Rebuttal Rewrite — Holistic25

Posted on April 7, 2024 by holistic25

A Slow Death

Nothing short of disturbing, the memory foam mattress industry continues to dodge concerns about the safety of their own products. Recently, in 2021, a class action lawsuit occurred as the safety of Zinus’ products came into question. Specifically, fiberglass, an invasive material in their ‘bed in the box’ product, deserves second thought. This culprit known as fiberglass possesses a plastic texture and appearance coupled with the strength of glass deemed for its fire-resistant capabilities. Remiss in its practicality for bed usage during its manufacturing process, the class action lawsuit claimed families spent an average of $15,000 to remove all fiberglass. A victim described the experience as having “dust settle everywhere… only it was glass” with complications of itching and coughing, ultimately the side effects becoming so debilitating that the family lived in a hotel until all fiberglass was removed from the home. Another family spent “tens of thousands tens of dollars in property damage and spent more than $20,000 for professional remediation services after buying a Zinus memory foam mattress.” As it stands, Zinus’ product, their queen sized ‘Green Tea’ memory foam mattress, attracts more than 130,000 viewers, rated at 4.4 out of 5 stars, and trades at approximately $310 on Amazon.

Rather than take onus regarding the health concerns of their product(s), Zinus deflected blame on the consumers. Zinus believes consumers time after time damage the outer cover without heeding to the products labels, leading to fiberglass disbursement in the home. Furthermore, a statement from Zinus reads “The material that we use to comply with fire safety regulations is standard in the mattress industry, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission has found that this material is not considered hazardous.” To self purport this toxic material as standard across the industry epitomizes the fallacy in a world with an increasing reliance on low-cost material.

Unfortunately, petroleum products don’t follow the sentiment of our legal system, ‘innocent until proven guilty.’ Zinus defends their use of fiberglass and other petroleum based products in this disparaging manner. Since memory foam has become the staple of the industry in the modern era, the 2015 report published by the EPA clearly needs more light drawn to it. The 800 page report documents how flame retardants in polyurethane foams derails human health, leading to a slew of symptoms such as those associated with the respiratory system, immune system, eyes and skin. To the inconvenience of the industry’s best selling polyurethane foam, the EPA’s report found flame retardants increase the odds of developing cancer and neurobehavioral disorders, like autism. The phenomenon of adolescents developing neurobehavioral disorders at alarming rates remains prevalent in modern society, and a vast majority of the burden can be placed on petrochemicals and industry’s increasing reliance on them to make a wider margin of profit. Undoubtedly, the usage of petrochemicals in our bedding necessitates a more serious approach in lieu of the EPA’s report nearly a decade ago.

A miniscule 5-10% of cancers come from genetics, thus our environment cannot be overlooked. Our environment remains the difference between health and disease. Our indoor environment is 10-100 times more toxic than the air outside, leading to more chemicals coming into contact with our skin and lungs. A natural solution to this toxic indoor environment comes in the form of substituting a memory foam mattress for a natural rubber organic mattress. Walter Bader, author of Toxic Bedrooms, attests that a natural rubber organic mattress produces 95% less chemical emissions than its counterpart, memory foam. Resorting to material that has roamed our world since the dawn of time, rubber comes from the sap of trees, and has advantageous properties such as elasticity and strength. Unfortunately, most people consume an industrialized, highly processed version, but let it be known that natural rubber exists in a non-toxic form from the very trees of this earth.

Proponents of petrochemical based items, such as memory foam mattresses argue there’s no adequate alternative. This myth couldn’t possibly be further from the truth. In addition to the natural rubber organic mattress previously mentioned, options include pure organic wool and certified organic cotton. Independent third party testing ensures delivery on the promise of top tier ingredients. These methods also stray from dyes, which when added to a product in a synthetic manner, promote symptoms such as difficulty breathing and burning sensations to the eyes and throat.

Approximately 2,000 new chemicals get introduced to our environment on a yearly basis, yet the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reviews only a minimum of 20 of those chemicals at a time, having a seven year deadline, resulting in industry having a cushion of five years to account for banning carcinogenic chemicals. Given the extensive timeframe the EPA has to evaluate such chemicals and make proper adjustments, this entire process exudes superficialness. No urgency in the process, and in the meanwhile, our livers are asked to detoxify at rates they have never before, straying away from homeostatic principles the human body thrives on.

This generation marks the first of its kind, one that will not outlive its previous generation. For quite some time now, scientists have elongated life spans through chemical means, but even the brightest minds cannot outsmart biology. Man made interventions take us only so far.

Our current system puts band aids on bullet holes. Symptomatic people get ignored. Interventions, guidelines, and policies only surface at the sight of an emergency. Our toxic laden world has become so normalized that it has drowned out the noise of our own common sense. Feeble leadership at the helm of petrochemical industries has promoted distrust and confusion, straying away from core business tenets such as integrity, responsibility, and transparency. Malfeasance will always concern the hierarchies, creating the need to vote with our dollar on an individual basis to enact change to move away from petrochemicals and back to our natural environment consisting of natural material, free from pesticide usage.

References

Doost, A. (2021). Texas families warn of possible bed-in-the-box mattress risks; class action lawsuit filed.https://www.kxan.com/investigations/texas-families-warn-of-possible-bed-in-the-box-mattress-risks-class-action-lawsuit-filed/

Fiberglass – A material guide | types, benefits, uses. Retrieved Apr 14, 2024, from https://www.vpcfiberglass.com/resources/why-fiberglass/

Petrochemical | industrial, manufacturing & energy applications | britannica. Retrieved Apr 14, 2024, from https://www.britannica.com/science/petrochemical

Revelation 19:8 – verse-by-verse bible commentary. Retrieved Apr 14, 2024, from https://www.studylight.org/commentary/revelation/19-8.html

TMHS 455: The surprising truth about cancer, carcinogens, & community – with guest dr. christian gonzalez (2021). (The Model Health Show Trans.).

