Fresh perspectives fall 2015 issued spring 2016

Volume 7: Essays Selected from Fall 2015 HPU First-Year Writing Courses

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Table of Contents Editors’ Welcome ……………………………………………………………………………….. 4 MAKING CHANGE Direct to Consumer: Education or Misinformation? ..................................................................... 6

By Wesley Barlow The Whole World in the Palm of Your Hand ............................................................................... 13

By Kitty Knoch A Look at the Turbulent History between America and Iran and Why the Nuclear Agreement Benefits Both Countries .............................................................................................................. 166

By Nathan Baum Fortune Overlooking Misfortune: When Will We End Homelessness? ....................................... 25

By Mackenzie Hennessy Autonomous Vehicles: The Financial and Ethical Impact of Robot Chauffeurs.......................... 28

By Robert E. Matthews The Unfulfilled Duty of U.S. Citizens: The Need for Civics Education ...................................... 33

By Brandon Saliba Animal Abuse as Viewed in the Media ........................................................................................ 36

By Cassie Williamson EXPLORING CULTURES AND SUBCULTURES The Truth Behind Cockfighting .................................................................................................... 40

By Nakoa Gabriel What Makes a Hawaiian a Hawaiian? ........................................................................................ 466

By Robert Oehler JROTC Awareness ........................................................................................................................ 52

By Adam Smeltzer Selfie-Confidence ......................................................................................................................... 55

By Anna Thuen Surfers: An Evolved Community.................................................................................................. 58

By Jasmine Wesley Volleyball: Reigning Queen of the Islands ……………………………………………………. 61

By Carson Pyle Fifty Shades of BDSM .................................................................................................................. 64

By Jon Kahalepuna ENGAGING WITH SCIENCE Meditation and Chronic Pain ........................................................................................................ 69

By Jessica Andersen American Psychos ......................................................................................................................... 78 2

By Samantha Londynsky Conscious Dreams: Lucid Dreaming ............................................................................................ 84

By Alexandria Allen Effectiveness of Applied Behavior Analysis ................................................................................ 92

By Katherin Newton The Inner Workings of the Adaptive and Complex Human Memory System ............................. 98

By Jennifer A. Rice Solutions to the Anti-Vaccine Threat ......................................................................................... 100

By Sidney Wayne Meet the Writers! …………………………………………………………………………….. .113 Mahalo (Acknowledgements) ……………………………………………………………….... 117

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EDITORS’ WELCOME Marian Gentile

Teddy Simonelli

My name is Marian Gentile and I’m a senior at HPU, majoring in English. I’m originally from the Philadelphia area of Pennsylvania.

Although this is my final year of college, it’s only my second year at HPU (I came in as a transfer student). The things that I like best about living in Hawai‘i are the warm weather and the beaches, my favorite being Lanikai. After graduating, I plan to take a year off before going to grad school to get a higher degree in British literature. Editing Fresh Perspectives has been a lot of fun; my favorite thing was that I got to read essays on a variety of topics and practice my editing skills. I hope you all enjoy this issue as much as we enjoyed putting it together!

Aloha! My name is Teddy Simonelli, and I am a junior majoring in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). I transferred to Hawai‘i Pacific University from a community college in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and I don’t think I could have made a better decision. HPU offers such a unique look into life: from the wide variety of students, faculty, majors, and campuses, HPU truly is one of the most diverse colleges in the United States.

This edition of Fresh Perspectives accurately shows the remarkable assortment of students we have at Hawai‘i Pacific University, and I continue to be amazed by what comes to fruition in the classrooms of first-year students.

It was an honor to review these exceptional essays, and I hope everyone is able to enjoy the writings found within this anthology as much as I did!

Kathleen Cassity As Interim Assistant Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, I’m pleased to introduce our seventh issue of Fresh Perspectives. Once again, we solicited essays from our first-year writing courses, covering a range of topics, academic disciplines, discourse communities, and rhetorical approaches.

Because these writers are relatively new to the academy, we do not expect disciplinary mastery. Our goal is to provide a venue for publication and dissemination of ideas by our newest members—our first-year students, who may still be learning the nuances of academic discourse yet who have compelling things to say and who offer, in the words of our title, “fresh perspectives.” For the semester covered in this issue (Fall 2015) our editorial interns, Marian Gentile and Theodore Simonelli, noticed three trends—calls for change, explorations of culture, and scientific inquiry—and the essays are grouped accordingly.

Promising student essays were nominated by the students’ instructors and underwent a full editorial process by our interns. The viewpoints expressed here are the opinions of the writers alone and are not necessarily endorsed (nor denounced) by HPU, the College of Liberal Arts, the Department of English & Applied Linguistics, or the editors. Rather than selecting pieces that toe any particular “party line,” we have attempted—in the spirit of academic freedom—to present a range of viewpoints, some of which may be provocative. This is fitting for a first-year writing program that emphasizes argumentation. We hope you will enjoy reading the arguments made by some of our most promising first-year students here at HPU.

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making change

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Direct to Consumer: Education or Misinformation?

By Wesley Barlow Your grandfather is watching television and sees a commercial for an anti-fungal pill. Yellow demons dance across a computer-generated toenail as a narrator describes how unattractive and awful these yellow toenail-demons are. Your grandfather has yellow toenails, and is now aware of his condition and a potential treatment for it. Before The Price Is Right returns to the screen, your grandfather sees another advertisement with a happy, dancing couple. The man is seemingly strong and active for his age; smiling, laughing, golfing. At his next doctor appointment, he asks his doctor to grant him the pill that will magically vanquish these yellow demons and the other pill to get him back out on the golf course. Your grandfather only has a 20minute appointment. The waiting room is full of other people waiting for their chance to meet with this overworked and overbooked geriatric doctor. His doctor then takes the time to explain that his liver cannot handle the strain in conjunction with his back pain medication, and that the blood thinner he is already on is virtually identical to the one advertised with the dancing couple and the gentleman with the perfect golf swing. While the commercial educated your grandfather on his toe fungus, precious time is also wasted—and the issues they could have discussed during his appointment might have led to the diagnoses he needed all along.

According to C. Lee Ventola, Direct to Customer (DTC) advertising from pharmaceutical companies is unique to only two countries in the world: the United States and New Zealand (Ventola). Every other developed country has banned DTC advertising for a variety of reasons, but the United States continues to allow DTC under the idea that strict regulations mitigate the risks. Despite the merits of DTC advertising, the negative effects on society outweigh the positive because of the ineffectiveness of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the expansion of internet advertisements, misleading information, and the size and power of pharmaceutical companies. There are, however, some solutions to the current state of DTC advertisements. Understanding the origin story of the “Big Pharma” in America helps us understand how they gained their power and the trust of the American people.

World War II generated many American casualties across both the eastern and western fronts, and one of the main causes was infection. Clinton Murray, contributor to the Journal of Trauma, Injury, Infection and Critical Care, explains that 86% of battle injuries during World War II resulted in infection, spurring the American government to support the most rapid expansion of pharmaceutical production ever seen (Murray). Penicillin, at the time, was the new magic cure for infections. With the full backing of the United States government, the production of penicillin exploded in a very short amount of time, and with it, the vast expansion of the physical and monetary capital of the pharmaceutical companies. When the war ended, the existing infrastructure and industrial production facilities changed gears from wartime necessities to research and development.

Melody Peterson, a journalist and historian who has published several works criticizing the size and scope of pharmaceutical companies, explains that the “great scientific success in the 1940s and early 1950s, which has never been repeated since, changed forever the way Americans think about their perceptions” (Peterson 119). Thousands of drugs were developed and pushed into the 6

public in a short period of time. Left unchecked and uncontrolled, the pharmaceutical companies filled magazines, television, and radio air waves with advertisements introducing their new inventions of medical marvel. Peterson goes on to describe this time as the “age of the miracle drug,” as new vaccines and drug therapies were being developed at an alarmingly fast rate.

Eventually, the true effects of many of these “magic bullet” medications came to light. Many of these new and untested medications resulted in awful side effects—birth defects, cancer, and even death. Drugs like cortisone and streptomycin were advertised as cure-all drugs, but left people disabled, blind, deaf, and the list goes on. The drug that finally caught the attention of the United States government was thalidomide, a German-made sedative marketed as “especially well-suited for calming down anxious, nervous and restless children … excellent for babies” (Peterson 121). This ultimately wrought on a myriad of health effects; the worst and most publicized result was the grotesque birth defects (Peterson 121). Public backlash led to the first legislation passed by the U.S. government in October of 1962 that required clinical testing, and gave the FDA some power over pharmaceutical advertisements.

Despite the horrors of the 20th century, successful drugs like penicillin and the polio vaccine led the American culture to operate under the belief that we are still in a golden age of scientific and medical advancement that is capable of curing every ailment with the latest and greatest drug— and the pharmaceutical companies know it. While DTC advertisements were throttled following the thalidomide issue, they were not fully extinguished because of rational, strongly developed defenses offered by the pharmaceutical companies.

Imagine that your grandmother is watching The Price is Right and she sees a commercial for a depression medication. Your grandmother has been severally depressed for several months, but was unsure of the signs or symptoms, and was left without the words to express how she was feeling. She watches the commercial, which shows a woman her age seeking help and communicating with her doctor, effectively lifting the stigma against discussing issues like depression. At her next appointment, she feels more confident speaking with her provider and is armed with the words she was looking for to describe the way she is feeling. According to Adam Roberts, Senior Vice President and Group Media Director at Communications Media Inc., this scenario is the pinnacle of how modern medicine should operate. Roberts explains: In the old health world, there was no conversation. If there was a conversation, it was in the voice of the physician and the patient was silent—accepting a diagnosis or treatment regimen prescribed by the professional. Today, a conversation exists—a dialogue between patient-physician that is active, dynamic and informed. (Roberts) DTC not only helps consumers, according to industry representatives, but it is also a constitutional right of the companies. The American Advertising Federation (AAF) has taken its stance in favor of DTC. James Datri, a representative of the AAF, states that “moratoriums on pharmaceutical advertising would violate the First Amendment protection for commercial speech” (Datri). Industry representatives argue that barring information from advertising will cause more harm to consumers who are not encouraged by an ad to see a doctor about an illness.

Both Roberts and the AAF are correct in their claim that DTC increases the number of patient interactions, as a study conducted by the FDA confirms that as many as 27% of Americans 7

exposed to DTC advertisements contacted medical professionals about a condition they had not previously discussed (Aikin). All of this seems like a true benefit to public health, but that is assuming that the information is truthful and without ulterior motives.

The American College of Physicians (ACP) opposes the idea that public education should be provided in pharmaceutical advertisements. Dr. Donna Sweet, chair of the Board of Regents for the ACP, testified in front of a U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, stating that DTC “often leaves our patients confused and misinformed about medications and impedes the practice” of medicine by challenging the individual physician’s medical judgment (U.S. Congress). She goes on to acknowledge the need for an educated public, but rejects the idea that pharmaceutical companies should be the source. Her testimony ultimately asked the question of whether pharmaceutical companies have too high a stake in profit to provide unbiased education. She states that no matter how much information is provided in these DTC advertisements, functioning as a platform to sell more drugs will always be their first priority. It is the position of the ACP that DTC should be banned altogether, and that the argument of free speech is easily countered when we consider how society limits the corporate speech of the tobacco and alcohol industry for the greater good. With the way current policies are written, it is simple for these advertisements to mislead consumers. There are several marketing tactics used frequently by the pharmaceutical companies that allow their commercials to hide behind the façade of education.

In 2008, an advertisement for Lipitor, a drug used to lower cholesterol, featured a man named Dr. Robert Jarvik. The ad boasted about Dr. Jarvik’s credentials and how he was critical in the development of the artificial heart, asserting that his accomplishments qualified him to suggest this specific brand of cholesterol medication. Dr. Jarvik was presented as a trusted expert.

However, in reality, he was an engineer—not a cardiologist or even a licensed provider (Edeling). Outrage from the medical community followed, and the ad was pulled from television, but the damage was done and sales of Lipitor soared.

Building a false sense of trust is not the only questionable tactic used by the ad companies. Many of the advertisements rely too heavily on emotional appeal to be considered educational. Most ads seem to follow the same template; the benefits are read slowly and the visual aids relate to what is being discussed, but when the side effects are read, the images on screen remain positive and completely unrelated to what is being discussed. Ventola explains: Ads often show a mismatch between visual imagery and verbal messages when risk information is presented. For example, a person may be seen enjoying a walk in a park while the narrator lists serious side effects. Research has shown that when visual and verbal messages are discordant, visual messages tend to predominate, which can result in insufficient processing of verbally presented risk information. (Ventola) In fact, a study conducted by the FDA reported that out of 500 medical providers, 75% believed that the advertisements caused their patients to have an exaggerated sense of the drug’s capability while not fully understanding the potential side effects (Connors 264). These ads do their best to showcase the benefits, while under-representing or leaving out vital negative implications. Armed with misinformation, these consumers are now approaching their medical providers and asking for products by name. Doctors feel that they have become gatekeepers to 8

these drugs. A survey taken from medical providers reports that 80% of physicians felt heavily pressured and 20% felt somewhat pressured to prescribe the specific brand-name drug when the patient asked the physician to do so (Connors 264).

The FDA is tasked with insuring that these pharmaceutical companies are not misleading in their advertisements, and that these ads do not have a negative impact on society. Yet the idea that the FDA shields the public from misinformation and the greed of pharmaceutical companies comes into question when evaluating data over the past decade. According to the FDA, “The number of letters sent by the FDA to pharmaceutical manufacturers notifying them that they had violated regulations for prescription-drug advertising fell from 142 in 1997 to only 21 in 2006,” while complaints rose over 15% during that period and spending on DTC rose by almost 145% (Donohue).

