These are time sensitive. You do not receive credit if you write them after the deadline each week.
First, there's a blog entry (about 250 words) which will have you respond to a hopefully thought-provoking question. Each week, you must do the blog entry with enough time left in the week to be able to enter into dialogue online with your classmates. Write, reply, write more, reply more, and then write and reply more.
Second, there's a reading. There’s no blog entry associated with this. Just read.
Third, there's a written response to the reading. Your reading and writing on the blog must be completed by the SATURDAY (by midnight) of the week in which the reading falls. This entry should be a long paragraph. YOU DO NOT NEED TO RESPOND TO OTHER STUDENTS' PART THREE EACH WEEK.
Monday, November 16, 2015
WEEK TEN BLOG ENTRY
If you could change one thing about humans, what would it be?
--OR WRITE ABOUT THIS--
Agree with one: People are inherently good and seek the best for each other/People are inherently bad and seek their own interests at the expense of others.
As an individual who has worked with a number of students who feel limited to their capacities, I would have to say that I would change that. Many times, us as humans feel as though we are not capable of accomplishing our goals because we are too scared to fail. We often limit our goals to something that we thing is reachable rather than something we see as a challenge. On Saturday, I was working with my high school students I tutor, and we read an article called "Are You a Loser?" This article basically explained how, in order to be successful, we must fail. Now, I know many of us understand what that means; however, do we really live by it? I must admit I fall under the category of people who like to play it safe- for the most part. While I do like challenges and like to show that I do have the potential to accomplish them, I am also a very realistic individual. So, I sometimes find myself playing things safe. While do excel on the things I accomplish, but I know that I did not have my full potential with me. I am just scared of, not necessarily failing, but of the idea of taking chances. I believe that we as humans can do more if we let go of our comfort zones.
Hey Fabiola! You're right. There have been amount of times were I don't do something because lack of confidence. But I know if I try harder or get out of my box anything is possible.
Hi Fabiola! I like going out of my comfort zone and trying new things that I will thank myself later for. It is always important to do something new and meet new people who will motivate you if they are not selfish considering most people are inherently bad and only care about themselves.
This would be a very good thing to change about people. People stereotyping themselves and limiting their capabilities just because of where they grew up or what they have been told there limits were. I really enjoyed reading your post.
Hey Fabiola, I think you're absolutely correct. Success can not be spelled without F-A-I-L. People are too scared to make hard decisions because they are scared to fail versus making easy decisions to stay comfortable.
If I could change one thing about human beings is for everyone to stop being selfish. I mean people are so into themselves and don't think about others.I guess I agree that people are inherently bad and seek their own interests at the expense of others. For example people are out here putting their needs first and use/avoid others in the process of doing so.Once they succeed they forget about those people who were there for them from the get go. So many people lack consideration for others. Okay being selfish, I admit there are pros and cons to it, but selfishness is annoying at times. As an employee, I often see how co-workers put there needs before others, and this does not make you the best co worker. A good employee is putting there needs aside for the sake of the rest of the employees.But often times sacrificing everything is not good either, their has to be a balance between being extremely self centered and putting your needs first. However, most of the time people are so consumed into their own world which impacts them negatively. In general you feel good when helping others. I feel good when a coworker asks for help, it might impact my work but i wont feel guilty because I left a coworker struggling. Like i said being extremely selfish is bothersome and you will lose respects from others.You give some; you get some.
Hi Yesenia! I agree with you that people are selfish and that they are inherently bad! I wish it was not that way because it hurts to see people change up on you and forget about you after using you!
Hi Yesenia, I agree with you I was going to write about the same topic but I decided to write about violence. Selfishness is a big problem for many individuals and it is just not correct. Great example you have here! I have another example when your at work and there are other coworkers who snitch on you just because you are doing a great job and they don't like being on the same pace. These individuals come up with different stories that are not true but do it because they are selfish and don't accept someone doing a better job than them. I have been through this and I just laugh because people lack of respect which is something we all know happens every day.
I agree people should stop being so selfish. People are always thinking about themselves first which is a good thing in certain situations. However, I believe that when it is necessary, people should not be so selfish.
It is so sad, but true. Some people are selfish without even knowing it and unfortunately I think everyone is selfish in their own way. In some cases selfishness isn't a bad thing though. I'm selfish about my goals, no one is going to tell me I can't reach them, how I will reach them and so on.
As human beings, we are surrounded by other good and bad human beings. Those human beings either teach us a lesson in life or become a blessing to us. I believe that people are inherently bad and seek their own interests at the expense of others because we are all greedy and deep down inside, we are selfish. Throughout life, we are taught to share and be nice to others but we never fully give our all to someone and think about helping them reach their full potential. We are always concerned with ourselves and our interest is always a priority more than other friends or whomever. Some people might disagree with me because they think that we are inherently good and that we think of others in everything we do. That is false my friends, as from past experience I have learned that everyone is moving in life and doing what is best for themselves. We might sometimes stop and think of others but we are just doing that to gain something from that will benefit us or get us closer to what we are trying to accomplish. It is very sad to think that the next person you talk to might be using you by trying to gain something from you. Sadly, that is how the world works and it is very hard to find people who are going to do their all in order to make sure that you are content with whatever you are shooting for. It always good to remember that in order to happy, we must do things that we can accept for ourselves.
Jessica, I agree with you in the sense that most people are not going to want to talk to you with intentions of helping you. They are doing it because it benefits them in some way.This may seem bleak and paranoid, but thats just the way it goes.
Hello Jessica! I enjoyed reading your post. I do agree that we are born imperfect and that we we will never be reach perfection. I also believe that we can try our best to not be selfish. I think being unselfish is the way we are supposed to be. I think that's why we feel so good when we help others. Great post!
Jessica, Well said, if humans were less greedy the world would be a different place, but sadly it is an instinct that we have to want the best for ourselves and fulfill our needs.
If I could change one thing about humans it would be eliminating violence. There is so much violence going on lately. Thinking about those people in Paris getting killed, homes destroyed, losing their jobs, and living in a horrible condition. All this violence is hurting many individuals and killing many humans. These individuals had nothing to do with the violent actions of others. This is unfair because you don’t choose to be involved with violence, it sometimes just hits you without any reason. Violence is something I would definitely change about humans because there would be more peace in the world, more kindness, understanding, and respect. Violence is unnecessary unless there is a circumstance such as self-defense. Little actions of violence leads to bigger actions such as crimes. The show Beyond Scared Straight is a great show I can watch it for hours. This show is about violence, drugs, and such problems in life. I like watching this because it just makes me think about how there is so much violence in this world that leads on and on if no one puts an end to it. Therefore violence is not an option unless you have reasonable reasons to do so such as no other choice when you are in danger. Imagine our world without violence it would be a peaceful world with one less thing to worry about. There is so much violence that happens daily which seems to be unstoppable. It is never too late to make a change in an individual’s life therefore stepping up and being a role model for others is a great way to eliminate and implement no violence.
Carla, I sooo agree with your statement. If we could eliminate the brutal violence in the world things would be so much better. At least the terrorism.
Hey Carla. I also agree with you. It is so upsetting to see so much violence in todays society. People killing others for no apparent reason. The world would be such a better place with no violence and more peace.
Yes, violence is something that has become one thing that has made this world more cold. All these shootings that have been occurring killing innocent individuals out there paying for other peoples mistakes.
Hi, I think that we can eliminate a small portion of violence by doing baby steps. For example, not purchasing those violent video games for our loved ones. Good post.
I agree. It's sad what this world has come to. The more shootings that happen and the attention we give these people the more people are going to do. I do believe that these actions are sort of like cries for attention
I have to admit that this was the second item I would change in humans. Lately, there has been a rise on violence, or at least the media has emphasized it more. It is just depressing to me to see all the evil.
Hi Yesenia, yes there are so many people that get hurt because of the violent decisions and actions people make without having anything to do with the violence.
