Last blog The Questionnaire

Last blog – the Questionnaire

Age? 25

Sex? female

What is your degree subject (both if joint)?
Drama and performing arts and philosophy (changing next year from Drama to creative writing)

Does ‘Being Bad’ relate well to the other modules you are taking? yes

If so, how? And if not, why not?
It tied in with some of the critical thinking work we were doing on the core module.

Have you found ‘Being Bad’ too demanding, too easy, or at an appropriate level?
Appropriate

Do you think the list of topics covered on the module was appropriate?
Yes and very interesting.

Are there any topics not included in the module that you would like to see included? No I thought the subjects covered were varied enough.

Do you think that the format for classes has worked well? Yes, but it might have been good to have more guidelines for the content for the blogs?

What did you think of the module team? Very good, inspiring.

Do you think it would have been better to have had more:
Small group discussions? Some, but I personally find having short sessions of talking in small groups enough.
Discussion and debate among the class as a whole? Perhaps, mainly because you can see at the end of the first year who is confident within the group to speak during discussion. It would be good if everyone were encourages to do this a bit more.
Information and talk from lecturers? I though the information we received during lectures was more than sufficient, perhaps the guidelines for the blogs were a little vague, maybe that’s the point?!

The approach taken in the module is interdisciplinary (drawing on perspectives from English Literature, Film Studies, Creative Writing, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Media Studies and Politics): do you think this a useful way of approaching the topics covered in the module?
Absolutely

Do you think that interdisciplinary modules are a good idea?
Yes, particularly in a subject as varied as philosophy.

Do you think you have benefited from the interdisciplinary approach taken in the module?
Yes, it’s given us the opportunity to divulge into some other areas of study.

Would you like to see more modules that cover this kind of subject matter? I think the balance of having one like this one has been and one more specific was ideal.

Are you planning to take the follow-up module PH2004 ‘It Shouldn’t Be Allowed’ at level 2?
Yes, having spoken to second and third years who recommended it.

Would you recommend ‘Being Bad’ to a friend?
Absolutely, I found it very interesting and enjoyable.

Do you think that the blogs (web logs) were a good idea?
Yes, as it proved to be more of a discipline than I had expected to keep the posts up to date. I would have hoped to complete more but before I knew it it’s the end of the semester! It was also a good exercise for those of us (myself included) who are not familiar with this type of work posted on line. It’s very efficient.

What did you think of the other assessments (e.g. would it be better to have one longer assessment rather than two shorter ones?)?
I thought it was good for our first year to have the two shorter ones.

What have you learned from the module?
How wide the subjects covered by the title philosophy and being bad are.

What parts of the module have you found most useful and why?
I found putting together a film review very useful as that was something I hadn’t done before. The choice of assessments seemed confusing at first but then on second glance a great idea to have so many options for assessment.

What parts do you think were a waste of time and why?
I don’t think any of it was a waste of time, I learnt something from every lecture. Some Lectures were more interesting than others but none of them bad.

Are there any other comments you wish to make regarding ‘Being Bad’?
I enjoyed the module very much, I would recommend it, it was an interesting exercise in personal time management which has proved to be very useful.
This page has been reformatted by WOLF. Click here to view the page in its original form

Bad Behavior - stealing

Bad behaviour

This blog is a summery of the notes I took during the lecture.

This lecture was given by David Calcutt, which I found funny as I was sat with his daughter Helen when he asked everyone in the room to raise their hand if they had ever stolen anything, and we both did.

Shoplifting and kleptomania may sound like one in the same thing, but shoplifting is probably a better description of someone who steals out of necessity, and a kleptomaniac is someone who steals not through need , but through compulsion.
Kleptomania seems to be defined through addiction to the thrill/possibility of being caught, done to achieve an adrenaline rush.

Is shoplifting wrong?

A debateable subject for many reasons, those who genuinely steal to feed their families can surely be forgiven? Particularly if they steal from Mr. huge supermarket and not the local corner shop? What I mean by this is that shoplifting from a small shop would affect my conscience much more than stealing from a large chain superstore. I’m aware that some people believe stealing is always wrong, in fact I’m inclined to agree most of the time, but I would make some exceptions. So I guess that would make me more interested in personal morality than being a good law abiding citizen.
Surely at some point we are all being robbed anyway with the enormous mark up on items such as clothing? Particularly when you consider the awful conditions these clothes were quite often manufactured in, paying the cotton harvesters less than enough to live on so we can wear the latest fashionable jumper costing over a £!00, surely we are being robbed there?



http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/kleptomania/DS01034

If you think, or you think you may know someone who has kleptomania this will prove to be an interesting link for online diagnosis. It also a very interesting read.

