Response: FOOD and TASTES

A responseto “Why We Like What We Like” by Alva Noe

Central argument: the distinguish between things we like and don’t like is not by taste, but by our brains.

   

“Why We Like What We Like” by Alva Noe shows that people cannot tell the differences of good and bad food by tasting but by the satisfaction of our brains. The study shows that people cannot tell the difference between good and bad foods when one of them ate a cold potato chip with a crunchy sound on the headphone. The brain tells them that it’s the crunchy ones that they are eating just by the sound. I disagree with this article because I like the food that I like because of its taste (sweet, sour, bitter), which can only be test using the taste buds, there are some wine critics who can tell different types of wine just by tasting them even with their eyes closed, and some people prefer a food that are for some people bad food.

            I personally like spicy food. Of course no one can tell me that it’s spicy when I have my eyes closed when it is not actually spicy. Taste buds are there in the human’s month to tell the differences between foods that are sweet, sour, spicy, and bitter. Anyone would be able to tell the differences between tastes even with them being blinded folded. Well of course, unless their taste buds are not reactive or unresponsive. Therefore, the statement in the article that mentions, the satisfaction of the brains towards foods being behind the like in tastes.

            The article also mentions how some people when blind folded cannot tell the differences from a white wine to a red wine. If that is true then what would be the job of wine critics. Most of them would taste wine with their eyes closed to focus on only the taste of the wine. This study only applies to certain people not all and therefore is wrong and cannot be proven unless more studies are done on it.

            Lastly, different people prefer different types of food. Asians would love spicy food or rice; however westerners would most likely dislike those foods. That’s why when I first moved to India with my family, I did not like Indian food as much because of its oiliness. Just by the fact that bad food to some people could be good foods for some other people, already proves that this study may not apply to every single person on Earth or even the majority of it. It will only apply to certain type of people.

            We will always prefer certain types of foods. This is not because those foods can satisfy our brains and pressure but simply because it is the taste we are used to. Unless the study is given to a more multi-cultural phase then the results could become more believable; at least for me.         

Response: PLEASE!

A response to “Please Read This Story, Thank You” by Linton Weeks

Central argument: The way people expressed their manners in the community today doesn’t convey the traditional means.

            From the reading of “Please Read This Story, Thank You” by Linton Weeks, people in the adult word changed the way they express their manners which could change the whole, meaning of the traditional ones. I agree with the author. People now days do not say ‘Thank You’ or even ‘Please’ but instead, ‘yah’ and ‘give me’ is used. People tend not to use the traditional words mainly because no one does it anymore, no one cares enough about it, and it feels too formal and distant.   

One of the author’s points in the article was that as we grow older we tend not to say words like ‘thank you’, you’re welcome, or even ‘please’ anymore. If you actually think about it, this statement seems to be true. Do you say ‘thank you’, ‘you’re welcome’, or ‘please’ every time you are expected to? I know I don’t. Sometimes, I have to be reminded of my mother’s law of politeness and that these words exist. Imagine a situation where you are at a café with your friends, would be saying, “Could you please pass the sugar?” or “pass me the sugar?”    

            Think back of the time when you were just a small kid. Have anyone ever told you, “where’s the magic word?” The magic word here means words like, ‘thank you and please.’ You can never get away without saying please or thank you, otherwise the adult will look at you as the rude and arrogant kid. This will never happen to you, when you grow up. It seems like it is acceptable for an adult to not say those words that indicate respect.  This just show how rude we become when we grow older and no one will really care about it.

            Words that indicate respectful meanings are disappearing in the adult word and no one seems to care or even notice that. Every conversation when someone says words like ‘please or thank you,’ they will automatically feels very distance from the rest of the group even if that was not the speaker’s intention. This is another reason why people seem to not say thank you anymore. It feels too formal.

            As a result of this change in actions of the adults, the respects for one another will slowly go into a decline. This is definitely not a good thing. People needs to give each other’s respect otherwise nothing will ever get done because of the ego inside each one. Just by changing the words use to express respect and politeness can result in drastic problems of ego and selflessness within each human beings.         

 

A response to What Does It Mean To Be Cool? By Dr. Thorsten Botz-BorNstein 
(http://www.philosophynow.org/issues/80/What_Does_It_Mean_To_Be_Cool?ref=list)
Central
argument: The definition, the behaviors of being cool, and different type of
cool according to different philosophers.

              
“What Does It Mean To Be Cool?” is an article by Dr. Thorsten Botz-BorNstein
that explains the different meanings of ‘cool’ according to different
philosophers. Everyone wants to be cool. Even the old citizens want to be cool.
No one likes it when he or she unexpectedly does something that is uncool. Just
like many other words, the definition of ‘cool’ differs from place to place,
generation to generation, and time to time. ‘Cool’ can be defined differently
in the school (high school) surroundings and the outside world, however there
is just a fine line separating them from one another.
              
