Opinion Article Analysis #3

In an article published by Harvard Business Review, titled The Feedback Fallacy, authors Marcus Buckingham and Ashley Goodall discuss how negative feedback on peers is more detrimental than it would seem. The article shows why we, as a society, think learning what we need to improve upon from peers is beneficial, but tells us we are wrong and that we have no right to judge other people. They discuss how we should not judge other people because we are the best judge of ourselves, not others. They then talk about ways to give negative feedback so that it does benefit those who receive the feedback.

The authors’ attitude toward feedback from peers is that the feedback is useless and unbeneficial, they show this through their use of analogies. One analogy they use is how having co-workers rate you is just as accurate as colorblind people rating how red a rose is. Obviously colorblind people are physically incapable of rating the redness of a rose, which is exactly their point (The Feedback Fallacy). The authors want to show that co-workers, or anyone for that matter, really do not know what you need to improve upon, only you do. Another analogy the authors use is referring to doctors and patients. After a proceedure, doctors will inquire how much pain their patient is feeling. No matter what number the patient says, the doctor prescribes a certain medication for it because no two people have the same threshold for pain (The Feedback Fallacy). This is meant to show how you are the best judge of yourself, and that you know what you need to work on and improve upon.

I agree and disagree with the article. I agree with the parts where the authors talk about how if someone is berating you, your brain goes into fight or flight mode and shuts down all other systems. This has happened to me, when I am being yelled at or am being criticized harshly, I either want to defend myself or I want to stop the conversation and not hear what the person has to say depending on the situation. I disagree with their idea that peer evalutions are pointless. I personally think that others are able to point things out to me that I did wrong or where I did not realize I was being a jerk. This has happened before and I have been able to become a better person because of their comments on my work and actions.

https://hbr.org/2019/03/the-feedback-fallacy

 

 

Opinion Article Analysis #2

In an article posted by National Geographic, titled Human-Pig Hybrid Created in the Lab- Here Are the Facts, author Eric Blakemore discusses the creature known as a chimera: a human-pig hybrid. Blakemore discusses the benefits that a chimera could bring to the medical field and how to create one. He then talks about the risks and setbacks in creating a chimera.

Blakemore’s attidue toward chimeras is that they are a good and beneficial creation in the medical field. Blakemore uses rhetorical questions and diversion to support his position on chimeras. His question, “what if, rather than relying on a generous donor, you could grow a custom organ inside an animal instead?” implies that the only answer is to receive the custom organ. This would make the wait obsolete, while providing a seemingly sufficient organ from an animal. Blakemore also uses diversion to push his point: accepting chimeras for medical use. He blatantly glosses over opposition towards chimeras stating that creating one is a “likely controversial- feat,” also “experiments are currently ineligible for public funding in the United States,” and that “public opinion, too, has hampered the creation.” Blakemore never talks about why chimeras are controversial, or why funding research on chimeras is “ineligible,” or how the public has “hampered the creation” of chimeras. He barely acknowledges the objection to creating chimeras to make sure the reader only sees the benefits of chimeras and not the controversies.

I personally do not agree with this article. There is too much informaiton that I do not  know about chimeras for me to be able to say that they are something we need. I would like to know where the scientists get their stem cells. If the stem cells are from fetuses that were aborted then I have a major problem with the creation of chimeras because I am against abortion, but that’s an entierly different topic. I would also like to know how well these chimera organs would work for those who need organs. If they work just as well as human organs then that is a major benefit, but if the organs are lacking in important areas then I do not think it is worth the time and money to create chimeras. Plus, even if the organs do work well, there is still the moral argument to use the organ. What if the chimeras acquire human intelligence? Are we going to treat them like humans or pigs? There are too many questions that I have about chimeras for me to be able to promote chimera research.

https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/01/human-pig-hybrid-embryo-chimera-organs-health-science/

 

Opinion Article Analysis

In the article posted by The Recovery Village, the author presents statistics on substance abuse in highschool. They state that 86% of teens “know someone who smokes, drinks, or does drugs during the school day” (Drug Use in Highschool). It then goes into the specific statistics of what percent of students abuse drugs and alcohol. After this, the author discusses the effects of highschoolers abusing substances, how there are only downsides in abusing substances, and what to do if a parent thinks their teen needs help with an addiction problem.

The author’s purpose of the article is to deter the reader from substance abuse by informing them of the negative effects. The author’s diction allows him to convey his purpose in a way to, hopefully, deter substance abuse. He talks about death, and ER visits, which shows how serious substance abuse is. He also uses the word “popular” (Drug Use in Highschool) to describe certain drugs, which is a fitting term because it lets the reader know which drugs are used most. He then says that “seniors are caught up in cocaine use” (Drug Use in Highschool) which is an absurd statement because, one does not simply get “caught up in cocaine use” (Drug Use in Highschool). In nine curcumstances out of ten, people who are taking cocaine have the choice to not take it as well. They are not just walking in a park, and then magically snorting a line of cocaine on the sidewalk. It is their choice to do cocaine, and it is their choice to get help. The author’s use of lists also informs the reader about what drugs teenagers use the most. The list ranges from amphematines and adderall to estacy and salvia. Another list gives the specific statistics of what drugs are easist to procure: “91% said marijuana… 24% said prescription drugs… 9% said cocaine… 7% said esctacy” (Drug Use in Highschool). All of the drugs listed can cause serious side effects under the right, or, in this case wrong, circumstances.

