Keyword Final: Internet

I choose to discuss the Internet firstly because this course in Advanced Composition takes place half the time on the Internet. At least every other week, a discussion about one of our keywords somehow relates to the Internet. Mobility for example, can be seen as being able to surf on the web. Some of today's youth may spend more time on the Internet than with their family. Families and relationships can be started online. Some people meet friends online, some date online, and others live in separate world online. The Internet has changed (the quality) of a good number of our lives in some way. Communication has become 'impersonal' through text messaging for some. People can easily use a :) without actually meaning it and others are unable to tell. Some people express themselves through Facebook and MySpace and easily have a lot more friends on MySpace than they do in 'real life'. Is the Internet creating a new world, or is it a new world within itself? Is the Internet confusing what's real, or is it the Internet real in itself? What about those who do not access the Internet and/or understand it? Does the 'Internet' deserve to be capitalized? Lastly, is the Internet taking over some of our lives, is it becoming a part of life, or is it becoming life itself? As the Internet continues to grow, so will more opportunities arise for the Internet to impact our lives.

As asked by Chris, "is the Internet a "gateway to another world" or another world *itself*?", I find this to be a difficult question. However, I find it even harder to do justice to the Internet by saying it's either one or the other. The Internet can be both seen as a different realm, as well as a bridge that leads to a different realm. The Internet is a different world in the sense that it leads to unique experiences and a different sense of reality than the world we know. Many things are in the Internet are virtual, yet to many it is as real as it gets. Some people, perhaps those who work at home spend most of their time online that the Internet becomes their life. I can be a simple, average college student by day, but be a level 70 Gnome Warlock in World of Warcraft by night. Yet not everybody is affected by the Internet in similar ways. Some people simply use the Internet to check News, and email. To them, the Internet is nothing more than a convenience that does not dramatically change their lives. It is nothing more than a bridge to a virtual world they never cross. To others, the Internet can be a gateway leading many worlds: the world of online games, the world of Massive Multi player Online Role Playing Games, (MMORPGs), the world of e-sports (which are more than just games), the world online poker, the world of MySpace, Facebook, Youtube, or even blogger. Because the Internet can lead to so many different worlds and each of them produce unique experiences, it can be seen as a gateway to other worlds. The Internet can also be summed up as an experience in itself thus being another world. Internet experiences are so subjective and vary so much between individuals, it is hard to say what the 'real' Internet experience is. I find labeling the Internet as either world or a path to another world complicating and mind-boggling like a political debate. For now, let's call it a draw.

The Internet appears to have differences in uses between generations and professions. Some older generations who have grown up without using a computer may not even know what the Internet is. Some have a strong attachment to doing things the 'old fashioned way' and they refuse to learn how to do things online or on a computer. My father takes ten minutes to type a paragraph while I have learned to type 90 words per minute in the 6th grade. Some later learn to use the Internet as there they discover new found conveniences. My mother can spends hours at a time checking stocks online, however I have to set the browser homepage to Yahoo Finance for her. Teachers have learned how to use email and the Internet to access research, journal, and news articles that may concern them. I have met avid Internet users through Facebook who only access the Internet at work. Office workers who didn't grow up with a computer eventually learn about the Internet through work. Because many of their jobs are 'boring' and they are not always 'busy', they do work-unrelated things online when their bosses aren't looking. To others who are unaware of the Internet, they are for the most part 'unaffected' by this different world. They are a small and perhaps dying breed, and will likely become extinct as Internet becomes more readily available and technology advances to the point that doing things on the Internet is a 'must'.

Some spell checks consider 'Internet' not capitalized as a typo therefore I gracefully accept the justification of the capitalization. My best guess is because the Internet has become so big that the proper way to to punctuate it is with a capital 'I'.

