Superior analysis on all blogs. You are such a strong critical thinker. You make a very legitimate argument about general education classes. I also worry about the overlap of high school and college gen eds. Today's Washington Post discusses the trend to have college gen ed courses offered for dual credit in high school, and I find that an intriguing idea that would save students a tremendous amount of money. I find the overlap problem most significant in the Intro to Literature 201 courses, so I'm curious to see what you think!

How I want it to be.

When I first entered George Mason University, I thought the school was the epitome of my dream school. The diversity completely drew me in along with the appearance of the campus and the sensation that I was in a new environment. However, reality did sink in, and some aspects of George Mason University did not suit me as well as others (still, the good has outnumbered the bad).

In my ideal university, things are able to accommodate the student rather than the student having to compromise to endure things at school. For example, sleep has become a slight struggle whilst being in college. It would be amazing if classes started at a reasonable time (preferably after 10). The same can be said for very late classes. Imagine having to go from a very late class, then back to the dorm to finish homework, and then having the find the time to sleep so that you could be up for your early class. It seems like too much of a hassle for one person. The lack of time also takes away from the opportunity to be able to attend certain events that happen at night. The sleep deprivation is one of the hardest things to deal with in college; it can be a huge factor in how well one does in his or her classes, in health, and in social interaction.

In addition to social interaction, each class within college should have an environment where you can interact with the professor. While some may opt out of this idea, it is nice to be able to speak to the professor when there are troubles concerning grades. Also, it is nice to have a professional opinion when it comes to ideas or work. I do not think that college should have smaller lectures, but I feel there should be a time when it’s okay to have a one-on-one with the professor. It would be useful when a student requires a recommendation or something similar. Sometimes, I enjoy speaking to my professors; it makes asking a question less awkward, and I am capable of really engaging in the class when I understand how my teacher works.

In my ideal university, the choices of classes are also slightly different. General education classes are understandable, but they make it difficult to engage yourself n the classes needed for your major. I noticed that even as I began college, I was worried about finishing my Gen. Education classes before I could worry about my major (back then, I wasn’t even sure I had my major together). I would love for the General Education classes to be optional. For the last twelve years, I have been enduring nearly the same courses I am taking now for my gen eds, and a part of me feels so worn by them. I want to be able to focus on the classes for my major and to have the opportunity to take elective classes. In a way, it’d allow for the student to be able to get into what he or she wants rather than what he or she needs. While the classes or the major are required, there is more of chance that a student will tolerate those classes rather than the ones for the General Education. If General Education classes can’t be optional, then I would want a wider variety so that many topics and interests can be covered.

The work load could also use a change. The workload I have now is slightly spaced out more compared to the work I received in high school, but something about the workload still feels like there is too much at hand. The amount of homework I get at a time is enough to make my head explode; so, I feel like there should be alternating weeks of work and learning. With a week of learning and interaction, a student can recharge him or herself while getting more time to work assignments for his or her class. Instead of rushing through things, there would be more of an opportunity for the student to do well and to have a chance to relax.

Regardless o the bad, the way I am in college now is better than I had expected from the beginning. I think it’s better to say, college is continuously molding me into someone that I enjoy rather than someone I wish I could change further. I am getting every opportunity to better myself and to enjoy things that will continue to open my mind to new ideas and to life.

Is Jesus your homeboy?

1. I am not new to the religious t-shirts that bear slogans like “Jesus is my homeboy” or “Everyone loves a Christian girl.” I see them at the stores I shop at, and I’ve seen several people wearing the hats or carrying the tote bags with the same slogans. Even after reading both arguments by Paul Mitchell and Ruth La Ferla, I remain indifferent to these t-shirts. I have never had the desire to wear them, but I never cared if I saw someone walking down the street with the t-shirt on. When comparing the two shirts above, I feel myself gravitating more towards the black and white one. The shirt itself physically evokes a more powerful message by portraying Jesus as larger and more intimidating than the Jesus in the first shirt. On a pure fashion standpoint, the black and white one is more appealing. Still, when looking at the first shirt, it feels more friendly and modern compared to the second one. Regardless, I do not find the shirts to be a parody. There is nothing necessarily mocking about them, since they portray a religious figure in a way that teens can understand. It seems smart to have religion branch out to a younger generation so that everyone can experience it in their way. Also, the shirt is a result of a movie, not a direct parody. The movie, Saved, didn’t threaten Christianity (at least, there have been no reports about it), so the t-shirts are just a pop-culture reference that some people like to explore. Either way, my religious affiliation is not as strong as others. It would explain why I don’t have much of an opinion about the shirts and why they do not feel like a parody to me.

