Today...well, to be honest I'm starting to wade into uncharted territory with this class. We really have very little direction, and that's not too comfortable considering how much direction over classes tend to give. We had some interesting discussion about our previous projects, but the thing that stuck out most to me was the new assignment. This one seems...unique for some reason. I can't put my finger on it.
Anyway, I'm still thinking about what that stuff all is.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Monday, October 11, 2010
Class 10-11-10
So today we discussed our feelings toward religion. I talked a decent bit more than I thought I would.
After all that we ended up watching "Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed," and I have to say I found the movie insightful. Biased, but insightful. I didn't know just how against the idea of Intelligent Design most scientists are; I also find it ironic how quickly we have changed our stance from trying to outlaw evolution in the classroom to flat-out alienating anyone that even mentions Intelligent Design. Overall I think I learned a lot from the film.
I'll also bring up the fact that someone mentioned that we seem to learn from each other rather than one person in this class. That really struck me. Honestly, it's true--if you're looking for reasons as to why this class forms such tight groups look no further than this single point; the fact that we tend to listen to everyone regularly in this class makes it a real group effort, and as such makes this class very unique. I'd be curious as to how other classes would go if allowed to be taught in this kind of structure.
After all that we ended up watching "Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed," and I have to say I found the movie insightful. Biased, but insightful. I didn't know just how against the idea of Intelligent Design most scientists are; I also find it ironic how quickly we have changed our stance from trying to outlaw evolution in the classroom to flat-out alienating anyone that even mentions Intelligent Design. Overall I think I learned a lot from the film.
I'll also bring up the fact that someone mentioned that we seem to learn from each other rather than one person in this class. That really struck me. Honestly, it's true--if you're looking for reasons as to why this class forms such tight groups look no further than this single point; the fact that we tend to listen to everyone regularly in this class makes it a real group effort, and as such makes this class very unique. I'd be curious as to how other classes would go if allowed to be taught in this kind of structure.
What's Really Important
I feel like this is a cop-out, but I honestly do not want to touch this subject in a public light. Religion is something I've danced around my whole life and I don't think I have the confidence to share my thoughts on the subject. I'd really just like to keep my beliefs to myself for now. This assignment has got me thinking, though...a lot. It's got me thinking about things that I've sort-of avoided ever since I started college, so that's something.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Reactions to Class 10-4-10
So this is the second day of our Fear Factor experiments. I have to say I've had some interesting reactions to some of the things that have been done. The experiment where we had to earplug ourselves and close our eyes was interesting because something so simple got a real reaction. People got apprehensive about what was going to happen. Sensory deprivation is a really easy way to make people doubt their safety.
I personally had to hold a mouse. And I hate mice. But it wasn't that bad. I think, as I said in my actual Fear Factor entry, that the fact that the animal belonged to someone and I know that person was just fine with touching it gave me the confidence to dive in.
I also held a snake for a while. I was fine with holding the snake; for some reason, I've always been fine with holding them. But it jerked its head really fast a couple times and that made me jump. I think I just had the constant thought of the fact that this thing has fangs and can use them in the back of my head, and a fear of possible imminent pain got a reaction out of me. To clarify, I think that I wasn't really afraid of the snake biting as much as the pain that would result from the snake biting. The snake seems, in my mind, in that situation, secondary to the pain in regards to fear.
I personally had to hold a mouse. And I hate mice. But it wasn't that bad. I think, as I said in my actual Fear Factor entry, that the fact that the animal belonged to someone and I know that person was just fine with touching it gave me the confidence to dive in.
I also held a snake for a while. I was fine with holding the snake; for some reason, I've always been fine with holding them. But it jerked its head really fast a couple times and that made me jump. I think I just had the constant thought of the fact that this thing has fangs and can use them in the back of my head, and a fear of possible imminent pain got a reaction out of me. To clarify, I think that I wasn't really afraid of the snake biting as much as the pain that would result from the snake biting. The snake seems, in my mind, in that situation, secondary to the pain in regards to fear.
Fear Factor: The Normal Made Abnormal
Fear, I think, is more than just a feeling; it's a primal instinct that drives us to survive. When something could harm us, fear is there to make us turn the other way. When something wouldn't harm us, but we think it could, fear keeps us from getting any closer. When something normal exceeds the scope in which we normally experience it, fear keeps us from experiencing too much.
