this was my final thesis “I think We should approach social media with careful consideration to make and maintain meaningful connections.”

the strength of this thesis I think is how clearly it kinda explains the importance of using social media thoughtfully. it also emphasizes the goal of it which is maintaining meaningful connection. the phrase “I think”  makes it sound less strong, like it’s just an opinion. The statement is also a bit too broad and doesn’t really get deep into explaining what “careful consideration” means or how to use social media to make good connections. i think to make it better, the thesis should be clearer and more specific, and it should hint at the evidence that will support the argument.

what I learned writing this essay was to bring in more personal connection which I didn’t include when I had my draft. because those personal connections make the essay more effective rather than just having the author’s say. also being clear and specific is important it makes writing have sense. i also need to avoid vague terms and give clear and simple example and expand it from there. i struggle with that in this essay giving a lot of examples making it messy instead of just having a few and expend from there.

the aspect of revision that I was most focused on was making my thesis statement clear although it still came out a bit off. but I changed vague terms to be precise and I think it made my argument strong and well-supported. the other thing was bringing in my personal connection i think that also make the say more effective.

for my second essay, might start doing more pre-reading and annotating to make sure I understand the material so I don’t struggle while writing. also when drafting I will make sure to create a strong outline to organize my though.

      While social media helps us stay connected, it can also prevent us from having deeper, more meaningful relationships. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram allow us to easily stay in touch with family, make new friends, and access news and ideas. While it a good way of communication is beneficial, it often replaces the real connection that comes from face-to-face interaction. Online, we may connect with a large number of people, but these interactions can lack of real and emotional depth. As Maria Konnikova explains in her essay “The Limits of Friendships,” social media gives us the illusion of having unlimited connections, but in reality, most people can only manage about 150 stable relationships at a time. Many users have hundreds or even thousands of “friends” on platforms like Instagram or Snapchat, but these relationships are as deep. This shows that while social media creates opportunities for interaction, it also encourages quantity over quality in relationships. We might feel like we are connected to more people than ever before, but the in reality those connections aren’t as deep they’re superficial . Although I find that social media allows me to express my feelings more easily than in person, but it can also become a barrier to real, face-to-face communication, which is necessary for building deeper relationships. Therefore, while social media is a useful tool for maintaining connections, we should approach it with care to ensure that our online interactions complement, rather than replacing it with real and meaningful, in person relationships.

1. in this speech the author discuss the importance of making choice we are aware of in how we respond to everyday life. the speaker argues that through cooperation people can overcome difficulties, together. the speech also talks about how the fish don’t notice they’re in water because they’re always in it . the speaker compare it to how we don’t often notice our own habits and way of thinking because they’re so similar. the three main argument that stand out in this speech is how he insist on the importance of people being together , on hoe challenges can be faced more effectivelly when people work together. the second argument was about resilience each other to not give up in the face of obstacles. the author believes that hope is a powerful force that can help people endure hardships. i like how the speech offers an inspiring message reminding people to stay hopeful and working together.
2. i do agree with his argument because it highlights the importance being mindful because sometimes it so easy to get caught up in our own heads and forget the whole world out there and other people with their experience. but by being mindful we can live a more meaningful life and be good to others.
3. yes i think Forster is definitely referring to empathy even if he is not directly using it. but we can kinda see it because he talks a lot about being aware of people around us and considering their perspectives which i think is a big part of what empathy is all about.
4.  the most obvious, important realities are often the ones that are hardest to see and talk about” this statement is very powerful because it reminds us that we often miss the most important things in life, because we get so busy with our everyday life and we forget to notice things like connecting with other, being kind i agree with Wallace because it is important to stay aware of what really matters.
5. David Foster Wallace and Paul Bloom both talk about the aspects of human connection, but they approach it differently. Wallace focuses on the idea that many people often get stuck in their own heads and don’t connect with others. On the other hand Bloom talks about empathy he say that empathy is good but has it problem making us biased or too emotional. both are kinda similar