Cool smoking

Smoking Blog

As a smoker I was interested in this lecture. To start with the lecturer asked for a show of hands for people who smoke, I was very surprised to find I was in the minority (either that or people were not admitting to it) he then gave us some very interesting statistics, too many to list here but here is one I found surprising; around 114 thousand deaths a year in the UK are smoking related, that about one fifth of all deaths. RTA, Accidents,Overdose, Algol related, murder and suicide do not collectively equate to this figure.

The lecture questioned what was our fascination with smoking, and what made it attractive as a pursuit?

When I was younger and even more naive than I am now I looked at smoking as a cool thing to do, I went to a very big very “mixed” secondary school and anybody who was anybody was a smoker. When we look at images in recent history of smoking they are usually depicted by a rather attractive person smoking a cigarette (not pipes, Roll ups etc) So immediately the media presence has brought us up on this kind of picture, screen icons, pop stars etc… peers? Smoking has been glamorised and it has done us no favours. We all read about it being bad for our health not to mention highly addictive, the problem is once you start, particularly in our society is its association with life style, e.g. I don’t like to go out for a drink without having a cigarette. This is a hilarious web page dedicated (non factually) to smokers, very funny how they have tried to say having cigarette breath is a good thing. Ten out of ten for trying though - http://www.ninjapirate.com/smoking.html

Look at the recent smoking ban and how leisure trades like pubs and clubs have suffered as a direct consequence? What I don’t understand (or rather I do understand I just don’t agree with) is what is with our government slapping all these morbid signs on fag packets banning advertising almost altogether and yet we still sell them (very expensively) ummm capitalising?

Earlier this year I went to Egypt, a fascinating experience, but in terms of smoking they are very fond of the shish pipe. What was most interesting about this is one of the main reasons they smoked this type of (nicotine free scented tobacco) was its “Social” advantages, what I mean by this is smoking the shish pipe for Egyptians is like going for a coffee with friends, an activity everyone is involved with, often having more than one person smoking at any time.

Before I go on and on, Id like to draw your attention to the smoking advert (link on you tube) “loose the smoke, keep the fire” does anyone agree with me that she did just look cool smoking?!! I thought it was a very ineffective advert to influence people into thinking smoking doesn’t look good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrnvEQ0uVO8 – please have a look see what you think.
Got to go for a cigarette now. Addiction. Emma Skipp said...

(Responce copied from her blog)
Helen
Great point well made. Absolutly, now all the smokers are huddled to gether outside cold and looking quite stupid. The reason you are coughing more now is because (and I know) you have smoked recently, your lungs are reparing themselves!
Em x

08 May 2008 11:26

Tattoo's

I thought, (and it became apparent that I was not alone) that the word Tattoo originates from the Military drumming “Tattoo” however I soon discovered that its roots are far more ancient, stretching back thousands of years. The word is actually derived from the Polynesian Word “Tatu”, a verb meaning to “Strike”.

It seems strange to me, after doing a bit of research on the history of tattooing that its now a common form of art, body decoration in western culture is seen widely as fashionable yet in China years ago Tattooing was used on criminals to “brand” them after they had offended three times. Three lines were tattooed onto the forehead, the symbol for “Dog” so that everyone could easily recognise them. Fantastic idea if you ask me, it would be most useful today in this country for branding paedophiles and rapists for example? The Japanese organised crime collective, the “Yakuza” used full body tattoos to identify members of the gang, the more tattoos they had the more committed they are. Similarly street gangs in Africa, tattoo the neck and hands to prove commitment.

