mike's log

lloking back at this past semester, we have attempted to become better at reading the people wround us. So, when I took a bit of time out of my day to look around at the poeple around me, i tried to remember all the things that were happeing. At first, i thought i was being a smart ass, thinking that none of the surrounding areas needed a comma, and i didnt see any missed citations. But it was when i started actually "reading" the space around me that i started to actually laugh. Sitting in the counch area, becuse im lazy and wanted to be comfy doing this strenuous assignment, i realized that so many people try so hard to be part of the college atmoshphere, that they almost look like that they came off a printing press. I dont know if its the lack of sleep or stress, but no joke, 9 out of 10 pepole had starbucks coffee in their hand and an iPod in thier ears. everyone does the smae thing. for this being the place where you are suppossed to be the person who you are going to become, why is that everyone is the becoming the same person? thats no fun. the only person that i felt was being true to himself wsa this super tall guy that sat there playing his PSP (video games becky) and didnt care. some of the people gave him dirty looks as if he was scarring the college atmoshphere. So the guy wanted to have fun? Why does he deserve the dirty looks from every passerby? did he do something wrong and i miss it? or is it becasue that he wasnt listening to an iPod and freaking out over finals? I dont know, but it seems that our college culture has become one of conformity, not diversity. so yeah, thats it.

Posted by Michael Leininger at 9:38 AM | Permalink

I just want to know when this is ever going to stop. The article by wilson talks about how the media stereotypically portrays certain people in suck a narrow mind set, that we start to think thats the norm. Why can the meida still use racist thoughts or portrayals to sell their product? Frankly, it needs to be taken out all together. The media is to blame for part f the rasicst ideas we have today. While our culture is trying to rid ourselves of stereotypes, the media is still standing there showing generalized ideas. The article then talked about how no one nowadays dare portray Black people wrongly, that its different racial groups. As if thats going to make any difference? And its because of "a lack of sizable community, that the propaganda is allowed to run"? Thats absolutly ridiculous. ITs demeaning and wrong, and people need to realize that the meida it needs to be more aware of the message that it is portraying.

Posted by Michael Leininger at 1:54 PM | Permalink

While the article we read for the class on monday was tedious and boring, the discussoin we had was far from that. We were told to think of stereotypes that were thought to be the norm of society; totally exceptable and part of everyday life. This might have been one of the hardest things that I have ever done. While Im sure that there are many instances of this, our group as a whole could only think of a few. The first was that Black people are better dancers. After we jokesd about how with alcohol anyone can become a good daner, I realized that people really do think this, and its accepted. How is it that we can come to think this about a certain group of people, and its OK? People would get in serious trouble if they went around saying Black people are stupid and prvoen to be bigger idiots. Is it becasue we are giving them credit for being better, or more capable of something that it makes it acceptable? Our group also thought of how everyone says that Asian people are the smartest people in the world. In the media, Asian boys and girls are always shown witht the math book under their arm and the glasses up high on their nose, as if to give them a more scholorly (is that a word?) look. Whille many Asian people may do better in school than others, it is most likely do to a different way of learning and more dedication. Even in the paper yesterday, there was an article of teachers adopting different ways of teaching math like they do in singapore. They now use teachers that actually know math and have an interest in it. Of course, our group touched on the biggest stereotype of them all, that Black people are better at sports/White people cant jump.
I dont know what to say about this, many major sports do have more Black people playing than White. But at the same time there are major sports where there are just as many people of a different race being the majority, not just Blacks or Whites. Overall, the discussion we had was intersting, but extremely difficult. We have been traineed never to say these kind of things, and sittting there trying to think some up with little success proves just how uncomfortable and hard this truely is. But if we never talk about it we never will be able to correct or adjust the way our society thinks.

