Yesterday, in the midst of the somewhat hectic snowfall that went on for what seemed like days, I was catching up on the shows I had missed this past week. My show was almost over when the TV shut off along with the lights throughout the house. The power had gone out. The wifi was incompetent. And chaos ensued in my home. I groaned and began to complain about missing the last part of my show, my mom couldn't see anything and was bothered my the clocks reseting, and I could hear my brother upstairs protesting about the wifi turning off in the midst of his internet surfing. He even came downstairs later and claimed there was absolutely nothing to do without the power.
Taking a step back and analyzing the situation, I realized that society has become very dependent on these things that power gives us, particularly internet and television. I wondered what would happen if the power went out worldwide for a day, and how people would respond to that. What would people do without power? And more importantly, do we really need it?
I think that technology gives us an easy way to distract ourselves from what's important. We are not truly living in the moment when we are attached to our cell phone or always checking emails. I find it sad that people rely on Facebook and Twitter so much, when they could be outside enjoying nature or reading, or even just hanging with friends and enjoying each others company. And I'm not saying that I don't use technology to its full extent either, because I do always feel the need to be checking my Facebook notifications or replying to an email. But seeing what happened when my family didn't have the option to use technology, the way we were almost helpless to find other ways to fill our time, made me truly understand how technology-obsessed our society is.
I read this article today about our dependence on technology and the pros and cons of what technology provides us. In the article, it brings up a professor of Communication Studies at West Virginia University named Nicholas Bowman. He provided an insight that I hadn't really thought of before. "One might counter-argue that while we sometimes remove ourselves from 'our moment' by watching something through our smartphone screen compared to watching it with our eyes, networked technologies allow us to live in the moments of millions of people every day- such as following with eyewitness accounts the riots in Egypt, or the tsunami that struck Japan a few years ago..." (MNN).
I had never really thought of this before. Sure, you can read a newspaper about what is going on in countries across the globe and somewhat account for the depth of the situation, but you can't truly understand something until you see it with your own eyes. Until you get a real glimpse into what's happening. In this way, I think technology may be a real advantage to our society, in that we can comprehend the tragedies in other countries and do the best we can in helping those in need.
I had always thought we took for granted the things that we could be doing instead of using technology, but at the same time, I guess I never truly understood what exactly this power provides us. Sure, technology often gives us an outlet to waste time and procrastinate, but it also educates us on the events going on around us and gives us easy access to knowledge that can better our understanding of a certain topic. Although the use of technology may be a little too high and our dependency on it has definitely become an issue, it isn't all for the worst. I'm still not sure what people would do without technology, but I do know one thing: we absolutely need it.
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Words That Can Never Be Said
The other day, my brother referred me to a song he liked called "Words I Never Said" by Lupe Fiasco. I immediately typed it into Youtube for a listen, and upon watching the music video, I was captivated by the message. If you want to watch the video, click here.
In the beginning of the video, a woman is being dragged away by officers and pulled into a room. Over the course of the video, she is shown strapped into a chair with a set of glasses and a mask, being forced to watch a video showing typical American values. It shows picket fences and perfect houses, fries, and the word "America" embedded into a fence. I took this to mean that the government is constantly feeding us images to make us want and need what we call the "American Dream". This woman is almost being forced to agree with what is important to a majority of Americans, and is being punished for not doing so. It almost seems as though the people that took her away are trying to fix her, in a way, as if it's wrong and bad to have different feelings about what you want.
The chorus begins by saying, "It's so loud inside my head with words that I should have said. As I drown in my regrets, I can't take back the words I never said." As these words are being sung by Skylar Grey, Lupe Fiasco is getting onto a public bus, looking at the people, who have masks over their mouths, obstructing any chance of speaking. They are all silent and look at him with confusion, as he is the only one without a mask. Lupe is trying to use this as a metaphor for people today. Although we do not literally have an mask over our mouths so that we cannot speak, we do have many thoughts that we simply cannot share with others around us. These thoughts and ideas often surround the government and how it operates.
