Questionnaire

Age?
23

Sex?

Female

What is your degree subject (both if joint)?

Counselling and Psychology

Does ‘Being Bad’ relate well to the other modules you are taking?

Yes, i think it address certain topics that would be typically dealt with by counsellors and also with any psychologist it is the interest in behaviour that attracted me to this module.

Have you found ‘Being Bad’ too demanding, too easy, or at an appropriate level?

I have found it a bit too easy

Do you think the list of topics covered on the module was appropriate?

Yes, i liked the topics covered.

Are there any topics not included in the module that you would like to see included?

I think bullying could be an interesting one to cover.

Do you think that the format for classes has worked well?

yes

What did you think of the module team?

It seemed to take lecturers from their field of expertise and i think that this is a valuable contribution.

Do you think it would have been better to have had more:

Small group discussions? yes, gives the chance for others to contribute

Discussion and debate among the class as a whole? At times people tended to dominate the 'platform'.

Information and talk from lecturers? i think the balance was right.

The approach taken in the module is interdisciplinary (drawing on perspectives from English Literature, Film Studies, Creative Writing, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Media Studies and Politics): do you think this a useful way of approaching the topics covered in the module?

yes, see comment above.

Do you think that interdisciplinary modules are a good idea?

yes

Do you think you have benefited from the interdisciplinary approach taken in the module?

yes

Would you like to see more modules that cover this kind of subject matter?

I would.

Are you planning to take the follow-up module PH2004 ‘It Shouldn’t Be Allowed’ at level 2?

Not sure yet.

Would you recommend ‘Being Bad’ to a friend?

Yes

Do you think that the blogs (web logs) were a good idea?

I personally Im not a fan of blogs, being dyslexic, but i do think it encourages individuals to look further into the research available.

What did you think of the other assessments (e.g. would it be better to have one longer assessment rather than two shorter ones?)?

I would have looked both to have been longer, I did like the chance to work on a creative piece. Although I wasnt sure how i would reference that piece as the content was completely my own.

What have you learned from the module?

Ive have gained a more in depth knowledge on the topics covered and ive learnt how to use blogs :-)

What parts of the module have you found most useful and why?

I enjoyed the open environment in which to discuss taboo topics.

What parts do you think were a waste of time and why?

None really, it all had its place.

Are there any other comments you wish to make regarding ‘Being Bad’?

I expect it has been said before, but i really found people having their own discussions during the lecture very off putting and at times i didnt want to come to the lecture because of this.

I think watching the film 'Kids' was a great idea to open peoples eyes, with younger people sometimes, particularly if they have lived a sheltered life it can help them to develop their own thoughts.

comments:

I couldnt work out how to do the comments in any other way but this one, so i hope that this is acceptable.:

The following comment is about this blog:

http://beingbad18.blogspot.com/2008/05/why-do-people-do-it.html

Basically I just wanted to say that I thought this was a brilliant topic to cover in being bad. I think bullying often get pushed aside and thought of as a childhood experience, but more often than not bully still occurs throughout life.

The second comment is from:

http://smokingadvantages.blogspot.com/2008/05/lying-is-normal.html

And this one is about lying with intent, I personally like the psychological approach that was mentioned about learned behaviour. I hadn't thought about lying from that direct before and indeed i think that Albert Bandura, a famous behaviourist would also agree that lying can be learnt in childhood from their parents.

The third blog that caught my interest is:

http://sammie1988.blogspot.com/2008/04/shoplifting-celebs.html

This blog post covers theft and stealing and in this case it puts the celebrities in the spotlight, and covered the topic of theft from a position that I hading considered. When i think of someone stealing, alot of the time i think of it as them stealing out of necessity, but the fact that celebrities are stealing must prove that there is alot more to do with stealing than just for the need.

Lying with intent.

Is being able to lie a good thing or a bad thing? I think it really does depend on the situation. For example, If someone asks someone to tell them the truth about a friend who they believe are talking about them behind their back. It would hurt their feelings to know that they were being betrayed by a friend, but it would also be wrong if their other friend was to keep the truth from them.

