Dear Dr. O’Rourke,
When I first entered this class I saw it as a basic English course that I needed to get out of the way so I could continue on to my higher level courses. It being a Gen. Ed. didn’t motivate me much either, as everyone on the campus would be taking it sooner or later. All in all, I honestly wasn’t expecting much. However, dear old English 106 proved me wrong. What you expected from us was high level work, and I was completely lost at first, having only written prompts to novels my entire senior year of high school. So being asked to write an academic paper that didn’t rely on just a single book made my head spin a bit.
My portfolio reveals my understanding of being able to compile a large amount of information into a single, well synthesized essay. I’ve noticed that my grammar has gotten better as well as my ability to summarize, thanks to the annotated bibliography. I think overall my portfolio reflects what I wanted to write. I admit that it isn’t my style as much as I wish it would be, but being a research paper leaves very little room for passive voice.
I chose this topic because I myself am interested in going into journalism as a minor. What better way to prepare for a field of knowledge than to research all of the little bits and pieces that go in it? Ever since I heard about anonymous sources I’ve always been curious about why they were used. Why couldn’t the people just say their name and be done with it? I learned a lot though from working on my topic of anonymous sources. Going into the paper, I believed that anonymous sourcing shouldn’t be used at all in any circumstance. I didn’t see any benefits from it, just people who were too scared to allow their name to be used. If that was the case, then the person shouldn’t have volunteered information in the first place! Now though, I’ve come to understand why people prefer to remain anonymous. It’s not just a matter of being scared; it could physically threaten them, they could lose respect, lose their job… all for trying to share something with the public. In that sense, their idea of hiding shouldn’t be seen as cowardly, but as courageous for even daring to put forth information at all.
There are so many little facets that I’ve worked hard on for this portfolio. Tracking down valid sources of information for my topic took quite some time, since many articles on the subject wouldn’t be considered scholarly. By that, meaning most of the articles I found were from editors of newspapers reflecting on the use of anonymous sourcing.
Friday, December 7, 2007
Friday, November 30, 2007
Revision Time... Or is it Finish Time?
For my conference I need to do the following on my draft:
1. Finish it xDD
2. Incorportate my own thoughts at the end and write conclusion.
3. Double check quotations and make sure they're cited accurately
1. Finish it xDD
2. Incorportate my own thoughts at the end and write conclusion.
3. Double check quotations and make sure they're cited accurately
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Ai yi yi yi yi @.@
What exactly should I write? Well, I guess I should explain what I’m doing this for. I’m in English 106 and doing this as a pre-exercise to writing the paper for stress. Stress, funny topic. I just wrote an entire article complete with an interview from a clinical psychologist for the newspaper. That was stressful. I thought I’d never finish since I’ve got so much to do. I managed to knock some things off y list, but I’ve still got so much! I have to send off the letter for English 230, but to do that I need to go find a stamp. I need to work on my English paper for 106 and study insanely hard for my psych final. I’m on the A-B borderline and I really need that A. D: He said it would all be based off of my final and the term paper; I’m really hoping he likes my paper =p I also need to contact Christy for yearbook stuff and then make up some little phrases for the different academic sections. I have two so far, and art is almost there but I’m having trouble finding another word for memories.
Just tack on all of the babysitting I’m doing for my aunt and uncle and all the driving, plus working on my fanfics (which I honestly haven’t touched in months), trying to go to the gym and then finding time for myself. D: And Dr. Amy said finding time for yourself was very important. And I’ve been finding some time; watching animes and taking little cat naps, but I feel like I’m being buried under a pile of never ending work.
And then today at my job I wasted nearly forty minutes making letters to spell out “Happy Holidays from the Niebuhr Center” because the letters were too ‘blurry’. Whatever. I think they were fine, and at least they were pretty compared to the nasty word art stuff I have to use when I go to work after this.
I’m also really tired right now and I’m not sure why. Tracy gave me two pixie sticks so I should be bouncing around, but I feel like I’m going to fall asleep at any moment. You wouldn’t believe how hard it was to keep my eyes open during psych. It just seemed to go on an on. I was hoping class would be cancelled again, but Dr. Ackles got better so we had sadly had class. It was a bit much to home for two classes in a row cancelled thought, ne?
I bought some chocolate a minute ago to help with a fundraiser. It’s almond ^.^ But it’s really, really small for paying a whole dollar. I think they’re trying to have them sell more so they get more money, but the customer is being cheated. At least it tastes really good. On the subject of food, there was some orange and apple juice plus bagels and stuff at Niebuhr this morning but I couldn’t eat it since it was for some stupid presentation. They were taunting me, leaving it out on the table and then no one came. So I hope there’s still some there because I really want it when I go to work in about an hour. The caf was out of Naked Juice so I couldn’t even buy that as a replacement, although it’s reallllly expensive. You’d think they could cut down on the prices a bit since we’re all broke college students, but no.
And I have to take Sam to her choir practice tonight. I don’t know if that involves brining Jacob with me. I hope not, but I think it does. He better behave in the car tonight. And I hope he just wants to watch a movie because I have a lot of homework to do and I can’t watch him all night long. At least Sam will be with me when we feed him dinner. I just wish they didn’t rely on me so much. They’re screwed when I get a dorm next semester. Who’ll watch Jacob then?
I think I’m about done ranting. I’m too tired to rant. I wonder how many words this is. I hope I hit about 300 =p It’s probably more since I think I’m pretty far down the page, but I dun no. Oh, and on gaia I’m holding an auction and no one has bid yet D: Do I have bad luck or is the art just not that great? I dunno, I seem to just never do well with auctions whether they be joint or solo. But I really would like some gold <3 It’d make me very, very happy ^.^
I want more chocolate now xD
Just tack on all of the babysitting I’m doing for my aunt and uncle and all the driving, plus working on my fanfics (which I honestly haven’t touched in months), trying to go to the gym and then finding time for myself. D: And Dr. Amy said finding time for yourself was very important. And I’ve been finding some time; watching animes and taking little cat naps, but I feel like I’m being buried under a pile of never ending work.
And then today at my job I wasted nearly forty minutes making letters to spell out “Happy Holidays from the Niebuhr Center” because the letters were too ‘blurry’. Whatever. I think they were fine, and at least they were pretty compared to the nasty word art stuff I have to use when I go to work after this.
I’m also really tired right now and I’m not sure why. Tracy gave me two pixie sticks so I should be bouncing around, but I feel like I’m going to fall asleep at any moment. You wouldn’t believe how hard it was to keep my eyes open during psych. It just seemed to go on an on. I was hoping class would be cancelled again, but Dr. Ackles got better so we had sadly had class. It was a bit much to home for two classes in a row cancelled thought, ne?
I bought some chocolate a minute ago to help with a fundraiser. It’s almond ^.^ But it’s really, really small for paying a whole dollar. I think they’re trying to have them sell more so they get more money, but the customer is being cheated. At least it tastes really good. On the subject of food, there was some orange and apple juice plus bagels and stuff at Niebuhr this morning but I couldn’t eat it since it was for some stupid presentation. They were taunting me, leaving it out on the table and then no one came. So I hope there’s still some there because I really want it when I go to work in about an hour. The caf was out of Naked Juice so I couldn’t even buy that as a replacement, although it’s reallllly expensive. You’d think they could cut down on the prices a bit since we’re all broke college students, but no.
And I have to take Sam to her choir practice tonight. I don’t know if that involves brining Jacob with me. I hope not, but I think it does. He better behave in the car tonight. And I hope he just wants to watch a movie because I have a lot of homework to do and I can’t watch him all night long. At least Sam will be with me when we feed him dinner. I just wish they didn’t rely on me so much. They’re screwed when I get a dorm next semester. Who’ll watch Jacob then?
I think I’m about done ranting. I’m too tired to rant. I wonder how many words this is. I hope I hit about 300 =p It’s probably more since I think I’m pretty far down the page, but I dun no. Oh, and on gaia I’m holding an auction and no one has bid yet D: Do I have bad luck or is the art just not that great? I dunno, I seem to just never do well with auctions whether they be joint or solo. But I really would like some gold <3 It’d make me very, very happy ^.^
I want more chocolate now xD
Monday, November 19, 2007
Thessssissss and ssssummary on anonymousssss ssssourcessss
Introduction: The introduction will open up with brief reports of stories in which the use of anonymous sources has been used for either good or bad. (Deep Throat, Guantanamo Bay, Valerie Plame, etc.). Following that will be the thesis, as written below.
Thesis: Anonymous sources have always been a constant thorn in the side of journalism as people argue for and against the use of them in media. Based on compiled research it has come to attention that if used carefully and backed up by reliable, named sources, there is no reason why an anonymous source cannot be used, since without them many news stories would never be heard.
Body: The first part of the body will examine the sources that are for the use of anonymous sources. I will touch on the guidelines of how an anonymous source should be used, the impact of what happens when anonymous sources are banned and the trouble they present for the media, and the terminology of ‘background’ that journalists use and the different levels. Also mentioned will be more in depth information on the cases from the introduction, and why they matter in terms of the go ahead for anonymous sources.
In order to keep with the base law of journalism, to show objectivity, I will then demonstrate the other side of the argument against anonymous sources. The information I’ll show will be the statistics of how the public perceives the use of anonymity and how they dislike it, the distrust felt by the use of the anonymous sources, and all of the cases in which anonymity has harmed or hurt someone or something in a way because of the information provided (generally incorrect).
To finish off the body of the paper, I will explain why this matters for the communication and journalism majors, expanding upon the guidelines used in the first part of they body for the set up of anonymous sources. I’ll give my own opinions on the reasons why I think anonymous sources should be used, so long as they are careful about it, and my connection with the topic.
Conclusion: I’ll state the thesis again and then wrap up the paper with a brief summary of the main points of keeping anonymous sources in the mass media. I’ll leave it on the idea of how many cases would not have been solved without the aid of anonymous sources and point out the fact that as long as they (the future journalists) are careful and cautious, they too could write a story that could help many people with the aid of anonymous sources.
Thesis: Anonymous sources have always been a constant thorn in the side of journalism as people argue for and against the use of them in media. Based on compiled research it has come to attention that if used carefully and backed up by reliable, named sources, there is no reason why an anonymous source cannot be used, since without them many news stories would never be heard.
Body: The first part of the body will examine the sources that are for the use of anonymous sources. I will touch on the guidelines of how an anonymous source should be used, the impact of what happens when anonymous sources are banned and the trouble they present for the media, and the terminology of ‘background’ that journalists use and the different levels. Also mentioned will be more in depth information on the cases from the introduction, and why they matter in terms of the go ahead for anonymous sources.
In order to keep with the base law of journalism, to show objectivity, I will then demonstrate the other side of the argument against anonymous sources. The information I’ll show will be the statistics of how the public perceives the use of anonymity and how they dislike it, the distrust felt by the use of the anonymous sources, and all of the cases in which anonymity has harmed or hurt someone or something in a way because of the information provided (generally incorrect).
To finish off the body of the paper, I will explain why this matters for the communication and journalism majors, expanding upon the guidelines used in the first part of they body for the set up of anonymous sources. I’ll give my own opinions on the reasons why I think anonymous sources should be used, so long as they are careful about it, and my connection with the topic.