Are drug companies really abiding by these regulations, or does the FDA not have the ability to properly maintain oversight? According to the General Accounting Office (GAO), the FDA appears to have lost its reins for several reasons. A report from the GAO details how limited staffing at the FDA leads to fewer officials reviewing an ever-growing amount of media being produced by the pharmaceutical companies. According to Ventola, there are as few as four staff members reviewing all forms of DTC, as the size and scope of DTC expands every year. It was also mentioned that by the time letters of reprimand were sent to the manufacturers, the misleading advertisements had already circulated for weeks, months, and even as long as two years (GOA). The report continues that the process of issuing warning letters has become so bogged down in bureaucracy and legal obstacles that in the end, the FDA has moved so slowly for such a long time that misleading advertisements may have completed their broadcast life cycle before the FDA issued the letters.

Pharmaceutical companies have learned that new drugs make more money. According to Charles Ornstein, a journalist from the Business Insider, “In almost all cases, older, cheaper products are available to treat the same conditions. Companies typically try to differentiate the new drugs by claiming they are easier to use, carry fewer side effects, work faster than competitors, or have medical advantages” (Ornstein). The introduction of new drugs requires an aggressive marketing campaign to kick-start sales and insure that the capital spent in the research and development and the manufacturing costs are in the green.

Surprisingly, states Donohue, there is no regulation on how long a pharmaceutical manufacturer must wait before advertising to the public (Donohue). New drugs are coming out every year that accomplish virtually the same thing as previously existing drugs, with small, untested variations.

In fact, these new drugs are being developed and approved at an alarmingly fast rate. In a testimony to congress, Janet Woodcock, director of Drug Evaluation and Research for the FDA, bragged that the United States is the fastest and first to approve new active substances of any other country in the world, by a huge margin (Woodcock). Over 90% of drugs that represent an advance over existing treatment were reviewed and decided on in less than 180 days. She goes on to say that new industry practices are leading to cheaper, shorter, and smaller studies, as well as the acceptance of surrogate endpoints and predictions resulting in the more rapid approval. Is giving into large pharmaceuticals’ desire for profit and deregulation gambling with the nation’s health? It can take years for chronic adverse side effects to show up in clinical trials, but the 9

direction in which the FDA is heading appears to favor big business and economic growth over the long-term health of consumers.

Another reason the FDA has lost its ability to control the pharmaceutical companies is because the game has changed faster than the government body can keep up with the changes. In the past, pharmaceutical ads were limited to print, billboards, magazines, medical journals, radio, and television, and the FDA had standard operating procedures on how to control and monitor these facets. In the last 10 years, the pharmaceutical companies have moved their marketing strategies to the largest and most highly used platform—the internet. Banner adds, pop-ups, spam email, and countless other means of advertising have given way to a virtually uncontrollable “wild west.” With so many areas and so much data to process, can the FDA really keep an eye on big pharma, and what safety measures are currently in place? Existing policy states that all internet advertisements must meet the same requirements that print, radio, and television must meet.

Permission must be granted by the FDA through a process in which a form is submitted before any ad can be released to the public.

This strategy has sound logic, but according to James Dickenson, journalist for the Medical Marketing and Media website, changes in 2012 made it easier for misinformation to be spread.

In his article, Dickenson explains that the FDA Safety and Innovation Act, signed into law in July 2012, required companies to submit regulatory request forms periodically instead of every time there was an addition or change to an ad. This deregulation appears to be the current direction that the FDA is heading in. Pharmaceutical companies insist that regulations bog down the marketing process, ultimately leading to more overhead costs and higher prices to consumers.

The revolving argument from pharmaceutical companies for deregulation remains the same, thus restricting DTC price raises for vital drugs—though in some cases, DTC has been the cause of higher prices. Between 1999 and 2001, spending on advertisements for the drug Clopidogrel went from zero to $350 million. Even with this excessive level of marketing expenditure, there was no increase in the number of units dispensed. However, there was a sudden and sustained increase in cost per unit to make up for the reduction in profit, resulting in pre-existing users paying more for the same product because of a failed marketing strategy (Law).

It may appear that all advertisements are meant to lie and convince the sheepish public to buy the drugs in the commercials, but that is simply not the case. Brian Krans explains the data collected during a survey conducted at Vanderbilt University: Overall, researchers found that most claims made in the drug ads were technically true: only one in 10 ads contained either false or unsubstantiated claims. However, a majority of the ads—six out of 10—were misleading. They either left out important information, exaggerated information, included opinions, or made meaningless associations between drugs and an improved lifestyle. (Krans) It would be wrong to accuse the pharmaceutical companies of being entirely profit-driven and dedicated to hooking the nation on a cocktail of medications, but the nature of business and marketing will always favor the highlights of a product. The current system allows for these exaggerations, opinions, and emotionally driven advertisements, and something needs to be done about it. One way to solve all the issues with DTC is an outright ban. As mentioned before, the 10

ACP (American College of Physicians) believes that the only way to truly remove the negative implications of DTC advertisements is to ban them altogether. However, the ACP also recognizes that this is highly improbable, due to the size and scope of the current advertising complex.

If we cannot ban DTC, another way to reduce the amount of misinformation and unethical material can be found in the support of third party watchdog organizations. If the FDA is unable to have a large enough reach, the government could offer incentives to people or organizations who observe and report advertisements that fall outside the rule of law. Removing vague language from these regulations and having clear-cut guidelines would streamline the process and make it easier for an average citizen to identify the ads that fall into the gray area. Another potential fix would be removing the name of products from the advertisements because this helps make a clear distinction between propaganda and education. Still allowing educational pieces, such as commercials that educate on signs of depression and several treatment options, would spark the conversation and potential use of product, but would ultimately put the power of treatment back into the doctors’ hands.

Observably, there are several positive aspects of DTC. Raising awareness of lesser-known ailments, reminding people to take their medication, teaching people the proper dosage, and allaround public health education are benefits that cannot be overlooked. The issue with DTC arises in the lack of oversight and the misinformation in the advertisements. The burden of profit leaves pharmaceutical companies unfit for public education, and the FDA has been losing its grasp of control simply because of the sheer magnitude of the pharmaceutical marketing complex. To make sure that the public is not at risk to the inherent misinformation of these pharmaceutical ads, we need to consider options for improvement. If an outright ban is impractical, then we need to explore options of third-party watchdog organizations and a simplification of regulations and laws.

WORKS CITED Aikin, K.J., Swasy, J.L., and Braman, A.C. “Patient and Physician Attitudes and Behaviors Associated with DTC Promotion of Prescription Drugs—Summary of FDA Survey Research Results.” Washington, D.C: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Food and Drug Administration. Center for Drug Evaluation and Research; Web. Nov 2004.

Connors, Amanda. “Big Pharma: An Ethical Analysis of Physician-directed and Consumerdirected Marketing Tactics.” Albany Law Rev. 18 Dec 2009; 73:243-282. Print.

Datri, James. "DTC Prescription Drug Advertising." American Advertising Federation: Official Site. American Advertising Federation, 1 Sept. 2008. Web. 20 Nov. 2015.

Dickenson, James. "FDA Eases Rules on Ads in Social Media." MMM: Medical Marketing & Media. 14 Jan. 2014. Web. 1 Dec. 2015.

Donohue, J. M., M. Cevasco, and M. B. Rosenthal. “A Decade of Direct-to-Consumer Advertising of Prescription Drugs." New England Journal of Medicine (2007): 673-81.

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Print.

Ebeling, Mary. "Beyond Advertising: The Pharmaceutical Industry's Hidden Marketing Tactics."

PR Watch. 21 Feb. 2008. Web. 1 Dec. 2015.

Krans, Brian. "Truth in Drug Advertising? Not Always." Healthlines RSS News. 20 Sept. 2013.

Web. 11 Dec. 2015.

Law, Michael R. "Costs and Consequences of Direct-to-Consumer Advertising for Clopidogrel in Medicaid." Arch Intern Med Archives of Internal Medicine 169.21 (2009): 1969. Web. Murray, Clinton K., Mary K. Hinkle, and Heather C. Yun. "History of Infections Associated with Combat-Related Injuries." The Journal of Trauma: Injury, Infection, and Critical Care 64.Supplement (2008): S225. Web. Ornstein, Charles, and Ryann Grochowski Jones. "Companies Pay Millions to Promote Some of Their Most Unremarkable Drugs." Business Insider, 08 Jan. 2015. Web. 20 Nov. 2015.

Peterson, Melody. Our Daily Meds: How the Pharmaceutical Companies Transformed Themselves into Slick Marketing Machines and Hooked the Nation on Prescription Drugs.

New York: Picador USA, 2009. Print.

Roberts, Adam. "DTC Ads Should Do More than Raise Eyebrows." Medical Marketing & Media. Haymaker Media Inc, 15 Nov. 2013. Web. 20 Nov. 2015.

United States. Congress. Senate. Special Committee on Aging. Hearings, Sep. 29, 2004. 109th Congress. 1st session. Washington: GPO, 2006. Proquest Congressional Publications. Web. 17 November 2015.

Ventola, C. Lee. "Direct-to-Consumer Pharmaceutical Advertising: Therapeutic or Toxic?" U.S. National Library of Medicine (2011): 669-84. Print.

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The Whole World in the Palm of Your Hand

By Kitty Knoch In 1974, artist Marina Abramovic performed one of her more famous pieces, Rhythm 0, promising her audience that she would stand still for six hours. In front of them she placed 72 objects that could either cause her pleasure or harm, which included roses, a feather boa, a whip, honey, a scalpel, a gun, and a single bullet. She laid her fate in her audience’s hands. She gave them no instructions or rules, just her promise to not move for six hours. After those six hours were up, her clothes had been cut and torn off her body, thorns had been stuck into her stomach, cuts were visible on her neck, she had been sexually assaulted, and a gun had been pointed at her head with her own finger forcefully wrapped around the trigger (Rowe). Her whole being had been devalued by the public.

Abramovic gave her audience power over these 72 objects, but did not tell them what to do with them or how to use them. Instead, she left it up to them to decide. That is the same thing that and is currently happening to my generation. In front of us, we have some pretty remarkable objects that we have taken and devalued in our own way. We have iPhones, Xboxes, laptops, iPads, and other similar things. We have all of these technologically advanced objects that each holds so many possibilities and uses. Any smartphone can provide you access to the internet and numerous search engines which can give you an infinite amount of information. We have access and contact to almost every part of the world. We have the whole world in our tiny hands, yet we have devalued smartphones to where their only purpose is to take a selfie, filter it, and upload it to our social media. We might as well put a gun up to our iPhones and pull the trigger because we are blinded by social media. We do not see our devices for their intended use, which is to serve as a daily life planner and alarm clock, and to communicate with people both domestically and internationally. Instead, we see these smartphones as a symbol of social conformity, wealth, and a necessity to live a fulfilled life. All of this has earned us the glorious title of the Narcissistic Millennials.

However, according to “The Persistent Myth of the Narcissistic Millennial” by Brooke Lea Foster, every generation has been a “Me” generation (Foster). All of the generations have been self-absorbed in their own way, according to their social and worldly environment at that time.

The Baby Boomers have been the ones ridiculed throughout the decades for being the most selfabsorbed and self-indulgent. In Wilken’s article, it is stated: Paul Begala, a former political consultant for President Bill Clinton, has recently written: “I’ve spent my whole life swimming behind that garbage barge of a generation. They ruined everything they’ve passed through and left me in their wake…. At the risk of feeding their narcissism, I believe it’s time someone stated the simple truth: The Baby Boomers are the most self-centered, self-seeking, self-interested, self-absorbed, selfindulgent, self-aggrandizing generation in American history. I hate the Boomers’” (Wilken) Millennials, of course, will disagree because they do not see themselves as narcissists, but opportunists. I will admit that we are as narcissistic as older generations claim us to be, just like 13

every generation that has been labeled before us. We have just found a way to show it more than those in the past. We owe that golden medal to social media such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Snapchat. The real question is: Who is behind this social media?

All of the technologically advanced toys that we all obsess over are brought to us by the very same people who are criticizing us for the way we are because of their inventions. The generation before us are the inventors, and we are their recipients. We are not the producers, but the consumers. We are being ridiculed by these producers for our use of their inventions, yet if we did not use what we are being given, we would not be known as the most narcissistic, but the most ungrateful. However, we do use what we have. In fact, we overuse it, and thus are labeled as narcissists. We can own up to being narcissistic, but we did not necessarily choose to be this way, especially since we are being given all of these electronics, and what we do with them is left entirely up to us.

Look back at the Rhythm 0 social experiment, where Abramovic gave her audience instruments along with the power to do what they pleased. She knew she could not control the outcome, just like our inventors and mentors know that they cannot control the outcome of giving us power over very potent objects with no instructions on what to do with them. Leaving things to the audience can either give very disastrous, genius, or idiotic results. Their actions also reflect on their generation and what was going on during the 1970’s. During that time, people were in the midst of many protests. There were protestors wanting to end the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, and protesters fighting for women’s, African American, Native American, and gay and lesbian rights and equality. There was anger throughout the country, and Abramovic allowed them to choose to express their anger or find inner peace.

You can already predict that when the time comes, the upcoming generation, too, will be labeled as little narcissists who are following in the footsteps of those who came before them. The children nowadays are almost born with iPads in their little tiny hands. All of these “advanced” electronics are now being handed out like candy to an audience incapable of understanding their full potential. It is not to say that narcissism and possessing electronics are the same thing, but it depends on the way you choose to use and express what you have. If some use their smartphone for the sole purpose of communicating, finding directions, or using the internet to answer a question, then they do not misuse them for narcissistic purposes. However, those who mainly use their smartphones for social media to either show off their possessions or appearance (selfies), then that can be seen as narcissistic behavior.

Arguing will continue for ages on which generation is more narcissistic than the other, but one thing that should be noted is that because of our use of social media, our generation will be one of the most well-documented generations thus far. One day, we will be thanked for being such narcissists, and someone will be able to write an article on that.

WORKS CITED Foster, Brook Lea. “The Persistent Myth of the Narcissistic Millennial.” The Atlantic. Web. 10 September 2015.

