In class discussion 2/1/10

Our discussion this morning and reading "Little Brother" has made me go out and look up other technology information. I've gone out and bookmarked almost every major technology incident in the book for future use. I wanted to see if I could duplicate some of the technology that is in the book. I've looked up more sites relating to this book then I did in all of my classes combined last year. Since reading the book I set up TOR, looked up encryption, research linux, and have looked up botnets. I've learned so much about the type of technology that's available and love it.

Reading about google and what is happening in China made me so upset. After reading that and then hearing that the US government can see each monitor made me mad. The government has no right to spy on what you do or to censor sites. Spying on us violates our personal privacy. It is stalking set to the maximum creepiness. If the government has not right to control what you see and don't see, that job is for your parents. If they want to ban you from a website, they should be able to. The Declaration of Independence states that we have the unalienable right of liberty. Liberty: the state of being free within a society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views. After reading and discussing this, I want to go out and research the history behind the censoring of websites in China. I also want to know more about the China vs. google event.

The 3 strikes rule pissed me off. For starters, they don't always tell you when you get a strike and why you got it. Sometimes it isn't your fault that you go to specific website that causes you to get a strike. On the 3rd strike you have no Internet privileges for the rest of your life. I wouldn't have my Internet privileges any more.

Everything that has related to technology from the discussions and readings I have done research on to find out more about it. Most of it I have loved.

The dumbest generation

I really liked this article. The facts that it brings up are sad, but I find them to be very realistic. We, as Americans, are so blind to the things happening around us. In general we could care less about what is going on. Out of the questions in the first two paragraph, I only got 1 out of the 6 right. It is interesting because the older generations is astonished that we don't know the answers to the questions, when it could be because they didn't teach it to us well. Or since we are multitasking more, we truly can't pay attention to one thing while doing something else, while getting the maximum amount of information out of both. I was surprised when the adults thought that a kid would give up all digital technology for years. I don't think that anyone could do that. I would never be able to do that, and I don't have a cellphone or watch TV that much.

I agree with the article, writing off any generation before it's 30 is dumb. All people slowly change their habits over time. When people are young they may not have an interest in the things around them. They may not care who the vice president is, what the biggest lake is, who was the US's ally, or who was the Supreme Court Justice. As I keep getting older, I learn more about past important figures in society and geography, and slowly got an interest in it. By the time you're 30, you should be interested in the things around you because they affect you. Who gets voted president affects you. You realize that what happens in other countries has an effect on you and those around you. The newer generations also learn a different kind of knowledge.

Why Americans are often so restless - 2, 5

2) Why does a society devoted to equal opportunities weaken each individual?

A society devoted to equal opportunities weaken each individual because it would be a lot harder for an individual to strive forward. Tocqueville states, "When men are more or less equal and are following the same path, it is very difficult for any of them to walk faster and get out beyond the uniform crowd surrounding and hemming them in" (167). This is saying if everyone was equal and had equal opportunities, then it would be very difficult for anyone to take the next step and become the leader. No one would have the extra help of knowing how to lead or take control of a situation. No one would know what to do because they would all have the same experiences.

5) Does Tocqueville think Americans are restless because they don't know what they want or because what they want in not attainable?

Tocqueville thinks that Americans are restless because what they want is not attainable. Most Americans know what they want and how they want to get it, but they rarely do attain what they want. Tocwueville declares, "That is a quality which never retreats before them without getting quite out of sight, and as it retreats it beckons them on to pursue. Every instant they think they will catch it, and each time it slips through their fingers"(168). This is stating that when we know what we want, we chase it with enthusiasm, but we never reach our goal. Something happens along the way that screws things up. Tocqueville also states, "they see it close enough to know its charms, but they do not get near enough to enjoy it, and they ill be dead before they have fully relished its delights"(168). We know everything about what we want, and yet, still, we can't get what we want. Also that we will always want it, but we will never be able to get it.