Items
topic_interest is exactly
society
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12/09/2021
SL and S Oral History, 2021/12/09
[SL] and [S] (Last name unknown) take turns interviewing each other on the topics of covid-19 and how it relates to past pandemics in history. -
2021-04-02
Strength and Innovation of Indigenous Communities During the Pandemic
This article demonstrates that despite the inequities faced by Native Americans and indigenous populations they have been innovative in combatting the pandemic and shown strength in the face of fear, illness, and uncertainty. -
02/21/2021
Carolyn Rayroux Oral History, 2021/02/21
At 0930 hours on 02-21-2021, I asked my stepmother for her perspective a positive outcome of the COVID-19 pandemic. -
2020-05-27
TikTok Takeover
In this world there are many things we cannot predict. For instance, we could not predict the effect COVID-19 would have on us and our everyday lives. In this unfortunate situation it is important to understand perspective. If we were able to travel back in time and show someone a picture of a masked and fully sanitized person shopping, they would think you were crazy. Along those same lines, if you were to show someone the app TikTok six months ago they may not even know what it was or what you were talking about, and if they did, they surely weren’t using it every day. When I first downloaded the app TikTok back in February before COVID-19 hit, I didn’t realize how popular it would soon become. I was mildly curious and wanted to check it out for a few minutes. Soon after, I was hooked, and it became a more prominent source of entertainment for me and millions of other people. I recognize that TikTok also has many drawbacks, including misinformation, negative suggestions, security issues and more. But for this purpose, I am focusing on TikTok as entertainment in this pandemic crisis only. Today, TikTok is used by millions of people and is still growing. The very week my sister came home from college early because of COVID, we made a TikTok together about how our mom makes us take a walk around the block for fun---a sign of the times when literally all we could do was walk “around the block.” In a time of uncertainty, it felt good to do something lighthearted. I have noticed that there are many different takes on this app. People love it, and people hate it. I may have started out seeing TikTok as just another social media app, or even a waste of time, but due to the pandemic, I now see it in a new light. In some ways, it is a way for people to express their creativity, to try new things, and inspire others when personal interaction is limited. It is a reminder that you are not alone in this time of hurt and crisis—what better way to relax over the pandemic than making these fun videos and seeing so many other people doing the same. In addition, emotions are high during the pandemic as it sometimes seems it will never end, that everything is out of your control, and there is a lot of repetition. It almost seems like we are in the movie “Groundhog Day.” TikTok is the perfect way to funnel those emotions everyone has been feeling and at minimum provides a lighthearted break from the world. As I open the app, I am instantly engulfed in uplifting and positive videos, comedy videos that truly make me laugh, and a feeling of empathy towards others that reassures me that I am not the only one living through this event that is changing history. Furthermore, one of the most important parts of being socially distanced and quarantined is communication. It is easy to lose communication with friends and distant family members during a pandemic, yet one of the things TikTok offers about this pandemic is ironically connection, just not in person. This app provides a means of communication that no other app possesses and a sense of community, even if it is an odd one. This article and Tiktok itself are important to me because they show that TikTok and other social media platforms can truly bring people of all ages together in ways that surprised me. This includes not just young kids, but all generations of people as well as whole families. Social media has always been around and growing, and every generation has its phase, whether it’s MySpace, Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp, or Tiktok. However, what truly makes this app important to me is its ability to show a lighthearted and fun side of a world facing not-so-lighthearted issues for all generations. I don’t know what will happen to it in the days or weeks ahead, but TikTok has definitely left its mark on society during this time. -
2020-07-11T02:53
Isn’t it strange?
Through this pandemic, we were tested as a society on how strong our morals, values, and beliefs are. We were exposed to how fragile our ideals are and how far we truely are from a perfect world. -
04/01/2020
Daniel Cogley Oral History, 2020/04/01
Daniel Cogley discusses his experience with the COVID-19 pandemic. Daniel is a salesman for a sanitization company that provides products and services to primarily restaurants and bars. Daniel was furloughed during the crisis and discusses his experiences with money, food, the response of government officials to the pandemic and his hopes that people will take the disease more seriously. -
03/16/2020
Better World
This tweet calls of society to emerge from the pandemic and work to create a better world. Far too many factors allowed for the rise and continued spread of the virus. Society is now facing the consequences of such an intense global crisis, and some of the struggles could have been avoided had appropriate measures been taken, especially in America. Had America had paid sick leave, free health insurance, etc., maybe the spread of the virus could have been slowed. While we will never know, we must do better. We must take what we learn from this and create a better world for all.