360 Degrees: Do violent video games cause aggression in kids?

One if the most popular past times for americand kids are video games. Countless of children spend hours on end pressing buttons to achieve a goal that has been set by the game. Unlike television, the child is actually controlling what happens on the screen, this makes playing video games a lot more intimate than just watching television. This interaction has risen questions about whether or not violent video games can cause aggression. Many parents are worried about this theory and want to know if they should let their kids play violent video games or not. I personally do not believe that violent video games cause aggression. I think that kids who play video games and get into trouble are born with an inclination to be mischevious. I think it's unfair for people to blame video games for aggression when it can be multiple factors, such as their environment and upbringing. If anything, video games give kids a way to vent their frustrations.
As I am writing in support for not blaming video games for aggression, I cannot help but remember the countless times I have been left pissed off over dieing or losing in a video game. I can get incredibly frusturated over something as insignificant as a video game. This gives me a different opinion about the affects of video games. I guess more research needs to be done to figure out whether or not violent video games really do cause aggression. Also, I wonder if playing video games actually is a good way to relieve oneself from frustration.

Connections: Two Leaders

In class, we watched Martin Luther King's famous "I Have A Dream" speech. It was easy to see how good of a speaker he was. All of his words were spoken with belief and conviction, the energy from watching just the video was amazing. This speech reminded me a lot of Obama's speech at the inaguration. Not only because both speakers are African American, but how similar the impact of their words had on the crowd. In Martin Luther's King's time, an idea of having an African American president was absurd. But now after forty years, America is welcoming their first African American president. Many of the dreams that Martin Luther King mentioned in his speech have come true, even one that was not mentioned.

Metacognition: Shadow: First Semester

I came into humanities thinking that it would be a class similar to the basic English classes I have taken through out high school, but from the first day I knew I was mistaken. More in depth thinking is required for this type of class and a willingness to attempt to think abstractly. I believe I have been able to succeed in humanities by first being open to what is in front of me and secondly, analyzing what is being said. Vertical listening has been an important technique because it forces you to pay attention and feel whatever is being present ed's full force.

Humanities has shown me many things I had never seen. Everyday there is a chance that I will get to experience something I have never even been aware of. This anticipation motivates my thinking and willingness to concentrate on a difficult concept. What surprises me most about my thinking is how visual it is. When we discuss Sophie's World I put myself in the characters shoes and try to experience the full effect of the story. This visualization is also one of the things I like most about my thinking since it can make most things really surreal.

I am surprised at how little thought I put into the events that are happening around me. While others are stressed out about what is happening in our society, I block out what I have learned is happening. I believe this is a problem with my thought process because I do not improve my understanding of a situation by ignoring it. There is little stimulation in my brain when it comes to comprehending societal issues. I believe that I can improve my awareness though by learning more about issues instead of ignoring them.

Blogging Around

Vedran Svraka:
I also held a negative perception towards philosophy at first. Like you, I thought that I would be bored out of my mind during discussions, but i now find a lot of what we speak about interesting. I believe that philosophy is a tool that one can use to improve their way of life.

Ryan Riordan:
I also have been thinking about the future of our planet. Global warming's effects are starting to show more and more. I agree that we have to be more conservative in the way we live. Smart cars are a smart way to stop pollution. All though I would probably never buy a smart car, because I like to drive fast and I think they look kind of lame, I believe that it is a good foundation for other car manufactures to build off of.

Research: Lebanon

A big part of Sophie's World is Hilde's father fighting in Lebanon. This conflict began in 1975 and lasted for six years. It can be best characterized as a civil war between Muslims and Christians. The fighting was caused by a Christian leader and a Muslim General. Also, many Muslims and Christians were uncivil towards each other. Three major militias were created: the Christians, Sunni, and the Shi'a. 150,000 people were killed and another 200,000 wounded. This information gave me a better idea of how Albert must have felt.







http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/lebanon.htm

imedia: David Sides

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9hzHcxRuas

The song "Buy You a Drink" is considered hip hop, but this adaptation of it transforms it into a completely different song. The piano sounds exactly like the actual song. Also, the words are reflected by the melody. Initially I did not like the orignal version of the song. I felt like the singer's voice was altered too much with computers. But this piano cover swayed my opinion of it. I realized just how melodic and smooth the song actually was. I am also really impressed with David Side's ability to figure out the songs he plays. I play a little piano and I know how hard it is to figure out songs by ear.
I believe that this song is culturally relevant because it promotes listening to a wider range of music. Normally kids who listen to hip hop would not listen to solely a piano, but David Side's arrangement has brought two completely different styles of music together. Ulitimately exposing new music to people. I believe that David Side's has discovered a way to get people to listen to a wider range of music.

Blogging Around: Vedran and J.T.

Vedran: I agree with your thoughts on cellphones. People do take their cellphones for granted. Now a days, there are cellphones that are basically computers in your pocket. I have also been saved by a phonecall to one of my friends to find out the homework. Cellphones have seriously revolutionized communication.

J.T.: I had the same experience you had while listening to Maple Leaf Rag. At first I just enjoyed the song a little bit when I listened to the left and right hands. But when I heard Maple Leaf Rag in its entirety i realized just how great it was. The piece also calmed me down and made me feel more relaxed. Over all Maple Leaf Rag was enjoyable.