So Do We Think?

Here is a link to Seth Godin's "Brainwashed:" http://changethis.com/manifesto/66.01.Brainwashed/pdf/66.01.Brainwashed.pdf

Within this, Seth Godin describes several layers to reinventing yourself. One of these layers, acknowledging the lizard, states that in the back of our brains lies a "prehistoric lizard brain stem." It is this that prevents us from being as artistic and creative as we possibly can be, because the brain stem is what makes us afraid of being rejected, laughed at, ridiculed for what we are doing or what we have done. So, what Godin suggests is that we confront this fear, and we do what it is that needs to be done in spite of it. Another layer, which he calls "Ship" refers back to acknowledging the lizard. "Ship" asks a person to be a "shipper," or a person who ships. A person who gets things done, who is able to deliver, who is willing to deliver with the threat of ridicule. The  layer that ties it all together, acording to Godin, is the ability to "Learn". To "Learn" is pretty self-explanitory: Don't take the other layers for granted and learn from your experiences.

Overall, our blogs do pretty well to exemplify Godin's model of reinventing oneself. With these blogs, we're sort of forced to acknowledge, yet ignore the lizard, to learn from what it is that we're doing, what it is that we're thinking, and also to ship and deliver. It's sort of getting us ready for our eventual first steps into the media industry. It helps us to better find our niche, and to refine our skills in each area. Also, putting it into a blog on the Internet gives us a pretty nice set point of reference as we more grow into our major. It gives us a place to look back to to see how we've grown or to reference if we need inspiration or aid on something in the future. All in all, it's a pretty good idea.

But, this is not to say this method is not without problems. If a person already has an idea of what it is that goes into the various means of Media production might find this a bit redundant or even unnecessary. I did personally find some of the assignments to be a bit unnecessary, and as more of an "Application" assignment as opposed to a learning and growth situatuion, which does not promote growth as a student, much less a media student. I didn't particularly find myself challenged, or pushed, or with a slight bit of discomfort which I feel should come with a student's assignments to promote growth, at least not with the assigment itself but more its deadline or word count requirement, such as having to write 400-500 words evaluating the assignments of this quarter.

But then I find myself at another impassible junction. If not these blogs, then what? What could take the place of this weekly assignment to better promote growth? Perhaps, I submit, we could be given a choice of roughly 30 or 40 blog topics at the beginning of the quarter, covering all sorts of creative media topics; from game design to storyboarding to animation even. After providing these topics, require students to complete three of these blogs of their choice by each three or four week benchmark until they've turned in ten or so. Yes, students are going to turn in 10 blogs that to them are the easiest they can slink by with, but that's the point. Most students are going to turn in the blogs that speak easily to them, and it will lead them more into their desired field of production. I feel this manner of assessment and application would better lead to growth and expansion of the mind.