What is the difference in a white lie and a normal lie. Is the white lie more acceptable? If for example you are telling someone that they look fine in what they are wearing and they really do not, this could be considered as a white lie, but on closer reflection this person could take your word for it and later be ridiculed. This would be a situation where it would not be such a good idea to lie.

There are many cartoons or films demonstrating that lying is not a good thing. For example ‘Sharks Tale’ People misinterpret the situation and this lead the main character into letting them believe what they thought they saw. This inevitably leads to life and death danger and in the very end the truth always comes out!

Who could forget Aesop’s fable about the little boy who cried wolf; he certainly didn’t have a happy ending. From childhood we try to reinforce the importance of telling the truth and present them with fables as the consequences of telling lies.

Below is a site with many of Aesop’s fables:

http://www.umass.edu/aesop/

Of course the biggest lie that we tell to children is of course about the lovable Santa Claus, how can we justify lying to our children from birth to hopefully no later than ten! At times I think how nice it is to build the excitement and the glee at imagining that there is a person so kind and happy. However if other children do know the truth about Santa Claus and that he doesn’t really exist in everyday life then the child would be ridiculed or worse hurt by the revelations.

Lying can be classed as a disorder and can become very addictive, like alcohol and drugs, the thrill of getting away with a lie can be most exhilarating. There are two main types defined for liars, Pathological Liars and Compulsive liars.

A Pathological liar can usually be defined by someone who lies almost continuously in order to get their own way and think very little about the consequences on other people. This type of lying is often viewed as a defence mechanism that was developed during infant years and had served them well, this type of lying is also associated with other mental disorders. A pathological liar tends to come across as being manipulative, cunning and self-centred.

A Compulsive liar can be defined as someone who lies out of habit and that lying is a normal and reflective way for responding to questions. Compulsive liars tend to bend the truth about almost everything, be it something small or something large. This happens as telling the truth actually feels awkward and uncomfortable. Compulsive lying is also thought to have developed during childhood, likely to have been due to having being placed in a situation where lying was prudent. Compulsive liars don’t tend to be manipulative, cunning or self-centred as they lie out of habit which is an automatic response which can be hard to break and lead to relationship difficulties.

Below is a website containing further details of lying, this includes how to tell if someone is lying:

http://www.truthaboutdeception.com/confront_a_liar/public/compulsive_lying.html

Theft

This is very much a topic for being bad. Stealing is considered by almost everyone as being wrong. Even those who may feel that they are indifferent on the topic would still be angered by someone stealing their possessions.

However I do believe there are some situations when I feel that someone stealing is not as bad as other situations where someone might steal. For example, surely someone stealing to feed themselves is not nearly as bad as someone stealing for the sake of it, ie. Breaking into someone’s home and taking their possessions.

Having been an employer at Royal Mail for three years I had seen many companies operating fraudulent schemes that took advantage of many elderly people from the various address listings. These companies would send out alerts of having won money, but first the addressee would be required a subsidy to be sent. This subsidy would often be a couple thousand pounds, which of course they would never see again, this is never a good thing to happen, but perhaps because it is the elderly that have been particularly targeted then I feel very strongly against this.

Below is a website giving information about mail fraud:

http://www.usps.com/postalinspectors/fraud/fraudsch.htm

There are so many varying types of stealing, ranging from fraudulent activities by companies all the way to children stealing things from each other in the playground. After all isn’t stealing just admiration of anothers possessions? As a child I would be envious of other children who had bigger marbles than I did, so I suppose this sort of behaviour may stay with us through life, but rather than stealing from others, perhaps we should use this motivation to push ourselves into a better life.

Even those in full time employment are steal within their company, there could be many reasons for this, it could be that they feel that they need that particular item, they may just want it without having the bother of buying it, or more likely than not they may hold a grudge against the company they work for.

Below is a link giving information on theft in the work place:
http://www.cheatingculture.com/workplacetheft.htm

Is this squirrel stealing?

Body Modification

What is meant by the term ‘body modification’? It is changing the body from its natural state. This can be physically or on the surface.

