Consumerism In Our Lives

The image I selected as a vivid example of visual rhetoric is of a baby covered in logos of famous franchises. This image serves as a symbol of the power of consumerism in the modern world. Life in the United States revolves around consumerism. Companies are constantly competing against each other for the most business, which in turn will make the most money. In turn, consumers constantly desire the newest and most popular products on the market. I believe that the image above is sending a message that our lives revolve around the world of consumerism ever since birth. We are automatically   born into a world that is constantly thriving and we must learn to keep up with the latest trends. Personally, I favor the simple ways of life that our grandparents lived throughout their youth. I don't believe that people should let consumerism define them and run their lives. What is your perception of the modern world in regard with its' strong connection to consumerism?  I don't strive to keep up with the latest trends. My parents always instilled in me that it is not money or fame that define success, and that we should be focused on more intellectual aspects of life.

Links Between Police Brutality and Minority Groups

My research paper for writing project 3 will focus on persuading readers that police brutality is directly linked to targeting minority groups, and offer strategies to manage this. I began my search for sources by searching the TAMU Library Database. I came across a scholarly article entitled "Minority threat and police brutality: Determinants of civil rights criminal complaints in U.S. municipalities" by Malcolm D. Holmes. I chose this article because it had many components of what I would like to cover in my essay. I am using this article as a scholarly source because it includes an abstract, footnotes, references, and it is geared towards a research community audience. This article was published in a scholarly journal and uses language geared towards the academic field.
This article will play a big role in persuading my readers that minority groups are, in fact, the main target of police brutality. It provides facts and evidence as to how often incidences of brutality occur. A major factor that is repeatedly mentioned throughout the article is that nation wide, increased reports of incidents regarding police brutality directly coincide in areas where Hispanics and Blacks of lower socio economic level reside. Holmes' article revolves around a study he completed in order to determine factors that play a role in the annual rates of police brutality. He recorded data from a city with a population of more than 150,000 as well as a town where the police brutality incidents are at least 2 per year. Despite the wide range of differences between the two areas surveyed, the results were quite similar. In both areas, Hispanics and Black citizens were the victims of police brutality more so than any other ethnicity. What do you believe police brutality against minority groups has manifested from?

Can Experiences Truly Shape Our Lives?

Ever since I can remember, my one irreplaceable dream has been to become a physician. Never once have I gone through multiple phases of "what I want to be when I grow up" as many other children and adolescents have. Although, it has not been until recently that I took the time to truly ask myself WHY this has been the case my entire life.
I have come to the conclusion that experiences in one's life greatly impacts his or her future choices. Some people may have tragic stories to tell, and others joyous, but ultimately all have contributed to the life choices a person makes all through adulthood. I personally have come from a family in which diseases such as Diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular issues are extremely prevalent. Most of my extended family has already been diagnosed as a diabetic or are considered to be "borderline" diabetics, and the leading cause of death in my family is heart failure. Living on the border, such diseases are extremely common so I have become very informed about health problems at a much younger age than many of my counterparts. While hearing of loved ones who had become ill with any of the previously mentioned health issues became normal to me, it wasn't until my younger sister was born that my entire world was turned upside down.
My sister, Monica, was born healthy with no seeming illness in sight. Unfortunately, after her first birthday she came down with Meningitis and Encephalitis. I remember feeling so helpless and wishing that I could do something to cure her. She was in the hospital for six months, in and out of comas, during which endless amounts of doctors told my mother that it would be a miracle if she survived. The doctors warned us that IF she were to come out of it, she would be deaf, blind, or in a permanent vegetative state. We refused to believe this.  I would go to the hospital everyday speaking to her and believing that she could hear me. One day right before Christmas, she woke up from a coma and we were allowed to take her home for the holidays. During this time, I made it my mission to "cure" her. She came home completely paralyzed on the entire left side of her body, so everyday I played with her in order to get her to try to move her muscles and hopefully get better. All of our praying, and hard work paid off because from then on she slowly regained complete function in her left side and has now grown to be taller than me, completely healthy! She is known in my hometown as "the miracle baby" because no doctor had seen anyone come out of an illness as severe as the ones she had. I truly believe this experience is what led me on the path I am today, motivated to become a physician. If I was able to "cure" her, or so I believed as a child, I will stop at nothing to do whatever I can to cure others who are ill. I truly believe this is my life calling. Do you believe you have a life calling? In your opinion, do experiences shape the long term decisions you make for yourself?

