User:JamiB

=Analytical Writing=

Personal Essay
Our modern society is definitely oversaturated with advertisements. The toughest thing to realize is how our youths' minds have been hijacked and completely mesmerized with the pointless addiction of consumerism. Critical thinking within our communities has sunk to medieval lows. Children with developing self images are vulnerable to the glamour of corporate messages. The cycle repeats itself as the victims use shopping for trinkets to escape from the horrors of everyday life, most of which can be traced back to the original sin of faux empowerment from retail therapy. So, as the planet sinks deeper into the suicidal abyss of chaos, the survivors are left clinging to the last vestiges of control within their rapidly shrinking worlds. Those of us fortunate enough to be American have become so disconnected from the realities of slave labor, either through corrupt government policies or an increasingly exploited prison population; that we are ignorant of the impact our plastic world has on the physical health of the environment and the psychological damage to our collective human psyche. One of Newton's laws states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. The same truth can be said of mindless consumerism, so for every perfect postcard Thanksgiving celebration, there is also the tragic scene of another bulldozed Paklestinian home. For every cup of coffee we may purchase at Starbucks, a percentage of the profits are donated to a private lobby in Washington DC which goes to Israel, which is then spent either on bullets, missiles, jets, or tanks. Then, those items are built by American labor from American defense contractors, and the wages are even taxed, so the vacuum continues into infinity. The most important impact comes from the lack of parenting pervasive in our nation. It is no surprise since that generation of parents was also raised with the same corrosive values from corporate media. People are so consumed with their own individual identities that they often forget to actually supervise and guide these future citizens. Adults with even the slightest inkling of what has been taking place outside our borders, are quick to self medicate and deny the truth. This ignorance is celebrated now, so the dumbest people are looked upon as cool. The more self absorbed and self destructive you become, the more doors fly open. Meanwhile, any rational minded person who speaks aloud, becomes discouraged and ostracized.

Self Assessment
I feel like I have learned alot in this course. The group project helped me to grow the most. The instructor is very knowledgeable and helpful. I found out some interesting information about issues I did not know alot about previously. The online coursework has prepared me for the business world. The lectures provided me with enough hands on experience to give me confidence in the job market.