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June 17, 2024

*Do you desire happiness?

Yes, like any normal person, I desire happiness.

*What do YOU mean by happiness or a happy life?

I believe happiness comes from things that we can be proud of and share or teach.

For example, sharing food, providing guidance, and spending time with others are

things I find gratifying. Sharing a meal and cooking for someone can enhance the

experience of eating. Time is valuable and not always readily available to

everyone. Offering guidance is often undervalued or overlooked, despite its

significance. I’ve come to this understanding by observing people at funerals,

where a common sentiment is regret over not spending enough time with loved

ones or expressing affection. Witnessing this has made me aware of the importance

of appreciating what we have and not taking things for granted.

*Think about the happy life you dream of and discuss YOUR view of happiness:

In my ideal life, my dream of a happy life is to have my beloved by my side. I

envision living in a charming home nestled by the serene waters near a majestic

lighthouse. Our pursuit of a fulfilling life will be achieving our fundamental needs,

including stable employment, our own transportation, and comfortable housing.

Actively participating in our local community and church is a priority for us. To

ensure our well-being, we will prioritize a nourishing diet, regular exercise, and

meditation. Having the opportunity to travel frequently due to my occupation

appeals to me, as I am genuinely fond of embarking on adventures and forging new

connections with diverse people. This, to me, encompasses my dream existence.

From my perspective, the key to happiness in life lies in the unwavering pursuit of

personal and professional growth. I firmly believe that stagnation only shows that

we are not living life to the fullest.

Discuss what you learned from reading Part 1 of the Philosophy of Happiness.

In my reading of the first part of the Philosophy of Happiness, I gained insight into

Aristotle’s view that happiness is inherently different for animals and humans

reflects our distinct modes of thought. While animals may find contentment in a

simple, unvarying routine, humans require the stimulation of change and novel

experiences.

I also grasped the distinction between happiness and leading a good life; they are

not always synonymous, and sometimes a good life can surpass mere happiness.

Furthermore, I recognized the tendency to judge others’ ideas of happiness by our

own standards, without considering their motivations or understanding their unique

perspectives. This realization has prompted me to correct this oversight in my own

outlook from now on.

Why is it important to write?  This should not be a question, as it is a fundamental part of communication and expression. Writing is one of the key elements that distinguishes humans from other animals. It allows us to preserve our history and knowledge from the beginning of time. Writing serves many purposes; it can entertain, inform, protect, comfort, inspire, evoke emotions, and provoke passionate reactions. 

Writing has always presented challenges for each generation, but with the integration of technology, the dynamics have shifted significantly. 

Despite the advancements in communication technology, writing continues to be an esteemed form of expression. Written documents are instrumental in articulating precise legal agreements, delineating properties and contracts, and serving as tangible evidence to validate the authenticity of events and prevent their oblivion. 

Writing should be taken seriously. Words have evolved to the point where we now have words without vowels and sentences without words. This transformation is part of the natural development of language, but it may seem daunting because it creates a wider gap between generations than ever before. Although there are older generations that have adapted to the new and “improved” style of writing, style, the new generations are adhering to established norms and grammar rules for effective writing.  But it is not enough to keep writing from declining. 

There seems to be a reduced incentive to write properly, as machines are now assuming the task. The traditional method of using pen and paper is steadily fading into obscurity, taking with it the artful expression of the human mind. With each passing day, the art of writing seems to lose a little more of its essence.  

For several weeks, ROTC cadets and non-military students have been sharing the gym and track areas during overlapping time slots, creating confusion and frustration for many who have Physical Education or Athletic classes at the Williams Center early in the day. The ROTC’s presence in the space is not new or unexpected; their training schedule is approved at the start of the academic year.
“The ROTC program schedules that area with the gym,” explained Sergeant Matthew Sullivan, who oversees military-conditioning courses at UWW. “It allows students who aren’t even interested in ROTC to take it, one, to experience how the military does PT, and two, to get PE credit.”
However, this semester has brought unusually high enrollment, and the Williams Center is showing signs of strain. With more people than ever trying to use the same limited areas, coordination has slipped. “It’s getting pretty busy in there,” Sullivan noted, suggesting the concern needed to be raised with Williams Center staff.
Students, who preferred to remain anonymous, reported that the crowding feels more than just inconvenient. Many expressed frustration that, as paying students, they were never informed about why their class experience had changed dramatically. It felt as if all the instructors themselves lacked the information needed to share.

