Blog 3 - The Good, the Bad, and the Future of Online Dating

When online dating first came became a means of meeting a potential partner, it was generally considered a last resort for individuals who could not find success in real life.  It has since become much more culturally accepted, with 59% of Americans agreeing that "online dating is a good way to meet people," according to a 2013 study by the Pew Research Center.  Everyone has either tried it or knows someone who has tried it, and while online dating may have only produced horror stories at some point, success has also become a tone associated with this venture.  Success can be defined in many ways, but the traditional goal of online dating has been the production of a lasting, committed relationship.  I personally know more than a handful of marriages that began online with this goal in mind.  While some doubters may wonder how many of those marriages will soon end in divorce, many of these marriages have lasted beyond the initial two years when most marriages collapse and actually grown into families with children.

Despite the rapid increase of online dating acceptance, the Pew Research Center also reports "that  among Americans who have been with their spouse or partner for five years or less, fully 88% say that they met their partner offline."  This, perhaps, has more to do with the changing goals of online dating; it may have started off with serious goals in mind, but apps and services like Tinder and OkCupid are now considered methods for just hooking up with very little difference from. One of the individuals that Matthew Kessel interviews for his article explains that " '[he] was genuinely trying to meet people [he'd] click with... but [he] ended up having what would probably be considered a "high quantity of sex" ...as a side effect.' "



Kessel's own attempts at online dating is colored with what may be considered the common variety of deception in Self Presentation in Online Dating, where people make slight adjustments to their weight, height, and age.  These misrepresentations may seem unnecessary, especially since online daters should expect to meet their potential partners in person, but it has become so common as to be an expected, even if the changes are relatively small.  Kessel was advised to take it a step further and make additions to his interests in order to attract more women.  Although this and bigger deceptions are not unheard of, even outside of the realm of online dating, they are also not so readily forgivable.

The most significant critique of online dating, though, is that is "all about 'look connections' and not heart connections," according to Daniel Tay's article.  He goes as far as to say that "Tinder is... perfect for one-night stands," but he also claims that people are tired of it. This is where he introduces what may be the future of online dating, Pozee.  The app was inspired by the Hawaiian tradition where a woman would wear a flower behind her right ear in order to indicate her single status.  Wedding bands and engagements rings have long been worn to indicate that someone is taken, but this further narrows it down for users. The interface is very similar to Tinder, but users are geographically limited to a 50-meter radius (which is less than most city blocks) and, in order to communicate, they must actually walk up to each other since profiles and chatting and not possible through the app.  These distinctions are key because they offer users access to a trove of people who are looking for a connection; where one may normally shy away, it might just give people the courage to make an introduction.  However, they are able to bypass the step of taking the time to liking someone's online personality, only to discover they are incompatible in person.  Although Pozee has not yet been widely launched, I like the direction of this shift which integrates our culture's reliance on technology and our need for a true "heart connection."

Blog 2 - The Internet Slow Down

One of the topics discussed during this portion of lab was the Internet Slowdown, which was a movement initiated by numerous companies on Sept 10, 2014 to show its consumers what the Internet could look like if carriers were permitted to abandon net neutrality. These were primarily companies which would be affected by the Federal Communications Commission’s proposal for companies to pay for, among other things, priority speed.

Consumers may initially wonder why this issue should matter to them. As discussed in this article by Tim Worstall, an internet network regulated by cost can be explained by using the highway traffic network as a metaphor. Different rules and restrictions apply to different modes of transportation, and they are in place to promote safety, speed, and efficiency. However, an ambulance, for example must be able "to break pretty much all of the speed and rights of way rules that everyone else might have to obey..."

This system is accepted because people recognize the speed with which emergency medical care must be administered.  It does come at a high cost, though; depending on the situation, a ride on an ambulance can cost the patient several hundred dollars.  This, too, is an accepted part of the system as the cost for the impact that it has imposed upon the rest of the network.

Given this comparison, it would appear as though the only reason companies are speaking out against abandoning net neutrality is its effect on the bottom line.  Self-serving causes hardly ever earn any sympathy from netizens though, so what's the difference here?  The obvious issue is that costs are always passed onto consumers, whether it be in the form of higher costs or lower quality products, which people do care about.