According to the Oxford Online Dictionary, the definitions of ‘cool’ are “the
quality of being fashionably attractive or impressive” and “showing no
friendliness towards a person or enthusiasm for an idea or project.” People
want to be cool all the time, but why would people want that. As interpreted
from the Oxford Online Dictionary’s definition, ‘cool’ is just the outer self
of a person. Which shows that people have to pretend to be something else they
are not just to be able to stay ‘cool.’ Like in High School, everyone wants to
be in the ‘cool’ group and act ‘cool’ all the time; why is that.
              
High School’s environment is the perfect example to show the definition of
‘cool’ in the modern era. Kids who are considered cool are the ones of
popularity in the school and most of the times are the bullies. Obviously,
everybody would want to be in the popular group of the school. That is simply
because to avoid being the bottom of high school chain and being the bullied.
Superiority is also includes in the cool group. If you are cool, people look up
to you. And of course, as a kid, you will always want to be heard and the head
of everything. Lastly, kids love attention and when you are cool you get
attention from everyone in the school. ‘Cool’ kids in the school usually
involve good looks, sport participations, grades (only in some schools), and
something that great that stands out.
              
In the outside world situation of ‘cool’ is quite similar to the one of a high
school. There are only small differences between them. Sometimes people think
of cool when they do something that is considered cool like smoking or drinking
alcohol. However, this is wrong ideology. Drinking or smoking does not
automatically make a person cool. Just because a considered ‘cool’ person does
it, doesn’t mean it is the same for everyone. ‘Cool’ in the outside world can
also mean when someone is doing something different then other people,
something that catches attention from others.
              
Overall, being ‘cool’ does not necessary mean that you are on top of the world.
‘Cool’ means pretending. It is best to be whoever you are, rather than live up
to other people’s expectations. You are the best when you are yourself rather
than trying to be somebody else. Also that getting a lot of attentions from
others also means bigger reactions to mistakes you do.

Evolution

A response to The Rise of “AWESOME” by Robert Lane Greene

Central argument: evolution of English words: awesome.

In The Rise of “AWESOME” by Robert Lane Greene, the central argument was the evolution of the word ‘awesome.’ This word changed over time from being used to describe God in the Bible into something good or great; according to Greene. Evolution is happening in everyday life, as time moves forward things are continuously changing without everyone noticing those changes. Along with ‘awesome,’ words like ‘gay’ and ‘dam you’ also has been redefined over the period of time. The importance of religion and gender roles is now so different when comparing them to the history of our human existence.    

From time to time, ‘awesome’ is not the only word that has been redefined. Words like ‘gay’ and ‘dam you’ now have a totally different meanings and usage then of the time when they were originated. ‘Gay’ once meant happiness. So if people looking into old literature like Shakespearian plays, a phrase like ‘I am gay’ would obviously mean ‘I am happy.’ However if the same phrase is used in the modern time, it would mean ‘I am a homosexual.’ Another word mentioned is ‘dam you.’ People nowadays use ‘dam’ or ‘dam you’ to express their disappointment in things that could have gone differently. The same word used in the past, it would be very offensive and meant ‘to go to hell.’ Basically, by saying dam you would be the same as telling someone to go to hell. However, if it is used by a teenage in this era, no one would really care about it. So if people from the past were to travel through time to the modern era and say, ‘I am so gay’ or ‘dam you people,’ it would mean ‘I am a homosexual’ and ‘I am annoyed with people.’  

Another thing that is constantly changing over times seems to be the importance of religion. Before, in the past, Christians for examples are known to go to church every Sunday. Confession is supposed to be done weekly, and Bible is expected to be read. However, Christians now are not as active. People who claims that believe in Christianity don’t even know one verse of the Bible, don’t go to Churches every Sundays, and have never done confession in their entire life. Most people are Christians by birth but they do not have beliefs in it. This would prove how people don’t really care about religion anymore like how people from the past or even our grandparents are. Religion is just there and we don’t necessary need it.

Gender roles seems to be changing a lot and most dramatically over time. Before, women are supposed to be at home taking care of household chores and kids. As the head of the family, men are to go to work and bring money to the family. However, as seen, women go to work. Some are even at the higher position then men. More and more women are participating in the politics where this would be considered unusual and not accepted in the past. Even now some men stay at home and do the house chores; house husband. Equality between the two genders, if it was a balance scale, is slowly moving towards a balanced, untilled to either side.

