Journal #8

Here are my responses to four of my comrades' presentations!

Alissa - I've probably said this before, but I just love how your argument has expanded and evolved from whether or not leggings should be worn as pants to a feminist study involving so much more. The inclusion of the MSN poll was great because, as you mentioned, it shows that this is something that is being discussed rampantly, by people of various ages, backgrounds, etc. The video you showed where men were asked to "create" their perfect woman via a computer was really important and definitely provided insight into the bigger picture of this argument: are women merely trying to conform (with fashion as an agency) to what is "expected" or "wanted" from/of them?

Angela - Well, you definitely had great quotes in your presentation! ;) But seriously, I think that this argument is so important. And the strange thing is, if I had not studied abroad, I'm not sure if I would react the same way to it. I found excuses not to go for my first two years at Walsh, but finally Caleb kicked my butt and said "we're going!" and I had run out of excuses. Much like I mentioned in response to your Journal 7, I think it is so important that these questions are addressed. I know that my excuses came from a fear of the unknown, of taking chances. I'm sure this is the same for a lot of people - they just need to be shown that the pros outweigh the cons by a ton! I think your Harley article is great and also, Walsh's adjustment of the program itself has changed so that you can PICK what classes you're going to take there so that they fit with what you need curriculum-wise. This is so great because it will mean more people can go and experience eating gelato while viewing the Fontana di Trevi, getting lost amid the stone walls of Venice, and just being a part of a society other than your own country's!

Corey - Your argument really interests me, as I had, for several years, been very anti-video games because of the violence. However, this has changed as I've been exposed to more of the games - although I am, in no way, a gamer, I like to indulge in some Left 4 Dead or Sims 3 occassionally. I think that what makes your argument so strong is the inclusion of the effect that parents have on their kids. It is not just the fact that kids may want to mimic the violence they see, it is that they don't feel like they can discuss these feelings with their parents. I agree with you completely when you say that parents should be actively participating in what their children play, and are truly the only ones who can decide whether or not it is appropriate for their child. I also think its important to recognize that many parents do not take the time to know what is appropriate or harmful for their children, which may be why some kids feel as though their only outlet (and way to get their attention) is through violence.

Allison - I think that your argument is important because, at first glance, it may seem as though the obvious decision is that there should be seatbelts on schoolbuses. After all, most people would reason, what's harmful about seatbelts? But I really enjoyed that you went beyond the basic ideas and formulated your own decision based on more in-depth research. I think that, especially important, is that many times, these rules can be made due to an emotional event. Much like you mentioned, the only times there are seatbelts on regular schoolbuses is after a tragedy where a parent lost a child in an accident on a schoolbus which may have been preventable had there been seatbelts. And while I can certainly understand and empathize, I like how you went beyond that and reasoned that these same "safety precautions" could actually become hazards and cause more children to get injured.