Independent Reading: Uglies (Blog 6)

If it were not for the people who value the meaning of being real, we would never understand how our own egos can ruin us when we earn some kind of advantage. Whatever opportunity we have to keep our morals, there should be no other option but to take it.

“How could Shay not understand that she’d been changed by the operation? Not just been given a pretty face, but also a… pretty mind. Nothing else could explain how quickly she’d changed, abandoning the rest of them for parties and hot showers, leaving her friends behind, just as Peris had so many months ago” (Westerfeld, pg. 396).

To me, I think that it is important for people to remain who they are even if they gain the greatest benefit of their life. It can become destructive when we lose sight of what truly matters to us, and that is when we begin the process of losing everything and everyone.

I think that the purpose of this passage was to remind people that even though it sometimes feels great to gain an advantage, there is no excuse to change our views and morals and act like a completely different person. The overall effect of this is to warn us that although it seems like powerful people have it all, they lack many qualities. Tally quickly realizes that she has changed after she catches a glimpse of what it will be like to be a pretty.

As imperfect humans, we tend to easily let our egos get the better of us, and it’s just our nature. Unfortunately some may not realize the mistakes they make at the peak of their success and it can have serious consequences if we get carried away. But those who are successful are the ones who stop and think about their decisions and how it will affect them and the people they care about.

In my last post of Uglies, I mentioned that not everyone has the same opinions about real beauty. This connects to how the ego can swell because we need to understand what is real, what truly makes us happy and where we stand in terms of morality.  

Independent Reading: Uglies (Blog 5)

It is very inspiring when someone who is considered extremely attractive realizes that everyone is beautiful. In Uglies, this may be considered the greatest scandal of all, but it shouldn’t matter what people think of each other as long as they look past the obvious appearance.

“Tally looked into his eyes and saw that his face was glowing again—touching her in that pretty way she’d felt before. ‘That’s why you’re beautiful, Tally.’ The words made her dizzy for a moment, like the falling feeling of looking into a new pretty’s eyes.” (Westerfeld, pg. 276).

I think that although Tally and the rest of her society are influenced by the way they look; the new pretty David knows what real beauty is rather than the false Pretties that the surgeons create.

I think that the purpose of this passage was to show that not everyone will have the same views about real beauty. There are always those few individuals who are often despised because of their morals, morals that are actually higher than most of our values. The overall effect that this has is that it makes us think about our own morals and what we perceive as beautiful, and in return, this may prompt us to change our mindset.

This future depiction gives us some hope in the present because people like David do exist, who aren’t superficial and ignorant in their views. They teach us that we can all be accepted by society if we can look past this obsession with beauty.

Languages and images help us to realize what we are doing to ourselves because when we look at images of real people of every background, race or religion, the universal truth is that we are all beautiful despite society’s misguided views.

In my last blog when I mentioned the drastic measures we take to feel attractive, it should not become a priority to change our natural appearance because of what others think.  

Independent Reading: Uglies (Blog 4)

In our current society, it is normal for us to see people of all shapes and sizes, but when we think about what the characters do to become beautiful equally, the idea seems extreme to us. Ironically, imagine if people in the future look back on our methods and think of them as extreme.

“She’d never seen so many wildly different faces before. Mouths and eyes and noses of every imaginable shape, all combined insanely on people of every age. And the bodies. Some were grotesquely fat, or weirdly over muscled, or uncomfortably thin, and almost all of them had wrong, ugly proportions. But instead of being ashamed of their deformities, the people were laughing and kissing and posing, as if all the pictures had been taken at some huge party” (Westerfeld, pg. 198).

In my opinion, I cannot picture what the characters consider beautiful, because when we look through magazines, we usually see the people we want to look like. For us, being shaped like a human being suffices, but the characters in Uglies think that muscles and body proportions are grotesque.  It just makes me realize how dramatic of a change these teenagers go through once they are able to become pretty.