The Internet is created by man, and for man. The Internet is meant to satisfy some wants or needs we may have in a growing society. A lot of worlds are created online because people want them, and people do spend a lot of time in them. The Internet can distract us from 'real life' yet be considered real life in itself. However, we must never forget that we created the Internet. How we want the Internet to impact our lives is completely up to us. As the Internet advances with technology, so will our potential for increased mobility. We may become so mobile we unknowingly float into a different world and find ourselves constantly in a seemingly inescapable battle with goblins from the wastelands. Being stuck in this land we are ironically immobile. Although creations including the Internet and the mobile phone were created with a clear purpose in mind--mobility, they can often have the reverse effect. However, if we choose to live online and are happy that way, then so be it. The significance of the Internet lies in the fact that we while created it, it has the potential to influence our lives in unthinkable ways.

Keyword: Internet (Outline)

This is a work in progress and preliminary thoughts. Please leave feedback or comments or leave a comment if you would feedback on your post.

Our lives seem to be affected by the Internet in some way. This course alone, required us to use the Internet to submit our work and read the work of others. I can't think of a day that goes by that I don't check my email. The Internet has been growing quickly in the past two decades and has turned into a world of its own. People now have the opportunity to practically live their lives online, doing all shopping online (include the purchasing of food), working at home, and using online dating services.

Areas also considered for writing:
The development/evolution of the Internet/how the Internet may grow and change
The usage
The influence in our lives-a different world, the opportunity to live a nearly exclusive online life
Whether or not this is a prevalent 'generational' or 'youth' matter
What Internet phenomena are, how they develop and catch onto audiences

Reflections of Unconventional Writing

Come to think of it, what is conventional writing anyway? It it being in a candle-lit room with a Quill Ink Pen carefully writing on a piece of special paper? Is it sitting in a quiet place with a note pad and a pencil jotting down anything and everything that comes to mind? Is it being on a bench in the park or on the grass and scribbling something illegible? Is it being at a coffee shop on a Laptop busy typing away in an atmosphere that encourages some form of dispersion? Is it being on a computer with so many windows and tabs that it looks like no work is going to get done? I would definitely say no to the last one but then again who am I to say how a person is supposed to write? As Chris said in class, if you produce your best writing at 3AM, more power to you. I suppose I still have trouble breaking away from the idea that a 'real' writing class is filled with 5-7+ page papers, and two or more 200+ page novels. At least once or twice every week where the class discusses some form of grammar, punctuation, or how to write a good thesis statement. Proper punctuation, run together sentences, sentence fragments, and other such mundane details are carefully scrutinized. Mistakes are corrected till they are virtually nonexistent. It's boring but that's what English is right?

This class has been such a unique experience that I will remember for a long time. The class started off using Keywords as a springboard to discussion. The first week or two of class, we appeared to be choosing keywords at random then analyzing and discussing them thoroughly. It almost felt like we were beating those words to death. As time went by, in one week a talk about aesthetics somehow became related to Wall-E and a page of Google image printouts on family, a discussion about family eventually led to a debate about writing something by hand versus typing something out, and an examination of youth became a debate about experiences, relationships, and identities in real life versus online. We even had a 'group therapy' session in the first few days of class discussing the pursuit of happiness. This class has turned into an open, relatively unstructured forum. Wow, what a ride.

I enjoyed this class a whole lot. I'm more than thrilled I don't have to read 2-300 page novels then write 5-7 papers on it. I'm so happy I am able to write 6000 words over the course of a few weeks while actually enjoying it. Having a goal of writing something 2-300 words easily became 5-600 word posts. This class was initially a requirement but became a little more than that. It became a large circle where thoughts run freely, and a place where everybody has something to bring to the table. The first class of my days have turned into an intense discussion that quickly passes by 100 minutes of time. Is this really a writing class or a long discussion? I say it is indeed a writing class, and we practice one of the most important aspects of writing--critical thinking. Also what better way is there to practice writing than to write frequently as opposed to a writing only a few large papers that are usually not given enough attention? It may sound like I am simply praising this class, but that is not my intention. My enthusiasm is genuine and not to be contained. Has my writing improved over this course? I can't say for sure, but I can surely say I have written 6000 words, observed and discussed matters from different perspectives and enjoyed the entire process. After experiencing blogging online three times a week, I haven't learned any new vocabulary, or any new rules of grammar or punctuation. Those things anybody can learn from books. What I had is a lot of is practice, practice, practice, and putting my thoughts into words. After all, aren't those the real goals of a writing class?