I agree with the stance that the author takes on highschool substance abuse: it should not happen. There is no reason to get addicted to drugs or to become an alcoholic, especially during a highschool career. It is not only harmful to become addicted but also illegal. Students are wasting their money, potentially their parents’ money, on substances that impair their judgement, memory, and thought, and can bring about behavioral changes, especially when going through withdrawls. Yet they think by getting these drugs they will be able to improve their academic performance, or the drugs will numb the pain they feel in their life. This is not the right way to improve grades or fix problems, studying more and going to counciling work just fine. Some people might present the argument that prescription drugs are harmful just like illicit drugs, and to that I say yes, but only when taking too much resulting in overdosing. If a patient takes the correct dosage prescribed then there should be no serious side effects even when taking them for a long time. Unlike taking illict drugs for a long period of time, doing so will result in addiction. I do not see any reason as to why anyone, let alone highschoolers, should take illict drugs or abuse prescription drugs.

https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/teen-addiction/high-school-drug-use/#gref

 

“Our Wall” Response

1. Charles Bowden’s purpose/goal, in writing Our Wall, is to show the reader why a wall between the United States and Meixco is useless and unnecessary.

2. Bowden’s use of allusion allows him to accomplish his goal of Our Wall. He references other major/famous walls that were built in the world: Great Wall of China, Berlin Wall, Maginot line, etc, that all eventually failed at their purpose. The Manchu bypassed the Great Wall and conquered China, the Berlin Wall fell near the end of the Cold War, and the Maginot Line was altogether useless because the Nazis went around it to attack France. This allusion implies that if the United States were to build a wall between it and Mexico, the wall would be unable to accomplish the United States’ desired effect.

3. I do not agree with Bowden. I think the United States should take whatever actions it deems necessary to decrease illegal immigration, whether that be building a wall or what-have-you.

“Superman and Me” Response

7. I do believe that books still have the power to ‘save lives’ and create new worlds for readers, although I believe they do not do it as well as television or movies. With television and movies, you are physically able to see these worlds and literally able to hear life changing information. With books you are able to read life altering informaiton which is just as good as hearing it, but no matter how discriptive an authors writing is, it will never compare to being able to physically see these settings.

“Women’s Brains” Response

1.  Gould’s purpose in his essay “Women’s Brains” is to assert that there is no intellectual reason as to why female brains are smaller than male brains. He discredits Broca and other biologists who have tried to explain why there are differences in the weight of male and female brains by stating that the difference in weight is not 113 grams (Broca’s assessment) but is closer to zero.
2. He is able to accomplis his goal/prupose through sarcasam. He states that, “113 grams, by the way, is exactly the average difference between a 5 foot 4 inch and 6 foot 4 inch male in Broca’s data. We would not… want to ascribe greater intelligence to tall men.” This statement allows the reader to, if they are short, and even if they are not, connect with what Gould is saying, because just because someone is taller than you does not mean that they are smarter.
3. I agree with Gould’s point in the essay. There is no reason to try and prove that women are less smart than men or that the difference in brain weight plays a factor in intelligence because those ideas are absurd. There are plenty of women who are smarter than me and that is a fact.

“About Men” Responses

1. Ehrlich’s purpose for writing about men is to compare “the popular view of the cowboy with the cowboys she knows from her own experiences living in Wyoming.” Her goal for “About Men” is to have readers understand that cowboys are not all trigger-happy desperadoes looking for trouble, but they are working men, who provide for their families.
2. A quote that explains her point of view is, “If he ‘rides away into the sunset’ it’s because he’s been on horseback since four in the morning moving cattle and he’s trying, fifteen hours later, to get home to his family.” The rhetorical device she uses here is sarcasam. You would expect a cowboy to ride off into the sunset at the end of a movie after saving a town from bandits, or other criminals. Instead she makes a joke by stating that cowboys are not all “heroes” like depicted in movies, but normal people too.
3. I agree with Ehrlich because people are easily stereotyped. From the moment we meet someone we can stereotype them just based on appearance, this is also known as first impressions. I have been stereotyped because as a man, people assume I play a sport. So when they ask what sport I play and I tell them I do not play any, they are surprised.

Driving Under the Influence is Never A Good Idea (Assignment #1)

https://www.pe.com/2018/10/27/two-from-riverside-county-killed-in-wrong-way-crash-on-1-15-impaired-driving-suspected/

Yesterday night (October 26, 2018) at around 11:00pm an (supposedly) impaired driver from Lake Elsinore, aged 23, killed himself and a Murietta woman, aged 20, in a head on collision. The man was driving into traffic on the Interstate 15 where the California Highway Patrol intiated a traffic break he did not abide by. Soon after this is when he crashed into the woman, killing them both. The Press Enterprise stated that she “was pronounced dead at the scene, and the man in the Hyundai was taken to Palomar Medical Center, where he also died.”

This is such a sad, yet so easily avoidable event that occured. DUI’s should be lessening, but they still appear which baffles me for a few reasons. In today’s day-in-age, there are so many apps/websties where you can hire someone (sober) to drive you around that you should easily be able to not get a DUI. Companies such as uber and lyft are great examples of these taxi services that are trustworthy and accessible to most everyone. Plus there is always the idea to go with someone who is a designated driver. For this case, I am unaware of whether or not he was drinking with buddies, or alone, or whathaveyou, but suffice to say drinking with someone who is willing to stay sober is a smart decision. It allows for the saftey of all parties, the drinker’s, and those out on the road headed home, unsuspecting of a drunk driver. With just a few, simple preemptive measures this man and woman would still be alive and able to enjoy the rest of their lives, but because of driving under the influence they were taken at a very young age which is extremely saddening.

About Me

I was born in, and have been living in southern California my entire life. I have traveled to many other states, but the only time I have gone out of the country was to Canada for a few hours coming home from a trip in Alaska. I enjoy playing videogames, relaxing, and hanging out with my friends. I do not particularly enjoy sports but I can stand hockey, everything else is boring to me.

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