Amongst all the happy trick-or-treaters and partygoers out this evening are worried parents, seemingly afraid of some sort of hidden meaning behind the candy-filled holiday. I personally do not understand this. I know Halloween has a reputation, but I wish people would do research before they make outrageous claims.
What bothers me about this is the same people who insist that Halloween is evil are the ones that are dying eggs for Easter and putting up Christmas trees, both Pagan practices. Here is an article about Easter. The eggs and rabbits come from symbols of fertility, since Easter takes place in the spring.
Here is an article on the Vatican warning parents not to let their children participate in Halloween because it is "anti-Christian". My sister's 14-year-old friend is not allowed to do anything on Halloween. I wanted to talk to her parents, but I didn't get a chance. They went camping this weekend, I am not sure if it was to "get away" from Halloween. My friend Taylor told me he was not allowed to trick or treat for years when he was younger. All it took was for his mom to listen to a Christian tape about the evils of Halloween, and she forbid he and his sister to go out on Halloween. He told me it wasn't until a year ago that he was allowed to go to Halloween parties. He's 19 now, so he would have been 18 then. I like this short article on the "lost" meaning of Halloween.
I think the "meanings" behind holidays have long since vanished, and now they are simply for fun and/or retail. I think people need to lighten up and not take things so seriously. However, it is their lives and they may choose to be uptight if they wish.
An amusing video by the Onion on how Halloween has become overcommercialized:
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
The Social Networking Phenomenon
Social networking sites keep popping up online, and most people have a profile on at least one of them. The most popular ones are Myspace, Facebook, and recently Twitter. They are useful for keeping in touch with friends and sometimes you can find people you haven't seen or spoken to in years. I like this video that explains what they are and how they work (If the video is not working, here is the link)
But there's a lot of criticism and worries over social networking sites. When Myspace began rising in popularity, stories came out that depicted it as "a breeding ground for pedophiles". I know Dr. Phil did at least one show on Myspace, but I can't seem to find the episode online. Here is one of many articles on the topic. My mother refuses to allow my 15-year-old sister to have a profile on one of these sites. She tried to create one for herself once, but my mother caught her and grounded her.
I personally do not understand the negative connotations associated with social networking sites. Internet predators existed as soon as the Internet was in use. Perhaps these kind of sites make it easier for predators to find victims, but they would do it all the same, with or without a networking site. People probably do give away too much information about themselves online, but that is their own fault, not the website's.
Another topic of concern is that you can't make "real" friends on a website, although these sites allow you to add whoever you want to your "Friends List". I disagree. I met my boyfriend on a dating site, and we have been together for a year and a half. I am a shy person, and it is easier for me to meet someone online where I can think about what I want to say before I say it. My boyfriend and I do not line in the same town and we probably would not have ever met if it hadn't been for the site we were both on. I am not usually a fan of The Daily Show, but they did a pretty funny segment on "friends" on social networking site. It's meant in humor, but I think it makes a good point. (If the video is not showing up, here is the link)
This article shows statistics that these sites are costing companies money because productivity slows down when employees spend time on them at work. I think that is a genuine concern. People probably do fritter away on these sites because they can be quite addicting. They have quizzes and games in addition to being able to browse other people's profiles and pictures and look up people you might be curious about or want to reconnect with. College students confess to spending more time on Facebook than doing homework. Guilty as charged, but who WANTS to do homework? If it weren't Facebook, it would be something else.
Overall, I think these sites are more useful than they are harmful, and it is up to the user or their parents if they are a minor on how to protect themselves and be smart about it.
But there's a lot of criticism and worries over social networking sites. When Myspace began rising in popularity, stories came out that depicted it as "a breeding ground for pedophiles". I know Dr. Phil did at least one show on Myspace, but I can't seem to find the episode online. Here is one of many articles on the topic. My mother refuses to allow my 15-year-old sister to have a profile on one of these sites. She tried to create one for herself once, but my mother caught her and grounded her.
I personally do not understand the negative connotations associated with social networking sites. Internet predators existed as soon as the Internet was in use. Perhaps these kind of sites make it easier for predators to find victims, but they would do it all the same, with or without a networking site. People probably do give away too much information about themselves online, but that is their own fault, not the website's.
Another topic of concern is that you can't make "real" friends on a website, although these sites allow you to add whoever you want to your "Friends List". I disagree. I met my boyfriend on a dating site, and we have been together for a year and a half. I am a shy person, and it is easier for me to meet someone online where I can think about what I want to say before I say it. My boyfriend and I do not line in the same town and we probably would not have ever met if it hadn't been for the site we were both on. I am not usually a fan of The Daily Show, but they did a pretty funny segment on "friends" on social networking site. It's meant in humor, but I think it makes a good point. (If the video is not showing up, here is the link)
This article shows statistics that these sites are costing companies money because productivity slows down when employees spend time on them at work. I think that is a genuine concern. People probably do fritter away on these sites because they can be quite addicting. They have quizzes and games in addition to being able to browse other people's profiles and pictures and look up people you might be curious about or want to reconnect with. College students confess to spending more time on Facebook than doing homework. Guilty as charged, but who WANTS to do homework? If it weren't Facebook, it would be something else.
Overall, I think these sites are more useful than they are harmful, and it is up to the user or their parents if they are a minor on how to protect themselves and be smart about it.
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