Conclusion: I’ll state the thesis again and then wrap up the paper with a brief summary of the main points of keeping anonymous sources in the mass media. I’ll leave it on the idea of how many cases would not have been solved without the aid of anonymous sources and point out the fact that as long as they (the future journalists) are careful and cautious, they too could write a story that could help many people with the aid of anonymous sources.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Peer Evaluations
The feedback I got was really good, since it said that all of my stuff was right on the mark =p.
The two things I will keep an eye on and fix according to the reviews is run through some of my grammar and check for run-ons and explain the significance in all of the paragraphs, not just a few of them ^.^
The two things I will keep an eye on and fix according to the reviews is run through some of my grammar and check for run-ons and explain the significance in all of the paragraphs, not just a few of them ^.^
Friday, November 9, 2007
Off to see the world....
The main research question that is directing this paper is: What is the current thinking of journalists on the topic of anonymous sources being used in the media? The purpose of this paper is to provide undergraduate students specializing in Communications (as in journalism and news writing) information on how exactly anonymous sources are viewed in the mass media by others like themselves and the main population. Often times it is shown that anonymous sources are useful; that’s why they were invented in the first place after all. However, according to several editors and news writers, anonymous sources aren’t so useful because they tend to expose incorrect information and act as a shield to hide behind.
Throughout the articles I have thus far read, the points made are in controversy with one another with each side arguing for or against anonymous sources. I will cover both sides in my paper to present an objective viewpoint, a must for all journalists, and explain why each side believes what it does, while providing examples of cases in which anonymity has helped or hurt various people. Concluding my paper, I will develop on how anonymous sources does in fact do harm in general, but explain ways of how to still be able to use them sensibly without causing an uproar. I will describe this approach so as to help future Communication majors find a foothold in the vast world of journalism so they might not make the same mistakes countless others before them have.
Throughout the articles I have thus far read, the points made are in controversy with one another with each side arguing for or against anonymous sources. I will cover both sides in my paper to present an objective viewpoint, a must for all journalists, and explain why each side believes what it does, while providing examples of cases in which anonymity has helped or hurt various people. Concluding my paper, I will develop on how anonymous sources does in fact do harm in general, but explain ways of how to still be able to use them sensibly without causing an uproar. I will describe this approach so as to help future Communication majors find a foothold in the vast world of journalism so they might not make the same mistakes countless others before them have.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Look, a hundred dollar bill! Haha, PSYCH! No seriously, this is psych stuff.
Summary of Textbook (Kossyln & Rosenberg, 2007)
According to Kossyln and Rosenberg (2007), there is no easy way to determine if an individual is gifted or not besides referring to the IQ score, which doesn’t necessarily guarantee anything. The term of ‘gifted’ is applied to those who have IQ’s of at least 135, but is more commonly focused on those in the 150-180 range (Kossyln & Rosenberg, 2007, p.277). The way in which people become gifted is not clear, but it is suggested that the trait can come from heredity as well as the environment. Interestingly enough, girls with higher levels of testosterone and boys with lower amounts are seen as more highly gifted than girls and boys with lower and higher amounts respectively, which preludes to the idea that biological factors could incline some people to become gifted (Kossyln & Rosenberg, 2007, p.277).
On a higher extreme of giftedness stand the prodigies. These are children that are exceptionally talented in one area (like music, math, or art), but either average or sometimes not gifted at all in other areas. As some researchers agree, average children do the same processing that gifted children do, however, gifted children are able to do it more effectively because of their cognitive processes (Kossyln & Rosenberg, 2007, p.278). Despite gifted children having many talents and well-sought out qualities (like the drive to complete tasks), there can be a downside to such abilities. Gifted children can be ‘socially awkward’ and thus have high rates of emotional and social problems…double that of non-gifted children. Unbefitting labels, such as ‘geek’ or ‘nerd’ can be placed upon them and many tend to become introverted (Kossyln & Rosenberg, 2007, p.278).
On the bright side, Kossyln and Rosenberg (2007) share that if an individual wasn’t considered gifted as a child, he can still grow up to be one, just as gifted children can grow to be normal adults. After all, Charles Darwin wasn’t gifted as a child, but with the help of mentors later in life he was able to grow into the world of the gifted and join the masses of teeming intelligence (Kossyln & Rosenberg, 2007, p.278).
According to Kossyln and Rosenberg (2007), there is no easy way to determine if an individual is gifted or not besides referring to the IQ score, which doesn’t necessarily guarantee anything. The term of ‘gifted’ is applied to those who have IQ’s of at least 135, but is more commonly focused on those in the 150-180 range (Kossyln & Rosenberg, 2007, p.277). The way in which people become gifted is not clear, but it is suggested that the trait can come from heredity as well as the environment. Interestingly enough, girls with higher levels of testosterone and boys with lower amounts are seen as more highly gifted than girls and boys with lower and higher amounts respectively, which preludes to the idea that biological factors could incline some people to become gifted (Kossyln & Rosenberg, 2007, p.277).
On a higher extreme of giftedness stand the prodigies. These are children that are exceptionally talented in one area (like music, math, or art), but either average or sometimes not gifted at all in other areas. As some researchers agree, average children do the same processing that gifted children do, however, gifted children are able to do it more effectively because of their cognitive processes (Kossyln & Rosenberg, 2007, p.278). Despite gifted children having many talents and well-sought out qualities (like the drive to complete tasks), there can be a downside to such abilities. Gifted children can be ‘socially awkward’ and thus have high rates of emotional and social problems…double that of non-gifted children. Unbefitting labels, such as ‘geek’ or ‘nerd’ can be placed upon them and many tend to become introverted (Kossyln & Rosenberg, 2007, p.278).
On the bright side, Kossyln and Rosenberg (2007) share that if an individual wasn’t considered gifted as a child, he can still grow up to be one, just as gifted children can grow to be normal adults. After all, Charles Darwin wasn’t gifted as a child, but with the help of mentors later in life he was able to grow into the world of the gifted and join the masses of teeming intelligence (Kossyln & Rosenberg, 2007, p.278).
Monday, November 5, 2007
Clap, Clap! I O Clap, Clap! I O Clap Clap! And Biblio was his Name-O!
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Friday, October 26, 2007
How exciting; more questions. Please note sarcasm
Synthesizer of Current Best Thinking on a Problem
1. What is the current thinking of journalists on the topic of anonymous sources being used in the media?
2. According to politicians and government officials, why are anonymous sources needed and how do they help to 'protect'?
Reviewer of a Controversy
1. What are the current arguments for and against the use of anonymous sources in media? Why do they matter?
Analytical Thinker Positioned in a Critical Conversation
1. What would be the effect removing anonymous sources from the newspaper and media in terms of the people in general?
1. What is the current thinking of journalists on the topic of anonymous sources being used in the media?
2. According to politicians and government officials, why are anonymous sources needed and how do they help to 'protect'?
Reviewer of a Controversy
1. What are the current arguments for and against the use of anonymous sources in media? Why do they matter?
Analytical Thinker Positioned in a Critical Conversation
1. What would be the effect removing anonymous sources from the newspaper and media in terms of the people in general?
What I have learned so far
So far, I've learned that many people find anonymous sources harmful in the sense that they often rile up trouble and that many don't even exist or can't be traced. Also, many anonymous sources don't actually help in cases and take up valuable time and resources as people follow leads that might not go anywhere. And businessmen often hide behind the term when making comments about competition businesses to avoid getting in trouble or called on an inappropiate comment.
It is also agreed upon by several reporters that the use of anonymous sources decreases the value of a newspaper: it's much more believable and trustworthy if there is a name involved that can be contacted on the basis of the statement.
Overall, I'm still focusing my paper on how anonymous sources are often hurtful to others. Some more things I'd like to find are other cases where the use of anonymous sources harmed someone (Valerie Plame, flushing the Koran, etc.) and more opinions on why anon. sources are bad.
It is also agreed upon by several reporters that the use of anonymous sources decreases the value of a newspaper: it's much more believable and trustworthy if there is a name involved that can be contacted on the basis of the statement.
Overall, I'm still focusing my paper on how anonymous sources are often hurtful to others. Some more things I'd like to find are other cases where the use of anonymous sources harmed someone (Valerie Plame, flushing the Koran, etc.) and more opinions on why anon. sources are bad.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Valid Links
http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=7&hid=106&sid=64449a61-b073-47f9-870b-6e633205a15b%40sessionmgr107 -- Published in a scholarly journal in the year 2006.
http://www.asne.org/index.cfm?id=6292 -- Published recently (2006) and is of a .org source with the name of the reporter.
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bradlee/transcript_sources.html -- Published in 2006 and is of a .org source - is an interview that was broadcasted on pbs
http://www.louise.house.gov/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=871 -- Published less than 2 weeks ago (very recent) and is from a government website.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/01/20060117-3.html -- government source from the white house (office of press secratary). Recent (2006).
http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=3042
http://www.ajr.org/article.asp?id=3946
Database Articles:
http://proxy.elmhurst.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=17692063&site=ehost-live
http://proxy.elmhurst.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=17525976&site=ehost-live
http://proxy.elmhurst.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=17436028&site=ehost-live
http://proxy.elmhurst.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=17115370&site=ehost-live
********** http://proxy.elmhurst.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=11200502&site=ehost-live
http://proxy.elmhurst.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=9306110131&site=ehost-live
Psych Links:
http://proxy.elmhurst.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=20943258&site=ehost-live
http://www.asne.org/index.cfm?id=6292 -- Published recently (2006) and is of a .org source with the name of the reporter.
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bradlee/transcript_sources.html -- Published in 2006 and is of a .org source - is an interview that was broadcasted on pbs
http://www.louise.house.gov/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=871 -- Published less than 2 weeks ago (very recent) and is from a government website.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/01/20060117-3.html -- government source from the white house (office of press secratary). Recent (2006).
http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=3042
http://www.ajr.org/article.asp?id=3946
Database Articles:
http://proxy.elmhurst.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=17692063&site=ehost-live
http://proxy.elmhurst.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=17525976&site=ehost-live
http://proxy.elmhurst.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=17436028&site=ehost-live
http://proxy.elmhurst.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=17115370&site=ehost-live
********** http://proxy.elmhurst.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=11200502&site=ehost-live
http://proxy.elmhurst.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=9306110131&site=ehost-live
Psych Links:
http://proxy.elmhurst.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=20943258&site=ehost-live
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Searches
Sources:
--Primary: interview Dr. Ron (journalism), pass out surveys to the Leader staff (newspaper).
--Secondary: Online article databases (EBSCO), articles by editors and journalists
Search Terms:
-- anonymous sources, anonomity, Valerie Plame case, Watergate, unknown sources
--Primary: interview Dr. Ron (journalism), pass out surveys to the Leader staff (newspaper).
--Secondary: Online article databases (EBSCO), articles by editors and journalists
Search Terms:
-- anonymous sources, anonomity, Valerie Plame case, Watergate, unknown sources
Friday, October 19, 2007
Topic Love xD
Purpose: To illustrate how anonymous sources can impact the mass media ( listed by: journalists, reporters, announcers, etc.) in a harmful way.
Audience: Journalism, communication, and English majors at the college.
Secondary audience: Journalists, editors, mass media reporters
Audience: Journalism, communication, and English majors at the college.
