A Semester Sentiment

     I truly cannot adequately express in words the gratitude I have for this semester. It has pushed me out of my comfort zone more than I could have ever imagined, given me the fondest of memories, presented me with true tests to my strength, and ultimately showered me in immense love. While there are people I thought would be in my life forever that I no longer talk to, I have never had so many genuine, amazing friends to surround myself with in my entire life. I am thankful for the ways in which they inspire and encourage me constantly. I took on more courses than I have ever tried to balance at once this semester, and while at times I wanted to scream and give up, I pushed myself to breathe through each motion. I made it through each course with grades  I am proud of and new found knowledge and skills I know I will only benefit from. My eyes have been truly opened this semester to fascinating new ideas and concepts thanks to professors who genuinely cared about my academic experience. I stepped up and ran for Executive Council of my sorority and now have the privilege of running our PR where I get to serve 200 amazing women and practice a role I wish to one day have a career in. Looking back, I can hardly recognize the girl I was in August, I can't believe the growth this semester has instilled in me. I have ultimately learned that we are 1000% stronger than we think we are, and the only way to access that strength is to fake it until you realize you're not even faking it anymore- you're living it.

The Tattoo I Didn't Know I Had

     

     I have never once wanted to get a tattoo. It isn't because I don't like them or judge anyone who chooses to get one, I actually think a lot of them are really cool and sentimental. The true reason why I would never get one is because of the fear I have that I will one day regret what I have chosen to put on my body forever or that the message will no longer be relevant to me. I have just realized, after watching Juan Enriquez's Ted Talk, Your online life, permanent as a tattoo, that this fear has already become reality. 

     He speaks about the concept of "electronic tattoos." These are the pieces of ourselves we have all over the internet. The parts of us that our friends, followers, reviewers, etc also help in contributing to. Facial recognition technology has become all too real and all too effective. It is not just a fun way for your camera roll to point out which friends are in multiple pictures, it is also a tool for anyone to locate who you are. Face.com was a website that had already collected dates on more than 18 billion faces. It gets crazier though, because Facebook bought face.com on June 12th, 2012. Facebook may use it to point out suggestions of where your friends are in pictures, but this same software and pool of data can be used to recognize even those you do not know and vice versa. Once the face is detected, so is the life behind the face- including anything from home towns to criminal records. The idea of electronic tattoos threatens to make us immortal, as this only presence will far outlast us. But then I ask, what will be my online presence that outlives me? Have I already posted things that will contribute to it that I did not mean or no longer think? Are there already parts of this tattoo I did not think through enough that I wish I could have removed? This idea of immortality through electronic tattoos is like a legacy we cannot fully control the direction of. It is terrifying.

Confirmation Bias

     My favorite part about completing my research on an EOTO project is coming into class the next week and getting to learn from what everyone else has spent the week becoming mini experts in. One concept presented that really peaked my interest the most was confirmation bias. Simply put, confirmation bias is a type of cognitive bias that involves favoring information that confirms your previously held beliefs. I see confirmation bias almost every day, it is a concept that is so present and under all of our noses that I wonder if we all even see it happening. All the time my friends and I will be discussing something and each have a different answer to something specific. It always ends in one of us pulling out of phones and having an "ah hah!" moment as we tell the other how wrong they were while we read out something from the internet proving our own opinion true. I will be honest and admit that when I pull out my phone to do this, my eyes automatically scan the screen for the words that will support what I am already trying to prove to my friends. It happens so effortlessly, I do not even have to remind myself to do this, my eyes just go into the memorized skimming dance. If I read something that opposes my opinion I am seeking to prove, I don't even think my mind notices. It is such an obsession to find the one article or posted opinion that will go with what you already believe because that is what is easiest and most comfortable.           Confirmation bias can be seen in action greatly when it comes to debates. For example, if someone was Pro Life, they would seek out news articles and personal essays with reasons that reinforce her beliefs. When she sees a story come on the news about a controversial situation involving abortion, she interprets details and information given in a way that will support her opinion. It works the same vice versa. These individuals may possess opposite feelings regarding abortion, but can still read the same news story and find confirmation for their different opinions because their bias will work in their favor in how they perceive the details.

