From the beginning I almost considered dropping this class because of all the books we were going to have to read. I'm SO happy I decided to stay. This class made me have a different outlook on a lot of things. The first thing we did that really caught my attention and made me really interested in the class was when we were assigned to read Culture Jam. I never thought about how much humans are so dependent on technology that it basically takes away what nature and other things around us have to offer. When we learned about the term plentitude, it really made me realize that in some way or another humans are never satisfied with what they have. I know I've been guilty of this as well without realizing it until this class. I have an older ipod and I kept looking around for a newer one so it could hold more of my songs. We are all selfish and unsatisfied in some way or another.
When we watched the video, Second Skin, it actually made me mad to see that that is how people live their lives everyday. There is so much in this world to see and it makes me mad that they sit on a chair in front of a computer everyday playing a video game. The other topic that made me mad throughout the class was that video on The Most Hated Family in America. That family talking about how if you're gay or lesbian you shouldn't be alive. I have an aunt that is a lesbian and she's one of the most caring and helpful people I know. It just blows my mind that there is a whole family out there saying what they're saying when they don't even know these gay and lesbian people.
I'll admit I didn't read Fahrenheit, I read the cliff notes for it instead and even doing that I got a good understanding of the book and the discussions in class helpped a lot too. The burning of books or the need to remove a certain book from a school blows my mind also. I have never realized or took the time to see that this was going on. I've read books that have said swear words, talked about sex, talked about violence and so many other things. I don't understand why we need to burn books when these are things that no one can really avoid. So burning a book won't stop someone from hearing or seeing curse words somewhere else.
This class was the first class I believe I have ever had that made me critically think so much and make so many connections to things outside the classroom. I really liked that. I find myself sometimes explaining things to my parents about what I learned in this class and if I see something that I can connect to a book we read in the class I like to tell someone. There was a lot of work in the class but it really helpped me personally have a different outlook on a lot of things that I'm going to remember.