An example of changing the body physically would be breast implants or leg lengthening procedures. Both of these seem to be because of societal pressures and expectations, it seems to be a pity that when asked why there are going under the knife, they often reply that it will increase their confidence. I’m sorry, but I personally would not feel comfortable about increasing my confidence through altering my body’s structure or appearance, as I would know that my new found confidence was based on who others perceive me. Would I not be as fake as their pleasantries?

An example of surface body modification could be things like tattoos and perhaps a change in hair colour. To me these modifications are not doing any harm to the individual, true getting a tattoo can be painful but the reasons for getting permanent markings on the skin must be more than to do with art. Personally, being an owner of two tattoos I spent many years researching and designing my own tattoos as I needed personally relevance to the symbols that I was about to carve into my skin, permanently. I do have difficulty understanding people who get various tribal markings etched on their skin, which bare no relevance to their lives.

Below are some reasons why individuals may modify their bodies:

· To increase their attractiveness
· For artistic reasons
· Rites of passage in particular cultures
· To gain membership in a group
· Rebellion
· Fashion
· Memorial dates
· Control

Religion can also be a reason to have body modifications, for example Jewish males are circumcised as part of a rite in their religion.

Below is a website giving some details about some cultures/religions body modifications:

http://www.bmezine.com/news/edit/A41202/artbodym.html

Another culture who use body modification is the Mayans, the following list is just some of the modifications that would occur:

· Flattening of the forehead

This is a how they would flatten the forehead: For four or five days after the child was born they would lay him on a small bed and then they would place the head between two boards, one at the back of the head, and the other on the forehead. They would press very tightly and hold the child suffering there until the head remained flat and molded, which happened after a few days.

· It was also thought that to be cross-eyed was beautiful

This was done by hanging something from the child's hair which would fall between their eyes and draw the child's gaze inward and upward, which would eventually make them cross-eyed.

· Extended nose bridge

If is not so clear about how this effect was achieved, but the individual who would have it done would have the bridge of their nose up to their forehead. The link below provides images from pottery and canvases. Below is an image of this process. It is thought that they would use shell, paper, flint or stone.

· Bumps and beaded scars

They have also been said to have inserted some sort of disk beneath the skin, it has been thought of that these represented the rank.

· Tattoos

The more tattoos they had the more courageous and brave they were considered to be as tattooing was a extremely painful. It was done in the following way: the tattooist marked out the place that had been chosen with ink and then delicately cut in the pictures. These marks remained on the body in blood and ink. The work was done bit by bit because of the great pain it caused and afterwards they were ill because it used to fester and ooze. However those who did not tattoo themselves were jeered at.

· Extended lips

A deep cut would be made from the corners of the mouth up to as far as the ears and then it would be packed with mud and a scar would heal and leave this line in its place.

· Skin Flaps

This was more dress wear than self harm, skin would be worn on the cheeks of men, this is thought to have been paying tribute to the Aztec God Xipe. The skin would have been removed from individuals who they had sacrificed.

Below is the addres where more information may be obtained about the above Mayan body modifications:

http://www.bmezine.com/ritual/990201/maya/index.html

Heres the latest fashion trend:

Surely this is one reason why body modifications can be considered as being bad, i think this takes it many steps too far. Below is a website which deals with alsorts of different 'styles' for your pets:

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.trendhunter.com/images/phpthumbnails/6941_1_230.jpeg&imgrefurl=http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/body-modifications-for-pets-cat-painting-fish-piercing-and-doggy-tattoos&h=217&w=230&sz=6&hl=en&start=1&tbnid=1ngv8nCsLsqm7M:&tbnh=102&tbnw=108&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbody%2Bmodifications%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den

Outlaws and Bandits

Whenever someone says the word bandit, I am always brought back to my childhood hearing tales of the noble, fantastic and generous Robin Hood! And the phrase ‘Steals from the rich and gives to the poor’
But recently my childhood fantasies have been blemished by research in this area. This is a webpage that has much information about the myth and true life of Robin Hood:

http://www.robinhood.ltd.uk/robinhood/index.html

Other such bandit heroes are Jesse James, Phoolan Devi, Pretty Boy Floyd, Bonnie & Clyde, Ned Kelly and Billy the Kid.
These people were seen as pre-modern social movers and often it has been found that they were actually not so much the good ‘dooers ‘ that they have been historically remembered as. They typically would not steal from their own village people, but would still steal from poor individuals from the neighbouring villages.

