Author: dublin517

A08 Definition Argument-Dublin517

Is Tinder a Dating App? A Hot Debate

                     Human beings (or at least most human beings) require relationships for healthy and satisfactory lives, we are by nature, social creatures. The relationships we choose to partake in can take many forms from platonic friendships to romantic partnerships. Titles of these different types of relationships, identities, as well as orientations are spidering into all different types of scales and spectrums and can become quite confusing. That being said, in the age of technology, finding acquaintances that will help us to create our relationships and identities is becoming increasingly easier. Social media tools such as Twitter, Facebook, and the holy-grail of Instagram have made meeting new people especially easy. However, to further these attempts, the existence of dating services such as Eharmony and Tinder have made finding romantic/sexual partners (specifically) even easier. At a first glance, Tinder and Eharmony belong on the same playing field, but actually these two different examples are playing for two different teams.

                           Both companies are online services that aim to bring single persons together to create some sort of partnership (whether it lasts for one vodka cranberry or one lifetime is irrelevant right?). At their root, yes they are similar, but the results of the services they provide often go in two separate directions. Tinder has become synonymous with quick and easy hookups that do not go much further beyond first names and one night stands. While Eharmony is more of a household name that your sister’s-friend’s-cousin met her fiance of 2 years with, and boy she couldn’t be happier. As Nick Bilton of the New York Times puts it, “And all that swiping has given Tinder the nickname “the hookup app,” for its reputation for one-night stands-though the company tries to distance itself from the label.” Whether the company enjoys being known for it’s hookup status is irrelevant, because that is exactly what it does.

                            The differences between dating apps and dating sites is even more clear when discussing the methods used to create matches. Companies like Eharmony and Match.com utilize “love algorithms” while Tinder capitalizes on men (and women’s) mere physical attraction. Bilton characterizes Tinder in the same way someone would approach another in a bar-type setting; a person does not walk in and fill out an application and wait for a message, they see someone they find visually appealing and offer to buy them a drink or ask for a dance. This is perhaps the biggest difference between apps like Tinder and sites like Eharmony, the reason more hookups happen with Tinder is because it is rooted in physical desire while Eharmony makes attempts at establishing emotional connections between users. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic wrote a piece for The Guardian, and within it he sums up the difference between the face-based Tinder and emotion-centric dating site, “This has been an important lesson for data enthusiasts who have tried to sterilise the game of love by injecting rigorous decision-making and psychometric algorithms into the process. Well, it turns out that people are a lot more superficial than psychologists thought. They would rather judge 50 pictures in two minutes than spend 50 minutes assessing one potential partner.”

                            Tinder is not the only hookup hub of the internet. Grindr is a location based app meant for gay/bisexual/queer men looking for partners and is also well known for its resulting sexual encounters. HER which was previously known as Daatch, is also a location based app (similar to both Tinder and Grindr) that is meant for lesbian, bisexual, or queer women. Grindr and HER fall into categories slightly different from Tinder because they focus on LGBTQ communities distinctively, while Tinder offers both “heterosexual and homosexual” search options. LGBTQ communities have their own stereotypes revolving promiscuity and sexcapades, and their connection to the technosexual landscapes that differ from the heterosexual experiences that dominate Tinder.

                  Despite the target audience, one difference does prevail between dating services, some are free and some cost money. Eharmony and its lesser known counterparts charge, sometimes a hefty fee for its usage; while Tinder and its counterparts are cost free (besides some gimmicky in-app purchase options). The users of expensive dating agencies are typically older and more invested in finding a serious relationship. A study was performed through Winthrop University’s psychology department in which the risk taking behavior, age, and gender were examined in users of free versus paid dating programs. The results generally stated that those not looking for long term relationships were more likely to use free dating services (like Tinder) and more men used free dating sites (Grom). In addition, Emily Grom reports “Sixty percent of paid site users expected to meet their perfect match and less than 1 % expected to just hook up.” Despite these findings, there are those that disagree with defining Tinder as an app that is used by most for sexually driven purposes. At times, it is seen as a successful way to meet new people and potential long term partners. It would be impossible to dismiss that healthy long-lasting relationships can result from Tinder, in fact many have, however there is a clear trend that forces Tinder into the new-age category of “hookup apps”.

                    Considering that some people do not even know that Tinder exists, discussing the subtle differences that define it as a hookup app (compared to dating websites) may seem irrelevant. Yet, walk down the hallway of any given dorm room and buzzwords like “swipe left” or “new match” will be in abundance. From the perspective of a college student the presence of social media and dating services is incredibly large and even distracting, which is why open avenues of dialogue surrounding them are not only important but also beneficial. Understanding how to navigate this new world of technology is necessary for those being brought up in an age where it demands their attention. Knowing what sets Tinder apart from the rest may not aid in getting a college degree but it does help when it weaves its way into most dining hall conversations.

