Viral Videos and Jesus Camp

This week we have turned to viral videos and a documentary as other modes of protesting. The Will.I.Am music video used well-known people and good music to deliver its message about Barack Obama. The lyrics correspond to a song Obama delivered, and I think the music video is effective because it portrays Obama as inspirational, a visionary, and someone who is capable of leading the country. With the internet, I can see how this video quickly spread throughout the nation (and world), as it takes only a couple seconds to email someone the link. In the George Allen clip, our knowledge of Allen's Tunisian mother made me highly suspicious of his claim that he had no awareness of the derogatory nature of his remark to a cameraman. When he appeared on Meet The Press, he was well-prepared to answered the questions properly with political rhetoric. However, this still didn't repair his integrity in my mind, because his true feelings came out when he made the unrehearsed comments at the rally.

Jesus Camp is an eye-opening documentary at the lives of Evangelical Christian youths attending a religious summer camp. The kids appeared very isolated from the rest of society, and I would be concerned about their adjustment to the "real world" once they reach adulthood and their parents can no longer shelter them from everything. The camp atmosphere seemed cult-like, and it doesn't seem like these kids get the opportunity to have much of a childhood. They are reprimanded for telling ghost stories, and it is amazing to see how many break into tears and screams during the devotional sessions. While I respect the followers' devotion to their religion, their apparent disdain for other religions and people with differing points of view was a little disturbing.

The Writing Process

Starting the writing process is the hardest part for me. Once I actually sit down and get the first few thoughts on paper, the rest seems to flow much more naturally. In order to get these initial words down on paper (or on the PC), I need a relatively quiet environment, although complete silence can be distracting. Sometimes, I'll listen to music, and I seem to do my best writing when I listen to Mozart. Playing classical music is something that my teacher did for us during 4th or 5th grade during our journal-writing period, and that's a habit that has stayed with me.

It is best, during the drafting process, to just let the thoughts and words flow freely, and this is something that I sometimes have to remind myself of. I have not always made a rough draft in the past; oftentimes I would just try to write a solid "final" paper the first time. After experiencing the revision process, though, I realize how important it is.

I do not have any hard and fast rules when I write a paper -- it all depends on the assignment. Outlines are often a helpful way for me to organize my thoughts. Developing an outline also ensures that I will cover the most important topics without leaving anything out.

Once I start a draft or the revision process, I like to complete it in one sitting if possible. I find it easier to get something done the first time as opposed to coming back mid-way through and having to get back in the writing frame of mind. Once complete, if I have the luxury of time, I like to put it away for a while and return to it a day or so later to see if I have any fresh thoughts or edits to add.