Scheduling Issues and Signs of Tension
Observations over September and October (2025) revealed growing, subtle tension among instructional staff using the gym and track during early-morning hours. Nothing escalated into formal conflict, but there were repeated moments of discomfort. One instructor in particular from the sports department appeared consistently frustrated by unexpected overlaps and declined to participate in a formal interview.
Students noticed patterns immediately. They expressed disappointment that the administration had not communicated any information related to how campus overpopulation affected class settings, nor how the reservation system worked behind the scenes, any information would have been better than being ignorant; after all this is a university.
During the interview with Coach Corey Meredith, who has been working only two months by the time of the interview, made it clear that some staff had not been informed that the space functioned as a classroom or that there were many classes going on in the mornings, in the same area at the same time period. When asked about the reservation system and whether he knew what classes were scheduled in the same area, he explained:
“I’m not aware. What I’ve understood is we kind of use the facility. I think athletics maybe takes precedence over it, like in season athletics, and then out of season athletics, obviously, if there’s a class, we work around that, or if there’s an event, we work around that. But that’s what I’ve understood it since I’ve been here.”
His comment reinforced the central issue: instructors were doing their jobs but lacked clear information about shared facility scheduling and space.

Causes Behind the Facility Overlap
Although ROTC’s reservations were properly documented, confusion surfaced among non-ROTC instructors who either were not familiar with the reservation process or did not know which department to contact. Without clear communication channels, instructors ended up reacting in real time instead of planning ahead. Campus overpopulation amplified the situation, highlighting that these issues stemmed from logistical strain, not personal conflict.

Impact on the Instructional Environment
Nobody is acting with ill intention; everyone is just trying to teach or train, and students are trying to learn, but the lack of a unified communication protocol has created unnecessary stress. Students notice the tension, and classes feel more chaotic than they should. Multiple instructors teaching at once raise noise levels, split attention, can make it difficult to follow instructions. When the environment is overcrowded, even the most cooperative staff members cannot fully manage their teaching conditions.

Findings and Outcome
After speaking with instructors and observing several sessions, it was clear a big part of the confusion was simply not knowing the right details. Many instructors from different programs were unaware of how the reservation system worked, that existed or who to contact. The overcrowded campus only added stress to the problem and became more noticeable. The root cause, in the end, was not conflict between individuals or favoritism toward any group. It was a shortage of space combined with inconsistent communication.
Ideally, the long-term solution would be additional space, a new gym, and track, but that is not feasible at the moment. For now, the hope is that with clearer scheduling, open communication, and a shared understanding that everyone is navigating the same overcrowded environment, the Williams Center can become a more coordinated and harmonious space for all who rely on it.
This report helped bring everyone together on the same page. Since the interviews, staff posted signs, instructors have begun using other rooms in the Williams Center for classes, also staff and instructors have increased communication with one another. Whether these improvements will last remains to be seen, but at least now there is acknowledgment that the issue exists. The result has been a smoother flow during early-morning hours for instructors and students, and a more respectful sharing of the space under the circumstances.

