The Big Bad Facebook

My morning routine has not changed in two years. I wake up, take a shower, get ready for my day, and plop down behind my desk. I launch Firefox, 2 tabs. One is the weather of White Plains for that day (There is nothing worse than shivering on your way to Brownson!), and the other is Facebook.

More than 300 million users, and more than 6 billion minutes are spent on the site each day (http://www.facebook.com/press/info.php?statistics). How did this networking website become such a necessity in the adolescent’s life? Or should I say… Every individual’s life? As a matter of fact, my entire family (mother, father, grandparents! aunt, cousins, brother, sister…) is signed up on Facebook.

When you meet someone that you would like to see again, you do not even ask for a phone number anymore. It’s a simple: “Hey what’s your last name, so I can add you on Facebook?”. It is a little worrying that it is ASSUMED that the person has Facebook, and not bothering to ask.

I find myself procrastinating. Just flipping through photos, profiles, videos… things I have seen numerous times before. Of course the website is incredible… being able to communicate with long lost friends, being capable of sharing your information with pretty much the entire world… this is something that our parents never had when they were young. But when you really look at yourself… you scan other people’s profiles, people you probably do not even talk to, even less say hello to… and yet they are your “friends” ? This is not only a hypocritical attitude, but makes us dependent on other people’s lives for entertainment. We stop focusing on our “real” lives, and live through Facebook.

Worrying? Yes indeed.

I Start my Day with Frowns and Black Coffee.

The irritating buzz of my alarm clock goes off. I yawn, stretch, and enjoy the last couple seconds under my comforter. Monday morning, a whole week to go before the weekend. I get up, not fully there yet, my mind still trapped in blurry dreamland… I clumsily grab the remote control and turn on the TV, hoping that it will snap me out of my haze. The images begin to flash before my eyes. I am immediately aggressed by CNN, revealing the horrors of the day before. Is this really the way I want to start my day?

It seems like in a time where we are all more or less pressured, anxious, and afraid, all we hear on the news is provoking this feeling even more. Today for example, in big bold letters on the CNN website was the following article: “Man sought whose wife, 5 children killed”. Equally, on the New York Times homepage was the following two: “Federal Agents Arrest 3 Men in Terror Inquiry ” and "Search on for Man, whose wife, kids were killed"

Okay, granted, it is important to know what is happening around us. I just think it’s hypocritical. The media manages to manipulate us, choosing what we can or cannot hear. First of all, so much information is kept from the general audience; we barely hear a quarter of all the things that really happen in the world. But at the same time, many depressing, pessimistic, or morbid stories are still thrown at us, like the two above. Couldn’t there be more of a balance between positive and negative stories? I would love to hear about scientific progress, about advancements coming from organizations in order to fight cancer, global warming, or even hunger in the world…. We may not hear it every day, but many individuals and groups dedicate time and effort in order to make our world a better place.

I am not saying that it is not important for the media to communicate the horrors around us, it IS the media’s job after all. But when we wake up in the morning and turn on the TV, wouldn’t it be nice to be able smile once in a while and think “yes, there are some good people out there” ?

What in the World is a Cheese Cloth ?!

Rocky road ice cream, ranch dressing, Reuben sandwich, semisweet chocolate, romaine lettuces… talk about eccentric! The Associated Press Stylebook contains a pretty remarkable range of topics, ranging from wacky expressions to subjects as profound as homicides and governmental titles.

My facial expression while scanning the pages of this 400 page stylebook for the first time was constantly changing. I grinned when reading that “scuba”, a word that I often use back home (which is pretty self-evident, considering that I was raised on a tropical island) is actually an abbreviation for “self-contained underwater breathing apparatus”. I raised my eyebrows in astonishment when learning the Seven Seas, and nodded my head about the Seven Wonders of the World. I also shuddered as I read about hurricanes, a natural disaster that I have been confronted to many times before. However, I was speechless when my eyes suddenly halted at a familiar word: the stylebook even mentions the Netherlands Antilles, the chain of islands that my island, St. Maarten, is part of. The description stated that this chain of islands should not be abbreviated as “NA”. I laughed internally, remembering how many times I finished writing down my address as “St. Maarten, NA”. These examples really prove how much variety is hidden in these 400 pages. Even a chain of islands, almost never even shown on a world map, is mentioned… Pretty impressive!