Another issue which is more obscure but just as important, is that smaller companies with similar services simply might not be able to compete and afford those costs.  In terms of costs, net neutrality would then seem to actually benefit big name companies since there'd be less competition in the market.  However, there is a need for these smaller companies on the basis that competition drives innovations which work to create products and services that were previously unavailable, especially to groups with limited resources.

For example, consider the Media Richness Theory within the context of one of my other classes.  The theory states that media richness, or the degree to which components of communication such as synchronicity and nonverbals are present in a message, should be matched to the task.  This means that if a task is complex, then it requires richer media or the presence of more of these components.  Media that has fewer of these components is described as lean.  In this class, we explored conflict by speaking, in real time via video chat, with individuals around the world who live in controversial areas, including post-apartheid South Africa and the active Israeli-Palestinian conflict zone.

While email, a relatively lean media that works universally around the world, was appropriate for scheduling these discussions, it was difficult for instructors to find a usable platform for the actual discussion.  In a world with Google Hangouts, Skype, and FaceTime, that probably seems odd.  However, some of the people we spoke with live in countries where these applications are not available, whether it be from lack of infrastructure or because there may be a ban.  Even with the services the behemoth companies were able to offer, there was still a gap in the market which would have prevented this learning experience.  That is when the class instructors were introduced to Blue Jeans, which allows people to video conference even if they're not using the same platform.  The company was founded in 2009, so this class was literally not possible five years ago.

Some people may argue that this communication could have been done with chat or forum discussion, but it was important to our instructors that we see and hear our counterparts when we talk about heavy and complex topics, like how war is affecting them on a personal level.  Because the specific needs of a small population like this class are not necessarily always met by the large household-name corporations that we are familiar with, net neutrality is needed in order to not hinder small companies like Blue Jeans.  

blog 5

For my final blog I wanted to expand on the topic CMC and seniors, in lecture professor Jackson quoted “technology varies depending on your age”. In the beginning of lecture we were showed a youtube clip on seniors and how they get information from the local news. The news clip explained how senior citizens are the most targeted when it comes to getting scammed. Seniors are getting robbed for personal information and retirement. Another scam is dating websites for senior citizens. These websites are a scam because there have been situations where people only sign up to take financial advantage of lonely seniors. These scams are continuous and these are not the only ways seniors are being scammed, there are others ways that are evident, but I will not take further discussion on those.

Before going over this topic I had no clue that people actually did some of these things to the elderly for money but then again it was not a surprise. This is not a surprise to me because I always here things about how relatives use their relatives for special disability checks, or etc. They do these things for financial purposes. When you start to age, your body goes through a lot and some elderly people develop disabilities or become handicap in some sort of way and get checks through the state. Some elderly people sometimes cannot live on their own, then end in the custody of a family member. Some family members actually will volunteer to take care of a relative willingly just for financial reasons. I find this a scam right here.

A topic we discussed in lab was with CMC and seniors were the way our grandparents use cellular devices and them being on Facebook. I can say that both of my grandparents have cell phones; one having a smart phone. My grandmother being the one with the smart phone also has an ipad and a laptop. My grandmother isn’t that bad with technology, she actually stays on top of the new things more than me. I find these very interesting. But overall seniors do not have smart phones. In lecture Professor Jackson explained they rather straight forward technology, therefore a start phone is not needed.

On a more personal note I can say seniors are not that bad when it comes to technology. I do not understand why people feel the need to try and scam the elderly, knowing they are unaware of a lot of technical things. People always feel the need to take advantage especially when money is involved. It’s not that serious to try and take advantage of the elderly, but I believe sooner than later they will become more aware because I know for a fact my grandma is picking up on a lot of things fast.

Sexting amongst teenagers

Today in lab we got to explore topics of CMC that we wish we had not discussed during the semester. Topics ranged from Sex is such a large part of our culture revenge porn, Silk Road (an illegal website that delivered drugs to people’s doorsteps), older people and CMC and sexting. One topic that stood out to me was sexting . I have chosen to explore the topic of sexting amongst younger generations. Let me first start by defining sexting; sexting is the act of sending sexually explicit messages or photographs via cell phone or the internet. Whether one admits it or not, almost everyone has taken part in some form of sexting; this includes those little sexy pictures you send your mate before you go to bed, or those little freaky text about how much you miss getting it on with your partner.

