Blog Questionnaire

Age? 20

Sex? Male

What is your degree subject (both if joint)? English

Does ‘Being Bad’ relate well to the other modules you are taking? Yes

If so, how? And if not, why not? Because it gives us an insight into bad behaviour, many of which we see during other modules

Have you found ‘Being Bad’ too demanding, too easy, or at an appropriate level? An appropriate level

Do you think the list of topics covered on the module was appropriate? Yes, I feel the topics were all appropriate although I feel the one on Bandits could have been replaced by one more relevant to everyday life such as Alcoholism or Discrimination.

Are there any topics not included in the module that you would like to see included? As mentioned earlier alcoholism and discrimination, possibly cheating in terms of at sport or exams, swearing or bullying could also be included.

Do you think that the format for classes has worked well? Yes, the only problem being the unavoidable problem of the timing of the lectures

What did you think of the module team? I thought all were really good and thorough in opening our minds to the pros and cons of bad behaviour

Do you think it would have been better to have had more:
- Small group discussions? No, I don’t think these are helpful
- Discussion and debate among the class as a whole? Yes
- Information and talk from lecturers? I feel it was mainly the right amount but in some lectures could have been shortened for a little bit more class and lecturer discussion

The approach taken in the module is interdisciplinary (drawing on perspectives from English Literature, Film Studies, Creative Writing, Philosophy, Media Studies and Politics): do you think this a useful way of approaching the topics covered in the module? Yes, it helps to develop a range of different skills

Do you think that interdisciplinary modules are a good idea? Yes, it provides something a bit different and opens up our minds a little bit to consider different areas of a different subject

Do you think you have benefited from the interdisciplinary approach taken in the module? Yes, in a strange way I have looked at things in this module with a more relaxed attitude which has helped in focussing and forming a good opinion and view on topics discussed.

Would you like to see more modules that cover this kind of subject matter? Yes, definitely

Are you planning to take the follow-up module PH2004 ‘It Shouldn’t Be Allowed’ at level 2? Yes

Would you recommend ‘Being Bad’ to a friend? Yes

Do you think that the blogs (web logs) were a good idea? Yes, I feel it is the best way of grading a person’s progress across a longer period of time. It encourages constant revision and focus on the topics discussed and allows us to discuss all parts of the module and express our opinions. These are much better than exams as they can be ruined by a one-off difficult question or nerves and therefore not necessarily always show a persons ability or effort.

What did you think of the other assessments (e.g. would it be better to have one longer assessment rather than two shorter ones?)? No, I feel the two shorter ones were better as it was a challenge to approach two separate topics and get straight to the point in terms of meeting the shorter word counts. It encouraged us to do something different in terms of creative writing rather than an essay.

What have you learned from the module? To appreciate both sides to why people behave badly and understand why they do it while developing my opinion on these matters. Also my knowledge on these topics, drugs for example, is better.

What parts of the module have you found most useful and why? The discussions in class and learning about the bad behaviours as it helps me to develop my opinion on these matters.

What parts do you think were a waste of time and why? None really, other than maybe switching a couple of topics for more relevant ones. Maybe the Kids movie was a little pointless aswell, as it was set in America and didn’t really reflect how many STIs and teenage pregnancies occur in Britain although I did think it made a point of how easily these things happen and how many children are eager to ‘explore’ sex.

Are there any other comments you wish to make regarding ‘Being Bad’? No, just try to get a more convenient time than 6.00 on a Thursday night! :-)

In response to Jade Lopez’s post on Racism

http://jaydee89.blogspot.com/2009/04/racism.html
Racism is such a nasty thing, particularly in incidents such as the one mentioned in Jades post when someone is not just verbally abused but also physically. A lot of work has been done over the years to eradicate racism in this country and the progress has been very encouraging. A good indicator for this would be when England football team played agianst Spain on the 16th November 2004. The black players playing for England were subjected to disgusting racial abuse by the Spanish supporters but what was encouraging was the reaction back in England. Everyone was disgusted with the behaviour of the Spanish fans and I feel this is a positive indicator that our country is winning the fight against racism.

We also have to understand that sometimes, two people can disagree over random circumstances and if they are of different backgrounds, it does not necessarily mean that one or both is being racist. It is possible they may just have differing views in life and as long as there is no racist language and no discrimation involved because of the persons skin colour or background then this is acceptable.

I think sometimes racism can be triggered by past experience. If someone has a bad experience, eg been attacked by someone who has different colour skin, then they may be fearful of people who have different colour skin to themselves. This could cause them to be aggressive to these people and want to hurt them verbally as they can't physically.

Another reason is that some people are just purely simple-minded and don't have the brain cells to understand and accept that everyone is different in this world. Sadly, as Jade points out there will always be people in our world who are cruel and narrow minded. We can just hope that these bullies are also made to feel victimised and vulnerable one day, so they can be sorry and understand how their victims felt.

Porn

http://nymag.com/nymetro/news/trends/n_9437/

This article, provided by New York Magazine, speaks about porn and the impact it has on gentleman these days. So, I hear you ask, has it made them sex-made beasts? Or changed our males into animals hungry to get their sexual desires on a plate right here, right now? Andrea Dworkin, a woman famous in the eighties for her anti-porn views predicted 'rape and sexual mayhem.' In fact, New York Magazine claims that porn is actually 'deadening the male libido in relation to real women, and leading men to see fewer and fewer women as porn-worthy.'

