The Evolution of the 90s

Transitioning from New Wave of the 1980s to the plethora of genres that dominated the 1990s is a huge jump that skips over some important eras such as disco, heavy metal, hair bands, etc; I did not want to skip these genres initially, but since I am writing less blogs, I feel forced to exclude some. While these genres still contributed to overall culture in the U.S., I want to focus on specific genres that not only influenced culture, but me personally.

With that said, the 1990s rejuvenated, created, and said good-bye to all sorts of genres. Disco was rejuvenated into RnB and electronic dance music, grunge was created in Seattle, and hair-bands slowly drifted out of style. The 1990s was popularized by alternative rock and sub-genres introduced under this title.  While most of these bands started in the 80s, maybe even had some hits, alternative rock dominated all radios. Bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, R.E.M, Stone Temple Pilots (STP), Bjork, PJ Harvey, and Depeche Mode (R.E.M. and Depeche Mode were also big in the 80s, but I connote them with the 90s).

These artists introduced notably darker themes woven into their albums. Grunge was known for its dark lyrics, almost growling voice, and strong backing instruments (guitar, bass, and drums). During the 80s, synthesizers, keyboards, and sampling was popularized. These concepts were completely flipped, reintroducing the standard singer, guitar, drums, bass melodies.

Within this grunge culture was sadly a negative subculture, drug use (notably heroin during this time). While drug use has always been connoted with music, heroin among others destroyed many musicians lives. Nirvana lead singer’s drug use lead to suicide. Depeche Mode lead singer, Dave Gahan, had a drug induced heart attack on stage, and overdosed on a separate occasion, eventually going to rehab and becoming clean. Alice In Chains lead singer Layne Stanley struggled with drug addiction until he overdosed in 2002. Stone Temple Pilots lead singer, Scott Weiland, died of an accidental overdose after many years of drug use, too. There are many others who have similar stories, many of which within the 90s rock community.

While drug addiction afflicted many in the 90s rock community, it was one of the most creative eras of music. The genre of rock opened up into many sub-genres during the 90s. Beforehand, rock was just classic rock. During this time, new genres emerged like grunge, alternative, alt-pop, brit-pop, nu-metal, and others. Artists began associating themselves within these genres and many different sounds emerged. In grunge, there was Nirvana, Hole, Pearl Jam, STP, etc. Alt-pop was dominated by the Cranberries, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sublime, etc. A massive brit-pop battle started between Oasis and Blur during this time, which only heightened the bands competing sounds. Nu-metal was beginning with Korn, Limp Bizkit, Rage Against the Machine, and Deftones managing the harder rock sounds.

90s rock was so important to the US culture during this time. As the turn of the century was happening, so was a turn in music. 90s rock majorly affected the sound of the 2000s. While not all the genres lived into the next decade, radios still constantly play 90s music with influences easily heard in all genres today. For example, listen to Dua Lipa’s new song “Love Again”. She samples an alternative song from the 90s, “Your Woman” by White Town. There are many more examples, but this is the most recent one I could think of that blatantly highlights the 90s influence.

 

The New Wave of Music

As the 1970s came to an end, the emergence of new wave consumed the late 70s through the late 80s. Personally, new wave has affected me more than any other genre, especially in recent years. New wave blended synth-pop with rock tendencies that created the subgenre of modern alternative music. New wave started as punk, but as earlier punk lessened the basic punk sound of raw guitar, bass, and drums, it eventually morphed into what is now known as new wave. 

Bands like Talking Heads, Joy Division, and Blondie were the first so-called punk that morphed into new wave in the late 1970s. Talking Heads and Blondie followed the movement into the 80s, whereas members of Joy Division formed New Order after the death of the lead singer, Ian Curtis. The life of Ian Curtis and the journey of Joy Division is shown in the movie Control (2007). 

At the turn of the decade, more new wave acts entered the scene with The Cure, Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, The Police, The Smiths, Tears for Fears, Echo & The Bunnymen, and Devo. The beginning of the movement was dominated by upbeat music with songs like Just Can’t Get Enough by Depeche Mode, Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) by Eurythmics, Call Me by Blondie, and Once In a Lifetime by Talking Heads to name a few (which are songs that I listen to weekly even in 2020). 

These songs and many others were juxtapositions within themselves as new wave entered a stage of music with upbeat sounds in conjunction with more moody, depressing lyrics that symbolized an age of masking problems within society. The 1980s highlighted many problems in society with the Iran-Contra Affair during the Reagan Administration, The Central Park Five, The Challenger Explosion, and Chernobyl to name a few events that defined the decade negatively (1). These events created once again a rebellious tone of the establishment and the need for change within this genre. Additionally, new wave defined the club scene throughout the 80s with the synth sounds. 