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Rowe, Joshua. “An Artist’s Interesting Social Experiment.” Whatevo. Web. 10 September 2015.

Wilken, Todd. “The Six Commandments of the Boomers.” The News Issues, Etc. Vol 1. No. 2.

Web. 10 Oct 2015.

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A Look at the Turbulent History between America and Iran and Why the Nuclear Agreement Benefits Both Countries

By Nathan Baum On July 14, 2015, representatives from around the world signed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly known as the Iran Nuclear Agreement, which limits Iran's ability to make nuclear weapons. In exchange, the West agreed to remove many of its sanctions placed on Iran. Since then, every major country has reaffirmed its desire for the agreement and Iran has already begun preparations to dismantle much of its nuclear program. However, in spite of overall acceptance by governments, many people feel that the agreement is not in their nation’s best interest. America, in particular, has seen a staggering amount of backlash, ranging from private citizens to high-ranking government officials.

Despite the protests, the Iran Nuclear Agreement is a victory for America because it makes it nearly impossible for Iran to develop a nuclear weapon. Iran also benefits because the removal of its sanctions will improve the economy while still allowing them to generate nuclear energy for civilian use. Finally, an additional benefit for both countries is that the deal will go a long way towards mending their strained relations.

To fully understand the current situation between the U.S. and Iran, it is necessary to look back at the history between the two nations. According to Dr. Seyed Mousavian (2014), a professor at Princeton University and former Iranian Diplomat, the relationship between the U.S. and Iran can be broken down into three periods. The first period dates from 1856 to 1953, with the first diplomatic interaction between the two countries. During this period, the United States helped Iran stay independent at a time when imperial nations like Britain and Russia were threatening its sovereignty. Mousavian says that because of this, Iran saw America as trustworthy and gave it many economic incentives to preserve the relationship. However, in the second period, which ran from 1953 to 1979, the United States became a global superpower and became more interested in keeping Iran's energy resources out of Soviet hands than in preserving Iran's independence. The change in the relationship was marked by the ousting of Iran's first democratic government in 1953 and giving the power to the Shah, or dictator, of Iran. Ironically, though, the U.S. supported the coup even though it had partially been the inspiration behind Iran’s democracy. This era was defined by Iran submitting to the U.S. and becoming more secular and westernized. Finally, the third period described by Mousavian lasted from 1979 to the present, and was characterized by the deterioration of relationships between the two countries (p. 14-15).

After the coup in 1953, the Shah, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, ruled Iran and quickly became unpopular. According to Iranian author, researcher, and University of California professor Janet Afary (2015), this was due to Pahlavi’s authoritarian style of rule as well as Iran’s lack of jobs, encroaching western influence, ties with Israel, and increasing secular nature of the government.

Eventually, because of the growing discontent, Iranians rebelled against the Shah, took control of the government, and created a new Islamic Republic in its place under the leadership of the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (para. 1). Unfortunately for American-Iranian relations, the old Shah had been backed by the U.S. government, having used him as a way to pursue American interests in the region. Even after the uprising, America supported the Shah, 16

who fled to the U.S to escape the wrath of his people. The harboring of Pahlavi by the American government infuriated Iranians. In retaliation, thousands of Iranian protesters stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and captured 52 Americans in late 1970. These hostages were held for 444 days in an attempt to force the U.S. to extradite the Shah back to Iran (Afary, 2015, para. 10).

This action marked the end of diplomatic relations between the two nations and the beginning of America’s distrust towards Iran and its new anti-western government.

Another significant event that shaped relations between these two countries was the Iran-Iraq War during the 1980's. Iran’s new government was becoming increasingly isolated and experiencing difficulties after the Iranian Revolution due to its hostile actions towards the west.

Seeing Iran's economy in trouble and military in disarray, Saddam Hussein, the leader of Iraq, invaded Iran in 1980, beginning an eight-year war. Dr. Mousavian points out that America originally remained neutral in the war. However, in 1982, America began providing Iraq with intelligence and financial aid after Iran began to gain ground against Saddam¹ (p. 83). Iran had expected the U.S. to side with Iraq, and it further supported their belief that America was against them.

The final straw in the relationship for many Iranians came in 1988, when America shot down an Iranian airliner, killing all 290 civilians on board. The Iran Review, the website of an independent think tank focused on Iran, reported that the plane was shot down by a U.S. missile cruiser, who had mistaken the aircraft for a fighter jet. To make things worse for the U.S., the plane was found to have been carrying all civilians and had been flying on a prescribed route, over Iranian water, and inside Iranian airspace. To date, America has not apologized for the event, and the captain of the U.S. ship was awarded a Legion of Merit for the crew’s performance during the incident (Iran Review, 2015, para. 1-28). Events like this and the unwillingness of America to admit its mistakes, or even attempt to repair relations with Iran, stood in stark contrast to the nation that had once supported Iran’s independence against some of the most powerful nations in the world for nearly a century.

Since the Iran-Iraq War ended in 1988, the U.S. and Iran have spent the last several decades actively trying to distance themselves from the other. America has accused Iran of supporting terrorist groups, most notably Hamas and Hezbollah. The claim that Hamas is a terrorist group is somewhat disputed by several countries, such as Russia, due to Hamas primarily wanting a free Palestinian state and its past willingness to negotiate with Israel and other countries.

However, nearly every nation does characterize Hezbollah as a terrorist group and is known to be supported by Iran.

It is unclear how Hezbollah began, but many think that Iran may have helped create it. Award winning author for the World Affairs Journal, Michael Totten (2015), brings up an open letter to the world written by Hezbollah that says, "We obey orders of one leader, wise and just, that of our tutor and faqih [jurist] who fulfills all the necessary conditions: Ruhollah Musawi Khomeini [the previous supreme leader of Iran], God save him!" (para. 9). Totten (2015) accuses Hezbollah of blowing up an American embassy in Lebanon and of having killed more Americans than any other terrorist group before September 11, 2001 (para. 8-11). In response to these accusations of supporting terrorism, Dr. Mousavian (2014) says Iran claims that Hezbollah is merely defending Lebanon and Palestine, along with Hamas, against Israel. However, in spite 17

of this claim, America saw their support for Hamas and Hezbollah as further proof that Iran is an "evil country"² (p. 234-235).

In our current situation, it is easy to understand why neither side feels like they can trust the other. However, it is especially important that America and Iran overcome that distrust now to support the nuclear agreement because, without it, America’s fears about Iran being able to gain a nuclear weapon might become reality.

Most Americans believe that if the West decides against the agreement, Iran will still be years away from having the capability to create a nuclear bomb. However, a report by Harvard University's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs (2015) found that Iran already has enough material and equipment needed to make a bomb within two months³ (p. 3). Because of this, if the United States wants to keep Iran from being able to make a bomb, their only option is to reduce Iran's nuclear program.

To understand how Iran already has the ability to create a nuclear bomb, there needs to be a clear understanding of the process behind building one. Science journalist for the Guardian newspaper, Alok Jha (2003), states there are two basic ways to make a bomb. The first is by taking natural uranium ore, which consists of uranium isotopes 235 and 238, and separating the two inside centrifuges until at least 16 kilograms of 90% uranium 235 is left (also known as 90% enrichment). This uranium is then used as fuel for a nuclear weapon. Yranium 235 needs to be separated from uranium 238 is because it is the only form of uranium that provides enough energy to split atoms. The second way Jha mentions is taking uranium enriched to 90% and putting it into a nuclear reactor, which produces plutonium as a by-product. This plutonium is then used in place of uranium as fuel to power a nuclear bomb. The benefit of a plutonium bomb is that only 10 kilograms of plutonium is required, which makes it lighter and easier to deliver than a uranium one. However, Jha points out the downside to a plutonium bomb is that it requires more enriched uranium and takes much longer to make than a uranium bomb (para. 123).

Currently, Iran’s nuclear program is split into three primary locations. The first is the Natanz facility, located in central Iran. The second is the Fordow facility, situated in Northern Iran, near the town of Qom. According to the Belfer Center’s (2015) report, Natanz has approximately 10,000 centrifuges and Fordow is estimated to have another 8,000. The final location is the Arak complex in eastern Iran that houses the Arak heavy-water reactor, which could theoretically produce plutonium for a bomb (p. 2-3).

Regarding its nuclear material, a report by Gary Milhollin and Valerie Lincy (2015), professor at the University of Wisconsin and former researcher for the New York Times, respectively, found that Iran currently has over 7,800 kilograms of stored uranium. This stockpile is almost entirely made up of uranium enriched to 3.67%, which is the enrichment amount required to make nuclear energy for civilian use (p. 1). The report also said that 1,053 kilograms of this partially enriched uranium are needed to make a bomb (p. 1-2). Going by this math, Iran could create up to seven nuclear bombs without any assistance from other countries.

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The Nuclear Agreement forces Iran’s nuclear program to be reduced, monitored, and its future developments limited, as outlined in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, before removal of western sanctions. Throughout this process, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), a U.N. group designed to prevent the military use of nuclear weapons in the world, will work together with Iran to ensure its compliance with the agreement.

According to the U.S. Department of State (2015), the JCPOA allows Iran only to use the Natanz facility to enrich uranium and limits the number of centrifuges it has to 5,060. Fordow will stop enriching uranium, keep only 1,044 centrifuges, and will be turned it into a "nuclear, physics, and Technology Center" and used for scientific purposes (p. 7). The centrifuges left in Fordow will be reconfigured, under the supervision of the IAEA, to be unable to enrich uranium. The plan calls for Iran to place all the excess centrifuges from both facilities into a storage location under constant IAEA surveillance, and these will only be used to replace other centrifuges. Finally, the Arak reactor will be dismantled and reconfigured, under the IAEA's supervision, to use uranium enriched to only 3.67%, instead of 90%, as fuel.

After the redesign, the Arak complex will then be used for peaceful purposes, such as nuclear research and industrial use. The JCPOA will also let Iran keep just 300 kg of uranium, enriched to a maximum of 3.67%, in storage, to be continuously monitored by the IAEA (p. 6-7).

However, the document does allow Iran to continue using the Fordow facility to make nuclear energy for civilian use, all of which will be supplied by Russia for the duration of the agreement. The agreement also states that all excess uranium and plutonium will be sold under IAEA supervision to other countries. To ensure Iran’s cooperation, the IAEA will have the right to inspect any site, within 24 days of notifying Iranian authorities, which they believe is being used to enrich uranium beyond what the JCPOA allows. Finally, the plan calls for the IAEA to have constant surveillance and access to Iran’s uranium mills where concentrated uranium ore is produced (U.S. Department of State, 2015, p. 7-8).

The reductions specified above in Iran’s nuclear program block every path to the production of an atomic bomb. Iran’s compliance with the JCPOA will result in it removing nearly 97% of its uranium. More importantly, it will have less than a third of the uranium required to make a nuclear bomb. Iran will also get rid of over half of its centrifuges, and many of the remaining ones will not be able to make weapons-grade uranium. Lincy and Milhollin’s (2015) report says that the reduction in centrifuges will increase Iran’s breakout time, or the amount of time it will take to produce enough uranium to make a bomb, to about a year (p. 2). Together, these reductions make it nearly impossible for Iran to make a nuclear weapon.

If a conflict does occur, the JCPOA has put in place a series of mechanisms to resolve any issues through mediation. First, the plan calls the matter to be addressed by a joint commission.

This commission will be made up of a representative of each of the P5+1 nations (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, plus Germany) and Iran. The plan grants the commission 15 days to resolve the issue unless it votes to extend the deadline. If the conflict remains, it will be referred to an advisory board, made up of a representative of each disputing party and a third representative from an independent party. This advisory board will have another 15 days to recommend a solution unless it also votes to extend the deadline. After the advisory board makes their recommendation, the joint commission will have five days to 19

consider it. Finally, if the conflict remains unresolved, it will be taken to the U.N. Security Council, who will vote on a whether or not to re-impose the sanctions (U.S. Department of State, 2015, p. 17-18). The resolution process allows for many opportunities to resolve any issue so that the nuclear agreement has the greatest chance of succeeding. This is important so as to avoid re-imposing the sanctions, which would destroy any trust built up between the U.S. and Iran as well as put both nations back in the same situation they were in before the agreement.

Contrary to what many Americans believe, Iran has more incentive than any other nation to follow the agreement. Due to the sanctions placed on Iran, its economy is stagnant, inflation and unemployment are high, and its infrastructure is in poor condition. In an interview with the BBC, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said that Iran requires approximately $300 billion of oil and energy investment just to cope with their future increase in demand once the sanctions have lifted (Kerry, 2015, para. 7). Unfortunately for Iran, a report by the World Bank showed that its economy has just come out of a two-year recession and currently has a growth rate of just over 1%. On top of that, their inflation rate is over 15% and unemployment is over 10%.

Without the agreement, the report predicted that Iran will go back into a recession for the rest of its forecasting period (Devarajan, 2015, p. 15-16).

The dismal situation Iran is in makes it difficult for them to rebuild their economy. However, if the West lifts its sanctions as well as releases Iranian money stored in foreign banks, then the economy will hugely benefit. The same report mentioned above also found that if the sanctions are lifted, Iran’s economy is predicted to rise by over 4% by the end of next year and 5.5% the following year (p. 16-17). To put that into perspective, a 5.5% growth rate is more than double that of the U.S., and would make it one of the fastest-growing countries in the world. Iranians know that breaking the agreement will result in their economy returning to the way it was and will naturally want to avoid that from happening. That fear, coupled with the fact that they have such a good future ahead if they abide by the agreement, will be an important factor in Iran's behavior during the next few years.

Since the Iran Nuclear Agreement was announced to the American public, there has been no shortage of critics. Many people are not against an agreement with Iran, but feel like the result could have been more favorable to American interests. On the other side of the spectrum, some people believe that Iran simply cannot be trusted, that it is an evil country and wants to destroy the American way of life, and that any agreement with them supports terrorism. Although many concerns over the agreement have been voiced, there are a few major criticisms that are the most common.