A good life is having what we truly need, work, home, a family, not in that perfect order. But if I had to choose, I would put home first. A house, a room, a place that is mine. A place where I can rest and breathe. A place I can claim, my own even if it is small. Like I mentioned before, my dorm is not much and it is uncomfortable and expensive, but it is the place where I sleep and for me, my dorm is more than a place to live. It is a space I shaped into a home as I carve out a path beyond traditional limits, a shelter for my body, my mind, my dreams, and I keep reminding myself of that just to stay functional.
But these three: work, home and family are always intertwined. I do not know any human who lives without all three in some form. Even someone without a job still has work to do. The only people that do absolutely nothing are those in a coma, because the ones in recovery or fighting for their lives, their spirit and mind is working, fighting to stay alive; just like the rest of us, working in one way or another. We all come from a family, whether it is blood or by adoption, and we all need a place to stay, which changes depending on culture and money.
2
Let’s start with work. According to Kazuo Ishiguro, The Remains of the Day gives us a somber portrayal of it. Stevens devotes his entire life to service, to being the perfect butler. He gives everything to professionalism and etiquette, and because of that he misses his own life, his own family, his own home, as he is told. “If you are under the impression, you have already perfected yourself, you will never rise to the heights you are no doubt capable of” (Ishiguro 43). Maybe that was his purpose, to serve. We humans are made for something. Some of us struggle to discover it, but Ishiguro seems to believe, like I do, that we are meant to do certain things well. Even though Stevens regrets parts of his life, I think he is mostly at peace with who he became. He never lived with “what ifs.” Having structure is a good thing, it frees us from anxiety and worries that at the end of the day make us sick.
Then we have Thoreau in Walden, who did the complete opposite. He walked away and chose a life where he could think, breathe, experiment, and exist without someone ordering him around. Maybe what happened with his brother pushed him toward that life. Or maybe the pressure of society made him break and ask himself, “Why am I doing everything they want, when my life is mine?” Thoreau wanted truth more than anything: “Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth”. (Thoreau 64) Even loving yourself requires work. Offering a compliment, forgiving and being kind all takes courage and effort. I wished Thoreau spoke more about his brother in this story or diary.
3
All three: work, home, and family demand dedication, love, appreciation and willpower. None of them are just physical. They require emotional labor, spiritual labor, and mental effort. They shape who we are.
Christina Rosetti shows in Goblin Market that the sweetness of life is having someone to share it with. Someone to work besides you, and a place to come home to. Today the world is more individualistic. People love solitude. Maybe the social interactions we get from school, work, and friends, fill us enough so that we go home waiting or wanting silence. Or perhaps it is social media that is keeping us separated, which at this moment in time, is keeping some of us safe, away from the dangers from outside, although social media can be vicious, if we do not know how to navigate the internet. But even then, all three elements are at work inside us.
A good life needs community too. In Exit West we see that being with someone is better than facing everything alone. The characters support each other until they grow enough to move forward separately. In Gilead, everything is about family forgiveness and the work we put into loving each other. The work here is not paid with money; it is paid with gratitude and grace. As Leila reminded us. “A person can change. Everything can change”. (Gilead 153). Robinson shows that redemption requires effort and communication is necessary.
Silence can speak louder than words when talking no longer helps.
4
I believe that in certain cases, silence is best. Especially when we have nothing good to say, and even then, that respect is sign of family or fraternity, considering the feelings of others take work, and it gives an air of home-like life.
All of this shows that work, home, and family are not just things we have. They are things we do. They demand attention, care, and intention every day. Even the smallest actions, cooking a meal, sending a message, organizing a room, listening to someone, count as work.
And as part of building a home and nurturing relationships, they take patience and love. Even when we are tired or discouraged, and if we put effort into them, they return something deeper than comfort or reward; they bring belonging, pride and sense of purpose. The home feels alive, the family feels real, and work feels meaningful when we invest ourselves fully, emotionally and mentally in what we do without any agendas or selfish purposes.
In the end, a good life is not something we are given, it is something we build piece by piece. Work, home and family shape us more than anything else, even when we do not have all three at once. The desire for them keeps us moving forward. Work, home and family demand effort, sacrifice, forgiveness, and courage. But they give us meaning in return.
Not everyone reaches them the same way, and some of us spend our whole life trying to achieve this what some people call the “American Dream”: home, work and family. But that effort is part of our dignity.
5
A good life is not perfect; it is the one we fight for.
A good life is something we create with our labor, our love and the places that we learn to call our own.
6
Bibliography
Ishiguro, Kazuo. The Remains of the Day. Vintage International, 1993.
Thoreau, Henry David. Walden. Princeton University Press, 2004.
Rossetti, Christina. Goblin Market, 1862.
Robinson, Marilynne. Gilead. Picador, 2004.
Hamid, M. Exit West: A Novel. Riverhead Books, 2017.

Why UW–Whitewater should lead Wisconsin by making parking free

Sophia Nicolai, UWW Junior

October 12, 2025

UW-Whitewater junior Sophia Nicolai

I have a serious question, one that every student, faculty member, and visitor at the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater should ask themselves: Why Can’t Parking Be Free at UW–Whitewater?

