Journal 1:

Over my years in high school, I feel that I have improved. I used to struggle a lot in reading comprehension. Not being able to understand the context of a book really frustrated me because I would not know what to write about. In high school, I had an English teacher named Greg, and he helped me a lot on my writing. He was a tough teacher, who pushed me to do better in the class. Greg would tell me what I was missing in my essays, such as evidence/ analysis, or if I didn’t understand the context fully. In my first semester of college, I feel that I did a good job in my English class. My essays were clear and thorough, I provided good reasoning and evidence, etc. I enjoy learning English because it expands my knowledge when reading and writing. I do believe it is an important skill because writing well could make you do a lot of things in the future. You can be a lawyer, journalist, engineer, etc. Having the skill to write can make you be able to do many career fields. If I taught a course at a first-year college level, I would assign essays that require research on specific topics. This is so students would learn how to find research to fully support their claim for their topic. Students would learn how to cite their sources so that they do not end up plagiarizing. I would teach them how to structure their writings, meaning having an intro, evidence, reasoning, claim, conclusion, etc. This would be preferable because they would then have an outline of what is expected. When writing essays, some students tend to miss out some key parts of their essay. Having an outline to guide them would help them do better on their essays.

 

Journal 2:

I’m not sure if a world with slightly less technology would be better. However, I do know it could benefit some people in certain ways. In high school, I learned about sleep deprivation, which I will talk about here. Something that affects us teens getting sleep is the choices we make; like being on our phones at night, instead of going to bed early. The amount of homework we have and how long we take to do it affects sleep as well. All creatures are under the control of biological clocks. Melatonin is a hormone that makes you sleep. When we sleep, chemicals the brain has used up during the day are restored. Teens have been facing a huge problem with sleep. This is because they tend to use their phones or computers right before they go to bed. Factors of this could be having overdue homework to do, watching shows, texting, etc. Technology use before bed causes teens to not be able to sleep at night, and this could go on for days, which causes sleep deprivation. So, if the world were to have less technology, it is likely that teens would be able to get more sleep. Moreover, based on the “addiction” people have to social media, I believe it is due to an interest kids have. Based on what we see on social media affects our desire to engage on social media. If people didn’t post any interesting content on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, etc., then we would not care to stay up on our phones all night. Furthermore, social media could also take a negative turn when people take the media seriously. This is why less social media in our world would not be so bad, because then teens would be less focused on what is posted and more focused on their academic.

 

Journal 3:

In a perfect world, a utopian mental healthcare system would be available for everyone to use no matter any circumstance. People would be able to get checked by a doctor immediately without having any issues in between. An article called “The Left’s Utopian Health Care Promises”, it talks about how a perfect mental healthcare system should be like. Americans are upset with how much it costs to be taken care of; people who are sick shouldn’t have to suffer because they are poor/ not poor. This is a plan that would make healthcare systems fair: “Everyone would be able to see any doctor any time. No premiums, no deductibles, and no copayments. Hospitals and emergency room care would be free, as would dental, vision, audiology, women’s reproductive health services, maternity and newborn care, long-term services and supports, prescription drugs, mental health and substance abuse treatment, laboratory and diagnostic services, dietary therapies, transport, and more,” (Turner). This shows how it should be right now. People with any type of disability, mental health, etc. should be taken care of at no cost. It is not our faults if we have it, and we shouldn’t have to go through a hard time to get treated. If this plan is made, then people would not be sick for long, get treated easily and students on campus would be able to continue to focus on school. Students on campus would not have to worry about their health. If I had to explain and advocate this system to an administrator or president, I would speak on how we are all equal. A person with a disability is the same as a person without one, and person who is rich should not get treated better than a person who is poor. Money should not matter when it comes to a person’s health.

