Sunday, October 27, 2013

Thanatophobia

Once, in 6th grade, I was lying on my bed, engrossed in my own thoughts. First came the realization that I had actually received a B on my math test and had no idea how to break the news to my mom, who was sure to erupt in a whirlwind of insults. However, as I thought more about how to confront the situation, Death crawled into my mind and asked me, "What do you think happens when you're dead?".  Unable to understand the question, I stumbled over my thoughts. To the 6th grade me, death was a black hole that would kidnap me from the luxuries of life (food and games); death was the man with the scythe, the one that would deliver my punishment; death was the messenger that would bring me to a world where I could not feel, see, or hear. Death was terrifying. I frightened myself to the point where I laid motionless, fearing any sudden movement on the bed would bring in the wretched reaper. However, soon after I realized that if Death was to claim me, I needed to first inform my mother of my grades. Sprinting in a frenzy, I stumbled to her room and broke down in tears. To her, it seemed as though I was crying over a useless grade; to me, I was crying over the disillusionment of Life.

In the poem "Thanatopsis" by William Cullen Bryant, Death is portrayed as a universal equalizer, one that evens out the playing field once we're all in the ground. However, while we are alive, we are all unique and experience different situations. Death is inevitable, but the only way each we can view Death positively is if we live out our lives to the fullest. So why don't people understand such a simple statement?

As I was scrolling through Humans of New York, a picture of a grim woman caught my attention. Underneath the picture, HONY summarized her story: her father had been battling pulmonary fibrosis and was winning; however, the day he came home, he died. She had stated that "he never came to terms with [Death]" and felt "cheated by life". 

On the other hand, HONY had posted a picture of the deceased Banana George, who had set the world record as the oldest person to waterski barefoot at age 92.

"Banana George didn't even begin waterskiing until he was 40. But it soon became his passion. In the course of his career, he's broken his back 4 times. He's also broken his ankle, knee, and eleven ribs. Banana George waterskied until the last possible moment. I've seen footage of a very old George being pulled through the water in a wheelchair-on-skis, smiling like a madman."

Banana George is the testament to Bryant's claim. George embraced death by living up to 97 in the most extreme way possible. He felt accomplished enough to embrace the chilling unknown of death. However, the girl's father was only able to look at death in a pessimistic manner, unable to live out his days. Ultimately, the difference between our perspectives on death depend on how well we shape our lives. Those who live for the thrill of life are the ones who are truly able to come to terms with Death.

Even now, I still fear Death. How could I not? However, I have been inspired by the optimism Banana George exhibits for his own life. The only way I won't fear Death when my time comes is if I make this life the most interesting life possible: full of tears, joy, adventure, sorrow and love.

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Declaration of Uniqueness

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one portion of the family of man to take a step back from expectations and stereotypes, to revive a unique life, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes that impel them to such a course.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men, women and students are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are unique Lives, Liberty and the distinct pursuits of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are institutedderiving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to protest and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and condescension, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to protest such Government, and to choose a unique path for their future security

Such has been the patient sufferance of students; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the College and Parents is a history of repeated criticisms and brainwashing, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

They have forced unnecessary stress, in the form of standardized tests, upon our Lives.

They have inhibited creative thought in the summer, instead, replacing it with the stale opinions of Barrons, Kaplan and Princeton.

They have coerced us into memorizing lists of pointless vocabulary, such as avuncular and lugubrious.

They have taught us to recognize ourselves by numbers such as 2400 or 36; Anything less is unacceptable.

They have endorsed that multitude of AP classes we can take, scratch that, we MUST take.

They have taught us to become monotonous copies of each other, with no idiosyncratic qualities.

They have coerced us into joining every Club possible, regardless of our own interests.

They have beat into our brains that if we are not Leaders, then we are nothing.

They have turned companions into adversaries, teaching us that no one is to be trusted.

They have turned us into social outcasts, awkward at every outing.

They have cited the accomplishments of others before us, leading us to another guilt trip.