Another type of outlaw and bandit that is widely known is the typical character played out in the Western genres. Such cowboy heroes as John Wayne and Clint Eastward could well be representing the old time outlaws, if you watch the early Westerns the hero character is definitely depicted as courageous, brave and someone to aspire to. However the 1992 'Unforgiven' depicts the hero character as much more of a villain and it has not glorified the role. I find that this film could be the perfect example for removing the glamour of being an outlaw, a bandit and shows life as it probably would have been.

Smoking

Smoking can be said to be bad in the sense that it is doing the body harm, not only to the smoker themselves but also to anyone that has to inhale their secondhand smoke!

Personally, Id have to say that smoking is a digusting habit, I really can not see the apeal, it has the potential to give you a life taking disease that is extremely painful, it costs a small fortune, makes the person smell, stains their teeth and fingers.

The NHS are doing their best to help smokers to quit, it is a pity that it cant just be made ilegal, but i imagine the uproar that would follow would not make it a prosperous move, but i suppose the ban of smoking in public places could be step one of this development. Heres the NHS site:

http://gosmokefree.nhs.uk/?WT.mc_id=ilevel_search_08

Here are some statistics about smoking:

http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=33484&gclid=CNzhyOeRhZMCFQuqQwodY0EXDw

Here are some of the reasons why people may smoke:

* No particular reason, but the cigarettes are handy
* To reduce a feeling of anxiety or nervousness
* To calm down when upset or angry
* To socialize with other smokers
* When feeling restless
* As relaxation
* To take a break from work
* While having coffee or tea
* When having a drink with friends
* After a meal
* After sex
* To pass the time while waiting for someone.
* When driving in the car
* When feeling depressed
* To celebrate something
* To think about a difficult problem

Being Too Religious

Being too religious...Is this a topic for being bad?

I think this depends completely on the individual. I do not believe that there is anything wrong with being religious as long as they are causing no harm to other. When i say harm to others this would include such things as:

* Causing wars
* Families becoming split due to religious differences
* Imposing beliefs on others which is not their own
* Preaching (In the sense that they talk directly to an individual and saying hurtful things)

* And lots more...

I think one of the many problems that religion brings forth is that some individuals use religion as a cause for war. How many problems have been caused in the whole of Ireland because of religious views. There is a great rift that has caused a vast division. The following link provides a detailed history of Ireland and states that Ireland was already having problems with Christianity back in year of 428

http://www.iol.ie/~dluby/ireland.htm

I think this picture adequately conveys the harm that being too religious can do to its people

I find it difficult to select a religion to criticise as so many people are so willing to do so, so unfortunately I can only really write about Jehovah’s Witnesses as this is the religion I know most about, are from Christianity and my own faiths.

There are several things I could say about Jehovah's Witnesses that I believe to make them too religious, but before I do so I apologise for any offence it may cause.

Jehovah’s Witnesses are expected to live their life in accordance with the beliefs and the moral codes of the movement and this includes such things as blood transfusions, this doctrine was passed in 1945. Witnesses believe that God has forbidden this potentially lifesaving procedure and that the following bible passages pertain to such beliefs:

Genesis 9:3-4 ‘Only flesh with its soul-its blood-you must not eat’

Acts 15:19-21 ‘Abstain from...fornication and from what is strangled and from blood’

What happens when faced with death and the means to save one’s life is only through a blood transfusion? A Jehovah’s Witnesses would rather face death than have to take on the sin of accepting another’s blood. If a Witness accepts a blood transfusion or receives one without having any regrets it is seen as a sin and that the witness would no longer be regarded as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

In this way I believe that the cost of religion is too high on the self, I fail to see how any God would refuse 'his' people the needs to save their lives. Although some good has come from them not accepting blood and that is research in areas in the medical field to provide blood-free products inplace of anothers blood and also a Cell Saver System, which circulates the individuals blood during the operation. Not only can this be used for Jehovah's Witnesses but also by those of rare blood types.