Westerfeld took the option of explaining what the characters saw by way of shifting to their side. He acts as if the magazine models are a foreign concept to make us question our own ideas of normalcy and beauty. This creates the effect of self-evaluation within our society. Just because we think a certain trend is normal, it doesn’t mean that others find it as appealing as we do.

We as humans should be able to take different opinions into consideration when we look at the diverse world we live in. But the truth is, those beliefs about beauty have been drilled into our minds from the day we were born. For example, the practice of foot binding in China has been traditionally normal until the early 1900s, when it was banned. That didn’t stop the women from secretly breaking their own toes and arches so that they would attain the “three inch golden lotuses.” That takes suffering for beauty to a whole new level. It’s not as common or valued by the Chinese as much as it was back then, but foot binding was their perception of beauty. It is strange to us as Americans but we need to think about our own beauty traditions.

My previous ideas about the issue of beauty mentioned the minimal harm we see in trying to look like models. But we fail to understand that our values will be altered.

Independent Reading: Uglies (Blog 3)

Another problem that we face as a result of perceived beauty is the fact that those who are considered unattractive pose a threat to the status of the assumed beautiful people. Superficial attractive people are expected to play the part of the saints just because of their looks, and they consider ugly people to be bad in the same way.

“‘This city is a paradise, Tally. It feeds you, educates you, keeps you safe. It makes you pretty.’ Tally couldn’t help looking up hopefully at this. ‘And our city can stand a great deal of freedom, Tally. It gives youngsters room to play tricks, to develop their creativity and independence. But occasionally bad things come from outside the city’” (Westerfeld, pg. 106).

This depiction shows that Pretties feel threatened by Uglies because they are labeled as bad people. These days, people who are attractive are seen as the ones who have the most opportunities and who are the most idolized in society. Others are not given chances because nothing matters as long as they look “beautiful” according to society’s standards.  Westerfeld believes that people in the future will not only discriminate those who are less fortunate in terms of looks, but they will be treated like criminals.

As humans in a morally blind society, we cannot see the harm that is being inflicted when we place seemingly attractive people on a pedestal and push the “ugly ones” to the side. We think that it’s okay to pick sides because of what the majority of people think about a certain group. It is not fair that we have to let our opinions determine how we are going to treat a person if we think that their nose is too big or that their choice in wardrobe is tacky. But it’s only human nature.

In my previous blog, I mentioned that humans value superficial beauty now more than ever. In this case, our values are changed into things that are conceited and insincere.    

Independent Reading: Uglies (Blog 2)

Whenever humans feel that they need to protect what they believe in, we often resort to almost extreme measures to keep the truth guarded. In Uglies, the Pretties isolate themselves by way of keeping wardens the way a celebrity would keep bodyguards.

“New pretties had their own wardens. There was only one reason why a middle pretty would be here in Pretty Town: The wardens were looking for someone, and they were serious about finding him or her” (Westerfeld, pg. 26).

This depiction of the future exposes the obsession that has turned from an opinion to an authoritative necessity. Westerfeld predicts that humans will value superficial beauty even more in the future than we do now, and the integrity of any relationship may be put in jeopardy if one person is seemingly more beautiful than the other. As a result, it’s no wonder the “ugly” characters in the book are so insecure with their looks and become desperate to change their appearance for the sake of acceptance.

The way we use language can be compared to a weapon because we hurt each other by passing judgment based on appearance.  If a girl is told repeatedly that she is too big to be on a magazine spread, she will eventually believe that and will become discouraged about her looks. It may not seem like a big deal to most people, but such degrading comments can move someone to become obsessed with satisfying their persecutors and take drastic action. These actions may not be necessarily healthy.

As I explained in Blog 1, discrimination has made humanity’s perception of beauty a priority because of our superficial perception of real beauty, which is more than just looks.  

Independent Reading: Uglies (Blog 1)

In Scott Westerfeld’s novel Uglies, there is a great debate on the topic of “being pretty”, and in Tally Youngblood’s superficial society, the people who are considered attractive and powerful are those they call Pretties. As one of the Uglies in her society, they cannot help but await their sixteenth birthday when they will be cosmetically transformed into Pretties and leave their primitive community for good. Being one of the Pretties gives people a great life, and Tally believes that they are perfect because of their looks.

