The Tassoni Defensive: April 2020

Thursday, April 30, 2020

How Much Do You Know About Me?

Four years ago, I posted this image of me on my Twitter account after I graduated from High School. I ended up deleting my Twitter a couple years ago, my this image remains online and is now the first image of me when I search my name on Google. Interesting.

I find myself online A LOT but I don't necessarily share too much about myself to the world wide web. I have accounts on most of your typical social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat, but I'm the annoying poster that shares every minute of my life. I just mainly enjoy sharing monumental moments and interesting discoveries from time to time for my friends and family.

One thing I notice is that Google doesn't really update that well on what I share, so when you search my name, a lot of the images that show up are of me playing hockey in high school, which I don't play anymore. However, there are links that are available that direct strangers to my LinkedIn and Facebook profiles. The only info they can assume about me is based on what I have shared so they may know basic info about myself but not much specifically that makes me unique.

Sometimes I worry about the semi-shady websites that ask for my email and/or phone number because that is private information that offers direct access to me. I don't know what that website plans on doing with that info. They could say that they need it to "confirm my account" but really using that to sell my info to other companies for advertising purposes. This is the reason why my email is filled with thousands of scam messages from unknown companies. My info is vulnerable and I can't take it back.

Amazon: Buy Anything and Everything

Amazon fights poverty with Prime discount for those on food stamps

In the early 2000's, Amazon.com was a small website that served as an online retailer for independent businesses. Today, the corporation is worth over $160 billion. But how as it been so successful?

According to the Diffusion of Innovations, innovators (2.5% of consumers) were the first to discover this website and use Amazon's services. As popularity grew, so did profits as Amazon managed the trading of products and delivered packages to their buyers. Rather than searching hundreds of websites for the right product, users could just use Amazon to find what they are looking for effiencetly. Eventually, early adaptors and the early majority were able to take advantage of Amazon and get what they need fast.

Amazon's main product is their website, which continues to offer new features and services once the others begin to dry up. For example, when their original standards were reaching the late majority of consumers, it was time for a new service to introduce. Hence, Amazon Prime was created, a premium service for consumers who pay a monthly fee for reduced prices and free shipping. This started the theory all over again as the innovators who stay updated on Amazon's trends were the first to complete their membership.

The theory becomes a cycle for a company like this as one idea begins to vanish from a society, a new innovation is invented to make them relevant again.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diffusion_of_innovations

https://www.aboutamazon.com/who-we-are

Individual Self-Fulfillment

7 Steps to Self-Fulfillment | Brian Tracy

Of the Eight Values of Free Expression, I believe that Individual Self-Fulfillment is the most important. Also known as "Self-Actualization", it is our will power that drives us to be better and write our own story in history. Without this quality, it can be difficult to accomplish the other 7 values of Free Expression.

The most important person in your life is you and it is your ultimate job to care for yourself. According to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, we humans have a top priority of accessing physiological needs like food, water, sleep, and oxygen. After that, the next set of important needs concerns our safety and security from threats. These first two sets are considered the basics for human life but are also the minimum requirement.

On the third rung of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, human beings require love and a sense of belonging. Family and friends grow as a community to strengthen and motivate one another, and a life partner can be there for you to offer comfort and trust. The next set is about the need for positive feelings like self-esteem and self-respect. Learning to have control of yourself and enjoy life can relieve dangerous mental pressure.

And at the bottom of the pyramid lies creative self-growth and the feeling of reaching your potential. This concerns your career and hobbies that you take part in to grow your mindset and contribute to the world. What you do and accomplish adds to your experience and makes you stronger everyday.

This is why Self-Actualization is so important because you need to have your needs in order before you can attend others' needs. You are the top priority and your health and safety is crucial for you to be able to love, motivate, and inspire.

How Facebook Changed Social Interaction

Is Facebook Making Us Lonely? - The Atlantic

In 2004, four Harvard graduates created the first social media platform for people to communicate through messages and media on the internet. Facebook is an online hub where users can follow their friends and be constantly updated on their lives. It is an opportunity for many to share their stories and gain attention. However, although Facebook has kept society more connected, they have also help change the way we interact and communicate.

