Madelyn Malloy Public Feed

Violence and Social Media

Posted by Madelyn Malloy in English 3 · Block/Harmon · Y Band on

INTRO: My paper discusses the idea that violence is spread throughout social media and how impacts people. One of the topics I explored were videos being spread on social media causing awareness to violence in general. It opens our eyes to the hard truths of the world and will maybe make an impact on us to make a difference.

Social media can help and harm people in many ways. It could help by being the last resort piece of evidence for a trial and harm by putting someone behind bars or ruining their reputation. Violence is something that is broadcasted almost every night on the news and throughout social media. Has violence always been a part of our lives, or has it come to light with all the new technology we have? Social Media has been influencing us since it became worldwide. We have access to anything and everything through YouTube, Instagram and especially Twitter; showing us videos of good things and bad things. Which includes graphic videos of shootings and violence. These videos spread around large platforms are truly awful and horrendous, but it brings out the cold truth to our sensitive eyes. People who are and aren’t innocent are harmed almost every day. One hundred are shot and killed every day, and one hundred others have survived but are or were severely injured. Kianga Mwamba was an innocent bystander who saw another man getting assaulted. She then took out her camera and started filming it, but unfortunately, the police went after her as well, causing her to be in jail. In Witness Media Lab, an article wrote, “The story of Kianga Mwamba, however, forces us to ask, how does the truth come out? With all the videos that have flooded our news feeds and turned names of victims into hashtags of a social movement, how many videos have we not seen?”. This story justifies that social media can bring light to the ugly truths of this world; violence. Not only has violence been exposed to the world by the Internet, but it has also changed our perception of certain issues. People are killed every day for their race, or religion or even when they reached in their pocket for gum. When violence had light shed upon it, it also uncovered bigger problems such as racism, oppression, and even hatred for practicing religions. Social media uncovers the truths of the world and what really goes on behind closed cameras. Phillip White was an unarmed man who had been approached by policemen. An article reiterates the story stating, “Phillip White was unarmed when he was approached by Vineland, New Jersey, police officers. The encounter, caught on video by two anonymous bystanders, included officers attacking him with a canine while White appeared to be unconscious. After arresting him, officers took White to a hospital, where he was declared dead“ Violence is exposed throughout security cameras as well as racism for he was killed for no apparent reason except the color of his skin. Because of this, we now can recognize the issue of racism and white privilege throughout countless deaths similar to White’s. WIthout social media and the awareness of these issues, it would take us longer to recognize and try to make better of this issue. Video recordings are solid evidence to bring justice upon others who are not wronged and social media spreads that awareness through multiple platforms that we see every day. In an article written by Murat Mengu they write, “It is undoubtedly the human beings that have created social media and ensured its continuity. It is also the human beings who establish the social and ethical laws of the communication in social media.” This elaborates on the bigger idea of how others use social media for good or bad. We could spread awareness by reposting videos and pictures to show others the real world and start to bring justice to everyone who has been a victim of violence in general. Our usage depends on the message we want to spread. Mwamba had almost been saved from incarceration because she filmed that man getting beaten. White’s story had been spread onto the news and into our phones; close to a worldwide story for everyone to see. Social media helps spread awareness to violence, but it depends on how people perceive it; do we spread awareness or just watch it once and never see it again? We as a whole could make a difference by stripping the world and showing the messed up side of it to everyone. This will help people better understand that these events are real and people truly have evil motives to kill people. Throughout the Internet, the more violence is uncovered and spread, the more issues are uncovered as well which includes oppression. As humans, it is up to us how to take on certain situations. By these types of videos being shared around, we should help make a difference in the world by making others be aware of what happens in real life.

Lord of the Flies

Posted by Madelyn Malloy in English 2 · Pahomov · C Band on

Maddy Malloy

Jack’s behavior proves that “crazy” behavior does not happen randomly -- it is a natural reaction to emotional and stressful situations. If you are put under a lot of stress in an unresourceful environment like the jungle in Lord of the Flies, you will become distressed and act out like Jack has done. Throughout the book, Jack has become emotionally distressed and acted out in violent ways such as killing pigs in a heinous way. Anyone who sees someone that is involved in violent actions, they will automatically register it as that person is crazy or out of their mind. The way society runs and how people react to it determines the madness of people; along with stress contributing to the violent actions, which in this case is Jack acting out by viciously killing pigs.

In the show Naked and Afraid, you are placed on an island with absolutely nothing with just your brain trying to tell you how to survive. Along with trying to keep up with surviving, you do not have any provided food or water. This adds on to stress because these are the regular necessities to survive everyday. As the show comes to an end, you can see that the once nourished and healthy faces of the contestants, are now the hungry and worn down people that had participated in the game. “Thompson-Nelson is seen throwing a tantrum and verbally threatening Lautakoski. Producers for the show intervened and asked Thompson-Nelson to "tap out" or withdraw, which, according to Thompson-Nelson, was a first for the show.” This is an example of what happened to a contestant due to not eating properly in seven days which drove her to go a little insane and lashed out at another contestant; you need the right amount of nutrients everyday, and be in a stable environment to function normally, or you will become violent just how this contestant has become.