I plan to play with the aforementioned "take something normal too far" idea. My experiment is simple, and I think all I can hope for is to get my test subject uncomfortable. However, if I'm lucky, I'm hoping they'll end up getting so uncomfortable that they either want to move away or have it stop.
My experiment is, simply put, a test of the Chinese Water Torture. I'll take a bottle of water and let it drip on someone to see how uncomfortable it makes them. Then, I'll squirt it at them to see if the sudden change in routine gets a reaction.
Testing it in class, it didn't go so well. My subject didn't really react to it either part of the experiment at all. He just never became uncomfortable with what was happening. He really took it in stride.
I think the problem is mainly a time issue; if I had more time the initial resistance to the experience would die out, and I would assume the subject would definitely want it to stop. Restraining the subject, thereby removing the freedom to end it at any time, and blindfolding/earplugging them to create sensory deprivation could help, but I don't think they would be in the spirit of "something normal taken too far."
This exercise has taught me a bit about fear. One big observation is that a lot of us are not really afraid of everything being done because of the atmosphere in which we're doing all this. This is a very laid-back class, and everyone's having fun. That considered, with so many people it's hard to shake away from the group's attitude, and the group's attitude is one of enjoyment.
For me personally, I reacted to Thomas Fraley's project the most; mainly because I went and got myself directly involved. He brought a mouse to class; I have a bit of a mouse fear. How enjoyable this was. I was made to hold it. In retrospect I honestly don't know why I'm so afraid of mice. I was, after the initial shell-shock, just fine with holding the thing, but I'm still really scared of them normally. Similarly, I held the other John's snake in class, and I was just fine with that. freaked out a little when it jerked its head fast, but otherwise was fine with it. However, if I see one in nature I know I would be terrified. I think it comes down to the fact that these are people's pets, and I've seen them touch them, so I know it's ok; but in the wild I have no idea what these things would do, and I guess that's what scares me about it.
I think that my reaction to the projects that got a rise out of me has shown me just how far something you normally accept has to be taken to become abnormal. We all have specific things that will just frighten us easily, but making fear out of something that most of us accept as normal requires going to an extreme that I wasn't able to reach for this assignment.
I plan to play with the aforementioned "take something normal too far" idea. My experiment is simple, and I think all I can hope for is to get my test subject uncomfortable. However, if I'm lucky, I'm hoping they'll end up getting so uncomfortable that they either want to move away or have it stop.
My experiment is, simply put, a test of the Chinese Water Torture. I'll take a bottle of water and let it drip on someone to see how uncomfortable it makes them. Then, I'll squirt it at them to see if the sudden change in routine gets a reaction.
Testing it in class, it didn't go so well. My subject didn't really react to it either part of the experiment at all. He just never became uncomfortable with what was happening. He really took it in stride.
I think the problem is mainly a time issue; if I had more time the initial resistance to the experience would die out, and I would assume the subject would definitely want it to stop. Restraining the subject, thereby removing the freedom to end it at any time, and blindfolding/earplugging them to create sensory deprivation could help, but I don't think they would be in the spirit of "something normal taken too far."
This exercise has taught me a bit about fear. One big observation is that a lot of us are not really afraid of everything being done because of the atmosphere in which we're doing all this. This is a very laid-back class, and everyone's having fun. That considered, with so many people it's hard to shake away from the group's attitude, and the group's attitude is one of enjoyment.
For me personally, I reacted to Thomas Fraley's project the most; mainly because I went and got myself directly involved. He brought a mouse to class; I have a bit of a mouse fear. How enjoyable this was. I was made to hold it. In retrospect I honestly don't know why I'm so afraid of mice. I was, after the initial shell-shock, just fine with holding the thing, but I'm still really scared of them normally. Similarly, I held the other John's snake in class, and I was just fine with that. freaked out a little when it jerked its head fast, but otherwise was fine with it. However, if I see one in nature I know I would be terrified. I think it comes down to the fact that these are people's pets, and I've seen them touch them, so I know it's ok; but in the wild I have no idea what these things would do, and I guess that's what scares me about it.
I think that my reaction to the projects that got a rise out of me has shown me just how far something you normally accept has to be taken to become abnormal. We all have specific things that will just frighten us easily, but making fear out of something that most of us accept as normal requires going to an extreme that I wasn't able to reach for this assignment.
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