Questionnaire

Age? 20
Sex? Female
What is your degree subject (both if joint)? Deaf Studies and Social Care
Does ‘Being Bad’ relate well to the other modules you are taking? Not really
If so, how? And if not, why not? Because other modules are taken more seriously and there is no link for being bad.
Have you found ‘Being Bad’ too demanding, too easy, or at an appropriate level? Appropriate level
Do you think the list of topics covered on the module was appropriate? Yes, I found some really interesting and shocking.
Are there any topics not included in the module that you would like to see included? Erm, Abortion and Euthanasia
Do you think that the format for classes has worked well? Yes
What did you think of the module team? They are great. They have provided a lot of information.
Do you think it would have been better to have had more: No
Small group discussions? We had a few discussions every week about the topic and heard other people’s view.
Discussion and debate among the class as a whole? It was interesting to hear their opinion as everyone is different.
Information and talk from lecturers? Brilliant amount of information.
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?
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
Would you like to see more modules that cover this kind of subject matter? Yes
Are you planning to take the follow-up module PH2004 ‘It Shouldn’t Be Allowed’ at level 2? I hope so.
Would you recommend ‘Being Bad’ to a friend? Yes
Do you think that the blogs (web logs) were a good idea? Yes it is a good idea although you have to be committed to send a blog every other day.
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 am happy with the assessments.
What have you learned from the module? I have learnt a lot about people behaving bad including alcohol, drugs etc. It gave me a perspective of our society’s view on being bad.
What parts of the module have you found most useful and why? I have found Body modification most useful because it was shocking.
What parts do you think were a waste of time and why? Erm, no.
Are there any other comments you wish to make regarding ‘Being Bad’? No.

Comment on Lies

Comment responding to Nimue’s blog on Lies: http://nimue-darknessvisible.blogspot.com/

I find his view on lies interesting. It is okay to tell a white lie to someone to make them feel happy. I tell white lies all the times. The reason why I do is that I do not want to hurt a person by telling them the truth. If I tell them the truth, they will think that I am very rude. But I do agree with Nimue that if someone lies mercifully, it is a worst part of lying. If I found out that someone lies to me, I will feel very angry and won’t be able to trust that person.

Comment on PAEDOPHILES

Comment responding on Jas's blog on paedophiles: http://jasuppal.blogspot.com/

I agree with Jas that paedophiles are mentally sick in their head. How can they follow a number of innocent young children? How can they like the idea of abusing them sexually? All paedophiles should be locked in prison or in mental hospital for rest of their life to prevent the abuses. Children are not safe in anywhere not even in their home area. The Government should pay attention on this and tackle this problem.

Comment on Suicide

Comment responding to Jina’s blog on suicide: http://jina20.blogspot.com/.

I cannot decide whether committing suicide is a bad thing. I have lost a close friend to suicide 4 years ago. She was only 16. When I found out that she committed suicide, I was very shocked and upset. I kept thinking why she kill herself and never overcome the shock as I was hanging out with her the night before. To me, she looked happy. But I realised I was wrong. She was going through depression for some time according to her family and they never thought she was capable to do it. She may had problems and never told anyone. The more she was holding, the more depressed she was. She thought that was the only way to kill herself to be free from the depression she was suffering. I wish she would tell a person she trust and get help but it is too late. I have known a few people who also killed themselves in the same area. I will never do it if I am depressed because I do not want my family and friends to go through what I did.

Booze Britain

It was very interesting to hear all the facts about alcohol in the lecture last Thursday. In Britain, we see alcohol as a social norm and don’t see anything wrong with drinking. Our lecturer had some statistics to show how many of us are drinking every day and how much we drink. It was interesting aspect that young people drink heavy on one session while older people drink sensibly every day.

It is true. I am 20 years old and I am a binge drinker. I drink three times a week and do drink heavy to get drunk. All my friends are the same as me. We see it as a normal and we do it to socialise with each other in pubs and nightclubs. There was one occasion when I was really drunk and didn’t remember much – I was drinking double vodka all night and according to my friends that I was missing. They all were looking for me and found me sleeping on my doorstep! I was shocked and scared that I could risk my life if I am being drunk like this again. I learnt my lesson and never drank heavy when I go out.