I have attended several UW campuses across the state, Madison, Milwaukee, Waukesha, West Bend, Sheboygan, Manitowoc, and Green Bay. And while the story is the same everywhere, high parking costs and minimal benefits, there was at least one exception. In Milwaukee, I paid roughly $120 a month for a heated garage. It was clean, safe, and efficient. For once, I felt genuinely cared for as a student, spoiled, even. That comfort, however, vanished the moment I transferred to Green Bay, where the convenience was simply having my car parked a mere ten feet from me.

Then came Whitewater. Here, I pay around $200 per semester, yet my car sits a full 1.2 miles away. In Wisconsin winters, that is not just inconvenient, it is punishing. Snow, ice, freezing winds, and all before I even start my classes for the day. And if I forget to move my car, even accidentally, as I did recently after being sick, I am met not with understanding, but with a $25 ticket. Issued at 4:00 a.m.!

How does this make sense? Why can’t parking be a free, included service, just like access to the gym, the library, the pool, or the student printers? We already pay for those through tuition and segregated fees. Nothing is truly “free,” of course, but parking could at least be fair.

It is frustrating that a university can claim to care for student well-being while forcing them to trek through snowbanks just to reach their cars. It is frustrating that we have to choose between convenience and affordability, as if higher education isn’t costly enough already. And it is beyond frustrating that, while we work, study, and try to stay healthy, we still have to worry about being ticketed in the middle of the night.

Imagine, instead, being the first university in Wisconsin to offer free parking. First-come, first-served. Simple, fair, and freeing. No constant anxiety about permits, tickets, or towing. No students were punished for being too sick or too exhausted to move their car before dawn.

We are here to learn, to grow, and to prepare for our futures, not to be nickel-and-dimed for basic access to our own transportation.

Therefore, I ask again: why not make parking free? Why not lead by example, and prove that the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater truly stands apart?

Copy from The price of a parking space – Royal Purple

UWW Shares Facility with ROTC 

For several weeks, ROTC cadets and non-military students have been sharing the gym and track areas during overlapping time slots, creating confusion and frustration for many who have Physical Education or Athletic classes at the Williams Center early in the day. The ROTC’s presence in the space is not new or unexpected; their training schedule is approved at the start of the academic year. 

“The ROTC program schedules that area with the gym,” explained Sergeant Matthew Sullivan, who oversees military-conditioning courses at UWW. “It allows students who aren’t even interested in ROTC to take it, one, to experience how the military does PT, and two, to get PE credit.” 

However, this semester has brought unusually high enrollment, and the Williams Center is showing signs of strain. With more people than ever trying to use the same limited areas, coordination has slipped. “It’s getting pretty busy in there,” Sullivan noted, suggesting the concern needed to be raised with Williams Center staff. 

Students, who preferred to remain anonymous, reported that the crowding feels more than just inconvenient. Many expressed frustration that, as paying students, they were never informed about why their class experience had changed dramatically. It felt as if all the instructors themselves lacked the information needed to share. 

Scheduling Issues and Signs of Tension 

Observations over September and October (2025) revealed growing, subtle tension among instructional staff using the gym and track during early-morning hours. Nothing escalated into formal conflict, but there were repeated moments of discomfort. One instructor in particular from the sports department appeared consistently frustrated by unexpected overlaps and declined to participate in a formal interview. 

Students noticed patterns immediately. They expressed disappointment that the administration had not communicated any information related to how campus overpopulation affected class settings, nor how the reservation system worked behind the scenes, any information would have been better than being ignorant; after all this is a university. 

During the interview with Coach Corey Meredith, who has been working only two months by the time of the interview, made it clear that some staff had not been informed that the space functioned as a classroom or that there were many classes going on in the mornings, in the same area at the same time period. When asked about the reservation system and whether he knew what classes were scheduled in the same area, he explained: 

“I’m not aware. What I’ve understood is we kind of use the facility. I think athletics maybe takes precedence over it, like in season athletics, and then out of season athletics, obviously, if there’s a class, we work around that, or if there’s an event, we work around that. But that’s what I’ve understood it since I’ve been here.” 

His comment reinforced the central issue: instructors were doing their jobs but lacked clear information about shared facility scheduling and space. 