 

Journal 4:

I believe that art is all around us. When we walk outside, we see paintings, sculptures, murals, etc. That is art. People create certain pieces of art to display in our neighborhoods. I think it’s a beautiful thing to do. If we didn’t have art in our community, it would be boring in my opinion. Depending on the type of art created, it can teach people things. For example, we can create murals based on a social issue we want to change. This could be based on climate change, or social justice, gun violence, and more. Creating murals like this could help other people get into action and also try to fight for a better world. This is how sharing art could benefit us and the people around us. Art could be used in activism in protests. Holding up posters with signs is an example of art. Art could also be opted for negative purposes any way. Vandalism for one, which is destroying public property with graffiti. People could write inappropriate things on public property which is a way of using art for negative purposes. Going back to sharing art for our society, I currently have this project where I have to create a mural for my neighborhood. It has to be on something I want my community to understand and fight for as well. This could be based on racism, or hunger/ food insecurity, climate justice, etc. I had to look at murals around my neighborhood to get an idea of what I can do. A mural I have seen in my neighborhood is a painting of wings. I think it symbolizes hope, freedom, joy etc. Another mural I saw was George Floyd, which is important because it speaks on justice for him. Each mural has a different meaning to it, which is why it is a great way to create art.

 

Journal 5:

In a reading called “How Smartphones and Social Media are Changing Christianity”, it talks about how religion has changed over time. In the past, phones were not allowed in church. “But it’s phone policy is now up to date. They allow people to take photos, to use phones for devotional reasons – whatever they want to do,”. I believe they did not want phones used in churches because it could have been seen as a distraction. In my opinion, it is good that they allowed phones to be used in the church because may need to use their phones for whatever reason. However, the use on phones might have been affecting people’s way in religion. I say this because people who are dependent on their phones might not go to church often. This could be because they do not believe in a religious tradition. People who do not use their phones as much might go to church more because they do not engage in social media as much. In the old days, when phones weren’t invented, people probably went to church more since they had no interaction through social media. Speaking on turmoil and social despair, if people were going through depression or social issues, then they would not believe in religion. They would not make the effort to go to church every week or so. This is because they would see no point in it. When people go to church it means they have faith or hope for others. A widespread of social despair would prevent that from happening. People might argue with this statement because some people who go to church could be going through a rough time and seeking for a place of worship to get better. Everyone goes to church for different reasons, and when they do that is a good thing. Therefore, these are what my thoughts on religion are in society.

 

Works Cited

“How Smartphones and Social Media Are Changing Christianity.” BBC Future, BBC, https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20170222-how-smartphones-and-social-media-are-changing-religion.

 

Journal 6:

People who have hope to reduce climate change in my opinion are wise because climate change is an issue we’ve been dealing with for so long. Climate change is when the weather changes for a long period of time. One main cause of climate change are called greenhouse gases. These are the following: carbon dioxide; too much of it can cause breathing problems, dizziness, and heart problems. Methane also causes dizziness, and nitrous oxide can cause brain damage or a heart attack. So for people to have climate optimism is a good thing because in the middle of this climate crisis we need each other to survive. We need each other to build and plan ideas to reduce climate change. According to Aaron Bady, “It can’t be just an “environmental” issue, because it’s going to impact basically everything about the way we live, on the entire planet, for centuries. The climate movement really is about the maintenance of civilization as we know it. Though I should amend that slightly: It’s not about “the maintenance of civilization as we know it.” It’s about creating a more just and sustainable society, which is literally the only option we have if we want to survive.” This is a from an article called “The Trap of Climate Optimism”. Bady is basically saying that at the end of the day climate change happens based on what we do to cause it. So for it to stop, we humans need to stop creating problems that will increase climate change. Furthermore, speaking of my experience, climate change is something people in my community need to work on. I live in Manhattan, and people are always smoking here and there. Smoking is not good for the environment because it is a factor that enhances climate change. Not only that, but it also causes asthma and trouble breathing. People need to be aware of that and stop doing it.

Works Cited

Bady, Aaron. “The Trap of Climate Optimism.” The Nation, 21 Dec. 2021, https://www.thenation.com/article/culture/dan-sherrell-warmth-qa/.

