Blog Assessment

2. My readership has definitely improved since Q2, mainly due to the increased amount of posts. I have made several more posts than I did all of first semester already. Another thing that changed was my addition of media (video/photo) and addition of controversial and deep subject matter. These all mixed together to form what I believe is a solid blog and I hope to get more viewers in the near future.

3. My most popular post was the post about individuality. I believe this is because I put a lot of thought into it and it clearly showed in the exhaustive blog post. I also think the fact that I hyped it up in school and convinced people to read it helped a lot because without anyone knowing about it in the first place, no one would know to check out my blog to read it.

4. My referring sites were not any legitimate websites except google, and I did not have any search keywords because I do not have enough viewers yet. I believe that the addition of tags and keywords to my latest posts helped a lot with the view count.

5. I think as of right now, the best step for me is to just work to get more viewers and continue posting on a regular basis to give followers something interesting to read. I need to make sure I do not slack with the blog posts. I would assign myself somewhere in the B range for this quarter.

6. I have learned that the audience plays a crucial role in writing a blog, especially because you feel more compelled to write if you know someone is reading it and might comment with his or her individual opinions. I have learned that I can write exhaustively and convincingly about any topic I feel passionate about, but I find that I have trouble writing about things that donʼt interest me.

Authority vs. Equality

Our modern civilization as a whole spends so much time getting caught up in working, watching tv, surfing the internet, etc., that we barely leave ourselves time to think about true issues going on. I'm not talking minor issues, such as what to have for breakfast or that work/school deadline coming up. What I'm referring to are the true underlying issues in our world today. Relating back to my last blog post, many people just simply accept the opinions of others rather than thinking a situation through, either due to lack of time or lack of concern. However, there are certain fundamental and undeniable issues in the world we live in that many people do not take the time to address.

One such issue is that of authority. Many people do not even question the authority of police, the government, and other officials because they were raised to respect authority and simply accept the truth that people have authority over them. Others, however, see authority as completely immoral and against human nature.

Authority does not present a significant problem to most until it affects their lives directly. Take, for example, the presidential and political elite in any country. They have the ability to directly influence the lives of those under their control on a whim, if they so desire. The American Congress and House of Representatives has the authority to propose and ratify any federal law they wish to approve, within the general guidelines of the Constitution. They also have the ability to declare war against foreign nations and mobilize armed troops. Members of the armed forces in a given country during a period of armed conflict or war may simply be seen as pawns or statistics to these upper class politicians.

This brings me back to my original debate regarding the morality of authority. Who gives one set of men the authority to send another set of men to a foreign nation and possibly to their deathbeds? Who gives police the right to detain and arrest someone for a petty crime in a "free" country? The answer is government.

I am not trying to suggest that government is unnecessary, because, frankly, I think there are a lot of people in the world who crave order and do not wish to think for themselves whenever possible. It is merely my goal to point out that when you view other people who are biologically and physiologically almost exactly the same as you as elite and in-power, you are relinquishing control of your own life. It was constantly stressed to me growing up that I am not better than anyone else and no one else is better than me.

Some people are born wealthy and empowered, and some are not. Some have the means to overcome the odds, and some do not. Why, then, do we look down on those who are viewed as "lesser" to us in society? People are merely labeling and objectifying themselves if they truly believe someone has real authority over them.

While society has guidelines and rules set to keep life running smoothly (for most people), it is impossible to say that the rules and beliefs of one set of people from one particular time period can correspond exactly to the rules and beliefs of a majority of people decades or centuries later. In a free society, as the United States was intended to be from the start, the governing principles should always represent the needs and views of the people.

Government has truly become a sort of controlling elite in modern times. People look up to politicians and, though they may disagree with elected officials, there is practically nothing they can do once these people are in office. This presents a huge disconnect in logic, at least in my eyes.

Authority and power are two very different things. Power is the capability to make others, whether through force or through persuasion, to do things they would not have done on their own. Authority, however, is the moral right to exercise power. While these governmental officials may have power over the people, who is to say they have the authority to use it?

The Declaration of Independence was a major milestone in the worldwide view of the USA as an independent nation. It states that three inalienable rights given to the people are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. Our political system has become so corrupt with the wealthy elite and those with selfish and immoral desires that it is impossible to see all these rights protected. The Declaration of Independence also asserts that government was instituted merely to protect these freedoms, not to limit them. One of the most debated phrases in the entire document comes next. "That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute a new Government".

Could you truly imagine ringing the White House doorbell and telling President Obama that, in your personal view, our government is inhibiting your rights to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness? Even more absurd, could you imagine telling the wealthy elite and those in governmental positions of power that the government has become destructive and you are going to overthrow it? You would merely be dismissed as insane, or thrown in jail if your actions became drastic enough. I am not saying the government needs to be overthrown (although it surely needs to be reworked), however this is a good example of a fundamental right which has been relinquished by "the authority" merely because they do not want to lose power. Power, whether physical or fiscal, is one of the most alluring prospects to people in our modern, materialistic world.

