Style Academy #5

Active vs Passive Voice

Exercises
Rewrite Paragraph in Active Voice
An examination of an applicant's academic record is made by us to determine whether he has established a strong affirmative case in regard to the character of his general education, and his fitness for graduate work in his proposed subject of study. Letters of recommendation from persons who are in a position to analyze the candidate's abilities and to estimate his promise are given very serious consideration. The results of the Graduate Record Examination are used as a supplementary objective check on the candidate's aptitudes and knowledge. In the consideration of applicants, regard is given to character and promise as well as to scholastic attainment. A personal interview is not required. 

We will examine the applicant's academic record to determine whether they have established a strong affirmative case in regard to the character of their general education, and fitness for graduate work in their proposed subject of study. We give very serious consideration to letters of recommendation from persons who are in a position to analyze the candidate's abilities and to estimate the candidate's promise. The results of the Graduate Record Examination are used as a supplementary objective check on the candidate's aptitudes and knowledge. We give regard to character and promise as well as to scholastic attainment in the consideration of applicants. A personal interview is not required.

Combine the sentences into one paragraph.
On September 17, 2007, the student government at the University of Florida invited Senator John Kerry to speak at a Constitution Day forum. After his speak had ended, Kerry was asked questions by students in the audience. Soon, the moderator told students there would be no more questions, but according to eyewitnesses and police reports, Andrew Meyer, a twenty-one year old writer for the UF's student newspaper, shouted, "You will take my question because I have been listening to your crap for two hours!" The police at the forum began escorting Meyer out if the auditorium, but he broke free from their grasp and ran back to the microphone, demanding to be heard. Kerry than encouraged the police to let Meyer ask his question. As Meyer began his long, three part questions, with an obscenity thrown in, the moderator cut the power to the microphone. After he refused to sit down or stop talking, the police officers grabbed Meyer and tried to forcibly remove him, but he resisted and the police officers had to wrestle him to the ground and threaten to shock him the an X-26 Taser. He shouted, "Don't rase me, bro!" but a police officer tased him and Meyer shouted out in pain. Kyle Mitchell, a writer from The Gainsville Sun, filmed the entire event, and the video has been viewed nearly seven million times after he uploaded it to YouTube.

Review
I actually had not focused as much on active verses passive sentences as the video suggested I might have. It was very interesting to learn about the difference. At first, I wasn't really understanding was it was trying to tell me, I could sort of see the difference between active and passive, but it wasn't completely clear until I started on the exercises. It is true that making a sentence active can give it more power. Even as I am writing this paragraph, I am thinking about whether I should write my sentences active or passive. The exercises really helped me think about how I am writing my sentences normally, because in some cases it is easier for me to write in active, but in other cases I struggle to find the correct way to phrase the sentence.
I also liked who the video specified that some sentences can be active, and some can still be written as passive. Like I said, sometimes it was more natural for me to write in passive, and trying to switch it over into active just seemed awkward. Now that I have practiced writing in active instead of passive, I think I will be able to better understand the difference in my writing. It will help me write better, and be more effective in editing my writing.

Issues Paper Intro

The Christian Bible holds no direct doctrine concerning the organization of the ministry for children and young adults, except Jesus Christ’s own words to “suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me” (Matthew 19:14). In accordance to Christ’s example, the  importance of the religious education of our youth has lead us to construct a long line of institutions dedicated to just that. The first organized sunday school for youth was founded in 1780, by Robert Raikes in Gloucester, England. He wanted to give the children of the time, who were over worked and down right neglected, a better start to life by teaching them to read the Bible. This idea for a youth sunday school made its way to American pioneers by 1785. (Adams, 25) One of the most widely known church centered organization is the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA). Nearly a century after sunday schools were established, England was still a place of struggle and poverty for the youth on the streets. In London 1844, 22 year old George Williams organized the first association with 11 of his friends to study the bible and gain spiritual strength for their labored lives. The YMCA made it’s way into America just seven years later. (History - Founding) Today, the YMCA is making as big of an impact as it ever has. But it is not the only youth organization to have a lasting influence. In 1843, just one year before sunday school started in England, a man by the name of Heber C. Kimbell started the Young Gentlemen’s and Young Ladies Relief Society of Nauvoo, within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS), and under the support of the LDS prophet Joseph Smith. What started as a small youth social gathering quickly grow into a large organization of the youth of the church to learn the gospel. (Hartley) On one occasion, Joseph Smith asked the youth to help out within the community, “specifically, he asked them to fund and then build a house for a brother who was lame. In response, the youth drew up a constitution, elected officers, called monthly meetings, and opened their membership to anyone under age thirty in Nauvoo, LDS or not” (Hartley). Although many youth organizations follow this same sense of service today, many have lost the vital gospel message that they were founded on. By the 20th century, the religious education of the youth had fallen by the wayside again, until Jim Rayburn started to teach the ministry to the teenagers at a local high school. But even by the 1950’s and 60’s, the simple message of Christ being taught in those high schools and rallies around North America and England began shifting to a more relevant and relatable ministry. By the 1970’s, church leaders could see the potential of youth groups as publicity for the church to bring in the parents of those teens. The idea of a youth group had changed completely from focusing on the gospel, to simply luring people in to gain more members. By the 80’s, churches were employing extreme methods to keep the youth entertained, but even those methods did not last long, and today we see a devastating trend of youth leaving their churches after high school. (Wright)