Unfortunately I feel that people are inherently bad and seek their own interests at the expense of others. Being a Christian I believe that humans are sinful and need the forgiveness of God to gain entry to Heaven. And I also know that God loves us so much that he wanted to provide a perfect way for anyone to gain entry into his kingdom so he gave his Son as a sacrifice to atone for all the evil in the world. That being said if humans were inherently good, we would not need forgiveness, but we are so we do. This perfect plan gave everyone multiple gifts in the sense that now we have direct access to God through his Son and see a wonderful example of how to be loving and sacrificial for one another. This is very difficult to remember on a daily basis. For example, today I was let go from my job because the person I was being trained to replace is no longer leaving. This was completely unexpected and I had no idea how to react and could only think of how I don’t know what other jobs I could possibly find within the next month. I was thinking solely about myself and didn’t even think of how this lady keeping her job would be a huge celebratory event for her. She lost another business she was managing and was going to leave town on bad terms. Fortunately God allowed her plans to change and keep her here with her family throughout the holiday season. All I could think about was how I am going to have to admit to everyone that the plans I had didn’t work out and am still unemployed after my coming graduation. I am a kid and have no mortgage or business loans that I defaulted on. So things are looking good for me and all I was focusing on myself and the bad. When people hear that I am a Christian they think I have some almighty knowledge and am better than other people which could not be more wrong. We are all hypocritical and sinful, but thankfully there is a way to escape that.
Hello Savannah! I absolutely loved your post! I'm sorry that you lost your job opportunity. But I'm extremely happy that you have faith, which is the most important thing. I know God has a great plan for you. Better than you can imagine!
One of the major things that I would change about humans would be there thinking and it would be specific in the sense of I would take overthinking away from people. I feel like when people overthink situations it will have a negative outcome most of the time and that will do a lot with people attitudes like when people are enjoying there time at work and they’ve been waiting on a promotion but they feel like they have been struggling but know they deserve a chance at getting it and the boss comes out of no where and comes with a mono tone attitude a person can over think the situation and take it a negative way by saying ill do better ill fix this and that, when in reality they probably have been doing good and the boss was there to give them the promotion. So I would say people need to stop overthinking a lot of situations cause it will have a negative impact so that is one of the things I would change. Another major thing that I feel like people need to change is there mentality on human races itself we are all human no matter what color religion as long as you are a decent human being we should all be treated with respect and we should not be attacking or fighting against each other we should be helping each other out and helping the less fortunate. I feel like those two things are major factors that we as human beings do not need in our lives.
Hello, I found your response very appealing, for it somewhat correlates to my response to the prompt. It is true, over thinking can definitely lead to negativity.
If I could change anything about humans, I would make them all have a strong faith in God. I respect the fact that everyone has their own values and beliefs. And of course, everyone believes that their religion or faith is superior and the correct word to live by. That idea alone is the very reason there is so much war, hate, and violence in our world today. However, I am more than willing to admit that my religion and faith aren’t perfect. As human beings we’ve taken religions and molded them into what we may want them to be. I chose to believe in God and that he died for us. This action alone, apart from all rules any religion may have, teaches me a lot. I believe it teaches us how to be as human beings. It teaches us to be compassionate towards one another. It teaches us to put others before we put ourselves, to not hold anger, and to give more than just second chances. I believe it teaches us that we should always try to see the good in people, rather than the bad. And it teaches us to have the highest self-respect. When we all do this, there is no room for evil. I have friends who don’t share my beliefs and they’ve told me in the past that they wish they could just let go and have faith like me. However, for one reason or another something keeps them from believing. I would ask myself how someone who didn’t have faith would want something that I believe faith brings. Peace. Faith gives us a sense of purpose and sometimes it gives us the strength to carry on when we feel distraught. We’ve all had those moments when life gets crazy and we just want to give up. When you have faith you’re able to throw your hands in the air and put your life in the hands of someone you believe has a greater plan for you than you could ever imagine. As a matter of fact, believing in a higher power is a major step used in the road to recovery for many people that suffer from addictions. Those who don’t have faith wish they could just believe so they could worry less about the problems they’re encountering or have encountered. When we do this we can stop worrying about yesterday and tomorrow, and start doing your best today.
Eleni, I love that you wrote about your faith this week. It is encouraging to see someone else has a a peaceful approach and commin faith in christ. It was inspirational to read about what God has done in your life.
Hello Eleni, I agree with you if we would all have the strong faith that God wants us to have. We would not suffer, instead we would accept his will and go on in life.
Hey Eleni. I myself do believe there is a higher being but I would not classify myself as a very religious person. Although I totally respect your point of view and think that being so deep in your religion is an awesome thing what is your point of view if someone could change peoples view of not being religious? What I mean is what if someone could change people to not believe in a God or higher being? What would be your response to that?
This world is filled with all types of judgments and accusations. Although this is a huge problem at the end of the day we are all humans. As humans we commit mistakes and we can change our behaviors. If I could change something about human beings, it would be for all humans to be one race. As we all become one race maybe things would be quite different all over the world. The race I’m referring isn’t a race that exists today. It would become one unique race that can unite all human beings as one. The reason why I would want for all human beings to be one race is because some of today’s problems has to do with either race, religion, or ethnicity. These demographics has made this world very unfair in many situations. Some of these situations can include stereotypes about Blacks, Hispanics, Whites, Asians, Muslims, and more. These ethnicities, religions, and race is something that makes us unique today, but being one race can give those individuals who may not have a chance today, a chance. All crimes would be charged equally. All people will be treated with same respect and same opportunities. Also another reason why I would want to change human race is because we wouldn’t be able to use race as an excuse for unequal opportunities, rights, mistreatment, and education. This would bring so much peace to the world that it would become a better world to live in. This is what I would do if I could change one thing about humans.
I agree that the world would be a better place if we were all of one race. I believe that this change would decrease crimes, innocent deaths, and racism.
If I could change one thing about humans, it would be selfishness. I believe that if a person is unselfish they can accomplish so much in life. For example, in a marriage if the husband is caring, kind and lives for his wife he is never going to hurt her. He is only thinking for her well-being. For the wife, if she gives her life for him she will never hurt him as well. Being unselfish does not only benefit the couples and family. It is so hurtful to see situations about people hurting others because of power. Power that in some cases was not acquired honestly. There is almost a story every day in the news about someone killing other people. For instance, in Paris the terrorist attacks, and the shootings on schools. Individuals who seek their own benefit did these situations, they don’t think about the suffering of the family. If selfishness was not in the world we would be able to eliminate so many negative hurtful things in this world. Our relationships with other countries can be more positive than negative. In my opinion, being self-centered only brings a person to feel lonely, and in the extreme cases, be abandoned by their loved ones.
Hi Veronica, unfortunately there is so much selfishness in our world and its hard to stop it. Sometimes I really hoped people would treat each other the same and not feel more superior than others. Selfishness brings people no good.
If I could change one thing about humans, it would be to stop humans from judging each other and themselves. I believe that humans are very judgmental. There is not a day when I don’t hear humans judge others and themselves about their looks, attitudes, actions, or beliefs. In my opinion, it doesn’t matter what age people are, they will always have something to say about themselves and others. For example, at the school site that I work at, teachers and students always make judgmental comments about each other. I hear teachers judging other teacher’s actions and decisions. They criticize the choices teachers make in their classrooms. I also hear students make judgmental comments toward their classmates. For example, they judge their looks especially what they wear. They sometimes make rude comments that hurt their classmates’ feelings. I believe it is ridiculous how humans have the tendency to judge each other and themselves. I don’t believe that teachers should be judging their coworkers, instead, they should be giving them suggestions or ideas that can help them improve their classroom and lesson plans. I’ve noticed that people who judge others frequently also judge themselves. Usually, they judge themselves in a very harmful way that decreases their self-esteem. I believe that humans should stop judging each other and themselves. It is an unacceptable behavior that humans shouldn’t be acting.
I completely agree with you! I think this is a reason why a lot of people are so insecure about themselves. If there weren't so much negativity and judgements around us, we'd feel comfortable in our own skin.
Hello Kimberly, i think you make an awesome point. Judgment just brings out the worst in people like insecurities and much more. Without judgement, we could all be more comfortable with ourselves.
If I could change one thing about human beings it would be to stop people from being so shallow. Now when I say shallow I do not mean people taking pride in there appearance, I understand doing that, everyone likes to look nice. What I mean by being shallow is people taking selfies of themselves all day, advertising themselves as the best thing that has ever happened to the world on their social media, Another thing I would classify as being shallow would be people being air headed thinking its cute. I don't think there is anything more annoying than that. Although it is mostly girls that act like this I have met a few guys who do this as well. This may seem like a small issue in the bigger picture of life but it really bugs me. I can't stand to be around people who try and dumb themselves down because they think it is cute or because they think it is more attractive to the opposite sex. If I had to change one thing about human beings I would probably choose this. I am sure there are bigger and better things that I could change but at the moment this is the first thing that came to mind.
It's funny that you mention this, because when I notice people act dumb from what they really are, I find it really irritating as well. Why would they want to try and impress someone with characteristic that don't comply with the person they really are?