“There was something magic in their large and perfect eyes, something that made you want to pay attention to whatever they said, to protect them from any danger, to make them happy. They were so… pretty” (Westerfeld, pg. 8).

As humans, it can be hard for us to look past our own perception of beauty. This explains where problems like Anorexia or Body Dysmorphic Disorder originate from, because we make such a priority out of beauty. Humanity’s history of discrimination against those who may not look like a model made it possible for Westerfeld to predict that our future may turn out to be this way.

Every day we see magazine articles, newspaper ads, commercials and billboards that showcase a perceived beautiful person advertising some kind of product, mostly those that can alter a person’s appearance in a minor or major way. People can be easily convinced that others may accept them if they try to follow the trends these models seem to abide by.

Independent Reading: The Adoration of Jenna Fox (Blog 6)

Biotechnology can have a great impact in our lives whether it plays a small role or a huge role. For Jenna Fox, she has learned to accept the benefits and risks of the BioGel invented by her father, and yet proves that science can be surpassed.

"Ten percent is the minimum amount. But people change. And the world will change. Of that much I am certain. Allys and I live together now. We are old women in the skin of teenagers. Another factor father and his scientists didn't count on, that biochips would learn, grow, and mutate because somewhere in that ten percent was a hidden message: survive. The biochips made sure we would" (Pearson, 264). 

Two Hundred and Sixty years later, Jenna Fix and her friend Allys have exceeded the expectations of their parents, scientists, and medical technology in general. I think that it was beneficial that they grew to have the mentality of old women because they now understand the reason they were elected for such experiments.

Pearson possibly used this because she wanted Jenna Fox to establish a legacy even as she is still alive. The effect that creates is a sense of peace and acceptance of a fate that is otherwise unexpected. Jenna knows more about herself now than she ever has.

As humans with the inevitable fate of death, the gift of wisdom and vigilance is the only thing we can rely on once we come closer to our demise. These days, we need to attain wisdom even earlier because of the vast technological breakthroughs. In the future, we may have better or even worse outcomes involving the use of biotechnology. This only means that we need to decide what is best for our health and stop listening to what others think will be best for our health.

It's not just about our health, it also involves our heart and most of it. If we don't feel that it is right to listen to someone else, it wouldn't quite make sense to ignore our instincts. Jenna Fox lets us know that it is okay to even question our parents when it comes to our well being.

As I've mentioned in Blog 5 of "Jenna Fox", we shouldn't take our lives for granted no matter what opportunities we have to improve it. It's only a matter of knowing what we are capable of without relying on anything that would otherwise complicate the task of soul-searching. I think that Jenna Fox manages to keep her identity in a way many will never know how.

Independent Reading: The Adoration of Jenna Fox (Blog 5)

Whenever humans have the opportunity to take years off of their appearance, they will choose whatever option that becomes available to them. However if there ever comes a time when they can also live longer, there is no doubt that they would jump at the chance. But this may not necessarily become a set solution. Either way, we will take both for granted.

"I stare at her. My mother is an older version of me, but she is something I will never be. Old. My skin and bones will not age--my BioGel will simply reach the end of its shelf life and cease to operate. If I were to marry, I would not grow old with my husband. I could either die after to years or outlive him by a hundred. An interesting prospect. What price did Claire pay to keep her only child?" (Pearson, 180)

I think that now that Jenna knows that the BioGel will not allow her to age physically, she wants to know the idea of growing old. I think that many will agree that aging is a very tiring process, but in her situation, she wants what everyone around her has. She wants to be a human in mind, spirit and body. Aging will be a part of her identity.

I think that the author wanted to use this passage to enlighten people that we don't appreciate something until it's gone forever. Aging is beneficial to humans because with age comes not only wisdom, but knowledge of our own limitations. Enlightenment is the effect that this gives.