Why did these methods not work out in the end? Where had the ministry gone wrong? It is easy to see from the downward spiral that lead to this trend, as laid out above, that youth have simply lost interest in the church. However, are youth group organizations really to blame? Today, the Young Men’s and Young Women’s organization of the the LDS church is much the same as it was at it’s founding: centered on the teaching of the gospel to the youth of the church, conducting and participating in service, and building the leadership skills of the youth within the church. But, after all this time, why has this group not seen the same decline in youth attendance? The answer can be found not in the attitude of the youth themselves, but in the changing way that the church views the youth of its ministry. Youth would be more willing to continue in their church as an adult if they are given responsibility early, were able to gain more from their church meetings personally, and feel they are contributing to the congregation as a whole.

Fairytale Fiction “The Red Path” by Lauren Matthews

Lauren’s presentation was about a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood that she is working on turning into a novella. She talked a lot about the historical and symbolic meaning behind the story. She talking about the link the story had to powerful woman and womanhood. She mentioned one retelling where Little Red was saved by a group of woman who helped her to escape the wolf by laying a path for her across a river that the wolf could not cross. Little Reds safety came by women's influence, and the story tells us how powerful that can be.

She also told us that in some of the stories, Red had to choose between a path of pins or a path of needles to make it to her destination. In some stories, she chose neither, but the choice did not seem to make a difference. The paths were a metaphor for the girls growing up and experiencing maturation. The red hood is also seen as a metaphor for this, as well as the girl going through the wolf, and back out again. It was interesting to think of the story in this way, and relate a deeper meaning to all the events beyond the normal “curiosity killed the cat” message, or something like that.

Lauren also focused a lot on the relationship between the girl and the wolf within her story. Just as the girl had to go through the wolf to reach a new understanding, the girl could not take her place in the world without her connection and struggle with the wolf. In Lauren’s tale itself, the initial encounter between the girl, Lilla, and the wolf was more of a prologue into the rest of the story. After the wolf kills her grandmother, and supposedly kills her, he lives for many years killing and stealing the skins of the people he encounters. Until one day, when he is disguised as a man, he crosses paths with the king and his queen - Lilla. The story then unfolds about the struggle between Lilla and wolf both being the last of their kind (him having killed her family, and her having all the wolves killed after that) but still being unable to kill each other, until one day they are both being hunted and must ban together to survive. It was a reeeeally interesting retelling, and I hope that one day I will be able to read the whole story.

Style Academy #4 - Participles

Exercise #1- Identify the Participles

I fell ten feet to the ground, landing on my back.
I fell ten feet to the ground, and I landed on my back.
When I fell town feet to the ground, I landed on my back.

The first way the sentence it written, it definitely gives it a sense of motion, sort of like you are reading it in the moment it it happening. The second why makes it feel like one cause and effect action, but nothing more than that. And the last way, adding "when" gives sort of a disconnect to the audience, like it happened at some point, but it does not matter because it did not happen now.

Shifting the weight of the line to his left shoulder
(kneeling carefully)
(submerged)
watching the blood trial away and the steady movement of the water . . 

Again, they make the sentence more concise an floating. Changing the phasing from a participial to another tense makes the sentence more interesting and more connected.

Long credited with changing the way Y.A. fiction is written
Empowering a generation to demand stories that reelected their realities

Exercise #2 - Creating Participles 

The girls stood in the road by the side of the car.
Growing more tired by the minute, the girls stood in the road by the side of the car, wishing the engine would start working soon.

