A. SEXUAL HARASSMENT: Lately some prominent public figures have been accused of sexual misconduct, eg. movie producer Harvey Weinstein or actor Kevin Spacey as well as university professors and other professionals. Where is the line between sexual harassment and simple freedom to flirt with someone?
B. NOMOPHOBIA: Among today's high school and college students, it's on the rise: an increasing number of college students now shower with their cell phone. Most of us are afraid of leaving home without the smart phone. When does this become an addiction?
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Nowadays, the smartphone plays an increasingly big role in the society especially in young people. We have a source of information at our disposal to find everything, therefore it has an important impact not only in our development but also reduces our motivation and ability to acquire and retain knowledge. Mobile phones have been incorporated into our lives to the point that it no longer seems we can live without them. This dependence has important psychological consequences.
What do we want to remember anything for, when we can always just ask Siri? We are addict of the smartphone and Nomophobia is a real problem. It´s a pity because it seems we carry our brain into the pocket. In fact, researches point out that sometimes we can spend more time texting messages with other than speaking with our family. Amazing! Moreover, social networks are guilty of that new illness as well. Youth need to keep in touch with their friends all time. They are the most population affected It is said that they can check their smartphone up to 75 times per day. I can´t believe it! Finally, I think that the technology should be a support to make the life easy, but it shouldn´t masters us.
Who are responsible of the nomophobia? When children turn 8 or 9 the typical gift for them is a smartphone or a tablet, although the worriest thing is when you see a two years old child playing with a device.
So, in my opinion, adults are fomenting the nomophobia that we see on the teenagers because when they are children it´s easier give them the device instead of playing with them or paying the attention that they need and when those children grow up they are used to using devices daily.
There have always been abuses of those who hold power towards those who are in a theoretically inferior situation; but times are changing and, day by day, society is abandoning its blindness and becoming more sensitive to harassment.
Fortunately more and more victims of this type of harassment are feeling empowered and are denouncing these facts, although often the limits between flirting and harassment are so subtle that they are difficult to distinguish and it is probable that someone does not report a harassment situation due to fear, guilt or shame.
In my humble opinion, to be able to finish in the future with this scourge, it goes through a good education in values and teaching from small to our children, that nobody is legitimized to exert blackmail in exchange for sexual favors, since only we ourselves are owners of our bodies (something even more despicable when power is exercised by an adult over a minor)
Carmen María Alemán
My view on nomophobia.
Have you ever been into a place where all the people in it are looking at their screens? Maybe we sometimes don’t realise about it because we are in the same situation! From my point of view, teenagers aren’t the only ones affected by nomophobia, but it’s a fact that is in that period of our lives when this addiction is at its peak.
Why is this happening? In my humble opinion, the main reason has to do with something that has being happening for years: the need of being accepted by their social environment. The way in which our society’s being built, it is compulsory to have a smartphone to be permanent online and to get in touch with everyone. If you were a teenager and you weren’t connected, you would automatically be marked down as antisocial, and your peers wouldn’t count on you for anything.
In a nuthsell, it is the fear of being rejected by people, or in this case, by teenagers’ peers what make them being so overly attached to their devices, and it’s a situation hard to be solved as we are all part of the problem, sometimes even subconsciously.
Nowadays, there are more and more students who can’t live without their Smartphone. I see it every day. I work as a head of studies in a Secondary School and many students tend to be punished for using their Smartphone without their teacher’s permission. Today, students start using the mobile phone when they are 2 or 3 years old because most parents prefer their children to use this device when they are eating to watch cartoons or to play games rather than having a family conversation. From my point of view, the more time students spend with their Smartphone, the more they need to use it. In fact, some of them are addicted to it and for them, having a Smartphone is a matter of life or death.
Nowdays there are more and more people who have an absolute dependence on mobile phones.From my personal experience, this dependence affects negatively the quality
of life,social relationships and the concentration. How can this be stopped?
We usually spend more time with colleagues than with our families and friends, and some time it can happen that you find someone special in your workplace. But in that point I think it is very important to know when you are flirting and when you are going beyond to a sexual harassment.
From my point of view, the line between flirtation and harassment is a very fine one. There is a long list of what can constitute sexual harassment and some of them are also part of those than can appear when flirting. In my opinion, the main point is if it is wanted by both persons. When one of them doesn’t want to be in that situation and feels unconfortable is when it needs to stop, especially if one of them have a position of power.
In the upcoming weeks, the 90th edition of the Oscars will be held in Hollywood, California. This annual ceremony is supposed to be the highest recognition for the film industry professionals.
Nevertheless, this year the Academy Awards is expected to be one the most controversial events within the film industry because of the lately accusations of sexual misconducts around movie makers, producers and actors. As a matter of fact, several well-known directors, such us Woody Allen or James Franco, have recently been accused of sexual harassment by actresses who have worked with them.
