"From Pencils to Pixels: The Stages of Literacy Technologies" by Dennis Baron

This quaint history of writing by Dennis Baron was quite dry in parts, but was effective in outlining the main events in the development of writing. After reading the chapter in Jared Diamond's book Guns, Germs, and Steel about the history of writing, I was already somewhat informed on its roots in Sumerian Cuneiform and so on, but what I especially took from Baron's article was his description on how people have accepted different writing technologies as they have come to be over the years.

Dennis talks about how every time there is a technology invented in the advancement of writing, it is not widely accepted at first and may not even be taken seriously. For example, when writing was first developed on stone tablets that were inscribed using styluses, because the majority of people were illiterate they took the scribes as being a joke much as people took the computer geeks of the nineties (when this article was most likely written). Another example would include Plato's criticism of writing when it was developed during ancient times, because he believed that written events weakened the actual memories of said events.

Besides showing how many people rejected the new technologies, Baron described how people over the ages reacted to the new technologies. First he told the story of how pencil makers initial rejected Morse code and the basis that they did not see it being effective. In turn, the developer of Morse code rejected the invention of the telephone by Alexander Graham Bell on the basis that he did not see it being effective because one could not record the conversations (in the initially invention).

The final point that I took out of Baron's article was that of differing reactions to the technologies of the pencil, the typewriter and the computer. First, the pencil grew in wide use by the fact the the only alternative was the pen and bottle of ink, so the pencil was a portable technology that could be easily taken anywhere. Also, with the invention of the typewriter and eventually the computer, the QWERTY keyboard system was developed in order to slow down typing speed so that the given machines would not break. This odd system of keyboard has stuck to this day due to widespread popularity.

My Genome, Myself: Seeking Clues in DNA by Amy Harmon

This essay was one of the most well-written and engaging choice essays that I have encountered during this term. In this essay, Amy Harmon tells the story of how she entered herself into a genome testing facility in order to be able to read her own DNA and find out clues to what her physiology will be like in the future. She talks about how she could see what traits she was given by her genes and also what diseases she would be at risk for in the future.

Throughout this essay, Amy brings up the question of whether or not it is ethical for humans to control the power to see their own make-up and their own future physiology? I believe that this is ethical, because saying that it is not is saying that every scientific breakthrough, including the discovery of DNA in the first place, is unethical. Humans have been blessed with the evolutionary capability of constantly increasing our knowledge due to our need to find out more about the world around us.

As to whether or not I would ever go through this genome testing, my answer would be no. This all seems like a waste of time to me because, while it is quite interesting, my genes do not write who I have to be. I could have some genes that say I am suppose to be ten pounds heavier than the average male, but because I am athletic and exercise constantly I am not. Also, I'm sure I do have some genes for a future of Heart disease or Kidney disease, but because I have a healthy diet I am not worried about these things.

Overall, while genes may seem valuable on the surface, they are not the final answer to any question. Our lives will never become predetermined, because of the simple fact of human ability, meaning that we can do whatever we set our minds to as long as we keep in mind two factors: devotion and patience.

For me, I'll just stick to the practice of seizing the day, because you never know if it will be here tomorrow.

My Fear

While most people fear things such as snakes, spiders, death, or other objects associated with some form of pain, either physical or emotional, my fear outlines an internal struggle that has bugged me for a while now. My only real fear is that by my time of death, I will not have had a legitimate effect on the world and that I have not experienced my consciousness to the full extent.

I struggle constantly with thoughts of why we are here on this planet and what we are suppose to be doing. Obviously most would say that we are here to reproduce and make the earth and our species/ecosystem last as long as it possibly can, but the question that I struggle with is if our only purpose is solely to reproduce and extend the longevity of our race, then why have we come to be blessed with the complex consciousness and ability to think that we have?

This question always ends me in the philosophy that no one can truly answer this question, as Douglas Adam's novel The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, satirically points out, and that one can do nothing but enjoy the consciousness and the time that one has on earth, as the most famous of Latin phrases states,"Carpe Diem."

