My Chemical Romance

Unexplainable matters of the heart such as falling in love and creating chemistry in a relationship have proved to be baffling topics for modern scientists. Currently, there is an increased effort to perform research experiments that study how our brain and bodies work together to concoct such feelings. Researchers have found that “oxytocin, a chemical that fosters the bond between mothers and children, probably helps fuel romantic love as well” (Brownlee 295). In addition, “brain chemicals that blunt pain and induce feelings of euphoria may also make people feel good in the company of lovers” (Brownlee 295). Have we been wrong all these years to suppose that falling in love is just a natural occurrence? We’ve seen movies and read books of men and women going to a witch or wizard in the hopes of obtaining a “love potion” that is specifically targeted for their object of affection. According to the information above, if we are able to bottle such chemicals as oxytocin, we could also produce the same results as any love potion.

Another chemical that can help explain attraction between two people is dopamine. At the State University of New York, researchers asked a group of young adults who had recently fallen in love to have their brains scanned as they were shown pictures of their significant others. What they found was that “the brain areas that lighted up were precisely those known to be rich in [the] powerful ‘feel-good’ chemical, dopamine. Dopamine is the key chemical in the brain's reward system, a network of cells that is associated with pleasure” (Foreman). When shown photos of members of the opposite sex that the researchers had randomly selected, the brain areas containing dopamine failed to show any response. Interestingly enough, this chemical is also known to be linked with feelings of addiction. This finding could possibly explain why seeing a picture of the participants’ loved one made their brain area light up—not only does that person bring joy to their lives, but s/he is also their own personal drug that they can’t help but be obsessed with.

People will go to great lengths to find their ideal match. Some have their most trusted friends set them up on blind dates, while others prefer to submit their profiles to online dating sites such as Match.com and eHarmony, hoping to encounter someone with similar interests. But just how far are they willing to go? For $2,000 and a swab of your spit, a Florida matchmaking company claims they will be able to find that one special person who you will have perfect physical chemistry with. Their unique technology “uses your DNA to find others with a natural odor you'll love, with whom you'd have healthier children, a more satisfying sex life and more" (Pesce). This “chemistry” they are advertising is “based on the biological need to breed with people who have very different immune system genes, which makes robust, healthy babies” (Pesce). If you can roll out the cash, forget about having to put yourself through one horrifying first date after another—just send out your DNA for testing, sit back, and wait for the results!

Since our days in grade school, we’ve been able to observe the fact that boys and girls are different. Rosie Boycott, a British journalist, writes, “In the 1970s, I saw feminist girlfriends bringing up children and religiously give the girl a truck to play with, and try to get the boy to like the color pink. It never worked. Little girls and boys had very different ideas about what they wanted to play with and what colors they liked” (McCarthy). Studies attribute this to the claim that “men and women show differences in behavior because their brains are physically distinct organs” (McCarthy). This contrast in views based on gender also plays a role in relationship ideals. A chemical called vasopressin could explain why forbidden sex is appealing to more men than women by examining prairie voles. If the rodent is producing stress hormones, it impedes with the oxytocin entering the brain, “keeping a female vole from bonding, and perhaps preventing most women from finding danger sexually exciting. Vasopressin, in contrast, appears to work better in the presence of certain stress hormones, possibly making danger an aphrodisiac for many males” (Brownlee 297). But can the study of voles truly explain human behavior? Voles don’t have human capabilities such as emotions, customs, family expectations, and religions to worry about. In addition, what about contradicting information in that human women can also be turned on by elicit behavior? These questions remain unanswered if we only seek insight through the sciences. While science can’t provide all of the answers to our burning romantic questions, we are certainly getting closer with every passing day.

Works Cited

Megan’s “Crema de la Cosecha”

Hi Megan! It’s nice to be in your group, especially since you are a fellow Speech and Hearing Sciences major. I worked with lots of students at ASU from all over the country and it always fascinates me when they decide to come to Tempe and suffer through the heat, but I’m glad you’re adjusting :) Here are my picks for you:

A Slough Time: I’ve suffered from acne since I was about 10 years old so I could really relate to this post. Your voice really stood out as you told your story of your “tube of horrors!” You added very colorful language that made this post very enjoyable to read. You are quite the storyteller! By choosing a topic that I’m sure we as girls have come across at some point, and using irony to enhance your message, you were really able to draw your audience in and have them sympathize with your condition. The only thing that didn’t really seem to fit at first was your title. I didn’t really know what a slough was so I had to look it up in the dictionary, and even then I’m not sure it was the best word to choose, but I can see where you were going with it. I sure do hope that your skin condition didn’t take too long to clear up!

Consumption of Consumption: Eat This: You come up with the BEST titles! For some reason, I get this image of you shoving your shopping bags at Twitchell or someone else’s face and saying “Eat this!” I chose this post because you were able to write in a more academic tone but still keep your own voice. Your last paragraph showed a lot of concern about materialism and it was definitely the strongest point of your post. Apart from a few spelling and grammatical errors, I really enjoyed reading your views on materialism !

Are You There God? It’s Me, Megan: First off, the think that captured my attention immediately was your title and the picture you chose to include with your post. The photo shows just how far the universe seems to expand, and you seem to be calling out to God hoping that even though He is so far away, you hope that he can hear you. It also reminded me of the Verizon Wireless commercials because if you believe in God, then you also believe that no matter where you are, you’ll always have “service.” In other words, he’ll always be able to hear you. You seem to have a background in Christianity because the voice you used showed passion for the belief that without a God, people would not be good. You brought up really excellent points about what choosing to live by the wayside will do to believers in Christ and God, supporting your argument that the consequences will encourage people to do the right thing. I really enjoyed this post Megan!

Deirdre’s “Crème de la Récolte”

Deirdre! My tennis buddy of the bunch! It’s great to be in your group again. As I was re-reading through your intro today, I remembered that I had read an article called “Causing a Racquet” a while back in which you were interviewed about the tennis team and your Halloween activities. I think it’s so cool that you get to do what you love at the collegiate level. I hope your season goes well! My topic three picks from your blog are as follows:

Want a Fun Day? Simply Pay $4.75 via E-Z Pass: Like Ashley, I picked this post for you because of the voice you used. You are a great storyteller! When I first started reading, I wondered if I had read the prompt wrong because what you wrote didn’t initially seem to have anything to do with what we were supposed to write about. As I continued reading, it all made sense and I decided to read it multiple times to appreciate how you laid out the story of your dad by giving a history of the bridge and switching between two viewpoints. The account you described seems like something a screenwriter would be writing for a movie! You gave very vivid details that helped me picture everything that was taking place. This is definitely my favorite post!