His rap begins as he grabs the microphone on the bus and he starts sharing his ideas of the government. Everyone looks at him in surprise, stunned that he is regarding these touchy issues. One line that truly stood out to me was when he says "I'm locked inside a cell in me, I know that there's a jail in you". He is talking about how we all have pent up feelings that we would like to share but cannot because it would be against the government. As he said this, he is in a cell locked up, so he is also using a play on words, that people are being unfairly jailed because of these things that they do that the government states that it does not tolerate. Another interesting point to consider is that Lupe Fiasco is black, and throughout the video he is jailed for his actions in the beginning. This reflects his feelings towards the treatments of African Americans and how they are often jailed for such innocent offenses.
In the end of the video, he escapes from his cell and finds the woman being held captive, who is also black, and lets her go. I feel as though this is him urging us viewers that sometimes it's okay to stray from what's expected and fight back, because this unfair treatment should be stopped.
This reminded me of the Prison Industrial Complex. Just as Lupe Fiasco is claiming the injustice from the government, the PIC had this same injustice when putting people into jail for minor wrongdoings. It's simply unfair that people were given life sentences for non-violent crimes, just as it is unfair that the government ultimately controls the things we can say and do, and the things we are forbidden from.
Another large parallel I made to this video was to the Perilous Times groups that have presented. Throughout history, it is obvious that the government has set forth laws, for example the Espionage and Sedition Acts, that truly show how even a word against the government could have you put on trial. Take the Sedition Act, for example. This says that "any person who shall write, print, utter, or publish, or cause or procure to be written, printed, uttered, or published, any false, scandalous, malicious writing or writings against the government of the United States, with intent to defame the said government of the United States... is to be tried by jury, and may give in evidence the truth of the matter contained in the libel." The word "utter" is especially surprising, even if one merely says a word against the government they can be tried for it, which is truly an unthinkable notion. This connects to the video in that people are so scared of expressing their true opinions that they have masks over their faces, and the police in the video have become this force that is compelling the people to keep their mouths shut about the entire system.
This video is representing our society in a dystopian way, but in a way is being quite honest and truthful, as evidenced by past laws and regulations set by the government that people are forced to abide by, although they may not agree.
Can you guys think of other instances in history in which the government has done this?
In the beginning of the video, a woman is being dragged away by officers and pulled into a room. Over the course of the video, she is shown strapped into a chair with a set of glasses and a mask, being forced to watch a video showing typical American values. It shows picket fences and perfect houses, fries, and the word "America" embedded into a fence. I took this to mean that the government is constantly feeding us images to make us want and need what we call the "American Dream". This woman is almost being forced to agree with what is important to a majority of Americans, and is being punished for not doing so. It almost seems as though the people that took her away are trying to fix her, in a way, as if it's wrong and bad to have different feelings about what you want.
The chorus begins by saying, "It's so loud inside my head with words that I should have said. As I drown in my regrets, I can't take back the words I never said." As these words are being sung by Skylar Grey, Lupe Fiasco is getting onto a public bus, looking at the people, who have masks over their mouths, obstructing any chance of speaking. They are all silent and look at him with confusion, as he is the only one without a mask. Lupe is trying to use this as a metaphor for people today. Although we do not literally have an mask over our mouths so that we cannot speak, we do have many thoughts that we simply cannot share with others around us. These thoughts and ideas often surround the government and how it operates.
His rap begins as he grabs the microphone on the bus and he starts sharing his ideas of the government. Everyone looks at him in surprise, stunned that he is regarding these touchy issues. One line that truly stood out to me was when he says "I'm locked inside a cell in me, I know that there's a jail in you". He is talking about how we all have pent up feelings that we would like to share but cannot because it would be against the government. As he said this, he is in a cell locked up, so he is also using a play on words, that people are being unfairly jailed because of these things that they do that the government states that it does not tolerate. Another interesting point to consider is that Lupe Fiasco is black, and throughout the video he is jailed for his actions in the beginning. This reflects his feelings towards the treatments of African Americans and how they are often jailed for such innocent offenses.
In the end of the video, he escapes from his cell and finds the woman being held captive, who is also black, and lets her go. I feel as though this is him urging us viewers that sometimes it's okay to stray from what's expected and fight back, because this unfair treatment should be stopped.
This reminded me of the Prison Industrial Complex. Just as Lupe Fiasco is claiming the injustice from the government, the PIC had this same injustice when putting people into jail for minor wrongdoings. It's simply unfair that people were given life sentences for non-violent crimes, just as it is unfair that the government ultimately controls the things we can say and do, and the things we are forbidden from.
