Niche Media

One concept that I believed needs to be further discussed is that of niche media. Niche media are forms of communication geared to a narrowly defined audience. It is notably different from mass media which are designed to reach and influence very large audiences. Niche media tries to focus on audiences with special interests such as raising cattle, gardening, or automobile racing, or to an audience with a particular demographic or geographic characteristic. When considering the media and all of its affects, it is easy to look at mass media and overlook niche media as mass media is arguably the one to have a greater affect on any given population. However, niche media is also an important part of the rise of media as well. Niche media panders to the specifics and focus itself on what certain people are interested in rather than the general things that everyone is likely to be interested in. I think it is very important in that it acknowledges certain groups and their interests rather than just lumping everyone together.

Question 2 (Likes and Dislikes)

I think my favorite part of the class was how interactive it was. The discussions and comments that were assigned every week really made it easy for me to get to know the others students and get a sense of who they were and what they stood for. I’ve found that, in most college classes, you’re lucky to get to know a few people in between the professors lecturing. That wasn’t the case here. I also enjoyed the content and the useful information that was provided throughout this semester. I can’t really think of anything that I didn’t like about the class and, if it was up to me, I would keep it the same as it was this semester. Everything seemed to work just fine to me. All in all, it was probably the class I like the most this semester and I’m really glad that I signed up for it.

Question 1 (What I've Learned)

I have certainly learned a lot in the last few months and much of it can be attributed to all that I have learned in this course. This course has taught me what it truly means to make an argument as well as knowing the different types of arguments there are. I’ve learned that it is sometimes necessary to questions the things you believe to be true in order to leave room for other perspectives. I’ve learned about ethics, morals, fallacies and plenty of other concepts that I had never given much thought to before taking this class. However, I think the most important thing this course has taught me is how to approach situations with a rational mind in order to make better decision in my life. I can honestly say that I have applied several of the concepts and techniques that I’ve learned in this course in my everyday life. I believe this course has helped me to become a more open-minded and well rounded person.

Psuedoscience

The part of this chapter that I thought was really interesting was that of Psuedoscience. Psuedoscience is described in the text as being a body of explanations or hypotheses that masquerade as the truth. It is often based on emotional appeals, superstition and rhetoric rather than the scientific method and can therefore be considered unscientific. Examples of Psuedoscience are astrology, psychic healings, tarot card readings, mind readings and numerology. The principles of most Psuedosciences are so vague worded that it becomes difficult to test their validity in a scientific setting. For instance, Horoscopes offer ambiguous statements that could apply to just about anyone which makes it hard to determine if it is truly falsifiable. Another example would be faith healing because, when someone is not healed, their healer can simply say that they did not have enough faith. Faith is not tangible and thus there is no way to say whether or not the healer was wrong. 

Question 2 (Scientific Research)

When I was a child, I thought I could get behind the sun if I just went far enough. Whenever my family and I went on a long drive or on a trip, I would stare up at the sun and wait for our car to pass it. It took me a little while to learn, mostly through school and science class, that my ambition was impossible. I had been looking at the sun as if it was a coin in the sky with a front and a back to it that could be seen depending on where you were in relation to it. Through reading and learning more about scientific research, I found out that the sun is spherical—a giant ball of fire in our solar system— and that Earth revolves around it.  Therefore it doesn't matter where you go on the planet; you will never be able to see the front and then the back of the sun. This is but one of many ways in which scientific research has changed the way I see the world around me.

Question 1 (Falsifiable Horoscopes)

Today, Virgo, don't be too surprised if you have difficulty getting into a work frame of mind. It's likely that you'd rather daydream than be in the real world. You're susceptible to daydreaming and taking imaginative trips. Consider making a list of everything that you need to do to help you focus. This will help you meet your short-term objectives, and you can take it easy this evening

My horoscope basically says that I will have a hard time focusing at work today and that creating a list of what I need to do would help me keep track of my short term objectives. This prediction felt a little vague to me. Most people get distracted when they are trying to work and yes making a list can help you keep on track, but that would be true for just about anyone on any day of the week. I’m finding that horoscopes tend to give practical advice and disguise it as something that is unique to your circumstances, so that when it works, you get the feeling they knew the future. It would seem that this horoscope is falsifiable because all it would take is one Virgo to say that this prediction didn’t apply to them today, however, I think it would be difficult to find someone who wasn’t distracted at all and who wouldn’t benefit from making a list of what they need to do.

Bias in News

The part of this chapter that I thought was interesting was bias in the news. This part explained how aside from selecting stories that appeal to the largest audience, the news is often reported in a biased way to keep us tuned in. It said that reporters may exaggerate or play down certain aspects of the story in order to keep us interested in what was happening. They also try to stay away from stories that might offend their sponsors, thus the news can seem one-sided at times. Furthermore, there are certain gender biases in news, in that the news is usually reported from a male point of view. I thought this was interesting because, before reading this, I hadn’t realized how much the news was affected by outside sources. I could understand why television shows or commercials might be biased on some matters but I figured the news was above all of that. 