Reliable Sources

     This week in class, we will be doing another EOTO (Each One Teach One) group project. The set of concepts my group has been assigned is in the topic of mediasphere. I have chosen the concept confirmation bias from the list. I was drawn to this concept confidently and fairly quickly due to a lecture we had in class recently regarding the news content presented to us via various mediums. The idea of news and where we get our news from has been on my mind and has definitely peaked my interest. A simple definition of what a reliable source is that really resonated with me, given to me by Dean Smith, is "in a position to know the truth who has no motive to lie." A more complex definition that I found through my research that works to provide the same meaning with perhaps a little more explanation defines a reliable source as "one that provides a thorough, well-reasoned theory, argument, discussion, etc. based on strong evidence." This provides some background that reliable sources will include mediums that are filtered and monitored, such as peer reviewed scholarly articles and regulated news channels. 
     What worries me the most about unregulated sources of news, such as social media platforms, is that the Reuters Institute research study found that 51% of people use social media as a news source. This is dangerous to a society because it allows for the flow of misinformation to enter the minds of citizens. When it comes to aspects such as voting, misinformation individuals may have becomes dangerous. It is dangerous to the future and well-being of all, making misinformation something that can easily infect an entire society. Once one person reads something unreliable, hoaxes and rumors start and it is no secret that those spread like wildfire. When something becomes viral, it is hard to undo its effects in the same amount of time. It is much easier to prevent the fire from ever starting, but with over half of the population turning to unregulated sources of news and potentially coming in contact with misinformation, who knows how to control that kind of potential burn. 

What I've Given to the Internet and Cannot Get Back

     Googling myself on the internet is something that I can honestly say I have never done. My friends do it all the time, and they are constantly looking up other people they meet. The things they have found on themselves and others has always scared me away from trying... until now. 
     One of the first recognizable images I can see of myself is a picture of me from prom. When I click on the image, I realize that it is a direct link to a Facebook post- a post I have actually never seen before. I am not even tagged in this Facebook post, yet it still comes up on Google because my name is merely written in the caption. That is all it takes- just for your name to be written in attachment to the image. Upon reading the caption, I see that it provides information on where I attend college, what sorority I am in, my major, my hometown, and even what I did two summers ago. I am shocked by how easily, and with literally just two clicks, I have discovered most of my basic information. This was a post made by the sorority I am in but I do not recall ever seeing this or being asked to provide information on it. This caused me to wonder just how easily the creator of the post was able to access this information of me. I decide to try and find out. I google my name again- this time not on images but on all. My LinkedIn  profile immediately comes up. I do not know why I had never thought of this before, but my LinkedIn is public- it is public and it gives anyone on the internet access to so much of who I am. My personal contact information, my hometown high school, my interests and passions, my involvement, my age, and the list truly does go on and on. I never realize that a platform I use to create my brand and form connections and generate opportunities, is also a one-stop here is everything about me. Is that how familiar I have become with this idea of filling in my personal information via keyboard and hitting enter?

Why Snapchat Caught on in a Snap

     After our in class discussion today, where we went over a Com Tech Time Line, there were newer innovations that have proven to be very popular and relevant amongst my generation,  that did not make it onto the time line since it stopped at 2007. One innovation in particular that I would like to talk about is social media platform called Snapchat. I am going to view Snapchat through the lens of the theory, diffusion of innovations, which is a theory that seeks to explain how, why, and at what rate new ideas and technology spread. The main reason that I believe Snapchat caught on so fast and spread is because of it's instant gratification aspect. Users of the platform are able to take a snap shot of what they are doing and instantly share it to their "story" and see who views it and when. Viewers of the "story" can swipe up with replied, compliments, questions, etc. It allows for the user to show off what they are up to at all times and monitor consistent feedback and engagement from others. With an app that allows for people to share so much about their daily day-to-day routine, of course I see downsides. There is the concern of privacy. Snapchat allows you to put filters on pictures that showcase your exact location at the current time. Everything about Snapchat is geared towards current, "in the now" updates. This can be dangerous because you are letting people know where you are which makes you vulnerable. It can also cause an unhealthy obsession with wanting other people to think you are having fun so badly, that you neglect to be genuinely present in the moment and fail to truly feel the happiness of that moment. 
     All in all, Snapchat excelled in the four elements of spreading a new idea, according to Rogers: the innovation itself, communication channels, time, and a social system. We live in a social system that obsesses over each other and thrives on jealousy. It is all about wanting to wear what she is, eat at the restaurant he is at, go on a date like them, be at the game court-side like them, etc. Will there ever be an end? Is anyone be content anymore just living their own life, even if no one knew about it?