Since the controversy came to light, there are different opinions about the issue. On the one hand, the majority of professionals support the so-called movement “Time’s Up” by little-big details like wearing black to the Golden Globes. However, on the other hand, we can still find those like the French actress, Brigitte Bardot, who believe that it is a matter of simple freedom to flirt. According to her, many actresses did it to get into the Cinema Industry and there is no need to bring up the past.
Juani, what's your personal view on the matter?
My opinion regarding nomophobia:
Albert Einstein said: "I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots. "
I think that moment has arrived. How many times do we see friends around a table or on the bench of a park with mobile phones? Or instead of talking face to face they are with their mobiles in a nightclub? From my point of view, we spend more time with the mobile phone than with family and we are losing the good habit of a good conversation with a good coffee. It is a real shame.
Without a shadow of a doubt, new technologies are good to look for information or if you are far from your friends to be able to keep in touch with them. However, there is nothing better than social relationships face to face. I wish things would change and we could go back to the times before!
(Sexual harassment) In my opinion, the issue of sexual harassment is a very concerning topic. It turns out that, given the current statements of many women in the world of cinema and the arts; it seems to be that there are numerous cases of sexual harassment. But not only there are cases of harassment and abuse in the film industry. If you read the news we can find, almost daily, cases of women who are raped or suffer from gender violence. The worst part is that many of them stay in silent for fear or shame. As a result of the 'me too' movement many of women who have suffered some abuse, are denouncing this misconducts. Now it's time to analyze why these behaviours are happen and educate in values to eradicate them.
It is obvious that the use of mobile phones has many advantages; they make our life easier and they are also a way of entertainment. The problem appears when they becomes so essential in our lives that we think we could not live without them.
Nowadays, it is more common than I would like to see people having dinner together without talking face to face, always with their phones in their hands. In addition, the age at which a child has his or her own mobile phone is decreasing in a worrying way.
From my point of view, nomophobia happens since everyone have an own mobile phone, with WhatsApp or other instant messaging applications, our email and bank accounts and other personal information. The more personal information you store in your mobile phone, the more you suffer in case you lost or forget it. The number of people suffering from this phobia is increasing and, as I see it, in 20 years, almost 100% of the population will be suffering from it.
In my humble opinion, I consider sexual harassment as a big problem in our society. It is not just a question of celebrities or Film Industry workers, but an inacceptable conduct at any circumstances. As we have said in class, there are some tools to prevent these awful situations, such us educating our kids to respect other people (no matter the sex or the personal condition); or, proportioning harder punishment to criminals. From my point of view, the key is to avoid it before happening, instead of looking for solutions once it had already occurred. I don’t have a solution to solve the problem; I just think we should act consciously to build up respectful relationships.
There is no room for doubt that sexual harassment is one of the most hot issues nowadays and for me it is also one of the most disgusting and filthy topics.
We have been listening to hundreds of people in the news who claim have suffered from sexual harassment: Actors, actresses, sportspeople... The list is endless. Nobody should pass through something like that because sexual harassment is not a simple flirtation; somebody take advantage of a situation where he is clearly in a position of superiority to force a situation which is not wished for the other person.
Many of the victims will carry psychological problems for the rest of their lives, because of the terrible consequences. For that reason, more and more I feel really proud of being a WOMAN, because a woman respect, she won't rape, she won't abuse, she won't kill, and of course, she will never commit sexual harassment.
Obviously, sexual harassment has been used by those who are in a more powerful position throughout history. The only difference is that, a long time ago, this behaviour was socially accepted and now society rejects it. However, this does not mean that sexual harassment does not exist but some people cover it up and those who commit it.
Taking into account the severity of this situation, I think it is important to bring to light the necessity of making a difference between what it is just flirting and sexual harassment because unavoidably we feel attraction to other people and other people feel attracted to us. This situation can cause one person to feel uncomfortable and, for that reason; the main point is to let your feelings known about this situation and if this behaviour continues, then, to take the necessary steps to avoid further damage.
There are some areas where the public figures have been accused of sexual misconduct, not only in cinema. Also, we have heard other cases such as rhythmic gynbastics.
Weinstein was the first important case, but after him, ninety-seven public figures were accused of sexual misconduct.
We all agree the victims are the most important to be considered. Nowadays they feel free for speaking about it because of they are supported.
However, I haven´t heard about legal judgments. There are a lot of people who don´t care to ruin a famous live due to they think that they will earn a great amount of money by doing it. That is why we don´t have to believe in everything we hear.
For my point of view the line is based on the education, the boss flirting way and his superiority.
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