FINAL blog post

Because of technology I am able to still complete online classes and go to school from anywhere in the world. I could watch a class lecture from the bathtub if I wanted to… Just kidding I would never do that. My point is the possibilities are endless. Although there are endless possibilities that means there's room for negative. For example someone can get scammed on technology whether it be through credit cards or false deals, or giving out personal information. Technology has made hackers and the deep dark web where no one has control over it. We don't normally hear about these things but they are very much a part of technology, and anyone of us could get hacked. I love how you talk about the fact that technology comes with the good, bad and the ugly. That is a perfect way to sum it all up. I believe most of the country has a connection and it seems like the older generation knows how to control their technology use to a healthy amount while the younger generation is addicted and unhealthy to technology. I believe this is because the older generation lived in a time when technology wasn't even invented yet, so they appreciate it more and understand how to live without it. I believe children are addicted because it's all they've ever known, also like you said everything is at our fingertips it gives these kids the instant gratification they are craving. 

I believe my relationship is unhealthy at the moment, I tend to spend a lot of time on Netflix watching movies now that we are stuck in quarantine. I would love to start reading more and taking a break from technology. During the school year I decided that I would delete all social media during the week and download it on the weekends. This helps me focus on what's more important in life like school work, and clubs and hanging out with friends. I recently read an interesting article that talks about the fact that they are seeing a trend of social media and technology usage being increased every year. This is due to technological advancements and because the younger generations are even using more technology in school. 

“About 63 percent of K–12 teachers use technology in the classroom daily. A new survey from the University of Phoenix College of Education found that daily classroom tech use is up from 55 percent in 2016.” This is incredible, that's more than half of the schools in the country and it just goes to show how great the technology can really be. 

https://edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2017/09/classroom-tech-use-rise-infographic

Online Classes.. are they worth it?

Classes have all moved to an online format and many students have complained about the fact that they are getting more work than usual. Some teachers have brought lectures to an online format. While some teachers just post assignments for the student to submit. This has led to furious parents asking themselves if they are getting their money's worth for the school their children are receiving. Parents are forgetting that this time is not only hard on students but for the teachers too. This is a transitional period, so most classes had to be turned into the pass fail option. This gives students a break in a way because if they're not pleased with a grade in a particular class they can select it as a pass. 

Online classes can be tough because the communication between the student and the teacher can be confusing and hard to keep up with. Another reason it may be difficult is because some students don't have places to study and may have a lot more distractions and family obligations. There are also some positives to online classes, it can be good practice for the real world and strengthening organizational skills and communications skills. In the real world work still goes on and this is also great because it teaches people to adapt during tough times. Overall I believe the teachers have been super helpful and understanding but I  love learning in the classroom a lot more and being able to talk to the professors face to face.

https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/are-online-classes-worth-it

Self Audit

This self audit has really given me time to reflect about my social media usage and my online footprint. Everything I google, everything I buy, everything I post ends up tracing right back to me. This is incredible to think that every human that uses the online web most likely has a huge online footprint but it's invisible if you don't look close enough. 

For my online digital footprint it must be very big because I am constantly using google, or going on youtube or writing emails. Something I also realized is the fact that I read a lot of books and whenever I buy a book on the kindle it keeps track of my library of books which traces back to me. 

The main social media platforms I use are instagram, snapchat, and linkedin. These three social media platforms all require for the user to enter in their phone number, email, and birthday. Taking a step back that is very personal, and the app stores that data forward. The main social media that catches my eye is Linkedin. While it is supposed to be used for finding jobs and networking. Random people could find out a lot about me because I am a public. This is the risk I am willing to take so that employers can view my page. 

Some of the information that is presented on my social media is what state I live in, where I go to school, what fraternity I am in, what some of my accomplishments are, and even what classes I am taking at school. 