 The latest Teens and Technology 2013 study from Pew research found that 78% of teens aged 12-17 now own a cellphone. Cell phones are the number one medium of sexting. In a literature review of sexting attitudes and risk factors done in Sydney they stated that one third of teenagers partake in sexting. In this study the wanted to understand why teenagers sext and the characteristics of those who partake in sexting. In their research of characteristics of those who sext they found a statistical correlations between sexting in teenagers/young adults and older adolescent, dating, being sexually active, sexual risk behaviors, substance use, lower parental educational, peers sexting, and greater texting frequency. Girls were more likely to be senders of sexually explicit pictures and boys were more likely to be receivers and to initiate sexting. Those who were sexually active were more likely to be both senders and receivers.  Two studies were also conducted that explored attitudes about sexting. They found that those who sent picture were more likely to consider sexting acceptable over. They also found that over one third of people who did not sext reported positive attitudes toward sexting.

 

Moreover, according to “The True Prevalence of “Sexting”” a literature review done by Katlin Lounsbury, Kimberly Mitchell and David Finkelhor, they found that 20% of teens, ages 13 to 19, including 18% of teen boys and 22% of teen girls had sent or posted nude or semi-nude pictures or videos of themselves on the internet or through cellphone. The majority of teens were reported to only have partaken in sexting with their mates. However, 15% of teens who sent sext did so with someone that they only knew online. One of the most commonly cited statistics from their report is the finding that approximately half of sexually active young people were involved in sexting. Many young people do not perceive sexting negatively.

Teens have apps where it is easy to sext, such as SnapChat, where they can post sexual pictures that last for a few seconds. Like sex, sexting can happen in different contexts. It can be experimental and consensual, or it can take a more dangerous twist when it is unsolicited, aggressive or vengeful. Then sexting becomes a bigger problem than just some naked pictures leaked, it becomes a crime.  Most young people don't know the legal ramifications associated with sexting. For instance, in Chicago there were 5 teens arrested for sexting and were being charged with the distribution of child pornography. The rate of teenagers with cellphones continues to rise and I'm sure the numbers of those who sext with also continue to escalate.

For my final blog I wanted to expand on the dark side of communication and what I personally would have enjoyed being added to the course. In lab today I discussed we were told to pick a topic we would like to have covered and what I chose was silk road. I have always found Silk road which was considered the online black market, to be very interesting and shocking. It amazes me that a website that sold contraband such as Drugs, fake Id's, and even guns at one point could remain up and usable for over two years.
        Of course with something this hazardous and against the law, you can only imagine the incredible software and encryption that were able to not only keep the website from being shut down but also from keeping the creator and all of the consumers completely anonymous. Really making you wonder how something of this caliber is truly possible.  The answer is probably as convoluted as you expect, the website was created and could only be accessed on a hidden network know as TOR or the onion router. TOR was created by government officials, top mathematicians and other government specialists initially intended to send and protect anonymous government intelligence communications in 1993. It was then expanded and used by the public in 1997. Onion routing is essentially placing layers upon layers of encryption on everything you send virtually impossible to trace. When ever you attempt to trace it thousands of different encryption come at you making the actual IP Address you would be looking for impossible to find.
        The next process involves actual payment in order to prevent a paper trail the all of the purchases on Silk Road were made entirely with bit coins, which is an online currency that is also impossible to trace back to an individual. So for over two years this website was up and made billions of dollars, most of which accounted for 70% of all sales. The FBI and NSA eventually managed to shut down the website in 2013 and the alleged man responsible for silk road is Ross Ulbricht. Ulbricht denies the charges and is set to have his trial in January.
          I thoroughly enjoyed this course throughout the year, I think it made me understand the internet a lot better  and introduced to a lot of new different ideas and perspectives. If you guys were looking for information to add to the course I think touching on Silk Road would be a great addition.That would do a good job of making people question there opinions on how involved the government should be on the internet. Furthermore the fact that alleged perpetrator Ross Ulbricht is a Penn State Alumni could potentially make it more relevant and interesting. all in all I would like to thank you for everything as I truly enjoyed this course.

Blog 5

William Brady

Blog #5

            For my last blog I want to talk about ‘sexting’ and how it is becoming extremely popular for all ages. Just send me a picture says one guy, and then within the blink of an eye hundreds of people have now seen your graphic photo that you thought was just going to your boyfriend or girlfriend. This is what our younger generation does not understand. Yeah you can say that you trust them and they will not show anyone, but honestly they are. Or if they do not show anyone, one of their friends will come across it when they are looking at the pictures on their friends phone. This leads to them sending it to themselves and then to other people.