Review
I have never really consciously thought about adding participles into my writing, but after watching this video, I realize how often they do pop up while I write. They are definitely a tool I have used before without even knowing it, but now I do know how to recognize participles, and I will be able to use them more to my advantage in the future.

I really like the use of participles because of how they make sentences flow better. Repeating the same kinds of phasing while writing can make your paper sound choppy and jarring. But switching it up with different sentence structure and participles will make all of it seem more interesting, and probably smoother to read.

Issues Paper - Getting my Feet Wet

Topic #1
SEARCH: church attendance young adults
-"Religion Among the Millennials
http://www.pewforum.org/2010/02/17/religion-among-the-millennials/
      -Although the "Millennial's" show less infester in church attendance and affiliation with any one faith, the religious ideas they have still closely resemble traditional beliefs. 

-"Survey: Reasons Why Young Adults Quit Church"
http://www.christianpost.com/news/survey-reasons-why-young-adults-quit-church-28813/
     -The teen years are seen as a time to test religion, but as life changes - college, jobs, more responsibility - young adults stop going for simply the reason of inconvenience 

-"The Real Reasons Young Adults Drop Out of Church"
http://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2014/december/real-reasons-young-adults-drop-out-of-church.html?paging=off
   -In addition to life changes and/or just wanting a break, other reasons youth drop our of church come from disconnect with members, or members being judgmental, hypocritical, unfriendly and unwelcoming.


Topic #2
SEACH: why read the king james bible

-"King James Version - King James Bible Online"
http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/King-James-Version/
      -It is simply the most popular. It is the original, and that hold value. It has a very poetic word choice.

-"Why I Read the Authorized King James Version of the Bible"
http://www.jesus-is-lord.com/kjvdefns.htm
     -God is unchanging, therefore, we should not try to change his word.

-"Why Do We Support only The King James Bible For the English people?"
http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/Bible/kjb_only.htm
       -Much all the other article from this website, other versions do not hold enough value.



I have chosen the first topic, because it seems to offer a wider verity of  opinions and reasonings, so it will be easier for me to create my own specific approach based about the evidence I find.

Thesis Proposal

"Response to Gov. Romney's Speech, 'Faith in America'"

Although this response paper was supposed to point-out and counter many of the fallacies Romney made in his speech, I felt that the author only managed to use up the same fallacies within their own work. They regarded how Romney's speech was tailored only to the religious in America, but made the same choice by appealing only to the non-religious in America. Either way, a portion of the population was cut out, and I think the response paper was greatly weakened by their polarized point of view. Their language was also off putting to a third-party audience, and in doing so, lead the reader to focus more on that point than the overall massage of the paper.

I do seen how this paper would be convincing to the intended audience, who might have also seen the one-sighted view of Romney's original speech. It would also work to affirm the opinions of those who did not like Romney's ideas on religion. I think he used a lot of Logos and Pathos to draw in the audience.

Style Academy - Phrases and Clauses Exercieses

Honestly, I keep forgetting that we have to physically hand in the Style Academy reviews, and I feel really bad for it, but I will 100% do it this next time...

It's as simple as that. 

I watched the video about Phrases and Clauses, and I am going to have to say, this is one of the less-helpful videos on this site. The information given was simple and understandable, but I think it was a little to simple. I feel like they could have fit more information into it, and a bit more of a writing exercise. Maybe the difference between clauses and phrases really is that simple.

Or, maybe the reason they focused on so little within the video, is because a lot of people still struggle with the concept. I was second guessing myself on some of the exercise sentences, though came out with the right answer in the end, and I think it will help me to think about clauses and phrases when rereading my papers. 

Still, I feel the whole video can be summed up in this one screen shot, and next time I will try to pick a more in-depth one (and remember to turn it in in class...)

Exercise:

Is it a Phrase or a Clause?

"on the front porch"

-phrase (prepositional phrase)

"after the dinner party"

-phrase 

"we ate peas and carrots"

-clause (independent)

"after running to the store"

-phrase 

Faith in America

MITT ROMNEY

Purpose: The purpose was to establish Romney's view on own religion should work in relation to the US, and to help others understand where he stands in regards to his personal religion.

Logos: I thought Romney did well to mention relevant topics in his speech, such as the threat we face from "Radical violent Islam" as well as centering it around his candidacy and how people might view it. He also used examples to appeal to those who accepted religion, but might not have sounded very logical to those who have nothing to connect with in religion. However, we also appealed to those who accepted the fundamental ideals of American, and related them back to religion.  He was also able to build his issue using quotes from reliable sources pertaining to religion.