Here is a website which gives details of how Jehovah's Witnesses are to live and their moral codes:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/witnesses/

Perhaps this image below demonstrates what being too religious can do to families:

Bad Cinema:

There are several films that have been created looking into topics that are typically seen as ‘wrong’ by the population in general.

I have recently seen the film ‘Kids’ 1995 by Larry Clark which portrays the lifestyle of an adolescence group. This is done by following the main character ‘Telly’ for 24 hours and those people he meets. This film was produced with the outlook of a fly on the wall documentary, as the camera followed the action, at times without using the proper rules of cutting between different shots. At times a single shot would less for over 10 seconds, when the average shot lasts for approximately 3 or 4 seconds, if that. By using this approach it made the film more realistic, therefore forcing those who watch it to take it more seriously and as a real event that could be happening.

The film addresses such topics as drugs, alcohol and sex, which is bad enough in itself, but when seen in the hands of ‘innocent’ children, it portrays a rather bleak outlook on life. ‘Tellys’ main objective in life was to seduce as many virgins as he possibly could. The audience are made aware about half way through the film that Telly is infected with HIV. To me, this really struck a note of discord as the first sexual encounter these young girls where having would incidentally lead to them contracting this potentially life threatening disease.

Here is a link to a trailer of this film:

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://videodetective.com/photos/137/005777_12.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.videodetective.com/actordetails.aspx%3Fperformerid%3D16427&h=240&w=320&sz=11&hl=en&start=3&um=1&tbnid=NmGkeSPwO3iLkM:&tbnh=89&tbnw=118&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dkids,1995%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG

What was the reason this film was made? Was it to shock or educate parents on the potential activities that their children could well be involved in? It makes you ponder which, if any, audiences this film was targeted at. I certainly would not want to show this film to my children. Children can so easily be swayed, especially if they aspire to popularity, I think this film can be encouraging towards this activity as the characters have lots of friends and a lot of the time are enjoying themselves.

This film brought to mind another film that I have seen called ‘A Clockwork Orange’ 1971directed by Stanley Kubrick. This film was also about young adults and what the do when they leave the home, this one included sex, violence and alcohol. I believe this film was made to shock, more than to educate. This film had a romanticised look to it, that what was occurring was something of wonder. The young adults wore masks and clothing which were strange and bizarre, almost theatre like clothes, and added to the confusion and distaste that some viewers would have felt whilst watching this film.

I think that these films certainly highlight factors of what could be happening behind closed doors which we could be unaware of. The fact that both of the above films mentioned both received callings to be banned tells us that these films were saying something about the population that they didn’t like and did not want to be made aware of.

Drugs and alcohol amongst adolescences are on the increase, here is a PDF file giving a detailed account and statistics of alcohol consumption. The girls are catching up with the boys!

http://www.ias.org.uk/resources/factsheets/adolescents.pdf

The following link is to a website giving advice on substance misuse and also details about the different kinds of drugs and the side effects they cause:

http://www.drugfree.org/Treatment?utm_source=google&utm_medium=ppc&gclid=CNqa7Y-8mZICFQ9eQgod_n1Q_A

Infidelity

Where is the line drawn? What is considered as being unfaithful? To some, merely looking at another person with sexual interest would be considered as an act of being unfaithful, when to others it would merely be ‘window shopping’.

I have known some people to be offended by their partners viewing pornography because they felt that they ought to be the only ones to bring them pleasure. Would viewing images of someone they knew personally be seen as being unfaithful, but not of someone who they did not know personally? These are questions that have been thrown up into the air to be considered.

