6. Zebras 2024

Language is not just a tool for communication, it is a force that shapes our thoughts, perceptions, and realities. There are about 7,000 languages that are spoken worldwide. In each one, there is a unique structure that reflects certain behaviors in a culture. At its core, language is the foundation of human interaction. However, we also express our emotions, experiences, and connect with people on a deeper level. We use language to persuade, manipulate, console, and do so many other things. Classes are taught all over the world on different ways of using language for certain purposes. But how does it shape the way we behave? In this Stanford study , Alex Shashkevich explores how language makes us unconsciously behave the way we do. He describes how people unconsciously combine certain phrases and words that go unnoticed but have a drastic effect on the psychology of human beings. Researchers looked at Republican vs Democrat opinions online to see any clear differences. The only big di...

What if we took responsibility for every aspect of our lives? Would that make us powerful since we now control every factor? Or would it make us powerless since we are now subject to the tribulations life throws at us?  In the book Feel Good Productivity by Ali Abdaal, he says that “power isn't something that we exert on others; it’ something we feel," disproving my last blog which defined power as the ability to influence others. He uses the idea of power to enhance ones productivity, though this made me think about how power can be intrinsic.  Abdaal mentions how this type of power is “something you create for yourself” rather than being dependent on others to give one power, if power is a feeling, then one can always feel powerful; hypothetically.  Let’s create a situation that proves how one can exert power even without the ability to impact others. A fourty-six year-old man, let’s call him Tom, works at your average desk job. Tom hates his life-style, he hates his ...

  Peer pressure is a powerful phenomenon. It can sway the way people think, act, and even live their life.  I think this stems from our underlying desire to please people. It always feels bad to deny the request of someone, especially people who you aren’t very close friends with or someone you want to get to know more. In a lot of cases, it's easier to find yourself wanting to say yes, or at least doing something different but of the same nature, than just flat out rejecting their request. Like, if someone you weren’t very close with asked you for answers to a homework assignment, you would most likely send it to them or at least guide them on how to do the homework rather than just flat out saying no because you would probably feel bad rejecting their request and you want them to like you. While this is just a minor example, people can also be influenced to do bad things because of the natural desire to be liked by others. For example, a new kid at school might do things the...

Being able to read this blog is a privilege. California has the lowest literacy rate in the country, with 23% of adults having little to no reading proficiency .  Literacy, at its core, is the ability to read and write. It is the gateway to education, employment, healthcare, and civic engagement.  Graph from Statista According to UNESCO, an estimated 773 million adults worldwide lack basic literacy skills, with two-thirds of them being women. In some developing countries, the literacy rate hovers below 50%, limiting access to opportunities and perpetuating cycles of poverty. Literacy is intrinsically tied to economic development. In developed nations, a literate workforce is often taken for granted, contributing to economic productivity and innovation. According to the World Literacy Foundatio n , illiteracy costs a developed nation 2% of its GDP, an emerging economy 1.2% of GDP, and a developing country 0.5% of GDP.  Additionally, literate individuals are better equipped...

You might have noticed in my last blog that I did not include a title. There was a reason for that.  Because silence has  power.  That's something my mother always used to tell me when I was growing up. "If speech is silver, then silence is gold."  She mostly used that as a way of getting me to stop talking, the little chatterbox that I was. But as I get older, I understand what she means.  Now it might not be exactly orthodox for someone to publicly point out their own flaws and discuss it, but I've discovered a sort of  power  in constructive self-criticism.  After taking psychology this year, I've figured out exactly why I felt the need to speak so much when I was younger. Not that I was speaking out of turn, but it was like any time someone would give me the light of day or even just a minute of their attention, I would just spill everything I had been holding inside of me for the past year.  And I think that's because it felt like nobody...