Pathos: He was able to connect with his audience by using examples of how religion has played into our countries past. He connected the people as patriots, and pulled on their heart sting while relating to the presidents time in war, as well as his own parents past roles in the american legacy. I thought his word choice did very well to guild the reader to his conclusion, he was able to use wording that would not come across as bias or off-putting to any one audience. He connected well with those of religions beyond his own by mentioning pros of those religions, "I love the profound ceremony of the Catholic Mass, the approachability of God in the prayers of the Evangelicals, the tenderness of spirit a,ing the Pentecostals, the confident independence of the Lutherans, the ancient tradition of the Jews, unchanged through the ages, and the commitment to frequent prayer of the Muslims."

Ethos: He established credibility by being willing to share some of his religious beliefs. Also, by refusing to make it completely about his personal church, he established his political credibility. He also establishes his credibility as a leader by mentioning his past position as Governor. He established an authoritative voice by noting his understanding of other religions, and in doing so also was able to identify with difference listeners. He also established credibility by relating his view points and candidacy to past leaders, who we all could recognize.

The REAL Reflection on the OP ED

If you want to read my OP ED paper, it is written out in one of the earlier posts!

I believe one of the strongest tactics I used in my Opinion Editorial paper was pathos. I tried hard to connect with the readers emotions to help them understand my point. I shared specific examples of situations that occur on social media in an attempt to show the reader things they have done before, and how it is really effecting them. As an example, I explained how we might try to connect with a celebrity for many sorts of reasons, but then went on to explain why those reasons may not be valid. I was able to guide the reader to my point by connecting them with something they already knew.  I used language to paint pictures and metaphors that hopefully made the audience think about social media in away they had not really put into words before.

The tactic I used the least was probably logos. Being an Opinion Editorial, I did incorporate any facts, but mostly observations and description that followed a logical thought process. I made sure to flush out my points, so the audience would not think I was jumping to any conclusions. At times, I feared I may have used too much generalization, but think the reasons fit well this the intended audience. I think the issue of the paper was very relevant and easy to understand. I also think I was able to go into many different aspects of the issue to give more evidence as to why social media can be, and is in fact, a problem. 

I think I also used ethos quite well in this paper, but that may be up for debate depending on how you think about it. I tried to establish my credibility on the subject by showing that I have had some not-so positive experience with social media. However, I tried to maintain an authoritative voice by stating that I was able to see the flaws in these experiences, and use them to learn. However, some may take my “on your side” kind of writing stance as discrediting, because I am not completely separate from the problem. They may think I was too influenced by the issue to write an effective argument.

Pathos in an Article

"Why I can't Stop Reading Mormon Housewife Blogs"
by Emily Matchar

1. I thought one way Matchar conveyed pathos in her article was by the language she used. It was very fluffy - like a mom blog would be - but also sarcastic as she addressed how against-her-nature the topics were. Things like "bangs like Zooey Deschanel" and "They drink a suspicious amount of hot chocolate." She was able to connect with two audiences - both those who find these things odd and funny, and those who find them familiar. . . and still funny.

2. I felt she was also able to connect with her audience by talking about the different views of the role of a mother. She talked about the perfect-housewife view of the 50s, the pain-in-the-butt mothers of today, and how the Mormon  mothers compare to these. She was about to connect with the audience by turning us towards one life style or the other.

3. Honestly, I found this article to be intriguing, because she shifted her view around. She said that these Mormon blogs could be a bunch of smock-sceen nonsense, but she followed it up by saying that was not completely a bad thing. She was about to address difference ideas regarding her lifestyle, but end nicely by taking the positive side for the blogs.

Creating an Addiction - OP ED Final Paper

I have a facebook, snapchat, instagram, pinterest, and I just recently started a blog. (wink) Some would say that I am pretty well “plugged in” to social media.  Still, there are many sites that I have yet to venture into: twitter, youtube, tumblr, vine, to name a few. However, just browsing these few sites is enough for me to recognize a growing problem that is poisoning this generation. Social media has become far too influential on how we view ourselves, not just our friends. Yes, social media is an effective tool in our day to day lives, but I fear we have become too fixated on it for less substantial reasons. Our lives have become nothing more than our next stop on the computer. Even as I write this, my attention is caught between my laptop and the notifications popping up on my phone screen. Our generation is becoming too dependent on social media and it is severely affecting our self-esteem, as well as the way we esteem our interaction with others.