Question 2 (Internet Plagiarism)

Although both seem to make a compelling argument, I am more inclined to agree with Sadler than Hunt. Brooke J. Sadler, an assistant professor of philosophy at the University of South Florida, poses several reason why internet plagiarism is wrong. She explains how plagiarism, at its core, is an intent to deceive, a violation of trust, theft of another’s ideas, and unfair to those who didn’t plagiarize. She believes it is important for students to educate themselves on the different forms of plagiarism and how serious it is. On the other hand, Russel Hunt who is a professor of English at St. Thomas University believes there are some unexpected benefits to internet plagiarism. He believes that internet plagiarism in school challenges the faculty, and essentially the system itself, to come up with new and perhaps better ways to teach their students. Hunt’s argument seems to be more inductive in that it is focused on something that could possibly happen rather than something that certainly will happen. He can’t know for certain whether or not allowing students to plagiarize will have all of the benefits he speaks of. Whereas Sadler’s argument strictly focuses on what plagiarism is and how it affects those who do it and those who do not.

Question 1 (Worldview)

As much as it pains me to admit it, I believe that much of my worldview has been and still is affected by the media. When I was a child, watching cartoons and children shows, my idea of the world was roughly defined as a place with both good and evil, but also a place where good would always win. I think this worldview was reinforced by watching sitcoms and cartoons where all the problems they faced were solved in less than thirty minutes. This had me believing that things would always work out for people who had good intentions and that those with malicious intentions would somehow fail. Though my worldview doesn’t quite fall in line with that anymore, it is still challenged and influenced by the mass media. Hearing about all the misfortune, and in some cases tragedy, on the news can still making me question my current worldview.

Product Placement

The part of this chapter that I thought was interesting was that of product placement. Product placement is an advertising strategy in which a real commercial product is used in fictional media, and the presence of the product is a result of an economic exchange between the media company and the business that produces the product. Basically, these business pay for their products to be integrated into the television shows that people are watching. Although now it can stretch as far as movies and sports uniforms as well. Some consider product placement a deceptive means to get consumers to buy the product as the advertisements are slipped in their without disclosure. I don’t think I really agree with this though. It does seem slightly underhanded for these business to pay to have their products put into these shows but it is still fairly harmless. No one is telling people they have to buy the products. Their just putting the idea there.

Question 2 (Advertisements)

Margo G. Wootan, in her Guidelines for Responsible Food Marketing to Children, suggests that we protect children from unhealthy food advertisements by limiting what the advertisers can show. She mentions how marketing advertisements for low nutrition food undermine parents’ authority when they are trying to encourage their children to eat healthier foods. On the other hand, Robert Liodice reminds us that, as Americans, we are all entitled to freedom of speech. He warns that chipping away at such an important right can be dangerous. He believes that restricting unhealthy food advertisements to children would trample upon our first amendment rights and diminish the whole idea of free enterprise. I am inclined to side with Liodice in this matter. Although I do understand where Wootan is coming from, I believe Liodice makes a better argument. Advertisements, no matter how suggestive, do not force children to eat unhealthy foods. Advertisements merely put the idea in their heads and it is entirely up to their parents to say yes or no to it. If anything, I think we should be encouraging parents to buy healthier foods despite how their children may protest.

Question 1 (Marketing Strategies)

One marketing strategy that I encountered this week was one which encouraged my impulsive buying. I’ve learned, through the reading, that research has found that over seventy percent of purchasing decisions are made on the spot in retail stores. It seemed a little off to me at first but, after giving it some thought, I realized there was some truth to it. I almost always go into the drugstore for one item in particular and end up leaving with a handful more than I had planned to buy. This week I went into Walgreens to get some Tylenol and decided to get some gum and chips that were by the checkout line. Before reading this chapter, I had no idea so much thought was being put into how and where the products are being displayed in the store. Though I don’t like the thought of being manipulated by marketing research, I have to admit I’m impressed by how effective it seems to be.

Perceptual Errors

The part of this chapter that I thought was interesting was that of perceptual errors. It explained how our minds aren’t quite as accurate or precise in collecting information as a say a camera or video recorder. They actually filter out our perceptions and fill in missing information with our expectations. The filling in of missing information with expectations is what leads to perceptual errors. A good example would be the 1938 War of the Worlds broadcast. The broadcast featured a play based on the novel and, when listeners heard it, they actually believed the world was being invaded by aliens. Many people panicked in the wake of the broadcast and claimed they could smell the poisonous gas and feel the heat rays that had been mentioned. As they had no true empirical evidence to back up what they believed, their minds filled in the gaps with perceptual errors. I thought this was interesting because it showed how our strong belief in something can overrule the reality in regards to perception.

Question 2 (UFOs)

Condon claims that the reason there has been so little study of UFOs and their sighting is because it is not a field that will lead to fruitful scientific discovery. Although he does encourage the continued study of it by those with adequate training and experience, he doesn't approve of their writing and spreading unsubstantiated claims. Hynek believes that the study of UFOs needs to increase their efforts. He says they should categorically compare large groups of sightings and investigate further into eye witness accounts. Hynek believes all of the confusion about the topic has prevented proper data collection and essentially kept them from making more progress. Paynter, although skeptical about the matter, believes it should be conducted in accordance with the highest standards of scientific inquiry. I believe that Paynter makes the best argument. As there is not enough evidence, he doesn’t claim that UFOs to be real but he doesn't discount the possibility either. He says that they need more research before they can know for certain.