Subgroups in a culture? Wait, subcultures? What?

Upon reading Warren's and Koy's blog posts on "Asians and Subcultures", I found really interesting the 'categorization' of certain groups to go so far as being called 'subcultures'. I personally agree with Koy that Asians as a 'subculture' may not exactly be fair. I believe the terms group, subgroup, or clique maybe more fitting. Chris's comments on Koy's blog, "But can't we keep dividing 'groups' into smaller and smaller subdivisions? Does this *ever* stop?". I too ask the same questions, and have decided no to both.

I grew up in San Francisco and attended middle and high schools there. My schools had a relatively diverse population however did have a good number of Asian Americans. Since middle school, I noticed a lot of 'groups' and 'subgroups' even among Asians. In middle school, there were different groups that hung out together during lunch. There were the kids who played Magic Cards, the kids who hung out at the computer lab after school, the kids who played basketball at lunch, and the 'smart' kids who took honors classes together. In another middle school I knew of both boys and girls who were Asian but didn't know anything about each other immediately became friends in the first week of school. In high school, my cousin who just migrated from Hong Kong at that time immediately made friends with other people who were not born in America. My friends and I called them the HKs. Then there was a group of 'cool kids' who didn't seem to care too much for school, and would come late to class and others would smoke on campus. There was another group of kids who seemed just 'average' however had high opinions of themselves. Then of course there were always one or two diverse groups which included Whites, Mexicans, Asians, and Blacks. Then there was my group, the Track runners. There were other groups that formed because they played the same sports, or perhaps they were friends first before they joined the team. Out of all these groups I have mentioned above, with exception to the diverse groups, they were exclusively Asian.

The forming, finding, and fitting into different groups seems just natural. People become friends and inadvertently form groups when look for others who they can share interests with. They may also form groups if they feel they have some sort of common ground, or even are born around the same area, or look similar in terms of height, hair color, and skin color. Even 'rebels' who do not want to fit in to 'mainstream' society or groups somehow form their own groups. People who are genuinely disinterested in socializing with others too are labeled a certain way and have some sort of culture of their own. The more people seek an identity and a group they belong to, the more groups are formed. As Chris comments on Koy's post, "maybe we just need to accept that humans *do* form groups, but also be cautious not to see these groups as ever rigidly defined", it is true that a lot of groups are not quite defined. I labeled groups above based on how I perceived them. I don't think a lot of them formed with rules, or guidelines, or based on a rigid definition of who they are or what they stand for. Groups just happen, and as how I may have unfairly labeled some groups, other groups will be unfairly labeled as well ("fresh fobs", the "not-so-fresh fobs"-Carol's comment on Warren's post). This seems to be a very complex matter I can't quite grasp my mind around. These are what my thoughts consist of:
-people form groups for a sense of identity and a place they belong
-sometimes these groups were formed without knowing, other times they are intentional
-some people perceive themselves in a group, others do not feel aware
-these groups or 'labeled' by 'outsiders' and many times can be seen as inaccurate, stereotypical, or an unfair categorization of this group of people.

People may form groups in search of an identity or to feel like they belong. During this process they seek both a 'group sense' and individuality'. They hope to be unique individuals however not so 'different' as to be seen as abnormal. Thus, some get offended when they are labeled or categorized in a certain way. Is there really a way to recognize that different groups do exist, and not rigidly define or categorize them? The interesting paradox of this is, perhaps we all long to be different, but not too different. We long to fit in a group, but be seen as individuals at the same time. Is there a way to be part of a group without bearing stereotypes of that group?

