The Spoiled Generation

     Nowadays we are so used to depend on the highly developed technologies that very few of us can either write or read properly without using any technological assistance. However, the highly advanced technology and industries also brought people new problems that we have never encountered before. If everything could be done by technology, would the whole existence of human beings be meaningless? The answer I believe is absolutely NO. As long as I am concerned, the most significant difference between humans and programed computers is that we have the sincere feelings coming from our hearts and willing to share with other people. Our communication is not limited to distance. No matter where we are, we can still deliver messages from millions of miles away to other people through the words we write down. The three sources not only give advice of how to read and write effectively, but also how to share and perceive messages adequately.

In the “Shitty First Draft” by Anne Lamott, she discusses the unique way of developing her writings in the way that she lets everything coming up with in her head flows out in her first draft, although there may be some inappropriate usage of words and grammars, it guarantees that the author’s true feelings flow out with the words. The texts by Anne Lamott do not correspond to the academic standard. The colloquial usage of words should be removed from academic writings, and the proper and formal vocabulary should be used instead. However, this way of writing can be used in the first drafts of academic works, which will make the feelings about things in the text vividly effective.

“How to Mark a Book” by Mortimer Adler gives critical advice about how to read effectively by taking notes on the margin of books. Mortimer pointed out that “marking up a book is not an act of mutilation but of love”(Adler). A lot of people are taught to cherish books by keeping them clean and intact. However, this is not the most efficient way of reading. You do not own the books, until you have read it thoroughly, and the way to prove it, is to take notes and mark every important or interesting sentence in the book. In an academic community, taking notes plays a crucial role in reading materials, not only because it makes you memorize more details about the subjects, but also it allows you to write down your confusions and opinions about the texts. Besides, this passage is written in the standard way of writing an academic essay. Compared to the “Shitty First Draft”, “How to Mark a Book” used the appropriate vocabulary and more sophisticated structure with body paragraphs, and numerical labeled supporting details.

The last source is a video about Ray Bradbury who is the author of “Fahrenheit 415”. He describes his experience of falling in love with books; he narrates that the fictions he wrote in his thirties were originated from notions and interests through reading when he was a child. His reading experience in his childhood changed his life incredibly, and established the foundation of him becoming a great fictional writer. He loves libraries, and describes them as people who are trying to tell you their adventures and stories through books. He wrote “Fahrenheit 415” in a typing room down in the basement of a library, and he finished his book with no assistance of any kinds. His experiences also tells us that people are more than capable of doing works on their own, as long as you are willing to perceive, to think, to read, and to share.

In the end, the ability to share our feelings and knowledge through written languages is the exclusive gift from God, so we are obliged to use it to the best, and share them with millions of others. Let us use the technologies in a good way to improve our communications, instead of being spoiled by them.

Reflection

For this assignment, I corrected grammar errors, replaced misused word, and created work cited page.

Minor Assignments’ Works Cited