So far I really like this class and the cluster in general. Iam very comortable with schedue. The best aspect of the cluster is that we get out at 2 and sometimes 12:30. The professors are cool and laid back unlike the usual up tight, serious professors I usually get and this is what makes the classes much more fun. The assignments aren't extremely difficult they are mostly based on the students insights and opinions about certain topics. One of my favorite things about the classes is that we have group discussion(especially on mondays). At first I was a bit unsure about taking a cluster because I was afraid of not getting along with the students since we are together in every class. But overall Iam glad I took the cluster.The students are great, the assignments are comfortable and I love watching movies!!

All my work for Media class is posted on the BlackBoard it is due every sunday at 11pm. For English class everything is due on he date he says. The first major thing I'll be working on this spring break is the mid term witch would be explained on thursday. For American Film class our first assihnment is due Mrch 23 and so far everything else such as exams are posted in the syllabis next to due dates. We will be going on a trip on April 13. I think I would be fine with my classes so far they seem pretty interesting.

Living in the Matrix

Are we living in the Matrix?

I think so, with the uprising of technology these days it's hard to believe otherwise. After watching the movie The Matrix (just once) and reading about it there are many key elements to this movie. For instance the names of the characters in this movie all have a meaning to it. The name Neo who is played by Keanu Reeves means "one" as in "The one,” Who is a reference to Jesus. His main role in the film is to save the people just like what Jesus did for us (according to Christianity). Trinity is Neo’s love interest. Morpheus who is played by Laurence Fishbourne is Neo's mentor, captain of Nebuchadnezzar. His name according to Greek philosophy represents the god of dreams and in the film that is exactly what Morpheus does for Neo, he wakes him up from his dream. I think this implies on the real world and has a lot of significant meaning to it. Just like in Plato's Allegory of the cave the prisoners are fine with watching shadows on the wall until someone is released and finds out the truth and goes back to save the rest of the prisoners. As he tries to do so, the prisoners are listening to him talk about the outside world and claim that he has gone insane. The prisoners don't believe him because according to them the world they live in (which is entrapment) is the only world there is. That's the only world they know.

Personally I think if I was presented with the choice of living in the Matrix or finding out the truth. I would much rather choose the red pill and see how far the journey goes. I think for Neo it’s only logic that he chose the red pill because in his dreams he was being looked for. His dreams represented reality what he was living in was all a dream and the people surrounding him were oblivious, slaves of the Matrix. For Morpheus, Neo was considered special the one who was going to change the world and save everyone. The only reason why I would of took the pill is because of curiosity and the adventure. Sometimes I feel as if we are living in the Matrix. People are letting technology control them. More and more people are being influenced by the media. Some people can’t even survive a day without their cell phone and I think that’s just crazy. Sooner or later if this becomes drastic there will be no such thing as individuality. People would rather be on the internet or watching T.V rather communicate with each other. I have many questions about the matrix and it’s meaning but for one, Was there a reason why the oracle was a grandmotherly black woman?. I thought the oracle would have been some type of illusion or computer from outer space or something. I never would of thought of her as an old woman living in a typical building in the city.

Matrix_Quiz

The pill I would choose is the red pill because I would be interested in what's out there. I think alomst everyone would choose the red pill.At first wile I was watching the movie I said to my self Oh no I would of took the blue pill to save the trouble. After the dreams Neo had I think it made sence for him to choose the red pill. Neo according to Morpheus was "The One" and later in the movie he proves it. If I was told that I was "The One" I would definately escape the Matrix and help the people wake up. I think any person would want to be concidered "Heroic" but it's up to them to realize that it takes strength and bravery to be a hero.To me, having the choice of taking the red pill or blue pill would signify, If you took the red pill you want more in life and are brave. If you took the blue pill then you are either a coward or fine with living in bliss.

