Social Connections

Steven Johnson mentions the lack of communication between people due to the use of technology such as iPod, cell phones, and laptops in the article “Social Connections”.  Johnson is a writer for publications such as Wired, and New York Times Magazine. He gives an example a cab ride taken by a writer named Thomas Friedman who’s driver was talking on the phone and watching a movie while at the same time. Whereas Friedman was wring a column for the paper and listing to his iPod. Johnson concludes that while face-to-face encounters are important the web gives better opportunities to meet new people. While I agree with Johnson that face-to-face encounters are important I don’t believe that the web gives better opportunities to meet new people.

            Today with new websites that are focused on meeting new people such as Facebook, not everyone you meet is a reliable person. Today, with Facebook, employers can view future employee’s profiles and see pictures, which has been a known problem about network sites. Johnson mentions Along with this issue, teens have been common users of iPods and cellular phones. Texting in class, and during meals, teens tend to text to friends more than talking to the one on one. As a teen I find it incredibly annoying when people are texting when you are trying to talk to them or listening to music at the same time you are in a conversation. Growing up I was never allowed to have my phone at the dinner table and the television was never on during dinner. This caused for my family and I to have conversations at the dinner table. Technology never got in the way of a one-to-one conversation with my family or my friends, so I disagree with Johnson that the web or technology gives better opportunities to meet new people. People need to get off their cell phones and observe the world around them. 

Our Tired, Our Poor, Our Kids

            In the article “Our Tired, Our Poor, Our Kids” by Anna Quindlen, she states that facts of those in America who are homeless. Most of these people have multiple children and are living from anywhere including their car, or a hotel or motel. These people not only have their children in either day care or school, but some also struggle from addictions or search for jobs. She goes on to say that people like Ralph Nunex, who runs the organization Homes for the Homeless, are going to try to educate those who are less fortunate. He says, “Shelters are going to be the low-income housing of the future”.

            Throughout this article Quindlen does not provide any ethos. She doesn’t have credibility. She doesn’t mention any relation to being homeless, or knowing someone who is homeless. However, she does provide a good amount of pathos. She gives many examples of those who are homeless and the situations they have to face. For example, in the beginning of her article, her first sentence is “Six people live here, in a room the size of a master bedroom in a modest suburban house”. This gives the readers an insight of how a normal homeless family would live. With such strong descriptions, she gives the readers a picture of how life would be like if we were homeless.

            I believe that homeless should not live in these circumstances. The images that the author provides are deep and moving and allow Americans to sympathize with them. It is specifically sad hearing about the children who become deeply affected by homelessness. Quindlen states that “may never finish high school, and have never held a job”. She also states that if parents get involved in drugs, and that results to children going to foster parents or moving to a relative’s homes. If not for the adults we should try and end homelessness for the children because most adults are recovering alcoholics or drug addicts and the children have a bright future if they haven’t been affected yet.