They have set a seemingly unreachable standard, then rebuke us when our enemies reach it.

They have brainwashed us into thinking that if we are not THE model for others, then we are nobodies.

They have affirmed that we are "Tiger cubs", and our purpose is to bring pride and honor for the "Tiger mom".

They have reiterated the word "Harvard" and "Ivy" both day and night.

They have raised the standard of Asian math to Issac Newton, as if expecting us to invent calculus again.

They have forced us to five hours of sleep, nineteen hours of academics, tests, sports, music and clubs.

They have endeavored, in every way that they could, to destroy our confidence in our powers, to lessen our self-respect, and to make willing to lead a cliche life.

Now, in view of this entire dissatisfaction from YOUR future generation in this country, their social and academic degradation--in view of the unjust laws above mentioned, and because students do feel themselves oppressed, stressed, and fraudulently deprived of their most sacred rights, we insist that they have immediate admission to all the rights and privileges to unique and distinct lives as citizens of the United States.

Sunday, October 13, 2013

Art of Living: The Seven Levels of Existence

What is an existence and what value does it hold in our lives? According to Goethe, "The whole art of living consists in giving up existence in order to exist." As analyzed by Ms.Valentino's 11 AP English class, it seems like existence is defined by two interpretations, the literal existence of one's life and the figurative existence in embedded in our memories. However, according to Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder of the Art of Living foundation, there are actually seven levels of existence.

1) Body: A precious gift from Mother Nature, the body is the most physical form of existence. Created from millions of cells, elements, atoms etc, the body is faced with physical limitations such as disease and fatigue. The body is commonly known as the capsule for our souls; however, our bodies are often easily sacrificed.

In "The Crucible", the body level of existence applies every living person in the story. When Salem women confess false witchery, they are doing so to save their body, their physical existence.

2) Breath: Most people are not aware that they breathe so much on a daily basis. However, the important act of breathing is the first and last act of our lives that determines our existence. For every emotion in the mind, there is a corresponding rhythm in the breath. For example, anger produces twice the amount of breaths as happiness. In addition, breaths affect the physical state of the body. Those who are happy sense expansion, while those who are depressed sense contraction.

Again, each person in "The Crucible" exist on the breathing level. Mary Warren gasps for air at the thought of selling Abigail's secrets, while Judge Danforth maintains his calm disposition when he sarcastically shuts Parris up.

3) Mind: Mind, also known as our consciousness, refers to one's ability to observe and express. Human mind seems to be weak, despite its capabilities. Why do we allow our minds to become puppets controlled by the acceptance or criticisms of others?

Victims of the witchcraft accusations often let their minds be controlled by society's expectations. People were led to believe that God would not accept their existences if they did not conform to the rules; as a result, many lost the ability to think rationally and gave in to the mental pressure. For example, Mary falsely accuses Proctor of controlling her because she fears of being ostracized by Abigail's group.

4) Intellect: Intellect refers to our judgments, arguments, and the conflicts we face. Intelligence allows us to understand how life functions in society; as a result, discrimination and stereotypes occur.

Abigail demonstrates use of intelligence in "The Crucible". She understands that the only way to obtain John Proctor is through manipulation of society's corrupted legal system. As a result, Abigail cleverly uses innocent children and justice-vowing judges to eliminate women like Elizabeth Proctor.

5) Memory: Like a hard drive for a computer, the memory is capable of storing past ideas and situations, though they are usually unpleasant. Memories can be passed down from one generation to the next, thereby enforcing the idea that memories live on.

Proctor decides to give up his "existence" to preserve his goodness through memories. He gives up his life so that in the memories of Salem's people, he was a good man who died to end the chain of witchcraft accusations.

6) Ego "I": The more knowledge one gains about the world, the bigger his ego becomes. Man loses his innocence and becomes stubborn, insistently proclaiming that his ideas are correct. The more ego a man has, the more ignorant he becomes to reality.

