Blog Assignment #2

"Did You Know?"

After watching the two videos provided, "Did You Know? 3.0 A John Strange 2012 Version" and "Did You Know? 3.0 by Karl Fisch and Scott McLeod", I left with the feeling of having my stomach tied into knots.

The first video I watched was Professor Strange's. It's so hard to believe all of these statistics. I do believe them, it's just amazing to see them in real terms. We, as Americans, tend to put ourselves at the top of the ladder (the social, economical, educational ladder; the list could go on) in contrary to other countries. All of my friends that are from foreign countries are 10, if not 30, times more educated than we could ever dream of. For instance, two of my very best friends are from Germany and Czech. They both speak, at least, five different languages. When they first came over here, they were both about two years ahead of our public school education and became very bored with ours. Us Americans have the mentality (especially down south) of "Well, if you ain't from 'Merica, you need to get the heck outta here and take your non-English speaking friends with ya'! (as he spits into his spit cup)." It's really a shame how highly we consider ourselves when, really, we are at the bottom of the ladder struggling while these other countries our surpassing us in every aspect that's possible.

While watching the second video is when I really started to feel my stomach knot up. THAT VIDEO WAS FROM 2008!!! Those statistics and facts were absolutely mind-blowing while watching them in 2012; that was from four years ago. Can you imagine what kind of numbers and facts are out there now? Technology progresses every day, let-a-long every year and every four years. The video was discussing how in 2016 they are projecting to have a computer with the capacity, capability and the information of the entire human brain. If that doesn't get your attention, I am not sure what will.

Needless to say, I am very impressed with what the world of technology is capable of doing.

Mr. Winkle Wakes

Mr. Winkle Wakes is a modern-day spin off of Rip Van Winkle. It discusses how Mr. Winkle wakes up from his 100-year slumber and realizes the world was not quite the same as he had left it. He notices technology changes, building structure changes, changes in the hospital and just everyday life. One thing that he finds comfort in is the school. He said that the school has not changed and he enjoys being there.

I couldn't imagine the feeling of waking up after being asleep for 100 years. I can barely imagine technology exceeding the point of where it's at today, let along how much it will change over a century. I imagine it would be like living a whole different world. He mentioned that he liked how the school hasn't changed. I feel like it has. Although, we still go to a classroom and get taught by a teacher, we have different methods of learning and being taught by now. We have smart boards, projectors, computers and many other new and useful tools that have transformed throughout time that have adjusted to the new advances of the technological world. `

Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity

In Ken Robinson's video, The Importance of Creativity, he discusses a whole new skew of things that people (teachers, students, professors, administrators and etc) are not accustomed to. He says that school alters and interferes with students ability to be creative; which I believe to be 100% true. School's teach conformity without even realizing it.

For example: they push college on everyone. We need people in this world to do the simple things like picking up trash, putting mail in our mailboxes, restocking the shelves at the local stores and so on. On a different side of the spectrum, some people just don't want to go. Artists don't need professors to tell them how to do it. That is something they figure out themselves and it becomes original because of that. Not everyone is made for college. People wait to find that out once they are in hundreds and thousands of dollars in debt from school loans and end up dropping out anyway.

Thinking About the Future: A Day Made of Glass 2, A Day Made of Glass 2: Unpacked and Project Glass by Google in light of Mr. Winkle Wakes.

After watching these videos I am in absolute awe and amazement at how technology has advanced and is currently advancing. When I first watched A Day Made of Glass 2, I did not know what to think. Everything seemed unreal. Fortunately, I realized it was after watching the sequel, A Day Made of Glass 2: Unpacked. In the Unpacked version of the video it discusses the probability of the things in the first video actually occurring. Most of them would or already have. There were a few things in the video that made me almost angry. Technology is a great thing and everyone should learn how to use it. Because the way that it is progressing, it will become a necessity in the near future, more-so than it is today.I feel that we are being lazy though. We are getting technology to do the dirty work for us. I hate to be old fashioned, but when I saw all of the glassware in the park outdoors it made me uncomfortable. The outdoors is where you go to escape classroom technology and everyday life for most people; why corrupt it with what we have everywhere else?

If I went to sleep for 100 years, as Mr. Winkle did, and woke up to what is going on in the world today I would probably just go back to sleep. I can't believe what is changing and transforming now, let a long in 100 years. We have glass walls that tell us what and how to do everything. What does the future hold for us then? What will we get to do ourselves? The future excites and scares me at the same time.