Final Blog

Age? 18

Sex? Male

What is your degree subject (both if joint)? Creative and professional writing with media and comms

Does ‘Being Bad’ relate well to the other modules you are taking? Yes, especially the Writing side of my course.
If so, how? And if not, why not? The stories and novels read in lectures very often have acts of 'being bad'

Have you found ‘Being Bad’ too demanding, too easy, or at an appropriate level? I think it maintained an appropriate level.

Do you think the list of topics covered on the module was appropriate? The topics that were covered related to the concept of being bad.

Are there any topics not included in the module that you would like to see included? racism

Do you think that the format for classes has worked well? Yes, the changing of lecturers each week was a good idea.

What did you think of the module team? Each lecturer brought their own style and I think it combined well.

Do you think it would have been better to have had more:
Small group discussions? Yes, definately
Discussion and debate among the class as a whole?
Information and talk from lecturers?

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? Yes, because they are all key modules for anyone taking being bad, as well as relating to many aspects of being bad.

Do you think that interdisciplinary modules are a good idea? Yes

Do you think you have benefited from the interdisciplinary approach taken in the module? Yes

Would you like to see more modules that cover this kind of subject matter? Yes

Are you planning to take the follow-up module PH2004 ‘It Shouldn’t Be Allowed’ at level 2? Yes

Would you recommend ‘Being Bad’ to a friend? Yes

Do you think that the blogs (web logs) were a good idea?Yes they worked well.

What did you think of the other assessments (e.g. would it be better to have one longer assessment rather than two shorter ones?)? yes

What have you learned from the module? Being bad is not just the obvious choices, but things like masturbation can also be seen as being bad.

What parts of the module have you found most useful and why? weblogs, because it gave me the chance to really explore my ideas

What parts do you think were a waste of time and why? I think being too religious was a dissapointing topic.

Are there any other comments you wish to make regarding ‘Being Bad’?

Holy water- Alcohol

'Holy Water' as we call it in Dublin, Alcohol has been the fuel to many nights out all across the world. Parties, Football matches, BBQ's all the way to wakes, alcohol is consumened. It is deep in our culture to drink alcohol and enjoy ourselves, although after one too many that is not always the case.

I think that alcohol is not a problem, until people start to take its use out of context. It should be used for celebration or to enjoy yourself with friends. Not to abuse to ignore problems, or solve others.

Body Modification

This topic Interested and suprised me in the lecture. When I hear 'body modification' the obvious thing that comes to mind is tattoos, not things like going to the gym etc. As a gym member I enjoy keeping in shape and looking after my body, although I do not think that it should fall into the catagory of body modification.

Tattoos are very popular is society, with piercings following behind. The rush of having your own body art can be very appealing to someone without, as it can be your personal mark for people to remember you by.

Body modification (or body alteration) is the permanent or semi-permanent altering of the human body for non-medical reasons, most often religious or aesthetic. It can range from the socially acceptable decoration (e.g., pierced ears on women in North American society), to religiously mandated (e.g., circumstision of Jewish male babies) to the rebellious (e.g., Nostril Piercing in punk subculture). Opponents of these practices argue that they are self-imposed disfigurement.

http://www.encyclopedian.com/bo/Body-modification.html

3rd comment-drugs, a natural high?

In reply to your blog about drugs, I agree with the point on the use of drugs. If red indians can have their use of drugs accepted, why can't anybody else? There should be no reason why society should 'allow' others to take substances and then say its wrong for others. On the other hand, I think that drugs will always be used and abused. We have used them for hundreds of years and I can't see it halting any time soon.

The use of cannibus is one society is usually split on when deciding is it ok to use. It was recently raised to a class b drug, which has come under severe scrutiny from users alike all around the country. Rules and methods of use will change, but the consumption of drugs in society will remain.

http://wildonwilde.blogspot.com/2008/04/drugs-natural-high.html

Gambling-The addiction

''Risking money or valuables in hopes of winning more than you're risking is gambling. Calling it a "friendly bet," or a "gentleman's bet," or saying "We're just making the game a little more interesting" does not alter the fact that it is still gambling.''

I think that gambling is definately an addiction, but at the same time I think that it can be excused because of no physical signs.

''Most all of us have sat around and fantasized about what we would do if we won the lottery or hit it big in Las Vegas. But for most of us, these fantasies remain fantasies. Perhaps we buy an occasional lottery ticket, but that's about it. And some people can gamble occasionally without it affecting their lives seriously.''

Addiction to gambling can be a very difficult one to beat, with casinos being built in most cities, you would find it hard to pass by in case of relapse. With more and more gambling sites set up online and on television, the dangers are there. I think the government did the correct thing in denying the massive casinos to be built around the country, as we have enough already.

http://www.utexas.edu/student/cmhc/booklets/gambling/gamb.html

Bullying

Bullying has lingered in schools around the country for hundreds of years, with 2008 being no acception. School play grounds can be the host to many tortured years for any student victim to bullying. As I was never bullied myself, I can imagine the stress of being afraid to walk to school being very bad. There has been adverts on television in regards to bullying made by anti-bullying groups as well as the government. Schools have they're own rules regarding the matter.

http://www.antibullying.net/adultsinschools.htm

It can also be found outside of the school yard, and with adults in workplaces or in their own home. Many companies have had bullying reported, with employees pushing co workers to resign, or even worse, fired.

http://www.safety-council.org/info/OSH/bullies.html

Lying With Integrity

Lying with integrity can cause many problems in a relationship. When your Girlfriend asks does that dress she just bought make her bum look big, what do you do? Say yes an hurt her feelings or lie and tell her it only enhances her already beautiful looks. Some of us lie without even putting effort, it just seems that lying can be a better option. I dont think it makes you a bad person if you lie for the benefit of someone else. It's once you start lying to gain for yourself that you must start to act.

There is always the question of lying, and being lied to, which was brought up in the lecture on lying with integrity. Obviously no one likes to be lied to, but it happens. Can you justify lying to someone and then reacting negatively when it turns out that you have been victim to a lie? The answer clearly has to be, NO.