Commentary #1

                                             Commentary #1- Janelle on “Individuality”

            The word “individuality” has such a strong misconception these days. What is being true to one’s self may be conceived as being “strange”, or may probe people to ask, “what is up with that dude?” Whether this in on the Internet or just observing people in everyday life, I think Janelle really touched on something here with her essay in response to Nicholas Carr’s article “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” The argument she makes is that it isn’t making us stupid or taking away from our individuality, but rather enhancing it.
            Janelle states that “one of the main reasons that I think some people decide to change their identity is because they feel that they’re inadequate in some part of their life.” This was the most compelling piece of her argument by far. I couldn’t agree more with her about this! Maybe she could have talked a bit more about what ways people change themselves to make up for this. But I enjoyed reading about her friend Becky and her experience on Tumblr. It is so hard out there today to be true to ourselves with all the demands that society places on us as individuals. Also, I think a better way to elaborate on this would be to get some actual quotes from her Tumblr page and the responses from other people on the site. It could be interesting for the reader to know about other gender reversal situations in regards to this discussion as well.
             As far as Janelle’s presentation of alternative views; I thought it was well versed and I like the way she brought another great piece of writing in to the equation to refute her argument; “A Marketplace of Echoes”, by David Weinberger. The only thing lacking here was that there was no quotes from Weinberger. He is a very strong writer and I enjoyed that article. Adding some bold words from his piece would make a big impact to refute that Janelle believes the Internet is actually making us grander as individuals rather than making us all “followers” as Weinberger states. 

             And finally, there is one more topic that is very current that could make her argument even stronger. What types of pressure does the media (television, radio, etc.) place on people to either conform or challenge the ideal of “individualism”? I think the Internet is a great example of how people express themselves, but there’s one more; television. Take a look at the Oscars last night and their host, Seth MacFarlane, the creator of “Family Guy”. He is a controversial man who offends a lot of people with his humor. I was watching the news this morning while finishing this up and couldn’t help but find a correlation with this and the topic of “individuality”. So far, MacFarlane is getting ripped apart by his candidness on Hollywood and many other things. Critics are ripping him apart and calling him classless in so many words. But in true “ MacFarlane” style, it seems that Seth didn’t care and was TRUE TO HIMSELF! He seemed to censor himself a tiny bit, but I thought it was fantastic that he didn’t change who he was to conform to Hollywood’s high standards.

            All in all, Janelle made a strong argument with her essay. She says, "when I hear the word "individual", I think of a single person, a person who has their own special brand of identity." She used key pieces of information to develop this and I enjoyed the reference to her friend "Trevor". With a couple more examples and some more quotes, she is going to have a fantastic way to discuss our "individualism" and how we can continue to build on the ideals that go along with it.

What the Government is REALLY Telling Us...and the TRUTH!!

1. Is "waterboarding" ACTUALLY the only form of "extreme interrogation"? What isn't the government revealing to us about it's methods of "extracting information"?

2. Is every country breaking the Geneva Convention agreement in regards to torturing as stated in Article 3? And is the United States using this method as a training mechanism, like they claim? Or is it a huge excuse to open the doors for other means of torture?

3. How can the United States help in order to ensure the safety of it's soldiers? Should they be "good boys" and be the first to actually STOP torturing prisoners for information? Would other countries follow suit?


