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My blogging experience this year has been a wild ride. At the very beginning, I started out pretty shaky. I had no textual evidence, no ties to news or art or literature. They were observations. As I grew, and got feedback, I started to strengthen my blog posts by integrating quotes and media. These helped my blogs grow to be so much better; so much more believable. 

Finding blog post ideas was still a struggle. I did my regular Sunday night panic, until I settled on a topic I felt I could relate to class and write about. However, during second semester, I really tried to broaden that, and tried to write about topics that were on my mind. Junior theme definitely helped me. I was so absorbed in my research, I became passionate about my topic and it was much easier to blog. If the idea, rather than the evidence came first, I felt as if the blog post was stronger. 

My favorite blog post from this quarter would either have to be "Obsessed with Marriage" or "The Way We Are and Will Always Be." I am proud of the first post mentioned because of the multitude of sources used. I knew I had to use White Noise and my junior theme together. While those seemed completely unrelated at the time, when I found a connection, it sparked a whole chain of ideas. From there, this blog came much easier than the others. I used textual evidence, yet integrated the quotes in a why that was uniquely my own thoughts. I am also proud of the second blog listed because the idea sprang from a topic we spoke of in class, and something that continually was thought provoking and interesting to me. I used statistics as well as expert opinions to support my case in this post- and I thought it turned out well. This post also gave me evidence to use in my final paper!

I am proud (and feel a little bit cooler) to be able to call myself a blogger- it's been a real learning opportunity.

Jealousy at the Jubilee

We've talked about it all year:

How great Americans think America is.

We called ourselves "a city upon a hill". We pride ourselves on being number one at all times, and blindly claim that all countries should model themselves after our beautiful country. We construct a reputation for ourselves of being the best and brightest country out there. America would claim that we pulled ourselves away from the British monarchy, and created a democracy: a form of government we truly try to spread throughout the world. It seems America feels a burden to share our glorious democracy with the whole world: its our greatest trait.

So why are we so obsessed with the British Monarchy?

As the Queen's diamond jubilee approaches, I can't help but think about the fascination Americans have with the Royals. We hold them so close to our hearts. They grace our tabloids and televisions; we wake up at 4 am to watch their weddings. Given our history of independence, does this obsession not seem odd?

" if independence won Americans the right to feel smugly superior about our democracy, our longstanding obsession with the royal family may point to an enduring insecurity about some of the things we lost" (Maya Jasanoff)

The everlasting fascination with the Royal family could be a curiosity to the history we chose not to have. It is a look in to what could have been. Americans do not get to have the grand traditions and romanticism of the royal families. Are we jealous?

Are We All Journalists?

As I continue my blogging "career" in calss, stories regarding blogging always catch my eye. After a year of experminting with blogging, having blogs that have improved drastically, and reading my peers incredibly well written arguments, I have come to respect the blogging world very much. Blogging has become a culture within itself. The blogging world has become such a prominent force in modern day media. Blogs, as has been shown in the new millenium, can have a political impact, voicing opinion as well as spreading information.

Recently, a woman named Crystal Cox, an "investigative blogger" wrote a post claiming attorney Kevin Padrick acted illegally and unethically regarding the proceedings of a bankrupcy case handled by him. In response, Padrick sued Cox for defamation-for 2.5 million dollars. In the trial, U.S District Judge Marco Hernandez ruled that Cox could not be considered a journalist. If she were to be defined as a journalist, she would be granted the protections given to mainstream reporters and outlets.

Blogging is still an expression of free speech. Says Kelli L. Sager, a lawyer writing for the NY Times debate:

"the rights of free speech and press under the First Amendment does not and cannot depend on the medium through which information is exchanged."

So yes, blogging should be protected under the first amendment. But, blogging should also be given the respect it deserves in the Journalist's world. Journalists are given the right to shield laws. Shield laws protect journalists and reporters from being forced to reveal sources and confidential information. According to this judge, a blogger who is writing about the very same topic as a reporter should not be given the same rights.

Ellyn Angelotti, an expert on social media, asks:

"So who is a journalist? A journalist -- good or bad -- possesses a hunger to pursue the truth and to share it in compelling ways.

Is this not out of date? For an age of techonological growth and advancement, the laws surrounding them seem to be lagging behind. In class we have been talking about the idea of progress. Is America moving forward? Or, as a nation, have we plateaued, stuck in a nation of tradition while popular culture and the next generation are evolving at a rapid pace?

The Way We Are and Will Always Be

To me, and based off our discussions in class, it seems as if we have a social class issue in this country. Wealthy areas, such as the one we live in, close their doors to outsiders, make their open ended streets say "no outlet", have train stations that look more like mini country clubs and keep their world a bubble; a world of their own.

We have class markers that everyone goes by. You can see someones class in the way that they dress, the way in which they speak and carry themselves, the cars they drive and the possessions they own. Each social class has created a culture of their own, and we, consciously or not, use these distinctions to decide where we stand, and define outselves based on these qualifications.

To someone, an average person, who is isolated from the elite world we call the "upper class" this would be frustrating. To feel trapped, or excluded.

However, Americans seem to like things the way they are.