Another large parallel I made to this video was to the Perilous Times groups that have presented. Throughout history, it is obvious that the government has set forth laws, for example the Espionage and Sedition Acts, that truly show how even a word against the government could have you put on trial. Take the Sedition Act, for example. This says that "any person who shall write, print, utter, or publish, or cause or procure to be written, printed, uttered, or published, any false, scandalous, malicious writing or writings against the government of the United States, with intent to defame the said government of the United States... is to be tried by jury, and may give in evidence the truth of the matter contained in the libel." The word "utter" is especially surprising, even if one merely says a word against the government they can be tried for it, which is truly an unthinkable notion. This connects to the video in that people are so scared of expressing their true opinions that they have masks over their faces, and the police in the video have become this force that is compelling the people to keep their mouths shut about the entire system.
This video is representing our society in a dystopian way, but in a way is being quite honest and truthful, as evidenced by past laws and regulations set by the government that people are forced to abide by, although they may not agree.
Can you guys think of other instances in history in which the government has done this?
Sunday, December 8, 2013
Trust, or Lack Thereof
This past weekend, my family was staying with our friends in their home in Lake Geneva. Cruising through the winding roads with the beautiful views, we passed a huge farm that was now covered in snow. My friend told me that during the summer, the farmer sells his vegetables at a stand on the streetside. When he has to leave and can no longer monitor the stand, he puts a sign there- reading what the prices of each vegetable are- and a box to put money in. He trusts that his customers will pay the correct price in exchange for what they are taking.
Growing up on the North Shore, this story greatly surprised me. In Wilmette, you can't even go into a store for a couple minutes without locking your car and double checking that it is locked for sure. Last week, my friends and I were in town and when we were almost in a store my friend stopped and said "I forgot to lock the car!" with great worry and ran back to do just that. Isn't the contrast interesting that we find it ludricrous to leave our belongings unattended.
I don't know half of the people that live on my block. The suburbs, contrary to the countryside, are much more compact and close-knit. So why is our community less connected than that of the country? What makes urban living more cynical than rural? It makes me sad that here, in Lake Geneva, many of the people know each other, but at home, I don't know a majority of the people that live in the town. Sure, the suburbs obtain a greater population, but you would think we would be more well-acquainted since the houses are closer to each other.
Why is this the case? Is it due to the fact that the suburbs have a greater crime rate? Is something obstructing the chance of complete peace and serenity in the community? Or is it that there are more institutions and a more diverse culture than in the suburbs? We have more schools and workplaces than the country, so is that a factor? Or is it a combination of all of these things?
Growing up on the North Shore, this story greatly surprised me. In Wilmette, you can't even go into a store for a couple minutes without locking your car and double checking that it is locked for sure. Last week, my friends and I were in town and when we were almost in a store my friend stopped and said "I forgot to lock the car!" with great worry and ran back to do just that. Isn't the contrast interesting that we find it ludricrous to leave our belongings unattended.
I don't know half of the people that live on my block. The suburbs, contrary to the countryside, are much more compact and close-knit. So why is our community less connected than that of the country? What makes urban living more cynical than rural? It makes me sad that here, in Lake Geneva, many of the people know each other, but at home, I don't know a majority of the people that live in the town. Sure, the suburbs obtain a greater population, but you would think we would be more well-acquainted since the houses are closer to each other.
Why is this the case? Is it due to the fact that the suburbs have a greater crime rate? Is something obstructing the chance of complete peace and serenity in the community? Or is it that there are more institutions and a more diverse culture than in the suburbs? We have more schools and workplaces than the country, so is that a factor? Or is it a combination of all of these things?
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Who's Next?
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| Huffington Post |
This reminded me of our unit on slavery and emancipation. It was obvious that the southern states had always wanted to keep slavery legal, as they felt they needed slaves due to the expanse of land to be taken care of. But for the North it was a different story. The northern states often felt they needed someone to look down to, for psychological reassurance that they were not the lowest class. "Even as reform movements arose in the North that condemned slavery as contrary to Christianity and to basic American values, and national debate over the peculiar institution intensified, southern society closed in defense of slavery" (Foner 407).
