Respect of Diversity_Entry 2_Week 16

High school.

            A period in your life where you leave childhood behind and experience the ups and downs of growing up. It’s that awkward hormonal stage where you realize life isn’t always going to be easy. To be truthful- it can be a pain in the ass. It’s also a time when you start to discover who you are as an individual, and how immature people will hate you for just being you. You realize that people will stereotype you and group you into cliques based on your appearance and your actions.

            I am that awkward kid that embarrasses her-self every other minute, and likes to do the opposite of what society approves of. I am not a genius, but I am not stupid, either. Some people consider me to be weird, and others get annoyed to the point they wouldn’t mind if I disappeared. I realize people judge me every day, from the way I look to the way I act. Some people could care less about what I do, and then there are the people that will become offended and try to morph me into what they consider to be acceptable.

            Why should I change myself to please you?

            Everyone has a different view of things. The problem with this generation is that we seem to get the words “fact” and “opinion” mixed up. We tend to think that our opinion is actually a fact, and that anyone who is willing to disagree is not worth our time. Facts are scientifically proven ideas that have evidence that supports the main concept. On the contrary, an opinion is an individual’s personal perspective of the world around them. Opinions revolve around varying cultures, traditions, religions, and the people that create and take part in these customs. Opinions are a reflection of a person’s viewpoints, beliefs, and of their personality.

            People are different from each other in many ways- from the color of their skin to their IQ level. Genetics, age, gender, and the surrounding environment influence the thoughts and personality of each human being. The social media has had a large impact on how today’s society should view people. Music, magazines, books, films, and other types of mass media seem to encourage the public to judge solely on other’s outward appearance. The media claims that if people do not dress, act, or talk a certain way, they are “abnormal” and “different”. What is so bad with being separate from the “in- crowd”? Why does everyone want to be a clone of one another?

            Everyone has an altered perspective on things.  No matter how hard one tries, that individual will never be completely satisfied with who they are. Feeling agitated, they turn to what is considered “cool” and “popular” for consolation. They feel the need to be accepted by society, and in order to achieve that, they must transform themselves into a fake, unrealistic imitation of the latest vogue. They allow the world to be their puppeteer, and in doing so, they lose their genuine identity. And high school is one of those many places where people will be mistreated for not “fitting in” with what is considered to be cool.

            People would not feel the need to do such things if civilization learned to accept uniqueness. Everyone is different. If people learned to listen to what other’s had to say, and respected the other’s personal opinion whether or not they agreed with it, the world would be more serene. You have to realize that no matter what a person says or does, it will not always change the opinion of someone else. That is just the way the world is. Variety is superb, but people seem too concerned of what other’s think of them. In doing so, they will do whatever it takes to make someone like them. Even if it means sacrificing who they are.

           We live in a free country, but it’s as if everyone constantly forgets what freedom really means. It’s being able to express yourself without being persecuted.  Even the Bill of Rights, Amendment 1 states that: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

            Society and the media tries to convince the world that in order to be “someone” you have to look a certain way, act a certain way, and have a lot of money. But it should not be like that. Life is too short to worry about what others think about you. Not everyone will love you, but not everyone will hate you. The right people will accept you for you. People are people- there is nothing that will make someone better or worse than someone else. You should get to know someone before you waste your breath on things that might not even be true about them. And if you do not like them, do not say mean things about them just to pass the time. Respect the fact that you have a different opinion and lifestyle from theirs, and move on. It’s not the end of the world.

            I am who I am. And I personally do not care if you like me or not- I do not need the world’s approval in order to be happy and successful in life. So, what’s your opinion?

The Choice to Choose and Smile_Entry 1_Week 16

Sometimes I look up at the sky and wonder about what lies ahead of me. I think about the world and the people that live in it. I think of how people fight to be independent of society and each other when, realistically, they were already born as individuals- not cloned robots. I think of how every little occurrence can later become a conspiracy or a regret or a simple memory. I think of the past and what I did and look into the future with a faint heart and a conscience that is telling me that nothing is as it should be.

My parents told me that when I first came into the world, all I did was smile. I did not cry and I did not try to fight the world. I took it all in- the doctors, the bright lights, the room, and my parents. If I had been a boy my name would have been Benjamin, but God decided to make me a girl that would one day question the reason behind her existence. Born into a Christian home with Christian values can make any child inwardly rebellious and angry at the world when it tries to shape and mold her into someone she does not want to be.

