Bye Crotona Academy

Quick Write: My exit project will be a political cartoon based on Big Brother of 1984. I have grown academically because I have learned new terms/vocabulary word. Also improved my writing in many ways. I will demonstrate this by showing what I learned this semester by including the novel and mindsets to my project.

1984

Quick Write: If I were one of the characters of 1984, such as Winston or Julia, I would join the "Brotherhood." Even though some actions of the "Brotherhood" sound terrible, it would be necessary to take down the Party/Big Brother. Brotherhood is the only sign of possibly rebelling against all the rules and regulations of this society.

1984

Quick Write: I don't think I have the power to change society because not everyone has the same beliefs as I do. I wish I could change society and how people think of each other. Such as changing views of having different religions or having a different skin color.

1984

Quick Write: In 1984, the meaning of words are opposite than what they should be. Doublethink, Ministry of Truth, Big Brother are words that have opposite definitions. The society in 1984 want to sugar coat things for people so they use these words and get rid of the other words.

Step 1: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/19/fashion/how-apples-siri-became-one-autistic-boys-bff.html?ref=topics
= newspeak

Quick Write: In the book, I predict Julia and Winston's relationship will become stronger and they will actually have feelings for each other. I believe this because they want to keep seeing each other. 

Quick Write: In 1984, I connect more to both, Julia and Winston. I can connect to how Julia feels about Big Brother and how she wants to rebel. Also I understand why Julia and Winston would want to keep seeing each other after all the time they have been alone. In my opinion Winston just feels lonely and is tired of going by the rules of big brother therefore he wants be in a relationship with Julia. 

Final Reflection: Julia and Winston's mindsets of the Party is both want to rebel. However Julia is wants to go rebel without knowing the consequences and Winston is terrified of the Party. In page 155, Julia says, "I'm quite ready to take risks, but only for something worth while, not got bits of old newspaper." Julia is young and wants to take action. She wants to rebel but she the only thing she knows how to rebel by is by having sex. Winston believes he can't change anything in his lifetime because he is old and is too afraid of the Party to take any actions.

1984

Quick Write: I do think love changes people. Everyone who "falls in love" or loves someone gets hurt which is changes them. Love is something that takes control over your actions and thoughts.

1984

Quick Write: I believe the society in 1984 can happen in today's society. The government has more control over us than we think. Also many things are going on inside the government which the people aren't told about.

1984

Quick Write: So far from what I have read in 1984, I don't understand why anyone would want to be apart of the Party. The proles have a bit of freedom since the Party doesn't care about them. The Party has rules, restrictions, and screens that the people of the Party have to follow. I also believe the Party has chosen who is in the Party and who are proles so they can't change it.

Final Reflection: I believe the future of the society in 1984 depends on the proles. Proles aren't in such a restrictions of the Party as the upperclass are which makes it easier for the proles to rebel.

“From the proletarians nothing is to be feared. Left to themselves, they will continue from generation to generation and from century to century, working, breeding, and dying, not only without any impulse to rebel, but without the power of grasping that the world could be other than it is.”
Quick Write: In this quote I believe this quote says proles don't mind living the life they are stuck with. They have this fixed mindset of not caring to change the party or this society in 1984. The Party isn't worried about the proles rebelling because the Party is more worried about the upperclass. 

Quick Write: I disagree with the quote "It's a beautiful thing the destruction of words," because everything you can do with words is amazing and shouldn't be changed or destroyed. Words were created to express one's thoughts that goes through our minds.

History

How do you know everything you are learning in your history classes is true? 
Quick Write: Everything I learned about history in my classes I believed is true because all I have learned has had sources/evidence to show how it's real. My history teachers haven't just told me The Holocaust happened, they have shown me videos, pictures, and read books about survivors of The Holocaust. 

"It is impossible to change history. You cannot change the past."

Reflection: In today's society it's not impossible to change history. Just as in 1984, the newspaper and history was changed to make Big Brother and the Party look better or falsify history to change people's memory. It can happen to us by the government to change news to make us think the government isn't so bad. For example, newspaper or social media can make the presidential candidates seem more caring than what they actually are just to win elections.