I think I have just met my new writing partner. Not only does this stylebook lend a helping hand in knowing the sense of the words you use, but it also has the ability to make you laugh, wonder, and frown... all on the same page!

All I can really say is that I am definitely a fan.

Are you ALWAYS Objective?

Objectivity is “judgment based on observable phenomena and uninfluenced by emotions or personal prejudice” according to the Princeton Word Net dictionary. Should we, as human beings, always be objective with one another? Are there certain situations that could or should be considered as exceptions? This topic is undeniably a controversial subject.

Your brother has committed an irreversible crime. Without a doubt, you will stand by his side, as he would for you as well. However, if you were to look at the act in itself objectively, would you honestly defend what he did? At times, we allow ourselves to close our eyes on certain aspects of life. We choose not to be objective, simply because other criteria are more important; love, family, and trust, above all things.

We are often objective with strangers, claiming that certain things we hear on the news or in our communities are intolerable and should be punished. However, when it comes to ourselves, we have a tendency to forgive, or at least excuse, our excesses. How many times, instead of dealing with consequences, did you mentally tell yourself “It’s okay as long as it doesn’t happen again”?

What about lawyers having to defend pedophiles in court? They must close their eyes on the “possible” acts that the individual has committed, basing their judgment on other solid facts, like a traumatizing experience or insanity for example. Due to certain values and ethics, most individuals are incapable of doing such things.

Objectivity is controversial because no matter what we do, there will always be a time when we will be subjective, whether it is with someone that is close to us, someone we admire, or simply with ourselves. This is a fact of life, and cannot be changed.

A Comma is Nothing More Than a Written Pause.

Beginning to write is not a thought process; it is a form of expression. Forcing words on a blank piece of paper is the best way to hinder oneself from creating them. A passionate subject, a meaningful idea, a powerful motive… there are many ways to stimulate enthusiasm. Thinking in order to research, or possibly to expand on an idea, is of course an exception. However, you may realize that the best texts you have ever written could best be described as “a flow of words beyond control”.

Letting yourself go, typing fiercely on the keyboard without obstructing this dominant stream of words from your unruffled mind is the only way to be satisfied with the results of your writing. The ideal would be to let it be imperfect; to let it remain raw and flawed for the moment. The writing process is composed of many stages, and is absolutely not irreversible. Express your emotions, your buried feelings, and your unique opinions as simply as possible without adding too much concentration to this significant first step.

In my opinion, writing is independent of thinking. You can choose to overanalyze something that should in fact be simple. You can also concentrate on a subject to the point where the real meaning is gradually erased by the excess words that are so carefully thought over. This is the writer's decision. My writing, for example, must be stimulated. Something must provoke it, and I do everything that I can to let it freely express itself. Although my belief is that writing is stimulated by the presence of passion and enthusiasm rather than thought, the decision whether writing should be dependent on thinking clearly depends on the type of writing chosen.

I Know What It's Like.

I know what it is like to be the outsider. As a French student in an American school (from Kindergarten to twelfth grade), I battled to improve my English and writing skills above all things, fighting for equal recognition in a classroom composed mainly of English-speaking students. I read, practically devoured, books. They taught me vocabulary, grammar, and the ability to differentiate original writing styles from the rest. To me, words were inspirational, powerful, and meaningful. I finished high school with English awards that I worked as hard as I possibly could to earn. I needed to be the best; I needed to go beyond myself and what was expected of me. It is through this fierce desire to improve that I became aware that writing would always undeniably be part of my life.

Numerous diaries as a young girl, many poems as a teenager, and uncountable blog entries and short stories as a young adult; this is an approximate timeline of my amateur writing career. Words have never been excruciating, frustrating, or strenuous. They have always been my passion; having the ability to choose them as I wish, to beautify them, and above all things, to romanticize them.

I came to college as an outsider; a Caribbean girl hoping to be acknowledged among a high percentage of American students, a passionate girl hoping to touch others with her originality. This course fits my objectives to perfection. Not only does it embody the “current events” aspect of writing that is needed today in any writing career, but also the personal, emotional characteristic that has always inspired me about writing. I am very eager to share and grasp as much information as possible from the numerous topics that we will cover over the semester.