Final Blog

These past fifteen weeks have truly been unforgettable. I can honestly say that this has been my most challenging class at Antelope Valley College, but I have learned the most from it. When I first began this class, I thought it would be a walk in the park because English classes have never been too much of a challenge for me. But oh boy was I wrong! This class has been everything but leisure. Believe it or not, I actually worried throughout the semester if I was going to be able to make it till the end. I really thought long and hard about withdrawing from the class, but to me that would be considered quitting, and I always try my hardest to never quit. I am so thankful that I persevered through this class because I have learned so much from it. From doing all of our reading and writing assignments, I have grown a lot as a student. And furthermore, what I have learned in this class will help me in the future, both as a student and as a person. Not only have I learned academically, but I have also learned how to mange my time with all the work we were given throughout the weeks. Between practice, away games, work, and my four other classes it was hard for me to squeeze the all the work into my schedule. I probably pulled out all my hair and have permanent bags under my eyes from all the stress of this semester. I will be the first one to say the work load in this class is out of this world, but it all pays off in the end. And I must say I am proud of myself for working through it all. Looking back, I remember freaking out after our first essays were graded. I did horrible, and it was the first time I realized how much essay grades factored into our overall grade. After that first essay, my grade had dropped so low! I freaked! But now as the end draws near, I have worked so hard and I am so close to getting that A that I have wanted so long. Wish me luck!

Even though I never got to meet my classmates face to face, I feel like I really did get to know a lot of you. From reading blogs to participating in group discussions I wish you all good luck as we are heading toward the end of the semester. Do not give in now and work hard these last two weeks. And no matter how you finish the class take pride in the fact that you made it through. Lastly, I thank all of my classmates and Professor Gross for making this course a great experience for me.

On Critical Thinking, Again

At the beginning of the semester, I had a good Idea of what critically thinking was, but throughout the semester I learned even more and more of what critically thinking entails. Upon begging this class I knew that to think critical means to take a look further than what things seem to be on the outside and to read between the lines, however from my participation in this class I have learned so much more about thinking critically. Like spotting the use of an illogical fallacy in an argument, or how ethos, pathos, and logos can be used to persuade a person, how to use inductive and deductive reasoning, articulate biases and even to recognize when someone is bullshitting. As I stated when I was first asked this question, it is often said that the average human only uses ten percent of its brain. If we could use more than ten percent of our brain, imagine what intellectual powers we could possibly tap into. I am sure that upon leaving this class I have learned to use more than ten percent of my brain. Not only have I learned the importance of thinking critically, I have applied my critical thinking skills to my whole life. Often, when I am in class listening to a lecture I try to find any fallacies in my teacher’s arguments. When I read from text-books, or even watching the seven o’ clock news I think critically about every bit of information I receive and try to figure out if it is bullshit or legitimate information. And when a friend is trying to persuade me, I take notice if they are using pathos, ethos, or logos. Overall, I have learned that critical thinking is so much more than just analyzing something. We can analyze something without truly thinking critically, but it is what we do with the information we analyze that manners. Earlier in the semester I said that “I am greatly looking forward to sharpening my critical thinking and reading skills in this class. I hope that my abilities to analyze writings will transfer over to even more aspects of my life including academic areas and a more in-depth look as to the way I view the world in general.” Well, my hopes have been fulfilled, and the way I look at the world has most definitely changed. And believe it or not, thinking critically has helped me in my other classes so much, now whenever I get an assignment I am eager to begin analyzing away at it.

