#7: Bibliography Five Sources

Works Cited

Kamenetzk Anya. DIYU. Vermont: Chelsea Green Publishing Company, 2010.

Levine, Faythe. Handmade Nation: The Rise of DIY, Art, Craft, and Design. NY: Princeton Architectural Press, 2008

Sidel, Robin. "Banks Join the Do-It-Yourself Craze." The Wall Street Journal 15 May 2012: Web /http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304543904577396143721181520.html#articleTabs%3Darticle/. 

#5: How Media Frames Gender (Make-up and Hot Pink Toenails-Not Just a Girl Thing)

When I was pregnant with my first son, Landon, his father and I agreed that no matter who he was, what he wanted to do, or who he loved we would support him as long as it wasn't illegal, or dangerous to his health. My son sees me put on make up every single day. He sits and plays with my Velcro rollers in the floor while I curl my hair every morning for school. We make it a joke that he will probably be gay because he is constantly around girly things, and that is totally fine with us. If he wants to dress in a pink tutu for Halloween I might say no only because I would be afraid of what people would say, and because he is only ten months old.

As a parent you should never be afraid to let your children be themselves and express who they really are because of what others may say or think, but in today's world you sort of have to. The only reason I would care or be afraid is because I wouldn't want my child getting hurt. I am not a fun person to deal with if I find out someone has hurt someone I love ESPECIALLY my son, and mamma bear is never in hiding when there is a confrontation. Kids are mean, and it is unfortunate that adults are meaner. Bullying is a serious issue in society today, and has caused many suicides. That is just plain sad. I worry about my child every second of every day, and the last thing I want to think about is that he is being bullied about who he is as an individual that he just wants to end his life.

I think people need to quit worrying so much about what other people are doing, and mind their own business. Kids will be kids, they are learning, and no one is hurting anyone if a little boy wants to do ballet. Yes, it is found more appropriate that boys do things all masculine, because that is how men were made. The entire male design is influenced by what they are supposed to be. Men are supposed to be strong, and wise. Their muscles are different so that they can do different tasks, but that doesn't mean they cant stray from those tasks. It is in human nature to be afraid of what is outside the norm, and that's fine, but I believe we should start supporting one another so there isn't so much aggression in the world. Let people be who they want to be. Different is good.

#4: Political View

I believe it to be true when the survey says I am a right libertarian. I have a lot of republican views, but at the same time I also agree with certain democrat ideals. I was raised within a Christian household, with a VERY dominant republican family. My mom, dad, grandfather, grandmother, and great grandparents all republican so you would think I wouldn't stand a chance having any democratic views. Most of the time I have to keep those views to myself so not to create any conflict. I can be pretty open with my mom and dad, but my grandparents know all, hypothetically speaking of course. Don't get me wrong my grandfather is very intelligent, and I look up to him a lot. Mainly because although he is swayed completely to one side he does recognize and respect the other side, but just thinks I should be on one side too.

I'll be the first to admit I don't pay as much attention to politics as I should, but I do vote. I've only voted once in my life this year will be my second time, and I always hate election time. So many views, opinions, options, ideals, this or that, and nothing is ever black and white in politics. There is always that grey area that gets my mind thinking. I believe women should have the CHOICE to have an abortion or not. However after having a child that opinion has changed a lot. I look at my son, and I couldn't imagine EVER killing him. Being raised a Christian, I do believe you are killing a human being regardless of what science tells us. That choice is more emotional to me. There is so many ends and outs to one rule. I mean you don't want to bring a child into this cruel, messed up world if you know the situation isn't right, but then there's adoption which causes emotional havoc too. I am so touched by children that I myself do not think it is right to abort your child, but who am I to judge? 

That  is where I stand on the political fence, in the middle. I try to be open minded, and respect all sides before populating a stand on something. 