The first criticism that many people have is that they think the U.S. should not have made the agreement in the first place because Iran cannot be trusted. In his article, “Why the U.S can't Trust Iran and its Nuclear Plans,” Forbes author Emanuele Ottolenghi (2015) says, “Trusting Iran is the surest path to a bad deal” (para. 1). Because of this fear, Ottolenghi and many others favor keeping the existing sanctions in place. Fortunately, trusting Iran is not, and does not need to be, necessary to make this work. This agreement is based on verification, not trust. As stated earlier, the IAEA will continuously monitor and inspect Iran’s facilities and equipment so that even if Iran secretly tries to break the agreement, it will be caught. Also, because the IAEA will

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verify all of this before the west lowers its sanctions, there is almost no risk involved for the U.S. The second criticism is that Iran will be able to hide evidence of their enrichment if they do attempt to make a nuclear bomb. This rumor started because, as stated earlier, the IAEA could be forced to wait up to 24 days to gain access to any site they think might be enriching uranium beyond what is allowed. The Heritage Foundation’s Allison Center for Foreign Policy Studies defense analyst, Michaela Ward (2015), is one of these people. In a recent article, she said, “The IAEA might trace a presence of radioactive materials, but sanitization and deception make it infinitely harder to proof what was their original purpose and whether activities associated with them were of military nature” (para. 20). Many people, including Ward, think that 24 days is enough time for Iran to hide evidence of enrichment from the IAEA. However, Dr. Ernest Moniz, the Secretary of Energy and one of the U.S. negotiators of the agreement, says otherwise. In a recent interview, Dr. Moniz was asked about this, and he responded by saying: There have been allusions to throwing drugs down the toilet. It doesn’t work that way.

First of all, we have a history of catching this [evidence of enrichment] after six months, let alone 24 days. Secondly, we have done experiments in our laboratories. It’s really, really hard to clean up nuclear particles. (Moniz, 2015) In the end, the 24-day requirement, which is the first of its kind, is one of the best aspects of the agreement because it allows Iran to keep some of its privacy and still gives the IAEA enough time to accurately find evidence of nuclear enrichment.

The third criticism is that Iran doesn’t have to make an atomic bomb in secret and instead just has to wait until the agreement expires. After that, Iran will be able to pursue a bomb without fear of repercussions. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy is one of the people who believes this. In a press release, McCarthy said, “Though the deal was originally being negotiated to keep Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, in its final form the agreement would allow just that when it sunsets in 10-15 years” (para. 2). It is true that most of the IAEA monitoring, nuclear development restrictions, and the number of centrifuge limitations in the JCPOA do expire in 10 or 15 years. However, part of the JCPOA states that “Iran reaffirms that under no circumstances will Iran ever seek, develop, or acquire any nuclear weapons” (U.S. Department of State, 2015, p. 3). This means that if Iran is ever caught with weapons-grade nuclear material or in the process of creating a nuclear weapon, all of the original sanctions go back into place and Iran will see 15 years of economic progress vanish. Furthermore, the plan gives the IAEA the right to inspect Iran’s nuclear sites, within 24 days, in perpetuity (U.S. Department of State, 2015, p. 3). This ensures that Iran will have few opportunities to develop nuclear weapons.

The fourth popular criticism is that once the sanctions are lifted, Iran will direct hundreds of billions of dollars towards supporting terrorists. Iowa Senator Joni Ernst (2015) said, “Neither I, nor the American people, signed up for a nuclear deal with Iran that will provide the regime with billions of dollars to support its terrorist proxies and the murderous al-Assad regime in Syria” (para. 3). There are two problems with this theory. The first problem is that Iran needs the money to improve its economy. This makes it unlikely that any significant amount will go 21

towards anything other than rebuilding the country. In a BBC interview, John Kerry (2015) admitted that although there was a possibility that some of the money could go towards supporting terrorism, he also argued that it was unlikely by saying the following: To be able to do infrastructure, improve the lives of [Iranian] people – there are all kinds of things Iran needs to do. They have banking challenges; they have payment problem challenges. So the notion that 100 billion – which is what it is, not hundreds of billions, but 100 billion – is going to make all the difference in the world is just – it’s not true. (p. 2) The second problem with this argument is that this agreement was signed because the west believes that a nuclear Iran is the worst possible outcome for the future. S, even inadvertent funding of terrorist groups, like Hezbollah, would still be preferable to a nuclear-armed Iran.

The last major criticism is one that I have found very common when discussing the nuclear agreement with others. Many Americans think that Iranians will have the power to do the inspections of their own nuclear sites. Recently, a rumor has spread that Iran is being allowed to use its people to inspect their sites. This story began because the IAEA and Iran have made a secret agreement as to the exact inspection process that will be used to inspect Iran's nuclear sites. If this were true, it would probably be a cause for the entire agreement to fall apart.

Fortunately, no evidence supports this claim, and those who believe it simply have no proof. In a public comment made in August, IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano (2015) said the following: I am disturbed by statements suggesting that the IAEA has given responsibility for nuclear inspections to Iran. Such statements misrepresent the way in which we will undertake this important verification work. The separate arrangements under the Roadmap agreed between the IAEA and Iran in July are confidential, and I have a legal obligation not to make them public – the same obligation I have for hundreds of such arrangements made with other IAEA Member States. However, I can state that the arrangements are technically sound and consistent with our long-established practices.

They do not compromise our safeguards standards in any way (p. 1).

Even though the “arrangements” made with Iran are secret, believing that Iran will receive a free pass in regards to the inspections has no basis and is contradicted by the head of the very agency in charge of the inspections.

Many who are critical of the agreement believe that the best thing for America to do is maintain its current strategy – which is to keep the sanctions on Iran. The most obvious flaw in this is that, as discussed earlier, Iran has been already able to acquire uranium to make seven nuclear bombs and enough centrifuges to make a bomb every couple of months. The notion that the sanctions have worked in any way, other than to delay Iran or ferment its hatred towards the west, is just false. Currently, many Iranians carry a lot of animosity toward America because of the sanctions and past conflicts of the two countries. A similar situation to this is North Korea, which also has crippling sanctions placed on it. Most people would probably agree that not only do they have nuclear weapons, but are so blind with hate that they might attempt to use them 22

against the U.S. To avoid this from happening with Iran, removing the sanctions against them will help mend relations between the two countries.

Because of the JCPOA’s sound technical aspects, the lack of trust between the people of both nations is the primary reason for so much resentment against the agreement. People from both sides tend to forget the other is not necessarily evil and that, even when America and Iran began to have conflicts with each other, they both did what they thought was right. Neither side wanted this division to happen nor does either have a monopoly on the truth. This situation was created by the past mistakes and policies of both parties and cannot be blamed on one country alone.

With the correct implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, both nations will benefit by achieving each of their primary goals. Iran is allowed to keep its civilian energy program, and its suffocating sanctions will be removed. America gains peace of mind, knowing that the agreement leaves Iran with few holes to exploit to create a nuclear bomb. It will also give each nation a chance to mend their relations and regain the trust lost in the last sixty years.

In the end, this agreement creates a more open dialog between the two societies and makes the world a safer, more peaceful place. And that is a future worth supporting.

Notes 1.

2.

3.

It is worth noting that during the Iran-Iraq War, America never supported Saddam Hussein’s rule. America gave Iraq aid because they saw Iran as the lesser of two evils and underestimated Saddam’s ambition in the region.

In one of President George Bush’s speeches in 2002, he called Iran an Axis of Evil country, along with Iraq and North Korea. This term is now commonly used to refer to these three countries.

Actual estimates of how much time it would take to create a nuclear bomb using centrifuges varies, some even say that it could take just over a month for Iran to complete.

References Afary, J. (2015). Iranian revolution of 1978-79. In Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved from http://www.britannica.com/event/Iranian-Revolution-of-1978-1979 Amano, Y. (2015, August 20). Statement by IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano.

Retrieved from https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/statements/statement-iaea-directorgeneral-yukiya-amano Devarajan, S. (2015). The Middle East and North Africa quarterly economic brief, January 2015. Retrieved from https://books.google.com Dodge, M. (2015, August 14). Yes, Iran can hide nuclear weapons in 24 days. Retrieved from http://dailysignal.com/2015/08/14/yes-iran-can-hide-nuclear-material-in-24-days-irandeals-details-show-fatal-flaws/ Ernst, J. (2015, September 10). Why Iran deal is so bad. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/10/opinions/ernst-iran-nuclear-deal/ 23

Iran Review. (2015, July 3). “Iran Air flight 655: U.S. 1988 attack on Iranian passenger jet.”

Retrieved from www.iranreview.org/content/Documents/Iran_Air_Flight_655.htm Kerry, J. (2015, July 14). Secretary Kerry’s interview with BBC on Iran. Interview by J. Robbins. Retrieved from http://iipdigital.usembassy.gov/st/english/texttrans/2015/07/20150715316682.html#ax zz3rzRJyUQJ Jha, A. (2003, June 19). How do you make a nuclear bomb? The Guardian. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/science/2003/jun/19/thisweekssciencequestions.weaponstt technology McCarthy, K. (2015). 21 reasons the Iran Deal is a bad deal. Retrieved from http://www.majorityleader.gov/2015/07/22/21-reasons-iran-deal-bad-deal/ Milhollin, G., and Lincy, V. (2015, November 18). Iran's nuclear timetable. Retrieved from http://www.iranwatch.org/our-publications/articles-reports/irans-nuclear-timetable Moniz, E. (2015, September 23). Dr. Ernest Moniz explains the Iran agreement [Video file].

Interview by S. Colbert. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0I4jRGTvFE Mousavian, S. (2014). Iran and the United States: an insider's view on the failed past and the road to peace. New York, NY: Bloomsbury Publishing.

Ottolenghi, E. (2015, February 20). Why the U.S. can't trust Iran and its nuclear plans. Forbes.

Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2015/02/20/why-the-u-s-canttrust-iran-and-its-nuclear-plans/#43256facf2f4 Samore, G. (2015). The Iran nuclear agreement. Retrieved from Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs website: Retrieved from http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/files/Decoding%20the%20Iran%20Nuclear%20Agr eement.pdf Totten, M. J. (2015). The Iran delusion. World Affairs, 178(2). Retrieved from http://www.worldaffairsjournal.org/article/iran-delusion-primer-perplexed U.S. Department of State. (2015). Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Retrieved from http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/245317.pdf

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Fortune Overlooking Misfortune: When Will We End Homelessness?

By Mackenzie Hennessy Imagine yourself taking a walk or a drive down a street in your city. Pick any street: It doesn’t have to be any specific one. What do you see? Maybe you see some people walking around and having conversations. Maybe you see cars making a left-hand turn into a McDonald’s parking lot. Maybe you even see some trees, and some birds flying around. These are all things that we’ve so often seen and that have become so familiar to us that they are buried away in our subconscious minds. We become so content with the way things are in the world that we neglect to look past the surfaces.

I bet you failed to notice the weak and ragged homeless man sitting on the bench you just walked past. And I bet after realizing that you missed him, you failed to come to terms with the fact that you sometimes fail to notice things in the world surrounding you. I, too, sometimes fail to notice things in the world that surround me. But I can guarantee you of one thing I do know: that man did not choose to be homeless. He is stuck.

A majority of the people belonging to the homeless population are caught in an endless cycle of hunger, loneliness, and neglect. According to Bryce Covert, “More than 600,000 Americans are homeless on any given night” (Covert). In other words, more than 600,000 Americans struggle to remain sane on any given night. Some may argue that the world is working to decrease the number of people in this massive population, but the sad truth is we are not. Covert says that homelessness declined across the U.S. by 4 percent compared to last year, and by 9 percent since the beginning of the recession in 2007. However, he also says, “Homelessness rose by 11.3 percent in New York, by 8.7 percent in Massachusetts, and by 4.5 percent in California over 2012. Other states had far larger jumps, such as a 33.1 percent increase in South Carolina and 26 percent increase in Maine. Overall, 20 states saw their rates go up compared to last year” (Covert).

The underlying factor as to why the man is homeless is money. If he had money, he would be able to buy a house or rent an apartment, at the very least. If he had money, he’d be able to eat.

If he had money, he’d have a life similar to ours. In order to get money he needs a job, and in order to get a job he needs to fill out an application. On that application he is forced to leave multiple things blank, as it asks for a phone number, an address, and more—all of which he does not have. And even if interest was shown in him as a potential employee, how would they get in contact with him to ask when he was available for an interview? This poor man can’t get a job.

Therefore, he remains with no money. Since he remains with no money, he remains with no home and no food. This is no way for a human to live.

As a society, we may be taking action, but we are not taking the correct form. For instance, according to James Cave of the Huffington Post, the government is willing to fly homeless people to the islands of Hawai’i due to the year-round warm weather (Cave). We provide shelters, food banks, and more in order to help these people survive. In the city of Honolulu, officials are even doing sweeps to move the homeless population out of certain areas. The justification for the sweeps are due to the desire to build brand new high-rise buildings.

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According to CBS News, “city officials said about 100 remaining homeless people would be affected by the two-day sweeps in a neighborhood of expensive high rises near the center of Waikiki, just steps from the Pacific Ocean” (CBS News). This doesn’t provide a solution to homelessness; it only moves the homeless to a different area. It seems that our actions are aimed towards keeping the homeless in the situation they are in, not towards helping to get them out of it.

Ronald Davis is a good example of someone who is caught in the horrible cycle of homelessness.

Davis. A homeless man stuck on the streets of Chicago, was interviewed by the YouTube channel “DjOnlineTv.” During his interview, he redundantly used the word “humiliated” to describe how it feels to be in his situation. To be specific, he said, “It’s really humiliating to be shaking a cup twenty-four hours a day. I’ve had people walk past me and say ‘Get a job, bum’” (James).