Don’t Cheat Yourself: With this post, I thought you choose great quotes from the text to support your claims. At first, two of your quotes made me optimistic that couples can indeed be faithful to one another, and the next part of the quote would contradict itself and gives a reason as to why that doesn’t happen. I thought it was interesting that you would choose those sentences to cite, especially because from the sound of it, you feel that if couples knew each other better, high rates of infidelity would start to decline. Your concluding paragraph really pulled at my heart strings because I think we all want to believe the best in people, so we WANT to hold on to the hope that if we take the right measures, people will stop cheating on each other, even though we know this is probably not the case. Again, you showed a side to you that none of us would ever get to know had you not written this!

Read My Mind: For starters, great title! It went really well with the whole theme of how humans have thoughts and memories, but we’re not really sure where they come from. Since scientists are just now starting to find answers to these questions, it’s like they’re “reading our minds.” Your introductory paragraph caught my attention right away because there will be times when I’m walking around campus and I’ll have a thought and I wonder where that thought came from. Our brains are a complex system and I’m sure everyone has had a similar experience. You did a great job of including your own thoughts and mixing in quotes from the text. I also loved your conclusion because you asked your audience a question and then gave your own answer. What really stood out to me was that you didn’t try to give any kind of academic answer about where YOU thought that our thoughts and ideas come from. You responded that you yourself don’t know and it showed a lot of vulnerability because as humans, we can’t know everything.

Good look with deciding what to write about! I can’t wait to read it!

Ashley’s “Cream of the Crop”

It’s nice to be able to work with you again Ashley! I remember thinking to myself when I was in your group for Unit 2 that you definitely had a talent for writing with an academic tone, so I am grateful for the chance that I’ve had to read over all of your blog posts. You’re “All About Me!!!!- Finally I Can Say That” post really cracked me up! I could tell that you live a fast-paced life and I loved the tone you used. I am guilty of being the “procrastinator” of the group, so I just busted out laughing when I read that! Here are the top three posts I chose from your blog:

The BEST Way to Meet Your Classmates: It’s funny that you chose this post as one of my greatest hits because for those same reasons, I chose it as YOURS! Although I have not seen any of the girls in this class in person, I feel a greater connection to you all than I do with any of the 187 students in my social work lecture. I don’t have to wear nice clothes or do my hair to impress any of you, because you’re getting to know the real me through my writing. None of us have to worry about making friends or if we will be well-liked because it doesn’t matter. It’s taken me all semester and reading this post to realize that. I know it wasn’t your intention, but you’ve made me change my view about knowing people without actually meeting them. For example, through your blog posts, I can tell that if you and I were to hang out, there would never be a dull moment between us because you are so full of life and energetic! While there may be some things I wouldn’t know about you directly, meeting you online has allowed me to scratch the surface. You should DEFINITELY consider developing this particular topic into an essay. It is number one on my list!

Breastmilk Just for Babies? Not Anymore: I remember being in your group when you wrote this, and it is still one of the most memorable posts I’ve read for two reasons: One, the topic immediately captured my interest. A female Viagra? Who would’ve thought THAT was possible? Two, you were able to switch your voice from a playful and sarcastic attitude to a scholarly tone naturally. In the first paragraph you included a citation from the book that would make your post seem highly academic but the words around it were playing up to the fact that with the invention of this new Viagra, there would supposedly be no more problems on Earth. Using more than one tone in a piece of writing is not an easy thing to do, but you were able to convey your message to your reader even more strongly because you possess that trait. Great job!

Government: Creating a Protection from One’s Own Self: As I read this post, I was a bit surprised that you leaned more towards the side of the spectrum that believes the government should have most of the control, since a lot of the class was split pretty much equally down the middle. When you mentioned that most of your family members work for the government, my initial thought was that you felt that way because you’ve grown up with people who think that way probably your whole life. However, you made excellent points as to why the government guards us so highly—people are reckless and they sometimes need to be kept on check not only to protect themselves but those around them. I could tell that you were passionate about this particular topic because it came through in your writing. It made me re-think my views on this matter. You are great at getting your audience to see your point-of-view. Good luck picking a topic for your essay! You have lots of awesome posts to choose from!

Week 12 Blog Reviews

I am SO SORRY but for some reason, my blog reviews for Lauren and Susan didn't show up because I somehow created two posts and the one with your reviews I clicked "save as draft" instead of "publish." I am VERY SORRY ladies!

Dierdre: I completely agree with your post “Yes or No to Gov’t Control.” You did a very good job arguing both sides of the spectrum. I especially liked your last paragraph because the voice you used clearly shows that you feel strongly about not letting the government control everything. You brought up the point that living in a democracy allows us certain rights, and some of those rights are stated under the first amendment. Great way to support your position!

I really enjoyed reading “Money Madness.” You seemed to really grasp the concept of finance and how it came about. I liked how you started off with an introduction, then moved into a more historical background, and ended with a great summation that finance really is about “making more money.” Awesome job!

Lauren: I really liked the way you chose to introduce your topic for “Two Sides of the Spectrum!” It was a great way of showing the chronology of how we’ve been brought up having to abide by a set of rules. I also liked your second paragraph because you didn’t hold anything back; I could tell that you have zero tolerance for libertarians. Even though you also feel strongly about not allowing the government to have total control, you put it in a way that made a lot of sense: you would rather have strong restrictions than total chaos. Great post!

First of all, awesome title: “Moneychangers.” Very clever! You always have such great introductions for your blog posts, and your intro for this post made a not-so-interesting topic seem highly interesting to me! You covered a lot of the ways that other academic disciplines have influenced the world of finance, and your ending was perfect: short, sweet, and to the point! Way to go!

Susan: In, “Is Governmental Intervention the way to Go?” I could tell that you feel strongly about this topic, especially with the way you worded your intro. I agree with you completely that sometimes we can’t always trust the government because of the things they’ve done in the past, but where would we be without them? I really liked the example you used at the end about all the people that come up to you and ask you to sign petitions. I think that all of us that attend classes at the Tempe campus can relate, because we’ve been through it. Your conclusion was definitely the strongest point of your post. Great job!

For “Money Makes the World Go Round,” you did a really awesome job of spicing up the subject of finance! I had a really hard time finding how best to approach it but it seems like you had no difficulty whatsoever! That’s when your writing is at its best, when the words just flow together and you made is seem effortless. I also liked you conclusion for this post. Terrific writing this week!

Crunching Numbers

A line from the musical Cabaret says “money makes the world go round.” Indeed, we see the validity of this quote all around us in present days. Our society relies heavily on money, and everything has its price. For the most part, if people want to eat, they go to a market to buy groceries or they eat out. We obviously can’t walk around in our birthday suits, so we are forced to purchase clothes anywhere we can from the Goodwill to Neiman Marcus. There isn’t a day that goes by that someone somewhere in the world doesn’t use money. Compared to other areas, the academic discipline of finance (the study of how funds are obtained and invested) is still only a teenager, having come to the spotlight from economics after World War II (Chance and Peterson 447). Currently, many fields have contributed to its every growing popularity.