Egyptians were tattooing themselves for decorative reasons back in the days of the pyramids. The Chinese adopted the form around 2,000 B.C. The practice of making permanent marks into the skin with pigment has been found at some point in nearly every major culture in history.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070403224805AAW5ux5
Here is a link to tattoo discussion board. Who says tattoos are sacrilegious? Does the bible? Why do many good Christians condemn those who have tattoos or who want to get tattooed?It seems every Christian anti-tattoo argument is based primarily on one thing...a single verse from Leviticus:"You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh on account of the dead or tattoo any marks upon you: I am the LORD."

http://christianblogs.christianet.com/1197902452.htm Here is another very interesting discussion board, again from Christians, I cant help but wonder (being non –religious, but certainly not hateful) an all loving all powerful God would surely not judge you as a evil person for having a tattoo, in fact one would think his attentions would be better spent directed elsewhere in the utter chaos we live in? Just a thought?
(Anyone who is religious and happens to be reading this please doesn’t take personal offence just spend a moment looking at the newspapers or watching the news and it will all become clear.)

Drugs blog

Drugs Blog

There is not to much I can add to this subject I haven’t already put on the response to Helen’s blog. Perhaps it would be interesting to look at some statistics?

Illegal drugs namely cocaine makes up nearly10% of world trade - only the arms trade has a bigger market value. There are no taxes to control supply, so in many ways the illegal drugs market is a shockingly good and accurate example of 'free trade' today.

This information is taken from the link posted on my response to Helens blog, I found it very poignant as I think it’s fair to say that most of us disagree at some level about the tax we are forced to pay on… everything? So doesn’t it seem ironic that this free trade exists only on illegal drugs and arms deals?

The focus has so far been on common drugs, what I mean by that is ones that are most widely talked about, or are in the eye of the media. But what about drugs that have extreme effects on the mind and yet the grow in the ground? In this country?

Mushrooms, shrooms, magic mushrooms, whatever the name we have all heard of them, but what exactly are they?

The main substance in” magic mushrooms” is psilocybin (psilocin). In most countries psilocybin is illegal. However, in quite a lot of countries this does not imply that the psilocybin mushrooms are illegal as well. Unprocessed, fresh magic mushrooms are legal in many countries, and up until July 2005 fresh magic mushrooms were still allowed to be sold in this country. They are now banned in the UK, however if you look carefully lots of places still sell them, it seems the current law states that as long as these mushrooms are not “prepared” for consumption they can still be sold. So are they illegal? The answer is, as far as I can work out,”it depends".

Below you will find a very interesting link about the history of magic mushrooms, definitely worth a read, fascinating.
http://www.a1b2c3.com/drugs/mus01.htm.

Response to Helen Calcut Drugs

Helen
Interesting... Mind altering because we live in a "bubble" or could it be that perhaps for most drug users it's a form of escape from their reality? We associate drug users widely as "drop outs" or lesser people in the lovely society chain, (or celebs!) however I personally know drug users from all walks of life, taking all sorts of drugs. As far as I can see they all do it for that reason, to "let go2 often to get the well earned release from a days work. Whether it be” hard" or "soft" drugs, I agree with you, the reason they are controversial is only because they are illegality should never be overlooked, like you said, the effects of drugs chain, often coming from poverty stricken countries, the people harvesting them usually grossly underpaid (like for example many other legal trades such as coffee production)

http://www.globaleye.org.uk/secondary_autumn04/oncamera/index.html

I suppose my stance on this subject, like many others is each to their own and everything in moderation. It seems quite simple if you eat too much cake you will get fat and expose yourself to all manor of health problems, same if you smoke (cigarettes or cannabis) and if you do too much or any drug you will become addicted and as we are very aware that is never a good thing. So many laws are there to protect us, but let’s face it not all are good, perhaps protecting us from the evils of alcohol would be worth a try?
fact * I literally whilst writing this just heard on the local news that woman being arrested for being drunk and disorderly has risen by 50% in the last five years. The most effected area being the West midlands, the woman interviewed was from Wolverhampton. Perhaps some calming alternatives to anger fueled booze might be a good idea for her?

Bad Comedians blog

Bad Comedians blog

I thoroughly enjoyed this lecture, I found although perhaps not the most informative, achingly honest. After all surely that what it’s all about? It seems today that is our only way of self expression, through Humour, Irony, Sarcasm; they are now all so common place. We all accept the inherent need for laughter, yet when it come s down to the nitty gritty Our political policies forbid us from using so many political terms and phrases . For example using phrases as simple as “a youth” when describing the little terror that’s vandalising your local neighbourhood. Our government require us to refer to him/her as a “ner do well”
Now surely that is the government having a joke with us? Right?
Oh right they actually mean that one as well.
Getting back to the lecture, I’m personally pro bad comedians, it frankly amazes me that we live in a world that actively condones violence in the shape of war, but also wants us to “not say any bad thing about anyone in case they get upset”!! What kind of craziness is that? If we were led by example in that way we wouldn’t make fun of people using words, make jokes about their colour or religion (and I must point out at this point as so well highlighted in the lecture, anyone that thinks they belong to some kind of group that is the butt of these age old jokes should now see that the blonde jokes can easily be substitute for the black jokes, fat jokes, anybody jokes) we would just get straight down to some violence

