Hello everybody!
It's surreal to think that we're already at the end of the first month of the year. I actually just celebrated another year since my birth a few days ago; it was like any other day, though. In all honesty, I don't feel any different. Odd, maybe?
But on to today's subject matter: psychology.
I am currently enrolled in a psychology course, and I absolutely love it. I think it may be because it talks about the way we think, why we think that way, and what that way of thinking means. All of these ideas are things that I'm usually interested with, because I'm constantly thinking about the bridge between people's thoughts and their actions.
Often, we run into a common debate in our discussions: Nature vs. Nurture. This argument is basically based on two conflicting ideas: one that say different actions and behaviors are born embedded in us, while the other say that these things are learned.
It's really interesting, once you start thinking about it. We all know that the phenomenon in which a bird cares for her young would fall into the 'Nature' category, because no other bird teaches her how to do it. But it becomes a much more complicated distinction when applying it to humans, which are much more complex creatures.
One good example is personality. Does she have a bad temper because it was passed down in her genes, or is it because she developed it from watching her dad blow up over nominal things on a routine basis? Is the reason why he is so pompous because of over-confidence being passed down in his mother's family, or is it because he just mimicked his mother's behavior? I for one have noticed that I love talking on the phone, as does my mother; is it because it is a genetic thing, or because of all those years seeing her with a telephone glued to her ear?
Intelligence is also another thing that challenges the Nature vs. Nurture debate. Another interesting aspect of this debate looks at how much either of these concepts is incorporated into our health, for conditions such as heart disease and schizophrenia. Last year, I even actually found out that the way they studied Nature vs. Nurture was by separating identical twins by placing them in different environments, and seeing whether or not the change in the environment (Nurture) will impact their likelihood of inherit tendencies and medical conditions that were demonstrated by their parents (Nature). At the conclusion of the study, they determined that they both play a part in many of these things, but it is nearly impossible to determine specifically which one contributes more.
You may have never realized it, but you yourself have probably had or heard a conversation pertaining to the Nature vs. Nurture debate. Maybe someone has asked you if you think homosexuals are "born like that"? Well, that's what Nature vs. Nurture! I find it to be an interesting and thought-provoking thing to think about whether people are already born knowing what their sexual orientation is, or whether it is decided post-conceivement. I pose this question to you, and ask you not to just make up you mind or take the position that you already have; I am challenging you to really think about it. If you think it is inborn, why do you feel that way? What pushes you to feel that a newborn, who knows nothing of the world that it was born into, would yet already know what his/her sexual preference is? And if you think it is something that is realized post-conceivement, specifically how to do you think it is "learned"? Do you think sexual orientation is adapted from those surrounding you, or is it something you just figure out on your own?
I'm not going to lie; I don't even have a concrete standpoint on the above issue. If I had to say something about it, I would have to agree with psychology's conclusion that it's a little bit of both. And although it isn't an easy thing to actually consider, I am posing such a complicated question to you all because I'm confident that you are all intelligent and capable of doing such mature, in-depth, responsible thinking about a subject as controversial as this. (But maybe don't think about it for too long...it is REALLY complicated, and my head actually started hurting after prolonged thought about it.)
Let me know your thoughts and responses--I'm definitely interested in hearing what people of both the young and the older generations have to say about such things.
Happy Thinking!
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Saturday, January 4, 2014
The Debate of Life
When it comes to issues that deal with human lives, it's never black-or-white, and never easy. These subjects are always complicated, and can be hurtful for those involved.
We are seeing this again with two different situations going on in two different states. One involves a 13-year-old California teen who went in to get her tonsils removed and ended up being declared brain dead three days later. They say it's entirely unclear what happened, but the issue is that since brain death has been declared and verified, the hospital wants to have her taken off life support, which the family objects to. The second situation takes place in Texas, where a pregnant female paramedic is being held on life support, against her wishes (according to the husband, who is also a paramedic), due to a Texas state law that puts the rights of the fetus over the wishes of the mother.
Both very, very interesting situations, if you ask me. These cover the questions of Life vs. Death and Faith vs. Science.
I find the one with the California girl to be extremely heart-wrenching. To think that one going in for a simple procedure could come out with a death certificate....And the circumstances are really hard too. Although she has been declared "brain dead", her heart is still beating, and the mother says that she moves her eyes and hands sometimes.
The sad truth is, with the hospital, it comes down to money. I suspect that the family's insurance coverage ran out, and the hospital obviously isn't going to work for free, so that indicated their time to cut her off. Which, obviously, is wrong. But then there's the other side of the spectrum: if the family does take her to another hospital (which, even if they got permission to move her, I suspect that it'd be extremely hard to find another hospital who would take her in), how long will they keep her on life support? I know that they say they have hope, and are expecting a miracle, but it's hard to argue with the science that she has no brain activity, which, in theory, is a form of death..