As humans, we have to understand that nothing lasts forever, but if that wasn't the case we wouldn't have the mindset that our lives and everything in it is so precious. We shouldn't take that gift for granted even if we have the chance to live past life expectancy.

Our depictions of a future like this only means that in our current present, there is nothing more important than knowing that our mortality drives us to do many things we wouldn't have thought of accomplishing before. Growing old teaches us that we are more strong-willed than we could have ever imagined.

Images can be used to manipulate people's minds by showing them the "bad" aspects of aging like wrinkles, sagging skin or approaching death, but what they don't tell them is that they will appreciate the things they had and the opportunities they had been given throughout their lives. It gives them time to reflect of the downfalls or victories they have had, and they no longer take anything for granted.

Independent Reading: The Adoration of Jenna Fox (Blog 4)

Although science can mostly pinpoint the accuracy of a test or experiment, it does not always mean that certain information is left out. Jenna Fox is the absolute embodiment of that.

"There's still more. It speaks to me. Somewhere, winding inside, pieces are trying to come together, synapses trying to form, a complete story trying to connect within. Four hundred billion extra neural chips trying to put together what the old Jenna never could" (138).

I think that Jenna's parents give her less credit than she deserves. They know that the BioGel plays a huge role in her survival and that ten percent of her brain was all they could save. But what they don't know is that science can be surpassed without a thought of improvement, and that is what Jenna has done.

Pearson included this passage because she wanted to show that the human brain, even when it is deprived of all the information it needs, bits and pieces of past memories and personal data will return to fill in the gaps. It is like a mystery that can only be solved naturally, without technology. This creates an effect of revelation for Jenna. She may not remember every detail of her life, but her old memories and identity are surpassing what "The Butterfly" holds. She knows that even medical technology can't stop her fro remembering who she really was.

Humans cannot be limited to what others tell them. Humans won't allow it. If we feel that there is something missing from our lives, we take it as a personal duty to find out what is missing. Like Jenna, we know that there is more to us than we can ever know.

This depiction can only mean that humans will always question science and technology, and even in the future we will wonder if our capabilities can have the upper hand over the things we create. We use languages to manipulate people's minds because as long as they are assured that there is nothing more to something, they will not question the situation.

In my last blog of "Jenna Fox", I talked about trust and how it is important for us to know who will stay with us no matter what, or who will use us as a scapegoat when the time comes. These two topics easily merge because humans put their trust in technology and science on a daily basis, but at the same time, we constantly question what it will do for us in the long run.

Independent Reading: The Adoration of Jenna Fox (Blog 3)

 Trust is one of the most important things that humans rely on to survive. We use trust as a security blanket; the very thing that helps us form lasting relationships and partnerships outside of our personal lives. Without trust we become constantly paranoid of an inevitable doom, and therefore we are unable to enjoy life to the fullest extent.

In Jenna Fox's case, she learns about trust again and how important it is to know the difference between right and wrong, especially around her new friend Dane.

"I'm changing daily. I can see things in faces that I couldn't see just a few days ago. Things that I think other people can't even see. And what I see in Dane's perfectly beautiful face disturbs me. Emptiness. The word is strong in my head, and yet I wonder if it could be the wrong one" (Pearson, 98).

I think that Jenna senses that Dane may have a background that would cause concern if she had her full memory back. Although she sees one thing in his face, his eyes may be telling another story. She thinks that his face is empty because she knows that there is more to him than what she sees compared to what  everyone else sees. This is not necessarily a good thing.

The reason Pearson included this in the text was because Jenna needed to reestablish the instincts that used to tell her who she should and should not trust. This creates an almost foreshadowing effect that will determine whether Dane is worthy of her trust.

As humans with natural instincts, there's a good chance that we can tell when it's okay to put our trust in a person we've only known for a few days compared to our own close relationships. But in some unfortunate instances, some people cannot even trust their own family or friends. This may not become a situation in most of our relationships, but for Jenna, it is very important for her to know who she can trust. At this point in the book, she is having a hard time trusting her parents.

