Untitled

@kadywalkingdeadblog

21 posts

An argument

The last argument I had was with my sister, and it was about whether or not she took some of my clothes. It seems like we have this argument quite frequently, and it’s not like an angry argument. We usually just go back and forth saying things like “yes, you did!” and “no, I didn't!” you know, kid stuff. Until finally she admits she did and adds in some crazy explanation as to why she had to, and then I tell her don’t do it anymore and we move on. That is until two weeks later when she does it again and we fall back into this process once again.

How is this paper different?

As I started to write the draft for my final paper, I started realizing how similar it is to past papers I’ve written but also different at the same time. This paper is like multiple types rolled into one, those types being different papers I have written in the past. So, taking those skills I learned from writing those papers made it easier to sort of draw out how I was going to organize this one. But, it’s different because I haven't had to write one as long as this one has to be. Which makes me have to think harder on the aspect of covering a whole topic and explaining its different parts without being to wordy or repeating myself. After I complete this final paper, I’m pretty sure future papers will be a lot easier to complete.

Counterarguments:

My argument: If someone has an addiction or abuses alcohol/drugs, they have a higher chance of developing mental health issues like depression.

Counterarguments: 1. Drug/alcohol abuse, or addiction, and mental problems such as depression and anxiety do not coincide with each other. It’s just a situation of how a certain person previously acted on what develops later.

2. It’s more of the mental health issues leading to smaller instances that include alcohol or drug abuse, not that becoming addicted to alcohol later leads to developing a mental health problem.

To address these counterarguments I am going to use a lot of my research. I believe the second one doesn't really apply to my argument and paper. Only because, if my argument can be backed up and found to be a true statement then the second counterargument can most likely be too. It’s sort of a vice versa thing, if one causes the other then most likely the other can cause the one.

Reasons for thesis:

Thesis: We usually picture people with mental illnesses as having an obvious trigger/cause for their sickness. Some can be genetically immune, but can certain factors bring upon a mental problem? Factors like alcohol or drug abuse could easily be brought into this argument. Can alcohol/drugs lead to illnesses like depression? Is it a guarantee if you are addicted? Also, what about vice versa? With supporting factors like rehab options, the answer will be possible to uncover.

Choose reasons: First off, the idea is a very important topic in current news. This research will be able to possibly bring up new information. People probably also know a lot about this topic already, so I’ll be able to bring across a new side to the argument . Also, people that don't know anything about this and are also going through it will be able to see new evidence and recovery options.

Evidence: For reason one, I am going to include small parts of current headlines having to do with this topic and compare it to actual studies involving this idea. For reason two, I will be focusing on the rehab options idea. Different methods, the good and the bad, and overall effect on people. I’ll dig into these different rehab methods and possibly some actual tests that were done.

Appealing to the readers: This topic concerns more of the younger ages, so appealing more to the sensitive side will be able to connect with the audience more.

Paraphrasing Exercise

#3. (Paraphrased): Out of the total number of bicycle deaths each year, three-fourths of it is due to head injuries, and most of that is children. Facts show that a helmet can reduce head injury immensely because it absorbs the shock and protects the head. (”Bike Helmets” 348)

#4. (Paraphrased): Matisse is best at painting realistic pictures where the viewer can actually feel like they are present in the painting. In "The Casbah Gate", he is able to create a depiction of a well-known area that flows with unique colors and includes actual pieces of this landmark. He essentially creates a picture that people in the area can relate too.

#5.(Paraphrased): Even though there is already a skyscraper that will go down in history as being one of the tallest, architects are still trying to top it. Different engineers explore the question “ just how high can a building go?” by designing buildings that double the size of this existing one, and quadruple the number of floors.

Where would you draw the line?

