Final Blog :(

Questionnaire

Age?
19

Sex?
Female

What is your degree subject (both if joint)?
Psychology

Does ‘Being Bad’ relate well to the other modules you are taking?
In some ways yes, but mostly no.

If so, how? And if not, why not?
Because it has allowed me to think about the psychological reasons behind being bad, especially in topics I wouldn't have considered before, but on the whole it is not related.

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

Do you think the list of topics covered on the module was appropriate?
Yes, all of the topics relate to 'being bad' in one way or another.

Are there any topics not included in the module that you would like to see included?
Not that I can think of.

Do you think that the format for classes has worked well?
Yes

What did you think of the module team?
Mostly very good speakers and entertaining and interesting.

Do you think it would have been better to have had more:
- Small group discussions?
It can be interesting to hear other peoples ideas and opinions, but I think the amount was good.
- Discussion and debate among the class as a whole?
Again it is interesting but I think there was enough
- Information and talk from lecturers?
For most of the lectures there was enough of this, but with the 'Bandits and Outcasts' for example there wasn't that much. The others were alright though.

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 you get to see different perspectives and dynamic, and a lot of the topics are quite diverse.

Do you think that interdisciplinary modules are a good idea?
I think they are a good idea because they provide a wider spectrum of ideas than just sticking to one school of thought. It also makes it more interesting.

Do you think you have benefited from the interdisciplinary approach taken in the module?
Yes, it has opened my mind to different views and ideas.

Would you like to see more modules that cover this kind of subject matter?
It is a very interesting subject matter, but I think it would only work again if it looked more in depth into the ideas are reasons why people engage in certain 'bad' behaviour (such as psychological, biological, etc)

Are you planning to take the follow-up module PH2004 ‘It Shouldn't Be Allowed’ at level 2?
Sadly second year Psychology doesn't allow me to pick elective modules but if I could I'd say definitely!

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

Do you think that the blogs (web logs) were a good idea?
I think it was a very good idea. It allows people to write their own opinion and express how they feel about a subject as well as see and comment on others opinion. It also encourages independent research into topics not covered, which I found very interesting and fun.

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 think the other assessments work well. It is more interesting to have to write a creative piece and an essay rather than just 2 essays. However as they are both short assignments I found it quite difficult to keep to the word limit as I wanted to write more. But I do still think it works well.

What have you learned from the module?
I have learnt a lot of things, the most interesting and prominent being the different histories and traditions between forms of body modification.

What parts of the module have you found most useful and why?
I think doing a blog was very useful because it allowed me to experiemnt with a different way of sharing my opinions and feelings.

What parts do you think were a waste of time and why?
Bantdits & Outlaws wasn't that interesting. I think most of the other topics worked well because they are relevent today & people were able to share stories or give their opinions, and some of the topics are quite common in the press (eg drugs). There aren't really any bandits or outlaws in the modern day so it wasnt really relevant.

Are there any other comments you wish to make regarding ‘Being Bad’?
I really enjoyed this module, I think it was run very well and the assesments were interesting. The only negative thing I can think is that there were quite a few people on the module who obviously weren't that interested in it and sadly spoiled some lectures for the rest of us, but talking through them, thats my only complaint. It was lots of fun :)

Assessment 3 - Body Modification Essay

Pick a piece if work in which body modification plays a big part. Explain how body modification is used in the work and what it is used to represent.
The piece of work I have chosen is the film ‘Memento’ (2000). MAY BE SPOILERS!

A ‘memento’ is a reminder of the past; a keepsake; or something which causes some to remember. The film ‘Memento’ is about Leonard Shelby, who suffers from anterograde amnesia, which means he cannot create new memories, and his search for his wife’s killer and the man who took is short term memory. In this essay I will be looking at how body modification is used in ‘Memento’, what it represent and how it may be considered ‘bad’.

The body modifications used in ‘Memento’ are tattoos. Tattoos are a form of body modification which are invasive, as they involve inserting ink under the skin, and permanent. What is Leonard’s reason for having tattoos? In his own words – “If you have a piece of information which is vital; writing it on your body instead of paper can be the answer. It's just a permanent way of keeping a note.” (Leonard Shelby – ‘Memento’ 2000). Leonard uses his tattoos as a way to keep hold of very important information; if he did not have them he would be lost.

Leonard has 26 tattoos in total. I think there are some tattoos which are more important than others and that play the biggest part in the film. Firstly the ‘remember Sammy Jankis’ tattoo. Sammy was a man that Leonard encountered before he was attacked, Sammy had anterograde amnesia. By remembering Sammy, Leonard is able to remember that he now has the same condition and is able to understand that condition better. In the story that Leonard tells us about Sammy, Sammy became a victim to his condition, a vegetable, but Leonard has been able to escape this fate through his photographs, tattoos and notes.

The second important tattoos are the series of ‘facts’ – ‘The Facts:’ tattoos. There are 6 facts which are what Leonard considers important information to identify the person who raped and murdered his wife. Theses include that the person was male, white, their name is John or James, their last name begins with ‘G’, they are a drug dealer and their cars license number. It is through these facts that Leonard is able to track down the person and eventually kill them. Another tattoo which links with these is the ‘JOHN. G RAPED AND MURDERED MY WIFE’ and ‘find him and kill him’ tattoos. These give Leonard and instant reminder of what happened to his wife and what he plans to do about it. This is ultimately what Leonard see’s as his purpose.