The two most recognizable new wave bands are arguably The Cure and Duran Duran, who defined the new wave sound with synth sounds and more emotional, compelling lyrics. These bands started during the late 80s, but hit their stride mid to late 1980s with multiple radio hits that played across the nation and even internationally. New wave not only affected the U.S. but other countries like the U.K., Ireland, France, etc. where many of the acts were from. 

Overall, I feel most closely aligned to the 80s New Wave music as this was much of the songs I grew up listening to and still listen to today. Many bands were/are still influenced by this era-defining genre. During the early 2010s, there was even a second new wave, consisting of bands like Muse, The 1975, Neon Trees, Phoenix, and Fun. Overall, not only did new wave define the 80s, the genre is still alive today with popular bands influenced by these iconic bands. 

“1980s.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 21 Aug. 2018, www.history.com/topics/1980s.

Protesting Through Music: The Counter-culture

The late 60s and 70s introduced a new era, the antiwar movement and the rise of counterculture in the U.S. As the Vietnam War escalated, the creation of a left leaning, antiwar group began forming, now known as the stereotypical “hippy.” This group changed the  norms of society which can be encapsulated in the phrase, “sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll.” Genres like psychedelic rock and hard rock, in conjunction with protest tones and lyrics defined this era. While the previous eras of music slowly introduced these concepts, it was this era that fully integrated this into their music and society.

Popular artists that dominated this era were The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Janis Joplin, The Doors, Pink Floyd, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Mamas and the Papas, and Grateful Dead. These artists defined an entire generation by rebelling against censorship and protesting political actions of the government, specifically the Vietnam War, violence on college campuses (specifically Kent State), and the Civil Rights Movement. While not all hippy bands’ sounds were defined by these events, but more so the drug culture, as marijuana and psychedelics became popular during this time. Many of these bands infused both of these concepts into their music, therefore creating a distinguishing tone of rebellion and insubordination of parents, society, and even the government.

From August 15th-August 18th, an entire generation was defined by a peaceful protest in the form of a festival, Woodstock. Popular artists that iconically played during that weekend were Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Jefferson Airplane, and Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young to highlight a few (The Woodstock ’69 Lineup”). The festival was not initially free to anyone, but eventually became so due to the amount of people who attended, which was around half a million, and was in organized in protest of the Vietnam War (“The Protest”).

Due to the drug culture during this era, an infamous connotation follows this generation with the popularization of the term “the 27 club,” with many artists dying due to drug and alcohol reason at the age of 27. This “club” includes the Doors lead singer Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, and Janis Joplin all dying within 10 months of each other. These deaths stunned the music industry and left this era with a black stain.

As the mid-70s approached, bands like Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin emphasized the turn into a heavier, more experimental type of rock. The 1973 release “The Dark Side of the Moon” reinvented the dizzying, stoner sound that the 70s are known for. Additionally, in 1975 Led Zeppelin released “Physical Graffiti” which was a massive hit in the United States and other countries. Other popular albums that defined the 70s were “Rumours” by Fleetwood Mac, “Hotel California” by the Eagles, and “Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Simon & Garfunkel.

These songs and albums not only defined the era of the late 60s and early 70s, but contributed to the societal undertones of rebelling against authority through their music. These types of genres that began during this time are still popular today through mainly indie music with bands like Tame Impala, MGMT, The Flaming Lips, Vampire Weekend, alt-J, and many others.

“The Protest.” Woodstock, nationalhistorydaywoodstock.weebly.com/the-protest.html.
“The Woodstock ’69 Lineup.” Woodstock, www.woodstock.com/lineup/.

Dr. Nurse or Dr. Doctor?

In my previous blogs, I wrote my arguments for and against general education requirements and the amount of schooling vs. salary. Within those topics, no path is wrong, there are just advantages and disadvantages of them. With an associate’s degree, the salary is less, but the course usually last 18 months to two years which is significantly shorter than any other pathway into nursing. The correlation between years of education and salary is significant, displaying a positive trend as education increases. Especially for nurses with a bachelor’s or above, a questions is raised by others not usually in the medical field: why not just become a doctor? Obviously, one can receive their doctorate in Nursing, but they mean a medical doctor and there are numerous reasons to receive higher education in nursing, without becoming a M.D.