There are a lot of situations where the question of self defense comes into play in TWD. Where is the line drawn between an act of self defense and an act of just plain murder? In most situations, people are killed because it is definitely self defense. But in other times, people are just scared and contemplate whether or not a certain person should be killed because they could end up being dangerous if they're not. So in my opinion, if you have no idea who a person is or what they have done, they shouldn't be killed. I'm not necessarily saying they should be let go, just not killed. But if you know who a person is, and know they have done terrible things like murder an innocent person, I do believe that person should be punished the same way they did this "terrible thing". And of course, if someone is coming at you with a knife you obviously have the right to pull out your knife as well and do what you have too.

6 steps to paraphrasing

1. Reread original paragraph until you fully understand it.

2. Set it aside and write your own rendition:

Alcohol essentially makes depression even more severe. Those who drink AND have depression face more difficult situations, like experiencing more dangerous depression episodes, contemplating suicide, and making it hard for antidepressants to work considering they won't mixed with alcohol.

3. Check your rendition to the original to see that your version includes all the originals information but in a new form.

Mine did include key information but in a way that was not plagiarizing.

4. Put quotation marks on certain words that are borrowed from the original source.

Alcohol essentially makes depression even more severe. Those who drink AND have depression face more difficult situations, like experiencing more dangerous depression “episodes”, contemplating “suicide”, and making it hard for “antidepressants” to work considering they won't, mixed with alcohol.

5. Record the source so you can credit it easily if you decide to use it in a paper.

http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/alcohol-and-depresssion

Source paragraph: Plagiarized and paraphrased

Original paragraph:

When you drink too much, you’re more likely to make bad decisions or act on impulse. As a result, you could drain your bank account, lose a job, or ruin a relationship. When that happens, you're more likely to feel down, particularly if your genes are wired for depression.

Paraphrased paragraph:

Your chances of making regrettable choices are much higher when you are intoxicated. You could not-intentionally lose your job and things in that nature. Afterwards, you will most likely feel confused, especially is you have a family history of depression.

“Plagiarized” paragraph:

When you have had too much to drink, you will most likely make bad decisions. Because of this, you could accidentally drain your bank account or lose a job. After that happens, you are more likely to feel upset, particularly if you have depression wired in your genes.

My Research Question

My current research question is, can using alcohol as a coping mechanism lead to dangers later on? Right now I believe that it can, if you relent to alcohol for big problems you will most likely start using it for simpler problems and then that could lead to issues like alcoholism. I am going to explore the smaller ideas within this topic like chances for different rehabs. So, with my current knowledge of this question my purpose statement is: People who discover that someone is relenting to alcohol for help with in-home problems, depression, etc. need to strongly offer taking on rehab to that person or if it is a loved one, take them yourself as soon as possible. Alcohol makes things worse for that person and the people around them, so taking care of the problem as soon as it appears can be very beneficial in the end.

Recent research projects

Up until now, my most recent research paper/project was last semester. We had to research our major and outline points like what you need to accomplish before getting an occupation with your major, different salaries, benefits, and things like that. We had to include a number of sources from different links like websites, books, and journals. I was able to learn a lot about my major by doing this paper/project, and I thought I had already known everything there is to know about it.

How much would you put up with?

In the third season, we are introduced to the town of Woodbury and the Governor. He has created a thriving town with a good amount of people, and they receive two more people who are able to experience the Governor’s twisted side, the side all of his townspeople don’t see. If it were me, I truly believe that if I saw this side of the Governor and I was living in a community that was run by him, I would do everything in power to leave. People who act like that get worse, and it’s only a couple of days or weeks ‘till everything crumbles and things get bad. I think I would sacrifice being out in the real world then being in there, even if I would be provided with all things they consider luxuries. My chances are better going out there and surviving for myself and possibly finding a different community, then staying behind just for the showers when I know a potentially psychotic man is calling the shots.

Changes on first draft

I decided to write my first paper on the effects of alcohol on a person who is in a new or constant harsh environment. I researched a little to get more of an idea of what I was going to be talking about, and figured out ways to tie it in with TWD. After re-reading my finished paper and also reading other people’s comments on it, I think I need narrow my topic down by opening it up if that makes any sense at all. TWD doesn’t have as much accounts with alcohol as I had previous thought and I was reminded that this will be an argumentative paper. So, I think I am going to change the topic to ways people in those types of environments escape from them. Which will include alcohol, but I will also be able to talk about other ways people escape from reality like huge personality changes, and totally cutting off the outside world and pretending it doesn't exist. These situations will make it easier to make more ties to TWD. The question I’ll use to research is, if people should be able to allow to do this.