Question 1 (Knowledge and Wisdom)

Knowledge is information or experience that we believe to be true and for which we have justification or evidence. Wisdom is our using knowledge or experiences to make good decisions. I believe I've been acquiring both knowledge and wisdom from my time here at San Jose State. I've found that, in most cases, what I learn in the classroom broadens my understanding of the world and thus leads me to make better decisions in my life. In essence, the knowledge I'm acquiring here is making me wiser. I think, in general, the information age has made people more knowledgeable but not necessarily wiser. Although the answers to our questions are almost always a few clicks away with search engines, it is still up to us to use whatever we might have learned to make wiser decisions. Having all the answers doesn’t necessarily change the person you are, that is up to us.

The Use of Language to Manipulate

The part of this chapter that I thought was very interesting was the use of language to manipulate people. I never really thought of all the ways in which we use words to make people think or feel a certain way about something. The chapter explained how manipulation can be carried out through the use of emotive language, rhetorical devices, or deliberate deception. Emotive language is used to elicit certain emotional impacts, which basically means you use certain words or phrases in your speech to invoke either positive or negative emotions in people. There are several rhetorical devices but, similar to emotive language, they use psychological persuasion to sway others thoughts. Deception can be described as the use of misinformation to affect someone’s thoughts or feelings on a matter. I think what I really enjoyed about this chapter was that it got me to think twice about the things I say. I’m going to try to be more mindful of how I might be using language to manipulate others.

Question 2 (Rhetorical Devices)

Rhetorical devices use psychological persuasion, rather than reason, to persuade others to accept a particular position. They include euphemisms, dysphemism, sarcasm and hyperbole. I've used both sarcasm and hyperbole this week. Sarcasm uses ridicule, insults, taunts, and or caustic irony in order to create a sense of disapproval towards an intended target. I was being sarcastic when I told my friend, who had kept me waiting for twenty minutes, that "it was cool how he was always on time". My tone of voice told him I did not actually think this and, as is the way with sarcasm, it was intended to make him feel bad. I used hyperbole, which is the use of exaggeration in describing something, when I explained the football game I had watched. I told my friend it was "the best game we had played this season" when it was actually a pretty disappointing game for my team. I guess making it seem better for us was easier than admitting how let down I was.

Question 1 (Critical Thinking Qualities)

I think the way in which Ride most exemplified the qualities of a critical thinker was in her analytical skills and effective communication. Her college friends described her as being the sort of person who can quickly think, figure out and crystallize something. Their description of her suggests she is the kind of person who has the ability to back up her beliefs with logic which is an important part of critical thinking. Critical thinking requires communication and literacy skills as well. Ride's majoring in English as well as Physics in college shows that she does have communication skills. I think that, most of all, her critical thinking skills were displayed in how she approached what seems to be her entire life with careful reasoning. She knew what she wanted and did everything she needed to make it happen for her. Her story was truly inspirational. It has made me want to take a closer look at what I need to do in order to make my own dreams possible.

Dreams and Problem Solving

I think what I found most interesting in this chapter was the part about how we can sometimes use reason in our dreams in order to solve our problems. The text explained that, although reasoning is usually viewed as a conscious activity, that much of reasoning is unconscious and automatic. Studies are also showing how dreams tend to take on a form of reasoning that helps solve visual problems. This is but another way in which using reason can happen without our knowing it. No one can really control their dreams, and yet in our dreams we unconsciously use reasoning. It seems to me that reasoning, at its core, comes naturally to people. Although there are instances in which we need to will ourselves and perhaps others to see reason, more often than not there are times when we use it without even knowing. I find that to be very interesting.

Question 1 (Strengths)

Identifying your strengths is important in choosing a career because, despite what you may want, not every career option is a suitable one. My strengths have always been compassion and empathy. I’ve always been able to easily put myself into someone else’s shoes and see the situation from their point of view. I’ve tried, when arguing with someone, to see it their way first and see if I can find some sort of common ground. More often than not I am able to find something we can both agree on. I think this is a valuable strength to have when pursuing a career in creative writing. An author who wrote a novel in which every character shared his qualities and way of thinking would likely have a difficult time selling it. You need to be able to step outside of yourself and into the mind of another in order to create a truly dynamic character. 

Question 2 (Aquinas vs Dawkins)

Dawkins claims suggest that evolution and a belief in God are incompatible. He also believes that Aquinas’ claims are little more than double talk that dances around the same point. Although I can respect the depth of Dawkins reasoning and the precision in which he tries to pick a part what Aquinas had said centuries before, I can’t agree with him saying that evolution and a belief in God are incompatible. I’ve never found it difficult to believe in both God and evolution. I see how some people feel the need to choose one or the other, but never quite understood why it wasn’t possible for both concepts to exist together. Why not believe in a God who works through evolution and science? If Aquinas had heard Dawkins argument, he would have likely quoted one of his proofs and tried to debunk Dawkins line of reasoning. Nevertheless, I do think that Aquinas and Dawkins both made the mistake of trying to use reason to explain the existence of God. God is a matter of faith and faith isn’t always rational.

