Assignment 2A: Bug List


1)    The loud clanging sounds outside my window every morning without fail at 7am.
Þ   Why this exists: The surround sound of the multiple neighboring construction sights early every morning is due to the fact that Gainesville needs to build more infrastructure to support the expanding population that surrounds UF.
2)    Texting

Þ   Why this exists: Technology and cell phones have been implemented into every aspect of daily life, creating expectations of immediacy.
3)    Almost getting hit by the busses while walking to class.
Þ   Why this exists: The busses drive semi-recklessly to meet the transportation demands of the city and get people to their destinations in a timely fashion.
)     4)   My devices are always dead
Þ   Why this exists: because I’m constantly using my phone, see number 2.
5)    This assignment.
Þ   why this exists: to open our eyes to the fact that things happen all around us for reasons out of our control.
6)    Selfishness; others putting their wants/needs/desires above others  
Þ   Why this exists: Because humans have freewill to make decisions, and more often than not they choose themselves.
7)    The bird that chirps in the tree outside my window in the morning.
Þ   Why this exists: the bird is probably chirping a mating call to prospective mates.
8)    The sheer number of scooters
Þ   Why this exists: a lot of college students own scooters because they are cost effective and have ample parking spaces.
9)    There are never enough dibs at the library
Þ   Why this exists: UF students are notorious studiers and happen to claim every available study room during peak hours.
10) Condoms aren’t biodegradable
Þ   Why this exists: viable options to make a condom that can act as a barrier and withstand strenuous activity but, also breakdown to not add to the plastic problem that we have created on earth.
11)  Never having enough closet space
Þ   Why this exists: I haven’t grown in many years so a lot of my clothes still fit me from middle school.
12)  The fact that Florida is the sunshine state yet solar panels are scarcely used.
Þ   Why this exists: in order to switch to solar energy, it would require long-term institutions that have been set in place would have to be challenged and could possible monopolize the Solar panel market.
13)  That people don’t listen
Þ   Why this exists: possibly they have their own things on their minds or just aren’t paying attention but, ultimately, they are choosing not to value what you have to say.
14)  The strain on my eyes that blue light from screens causes.
Þ   Why this exists: technology uses blue light to display their screens
15) Vomiting  
Þ   Why this exists: your body is repelling something it identifies as toxic and expels your stomach contents in a smelly and disgusting way.
16) Fire alarm going off in the middle of the night
Þ   Why this exists: to protect us in case of an emergency.
17) The beach is far
Þ   Why this exists: Gainesville is in the middle of Florida, at least an hour ride to the closest ocean.
18) Plastic straws
Þ   Why this exists: they make it easy to drink on the go but they also add to the plastic pollution in our oceans.
19)  Creepy targeted adds on Instagram
Þ   Why this exists: Social media platforms use data-mining to send targeted ads at consumers.
20) Alexa/Cortana/Siri that listen to everything
Þ   Why this exists: with the rise of technology, human convenience is at an all-time high. Some think its convenient to have an on-hand assistant that listens to your every conversation but, tends to struggle with simple demands.


Reflection:
            Personally, the best word to describe this assignment was agitating, simply due to the fact that it forced me to focus on the minutiae of my day, as reflected in my list, I am a large-scale thinker. I understand the point of this assignment is to open our eyes to multiple perspectives, and that something that what might ‘bug’ me has another purpose or reason for doing it. By asking why, we and delving into the motivation behind the “bug,” and reducing the cognitive bias associated with what we consider that “bug” to be, decreasing the amount negativity associated with it because it has an alternate purpose. Because the world doesn’t revolve around individuals, these bugs do not exist with the sole intent to “bug” us, they have a reason for occurring.

Comments

  1. Caroline, I will absolutely have to agree with you here as having zero closet space is something that I am experience too. The weird part is that I do not even feel as if my wardrobe is excessive by any means, but I do always seem to lack the proper space I feel is necessary in my closet, which is definitely a bug to me.

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  2. Caroline,
    I personally relate to a large number of bugs on your list, like #1 when I hear a loud banging noise outside my window that wakes me up every morning and #2 that people are always texting (I included a similar bug in my own list related to technology and the use of social media). I thought your reflection was interesting in that you said doing this list actually reduced the negative cognitive bias associated with each bug because we were able to pinpoint their alternate purpose and realize that they do not exist for the sole intent to "bug us." I didn't think of this when writing mine.

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  3. Hi Caroline,
    I appreciate how you've accepted that many of the things that bug you are a necessary evil. The most annoying things are those that we can't change or fix ourselves because of the purpose they serve.
    As a Sustainability and the Built Environment major, I agree wholeheartedly with your frustration surrounding the lack of solar panels in Florida.

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