This reminded me of the bakery in Oregon. In both instances, certain people are being denied of something merely due to the color of their skin, or in this case, their sexual orientation. Both something that cannot be entirely in one's control, and certainly don't warrant inequality and mistreatment. It seems as though society has begun to victimize a certain group of people due to psychological reasons, to feel better about themselves. In the 1800 and 1900s, blacks were always treated as inferior to all others, and not until the late 1900s did blacks fully gain the same rights that whites obtain. Now, the LGBT community is treated as inferior, as lesser than the others; in most states they don't even have the right to marry each other.
Do you think that society constantly needs a certain group to look down to for superiority? Or do you think this is due to the natural instinct for us to reject what is unfamiliar? Or an entirely different reason altogether?
If it is due to the purpose of deflecting attention from ourselves, and ultimately feel better about our lives, then who's next?
Monday, November 11, 2013
Photography Over Time
Today in class we talked about how black and white photos were much more common in the days of the Civil Rights Movement, as they seemed to depict a more serious and raw illustration of the subject in the photo. It was said that black and white was just a more realistic view of an event, that color was a scarcer option to well-known photographers.
I stumbled upon this article on Digg today, and I was struck by how similar it was to our conversation in class. The first few sentences of the article stated, "Black and white photographs often feel more genuine than color images- more truthful, somehow- especially those depicting historical events. Much of that perceived authenticity derives from the fact that black and white pictures seem to be, in the most positive way, far simpler than their color counterparts" (Lightbox).
The photos in the article are a fantastic depiction of the events that occurred and they all send a very powerful message. If you don't have time to look at the article, at least check out these pictures:
I think my favorite picture is the last one. The caption states, "A little girl plays with her doll... two guns and a knapsack are next to her on the ground." Wow. This is a striking photo to me, not only due to the clarity and color of the photo, but also due to the message it ensues. This innocent, young girl is only playing with her dolls with no care in the world, yet next to her sits two weapons that contradict the very subject of the portrait. Two weapons that act as a symbol of war, of violence, and of death, lay directly next to this angelic girl that, frankly, isn't fully aware as to what is happening around her.
Photography is one thing that can persist over time. As the article states, "World War I is behind us, and with it, the first-person verification of what occurred. But the photographs- nay, the memories- remain"(Lightbox). I find it extremely fascinating that we can view photos of life in the olden days. Sure they may be glimpses of what was happening, and photography isn't truth, but it's something. It's a way to make a connection and relate to the events that happened in the past. A way to find out, or at least make a guess, as to why things were the way they were and what caused them to be that way.
Monday, November 4, 2013
Homework: As Fundamental As It Seems?
This past week was Halloween. The children were outdoors getting their yearly fill of candy, my mother was cooking up dinner for our extended family coming to visit, and where was I? Funny story, I was holed up in my room studying for a quarter final in physics and a test in Spanish. I was also working on a project and had to review for math, as I have a test this week. My grandmother's birthday is on Halloween and she came to visit, but all I could do was say hello and get back to my load of work.
It makes me sad when I wonder how much time I really spend with my family, with the people around me. How much time I have to go outdoors and enjoy my teenage years. When I get home I go straight up to my room and don't come down until dinner is ready. My homework takes up a large amount of my day, the entire portion of the day when I'm not in class. So I'm constantly reminded of the grades that I'm striving to achieve, the goals I've set for myself, even outside of school; this causes a dramatic excess of stress. Not to mention the fact that I have to take my ACT this year, and my father is constantly hounding me about colleges to look at. Just today he handed me a large handout of newspaper articles surrounding the concept of choosing the right college and being a good student. The amount of stress in my life is outrageous at this point. To me, homework-although helpful- is often unmanageable and unnecessary, as we as students spend a majority of the day in school.
I'm sure some of you have heard that there is no homework in Finland. I read this article today and it genuinely surprised me. It will only take a second to look over, but to sum it up it basically says that in Finland there is no homework-which may be a drawback to some- but the high school graduation rate in Finland is at 93%, while in the U.S. it is at 75% (Neomam). This may bring up the question: what is Finland doing right? How does such successful feedback come from this country which doesn't require work at home?