In middle school, we were assigned an art project that involved researching the meaning behind our names. My friends were christened as a “pretty flower” or “beloved” or even a “princess”. According to the dictionary, I was “son of Kenneth; prince”. Of all people, why did my name have to mean that? After that mortifying experience, I was sure that my life was some sort of sick joke.

Society claims that our name and our appearance is what defines our identity. Sex and drugs and alcohol and parties and lies and cheating and failure and money is what this generation has been slapped in the face until our lips are crusted over with blood and our eyes are painted black and blue.

Our generation has become numb to all of our senses. We are helpless and only have one concern: ourselves. We are unable to sympathize with the emotions of others. We do not know how to help or support them. We have forgotten how to be honest and instead fill our mouths with lies and spit repulsive words into each other’s face.

I want that to stop.

Rid yourself of hate and anger and the desire for revenge. Replace it with empathy so as to be able to give consolation rather than misery.

Learn to accept rather than to despise your body along with your flaws because there will never be another you.

Always respect yourself. Do not bother to poison your body with drugs and alcohol and profanity and sex. I am not here to tell you what you can and cannot do with your body- it is your property. But remember that you can never get another one.

Glorify the successes of others rather than your own victories. One day you will receive the reward that comes from hard work alone. No one has bragging rights. Remember that people will see your talents through your actions and will be deaf to your words.  

You will only get what you give. Remain considerate despite differing personal views and opinions because when will two people ever think alike? Humans are like snowflakes… each one has its own intricate design.

Have the courage to overcome your fears and to always follow what you know to be true. Never compromise.

Persevere despite life’s disappoints and know that there is always a lesson to be learned from your mistakes.

Always speak the truth. Lying only leads to doubt and anguish.

I am not trying to be different because I already am. If you feel like a misfit, if you feel like a nobody… know that you are somebody. Somebody that can change the world for the better.

Society can leave us feeling worthless and religion and family and friends can attempt to define who we are, but hope always remains to give us the choice to choose. To choose our own virtues as well as our own vices.

When you step out into the world, the real world, and get a taste of its bitterness, remember to always smile. Smile like a newborn that hasn’t a single clue of what is to come. Because honestly- you don’t. And besides, smiling never hurt anyone. 

Eating Disorders: Genetic or Environmental?_Entry 2_Week 15

“I think I've heard all of the fat jokes. It got to the point that I was scared to go to school. The kids were really mean. They actually HATED me because I was fat,” stated Laurie, one of many teens who have anonymously told their story regarding their struggle with an eating disorder on an online blog.  Many young adults, similar to Laurie, have heard at least once in their life time a negative statement about their body image. Although every individual’s response is different towards discouraging opinions, eating disorders are greatly influenced by the social media in the Western culture and are not caused solely by inheritance.

Eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia, are greatly influenced by society and are not just caused by genetics passed down from one generation to the next. It is not what a child can possibly inherit from their parents’ genetic material that is the sole contributor to a psychological disorder.  A surrounding community of people in the twenty first century who constantly practice and preach that the “number on a scale and fitting into a smaller dress size” is what makes a person genuinely “happy” can encourage anyone to do whatever it takes to become skinny (Thompson).

Having an eating disorder, however, can be caused by genetics passed down from a single parent or both of the parents to a child.

“For years, especially recently, the entertainment and marketing industries have been blamed for causing eating disorders... The general opinion is that the constant bombardment of images and commercials portraying the ‘perfect’ skinny body makes young girls feel inadequate... But new research points the finger in a completely different direction” (“The Role of Genetics in Eating Disorders”).

 A majority of people, especially scientists, would like to deem genetics as the only thing that causes an eating disorder. Research has proven, however, that the surrounding environment has a huge effect on a person’s mentality and plays a huge role in adapting something such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia.

Generally, it is assumed that there are three factors that contribute to having an eating disorder: Biological, psychological, and environmental. Biological factors are caused by genetics from which people have the tendency to strive for attributes such as perfectionism, sensitivity, and perseverance (“Anorexia nervosa: Causes”). Such attributes, however, does not directly lead to a person becoming anorexic or bulimic in order to become excessively thin. It can just as easily instigate a person to feel the need to constantly keep everything clean, organized a certain way, to have a specific routine, et cetera. Psychologically, some people “have obsessive-compulsive personality traits that make it easier to stick to strict diets and forgo food despite being hungry”, making it easier if a person has the desire to become extremely thin (“Anorexia nervosa: Causes”). Environmentally, “dieting has become an obsession in North America… Many of the diets on the market right now are also unhealthy. They deprive you of the proper nutrition your body needs to survive and these diets can lead to health problems” (Thompson).