Analogies

The concept that I want to go over this week is the proper use of an analogy. An analogy is based on a comparison between two or more things or events, and it often contain words or phrases such as like, as, similarly, or compared to. There are several ways in which analogies can be used. The can be used as a teaching mechanism by showing us how to do something better by comparing it to a similar experience. They can be used as descriptive devices in which you can help someone better understand something by comparing it to something they may be more familiar with. They are often used in literature in the form of metaphors. There are many different and practical uses for analogies in everyday life. I, personally, love to use analogies in a conversation if the opportunity presents itself. They make communicating easier and more colorful.

Question 2 (Antonia Novello)

Antonia Novello used cause-and-effect inductive reasoning when trying to devise a solution for the public health problems of AIDS, violence, alcohol and tobacco. She noted that, after the release of the Joe Camal ads of 1988, more teens and children began to smoke. She reasoned that the Joe Camal ads were the cause and a raised number of children and teens smoking was the effect. This is inductive because it deals in probability rather than necessity. It was not certain that the ads were the sole reason for children and teens deciding to smoke. However, in using cause-and-effect inductive reasoning, she was able to see that the Joe Camal ads were most likely at fault and therefore act accordingly. She worked to ban cigarette and alcohol ads that targeted youths as a result. I think this is another great example of how being able to create proper arguments, be they inductive or deductive, can be useful in life.

Inductive Argument (Question 1)

Unlike a deductive argument, which claims that its conclusion necessarily follows from the premises, an inductive argument claims that its conclusion probably follows from the premises. Inductive arguments are thus classified as stronger or weaker rather than true or false. I used an inductive argument just this morning when I was trying to decide when I should leave for school. I considered that, I take the highway every morning. Every morning I am stuck in traffic. Chances are I will be stuck in traffic this morning. With that in mind, I left my apartment twenty minutes earlier than usual and was not thrown off by the morning traffic. This is an inductive argument because it is based in probability, not necessity. There was still a chance that there would be no traffic at all and I would arrive much earlier rather than right on time. It also had key words such as chances are in its conclusion.

Syllogisms

What I thought was interesting in this chapter were all the different types of arguments and syllogisms that were mentioned. A syllogism is a form of deductive argument that presents two supporting premises which are followed by a conclusion. An example would be; all men are mortal, all fathers are men, therefore all fathers are mortal. I thought it was interesting how the book seemed to break down the deductions we make. I never really thought about how knowing one thing for certain can lead to us knowing several other things through association and reasoning. Of course, as the chapter went on to explain, not all premises are correct which makes their syllogisms invalid. The books give the example argument; all men are tall people, tom cruise is a man, therefore tom cruise is a tall person. This would be an example of how one false premise can make a syllogism invalid. The incorrect premise of all men are tall people is what ruined the argument.

Question 2 (Death Penalty)

Jesus taught us not to return hate for hate or evil for evil. With this in mind, one might be able to assert this syllogism. Jesus’ teachings are the base of Christianity. He taught that you should never take a life. Therefore, Christians are against the taking of a life. If you look at it this way, then it seems to be a very simple matter. Jesus Christ said that it is wrong to take a life, therefore all Christians should be against the death penalty as it is the taking of a life. However, I’ve found that, where people are involved, things are hardly ever so cut and dry. I think it is hard to find absolutes when it comes to what a group of people do or do not believe, mostly because everyone is different and we all see the world from our own point of view. Though the argument seems sound, I think there is still room for exception.  Not every Christian is going to believe that the death penalty is wrong and it likely has nothing to do with how strongly they believe in Jesus’ teachings but rather how they choose to interpret them. As a Christian, I have struggled with whether I’m for or against the death penalty and I can’t quite say I’ve decided one way or the other yet.

Question 1 (Reasoning)

Sherlock Holmes says, in regard to reasoning, that the difficulty comes in detaching the framework of undeniable fact from the embellishment of hearsay and reporters. I believe what Holmes was trying to explain is how hard it is to differentiate between what is the truth and what is merely believed to be the truth. A friend of mine spent the last eighteen years of his life thinking that the people who raised him were his biological parents, only finding out the truth recently. I had always noticed how he looked a little different from his parents. Their skin was fair while his was a little darker. They had dirty blonde hair while he had black. However, I never thought to question whether or not they were his biological parents. I had just accepted it as the truth, despite all of the clues. I think the same could be said about my friend. They were his parents. They had loved him, raised him, and helped him throughout his life. Why would he ever question what they said was true? Sherlock Holmes uses reason to tear away assumptions and opinions, leaving only the facts and the truth behind. I don’t think this is something that most people could do quite as easily as he does, but then again, that’s the beauty of Sherlock Holmes; he’s fiction.

8 Steps

Chapter six lists eight steps that can help us improve our arguments. First, we must develop a list of premises. After that, we move onto eliminating irrelevant premises, establishing a conclusion, organizing our arguments, testing our arguments, revising it if we need to and lastly acting on our conclusion. I found the section regarding the eight steps and premises to be very interesting. It made me realize how inadequate some of my arguments have been in the past and how I can hope to improve them in the future. I liked how this chapter showed that there is a proper way to argue with someone that minimizes the risks of hurting feelings or offending. I’ve never really liked arguing with people. I would much rather discuss the matter like an adult. However, with what I have learned from this chapter, I feel like I am ready to tackle the next argument that comes my way.

