Politeness - More Valuable Than You Think??

Though it does not convey an important message, polite small talk is beneficial by creating a friendlier atmosphere. Could you imagine sitting at the Thanksgiving dinner table listening only to the clinking of forks against knives? No, the chatter of relatives saying "look how much you've grown!" and "How's school?" serve to provide an awkward yet welcoming environment, as it shows interest. Polite speech may not hold any important content, but it provides a background for more productive speech to follow. Small talk communicates the intent to befriend someone, making them more likely to respond positively. The cheerful holiday atmosphere is fueled through the friendly voices chattering among each other, and some of the magic of the season would vanish if the politeness were missing. Humans are social creatures, and the absence of some sort of communication creates feelings of discomfort. In this way polite speech can act as a filler, staving off the "awkward silence" that creeps in between speaking only literally. For most people, it is mutually understood that polite speech is not actually meant to be interpreted literally and conversation flows nicely. From time to time where it IS meant literally, small talk provides opportunities to branch out and make new friends or business connections. Often business networking consists of small talk, and people can see who they would enjoy working with. While small talk as well as politeness may not provide informational conversation, it holds value in the fact that it generates a friendly atmosphere for all.

Moths - Cells or More?

When I was in 6th grade science, we looked through a microscope at a leaf, and saw the cells that it was made of. We all thought how crazy it was that leaves are made of tiny little boxes, but then our teacher took it a step further and blew our minds completely. He grabbed a toothpick, scraped the inside of his cheek, applied it to the microscope slide and put it under the microscope for us to see. We once again saw cells, and slowly we began to wonder, what else is made of cells? Eventually we realized that not just leaves or just cheeks are made of cells, but all organic matter is made of these tiny little divisions. Where cells are just a small part of life, the moths in "The Death of the Moth" are representative of a small part of society. Each day is a struggle "against a power of such magnitude", and just like the cell, the world can deal with one less moth. Woolf uses the moth to comment on how human life is treated as dispensable by big corporations, and how like a scrape, new cells can be grown back to replace previous ones. Just how the moth is bland, beige colors, factory workers dressed in beige clothes slowly work their lives away only to be replaced by the umbrella corporations. While cells might not be entirely unique, they each serve a purpose towards the whole, and each person serves a purpose towards society. Woolf uses the insignificant moth to tie the connection, and to motivate her audience to add purpose back into their lives.

Marrying Absurd - For How Long?

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, and what begins in there often ends there too. Despite the adventurous marriage options provided by Sin City, 12% of all males and 14.6% of all females living in Vegas are divorced. Las Vegas promotes a sense of living in the moment, regardless of the consequences. When I personally visited, the first step out of the airport was filled with a suffocating heat, followed by a strange sense of claustrophobia in such a large environment. Regardless of the 641,676 people living there, everything felt strange and foreign. With the mars-like terrain and distance from all other civilization, Vegas has a detached, fake feeling, leading many to do things they otherwise would never do. In Vegas everything has a nostalgic feel, as if everyone is trying to return to "the good old times". As Didion mentions, there is no real sense of time in Vegas, which is associated with no real sense of consequence. People make rash, irresponsible decisions with life altering results, and brush it off as living in the moment. Vegas is slightly unsettling, and is a boiling pot for many of the "off-limits" things in life. Many people treat it like a game, but fail to realize there are no retries. Aside from the staggering divorce rate, Vegas also has the 13th highest incarceration rates in the U.S., leading me to believe there is something fundamentally wrong with the city. From its roots in mob activity, Vegas has always been a place of rebellious behavior, and seems to be a husk of the cultural hub it sought to be.

Satire: Humorous or Something More?

Generally when thinking about satire, political cartoons come to mind. While this is a common form of satire, it comes in all shapes and sizes, oftentimes not admitting its true form and fooling unaware readers. In a study by an Ohio State grad student done to analyze the impact of satire, it was found that generally those with lower interest in politics were more attracted to the satirical videos/articles. Satire can act as a general gateway into political news, and for those with existing opinions acts as a confirmation bias. Satire can also act as a workaround to political correctness, turning a normally sensitive subject into something humorous. By taking the issue largely out of context, the sheer absurdity of the situation acts as a means to shake up the firm roots planted in our ideologies. Satire isn't purely political; there are three classifications of satire. The first classification, Horatian, is more gentle and sympathetic, attempting to solve situations with positivity rather than outrage. The second type, Juvenalian, takes a pessimistic approach, criticizing social evils though anger and scorn, often seen in the political atmosphere. The third type, Menippean, is usually written in prose and seeks to attack a mentality rather than people. Each version of satire has slight differences, but they all serve as a corrective nudge to society. In the case of the Body Ritual Among The Nacirema, it somewhat blends the Horatian and Menippean styles, seeking to entertain more than to change. Since the time of the Ancient Egyptians, satire has been an effective tool driving change, and will continue to adapt to the times and societal climate.

Society Wants a Family

In her work, I Want a Wife, Brady portrays some of the gender difficulties placed on women. While many of the common tropes she mentions hold true, she fails to even acknowledge the other side of the issue: the societal burden placed on men. As a man and husband, you are expected to be the primary breadwinner, working long hours to support your family. You are expected to be an unwavering emotional supporter, and nothing is ever allowed to bother you. This concept has led to the emergence of the term "toxic masculinity", which stems from self reliance and emotional suppression. All humans feel some level of emotion, but for men, being upset can often be looked at as being weak. Gender stereotypes are not just a problem for women; they affect both genders equally. The CDC reports suicide as the second leading cause of death among men under the age of forty-five, making it 3.54 times more common among men than women. Simply by looking at the statistics it's obvious that something isn't right, but any concerns are simply disregarded and brushed under the rug. What can be done to remedy this problem? To start, we should look at the definition of feminism, which states the advocacy of women's rights on the basis of the equality of the sexes. There is no denying the lack of rights women have had in the past, but in recent years, feminist culture has hit a boiling point, and is starting to adopt some extremer, anti-men views in which they suggest that all men are evil. By returning to the root of feminism, equality, we can start on the road to an understanding society, and eliminate many of the mental health and political issues plaguing both genders.

What Defines Disablility?

In a world where prosthetics are becoming increasingly common, what truly defines disability becomes difficult to discern. In some cases, a prosthetic limb can become a mechanical advantage, such as when Oscar Pistorius's running blades came into controversy with the International Association of Athletics Federations. Even in the current running space, the Nike Vaporflys are introducing discussion on where the line of natural skill falls. What was once called "disability" may soon pave the road towards human enhancement, with our current anatomy being seen as a disadvantage. Although Hollywood's portrayal is largely hyperbolic, running blades and exo-suits are already a reality, giving the user increased agility and strength. In Mairs' piece "Disability", she throws around the word "cripple", and seeks to normalize and accept those with physical flaws. Her work was written in 1987, and while we have not quite reached the level, what was once grounds for ostracism could very well become grounds for envy. Labels are limitations set only time and society, and as we progress into the future labels are becoming a personal choice rather than a handicap. I'm sure that Mairs' vision for the future was vastly different than enhancement, but at the same time it presents a bright world of new opportunity and general acceptance for all those with physical ailments. The primary issue of the future remains bioethics and what is an acceptable change to make, but just like other social issues, it is a broad and continuous debate full of compromises. Like landlines in the era of smartphones, the term "disability" may soon find itself an outdated relic of the past.