TechNOlogy: Slowly Killing the Art of Conversation

We live in a generation known for its dependence on technology. It seems as if everyone is attached to their phone or laptop by an invisible string. Although I used to believe that the quick and efficient communication provided by technology was beneficial to our skills of conversation, after learning more about rhetoric, it became clear that technology only takes away from our ability to skillfully employ rhetoric in our conversations, both spoken and written.

After reading Chapter 2 in our Rhetoric and Civic Life book, I quickly recalled several instances when I witnessed the extreme dependence of others on technology. When I worked at a restaurant over the summer, I watched many cringe-worthy dates where both parties sat on their phones for a majority of the time, never speaking a word to each other. I also watched moms and dads scroll through their newsfeeds or shoot a quick text as their kids played Angry Birds. And even more recently, I've watched college kids pull out their phones when they feel uncomfortable in new situations in order to appear busy. 

With the increase in virtual communication, there has been an extreme decrease in the emphasis of face-to-face conversation. With the decrease in face-to-face conversation, we have become less attune to the everyday usage of rhetoric. I believe the speed of virtual communication has also affected our use of rhetoric in our written word as well. Because of how quickly we can now send messages to one another, short hand has developed which takes away from the beauty of the English language. We now send things like "lol" to express how we are feeling. 

With that being said, be more aware of how often you use your technology and what face-to-face interactions you could be having during that time. Who knows, maybe if you put away your phone and talk to the stranger next to you, you'll meet your new best friend. 

So Many Passions, Only One Blog

Brainstorming topics for my passion blog took a lot of introspection, deep breaths, and ice cream. Just kidding, only ice cream was used, and it wasn't even for brainstorming purposes.

After lots of thinking, I've narrowed my ideas down to my two favorites. 

The first being a "College Student vs Pin" blog (I'm still brainstorming blog names) where I test out college related Pinterest pins. Pinterest is a well-known social media site that is filled with a multitude of different crafts, recipes, and life hacks. The downfall of Pinterest is the oftentimes vague or nonexistent instructions. Projects that may seem incredibly straightforward end up failing miserably. Or, projects that looked amazing turn out nothing like how they were pictured. Nevertheless, there are definitely projects that actually turn out wonderfully. With this blog, I can put my passion for crafts and food to use. Each blog post would focus on a new pin that I'd try out, which would range from DIY (do it yourself) crafts to recipes. I would then write about my experiences and whether or not the project worked out. Hopefully through this process I can suggest successful pins that any college student could try out. 

The second blog idea is a lifestyle blog where I would try out and provide reviews on the different fitness classes offered at the Penn State gyms. Living in Atherton this year gives me the luxury of being right next to the gym. Plus, everyone wants to keep off the dreaded "Freshman 15". After attending the wide range of classes offered, I would write a review on the instructor and the class in general to allow others to find a class that they will enjoy. 

Both ideas include activities that I'm passionate about, which makes choosing just one extremely difficult. Hopefully the comments left here and the insight you guys provide will make the decision easier!