When I think of a pencil, I think of the typical number 2 pencil. The one with the orange-yellow surface, a sharp tip, and a pink eraser on the end. The kind that teachers always give to us if we don't have a pencil for standardized testing. We all know what these writing utensils are used for, and we know that they are an important object for the process of recording. My question is: does this simple artifact of our culture reveal something much more meaningful than what would be expected? In my opinion, there is a solid yes to this question.
As I eluded to earlier, pencils reveal our need to record ideas, names, lists, etc. It's a way for us to remember what we would otherwise lose in our overfilled filing cabinet of a brain. While being able to record what we need to remember, we can also change what needs changing with the nifty little eraser on the end of the pencil. These pencils not only combat our forgetfulness, but they also allow us to back up our caprices (vocab word!!!! It means "tendency to change one's mind without apparent or adequate motive"). So basically what I am saying here is that our culture is linked with the need to record and change. We can't just rely in a utensil that will make what we are saying permanent. Our culture requires adjustment.
I also noticed that there are times when pencils are thrown aside for....pens. Sometimes, pencils aren't used because people don't want there to be a chance for something to be erased or changed. For example, when doing experiments and recording in a lab notebook, one should always use a pen because a pencil allows for things to be changed or erased. If a pencil is used, the experiment isn't as valid because bad results could've easily been hidden by erasing what isn't desired. The fact that a pencil isn't always welcome in our society for reasons like this shows that our culture may have a little dishonesty in it. Because of the fact that we have to take these precautions and follow these rules, it shows that there are times when lies come before honesty.
Pencils play a role in our culture by allowing our society to remember, forget, modify, and lie. How else are pencils connected to our culture? What would we be like without pencils, pens, or anything else similar to these objects?
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Obama vs. The Others
Looking at the words used in President Barack Obama's inaugural address, a few words instantly stuck out to me--men, women, and prosperity. Both men and women were both used four times, and prosperity was used three. I know this doesn't seem very important since they weren't used very often in the whole scheme of the address, but I was, nonetheless, able to make some substantial observations based on Obama's and the rest of the presidents' word choice.
Throughout Obama's address, he always said the phrase "men and women." When I say always, I mean he literally never addressed only one sex. At this time in history, this may seem normal and even expected, but it wasn't always like this. Instead of comparing Obama's word choice to a specific president, I chose to compare him to all of the past presidents. By clicking on the word in the word cloud in "Inaugural Words: 1789 to the Present" from New York Times, I was able to see how often the other presidents used the word. According to that information, the first time women was actually used in an inaugural address was by Woodrow Wilson in 1913. Even though I know and understand that women weren't considered to be equal to men during earlier times, this finding still shocked me. This really emphasized the idea that "back in the day" women were inferior to men. This choice of using--or not using--these words serves as a perfect reminder of how our society has changed over the years with equality and freedom.
As I said before, I also noticed that the word prosperity was used. This would have never stuck out to me if I hadn't clicked on the word itself. By doing this, I was able to see that the usage of prosperity has declined quite a bit. Over time, this word was used in 33 different inaugural addresses (if I counted right) out of the 56 total; however, over the last 15 inaugural addresses, the word has only been used in 5 of those addresses. This may seem to hold little importance, but the truth is that prosperity was used way more often earlier on.
My take on this is that prosperity used to hold more weight than it has in the recent years. I think in the earlier years, when America was growing and uniting, prosperity was an important goal. Perhaps, maybe the reason the word hasn't been used as much is because there are other more important goals of the nation and people today like wars, jobs, etc. I am not saying that during the last 15 inaugural addresses the president and our nation did not want success. I am just bringing forth the idea that maybe this idea of success isn't in the front of our minds anymore. I think Obama may have chosen to use this word to remind America of this important goal, and he may even hope to spark a drive for even better prosperity. His usage of this word shows that sometimes looking back at old goals is actually a good start for a step forward in an unsure economy.
I guess to sum it all up, Obama has used both different and similar words to what has been used in the past. He has even strayed from the pack of presidents of the current time to use language of presidents long ago. The language used now and then is a huge indication for the social, economic, political, national, and even world issues that play a role in our nation.
Throughout Obama's address, he always said the phrase "men and women." When I say always, I mean he literally never addressed only one sex. At this time in history, this may seem normal and even expected, but it wasn't always like this. Instead of comparing Obama's word choice to a specific president, I chose to compare him to all of the past presidents. By clicking on the word in the word cloud in "Inaugural Words: 1789 to the Present" from New York Times, I was able to see how often the other presidents used the word. According to that information, the first time women was actually used in an inaugural address was by Woodrow Wilson in 1913. Even though I know and understand that women weren't considered to be equal to men during earlier times, this finding still shocked me. This really emphasized the idea that "back in the day" women were inferior to men. This choice of using--or not using--these words serves as a perfect reminder of how our society has changed over the years with equality and freedom.