Secondary audience: Journalists, editors, mass media reporters
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Refining my Topic
Question 1: Would not allowing people to hide behind 'anonymous' prevent the use of opinions from people who fear being persecuted against because of their view? (political)
Question 2: Does the role of anonymous speakers contribute to a wider opinion of America's culture that would otherwise not speak? (sociology)
Question 3: Why do so many people hide behind a preset title rather than allowing their own voice to be heard? (psychology)
Question 2: Does the role of anonymous speakers contribute to a wider opinion of America's culture that would otherwise not speak? (sociology)
Question 3: Why do so many people hide behind a preset title rather than allowing their own voice to be heard? (psychology)
Monday, October 15, 2007
Anonymous- hiding behind the word.
Topic: newspapers and citing sources
Personal connection: I plan on being a journalism minor and I write for the student newspaper.
Opinions: I think reporters should have to reveal their sources because it’s not fair to hide behind ‘anonymous’ incase the information is controversial and someone wants to contact the source.
Knowledge: Not much. I know that many people remain ‘anonymous’ for their safety in instances such as gangs and drug trade. But I think coming out would make more of a stand then hiding; otherwise it could just seem like the reporter made up the character to fit the needs of the article.
Curious: I want to know why people choose to remain anonymous, if reporters ever make up sources for their own benefits, why the reporter bothers to interview the person if they won’t give their name.
Discipline: Public relations, sociology and psychology.
Other research: Interview my
Should newspaper reporters be required to reveal their sources?
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Of Mice or Of Men: Take Two!
Animals crammed in tiny cages. Poked and prodded for hours on end for some results that they don’t even care about. Being injected with different substances to see the outcome. Allowed to suffer because their suffering benefits humankind. Animal testing they call it, an excuse for the experimentation. Animal testing has always been a pressing issue with different sides forming all the time. Is it ethical? Is it humane? Are there alternatives? One of the biggest conflicts, however, is animal rights in animal testing. Don‘t animals deserve to be treated as humanely as possible no what kind of experimentation? It’s a debatable question that has lasted for decades and will continue well on into the future.
Claire Andre and Manuel Velasquez (1998) take multiple standpoints on the issue in their article “Of Cures and Creatures Great and Small.” They make clear at the beginning to note that nearly twenty million animals are tested on and killed annually with three fourths for medical purposes and a quarter for the testing of various products. Continuing to set the stage, they explain that nearly eight million of the said twenty are used in painful experiments while at least ten percent of those animals do not receive painkillers (p. 1). It is cruel, yes, they agree. And Andre and Velasquez (1998) pose the idea from others who are against painful experiments that “Pain is an intrinsic evil, and any action that causes pain to another creature is simply not morally permissible” (p. 1). Following up, Andre and Velasquez (1998) put into context the words of Jeremy Bentham, a nineteenth-century utilitarian, of how even though animals cannot talk or reason, they can suffer and feel pain just as humans would if put under the some of the testing animals receive. Moreover, the animal welfare activists quarrel that all creatures’ lives have value and worth and should be treated with respect (p. 1). Take the case of a group of scientists that cut off the legs of baby mice. There was no respect going on in that situation, nor was there a need for such a task to be performed (the scientists wanted to see if the mice would learn to groom themselves with the stumps of their legs). (Andre & Velasquez, 1998, p. 2).
On another spin, Andre and Velasquez (1998) take on the opinions of those in favor of the painful experimentation, who argue that “society as an obligation to act in ways that will minimize harm and maximize benefits” (p. 2). Scientists are not naturally cruel, sometimes the use of pain relievers would interfere with the outcome of the experiment that would “vastly improve the quality and duration of human lives” (Andre & Velasquez, 1998, p. 2). Saying such, Andre and Velasquez (1998) wish to point out that sometimes pain is necessary for the benefit of human kind. And human kind does take priority over animals. After all, if a human saw a baby rat or a baby human drowning, who would he rescue? The baby of course. Humans lives essentially have more value over an animal’s because humans are highly more developed and deserve more respect. Thusly, humans have moral obligations to other humans and it is the duty to try and prevent needless human suffering, which would then advocate the painful experimentation of animals (p. 2).
Author of “Animal Liberation at 30”, Peter Singer (NDAa), would beg to differ on the ideas that humans have more value because of their ability to reason. “Although most humans may be superior in reasoning or in other intellectual capacities to nonhuman animals, that is not enough to justify the line we draw between humans and animals” (Singer, NDAa , p. 1). Drawing the line, indeed. Singer (NDAa) explains that we would never, ever, consider experimenting on humans with severe intellectual disabilities, despite the fact that some of them do have mental capacities inferior to several animals. Never would humans consider putting another human through slow, painful deaths for the testing of products, or leave them in cramped, tiny cages and then slaughtering them (p.1). Singer (NDAa) explains that the fact that humans are willing to perform these atrocities on animals is a sign of ‘speciesism’- a prejudice that survives because it is convenient for the dominant group, in this situation all humans (p. 1). Roger Scruton, an English philosopher and conservative columnist, makes a point that in addition to killing animals, we, humans, inflict suffering upon them as well. However, ‘human vegetables’ - humans who are completely and utterly unresponsive to the world- are not tested on despite their unawareness to the situation and no way to defend themselves. So why is it that animals are allowed to suffer when humans of the same or less intellectual capacity are not (Singer, NDAa, p. 3)?
Ethics take a foothold in the midst of this conflict. Peter Carruthers, author of the “The Animals Issue: Moral Theory in Practice”, says “Ethics arise out of an agreement that if I do not harm you, you will not harm me. Since animals cannot take part in this social contract we have no direct duties to them” (Singer, NDA, p. 3). Singer (NDAa) himself follows up that on that take that humans have no direct duties to generations yet unborn. For example, he calls on the idea that if we were to dump radioactive waste in a lake that would not pollute for 150 years, we’re safe, but the future generations will suffer. Don’t we have an obligation to them (p. 3)? One would think so, since it will be our children and grandchildren that will have to deal with the aftereffects and undergo the punishment for our previous behavior.
In her article, “Respect for Life- Monitoring the Ethical Practice of Animal Research,” Meghana Keshavan (NDAb) takes another outlook on the rights of animals, this time in terms of actual experimentation. Dr. McAllister works in a research lab at Wayne State University and uses rats to try and solve the problem of Hydrocephalus, a fairly common disorder that at one time was considered untreatable, but now has the possibility of finding successful cures (Keshavan, NDAb, p. 1). It’s not just Hydrocephalus either- many diseases and medical problems rely on the use of animal testing. After all, McAllister says, “Using animal models to conduct research has been enormously beneficial for the progress of medical science” (Keshavan, NDAb, p. 1). A researcher in McAllister’s lab, Deren, commented on how “we do everything we can to make sure the pups are comfortable… the animals are well-fed and hydrated, live in clean, well-maintained environments” (Keshavan, NDAb, p. 1). On the other hand, she makes the remark that “Though because of the nature of our research, we don’t need to keep them longer than about thirty days.” Added to that comment, Deren hesitantly admitted the procedure of euphemism - a scientifically correct jargon for ‘sacrificed’ or ‘euthanized’ (Keshavan, NDAb, p. 2). To put that in perspective, despite giving the animals a clean environment, the overall outcome is still death. The same proposal is shown by Hart and Wood (2004) in their article “Use of Animals and Alternatives in College and Veterinary Education at the University of California, Davis: Institutional Commitment for Mainstreaming Alternatives.” The authors explain that “For the past decade, veterinary students have actively pressed for developing teaching methods that would not require terminal surgery” (Hart & Wood, 2004, p. 618) Terminal means that the subject has no hope of actually living- terminally ill. In other words, students don’t want to operate and experiment on a patient that cannot be healed; they would much rather perform a survival surgery and make a difference to an animal. As Hart and Wood (2004) say, “Students seek to gain the best educational preparation available, yet they wish to avoid causing harm or death to animals” (p. 618). Since the students share different opinions on these issues, finding alternatives tends to alienate some from their peers. Finding alternatives to any situation can indeed be tough (Hart & Wood, 2004, p. 618). In some cases though, it can be done. Henry Spira, for instance, took on the task of trying to find alternatives for cosmetic testing on animals. Starting with Revlon, he asked the company to take reasonable steps to find alternatives, and with his way of engaging in dialogue so as not to present the companies as evil sadists, he had success in stimulating interests for a new way to test products in less painful ways (Singer, NDAa, p. 6). Others, such as Andre and Velasquez (1998), would disagree, noting that alternatives, such as pain medications, present problems that would interfere with the research, and in that case cannot be uses (p. 2). As they put it, “the benefits to humans far outweigh the costs in suffering that relatively few animals had to endure” (Andre & Velasquez, 1998, p. 2). In an ironic twist of words, though, Andre and Velasquez (1998) clarify just how many animals are tested on, and it isn’t that small of a number (p.1).
But what does this all really come down to? Why should humans care if animals undergo pain and have their rights stripped away? “There is so much unnecessary cruelty,” says Fischlowitz-Roberts, the former president of Michigan Animal Rights Society (MARS). “It baffles me why people can’t explore other options, rather than needlessly killing hundreds of thousands of animals” (Keshavan, NDAb, p. 4). Cruelty is only part of the answer. As Bentham’s views supported, “Pain is an intrinsic evil whether it is being experienced by a child, an adult, or an animal. If it is wrong to inflict pain on a human being, it is just as wrong to inflict pain on an animal” (Andre & Velasquez, 1998, p. 1). The idea of harming others is an idea many don’t want to consider, but when it comes to the ‘lesser’ animals, the nonhuman ones, many don’t balk as much as they should. It’s still pain. It’s still felt and it still hurts. On the other hand, when it comes down to it, nearly every human would hold a human’s life in higher regard, and thus testing most continue in order to benefit humans (Andre & Velasquez, 1998, p. 2). McAllister wraps this point up nicely when he says, “But at the end of the day, animal experimentation is all about the greater good you can accomplish- no matter how others may distort it. Hell, I’d go to jail for my research. Because I think it’s crucial. And I think that it’s absolutely worth it” (Keshavan, NDAb, p. 5). So, why do we care about animal rights? We care that animals are getting hurt. Yet we care about benefits that help us, the humans. Which one takes precedent over the other? Are we for mice or for men? In the end, there is no real answer. Just more questions and more tests and more experiments and more people debating on what should be the answer. And the ironic thing is, there never really will be one.
Sources
1. Andre, Claire & Velasquez, Manuel. (1998). Of Cures and Creatures Great and Small. Issues in Ethics, 1, N.3. Retrieved October 2, 2007, fromhttp://scu.edu/ethics/publications/iie/v1n3/cures.html
2. Hart, Lynette A. & Wood M W. (2004). Uses of animals and alternatives in college and veterinary education at the University of California, Davis: Institutional commitment formainstreaming alternatives. University of California Postprints, 1530. Retrieved October 2, 2007, from http://repositories.cdlib.org/postprints/1530
3. Keshavan, Meghana. Respect for Life- Monitoring the Ethical Practice of Animal Research. (NDAb) Retrieved Oct 2, 2007, from http://animalliberationfront.com/Philosophy/Animal%20Testing/Vivisection/RespectforLife.htm.
