Ethics of Social Media After Death

Adam Ostrow asks, "What happens to our online personality after we die? Could it...live on?" Should it live on? What should happen to our social media accounts and blogs after we die? Should our families get to be in charge of our internet identities?"

"For some time now, it (Facebook)  has offered an option to request that a profile be switched to “memorial” mode when an individual dies," says Ostrow. The "memorial" mode that Facebook offers is a setting that freezes the page. I believe that this is the best option, because people will know what you were like long after you are dead. Historians won't have physical documents anymore, because everything is online. They will soon get information from the Internet and from websites like Facebook. If you simply erase a whole page, no one will know what life was like for you. It is just making it harder for future historians to get information about your life.

 

"I spoke to a half dozen people Mac Tonnies met online and in some cases never encountered in the physical world. Each expressed a genuine sense of loss; a few sounded grief-stricken even more than a year later." If you have an online presence, or maybe you have a blog that you update every week and only a thousand people have ever read it. And maybe 75% of those people love your blog, and can't live without it, or it just brightens their day. And then you die, and 750 people, that you don't even know, just lost a sort of friend. That's basically what happened to Mac Tonnies. But what if someone deleted all of those blog posts?  Then what? Only around 750 or so people in the world will remember your blog, ever. Luckily, Mac's parents didn't delete his blog that touched the hearts of many readers.

 

 

Google 20% Project

For my Google 20% project I am going to do a PowerPoint about sign language, and I am going to present it in sign language. I chose to do sign language, because I want to be a Special Ed. teacher, and sign language is a good thing to know if you want to go into that profession. For materials, I would only need an ASL dictionary. The hardest part of the project will probably be learning the sign language to present the project in. I can consult with my cousin's roommate, Jon, who works with autistic kids who speak sign language. I look forward to doing this project.

Chris Langan

Is Chris Langan successful? This question has confused me for days, but now I think I know the answer. Yes he is. Even though he is not a millionaire and he does not have a college degree and he can't get published, he is successful. He lives a happy life, and he is content with that. I do admit that it is sad that he couldn't get as far as he should've, but if he is happy, then he is successful. It is, however, a shame that he couldn't get the help and support he needed. He had more potential. Chris Langan is successful.

The Kindergarden Debate

Sam Wang and Sandra Aamodt wrote a New York Times opinion piece called "Delay Kindergarden at Your Child's Peril" about how if you are held back a year in kindergarden, being the oldest has more disadvantages than advantages. Malcolm Gladwell writes in his book "Outliers" that being the oldest has more advantages. 

I am one of the oldest kids in my grade because of the cut-off date (I just missed it by 6 weeks). Being the oldest, I know how it feels and all of the advantages and disadvantages that come with it. I completely agree with Gladwell's theory. I think that there are more advantages, such as maturity level, and brain development. 

In Outliers Gladwell states that hockey players born around January 1st are better at hockey. Why is this? This happens because they are playing with younger kids, because they just missed the cut-off date. Them being the older of the group means that they are bigger and more skilled than the other kids. This makes them seem more talented and they get into the varsity teams. Being the oldest in school is the same. You seem smarter, but you're not, you just have the skill level of a student a grade older than you.

Sam Wang and Sandra Aamodt say that being the oldest is bad, because older students are less motivated in high school, and get less time to earn money in their lifetime. I disagree, because I am in high school and I am very motivated (maybe too motivated). Also, I can make the same amount of money as a person younger than me. I agree more with Gladwell.

Ups, Downs, Myths, and Truths About Being Gifted

Ups: Being gifted has a lot of good things about it.  Things come easier to you, and you are advanced in some areas. Like I am really good at reading, and by the 5th grade, I had read the entire Harry Potter series. You also can do some things that other kids can't do. Like maybe you are good at math and you finish a problem in 5 seconds, and you finish your homework in 10 minutes and the whole class is still working on the 3rd problem on the page.
Downs: Unfortunatly, being gifted comes with some not so good things. I've been bullied for reading a lot, and for doing well in school. I'm often tagged as "nerd" and "geek." people won't be my friend, not because I'm not a good person, but because I'm not "cool" enough.

Myth: Gifted kids get straight As in all classes.
Truth: We all struggle in a subject or two, I am horrible at french. I used to be really bad at math, too.

Myth: Teachers like gifted kids and smart kids better.
Truth: Teachers like to teach, I have been yelled at by a teacher for raising my hand too much, and some of my teachers did not like me at all.

Myth: Gifted kids know everything.
Truth: No we don't, why would we be in school then?

For more myths and truths click here!

About Me Post

Hi I'm Hailey! I'm a musical theater geek who loves to read! So this is my G&T blog for high school!

Likes:
Bacon
Wicked
Broadway
Glee
Harry Potter
The Hunger Games ( team Peeta!!!!!!)
Chocolate covered bacon
Tennis
Singing, Dancing, Acting
Henna TatoosDancing Pandas

Dislikes:
Country Music
One Direction
Scary Movies
Math
Bullies
Growing up
Tomatoes

(I don't know what else I don't like)