The obvious reason to not become a doctor is the rigorous schooling. While a similar path can be taken as a nurse, there are multiple paths that can be taken dependent on the person: associate’s (2 years), bachelor’s (4 years), master’s (6 years), and doctorate (+4-6 years after master’s) (1). Education can range from 2-12 years. Some paths are more difficult than others, but in the end every path is a registered nurse or better. Additionally, a nurse can work at a hospital while receiving higher education and most hospitals will pay for some or all of the schooling. This is due to the high need of nurses, especially for Master’s and above. Most hospitals have tuition reimbursement and if met requirements will pay for past schooling and future schooling (have to meet certain requirements).

Within these programs are some drawbacks: a nurse is required to work for that hospital for X amounts of years or they will lose the reimbursement. Additionally, there are government (non-military) run programs that a nurse can work for 2-3 years, but are required to work in “critical shortage health facilities in the United States.”. The military programs can reimburse up to 33% of one’s tuition and an additional hiring bonus up to $30,000 (3). There is an additional mandate that a nurse must serve X amount of years with this program regardless of active duty or reserves.

Becoming a medical doctor has a different path. Whereas nurses can slowly move up from each educational step, MDs have their schooling back to back to back. The basic layout includes an undergrad (4 years), medical school (4 years), and residency program (3-8 years) to equate to 11-16 years of schooling (2). All of these steps are required to become a MD, whereas after 2 years of education in nursing, higher education is optional. While doctors make much more money than a nurse does (median salary in PA is $205,919), the amount of schooling is considerable greater and more densely centered during the early 20s (4). The demand for doctors are high, especially with the drawback of the amount of education needed and repayment programs are available, most being similar to nursing programs. While the demand of this jobs are similar, the role of a doctor vs. a nurse is considerably different.

Many people outside the health industry assume that all medical jobs are the same, just differing amounts of education and salary; while the last statement is true, the jobs are not all the same. The role of the nurse is much more focused on the patient and maintaining a one on one relationship is key in the nursing field. Nurses are “task-oriented and patient-oriented,” whereas doctor’s see the patients less, but must sign off on treatments and perform necessary procedures within their specialty (5). Nurses must known the medical jargon while managing the physical/mental treatment of their patients. Additionally, patients interact more with nurses than their doctors, with doctor’s having standards rounds X amounts of times a day (patients see resident more often than attending depending on severity of care needed) vs. nurses who check in multiple times and answer the call button in the hospital room.

One is not better than the other, but people must recognize these differences, especially when deciding their future career. Doctor’s focus more on the science and problem analysis, whereas nurses must develop stronger relationships with the patients while interpreting and maintaining patient care plans. While there is overlap between the careers, there are strong cases for either depending on the person, what they want out of their career, how much schooling, the type of caretaker/patient interaction, student loans/repayment options, and salary.

1. “DNP Degree Guide (Doctor of Nursing Practice).” All Nursing Schools, www.allnursingschools.com/dnp/.
2. “Doctor of Medicine: Steps to Become a Medical Doctor.” Study.com, Study.com, 16 Jan. 2020, study.com/articles/Doctor_of_Medicine_Steps_to_Become_a_Medical_Doctor.html.
3. Payne, Kevin, et al. “2020 Nurses Student Loan Forgiveness Guide.” Student Loan Planner, 17 Dec. 2019, www.studentloanplanner.com/student-loan-forgiveness-nurses/.
4. “Physician – Generalist Salary in Pennsylvania.” Salary.com, www.salary.com/research/salary/benchmark/physician-generalist-salary/pa.
5. “The Differences Between a Nurse and a Doctor.” Nursing Degree Guide, www.nursingdegreeguide.org/articles/general/the_differences_between_a_nurse_and_a_doctor/.

 

Diploma vs. Bachelor’s vs. Master’s

In my first civic life blog, I explained the differences between a bachelor’s and diploma in nursing. Additionally, I listed some pros and cons of either path into nursing. I delved into the validity of general education requirements for 4-year nursing students and the effects (positive and negative) of those points. While I believe that a 4-year program is not necessary for all nurses, if one wants to receive higher education possibilities, it is the smartest path.

Especially with personal experience, I want to become a nurse practitioner(NP), which takes another 2 years of schooling with a bachelor’s degree. Roles of a NP include but are not limited to “prescrib[ing] medication, examin[ing] patients, diagnos[ing] illnesses, and provid[ing] treatment, much like physicians do” (“Nurse Practitioner Programs.”). NPs have much more responsibilities than a diploma or even a bachelor’s nurse; with this increase in responsibility is an increase in salary, higher job security, more independence, and specialization in a specific field. Nurse Practitioners can specialize in family care, psychiatry, anthesticist, gerontological, forensics, and education. These are the most popular master’s programs, with other options available (“Nurse Practitioner Programs”).