I personally see nothing wrong with porn. If people enjoy watching it then that is up to them, those who don't have to watch it, don't have to. Many couples enjoy watching it and just because many people learn new positions from porn this doesn't necessarily make them bad. If it helps both men and women to have an active and enjoyable sex life where both get to fulfill their fantasies, then surely this is a good thing. We all want good sex, maybe thats a crude thing to say, but it's true isn't it!

The article comments on how, porn, particularly via the internet, has heightened mens expectations but I personally don't believe this to be true. I would point out that if a man likes the look of a female, they are attracted to them before they even know what they get up to in the bedroom and since the beginning of time, it is a fact that men and women are attracted to people of a similar attractiveness. Surely what the problem appears to be here is that they feel it is bad that men are developing standards. I would say that although at times it may not be clear, men have always tryed to get as attractive a partner as possible, regardless of what they are like in bed. Anyways, isn't it usually the men who are the ones being 'graded' on their ability in the bedroom? Basically, if people feel that porn is heightening peoples expectations of a partner then so be it, after all it's survival of the fittest in this world, stop whinging and up your game!

Swearing

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/organgrinder/2008/apr/14/dowecareaboutswearinganym
Pretty much everyone does it. Some words in fact used to not be 'swear words.' Although I have to say I think there is a time and a place for bad language. Examples being quietly at the pub with mates, or sitting with friends at home. Swearing when in the presence of children or respected elders, such as grandparents or when in the office, is completly inappropriate.

This web page, courtest of the Guardian newspaper, asked five media industry insiders their opinions on bad language. I agree very much with Stephen Whittle, ex-director of the Broadcasting Standards Commission. We all swear different amounts, some not at all, some fail to string a sentence together without fitting a swear word in between every other word. It is important though to have manners and respect for the wishes of other people and only swear around those who you are sure are willing to accept such bad language.

Nicky Campbell, presenter of Five Live breakfast and Watchdog, points out the constant swearing on national TV of Gordon Ramsey, also criticising the heavy-handed manner of the swearing rather than the actual swearing itself. I feel that Ramsey should try to tone down his language to avoid causing offence. Many people regard him very highly, myself included, and he and others such as Madonna, also mentioned in the article, should realise that they are role models to many young people in this country. I think this is one of the reasons why swearing has become more popular amongst young people in this country, as many people see idols doing it, footballers being another example.

Although I must admit to swearing myself, I do try to tone it down as much as possible and avoid it completly when in the company of children or elders. It is important to respect the feelings of other people as many people find it a disgusting habit and can form opinions on people due to their choice of vocabulary and I don't think it gives a very good impression. I hate to see children swearing as I feel this goes against the innocence a child should have and they are too young to understand how distasteful it is and looks.

In response to Karen Owens post on Littering

http://karen-summersun.blogspot.com/2009/04/litter-it-really-bugs-me.html

I also hate to see litter left lying around. It's so selfish and lazy and completly stupid as many people are littering the areas that they and their family and friends are using. Particularly around a field where many children are playing it is very disturbing. As much becuase people are littering an area where children are playing but also because it shows that our next generation, the children are developing bad habits and littering their own play areas.

People are just getting too lazy to take home their own rubbish and bin it responsibly. It sounds so simple yet many still litter and show little regard for our environment. I would like to see the government stand up to this problem by putting more bins around so people have no excuse and then making the punishments for littering stricter.

Animal Faeces

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A11998461

This topic really frustrates me! I hate it when people leave their animal faeces in the streets, on fields, on the roads, in the areas where we and our children walk and play. It is shocking that anyone can be that inconsiderate to just leave it there and not clean up the mess, leaving it for people to stand in. Disgusting, and no, it's not any better if it's done by horses. I don't understand why people who ride horses on the roads are allowed to turn a blind eye to the mess they leave on the roads, where the public are also walking and travelling through.

This web page I have found offers a number of tips on how to deal with dog faeces, rather than leaving it for people to stand in. As the web page states, it may not be pleasant cleaning up animal mess, but if you wanted that animal then it is your responsibility to clean up their mess. Ideas such as using biodegradable bags and training your animal to do its dirt at home are two great ideas, or even adding it to a compost heap or planting it in the soil by your acid-loving plants to ensure that you're giving something back to the environment.

We can't just leave it on fields and streets where children play, imagine how annoyed you would be if you or your child stepped in it! I strongly believe that the punishments for leaving animal faeces should be a lot stricter to prevent people doing this disgusting act and to keep our streets clean.

Drugs - Cannabis Reclassification

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/apr/03/drugs.drugsandalcohol

Recently the government upgraded cannabis back to a Class B drug after previously downgrading it to a Class C drug just a few years earlier. This has been met with a very mixed response as we see in this article from the Guardian. Some see it as a positive step towards minimalising drug use in our country. Others argue that cannabis is really no more dangerous than alcohol and should have remained downgraded. Others would argue that it is pretty irrelevant as people will continue to use it and the Association of Chief Police Officers have even already stated in the article, that they would not take tougher action on those simply in possession of the drug.

I am unsure personally. I don't take drugs, never have and would never recommend it to anyone as I have seen many people change after constant use of them. I do feel though, that cannabis in particular, as long as it does not become an addiction will not cause long-term damage. I know of many people who have tried cannabis and they have not formed an addiction or caused any mental damage. Many people also argue that most people who use cannabis tend to do so from their own or a friends home therefore don't bother or harm anyone else and their behaviour tends to be better behaved than that of someone who is drunk.