"Cause Haters Gonna Hate"

Quick Write: I believe hate comes from jealousy and having low self esteem. Hate does motivate people in a way because when people hate on something, they are motivated to bring it down with them. Some consequences can be "haters" hating and not focusing on themselves. For example, a villain will spend all day hating the superhero and finding ways to destroy the superhero. Instead of the villain fixing his bad characteristics and referring to the superhero for ways to be better. The villain is pulling others to misery with him which shows a fixed mindset.

What's wrong with hate from a psychological perspective? In other words, what does hate do to people psychologically?
Final Reflection: Hatred is a terrible characteristic to have. Viewing it from a psychological perspective being hateful shows a fixed mindset. "Haters" aren't confident about themselves. Even though they know they can get better, they will psychologically doubt themselves.

May 4th

Quick Write: "Nothing was your own except the few cubic centimeters inside your skull." His reason for saying this is because he believes that the government is in control of everything except for the people's brain. He believes his brain and thoughts are still free because they can't control it. 

FRIDAY

Quick Write: After finishing my argument essay, I feel more confident about writing argument essays because I understand the structure needed to write one. The editing sheet helped me get more ideas and feedback from others. I didn't feel comfortable with the time given in class. I didn't think it was enough because I couldn't work on it at home. However I still got it done and learned from it. 

Quick Write: From what I have read so far in 1984 the society is depressing. It seems that the government is in control the everything which is overwhelming to the people. I think that everyone adjusted to it and doesn't even mind it anymore. Also, I believe this society got this way because the government 

*Doublethink* - 

the acceptance of or mental capacity to accept contrary opinions or beliefs at the same time, especially as a result of political indoctrination. Final Reflection: My response to the Apple commercial is that Apple believed they can change the future with the Macintosh. This impacted 1984 because people were looking forward to the new technology to change the world instead waiting for 1984 to change them. Apple was trying to convey people to buy the computer and see how 1984 won't be as they believed.

Argument Essay Link

Finally finished my argument essay based on crowd manipulation of religion, political, and social network. Please read it on the link <<<<<<
             *Please leave any comments and thoughts below!*

Words

Quick Write: "For an idea to exist, we must have words to express it." I agree with this statement because you need to be able to explain what your thinking in order for others and yourself to understand. Ideas and thoughts need to be expressed in doesn't have to always be in words but it should be expressed some way. For example, having a solution to a problem can be shown in instructions or in a image which shows how to do it. 

Conqueror

Quick Write: In the song "Conqueror" by the Empire cast, is shown a growth mindset. This song's purpose is to show how failing is acceptable but you can't just fall you have to come back up and try again. Resilience and conquering is the main idea of the song. In the song it says, "We all make mistakes, You might fall on your face, But you gotta get up!" this shows how you have to try again no matter the outcome. In conclusion, this song shows a growth mindset. 

Reading of Harrison Bergeron

Quick Write: I think we all imagine to have equality for everyone but we don't necessarily work towards having it. I don't believe in today's society we will have equality because there's too many controversial topics about who should have more power. Instead of looking for ways to have equal rights for everyone.

Reflection: I think the mindset of the United States in 2081 from reading,"Harrison Bergeron," is a fixed mindset. The rules and amendments in 2081 are created not to make to everyone equal but to make everyone personally the same. In this satire, Vonnegut was trying to show how impossible it can be to make equal rights. This relates to mindset because the way equality is shown in "Harrison Bergeron" shows fixed mindset of how the government is still in control of the people and their actions.

Literature through mindsets

Quick Write: From the book, Bodega Dreams, the main character Chino has a fixed mindset. He doesn't think he will get into trouble for helping Sapo or Bodega. Chino is fixed about all the things his wife tells him. He will always disagree with her or try to change the topic into not hearing anything she says. Therefore Chino has a fixed mindset.
Step 1:
How do we define antagonist through the lens of mindset?
          Looking at an antagonist through the lens of mindset, I believe antagonist have fixed mindsets. Antagonist are people who are always opposing or going against the main character/protagonist. This character tends to lead to problems or arguments about opposing what the main character wants which is showing a fixed mindset. The reason for opposing might be hatred or jealousy of the main character which are characteristics of having a fixed mindset. People who are angry or jealous have fixed mindsets because they want to take others down instead of working on themselves like a person with growth mindset would. In conclusion, looking through the lens of mindset, an antagonist has a fixed mindset because of their negativity. 

