"Is Google Making Us Stupid?" Nicholas Carr

      In this essay, Nicholas Carr writes about his belief that Google (as well as other technology) is in reality, hurting us. With Google, we have the availability to "google" anything that we need to know, instantly. With this capability, we do not need to put as much stress on remembering anything, because if you forget, simply google it again. Carr mentions that he has noticed a lack of focus while he reads, and he believes that the internet has created that habit. He talks about how its easier to simply read to only find the main idea instead of actual reading the entirety of some article or other literature for better understanding. Carr talks about how technology has gotten rid of much of the writing that we do. This is a problem because writing is actually a very efficient way of learning something. Writing something down helps you remember it easier.
      Google is not necessarily making us stupid. We get distracted while on the internet and by other technology, however it is a choice to focus on something else. Technology can and often does cause distraction. The ads, videos, links, and all the different ways to navigate around the internet, so our attention is jerked around from place to place, rapidly and chaotically. I have found myself watching viral videos when I actually logged on the this blog and was about to write. I googled the title of one our the essays we read to get a picture, when I searched, it took me to a list of websites, the first being a video with the title of the essay. So I clicked on it, and followed related links and etc, I soon was entirely off topic and had forgotten about the assignment. So while it is true that Google is effecting us negatively, I do not agree with the idea that it makes us stupid. Google seems to simply shorten our attention spans, which can have effects in it of itself.
     When Carr says "stupid" does he mean unintelligent? or simply that we do not focus or work as much?

Emerson: Self Reliance

     In this writing by Emerson, he states that a genius is someone who believes their own thoughts, and what they know is true in their hearts. Not just what is accepted by all and other people. He states that a genius can come in many different "forms", not just the famous geniuses that everyone knows. Emerson talks about self worth as well. He says that all men have the responsibility to think for themselves and lean on their own beliefs and thoughts.
    Emerson's saying that a genius can come in many different forms reminds me of the quote from Albert Einstein. He says "Everyone's a genius, but if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree it will live its whole life thinking it is stupid." This relates directly to what Emerson is saying and shows that  just because you aren't a math or science genius, does not mean you aren't a genius in some other way.
   What does Emerson mean by "trifles" when he talks about societal disapproval?

Hawthorne: "The Ministers Black Veil"

    In this short story, the pastor, Reverand Hooper, is the head of a church. Hooper one day shows up to church on sunday with a black veil covering his face. Other than the black veil, he is entirely normal to a typical day. His sermon has the same characteristics as always, and he is dressed clean and sharp. Even though he is normal besides the veil, his congregation only focuses on the veil itself. Some are scared, some scoff, and some are just bothered. The entire town talks about this black veil that he wears everywhere, even to weddings and funerals. He is still himself at these "events" but everyone still is concerned with the veil. The pastor wears this veil his entire life, and is even eventually buried in his tomb, with it still upon his face.
     In the story, pastor Hooper goes to a beloved girl's funeral. He wears his black veil to the funeral and proceeds to do the funeral as normal. During the funeral, he bends down to the girl, and his veil hangs out from his face, so that his face is revealed to the corpse's face. The story says "if her eyelids had not been closed forever, the dead maiden may have seen his face". This could be an exaggeration on the people of his church. The pastor's face was able to be seen by the girl, but her eyes were closed forever. This shows that the pastor never changed, the veil was the only difference, and his the people of the church would have simply opened up there eyes to this, they would have seen the same old pator Hooper that they were all now afraid of.
    At the end of the story, is he buried while he is still alive? That section of the reading is confusing.

Song to Myself, Whitman

   This poem is simply about a thirty seven year old man, celebrating himself. He notes that he is from the soil, as well as everyone else. He came from his parents, who came from their parents, and so on. When the narrator does say that he is from the soil, he states that his tongue, and every atom of his blood came from the soil and air.
   The fact that the narrator said that his tongue came from the soil is important. He does not say his heart, skin, eyes, or any other organ. He only says his tongue and his blood. Blood is one of the most basic necessities of all living creatures. Every single animal has blood. Many animals also do have tongues, however, it seems that when he says his tongue is from the soil, he means his ability to speak. This incredible phenomenon called talking is a very advanced form of communication, however no matter how advanced something is, it still came from nature, and it will never escape the fact that it is from nature. The brain, and the power to think logically is also from nature, even though it is arguably the most advanced quality we have.
   Is this why the author mentioned only his tongue and his blood were made by the soil?

The Wound Dresser, by Whitman

      In this poem by Walt Whitman, the narrator is a wound dresser, that is doing his work after a battle that took place. This man has a realization while he is working on these men, and it makes him change his mind about the war. At first, he wanted to wage this war, he was almost excited about it. However, after seeing these men injured and hurt, he changes his mind about this. He sees the suffering these men are going through and decides that he does not think this war is worth it. He also states that in both sides of this war the fighters are brave, and on both they are dying.
      In the poem the wound dresser thinks to himself, that he wants their death to come. He says "In mercy come quickly" meaning that the faster their death comes, the better. This is because these men and boys are suffering so terribly that it would be more peaceful and humane for them to simply die. They are in agony and he also says that he would die for them if he could in order to save them. This is touching in the way that it reminds one that doctors do in fact care about their patients. We're not just numbers to them, we matter. They want to see us live and they hate to see us suffer.
      This poem is very descriptive, so i would like to know, is this poem entirely made up, or an actual memory from Whitman?