Journal 33: Writing and Thinking

The combination of words can always create different meaning. However, does writing help us think more clearly? For this question, I believe writing does help us think more clearly. The reason is that if we only do thinking and nothing else, then we only think superficially. Therefore, there are a few advantages to think and putting words down on paper (or on a computer). When we tried to turn our thoughts to words and put down on paper. We actually rethink our original thought again. This might result us to think of different or newer ideas. Thus, this is a really powerful advantage for the writers. Writers usually need a lot of ideas and thoughts in order to create their work. Therefore, thinking clearly is required for every author. On the other hand, putting the words on the paper also can make people understand a narrator’s thought more clearly. Otherwise, how could the audience acknowledge the story or the messages that the author trying to convey. An example that can prove writing helps one understand one’s own thoughts and emotions probably will be the journals that we are writing. Although we did not write these journals everyday, when we recorded these down, we not only think what happened today, but also we transform the events to words and put it on the paper or a laptop. In addition, think clearly and thoughtfully is definitely significant to every person.

Journal Entry 32: Before Writing

Think generally refers to any mental or intellectual activity involving an individual's subjective consciousness. It can refer either to the act of thinking or the resulting ideas or arrangements of ideas. Thinking is definitely one the most important things for every human beings. How so? For instance, students often face this question everyday. “Think about it” or “Think further” these kinds of questions always appear on their textbooks. Yet, every single person knows how to think. Thus, why bother us to think on the textbook. In this situation, students need to think critically. This means you have to go through the process of thinking a question’s assumptions. Therefore, thinking is not always can achieve without trying. I guess sometimes things impel you to think further. So, it might be difficult for everyone to stop think about anything. In fact, I cannot imagine a world without people’s thinking. The reason is that we are now living in 21^st, so our living environments are basically surrounded by technology. But, technology did not come out of nowhere. It came from people’s wisdom and thought. Without thinking, I do not think we can live with those advanced technology like nowadays. On the other hand, thinking before writing is also another important fact. Thinking does not only implied on writing, but also it implied on everything. For writing, we need to have a plan before we started to write on the paper. Without thinking, we usually make a mess. Therefore, everyone needs to think about everything in order to success.

Journal Entry 31: Presence of Mind

“Perfect presence of mind”, which I believe many people have experienced once or twice in their lives. However, what does it means after all? When one is fully concentrate on a specific work, such as painting, playing a sport or musical instrument, and one does not get district by any items or events around one. I believe this is the perfect presence of mind.

Yes, I did experience perfect presence of mind before. I had this feeling when I was in the rock band. Besides playing guitar, I joined rock band for another significant reason – preforming on the stage. Nevertheless, I believe every performance needs to be perfect. Therefore, practicing continually and full of concentration is required. Diligence probably can achieve practicing continually. How about full of concentration? That is the key element for a guitarist on the performance. When one put all the focus on his/her guitar, this task could be fulfill. The reason is that besides the guitar notes, he/she pay no attention to other things that will disturb the guitarist. Thus, that is the moment when the guitarist performs the perfect sounds, and reach the perfect presence of mind. So, how does this important for writing a compare and contrast essay? The reason is obvious, just like rock band performance. A performance with perfect presence of mind is impeccable compare to a normal performance.

Journal Entry 30: What is "News" to You?

For the first phenomenon, I have another idea. I believed that what types of stories and what stories are emphasized should depend on the audience. The reason is that no matter what kind of news that the TV station released. It is all about audience’s favorite to decides the news’ popularity. Therefore, it leads to another question. What type of story is newsworthy? Why people watch news or read newspapers? Besides receiving new information, I think people want truth for everything. For instance, people wanted to know if the members of legislative involve in corruption? Or does a celebrity has an affair? That’s what people usually wanted to figure out.

            In fact, celebrities’ occasions often catches people’s attentions. For example, Whitey Huston was a famous American recording artist, actress, producer, and model. However, she passed away recently. This news not only surprised people all over the world, but also it grabbed all people’s attentions. Indeed, although celebrities’ news do not happen all the time, they always can gather all the attention. There’s another reason in Taiwan recently. A Taiwanese actor called “Makiyo” she kicked a taxi driver when she was drunk. Nevertheless, she lied to everyone that she didn’t kicked the taxi driver when she was in a TV station conference. This not only wiped out her whole reputation, but also destroyed her whole career. This news caught my attention, because I have seen she acting on television before. So, her behavior totally changed everything I used to know about her.

Journal Entry 29: Shaping The Message

Indeed, media surrounded our lives. However, does every single piece of media is original. In other words, how can we be certain that the news editor and the TV station did not change and repackage the original news’ information?  In fact, I do not believe this is still a myth. When the news editor and reporter receiver their source, they will package it into a whole new version. However, sometime what we know about reality can be alter. Although this might sounds ridiculous, we’ve seen this kind of situation in the movies a lot. Whenever there is murder events or celebrities’ affairs. People use power and money to alter the reality and make a fake event to fool people. Nevertheless, I still think that it would be impossible for media to change the reality. The reason is that people usually will overthrow lie; people want truth and reality. For newspaper company, the editor can use different words and texts to change the original story. On the other hand, TV stations can change reporter’s script and the videos and images they own. Thus, the media successfully transform the information before we receive the news. Everything can have different “packages”. Yet, when it comes to media, what we know about the world can be altered. 

Journal Entry 28: Which News Source Do You Prefer?

In modern days, there are many different ways to get news. For instance, people can get news from television. There are more than one news channels on television. Since it is a news channel, so it will reply the current news over and over again. Therefore, people can receive modern events anytime and anywhere. In old days, people usually get news from radio. Radio receives the message from the broadcaster. As long as people own radios; then they can get the recent news. However, without electricity, magazines, newspapers, and books are the choices that people make.

On the above categories, my favorite is get news from television. The reason is that news not only provides convenience, but also it contains entertainment. How come? First of all, I don’t like reading; no matter it is a diary or a novel. Reading makes me feel tired. Thus, if I get news from television, I don’t need to read that much text. Moreover, there is usually one news reporter on the news channel. Also, when people watch news on television. They can have two kinds of advantages at the same time. First, people do not have to read the news by themselves, because someone will read it for he/she. Second, news often provides vivid images and videos, so it is more convenient to understand what the news is talking about.