One possible explanation for finance’s sudden rise in status could be attributed to the uncertainty of today’s economy. Buying, selling, and investing in stock is a risky step to take, but thankfully, there is such a thing as valuation. According to Chance and Peterson, “valuation is the science, and sometimes the art, of estimating what something in the future is worth today” (Chance and Peterson 448). John Burr adds that “the appropriate price for stock is the present value of all future dividends paid to its owner” (Chance and Peterson 448). This knowledge comes in handy on many levels, but mostly importantly, it gives one a bit of assurance as to how his/her money should be handled and what steps to take to guarantee than none of it is lost.

Since business has a lot to do with crunching numbers, mathematicians have made a great impact in the world of finance. Bachelier’s model, Brownian motion, Ito’s Limma, Black-Scholes model, and many other equations have attributed to a better understanding of this discipline. As a result of the Brownian motion, economists were able to create “various new pricing schemes”; after the Black-Scholes model, “corporations and investment fund managers were barraged with new products, such as swaps, structures notes, asset-backed securities and exotic kinds of options” (Chance and Peterson 448). Many people might not be fond of mathematics, but it is clear that a greater indulgence of this complex subject can lead to definite comprehension of financial matters.

Two Views, One Country

One of the greatest things about living in America is our vast range of political ideologies. There are some who believe that the people need government intervention in their lives at all times, because letting them always get what they want would lead to the general population running amuck. In John McHugh’s essay, “Politics for the Really Cool,” we read about Sameer Parekh who has a few ideas of his own about how much control our country’s administration should have. He is a libertarian, which Merriam-Webster Online defines as “a person who upholds the principles of individual liberty, especially of thought and action.” In other words, he believes that the government should have no say in what he does, liberating him of any boundaries. In my point of view, I find valid arguments for both sides of the spectrum, so I see myself somewhere in between.

On the one hand, I am not fond of the idea that government officials have the power to pry into any aspect of my life. I know the importance of the Patriot Act, which authorized federal agents to tap into telephone conversations, e-mails, text messages, etc. after the September 11^th attacks because it’s supposed to be used as a security measure, but in my opinion, they’ve taken it way too far. In my social work class this semester, I learned about a sixteen-year-old boy named Ashton Lundeby who was arrested in the middle of the night by the FBI and other officers. He was charged with making a series of bomb threats, and they knew this because they tracked the IP address which led them to his computer. However, Ashton’s mom claims that someone had stolen his son’s IP address and made it look like the threats had come from him. The FBI has NOT been able to prove that Ashton is at fault yet he remains incarcerated at a juvenile detention facility. If the government that is supposed to protect me from terrorists is using their powers unjustly, how am I supposed to trust them?

On the other hand, I can’t imagine how chaotic this country would be without SOME form of government control. Currently, “the government policies what can be claimed about a prescription drug, what can be said in a real estate ad, who can talk about a publicly traded stock, and who can finance a political ad” (McHugh 440). If the president’s administration DIDN’T manage all of these things, there would be no point for different types of Advil, Benadryl, or because no one would know what they would be used for. Real estate ads might include vulgar language inappropriate for children to hear and anyone could run for office without the people knowing anything about them. Although our government can sometimes step out of line, there’s a reason why we still have them around.

Week 11 Blog Reviews

Deirdre: In “Goods for a Reason,” I really liked how at the end of your first paragraph you switched between the two sides of the issue. It was very reminiscent of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, which I enjoyed because I could see the internal struggle you were going through (you know materialism is bad but at the same time you don’t see what’s so wrong with wanting to have nice things.) In your third paragraph, you brought out a different side of materialism in holy holidays that I had previously failed to see. We always talk about people wanting to buy the best gifts for their loved ones but I had never thought about all the money spent on decorations! Unfortunately, our family is guilty of that; very thought-provoking post!

For your post “Slovakia Calling,” I was grateful that you included a geographical description because I had no idea where that was! You included a lot of interesting facts about the Slovakian people and I feel like I have a better understanding of who they are and how they relate to the American economy. Great job this week!

Lauren: In “A ‘Mallcondo’ Culture,” you brought up an excellent point about materialism during the holidays. When I was helping my nieces and nephews shop for last minute Halloween items this year, I did notice that Christmas decorations were already being displayed but I hadn’t thought of it in the commercial aspect of corporate America completely skipping over Thanksgiving. I agree with you that materialism also has its advantages. I know that after I get a haircut or buy something for myself, it makes me feel good to do something for me, especially because I know that I’ve earned my money. You did a great job mixing in quoted from the text with your own personal views!

For “Korean Immigrants,” I really liked how you started off writing about the Korean migration and how they’ve changed the American economy and waited until the very end to tie it together with the essay we read. It was a great way to switch things up and it flowed really well overall. I had previous knowledge about how Koreans have helped shape our economy but you provided excellent facts that made me gain a better understanding of who they are! Awesome writing!

Susan: When I first started reading “Buy Now,” you made me change my view of materialism instantly. My parents have always taught me that it’s ok to have nice things but that spending too much on particular items is unnecessary and greedy. But as I was reading, your thoughts made sense. If I work hard for my money, why can’t I spend it however and on whatever I want, regardless of the cost? As I finished reading your final paragraph, my views on materialism switched again. We shouldn’t be defined by how flashy our possessions are but it seems inevitable in this day and age. You did an awesome job of incorporating both sides of this topic! Now I am curious as to what your position on this matter is :)

To start, I really liked your title “Polish Prosperity.” You always use such great alliteration! I really liked your introductory paragraph because it really captures the views of why immigrants journey to the United States. I also enjoyed reading your post because it was such a personal topic for you and instead of having to use books and the Internet to do your research, you were able to use your family as a resource. Keep up the great writing!

Armenians in America

The United States would not be what it is today had it not been for the immigrants who settled in Jamestown, Virginia in 1607. They paved the way for people of other countries and cultures to start a new life in America. My parents migrated to the United States twenty years ago from Mexico hoping to find better job opportunities so that they could provide a more stable environment for their children. In his essay, “I Have a(n American) Dream,” John Maggs explores the contribution Hispanics have made to the American economy, particularly in the work industry, and their position on the economic ladder as compared to other ethnic groups, according to their socioeconomic status. However, Hispanics are not the only ones that have added their two cents in to America’s melting pot. Another ethnic sub group worth mention is the Armenians.

The first known accounts of the Armenian exodus to America began in the 1890’s. During this time, the Ottoman Empire’s fall was quickly approaching, and “its prosperous Christian minorities became the targets of violent Turkish nationalism and were treated as giavours (non-Moslem infidels)” (Takooshian). As a result, thousands of Turkish Armenians were massacred, and millions more were killed during World War I (Takooshian). These two events caused the Armenians to flee to the United States: “ First, from 1890-1914, 64,000 Turkish Armenians fled to America before World War I. Second, after 1920, some 30,771 survivors fled to the United States until 1924, when the Johnson-Reed Immigration Act drastically reduced the annual quota to 150 for Armenians. The third wave to America began following World War II, as the 700,000 Armenians who earlier had been forced from Turkey into the Middle East faced paroxysms of rising Arab/Turkish nationalism, Islamic fundamentalism, or socialism” (Takooshian).

