Respond 5

Question 1

For your initial post, share your earliest memory of a laser. Compare and contrast your first perceptions of lasers, to your interaction with them now, and what you have learned from this week's module. For your reply post, prognosticate on the future of lasers and how it will continue to affect society.

Respond to this… My earliest memory with lasers was when someone in my family had gotten a laser pointer and we had used it to play with our cats. At that point, I hadn't thought of lasers as much more than a focused red light that produced a red dot. Now I am much more aware of their many helpful uses. As someone who uses a computer and loves to play video games, I often interact with lasers through optical disk drives.

Question 2

Social constructionism is the idea that we all have our own slightly different version of the world around us. For this week's discussion, let's talk about this more.

• How do we create our own realities?

• Is it OK that everyone's reality just a bit different?

• What role does social media play in social constructionism?

For your initial post, write out your answers to these questions, including some explanation and discussion.

For your response post, comment on another student's post, being sure to add your thoughts to theirs.

Respond to this… We create our own realities naturally by imagining or envisioning things relative to ourselves. I mean that when I approach a situation I am not going to always see it as others will, but we will in fact be looking upon the same thing. This is a very broad example of how we create these realities, but apt none the less. 

Of course it is okay that everyones reality is a bit different, that is what makes life so great. My thoughts and opinions are just that and they don't have to line up with anyone else's in order to be valid. I think of these types of questions for a scenario in a work environment and without a different perspective, every challenge would be met with one solution which is not ideal in the real world. Different approaches to problems help keep ideas flowing and change happening(hopefully for the better).

Social media is a double edged sword when it comes to social constructionism. On one edge we have the social media influences that highlight different realities and perspectives to allow others to think outside the box or at least provide a new look on something. The other edge of social media is more of a hive mind that has one view point and sticks with that regardless of any other group or persons facts or opinions. Ultimately it comes down to the user, but social media does play a role in social constructionism.