Then there's the Texas couple. People say awful things about the husband for his desire to take her of life support, but it's completely understandable, because they had had the conversation dozens of times (which makes sense, since they are both paramedics). He even says that they were going to sign DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) forms to make it official, but this incident occurred before they had a chance to. But at the same time, I doubt that they ever talked about DNR procedures in the situation in which she was pregnant. The state's statute makes sense, and usually, I would think that family members would back it 100%, since the case is usually that they feel that the mother would want to save her child, even if she is going to pass away (kind of as a mother's "dying wish"). I'm actually rather surprised that the husband doesn't feel the way that I just described, especially with him not being a first-time parent.
These two cases have raised a lot of talk in the United States, and for good reason, too. To me, its relieving to hear the people of this country talking about something that's actually relevant to society, rather than worrying about the newest couples of Hollywood, or the Royal Family in England.
I'm interested to know what people think about this, especially the younger generation. Leave a comment stating your opinions on these topics!
We are seeing this again with two different situations going on in two different states. One involves a 13-year-old California teen who went in to get her tonsils removed and ended up being declared brain dead three days later. They say it's entirely unclear what happened, but the issue is that since brain death has been declared and verified, the hospital wants to have her taken off life support, which the family objects to. The second situation takes place in Texas, where a pregnant female paramedic is being held on life support, against her wishes (according to the husband, who is also a paramedic), due to a Texas state law that puts the rights of the fetus over the wishes of the mother.
Both very, very interesting situations, if you ask me. These cover the questions of Life vs. Death and Faith vs. Science.
I find the one with the California girl to be extremely heart-wrenching. To think that one going in for a simple procedure could come out with a death certificate....And the circumstances are really hard too. Although she has been declared "brain dead", her heart is still beating, and the mother says that she moves her eyes and hands sometimes.
The sad truth is, with the hospital, it comes down to money. I suspect that the family's insurance coverage ran out, and the hospital obviously isn't going to work for free, so that indicated their time to cut her off. Which, obviously, is wrong. But then there's the other side of the spectrum: if the family does take her to another hospital (which, even if they got permission to move her, I suspect that it'd be extremely hard to find another hospital who would take her in), how long will they keep her on life support? I know that they say they have hope, and are expecting a miracle, but it's hard to argue with the science that she has no brain activity, which, in theory, is a form of death..
Then there's the Texas couple. People say awful things about the husband for his desire to take her of life support, but it's completely understandable, because they had had the conversation dozens of times (which makes sense, since they are both paramedics). He even says that they were going to sign DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) forms to make it official, but this incident occurred before they had a chance to. But at the same time, I doubt that they ever talked about DNR procedures in the situation in which she was pregnant. The state's statute makes sense, and usually, I would think that family members would back it 100%, since the case is usually that they feel that the mother would want to save her child, even if she is going to pass away (kind of as a mother's "dying wish"). I'm actually rather surprised that the husband doesn't feel the way that I just described, especially with him not being a first-time parent.
These two cases have raised a lot of talk in the United States, and for good reason, too. To me, its relieving to hear the people of this country talking about something that's actually relevant to society, rather than worrying about the newest couples of Hollywood, or the Royal Family in England.
I'm interested to know what people think about this, especially the younger generation. Leave a comment stating your opinions on these topics!
College App Question
For this entry, I thought that I would post my answer to one of my college application essays. I won't say what school this question was from, or even explicitly state the question; I'm only going to post my response. (is this even ohkay?) The reason I want to publish this is because this is one of the only essay questions in which I was really able to display my personality, proficiency as a writer, and creativeness, all at the same time. Bear in mind though; college applications are TEDIOUS, and this university was among the last that I applied to, so I was a bit tired of the essay-writing. So some of it may not make too much sense, or be extremely well-written, but that's alright.
Hope you enjoy it.
Hope you enjoy it.
‘And after I
would have followed that rainbow for miles and miles, I would have come to the
end of it. And at that end, would be a pot of gold, along with a Leprechaun
population, whom I would spend the rest of my days with, living in peace and
prosperity.’
Pretty original, right? This
probably sounds like the cliché junk that you may have read on other applicants’
essays. Well, to your and my relief, I am nowhere near that cliché, nor
unimaginative.
Whenever I see a rainbow, the
logical side of me sees it as a natural phenomenon occurring due to interactions
between water and photons from the sun. But then the creative side of my starts
to get thinking, and I wonder: What lies over that rainbow?
I’m not going to lie; when I have
such a thought, it usually lasts for about 3.5 seconds before my interest moves
to topics with easier answers, like chemistry homework, or SAT problems. So to
answer this question today, it did take some serious thought. And at the end of
such serious pondering, I constructed an answer.
On the other side of the rainbow, I hope
to find a young new world, which is populated by inhabitants not of the human
species. I imagine these beings to be what society commonly calls “aliens”:
bipedal, but having different body forms, characteristics, and genetic makeup
from that of humans. These being would reproduce asexually, meaning that all
individuals would conceive offspring (although I would think that sexual
intercourse could be optionally engaged in, because…well, come on). And this
world would be a utopia.
The reason I pose such a situation
is because to me, a rainbow is a symbol of all things good. And, the
unflattering truth is, our current world isn’t all that good. So upon looking
over the rainbow, I would hope that such standards hold true.