The Internet

(Disclaimer: The above video is hilarious, however may contain inappropriate language. Viewer's discretion is advised)

The Internet is a gateway to another world. A world where one can choose to tune into reality or virtual reality. It is a land filled with conveniences such as Email, Video chat, Voice chat, 24 hour News, and other things that are typically easily and quickly accessible. It is also a land filled with Spam Mail, Pop-up ads, Viruses, Adware, and most importantly infinitely many ways to waste time. It is also for.. you know (see video above). Without further ado, I will present a picture of my internet activities.



I use Mozilla Firefox, and I use the Bookmark Toolbar and Tabbed Windows extensively. While writing my blog I am able to access My UCDavis, Facebook, my Blog and the class's Blogs, Wikipedia, Youtube, and Gmail. I also have running in the background Windows Live Messenger, AOL Instant Messenger, Warcraft III, a torrent program I use to download TV shows, a third party program for Warcraft III that allows me to chat with people without running the program in full screen, iTunes, Wordpad, FreeCell when I feel like distracting myself or have a writers block, Windows Paint to take screen shots of what I'm doing, and an episode of The Office I was watching earlier.

To explain the picture a little more thoroughly, this is a 'normal' process for me when I have work to do. I first check my email and Facebook for interesting updates, then I open my blog and begin to write. While writing, something usually comes up that grabs my attention such as finding a Youtube video to embed, or defining a word on an Online Dictionary. When I feel distracted I check my download progress, or change the song I'm listening to, or play a bit of FreeCell until an idea comes up.

There are many ways to use the internet, and this is how I use it. It might appear like I'm hardly working, or it also appear that I'm swamped with work (if you can't tell what programs I have open). This process of writing a simple blog is done on one Browser tab, however is not limited to that. While writing a blog, I have Nine Browser tabs open, and 10 Programs running in the background. This picture shows how a such a simple task of writing something on the internet can include so many tabs and programs running simultaneously. Granted some of programs open are irrelevant, yet I keep them open for convenience and because I'm too lazy or busy to close them right now. Also a flashing window, normally from an instant messenger will easily catch my attention and I may forget what I had planned to write, but I have put myself on Away status so people will not likely bother me unless it's important. Nevertheless, the internet has given me tremendous opportunities to multitask as well as an equally vast opportunities to distract myself from what I'm actually doing. I think I'm normally bad at multitasking too. Perhaps this is my workplace getting messier before work finally gets done.

Is it Important?

While scrutinizing consumerism, I immediately thought the fine line between our 'wants' and our 'needs' is blurred by some influence, be it the economy, technology, greed, convenience or other factors. Upon revisiting this topic and browsing through the class's writing, I've discovered several classmates have thought similarly on this topic. Rachel writes in her blog "we’re caught in this weird push and pull between what we really need and what we think we need". She points our country’s mindset of “living to work." Living to work is paradoxical, however strangely understandable (or perhaps accepted). Instead of working to live, we're overworking as if that's our purpose in life. Why is that? Perhaps we're working so we can afford these things we want, because we're trying to buy the things we think we need. We think we need certain things so we work for it. This is illustrated perfectly in Rick's post as he asks "are we working a forty plus hour workweek toward something we need or rather something we want?" By being able to purchase something, people can say 'I worked for it' or 'I earned it'. They can even apply themselves to the old proverb 'you reap what you sow'. Even with purchasing power and a new material possession, I can't help but to ask 'is it something I need?'. In other words 'is it important?'

