Reflection

I love this class. Intro to Literature has been one of the few classes I really enjoy going to. The topics we discuss are thought provoking, relevant, debatable, and beneficial to us as we are growing up and earning more responsibilities. I've never been assigned so many books in a class, and enjoyed the majority of them. My favorite book I'd have to say was Culture Jam because it really had me thinking about our society, our society of plentitude and noise. We are constantly upping the anti with bigger TVs, faster internet connections, and hairdos (Snooki's hair bump) while we have our cell phones ringing all the time, cars honking, music blasting. When was the last time we really appreciated silence or simplicity? I do enjoy listening to music on my iPod, watching movies on a big screen and other luxuries we have today but when it come down to it I love a nice walk in the woods to get away from all the indulgences of today.

My friends and I at a nearby lake after hiking last Easter.

All the various types of literature we discussed all provoked different opinions and emotion. The one topic we discussed really hit home for me--The Dumbest Generation. We watched the Youtube video of an interview with Dr. Bauerlin, the author of a book The Dumbest Generation: Don't trust anyone under 30 years old. Who does he think he is to be able to call our generation 'the dumbest.' I do agree with Baurelin when he says our generation is very into social networking online, through cell phones and all other means, but it does not constitute 'stupidity.' Each generation has it's own interests that differ from the others. My grandparents generation did not understand the rock&roll era of our parents. Our parents might not understand our interests in Facebook or myspace. The lesson I have really learned is to think independently, and respect others independence. I am going to do what makes me happy and hope everyone else does whether their method to happiness is completely different than mine. Life is bland without independence. 

Burning Books...

I think life without books would be stagnant and boring. Books allow our imagination to flow and create our own unique movies in our minds. Watching  a movie on TV or in the theatre looks the same to everyone, same plot, same characters, and same setting--all we are doing when watching movies/TV is absorbing, no engaged thinking or thought process. There is so much information and creativity in books that our society benefits from whether we realize it or not. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for movies and such but I do appreciate and enjoy a good book here and there. Everyone ALWAYS says that the 'book is better than the movie.' I believe that is so true because when you read a book you create your own scene, characters, and every little detail and movies just don't cut it--it is how one person interprets the novel. Metaphorically we burn books everyday. When we read Sparknotes online instead of reading the book front cover to back cover, when we watch the movie and not the book, when we listen to Books-on-tape, this list goes on and on.

Blog #8 The Hunger Games

I really liked The Hunger Games. Not that I enjoyed reading about a society that forces kids to fight for their life as a method of punishment for the society, but the writing skills and can't-put-it-down factor really made this book cool to read. It astonishes me the way the society works in this book. I believe that The Hunger Games as well as 1984, Feed, and the other literature we have read, has shared a common theme of brainwashing. In this novels, the government and society has brainwashed its citizens into thinking in only one way, the way of the government. To explain, in 1984, the government told the citizens that previous wars never happened, and the citizens had no other option then to believe it. In The Hunger Games, this annual game never seemed out of the ordinary or cruel to the society because it had been going on for so long that it was normal. The society was emotionally brainwashed when it came to the games, this children were turned into inanimate games pieces.

The Hunger Games also reminded me of a song...

Dance with the Devil by Immortal Technique

This song is about a young boy who wants to be in a gang, and will do whatever it takes to be initiated. He will do whatever it takes until he realized what he is doing. You'll have to listen to the song to hear the whole story. This song reminds me of The Hunger Games because both raise the question 'how far will you hurt others to benefit yourself?' To explain,  the main characters had to hurt or kill others and prove they can survive, in either the games or drug dealing life, in order  to come out on top.

Blog #7 Reality TV

Personally, I don't enjoy watching the popular reality tv shows like Jersey Shore, Teenmom, or The Real Housewives of New York. I'd rather spend my time dealing with my reality not others. Of course it is interesting how other people live their lives and how different or alike they are in comparison to ours. But personally I think it's a waste of my time to get wrapped up into the drama-filled lives of others. The reason people today are so enthralled by realtiy TV I believe is becasue we want to see how our lives size up to what the popculture says is 'reality.' We want to see if we are living like everyone else when really the the program shows the 'reality' or one or two lives--it's not how the whole world lives.