However, although Leonard’s tattoos cannot be considered bad in themselves, there is one tattoo in particular of which the content may be considered bad. ‘Fact 6: car license number SG1371U’. This final clue is ‘bad’ because it is a lie. After having an argument with Teddy in which Teddy tells Leonard that he already gotten his revenge a year ago, that Sammy Jankis wasn’t real, that his wife survived the attack, but could not cope with Leonards condition and that her death was at Leonards hands because she tested him to see if he was faking it, which resulted in her receiving an overdose of insulin, delivered by Leonard; Leonard decides he will take his revenge on Teddy (who’s real name is John Edward Gammell) so he write a note to himself to get a new tattoo (Fact 6) knowing full well that in a few minutes he will forget about the whole thing, see the note and go after his newly discovered target. So Leonard kills Teddy. However this could be considered a good thing, as that number plate is unique to Teddy. If Leonard goes in search of his ‘John. G’ again it will always come back to the same man, and as Leonard documents his life with photographs, he will realise he has already killed Teddy, and hopefully have closure.

In conclusion, Leonard’s tattoos are used to remind him of what his purpose is and they represent his ‘new’ memories. In terms of whether they are bad or not, I would say not, as even the ones which could be considered ‘bad’ may actually produce a good outcome.

References

Memento, 2000. Film. Directed by Christoper NOLAN. USA: Newmarket Capital Group

Bibliograhy

‘Memento Mori’ by Joseph Nolan

‘Body modification’ edited by Mike Featherstone

‘In the flesh: the cultural politics of body modification’ edited by Victoria Pitts

Street Walker, Lady of the Night

On the whole prostitution is seen as a bad thing. However this may not always be the case.

The majority of girls walking the streets are doing so for drug related reasons, whether they were hooked before or after they started to prostitute themselves. Many of them were victims of sexual abuse as children, often incest; which has obviously had a devastating impact on their lives and their views of sex. There will be some women who enjoy what they do, they just love sex (although this is probably more likely to be a 'escort' agency rather than street walkers).

We should also take into account the type of people who solicit prostitutes - The majority being men, and a shockingly high percentage being married. These men are obviously lacking in sexual satisfaction and see the only way to be satisfied is pay for sex. Taking this point isn't it better for them to be able to pay for sex, rather than potentially becoming sex offenders, rapists?

There have always been prostitutes, through all cultures and histories; in Victorian England prostitution was very prominent; there were the Geisha of who provided men with 'entertainment' in Japan; the Harlots of the Middle East; and the Courtesans of Greece and Rome.

In conclusion, whatever the case, the girls in this situation don't need to be looked down on, or punished - They just need help.

The Aphrodite Project - this website is an example of what is being done to aid prostitues, platform shoes with GPS & a link to the emergency services

Facts About Prostitution - an American website which gives a lot of facts and figures into prostitution, worth a look

YouthNoise: Facts about prostitution - another American site

Prostitution in the Greek and Roman world - links to various information about prostitutes through history

Hooker Goddesses - prostitution is ancient religions

Lying With Integrity

A lie is deception in the form of an untrue statement. This can be for a number of reasons, for example to deceive, often with the intention of maintaining a secret or reputation, or to avoid punishment.

But is lying always a bad thing? or is it even a bad thing in the first place?

Some lies are perfectly innocent, lie a child saying that they 'never touched the chocolate cake' when they clearly have it all around their face. They may know they are not telling the truth, but they may not really understand what lying is, or the consequences it can have.

When you do understand that you are lying and the upset and damage it can cause, you are, of course, responsible for your actions and it is bad. But there are cases when telling a lie can be the better thing to do.

For example, if a relative is in a fragile condition in hospital and you have been told that they haven't got much time left, but the doctors have asked you to not tell them this because they think it will cause them too much distress, it can be better to just put on a brave face and pretend that you don't know any different. This is of course a lie. However this doesn't always work, because with children, for example, they seem to have a sixth sense so they know something isn't right, terminally ill children have this awe-inspiring attitude towards their death.
In most other cases lying is not acceptable, even if you do think it's for the best. Although it can be very tempting to lie if you think you can get away with it, but there are always the chances that you will get found out eventually.

Just look what happened to Pinocchio!

Eye Direction and Lying - eye movement and direction and how it can reveal the truth or a lie

Compulsive Lying - lying as a personality disorder

Wikipedia: Lie - types of lies

Hear No Evil - Bad Music

Music is always popular, but sometimes artists cross the line, for example Black metal and Rap/Hip-hop genres.

Black Metal

Sadly a lot of rock and metal genres are wrongly linked to 'devil worship', which is pretty silly. However Black Metal has had its fair share of justifiable hostility, the majority of bands do promote anti-christian messages and between 1992-1996 there were over 50 church torchings in Norway (where black metal originates, Scandinavia and Britain). This is obviously not good. However what I think is a main problem is that not everyone who listens to Black Metal want to go around burning churches, and a lot of the anti-Christan messages are just for show, part of the whole act. Not many people seem to understand this, and the fact that only those who seem to take it seriously ever make the news doesn't help.

Historical events in Black Metal

Rap/Hip-hop

A lot of rap music has reference to guns and drugs and the main fear is that this will encourage youngersters to get involved with this kind of thing. Another thing which it seems to encourage is bad language and swearing and maybe some racial implications. Again there are only copycats in some extreme cases and it is normally only older generations who have a problem with this sort of music.

Social Impact of Hip-hop

In Conclusion

I don't think music is actually bad at all. As always there are rare cases where the 'messages' in music are taken literally and people go a little bit to far, but I don't really think that people can blame the artist's for this (unless they are clearly promoting something without acknowledging that it is just an act).

Most Controversial Music Artists - a list of top 50 most controversial musicians

"I Call It Love" - Stalking/Harassment

Stalking or harassment are not nice things to experience, I can tell you that first hand.

A girl I used to know seems to have this strange obsession with me. We were friends for a short while but we sort of drifted apart. People always used to tease me that she had a crush on me because she got quite jealous whenever I spoke to boys. She always used to stroke my leg and call me 'beautiful' and one time when she slept over at my house she went to sleep on the floor and I woke up with her next to me on my bed.

After not really seeing her or speaking to her I found out she'd been telling people that we'd made lots of plans and I'd let her down at the last minute, along with some other things which weren't true. I just ignored them and said it wasn't true. Then other people started to stop talking to me because this girl had continued to tell people stories. I also found out that she'd decided to apply to the same uni as me although she'd told me previously that they didn't do the course she wanted.

