e-Portfolio Introduction

Welcome to My e-Portolio!

As an Anthropology and Community and Environmental Development double major, I think communication is the essence of human culture. From the cave paintings in the icy European mountains of the Neolithic era, to the text messages we send by the billions today, we as a species have long valued the art of conversation.

This e-Portoflio chronicles my own growth as a writer and public speaker during my time at Penn State. Show-cased here are the pieces which I believe exemplify my worth as a liberal arts student. Sharp and practical rhetoric skills are as important to my education as my everyday life. I aspire to travel the world conducting ethnographic studies and field work in the future. Wherever I go my communication skills will be challenged and developed.

Communication extends beyond borders, cultures and skin colors. Whether I work with National Geographic or the Smithsonian, on an archaeological dig or in a museum, I believe my skills in writing and speaking with validate my worth there.

http://katethompson-eportfolio.blogspot.com/

"Are you fat or what?"

Obese. Heavy. Big Boned.

Chubby. Pudgy.

Fat.

For decades, body weight has been a hot button of entertainment, and humor. Our country has an obvious stigma, as exemplified by Weird Al's Paradoy "Fat." When does this joking cross the line, into say- discrimination. Or maybe it's entirely overbaord from the start.

I'm going to do my policy paper on how discriination based on body size is as, if not more prevalant than discrimination on the basis of gender, sexuality, race, religion and age. I know that's a bold assertion. But why can I say that? Becuase where as many Americans would shudder at the N***** word, or cringe if a spouse said "Make me a sandwich," poking fun at heavier people is still commonly tolerated.

I'm not going to show them, but I can assure you here it takes five seconds of searching you tube to find plenty of relative videos.

Why do we- such a self-proclaimed equal people- impose so many judgments and distinctions among ourselves. I feel like we are perpetually finding reasons to delineate between "us" and "them." And when these categories don't exist, we invent them. Now that discrimination of skin color, beliefs, and God given-genitalia have been outlawed, we as a people are moving on the next open court- physical fitness, waist-to-hip ratio, and the numbers on one's scale. Will we ever quit?

What a Nightmare!

This past week Americans have united in bashing UCLA's Alexandra Wallace for her, admittedly, rude and ignorant critique of "Asian" mannerisms. Allegedly infamous mannerisms that include the terrible sins of bonding with family over shared duties and communicating on those satanic little devices we call phones. No buddy else uses them really, or ever talks too loudly. This behavior is relegated only to those of Oriental appearance and descent.

This controversy has left in its wake an outpouring of angsty You-Tube videos, and other college students sadly and slowly shaking their heads. "Thank you American education," I heard one of my friends say.

What I'm frankly more concerned about is the American portrayal of Chinese education. I saw this political commercial play during the Rachel Ray show this past Wednesday, and stopped mid-bite of Dannon Peach Lite Yogurt and Granny Smith apples to turn up the volume.

This advertisement depicts Chinese people as not our fellow global citizens, but our conniving competition. They have been study our failures, it implies. They have worked since the dawn of history to watch for the flaws of other great empires (like ours, clearly- we put it up there with the Romans after all) and have been waiting for us to fall. Now the own our debt. They own us. They are the enemy, and a victorious one.

This commercial (which followed the Morning News, I might add) breeds ignorance and ethnocentrism. Its rhetoric is powerful, and pathos driven- reaching down the shadowy fears kept in bottoms of American hearts and wallets. Logos wise- it's disgusting. And poorly constructed- note how the wording implies that previous ancient empires also had problems with deficit spending and providing adequate health care.


 Don't even get me started on the ethos of this commercial. On television it was aired without translation- the climax is Chinese laughing at the problems of Americans; the audience is purposely kept out of their dialogue. the imagination is allowed- no- encouraged to run wild. It intends to isolate and scare the viewer- a manipulation of American fears against a people who clearly look and speak differently than the conventional middle class WASP.

And this commercial stings! If this is a commonplace on any grounds, no wonder we have comments like those of Ms. Wallace making head lines. My point is perhaps the uncouth ranting of one beach blond isn't what our real concern should be. If we condone such ignorance in a more professional form, like this commercial, are we not as bad ourselves? Would our silence in response to the attitudes in this ad, to much of the world,  appear as a quiet agreement?

Poking Fun at PP

All you have do do is type "bad powerpoints" into youtube.com's search bar and you get a slew of related videos: powerpoints on how to make powerpoints, failed powerpoints, and gag powerpoints galor.


How many of us had seen these sort of presenters. Just to awkward to bare- you're embarressed for them. Unprepared and utterly uncomfortable presenting. A skit, true, but it typifies many powerpoint fails.

How many errors can you find?
My favorite, by far, are the comedic remarks on the subject. Just like the page 426: Highlighting How Not To Use Powerpoint, this stand-up routine series points out many of the quirky contridictions of PP use:

And this one is sadly, a real powerpoint so bad it is nearly a mockery of itself:

Perhaps the speaker had a very detailed and interesting speech to fill in the...erm...gaps in understanding within these slides. Or maybe a screenshot of an English weather-cast can really convey more information than what I seem to be getting. An example of graphics left to speak on their own...and largely remain silent.

