“My parents are going to be so mad at me,” stated my dear friend Trista. The antithesis of a troublemaker, Trista had earned countless awards recognizing her honesty and faithfulness throughout grade school. She sat on the other side of the lunch table from me holding her test. When I asked why her parents would be angry at her, she explained that she had earned a slightly less than perfect grade on her test, even though she had studied diligently. I was confused: why would her parents be furious if she tried her best? How could her parents not be pleased? I was unfamiliar with and intrigued by her parents’ response. Continue reading
American author, poet, and essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson emerged as a distinguished member of the literary movement known as Transcendentalism in the mid-19th Century. The writings of Emerson enchanted readers with refreshing reflections on the individual, natural facts, and intellectual self-reliance. Emerson’s 1837 speech, “The American Scholar,” was delivered at Harvard College’s chapter of the Phi Beta Kappa Society and included some of his greatest ideas. In his rousing address, Continue reading
On December 13, 1937, the Japanese captured China’s capital Nanking, thus marking the inception of mass murder and rape that continues to haunt Sino-Japanese relations today.1 Nanking stood as China’s capital from the third to the sixth century but fell just five months into the war under the leadership of General Iwane Matsui.2 For Japan, this victory established their nation as a viable imperialist power and reinforced nationalist ideologies that fueled the nations’ wartime aggression. For China, however, Continue reading
A herd of toddlers crowd the ballet studio. Most of these miscreants spin in circles or invent entirely new dance moves. One child, however, marches around in tiny toddler steps to correct her less devoted classmates. She even treks to the teacher’s side (if not in front of the teacher) to demonstrate the right way to dance. This diva child, as my family can easily confirm with a chuckle, was me. But my history of being a know-it-all didn’t stop at the ballet studio. Continue reading
Bacchus and Ariadne is an oil painting by French artist, Eustache Le Sueur.1 The Baroque style painting illustrates the Greek myth of Bacchus (Dionysus) and his love for a heartbroken woman, Ariadne. French Baroque paintings “had non-religious themes derived from Continue reading
Setting: Johnny Rockets restaurant, approx. 7:50 pm. The ladies are in the restroom discussing their plan of action while the boys do the same at their designated booth.
Amelia: But nothing Candi! He’s a pompous Continue reading
Dear David Livingston Smith,
I must first of all commend you on your willingness to broach this controversial topic. In 1975, my book Sociobiology garnered much criticism from my colleagues, not because of its theories but because of the application of those theories to humans. I stated that our actions and behaviors originate in our genetics; given the thesis of your book, you agree. Many people assumed I was harkening back to the dark days of evolutionary biology as racist pseudoscience, and in fact protested against and threatened me. I think they vastly misunderstood my point, but you obviously did not. Continue reading
There is no doubt that current societal standards for female beauty inordinately emphasize the desirability of thinness–and thinness at a level that is impossible for most women to achieve by healthy means. In their pervasiveness, the mass media are powerful conveyors of this sociocultural ideal. – Marika Tiggemann
The tension between the modern public and the topic of diet remains Continue reading
As we face an age of severe environmental destruction, it is now more urgent than ever to understand ourselves in order to save our reality. As renowned scientist E.O. Wilson has said:
Humanity today is like a waking dreamer, caught between the fantasies of sleep and the chaos of the real world. We thrash about. We are terribly confused by the mere fact of our existence, and we are a danger to ourselves and to the rest of life. (Of Ants and Men 01:40)
Considering how fragile and intimately connected our ecosystem is, Continue reading
Living during the same time under relatively similar conditions, how different could two philosophers be? Soren Kierkegaard wrote his book Fear and Trembling after he broke up with his fiancé, Regine, and was able to explore the implications of faith. Karl Marx wrote on communism after being faced with corrupt capitalist societies at the height of the Industrial Revolution. While Kierkegaard’s focus seems to be on the difference between ethics and religious faith, Marx’s readings emphasize economics as the basis of life. Continue reading
Is it possible for an individual to single-handedly change the fortunes of an oppressed group of people? Moreover, is it believable that this individual is simply a “mother” trying to educate her “children?” This was the essence of a case that occurred at the Boston University Metropolitan College: “I didn’t know anything about prisoners then, and I was impressed, not only by their brilliance but (also) by their eagerness for learning” Continue reading
In The Nicomachean Ethics Aristotle discusses what makes a good professional. For Aristotle the difference between the ordinary and the exceptional is his balance between reason and soul: “the function of man is an activity of the soul in accordance with or implying, a rational principle” (109a8-9). Aristotle specifically distinguished a harpist from a good harpist, a comparison applicable to the medical profession. Aristotle argued that a good harpist is someone who uses his ability to play the harp, his rational principle, alongside his passion for the harp, the activity of his soul. Likewise, a good doctor is one who Continue reading
As a Chilean immigrant to the United States, I wish borders between countries would not exist, yet I understand their significance. Today, borders between countries work as a system for humans to coexist in safety. The importance of a sovereign territory under certain political and economic systems allows humans to survive and be in peace. However, not all countries have capable leaders and systems to protect their citizens Continue reading
Russification or Russizination is defined as a form of cultural assimilation in which “non-Russian” communities forfeit their cultural identity to conform to Russian norms and traditions.
Throughout history, Russian politicians and social figures have sought to further “russify” Russia as a form of extreme patriotism. For instance, the slogan and political doctrine, “Russia for Russians” originated during the 19th century. This nationalist slogan, Continue reading