*sigh* Where do I begin? Although I enjoyed this article immensely and love this particular writer, Christopher Hitchens, it raised even more questions about the United States that have been brewing for some time. I've had a sneaking suspicion that the United States government hasn't been telling me the whole truth for a couple decades now. As a kid growing up, I was asked to read the front page every day and to report the vital pieces of information I found valuable to my father at night during dinner. My father was a bleeding heart Republican and patriot and former Navy fighter pilot. He strongly believed in a solid education and knowing the truth. He wanted to raise an intellectual woman, not some ingnorant girl. Maybe I was fed a little too much information, because now I'm a total and complete skeptic. Not one of those "crazy, conspiracist theory" people that spend hours on the Web trying to bring the government to it's knees. It's not that I don't love our country and don't believe in what it stands for or any of that nonsense. I'm just hesitant in what I read and believe is accurate. I just think there's definitely some tid bits of information that they choose not to share with me. Whether it's because it's dangerous for me to hear about or might cause a mass hysteria that could bring down our society as we know it; they CHOOSE not to divulge. So when this article was read, I could't help but snicker and ask; is any of this true? Is "waterboarding" a justified and civil technique used in "times of war" to extract information from the enemy? Or is it just an excuse to ruffle up some feathers camouflaged as a training technique for our Special Forces? Here's the thing, I personally am scared to find out. I am a dedicated patriot that believes in the Constitution and other treaties such as the Geneva Convention. I'm convinced that these great men realized these plans to help create and maintain a civil world. Although it doesn't seem to be working so great lately, I imagine that with fair actions from all sides, we WILL see a peaceful society; eventually. Maybe not in our life time, but one day. Call me an eternal optimist, but I hold the idea that there is some good in all men true to my heart. So if indeed the United States is introducing the public to some of the injustices that prevail, such as "waterboarding", isn't it alright to suspect that they might be doing some other nasty things we never hear about? I'm honestly frightened to find out.  I'm scared to think where this could take us. If we start saying it's okay to show a little cruelty to other foreign prisoners of war, then what in the hell do you think they're going to do to us?!! God only knows what we've been pulling for decades and what other countries have been doing too! Have you ever seen some of the torture techniques committed out there? They're atrocious, horrific and sadistic and I could go on and on about, but I won't. I usually don't discuss things such as this on the web. Like I said, I'm scared of what "the eyes in the sky" might think. But because it's for school, I hope I'm cleared guys!! So I'm going to come straight out and say it; we're the biggest bullies in the world. "World Police" since the early 1900's. Need something? The United States has your back!!  So with this came a great ego that has seem to over run the very ideals that this society was founded upon! "With great power, comes great responsibility". Uncle Ben from Spiderman said it best. But what IS our responsibility really? Does it entail lying and bullying all the other countries that don't do things our way?! Doesn't it appear like the only reason we SEEM to have things under control is because we're just big bullies and forcing the opposition into submission? North Korea is literally knocking at our door to stir things up and we just shrug our shoulder and casually say "it's no big deal" or "we have more nukes, we're ok". It's not ok and neither is torturing innocent men that haven't been properly and FAIRLY tried in front of an IMPARTIAL JURY, as stated in the 4th Amendment. And no, I didn't have to Wikipedia that...I know the Amendments by heart. Every young person and proud American should. So instead of continuing on a rant that could last for days, the one point I have to make is that I don't believe hardly ANYTHING our government tells us. I think that "waterboarding" is cruel and unjust and is definitely not the only form of torture we inflict. I went to the London Dungeon in London, England when I was 17. It was awesomely gruesome and terrifying to see how mean humans can be! And I even thought at that young age, "is this what we're really like"?!! In what world does someone live in to believe that we've changed since those times. Humans are vicious beasts and have been since the beginning of modern man, and that may never change. But for our beloved government to sugar coat a legitimate torture method is disgusting. I wish they'd come clean and let us in on what is REALLY going on out there. Because I'm tired of guessing.

Essay Prompt #1

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Allison Gale
Professor Brown
English 1B
18 February 2013                                   

 

                                           A Grim Future for Generations Y and Z;

                                                     And The Glory of Escapism

            It’s hard for me to talk about this without feeling a small sense of hopelessness. I watch the youth of today strolling around campus and elsewhere and really feel empathy for their cause. They have an unyielding road ahead of them. When I say “today’s youth” I’m referring to Generations Y and Z.  Generation Y is defined as people born in or after 1980 (Geck 2). Youths born in or after 1990 are members of the newest net generation (Geck 1). This “net generation” is often called Generation Z and they have a cloudy destiny awaiting them. No generation has suffered more from the Great Recession than the young. Median net worth of people under 35, according to U.S. Census, fell 37 percent between 2005 and 2010; those over 65 only took a 13 percent hit (Girod, Shapiro 2).  In other words the baby boomers, those between the ages of 48 and 66, have set up an ugly world for the young. Our economy is at its worst since the Great Depression. Terrorism is still quite prevalent and has dramatically changed our way of living. There are threats of nuclear attacks from North Korea and Iran. And now, even meteors are falling from the sky and have become an actual threat! So not only do Generation Y and Z have these terrifying things to contemplate and face, they have to go to school and then try to find

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work and be positive about their future! But even that is virtually impossible. Their indebted parents are not leaving their jobs, forcing younger people to put careers on hold. Since 2008 the percentage of the workforce under 25 has dropped 13.2 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, while that of people over 55 has risen by 7.6 percent (Girod, Shapiro 2). So with all this in mind, it’s safe to say that the reason these kids are trying to escape from reality isn’t because they are selfish and detached, as some have said; but because of an ever growing need to forget about the real world for a bit. Some call it “escapism” but I like to refer to it as “weathering the storm”.