            We need to stress how important it is for our younger generation to stop sexting each other, unless they don’t care who sees their picture. This younger generation does not understand the consequences that come along with it. It starts out as a joke but then turns into the whole school seeing the pictures and it ruins that poor girls life. This sexting then can turn into cyber bullying and lead to so many more problems.

            Another new type of sexting has come through snap chat. People are sending naked pictures of themselves to people because they think that it is going to disappear 5 seconds after they send it. But then again, most people to not understand that you can screen shot the snap chat and have that picture forever. SnapChat has also become really popular by making a username called ‘SEXYPENNSTATE” or “PSUHOTTIES”. People take pictures or video of themselves having sex or naked and tag those usernames. Then the people who run these profiles put them up on their timeline to allow everyone who is around the PSU campus to view them. For some this is amazing, but for the people who do not know they are on this it is wrong.

            Overall we need to make sure that sexting is discussed throughout the classrooms of our younger generation so we can prevent the future of these children. For young adults and all the above generations who choose to sext and send naked pictures they must accept the consequences.

            Sexting can also play a positive role. For those who spend time on the road a lot for work, it may keep their marriage strong. It also is a huge fetish that many people have. Sexting is not illegal, nor should it be. We make our own decisions’ and if you choose to let people see you naked then its your choice to live with what happens next. But we need to make sure that our younger generations understand all that comes along with it.

Sexting and younger generations

As someone with two younger siblings, 14 and 16 I found it intriguing, yet scary in a way to delve into a topic we didn’t discuss much in class – sexting. In terms of sexting, I think the biggest issue around the topic is lack of education. When we look at studies regarding sexting, there are younger and younger generations beginning to engage themselves in this dark side of communication, most of the time unaware they’re doing so.

One cyber civics teacher in California, Diana Graber, said she was surprised at the reactions from her students when she introduced a chapter focused on sexting.  A majority of her students admitted to knowing what sexting was and or participating in the act themselves, but what shocked her the most was their lack of knowledge in terms of the legal consequences they could potentially face. When kids are at a younger age, they’re not as conscious as older teens are when it comes to social media or computer mediated communication in any term. Just as someone of a younger age would be more prone to post an inappropriate comment on Facebook because he or she don’t think of the consequences before doing so compared to an older teen, the same thing happens with sexting. In a study published by Pediatrics, “Sexting and Sexual Behavior in At-Risk Adolescents,” the children in the study who ranged from 12 to 14-years-old were “4 to 7 times more likely to engage in a variety of sexual behaviors.” We obviously see young teens throughout society acting on impulse and falling into peer pressure every day and when it comes to sexting, this is another increasing issue. Just like these kids aren’t thinking twice before hitting the ‘send’ button because they more than likely aren’t considering the legal factors that could potentially come into play, they’re being just as impulsive and not thinking twice before they actually engage in the behaviors they’re talking about because of one big factor in my opinion — lack of education.

                 Sexting is clearly impacted by the advancements in technology over the years. Even when we were 12 or 14 — not that long ago — having a smart phone or being so wrapped up in acting more mature wasn’t as common as it is nowadays. It’s easy for these young teens to act as naïve as they are when sending messages about inappropriate things because they more than likely have no idea what they’re talking about. Yet when those conversations turn into a reality, that’s when we need to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Though parents or older adults supervising these kids may want to turn a blind eye when it comes to sexting, they need to start accepting that the more they feed into these behaviors by for example either giving their kids more “freedom” on social media sites or allowing them to have a smart phone by age 10, this ongoing unintentional ignorance toward sexting and online sexual conversations will worsen.

http://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/Pages/Teens-Who-Sext-Are-More-Likely-to-Engage-in-Other-Sexual-Behaviors.aspx

http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/18/living/teens-sexting-what-parents-can-do/

YouTube

With such rapid advances in technology over the years, it has become easier to express yourself. Everyday millions of videos are posted throughout the entirety of the internet. One of the most popular websites for uploading videos is YouTube.