Betrayal; Positive or Negative?

What comes to your mind when you hear the word betrayal? Some may think that it is unacceptable in all forms and some may think that it can be seen as honorable under certain circumstances. My ultimate definition of betrayal would be to have someone i have instilled my complete and utter trust in, deceive me. In my opinion i can see where betrayal can be used for good, but it should only be used to a certain extent; If you are lying to someone for their own sake as opposed to lying to someone with only malicious intent, there is good in that. We always see things about 'so and so cheating on her husband' when really it should say 'woman with standards cheats on her abusive husband who also happens to be an alcoholic' but people still say how the woman is such a bad person and that she betrayed her husband to a horrid extend. In instances like that, there will always be two sides because some people might not consider the actions of the husband provoking this woman's cheating and some might think she had every right to do that to her husband, so it really just depends on the person. Has American modern culture molded our perception of betrayal perhaps? Even though i think betrayal can be justified under certain circumstances, todays society has made the act of betrayal seem much less malicious then it actually is and are more lenient on people who betray others.

The Power of Travel

Literacy has been an extremely important aspect of my life ever since I was old enough to read. I was always fascinated by novels and I was constantly reading while many of my friends were entertained by technology. I credit my advanced level of literacy to the opportunities I took to engage my mind into stimulating books. I love reading books about places that I've never been before or about cultures I am not familiar with. Reading has influenced my traveling experiences, which in return have broadened my literacy. I believe that traveling and being introduced to a multitude of cultures unlike my own has made me a more intelligent person with a better understanding of the world around me. My parents always considered travel as the key to becoming a cultured, literate human being. I am confident in being able to communicate my thoughts and feelings to people from all kinds of backgrounds, simply because I am aware of the diversity that exists in the world around us. I believe literacy is something gained through life experiences that positively stimulate the mind and broaden our horizons. I plan on continuing to travel throughout my life to new parts of the world that I have yet to experience, in order to keep expanding my literacy and knowledge.

Body Image and The Media

It is no secret that the media plays a large role in the modern American society. The influence of models and entertainers on teenagers seems to be at an all time high. Unfortunately, the media has also created a world of unrealistic standards, and expectations for what "beauty" is considered to be. Body image is a major topic of controversy from the entertainment aspect of American culture. Media has become such a priority in life, that it is extremely common to witness the younger generations considering entertainers as role models, as opposed to humanitarians and scientists who have actually impacted the well being of this world. It is no surprise that people have developed an obsession with matching the measurements of what the their "idols" body image is. This obsession has led to the development of millions of teens suffering from eating disorders such as Bulimia and Anorexia, simply because Hollywood portrays an image of beauty that is unrealistic and extremely narrow minded. I personally find it disappointing that American culture has somewhat shifted from admiring the beauty of the mind to admiring the "beauty" of the body. Has the entertainment industry somewhat tainted modern American culture permanently? It seems that enough is never truly enough. This epidemic has been fatal for many innocent young Americans and it would be a shame to see this continue with increasing severity.

The Evolution Of Music

It is no secret that the world of music is constantly evolving. The music we are familiar with now is much different than the music that was popular when we were children, and is even more contrasting to the music our elders listened to in their younger years. When I think about my opinion on the evolution of music, I find myself at a crossroads. The baby boomer generation, for example, mostly considers the golden age of music to be long gone. Many who I have spoken to on the subject believe The Beatles have been the greatest band to ever live and no one has come close to matching their talent. Meanwhile, I have also heard opinions from others who have embraced the new forms of music and view"imitation as the sincerest form of flattery"concerning modern artists whose talents resemble the style of those that have come before them.

One thing is for certain- the variation of music genres and artists that have developed in modern time is superior to any other in the history of the music industry. Lady Gaga, for example, is an artist that can be described as extremely unique to say the least, and her music style is different that anything seen before her. Many people feel uneasy and are very critical of that, while others find it refreshing. I don't think the world will ever come to an agreement on whether the music industry has upgraded or downgraded because everyone is entitled to freedom of speech and opinion. I personally believe that all eras of music have their pros and cons, just like anything else in this less than perfect world. Do you think some people are somewhat hostile towards forms of modern music because they are uncomfortable with the idea of change in general? What is your opinion on the subject?