Before this assignment, I didn’t even know that the Republic of Armenia existed, but after doing some research, I am amazed at the role they’ve played and continue to play in the American economy. For example, a pharmacist named Kristapor Der Seropian created the long-lasting green dye in the 1850’s that continues to be used in printing U.S. currency nowadays (Takooshian). As they were trying to get settled in after leaving their country, “Armenians often found quick success with import-export firms and acquired a distorted reputation as "rug merchants" for their total domination of the lucrative oriental carpet business” (Takooshian). Most surprising to me was that the current rock group “System of a Down” or SOAD consists of four men of Armenian descent. It just goes to show that this country is only made better by the talents of other cultures and ethnicities.

Sahagian, Luder Tavit. “Armenian Immigration to America.” http://nhs.needham.k12.ma.us/cur/kane98/kane_p6_immig/armenian/Luder.html

Takooshian, Harold. “Armenian Americans.” Countries and Their Cultures. http://www.everyculture.com/multi/A-Br/Armenian-Americans.html

Thou Shalt Not Covet

In the late 1700’s, American colonists became increasingly frustrated with the British government because of the taxes being placed on their goods. Hadn’t they settled a new land to escape oppression and gain the freedom they had longed for? Even in today’s society, it is no surprise that immigrants continue to journey to America in the search of independence, and being a resident or citizen of the United States doesn’t come without its perks. James Twitchell writes that “the freedom to buy what you want [is] what most foreigners immediately spot as what they like about our culture, even though in the next breath they will probably criticize it” (Twitchell 391). If you don’t have the money right when you need it, that’s not a problem! Credit cards were created for that very purpose. In order to be “with it”, one has to stay updated with the latest trends, and that’s just not possible without rolling out the dough.

However, materialism doesn’t come without its downfalls. Among other things, it gives us the excuse of becoming pack rats out of the fear that anything we throw out might one day come back in style. Sadly, “according to some estimates, [Americans] have about four times as many things as Middle Europeans, and who knows how much more than people in less developed parts of the world?” (Twitchell 389). Houses that have been constructed within the past few years have even been built in larger scales than in the 1950’s to accommodate all of our accumulating possessions (Twitchell 389). Materialism has made us covet bigger and better things but at the same time, we refuse to throw out the ten year old vase that we keep hidden on the top shelf of the cupboard even though it hasn’t been used in years.

Personally, I jump back and forth on the fence between the positive and negative arguments of materialism. On the one hand, I feel that if I have worked hard for the money I earn, I should be able to treat myself to nice things, despite what they cost because ultimately, I’m spending my own money and am hurting no one else’s pocket. On the other hand, my parents brought me up with the knowledge that, while it might be nice to possess articles of higher value, ultimately, they are just worldly goods. They might bring me pleasure while I am alive but when I leave this world, I can’t take them with me. Instead of allowing others to define who I am by what I own, I should let my actions speak for themselves.

Week 10 Blog Reviews

Deirdre: You’re post “Want a Fun Day? Simply pay $4.75 via E-Z Pass” was great! You definitely incorporated the dark humor that Michael Petracca used in his essay and it really set the tone for what you wrote. When I first started reading, I was a bit confused with your explanation of the bridge but I thought it was very clever of you to switch back and forth between stories and tie them all in together. It reminded me of the movie The Curious Case of Benjamin Button when Benjamin is relating a series of events and how each one together led to Daisy getting hit by a taxi cab and ending her dancing career. It just made me think that if your dad might’ve been in a different lane or had maybe left for work earlier, he never would’ve gotten into an accident. I know it’s just a typo but your title says “wany” instead of “want.” Just letting you know in case you missed it :)

“Music: All About the Money Maker” made me think of the movie Mean Girls (I’m sorry for all of the movie analogies!) because although the movie was intended to over exaggerate the stereotype that girls call each other “sluts” and “whores,” there is a lot of truth in that exaggeration. I agree with you that a large part of this name calling becoming socially acceptable is because of the music industry. Your last paragraph was very strong and if you elaborate more, this post definitely has potential to become an essay. Apart from a few grammatical errors, I really enjoyed reading your posts and I look forward to working with you this unit!

Lauren: For your post, “Custom Made Furniture,” I liked the humor you were able to integrate at the end of your story even though almost getting your thumb completely chopped off is no laughing matter! I also liked the explanation you gave about how your uncle had many years of experience making furniture because it made a nice twist to your story. You would think that after using appliances such as his Craftsman table saw for so long, his chances of having an accident would be minimized. I also liked that you didn’t just say that it was a table saw but included the brand. It was reminiscent of Petraccas’ essay. Great job!

In “Parental Advisory,” you seem to be very knowledgeable of hip-hop and how it relates to different cultures, particularly in your opening paragraph. I could tell that you are passionate about this topic and have definitely done your research. Although it saddening that music lovers pay big money to buy albums full of vulgarity and sexually explicit lyrics, unfortunately, that is what our world has come to. I know it’s only your second post but I can certainly see you developing these ideas into an essay! You know a lot about hip-hop and I think you would enjoy writing about something you care a lot about! My only suggestion is to re-read what you write before you post it because I noticed a few grammatical errors. Other than that, keep up the great writing!

Susan: First off, let me just say that I’m exciting to be in your group again! I really enjoyed your writing last unit and I look forward to seeing your writing develop! I loved your post “Free Upgrade.” You used a lot of great literary techniques! The sarcasm for one was excellent. There was also a lot of colorful language and alliteration (Blackberry bliss, sloppy seconds) that enhanced your story. I could truly relate to your experience because I also have T-Mobile and upgrading my phone was no simple matter. I am also the youngest of six children so I know all about hand-me-downs and being picked last. And of course, sales people always get you with those extras! Great job making this story relatable to a big group of people!

I completely agree with your post “Move Over Miley.” I find it amazing that music sung by the Beatles, the Shangri La’s, and Elvis can still be found on radio stations despite how long ago they were recorded. I highly doubt that the music that has come out of our generation will stand the test of time. There is hardly any substance to what is being sung about nowadays. You made a very excellent point that music sung by tweens is crossing over to the adult radio stations and vice versa. The other day while picking up my nieces and nephews from school, we tuned in to Radio Disney and the Black Eyes Peas were playing. I don’t think their music is always appropriate for younger audiences and I’d like to see the barrier between the adult and kid radio stations become clearer.