Denny writes in his blog "the things we think we need and the things we think we want end up in a gray zone that causes us to lose focus on the purpose of purchasing the item to begin with". Come to think of it, I sometimes find things in my room I don't remember buying. These things include a shirt, an electronic device, or a pack of pens. When discovering it, I immediately think 'when did I buy it, or what did I buy it for?'. Why would I buy something that I end up putting away somewhere? Answers I can come up with are: 1) these things weren't that important to begin with so I put them aside 2) I bought them 'unconsciously' and without putting much thought into it. Although I felt I needed those things at the time I bought them, they ended up getting lost or neglected. I still deem those items useful and will very likely end up using them one day. However, because I've practically completely forgotten about them, are they important?

Polly writes in her blog "many people, including myself are so determined and want something so bad that we consider it something we now “need”. When pulling open my desk drawer, I find a few packs of unopened pens I've purchased a few years ago. I may have justified to myself that I need to have writing utensils for school so I end up buying them. But if they really are so important, why is it that I never opened them? I admit I have gone overboard here in purchasing so many pens. Although I still consider writing utensils something I 'need' for college, I am still shocked I never 'found the time' to use them. I wonder if they still work. Come to think of it, pens do get lost quite often. Maybe this pen collection will come in handy one day. For now unfortunately, they're unimportant.

Another shared thought between some classmates is "consume or be consumed". Rick concludes his post wondering if that's the case, and while Truman takes a different stance on this matter he does acknowledge, "the things you own end up owning you.' -Tyler Durden". Questions that have been pondered in this class include 'Do I need this? Do I want this? Which is it? Will owning this make me happier? Can we ever satisfy our needs?' Maybe wanting something is a need in itself. Nevertheless, the next time consumers are about to make a purchase, I urge them to not only ask 'Do I need it or do I want it?' or 'Will it make me happier?' but also 'Is it important?'

The Mobile Phone that Changes You! (or makes you more mobile)

(Note: The advertisement above and information regarding the musician endorsing it was taken from notfromaroundhere's blog)
I stumbled upon a blog when searching for pictures of cellphones advertisement. This ad is in Chinese, and according to that blog, the model in this ad is Chinese Pop Star Alexander Lee-Hom Wang. The ad reads in Chinese "I (need to/will) change myself. The background and the model himself are an interesting contrast of colors, certainly something to catch one's attention. His expression shows confidence and composure, most likely because he has this new phone. His pose/body language further illustrates this, as if he's showing off his new phone. There's even a picture of an attractive woman on the phone's LCD. But wait a minute, what exactly is he selling? Is he simply advertising a cellular phone, a tool for mobility? Is he advertising an image of what the phone may bring? Perhaps status, a sense of 'coolness'? Since he is a Pop Star, he may appeal to a lot of his fans of both gender. Some girls may think 'Oh my God, it's Lee-Hom! I want the phone he's holding!' or 'He looks so good in this ad, I want that phone'. Guys may think, even subconsciously 'He looks cool in that ad, maybe if I get this phone I'll be cool like him'. Some may feel they are emulating or relating to Lee-Hom by owning the phone he's holding.

Referring back the slogan on top of the page 'I [will] change myself', what exactly does this mean? Is this device for keeping in touch with other people going to bring self improvement? What kind of change is the ad talking about? A person is going to change from what to what? Maybe because this phone is revolutionary and a new model that it will bring about change in the way a person communicates with others. What if the person already has a perfectly functional phone, does that improve one's mobility? Are there advanced features that will increase one's mobility with this new phone such as increased reception? My guess is no. I'm still using a two-year old Nokia phone that came free when signing up for a phone plan and I have no problems with reception. Even after I dropping it at least fifty times. So what kind of change will this phone bring about? If the same function of this phone can be achieved with a 'lesser (inexpensive, older) phone', my best guess is a change in self image. If a person requires an object to influence his self image, I have every right to be worried.

Mobility or Immobility?

