When we meet new people, we think of our past experience of those who remind us of the person who we happen to be meeting. These can be examples of people we knew in real life or how people are portrayed in the many different forms of media.
Stereotypes are impossible to avoid. Humans can't help but attach them to those who we don't even know. So much entertainment feeds off horrible stereotypes that we can't help but let them invade our everyday thoughts. Even if stereotypes don't permeate our lives, what causes them to seem so prevalent in society?
We obviously see some people who live up to their stereotypes; if this didn't happen, we wouldn't let those stereotypes last through multiple generations. But what makes a stereotype? Perhaps it is a large group of individuals who act a certain way that cause judgments to be cast. In that case, a small group of people have helped to label an entire group of people. But what if this isn't true? Perhaps a stereotype is a preconceived rumor that people conform to. What if the stereotype forms the people instead of vice versa? Then in that case, we would be adjusting to other people telling us how to act. Either way, stereotypes cause many misplaced misconceptions in humans who hear them. No matter if the stereotype is the cause or the effect, we need to allow them to be abolished or at least diminished.
Currently listening to Amy Winehouse and Marilyn Manson.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
new
Doing activities that are different than normal is always difficult. Going out of your comfort zone after staying in it for so long is very awkward for anyone, but when you are forced out, meeting new people in a new environment is crucial.
A new environment can be terrifying; being placed in an unfamiliar locale can distort the actions which may seem normal. And with a new environment comes new people, places, and customs. The individuals accustomed to the area are also aware of how things normally work, but people new to the area feel as if they are walking among broken glass.
Meeting new people is hard. People normally have a problem letting a new person into their life, even the slightest bit. When meeting new people, quick judgment among those who are native or familiar with the area is inevitable. Also, when meeting a new person, each individual introducing themselves feels wary of the quick judgment that will be placed upon them. It is impossible to know whether or not your new acquaintance will hate what is about to come out of your mouth, and you are quite conscious of this fact.
But why are we so miserable when placed in new situations? Perhaps it is because we are out of our normal situation and around strange individuals. Once humans establish themselves in an area, they become comfortable there and fear change from what took them so long to adjust to. But when forced to adjust, maybe the uncomfortable feelings that come with it help us to adapt to our new situation.
Currently listening to The Beatles, Three Days Grace, and Linkin Park.
A new environment can be terrifying; being placed in an unfamiliar locale can distort the actions which may seem normal. And with a new environment comes new people, places, and customs. The individuals accustomed to the area are also aware of how things normally work, but people new to the area feel as if they are walking among broken glass.
Meeting new people is hard. People normally have a problem letting a new person into their life, even the slightest bit. When meeting new people, quick judgment among those who are native or familiar with the area is inevitable. Also, when meeting a new person, each individual introducing themselves feels wary of the quick judgment that will be placed upon them. It is impossible to know whether or not your new acquaintance will hate what is about to come out of your mouth, and you are quite conscious of this fact.
But why are we so miserable when placed in new situations? Perhaps it is because we are out of our normal situation and around strange individuals. Once humans establish themselves in an area, they become comfortable there and fear change from what took them so long to adjust to. But when forced to adjust, maybe the uncomfortable feelings that come with it help us to adapt to our new situation.
Currently listening to The Beatles, Three Days Grace, and Linkin Park.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
meaning
Words can have a very heavy meaning and most often do. Most humans choose their words wisely even in everyday conversation. Once we become acquainted with a person, we know what words we can use and which are prohibited. When we become closer to a person, choosing words becomes a subconscious act instead of a constant second guessing. But do we get too comfortable around people who we know with our language?
When you first meet someone, your words can change how people view you. A simple misuse of a word can change a person's perception in an instant and possibly in the wrong direction. Once we become accustomed to another person's annoyances and problems with language, we often become lax with our words. The more we get to know someone, the less our words become vital. The words we speak to a lifelong friend or spouse tend to lose their meaning, but why is this?
Why do we let commonly said words lose their original impact they once had us? Perhaps we become numb to certain words when a certain person tends to repeat them. The two most common example of this are the words “love” and “hate.” When we first hear a person use either of those words, it can be shocking, but the more we hear them escape their mouths the less it affects us. Is it simply hearing the word used so often? This is probably the answer to the question, but what is the solution to the problem? Maybe we need to be as careful around those we know the best as we are around the people we are meeting for the first time.
Currently listening to The Beatles.
When you first meet someone, your words can change how people view you. A simple misuse of a word can change a person's perception in an instant and possibly in the wrong direction. Once we become accustomed to another person's annoyances and problems with language, we often become lax with our words. The more we get to know someone, the less our words become vital. The words we speak to a lifelong friend or spouse tend to lose their meaning, but why is this?