When I say I don't like reality TV, I have watched it before with my friends or just in passing. The reality TV that I really do enjoy and think is really cool is the TV show 'The Buried Life." The Buried Life has 4 guys who check off something from their bucket list every episode, and with every thing they complete they help someone else with their bucket list. For example, I watched Episode 3 from season 2, "Get married in Vegas.' In this episode, Dave, one of the boys, wanted to get married in Vegas with a girl he would meet in Vegas. His mission was successful, he married the lifeguard from the resort they stayed at. After they did what they wanted to do in Vegas, the boys helped one man with something he wanted to do before he died. This man, once very successful, was homeless living in underground tunnels, day by day. The boys took him to see his daughter, who he hadn't seen in 10 years, and his new grand daughter. The only thing he wished for was to see his family and the boy form The Buried Life helped him accomplish that.

I really like this show because it is simple, no drama, and genuine. They do what they want to and not what a producer or the viewers tell them. Also with everything the boys do (sometimes a little crazy and wild), they help someone less fortunate or who needs help to accomplish something that means a lot to them. I think this show provides a good message to everyone--life is short, do what makes you happy, help others, we are all in this together.

Interview with The Buried Life

Uncle Sam

I would go crazy if I lived in the version of 1984 George Orwell created. I would not want to live a life where I was lied to, brainwashed, and stripped of every ounce of freedom. The thought of anyone being about to monitor my throughts creeps me out. Today we live in 2011 and there is no thoughtcrime and we learn about time when the earth was formed until present--amen. We have so much freedom and opportunity today I think people don't take advantage of it as much as they should.

America though it represents freedom and equal opportunity, we have slowly shown signs of Orwell's 1984 world. We have survallience cameras in every store and on every corner outside. The government can screen our calls. Our home address, family tree, gender, marital status and house value is open to the public on http://www.spokeo.com/. Everything is taxed and everyone must have an American Express card and Starbucks everyday. What kind of society are we going to turn into? Are we slowly being sucked away from freedom? The answers to those questions can be debated in the discussion whether we should give up our freedom for security. I believe we have the freedom to choose. Its your decison to have to government protect you from a bombing or whether you build yourself a bombshelter. That's a dramtic example but that's just I believe.

Dear Journal....Sincerely, Henry David Thoreau

Dear Journal,

Today, I woke up not in my bed in my rustic, simple cabin in the woods, but in an awfully oversized and extremely too fluffy bed in a room so large my voice echoed. I jumped off the very high fortress and wandered to the nearest door. In search for the door, I gazed upon all the things around me. There were mirrors,  lonely furniture everywhere, about 8 sources of light, and magazines with pictures of random people with their lives printed for the public. Also I found it very strange there was a huge, I mean huge, black picture frame on the wall, facing the bed, with just a black, slighty shiny, picture in it and a glowing dot in the bottom left corner of it. Is this supposed to be art?



I found my way to the oversized door, and opened it into a hall of about 20 doors just like mine. It seemed like a never ending corridor of identical doors and floral pattern floor to ceiling. A couple suddenly comes out of a door. This man and women seemed frustrated and unhappy. They were arguing over how to carry their 5 large suit cases out to the 'car?' I'm not quite sure what a 'car' is or why they have so much to carry. They seemed like they knew where they were going so I followed them. They stopped at a large metal thing on the wall, pushed a button, and suddenly this metal contraption opened! We walked in, the metal door closed, and with a sudden jolt we started moving. The couple continued to argue with each other until something started making noise. It was in the man's pocket. He interrupted the women, quieted the noise, and then started arguing into this object like it was another person. It was so strange.

Finally, the door opened again, but not to the corridor with duplicate doors. It opened to a huge open area filled with bustling people dressed head to toe in colors, textures, and shiny things. Someone came up to me while I was in awe. "Good Morning Mr. Thoreau! Hope you slept well. You have breakfast and coffee waiting for you if you could just follow me to your table. " All I could spit out was a mumbled "OK" and a nod yes. I followed him through the hectic crowd of people going in all sorts of directions, talking to each other or to those objects like the man had in the metal contraption. Next thing I know, I was in another incredibly large room with a million tables it seemed like. And the smells of all sorts of warm cooking infused my nostrils. I was seated at a table that could seat about 10 more adults. I could not believe what I saw in front of me. There was a plate larger than my head, stacked high with food--pancakes, eggs, bread, and things I have never seen before. There was about 3 types of meat I think, all in different shapes and forms. There were about 5 different utensils around this mound of food, all shapes and sizes. Along with this meal, that could last me about 2 months, was 3 different glasses of liquid. One was water, one was murky brown and steaming, and the other was bright orange, as orange as a setting sun.



