Spring Break

Let’s face it. Before we go on any vacations, whether it is winter or summer break, we see warnings all over campus to act responsibly. However, there is some implication that spring break is at least ten times more dangerous, and more posters warning us all over campus will discourage us from engaging in irresponsible activities. Why is it that the commonplace of reckless behavior being so prominent during spring break has become so engraved in our culture?  Perhaps it’s the movies thast show off unrealistic scenarios where people go wild, and there are no consequences. However, when students see this, then all the “don’t let it be you” signs egging them on, these warning posters seem to have an opposite effect.  

MTV.com

The point of this post is not to imply that the concept of Spring Break is really just an overrated hype up to get people to blow money;  what people opt to do on Spring Break is overrated. Some people prefer to come home during  this week  to visit their families and friends. Though, there are others who choose to got to Panama City, Cancun, or Jamaica, because of reality shows. After midterms, we all want to blow off steam. Making ourselves feel as though we are playing a role as those crazy movie stars, so many people convince themselves that they are really relaxing. Thousands of dollars later, bad choices, and perhaps many under ages, people come back and spread stories that their time was “great.” I love to travel, but I also like to remember my vacations. My dream is not to play a character of The Hangover. My dream is to have a good time, but not live up to the typical classification of a reckless college student. I feel as if people would stop the warning, perhaps the hypes would simmer down. Students should still be warned, but too much emphasis can have opposite effects from the intended message.

OMG

How many of you heard, or even used, the popular phrase of Paris Hilton, "TTYN?" Or even "OMG", "LOL," "Rofl," and so many more. These shortened "words" that have crept into, yes, modern dictionaries, are being used not only in texting and on Facebook, but on reality shows and even as in the example before, Paris Hilton's reality T.V show.

Now how credible is a show that cannot even use a full sentence, or even one that makes sense nonetheless (talk to you never; really?). These initialisms are not just a phase of our generation, but are making their way into the Oxford Dictionary Online, and not just Urban Dictionary. These initialisms will stick through generations, and as we get lazier, they will become a common part of our everyday language usage. Imagine turning in a paper that contained the phrase "Idk what this means but its w.e." I could only imagine the heart attack my professor would have.

These "words" are also developing, as other commonly used words, double meanings. On Facebook I notice before someone update their status, they will insert FTK before their thoughts. I never knew what that meant. Here at Penn State I knew it meant "for the kids," as I became engaged in thon. However, that same word can mean "for the kill." Imagine trying to learn all these initialisms along with the meaning of all the other words we are expected to know as we grow older. It's like a wildfire; everyday there seems to be a new one sprouting and spreading on Facebook. I feel as though many do not know what they even mean, but just the usage of them makes people feel accepted to the new stands and norms of society.

I can't say I don’t abbreviate a lot of things. I am in the Air Force Reserve, and half our sentences are abbreviations. However, there should be a limit as to what is accepted in dictionaries, and what is pure slang.

Well, I've gtg, ttyl!

Think Before You Act

FoxNews.com

We all know what we say reflects how others view us as individuals as well as our character. Even the slightest mix up of a word can turn a whole crowd against you. Especially when dealing with sensitive subjects, one must analyze the audience and anticipate any negative outcomes. Sometimes we cannot affect what the outcome will be, depending on the issue. In other cases, it’s just using your head to know when to zip it.

Domestic violence is one issue that is not taken lightly in our nation. Following the Grammys Sunday, Brown’s two performances and one win have received significant criticism on social networks. The audience felt as though his actions were overlooked, and their pathological appeal to domestic violence victims such as his ex girlfriend had viewers heated.

Perhaps if he had shown more consideration to the public reaction, things would have flown more smoothly. However, being the most hated man on Twitter caused him to slip up and dig himself in an even deeper hole. We must always control our emotions, for all logic goes out the window when we are provoked. This is exactly what happened with Chris Brown as he responded back this week with his own vitriolic tweet: “Hate all u want becuz I got a grammy Now! That's the ultimate F--- off," the singer posted to his own Twitter account.

I’d say that is probably the worst way to handle a situation. It shows levels of high immaturity, recklessness, and inconsideration. Either Brown or his handlers also thought the same, for the tweet was deleted soon after. Not soon enough though. It reminds me of my first grade year when my teacher told us words are like a tube of toothpaste; once you squeeze the contents out, you can’t get them back in. Maybe Chris needs to hop back a couple decades to learn these values.

We Want More Power!

In class the other day we saw an advertisement with Usher on the face of a credit card. My first reaction was, “now why would I want someone else’s face on my credit card? In fact, why do we wear clothing with different names and brands on them, instead of just buying Wal-Mart brands?

The answer is pretty simple. They convey power. When we see a woman walking down the road with a Gucci purse, we can’t help but to automatically think “she’s loaded.” We live in a capitalist society in which everyone is struggling to get to the top. Sometimes in these rhetorical situations, we do not even realize that we are participating in this shallow cycle. This cycle pertains to participatory culture. This is the notion that we all are involved in the culture around us, and we can’t help it. Even if we don’t buy into a product, because we are aware of it and we understand the meaning and universal discourses associated with the product, that’s participating.