In an article called YouTube: Online video and participatory culture by Jean Burges and Joshua Green, it is noted that 15 minutes of video are uploaded every minute. This information is from February 2009. According to the viewership statistics on YouTube, now there are 100 hours of video being uploaded. The increase is more than 6 times as much as it was in 2009. This data shows that more people are using the internet as a creative outlet being as over 1 billion people visit YouTube each month. Though the age group that visits YouTube most often is from 18-34, people as old as 70 and as young as 7 are members of this online society.

YouTube is place where people go to rant about things they don't like, share informational videos, watch weird cat videos, talk about life in general, etc. Personally, I use it to upload singing videos and to keep up with my favorite YouTubers. I've been a user since 2008 so it's interesting to how far they have come and the apparent changes that have happened over the years. I find it interesting to see the differences in other peoples' lives and how technology has changed them.

The YouTube community is one the largest on the internet. The amount of people subscribing has gone up more than 4 times the rate of last year. YouTubers such as Jennxpenn and Shane Dawson have millions of subscribers that have been following them for years. With the increase of popularity, the famous YouTubers go on tour all over the country and some have even gone to other parts of the world. A majority of them fit into the age range of that visits YouTube most frequently.

YouTube is a great example of how new technology can change the way interact and view information.  It is easier to express yourself now that people can vlog about their lives. Vloging is recording anything you would write in an actual blog. This is especially true if you're not a good writer.  This is especially true if you're not a good writer. The community is very welcoming being as it's so liberal and free. You can express yourself in any way you feel comfortable. 

Blog #5

Rangely Geronimo

December 05, 2014

Celebrity a popular fame or public attention in the media applied to a person or a group of people. The old fashion way of people becoming famous was nearly impossible unless you were a music artists, actor, performer or even someone important people like George Washington or Martin Luther King. The only way would be able to find out any information about them if any it would be on scandal Tv shows or magazines. We only had a limited amount of access into their personal and their lives. Due to online communication this has changed very much today. We use the social media in which we can follow all the celebrities that we know, such as Beyoncé, Sofia Velgara, J lo and pretty much anyone especially on Instagram. We are able to follow these people and have access to their every day lives where we can see what they do and what they're up to. 

Another good thing about Instagram is that we can stay up to date with peoples lives and with the latest news, updates, clothes, hair styles. We are able to follow whom and what we like. For example my Instagram is full of fitness junkies, make up brands, clothing lines, online celebrities and my friends. It is something that we personalize because were not only staying up to date with our friends but with out interests as well. 

Next, due to online communication and social media websites such as Facebook and more importantly Instagram a regular person doesn't necessarily have to have a record deal, be on Tv or be politically known to be famous. A person can simply post a video of the silliest things and if the person receives the most likes that means that person has more of a potential to get followed by people making them famous. I have recently encountered a few videos of a girl who's probably in her teens and dances half naked for the likes in order to become famous. There's also people who make funny videos in which we see different every day scenarios and trying to get likes by making us laugh. People can post something as quick as a picture, a post, a blog or a video and become famous much more easily than in the previous years.

Some perfect examples of people who have become famous online are some of the following. Perez Hilton became famous by blogging about gossip about celebrities. Another perfect example is Kim Kardashian and her family. Due to a sex tape with Ray J that was leaked and became viral is the only reason of why she became famous. People who are IG famous are people like Mankofit which is a really active Spanish female who's really fit. I really enjoy following her because she motivates me to work out, eat proper and shows me and everyone how to properly do workouts. Someone else who's incredibly famous is Jenselter she is another fitness junkie but is famous for her booty and planking almost anywhere possible. Jadadoll would be my last person to speak about she's famous on Instagram. She wears blue eyed contacts and has blonde curly hair making her look like a doll which in my opinion it is why she became if famous even though she is not natural. Her hair color is dark brown and she's brown eyed but the way she dresses catches peoples attention making her IG famous. In conclusion, access to whomever and what ever you are interested is at the touch of your finger tips. Technology has given us the ability to have a closer connection to not only famous people but the things we are interested in. Dont forget anyone can become famous now a days!

Blog 5

Samantha Cruz

Final Blog

12, 5, 2014

            In today’s generation, young teenagers are experiencing different things in their life, and one of those things is called SEXTING. Sexting is the act of sending sexually explicit messages through mobile devices. Teenagers are growing up faster than we know it and they are having sex at a younger age. Statistics show that teenage girls, only 40% do it as a joke, 34% do it to feel sexy and 12% do it for pleasure.  As for teenage boys, only 40% report to sexting. I know sexting might sound fun at the moment but what these young adults don’t know is that there are consequences to their actions. In an article by Lori Henderson, “Sexting and Sexual relationships among teens and young adults”, she stated that “In an era of social networking and technological change, the youth of America are faced with severe negative consequences for this new phase of technologically enhanced self-expression, including jail sentencing and suicide.” Many debates have been issued due to the overwhelming numbers of teens and young adults who are being arrested and charged with possession and distribution of child pornography.

