You can't just read the headlines.
We as a population today exist under difficult pressures which never existed in our world before. Entities within the internet such as Twitter, Facebook, and Google as a whole have created such a crutch in our society which is going by unnoticed by most. We teach our children at the youngest of ages how to use our iPhones, iPads, and other gadgets which then, in turn, leaves out the important tools a child must grow up with in order to become a well rounded citizen. Not only are our children going to be effected by this, but we as a society of adults are changing with the advancements of technology as well. Media is the most important ideology that exists within our society . It's always been this way. Since the beginning of civilized humanity, news and the way it's been spread has been an essential part of what makes us communal. Our culture thrives on it. It shapes us into what we are and subconsciously influences each and every individual on all spectrums. The technology which we "flourish" from today is enabling our generation to become less and less informed. The shortened versions of news stories that we read on the run in the palms of our hands are shaping our minds, making them smaller and smaller. Staying informed on what is going on around you, as a human being, is necessary in order to survive. We are capable of communicating what is occurring around us and then differentiating the things that are threatening versus the things that are assisting us in the long hall. This is what separates man from beast. Throughout the years, I have become more dedicated to the media machine and how it operates. I have gathered information from as many outlets as possible in order to create my own opinions on the things happening around me. I am consciously aware that this must be done in order to make a sound decision on any subject matter. The problem which now exists within our society is that the majority of people do not. They do not thoroughly educate themselves on current events. They do not gather information from multiple angles of the story in order to maintain a strong opinion of their own. They do not try to understand, they just assume. So, fellow beings of civilized society, I implore you. Don't just read the headlines. Don't just read one article from one website or news source. The media outlets that exist today are bias, despite the claims that they are not. Don't presuppose anything in this world, it is a weakness which has grown overtime alongside the growth of technology. The thing to remember is: we have the power to change that.
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The Iranian Nuclear deal that was made official on Tuesday (July 14) makes me uncomfortable for a number of reasons.
The deal that has been two years in the making gives way to opportunity for a country that is so bent on the destruction of freedom and the American way. Sanctions will be systematically lifted over time from Iran upon cooperation of certain terms, uranium enrichment will be cut down, and inspections will be held...if all goes according to plan. The problem with this is that this deal is being made with a government that has a leader that does not have the best track record when it comes to trust. Only a day before this deal was reached, President of Iran Hassan Rouhani attended a protest which consisted of the burning of American and Israeli flags accompanied by "death to America" chants. The bigger issue at hand with this deal, though, is that it paints a different kind of picture in the Middle East. Ties with America and Israel are made weaker and validity is being given to a country with a terroristic ideology. Negotiating with such people will only make them stronger because it gives them the opportunity to strike when others' guards are down. It was made based on the fact that there was no better option. When you make a decision that is based on the idea that it is the lesser of two evils, how safe can it really be? Our enemies are celebrating as our allies are berating our leader's actions. Diplomacy, in my opinion, cannot be practiced with an undiplomatic regime. The notion that sanctions are going to be lifted with the option to "snap back" at any moment if Iran is found to be defiant of the deal in place is also an inkling as to how our country truly feels about its counterpart. The snap back option within the deal implies that at any moment Iran can be expected to break the agreement. If this concept exists within this deal, how plausible can it truly be? The agreement between our country and Iran is not a solid one. Not only will it take years to enforce, but it needs to be finalized by a house extremely divided. There is no exact plan as to how this deal will pan out, it's just theoretical at this point. That is why I am extremely uncomfortable. The instability of it all. When you cooperate with bad people, you never know how they will follow through. That is why people are so nervous about this deal. Because there is no actual guarantee that these monsters will not try to destroy us at the end of the day. And, more importantly, this deal does not prevent Iran from gaining nuclear weapons, it only postpones that horrific reality. This deal is giving immense power back to a country that has been out of play due to past sanctions in the Middle East. The balance that exists currently within the Middle East (which isn't even a strong one) will tip drastically because of these negotiations which can also lead to chaos. People may think that this won't effect us who are comfortably existing within the free country of America, but that is not the case. The true reality of this situation is that despite this deal, Iran will eventually possess the capability to attack Israel or even New York City with weapons which they are very close to successfully creating. With a government so inclined on power and worldly authority, how can one trust their word? That is the major question which needs to be asked when it comes to the circumstances which we find ourselves in now. How on Earth did our country get to a point where they are negotiating with a country thats intention is to destroy anyone who stands in their way of implementing a lifestyle without freedom? This deal was made due to the fact that there was no other option. War is not the answer, but neither is this. I know that is a weak statement, but it is the truth. When one makes an agreement in a weak state, the agreement itself is weak. That is what is going on right now.
