Objective Summary 2- Section 2 of “Music and the Brain: How Music Changes the Brain”

   

  

In Section 2 of Music and the Brain, C.D. Shelton continues to focus on the positive aspects of music to individuals, but he also emphasizes the role of music in societies. Shelton highlights music’s ability to create an appreciation for people of different cultures. By incorporating the studies of many researches, Shelton reports music’s capability to strengthen the academics of those who learn to play an instrument. Shelton points out that the majority of people who listen to music or play an instrument are better at problem solving, paying attention to detail, and often score higher on standardized tests than those who do not incorporate music into their lives. Shelton explores the never-ending benefits of music, and describes how music allows people to perceive the world accurately. Through evidence, Shelton states that children that study the art of music are granted an internal glimpse of other cultures. By observing these different cultures, Shelton contends that the they develop a compassion that provides a bridge across cultural gaps that lead to the respect of other races at an early age. Shelton concludes that music is a key factor in blending the diversity of cultures, and that by utilizing music’s ability to do so, societies may intertwine peacefully by changing the viewpoint of the young population towards an appreciation of others.

Shelton, C.D. Music and the Brain: How Music Changes the Brain. N.p.: Amazon Digital Services, 2013. Web.

Objective Summary- Section 1 of "Music and the Brain: How Music changes the Brain"

Summary- Section 1 of Music and the Brain: How Music Changes the Brain



         In Section 1 of Music and the Brain, C.D. Shelton explores the benefits of learning to play music and the positive effects of music on brain development. Shelton incorporates the research of multiple studies displaying how music can be very helpful and therapeutic. For example, Shelton addresses music's ability to aid the sleep of those suffering from insomnia, calm or focus people in different situations, and can even enlarge the brain up to 25% if you take music lessons as a child. Shelton highlights the fact that learning to play a musical instrument while young improves the mathematical and linguistic centers of the brain, as well as sharpening motor skills. While analyzing a study on music and its effects on the brain development of children, Shelton notes that there is a "sensitive period" between six and eight in which musical training interacts with the normal brain development of kids. He informs that this sensitive period is the most likely time for a person's sensory neurons to strengthen and become more efficient than the average person. Straying from the factual data on how music benefits the overall population, Shelton emphasizes the significance of music as a form of self- expression and a way to understand yourself as a human being. In a study on patients recovering from strokes, Shelton concludes that even though some patients suffered from damage to their brain and were inable to speak, some were able to sing because the music centers of their brain were functioning well. Throughout the section, Shelton stresses the importance of music on an individual's ability to control their mood, focus, and release stress. He also demonstrates the benefits of learning music at a young age and how it improves the brain's capabilities.

Shelton, C.D. Music and the Brain: How Music Changes the Brain. N.p.: Amazon Digital Services, 2013. Web.

Essential Question

Essential Question: How does music affect different members of society?

Different genres of music

Claim: Music defines diversity in different cultures and societies.




 Reason: Music is a form of self- expression. It allows all types of people from all over the world to express themselves in different ways. The different genres of music display the diversity in cultures around the globe. Music also permits people to assess their relationship with themselves and the world around them.



Different cultures utilize various instruments

Different genres of modern music

Survey Analysis

By analyzing the results of our survey it is shown that half of the people that took the survey have experienced a bad relationship in the past. Everyone's favorite genre of music was pop, and everyone has attended a concert. Also, the majority of students value their friendships. Lastly, people were confused of wether or mot humanity needs to come together in order to move on from hardships in life. Overall, music plays an important part in peoples lives, as do friendships.

Survey- Tech Friday #3

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Discussion Question #3: Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist

Task: Connect the Tikkun Olam, mentioned by Norah, with Nick and Norah's relationship potential.

   The Tikkun Olam, a Jewish concept of putting back the pieces of a broken society, relates to the theme of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist. The belief of Tikkun Olam is brought up by Norah, and Nick further develops its relation to their own lives. Both Nick and Norah have recently suffered from being heart broken. In Tikkun Olam, the portrayal of humanity's role is to come together to heal the problems of society. The broken pieces of the world may be compared to Nick and Norah's hearts, and perhaps it is their role to come together in order to move on from their traumatizing past. If Nick and Norah connect with each other and continue to put effort in their prospering relationship, they might be able to become whole again, and to stop future heartache. Nick proclaims, "Maybe it isn't that we're supposed to find the pieces and put them back together. Maybe we're the pieces...what we're supposed to do is come together. That's how we stop the breaking"(145). Nick implies that for Norah and himself to move on with their lives and put together the broken pieces of their hearts, they must come together. He suggests that maybe Tikkun Olam can be applied to people in general, and that in this case it applies to their lives. Some may argue that Tikkun Olam is a myth and cannot be applied to only two people in a certain instance. The overall responsibility in the concept of Tikkun Olam is placed on a whole society, but in this case, it can also relate to two people who need to come together  to better themselves. The healing of humanity symbolizes the joining of Nick and Norah's broken hearts.

Discussion Question #2- Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist

Question: Evaluate Nick's reasoning for why he supposedly loved Tris, while she was not a good girlfriend and did not love him back.