Posted in Holistic, Portfolio—Holistic, Rebuttal Rewrite | 5 Comments

Rebuttal — Holistic25

Posted on April 7, 2024 by holistic25

A Slow Death

Adversaries claim the science is limited. Adversaries claim correlation does not equal causation, that testing petrochemicals under a microscope for their toxicity doesn’t equate to disease. These adversary claims are simply distractions to the ensuing consequences of petrochemicals in our environment. Assessing petrochemicals necessitates a multifactor approach similar to that of the ecosystem.

Approximately 2,000 new chemicals get introduced to our environment on a yearly basis, yet the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) only reviews a minimum of 20 of those chemicals at a time, having a seven-year deadline, resulting in industry having a cushion of five years to comply with these standards. Given the extensive timeframe the EPA has to evaluate such chemicals and make proper adjustments, this entire process exudes superficialness. No urgency in the process, and in the meanwhile, our livers are asked to detoxify at rates it has never before, straying away from homeostatic principles the human body strives on.

Consumers often have a distorted view regarding petrochemicals. No matter how health conscious an individual, petrochemicals find their way into blood samples. The abundance of petrochemicals in our environment, and how easily the body takes them in, consumers often underestimate. The most obvious form, food, is just one mechanism of ingestion. Our skin, often remiss in the conversation, is the overlooked mechanism and perhaps even more potent because of its ability to enter the bloodstream without any barriers. The ideology that our skin eats has only reached worldwide attention in recent years. Skin care products, shampoos, acne solutions have resulted in billions of dollars of profit for the skin care industry yet manufacturers are gradually being asked to revoke their products or re-evaluate their formula because of the carcinogens in their products. In the year of 2020, 30 products were recalled in the category of beauty and personal care products. The process of assessing unevaluated chemicals once they’ve already been in the market for years seems quite counterintuitive. We are the test subjects to a wicked experiment.

A miniscule 5-10% of cancers come from genetics, thus our environment cannot not be overlooked. Our environment is the difference between health and disease. Our indoor environment is 10-100 times more toxic than the air outside, leading to more chemicals coming into contact with our skin and lungs. A natural solution to this toxic indoor environment comes in the form of substituting a memory foam mattress for a natural rubber organic mattress. Walter Bader, author of Toxic Bedrooms, attests that a natural rubber organic mattress produces 95% less chemical emissions than its counterpart, memory foam. Resorting to material that has roamed our world since the dawn of time, rubber comes from the sap of trees, and has advantageous properties such as elasticity and strength. Unfortunately, most people consume an industrialized, highly processed version, but let it be known that natural rubber exists in a non-toxic form from the very trees of this earth.

Proponents of petrochemical based items, such as memory foam mattresses argue there’s no adequate alternative. This myth couldn’t possibly be further from the truth. In addition to the natural rubber organic mattress previously mentioned, options include pure organic wool and certified organic cotton. Independent third party testing ensures delivery on the promise of top tier ingredients. These methods also stray from dyes, which when added to a product in a synthetic manner, promote symptoms such as difficulty breathing and burning sensations to the eyes and throat.

To combat an increasingly toxic world, several things need to take place to fend off the ill effects of petrochemicals. More toxicity in our environment produces a void only antioxidants can combat, thus an increasing petrochemical world requires substantial amounts of antioxidants in our diet. Antioxidants, obtained from food, fight off the free radicals that wreak havoc on our DNA. But with an ever increasing reliance on industrialization processes, even an ordinary grocery store trip will result in unknown chemicals that we call ‘food’ find its way into our mouths. To avoid even going down the rabbit hole of naming foreign petrochemicals, analyzing what part of the body they wreak havoc on, the prevailing sentiment remains that petrochemicals pose a hazardous health risk to our health.

This generation marks the first of its kind, one that will not outlive its previous generation. For quite some time now, scientists have elongated life spans through chemical means, but our mental fortitude, even from the brightest of humanity, cannot outsmart biology. Man made interventions can only take us so far.

Certainly, a degree of exposure can be had to the toxic effects petrochemicals pose. Simply because sleeping on a memory foam mattress does not evoke instant death by no means eliminates the ensuing effects they have on our respiratory tract, or skin. Our current environment has produced 80,000 new chemicals in the last 100 years alone. In that time span, chronic illnesses have skyrocketed. In order to make substantial change, a more suitable approach in combating this petrochemical world lies in acknowledging the increasing prevalence of petrochemicals in our environment, rather than dissecting individual petrochemicals. Countless individual petrochemicals get vilified in this modern era, but the take home message appears misaligned with healthful intentions. To check the box off year after year banning a certain amount of petrochemicals only makes a dent in this dilemma. At the rate petrochemicals appear in our environment, a ban needs to be placed on all petrochemicals, starting with the ones found in our mattresses, sheets, and food.

Our current system puts bandaids on bullet holes. Symptomatic people get ignored. Interventions, guidelines, and policies only surface at the sight of an emergency. Our toxic laden world has become so normalized that it has drowned out the noise of our own common sense. Malfeasance will always concern the hierarchies, creating the need to vote with our dollar on an individual basis to enact change to move away from petrochemicals and back to our natural environment consisting of natural material free from pesticide usage.

