Comments for The Daily Collegian http://dailycollegian.com New England's Largest College Daily Online Wed, 23 May 2012 20:25:25 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 Comment on A behavioral perspective of why video games are unhealthy by futureatavist http://dailycollegian.com/2012/04/17/a-behavioral-perspective-of-why-video-games-are-unhealthy/comment-page-1/#comment-206457 futureatavist Wed, 23 May 2012 20:25:25 +0000 http://dailycollegian.com/?p=74073#comment-206457 Just as there are people who drink regularly who are not alcoholics, there are gamers whose lives are essentially unaffected by their game playing. Conversely, and similar to alcoholism, some computer gamers exhibit classicly addictive behaviours: responsibilities are ignored, bizarre schedules maintained, skipped meals/unhealthy eating habits, choices made to play rather than complete assignments, missed classes, and often "real" interpersonal relationships fail simply because they don't get the attention needed to thrive as the choice is to play rather than engage in interpersonal activity. These are just some of the casualties evidenced by any addiction. What is reprehensible is the idea that videogame authors deliberately use behavioural science to introduce addictive qualities into the games in order to increase dependency=pleasure/satisfaction which in the end translates to mega sales. Because mental addiction is harder to quantify than physical addiction (tobacco, alcohol, narcotics) the addictiveness of a game is hard to quantify let alone regulate - not to mention the relative newness of this phenomenon makes it an area where study is needed and is considered controversial. But if you are someone who has observed these behaviours first hand it does not seem controversial at all. Computer gaming is indeed addictive and some people's lives are profoundly and negatively affected by this affliction. Just as there are people who drink regularly who are not alcoholics, there are gamers whose lives are essentially unaffected by their game playing. Conversely, and similar to alcoholism, some computer gamers exhibit classicly addictive behaviours: responsibilities are ignored, bizarre schedules maintained, skipped meals/unhealthy eating habits, choices made to play rather than complete assignments, missed classes, and often “real” interpersonal relationships fail simply because they don’t get the attention needed to thrive as the choice is to play rather than engage in interpersonal activity. These are just some of the casualties evidenced by any addiction. What is reprehensible is the idea that videogame authors deliberately use behavioural science to introduce addictive qualities into the games in order to increase dependency=pleasure/satisfaction which in the end translates to mega sales. Because mental addiction is harder to quantify than physical addiction (tobacco, alcohol, narcotics) the addictiveness of a game is hard to quantify let alone regulate – not to mention the relative newness of this phenomenon makes it an area where study is needed and is considered controversial. But if you are someone who has observed these behaviours first hand it does not seem controversial at all. Computer gaming is indeed addictive and some people’s lives are profoundly and negatively affected by this affliction.

]]> Comment on Liberal education is dead by mason http://dailycollegian.com/2012/04/27/liberal-education-is-dead/comment-page-1/#comment-206446 mason Wed, 23 May 2012 11:33:16 +0000 http://dailycollegian.com/?p=74783#comment-206446 Also I think what Aristotle was referring to the use of education or knowledge to overcome human flaw, the human flaw of being immoral. Aristotle and socrates thought unethical behavior was the result of ignorance of correct behavior and you could supplement through through instruction. I seriously doubt he envisioned the equivilance of what you stated learning through book or the blogosphere as means to reaching the zenith of human possiblity. Also I think what Aristotle was referring to the use of education or knowledge to overcome human flaw, the human flaw of being immoral. Aristotle and socrates thought unethical behavior was the result of ignorance of correct behavior and you could supplement through through instruction.

I seriously doubt he envisioned the equivilance of what you stated learning through book or the blogosphere as means to reaching the zenith of human possiblity.

