anamericanstudies: Overview

As the year comes to an end, and summer finds itself yet again at our feet, I must look back and reflect on the school year. I thought I would write this blog to discuss my experience with my Junior year American Studies class. I struggled during the beginning of the year to fully grasp the learning and teaching style my teachers presented to me. Never before had I been given so much freedom to do my own creative thinking and discovering. We no longer were "covering" material, but we were "discovering" it. But as time went on, and I became more comfortable with this learning style, I really felt I understood the premise of the class. And I appreciated it.

Memphis, Tricycle, Untitled

William Eggelston 

I never thought that this technique could aid my learning process to the degree to which it did. I can now look at the world through different lenses, and gather evidence through many types of sources. My ability to formulate my own opinion, with confidence and passion, is directly related to the evidence. Looking at the world in which you live, and the history of that world, can help you shape a better future. When we can look back and point out the flaws of our society, we can help better equip us with the knowledge to prevent these flaws in the future. In my opinion, history is not about numbers or dates, it is about learning from our previous mistakes, and using the lessons we learned to help make a better, fairer, more reliable world in the future. 

Bergdahl: Hero or Traitor

Here is the video of Bergdahl's release (May 31, 2014)

Over the weekend, Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, was released from nearly five years of Taliban captivity. CNN's Holly Yan, wrote this morning, "Bergdahl was handed over to the United States in exchange for the release of five prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba" (Yan). She also said, "Both Democrats and Republicans have criticized the deal, including the fact that the Obama administration failed to notify Congress 30 days in advance, as required by law" (Yan). Okay, I can understand wanting to negotiate with terrorists. We, as a nation, will only gain more enemies if we continue to declare War on Terror. However, the Guantanamo detainees could still be a major security threat. Oren Dorell, of USA Today, said "the Guantanamo detainees would be prevented from traveling or harming U.S. interests for a year" (Dorell). So, after a year, these men could travel and harm where I live. That makes me feel really safe. Plus, the Obama administration broke the law, and did not notify "Congress 30 days in advance" (Yan). It seems to me that there are many holes needed to be filled in.

Here's the real twist. According to Sgt. Matt Vierkant, a member of Bergdahl's platoon, "Bowe Bergdahl deserted during a time of war, and his fellow Americans lost their lives searching for him" (Vierkant). According to his fellow troops, Bergdahl was against the war, and wanted to desert his post. Now, after five years of supposed captivity, people are demanding a military tribunal. I absolutely believe he should be investigated, and should be punished to the full extent of the law. Innocent people lost their lives searching for Bergdahl. How would you feel if you lost a loved one who went searching for a soldier who willingly deserted his platoon? Where is the justice? More importantly, where is the peace? Unfortunately, both of those are very far off. Leave your constructive thoughts and comments below!

Big Data, Big Corporations, Big Problem

Have you ever thought about how we, as a social network based generation, over share? Phillip Atiba Goff is an assistant professor of psychology at UCLA and president of the Center for Policing Equity, and he thinks so. He recently wrote an article for CNN about Big (yes, capitol B) data, and how it not only helps corporations achieve massive profits, but it could help provide social justice as well. That means, we could use all of the data collected from our social media outlets, and actually use it for a purpose. In the sense that it could make certain aspects of online life fairer.

For example, if all police wore helmet cameras, it could prevent a large portion of police brutality, and harassment.  Citizen's would finally have an equal say, with video proof to back it up. He says, "big data can make the world a fairer place. But there is less immediate financial gain to be made from it, and some of the science is still in progress" (Goff, CNN).

Of course, since America runs off of capitalism and financial wealth, therefore the importance of economic progress comes far before social progress. When we discovered the profitability of human trafficking, we exploited the civil liberties of African's for a financial gain. Nowadays, major corporations like Facebook, Target, and Google all have one common goal, to publicize the information you give them for a financial profit.

When you create virtually any online account, you are required to give your name, e-mail address, and often home address. How frightening is that? You are telling a computer (and subsequently a stranger) where you live, what your name is, and how to contact you. Does that scare any one else? Surely all of this mass public data will bite us in the butt one day. Will it? Please leave your constructive comments and questions below. 

Elliot Rodger: Crazy People do Crazy Things

Security footage from the local deli during the shooting

After the most recent school shooting in Isla Vista, California, I think it is finally time to re-evaluate our current gun control laws. Not only that, but in order to stop this kind of massacre in the future, we need mentally ill people not to have access to guns. If you are a bad person, who wishes to do bad things, and hurt innocent people, chances are
being a law abiding citizen is not high on your priority list.

Prohibition of anything has always led to an increased black market trade of that item. The major gangsters in the 20's and 30's capitalized on alcohol being banned by distilling and distributing it themselves. The failed War on Drugs was an opportunity to keep the underground drug market strong, therefore giving the DEA ridiculous amounts of funding. Now, with the prohibition of guns, we are seeing a rise in youth gun violence.