According to a poll by Politico, 63 percent of Americans believe the country benefits from having an upper class. At the same time, 63 percent of Americans also wish they were "rich". Only 28 percent of Americans, however, thought that it was “very” or “somewhat” likely that they would be rich in their lifetimes.
Why? Why in a country where being rich is hard to get to, where it is an elite world that you seem to be born in to, do we crave an upper class.

It speaks to the core American values our nation still depends on today. We crave competition and progress; we want to have somewhere to go. We want to go up- and therefore we need to have an "up." However, the state of our class system now does not allow for movement. In order to fix this, we need to revisit how American values are translated to the way we maintain society.

Says Charles Murray, author of  Coming Apart: The State of White America, 1960-2010. " The haves in our society are increasingly cocooned in a system that makes it easy for their children to continue to be haves. Recognizing that... could be an important affirmation of American ideals."

Obsessed with Marriage

As I read countless articles about the decline in marriage, the establishment of the independent woman, and the skyrocketing divorce rates a question has crossed my mind quite a few times (and in my last post):

Why are people still marrying?

Long ago marriage made sense. It was how young women gained financial security, respect among their peers, and any legal rights. Now women, are making up the majority of the workforce, are less religious and more educated. However, marriage continues to be idealized as part of the "American Dream" we so often refer to. We want the stark white dress, the black tux, and the long aisle leading to a lifetime of happiness. At least we hope. Argues Sociologist Andrew J. Cherlin,

"[marriage] is a display of prestige and achievement. It...retains its symbolic aura largely because of its dominant position in social norms"

Marriage and weddings are something to show off: "an achievement". A wedding is as grand a spectacle as a huge new house, or a shiny new sports car. Remember the Royal Wedding just last year? Americans are obsessed with marriage: it is just another example of mass consumption. (And yes, I did wake up at 4 am to watch the wedding)

This year, we read White Noise, a novel by Don DeLillo that explores American's obsessions and consumptions.

Jack, the main character, has been married 4 times.

As Jack becomes more aware of the constant noise aroundh him; becomes more aware of the constant excess of things and consumption, he begins to see his fourth marriage as another product of this excess. One day as Jack watches T.V, he sees his wife, Babette on the T.V:

"he tried another channel, and the sound boomed out, raw and fuzzy. He couldn't raise the buzz ...as we watched Babette" (104).

Babette, along with material objects, technology and more have just become white noise.

These have all become American obsessions. A possible reason that adults are continuing to marry is the fascination: the willingess to buy in to the American dream.

Marriage: Out- Dated?

Once upon a time a woman who was not married had failed.  What could she possibly be doing with her life is she was not married? An unmarried woman was considered a spinster. A woman, of course, needed financial security in order to sustain a life and a home. However, now that women are more educated (and in fact outnumber men in colleges), the need for financial security has vanished.

Other classic reasons for getting married have disappeared as well. Cohabitation before marriage used to be very taboo, until about the 1970s when it grew in popularity. It used to be thought that a young couple living together before marriage were living in sin. This old fashioned line have thinking has been abolished, however. Only 36% of adults in 2002 disagreed with the statement "It is alright for a couple to live together without intending to get married" Cohabitation, now, is a healthy alternative to marriage, and setting for raising children. Today, one out of three births occur outside of a marriage.

Marriage is becoming less and less necessary.

Also, the social pressures are beginning to disappear. Throughout recent American history, the media has played a huge role in defining the gender roles of homes, and the importance of a woman to get married. This can be seen in the video from my last post Daddy Dearest . Media has such an influential role in the molding of young brains, and through this media the portrayal of a "typical" American family in shows such as Leave it to Beaver, shown in my last post, make the this type of family seem "normal" or "necessary." Things are changing though. In recent years, media has made it being single seem cool and chic. Says Jessica Bennett and Jesse Ellison of Newsweek, "a decade after Sex and the City made singledom chic, marriage is...no longer necessary."

Here comes the change.

Daddy Dearest

For a long time, we knew nothing more than what we saw in our own homes, and the families we saw on T.V. The families on sitcoms were perfect. They met all the criteria: a domestic mother, a working father and kids who would rough around a little bit, but always knew their values. A Dad's role was to be the breadwinner, to keep his kids in line and a roof over their head. End of story. This stereotypical typecasting of this “Father” was molded by T.V shows and therefore puts pressure on families to fit this mold. Here's a “perfect” example of a Dad:



Mr. Ward Cleaver...

“us men are better at the rugged type”





So, a man must work, but when he gets home, he takes care of the “manly” business. But what if a man does not? Is he not a good father? Is he abnormal? Why is this our normal?


Because now a new wave of fathers is coming and could be redefining what it means to be the father of a household. The number of stay at home fathers increased by 50% from 2003-2006.

As says the American Psychological Association, “increasing rates of divorce and remarriage, and childbirth outside of marriage have resulted in a transition from traditional to multiple undefined roles for many fathers. Today’s fathers have started to take on roles vastly different from fathers of previous generations”

These ideals of how a family should look and act were strangling families. Finally, things are taking a turn. The modern day father is more affectionate, is more likely to stay home, and help with domestic activities. Yet this could still be considered taboo.


The non traditional is becoming the norm.



So why do these traditions still exist?