            So what are a few of the most faddish escaping tools? There is the Internet and those fancy new smart phones which allow access to entertainment and information at all times. I swear, wherever I go, if I see a person between the ages of 18-34; they have some sort of electronic device in their hands. With this in mind, I’ve been watching a steady prominence in the appreciation of video games and comic books amongst men, and even women. Most young males spend a great amount of time playing fantasy/science fiction, comic book related or war inspired video games. The delinquency charge has now been passed on to the new media kid on the block: the video game (Ndalianis 1).  This genre is a multi-billion dollar industry and growing. My fiancé is 32 and can’t wait to get home to play the latest Spiderman or Call of Duty game! He says it’s “his way of forgetting about an awful day at work, when he makes little to no money”. Young adults are being heavily criticized for their great affection for violent and graphic video games. Some say that this constant feed of violence into the minds of the youth is even the cause of some underlying emotional issues and current shooting tragedies. But I believe it’s a way to forget about the cruel world which is surrounding us. It’s a way to escape and live a

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different life for a brief moment in time. But mostly, I see the ever growing fascination with celebrities as the biggest escape mechanism to date. From gossip magazines such as “In Style” to the MTV Music Video Awards, we are being inundated with images of the rich and elite; and we buy into it hook, line and sinker! And with this, our younger generations are aspiring to live these privileged lives and become stars like them. Look at the success of shows such as “American Idol” and “The Voice”. Why does it seem like everyone is trying to be a star or emulate one? Is the crushing success of music stars a characteristic of hidden emotional problems with our younger demographics?

A fantastic example of this is a New York gal named Stefani Angelina Germanotta. She was reborn Lady Gaga in a New Jersey Parsippany studio in 2006 (Peters 1). Gaga is a wildly popular and controversial artist that is the perfect ideal of the “worshipped star”. Most of the older generations don’t get her and they probably never will. But she continues in her success mostly because of her “Little Monster” followers. These groupies consist mainly of the Generations Y and Z groups and are being criticized for their worship of Gaga. Some even are calling it a “cult” type following and are majorly concerned that she is a poor influence on today’s younger adults. Broad groups of people of ages 50 and older find her repulsive. Whether it is because of her unconventional costumes, the crazy things she says or the radical concerts she puts on; they can’t stand her. And so some may ask, is this type of following indicative of the emotional caliber of our younger generations? I would absolutely have to disagree if anyone said it was. Humans have been interested in the arts and the controversial scene that comes with it for centuries. This whole thing is nothing new and to call it anything more than common interest is

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absurd. She is merely an artist that has a strong following of other artisans desiring to be just like their mentor.

There are several examples of previous conflicts when addressing controversial artists. One I found particularly interesting was written by Michael A. Peters. He is a prominent author that states: Gaga, ca-ca (toddler talk) by an obvious association reminds me of Dada and Dadaism, the cultural movement that began in Switzerland in the period 1916-22 with Hugo Ball and others involving experiments across the visual arts, literature, especially poetry, art manifestoes, art theory, theatre and graphic design. It included public gatherings, demonstrations, and publications of art/literary journals and influenced styles like the avant-garde and downtown music movements, and the groups including surrealism, Nouveau realism, pop art, Fluxus and punk rock. It was decidedly anti-bourgeois and anarchist in nature (1). This is a considerable argument to show that the extreme admiration of celebrities and their culture is indeed nothing out of the ordinary. Lady Gaga is simply the unusual performing artist of the moment that is getting the finger pointed at her by conservative nit pickers. Gaga is just thinking outside the box and trying to make a living. To criticize and belittle Lady Gaga and her “Little Monsters” is hurtful to the message that she sends out. I believe that being true to yourself and candidly embracing being “Born This Way” is a positive cannonball that shouldn’t be negatively viewed. Rather than saying these “Little Monsters” are bizarre and deluded in adoring a unique woman; wouldn’t it be more prudent to accept the fact that maybe all they need is a little evasion from the stressful world they inhabit? In other words, escapism is not an emotional disorder but rather a way to survive the drastic changes our world is undergoing?

