Nov 30 2009
Archive for November, 2009
Nov 22 2009
Blog 10: Which Visual Maus Presentation in your class section impressed you the most? What about it made it effective?
This week isn’t so much about responding to the leaders, so I’m going to leave the responses by the leaders in the regular response list this week.
Nov 16 2009
Blog 9: Thoreau stated in his “Civil Disobedience”: “I heartily accept the motto, ‘That government is best which governs least’; and I should like to see it acted up to more rapidly and systematically.” Does this maxim apply more today or less, and why or why not?
BLOG LEADERS FOR THE WEEK:
ammonclark:
I believe that there is a fine line between to much government and not enough government. I believe that it applies more today because of better communication technology. Less technology means that information could be old and long past due for a decision. This means the government must decide more because the people cannot. There are problems that stop this and one of them is people that don’t get involved. Government should do less because we can be better educated but we will not take action. Until the people of America take government in our own hands we cannot reduce what the government does.
rainmaker:
I think that is should apply to our day and age more than in the past. Although people did take more initiative in getting things done WITH their government in the past, we should take responsibility and advantage of the technological advances of communication (like ammonclark said.) We have all the resources and knowledge we could ever want at our fingertips. I would hope that if government officials stepped back for a bit just to see what the people would do, that we as members of this democratic system would step up and demonstrate our right to voice our opinions and use what our forefathers fought so hard to win for us. I think there’s a good chance we would step it up. This generation is the most critically thinking of any that have come before.
Govrenment is what keeps a country in line, so to speak. Without it, our country, for example would result in chaos because a vast majority cannot govern themselves. However, I strongly agree with that motto because the government gets out of hand and tries to control too much. Today, the government is over doing things with strict decisions and exotic ideas that are going to throw our nation eskew. The government does not take to this motto possibly because they are afriad of making a mess of things even though they are doing so anyways. The government should look back on times when there was not so much control over the people to see how much better thigns would be if they stepped back a little.
I think this maxim does apply today. Today, Government is more involved than we think. They have crazy technology where they can hack into cellphones and watch you through your camera on the phone and here what you are saying. It reminds me of the movie Eagle Eye, this is how are techonolgy is today. The government can find any information they want to. It makes me wonder how involved the goverment is in our everyday lives, and what other devices they use to get information. The whole T.V. system going to HD could possibly have to do with the goverment. We never know and they could monitor our every move if they wanted to. So i do think that this maxim does apply to today because government does need to govern less, yet it has worked for us all these years that they must be doing something right. Government does need to back off a little though.
chriskelly:
I also believe that this is more true today. A good display of this is in the movie Welcome to Mooseport. In the movie, a previous president campaigns against a well known plumber of the town Mooseport. In one of the debates, the former president goes on about how he will hire all these specialist in different fields to figure out if a Stop sign should be put up. Because, one the owner of the house where the stop sign would be put doesn’t want it there becuase of the lights But, the plumber just asks her if she has tried black out curtains. This is just an example of how normal citizens can get a job done faster, with just as good if not better results.
I agree with this quote and believe it still applies today but it is not acted upon. I believe that the government tries to control our life too much and we let them. I do believe that there should be some government control of course but I think people should be left up to a lot of decision making as well. And though America claims to be a free country I believe we are slowly losing our freedom. But it is sad because regardless of what happens or what is going on no one will be happy with the government. More or less, people will complain.
It applies more, because as you knowthe government is trying to redo the health care plan which isn’t working out so well. So if the government just sets rules and would help to make things work then it would be a lot better and people would believe more in the government then they would trust them to make big decisions such as the healthcare plan and such.
I think that it applies less today than it did back then. With all of the advances in technology and travel the world is much more complex place than it was in his time. So that requires the government to have to do more to keep everything under control then they did back then. However, I do think that there is a point when the government has to stop getting involved. We may be coming up to that point if we aren’t already there.
britanyschoenrock:
When I read this quote I kinda agreed with it, and I believe this maxim does apply to us in our day. Government is so important to people that I’ve seen. Personally, I don’t really get involved with the government, cause it’s never really been a interest. It bugs me how they have government everywhere, especially in how technology has increased. All over T.V., radio, cell phones, just really everywhere. I think sometimes people take to much interest, and then it contols peoples lives. I do think we should have governmental control, but we should be able to make choices, and possibly influence the government.