References

TMHS 455: The Surprising Truth About Cancer, Carcinogens, & Community – With Guest Dr. Christian Gonzalez – The Model Health Show

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/it-could-take-centuries-for-epa-to-test-all-the-unregulated-chemicals-under-a-new-landmark-bill

Product recalls in the United States – Statistics & Facts | Statista

Posted in Holistic, Portfolio—Holistic, Rebuttal | Leave a comment

Rebuttal Rewrite – Ilovemydog

Posted on April 7, 2024 by ilovemydog

Exposing Modern Activism in Music

Today’s activist musicians have abandoned the protest anthem in favor of social media campaigns. The “golden era” of rock music, consisted of artists using their music as a potent tool for rebellion and societal reform, leaving a mark on the cultural landscape. However, as music continued to develop the activism that once came with rock music has waned in the modern era. Now fewer artists, to almost none, use their platforms for social change and activism. But some may not agree with this. People out there may believe that musicians have continued to remain engaged in activism through evolved methods.  

To them, the spirit of activism remains strong within the music they listen to and the creators of their favorite songs. According to The Fox Magazine, “Vic Mensa…is giving back to his roots by using his platform to address the lack of fresh water in parts of Ghana.” While Mensa is speaking out for the people of Ghana, he is doing so through his platform. Since the “golden era” of rock consisted of artists using their music as a direct vehicle for social commentary, this approach represents a departure from tradition. While many modern artists continue to use their social media platforms to advocate for social justice and amplify the voices of those who cannot be heard, there is a noticeable stray from the when artists sang about the problems they wanted to highlight and proclaimed hopes for societal change through their music. Instead, activism has taken on new forms, with artists using their influence and platforms to address issues outside of their music. In this case, Mensa’s advocacy for the people of Ghana serves as an example of this evolving approach to activism within the music industry. 

Social media is a major outlet for modern musicians to use their voices, but some even take it on stage to live audiences. At the 2024 Grammys, Phoebe Bridgers of the band ‘Boygenius’ spoke out against the former CEO of the Grammys. In the article, by x96 news, the author says, “Not only did Bridgers criticize… she also highlighted the sexual assault allegations Portnow faces, bluntly telling him to “rot in piss.” This example illustrates how performers are increasingly using awards stages to use against individuals, but often fail to address the same issues in their music. While Bridgers’ onstage protest is a powerful form of activism, it differs from the tradition of artists using their music to speak about social injustices or abuses.  

However, upon closer examination, the assertion crumbles. While it may be true that a lot of modern musicians use their platforms to talk about the issues that are now present in the modern world, the depth that these artists go to with their engagements is not enough in comparison to the revolutionary changes that were witnessed during the “golden era” of rock. Activism today often feels performative or done for personal gain rather than the raw energy and commitments that helped characterize the protests of the past. For example, in 2020 when the Black Lives Matter movement was at its peak, a lot of celebrities took to their social media to speak out. Amongst these celebrities were a handful of modern musicians. In an article, by The Epitaph, some of these musicians are listed, including but not limited to “…Katy Perry, Britney Spears, Drake…” These three musicians participated in something that was called “black out Tuesday.” It was a trending hashtag across multiple platforms where people would post a black square. For this movement, the black square did nothing. It was all performative.  

Much of the “golden era” was spent influencing supporters to help make changes in the society that everyone lived in. Music was the main contender and it spoke to the listeners. Musicians cared what they were writing about and told their followers to make a difference in the world they lived in. For example, there were a lot of the “protest anthems” during the time of the Vietnam War. Many did not know what the war was about or how it was being approached, but music made that much of a difference. People listened and understood that it was not something they approved of. One major example out of many is, John Lennon’s “Give Peace a Chance.” He had a major following and released this to speak to his audience.  

The debate surrounding performative activism in the music industry is complex and multifaceted. While some modern musicians have been applauded and appreciated for their genuine concern and commitment to social justice causes and their impactful activism, others have faced criticism for engaging in performative gestures that prioritize publicity over genuine advocacy. Overall, the “golden era” of rock is what had major effects on the social injustices surrounding the world.  

References

Garn, T. (2024, February 15). Boygenius dismantles industry misogynist at Grammys. X96.

Penalosa, D. (n.d.). Performative activism does more harm than good. The Epitaph.

Smith, C. (2023, February 10). 4 modern day artists who use their music to speak on real-world issues. The Fox Magazine.

Posted in ILoveMyDog, Portfolio—ILoveMyDog, Rebuttal Rewrite | 6 Comments

Rebuttal Argument – Ilovemydog

Posted on April 7, 2024 by ilovemydog

Exposing Modern Activism in Music

The “golden era” of rock music, consisted of artists using their music as a potent tool for rebellion and societal reform, leaving a mark on the cultural landscape. However, as music continued to develop the activism that once came with rock music has waned in the modern era. Now fewer artists, to almost none, use their platforms for social change and activism. But some people may not agree with this. There are people out there who believe that musicians have continued to remain engaged in activism through evolved methods.  

To these people, the spirit of activism remains strong within the music they listen to and the creators of their favorite songs. Mostly through the creators or their favorite songs as activism is now mostly seen through social media campaigns rather than protest anthems. According to The Fox Magazine, “Vic Mensa…is giving back to his roots by using his platform to address the lack of fresh water in parts of Ghana.” While Mensa is speaking out for the people of Ghana, he is doing this through his platform. Since the “golden era” of rock consisted of people speaking through their music, this is something different to see. Now a lot of artists continue to use their social media platforms to not only speak up, but to light a path for the people who are voiceless in society. In this case, it is the people of Ghana.  