I would never believe it to be a good idea to take drugs as you never know how your body will react to a drug and it is possible to gain an unhealthy addiction. On the other hand you could equally say the same about alcohol or smoking although you can't really claim those are healthy either. You could also argue that the upgrading is totally pointless as the use of cannabis has been steadily decreasing since 1998 when 28.2% of 16-24 year olds used it, compared to 21.4% in 2006. Therefore I think that the previous classification of C, was more accurate and suitable for this drug.

Stalking

http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSTRE53S65320090430

I personally feel stalking is one of the most disgusting things a person can do to someone. It is totally careless, irresponsible and actually very selfish as although many claim to adore the person they are stalking, they are actually making their life hell. The victim will be constantly worried for their safety and it must be terrifying. I mean if someone has the mental state that they want to follow you around, who knows what they want to do! They could be looking to kidknapp, rape or even murder!

The article I have found involves TV host and supermodel Tyra Banks, who a man stalked, arguing in court that he was a harmless fan and that Banks had courted admirers with her approachable image. This is a ridiculous excuse. We are all a fan of a celebrity or a team but this does not mean that we literally follow them around while they live their lives. We don't threaten to 'slit the throat' of people close to them or scare a person to the point where they have to employ bodyguards just to go to a restaurant or the cinema. Banks fears for her safety and this is a terrible position for anyone to find themselves in.

I think people do it at the hurt they have for not being, or even 'having' may be a more appropriate word to them, the victim they are stalking. They clearly have a huge admiration for those they are stalking but have a terrible way of showing it, resulting in an unsafe addiction. It is selfish in my eyes, as they have no regard for the feelings of the victim and if they really liked them that much, then they would respect their wishes to be left alone.

Comedians

http://www.thestar.com/article/583744

Comedians are constantly having to provide new material for their jokes and every comedian will offend someone at some stage, some more than others. But it is impossible to avoid hurting the feelings of absolutely everybody in a profession where the job is to poke fun at topics and others so that people will laugh.

There is an incident mentioned in this article, relating to comedian Darren Frost who told a joke about someone being beheaded which caused offence. This is obviously a very difficult subject as the last thing we want to do is restrict the material a comedian uses, as this will obviously limit the quality of a comedians performance. If we ban jokes about death for example, then people will want jokes on religion banned, possibly leading to jokes on racism being banned, which could lead on to jokes on sexism being banned. Before long, comedians will have nothing to talk about and we will have lost the art of comedy in the world, an art which provides so much laughter and happiness.

On the other hand, we have to have huge sympathy for the family and friends of the victim involved in the incident. It must be a very difficult time for them coming to terms with the unfortunate death of a loved one, so to then have someone make jokes about it and put it on the internet for the world to see, must really hurt. No-one deserves that. You could say that while we can excuse laughing at some of the taboo subjects in our world, picking on an individual and nasty incident, particularly so soon after it had happened, was not really a wise move.

I feel comedians do a lot for our world in fact, as pointed out by the Relief Theory. They provide us with laughter which is obviously good for us, but as Sigmund Freud pointed out they also pick out some of the taboo subjects in the world and help us to find humour on a difficult subject, therefore making us feel better on a subject which we may usually be fearful of approaching.

Jokes about some of the stupidity of human nature and about taboo subjects, I often find very amusing as I feel there are so many behaviours in our nature which are actually quite comical and quality comedians allow us to see the humour in these. It is important to bear in mind on the other hand, that we must be sensitive to some subjects where humour is not going to be valued, the death of someones loved one being a perfect example.

Football Crowd Violence

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/platini-ponders-response-to-surge-in-crowd-violence-439119.html

It is a sad fact of life that when people are part of a large group, their mentality can become very different and we find this with fans in a football crowd. They know they can behave irresponsibly but as they are part of such a big group, it will be very difficult for them to be made to suffer the repercussions of their actions. This added with the passion they have for their teams and the hatred they have towards the opposition, can fuel a very nasty fire.

The webpage I have found comes from The Independent newspaper and includes an interview with UEFA president Michel Platini and even he appears a little stumped in finding a solution to this increasing problem. One suggestion he makes is to give the referee ''the authority to stop matches when violence breaks out in the stands.'' This could encourage those fans looking for a fight to stop at the threat of losing the football. On the other hand, you could argue that these people are not really true fans and if we let crowd violence stop games, then we are ultimately letting the idiots win.

He also calls for extra help from police which I feel could help, although I think more work needs to be done by the games governing bodies in reminding fans that they attend matches to support their team, not fight and they must bare in mind that there are many children and families attending these games. Platini needs to take more responsibility rather than distancing the game from this issue, "What happens in the street, like in Paris or Catania, I don't see how a football club can control this type of event.'' Instead he should be putting in place strong rules which punish clubs whose fans become violent and showing this will not be tolerated by football. Those clubs whose fans fail to behave should be forced to play behind closed doors. It is a sad situation for the game to be in but we can't keep allowing people to be killed or injured by these idiots!

Getting Drunk

http://www.aa-uk.org.uk/alcoholics-anonymous-reviews/2006/06/why-do-we-drink-to-get-drunk.html

Going on a night out usually includes many objectives - have a laugh with your mates, maybe pull a decent lady, maybe just pull at all would do for some of us! But another aim often high on the list is to get absolutely leathered!

Strange, especially when you consider the negatives. You may get sick or do something stupid, many of us do things we regret when drunk. We can make fools of ourselves, often look, feel and smell worse for wear and next mornings hangover is certainly not my idea of fun. Despite this, we keep coming back for more and keep getting drunk.