"Here you go, when you're ready for seconds just ring this bell right here and I will bring you a new plate with more goodies. And if you need anything else just ring this bell and I will assist you with anything--you don't need to lift one finger here. Enjoy your stay Mr. Thoreau."

I looked down at this feast in front of me, and the extravagant ball room I was in, and asked myself "Where the hell am I?'' I miss the woods. I want my cabin back.


-Henry

Why I would go to the woods...

About 20 minutes south east of Shippensburg is a lake in Pine Grove state forest. My friends and I drive out there any day of the week, any season. Today we are actually driving out there for a bit, have lunch and just hang out. The best part about it, there is now cell phone service and no civilization--just water, woods, and blue skies. In the summer, we lay out in the sunshine, swim in the crystal clear water, and enjoy everything natural around us. In the winter, the lake is frozen with a foot of ice and blanketed with snow. Any little tree branch that falls or a bird that chirps can be heard from a half a mile away. This lake is one of my favorite places to be.

When I'm in complete solitude, It almost has an erie feeling. Silence is so rare that it is kind of scary. The lake is as about quiet and natural as I can get these days. I feel like nothing bad can get me.

Even though I strongly feel offended when Dr. Baurlein says we are the 'Dumbest Generation,' I do feel that we can get too caught up in our blackberries and home theaters. Contrary to Dr. Baurlein, it is not just our generation, but everyone who is living in this technological era--including Dr. Baurlein himself. I wonder how long he could survive without his smartphone and GPS. Thank god we have not reached the technological level that the book Feed is about. Everyone has their moments caught up in all our electronic luxuries. I have to admit that I once caught myself in a bad mood because my car needed gas, I didn't know my pin number for my debit card, I didn't have my speed pass or cash--I was stranded. But I realized a few minutes while I waited at the gas station for my mom, that this is pathetic. I am pathetic that I was complaining about putting gas in my car when people don't even have enough food to feed their families. Anyways, getting a little off subject, it is hard not to depend on our technology when it's everywhere. 


I would love to not have to depend on my cell phone, computer and TV. I feel like people would have a greater appreciation for things made by nature and not in a factory in China. My favorite quote from Thoreau is "We must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake, not by mechanical aids, but by an infinite expectation of the dawn, which does not forsake us in our soundest sleep." I believe Thoreau is saying how nature is always constant. The sun will always rise and will always set. Nature is not a fad. 

'The Dumbest Generation'

I am insulted when I hear Dr. Bauerlein describe my generation, the 'under 30 years old crowd' as the dumbest generation. I'll admit I don't know all the details about every war and I most likely can't name all of Antonio Vilvaldi's compositions but that does not mean the this technology era has turned my brain to mush. Yes, my generation loves the internet, computers, cell phones, iPads, iPods, video games, GPS's and all other new technology, but it doesn't mean our advanced interest in technology is dumbing us down.

Every generation rags on the newer generation for being lucky, spoiled, wild, reckless, or just naive. My grandparents thought that my dad was a wild child because he wanted to listen to The Beatles as opposed to Beethoven, and my dad doesn't understand why Facebook is so appealing. I'm sure when my generation is older we won't understand or agree with our children's interests but kids do what they wanna do. Kids learn from mistakes, just like our parents, our grandparents and great grandparents did. No textbook, classical composer, or website is going to prevent those mistakes.

In the interview we watched in class about 'The Dumbest Generation,' Dr. Bauerlein says that friend's don't expand your vocabulary, friends don't make you appreciate the Venetian Republic and that we need to pull ourselves out of our "little tiny social world." I disagree with him on this point, I believe that a big difference with our generation is that we learn an immense amount of knowledge from our friends, parents, teachers and people we interact with. Maybe our generation just has a little attention deficit disorder than previous generations because we would rather learn how to through interactions and hands on experiences than just reading about it in books--which in my eyes is far from being a bad thing. There is no doubt in my mind teenagers and people in their 20s spend immense amounts of time on Facebook or socializing with friends and coworkers. I can only really speak for my friends and I when I say, that we don't just talk about the latest break ups, what parties are going on this weekend, or what happened on Jersey Shore last week, we talk about our futures, our pasts, religion, what we enjoy and what we think is important or not important. I believe that our generation thrives off of social relations because everyone had some different and unique to contribute and life these days depends on social skills, who you know, and not so much about the Venetian Republic.