If I could change one thing about humans it would be for humans to quite being so self- judgmental towards each other. It seems like more and more these days that everything is a competition. Sometimes humans forget how we want to be treated. Criticism has become societies norm. Humans criticize others when they don't share the same values and customs. Sometimes I find myself comparing myself to others. I should have a newer car since my friend just bought one. Or seeing a friend from high school graduate college sooner than me; therefore, I start seeing what I can do to speed up the process to graduate. Than I realize what I'm doing and see how ridiculous it is to compare myself with others. We all come from different backgrounds and we all go at a different pace. We all have different goals to achieve and different mindset. For example, I'm not skinny. Why am I not skinny? How come so and so is skinny and I can't seem to look like that. Today societies makes it okay to ridicule individuals. Judgment towards others has become tolerated because the media says it's okay or a certain role model goes along with it as well.
I too see people ridiculing others on a daily basis. The sad part is I see it every time I turn on the television. We aren't all made from the same make and model, which is what makes everyone of us unique, but what makes us unique is usually what we try to compare to others and wonder why we're so different. We need to value uniqueness more instead of seeing it as a disadvantage.
If I could change one thing about humans it would be for everyone to be treated equally whether that be the same race or just have everyone look the same or not judgmental. I believe that based on what you look like and where you came from, in some cases you are inferior to other people. There have been so many instances in which I have felt like just because I look a certain way I'm not either going to get a job or a second chance at something. For example I applied for a job when I was around 17 and it was at a Mexican food restaurant. I asked for an application and the first question I was asked was do you even speak Spanish? Now to me that question was completely judgmental. In a different case my boyfriend walks into the same restaurant and just because he looks Hispanic they handed him an application, but he doesn't speak any Spanish. So tell me why does it matter what you look like? I believe that if more people looked the same we wouldn't have the chance to pass judgment about what a person looks like because they look exactly like everyone else. I know it is human nature as we know it to automatically pass judgment on people we don't like or don't know because they are different or may do something different than we do. Maybe if we all looked the same we would only worry about preserving humanity and making this country a better place to live and raise a family in, not about what we will wear next, buy next, or worry about how we will appear to the next person. I'm sure that if everyone were to look the same, then people would find something else to pick on other people about.
I agree that we as a country have a lot of different stereotypes we still hold on to today. Maybe speaking Spanish was a job requirement at that Mexican Restaurant, but they should've never shown a bias towards your boyfriends who "looked" like he could speak Spanish and wasn't questioned about it.
Hi Ashlynne, I could so relate to you because something similar happened and happens to me still. I work at a Mexican restaurant on weekends and I always get asked do you speak Spanish and of course my respond is yes. I just think about what goes through their mind to ask me this question. I would also want for everyone to be treated equally.
Nick- exactly. But just because of what people look like it judgment shouldn't be pass instantaneously. Shelby- I know it would maybe things would change but you never know. Carla- yes I know. It's like why do people ask that question unless it really is going to make a difference.
I believe people and companies will do what they believe is in their best interest at the expense of others. Almost anything sold these days could be an example of companies acting in their own best interest at the expense of consumers. While products are becoming cheaper and more cost efficient to make, the prices continue to rise. The latest iPhone 6s has just come out, and Apple probably only changed the zoom feature on the camera; consumers would be lucky to find it cheaper than $800, unless they signing some ridiculous contract with a phone company. Apple didn’t make a better product to make our lives easier; they changed the name from 6 to 6s, with little to no changes to the actual phone, knowing consumers will pay ungodly amounts of money for it. Everyone is out to make a buck at the expense of normal hard-working people. Although things made today are revolutionary and mind blowing, most of the pricing is based on how much the consumer will pay for the name on the product. If you go to a store and buy a generic brand of cereal instead of Cheerios, it’s still going to taste exactly the same, but Cheerios are going to cost more. The manufacturer of Cheerios didn’t make something special, just like the Apple Company with the iPhone 6s, they know consumers will pay more for big brand names and take advantage of that. We’ve all seen the knock off brands that are just as good as the big name brands, but we’ll still buy from a company who seeks their own interests at the expense of the average consumer, simply because their name is more popular.
I believe consumers are reckless with their money, which drives the supply up because of the high demand people put on goods even at the ridiculous prices they are sold at.
I agree with you that today's companies are completely corrupt and hardly take any regard of their consumers and of their workers. I just watched a documentary in PBS that discussed the harm that big companies (with emphasis on Walmart) are doing to this country just because of monetary gains. These corporations sent US manufacture jobs to China, which caused many US manufacturers to go out of business in the US unless they also moved their companies to China. This caused US workers to lose their 20+year, good-paying jobs. In turn they became unemployed, lost their homes, and caused towns like Detroit, Michigan to become ghost towns from all the loss of industry. So yes...big corporations like Apple and Walmart are corrupt and will do anything to get more cash.
Hi Sylvia, that seems to be the major problem with big corporations, they outsource their work overseas because its cheaper and still charge high prices so at the end of the year they can make a higher profit than last year.
Yes that does seem to be the problem. I think that the government should put more regulations on trade, so that good American jobs are not just as easily taken away. Moreover, let the economy flop.
Geez this is so true it's unfortunate. Some people will not buy generic brand things while others will only buy the generic brand. I wish things were built to last like they were back in the day. Everything now is built to break, it is built to last temporarily so new things will be bought in months or a couple years.
Hi Ashlynne, I agree things aren't made to last like they use to. The best example of this is with cell phones. When I was younger, I had my first Nokia phone "the brick" which lasted me for years. Now I seem to be getting a new phone almost every six months to a year, because the cell phone will just mysteriously start messing up or break...
There are many individuals who seek personal achievement, however through fear and without the ability to harbor self-confidence many people fail to accomplish their goals. If I could change one thing I would engrave believe and self-confidence in every individual in this world. It is true that many people already portray and give of that magnificent trait. However it is important to realize that many people don’t carry it and it is up to everyone to help others feel good and comfortable in abnormal situations. In addition every challenge has its obstacles that will slow down the path to success. Furthermore everyone sees the difficulty of the situation and therefore decides on that visual image that it may be impossible to succeed. Consequently some individuals quit or resign to their goals without even trying. Evidently this is bad, it is important to try and give all the effort necessary to achieve even though defeat is possible. For those who try and consequently fail and chose to resign it is important to realize that failure is good and important to learn from and not commit similar mistakes. Without failure it would be impossible to learn. It is important to learn from yourself and from others in order to become aware of all possibilities that can occur during the course of an act. It is important to build self-confidence and the ability to try and give all effort needed in order to inspire others and consequently engrave self-confidence needed with in them.
I like that you said you would add more substantial belief and self-confidence to us rather than eliminating fear and doubt. I know I'm a broken record for saying this, but I feel like we need all of our emotions. I like the idea of having more of the positive emotions in us rather than the negative ones.
If I could change one thing about humans, it would be for humans to get out of their comfort zone. A lot of us have many insecurities and fears that we’re afraid of facing due to what others may think of us or other personal factors. If we no longer had that problem, I feel like a lot of us would enjoy life a lot more. For instance, I actually get really nervous when it comes to meeting new people, but I’m definitely not against meeting new people. It’s kind of ironic that for my major, it’s pretty essential for me to be social and be able to network well with others in order to get familiar with different accounting firms and meeting different people within my field who may open up better opportunities. I wish it would be easier for me to just hear about an event that’s being held, and be excited to start networking. But on the contrary, I get really nervous when it comes to those events and I’d feel much more comfortable if I had someone I knew with me. As for others, there are so many people out there who are against trying new things and/or just prefer to keep their life the way it is now. Opening oneself up to different activities, adventures, foods, places, etc., may provide an individual with a different perspective on how they view themselves, others, and life in general. Discovering new things can be either rewarding or disappointing, but for me, being able to say “I’ve tried that,” “I’ve done that,” or “I’ve been there,” provides me with a sense of self comfort…it’s like my life as a bucket list and checking things off one after the other.
You are so right!. Many of us do battle with life and do not take up opportunities because we are afraid of leaving our comfort zone! You chose a good one!
Hey Crystal! Thank you. I just dislike it when people don't make the slightest effort to try and get out of their comfort zone.
Hey Sylvia! Thank you as well. No matter how small it is, I think everyone of us have something we're unable to do due to fear or regret of what the outcome may be.