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Others seem to think that Generations Y and Z are adopting all these ways to escape because of other factors. I have heard them called selfish, detached and even rude! “Young people are coddled long after they should start learning that they aren’t perfect” That was the conclusion of HS, a blogger commenting on an article in The New York Times lamenting the state of today’s youth. “The trouble with kids is that they have an overinflated opinion of themselves because they have been brought up to believe that everything they do is valuable and important”. This was no grumpy old codger, but a young man writing about his own generation (Spinney 1). Spinney goes on to say; Generation Me has drawn some flak. Its members stand accused of being spoiled, arrogant and narcissistic, with an underserved sense of entitlement. College professors complain that today’s students demand constant attention. Employers find is hard to stomach the overblown egos of their young recruits, and therapists say they’re seeing a new generation of patients depressed because they are unable to live up to their own excessive expectations (2). I partially agree with what was said here. I have noticed a trend in their withdrawing from society and a noticeable angst towards others when reacting to their environment. I am a very friendly person and being back on campus I notice that most of the younger demographics don’t seem too interested in interaction. They’re either on their phones or tablets and I have only met a few that wish to openly chat with me. They distance themselves and almost do seem “distanced” or “rude”. But I do not believe it’s because they want to be like this and don’t want to engage with me. Just like I stated before, this is a horrible world we are living in now. They don’t have a choice but to act like they are self-entitled and arrogant. Sometimes keeping to your self can come off that way. I was born in 1976 and am almost twice the age of most of the other students on campus. I come from Generation X and had a very   

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affluent upbringing in the 80’s and 90’s. That’s probably why I’m so gregarious all the time! On the contrary, I feel like these generations have been backed into a corner. They are on the defense daily to protect themselves from all the craziness out there. It’s truly difficult to trust anyone now-a-days! With the competition out there for jobs and the increasing safety threats, Generations Y and Z really have no choice but to act protective and disassociated. It’s a dog eat dog world now more than ever and being brutally confident and apprehensive is not the same thing as being narcissistic and arrogant.

In closing I see this growing trend of escapism as a defense mechanism. Considering that the one’s critiquing the “Little Monsters” and anyone else displaying their love of Gaga and other controversial celebrities are the older generations; they should try to remember that these “kids” are merely looking for someone to inspire them in an uninspiring world. According to all the scary statistics; the older generations are the reason that Generations Y and Z are struggling to find some sort of release from the stress of modern times. The screwed generation also enters adulthood loaded down by a mountain of boomer and senior incurred debt; debt that spirals ever more out of control (Girad, Shapiro 4). My fiancé is often referred to as delusional and childish for his love of video games. And I have to admit, he is kind of a gigantic child! However, I see it as his coping method to stop thinking about how he’s going to pay all our bills this month because work was so slow. Does this mean that he has emotional problems because he likes shooting aliens on a big HD television? Absolutely not; and nor would he ever hurt anyone in real life. He just doesn’t want to grow up entirely because really, what is there to look forward to? We can’t afford to have a baby right now. We might never be able to have one with the way the economy looks! Inevitably, young people are delaying their leap into adulthood. Nearly a

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third of people between 18 and 34 have put off marriage or having a baby due to the recession (Girod, Shapiro 4) In addition, is it so wrong that a crude and contentious performer like Gaga be so heavily criticized for her following of today’s youth? Once again, I would have to say no. These young adults and teenagers are desperately seeking out some sort of release to deal with the pressure of living and hopefully succeeding in this astringent world. I really do sympathize for them and can only hope that things improve. Banning video games and censoring sexually explicit performers is not the answer to helping the future of Generations Y and Z. The older generations need to accept the fact that times are changing and to stop being so stubborn and critical. Maybe instead of constantly slamming these young adults for how they act or who they follow, they should actually help them in some way. Stop complaining about the current rise in sales tax to help our schools. Instead of buying that new Lexus or boat, donate to your local college. Next time you’re out to eat with all your rich friends, tip your waiter 25% in place of 15%. In this world, it’s the little things that are going to help us move forward. And I pray that these new generations get all the help we can give to see our society through the stormy times ahead.

Is Gaga REALLY the problem???

1) If Lady Gaga is such a terrible and destructive force against modern sexual and pop music culture; it's safe to ask: is she the only artist out there worthy of bashing? Aren't there other singers and performers pushing the envelope of what is "right" and "wrong"?

2) Is Gaga the only artist guilty of molding themselves after another icon they admire? Is it so wrong that she builds her image in the shadow of Madonna's?

3) Did Gaga kill our societies perfect image of what is sexy? Or did it die along with our desire to really connect with each other face to face, as the "digital age" continues in its rising popularity?