This statement makes it clear that we jump to the conclusion that these unfortunate people would rather panhandle than look for a job because they are merely lazy people. As Davis explained in the beginning of the interview, this is definitely not the case. They panhandle because no employers will hire them. In the words of Davis, “I fill out an application for a job, they look at me and I’m not looking presentable so they say ‘Well, we’ll call you. Leave a number.’ But how can I leave a number when I don’t have a phone?” (James). As people who have been blessed with the privilege to be able to sleep with a roof over our heads every night, we should not be so quick to make assumptions about things that we don’t completely understand. The homeless are simply unfortunate. There are many ways to end up homeless, none of which include volunteering for it.

This is a cycle that cannot be broken until we make an attempt to end it. This requires time, effort, love, and patience. However, it is far from impossible. In saying this, I am not proposing that we simply hand unearned things to the people in this situation, but instead make an effort to help them get back on their feet. After all, we would appreciate someone helping us to get back on our feet if we were placed in that situation. The plan is far from being finalized, but there is one approach we could potentially take in making homelessness a part of history, meaning putting it in the past and keeping it there. Like all things, it has to start out as something, even if that something is small, in order to make a noticeable impact on the world. Being the younger generation, we have a whole lifetime to work towards ending this epidemic.

This approach would start with raising money. We have a variety of different opportunities to raise money, from small things like bake sales and car washes to even bigger things, such as networking and getting our proposals known through social media and magazines. Accounts could be made on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Tumblr with a description of our goal, contact information, and directions as to how donations of time and money could be made.

After we have a fund saved up, we would put it towards building and maintaining safe houses in a variety of places across the world: priority going to the places with the largest homeless populations. These safe houses would be used to take homeless people in and get them healthy enough to perform a variety of different tasks. Once they are healthy, we would begin the process of helping them apply to a variety of different jobs. Ultimately, we’d work to make sure they have a job with an income that ensured they would never again live without a place to stay 26

and without food in their stomachs. Ideally, once the foundation becomes worldwide and known by many, big business and corporations could contribute through donations or sponsorship.

To go more into depth on that idea, I’ll give you a description of what the process would like once that point in time is reached. Similar to how homeless people know where all of the shelters are, they would ideally know where our safe houses are as well. Any homeless person would be welcome to walk in to our office at any time, where they would be greeted with a hot plate and loving arms. Clothes, necessities for hygiene, and a room would be provided for them.

After they are cleaned up and settled in, paperwork would then be filled out in order to get them into our computer database. This database would keep track of their personal records, their work resume, how many jobs they’ve applied to, and more. When it comes time to apply for jobs, we would walk them through the process step by step and answer any questions they may have.

These people would also have an advantage at getting accepted for these jobs due to the fact that they would be applying through our program, as the employers would be working with our group of volunteers to decrease the homeless population.

Once the homeless people whom with we are working get accepted for a job, we would continue to provide housing and food for them until they have enough saved up to pay for those things on their own. Financial tips would also be provided to ensure that they stay on good financial terms.

After they have saved up enough money, a monthly meeting would be scheduled for them to come in and discuss how they are doing in terms of their job and personal lives. Ideally, once the foundation is well known, we could get in contact with multiple CEOs from multi-million dollar companies in order to arrange job spots for the people with whom we are working. As for the homeless people that come in with an unfixable mental or physical problem, we would provide for them in any way they need, just so long as they don’t cause any unnecessary problems.

We spend our whole lives putting ourselves through all kinds of stress in order to stay out of the situation that homeless man is stuck in. Starting at the age of five, we dedicate five of the seven days in our week to school. After the twelve years required by the government, most of us choose to continue our education. The choice to continue our educational journey isn’t sparked by our thirst for education, but is instead sparked by a fear of having no money. After we receive that sought-after degree, we spend the rest of our lives stressing ourselves out at work in order to ensure a retirement fund. We spend our whole lives trying to avoid the only life that homeless people know. Yet, we still fail to even consider helping them out of the heavy burden they feel every waking moment of their dark and empty lives. Take this into consideration, as we should strive to be the generation that ends homelessness in America.

WORKS CITED CBS News. “Homeless Camp ‘swept’ in Hawai’i is One of Nation's Largest." CBS Interactive, 13 Feb. 2015. Web. 07 Nov. 2015.

Covert, Bryce. "More Than 600,000 Americans Are Homeless On Any Given Night."

ThinkProgress, 22 Nov. 2013. Web. 07 Nov. 2015.

James, David. "Homeless Man Ronald Davis Emotional Story Called a Bum, Cries ..." YouTube, 09 Oct. 2011. Web. 07 Nov. 2015.

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Autonomous Vehicles: The Financial and Ethical Impact of Robot Chauffeurs

By Robert E. Matthews A technological revolution of great magnitude is fast approaching the modern world. This revolutionary tech is viewed as “futuristic� and intangible by many, and most people do not realize that this technology is already being used. The truth is, autonomous vehicles (otherwise known as self-driving vehicles) are being developed by major corporations and will be available as early as 2020. Some people are very excited, being that this is a new form of personal transportation that will allow drivers to use the valuable time they put into focusing on the road to more meaningful tasks. Others are skeptical, worrying that putting lives into the hands of robots is too great a risk, and that there will be big problems when using these cars in the real word. As this technology is primitive and in beta tests, many of the long-term effects associated with this new method of transportation will be unknown until the vehicles are used by many people. How will these cars affect traffic? Will we be able to sleep or read while the car drives?

Who will be liable in an accident?

These are some of the many important questions that we cannot answer in the preliminary testing of these vehicles. If this transportation technology is as important as the invention of the train, airplane, or gas-powered motor vehicle, we can expect major social, economic, and political changes to come. While there are many unanswerable questions of larger magnitude, certain outcomes can be predicted with current tests and statistics, and systems and legislation can be created to integrate these vehicles into society.

Autonomous vehicles create moral and financial nuances within our current philosophy and legislation. Although rare, autonomous vehicles will get into traffic accidents, and in the event of a fatality, the user of the car is most likely not liable yet a moral burden will haunt them for simply being involved. When it comes to the financial burden of an accident, a single-payer nationalized insurance policy with a no-fault system would be the easiest to implement and regulate. It may be difficult to find the best ways to rationalize a fatality or nationalize the car insurance industry; however, these are the most logical solutions to the issues that arise.

An autonomous vehicle (AV) is one where the vehicle itself has some degree of control of its actions. The computer in these cars generally scans the environment around it with lasers or sonar, and can do anything from correct the movement of the car to avoid drifting lanes to taking complete control of navigating the car from point A to point B. Vehicle automation can vary based on how advanced the technology in the car is, prompting several degrees of freedom defined by the Department of Transportation. They are as follows: “Level 1: Function-Specific Automation - This includes at least one standard safety feature, like electronic stability control, available in cars today.

Level 2: Combined Function Automation - A car integrates at least two primary control functions, as with Mercedes Distronic Plus with Steering Assist.

Level 3: Limited Self-Driving Automation - Like the Google car, the vehicle drives under certain traffic conditions and occasionally hands back control.

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Level 4: Full Self-Driving Automation - This is basically KITT from the TV series Knight Rider. The driver isn't expected to be in control at any time” (Fisher 60).

AVs on the market today are generally classified as Level 2, for the ability to stop the car if a head-on collision is imminent and stability control to prevent lane drifting. However, companies like Google and Tesla have steadily advanced the technology necessary to achieve a third degree of freedom, where the vehicle may drive the user in specific areas. The technology necessary for this is called LIDAR, or light detection and ranging. This device is currently roof-mounted and “probes 360 degrees with 64 laser beams, taking more than a million measurements per second.

This data forms a high-resolution map (accurate to about 11 cm) of the car's surroundings” (Fisher 57). Because of this, the vehicle can create a 3D image of the world around it extremely quickly, showing every detail, whether people, cars, buildings, or trees. This allows the vehicle, in conjunction with GPS navigation, to follow roadways with extreme precision.

While the technology involved is certainly advanced, the question remains whether these cars are safe or not. Self-driving cars have been implemented since 1970, but only recently have they been so heavily researched, with Google beginning an advanced program in 2009 (Fisher 56-58).

Google has been testing these vehicles on public roadways from the time they released the first prototype, so surely there must be some data concerning their performance.

Let us start by addressing cars with zero degrees of freedom, or simply regular vehicles that a driver operates completely: “In 2011, 29,867 fatal motor vehicle crashes in the United States resulted in 32,479 deaths. Roughly 15 of every 100,000 licensed drivers died in a car accident in 2011. Some form of human error causes approximately 95% of all car accidents” (qtd, in Schroll, 804). Statistical data can also show the approximate distance a person may travel in a vehicle until an accident occurs: “Human drivers get into an accident of one sort or another an average of once every 500,000 miles in the U.S. Accidents that cause injuries are even rarer, occurring about once every 1.3 million miles. And a fatality? Every 90 million miles” (Fisher 58). A large number of accidents and deaths related to vehicles is only expected, as these machines travel at very high speeds. “Human error causing 95% of these accidents” refers to falling asleep at the wheel, speeding, tailgating, et cetera, while non-human error refers to vehicle malfunction.

Where human error is such a great source of accidents, one can only expect that a machine that never gets tired, stressed, or careless would improve the chance of survival. Google itself predicted that 90% of accidents could be avoided by the AVs they were researching (Schroll, 805). When the data came in from Google’s beta testing, over 500,000 miles were driven by the AVs, and not a single accident occurred.

Already in the beta tests, we are finding that the AVs are outperforming humans and avoiding accidents. But as with all technology, there are sometimes technical malfunctions that prevent the system from operating correctly. In this event, Google’s AVs alert the driver that there is an issue, at which point the driver takes control. Google reported that these vehicles can “travel 36,000 miles before making a mistake severe enough to require driver intervention,” at which point the car alerts the driver anywhere from 10 to 20 seconds before there is potential for an accident (Fisher 57-58). Even if this is the case, there is not necessarily an imminent threat, as the computer may simply mistake a mailbox for a child and want to prevent an accident if a child 29

ran into the street. It is clear that thus far, these AVs are extremely advanced and capable of outperforming a human.

But what if these vehicles do end up in an accident? Take, for instance, a situation where a vehicle with a human driver makes a human error and crashes into an AV, or if a child that is behind a car runs into the road and the car cannot stop in time. These situations raise important ethical questions. Who would be liable in this situation, and who would pay for a totaled car or the death of a pedestrian? A death directly caused by human negligence or purpose can be considered some degree of murder. On the other hand, a person may be charged with manslaughter, where they were not purposefully or knowingly putting someone's life at risk but a death occurred regardless due to their actions. Murder typically results in incarceration, while manslaughter results in a large fine.

One can say that it is morally wrong to kill another human being, whether intentionally or not.

When one human kills another knowingly, it is considered a deviant act that they are punished for. When one human kills another unknowingly in a manner that they could not prevent, it is considered morally bad; however, there were no actions that could have been taken to prevent the death. When this happens, the offender usually pays some sort of reparation to the family of the victim and lives with the guilt that they have done such a thing. But in the case of an AV, there is no human error, only human risk.

The greatest statement that can be made on this matter is that whenever a person drives a car, there is always risk of an unforeseen and unavoidable death, such as a child running into the street from behind a car. This is the risk we take when driving a car, and no matter what we do, this risk cannot be avoided. Hevelke and Nida-Rumelin suggest two possible scenarios explaining who is at moral fault in these situations. Scenario A is a collective idea where all people using these types of cars are responsible for taking the risk of driving a car, and must all share the burden (Hevelke & Nida-Rumelin 626). Scenario B is the opposite idea where the individual using the AVs is blamed for killing a person, as they have the “moral bad luck,� in which case they would have the burden (Hevelke & Nida-Rumelin 627). Such an event is a terrible situation that could happen with or without AVs. The complications that AVs bring, however, are obviously not easy to address. The fact that AVs are projected to eliminate human error accidents by 90% shows that there are benefits of these vehicles that transcend the moral dilemma created by such freak accidents. Furthermore, if such an accident were to occur, it would likely be in a residential area where pedestrians are not taking extra precautions to avoid being hit by a car, especially children. The current legislation only permits AVs to be automated in non-residential areas, forcing the driver to take the wheel. If such a tragedy were to occur, it would be at the expense of the driver who should be going extra slow and driving extra carefully. Although they are not morally wrong if they were going the appropriate speed and following all rules, the blame would still be on them.

In a situation where this happens in a nonresidential area and the AV is control of the car, scenario A would be the most appropriate answer to this ethical conundrum. It is illogical to place the burden on one person who is not expected to be vigilant while the car does all of the work. That individual would have no effect on the outcome of such a freak accident and could 30

not prevent it even if they were fully aware as the car drove. The social contract would have every individual taking the risk of using an AV at fault, along with the state that allows it and the manufacturer that produces it. In an increasingly technological world where machines and robots have great control of our lives, we will be facing more and more of these problems in the future.

Although it may be comforting for a loved one of a person killed in an automated accident to have someone to point the finger at and say “You did this,” it is simply impractical and useless.

The person using the automated vehicle would surely feel some remorse in being involved in the situation, but no one is directly responsible for this type of accident. In this case, all would be liable and share the financial burden; however, only one would share the moral burden.

In the case of such accidents with modern vehicles, we are required to purchase insurance for our cars in case we get into an accident and cause property and personal damage. In the case of an accident, whoever is at fault usually compensates the other driver and themselves with their insurance, in return making the insurance cost go up. Some states have a no-fault system where no party is considered at fault, and each person involved pays for their own expenses with their own insurance. When it comes to rented cars, “Congress passed the Graves Amendment for the purpose of shielding rental car companies from liability” (Schroll, 10). Most states do not have a no-fault system, so the current system depends on the party that made human error and caused the accident. When we introduce AVs to the picture, we have parties who do not contribute.

Although these vehicles are not likely to be in many accidents, it is possible and will happen.