 Experts have discovered that two chromosomes, specifically known as “1 and 10”, are directly linked to eating disorders. Further studies have “determined that genetics accounts for 56 percent of a person's likelihood to develop an eating disorder” (“The Role of Genetics in Eating Disorders”). This has proven that eating disorders can be heritable- and possibly the main reason for taking unhealthy actions to become excessively thin- but it is does not prove that genetics is the only cause (“Genetics and Biology”).

Additional research has revealed that serotonin levels- a brain chemical involved in depression- may have an influence in acquiring anorexia nervosa or bulimia. It can pass genetically from one family member to another, contributing to a family history of eating disorders, depression, anxiety, ADHD, and more (“Genetics and Biology”). The brain chemical can affect the emotional state of a human and their reaction to certain situations, causing some to strive for flawlessness in order to lessen their or other’s negative view of their body. That sense of perfection, however, is influenced by the media in the Western culture which encourages thinness and associates it with things such as “success” and “worth” (“Anorexia nervosa: Causes”).

Genetics, such as low or high levels of serotonin, passed down from generation to generation can instigate “obsessive-compulsive personality”- a contributing factor in having an eating disorder- but Western culture encourages the desire to be excessively thin and claims that it is what will make “you happy” (Thompson). If genetics play a key role in having an eating disorder, “the discovery that some people may be genetically pre-disposed … means that treatment programs could be developed more specifically, and … can be used to alleviate the feeling of shame … counselors can use that information to help patients work through the negative feelings that make recovery much more difficult” (“The Role of Genetics in Eating Disorders”).

The question is: What causes people to perform such unhealthy eating habits, such as starvation? Eating disorders are a sign of emotional insecurity over one’s body. Feelings cannot be necessarily triggered by a few genes originated from a previous carrier. Emotions are widely manipulated by the senses, such as: sight (visuals and images) and hearing (harsh words).  In the twenty first century, society’s expectations are for everything to happen quickly, causing starvation and puking to appear as more appealing when they see how quickly one can lose weight as compared to a healthy diet and moderate exercise which can take over a year. Although chromosomes 1 and 10 and serotonin can cause an individual to have the symptoms of an eating disorder, the social media influences the emotions caused by two of the five senses that can contribute to a negative views of one’s bodies which can then cause a person to take drastic measures to achieve the ‘perfect, size- 0 body’.

According to an article titled “Media Influence”, public figures and models have gradually decreased in size whereas dieting companies and their diet-related products have rapidly increased in their annual revenues throughout the years. Thompson, author of the article, blames society and the media for encouraging the youth of today that “the only way they can be accepted and fit in, is if they are thin”. She explains that dieting and image has become an obsession in Western culture- it is displayed on magazine racks at the store, flashed across almost every commercial on a television screen, implied in shows and films, and even encouraged among our peers. Thompson states that young adults have resorted “to starving, vomiting and eating only diet foods to try and be thin” due to their environmental surrounding’s influence on their lifestyle choices.

Many young adults and even children have had to go to counseling for help when it comes to accepting their body image, but even trained specialists appear as if they do not understand their situation.

“I … had a counselor at my after-school YMCA program make an example of me. She told some other kids that she used to be as big as me. It really hurt me too. Someone who was there to watch over me and make sure I was okay wanted to hurt me in front of other children. I hated my weight” (Laurie).

Eating disorders are not something that a simple pill or a therapist can easily fix. The message that “thin is everything” needs to be put to an end, and instead people need to be constantly told that “size does not matter”. Value your body and live a healthy lifestyle that includes eating everything in moderation.

Adults are the ones who are to blame for our generation’s negative view of their own bodies. They are the ones who are constantly trying out new weight loss programs, taking every diet pill they can afford, allowing companies to advertise pictures of models who have absolutely no fat on their bodies, and so much more. “We… need to teach our children to be proud of whom they are. We need to remind them that people come in all shapes and sizes, and we need to teach them to accept everyone for who they are. Parents need to also teach their children the value of healthy eating and not send the message that being thin is important” (Thompson).