2. “Spoof Christian t-shirts give the same message to Christendom that spoof advertising t-shirts give to big companies: we see through your propaganda, and your slogans have become meaningless and even offensive to us.” (qtd. in Mitchell)

a. I understand Mitchell’s point completely; no one can perfectly deny that some t-shirts might be a complete spoof and satire of modern day Christianity. However, it seems that Mitchell might be biased. For one, the first few spoof t-shirts were not a jab at the religion, but a result of a popular indie movie. When movies come out, a lot of merchandise is made to promote the movie before and after its release. The “Jesus is my Homeboy” t-shirt is not a direct attract to Christianity, but merchandise for people who loved the movie or certain aspects of it. The other religious t-shirts that came out could be a result of the popularity of the “Jesus is my Homeboy” t-shirt. Also, no one can really say that a modern teenager will be attracted to a religious shirt that he or she cannot connect to. The artwork and the text is an example of kairos and pathos; the more the message fits the people the message is marketed too, the higher the chances that people will respond to it. I cannot say this is the truth, but if a teen cannot connect to a message completely, then the slogan becomes meaningless over time. While to some, the “Jesus is my Homeboy” maybe a parody of the religion, the message is a modern reconnect to religion that could have been lost over time.

3. If the t-shirts only contained text, I would view them as more of a pop-culture reference (the movie Saved) than religious fashion marketing. Although, my opinions toward the shirt would not drastically. Since I wouldn’t view the shirt in a strictly religious way, I might be more prone to wear it. Yet, some people might not be as attracted to the t-shirts because it’d be difficult to connect to the message. The image of Jesus, I think, made it easier for some people to connect their religion to a very modern t-shirt. On the other hand, it might be easier for some people to represent their views with the t-shirt since it’s just text. To a younger generation, the message is easily understood.

4. The first colored t-shirt feels more friendly and open to everyone. The image of Jesus is small and wearing clothes that are more similar to the clothes we wear today. Also, he is giving a peace sign, which wouldn’t necessarily have to mean peace, but the slang that many teenagers use today. The shirt portrays Jesus as someone who can be friend and identify with modern society, thus making the t-shirt more appealing since Jesus’ status is less intimidating than the figure we have all grown up with; also, if makes the religious figure as someone who everyone can connect with. The t-shirt almost says “Jesus is not only your savior and God’s son; he is always your best friend and the guy who you usually hang out with at school.” The second t-shirt gives off a different feeling. The t-shirt is in black and white, and the image of Jesus is bigger than the figure on the first shirt. Not only is Jesus bigger, but he also appears more powerful. Jesus’ body appears more athletic and buff, giving off that sense of power. He is the focal point of the t-shirt, and he takes up most of it, also adding to that sense of power that Jesus has. The t-shirt says “Jesus is still the powerful figure that he is. He is your friend, but do not forget who He is as well.” The second t-shirt is almost intimidating since Jesus does not appear like someone who can connect to everyone, especially teenagers. The lack of color adds to that intimating feel since it makes the t-shirt very static and serious.

It's So Heavy Where You Fall

Song title: “You’re A Common Deity”
Genre: Ska/Indie
Explanation: The song deals with the controversial ideas behind religion and how it affects a diverse group of people in America; specifically, the song questions different types of religion; the viewpoints of radical believers against the moderate, the agnostic, and the non-believers; and that religion has an incredible impact on the society. The song would include excerpts from different books of several religions. The softness of the indie sound will create a calm atmosphere, allowing for the ideas and thoughts to be addressed without showing spite towards any religion. The upbeat tempo of the song conveys a happier attitude towards the idea of religion and togetherness.

Song title: “SKINVISION”
Genre: Experimental Indie
Explanation: The song goes into the ordeals of people suffering from eating disorders and/or body dysmorhpic disorder. The lyrics will paint images of how someone suffering from BDD will see him or herself; also, they will include how the individual endures life outside the house. The lyrics will also capture the “disembodied voices” that come from the person suffering from BDD or eating disorders, as well as the voices that come from others who observe the victim. This will paint how a person suffering from these disorders feels on a daily basis, and how some may misinterpret or undermine the severity of the problems.

Song Title: “Break the Youth”
Genre: Rap/Freestyle
Explanation: The song discusses the many issues that involves the youth of today and violence. This songs span into cyber-bullying, bullying in general, school shootings, and children joining gangs. The lyrics will include stories of children who have dealt with these traumatizing events as well as the stories of children who have committed the acts. One part of the song will also paint a hypothetical story of a school shooting, of students being bullied, and young children in gangs.

Song Title: “Reflect”
Genre: Experimental/Ambient Wave/Downtempo
Explanation: This is a thought provoking song that deals with the idea of human cloning. The song doesn’t discuss the mechanics of cloning so much as the idea of whether clones will have the same thoughts, emotions, and morals of their human counterparts. In other words, the song questions the humanity of clones and whether they can truly be counted as actual beings with morals and dignity. Because human cloning has not occurred, the situations in the song are hypothetical, but it covers both grounds of whether they can be called “human”. The song will use many metaphors and images of mirrors.

Song Title: “In Regard to your Humanity”
Genre: Hardcore Punk
Explanation: This song has slight similarities to “Reflect”, however, it discusses human embryos and whether their use in embryonic stem cell research is justified. The lyrics question the moral status of embryos with some scientific research. The lyrics speak directly to the embryos rather than the people who argue against or for them.


An excerpt from the song “SKINVISION”

The perfection cuts hot and silky
against skin so cold and filthy, but
you hear those deafening lies that
speak so much truth to your eyes
that will not sympathize with you.