Here is a link to the guardian article when Bernard manning died, its interesting how tame they have been in laying into him now he has passed
away, its just honest but having read some reveiws about him.........http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2007/jun/19/theatrenews.theatre

reply to Oli again.

Emma Skipp said...
Can I please Borrow that book now you have read it and you have become enlightened?!I find it quite hard to imagine feeling that way about infidelity, whilst I understand why people do it, I don’t weather I could ever personally condone it.(She said whilst sat polishing her Halo)
28 April 2008 20:51

Response to Oli Kendal's Bad Commedians

Emma Skipp said...
Emma Skipp said... Hello Oli,Well I must say what an entertaining blog this one is (not that your others are not) It made me laugh out loud on several occasions. I particularly agree with your statement about taking ourselves too seriously, we do! Why is that? its almost like some kind of "Humankind brainwashing system" encouraging us throughout our lives to achieve, achieve achieve, and all things must be done to better ourselves, but only through discipline and fear of underachieving1 there should be so much more emphasis in the education system about joy, happiness, and fulfilment to quote your good self we do live in a "sterilised social environment" and frankly its fast becoming extremely dull.Its so funny, I have just started to type out a reasonably offensive joke for you and not only have I stopped, I have erased it too because I don’t want anyone leaving abuse on your blog (so Ill put it on mine Because I really don't care)The way I see it is, there is a line with most things, the trick is knowing when you have gone too far, and what your saying has no sense of humour at all, that is when it just becomes offensive, however, should you just be telling jokes (telling, not physically carrying them out)and toys start coming out of the pram so to speak ,it would become apparent to me that the person who is upset by a joke is probably someone I’m not interested in befriending anyway!Basically what I’m saying is, I realise people have differing opinions of "where the line is" but ultimately if we didn’t live in the politically crazy society we do it would never have been seen as a problem in the first place.Humour is grossly under- used in our world of madness, I think we should start a movement of introducing extreme laughter to a stranger everyday.. Wonder what the effects would be?Em x
28 April 2008 20:34

Infidelity

Blog 2 07/02/08

Infidelity

An act of infidelity is when the mutually agreed rules (monogamy) of a relationship are abused.

On a very serious note I was interested to find just how many websites there are dedicated to helping people who have been a victim of infidelity.

www.infidelity.com

These type of sites are plentiful, and cover everything from looking for the signs to survival.

Another webpage I came across , was an observer article written by Pamela Druckerman. It has some facinating statistics... Ill share a few with you here, then set yourself half hour or so aside to follow the link, the article is fairly lengthy.

*The Japanese dont count infidelity, if they have paid for it!

*extreemly islamic indonesian woman have affairs for exactly the same reason we hear of western marriges all the time, "my husband doesnt listen to me etc..."

*On average the British cheat more than Americans, and the French.

When we talk about infidelity, most of us quickly associate it with having an affair or liaison with someone who is not their partner; however I found the following to be quite interesting and thought I would share it with you.
Infidelity describes the act of breaching some kind of contract; it is not always dependant on sexual behaviour.
.
What about emotional infidelity, which then raises the question about religion. Religion as we are all aware is based on faith, the same as a marriage or partnership is, what happens when someone of faith begins to doubt? Or perhaps starts researching other, perhaps more convenient religions, or only “loosely” follows what their religion dictates until it doesn’t suit them? Are they cheating in the same way? Just because their faith in a God does not appear as a physical person does in a relationship, they wouldn’t, for example ever have to try and cover their tracks and lie to someone face, is there really any differences?

Please indulge me with your thoughts……….

Annette Lawson is the story of adultery gendered?

During the lecture session we read through the above and discussed, in groups if we agreed with her or not. She suggests that woman who cheat can become “empowered” and even choose the life she wishes to lead by wisely picking educated and/or wealthy men.

