Week Six - Changing Social Connections

I do believe that people today are more isolated. Even though we are connected to people across the continent or the globe through Facebook, we never really have any interaction with them. Because of Facebook, I have noticed that I, personally, have a harder time talking to people in person. I believe that if I hadn't learned to have conversations online, I would probably be better at talking with people. I'm not socially awkward and I have never been diagnosed with any social complications, but I have a hard time with being with real people in person having actual conversations. I'm not always quick on what to say next but online I have more time to think so it's more acceptable that I take a few minutes to reply, whereas in person if you having a conversation and you don't immediatly reply to what someone just said, they wonder why and may think that you don't believe what they are saying or that you are mad at them. It's happened multiple times in conversations that I've had where, if I didn't comment on something immediatley have the other person said it, they question me. They ask if I'm mad, or did I not hear them.


Having conversations online is easier for me, and I assume many other people. You can think about what you are going to say next. If you want to be funny or serious, or if what you were going to say may come off as rude or stand-offish. In person, you have think quicker and really be on your toes. I have noticed that when I don't know what to say to a person, I usually nod my head or just say "Yeah," never really commenting on what they said or actually answering their question.


My mother always said that if someone called and you weren't home, you never knew. When she was in high school, they had just bought a answering machine before that if someone called, they couldn't leave a message and you would have never knew anyone had ever called you that day. Nowadays, everyone has their cell phone. You are connected to the outside world 24/7, all the time unless you turn your phone off. I don't think this is good for socitety. Being connected can be good for work and emergencies, but it can also interfere with your relationships with family and friends. We have all seen the movies with the fathers, while on vacation, take the business calls and leave the children playing alone on the beach. Being that connected makes the realtionships you have with you children, family, and friends more disconnected. It's unfair to those around you.

Week Four - Nature vs. Nurture Debate

     There are certain traits and conditions that many of us would like to have -- intelligence, athletic ability -- but there are others, such as psychopathy and cancer, that we'd like to avoid. The nature or nurture debate concerns whether these traits and conditions are a product of genetics or of the environment in which a person is brought up. For example, let's say that a man grows up to be a violent killer. Was he born with a gene that makes a person more violent? Or, were circumstances in his upbringing the ultimate cause of such a career? Did he lack loving parents? Was he exposed to violent movies and music? The nature or nurture debate has been difficult to resolve because there are plenty of people born with certain genes who don't grow up to express the traits associated with those genes, just as there have been plenty of people who have confounded all predictions based on how they were brought up.
     In some instances, it appears that nature nurture plays a greater role than nurture, and sometimes the reverse appears to be true. As I believe, and many others do as well, it is a tie. Neither nurture nor nature is more dominant over the other.
     A person's upbringing and environment affect his or her genes far too much to discount either option. If a man has a gene that's linked with being tall but he doesn't receive proper nutrition, then he may not reach full genetic potential. If a woman has a gene linked with musical ability but she never takes a violin lesson, she will never reach that potential either. On the other hand, someone born without a gene that lends itself to musical genius may still reach that point through hard work, lots of practice and supportive parents and peers.

Week Three - How American Culture Looks to Outsiders

Hugh Laurie's song for America - A bit of Fry and Laurie - BBC sketch


I suppose that in Hugh Laurie's sketch he was supposed to be dressed up as a "typical America" (a.k.a. a hill billy). He wore a plaid shirt and a bandanna.
The song lyrics were comprised of the words "America" and "States."
The audience was laughing at the face he was making and how he was singing the song.
The sketch/song ends with Hugh Laurie being punched by a another man.
I think the sketch represents how the British view Americans as barbaric and "hill-billy" like.


Frankly I did not find the video very funny, maybe because I am an American. I think the only joke the British has ever made about the Americans is that we are just giant hill billies and we have no manners or sense or style.