So, while I am not particularly afraid of physical or emotional pain or death, I am afraid of the fact that I cannot answer the question of life's purpose. I recognize that I will most likely never develop an answer for this, so I have come to put this fear at the back of my mind and live to Horace's philosophy of taking advantage of the time that we have here.

On Everything Is An Argument By Andrea A. Lunsford, John J. Ruszkiewicz

This reading was one of the most stimulating readings that I have encountered thus far in AP Composition. In this reading Andrea and John talk about how every text can be a form of an argument, whether its a flat out argument, a persuasive essay or even just a political campaign poster. I think that this reading is mainly interesting because it outlines, though not outright, how itself is an argument for arguments being in all texts.

One of the parts that I found particularly interesting in this text was the section pertaining to the ancient Statis Theory. I thought that this theory follows a good path by laying out the questions in order: Did something happen? What is its nature? What is its quality? and What actions should be taken? If answered correctly, this theory of argument would be able to solve most forensic arguments.

The section that I found most interesting in this texts was that pertaining to the Rogerian argument. This form of argument involves the aggressor finding common ground with the opponent, thereby establishing a form of trust and then presenting their argument in a non-threatening manner. I have seen this form of argument being used a lot in our society, and this seems to me to have become the most devious, yet effective form.

While I disagree that every text could be perceived as an argument (as we can define anything in any way that we choose), I liked this reading a lot and found it vary informative in enhancing my knowledge of different forms/theories on arguments.

The Courthouse Ring by Malcolm Gladwell

I thought that the Courthouse Ring was an amazing insight on the thoughts surrounding racism represented in the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. In this essay Malcolm Gladwell talks about how before the famous Brown vs. Board of Education trial, the southern half of the U.S., especially Alabama was effected by moderate politicians such as Jim Folsom, governor of Alabama. Malcolm explains how Lee represented the moderate Folsom in her famous book through the portrayal of Addicus Finch. The main idea behind Folsomism and Jim Crow politics of the time was the frase "Separate but Equal," or segregation of blacks and whites. Jim Folsom was a man that was known for his moderate appeasement of both blacks and whites, and how he would throw lavish parties for blacks in Alabama, yet did nothing really to try and integrate the south. Now a lot have said that this is just as good as racism, because you are still keeping the black population separate from the white, and in this act one would say that it is impossible for them to truly be equal, and I would agree with this. What I don't agree with is people saying the "big Jim" was a bad man for doing this. What one has to keep in mind is that Folsom had grown up during the twenties and thirties, during some of the most racist times in America, and in Alabama of all places. One must see that Jim could never have been able to fathom integration of blacks and whites, because before he was around there was never an inkling of a thought to this. Jim did simply the best he could understand doing, and that is treating the negro as best he could, even better than the white in most cases. Therefore, while Jim and Addicus were neither radical nor liberal in their racial standings, it was not truly their fault, because they could not fathom true integration of blacks into white society in the time and place that they grew up and were living in.

How I Write

The first thing that I do whenever I am going to write about a topic or piece of work is think about it. I spend as long as it takes to think about the topic and develop my own interpretation or take on it. Also, I usually try to develop a thesis and a plan for where I want this topic to go, but for the most part, when I write a rough draft, I usually just let what I'm thinking and processing at the time take me through the paper. Then, when I sit down to the computer or to the table to start writing, I tend to think through every sentence before I right or type it.

One of the main things that I always try to do while writing is to take my own point of view that makes sense to me and that I can believe in, while at the same time back up with a lot of different details/facts. By doing this, I can fill up the page, inform the reader of what I know, while at the same time hopefully sounding like I know what I'm talking about.

Finally, once I have finished saying all that I have to say on the topic, and the page is filled, I take a break, eat some food, relax and turn my mind off, preparing to go back to the topic. After I have done this I head back to the computer and read over what I wrote in the heat of the moment, first checking over the grammar, then checking over the content and adding all of the new ideas that I come up with after the fact. Once this ordeal is done, and I feel the writing is somewhat suitable, I publish/print.