Tennis Racket Mishap

I’ve had a passion for tennis since I was a little girl. I remember the first game I ever watched on television featured Anna Kournikova as the odds on favorite. Her beautiful strokes and powerful serve made her my favorite tennis player. To me, it didn’t matter if she won her matches or not because I simply enjoyed watching the intensity she played with. I could tell she played with heart, and she gave it her all on the court. I couldn’t wait to learn and be a “star” just like Anna!

Unfortunately, I was only a seventh grader and my middle school didn’t offer tennis as an intramural sport. I would go to the park and play with my brother every once in a while, but he didn’t really know how to teach me since tennis was a sport that came naturally to him, so we eventually stopped going.

After two years of anxiously waiting, it finally came: my first day of high school! I asked around and found the athletic director, who led me to the tennis coach, Branny. She said tennis try-outs didn’t start until the winter, so I had a few months to hang tight. More waiting?! I couldn’t take it anymore! However, I managed to keep my sanity until January. Much to my surprise, I made the team, but only as an alternate. Since I could only play when I was needed, my parents refused to buy me a racket of my own and I had to settle for an older racket provided by the school. Needless to say, my first season did not go well. I only won half of my games and I was convinced that had I not played with such an outdated racket, I would have been fabulous. As soon as the season ended, I trained with members of the Varsity team year-round so I could obtain that coveted position on Varsity.

The next year at try-outs, I made it! I was number six on the team ladder, just barely making Varsity! But I didn’t care! I was ecstatic! I shared the good news with my parents and they agreed that it was time for me to buy my own racket. I couldn’t wait! Much to my dismay, I only had $30 saved up and good tennis rackets didn’t come cheap. I searched the store with disappointment in my heart. The prices read $80, $100, $150… nothing within my price range. I was at the point of giving up when I saw a sign that made my heart skip: sale. SALE?! A Prince racket that was originally $60 was put on clearance for $30! It was as if the heavens had opened up and sent an answer to my prayers! I handed the money to the cashier and just like that, it was mine! I couldn’t wait to try it out! I felt invincible.

The next day at practice, things weren’t going well. I was losing my ladder match which would drop me down to the JV team and I had come dangerously close to twisting my ankle after a particularly tiring rally. What was going on? Shouldn’t this brand new racket have solved all of my problems? I had become so frustrated that I smashed my racket to the floor, and the unthinkable happened. My shiny Prince caved in and broke into two pieces! I was devastated! Not only did I eventually lose the match, but I also had a lot of explaining to do when I got home. I had no doubt as to why I had gotten such a good deal on the racket of my dreams.

Week 8 Blog Reviews

Ashley- In your post “Breastmilk Just for Babies? Not Anymore,” I thought your opening paragraph was a great way to introduce the rest of your paper! It was definitely a catchy opening that caught my attention right off the bat! With the nature of the prompt, I know it was hard to include your own ideas but I would have liked to read a little more about what you thought on the subject. Overall, your post was very well written, just make sure to put the titles of the essays you cited in quotation marks.

I had a lot of trouble answering the prompt for this assignment, but in your post “Don’t Compare Yourself to Others… Even Animals,” you were able to use the text very well to support your argument in favor of human homosexuality as compared to animals, and you also brought up excellent points to those who might be skeptical of your comparison. I could tell that you really understood the essay and chose the quotes you cited carefully. You have a real strength for backing up your points-of-view with solid evidence. Great job on this post! I hope your essay writing went well!

Susan- I thought you did a wonderful job on your post “More Than Just Reproduction.” You really emphasized the point that not every relationship is the same, so it is unfair to say that love is mainly a scientific attraction. I think the author (as well as some of us in the class) failed to see that, so you did a great job of working that into your essay and using the text, even though it contradicted with much of what you were saying, to your advantage. This would’ve been a strong topic for an essay!

For your post “What’s Natural Nowadays,” your first two paragraphs were very strong. In your final paragraph however, I felt that you kind of went off on a tangent trying to prove your point of what is and is not natural. Overall though, I really enjoyed what you had to write about. You have a creative way of presenting your view on things that I really enjoyed reading this week. My only suggestion is to remember to always include the author’s name in your in-text citations. There were a few times in both posts that you forgot to so this. I hope your essay turned out well!

It's a Natural Attraction (Mother Nature Wouldn't Make a Mistake)

Directed Freewrite p. 340

For many years now, scientists have been in constant argument with religious organizations over how the world came to be. Many who attend church believe that God created the earth, as stated in the first two chapters of Genesis in the Holy Bible. Others believe in the big bang theory; there was a “bang” and BOOM, here we are. Yet others claim we evolved from primates. Whichever theory you choose to accept, most people will agree that humans and animals share similar traits, specifically in terms of sex, coupling, and mating. Could there be a correlation between how animals are attracted to members of the same sex and why men and women become homosexual? To observe this connection, “we must gaze back into our evolutionary past—a past that has grooved and scored our minds as much as our bodies, our strategies for mating as much as our strategies for survival” (Buss 263).

In the animal kingdom, more than 1 million varying classes of species exist (Kluger 338). Of that 1 million, Bruce Bagemihl, a linguist and cognitive scientist, “found same-sex pairings documented in more than 450 different species” (Kluger 338). If you compare 450 to 1 million, it may seem like a useless ratio to support homosexuality in animals, but “as few as 2,000 species” have actually been viewed closely enough to scrutinize their mating patterns (Kluger 338). In relation, while some men and woman are actively public about their sexual orientation, many prefer to remain “inside in the closet,” keeping their private lives secret from co-workers, family, and friends. In this sense, only a small portion of animals and humans allow outside spectators to see them for who they truly are.

Those opposing all forms of homosexuality might argue that for animals, “sex serves many nonsexual purposes, including establishing alliances and appeasing enemies,” attempting to dispute the parallel that we have previously established (Kluger 339). This could be attributed to the notion that humans are living, breathing, and thinkingmachines with a wide range of emotions. Animals, while intelligent, lack the sophisticated degree of thought possessed by humans. If an animal has an instinct to do something, it acts upon it. The same statement could be applied to humans, the difference being that the instinct could come from a psychological aspect as well as a gut feeling or a number of other reasons that are unable to be explained even by scientists. Furthermore, Bagemihl argues that “if homosexuality comes naturally to other creatures, perhaps it’s time to quit getting into such a lather over the fact that it comes naturally to humans too” (Kluger 338).

My Chemical Romance

Biochemistry Unit Writing Assignment #1

According to the Bible, Adam and Eve were the first humans ever to roam on the face of the planet. In order to progress, they were commanded to “multiply and replenish the earth” (Genesis 1:28 King James Version). In order to ensure that our genes carry on into the next generation, procreation is a must. However, scientists believe that “we are not just programmed for reproduction: The capacity for loving emotions is also written into our biochemistry” (Brownlee 295). If we view the way we care for others with a strictly scientific point-of-view, what does that mean for those seemingly unexplainable matters of the heart such as falling in love and physical attraction? Can that old saying of "having chemistry" with someone actually be true?

