Writing Prompt 9/25/15

        When on social media, I tend to post or blog less formal writings.  I usually do not post in complete sentences and sometimes will use "text talk".  It is completely different when am writing something formal for a class, resume, etc.  For example, if I am writing a paper for a class, I will use correct grammar, punctuation, and full sentences.  When I write on social media, I usually separate it from how I write formal papers.

Extra Credit Blog

                  The protest in front of Heth hall I feel has caused a lot of controversy on campus.  The man leading the event is very strong in what he believes and will not take any other person’s opinions.  I feel he believes that he is some sort of prophecy spreading God’s word to people on campus.  I do not agree with what this man is doing.  Specifically, there was a guy who asked if he could ask the event leader a question. Whether the guy asking the question was joking or not, I do not think he deserved the response he got.  I did not hear the question being asked, but the response given was “That’s because you are the devil and are going to hell!”.  I understand that many students seem to be provoking him, but I do not believe he has a right to be on campus shouting such things at students.  The “preacher” also went on to point people out in the crowd and say which of them had no self respect or moral standards.  If he wanted any student to listen to him, shouting at them and attempting to embarrass them in front of others is not the way.  I find it quite comical that he believes he is doing such a great deed when he is breaking most norms and teachings of religions.  Most religions teach with peace and kindness to get their point across.  In another instance, a student was provoking the man saying he was wrong and shouting inappropriate language at him.  While I do not agree with provoking someone just to get a heated response, the man said “you should call your mother and father and apologize for being such a horrible sinner”.  The student then called his mother and told the man that his mother, nicely put, did not agree with him.  The preacher then shouted vulgar things about the student’s mother in front of the entire crowd.  The student then got intensely angry and was being held back by his friends.  I then noticed that the preacher was wearing a camera strapped to his chest.  I then concluded that he is getting people riled up to see how far they will take it, until they possibly take a swing at him.  In doing this, they are giving him evidence to take to a court of law and say “he was just preaching his beliefs”.  This angered me because I feel that the preacher was only there to get attention for himself and cause chaos.  I sat there and listened for about fifteen or twenty minutes, and when I left, I felt that I had gotten no real point or reason to what he was even saying.  All I got from his protest was that he was an insane man screaming at young college students to get attention.  I do not agree at all with his protest or how he is conducting the event itself.  I believe it is ignorant and is having a negative impact on campus and the students.

Personal Narrative Outline

How do you feel the internet has shaped your brain?

•  I feel that the internet has helped me gain large amounts of information in a short amount of time.
• I feel that the internet has allowed me to scan information quickly while still getting the point.
• I feel that the internet has helped me retain more information and think faster.

How have you benefited from the accessibility of technology and the World Wide Web?

•  Technology has allowed me to communicate with people I normally do not see
•  Technology has helped me meet new people and make friends
• Technology has helped me stay informed of important news at all times
• The World Wide Web has allowed me to see large amounts of information at one time
•  It has allowed me to use many sources and see many different perspectives
•   It has helped me with research
• Helping get into Radford, or helping at first year of Radford/ choosing a major
• How does it apply to CORE

How do you believe the internet will play a role as you continue in your higher education at Radford University?

•  I believe the internet will continue to help me gain more knowledge
• I believe the internet will help me write papers for classes with valid sources
• I believe it will help me do important research for all classes
• I think it will help me communicate with my classmates and teachers for potential help in a course

What about after?

•  I believe the internet could help me get a job by allowing me to connect to websites to put myself out there to an employer
•    Also I believe it could help with any sort of job

ll      I think that technology has made a positive impact on society.  It does have downfalls, but in my experience, it has helped me in many ways.

    Thesis: Technology has grown and advanced intensely fast over the past years.  It has major benefits and also some downfalls.  In my experience, technology has been a huge benefit for me.  Technology has mainly helped me with schoolwork, research, and communication.

      How it relates to the shallows!

Chapters 1&2

         The first two chapters of The Shallows is trying to lay out information for the reader, and show the strong impact technology has been in Carr's life.  I think that the first chapter goes through the stages of advancing technology.  For example, Carr says that he went from having a MacBook computer for games and limited internet time, to carrying a laptop like it was nothing.  I think this is the story for a lot of people during this time.  When technology first came around, it was not very widely used.  Carr’s story shows how quickly it progressed.  He does say that technology has rapidly expanded, but does not necessarily state that he thinks it is a bad thing.  Throughout both chapters I think Carr may be leaning towards technology being a negative thing, but is mostly laying out information for the reader.  He states in the first chapter that he feels he can no longer be attentive to long articles.  Carr believes this is due to his increased technology use.  I do not disagree that this could be a factor, but I believe being able to access mass amounts of information in a short amount of time has been a good thing.  In the first chapter I agree with the fact that technology advanced very quickly and became a large part of people’s lives.  However, I do not believe technology is a bad thing.  Technology can have its negatives, for example discouraging kids from playing outside, it can be distracting, or can lessen face to face communication.  I think it is a good thing because it has allowed us to accomplish things faster, find more information, and communicate with people we may not have been able to before technology.  In chapter two, I think Carr is somewhat taking a stance against technology.  In this chapter, he is laying out an overwhelming amount of information concerning research about the brain.  A main idea in this chapter is that as a child, your brain can be molded and changed, but once you hit a certain point, it hardens and begins to age with you.  I think this is false because no matter how old you are; I believe you can still be reprogrammed to fulfill a need.  Carr outlines this concept in the chapter with the anecdote about Nietzsche.  He tells the story of how Nietzsche went blind and having a type writer essentially saved him by allowing him to continue putting his thoughts and teachings on paper.  I believe that the brain, at any age, can be taught anything if the action is repeated multiple times.  I think that Carr is attempting to show that the brain is malleable, but the internet may be decreasing its ability.  I somewhat agree with Carr’s thought about the brain.  I believe that the internet could possibly be lessening human ability to mold the brain at older ages, but I do not think it completely prevents molding.  In these chapters, Carr does make valid points.  I see both sides of the argument and agree in some ways, and disagree in others.  I think that so far Carr has stated his opinion, but through the information he provided.