People's minds can easily be manipulated through trust, which is unfortunate because it leaves people unable to trust ever again. In our current present, there is little hope for trust outside of our families in the near future.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Independent Reading: The Adoration of Jenna Fox (Blog 2)

The will to please our loved ones is a burden that has always haunted people, especially those who feel that it is not always right to listen if it doesn't feel right.

"The rage is doubling, multiplying, filling my vision like a black cloud. I can hardly see as each step brings me closer to my room. Go to your room, Jenna. And I am. I am. I collapse on the last stair and rock back and forth silently. What world have I woken up to? What nightmare am I in? Why am I compelled to do as Mother says even when I have a desperate need to do something else?/ If Jenna Fox was a weak-willed coward, I don't want to be her at all" (Pearson, 41).

Personally, I feel that Jenna is being controlled too much for the progress she has been making since her accident. I am sure that Jenna's mother is afraid of her knowing the truth about her waking through the things her daughter wants to experience again like school. This tactic of shielding her from the world is already backfiring because someone who is eager to learn about themselves will take the liberty of finding out without hesitance.

The purpose of this passage was to question what it is like for someone to want to be own self when the people they love tries to keep them from learning about themselves. The effect that this creates is the desire for someone to find their true reason for being alive. People like Jenna Fox want to know what their purpose is in life without having to worry about restrictions or limitations.

As human beings, it is impossible for us to follow instructions that we are not comfortable with or otherwise wrong in our eyes. In extreme cases, the things some people perceive as right is not moral or even natural in the eyes of the majority of people, but otherwise, humans will do what their heart tells them. Our depections of the future reveals that in our current society, we may have less control over the things we want to do. In time, we may be unable to do many of the things we love to do.

In my first blog of "Jenna Fox", I brought up the necessity for humans to wonder about their true identity even when they have no recollection of their own memories.

The use of certain propaganda and languages can persuade us to think or take action in a way that doesn't reflect who we really are, therefore, we as humans should continue to do what our heart 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                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Independent Reading: The Adoration of Jenna Fox (Blog 1)

Biotechnology is not something new to humans. In fact, humans discovered biotechnology when they realized that they could plant their own crops and breed their own animals. Now that we are learning more about different and new organisms, we are able to gain the ability to control the many functions of various cells and organisms. In time with the right technology, scientists can even increase human health and life spans. But the thought of increasing human life using science causes hesitance or even fear that humanity is gaining too much power over human destiny.

In The Adoration of Jenna Fox, it shows the profound effect biotechnology can have on a person after a catostraphic accident.

"The accident was over a year ago. I've been awake for two weeks. Over a year has vanished. I've gone from sixteen to seventeen. A second woman has been elected president. A twelfth planet has been named in the solar system. The last wild polar bear has died. Headline news that couldn't stir me. I slept through it all./ Father was here for my waking. He called it a beginning. He said it was good. I think he may have thought that anything I did was good" (Pearson, 6).

To me, I find it ironic that Jenna Fox knows about all the events that have been happening while she was in the coma, but she cannot remember anything about her life past the two weeks she has been awake. She has to learn everything she has ever known about herself and being a fully functioning human being all over again, and she fully relies on her parents to help her. Basically, she is like a baby.

The purpose of this passage was to not only create the impression of a lost girl, but an experiment that has come about due to her waking from the coma. Pearson has achieved in her purpose by giving the parents the need to make her think that everything is all right even though she has no recollection of her life. Overall the effect that has been created is like a reincarnation of the old Jenna Fox, and she has been transformed into a person who thinks more about her own existence and life in general.

As a human, I think this helps us question how our memories work once they have been taken away from us. If we were in Jenna's place, we'd wonder if the stories we hear about what we used to do was our true identity, and of course we would then try to gain it back.

 The use of language is very important because when people measure their words like Jenna's father does, we cannot always assume that what they are telling us is the truth.  This very depiction of the experiment that is being done on Jenna Fox shows that in our present society, we really have to depend on ourselves to know who we are.