It’s human nature to want something we cannot have. Let’s take the iPod, for example. Even if we don’t like them, we still know what they are, and we still recognize them when we see them. When we do buy the product and support it, we are both participating and consuming. How many times has a new iphone come out, and we all envy those who have them? No sooner do we purchase these iphones, and there we go again saving up to buy the latest version. Not many people want to be seen with the old shuffle player, for actually fear of getting ridiculed and judged.

The enticing appearance of the power one could have if they purchased an iphone also persuades buyers into making these costly purchases. Their advertisements range from powerful looking men in business suits to everyday people who look like us, but happier. Just by watching and absorbing this information, we are participating in a consumer culture. Creepy, I know.

This I Believe Essay

I Need Comfort, not a Bandaid

Over the past couple of days, I have realized the power in those who comfort you after a loss. When we experience loss, all of varying severity, we mourn. No amount of chocolate or music can help. Being in the company of others can help, but it is merely a distraction.  Each rhetorical situation presents its own challenges, and there is not a guideline on how to go about overcoming them. It takes time and practice. We cannot anticipate certain events; we can only deal with them as they come.

To my first loss I apply the unpredictability of rhetoric wholeheartedly. We all change overtime, and our arguments reflect this. Take the rhetoric in a break-up. It can either be very smooth, or so pitiful to cause an individual to take unhealthy actions to regain what is lost. However, during a break-up the original argument of why they are leaving their partner tends to mutate according to the counter-arguments. We are usually left feeling as though the whole argument itself has been one contradictory after the next. As time passes, reasons for the break-up change. We are never certain what the real reason is, or how to go on in life alone.  It all depends on how we are comforted. The “you’ll get over it,” and “there are plenty of fish in the sea!” do not usually suffice.  That is poor rhetoric. There needs to be substance in the words that help us take that step forward. In a world that is spinning, words are our path back to reality. Words heal the pain.  Once an engagement is broken, we question the legitimacy of every word that we hear. We question its value, and consequently lose focus. We depend on the words of others to aid us, and the value of those words impact us in more ways than we could ever imagine.

Now if you are as unlucky as I have been, sometimes life throws a double loss your way. The loss of a family member can push you over the edge. At first, we do not want to hear the word sorry, or even accept the death itself. This situation is challenging on others as well, for sometimes their words do not fit our pain. Situational awareness is needed. Sometimes we can only open up to those who have gone through similar trials in life. Their pathos crosses over to us, and gives us a step in the right direction once again.  Our healing depends on the words of others. Alone it is nearly impossible to move forward, and those who try to force it never fully recover.  

Loss is difficult. Loss is painful, to say the least. Loss needs the comfort through rhetoric.  Loss needs a friendly rhetor.

A Thousand Words to Say Nothing

     How many times have our parents critiqued our generation's music? They state many common places, usually along the lines that we focus too much on technology and not enough on meaning. I hate to say it, but they might have a point. Don’t believe me? I invite you to grab your iPod and start to play a song at random. I bet at least half of you will pull up an artist such as Little Wayne, Big Sean, Nicky Minaj, LMFAO, or Lady Gaga.  All of their songs have catchy beats and music videos that draw our attention away from reality to mindless hours of YouTube surfing. Although, how many times to we stop and listen to the lyrics that are being sung?

     Directors of videos focus on making their products as exciting as the music. Throughout this  struggle, artists tend to lose a grip on the rhetoric of their lyrics and focus more on special effects and beat instead. Take Lady Gaga for example. As a world-famous provocateur, she has covered numerous themes in her songs and videos, ranging from religion to dark and mysterious themes. Her videos are original, and downright bizarre at times. However, does she focus too much on the chorography and beat of her music? I for one cannot ever explain the meaning of her song "Telephone," produced with the famous Beyoncé, nor how the video is associated with the song.

     Now, I am not implying Lady Gaga’s work has no meaning. Besides her renowned, catchy beats, many of her songs are very original. However, some of her counterparts in the music industry are even gultier of this mindless attraction. The Black Eyed Peas managed to create some strong pop gems like "Where's the Love" and "Don't Lie." So what when wrong with their video "Boom Boom Pow?" Focused on electronic beats and a continued  repetition of the line “Gotta get that Boom Boom Boom/Boom Boom Pow”, it lacks any meaning whatsoever. Though, so many listen to their music, right?

    When I go running I listen to all types of music that seems to have taken off in our current pop culture. The beat keeps up my adrenaline. However, if I’m walking to class, I honestly would like to hear some meaning behind the lyrics; something to make me ponder; a theme that can stick in my mind so I can chew over it even after it’s over. Artists like Eric Clapton and The Beatles convey messages that we as individuals can apply to our everyday lives. Their messages are free of hate, drugs, and all of the above. I think in our world today we need to slow down, and appreciate these subtle yet powerful messages that could better our society as a whole.