 

Journal 7:

In the reading, Symon Hill argues about armed forces being abolished. He says how the military is always there when a war happens but as capitalism rises, violence gets worser too. Another thing he points out is that people in the military always fight abroad, never at home. This could be a reason why Hill thinks it is unnecessary to have armed forces. Why fight in another country when you can protect your own? I believe Hill does not want armed forces to continue because it just adds more violence. The use of weapons and guns is not teaching any good to the youth. Today, whatever kids see on social media influences them to do certain things. For example, video games show guns when trying to fight another opponent. Some kids who play these games end up being violent when they grow up. That is why I believe Hill’s argument on abolishing armed forces. He states his reasons, such as the military engaging in violence, recruiting poor people, not fighting in their countries, etc. There is so much that the military does outside of war, which does not need a gun. Hill mentions how the military delivers aid, saves fires and floods, and even helped with the pandemic! All of these are great ways which show how they protect our people, and they do it without using a weapon. This shows that there is no point of there being armed forces. Instead of having them, the US could help our country by making sure everyone gets treated well. Based on mental health, the US could provide free healthcare to everyone, so that no one  gets sick. Instead of fighting trying to “protect our country”, the US should make sure that everyone is taken care of. Since the pandemic, a lot of people have been getting sick. These people are important and need to be treated well. In terms of education, the US government can ensure that all kids get a good education so that they can be successful. Instead of our country having armed forces, the US should focus on reducing climate change, having equal access to healthcare, ensuring everyone has a good education, etc.

 

Works Cited

Hill, Symon. “What If… Armed Forces Were Abolished?” New Internationalist, no. 533, Sept. 2021, p. 82. EBSCOhost, search-ebscohost-com.libdatabase.newpaltz.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=151812277&site=ehost-live. Accessed 23 January 2022.

 

Journal 8:

The spaces that we use in college matters because it affects the way we learn. Schools need to make sure that there is a good environment and facility buildings that students could focus in. The setting of a school matters because it could impact a student’s grades. This is because if a student does not feel comfortable where they are learning, they will most likely skip school, potentially dropping out. This is how the spaces we use around college campuses contribute to our experience and learning and growing as individuals. Moving on, the school needs to make sure that everyone has equal access to things. For example, people who use mobility aids, have a sensory processing disorder, etc. I’ll use an example; in my university, I can go to the library or Wooster Hall, which is a quiet place I can study in. The times I go there it is not too crowded, which I like. People who use mobility aids are also able to use this space because there are elevators they can use to go upstairs to Wooster and also into the library. Having ramps and elevators in college campuses are important because not everyone might be able to walk, so it is important that the school makes easy access to everyone. Architecture can impact someone negatively based on the way something is built. For example, when applying to schools, students tend to look at how the college looks at first so they know what type of environment they will be in. The architecture of a building impacts social behavior by affecting how people act within them. A campus with beautiful designs and many open spaces is good for students to explore places and feel good. If a campus was very small and did not have much places to go to, I would not feel interested being there. Campuses are supposed to be set up in a way that makes everyone willing to socialize.

 

Journal 9:

The journal entry mentions cyborgs, which is a living organic creature that has some mechanical, technological machine parts working within it. When I hear the word “cyborg”, I think of prosthetic legs. I think of this because they are machines which are attached to our bodies. It is for people who do not have a proper leg and need to be able to walk. Cyborgs have many abilities and are able to function well. For example, a pacemaker makes sure our heart continues to beat. Birth control implants prevent women from getting pregnant. Both of these cyborgs are machines in our bodies that help us. Humans are like cyborgs because of technology. Today, everyone is becoming very attached to their phones. From our phones, we learn a lot of things through social media. Our minds are developing more and more each day. We learn a lot of things on the internet such as rising news, opportunities, how to do things, etc. Apps that show this content are TikTok, Snapchat, Twitter, Facebook, etc. The line between technology and humans is becoming increasingly blurred today because of the fact that we spend so much time on our electronics. Social media is taking over people’s daily practices. People are doing less things, or getting less things done because they are deciding to spend more time on their phones. For example, I learned that social media has taken over people’s religious practices. During the pandemic, many people decided to stay home instead of doing their normal daily activities. TikTok had the most significant increase in consumer activity during 2020. This is how the line between humans and technology increased in our modern era. If technology did not exist in our world today, humans would not have access to all this knowledge. We would not be aware of any resources, or be like cyborgs.

