Extra Credit: The Neuroscience of Your Brain on Fiction

I really liked this article because I never knew how reading could really effect your brain in positive ways. For me, I was never big on reading, but after reading this article it intrigued me to read more so therefore I can more fully understand the complexities of my social life. In this article, it stated that reading can "produce a vivid simulation of reality" and "the opportunity to enter fully into other people's thoughts and feelings." Who knew that reading (even fiction) and engaging with characters in a book can help us relate to our real life. That is amazing to me. As stated in the article "individuals who frequently read fiction seem to be better able to understand other people, empathize with them and see the world from their perspective." Before reading this article I was already convinced that reading enhances a persons academic success and broadens their prior knowledge of many things, such as historical events and facts. But reading not only serves as entertaining purposes and teaches you things you never knew about before, it can also (as talked about in this article) produce more sensory details and feelings in your brain and aids you to learn more about yourself and about others that surround you in life to therefore better understand things going on in the world.

PBS Culture Shock

On the PBS website, Victor and I were partners in deciding whether or not a violent video game image should be used on the homepage. It wasn't hard making certain decisions together, based on the image, because we actually had the same view points. It was almost instant for us to disagree with violence in video games and the exposure to children at a young age. Violence doesn't solely come from violent video games, but it can be influenced depending on the environment you live in and the age of the viewer. Our final decision was that we don't think that the video game image should be used on the websites homepage. Victor and I were part of the minority vote which was 7% compared to 92% who said that image should be used. With the question of video games being a form of art, we agreed because of the graphics and fantasy part of it, but not the violence part being considered as art. I personally found some of the other images on the website to be offensive, not necessarily the image chosen for the homepage, although I still didn't think it should be shown for a PBS website. During the exercise, none of the quotes swayed our decision because to us the quotes weren't very powerful in changing our thoughts or perspectives on it. Only except for the last quote that says, "what if it just shows the world as it actually is", because violence is a reality of life, even though we don't think about it all the time. We think that yes, video games are there to entertain but on the other hand, violent video games are not meant for young immature children. Kids get way too into video games, let alone violent ones are even more intense, and it seems they get more angry when they lose the game. Therefore it is not an outlet for aggression, and doesn't reduce murder and mayhem. Violent video games would most likely increase crime.

Significance of people in life-Alexie post.

Name at least 3 mentors in Junior's life. Tell who they are and why they are important to him. Also explain how they help (or mentor) Junior in his journey.

-In The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, the three mentors in Junior's life are Oscar the dog, Mr. P, and Junior's sister Mary. Even though Oscar wasn't involved in the story very long, I think he still had a big impact on Junior's life. When Junior's father had to relieve Oscar of his suffering, Junior did not agree with it at all and didn't think that it was fair, just because his family didn't have enough money to take Oscar to the vet. Junior doesn't want to have to live life like that, and feel guilty because of his families poverty.  Oscar was always there for Junior not matter what and never judged him. Oscar was Junior's best buddy over anyone else in Junior's life. And he wanted so badly to take save Oscar, but had no control over it. Mr. P is another mentor for Junior because he was the one that pushed Junior into leaving the reservation and telling him that he is better than what he thinks of himself. Without Mr. P, Junior would have never gone to Reardan. Junior's sister is also a mentor to Junior. Living her whole life in the basement then getting married and moving out of state showed Junior that she was living out her dream of a romance novel, and that Junior can live out his dream as well. These 3 mentors remind Junior that he can succeed and can conquer anything he wants in his journey.

Another Six Word Memoir I randomly came up with...

Laughing is the best ab workout. 

Six Word Memoir

If you wanna let loose, dance.

How much information do you think is out there about you?-Class topic: Privacy

Privacy is something that someone is entitled to. Whether it's online or not, we all deserve it. I personally agree with Shafer's essay in, What Matters in America, that online tracking has gone too far. But I am also on the fence about how much information a person should be able to find out about someone else, through a searching engine online. We should be able to find out information about bad people, like criminals; but others, like myself who have no criminal record, shouldn't have much information come up when we are "searched." Privacy is all about staying safe, and when it comes to other people, we want to know all about them, but we don't want them knowing anything about us. Interesting...

Which A.T.D. cartoon stood out to you?

Analysis of The Absolutely True Diary Cartoon

“What are you drawing??” Rowdy and the latest issue of Casper the Friendly Ghost. “He hates when I draw him! Never lets me finish.” Cartoon Page 23

- I picked this cartoon because it really drew my attention. At first glance it looks like this crazy drawing of an angry face. But when you take a closer look, it is actually Rowdy calmly reading comics in the background. His face is “ghostly” hidden behind the crazy angry face. The message is that on the outside, Rowdy mostly looks like a normal boy, but at times when he gets angry, his alter ego comes out and he looks quite scary. That drawing of Rowdy’s face is how Junior portrays him when he gets mad. Even though this picture is ballistic, I like this cartoon because it symbolizes the friendship that Junior and Rowdy have together. Rowdy gets so upset when Junior draws him, but yet he still supports him drawing.