With this course drawing to a close, I have been asked to examine my blogging and what it means to me. If I had to pick one post that I would say resonates most with me and that I am most proud of, I would say it was my "We the People?" post on electoral politics. I think that I seemed really like I knew what I was talking about. I could hear my own voice in the writing, but I was still giving good facts that could keep the reader informed and thinking that I wasn't just making stuff up. I don't mean to toot my own horn or anything, but I thought I sounded rather witty. There you go, I said it. I like how, in blogging, people aren't talking to you face to face, so they aren't making the assumptions that may cause your arguments to have less value. Also, you have time to think up things to say that seem clever.
I wouldn't really say that I would have this blog with a specific purpose after this class. I would probably just use it when I felt like saying something about anything that I maybe didn't want to talk to with someone face to face. I wouldn't use it to critique the writing of others. I don't think that I am really in a position to do that, considering the fact that I am only a freshman in high school, and very new to this whole writing thing. I do enjoy ranting about societies flaws, however. Sometimes I just think I have completely lost my faith in society, in the fact that people are good. I just don't know what I used to think I knew for sure. The world is a confusing place.
I'm going to be brutally honest here. I don't know who my audience would be because I really don't think that anyone reads my blog. Out of the millions of blogs in the blogsphere, what are the chances that someone is reading my blog. I don't mean to be a pessimist, just a realist.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Benefits of Blogging
1. I think blogging has helped me to grow as a writer. It has showed me that I can write whatever I want, and that sometimes it doesn't matter if no one is reading it, because it's just me getting my point across. I can give my opinion on things that normally, no one would even think of asking me about. I has broadened my horizons to see other types of writing. I think it was, overall, a good experience.
2. I don't really think that it has changed me as a writer. I have learned that writing doesn't always have to be a formal affair. I have been writing on this blog how I would normally talk to someone, just kind of a stream of consciousness. I have never done that before. It was a good experience. I was also fun seeing how other people expressed themselves on their blogs. It gave me new insights into people.
3. I think a blog is a good outlet for when I have something to say and I just want to get it out onto paper. And on a blog there is a chance that someone will actually read it, which is an exciting possibility. I think I may use it spontaneously, though probably not on a regular basis.
1. When you are blogging, there is the chance of other people reading it. People can comment on your blog, connecting you to the outside world, giving you feedback. This a good social benefit. You can talk to people all across the world. That is a pretty cool possibility.
2. I don't really think it has changed my relationship with other people in my class. I might have gotten to see other sides of people that I hadn't seen before, but none was so extreme that it changed how I think about or look at them. It was good to see these people as more than one dimensionally.
3. I think that on blogs people might show what is important to them, while in regular, everyday conversation, you might not learn about that side of them. So, I haven't really gained any relationships, but it may have expanded my already existing relationships.
1. We get all of our information about the world from the media. Therefore, their biases become ours. They have a great influence on us. As media becomes more available to the average American to influence, such as it has in blogging, media becomes more diverse and you can get any one's opinion online. it is an amazing thing.
2. Blogging is different because people can really and truly express themselves without having to be hindered by corporate sponsors. I think the role of the media is to get the information out to the people in the most unbiased way possible. In terms of getting the information out, blogging does a great job. However, it is not, by any means, unbiased. But with so many opinions available online, it is almost as good, because you can find different points of view on all subject matter.
3. To be honest, I don't really relate to the news media at all. I know I should stay informed and everything, but I just don't. I do feel like there is alternative to news media now, with blogging. I think that is a good thing. People need to get information in the way they feel good about and comfortable doing. If blogging is the way, that's great.
4. I would say that the only visible limitations that I can see in blogging is the fact that your message doesn't reach that many people. Usually, people don't just stumble across random people's blogs. Other than that, I think blogging is an unhindered form of media.
2. I don't really think that it has changed me as a writer. I have learned that writing doesn't always have to be a formal affair. I have been writing on this blog how I would normally talk to someone, just kind of a stream of consciousness. I have never done that before. It was a good experience. I was also fun seeing how other people expressed themselves on their blogs. It gave me new insights into people.
3. I think a blog is a good outlet for when I have something to say and I just want to get it out onto paper. And on a blog there is a chance that someone will actually read it, which is an exciting possibility. I think I may use it spontaneously, though probably not on a regular basis.
1. When you are blogging, there is the chance of other people reading it. People can comment on your blog, connecting you to the outside world, giving you feedback. This a good social benefit. You can talk to people all across the world. That is a pretty cool possibility.
2. I don't really think it has changed my relationship with other people in my class. I might have gotten to see other sides of people that I hadn't seen before, but none was so extreme that it changed how I think about or look at them. It was good to see these people as more than one dimensionally.
