TTYL ... empathy and texting connection?

Remember our discussion on empathy the other day? I am interested in seeing if you think it relates to something considered the opposite: impersonal.

What could I be talking about? Well, lack of expressions (other than emoticons of course) and 'LOL's; TTYL's; and I <3 u!'s'... what is it? Texting!

Which, is debatable of course. Whether or not texting is impersonal.

But the real question is... can we have enough empathy for each other to not text if it could cause us danger? Mmmm... Think on it, and we will discuss soon.

Lack of Empathy? Really?

Photo courtesy Rainbow120

So, we are trying to figure out this generation. First of all, what is expected of us? What do people think that we are capable of? Because, I know we are capable of great things, but does everyone else agree?

According to a study at *University of Michigan, 'College students don't have as much empathy as they used to.' In this study, researchers looked at data of 14,000 college students. Apparently, empathy is down 40 percent in our age group. It's a dreary forecast.

What is empathy, exactly? The technical definition is: 'Identification with and understanding of another's situation, feelings, and motives.'

Here are more web definitions of empathy.

What do you think about this... shall we spy on our group and see what they had to say? I vote yes ...

Current college students are said to be less empathetic, are they desensitized? Do you find this to be true, and would it affect the safety of college students?

Katie:
I think that this could affect college students—I see girls walking alone at night after drinking, and I worry about them. Who is looking out for these people?

Nicole:
If you are with your friends, they are going to be more empathetic.

Neal:
I think based on the society we live in, we focus on the individual and we expect the individual to take care of themselves. We don’t like being lectured. I feel like discussion is more effective.

Nicole:
I agree, I feel like if you are actually talking with someone you
are more likely to listen and think about it than if it is just information.

So what is the take-away? What is the point? The point is that you reader, do not have to be a statistic. 40 perecent of college students are less empathetic-- you can be the 60 percent. Something as simple as they way we relate to people can keep each other safe. Let's prove them wrong! Great things people, let's do it. I say we can make our own forecast, and I am a fan of the sun, aren't you?

*Check out the discussed link! University of Michigan Empathy Study

A picture is worth a thousand words

One of the reasons we are doing this blog is as a model to all you future groups. Hopefully through our toil, incredibly fascinating discussions, and earth-shattering discoveries-- you will become inspired to make tangents of your own in your eight-week focus group.

An important part of blog posts are the graphics. They are eye-catching, fun, and focusing the point of the blog. The famous idiom, 'a picture is worth a thousand words,' may have quite a bit of truth to it (as a writer, I will have you know I admit this with a fair amount of grumbling).

As a model for future groups, I want to talk about using graphics from other websites. How do you know if it is legit to use photos? Well, first of all, always link back to the place you got the picture from. It is respectful, and it is a good precaution to take.

Also, there is something called 'fair use' policy. The fair use policy is derived from the Electronic Frontiers Foundation, and are the general guidelines to be used when you find a cool image to use.

1. If you use the image in a way that is 'transformative,' as in making the image valuable to your own purpose instead of just copying completely, this is looked on as more favorable.
2. If you are using an image that was meant to demonstrate a fact versus fiction, this is also more favorable.
3. Using a part of the image from a website, instead of copying a whole document.
4. How the market is supposed to be affected. This is the most important aspect-- if you are marketing a different audience or purpose is more fair. Similarly, linking to the original website definitely makes using the image more fair.

Keep these four major principles in mind as you use your graphic, and you should be good to go!

Who to Trust?

The internet is a vast wilderness of information. The daunting task is to decide what information is accurate and updated. According to John Hopkins University library website, you should consider the following.

1. Author- is the author an expert in his/her field, if not does he/she have references that are reliable?
2. The Publishing Body- Is the newspaper or journal the writer is working for credible and unbaised?
3. Be aware of Bias- For example- If you are looking at a corporate Web site, assume that the information on the corporation will present it in the most positive light.
4. The Article itself- Does the writer sound educated, does he/she sound unbiased, does she use reliable references?
5. Accuracy- Is the methodology outlined in the document is appropriate to the topic and allows the study to be duplicated for purposes of verification?
6. Currency- Is the information accurate and relevant to the current time period. Ask yourself if the information you are researching updated every year or time sensitive.

For more details, consult the John Hopkins Library Guide to Internet Research

Long walks on the .... path to change?

How would you describe yourself? Strong, passionate, artistic...? Laid back, wickedly intelligent, with a tendency to procrastinate....? Romantic, sporty, likes long walks on the insert-correct-place-here...?

Each individual has a personality, obviously, unique to them. However, can the same be said of a whole generation?

How about 'Confident, connected, open to change'? Is this us? And more importantly, what can we do with these personal-ad worthy characteristics?

The best is yet to come! Welcome, readers.

The time: Summer 2010. The purpose? To get a bunch of students together with different backgrounds and different future goals, and put our heads together. All majors, all educational backgrounds, all experiences. We hope to use our mad skills to delve into the minds of this generation—what makes us tick? We want to bring a fresh approach to ‘old issues’ that are still relevant now. So help us. Come along, and tell us the truth on these issues. How can we initiate change in the issues affecting us? Here we go!