With the option of specializing in a field is a strong benefit of a master’s program. Personally, I am thinking of going into psychiatry and becoming a Psych NP enables me (among other nurses/future nurses) to assess and help treat patients more readily than a diploma nurse could. An NP is able to prescribe medication and work semi-independently of a physician. While in some instances, NPs still need approval from physicians, diploma nurses and even bachelor’s nurses are more dependent on doctors and other health professionals for treatment of patients. 

A diploma nurse can get higher education, but it is more time consuming as a diploma nurse tends to move into the workforce quicker due to the shortened program and is oriented to the hospital floor. Bachelor Nurses usually work in a hospital right after graduation instead of going right into a master’s program because it is looked down upon in the nursing community to go right into a master’s program without any time in a hospital setting. Also, nurses who complete a 4-year program are more oriented to an academic environment than a diploma nurse, and might adapt to a graduate program more readily than a diploma nurse. I do not mean anything against diplomas, it is just since the program is accelerated, there is less time in a classroom setting. 

Another pro mentioned previously was an increased salary option for a bachelor’s and master’s degree versus a diploma/associate’s degree. “Associate or diploma level RNs in a Northeast state may earn an average starting salary of $35,838.40 per year as reported by the State of Maine website.” Additionally, “Northeast RN’s with bachelor’s degrees may earn an average starting salary of $41,080 as reported by the state of Maine.” Lastly, “ According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the average salary for an RN with a master’s degree is $87,363 per year… certified registered nurse anesthesiologist can pay an average salary of $154,221 per year, reports the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services” (Collins).

These are significant jumps in salaries for higher education opportunities. Obviously, these salaries change depending on the location, with west coast salaries being significantly higher due to inflation. With 6 years of schooling versus 2 years, a nurse can make over double the average salary of an associate’s degree, disregarding an CRNA (which is a highly competitive field). Also, if a nurse is unhappy or in need of a switch in setting, they can receive a master’s in nursing education and become a nursing professor. This allows for an academic setting instead of a high-stress hospital job, where a nurse can benefit with teaching future nurses. 

As stated previously, I do not want to “bash” diploma/associate’s nursing, but just want to distinguish the benefits and drawbacks of any path into nursing. Some paths are more traditional, but there are unorthodox paths in nursing that have been made available due to the increase in nursing education options. Now, there are programs for diploma to master’s or even to doctorate. These programs are rarer and less traditional, but there is such a need for quality nurses due to the high nursing retirement rates recently. 

 

Collins, Amber. “Starting Salaries for Registered Nurses by Education Level.” Chron.com, 9 Nov. 2016, work.chron.com/starting-salaries-registered-nurses-education-level-29646.html.
“Nurse Practitioner Programs.” Nurse.org, nurse.org/school-programs/msn/np/?skipPrefilter=true#context/api/listings.

The Influence of the British Invasion on America

In my previous blog, I wrote about 1950s music and its influence on U.S. society and culture. The 50s were a time of change, but it was only the start of a musical revolution. The 50s introduced a newfound freedom with the younger generation full of rebellion. February 9th, 1964 redefined the United States and its music culture with the beginning of the British Invasion. The Beatles performed “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” on the Ed Sullivan Show and Americans, especially the younger generation could not get enough of them (Puterbaugh).

They influenced not only American music preference, but fashion. Before the Beatles, Americans listened to American pop music like Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, and Little Richard (mentioned in my first blog). British and American culture was separate and exclusive of each other. Once the British Invasion took over, that premise was never again, with these cultures interwoven even during the present day. 

The Beatles were only the beginning of the British Invasion, with other notable artists such as Dave Clark Five, the Rolling Stones, Herman’s Hermits, the Animals, the Kinks, and the Yardbirds (Puterbaugh). Of these bands, The Beatles took over the U.S. charts with 20 #1 songs and 34 top 10 songs (“The Beatles.”). Additionally, The Rolling Stones had 8 #1 songs and 23 top 10 songs (“The Rolling Stones.”). While there were more bands that contributed and more British hits than listed, these display the vastness of the British Invasion. 