Bad powerpoints are embarressing, perhaps because the mistakes are so easy to avoid than once you know and recognize them, they become blaringly obvious in other presentations. Or maybe I'm just bias against the Unite Kingdom (England).*


*false, the UK is more than just England, but also Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Maybe fact check the first slide of your presentation. Just sayin'.

In the Spirit of Spiritual Conversation

I expected to be turned away right away. I wouldn't even want to talk to me, I thought. I've always dreaded these sort of people, these sort of conversations. Now here I was, on the other side of them.

For my mission trip in Philadelphia over break we surveyed people in the area of the city (Manayunk) where my youth group (ACF or Alliance Christian Fellowship), would be planting a new church (CityLight). We were to go up to people- on the street, at a park, in a mall- and ask them some questions. Simple enough right?

Are you a local here? Do you consider yourself a spiritual person? What do you think of Christianity? If you are Christian, describe your faith like. Likes and dislikes of the church? And so on.

Some people flat out said they would not discuss faith. Others, like one girl leaning against the wall outside a Hollister, said they were too busy to talk at the moment. At first I was annoyed by their apathy of flat out refusal to talk. I wasn't trying to convert them, I huffed. I just wanted to know why they thought what they thought.

Talking about spiritual beliefs, even in a non-argumentative way, requires are risk because it requires commitment. If you state your beliefs you risk being asked to stand behind them. Why? That dreaded question.

When prompted about their faith (if they did answer, which many did) they commonly said things like: "My family was such and such," or "I was raised so and so." Or, in one case "You know what enlightenment is, eh? Well, at 18 I experienced that." ...still not sure what to make of the last one.

But the overwhelming things seemed to be people didn't understand why they believed what they did. I wonder how far this expands not just beyond religion but into politics, philosophies, morals and even daily choices like coffee vs tea. Why? And more importantly, why are we so afraid to answer?

Oscar Awkward...

Didja watch the Oscars? Didja?

If not, here's a quick summary:

But it's no who won (I hadn't seen half these movies, I'll admit) that interested me as much as what the winner said. Thanks, a few tears, some humble platitudes- and nothing really beyond what's to be expected. But how they said it! The best manner of delivery seems to be extemporaneous. Those who appeared both candid and sincere, yet well-prepared (like Natalie Portman) gave good speeches. But the ones who spoke in an importune manner, or even with note cards- they seemed more stilted and confused. Less honest, less genuine. (like Colleen Atwood).
The confidence and decorum with which one delivers makes a big difference.
In our speeches last week, our grades depended on good delivery. But in the Oscars, one's reputation is at stake.

And remember- when in doubt- auto tune:

Popping Bottles or Pop Music?

Glee's title this week was simple: Alcohol.

"This episode isn't that good," said Jessie over a plate of Simmons baked veggies and a glass of cranberry juice mixed with gingerale. "It all about" she grimaces "drinking."

I bump into my roommate Elisa in the hallway.

"Aww I heard it's great," she says turning. The whole club, Mr. Shu- they all get wasted. The songs are all about it- so fun!"
"Guess I'll stay in tonight and live vicariously!" rasp- still no voice since THON, She laughs. "The singing" I say, "not the drinking."

Neither Elisa nor I drink. I never have had so much as a sip outside the Sunday morning communion line. But this week's Glee episode- so kairotically coincidental considering State Patty's Day Weekend-  made me wish I did.

I was shocked at first by how, well, fun the show made alcohol sound. Not like I haven't been to parties, haven't hung around and taken care of wasted friends, but for Glee to glorify it- I was taken aback. The actors play high school students- like most of their audience is. It didn’t seem appropriate. And the parties, the games, the making out, the pro-drinking songs and karaoke at bars. None of it seemed a bad- it seemed great. 

But when the club went on stage to preform [drunk], and the lead actresses vomited on each other mid-number, the show's tone changed.

It wasn't a public service announcement, nor did it give underage drinking a thumbs up. This week’s Glee did something most public education boards still won't- acknowledged kids drink and aren't going to stop any time soon. Mr. Shu acts as more than a scolding teacher, but a related role model. He plays up his ethos (which had taken a dive after some drunk dialing gone public) by telling his students he's not going to drink until their next competition and hopes they won't either. Consider it part of training before a big sports game- so no pregaming for the athletes. He gives them his phone number, a way to keep them from ever saying they don't have a choice but to drunk drive. He, and the writers of Glee showed the reality of underage drinking- the consequences and the fun side. But they didn't pretend it doesn't happen or can be "cured." For touching on this touchy subject, I give them a Rachel Berry gold star.

“So what about after the performance?” asks Finn Hudson, the male lead.
Mr. Shu pauses “I’ll buy the sparkling cider.”