Works Cited
Bilton, Nick. “Tinder, the Fast-Growing Dating App, Taps an Age-Old Truth.” The New York Times. N.p., 29 Oct. 2014. Web.
Chamorro-Premuzic, Tomas. “The Tinder Effect: Psychology of Dating in the Technosexual Era.” The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 17 Jan. 2014. Web.
Grom, Emily E. “Love Me Tinder or Mis-Match.com: Free versus Paid Online Dating Sites.” Digital Commons @ Winthrop University. N.p., 22 Apr. 2016. Web.

White Paper-Dublin517

Content descriptions:

Sexual Awakenings are Enhanced by Tinder

When people hear the word college a few things come to mind: exams, hefty student loans, and maybe even sexual promiscuity. The liberation of high school graduates into an arena of simulated independence gives an opportunity for sexual expression as well as exploration. That being said, the existence of dating apps like Tinder, give college students an even easier time at finding consenting partners to do so.

Monogamy is Discouraged by Tinder

In addition to aiding students in finding sexual counterparts, it also seems to encourage hookups and random meetings as opposed to steady and secure relationships. More and more college age students are preferring to live bachelor or bachelorette lifestyles instead of settling down with someone. With dating apps that literally provide thousands of willing partners with the swipe of a finger, it is no wonder why people don’t see the point of buying the cow anymore when they can literally get the milk for free.

Tinder Causes Low Self Esteem

This aspect may come out of nowhere, especially when looking at my other ideas, but it does have its place. An important part of relationships is oneself, as RuPaul puts it “If you don’t love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?”. Tinder commodomizes our sexuality, the fact that a person can deem another’s worth with a swipe left or right, is and should be concerning. Not only that, but the aftermath of prolonged sexual promiscuity is found to be a sign of low self-esteem, and the two often go hand in hand.

1.) Working Hypothesis one:

Dating apps like Tinder have created a more predominant hookup culture that thrives on college campuses.

1a.) Working Hypothesis two:

College is a time of exploration and freedom, and Tinder can help a student to navigate their sexual awakening.

2.) Topic for Smaller Papers

The Difference Between Dating Sites and Dating Apps

Websites like match.com and eharmony proudly boast about high levels of “second dates” and even successful marriages. This could be attributed to the culture they themselves hold. A dating site, not only can require financial investment, but personal investment as well. A person would have to sit down, take time, and have a meaningful conversation with their matches. While a dating app can be quickly installed on a cell phone (often for free) and dozens of matches can be made within seconds often based on looks alone.

Cause and Effect Argument

I mentioned earlier about the relationship between Tinder and low self-esteem. When people are college aged (18-22ish) they are still battling with rampant issues dealing with self image and self love. Accessing an app like Tinder may seem like an outlet for cheap sex and approval, but typically ends up exacerbating any pre-existing dissatisfaction.

Rebuttal Argument

On the contrary, Tinder is encouraging college students (many of whom can become anti-social during their educational years) to go out and meet new people. In addition, there is no guarantee that a Tinder date will not lead to a steady relationship, it just seems as though evidence proves otherwise.

3.) Current State of Research

I am looking forward to writing this paper, at first I picked the topic out of a whim, but now I have found there is a lot more available for me. There are quite a few articles I have already found to be quite detailed and helpful in supporting my arguments. There are also many angles I can choose to make those arguments from. In addition, the topic is so relevant that I can pull in many media references that will help the reader to internalize the information and really identify with my content.

 

E06 Safer Saws- Dublin517

1.) Manufacturers: Mission statement from Sawstop website

a.) “ Our saws, besides being the highest quality and best featured saws in their market segments, feature the ability to detect contact with skin and stop the blade in less than 5 milliseconds.”

 

b.) The manufacturers of Sawstop are saying that their saw is the highest quality saw and can tell when it is in contact with skin and stops immediately.

c.) This claim is both factual and opinionated. It is undeniable that the saw stops after 5 milliseconds, becuase it has been tested and experimented upon in order to prove so. However, there is no evidence to back up that it is the “highest quality and best featured saw in their market segments.” that is the opinion of the Sawstop company.

d.) I do not doubt that Sawstop saws are high quality, but to say that they are the highest quality is the company’s attempt to persuade people into buying their saw. I believe by mentioning the speed in which the saw stops (when in contact with human skin) is a logical aspect that is persuading enough! For the most part, the information is believable and accurate; overall, the sentence is not that ridiculous of a tagline to be used in trying to sell their product.

2.) Customers: Testimony from Sawstop website

a.) “Some stacked material fell over and pushed my hand into the blade. SawStop saved my finger and allowed me to avoid a costly trip to the hospital.”

b.) An accident occurred in this contractor workshop, and the Sawstop blade prevented him from needing medical assistance.

c.) This is a factual and even categorical claim.

d.)The customer tells the story of how his hand got pushed onto the blade and why the Sawstop mechanism was triggered-this could be false, but as far as we are aware it is true. He says that the Sawstop blade “saved” his finger, which is an accurate statement because regular table saws are known for taking fingers completely off. He categorizes those serious types of injuries as costly and hospital worthy; which most sane people would agree with. The claim is accurate and persuasive in conveying the quality of the Sawstop blade.

