I think this time around I was more confident in my comments on my peer’s work. I felt more comfortable diving into his essay and figuring out what I liked and what he could work on. I felt a little less confident in my first draft of this essay than I did with my first draft of the social media essay, so it was nice to hear that I was on the right track from my peer reviewer. I think…
When constantly looking at life through a screen, we tend to not recognize social cues. Things like eye contact, crossed arms, and facial expressions can’t be seen when talking to someone through a screen, and it can be difficult to discern certain emotions through reading comments and direct messages?. As Konnikova puts it, “Some social skills may not develop as effectively if so many interactions exist online” (259). I for one know that if I just interact with people online,…
David Foster Wallace’s speech, in a nutshell, is about listening to others. One of his main points deals with the idea of virtues and how they don’t always wire in with listening. It has to do with the idea of self. Wallace says “It’s a matter of my choosing to do the work of somehow altering or getting free of my natural, hard-wired default setting which is to be deeply and literally self-centered and to see and interpret everything through…
My final thesis statement was: Social media has its benefits, however, its excessive usage desensitizes, causes personal communication deficiencies, and negates the ability to recognize social cues. I feel like my thesis is concise and has specific ideas. It could have more pizazz and be more detailed. I learned that I tend to ramble on in my writing. This essay prompt helped me figure out how to be specific in my writing (i.e using quotes to help my specific ideas)….
In this article, psychologist Paul Bloom expresses his concerns with the idea of empathy. One of his main points is empathy is a narrow subject. He compares it to spotlights “that only illuminate what they are pointed at, so empathy reflects our biases”(Bloom 1). With this claim, Bloom uses examples of how too much empathy can provide more stress on the individual receiving the empathy (he uses the Sandy Hook shootings as an example). I think he is right to…
I think as a generation that grew up with social media, we have a moral obligation to recognize when it has a negative affect on us. With that being said, it does make it more difficult to realize that we are slowly being emotionally exhausted by platforms that were created to make us feel happy. For example, when I log onto Instagram, I am surrounded by photoshopped pictures and smiling people in Cancun or the Bahamas and I start to…
During peer review it was kind of nerve wracking having someone else read my writing. Overall it wasn’t that bad. It was nice to get a second opinion before having to turn in a final draft. Reviewing someone else’s work was kind of difficult. I wanted to be nice but also give good feedback. The feedback I received was positive. My partner didn’t really find any pressing issues with my writing. This is good, but is also kind of unhelpful…
Aiden is a Social Work major at the University of New England. She is from Bow, New Hampshire. She loves Maine and plans to live here after college. Her favorite hobbies include swimming, reading, hiking, and so much more. She loves theatre and has done many shows throughout her high school career. Her favorites include Romeo and Juliet, You Can’t Take it With You, and The Little Mermaid. She plans to be a part of the UNE Players while in…
Konnikova’s essay explores the often negative effects social media has on human interaction skills. These skills, learned throughout our childhoods, include clear communication, face to face conversations, and identifying social cues. Repeated social media usage, according to Konnikova, can make “social skills not develop as effectively”(259). This diminishes brain growth and the ability to recognize conversational skills learned throughout childhood.
Revised paragraph: A good friend is someone who is empathetic, listens, and keeps others’ best interest in mind. My definition of a good friend has to do with morals and values that we as people hold (kindness, respect, and considerate). One idea that is similar between Konnikova and myself is that vital connections are made through face to face interactions. Face to face interactions shape our development as children. If kids grow up solely with virtual interactions, their conversation skills,…