Politicians have become so wrapped up in their politics that they forget we are merely guests on this Earth. It existed long before we did, and will continue to exist long after we die out. Our trifling governments and petty issues are of no concern to the near immortal nature of the planet we inhabit. Take a look at every other animal on Earth to see that humans are clearly doing something wrong. Every other species maintains an equilibrium with its environment and respects forces greater than itself. Humans are a much different case, however.

Our superior intelligence is the very thing that entraps us in this world. It causes us to greedily crave power and always race in an attempt to outperform all other people. We practically sell our souls to become rich, famous, or powerful. This cardinal flaw in the current human mindset causes us to view every small task as a race. We strive to be better than everyone else, when intrinsically we are all the exact same.

I want this post to serve as an outcry, both to those in power and to those suffering under it. Some degree of authority is always necessary to prevent complete anarchy, but the level of greed and corrupt power seen today is absolutely ridiculous. I try to see "authority" figures as merely equals, and while I know that it is highly unlikely they will do the same, I still work to show them genuine respect (if it is deserved). It is not a selfish ambition to deny that others have authority over you; in fact, it is your elementary right as a human. In my mind, while I answer to some of those in power simply out of respect or to avoid conflict, no one truly has authority over me, and that alone is one of the most liberating realizations one can have.

-MW

A total loss of individuality.

If I told you to jump off a bridge, would you do it? Probably not. If the President of the United States told you to jump off a bridge, what then? Most likely, you still would not. If the Pope told you the same? What then? Unless you are some sort of religious fanatic, the answer is still an unrelenting no.

So grave of an example is proof that people are not always bound to follow the leader. However, given man's natural desire to be social and form communities, more and more people are falling into the trap of blindly accepting the information they receive from various sources.

What does the term "groupthink" conjure up in your head? The traditional definition is that of a faulty thinking process spurred by a desire to fit in with a group, or the unwillingness to think decisions through merely in order to reach a hasty decision on which all members of a group agree.

This process can be both unintentional and purposeful. It occurs naturally when members of a group decide the same thing based on coincidental circumstances and the harmony an easily-reached agreement can bring to a community.

There is a more sinister side to the groupthink theory, though. Those attempting to gain power or stay in power over other people can use this flaw of human psychology purposely as a tactic to gain followers. Because of the social nature of human interaction, we are often influenced to agree with our peers without asking questions, but this is a critical mistake.

A country where political dissent is frowned upon by both the government and most citizens can be a perfect formula for groupthink. To me, total and unrelenting dissent of accepted political views would be a bad thing because it would lead to ultimate revolution and anarchy, yet a complete lack of dissent would also be bad because it relegates the founding notion of our country: freedom.

Ever since the days of the founding fathers, the United States of America has been a poster-child for freedom and equality. However, more and more people lose track of what it means to be an American, and instead just accept the truths of their lives without further examination. There are times when dissent and disagreement with the popular opinion can be the only way to make a change for the better, even though one of the most powerful ways to influence people is by threatening a loss of social acceptance.

Sometimes, though, we must step aside and reexamine an already-accepted notion or concept. Not too long ago, people believed the earth was the center of the universe. People were burned at the stake for disagreeing with those in power, even when there was scientific evidence or proof of their claims. Perhaps it is because man is afraid of change, or perhaps because leaders do not look kindly upon challenges to their power, but in any case, everyone can agree that man has the capability to make mistakes (and frequently does).

This constantly occurring folly of man can be overlooked if we all contribute toward making a change for the better. The gradual loss of ability to think individually has negatively affected our society recently. It is my desire to see a world in which views are not necessarily just adopted as being right or attacked as being wrong right away based on preconceived notions of what is or isn't true, or prejudiced thinking processes. There is never just one approach to a problem.

Modern day media, politicians, schools, and other sources of information and ideas constantly try to get members of their respective communities to adopt their ways of thinking. These habitual ways of thinking, if followed too closely, eventually lead toward the demise of individual thought within the community. Once individual thought is gone, the capacity for dissent and the voicing of individual opinions goes with it.

So, essentially my argument is, the next time you hear someone spout off an opinion, whether it be a politician, an analyst, a news anchor, your next door neighbor, or your local neighborhood priest/school administrator/government official, don't just blindly believe what they say. My intent is not to discredit these opinions, as a lot of them are genuine and true, however it should always be necessary to take the time to process these opinions. Don't just go along with the crowd, formulate your own opinions and react based on them. Americans as well as the rest of the world are losing the capability to think individually, and I have no desire to go down that path.

-MW