3.) Power Tool Reviewer: Clint DeBoer, an Author from ProTool Review online magazine

a.) No offense, but I don’t think this is a move by Bosch (or any other tool manufacturer for that matter) to prevent safety devices, but simply a move to prevent the unintended consequences of adding mandatory safety devices that would, in some instances, double the price of entry level power saws.

b.) Clint DeBoer, is arguing that the saw manufacturers are declining to use Sawstop technology, not to be unsafe, but to keep the price of entry level power saws affordable.

c.) This is an opinion claim.

d.) This is clearly DeBoer’s opinion, it is an informal sentence “No offense, but I don’t think…” in which he why he gives his thoughts on why Bosch did not utilize Sawstop technology. He is an author reporting on the drama occurring in Washington over these saws, it’s his purpose to give his opinion. I think this is a reasonable claim and can see the logic he uses to base his argument. The companies do not want to prevent entry-level consumers from being able to afford a saw, and if a safety requirement was to be set in place, the price of all saws would go up!

e.) I do think there are ulterior motives however, DeBoer does not address how the companies may just be avoiding the cost of licensing the technology takes away from the company’s profits.

4.) Injured Plaintiff: Ryszard Wec

a.) “By agreeing not [to] employ such safer alternatives, defendant and its competitors attempted to assure that those alternatives would not become ‘state of the art,’ thereby attempting to insulate themselves from liability for placing a defective product on the market”

b.) Wec is saying that the saw manufacturers are not adopting the Sawstop technology, in order to protect themselves from lawsuits and liability surrounding saws without the technology.

c.)This is an opinion claim.

d.) Potentially, there are many reasons why the company would not want to include the Sawstop technology, like prices for instance. However, what Wec says is reasonable, and a logical assumption to come to. The statement is not ridiculous and far-fetched, in fact it is quite believable, however; it is only one opinion.

5.) Industry Spokespeople: Power Tool Institute

a.) “Logic dictates that this increase in accident rate on SawStop saws is due primarily to a user’s decision to use the blade guard less frequently due to a “sense of security” in having the SawStop flesh-sensing technology on the saw.”

b.) The Power Tool Institute is saying that the assumed reason for the higher level of accidents in Sawstops is because people do not use the blade guard as a result of the safety promised by the Sawstop technology.

c.) This is an opinion claim.

d.) This claim was found under the title “Unintended Consequences [of the Sawstop]”. This sounds like a logical explanation, people feel more safe with the Sawstop and therefore feel as though the blade guard is pointless. This is not an unreasonable statement. However it is misleading because it makes itself sound like a proven statistic, when really it is just an assumption “logic dictates”.

e.) While this is a reasonable cause and effect idea, based on what I have read from other sources, a lot of consumers do not use the blade guard ever, Sawstop or not. The blade guard is apparently difficult to use for most types of projects, which sounds more reasonable than the conjecture provided by the Power Tool Institute.

6.) News Reporter: Myron Levin-Mother Jones

a.) “For more than a decade, toolmakers and the Power Tool Institute, their trade group, have defended the design of conventional table saws and their decision to not adopt SawStop or a similar safety device.”

b.) This claim is describing the current state of affairs with the Sawstop technology. The manufacturers do not want to adopt the Sawstop.

C.) For the most part, I see this as a factual claim.

d.) Based on all of the reading I have done for this assignment, the general consensus backs up this claim. Ever since Gass came out with Sawstop, the toolmaking companies have been refusing it, and the Power Tool Institute supports them. This is probably the most reasonable and agreeable statement I have chosen.

7.) Consumer Safety Advocates: Chairman Inez M. Tenenbaum of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

a.) “Last year, I called on the table saw industry to address this hazard through the voluntary standards process and work to prevent the needless injuries that occur each and every day. Despite my public urging for the power tool industry to make progress voluntarily on preventing these injuries, no meaningful revisions to the voluntary standard were made.”

b.) The chairman said that he asked the table saw industry to make improvements in safety voluntarily, and they still have not made any serious improvements.

c.) I believe this is a factual as well as opinionated claim.

d.) It is fact that Tenenbaum asked the companies to comply voluntarily, but what exactly is a meaningful revision? The definition of what Tenenbaum calls a meaningful revision to the safety of saws, may be a very different definition to say, a manufacturer. However, the rest of the claim is still logical and believable.

8.) Amputee: Mike M.

a.) “It gets to your finances, with doctor bills, medications and things you can’t do any more to make money you used to make.”

b.) Mike is saying that the loss of his finger has put a financial burden on his life.

c.)This is an opinion claim.

d.) This claim is showing the effects of not having Sawstop, it can financially affect a person for the rest of their life. This claim was found on the Sawstop website and is used to persuade consumers into buying a safer saw. It is an accurate summation of the affects of an amputation.