What is it about getting drunk that appeals to us so much? Is it the entertainment it provides us as it pushes us into doing stupid things which attract attention? Maybe the boosted confidence levels? Or is it purely our rebellious nature mixing with our desire to be liked, encouraging us to fit in with friends and show off the fact that we are behaving in a manner which is frowned upon by society?

Being a young student, I suppose it won't shock you to learn that I am a regular visitor of drunk world. Personally I feel that getting drunk provides a stress relief and many people see it as an excuse to act slightly irresponsibly and maybe even a little naughty. When drunk, I often find I have a higher level of confidence and am able to forget about some of the pressures I may have had during the day. I also feel many people choose to ignore their limits, in the belief that they can kid themselves and those around them into thinking that they are less reactive to alcohol. This often leads to a very drunk and very messy outcome!

Graffiti

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-559547/Graffiti-artist-Banksy-pulls-audacious-stunt-date--despite-watched-CCTV.html
Graffiti is a strange one for me. I’ve never done it myself and would not condone any sort of vandalism in any way but in a bizarre way you can’t help but be slightly impressed by the imagination and quality of some of the graffiti that we see.

A fine example being the piece of graffiti that we see in this news article from the Daily Mail. It is impossible not to be impressed by the quality of detail in the work on this wall and the imagination that had gone into it. It makes a clear and humorous statement and it could be argued that this is a much better way to make a point than some of the more violent protests that we see.

These people clearly see their work as an art and much of these works of graffiti I see are actually done in stunning detail. They also see their work as a good way of making a point and expressing themselves and this I appreciate.

On the other hand, it has to be said, that in many ways it is still vandalism. Many of these surfaces they use to write on are owned by people and it is unfair that they or the council should have to pay to clean these. Also, some people may find these slightly intimidating and older people for example, may be cautious about going around an area where this sort of graffiti has been plastered around, which is unfair on them.

Contraception Myths

http://womenshealth.about.com/od/birthcontrol/tp/10birthcontrol.htm

Upon reading this information about Contraception myths, it made me think how unsurprising it is that the amount of 'unplanned' and teenage pregnancies in Britain are so high in comparison to the rest of Europe. I feel it brings to light, how poor the education is in Britain regarding sex education and in teaching children the importance and knowledge of contraception.

Some of the myths in here are completely ridiculous but we need to understand that many people actually believe them and we need to approach this. Comments like, 'I won't get pregnant the first time I have sex' and 'I had unprotected sex only one time' are comments we hear too regularly in this country, from girls who 9 months later are giving birth!

Many of the people who do this, don't realise the risks they are taking, not just to pregnancy but also to diseases. Teaching should be made more regular in schools and we need to stop talking about sex as a 'taboo' subject in this country and recognise and accept it as something that we do to express our love for one another.

I think parents also need to take more responsibility on this subject aswell, as much of the time they avoid this subject and find it too awkward to talk about with their kids. If they talk about the facts with their children and not hide away the topic from them, then they may be less eager to explore sex with the limited knowledge they have. Kids hear a lot about sex and how great it is from movies, songs, internet etc, so when parents hide away from talking about it with them, it just fuels an eagerness to find out and as they don't really know what they're doing, it is just a recipe for disaster!

Kids

http://www.allmovie.com/work/kids-134786
The behaviour of the youngsters of our country is a topic regularly talked about and we get an idea in the movie 'Kids' as to what life is like for children in some American cities.

So how can we compare this to our country and the children living here? I am confident in my belief that most kids in England are nowhere near as bad as the kids in this movie, but we can't avoid the fact that stats are proving the mental well-being of a great number of our kids are among the worst in Europe.

The attitude and behaviour shown by some of the kids in this movie is simply appalling. An obsession with sex, drugs and booze, ganging up and beating up a young man and then even spitting on him! A complete disregard for the values of virginity and the dangers of Sexually Transmitted Diseases! I feel this movie was intended as an eye opener to adults in an attempt to show them the dangers our kids are at risk to and how they need to be more aware of the activities their children are partaking in.

I feel many kids hear much of the hype in songs, movies, etc about sex and drugs and this does not help in attracting our children to things which they should not yet be worrying about as they should still be enjoying their childhood. I think children these days suffer through pier pressure, as the demands their friends put on them to 'grow up' and do things which adults do, all go horribly wrong when these activities are done irresponsibly. We see this in the movie with a lack of contraception and the use of drugs and alcohol, resulting in stupid behaviour and the passing on of a potentially fatal disease.

Gossip

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/5082866/Men-spend-more-time-gossiping-than-women-poll-finds.html

A recent study has found that women are no longer chief gossipers! Men have taken the lead according to research printed in the guardian, but is this another sign of men becoming more feminine or an indication of men using gossip as a method of boosting their own egos and denting others.

The stats that really caught my eye was that a third of men are happiest when chatting with work colleagues while 58% admitted that gossiping made them feel 'part of the gang.' This interested me as it is always clear when a group of men are together that they are eager to be centre of attention, to be powerful in the group and to be heard. In a male group discussion, there is much interrupting and a high volume. Men have an open drive to be popular and be held in high regard, so it is interesting to hear that they see gossiping as the key to allow them to do this, particularly in the work place where you may be with people who aren't all necessarily your friends and who you are eager to be respected by.