They will not empathize with you,
those people who drive cars, smoke
in bars, laugh until their cheekbones
scar with age. But it’s okay, because
you hide in your perfection induced
haze where no one remembers your
name.

These would be the lyrics to the one of the verses of the song, portraying the mind of someone who would suffer from Body Dysmorphic Disorder. The video portrays several people (including a model, a body-builder, a regular student in school, an office executive, and a mother) walking through a world that is brightly colored and peaceful. The clothes the people are wearing are fresh and crisp, and everyone is going about their normal day. The only difference is that the people are wearing dark sunglasses, and through the lens, they see everything that makes them so unhappy; the atmosphere is bleak and hopeless through the sunglasses. They never take them off in the video.

Images Cited

burnt out Impurities. My hands are cold. 22 March 2009 [http://www.flickr.com/photos/27021814@N00/3311896019/].

Tamie Snow *Roxycraft*. More Hearts! 22 March 2009 [http://www.flickr.com/photos/roxycraft/3255711293/].

Image designed by Candice Russell.

Impressive analysis throughout, particularly your incredibly detailed coverage of the Pro-Ana issues.

How do you like your 'roids?

I’ve never had a huge standing in the issue on of Steroids. I don’t know anyone who uses performance enhancing drugs, nor have they affected my life in some way. My resolution was that it was the individual’s choice in whether he or she wanted to use steroids. However, the video featuring Bryant Grumbel interviewing a doctor about Steroids made some interesting points. I’ve been naïve enough to always believe that steroids caused many physiological and mental problems, but it was interesting to hear the other side of the story; a side that is as taboo as the drugs themselves.

The video works by focusing on one thing: the grown men who use steroids and aren’t affected by them. It makes anyone watching the video question the controversy surrounding these drugs and if they really are as dangerous as they are made out to be. What about the cancer, the heart problems, the increased bodily harm that steroids have caused for so many years? Apparently, it doesn’t exist. There are no bodies with autopsy reports concluding that prolonged use of steroids were the cause of death. Two men that were interviewed in the video have been using steroids for a combined sixty years, and there wasn’t a single thing wrong with them. The video makes the controversy surrounding steroids a large joke. However, there is something missing. The video mentions grown men using steroids, but what about teenagers, women, and children? While there aren’t many reports discussing the effects of steroids on women and children, we cannot forget them. This factor, when considered, takes away some of the effectiveness of the video. Someone who attempts to defend steroids would have to explain how they affect everyone, not just grown men. Are women also safe from the usage of performance enhancing drugs, and how will they fair twenty years later when they are still taking it? If it turns out that men have a high tolerance for the side-effects of the drugs and women and children don’t, then there is reason to pull the drugs from the market and fight against their usage. Arguments defending the drugs would not work if they only pertain to one demographic. A teenage boy will watch the two body builders and listen to the statistics, and he will probably think that he will be fine if he begins to take steroids. Without knowing how steroids affects him, the boy could end possibly up with medical problems and with the notion that he will never be as good as to two men who were perfectly fine after using the drugs.

Although, after listening to the two body builders interviewed in the video, I do think that steroids are capable of being used responsibly. We hear too many stories of people abusing steroids, thus causing the large stigma against the drugs. While I don’t support steroids, I can’t undermine someone who chooses to use them. As long as the drugs are being used responsibly, then the only wrong doings can be linked to whether using steroids takes away from the integrity of a sport or if there really are medical problems linked to steroids. Additionally, if tests are run on people who use steroids responsibly and on those who abuse the drugs, it could show how the drugs affect the body, depending on how they are used.

Steroid use, while I’ve never been affected by it, is something that I do not really like. I have always found them to be a little excessive, regardless of whether they worked. Personally, I condone the usage of steroids for medicinal reasons, but when used to enhance performance, I think it takes away from the potential of the user. When using steroids, it’s hard to look past the drugs and to see the athletes’ true capabilities. Either way, I’m still a little bothered with the knowledge that fourteen year old, high school freshmen are being tested for steroids. I can’t imagine that a young teenager would be already go as far as using steroids, but I’m not completely ignorant to the fact that it’s very possible. I do think that steroid testing should be used for underage users only because we are not completely sure how steroids affect a young age group. While grown men are supposedly fine, children might react horribly after a prolonged usage. Professional athletes should be tested so that the integrity of the sport and their performance remains. However, a test can’t determine the specific reason an athlete uses steroids. Besides being tested for drugs, athletes should be questioned about their usage of steroids and their history with them.

Dr. Hoberman makes a point by connecting steroid usage with the mentality that people want to be the best rather than perform at their best. Athletes, professional and non-professional, are capable of being influenced by the idea that if they aren’t the best, then there is no purpose to their competing. At this point, it is hard to tell where the glory is being derived from. Many people praise the athletes consistently win against their competition, and the losers are left with the sensation that if they are not up to par, they will not receive the same recognition, even if they have performed to the best of their ability. It is a mentality that is driven into the minds of everyone; a coach will yell at his team for making a mistake in a game or losing, and he will reward his team of they win. Overtime, the mind will only perceive losing as horrible as dying and winning is the only way to happiness and praise. Encouragement towards a team or athlete who has lost might change the perception of coming in second place rather than first; besides, if an athlete is discovered to be taking steroids, the stigma shines a dark light on the individual, and every win that was awarded becomes as horrible as the losses experienced in the past.