At this point in the book of Lord of the Flies, Jack lashes out at Piggy and calls him “Fatty”, and even physically abuses him. “This from Piggy, and the wails of agreement from some of the hunters, drove Jack to violence. The bolting look came into his blue eyes. He took a step, and able to last to hit someone, struck his fist into Piggy's stomach. Piggy sat down with a grunt. Jack stood over him. His voice was vicious with humiliation." You would, would you? Fatty!"... Jack smacked Piggy's head.” (pg. 71) Like in Naked and Afraid, the contestant had lashed out at her teammate, verbally abused them, and then quickly after was told to tap out. In the Lord of the Flies, this moment represents another moment  in which his innocence is slowly decaying from him; lashing out at his close friend, verbally and physically abusing him.

Going into more depth about people who act out in violent ways, contestant Honora Bowen threw all of her tools to help her and her team survive into a river. When placed on the show, Naked and Afraid, you are stripped of your clothes and can only take one thing with you. In this case, Bowen had two other men with her which made the group have three items to carry onto their island. These three items included a knife, machete and a water bottle; three essential items to help her and her team survive. This compares to Lord of the Flies when Jack and his friends got into an argument and Jack acted out in a violent way; Bowen had gotten into an argument with two of her teammates, and as a result, Bowmen acted out and threw important items to survive in the river. Although it was not as violent as what Jack was going to do, Bowmen still acted out by doing this.  

At this point in Chapter 3 of Lord of the Flies, the kids are hungry and want food; specifically pig or any sort of tasty, substantial food at this point. The conversation in this scene happens between Jack and Ralph, and quickly spins into an enraged conversation because of how Jack responds to him. “Jack Flushed. "We want Meat" ...The Madness came into his eyes again. ...." You wouldn't care to help with the shelters, i suppose?" " We want meat" " And we don't get it" " But I shall! Next time! I've got to get a barb on this spear! We wounded a pig and the spear fell out. If we could only make barbs-" (pg 51-52) In this quote we can infer that what Jack is saying is considered violent and this is where his personality is similar to what we would consider as insane. Jack comes up with other violent ways in which to kill the pig that they wanted for food, which hints that Jack is too violent. Like in the show, Naked and Afraid, Bowmen lashed out at her teammates, and threw all of their items into a river.

Crazy behavior does not happen randomly. From my two examples of Naked and Afraid, it is clear that without the regular resources that are provided for us in everyday life impact us if we are without them for too long. Another example that ties into this is when people get headaches from not eating for a long time and this ends up affecting their mood; they lash out at people. This is similar to my previous examples, except that being malnourished for several days would intensifies people’s actions, such as lashing out at close friends and teammates. The surroundings and lack of nutrients a person needs is what really affects others who act out in violent ways.
















WORKS CITED


  1. Cummings, Tommy. “Controversial Texas Contestant on 'Naked and Afraid' Upset with How She Was Portrayed on Show.” GuideLive, 12 June 2016, www.guidelive.com/reality-tv/2016/06/10/controversial-texas-contestant-naked-afraid-laura-thompson-nelson.

(2018). A meltdown continues to stir up more drama on 'Naked and Afraid XL'. [online] Available at: http://ew.com/article/2015/07/24/naked-and-afraid-xl-meltdown-clip/ [Accessed 6 Apr. 2018].