A major contribution to the British Invasion was the coverage of these bands touring America. The Beatles breaking America was not by accident. As the Rolling Stones Magazine stated, “the Beatles’ campaign was a shrewdly plotted one, involving considerable promotional money and a lot of advance work by managers, press agents and their record company” (Puterbaugh). While planned by the British music industry, the American media was not for the rapid change in American culture. Negative press was initially seen with the Beatles, but it only exponentially grew when the Rolling Stones cracked America. 

We had seen this fight between generations before in the 50s, but it was starting to cultivate during this time, especially as more explicit and sexualized music was being released. Also, drug use was being explored in pop songs for the first time, radically separating the generational gap. The beginnings of the hippie counterculture were being formed, especially on college campuses. The anti-war movement was created within this counterculture, protesting the Vietnam War and any movement of American troops. 

The British Invasion not only affected America in the 1960s, but all decades after. British artists in every genre, era, movement have had enormous success in the American Music Industry: Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Queen, The Cure, Duran Duran, The Smiths, Depeche Mode, Radiohead, Oasis, Muse, Adele, Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, and so many more ranging over 50 years. All of these artists will be mentioned in their respective era, but their contribution would have been nonexistent without the British Invasion and the new era it created in America. 

Puterbaugh, Parke. “The British Invasion: From the Beatles to the Stones, The Sixties Belonged to Britain.” Rolling Stone, 6 Oct. 2019, www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/the-british-invasion-from-the-beatles-to-the-stones-the-sixties-belonged-to-britain-244870/.
“The Beatles.” Billboard, www.billboard.com/music/the-beatles.
“The Rolling Stones.” Billboard, www.billboard.com/music/the-rolling-stones.

 

General Education Requirements for Nursing: Pro or Con?

As I enter my 2nd semester of college, I am increasingly analyzing my choice of attending a 4-year school over a standard 2-year program for nursing. This choice considers multiple variables that influence my decision for the 4-year program over the 2-year: the benefit of general education classes, the opportunity of higher education, increased salary, having the “college experience.” While my choice might have been to study for four years, that does not mean that my choice is the right choice for all nursing students or people interested in the nursing profession (1).

There are many positive and negative consequences of both paths. These consequences affect the civic life of almost every person due to the multiple commonplaces and civic qualities assumed in the field of nursing, or even generally in any health profession. Not just anybody can be a nurse, certain qualities must be possessed to manage the stress, commitment, and emotional aspects of nursing.

One of the biggest reasons for (and against) attending a 4-year college for nursing are the general education requirements. These requirements allow for the student to diversify their education with classes in other concentration like humanities or the arts. This requirement allows for the student to expand their education and increase their field of knowledge. Additionally, this allows for the student to earn a minor, concentration, or certificate, whereas in a 2-year program the schedule is rigid and must be followed closely in order to graduate in a timely manor.

Some downfalls of these requirements are that these increase the years of schooling from 2 to 4 years. Additionally, these classes cost a considerable amount of money and they do not even pertain to the field of nursing. Many people believe this to be a money-grabbing scheme devised by colleges to increase costs of the program and overall tuition costs.

While they are persuasive cons to general education requirements, if used and scheduled appropriately, then they can be useful to achieving a nursing degree. As previously mentioned, nursing takes much commitment and is not only about treating patients, but interacting with them and their families, showing empathy, decision-making skills, cognitive awareness of the sociological/psychological conditions, rhetoric skills, and so many more skills separate from just basic science courses. These skills can be strengthened through gen ed requirements such as ethics, philosophy, a higher level psychology/sociology class, even a higher level math course (Algebra I/Intro Stats is the highest mathematic nursing requirement to graduate) (2).

While these classes might not specifically pertain to the field of nursing, taking these classes will benefit additional roles in nursing that are not specific to just the physical care of the patient. Receiving a well-rounded education allowed for a rounded treatment of a patient, which includes aspects of these gen ed classes.

Within just the idea of general education requirements, a four year education allows for a more well-rounded nurse that a 2 year diploma can give, but the con of these requirements increases the amount of tuition and length of schooling. Without diving deep into the money aspect, the general education requirements positively impact the field of nursing with stronger, more prepared nurses. In the following blogs, other variables will be reviewed for their positives/negatives on the nursing field and specifically the nurse and how it affects their lives and others they encounter.