People are inherently good and seek the best for each other. I realize this does not apply to every human being, however I feel that 99% of humans fall into this category. I don't see how anyone could want to see someone suffer for no reason. It doesn't seem to be the case for most. When we watch films we always cheer for the underdog, etc. I know this is not substantial proof, but it does show us a little something about our nature. Another tale tale sign that we are innately good is the guilt we feel when we do something wrong. Even if we were never taught something is wrong, we still feel guilty when we do it. Deep down we all have a moral compass that guides us. This compass is so inherent within us that we just automatically know what's right and what's wrong. For example, if no one ever taught you that physically hurting others is wrong, and you hurt someone for no reason, you would realize how wrong it is to do so while in the act. Why, because we know the truth. I just feel like hate is something that is taught. When you see an infant they have not picked up any prejudiced perspectives yet, and it shows when they react with people of all backgrounds. They treat them all the same, because all they can see is that we are all human. They are unaware of class, race, etc.
I do agree with you that hate can be a learned behavior. Infants and toddlers are unaware that the other babies they play with are a different race than them. But as they grow older, they learn that and become more open to be prejudice against others.
I agree that the majority of us are good people and want good for others. However, i do not believe that this trait is inherent. As babies, we learn from our environment, adapt to it, and do what we have to in order to survive whether those actions are considered good or bad. Those actions in turn define us and make us "good" or "bad" people.
If I could change one thing about human beings it would be greed. Greed is what makes us as humans be hostile and kill each other. I’m not saying that seeking material gain or that even money is a bad thing, inheritably it is not, but the need to be better and want what our neighbor has is the problem. The bible says in Matthew 6:24“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” The two master listed here is obviously god and man, or can be translated as money. But saying that money is evil is a bit naive it is the worship of money, or greed, which makes us “sin”. In one of my previous arguments on the blog I mentioned how the world would be a great place if everyone was in a hive like society, I still believe this to be true but it is not possible. The hive is great for survival and the well-being of all in the community, but we would lose the individuality that makes us as humans great. Some of the things we would lose is art, music, or anything that promotes individuality. Changing humans is a great discussion but in the end it is ultimately flawed because if we could even change ourselves this dramatically would we still have the traits that make us human?
I do agree with you. Greed is bad. I feel like many of us are so focused on materialistic things rather than focusing on other ways to make us happy. And I do agree with you that greed can lead to violence. Look at Black Friday for example; people fight over TVs and toys. It's horrible.
I believe that greed is not necessarily a bad thing. A person may want to become a scientist/politician/professor etc for the fame and money, however, he would also be helping humanity by contributing new solutions to a world's problems. Greed also made our ancestors spread around the world because we were looking for more food sources than what they already had. Greed is a complicated thing, and it can be both good and bad.
If I could change one thing about human beings, I would want people not to be afraid. This is pretty broad, but it is something that prevents us from doing things that can potentially be good for us. Fear prevents us from making big decisions that can change our entire lives. Fear prevents us from creating new experiences. In my lifetime so far, I have experienced so much because I overcame my fears. Instead of fear hindering our lives, we need to learn to take chances. it is a scary feeling not knowing what will come out of your decisions, but you will never find out until you try. But, fear not only can prevent us from doing good, but it has also kept us from helping others. In a society full of crime and violence, we try to avoid any instances where people are in distress. There have been many accounts in which people were in public and were being attacked, but rarely would you see someone step in to help. But why? For the fear that they might put themselves in jeopardy? Maybe because they are in shock, or maybe they simply don't know what to do to help. Videos all over the web have showed that very few step in to help others who are being bullied, or attacked. It is sad to know that we can stand there watching someone possibly get killed and not do anything about it for the fear of putting our own lives at stake. But this is something I would change about us human beings, we need to take risks, and help others.
I think having fear in our lives is crucial for our survival. Fear teaches us to stay away from potentially harmful objects or animals. Fear gives us adrenaline, which allows us to escape from a burning house or react faster whenever in other kinds of danger. However, I do agree that we should not confuse fear in our institutional life with that of nature. When it comes to our institutional lives, we should definitely shut that little debbie-downer voice in our heads, and just go for it!
If I could change one thing about humans, it would be the ability to hate. I believe that without the ability to hate, people could then focus on what is really important to life. Like building long and meaningful relationships with friends and family. Life should be precious and people should be able to live comfortably without hate. Hate leads to harmful and hurtful situations time and time again. We see in history the pattern of hate and what it could inflict on peoples lives. So much hate in one person could also have the impact to influence other people of their thoughts. One example, Hitler. He was able to influence so much people in what he believed in. The ability to influence people could be used as bad and good. Without hate, people would be able to influence people in a positive way with good intentions. Without hate there would be no bullying, fighting, and much more. Something so simple could have such a huge impact on the world. A life without hate would only have room for love and compassion. For that reason and much more I would eliminate the ability to hate as humans.
I agree that if we were unable to experience hate, then we would be able to thrive in a kind of warless, conflictless utopia. I wonder if we as humans would become more passive in our nature without this emotion, which would cause us to make bland decisions.
I believe that the majority of people are good. I believe that people make mistakes and mess up and those mistakes are often taken to extremes, making others believe that a certain type of people or group of people are bad. There are bad people, and they do bad things, but also there are so many wonderful people in the world, doing amazing things, it’s easy to get caught up in what is wrong or what you don’t have or aren’t getting we forget the small things that add up to something so much more powerful than the bad things in life. It concerns me that people are able to create such hype around certain people, that can create mass hysteria. For example, the Paris attacks were terrible, an awful act of hatred was committed, and it is so easy to be terrified of what was done, and the people who did it. However there are so many people who responded in such a beautiful way, instead of falling apart people came together to help and support each other, not only in Paris but around the world. I believe that people are born good, I’ve worked with children for a long time and I’ve never been around a child who was awful, or just naturally mean and malicious. To me that shows that this idea of ‘bad’ and ‘good’ is our way of labeling people, it’s something we’ve made up in our mind, deciding before we even speak to someone that if they look a certain way or around certain people, that it is ok for us to judge them. Bad and good is also relative, what is bad to someone might also be good to another, but if you’re told something so often in life, don’t you start to believe it?
Agree with one: People are inherently good and seek the best for each other/People are inherently bad and seek their own interests at the expense of others. I believe that people are the way that they are because of the environment that they grew up in. Some people may call people bad based on some of the “bad things” that they do, but those “bad people” might just call what they do survival. For example, people who grew up in poverty-stricken areas, where poverty was the norm and there was family violence, broken school systems, and low unemployment, selling drugs and joining gangs may have been the only option for many young men. I bet these young men would not have joined these gangs if all the odds where not stacked against them, but due to the environment that they grew up in and live in, it is. As babies, I believe that we are born with a neutral mind that does whatever necessary in order to survive and adapt to this world. If they grew up in a loving and nurturing environment, then chances are that the kid, who is now an adult, has used these skills in his life, and is considered to be a good person. The same would be with the opposite choice. However, since I have to choose only one of these options to answer this prompt, I would have to lean more with the first option. I came to this conclusion by watching the PBS show called “The Brain with David Eagleman,” a show that tells us what makes us us through a dissection of the human brain. In one particular episode, they mentioned that humans become much happier when they give and help others than when they do something for themselves. The show said this was the case because way back then, it was beneficial for us to help each other in order to survive. For example, one person would gather berries and nuts, while the other hunted. Both would share their food, and have a likelier chance of surviving. Another one would be that we survive better when we are in groups, where we have higher chances of slaying the harmful beast and maybe then eat it later. So what is seen as inherently good could be just a prehistoric trait that we inherited from our ancestors that is seen as “giving back” or “being nice.”
As an individual who has worked with a number of students who feel limited to their capacities, I would have to say that I would change that. Many times, us as humans feel as though we are not capable of accomplishing our goals because we are too scared to fail. We often limit our goals to something that we thing is reachable rather than something we see as a challenge. On Saturday, I was working with my high school students I tutor, and we read an article called "Are You a Loser?" This article basically explained how, in order to be successful, we must fail. Now, I know many of us understand what that means; however, do we really live by it? I must admit I fall under the category of people who like to play it safe- for the most part. While I do like challenges and like to show that I do have the potential to accomplish them, I am also a very realistic individual. So, I sometimes find myself playing things safe. While do excel on the things I accomplish, but I know that I did not have my full potential with me. I am just scared of, not necessarily failing, but of the idea of taking chances. I believe that we as humans can do more if we let go of our comfort zones.
ReplyDeleteHey Fabiola!
DeleteYou're right. There have been amount of times were I don't do something because lack of confidence. But I know if I try harder or get out of my box anything is possible.