]]> Comment on Liberal education is dead by mason http://dailycollegian.com/2012/04/27/liberal-education-is-dead/comment-page-1/#comment-206444 mason Wed, 23 May 2012 11:27:05 +0000 http://dailycollegian.com/?p=74783#comment-206444 People go to an university because it's necessary although I wouldn't say it's exactly an evaluation. It seems clear that anyone can achieve a degree simply through effort in the liberal arts; that it is often simply just memorizing knowledge, reciting and it demonstrating that you've learned this knowledge by writing essays that most students see little value in. "stem" or the natural sciences are not easily self-taught because these subjects do not chiefly rely upon upon knowledge but application of mathematics and advance application in courses which require professor be able to teach the student and also a school that allows opportunities to conduct real-world engagement through the use research and independent study. This is unique to the natural sciences that is not unique to the social sciences, as a social science education is mainly one that could be found in a library regardless of the existence of the internet. The problem with a "liberal arts" education is that it has no career value; there is little economic gain from most social science majors. They tend to be low paying jobs, jobs which bear little relevance to what you've learned, jobs that require little of the knowledge you've been taught and often jobs which are in the government, non-profit or higher education sectors. These sectors which are not growing at the same rapid business of industries which require engineers primarily "stem" engineers; which have I think have grown over a 100 fold over the last century and unlike business cannot meet the continual demand of new job applicants. I think as result that what your going to see is an increased trend of students who have received an education from the social sciences exclusive of economic majors who can usually work in finance or business who are going to face increasingly higher unemployment and lower salary. If this trend is true that it's going to have major impact on government policy and even our political stability. People go to an university because it’s necessary although I wouldn’t say it’s exactly an evaluation. It seems clear that anyone can achieve a degree simply through effort in the liberal arts; that it is often simply just memorizing knowledge, reciting and it demonstrating that you’ve learned this knowledge by writing essays that most students see little value in.
“stem” or the natural sciences are not easily self-taught because these subjects do not chiefly rely upon upon knowledge but application of mathematics and advance application in courses which require professor be able to teach the student and also a school that allows opportunities to conduct real-world engagement through the use research and independent study.
This is unique to the natural sciences that is not unique to the social sciences, as a social science education is mainly one that could be found in a library regardless of the existence of the internet.
The problem with a “liberal arts” education is that it has no career value; there is little economic gain from most social science majors. They tend to be low paying jobs, jobs which bear little relevance to what you’ve learned, jobs that require little of the knowledge you’ve been taught and often jobs which are in the government, non-profit or higher education sectors. These sectors which are not growing at the same rapid business of industries which require engineers primarily “stem” engineers; which have I think have grown over a 100 fold over the last century and unlike business cannot meet the continual demand of new job applicants.
I think as result that what your going to see is an increased trend of students who have received an education from the social sciences exclusive of economic majors who can usually work in finance or business who are going to face increasingly higher unemployment and lower salary. If this trend is true that it’s going to have major impact on government policy and even our political stability.

]]> Comment on Fantazia brings multimedia EDM event to Mullins by hmmmno http://dailycollegian.com/2012/04/29/74954/comment-page-1/#comment-206061 hmmmno Fri, 18 May 2012 22:19:31 +0000 http://dailycollegian.com/?p=74954#comment-206061 Of course Bamboora played mostly house... That's his sound. A DJ's ability is not proportional in any way to the variety of genres that they play. He didn't "need the backup of stunning visuals" and he's proven that time and time again with hundreds of sets along the span of his career. Would you say Rusko is found wanting because he really only plays dubstep? Would you say the rolling stones are bad because they only play rock? Don't criticize unless you understand what aspects are actually open to criticism. Of course Bamboora played mostly house… That’s his sound. A DJ’s ability is not proportional in any way to the variety of genres that they play. He didn’t “need the backup of stunning visuals” and he’s proven that time and time again with hundreds of sets along the span of his career. Would you say Rusko is found wanting because he really only plays dubstep? Would you say the rolling stones are bad because they only play rock? Don’t criticize unless you understand what aspects are actually open to criticism.