Programmes such as Booze Britain had showed the reality of how drunken people are. They are often been involved in fighting/arguments and ended up being arrested and some may end up in hospital. It has cost a lot of money in NHS. The Government had tried to tackle these problems by introducing the units and allowing some bars/nightclubs to open 24 hours. First of all, we don’t have a clue what unit means and I believe that bars open for 24 hours doesn’t help to tackle the problems. It is actually make the situation a lot worse!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/4267548.stm

Having a baby at a young age is not unusual in the UK. Britain has the highest percentage of teenage pregnancies in Western European. The rate is rising every year. It is not surprising for me to be honest. I know so many people who got a baby at very young age – some of my family members and my friends. Most of them got pregnant because they never use conceptions! No matter how much we try to warn them, they will never listen to us and end up of having a baby or more. Few months ago, a boy aged 13 was a father to a baby and he only looked 8!! More teenagers are losing their virginity at very young age from 11 onwards!!! It is outrage. They are only kids who are having sex. Their parent should have a word with them about sex when they are 10 years old before they go to a secondary school. It is not acceptable for kids having kids in our society. Some teenager mothers never learn their mistake and have their baby number 2 soon after their first child!!!

I learnt that I need to be careful after I got a scare when I was only 16. I was freaking out so much and kept thinking what my mum would say about me having a baby. So, I went to the sexual health clinic and got conception which lasts few years. I persuaded all my friends to do same and unfortunately one of them didn’t have conception and end up pregnant aged 18. I am grateful that I didn’t have a baby at young age and enjoy my life with no responsibility! I will have a baby when I feel ready.

http://www.independent.co.uk/extras/big-question/the-big-question-why-are-teenage-pregnancy-rates-so-high-and-what-can-be-done-about-it-1623828.html

Comment on Child Abuse

Responding to Missy’s blog on child abuse: http://missyblog25.blogspot.com/

I do agree with Missy when she said “Child abusers should go hell”. I cannot understand how people can beat up children or abuse them mentally or sexually. It is the worst thing a child can face to. It will destroy their childhood and it will affect them in later life.

Euthanasia

Euthanasia is a practice of killing without pain; a person is suffering from a disease that cannot be cured. It is illegal in the UK. In my opinion, I am not against euthanasia because people who have been terminally ill can pass away peacefully without having to suffer more days to their death.

It is illegal in the UK because of the religions. I am a Roman Catholic and my religion is against euthanasia. My religion sees euthanasia as a murder because it kills a person no matter what. Our faith is to support God when he said he will choose our death. In some ways I do respect that but when I learn about these terminally ill patients who have been suffering for years and they have no quality of life. They are dependent on their carer and stay in their home or in hospital at all the times. I cannot blame for them when they wish to die to end their suffering.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/euthanasia/

Homosexuality Comment

Comment responding to Miss Matrix’s blog on homosexuality: http://i-wish-philosophy-was-pink.blogspot.com/

I agree with Miss Matrix when she was talking about homosexuality. I cannot understand why many people see homosexuality as ‘bad’ or ‘evil’. You have to understand how these people feel. They cannot help to be in love with people in same sexes. However I can understand from the religion’s perspective on homosexuality. I am a Roman Catholic and my religion is against it. But I don’t see anything wrong with homosexuality. They are seeing as ‘norm’ now regardless there are few people who are against. Before I came to Wolverhampton University, I had no experience with lesbian and gays. Since I came here, I have so many friends who are lesbian and I see them as normal. There is no difference between us only they are interested in girls.

Abortion

Abortion means deliberate ending of a pregnancy at an early stage. In England and Wales, the total number of abortion was 198,500 in 2007 according to Department of Health website. It was raised by 4,800 from 2006 to 2007. It may be more abortions in 2008 than in 2007. From the statistics from 2001 onwards, it rises high every year.

In my opinion of abortion, I am against abortion, full stop. People who commit it, I see them as a murderer because they plan to kill a human being in their womb. Most women who are in early stage of pregnancy, they see their baby as an ‘embryo’, not a human. Anti-abortion websites even state that embryo will suffer during the abortion as they may develop pain sensors few weeks after the conception.

I remember when I had to research on abortion for my GCSEs; I was given an anti-abortion website showing all the shocking pictures. These pictures of dying babies made me physically sick and I couldn’t even understand how women are capable of killing their own flesh and blood.

Yes, I can understand why women abort their baby – they may be too young, money situation etc. But surely, they can give their baby up for adoption. There are many couples in the UK who are unable to have a child.

http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsStatistics/DH_085508

Anorexia Comment

Comment responding to Katy Jayne’s blog on anorexia: http://take-off-your-colours.blogspot.com/

I agree with Katy Jayne when she was talking about anorexia. In A-levels, I researched on anorexia for my health and social care essay. For that essay, I had to research on the internet, newspapers articles, television programmes, real-life stories and surveys etc. I have found some facts that are quite shocking. Especially on the television programme, the youngest anorexia sufferer was 8 years old! The media is the blame for the girls who want to lose their weight. The media including magazine has put a big perspective that all the celebrities must be ‘perfect’ and even criticizing them if they has put on weight or have cellulite. They have gone too far and they are putting young girls’ mind that they have to be ‘perfect’.