Question 2 (Standing Your Ground)

I cannot say there has ever been a time in my life where standing up for something has put me in risk of losing my friends or job. Of course, that is not to say that I’m the sort to cower away from confrontation. It is rather that none of my relationships had been flimsy enough to have been broken by one disagreement, at least not the ones that truly mattered to me. None of the bosses I have worked under ever put me in a position where I needed to stand my ground against them either. I think the reason I have never found myself in this sort of position is because I instinctively surround myself with tolerant and understanding people, who are more inclined to discuss different point of views rather than argue about them. I do believe that if I was ever put in the position in which I needed to stand up for what I believed, even at the risk of my relationship or job, I would take a stand and do what is right. I think what I’ve learned in this chapter would help me stand my ground.

Question 1 (Same-sex Marriage)

President Obama opposes gay marriage, but does support civil union between same-sex couples. I think most would say he contradicts himself by supporting gay marriage, but not following through and making sure they receive the same rights as other married couples. I can see how his hesitation can make it confusing to determine which side he truly stands for. However, I can also see how absolute support of gay marriage might put him in a position to alienate those who are against it. I, personally, see no reason why same-sex couples should be denied the right to marry one another. Then again, I am not president nor can I imagine the pressure that comes with trying to be for everyone when there are hardly any instances in which everyone agrees. Given President Obama’s recent actions, I would think he would respond to Nava and Dawidoff by trying to find a way to appeal to all sides, as most politicians are wont to do. I can’t say I think it would be the right course of action though.

Introduction

Hello

I’m a junior here at San Jose State University and, for the last couple years, my major has been Graphic Design. However, I decided to change it up a little this year and I am now majoring in English. Art and English have always been the two great passions in my life, thus I often find myself wrestling with which one I should pursue. Hopefully, I will be able to find a career that incorporates a little of both. I took an online Comm 10 course last semester and enjoyed it very much. I didn’t know what to make of it at first, but I ended up learning a lot from the instructor and my peers.  I’m eager to be a part of this course and looking forward to getting to know everyone a little better through our discussions and blogging. I hope we all have a great semester in Comm 41.

Further Discussion

A concept that I feel needs further discussion is the development of friendship. The stages of friendship are role-limited interaction, friendly relations, moving towards friendship, nascent friendship, stabilized friendship and waning friendship. When I went over this topic before, I mentioned how surprised I was by how easily a friendship can reach the waning stage and fall apart. I didn’t realize that not spending less time with someone could lead to the end of a relationship. I also said that I planned on using what I learned in this chapter to try and be a better friend. It has been a few weeks since then and I can say that I have done what I said I would do and, as a result, have become a better friend. Friendship that I had thought were in the waning stage have now gone back to being stabilized because I’ve made a conscious effort to spend more time with those who I had previously neglected.

Question 2 (What I've learned)

Before taking this class, I wasn’t a big fan of communication. I was the sort of person who liked to keep certain thoughts and feelings to himself. Through our assignments and discussions, I’ve come to understand the value of communication and how it can strengthen any relationship. I learned a lot in this class. I learned more about my romantic relationships and how I should be treating my partner. The mistakes I made in past relationships were made clear to me in chapter 11. Through acknowledging these mistakes, I’ve learned how to be a more patient and open partner. My understanding of friendships and how they are formed was broadened by chapter 10. I was able to take away a few techniques that I think have helped me to become a better friend. However I think that, above all else, this class has helped me to learn more about myself and who I am as a person.

Question 1 (Class)

I think what I liked most about this class is how it made it easy for me to speak my mind and express my opinions on certain matters. I don’t talk all that much in my regular classes. Furthermore, there aren’t many opportunities for me to get know my classmates that well either. I usually just talk to the people who sit next to me and it is never about anything that important. This class was different. I not only got to talk with my fellow classmates on a weekly basis, I also got to hear what they had to say about my thoughts and opinions on the subject matter. This was my first experience with an online class and I can honestly say that I enjoyed it. I don’t think I would want to change anything about this class. It seemed to work great just the way it was.  

Family Life Cycle

A concept that I thought was interesting in this chapter was the family life cycle. I liked how the chapter was able to break it down into just seven different stages which were establishing a family, enlarging a family, developing a family, encouraging independence, launching children, postlaunching of children and retirement. I liked being able to look at these stages and think about which stage the people in my life are at. I know people who have just stepped into stage two, others who are in stage three and I’m sure my parents would be in stage five of their family life cycle. I’ve always imagined that settling down and having a family would be a difficult decision for me but this chapter made it seem like a challenging but altogether beautiful process. Although I do not plan on starting a family anytime soon, this chapter has at least opened my mind to the possibility of it.

Question 2 (Marriage)

Based on recent cultural trends and the progression of my generation’s values, I think that marriage is going to become less meaningful in the next fifty years. This chapter mentioned that approximately half of all marriages end in divorce now and sixty percent of remarriages do not last either. With this in mind, I think that marriage could reach a level of degradation in which it is equivalent to dating someone instead of being the lifelong commitment it was meant to be. I’ve never been married, so I can’t say I know the struggles and obstacles that come along with it, but I’m still disappointed by the divorce rate these days. It makes me think that people, that my generation, isn’t taking marriage as seriously as they should. I’m not saying that no one should be allowed to get a divorce. I’m just saying that it shouldn’t be used so freely. It should be a last resort, something you turn to when you’ve already tried everything else.