Then a few months later she started sending me emails, non of which I replied to. First off they were just thing like 'how've you been. what are you up to?'; then she began accusing me of ruining her life, saying how horrible I'd been to her and that she deserved an apologie'. Then every few months I'd get a message form her asking me to talk to her and that she understood if we couldn't be friends and that she wouldn't send me another message if I didn't reply. I think I got 3 or 4 emails saying the same over 2 months.

Then I didn't hear from her for at least 3 months. I thought she'd finally given up and moved on, but then I found out she was constantly asking other people what I was up to and how I was.

I joined facebook at the start of uni, thinking nothing off it, and almost instantly I had a friend request from her with the message 'no hard feelings, times have changed xxx'. I ignored it, thinking she might get the message.I had a few more after that one with 'we can be friends now' and 'I wont bother you again if you ignore this'. I thought she had got the message, then I met a friend in town who said this girl had been asking about me again and wanted to know all about my boyfriend.

I had another friend request off her last week, which I again ignored, but this time I sent a request that she was blocked from my profile. I'm hoping this might get rid of her once and for all. However, if I do hear from her again I am seriously considering a restraining order.

The whole experience has been quite distressing for me, I lots quite a few people who I thought were my friends because of the stories she was telling and it upset me thinking that I might see her and have to deal with her. Thankfully some people have been supportive, although I think some of them still see it as a bit of a joke. But if they were in my shoes they would understand the way I feel.

I would say that stalking and harassment are 'being bad' because of the distress that they cause to the person who their actions are being subjected to. I cannot see how either of these things could be considered anything else but bad.

BBC Stalking Advice - Worth a look if you are being stalked

Stalking Behaviour - Another useful website with stalking behaviours, definitions, resources and links

How I stalked my girlfriend - This article just shows how easy it is nowadays for stalkers to track their victims

A Bad Trip

Personally I feel that taking drugs is your own choice. If you want to play Russian Roulette with your life that is your own choice. However, I think that the underground world related to drugs is a terrible thing.

There are so many drugs on the market and many of them are becoming more widely available - and cheaper.

I think that there are a lot of reasons why people get drawn into the drug world. One of the main ones being that drug related horror stories, as horrible and distressing as they may be, are not that common.

We don't hear about drug related deaths every day, unless they are very high profile and mostly celebrity - cases recently could include the death of Heath Ledger and the very sad case of Natasha Collins and Mark Speight. However there have been some non-celebrity cases which have been quite high profile and caused a lot of controversy such as the drug related deaths of Rachel Whitear and Leah Betts.

Another reason is the fact that they are becoming more widely available and cheaper to buy. People won't think twice about trying/using them if they are so easy to get hold of and don't take so much out of their pocket. However there are lots of serious problems related to this. Firstly the cheapness of drugs means that dealers can get people hooked at a younger age and then rip them off once they are truly addicted. Secondly in some cases the reason drugs are becoming cheaper is because they are being mixed with other substances, meaning that they are less pure and a lot more dangerous, and a small amount of a drug goes a lot further.

Like is said before, it's up to you if you want to play Russian Roulette with your life - drugs are the way to go.

FRANK - a very good source of information and advice about drugs, definitely worth a look.

Virtual Killing Spree - Violent Video Games

Lots of people I know enjoy playing some, quite graphically, violent video games. But is this really a bad thing? I don't think that it necessarily is. Most of theses lads (and I'm not being sexist, it is normally the lads that choose to play these games) are not actually violent people, yet they still enjoy the violent nature of these kinds of games.

Some people feel that in playing such violent games, people become desensitised to them and then need further violence to regain the kicks the first got. They also seem to feel that this means people will become violent to others, 'living out' what they are playing. However, although this seems to have happened in a few cases, it is extremely rare. And the individuals that commit these sorts of acts have a distorted view on reality are are not all that mentally stable, regardless of the fact that they have played violent video games.

Other feel that people will fulfil their needs for violence in playing violent games which means that they are less likely to commit violent crimes against others. They substitute real violence for harmless role-play violence.

In my opinion violent video games are alright, as long as young children are not playing games that are rated above their age (the ratings are there for a reason after all) and as long as playing on these sorts of games does not become more than just a habit. Results of research into this area are mixed so I'll leave you to make up your own mind.

Links

Violent Video Games Do Not Cause Aggression - an article suggesting that video games have little or no effect on aggression

Violent Video Games Produce Violent Behavior - a different article with the view that they in fact do cause violent behavior

Censors Ban 'Brutal' Video Game - BBC article reporting the ban the video game 'Man Hunt 2' with reference to the controversy of 'Man Hunt' after the murder of Warren LeBlanc in 2004.

Video game controversy - a Wikipedia article which contains a history of video game controversy and video game legislation around the world

Cult Status

"A cult typically refers to a cohesive social group devoted to beliefs or practices that the surrounding culture considers outside the mainstream, with a notably positive or negative popular perception" Wikipedia

When people think of a cult they normally think of something like the Ku Klux Klan or White Supremacy followers, but Star Wars and Buffy for example, also cult following. So are cults a good or bad?

Cults such as the KKK are obviously not good, because they promote rasist and some people would consider all religions a form of cult, eg. Scientology. A cult can be a good thing though, it allows people of a same opinion to share their feelings for a certain thing, it came make people feel as though they belong. However sometimes it can get out of hand and 'followers' are brainwashed by a (sometimes) psychotic 'leader' into mindlessly obeying their 'god', for example Suicide Cults.


