I admit, I'm addicted.

Julia asks "Have you ever spent a great length of time not using Facebook? During this time were you anxious to check the site, or were you content with your present activities?"

 Fact: I'm currently on facebook having a conversation with someone on a status post about California.

I want to say the longest time I was away from Facebook was my sophomore year in high school when I was in Spain for two and a half weeks.

During that time, I didn't even have access to a computer so it didn't really phase me that I couldn't check my facebook, but when I came back I had over 200 notifications... It was ridiculous

Aside from when I left the country and when I just didn't have access to a computer, the longest time I didn't check my Facebook page was about three days or so, and I was still slammed with notifications.  In that time, I don't even know what I was doing.  Most likely outside, out with friends, and work.  But no matter what I have going on, I always manage to find time to check  my page because I use it to talk to my parents who live in California.

How do you think we have become addicted to technology and can't seem to live without it (such as cell phones, laptops, and social networks)?

Label the jar, not me.

Julia asked "Have you ever been labeled? Did you agree with this label, or did you try hard to resist it?"

Yes, I personally have been labeled, and in so many different ways.  I grew up being labeled, as long as I can remember, even in 1st grade I was labeled.  

The top two that I always get is the label of "military brat" and "country girl"- though these are more of stereotypes, I fit them.  

But all the times I have been labeled, I just shake it off.  I am who I am, and if I wasn't, then who would I be?  The components that people label me as don't define me, they simply add to who I am as a whole- and why to resist what I am?

"I will not be labeled as average" was said by Rachel Joy Scott before she was shot in the Columbine shootings, and I agree with her.  The label of average is the only one I will never accept.

My question to you is why do you think that people feel the need to label people?  What is the point of it?

Foul Facebook?

Jenny raised the question of: From a young adult standpoint, do you think that "Facebook is evil" or does it generally serve a beneficial purpose in society?

I personally am guilty for being of the many people who are "addicted" to Facebook, but it's more than an addiction, it's a legitimate tool of communication.  Because of me moving around a lot (my move next month will be 19), I have lost touch with a lot of friends, but since I have found Facebook, I have been able to reconnect with them.  I even recently found one of my friends who moved to Japan when we were in 5th grade.
Though some people take advantage of this social network, I think it is FAR from evil.  Yes, some bad things can happen on there, no matter what there is going to be bad things going on.  Overall, it's a helpful site.

As with Jenny, I have used Facebook for many of things, and not just keeping in touch with others.   I have used it to organize events, and even spread the word of school events to reach out in the community- and it has always worked.

As to dip into the side where Facebook could be considered "evil".  There have been instances where older men (way older,  I'm talking like 50's) have messaged me asking for sexual and just rather explicit things- which are clearly NOT okay and I'm pretty sure that in the Terms of Agreement, Facebook bans such contact.


Question:  Why do you think people take advantage of tools such as the internet and use them for things that they were intended to?  Such as trying to find sexual relations via Facebook. 

Does the television promote teen pregnancies?

Lauren asked..
"What is it that makes reality television so appealing to some people?
Why is there such a high incidence of teen pregnancy in the united states nowadays when birth control is cheap and easily accessible by most people?"

Lauren's blog was mostly in reference to the shows on MTV "Teen Mom" and "16 & Pregnant" and she hit some good points.

The television is a powerful instrument, and often times, shows influence viewers but in a negative sense.  The amount of teen pregnancies have increased since these shows have started to air on MTV, but I feel they should do the opposite.  Bringing a child into the world is something that no teen should have to deal with at that age, no matter how "mature" or "ready" they think they are.  Yet why does it happen?

I personally do not see what people get out of reality television- then again, I don't watch it often.  Some people do it for a mere time killer, and end up getting hooked to the show- most of the times it is of people making fools of themselves..
But as for the question pertaining to birth control.  Birth control is a substance that is easily obtainable nowadays, yet the percentage of teens that are sexually active do not have it.  My thought is, because they don't wish to tell their parents they are being sexually active so they just hide it from them and sneak around their back thinking condoms will be able to protect them 100%..

My question to you is how do you think the morals of people regarding sexuality/being sexually active has changed so much over time?  Back not too long ago, having sex before marriage was frowned upon, and now it seems like if you're a virgin past the age of 18, people in your age class look down on you! 

"How can the words I say send someone over the edge?!"

Jenny asked: "What are your thoughts about this? Was she justified in saying what she did and did they deserve the backlash?" in reference to the Dixie Chicks and what Natalie said about President Bush




I personally remember when this happened and remember talking to my mom saying how ridiculous it was that people acted the way that they did.  Yes, what Natalie said wasn't the best of things to say on national television, BUT after all, she IS an American citizen, which gives her the rights to say what she wishes.




The song that they wrote (and which I have posted above) definitely has strong meaning.  There is a line that says "it's too late to make it right, and I probably wouldn't if I could".  That has so much behind it and explains the song as a whole if you know the meaning behind the writing of the song.


Question:  If a normal person (non celebrity) made this comment, people would have shaken it off- why do you think people blew this ONE comment out of proportion and pretty much ending the Dixie Chicks?

Follow the Yellow Brick Road??

Should the road that we follow be paved with the Golden Rule?  Treat others as you wish to be treated?

There was a point in life that everyone followed the Golden Rule (or a majority of the people), but it seems at if we have strayed away from that.

The paths that we walk on are no longer paved with the decisions that we make based on the Golden Rule, but it's more-so that people make careless decisions and don't even care how the treat another human.

How have we managed to stray away from such a "rule"?  It went from being the basis of a lifestyle, to being the motto of "goodies".

Who cares? Apparently we all do...

Catherine asked "Why do people do dangerous beauty rituals that could cause (or do cause) bodily harm? Also, if you know of a beauty custom that was once favorable but now is not or illegal, discuss it as you answer the question"

Her post really intrigued me- people really do go to extremes to make themselves be considered as "beautiful", but we don't even know why.  I honestly think it's just how society has grown to: just about everyone is self conscious, just about everyone wants to look like someone else, and just about everyone wants to be someone else.  It's all ridiculous!  People pay massive amount of money to tan their skin which poisons it, we mutilate and modify our bodies with tattoos and piercings (I'm guilty of this one), we inject our bodies with chemicals to make us look younger- all to fit in and be accepted by the world around us.

But Catherine raised a really interesting point, how different cultures physically hurt themselves to change their bodies (such as the Japanese foot binding).  There are women in Kenya and Laos that wear many neck rings, in which the removal could kill them- but it's part of their culture and I don't think we will ever fully understand that.

If beauty is really in the eye of the beholder, why do you think that people go to such extremities to modify themselves?