Everything seems to be changing over time. Not just words, religion, and gender roles, but almost everything in life. If we are to look back at the past, we would be laughing at most of the things that are no longer in practice (ex: dressing style.) However, I am sure that when our younger generations look at our past history, we will also be laughed at. This is because time will never stop as well as evolution.       

cooperation and listening is the key!

A response to Of Youth and Age by Sir Francis Bacon

(http://www.literaturepage.com/read/francis-bacon-essays-86.html)

Central argument: Some times things can only be achieved in youth rather than Age. (Do not underestimate youths.)

In Sir Francis Bacon’s eassay, Of Youth and Age, he mentions how people sometimes underestimate the youths just because they are at a younger age. Just like Bacon wrote, “A man that is young, maybe old in hours.” This shows that knowledge does not only exist in older people just because they were on Earth for a longer time. This idealism can be express through my personal experience, a TED talk, and the emerging new generations that have yet to teach the world of new things.

Throughout my experiences in one of my classes, the so call adult does not have the power to control the classroom. This is mainly because the teacher was underestimating our ability to think and speak critically just because we are a child compare to them, age wise. At this particular time, it the class started as how it would normally start. However, the teacher felt the need of expressing her feelings about her students in the class that they do not care enough on the subject matter to be studying them and that we, students are too innocent of the real world to actually are aware and care enough for the issues that are going on and affecting the world. This caused one of the student in that class stood up against her by saying, “many of us here comes from many different countries that are CURRENTLY facing political, economical, and environmental issues. We are not innocent little children who are living in this ‘perfect world.’ We know what is going on in the world and we care about it to have signed up for this class.” This caused the class to lose respects to the teacher and this is all due to the teacher’s underestimating youth’s knowledge on the world. 

TED talks are talks given that are later posted on the internet for audience from all around the world to see. There was a talk that was given by a girl about how adults should listen to children more and that they should be open to the child’s idea. Anyone who heard that talk would have agreed with her, unless you are in denial that a kid’s talk makes more sense than yours does. This already shows that not only adults can give presentations and advices, even kids can. And in this case, her talk went all over the world. 

With the new generation of technology constantly emerging, obviously the youth who have always been around it would have pier knowledge about it than an elder person who is still adapting to it. If you think about it, it is the youth who are coming up with new technologies and global development everyday not an old scientist. Furthermore, a newer generation has newer ideas and opinions on things. For example, the new generation has never experience things that the elders did, which could cause opinions and idea to differ such as wars, government, and natural disasters. It is best if the new generations are being heard as well as the elders.

Youth or age, it does not matter. The only thing that matters is that both parties listen and share ideas within each other into solving issues and developing the world into the perfect place to be at. Cooperation is the key!

Marriage Life is definitely better than forever alone!

A response to Marriage and Single Life by Sir Francis Bacon

Central argument:  Marriage life is better than a single life.

As Sir Francis Bacon wrote in his essay, Married and Single Life, I agree with him that married life is certainly better than single life. This theory of marriage life being better than a single life is shown throughout generations and experiences. The most simple and daily one that is the closest is my parent’s marriage. Another example that proves the statement is from a movie A Walk To Remember that was originally a romance novel by Nicholas Sparks. Lastly, if marriage life is so horrible then why would many, an increasing number of people, still went ahead and get married. No one would repeat the mistakes of others that they have seen.    

                My family consists of my mother, my father, my older and younger sister, and I. We have a wonderful household where we share house chores and help each other go through another day in our lives.  My mom worked with my dad and that was how they met. Not very long after that, they got married. Every now and then, whenever I go back home, I see both my mom and my dad trying to remind each other about things that needed to be done (they both are getting forgetful). That alone just shows how much they need each other just to carry on their daily lives. It is almost like they are two clock pieces that fit perfectly together and without one another they won’t be able to work properly.

                Another example that portrays how one would be better living in a marriage life rather than a single life is from a movie that brings tears into my eyes every time I watch it, A Walk To Remember. In the story, Jamie Sullivan was living perfectly fine without love because he has God with her. Then she met Landon Carter, who changes her view on life and start dating him. They both are madly in love throughout the plot. However, Jamie is sick with Leukemia and she was dying. This is the main reason why she did not want to date anyone but she could not resist Landon’s love for her. They both were perfect for each other. They filled each other’s holes. They were meant to be. Later on, knowing that Jamie is dying, Landon asks her to marry him. This just shows how marriage even not ever lasting is important. Landon would rather and a dead wife than living without having to marry the women he love the most.

