6. Tigers 2024

Power of Perspective “Life is 10 percent what you make it and 90 percent how you take it” as said by Irving Berlin . In other words, your perspective matters a great deal in most, if not all, aspects of your life. Perspective is defined as “a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something” ( Oxford Languages ). Everyone has their own perspectives that likely differentiate from most people due to having various values, cultures, and personal experiences. However, our perspectives are one of the only things that we have control over regardless of any situation. By having power over our perspectives we can control our thoughts, feelings, and reactions to certain circumstances. For instance, if an individual applied for a job position that they did not receive, it does not always have to be a negative thing. In fact, it is a better idea to change perspectives and look at that situation in a positive light in hopes of something better coming. Having more positive outlooks can lead

“ In an age of consumerism and materialism, I traffic in blue sky and colored air.” - James Turrell There is no doubt that modern society is in an age of consumerism, defined by cheap dopamine accessible to all with the click of a few buttons. Whether it's from junk food, mindless scrolling, or abusive drinking, cheap dopamine has overtaken modern society by storm due to its simple accessibility and seemingly instant benefits. Cheap dopamine comes from sources that provide momentary pleasure, such as drugs or alcohol, but lead to long-term pain, like addiction or distraction. This addiction damages an individual's power by ruining their mood, weakening their willpower, and preventing them from reaching their full potential. While some sources such as doing drugs, gambling, and excessive drinking are publicized as bad for you, sources such as junk food, mindless social media scrolling, and binge-watching have snuck past and integrated into American society. Image from LinkedIn

  The most dominant species on land is without question humans. But how is that possible? There are animals such as hippos that can weigh up to nearly 9,000 pounds; humans are clearly not the strongest. Neither do we have exceptional population or overall biomass, the estimated total biomass of ants ranges from 10 to 100 billion tons. Yet given the resources, a relatively small group of humans can drive hippos to extinction, as we have for other endangered animals such as elephants, rhinos, and lions. We can alter the surrounding landscape and ecosystems far more efficiently than the world’s ant population, as we have by decimating rainforests and tunneling through mountains, feats no animal has been able to replicate at our scale. There is almost nothing any other species can accomplish that cannot be done the same by humans. One of the biggest reasons for human dominance is our intelligence. Unlike other animals, we have the ability to think critically during moments requiring comple

  Blush. Concealer. Eyeliner. Fake eyelashes. Beauty blenders and brushes. These are all makeup items in front of me, each having a special significance. Blush to brighten my face, concealer to hide my dark circles, eyeliner to enhance my eye shape, and beauty blenders and brushes to evenly spread my makeup throughout my face—all making me feel pretty and better about myself. Makeup does not only transform the way you look but also the way you feel about yourself. While it can boost the confidence for a person, it can also make one's self-confidence feel low without it. For some individuals, makeup is just a fun hobby, but for others, it is something they rely on to feel like their best version of themselves. Makeup is powerful in many ways. It can give a person a sense of identity while also taking their original sense of identity away from them, but this varies from person to person.  For me, makeup is a valuable aspect of my life. Taking the extra 60 minutes every morning before

Picture from google   What is self-esteem? Self-esteem is how “we value and perceive ourselves.”  Self-esteem is a necessary characteristic for an individual because of its effect on a person. The power of self-esteem is profound, influencing all aspects of an individual's life from their relationships to their success and overall well-being. When self-esteem is cultivated it will help individuals overcome any challenge and and pursue their goals with confidence. If you are feeling hopeless, self-esteem helps; if you are discouraging yourself, self-esteem helps. Every negative emotion we feel towards ourselves can be gone through self-esteem. Individuals with a sense of self-worth are confident, good communicators, happy, optimistic, etc. Most important they will never seek validation or worth from other people as they know their value. Their confidence in themselves enables them to overcome any challenge and obstacle ultimately helping them be successful.  Do you have self-esteem?

On New Year's Eve, we probably all come with some kind of resolution; "I'll work out four times a week" or "I'll read a book a week." But do we ever follow through with these notions; almost never.  Resolutions stem from a desire to improve oneself. According to Merriam-Webster , self-improvement is the act of improving oneself by one's own actions. It allows us to focus ourselves and almost always yields in positive change even though it takes time before any results are seen. It may take months or even years, and it requires individuals to focus on themselves above all else.  Some people may think that they do not have time to prioritize themselves due to other obligations like family or school. However, self-improvement can be as simple as meditating or waking up fifteen minutes earlier. Simple acts such as this can improve mental and physical health, relationships, and a person's overall quality of living.  image from Psychology Today Person

Fear is a strong emotion that we have all felt before. It can cause strong physiological responses such as the familiar clammy hands and fast beating heart. Whether it was from that school presentation that you felt underprepared for or the horror movie you regretted watching, fear was there.  Fear was the evolutionary mechanism that allowed humans to maneuver through and survive dangerous situations. Nowadays, fear can manifest in many ways. Instead of from the threat of a dangerous animal, fear can be prompted from societal pressures like economic troubles, relationship problems, or even the philosophical woes of an existential crisis. Importantly, however, this fear is always directed towards something or someone. Why is this fact important?  Fear can also be used to garner a collective response. Through the use of tactics like propaganda and mass media, these methods can be used to direct this human emotion towards a tangible target. These powerful emotions and response are capable