Wikipedia - Cult - I don't normally trust Wikipedia but they seem to have a good idea of what a cult is

Being Too Religious

I was born into family where religion plays a big part. My Mother a practicing Roman Catholic, my Father an Agnostic, both sets of Grandparents were church-goers. Up until I was 16 my Mother made me go to Mass every week. I attended Sunday School, did my Holy Communion and my Conformation and was sent to a Catholic Secondary school. All round a 'good Catholic girl'. However I lost my faith when I was 10 (for a number of reasons), so this caused a lot of arguments, but my Mother was adamant that I was not old enough to decided for myself until my 16th birthday. So since then the only times I have been are at Christmas. Sometimes I feel that it is disrespectful, even mocking, of those who do believe that I sat there for 6 years wanting to be somewhere else.

This is where being too religious comes in. Could you say that my Mother was being too religious forcing me to attend Mass every week? She was convinced that I was just being a normal teenager and that I'd soon be wanting to go, but now I have similar feelings to my Father and see things in more of a Spiritual way. I was always taught that it is wrong to force your own beliefs onto others, and therefore my Mother was being too religious. In this same light, Jehovah's Witnesses, for example, may also be considered too religious.

However, if you say that those who preach are being too religious what about those who devote their lives to their religion. Monks, Priests and Nuns devote their lives to the religion they believe in, are they too being too religious? This then bring up the question of whether being religious is healthy at all. Are those without religion really the ones who are weak? Or is it the people who have a need for something greater who are in fact weak?

Is religion just a fashionable thing? Nowadays the people of my generation are not that bothered about religion, many even dislike it as they see it as the cause of many wars and hate among people, with acceptable brainwashing and cult-like ideas, but for our parents and grandparents generations religion is more than acceptable.

Who knows, some day I may experience something which makes me re-gain faith, but for now I'm perfectly happy believing what I believe.

BBC: Religion & Ethics - Features and articles about various religions and ethical considerations

Just A Bad Joke

There can be a very thin line between what's funny and what's plain offensive, no matter who you are.

Racial and cultural jokes are normally seen as extremely offensive. However, if it is someone from that culture or race picking fun at their own culture or race, then it becomes less so. The same with sexist jokes, many women would find it quite offensive if a man was standing there making jokes about women, but if a women was there making jokes about aspects of her own sex then it does become funny.

It would seem then that it is perfectly acceptable for people to make jokes about themselves, but people consider it 'bad' and get upset if someone is making a joke about something which does not relate to them. Most of the best jokes are about real life, personal experience, that people can relate to. Or maybe I'm thinking too much of sophisticated humor. Sometimes making fun of things that are different and outside our social norms can be funny. However this can be treading on thin ice because you're bound to upset someone.

"Dying is easy. Comedy is difficult."

Edmond Gween

Why do people find racist jokes funny?

Why is it fine to mock disabled people, but off limits to joke about God?

A Life Of Crime - Bandits & Outlaws

It always seems so romantic. Guy Fawkes; Robin Hood, his band of Merry Men, the beautiful Maid Marian; Bonnie and Clyde. But what's the reality? They were just people who had the guts to stand up to and break the law.

This isn't such a big deal nowadays, because people break the law everyday - in some ways it had become more socially acceptable break societies laws, which is quite a contradiction.

However, even if it is more accepted or common, it is less morally acceptable. People rarely gain that sort of celebrity status for doing things which are wrong. It is more likely that they will be shunned or people will attempt to demoralise them.

This is certainly the case in the western, well developed world where tracking criminals before they get to gain this status is relatively quick and easy. However in the less developed world, where the government have greater power, it is likely that there are still 'local hero's' who break laws, steal for good, etc. People who will gain that mythical or legendary status.

In terms of whether it is bad, I cannot really say, because it isn't something that happens in the society I live in, and I think it would depend on how people in society reacted to someone who behaved in this way. It is highly likely that they would be considered a tyrant and just a criminal, rather than a revolutionary or libertine.

Bandits, Bad Guys, and Fugitives in History - A list of British criminals

Notorious Outlaws of the American West - Outlwas from the wild Wild West

Not to Beat Around the Bush

This one is that big 'hush hush'. The one no one wants to talk about.

I think Betty Dodson puts it quite nicely:

'Masturbation is our first and natural form of sexual activity and if that's inhibited or damaged, then we suffer for the rest of our lives' Betty Dodson

There is no denying that humans are sexual creatures.

If the aim of humanity is to reproduce then why shouldn't the act of reproduction be enjoyable? And adding to that, why shouldn't we give ourselves pleasure? Masturbation is a healthy was to explore our sexuality, get used to our own bodies, and the best way to find out what works for you (which can be a great help when it comes to sex).

When people think about masturbation the normally associate it with being a male pasttime. Pornography for men is widely available - and there is also the fact that men are more easily aroused than women (to the point that in Victorian times table legs had to be covered to prevent a 'stirring in the loins' of a gentleman). Which is probably another reason why there is not 'label' for a man who enjoys a lot of sex and the women who provide this material for men to gain pleasure from are usually considered trampy and slutty.

Why should it be considered abnormal for a woman to have a high sex drive?

However, the female sex and masturbation 'culture' is becoming increasingly as popular as the male. With the production of female pornography and an increase in sales of female sex products, such as vibrators (largely made popular by high street chain Ann Summers).

Society is slowly but surely loosing the view that women are pure and innocent, it is realising that women are very sensual, sexual creatures and should be allowed as much sexual freedom as men.

Flicking the Bean an interesting article into female sexuality
Important Events in the History of Masturbation a history from 1712 to 2003
Scarlet Magazine the female equivalent to a 'lads mag'.

The Human Canvas

I think I found this lecture the most interesting, so far. I've always been interested in Body Modification, so learning about traditions and backgrounds was very enlightening for me.

But what is body modification? Tattoo's and piercings is the first thing that pops into most people's heads, but if we take the idea that when we are born we are a 'blank canvas' things such as the clothing or hairstyle we choose would be classed as a modification.

