What have I learned?

All in all, I think this was a course that made you think outside of the box, and also made you question authority.  We have learned that giving someone (government?) control over even the smallest parts of your life could quite possibly affect you more than you might think it would, and could lead to more control.  We have also learned about the violence in humanity.  What is it about violence that draws us?  Why do we enjoy watching it?  I think that all of us came up with our own answers.  I enjoyed this course because it made you think.  Not about school work necessarily, but about important things like keeping your own voice, protecting your freedom, and how to read-between-the-lines. 

Book Burning?

Our society would lose its sense of self.  Our history, poetry, and stories would be lost.  Even the way children are raised would be different.  When I was young my mom would read a book to me until I fell asleep. 

I would miss books very much.  I read a lot, and it's an opportunity for me to get lost in a different place for awhile.  It is a source of entertainment and relaxation for me.

We "burn" books everyday in favor of computers.  We choose to forsake reading in favor of getting online and talking to our friends or surfing the web.  Technology today is slowly destroying our "want" of books.  With so much entertainment available to us (cell phones, ipods, laptops, etc.) why would we decide to pick up a book that doesn't do anything "cool"?  Books are important because they are timeless.  They don't break, and if you keep good care of them they will never wear out. 

Books can be dangerous because they make people think and question themselves.  You can learn from books, and knowledge could be dangerous (to a government, for example).  People with enough knowledge don't like to be controlled. 

Reaction: Hunger Games

I really enjoyed Hunger Games.  I thought it was interesting and easy to read.  Katniss was a very strong character and she was also very easy to connect with through the text.  I am for sure planning on buying the rest of the series.  I feel that this book tied in with the others easily, because it also demonstrates the power that Government has over it's people (even though it is more subtly expressed in this book, unlike 1984).  I felt that the most interesting character in the book was Rue.  Katniss felt an extreme protectiveness towards her, I think because she reminded Katniss so much of her little sister, Prim.  I wish that Rue wouldn't have been killed, because I feel like she would've contributed more to the story.

I connected this to "The Most Dangerous Game"

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Most_Dangerous_Game

Jersey Shore/Survivor

Reality Television revolves around teenagers and people in their early twenties.  This "reality" is definitely not actuality.  The characters in these kinds of shows cater to what they think we, as viewers, want to see.  And the sad part is, they are right. 


When I was younger, my family watched the show "Survivor" religiously.  Every Thursday night we would sit down and watch it.  We never missed an episode.  The first few seasons we really liked it, but then it came out that the television crews were sneaking them food, etc.  After we found that out, we stopped.  Also, when the show first came out, it seemed like the players were more your everyday kind of people that are your neighbors.  Then they started putting people that already had money (meaning they didn't even really need the million) or they were eccentrics that we couldn't even relate too. Because Survivor has changed its game up, I feel like they have lost a lot of viewers.  So this demonstrates that sometimes "reality shows" can lose their glamour because people get sick of seeing people that they can't relate to.


Jersey Shore is the exact opposite of Survivor.  First of all, it is just a bunch of people getting trashed and partying, plus a ton of drama.  All of the cast acts like idiots and sluts.  Sadly, people watch this show non-stop.  I don't want to say that this is something that people can relate to, but it is.  The vast majority of college students have that "one friend" who will always get to drunk and attempt to sleep with whoever is available.  We all know that "one couple" who hates each other but will never break up.  I watch Jersey Shore every time it is on.  Sad? yes.  But it imitates a partying college students reality, only on a much larger scale. 


I don't believe that these characters act this crazy in real life.  In fact, I read somewhere that before Jersey Shore, Snooki (Nicole) was actually studying to be a Veterinary Assistant.  So, what does this mean?  The people on this show act a certain way to attract a certain crowd of viewers.  Us.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGGm1yJli0k&feature=related

Freedom and Privacy

I believe that we do have our privacy today.  The government may have ways of keeping track of us if they decide that they have a reason, but I don't think that they watch everyday people.  If you are being "watched", there is probably a reason.  It would cost way too much money to keep track of everyone in the United States "just because".   We have the freedom to do what we want to do as long as we don't harm anyone else, and I think that that is pretty fair.

Creative Blog (#2)

Violet's Father's perspective:

Dear Diary,
Things have been getting progressively worse with Violet's Feed.  More and more I find myself wishing that she didn't have it.  Since she didn't get it until she was seven, she at least has the capability to think for herself, which most people now don't have.  Today's society is disgusting to me.  Everyones minds are being constantly updated with the newest media garbage possible.  All of this decides for people what they should act, look, and feel like.  I'm so glad that Violet is not like that.  However, because she is not an asset to the Feed, no one will help us.  People in today's society no longer have hearts, just as they no longer have minds.  The United States has went from being the melting pot of the worlds cultures to everyone being carbon copies of each other.  At what point did people's individuality become lost?  I blame it all on the Feed.  We all would have been better off without it.  I keep praying for Violet, even though I know there is very little hope.  No matter what happens in the end, I'm glad we are not like everyone else.

Blog #4

I think that I could definetly live in a secluded environment for a year.  I like technology, but getting away from it all would be nice.  Once before my phone broke, and I didn't have it for a week.  At first it was like going through withdrawal, but then it was nice because I wasn't at anyone's beck and call. 
I think that in "Feed", the plot was in a way extremely sad.  In the end, it tells of Violet's dad giving Titus some of the memories about what Violet went through, and it was almost as if he wasn't capable of any compassion.  I think that society and the feed had brainwashed him from birth, and he isn't capable of any real emotion anymore.