Prostitution

Prostitution is the work of a prostitute who sells her/his body for money. Most prostitutes are women and only few men. There are escort agencies and prostitution companies available in the UK. There are many disadvantages on prostitution – the history of the prostitutes’ lives. Many women who are drug addicts, they may be forced themselves to sell their body to get money they need to get the substances they need (mostly on heroin). These women are risking their life. In the news about three years ago, there was a man called Steve Wright who murdered 5 prostitutes in Ipswich area within 10 days period.

I remember recently on a Jeremy Kyle show, there was a young girl aged 18 years old. She is a prostitute because she enjoys having good money and be able to treat herself. She has no history of alcohol and drug abuse. Jeremy Kyle was trying his best to change her perspective on prostitution by including ex prostitutes who explained what had happened to them during the prostitution – rough sex which can lead to their death, abuse etc. After hearing the stories, the young girl hasn’t change at all. I was very shocked that it is a fact that she enjoys her job too much and she doesn’t even think that she will end up murdered.

While researching on prostitution, I found out that there are many girls, young as 12 from Asia who moved into the UK. They thought they would be working as a nanny and housekeeper but they were forced to prostitution. The worst bit is that their parents sell their daughters for money. It is an extremely sad story and I feel for those young girls who are being sexually abused by men.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/wright-guilty-of-murdering-five-prostitutes-785167.html

Nasty Comedians

On 18th October 2008, Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross, the very well known comedians in the UK were talking live on BBC Radio 2. Unfortunately they were caused being rude to Andrew Sachs – a famous actor. They made a phone call to Andrew which leaded to the answer machine. Jonathan Ross just blurted out that Russell Brand had a sexual intercourse with his grandchild. They made it worst by slanging about him regards how he feels that Russell had sex with his granddaughter. The conversation leaded to more information about the sexual intercourse Russell had with Georgina, his granddaughter. They mocked about when Andrew finds out about this, he will look at the picture of young Georgina on the swing and Russell Brand said that’s how they met.

When I read the transcript of their conversation, I was very shocked of how rude they were to an elderly man. They were the most famous comedians in the UK and they ruined their career. I never like them after that and I think Jonathan should be sacked. They should think of the consequences they had caused to Andrew Sachs and his family.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/oct/27/russell-brand-jonathan-ross-andrew-sachs-calls

Bullying

Throughout my childhood, I was bullied by my ‘good’ friend. She always got in control of me and told tales to the teachers about me which wasn’t true. I used to get in trouble because her. I was physically attacked by her – pulling my hair and kicked me. I used to be scared of her but then I had the courage to tell my mum about her. After she got caused, she kept bullying me and made remarks about me.

When I got older, I used to ignore her and made new friends. One day about few years ago, I had the courage to tell her that she made my life hell when we were very young and she kept apologising. At the time I didn’t think she understood how I felt but now she does after having her own baby.

Bullies are thugs who enjoy hurting people. Some do it to be popular and show everyone that they are tough. But it is not true not even one bit. Although I had experienced of being bullied, I was never experienced the serve bullying including stabbing, physically fighting etc. There are few reports in the newspapers that some young teenager self harm themselves or committed suicide because they were bullied. These young teenagers cannot cope with the bully. Bullies may lower their self esteem and they could be blackmailed to not tell anyone.

The most affected children and young people may be disabled, race, overweight and religions. Personally I don’t know why I was bullied. Perhaps I was a vulnerable child and was easy target for her to overpower me.

http://www.bullying.co.uk/index.aspx

Drugs

The definition of drug is “an illegal substance that some people smoke, inject etc, for the physical and mental effect it has” – Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary 7th edition. There are three categories of drugs:

Class A: Heroin, Cocaine, Crack, Ecstasy, LSD, Magic Mushrooms
Class B: Cannabis, Amphetamines, Methylphenidate, Pholcodine
Class C: Tranquilisers, some painkillers, Gamma hydroxybutyrate, Ketamine

The drugs statistics in 2003 according to The Guardian, there are half a million people who are Class A drug users. But it was in year 2003; the number of people can rise by now. There are more people who are using Class B or C drugs than Class A drugs. I have the statistics for Northern Ireland from 2007 to 2008 (Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety report). It states that 69% of individual who are addicted to drugs are male, one quarter (23%) are aged 21 and under. Cannabis was the most commonly reported main drug misuse (35%) followed by Benzodiazepines (31%). 10% of the individual use cocaine and 8% are addicted to heroin.