Also a good read, is both sexes top 10 gossip topics. Women have a clear desire to discuss the lives of other people as seen with the inclusion of other women and their partners, peoples relationships, a friends weight gain, the mother-in-law and celebrities. Men on the other hand focus more on work and their standings (promotions, salaries, boss), mischief (spreading rumours, drunken friends) and of course, sex (female colleagues, sexiest female at work).

Gossip allows us to interact with each other and is a tool often used to criticise others and therefore make us appear better and of higher regard. It also gives us a chance to show off our knowledge, therefore increasing our popularity as everyone wants to know the person in the know! It may not be the nicest way to become popular but in this life, it's survival of the fittest.

In response to Yasmin Stevens post on the arrest of Ashley Cole

http://yasminstevens.blogspot.com/2009/03/ashley-cole-arrested.html#comments

It is unbelievable that someone who is a role model to so many people, young and old, can show himself up like this and disrespect so many people. It is bad news for the country when the people who our children look up to behave in this way.

We have to remember that there is nothing to prove that Mr. Cole did actually behave in this way. Newspapers have a cruel way of sensationalising stories and it is possible he may have been the victim of injustice at the hands of the police.

Nevertheless, if true it is another example of a celebrity who is idolised by many youngsters disgracing their position. The behaviour of people such as Amy Winehouse and Kate Moss for example, can at times be a terrible example to our youngsters and undoes much of the hard work done by the police and authorities to eradicate drunken and drug-influenced, bad behaviour.

Is it a cry for attention? Is it acts of frustration at the fact they can't go anywhere without being bothered by fans or paperazzi? Whatever it is, behaviour like this ruins the reputation of other celebrities such as Cheryl Cole, David Beckham and Angelina Jolie, to name but a few, who regularly behave admirably and responsibly and do a lot of work for charity. Ashley Cole himself, is a very talented footballer, who also regularly helps out for charity, yet sadly stories like this ruin his own good work.

It would be nice for some celebrities to stop letting down the majority with mindless acts of behaviour, and instead be more grateful for the fortunate position they find themselves in.

Lying

http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/lying/lying_1.shtml

Its never nice to be lied to and when the victim of a lie, it's easy to feel aggrieved and that you have been made out to be a fool. I personally dislike lying very much. I feel it is horrible to mislead people, but I also feel there are times in life when lying is necessary to make people happy. As morally incorrect it may be, we do need lies sometimes to help ourselves out in life. Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) disagreed with this and felt that all lies were wrong and a life full of liers would be a difficult world to live in.

The webpage I have researched from the BBC takes an in-depth look at lying and claims that a lie must have 3 features to it:

• - to communicate some information


• - intention by the liar to deceive or mislead


• - the liar having the knowledge that their lie is not true

I feel these are 3 good points to attribute to lying, particularly the last one which I feel is vital in seperating a lie from purely an error of judgement. A lie is definitely intended to always mislead, even if for a good reason and there is a definite exchange of information.

My opinion is more similar to that of St Augustine and Thomas Aquinas who although claim that lying is wrong, also realise that it is needed to get along in life and as Aquinas claims, can be pardonable if done for fun or helpful reasons. We lie when we tell children about Santa or the Tooth Fairy or when we tell someone they look great when they don't feel too good. We can also bring laughter into our lives by telling lies for the sake of a humerous joke, and as long as no harm is caused and the victim is told the truth soon enough then I don't feel there is too much harm in this. Whether we like it or not, we have all lied at some stage in our lives, therefore it can't be all that bad, can it?

In response to Rebecca Webbs post on Cheating In Sport

http://beckysblog16.blogspot.com/2009/04/cheating-in-sports.html#comments

I think cheating is always going to be a big temptation to athletes at the top of individual sports. It is a very sad situation that we are in at the moment where so many of our sports have to be considered unfair due to so many athletes cheating. We all want to see fair competition and worthy winners and it is a disgrace to everyone involved, particularly the supporters and sponsors who put in a lot of time and effort in following their team/individual athlete.

But it is easy to understand why cheating is so popular. The rewards nowadays are huge in many sports, millions and millions of pounds often on offer for victory and for competitors, failure is simply unthinkable. Cheating, maybe through performance-enhancing drugs/methods or influencing a game through simulation can give an athlete or team that increased chance of winning. To competitors under such huge pressure, sometimes they can't turn away from such an opportunity.

I very much understand why people cheat but I wish the authorities would make more of an effort to eradicate it and put in stricter punishments to take the temptation away from competitors. Examples for this could be to send off footballers who dive and fake injury or to give sprinters life-time bans for performance-enhancing drug use.

In response to Zoe Coxs post on Teenage Pregnancy

http://beingnaughty.blogspot.com/2009/04/teenage-pregnancy.html#comments

I absolutely agree with everything in this post. I don't think many of these girls realise how much responsibility they take on when they become a parent. I'm 20 yet I would be petrified at the thought of how much my life would change as a father and therefore have the utmost respect for parents like Zoe who are able to provide for their children and put them first in their life.

These girls cannot possibly be able to provide a suitable upbringing for their child as at 14, they are still children themselves and cannot provide the time and money a baby needs. As Zoe mentions, they should have more ambition than looking for a life of claiming benefits and their baby will likely have to keep switching between their parents who will probably have seperated. I find it frustrating when young couples have a baby after being together for such a short period of time because this does not necessarily guarantee they will stay together. And as someone whos parents are divorced, I can assure you that it is no fun for the kids at all!

