Young vs. Old

            The short article, “That’s Racist” written by Neda Ulaby's, discusses a topic that is viewed in many different ways, especially in certain generations. Ulaby’s article brings up that matter that in today’s world the term “that’s racist” is being used more for joke punch lines than in series context. But it is used in a more relaxed setting for the younger generations. While, older generations do not take it too lightly when those two words are brought up in a conversation. This truly shows how much this term has effected both of these generations and has a created a gap in understanding what this term means. But beneath all of the mixed emotions, I see the term being used in a more casual setting and not being too overly sensitive about its meaning.

           

            I believe I see it in a more casual way because I am part of the younger generation. I have grown up with that term being put in comedy shows and people laughing at the meaning of it. I do believe that in one time it was a strong word and if said to someone there was a real hate behind it. But my generation is being exposed to everyone having the same rights no matter what color, age or gender you are. So saying that’s racist to someone does not refer to specifically to whites and blacks, but to anything that can easily put into a joke.  I don’t think the term should lose its whole meaning of what it means because those two words were created together for a reason; and we shouldn’t forget about why it came about.

            Another example I think relates with this article is the way Hitler is presented among the world now. During his time many feared him and no one spoke over him. But, what I have seen from my time, Hitler’s mustache and the reference of his name are being put into a more comedic setting. He is also presented in some online games, too. But I don’t think he is taken as lightly as “that’s racist,” quite yet. But a word that I know have a similar meaning to “that’s racist” but are viewed with ease now is the N word. This word is heavily used in songs today and used in day-to-day conversation amount young teens.

            Overall, there will always be mixed reviews about this term for quite a while. I don’t think that people will “get over it.” They wont get over the fact that, yes, at one point this term once had a strong meaning behind it, but now it’s whatever. I do believe though, that people won’t forget the meaning of the words and why it came to be. Because those two small words hold a lot in the past and that’s why I can understand why older generations to not take this term lightly. But without comedy making “that’s racist” into a punch line, then I believe that our society would never move on from that point in time when that word was had a passion of hate behind it.    

Does Love Have Boundaries?

            In “Old Faithful” by David Sedaris, he opens his story about a boil that is forming on his tailbone near his butt. It is an odd way to start a short story especially to the reader. But he is able to make many connections to the putrid boil that is appearing. Sedaris discusses how love can come in many forms. Whether it is through action or words he has witnessed them both. He takes the reader back to his younger days, when he was first starting to date, and describes how his relationships were. Known of them worked out until he met his match Hugh. Hugh was unlike any other guy that he dated. Sedaris was able to relate to him right away. He says that he never has cheated on any of his relationships because of a certain incident that happened younger while driving with his dad. Out of the blue, his father tells him that he has never cheated on his mother. This short scene made me, as the reader, think of many questions of why this was so significant to David.

          

            Some may view this as, O he has cheated on his wife he is just saying that to make his conscious feel better. But I think that his dad was telling the truth and he wanted Sedaris to get the message, for it to stick with him no matter who he dated. I think he father accomplished this very well because he is obviously writing about it in his short story. It was meaningful to David because it was a random thought but he knew that it was a strong message that his father wanted to state. If he was cheating on his wife, I do not think he would have said it randomly. I believe that if there was any sign of struggle in the parent’s relationship or during any arguments and then he would have stated that, and then I would start to believe that he is hiding something from his wife and son. Even though it is not the typical way a parent talks to their child, it was a way – for his dad at least – to show that he does love his mother and him and that’s why he has never cheated on her. But I can be assuming too much. I am only using information that was given in the story and creating an opinion on the situation.

         

          But back to the boil. His boil is a sign of pain. A symbol that represents all the bad things that have happened in his life and it is all forming in one area. But his lover, Hugh, wants to “lance” it off his tailbone. David loves his partner very much because he expresses how he will let Hugh do it but not anyone else because he cannot trust anyone like he can trust Hugh. In relationships it is important to trust one another and help when your significant other needs it the most. This display of courage truly showed David that Hugh loves him more than he thought. Especially, once the boil was popped it let out a horrific smell that left Hugh gagging. To me this shows that this couple really love one another because Hugh was able to show David, through his actions, that he will do anything for him not matter what the cost.

   

Wet or Dry?

            When listening to the podcast “#1 Party School” I developed many opinions of what it really means to be the #1 party school. Penn State truly lives up to their title. In some of the scenarios the faculty members or families described were much different than the ones that the students talked about. To the adults, the students were out of control and parited from Thursday to Sunday. Many of them did not seem to care there were residences that were trying to sleep or enjoy time with their family. But according to the students it is always one hell of a party.

            From pre-gaming to celebrating a 21^st birthday there is always something being celebrated. Before a football game, students will pre-game in the streets or at home, no matter what the weather conditons were. Not ony would students pre-game but so would Alumni’s of Penn State. No matter where you are at the school there is always a party going on and people are always ready to celebrate the next event.