  1.  “BSN Degree vs RN Differences.” NurseJournal.org, NurseJournal.org, 19 Dec. 2019, nursejournal.org/bsn-degree/bsn-degree-rn-differences/.
  2. “Nursing, B.S.N.” Nursing, B.S.N. ‖ Penn State, bulletins.psu.edu/undergraduate/colleges/nursing/nursing-bsn/#suggestedacademicplantext

The Emergence of Rock ‘N’ Roll

As I turn into the next semester of my college experience, I want to switch my topic to something surrounding the commonplace of music in society. Throughout the generations/eras, especially since the 50s with the introduction of Rock n’ Roll, the British Invasion, Hippie Rock, and many more ranging to even present-day. Music is constantly shaping culture and vice versa. They are interchangeable as to which affects which in terms of mindset, politics, interests, and other aspects of culture during that era. In my blog, I will mainly write on how music has shaped the culture of that time. I will follow a chronological order in my blogs to more thoroughly highlight the change in culture and music. 

Firstly, the introduction of Rock n’ Roll in society stirred generational strife that introduced new norms into society. Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, these artists introduced new norms such as dancing, phrases, and style. They additionally created a divide in generational groups between parent and child. The parent grew up in a socially conservative culture that disallowed any tangent from those norms. With the introduction of these artists, a more liberal view of social culture evolved. With sexualized lyrics and dancing, parents argued against the evolving genre, believing rock n roll to be linked to increased delinquency and the end of morality in America (1). 

The 1950s were a turning point from the end of World War II in the mid 40s. The baby boomer generation was surging, and with this new generation called for a new mindset, especially with music choice. While the new generation was still young, the 50s were a time of great change. 

Rock ‘N’ Roll was a combination of genres including blues and pop. At the time, jazz and classical music were still popular and largely played by older generations. Rock ‘N’ Roll introduced a little heaviness unseen in music at the time. Between the guitar, drums, and bass was intense vocals the charged the songs into an emotional roller coaster that younger demographics could not get enough of. At the height of this scene was Elvis Presley, with hits like Jailhouse Rock, Hound Dog, Suspicious Minds, and many more hits that would eventually define the decade. His sound influenced other artists after him towards more high-tempo, dancing melodies.

Other influential rock ‘n’ roll songs of the 1950s include Johnny B. Goode by Chuck Berry, Tutti-Frutti by Little Richard, and That’ll be the Day by Buddy Holly and the Crickets. These songs heavily relied on the guitar for the classic rock ‘n’ roll sound with repetitive, but catchy lyrics that reflected the culture of love, growing anti-war sentiments, and rebellion of the new generation. 

While this era strongly ties to the 60s and the emerging counterculture, I chose to write separately from the 60s because this culture emerged between The Korean War and the height of the Vietnam War in the 60s and into the 70s. The 50s are a distinct change in mindset between generations with the introduction of music that challenged norms in society, that massively influenced music of the 60s and even after to present day. 

1. “Rock ‘n’ Roll and Moral Panics.” University of Southern Indiana, www.usi.edu/news/releases/2017/02/rock-n-roll-and-moral-panics-part-one-1950s-and-1960s/.

RCL #9

Paradigm Shift Speech

When we first had to decide on a topic for this assignment, I thought of the shift from WWI to WWII immediately  because I had learned a lot about it in former history courses. It was a very dark topic with war and the ethical debate surrounding it, but I wanted to research something substantial in history. There was much research online and I read an entire book in one day on chemical warfare from WWI to modern day. This book was a considerable amount of my research and citations, especially for my speech. While research took a long time, after I had it organized out, the speech came together quickly, as did my powerpoint.

Since the research took a considerable amount of time, I was rushed to rehearse my speech beforehand. I was able to rehearse it multiply times, but I had not rehearsed in the One Button Studio, so I was anxious to see how I did in that setting. Luckily though, only my group was the audience, whereas in previous speeches there was the entire class, which made me very anxious. I also volunteered to go first so I could just be done with it and to be able to enjoy the other presentations without thinking about mine.

During my speech, I thought overall I did well. Rehearsing helped my confidence a lot and since I knew the information well, I felt that it went pretty smooth. I felt that my introduction could’ve been better, especially my delivery. Throughout the speech, I should’ve added more pauses and slowed down. I accidentally forgot part of my conclusion at the end, so it ended abruptly which I ended up fixing on my second recording. More so at the beginning, I stuttered through a couple of slides, but it was more nervousness than not knowing the information. Additionally, I forgot sometimes to move the powerpoint further after I had finish a certain point.

Some things I liked about my speech was the visual component. I put a lot of work into my slides and I felt that they accompanied the speech well. Additionally, I think that I was confident while speaking, which was not the case in previous speeches of mine. Overall, I was very happy with my paradigm speech and it taught me even more about a topic I was interested in.