Now I do believe that there are some people under the age of 30 who have been brain washed by the digital divide. The youth is very fortunate to have all this social networking and leisure activities to enjoy, but they do have a tendency to suck people out of reality, morals, and nature. For example, Keisha's song Tik Tok is probably how Dr. Bauerlein see's every girl under 30.

Tik Tock by Kesha

I personally enjoy the parody of this song better.

Sing Talk (Tik Tock Parody)


Personally, I believe that Dr. Baurelein says our generation is lazy and ignorant because of people like Kesha who flat out say all they care about is drinking and looking good but also Dr. Baurelein is lazy and ignorant for generalizing our whole generation as people like Ms. South Carolina and Kesha.

Fear of Reality

So I tried to find the correct term for the fear of reality, but apparently there is none--or at least not a published word. I find this very surprising since it seems like quite an epidemic since online video games became popular. Maybe it's because I grew up playing outside without any video games that I don't understand how people can find them so much fun. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy some Mario Kart here and there but I can not imagine dedicating 6-8 hours a day at the computer in fantasy land.

In the video Second Skin part 1,  Anthony, a gaming enthusiast and expert, said "when you jump into World of Warcraft it completely takes your head away from everything." I feel people create online characters that live in made-up worlds, to try to escape from everyday trials and tribulations. Life is rough, no doubt. And everyone needs something to ease the mind and relax, which can be anything--sports, cooking, yoga, spelunking, chess, or online gaming. But as seen in the video Second Skin, some gamers have taken it to a new level. People spend over 7 hours a day playing online video games, and we can probably add a few hours for time spent gamers think about their online world. Our generation is in for a rude awakening when they realize they can't just slay any dragons that come our way. Why waste one life creating a virtual one?

It's sad to say that people are afraid of reality. It's pretty much saying that people are afraid to live. Media has created this ideal 'way of life' that makes individuals feel if they can't fit that ideal mold, then they are outcasts--failures. Why attempt to gel into an impossible mold when online games allow us to create our own? In the book 'Culture Jam' it says "the commercial media are to the mental environment what factories are to the physical environment. Commercials, TV shows, radio stations, music and all types of media are polluting our society and is forcing us into identical cookies. Sorry but I like it when all the cookies are different.

Introduction

Hello everyone! My name is Natalie Larson, born on June 24th 1991 and raised in Annapolis, MD. I am a 19 year old sophomore majoring in GeoEnvironmental studies. Whatever career I end up having in the future I hope it is challenging, hands on, adventurous and enjoying. I love being outside whether it's hiking, cooking out, camping, or even just taking a nap. During the summer I am usually out on the Chesapeake Bay boating, slalom waterskiing, wakeboarding, swimming, and anything else you could think to do the water. In the winter, I love to go snow skiing with my family and friends. Like every Annapolis native, I am addicted to blue crabs and Old Bay. I also played soccer for about 15 years on club teams, travel teams, and the varsity team for my high school. I wish there was a girls club soccer team so I could continue playing here but there are no signs of one unfortunately.

The last book and probably my favorite book I have read was Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. To be honest, I signed up for Intro to Literature because I really just need the credits for general education requirements. I do enjoy reading meaningful and thought-provoking books and from what I hear the books assigned in this class are just that so I am looking forward to starting the class. 

Probably the pop culture I am most interested in and enjoy is music. I love listening to all types of music, from country to alternative and oldies. A few of my favorite artists are Jack Johnson, Coldplay, Colin Hay, Montgomery Gentry, Brad Paisley, Kid Cudi, Tom Petty, CCR and I could go on forever. When there's not much to do I do watch TV--channels like Discovery, Food Network, NatGeo, and Mtv. Also I really enjoy photos, whether I am taking them or others have. Maybe I just enjoy looking at photos from different places and things around the world in hopes to travel and experience all the landscapes and cultures out there, but that is perfectly ok with me haha.

I believe literature is any form of written expression. It is when letters form words to convey messages and emotions to those who read them.  In my opinion there are many forms of literature such as novels, poetry, short stories, and music. A blog in this case, is also a form of literature--we are all conveying messages and opinions through posting blogs online.