Social media is a major outlet for modern musicians to use their voices, but some even take it on stage to live audiences. At the 2024 Grammys, Phoebe Bridgers of the band ‘Boygenius’ spoke out against the former CEO of the Grammys. In the article, by x96 news, the author says, “Not only did Bridgers criticize… she also highlighted the sexual assault allegations Portnow faces, bluntly telling him to “rot in piss.” Heavy with implications, this response underscores a fierce stance against sexism within Boygenius.” Bridgers speaking out onstage was shocking to most as it was the Grammys, but she was applauded over her efforts to speak up for the people who again, do not have the voice, power, or opportunity to do so.  

However, upon closer examination, the assertion crumbles. While it may be true that a lot of modern musicians use their platforms to talk about the issues that are now present in the modern world, the depth that these artists go to with their engagements is not enough in comparison to the revolutionary changes that were witnessed during the “golden era” of rock. Activism today often feels performative or done for personal gain rather than the raw energy and commitments that helped characterize the protests of the past. For example, in 2020 when the Black Lives Matter movement was at its peak, a lot of celebrities took to their social media to speak out. Amongst these celebrities were a handful of modern musicians. In an article, by The Epitaph, some of these musicians are listed, including but not limited to “…Katy Perry, Britney Spears, Drake…” These three musicians participated in something that was called “black out Tuesday.” It was a trending hashtag across multiple platforms where people would post a black square. For this movement, the black square did nothing. It was all performative.  

Much of the “golden era” was spent influencing supporters to help make changes in the society that everyone lived in. Music was the main contender and it spoke to the listeners. Musicians cared what they were writing about and told their followers to make a difference in the world they lived in. For example, there were a lot of the “protest anthems” during the time of the Vietnam War. Many did not know what the war was about or how it was being approached, but music made that much of a difference. People listened and understood that it was not something they approved of. One major example out of many is, John Lennon’s “Give Peace a Chance.” He had a major following and released this to speak to his audience.  

The debate surrounding performative activism in the music industry is complex and multifaceted. While some modern musicians have been applauded and appreciated for their genuine concern and commitment to social justice causes and their impactful activism, others have faced criticism for engaging in performative gestures that prioritize publicity over genuine advocacy. Overall, the “golden era” of rock is what had major effects on the social injustices surrounding the world.  

Works Cited

Garn, T. (2024, February 15). Boygenius dismantles industry misogynist at Grammys. X96. https://x96.com/news/boygenius-dismantles-industry-misogynist-at-grammys/#:~:text=Not%20only%20did%20Bridgers%20criticize,stance%20against%20sexism%20within%20boygenius.

Penalosa, D. (n.d.). Performative activism does more harm than good. The Epitaph. https://hhsepitaph.com/12077/arts-culture/performative-activism-does-more-harm-than-good/

Smith, C. (2023, February 10). 4 modern day artists who use their music to speak on real-world issues. The Fox Magazine. https://thefoxmagazine.com/music/4-modern-day-artists-who-use-their-music-to-speak-on-real-world-issues/

Posted in ILoveMyDog, Portfolio—ILoveMyDog, Rebuttal | Leave a comment

Rebuttal argument — gymrat

Posted on April 7, 2024 by Gymrat

Body Image is not deeply affected by social media

Social media has been seen as these horrifying apps that the most recent generation has grown up with. All due to a lot of mental health struggles, cyberbullying, eating disorders, and body image dissatisfaction. All of these cases could have been true in the past, but in the most recent years, it has been shown to have a more positive impact. With more fitness influencers coming up and talking about their personal experience growing in their bodies and changing, showing expectations vs reality, and simply talking about their bodies, fitness journeys, comparison struggles, and just being raw to be more relatable to everyone else. Even with that though a lot of people blame social media being the root of the problem for adolescents when in reality it is the feed they have themselves. Any social media on any basis only shows on your feed what is frequently liked by you or what you follow. If the impact of social media is so bad why not just change the algorithm? With that being said social media’s positive influences have changed a lot of people’s physical and mental health combined.

Social media can have a bad influence on people. In the end, it all depends on the consumer and their algorithm. Social media has a wide spread of categories to show and yet it only shows the consumer what they most like and anything relatable to that. This implies that whoever is necessarily badly affected by social media and their body image is because that is what they are feeding into their brain all day long. To add social media is not the problem but the consumer themselves because the person posting is not trying to make you feel worse about yourself but somehow you do because they look a certain way you do not. 

Health and fitness influencers all over tend to show the real truth about bodies. Showing different people they have trained with the start and the result, showing that consistency is the key to change. For example, trainer Mikeymikebw always posts his clients after some time of being with him to show the muscle definition change with his training or meal plans. Showing the transformations and showing people the difference influences people to want to be better for themselves, not envy and feel like they are not enough. After speaking to Mikey about his clients and the social media posting he said, “The best thing I do is post my client’s spotlights because they draw in more attention for people to want to change and clients as well for myself to help people change,” As stated before this is influencing people to want to change, giving them a optimistic mindset for their future about their body and health. In another conversation, he stated, “Nobody comes to this on their own they start by being influenced mainly by social media.” Whether it is a bad or good influence it still creates a positive change in the end with people changing their lifestyles and mindsets. 

Social media has one of the biggest roles in body positivity movements. The study, “Bopo: Enhancing body image through body positive social media- evidence to date and research directions” talks about these movements and characteristics. Also finding ways that social media content can be beneficial for body image and lower comparison. All of this occurs because most of the body positivity posts also branch out to “a wide range of body sizes, shapes, and appearances and include messages about the importance of broadly conceptualizing beauty engaging in body acceptance and appreciation”, stated in the article. This is more than enough to show how much body positivity movements have a great impact on people on social media to stop constantly comparing themselves to bodies that are nothing like theirs. 

