Mind download exercise for Thesis 1

1. MIND DOWNLOAD
EXERCISE
Victoria Potente
Thesis 1 – Fall 2014 | Tom Klinkowstein

2. ONE LITTLE KNOWN FILM CLIP
Mask Movie Released 1985
Rocky (Eric Stoltz), who suffers from a skull deformity, is accepted by his freewheeling biker mother,
his "extended motorcycle family," and grandparents, but treated with fear and teased by those unaware
of his humanity, humor, and intelligence. Rocky's mother, Rusty (Cher) is determined to give him a normal
life and fights for his inclusion in a mainstream junior high school. The principal would rather
classify Rocky as mentally retarded and relegate him to a special education school.
http://vimeo.com/105517988

3. ONE LITTLE KNOWN TEXT
“Humans have a tremendous capacity
for resolving conflicts without violence.
In today’s world, we need to apply
these skills in new ways and on a
grander scale.”
Douglas Fry, Anthropologist
“If our extra mundane observer were a knowledgeable
ethologist, he would unavoidably draw the conclusion that
man’s social organization is very similar to that of rats,
which are social and peaceful beings within their clans,
but veritable devils toward all fellow members of their
species not belonging to their own community. ”
Konrad Lorenz, Ethologist

4. ONE LITTLE KNOWN MUSIC CLIP
Offspring – “The Kids Aren’t Alright”
Released 1998
http://vimeo.com/105509880

5. AN UNKNOWN POLITICAL STATEMENT (SHORT EXCERPT)
Charlie Chaplin's inspirational final speech in "The Great Dictator” – A Message for All Humanity Released 1940
American satirical political comedy-drama starring, written, produced, scored, and directed by Chaplin
http://vimeo.com/105515966

6. A SURPRISING INSIGHT INTO PERSONAL BEHAVIOR I FIND INTRIGUING
Happy (documentary)
Marci Shimoff, Gregory Berns, Richard Davidson; Director: Roko Belic (2011)
Manoj Singh – Rickshaw driver | Kolkata Slum, India
Idea of optimism despite poverty; different perspective on the meaning of happiness
http://vimeo.com/105508159

7. SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT REGARDING CIVIC BEHAVIOR
An Ohio teenager with autism thought he was taking the ALS ice bucket challenge,
but instead of water, a group of juveniles doused the 15-year-old boy with a mix of
feces, urine, spit and cigarette butts, family members said Wednesday.
http://ktla.com/2014/09/03/bullies-douse-ohio-boy-with-bodily-fluids-cigarettes-for-ice-bucket-challenge-mom-says/

8. A NEW QUESTION FOR ME
Can empathy be
taught? Are we all
capable of being
empathetic?

9. A SECRET ABOUT ME FEW PEOPLE KNOW
I’m an empath:
An empath is a highly sensitive person who
can deeply perceive emotions in other people
and feel what they feel
 you feel overwhelmed emotionally or
physically in crowds
 you feel the weight of the world on your
shoulders
 you swing haphazardly from angry to sad—
and it seems to have nothing to do with
your life events
 you have a hard time falling asleep or
procrastinate going to bed
Skills:
 can “guess” what other people are feeling,
even if they are not talking about it
 can feel other people’s emotions and even
physical pain in your own body
 people find it easy to confide in you

10. YOUR MOST EXOTIC EXPERIENCE
Semester abroad; based in Rome (2002)
Venice
 Never experienced anything like it
 Feels like you’re stuck in a time warp, in a
place where there are no streets, no cars --
only sidewalks along canals, like a theater
set where even the street lamps and
window frames are pretty
Island of Capri – Blue Grotto (open weekend)
 Fear of the water and overcoming that fear
to experience something majestic

11. 30 SECOND SUMMARY OF THESIS SUBJECT
I am studying online resources designed to
help prevent bullying, because I want to find out
if the experience could be improved, in order to foster
deeper engagement and connections,
so that youths have a place of refuge that provides a
sense of community where feelings and experiences
are shared to build strength and confidence to
lull the effects of bullying.