The answer is simple. In Finland, the first standardized test that you are required to take is when you are 16 years old. In New York, an average student will have taken ten standardized tests before they reach high school. And not only that, but an average American student has about 27 minutes of recess, while in Finland you have 75 minutes a day (Neomam). It seems as though the work level in the U.S. is much greater, as well as the amount of stress. For these Finnish students, the constant worry of homework and doing well on standardized testing is no longer a threat, as they have time to relax and give themselves a break from schoolwork. To me, this is an ideal situation, to be able to set apart time to do what you want to do, whether it be spending time with family, engaging in sports, or even just enjoying the great outdoors. It would be a great stress reliever, a great way to get one's mind off of school work and grades. The fact that the amount of homework doesn't directly correlate with the learning rate just goes to show that it may not be an essential device in education.
Now that I've given my opinion, what do you guys think? Should the U.S. follow in the path of Finland and decrease- or even remove altogether- the amount of homework we receive each night? Or to you, is the current system a manageable and successful one?
It makes me sad when I wonder how much time I really spend with my family, with the people around me. How much time I have to go outdoors and enjoy my teenage years. When I get home I go straight up to my room and don't come down until dinner is ready. My homework takes up a large amount of my day, the entire portion of the day when I'm not in class. So I'm constantly reminded of the grades that I'm striving to achieve, the goals I've set for myself, even outside of school; this causes a dramatic excess of stress. Not to mention the fact that I have to take my ACT this year, and my father is constantly hounding me about colleges to look at. Just today he handed me a large handout of newspaper articles surrounding the concept of choosing the right college and being a good student. The amount of stress in my life is outrageous at this point. To me, homework-although helpful- is often unmanageable and unnecessary, as we as students spend a majority of the day in school.
I'm sure some of you have heard that there is no homework in Finland. I read this article today and it genuinely surprised me. It will only take a second to look over, but to sum it up it basically says that in Finland there is no homework-which may be a drawback to some- but the high school graduation rate in Finland is at 93%, while in the U.S. it is at 75% (Neomam). This may bring up the question: what is Finland doing right? How does such successful feedback come from this country which doesn't require work at home?
The answer is simple. In Finland, the first standardized test that you are required to take is when you are 16 years old. In New York, an average student will have taken ten standardized tests before they reach high school. And not only that, but an average American student has about 27 minutes of recess, while in Finland you have 75 minutes a day (Neomam). It seems as though the work level in the U.S. is much greater, as well as the amount of stress. For these Finnish students, the constant worry of homework and doing well on standardized testing is no longer a threat, as they have time to relax and give themselves a break from schoolwork. To me, this is an ideal situation, to be able to set apart time to do what you want to do, whether it be spending time with family, engaging in sports, or even just enjoying the great outdoors. It would be a great stress reliever, a great way to get one's mind off of school work and grades. The fact that the amount of homework doesn't directly correlate with the learning rate just goes to show that it may not be an essential device in education.
Now that I've given my opinion, what do you guys think? Should the U.S. follow in the path of Finland and decrease- or even remove altogether- the amount of homework we receive each night? Or to you, is the current system a manageable and successful one?
Sunday, October 27, 2013
North Shore Bubble
Last night, I went to Chicago for a birthday party. Many people came up to me, begging for money and food for their family. It's hard to say no, just looking at their desperate faces and open palms. We don't see anything like this living on the North Shore. It's funny that the living situations for people just half an hour away contrast so greatly from around here.
Seeing that made me think about the North Shore Bubble. So many people around here don't know what it's like to live on the verge of poverty, not sure if you're going to make it through the day with adequate food and drink. Outside of this area, people suffer and beg for anything that will help them stay alive.
This begs the question: Does the North Shore provide people with inaccurate views of reality? If so, people should be ready for the shock of their lives when (or if) they leave the North Shore and realize that not everything is as perfect and simple as it is here. At least for me, most problems around the world are sugar coated, and I didn't fully understand the suffering people endure every day until I actually saw it in front of my own eyes.
Seeing that made me think about the North Shore Bubble. So many people around here don't know what it's like to live on the verge of poverty, not sure if you're going to make it through the day with adequate food and drink. Outside of this area, people suffer and beg for anything that will help them stay alive.
This begs the question: Does the North Shore provide people with inaccurate views of reality? If so, people should be ready for the shock of their lives when (or if) they leave the North Shore and realize that not everything is as perfect and simple as it is here. At least for me, most problems around the world are sugar coated, and I didn't fully understand the suffering people endure every day until I actually saw it in front of my own eyes.