This being the case I think body modification includes:

• Tattoo's and piercings
• Hair styles and change of hair colour
• Make-up, henna and jewellery
• The clothes we choose
• Plastic surgery - cosmetic or medical
• Glasses and contact lenses

As for why people choose to have body modifications include:

• Religious reasons
• Cultural reasons
• to be part of a sub-culture
• for artistic reasons

Corsetry

Henna

Pericings/Tattoo's

In terms of whether body modification is 'bad' in some cases, yes it is. For example the Giraffe Necked women of Kayan and foot binding in China. These are bad because they are not voluntary modifications. They are also bad because they are for the control and repression of women.

Other than that I don't see how other body modification is 'bad'. Some have even become so common that people do not even consider them a modification (e.g. hair styles). Body modification is a way of expressing who you are and there is nothing wrong with that.

Links

Ted Polhemus - an article about body modification and how it makes us human

The 'Giraffe Woman' who cast of her brass coils - an article that outline the repression and control experiencd by the 'giraffe women'

BMEzine - a body modification network

Assignment 2 - She was dressed in her work clothes...

This is what I submitted as Assignment 2. It is a short story about Infidelity, followed by the rationale. Let me know what you think :)


She was dressed in her work clothes. Tight, black pencil skirt skimming her knees and a fitted white shirt that clung to her curves. Her dark hair was pinned neatly to the back of her head, with a few strands softly framing her face, and she was wearing black, knee, high leather boots. ‘My beautiful Scarlett’, Nicholas thought as he watched her walk towards him. She was smiling.

“Sorry I’m late” she said “I had problems finding a babysitter, and John is out of the country again.”

Scarlett had known John would be travelling a lot, but she thought she would be able to cope. After the first few years she soon realised she needed more of an emotional commitment. But she felt she couldn’t leave him; because of their children. Danielle, now 7 and Michael, soon to be 5.

With Nicholas it was different. He made her feel alive. And her marriage to John was nothing more than a formality. It had started out as just friendship, someone to talk to, a shoulder to cry on. But when they realised there was mutual attraction, things became dangerous. Scarlett had never received that kind of attention from her husband. At least not after they had married. They started meeting more frequently and more secretively. One thing lead to another and it soon became a passionate affair. Scarlett was still unsure if John was really Michael’s father.

She had been up front about her marriage and children from the start and Nicholas was accepting and understanding of this. Scarlet knew that as Danielle and Michael got older, it would be harder for her to hide her secret life, but she would cross that path when it came to it.

Nicholas kissed her on the cheek and took her hand. “Come on”, he smiled, “let’s get out of here.”

Rationale

The debates that I have considered about Infidelity include whether or not it is the right path to take and why people choose to be unfaithful. In Scarlett’s case, Infidelity allows her to feed the emotional needs which are not satisfied by her husband and therefore she is able to ‘keep up appearances’ for the sake of her children. Scarlett feels that this is the right path for her, unlike Laura Jesson, in Brief Encounter (1945), who chooses, in the end, to stay faithful to her husband.
At the start of the piece you know nothing of the situation. You are introduced to a woman who, from her description, sounds like a harlot, the choice of name ‘Scarlett’ re-enforces this (i.e. a scarlet woman), but it becomes apparent that she is actually a conscientious mother. I think the piece would fit into a romance or thriller genre. This is because two of the main aspects of infidelity are romance, obviously, but also suspense; the ‘with the will I/won’t I get caught’. This is shown through the affection seen between the characters, Scarlett’s smiling and Nicholas’s kisses and the fact that Scarlett worries about her children becoming aware of her affair.

My piece is intended to challenge people’s perceptions of marriage and relationships and to make them reflect on theses and the fact that in some cases infidelity can be the better option. Scarlett is able to keep going in the absence of her husband because of her affair, for her children’s sake. In her situation it is obviously the better option because she can be happy, still has financial stability and is not putting her children, herself, or husband through the stress of a divorce.

I think that I was quite successful in addressing some of the issues in infidelity and making people think twice about dismissing infidelity as a bad thing. However, the story could be developed further to give a better understanding of the characters history and situations, especially Nicholas, and draw more upon the upsides infidelity.

Vandalism or Art? - Graffiti

In my opinion there are two types of Graffiti - Vandalism and Graffiti Art.

Vandalism graffiti would be those which are a single colour, that look just like a scribble, or the things that people have written in marker pens. I feel Vandalism graffiti is bad as it serves no purpose, it isn't nice to look at, it makes places look untidy and it is often offensive. I would also consider the majority of Graffiti Tags as vandalism

Graffiti art on the other hand is gallery worthy. It is bright, colourful and attractive. Someone has clearly spent a lot of time on it. Although some people still see it as vandalism I don't think it is because it isn't unsightly and has way more of a purpose than meaningless scribble. Graffiti art is produced by Street Artists, not your average adolescent due to boredom on a night out.

BANKSY - Banksy is one of the most prominent and provocative street artists around

http://www.flickr.com/photos/shiratski/493715892/

14 Deadly Sins - Commit At Your Own Risk

The Vatican Newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, recently published a list of the 'new' 7 deadly sins.

They are as follows:

1) genetic modification
2) human experimentation's
3) polluting the environment
4) social injustice
5) causing poverty
6) financial gluttony
7) taking drugs

So now you know what to not do to be good in the eyes of the Catholic Church.

These are the original 7, that we know and love, and the punishment you'll receive in Hell if you commit them:

Pride - Broken on the wheel
Envy - Put in freezing water
Gluttony - Forced to eat rats, toads, and snakes
Lust - Smothered in fire and brimstone
Anger - Dismembered alive
Greed - Put in cauldrons of boiling oil
Sloth - Thrown in snake pits

www.deadlysins.com is a lovely little website which tells you all about the 7 deadly sins, and the 7 heavenly virtues. It's quite funny and very interesting :)

Taking Candy From A Baby

Obviously criminals have done something that isnt right, although it has to be said that what they have done is a little more then just 'socially unacceptable'. The mojority of the time, criminal activity is also consider as moral mis-conduct, for example stealing or murder are seen by the majority to be morally wrong, aswell as against the law.