Why do we let commonly said words lose their original impact they once had us? Perhaps we become numb to certain words when a certain person tends to repeat them. The two most common example of this are the words “love” and “hate.” When we first hear a person use either of those words, it can be shocking, but the more we hear them escape their mouths the less it affects us. Is it simply hearing the word used so often? This is probably the answer to the question, but what is the solution to the problem? Maybe we need to be as careful around those we know the best as we are around the people we are meeting for the first time.
Currently listening to The Beatles.
Monday, August 18, 2008
words
Humans mainly communicate by talking to one another. Words have a specific meaning which is defined in the dictionary as the standard meaning as a word. This has absolutely no room for interpretation. But humans connect moods, emotions, and experience to certain words that then create either a positive or negative stamp on our minds.
An explicit definition of a word is known as the denotation, meaning the dictionary definition of a word. There is no room for debate about meanings of words on this side, but that is not true with connotations of words. A connotation of a word varies from person to person, but it is the implied meaning of a word. Both are a vital parts of conveying a message to an audience, but usually a writer depends on assumed connotations to nail their point by using words with heavier meanings that leave an impact.
Some words have implications that are positive. The denotations of house and home are practically the same, but the connotations are where the differences arise. A house is usually seen as a place where someone lives, but a home is someplace that is comfortable and full of warmth. Home has certain positive feelings that follow to change the way someone uses the word. Another example of how connotations affect our interpretation of words is the difference between freedom fighter and terrorist. Both are defined as people who engages in armed rebellion or resistance against an oppressive government. Freedom fighters are usually seen as heroes as they fight; terrorists are the source of fear in masses of people.
Connotations can change the way we are affected by words, but why do we let the implied meaning weigh more heavily than the literal definition? Perhaps we are more affected by our own experience more than what we are taught in school or from a dictionary. Our emotions, since they can make us irrational and unclear in thought, are more personal than more words that have no weight. Changing our ways would be hard, but maybe in the future we could try to lessen the impact that connotations have on us.
Currently listening to Nine Inch Nails and nature.
An explicit definition of a word is known as the denotation, meaning the dictionary definition of a word. There is no room for debate about meanings of words on this side, but that is not true with connotations of words. A connotation of a word varies from person to person, but it is the implied meaning of a word. Both are a vital parts of conveying a message to an audience, but usually a writer depends on assumed connotations to nail their point by using words with heavier meanings that leave an impact.
Some words have implications that are positive. The denotations of house and home are practically the same, but the connotations are where the differences arise. A house is usually seen as a place where someone lives, but a home is someplace that is comfortable and full of warmth. Home has certain positive feelings that follow to change the way someone uses the word. Another example of how connotations affect our interpretation of words is the difference between freedom fighter and terrorist. Both are defined as people who engages in armed rebellion or resistance against an oppressive government. Freedom fighters are usually seen as heroes as they fight; terrorists are the source of fear in masses of people.
Connotations can change the way we are affected by words, but why do we let the implied meaning weigh more heavily than the literal definition? Perhaps we are more affected by our own experience more than what we are taught in school or from a dictionary. Our emotions, since they can make us irrational and unclear in thought, are more personal than more words that have no weight. Changing our ways would be hard, but maybe in the future we could try to lessen the impact that connotations have on us.
Currently listening to Nine Inch Nails and nature.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
anticipation
We have all felt the build up of emotions as a big event comes our way. Anxiety, nervousness, impatience, and worry seem to sneak in during the wait period. These feelings somehow become amplified in our wait until the commencement of whatever we may be waiting for. During the wait and increase of emotions, our minds and bodies tend to react in peculiar ways. We all know what is going to happen when we await certain events in our lives, but we still fall victim to the depths of our mind's wonder and worry.
So what happens to us when we get in such a tizzy? It affects others differently, but some common symptoms of anticipation are insomnia, extreme loss or gain of appetite, and stress. It is as if we forget about simple daily function because our minds are so preoccupied with what will come in the near future. Why do we let this happen to ourselves? Humans live for the future, what will become of them. They would hate to come across such a big opportunity and mess it up beyond repair, so they obsess over it and go over every possible detail of what may or may not happen. Also, if the event is a pivotal point in a person's life, we simply cannot wait for the moment to actually be upon us. The event is the object of our every thought, so much that we forget lose sight of what is currently passing by us.
Huge events in our lives that we naturally anticipate will always haunt us, but is it beneficial? Maybe if we didn't obsess about every detail of what will occur because this might help us weigh our options of what to do in certain situations. But what if the act is predetermined to turn out a certain way? There is no worrying to preoccupy the inactivity until the event. Perhaps as humanity as a whole, we need to rid ourselves of the self abuse we willingly endure because of anticipation.
