Final Blog!

i have to start off by saying, THANK GOD WE ARE DONE BLOGGING! this was honestly my least favorite part of the course; with that aside. I can definitely say that this class has benefitted me in ways i never imagined. First off i learned how to look at literature in a different light, instead of reading and saying "this is stupid" i know sit and think what about what the author is trying to tell me, the reader. I was also very surprised at the amount of material that made me realize how messed up and dismantled our society is.  Plenitude alone was enough to set me off, and make me realize that as Americans we really are NEVER truly happy.
I can also say that my own personal beliefs and morales have been altered after this course. Overall, i have come to the realization that technology may very well be the end of our powerhouse society. People are slowly drifting away from traditional ways of communication and interaction, which to me is a MAJOR problem. i believe strongly in the importance of face to face contact, without it you can never truly know how someone feels about you, or how the necessarily react to the things you say. I would be very curious to see how people would react without these now essential items (i.e. cell phones, computers, and Televisions). If you ask me sooner or later Americans will remain cooped up in their houses all day using their tech savvy devices.

Blog #8

At first i did not know what to expect from Hunger Games. I honestly had no idea what the book was about or that it could be so good. As i read on i made many connections with the book and what i see every day in present day America. To me reading the hunger games was very much like a reality TV show, in the aspect of us knowing every detail, thought, and emotion of Katniss (Which is exactly what we get from Reality TV). I really like how Collins used the influence of Reality TV along with Roman culture. As i read along i began to see connections between roman colosseum entertainment and Reality TV, this was somewhat humorous to me. I soon realized that Collins is almost making fun of people on Reality TV, in Roman times the entertainers were slaves or prisoners forced to fight to the death, their desperation led to an exciting show, not to mention a bloody one. This is exactly what TV producers do! they bribe the contestants with a reward to entertain and audience! (i.e money, happiness, love, etc.) In the Hungers Games the participants were rewarded with fame and life.

Then, in a eureka moment it was clear to me that Collins was trying to show that we throw ourselves into these "survival" simulations for other peoples pleasure. The pure irony of the situation is ridiculous. TV producers took an age old form of entertainment and threw a spin on it to draw in viewers. The worst part is that it works, people still watch, and networks keep producing these shows. Why is it that we need something to seem "real" to be entertained? People are so fixated on the reality of other peoples lives they forget to live their own.

Blog #7

I have to first start off by saying this weeks blog prompt annoyed me. I do not enjoy watching reality TV and hate when i have to. I woke up this morning and put on the Jersey Shore, so i could evaluate the show. At the end of the show i found myself asking why the hell people even watch the damn program. Being a New Jersey resident my whole life it disturbs me to think that people actually think people from NJ act like that. In the episode I watched Ronnie, Jenny, Sam, Mike, Nicole, Deena and Vinny spend their entire time at the Seaside boardwalk or drinking their bodies away at the clubs. In watching i saw the episode where Ronnie drinks too much and begins to bleed from his "ass" (the term they used in the show). How can someone enjoy watching these New Yorker Guido's drinking themselves to anal bleeding? In the end i didn't feel as if i gained a damn thing from watching Jersey Shore, except I now know that Deena ( Who is from my hometown) is a complete slut who has no regard for morals. I cannot fathom how anyone enjoys watching this show, my disgust is probably because im a NJ native who knows that people in my state dont act like this. As far as my role as a viewer i believe my role was to lose brain cells, because the Jersey Shore just does not do it for me.

Blog #6

I have heard several times before of our culture and society called "orwellian". This is mainly because in 1984 the main character Winston feels as if he cannot make a sudden move or facial expression without being punished by his dictating government. in regards to our current society, I dont believe we feel this way too often, but there is always this gleaming sense of being watched by the government. In 1984 Big Brother is the one who controls all of society in a socialist dictatorship. Nothing can be published for the public unless Big Brother and his party members approve that it is along party guidelines.
In todays world I would consider big brother our massive corporations and even the government. You cannot go anywhere in present day America without a bilboard looking down on you or an advertisement on the side of your Facebook. We still have our privacy as everyday Americans, not to mention there are civil liberties in place that restrict government from tapping our phone lines. But whose to say they dont do it anyway without our knowing?
As Americans i dont think we will ever give up our freedoms like those in the novel. We are too strong willed and stand by our freedoms, considering they are the building blocks for our government and nation. People should not be forced to give ANYTHING up in order to feel "safe". Safety is interpreted specifically by each person. If you ask me safety is knowing that there is not a power bigger than me i.e. (government and corporations) watching over me and studying me in the case of demographics. Until we know the truth of what happens behind those closed doors at the white house no one can ever be sure that they are safe.