However are there some cases where morally unacceptable behaviour can be acceptable? In some cases I think it can be. If we take stealing for example, what if a woman stole food from a shop to feed her young family, her childrens father has left her and she cannot get a job because she didn't get very good qualifiactions at school. Some people may still see this as wrong, but have sympathy for her because she obviously has no other choice.



However, taking stealing again, if someone takes a CD or DVD from a shop just because they want it, and they think it's too overpriced to actually buy (even though they have the money) is a completely different situation and is wrong.

See No Evil - Bad Cinema

The bbfc classifications for films in the UK are as follows:

Uc/U - It is impossible to predict what might upset any particular child. But a ‘U’ film should be suitable for audiences aged four years and over. U films should be set within a positive moral framework and should offer reassuring counterbalances to any violence, threat or horror.

PG - Parental Guidance - General viewing, but some scenes may be unsuitable for young children. Unaccompanied children of any age may watch. A ‘PG’ film should not disturb a child aged around eight or older. However, parents are advised to consider whether the content may upset younger or more sensitive children.

12A/12 - 12A is suitable for 12 years and over. No-one younger than 12 may see a ‘12A’ film in a cinema unless accompanied by an adult. No-one younger than 12 may rent or buy a ‘12’ rated video or DVD. Responsibility for allowing under-12s to view lies with the accompanying or supervising adult.

15 - Suitable only for 15 years and over. No-one younger than 15 may see a ‘15’ film in a cinema. No-one younger than 15 may rent or buy a ‘15’ rated video or DVD.

18 - Suitable only for adults. No-one younger than 18 may see an ‘18’ film in a cinema. No-one younger than 18 may rent or buy an ‘18’ rated video.

R18 - to be shown only in specially licensed cinemas, or supplied only in licensed sex shops, and to adults of not less than 18 years. The ‘R18’ category is a special and legally restricted classification primarily for explicit works of consenting sex between adults. Films may only be shown to adults in specially licensed cinemas, and videos may be supplied to adults only in licensed sex shops. ‘R18’ videos may not be supplied by mail order.


Over the years there have been some quite controversial films produced, including A Clockwork Orange (one of my favourite films and one of the most controversial), Natural Born Killers, Kids and The Passion of the Christ.

To see why they are so controversial we need to outline what they contain and why this upsets people.

A Clockwork Orange (1971)

"Being the adventures of a young man whose principal interests are rape, ultra-violence and Beethoven." - this sums the film up, and yes, some parts of it are pretty shocking, but it wouldn't be such a good film if they weren't. In 1973 it was withdrawn from showing after it was accused for inducing copycat behaviour, this gained it a cult status.

The main reason that ACO upsets people is because it is so violent, but the thing is, Alex gets his comeuppance in the end, and in my opinion quite unfairly, and the fact that it supposedly cause copycat behaviour.

Natural Born Killers (1994)

Natural Born Killers is the story of the misadventures of Mickey and Mallory: outcasts, lovers, and serial killers as they travel across Route 666 conducting psychedelic mass-slaughters not for money, not for revenge, just for kicks. Glorified by the media, the pair become legendary folk heroes; their story told by the single person they leave alive at the scene of each of their slaughters.

Another ultra-violent film, which has been compared to A Clockwork Orange, which again was accused of encouraging copycat, and even inspiring similar crimes.

Kids (1995)

Please see my previous blog 'Kids'

The Passion of the Christ (2004)

This is one of the most recent controversial films which details the final hours and crucifiction of Christ, leading to a lot of upset (related) among religious groups. Most of the worries were that the story was not correct to the Bilble, but then it can be arguded that the film is just an interpretation, and so is the Bible. Other issues were about how graphically the film displayed Christs suffering, which I think is a little silly, as I thought it was important for us to realise how much he did suffer for us, but anyway.

In Conclusion

Yes, a lot of these controversial films are upsetting for a lot of people, but if you don't want to be upset, don't go and see it. It's up to you if you want to watch it or not, so don't spoil it for those people who do.

FilmFour: Banned - Film Fours list of most controversial and banned films

The Ultimate Addiction

Everyone knows how bad smoking is for you. We are constantly bombarded with statistics and horror stories, but people still smoke.

I think that there is a very funny scene from the first series of 'Green Wing' that shows the effectiveness of government health warnings. Boyce & Rachel are out side for a fag break. They both look at the 'warning' on their cigarette packets. Boyce's says 'may lower sperm count' & Rachel's says 'may cause miscarriage'. They swap packets, stamp out the cigarette they were smoking & light one from the new packet. That basically says it all.

chickenhead.com/truth is a very interesting website with a collection of cigarette/tobacco/cigar adverts from 1940's and 1950's America. Most of the claims and seem very silly when you read them, but the obviously worked in, what is referred to as, 'the Age of Innocence'.

The NHS have produced some quite disturbing and upsetting anti smoking adverts. Including the pictures of children passively inhaling smoke and an interview with throat cancer patient and smoker Anthony Hicks, who died just days after it was filmed. And the more recent images of people with fish hooks stuck in their mouths, which are certainly not for the faint hearted. I know those images will always haunt a part of me.

On October 1st 2007 the legal age to sell tobacco became 18 and back in 2002 tobacco advertising was banned (BBC NEWS UK - R.I.P. Tobacco Advertising - again adding a bit of comedy to the smoking v. anti smoking debate)

Smoking and Fantasy Sex Appeal

I'm not gonna deny it, smoking can be very, very sexy. In fantasy land anyway... The lone stranger standing sulkily, drenched in shadow, one foot against the wall, hand on hip, puffing away without a care in the world is sexy. However, in reality smokers taste bad, smell bad and there's not much sexy about sucking on a little stick.