Nov 09 2009
Blog 8: Do you think most people are able to see all sides of an argument or just their side? Why? What about you?
Blog Leader 02-1:
I really think that it depends on the conversation. I think that if people have enough information on the subject then they may be able to see both sides. A lot of people have an argument because they want to argue what they think is right. But I do believe that if it is a mutual subject then they would be able to see all sides of the argument because they know more of what is going on. Some people though actually do not see all sides and think their opinion is the right one. People should look back and see that everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But in another way I think that people are able to see all sides of the Argument but they think that what they have learned is the right way and they don’t want to change their opinion. There is times when i can see all sides of the argument but in some ways I can only see why mine is the right way.
-jaimeadamson
Blog Leader 02-2:
It all depends on what the argument is about and how that person is. If it is an everyday kind of subject i believe that the person will see both sides of the argument. If its something the individual doesn’t know much about then maybe he wont see both sides of the argument. People may see both sides but they have there own opinion on what is right. I usually see both sides of the argument but there has been times where i haven’t.
-wesleyselby
Blog Leader 10-1:
I think that people can see all the sides to the argument, it just needs to be explained to them.It also has to do with the argument it self and what it is on. There are somethings some people can not get at all that’s just not the way they think, and they will argue about it. When it has to do with everyday things that is when both sides can be seen clearly. But just because they can see were the other person is coming from does not mean that they have to agree with it. I can usually see both sides but i do not change my argument just because that. If i am wrong I just admit it and move on.
-iangoodger
Blog Leader 10-2:
In my past experiences it has mattered on how heated the argument got and if I liked the person. Many arguments can easily turn personal and shift off the main subject matter. In those cases, the issue is still there without any resolution or conclusion. In particular if you are having an argument with someone you don’t like, even if the other person is right, you may not agree with them only because of who he/she is. A lot of us have strong opinions and are quick to express them because we want to be heard. In my life I realize I need to listen and consider all sides with just as much intensity as I express mine.
-j0garcia
Blog Leader 14-1:
i think if you are in an argument in the first place, you are having trouble seeing both sides. there’s maybe a disagreement when people disagree with each other and their points of view. i think most people would like their side to be the opinion of most people or for them to be right, so they have a hard time seeing the other side or sometimes even they just don’t want to hear other views. i’m not going to lie i have a hard time listening to things i don’t want to hear, and sometimes it takes a falling out or being mad for me to see what’s really going on.
-shalonnarencheron
Blog Leader 14-3:
I think most people are just able to see their side of the argument. If people could see both sides then the arguments wouldn’t be as strong. Some people can see both sides to an argument but part of arguing is choosing a side and taking it.
Blog Leader 10-1:
In general people don’t acknowledge both sides of an argument because they are biased. I usually see both sides even if I don’t agree with them and when people argue they don’t recognize the opposition’s argument as valid or noteworthy.
-davidattali
Blog SAPM-1:
I think that it is very hard for most people to see every side of an argument. Most people base their opinion and stick to it no matter what the other side has to say. They listen but don’t hear what the other side has to say. They Don’t take all the information in, they pick what they want and leave the rest out. I try to be even but often find myself picking a side.
-yoshiscott
I think everyone can see all sides of an argument. you have to take inconsideration both sides. if you don’t then the side your siding with wont always be right with others and they would want to no why you picked that side. you need to find out a why you picked that side and you need to see why others haven’t. so its always a good thing to look at others point of views as well as yours.
-sillystring
Blog SAAM-2:
I believe it all just depends on the person. Many people will only see their side of the argument and wont even consider the other side because they are stubborn and get defensive. Most people who have any experience in debating or are just good arguers look at both sides of an argument so that they can make an educated response to it. I try to see both sides of an argument as much as i can though sometimes I find myself getting defensive. Anyone can argue a point, but it takes one who is proficient at debated to be able to view both sides of a story or argument and then be able to make an educated and unbiased opinion about it.