A06 Visual Rewrite-Dublin517

0:01

The commercial starts with a fade in from a black screen, it is nighttime, and the angle of the camera is from the left side of a road. It is focused on the taillights of a car (not directly, but from the left side) seen on a dimly lit woodsy road. The car appears to be moving fast because the image is blurred.

0:03

Camera is pointed from the right side of the road, this time in front of the car so the headlights are visible now. The road is still very dark, grass is seen in the bottom part of the shot. This angle gives the feeling of something looking up at the car possibly, a person or even an animal.

0:04

With the same angle, a persons legs are now in the scene, with the car in the distance behind. The headlights of the car are still in view, the person is on the side of the road ahead of the car. The legs are in a position that leads one to assume they are walking towards the road.

0:05

Camera angle has switched, but this time, the car is not in sight. In fact, the view is from the driver (or passenger) of the car, the pedestrian on the side of the road, is beginning to cross the headlight lit roadway. A sign is visible on the right side of the road, what is says is unclear, other signs are scattered further down the road but are too far away to have any meaning. The pedestrian is barely on the road so no distinct details can be seen, despite that it is a mannish figure.

0:06

Camera angle is again different, it is from the side of the road the pedestrian is walking towards (left side). The camera is facing them, however they are head is down looking at a phone in their hands. The action is confusing because they are in the middle of crossing and yet did not look for traffic. Also, the scene takes place on a desolate road in the middle of the woods, a car would be easy to spot because as of right now it is the only source of light. Even still, they continue to cross unaware of the car that came to a halt in front of them The pedestrian is well dressed with thick pants and winter jacket and boots. They are also oblivious to the car that has just stopped 10 feet away from them.

0:07 

Camera angled now facing the front of the car, with the boy standing in front of it. Only the boy’s hips and above are seen, this creates a feeling of urgency between the car and the pedestrian. The camera is focused on his profile, still looking down at the phone, with the lights from the car blurred in the background. He has yet to look over at it, as his body is still facing towards the other side of the road and he is looking at his phone.

0:08

Angle is back to the driver/passenger’s point of view, the boy has finally looked up and is making direct eye contact to the camera. He has a close haircut with a sweatshirt, a leather jacket and jeans on. His face is of utter surprise, like a deer caught in the headlights. The phone is still perched in his hands. The hood of the car is in the lower portion of the screen, which raises the question how close did this car get to this boy before it stopped?

0:09

Angle is the boy’s point of view at the car. Headlights are very bright, probably high beams since it is so dark. The driver, as well as the passenger, are deer. Their antlers, are protruding out of the sunroof that is open, and hooves on the steering wheel, they stair back with blank expressions.

0:12

Angle is the driver/ passenger once more. The boy has turned his head away from the car and back to the road, he is in a running stance. His phone is still in his hand.

0:13 

This scene is still in the view of the driver/passenger but now the road is clear, no boy. One can only assume he successfully ran off screen.  It is just the yellow street lines, a yellow sign with an arrow pointing to the right, and several smaller signs further down the road. This scene stresses how odd it was to have a boy cross the road out of nowhere, there is no pedestrian sign or crosswalk. The driver was not expecting to see anyone in a desolate area, and if there was a person, why would they just cross without looking for a very visible car?

0:14

View is now from the window of the driver’s side, into the car, only the interior is shown. The passenger deer has turned to look at the driver.The camera is very close to their faces, if deer had expressions, I would assume the passenger would have a face of concern or shock.

0:16

With the same angle, the passenger deer is still looking at the driver, who appears to be shaking their head disapprovingly.

0:17 

Now the camera has zoomed out, still looking at the driver side of the car (left side), angled from slightly behind (whole car is visible and brake lights are on) so that the road in front of the car is visible. In the glow of the headlights of the car, there is now two people (another boy, followed by a girl) both looking down at their phones. They are wearing typical street clothes. They are crossing the road the same as the other boy was. The bend in the road ahead is  visible, along with the signs dotted upon it.

0:18 

With the same angle, and background, a third person looking at their phone is in front of the car. All three are preoccupied and crossing the street, one after the other in a single file line.

0:19

The trio is now close to crossing the road completely,the car is still stopped, and text has appeared on screen saying “Don’t text when on the road”. Which is clever because, normally it is the driver who is texting and not paying attention. Here, the people have become the deer that blindly cross the road and cause many accidents year round. The deer are the vigilant driver that was paying attention and able to stop in time.

0:20 

The trio is basically off the road, definitely out of the way of the car, the brake lights are off, and the car is probably moving again.

0:21

The car is seen further down the road, it finally passed the menagerie of pedestrians. Speaking of which, they are still in the shot, with the light from their cellphones as the only visible aspect of them on the side of the road.

0:22 

The same visual is shown, except the car is again further along the road, and the kids are almost off screen. The text “It’s not safe for deer..” has popped up, replacing the earlier text.