They seem to be too keen to grow up too soon, and I would guess that many of these girls will regret it when they look back on the years of their childhood they lost, later on in life. There are many young people who are more than capable of being excellent parents and this does not relate to them at all but sadly there are also too many kids who just want a real-life doll and take the responsibility of being a parent way too lightly.

In response to Andrew Kirbys post on Pay Rise Protests

http://soveliss.blogspot.com/2009/04/protesting-for-pay-rises.html#comments

This is always going to be a topic which will be hotly debated. Purely because in a fair world, we all believe that teachers deserve to be paid more, as well as doctors, surgeons, police officers, firemen and nurses, in fact pretty much most people! But we also need to remember that we don't live in a fair world. If we did then we wouldn't have some footballers on 120,000 pound a week while a lot of the people in jobs listed above earn little more than 12,000 pound a year!

I think protesting can be regarded as bad behaviour. It causes a disturbance, very often results in some type of vandalism and can involve threatening behaviour. The people who do this though, clearly feel they have to protest to be heard, maybe because their previous, more civilised attempts to be heard were being ignored. We all know what its like to feel strongly about something, to then be ignored by those who have the power to do something about it. Protesting makes you more difficult to ignore, therefore increasing the chance of the desired changes.

It is strange how bad, uncivilised behaviour such as this can be the best option to encourage changes such as increased pay. Our world is surely in a sad state when we feel the only way forward is to protest and riot!

In response to Tara Keoghs post on Prostitution

http://tara-beingbadblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/prostitution.html?showComment=1239813060000#c1968657237578449193

I have read this post and article regarding prostitution and a law being brought in to prevent people having sex with prostitutes controlled by pimps, and feel there are some good points made in this entry.

If some people want to sell themselves for sex and some people want to pay for sex then, as Tara points out, it can work as proved in Amsterdam.

I would personally never pay for sex. For one, without sounding cocky, I don't feel I would ever be that desperate that I would have to pay for sex. Also, as Tara points out, there is a big risk in the fact that the person you are paying to have sex with could have any sort of disease or infection. Plus, the vast majority of girls that are in this line of work tend to be very unattractive. Whilst I'm sure there are many exceptions to this, these tend to be in the minority.

Tara is right in saying that much of the money that prostitutes make must be valuable to them as I'm sure they would not be doing something so degrading and socially unacceptable, if they could avoid it. This poses the question, would people who sell themselves for sex, benefit from being prevented from being prostitutes? Or would they instead suffer new mental and emotional stresses caused by the financial loss? Sadly though, there are many occasions when money gained from prostitution is used to buy bad things, ie drugs, booze etc, rather than food for the family. I feel the physical and mental risks associated with prostitution, and its role in spreading STIs and filling the pockets of pimps and drug dealers, make prostitution too much of a danger to freely allow in our country.

Tattoos

http://www.tattoo-abc.com/Social_Acceptance_of_Tattoos

I feel this website brings up many important issues regarding tattoos, particularly the way it is judged by others. As early as the 1960s, body art was very much frowned upon and those who had tattoos were believed to come from the bottom of the barrel of the society, but much has changed over the years and nowadays having a tattoo is seen as a cool and positive way of decorating your body. One of the reasons for this is the increasing number of celebrities who have chosen to have tattoos, big names such as actors Clint Eastwood and Ben Affleck, musicians Eminem and Bob Marley and sportsmen David Beckham and Allen Iverson.

Suddenly, the act of having a tattoo is respected and seen as an interesting and attractive way to alter the appearance of your body. I personally don’t have a tattoo but do think it can be attractive depending on what it is and its size, for example, I always have thought it is a nice touch to have your childs name on your back or arm. I do feel that it is important to put a lot of thought into a tattoo before having one, because although society is now more accepting towards tattoos, there are still many who frown upon them and when in a job interview or entering a club, it could be the slight reason which could cause rejection or refusal sadly. Plus as good as they look now they tend not to look as glamorous as our bodies age which can result in a costly tattoo removal!

I think part of the attraction of tattoos to some people can be the fact that it may still be regarded as a little naughty, although there is no law against it therefore they won't be punished despite the shock it may cause family (particularly parents) and friends. There is also the constant desire for attention that humans crave for which gives us the urge to do acts like this, where we may put symbols or art on our bodies which are totally different to anyone else. This attracts attention for stepping out of line and being an individual. Daring to be an individual can be risky as you are attempting something alone, but it takes confidence to do this, such as when you change a hairstyle or clothing style and this self-belief always deserves to be respected.

Bullying

http://www.culturevulture.net/Movies/TomBrown.htm

Bullying is a horrible thing and it's every parents nightmare that their child be the victim of a bully. It can be a cruel way of damaging a childs confidence and can be mentally and physically painful to anyone, particularly a youngster as it is in its most common form, in the playground. I feel it would take an emotionally-free person to not feel guilty after some of the actions that bullys take part in. The intentions of a bully is purely to force distress on the victim and such a careless attitude to an innocent victims feelings is disgraceful.

The book Tom Browns Schooldays features the topic of bullying as the character Tom Brown goes to a new school which has a regular occurance of bullying from some of the older boys in the school. Suprisingly, the book champions the act of bullying and gives force to the opinion that bullying can actually have a positive impact on a youngsters life. The book shows Tom power through the tough times which only make him more determined to succeed and the bullying teaches him to become a gentleman and keep 'a stiff upper-lip.' He grows up to be a mentally and physically strong role model who is respectful and goes on to be a true leader of men.