Fight for your right to... party?

You would have to be very naive to believe that teenagers would avoid partying once they get to college. Georgetown University, known for their strong academics, is no exception. I understand why the school and the police would want to limit how rowdy the Georgetown parties become; when students are close to destroying the college housing and constantly disturbing the peace, there needs to be some restrictions so that no one is bothered. However, the new rules that Georgetown University are enforcing are having the opposite effect; they are pushing students away. It is safer to have students party in an area that is close and separated from any dangers or disturbances outside of the school. Students are going to move elsewhere for their entertainment, and as Camille Kolstad mentioned, she does not feel safe walking home from the bars at night. If students are distancing themselves from the school, it would be harder to reach the students if certain accidents were to occur. The amount of work it takes to keep party environments together is becoming strenuous due to the new regulations. How many twenty-one year old students want to spend their weekend babysitting students having a party? Kayleigh Brown, a sophomore at Georgetown University, mentions campus life relying too much on alcohol and the consequences, including students ending up in the hospital; still, "you can't just suddenly clomp down, put all these rules in after letting people do whatever they want for so long" (qtd in Kinzie). College kids will be what they are, and if there are going to be new regulations, they should be introduced over a longer period of time so students will have time to adjust. That way, they won't rebel against the administration that is trying to keep them safe and out of jail.

---

Let's face it, college can get a little crazy sometimes. Police aren't new to finding students having off campus parties in some house ten to twenty minutes from campus. It's perfectly normal until students begin to cause disturbances that could be easily avoided. "We would prefer that the college kids control their own actions . . . but if they can't or they won't, we'll lock them up," says Andy Solberg, a second district commander in D.C. (qtd in Kinzie). I completely agree with the fact that if young adults can't control how much liquor they shove down their throats or how wild they decide to get at a party, then they should have to deal with the consequences. It's similar to punishments when we were in grade school: if we did something wrong, we get our privileges taken away. As kids, we never tried to sign petitions just so we can get out of time out and play outside. Now, I understand that the rules are a little abrasive, but we want to avoid destroying private property and disrupting the peace of individuals who live on and off campus. Administrators work hard to keep campuses safe and lively so that students have a place exciting enough to keep them from excessively drinking; however, it's becoming a useless effort since students will drink until their livers give out, anyway. (qtd in Kinzie). The students can hate the police and school all they want, but their whining is not going to change the situation; they are causing problems that is dangerous for themselves and others. When the students of Georgetown University learn to party without getting the police involved every five minutes, then I'll agree that the school needs to relax on their partying laws and allow the kids to be kids.

Paraphrasing

James D Lester offers a solution for students who use too many direct quotations when writing a research paper: they should limit the use of exactly copied material that was taken from sources, since 10% of the research paper should include direct quotations.

Your doll isn't buff enough.

The first article discussed the effects of action figures on the male body image, and how there seemed to be a correlation between the increasing size of the toys and muscle dysmorphia. The second article introduced an argument that action toys or Barbie Dolls had no significant effect on body image, and that blaming them was idiotic when actual human beings were just as guilty of creating body image issues.

The first article manages to present a viewpoint without taking the side of its own opinion. The tone of the article was intelligent, with all the necessary words indicating that the author or authors had definitely done their research. The research was enough to engage me in the idea of muscle dysmorphia being caused by the increasing and incredible body image of action figures over many years. I have always been aware of this argument, but the article did a great job with comparing the G.I. Joe and Star Wars action figures over time. Because the article is pure fact without any emotion or pathos, it presents an article with an opinion so unbiased that it cannot be completely disputed. However, the article stumbled in many areas. There was a feeling of redundancy the further I got into the article. At one point, I felt the author had restated the same idea in the same paragraph. For example:

“We hypothesized that action toys would illustrate evolving ideals of male body image in the United States… On both visual inspection and anthropomorphic measurement, it appears that action figures today are consistently much more muscular than their predecessors.”

The idea has been stated many times before, almost to the point where it’s pointless to express it again. Another thing that stood out was that the article made an incorrect statement about Batman.

“Some of these latter figures, such as Batman and The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, might not be considered completely “human”, in that they possess powers beyond those of a real human being.”

The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers make sense, however, everyone who is aware of Batman and his comics would know that he is as real as any other human. Also, the article made a mistake with Han Solo, one of the most popular characters in the Star Wars saga. The article called Han Solo, Hans Solo; a mistake anyone can point out if they are familiar with the trilogy. While these two things may not seem like huge mistakes, the article might turn off readers of a younger generation who are familiar with these characters. These two characters could really play into pathos, but since the attempt failed, the article failed in providing effective pathos. The article just felt too jumbled with facts, even though they helped to solidify the author’s argument.

The Second article was straightforward. The author clearly stated her opinion and position on the issue, and that it was made the article more effective. The author’s tone was more understandable to a broad audience; it lacked a strong formality and carried a hint of irritation. The article delivered a strong punch by reminding readers that toys have not always been the problem with body image in America. Whether someone in the audience disagrees, the author made several effective arguments without the use of much logos.