Elliot Rodgers, the UCSB college student who murdered six people last week, felt like he was not getting the sexual pleasure he so desperately desired. He then posted videos to YouTube, which subsequently were removed, about how he was going to kill everyone who made him feel left out or lonely. (i.e. the popular kids). So, Rodger's was posting to social media websites weeks before he did anything, why was nothing done? Why did no one in the school's administration listen to this kid's cry for help? This is not the NRA's fault, but instead, the fault lie's directly on the way in which we treat the mentally unstable. We, as a country, have to realize that some people are just crazy, and at any point could be an endangerment to our society. Crazy people will do crazy things. I know that is bold statement, but it is what I believe.

Check out my other blog about the Sandy Hook shooting, and please let me know what you think.

Depression: Can Ketamine Be The Cure?

As I conducted further research on my junior theme topic, depression, I came across this interesting article about a new, fast acting, potential anti-depressant. However, it is not what you may expect. In a recent Newsweek article, Victoria Bekiempis, explains that "A new, fast-acting antidepressant that works like the infamous club drug ketamine could elevate mood in just 24 hours" (Bekiempis). Ketamine? Special K? It couldn't be...

Oh but it is. Anti-depressants are effective, but only to patients who are majorly depressed, and those results take up to a month to actually formulate. So, if a suicidal individual needs immediate medical care, how could they wait any longer before a possible, positive outcome with the usual anti-depressants? It appears, even though the research has only been tested on animals due to FDA regulations, that ketamine may actually be an overnight cure. Along with psychotherapy, ketamine may be the cure to depression...

Now I hate saying the word cure, especially for an illness as complex as depression. But the research looks optimistic, and there are not many people opposed. If someone can receive as much, if not more, progress in his or her depression within a matter of days, rather than weeks, I would consider that a plus. But, like most things related to mental illness, only time will tell. And only when the big pharmaceutical companies find a financial gain in supplying ketamine, rather than Prozac or Zoloft, will they begin to actually invest in it.

What do you think? Please leave your comments below!

Depression: Overview

I recently came across an article in the Medical Service Society of San Diego's archive. The article was an interview with a pharmaceutical sales recruiter, talking about how one can become a pharmacologist and begin their career. The recruiter said he thinks people should

"want to be in the pharmaceutical sales because of the excellent income potential, the outstanding benefits, industry stability and the oppurtunity to improve other people's lives" (Riley, MSSSD).

This is a key pitch line for potential pharmacologists. Being able to "improve other people's lives" has become a nessecity in our Western culture. Within the past forty years, we have seen the need for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness become a right that every American deserves. When the truth is, unhappiness is a part of the human condition, and there really is not much technology or pharmacology can do to fix your happiness problem. You need to figure out what makes you happy, and dissasociate yourself with people who make you unhappy. Diet, excercise, and daily meditation are also great ways of relieving stress and finding happiness.

However, there are many people who struggle with Major Depression Disorder (MDD), which is a real and possibly fatal disease. This disease is all within the brain, and is controlled by the amount of serotonin released into the brain. The more serotonin you have, the happier you will be. That much is a fact. And anti-depressant drugs, like Prozac and Lexapro, can be significant temporary relievers of the symptoms of MDD. But, since there is no 'cure' for depression, you have to be pro-active and create your own solutions to conquer depression for the rest of your life. 

This is just an over-view blog of what depression is, and ways one can treat their depression. But to each is their own, and depression is no different. What do you think about depression? 

Prom: Why all the Hate?

Chillin with some fellow gentleman at last years Prom

With the upcoming of New Trier's Prom, I have heard of a lot of kids re-thinking the hundreds of dollars they are going to put into the dance. If you take a step back, and not get all hyped up in the Prom Madness, it is actually rather pathetic how much time and money people put into just one night. The guys have to rent a tuxedo, or buy one, pay for the tickets, pay for the bus and event. The girls have to pay for their dresses, their manicures and pedicures, their makeup, their shoes and accessories. Prom used to be such a blast for teenagers, it was a night to let loose and have no shame on the dance floor. But now, dancing has become something 'awk' or 'lame' or 'stupid'. And is something that causes immediate negative judgement. Back before you were dropping fat stacks on buses, food, and the party, Prom's were the ideal place for a good time! Why has this changed so severely? And why are so many people opposed to Prom nowadays?


Buisness Insider correspondent, Caroline Moss, said "Kids don't need to go to a dance to interact with each other when they can sit in their bed with their laptop and phone and text them". This is sadly true, and something only our generation has experienced. We have become a society of people who would rather text or Facebook someone, rather than take the time and respect to converse in person. 30 years ago, if you wanted to talk with someone, you would have called them to meet up at the local cafe or bar. And now, it could take three clicks and some typing to see how people are doing.
Is this right?


I certainly do not think it is. The 21st century, and a  ll the technological advancements we have achieved within it, has been very potent to the way we interact with each other. However, are we seeing a social change in our society? Are people really more inclined to converse digitally rather than face to face? Why? Or why not? 

Please leave your thoughts and comments below!