While social media can be used in many ways I also believe there are many downsides that come with it. For instance social media can be fake in a way. People are only posting the best pictures of themselves. The point is people are faking that they are happy all the time, and it has almost turned into a competition, people only put content out that makes it look like their life is perfect with no flaws. If social media is overused it can definitely lead to depression, people can leave mean comments or nice comments that give you that instant gratification. 

EOTO p2- What is going on?

Our world has quickly shifted in a matter of a couple of months. Schools have closed, businesses have shut down, restaurants are taken out only, and humans are seen wearing masks everywhere. This is all due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has affected the whole world. This has been eye opening for me, the whole world in it together all being touched by this disease in one way or another. Our whole normal routines in life are being interrupted in the most crazy way. Something I have noticed is the fact that COVID-19 is the only thing being talked about on the news, everyone is stuck inside with nothing interesting going on. The media and how they deal with the virus is particularly interesting. 

It seems they focus on the bad rather than the good. There is always an updated death toll on the bottom right of the news screen which brings negativity and sadness to all households. While it is important that Americans understand that people are dying and that this disease is dangerous it doesnt need to be broadcasted all day everyday. We have tried a new idea in my family where we encourage each other not to think about COVID-19 or even talk about it. Because in reality it doesn't make the problem better and doesn't make it go away. The government knows the most about it and will release information when they believe it is right. Many people are freaking out because of the fact that most states are issuing a stay at home warning, and some people have even gotten ticketed for being out of the house during quarantine. There is only so long people can stay in quarantine before people start losing jobs and losing money. The stock market is a hot topic with the media and the fact that it gets worse and worse everyday. My worry is that we may not be able to return back to school in the fall because of this virus. 

https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/coronavirus-pandemic-05-04-20-intl/index.html

EOTO p1- Blow the whistle!

I looked up the term whistleblower. And the main definition is a person who informs an ignorant person of bad behavior or bad work being done. A great way to think about it being similar to a spy of some sort of organization. But it could be a good spy if the whistleblower is doing the right thing. In regards to society there are pros and cons. This can really hurt your career and it can also break trust between people within the company. It could also result in retaliation from the company. Whistleblowers usually know the risk they are taking and if it is worth it or not. The positives of whistleblowing can consist of having the public safety in interest. And some cases the whistle blower will be looked at as responsible and reliable. 

Whistleblowing is a very controversial topic and I believe that it is good in the workplace but can be very detrimental when the government is involved. This can cast a weird outlook on the general public and cause rumors. One of my favorite examples of a whistleblower was a man named John Racker and he worked on Wall St, and he saved the company millions when he figured out that there was an employee who was going to scam the rest of the partners within the company. He was praised for his efforts and his attempt at doing something good for the company as a whole. The interesting part about whistleblowers is the fact that they are almost nearly impossible to detect and sometimes they figure out a way to be anonymous. 

https://www.whistleblowers.org/what-is-a-whistleblower/

Eight Values - becoming a better person

After reading through the eight values I ended up reading it all over again because it was such a tough decision. The one that registered with me the most was number four the individual self fulfillment. This is all about humans using freedom of speech to their advantage to become better people. It really is true, when humans have to hold something back or are limited they feel restricted and feel as if they are being treated unfairly. It is so important for everyone in the country to be able to express their viewpoints and arguments in a fair light. 

Self actualization is something overlooked in life. Most people think that all their problems will go away once they have money. Or they believe that working a job they hate is worth it for the money. These problems are wrong, little do they know that real happiness is found through self actualization. When I think of self actualization I immediately think of believing in one's meaning in life and finding happiness through a purpose of some sort. This is a part of all humans, some try to push it away and not face it but every human yearns to find their purpose. One may argue once you hit your self actualization moment it's when you have finally figured it all out, and when a great life begins, with much more clarity. Self actualization and freedom of speech have more in common than you think. They both intertwine with each other, part of reaching self actualization is through freedom of speech and saying what you believe is to be right.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/theory-and-psychopathology/201308/the-theory-self-actualization