“What’s right is what keeps us alive.”

Shane speaks these words when he discusses Randall’s situation with Rick. He believes he needs to be killed because of his knowledge of the group’s location and the possible danger he could bring back with him if he is released. Eventually when the whole group is discussing this issue, Dale seems to be the only one on “humanity’s” side and everyone else believes he should be executed, that is until one more person is convinced to spare him. But that’s just one person, so majority rules and it’s decided. I think for me, this would be a very very hard decision. There’s points to both sides, he COULD bring back his dangerous men and end up pretty much killing them all if they released him. And killing him would prevent him from doing that. But there is also a chance he may not do that all, and they could end up slaughtering a human being for no reason. I think they act to soon, I would have given him more time to talk. Maybe use some ideas that Lori and some others said like putting him to work, making him help out around their camp. So, I think after more time the group would feel more confident in their decision.

Looping for paper

A different topic I am interested in is the idea of trust. When you have no problem trusting someone quickly, and then end up being let down time after time with people not keeping their word or turning out to be someone totally different, it’s pretty understandable when you stop trusting people no matter what they say. Obviously, this is a huge red flag in The Walking Dead series. The group comes across many different groups of people where it takes a lot, and I mean A LOT, to gain their trust especially Rick’s. So the question is, is it reasonable to not trust someone right away even if they're promising you great things because you have been let down so many times?

Brainstorming for paper

I am personally interested in the topic of how alcohol can affect a person’s mind in certain situations because I knew someone who's parent would rely on alcohol to relieve stress and somehow “take away the pain”, when really it just made everything worse and endangered the lives of everyone around them. It is a common thing to hear and see people use alcohol to be there go-to pain relief, and in The Walking Dead series this is brought up multiple times. But the major character that deals with this struggle is Bob, who seems to be a recovering alcoholic when the group finds him. We watch him carefully stare at many bottles of liquor he stumbles upon, where he seems to be having a conversation in his head with the “angel and devil on his shoulders”. This and a couple other examples can back this statement up.

Would you keep going?

Many characters in TWD face the question “is it all worth it?” and near the end of season two Lori feels it at a strong point. First, Carl is shot in a hunting accident, but survives, and then she finds out she’s pregnant. She is able to receive “the morning after pill” and engulfs some but ends up throwing them up. As she talks to Rick about this she plainly states that how in the world could they raise a baby in the world’s condition when they aren't even able to protect the son they already have. Rick thinks the complete opposite and believes that baby still deserves a chance. But the real question is, is there still enough beautiful left in the world to hold? The situation where Carl is shot is when he is approaching a deer in the woods and is totally astonished by it, and is as soon as he recovers from his injury that’s the first thing he says, how beautiful the deer was. If a child is still able to appreciate the life that still exists, anyone can. Nobody knows what the future holds, and to not give another human a chance just because you're scared of what it could do to YOU is not a good choice. Everyone still has a reason to live, like family and the little things like an animal. So taking the life of yourself or anyone else is giving up.

Do you keep looking?

The needs of the many vs. the needs of the few. That’s what it comes to when the group searches for young Sophia who is scared of by walkers. Do you stop looking because at that moment in time you're ultimately just searching for a corpse? Or do you not stop until you find her, whether it be dead or alive, because she is someones family and is a human let alone a child. In my opinion you do continue. It shouldn't matter whether you think she is most likely dead or not, you look until you find her. Can you imagine going on for the rest of your life not knowing where she was or what had become of her? That would be on you and everyone else that chose to give up on her. And it would be the same for any other person of any other age. That’s a person and that is someone’s family, and you would want someone to do it for you too.

Untitled @kadywalkingdeadblog - Tumblr Blog | Tumgag