The reason I don’t see humans ruling
that utopia universe falls along the lines of the thinking of Thomas Hobbes:
humans aren’t good people. This being said, I would imagine the foreign
creatures to be “good”—unbiased, good-natured, and selfless.
Finally, with the conditions I have
set here today, I see this world reaching far beyond our wildest imaginations
as far as science and technology is concerned. And it will all stem from the
fact there are solely good intentions for everything that they create and put
work into.
From looking at a rainbow, I gain a
little bit of hope that there is indeed a strip of good in this evil world we
live in. And over that rainbow, I dream of my ‘hope’ being a reality, where the
tables for good and evil are turned, and a truly good world does exist.
The Journey to Extraordinary: Why, How, And Which Way?
I know it's a bit cliche, the whole idea of "re-inventing" something for the New Year. But I wouldn't necessarily say that I'm "re-inventing" this blog, because I'm not. I'll still write about a variety of things, as I always have been. The reason I've changed the title is so that it can identify a little better with the contents of this blog, and myself.
When I say "the journey to extraordinary", I simply mean the journey to becoming who I really want to be. And it's not like I am not who I want to be currently, or that I don't think I'm extraordinary now. It's just that I know that I'm young, and although am quite sure of who I am now, I am bound to change as time goes on. And although I do think I'm already extraordinary, I hope to think that the changes I will encounter in myself will only make me more extraordinary.
And this is in no way a 2014 thing; this, for me, is a lifetime goal: to be the most extraordinary me I can be. And I do dearly hope and encourage you all to do the same. Rather than making out a long list of "resolutions", make your goal to embark on your own personal journey to becoming the most extraordinary you you can be. That in no way means one thing; becoming extraordinary could (and probably should) encompass tons of things and goals that you want to do and obtain that you feel will help you progress along that journey. And remember, it's different for everyone; maybe you want to lose weight, or be more daring, or even just improve your calligraphy. Whatever you feel will enhance the best in you, make that your goal.
Now, personally, I definitely have quite a few goals in mind that I strive to accomplish before 2015 rolls around. These include:
-completing and publishing my first book
-become more active and competitive in my acting career
-be more spontaneous
-lose 1 pant size/tone up/get stronger
-take better care of my hair
-become more fluent in Benin and Korean
-make my closet more colorful
-become more active in community service
-read more novels
-engage more actively in Pilates
There are probably more, but these are the ones that really stick out to me.
And I encourage you to write your goals down! I have an iPhone, so I typed mine in under both my 'Notes' and 'Reminders' applications, so that I always have it with me, and am constantly reminded about it. For instance, I have a reminder that tells me to go to my local elementary school once a week to help bag meals for the students whose families can't afford it. I also have a daily reminder that tells me to take some time and do some Pilates. These reminders not only help me to remember, but also puts me on a schedule, so that doing these things become a routine for me. You can do something similar with your goals, like put it in your phone, or you can write it down and put it somewhere where you will always see it and be constantly reminded to do it.
Let 2014 be the year that you start moving towards bringing out the most extraordinary in you. Because if you don't do it, who will?
Have a Happy New Year guys. (:
When I say "the journey to extraordinary", I simply mean the journey to becoming who I really want to be. And it's not like I am not who I want to be currently, or that I don't think I'm extraordinary now. It's just that I know that I'm young, and although am quite sure of who I am now, I am bound to change as time goes on. And although I do think I'm already extraordinary, I hope to think that the changes I will encounter in myself will only make me more extraordinary.
And this is in no way a 2014 thing; this, for me, is a lifetime goal: to be the most extraordinary me I can be. And I do dearly hope and encourage you all to do the same. Rather than making out a long list of "resolutions", make your goal to embark on your own personal journey to becoming the most extraordinary you you can be. That in no way means one thing; becoming extraordinary could (and probably should) encompass tons of things and goals that you want to do and obtain that you feel will help you progress along that journey. And remember, it's different for everyone; maybe you want to lose weight, or be more daring, or even just improve your calligraphy. Whatever you feel will enhance the best in you, make that your goal.
Now, personally, I definitely have quite a few goals in mind that I strive to accomplish before 2015 rolls around. These include:
-completing and publishing my first book
-become more active and competitive in my acting career
-be more spontaneous
-lose 1 pant size/tone up/get stronger
-take better care of my hair
-become more fluent in Benin and Korean
-make my closet more colorful
-become more active in community service
-read more novels
-engage more actively in Pilates
There are probably more, but these are the ones that really stick out to me.
And I encourage you to write your goals down! I have an iPhone, so I typed mine in under both my 'Notes' and 'Reminders' applications, so that I always have it with me, and am constantly reminded about it. For instance, I have a reminder that tells me to go to my local elementary school once a week to help bag meals for the students whose families can't afford it. I also have a daily reminder that tells me to take some time and do some Pilates. These reminders not only help me to remember, but also puts me on a schedule, so that doing these things become a routine for me. You can do something similar with your goals, like put it in your phone, or you can write it down and put it somewhere where you will always see it and be constantly reminded to do it.
Let 2014 be the year that you start moving towards bringing out the most extraordinary in you. Because if you don't do it, who will?
Have a Happy New Year guys. (:
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