Thursday, October 20, 2011
"Tools That Change the Way We Think."
The Internet, and technology in general have really changed how people learn and think today. When my parents were in school, and they wanted to find out more information on a topic, they didn't have Google at their fingertips. They had to go and find some sort of reading material on the subject, and look it up "the long way." Now, when I have a question about something, one of two thoughts come to my head: Either, "I'm going to Google this when I get the chance," or, "I'm going to ChaCha this on my phone, because I'm to lazy to get online and look for myself." We have so much information that is, "just a click away." But now I'm learning of new walls that I need to overcome... such things as algorithims and filter bubbles, and this kind of stops my love for the Internet, or at least makes me question it. When I think of people talking about the Internet, I think of the phrase "broadening our minds to all the information that's out there." That's all that people would talk about when the Internet first came to be. And now all to come and find out that we don't have ALL of the information... just what our math equation supplies us with. I enjoyed a quote from Google Co-Founder Sergey Brin said in the article: "Right now you go into your computer and type a phrase, but you can imagine that it could be easier in the future, that you can have just devices you talk into, or you can have computers that pay attention to what's going on around them and suggest useful information." But is all this advancement in Google's effiency taking away some of the potential that the Internet has?
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
To Facebook, Or Not to Facebook?
My initial response to Facebook, was "HOLY COW THIS IS AWESOME!" It was my freshmen year when I was finally able to make a Facebook, and all my friends already had one and had been talking about how awesome it was. I was so excited to be able to communicate to my friends yet another, way.
The benefits to Facebook, I think, are the social networking perks. I've have had study groups over Facebook, and I've been able to keep up with friends and family that either live too far away, or I don't get to see very often. I really like that all my friends are "just a click away." But recently in class, I've been thinking about all the neagitive things that come with Facebook. The fact that I can't completly control my personal privacy settings is really starting to hit me... I used to think that, oh who cares? Only people that I add can see all of my personal information... But now I'm hearing that that's not the case. It kind of freaks me out that any random stranger can type in "Jessica Catron" and find out all of my infomation. I'm just glad I don't have a smart phone with GPS capabilities.
The article, "Why Facebook Is After Your Kids," really opened my eyes to the big deal of Internet Safety and kids. I knew that people under the age of 13 had Facebooks. I mean, my cousin made a Facebook for her 10 month old baby... So I knew that they were out there. But I didn't know that the numbers of just how many kids had Facebooks at such a young age, was so drastic. The fact that ANYONE out there in the world can look up these children and find out anything they want to about them, is a very scary thought.
The benefits to Facebook, I think, are the social networking perks. I've have had study groups over Facebook, and I've been able to keep up with friends and family that either live too far away, or I don't get to see very often. I really like that all my friends are "just a click away." But recently in class, I've been thinking about all the neagitive things that come with Facebook. The fact that I can't completly control my personal privacy settings is really starting to hit me... I used to think that, oh who cares? Only people that I add can see all of my personal information... But now I'm hearing that that's not the case. It kind of freaks me out that any random stranger can type in "Jessica Catron" and find out all of my infomation. I'm just glad I don't have a smart phone with GPS capabilities.
The article, "Why Facebook Is After Your Kids," really opened my eyes to the big deal of Internet Safety and kids. I knew that people under the age of 13 had Facebooks. I mean, my cousin made a Facebook for her 10 month old baby... So I knew that they were out there. But I didn't know that the numbers of just how many kids had Facebooks at such a young age, was so drastic. The fact that ANYONE out there in the world can look up these children and find out anything they want to about them, is a very scary thought.
Monday, October 10, 2011
(Don't) Be Hamlet
Prompt: Now that you've mastered the text of "To be, or not to be..." reflect on Hamlet's dilemma and help him make up his mind. Use the text of the play and your own logic to support your opinion.
During Act 3, Scene i, Hamlet is faced with a life or death situation... literally. Through the script so far, Hamlet has had to deal with a murderer of an uncle, a ghost expierence that informs him of the hideous intentions of his Uncle, and whatever feelings are flooding his head over the beautiful Ophelia. During the infamous, "To be, or not to be..." speech, Hamlet has narrowed his options down to a meager two choices. On one hand, he can end all this EARTHLY suffering, and take his life by his own dagger. In other words, his first option to end all the pain he is going through, is to commit suicide. On the other hand, Hamlet can live on, and find some way to avenge his father's untimely death. He can learn to live with all the hurt and all the pain that he is currently expierencing, and push forward to hopefully better days, where his devious uncle pays for what he has done. The question Hamlet is facing, is whether or not to commit one of the unforgiveable sins, or to deal with pain and suffering, and deface his Uncle, taking whatever means necessary.