When discussing the topic of mobility, cellular or mobile phones automatically come to mind. Mobile phones are great because they allow the user to connect to anybody anytime, and anywhere. Aside from connecting to other people in a matter of seconds, newer phones have internet access, Global Positioning System (GPS), games, planners, music storage and downloads, cameras, and other features. I even have a friend who is signed onto AOL Instant Messenger, Windows Live Messenger, and Gmail chat at all times. One time he decided to message me on his way to work, telling me about the people on the bus whom he has negative feelings about based on their image. Once he got off the bus and went into the office, he immediately signed off his instant messenger programs on his phone and signed on those programs on his laptop. He resumed his barrage of unimportant messages for another five minutes before starting his work. Mobility is a great thing to to have, especially on a phone. The mobile phone allows the user to multitask, can be of great convenience, and has the potential to save the user a lot of time and trouble. The irony of all this is however fascinating this new technology seems, it can be overwhelming. By having so many functions on the phone that are designed to save the user time, a greater amount of time could be wasted by being amazed at the phone's abilities and the amount of things it can do.

There is a cliche, "too much of a good thing (can be bad)". In the case of mobile phones, an individual might find himself constantly receiving phone calls when he's busy or at work. New Keywords suggests mobility "can diminish the autonomy of the employees, subjecting them to unwanted relocations that can disperse from their personal roots". Even so, users can choose with whom they wish to talk and when in complete in the privacy of their own phone, right? Wrong. "The mobile phone allows governments and corporations to use comprehensive surveillance methods to locate and acquire information about the telephone users (New Keywords)". Because of the amount of convenience offered through mobile phones, a lot of users have the option to send text messages instead of actually using them for their purpose-talking. As a result, a good number of users may choose to 'limit' their interactions to just lines and walls of text instead of actually socializing and interacting with their peers. People with little social skill and introverted individuals have the opportunity to stay behind the comfort of their own phone's keypad instead of building on their verbal skills.

As a Blackberry advertisement reads, it's the "object for your desires", it clearly suggests that it is merely a medium for your desires, and not a necessity. Being able to do as many things as the Blackberry is capable of has the potential to save time, but perhaps learning to save time is very time consuming in itself. With so many functions in a phone, the phone becomes more of a toy. And what else do you do with a toy besides play with it? Time sure goes by when you're having fun. Oh wait..I thought the phone was supposed to be a time-saver. Before deciding whether or not this object of mobility will serve its true purpose, consumers must remember that it is in fact a mere object. They must remember they own their phones, and not the other way around.The mobile phone empowers the user with mobility, and this mobility is a beautiful thing. Above all else, the consumer must remember to mobilize responsibly.

Unify, Disperse, Repeat

For the past two years, I volunteered for the Annual Autumn Moon Festival Street Fair in Chinatown, San Francisco. Despite having to be away from home for up to 16 long hours with no monetary compensation, and being so busy that using the bathroom felt like the greatest thing on earth, the experience in itself was very rewarding. I had the chance to experience both sides of the fair; as a volunteer who became involved with the operations and what happened 'behind the scenes' and as a loitering pedestrian looking to have fun but unsure of what he's looking for. Every year, the fair becomes very crowded. The fair takes up approximately fifteen blocks. The booths take place on both the 'main road' as well as roads branched off to both sides, but only for a block. There are approximately sixty booths that range from small organizations, including Boy Scouts, personal businesses that sell CDs and DVDs, kettle corn demonstrations/sales, a musician, to bigger organizations such as Money Gram, Bank of America, Western Union, and Safeway. The fair is barricaded on all sides from cars, however there are a few intersections that DPT traffic control units and/or volunteers to moderate the flow of traffic.

