dependent on it and it is making us so used to it, and become less familiar with the old way of just reading.

"GooGle"

This article was good and really got me thinking. At first when they were talking about how people are not able to read long articles or even books anymore, I found this to be very true. The last time I had read a book was all the way back in high school and the only reason I read it was because I had too. Reading long articles or “deep thinking” has pretty much been forgotten in our day. As I read more of this article, I started to begin thinking about how much longer I was going to have to sit here and read this, and almost instinctively looked for distractions. But, I kept on reading. I personally do not like the idea of artificial intelligence, I feel like in a way it could be good, but in many ways, it will be bad, especially if a fake human brain is made with a robot controlling it. There is no telling what the possibilities of what it could do to us as a human race. It is kind of scary really. I think it would be cool, if there were a way that all of the information available on the internet could be linked to our brain. That would be interesting, and could probably help us solve some problems in the world that we never had thought we could explain. I also, feel like it is hard for me to read anything that is longer than a couple pages, and I start to get bored very easily. One quote that really grabbed my attention was” That’s the essence of Kubrick’s dark prophecy: as we come to rely on computers to mediate our understanding of the world, it is our own intelligence that flattens into artificial intelligence.” This quote is scary and really opens your mind to thinking about everything a persona read’s and what you should think about it. Overall, this was a great article and I might read it again.

"Billy Sim" - Group Questions

1) In this article the most interesting aspect related to identity is the fact that people are very materialistic in nature. In the game the only way to make your Sim happy is to buy him nice new expensive things.

2) This article relates to another article we read earlier in the year "All my life for sale" because of how each object a person has represents certain memories or happiness related to the object.

3) We believe that computers help to make children advanced faster. We also can see how it makes children think as computers such as not having as good as an imagination as they could if they were not always on the computer. Also, children are always using electronic forms of communication and lack interpersonal communication skills.

"Final Draft?"

Do I think that there is a final draft of who we are? I definitely would have to say no because people are not static, as were are every changing and evolving to shape the person and identity of who we think we are. Truth be told most people in the world will never know who they are, and only some people will think that they have figured out who they are. It is too hard to declare that we have a final draft of who we are as a person because we are always changing. I would have to say the only way a person could have a final draft of themselves is when they are dead. But, is that really your final draft of you as a person? What about after you die, where will you go? Will you start a new life? Or even an afterlife and live forever? This question is hard to answer but I would have to say that as people grow with time, we will always be becoming closer to our final draft, but even when death is upon us, we may not have been able to finalize some things in our life, and some things will be left for others to determine. I would say that life is a book that never ends, and we are writing the pages every day that we are living on this earth, so a person should live each day for the next trying to accomplish as much as they can while they have a chance to change the world. Because when we are gone we will never be able to return to be the same person we once were.

"Billy Sim"

This was a very interesting piece to read as it really made me think about how reliant people are on material things. I realized just from this essay that people buy things in order to make themselves happier. However, does this really make a person happy? I would have to say for personal experience anytime I buy something for myself I really do become more happy. For example, this past weekend I bought a new pair of Asics, which are the elite running shoes for our time. I bought them, for $120, which is the most, I have ever spent for a pair of shoes in my life, but honestly, they are the most comfortable shoes I have ever owned. When I bought them I was instantly happier with myself, I believe this was because I had finally spent my money on something that I could show off. In addition, I now had no reason to not run every day.
After reading this, it really made me think about my purchase and when I was walking through the mall how so many people were out shopping and all the different stores and products that are offered for people to purchase. I realized that so many people buy things in order to make themselves or other happy. But, I honestly do not have a problem with this because, isn’t that why we work for our money? So that we can buy things (material goods) to make ourselves happier. I also, feel like I do not need a game such as the Sims to make me realize things about my life. I understand what I do on a daily basis and why I do it.

Scumming

After reading the first couple sentences I was very interested in this story. It was amazing to me that rich people wanted to escape their rich lives and live on the streets in poverty. As I read the story, I began to realize more and more why they had done this. As inky always said “being absent is like being the new present,” this phrase really made me think. As if a person were to always be at social events with friends or attending fundraisers with their rich friends, and then all of the sudden they switched their lifestyle and lived on the streets. Would it make people wonder where you are or what you were doing? Also inky talked about how easy it was to get away or travel to different places by taking a flight. But, inky and her husband were able to get away by merely hiding on the street, being a CEO and a publisher they were able to go unnoticed by acting or portraying the homeless. I found it to be incredible that they would change their roles within society by acting as the homeless or I guess you could say getting away from their old identities by portraying a poor person. I can see how it would be interesting to try this, but me personally; I would not take the risks that I feel would be associated to this lifestyle. In the end inky and her husband ended up getting stabbed to death. That confirms my beliefs of never doing something like this, if anything – when I am older and have money I would like to help the needy and reduce the risk of deaths on the streets. Overall this was a very interesting story.

I am a Writer

I would definitely consider myself to be a writer, I must be, as i am a college student and writing is something that I do every single day. I enjoy writing and recently i sometimes write for enjoyment. I just write about my days, or what i have learned that day, or anything in particular that stood out to me or fascinates my imagination. I would honestly have to say that everyone is a writer whether they like or not, they could be good or bad, but every one who is a college student is a writer. I would definitely say some people are better than other along with some people liking to write more than others. There has not been one day this semester where I have not written something, whether it be an email, text message, a face book post, and essay assignment or even a blog like I am doing right now. Writing is inevitable and I am trying my best to learn and become a better writer every day.