4. Singer, Peter. Animal Liberation at 30*. (NDAa). Retrieved October 2, 2007, from www.animal-rights-library.com/texts-m/singer04.pdf
Claire Andre and Manuel Velasquez (1998) take multiple standpoints on the issue in their article “Of Cures and Creatures Great and Small.” They make clear at the beginning to note that nearly twenty million animals are tested on and killed annually with three fourths for medical purposes and a quarter for the testing of various products. Continuing to set the stage, they explain that nearly eight million of the said twenty are used in painful experiments while at least ten percent of those animals do not receive painkillers (p. 1). It is cruel, yes, they agree. And Andre and Velasquez (1998) pose the idea from others who are against painful experiments that “Pain is an intrinsic evil, and any action that causes pain to another creature is simply not morally permissible” (p. 1). Following up, Andre and Velasquez (1998) put into context the words of Jeremy Bentham, a nineteenth-century utilitarian, of how even though animals cannot talk or reason, they can suffer and feel pain just as humans would if put under the some of the testing animals receive. Moreover, the animal welfare activists quarrel that all creatures’ lives have value and worth and should be treated with respect (p. 1). Take the case of a group of scientists that cut off the legs of baby mice. There was no respect going on in that situation, nor was there a need for such a task to be performed (the scientists wanted to see if the mice would learn to groom themselves with the stumps of their legs). (Andre & Velasquez, 1998, p. 2).
On another spin, Andre and Velasquez (1998) take on the opinions of those in favor of the painful experimentation, who argue that “society as an obligation to act in ways that will minimize harm and maximize benefits” (p. 2). Scientists are not naturally cruel, sometimes the use of pain relievers would interfere with the outcome of the experiment that would “vastly improve the quality and duration of human lives” (Andre & Velasquez, 1998, p. 2). Saying such, Andre and Velasquez (1998) wish to point out that sometimes pain is necessary for the benefit of human kind. And human kind does take priority over animals. After all, if a human saw a baby rat or a baby human drowning, who would he rescue? The baby of course. Humans lives essentially have more value over an animal’s because humans are highly more developed and deserve more respect. Thusly, humans have moral obligations to other humans and it is the duty to try and prevent needless human suffering, which would then advocate the painful experimentation of animals (p. 2).
Author of “Animal Liberation at 30”, Peter Singer (NDAa), would beg to differ on the ideas that humans have more value because of their ability to reason. “Although most humans may be superior in reasoning or in other intellectual capacities to nonhuman animals, that is not enough to justify the line we draw between humans and animals” (Singer, NDAa , p. 1). Drawing the line, indeed. Singer (NDAa) explains that we would never, ever, consider experimenting on humans with severe intellectual disabilities, despite the fact that some of them do have mental capacities inferior to several animals. Never would humans consider putting another human through slow, painful deaths for the testing of products, or leave them in cramped, tiny cages and then slaughtering them (p.1). Singer (NDAa) explains that the fact that humans are willing to perform these atrocities on animals is a sign of ‘speciesism’- a prejudice that survives because it is convenient for the dominant group, in this situation all humans (p. 1). Roger Scruton, an English philosopher and conservative columnist, makes a point that in addition to killing animals, we, humans, inflict suffering upon them as well. However, ‘human vegetables’ - humans who are completely and utterly unresponsive to the world- are not tested on despite their unawareness to the situation and no way to defend themselves. So why is it that animals are allowed to suffer when humans of the same or less intellectual capacity are not (Singer, NDAa, p. 3)?
Ethics take a foothold in the midst of this conflict. Peter Carruthers, author of the “The Animals Issue: Moral Theory in Practice”, says “Ethics arise out of an agreement that if I do not harm you, you will not harm me. Since animals cannot take part in this social contract we have no direct duties to them” (Singer, NDA, p. 3). Singer (NDAa) himself follows up that on that take that humans have no direct duties to generations yet unborn. For example, he calls on the idea that if we were to dump radioactive waste in a lake that would not pollute for 150 years, we’re safe, but the future generations will suffer. Don’t we have an obligation to them (p. 3)? One would think so, since it will be our children and grandchildren that will have to deal with the aftereffects and undergo the punishment for our previous behavior.
In her article, “Respect for Life- Monitoring the Ethical Practice of Animal Research,” Meghana Keshavan (NDAb) takes another outlook on the rights of animals, this time in terms of actual experimentation. Dr. McAllister works in a research lab at Wayne State University and uses rats to try and solve the problem of Hydrocephalus, a fairly common disorder that at one time was considered untreatable, but now has the possibility of finding successful cures (Keshavan, NDAb, p. 1). It’s not just Hydrocephalus either- many diseases and medical problems rely on the use of animal testing. After all, McAllister says, “Using animal models to conduct research has been enormously beneficial for the progress of medical science” (Keshavan, NDAb, p. 1). A researcher in McAllister’s lab, Deren, commented on how “we do everything we can to make sure the pups are comfortable… the animals are well-fed and hydrated, live in clean, well-maintained environments” (Keshavan, NDAb, p. 1). On the other hand, she makes the remark that “Though because of the nature of our research, we don’t need to keep them longer than about thirty days.” Added to that comment, Deren hesitantly admitted the procedure of euphemism - a scientifically correct jargon for ‘sacrificed’ or ‘euthanized’ (Keshavan, NDAb, p. 2). To put that in perspective, despite giving the animals a clean environment, the overall outcome is still death. The same proposal is shown by Hart and Wood (2004) in their article “Use of Animals and Alternatives in College and Veterinary Education at the University of California, Davis: Institutional Commitment for Mainstreaming Alternatives.” The authors explain that “For the past decade, veterinary students have actively pressed for developing teaching methods that would not require terminal surgery” (Hart & Wood, 2004, p. 618) Terminal means that the subject has no hope of actually living- terminally ill. In other words, students don’t want to operate and experiment on a patient that cannot be healed; they would much rather perform a survival surgery and make a difference to an animal. As Hart and Wood (2004) say, “Students seek to gain the best educational preparation available, yet they wish to avoid causing harm or death to animals” (p. 618). Since the students share different opinions on these issues, finding alternatives tends to alienate some from their peers. Finding alternatives to any situation can indeed be tough (Hart & Wood, 2004, p. 618). In some cases though, it can be done. Henry Spira, for instance, took on the task of trying to find alternatives for cosmetic testing on animals. Starting with Revlon, he asked the company to take reasonable steps to find alternatives, and with his way of engaging in dialogue so as not to present the companies as evil sadists, he had success in stimulating interests for a new way to test products in less painful ways (Singer, NDAa, p. 6). Others, such as Andre and Velasquez (1998), would disagree, noting that alternatives, such as pain medications, present problems that would interfere with the research, and in that case cannot be uses (p. 2). As they put it, “the benefits to humans far outweigh the costs in suffering that relatively few animals had to endure” (Andre & Velasquez, 1998, p. 2). In an ironic twist of words, though, Andre and Velasquez (1998) clarify just how many animals are tested on, and it isn’t that small of a number (p.1).
But what does this all really come down to? Why should humans care if animals undergo pain and have their rights stripped away? “There is so much unnecessary cruelty,” says Fischlowitz-Roberts, the former president of Michigan Animal Rights Society (MARS). “It baffles me why people can’t explore other options, rather than needlessly killing hundreds of thousands of animals” (Keshavan, NDAb, p. 4). Cruelty is only part of the answer. As Bentham’s views supported, “Pain is an intrinsic evil whether it is being experienced by a child, an adult, or an animal. If it is wrong to inflict pain on a human being, it is just as wrong to inflict pain on an animal” (Andre & Velasquez, 1998, p. 1). The idea of harming others is an idea many don’t want to consider, but when it comes to the ‘lesser’ animals, the nonhuman ones, many don’t balk as much as they should. It’s still pain. It’s still felt and it still hurts. On the other hand, when it comes down to it, nearly every human would hold a human’s life in higher regard, and thus testing most continue in order to benefit humans (Andre & Velasquez, 1998, p. 2). McAllister wraps this point up nicely when he says, “But at the end of the day, animal experimentation is all about the greater good you can accomplish- no matter how others may distort it. Hell, I’d go to jail for my research. Because I think it’s crucial. And I think that it’s absolutely worth it” (Keshavan, NDAb, p. 5). So, why do we care about animal rights? We care that animals are getting hurt. Yet we care about benefits that help us, the humans. Which one takes precedent over the other? Are we for mice or for men? In the end, there is no real answer. Just more questions and more tests and more experiments and more people debating on what should be the answer. And the ironic thing is, there never really will be one.
Sources
1. Andre, Claire & Velasquez, Manuel. (1998). Of Cures and Creatures Great and Small. Issues in Ethics, 1, N.3. Retrieved October 2, 2007, fromhttp://scu.edu/ethics/publications/iie/v1n3/cures.html
2. Hart, Lynette A. & Wood M W. (2004). Uses of animals and alternatives in college and veterinary education at the University of California, Davis: Institutional commitment formainstreaming alternatives. University of California Postprints, 1530. Retrieved October 2, 2007, from http://repositories.cdlib.org/postprints/1530
3. Keshavan, Meghana. Respect for Life- Monitoring the Ethical Practice of Animal Research. (NDAb) Retrieved Oct 2, 2007, from http://animalliberationfront.com/Philosophy/Animal%20Testing/Vivisection/RespectforLife.htm.
4. Singer, Peter. Animal Liberation at 30*. (NDAa). Retrieved October 2, 2007, from www.animal-rights-library.com/texts-m/singer04.pdf
Monday, October 8, 2007
Of Mice or Of Men?
Of Mice or Of Men?
Animal testing has always been a pressing issue with different sides forming all the time. Is it ethical? Is it humane? Are there alternatives? One of the biggest conflicts, however, is animal rights in animal testing. Do the nonhuman animals deserve the same treatment humans would give their own, or are they just that much lower? It’s a debatable question that has lasted for decades and will continue well on into the future.
Claire Andre and Manuel Velasquez take multiple standpoints on the issue in their article “Of Cures and Creatures Great and Small.” They make clear at the beginning to note that nearly twenty million animals are tested on and killed annually with three fourths for medical purposes and a quarter for the testing of various products. Continuing to set the stage, they explain that nearly eight million of the said twenty are used in painful experiments while at least ten percent of those animals do not receive painkillers (Andre, 1). It is cruel, yes, they agree. And Andre et al. poses the idea from others who are against painful experiments that “pain is an intrinsic evil, and any action that causes pain to another creature is simply not morally permissible” (Andre, 1). Following up, Andre and Velasquez put into context the words of Jeremy Bentham, a nineteenth-century utilitarian, of how even though animals cannot talk or reason, they can suffer and feel pain just as humans would if put under the some of the testing animals receive. Moreover, the animal welfare activists quarrel that all creatures’ lives have value and worth and should be treated with respect (Andre, 1). Take the case of one a group of scientists cuts off the legs of baby mice. There was no respect going on in that situation, nor was there a need for such a task to be performed (the scientists wanted to see if the mice would learn to groom themselves with the stumps of their legs) (Andre, 2).
On another spin, Andre and Velasquez take on the opinions of those in favor of the painful experimentation, who argue that “society as an obligation to act in ways that will minimize harm and maximize benefits” (Andre, 2). Scientists are not naturally cruel, sometimes the use of pain relievers would interfere with the outcome of the experiment that would “vastly improve the quality and duration of human lives” (Andre, 2). Saying such, Andre wishes to point out that sometimes pain is necessary for the benefit of human kind. And human kind does take priority over animals. After all, if a human saw a baby rat or a baby human drowning, who would he rescue? The baby of course. Humans lives essentially have more value over an animal’s because humans are highly more developed and deserve more respect. Thusly, humans have moral obligations to other humans and it is the duty to try and prevent needless human suffering, which would then advocate the painful experimentation of animals (Andre, 2).
