Open Mind Project

There’s been a lot of discussion in the past few weeks about whether or not classrooms should allow laptops. Most schools and teachers have adapted to the fact that students use laptops. Every lecture-type class that I’ve been in this semester has had at least a few students using laptops. They’re very useful. I often use my laptop in class to check up on news, something I’m not able to do in the rush of the morning. I also like the ability to look up whatever we’re talking about in class, to follow along with a reading…any of the many useful and legitimate things that a laptop can be used for. I can’t really figure out whether I advocate having them as part of the class. Sometimes I realize that it’s distracting me from what I’m trying to do and I can make myself stop, but that’s when I care about what’s going on the in the class. If I’m particularly bored I generally wander about on the computer a little more. Sometimes I’m rather ashamed to be using my laptop, although as it’s a better tool than taking notes by hand most of the time. It’s an issue definitely to be discussed, and one that I feel that will never be resolved. Someday I think I’ll have to make up my mind if I decide to go into teaching. But I think that in some ways it’s good for you to have to use a laptop because it teaches you the limits of your ability to focus; it can make you a better student or worker.

Following last week’s class, I decided to do what probably everyone in the known world has done, explore the world that is lonelygirl15. We talked in class about whether or not it is unethical for the videos to be produced, because they aren’t true accounts of someone’s life. I still haven’t figured out if I like YouTube, or whether it’s actually just one more way that the world is taking us over, but I have come to a decision on lonelygirl15: I like it. I don’t particularly think it’s unethical in the way that most movies aren’t unethical. There is some untruth in the fact that it’s not a personal story but as long as it’s helping people and providing entertainment then it’s accomplishing all the goals that it set out. People have an obsession with honesty that got extended to entertainment in a way that isn’t completely relevant to the genre. Things on YouTube are meant to entertaining, that’s their main function. Ethics are important to be sure, as is honesty…but when it comes to entertainment, the world needs to be a little less uptight.