RLIT

Ah, the research project. Normally I hear the word research and get really excited. In fact it is probably my favorite part of learning. For the most part I enjoy research so much because it allows you to learn things that you never would have known, but the hard part about researching this topic is that there are very limited sources on Reading Lolita in Tehran. But I have found ebsc host, a tool that I have used in my other classes, to help me find more scholarly sources on the subject matter. I used to hate ebsco with a passion, but with this project it seems to be a lifesaver. As of now I am still researching and putting together what I really want to write about. Normally I can jump right in on a paper and start writing right away. But this time is different for some reason. My mind is drawing a blank, and I have no idea where to even begin. Surprisingly, it was hard for me to formulate a thesis for this paper. I really had to push myself to think through it. It will also be hard for me to meet the required page minimum. I have always been a concise writer, short and straight to the point, and I simply can not go on and on about this subject. Do not get me wrong, six pages is in no way difficult, and it does not even come close to the longest paper I have written, but for this topic matter it exceeds what I really have to write about. Another thing I am struggling with lately is time management. Having a research paper due this time of year is everything but pleasant. It is getting busier at work with the holidays coming up; the work load in my four other classes is just about tripling; I will have to take time away from it all for thanksgiving next week; and playoffs are coming up and my team is spending more time in the gym than ever—and all this means is less time I can devote to this project, and even our other assignments for that matter. In fact just allocating and reading the second novel has been an issue. By the time I finally could find a moment to read it, I would fall asleep within ten minutes! Finally I was able to buckle down and finish it. But for now, I am slowly moving along chugging through the project.

Consequences of Internet Communcation

In the past decade nothing has grown faster than internet communication. Myspace, Facebook, instant messaging have all become the new source of human interaction. It is unarguable that the internet and cyber technology are great mediums to communicate with one another, to express ones self, and to update your status, but all this comes with a cost. Often we do not remember that the information we put into the cyber world stays there forever and has the potential to be viewed by anyone. This being said, too many of us frivolously tell all of our private life’s online, not realizing the internet is a public forum—and sometimes some of the information we give comes along with some major unwanted consequences. I have always tried to pay close attention to the things that I post online, but sometimes things do slip through the cracks. One time I posted a picture of my best friend and me in a provocative pose with a provocative caption. The picture was flirty to say the least, but I never though of it as more than a joke—but that all changed. Even though the picture I posted was private and only viewable by certain people, I did not realize that people could take it for more than it really was. My teammates all saw the picture, which I was ok with, but I did not realize that my coaches would also see the picture. I have always wanted my coaches and my elders to have respect for me, but this picture had reeked everything but respectful! Needless to say this was a big deal to me and I immediately removed the picture, but it was too late. I am not the only one who has had this experience. I have even had friends who were passed over for job opportunities because their would-be employers did not approve of the content on their Myspace of Facebook pages. Technology has made it very simple for anyone to do a Google search and find everything from your twitter account to a blog and even personal photos on Facebook. We have to realize that everything on the internet can be seen by someone, somewhere. Since my mishap with the internet, I have always paid special attention to what I put online. You never know who will see it and the effects this could eventually have on you.

Writing. Writing. Writing

Of all of our somewhat tedious assignments in this class including blogging, responding, group work, discussion boards, essay writing, pear draft reviews, critically thinking assignments and more, I have been tired and stressed out to the point of no return, but I can truly say that my writing has greatly improved. I know that I have benefited most from the essays assigned to us in the EL Critically Thinking Book. Although I must admit that sometimes they are a drag, reading the essays have made me a better writer and a more critical thinker. The essays in the book are so diverse and they have opened my mind to new interesting subjects. By reading all the essays, I was exposed to a variety of authors and their different styles, voice, and form. I have also expanded my knowledge of a lot of subjects and I have more ideas on what to write about. Furthermore blogging has helped improve my writing tremendously. Having an actual written assignment due every week has been great. Not only do I get to express my ideas, but I also get to practice my writing, and we all know that practice makes perfect. I believe a person can never get enough practice no matter how talented he or she may be, so being forced to constantly write has come along with some great improvements. Blogging has also been helpful for me because for the most part I have had the choice to write about subjects that I am truly interested in. That way I did not get the dreaded writers block and I rarely ran out of ideas. The reader’s discussion forum has been yet another tool that has helped me become a better writer in terms of critically thinking. For me, the hardest part of the Readers Forum is not answering the previous question, but thinking of a question to ask. Asking questions in that forum makes me think hard and critically. I truly believe that practicing this type of critical questioning helped improve my writing and critical thinking. Peer draft review is the ultimate tool that has helped to improve my writing. For one, having my writing analyzed and critiqued by my peers is tremendously helpful. Seeing others opinions about my writings and having things that I overlooked fixed is great. But also reviewing my classmates writing has been very helpful to me. By looking over their papers I can also see where I may have gone wrong in my papers and I also get to see how others express themselves. All in all, even though the assignments we have in this class have come in loads, I have considerably helped me improve my writing skills.

