Assignment Takeaway 5

In this assignment we were asked about acts of kindness we contributed to others and the impact they left on us. First of all, I picked this image as I proudly fly this inclusive flag from my home. Maybe it’s not a singular or direct act of kindness, but it is a way to send a message what kind of neighbors we are (sister and I) and what we believe in- equality and love.

This assignment taught me that even the most simple acts of intentional kindness can cause a ripple effect in the universe, so if able- always seek that opportunity out. I enjoyed this, and learning about the cause and effects of motives behind our actions with responses by others. It gives a deeply satisfying feeling, but not in an egocentric way. Doing for others out of kindness grants you the most satisfying reward by simply acting with your heart and soul. It makes one feel more alive and of purpose than any monetary amount or object can. To reiterate, this lesson taught me to search for ways to promote and spread kindness, for that I am grateful.

Assignment Takeaway 3

This assignment discussed the question of, do racial slurs exist without innate racial prejudice? An example of a “comedian” going off on a racist tirade was provided, as we were to analyze our thoughts regarding this. I’m a firm believer that racism is like one big tree. There are little leafs, like unconscious bias, there are long branches like internalized prejudice, but the root is one established from hate and ignorance. They all coexist amidst the other, one is not without its counter part.

To use racial slurs means you are wielding a verbal weapon with intent to commit harm. You may claim you are not racist and simply reactionary. That to me is a lie, maybe you are lying to yourself and your inner biases, still thinking you’re a person that, “doesn’t see color”, or some other weak excuse. Nonetheless just as you know what using your middle finger portrays, you know exactly the kind of weight racial slurs carry as well. To use them conscious and willing, equals racism to me. This assignment relates to me because I am a millennial experiencing a social uprising for equality, this is my reality. Especially as a white person, it is my responsibility to be hyper-aware of racially insensitive words, actions, practices, history, etc. and educate my self everyday and others, should there be a need for it to be a better society as a whole. That starts with acknowledgment and taking responsibility.

Assignment Takeaway 2

In our second assignment we discuss the concept of one’s self. Whether that be by presentation, control, expression, social comparison, or various other ways. I found that using this method of analyzing the self through images as the assignment required was quite an introspective exercise.

We live among a society that values outwardly appearance whether we agree with it or not, and can even come to conclusions based upon this. When we select photos of ourselves to share with the world, a lot of us can engage in self-promotion, trying to present the best version of ones self. Social media has paved a way to communicate through the sharing of images in this manner. I recognized while reviewing what I share online that each of my images has a significant meaning to me and is why I decided to share that specific one. Usually this results in other like minded people wanting to follow your little digital world you have created, resulting in new relationships. This relates to the term inter-group comparison. It can also bring about negative interactions with folks that may follow stereotypical social comparisons as their method to judge others at first glance. This can be a toxic environment as many people we may view as “models” or comparisons, have lives we will never lead. So, because of their above average effect on a viewer, this can make for an uncomfortable upward social comparison. What I have learned is the concept of self preservation is key when maintaining a healthy balance of comparison and presentation.

Assignment Takeaway 1

In this first assignment we learned about Heuristics. The availability heuristic is when a person feels validated in their quick assumptive process due to pulling multiple examples from memory. Anchoring & adjustment heuristic uses something as an anchor or starting point and the receiving individual will use adjustment to increase or decrease their approach given the base value. Status Quo heuristic is assuming something is still the best option, or safe bet, due to a long history of existence, sticking with what you know or something that is tried and true.

I decided to use a tattoo on my arm as my visual representation for this assignment take away. The thought process behind this was to get your head out of the box it’s been manufactured into. Heuristics are a way of judging things/scenarios/settings/people/etc quickly without taking time to dive deeper and access the fine details. By being more aware of the ever changing and multi-dimensional realms we are are subjected to, this may take a little more thinking time, but allows us to better perceive any scenario or individual we encounter. Mistakes can be made when making quick assumptions even if sometimes they turn out to be right. If you were to judge me based on the status-quo surrounding heavily tattooed individuals you may conclude I am a drug user, unemployed, unintelligent, or even a criminal. However, if you take the time to ask me about the art on my body you will soon come to learn every piece has a deeper meaning and is a form of self expression, and love. It is a way to paint the temple in which we are given to live out human experiences in. Heuristics are something we naturally gravitate towards using, but they should not be the only methods we use to make assumptions.