Questionnaire

Age? 20

Sex? Female

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

Does ‘Being Bad’ relate well to the other modules you are taking? This semester of Sociology, we have focused on research methods so there is not many things similar to it

If so, how? And if not, why not? It does not relate to my other modules because I am mainly focusing on research methodology with Sociology

Have you found ‘Being Bad’ too demanding, too easy, or at an appropriate level? I found being bad to be an appropriate level

Do you think the list of topics covered on the module was appropriate? Yes I do believe that the topics were appropriate

Are there any topics not included in the module that you would like to see included? I would like to look at the topic of abortion, that might distress a few other people though

Do you think that the format for classes has worked well? It was okay

What did you think of the module team? I think you are all fantastic!

Do you think it would have been better to have had more:
Small group discussions? No, they were fine as they are
Discussion and debate among the class as a whole? No, I feel that I lose touch with what is going on with the lecture if there are too many class debates.
Information and talk from lecturers? The amount received was perfect.

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

Do you think that interdisciplinary modules are a good idea? Yes

Do you think you have benefited from the interdisciplinary approach taken in the module? Yes, I feel that this will help me in my other topics of study

Would you like to see more modules that cover this kind of subject matter? Sociology, but then that is a biased answer

Are you planning to take the follow-up module PH2004 ‘It Shouldn’t Be Allowed’ at level 2? I would love to, unfortunately I think there is a clash between that and one of my core modules

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

Do you think that the blogs (web logs) were a good idea? They’re okay, but can be a pain J

What did you think of the other assessments (e.g. would it be better to have one longer assessment rather than two shorter ones?)? The assessments were just fine.

What have you learned from the module? I have learnt to look at things with a more open mind. What might be “being bad” for someone, isn’t to someone else.

What parts of the module have you found most useful and why? I found all the module stimulating and a good eye opener.

What parts do you think were a waste of time and why? Some parts of the lectures, due to not being able to hear over people’s talking

Are there any other comments you wish to make regarding ‘Being Bad’? It was a good experience. Thank you!

Lying with integrity

Being able to lie can be very useful, because not only can lying be used for bad purposes, but there are many different ways that lying can be used to make a situation better, especially if the truth would be more painful for the person to hear. Websites such as Truth About Desception ( http://www.truthaboutdeception.com/ ) examine why people lie, and have looked at the different reasons people lie.

Lying can be common in relationships especially, perhaps why of the most cliched lies of all time is the 'Does my bum look big in this' asks the borderline obese wife, and the husband is compelled to lie to ease her vanity.

Drugs

Drugs are a subject that is often covered in the media, especially as more 'realistic' shows like to portray teenagers as shooting up heroin 10 times a day, in between their bong sessions. Drugs can obviously be dangerous especially to children, who are increasingly being targetted by drug dealers, prompting the government to start organisations such as Talk to Frank (http://www.talktofrank.com/home_html.aspx).

While drugs can be dangerous, I dont think the governments apparent lack of a sensible policy that they are willing to stick to, has helped matters, and it wont be until it is much more difficult to purchase these drugs that the problem will go away.

Smoking

As an ex-smoker it is quite easy for me to see why people nowadays still continue to smoke despite all the known health warnings. Growing up in a house full of smokers, you would probably think that it would put me off smoking. Sadly, this was not the case. Despite my parents warnings, I like loads of other people, bowed down to peer pressure. At the time I thought that it made me look good, and popular. The fact it didn't make me look good or popular wasn't my concern at the time, I was just glad to fit in.

Looking back now, I do regret taking up smoking. I gave up athletics, something which made me healthy so I could smoke on a 'cancer stick'. What made me stop smoking was the time I spent working in a pharmacy. Packs on how I could give up gave me the opportunity to do so, but not everyone has the same opportunites. It has become easier to give up smoking, websites such as: http://gosmokefree.nhs.uk/?WT.mc_id=ilevel_search_08.

Do I think smoking is "being bad", well in my opinion- no. People know the health risks they face, and what passive smoking does. So if they want to smoke knowing this, then it is their right to do so.

Bad Cinema- Saw

When we go to the cinema today, there is a whole range of differnet films which are available for the public to watch. Films which show graphical violence is ever increasing in the film industry, in order to keep up to public demands. Films such as Saw are notorious for showing horrific violent and gorey scenes. Websites such as www.imdb.com allow the viewers to post their own opinions about such films, for example whether the torture scenes could of been make more graphic or whether they could of been changed.

Looking back, films have become progressively more graphical and violent. This is probably due to the fact that the public has become more and more desensitized to the violence that is being shown in films, thus meaning people in the film industry have more and more pressure of releasing stuff which have more of a shock factor.