The hours of the fair are 8Am to 6Pm on Saturday and Sunday. A group of devoted volunteers meet up months in advance to discuss the logistics of the fair and are assigned parts of the fair they will look after. Booth renters enter the fair as early at 6:30 to setup and to avoid traffic. At 8:00, pedestrians begin to patrol the streets and line up for prizes and free gifts. Volunteers are divided into groups. Some roam the areas looking for any unusual activity or turmoil, some stand guard at intersections to moderate traffic; some manage long lines, keeping them organized and neat to allow room for other pedestrians to walk. Once the fair gets well under way, lots of lines fill up-especially those with prizes as small as a newspaper bag or a balloon. Every 45 minutes or so, a crew of Lion Dancers march down the main road of the parade, performing. They are escorted by a group of volunteers who clear the road. For ten hours, pedestrians explore the fair, buy merchandise, line up and spin a wheel for a prize they might not even have a good use for, enjoy a showcase of exotic Hawaiian or Asian dancers, or singers on a stage, some even participate in Karaoke, and then there is a trivia for free prizes.

The fair lasts this way on Saturday until closing time. As Chinatown is filled with elderly who have an unquenchable thirst for freebies, some attempt to cut in line, some line up in as many booths as possible that are giving free gifts, some line up without even knowing what they are getting and others refuse to leave the line even after being told multiple times that the booth only has 60 more free bags and will run out after the lady with the brown hat. One year, a volunteer got trampled as the crowd discovered he was giving out free balloons. Another year, tourist almost got hurt when a box of free gifts ripped open and scattered over the floor. The chaos finally dies down around closing time. Volunteers roam the streets reminding booths that they have to leave by 7pm. Few actually do. Last minute shopping is done and finally all booths are closed up, and cars are escorted out of the fair. The crowd of tourists and pedestrians disperse for the night only to return the next day.

The Pursuit of Happiness

A few weeks ago, I watched The Pursuit of Happyness starring Will Smith. To quickly summarize the movie, the main character endured great struggles and went from rags to riches. A few times, he referred to "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness." He questioned these unalienable rights through his struggles and eventually pursued his own happiness through financial independence. The tricky thing about happiness is that it is relative. A person of a lower social economic status may be happy for attaining financial independence. However, the same does necessarily not apply to another person who is financially stable. People tend to think they will become happier by attaining things they did not have previously. Because different people have different needs, different things make different people happy. Happiness is an universal emotion yet it is reached in different ways. These differences lead me to think and question how does one pursue his/her own happiness.

Growing up in a Chinese American family, parents constantly compare their kids with others. They want their kids to be smart, to excel in school, and to be better than other kids. Whenever there is something I can’t do as well as somebody else, my dad always asks me, ‘How come that other kid can do it and you can’t?’ The constant comparing encourages mimicking, and discourages individuality. I have learned that the Chinese culture values getting good grades in school, finding a good paying job then getting married and starting a family like everybody else. American culture values finding a passion, working a job they can enjoy, and individuality. The Chinese value bonding and being like everybody else, while Americans value being an individual. The Chinese American culture is one where these two sets of values are vastly different, and if being like everybody else isn’t what a person wants as an individual, there is a problem in pursuing happiness.