0:23

The screen is now black, the text “It’s not safe for the deer…” remains, with the addition of “or humans.” after the ellipses.

0:25-0:31

The slogan is now gone, still with a black background there are now sponsors for the video including: STOPTEXTSSTOPWRECKS.ORG, Project Yellow Light, Ad Council, National Organization for Youth Safety (NOYS), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The texts remains until the video ends.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgBWKSIX2Hc

E04 Open Strong- Dublin517

  1. The existence of apps like Tinder, meant to aid in modern age dating, are doing more harm than good for those looking to find a serious partner. This is happening simultaneously with an explosion in the hookup culture, it’s popularity is akin to the “Swinging Sixties” in which pre-marital sex was the “new” fad. Users of dating apps seem to be split down the middle, those looking for something serious, and those looking for sex; and as we progress into the future one is becoming much more popular than the other. Activity from Tinder, and other apps that fall into the same category, are pushing long term relationships further and further down the rabbit hole. Forget chivalry, maybe it is monogamy that is dead.
  2. Dating apps have come a long way in terms of convenience and efficiency; they provide today’s modern singles with the opportunity to find people with similar wants and interests. Services like Tinder bring local singles looking for love a touch screen away; this raises the question, why are so many people having so much trouble? Recent studies are showing over-use of dating apps are causing low self-esteem and detachment from romantic partners, within their user bases. This seems counterintuitive considering these apps are meant to bring people together not push them apart.

E05 Missing Dollar-Dublin517

Concerning the missing dollar, it is to get distracted on the last three lines of the post “Now, each of the ladies paid $9. Three times 9 is $27. The waiter has $2 in his pocket. Two plus 27 is $29. The ladies originally handed over $30.”. However, where attention needs to be paid is on the original cost of the meal, $25. The women paid $9 each, when in fact, 25 (the total cost) divided by three is $8.33. When the waiter gives back a dollar, the total paid by each woman  is now $9.33, which multiplied by 3 is equal to roughly $28. When the waiter keeps his $2, it does in fact add up to $30. The estimated 33 cents per lady was lost not accounted for because no small change was used. That being said, the restaurant got its $25 it was owed, the women were given back $1 each ($3) and the waiter kept his $2, the $30 is all intact. This puzzle is an example of getting stuck on certain details that can detract from the actual story, and cause confusion.

A05 Proposal- Dublin517

Many people talk about Tinder, and other dating sites, often with jest and a lack of seriousness; however it does have a major impact on our society. The age in which people are getting married has been going up consistently in the past few decades, and especially in the past few years. I plan to prove how the dating culture has been corrupted by mobile dating apps that have given way to “hookup culture”. I firmly believe there is a connection between increased use of the internet for “dating” and lower rates of young people in committed monogamous relationships. The purpose of my essay is not to condemn alternative lifestyles, or “hookups” but to prove and analyze the relationship between their popularity and apps like Tinder.

As a child of the 21st century, the downfall of marriage and monogamy seems to be a part of my future. As a college student hearing about Tinder hookups and awkward dates is a very common thing.

1.)

http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/18/opinions/robbins-tinder-online-dating/

Essential content of the article: This CNN article brings up how Tinder has created a marketplace for casual sex. It raises a lot of questions and does have some good points to adhere to.

What it proves: There is reference to other written works discussing Tinder that prove it promotes casual sex.

2.)

Click to access MS-2.pdf

Essential content of the article: It is not so much of an article as much it is a graph provided by the U.S. Census that shows median age of marriage in the USA from 1890 to present.

What it proves: This is a great representation of higher ages of settling down. It shows the subtle rise in marriage ages.

3.)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/09/tinder-dating-app_n_3044472.html

Essential Content of the article: Huffington Post recognizes how Tinder turns dating into a commodity or game instead of something that is treated with respect.

What it proves:
The article proves how the app has turned people away from dating. It also talks about more than just Tinder being used- furthering my point that it is all dating sites.

4.)

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-teen-doctor/201111/why-dont-teens-date-anymore

Essential content of article: This essay is looking at how teens do not date anymore. It provides insight from a parent (a different viewpoint of dating).

What it proves: The essay has to be taken with a grain of salt because it clearly is disapproving of hookups and sexual promiscuity. However it does make good points about the popularity of hooking up over dating.
5.)

http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/study-tinder-use-linked-to-negative-psychological-effects-0815161

Essential content of article: Most of my articles are about Tinder and dating, this one is about Tinder and self esteem. The point made here can be useful within my argument, even if it is not directly.

What it proves: This article proves that Tinder can affect people psychologically, while other articles were more speculative.

E03 Critical Reading- Dublin517

PTSD Everyone is Getting It!

  • Brannan Vines has never been to war. But she’s got a warrior’s skills: hyperawareness, hypervigilance, adrenaline-sharp quick-scanning for danger, for triggers.

