HW 15 - ABCDEF 3 - Treasure Hunting

Comment to Rachel:

Rachel,

We have slightly different takes on Johnson’s perspective which made this post more enjoyable to read. It’s much more interesting to read about a new point of view rather than reading about someone who’s arguing the same thing as you are bringing up the same points.

Your main ideas were about how you agree with Johnson – video games stimulate our brain, and help us to design goals in order to further succeed in the game. You believe that games bring an urge to achieve the final goal and people will go to many lengths to do so. For TV, you agree with Johnson that some shows allow you to completely put yourself in their shoes and analyze what’s going on by putting previous pieces together. You also think that Johnson doesn’t quite give enough cons to technology to take a side but his offer of a fresh new perspective helps you become a bit more equipped to make a final judgment. You think people always focus on the corrupting digitalization brings to our minds rather than the developing it allows us to do. Lastly, you believe Johnson focus’ on videogames and television while Anderson focuses on the feed that can most currently represent a cell phone or computer.

I notice you and Charles seem to think Johnson plays sort of a devil’s advocate. You both think that because it’s so common for people to believe technology is bad for you – Johnson is going against everyone and helping them see the opposite point of view by offering the good that comes from heavy gaming, couch potatoes, etc. I agree except I failed to mention him actually being a devil’s advocate. I think Johnson does a good job at stepping outside his comfort zone – where he believes books are the better choice – and helping others see that these devices really aren’t all that bad for us. I also noticed how although you didn’t say it – you sort of implied the sense of disembodiment that comes along with developing different mental skills while watching television or playing videogames. In order to increase our skills using these devices, we must lose sense of who we are and where we are to become fully immersed and then practice the skills they allow us to practice in doing so.

I think you could’ve talked about the relationship between Feed and Johnson’s beliefs. You mention the obvious which is that Anderson doesn’t focus on games and televisions but rather the harm it does to people and society but doesn’t Anderson bring up some points about how ‘out of the loop’ you can be without the feed in the book, and how it’s a sad thing but now a days it’s becoming more and more of a necessity to keep up with everyone else. I also think you were very general with what you were writing and I think it probably would have been a good idea to focus more on certain aspects of what Johnson was saying and really write a response as to WHY you agree instead of just agreeing or WHY you disagree... etc.

In your post you sort of imply that people have to pick a side on this topic. I’m wondering what is so crucial about picking a side. I see where Johnson is coming from but I wouldn’t say I’m on a side. I sort of just think now – a little bit of both is pretty good for you – or would you consider being in the middle a side? Your post also makes me think about if watching TV and playing video games makes a big difference in the way people live their life – like for instance are readers really much more successful? (I’m defining successful meaning they make more of a living because of their well education and reading skills).

Well, next time I think you should challenge yourself and read the longer excerpt because I’m sure it’ll be just as easy to understand and pick at and it’ll give you more evidence to back up your own ideas. Good job though,

Comment to Amanda:

Amanda,

My favorite line: “We all know that computers act as a barrier and block our true feelings/emotions from being easily determined.” I really like the way it sounds and I agree with the point you make. It brings me back to thinking about how our computers are our identity masks – almost like a shield hiding who we really are but giving us the freedom to be whoever we want. Although this is indeed a reoccurring idea – I still agree with it.

Let’s see. You believe feed is an exaggerated world of the one we currently live in. You also think that we are approaching a complete immersion into digital technology just as the book Feed portrays. You think that having all this technology allows people to become lazy and incompetent and that losing digital exposure causes us to feel lost and even confused. You believe that we don’t really know what to do with ourselves without it. You also think that although we all know the affect is negative – we are still addicted. You believe we like hiding from our emotions through technology and that Feed is pretty much like a mirror for our society.

I like the point you make about how we have no control over our facial expressions and without technology we’d sort of be all over the place. We would have no control because we wouldn’t have much practice in doing so due to the fact that we’re always involved with D.R.D’s. I also think your ideas are those of the majority – D.R.D’s are affecting us in a negative way. Now that we’ve read ‘Everything Bad Is Good for You’, how do you think it affects your opinion, if at all? I say this because Steve Johnson argues that TV and Videogames help us practice and develop mental skills – both the ones used while reading books and ones that are just as important.

I think in the end it sounds sort of confusing when you say ‘we have to judge ourselves before judging the book because judging the book is judging ourselves’. Maybe you should try revising that to something like – By using this book as a mirror of who we are and how we interact with D.R.S’s we can judge ourselves by merely judging the book and hopefully finding new solutions or idea where we can start to help us away from the sickening addiction. Also I think in order to have stronger arguments; you can relate your ideas of feed (2nd to last paragraph) with our life. Something like – Just as the feed pays attention to the person’s conversations, likes and dislikes – if you were to research items on the internet, they usually provide links with related items or items people have also looked at who have looked at that item, etc.

Your post makes me think about what exactly feels so comfortable and so easy about texting them rather than talking to them face to face. I’m not trying to hide my emotions – I think I just have a harder time showing them in person in fear of rejection. Sometimes I just get shy. I can feel so strongly about something or someone – tell them or show it through text or online but then in person – I freeze up. I’m a t a loss of words. I want to say everything as easily as I did through text but somehow it just never comes out that way. This makes me realize how much of a convenience D.R.D’s are for me. How much I rely on them and addicted to them I am. I think maybe people are scared of unfamiliar feelings and therefore they stick to what they are used to – technology..

Anyway, I liked your post. You bring up some good points. Keep up the work – and lets work together on catching up with the rest of the assignments