Love has baffled scientists for many years. Currently, they are increasing their efforts to perform research experiments to study how our brain and bodies work together. They have found that “oxytocin, a chemical that fosters the bond between mothers and children, probably helps fuel romantic love as well” (Brownlee 295). In addition, “brain chemicals that blunt pain and induce feelings of euphoria may also make people feel good in the company of lovers” (Brownlee 295). Have we been wrong all these years to suppose that falling in love is just a natural occurrence? We’ve seen movies and read books of men and women going to a witch or wizard in the hopes of obtaining a “love potion” that is specifically targeted for their object of affection. According to the information above, if we are able to bottle such chemicals as oxytocin, we could also produce the same results as any love potion.

We all know that boys are girls are different. We’ve been able to observe these dissimilarities since we were in grade school. Boys prefer the color blue; girls are more inclined to pink. Boys like to play tag and wrestle; girls would rather skip rope and have tea parties. Similarly, men and women also have contrasting views when it comes to relationships. A chemical called vasopressin could explain why forbidden sex is more appealing to more men than women by examining prairie voles. If the rodent is producing stress hormones, it impedes with the oxytocin entering the brain, “keeping a female vole from bonding, and perhaps preventing most women from finding danger sexually exciting. Vasopressin, in contrast, appears to work better in the presence of certain stress hormones, possibly making danger an aphrodisiac for many males” (Brownlee 297). While science can’t provide all of the answers to our burning romantic questions, we are certainly getting closer with every passing day.

Week 7 Blog Reviews

Ashley: I, as I’m sure many of the other girls in the class, could relate to your post “Are You Listening to Me?” on a personal level because I too have been in a long distance relationship. The situations you described between you and your boyfriend were well supported with quotes from the text. I thought you made an interesting point in your concluding paragraph, something I had failed to realize. The essay really is biased because it’s from the point of view of a female. I really hadn’t thought that the perspective from which it was written made a difference because the research and the statistics should be the same, but the way it was used by Tannen skewed it to support a woman’s outlook. Thanks for pointing that out!

Your title of, “Leaving Marriage Alone,” went really well with your post. I was blown away by your writing for this assignment Ashley! You were able to keep an evolutionary perspective as was required and you were also able to use the ideas stated in both essays to support your writing extremely well. Again, your concluding paragraph was the icing on the cake, especially your last sentence. What a great way to end a thought-provoking piece. I think you should DEFINITELY consider this post as the basis for your next essay!

Susan: For your “Directed Freewrite” post, I thought the conflict you chose to write about illustrated well the idea that men and women have different ways of seeing the same situation. Not to be a Negative Nelly, but the prompt asked us to “discuss how your application of some of Tannen’s ideas might have helped to resolve, or at least explain, the conflict” (Tannen 246). You stated in your final paragraph that after reading her essay, you were able to see some of the things that happened in a different light. If you could pinpoint the exact words that made you realize that, and include them in your essay, you can make this post stronger by backing it up with evidence! :)

I thought your title of “Team Monogamy!” was really cute! It sounds like you got the idea from the whole “Team Edward vs. Team Jacob” Twilight craze and I thought you used it in a clever way! This was by far the strongest post I’ve read of yours. I agree with Ashley, you should considering using this piece for your essay. You chose the right quotes that worked with what you were writing about and your own ideas to support those quotes enhanced the piece well. Other than a few quotation errors (the one Ashley pointed out and one on the final paragraph that should be: wholly unreasonable” (Wright 280).) I thought this post was excellent! Keep it up!

Evolution of Relationships

According to divorcestatistics.org, 45 to 50 percent of first marriages end in divorce, and there is a “30 to 50 percent incidence of extramarital affairs” (Buss 262). What could possibly be the cause for such a high rate of changing hearts and infidelity? Charles Darwin offers his explanation that “members of the same sex compete with each other, and the outcome of their contest gives the winner greater sexual access to members of the opposite sex” (Buss 263). The victor must have had outstanding qualities such as brute strength, physical attractiveness, or cunning intellect to win the competition, thus allowing him to find his mate and carry his/her genes on to the next generation. However, procreation between two people is not enough to make a marriage last. Men are “more inclined toward the casual fling… and are less finicky about their sex partners” opting for whoever might come along (in some cases) regardless of their commitment to someone else (Wright 282). Women tend to cheat “around ovulation, when they are most likely to get pregnant” suggesting that if their spouse is infertile, they will find other means to ensure they are able to develop their role as a mother (Wright 283). There is a vast contrast between the genetic makeup of men and women that could offer even more accounts as to why men and women cheat.

From a young age, boys and girls no doubt come across and watch movies such as Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Hercules. Such movies romanticize the idea of finding your one true love, your eternal soul mate. Nevertheless, a monogamous relationship isn’t for everyone. In some cases “one mate may defect because of the failure of the other to fulfill his or her needs and wants or upon the arrival of someone fresher, more compelling, or more beautiful” (Buss 270). Again, the idea of “survival of the fittest” comes in to play. If a person is unhappy with his or her partner, s/he begins to look around the corner for the next best thing. On the contrary, many people enjoy being steady with just one person and go to great lengths to ensure that both partners are happy. If an outside force, say, another person, tries to break the bonds of that happiness, Buss explains that a “psychological strategy that evolved to combat infidelity was jealousy” (Buss 270).

Now more than ever, it is acceptable for a couple to mate regardless of their ethnic background, culture, or skin color. Who we marry and what their background is can implicate how long a marriage might last. For example, "some cultures have mating systems that are polygynous, allowing men to take multiple wives. Other cultures are polyandrous, allowing women to take multiple husbands. Still others are monogamous, restricting both sexes to one marriage at a time. And others are promiscuous, with a high rate of mate switching" (Buss 274). If we seek a lasting marriage, we would want to attach ourselves with someone who believes in monogamous relationships. However, if we are just looking for someone to have a good time with, we should also look for someone that is looking for someone temporary who won't have to commit.

Are You Just Hearing?

At one point in our lives, I’m sure we have all experienced some of the scenarios involving the opposite sex that are mentioned in Deborah Tannen’s essay, “Sex, Lies, and Conversation.” A frequently occurring incident between my ex-boyfriend and I was that any time we talked, I would dominate most of the conversation and he rarely put any effort into our talks. To make matters worse, I would ask him, “Are you listening to me?” and he would quickly respond with an affirmative yes, but when I asked him to recall what I had just said, he could hardly ever manage to capture even the main idea of what I had been discussing with him. His argument was that he was listening, but he preferred to let me finish my story before making any remarks. Furthermore, since I was putting him on the spot, he had a hard time recollecting what I had just said. I made the dispute that that he could hear what I was telling him, but he just wasn’t listening.