Causes Behind the Facility Overlap 

Although ROTC’s reservations were properly documented, confusion surfaced among non-ROTC instructors who either were not familiar with the reservation process or did not know which department to contact. Without clear communication channels, instructors ended up reacting in real time instead of planning ahead. Campus overpopulation amplified the situation, highlighting that these issues stemmed from logistical strain, not personal conflict. 

Impact on the Instructional Environment 

Nobody is acting with ill intention; everyone is just trying to teach or train, and students are trying to learn, but the lack of a unified communication protocol has created unnecessary stress. Students notice the tension, and classes feel more chaotic than they should. Multiple instructors teaching at once raise noise levels, split attention, can make it difficult to follow instructions. When the environment is overcrowded, even the most cooperative staff members cannot fully manage their teaching conditions. 

Findings and Outcome 

After speaking with instructors and observing several sessions, it was clear a big part of the confusion was simply not knowing the right details. Many instructors from different programs were unaware of how the reservation system worked, that existed or who to contact. The overcrowded campus only added stress to the problem and became more noticeable. The root cause, in the end, was not conflict between individuals or favoritism toward any group. It was a shortage of space combined with inconsistent communication. 

Ideally, the long-term solution would be additional space, a new gym, and track, but that is not feasible at the moment. For now, the hope is that with clearer scheduling, open communication, and a shared understanding that everyone is navigating the same overcrowded environment, the Williams Center can become a more coordinated and harmonious space for all who rely on it. 

This report helped bring everyone together on the same page. Since the interviews, staff posted signs, instructors have begun using other rooms in the Williams Center for classes, also staff and instructors have increased communication with one another. Whether these improvements will last remains to be seen, but at least now there is acknowledgment that the issue exists. The result has been a smoother flow during early-morning hours for instructors and students, and a more respectful sharing of the space under the circumstances. 

The two videos: Not For Resale and Converging Technologies, focus on technology, but from
completely different angles.

One looks back; the other looks forward. Not For Re-sale is all about nostalgia, the love for old video games, and how physical game stores are fading away. It treats these places almost like museums where people connect to the past. You can feel both the sadness of losing something meaningful and the joy of remembering what shaped us.
Converging Technologies, on the other hand, talks about how far we have come in the last 30 years. It shows the jump from computers the size of closets and phones that looked like bricks to tablets, smart devices, and AI. Honestly, Star Trek writers were ahead of their time; they imagined tablets 60 years before we had them. Maybe they knew something we didn’t and expressed it through “fantasy,” when in reality, they were describing the future we now live in.
What the videos have in common is simple: they are about technology and our relationship with it, the past we come from, and the future we are walking into. One celebrates where we have been; the other celebrates where we are going.
Technology has become part of our daily lives whether we like it or not. I am aware of that, and I accept it. Society needs to do the same, awareness and acceptance. It is here, it is advancing, and it is not slowing down. These videos make that clear.
They are almost motivating, in a way, encouraging us to embrace what is coming. Even though I still enjoy things like snail mail and going to the post office, I love that I can contact anyone within seconds. I can tell if somebody is doing well just by how fast they reply or even read the mood behind their messages. That is communication technology, too.
On the gaming side, it is not just a hobby anymore; it is a career for many, a new living if you
will. I support that… partially. Some games go too far, too violent, too chaotic, and people dive
into them with no discipline. There is no balance. And that leads to issues: mental fatigue,
overstimulation, and who knows what else? I believe in the connection between shootings with the lack of control with technology or video games. We don’t fully understand how much this affects the brain yet. But with moderation, games can be helpful. They can teach, they can connect, and they can be part of a healthy “tech diet.”
Technology also makes life easier. I can take online classes without driving in the cold. A teacher and a student can connect instantly through a device and invisible waves we cannot see, like magic. Some people take advantage of this convenience and get lazy, depending completely on technology for everything, manners, entertainment, problem-solving, forgetting that our brain is still the greatest tool.

Technology did not create man, man created technology.