Question 1 (Family)

I would define family as being a group of people who are deeply connected to each other through blood, love or shared experiences. In my opinion, you can’t consider someone to be family unless you have a connection to them through one of the three. Although most people seem to see family as primarily a matter of blood or marriage, I’ve come to understand that love and shared experiences are far more important. My little sister is adopted but I love her with all of my heart and, as such, have never seen her as anything but a member of my family. On the other hand, my aunts, uncles and cousins are related to me by blood but, since I hardly ever see them, I consider them to be relatives not family. Being a part of a family is about more than blood and marriage. It’s about being there for those who are closest to you when they need you. It’s about accepting them as they are, flaws and all. It’s about having people in your life you know will love you unconditionally. I have a mother, father, two big brothers, and a little sister and what makes us family, above all else, is that we love each other and have no doubts that that will ever change.

Long-Distance Relationships

A part of this chapter that I thought was interesting was the part that went over Adapt Communication to Maintain Long-Distance Relationships. I guess I was drawn to it because I’ve never really seen the point in long-distance relationships. I tried it briefly a few years ago and it didn’t work for me or for her. Since we didn’t get to see each other and only talked ever so often, it began to feel like we were in a relationship only for the sake of being able to say that we were. I agree with the books explanation of how long-distance relationships can grant a sense of autonomy or even a routine that is hard to break even when you’re together again. In my experience, being in such a relationship is actually just being single with the advantage of being able to say you’re in a relationship when it suits you.

Question 1 (Online/Face-to-Face)

Although I know there is amply potential for deceit in face-to-face relationships, I do think that there is even more in online relationships. I agree that, in online relationships, people can easily misrepresent themselves. Of course, they can do this face-to-face as well, but it’s not nearly as easy. I think the reason for the increased deception is because there isn’t a simply way to prove whether or not their telling the truth about themselves. They could say anything about their life and who they are and the only choices the other party is left with is to believe or not believe them. In either case, you don’t know whether or not you’ve been told the truth. However, I don’t think I would say that it is always unethical to misrepresent yourself. Sometimes people exaggerate who they are or what they’ve done as a way of making themselves feel better.

Question 2 (love or commitment)

I have experienced a relationship in which there was commitment but not love. Although, in the beginning, I might have thought I was in love with her, it became clear to me later that that wasn’t the case. I cared about her deeply, and I was committed, but that was about it. I had hoped that my feelings for her would grow as the relationship progressed. It was almost like I was waiting for the moment in which I would suddenly fall in love with her. Of course, the moment never came for me and at that point I felt like I was obliged to stick it out. It was months before I finally had enough sense to end the relationship. I have experienced both relationships, one in which only love was present, and the other in which there was only commitment. I’ve come to understand that love and commitment go hand in hand with each other. It’s not enough to love someone but not want to be around or invest in the relationship. On the other hand, commitment without love can make a relationship feel like a job or obligation rather than a gift.

Question 1 (Friendship Site)

I thought that the friendship page was a decent place to find simple information to help relationships and I was pleased to see that there was an actual website for such things. However, I couldn’t help but notice that the book was significantly more insightful and all together helpful for me. The friendship page, in my opinion, seemed to be working with a general idea of what friendship is and as such it provided easy answers and solutions. Interpersonal Communication: Everyday Encounters was much more in depth. It explained how friendships begin, the stages they go through, and even what’s necessary to keep them strong. The friendship page did mention some similar challenges that were presented in this chapter. For example, it addressed the issue of developing romantic feelings for one of your friends and how to deal with it. Aside from that, I didn’t see it addressing any of the other challenges for friendship that were mentioned in chapter ten.

Development of Friendship

A concept that I found to be particularly interesting in this chapter was the development of friendship. I liked how the book broke it down to six different stages which were role limited interaction, friendly relations, moving toward friendship, nascent friendship, stabilized frienship and finally waning friendship.I thought the last stage was enlightening. I never realized how easily a friendship can come a part. I guess I always thought the only way for a friendship to end is with a big fight or disagreement. I didn't consider that a friendship could end just as easily by not having enough time for one another. I can now see that there are some friendships in my life that are approaching the waning stage. Between college, work, and family, I just havent has much time for my old friends. I hope there is still enough time for me to fix these relationships and get them back on track.

Question 2 (Friendship)

My best friend and I have known each other since sophomore year of high school. I think the biggest investment that we’ve made in each other is time. We spent almost every day of high school together both in and out of class. We arrived at parties together, double dated and got to know each other’s family. We built trust, acceptance and closeness through the long conversations we’ve had over the years. We’re both free to speak our minds, no matter where they lead us, knowing that we won’t be judged for the things we say. I’ve always thought this was one of the best parts of our friendship. I found this chapter to be very helpful and I did learn a few ways in which I could be a better friend in the future. I noticed that the dynamics of my friendship with him were pretty much the same as those identified in this chapter. However, I do think there is room for improvement.