Currently listening to Stone Sour.
So what happens to us when we get in such a tizzy? It affects others differently, but some common symptoms of anticipation are insomnia, extreme loss or gain of appetite, and stress. It is as if we forget about simple daily function because our minds are so preoccupied with what will come in the near future. Why do we let this happen to ourselves? Humans live for the future, what will become of them. They would hate to come across such a big opportunity and mess it up beyond repair, so they obsess over it and go over every possible detail of what may or may not happen. Also, if the event is a pivotal point in a person's life, we simply cannot wait for the moment to actually be upon us. The event is the object of our every thought, so much that we forget lose sight of what is currently passing by us.
Huge events in our lives that we naturally anticipate will always haunt us, but is it beneficial? Maybe if we didn't obsess about every detail of what will occur because this might help us weigh our options of what to do in certain situations. But what if the act is predetermined to turn out a certain way? There is no worrying to preoccupy the inactivity until the event. Perhaps as humanity as a whole, we need to rid ourselves of the self abuse we willingly endure because of anticipation.
Currently listening to Stone Sour.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
technology
Technology is a vital part of everyday life in the twenty-first century. Every household in America has at least one computer and two televisions with cable or satellite TV. Kids as young as ten have their own cell phones and are fluent in acronyms commonly used for texting and instant messaging. It seems as if everyone is constantly connected to their buddy list by the way of technology, but is that beneficial to humans as a whole?
Technology has destroyed our ways of communicating with other humans. In high school, teens are taught how necessary proper grammar and clear expression is, but anonymous chat rooms, texing, instant messaging, and forums are undermining the true value of what we are taught. Capitalization is forgotten; punctuation is unnecessary; sentences are fragmented; spelling is disregarded. To thrive in such a community of frequent web browsers, a knowledge of this makeshift language that use abbreviations, acronyms, and numbers is critical. In addition, those who become accustomed to speaking this way find it hard to communicate with those who don't depend on it to talk. This is making our teenagers dumber than previous generations, and if we don't fix this problem, it will only get worse as time goes on.
Technology also undermines the quality of human interaction. With the rise of the social networking sites and instant messaging clients, talking to others in person is rare. It is much easier to talk to your friends and coworkers from the comfort of your own home then meet them someplace in real life. Certain qualities and lessons are learned when you interact with people; we miss the opportunity to obtain these when we talk to people through what we type. People learn to pick up on vocal cues for emotion and reactions when we hear another person's voice, and we suffer from this sacrifice we willingly make when we log in to talk to our friends.
We also become dependent on technology after we use it enough. Most people who are constantly connected find it atrocious and blasphemous to turn off their phone or computer. Some people would find it impossible for them to disconnect from the internet for even a day. Constantly logged on, these people seem to have forgotten about other methods of entertainment such as reading or spending time outside. It seems as if people live their life through technology instead of how it was meant to be fulfilled.
But why we do this? For one, the lack of human interaction can desensitize us to other people's emotions, making it easier for us to deal with tragedy and pain. Delivering bad news via e-mail or text message is much more impersonal than by actual interaction. This can numb us to the effects of certain actions. Likewise, a cyberculture is much easier to become a part of than real life. On the internet, you can lie about who you are in order to receive more attention. On that note conformity is inevitable, as it is in most settings with huge masses of people; consequently, you have to fit into a certain mold in order to be accepted. It just so happens that mold is someone who has made themselves dumber by speaking certain ways.
Perhaps we need to distance ourselves from the very items that make us dumber. Technology can be glorious, but we seem to abuse it beyond the point of it being beneficial. We are fairly new to ubiquitous technology, but we are already addicted past the point of being able to quit on command.
Currently listening to Incubus, James Blunt, and She Wants Revenge.
Technology has destroyed our ways of communicating with other humans. In high school, teens are taught how necessary proper grammar and clear expression is, but anonymous chat rooms, texing, instant messaging, and forums are undermining the true value of what we are taught. Capitalization is forgotten; punctuation is unnecessary; sentences are fragmented; spelling is disregarded. To thrive in such a community of frequent web browsers, a knowledge of this makeshift language that use abbreviations, acronyms, and numbers is critical. In addition, those who become accustomed to speaking this way find it hard to communicate with those who don't depend on it to talk. This is making our teenagers dumber than previous generations, and if we don't fix this problem, it will only get worse as time goes on.