Quick Write: Somethings that motivates villains are revenge or seeing others suffer the way they did. Villains want make others feel the way they did. They don't think of ways to make others feel better or how to better them selfs like people with growth mindsets. Instead they want to put down others for all they have been put down for. Psychologically villains crave negative energy for others in order to feel better about them selfs in a strange way. 
Step 2:
   Samuel Johnson once said, "Great works are performed, not by strength, but by perseverance," I agree with this quote because greatness comes from striving from your failure not just succeeding. I believe how you make your success happen is the way that shows strength and perseverance. For example, failure is acceptable, it's striving from failing to make anything possible. In conclusion, greatness comes from perseverance such as succeeding as Samuel Johnson said.

Another Argument Essay Challenge

Quick Write: I anticipate the readers of my argument essay will argue about the evidence I use. For example, when I use Martin Luther King Jr's speech for political crowd manipulation, they will assume the speech was a bad way of manipulation. Which I will explain is a great way of crowd manipulation after I state the . Hopefully I can be persuasive enough to make my readers agree with my claim.

Argument Essay Challege

Quick Write: I think my biggest challenge in completing my argument essay will be supporting my claim and convincing the readers of my claim. I need to keep finding evidence to support my claim and analyze them.

Argument Essay Starter

Quick Write: The claim I will write my essay on is, "Is it wrong to manipulate a crowd for your own interest? Why or why not?" This an important claim because there are many ways to manipulate a crowd whether is political, social, or even religion ways. People should know how wrong it is to use it for your own reason's no matter if it's for the best or worst.

Seminar Reflection

Think of a time in your past that you believe defined you as an individual. (Fixed mindset!) Look at it from a growth mindset point of view. Ask: What did I (or can I) learn from that experience? How can I use it for a basis for growth?

Reflection

A time in my life that I had a fixed mindset was when I was being bullied in elementary school. At the time I felt being short and quite defined me as a person. I felt that I am quiet and there’s nothing I could’ve done to change it. I even started agreeing with my bully and believing that I am weird because I’m so short. My fixed mindset led me to not make friends or get high grades because I preferred to stay quiet than talk to others or participate in class. My teachers would try to encourage me by telling me I am smart. They would ask me to help students understand the topics the way I understood it. But my fear of speaking to others and how they would respond to me stopped me from being able to help my classmates. I also realized I was hurting myself from not talking to the students when I didn’t understand the instructions given.

After I graduated fifth grade and changed schools, I thought I should try being less shy by trying to make friends. I started talking a bit more and participating in school. Looking at this experience now with a growth mindset, I realized I had a terrible fixed mindset because I believed the things that were said to me and preferably would not like to address that. However from my experience I learned to let go of negative things and not believe in them. After this experience I became more of my real self by being less shy and meeting new people. Throughout all my teenage years in middle school and high school, I started getting better grades than in elementary because I didn’t have a problem participating or doing group work.

Now that I have a growth mindset, I realize I wasted time not believing in myself and not putting enough effort into learning as well as others. Many

students experienced participating in front of the whole class which I refused to do back in elementary school. Turns out now I have to and want to do more activities that are related to discussing topics with people/groups. From my experience I learned to not let my height or how “shy” I can be, stop me from achieving anything anybody says I can’t do.

Hello :)

Welcome to my Seminar ! We will begin to answer some random questions.



Questions to start the seminar !

   First thing is first, 

“Conformity is a type of social influence involving a change in belief or behavior in order to fit in with a group.” 

> Critical Questions <

• How does conformity related to mindset?
• In what ways are people with fixed mindsets similar to conformists?
• In what ways are people with growth mindsets similar to non-conformists?
• How is your behavior influenced by the groups around you?
• Are mindsets “contagious”?

We will watch a video based on the Asch Experiment designed to see the extent of social pressure on someone’s behavior.

Group Conformity Experiment Soloman Asch

Please complete a 3-2-1 based on today's seminar. 

More Milgram Experiment

Quick Write: Based on what I learned so far from the Milgram experiment, I believe people are good but sometimes make bad decisions. Everyone has a conscience of how they feel but get encouraged to do bad things by others.