Although the power of the internet has given us the opportunity to tap into the world’s limitless knowledge and wonder, we have chosen to squander this ability by obsessing over the rich and glamorous. With this eternal wealth of information, we decide to fill our heads with every last detail of our idol’s lives. Stalking is no longer an issue, but more of a household fixation. We see no problem in creating a false, one-sided relationship with some foreign figure because we admire their talent, personality, sense of humor, or - here’s the big one - their unbelievably good looks. Simply put, man was not created to idolize man. 

That is what famous people are - human. Yes, they are funny, but so are the people you have right in front of you. I heard once, long before social media, that when you thought someone had a great personality you asked them to be your friend in real life. This is what we should be focusing on: real life. We are gaining nothing by listening to a youtuber talk to us through a screen. We seem to forget that those youtubers are also alone, staring at a screen. We have fabricated the idea that these people matter to us, that they understand us and that they are our friends, but that is the furthest thing from the truth. Our generation is starving itself of real, human interaction. We depend on the famous; they provide us with a sense of comfort requiring minimal effort on our part. They make us feel welcome with their winning personalities, and shout outs to “all my fans!” We convince ourselves of their love, and we lose sight of our value beyond their eyes. Our self-esteem becomes deeply linked to the actions of our idol.

Every human wants to feel important, we want to know we left a mark on this world. We see celebrities as the short cut to immortality - if I can only get them to notice me, maybe others will notice me, then I will be important. But we fail to examine what kind of mark that celebrity is actually forming. Will it really last? Is it really helpful? Many don’t care what kind of mark they have left, as long as other people know they are there. Much of the famous live under the philosophy of quantity over quality and, just like politicians, they make it all about what the followers want. We as fans have crafted them and build them up to be our Greek gods; without our prayers, they would cease to exist. Their mark on the world is written in pencil; their claim to fame has no substance. Their lazy example of influence has proven detrimental to our ideals. We mimic their personalities, repost theirs jokes, and resort to stealing their content just to feel popular. 

I found myself as a victim of these tactics when I decided to look up a music video my friend and I made for fun. As I looked on youtube, I found a video with the same title which turned out to be our exact video downloaded and re-uploaded by another user. While inspecting this youtuber, I found out their whole page was nothing more than the plagiarized videos of others. This girl clearly enjoyed this videos, but her main concern was how viewers would associate that entertainment with herself. Instead of crafting our own ideas to share, we seize the path that was already proven successful. We forget our own potential and creativity. We can’t believe in ourselves enough to try something new. The influence of the media-famous is proving  detrimental to our confidence.

How we view ourselves next to our peers can be more influential than the opinion of a celebrity. I was just recently introduced to the term “The Curator Affect.” A curator of a museum is charged with the duty of selecting a body of work for an exhibit. They pick only the best works that fit the image they are trying to create, and simply omit the rest. This is how many choose to handle social media. We pick the coolest moments in our lives and the selfies that look the best. We find the small things that match the life we want to personify, and that is what we chose to post. I watched a video a while ago that perfectly captured this concept. While browsing social media, a man was discouraged by the fulfilling lives he saw his friends living via their facebook posts. His life was falling apart around him. But when he decided to fabricate a more positive status update, he realized people responded more acceptingly. He presented only the best, so he could match up with those around him. 

But he, like most of us, failed to realize that that tactic goes both ways. Your friend who posts a new hiking picture every weekend may have gone on one hike last summer, and chosen to spread the photos out slowly. Your incredibly photogenic crush probably took twenty selfies before choosing to post the one you see on your feed. Nobody’s life is perfect, not even your perfect-looking friends on facebook. With the filters social media creates, we become blindsided by only our own flaws. We lose hope in the shadow of our mundane lives. Our self-assurance dwindles as we gawk at the empty status box, racking our brains for any moment of adventure that graced us that day. While on the other side of the computer our friends are doing the exact same thing.

But how can we fix this? Looking on the bright side of life is never a bad thing, but I hardly think that is what we are trying to do. Social media is not about convincing ourselves of our importance and success, but rather showing it off to others. We flaunt our victories for the whole world to see, while we still hide and hate our failures. This is a misguided tactic. I truly believe happiness is not about being right, but happiness is about accepting your wrongs. We will never be happy with ourselves if we are dependent on the approval of others. So, the way to fix this social media problem is to simply care less about it. It does not matter if everyone knows your successes, as long as you feel accomplished with yourself, or feel determined to improve next time. “Likes” can not replace the crucial aspect of self-confidence.  