The whole point of the content on social media is to make everyone feel included not for you to pick the worst features you think to have and compare them to others. As the study states, “ body positive content aims to disrupt the monopoly of idealized media on the visual landscape, and to encourage individuals to adopt a positive stance towards their body and appearance.” All of this is done by having more inclusiveness and less oppressive systems. Social media is not going away any time soon, we have to learn to embrace it in the most positive outlook possible because it is meant to be used in that way. Perceiving it negative way with constant comparison of bodies only makes it look that way more and more causing the environment to be negative. 

Another study, “I don’t need people to tell me I’m pretty on social media:” A qualitative study of social media and body image in early adolescent girls” talks about how these girls embrace the differences in bodies rather than compare themselves and beat themselves up for it. From 7th to 8th graders it was shown that even though their social media use was high the influence that social media had on them was minimal and they appreciated the differences. This could be due to, “these characteristics were nurtured by positive parental influence and a supportive school environment.” as the study stated, causing them to not want to look for a way to be better or look better, but rather appreciate themselves and everyone else around them because they do not need that attention from anywhere else. When the environment all around is better it prevents body dissatisfaction because the young adults are already satisfied. Therefore they see everything in a positive light no matter what the post is. 

Overall the most straightforward answer to give anyone who claims to suffer from body image from body dysmorphia would be to just get off social media and live without it, be happy on your own. That simply would not happen in today day. Learning to embrace social media in the positive way that it is meant to be looked at with influencers showing the reality of bodies and having better environments showing people to perceive things differently is the way to handle it. There is no such thing as negativity on social media it all depends on how it is perceived. 

References:

Rodgers, R. F., Wertheim, E. H., Paxton, S. J., Tylka, T. L., & Harriger, J. A. (2022). Bopo: Enhancing body image through body positive social media- evidence to date and research directions. Body Image, 41, 367–374. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2022.03.008 

Talked to Mikeymikebw in person for 45 minutes about the topic.

Burnette, C. B., Kwitowski, M. A., & Mazzeo, S. E. (2017). “I don’t need people to tell me I’m pretty on social media:” A qualitative study of social media and body image in early adolescent girls. Body Image, 23, 114–125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2017.09.001 

Posted in GymRat, Rebuttal, You Forgot to Categorize | Tagged , | 2 Comments

rebuttal-doglover

Posted on April 7, 2024 by doglover7025

Freedom of Speech

The term “Freedom of speech”, is used as a lot of people’s defense when being offensive on social media. They make hateful comments about one’s race, sexual orientation, or opinions but then can “win” by saying “I can say what I want… freedom of speech”. Freedom of speech, or the “First Amendment” is “Freedom of speech is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or a community to articulate their opinions and ideas without fear of retaliation, censorship, or legal sanction”. Banning users based on what they say raises concerns about the freedom of expression. But in all actuality, freedom of speech doesn’t apply to social media. Sites like Instagram have their own set of First Amendment rules. This means that Instagram and other social media sites can moderate the posts without violating their rights. 

According to Instagram’s guidelines, ““We remove content that contains credible threats or hate speech, content that targets private individuals to degrade or shame them, personal information meant to blackmail or harass someone, and repeated unwanted messages. We do generally allow stronger conversation around people who are featured in the news or have a large public audience due to their profession or chosen activities.””. This rule goes against the First amendant , which is beneficial because  you shouldn’t be allowed to just say anything because you have the right to. 

Determining what is considered harmful can be challenging. Hate speech might not be physical, but can be mentally harmful and can lead to violence to a specific person or group. For example, take a look at “John Stuarts: Mill Harm example”, he states that “people should be free to act however they wish unless their actions cause harm to somebody else.”. Yes, that’s true but there is a fine line between freedom of speech and hate speech. 

Another rebuttal thrown out is “effective level of banning ”. Yes, Permanently banning hateful users does not necessarily solve the underlying issues, and we should be addressing  the causes of hate speech with lessons, and community, and links + articles. But, It’s hard at times to try to change someone’s mind or opinions+views. Especially if a person has a strong view on their opinion, you’re not changing anything. Putting out an article won’t lead that person to not do it, honestly, it might make them do something more hurtful. With the boldness levels of people on  social media, some people will say whatever they want knowing that they might not ever face that person. So, banning the users will help make the social media environment more clearer. It’s now the person’s issue as to whether they want to make themself more nicer. 

An important rebuttal that could be thrown at this argument is “Possibility for Unfair Punishment”. Banning users based on the number of complaints without an investigation into each case could result in unfair punishment. Innocent users might be penalized, while actual users could go unnoticed if they have fewer complaints against them. With this mechanism that would be added, it would be very selective of who is banned. We would not only look at the number of complaints lodged against them, but the content of what they’re posting that was flagged. So unfair punishment wouldn’t happen because of the selective banning process. 

In conclusion, while freedom of speech is a fundamental right, advocating for freedom of speech without considering its potential risks or lack of research, is a big issue. Freedom of speech does not combine with  It’s the reason why so many people use hate speech on social media. There is a very thin difference between freedom of speech and hate speech that people tend to defend their hate with “Freedom of speech, I can say what I want etc.). If Instagram contained  a mechanism for banning users who are mean to other users if the number of complaints lodged against them is credible and sufficient would help the social media community overall. The amount of hate speech and negativity would decrease. 

References

Alharbi, A., & Al-Sowayan, N. S. (2020, April 3). The effect of ketogenic-diet on health. SCIRP. https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation?paperid=99691

Centre, T. E. (2021a, December 15). What is the harm principle? ethics explainer by the Ethics Centre. THE ETHICS CENTRE. https://ethics.org.au/ethics-explainer-the-harm-principle/#:~:text=The%20hard%20 principle%20says%20people,English%20 philosopher%20 John%20 Stuart%20mil. 