But for others, like me, technology opens doors. My car alerts me when I need oil. My phone lets me take high-quality pictures without depending on someone else. I can print photos without going to a lab. I can learn and move forward at my own pace with online classes. It is helpful, and I am grateful for it.
Even though these videos do not touch on every detail I mentioned, they support the bigger idea: change is constant. The past fades, the present moves fast, and the future is already knocking.
There is a sadness when things disappear, but also great joy, because it means humanity is still
creating, growing, and thinking. In the end, both videos reminded me that it is good to remember the past, enjoy the present, and get excited for the future.

Academic Articles and Analysis

CONTECS Final Report (2008) examines the convergence of nanotechnology, biotechnology, information technology, and cognitive science (NBIC), emphasizing that these fields are increasingly interdependent and carry wide societal implications. The report explains that NBIC integration brings “ethical challenges, governance concerns, and the need for interdisciplinary collaboration,” and warns against “deterministic visions of human enhancement” that oversimplify what these technologies can achieve (CONTECS Final Report, 2008). The analysis complements the arguments in Converging Technologies, Shifting Boundaries or CTSB, which notes that NBIC convergence destabilizes traditional categories and “blurs the boundaries between science, technology, and society” (CTSB, 2009). According to the article, as technological systems merge, cultural and ethical frameworks must adapt because “existing distinctions between human and machine, organic and synthetic, and public and private can no longer be taken for granted” (CTSB, 2009). Both sources call for inclusive, reflective governance to ensure these transformations benefit society rather than outpace critical oversight.
In contrast, the Not For Resale reviews illustrate another form of convergence occurring in digital media culture. Reviewers describe the decline of physical game stores and a shift toward digital distribution, highlighting community loss, nostalgia, and concerns about preservation. One reviewer notes that the film portrays “the last breaths of the small business, used video game store industry,” emphasizing how local shops are disappearing as digital platforms dominate (IMDb User Reviews, 2020). Professional commentary echoes this sentiment: digital marketplaces may “erase some games from existence” as physical media becomes obsolete and server-dependent titles vanish from circulation (Megavisions Review, 2020). These reactions parallel NBIC scholarship by showing how technological change reshapes identity, economy, and culture.
While NBIC research examines shifts in scientific and human-enhancement boundaries, the
documentary’s reception shows how everyday cultural practices, from collecting games to
participating in local retail communities, are equally transformed by new technological systems.

Meta-analysis

These videos, and honestly this whole course, taught me something bigger than just new
communication technologies. They reminded me that technology isn’t an enemy. It is not something to fear or reject. It Is something to understand, use wisely, and grow with. And that Is exactly what I am taking from this class.
Everyone learns something different from these videos. For me, Not For Resale showed how people hold onto the past, the comfort of things they can touch, the memories that come from old devices and game stores. Converging Technologies showed the opposite, how fast things are moving, how much we have created in such a short time, and how the world keeps changing whether we like it or not.
Together, the videos made one message very clear: technology is here to stay, and we are better off when we work with it instead of fighting it.
And that is really what I learned in COMM 440. To embrace it. To understand it. To be aware of how it affects us. To use it with intention instead of fear. Technology can help us, but only if we
approach it with knowledge, balance, and care, just like anything valuable in life. If we ignore
it, misuse it, or stay stuck in the past, then yes, it can hurt us. But if we are mindful, if we
stay aware and keep learning, it becomes one of our greatest tools.

It took society over 60 years to finally realize technology wasn’t going anywhere, and that it was going to keep evolving. And still, many people resist it. Not because it is “evil,” but because
embracing technology means embracing change. It means learning again. It means growing. And people convince themselves that learning stops once they reach a certain age. They limit themselves. They create excuses. But no one ever said we had to stop learning. No one ever said our brains have an expiration date. That is why I appreciate this class so much, and why I want to thank you, Dr.Wachanga. There are teachers who make learning feel heavy, something you want to run away from. And then there are teachers like you, who make learning something we actually want to do. I will not lie, I am not crazy about assignments in any class, but I know they are part of the process. They push us, they help us grow, and they make the message stick. And in this class, the message was loud and clear: we have the tools. We have the resources. We have the ability to use technology in ways that connect us to the world, through blogs, Facebook, video games, memes, all of them. Yes, even memes teach us something about culture and communication. Technology lets us reach people we would never have meet otherwise. But we cannot forget where we came from, either. The past is important, just not a place to live in. We remember it, learn from it, and keep moving forward.

What do I take from this course?