Defensive/ Supportive

Another part of this chapter that I found interesting was the part that discussed defensive and supportive climates in communication. I found myself in strong agreement with what it had to say about evaluative communication and how it leads to defensiveness. I’ve never like it when I’m talking to someone and they give me a look or a comment that says I had clearly done something wrong in their eyes. I’m not all that self-conscious but I certainly don’t like being judged. I doubt anyone really does. Judging someone, even the ones you are close to, can easily lead to implications of superiority or condescension. I am the sort of person who becomes defensive when I think that others are judging or evaluating my decision in a way that suggest they wouldn’t have done it like I had, that they would’ve done it right. It’s easy to look at a situation from the outside and think you have all the answer. It’s a different matter entirely to actually experience it.

Question 2 (Disconfirmed/Defensive)

In the past, many of the times that I felt disconfirmed have occurred when I was talking to or discussing something with my mother. Although I do have a good relationship with her and enjoy our occasional conversations, there have been times when I felt that she wasn’t really listening to me or didn’t think what I was saying was actually important. The defensiveness producing communication behaviors that I noticed from her were neutrality and superiority. There would be some conversations where she wouldn’t really pay much attention to what I was saying and only stay in the conversation by giving me vague or general responses. There have also been other times when she would listen to me but she would respond in a fashion that made me feel as if my point wasn’t quite as strong as it should be. Of course, I don’t think she intended to come off this way but it has happened on more than one occasion.

Question 1 (Confirm)

I have found it to be very difficult to confirm others when I disagree with them. When I’m discussing a matter with someone, I’ll make my point and watch as they nod their head and tell me how they see the value in my statement. However, when they try to state a point of view which is contrary to mine, I brush right pass it and try to restate my own.  Although I have always thought it to be a natural part of debating with my friends and family, I’m now starting to see the harm it can cause. It’s not enough for me to just recognize that the person I’m talking to exists. This chapter helped me see how I need to start acknowledging their thoughts and feeling more than I have in the past. I shouldn’t expect them to value what I have to say if I’m not willing to extend the same courtesy to them.

Mindfulness

It is described in this chapter as being the first step in listening. Mindfulness, in regards to listening, is being present in the moment and not letting your mind wander. It involves taking on the perspective of the person who is trying to communicate with you without imposing your own ideas, feelings or judgement. Mindfulness is a crucial part of good listening. It is also completely within everyones reach. All one has to do is choose to be mindful of what another is trying to say. Unfortunately, many people still choose to ignore the speakers veiwpoint and replace them with their own. I would like to believe that I'm a mindful listener but I know that there are times when I let my own beliefs keep me from even trying to understand someone else's veiwpoint. In the future, I would like to try being more mindful of what people are trying to say to me.

Question 2 (Listening Skill)

The website, listen.org, explained ten key concepts for better listening. It said that in order to better your listening skills you need to find an area of interest, judge content no delivery, hold your fire, listen for ideas, be flexible, work at listening, resist distractions, exercise your mind, keep your mind open and capitalize on thought and speed. What I took away from this site is that listening is about more than just hearing what is said. It’s about understanding what you are hearing and actively immersing your mind into the topic. I think it’s a little surprising how easily people disregard the listening part of communication. I have on a few occasions found myself so eager to make my point to someone that I completely ignore the point that they’re trying to make. I definitely need to work at my listening skills and I’m eager to try out what I’ve learned from the site.

Question 1 (Nonlistening)

 I think the most common form of nolistening in my communication is psuedolistening. Psuedolistening is when someone pretends to listen and appears attentive but their mind is somewhere else. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a day dreamer and as such my mind often wanders to other places while people are talking to me. Usually in the middle of class or a conversation that holds no real significance to me, I’ll put on a sort of mask with my expressions and make people think that I’m listening. It’s gotten me into a bit of trouble more times than I care to admit, especially in relationships. I plan to fix it by making a conscious decision to stay focused and engaged in what others are trying to say to me. It isn’t right for me to expect others to listen to everything I have to say but not do as much for them.

Symbols Are Arbitrary

This chapter explained that words are not intrinsically connected to what they represent. There is no real reason to call what we read books or our pet a dog aside from the fact that those who started the language agreed it was acceptable. The symbols or words we use have no true connection to what they are trying to represent and as such their meaning can change. Fifty years ago, the word gay referred to being lighthearted. Today, gay is commonly used in regards to homosexuality. It’s almost funny how the meaning of certain words can change given time or having them placed in different societies. We like to think the things we say are constant but in reality, a profound statement said now could seem like nothing more than gibberish to someone who heard it hundreds of years from now. I guess words aren’t quite as powerful as we would like to think they are. In truth, the power comes from the meaning behind them.

Question 2 (Hate Speech)

Hate speech is generally defined as being any sort of communication that disparages a person or group of people based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or religion. The Free Speech Museum described it as being speech that is racist or anti-Semitic. There have been suggestions to censor hate speech on the web and though I see the value in keeping people, particularly children, from reading such ignorant words, I don’t think it would be right to censor it. It would go against this country’s first amendment right which entitles all of us to freedom of speech. No matter how ignorant or misguided a person’s words might be, they are still entitled to express them. I think the best way to deal with hate speech is to talk to and hopefully enlighten those who would consider it to be acceptable. Keeping people from saying such remarks isn’t a real solution to the problem. We need to find a way to change their way of thinking.