Linguist Lynette Hirschman provided an explanation as to why Andrew seemed like he wasn’t listening when he really might have been. She said, “Women make more listener-noises, such as ‘mhm,’ ‘uhuh,’ and ‘yeah,’ to show ‘I’m with you.’ Men… more often give silent attention” (Tannen 243). Perhaps his way of giving me his undivided attention was by making as minimal noise as possible so I wouldn’t get the impression that he was carrying out other tasks instead of focusing all of his attention on our conversation. In addition, although most women make “listener-noises,” men are expecting them to reciprocate the silence they had previously demonstrated as a sign of respect, and feel that those “mhm’s” and “uhuh’s” are indications of “overreaction or impatience” (Tannen 243).

Another reason for our constant quarrels could’ve had a lot to do with my non-stop chatter to the point where he couldn’t get a word in edgewise. When I finally stopped talking about my current problem with school or with a friend, he would always offer his point-of-view on the matter, which usually differed from the way I saw things. In my mind, he was just trying be difficult by contradicting my thoughts instead of agreeing with me because I was his girlfriend. Tannen believes that, “When most women talk to each other, they assume a conversationalist’s job is to express agreement and support. But many men see their conversational duty as pointing out the other side of an argument” (Tannen 243). If I had had prior knowledge as to how men and women differ in the role of conversationalist, I would’ve been able to understand that it was just in his nature to offer an opposing position, not because he was trying to pick a fight, but to help me understand that my way wasn’t necessarily the right way.

Week 6 Blog Reviews

Ashley: I thought you did a great job on your post “On the Road Again.” The ideas you expressed correlated very well with the essay in the book. You gave excellent examples as to how the three main characters in “Crossroads” related to “real wild women” and how their adventure was similar to that of Thelma and Louise. I noticed on two of your citations when you used (IMDb) that you placed the comma before the citation. I just wanted to remind you that it’s supposed to be after. :)

I found your post “The Disappearing Family” very interesting. I like the connections you made between the family unit and American capitalism. It really is sad to think that the advanced technology we enjoy so much is actually ripping families apart because it creates a barrier of communication and occupies our time, time that could be better spent with our parents and siblings. I really enjoyed reading your posts and I’m so excited to work with you for this unit!

Susan: I enjoyed your post “Wild Men.” The movie/novel you described seems to portray the idea of wild men (in this case boys) extremely well. You did a great job of summarizing the plot and characters, because although I have never even heard of “The Outsiders,” I feel that I have a good sense of what it’s about by the paragraphs that you wrote. In the first paragraph, you mention that the story is told by Ponyboy. It would be more clear if you added something about his “point-of-view” or “perspective.”

Your “Technology Changes the American family” post was very well thought out. My only suggestion is to make sure you put quotes around the essay title and to make it three paragraphs in length.

As a side note, I just wanted to tell you that I am really looking forward to being in your group for this unit, especially since we are both Speech and Hearing Sciences sophomores! I look forward to reading more of your posts!

Heterosexual Idealism

If you compare the ideals of today’s society to the ones held by Americans half a century ago, you would be able to realize just how drastic of a change we have experienced. In the 1950’s, women were expected to be the perfect housewives: a stay-at-home mom that spent her day cleaning and had a flawless meal waiting for her husband and children when they arrived home. The man was the bread winner who cared for and provided for his family. A couple was seen as a union between a man and a woman. Individuals that were attracted to members of the same sex where shunned from society and thought to have a serious psychological disease. Flash forward if you will to the year 2009. Homosexuality has long since been removed from the psychiatric profession’s list of mental illnesses (D’Emilio 226). About six states in the U.S. have legalized same-sex marriages and many other states are pushing for a reform in their legislature. Men and women who choose to lead a life style that doesn’t comply with the standard heterosexual view are better accepted by their peers.

It is evident that “there are more [people who are homosexual] than one hundred years ago, more… than forty years ago” (D’Emilio 234). The expansion of the lesbian/gay/transsexual/bisexual community can be greatly attributed to the influence of the media. Ellen DeGeneres is an outspoken lesbian who has her own talk show. Television shows such as “Will and Grace,” “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” and “Queer Folk” have broken the barrier that used to be held up against them because the ideas they expressed were taboo. Pop icons Sir Elton John, Lance Bass and Lady Gaga have led the way for others, celebrity and non-celebrity alike, to come out of the closet and be comfortable with their true sexual identity.

The advancement of technology in modern medicine has allowed for people who are unhappy with their sex to undergo a surgical procedure and easily change that. Women begin the process by taking androgens (male hormone) and men are given estrogen and progesterone (female hormone). Afterwards, surgery is required to make the change final and complete. The procedure is fairly simple and allows the individual who wants the transformation to be done to lead the life that s/he desires. As a result, we can see that more and more people are going through with the surgery. Decades ago, such a radical alteration was only thought about, but never actually thought to be possible.

The Men in Glee

This assignment was somewhat difficult for me accomplish because I am not much of a movie watcher. I’ve been racking my brain throughout the day trying to think of a film I have seen that portrays characters that present “Real Wild Women” or “Real Wild Men.” Unfortunately, I was unable to recall any. As a substitute, I will examine some of the characters in the television comedy “Glee” as they relate to the essay “Masculinity and Marginality in Rob Ray and Braveheart.”

“Glee” is a show about a group of high school “misfits” that belong to the glee club at McKinley High School. Although the club was once the pride and joy of the school, it is now an object of ridicule for the ever popular jocks and “cheerios” (cheerleaders). William Schuester, a former member of the glee club when it was at its prime, is a Spanish teacher at the high school who has decided to take on the heavy task of restoring the club to its old glory days. One of the club’s members is Kurt Hummel, a well-dressed soprano that is always getting thrown in the garbage can by the football team for his affiliation with Glee and his sexual orientation.

Mr. Schuester is the kind of man ever woman dreams of marrying. He is hard-working, faithful, talented, and dedicated to accomplishing whatever he sets his sights on. However, he is constantly being brought down by his wife who completely takes him for granted. In his essay, James R. Keller writes, “What entitles a man to be a leader of men is his willingness and capacity to satisfy a woman” (Keller 221). Everything Will does is ultimately for the happiness of his wife. When she finds out that she is pregnant, Will is willing to sacrifice the job that he loves to become an accountant and provide a better income for his family. He wants his wife to have her dream home but is unable to afford it, so he gets a second job where he is paid minimum wage to be able to meet the expense of the mortgage. Just as William Wallace in the movie Braveheart, Will has his share of romantic moments with his wife and is also disposed to fight for her honor at any cost (Keller 221).

Kurt’s character is depicted as the stereotypical gay high school student. He refuses to come “out of the closet” even though everyone knows his true sexual orientation. His mother dies when he was very young leaving his father to care for him. After joining the football team to please his dad, Kurt realizes that he can be whoever he wants to be: Glee soprano extraordinaire or high school football kicker and it gives him the push to tell his dad that he is gay. Although he always secretly knew, he was glad that Kurt was able to come clean. "The contest between brawn and effeminacy is settled in favor of brawn" because although his dad excepts Kurt and still loves him, he would still prefer him to be straight rather than gay (Keller 219).