That the future is bright. That technology is not replacing us; itis supporting us. Things are evolving and we need to evolve with the new future. It is not going to be easy, but it will be worth it. Our brains are still stronger than any device, but only if we use them. And that learning never stops unless I stop it.
After reviewing the research on Converging Technologies alongside the public commentaries about Not for Resale, one clear conclusion emerges: many people are genuinely concerned about how technology will shape the future of humanity. These worries are natural, even expected, uncertainty has always been part of human nature. While we cannot prevent every fear or every challenge that comes with technological change, we can trust that people will continue striving to make thoughtful decisions.
Humanity learns, adapts, and ultimately moves forward. Technology is useful and powerful, but like everything we create, it is imperfect.
I also chose to include a personal review from a viewer who is not an academic scholar, because public voices matter. Even if someone does not have the same educational background as a researcher, they bring something equally valuable: lived experience. They witness how technological change affects everyday life, culture, and community. That perspective deserves recognition, and for me, it carries real weight.

###

References

James, K. (Director). (2020). Not for resale: A video game store documentary [Film]. Principal
Media. https://www.kanopy.com

TV Choice. (2008). Converging technologies [Film]. TV Choice. https://www.kanopy.com
European Commission. (May 2008). CONTECS final report (Publication No.

124377001-6_en.pdf). 124377001-6_en.pdf

IMDb. (2020). Not for Resale (2019): User reviews. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6483458/reviews/

Megavisions. (2020). Review: Not for Resale: A video game store documentary.
https://www.megavisions.net/review-not-for-resale-documentary/

Schuurbiers, D., & Fisher, E. (2010). Converging technologies, shifting boundaries. Science and
Engineering Ethics, 16(1), 31–45. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11948-009-9158-2

Vita Player. (2019). Documentary review: Not for Resale. https://www.vitaplayer.co.uk/

Free AI writing assistance. Grammarly. (n.d.). https:www.grammarly.com

Thank you, Dr. Wachanga, for guiding us, for teaching with patience and understanding, and for making this class meaningful.

😎The future is shining. Wear your sunglasses. 😎

nightingale4898@gmail.com

Please give me 48 hours to reply and possibly to post your comment. Thank you.

Time is constantly running. I thought I was writing every day, but I wasn’t I have been busy doing homework trying to rest and eat what took longer this weekend was looking for shoes Oh and a church. I can’t believe how tiny is this area mostly because they have a big university. Is not as bad as Milwaukee or Green Bay. or maybe I am so brained washed that I can’t tell the difference anymore 🤔 Regardless it is better than wht I had.

Sophia Guedj
Comm 440
Dr. Wachanga
October 7, 2025

The Living Debate of Knowledge: The 2024 United States Presidential Election on Wikipedia
I chose the Wikipedia page for the 2024 United States presidential election because it shows, almost perfectly, how discussion and debate evolve around something as huge as the American presidency. The page is like a living battlefield of perspectives, and it reveals how the Wikipedia community lives by its own core principles: neutrality, verifiability, consensus, and civility. It also shows how fragile all that is when people bring politics, bias, and emotion into the mix.
The 2024 election between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump was one of the most divisive events in modern U.S. politics, and you can feel that tension running through every edit, every comment, and every argument on the Talk page. I believe the page truly reflects the best and worst of Wikipedia’s process, where people try to be fair and factual but can’t help being human at the same time.

How the Entry Was Built
When I started exploring this entry, I did not just read the article. I went into the Talk page, the Revision History, and even the History tools, where you can see thousands of edits stretching back to 2015. It is incredible how much happens behind the scenes. The debates there are loud, emotional, and sometimes childlike, people accusing each other of being biased toward Harris or Trump, like: “Why do you have that about Harris but not about Trump?” or “Why don’t you show what Trump did right?” It feels like a classroom of kids yelling, but in a strange way, that noise is the sound of knowledge being made.
This page even has a protection barrier; you have to identify yourself or log in properly because of vandalism and trolling. Wikipedia moderators warn people not to post political jokes or false claims. That level of gatekeeping actually proves how serious this page is. Even though anyone can edit Wikipedia, not everyone can edit this page without scrutiny. The administrators, editors, and bots all work together to guard it from chaos.

