On Blogs...

This is the first blog I have had the joy of writing and watching grow. It was very enjoyable and useful. Most class assignments require you to be formal and not totally expressive of your ideas. With this blog I was able to put out ideas that I needed feedback on. The comments component of blogs was also very useful. It gave people that read my posts a chance to say whether or not they agree and why. When I had to write the papers, this ended up being very useful. Furthermore, with blogs you are not restricted by the structure. Anything goes as long as it gets the message across. This certainly is not the case with most class essays. Combined with this lack of structure, the ability to embed videos, photos, and links within the text makes for a very immersive reading experience. I don't see myself blogging much in the near future, but I certainly see it as a medium that I could potentially use. The problem is, while not as specialized, one gets more feedback on sites like Facebook.

Logical Fallacies

You can't even open your computer without encountering a logical fallacy. Last week I started up my computer and this message for some antivirus software popped up:

This is a prime example of false dichotomy.  We are presented with two options, but at the end of the day they either reinforce only one option, or in this case end up being the same option. When the user tries to get rid of this message, the only option is to activate. What user does have control over is when it is activated, but that is worthless if the program is not wanted. As per definition in the Writing 140 course book; false dichotomy " coercively restricts the range of potential responses" making it a threat to our ability to explore other choices.

Examples of Digital Activism

In 2011 demonstrations and revolution struck Egypt. Digital media was credited for the success of the demonstrations and many considered sites such as Facebook and twitter the way of the future. One Egyptian activist even stated"We us Facebook to schedule the protest, Twitter to coordinate, and YouTube to tell the world".This with the addition of Google executive Wael Ghonim's statement:

left everyone in awe of the power of the internet for situations like this. However, this was far from the truth. In the months after the movement it became apparent the popularity of Facebook and twitter in the revolution was a fabrication of the west as it was the primary medium through which they received information from Egypt. Arguments against the theory that the internet played a major role include facts like; very few people in the middle east use social networking sites, these sites are too public to evade authorities, and few people trust these sites for dependable news. More news can be found on the matter here.


If you clicked on the link above you may have noticed that it directed you to Wikipedia. This site has also played a role in internet activism. Late in 2011 when the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) (read more about SOPA )came out Wikipedia, Google, and a couple other sites decided to black out for a day. Anyone used the internet that day probably saw a blank page for Google, or this:

for Wikipedia. As expected this outraged many users and brought about action. As a result the stopping of the SOPA bill was extremely successful, and the internet played a large role in activism. The success of this can be traced back to the audience of the movement. People that used the internet were reached through the internet and therefore got the message and were motivated to cause a disturbance. This is ties back to Egypt, and why it couldn't have been Facebook and Twitter that caused the revolution.


Another example of internet activism is that of KONY 2012. This movement took the world by surprise and in two days everyone you knew had either seen or hear of the video.

With the excellent camera work and the clever editing, the video got very popular over the course of a week. Eventually people began to realize that the motives of the video weren't exactly what was expected and the Ugandan government even clarified that Kony wasn't even the biggest issue that the country faced. Within a couple of days the movement lost pretty much all popularity and fell off the radar in a very pathetic manner. In this instance the internet and digital media failed at activism. The biggest flaw was the amount of bias that could be placed on a subject through the internet and the lack of credibility that any piece of digital media ends up having.


The recurring problem for the movements that failed was the audience. They were trying to reach the wrong people on the internet and as a result failed. The only one that succeeded did so because it managed to reach its target audience. The other flaw was the complacency of "supporters" of the movements. In most instances people felt they had done enough for the movements when they shared the Kony video or like the protesting in Egypt page. The internet may be great for telling people what kind of activist movements are going on, but it is terrible in effectively attaining followers.

Internet Activism

Despite how easy it is to be a part of social activism on the internet, I have never participated. One reason is that, in general if you actually care about the cause, then clicking like or donating 5 dollars isn't going to cut it. Furthermore, when you join activist movements, often times you don't get the full story and you could end up agreeing to something that doesn't represent your values at all. An excellent example of this is kony 2012 and how quickly it went of the radar. Even in the I will take part in any sort of digital or internet activism.