Posted in DogLover, Rebuttal | 1 Comment

Rebuttal Argument- HockeyFan

Posted on April 7, 2024 by hockeyfan

Hockey has become a widely loved sport across the world. It has also become one of the most dangerous sports due to the high velocity of the game. More players get seriously injured in National League Hockey because of the lack of regulation and protective gear. Rules and regulations are put in place to make the game safe, so it can be enjoyed by the fans. One argument against this statement is that there is no need for more regulation, it would make the sport boring. 

It is common that during a hockey game, a fight will break out among two or more players. While this does get the fans attention, most of the times it is a short lived fight that doesn’t last very long. So what would be the problem with getting rid of fights on the ice? Is the 10 seconds of fighting the only reason that people buy tickets to a hockey game? If we got rid of fights on the ice it would limit the amount of injuries that occur during a game, especially career altering injuries. It would also play a part in the amount of playing time star players receive on the ice. An article from the Oxford handbook of sports and economics mentions that when players get into a fight on the ice, they will get anywhere from a 5-10 minute penalty depending on the severity of the fight. This means that each team loses one or more players for the duration of the penalty causing them to potentially lose the game because their star player is in the penalty box. This then enrages the fans because they came to see their team win but due to a fight on the ice the team has lost.

While fighting on the ice is entertaining it can result in serious injuries on the ice. It has been proven that certain fights on the ice have caused career ending injuries. Fans may think that the fights on the ice are fun and entertaining, until their favorite player has a career ending injury. Fans would much rather keep seeing their favorite continue playing on the ice than see them in a 10 second fight. An excerpt from the book “Our Real Life Was On The Ice” encounters a Canadian hockey fan who speaks about his love for the game, and how much he enjoys seeing his favorite players verse their rivals. The fights in a hockey game only last for a few seconds, whereas seeing one of your favorite players on the ice while you grow up lasts a lifetime.

Injuries due to helmet regulations is also a big problem in the NHL. Some people don’t think it is that big of a deal that the face shields don’t fully cover a players face or neck. What happens when a player get seriously injured due to not having a fully covered shield. The Chicago Blackhawks player Connor Bedard suffered a serious facial injury during a game this season versus the New Jersey Devils. This required him to get emergency surgery to repair his broken jaw which caused him to be out of multiple games. When he returned back to the game, he was wearing a helmet some people may refer to as a “cage” or “fishbowl”. This is when a helmet fully covers the face to prevent facial injuries during playing time. An article from the “Open Access Journal of Sports Medicine” mentions how the orbital and facial injuries are at the most risk when it comes to NHL games due to the helmet regulations. 

At the end of the day the real fans who want to see their favorite players continue playing would be in favor of more safety measures taken, as well as more regulation to take place during the games. As Hockey is one of the most dangerous sports, it makes sense to have it be the most regulated National League sport.

Google. (n.d.). The Oxford Handbook of Sports Economics Volume 1. Google Books. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=GAH3nxAiy8QC&oi=fnd&pg=PA159&dq=do%2Bfighting%2Bin%2Bhockey%2Battract%2Bfans%2Bin%2BNHL&ots=ncydtMnM85&sig=i94IvjBb19wvnyuS-Dyq5uw5kKI#v=onepage&q=do%20fighting%20in%20hockey%20attract%20fans%20in%20NHL&f=false 

https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/32303884/THOMPSON_Our_Real_Life_Was_On_the_Ice_public-libre.pdf?1391626601=&response-content-disposition=inline%3B+filename%3DOUR_REAL_LIFE_WAS_ON_THE_ICE_A_Sociology.pdf&Expires=1712537697&Signature=AJVvfmT7MgvW1oZgZEYIEPOFZYBLV7QBknueSoxYU7HAGmGoqNA4bKIVrcrPLtz36D4Z5TI-S8zGkW-MfFdWns64pfyphwMj4JqUa16PIrIstfyuBi6cQTRvUEJQCgiwSRT2N5BidYjMvbba0X7YEQuPqZ9VZXCZ~3O09BIatQTPnLI~ACnjhUpyhigiqwd2kCxrcjfzt2Yze2uVzXiLtw7-1xtfOX6qgFYtBMjXpIRLBD33zXdcGJObIHTKSfxp9ek9JERqeeVV6KHFoxeI7d43MghnhIRo2Ri1Kt-YjRCBDel~JLzGWhtT~l7opyqjmeV6zcsRZaTcBk7YuRQzUg__&Key-Pair-Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA

Taylor & Francis Online: Peer-reviewed journals. (n.d.). https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.2147/DMSO.S33473

Posted in HockeyFan, Portfolio—HockeyFan, Rebuttal | 1 Comment

Rebuttal Argument – Snowman

Posted on April 7, 2024 by Snowman10

Solar Energy and Transportation:
Separating Fiction from Reality

Many folks are excited about the idea of cars powered by the sun, imagining a future where vehicles effortlessly use sunlight for endless trips. But the truth is much trickier than this dream. Critics say solar-powered cars face big problems that make them unlikely to become popular. One big worry is that solar panels on cars don’t work well enough, especially because sunlight isn’t always reliable. Plus, it’s not clear if it’s worth the money or if it’s even possible to put solar panels on cars given the technology we have now.

While it’s true that solar-powered cars have big challenges, it’s important to see the progress and benefits that come with this technology. Despite the problems, improvements in solar panels and batteries offer hope. Putting solar panels on electric cars could help cut down on using fossil fuels and help the environment. And new ideas like using solar power alongside regular batteries show how solar could make cars more efficient.