 

Journal 10:

Class stratification has to do with individuals and groups of society. It has to do with money, power, and status. A higher class has more money, which means they have access to better opportunities. A lower class cannot afford to pay that. Factors of someone’s wealth could be based on family factors, background, education, etc. I know that a good education is needed in order to have a successful paying job. The United States provides a great deal of opportunity and access to education but does not apply it evenly to everyone in the society. Like the wealth gap in the United States, the gap between those with the most and least education in the United States is among the widest gaps in the world. Education is strongly correlated with income. People who end up graduating from a good college have better jobs than people who graduate from a lower educational college. In terms of jobs, the workforce is becoming more diverse for more people. It seems that men tend to earn more money than women because of the types of jobs they get into. Most unpaid work in the United States is denigrated as “women’s work,” assumed to be the domain of full-time “housewives,” while someone else “goes to work” to provide the financial support. Women usually get discriminated into the workforce because men think that women do not have the skills it takes to do the job. For example, women are still expected to do all the housework, while men go out and do “real” jobs. Blue collared workers work in manufacturing, production, and trading. This group is the working class. The lower class known as the working poor work in lower skilled jobs such as service, maintenance, and clerical. The US is trying to make wages fair for everyone. Certain people should not be getting paid more than others. This is what the modern labor movement is trying to do. The audience is us, and everyone advocating for it.

 

Journal 11:

As soon as I opened the link, I could see breaking news. This took my attention because I was interested in seeing what stories were up. The website shows all kinds of stories, breaking news, trending news, latest news, and more. Dr. Joseph’s website is a news commentary site because it includes a lot of different blogs. Below the heading “breaking news” there are two top stories. Below those stories are latest news. The latest news talk about our health which is important to many of us. I think Dr. Joseph was smart to include this information because many people would be interested in reading this information based on mental health. For example, the article “Mental Health Crisis Driven by Public Health Policy Trauma” talks about how mental health is not accessible to everyone. There are not many mental health professionals to help many patients. “To treat everyone, each of the 33,000 practicing psychiatrists in the U.S. would have to see approximately 3,000 patients a year — a patient load that simply isn’t feasible” This shows how there are not many doctors to treat all of us. In the section titled “breaking news”, there are different blogs shown with pictures on the side of them. For example, one blog is titled “Did the Booster Shot Cause This 24-Year-Old’s Sudden Death?” with a picture of multiple vaccines. This shows how the reading is going to talk about covid 19 vaccines/ boosters. Another blog called “Transit Mask Mandates Finally Ended — but Some Come with Caveats” has a picture of a man holding his suitcase with a mask on the side of it. It seems like he’s traveling and is not wearing his mask, so it shows how the mask mandate is up. The pictures and the title to match the blog is a good style Dr. Joseph included on his website. His content is appealing, it definitely takes my attention and makes me interested in reading the blogs.

Link: https://www.mercola.com/

 

Journal 12:

Logical fallacies are applied in our lives every day. They could be used in the political sphere when making arguments about a specific topic. Whataboutism is a logical fallacy when a person tries to divert an argument to another topic that is less important. For example, if Mary confronts John about something and John says “what about..”, he is diverting the situation to something else that is not important. This is not good. An example of whataboutism in politics is based on Donald Trump. An article called “Trump Embraces One Of Russia’s Favorite Propaganda Tactics — Whataboutism”, talks about how Trump is always arguing with another individual about something else. When Trump was criticized for his healthcare plan, he took it on Twitter and said, “If Obamacare is so great, why’d they spend tens of millions of taxpayer dollars to ‘hype’ it? BAD!” The comment was unnecessary and it shows how Trump was trying to divert his situation to someone else. The point of the conversation was to focus on Trump’s healthcare plan, but he decided to talk about Barack Obama. This example shows how whataboutism is used in politics when people argue about a certain issue. Logical fallacies such as whataboutism, hasty generalization, straw man, etc. would make a debate sound more opinionative rather than informative. Political debates should be appropriate and stick to their main focus, not lead to many other false conclusions.  From our writing and rhetoric class, our use of logical fallacies could be used in politics in a more informal way. Our skills in stating an argument/ purpose/claim could also be used. To better public servants, politicians would need to make sure that the rhetorical elements such as audience, context, and purpose/message are used appropriately to satisfy their needs. Therefore, this is how I think logical fallacies are applied in politics.

Works Cited:

Kurtzleben, Danielle. “Trump Embraces One of Russia’s Favorite Propaganda Tactics – Whataboutism.” NPR, NPR, 17 Mar. 2017, https://www.npr.org/2017/03/17/520435073/trump-embraces-one-of-russias-favorite-propaganda-tactics-whataboutism.