My Take On Wiki

Wikipedia has always been at the top of my list when trying to get information quickly. After my discovery of the discussion and talk tabs on the site, I have seen how the information gets to the web pages I use. The conversations on these discussion pages are comforting because you see how much work goes towards the final product that is presented to the users. It isn't really useful to get information quickly from these discussion pages, but it will be useful when I have free time to roam wikipedia. Hence my use won't really change. I may consider joining the discussions if I feel like I have expertise in a subject that is not well represented, however, that wont occur for a while.

Knowledge Acquisition through Authoritative vs. Communal

Having knowledge is commonly associated with being "correct". However, some people are more knowledgeable or "correct" than others. This is where tension arises in the realm of knowledge acquisition. Before the internet authoritative knowledge was the only source and therefore the best. The movement known as web 2.0 changed that as people had new mediums with which to communicate. As a result this left people in search of knowledge with a choice.

In my own experiences, I have certainly witnessed tensions between authoritative and communal knowledge. None of my teachers in high school approved of the use of Wikipedia at all, not even as an encyclopedia with which to begin research. They presented Wikipedia in a poor light that made me suspicious of the site as well. However, it was difficult to not use Wikipedia given its convenience. The information on communal sites such as Wikipedia is constantly being renewed and improved, something that is difficult for an authoritative source to do because it would imply that they were wrong in the first place. Furthermore, the way Wikipedia is set up, promotes learning even more as you end up going in tangents you might not have thanks to hyperlinks within the text. It is difficult to claim one source as more useful than the other, because each has its merits, but in terms of convenience, communal sources and Wikipedia specifically win hands down.

Tiger's Apology

Given the situation in which Tiger Woods found himself, an apology would have had a positive effect. A sincere  apology made to both his wife/family and fans/business partners would certainly give him the foundation to begin the recovery process. Tiger did end up making a public apology. His goals in this apology were to not only show sincerity to his family, but also explain to his fans what was going on. Despite the potential good that could be done by the apology, what Woods did wasn't entirely successful. In his apology he not only flattered himself, but also demanded that the media stop poking for more information. While his public apology didn't hurt him, had he left some comments out, it would have been an effective at fixing the problems he faced.

TOPIC CHANGE ~ TIGER TURNS CHEETAH !!!

I have decided to direct my attention to the scandal and subsequent apology that Tiger Woods engaged in as there is more material in that direction than that of Bill Maher. I am sorry for any confusion I may have caused my dedicated followers.

What Tiger Woods did, came out of nowhere. He had worked hard all his life and climbed to the peak. For many he was an icon, somebody to look up to. Up until his sexual relations with multiple women, he had done everything right. From there, came a big fall. Tiger would go on to total his car while exiting from his driveway. This was the first incident that brought attention to Tiger Woods and what it was that he was doing. Eventually the truth gushed out, and everyone knew that Tiger had been cheating on his wife.

With his back up to a wall, Tiger's only real option was to sincerely apologize and let everyone know how big of a fool he was and how much he regretted his actions. So, he eventually made a public apology. For the most part it was executed perfectly, except for the part where he askeds the paparazzi and media to stop following him and asking for detail. This apology was not the correct place to let people know that he needed some peace. Since then, Tiger has had a difficult time getting back on track, and his wife has left him.

FULL APOLOGY TRANSCRIPT HERE

Bill Maher and "Cowardly Americans"

Television host Bill Maher stated that actions of American soldiers were cowardly compared to those of the terrorists that attacked the United States on September 11th. His statement is seen below.