#3: 21st Century Elightenment

Before the world reaches a 21^st century enlightenment we do have to think differently and see things differently, especially a lot of the older generation. I think my generation has started to become more diverse than the last few previous generations, and a lot more open minded. I believe the problems circle around everyone just doing the same thing we have always done.  I agree that society has become more violent, and a lot less empathetic. It’s almost like we are taking a trip back through time. If we do not focus on empathy, then that leaves more room for hate. I totally agree that even if we become more empathetic there will still be disputes because we are all going to have our differences, but I think that along with learning empathy we need to learn to express our differences in better ways. Difference is what makes the world go round. I have a lot of different opinions than my friends and family, and I also need to work on expressing those opinions in an effective way rather than attacking.

Going back to how society has been doing the same thing we have always done I agree with Sir Ken Robinson when he says “they are trying to meet the future by doing what they did in the past”. How can we better the present if we never change what we are doing? I don’t think there isn’t one thing Robinson says in this entire speech that I don’t agree with. I do believe kids are being overly medicated, with prescriptions for ADHD because they can’t focus. I think kids can’t focus because there is so much going on in the world today it’s hard for anyone to focus, but the way the education system is set up it makes it even harder to focus. I didn’t even realize how schools are like factories till Robinson brought it up. It’s strange how everything is set up that way. I don’t think it would be an easy task to change or control. I mean how do we change the way education has been for over centuries? We have gotten accustom to the way things are, and a lot of people don’t like change and wouldn’t adapt to it very well.

#1: Response to Summary: Theory for Beginners

I have to say I do not completely agree with what Michael Ryan says regarding terrorism. I agree unfortunately that the world has associated the word Islam with the word terrorist. However I think the word terrorist is more specific rather than a general term. A terrorist attack is one that has a motive of inflicting violence on an entire country, and its people, and Ryan says this in the segment about how we all live in the past. He says, "in simple history 'terrorism' is an assault on American values". I believe that means terrorism is an attack on a country as a whole. In my opinion if someone commits a crime that does not mean that person is a terrorist because terrorism is more specific. I think that particular person just disobeyed the law out of a violent act, and did not actually intentionally attack a country.

I like his statement, "The majority works; a minority benefits". With this quote coming from his section on capitalism I interpreted it to be about how most minority groups are on government assistance, and most majority groups work, and pay taxes to support the government assistance programs. I find this to be very true based on the statistics that state the large amount of minority groups on assistance. Without a demand for gold, money, or wealth there would not be any value to it. There is rarity to gold, and if there was an abundance of it, it wouldn't be needed therefore would not matter. The way the economy is right now puts a huge emphasis on how important money is though. Of course Americans have a high demand for money because prices keep rising. The more demand there is for our US dollar the more valuable it becomes.

In conclusion I agree with most of the points Michael Ryan makes in this article. There were a few things I stood middle ground about only because I had never been educated on these topics before.

#2: They Say

People of authority are the ones I consider "they". I refer to my sons pediatrician along with the American Academy of Pediatrics as "they" all the time. Teachers, parents, elderly, sales people and anyone who has been educated and show a sense of confidence about what they are talking about have all been referred to "they" a time or two in my house. We have created a strong trust in these individuals. Their opinions, and knowledge mean a lot to us.

 It is amazing how right he is about advertising companies being in your face at first, but have a more soft approach now. We really have got so immune to the way people try to get us to buy things. When I go to a dealership I cringe because I automatically know those salesmen are going to be right there beside the car I currently drive before I can even get my seat belt unfastened. I know exactly how pushy, and controlling they are going to be. Everyone is trying to make a sale, trying to keep their job, and trying to keep their company afloat.If I went to a car lot and people were not so pushy I would be shocked. So shocked that I would probably end up buying my car from them because I would consider it much more friendly. I knew there was a lot of thought and money put into the placement of stores and how each store was set up, but had no idea psychologist helped developed shopping malls down to the very last detail. That scares me a little bit.

Douglas Rushcoff lost me a little bit in the middle, but at the end when he began to illustrate how he captured me into the reading I was again, shocked. How much of media inspires my generation, how much we rely on it without even realizing it is fascinating. I can sit here and ponder whether I am the way I am because that is who I truly want to be, or is it because media, and society made me that way? Sadly I do not think I will ever know.