Vanish

This was an awesome article, I felt like I was caught from the get go. Vanishing and hiding from everyone you know seems like a crazy idea, but I like it a lot. It was interesting how he used pre paid cell phones, along with programs that allowed him to give false IP addresses. I definitely think it would be fun to do this, and very challenging, knowing that there are people everywhere trying to find you. He said that he could hear people talking about him, as he would be walking by and people would not even notice him. His disguises were also great, it made sense to grow your hair out real long before he had started the hunt, and I thought it was interesting that he cut his hair as if he was balding man, where it was bald on top and he had hair on the sides. I feel like in a way it might make him stand out more, but I guess you must constantly change your appearance. One of the things I liked best about this was that he was able to travel with a band and go to different shows. The teams that were out to get him did a lot of work and had many great ideas. I thought that Evan was not going to be caught, and it really sucks that $3000 of the grand total was out of his pocket. As I was reading at times, I found my heart racing as if I was experiencing what he was doing. I would have liked him to win, but overall it was a good story and a great idea.

In Class Questions 2/16/11

1) To be "literate" in our world today a person must be up to date with technology, such as face book, twitter, texting, having a smart phone. Being fluent with all medias.
4) It is hard to find your own voice when you feel like everyone else has already said everything that could be said or done. Just like Mr. Cash said you can take some things that other people do, but you have to do it in your own way. People need to put their own twist on what they do to make it theirs or create some individuality. It is very possible, the challenge is making something seem as though it is your own.
5) Yes, some people project themselves in their own ways better than others. For example comedian's must have their own individuality in order to draw people to them. Also, a persons ethos has allot to do with how a person projects themselves. If you walk the walk, you gotta talk the talk.
6) In order to base who you are you have to look up to someone or have an idol. This sets the foundation for who you would like to be, but you are able to be yourself at the same time. For example, if you want to be a musician, you cannot just come up with your own genre, you have to have something to base your style on.

Why do I Write??

I basically write for only one reason and that is for the assignments I receive in my classes. I am not much of a free writer and I do not write in my spare time. I feel like sometimes I should, in order to better understand myself. Also I feel as though it could be beneficial so that I can see how I was thinking at that particular moment. It seems as though my thoughts are very negotiable, as my opinions and perceptions can be swayed depending upon how I feel. I like to be unpredictable because I feel as if I do come predictable it is to easy for people to read me and understand who I am. I like to keep people on their toes and always wondering what I will do next. I believe writing can ultimately help me discover who I really am as a person.

A&P - For Last Week.

I can definitely relate to this short story as I have worked in a grocery store for five years. I work at Kroger back in my hometown, which is about 2 and ½ hours away from Kent. I have kept my job and seniority for the past years and I plan to stay with the company while I continue to get my education.
In my days of working a lot of what is said I could relate too. When working in the summer it is usually slow and I wait at my register scoping my store for any good-looking girls my age. As he mentioned the store is like a pinball machine, you may spot a cutie and then she is gone and you never know where she is going to pop back up. If I were in this particular situation, I would have handled it differently, instead of quitting. I too would have told the girls to cover themselves up when they come to my store because they were not at the beach. This may be because I have been an employee for such a long time and I do not care as much if I tell people how it is because the truth is what people need.
Overall, I cannot believe that he quit because his manager embarrassed the girls, and the fact that his mom and dad were family friends of the managers. It really just does not make much sense, and it almost seems as though he wanted to quit in the first place and was looking for an excuse. In the end, he is left with his white shirt, no job and no girls.

Obama in class readings

We think that he made the changes mainly becuase he wanted to make his speech more personal to the reader and make it more engaging and captivating to the audience. It tugs on the heart strings.

We as a group agreed with what the blogger was saying. We think he hit the ball on the head with his thoughts and ideas of what Obama had in mind in why he did what he did. We agreed alot on the blogger saying that Obama wanted to add more detail and more of a personal touch to his words. He really wanted to engage the readers and make it as personal as he was able to.

A&P In-Class Questions

1) He was making a huge deal about quiting his job, when realistically he was only 19 years old and will have plenty of other opportunities to get a better job. We think he will get over it and it is not as bad as he thinks it is. It is sad in his perspective, but to us it is liberating because now he can pursue a better paying job.



2) His boss told him that he was making a mistake by quiting, but he didn't care and proceeded to quit. When he could have sucked it up and just kept his job and not try to impress the girls. We disagree with Gilbert, because it was more of a naive decision, trying to be the big shot. It came down to him being left by himself.



5) If it came down to us being in this position, we would not have gone about it the same way. We would have reinforced the managers orders to the girls and then continued to work.

Shitty First Drafts and Why I Write

The first article that I read was the shitty first drafts. I really enjoyed this article, as it made me think about when I write a first draft. I agree that the main goal when I am writing is to get everything I have to say out on paper. I am also scared that some people will find my first draft and read that before I ever even have the chance to go over it again. I realized that I do exactly what the author does, I like to get a written draft with all my thoughts and ideas, then I like to go over it another couple times before I feel as though it could be turned inn and graded. The hardest part about starting a paper is getting the first draft done. However, I do realize that as long as I can get my thoughts on paper, I can go over it again and reorganize my thoughts as needed.

The second article was why I write. This was also a very interesting article as it addressed why the author wrote, and how she did it. What I liked most about this article is that she would have mental images when beginning to write a book, and she would go off of what she saw in her mind. It was as if she had nowhere to go with it, all she had was an image in her mind and then took this image to the next level by expanding on ideas that she has created. This really made me think about why I write, and how I will continue to write in the future.