Furthering problems with social media include how it has consumed all our time. The pressure to look good on social media has become a daily priority in many peoples lives, and too often in mine. Although most do not check their apps for more than a few minutes at a time, if we added up all the time spent on all the different sites, at all the different moments in the day, the numbers would not seem so small. But what is really the point of it? We are too caught up in updating to see the lack of value that such routines have. If I were to check instagram, then facebook, then pinterest, recheck instagram, then make one more stop to facebook--what do I have to show for it other than a wasted fifteen minutes? Fifteen minutes that could have been used to draw a picture, or meet with a friend, or start the english paper I have due the next day. . .

Whether I am just checking in or actually fabricating a post, the time is equally misspent. Through social media, we see a chance to recreate ourselves every hour. We focus on new ways to better ourselves without actually living our lives. We really must ask ourselves what the point is in updating a statue twenty times a day. Nothing but self-promotion; we are abusing our ability to show off. Social media is teaching us that self promotion is an important activity, and it has blinded us to the rest of the world. We are constantly fixated on our next selfie, and fail to think of more valuable things around us, the more valuable ways to spend our time. We should be focusing more on promoting the good in the world, but because we have created a life line leading to social media, we can only focus on ourselves. Because our confidence is constantly falling short, our time is wasted with trying to building it back up again on line.

Finally, social media has caused us to become reliant on others of the wrong reasons. We see their success and even when we mindlessly like their posts, on the inside, we are trying to hide the feelings of envy and self-doubt. We rely on our friends for complements rather than conversations, and it has lead many to depression and heartache. The like button was born of good intentions, but has been shaped into a tirent. It has cut out any need for conversation or interaction. Imagine if every time you met up with your friend you simply responded with a thumps-up, and then walked away. It is impolite and useless, but nonetheless we still thrive off its existence. Everything we post, every picture we take, everything we say, is only deemed worthy by the number of likes it gets. Our own ideas becomes useless to us if others will not except them. 

We fixate every moment we have to trying to appease the like button. We are constantly reshaping our opinions to match those of the popular point of view, regardless of what we actually knew about the issue before. Our only interaction with our “friends” comes from the desire for compliments. It’s not just in the virtual world where this occurs; as we become more dependent on social media for confidence, we are constantly looking towards those around us for praise as well. We “fish for compliments” and resort to insulting ourselves, just to get someone to contradict us. We check our instagram every two minutes to see if a new like popped up. Without these meaningless notions of acceptance, we fall into a trap of self-doubt, and convince ourselves the only thing to do is change ourselves. But that is not what needs to be changed. 

Hidden within the ever lengthening news feed of social media is the greatest threat to the self-esteem of our generation. Beyond the confines of the internet, each of us has the potential to be something great. But honestly, you should not have to take my word for this, I am just some random girl writing a paper that you are probably reading on a computer. We put too much faith in what the world is saying, or how the world will see us. I do this nearly every morning when doing my hair or picking an outfit. I look in the mirror not at myself, but at the person the world might rip apart. We spend too much energy calculating all of our moves to "win" in their eyes: be prettier, be funnier, get their attention, have cooler stuff, do cooler things, say something they will like, fit in - we treat ourselves as guilty until they prove otherwise. 

I cannot fix this problem for you. Turning to a news article for reassurance will only further the problem, and deepen the addiction. My only goal is to open your eyes to the different ways you are being manipulated by social media.  It is time to step away from the computer and disconnect for awhile. We need to see beyond the tricks of social media: the misguided claims to fame, the filters of the curator affect, and the demands of complements and acceptance. We need to venture into the world beyond the screen, and discover how incredible our lives can be. We need to fix the problem ourselves, for ourselves.

Reflection on the OP ED

What writing strategies worked for me?
Well, I started by outlining all my ideas in bullet points and that was really nice. It helped me recall my ideas at a glance. Instead of needing to come up with new ideas as I wrote, I was able to focus on connecting my existing ideas with the thesis.
Also, I think I did pretty well with connecting with the audience...at least, I think I did well, it up for you to decide when you read it. But, I put in a few personal experiences, and made sure I sounded like a friendly, non-condisending author - because those are the kind that always drive me away.

What writing strategies did not work for me?
Um, I think I struggled with making my point right away. I always tend to over explain things, just so I know my reader knows exactly why I think the way I do. I know that is important, but I aways seem to do it in twice as many words that what I actually needed. I am probably doing it right now, just so you can understand what I mean when I say I write too much. I have not finished the last two paragraphs on the OP ED yet, but it might end up being 6 pages . . .