Race: A Social Construct?
A few weeks ago, the grade took the PSAT. Before starting the test, we were instructed to fill out information and answer questions about ourselves. In one box, the test asked you to fill in a bubble if you were African American and wanted to be considered for the National Achievement Scholarship Program. I thought that was ludicrous; if the PSAT has replaced the phrase African American with "Caucasian", chaos would ensue. People would label that racist, and claim that Caucasians are given more rights than African Americans. But when they write this, no one says a word.
The other day in class we were talking about the parallels of slavery from the past to the present. But when I think of slavery over time, parallels don't come to my mind, rather contrasts. Back then whites were given far more opportunities than the enslaved, as they had a better chance at education and jobs. It seems to me that the opposite may go for today. Colleges are looking for diversity, and asking for African Americans to be considered for a scholarship program only for African Americans.
In an interview I read, Pilar Ossorio, a professor at Wisconsin-Madison, states that race is a social construct. "Race, as we understand it as a social construct, has a lot to do with where somebody will live, what schools they will go to, what jobs they will get, whether or not they will have health insurance" (pbs). Is it true, that race affects our lives so much that it ultimately controls almost every factor of our life? Also on pbs, I read this today about the disadvantages of being an African American, and this man states that they may be given more opportunities in education today because whites inherit more wealth from their elders and therefore have a head start in life. But is that a good enough excuse to give them more opportunities for scholarships and advantages in education? An African American teen could be just as wealthy as a Caucasian one, but could be accepted instead merely because of his race. Should race even be considered when colleges look at applicants?
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| The Scholarship mentioned above (CollegeBoard) |
The other day in class we were talking about the parallels of slavery from the past to the present. But when I think of slavery over time, parallels don't come to my mind, rather contrasts. Back then whites were given far more opportunities than the enslaved, as they had a better chance at education and jobs. It seems to me that the opposite may go for today. Colleges are looking for diversity, and asking for African Americans to be considered for a scholarship program only for African Americans.
In an interview I read, Pilar Ossorio, a professor at Wisconsin-Madison, states that race is a social construct. "Race, as we understand it as a social construct, has a lot to do with where somebody will live, what schools they will go to, what jobs they will get, whether or not they will have health insurance" (pbs). Is it true, that race affects our lives so much that it ultimately controls almost every factor of our life? Also on pbs, I read this today about the disadvantages of being an African American, and this man states that they may be given more opportunities in education today because whites inherit more wealth from their elders and therefore have a head start in life. But is that a good enough excuse to give them more opportunities for scholarships and advantages in education? An African American teen could be just as wealthy as a Caucasian one, but could be accepted instead merely because of his race. Should race even be considered when colleges look at applicants?
Thursday, October 24, 2013
What If I Don't Want Pink Shoes?
It was a typical Tuesday morning, and, as always, I was zoning out in advisory. My advisor was saying something, but it was simply acting as background sound (it's harsh, but true). But this time, something caught my attention. She was ranting, and it was about the gender roles that we are expected to fit. She explained that she was shopping for her young daughter's shoes the other day, and was searching frantically for shoes her daughter liked in the girls section of the store. In seeing that her daughter didn't favor the pink, girly colors of the shoes, they had to go to the boys section to find a pair she liked. My advisor was annoyed that these department stores set a certain image that is expected of each gender: pink and light colors for the girls shoes and blue, black, overall darker colors for the boys. It's unfair that at such a young age, these kids are introduced to this expectation to fit the mold that society has created for them. What if a girl doesn't want pink shoes? She shouldn't feel as if it is a bad thing.
I feel as though this represents gender roles today. In everyday jobs, it's seen to many as simply absurd for a woman to be doing a hands-on job, something like mechanical engineering. Many say the joke to girls, "Go make me a sandwich", but if you think about it, it's expected for women to stay in the kitchen and cook for the family, taking care of the kids and keeping the house clean, while men take up the position of going to work and earning money for the family.
From such a young age, we are introduced to these expectations of what we should become; what we should wear, what we should do, simply based off of what gender we are. But is that really fair? Can you guys think of other examples that come to mind when you think of these unfair expectations?
