Blog #4 - EOTO 1, History of The Camera

    Cameras are something that have become so normal in our everyday lives that it has become difficult to imagine how amazing of a creation they were from the start. Before they were embedded in our phones to take "selfies", cameras took up the space of a room for one singular shot that didn't even last.

While many argue the origin of the first camera, the credit for the first modern day camera is widely given to a French innovator Nicephore Niepce in the year 1816.  According to an article by the Nashville Film Institute, This was the year that the first ever photograph was taken. However, this photograph was taken on silver chloride-lined paper and did not last long before disappearing. It wasn't until 1826 that Niepce created his first long lasting photograph that still exists in an exhibit at University of Texas at Austin. 

Image Source: World Atlas

    The creation of the camera changed our world in so many ways. Not only did it allow for the immortalization of a memory or the art of photography but it also paved the way for film. It allowed for storytelling in multiple forms that have been appreciated for nearly two centuries now. Many more modern inventions like smartphones, social media, and streaming services wouldn't be possible without the invention of the camera and it's advances since. The Camera has paved the way for a new type of communication between friends, family, and even colleagues known as video call. Often referred to as "FaceTime", "Skype", or "TeleMed", video call has allowed for people to converse face to face without having to actually be near each other. This allows for a more natural communication method than a phone call or texting. 

Image Source: MacRumors

 

    The Society of Women Engineers has an article that talks about how the camera has shifted our perspective of the universe. We see more of the world and beyond due to photographs and video than we will ever see in person with our own eyes. The use of cameras has also impacted scientific innovation greater than any tool that came before it. According to an article by The NYU Langone Health Online Journal of Medicine, cameras are used today in many aspects of the medical field like tracking disease, three dimensional imaging, and much more. 

    With all of the positive impacts that the camera has had on our lives, it is important to note the negatives as well. Privacy has become a thing of the past with cameras everywhere, watching our every move. There are traffic cameras on the road, security cameras in shops, people with camera phones, and for many people there are even cameras in our own homes. 

Blog #3 - 8 Values Of Free Expression

As Americans, we hold tightly to our First Amendment and the rights that it gives us. Freedom of speech gives us more than simply the ability to speak our thoughts but also the freedom to practice our religion of choice or write what we believe. These ideas took shape through eight theories: Marketplace of Ideas, Participation in Self-Government, Stable Change, Individual Self-Fulfillment, Check of Governmental Power, Promote Tolerance, Promote Innovation, and Protect Dissent. 

There are a few of these that stand out to me but first and foremost I believe that promoting tolerance is by far the most important. According to the National Partnership To End Interpersonal Violence Across The Lifespan, Tolerance is about accepting others even when they don't look like you, act like you, or have the same values and beliefs as you. 

Because the first amendment is so important in our society, it tends to get thrown around willy nilly without thought for the consequences. First off, the first amendment only applies against the government. Secondly, freedom of speech does not equil freedom from consequences. Finally, there are exceptions from the first amendment. You cannot scream fire in a crowded theatre, you cannot incite violence, you cannot use speech to ruin another's reputation, and most importantly, you cannot use hate speech. 

All that it takes to understand why we need more promotion of tolerance is two minutes on any social media platform. There are plenty of people  out there who genuinely believe that some people are less than them due to the color of their skin, the religion that they practice, or the country that they were born in. These people are easy to call out and blame but what about the people who do it unintentionally? We have all been guilty of it at one time or another because many of us have subconscious biases that we aren't even aware of. The more that we get to know people with different backgrounds and beliefs, the less different we will feel. This is tolerance, the acceptance of others that may not be the same as you. 

The best way to combat intolerance is to get ahead of it and teach our children how important it is to treat others with care and respect. In 1995, UNESCO declared November sixteenth an international day for tolerance in order to spread awareness. 

Another value that I believe is relevant to what we see today is the check on governmental power. With polarization getting worse and worse, our two main political parties have become sticklers about pointing out what the other side is doing wrong but we fail sometimes at seeing what our own side is doing wrong. 

It is our duty as Americans to learn about what is happening in our government and to keep it in check. While voting is not required in America, I believe that it should be. Since 1924, voting has been required in Australia for all citizens over the age of eighteen and their voter turn out has not dropped below ninety percent since compared to the United States' record high of 66.8%. 

Blog #2- Supreme Court

For class we were asked to view a two part video about the United States Supreme Court. I learned plenty of things about them including the fact that they don't have the ability to propose issues and instead have to wait on a ruling from a lower court to appear to them. 

In my opinion, Supreme Court judges stay in their position for far too long. Both the Executive and Judicial branches have term limits set on the people within them but as for the Judicial branch, Supreme Court judges are appointed for life. It is difficult to stay relevant with opinions on issues over the course of decades. 

It did surprise me how willing the judges were to admit that the constitution does not apply the same way to modern day Americans as it did to citizens when it was first written. It had been my assumption that they lived by the constitution and stuck to it like a rule book. I had always known that the Supreme Court had the ability to pick and choose what cases they see but I was not aware that they receive about seven-thousand cases a year and only accepts about one-hundred. 

I think that seeing these Supreme Court judges and hearing them speak makes them seem less formal in a positive way. It made me think better of them knowing that they have opinions but aren't truly allowed to vote based on them and instead are required to vote by law and follow what is best for the people. 

Blog #1 - Top 5 Sources

As college students, I believe that many of us receive our news fairly differently than most  of the adult population. Young adults generally don't spend their time watching the news or reading the daily paper, we get most of our information from the little computer in our pocket known as a smartphone.

1. Snapchat

While not always the most reliable, snapchat is quick and easy. It takes less than five seconds to find a dozen news headlines everywhere from celebrity gossip to political updates. For me and many other young adults, we use snapchat as a primary source of communication and spend quite a bit of time on it. News articles on the primary display screen draw in users and make it the simplest way possible to see what is going on in the world. 

2. Tik Tok

Tik Tok is simply another social media platform similar to vine where people can post short videos of them talking, dancing, or doing pretty much whatever they want. This platform is used by a variety of age groups and features a home page called a "For you page". This Home Screen can consist of random videos from anyone around the world but uses an algorithm to determine what each individual person wants to see. Plenty of people use this platform to spread information but it is always best to double check sources before believing everything that you hear. 

3. CNN

When it comes to news, it is difficult to find a source without bias. I watch CNN with an understanding that it reports information under a slightly left leaning view point. Contrary to popular belief, CNN is actually a much more moderate news source than Channels like MSNBC or Fox News. I view CNN updates through the news app on my iPhone. 

4.  The New York Times

When googling information, it is hard to know what cites to trust. I usually look for an article posted by the New York Times when searching for updates. This is one of the most widely read papers in the United States and has now become more than just a paper. 

5. My Friends

Often as college students, we simply don't have the time to spend catching up on the latest new stories. We spend our time studying or working on homework so when we do have some free time, we simply just want to hang out with our friends. I have friends with all different political leanings which is pretty helpful most of the time. While we don't always agree on subjects, we are able to bring up things that are going on in the world and discuss them in a civil way.