Politcal Cartoons

When you look at a newspaper or any editorial the first thing that catches your attention is the editorial cartoons. We share them with friends and post them on refrigerators and office doors. Political cartoons are arguably the simplest and most powerful form of communication that symbolizes a topic of interest, and most often that topic is one of great controversy. Because political cartoons are a combination of verbal and visual satire, it comes as no surprise that many political cartoons are often extremely offensive. A political cartoon published in the South African Sunday times is a prime example of just how offensive these cartoons can get. South African cartoonist Jonathan Shapiro’s derogatory drawing was offensive to me, and was the source of world wide controversy. Shapiro drew a vicious, downright disturbing image of the ANC (the South African ruling party) leader Jacob Zuma unbuckling his belt, looking down on a woman labeled “Justice System,” blindfolded and held down by leering men. The cartoon shows Zuma preparing to rape the justice system, portrayed as a blindfolded woman pinned down by Zuma’s political allies including the ANC, the Communist Party, unions and the ANC Youth League holding the woman or the “justice system” down and rooting Zuma to “go for it”. In other words Zuma was preparing to rape the justice system. It is important to remember that Zuma’s leadership has been characterized by corruption and he has even been accused of rape. In the second part of the political cartoon, president Zuma, standing with his pants unbuckled warns that he “respects” the justice system that he is about to rape. I must admit, that I understand and agree with the point that Shapiro was trying to make with his cartoon, and that is that Zuma is taking pure advantage of the South African justice system. Zuma is in fact a corrupted leader, but this cartoon is still offensive due to its graphic nature. In the picture, we do not get to see that Zuma is raping the justice system, we only see him and his allies’ gang rapping a woman, and we can all agree that seeing images of a woman about to get gang raped is in no way appropriate to be printed in a nationwide news source. And furthermore comparing the leaders corruption to the lewd act of rape is also something that needs to be reconsidered. I must say that even though I find this cartoon highly offensive, and I do think that Shapiro could have expressed his views in another way, I feel that Shapiro has the right to draw and publish whatever he wants.

Free Speach V. Abusive Language

In no way do I take the privilege of having my first amendment right to free speech for granted but I do feel that we as a society are too hypersensitive and need to wake up and stop letting what others say about us have such huge effects on us. Nevertheless, I am very considerate to the needs of others around me and do feel that outward use of abusive language toward another individual is wrong and is not something that I would take part in. So when asked if I would sign an agreement to refrain from using such language to gain acceptance into my school, then I would sign, but I would do so reluctantly. In my opinion there is nothing wrong with agreeing to not using offensive language. Actually, in my opinion, an agreement should not be necessary and its existence shows the true character of people in our society. Are we that rude and inconsiderate? I cannot understand what motivates people to be so disrespectful, and it is disappointing that so many people are. The way I was raised you never use this type of language and offend people, even if you do not agree with the person, and I do not know how a person can be heartless enough to fix their lips to hurt another person.
Even still, upon signing the agreement I would be very suspicious of my right to free speech being oppressed. My right to say what I want to when and where I want to is ultimately compromised by signing this agreement, and if it were not for positive means, I under normal situations I would never sign such a thing that takes away my right to free speech, but since this promotes social ‘behavior adjustment’ I would in fact sign.

Reading Lolita

A memoir, a social history, and a literary criticism all wrapped in one, Reading Lolita in Tehran is an outstanding novel that opens the door to many complex subjects to the government and cultural issues in Iran and the world. Being New York’s Times number one best seller, the significance of this memoir is of no doubt.

In the true story set in a time of everything but peacefulness, highlights the experiences, the trials, and the tribulations held by English literature professor and her students, we learn that freedom is something not to be held lightly. Due to the oppressive nature on women in Iran, Professor Nafisi was forced to resign from her teaching career at the Iranian university. Soon after, she gathered seven of her best students, all female, and together they attended secret weekly studies of western literature from the confines of her own home. The books they read were banned by the Iranian government, and they often had to share photocopied pages of the illegal texts. For years the met with each other to share and to talk and to "shed their mandatory veils and robes and burst into color." The meetings provided liberation for them under strict Islamic rule.