Marketplace of Ideas

     While still exploring the eight values of free expression, I could not help but continue to wonder about the marketplace of ideas. It is a concept that I vaguely remember talking about in class very early on in the semester. I knew that it was something I wanted to dig deeper into, find out what it truly entails. I came across a vast amount of information the supported just how much the marketplace of ideas actually protects our right to and exercise of free speech. 
     One article made a striking point in writing that "the theory holds that the free dissemination of ideas creates a social process in which the truth competes and eventually wins out over falsehood." It relates the marketplace of ideas in a way that really parallels the economic free market. It discusses how ideas may compete and try to come out on top. In this market, however, it is less about goods and more about the idea that the truth will always emerge when two ideas are in competition. By allowing ideas freely expressed to wrestle with one another, self expression is protected. While the idea of censoring everything and only allowing the right information to be presented to the people is one that is talked about, it is also an idea that ultimately crushes the rights of individuals to free speech. This theory is timeless in my opinion, as it allows for the  free dissemination of ideas in our country. This promotes debate, inspiration, conversation, and passion.  It gives our country the chance to come together and prove that they can pick right from wrong, or truth from falsehood; and even if they choose wrong, it was their choice to freely do so. 

Individual Self-Fulfillment

     This week in class, we read about the Eight Values of Free Expression. After reading through each of these different speech theories, it was clear to me which was the most important and meaningful and why. The theory of Individual Self-Fulfillment definitely stood out to me as the value that embodied the spirit behind free, true self expression. By definition, becoming self-actualized is a series of steps in personal growth toward fulfilling a higher need, such as uncovering the meaning of life.  
     Individual self-fulfillment is also recognized as self-actualization. This concept actually comes from a theory in psychology, first proposed by Abraham Maslow. Maslow stated how people must fulfill a set of basic needs before they can become self-actualized, these needs taking on the form of a pyramid in a hierarchy of importance.  The journey through the pyramids hierarchies represents personal growth. In order for an individual to truly utilize their self expression, they must feel secure and have a level of confidence within. Accomplishing self-actualization allows for an individual to possess the personal growth needed to know what they want to say, when, and how. They may not always be right, and they may change their mind later on, but the point is that they have the confidence to give them self a platform or foundation to which they can express them self on. Free speech gives people the gift of self expression, which leads to their own identify. The psychology behind Maslow's pyramid is that fulfillment of all hierarchies reveals one's deepest desires and abilities, thus directly relating to the ways in which they express them self. When one is able to successfully accomplish self-actualization, they open up the portal to find meaning and purpose in their life. This is where all true and passionate expression can stem from. 

The Privelege to Criticize

     Today, it only takes a minute to scroll through Twitter or Facebook or any social media platform of your choice and find someone using their account to voice their opinions on the government. These opinions can get pretty brutal and reach the highest from of criticism imaginable. This is something that is normal, something that is legal. The crazy thing is that it was not always this way, not even close. 

     There was a time when protesting the government was not only not allowed, but would get you placed in jail. The very concept of freedom of the press we see fervently exercised each and every day was not always honored and upheld properly. It is easy to look back on history and think that once the constitution was ratified everything was fine. But that is not the case, each right was still a fight and the constitution was just a big stepping stone or turning point. Even ten years after the constitution was ratified, arguably one of the most vital amendments- the first amendment, was not stable. 

     In 1798 the Alien and Sedition Acts were passed. The sedition act essentially made it illegal to publicly oppose the government. I cannot read those lines over again enough. I scrolled through Twitter before writing this article and it is honestly amazing at what people are able to express when it comes to their disdains with the government. Even though some of the posts are so vulgar, they are in a sense beautiful because of what they represent. They represent absolutely freedom, complete protection of freedom of the press. 