I personally feel that bullying is too horrible an experience for a child to be subjected to although I do feel that a type of 'tough love' attitude is sometimes required to help children grow up to have true values and become honest, good-natured people. Although, I do feel that it is important that it is a parent, teacher or trusted guardian who implements this to guarantee that a childs best interests are at heart, which is certainly not the case when bullys are involved.

Spitting

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/fa_cup/7950287.stm
A recent incident between Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas and Hull City assistant manager Brian Horton has led to another focus on the disgusting act of spitting. It is worth noting that so far, Fabregas has not been found guilty and no proof has been found that the accusation that he spat at Horton is true.

But it is undeniable that spitting is one of the most disgusting things that someone can do to a fellow human being. Many people have the view that they would rather be punched than spat on as to be spat at is seen as a very degrading and sick action to be subjected to.

If Fabregas is found guilty, it would be disgraceful that such a talented young man with such an incredibly high profile would do this. It would not be the first time a professional footballer has been caught doing this and it is shocking that someone who is a role model to many fans, particularly youngsters, would commit such a shameful act. This is certainly not the sort of behaviour we want our children to be replicating and people who spit should think twice before committing such a shameful action.

It is meant in no other way but to cause offence in a non-physical, cowardly manner and while I hope Fabregas is innocent, if it turns out otherwise then the authorities should take tough action to punish him and prevent this being repeated.

Pants Art

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/features/article2308628.ece
Items related to sexual activity are always going to be perfect for art. A persons choice in underwear, for example, can be seen as a good indication of their personality. Someone who wears, somewhat skimpier underwear, may be a more flirtatious, confident and outgoing character than someone who opts for the ‘Bridget Jones’ choice in underwear.

Many people may find it strange, some may find it distasteful but those people should get a life. This is a perfect example of how art can be amazing in showing us how different and wonderful everyone is. Different personalities being displayed on the outside by their choice in underwear. It has clearly become popular according to the article which I feel is a positive as it shows the confidence these people have and how our country is still full of extroverts.

Confidence like this gives us a thrill and is proof how behaviour which some people would regard as bad or naughty, displaying our undies, is a huge attraction to us humans. Maybe its the confidence fuelling our egos, the attention we get or just the pure thrill of doing something that would shock others which we enjoy.

Masturbation - Healthy or Deadly?

http://blogs.psychologytoday.com/blog/lust-in-paradise/200901/masturbation-paranoia-may-cause-cancer

Upon looking for a picture to lighten up a previous post, I stumbled across an interesting blog by a psychologist called Christopher Ryan and a psychiatrist called Cacilda Jethá. They highlight an incredible contrast in findings from studies where some claim masturbation can increase the risk of prostate cancer while others claim it actually decreases the risk. There are even studies which find no relation at all between the two!

It appears the more modern view claims that regular masturbation can help prevent prostate cancer and I'd personally like to think this is true! There are a lot of factors which contribute to the onset of cancer and I have to question if some of the previous studies had been inspired and encouraged by the old-fashioned view that masturbation should be discouraged and regarded as a shameful habit. While there is such a huge contrast in research though, there should be no reason now to stop 'polishing the rocket!'

Stealing

http://www.helium.com/knowledge/8695-reasons-why-some-people-steal
I'm proud to say that I've never stolen anything in my life....well not knowingly, apparently when I was 3, I stole a little duck shaped pencil sharpener from a nursery, big confession I know, please don't judge me for it!

Thing is, I've always felt that the guilt would be too much for me and that there is a degree of desperation about it. I suppose I'm lucky in that I've never wanted anything that desperately, that I couldn't have. There's also the big worry that I'd get caught, causing a whole lot of problems and trouble and losing a lot of trust that my family and friends have in me. Talking about family and friends, that is one thing I would never do, steal from them. You need these people in your life and why anyone would steal from them I don't know, it absolutely baffles me.

I suppose it could be argued that you can get things for free from stealing, but surely you can't walk proudly while wearing a stolen jumper or trainers or anything which you haven't really earned yourself or been given as a gift.

In response to Nicola Quinns post on The Bad Gene

http://talktonic.blogspot.com/2009/02/bad-gene.html#comments

This article is very interesting as it makes a strong suggestion that a persons genetic make-up can have a big impact on whether or not they go on to commit anti-social behaviour.

It relates to a gene that controls an enzyme called monoamine oxidase A (MAOA), which when in low levels, there was an increased chance that person would commit anti-social behaviour if they suffered from maltreatment while those who had higher levels were less likely.

I think this is strong proof that nature can be just as influential as nurture in the outcome of a persons behaviour. I feel though, that both are equally influential and that we shouldn't think that it is completly down to genetics how a person behaves, although it is clear that some people are more likely to commit anti-social behaviour if exposed to high levels of maltreatment, stress, etc.

As Professor Stephen Rost, mentions in the article, some people will appear genetically to have a high likelihood of commiting anti-social behaviour yet despite also suffering from maltreatment will go on to live normal, constructive lives.

Also you could suggest that many instances of anti-social behaviour are influenced by a situation or another person and that all of us, if found in a certain situation, are capable of commiting some sort of bad behaviour. For example, punching a fellow human being is seen as anti-social behaviour, yet if you have just caught that person in bed with your wife, then it is likely that you will commit this act, whether or not you have high or low levels of MAOA!