Blog #5

After Reading Emerson's idea's and views about the way people live in the 1800's, it is safe to say that people have conducted themselves with the same indignity for centuries. Emerson is quoted saying, "There is a time in every man's education when he arrives at the conviction that envy is ignorance; that imitation is suicide; that he must take himself for better, for worse". This quote is disturbing to me, it shows that the idea of plentitude and people not being satisfied with themselves is not concentrated to the 21st century. Why is it that we envy people who are "better" than us or more successful? Is it possible that it is just human nature to act in such a way? If you ask me it is a direct result of people always being told they need to do better, or they need to make more money, because money and success equal happiness. This of course is not true, my family is not wealthy but we get by as middle class citizens, yet, I personally do not need material possessions or money to be happy, nor do i want them for some sort of rank in class. The problem is that many Americans do not have this mindset, most American think an H3 and a multimillion dollar mansion are the key to happiness.

Henry Thoreau had the same kind of mindset as myself. He took a year of his life to live "deliberately" in the woods in Massachusetts, and see what he could learn from the way life should be experienced. I found this very interesting because i sometimes wish I could experience this myself. I think i could survive in the woods for a year considering i grew up in the boondocks of New Jersey withs farms surrounding me. I could easily deal with the lack of technology, but not having certain possessions would be a tough pill to swallow. From an experience like this, one can learn much about who one truly is, and how they have the ability to survive and pass time all alone. There are plenty of things in nature to experience, not to mention you would have to do EVERYTHING yourself i.e: washing clothes, making utensils, hunting and fishing for food, and bearing the elements.

As the course moves along, it is becoming easier to make direct connections between the texts we have been reading. In a way Thoreau and Emerson are historic versions of Lasn and Anderson, in the sense that there message is the same. I take "Culture Jam" and "Feed" as a way for the authors to cleverly warn readers about the fast-paced dangerous direction our nation is moving in. If trends continue Lasn and Anderson's warnings will be looked straight through, much like Thoreau and Emerson, because we have progressively gotten worse since the works of E&T.

Get "Real"

In an age that seems so far in the past, there was no internet, cell phones, or reality television. There was the working man, his stay at home wife and the two children in Elementary school. When the kids came home from school they would go down the block to play a sport with friends, or maybe help mom with household chores. Now a days children come home and turn on their Playstation, or turn on the TV just in time to enjoy their favorite reality TV show. People don't live real lives outside of school and work anymore, people instead live "virtually", in a world where they can mask their identity, and become anyone they chose. People or more specifically Americans let technology build their world around them, Sometimes to the point where the "real" world no longer exists. In the documentary "Second Skin" we saw the inside lives of Gamers. Specifically we saw Dan's roommate, who at first had a job, and a social life. His roommate Dan soon turned him on to World of Warcraft, 18 months later he had no job, hadn't been outside in months, and gained 80 pounds! This story is a perfect example of someone living a virtually addicted lifestyle.

The story above shows that Virtual worlds do not have meaning or connection with the real world. Dan's roommate playing WoW for 18 months did not pay his bills, or give him a check every week. It instead ruined his life and led him to unemployment. If you can carry out a thorough in depth conversation on Instant Messenger or Facebook Chat, does not mean you can do the same face to face with another human being. The truth is, people feel much more comfortable behind a keyboard and mouse, than being face to face. Why? because you are not judged when you communicate from behind your desktop, no one is there to belittle you, or criticize the way you dress. So naturally we gravitate toward the security of online chatting. This can all be tied back to the fact that the media presents images of the "perfect" man or woman,   if there were no more standards or people to look like, everyone would be more accepting. It is disgusting that the American people have resorted to online identities or hiding behind their computers to avoid scrutiny!

The sad reality is that we have become a nation that would rather communicate virtually than go out in the real world and do something exciting. The American people need to work toward making a better future for ourselves and revert back to the old way, the way of raw in your face physical, social interaction. We cannot learn to grow as a country and a society of humans without these concrete fundamentals of every day life. How can one get a job without proper people skills? Virtual worlds do not provide these vital essentials that one needs to be successful. As a gamer myself I understand the need to beat a game or accomplish a mission, but there is no excuse for virtual world addiction that endangers well-being and job security. From our reading and the video i have concluded that it comes down to an individuals self control, like drugs or alcohol without self control addiction is imminent and the virtual world becomes ones "real" world.

About Me

My name is David Wenskoski, i am currently a sophomore at Shippensburg. I started pursuing a degree in Criminal Justice, but after second thoughts and low job opportunities i switched my major to Business Management. I enjoy playing sports such as soccer, football, and frisbee. I also LOVE to read, but mainly rockstar autobiographies i.e (Scar Tissue by: Anthony Kiedis & Life by: Keith Richards). In my spare time i love to hang with my friends and play the occasional video game, but i rather be outside in nature going on a walk or bike ride. My music interests vary across a broad spectrum from country to hip hop to classic rock. I can get along with anyone! and love to discuss interesting topics, especially those brought up in classes.