No Mercy

           In No Mercy by Malcolm Gladwell, we hear the story of Robert Oppenheimer, and how he decided to poison his tutor, and then hear about the punishment he received because of it. I feel that Oppenheimer’s punishment was appropriate, because of the circumstances that were factored in to his behavior. Gladwell says that Oppenheimer was going through a very difficult time when the incident occurred, and because of this, I feel that Oppenheimer wasn’t as mentally stable as he normally was, therefore causing him to make decisions he otherwise wouldn’t have made. I typically am not one to side with “not in the right mind” arguments, but in this case, I really do feel Oppenheimer was not in his right mind, especially considering the fact he went on in life to become one of the smartest brains by creating the atomic bomb in WWII.

             To judge as to whether or not Oppenheimer should have been kicked out of school or not, is not exactly a fair question. Every situation is different and every school has their own rules. Personally, I feel that Oppenheimer should have been suspended for a short time, be assigned to see a psychiatrist, and had to have written a formal apology. I do not think he should have been expelled. People do stupid things all the time, and sometimes there are reasons that just can’t be explained, and because of this it wouldn’t have been necessary to expel Oppenheimer. A punishment for behavioral issues is not always the answer, so I feel that by the school putting Oppenheimer on probation, it was more effective.

            Robert Oppenheimer was one of the inventors of the atomic bomb, dropped on Japan during WWII. Because of his background in physics, Oppenheimer was the perfect man for the job of creating the most explosive and effective bomb in warfare. Some may say that Oppenheimer is one of the worst evil minds in history, because of the fact that his creation killed thousand of people, but to the U.S he was responsible for putting the end to an awful event in our history. It’s funny to think that if Oppenheimer had been expelled from his school, then he may have never helped make the atomic bomb, and then who knows what the result of WWII may have been. 

"In Praise Of The F Word"

The thesis that that Mary Sherry focuses on in her essay In Praise of the F word is basically the whole first paragraph of her paper. She talks about how eighteen year olds are semiliterate because they have never been required to prove that they are just as capable of graduating and maintaining an education, as the rest of their more literate classmates. Sherry then goes on to say that many students graduate high school with a diploma they didn’t rightfully deserve, because they didn’t truly understand what was being taught to them. Thus later creating problems for them in the workforce, when their employers realize they are illiterate.

I feel that although Sherry does acknowledge the fact that all students are different, and that some come from a more rough background than others, she fails to completely portray the reasons as to why these students fail in the first place. Sherry mostly says that people coming from harder and more challenging backgrounds than others, should be able to pass a class just like everyone else. And although this is true, she doesn’t really go into detail about it.

The “F” word in which this essay is referring to is not that “F” word we automatically think of as “the bad word”, but instead it refers to flunking and or failing. I think that yes by referring to failing and flunking as the “F” word, it does create an increase in effectiveness, because it gives off a negative connotation. Everyone knows failing and flunking is bad, and so is the actual “F” word, so by grouping them together it makes sense.

Sherry’s audience is primarily high school and college students. The audience could also be the educators and parents that she holds semi-responsible for the students being illiterate. The audience would be receptive to the “F” word, because automatically we think of something negative, and negative ideas draw attention. So yes the audience would be receptive, because they are drawn in by the curiousness of what the “F” is.

I’m not really sure about this last question. But I feel that Sherry would be qualified, because she is an educator herself, and she sees first hand just how illiterate some students really are. I think her way of thinking is accurate for the most part, but I do think her idea is still a little far fetched, because students need to be frightened not just by the “F” word, but also by the idea that they will fail. 

Internet: Good or Bad?

           There are so many different opinions about whether or not the Internet is good for people in today’s always changing society. Many people now days say the Internet is the most amazing invention, and that it’s helped improve and advance our world. But then there are also the ones who think the internet has single handedly ruined our society, by making it to easy to access information and technology that we would have had to seek out ourselves, therefore causing people to become more lazy in their quest for knowledge. The main argument about the Internet today, is whether or not we should be as engrossed in it, or should we find other sources to be reliant upon.

            Personally, I feel that the Internet is an amazing tool that has helped propel our world into a new generation of curiosity and exploration. The society in which we live today is very dependent on the web and the sources it provides. The Internet not only allows us to find information quickly, but also allows for our world to become more together through technology. There are many social networking sites that can only be accessed through the Internet, and with these sites we are able to talk, see, and connect with anyone, almost anywhere in the world. I also feel that the Internet has provided aid into our failing economy. The Internet provides jobs to millions of people world wide, and is a major contributor to the stock market, so it has definitely helped keep our world afloat in these hard economic times.  So to me I feel that the Internet is the best invention in years, because it has helped our world grow and expand in so many ways.

            On the other hand though, people will say the Internet has completely taken away from the intimacy between human communications, and that it has caused our world to become lazy in the quest for knowledge. People seem to think that because we have the web available to us in just a matter of seconds, that we have become lazy and less independent in our research. The Internet can also be seen as an escape goat in some circumstances. For example, social networking sites provide hours of pointless entertainment, to people whom without the invention of the Internet, would be engaging in human contact.

            It seems to be a big deal to our society to see whether or not the Internet is good or bad for our usage. But to me I feel its just a matter of opinion.

           

             

Experiences at GSU

So far my experiences at Georgia Southern have been fairly good. There are lots of things I love about this college, and then there are also some things I really dislike about this college. The hard part about being here though is finding the right balance between what I like and don’t like.

First, I cannot stand the food here at GSU, I am not used to eating so much junk food, and the options here are not broad enough to keep my interest, I like variety and I feel that our campus lacks significantly in that when it comes to food. Also probably the hardest part about being here, is that I’m so far away from my family. I’m from California, so while I’m here at college my family is a good 2,500 miles away back home. It’s very tough not being able to see them everyday, and not having the option to go home for the weekend if I wanted too. I’m definitely close to my family; so having to wait six months before seeing them again is quite unbearable. But I chose this school, because I wanted to ensure in the best future possible for myself, so as long as I stay focused and committed, it makes missing them a little easier.

One thing I loved about GSU from the moment I saw the campus, was how beautiful and small the campus is. I really feel like an individual person here and not just another face in the crowd. GSU allows me to feel safe and content because it has such a homey atmosphere about it. Another thing I really like, is how I have really nice roommates whom I have been able to form good friendships with. I think it’s important to feel safe and happy when in your dorm because it’s the only place you have at college that’s your safe haven, so when you have good roommates, it makes that experience even better.  Also I really enjoy the people here, everyone is always so friendly and nice, and getting to meet new people has been a lot of fun. I feel as though we are all here for the same purpose, so it puts us on a level of understanding for one another.

All in all though I have really enjoyed my time here at GSU thus far. I think this college really provides it’s students with the best opportunities possible, and they try to enforce a sense of Eagle pride in all of us, so it’s a great experience to be apart of.