Fat, Dumb, and Addicted

I read an article about how the media is affecting the amount of geniuses in the world. I agree with that to an extent. The article claimed that Twitter is shortening our attention span. That is true. Well, partly. I think more and more people are getting addicted to Twitter because the current generation is so focused on how people think of them and more people today are focused on internet communication rather than real life communication. During the day, people are thinking ,"When is the next time I can log on to Twitter? I wonder what people are saying about me". I admit that I myself am guilty of internet addiction. But I believe that my own addiction doesn't interfere with my social skills as much as the people of today's society. People today are so addicted to the internet that it is deteriorating their social skills. No one wants to communicate face to face anymore, which is insane. While I understand that sometimes being alone is nice and simply texting someone can be just enough, humans were designed to be social. We need to interact with other humans not just for our own good, but also for  fulfilling our purpose and spreading the word of God. 

The article also claimed that the way people think geniuses are formed today isn't actually true. People think that drilling information into someone's head will automatically make them smart, and that's not always the case. The article stated that you don't make someone drown themselves in chemistry books if they want to become a history teacher.  I completely agree with that. For example, if I wanted to become a genius on the subject of Visual Arts, which I do, I wouldn't go off to university and major in mechanical engineering. I would need to submerge myself in everything related to Visual Arts in order to become an expert. That's what everyone needs to do. Whichever field that a person wants to go into, they need to study that subject in order to become a genius on the topic. 

I think that the media has another affect on how people think. Since so many people are concerned with the way people think of them today, they could ask random people on the internet if they think that they could succeed in the field that they want to go into. If that person says no, then the person will drop that major and find a new one that will make them seem smart to other people. For example, someone could want to be an actor, but their parents or family might not think that's it's a respectable career. So that person will take up a new career, such as being a lawyer. The fact that some people are like this bothers me. I want to go into Visual Arts and I already know that it's a tough field to find a job in. I already know that people think I won't know what to do with my life. But I want to do it; therefore, I'm going to do it. 

A Right Or A Weapon?

   On many college campuses today, the right to freedom of speech has become a huge issue. Students that feel even the slightest bit offended, they have the right to leave the room to obtain some sort of "psychological safe space". They are saying that freedom of speech can be used as a weapon. A report called "And Campus For All: Diversity, Inclusion, and Freedom of Speech and U.S. Universities" claims that a lot of students on various campuses aren't exercising their right of freedom of speech because they are worried about offending other peers. The very same report stated that "A rising generation may be turning against freedom of speech". people are afraid to speak freely because they could offend one person or even multiple people. An insignificant comment, such as "your shirt is ugly", could set off a chain reaction in the person's mind to where they think, "Oh wait. That person just offended me. I need a safe space. GET ME A SAFE SPACE!".     Yes, there are some people out there who are more sensitive than others, but some of those people know how to hide it well. People on college campuses, or anywhere for that matter, shouldn't need a place like a "puppy room" to make themselves feel better. What I'm wondering is, if all of these people can't handle one person disagreeing with them or one slightly rude comment, how are they going to be able to fend for themselves in the real world? The truth is, they won't be able to function.    

A Right Or A Weapon?

On college campuses, speakers are being turned away if they don't agree with what most of, if not all of, the students believe. For example, if a speaker for the LGBT community who was anti-LGBT were to go to a college campus full of pro-LGBT students, they would most likely not be able to speak there because they could accidentally offend one, or multiple, students. The fact that these people still want freedom of speech, yet they can't handle one minor disagreement, just blows my mind. In the world, there are DEFINITELY going to be people who disagree with you. No doubt about it. The education system, college particularly, is supposed to prepare you for the real world. If you aren't able to handle someone having a different opinion than you, you won't be able to deal with the issues going on in the world today.     

 The reporter of the "And Campus For All: Diversity, Inclusion, and Freedom of Speech and U.S. Universities" asked a student, named Storm Ervin, from the University of Missouri what her opinion was on the right of freedom of speech. Ervin stated that freedom of speech is a "basic human right for herself and for her group", which makes sense because any normal American citizen would want the freedom of speech, wouldn't they? But then, Ervin turns things around. Ervin wants freedom of speech, but when it comes to a group that disagrees with Ervin's beliefs, she is against freedom of speech. In other words, Ervin is for "compromised freedom of speech". That is not how the First Amendment was supposed to play out. The word "freedom" is in the term "freedom of speech" for a reason.