Avatars: Simple Fun or Something Deeper?

                         I thought the articles by Robert Cooper and Mark Stephen Meadows provided a helpful insight in to the psychological effects of the human brain.  The article by Robert Cooper in particular, showed the thought process behind dome people’s creation of their alter ego and why they chose what they chose.  I personally do not really make avatars, but if I did I would probably portray the way I would like to be perceived.  Some people in Robert Cooper’s article had my exact same thought process.  A physically handicapped adult named Jason Rowe, made an avatar that was very sturdy and could not been beaten very easy.  Jason’s comments in his section were very moving.  It’s great that Jason can use the internet to feel a feeling that he may not be use to feeling in ordinary life.  I think it is sad the way that Jason feels about being an outcast, but I think it’s awesome that Jason can use the internet in such a positive way.  I think that these avatars are an excellent study of the human mind and how different brains think of different things.  The other two people in this game used completely different alter egos based on the way they are currently perceived and also how they want to be perceived.  Avatars can show how individual minds function as well as how each individual mind differs.

Plagiarism?

The article on plagiarism was interesting, but was something I have heard a thousand times.  Most of the information in this article I had heard before.  Some of the stuff would be useful such as the common knowledge advice and the idea of having someone look over your paper, but I normally take those steps normally.  I am not sure what Clemson’s policy is on plagiarism, but I am sure it is harsh.  Many schools have strict violations on plagiarism to try and minimize the occurrences where it takes place.  I have never plagiarized and never intend to and I think it is nice that schools are penalizing people that do try and find shortcuts.  However there are programs such as turnitin.com that you have to submit papers into which compares your paper to every paper that has ever been typed.  I always worry that even though I did not copy, that the words I have said will match up with someone else’s words halfway around the world making me look like a cheater and giving me a bad grade.  The Tips for avoiding plagiarism section was very helpful.  For the most part this article was interesting but I have heard them all before.

Reaction to Essay

                    I did not think that the essay was too hard.  It was kind of fun analyzing a political cartoon of our choosing because it gave us a long enough leash where we could really form it into our own project.  I am enjoying 103 so far because of the different type of English that we seem to be learning.  I am a fan of the persuasive style of writing and believe that at least in the work that we have done so far that it is more engaging and stimulating making it more entertaining.  I am not quite sure that I was able to find all of the hidden context clues that my author put into his cartoon, but I believe that I made a very thorough examination and report on the essay.  The political cartoon essay in the book was a helpful tool that I believe improved the quality of work that I was able to put forth.  While I did not have clear transitioning points like the other author had, I believe that I was able to present all my points across that effectively proved that the political cartoon was an effective piece of rhetoric by Glen McCoy.

Definition of Beauty

                        Susie Orbach has made some very valid points in this article which tries to redefine the definition of beauty that we have today.  This article, even though it is specifically targeting women, I think relates to everyone.  Every time you turn on the TV there is a man or women that seems to be perfect without fault in the way of looks.  The media industry has beaten into our head the way we should look and the way we shouldn’t look.  Ninety-nine percent of the world looks the way the media says you shouldn’t look.  As one of the ninety-nine percent it is refreshing to see an ad that defies what the media wants us to believe.  The message of being happy with how God has made you is a lesson everyone should learn.  One of my favorite bands, Sister Hazel, sings a song called Change Your Mind that relates to the topic of being true to yourself.  At the end of the refrain the lyrics go “If you want to be somebody else, if you’re tired of fighting battles with yourself, if you wanna be somebody else change your mind.”  This song is a perfect example of what Orbach is trying to state in her article.  The moral of the story is to be happy with what God has given you.  You have the power to mold the definition of beauty to whatever you want.

Kodak Moment

What exactly constitutes a “Kodak moment”?  That is the question that Lenore Skenazy explores throughout her article.  We love to celebrate the best of times, but there is just something about the worst of times we love to ignore.  If we constantly lived during the best of times our lives would not be as exciting.  It takes an extremely unfortunate circumstance to remind us how lucky we actually are.  The bad moments in our life define our character in the exact same way as the positive moments.  I am in favor of Skenazy’s radical idea of trying to capture the ugly moments that have defined who we are and what we stand for over the years.  To truly appreciate something you have to have gone an extended period of time without something.  Like when you grab a drink of water when you come in for a run.  Your mouth is so dry and your body is aching, but once the cool water hits your lips all of a sudden you forget everything else.  Skenazy is ultimately trying to say that even though we only capture the “ups” in our life, the “downs” make up who we are as well.  We would be doing ourselves a disservice if we forget that.

The Brilliance of Ordinary

                     The article by Patrick Cox really caught my attention.  Our textbook does a good job of incorporating stories that are entertaining and relevant.  Cox makes some excellent points throughout his article.  One of his better points in this article is how he talks about real life American photos.  The media leads us to believe that the American figure is flawless and teaches us we need to hide our weaknesses.  The actors and actresses on TV have no flaws about them.  Cox says these photos aren’t altered to improve any kind of image unlike what the media portrays.  “The photos capture the true essence of American character and communities.”  This statement is something that average Americans can relate to.  The everyday life photos possess a kind of magic that altered “fake” photos never can.  Cox makes a great point about how photos can be prized possessions because they represent more than just a picture.  They capture memories in a way that no other device can.  Cox comments about all the memories that his family pictures remind him of and I can’t help to think about all the photos of my life that have sentimental meaning to me because of all the experiences they remind me of.  It reminds me of the life I have live and it is exciting to think of the memories I still get the chance to create.  Hopefully ten years from now I will look back at my photos, that aren’t worth anything to anyone else besides me, and reminisce about the way I lived my ordinary life.