The problem with Power Pointing

I think Parker makes a superb argument against power point's "template thinking."  Being a user of both PC and Mac computers, I can testify that Microsoft is not the only culprit in the editing-your-ideas-for-you realm of things. When editing down video clips in iMovie, there are countless templates and cookie-cutter options into which your videos can be pasted.  The problem here is that people are thinking for themselves, but not organizing their own thoughts. Our computers are holding our hands for us more than ever before.  It's like in Middle School when we were first learning how to write five-paragraph essays. The teachers would say, "Your introduction goes first, then the body paragraphs, then your closing paragraph. Your introduction MUST contain your thesis and you conclusion CANNOT summarize your paper." The way we (Americans) learn and teach each other today is so formulaic and standardized that I think we have forgotten what it is to learn not for the purpose of passing a test, but to learn for one's own benefit.

Know It All

In my opinion, Wikipedia has always been an easily accessible, informal, somewhat-untrusted bank of information for the common consumer and/or student (it definitely helped me compile a few essays in high school), but I had no idea about its history. I have a cousin from Huntsville, AL and it was pretty cool to learn that the creator of a modern-day icon was also from there. Wikipedia shared the beginning of most other independent websites (slow!), but grew rapidly once the word got out.

While I absolutely love the philosophy and idea of Wiki, I'm not entirely fond of the effect it has on the over-user. For instance, I had a friend who would read Wikipedia articles for hours on end and was constantly convinced that he was correct in every argument (because he had read it on Wikipedia). Granted, there is a large amount of valid information on the site, and I am not arguing against its credibility (though a college professor will bring a gun to that swordfight).  It just seems to me that if people are shown articles written and "approved" by random individuals from all over the world, doesn't it stand to reason that at least some of it is absolute garbage? And don't you think that allowing people to be somewhat self-proclaimed experts on subjects by writing their own articles would contribute to just a little bit of narcissism?

All nitpicky criticisms aside, Wikipedia is an amazing website. Wales had the kind of revolutionary vision Zuckerberg had when he created Facebook: a new way to link even more people to even more information through our ever-growing technological society. When we can find out on our cell phones today what people had to go to a library to learn twenty years ago, I would say that it is a pretty remarkable period in our history.

Pygmalion Act 5 & Sequel

I was so excited to finally read Pygmalion!  I am a long-time fan of My Fair Lady, and couldn't wait to read the original play.  Henry Higgins is one of my most favorite characters from literature, and his personality is somewhat close to my own (at least I like to imagine so).  I remember the first time I had seen the play, I thought Professor Higgins was extending his sense of goodwill and charity to Liza, allowing her to live in his home while he fed and clothed her and taught her to use the English language properly.  However, upon finishing it, I was shocked to discover that he remains so callous towards the poor girl.  He knows full and well that she can only go back to her father in the slums and simply hope that someone will now hire her in a flower shop based solely upon her clothes and manner of speech.  Yet, he tries to send her away.  I doubt that Professor Higgins learned anything from his experience with Liza until it was almost too late. In fact, he doesnt even really show Liza any sort of affection other than declaring that he will miss her. I have always found Higgins' static mode of character to be somewhat remarkable, considering that in most other novels or plays, their time together is MORE than enough for the average literary characters to fall in unrequiteable love.