Wikipedia’s Core Principles in Action
The core principles of Wikipedia, neutrality, verifiability, and consensus, are visible in every debate about the election article. Editors constantly quote rules like “NPOV” (Neutral Point of View) or “No Original Research” to remind others that personal opinions do not belong there. When someone adds language that sounds
too supportive or too critical of a candidate, another editor jumps in and either tags it or deletes it entirely.
But these arguments are not just about facts, they are about framing. Words like “claimed,” “stated,” or “insisted” can spark long conversations about bias. Some editors want to soften language; others want to make it sharper. It becomes an exercise in diplomacy, where the goal is not to win but to reach a sentence everyone can live with.

Patterns and What Drives the Revisions
Looking at the revision history, I noticed that edits come in waves. The busiest times happen during key events, campaign announcements, debates, scandals, and especially the election itself. In those moments, hundreds of small edits appear within hours. People rush to update statistics, correct quotes, and link new articles.
The changes are triggered by breaking news and by people trying to keep the narrative “balanced.” You can see that editors are constantly reacting to what’s happening outside of Wikipedia, which means the encyclopedia is almost breathing in rhythm with the real world.
The editing patterns also reveal how conflict becomes a quality-control mechanism. The louder the debate, the more likely someone will check sources, verify facts, or rewrite awkward phrasing. Conflict, in this sense, doesn’t destroy truth, it strengthens it.

What Gets Debated, What Gets Settled
Almost everything is debated at some point: turnout numbers, controversial remarks, allegations, and interpretations of events. Editors fight over what belongs in the article and what should be left out. The Talk page shows that while factual errors get fixed quickly, interpretive disagreements take forever.
For example, when one editor added a sentence about Harris’s campaign strategies, another demanded a citation; when someone mentioned Trump’s ongoing investigations, others debated whether that counted as “encyclopedic relevance.” This back-and-forth process can feel exhausting, but it is also what produces balance. The final article reads as calm and neutral only because so many people fought for every single word.

When Did It Become ‘Accurate’?
After reading all this, I think the page became relatively accurate in late 2024, right after the final results were confirmed and most speculative content was removed. But “accurate” does not mean “done.” When I checked the page today, it had already been edited again. That is outrageous and amazing at the same time. It shows that on Wikipedia, no page ever stops evolving. A Wikipedia article is never “finished.” It’s more like a living organism, always growing, shedding, and reshaping itself in response to new information or new
perspectives. What’s true today might be challenged tomorrow, and that is not a flaw, it is the system working.

Conflict, Bias, and Reliability
One of the questions I had going in was whether conflict makes information less reliable. But now I think it is the opposite: conflict creates accountability. When editors disagree, they force each other to defend their claims and back them up with credible sources. That is how the page slowly filters out bias and falsehoods.
And because this article is heavily protected, trolling is minimal, and serious editors dominate the conversation. Their debates might sound harsh, but they lead to clarity. The final product becomes a kind of collective truth, not because everyone agrees, but because everyone keeps checking everyone else.

The Role of Editors and the Construction of Knowledge
Editors are the unsung heroes of Wikipedia. They decide what stays, what goes, and how information is phrased so readers can understand it clearly and fairly. Their choices literally shape public understanding. They balance tone, verify data, and translate complex political moments into sentences that sound neutral but still informative.
Through their constant negotiation, editors prove that knowledge online is not discovered, it is constructed. Each paragraph is a compromise, built from hundreds of tiny arguments about what’s real, what is relevant, and what is fair.

Conclusion: Wikipedia as a Living Record
In the end, this assignment made me realize that Wikipedia is more than just a website, it is a mirror of how society itself argues about truth. The 2024 United States presidential election article is a perfect example of that struggle. It is serious, constantly changing, and sometimes exhausting to follow. But it is also beautiful in a way, because it shows people from all over the world trying to tell one story together.
Therefore, can a Wikipedia page ever be “done”? Probably not. But that is the point. The constant updates, debates, and corrections are what make it alive, and alive is how truth survives.

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Citations
Wikimedia Foundation. (2025, October 7). 2024 United States presidential election. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_United_States_presidential_election
Free ai writing assistance. Grammarly. (n.d.). https://www.grammarly.com/

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