1.in this article Bloom looks at how empathy affects our moral decision and he point out both good and bad side of it. empathy helps us connect with others but it can also narrow our focus. the author mention that while empathy lets us feel an individual suffering deeply , it often makes us overlook bigger issues. but instead they recommend using rational thinking to guide our moral choose better.

the author makes three main point . he first point out how empathy is like a spotlight that focuses on individuals but dims for larger group leading to unfair judgements. the second point was we cant emphathize with many people at once , which because we might prioritize one person suffering over many others. and finally Bloom argued that effective kindness relies more on self control and intellingence than empathy, suggesting rational decision making leads to better outcomes. my initial take is that while empathy is great for personal connection. the author point show that we need to have a balance approach to morality .

2. I Believe Bloom makes a valid point in his argument about the limitation of empathy, but i also believe that he underestimate importance it is for building human connection and compassion. empathy helps us to relate to each other on a personal level, it motivate us to take action when we see suffering , for example during the sandy hook tragedy empathy drove people to push for chnage and support the community.

3. Bloom argument was very interesting, but they didn’t really change my view on empathy, i still think it crucial for connecting with other and a good motivation to help each other. even though it has it limit.

4. Empathy distorts our moral judgments in pretty much the same way that prejudice does. i choose this claim because while i get that empathy can lead to baised decisions, i think it often motivate people to do good things like standing for what right. form my own experience iv’e seen people fight for what right.

while empathy isn’t perfect it helps build connection and understanding leading to doing good action.

I think We should approach social media with careful consideration to make and maintain meaningful connections. While social media  is a good way to stay in touch with the people we care for and express ourselves. It is important to know our limitations. As Maria Konnikova highlights, how social media makes it seem like we can have an unlimited amount of friends because of how many people we can connect to. Which means we should try to have deeper relationships rather than just collecting a large number of connections that aren’t real. So it is important to limit yourself. Yes, social media is a great way to stay connected, and all but it can become a problem  when people are on it 24/7 forgetting the real world and real connections. and sometimes that could cause people to have depression. It’s good to sometimes step away and go out there to interact with other people face to face. It is important to balance online and offline connection for our own good.

after: we should approach social media with care to maintain meaningful connections. while platforms like Facebook, and Instagram.. help us stay in touch we should also include in-person interaction. although some people may say that online interactions are just as valuable. but just as Kournikova said the amount of friends we have online doesn’t mean anything because there not as deep as in face-to-face interaction. so even tho social media helps us connect it doesn’t replace the value opf the face to face interaction.

Anne Lamott’s perspective in “Bird by Bird” suggests that writing a first draft is more about the process than the product. Lamott argues that the primary goal of a first draft is to get ideas down on paper without concern for perfection. This approach allows writers to explore their thoughts and find their voice, recognizing that the true refinement comes in later drafts. For Lamott, the first draft is a raw where the focus is on content rather than the perfect wriitng. I agree with Lamott’s view regarding my own first drafts. I’ve learned that the first draft is usually messy and disorganized, but that’s okay. Trying to make it perfect right away can actually make writing harder and cause writer’s block. , I can freely explore different ideas. The real work happens during revision, where I refine and polish my writing. This approach aligns with Lamott’s idea that the real writing happens in the revision process, not the initial draft.

My first experience with college-level peer review was really helpful. Reading Abbi’s essays gave me new perspectives on how I could improve my own writing. For example, I noticed how she was very specific including personal experiences, which made her essays more engaging and relatable. which made me realize that i didn’t really give add my voice When I received feedback, that was a gerat feedback to should include my own personal experience in my essay. This suggestion helped me realize that adding more of my voice would not only strengthen my argument but also make my writing more interesting to readers. one of the challenge I faced during the peer review session was staying objective when reading my classmate work. Sometimes, I found myself comparing their writing to my own, which made it harder to focus on giving constructive feedback specific to their work. to improve this i plan on just focusing more and give feedback.