-voltronon
Blog Leader SAAM-3:
I think that most of the time people only see their own side of the argument. If someone decides something is right, they will usually stand by their opinion and never change their mind, no matter how good the other argument is. I think a lot of the time they could see another side to it if they wanted to, but they are too stubborn to admit that anyone else could be right.
-emmaduncan
Blog Leader 14-3:
I agree with 02-1, it really does depend on the conversation topic and the information you know. But it also depends on the person. A lot of people are pretty strong minded and are not willing to see other peoples sides if it is not their own, this makes them a little ignorant. People are very capable of seeing both sides of an argument if they are willing to try. Personally I feel that when I understand the other side I am able to make my argument stronger because ultimately I understand it better.
-amandatillotson
Blog Leader SAAM 04:
I believe that everyone is able to see all sides to an argument, they just choose not to agree, or they are so stubborn that they won’t even try to see other sides. People like this drive me crazy! When I am having a dispute over something with another person, it is easy for me to see the reasons backing up the person’s beliefs but I choose to stick to my reasons. I feel that most everyone does so because of pride that we all have and, like Amanda said, knowing the reasons behind another’s argument can strengthen your belief in your own argument.
-amberliwilde
Blog Leader SAAM-4:
Most people are able to see both sides of an argument and give it some credit. The problem is that the ‘ability’ to see it does not mean that they ‘try’ to see it. It has to be shown to them and explained before they will accept it. Most people are pretty even minded about arguments and can take in others sides calmly even if they don’t agree with them, but there are the people out there who will not listen to or see any other side but there own. If you have ever met one of these people, then you know what I am talking about. It’s not even fun to argue with them, because you know that they are not listening. I don’t know when it happened, but sometime in my childhood I developed the instinctive action to try and see the other side and know where there coming from. I think that everyone should try and develop this skill, whether to make their own argument better or to just understand. Remember being able to see the other side does not mean that you have to agree with it.
-kingsoloman
Nov 02 2009
Blog 7: This generation is often referred to as more of a visual generation, which includes the use of media like YouTube, video games, movies, or even comics. Is the prominence of the visual in society now a positive or negative thing and why?
Blog Leader 10-1:
I think it can be seen as positive and negative. Positive because movies for example has been apart of our culture for years, this is rather recent however I say it is positive because it gives people things to do with family and friends. On the other hand, which I do not neccessarily agree with, this can also be negative because the most common argument is placed on the fact that majority of video game players, movie watchers are younger children and violent games is supposedly making kids believe that violence is acceptable. I believe that a visual generation in general can be used affectively for visual aids for school and they can give really great life messages to which we should follow. In all I believe a visual generation has more positive than negative.
-rozflores
Blog Leader SAAM 1:
I think it’s positive. Things like YouTube, video games, and movies can give us more visual, instead of using our imagination which can give us different views than what authors really wanted. It’s easier to watch a movie ( one hour and half ), instead of reading the book ( days ) which could save us tons of time during school. It’s also one of the really great ways for families to bond with each other and other relatives. The only thing I have against this is the games, it’s not bad to play games, but there should be a limit on how much you should play because a lot of children tend to get really addicted and spend almost no time outside of them.
-tapan
Blog Leader 14-1:
I think that it can be positive and negative. It’s really amazing that we have the technology we do but, at the same time I think that it has made us a lazier people. I agree with tapan’s statement saying watching a movie is easier than reading a book.. There are so many different things we can do to get around putting in our time through technology. I think it is sad that we have to watch a movie to see a visual of what really happened. We can read a book and think for ourselves when doing so. I think technology is a necessity in our world and how we live however, I think some people abuse it.
-kathleenhigginson
Blog Leader SAAM 2:
Personally, i think it is both positve and negative. I think it can be a positive thing because people can still spend time together doing these things and because of these things people can become iformed about things a lot quicker than before. Some negative effects of this, are that people who do choose to spend time together doing these activities do not end up spending the quality time together that they could. Also, it has been proven that electronic, visual, objects kill brain cells that can never be replaced. So if this visual generations keeps going and getting worse then not only will people be getting dumber and dumber but they will also start to lose understanding of the world around them. They will not know about the world around them because if they are always spending time indoors (which is where these objects and activities take place) then they will slowly loose the knowledge they could gain from the outdoors. I do think that these are both good and bad but i think it is more harmful than good.
