W109SS

Hi all:

For this blog comment, please cut and paste into the comment box three URLs that give some suggestion of the research topic you are looking into.

Write a sentence describing what we will find in the URLs.

Also,  bring to class, hard copy--2 or 3 pages--downloaded from the web (includes the library) that can give some idea of the kinds and sorts of materials you are finding.

These will provide material for discussion with others about your possible topic.

And we need to discuss a bit too the trustworthiness of web sources.

Nick

The rough draft of paper 1 is due next Tuesday.

It's not too early then for you to start giving serious consideration to that paper (1200 words minimum).

Write the first two paragraphs of what might be your first paper drawing upon the readings, including the one for today "Introduction, Consumerism, Narcissism."

Remember this paper is not a test of your knowledge of the readings. I want to know what you make of those readings, which are most important to you. I will expect at least two citations in this paper one, so clearly you will need to try to incorporate material (quotations, paraphrase) from at least two articles. But that is secondary to your analysis of or argument about the consumer society as based on these readings, class discussion, and the things we have watched in class.

Ultimately I would like to get a greater insight into what you think and if possible what you feel relative to your "being in the world" about consumerism.

Thank you. 

After you have read all of the "True Costs of Gadgets" return to the first paragraph.

There Suzuki writes:

Imagine if you decided to throw away your cell phone, close down your Facebook account, disconnect your high speed internet modem, unplug your satellite television receiver, put away your Blackberry, shut down your iPod, turn off your DVD player and abandon your HDTV. Friends might think you've lost it. Family members might suggest counseling. "What's wrong?" they would want to know.

And you could tell them you're leading a completely modern life, circa 1995.

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Here Suzuki is asking us to perform what they call in philosophy a thought experiment. What points or questions do you think Suzuki is trying to raise through this experiment; or how would you feel about living in 1995.

Write your response--whatever it might be--in the comment spot below.

Thank you.

Hi all:

"Why the Self is Empty" is an academic article.  It's too long, the print is too small, its full of citations and names you won't (and don't have to) know.

Forget that stuff and read for the main idea.  Cushman is trying to talk about how consumerism shaped identity as older and more traditional forms of identity formation slipped away.

Do as you did with the last blog comment.  Pick a quotation you find interesting and then write about why you found it interesting (you agree/disagree; something you had not thought about before; important to over all argument; no clear or confusing).

Thank you.

Pick a quotation from "Setting the Course."  A minimum of two sentences.  Type it into the comment space below, and then say why you picked the quotation.

Did it tell you something you didn't know or hadn't thought about?
Was it unclear to you?
Do you find what the author says debatable?
Do you think it particularly important to the argument of the piece?

PLEASE NOTE:
WHEN YOU GO TO THE COMMENT BOX, DO NOT SIGN IN.
JUST WRITE IN YOUR FIRST NAME AS DIRECTED AND BE SURE ALSO TO PUT IN YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS  OR THE COMMENT WILL NOT APPEAR.

THANK YOU.

Nick

Nick

Hi all:

I will post entries here and ask you to write a comment on them in this blog space.

Please be aware.  This blog is out there in public space.

If you feel writing an entry here might violate your privacy in some way, let me know and we will work out an alternative.

In any case--to protect your privacy--I suggest you sign your comments with your first name only follow by the first number of the time of your W109SS section.

For example, if your first name is Archey and you are in the 2-315 W109SS, you would sign your comment "Archey1." Or if your name is Elise and you are in the 330-445 W109SS, you would sign in as "Elise3."

As these remarks might suggest, I am teaching two W109SS's this fall quarter and decided to mingle the blog comments in one blog rather than making a blog for each class.

If you post your comment and do not see it immediately in the blog space, not to worry.  I have to check the comments before they are posted to blog space.

Any questions, please ask in class.

And Welcome!

Nick