Adrian Aguilar

Shamecca Harris

ENGL 21002

13 May 2020

Discussion Post #5

When preparing for assignments I start as simple as reading the instructions. I don’t necessarily brainstorm ideas and jot them on a paper. depending on where I am the ideas flow through me.  Though at times it could take me days to think of an idea and the outcome I am trying to pursue. When I write I usually try to get as many thoughts onto the paper. If I ever get stuck I usually skip a paragraph and work on the conclusion or a different Idea. But before I begin this method, once I have an idea I do research to clarify my thoughts and the outcome that I will state. As I go through this process I don’t necessarily learn anything new. Besides new vocabulary and information on the topic of the assignment, where I learn the most is after the assignment is graded. The feedback or grade I receive allows me to reflect and realize that my body paragraphs, introduction, or whatever else, need more work to clarify my thoughts. I believe over the course of the semester my process has not changed. I continue to follow these steps but because of the pandemic I feel that I have become more lazy. Trying to come up with ideas can be hard at times especially when I have so many distractions around me. To complete my work I feel that mentally I have to be stronger so that I can focus on the tasks at hand. 

Adrian Aguilar 

Shamecca Harris

ENGL 21002
4 May 2020

Reading Response #4

Reviewing the essay “How Individual Upbringing Affects Young Adult Romantic Relationships”, I gave the essay a 98.5% grade. Viewing the content I felt that the essay contrasted the two main causes, personality and environment, to forming a healthy relationship in a coherent fashion. I gave content that maximum score on the rubric. For development I also gave the maximum score because they had more than 5 scholarly sources, and each was used well in correlating the two causes. Viewing the structure I felt that the ideas flowed well and had great transitions between paragraphs; I gave full credit for this section. Concerning the research question and its causes, I felt that it needed more causes to clarify this belief. Possible more factual information, so I gave it a 8.5, under that section. Concerning style and mechanics I gave the author full credit. 

 Reading “Who are the flat Earthers?”, I decided to give the essay a 91.75 grade.  With organization, style, creativity, grammar & mechanics, receiving exemplary grades, I felt that content and development was lacking. Regarding content I felt that the social-scientific interpretation was not enough. Even though the writer included info on the haters in the community there was no direct quote towards the theory other than mockery of the logo. In development I felt that the piece was missing the communities norms. I would have liked to know more about what actions the flat earth community was taking in society instead of only what was seen on the discussion board. Overall I did feel the piece was creativity and the title was what attracted me the most to learning about the Flat Earthers.

“Our Incel Problem,” by Zack Beauchamp, is an essay that focuses on learning about the online community of incels. The group include members who have difficulty in forming romantic relationships. The members originally described their romantic troubles as “involuntary celibacy”, but later this phrase developed and became the term incel. 

Patterns Mr. Beauchamp decided to include in his essay was how the members viewed themselves, and why they considered themselves incels. Each individual in the community shares some sort of insecurity. This insecurity causes them to be shy which creates the awkwardness in their relationships.  According to Miguel, a member of this community, incels have either been bullied, or have autism, or unattractive faces. These traits are said to lead himself as well as others to rejection by women. John, a 30-year-old incel, describes his personal trauma with the community. He says that he tried everything he could think of to succeed in the dating field. Nothing worked, and when he went to his female friends for help in searching for women to date, his friends never described him as being attractive or cute. With these conceptions John concluded that he was ugly and hopeless with women, which led him to the community.

Reading Zack Beauchamp analysis on the incel community I was able to conclude that the incel community is misguided. Mr. Beauchamp concluded in the excerpt that the incel community was filled with misogynistic rage. A perfect example of this misogynistic rage and misguided energy would be when incel individuals began to call for acid attacks and advocate for killers who destroyed relationships.  In most of the personal stories, originally each individual that joined the incel community came to the internet for help. They were in search of new ways/methods to improve on their insecurities, so that they can pursue romantic relationships. The wider context is that if the community does not change they will go down a path of hatred instead of pursuing their original goals. 

 Privileges are and can be entitlements that direct your position in society. Due to your race, age, and gender you might be favored for a job position, group, or community. I believe that most of our privileges come from our parents but of course you can change that theory by working and focusing on yourself. By focusing on yourself privileges such as scholarships, business deals, or job opportunities will arise. 

In my case most of my privileges come from my parents. Being born into a middle class family and not having to worry about paying for school is great! They also pay for the rent to my apartment and my food/clothing, so I never have anything to worry about except school.  So far these privileges make me look like a spoiled human being but that’s not true… or i hope it isn’t true. Still they are the major benefactors in my life. Don’t get me wrong I do work on myself as well, to create my own privileges. When I got my first job the reason I got it was because I am bilingual and brought racial diversity to the kitchen (I worked in a restaurant).  

In analyzing my own privileges and the ones my parents gave me I am unsure how it will affect my field research. The main reason I chose my online community was because of how much time I have on my hands which in result is due to my parents. My online community is based on a specific artist and her fan-base. With all the time I have I am able to listen to all of the artists music. Also due to my fixed position I relate and am a part of the online community. This is due to the community having a large number of  minorities. In researching the community I plan on carrying with me the personal experiences that make me a minority and what it does for others. I will have strong willed opinions for certain aspects but hopefully I can push those aside to observe the larger picture. 