“Now, instead of sending a dog-tagged doll that looks like your next door neighbor’s older brother into battle, it’s more like you’ve dispatched a cartoon superhero.”

The author makes a valid point by discussing war and action figures in the same sentence. The thought of a young boy fighting enemies can create a distressing image, but the idea of an indestructible man fighting crime still gives a sense of security to young people, and it probably always will. Either way, the article was directed towards a broader audience, probably one that can identify with toys on a more emotional level and has never been affected by the appearance or marketing of the dolls.

Toys have never had a significant impact in my life. Honestly, I grew bored of my toys after playing with them for a couple of hours; although, my fascination with my Barbie Dolls would be back the very next day. To me, they were nothing more than dolls that I could use to play out the silly stories in my head. I loved to dress them, and I loved to buy them accessories. But they were never more than dolls to me. I also had a couple of action figures, but being a girl, their image never impacted me the way they might have impacted a boy. I was too young and interested in other things to notice that the physique of my dolls were changing. I never noticed that Barbie’s bust was larger than average and that her waist was abnormally small. To me, they were plastic puppets.

Grrrr

What really makes me angry is when people refuse to understand or at least try to empathize with issues or ideas that other people have; whether they are psychological, physiological, emotional, inspired by the world, etcetera. While I understand the concept and benefits of looking at the bigger picture of things, there are also smaller details that can be overlooked that make up the basis of the issue. I also dislike when issues are only "black and white." There is always some sort of gray area in a problem.

Where do you run to for help?

“Pro-anorexia” has been floating around for several years, with both negative and positive reviews giving the term a notorious connotation. Coincidentally, I have been studying the single largest Pro-Anorexia community on the web for a year; it was one of the things that helped me make my decision to go into psychology. I made the decision to watch Pro-Anorexia in an attempt to understand the mindset of someone suffering from anorexia, bulimia, ED-NOS, or a variation of all the eating disorders.

1.To my knowledge, the Pro-anorexia community has been active for a few years, allowing boys and girls of any age to join and get support from people suffering from eating disorders. One of the biggest issues, in my opinion, that spawned from the web-site is: what is support to a person suffering from an eating disorder, and how far should that support go? The community name already sends a bad vibe, regardless of its intentions. “Pro-Anorexia” projects the idea that there are people in this world who support the actions and lifestyle of an individual suffering from an eating disorder. Nearly everyone is aware of the devastating effects of eating disorders, including the psychological and physiological traumas. What sensible person would promote such behavior? Whether individuals suffering from eating disorders abhor the lifestyle they must deal with, “Pro-Anorexia” is not a term that should be thrown around so carelessly in society. While searching through the community, I noticed several times that members would post with tips or ask for tips about how to lose a certain amount of weight, the number of calories in certain foods, and other things related to body image and weight. For example, a member on the popular Pro-Anorexia community posted:

“i heard that taking omega3 fish oil 45mins prior to ur workout, u burn more fat, is this true????”

While this may seem slightly harmless, one has to take into account how many people will catch onto this idea or habit. If that is one tip being handed out, how many more tips can be processed by one person? I have also noticed an alarming number of people posting images of thin models, celebrities, and normal people. The members of the site call these supposed muses, Thinspo. Now, there is nothing wrong with admiring a person’s body, but when one compliments a person on his or her ribs that stick disgustingly out of the chest, then that’s a bit of an issue. The posting of Thinspo can promote destructive behavior from anyone suffering from the disease, as well as people who are in the process of recovering from eating disorders. A member on the site had posted:

31 January 2009 @ 03:23 pm
sorry to be a post whore
some thinspo to get you all through the day =]


( thinspo )

Alarmingly, members on Pro-Anorexia are as young as eleven; at that age, many children can pick up on habits easily. Imagine a young teen catching wind of the tips older members are handing out or discussing. The disorder will intensify until there is little hope left for that child to be recovered before he or she is an adult.

Despite the idea that the site is used as a safe-haven for these people, I don’t buy the idea that it offers a suitable amount of support and stability. There are other reasonable places to seek help and care.

2.With a name like “Pro-Anorexia”, it’s hard to imagine that a community could be the safest places for someone who is stricken with one of the most misunderstood psychological disorders in the world. At first, I was completely against sites that cold condone the behaviors of an anorexic or bulimic person; that was before I actually became witness to how people interact in the community. I can’t deny that Pro-Anorexia gains a bad reputation because of its name, but I can say with an honest heart that the community is far from evil.

In an unforgiving world such as ours, I can imagine that this would be a lonely place for someone with an eating disorder. It’s hard to comprehend why an anorexic person doesn’t eat, or why a bulimic person can’t keep control his or her urges to purge food that was just eaten. Pro-Anorexia does not offer those answers, but it does offer a community where everyone is alike. The judgment and ridicule is scarce on the site. There are times when members will randomly post their encouragement and hope that the other members will feel well, like this post from a member:

25 January 2009 @ 05:58 pm
Because everyboody needs love ...

*hugs*
It seems like quite a few people here tonight could do with a hug
so i thought I'd attempt to give everyone one
^_^

xXx

Pro-anorexia has become a community of friendship and support for the boys and girls who join it. I have seen posts where girls will seek advice about familial issues and how to gain the attention of a boy. Everyone needs to know that he or she is understood and wanted; while eating disorders are difficult to grasp, we cannot forget that the people suffering from them are just as like anyone else. Pro-anorexia should remain despite its down moments; to some, the community is the only place they can call home.