Are they out to get you?..0.o

The Truman Syndrome is a mental illness in which people believe their lives are being watched. Those who suffer from the "Truman Syndrome" believe their every move is being monitored just like in the movie. I find it interesting that after the movie came out people are suddenly feeling as if their lives are being recorded. I mean, I know there might have been a mental illness similar to this before but what I'm trying to figure out is, after the movie came out, how is it that people are suffering from this delusion? It makes me realize how much people let the media control their mind. If the movie never came out would their ever be a such thing as the Truman syndrome? This reminds me of a discussion we had in today's class about the sapir whorf hypothesis and how language comes before thought. If you don't have the word for it then you don't think it.
I think people might feel as if their life is being recorded because now in days many people want to become famous. Reality shows have become so popular and the people who get on these shows are regular people who eventually became famous. So when others see that, they believe they can be in a show as well. I read an article about the Truman Syndrome on psycologysyndrome101.com. I think it's a legit site because it has links to other sites that are related to this topic.

Allegory of the cave

The Allegory of the Cave explains how the prisoners mistaken what they see and where they are placed as reality. In the book Socrates puts prisoners in front of a wall and displays shadows on the wall, So the prisoners can realize that there is more out there than what they see. The prisoners don't notice that what they see on the wall is actually what's going on behind them. One of the prisoners makes an attempt to escape and when he is finally free, he is scared of what he sees because everything is new to him. If all his life he was standing in front of a wall, how can he possibly survive in the real world? I think Socrates wants to show how it's not about the situation you are put in it's about how you can get out of it. To Plato it's not about the material world, it's about ideas and the way of thinking.

Truman's_reality03

After watching the movie The Truman Show I noticed how it relates to the world we live in. In the movie Jim Carey plays as a character named Truman and his whole life is a T.V show. He doesn't figure it out until he's in his mid age and realizes his whole life is a set up. The people who are running the show (Christof) have total control of Truman's life. From the moment he was created he was recorded. Sometimes it's hard not to feel the same way as Truman. In a world where everything is through technology and privacy is limited it's hard not to feel as if everyone knows about you or who you are. With things like the internet and cell phones anyone can be able to track you and find out information about you. The question is, How can we stop letting devices like the cell phone from controlling our lives?
This reminds of one point of the movie when Christof says "He could leave at any time. If this were anything more than a vague ambition, if he was absolutely determined to discover the truth, there is no way we could prevent him" I think it's a matter of realizing your reality and figuring out whether you are comfortable with it or not. If you are unsatisfied with reality then you have the power to change it. Life is what you make it. Truman put his mind on changing his "reality" and made an effort. I think this relates to people in prison "career criminals". The prisoners who's been in jail for a long time don't know anything about the outside world, only what they hear.
They adapt to the life as a prisoner and when they have the chance to be free, they commit another crime and go right back in. It's scary for them to go back out on their own when all they know is life in jail. With Truman he had the choice to stay in his "prison" or escape and live a normal life in an unknown world. After he realizes his whole life was a set up he makes an effort to escape even if it caused him to lose his life. Truman succeeded and moved forward, he didn't let anything get in his way. He was strong willed and he figured out what was best for him. With that type of ambition I believe you can over come any obstacle.

Cyborg

Technology and what it stands for….
In a world where we’ve become so dependent on technology we ask ourselves, Can you survive without it? Every Morning before putting two feet on the floor I wake up to check my messages. It’s become so severe that there’s no such thing as writing letters or visiting a friend without knowing if their home or not. Now in days with devices like cell phones it’s so easy to get caught up in someone else’s life and forget about your own. I think about how technology effects human beings in both positive and negative ways. In my opinion the negative value of Technology out beats the positive use of it. I realize that soon there will be no such thing as privacy. It’s so easy to find information about someone that it’s become impossible to live a private life.
I remember my mother telling me stories about growing up in the Dominican Republic with no cell phone, Computer, IPod or T.V. “It’s better that way” she’ll say. People were more in tune with one another; we interacted more and helped each other. It would be simple things like walking over to a neighbor’s house to have coffee and just talk. Now in days people don’t even know who their neighbors are! We barely communicate and it’s all about the cyber world. People rarely visit each other or write letters. Sometimes I wonder if I’m contributing to the “cyborg” world. I mean I do have a cell phone but I hate using it. I am a very private person yet I love to communicate. I rather speak to someone face to face, it shows more emotion. You cannot have a serious conversation through a text it’s just unheard of yet people do it and that is why it get’s lost in translation. In my opinion people are slowly turning into "cyborgs". So I wonder, can this be stopped?