Clothing In The Future

http://www.psfk.com/2009/09/sci-fi-style-clothing-of-the-future.html



In the constantly changing fashion industry, designers are setting their sights on the future of clothing and how it will affect how we get dressed. Back in the 1920s, America’s vision of clothing for the 21^st century was a far cry from the clothing we actually wear today. We still do not wear skintight bodysuits that glow in the dark. But designers and scientists have recently teamed up to come up with clothing that control a person’s health and emotions, or even clothing that will be able to power our electronics.

“Nanotechnology might soon be able to use the wearer’s kinetic energy to convert it into electricity for powering small electronic devices. Practical applications could be in the clothes of hikers and soldiers, powering devices that could potentially save lives, and this could become a regular feature in our clothing to power our mobile phones, MP3 players and more. Scientists are also examining how energy-scavenging fabrics could convert low-frequency vibrations into electricity, without affecting the look of the clothing as nanowires are entwined with fabric fibers.”

            If this is the case, it will be beneficial to the environment as well as our health in the future. Although these fashions may not be available for another few decades to the general public, we can rely on the fact that clothing will provide a new use rather than making us look great.



Do Humanlike Robots Hold The Key To Improve Communication In Patients?



http://en.akihabaranews.com/107813/robot/actroid-f-robot-gets-a-brother-and-an-eye-implant

It appears that Japan has done it yet again. As one of the top countries in producing remarkable advances in modern technology, many people have come to believe that Asians have the best to offer when it comes to technology.

            It’s hard to believe that robots we picture as metallic, industrial experiments have been transformed into humanlike individuals that can communicate with us on a casual level. The esteemed company known as AIST has produced a female robot called the Actroid-F Robot by Kokoro, which looks, talks and has the same facial expressions as that of an actual woman. She carries the presence of a human as well as any real person, because of her ability to imitate movements and make eye contact with someone in which she is speaking to.

The scientists who came up with this idea conducted an experiment that they believe holds the solution to improving communication skills among children with developmental disorders and to help prevent mental decline in elderly patients.

“Because these robots look human, they have a very strong presence. I think their psychological impact on people is much bigger than with robots that are simply shaped like people, or animal-shaped robots. When this robot went to a hospital for a month during a trial, we felt lonely, as if someone had moved out… It’s often said that the more human a robot looks, the more small differences make people feel uneasy. In our research, when we use this robot in the field, we check that it matches its surroundings and doesn’t look out of place. When we tested the robot in a hospital, we asked 70 subjects if having an android there made them feel uneasy. Only 3 or 4 people said they didn’t like having it around, and overall, quite a lot of people said they felt this robot itself had an acceptable presence.”

Although these robots are meant to have much better purposes in the future, this is the first step of many solutions that robots will provide for humans as we become more dependent on technology.



Will We Ever See An End To War?



For as long as humans have been on this earth, two different cultures cannot seem to get along. Disagreements are everywhere and frankly unavoidable whether it’s between two people or two continents. In at least every lifetime there is some sort of widespread conflict, and this shows that human nature is what causes these impulses to fight.  

            War has always been meant to resolve a situation between both parties, but war would not be what it is without several fights breaking out. It makes people forget what they are trying to achieve and turns into an unrestrained mess that can take many years to go away. In those years so much innocent lives and expenses are lost only to result in an even worse situation than before. For example, for nearly ten years the United States has been wrapped up in the War on Terror in the Middle East, and now that affairs have become this rocky with the other side of the world, it’s much too dangerous to just quit. Which brings the question to mind, will we ever escape the threat of war anytime soon?

            As citizens who are bound to have children and families in the future, no one feels secure with the fear of a major attack on American soil on our minds every day. Our children will not feel secure, and in situations such as our conflict overseas there is really no one to blame though it may seem that way. The simple solution would be to remain neutral with other countries, but there is always a group who feel that it is their duty to make sure that a country pays for what they have “done” to them. So the reality is, we can never get ourselves out of war.