In the case where an accident is caused by a human driver, the driver would be at fault. If, however, the AV malfunctions and causes an accident, there is no clear way to determine who to fine for damages. Some propose that the manufacturers of the AV must claim liability and pay for damages. But however unlikely these types of accidents will be, unless there is a production error with the car, it is not the manufacturer’s fault. Just as Hevelke and Nida-Rumelin proposed that all parties taking the risk of driving and autonomous vehicles should be liable, Schroll also suggests that all drivers be liable in the case of an AV-caused accident.

Just as FICA collects money from all citizens’ paychecks to pay for Social Security and Medicare, Schroll proposes that we have a “Federally Run National Car Insurance Plan” (822).

Schroll proposes that this system work similarly to the way current private insurers charge their customers, with people who have been in more accidents and who use the AV more frequently paying in more (823). It is also proposed that the manufacturers pay into this insurance pool, with companies whose AVs are in more accidents paying more (Schroll, 823). This would be a no-fault system in cases where two AVs are in an accident with each other, so that no individual party is liable. To make a claim, a person would simply have to present their accident to the department, which in turn would issue out money based on legitimacy and severity.

The alternatives proposed to a Federal Insurance Program are state and private insurers. The problem with these systems are, firstly, that paying into these plans would be much greater than a federal -run program that pools in much more people than the states or private businesses.

Additionally, private plans are for-profit companies that would increase price to satisfy profit.

Although we have seen major restraints in nationalizing health insurance with Obamacare, there is likely no better alternative to a federal system.

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As a first world country that is constantly developing new technologies that will improve life, our culture and legal system must be constantly adapting to allow the greatest opportunity and ease for all of its citizens. The prospect of a national car insurance system that would eliminate private insurance companies may scare some, but we must not inhibit this new technology. The prospect of autonomous cars will have significant impacts on our culture and economy, and we must allow this mode of transportation to thrive in order to feel the full effects of it. Google has already gone to Congress to pass legislation allowing self-driving cars on public roads, and as the technology improves and more people own an AV, the need for a federal program will only grow.

Autonomous vehicles are fast approaching, and we have not figured out many of the implications they will bring. As the technology grows and they become more available for the public, we will slowly see big questions being answered with regard the social, economic, and political effects they will have. While we wait for our robot car to drive us around, we can speculate the philosophical and liability concerns we may have with these vehicles. When considering accidents involving autonomous vehicles, it is clear that our insurance system must be changed in order to allow each user and citizen a fair burden. Although accidents where AVs are the cause will be rare, we must accept that the person driving the car is not at fault. Just as there is a risk we take by stepping into a vehicle with the possibility to kill, we should all accept that AVs are a risk that we all take and all have a share in the burden of their flaws.

WORKS CITED Fisher, Adam. "Traffic Pattern." Popular Science 283.4 (2013): 54-62. Academic Search Complete. Web. 18 Nov. 2015.

Hevelke, Alexander, and Julian Nida-RĂźmelin. "Responsibility for Crashes of Autonomous Vehicles: An Ethical Analysis." Science & Engineering Ethics 21.3 (2015): 619-630.

Academic Search Complete. Web. 19 Nov. 2015.

Schroll, Carrie. "Splitting the Bill: Creating a National Car Insurance Fund to Pay for Accidents in Autonomous Vehicles." Northwestern University Law Review 109.3 (2015): 803-833.

Academic Search Complete. Web. 19 Nov. 2015.

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The Unfulfilled Duty of U.S. Citizens: The Need for Civics Education

By Brandon Saliba Throughout its existence, the United States has been a country dependent on its citizens to construct a government that isn’t tyrannical, but instead designed to have the people’s voice heard. As time has gone by, from the Revolutionary War to the Civil War, even all the way to September 11, 2001, the involvement and knowledge of U.S. citizens has slowly diminished over time. By not becoming more involved with our government, we take the risk of allowing corrupt politicians and legislators to do as they please, which might lead to a decline in the United States’ economy as well as an attack on our freedoms our forefathers constructed for us. To be able to fully understand and be aware of what’s going on in our government, more classes that have a main focus on purely U.S. government need to be put into every school, including elementary, middle, and high schools.

By not being intelligent and well aware of the bills and laws the government discusses and passes, citizens leave themselves blind to the acts they may not want to happen. For example, in 2013 the U.S. government experienced a shutdown. For many, this governmental shutdown meant the government stopped working; however, they do not know why this happened. By creating a gap in the funding granted by the legislative branch, Senators and House members could not create nor pass any bills until an agreement on the federal budget was concluded. This didn’t only mean that no bills could be proposed; it also meant that every item in the federal budget was affected in some way. In this way, the government took away money from Social Security, military funding, education, health care, and much more. Along with these departments not getting funding, people who worked for the government – like post office workers – also experienced temporary unemployment during a government shutdown. When people don’t know what the shutdown does, they just let it happen and allow Congress to keep on arguing until a resolution is reached.

How might we be able to change the knowledge citizens have of their government? One key issue is that in the U.S. education system, many students only take one class that focuses on the U.S. government. In college, this may be the same case, but depends on what major an individual is under. By implementing more classes about how the government works in elementary and high schools, citizens before the legal voting age will have a helpful amount of knowledge about what rules the government has to abide by and what citizens can do to contribute to their nation.

By adding at least one government class in elementary school, one class in intermediate school, and another class in high school, knowledge and facts about our government will be instilled in the minds of our nation’s future citizens to the point where they won’t be able to forget. In most areas today, no classes about our government are taken in either elementary or intermediate schools, and often only one class is mandatory in high school.

By studying learning curves, it is proven that a person with more exposure to a topic will gain greater understanding and memory of the concepts that are being learned. By not regularly reinforcing how our government works, the amount that students remember is significantly lower than if they were to have studied them for an additional year or so. With at least three years of the same subject being taught to them, their capability of remembering and understanding 33

increases significantly. Yes, some might say that children won’t be able to understand every single part of the government thoroughly because their minds are still maturing; however, the level of rigor can be sufficiently adjusted for younger students.

For the elementary level, the pure basics of the government can be discussed, like the three branches of government and a summary of what the Constitution says. Then, to build on that prior knowledge, intermediate schools can go into more depth of what each branch of government is responsible for and more closely examine the Bill of Rights. From there, the almost mature minds of older students will be able to study the more detailed parts of government, like Supreme Court rulings, the clauses of each amendment to the Constitution, and more about the political ideologies that are prevalent in Congress. Instead of rushing all of this knowledge into one year for students to try to remember, the more sufficient and benevolent way would be to spread out the knowledge reasonably.

Some might say the U.S. education system does, in fact, teach about government in elementary and intermediate schools, but the dilemma is that the teaching isn’t primarily focused on teaching students about the government. For example, in elementary school, fifth and sixth graders learn about the American Revolution. They learn about how Britain’s unfair taxes and tyrannical power over the American colonies was the main reason our forefathers created their own nation.

Almost every elementary student learns the difference between U.S. government and British Parliament. Yes, they do learn that America’s government is a democracy, but what they don’t understand is what makes America a democracy. Students might learn about how we have three branches of government and how there is “no taxation without representation,” but they don’t learn anything else about our government. By focusing more on the specific details of the government, such as how every citizen is represented in Congress or how representation works, a greater understanding of the quote “no taxation without representation” becomes clearer and a more accurate understanding of how government works also occurs.

In intermediate school, the same thing takes place. Students learn about the American Revolution and the Civil War and only scratch the surface of how U.S government works in either topic.

Yes, seventh and eighth graders might learn about how the branches have a system of checks and balances, but what they don’t understand is what separate powers each branch has that allows checks and balances to work. If the subject of checks and balances were discussed further in the classroom, students would better understand what powers the President has to put Congress in check, what powers Congress has to put the Supreme Court in check, and so forth. Students will also be able to visualize how vetoes and majority rule places a balance of power between all three branches of government.

Our founding fathers summarized the way our country should function for its people: “That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among men, deriving their powers from the governed… that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness” (“Our Turning Point”). If it is our duty to let our government know what it is that we need, how do we do so if we’re uninformed on the subject? Instead of relying on our public officials and government legislators to tell us what we need to do to fix our 34

country, why don’t we do what our founding fathers did hundreds of years ago and play an active role in what it is our government does? By registering to vote, watching presidential debates, watching presidential campaigns, or basically becoming active in our government, we will be able to fulfill our duties as American citizens. The first step in this process is through education.

Adding more concentrated learning about all throughout elementary, intermediate, and high school will help each and every individual to have the capability of playing an active role in their government.

America is defined by its people, so we must make our voices heard; the only way to do that is to be able to play a significant role in our democracy. It’s time to make the United States a place where the people are in charge of the government and not a place where the government is in charge of the people.

WORKS CITED Our Turning Point. “What did the Founding Fathers want for America?” http://www.ourtp.org/blogs/blog/our-turning-point/personalresponsibility/2012/03/17/what-did-the-founding-fathers-want-for-america. October 2015. Web.

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Animal Abuse as Viewed in the Media

By Cassie Williamson When an American hunter, Walter Palmer, killed a very well-known lion in Zimbabwe, it caused a lot of controversy. Palmer received hate from people all over the world through the internet, but not all of those criticizing him were worked up about the dead lion. In fact, a large majority of these negative tweets and posts were complaining about the publicity it received (“American Hunter”). People were upset that the media was broadcasting news about an animal, because they felt that this meant that the human issues were not considered as important.

Multiple memes comparing the death of the lion to humans who had recently died surfaced all over. One popular meme, shown below, shows hatred toward the media for publicizing the lion’s death instead of Sam Dubose’s murder (Brown). The media was not attempting to take away sympathy from Dubose’s family, but rather was putting light on another issue that affected people in the same manner. What some people fail to see is that all issues matter. Animals deserve the same amount of sympathy that we humans receive, and by focusing on animals in the media, it is not saying that we must sympathize for one over the other.

Animal abuse and cruelty happens every day all over the world. Tremendous amounts of cases are reported yearly, but an even more shocking number goes unrecognized. Approximately 1 million animals are abused or killed, and 7.6 million are euthanized in shelters yearly in the United States alone (“8 Important Facts” 1). These cases are frequently overlooked by the media because they choose to focus the attention more on human issues. Human interactions are looked at as more important than animals, so the media runs stories on murder or drugs instead of the endless cruelty toward animals.

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It is a common misconception that we have to care for either humans or animals, as if it is impossible to be affectionate for both at the same time. People often make the mistake of believing that if a person cares greatly about animals, then that must mean they do not care as much for humans. However, this is not the case. Media needs to stop presenting concern for animals as opposite of concern for people, because cruelty to animals predicts cruelty to people.

Animal abuse has been proven to have a connection with other violent crimes such as homicide.

Studies show that 70% of animal abusers have been charged for a multitude of other crimes (“Animal Abuse is a People Problem” 1). Many people who abuse animals turn out to have psychiatric problems and are at higher risk of becoming serial killers or sociopaths. Deb Teachout states, “It used to be that violence towards animals was viewed separately from other forms of violence, but in the last two decades the interest in relationships between animal abuse and violent behavior in humans has created a growing and compelling body of research that confirms animal abuse as a predictor and indicator for future violent acts towards humans, especially spouse, child, and elder abuse” (Teachout 23).

Acts of animal cruelty committed by youths are no longer considered a benign stage of growing up but instead are regarded as indicators of conduct disorder requiring early intervention by mental health and social service professionals. A widely accepted concept termed “The Link” states that “people are at risk when animals are abused and animals are at risk when people are abused” (Teachout 23). By catching the signs of emotional instability early with animal abusers, we might prevent a multitude of other crimes in the future. Therefore, by looking at animal abuse cases and increasing punishments for animal cruelty, we are looking to decrease the crime rates against humans as well.

Although some countries such as Canada are pushing for more strict consequences to those who abuse animals (Slobodian), it is a battle to make people understand the importance of these laws.

Many citizens are outraged that laws about animal abuse are a priority because they believe human issues need to be resolved first before we even think about animals. What many people fail to comprehend is that by focusing on animals, society is not saying people are less important.

In fact, enforcing these laws is meant to benefit human safety by catching people who are capable of causing harm before they move on to hurt citizens.

These animals can’t speak up for themselves, so they need our help to put an end to the suffering they are faced with. Oftentimes, pet owners who abuse their animals get away with minimum punishment for the harsh cruelty they put these innocent animals through. In many cases, charges are as little as $1000, or even just a small number of community service hours (“98 Important Facts” 1). The injustice when abusive pet owners are let off this easily is absurd. The small punishment is like a slap on the wrist compared to the punishment implemented for the same actions on a human. It is implying that animals are not nearly as important as humans, since abuse or murder of a human would likely result in life in prison. Malicious acts should be taken seriously no matter the species. These poor animals deserve justice and to be acknowledged for what they have been through.

It is okay to love both people and animals. One does not have to come before the other in importance, but we must act as though they both have problems that need to be resolved. The 37

importance of the media publicizing both animal and human issues needs to be pushed in order to demonstrate all issues are linked, and by addressing one, we are able to address a great number other issues. Caring for animals such as Cecil the lion does not need to take away sympathy for humans, and this needs to be understood in order for the conditions of all living species to improve.

WORKS CITED "American Hunter Kills Famous Zimbabwe Lion." Al Jazeera. N.p., 29 July 2015. Web. 7 Oct. 2015.

"Animal Abuse is a People Problem." The Official Blog of Rescue Ink. Rescue Ink, 23 Feb. 2013. Web. 08 Oct. 2015.

Brown, Kimberly. “Justice for Sam Dubose." Pinterest. 05 Aug. 2015. Web. 07 Oct. 2015.

Slobodian, Linda. "Catch 'Em Early." Alberta Report / Newsmagazine 26.6 (1999): 8. Academic Search Complete. Web. 13 Nov. 2015.

Teachout, Deb. "The Link Between Animal Cruelty And Interpersonal Violence." Journal of Wildlife Rehabilitation 35.2 (2015): 23-24. Academic Search Complete. Web. 13 Nov. 2015.

