Blog Post 3: Second Level Thinking

 Life right now is hectic. If you tried explaining what America was to someone when it was founded, they would be confused. Social media has evolved from a small thing to share pictures and messages to a corrupt system that can hurt people and is often used for corrupt purposes. Scams, catfishing, and stalking are happening on the Internet as we speak. Something used to connect someone from a state away is now used for sad and tragic things.

Social media is probably the best and worst invention, as it helps people stay connected but corrupts and consumes their lives. If it were just photos and sharing your life with friends, that would be fine, but there is a dark side. It can affect people's body image and even cause or help stalking in some cases. There is also proof that people's attention spans are getting shorter due to social media videos. Some people can’t focus unless two videos are going on, and don’t get me started on “Brain Rot.” “Brain Rot” refers to internet language or those deep into memes and internet culture and won’t stop talking about it.

I think social media connects to one of the theories we discussed. The theory is to Promote Tolerance, as I believe that we have become numb or tolerant, depending on how you see it. The other day, my class, which talks about the philosophy of death, was talking about a video they saw of someone passing and talking about it like it was normal. First off, it’s disgusting to know that someone passed on a film, and it was posted on Instagram. This app needs sensors to be modern and better. The fact that the people in my class saw nothing strange about that. It also tells how media and posts are so out of this world that we are numb. 

I also can see Promote Innovation as a theory that works, as people on the Internet value freedom of speech tremendously. Comments will be posted on rude videos, and others will defend the rude comments, saying they’re just using freedom of speech. This has caused a lot of hurt and damage to those who post. There are a few examples of people getting hate comments and those hate comments getting rewarded, such as Jake Novak, a TikTok employee who got hated on and quit due to that. 

A theory that I do not see on the Internet is Protect Dissent, as mob mentality is very strong on the Internet. Protect Dissent says the little guys are protected, and the mob can’t touch or affect them. As stated before, there have been incidents where heat has piled on and hurt a small creator.

To conclude, there are a few theories used in the Internet and social media right now, and there are a few theories that aren’t used. It’s interesting to compare and contrast what we use and what we don’t, and it helps us see how the Internet is used and the truth behind it all.

Blog Post 2: Supreme Court

 I am not the most political or historical person, as I don’t keep up with that stuff. So, this was an excellent opportunity to learn about our history and some political views of the court. Although I don’t think I was in class for the video, I decided to research the court.

I learned a lot about the Supreme Court. Some information that you didn't already know was that there was a Chief Justice. I knew we had nine members of the Supreme Court, but not that there was a leader over the associate justices. Chief Justice oversees the federal judiciary and presides over presidential impeachment trials in the Senate.

The most essential takeaway point about the Supreme Court was that it has a Republican majority, with a ratio of six to three.

The most surprising thing you learned was that they have lifetime appointments, with the oldest person being Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. 

Being 90 is a crazy fact to me, as a person should have a limit just in case they become corrupt or confused the older they get. I wonder what happens when people want you to resign and you refuse.

The information I learned changed the way I thought of the Supreme Court as a judicial review court. I always thought they were the highest court, and when there was an issue, it would be taken to them. However, thanks to Marbury v. Madison, they have the power to strike down laws or government actions that violate the Constitution.

Blog Post 1: News Sources

News is an essential source of information. It helps us learn facts or options that can help us form our thoughts or feelings on any given topic. The sources I used to look at topical information then were TikTok, Instagram, CNN, Fox, and podcasts.

TikTok:

Social media might sound silly to get information from, but it has some good sources. There are a lot of characters on the app who may do things differently. There is a creator on the app called “fishnewsbroadcast.” This is a creator with a bias towards the republican side as they display similar beliefs and often insult President Joe Biden. Another score on the app is “daily mail,” a news site with a website that runs a TikTok. TikTok is an app where you can find all funny and severe scenes; you might see the talking fish from SpongeBob and then a rebuttable new score. 

Instagram:

This app has been around for a while but seems to have tried to become another TikTok. It’s very similar to the app as it is a short-form video with severe and silly topics. The creator of this app is “NiickJackson,” who covers news of the earth rather than political stuff. However, my favorite is the memes. People will take pictures of political candidates and write a joke or something silly about them.

CNN

I do not lean on any side politically, so I like to view both sides of the argument. I want to see what they say about each other; it is often very similar. CNN is a Democratic political station. They usually talk about President Biden as being good and Trump as bad. I prefer to watch the news rather than read their articles, so it may be different on paper.

PODCAST

I have recently been into Podcasts, as they are easy and good for multitasking. I listen to a few for politics and entertainment. One of the ones I like is “Call Her Dady,” which is a little political and includes an interview with Vice President Kamala. Other podcasts that are meant for politics are the “Ben Shapiro Show” and “Morning Brew Daily.”

FOX

I prefer to see both sides of an issue since I am not politically biased. I enjoy reading their opinions on one another, and they frequently have much in common. FOX is a Republican political organization. They often discuss how Joe Biden is terrible, and President Trump is terrific. It might be different on paper because I like to watch the news rather than read their articles.