3.Regardless of the viewpoints in the previous paragraphs, the only viewpoint I ever had for pro-anorexia has always been in middle ground. I had stated above that I have been studying the community and its members for a year, and doing so has formed an opinion unlike the two I had to write. When I first heard of Pro-Anorexia, I formed an immediate opinion based off the name and what it means by default. I’m not sure what drove me to research the community at that time, but I realized that it was a better way of understanding someone with the disease rather forming an opinion that I knew was completely biased. I never enjoyed having one-sided opinions on an issue, and after a couple of days, Pro-Anorexia began to open my eyes to eating disorders. The first thing I realized was that the site wasn’t what the name suggested. Pro-Anorexia wasn’t about promoting the lifestyle that an eating disorder brings. Instead, the community was a place for someone to find comfort and support from another person like him or her. When I noticed the direction of the community, I realized that no one truly understood what Pro-Anorexia was, except for the people who were on the site and had an eating disorder.

The first thing I observed had been the number of people who posted with every day issues, whether it was related to an eating disorder or difficulties at school. Pro-anorexia is a place for someone to find another person to talk to without the fear of being judged. I found a member had posted:

25 January 2009 @ 08:45 pm


i have a confession to make.

i have no idea what the fuck a pop tart is. americans always talk about them and they sound yummy!

enlighten me?

In the community, the mentioning of the pop tart would have been blanked out. The good thing about Pro-Anorexia is that the community takes itself seriously. While members are given the freedom to act normally among other members, the admins and moderators have established rules so that the community is run smoothly. The rules always explain details of how to post on the site so that no one has his or her disorder triggered by something another member has posted.

http://community.livejournal.com/proanorexia/profile#rules

The link I posted contains every rule for the site. Whatever the aim of Pro-Anorexia, the site makes sure never to promote the lifestyle, behaviors, and attitudes that are associated with an eating disorder. The community is a safe-haven and a home for many, but the main, underlying hope is that everyone will recover in due time.

Despite the understanding I have gained of how someone with an eating disorder thinks, I can’t get over certain aspects of the site and its members. I often find posts by members asking questions about calories and exercise habits that feed the psychological mess that is an eating disorder. It’s hard to ignore that members will always be triggered by the site and other members together:

24 January 2009 @ 02:28 pm
this website is great to find different workouts & how many calories are burned!!! It is great :) http://www.fatburn.com/free_tool_activity_burn.asp


With its ups and downs, Pro-Anorexia has taught me more about eating disorders than a book could have. I cannot say that I completely understand the mindset of someone with anorexia, bulimia, or ED-NOS, but I can say that I will never judge someone for their disease. Also, the site helped me to understand certain things about myself and the body dysmorphia issues that I have experienced and continue to experience at times. There is more to the eating disorder than meets the eye, and it’s safer to say that it is more of a psychological issue than a physiological disease. The beginnings of an eating disorder are different for each person, but I’ve noticed that there is always a control factor that stays with the person throughout the disorder. What I have learned most is how devastating the disorders can be; the community has show members in their rarest and rawest forms, and I have seen how fragile lives can become after suffering through years of turmoil. I would never want Pro-Anorexia to be abolished because of the safety it gives its members. Even if half of them are tempted to never recover, there is always a feeling of home that the members will have with Pro-Anorexia. However, if there is one thing I can change about the community, I would abolish the term Pro-Anorexia for something that makes a little more sense to me: Pro-Support.

Psychology Fallacy

"Oh, she's going into Psychology. All they do is try to fix people and their problems by relating them to her own issues. She must think she knows everything."

Hasty Generalization

Is running really that serious?

I’ll have to admit, the “spotting a dead body whilst running” ad interested me before I could realize what the ad was suggesting. Anything with a “dead body” is bound to draw anyone, no matter how morbid and disturbing the subject. The dark colors of the background with the frayed, dingy track shoes soaking in the light creates a nice tone; it conveys power and purity; it says that runners are tough beings who don’t mind getting a little dirty as long as they get their thirty minute run around the block. The ad referencing to prime time forensic analysis dramas was a good idea; many people can visualize an unsuspecting runner weaving in and out of a secluded park until he or she stumbles upon an abandoned body behind the trees. The plot has been done five million times before. I decided to check out the entire ad campaign, assuming that Pearl’s wittiness would make for a reasonable shoe ad. To my dismay, I was left with the impression that Pearl Izumi was completely biased and more of a bully than she probably wanted to appear. According to the store, Joggers set the sport two steps back, are weak, and weren't born with the backbone that runners are given. If that's the case, then Joggers shouldn't even bother with living.