The first part, “Brannan Vines has never been to war.” seems to be an undeniable claim, not much opinion just fact. However, “But she’s got a warrior’s skills: hyper awareness, hypervigilance, adrenaline-sharp quick-scanning for danger, for triggers.” seems to be filled with opinion. What the author refers to as “a warrior’s skills” can easily be the symptoms of a person with anxiety, not just a victim of PTSD. Even if they are a result of PTSD it doesn’t necessarily have to be a warrior’s skill. Victims of sexual assault often experience PTSD with never having served in the armed forces. The author is gearing us up to agree with her opinion that is, PTSD is contagious; not that it potentially affects friends and family members via other emotional and psychological conditions.

  • Super stimuli-sensitive.

I don’t quite get the purpose of this phrase,  perhaps it’s for emphasis on the examples of being “Super stimuli-sensitive.” provided in the previous sentence.

  • Skills on the battlefield, crazy-person behavior in a drug store, where she was recently standing behind a sweet old lady counting out change when she suddenly became so furious her ears literally started ringing.

The author is saying that becuase Vines exhibits so-called “hyper awareness, hypervigilance, adrenaline-sharp quick-scanning” (Which by the way, who described her symptoms as these? A doctor? Or is the author using them to her benefit to make a dramatic and enticing article?) she would be able to use them as skills on a battlefield. The author also calls them, “crazy-person behavior” it’s a bold move referring to the person you are writing your article on as crazy, but to each his own I suppose. “where she was recently standing behind a sweet old lady counting out change” This seems like perfectly good story-telling here, setting up the plot for a related story. “when she suddenly became so furious her ears literally started ringing.” Alright! Still, not quite sure why the author thinks this is PTSD specifically, sure random fits of rage can be a symptom of it, but it can also be a symptom of  ACTUALLY ALMOST EVERY MENTAL (and even physical) HEALTH PROBLEM OUT THERE (this in itself is a dramatic claim, but you get the point.)

  • Being too cognizant of every sound—every coin dropping an echo—she explodes inwardly, fury flash-incinerating any normal tolerance for a fellow patron with a couple of dollars in quarters and dimes.

“Being too cognizant of every sound” this implies that Brannan is being a little more than nosey, she’s being ULTRA-aware of her surroundings. “-every coin dropping an echo- she explodes inwardly” The author is making a claim that the noises of the coins are causing a psychological reaction in Brannan, one that can only be explained by PTSD, as the article is setting out to prove. The anger could only be coming from PTSD, not potentially misophonia; a disorder in which certain trigger noises can cause anger, disgust, and rage in persons diagnosed. The author is building her claim to make the reader believe the only cause of the symptoms Brannan is showing is PTSD; and to someone unfamiliar with mental health diseases, she sure is doing a good job. “fury flash-incinerating any normal tolerance for a fellow patron with a couple of dollars in quarters and dimes.” I do not quite understand what is meant by “fury flash-incinerating” but I guess it is meant to be dramatic. However the end of that sentence may clarify, it is insinuating that Brannan has lost all tolerance for the elderly woman and her menagerie of change.

  • Her nose starts running she’s so pissed, and there she is standing in a CVS, snotty and deaf with rage, like some kind of maniac, because a tiny elderly woman needs an extra minute to pay for her dish soap or whatever.

The author is really trying to convey how mad Brannan is, keeping up with the stereotype that victims of PTSD lash out in fits of rage. Again, calling Brannan a mental health slur, maniac, before finishing the sentence with a “whatever”. This off the cuff remark creates a relaxed feel about the whole ordeal; which is the complete opposite of all the previous efforts.

  • Brannan Vines has never been to war, but her husband, Caleb, was sent to Iraq twice, where he served in the infantry as a designated marksman.

Starting the next paragraph of text with repeating her opening lines is a bold move, it reminds the reader that the wife is not the war veteran, her husband is. It brings attention to him, the real “victim” of PTSD. His name is Caleb, he has served twice, and was in the infantry; all general facts about his service.

  • Caleb has been home since 2006, way more than enough time for Brannan to catch his symptoms.

The author says this as if, the capability of  “Catching” PTSD is a scientifically approved fact. As if there is some sort of medical timeline for the volatility of PTSD and its transfer to individuals it has made contact with.

  • When a sound erupts—Caleb screaming at Brannan because she’s just woken him up from a nightmare, after making sure she’s at least an arm’s length away in case he wakes up swinging—the ensuing silence seems even denser.

The author here clearly depicts an incident full of trauma and dramatics that could cause Brannan her own PTSD or other form of anxiety disorder. But does not acknowledge it outright, perhaps on purpose, maybe not.

  • “Sometimes I can’t do the laundry,” Brannan explains, reclining on her couch. “And it’s not like, ‘Oh, I’m too tired to do the laundry,’ it’s like, ‘Um, I don’t understand how to turn the washing machine on.‘

The incapability to do laundry sounds like a perfectly reasonable claim made by Brannan, and the following one, about it not being because she’s tired, is also valid. Plenty of caretakers get too stressed out and cannot function properly. Why her inability to do laundry and her confusion is chalked up to PTSD and not another more reasonable answer, is beyond me.