Technology also undermines the quality of human interaction. With the rise of the social networking sites and instant messaging clients, talking to others in person is rare. It is much easier to talk to your friends and coworkers from the comfort of your own home then meet them someplace in real life. Certain qualities and lessons are learned when you interact with people; we miss the opportunity to obtain these when we talk to people through what we type. People learn to pick up on vocal cues for emotion and reactions when we hear another person's voice, and we suffer from this sacrifice we willingly make when we log in to talk to our friends.
We also become dependent on technology after we use it enough. Most people who are constantly connected find it atrocious and blasphemous to turn off their phone or computer. Some people would find it impossible for them to disconnect from the internet for even a day. Constantly logged on, these people seem to have forgotten about other methods of entertainment such as reading or spending time outside. It seems as if people live their life through technology instead of how it was meant to be fulfilled.
But why we do this? For one, the lack of human interaction can desensitize us to other people's emotions, making it easier for us to deal with tragedy and pain. Delivering bad news via e-mail or text message is much more impersonal than by actual interaction. This can numb us to the effects of certain actions. Likewise, a cyberculture is much easier to become a part of than real life. On the internet, you can lie about who you are in order to receive more attention. On that note conformity is inevitable, as it is in most settings with huge masses of people; consequently, you have to fit into a certain mold in order to be accepted. It just so happens that mold is someone who has made themselves dumber by speaking certain ways.
Perhaps we need to distance ourselves from the very items that make us dumber. Technology can be glorious, but we seem to abuse it beyond the point of it being beneficial. We are fairly new to ubiquitous technology, but we are already addicted past the point of being able to quit on command.
Currently listening to Incubus, James Blunt, and She Wants Revenge.
Friday, August 15, 2008
change
I am not the same person I was a year ago. None of us are. With another year behind us, we can look back and see what has changed. Some of us have made big changes, some made bad decisions, and still some have made minor ones unwillingly. Especially prevalent in younger generations, we are changing the way we view the world we live in. As teenagers get older, change is necessary for success. Success is dependent on so many variables, but an evolution of those can help an individual who is trying to further themselves.
Firstly, a young person has to become more educated to become successful in whatever field they decide to pursue. If someone chooses not to allow themselves to be taught in anything, they will not be able to make any money. This is because they have no knowledge in anything. Even a high school diploma in today's society isn't enough. To make enough money to live a financially stable life, a college degree is becoming essential.
In addition to education, an individual must evolve their way of personal triats before they can even think about success in an adult setting. Children are selfish, whiny, naive, immature, and inexperienced; a successful adult may possess one of these traits, but there is no way they possess all of them. As a person grows, they naturally mature until they carry themselves like adults. Some people take longer than others, but all successful individuals eventually reach that goal.
The last variable towards success that I'm going to touch on thought process. Children are taught what to think. Their parents indoctrinate them on all subjects because they know a child's mind isn't developed enough to come to certain conclusions themselves. Kids often carry what their parents taught them deep into their teenage years, but in order to become a successful adult, they have to learn how to think. Budding adults must develop skills that allow them to draw their own conclusions about their world. Adults must be able to postulate their own theories about everything the come across because they no longer have someone to tell them what to think.
People have to change in more ways than I described, but it is very definite that change and growth are necessary in all aspects. If a person tries to become successful before they change who they had previously been, they may fortunate enough to succeed, but it is most likely they will have to adjust to a new way of life.
Currently listening to Richard Dawkins' address at the University of Liverpool.
Firstly, a young person has to become more educated to become successful in whatever field they decide to pursue. If someone chooses not to allow themselves to be taught in anything, they will not be able to make any money. This is because they have no knowledge in anything. Even a high school diploma in today's society isn't enough. To make enough money to live a financially stable life, a college degree is becoming essential.
In addition to education, an individual must evolve their way of personal triats before they can even think about success in an adult setting. Children are selfish, whiny, naive, immature, and inexperienced; a successful adult may possess one of these traits, but there is no way they possess all of them. As a person grows, they naturally mature until they carry themselves like adults. Some people take longer than others, but all successful individuals eventually reach that goal.
The last variable towards success that I'm going to touch on thought process. Children are taught what to think. Their parents indoctrinate them on all subjects because they know a child's mind isn't developed enough to come to certain conclusions themselves. Kids often carry what their parents taught them deep into their teenage years, but in order to become a successful adult, they have to learn how to think. Budding adults must develop skills that allow them to draw their own conclusions about their world. Adults must be able to postulate their own theories about everything the come across because they no longer have someone to tell them what to think.
People have to change in more ways than I described, but it is very definite that change and growth are necessary in all aspects. If a person tries to become successful before they change who they had previously been, they may fortunate enough to succeed, but it is most likely they will have to adjust to a new way of life.
Currently listening to Richard Dawkins' address at the University of Liverpool.
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