Technology

     After reading the article "This Is How We Live" by Ellen DeGeneres, I had mixed feelings. I agreed with many of her statements, for example that humans are inherently lazy. However, I thought she was to critical of technology and placed a lot of the blame of humans being lazy on technology, rather than on the humans who are using it. She did touch upon this idea when she discussed the inappropriate uses of GO-GURT and power bars but she did seem to place a majority of the blame on technology. DeGeneres is correct when she says that technology can hurt us, but that is because we use it in a way that can cause harm. It's not a GO-GURT that makes us lazy, it is the idea of it that implies laziness. In the case of power bars, they are made for athletes as a form of compact food supply to eat when you do not have the supplies to cook. The makers of power bars are not to blame either because they made them for the intended purpose of use by athletes. It is the person who is eating it on the way to the mall who is to blame for the misuse of the product. 

     This brings me to the next idea that DeGeneres discusses, the packaging of consumer products. DeGeneres states "How else does technology torture us? Well, try opening up a brand-new CD". It is true that the packages of may consumer products such as CD's are a pain to open. However, there is a reason why these products are a pain to open in a store. Companies are protecting their products from being stolen out of stores, and by making them hard to open without a tool, it reduces the change of someone stealing it easily. The packaging was implemented because someone decided to steal products, that is a human error that has had the consequence of protective packaging. If people did not choose to steal, the packages would not be used. Companies certainly would love to save money on cheaper packaging.  

     Technology is not torturing us, it is our human counterparts that are the root of the issue. This idea can be applied to the other examples in the article where technology it put on the chopping block. Humans are the root of almost every problem that arises in our society, if you sit back and take the time to think about it, you will see. It is a part of human nature that we make decisions that have a negative impact on the progression of our species. 

Response: Entertainment Articles

During our last few classes, we have been debating the meaning of entertainments, and what it means to be entertained. Many of us have disagreed on their definitions, but we have all agreed upon the fact that context does play a role in the way we categorize entertainment. When we take into consideration that categorizing entertainment is based on context, we must also acknowledge that these definitions are subjective, and sensitive to many variables. For example, everyone has a different preference as to what they find entertaining. Even if two people agree upon an item that is entertaining, they may enjoy it to a different degree, or even enjoy it for two different reasons. Maybe Person A thinks books are entertaining because he/she likes clearing new vocabulary. On the other hand, Person B may enjoy reading because of an interesting story-line. Variables such as these all lead to different definitions, making the topic subjective to preferences. 
I believe that we should define entertainment, and the idea of being entertained separately because they are two very different things. Entertainment is anything that can cause enjoyment to a person regardless of popular opinion. If enjoyment is present, it can be considered as entertainment. Now, the idea of being entertained should be defined on solely and individual level because it is dependent on individual preference. You can decide if something brings you enjoyment. If it does, then it can be categorized as a form of entertainment. However, although it is entertainment, it does not mean that it is entertaining to everyone. As an individual, you may decided if it has entertained you and only you.
So, the idea that entertainment is something that brings enjoyment to any person. And the idea of being entertained is something that can only be determined on an individual level. For example in the article "Pearls before Breakfast: Joshua Bell on the Subway" by Gene Weingarten, the idea of whether Bell's music was entertaining or not was introduced. We should all be able to agree that his performance is in fact a form of entertainment because someone, somewhere finds it enjoyable. However, whether you are entertained by it,  or in other words, "Is it entertaining?" is a question that each of us can answer on an individual basis. 
You Decide.