My Thoughts on Comments

For this post I read an article in the Washington Post titled: "Obama Says Alaska Trip Will Highlight Climate Change". Given that it's an article on climate change, I knew that the comments section would be full of interesting and infuriating opinions and probably some "science" too. Below are 4 comments and my analysis of them.


Least Credible:

This commenter has absolutely no credibility with me because he clearly lacks any scientific understanding of climate change and the impacts that it will likely have on people and ecosystems. Not only is his comment completely out of touch with reality, but he also provides no supporting evidence. I wouldn't describe this as expressing fear/anxiety, or a fantasy/wish. I guess it could be expressing the fantasy that climate change will be good for Alaska because it will make it warmer. I feel like most climate change deniers are in denial partly out of fear.

This commenter comes across as lacking credibility because his whole comment consisted in personal insults and they are clearly writing out of fear. They're scared that Obama will have a negative impact on the US, and hope that Trump will get elected.



Most Credible:

This commenter seems credible because they clearly lay out their understanding of the science, and don't come across as angry, scared, or unreasonable. It's also noteworthy that they are able to write coherently. This commenter seems to be fairly informed on the science (they use appropriate jargon), and I would guess that they're not in favor of more drilling in Alaska and the Arctic. 

I chose this as my second credible comment because I honestly couldn't find a single other comment that had any credibility in my mind. This commenter is simply stating that Alaska is probably nice this time of year -- a claim that I'm willing to believe. They're not writing out of fear or any fantasy. 

Reflection:

I read Jovanka's and Lia's blog posts about comments. Some of the comments highlighted in Jovanka's post about the police brutality article amazed me. I live in such a progressive bubble because of being on a college campus and the political views of my friends. Sometimes I forget that there are people in the United States who advocate for more police violence or for cutting funding to Planned Parenthood's services not even including abortion. It's a good way to get a little perspective on this country. 

My Controversy

I read an article on the New York Times about Obama's recent visit to Alaska, and the economic and environmental issues surrounding the question of drilling for oil in Alaska and the Arctic. On the one hand, fossil fuel energy is a huge source of income for the state of Alaska. For many of the people living there, especially some native groups, energy development is the platform for economic growth. On the other hand, it is scientifically proven that taking more fossil fuels out of the ground is not in the best interest of the future of our species on this planet. The article focuses on the Alaskan people's views on energy development in their state, but in my mind,  it's just another example of the ongoing battle between instant gratification and long-term sustainability.

Calendar Reflection

I may have over-commited this semester. Seeing everything mapped out in a week is a little frightening! I'm going to be working about 25 hours every week, and I'm enrolled in 17 units.

AAAAHHHH

mjthomas1 Grand Canyon 8/27/2014 via Pixabay. Public Domain Dedication Licensee

On top of that I'm re-considering my current major (Environmental Science) because I realized that I'm not really passionate about my science courses. I just dropped my Chem course and added classes in Philosophy, History, and Global Studies.

That being said, I have good work ethic and I'm used to fitting more things into a block of time than can comfortably fit. I've never had any trouble getting all my work done, and in the last year I think I've gotten much better at relaxing through stressful times.

My motto for last semester after tearing my hamstring, breaking my kneecap, filling the diesel work truck tank with gasoline, and getting sick more than usual was: "Shit'll buff out."
It's basically a way of reminding myself that everything usually works out in the end. It also helps me bring some humor to stressful situations and put my own little problems in perspective.

I think I'm going to have to keep it going through this semester.

Reflection:
I read Bailey's and Olivia's  calendar posts. It is helpful to see that other people have a lot going on as well. I can't over emphasize how important balance is. I know that I will do poorly in school if I don't get enough sleep, eat healthily, take time for the people I love, or exercise enough. This is a theme that I also saw in Olivia's post.

My Writing Process

My writing process varies wildly depending on whether of not I feel inspired by what I'm writing about.

If I'm really fired up about the piece then I'm a heavy reviser. I start by coming up with a very basic outline in my head. This step is just to ensure that I don't let my idea run away from me. My next step is to sit down at the keyboard and start writing. When I feel this way about an assignment it doesn't take long for me to get it all out on paper. I then spend alot of time revising. I usually ask someone else to read it over and give me feedback if it's an important piece.

If I'm not inspired by the assignment then I can be more of a procrastinator, or a heavy planner. Writing something without inspiration takes me a long time. It's an uncomfortable process, and I almost never feel satisfied with the end product. If I'm not excited to write then I mess around for a long time trying to brainstorm an idea and structure that are exciting to me. Then I usually get frustrated and either:

A) Put the assignment off in hopes that the psych will come to me (Procrastinator)

B) Decide to get it over with and struggle through it using a lot of planning and brainstorming (Heavy Planner)

If it's a minor assignment then I turn in an uninspired piece. If it's an important assignment then I spend a long time revising it and sometimes re-write it completely. 

I like to write, so I usually put a lot of effort in, and come up with something that I'm proud of. I compensate for any initial lack of inspiration by spending time thinking and planning until I come up with an idea that I can run with. The weakness of my approach is that I sometimes don't find inspiration no matter how much I plan or brainstorm.

One way that I've found to get around this is to try and view the assignment from a different perspective to make it more interesting for myself. I'll look for aspects that could spark my excitement. 

Unsplash. Forest 10/27/2014 via Pixabay. Public Domain Dedication License

Like most things that I do, the quality of my writing is dependent on how psyched I am about it. and psych isn't something that's easy to fabricate.

Reflection:

I read and replied to Lauren's post "My Writing Process Sucks", and Betsy Volk's: "My Writing Process". Lauren's post about procrastination made me reflect on something that I feel I've learned in the last few years: school work isn't always the most important thing. There's value in being able to get some of the less interesting things done quickly and being ok with imperfection, and even in electing not to do things that feel like busy work.

I've recently been having a bit of an existential crisis about spending this part of my life in school. I often feel that I'm here because it's the societally accepted thing to do. Could I be learning more working and adventuring right now? This crisis is compounded right now because I'm questioning if I'm in the right major and trying to figure out what I want to do. The skills that I identify as being most important (social skills, confidence, real problem solving, risk taking, etc.) are ones that can't really be taught in a classroom.

That being said, I am doing a lot outside of classes that does feel important. The social skills that I'm gaining from living in a college town are invaluable, and my job at Compost Cats is an incredibly rich learning experience for me.

At this point it seems like the benefits outweigh the negatives. I will stay in school and continue to seek out opportunities for growth outside of the classroom, and search for meaning inside the classroom.