Nick with his ex, Tris

   Nick loved Tris because he was longing to feel what love was like so desperately, that he convinced himself  that he was in love with her. Nick is a sensitive character, and allowed himself to fall for Tris, his ex, who in return did not treat him well and ended up breaking his heart. He had significant trouble getting over her, and no one really understood why because she was not even a good person. Tris treated Nick poorly and did not take their relationship seriously. Nick was ready for a serious relationship, and threw all of his emotions into the whirlwind of Tris. One example of Nick being sincere while Tris takes advantage of him, is when Nick writes a song for Tris and she simply makes fun of  him with her friends. After meeting Norah, Nick realizes what actual love feels like. Although he does not know Norah that well, she puts time, effort, and emotion into their time together. Nick comes into realization that he did not truly love Tris when he was with her, and that he was in love with the feeling of being in love with someone. He craved being in a committed relationship so dearly, that he brainwashed himself into believing that he was in love. Nick expresses to Norah,"It was about the feeling...She caused it in me, but it wasn't about her. It was about my reaction, what I wanted to feel and then convinced myself that I felt, because I wanted it that bad. That illusion. It was love because I created it as love"(138). Nick admits that his feelings of compassion were not from being with Tris, but they arose because he wanted to feel what it was like to love someone that he imagined it. Although some readers may argue that Nick and Tris did have a serious relationship and that Tris truly did love Nick back, the text suggests otherwise. Now that Nick has met Norah and cares for her deeply in a two- sided partnership, he can finally move on from Tris. Now he does not have to yearn for what love feels like, but he can actually feel it himself with someone who cares about him as well.

Nick with Norah

Nick and Norah, the perfect couple

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist Discussion Question #1

Norah from the novel
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist

Nick from the novel
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist

Compare and contrast Nick and Norah's previous relationships.

Nick and Norah, from Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, have both suffered from recent breakups leaving them emotionally hurt, depressed, and unable to commit to any other relationships. Nick's relationship was more brutal, because his ex knew how much of a god boyfriend Nick was, but simply felt bad because she was not willing to commit as much as he was. She cheated on him, made fun of him, and broke up with him after he told her that he loved her. Norah's breakup was not as official nor as brutal as Nick's, but it was very confusing and mentally draining for her. She altered her future for Tal, her ex, and after she realized how he did not truly love her, she decided to break things up once and for all. Both Nick and Norah suffer from flashbacks on their previous relationships, and find it extremely hard to move on with their lives and focus on new people and new opportunities. Also, they both  do not know how to deal with their depression.  Nick's breakup was worse than Norah's, because he was the one who got dumped, he did everything right but was taken advantage of, and he truly cared about her when she did not feel the same about him. Some may argue that Norah's end to her relationship may have caused more difficulty because she didn't get to go to the good college that she was going to go to, due to Tal's preference, but Nick's relationship contained more emotional strain. Nick had his heart broken while his ex, Tris, didn't even care. For example, after Tris broke up with Nick, she brought a new boyfriend to a concert that Nick's band was playing in even though she knew that would hurt him. Nick suffered severely, while Norah only went through mild emotional injury.

Tris, Nick's ex-girlfriend

Tal, Norah's ex-boyfriend

This short clip demonstrates Nick and Norah's different personalities, and shows how Nick's heartbreak has really damaged him while Norah just seems a little guarded.

Katy Perry Campaign

School Vs. Social Media

Teens gossipping over social media

The Glendale article displayed the school's attempt to monitor students' social medial accounts. This benefits the society because it can alert the school if any kids are demonstrating risky behaviors, signs of suicidal thoughts, and any traces of cyber bullying. Once detected, the school may contact their parents who can seek help for their children. However, this action by the school can also be seen as an invasion of privacy towards the students. Many take this claim, and state that the tracking of social media is crossing the boundary between school life and personal life outside of the campus. This also conjures the questioning of whether or not it is the school's responsibility to deal with these problems.

A student protesting against the school's invasion of privacy

The school was not fully justified for its actions. Glendale school representatives stated they do not  intend to invade or "rat out" the teens, but are simply monitoring their media for the benefit of the kids. For example, Christopher Chung declares,"They have a good purpose for what they're trying to do." Also, Sheenan proposes "It's designed around student safety and making sure kids are protected."

In a short Video clip, the motives of the school are clearly stated; to protect the students.

If a program like this were to be used at San Ramon Valley, I personally would not mind. Although, I could see how some may see it as an invasion of privacy, I feel one would only believe that if they had something to hide on their social media accounts. This would most likely be a very common issue, because many teens are unaware of how their posts, pictures, tweets, comments, etc. uploaded to a social media site can affect their futures. For example, many colleges look at social media profiles of applicants before accepting their students. They often deny acceptance to students with obscene/unwanted kinds of posts. This link demonstrates these types of negative profiles. People may also not understand that bullying is harassment and can lead to the loss of an innocent peer. Below is a video on cyber bullying, and how our advancement in the age of technology has been affecting our society.