# Reading Responses (Set 1)

- Checklist for a [good reading response](https://reagle.org/joseph/zwiki/Teaching/Best_Practices/Learning/Writing_Responses.html) of 250-350 words
- [ ] Begin with a punchy start.
- [ ] Mention specific ideas, details, and examples from the text and earlier classes.
- [ ] Offer something novel that you can offer towards class participation.
- [ ] Check for writing for clarity, concision, cohesion, and coherence.
- [ ] Send to professor with “hackmd” in the subject, with URL of this page and markdown of today’s response.

## Reading responses 5 out of 5

### Sep 26 Tuesday - Make It Stick
"Learning is an acquired skill"(p. 2) claimed Brown et. al. As most people would expect, learning is essential when it comes to studies. However, the authors claim that learning does not come easily but rather "an acquired skill". The reason is the lack of understanding of learning. One might often believe that learning consists of memorizing and mindlessly rereading materials. However, knowing how to learn something is crucial. For example, a student thought they studied earnestly by highlighting and re-reading the material but received a D on a test. The student thought they studied hard and knew the material, but they did not understand what they needed to do to learn it. They needed to be effortful studying such as, studying key terms, utilizing key concepts in paragraphs, and self-testing (p. 16). The authors really put emphasis on 'effort'. They state, "We're easily seduced into believing that learning is better when it's easier, but the research shows the opposite: when the mind has to work, learning sticks better. (p. 23)" I often lean toward the "easy way out" or the simplest solution. However, I learned through the passages that putting in the effort to learn actively helps retain the information used as a base for the future. It creates a stepping stone for various settings and situations that could happen in the future. As such, I wrote down concepts I thought were important given the fact that effortful strategy helped me understand the reading better because it allowed me to reflect precisely on the reading. I wonder how drastic the difference in learning is if one were learning through the "easier" route compared to effortful studying.

### Oct 3 Tuesday - Cooperation
If my roommates do not uphold their responsibilities, why would I want to? If they were to make me do their dishes, I would make them wash my dishes as well. However, it would be much easier if one washed their own dishes after they used them. This brings in the prisoner's dilemma. Nowak explains the prisoner's dilemma as two people who have to decide whether to cooperate or defect. The scenario used prisoners as an example. If one prisoner cooperates and the other defects, the prisoner who defects gets the best possible outcome (one year in jail), while the person who cooperates receives the worst possible outcome (four years in jail). However, if both people cooperate, they will both be given the 2nd best outcome (two years in jail) and if they both defect, both parties will be presented with the worst outcome (three years in jail). Defect is considered a dominant strategy because the choice has the opportunity to give you the best possible outcome (p. 13). The prisoner's dilemma deals with the concept of cooperation or self-interest on the scale of two people. When you involve more people, the situation becomes a “public goods game” (p. 22). An example of a public goods game is how we impact the environment. For example, when people see trash on the ground, they are more likely to litter because littering will seem less problematic. By just being in a small percentage of the "free ride" will lead to people caring less about their environment. In this situation, if some people do not join together to clean up the environment (the free ride), the area may remain dirty. Humans often think, “I am just one person, what I do will not make a difference.” This mentality will lead to a worse outcome in the prisoner's dilemma than if the majority of the population chose to cooperate. This also relates to Charles Darwin’s idea of natural selection or survival of the fittest. Nowak mentions how natural selection is not beneficial for public good but cooperation, on the other hand, would give the largest benefit to society. Not only does cooperation benefit society, Nowak's ideas can also guide others to build and sustain positive online communities. By fostering cooperation and emphasizing shared goals and values, this can create environments where users are more likely to collaborate, engage in meaningful discussions, and contribute positively to the community.

### Oct 10 Tuesday - Haters
“As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches 1” (Reagle). Godwin's Law exemplifies the internet these days. Arguments are quite common, arise quickly, and often result in personalized attacks that compare the other to Hitler or Nazis. However, there are also others who are classified as "trolls" who start arguments to get reactions from others therefore receiving entertainment. Although the troll may receive the entertainment they wanted, the one on the other end who received the toxic comments/argument may be attacked and hurt which could venture into cyberbullying.

Not only this, people often act more extreme online because the screens in front of them block the emotions of the real person we are talking to. This creates disconnection and desensitization. The extreme beliefs online are generated because online communities make the gathering of similar-minded individuals easier. These communities form a filter bubble where the people in these online communities are not exposed to new information or opposing viewpoints. If people are removed from their filter bubbles and exposed to people in other bubbles, there is a higher risk of inflamed discourses online due to opposing views. One's true intentions are difficult to speculate over the screen; however, being educated is important, so we avoid falling into the filter bubbles. Staying away and not engaging with potential arguments online will also keep trolls away. I have not personally experienced nor participated in any of these extreme online communities because I do not use the internet to seek potential harm to others. However, I have witnessed trolls and arguments through platforms like Instagram and YouTube comment sections.

### Oct 13 - The Darknet
Have you ever seen a cartoonish onion logo called Tor? Such an innocent-looking logo is a browser that contains some of the darkest information and transactions- the dark web. Tor Browser ables illegal and immoral activities as well as criminal business transactions such as drugs and weapons. The software masks all of your locations and activities (Kushner). Tor does this by routing signals through networks all over the world, which encrypts messages in layers, similar to an onion. The layers: guard relay, middle relay, exit relay, and destination, ensure that messages are secure and private. This is why many dark web URLs end in .onion (Wright). We know Tor browsers can be used for bad things on the dark web, but they can also be used for good. In fact, the idea of a Tor browser was first funded by the Office of Naval Research, and governments use it to infiltrate oppressive regimes (Wright).

People also buy items from each other with Bitcoin, which is a digital currency that behaves like a physical object. There is a digital ledger on everyone’s computer that keeps track of the transactions (NC). This makes bitcoin untraceable, and when used in combination with encrypted browsers like the Tor browsers, users can buy and sell criminally illegal goods and services. As such, it is important that one is careful with their information online because their information could be easily leaked and sold. Internet safety is often not talked about, but it is an issue that everyone should be more aware of to prevent potential harm to privacy or even their life.