What were my experiences writing this OP ED?
Honestly, I think I had a good experience writing this paper - as far as writing papers goings. I did not have to research anything, which is always a plus. But more importantly, I was able to express myself in my own words. The topic I picked ended up being a lot more substantial than I was originally intending, and it made it very fun to write about. Even after I finished the first draft and turned it in, when the reviewers told me to expand an idea, I was surprised to find out I did have more to say before moving onto the next idea. Granted, I had a bit too much to say, and hopefully everything that made it into the paper is still relevant to this thesis, and not some shoot-off idea.

Style Academy - Exercises

Combining Sentences

Those who are highly creative and productive learn to acknowledge, embrace, explore, and learn from their failures.

In last 1990, when I could no longer see my feet, I made an appointment with a Paris eye doctor who ran some tests and sent me off to buy some glasses. I’d like to blame my choice of frames on the fact that I couldn’t see them clearly. Or maybe that they were forced upon me, but neither excuse is true. I made the selection of my own free will, because I thought they made me look smart and international. The frames were made of dark plastic, with rectangular lenses not much larger than my eye. THere was something vaguely familiar about them, I could not put my finger on it. I spent a great deal of time in front of the mirror after I picked them, and prepared to share intelligent comments about the state of the euro.

Imitation

Sometimes, according to Edwin Teale, a gall gnat larvam which does not resemble the adult in the least, and which has certainly not mated, nevertheless produces within its body eggs, live eggs, which then hatch with its soft tissue.

Imitation: Sometimes, according to an unknown source, the best things in life which honestly differ between people, and which are usually not physical things, nevertheless are free, which usually means they can be shared freely too.

Style Academy

I wish there was really a school called Style Academy...
http://styleacademy.byu.edu

Anyway, I am really interested to start exploring this website more. Honestly, I probably won't do it on my own time, but if/when we have to as an assignment, I know it will be worth my time (and not just 'cuz of the grade.) I really liked the video about learning to combine sentences. I feel that, for me at least, the idea of run-on sentences has been drill into my head for most of grade school. They are bad, and you have to keep your ideas concise! But now, they are opening us up to a new style of writing. Yes, the ideas still need to be coherent within one sentence, but it makes it more interesting to embellish it a bit.  You don't have to sound like a robot while writing - WOW!

Not to sound shallow, but I also like how short the videos are. If a teacher asked us to go watch a 45 minute tutorial on how to use an oxford comma in the proper way . . . I might be a little hesitant to comply with that assignment. Don't get me wrong, I might find that fascinating, but I have to be in a particular mode for that lengthy of a video. And I mean a very particular mode. Because the videos on Style Academy run at 10 minutes or so, I am not only more willing to watch them, but I can recognize that the information they are giving is exactly what I need to know, without all the convoluted fluff to make them sound smart. ("The Oxford comma, also known as the Harvard comma, originated at - Princeton")  

So ya, I like to learn new, minute bits of information, but I don't like spending hours trying to find the answers I am looking for. This is a perfect mindset for our internet-run generation, and also a pretty good one for learning new things on Style Academy! I also hope that the activities in the videos will help me synthesize the information as I am learning it.

GASCAP Article

Sincerely, One of the Many Girls Who Cares
https://bemalleable.wordpress.com/2013/12/31/sincerely-one-of-many-girls-who-care/

G - She makes the assumption that most, if not all, the boys in her audience have had to deal will pornography to one degree or another, or have fought off the temptation of pornography.

A - She makes the situation more familiar by noting everyday instances in which sexual images may show up, "advertisements every week showing half-dressed women," "the beach or your neighborhood pool," "scroll(ing) through Instagram on 'women crush wednesdays'"

S - She makes the general claim that - If the world is telling you this is how you should see woman, then it makes sense why boys are struggling with this addiction."

C - She also discredits the assumption that when a boy struggles with this addiction, he will never be good enough for a Godly girl. 
We can still repent.

A - She acts as an authority by what she states in the title,"One of the Girls Who Cares" - she has seen the same articles, and been to the same beaches, she can see what is being thrown at them.

P - She is writing under the idea that most people think pornography is a moral issue, she appeals to us as the audience by addressing those who struggle with it, and not blaming those who may be the cause for it. 

Too Much Influence - Theses Proposal

Social Media has become a very big part of everyday life, and for good reason. There are so many good things to be done through social media; you can share your religious beliefs, catch up with faraway friends, conduct group work for school and your job, and help promote your business. Still, there is a noticeable unhealthy effect social media is having on the rising generation. As we become more and more dependent on social media, so does our self-esteem, and we become less dependent on face to face interaction. Here are my reasons why:

1.Social media has created unattainable standards for teens and their lifestyle. With all the images of famous icons and better ways of living, they put too much pressure on themselves to live the “right way.”