In Wu’s essay “Out Patients”, it portrays and describes the Factitious disorder community and their beliefs. Being a member of this culture/community Wu describes it as, people who fake their illnesses to simply act out the role of a patient. Speaking from Wu’s personal experience she said, “I close my eyes again and let his gentle words wash over my body…  I’m tingling everywhere… when the moment is over, i’m left aching for more at the same time I’m flooded with shame and fear.” as a FD member she felt terrible faking her illnesses but the hunger for attention overcame her but, because of this playing the role of a patient was enjoyable for her. 

In describing her disorder and desires she creates of verbal portrait of FDers levels. In researching the disorder she finds an online community that describes their fears and passions.  Some speak of the fear of being caught while others fear being manipulated but, they continue to play the role of the patient to satisfy their pleasures. The most noticeable things in the blog and online communities are their inside language. Some using the term “coming out” to signify that they fake illnesses and to address a form of trust with other FDers. To triangulate these beliefs and inside information she finds multiple communities online that express the same fears on their message boards. 

Wu’s footnotes in her text brought credibility but also privacy to her community. By including information about dates, sensations, and fears it brought each individual’s mindset to life. By speaking about her own feelings and her guilt she made her text more powerful and relatable especially to those in the Factitious Disorder community.

Adrian Aguilar

Discussion Post #3

On march 10 I decided to go to Costco. I went to buy groceries and some extra essentials I would need due to the Coronavirus outbreak. As I pushed the cart I recorded notes on my phone; it became increasingly difficult to maneuver through the crowd with my phone in my hand. In my head I thought this might have not been the best place to conduct my research but I continued anyway. With my brother doing most of the work, by grabbing and picking up the essentials we needed, I stayed on the sideline to watch the cart and our bags. 

What I noticed the most as I watched from the side was the pace of the people in the store. It was a packed day at Costco, and it felt like everyone was trying to escape. With the line starting at the front of the store and ending at the fish section (the back of the store), I felt like we were never going to leave. Like everyone else our pace increased. As we speed through the crowd to the paper towel section I hear a mother tell her kids, “grab everything you see we will use it at some point!!” I thought this was super funny as I retold the line I heard to my brother. 

We finally make it to the checkout line with our starting position at the back of the store. This was the longest and most boring part of my whole trip to Costco. As I heard the complaints from customers, “no one is working”, “what is taking so long!” I thought to myself what can you really do. Faced with a situation that was unavoidable I tried to be as patient as possible by keeping myself busy. I finally make it through check out and I am almost out the door. As I leave I hear one final phrase from my fellow hispanic security guards. 1st security guard “Tanta gente aqui”, 2nd security guard “ya tu sabes este virus tiene a la gente loca!” (TRANSLATION: “so many people here”, you already know this virus has the people crazy!”).

“The hustlers at Scores”, By Jessica Pressler, describes the lifestyle of strippers who were running a secret business to steal from the rich and usually disgusting men. The story is based around a woman named Roselyn Keo. Ms. Keo became a exotic dancer at 17 years old. She lied about her age to start her new job in the New York City clubs. Rosie as she preferred to be called was pursuing a psychology degree at Berkeley College New Jersey. As she worked in the club she stayed strong minded so that she did not become corrupted and could pursue her degree in college.. Rosie observed everything around her, especially observing the hidden secrets of men. She said, “The reason why Wall Street guys party so hard is because they’re not happy with their jobs”. She observed how they would spend their money freely and ask for absurd requests from women in the club. It was there way of experiencing a more liberating lifestyle. 

Jessica Pressler’s article gives readers insight on the lifestyle of wall street men speaking of their behavior and language. According to Rosie men would make absurd comments when they were intoxicated. Some would say, “Did your father abuse you? Is that why you do this?,” and ask for freakish requests such as being penetrated by champagne bottles. To fully understand this story it was important for Pressler to include these comments because it showed why Rosie went down the road she did. Rosie felt that it was easy to manipulate such wealthy men. She had left this industry and had a child somewhere in New York. Because of the power she knew she could have over men it was very easy for her to request money. Years later she goes back to the club and meets her previous mentor Samantha. Her mentor had found a loophole in making money where they would attract wealthy men and drug them; they would later bring them to the club where they would spend all their money. She said that she became addicted to the money saying she would leave when she made 100k, 500k, then 1million, but she never did. 

Rosie was depicted as a gorgeous woman who became an  exotic dancer at a very young age. What Pressler did that made Rosie come to life was how she described Rosie’s appearance as a mother when she came back to the industry and her intelligence. This was also what made Rosie the perfect candidate to attract such men into falling for her traps. At one point Rosie told pressler that everything she said was fiction. With all the information that was put out into the media it seems unreasonable. It is hard to believe that none of it could be true.

“A report from unoccupied territory”, by James Baldwin, describes the discrimination and violence that was erupting in the 1960’s towards Negroes. The narrative records multiple incidents between police officers and the Black citizens in Harlem. Baldwin says, “the police are simply the hired enemy of this population”. The actions police had taken were unjust and broke the rights of these citizens. Some rules/beliefs broken by the police were the rights to a fair trial, and the 4th amendment which prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures, and requires any search warrant to be judicially sanctioned and supported by probable cause.

As a fieldworker we question different society’s to solve issues within them. During the 1960’s, if a fieldworker were to read Baldwin’s magazine description they might question, what is the driving force behind such discrimination? Why are men and women of color not treated the same as white’s? What can be done to support the minority? As a fieldworker it is key to learn how to adapt in society’s whether it is an outsider stance or insider stance. To require more sources of information as a emic – insider of perspective- a fieldworker would deploy themselves into where the damage Harlem. Examining and listening to the people of Harlem would lead them to resolve issues. All they need to penetrate this perspective is a cause such as the Harlem six.