Threaded into the memoir are incisive discussions of the literary works of F. Scott Fitzgerald, Jane Austen, George Orwell, and other great western authors who provided the women with examples of those who successfully defeated obsession despite the challenges they faced. It in turn encouraged them to revolt against the blatant authoritarianism and repression in both large and small ways.

After reading this novel, I would recommend that everyone reads also reads it, and I think it would be especially appreciated by any one with even the tiniest interest in literature and foreign social or cultural issues. Reading Lolita in Tehran is enlightening and reminds us to take every advantage of all the freedom we are blessed with and to not to take them for granted. We must remember that some are not blessed with the right to read, watch, or even think about certain subject matters, and even the smallest liberating topics such as the freedom to dress how one pleases is not always guaranteed. All in all, Reading Lolita in Tehran is an outstanding read that emphasizes the relationship between life, literature, and liberty, and should be on the bookshelves of every home.

Lets not be Politically Correct:

We too often stray from using our words and replace them with others because we are worried to offend and stress on being politically correct. In fact, we have become so focused on being politically correct that we stray further and further from the message we are trying to communicate. Political correctness can better be defined as conforming language, ideas, policies, or behavior in order not to be offensive. The idea of conforming is not a looked upon platform of our society, so why should we conform our language, the tool we use to express ourselves? Furthermore, conversation and speech is a natural and necessary human process, and if we conform in our communication and language by being politically correct, then we ultimately reduce the human status. We need to be a little less sensitive and get beyond the point of political correctness, and just say what we need to say. Our overbearing consciousness of being political correct has had a great effect on how we use language, and ultimately our language is suffering from it. Rather than being straight forward and effectively communicating, our focus on being political correct has lead to cliché, vague, terms that are confusing and open to misinterpretation. Nowadays we can barely even describe a person without seeming sexist, racist, or close-minded. For example, political correctness placed on gender roles has been blown out of proportion. I see no harm in using words such as congressMAN or policeMAN. I mean are we all not huMAN? And why should us women stress about being called a waitress or a hostess? I like the fact that my womanhood is acknowledged. We also stress way too much on being politically correct in regards to race and ethnicity. One trip of the tongue and a person can be labeled racist for ever. Recently I had a conversation with one of my teachers and she asked if I preferred to be addressed as black or African-American. I told her black is fine, my descendants could have came from Africa over 400 years ago. I am just as American as her, why stress the point? When I travel abroad, I am first viewed as American who is black. Not African-American. All in all, both words can be used interchangeably with no harm done. Nevertheless, my teacher said the school stressed that African-American was the politically correct term, and the only one that should be used in the classroom. The point here is why do we narrow our language and over exaggerate situations to make others feel comfortable. Instead of saying what is on our minds, we have to check and rephrase ourselves, and too often our original message does not get conveyed appropriately. Not only do we tailor our language in racist and sexist situations, however we use it in regards to a persons mental status. We are scolded for using the word retarded, but is mentally challenged really a better choice? We are careful not to offend people in their relationship choices— not gay, rather alternative lifestyle. Alternative lifestyle can describe many situations, why must we confuse ourselves? We use political corrective-ness to describe anything of negative or awkward connotation. Are we really that fearful of being uncomfortable and does every situation need to be one of bliss? Overall, political language which is supposed to shed light on a situation is dimming our language.

English and the Global Economy

After Mandarin, English is the second most spoken language in the world, and unlike mandarin which is predominantly only used in Asian countries, English is used in just about every corner of the world. Through political alliances, trading blocs, and technological innovations, it comes as no surprise that English is achieving a special status in being a global language and becoming recognized by almost every country. The prevalence of English is obvious. Just flick on the news, and we find that people in foreign nations reporting stories in fluent English. English is even the most taught second language in the world, and over 80 percent of what is on the internet is published in English, despite the fact that non-English speakers are the fastest group of growing internet users. Take a visit to a foreign country and you will instantly recognize the use of English. Billboards, street signs, and even dinner menus are written in both the native language and English.