Before:”Having a strong social media and a strong online connection can help me adjust to academic and social life at UNE. through platforms like facebook, instagram, snapchat, i can join groups related to my course or major, connect with classmates and stay updated about whatever event is going on on campus. All of these connections can provide support and help get friends and settle smoother. On the other hand, social media can also negatively impact my adjustment. Spending too much time online can distract me from my studies and reduce face to face interaction with others which is important for building friendships. Being online with virtual friends might also prevent me from fully engaging in the campus experience. Personally the first argument is more relatable to my experience. Because online connections have been supportive and informative, helping me feel more connected and actually knowing what happen around me. Here is my paragraph how would I put it”

After: “Having a strong social media presence and online connections has help me adjust to academic and social life at UNE. Through platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat, I can join groups related to my course or major, connect with classmates, and stay updated about events on campus. These connections has provide support and help me make friends and settle in more smoothly. On the other hand, social media can also negatively impact my adjustment. Spending too much time online can distract me from my studies and reduce face-to-face interaction, which is important for building friendships. Being online with virtual friends might also prevent me from fully engaging in the campus experience.

In the revised version, I corrected capitalization errors (e.g., “facebook” to “Facebook”), improved sentence structure for clarity, and ensured consistency in tone. These changes made the paragraph more professional and easier to read.

Adrian Chen is a journalist known for his work on the internet culture, and online communication. he has written extensively for publications like the New York Times. his background experience helps him understand and explain how people like Megan Phelps-Roper use social media to spread their message.

Megan Phelps- Roper’s transformation as described in Adrian Chen’s piece began when she started talking to people on Twitter. initially, she used the platform to spread the Westboro Baptist church’s views. however, as she talked to people who challenged her beliefs and some who showed kindness she started to see them as real people, which made her question the church’s teachings. one key moment was when she realized that people on the other side were not demons she had been led to believe. the conversation made her think about the church beliefs. another key was how on December 1,2009 Megan phelps-roper of the westboro baptist church tweeted thank god for aids. she believed that aids were divine punishment. which showed her view on things because she believed it was god punishment. and that was where her perspective was gonna changed.

social media played a significant role in amplifying Megan Phelps Roper’s initial messages as a spokesperson for the Westboro Baptist Church. A platform like Twitter provided her with an audience, allowing her issue view to reach and provoke many people, which not only spread her message but also invited intense dialogue. One quote that illustrates this from Phelps Roper herself; “we were able to reach more people with our message of hate” this shows how social media gave her a larger platform to spread the church’s extreme views. However theses interactions also led her transformation. Engaging with people who challenged her beliefs, she began to see see things differently, as she mention in the ted talk, it was the conversation on twitter that had let me question my beliefs. beliefs that she had held her entire life. this quote highlights the critical role that social media interaction played by spreading her message but also helped change her views. that how much social media can impact someone whole perspective.

the style of conversation that had the most impact on Megan Phelp-Roper was empathic, respectful, and patient. instead of responding with anger, individuals who engaged her in thoughtful, compassionate dialogue were able to slowly influence her perspective. her story teaches us that confronting hate speech with understanding and respect can sometimes be more powerful than responding with anger. it also show that people are more likely to consider their beliefs when they are met with kindness and reasons, rather than anger. Regarding to redemption, Phelps-Roper’s journey illustrates that people can change , even when they come from a background with extreme or strict beliefs. it emphasizes the importance of offering path to redemption and understanding that change is possible with patience and empathy. if people are approach right they might be change.

if I were to meet Megan Phelps-Roper today, I would ask her, what advice would you give to someone who is trying to understand and engage with individuals who hold extreme beliefs?

because I believe her insights from her own experience could provide valuable guidance on how I can approach this it could help me navigate similar conversations with empathy and patience.