Author of “Animal Liberation at 30”, Peter Singer, would beg to differ on the ideas that humans have more value because of their ability to reason. “Although most humans may be superior in reasoning or in other intellectual capacities to nonhuman animals, that is not enough to justify the line we draw between humans and animals” (Singer, 1). Drawing the line, indeed. Singer explains that we would never, ever, consider experimenting on humans with severe intellectual disabilities, despite the fact that some of them do have mental capacities inferior to several animals. Never would humans consider putting another human through slow, painful deaths for the testing of products, or leave them in cramped, tiny cages and then slaughtering them. Singer explains that the fact that humans are willing to perform these atrocities on animals is a sign of ‘speciesism’- a prejudice that survives because it is convenient for the dominant group, in this situation all humans (Singer, 1). Roger Scruton, an English philosopher and conservative columnist, makes a point that in addition to killing animals, we, humans, inflict suffering upon them as well. However, ‘human vegetables’ - humans who are completely and utterly unresponsive to the world- are not tested on despite their unawareness to the situation and no way to defend themselves. So why is it that animals are allowed to suffer when humans of the same or less intellectual capacity are not (Singer, 3)?
Ethics take a foothold in the midst of this conflict. Peter Carruthers, author of the “The Animals Issue: Moral Theory in Practice”, says “Ethics arise out of an agreement that if I do not harm you, you will not harm me. Since animals cannot take part in this social contract we have no direct duties to them” (Singer, 3). Singer himself follows up that on that take humans have no direct duties to generations yet unborn. For example, he calls on the idea that if we were to dump radioactive waste in a lake that would not pollute for 150 years, we’re safe, but the future generations will suffer. Don’t we have an obligation to them then (Singer, 3)? One would think so, since it will be our children and grandchildren that will have to deal with the aftereffects and undergo the punishment for our previous behavior.
In her article, “Respect for Life- Monitoring the Ethical Practice of Animal Research,” Meghana Keshavan takes another outlook on the rights of animals, this time in terms of actual experimentation. Dr. McAllister works in a research lab at Wayne State University and uses rats to try and solve the problem of Hydrocephalus, a fairly common disorder that at one time was considered untreatable, but now has the possibility of finding successful cures (Keshavan, 1). It’s not just Hydrocephalus either- many diseases and medical problems rely on the use of animal testing. After all, McAllister says, “Using animal models to conduct research has been enormously beneficial for the progress of medical science” (Keshavan, 1). A researcher in McAllister’s lab, Deren, commented on how “we do everything we can to make sure the pups are comfortable… the animals are well-fed and hydrated, live in clean, well-maintained environments” (Keshavan, 1). On the other hand, she makes the remark that “Though because of the nature of our research, we don’t need to keep them longer than about thirty days.” Added to that comment, Deren hesitantly admitted the procedure of euphemism - a scientifically correct jargon for ‘sacrificed’ or ‘euthanized’ (Keshavan, 2). To put that in perspective, despite giving the animals a clean environment, the overall outcome is still death. The same proposal is shown by Hart and Wood in their article “Use of Animals and Alternatives in College and Veterinary Education at the University of California, Davis: Institutional Commitment for Mainstreaming Alternatives.” The authors explain that “For the past decade, veterinary students have actively pressed for developing teaching methods that would not require terminal surgery” (Hart, 1) Terminal means that the subject has no hope of actually living- terminally ill. In other words, students don’t want to operate and experiment on a patient that cannot be healed; they would much rather perform a survival surgery and make a difference to an animal. As Hart says, “Students seek to gain the best educational preparation available, yet they wish to avoid causing harm or death to animals” (Hart, 1). Since the students share different opinions on these issues, finding alternatives tends to alienate some from their peers. Finding alternatives to any situation can indeed be tough. In some cases though, it can be done. Henry Spira, for instance, took on the task of trying to find alternatives for cosmetic testing on animals. Starting with Revlon, he asked the company to take reasonable steps to find alternatives, and with his way of engaging in dialogue so as not to present the companies as evil sadists, he had success in stimulating interests for a new way to test products in less painful ways (Singer, 6). Others, such as Andre and Velasquez would disagree, noting that alternatives, such as pain medications, present problems that would interfere with the research, and in that case cannot be uses. As they put it, “the benefits to humans far outweigh the costs in suffering that relatively few animals had to endure” (Andre, 2). In an ironic twist of words, though, Andre clarifies just how many animals are tested on, and it isn’t that small of a number.
But what does this all really come down to? Why should humans care if animals undergo pain and have their rights stripped away? “There is so much unnecessary cruelty,” says Fischlowitz-Roberts, the former president of Michigan Animal Rights Society (MARS). “It baffles me why people can’t explore other options, rather than needlessly killing hundreds of thousands of animals” (Keshavan, 4). Cruelty is only part of the answer. As Bentham’s views supported, “pain is an intrinsic evil whether it is being experienced by a child, an adult, or an animal. If it is wrong to inflict pain on a human being, it is just as wrong to inflict pain on an animal” (Andre, 1). The idea of harming others is an idea many don’t want to consider, but when it comes to the ‘lesser’ animals, the nonhuman ones, many don’t balk as much as they should. It’s still pain. It’s still felt and it still hurts. On the other hand, when it comes down to it, nearly every human would hold a human’s life in higher regard, and thus testing most continue in order to benefit humans. McAllister wraps this point up nicely when he says, “But at the end of the day, animal experimentation is all about the greater good you can accomplish- no matter how others may distort it. Hell, I’d go to jail for my research. Because I think it’s crucial. And I think that it’s absolutely worth it” (Keshavan, 5). So, why do we care about animal rights? We care that animals are getting hurt. Yet we care about benefits that help us, the humans. Which one takes precedent over the other? Are we for of mice or of men? In the end, there is no real answer. Just more questions and more tests and more experiments and more people debating on what should be the answer. And the ironic thing is, there never really will be one.
Sources
1. Andre, Claire & Velasquez, Manuel. (1998). Of Cures and Creatures Great and Small. Issues in Ethics, 1, N.3. Retrieved October 2, 2007, fromhttp://www.scu.edu/ethics/publications/iie/v1n3/cures.html
2. Hart, Lynette A. & Wood M W. (2004). Uses of animals and alternatives in college and veterinary education at the University of California, Davis: Institutional commitment formainstreaming alternatives. University of California Postprints, 1530. Retrieved October 2, 2007, from http://repositories.cdlib.org/postprints/1530
3. Keshavan, Meghana. Respect for Life- Monitoring the Ethical Practice of Animal Research. Retrieved Oct 2, 2007, from http://animalliberationfront.com/Philosophy/Animal%20Testing/Vivisection/RespectforLife.htm.
4. Singer, Peter. Animal Liberation at 30*. Retrieved October 2, 2007, from www.animal-rights-library.com/texts-m/singer04.pdf.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Links and Summary <3 Yatta!
Keshavan, Meghana. Respect for Life- Monitoring the Ethical Practice of Animal Research. Retrieved Oct 2, 2007, from http://animalliberationfront.com/Philosophy/Animal%20Testing/Vivisection/RespectforLife.htm.
Andre, Claire & Velasquez, Manuel. (1998). Of Cures and Creatures Great and Small. Issues in Ethics, 1, N.3. Retrieved October 2, 2007, from
http://www.scu.edu/ethics/publications/iie/v1n3/cures.html
Singer, Peter. Animal Liberation at 30*. Retrieved October 2, 2007, from www.animal-rights-library.com/texts-m/singer04.pdf.
Hart, Lynette A. & Wood M W. (2004). Uses of animals and alternatives in college and veterinary education at the University of California, Davis: Institutional commitment for
mainstreaming alternatives. University of California Postprints, 1530. Retrieved October 2, 2007, from http://repositories.cdlib.org/postprints/1530.
Summary of article # 2:
In the article Of Cures and Creatures Great and Small author Claire Andre et al. opens the floor with startling facts about the cruelties animals are subjected to in the name of ‘research’. She presents facts of how over 20 million animals are experimented on and killed annually with a quarter of them being just used to test products! An estimated eight million are used in painful experiments with at least ten percent not receiving painkillers. “Animals do in fact suffer, and do in fact feel pain” (1), and it is in this light that many argue painful experimentations should be halted. On the other hand, Andre points out a relevant fact that if animal testing didn’t happen, humans and society as a whole would suffer for it. “The value we place on their [animals] lives does not count as much as the value we place on human lives” (2) argues Andre. As she put it, if humans had to choose between saving a drowning baby or a drowning rat, they would pick the baby (2). Overall, however, she leaves the conclusion up for debate. Is it right to inflict pain on creatures so as to prevent it happening to humans, or is the infliction of pain wrong no matter what the circumstance? Because, after all, “Animals, like humans, are subjects of a life [too]” (2).
Andre, Claire & Velasquez, Manuel. (1998). Of Cures and Creatures Great and Small. Issues in Ethics, 1, N.3. Retrieved October 2, 2007, from
http://www.scu.edu/ethics/publications/iie/v1n3/cures.html
Singer, Peter. Animal Liberation at 30*. Retrieved October 2, 2007, from www.animal-rights-library.com/texts-m/singer04.pdf.
Hart, Lynette A. & Wood M W. (2004). Uses of animals and alternatives in college and veterinary education at the University of California, Davis: Institutional commitment for
mainstreaming alternatives. University of California Postprints, 1530. Retrieved October 2, 2007, from http://repositories.cdlib.org/postprints/1530.
Summary of article # 2:
In the article Of Cures and Creatures Great and Small author Claire Andre et al. opens the floor with startling facts about the cruelties animals are subjected to in the name of ‘research’. She presents facts of how over 20 million animals are experimented on and killed annually with a quarter of them being just used to test products! An estimated eight million are used in painful experiments with at least ten percent not receiving painkillers. “Animals do in fact suffer, and do in fact feel pain” (1), and it is in this light that many argue painful experimentations should be halted. On the other hand, Andre points out a relevant fact that if animal testing didn’t happen, humans and society as a whole would suffer for it. “The value we place on their [animals] lives does not count as much as the value we place on human lives” (2) argues Andre. As she put it, if humans had to choose between saving a drowning baby or a drowning rat, they would pick the baby (2). Overall, however, she leaves the conclusion up for debate. Is it right to inflict pain on creatures so as to prevent it happening to humans, or is the infliction of pain wrong no matter what the circumstance? Because, after all, “Animals, like humans, are subjects of a life [too]” (2).
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Is it Game Over for Education?
Technology has come a long way over the last decade and is being integrated into classrooms in the hopes to boost learning. Shaffer et al. and Ohmann share conflicting views on the subject with the former believing that technology is beneficial, while Ohmann asserts that it is harmful for students’ education.
