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The CuestonianCuesta College, P.O. Box 8106

San Luis Obispo, CA 93403-8106

2 September 16, 2009 OPINION Cuestonian

Editorial StaffTravis Bland, Editor

Managing EditorNick Powell, Copy Editor

Michael Miller, Photo EditorSarah Clifford, Online Editor

Sports Editor

Writing Staff

Liz Azevedo, Jerome Hunt, Daniel Irving, Kyle Kolsbun,

Monique Koster, Sophie Lowell, Allison Marin,

Matt Niolaou, Nick Powell, Laura Schafer, Lisa Spencer,

Creig P. Sherburne, Matthew Taylor, Rachel Ward,

Mary Dodder McCorkle, AdviserBeJae Blake, Publications’ Mgr.

Member Associated Collegiate Press, All-American Honors Journalism Association of Community Colleges, General Excellence

California Newspaper Publishers Association

C U E S T O N I A NC u e s t a C o l l e g e

What’s your favorite place in San Luis Obispo? Why?

Danielle Erdman Age 19, Undecided5th Semester

Josh DavisAge 18, Business1st Semester

Casey DunnAge 20, Construction Mgr.2nd Semester

Brittany RoweAge 21, Dance6th Semester

“Cloud Nine. The Hookah Lounge is pretty sweet.”

Cole QuickAge 18, Undecided1st Semester

Cougar Comments

“Running trails are decent in SLO, but nothing compared to the Rockies.”

“Firestone Grill and the beach.’”“I was born here. Forever 21; there’s nothing else to do.”

“I turned 21 in January; my favoite place is Black Sheep. They have outdoor seating.”

By Laura SchaferStaff Writer

What has happened to face-to-face time? Our social skills are being streamlined into our cell phones rather than being used to communicate with people in person.

Communication is arguably the single most important func-tion we must have to survive in the real world. With advances in technology, our commu-nication skills are starting to crumble because of one inven-tion: text messaging.

Texting has completely changed the way we commu-nicate. Throughout history humans have relied on com-munication skills for mere sur-vival; without communication humans would be nowhere. But a wave of communication has hit hard, the wave of text messaging. It is estimated that over one hundred million text messages are sent around the world each day.

If a phone call is inappropri-ate it doesn’t always mean that a text is the best alternative. Unlike a phone call, text mes-

4get txting, tlk face2face

Cuesta student text messaging.

sages cannot be rejected or dis-missed. The average number of text messages sent per person, per month, is 357 compared to 204 cell phone calls, according to textmessageblog.mobi.

When walking from class to class at Cuesta College, it is almost impossible to not see at least 10 students sending text messages. One conversation that was overheard went some-thing like this, “Call me later and we will meet up,” said one, “Okay I will text you” said the other as he walked away.

“I text instead of call so there are no awkward silences,” said Katie Richardson, 18.

So what ever happened to calling someone? People are starting to forget what their best friends voices sound like because instead of calling they are instinctively picking up their cell phones to text them. Unfortunately our generation is becoming dependent on text messaging instead of communi-cating with our voices.

One of the biggest flaws with texting is that you can’t determine someone’s tone of

voice or body language. It is nearly impossible to convey human emotions through text messaging. It is also nearly impossible to tell if someone is angry, sad, mad, or happy through texting. This alone can lead to huge misunderstand-ings.

It is unfortunate that so many of us have become de-pendent on our text messaging because we are losing out on so much. Instead of laughing with a friend in person, we are sharing laughs by sending “LOL” through text. Instead of smiling with a friend while in person we are sharing smiles by sending :-). Instead of telling people we love them in person we are sending “ILY” through our cell phones.

Stop having “text conversa-tions,” instead, have a conversa-tion in person with someone, instead of arguing through texting, call the person, work things out in a more mature, sufficient way. Make more face time with your friends.

Ed Note: Share your opinion by stopping by the newsroom Mondays and Wednesdays from noon to 3:30 p.m., emailing cue-stonian@cuesta.edu, on-line at cuestonian.cuesta.edu or text us.

Yes, we know you aren’t supposed to start articles with a question, but for whatever reason (probably lack of creativ-ity) we can’t resist: Where do we draw the line?

We’re talking about the Carson Starkey debacle here. By now, most everyone has heard the story of the 18-year-old Cal Poly student who died of respiratory arrest induced by alcohol at a fraternity event that police have now concluded was hazing related.

That was in December, and now the “brothers” who are al-legedly responsible are facing a criminal trial.

If you haven’t been fol-lowing, it has been quite the case. Literally all suspects have pleaded not-guilty, which of course is their right, but in our opinion they don’t even seem to feel guilty in the moral sense.

Testimony has included such gems as “[Puke and rally] basically means to get back on the horse and keep on drink-ing,” and our personal favorite (in response to what frat broth-ers thought when pledges start-ed vomiting): “But when they did puke, it was kind of like ‘That’s gross and awesome.’ ”

Hold fraternities accountableIn an anonymous interview,

a former pledge who was there the night of Starkey’s death said that “Well no one was be-ing forced to drink, we were just having, you know, I don’t really know how to describe it as best.”

Indeed.Nobody seems to want to

take any responsibility for what happened to Starkey. Now, we don’t necessarily blame them—it’s sort of a hard thing to swallow.

Many argue that Starkey should have taken responsibil-ity for himself, which is true to a degree but come on, even bartenders cut people off when it’s obvious that they’ve had enough, and they stand to lose tips. What did this frat stand to lose (other than a potential drinking buddy)?

The real nut of all of this is that frats should be held accountable. We’re not saying that they should be outlawed—we don’t think the makers of those pink polo shirts could take the hit—but they should take responsibility.

It’s pretty clear that we should draw the line when kids start dying.

— Travis Bland, Editor

805-546-3288cuestonian@cuesta.edu

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