This becomes a huge issue since you’re mostly “sexting” you don’t know whether or not your pictures or messages are being viewed by one person or many persons’, The other problem is that most predators, don’t know whether or not if their “sexter” is over the age of 18, this is when it gets more serious since it’ll be consider child pornography. So, in this study by Lori Henderson; there are three reasons why young adults participate in this kind of behavior. One reason is to initiate sexual activity between partners; (boyfriend or girlfriend) as an experimental phase of their sexuality prior to ever having sexual intercourse, and as a way to enhance current sexual relationships. It shows that teenage girls/ boys have sent nude messages to keep or gain a female’s or male’s attention. Two thirds of female teen and young adults have sent these types of messages as a sexy present for a boyfriend, while over half of males sent them to be flirtatious. Surprising, nearly half of females felt pressure from males and nearly one fifth of males felt pressure from females. The purpose of this study was to show the attitudes and behaviors in teens while they’re engaging in these types of behaviors. Most of the time that teenagers sext is because of self-expression, or because they want to engage in sexual activity.

Now, although sexting might have its disadvantages like your business and nude’s out in the public, getting charge for child pornography and etc, there might be some advantages of sexting. Some advantages of sexting is that you don’t have to actually have sex with this person because they might be too far away or because, like it said in the article sexting is “FUN”. This behavior will prevent teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Remember, before you send out any nudes or sexual texts, those messages and nudes are 90% being viewed by more than one person. Also, once you post a nude online you no longer own that picture and it doesn’t matter if you delete it or not because it’ll still be in the internet owned by someone else getting viewed by thousands of people!

 http://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1091&context=mcnair_journal

The Dark Side of CMC

            Over the past few weeks we have been discussing the dark side of computer-mediated technology and how it affects a wide range of individuals. One aspect of the dark side of communication is the concept of trolling. Trolling is someone who goes onto the Internet and intentionally disrupts online communities. In my own experience, I have witnessed trolling when during my senior year of high school one of my classmates continuously made fake twitter accounts pretending to be people in my class. His trolling led to a lot of backlash and chaos because he was tweeting horrible things on these fake accounts and it looked as though my fellow classmates were saying those things. I realize that my account of witnessing trolling is mild and there have been many more serious cases of trolling throughout computer-mediated technology history. For example, I found a news article from ABC News (http://abcnews.go.com/US/trolls-make-trouble-internet/story?id=20659477), which talked about a National Security White House Staff member who was fired after it was revealed that he was anonymously provoking senior administration officials, insulting politicians from both parties, and criticizing the policies he was helping to progress. Clearly trolling is taking places on all types of levels from high school nobodies to top senior officials in our government and on all accounts more should be done to prevent trolls. With how advanced our technology on the Internet has gotten it should make it easier for local and government agencies to track down harmful trollers.

            Another aspect of the dark side of communication is the concept of a hate speech. A hate speech is a speech that attacks a person or group based on ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, religion, or gender. This speech is fairly uncommon and is motivated by differences in race, religion, and lifestyle. As a student of Penn State, I have witnessed and experienced people exhibiting a hate speech online because of the events of Ferguson. There have been protests and die-ins throughout the campus and I have seen numerous anonymous hate speeches about the black people on social media outlets and especially on the app called Yik-Yak. The disgusting comments I read are without a doubt considered a hate speech because both the anonymous and non-anonymous people are attacking the protests because of their race and difference in opinion. It begs me to ask the question of why and how people can honestly sit behind a computer and attack and criticize people for going out for a meaningful cause and try and bring about positive change. Whenever I try and think critically about a hate speech and in this case when it gets tied into Ferguson and the Eric Gardner case my brain can’t rationally understand people who give a hate speech. These are real and complex situations that society is dealing with and there are people who are actively trying to make our world and our country a better place. However, somehow there are people anonymously attacking the very same people who are finding for a legitimate and meaningful cause.