Social Media
24 hour challenge
Social Media
In my opinion it was difficult going without social media. I did not make it a whole 24 hours. A person becomes addicted to it very easily especially when he or she can see the notifications coming through their phone. That was also a problem for me. It becomes a form of entertainment especially for the younger generations. I have all the apps on my IPhone which notify me constantly about different updates on my account. It is easier to not use the accounts while you are in school, but it becomes a challenge when you hang out and just chill. Personally, I use Snapchat, Twitter, and Instagram which are very addicting in my case. It became very difficult when I could not see what people were sending me. I caved during 3rd block, and I sent a Snapchat back to a friend. I have gone without my phone for a few weeks which felt like sheer torture. I am aware it is a huge issue I feel this way. My generation has gone beyond the point of tech savvy to an extreme where it affects peoples’ health. For example, the amount of texting and driving has increased which causes more accidents; the risk of arthritis in the hands and necks from constant phone use will cripple us when we get older. The challenge of going 24 hours without social media was more difficult than I had anticipated; it gave me insight into how much I actually rely on them. The challenge was mostly mental, but social media is as addicting as taking a drug. I might attempt it later to see how long I can go without using any social media.
Social Media
Mobile Access
Media Literacy
Conspiracy or Factual?
Media is a source of information or mass communication from social media to books to the local news. Media literacy seems to mean to be in touch with the world around you. People have easy access to information, smart phones allow this. It is a way to educate people. It comes in different formats and genres. This allows for critical thinking, advertising, communication, and other ideas. I would consider a younger person who is more tech savvy than an older person who just only can get the newspaper or magazine. A person who is more media literate is open to different forms of media and communication to learn, analyze, and evaluate different ideas or topics. There are forums all across the internet dedicated to this subject. People have to learn to ask the right questions. This idea of media literacy would be more prevalent in a democratic society because democratic societies have free access guaranteed in the constitutions. For example, in the United States there are tens of thousands of different media outlets while in North Korea they have a state ran newspaper and news station if you are lucky enough to own a television. Technology especially in westernized countries gets more and more sophisticated every day therefore that allows for more types of media outlets all across the world. Educators have a vision for more implementation of media education in schools across the country. The only scary part for some people is they could think technology and media will one day take up too much of our lives as humans.
Social Media
Media
These are just some of the different ways people can get information.
Rebellion: Gang of 8
Mikhail Gorbachev
USSR Flag
Policy
Archetypal Spies: Fiction and Fact
Winston and O’Brien are both similar to Edward Snowden because of their yearning for an end to an era of surveillance, but they differ from Snowden because he took action against the National Security Agency (NSA). Orwell wrote this book as a political commentary. In books 1 and 2, Winston never has a chance to truly show his disdain for the party until O’Brien gives him the opportunity with the “Brotherhood”. O’Brien and Winston both seem to not like the ideology of the Party and Big Brother, so a revolt by them would out them on the top of the Party’s enemy list. Snowden had to flee the United States because of what he exposed. He still has hundreds of thousands of documents that have not been revealed. The Party publicly shames their enemies just like the United Sates, but the Party has surveillance on all of their people with their knowledge. Edward Snowden revealed truths that many Americans did not have knowledge of or how extensive the NSA surveillance was. O’Brien is a member of the inner party, and he has access to certain classified information that Winston does not, and Snowden was a high level CIA analyst. Winston differs from them because he is a member of the outer party, and he has less knowledge of Party affairs. The main difference between the characters of the dystopian novel and the actual human being is that Snowden saw an opportunity to make a difference, and he took it, but Winston and O’Brien may not ever have that opportunity.
Fact Checking: Snopes
Snopes.com published an article that deemed claims about Donald Trump wanting to nuke Mexico if they did not give the United States money were false. Donald Trump is a GOP republican candidate for the presidency. A satire site published an embellished article and it got out of hand, and people thought the news was real. I do not often double check facts. I do know when certain things I should not believe though like news from a satire site. The only time I really triple check my sources is when I write an academic assignment for school, but when I do write something for a school I also use credible sources. The only other times I check facts are discussions about history, politics, or legal matters. I usually just use one of the first sources I see that pops up on Google after I search something. When I accept the truth from people it depends on who it is and how I perceive them or their reputation. I usually do not accept facts that are really “out there”. My mom always asks me “Do you believe everything you hear?” She was right because a person should not believe everything they read or hear. I still use Google a lot, but I should start checking a few sources if the idea seems a little far-fetched. I do not believe Donald Trump would have said anything like that because he would lose his Hispanic and especially Mexican votes that he had.
Donald Trump
Nagasaki, Japan
Mexico
Villian or Victim?
I believe Winston will become a villain for the government. They torture him every day, but we are not sure of the timeframe. I predict he will survive Room 101, but he will be changed forever. I do not know what happens to him yet in that room. I suppose being trapped with your worst fear can make a person do anything. I know personally if I was trapped in a room with spiders or clowns I would have to be submissive because I would not want to face my 2 worst fears like that. I predict Winston will become brainwashed to love Big Brother, and forced to rejoin his society. I predict that because it seems like the most unexpected ending. I would expect him to die by the hands of the Party loving Julia, his family, and keeping his humanity. He is a strong believer in individualism, and I feel he would leave the world that way as well. I believe O’Brien is a villain of the government for his actions, but he is also a victim because he was brainwashed. The values of the Party that are enforced as laws force people to hide from what is right and the truth. I do now know if O’Brien knows what he is doing, or he might be so brainwashed he truly believes his actions are helpful. He is a villain the torture he imposes on people. He knows that is wrong.
Life of a Prole
The passage “Life of a Prole” reflects American society to a tee. Those activities may not be the same for everybody, but the principal is the same. Society is distracted by entertainment, television, sports, shopping, and other obsessions. The plight of the 1
st world country is greed, ignorance, and arrogance. Large corporations work with the government to monopolize and control the United States of America. The proletariat is the working-class people or the masses are where the word “Prole” derives from. Everything is controlled by someone. There is hierarchy or ladder in society. I think many people do nit fully comprehend the bigger issues of our country and the world around us. We think donating money to fund a drinking water project in an African nation will make us feel helpful and knowledgeable. The above listed activities are to fill a void in our lives that man was not intended for. Some of the bigger issues in our country like apparent racism, poverty, student loans, rising debt, obesity of over 2/3 of the adults, education budget cuts, horrible candidates for the 2016 presidential election, rising national debt, and many other things are being blatantly ignored. The Proles live how Americans live except we have more freedoms and less oppression.
Reflection 1
Reflection 2
To ensure Prince Ea’s video does not become a reality the human race must change. One person like him can have a voice, but not everyone will listen to this voice. There needs to be a plethora of the World’s population to come together. I do not believe some people will agree with this message because they are greedy or selfish and this type of message will interfere with their monetary status and materialistic possessions. Social Media is very addictive. I admit I get anxiety if I cannot check it. There are scientific studies linking it to depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts or ideations, ADD, ADHD, and more. It disconnects people. Also, people lose social and grammar skills if they text or use social media a lot. The implications are people will have a decreased amount of privacy, social skills, productivity, and independent thinking. There are many other negative implications as well. I think the fact a lot of serious mental issues are caused by this is a huge problem. The use of social media causes physical problems like thumb, neck, and back problems from staying in a certain position. One way to solve this is to become self-aware. Even though a person acknowledges something they must take steps to fix it. I think it is difficult to use social media for good without becoming a slave to it. People take things out of context, alter them, and have different connotations among other things.