Takeaway 5
In assignment 5, we practiced doing nice things for other people in our everyday lives. I thoroughly enjoyed this assignment because it really shows how easy it is to do nice things every single day. Most people claim that it is unrealistic to go do nice things every day without it being a detriment to productivity or focus, but in practice we can all see that we have ample opportunity to make a difference in someone else’s day.
Takeaway 4
In assignment 4, we tested our relationship styles. It was so accurate that it was eye opening to see that people are much easier to understand than most people think. Many people see relationships as this far fetched concept that eludes them constantly but the comprehensive exams like these could aid the knowledge of many many people. If we all understood ourselves and each other more we would all be better off as a species.
Takeaway 3
Assignment 3 discusses a racially driven on-stage tirade by the well known comedian and actor Michael Richards. The comedian was in the middle of a comedy routine when he was supposedly interrupted by two young black men. He then proceeded to focus his attention on the two men by publicly hurling racially driven insults at them. He frequently used the n word as well as many references to slavery and white superiority. When uninvolved fans reacted to his comments, he turned his anger towards them and eventually left the stage. I have known many people, especially in public schools, that portray this behavior as an extreme form of ego preservation, rather than a real hatred for another race. This assignment taught me that not everyone matures beyond that behavior, and that is not okay. I am a firm believer in reforming the education system, and this helps me build that idea. I believe that psychology and philosophy should added to the elementary curriculum so that young people can better understand how these behaviors affect other people, as well as how thinking this way can be toxic to the mind. I am aware that many concepts of psychology and philosophy are too complex for kids, but, for one example, the concepts of id, ego, and superego are not too complex. They are a good basis for understanding how we balance our own behavior, and could then allow young people to better navigate their minds. In shorter terms, helping young people to not be confused about life is the best way to avoid having adults that don’t know how to interact with other people.
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Takeaway 1
I chose the image of Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg because they are the perfect example of our use of the representative heuristic. The representative heuristic is our tendency to place individuals into groups to compare them. The representative heuristic can be deceiving just as often as it can be accurate. Humans place things into groups of other things that are similar to it instinctually, and it is becoming more and more of a problem every day. Prejudice and stereotypes are two words commonly used today, and the representative heuristic is the source of those words. We must learn as much as we can about heuristics and ourselves as humans in order to be aware of our own mistakes and better coexist. The issue of judgment based on first impressions is the hottest topic of today’s America. The young American population is so involved in this because they are the most integrated generation and we can see the effects much more closely than any other generation.