The statistics shows that there are a large number of people who are using drugs. I am not surprise that cannabis is the most commonly reported drug misuse for Northern Ireland because I know so many people who are smoking cannabis. I can see in my own eyes that drugs can affect many individuals – they can lose their temper, loss of their appetite and weight loss.

Personally I don’t like drugs and will never touch them. One day about few years ago, I was watching a television programme about heroin users travelled to Thailand for rehab to go off heroin. Watching them to go off had shocked me – they were physically sick and suffered mentally.

http://www.northernireland.gov.uk/news/news-dhssps/news-dhssps-october-2008/news-dhssps-071008-statistics-drug-misuse-database.htm

Animal Cruelty

Animal Cruelty is when people who abused animals physically and mentally. There are many animals in worldwide are being abused or even being murdered by evil people. I am a big animal lover and won’t hurt a fly. When I heard all the stories about animal cruelty, I felt disgusted with these people who done it.

There are wide ranges of animal cruelty:
1. Animal Experimentation (Medical and Cosmetic) – The Scientists use the animals for experiment to see the substances they produce are effective before using them on humans. The animals – mostly monkeys are kept in cages in the lab for years with no quality of life.
2. Factory Farming – Farm animals are being killed and slaughtered for food – Personally I am not against this process because I am not a vegetarian. I tried to go off meat but couldn’t do it.
3. The Fur Trade – Animals including tiger, lions are being trapped and killed for their fur. The furs are used on fashion.
4. Hunting and Harvesting – People who are hunting for fun. I don’t agree that animals are being killed for ‘fun’.
5. Entertainment Animals – including monkeys, sea lions and dolphins are suffering cruelty during training to entertain people in the circus.

I’m against all these crimes done on animals expect factory farming. Animals are the living creatures and they need to be respected by humans and let them enjoy life in the same way we do.

http://www.animalcruelty.com/acfastfacts.html

Man died in G20 protest

In the news, the main storyline was about a man who died during G20 protest in London last week. There were evidences showing that he had confrontation with the police. Few minutes before his death, the video showed that when he was walking in front the police then the police were shouting at him to get his way out. Suddenly one of the police pushed him down. He didn’t take part of the G20 protest and was in wrong place at wrong time.

The video showed that there were many polices had lashed on him for no reason and one of them had caused his death. This cop who pushed him should be arrested for manslaughter. He shouldn’t do what he had done. This is not the first I heard about the cops doing these. I have heard a few stories in the past in my homeland in Northern Ireland. That is only reason why I dislike the police. They think they can batter people for no reason. They never think in the first place when they done it. You may not agree with me but it is my opinion.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article2368505.ece

'Shameless' Mother

In the news recently, there was a big story about two brothers aged 10 and 11 were battering the boys to death and also sexually abused them in South Yorkshire. When the two brothers were arrested, their mother said ‘nothing to do with me’. She didn’t even turn up to the court for her sons on the following day. She was named as ‘Shameless Mother’ because she is similar to the character in a television programme called Shameless. She does not even care about her sons or even take responsibilities for their actions. She is an unfit mother and should not be caring for her children. The way I feel that the children deserve to go in the care and be taught right. The children need to be disciplined and rules regards on their behaviour.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article2368432.ece

Stalking

Stalking is when someone follows a person 24/7. It is a common for women to be followed by a stalker mostly by their ex partner. It becomes Britain’s fastest growing crime – with over 4,000 prosecutions.

To tackle these problems, Jack Straw from Home Secretary introduced a new law called Protection from Harassment Act. He also had set up anti-stalking police unit in 2000 to prevent it to happen.

To be stalked is a scary process. Mostly women and few men are in fear of being attacked or even murdered.

http://www.bullyonline.org/related/stalking.htm

Graffiti

Graffiti is a common crime in the UK especially in Northern Ireland. It became a criminal damage under the Criminal Damage Act 1971 (section 1). Teenagers are the most common of doing graffiti on the walls in public places and even on someone’s house. There are many of graffiti on the area where I live. I even know some people who had done it. I used to think that these people who done these for fun but it changed my perspective when I grow up. I understand how people feel when some teenagers has vandalised their own home.

People who get caused doing graffiti, they will face a serious consequences – even facing jail!

http://www.norfolk.police.uk/article.cfm?artID=8891&bctrail=0&catID=861

Grand National Winner's teeth remarks

While watching the Grand National live on BBC on last Saturday, I remember the reporter had made remark of the winner's teeth. When she asked him to give a big smile and he tried his best to not showing his teeth. She then said "He hasn’t got the best teeth in the world, but you can afford to go and get them done now.”. I can tell that he was so embarrassed because the reporter made fun about his teeth on live.

