Healthy Discussion, Channel Changing, and Club Meetings

Today in class we had so refreshing, interesting discussion about how "The Media" influences and affects the different aspects of life. It was really refreshing to have some open, intelligent discussion. It doesn't happen enough. However, I was continually reminded that my class is very, VERY poor microcosm of The United States. We are some of the best, brightest, most open minded and creative people from our hometowns. So despite the energy I felt at the discussion, I got discouraged again afterwards, because I realized that 70-85% of the population doesn't give a crap about what we talked about. It's easier to sit back and let the warm glow of the television simply wash over you.

During the discussion I got more of the "wasted vote" syndrome, and tried to explain how people could make a difference by voting third party, but my words fell on deaf ears. I heard classic excuses, and not-so-classic ones:
"The media doesn't have timeto cover every third party candidate"
"A vote for [fill in the blank] is a vote for [Bush/Kerry]"
"I'm not going to waste my vote on some one who has no chance of winning"
"They'd have to get more like 15% of the vote for the parties to change their platforms."

Oh well. Freedom isn't free--you've got to work and fight for it... since niether party is going to give it to you.

I was also trained on how exactly I change the channels at the Dining Hall. At noon everyday, I change the channel from CNN to the Emerson Channel, then I change it back at 4pm, then back to the Emerson Channel again at 6pm. Yay, my job is great, because I have to walk to the dining hall an additional 4 times a day, getting paid for half an hours work each time I do it. You'd think they could automate it, but I'm not going to complain.

Let's see. I also attended a meeting for the school newspaper, "The Berkeley Beacon" (named for the street where the paper was originally located, I think) and got information about writing guest opinion articles. I plan to write one as soon as possible. Then I went across campus to visit "Woman in Motion", a filmmaking group which is smaller and more "family-like" than the enormous "F.P.S" (Frames Per Second).

Over all, I'm feeling pretty good, feeling pretty sharp, and for the most part, with it, and on top of things. Hopefully that will stick around--I don't like feeling overwhelmed.