In “Video Games and the Future of Learning” the article explores the use of Epistemic Video Games and their relation to education.. Shaffer summarizes that, “The virtual worlds of games are powerful, in other words, because playing games means developing a set of effective social practices” (Shaffer, 4). This meaning that by playing Epistemic Video games, which are games that involve the player’s interaction, the player is indulging in a world where s/he must learn about social practices and problems that can be applied to the real world. As Shaffer goes on to say, “Such epistemic games let players participate in valued communities of practice: to develop a new epistemic frame…” (Shaffer, 7). Basically, it means roleplaying, which is a frame of mind one enters and takes on a new role. By doing this, a person is able to recognize different situations and how to act accordingly, which help further education and social belonging. The epistemic games provide players a way to interact with others around the world and engage them in learning of new cultures and new ways of thinking that can be anything but harmful. But who really cares if these epistemic games help boost learning? Oh, right, the school districts might since if they really are so beneficial their students will gain higher test scores and the district will be shown in a new light. And the parents whose children literally live on the game consoles might care. Perhaps now, there is good reason to sit staring at a t.v. screen for so long… it actually can help boost learning!
Even though Ohmann is against technology as it harms education, his article does present the fact that computers do help. Students are able to learn typing skills that they normally wouldn’t acquire if they didn’t have computers. Also, many games have been developed for computers, and several help with learning. And the internet must be mentioned as it a huge part of technology. “That’s where computers, the Internet, distance learning, and individualized education come in… gain promotions, change jobs, or change fields” (Ohmann, 5). says Ohmann, who goes on to say that the internet does provide opportunities that are otherwise inaccessible. The internet offers a wide range of topics for students to explore and examine, and thusly they are able to plan ideas around them.
However, the increase in technology can harm schools, as Ohmann readily agrees upon. One main problem that many recognize is that with the increase in digital and virtual education, the need for personal contact fades. If every student didn’t have a real-live teacher, than they will suffer socially. In other words, even though they will have contacts online, it is not the same as a person who can readily help and provide human contact.
A huge issue that Ohmann describes is the increase in plagiarizing. “There is the shallowness of Internet culture, where knowledge dwindles into "information," research into plagiarism, and pedagogy into a search for trickier software to catch the plagiarists” (Ohmann, 6). Indeed, the internet provides many a opportunity for plagiarizing to be at its peak as there are so many online websites where one can find pre-written essays and other ways to copy. Although the idea of plagiarizing may seem trivial, it is crucial because later on in life children will be unable to formulate ideas of their own, which will force them to rely on others. The goal in life is to become independent and by always leaning on someone else, one will never truly succeed.
Lastly, the learning value depreciates with the advance of technology. Ohmann argues that with the internet and students having computers in class (Ohmann, 11) that students will ‘tune out’ their instructors when they’re lecturing to instead engage in checking e-mails, stocks, or chatting online (Ohmann, 3). Not to mention that with the video games, even if they are epistemic, they may take up too much of a student’s time and prevent them from doing other work that should take priority.
Ultimately, what is at stake here is children’s education. Do they or do they not gain experience by using the epistemic video games and vast resources the computers and internet provide? Or is it harming them? Shaffer and Ohmann both argue opposite claims on the subject. Depending on how it is used, it can be good or bad, and it is up to the school districts and teachers to make the call of whether such technology should be implemented into the school system or should be left alone in a corner.
Monday, September 24, 2007
New Synthesis
Technology has come a long way over the last decade and is being integrated into classrooms in the hopes to boost learning. Shaffer et al. and Ohmann share conflicting views on the subject with the former believing that technology is beneficial, while Ohmann asserts that it is harmful for students’ education.
In the article titled “Video Games and the Future of Learning” a main point made is about Epistemic Video Games. Shaffer summarizes that, “The virtual worlds of games are powerful, in other words, because playing games means developing a set of effective social practices” (Shaffer, 4). This meaning that by playing Epistemic Video games, which are games that involve the player’s interaction, the player is indulging in a world where s/he must learn about social practices and problems that can be applied to the real world. As Shaffer goes on to say, ” Such epistemic games let players participate in valued communities of practice: to develop a new epistemic frame…” (Shaffer, 7). Basically, it means roleplaying, which is a frame of mind one enters and takes on a new role. By doing this, a person is able to recognize different situations and how to act accordingly, which help further education and social belonging. The epistemic games provide players a way to interact with others around the world and engage them in learning of new cultures and new ways of thinking that can be anything but harmful.
Even though Ohmann is against technology as it harms education, his article does present the fact that computers do help. Students are able to learn typing skills that they normally wouldn’t acquire if they didn’t have computers. Also, many games have been developed for computers, and several help with learning. And the internet must be mentioned as it a huge part of technology. “That’s where computers, the Internet, distance learning, and individualized education come in… gain promotions, change jobs, or change fields” (Ohmann, 5). says Ohmann, who goes on to say that the internet does provide opportunities that are otherwise inaccessible. The internet offers a wide range of topics for students to explore and examine, and thusly they are able to plan ideas around them.
However, the increase in technology can harm schools, as Ohmann readily agrees upon. One main problem that many recognize is that with the increase in digital and virtual education, the need for personal contact fades. If every student didn’t have a real-live teacher, than they will suffer socially. Even though they will have contacts online, it is not the same as a person who can readily help and provide human contact.
A huge issue that Ohmann describes is the increase in plagiarizing. “There is the shallowness of Internet culture, where knowledge dwindles into "information," research into plagiarism, and pedagogy into a search for trickier software to catch the plagiarists” (Ohmann, 6). Indeed, the internet provides many a opportunity for plagiarizing to be at its peak as there are so many online websites where one can find pre-written essays and other ways to copy.
Lastly, the learning value depreciates with the advance of technology. Ohmann argues that with the internet and students having computers in class (Ohmann, 11) that students will ‘tune out’ their instructors when they’re lecturing to instead engage in checking e-mails, stocks, or chatting online (Ohmann, 3). Not to mention that with the video games, even if they are epistemic, they may take up too much of a student’s time and prevent them from doing other work that should take priority.
In sum, Shaffer and Ohmann both present differing views that technology can help or harm education. Depending on how it is used, it can be good or bad, and it is up to the school districts and teachers to make the call of whether such technology should be implemented into the school system or should be left alone in a corner.
In the article titled “Video Games and the Future of Learning” a main point made is about Epistemic Video Games. Shaffer summarizes that, “The virtual worlds of games are powerful, in other words, because playing games means developing a set of effective social practices” (Shaffer, 4). This meaning that by playing Epistemic Video games, which are games that involve the player’s interaction, the player is indulging in a world where s/he must learn about social practices and problems that can be applied to the real world. As Shaffer goes on to say, ” Such epistemic games let players participate in valued communities of practice: to develop a new epistemic frame…” (Shaffer, 7). Basically, it means roleplaying, which is a frame of mind one enters and takes on a new role. By doing this, a person is able to recognize different situations and how to act accordingly, which help further education and social belonging. The epistemic games provide players a way to interact with others around the world and engage them in learning of new cultures and new ways of thinking that can be anything but harmful.
Even though Ohmann is against technology as it harms education, his article does present the fact that computers do help. Students are able to learn typing skills that they normally wouldn’t acquire if they didn’t have computers. Also, many games have been developed for computers, and several help with learning. And the internet must be mentioned as it a huge part of technology. “That’s where computers, the Internet, distance learning, and individualized education come in… gain promotions, change jobs, or change fields” (Ohmann, 5). says Ohmann, who goes on to say that the internet does provide opportunities that are otherwise inaccessible. The internet offers a wide range of topics for students to explore and examine, and thusly they are able to plan ideas around them.
However, the increase in technology can harm schools, as Ohmann readily agrees upon. One main problem that many recognize is that with the increase in digital and virtual education, the need for personal contact fades. If every student didn’t have a real-live teacher, than they will suffer socially. Even though they will have contacts online, it is not the same as a person who can readily help and provide human contact.
A huge issue that Ohmann describes is the increase in plagiarizing. “There is the shallowness of Internet culture, where knowledge dwindles into "information," research into plagiarism, and pedagogy into a search for trickier software to catch the plagiarists” (Ohmann, 6). Indeed, the internet provides many a opportunity for plagiarizing to be at its peak as there are so many online websites where one can find pre-written essays and other ways to copy.
Lastly, the learning value depreciates with the advance of technology. Ohmann argues that with the internet and students having computers in class (Ohmann, 11) that students will ‘tune out’ their instructors when they’re lecturing to instead engage in checking e-mails, stocks, or chatting online (Ohmann, 3). Not to mention that with the video games, even if they are epistemic, they may take up too much of a student’s time and prevent them from doing other work that should take priority.
In sum, Shaffer and Ohmann both present differing views that technology can help or harm education. Depending on how it is used, it can be good or bad, and it is up to the school districts and teachers to make the call of whether such technology should be implemented into the school system or should be left alone in a corner.
Friday, September 21, 2007
Synthesis of Tech
Statement: Technology has come a long way over the last decade and is being integrated into classrooms in the hopes to boost learning. Shaffer et al. and Ohmann share conflicting views on the subject with the former believing that technology is beneficial, while Ohmann asserts that it is harmful for students’ education.
Outline:
Benefits of Technology:
A. Epistemic video games
- How to react in situations
- Role-playing of different jobs and occupations
- Having the chance to ‘restart’ and rethink the situation
- Always reaching the baseline; but being exposed to different ways of doing so
- Interact with people around the world
B. Computers
- Allow students chance to learn about spreadsheets and typing skills
- Access to games for learning
C. Internet
- Wide range of topics and articles for research
- Able to play off ideas and discuss papers with classmates or teacher
-Broaden horizons of learning
- Interact with people around the world; learn about cultures, etc.
Disadvantages of Technology:
A. Real vs. Digital
- Human interaction isn’t possible if everything is online or on screens
- Won’t be able to ask questions
B. Plagiarizing
- Much easier to do on a computer with internet access
- Tend to use others’ ideas more
C. Learning Value
- Tend to ‘tunnel out’ teachers when teaching if you have computer
- Might not absorb everything on screen
- Spend too much time on video games and neglect other studies
Outline:
Benefits of Technology:
A. Epistemic video games
- How to react in situations
- Role-playing of different jobs and occupations
- Having the chance to ‘restart’ and rethink the situation
- Always reaching the baseline; but being exposed to different ways of doing so
- Interact with people around the world
B. Computers
- Allow students chance to learn about spreadsheets and typing skills
- Access to games for learning
C. Internet
- Wide range of topics and articles for research
- Able to play off ideas and discuss papers with classmates or teacher
-Broaden horizons of learning
- Interact with people around the world; learn about cultures, etc.
Disadvantages of Technology:
A. Real vs. Digital
- Human interaction isn’t possible if everything is online or on screens
- Won’t be able to ask questions
B. Plagiarizing
- Much easier to do on a computer with internet access
- Tend to use others’ ideas more
C. Learning Value
- Tend to ‘tunnel out’ teachers when teaching if you have computer
- Might not absorb everything on screen
- Spend too much time on video games and neglect other studies
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Compies in Schools
School used to mean sitting behind desks with paper and books and listening as the teacher lectured and taught from the front. Well, in New Jersey that doesn’t seem to be the case. Children are instead all equipped with their own laptop and even over in West Virginia student are all given their own laptop and have a computer installed in their own home. At least that’s what Richard Ohmann’s view of the classes looked like as he describes in his article Computers and Technology.