A04 Stone Money Rewrite-Dublin517

Money, It’s  a Hit

Money, it is more than just a catchy song title, it’s the lifeblood of a successful economy. While, it is something used everyday, explaining what it is, is actually quite difficult. Why is its existence so perplexing? All money is, is a representation of the ability to pay for goods or services. With that notion taken into account, how could a dirty sheet of green paper come to represent a trust of gold or other wealth? It all falls into the hands of the people who are going to use the currency. Users have to have faith and trust in the economic system in order for it to work. If one takes a look at “Stone Money” written by Milton Friedman, they could see this conjecture put into effect.

Friedman discusses the island of Yap, where the natives have taken up, a strange monetary system. For large purchases, such as a dowry or buying land, they can pay with large stones known as Fei (Friedman). This is not to say that someone is rolling a huge boulder to their neighbors yard when they want to buy their cow; the transaction can happen without even moving the stone. It is basically the same procedure as buying something in store with a credit card. The shopper gets what they want and all they have to do is agree that what was once their money, now belongs to the store. This fundamental theory is used in Yap, “One person gives it to another person. But the stone doesn’t move. It’s just that everybody in the village knows the stone now has a new owner.” (Goldstein). Buying a cute pair of pumps with a visa card, is essentially the same as buying a farm with a large boulder. Neither the islander’s “fei” or the shoe buyer’s money actually gets moved, just a change of title, and they can get what they want. All seems to go well for the islanders, but what about trade? How do they work with entities that use different currency? Within Cora Lee C. Gillilland’s essay “The Stone Money of Yap” she describes one way that the stones were interpreted “‘…the value of a stone measuring three hand spans remained constant, that is a stone that size was worth one pig.’ In the next century this valuation remained the accepted foreign rate.” Even giant stones could be used within international trade.

In 1932-33, between the French Bank and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (Friedman). France wanted their dollar assets changed to gold, since they were afraid with the failing economic system that the current gold standard would not be honored. To save the trouble of shipping it across the ocean, they settled for simply putting the French gold aside in the same United States Bank (Friedman). This is no different than when one islander still has a rock on their property after making an exchange, and it now belongs to someone else. This idea of non-literal possession, that is seen daily, is so strange because how could something belong to someone just because they say so? The “money” or gold or stones, are not actually in their possession but it is still theirs. The French government felt comfortable knowing the gold was safe, simply because everyone else knew it belonged to France. It is a game of “playing pretend” because nothing is actually happening, the rules are made up as they go. The trick here is the public’s trust in the system. If the foreign “rate of exchange” as Gollilland refers to it, was not respected, or if one Yap islander decided to physically take someone’s stone and claim it as theirs, chaos would ensue. The islanders would then have to fight over the stones instead of the peaceful transition of ownership they had been enjoying.

When Brazil began to become desperate in their economic situation, their government too relied on the faith and good intention of the people. Edmar Bacha, a Brazilian economist, came up with a solution for the inflation crisis in Brazil (Joffe-Walt). It included coming up with a new currency to use in conjunction with the old. Basically, this new currency known as the Unit of Real Value (or URV) was used to tell the people how much something was actually worth. Due to inflation, something as simple as a carton of eggs could see price raises everyday; so much so, that the prices people were paying for them did not even accurately describe their worth. That is where the URV comes in, a store can assign a Unit of Real Value to their goods in an attempt to normalize their prices. The URV was not just used for consumable goods, it was also used for wages and taxes, all monetary functions used the URV. That being said, explaining the function of the URV is easier in terms of purchasable items, discussing taxes and salaries can be hard to imagine. Say a store decides a carton of eggs is worth two URVs, as the value of the Brazilian currency, the cruzeiro, fluctuates the URV will stay at two. When a customer goes to the register to pay for the eggs, there is a sign that will represent the ratio of URVs to cruzeiros for the day. While the eggs will always cost “two URVs” they will actually cost five, ten, twenty, however many cruzeiros, depending on the day. Now the same idea can be used for a paycheck, on payday the check will say 250 URVs just like it does every other Thursday. While, the check says 250 URVs, the bank may only issue 100 cruzeiros simply because that’s how much a URV converts on that day; when maybe two weeks ago the check was worth 75 cruzeiros. The important factor in his solution was trust from the people “But, just as important, you have to stabilize people’s faith in money itself. People have to be tricked into thinking money will hold its value.” (Joffe-Walt). Bacha is counting on the positive response of the Brazilian people for this idea to work.After citizens began to trust the URV and its stability, the government just stopped using cruzeiros, and just like that the inflation crisis was ended.

Teaching the people to believe in the Unit of Real Value, the US Dollar, Fei, or French gold, is a moot point if its value is not respected by the people meant to utilize it.While the concept of money is abstract and difficult to fuller ascertain, the world would not be able to function without it. Like parts to a machine, the economy would fall apart without money and the cooperation from the very people that use it.