On discussion of this topic, many people become outraged and highly driven by ‘morals’ about how if someone is cheating on their partner it is one of the worst things that they could do. These people tend not to stop and think, “Why are these people having affairs?” “Is there further reason for them to behave in this way?” More often than not, there are reasons why they have unfaithful. For instance, what if they have fallen out of love with their partner. What if there is no physical side, sexual nor comforting touches? These I believe can be seen as not being bad, but out of necessity.

Abraham Maslow in 1943 proposed the theory of human motivation, where he states that humans are also striving for self-actualisation. However, before you can reach self-actualization the needs below this stage must have been fulfilled and continue to be. Below is the Maslows hierarchy of human needs, which is represented in a pyramid, with the most primitive needs at the bottom.

For further information go to:

http://changingminds.org/explanations/needs/maslow.htm

This is why I believe that if someone is not feeling fulfilled in their relationship, that they will strive for it and why should anyone have to deny themselves their basic needs. No one would deny someone food, which is a physical need, but when someone goes elsewhere to receive love and comfort which is an emotional need, people see this as wrong.

Please do not get me wrong, I do not support those who go in search of ‘fun’ or just for a ‘laugh’. Nor do I support those who purposely use sex and infidelity as a power tool. This just leads to broken hearts and no one deserves to have their hearts broken.

The below web page is an information site on relationships and looks at infidelity, providing reasons for it and also gives examples of what to look for if you do believe your partner is having an afair:

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.armchairadvice.co.uk/relationships/images/insets/lipstickshirt.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.armchairadvice.co.uk/relationships/saving/common/infidelity.asp&h=165&w=200&sz=34&hl=en&start=39&um=1&tbnid=HmgcnH6Y_4KC7M:&tbnh=86&tbnw=104&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dinfidelity%26start%3D21%26ndsp%3D21%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN

The Taboo of Masturbation

Whilst most once tabooed topics have now been exonerated, for example homosexuality, masturbation still remains rarely mentioned and when it is, is often followed by the echo of giggles.

I had never known that masturbation was once considered a mental health issue, nor did I know of society’s battle to prevent such an act. In 1911 The Boy Scouts handbook warned the Scouts about masturbation, that if they were to masturbate they would end up in a mental asylum! Unfortunately I can not find the original document, but here is a web page which is easy to read and quite interesting and sorry about it not being a particularly good reference point, but hey, its interesting:

http://www.cosmogirl.com/lifeadvice/body-and-soul/lifestyle/love-yourself

On this site it also states that Cornflakes were introduced to prevent masturbation, as it was thought that by having a cold breakfast, it would make the individual less likely to be sexually aroused.

Also, in the 18th and 19th century a metal device was invented to prevent males masturbating. Below is a picture of this, I think this illustrates the degree to which people thought masturbation to be wrong.



Freud was a pioneer of psychology and most of his theories were based on or around sex. Freud’s theory of sexual development is that as we develop from babies we focus on what gives us pleasure. The first stage is oral, because a baby will explore things using its mouth, for example a rattle. The child learns that its genitals are a pleasure source and this usually occurs through being bathed. At age four to seven the child enters into the phallic stage and this is where the focus is on the genitals and masturbation is a common act. But just to let you know, at this stage girls get “penis envy”, yep that’s right girls, we are jealous that we do not have a penis, and we think that we have had it chopped off! So, although being a psychology student, I am quite pro-Freud, a lot of people on my course would not give these theories the time of day. There are other more interesting theories than this, although this is the most bizarre!

http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/freud.html

I personally don’t get the big deal with this taboo, I really don’t! I must admit that my friends and I often discus this topic quite openly. Perhaps those suffering from society’s squeamishness just need to work on their image of self love!

My First Blog!

Hey there!
As you can probably tell from the title of this post, this is my first ever posting using a blog. I guess I am just used to keeping my thoughts to myself, posibly because of the fear of being deemed insane! hehe

An interesing notion that has held my attention for sometime is that 'Not one person thinks in the same way'

I am looking forward to some interesting discussions and debates, using blogs is indeed the best way to encourage everyone to participate.

Thats all for now.