Truth is, I don’t run. I despise running with a passion, and I prefer to find other methods to work out. The fact that I don’t even care for running has made me dislike the ad more. A large population of the country doesn’t run on a daily basis; morning workouts are usually accompanied by mild jogging. So, my question for Pearl Izumi is, “What gives you the right to put down individuals who prefer not to run?”. You can’t nonchalantly tell a person in a wheel chair that he’s below a person who can actually run. If Pearl Izumi really wanted to sell shoes, the company should reevaluate how it approaches its ads; instead of sensing the wit and humor the ad was probably trying to go for, I only noticed the ignorance and the insensitivity.

When I analyze the Pearl Izumi ad, the first thing I notice is how dark it is. Literally, poster is black; although, this gives me the impression that the black background represents a dark area, pathway, or idea. This definitely plays to the ad’s idea of a runner finding a dead body; a runner can find a dead body on a dark path in the morning or in the night, and dead bodies are always a dark subject matter to begin with. The shoes in the poster are dirty and have obviously been used. The dirty shoes give the impression that a runner is tough and someone who doesn’t mind a little mud to get the job done. Also, the ad mentioned that runners are more willing to run off track into the woods, which would explain the massive amount of dirt. What’s interesting, though, is that there is a single flood of light engulfing the dirty shoes; this can mean a couple of things. I mentioned before that the dark background could mean the runner always runs in the early morning; the light could be the early sunlight that is just visible as the morning really breaks in. From a lot of television shows that I’ve seen, the runner who finds the dead body always runs at a time when the sun is just rising, and it is light enough for the body to be visible. The flood of light also gives the impression that the shoes are angelic, the divine shoes of runners, or that running alone is in another league compared to jogging and that running is the only method. Either way, the light in that context is a little arrogant. The text in the ad is clear and white, so it’s very easy for anyone to read, and the way the text is formatted is appealing. In fact, the composition of the entire poster is appealing; it is clean, crisp, and the juxtaposition works well for the poster. Someone walking down the street would be more persuaded by a poster that is organized opposed to one that is cluttered and with a message that is not easily conveyed. The poster also does a good job of making black more appealing rather than a rainbow of random color. The pop culture references to the forensic shows was probably the best thing the poster did; society may not be able to relate to a dead body in the middle of a park, but it can relate to a dead body in the middle of a park on a television show. This is probably where the ad struck gold (if not the nerves of many people).

The ad seemingly promotes running and a healthy lifestyle. This might be a stretch, but the ad gives running a sort of attitude and confidence that jogging apparently doesn’t have. To me, the ad says to not be modest or meek, but to run and be a confident person about it. Runners take control of their lives, while Joggers continue to have life step all over them. Perhaps the shoes give a runner the attitude and confidence because the runner looks good while he or she runs a course. None of this may be true, but that is what I get out of this ad campaign; a confidence that has stepped over the very tall line into arrogance.

The Pearl Izumi ad literally discourages jogging. In fact, the entire ad puts down jogging so much that I couldn’t look past that to see the good of running. The ad alienates anyone who doesn’t want to run, but it focuses entirely on Joggers alone. Apparently, the Runners are the Goliath to the Joggers’ David (or vice versa depending on how one looks at it). I tried to find the marketing approach in putting down jogging, but it seems pointless. Runners and Joggers are doing the exact same thing; the only difference is that runners happen to move a faster and sharper pace. I could say that the idea of runners moving faster could be a clever way of conveying that they do get through life far differently than joggers; however, it’s idiotic. A jogger can easily increase his speed to a run, and a runner can slow down a little to jog. Either way, Izumi could have explained the Running v Jogging ad without the insensitive and ignorant approach it gave. If I’m going to run, I’m certainly not going to need her shoes to do it.

Despite how I feel about the ad, when I look at it, I can’t help but be attracted to the entire look of the poster. Aesthetically, it appeals to my eye, and whoever thought of how to put the ad together was very smart in his or her choices. While I can’t relate to finding a dead body on the ground, I do like the ads approach of using Television to connect to the power of running. As pretentious as the ad is, I can understand how running is so intense because of the visuals that the poster provided. The look of the poster and the pop culture reference are the only things the ad has going for it, unfortunately. I can’t connect to it logically, and since I don’t run on a daily basis, I don’t have a lot of experience or credibility to agree with the power of running. In the end, Pathos is the only.

When I look at both ads, the Pearl Izumi and the “I am what I am” ad, I regrettably like the first one; aesthetically that is. I had explained earlier how the first ad appeals to my senses, and it definitely continues to appeal to my sense more than the second ad. I don’t’ really want to see a man vomiting onto the hard concrete as he is stumbling over his steps. However, when I look past the initial visuals, I realize that I prefer the second ad to the first. Finding a dead body in an off-road run can be intense, but I find something more incredible about the idea of a man’s body literally shutting down because of how much work he’s forcing onto it. While pain is not necessarily a good thing, there is a power behind it that screams so much louder than pop culture references. Still, for the market, the first ad takes the win.

America's Army likes recruiting; recruiting young children, that is.