]]> Comment on Current economics is flawed by mason http://dailycollegian.com/2012/04/23/current-economics-is-flawed/comment-page-1/#comment-206050 mason Fri, 18 May 2012 17:34:13 +0000 http://dailycollegian.com/?p=74355#comment-206050 you say that economics is polarized between capitalism and neo-Marxism but don’t elaborate.*** you say that economics is polarized between capitalism and neo-Marxism but don’t elaborate.***

]]> Comment on Current economics is flawed by mason http://dailycollegian.com/2012/04/23/current-economics-is-flawed/comment-page-1/#comment-206049 mason Fri, 18 May 2012 17:31:50 +0000 http://dailycollegian.com/?p=74355#comment-206049 It's had to explain your thoughts in a the tiny space of a column but my point there has been more than sufficient sampling of communities in Massachusetts but it's not because of that they are flawed it's because they cannot accurately reflect the reality of the economic conditions of those areas because the metric is too simple and we're using methods that have not been updated to reflect the modern complexities of an economy. This is not typical of of a true science, the natural sciences constantly evolve, you do not see this in economics. I say that economics is polarized between capitalism and neo-Marxism but don't elaborate. This another problem with economics and it further degrades it's status as a a science. A true science is only interested in the pursuit of objective truth and than discovery made is than engineered for useful applications. What I have seen studying economics and the classes I have taken at both amherst college and umass is that professors teach a curriculum around either capitalism or the idea that capitalism is flawed via neo-marxism. Both economic ideologies have merit and expose certain strengths and flaws in their analysis of the economy and methods of applying that via fiscal policy but this very strong emphasis on ideological understanding of the economy and basing studying around that is inherently biased and leads to a parochial view and understanding of an economy. The last paragraph is a criticism of utilitarianism. Utilitarianism is the modern foundation of economics and of both schools of economics, hetrodox and orthodox. Utilitarianism has different definitions depending if you examine it sociologically, politically or economically but the core concept is the idea of distributing happiness to the maximum amount of people in the greatest amount and in my opinion the way economics views this concept is almost absurd. It's this foundation is one reason why economics is concerned with price controls, the price of products,c/p surplus, monopolies et cetera. It goes so far to assert that "marginal utility" is somehow an indication of happiness and that economic application which increases utility is somehow going to make people happier. This is a central flaw in economics I think and is really the central debate between capitalism and heterodox economics. Capitalism asserts that most wealth can be allocated to the most amount of people by free enterprise and and the opposing viewpoint asserts that wealth must be reallocated institutionally. This debate has raged since the new deal in the 1930s and has consumed America since than and it's created a distraction. In one sense it's important to ensure that we help the lower class however beyond that what difference would ensuring more money to the middle class makes? How will ensuring a market is more efficient leading to x decrease in a product going to improve a person's life? Instead of providing a means to provide happiness as it was originally envisioned by adam smith and karl marx and has perpetuated by economists. Economics has instead of liberating a means of happiness, encapsulated the parameters of it and created the definitions in which it can exist. Now we are lead to believe happiness is a progression and through this progression can our goals of happiness be attained, it forges a singular view of life that can only be lived within it's confines and the politicization of economics has divided our nation instead of bringing it together It’s had to explain your thoughts in a the tiny space of a column but my point there has been more than sufficient sampling of communities in Massachusetts but it’s not because of that they are flawed it’s because they cannot accurately reflect the reality of the economic conditions of those areas because the metric is too simple and we’re using methods that have not been updated to reflect the modern complexities of an economy. This is not typical of of a true science, the natural sciences constantly evolve, you do not see this in economics.

I say that economics is polarized between capitalism and neo-Marxism but don’t elaborate. This another problem with economics and it further degrades it’s status as a a science. A true science is only interested in the pursuit of objective truth and than discovery made is than engineered for useful applications.

What I have seen studying economics and the classes I have taken at both amherst college and umass is that professors teach a curriculum around either capitalism or the idea that capitalism is flawed via neo-marxism. Both economic ideologies have merit and expose certain strengths and flaws in their analysis of the economy and methods of applying that via fiscal policy but this very strong emphasis on ideological understanding of the economy and basing studying around that is inherently biased and leads to a parochial view and understanding of an economy.