Proctor sees through Parris' inflated ego. Indeed, Parris goes so far to state that he was "a graduate of Harvard University", a man ordained by God, and therefore, better then the people in Salem. However, Hale trumps Parris, as Hale has fought with demons and carries heavy books around to prove his knowledge. Oh wait, don't forget Judge Danforth, who has overlooked far more court cases than Hale, thereby making him the rightful bearer of Justice to all in Salem.

7) Soul/Self: The stable reference point of our lives. It seems as though everything in life is changing, from the mental conditions of our mind to the physical capabilities of our bodies. So how do we know who we are? Through our "self". Self teaches us the parts of ourselves that do not change. The more we know about ourselves, the less likely we will be influenced by outside stimuli.

"I have given you my soul; leave me my name!" Proctor states that he has given his "self" to Salem--this means that he has lost sight of who he really was in the hysteria, and could not differentiate between what was considered good or bad. However, Proctor relinquishes his soul for his name, or memory; he gives up an idea of who he is so his name may live on in goodness.

Sunday, October 6, 2013

Salem Witch Trials 2.0 : Daycare Edition

In the 1980s, the daycare sex abuse hysteria, a phenomenon involving false accusations, child witnesses, and hysteria, erupted in America. Lasting more than a decade, the hysteria fueled extreme claims of satanic ritual abuse. A prominent case that began in Kern County, California, started the mass hysteria and caused a decade of "witch-hunts" against preschool teachers. The McMartin Preschool Case, the most expensive and longest criminal trial in American history, is one of the most famous daycare abuse cases. As history repeats itself in modern society, parallels are drawn between the events of the infamous Salem witch trials and the Daycare Abuse Hysteria.

1) Snowball Effect: At first, accusations made against daycare teachers seemed to be just like any other child abuse case. However, as more people were charged with accusations, hysteria spread and propelled the public into insane claims of satanic abuse, such a rituals, abuse by men in black cloaks and secret tunnels.

Similarly, accusations in the Salem witch trials jumped from one citizen to the next. Abigail first starts slow, accusing only one or two people, but as the hysteria and fear grows, the girls began to accuse a chain of people in an attempt to protect their reputations.

2) Children Rule: Children often gave testimonies on their experience with daycare abuse. Many urged others to believe the "pure and innocent children", often twisting the testimonies into an extreme claim of abuse. For example, interviewers who questioned the children about abuse experiences often included in their questions suggestive material, thereby inviting children to fabricate hazy truths such as being abused by clowns and robots in a secret room in the daycare center. In addition, interviewers would criticize the children if their abuse stories failed to meet the insane expectations.

Judge Danforth believed that because witchcraft was associated with no concrete evidence, the obvious pieces of evidence would be the witch and the victims. As a result, he convinces himself that the children must be correct because they are obviously pure and innocent even when they speak of the impurities in the town.

3) Where's Proctor?: Although it is true that some convictions were unjustly delivered, the hysteria planted a seed of fear in the hearts of many. People were unwilling to speak up against the trials, for they would be speaking against the pure and innocent hearts of children. In addition, they would be marked as a "child-hater" and lose their reputations in society.

One of the major conflicts in "The Crucible" is the battle Proctor harbors within himself. Because he cannot come to terms with his sins, he refuses to let go of his reputation. Others also feared of speaking against the trials, for they would be sent to jail.

How did such an absurd hysteria rise about? By the early 1980s, more than 50% of all mothers were working outside of their home, resulting in more daycare centers. Mothers often felt understandable worry leaving their children in the hands of strangers; however, news reports of child abuse propelled many mothers to feelings of anxiety, thereby raising suspicion that daycares did not provide enough love for their children. Such anxiety created a hysteria that readily believed any false accusations as a means of a scapegoat.

Although the Salem witch trials occurred over 300 years ago, history has caught us in its rigid cycle of repetition. In the daycare trials, adults often believed the children because their stories reinforced the truth, while children often lied in order to please their parents. In the Salem witch trials, families used their daughters to fabricate lies as truths, while daughters did so to gain power. The cycle seemingly never ends and prompts us to question when the next one will begin.