Posted by Michael Leininger at 9:19 AM | Permalink

Watching this film, it really puts into prospective on how fortunate we truely are. While I may not live like the "priviledged" people in the movie, I truely apprecitate what i do have. Also, I have a far better grasp on what my grandfather went through since he was younger. He was born into a dirt poor farm family. The trials he went through to get to where he is today must have been massive. This made me think of how my life could have changed if my grandpa never got out of poverty, and was like that woman who walked 10 miles everyday to work . It was sad to hear a grown woman had to work so hard to provide so little to her family. It was even worse to know that she is never going to get her dream job. I think everybody has the ability to do whatever they want, but the window stays open for only for so long. She has kids to worry about, her dreams are now on the back burner. What i did like was how they showd her in the movie. The director clearly wanted to insult the people to make a point, but he showd the lady in a alight that allowed her to retain her dignity. Overall, the movie was...interesting.

Posted by Michael Leininger at 4:33 PM | Permalink

I disagree of the thesis of the essay Class and Virtue. I myself know many people in real life that oppose the statement that in media, it’s the people higher up the social ladder that exhibit more virtuous lives. However, this claim is opposed even in media as well. For example, the show The Simpsons is a direct contradiction. The author claims that more affluent people are more virtuous, but if one even watches one episode of this they will realize how incorrect this is. Mr. Burns is the richest person in Springfield, yet he might very well be the meanest person there as well. He is constantly out only for himself. There are many times when he takes advantage of Homer to better himself. For example, there is a time when Homer is used as someone to help get Burns a date. While Homer is told they are friends, Burns is just using him for himself, and later ditches him when successful. Burns constantly is degrading towards Homer and anyone else in his way. The people working for Burns are always getting ripped off or cheated out of their money by Burns, for the sole reason that it benefits Burns and no one else.
However, there is another person in the Simpsons that could give Monty Burns a run for his money, and that would be the Mayor of Springfield. More times than not, Mayor Quincy is shown stealing from the people of Springfield, or trying to pass laws that help him out. Quincy has been seen multiple times caught cheating on his wife with hookers and money laundering. However, he tries to put on a good show for the people, because they have the power to keep him in office. Lying and stealing are not below the mayor, a person who is supposed to represent the people and run the city in a way that they need it, not the way Mayor Quincy wants it.
It’s ironic that a person can say that media portrays the elite in society as virtuous when in all reality it’s the other way around. One of the longest running shows in history, which is a media icon, proves everything the author claims. While some of the old movies he mentioned backed his point, media has changed, which is evident through The Simpsons.

Posted by Michael Leininger at 1:56 PM | Permalink

I think its a scary thought, but its true, we are all racist. To say that we arent is just plain ludacris. I know I have thought things when I see certain people. I think its just the world that we are living in these days. media has portrayed certain people in certain lime-lights, and in turn, we start to see these portrayals as truth. Whether or not we believe these coneptions doesnt matter; theyre in our heads. I agreed about how we must acknoweldge our predujices and learn from them. Only after we realize we have these mosconceptions about people can we learn from them and become better people. I dont think that the aurthor addressed this fact enough, since this seems to be the only way of solving racism and get rid of it.

Posted by Michael Leininger at 10:02 PM | Permalink

Cop Killer. Two Words, one song, unlimited controversey. When I read this article, I was taken abcak at the way the situation was handled. Basically, Ice T had words put into his mouth. I understand that the song struck a nerve in many people all over the nation, but that was the point of the song. I Highly doubt that Ice T went into the recording booth with his band and thought, "Alright guys. I really want to kill those police officers. Lets do it. Even more, lets get a bunch of people to help us" The beatings that occurred were some of the most gruesome ever caught on video in AMerica. Further more, the attacks were performed by the people who were suppossed to protect us, so how can people not be furious? That was the whole point of the song. Ice T was pissed over what happened, and he expressed his feelings in the way he knew how. I cant understand how people can come out and say that he meant something that he didnt. Music is filled with people saying things that they wouldnt dare do in their actual songs. Granted rap music is known for some more interesting comments in songs. But honestly, the things said are nothing more than that. Words. The words are used to make people feel a certain emotion, not for brainwashing r commanding people to do things. Eminem wouldnt really kill the president, but comments like that cause certain feelings, that perhaps te president is doing something wrong. Ice T was doing the same thing. And it worked. People that the song offended treid to pull the song, tell people that rap is killing our culture, and that Time Warner should be banned. However, the opposite occurred. Yeah the song was eventuall pulled, (by Ice T), but the song was put into the limelight. People started thinking about ow they felt aboutt he beatings, and the crimes that occurred were brought to the front of everybody's minds. Its a shame that rap music took such a bad hit from this song. Besides the fact the song isnt a rap song, rap has inspired many people to become poets and write prose. Every year, more rap artists(not nesessarily mainstream) win poetry awards than anyone else. Simply put, the song was just that, a song. People take things to far, and the result is the making of things that werent meant to be. Like it was said in class, if Ice T reallly wanted to kill cpos, he wouldnt play one on TV.