According to The Sun, there were so many complaints about it. It has left many viewers furious and they wish the reporter to be sacked. It was a personal attack on Liam Treadwell. Personal remarks are being seen as behaving badly as people does not think of others' feelings and embarrass them in front of people.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article2362308.ece

Kids (1995)

This film was about a group of teenagers in New York. It was created by Larry Clark. It was basically about young boys enjoying their lives while purse a cocktail of drugs, sex, rape, booze and virgins. In my opinion, it was deeply shocking and disturbing about a character called ‘Telly’ who loved to break young girls’ virginity – young as 12 years old. He spread the diseases and he didn’t care the action he had done. He saw it as ‘funny’. It shows that some teenage boys can be like that and see their action as ‘normal’.

I do agree that the film should be accepted in the society. The reasons why I agree are:
1. To shock the parents of teenager child/ren. They need to be aware of their sons and especially their daughters who could be pregnant or have sexually transmitted diseases
2. To show everyone what the teenager’s lives like in New York. It could happen everywhere in the world

3. Most teenagers wish to experiment: alcohol, drugs and sex

The film was made as if it was filming in real lives. That is what I like about it.

www.imdb.com

Tattoos and Body Modification

I found the lecture “Tattoo/Body Modification” interesting but extremely shocking and horrendous by some pictures. The history of body modification was fascinating including the one about Mowri where men and women had a number of tattoos on their face to show other people about their own family and also tell them where they were from.

However some pictures shown on the lecture were appalling. I found it very hard to sit in the lecture and tried my best to carry on listening. There are some people who took outrageous piercing on their private parts and the unusual areas of their body – arms, behind the neck and many more. Some people who done it for sexual pleasures. I find it very hard to believe it because it is disturbing.

Although I do have a tattoo on my lower back and do agree what people have done. But I do not agree with people who have done some outrageous piercings and tattoos however it is their body and they have every right to do what they wish to do.

http://www.museum.upenn.edu/new/exhibits/online_exhibits/body_modification/bodmodintro.shtml

Jade Goody's death

Before her death on Mother's Day, 22nd March 2009, a popular magazine called 'OK' published her obituary: Jade Goody "official tribute issue 1981-2009" . I am digusted by that because they published that she is already dead while she was fighting for her life through a terminal cancer. It is not their right to do this. They did it to make more money.

Even since her death, I have been receiving some jokes about her death. One example of the jokes is:

"One night in heaven and Jades already up for eviction"

It is unbelievably shocking and disrepectful. It shows that some people can be really disrepected towards people who died and their families.

http://www.ok.co.uk/celebnews/view/8639/VIDEO-EXCLUSIVE-Jade-finally-at-peace/

Infidelity

According to News of the World on Sunday 22nd March 2009, a senior Labour MP Nigel Griffiths had been caught cheating on his wife of 30 years with a brunette. They were caught INSIDE the House of Commons. It is a shocking report and Nigel Griffiths may have face consequences of what he had done. In the article, it says that the reporter got in contact with Mr Griffiths to say that he got the evidence of him cheating. But 16 days after, the reporter haven’t heard from Mr Griffiths’ lawyer to take action to stop the reporter to broad the evidence in public.

It shows that many people have committed infidelity even celebrities. Mr Griffiths must be bored out of his marriage with his wife and may want the excitement with a younger brunette. They may have done the sex sessions in the House of Commons to get the thrill of being caught. He now faces a possible charge of bringing the House of Commons into disrepute and could be suspended.

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/news/230378/Gordon-Browns-pal-Nigel-Griffiths-cheats-on-wife-with-brunette-on-Remembrance-Day-in-House-of-Commons.html

Smoking

I always keep asking myself questions why people smoke. Is it because they want to be popular or to be seen as ‘cool’? These reasons made most of my friends who are addicted to smoking. From a young age, I always don’t want to smoke because I knew it damages your health and the smell of smoke put me off. While growing up in a household of everyone who smoke, I can see the health damages to people who I love. It even killed my grandmother.

In my eyes, smoking is not cool. But I can understand why people are addicted to smoking. It helps them to relax after a hard day or make them less stressed. I have agreed the Government decision to ban smoking in public areas for the right of non-smoker people and to prevent passive smoking. It may make some smokers to quit.

I have found some television adverts of anti-smoking campaigns’ interesting and horrendous such as the ‘Hooked’. This advert had been removed immediately because it scared children. However it doesn’t stop smokers to end their long-term addiction.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6658335.stm