Works Cited

Friedman, Milton. The Island of Stone Money (1991): n. pag. Web.

Gillilland, Cora Lee C. THE STONE MONEY OF YAP (1975): n. pag.Smithsonian Library. Web.

Goldstein, Jacob. “The Island Of Stone Money.” NPR. NPR, n.d. Web. 13 Sept. 2016.
Joffe-Walt, Chana. “How Fake Money Saved Brazil.” NPR. NPR, n.d. Web. 13 Sept. 2016.

A03 Summaries- Dublin517

1.) Child Euthanasia

It seems counter-intuitive that a country would give children the capability to end their lives via euthanasia, yet one has. Recently, a vote within the Belgian Senate decided to allow euthanasia to disabled children. In a 50-17 split, the 17 votes in opposition to the bill were mostly from Christian Democrats. This party is well known for its religious beliefs and pro-life stance on legislation. The vote is coming after a previous decision from a Senate Committee that gave minors the opportunity to receive euthanasia within certain circumstances; as well as victims of dementia. Since it’s legalization in 2002, euthanasia in Belgium was open to all, over age 18. Despite capability to be blocked in the House of Representatives, this bill is soon to become law. Criticizers of the bill, say the already present euthanasia program is being abused and this new law will only allow for more chaos. A viable substitution? Put more research into actual treatments and relief of suffering. As it is, the amount of deaths through euthanasia in Belgium is steadily increasing, as much as 25% in 2012. So the question remains, is euthanasia really a good option for those suffering, or, is it a well-intentioned solution that experiences frequent and rampant abuse? It is up to the people of Belgium, and eventually, the world to decide.

http://www.lifenews.com/2013/12/12/belgium-senate-approves-measure-allowing-doctors-to-euthanize-children/

2.) “Humane” Labels

It seems counter-intuitive that something meant to organize, such as a label, could cause confusion; however, in America the sea of labels can lead to stormy weather. There are many different food labels “sugar free” “whole grain” and even “all-natural” ; these all seem like very useful indicators of what kind of product to buy; that is, if they were accurate. None are actually enforced by some sort of regulation or law. The beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and to many food companies, the beauty is in skirting around the truth with labels that make their product seem healthier compared to their competitors. Some companies like Whole Foods and Perdue have taken up the title “humane” which is promoting animal welfare. However a title is all it is, The Humane Society has taken up a class action lawsuit against Perdue, for false advertising of their factory farmed poultry. Industry produced quality assurance programs may seem reassuring in nature, but they actually have very relaxed restraints. However third party audits can serve to check in on animal raising practices, to fill in where industries quality checks fall short. They can assign labels all their own, the Animal Welfare Institute will issue certifications that are at no cost to producers. Even still, they only represent .001% of United States animals used for slaughter. The point of all this? That just because your neighborhood fortune five hundred company says your eggs are “humane” or “cage-free” it may not be all true. Consumers have to put in a little research if they want to eat an omelette in the morning; guilt-free.

Parsing the new 'humane' food labels

3.) The Marshmallow Test

It seems counter-intuitive that a serious psychological study can be based around a fluffy white childhood treat, yet Walter Mischel is well known for his so-called “Marshmallow Test”. Sometime in the 1960s, while a professor at Stanford, Walter Mishchel conducted a test with nursery-school students. They were given a choice of three snacks (a cookie, a pretzel, or a marshmallow) if they waited 15 minutes they got two, but if they took it right away they only got one. Apparently, the choice to wait had actual real life consequences. Those who waited, grew up to have higher grades and were more successful in life. The revolutionary lesson of the study, is, that it is not all about smarts; but control over impulses and patience are important too. However, some have come to contest the full meaning of the study. Celeste Kidd, a graduate student at the University of Rochester has taken up the study in coalition with personal experience to find it’s true result. After, working with families and children in homeless shelters, she has decided, if kids there were given the same test they wouldn’t wait. This isn’t because they cannot control their impulses, but because they did not trust the adult who said they would bring back more treats 15 minutes later. This is because of their background in unstable and unreliable households, not because of poor patience. Kidd created her own version of the study, this time the variable was trust. Two groups were studied in two sessions, both groups would be offered crayons and paper and told if they waited 15 minutes better supplies would be given; most decided to wait. For one group, they were in fact given better supplies and the other group was told apologetically there were none left. After this preliminary test, the marshmallow test was done. Those in the second group (who didn’t receive better supplies like they were promised) were more likely to take the marshmallow after the first time being asked; skipping the 15 minutes and extra treat. Mischel even accounted for this, in a lesser-famous paper, he discussed the effects of a fatherless household and the results of the study. All in all, most account the test to champion overall character traits of determination and patience, while Celeste Kidd believes it is based on a person’s history. It isn’t about self-gratification and waiting, it’s about whether or not they would actually get what was promised.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2012-10-17/what-does-the-marshmallow-test-actually-test