I feel as though this represents gender roles today. In everyday jobs, it's seen to many as simply absurd for a woman to be doing a hands-on job, something like mechanical engineering. Many say the joke to girls, "Go make me a sandwich", but if you think about it, it's expected for women to stay in the kitchen and cook for the family, taking care of the kids and keeping the house clean, while men take up the position of going to work and earning money for the family.
From such a young age, we are introduced to these expectations of what we should become; what we should wear, what we should do, simply based off of what gender we are. But is that really fair? Can you guys think of other examples that come to mind when you think of these unfair expectations?
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Dear Stereotypes, why do you exist?
Today, I attended a walk for diabetes. When I arrived, I spotted a student in one of my classes. I waved from afar, and later walked over to carry a conversation with him. The first thing he said was, "I wasn't expecting to see you here." I looked at him with a confused expression and asked what he meant. He looked as if he felt uncomfortable then covered it up by saying, "Well, I wasn't aware you knew ___" (the girl we were walking for).
I was on a website called 'dear blank, please blank' the other day and came across this picture.
We, as humans, often judge people before we get to know them. Before they even speak a word to us, we have already categorized them in our heads. Jock, nerd, punk... So my question is why? What do you think caused so many Americans to be so quick to judge others? Was it how we were raised? Was it the countless movies about high school where the characters are to the extreme?
But I'm not only talking about stereotypes. I'm mainly talking about judging others. I'm not saying this is how everyone is, but what that kid said that to me today made me wonder if I had given off a certain air that made him believe I was someone who I'm not. On the inside, someone may be so very different than what they seem just from their appearance. It makes me sad that someone may not give someone else a chance because of what they physically look like.
I was on a website called 'dear blank, please blank' the other day and came across this picture.
But I'm not only talking about stereotypes. I'm mainly talking about judging others. I'm not saying this is how everyone is, but what that kid said that to me today made me wonder if I had given off a certain air that made him believe I was someone who I'm not. On the inside, someone may be so very different than what they seem just from their appearance. It makes me sad that someone may not give someone else a chance because of what they physically look like.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
What Time Is It?
"Man alone chimes the hour. And, because of this, man alone suffers a paralyzing fear that no other creature endures. A fear of time running out."
-Mitch Albom, The Time Keeper
What would the world be if we didn't keep track of time? If we never had calendars or clocks, solely light and dark giving us an approximation of what time of day it is. Can you imagine that? It's difficult, as time is all around us. School starts at precisely 8:15, no earlier or later. We each celebrate our birthday the same date every year. No other creature on this earth keeps track of time as humans do.
Chronophobia, or fear of time, is apparent in every human being. Sure, it can be more extreme in certain cases, but I think everyone has thought about growing old and what regrets they may have. At a degree, we are all afraid that when we grow old, time will have flew by us without so much as a warning. So why did humans create the concept of time? Sure, keeping a schedule and organizing time is a necessity in everyday life, but disregarding that fact, is it really worth being afraid of losing track of time? Do you think it would benefit humans more if we didn't keep track of time, never really thinking about our age or the years that pass, only living day by day?
-Mitch Albom, The Time Keeper
What would the world be if we didn't keep track of time? If we never had calendars or clocks, solely light and dark giving us an approximation of what time of day it is. Can you imagine that? It's difficult, as time is all around us. School starts at precisely 8:15, no earlier or later. We each celebrate our birthday the same date every year. No other creature on this earth keeps track of time as humans do.
Chronophobia, or fear of time, is apparent in every human being. Sure, it can be more extreme in certain cases, but I think everyone has thought about growing old and what regrets they may have. At a degree, we are all afraid that when we grow old, time will have flew by us without so much as a warning. So why did humans create the concept of time? Sure, keeping a schedule and organizing time is a necessity in everyday life, but disregarding that fact, is it really worth being afraid of losing track of time? Do you think it would benefit humans more if we didn't keep track of time, never really thinking about our age or the years that pass, only living day by day?
Sunday, September 22, 2013
College: Worth the Hype?
"So where do you plan to attend college?"
I get this question a lot, from parent's coworkers, family friends, teachers, and basically anyone who I engage in a conversation with. Sure, I'm highly interested in searching for colleges, and I've been on the site "Naviance" more times than I can count, but I'm a JUNIOR. For fear of judgement, and maybe to raise my confidence, I always answer with a polite, "I'm still searching for colleges, I don't quite know what I'm interested in yet." It's almost as if college defines who we are, and as New Trier students, it's expected that we go to elite, prestigious universities.