With all this in consideration, it only makes since that English also has a significant impact on the global economy, and it is hard to imagine what incredible challenges nonnative speakers face when trying to compete in a global economy dominated by a single language. English is the language of many trade alliances including the Asian trade group ASEAN, who has established a free trade market area within several Asian countries. ASEAN is currently negotiating free trade agreement with the European Union where English is the official language of the European Central Bank, despite the fact that no predominantly English speaking nation is a member of the European monetary union. However without the common language of English, there would be many more barriers ultimately resulting in less international trade.

Even in the western side of the world, English has a great influence on the global economy. For example, the United States free trade agreement with Canada (where English and French are the official language) and Mexico (where Spanish is the official language), the use of English is required for it to survive. The united states is also actively involved in trade with many international countries including Central America, Israel, Jordan, Chile, Singapore, Bahrain, Peru, Morocco, and Oman to name a few. As a major developed nation, the United States economy and industry has relied heavily on the import of raw materials and the export of finished goods. It would come as a major deficit without the knowledge of English within these trade systems. Not only does English influence the global economy through the way of trade. But also English is the language of businesses and corporations through out the world. With the large numbers of multinational corporations, English has become important in the work place for employers and employees alike.

Because the importance of English in the global economy, many cultures are making moves to ensure that they can also compete. Many nations such as Mexico are actively implementing that English as a Second Language a requirement in schools. Many countries are also making the move to add English as an official language.

It goes without saying that English has a huge influence on the world, especially in our global economies. Because of this influence, I foretell that English will continue to grow even faster and continue to spread through out the world.

Saying Is Believing

The way a writer reaches out to the reader is the same way a speaker reaches out to its audience, and we as readers or listeners want clarity and understanding of the point trying to be conveyed. Saying is Believing by Patricia T. O’ Connor provided some great tips for me in improving and making my writing clearer. She puts it best when she says “A good writer is one you can read without breaking a sweat”. I could not agree more. In my opinion, a good writer is understandable and clear, and O’Connor provides some great insight on how to be a better writer. According to O’Connor, a good writer can directly express their point, avoids redundancy, and puts their ideas in an order that is easily understood. There are a couple of tips that O’Connor offered are particularly helpful for me. The first was not to belabor the obvious. In other words, the reader will understand the point better without extra prepositional phrases, something I do too often in my writing. The second tip was especially helpful for me, that is to just repeat a word that fits instead of using an ill fitted substitute. Often I tie myself in a knot trying to figure out different words to use instead of just repeating a word, when in fact it is often a lot easier for a reader to understand if I do just repeat the word. Lastly, but most importantly is to use an active voice by being direct. To be direct it is important to say what you have to say, and stop when you have said it. The active voice can help both readers and writers because it provides clarity. O’Conner also states that many people are brainwashed to believe that the more brilliant the writer, the tougher going. By this she means that people tend to believe that bigger of more confusing words and statements, the writer is smarter and the text is ultimately better. Often this is simply not the case. I agree that a good writer has the ability to take complex ideas and express them with clarity, instead of confusing the reader. If the reader is forced to use a dictionary just to understand every other word, or if statements are so complex that it is hard to comprehend, the writing may not be so great after all. I am very fortunate to have read these tips that O’Connor has provided, and look forward to using them in my future writings.

Language that Inspired Change:

Language, an emotion-filled sound that rolls of our tongues rooting from our deepest inner thoughts and subsequently stems out to those around us ultimately enables our fellow people to absorb our thoughts and ideas. The boundaries of language are the boundaries of this world, not only do we use it transmit and receive information, it is powerful beyond measure. It is filled with emotion, it gives us a passageway to expression, it appeals to our intellect, and it inspires us. One of the most inspirational examples where language has prevailed in moving the masses is in civil rights activist Martin Luther King, Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech. On the steps of the Lincoln memorial, during a time when the civil rights movement was becoming heated, King delivered a speech that still inspires change to this very moment. King won the hearts over of all those assembled there that day when he spoke. “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood." The language King uses appeals to our hearts, our emotions, and our intellect. It is sincere, emotion filled, and selfless. He inspires us to try our hardest make this beautiful dream come alive. Even the location of the speech could not have been better suited. The Lincoln Memorial, the very place that symbolizes the very dream that King spoke about was a perfect backdrop to a speech that inspired change and the advancement of human civil rights. Lincoln’s leadership and integrity is one that will for ever be forever remembered and looked up to as greatness. The memorial of President Lincoln, a man who stood up in the face of adversity and is immortalized for pushing for change and for the abolishment of oppression in slavery, greatly contributed to Kings speech. The location chosen was well suited and greatly symbolic.
The “I Have a Dream” speech will forever be a huge part of history. It inspired change and gave hope in hearts of everyone around this country.