It is almost impossible today to stand in a crowd of people and not find someone on social media. This innovation of technology gives us an inside look of what others are experiencing and the news and trends we should be aware of. This key information limits our vocal social skills as we don't need to ask others in person. Initiating random conversations with strangers is rare nowadays because we can access social media and easily find one. We have the option to be anonymous and speak freely without damaging your name. We can do silly and crazy things just for "likes" but be emotionally hurt when we receive "dislikes". Meanwhile, public gatherings feel quiet as people feel more comfortable in their virtual worlds.

Facebook created a social media revolution that has changed all of us. Where do we go from here? Social media grows larger in size everyday and there's no way of stopping it anymore. Will our voices stay silent as our fingers text what we have to say? Public speaking, which was once a common trait, is now considered a "gift" and takes time to practice.

https://about.fb.com/company-info/

Google: The Face of the Internet

Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin: a timeline of their ...

In 1998, during the beginning of the internet, two Stanford graduates named Larry Page and Sergey Brin created a website that organized online data for users to easily find and access information. Named Google, this search engine has now evolved and become the internet. The multi-billion dollar company is able to control what we see on the internet and can influence what we do.

Since their creation, the famous tech company has done more than provide search options for the internet. Some of their most popular innovations include:

Google Maps: GPS software for smartphone and computer that helps map out locations for easier travel
Youtube: Social media platform for video-sharing
Gmail: Email platform, most popular in US
Google Drive: Document-sharing website for storing files and collaborating with other users
Google Translate: Can easily translate any text into any official language

Google today is still the leading competitor in the tech industry and is staffed by some of the smartest young beings in the country.

https://about.google/

About The Blog

These are confusing times. The First Amendment has allowed us for more than two hundred years to speak freely and share ideas without punishment. But the issue today is not whether or not we can speak freely. It is about what we "can" say and what we "cannot" say. People are constantly being called out for things they have said, whether it was today or twenty years ago. Nobody wants to offend or insult anyone, so celebrities and businesses are forced to play it safe and speak in a way that includes everyone. But everyone has haters.

This blog is not about targeting our society as a whole and assuming that we are all offended. The goal is to call out the very small percentage of people that believe that their problems are more important than everyone else's. The goal is to call out the media that tries to make these stories big in order for you to assume that everyone feels this way when really nobody could care less. The goal is to defend those who are being bashed for speaking freely.

Now, I understand that there is a line. This imaginary line represents the ethical view of our society. I believe that the line has been lowered to support others that have been attacked with hate because of their race, sexuality, beliefs, or other values that define them. I do not support this kind of hate and I believe that there are some things that can be but should not be said. This blog is not about defending those kind of offensives but instead, preventing the ethical line from lowering to support the one person that is taking advantage of the system.

If you are unclear, a good example I think of is a stand-up comedy show. Let's say you are at a show watching a comedian tell jokes. You have already bought the tickets and you know that this comedian says a lot of offensive jokes. During the show, the comedian tells a joke about dogs. Everyone laughs, including you because he is a good comedian and knows how to do his jobs. However, you hate dogs because ten years ago, a dog killed your cat and since then, you despise every dog you see. After the show, you go on social media and lash out at this comedian for supporting dogs and that we should all hate him because he hurt you. Now, I don't know your views on dogs, but I could probably assume most people are a fan of dogs. This person had a bad experience and now is very sensitive about this kind of pet. We shouldn't need to sympathize and lower the ethical line to support this one anti-dog person.

But what if the joke wasn't about a dog but instead about suicide? What if you have lost someone to suicide, so making light of this personally offends you? A comedian's job is to make you laugh, and sometimes it can be by any means necessary. The comedian may not always believe in what they say, but you paid money to laugh, so if you are laughing, then what's the problem? This blog will feature articles that are below the ethical line but are supported by a few people who believe that their problems are greater and that we should all give them attention. I am often not offended by anything, but I'd rather care about a problem that we all share. Don't waste my time.

About Nick

Nick is a Senior at High Point University. He is majoring in Strategic Communications as well as minoring in Marketing and Social Media Marketing. He is a brother and active member of the Beta Theta Pi Fraternity. He is also the captain for the HPU Bass Fishing Team. Nick grew up in a small coastal town in Maine and enjoyed taking advantage of the outdoors. He played Ice Hockey and Soccer for his High School and was a member of the FCA. After College, Nick plans on securing a career in marketing in Philadelphia.

The Tassoni Defensive