The last paragraph is a criticism of utilitarianism. Utilitarianism is the modern foundation of economics and of both schools of economics, hetrodox and orthodox. Utilitarianism has different definitions depending if you examine it sociologically, politically or economically but the core concept is the idea of distributing happiness to the maximum amount of people in the greatest amount and in my opinion the way economics views this concept is almost absurd.
It’s this foundation is one reason why economics is concerned with price controls, the price of products,c/p surplus, monopolies et cetera. It goes so far to assert that “marginal utility” is somehow an indication of happiness and that economic application which increases utility is somehow going to make people happier.
This is a central flaw in economics I think and is really the central debate between capitalism and heterodox economics. Capitalism asserts that most wealth can be allocated to the most amount of people by free enterprise and and the opposing viewpoint asserts that wealth must be reallocated institutionally.
This debate has raged since the new deal in the 1930s and has consumed America since than and it’s created a distraction. In one sense it’s important to ensure that we help the lower class however beyond that what difference would ensuring more money to the middle class makes?
How will ensuring a market is more efficient leading to x decrease in a product going to improve a person’s life? Instead of providing a means to provide happiness as it was originally envisioned by adam smith and karl marx and has perpetuated by economists. Economics has instead of liberating a means of happiness, encapsulated the parameters of it and created the definitions in which it can exist.
Now we are lead to believe happiness is a progression and through this progression can our goals of happiness be attained, it forges a singular view of life that can only be lived within it’s confines and the politicization of economics has divided our nation instead of bringing it together

]]> Comment on Def Poet celebrates Afro-Dominican culture and 166 year independence by Lynn Caseres http://dailycollegian.com/2010/02/26/def-poet-celebrates-afro-dominican-culture-and-166-year-independence/comment-page-1/#comment-205949 Lynn Caseres Thu, 17 May 2012 20:11:56 +0000 http://dailycollegian.com/?p=11968#comment-205949 Great information :) Great information :)

]]> Comment on Nuking the energy problem by bleptelmNeery http://dailycollegian.com/2011/03/03/nuking-the-energy-problem/comment-page-1/#comment-205926 bleptelmNeery Thu, 17 May 2012 17:39:32 +0000 http://dailycollegian.com/?p=54009#comment-205926 @chels I know what you mean, its hard to find good help these days. People now days just dont have the work ethic they used to have. I mean consider whoever wrote this post, they must have been working hard to write that good and it took a good bit of their time I am sure. I work with people who couldnt write like this if they tried, and getting them to try is hard enough as it is. @chels I know what you mean, its hard to find good help these days. People now days just dont have the work ethic they used to have. I mean consider whoever wrote this post, they must have been working hard to write that good and it took a good bit of their time I am sure. I work with people who couldnt write like this if they tried, and getting them to try is hard enough as it is.

]]> Comment on ‘Bully’ documentary reveals painful reality by Adam Briere http://dailycollegian.com/2012/04/24/%e2%80%98bully%e2%80%99-documentary-reveals-painful-reality/comment-page-1/#comment-205784 Adam Briere Mon, 14 May 2012 18:53:08 +0000 http://dailycollegian.com/?p=74473#comment-205784 This was an excellent article highlighting the problems of bullying in today's schools. It is a shame that the bullies do not realize how scarring their actions are presently and the effect it will have on their victims in the future. Where does this bullying come from? Are they witnessing this at home? Siblings? Parents? Is it peer pressure? The article was very well written by Acacia. She did an excellent job bringing the story to light from the movie. Nice going. This was an excellent article highlighting the problems of bullying in today’s schools. It is a shame that the bullies do not realize how scarring their actions are presently and the effect it will have on their victims in the future. Where does this bullying come from? Are they witnessing this at home? Siblings? Parents? Is it peer pressure?
The article was very well written by Acacia. She did an excellent job bringing the story to light from the movie. Nice going.

]]> Comment on Taste of UMass satiates the masses by Adam Briere http://dailycollegian.com/2012/04/29/taste-of-umass-satiates-the-masses/comment-page-1/#comment-205781 Adam Briere Mon, 14 May 2012 18:40:21 +0000 http://dailycollegian.com/?p=74973#comment-205781 I really enjoyed your article about the Annual Taste of UMass. It was well written and an easy read. Keep up the good work. I really enjoyed your article about the Annual Taste of UMass. It was well written and an easy read. Keep up the good work.

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