Bill Maher went on to apologize for this comment but he apologized for the ill timing of the comment and not so much the comment itself. He also explained what his comment actually meant. These are grounds for a controversial apology, because at no point did he accept fault or recognize that his actions were incorrect. In addition to this he has continued to make extreme comments like that of the terrorists demonstrating that he hasn't changed much. This leads one to wonder if he should have apologized at all if from his point of view, his actions are correct.
Terror Attacks Spark Cowardly Debate

Critical Thinking in Engineering

Many see engineering as a practical major where you learn how to use formulas. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Engineers are constantly solving problems no one has ever seen with such effectiveness that the solutions seem obvious despite the countless hours that they require.

At USC, the engineering curriculum provides students with a fair amount of opportunities to develop their thinking skills. For instance, last semester in AME 101 I had 2 design projects where I was presented with a problem that needed solving and analysis. Outside of the set curriculum, USC fosters an environment that promotes clubs like Aerial Robotics and SC Racing to form. Generally run by students and with little guidance from professors, you learn a lot about how to think in these clubs.

While USC's current system is decent, there is certainly more that can be done. For instance, being given the chance to work on projects that students can pick in class would greatly help. During the course of the project, classes should not be held, only office hours so that all of the students' interest can be directed at research and the project at hand.

Defining Critical Thought

In the eyes of many, critical thinking is the highest form of intelligence we can reach. Theoretically with this skill one can tackle any subject and master it regardless of how much practical knowledge they had on the subject at the start. In an effort to improve society many institutions attempt to teach this skill. However, teaching critical thought is difficult because not many people agree on how to define this ability. 

There are 3 skills that I find key in having the power to think critically, and therefore I define critical thought with these. The first is the ability to take in information. One must be able to find, process, and understand what outside sources are telling them. This may include organizing information in a systematic manner or summarizing it, but regardless of the method you will know exactly what your subject deals with. The second skill involves making connections based on the information at hand. "Where else have you seen this, and how can you apply what you learned then?" be creative and make connections no one has ever though of. Finally is the ability to make a decision. Take a stand and defend it, know that after all your hard work, your conclusion is the best it can be and therefore don't be afraid to communicate your findings to others.

While it isn't a skill that I find as necessary as the other three, being objective is something to keep in mind. Be open to new ideas as they may be better than yours.

New Thoughts

My perception of both the song Dani California and the California Dream have changed a great deal since I embarked on this project. Whenever I listened to Dani California in the past, I rarely focused on the lyrics as much as  I did in these last 2 weeks. Initially I thought it was a very cheerful song about how cool California is. The truth is that this song is quite the opposite of that and now I see how much information it actually holds. What's more interesting however, is the fact that this song changed my thoughts on the California Dream as well. Early on I thought that it was the basic concept of going to California and getting rich fast. Through the dissection of this song I found that while surely some people go to California for that reason, more come here to find a new lifestyle. One where you are free to be whomever you want and not have to be afraid about expressing it.

Dani California

California and often times the California Dream is referenced to in a multitude of songs that many of us have heard. One such song is “Dani California” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. While it may not be initially clear, Dani California personifies the state of California as a female figure with a wild personality that lures you for reasons you can’t explain.

This song presents the California Dream in a darker light that goes beyond the superficial image of girls in bikinis on the iconic California Beach. What we are given is Dani California being rebellious and having to steal and run just to survive. Despite these less than ideal living conditions, we are drawn by the appeal of living fast. The singer does show remorse when Dani California dies however, because without her the inspiration for living free and getting by however you want no longer exists. 

The California Dream

The "California Dream" is a goal for the many people that escape to California, but in general it turns out to be nothing but a dream. It is the hope that by moving to a new place with different weather and lifestyles allows one to start their life again and thus be welcomed with new opportunities. While this is the case for some people like early miners finding the motherlode or the founders of the silicon valley , the majority eventually finds out that it takes just as much work to be successful in California as it does in any other part of the country. The California Dream is very much like the American Dream. In each there is hope at the end of the tunnel. What makes them different, is that the California Dream is for people that are already in America and haven't found success. Which brings up the question; "What do Californians dream?".

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