It may be argued that if we can find out through this enzyme, who is more likely to commit a crime it may be easier to prevent, but then would it be right to give a person drugs and treatment to prevent behaviour which they have not even commited and maybe never will? I don't feel this would be fair or right, particularly as such a high number of people who have low MAOA levels, don't actually go on to commit crimes.

Plus there is no mention in this article of what sort of maltreatment these individuals were subjected to, as whether it was mild or more severe maltreatment would obviously have a huge impact. I would also ask were all individuals subjected to the same maltreatment? This I very much doubt and therefore you could argue that many of those who commited crimes, may have purely reacted this way because they suffered from more severe maltreatment rather than their MAOA levels.

In response to Claire Cramphorns post on Masturbation

In response to http://claire-cee.blogspot.com/2009/03/masturbation-through-eyes-of.html

After reading the post from Claire and the message linked to it from the man who feels pushed out by his partners desire for vibrators and sex toys to be added to their sex life, I feel that this brings a lot of topics to our attention.

For example, we spoke in the masturbation lecture about masturbation when in a relationship and what appeared clear to us was that most people masturbate even when in a relationship. This may be considered strange by some people who would ask why, when you have a partner who you can have sex with, would you continue to pleasure yourself. Would people feel disgusted if they found out their partner was masturbating while in their relationship? What if their partner was masturbating over porn? Would it bother them that their partner was 'getting off' on watching and possibly imagining themselves with someone else and not their partner?
I personally feel that masturbation even when in a relationship is totally fine as people have different sexual drives and some require it more than others, therefore it is better for someone to pleasure themselves rather than cheat on a partner who may not need sex as often. Even if this includes porn, I feel that some people need the variety that porn provides as it differs from normal life and is very much acceptable.

The man who sent this post in, I feel is mainly worried that he may not be satisfying his partner sexually which can be a big worry for someone who is aware their partner masturbates but he should be happy that she involves him in this and learn from her masturbating as to what she likes. Masturbation can therefore be about discovering what someone likes sexually and can be beneficial for the masturbator but also for the partner.

Infidelity

http://www.infidelityfacts.com/infidelity-statistics.html
I found a website with facts on infidelity which I think may make for useful reading.

I was personally a little surprised by how high the percentages are of people who have cheated on a partner, 57% of males and 54% of females have cheated on a partner! Thats over half of the population have cheated on a loved one!

So why do people cheat I ask? Surely someone who is having an affair can't love their partner that much or else they wouldn't be doing it, so why don't they just break up with them first? I think personally that in most cases of infidelity, the cheater still actually cares more for their partner than for their new lover as if this was not the case, surely they would end their current relationship for their new one. Maybe it's the feeling of trying something different, some people are of the opinion that having sex with just one person can get boring over time and typical human behaviour seems to be that we regularly crave what we don't have!

A huge 74% of men and 68% of women admit they would have an affair if they knew for sure they would avoid being caught. Clear proof that most cheaters actually still care about their partners and the reasons may be deeper for wanting to cheat than purely leaving the relationship. Maybe it really is just the attraction of trying something different but then again, the average affair lasts 2 years, thats more than just a brief taster of a different variety! Possibly the excitement of doing something a little bit naughty, the risk of getting caught is the attraction, many of us do long for a more crazy life at times.

A regular reason why someone won't leave their partner and instead may just cheat on them, is the involvement of children. Some people may want out of their marriage/relationship yet hold back from leaving knowing that if they leave then they will put their children through much distress as they see their mother or father leave the home. Therefore they may feel by staying in the relationship and keeping the family happy, while having a bit of fun on the side to satisfy themselves, everyones a winner! Until they're caught that is!

What I would really like peoples opinions on is, when a person is cheating on a loved one, is the person they are cheating with, equally to blame? Or is 100% of the blame purely on the shoulders of the cheater? And what do people class as infidelity, is it cheating to passionately kiss someone else or is it only cheating when it leads further onto sex?

Smoking

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/health_advice/facts/smokehealth.htm
Personally, I don't smoke and have very few relatives or friends who do, but those I know who do smoke regularly, tell me how much they regret starting in the first place. Yet they do not stop. Why?

I've tried cigarettes a couple of times before and personally felt they were flavourless (likely reason for that being that on both occasions I've been rather drunk and probably still have the taste of sambucca in my mouth) but I've had no urge to want another since.

There's a lot of negatives associated with smoking, I aint going to go into the health problems linked with it, we've all heard of those and are aware by now, but I also struggle to understand why anyone would want to go into smoking with the short-term problems linked to it.

For a start, smoking cigarettes creates one disgusting smell, and your teeth and fingers go a weird yellow stained smell! Plus with the smoking ban in pubs, offices etc, smoking must be an absolute nightmare in the winter and cold nights when you have to keep standing outside to 'have a fag'. And the cost! It's quite an expensive habit, unless you're scaving them off your mates of course, may I ask any smokers reading this, how much do you spend on smoking a week.

Another thing I would like to ask the smokers out there, is would any of you, seriously, recommend smoking to someone close to you, or even anyone at all? Or is there something I'm missing or is smoking just an image thing for many people?

Week 12!?!?

Ladies and Gents, here is my Being Bad blog for naughty fun, filthy devils!!!!

Ideas for week 12, hhhhmmmmmmm, uuuuummmmmm, is alcohol abuse on the topic already, or sexual fantasies? That'd be interesting wouldn't it, especially after the first week when we found out someone had a thing for sleeping with their boyfriends dad! Or we could just all go out on a session, fancy-dress up town and get absoluted blasted?!?!

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