3. I think that on blogs people might show what is important to them, while in regular, everyday conversation, you might not learn about that side of them. So, I haven't really gained any relationships, but it may have expanded my already existing relationships.
1. We get all of our information about the world from the media. Therefore, their biases become ours. They have a great influence on us. As media becomes more available to the average American to influence, such as it has in blogging, media becomes more diverse and you can get any one's opinion online. it is an amazing thing.
2. Blogging is different because people can really and truly express themselves without having to be hindered by corporate sponsors. I think the role of the media is to get the information out to the people in the most unbiased way possible. In terms of getting the information out, blogging does a great job. However, it is not, by any means, unbiased. But with so many opinions available online, it is almost as good, because you can find different points of view on all subject matter.
3. To be honest, I don't really relate to the news media at all. I know I should stay informed and everything, but I just don't. I do feel like there is alternative to news media now, with blogging. I think that is a good thing. People need to get information in the way they feel good about and comfortable doing. If blogging is the way, that's great.
4. I would say that the only visible limitations that I can see in blogging is the fact that your message doesn't reach that many people. Usually, people don't just stumble across random people's blogs. Other than that, I think blogging is an unhindered form of media.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
We the People?
There is no ignoring it any longer. All across the United States, people are gearing up for the 2008 presidential elections. But what does this so-called "historic" election mean for our country? How do we, as the American people, get informed enough to make the right decision for the person who will lead this country through these trying times? But before we ask these questions, we must ask this one: Do our votes matter?
Allow me to just give you a little background on the subject, though I'm sure that you all know what I'm talking about, since the people who read my blog are the most beautiful and intelligent people on the planet. But I'll explain anyways. You see, the electoral college, our voting system, has an interesting way of counting votes. The number of electoral votes any given state has is determined by its population. So, states with big populations like California and New York have the most electoral votes, while states like Vermont and Wyoming, with small populations, have the least. This system is outlined in the Constitution. It was made by our founding fathers. So it must be great, right? Think again. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love the founding fathers. I'm sure they were the best of the best in their time. But, that was their time. I'm sure they didn't have to deal with all stuff we do, that's why we have amendments, right? I think, in the instance of the electoral college, the founding fathers have a little something to learn. I hope that doesn't sound too unpatriotic.
The 2000 election, George W. Bush v. Albert Gore, was a real nail-biter. It all came down to Florida, whoever got those electoral votes would be the next president of the United States. The ballots were counted and recounted. In the end, Bush claimed the presidency. But did he win the popular vote? Studies would show that he didn't. The Electoral and Popular Vote Summary of the 2000 election shows that Bush won 50,456,002 votes overall. However, Gore won 50,999,897 votes. Okay, now read that again, and think about it this time. This means that Gore won the popular vote. This means that we, the people, picked Al Gore as our next president. But because of the electoral college, he didn't win. Even is 47% of the people in the voted for Gore, as they did in New Hampshire, all their electoral votes would go to Bush. See the problem?
So, we have a couple of things that should be changed about electoral politics. And with the next election rolling around I would put fixing the electoral college at the top of my list. Do our votes count? That's up to you to decide. I like to hope so.
Allow me to just give you a little background on the subject, though I'm sure that you all know what I'm talking about, since the people who read my blog are the most beautiful and intelligent people on the planet. But I'll explain anyways. You see, the electoral college, our voting system, has an interesting way of counting votes. The number of electoral votes any given state has is determined by its population. So, states with big populations like California and New York have the most electoral votes, while states like Vermont and Wyoming, with small populations, have the least. This system is outlined in the Constitution. It was made by our founding fathers. So it must be great, right? Think again. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love the founding fathers. I'm sure they were the best of the best in their time. But, that was their time. I'm sure they didn't have to deal with all stuff we do, that's why we have amendments, right? I think, in the instance of the electoral college, the founding fathers have a little something to learn. I hope that doesn't sound too unpatriotic.
The 2000 election, George W. Bush v. Albert Gore, was a real nail-biter. It all came down to Florida, whoever got those electoral votes would be the next president of the United States. The ballots were counted and recounted. In the end, Bush claimed the presidency. But did he win the popular vote? Studies would show that he didn't. The Electoral and Popular Vote Summary of the 2000 election shows that Bush won 50,456,002 votes overall. However, Gore won 50,999,897 votes. Okay, now read that again, and think about it this time. This means that Gore won the popular vote. This means that we, the people, picked Al Gore as our next president. But because of the electoral college, he didn't win. Even is 47% of the people in the voted for Gore, as they did in New Hampshire, all their electoral votes would go to Bush. See the problem?
So, we have a couple of things that should be changed about electoral politics. And with the next election rolling around I would put fixing the electoral college at the top of my list. Do our votes count? That's up to you to decide. I like to hope so.
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