Brooklyn

Posted by Madelyn Malloy in English 2 · Pahomov · C Band on
​ I shut my laptop proud but overwhelmed by what I have just written. I know I just need a walk, I’ll feel even better, even though it’s like two in the morning. Eh I’ll be okay. I grab my coat and walk out of apartment 512. 
I love Brooklyn with all my heart. Every time I look around, I feel like I get a new perspective on how beautiful my city is, even though I’ve lived here all my life. Actually, no. I have lived in Manhattan all my life. But anyway, I still enjoy the beauty of my city. I moved to Brooklyn a few months ago away from my mother, and it’s honestly hard living on your own. Being eighteen in a big city is terrifying because you have no support; you’re kind of just out there. I mean my whole life I have basically been living on my own. My mom has never supported me in anything I do; my first job I had to get on my own at fifteen and it was stressful. I needed the money though, because my mom did not want to support me anymore. All I had was me, myself and I. I also had been going through a rough time at this point in my life, which was actually recently. My boyfriend dumped me, my mom didńt want to support me anymore, and I was just all alone. It sucked, it really did until I found my calling which is poetry. I desperately needed to purge the negativity I had, and I am not the one to turn to alcohol or smoking, so I found that writing was the thing for me. It’s funny though, how amazing it felt to write. It’s almost like an angel appeared to me and was watching out for me. 
I feel so much better that I’m out and walking. I feel as though all of my negativity is gone. I start to walk back and pass my favorite store ‘El Tenampa Deli and Grocery’ or as like to call it, ‘mi tienda’, which sells the best Latin foods ever. Mi tienda is a special place for me and my poetry because one of my first friends, Lucia, works here. I usually stop in for food of course, but also I show her my poetry.  It’s closed sadly, but again, I’m out at 2am.
I finally make it back home and my phone actually rings. I pick it up and my heart drops. It’s my mom-this cannot end well. “Eres egoísta y siempre serás!” I never had been more mad in my life. Whenever I get annoyed with my mom, or get into an argument I speak Spanish to her because she can’t speak or understand it. What a perfect end to a perfect night. I can’t even believe she’s arguing with me, this is exactly why I moved out.
I can’t sleep, so I turn on my T.V and Seinfeld is on. The night slowly fades and I actually see that the sky had brightened. I get up from my couch to look for my poem that I threw somewhere but I can’t find it. I then hear an aggressive knock on my door and my soul nearly leaves my body.
 “Yes, I completely understand, thank you.” I can’t believe it. I can’t live out on the streets. I can’t. I need an extra job. I grab my coat, and walk out in the cold air
Every shop I pass by seems to be full of employees and my hopes just wear down. It’s no use. So I walk the empty streets of Brooklyn back to apartment 512.
I pick up a letter from Lucia by the door, and I close it behind me. I sit on my green dusty couch in awe. Someone had answered my prayers. Although I feel a little violated, I just cannot believe what is happening right now. Five hundred dollars. I can’t believe it just came in the mail. The letter said:

Dear Mi Chiquita,
I know that times have been tough, I’ve read it from your poetry. You’ve been through a lot. I decided to try to help and sell “Don’t Take From My Tree.” to one of my friends that work in the New York Times. I have received money back from her, and people seem to enjoy it. Please take care of yourself, amorcita.
Mucho amor,
Tu amiga al tienda.
And finally after this, things were finally looking up. 

Being Tall

Posted by Madelyn Malloy in English 2 · Pahomov · C Band on

Madelyn Malloy


Being the Tallest


Starting in Kindergarten, I was always the tallest amongst all of my classmates, and I would constantly receive comments and remarks about it. Even all of my teachers joined in on the endless remarks about my height, like I was completely oblivious to the fact that I had an unordinary height for my age.

I get my height from my dad, and not only did inherit that, I inherited his appearance. This was another thing that people would comment about. I also was a twelve pound baby at birth, so there was something special bound to happen to me in the future, which was in fact my height. I also was born with scoliosis which was a downside to how big of a baby I was. My growth spurts also made my scoliosis progressively worse.

All the comments and remarks about my height have started approximately in the fourth grade at a five-foot height. Mind you, I always had been the one to help out my teachers so they could decorate their classroom in ¨hard to reach places¨, and before you know it, my assistance became widespread to all the floors where my classes were. At least once every other day teachers had wanted me to help hang up their decorations corresponding with every season, or any holiday, which was annoying, but I also had the opportunity to be called out of my classes which was not bad at all. After a while, I was kind of used to being asked to help out teachers in ¨hard to reach places¨, until the comments came rolling in.

¨Wow, you are so tall,¨ was one of the comments that started this whole ongoing commentary of my four-year middle school series. At first, I did not mind, but after four years of hearing the same remarks repeatedly, it gets tiring, and also frustrating. My favorite one, though is ¨How tall are you, you are so tall for your age, I thought you were in high school.¨ To be honest, I do not really know the exact height I am, unless I go to the doctors, and also how are you supposed to respond to a comment like that? Usually in these types of situations I laugh it off and give the person an approximate height just so I do not feel rude leaving them with an unanswered question.It does become annoying, but I have to admit, I did enjoy the attention a little.

My classmates were not the only ones who were informing me on my height; my family was too. At almost every family gathering I went to, I received at least one comment from each family member regarding the estimation of my age because I was so tall. The estimation of my age ranged from senior in high school to a sophomore in college, which was insane to me because I would think that my family would at least have a sense of what my age is. Toward the end of the day though, my age was clarified to all of the members of my family that thought that I advanced twenty years or so.

Even though many of the obvious remarks I have received from others were annoying, I enjoyed the fact that I looked more mature for my age. There were many ups and downs regarding comments about my height, and although the majority of them were highly irritating, I enjoyed the assumptions of how mature I looked. I also did enjoy the special attention of towering over others and having the ability to laugh at others for how short they were too me. As I started to adapt to my life as towering over everybody, eventually everyone caught up to my height and my confidence and maturity slowly deteriorated because I no longer held the title of ¨Tallest in the Class¨.


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