Will buying this make me happier? Consumer Discretion Advised

As consumers, or perhaps even humans, are we ever completely happy with what we have? Are we ever content with our current situation, abilities, or material possessions? Whenever something exists that is considered top of the line, such as computers, cars, and even clothing, there are always a handful of people that immediately purchase these items and even a greater number who long for it. There are always people who want the best of something, who are never satisfied. It is perhaps human nature to be discontent. This type of dissatisfaction or ‘wanting more’ or trying to ‘improve’ or find ‘something better’ is not uncommon as it is been shared between people of greatness. Thomas Edison once said “show me a thoroughly satisfied man — and I will show you a failure”. Einstein was never satisfied by what he perceived to be quantum theory's intrinsically incomplete description of nature. In an example used from a previous post, Michelangelo refused to show his work to anyone until he was satisfied with it. In a modern day example, Chef Gordan Ramsay from FOX’s Hell’s Kitchen once said in the show that it is important as a chef to never be satisfied. Being discontent and unsatisfied appear to resonate with success and greatness. This mindset of wanting to be the best, or have the best has influenced consumers and producers as well. Inventors and producers/manufacturers continuously create newer, bigger, faster, and better things in order to earn a greater profit. In order to do so, companies try to cut costs, and sometimes even use ‘unethical’ methods such as sweatshop labor. Consumers purchase these things because they wish to have the best and latest in technology. By having a nice car, consumers feel dignified and esteemed. By following the latest fashioned trends, some feel informed, stylish, and hip. As this cycle continues, consumers will continue wanting to purchase things they don't really need. The type of dissatisfaction that leads to improvement turns into insatiable greed to consumers. Sure, being content has been seen negatively in people of greatness, however it is quite the opposite for consumers. Being dissatisfied with one's material wealth leads to greed, and a lack of appreciation for one's possessions. While the market will continue to produce newer and more appealing commodities that attract consumers, it is ultimately the consumer's job to decide what's important to them and whether or not they need to buy new things. Material wealth will not bring happiness, as studies have shown that after a year, lottery winners are about as happy as before winning the lottery. After all, money can't buy happiness and the best things in life are free.

Do I really need a new TV?

My neighbors just got a new TV and it's bigger than mine. I think I should get one at least as big as theirs, if not bigger. Although I don't need a bigger, better TV, I want one because it will give me a sense of status and satisfaction, even if just for a short time. In a matter of months, when there's a new line of TVs, I'm going to want to upgrade again. What do I do? The market has been expanding and evolving in order to accommodate for the needs of consumers. New products are constantly being introduced, some being completely new items the world has never seen, others being a slight upgrade that may or may not affect the performance. While not all products are essential to a person's well-being or survival, a good number of them appeal to a person's senses. Things that a consumer needs are sometimes confused with things that will bring convenience to the consumer. Advancements in technology and marketing schemes have blurred the line between a consumer's wants and needs.
A few months ago, I attended my friend's sister's wedding. When choosing a gift, my friends and I looked at their online Wedding Gift Registry and found a plate warming tray. Despite the fact that we decided to buy this as a gift, I still question the usefulness of the item. I thought while the tray is pretty neat, is it really needed? It can keep food on the tray warm, but will the newlyweds (who are only 24 by the way) cook very frequently and enjoy it to the fullest? Do they really need such a tray if they just finish your food before it gets cold? Will they have the time to sit down and enjoy every meal with the company of each other and the tray when both of them are working full time jobs?

On Monday 6/30, we discussed bottled waters in class. Many of us found it interesting how water is described and marketed, the different brands/types of water, and the packaging. Having worked at The Aggie Student Store, I witnessed the phenomenon of Smart Water. It cost $1.60 for a small, $2.25 for a large (the left and right bottles in the picture) compared to our less expensive waters that cost $1.15 for a small and $1.55 for a large. Smart Water alone was the single most purchased item in the store. Every week, our Coke Delivery guy would come in and restock our supply of Coke Products, Vitamin Water, and Smart Water. Smart Water needed restocking the most. He even told us one day he had to bring in seven cases of Smart Water to The Junction alone. I still cannot comprehend the whole concept of Vitamin Water. If I want water, I can purchase the cheaper Crystal Geyser. If I want Electrolytes, I can purchase Gatorade. While looking for more information on bottled water, I stumbled upon a CBS news article reporting bottled water was being sold at $55 a bottle. One of these products included Bling, a $40 bottle of water that costs more than Vodka.
These two items I described are things I would label 'luxury items'. These items are not necessary as there are cheaper alternatives. However, because they appeal to a person's senses, consumers still decide to spend extra money on them. The market has indeed been evolving to accommodate for a person's wants and needs. Before technology has been so advanced, people have survived just fine with their 'old fashioned' methods. However, technology keeps making things easier and attractive to people that they begin to think they must spend extra money on things really not quite essential to survival. The irony of all this is, while a person needs water to survive, they are willing to spend $55 a day for it because they want to.