Ohmann goes on to say that despite the increase of technology, the increase hasn’t helped actually all that much. As he writes, “thirty percent of college courses had websites a year ago, and sixty percent used e-mail as a tool for instruction ‘ but only fourteen percent of the administrators surveyed on this subject held that “technology has improved instruction on my campus” " (63). The author then goes to say how “a lot of that venture capital vaporized in the dot.com debacle” (63), to explain that despite all of the money being put into the computers most of it had vanished and had not been put to much use for the potential investors. He goes on to argue that the computers and internet access are actually harming learning as it leads to more plagiarism and ways for students to cheat and that by giving them computers many students are likely to tune out their teachers and surf the internet instead (63). In sum, Ohmann argues how computers are not helping students or their investors but actually harming them even though many people believe the computers are helping.
I agree with Ohmann up to a point. I follow his lead on the idea that computers do present an easier way for students to cheat and plagiarize and how many students would surf the internet instead of paying attention in class. After all, if I was in an insanely boring lecture I’d want to go online too. However, I disagree on his reasoning that computers only bring harm. They have many good qualities too by allowing students to broaden their horizons and gather more information quicker and easier than looking in books. It also presents students with the knowledge of how to type, learn spreadsheets, and work their way through things they’ll most likely use later in life. All in all, I would say the internet and computers should be used in classes, but only when the assignment calls for them so they’re used responsibly.
Ohmann goes on to say that despite the increase of technology, the increase hasn’t helped actually all that much. As he writes, “thirty percent of college courses had websites a year ago, and sixty percent used e-mail as a tool for instruction ‘ but only fourteen percent of the administrators surveyed on this subject held that “technology has improved instruction on my campus” " (63). The author then goes to say how “a lot of that venture capital vaporized in the dot.com debacle” (63), to explain that despite all of the money being put into the computers most of it had vanished and had not been put to much use for the potential investors. He goes on to argue that the computers and internet access are actually harming learning as it leads to more plagiarism and ways for students to cheat and that by giving them computers many students are likely to tune out their teachers and surf the internet instead (63). In sum, Ohmann argues how computers are not helping students or their investors but actually harming them even though many people believe the computers are helping.
I agree with Ohmann up to a point. I follow his lead on the idea that computers do present an easier way for students to cheat and plagiarize and how many students would surf the internet instead of paying attention in class. After all, if I was in an insanely boring lecture I’d want to go online too. However, I disagree on his reasoning that computers only bring harm. They have many good qualities too by allowing students to broaden their horizons and gather more information quicker and easier than looking in books. It also presents students with the knowledge of how to type, learn spreadsheets, and work their way through things they’ll most likely use later in life. All in all, I would say the internet and computers should be used in classes, but only when the assignment calls for them so they’re used responsibly.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Glitz, Glam, and all that Stuff
Ads for weight loss and ‘miracle stories’ of how ‘so-and-so lost fifty pounds in just three months!’ play continuously on television. Beauty and Fashion tips are published in hundreds of magazines that have the sole purpose of showing how beautiful you could become. They invade and overwhelm our senses, dragging us down into their glittering, shimmering pool that’s so deep we can’t help but submerge ourselves in it. Let’s say, though, that someone threw you a life preserver to pull you from that abyss. Would you grab hold of it or would you rather be pulled into the glam and glitz that has taken a hold of society? Well, Susan Bordo would tell you to grab that preserver and haul yourself back up. Better yet, she’s probably the one who threw it to you.
Susan Bordo is the author of the article “The Empire of Images in Our World of Bodies,” and a strong believer in women’s natural beauty. Natural meaning that women don’t need to have facelifts and liposuction to appear ’perfect’. She believes that women should feel comfortable with their differences and be happy with their natural body instead of forcing it to become a ’perfect’ one, but at the same time respecting the said body. After all, she writes, “When did “perfection” become applicable to a human body? The word suggests a Platonic form of timeless beauty- appropriate for marble, perhaps, but not for living flesh” (151). Basically, Bordo is suggesting that perfection is never truly achievable and that all of the treatments and effort that go into it are wasted efforts. Further elaborating, Bordo goes on to tell of the CNN Legal Analyst, Greta Van Sustren, who was never known for her looks, but for her authority and fairness. When she went and had a facelift done, Bordo claimed that “another source of inspiration bit the dust” (151).
The impact of the current happenings in today’s culture are hitting Bordo especially hard as she tries to protect her daughter from the onslaught of fake pictures. Pictures that cause so many young girls to indulge in acts of anorexia so as to look like the models they see on t.v. and in magazines, not even aware that most of those images have been airbrushed over. However, despite knowing of the falsity, Bordo makes a valid point when she writes, “…you can be a cynical as you want about the ads…and still feel powerless to resist their messages” (154).
Bordo does admit that there are some instances that give her hope, showing that not everyone has been sucked into the whirlpool. Instances like seeing all of the women athletes excel in sports that don’t have a thing to do with gymnastics (155-156), and a woman proudly displaying her round stomach for all to see (160-161). But “such moments are fleeting” (161). In the harsh reality of the world, Bordo sees only the deterioration of natural aging. To summarize her view she quotes, “ “Aging beautifully” used to mean wearing one’s years with style, confidence, and vitality. Today, it means not appearing to age at all” (150). And as too many people interpret beauty to be flawless, real beauty dwindles and dies like a flower covered in frost.
I agree that Bordo is right to say that women should be happier with their natural bodies and respect themselves for it because my experience in everyday life has confirmed it. Everyday I see multiple people, most especially girls, eating very little and then running to the gym. Laughing off the fact that they don’t eat breakfast. Applying coat after coat of makeup to make themselves ‘beautiful’.
Beauty isn’t something that you can categorize in just a few words like most people seem to think. There are all sorts of beauty, just like there are all sorts of people. All types have merit and all types are gorgeous. But that goes back to what society thinks is beautiful and what isn’t. Some companies are trying to make a dent and show the world that ‘bigger can be better’. Take Lane Bryant for example. A very popular clothing line is now using ‘larger’ models in their magazines and no longer refer to larger sizes as ‘plus’ since those sizes are becoming the norm as they should have always been (159). If one company can start it, there isn’t any reason why more shouldn’t and then continue on to the consumers.
I also concur with Bordo’s analysis that young girls (around the ages of twelve) should not be practicing strip teasing and flaunting about in skimpy little outfits at that age. Sharon Lamb, the author of “The Secret Life of Girls” thinks that those kinds of things are perfectly natural and that children should indulge (158). Hell no! A limit has to be placed and that starts with what is safe and what’s not. When swimming turns to drowning, the fun and games are over and the idea of playing ‘sexy, little princess’ suddenly don’t matter as much. You need to respect your body like you would a precious jewel. It is, after all, the main part of you and there’s no reason to make it dull so soon in life when it should sparkle and shine.
So yes, I do agree with Bordo that the world is slowly revolving around the glitzy lifestyle that so many women, young and old, hope to achieve, and that a true natural beauty is difficult to come by. But when you see that life preserver, you better grip onto it and at least let an anchor of reality seep into you while you indulge in the false way of life. That being so, so that when you come to realize reality as you grow older you’ll have some lifeline to pull back on.
Susan Bordo is the author of the article “The Empire of Images in Our World of Bodies,” and a strong believer in women’s natural beauty. Natural meaning that women don’t need to have facelifts and liposuction to appear ’perfect’. She believes that women should feel comfortable with their differences and be happy with their natural body instead of forcing it to become a ’perfect’ one, but at the same time respecting the said body. After all, she writes, “When did “perfection” become applicable to a human body? The word suggests a Platonic form of timeless beauty- appropriate for marble, perhaps, but not for living flesh” (151). Basically, Bordo is suggesting that perfection is never truly achievable and that all of the treatments and effort that go into it are wasted efforts. Further elaborating, Bordo goes on to tell of the CNN Legal Analyst, Greta Van Sustren, who was never known for her looks, but for her authority and fairness. When she went and had a facelift done, Bordo claimed that “another source of inspiration bit the dust” (151).
The impact of the current happenings in today’s culture are hitting Bordo especially hard as she tries to protect her daughter from the onslaught of fake pictures. Pictures that cause so many young girls to indulge in acts of anorexia so as to look like the models they see on t.v. and in magazines, not even aware that most of those images have been airbrushed over. However, despite knowing of the falsity, Bordo makes a valid point when she writes, “…you can be a cynical as you want about the ads…and still feel powerless to resist their messages” (154).
Bordo does admit that there are some instances that give her hope, showing that not everyone has been sucked into the whirlpool. Instances like seeing all of the women athletes excel in sports that don’t have a thing to do with gymnastics (155-156), and a woman proudly displaying her round stomach for all to see (160-161). But “such moments are fleeting” (161). In the harsh reality of the world, Bordo sees only the deterioration of natural aging. To summarize her view she quotes, “ “Aging beautifully” used to mean wearing one’s years with style, confidence, and vitality. Today, it means not appearing to age at all” (150). And as too many people interpret beauty to be flawless, real beauty dwindles and dies like a flower covered in frost.
I agree that Bordo is right to say that women should be happier with their natural bodies and respect themselves for it because my experience in everyday life has confirmed it. Everyday I see multiple people, most especially girls, eating very little and then running to the gym. Laughing off the fact that they don’t eat breakfast. Applying coat after coat of makeup to make themselves ‘beautiful’.
Beauty isn’t something that you can categorize in just a few words like most people seem to think. There are all sorts of beauty, just like there are all sorts of people. All types have merit and all types are gorgeous. But that goes back to what society thinks is beautiful and what isn’t. Some companies are trying to make a dent and show the world that ‘bigger can be better’. Take Lane Bryant for example. A very popular clothing line is now using ‘larger’ models in their magazines and no longer refer to larger sizes as ‘plus’ since those sizes are becoming the norm as they should have always been (159). If one company can start it, there isn’t any reason why more shouldn’t and then continue on to the consumers.
I also concur with Bordo’s analysis that young girls (around the ages of twelve) should not be practicing strip teasing and flaunting about in skimpy little outfits at that age. Sharon Lamb, the author of “The Secret Life of Girls” thinks that those kinds of things are perfectly natural and that children should indulge (158). Hell no! A limit has to be placed and that starts with what is safe and what’s not. When swimming turns to drowning, the fun and games are over and the idea of playing ‘sexy, little princess’ suddenly don’t matter as much. You need to respect your body like you would a precious jewel. It is, after all, the main part of you and there’s no reason to make it dull so soon in life when it should sparkle and shine.
So yes, I do agree with Bordo that the world is slowly revolving around the glitzy lifestyle that so many women, young and old, hope to achieve, and that a true natural beauty is difficult to come by. But when you see that life preserver, you better grip onto it and at least let an anchor of reality seep into you while you indulge in the false way of life. That being so, so that when you come to realize reality as you grow older you’ll have some lifeline to pull back on.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Take 1: Swimming Against the Waves
Ads for weight loss and ‘miracle stories’ of how ‘so-and-so lost fifty pounds in just three months!’ play continuously on television. Beauty and Fashion tips are published in hundreds of magazines that have the sole purpose of showing how beautiful you could become. They invade and overwhelm our senses, dragging us down into their glittering, shimmering pool that’s so deep we can’t help but submerge ourselves in it. Let’s say, though, that someone threw you a life preserver to pull you from that abyss. Would you grab hold of it or would you rather be pulled into the glam and glitz that has taken a hold of society? Well, Susan Bordo would tell you to grab that preserver and haul yourself back up. Better yet, she’s probably the one who threw it to you.