Talking about solar-powered cars shows how complicated it is to switch to eco-friendly transportation. While some people talk about the problems with solar power, others see the good things it could bring. The journey toward solar-powered cars is a mix of new ideas, what people want, and rules from the government. Even though some companies trying to make solar cars have faced setbacks, they keep working on new solutions.

Plus, using solar energy with electric cars doesn’t just affect how we travel but also how we help the planet. By using more solar power, we can lower pollution, make sure we have enough energy, and help the economy grow. Projects that let more people use solar panels on their homes, community projects, and money help show that more people are turning to renewable energy.

In the end, while dreaming about cars powered by the sun is exciting, it’s important to understand the challenges and the potential benefits. As technology gets better and governments support renewable energy, the idea of solar-powered cars might become more real, leading us toward a cleaner and stronger future.

References

Clemens, K. (2023, October 31). The reality of Solar-Powered cars. Tech Insights. https://eepower.com/tech-insights/the-reality-of-solar-powered-cars/#

Wells, S. (2023, October 11). Where are all the Solar-Powered cars? Ieeespectrum. https://spectrum.ieee.org/amp/solar-powered-cars-2665858715

Solar rooftops gain traction as electric vehicles owners look to skip paying for electricity or gasoline: ‘Solar just makes sense.’ (2023, December 16). Fortune. https://fortune.com/2023/12/16/solar-rooftops-gain-electric-vehicles-owners-skip-paying-for-electricity-gasoline/#

Posted in Portfolio—Snowman, Rebuttal, Snowman | 2 Comments

Rebuttal argument -thatpersonoverthere

Posted on April 7, 2024 by thatpersonoverthere

Art therapy is important for certain individuals

When most people think of therapy they think of sitting, or lying down in a futon while they talk to a person who most likely has glasses on across the room. They tell this person their struggles for the week and the person at the other end of the room usually has some type of solution or fix to their problems. This overly simplified and rather cartoonish view of therapy doesn’t fit the needs of everyone. Some people may need more treatment long term, their treatment may be through a screen or their treatment may involve the creation of art. The traditional  approach to therapy may even be detrimental to a person’s treatment, if the person seeking treatment is unable to properly express their emotions then this treatment method may be completely ineffective.  The same would also apply if someone who isn’t qualified to talk to the patient is allowed to give them counsel. 

Tactile therapy is very important to the growth of patients that perhaps have trouble expressing their emotions or have developmental issues. If a patient is in an environment that allows them to focus on another priority instead of their emotions it can help them to allow their emotions to flow more freely. Thus the method is crucial to their recovery plan the therapist has compiled for them. Messing up this routine may worsen the effectiveness of treatment. ( this view was cultivated through my talks with abbie) 

Though there are several types of art therapy some not even falling in the traditional definition of art therapy.  Abbie Kasoff The current Chief Executive director of the organization says it with clay describes art therapy as Therapy with a specific treatment plan that involves art. She goes on to state that “art with a therapeutic approach” isn’t art therapy. That art therapy must involve someone with a master’s degree in art therapy, though this requirement is different  in all 50 states. Art with a therapeutic approach such as coloring with an adult coloring book isn’t exactly what counts as art therapy. Art with a therapeutic approach or AWTA is what most people think of when they hear about art therapy because it fits the idea of what art is for people who may not care about it. That art is something only used to relax, that it’s always fun, or that it’s easy. But art can be used in several different ways and can invoke feelings of grief, pain and understanding. And when exploring these complex emotions it is important to have someone who is equipped to help get through the feelings, a sentiment that Kasoff also strongly expressed.  If such a person is not there with the patient then they may have trouble navigating their emotions and the patient suffers because the person they trusted with healthy exploring their emotions has been ineffective it may create a new problem. It could leave the patient worse off as they may refrain from exploring their emotions with therapy again. 

Another idea that may clash with the central thesis of this paper is the idea that digital media can be introduced into art therapy and have no real drawbacks. This idea may be true for some people but may also leave others behind. For those people say, those with trouble with anxiety when talking with people, it would actually do more harm than good. 

A study conducted by frontiers in psychology discussed the use of digital media in art therapy in the future. Concluding with the sentiment that digital art therapy would be helpful as it would be used to reach more people. While this sentiment is true in practice, a core component of therapy and especially art therapy is the human connection to both the art and to the therapist and part of that would be lost with creating and talking through a screen. If art therapy is used for those with communication issues, and let’s say that one of those people were to use digital art therapy it wouldn’t be as effective. They can simply hang up the phone if they get overwhelmed instead of having the therapist being in the same room as them and helping to get to the root of their emotions. The core part of their therapy is messed up and may put them off track. Even someone who is used to routine may be affected by digital therapy in a negative way, of course with traditional art therapy it exists in a specific location and that patient may have trouble getting to that particular location due to weather or a natural disaster, this would still be the case with digital media. It breaks the idea that digital art therapy can be done anywhere through video calls. Even if the video aspect is not there and the patient is in the room with the therapist the app the art is done on may crash or perhaps the therapist or the patient forgot to charge the device, this could cause more frustration because the patient paid the therapist for art therapy for part of the day and due to circumstances out of their control they are unable to get their treatment. This type of therapy isn’t accessible if the person lives in an area with trees or forgets to charge their device. And while yes, charging their device would also be an effective way to build a routine, it may enforce a negative routine as increased screen time and exposure to blue light from computer and phone screens puts one’s eyes at risk. 

If the accessibility of this type of therapy is offset by the effectiveness of the particular method of art where a core component is to make it more effective then is it worth it. Is it worth it to undercut the main focus of therapy? And is it really worth risking one’s eyesite by increasing screen usage to include an activity that is typically done without a screen?