I have to say...this article offended me a little! Not to the point that I didn't agree with some of her arguments. But, not only is this incredibly and very obvious liberal female author Paglia straight bashing Lady Gaga for everything that she is; she is forcefully blaming her for the death of beauty and sexual lust in music and the female image linked to it. She says "Gaga isn't sexy at all-she's like a gangly marionette or plasticised android". Harsh. I agree. Lady Gaga doesn't look like a million bucks all the time. She outright frightens me on some occasions!! Paglia also argues that she is indeed NOT the "new Madonna" and I couldn't agree with her less. Lady Gaga emulates Madonna in almost every way except for the one fact that she has a hundred times more talent than Madonna ever had! This is of course, just my opinion. But I think for the author to disregard the fact that Lady Gaga may just be paying homage to her idol is a little uncalled for. I did a little research on Camille Paglia and found out that she is an avid Madonna lover. She is an author that publishes many articles and books about the celebrity culture. With this in mind, it occurred to me that this article was a very well written hate letter. It brought up a lot of questions for me though about our music culture today, and I'd like to address them on some level if I could.

I was a singer and song writer for about ten years in my 20's. I performed at places from dive bars to huge venues all over the LA county area. It didn't last long and I struggled most of the time because of my drug and alcohol addictions. I soon realized that my chance to "make it" had come and gone and I decided to get sober. Now I'm back in school and loving life! But I miss singing. I miss it every day. I miss the warm lights of the stage on my face and the feeling of all the peoples eyes on me. I know and completely understand why Lady Gaga does what she does. Myself included grew up idolizing Madonna. My very first concert was with my mom. We went to see Madonna with the Beastie Boys as the opening act for her "Like a Virgin" tour. I'll never forget seeing her on stage and knowing that she was doing what I wanted to do for the rest of my life! I was acting at the age of 7 and started piano lessons soon after. I've played music my whole life and can't ever see giving it up. My point is, I can see why Gaga emulates Madonna. And in response to my second question; is it really that wrong that Lady Gaga is molding her image after Madonna's?  Is she really that ugly in the authors eyes that it's killing the image of the "typical Hollywood beauty"? What is beautiful to some may be hideous to others and vise versa. Calling Gaga a freak in so many words was very cruel.

This kind of thing has been happening for years and years. Artists copy other artists. Plain and simple. I don't know of one musician that doesn't have an "all time" favorite artist that they look to for inspiration. Mine are artists such as Stevie Nicks, Pat Benatar, and any other powerful female vocalist. So I would be a total hypocrite to say that I don't admire Gaga's music and performances. She is indeed a highly unique artist with a powerful voice and image. But Paglia ,as a creative soul herself, should be a little more accepting of what Gaga is trying to say to her audience. A good analogy would be about one of my all time favorite painters. Was Francis Bacon's art widely received when he first displayed it? God no!! They were paintings of grotesque meat refrigerators and such hanging around the Pope himself! People called him blasphemous and disgusting. People say the same about Gaga. But for Paglia to state that "Gaga does not belong in Bowie's company" is extreme. Her and Bowie and all the other outlandish performers she mentions are in good company as far as I'm concerned. I may not agree with everything Gaga does. I don't entirely listen to all her music even. But I think that every musician should have the creative freedom to do whatever they please. Lady Gaga is a huge sensation that may not have the same old "Hollywood glamour" that Madonna exuded in the 80's and 90's. She is not "pretty" to me, and my man and other men I've talked to have called her straight "ugly". But it's the year 2013. It'd be a very boring world if someone didn't try something new. And at least Gaga writes her own songs and plays the piano like a  crazed she-demon!! I'd like for Paglia to get up there and try it sometime!

I did agree with Paglia when she said that "the fine arts have been replaced by video games, from which the cartoonish Lady Gaga seems to have popped". The fine arts world is truly being replaced by our technical revolution. Why go see Monets new exhibit in LA when you can go to the museums sight and see it in HD on your new 70 inch screen? It's sad but this is where our society is heading. I enjoy watching all the new singers coming out and basically having orgies on stage, as it seems sometimes. It's funny to me actually and makes me feel kind of old saying how silly they all look! I think sex died a long time ago when associated with the music industry. They have over-sexualized everything to the point that I'm numb to all of it. I miss the greats like Led Zeppelin. I yearn to hear a song that is original in melody and text. I know that it's wishful thinking, but for me to bash every new Rock band that comes out because they don't wail like Plant is mean and unrealistic. Paglia makes some valid points about Gaga's appearances, but to me it comes off as plain slander. She sounds hateful and very one-sided. She sounds like a jealous teenager. I'd hate to see what she has to say about the next girl that comes on the scene emulating Lady Gaga. God forbid we see something new and innovative.

