Tools That Change the Way We Think

The use of the Internet, media, and technology affect the way that I think probably more than it should. It's much easier to doubt yourself than to doubt information that you find on the web. Although it's most definitely not a good thing, I believe that a lot of people will believe almost anything that they read on online sources. The internet has proved to be a very useful tool to help with almost anything. If you find yourself wanting to know more about a certain something you can just simply type in a few words in a search bar on the web and nearly everything you could possibly want to know will pop up. Personally, I find that having this privilege results in laziness sometimes because instead of taking a little time to really think about something and use your own knowledge to figure something out we rely on Google or Yahoo to find it for us. But opposing that idea it also allows us to grow and adapt to new ways of learning. One of the biggest struggles of being a child during a period of time where technology is becoming more dominant but is still new enough where a lot of our elders are confused by it and really just don't accept or understand it. I don't think they realize how amazing and helpful it really is. It's important to realize that the Internet/media/technology is used as a tool and not a crutch.

Filter Bubbles

I've never realized or even taken the time to really think about what's actually happening when you're using the internet as a search engine or tool to find out more information about a certain topic or subject. I've never even second guessed why so many different links come up with one simple search and why it may be different to someone else who is searching the same exact thing as you at the same exact time. You would think that it the exact same results would pop up for every person at any time if the same thing is being searched, but I learned that that is not the case. Every search you make and every time you innocently click on a link that you decided is best, you are customizing and building your own "filter bubble". A filter bubble is your own personal unique universe online. Websites such as Google and Yahoo are using personalization and these filter bubbles when giving search results. This really changed my perspective about what I find online. I've always felt confident, for the most part, in what I find when searching something but this has made me realize that I shouldn't always click on the first result that pops up.

Literature Analysis #3

Topics and Events

1.) The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls is an autobiography about her totally unique upbringing and family history. She explains the hardships that she faced along side her two sisters and one brother and her unbelievable journey through it all. To say the least, Jeannette and her siblings had it very difficult growing up with their parents' unique views that provided the children with a very unstable and rocky childhood. They were constantly moving, never offered a secure home to come home to and were neglected when it came to being fed and taken care of in terms of hygeine and cleanliness. The Walls children learned to take care of themselves and each other and despite the life they were dealt as children, they were all motivated to make a better life for themselves as adults.

Activity #7 - Considering the Structure of the Text (Hamlet)

1. Where does Hamlet ask the central question of his soliloquy?
Hamlet asks the central question, whether he should continue living or end his own life, at the very beginning  of his soliloquy.

2. Where does he restate this question in greater detail?
Hamlet restates his question of living in greater detail throughout the rest of his soliloquy. He goes deeper and deeper into his thoughts about what he should do, if he really could go on or if this was the end for him.

3. Does Hamlet ever answer this question?
Although throughout the whole speech Hamlet sounds melancholy causing you too think that, in the end, he will choose to give up on life instead of continuing it; he never really clearly states his answer to his own question.

4. Does he ask any other questions in this speech?
The whole speech is made up of smaller questions that coincide with his huge opening question. He starts his speech with the big question and the rest consists of smaller questions that lead into his first question of whether or not he wants to live.

5. Who or what interrupts Hamlet at the end of his soliloquy? Do you think he was finished talking?
Ophelia interrupts Hamlet at the end of his soliloquy, I don't think that he was finished talking, he just suddenly ended his thoughts and stopped speaking.

VALUE OF LEARNING

My week to be this week will hopefully be as productive as possible. Although we have a sub for the next three days, I hope to be able to remain focused and get use the time in class to get the project done with my group members. I hope after doing this project, I find that the activities and subject matters we cover over the next few days are helpful strategies that will help with the rest of the year in this class along with the rest of my classes and maybe even carry into the future as well.

Literary Analysis #2

Topics and Events

1.) A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard is a memoir about a young girl who got kidnapped at the young age of 11 on her way to school. One day she was living with her loving mother and step father and baby sister and the next she was forced to live with this stranger who decided to keep her and brainwash her for eighteen years of her life. Throughout the book, Jaycee shares a horrific experience that's difficult to even imagine and gives the reader a chance to follow the hardships that Jaycee faced for eighteen years.

Vocabulary #7

cursory: without noticing details

• She took a cursory glance at her econ text book the night before the big exam.