Writes
The United States is a culture that idealizes the individual. On a daily basis, we are bombarded with depictions of the successful persona; of the idea that a single individual can build a multinational corporation, form a successful start-up, become a famous musician, an inspiring influencer, or a multimillionaire solely from personal talent, grit, and... Continue Reading →
I have been contemplating the negative conditioning that the majority of us have in regards to help. In general, it is difficult to receive help from a primarily empathetic standpoint, where the individual helping is assessing the person-in-need’s capabilities, passions, past history, fears, emotional attachments, and the base requirements that they may lack. Instead of... Continue Reading →
The majority of world societies (at least the ones that interact on a global scale) have an obsession with unbridled growth. In the past centuries, a countries reputation, status, influence, and power comes primarily with an increase in GDP, an increase in productive labor, an increase in population, an increase in medical and technological advancements,... Continue Reading →
Recently, I have been questioning the manner in which we punish and penalize in our society. A lot of our punitive measures seem driven by our tendency to place people into polarities: as good or bad, kind or mean, angel or devil, moral or corrupt, laborer or artist, hard-working or lazy, as ‘once a cheater... Continue Reading →
I am a fan of well-written comedy, despite the fact that it is often contentious, derogatory, and heavily reliant on stereotypes. What I love most about good comedy is that it incites the viewer or listener to question the offensive tropes and clichés present in society and forces them to think beyond the bounds of... Continue Reading →
A few months ago, I wandered into Chinatown with a friend on a chilly Wednesday night. The streets, which during the day bustle with pedestrians and street vendors, were bare and dreary. Since we were merely exploring the area, I suggested that we get massages if it wasn’t too late. My friend looked at his... Continue Reading →
Since I began my personal blog, I have had people express to me- in a variation of these words- that although they enjoyed reading my essay, they don’t agree with it 100%. I react by laughing (I laugh easily) and writing back to them that I don’t expect nor want them to agree with my... Continue Reading →
A challenging opposition to what has been termed liberal doctrine is the fact that regulations such as affirmative action and diversity quotas, along with the atmosphere that liberal culture breeds, can uphold exclusive principles, and those that it excludes- mainly heterosexual white men- raise the concern that the restrictive nature of these regulatory requirements inherently... Continue Reading →
The idea of romantic love as a conditional right is a belief I have falsely acquired from childhood. Since my youth, I was both told and shown from my father, media, and the men I have dated that I can achieve love if I stay youthful and physically attractive, appear and act in a feminine... Continue Reading →