The Wired Become Clueless

You know that the issue of generational differences in the social networking experience has been taken to the next level when it's parodied in a funny car commercial. The tables are turned when the wired become the clueless. There is some risk here for Toyota because they probably don't want to be seen as marketing to "old people." Other lenses through which to view this ad include gender and class just for starters.

Plagiarism Discussion

This is a status one of my friends posted on Facebook, along with the comments that followed. I found it interesting because in one of my classes at the time, we were talking about plagiarism and how definitions of plagiarism are different in different contexts and situations. I think this post gives a different perspective than what we usually get in academic settings.

Some things you might want to think about: Does the author seem to be making an implicit claim about plagiarism? If so, what is it? How do the commenters define plagiarism? What aspects of the definition do they seem to agree on? Are there any disagreements? How do the participants in the conversation present themselves (ethos), and how do they interact with each other? How might you contribute to this discussion, and what do you think your comments could add?

Try to analyze the conversation rather than just posting your own ideas about plagiarism (although I know it's tempting to do that - I had to stop myself).

TED Talks

http://www.ted.com/

I listen to TED Talks all the time, and I've been thinking about the interface of this website recently. In some ways, it's very simple: well organized, not overly "made up." And yet, the visual images/colors of the talks themselves really grab the eye's attention.

What do you think the interface is implicitly suggesting about this website's central themes, values, or identity and why? Does this website seem to have any effect on people's knowledge, values, ideas, etc.?

Generally, I'm looking at prompts 1 and 7 for this website, but feel free to use any of the other prompts that you think might provide a useful analytic lens. And if you get a chance, you should definitely listen to a TED Talk or two--they are fascinating, cover a million different topics, and are only about 20 minutes apiece! :)

Teens and Social Networking

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/parenting/10-things-you-dont-know-about-teens-and-social-networking-2527367/

I was drawn to this article because it discusses the issue of social networking and how much students/children are invested in the online world as opposed to the "real" world. There are especially interesting comments concerning the statements from the teenage girls regarding their relationship with technology and social networking.

Who is this article directed towards? It seems to suggest that too much time online is bad--what types of evidence does the author use to support her argument and how do they affect her readers? What points are under contention in the comments section?

As ever, make sure to look over the Blog Project prompt to pick a specific analytic lens!

The "Anti-Cosmetic Surgery League"

http://movies.yahoo.com/news/kate-winslet-rachel-weisz-form-anti-cosmetic-surgery-225321529.html

I came across this article today as I was reading various news stories, and this struck me as particularly intriguing because although it promotes the idea that a "natural" woman is healthy, this term is only vaguely defined. What do you guys think is going on here?*

To help get you started, here are a few questions you might consider: How are the commenters reacting to this article and what kinds of assumptions do they appear to be making? What do you think of the author's credibility and why? How is the readership affected by the star power of the celebrities who have formed this league?

*Don't forget to choose an analytic lens through which to approach this article, a detailed list of which can be found on the Blog Project prompt itself.