Blog #4 Debate blog

1.      The responsibility for listening well is on the listener

Affirmative:

     Yes, I agree that the responsibility for listening well is on the listener. First of all, let us define the term listening. Listening occurs when you give your full attention to someone or something that you hear around you or even by just talking to the person you are with. The listener must give his/her full attention in order to get a feedback that has been expected by the speaker.

Negative:

     No, I do not agree with the statement that says “The responsibility for listening well is on the listener”. Yes, the listener has the big responsibility to listen very well but that does not only end there. In interpersonal communication, there is a need of a feedback that is merely expected by the speaker and should have another feedback by the listener after listening well. I am confident enough to say that in communicating, both the listener and the speaker takes the responsibility to listen well on discussing things so that they can clearly understand each other well and get the right message or reaction after a series of exchanging one’s thoughts and ideas.

2.      The responsibility for being clear and interesting is the person doing most of the talking.

Affirmative

     Yes, I agree with the statement that the responsibility for being clear and interesting is the person doing most of the talking. In the process of communication, one must have the characteristic of being clear and interesting as to attract and entertain the individual he/she is dealing with. The person that talks a lot is the only person that is interesting because he/she has the capability to entertain people.

Negative

     No, I strongly disagree with the statement that the responsibility for being clear and interesting is the person that talks a lot because that person may be more of a blabber mouth than having the characteristics of a good speaker. A person may talk a lot but if we really think of it, that person may not exactly have the essence of what he/she is trying to point out. In the communication process, both speakers are responsible for speaking in a clear and interesting manner which simply proves that one speaker does not only have the capacity to have traits of being clear and interesting when talking.

     

Blog # 3 Just because you’re like that, you’re a complete loser

I was born in this world and I knew that there are millions of places around, millions of languages and millions of people speaking them. I live in the tropical country called the Philippines and we have a brown complexion, not so tall nose (unless you’re a Fil-am, I guess) and I live in a country where languages differ in regions too. I’m a Filipino and I’m proud to be one. I have always dreamed of looking like Taylor Swift, had a sexy body like Miley Cyrus, and had a boyfriend like Taylor Lautner. I was free to dream, yet free to face the reality. I admit there were times I was so insecure of myself not looking like a Barbie doll, so perfect and fabulous. I was a body conscious person and I even wanted to have a flat stomach. Thoughts entered my mind like “Why am I not like this? Why can’t I be perfectly beautiful like her? Why can’t I just be like a famous Hollywood actress like her and get everything I want?” but I had more focus on the thoughts on my mind that who am I to question myself on how I look when in fact God made me just the way I am. He wanted me to be like this. He wanted me to act like this and he even wanted me to but just like a simple girl.

After viewing some of the advertisements on self-esteem and beauty, I think that the effect of media on self-esteem has made some of the people feel bad about themselves. They wanted to be perfect and a lot of things have pulled them down to the lowest level. People that worked in the advertisements had a perfect complexion, body and face. But in the real life, there’s no such thing as perfect. We all have our imperfections and we create mistakes. Editing and body enhancement are just part of advertising. People wanted to buy their products and that is why they make these make-believe statements that would convince people to buy or avail to a certain service.

I think that there are different pressures for women and men. For us women, we wanted to have the sexiest body on earth and the prettiest face we could ever have. That’s just for the physical aspect. For men, I think they want to impress us girls on how they act, dress and be amazed of their sexy bodies. We all have our pressures. We face so many judgements in this world and it’s quite queer if you say that nobody has told you something based on the way you look.

If you have heard Lady Gaga’s hit song “Born this way” you’d probably remember her too. Her song told us that whether you’re black or you’re white, you’re rich or poor, hot or not – it doesn’t make any difference because we were born this way and God wanted us to be like this. You don’t have to be so insecure of people having perfect bodies because they have their own problems and they are insecure of some things too. We have our imperfections and you should be contented on the things that you have. Some were born with no hands, incomplete fingers, and with different disabilities. Whenever I feel down, to compensate I think that I am not the biggest loser in the world and I don’t hold the worst problem. Someone has bigger problems than I have and that is why I continue to stand up whenever I fall. So to all the people reading my blog entry, it’s always free to dream but always remember that you are beautiful. We are beautiful in a different way; all of us were moulded with gifts and imperfections by God. We have to be contented of what we have and how we look like because someday, you might just realize what you have until it’s gone. I guess it’s not too late to thank Him for what he has given us. Let’s stay proud!

Blog #2 When small steps can draw you closer to your dreams

      When I was a little kid, I wanted to be a doctor. That time, everyone wanted to be one. I had so many dreams and wishes in my mind and I was really thinking on how to make these things come true. As a little kid, I still had no idea on how to deal with things and face the real world. Now that I’m eighteen years old, I know what I want to achieve in life and strive to do my best in aiming for the stars.

      Susan Boyle was simply one of those people who inspired and gave me the eye opener not to give up on achieving my goals. She joined the game show “Brittain’s got talent” and at first, people judged her for the way she looks, she dresses and even the way she acts. Who would expect that an old woman from the countryside could have such beautiful and heart pounding voice? She even told the people she wanted to become just like her idol. She had dreams of becoming famous as a singer and she really hoped to be one. The audience and almost every person in the world hated her. They even wondered why she had the guts to join the contest and showed everyone her true identity. After all, she was only an ambitious person that made people had a good laugh. But you know what? It’s not how you look, you dress and how you act. It’s simply touching the lives of other people and reaching out to inspire them to follow their dreams. In the middle of Susan’s fantastic song number, people were already standing in applause. The judges and the audiences couldn’t believe what they heard and what an old woman from the countryside, looking not so modernized could possibly do. She got three straight powerful yes and she made it to the next level.

      Now, this is what I’m talking about. People will continue to judge you each and every day of your life. Everyone can be a critic to every person on earth. You can’t even avoid people talking behind your back and people who will secretly hate you for who you are. But despite all of these, you know what’s on my mind? No matter how high, how hard and no matter how people look at you as a tiny person looking like a loser in achieving your dreams, these things should not hinder from aiming high. Even if you’re just someone who’s simple but has the heart, even if you’re just ugly but you have a pleasing personality, even if you don’t have a bunch of friends but you have true friends behind your back and even if you’re not that strong physically but you have the mind-set of thinking positive in achieving your goal, I’m pretty sure that in no time, you have your most precious dream in your hands. You shouldn’t let the negative vibes bring you down and I guess you just have to be strong for yourself. People will bring you down but for me, it really depends on how you face challenges. Susan had the best time of her life – people laughed, humiliated her the whole time but after the number, she had seen amazed faces of the audiences and told her she really had a good job.

      I can say that everyone can take small steps to achieve and reach bigger goals in life. I mean, we all have our dreams and we all have the chance grab it in our hands. So why think twice? Think positive. You have people to support you in whatever you decide to do. And even if they’re not around, just believe in yourself. You have God given talents and you’re no loser at all. You have to set your goal first and strive to make them to a reality. Obstacles will come into your way but these things will just test you on how you deal with them. Dream big, aim harder. Just like a teenager out there, I have dreams too. And now, I’m working really hard to make them come true.