Think about all the 'bad ass' characters you've seen in films, the majority of them are shown at some point smoking. If they didn't they wouldn't have the same bad boy/bad girl appeal. And then there are the underlying connotations between smoking and phallic characteristics. Especially cigars, and especially when women are smoking them. There can also be an air of class in smoking, think 1920's siren with a fur draped around her shoulders and a long cigarette holder in her hand, sipping champagne.

Finally

In the words of Eric Draven - 'You shouldn't smoke these. They'll kill you.'

Speak No Evil - Bad Language

So, whats the appeal of bad language? Why do some people swear so much, and others don't swear at all?

With younger people, teenagers, children, I think the main appeal of swearing is the fact that they will get in trouble for it, and therefore seem 'cool' to other kids. Especially as it has become common place for CD's (or downloads, whatever) to have 'explicit lyrics' and it's so common on TV - Gordon Ramsey makes his living by using the 'F-Word' excessively.

I don't swear nearly as much as I and I've never really found swearing offensive. I grew up with my mother shouting at me if I said 'God' or 'damn'. I used to say 'bother' quite a lot and people made fun of me for it. Most of the time when I was younger and people thought they were cool for swearing I thought they were pretty silly, especially as half the time they didn't know what the words they were using really meant. Now that I'm older I tend to use silly words in the place of swear words, like 'bummer' or 'mittens'. It makes me, and other people, giggle quite a bit.

But why is it so offensive nowadays? 'Back in the day' some of the words we consider offensive nowadays were part of every day language, the meaning has totally changed. I feel that nowadays whether a swear word is 'bad' or not depends on the emphasis put on it. I think swear words have little meaning if they are used in an everyday sentence. If someone is clearly upset/excited/angry and use a swear word you know it means something.

WikiHow - How to Stop Swearing

The Origins and Common Usage of British Swear-words

Kids

I think that last closing line in this film really sums it up "Jesus Christ, what happened?"

Kids certainly lives up to it shocking reputation and it is a good film, the only thing that bugs me is that nothing get resolved. However a lack of resolution gives people a chance to reflect on everything that has happened and somehow makes it seem all the more real and disturbing.

I think it is good that a film has covered lots of 'hush hush' topics such as teen promiscuity; STDs; drugs; violence; homophobia; theft; racism; the list goes on. These are all something which the majority of teens experience (whether they are on the receiving end of it or the ones doing it). But the main focus of the film is really sex.

The promiscuity of youth is not something that is often touched upon, and certainly not so graphically. Some of the scenes may be quite uncomfortable viewing for some people, for example when Telly ignores the fact that the girl he is having sex with is crying in pain, especially after he promised her that it wouldn't hurt.

It's kind of cliché, but it is also good that film puts across the message that it doesnt matter how many times you have sex, using protection is always the most important thing - Jennie has only slept with one person, sadly it was Telly and they didnt use protection, she is now HIV positive, where has her friend Ruby has slept with numerous people, only used protection few times and she is free from STDs.

Telly, who doesnt know that he is HIV positive likes virgins - "Virgins. I love 'em. No diseases..." A little ironic maybe.

Some people may feel that the worst thing about the film is the fact that Jennie then has a chance to warn Telly (and any girls he may be wanting to sleep with) that he is HIV positive, but at the last minute, after she has been looking for him for a long time, she does not. However bad this may be, there is always the chance that even if Jennie had told him it wouldnt have made the slightest bit of difference. As Telly has told us previously in the film he doesnt want to use protection - "Condoms don't work. They either break, or they slip off, or they make your dick shrink. Nah, but you still gotta use em, yo. At least I did once." - so there is little chance that finding out he has an STD is gonna change his mind.

To finish, in my opinion, if you're going to pick on topics, like the ones shown in 'Kids', you have to make it hard hitting, shocking even, otherwise it lowers the affect it has. There's no point pussy-footing about, you need to make an impact, you need to make it real. So yeah, 'Kids' is extremely bad, but not unnecessarily so.

IMDB - a profile on 'Kids' with an overview, cast listings, FAQ and user comments

Infidelity, Flirting and Little White Lies

"Your lipstick, his collar.. don't bother Angel I know exactly what goes on..."
- Taking Back Sunday, Cute Without The 'E' (Cut From The Team)

Infidelity

Unfaithfulness, cheating, adultery, disloyalty, betrayal... All come down to the same thing. 22 percent of married men say they have strayed at least once during their married lives and 14 percent of married women say the same. So infidelity is quite common and in the modern day it is becoming easier for people to have affairs, especially with out 24hour life styles and the Internet.

But why do people cheat and have affairs?

According to AskMen.com top 10 reasons men cheat are

1. because they are not sexually satisfied by their partner


2. because they were cheated on first


3. because it was challenging and exciting


4. because they can get away with it


5. because it boosts their ego


6. because the opportunity was there


7. because they had a nagging girlfriend


8. because women let them


9. because their girlfriends don't turn them on anymore


10. and because they don't love their partner anymore

AskMen.com also claim that the top 10 reasons women cheat are

1. not getting enough sex


2. because they want to be a 'bad girl'


3. for their self esteem


4. as revenge or payback for past wrongs (not including cheating)


5. due to a lack of intimacy


6. because they feel neglected, ignored or under appreciated


7. due to their partners emotional withdrawal


8. because they're bored in the bedroom


9. as an exit strategy


10. as revenge for being cheated on

It would again seem that from both these lists there is mostly a sexual motive, which would suggest that infidelity is driven by lust.

However some claim that it is just our biology. If the purpose of the human race is to successfully reproduce and to create as many offspring as possible, so that your genetic make up will be continued then monogamy goes against this. The majority of mistresses men choose are young, fertile looking women, and women normally pick successful, attractive me to have an affair with.

Empowerment of Women

Most of the time, during an affair, it is the woman who is ultimately in control. If a woman is not married, an affair with a married man gives her a lot of power over him (for example she can make any demands that she wishes and if they are not met she can threaten to tell his wife) and if she is married it can can make her feel in control of her marriage and provide her with extra stability.