"98 Important Facts About . . ." 98 Important Facts about Animal Cruelty. N.p., 23 Apr. 2013.

Web. 08 Oct. 2015.

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exploring cultures and subcultures

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The Truth Behind Cockfighting

By Nakoa Gabriel As we enter the compound, our car is asked to stop by an enforcer, a heavy-set muscular foot soldier. Upon handing over our “parking fee” of $10 a head, the worker points us into the direction of the parking lot. We wedge our small Toyota between two trucks as the red dirt gusts with our arrival. We leave the comfort of our car and walk with anticipation to the coliseum.

Screams of pure adrenaline are growing louder and louder. One man is yelling, “Come on, boy!

Watch out! Get outta there!” We are 20 feet away from the pit, at least eight people deep, and all are packed like sardines trying to gain a glimpse of the spectacle. A sliver of black catches the corner of my eye. “Feds! Feds!” The crowd empties within seconds, but no one is escaping today. The entire area is surrounded, and guns are aimed at us!

Cockfighting, in the simplest form, is a duel between two roosters (male chickens), both of which have knives attached to their legs. Two warriors enter the ring, and only one will leave alive. This bloody sport was once popular in the islands of Hawai’i. Thus, a question arises: Should cockfighting be legalized in Hawai’i today? The main argument against cockfighting, as stated by animal rights activists, is the animal cruelty aspect as well as the violence. It affects the chickens, which are killed or mortally wounded during the fight, but also the humans watching.

Psychologists like Melody Molina often believe that humans can grow numb to violence, creating sadistic monsters (Molina 1). Legalized cockfighting would also introduce legalized gambling into Hawai’i, leading to another list of possible problems.

On the other hand, those who support cockfighting claim that caring for their feathered warriors is a passion. Through specialized care, the birds are constantly at their optimal health. Rather than those bred for consumption, roosters bred for fighting, called gamefowl, are rarely sick and are carefully looked after. Also, gambling profits made through hosting such a sport may possibly boost Hawai’i’s economy, bringing in people from all around the world. Roosters in the pit will die a bloody death after being sliced open by their own kind; however, is this worse than being bred purely for the act of being devoured by a human being? What gives us, as humans, the right to kill other living creatures for food? I personally believe that cockfighting is not something that should be forbidden. Throughout this essay, I intend to present evidence to argue against those who oppose the sport, in order to shed light as to why cockfighting is not as horrible as presented in the media.

One argument for the termination of cockfighting that has remained constant over time is the fact that it is a blood sport, and as such is deemed as animal cruelty. David Zarley, a reporter for the well-known news channel Vice, published “Edge of the Pit” in order to learn about the sport of cockfighting. To understand aspects of both sides of the argument, Zarley interviewed John Goodwin, a communications representative of the Humane Society. Goodwin describes the weapons wielded by the birds, saying, “Their wearing gaffs are exactly the same as if I were to drive a nail through a living rooster” (Zarley 10). The birds will continue to stab each other with these gaffs, short knives, or razors forged from steel that are tied to a leg, until one rooster is unable to continue or refuses to peck back. Such a barbaric scene is something many people only think of seeing in movies or hear about in fiction novels.

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A prime example of the mass violence that cockfighting can produce is seen in Andrew Lawler’s article “Birdmen.” Lawler, a reporter for Slate, wrote this article to give insight about the largest cockfighting tournament, the “Slasher Cup”: This tournament is a “five-day series of 648 matches held in a coliseum … 30 feet high able to seat 20,000” (Lawler 1). The spectacle is completely legal within the Philippines, bearing no punishment to those that enter the tournament (even if they are legal citizens of the U.S.). In the Philippines, cockfighting is considered a legitimate sport like any other; locals are even capable of watching the tournament progress at home on their television. Each entry will fight eight roosters, the winner being the entry that finishes with the best record. If multiple entries end with perfect scores, the prize money will be split. Fighters from all over the world will gather to enter the tournament in hopes of being crowned the victor and taking home a cash prize of over a million dollars. Such an event is the pinnacle of professional cockfighting, where at least 600 roosters will lose their lives in the course of just five days (Lawler 1).

The Slasher Cup is a perfect example of how viewpoints of cockfighting can be misconstrued.

Outsiders will see this occurring and be horrified that such a tournament even exists. On the other side, the locals anticipate the tournament all year around, doing everything to prepare prior to the tournament.

To convey the support that many common people feel towards cockfighting, a survey was conducted under the leadership of Melody Molina, Hiroko Arikawa, and Donald I. Templar, entitled, “Approval Versus Disapproval of Dogfighting and Cockfighting Amongst College Students.” Students were shown a video clip of two roosters fighting to the death and asked to rate how much they disagreed or agreed with the video. The study revealed that at least 90% of the students had some disagreement with the content of the video, whereas 10% agreed slightly or wholeheartedly with the content. This experiment shows the common trend is to consider the sport as being “cruel.” Many people will disagree with it because they have a skewed outsider’s view of the sport. For instance, if your only experience of law enforcement is police brutality on innocent citizens, as a result you will fear law enforcement. The same concept applies to cockfighting in that if all people are seeing is the bloody fight, they will have a biased view on the sport as a whole. The public relations manager of the United Gamefowl Breeders Association rebuts the common assumption that cockfighting is all about blood and violence: I say that anybody who raises chickens for blood lust is a fool. It takes so much time, so much money, and so much energy to raise gamefowl, if you were into blood lust, you’d take up a sport that’d be a lot easier to do that…or get a job at the slaughterhouse. If you like to see blood fly, go down and get a job cutting the heads off chickens or shooting cattle in the head… the old saw that it’s all about blood lust is just ridiculous. (Zarley 7) Zarley, along with other fellow gamefowl enthusiasts, commends the care that handlers have for their roosters. In the process of preparing for a fight, handlers will ensure that the diet of their roosters is premium, going so far as to feed them fresh fruits and vegetables.

Training is another aspect key to “putting up” the gamefowl prior to the big fight. Kathryn M. Young published a Law and Society article in which she befriended cockfighters of Hawai’i and joined them in their fights. One training method described by Young is the “sparring sessions in which rubber gloves were placed over the spurs so as not to hurt each other but teach, similar to 41

boxers using headgear” (Young). Young goes on to describe the process of finding a fight, stating: “If a man wants to fight his rooster, he takes it to the betting table and announces the bird’s weight. A difference of more than two ounces between roosters is considered to give the heavier bird an unfair advantage. Fighters inspect each other’s birds and speculate aloud about the animals’ strengths and weaknesses” (Young 9).

These are just a few examples of the meticulous details that cockfighters look for in order to ensure the best results for their fowl. The stereotypical cockfighter is a savage man who forces his rooster to kill another, but as you can see, that is completely flipped. The cockfighter will look after his fowl as something very precious. In a match, you would never just fight the birds to fight them; each bird is matched fairly according to their height and weight.

A great magnitude of violence will surely have effects on the people who handle these aggressive warriors. This is another serious argument that arises when the issue of cockfighting is introduced. When one entrenches oneself into the sport of cockfighting, does it alter one’s tolerance of gore? Many people will argue that it does, and in many instances, they are correct. It is easily comparable to a soldier who has served a tour in the army; a cockfighter, too, has experienced violence beyond comprehension. As a result, it changes them.

To further add to this conflict, many spectators will often bring their children to these fights.

Deborah Kennedy, a journalist for Salon, wrote “Why Cockfighting Persists” and discusses the first time her father brought her to a fight, stating, “I was only 6 years old … two roosters were released onto a patch of dirt, and they went at each other feathers flying … clawed feet poised to strike” (Kennedy). This chilling statement brings to light the fact that this is happening in today’s society. Bringing a young, innocent child to witness two roosters bloodying one another is not something many normal humans being would willingly do. Many people are afraid that with the legalization of cockfighting will come generations of insensitive sadistic monsters who take pleasure in watching animal life being taken. Deborah Kennedy is a perfect example of the effect cockfighting can have on a child. Now a grown adult, she clearly recalls the events that occurred on that day.

To counter this argument, cockers make the valid claim that many of today’s sports bear similar violent tendencies but are viewed as acceptable. A common comparison is that of cockfighting to mixed martial arts (MMA). Many famous MMA organizations such as UFC, Pride, and Bellator glorify martial artists for their ability to knock out or submit their opponent in a caged ring.

Many fights will often leave the combatants with bloodied faces, bruised flesh, and broken/dislocated bones. Yet, these athletes are considered celebrities, leading to a curious question. If people, especially children, are viewing these fighters as celebrities, aren’t we—as a society—promoting violence?

Another sport that is legal within the United States is falconry, “the act of releasing a hawk on another bird, or an animal of prey, to have them catch it, maim it, kill it” (Zarley 6). In the case of falconry, the prey has zero chance of survival. It is common knowledge that a hawk can dispatch a field mouse with ease, whereas in cockfighting, both roosters are “equally matched, as far as weapons, weight, and age, and both are equally willing to engage in the fight … when a rooster refuses to fight, they end the battle, so he’s not continuously harassed” (Zarley 6). The 42

idea that cockfighting will breed violent human tendencies is irrelevant. With today’s standards, particularly in sports, violence is everywhere. As proven, many completely legal sports are just as violent as cockfighting.

The key aspect of cockfighting that many lawmakers are especially apprehensive about is the risk of introducing other criminal activity, such as racketeering, murder, and drug distribution. In a local article written by news reporter Leo Azambuja and entitled “Rooster Days: Kill or be Killed,” Azambuja interviews local residents of Kauai who deal with the problem of cockfighting on a daily basis. The Kauai police department reported that “firearms and other weapons are common at cockfights mainly because of the large amounts of cash present … there is documentation suggesting a strong connection between cockfighting and the illegal distribution of drugs” (Azambuja par 14).

However, if the state takes time to instill strict laws and guidelines that ensure no such problems, the sport could be a very powerful tool in aiding the economy, especially with heavy taxation. As mentioned in previous paragraphs, the Slasher Cup is the “world series” (Lawler 2) of cockfighting, held annually in the Philippines. It attracts fighters from across the world where “to enter a single bird costs $1,750” (Lawler 2). A certain undisclosed amount, of course, is taken from this entry fee as a tax given back to the government. Along with this cost, those visiting the Philippines for the tournament must also pay for their flights, housing, and food, all of which contribute to the country’s economy. If Hawai’i legalized the sport, it could just as easily attract more tourists, giving the economy a significant boost to its already booming tourist industry.

Furthermore, today’s popular sports, like football and horse racing, are already being heavily betted on. One example are websites we see advertised on television, such as “Fan Duel,” that allow users to create fantasy sports teams, using real American dollars to bet on the outcome.

Lawmakers fear the outcome of legalizing gambling in Hawai’i; however, laws are easily bypassed and gambling already occurs frequently today.

Born and raised on the island, I have had many firsthand experiences involving cockfighting, which gave me the desire to write this paper. People that argue against its existence most likely are not properly informed about the history of this glorious sport and the work that is put into its continuation by people like myself. Gamefowl are not like their chicken counterparts raised for food; they are beautiful, powerful avian that stand proud. Breeders across the nation have spent decades—even generations—in perfecting their own lineage of gamefowl, known as bloodlines.

The birds that are fighting in the pits of Hawai’i today can easily be traced back to bloodlines that were shipped here from states like Utah or Oklahoma over 60 to 70 years ago.

People will always claim that animals have rights, and that fighting them is cruel. But when a rooster hears or sees another rooster on its territory, both roosters will come together and clash until one is dead or runs away. On several occasions, I have had a rooster break free from its cage, only to walk over 100 yards to fight another bird in a cage. The rooster is not forced to fight. Instead, he will eagerly pursue the challenger over great distances, and do battle until its last breath.

A statistic from the United Poultry Concerns Organization states that “50 billion chickens are 43

slaughtered every year” (UPC 3). Chickens in the poultry industry are “raised in darkness and kept on semi-starvation diet to reduce the mating infirmities caused by force breeding for meat to grow too large too fast” (UPC 1). The roosters used for fighting are fed a rich diet of different grains to complement their muscle structure, whereas poultry birds are barely fed. Fighting chickens are housed in pens nine feet high with a length and width of seven feet. Unlike eating chickens that are stuffed into tiny cages, gamefowl are capable of walking around, even flying up to high perches. A chicken bred for consumption will live at most for 45 days before it is cultivated for food (UPC 4). A cocker will not fight his bird unless it is at least two years old, in order to ensure it is fully mature and developed. If a rooster wins its fight, it is common practice for cockers to keep the bird to produce more offspring, allowing the rooster to live out its days mating until it dies of old age.

Many people immediately oppose cockfighting because they claim to be animal lovers, yet are okay with eating them. From the perspective of a chicken, I would rather fight for my life in a battle with another, then be born into a life of in a cage where I am predestined to be killed for someone else’s dinner.

In conclusion, I believe I have fully defended the argument that cockfighting should be legalized in Hawai’i. The many arguments that oppose my thesis are wielded by those who are easily persuaded by an outsider’s perspective. All and any opposition to cockfighting can be dispelled after participating firsthand in the sport. Cockfighting could alter the future of Hawai’i’s economy by leaps and bounds, paving the way for an entirely new avenue of tourist attraction.

By physically participating in the sport and watching for oneself the events that unfold, people will see the raw power and honor that these roosters carry with themselves when entering the pit.

Not only should cockfighting be legal, it is what nature intended. It is more natural for a rooster to die by the actions of another rooster, than it is for humans to mass-produce a bird for human consumption. These are the reasons why I believe that cockfighting should be made legal in Hawai’i. It is time for people to understand the reality of the sport for what it is, not just what they hear about in media.

WORKS CITED Azambua, Leo. "Rooster Days: Kill or Be Killed." The Garden Isle. N.p., 12 June 2013. Web. 12 Nov. 2015.

Crews, Ed. "Once Popular and Socially Acceptable: Cockfighting." N.p. Web. 1 Nov. 2015.