Umm I found myself thinking, it all sounded like she may have, herself been in a troubled marriage, it seemed to be written in a very subjective manor.
She almost glorified the act of adultery, but then how could you write about such a subject in any depth without first having experienced it?

From a different point of view I can see that if you were that type of person, * (and I will elaborate on what I believe that type of person is), and you were able to either A) have casual extra marital affairs at no emotional cost or B) Choose a partner entirely based on his wallet or position of power (and have no emotional needs) then her theory would actually be very useful.

* “That type of person: One with little or no morals, one who also has no real need for emotional attachment or stability. One who can systematically lie with no feelings of guilt or betrayal towards her unsuspecting partner.

What struck me the most during this lecture is what she suggests is really not about improving your quality of life, rather more lowering your standards and becoming lazy, we now live in an equal rights society, if a woman really wants something she can get it just the same way as a man would, for example if a woman wants a position of power that allows her to travel she can just as well get one as any man could.

So all in all I don’t think what Lawson is telling us has any real use in today’s society, unless of course you are “one of those people”.

Blog 1 Bad things you did 12/03/08

Blog 1
12/03/08 (uploaded 26/03/08)

Bad things you did

Although I couldn’t attend this lecture I had a wonderful time reading the confessions of the group on wolf. It’s fair to say however, it was much as I expected, with perhaps the exception of the violence aimed at animals.
I have decided as I wasn’t present at the lecture that I will be brave and wave my anonymity, not as a full blown confession, but put more simply (for me at least) I will tell you all, from the confessional list, what I have not done:

I have never beaten an animal, accepted cash for sex or, anything of a sexual nature, committed arson or attempted murder.

I will leave the rest open for your dirty little imaginations ( I’ve also been arrested once this year and don’t want any hard incriminating evidence published online!)

I found it was very interesting going to the next lecture after reading all of the confessions, I found myself looking around the lecture theatre trying to put faces to the crimes. I think I may have been right in some cases to.


Here is an interesting link, as this is an online journal this site is by a woman who is confessions to the bad “online” things/mistakes she has made… quite funny, similar to when you text the wrong person something highly inappropriate.


http://molly.com/2007/04/07/stupid-things-youve-done-online/

In response to Helen Calcutt masturbation...

Emma Skipp said...
Lady Helen,Very interesting article you found there... ummm I'm also not quite sure what to make of it, I kind of agree that there is an obvoius shift in hatred towards "masturbaters" onto homosexuals. Could it not be said that, and excuse the crudeness but the subject must allow it, that homosexuals, particularly woman (I imagine!) are actually masturbating together?!, if there is no penatrative sex involving a penis?Food for thought .
06 March 2008 12:20

Response to Oli's "Selfless acts"

Emma Skipp said...
Oliver......I have been reading you blog , and what a gem it is! , however I must admit I found this particular article the most poignant, I think you have made a very interesting point, perhaps some other things need to be considered? Firstly as you said you were at work, had you not assisted the disabled folk you may well have got in trouble, or even sacked in the crazy politically correct world in which we live, but you were at work and thus helping anyone is your role . However I do see your point quite clearly, had you for example noticed a disabled person struggling to get through a door at uni, they were, lets say ten feet away from you and you were aware of other people being closer, do you A) Hold out for someone else to help (and hope no one noticed you watching and waiting) or B) Run to their aid immediately, having no prior thought of it was or was not the right thing to do.I could go on and on about this But I wont bore you for too much longer, what I’m saying is this, I personally believe its very dependant on the individual, if they are by nature a truly more selfless person, and of course ye old upbringing has a large influence in how we respond to that type of situation.When I left school I worked in a nursing home, a paid job I must point out, but not well paid and clearly not a job that everyone could do or would want to. Did I choose that job because I felt I was helping people less fortunate than me? Or because on some level it would make me feel good about myself? I suppose I better go and think about that!Em x
06 March 2008 12:33

Bad blog number 1

My suggestion for a field trip is Stone Henge. It is a very selfish suggestion as I want to go there and I have never been, although I realise Its not really a "bad" place to go, perhaps we could go on summers soltace and run around naked and stoned?
It was a suggestion right? http://www.stonehenge.co.uk/

Or what about Amsterdam? Again very selfish, I have not been and wouldd like to, and thats far more inkeeping with the being bad theme. We could go and watch one of these famous sex shows, and drink crazy mushroom tea, I imagine thats pretty bad.