A Marketplace of Echos?

1. Is it true that the human race has a "tendency toward homophily"? Do most of us seek out others like us to reach a certain comfort zone?

2. Does Aristotle's In Rhetoric still hold true in today's society and the way we try to get our opinions across? Is the Pathos approach overused today when an argument presents itself?

3. What is the absolute path to truth and knowledge? Is having "just enough diversity" really the answer? Or are we truly becoming a one-sided society?


Now a days it seems everyone has an opinion about everything!! I get constant Facebook posts about things I would never even dream of having an opinion about. Whether it be about a certain sport, a political issue or even about how to take care of a pet; I see a steadily growing trend in STRONGLY and AGRESSIVELY voicing one's opinion. This is fine and dandy with me. I happen to be an incredibly open minded person. I believe that because of the First Amendment to the Constitution which states (and I like to remind people of this constantly): "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the FREEDOM OF SPEECH, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances"; this is a right stated by our founding Fathers that as Americans, we can express however we feel. If I don't like what someone is saying, I stop and calmly process it. Only then do I make my opinion without bashing them for making theirs. But is having "just enough diversity" going to help in others to see why I agree or disagree with them? This was the main point that I gathered Weinberger was trying to make. He seemed to be using several main studies and facts to show us that we as a society are not fully accepting of diversity. That too many arguments and debates arise over the simplest of topics. I loved when he stated; "It seems we love diversity until we see what it actually looks like". I don't think this comment could have been any more true. This is why my third question is what I'd like to discuss further.

I recently became full aware of how strongly people still feel about race. Diversity can also be classified and tied to racial diversity and how others react. My boyfriend TJ, of three years, is black and I am white. Whenever we go out we still get funny looks. We laugh and blow it off but racism is still quite prevalent. We were reading an article last night about a recent interview with Morgan Freeman and how he thinks that National Black History month is not worth celebrating for most African Americans. My guy stated that as a black man he agrees. Freeman stated that all other races don't have a month so why do the African Americans have to have one? I agree with him. Every day should be an American history day. No race should have just one month to remember their struggles, tribulations and achievements.  I then said that wouldn't it be funny if we posted on Facebook all the other races "assigned months". For instance, the White race month would be December for sure because Christianity and Christmas seem to take over our society every year!! Not that all Christians and those that celebrate Christmas are white, but we all see the ads on television every year. They are solely directed at rich, white Anglo-Saxon's. Thinking my man would agree with me I was surprised to hear him say that this would more than likely offend some people and it wasn't a good idea. We didn't end up doing it even though I thought it was a fantastic idea! But once again, I am very open-minded and liberal in my thinking and know that it is MY RIGHT to my freedom of thought and speech. Because of how strongly people voice their opinions and such on Facebook, my guy was forced to feel afraid and hesitant in the way he thinks. People can't seem to face the actual diversity that is spreading through our culture. They still are afraid of what others think. Yet you see half of us saying whatever we please through the Internet and the other half are left feeling like we can't say anything at all!This is in order as to not "offend anyone", as he so gently put it. This kind of bummed me out because I know for a fact that my boyfriend is a sensible, caring and intelligent man. So is the path to truth and knowledge about keeping quiet so others can be as loud as they want?? I think absolutely not. And that is where I agree with the author. He says, "The way to truth and knowledge is through reasonable and open encounters among those who disagree". TJ and I needed to post that the other night. Not only to demonstrate that we can openly think differently that others, but to also prove that the First Amendment is still pushing us to think, speak and act like free people. If we're so afraid of what others might think than we will all end up thinking alike. And how boring would that be?! It's kind of disheartening but I believe we are becoming a one-sided society where most are afraid to practice their rights as stated in the Constitution. Most have become insufferably quiet and are intimidated by conflict of any kind. I think that if we all politely started to stand up for what we believe in then there could be a more well-balanced society. So that's when I start to call out the people that are so strong-willed in their thinking on the Internet that they scare away all the mild mannered people who have something to say too...stop bullying them! If it's acceptable for you to say something that might offend then it should be okay for anyone to be as blunt and forceful. Have you noticed the one's that talk the most trash are the ones that bash anyone for even having a slightly different opinion? These people need to slow down and realize that this country is a forum for differences. I only hope over time that the Internet doesn't destroy democracy as stated in this article. That would be truly ironic in that what our country was founded on was the one thing that destroyed us. Let's try to work together and not have to get "mediators" in order to  hold an argument online. We should be able to agree to disagree.