Hi Fabiola!
DeleteI like going out of my comfort zone and trying new things that I will thank myself later for. It is always important to do something new and meet new people who will motivate you if they are not selfish considering most people are inherently bad and only care about themselves.
This would be a very good thing to change about people. People stereotyping themselves and limiting their capabilities just because of where they grew up or what they have been told there limits were. I really enjoyed reading your post.
DeleteHey Fabiola,
DeleteI think you're absolutely correct. Success can not be spelled without F-A-I-L. People are too scared to make hard decisions because they are scared to fail versus making easy decisions to stay comfortable.
If I could change one thing about human beings is for everyone to stop being selfish. I mean people are so into themselves and don't think about others.I guess I agree that people are inherently bad and seek their own interests at the expense of others. For example people are out here putting their needs first and use/avoid others in the process of doing so.Once they succeed they forget about those people who were there for them from the get go. So many people lack consideration for others. Okay being selfish, I admit there are pros and cons to it, but selfishness is annoying at times. As an employee, I often see how co-workers put there needs before others, and this does not make you the best co worker. A good employee is putting there needs aside for the sake of the rest of the employees.But often times sacrificing everything is not good either, their has to be a balance between being extremely self centered and putting your needs first. However, most of the time people are so consumed into their own world which impacts them negatively. In general you feel good when helping others. I feel good when a coworker asks for help, it might impact my work but i wont feel guilty because I left a coworker struggling. Like i said being extremely selfish is bothersome and you will lose respects from others.You give some; you get some.
ReplyDeleteHi Yesenia!
DeleteI agree with you that people are selfish and that they are inherently bad! I wish it was not that way because it hurts to see people change up on you and forget about you after using you!
Hi Yesenia, I agree with you I was going to write about the same topic but I decided to write about violence. Selfishness is a big problem for many individuals and it is just not correct. Great example you have here! I have another example when your at work and there are other coworkers who snitch on you just because you are doing a great job and they don't like being on the same pace. These individuals come up with different stories that are not true but do it because they are selfish and don't accept someone doing a better job than them. I have been through this and I just laugh because people lack of respect which is something we all know happens every day.
DeleteHey Jessica, yes being selfish does hurt others.
DeleteHey Carla, yes I read your blog and you raise a good point. Being selfish does bring violence as well.
DeleteHello,
DeleteI agree people should stop being so selfish. People are always thinking about themselves first which is a good thing in certain situations. However, I believe that when it is necessary, people should not be so selfish.
It is so sad, but true. Some people are selfish without even knowing it and unfortunately I think everyone is selfish in their own way. In some cases selfishness isn't a bad thing though. I'm selfish about my goals, no one is going to tell me I can't reach them, how I will reach them and so on.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAs human beings, we are surrounded by other good and bad human beings. Those human beings either teach us a lesson in life or become a blessing to us. I believe that people are inherently bad and seek their own interests at the expense of others because we are all greedy and deep down inside, we are selfish. Throughout life, we are taught to share and be nice to others but we never fully give our all to someone and think about helping them reach their full potential. We are always concerned with ourselves and our interest is always a priority more than other friends or whomever. Some people might disagree with me because they think that we are inherently good and that we think of others in everything we do. That is false my friends, as from past experience I have learned that everyone is moving in life and doing what is best for themselves. We might sometimes stop and think of others but we are just doing that to gain something from that will benefit us or get us closer to what we are trying to accomplish. It is very sad to think that the next person you talk to might be using you by trying to gain something from you. Sadly, that is how the world works and it is very hard to find people who are going to do their all in order to make sure that you are content with whatever you are shooting for. It always good to remember that in order to happy, we must do things that we can accept for ourselves.
ReplyDeleteJessica,
DeleteI agree with you in the sense that most people are not going to want to talk to you with intentions of helping you. They are doing it because it benefits them in some way.This may seem bleak and paranoid, but thats just the way it goes.
Hello Jessica! I enjoyed reading your post. I do agree that we are born imperfect and that we we will never be reach perfection. I also believe that we can try our best to not be selfish. I think being unselfish is the way we are supposed to be. I think that's why we feel so good when we help others. Great post!
DeleteJessica, I totally agree that we are all selfish deep down. I believe that we all sometimes have interest about ourselves than others.
DeleteJessica,
DeleteWell said, if humans were less greedy the world would be a different place, but sadly it is an instinct that we have to want the best for ourselves and fulfill our needs.
Thank you ladies! I think that this topic that I wrote about is of great importance! :)
DeleteIf I could change one thing about humans it would be eliminating violence. There is so much violence going on lately. Thinking about those people in Paris getting killed, homes destroyed, losing their jobs, and living in a horrible condition. All this violence is hurting many individuals and killing many humans. These individuals had nothing to do with the violent actions of others. This is unfair because you don’t choose to be involved with violence, it sometimes just hits you without any reason. Violence is something I would definitely change about humans because there would be more peace in the world, more kindness, understanding, and respect. Violence is unnecessary unless there is a circumstance such as self-defense. Little actions of violence leads to bigger actions such as crimes. The show Beyond Scared Straight is a great show I can watch it for hours. This show is about violence, drugs, and such problems in life. I like watching this because it just makes me think about how there is so much violence in this world that leads on and on if no one puts an end to it. Therefore violence is not an option unless you have reasonable reasons to do so such as no other choice when you are in danger. Imagine our world without violence it would be a peaceful world with one less thing to worry about. There is so much violence that happens daily which seems to be unstoppable. It is never too late to make a change in an individual’s life therefore stepping up and being a role model for others is a great way to eliminate and implement no violence.
ReplyDeleteCarla, I sooo agree with your statement. If we could eliminate the brutal violence in the world things would be so much better. At least the terrorism.
DeleteHey Carla.
DeleteI also agree with you. It is so upsetting to see so much violence in todays society. People killing others for no apparent reason. The world would be such a better place with no violence and more peace.
Carla,
DeleteYes, violence is something that has become one thing that has made this world more cold. All these shootings that have been occurring killing innocent individuals out there paying for other peoples mistakes.
Hi, I think that we can eliminate a small portion of violence by doing baby steps. For example, not purchasing those violent video games for our loved ones. Good post.
DeleteI agree. It's sad what this world has come to. The more shootings that happen and the attention we give these people the more people are going to do. I do believe that these actions are sort of like cries for attention
DeleteI have to admit that this was the second item I would change in humans. Lately, there has been a rise on violence, or at least the media has emphasized it more. It is just depressing to me to see all the evil.
DeleteHi Savannah, yes it would be nice to have a world without terrorism!
DeleteHi Yesenia, yes there are so many people that get hurt because of the violent decisions and actions people make without having anything to do with the violence.
DeleteHi Claudia, I agree with you violence causes our world to feel dull, worriesome, and frightening.
DeleteHi Veronica, I agree with you because violence starts from the place least expected such as those video games as you mentioned.
DeleteHi Ashlynne, yes it's sad to think about all the violence we have in the world.
DeleteHi Fabiola, exactly I can't believe how much violence has surrounded our world today. The more I hear it on the news the more it worries me.
DeleteUnfortunately I feel that people are inherently bad and seek their own interests at the expense of others. Being a Christian I believe that humans are sinful and need the forgiveness of God to gain entry to Heaven. And I also know that God loves us so much that he wanted to provide a perfect way for anyone to gain entry into his kingdom so he gave his Son as a sacrifice to atone for all the evil in the world. That being said if humans were inherently good, we would not need forgiveness, but we are so we do. This perfect plan gave everyone multiple gifts in the sense that now we have direct access to God through his Son and see a wonderful example of how to be loving and sacrificial for one another. This is very difficult to remember on a daily basis. For example, today I was let go from my job because the person I was being trained to replace is no longer leaving. This was completely unexpected and I had no idea how to react and could only think of how I don’t know what other jobs I could possibly find within the next month. I was thinking solely about myself and didn’t even think of how this lady keeping her job would be a huge celebratory event for her. She lost another business she was managing and was going to leave town on bad terms. Fortunately God allowed her plans to change and keep her here with her family throughout the holiday season.
ReplyDeleteAll I could think about was how I am going to have to admit to everyone that the plans I had didn’t work out and am still unemployed after my coming graduation. I am a kid and have no mortgage or business loans that I defaulted on. So things are looking good for me and all I was focusing on myself and the bad. When people hear that I am a Christian they think I have some almighty knowledge and am better than other people which could not be more wrong. We are all hypocritical and sinful, but thankfully there is a way to escape that.