The question burning poor Hamlet's mind, is which of the two evils he should commit. Which one would be right, or at least less wrong? To die, to slip into this "endless sleep," would be a way to escape from his suffering... right? This is where Hamlet begins to question the certinty of death. "To die, to sleep- to sleep- perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub, for in that sleep of death what dreams may come when we have shuffled off this mortal coil, must give us pause." (page 89) What if, even in death, the mind is left to waunder and to dream? What if even death can't surpress the endless thoughts that happen in moments of solitude? This can't be the correct choice. Even if he were to escape the saddness that comes with being damned in a seemingly meaningless life, there's no way he can be assured the endless thoughts of life will cease. He may be forced to succomb to thinking about what could of happened, for an etertunity. Hamlet's only option left, is to push forward through these hard times, and expose his Uncle for that he truly is: a murderer.
Hamlet's final option is to push on; to move forward from the pit his life stands at, at the current moment, and find the "light at the end of the tunnel." This of couse, proves hard for our protagonist. After "the fair Ophelia" walks in on Hamlet's speech on his inner turmoil, he speaks his mind to her, and tells her she should go to a nunnery, for his sin would taint her. "Get thee to a nunnery. Why wouldst thou be a breeder of sinners? I am myself indifferent honest, but yet I could accuse me of such things that it wwere better if my mother had not bourne me: I am vert proud, revengeful, ambitious, with more offense at my back than I have thought to put them in, imagination to give the shape, or time to act them in. Why should such fellows as I do crawling between earth and heaven?" (page 91) His sins which are spiriling through his mind at this moment in time, are driving him mad. And to act upon his instinct to unviel his Uncle's true colors, would only add to the list. Not to mention, what kind of dangerous situation this can throw Hamlet into... After admitting to knowing about the murder, there's no knowing what his Uncle, the King of Denmark, will want to do with him. But Hamlet must push forward with his plans, no matter the circumstance. Hamlet must avenge his father, and bring light to the murder of his beloved father, King Hamlet.
During Act 3, Scene i, Hamlet is faced with a life or death situation... literally. Through the script so far, Hamlet has had to deal with a murderer of an uncle, a ghost expierence that informs him of the hideous intentions of his Uncle, and whatever feelings are flooding his head over the beautiful Ophelia. During the infamous, "To be, or not to be..." speech, Hamlet has narrowed his options down to a meager two choices. On one hand, he can end all this EARTHLY suffering, and take his life by his own dagger. In other words, his first option to end all the pain he is going through, is to commit suicide. On the other hand, Hamlet can live on, and find some way to avenge his father's untimely death. He can learn to live with all the hurt and all the pain that he is currently expierencing, and push forward to hopefully better days, where his devious uncle pays for what he has done. The question Hamlet is facing, is whether or not to commit one of the unforgiveable sins, or to deal with pain and suffering, and deface his Uncle, taking whatever means necessary.
The question burning poor Hamlet's mind, is which of the two evils he should commit. Which one would be right, or at least less wrong? To die, to slip into this "endless sleep," would be a way to escape from his suffering... right? This is where Hamlet begins to question the certinty of death. "To die, to sleep- to sleep- perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub, for in that sleep of death what dreams may come when we have shuffled off this mortal coil, must give us pause." (page 89) What if, even in death, the mind is left to waunder and to dream? What if even death can't surpress the endless thoughts that happen in moments of solitude? This can't be the correct choice. Even if he were to escape the saddness that comes with being damned in a seemingly meaningless life, there's no way he can be assured the endless thoughts of life will cease. He may be forced to succomb to thinking about what could of happened, for an etertunity. Hamlet's only option left, is to push forward through these hard times, and expose his Uncle for that he truly is: a murderer.
Hamlet's final option is to push on; to move forward from the pit his life stands at, at the current moment, and find the "light at the end of the tunnel." This of couse, proves hard for our protagonist. After "the fair Ophelia" walks in on Hamlet's speech on his inner turmoil, he speaks his mind to her, and tells her she should go to a nunnery, for his sin would taint her. "Get thee to a nunnery. Why wouldst thou be a breeder of sinners? I am myself indifferent honest, but yet I could accuse me of such things that it wwere better if my mother had not bourne me: I am vert proud, revengeful, ambitious, with more offense at my back than I have thought to put them in, imagination to give the shape, or time to act them in. Why should such fellows as I do crawling between earth and heaven?" (page 91) His sins which are spiriling through his mind at this moment in time, are driving him mad. And to act upon his instinct to unviel his Uncle's true colors, would only add to the list. Not to mention, what kind of dangerous situation this can throw Hamlet into... After admitting to knowing about the murder, there's no knowing what his Uncle, the King of Denmark, will want to do with him. But Hamlet must push forward with his plans, no matter the circumstance. Hamlet must avenge his father, and bring light to the murder of his beloved father, King Hamlet.
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