The Power of Social Media Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, Youtube, Pinterest, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, Quora, Snapchat, and the list goes on. These and more are all examples of social media that have revolutionized communication worldwide. To put it simply, social media has changed our lives. With the click of a button, vast amounts of information and opinions can be  rapidly shared, people can be influenced, and individuals can connect with each other from  across the world. The power that social media and its users hold is boundless.  One of the main, and arguably most important, uses of social media is its ability to share information universally straight away. News reports and global events gain attention as they are circulated by more and more people posting, hearing, and sharing about them. In fact, according to the “latest data from Pew Research…around 71% of people now get at least some of their news input from social media platforms” ( SocialMediaToday ). This is a greater pe

Earlier in the school year during my anatomy class, we had to memorize the body parts of the human skeleton. The hardest part of the body for me to memorize was the backbone. It took me many weeks and even a test retake for me to fully memorize the backbone of a human. However, it held a significant meaning to me. Reflecting on this learning process has reminded me of something deeper than anatomy.  Our backbone is an essential part of our body because, without it, it would be challenging to live.  My backbone is valuable to me. I would not be able to keep myself upright without my backbone. I would not have the support that I need to live. This blog is not about the parts of the body. <3 After my anatomy class, I was strangely reminded of the bliss of being in a friendship. Friendship doesn't particularly mean talking every single day, nor does it mean buying each other presents for every single holiday.  Friendships are powerful in the sense that there will always be unconditi

  One of the many reasons people are in power is because we, the public, trust them. We have judged their character and qualifications, and have shown support by buying their product, services, subscribing to their ideas, or voting for them. Any politician would not be where they are without their supporters, who have believed in their policies. In many ways it is an exchange, called the Social Contract by Jean-Jacques Rousseau during the French enlightenment. In return for the people’s support, we assume the politician will have our best interest, and advocate policies we want.  But a reoccurring theme with such status, especially when the individual has earned the trust of millions and accrued a lot of favor, is the human greed and self-interest that leads to corruption. There are many forms, including embezzlement, nepotism, cronyism, and bribery, but all stem from an unwarranted position of power which enables them to pursue their own values. By trusting an officer with campaign or

  “Knowledge is power” - Sir Francis Bacon. This repeated proverb is something my past blog touched on two weeks ago. The ability of information to liberate and to enable one to do things is a topic not as touched on. And on that note there is the corollary of that: that education gives freedom and power.  In an essence, education allows individuals skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, and, of course, a thirst for knowledge. It empowers people to think outside of the box, create brand new things and challenge assumptions. It drives progression and develops both individuals and society as a whole. In fact, the very pillars of a democratic society rely on an educated populace.  The thirst for knowledge is what drove the many individuals like the renowned scientist Isaac Newton or Marie Curie to take their knowledge to the next level. These examples of the pursuit of knowledge are also not contained to history. There are many contemporary pioneers of this time. And it is that s

The idea of symbolic power was first introduced by Pierre Bourdieu, a French sociologist. When you hear symbolic power, you may think of a figurehead like the queen of England. While the royal family no longer has any political or executive role, they still undertake important representational duties for the country. However, symbolic power actually refers to the manipulation of seemingly powerless things like media and religion. image of Pierre Bourdieu  from Britannica Symbolic power allows people to influence and control others without them even knowing it. Humans get almost all their information from the media, and unconsciously, most of us have grown to trust the media without much questioning. However, media is often skewed in order to fulfill political desires. For example, CNN, a highly trusted news sources, advocates for the Democratic party and degrades the Republican party. As a free country, it is up to the citizen to make decisions about the leaders of our country. Due to

"Don't limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, remember, you can achieve."- Mary Kay Ash Mindset by definition is the established set of attitudes held by someone. By defining our character as an individual, our mindset determines our future through shaping our actions. Because the human mindset is crucial to the functionality of the individual and society as a whole, it is pivotal to develop healthy creative mindsets for humanity’s sustainability. Positive mindsets create numerous benefits for an individual. Firstly, it directly correlates with a longer lifespan, significantly less stress, and fewer feelings of depression thus improving happiness and enjoyment of life. Furthermore, it leads to increased productivity, focus and concentration, and better communication with others which collectively result in career improvement and progression. Just like how a positive mindset c

Picture Gossip is like wildfire—spreads rapidly and with power.  The person sharing it feels powerful, and if it gets out, others feel powerful too. Gossip makes people feel strong because they think they know something others don't have knowledge about.  Gossip is everywhere, I am sure there is someone right now telling their friends “Spill the tea.” The reason for knowing the “tea” is to feel powerful. Let's not deny we have all wanted to know about the gossip in the school and ask yourself why you want to know about the gossip, especially if it's not about you. Do you care about the person or just want to hold the knowledge that others don't?  I just want to know something many are unaware of. Everyone wants to know who is dating whom, who broke up yesterday, who got drunk on a beach, who got suspended from school, who is getting fired, who got into a fight, etc. Everyone wants to know everything about people's lives just to feel gossip's power.   And of cour