Hello Savannah! I absolutely loved your post! I'm sorry that you lost your job opportunity. But I'm extremely happy that you have faith, which is the most important thing. I know God has a great plan for you. Better than you can imagine!
DeleteEleni, thank you! Its always a struggle to have solid faith and focus on the positive in the midst of trials.
DeleteOne of the major things that I would change about humans would be there thinking and it would be specific in the sense of I would take overthinking away from people. I feel like when people overthink situations it will have a negative outcome most of the time and that will do a lot with people attitudes like when people are enjoying there time at work and they’ve been waiting on a promotion but they feel like they have been struggling but know they deserve a chance at getting it and the boss comes out of no where and comes with a mono tone attitude a person can over think the situation and take it a negative way by saying ill do better ill fix this and that, when in reality they probably have been doing good and the boss was there to give them the promotion. So I would say people need to stop overthinking a lot of situations cause it will have a negative impact so that is one of the things I would change. Another major thing that I feel like people need to change is there mentality on human races itself we are all human no matter what color religion as long as you are a decent human being we should all be treated with respect and we should not be attacking or fighting against each other we should be helping each other out and helping the less fortunate. I feel like those two things are major factors that we as human beings do not need in our lives.
ReplyDeleteThat is an interesting perspective, it is important to be self-confident and wish for the best.
DeleteHello,
DeleteI found your response very appealing, for it somewhat correlates to my response to the prompt. It is true, over thinking can definitely lead to negativity.
If I could change anything about humans, I would make them all have a strong faith in God. I respect the fact that everyone has their own values and beliefs. And of course, everyone believes that their religion or faith is superior and the correct word to live by. That idea alone is the very reason there is so much war, hate, and violence in our world today. However, I am more than willing to admit that my religion and faith aren’t perfect. As human beings we’ve taken religions and molded them into what we may want them to be. I chose to believe in God and that he died for us. This action alone, apart from all rules any religion may have, teaches me a lot. I believe it teaches us how to be as human beings. It teaches us to be compassionate towards one another. It teaches us to put others before we put ourselves, to not hold anger, and to give more than just second chances. I believe it teaches us that we should always try to see the good in people, rather than the bad. And it teaches us to have the highest self-respect. When we all do this, there is no room for evil. I have friends who don’t share my beliefs and they’ve told me in the past that they wish they could just let go and have faith like me. However, for one reason or another something keeps them from believing. I would ask myself how someone who didn’t have faith would want something that I believe faith brings. Peace. Faith gives us a sense of purpose and sometimes it gives us the strength to carry on when we feel distraught. We’ve all had those moments when life gets crazy and we just want to give up. When you have faith you’re able to throw your hands in the air and put your life in the hands of someone you believe has a greater plan for you than you could ever imagine. As a matter of fact, believing in a higher power is a major step used in the road to recovery for many people that suffer from addictions. Those who don’t have faith wish they could just believe so they could worry less about the problems they’re encountering or have encountered. When we do this we can stop worrying about yesterday and tomorrow, and start doing your best today.
ReplyDeleteEleni, I love that you wrote about your faith this week. It is encouraging to see someone else has a a peaceful approach and commin faith in christ. It was inspirational to read about what God has done in your life.
DeleteHello Eleni, I agree with you if we would all have the strong faith that God wants us to have. We would not suffer, instead we would accept his will and go on in life.
DeleteHey Eleni. I myself do believe there is a higher being but I would not classify myself as a very religious person. Although I totally respect your point of view and think that being so deep in your religion is an awesome thing what is your point of view if someone could change peoples view of not being religious? What I mean is what if someone could change people to not believe in a God or higher being? What would be your response to that?
DeleteThis world is filled with all types of judgments and accusations. Although this is a huge problem at the end of the day we are all humans. As humans we commit mistakes and we can change our behaviors. If I could change something about human beings, it would be for all humans to be one race. As we all become one race maybe things would be quite different all over the world. The race I’m referring isn’t a race that exists today. It would become one unique race that can unite all human beings as one. The reason why I would want for all human beings to be one race is because some of today’s problems has to do with either race, religion, or ethnicity. These demographics has made this world very unfair in many situations. Some of these situations can include stereotypes about Blacks, Hispanics, Whites, Asians, Muslims, and more. These ethnicities, religions, and race is something that makes us unique today, but being one race can give those individuals who may not have a chance today, a chance. All crimes would be charged equally. All people will be treated with same respect and same opportunities. Also another reason why I would want to change human race is because we wouldn’t be able to use race as an excuse for unequal opportunities, rights, mistreatment, and education. This would bring so much peace to the world that it would become a better world to live in. This is what I would do if I could change one thing about humans.
ReplyDeleteHello Claudia,
DeleteI agree that the world would be a better place if we were all of one race. I believe that this change would decrease crimes, innocent deaths, and racism.
I really wonder what would come of the world if this were to be true. Definitely an interesting thought.
DeleteIf I could change one thing about humans, it would be selfishness. I believe that if a person is unselfish they can accomplish so much in life. For example, in a marriage if the husband is caring, kind and lives for his wife he is never going to hurt her. He is only thinking for her well-being. For the wife, if she gives her life for him she will never hurt him as well. Being unselfish does not only benefit the couples and family. It is so hurtful to see situations about people hurting others because of power. Power that in some cases was not acquired honestly. There is almost a story every day in the news about someone killing other people. For instance, in Paris the terrorist attacks, and the shootings on schools. Individuals who seek their own benefit did these situations, they don’t think about the suffering of the family. If selfishness was not in the world we would be able to eliminate so many negative hurtful things in this world. Our relationships with other countries can be more positive than negative. In my opinion, being self-centered only brings a person to feel lonely, and in the extreme cases, be abandoned by their loved ones.
ReplyDeleteThat is an interesting point Veronica, it is important to be caring.
DeleteHi Andres, yes as u mention it is important to be caring, but unfortunately not all of us have that virtue.
DeleteHi Veronica, unfortunately there is so much selfishness in our world and its hard to stop it. Sometimes I really hoped people would treat each other the same and not feel more superior than others. Selfishness brings people no good.
DeleteIf I could change one thing about humans, it would be to stop humans from judging each other and themselves. I believe that humans are very judgmental. There is not a day when I don’t hear humans judge others and themselves about their looks, attitudes, actions, or beliefs. In my opinion, it doesn’t matter what age people are, they will always have something to say about themselves and others. For example, at the school site that I work at, teachers and students always make judgmental comments about each other. I hear teachers judging other teacher’s actions and decisions. They criticize the choices teachers make in their classrooms. I also hear students make judgmental comments toward their classmates. For example, they judge their looks especially what they wear. They sometimes make rude comments that hurt their classmates’ feelings. I believe it is ridiculous how humans have the tendency to judge each other and themselves. I don’t believe that teachers should be judging their coworkers, instead, they should be giving them suggestions or ideas that can help them improve their classroom and lesson plans. I’ve noticed that people who judge others frequently also judge themselves. Usually, they judge themselves in a very harmful way that decreases their self-esteem. I believe that humans should stop judging each other and themselves. It is an unacceptable behavior that humans shouldn’t be acting.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you! I think this is a reason why a lot of people are so insecure about themselves. If there weren't so much negativity and judgements around us, we'd feel comfortable in our own skin.
DeleteHello Kimberly, i think you make an awesome point. Judgment just brings out the worst in people like insecurities and much more. Without judgement, we could all be more comfortable with ourselves.
DeleteHi Kimberly, I agree with you people are very judgemental and this may cause people more harm than we think.
DeleteIf I could change one thing about human beings it would be to stop people from being so shallow. Now when I say shallow I do not mean people taking pride in there appearance, I understand doing that, everyone likes to look nice. What I mean by being shallow is people taking selfies of themselves all day, advertising themselves as the best thing that has ever happened to the world on their social media, Another thing I would classify as being shallow would be people being air headed thinking its cute. I don't think there is anything more annoying than that. Although it is mostly girls that act like this I have met a few guys who do this as well. This may seem like a small issue in the bigger picture of life but it really bugs me. I can't stand to be around people who try and dumb themselves down because they think it is cute or because they think it is more attractive to the opposite sex. If I had to change one thing about human beings I would probably choose this. I am sure there are bigger and better things that I could change but at the moment this is the first thing that came to mind.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny that you mention this, because when I notice people act dumb from what they really are, I find it really irritating as well. Why would they want to try and impress someone with characteristic that don't comply with the person they really are?
