Yeah. So it is impossible to focus on the readings after watching such powerful videos. There were several times that I had visceral reactions to what John Ronson said. I had never really thought about how Twitter (social media in general, really) was somewhat of a place of radical de-shaming, not in those exact terms anyway. But then I thought about it and remembered that I myself, multiple times in the past, had even remarked about how no matter how “weird” you are, there is ALWAYS someone, somewhere, that shares that same weirdness with you. But, I had stopped there. I didn’t completely recognize that potential power. Imagine the possibilities if it stopped with two people’s realization that “OMG, I am exactly the same!”. Imagine the solace people could find. Instead, humans have to go and turn this potential positive power into something disgusting. Instead of building each other up, supporting and comforting each other, we tear each other down in the most horrific ways. Instead ...

I was surprised at the strong opinions that were presented in class about posting naked/censored naked pictures of children, and just pictures of children in general. It turned into more of a conversation than I would have predicted, especially given the other content that has been covered. It was surprising that this topic was what got people to talk. It irked me a little bit, as it often does, when people without children talk about the decisions of parents. Naked/bath baby pictures have always just been one of those things that all parents did. It’s kind of like a right of passage/milestone/tradition type thing. Yes. The world has sick people in it. It has always had sick people in it. But sick people are going to do what sick people are going to do. When you begin not posting pictures of your kids (and I’m not saying not to cover them up, because you definitely should regardless. Keep the unedited ones in your albums – if for no other reason than embarrassment in front of signifi...

Throughout the entire class on Tuesday, (the entire semester for that matter) all I kept thinking about was that I wished my husband could be taking this class. I literally said to myself that I needed to get him the “Social Media Guard”. It’s amazing how numb or oblivious we become to how removed from the real-world technology makes us. As advantageous and socially enhancing as social media is, is exactly how disadvantageous and socially hindering it is. It can quickly become an excuse to avoid interacting with people. I’ve done it myself - see someone that I am not in the mood to interact with coming toward me, and I pretend that I am busy on my phone. Sometimes it is as overt and deliberate as this; others, we may not even realize that it is happening/we are doing it. It can also act as a sort of buffer when you are in public, say at a restaurant eating alone, you feel somewhat less of a loser because you are (appear to be) at least important enough to be “spending time” with some...