As I said before, I also noticed that the word prosperity was used. This would have never stuck out to me if I hadn't clicked on the word itself. By doing this, I was able to see that the usage of prosperity has declined quite a bit. Over time, this word was used in 33 different inaugural addresses (if I counted right) out of the 56 total; however, over the last 15 inaugural addresses, the word has only been used in 5 of those addresses. This may seem to hold little importance, but the truth is that prosperity was used way more often earlier on.
My take on this is that prosperity used to hold more weight than it has in the recent years. I think in the earlier years, when America was growing and uniting, prosperity was an important goal. Perhaps, maybe the reason the word hasn't been used as much is because there are other more important goals of the nation and people today like wars, jobs, etc. I am not saying that during the last 15 inaugural addresses the president and our nation did not want success. I am just bringing forth the idea that maybe this idea of success isn't in the front of our minds anymore. I think Obama may have chosen to use this word to remind America of this important goal, and he may even hope to spark a drive for even better prosperity. His usage of this word shows that sometimes looking back at old goals is actually a good start for a step forward in an unsure economy.
I guess to sum it all up, Obama has used both different and similar words to what has been used in the past. He has even strayed from the pack of presidents of the current time to use language of presidents long ago. The language used now and then is a huge indication for the social, economic, political, national, and even world issues that play a role in our nation.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
The Corn Maze of Writing
I've been to a couple of corn mazes here and there. No matter where I go, it all starts and ends the same way. First, I pick my first path. Should I go on the path towards the right? Or maybe I should go down the path straight infront of me? After getting advice from my friends and family who have come along for the adventure, I decide the right looks more promising. Why? I'm not really sure. Despite this, I enter the maze with fake confidence as my group follows behind not really paying attention to where I am going. As I travel further and further past the walls of corn, I realize that I need help. I could stumble along taking random turns and hoping that the outcome will turn out to be advantageous. I could even decide to take a little trip through the corn and hope that nobody notices me, but this would be cheating, and I'm not that kind of girl! I turn and ask my fellow lost buddies for help. We retrace my steps and come up with different and better ways to go. All of a sudden, I reach another dead end. I don't know where to go! I turn around and go a different way. As I walk more and more, I feel as if I am almost to where I need to be, but then....dead end! Once again, I enlist in my support for more advice. THEN....I can feel the end coming near. The opening in the corn grows larger, and I see the end of the maze. I am finished. I am relieved, but even better, I am ecstatic. I did it! Even though I'm extremely happy to have made it through, part of me wants to try it all over again....
I guess one could say that a corn maze is like writing. At first, you may be unsure of what to write about, but you can take your first steps once talking with peers or friends about ideas of topics and stories. Then, it almost seems easy, as words flow onto the page...or as you think you know which way to go in the maze. All of a sudden, you hit a dead end and don't know where to go. This is NOT the part where you cheat and plagiarize (cut through the corn).This is the part where you ask others for advice, and just like with the maze, they look over everything you have already done and suggest new and potentially better ideas. Once you are finished, that feeling of relief and happiness rushes in, but along with it comes the feeling of "let's do it again!" In both cases, with writing and going through a corn maze, the journey is difficult and sometimes requires a step back or advice from some friends. During the maze/writing, the feeling of giving up often sets in, but for the most part, you know that you want to finish--show that you can do it. The best part, though, is when it is all done, and you know you accomplished something worthwhile--even if others don't realize the greatness of your work.
I guess one could say that a corn maze is like writing. At first, you may be unsure of what to write about, but you can take your first steps once talking with peers or friends about ideas of topics and stories. Then, it almost seems easy, as words flow onto the page...or as you think you know which way to go in the maze. All of a sudden, you hit a dead end and don't know where to go. This is NOT the part where you cheat and plagiarize (cut through the corn).This is the part where you ask others for advice, and just like with the maze, they look over everything you have already done and suggest new and potentially better ideas. Once you are finished, that feeling of relief and happiness rushes in, but along with it comes the feeling of "let's do it again!" In both cases, with writing and going through a corn maze, the journey is difficult and sometimes requires a step back or advice from some friends. During the maze/writing, the feeling of giving up often sets in, but for the most part, you know that you want to finish--show that you can do it. The best part, though, is when it is all done, and you know you accomplished something worthwhile--even if others don't realize the greatness of your work.
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