Tipping Point Questions

Question 1) What is the story of Bernie Goetz? Is Bernie Goetz a cold-blooded murderer or a heroic vigilante? The story of Bernie Goetz is that on day he walked onto the back of a subway and shot 4 African Americans youths. His defense was that he thought they were going to hurt and mug him. The odd part about this was that it appeared that Goretz was a fairly normal guy who just one day snapped. This is were the question or power of context comes into play; questioning weather the subway setting had anything to do with his rampage. In addition people at the time were giving Goetz praise, saying that he was just cleaning up the subway by taking down the muggers. This praise and overall recognition is what people made him a hero, but I tend to disagree and see him as a cold-blooded murderer. In my mind there is no reason to kill an individual just based on appearance or assumptions. If this were true and we could justify are reason for killing someone on the assumption that they scared you; then we all would kill someone to feel safer. Basically, in my eyes he knew what he was doing because he had to plan it out to a point to have a gun on him. Therefore, I believe that Bernie has no other reason than to be classified as a cold- blooded murderer.

Question 3) The Broken Window Theory argues that crime is the inevitable result of disorder. It suggest that crime is contagious. Do you agree or do you think this risks excusing a criminal's culpability? I believe that the broken window theory is only true for minor crimes and even then it still depends on the individual. Another words I feel that when a person sees a broken window or graffiti, yes it does affect their feel for the overall safeness and cleanliness of that environment. However, I feel that this does not suddenly make a "normal" individual want to kill or commit a larger crime that could get them the death sentence. It may spark their interest in possible less sever crimes such as graffiti, but even then I feel it still depends on the individual and his/her decision to due such an act. I believe that the individual is in control of their actions and the environment can not simply make them commit crime. If this were true the story of Bernie Goetz would be justified, which I believe is not a true justification for his outrage. Therefore, although the broken window may hold some truth I feel that a criminal is dependent on the individual, not the environment.

English Undergraduate Conference

Session 2- Panel 6 "Putting your Best Face Forward: The Identity Matrix of Social Networking"

The first session I attended was panel 6 were Caroline Lehman and Michaela O' Toole presented on the who idea of identity and social networking. They mainly looked at the social network facebook as it is the most popular among college and high-school students. First, they talked about how there is many different types of statures. A few they gave were the emo (depressed), TMI (to much information), and serial statuser (post every 15 minutes). What made the presentation more interesting was that they gave actually examples off of people's facebook of the different types of statuers. In addition, they had us do a quick activity of our own were we got a sheet of paper and had to describe something about ourselves, list some interest, and draw a picture of ourselves. This was meant to mimic what we might actually put on our facebook. When then traded with a partner and seen if he/she gave a lot or very little information about themselves. Basically, to see if we were conscious of what we actually place on are facebooks and how it can give others an impression of us. They had also pointed out what we as college students should and should not post on our facebooks and the different settings that we should have on or off. One key point they said was that once the information (pictures or post) has been released we are no longer in control of what can happen to them. Towards the end of the session they had a very helpful question and answer time. The big question that most of my peers asked was do you think is is appropriate to keep your facebook once you get a job, mainly looking at a teaching job? Their answer to that was that it is ok to keep it if you are cautious on what people post and how you have it set up. They said it is a good idea when even starting student teaching to change your name to a nickname, take off or un-tag yourself in any questionable photos, and as always be aware of your settings. They concluded that you would not want your facebook to hold you back from your career. All in all I really enjoyed this session because it relates directly to me as I have a facebook and hope to teach once I finish college.

Session 3- Keynote Panel

The second session I had attend was the keynote panel were Dr. Alvine, Dr. Park, and Dr. Watson had all presented. Dr. Alvine was our first presenter and she had talked on how telling our stories helps us to make sense of our lives. In addition she gave us a 5 quote handout that all related to identity and the stories that help shape it. The next speaker was Dr. Park who mainly talked on how she sets up her research writing course. Surprisingly, she to lets her students pick their own research topics. She says not only does it allow the student to have an interest in their paper, but she can see their personalities emerge in their writing. The last speaker was Dr. Watson and to be honest she posed a lot of good points and was able to truly make me look at how my writing and reading helps shape my identity. One point she was that in literature is a safe place were you can get a feel for other cultures and countries. A key thought she pointed out was that literature allows us to walk in other peoples shoes. She then gave examples in her life how reading and trying different restaurants that took her out of her comfort zone and made her understand her friends on a deeper level. She concluded by saying that to her living is a process and that she reads to become. Over all I have to say that I had enjoyed the conference more then I had expected.

Chapter 2 "The Tipping Point"

In chapter two Gladwell is trying to get at how connectors, mavens, and salesman play a role in how ideas travel. I feel that the most interesting part that he talked on was the connectors particularly on Roger Horchow. Rodger was someone who had scored really high on the 250 name test, which proved that he knew a lot of people. Gladwell stated, "Roger Horchow has an instinctive and natural gift for making social connections." However, what was even more interesting was that he stated that people like Rodger don't really fully know all the people, but are rather just acquaintances. Gladwell says the reason of just keeping people as acquaintances is so that their is no obligation there (pg 45). This is probably the reason why people like Rodger make such good connectors; meaning they know just enough about people. Overall Gladwell used surveys such as the 250 name test and one on one interviews to gather his information. This is what I found most important and interesting in chapter two of "The Tipping Point".

Types of Reading

Most of the time I read health magazines or facebook pages compared to Gladwell's book. Some of the main differences are that with facebook pages they tend to use slang or abbreviations, were as Gladwell's writing is structured. In addition facebook page tend to focus on the individual on that page. Gladwell on the other had looked at many different people as groups and individuals. Health magazines tend to have small write ups/articles and also tend to focus on a specific topic or problem. Malcolm's book tended to look at many different topics and was a larger write up on them, then some article. Although both health articles and Gladwell do look at social epidemics such as outbreaks of diseases. In the end thought all readings are to get to some common goal or goals.

Summarizing The Tipping Point Intro. & ch. 1

In the book "The Tipping Point" author Malcolm Gladwell raises an issue on how epidemics come about and make big changes in the world. In the introduction of the book Malcolm looked at common trends such as the fashion trend Hush Puppies. He calmed that this trend grow from a few people. This Hush Puppies example is one that he would say falls into the law of the few. The law of the few is simple a law that starts one or two people can cause a trend to excel or spread. Another law that he hits on is the stickiness factor, which looks at how common sayings or quotes tend to cause a trend to spread. In chapter one he looked mainly at the Winston cigarette slogan. He said that if you were to go up to a person and say, "Winston taste good." That they would finish it by saying, "like a cigarette should."(pg. 25). This showed just how a phrase could make a product excel. The last law that Gladwell hit on was the power of context, which he clams that humans are a lot more sensitive to their environment than they may seem. The best example that Gladwell gave on this law was the issue of the 1964 stabbing of Kitty Genovese. This situation showed that even though thirty-eight people saw the stabbing no one bothered to pick up the phone and report it, because each person thought that the other or another person would report it. Showing that the environment that we are in does play on how we react to things. Overall the introduction and chapter one looked at how epidemics come about and make these changes in the world.