Based on the Bad Show podcast:
 From the podcast, I learned the Milgram Experiment didn't really show that people were just following orders from authority. It really shows how the "teachers," also known as the people being experimented on the Milgram Experiment, believe they are important to the scientific study of memory. From what I learned before from the article, Stanley Milgram believe people obeyed authority so much that they lost their self conscience of hurting others.  My new understandings about humanity is when people believe they are important to something they will go to any extent for it. This shows why participants in the Milgram Experiment were willing to go all the way with the electric shocks. We should be optimistic about humanity because not everyone has bad intentions in this world. Sometimes we have the best intentions but don't use it in the best way possible.  

Milgram Experiment

Quick Write: I believe it's never right to disrespect or disobey your own parents. However if your parents don't agree with you about something and wouldn't want to talk to you about it. Then you have the right to disobey them and do what you want to. For example, when I didn't want to go to school, my mother would fight with me because I needed to go to school which makes that a time I had to obey her. I disobeyed my mother when I was really young and didn't want to clean something my brother had messed up. I was right to disobey her because I didn't do the mess that was created.

Following this four columns template I answered the question, "Why do people blindly obey authority?" on the source Milgram Experiment.

Questions	Factual Information	Supporting Details	Source
Why is this a problem?	This is a problem because most people react to obey authority instead of being aware of how they are hurting someone else.	In the experiment 60- 65% of the people went all the way through with the electric shocks because they were just being told to.
What are the causes of this problem?	I believe the cause of this problem is terrible people with no conscience of hurting others, using people that obey them to hurt others.	For example, Hitler used germans that obeyed him to kill innocent people. He did it because everyone was obeying him instead of stopping him.	Videos and the article.
What are the effects of this problem?	Effects of this problem can be too much obedience can lead to terrible events such as wars or another Holocaust.	This experiment was conducted because the accomplices of terrible event would use the excuse that they were just following orders from their superiors.	Videos and the article.
Who is affected by this problem?	Everyone would be affected by this problem if obedience is taken too far.	In the Holocaust and other terrible events, innocent people are the ones being affected.	Videos and the article.
How can this problem be solved?	I don't know of a way to solve this problem because we were raised following instructions from our eldest but it's important to keep our self conscience alive, in order not to hurt others.	Stopping authority that use their power for the worse would be a problem solver for this case. Such as stopping a dictator or a leader of a gang from hurting others.	Videos and the article.
What will happen if the problem is ignored?	If this problem is ignored it will become too violent to control like a war.	More wars or authority will receive unnecessary power because of others obeying them.	Videos and the article.

Preparing an Argument

Quick Write: One strong opinion I have about the state of public education in the Bronx is that it's not supported enough to become better. I believe teachers and schools from the Bronx aren't receiving the help they need.

-  I finished my 3-2-1 after discussing the start of preparing for my argument essay.

Conformity Experiment

Quick Write: One time I did something because other people were doing it was in middle school. All of my friends were cutting school to go downtown, Manhattan. It was a fun experience but I only did it since my friends wouldn't be with me in class. One time I decided not to follow others was two summer's ago when my best friend and her friends went my building roof to smoke. I didn't go because I knew it was a terrible idea and didn't want to be around them anymore.

                I answered the following questions based on the Group Conformity Experiment.
Question 1: Based on this sentence, write down your own definition of “conformity” or “conform.”
"A lot of girls in school – including Johanna's best friend, Sarah – were dying their hair orange, but Johanna refused to conform, stating that she preferred her natural color."
-  My own definition of "conformity" or "conform" is to act as others around you would act. Follow the acts of others to try to fit in.

Question 2: How do you think conformity and obedience are similar? How do you think they are different?
-  Conformity is to do things like others in order to fit in and not to be the "different" one. Obedience is following orders or rules. Conformity and obedience are different because acting on conformity is something you want to do for comfort while around people. However obedience is an act for showing respect to others.

Question 3:
(a) What does the Asch Experiment demonstrate? Explain. 
-  The Asch experiment demonstrates how an individual can act around a group when others disagree with them.