On Indifference:

Indifferent:

Why are we plagued with the inability to choose a side and stand up for what we believe in? What fear do we have in challenging the status quo, especially in the face of adversity? Why is it that we remain indifferent? In a speech given by noble peace prize winner Elie Weisel it was put best, “indifference can be tempting -- more than that, seductive. It is so much easier to look away from victims. It is so much easier to avoid such rude interruptions to our work, our dreams, our hopes. It is, after all, awkward, troublesome, to be involved in another person's pain and despair. Yet, for the person who is indifferent, his or her neighbor are of no consequence. And, therefore, their lives are meaningless. Their hidden or even visible anguish is of no interest. Indifference reduces the other to an abstraction.” Weisel describes this indifference perfectly. We remain indifferent for fear of prosecution, fear of butting heads with adversity and fear of butting heads with others. We are tempted to remain indifferent to stick with the status quo, and to not stand out. But our fears that cause us to remain indifferent are only out of complete selfishness, for the protection of ourselves, and to take the easy road. It will be fate of man that takes the easy road and makes the decision to remain indifferent. To this very day, we must take action to make a change. If we disagree on a political situation, our voices can be heard through polls and protesting. We cannot let our voices be silenced because we think we are the minority, for if we speak up, we can be the majority. Similarly to Weisel, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. is a key example to us of the strides we can make if we choose not to be beleaguered by indifference. After being thrown into jail for peacefully protesting for human rights, King wrote letters to those criticizing his decision not to be indifferent. He responded in his Letter from Birmingham Jail, where he stated “We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people”, and King is absolutely correct. The silence of the good people can only contribute more to the bad people, for if your voice is not heard hen how will your opinion ever be advanced? If we remain silent and indifferent in our beliefs, we might as well not hold that belief at all. We must not give into the temptation and seduction of indifference that Weisel so accurately described, rather we must always surpass it. We can not just look away at the victims, we must stand up for them, for if we do not, who else will? To selflessly involve ourselves will bring us more good than selfishly avoiding the problem. If we as a people do not take charge and stand up for whatever we believe is right, even in the face of adversity, then we will never move forward. It is vital that we are not indifferent and choose a side, and for those of us who even still choose to remain indifferent, we will have to repent for your appalling silence.

Power of Language

Language plays a very important role in our lives. It empowers us to inform, to express, and to influence those around us. Most of us have experienced a defining moment in which the power of language has had a great effect in our lives. I also have had many experiences where I also have felt the power of language. I first realized the importance of language while traveling to Mexico. I speak very little Spanish and I learned that what they teach you in high school is completely different from what you actually need to understand and comprehend. Through a lack of being able to communicate verbally, I learned that non-verbal communication is very important in the presence of a language barrier. By using certain facial expressions, gestures, eye contact, posture, and even changing the tone of my voice, I was able to more effectively communicate. I found that non-verbal communication is also important in even when no language barrier exists.
By far, I would have to say that the use of language in developing relationships has greatly proven to me how important language is in communicating and expressing myself. The way I communicate to another person greatly effects the way the relationship will function. It is important to use language so each person in the relationship knows exactly how the other person feels.
Language also has a powerful affect with teams. It is an integral part of our success that my volleyball team uses language to effectively communicate with each other both on and off the court. It is important to know what plays our teammates want to run, who will pass the ball, and to communicate what the opposing team is doing. The only way to do this is by using effective language. I also realized that by using language on the court helps keep up the intensity of the game. By speaking to my teammates it helps everyone get into the zone and ultimately play better.
All in all, I have experienced language as being a mirror, a tool, and a weapon. If used correctly, it is a mirror that allows others to get a peak into your soul, a tool to help you inform people of what is going on, or a weapon to defend or even to offend.