1. When I first visited the America’s Army gaming website, I wasn’t completely impressed with the entire layout that it provided. It reminded me of many of the military recruiting websites that I have stumbled upon while surfing the internet. However, I realized that the similarities to the recruiting websites were a strong form of rhetoric. The website is dedicated to a popular computer video game; when one considers that fact, it becomes a little obvious that the video game has intentions to try and recruit non-military personnel into the army.

The layout itself has a background that is gray, pixelated, and a little bland. It’s not completely appealing unless a visitor to the website ignores the background. What adds depth to the background are images of the video game that are blended well into the background. Without the images, the site might not have caught the attention of a younger audience. A young audience can identify with video game images rather than a bland background. On the other hand, someone who is well acquainted to the army might associate the gray color with army uniforms; also, he or she might associate the pixelation as camouflage, which is also associated with the army.

The different links on the home page help the website to appear more like a gaming website; although, when one reads further into the links, he or she may realize the vast amounts of rhetoric that are put into them. For example, the Real Heroes link offers testimonies, biographies, and quotes from actual army personnel. The link explains that “heroes are individuals of distinguished courage or ability, and admired for their brave deeds and noble qualities.” This is a large form of rhetoric; the link gives the idea that individuals in the army are the perfect epitome of a hero. Many children have probably grown up identifying with heroes, whether they were comic book characters or actors on TV. The website is almost using the army heroes as another recruiting tool in the sense that it is saying that anyone can become a hero as long as they are part of the army.

The rest of the links offer different types of support for the game. The Game Intel link provides visitors with game training, missions, the history of the army and the game, and other operations. The Community link offers different forums to discuss the game, an internet chat, and a virtual competition. The site has found different ways to bring gaming individuals together; that is a good way to recruit a mass number of people, or at least a small group out of a whole. The Support link offers game FAQS and a game manual, two things that any gamer is accustomed to while playing a video game. The link provides something that will make sure that people will continue to play the game despite the difficulties they will face. The Media link is probably intended for a younger audience as well as individuals who are into good graphics when it comes to a video game. The link offers screen shots, desktop wallpapers, and video clips. Many people are attracted to visuals rather than words; the items in that link are a good way of drawing more people into the game depending on how they perceive the graphics or the game play. The one link that stuck out to me the most was the Downloads link. At first, I wasn’t sure what it was providing until I read the description; the Downloads link a deploy client for the video game that allows the game to download faster. The client allows little excuse for individuals to NOT download the game since it can be accessed at a reasonable speed. The website blends real life with the video game, allowing visitors to get an idea of army life on two different levels. The website is persistent in its recruiting, but it masks its intentions behind the video game it’s promoting. Still, when the intended audience is mostly children above the age of ten and under the age of eighteen, the recruiting might not be as successful. Amazingly, the entire website is filled with rhetoric; it's design is based on recruiting individuals or getting people to play the game. It was difficult to pick out every single piece of rhetoric considering that there is so much offered on the website.

2. The America’s Army website is intended for a broad gaming audience and individuals interested in the military; the main audience is probably a young to young adult generation that can identify with video games and action very. The website is full of images of the video game, screen shots, and video clips. The visual media is one thing that usually guarantees that visitors will be drawn to the site, and the younger gaming audience is more attracted to the graphics and the appealing look of the game rather than the content. Also, the website is not extremely complex in its explanation of the game. A slightly older audience might read into the content and would be more attracted to the gaming features, especially the improved Game User Interface, the different weapons, and the new artificial intelligence. For anyone that is interested in the military, the website is not too different from a recruiting website. It is similar in appearance and still incorporates real life army information that corresponds with the game. A final and less obvious audience is PC users. The website explains the video game is only compatible with Windows XP and Vista; someone who wants to play the video game would have to invest in getting a PC since it wouldn’t work with anything else.

3. The video game indoctrinates very little ideologies of war. It's is mainly focused on the life and recruitment of an individual into the army, but it does include some aspects of war, infantry, and military intelligence. The images provided on the website show scenes that are similar to the media portrayal of war-torn Iraq; however, the majority of the screen shots depict an army recruit in training. The game focuses on the training aspect more than the actual combat; that’s a good way to draw in a younger audience since it is not completely exposed to war and fighting in the video game. Although, I do not disagree with the training that the game is built around. Its focus is clearly on the soldiers and building their character rather than preparing young individuals for war; the Army training does not have to be related to the Iraq War. The game does not really represent the Iraq war the way the media does; in fact, the game doesn't even address the Iraq War as a whole. Most of the media spews reports of the fighting, the stress, and the trauma that the soldiers and civilians face in light of a never-ending war, but the video game seemingly ignores the combat for training that a young teen is supposedly capable of doing.

4.
I’ve played many violent video games in my life, and never have I been influenced to hurt someone else because a video game gave me ideas. America’s Army will only be violent to a person who is easily influenced by the content of a video game. Compared to other games, America’s Army appears tame. Its game play is largely based on real life, training simulation, while many video games have plots that are unlikely to ever be experienced outside of a console. While I commend ESRB for taking care of ratings for the general audience, violence in a video game is slightly subjective. I will admit that Grand Theft Auto is a violent vidoe game, however it will never be as gruesome to me as some others may perceive it to be.