Posted by Michael Leininger at 8:28 PM | Permalink

The idea of shitty first drafts is amazing. Sitting down and having to write about a topic can be, at times, stressful and nearly impossible. Writing a shitty first draft is a great way to get all of your ideas in your paper. Even if your ideas dont flow the right way, you basically have all the ingrediants for your paper there in front of you. Then the process becomes one of editing and fine-tuning the paper. For me, the first draft is usually the hardest. Most of the time, I try to make it sound as if it could be the final draft. However, if one uses the idea of a shitty first draft, then one doesnt have to worry about the first draft and how good or bad it is going to be, because they know its going to be bad and it is nothing more the foundation for the paper. I have never actually used this process, but im more than willing to try it out. It looks as if it really could work. This might be partially due to how well the article was written. I felt that the article had a good flow to itt, and it wasnt' too long; yet it got its point across. Adding to this was the fact that the article was more of a narritive, which lends the reader to actally feel like they are being spoken to. The article was an easy, informative read. Much better than that other article we were suppossed to read for the same day.

Posted by Michael Leininger at 1:20 PM | Permalink

This might be the most boring article i have ever read. The whole thing was absolutely pointless. While the article may be helpfull, the author made a highly important aspect of writing uneventful. Maybe its because the topic at hand is so mundane, but i had a hard time reading the article. However, if one is able to get past the boring aspect, the article will prove to be most useful. I like how the author was able to go step by step through the writing process for a paper. I found the thesis part the most helpful. Since I always seem to have the worst tome thinking of a thesis, this part was a big helpor me. I appreciated how the author breaks done how the thesis should be written, iideas on how to think of your thesis, and finally he gives examples, which are always helpful.
The thesis aspect along with the part about formating your paper, both as a whole, and paragraph by paragraph will, im sure, prove to be an important reference for future papers. Also, the part about revisoin cant be overlooked. The author expresses multiple times about the importance of revision, and I agree. While I may not be the best at it, self editing and peer editing are essential. Over all, the article proves to be worthwhile to read, but the fact that is such a tedious writing makes me wonder if it wouldnt be easier to be taught these things in class instead from reading an article about it from the book.

Posted by Michael Leininger at 11:36 PM | Permalink

The article by berger can come off kind of negative at first, but after once can get past the fact, the article is actually really informative. The most interseting part was definatly the Van Gogh painting example. I dont know about anyone else, but after reading the text put under the painting, the feeling one gets completely changes. After reading the text, one can almost get a negetive feeling in their stomach. You start to realize different details in the painting, such as the birds are crows and that the painting almost gets a ominous feel to it. You start to wonder why he painted the painting the way he did, as if he was trying to tell someone he wanted to die The other critical part of the article was our thoughts on art, especially those that are on reproductions. I think that the thought about how rerproductions can not only diminish the meaning, but make it better and new to each person. We start to bring our own experiences to the tale, and the art can mean so much more to us. While the article was difficult to read, it provided interesting insite and proved worthwhile to read.

Posted by Michael Leininger at 8:18 PM | Permalink