Define: Balance

     I have taken several different history and government classes throughout my educational career. Without fail, every class has always talked about, and more accurately stressed, the importance of checks and balances. However, it is only recently that I have begun to think of the meaning of checks and balances. Through class discussions and going over landmark court cases I have formed my own opinion regarding checks and balances. I believe that the most accurate definition and embodiment of the checks and balances system comes from Judicial Review. Judicial review is the power granted to the Judicial branch of government that allows the Supreme Court to decide if a court decision or if a law made by one of the other branches- legislative or executive branch, or any other state government courts and agencies is constitutional or not. If you really look closely at the definition of judicial review, it makes sense why I believe this to embody balance in our government.      Isn't our government, at its core, built upon the words of the constitution? Isn't the constitution designed to be the backbone of America, the very governing document? If judicial review is the privilege to decipher if laws and proceedings are in line with the governing document, then that makes this privilege the ultimate sense of balance and harmony. This power ultimately give the Supreme Court the power to declare laws null and void, which ensures the protection and validity of our standing constitution. 

In The Public Eye

     As most everyone has come to realize, image is everything. I’m not necessarily referring to hair color or the color of your button down, rather your persona. The personal image a person presents to the world is vital to their reputation. It creates the expectations people hold for you and the favorable feelings they may or may not hold towards you. Image is especially crucial for political figures, as their success relies on having the support of people. In order to gain someone’s support, a degree of respect, admiration, or trust is needed. The media is often ready to jump on stories that reveal information that their readers were not expecting about relevant individuals. 
     I read an article on 5W Public Relations that discussed ways how the way politician Bernie Sanders may have tarnished his reputation with one person declaring they will definitely not be voting for Sanders any longer. Bernie Sanders ate a restaurant and after his dining experience the restaurant's owner was quoted as describing Sanders as “rude and cranky.” The owner added another statement that I found to perfectly embody the power of PR with “anyone in the public eye needs to understand when it's time to order room service." What he means by this is that he understands those in the public eye cannot be perfect all the time, but when they are choosing to present themselves to the public they should make certain they are presenting an image and persona that is consistent with the reputation they wish to uphold. 
     As a student who is majoring in the field of communications, a story like this is rather relevant to me because it shows the reality behind many of the lectures I have sat through. It encompasses an integral aspect to the world of communications and how we interact with others by showing the power of our behavioral presence and image.

Emoticon or Emotionless

     I do not go a single day without sending an emoticon or receiving one. Not a single day. I had never really stopped to give these emoticons any deeper thought until a fellow student presented on the invention of emoticons today in class. 
     It was my birthday on Saturday and I began thinking about how many people wished me a Happy Birthday. I realized that I only got two phone calls- from my parents and from my sister. Not even my own brother called me on the phone. Instead, I got a text with emoticons. Is there really any true meaning in that? In sending someone a red heart emoticon rather than called them and telling them you love them in your own voice with your own words? My aunts, uncles, and cousins all texted me too and every one of those texts had emoticons. It is as though these colorful and cute icons suffice as showing our feelings to those we care about, even on the most important days of their lives. 
     Has this invention helped us to communicate our emotions more or has it really just made us emotionless? I can't even count the amount of times I sent back a laughing emoticon to a text while having a completely blank face, often times not even a smirk across my face. What does that say about me? About us? Are we all just liars? It is hard to feel like we are living in the age of ultimate communication when I received over thirty Happy Birthday wishes, but only two of those came with an actual voice. New emoticons come out all the time, and those are just new ways for us to "express" ourselves over text with less actual words and thought process of our own, but ultimately with less feeling.

A Little Light Goes a Long Way

     This week we did presentations on various inventions that affected society in one way or another. I chose to do my research on the invention of the lightbulb. I was surprised by many of the facts I came across and in awe at some of my final realizations. It surprised me to learn that there had been other working forms of electric light before Thomas Edison's famous lightbulb. I had just always been told in school and growing up that "Thomas Edison invented the lightbulb" and that was that. No one had ever bothered to unveil the many underlying stories behind and beneath that statement. 
     Thomas Edison spent years perfecting his incandescent light bulb and would not stop until it worked how he had imagined. It is easy to think of inventors and their grand inventions and feel as though their accomplishments are on scales so unattainable. They are often geniuses, but what really defines a genius? Thomas Edison could not just invent the lightbulb in one day and know all of the answers, he had to work at it. He had to believe in his own idea so fervently that no outside comment or opinion could stifle his faith and persistence. This is the part that is most admirable, it has less to do with his mind and much more to do with character. That is the true genius, because it is rare. 
       People with an unstoppable drive and dreams that soar upward and on infinitely are not born every day and probably cannot be taught to be that way. It is a sort of special light that some people possess by allowing it to exist. It is the people who never turned off their light when others confronted them with realities, it is the people who believe in every possibility- those are the people who create new realities.