4
Opinions
Blue & Gold
February 8, 2013
Are you a cat person or a dog person? They say you can tell a person’s character by their pets. This week, Vivian Lee and Oliver Hirama go head to head defending their ideal pet. So what do you prefer to wake up to? Woof woof or meow meow?
She Said
He Said
When the word ‘cat’ comes up in a conversation, what do you first associate it with? Is it those crazy cat ladies who spend more time with their pets than actual human beings, or is those cute and funny YouTube videos that keep you entertained for hours? The truth is, cats are better than dogs. Can dogs groom themselves? Can they keep an online audience entertained by just sitting there, doing absolutely nothing? Give a cat a litter box and they’re set for life. And dogs? It may take them a couple months for them to finally understand not to pee on your bed. Dogs are more affectionate than cats, I can give them that. However, having a slobbering little puppy that follows you around all day, one that begs for your undivided attention, can get a little annoying. It’s like having a friend who wants to spend every second of their day with you, one that constantly annoys you to talk to them and listen to their endless rants about life. Besides, your neighbor wouldn’t call you in the middle of the night to tell you that your cat is meowing too loudly. But they will call you up if you aren’t able to control your yelping dog. Cats are independent, and they can find endless ways to entertain themselves without troubling their owners. Cats enjoy being clean and won’t go out of their way to roll in the garbage or mud right after a bath. These independent pets allow you to spend time with yourself without being disrupted by the occasional loud barking sound or the smell of dog breath in your face, begging you to play catch with them.
When I visit the house of a cat owning friend, I can’t help but feel an aura of arrogance radiate from the pet. While cats are often dubbed as ‘scardy cats’ I find a trait far different from cowardice. Cats exude pretentiousness. Cat lovers will dismiss this for fear or shyness, but it is clear to me that this is a weak cover for the fact that cats are egotistical creatures. Cats reward their owners with no thank yous, no gratitude for time and effort spent taking care of them. Look into a cat’s eyes and try to tell me that he doesn’t think he’s better, smarter, and cooler than you. The tendency for cats to shy away from interaction isn’t indicative of fear, but of the certainty that they are far superior to you, and shouldn’t deal with a mere human. Cats accept the gifts of their owners out of necessity but do so reluctantly and clearly despise the charity from lowly homo sapiens. For every step that felines are rude, ungracious, and prideful, dogs are kind, caring, and humble. Years of encounters with this outgoing species have left no doubt in my mind that the friendships one shares with dogs are nothing but genuine. Dogs will unashamedly approach a human and investigate, familiarizing himself with the scent. Love is freely accepted in the form of pets, hugs, and belly rubs. As I kneel down to pet a stray dog on the side of Zhongshan North Road, he rolls on his back, assuming the ultimate position of vulnerability to a complete stranger. This openness and expectation of good in the world are just two of the many desirable traits seen in hounds. I declare, we humans should look to dogs as role models and practice the kindness and humility we see in this beautiful species. Let cats be an example of the decadence of mankind, the arrogance and egotism most needed to be rid of in society. -Oliver Hirama (12)
-Vivian Lee (11)
VS. What happened to Disney? I-Column: by Vivian Lee
Back when I was in elementary school, the thing I looked forward to the most was going home and on watching The Mickey Mouse Club on Disney Channel. But now, when I turn on the TV and flip to Disney, all I see are shows like Dog with a Blog, Shake it up, and A.N.T. Farm. Not that I have an issue with change or anything, but the content of these shows are quite inappropriate for Disney’s targeted audience. ANT Farm and Jessie, both Disney Channel originals that came out in 2011, have a high focus on materialistic things, and making it big in Hollywood. On Jessie, the three main characters are teenagers who get anything they want without having to worry about money. Everything they want is handed to them and affordability is not an issue. Shake It Up teaches kids that dressing in cool and edgy outfits is a key factor in achieving success in life. Not only that, but in one episode of Shake It up an actor poked fun at eating disorders, joking about her own anorexic behavior. The actors on these Disney shows are getting skinnier and skinnier. How will these 13 years olds watching these shows feel comfortable in their own skin if they only have stick skinny actors as role-models? The new series, Dog with a Blog is
pretty self-explanatory. It’s about a dog… that blogs. I’m pretty sure Disney has just run out of ideas, and wrote a script for the first thing that came into their minds. It’s a pretty desperate attempt at a TV show. There’s a laugh track after every other line, and the jokes aren’t even funny. Comparing these new shows to the one I watched when I was young makes me nostalgic. Lizzie Mcguire, a series that revolved around the growth pains of a teenager, was widely praised by Disney’s audience. The realistic plotline and the audience’s ability to relate with the characters on the shows helped Lizzie Mcguire become one of the most popular series on Disney. That’s So Raven is another original series that came out in 2003. It centered on a teenage “psychic,” Raven. It taught the audience about eating disorders, relationships with family and friends, and was genuinely funny. Disney Channel has truly lost the plot. With their cold humor and obsession with fame, these shows will never be able to match up with the entertainment that Disney used to provide. The positive messages of these past shows to have slowly disappeared, along with the quality of shows.
The smartphone epidemic by Meg Silsby I’m sitting in Starbucks, enjoying a hot, creamy mocha. In between sips I scan the other patrons seated in the plush arm chairs and at the wooden tables. I notice two friends- both on their smartphones. Another table away I see an elderly lady and a younger man- he’s also on his touch screen phone. Is there something missing here? Oh yes. Conversation. Whenever I’m out and about I see friends, couples, and family members mechanically scrolling through their
“ Is it wrong to
be more interested in a game or Face-
book instead of the person you’re sharing a meal with?
”
phones. Is it wrong to be more interested in a game or Facebook than the person you’re sharing a meal with? This is the ‘elephant in the room’ for our generation. The smartphone trumps face-to-face conversation and we treat this as normal. However, the reasoning that ‘everyone else does it, so it’s okay if I do it too’ doesn’t convince me. I think it’s important to recognize that this is also an issue of etiquette. David Carr puts it quite perfectly in a New York Times “Guide to Smartphone
Manners”: ‘Go ahead, glance at your phone at an incoming text. But do not type under my nose.’ Don’t misunderstand me- I’m not saying that we should flush our iPhones down the toilet. Instead, I just think it’s important that people begin to be aware of the time they spend engrossed by their phones. I’ll admit that I sometimes feel a twinge of envy when I see someone pull out a shiny iPhone or Blackberry. It’s impossible for my brick Nokia to compete with the clean, gleaming surfaces of such devices. However, by obsessively checking Facebook and playing Temple Run with our phones we lose the ability to connect with people on a deeper level and sometimes, even talk face to face at all. We make a habit of turning to our phones every time we have a minute to spare or there’s a moment of awkward silence. It becomes difficult to fill up silence with one’s own voice or thoughts. Too often, smartphones become a means of distraction. Distraction from people, boredom, homework, chores, and all things unpleasant. However, I think it’s important to be able to pay attention to what is without using a phone as a crutch.