DeleteIf I could change one thing about humans it would be for humans to quite being so self- judgmental towards each other. It seems like more and more these days that everything is a competition. Sometimes humans forget how we want to be treated. Criticism has become societies norm. Humans criticize others when they don't share the same values and customs. Sometimes I find myself comparing myself to others. I should have a newer car since my friend just bought one. Or seeing a friend from high school graduate college sooner than me; therefore, I start seeing what I can do to speed up the process to graduate. Than I realize what I'm doing and see how ridiculous it is to compare myself with others. We all come from different backgrounds and we all go at a different pace. We all have different goals to achieve and different mindset. For example, I'm not skinny. Why am I not skinny? How come so and so is skinny and I can't seem to look like that. Today societies makes it okay to ridicule individuals. Judgment towards others has become tolerated because the media says it's okay or a certain role model goes along with it as well.
ReplyDeleteI too see people ridiculing others on a daily basis. The sad part is I see it every time I turn on the television. We aren't all made from the same make and model, which is what makes everyone of us unique, but what makes us unique is usually what we try to compare to others and wonder why we're so different. We need to value uniqueness more instead of seeing it as a disadvantage.
DeleteIf I could change one thing about humans it would be for everyone to be treated equally whether that be the same race or just have everyone look the same or not judgmental. I believe that based on what you look like and where you came from, in some cases you are inferior to other people. There have been so many instances in which I have felt like just because I look a certain way I'm not either going to get a job or a second chance at something. For example I applied for a job when I was around 17 and it was at a Mexican food restaurant. I asked for an application and the first question I was asked was do you even speak Spanish? Now to me that question was completely judgmental. In a different case my boyfriend walks into the same restaurant and just because he looks Hispanic they handed him an application, but he doesn't speak any Spanish. So tell me why does it matter what you look like? I believe that if more people looked the same we wouldn't have the chance to pass judgment about what a person looks like because they look exactly like everyone else. I know it is human nature as we know it to automatically pass judgment on people we don't like or don't know because they are different or may do something different than we do. Maybe if we all looked the same we would only worry about preserving humanity and making this country a better place to live and raise a family in, not about what we will wear next, buy next, or worry about how we will appear to the next person. I'm sure that if everyone were to look the same, then people would find something else to pick on other people about.
ReplyDeleteI agree that we as a country have a lot of different stereotypes we still hold on to today. Maybe speaking Spanish was a job requirement at that Mexican Restaurant, but they should've never shown a bias towards your boyfriends who "looked" like he could speak Spanish and wasn't questioned about it.
DeleteWow, that would be amazing if people could be like that. It's sad, but it's a very hard perspective to eliminate in real life.
DeleteHi Ashlynne, I could so relate to you because something similar happened and happens to me still. I work at a Mexican restaurant on weekends and I always get asked do you speak Spanish and of course my respond is yes. I just think about what goes through their mind to ask me this question. I would also want for everyone to be treated equally.
DeleteNick- exactly. But just because of what people look like it judgment shouldn't be pass instantaneously.
DeleteShelby- I know it would maybe things would change but you never know.
Carla- yes I know. It's like why do people ask that question unless it really is going to make a difference.
I believe people and companies will do what they believe is in their best interest at the expense of others. Almost anything sold these days could be an example of companies acting in their own best interest at the expense of consumers. While products are becoming cheaper and more cost efficient to make, the prices continue to rise. The latest iPhone 6s has just come out, and Apple probably only changed the zoom feature on the camera; consumers would be lucky to find it cheaper than $800, unless they signing some ridiculous contract with a phone company. Apple didn’t make a better product to make our lives easier; they changed the name from 6 to 6s, with little to no changes to the actual phone, knowing consumers will pay ungodly amounts of money for it. Everyone is out to make a buck at the expense of normal hard-working people. Although things made today are revolutionary and mind blowing, most of the pricing is based on how much the consumer will pay for the name on the product. If you go to a store and buy a generic brand of cereal instead of Cheerios, it’s still going to taste exactly the same, but Cheerios are going to cost more. The manufacturer of Cheerios didn’t make something special, just like the Apple Company with the iPhone 6s, they know consumers will pay more for big brand names and take advantage of that. We’ve all seen the knock off brands that are just as good as the big name brands, but we’ll still buy from a company who seeks their own interests at the expense of the average consumer, simply because their name is more popular.
ReplyDeleteSo with this argument do you believe capitalism is the problem with humanity?
DeleteI believe consumers are reckless with their money, which drives the supply up because of the high demand people put on goods even at the ridiculous prices they are sold at.
DeleteI agree with you that today's companies are completely corrupt and hardly take any regard of their consumers and of their workers. I just watched a documentary in PBS that discussed the harm that big companies (with emphasis on Walmart) are doing to this country just because of monetary gains. These corporations sent US manufacture jobs to China, which caused many US manufacturers to go out of business in the US unless they also moved their companies to China. This caused US workers to lose their 20+year, good-paying jobs. In turn they became unemployed, lost their homes, and caused towns like Detroit, Michigan to become ghost towns from all the loss of industry. So yes...big corporations like Apple and Walmart are corrupt and will do anything to get more cash.
DeleteHi Sylvia, that seems to be the major problem with big corporations, they outsource their work overseas because its cheaper and still charge high prices so at the end of the year they can make a higher profit than last year.
DeleteYes that does seem to be the problem. I think that the government should put more regulations on trade, so that good American jobs are not just as easily taken away. Moreover, let the economy flop.
DeleteGeez this is so true it's unfortunate. Some people will not buy generic brand things while others will only buy the generic brand. I wish things were built to last like they were back in the day. Everything now is built to break, it is built to last temporarily so new things will be bought in months or a couple years.
DeleteHi Ashlynne, I agree things aren't made to last like they use to. The best example of this is with cell phones. When I was younger, I had my first Nokia phone "the brick" which lasted me for years. Now I seem to be getting a new phone almost every six months to a year, because the cell phone will just mysteriously start messing up or break...
DeleteThere are many individuals who seek personal achievement, however through fear and without the ability to harbor self-confidence many people fail to accomplish their goals. If I could change one thing I would engrave believe and self-confidence in every individual in this world. It is true that many people already portray and give of that magnificent trait. However it is important to realize that many people don’t carry it and it is up to everyone to help others feel good and comfortable in abnormal situations. In addition every challenge has its obstacles that will slow down the path to success. Furthermore everyone sees the difficulty of the situation and therefore decides on that visual image that it may be impossible to succeed. Consequently some individuals quit or resign to their goals without even trying. Evidently this is bad, it is important to try and give all the effort necessary to achieve even though defeat is possible. For those who try and consequently fail and chose to resign it is important to realize that failure is good and important to learn from and not commit similar mistakes. Without failure it would be impossible to learn. It is important to learn from yourself and from others in order to become aware of all possibilities that can occur during the course of an act. It is important to build self-confidence and the ability to try and give all effort needed in order to inspire others and consequently engrave self-confidence needed with in them.
ReplyDeleteI like that you said you would add more substantial belief and self-confidence to us rather than eliminating fear and doubt. I know I'm a broken record for saying this, but I feel like we need all of our emotions. I like the idea of having more of the positive emotions in us rather than the negative ones.
DeleteIf I could change one thing about humans, it would be for humans to get out of their comfort zone. A lot of us have many insecurities and fears that we’re afraid of facing due to what others may think of us or other personal factors. If we no longer had that problem, I feel like a lot of us would enjoy life a lot more. For instance, I actually get really nervous when it comes to meeting new people, but I’m definitely not against meeting new people. It’s kind of ironic that for my major, it’s pretty essential for me to be social and be able to network well with others in order to get familiar with different accounting firms and meeting different people within my field who may open up better opportunities. I wish it would be easier for me to just hear about an event that’s being held, and be excited to start networking. But on the contrary, I get really nervous when it comes to those events and I’d feel much more comfortable if I had someone I knew with me. As for others, there are so many people out there who are against trying new things and/or just prefer to keep their life the way it is now. Opening oneself up to different activities, adventures, foods, places, etc., may provide an individual with a different perspective on how they view themselves, others, and life in general. Discovering new things can be either rewarding or disappointing, but for me, being able to say “I’ve tried that,” “I’ve done that,” or “I’ve been there,” provides me with a sense of self comfort…it’s like my life as a bucket list and checking things off one after the other.
ReplyDeleteHello Lorena, i totally agree with you. I don't think many people understand how much of a problem of staying in a comfort zone is.