(b) Given what you’ve learned, do you think you're more of a conformist or an individual? How has this benefited you and/or worked against you in the past?
-  I think I'm both an conformist and an individual but more of an individual. Being an conformist only happens when I'm around my friend's or cousin's. I'm more of an individual because I do have different opinions and ideas than most people I do know. Both have benefited me and worked against me in the past.

(c) Is conformity good or bad? Consider these situations: driving laws, Nazism, the Holocaust, body image, religion, and clothing styles.
-  Depending on the situations, conformity can be good and bad. For the situations of driving laws, Nazism, the Holocaust, and body image, conformity is bad because people will agree with others for these terrible issues only to fit in. However for clothing styles and religion conformity can be a good thing because some people dress or have the same religion as their family. They conform to what their loved ones are used to or what they do.  

(d) Can you think of other instances where people might conform?

- One instance people might conform is in a group discussion. I have been in some socratic seminars in my english class and I have now realized that some people will change their mind on what they think. When you explain your thought or claim to someone they can turn out to agree more than at first. 

Identity

Quick Write: Five things that have influenced me are my cousins, my nephew, my brave single mother, being bullied in elementary school, and school. The main thing that has influenced me is my single mother. She pushes me to do better and expect more for myself than what I can imagine. I see her struggling with rent and trying to give me what I need. This pushes me to do my best in school so I can give her the "world" when I can in the future.

Question 1: What are the most important things that make up your identity? 

 The fifth thing that makes up my identity is where I come from. I was born in the Bronx, this borough does make up my identity because I learned how to strive to be better since I've been through the worst. The fourth thing that makes up my identity is how I grew up looking up to my brother. Even when he made the worst decisions, I still looked up to him and how he is. The third thing is how much I love art and literature, I like to draw and read at times just to relax. Second thing that makes up my identity is my family. I'm such a family person, I love spending time with family, and being around them makes me happier.  Finally, the most important thing that makes up my identity is what I see myself in the future. My goals, dreams, and aspiration to become independent with a great career. I want to be able to help others in the future like family and friends. This makes a big part of my identity because not everyone wants to become a better person to help others as much as I want to.

Question 2: What is the relationship between the individual (you) and the world and other outside influences? Who determines who you are? What factors do you have control over? What factors control you?

 The relationship between me and the world is that it will keep going even if I do or don't do what I expect myself to accomplish. I determine how I am and what I will be in the future. Nobody or the world has control over what I want to do with my life except for myself. Some factors I have control over is how I live in this world and how I can change the world as an individual. Time is one factor that has control over me. Nobody can control time because time keeps going just like the world keeps going. 

I Need An Actual Vacation !

Quick Write:  Based on my work so far that I have done in this class my grade should be great. I have done my blog posts. Using the rubric for blogs, my blogs have earned a perfect grades because of my effort.

Welcoming Conformity.

Quick Write: I'm still yet about the meaning of conformity but I do disagree with this image. I don't think people imitate each other when they have free minds and opinions.
          Today I was introduced to my new class of conformity. I finished a worksheet to understand conformity, obedience and individuality.

Classwork 2/11/2015

 Quick Write: Based on my first post on my blog I gave myself a grade of 94. I rate my learning outcomes a 4 because I know what I will be learning and how I can take it to another level. My ideas from my first post is a 4 because its clear. Writing conventions is a 3 because I just wrote what I thought. Finally my effort is always a 4 because I do always give all my effort even for little things. This gives my grade of 94 for my first post using the rubric for blogs.

Survey Question

 "If at first you don't succeed, try again. If at second you don't succeed, try again. However, third strike you're out." I disagreed with this question because I don't believe there's a strike out when ever you try. The strike out is giving up not when you keep trying. You can try five billion times and shouldn't be strike out because you're still trying. For example, I always have problems writing essays. Although its a problem for me, I still write essays and keep trying. Lastly, I disagree with this question because the third time you try something and still doesn't work out, it shouldn't be the last time you try.

Intro

 My name is Amy Starr Ortiz. I'm currently in Crotona Academy High School, graduating June 2015. I'm doing this blog for my english 8 class. I hope to show my mind and way of thinking through this blog from my learning experience of psychology. I hope to explore ways to change myself from what I learn from psychology. How can our learning experience of psychology change us to be better?