References

Abbie Kasoff phone discussion that took place for about 30 minutes

Zubala, A., Kennell, N., & Hackett, S. (2021, April 8). Art therapy in the Digital World: An integrative review of current practice and Future Directions. Frontiers in psychology. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8060455/ 

Posted in Portfolio—ThatPersonOverThere, Rebuttal, ThatPersonOverThere | 2 Comments

Rebuttal-Eaglesfan

Posted on April 7, 2024 by Brandon Sigall

Pitchers Adapt

Pitch clock has certainly altered how players in the MLB play and how they will continue to play for years to come. It has truly impacted the game for as long as the rules are in play. The players will have to adapt to the new rules and be able to get comfortable with them. With new rules comes new arguments and new opinions on the subject.  Pitch clock has introduced many new arguments about baseball and how it is played. Some arguments are smaller than others. There is a certain argument that sticks out most above the rest. The biggest argument fans of baseball have when talking about pitch clock is that pitch clock has made pitchers worse, that they are not getting better and good defense has become challenging to find. This argument stems from fans noticing some pitchers’ stats getting worse. 

This argument that pitchers have only gotten worse and defense isn’t as good is wrong. While there have been pitchers who have struggled adapting to the new rule, there are plenty of others who are striving and have gotten increasingly better because of the pitch clock. One of these pitchers is San Francisco Giants player Blake Snell. ESPN’s stats go on to show in 2022 before pitch clock was enabled, Snell had a 3.38 ERA. In previous years he was even higher getting in the fours at times. In 2023, when the pitch clock was introduced, Snell had a 2.25 ERA. While some say there is no correlation, it is hard to believe a pitcher who had been struggling for years all the sudden drops a whole number in ERA and also wins Cy Young without the rules helping.

Gerrit Cole was dominant in years without the pitch clock. Recently however, in the two years before pitch clock was added, he had his ERA in the three’s range. According to ESPN, Last year he dropped from a 3.5 ERA to a 2.63 ERA. Another pitcher who almost dropped a whole number’s worth and also won the Cy Young award. Another pitcher who benefited was Sonny Gray. A guy who wasn’t on a lot of radars before 2023 had a 2.79 ERA and became a CY Young candidate. It is clear that the pitch clock is having some sort of effect on certain pitchers. One of the things the rule does is give pitchers less time to think. The seconds counting down before the pitchers have to pitch could be leading to them just throwing instead of thinking about the pitch they should throw and the batter that is up. Cy Young is the biggest award a pitcher can win. For Snell and Cole to win it in the same year their ERA got that much better shows there is some sort of correlation to the new rules. 

While the argument is that the pitch clock is making pitchers worse, there is also something to be said about the batters. If the pitchers were truly only getting worse, then that must mean the batters have to be getting better and their averages must be going up. This is also not the case. Multiple batters have been really struggling after the new rule was added and some of those batters have been superstars that are supposed to be the team’s leaders. One of these players is Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber. According to ESPN’s stats, Kyle had a batting average of .218 in 2022. In the next season, he batted a low .197 in 2023. A .021 decrease in batting average. If pitchers were really getting worse Kyle should’ve most likely batted a lot higher than that. 

 Nolan Arenado who is another superstar in the league also had his batting average decrease. In 2022 he batted .293, in 2023 he batted .265. These are two batters who are known to have long routines before stepping in the box. Then the pitch clock has made them shorten their routines and step in the box quickly. This is resulting in the pitcher at times manipulating the pitch clock and firing the ball as soon as the batter is in the box. The rule seems to actually benefit pitchers more than batters. The argument that it is making pitchers worse clearly does not take the batters who the pitchers are facing into account. Batters dropping their averages down that much shows the pitch clock is clearly causing more problems to batters, especially since the pitcher can now take control of an at bat in the way they want.

A part of the argument is that because the pitchers are getting worse, defense is also getting worse. This is most likely because if the pitchers’ ERAs are increasing, that must mean defense isn’t as good. Players are disagreeing with this argument. The players actually think the opposite and some are actually going on to say defense seems to be getting better with the new rule. In an article titled, Is MLB’s Pitch Clock Leading to Better Defense?, Kolten Wong commented: “I think it’s helping defensively a lot, just because you don’t have the down time to really kind of walk around.” If the players in the league are saying that defense is getting better, it is most likely getting better. Players are the ones playing the game, fans simply just watch it. They don’t actually know how it feels or what it is like. For a player to come out and say something positive about it shows fan’s arguments aren’t always valid. The pitch clock actually increases defense for a huge reason. Players do not have lots of time in between pitches now to look around, adjust their gloves, or any of the other distractions. Wong also stated, “You’re not cleaning dirt, you’re constantly back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. So, I’m a big fan of it.” With the players on their feet at all times now, pitchers have to be getting better. The players are now more focused behind the pitcher and are always ready to make plays. That shows that pitchers are not only getting worse because of the new rule but actually getting better.

References:

ESPN Internet Ventures. (n.d.). Blake Snell – San Francisco Giants starting pitcher. ESPN. https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/33748 

ESPN Internet Ventures. (n.d.-b). Gerrit Cole – New York Yankees starting pitcher. ESPN. https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/32081 

ESPN Internet Ventures. (n.d.-c). Kyle Schwarber – Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter. ESPN. https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/33712 

Is MLB’s pitch clock leading to better defense? some players and coaches think so. (n.d.). https://www.usnews.com/news/sports/articles/2023-07-06/is-mlbs-pitch-clock-leading-to-better-defense-some-players-and-coaches-think-so

Posted in EaglesFan, Portfolio—EaglesFan, Rebuttal | 2 Comments