                     Lastly, if marriage was so bad then why would anyone gets involve in a marriage. Surely, no one would ever repeat other people’s mistake. Just like when you see someone getting burn by a flame, you would not go and touch the flame. Even though some may say that marriage comes along with divorce, it does not always work that way. Just like life, you can never predict anything when it comes to life. Just do the best for the present and hope for the best for the future.

                Overall, marriage has to be better than single life. It shows that there will always be another person who will be there for you no matter what happens. Love can change people’s lives, as I have heard, and it leads to marriage that every one hopes for. Think of it this way, if marriage is so bad then why anyone would even dream of getting married. Marriage life is definitely better than single life.    

               

                

Response: TV is bad!

A response to "TV Is Good for You: If you are a woman in rural india, at least" by Joel Waldfogel.

TV is BAD!!

                Television, a black rectangle screen that every now and then continuously changes motion pictures is presence at almost every single household. No one really remembers when television becomes a big part on the daily bases. According to Joel Waldfogel, watching television provided change in ideas of Indian women about life; such as the preference towards having a baby boy or getting beat up by their husband are reducing statistically. However, from my personal experience, I disagree with Waldfogel that television does more good than bad to the humanity. Televisions are time consuming, have bad effects on the children watching the program, and can become addicting. 

                Surely everyone has experienced the moment of time passing by very quickly without he or she noticing the time change. This happens a lot when watching television. One could always fix this habit by having a time limit for spending times in front of a television. However when the time limit is over, there will always be other entertaining programs that are coming up or on other channels. This can make one just keep lying in front of a television and just keep watching and surpassing precise time that would be better off spending on something else, like studies. Sometimes, the time felt like only five minutes have passed by but actually an hour have already passed!

                Addictions are always referring to drugs or alcohol. In this case, television watching and be addicting as well. When a lot of times are spent in front of a television at a continuous rate, one will start having addiction towards certain shows and programs. The perfect example is that I used to just wait for certain dramas and soap operas. Every day, I would be waiting for the next episode to come out. Even though that particular drama may have ended, there will always be the next one and the one after that. This shows the addiction to certain shows and programs continuing to become addicting to the audiences.

                Another negative effect of watching television is that if a child sees any show or even the advertisements, the child will automatically starts to copy the action shown. For example: my five years old sister, she always tries to copy and pretend that she is one of the characters in Pink Panther or in the dramas. Obviously, not every single character she tries to portray has positive behavior. Some of them, like the ones in the soap operas, have negative personalities. This is in a way inacceptable. Children are supposed to be like a clean white cloth but with television around that would be impossible.

                Television overall has more negative impacts than positive impacts. Even though according to Joel Waldfogel in “TV Is Good for You: If you are a woman in rural India, at least” the impacts of having a television maybe positive as well as helping women in rural India change their perspectives on things, it does not apply to the whole world. And as we can see it every day that television does more bad than good to every household.  

Response: Advertising works!

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 Response to "Why Good Advertising Works (Even When You Think It Doesn’t)" By Nigel Hollis

                                                                          Ads Works

Good advertising works, otherwise why would, “U.S. companies would not invest $70 billion in something they thought didn’t work.” Advertisements are everywhere, whether it’s on a high way, work offices, or even at home. Only this is needed to illustrate how advertisement actually works even when one does not think he or she is affected by it. Advertisement uses logical fallacies, puts desires in human nature into their advantage, and uses humor to create positive memories which then would leave impression on the audiences.

 Have one ever seen non-famous or bad-looking people in an advertisement? I do not think so.  By using famous and good looking stars in an advertisement is a form of logical fallacy. It creates the thoughts of wanting to be like those ‘stars’ in the advertisement. Even though the audiences are aware of the fault logic of using certain products to become ‘prettier or more handsome’, the thought having even slightly possibility of having some changes within the outer appearance is what triggers the audiences to buy the products.

    The advertising companies use human nature, desire, into their advantages. For example, just like any women are when walking passed a sells sign. There will always be an urge of wanting more and more. That is desire and no one can ever say that desire is not part of their lives because then anyone would have already reach Nirvana. Desire will always be part of human nature and advertising and marketing companies use that in order to sell their products.

    Just like Nigel Hollis mentioned, “successful advertising… creates positive memories and feelings that influence our behavior overtime,” and leaving impressions for the audiences as well. Just like a regular tea break or lunch break at school, everyone talks about one particular advertisement that was showed on the television the previous night. This is because that advertisement left impressions and possibly includes humor in them for the audiences.

All of these points just prove how advertising works (along with realistic examples). Just like Nigel Hollis have said, “U.S. companies would not invest $70 billion (yes, that's the size of TV's ad market) in something they thought didn't work. Companies expect advertising to produce returns, just like any other investment.”