I read an article just today about the lowering acceptance rates of Ivy Leagues, the lowest being Harvard with a staggering 5.9% accepted out of all that apply; this tends to be about 35,000 students. That's only 2,065 accepted! One of the comments on the article states, "I borrowed a friends Harvard sweatshirt after a sailing regatta and I received three job offers during that day, a phone number and a request for a date as well as two parents who wanted me to mentor their kids. It's shocking how much weight those seven letters carry (Bendgoat)." Do people deserve such high respect when attending an Ivy League? But more importantly, should college be such a defining factor of our lives?
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Taken For Granted
This past week, when I wasn't napping to get better from the flu, I was thinking about the advantages Americans have. We have easy access to any and all medicines needed to improve our health and doctors who, in a majority of the cases, will know exactly what to do to cure any ailments we may have. Medicare, Medicaid, and Tricare are mere examples of the many programs the US has for the sole purpose of keeping Americans healthy. A large percent of the population under age 67 is insured by an employer, some buy health insurance on their own, and the remainder, although uninsured, have health insurance provided by the government for public sector employees (Wikipedia).
So why am I telling you this? Because it's not like this everywhere. Africa is short of doctors and nurses, which should come as no surprise. The continent overall has 1.4 health workers per 1,000 people, which is nothing compared to the 9.9 in America. These poor nations, including Malawi and Zambia, are paying to train medics, who emigrate, to staff the hospitals of the US and Europe. So basically, this shortage of doctors puts rich countries at fault. Africa is subsidizing us, so by rights we should be helping them, when in reality we are hurting them (WashingtonPost).
Many Americans, including us on the north shore, tend to take for granted just how lucky we are to receive shots that fend off flu and yearly physicals with the doctor to check up on our health. Our well-being is extremely important and should never be understated. We need to start helping these poor countries as much as we can and figure out the best ways to improve the conditions they endure, as we have the proper materials to do so.
So why am I telling you this? Because it's not like this everywhere. Africa is short of doctors and nurses, which should come as no surprise. The continent overall has 1.4 health workers per 1,000 people, which is nothing compared to the 9.9 in America. These poor nations, including Malawi and Zambia, are paying to train medics, who emigrate, to staff the hospitals of the US and Europe. So basically, this shortage of doctors puts rich countries at fault. Africa is subsidizing us, so by rights we should be helping them, when in reality we are hurting them (WashingtonPost).
Many Americans, including us on the north shore, tend to take for granted just how lucky we are to receive shots that fend off flu and yearly physicals with the doctor to check up on our health. Our well-being is extremely important and should never be understated. We need to start helping these poor countries as much as we can and figure out the best ways to improve the conditions they endure, as we have the proper materials to do so.
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Where Is Your Morality?
I read an article the other day regarding "designer babies", the controversy surrounding stem cell research and whether it is ethical. Stem cells have long since been a hot topic for scientists and
geneticists alike. What if there was a technology or chemical surgery that existed where parents could design their child’s exact genetic make-up? Should parents be able to choose their child’s fate? What would be the ramifications of the world we live in today? The American dream says that with hard work you can
get everything that you need. In the article, it states, "The increasing power and accessibility of genetic technology may one day give parents the option of modifying their unborn children, on order to spare offspring from disease or, conceivably, make them tall, well muscled, intelligent or otherwise blessed with desirable traits."
Alright. I can see where this is an attractive bargain, ensuring that your kid lives a healthy and safe life. In fact, that most likely turned my mind around about the whole situation, creating a fiery debate in my head that caused me to need another's opinion. To me, being able to choose your child's features is ludicrous. One should be happy with whatever their child's outward appearance is, and love them for the traits they were born with. As a sixteen-year-old girl, I'm so used to my parents doing everything they can to control me. Our parents hold power over almost everything we do, and now they could potentially take away who we are, or who we would be, as well? No thanks.
On the North Shore, keeping a stellar reputation and maintaining exceptional grades are two of the countless ambitions we seek. It is simply routine to have these goals in mind as a student attending New Trier, with the absurd amount of talented competition around us. As a whole, Americans strive to have the best. Is there a line to be drawn between striving for perfection and going too far? When will we stop trying to control everything we can and start accepting things for what they are?
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