The women who engage in affairs have to be strong, persuasive women. For the most part it is still seen as a male world, so for a women to be able to control a man gives her a lot of power. Women are able to start and end relationships as they please, embrace or ignore sexual advances from men, control how fast a relationship moves, gain material advantage over men and expand their life in a number of ways.

In films etc a woman in an affair is often shown as controlling, irresistible, exotic and exciting. She will also been seen to pander to a mans every need. However in doing this she ensures that the man always comes crawling back to her, especially when his wife kicks him out, and, when she gets bored she can just drop him as quickly as she trapped him. Occasionally the woman is shown as innocent and naive and through this innocence and naivety is drawn towards a powerful, interesting man who takes advantage of her vunerable state. But normally it is the sultry siren who is depicted.

Flirting

I would never ever cheat on my boyfriend, but I'm the first to admit that I'm a terrible flirt. Flirting is good for your soul; its fun, gives you confidence and it is normally perfectly harmless - things normally only turn sour when there are not good intentions or one party get the wrong idea. But comes the problem of where the line is crossed between flirting and cheating... Is it the sly smile exchanged with an attractive stranger? or the quick peck on the cheek? and if you're out somewhere without your partner, is accepting someones number, without mentioning that fact that you're not single, cheating?

Some people would take the view that any form of flirting is cheating and others would say that a quick kiss and fumble is perfectly acceptable. Others would say that flirting actually strengthens their relationship...

Finally

"It is love rather than sexual lust or unbridled sexuality if, in addition to the need or want involved, there is also some impulse to give pleasure to the persons thus loved and not merely to use them for our own selfish pleasure." Mortimer Adler

COMMENTS

As part of the Assignment I have to document comments I make in response to other peoples blog's and in response to the comments they make on mine. This is what this post is for.

COMMENT 1

I think the need for excitement is a good point. But you could always split up with the person that you're with in order to find someone new and exciting! Although I suppose there is always that thrill of 'will I/wont I get caught'.

posted in reply to Toni's comment on my blog Infidelity Flirting and Little White Lies

COMMENT 2

I have my bellybutton pierced and 3 piercings in one ear and 1 in the other because I liked how they look. I agree that some people get percings because of peer pressures, it still seems odd to some people if a girl of a certain age doesnt have her ears peirced. My mum wouldnt let me get mine done until I 10 when most of the girls I knew had their ears pierced from a much younger age. And I think that the only reason someone would be offended by anothers peircing would be because it wasnt something that they were not used to. You've made a good point mentioning the fact that hairstyle/tattoos/piercings don't matter so much when trying to get a job because it helps show that society is moving on and becoming more open towards things/people who are different from the norm.

posted on Teleka's blog Why pierce?

COMMENT 3

Firstly I'd like to point something out to 'c' - there are more than 73,000 people living with HIV in the UK. This figure have TREBLED IN THE PAST 10 YEARS! and the numbr of people living with HIV, all over the world, is on the increase. So it is MORE COMMON nowerdays than ever before! (not less common like you said)

And to '$Lady T$' I think that making a film about that topic is a good thing. It is supposed to be shocking and make an impact on you (which is obviously has) and make you double think about putting yourself in that situation. If it wasnt realistic then it would not have so much of an impact on people and they wouldnt take it so seriously.

See here for more infro - World Aids Day - HIV statistics

posted on $Lady T$'s blog That Film..........!!!!!!!

COMMENT 4

I agree that getting a tattoo that is cool or fashionalble is always a bad idea. If it was something you did just as part of some sort of fad you're bound to regret it. However if you have spent the time thinking about getting a tattoo that has some sort of meaning to you personaly, regardless of what other think, then I can see little reason why you would regret it in the future. Many of the aged people who I have spoken to who have tattoos always have some sort of story that goes along with it, aswell as a lot of the middle aged people. But you're right, it's not for everyone.

posted on borsook's blog My body is my castle!

COMMENT 5

That is a good point. But then again, maybe that is the reason some people choose to have an affair? To say 'Look - I'm in this relationship, but I also have this little bit on the side. I'm doing pretty well for myself'.

posted in reply to Babii Nikki's comment on my blog Infidelity Flirting and Little White Lies

COMMENT 6

I don't agree with that, nope. I'll agree that it's become more common and less controversial but it doesnt mean that the interesting stories have been lost. But I'm sure if you ask someone from one of the groups (punk, soldier, sailor - especially old skoolers) & I'm sure you'll get some great stories from them

posted in reply to borsook's comment on my blog The Human Canvas

COMMENT 7

$Lady T$ - If those children who took part in the scene were below the legal age of consent parental permission should have been required for them to take part, and a parent would have been present at the filming. There is a strong possibility that those involved were actually above the legal age of consent and just dressed up to look older. It is not as if they were forced into doing it for perverse reasons, the situation will have been fully explained to them and I'm sure that they had the chance to opt out of it. They are actors after all.

posted on $Lady T$'s blog That Film..........!!!!!!!

PH1000, Being Bad intro

I thought it would be nice to start off with a quote:

"It seemed the world was divided into good and bad people. The good ones slept better... while the bad ones seemed to enjoy the waking hours much more."
Woody Allen

This blog is to reflect on and respond to lectures from the module Being Bad, and also for anything else 'bad' related.

The aims of the module are: to investigate the nature, place and meaning of immoral, dangerous, unhealthy, unreasonable or imprudent practices, behaviour and lifestyles and to consider critically questions about them, especially ‘what is to be said in their favour?' and ‘what attracts people to them?’

Naturally, this type of module calls for some kind of field trip. My ideas for a field trip would include a trip to Cadbury's World, as chocolate is a guilty pleasure for most people; A trip Amsterdam, because of it's notorious reputation; alternatively a night out visiting various pubs and bars around the city would be sure to provide a number of opportunities for behaving in a bad way.