#16: Barclay’s Formula – Social Change

Social change will only be successful if communities unite to form a larger force. During a time of social action, a message can be spread to a larger audience if the group supporting the cause is interconnected. Massive groups are more successful at taking action. In Bill Mckibben’s documentary, “Do the Math”, he explains that … [Read more…]

#15: “Civil Rights and Megachurches” – Charles Duhigg

In the chapter called “Civil Rights and Megachurches” from the book The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg, an author for the New York Times, discusses a three part process to social change. Duhigg believes that social change can be successful as long as habits of friendship and the growth of communities are maintained through new, meaningful … [Read more…]

#14: “Do the Math” – Featuring Bill McKibben

In the film, “Do the Math”, which features Bill McKibben, one of the founders of 350.org, he and other activists discuss what must be done in order to combat climate change and the increasing amount of power large fuel companies have in the economy. He describes how the major fuel companies are one of the … [Read more…]

#13: Naysayer Practice – Technology Argument

As many psychologists would say, social media has ruined the mental health of its users. Many of these scientists believe that social media is an avenue for teens to feel left out of the events and activities that others are participating in. These events often trigger moments of loneliness and self question. An observer may … [Read more…]

#11: “Plug In Better” – Alexandra Samuel

Alexandra Samuel’s article, “Plug In Better”, addresses the recent debate regarding technology and whether or not it is helping to hindering our society. She believes that the poor effects of technology come from over usage and the only way we will create beneficial change is if society realistically attacks the issue through balance and intention. … [Read more…]

#10: Why does the technology argument matter?

As new and innovative technological devices are developed, it is essential that we consider both the benefits and drawbacks of the product. The debate over whether or not technology is helping us or hurting us continues to raise important points from both sides. Personally, I believe that because or society has adopted the use of … [Read more…]

#9: Barclay’s Formula – Technology

As technology continues to evolve, our lives are affected in many ways. These new technological devices are enabling the mass communication that takes place on numerous social media accounts such as Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter and Facebook. These social media sites are allowing teens to create profiles where they can fabricate their appearance into something they … [Read more…]

#8: Text-to-Self Connections – “Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?”

I found myself very irritated when reading Jean Twenge’s article called “Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation”. Twenge’s arguments are very general and not representative of many teens, including myself. In a section of the article where Twenge discusses the amount of time teens spend on homework, she states claims that truly do not represent our … [Read more…]