DeleteYou are so right!. Many of us do battle with life and do not take up opportunities because we are afraid of leaving our comfort zone! You chose a good one!
DeleteHey Crystal! Thank you. I just dislike it when people don't make the slightest effort to try and get out of their comfort zone.
DeleteHey Sylvia! Thank you as well. No matter how small it is, I think everyone of us have something we're unable to do due to fear or regret of what the outcome may be.
Yes! And with courage we can overcome!
DeleteYes! And with courage we can overcome!
DeleteDefinitely! Every bit will go a long way. =)
DeletePeople are inherently good and seek the best for each other. I realize this does not apply to every human being, however I feel that 99% of humans fall into this category. I don't see how anyone could want to see someone suffer for no reason. It doesn't seem to be the case for most. When we watch films we always cheer for the underdog, etc. I know this is not substantial proof, but it does show us a little something about our nature. Another tale tale sign that we are innately good is the guilt we feel when we do something wrong. Even if we were never taught something is wrong, we still feel guilty when we do it. Deep down we all have a moral compass that guides us. This compass is so inherent within us that we just automatically know what's right and what's wrong. For example, if no one ever taught you that physically hurting others is wrong, and you hurt someone for no reason, you would realize how wrong it is to do so while in the act. Why, because we know the truth. I just feel like hate is something that is taught. When you see an infant they have not picked up any prejudiced perspectives yet, and it shows when they react with people of all backgrounds. They treat them all the same, because all they can see is that we are all human. They are unaware of class, race, etc.
ReplyDeleteI am going to have to disagree with you Shelby because if people are good then how do you explain the bystander effect?
DeleteI do agree with you that hate can be a learned behavior. Infants and toddlers are unaware that the other babies they play with are a different race than them. But as they grow older, they learn that and become more open to be prejudice against others.
DeleteI agree that the majority of us are good people and want good for others. However, i do not believe that this trait is inherent. As babies, we learn from our environment, adapt to it, and do what we have to in order to survive whether those actions are considered good or bad. Those actions in turn define us and make us "good" or "bad" people.
DeleteIf I could change one thing about human beings it would be greed. Greed is what makes us as humans be hostile and kill each other. I’m not saying that seeking material gain or that even money is a bad thing, inheritably it is not, but the need to be better and want what our neighbor has is the problem. The bible says in Matthew 6:24“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” The two master listed here is obviously god and man, or can be translated as money. But saying that money is evil is a bit naive it is the worship of money, or greed, which makes us “sin”. In one of my previous arguments on the blog I mentioned how the world would be a great place if everyone was in a hive like society, I still believe this to be true but it is not possible. The hive is great for survival and the well-being of all in the community, but we would lose the individuality that makes us as humans great. Some of the things we would lose is art, music, or anything that promotes individuality. Changing humans is a great discussion but in the end it is ultimately flawed because if we could even change ourselves this dramatically would we still have the traits that make us human?
ReplyDeleteI do agree with you. Greed is bad. I feel like many of us are so focused on materialistic things rather than focusing on other ways to make us happy. And I do agree with you that greed can lead to violence. Look at Black Friday for example; people fight over TVs and toys. It's horrible.
DeleteI believe that greed is not necessarily a bad thing. A person may want to become a scientist/politician/professor etc for the fame and money, however, he would also be helping humanity by contributing new solutions to a world's problems. Greed also made our ancestors spread around the world because we were looking for more food sources than what they already had. Greed is a complicated thing, and it can be both good and bad.
DeleteIf I could change one thing about human beings, I would want people not to be afraid. This is pretty broad, but it is something that prevents us from doing things that can potentially be good for us. Fear prevents us from making big decisions that can change our entire lives. Fear prevents us from creating new experiences. In my lifetime so far, I have experienced so much because I overcame my fears. Instead of fear hindering our lives, we need to learn to take chances. it is a scary feeling not knowing what will come out of your decisions, but you will never find out until you try. But, fear not only can prevent us from doing good, but it has also kept us from helping others. In a society full of crime and violence, we try to avoid any instances where people are in distress. There have been many accounts in which people were in public and were being attacked, but rarely would you see someone step in to help. But why? For the fear that they might put themselves in jeopardy? Maybe because they are in shock, or maybe they simply don't know what to do to help. Videos all over the web have showed that very few step in to help others who are being bullied, or attacked. It is sad to know that we can stand there watching someone possibly get killed and not do anything about it for the fear of putting our own lives at stake. But this is something I would change about us human beings, we need to take risks, and help others.
ReplyDeleteI think having fear in our lives is crucial for our survival. Fear teaches us to stay away from potentially harmful objects or animals. Fear gives us adrenaline, which allows us to escape from a burning house or react faster whenever in other kinds of danger. However, I do agree that we should not confuse fear in our institutional life with that of nature. When it comes to our institutional lives, we should definitely shut that little debbie-downer voice in our heads, and just go for it!
DeleteIf I could change one thing about humans, it would be the ability to hate. I believe that without the ability to hate, people could then focus on what is really important to life. Like building long and meaningful relationships with friends and family. Life should be precious and people should be able to live comfortably without hate. Hate leads to harmful and hurtful situations time and time again. We see in history the pattern of hate and what it could inflict on peoples lives. So much hate in one person could also have the impact to influence other people of their thoughts. One example, Hitler. He was able to influence so much people in what he believed in. The ability to influence people could be used as bad and good. Without hate, people would be able to influence people in a positive way with good intentions. Without hate there would be no bullying, fighting, and much more. Something so simple could have such a huge impact on the world. A life without hate would only have room for love and compassion. For that reason and much more I would eliminate the ability to hate as humans.
ReplyDeleteI agree that if we were unable to experience hate, then we would be able to thrive in a kind of warless, conflictless utopia. I wonder if we as humans would become more passive in our nature without this emotion, which would cause us to make bland decisions.
DeleteI believe that the majority of people are good. I believe that people make mistakes and mess up and those mistakes are often taken to extremes, making others believe that a certain type of people or group of people are bad. There are bad people, and they do bad things, but also there are so many wonderful people in the world, doing amazing things, it’s easy to get caught up in what is wrong or what you don’t have or aren’t getting we forget the small things that add up to something so much more powerful than the bad things in life. It concerns me that people are able to create such hype around certain people, that can create mass hysteria. For example, the Paris attacks were terrible, an awful act of hatred was committed, and it is so easy to be terrified of what was done, and the people who did it. However there are so many people who responded in such a beautiful way, instead of falling apart people came together to help and support each other, not only in Paris but around the world. I believe that people are born good, I’ve worked with children for a long time and I’ve never been around a child who was awful, or just naturally mean and malicious. To me that shows that this idea of ‘bad’ and ‘good’ is our way of labeling people, it’s something we’ve made up in our mind, deciding before we even speak to someone that if they look a certain way or around certain people, that it is ok for us to judge them. Bad and good is also relative, what is bad to someone might also be good to another, but if you’re told something so often in life, don’t you start to believe it?
ReplyDeleteAgree with one: People are inherently good and seek the best for each other/People are inherently bad and seek their own interests at the expense of others.
ReplyDeleteI believe that people are the way that they are because of the environment that they grew up in. Some people may call people bad based on some of the “bad things” that they do, but those “bad people” might just call what they do survival. For example, people who grew up in poverty-stricken areas, where poverty was the norm and there was family violence, broken school systems, and low unemployment, selling drugs and joining gangs may have been the only option for many young men. I bet these young men would not have joined these gangs if all the odds where not stacked against them, but due to the environment that they grew up in and live in, it is.
As babies, I believe that we are born with a neutral mind that does whatever necessary in order to survive and adapt to this world. If they grew up in a loving and nurturing environment, then chances are that the kid, who is now an adult, has used these skills in his life, and is considered to be a good person. The same would be with the opposite choice. However, since I have to choose only one of these options to answer this prompt, I would have to lean more with the first option. I came to this conclusion by watching the PBS show called “The Brain with David Eagleman,” a show that tells us what makes us us through a dissection of the human brain. In one particular episode, they mentioned that humans become much happier when they give and help others than when they do something for themselves. The show said this was the case because way back then, it was beneficial for us to help each other in order to survive. For example, one person would gather berries and nuts, while the other hunted. Both would share their food, and have a likelier chance of surviving. Another one would be that we survive better when we are in groups, where we have higher chances of slaying the harmful beast and maybe then eat it later. So what is seen as inherently good could be just a prehistoric trait that we inherited from our ancestors that is seen as “giving back” or “being nice.”