The social media in the Western Culture seems to have a negative impact on an individual’s views of their own bodies which can lead to anorexia nervosa or bulimia. Although genetics can contribute to an eating disorder, it is not the heritage of a child that is the sole contributor to a psychological disorder. It is their surrounding environment of things and people that ultimately encourage them to be as thin as possible- even if that means to do so in an unhealthy manner. People are the ones who encourage the social media to continue to display images of thin models, actors/ actresses, and help promote diet products through continued purchases. “Stop buying those fashion magazines and diet products, and stop believing all the lies being told to you by the fashion and diet industries. Instead, focus on learning to love and accept yourself” (Thompson).

Works Cited

“Genetics and Biology.” The Something Fishy Website on Eating Disorders. N.p., 2007. Web.      24 March 2013.

Laurie. “My Story- My Struggle.” Eating Disorders, Disordered Culture. UC Davis, n.d. Web.     24 March 2013.

Mayo Clinic Staff. “Anorexia nervosa: Causes.” Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical        Education and Research, 10 Aug. 2012. Web. 24 March 2013.

“Media Influence.” Rader Programs. N.p., 2013. Web. 24 March 2013.

“The Role of Genetics in Eating Disorders.” Eating Disorders. Eating Disorders Venture, LLC,    2006. Web. 24 March 2013.

Thompson, Colleen. “Society and Eating Disorders.” Eating Disorders: Mirror, Mirror. N.p., 21   March 2013. Web. 24 March 2013.

Black Friday_Entry 1_Week 15

My friend, Rachel Bianchi, was assigned to write a 600 word essay on the topic "Black Friday". I found it both humorous and true. Enjoy!

Black Friday: Because only in America, people trample others for sales practically the same day of being thankful for what they already have. There are pros and cons of Black Friday; yet I believe there are more cons than there are pros.

Yes, thanks to Black Friday not everyone needs to be an extreme couponer like we see on television. But the amount of time people spend prepping themselves for the next World War III in their neighborhood Wal-Mart, they are losing valuable time they could be spending with their families. Some people are willing to go and leave Thanksgiving dinner to get the best deals at their local stores that are starting earlier and earlier every year. Those are the people that are in the store and can’t walk properly because they still have the “Thanksgiving dinner baby” still in their system. Three people got featured on local news for camping out in front of Best Buy three days before the day of the sale to make sure they got the item they have been waiting for. Let’s hope the deal they got was worth the wait.

When stores open the day of Thanksgiving it means employees have to miss or leave their Thanksgivings early to work. This is an inconvenience for them as well as their friends and families that want to spend time with them. Employees that have to work for Black Friday and soon to be Black Thanksgiving work long shifts. Having family in the customer services business, I know that when they don’t have enough sleep and angry customers with the stress of making everyone happy, employees aren’t always their best. Customers that are understandable are a relief to the employee working. Black Friday makes it hard for the employees to keep their calm when five unsatisfied moms are fighting over the last toy for their kid and it turns into the MMA championships. Although some employees get commission for what they sell, the aftermath of the tornado of people is unsettling. Employees have to spend hours just to get their store into good condition. I personally don’t think employees should have to suffer because a few hundred people want five percent off on the latest trend.

Throughout picking out and trying on the latest style shirt, some may not have access to the fitting rooms because Suzie and her whole family might be there watching her try on dresses for prom and it looks like the next episode of “Say yes to the dress”. So if those who don’t have access to the dressing room because Aunt Sally is blocking the door way are in a rush, most likely will just find the size that will most likely fit because they have to go to the next store before the time runs out on the sale. Good news for the shopaholics is that everything probably won’t fit so it gives them an excuse to go back and shop some more! But for the ones that absolutely hate shopping and are there for a once in a lifetime situation, just got a taste of how almost everyone that buys clothes on Cyber Monday feels.

I am the type of person that isn’t social and is only patient when I have to be. Black Friday doesn’t sound appealing to me. In my mind Black Friday equals long lines and too many people in one place. Even though I did go to the mall this year on Black Friday doesn’t mean it was the time of my life. I saw about 10 people I know in one store, which is pretty bad, considering I don’t know that many people. The lines were too long and the aisles were packed to the point where people couldn’t function. It reminded me of some kind of flash mob that was bound to happen where people would randomly break into song, kind of like “High School Musical” but multiplied by a thousand.

Black Friday would be better if it actually started on Friday instead of Thanksgiving. I also believe some people need to take a chill pill or two if going to go shopping on Black Friday, because if they didn’t get what they were on the hunt for, Cyber Monday is just around the corner for another chance at the next big thing out there. Next time you think of saving big, think of the people who sacrifice their nights to give you what you want. Maybe we should be giving them what they want instead; and remember, the day before you were just giving thanks for what you already have.