            My personal opinion about this is caught between the middle of a dry to a “wet” campus. As a freshman we tend to relate college to drinking. It is our first time out on our own with totally new freedoms. We don’t have our parents on our backs all the time and we want to take advantage of this freedom as much as we possibly can. But going to Xavier is not like going to Penn State when it comes to partying. Our campus does not present a high party life. But what go there then? Well, some students, like myself, want to go to a school because of it’s education system. I’m always down for a good party but that is not what I am looking as my first priority for a school. With partying comes many distractions. With all the parties going on it is hard to focus on schoolwork and other areas that need to be strongly focused on as well.

            If students that go to party schools, like Penn State, then they have a harder time staying focused. But students who attend a dry campus may become bored and switch to another school. I think that a college should fall in-between. Students should be able to party on the weekends and then focus on mainly their schoolwork during the weekday. Then there is a balance of having fun but also school work is being done too.  

Sheeple

            In David Foster Wallace’s speech, “Kenyon Commencement Speech,” he identifies mostly negative issues. Such as, asking us to pretend we are someone in line at a grocery store and we absolutely hate everyone there because they are creating the biggest line, thus enabling you to leave fast and go home. With references such as these his speech is much different than other commencement speeches that are given today. But within his message, I feel he is trying to tell everyone there, not only the students, the Capital T-Truth of what really happens in everyday life.

            David created a fictional person that is stuck at a dead end job, dislikes everything towards the end of his day because he is unable to go home straight after work. This person is hungry and has to go to the grocery store to pick up food. The fictional character is doing and feeling the same like every other person in the store. They are all alike. I like to call this category of people: sheeple. Why sheeple? Well, if you know anything about sheep, you would realize that if one sheep turns left the entire pack turns left as well. They are all followers. None of them are able to think on their own without the whole group deciding what is going to happen. People can relate in the same way. Everyone feeling tired and wanting to go home did not “think outside the box.” As cliché as it sounds, it is true. According to his story, no one was able to find his or her own identity.

            Even though Wallace’s speech in blunt or straightforward it makes me think: how will choose my path? Will I be a sheeple or will I find a purpose in life and try to live through that purpose? I believe his message is trying to show everyone, through his words, that we all exercise choice. Whether a major or minor, we all choose what we are going to do everyday. We each need to be our own person and have our own thoughts and ideas. We each have to think realistically. Without this kind of reasoning, I believe that we cannot move forward in our world today. Obviously not everyone can make a difference in the world with deductive reasoning, but knowing and understanding how to can create a difference in our own lives. Because either way, we are going to end up being that person in the grocery store or we are going to say no to that choice and become someone who makes a difference in the world.    

"Oral Atrocity"

In Mike Birbiglia’s “ Error at First Base” he describes his first make out session but in a comedic form. During his Jr. High years his friends and others he knew were generating a new fashion trend. Making out, getting to first base, or whatever you would like to call it, was happening to everyone but Mike. He describes himself as unattractive or just plain ugly compared to everyone else. All he wants is his first kiss with someone so he can “fit in” with all the others. But after many attempts he was able to score his first kiss! His first “oral atrocity” (as he explains it in his story) experience gave him the confidence of belonging. Creating an overall feeling of acceptance in his young, teenage world. The usage of his appropriate, colorful language helped me visualize his story in a fascinating way.

While listening to his comedic act, I started to remember my times during Jr. High. Whether it was trying to wear the right clothes or be in certain cliques, I, like everyone else, felt those awkward moments during our Jr. High years. Even though Mike’s conversation was filled with bad jokes and silly punch lines, he was still able to make me laugh and still keep me aware of the point he was trying to make. We all at some point in our lives want to feel we belong with others or have been accepted in our community.

But who describes a make out session as an oral atrocity or compares it to a dog eating spaghetti? Apparently 7^th graders making out for the first time is not the best sight to see, according to the young mind of Mike. Just picturing everything going on made me crinkle my nose. It did not create the most pleasuring experience in my head. It actually made me think of a situation my friend had; who could possibly relate to the awkwardness Mike had when he had his first kiss.

My friend, Kaitlyn, was a little more shy than most people; especially, when it came talking to boys. Young and innocent, she still hadn’t had her first kid like her other friends. When her and this guy started “talking” she would get nervous just from reading text message that asked her to hang out with him. She was afraid she would not know how to kiss “properly”. She would reach out for advice from her friends, who had already had this first time experience. Like 7^th grade Birbiglia, Kaitlyn was in the “non-make out club.” But like the ending of his story, she was able to get her first kiss, but I don’t think she would describe it quite like he did. But Kaitlyn felt she belonged and could relate more with her friends, just like Mike had.