Regional Perspective Differences

Our position in the world often shapes everything we think about life.  Culture and society is widely different among the world, and in many places in the world simply going from one village to another can take you to a place with a completely different structure.

One instance where this is true is with natural disasters.  When hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana, most people in places like India had probably never heard of it. Here in the United States however, it was a great deal, as many people across the country had friends and family there who lost their homes or their lives.

On the cross side, when natural disasters strike other areas of the world, the opposite is true.  Many people in the areas surrounding the affected regions are affected, while many people here in the US may not notice or care.  While many do learn about it, they are not necessarily personally affected by it.  Sure, they will probably donate money to a relief fund or something similar, but because they are not personally connected, they probably do not have an emotional connection to the situation.

"Bigger, Stronger, Faster"

Our analyzation today was on a pair of posters made for the movie “Bigger, Stronger, Faster”.  Both posters feature strong, buff athletes, both men and women, who more than likely use steroids.  Both posters also feature the phrase “Is it still cheating if everyone is doing it?”  One of the posters also features the athletes standing on a giant pile of pills, such as vitamin supplements and steroids.

The purpose of this movie seems to be for the use of steroids.  In the reading we did, we learned that a large number of athletes use steroids or other methods that simulate the same effects.  Through the use of the title and the athletes on the cover, it is easy to conclude that the movie is advocating the use of these methods by athletes in professional sports.

The use of the phrase “Is it still cheating if everyone is doing it” is clear.  The use of steroids is illegal in professional sports, and those who do are violating the rules/laws and there by cheating, bringing their accomplishments into question as to whether or not they can be counted valid.  This phrase, in conjunction with the movie, is clearly trying to persuade people that it is okay to use steroids, and that they should no longer be made illegal.

Interviews

Interviews are a necessity of the modern world.  From research for a paper to the news, from job interviews to documentaries.  First hand information and meetings important, and how you phrase a question in them can change everything.

We were asked to read two interviews in our book. The first one was by Terrence Smith about war reporters who travel with the U.S. military.  The second was about George Ritzer and his works on the topic of the "McDonaldised society".

Terrence Smith discusses how having reporters among the soldiers on the frontlines has changed our view on war.  Being able to see and here what really is happening in battle shows who we are fighting, and what we are fighting to achieve.  However, he also mentions how it is not an easy job, sometimes costing the lives of the reporters out there, and that the view we get is not always the full view, merely slices of what is happening.

In the interview with George Ritzer, by asking the questions in the right way, the reporter conducting the interview is more able to gain Ritzer's perspective on the situation.  By asking the question "Do you go as far as to say that McDonald's represents capitalism?" the way he does, the reporter is not wanting a 'do you believe this, yes or no?' answer, but is asking about Ritzer's personal beliefs, and getting an answer based on that.

Finding and Evaluating Sources

When writing a research paper, the actual paper is only a small portion of what needs to be done.  The most important part is the research.  For your paper to even be accepted, you need sources, and for papers outside of middle school, you need several sources that are proven to be credible.

Sources can be divided into two categories: primary and secondary.  In terms of a house, the primary sources are the ground, and the secondary sources are the foundation.  Your primary sources are the basis of your research. These are the original texts that you analyze in your paper. The secondary sources provide commentary that is used as supportive fillers.

Evaluating your sources is also important.  Your paper will not be so acceptable if your sources are not credible.  When checking if a source is credible, a few base questions must be asked, no matter what type of source it is: Who is the author? Who is the audience? and When was it written/ created?  If your paper is about modern economics, a paper or report from the 1950’s will not be an acceptable source.  A report issued by the House Banking Committee (House Committee on Financial Services) would be acceptable.

In the end, an annotated bibliography might prove useful. An annotated bibliography is just a list of your sources in MLA format, along with important notes from the source.