I also think that there are both positives and negatives to being a visual society. It is a good way of communitcation and seeing parts of the world that someone might not otherwise get the opportunities to see. It can provide fun activities for family and friends to do together. But overall I think that the negatives outway the positives. People are getting adicted to computer and videos games. They aren’t taking time to go outside and learn new things on their own. TV is killing brain cells and people are becoming very lazy because there is no need to work hard with all of this new technology. I think that having visual is hindering our society.
-westoncleveland1
Blog Leader SAAM 3:
I also think that there are both positives and negatives to being a visual society. It is a good way of communitcation and seeing parts of the world that someone might not otherwise get the opportunities to see. It can provide fun activities for family and friends to do together. But overall I think that the negatives outway the positives. People are getting adicted to computer and videos games. They aren’t taking time to go outside and learn new things on their own. TV is killing brain cells and people are becoming very lazy because there is no need to work hard with all of this new technology. I think that having visual is hindering our society.
Blog Leader 10-2:
I believe that it can be used in a positive and negative way. Positive in a way that there is a lot of information you can obtain for just about anything under the sun that you want to find info about. In the same sense it can be very negative. There are a lot of people that put such crude things on these technologies that it can be a very scary place especially for younger children. But if used in the right way it can be a very good resource for all ages.
-triciajo
Blog Leader 14-2:
I believe that it is taking a negative toll on this generation because we are lacking in our other four senses while the vision sense takes over. Not only do we diminish in our ability to listen or experience feeling, but we discriminate against those who do not have the ability to experience vision. Maybe if we all stepped out of our visual media boxes and tried being blind for a day we would come to appreciate the other four senses that are being put on the back burner more fully.
-auntgigi
Blog Leader SAPM 1:
I think that it is both a positive and negative influence on our society. I think that it is taking away from our social abilities and making it so that people do not know how to communicate in person because they are so used to being able to talk to people over the internet or cell phone so they do not know how to interact with other people. I think that it is positive though because the technology makes it easier to communicate with people that we would otherwise not be able to talk to such as the soldiers over seas. So i think that it depends on how it is used.
-andrewcoonen
Blog Leader SAPM 2:
I feel that the prominence of visual in society is a very good thing. However, like most good things in life, this aspect of society can often be misused. These visual products can be used: (1) as trustworthy resources for school studies, (2) to discover what is socially acceptable, (3) to learn a skill, (4) or to just enjoy your free time. The only time that the effects of visual elements do not prosper in the world is when kids misuse this privilege. This is done by doing things like watching movies or videos that swear or have pornography in them, or any other thing that teaches one a bad morale. Everyone learns, feels, and thinks differently. The fact is, that some people just learn better visually. That’s the way that I am. Besides, I think that sight is our most dominate sense. We use it more than all of the others. So why not capitalize on that part of life?
-heathjohnson
Blog Leader 02-2:
The argument can go both ways. Media is one thing that brings people together. In a social atmosphere, you can get together with your family and friends and watch a movie or play a video game. There is nothing wrong with that, but there is a point when too much is really too much. In the negative aspect, the use of technology has taken away from many people’s social skills. More and more people are resorting to only communicating through the internet, and even relying on the internet to find one’s spouse.
Blog Leader 14-3:
i agree whit the leader in the fact that movies are a part of our history and that they can be used in a positive way. i don’t feel that violence in video games is a problem if the person is of age. the notion that these games paint the wrong image to children is true, but the games are not made with the intention that children would be playing them. the real responsibility lies with the parents to monitor the games their children are playing. video games have a lot of good uses. such as a tool to learn teem work, tactics, to improve eye hand combination, and it can be a healthy way to release anger. so i feel that it is a good thing that we as a generation are more visual.
-imyogybear
Blog Leader SAAM 4:
I personally think that it has both a positive and negative effect on society. Technology is very helpful with things such as, research, news, and information. But it also is very negative, for example, we are very dependent on our cell phones and computers, we have lost communication skills, and we tend to waste our time on things such as video games, and tv. We just need to balance out the positives and negatives.
-alovell