Week 4 Blog Reviews

Jade: You did a really great job summarizing Wright’s essay! If I hadn’t read the article beforehand, your summary would’ve given me a better indication of what it was about! My only suggestion would be to shorten the length of your post just a little. You went into a lot of detail (which was really well written!) but since it was a summary, you could’ve just gone through the main ideas :)

Your Frida Kahlo post was great! The picture you decided to write about was intriguing. I liked how you could relate to the painting because it made you think of how you like to reflect on a number of things while you’re relaxing. I too would like to know more about the background behind the painting. Awesome writing!

Kayla: I really enjoyed reading your summary! The points you chose to talk about truly captured the essence of what the article was about. Your concluding paragraph was really well-written. It left me thinking, which is always one of an author’s goals: to leave the reader with something to ponder over.

I’m not sure if you did this on purpose or not, but I thought it was a great idea to leave out the portrait of Frida Kahlo’s that you wrote about. As you were describing the images within the painting, I could clearly picture everything in my head, and I was able to appreciate your explanation much more than if I was actually able to see the drawing for myself. The last statement you wrote was powerful. Amazing posts this week Kayla!

Erin did not have any posts for me to comment on.

The Two Fridas

In this self-portrait, we see that Frida herself is the main focus of the picture. Interestingly enough, she has painted herself not once but twice. The Frida on the right depicts her Mexican side; she is wearing a traditional Tejuana outfit. On the left, she is wearing a European influenced dress with a high collar. The two Fridas are holding hands and there is an opening in each of their chests, exposing their hearts. The Frida on the right’s heart is complete while the Frida on the left’s heart appears to be incomplete. Both hearts are connected by a vein that begins at the Frida on the right’s hand and ends with the Frida on the left’s hand, being cut by a pair of scissors. In the background, dark storm clouds are present.

This portrait was created not long after Frida’s divorce from Diego Rivera. The hearts that are being revealed show Kahlo’s vulnerability, as one is usually weakened in a relationship when they put themselves out there. The Frida’s heart on the right remains intact, most likely symbolizing the woman she was when she and Diego were first married. The Frida’s heart on the left is brokem—this is the modernized Frida that Diego left for her younger sister, Christina. One end of the vein is connected to a small picture of Diego, which is where Frida’s heart lies; the heart that was once whole and is now shattered. Kahlo is trying to cut the vein, hoping that this will end all ties to Diego and stop the pain. The clouds in the backdrop no doubt represent her tortured soul after learning of her husband’s affair.

After reading the description for this painting, I automatically felt a connection with Kahlo. While I have never been married, I have felt the angst of being cheated on. I really cared for and admired this person, just as I’m sure Frida loved and esteemed her husband. I also felt that the best way to get rid of my misery was to cut every connection I had to this person. It was tremendously difficult to tell my family what had happened, so I often felt that I was all alone in the world, with no one to stand beside me but myself. I can truly appreciate how Kahlo must have felt and respect her for the amazing artist she is.

“The Two Fridas.” Frida Kahlo Fans. Web. 17 Sept. 2009.

http://www.fridakahlofans.com/c0290.htm

So... Can They?

In his essay, “Can Machines Think? Maybe So, As Deep Blue’s Chess Prowess Suggests,” Robert Wright explores the idea that the more potent machines become in dominating tasks that used to be completed solely by human beings, the closer we come as a society to be regarded as “soulless machines.” Furthermore, Wright suggests that the more in-depth researchers investigate the competence of computers, the greater mystery consciousness becomes, which brings us to the question: “Can machines think?”

One method that was created to measure a computer’s ability to “think” was the Turing test. In this test, a person is asked to communicate via keyboard with others. For the purpose of this scenario, we will refer to this person as Bob. The catch, however, is that there might not necessarily be a human on the other side of the keyboard—it could either be a person or a computer. It is Bob’s task to successfully determine if he is conversing with a fellow homo sapien or a machine. If Bob is stumped, then we can safely assume that the computer was able to come up with adequate dialogue to pass as a human, or can we? Wright notes that in those rare cases when a computer was able to trick the human performing the interrogation, the discussion that resulted was less than stimulating (Wright 141). This goes to show that while it may be possible for a computer to “think,” it lacks a critical human characteristic: common sense.

Wright also brings up the ever burning question, “The lights are on, but is anyone home?” Early on in his essay, Wright relates the story of Garry Kasparov and his chess match against IBM computer, Deep Blue. Kasparov managed to slip by Deep Blue’s intellect to be crowned the victor; notice the words “slip by.” Kasparov lost the first game (Wright 142). Can you imagine the flood of emotions that he must have felt and the thoughts that must have crossed his mind? I can envision his sullen face looking troubled. He must have been thinking, “If only I had made a different move, then I would have won! Now, I’m one step closer to defeat. How could I have let this happen?” Deep Blue, on the other hand, could not have had the same experience as Kasparov, because it does not have the capability of feeling things. Once the first game had been won, there was no celebrating for Deep Blue. The “lights are on,” but Deep Blue (or any other computer for that matter) isn’t really home, because it isn’t conscious of what it’s like to feel emotions.

So, can machines think? In a sense, I believe they can. They can “think” enough to trick a person into believing that they are having a conversation with another human being, and they can also almost beat a human being at a game of chess. But although they can accomplish these feats, without the ability of truly knowing for themselves what they are doing, this triumph is an empty victory.

Week 3 Blog Reviews

Jade: First off, I thought your post title: “Screwdriver, hard drive…….. brain?” went really well with the topic that was being discussed. As I’ve said before, I love the witty titles you come up with! I am also nineteen years old and I can remember long ago in the 90’s when simple computers that ran Windows 95 were seen as the next big thing, and now look at how far we’ve come! It is simply amazing! You brought up an excellent point when you mentioned that although an artificial brain can be made to closely resemble a human brain, it still has the risk of malfunctioning, this making humans superior. I hadn’t thought of it that way! Superb writing!

Kayla: I too think that we share similar views on most of the prompts that we have had to write about, which is always exciting for me because I look forward to what you have to say on the matter! I completely agree with you that Minsky just barley graced the surface on what consciousness really is. It is so much more than just being able to store vast amounts of information with the click of a button! Great post!

Amisha had mentioned citations in her blog post yesterday, and I was noticing that your citations are just a little bit off, so I hope you don’t mind if I help you correct them! When citing an author’s work, just make sure that the period is outside of the parenthesis. I’ll take an example from your post on the 10^th: “Consciousness is being aware of what is happening in the world and in one’s mind” (Minsky). Other than that, keep up the great writing!

Erin did not have any posts for me to comment on.