Susan Bordo is the author of the article “The Empire of Images in Our World of Bodies,” and a strong believer in women’s natural beauty. Natural meaning that women don’t need to have facelifts and liposuction to appear ’perfect’. She believes that women should feel comfortable with their differences and be happy with their natural body instead of forcing it to become a ’perfect’ one, but at the same time respecting the said body. After all, she writes, “When did “perfection” become applicable to a human body? The word suggests a Platonic form of timeless beauty- appropriate for marble, perhaps, but not for living flesh” (151). Basically, Bordo is suggesting that perfection is never truly achievable and that all of the treatments and effort that go into it are wasted efforts. Further elaborating, Bordo goes on to tell of the CNN Legal Analyst, Greta Van Sustren, who was never known for her looks, but for her authority and fairness. When she went and had a facelift done, Bordo claimed that “another source of inspiration bit the dust” (151).
The impact of the current happenings in today’s culture are hitting Bordo especially hard as she tries to protect her daughter from the onslaught of fake pictures. Pictures that cause so many young girls to indulge in acts of anorexia so as to look like the models they see on t.v. and in magazines, not even aware that most of those images have been airbrushed over. However, despite knowing of the falsity, Broco makes a valid point when she writes, “…you can be a cynical as you want about the ads…and still feel powerless to resist their messages” (154).
Broco does admit that there are some instances that give her hope that not everyone has been sucked into the whirlpool. Instances like seeing all of the women athletes excel in sports that don’t have a thing to do with gymnastics, and a woman proudly displaying her round stomach for all to see. But “such moments are fleeting”. In the harsh reality of the world, Bordo sees only the deterioration of natural aging. To summarize her view she quotes, “ “Aging beautifully” used to mean wearing one’s years with style, confidence, and vitality. Today, it means not appearing to age at all.” And as too many people interpret beauty to be flawless, real beauty dwindles and dies like a flower covered in frost.
I agree that Bordo is right to say that women should be happier with their natural bodies and respect themselves for it because my experience in everyday life has confirmed it. Everyday I see multiple people, most especially girls, eating very little and then running to the gym. Laughing off the fact that they don’t eat breakfast. Applying coat after coat of makeup to make themselves ‘beautiful’.
Beauty isn’t something that you can categorize in just a few words like most people seem to think. There are all sorts of beauty, just like there are all sorts of people. All types have merit and all types are gorgeous. But that goes back to what society thinks is beautiful and what isn’t. Some companies are trying to make a dent and show the world that ‘bigger can be better’. Take Lane Bryant for example. A very popular clothing line is now using ‘larger’ models in their maganizes and no longer refer to larger sizes as ‘plus’ since those sizes are becoming the norm as they should have always been (159). If one company can start it, there isn’t any reason why more shouldn’t and then continue on to the consumers.
I also concur with Bordo’s analysis that young girls (around the ages of twelve) should not be practicing strip teasing and flaunting about in skimpy little outfits at that age. Sharon Lamb, the author of “The Secret Life of Girls” thinks that those kinds of things are perfectly natural and that children should indulge. Hell no! A limit has to be placed and that starts with what is safe and what’s not. When swimming turns to drowning, the fun and games are over and the idea of playing ‘sexy, little princess’ suddenly don’t matter as much. You need to respect your body like you would a precious jewel. It is, after all, the main part of you and there’s no reason to make it dull so soon in life when it should sparkle and shine.
So yes, I do agree with Bordo that the world is slowly revolving around the glitzy lifestyle that so many women, young and old, hope to achieve, and that a true natural beauty is difficult to come by. But when you see that life preserver, you better grip onto it and at least let an anchor of reality seep into you while you indulge in the false way of life, so that when you come to realize reality as you grow older you’ll have some lifeline to pull back on.
Susan Bordo is the author of the article “The Empire of Images in Our World of Bodies,” and a strong believer in women’s natural beauty. Natural meaning that women don’t need to have facelifts and liposuction to appear ’perfect’. She believes that women should feel comfortable with their differences and be happy with their natural body instead of forcing it to become a ’perfect’ one, but at the same time respecting the said body. After all, she writes, “When did “perfection” become applicable to a human body? The word suggests a Platonic form of timeless beauty- appropriate for marble, perhaps, but not for living flesh” (151). Basically, Bordo is suggesting that perfection is never truly achievable and that all of the treatments and effort that go into it are wasted efforts. Further elaborating, Bordo goes on to tell of the CNN Legal Analyst, Greta Van Sustren, who was never known for her looks, but for her authority and fairness. When she went and had a facelift done, Bordo claimed that “another source of inspiration bit the dust” (151).
The impact of the current happenings in today’s culture are hitting Bordo especially hard as she tries to protect her daughter from the onslaught of fake pictures. Pictures that cause so many young girls to indulge in acts of anorexia so as to look like the models they see on t.v. and in magazines, not even aware that most of those images have been airbrushed over. However, despite knowing of the falsity, Broco makes a valid point when she writes, “…you can be a cynical as you want about the ads…and still feel powerless to resist their messages” (154).
Broco does admit that there are some instances that give her hope that not everyone has been sucked into the whirlpool. Instances like seeing all of the women athletes excel in sports that don’t have a thing to do with gymnastics, and a woman proudly displaying her round stomach for all to see. But “such moments are fleeting”. In the harsh reality of the world, Bordo sees only the deterioration of natural aging. To summarize her view she quotes, “ “Aging beautifully” used to mean wearing one’s years with style, confidence, and vitality. Today, it means not appearing to age at all.” And as too many people interpret beauty to be flawless, real beauty dwindles and dies like a flower covered in frost.
I agree that Bordo is right to say that women should be happier with their natural bodies and respect themselves for it because my experience in everyday life has confirmed it. Everyday I see multiple people, most especially girls, eating very little and then running to the gym. Laughing off the fact that they don’t eat breakfast. Applying coat after coat of makeup to make themselves ‘beautiful’.
Beauty isn’t something that you can categorize in just a few words like most people seem to think. There are all sorts of beauty, just like there are all sorts of people. All types have merit and all types are gorgeous. But that goes back to what society thinks is beautiful and what isn’t. Some companies are trying to make a dent and show the world that ‘bigger can be better’. Take Lane Bryant for example. A very popular clothing line is now using ‘larger’ models in their maganizes and no longer refer to larger sizes as ‘plus’ since those sizes are becoming the norm as they should have always been (159). If one company can start it, there isn’t any reason why more shouldn’t and then continue on to the consumers.
I also concur with Bordo’s analysis that young girls (around the ages of twelve) should not be practicing strip teasing and flaunting about in skimpy little outfits at that age. Sharon Lamb, the author of “The Secret Life of Girls” thinks that those kinds of things are perfectly natural and that children should indulge. Hell no! A limit has to be placed and that starts with what is safe and what’s not. When swimming turns to drowning, the fun and games are over and the idea of playing ‘sexy, little princess’ suddenly don’t matter as much. You need to respect your body like you would a precious jewel. It is, after all, the main part of you and there’s no reason to make it dull so soon in life when it should sparkle and shine.
So yes, I do agree with Bordo that the world is slowly revolving around the glitzy lifestyle that so many women, young and old, hope to achieve, and that a true natural beauty is difficult to come by. But when you see that life preserver, you better grip onto it and at least let an anchor of reality seep into you while you indulge in the false way of life, so that when you come to realize reality as you grow older you’ll have some lifeline to pull back on.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Blame the Eater? Mebbe, Mebbe Not.
Summary 1
In the article “Don’t Blame the Eater” by David Zinczenko, he argues that it is impossible to find inexpensive and convenient solutions to eating other than fast-food. The difficulty, he claims, is there are hardly any places in which anyone, most specifically a teenager, can find a place for healthy food. As he elaborates, one can drive down any street in America and generally find some type of fast-food restaurant whether it be McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Burger King, or one of the many others. But finding a grapefruit? You’d be better off looking for a needle in a haystack.
On the contrary, I find that the search for a healthy alternative isn’t so far out of reach. The solution lies in knowing how to locate the substitute food without breaking your back. And fortunately for the American public, if you know where to look it isn’t all that hard to find.
Summary 2
In his article “Don’t Blame the Eater,” David Zinczenko insists that fast-food companies are to be blamed for the youthful obesity filling the nation. As he asserts, fast-food companies do not provide accurate labeling for calorie contents on their products, which in turn leads to an unhealthy consumption of said products. He theorizes of bringing lawsuits to companies of this nature, like McDonald’s and Burger King, to make them pay for their disregard to a good handful of America’s teenage population that are overweight due to the food they provide.
I support Zinczenko in his argument that the fast-food companies are contributing to the growing obesity problem in America because of the lack of information on what exactly is being eaten and all of the calories and carbs that go with it. However, I do have to disagree on the stance of bring lawsuits against the companies. Even though they do not provide warning labels or calorie charts, it is unfair to say they take all the blame for that. Personal responsibility of knowing how bad fast-food is should be noted, and people should not blame the companies because of their decision to indulge in fatty foods.
In the article “Don’t Blame the Eater” by David Zinczenko, he argues that it is impossible to find inexpensive and convenient solutions to eating other than fast-food. The difficulty, he claims, is there are hardly any places in which anyone, most specifically a teenager, can find a place for healthy food. As he elaborates, one can drive down any street in America and generally find some type of fast-food restaurant whether it be McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Burger King, or one of the many others. But finding a grapefruit? You’d be better off looking for a needle in a haystack.
On the contrary, I find that the search for a healthy alternative isn’t so far out of reach. The solution lies in knowing how to locate the substitute food without breaking your back. And fortunately for the American public, if you know where to look it isn’t all that hard to find.
Summary 2
In his article “Don’t Blame the Eater,” David Zinczenko insists that fast-food companies are to be blamed for the youthful obesity filling the nation. As he asserts, fast-food companies do not provide accurate labeling for calorie contents on their products, which in turn leads to an unhealthy consumption of said products. He theorizes of bringing lawsuits to companies of this nature, like McDonald’s and Burger King, to make them pay for their disregard to a good handful of America’s teenage population that are overweight due to the food they provide.
I support Zinczenko in his argument that the fast-food companies are contributing to the growing obesity problem in America because of the lack of information on what exactly is being eaten and all of the calories and carbs that go with it. However, I do have to disagree on the stance of bring lawsuits against the companies. Even though they do not provide warning labels or calorie charts, it is unfair to say they take all the blame for that. Personal responsibility of knowing how bad fast-food is should be noted, and people should not blame the companies because of their decision to indulge in fatty foods.
Friday, September 7, 2007
Not quite Apples to Apples
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6982717.stm
Summary: Apple dropped the price of the iPhone from $500 to $300 in just the two months that the product has been on the market. With a $200 cut, many customers who bought the phone when it first came out were very upset and with great understanding. Apple, in turn, offered all who had bought it a $100 voucher for compensation.
“They Say” : The ‘they’ in this case is Apple; the company that made the iPhone.
Mr. Jobs said the price cut was the right move.
Steve Jobs, the chief executive of Apple did believe that he and his company were in the right to lower the price after such a short time. After all, they made a profit while the customers suffered despite Jobs’ claim that ‘We [Apple] want to do what is right thing for our valued iPhone customers’.As the author of the article goes to point out, Apple unleashed several new products that made many customers not even aware of the price cut, and provided a shield for Apple to hide behind.“They Say” they were in the right while “I say” (as the author of the article) that Apple had no right to lower the prices and try to hide it.
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