What I find surprising is how these such films look as though they require little effort into thinking about more violent and graphic, it makes you wonder what humans are actually capable of.

Masturbation

When I found out that I was to be studying Masturbation in my Being Bad module, I did not know whether to feel embarrassed about it or to find it interesting. The topic of masturbation is something which I never really felt comfortable about talking about, and even as I write this blog I feel slightly awkward. Masturbation, in my opinion, has always been looked at from a comical perspective. Comedians, such as Billy Connolly, often use the subject of masturbation within their stand up show. It does seem slightly odd to me though how masturbation is thought of in a embarrassed and comical way. We know that a high percentage of the population do it, so what is the big joke?

Comment on Family Guy

http://www.silverdragon1723.blogspot.com/

I agree with this blogger about how Family Guy uses "relies on its ability to shock the audience as they laugh almost in disbelief at some of the things that are said". Family Guy uses a lot of politically incorrect humor in its shows, which is something some of the public find amusing. Although it is a comedy, it is clear to see why people who find it offensive and why they would want to criticise it

Comment on Scarification

http://www.adbeckley.blogspot.com/

When looking at body modification, I have always found it very interesting in why people modify they body in the way they do. After reading this bloggers post on scarification, I became aware of where and how scarification came to be. "Scarification has also been used much like tattooing in particular tribes around the world for such things as rites of passage out of adolescence" Before reading this bloggers comments I had no idea that scarification was used in particular tribes and to mark criminals, I always thought it was derived from people wanting more of a shock value.

Body Modification

One of my favourite passtimes is that of piercings. Everything about piercings I find fascinating, from choosing which piercing you want to have, the process, to what it looks like at the end. People who I consider friends, still think that I'm weird for this but shouldn't it be my choice? I love piercings because they let me feel like I can express myself, just not in the most conforming way. Shops such as Punktured (http://www.punktured.co.uk/) allow me to express myself by offering a piercing service Saying that though, body modification has become more popular in recent years. More people are becoming aware of different body art, but more importantly it is associated with different cultures. For example- it is quite common nowadays to see someone from the 'metal' culture to display some form of body modification.

I do not feel that body modification is being bad. But that is my opinion. We all have a right to our own beliefs.

Comment on Video Games

http://www.beingbadwithbecky.blogspot.com/

When looking at this bloggers comments on video games, it is interesting to see how they comment on the violence in the video games. I play video games quite alot, mainly world of warcraft, and I had never really thought about the violence within it. To me a game is about just picking up a controller and taking your mind away from whatever you want. After looking at this bloggers view, I still don't think that violence in games is being bad.

Bad TV- Maybe Not

With technological advances dominating society, it is impossible to get away from TV shows which some people may be offended by. An example of such a thing is a British Comedy: Peep Show. Peep Show is a British comedy which looks at many different issues, such as stalking, marriage, working, drug taking, in a comical way(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLf2HLmFBT8( . In my opinion I find it funny, infact one of the best British programmes around. For some people though, they may not share my sense of humor, and infact may find it offensive. To be honest though, I do not find that 'being bad', as different sense of humor are to be expected - its human nature. The programmes do not preech, do not tell people what to believe in. Yes they may be distasteful to some people, but they have the free choice to switch the channel.

Being Too Religious

Nothing annoys me more when I get a knock on the door to find that its the Jehovah's Witnesses. I'm an atheist, always have, and probably always will; and it is not as if i have a problem with people having a faith, but its when they preech to me about it I do. Do you find atheists going door -to- door trying to tell people how religion isn't good for them? Quite frankly no. I don't want to seem like I am disrespecting people and what they believe in, because I am not. I do think however, that religion should be kept private because it is in our human nature to have diversity, thus meaning not everyone is going to believe in the same thing- or even understand religion. Saying that though, it is quite easy for people to keep up with their faith an example of this is http://www.watchtower.org/ where people who have a Jehovah's Witness faith are able to go on.

Is this behaviour being bad? I do not believe that having a faith is being bad, but as for door-to-door knocking I feel that it should be a private matter.

Infidelity

When I look at the topic of Infidelity it always surprises me how that when I think about it, a lot of people do it. People having affairs, cheating on their boyfriends and girlfriends, its around us all the time even if we don't know about it. Does this mean that it is more "normal" for us as humans to par-take in infidelity? When looking on the internet there are websites such as http://infidelity.com/ which are aimed at people who have had been through this and need support and guidence. To me this suggests that it is always going to be there within us, whether we like it or not. Films such as Unfaithful look at the Infidelity and the effects it has on people.

Piercing Parlor

If I was going to suggest a module field trip it would be to a piercing parlor. This is because some people argue that body modification is "being bad". I would like to go there and ask different people's opinions whether they think that body modification is "being bad", or is just a form of art and expression of one's self.