www.fallacyfiles.org/

This link shows an example of a logical fallacy in the news.  The graph shown is upside down, therefore distorting and fooling peoples impression of the graph.  

Hi, I am writing a research paper on Disney movies, and how they teach positive life lessons.  After writing my first proposal essay on this topic, we had people in my class read them and give feedback.  I plan to revise my topic by shifting the proposal and thesis to how Disney influences the traditional arts.  We need to support children’s films that develop a love and appreciation of arts and encourage children to learn and become more involved in arts.  I plan to incorporate into my paper that we need to emphasis Fine Arts in schools, and to point out the different moments in Disney that expose people, especially children, to classical music, dance, and works of literature.  Disney movies teach people great morals and life lessons to live by in their songs and animated movies.  I plan to elaborate on different examples of this positive exposure to the arts in my paper.  In Disney’s original Fantasia (1940), this movie exposes people to pure classical music and traditional fairy tales, stories, and ballets.  As a nation filled with so much culture, we need to keep the arts in schools.  When budget cuts are made they usually go to the Fine Arts programs first.  This is preventing students to be able to find passion and beauty behind the arts.  Fine Arts can completely change a person.  Arts can be a ‘release’ to people’s aggression, or help someone find who they really are when you have a passion for something.  Disney movies expose people to the classical arts and positive life lessons and morals.   

In my proposal essay, I plan to introduce my topic by stating a thesis statement.  I will use examples from different moments in Disney movies that are positive and teach good life lessons.  My thesis statement in “A should do B” form is: “I personally challenge people to find the positive lessons in Disney films rather than the tragic moments.”  The reader needs to know that many Disney movies are based off of traditional fairy tales, but Disney takes out some of the gruesome moments, and present it in a more appropriate way for today’s families before they read the actual argument.  In my proposal paper, I will “dissect” the Disney movies, and give examples of the different encouraging and touching moments.  The opposing view of my paper is that Disney has negative and tragic moments in their movies.  Even though some movies start with tragic plots or unfortunate circumstances, lessons are always learned.  The point of these movies is not how the events affected the main character, but how the character moved forward and grew.  The weakness of this is that some people are so negative about everything, and claim that Disney movies are bad influences to families.  The most important part to my paper is that Disney has so many encouraging and positive moments in their movies that are fundamental to childhood and family bonding.  I encourage you to care about this topic because Disney is such a huge company and a huge part of people lives.  At least for me, Disney is always a common topic.  As a college student, I constantly hear, “Let’s have a Disney movie marathon” or “What is your favorite Disney movie/character?” Disney truly is talented at teaching people great morals to life by in their songs and in their animated movies.           

Hello again, I have no idea where to begin on how much I absolutely love Disney!  For my college English class, I am presenting a final project about how Disney films help people cherish morals, art, and music with good values and how the films reflect on the time periods in which they were made.  For the final essay, before the presentation, we have to tie in nine different sources to our paper.  This was very difficult for me to find scholarly sources since most topics on Disney movies are little silly or full of criticism.  To help me find scholarly sources, I used key words like; Disney lessons, morals, family morals, Disney movies, fairy tales, etc… Some of the more negative papers talked about how Disney does not have good variety on the visual side of the different princes and princess’, how Disney teaches bad life lessons(always getting your Prince Charming), or that there are subliminal messages in their movies.  I try to focus on the positive side of Disney, how they teach positive ways to deal with different situations, for example; most Disney movies begin with a tragic plot or unfortunate circumstances, but the point of the movie is not how the effects affected the main character, but how the character moved forward and grew.  

   Hello again, my second blog will also be about music and the questions and significance of music in everyday life.  Imagine your favorite movie without any music at all; not only is it less climatic, but you feel the emotions less.  Music can give you incite on others points of views and help you see things from a different prospective.

-Why is music so appealing to people?

-How do others react to your music?

-Do you see any depth in music?

-What is your most fond musical memory?

   All these questions are relevant to the topic of music and its significance.  Music is appealing to people because music is proven to have a link to certain memories and emotions.  In music, when you hear a certain chord or series of notes, you feel a trigger of emotions which is that worm and fuzzy feeling that gives you goose bumps.  This is why we listen to music, and is so appealing to humans. 

   Certain people do like different types of music, but I have seen the different ways people respond to my music.  Over Christmas break I was chatting with my Uncle, and he told me he is totally tone deaf, but just by him knowing my love for music, he was touched by the music I make. It is always special to have a loved one complement you on the music you make.  

   When you are a musician, you are surrounded by music every day.  Having a depth of music is very important in order to keep having a passion for music, and to keep making music.  Music has a certain intensity and power behind every single note.  Music is a companion in pleasure, and a remedy in sorrow. 

   My most fond memory as a musician is when I walked on to the Lila Cockrell stage and performed in the 2013 3A State Honor Band.  My breath was completely taken away and I will never forget the rush I felt when we released the final note of John Mackey’s Aurora Awakes, the audience’s applause consumed me in a way I can only feel through music. Music is something that helps me escape and be totally free from everything; where words fail, music speaks. 

Hello, my name is Sarah, and I am a music major at WT.  I have had a passion for music since before my middle school years when I first learned to play the flute.  When I listen to or play music, it completely consumes me and I feel instant joy and happiness.  I have performed in many concerts and in many bands through my musical career.  After performances, many people have told me that they were touched by the music and I think music is not just something you listen to, but it can change someone’s life.  “Music is part of the human spirit, an unquenchable expression of who we are.  Music is one of the ways in which we say, “I am alive, and my life has meaning.” (Karl Paulnack)  Just like me, a lot of people who are depressed, or upset, listen to music as a type of release.  Music can be healing and help people overcome the difficult times in your life.  I had a family member who died of cancer, and I just surrounded myself with music and it helped me heal emotionally.  Music helps people express feelings without using words.  Music is one of my sanctuaries when it comes to emotions and the foundation of my personality and character.  Not only does music make you more mature by forcing you to be responsible and organized, but it makes you smarter and a better person.  Understanding music can give you a better influence and a meaning to life as a whole.  Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.