2.Social media causes people to make false comparisons with their peers. Posts are always showing the beautiful and adventurous parts of life, but it causes us to falsely assume that every moment of their life is beautiful and adventures, so we feel we are doing something wrong when those same results do not happen to us.

3.The pressure to look good on social media has become too time consuming for pointless reasons. We are too caught up in up dating that we fall to see the lack of vault that such routines have.

4.Social media is teaching that self promotion is an important activity, and it has blinded us to the rest of the world. We are constantly fixated on our next selfie, and fail to think of more valuable things around us.

5.Social media has caused us to become reliant on others of the wrong reason - components. If our selfie does not have enough likes, or post does not get enough hits, we mark ourselves as valueless. We are constantly reshaping our opinions to match those of the popular point of view, regardless of what we actually knew about the issue before.

I you have any questions or ideas about my reasons, or comments about the claim - please respond below! I would love to hear your opinions on this!

Indecisive-ness...OP-ED Free Write

So, I have never really tried to have a strong opinion on the popular topics in society. Honesty, my believe is that the more you blurt out your opinion to the world, the more the world will...throw it back it you, for lack of a better term. It seems there is always someone who wants to pick a fight, and is just waiting for the next innocent optimist to say something. (I have had teachers that admit to being this person) I realize this may sound like a very depressing opinion on things - but that doesn't matter to me. Although I understand the importance of learning from others and sharing your insight - I don't know if I am looking for the approval of others. I don't often share my opinion, because I am not looking for someone to agree with me.
That being said - what should I write this essay on?
Well, I don't want to write it about tv, or movies, or any of the hot topics right now (because, contrary to my first sleep-deprived post, media does not run my life.) Although entertainment and social media are being an increasingly important part of life, I do not think it should be the center of life. If I had the resources to go out and DO something - I might actually stay away from social media altogether.
Maybe that is something I could write about - the increasing dependence we as a society have toward social media, and how it affects how we see ourselves and relationships?
Hm. A stab at social media, while posting on a blog...yup.

Introducing - Yours Truly (that's - that's me)

Welcome! To my blog! Ya! 
Incase you are not sure of what you have just stumbled across, this'here's a Blog for my Writing & Rhetoric Class at BYU - (what a find!) You are welcome to keep reading if you feel so inclined, but if you were searching for a blog about the adventurous life of a Stay at Home Mom, I'm afraid this is not it. 

So, this is a bit about me. This is my first real blog, so bear with me. (I am not counting that silly blog that was made back in jr. high, when we all thought we were cool and had something important to say to the world - don't act like you don't know what I am talking about, we have all been there)

My name is Megan, and I am a 19 year old college student. I am still trying to figure out the "real world", but I like to think I am cool now that I am on my second semester. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (jurst one of dem Mormons!) , and I have lived here in good ol' Happy Vally all my life. 
I am studying Illustration - and if you reeeeally want to, you can check out my art work on my instagram account - 

knutmegg.art (please, please, hold the applause)

(ya' know, just incase you're interested *cough cough*)

I enjoy many typical things - reading, food, TV, sleeping, the occasional video game, some social media.  My main passion is art, pretty much any kind of art. I have dabbled in musical theater, and I really like to dance - tap dancing is what I especial enjoy. 
I can also be described as a major geek, but I try not to obsess abundantly. Though, I will say my main squeeze is Percy Jackson. Please and thank you. Those books have been with me since I was 12, and they have carried me right though my childhood. I would say they are like my Harry Potter, but that might cause some confusion and contention about the hierarchy of book. But, I must move along, or we will be here all day. 
I enjoy TV shows such as Avatar: The Last Airbender, Dr. Who, Adventure Time, Sherlock, Gravity Falls, Psych, Over the Garden Wall, and Star Trek. If that is not enough for you, I also enough movies such as The Hobbit, Frozen, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, idk - there are a lot of them. Anyway, that should give us something to talk about. Right? Maybe?

TV! MOVIES! This is what I live for!!

Well, now that I have just proven to you that media runs my life, I am at a loss for what else to write about. I guess if you have anymore questions about me, comment below and I will do my best to get back to you with an answer (or just write some completely ridiculous response)

Fair-faring friends, and I hope you enjoy the next blog you stumble upon!