It seems as though everyone around us today is taking ownership of their true identities and sharing them with the world around them. You don't have to be afraid to share your preferences or opinions because there seems to be a new universal understanding that each human being is, in fact, a unique being. It's hard to believe that years ago the things that have been going on in the realm of celebrity pop culture would be completely unthinkable. Don't get me wrong, the world is not a perfect place; far from it actually, but we are currently witnessing our society take its first steps on a new kind of path. Co-existance is another extremely important factor in society today that is starting to evolve into something bigger and better. A ubiquitous respect is able to thrive more successfully now in comparison to years ago which is an amazing victory on our part. With Laverne Cox recently being added into Madame Tussauds wax museum as the first ever transgender figure to be put on display comes the idea that there is an idea of true approval brewing within our generation. Recently, Miley Cyrus even admitted in her recent Paper Magazine issue that she doesn't "relate to being a boy or a girl." You may think that Miley's admittance of her "fluid" gender identity is insignificant, but these kinds of statements are inadvertently innovating our society today. Sexual and identity preferences are now being plastered on newsstands for all to see. Since Caitlyn Jenner, who has been going through the difficult process of transitioning in the the public eye, has come out, we see how accepting the public and media is of her decision to finally be true to herself. The reason that these celebrity truths are so important to each and every one of us is because the openness that is occurring in the Hollywood microcosm is enabling our macrocosm to evolve. The significance of these "coming outs" is creating an accumulation of acceptance, which is all at once eye opening and shunning hatred of others who are different. Open-mindedness is a new-wave notion that is developing. With every brave person who comes out in admittance to who they truly are, the idea of tolerance of all kinds of people grows in size rapidly. It may shock a few people to see the sincere raw personas of those around them, but without these pioneers for truth, the human race would never progress. We still have long way to go, but with the current voicing of sexuality and gender identity/preferences occurring around us, we are definitely going in the right direction. Here are some celebrities who have helped pave the way for LGBT today:Images: Instagram, Twitter, UsWeekly, Gaycenter.org, Huffingtonpost
The recent scandal involving Sony and the hacking of their system which led to the publication of thousands of private e-mails and information to be released to the public has been the number one topic in America. Since the initial hack had occurred on November 24th, "Sony" has been trending on Twitter to this day. This means that for approximately 26 days, the number one thing being talked about has been this terrible scandal of a mass invasion of privacy and freedom. My initial reaction to these unfortunate circumstances was to leer and judge the employees of Sony who, in my mind, were dumb enough to send ill-mannered, unprofessional, and in some cases, racist e-mails from a company setting. After learning more about the reality of the situation, my views have changed. Living in the year 2014, which is now creeping up on 2015, I as a 21 year old woman understand that nothing in this world is private. We live in a world powered by our electronics which gave birth to and facilitates mass media. Because we are so advanced in the field of technology, the rate that information is supplied to the masses has multiplied tenfold. The dangers this produces for this generation as well as generations to come are limitless. We are a part of a society that is capable of making anything they select go viral and trend for whatever purpose they choose. This capability that we possess can be used for good but, as we see throughout the history of this technological era, we as cynical human beings use it for evil. The main problem with today's high-speed shifts on what's trending and what's not is the briefness of it all. Within the last few months, I can map out all of the short-lived important and news-worthy trends that took the internet by storm. Here is a timeline of, in my opinion, the past five trends that took over the internet starting with the Ebola outbreak in America and ending with Sony Pictures pulling the film "The Interview" from being released to the public due to possible terrorist threats on theaters: According to my timeline that I have put together through my personal opinion on what has been at the forefront of news, you can truly see how abruptly these stories of importance came and went. This is because the mediums that we have today for mass communication find these stories that will grab our easily apprehended attention and indoctrinate us into thinking that these things will honestly effect us in our every day lives. Don't get me wrong, these events do matter, just not as much as the news leads us to believe. The Ebola hype by the news is what troubled me the most. Yes, American's contracting this terrible virus was alarming, but it wasn't something that everyone should be fearing at all times when outside of their homes. Here is a video of Russell Howard mocking the news coverage of the pandemic in the United States while comparing it to the coverage in the United Kingdom: The comparison is shocking. We as American citizens need to be aware of the propagandizing that our mass media outlets are committing on an every day basis. We also need to be aware that nothing in this digital age is private and we must learn from the mistakes of the unlucky Sony employees. If you write something in an e-mail or text, be aware that there is a possibility that the entire world may see it one day. Yes, our technology sets our nation and generation apart from any other in history, but it is up to us to choose how we will use this terrifying new power. |
AuthorShelly; A writer, aspiring journalist and/or popular culture personality. Archives
October 2015
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