      Have you ever seen the video of a White man in China speaking Chinese fluently to the people there and recording their absolute shock? That video captivated my attention and realized not only the stereotypes given to people, but also how much of an impact simply knowing the native language can have on these natives. While the initial shock arises from the stereotypes, their pleasant surprise is not with offensive intentions.      I mean, if I saw a White man in my home country of Burma speaking Burmese, I'd be just as surprised as these Chinese people. So while stereotypes do cause the surprise, it is not with ill intentions. Aside from this, the happiness that radiates off of them from hearing a foreigner speaking their native tongue is wholesome and uplifting.      This leads me to my main point in the blog. The impact language has on people. The ability to make them smile by saying a simple couple of words is astounding. A similar vi...

Power's Control Over Character's and Their Stories      In one of my first semester blogs, I discussed the book Shatter Me because of the concepts following t In one of my first semester blogs, I discussed the book Shatter Me because of the concepts following the identity of Juliette Ferrars. Now that this quarter’s theme is power, I can finally go over Juliette's power in the sequel, Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi.          Unravel Me follows up the ending of Shatter Me where Juliette escapes from captivity and goes to Omega Point where people like her-with abnormal abilities- to train for the upcoming war with The Reestablishment.  "Pinterest."        Throughout Shatter Me, Juliette is shown to be scared andquite dangerous with her powers. She is unable to control them and proceeds to hurt many who come too close to her. This is the same with Unravel Me, well more in the beginning. She is still seen as a danger by he...

 Bestie-Boo? More like Bestie-Who! You have a best friend. A real best friend. A bestie-boo. Someone who you trust and love and you would give anything to protect. They grew up with you and you have shared so many sweet childhood memories saturated in honey-coated naivety and blossoming youth. They are the type of person that will follow you to the end of the earth and accept you to the fullest—regardless of the circumstances. This best friend is one for the ages.  Then one night they come to your house — like they always do — and borrow your car because they know you’ll be okay with it. They always borrow your things because you're that close! Then they go out on a midnight ride with their partner and dabble in a little mischief while you sleep peacefully, prancing around in dreamland with your bells and bows and rainbow toes, perfectly unaware of bestie-boo’s adventures. Everything is fine and dandy in the world and you are your bestie are ready to take on life together. The...

Not so long ago… in an America not so different from ours, Arthur Miller wrote, “The fate of each character [in The Crucible ] is exactly that of his historical model, and there is no one in the drama who did not play a similar-and in some cases exactly the same role in history.” One of my teachers always says, “a story can be either a window or a mirror.”  The beauty of allegories is that they can be both. They show us what we are doing wrong and let us reflect on finding a way out.   George Lucas famously described the original Star Wars trilogy as an allegory for both the American Revolution and the Vietnam War. While his critiques are not as bold for the time as Miller’s, they tell an important story of power. Far more people will watch Star Wars than seriously consider democratic decay in our society.  Anakin Skywalker in Revenge of the Sith Anakin Skywalker is told his whole life that he is “the chosen one.”...

Kanye West’s 2010 song “POWER” from his album “ My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy ” is known for its anthemic sound, combining elements of hip-hop, rock, and soul. The track addresses themes of fame, influence, and the complexities of power dynamics.  Image from Billboard The opening lines, "I'm living in the 21st century, doing something mean to it, do it better than anybody you ever seen do it," declares that West can outperform anyone. This confidence in this statement establishes a theme focused on his ascent to power. The chorus, with its repetitive mantra of "No one man should have all that power," reflect on the overwhelming nature of influence and authority. West seems to fathom the consequences of his unfathomable success, questioning the power of his fame on his personal life and relationships. As the song progresses, the lyrics address into the darker aspects of fame, with lines like "Screams from the haters, got a nice ring to it" and ...

     Throughout the entire United States of America, every human being has one commonality. The ability to speak English. Yes, there are people who aren't fluent. There are even some who do not understand most of the language. But they get the basics. Everybody knows the basics of English. How did this come to be? How did such a diverse country full of diverse people and communities all agree on one language as the basis of society?  These are the questions I ask myself when thinking about America. I implore you to consider the same. Even outside of the country, English is a universal language everywhere. You will always find people who understand and can speak English somewhat fluently. Thailand? Yes. China? Yes. Greenland? Yes. Any place you can think of there will be people who at least know the basics of the English language.      I think this fact is overlooked by a lot of people. This language isn't just a form of communication, it serves as a pu...