Being Illiterate

It is hard for me to sit here and imagine being illiterate. If I was, I would not even be able to express the thoughts that I am writing at this very moment. I could not just pick up a novel and read it for pure enjoyment, I could not surf the web, chat online with my friends, or even read the instructions for a board game. I could barely have the pleasures of the world not to mention being lost in things that are completely necessary for survival in this world. How would I read driving directions to tell me how to get to my destination, how could I make since of any bus schedule? How would I be able to place a simple order at a restaurant? Not to mention the dangers of not being able to read things such as traffic warnings or alerts that are important to know.
If I was illiterate, I would feel like a mental prisoner unable to intellectually fin for myself. I imagine being a young person and being illiterate in this country. Here, where our literacy rate is about 99.8%, it is expected that everyone knows how to read or write or else be considered dumb, unintelligent, or outright stupid, which could be totally untrue. Because of this simple reason of not wanting to be judged, I would probably try to hide the fact that I am illiterate. I would probably be resistant to ask for help in situations where it was important for me and miss out on some vital information.
What about trying to get a job, how hard would that be? Employers today all require some sort of reading proficiency. From the very start of filling out a job application, to signing a contract to reading the employee manual are obstacles I would have to face on the work force. I would be stuck working mediocre jobs for mediocre salary because I simply cannot read or write. I would feel absolutely lost in this world.
I also imagine the challenges of being illiterate parent with young children that I would face. Imagine passing a sign and your little child calling out to you “mommy what’s this sign say?” I would feel completely belittled that I could not explain to my child the meaning of the sign. Or, in the same manner, what if your child asks you to read a story at bedtime, and you simply can not, again I would feel incompetent and useless. Ultimately I feel that being illiterate is a dreadful situation. Possessing the ability to read and write is crucial in the progression of life. Imagining what life would be like if I was illiterate is hard enough and I am so thankful that I am not in that situation.

On Critical Thinking

It is often said that the average human only uses ten percent of its brain. If we could use more than ten percent of our brain, imagine what intellectual powers we could possibly tap into. Even though critical thinking is no where on the level of telekinesis or mind reading, one does not need super human powers to do it. For many, critical thinking is a deeper thought process than what most of normally use in our day to day lives. To think critical means to take a look further than what things seem to be on the outside and to read between the lines. In my opinion there are three big parts of critical thinking. The first is questioning. In other words not simply accepting something as being true or correct, but to question what the situation at hand really is. The Second is Analysis. An important step in critical thinking is analyzing what has been stated and more importantly what has not been stated. And last but not least, the third process of critical thought is evaluation. Evaluating or deciding if the subject makes sense, if it is logical, and if it is consistent with known fact is very important use to the critical thinker.

Furthermore, critical thinking is a very important ability to master, and for that reason, I always try my best to think and read critically. In order to do this I have formed some important habits whenever I read. To begin with, I always read with purpose. Rather than simply scanning the text with my eyes, I try to discover what the author’s true purpose or intent was in the writing. By doing this I tend to learn more information than just what I am being told in the writings. Another habit of mine is first scanning over the text, then going back and thoroughly and critically read and digest the text. I also always “mark up” the pages of whatever I am reading. Just open a page of any one of my books and you will find words highlighted and underlined, and tons of notes in the margins. Lastly, I find it very important to read things that maybe confuse me at first very thoroughly several times and use the context to further understand the meaning of writings.
Although most of these habits I only apply to reading, I also apply them to many other areas in my life. For example when a teacher is giving a lecture, I try to think critically about the subject to learn more about it. I am also constantly analyzing politics. In my opinion all politics have a deeper meaning which can trick the unseeing eye, and if you are not thinking critically about politics and the choices being made around you, it is easy to be deceived, and the same goes for many aspects of the media.

All in All, I am greatly looking forward to sharpening my critical thinking and reading skills in this class. I hope that my abilities to analyze writings will transfer over to even more aspects of my life including academic areas and a more in-depth look as to the way I view the world in general.