Question 1 (Metaphor)

I like Reverend Jesse Jackson’s rainbow metaphor for America. I think it does a good job of describing the diversity of this country without diminishing any culture. It illustrates that it’s the union of all of the different cultures and people that makes this country beautiful. However, that’s not to say that I’m against the melting pot metaphor that has been used so many times before. I don’t think that it is really implies that we should all forget our roots but rather that we should remember that we are all Americans, no matter what we look like or where our families are from. If I was to describe America with my own metaphor, I would describe us as being an orchestra. Each ethnicity, each culture would be represented by a different instrumental group and while they could just as easily make music separately, it’s theunited harmony that makes it beautiful. It’s all of the instruments playing together in synch that makes it an orchestra.

Particular Others

A concept that I found interesting in this chapter was that of Particular Others. The chapter explained that as we grow we learn to see ourselves based on how other significant people in our lives see us. These Particular Others can be, and are often, our parents, teachers and friends. I thought it was interesting how much of what we are told and how we are treated as a child can affect how we see ourselves as adults. My parents and teachers had always praised and encouraged my accomplishment. I guess I never really realized how much that made me want to try harder and be better. It’s funny to think that if they had responded differently to my accomplishments, I might be a different person today. It really is the responsibility of adults to make sure that children understand how special they are and how proud we are of their every achievements.

Question 1

I spoke to both a man and a woman who were forty years older than me and asked them how men and women were supposed to act when they were twenty. The woman said that, when she was my age, women were starting to work, have jobs and go to college more than in earlier generations. They were still expected to one day have a family and take care of their children but they were also allowed to have their own personal ambitions as well. However, it would’ve been considered inappropriate for her to let those ambitions interfere with taking care of her children. The man I spoke to said he was expected to have a family and accept that his wife might work too, but he was also expected to make more and provide for his family. It wasn’t appropriate for him to still be acting irresponsibly at that age or let his wife make more than him. A man and a woman twenty years older than me told me that, when they were twenty, men weren’t really expected to make all the money for their family and it wasn’t negative for him to have a wife who made as much or more money than him. Women were still expected to one day have a family and to take care of their children but men had a more active role in it. It was more acceptable for men to express their feelings than it had been generations before. I am twenty years old and it seems to me, based on what I’ve heard, that gender roles haven’t changed that much in the last twenty years. However, they seem to have changed a great deal from the way they were forty years ago.

Question 2 (What is Race?)

Race is used today as a way of classifying people into certain groups by ethnicity. Although I see the risk for prejudice and stereotypes a division such as this can cause, I also understand that classifying people based on their race is unavoidable in this day and age. I think it would be difficult if not impossible to look at someone today and not take into account whether or not they are of a different race than you. Although we are all human and therefore should be equal in each other’s eyes, I would be remiss to say that we are all exactly the same. There are different ethnicities in this world and I don’t think that acknowledging this fact should be frowned upon. Furthermore, I don’t see why the Census Bureau would not want people to check multiple races in order to describe themselves. It’s not uncommon for people nowadays to have mixed ethnicities and I think it’s a little unfair for them to be forced to choose which of the many races in their background describes them the best.

Question 2

A relationship in m life that has become closer over time would be my relationship with my best friend. We met sophomore year in high school. In the beginning, we talked only about neutral topics such as how much homework we had to deal with or whether we liked our teachers or not. I think we both consciously avoided topics that we thought were too close to us. We didn’t want to say anything that could be used against us later. It was an I-You relationship from the beginning. There was a connection but we weren’t quite ready to let our guard down. However, without either of us realizing, our conversations started to become more personal. We started talking about our family, friends and past experiences as if we had known each other for years but in fact we had only met a couple months ago. The two of us have been friends for about four years now and there isn’t much we keep from each other. We talk about our families, friends, ambitions, political views, religious beliefs and anything else that might come up in conversation. Although I’m truly amazed by how our bond has grown over the years, I’m even more amazed by how much we’ve affected each other. I’m a different person from who I was in high school and it’s largely in part to my friendship with him. Our friendship and past experiences have challenged me to be a better man.

Question 1

Linear communication involves a message being sent from the sender and to the receiver. It can be seen as a one way conversation in which the sender is speaking or communicating but the receiver is giving no response. Linear communication is meant to be direct but, when noise or any other sort of distraction is introduced, the message can be interrupted. On the other hand, interactive communication is when a message is being sent but there is in fact a response from the receiver. I believe an appropriate example of linear communication from my life would be my history class. There are seventy students in my class and our professor doesn’t appreciate being interrupted, thus each class often breaks down to him going over his lecture and sending us his message while the rest of us listen and receive it without giving feedback. However, there is the occasional noise such as a cell phone ringing or a late student entering the classroom that interrupts the message he is sending.

Introductory Post

I'm a sophmore at san jose state and I'm majoring in art. I haven't quite decided what I want to do with an art major but I'm focusing on graphic design and animation right now. They seem like the best options for me because I've always loved to draw and I'm fascinated by the way technology can bring that extra bit of life into my artwork. This is the first online class I've enrolled in since starting college and this is also my first time using a blog.