Kennedy, Deborah. "Why Cockfighting Persists." Salon. N.p., 22 Jan. 2012. Web. 12 Nov. 2015.

Lawler, Andrew. "Cockfighters Spread the Chicken across the Globe." Slate. N.p., 2 Dec. 2014.

Web. 12 Nov. 2015.

Molina, Melody, Hiroko Arikawa, and Donald Templer. “Approval of Dogfighting and Cockfighting among College Students.” Social Behavior and Personality 41 (2013): 345352. Print.

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United Poultry Concerns (UPC). "United Poultry Concerns." UPC Online., n.d. Web. 12 Oct. 2016.

Young, Kathryn. “Everyone Knows the Game: Legal Consciousness in the Hawaiian Cockfight.”

Law and Society Review 48 (2014): 499-527. Print.

Zarley, B. David. "On the Edge of the Pit: Cockfighting in America." Vice Sports, 11 Mar. 2015.

Web. 13 Oct. 2015.

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What Makes a Hawaiian a Hawaiian?

By Robert Oehler Since the Kingdom of Hawai’i was overthrown in 1893, Native Hawaiians have dreamed of the day they would regain sovereignty over the lands that they once ruled. Native Hawaiian arguments do not focus on when, but rather focus on the more difficult question of “How?” Neither sovereignty movement activists nor the United States government will argue that the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy was moral or just; strategic military importance and commerce have been cited as motivation.

The last official apology by the United States was Joint Resolution 19 in 1993; oddly enough, in 1893, the Blount Report requested by President Grover Cleveland clearly indicated the United States was responsible for the overthrow and promised restitution to the Hawaiian monarchy.

Since 1893, the pain absorbed by the Hawaiians has been reflected by the numerous internal cultural fractures of a once thriving and peaceful people. These cultural fractures could be related to the way the state and federal government use blood quantification (BQ) to determine who is a Hawaiian, alienating a sizable portion of the Hawaiian population by limiting their benefits. If the United Nations legally interceded between the United States and Hawaiians, would leveraging international law and excluding the U.S. government in sovereignty restoration discussions de-escalate conflicts among Hawaiians by empowering Hawaiians to define not only what makes a Hawaiian a Hawaiian, but also what the future of the Hawaiian Kingdom would look like?

In Hawaiian Blood, J. Kēhaulani Kauanui outlines how the application of BQ has been used to render numerous Hawaiians’ blood percentages insufficient to be involved in facets of Hawaiian life. Kauanui is an Associate Professor of American Studies and Anthropology at Wesleyan University, who earned her PhD in History of Consciousness at the University of California, Santa Cruz, in 2000. Through researching blood quantification in great detail, she explains why BQ is unnecessary and not the Hawaiian way. She also explains both why BQ was not needed and why it was implemented. Kauanui explains the opposing approach which labels Hawaiians through genealogy, not blood percentages (Kauanui 97). Additionally, through understanding the malign influences and origins of the BQ policy, you will be armed with the knowledge to question why this policy is still being used today.

The social elite – or “Big Five” – referred to the “reigning group of corporations… aligned with the Hawaiian Republican Party,” who established themselves as early as 1826 shortly after the arrival of Protestant missionaries (Kauanui 43). The Big Five and congressmen alike deliberately and maliciously balanced the perception of representing the common Hawaiian while manipulating outcomes to benefit their own interest (Kauanui 34). According to Richard Dole, “the Big Five sugar companies – Alexander & Baldwin, American Factors, C. Brewer, Castle & Cooke and Theo H. Davies – once held a tight control of business and government in the Territory of Hawai’i, including the banks. With interlocking directors they could decide who would receive money and who would not” (Dole).

The territorial representatives advocated in favor of the 50% rule, publicly stating it was to 46

prevent Hawaiian extinction, although privately scheming to limit beneficiaries. Kauanui further explains, “The white Americans from Hawai’i, with a few congressional representatives. labeled ‘full blooded’ or ‘pure’ Hawaiians as incompetent,” adding “part-Hawaiians are fully accomplished members of society and have no need to be included in the Homestead policy” (Kauanui 141-142). Kauanui goes on to conclude, “Their racial logic defining Hawaiians was instrumental to the reformation of who counted for Hawaiian for the purposes of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act (HHCA)” (Kauanui 141-142). These negotiated policies, in addition to determining who was Hawaiian enough for purposes of homestead, also determined rights to numerous state and federal entitlement programs.

In 1920, House Resolution 13500 passed as the Hawaiian Rehabilitation Resolution. Politicians lobbying Congress and members of Congress aligned with pro-sugar interests to ensure that the desired outcome prevailed: “Throughout the legislative process, the category who counted as ‘native Hawaiian’ would be reconfigured multiple and sometimes contradictory ways … to suit shifting goals of the actors debating the merits of the successive bills” (Kauanui 97). Early in the debate BQ was never mentioned, as it was agreed that all Hawaiians had equal rights to the land.

As further debates matured, the argument of how to define a Native Hawaiian emerged.

Resolution 13500 originally focused on Hawaiian rehabilitation. During the legislative process, less than favorable lands were set aside for the Hawaiian homesteaders while pro-sugar interests ensured the further protection of lands owned by the social elite (Kauanui 118).

Blood quantification policy implementation currently divides those with greater than 50% Hawaiian blood from those who have less than 50% Hawaiian blood. The two sides debate the legality and the ethics of BQ; they consist of those who believe a Hawaiian must have greater than 50% BQ level, and those who believe genealogy should determine ethnicity, not BQ. Those who oppose BQ believe genealogy is a more ethical way to determine ethnicity; using genealogy would connect people to one another through traditions and life, further expanding rights to a much larger group claiming to be Hawaiian (Kauanui 37).

The Hawaiian word for genealogy is mo’okū’auhau (Kauanui 37). The concept of BQ was foreign to the Hawaiians; mo’okū’auhau blended the land with their ancestry. Historically, if a Hawaiian asked another Hawaiian who their parents were, they could determine where they were from and their ranking in the community. Mo’okū’auhau “does not inherently carry racial, genetic or blooded meanings. In present-day context, Hawaiians continue to invoke their lineage at specific moments appropriate to their own social positioning … genealogy is about quality, not about quantity” (Kauanui 40). Mo’okū’auhau is the Hawaiian way; only through genealogy can ancestry truly be understood and respected. The policy of BQ was not created to determine ancestry but for political and financial gains of the social elite.

Both sides of the blood quantification debate also disagree on state and federal plans of "nationbuilding" and “sovereignty revival.” It is also important to understand that Hawaiians who do not meet the BQ requirements are excluded from participating in governmental processes. The federal and state governments – who support BQ’s use – leverage its definition to determine homestead and government entitlements. Supporters of BQ realize the process is not perfect, but they also believe the process supports a means to an end.

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Blood quantification opposition includes Hawaiian independence activists who claim the method as dividing and seditious. Dr. Jonathan Osorio, Hawaiian Studies Professor at University of Hawai’i, “called on all Hawaiian organizations, even Homestead Associations, to denounce blood quantum as a racist law and validate what John Wise in 1920 knew, that we are all Hawaiians, we are related, we are the lāhui. This is our country and the United States still has our lands” (Watson). John Wise was the Territorial Senator in 1920 who lead negotiations for land-leasing agreements (Kauanui 67). Independence activists have stated that the use of genealogy would include a more diverse portion of the Hawaiian community and would define the future of Hawai’i: as a multi-faceted cultural melting pot.

Jennifer M.L. Chock, author of “One Hundred Years of Illegitimacy: International Legal Analysis of the Illegal Overthrow of the Hawaiian Monarchy, Hawai’i’s Annexation and Possible Reparations” and presently the Director of Ahahui Kaahumanu, views the United States as an aggressor in the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian Monarchy: “The United States is liable under international law for its illegal conduct” (Chock 512). Her article identifies treaty and state custom encroachments as evidence that the United States violated international law in 1893.

Additionally, Chock calls for the return of sovereignty to other conquered governed bodies through the United Nations reparations process. Finally, she outlines historical examples of reparations in detail, foreshadowing the parameters of likely outcomes if the UN intervenes.

Chock shares the idea of the U.N. intervention with another well-known scholar, David Keanu Sai, Ph.D. While both authors outline domestic and international views of the legal paradox in their writings, Dr. Keanu Sai’s experience in international law goes beyond academia.

Sai, author of A Slippery Path towards Hawaiian Indignity: An Analysis and Comparison between Hawaiian State Sovereignty and Hawaiian Indignity and its Use and Practice in Hawai’i Today, is a professor at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, specializing in international relations and public law. Sai also served as an agent for the Hawaiian Kingdom in arbitration proceedings before the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague, Netherlands, in 2001. Sai’s experience lends unique insight regarding the international community’s view of Hawaiian legal challenges concerning sovereignty.

Sai cited the United Nations Charter Article 34, which states, “The Security Council may investigate any dispute or any situation which might lead to international friction … likely to endanger the main tenets of international peace and security.” Sai uses this as a pretext for investigation into the “prolonged occupation by the United States as a serious breach of international law” (Sai 130). This dispute was brought to the attention of the U.N. and is known as the Larson case. During this time, “because the Hawaiian Monarchy was recognized through treaties with numerous states including the United States, [The Permanent Court of Arbitration] recognized the Hawaiian monarchy’s sovereignty in the nineteenth century. Additionally, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals also acknowledged the status of the Hawaiian Islands in the nineteenth century as a ‘coequal sovereign alongside the United States’” (Sai 72). As a result, Sai deems that international law – not the United States domestic law – determines whether or not the Hawaiian monarchy continues to exist.

The sovereignty of the Hawaiian Kingdom is a fundamental argument of Hawaiians today. I authored a focus question and sent it to government officials, organizations, and activists on both 48

sides of the Hawaiian sovereignty debate. I received a series of e-mail responses from Dr. David Sai and an invitation by Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) to conduct an interview. I asked, “If the U.N. legally interceded between the United States and Hawaiians in sovereignty restoration discussions, would leveraging international law deescalate conflicts among Hawaiians? Further clarifying, would exclusion of the U.S. government empower Hawaiians to define not only what makes a Hawaiian a Hawaiian, but also what the future of the Hawaiian Kingdom would look like – free of U.S. government manipulation?”

Dr. Sai’s E-mail Response In response to the e-mail question, Dr. Sai stated the U.N. can intercede, and the United States has no legal grounds to interfere with the Hawaiian Kingdom’s internal affairs except for what is allowable under international humanitarian law. He references the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling which “undermines the so-called sovereignty movement of Native Hawaiians, which includes Kana’iolawalu and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. This is not a race-based issue, but legal issue as between two States, the United States as the occupying State, and the Hawaiian Kingdom as the occupied State” (Sai, Personal Interview, 22 Nov. 2015).

Additionally, he specifically singles out supporters of the Kana’iolowalu and OHA. In doing so he addresses the second part of the focus question whereby, in the absence of the United States, OHA is not in favor of recognizing international law. International law already recognizes Hawaiian sovereignty, but some Hawaiians still continue to negotiate with a country that has no jurisdiction under international law. Further clarifying, Sai uses the term “denationalization,” which under international law is a war crime, additionally stating that OHA “are still operating on the false narrative of Americanization … which assumes the Hawaiian Islands were annexed and Native Hawaiians are the indigenous people of the United States” (Sai). One example of denationalization today would be the examination of OHA and activists seeking independence from the United States government. Why would any Hawaiians negotiate with the state and federal government officials that have no legal jurisdiction over them? Since international law has already ruled in favor of the monarchy, Hawaiians should be negotiating with one another and the U.N., not the United States government.

Office of Hawaiian Affairs Interview On November 24th, I went to the headquarters of OHA at their invitation. The purpose of this interview was to discuss the international community’s support for the Hawaiian sovereignty revival process with an executive who is currently participating in the process with the federal government. At the onset of the interview, I was told I did not have permission to record the interview (OHA, Personal Interview, 24 Nov. 2015). I did not feel this request limited my ability to gather information and decided to avoid the lengthy approval process their board requires for the release of official statements. OHA’s role in Hawaiian affairs is clearly outlined in the Hawaiian State Revised Statutes 10-3: “The betterment of conditions of the Native Hawaiians” (“Hawaiian Revised Statue 10-3”). OHA does not use blood quantification levels to determine access to Hawaiian entitlement programs; they use ancestry instead.

Using one of OHA’s social media posts, I quickly confirmed their claim that they serve all 49

Hawaiians regardless of BQ. On November 17th at 3:35, Clarence L. Piilani Jr. asked, “What if You Not 50 Percent Quantum” on OHA’s Official Facebook page. OHA responded promptly, “Aloha, Clarence L. Piilani Jr. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs serves everyone of Hawaiian ancestry regardless of blood quantum” (OHA). During my interview, I realized the challenge OHA encounters because of the negative information often circulating in the public about who they are and what they really do. They believe they could do more if they could focus less on countering misinformation and more time helping.

My interview lasted just over ninety minutes; I now have a better understanding of OHA and their role in Hawai’i. I know they use ancestry and not blood quantification to determine who a Hawaiian is, and I also know they distance themselves from activities they feel will alienate their relationship with the state and federal governments. Avoiding these activities allows them to better serve the interests of all Hawaiians.

The United States government benefited the most from the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy by leveraging blood quantification. Projection of military force in the Pacific and control of commerce are still motives in 2015. Both Chock and Sai state that the U.N. acknowledges the Hawaiian Kingdom was illegally acquired by acts of aggression and continues to be unlawfully occupied under international law and has precedence for reparations. They also believe elements of the U.N. agree that the Hawaiian monarchy, while overthrown by a coup, still has legal rights as a sovereign state under international law. Osorio, along with other independence activists, also agrees the United States is illegally occupying the Hawaiian lands. OHA’s position falls someplace in the middle; while recognizing United States/ claim to Hawai’i, OHA ignores the BQ policy, treating all Hawaiians equally using ancestry. Mo’okū’auhau is the Hawaiian way of determining ancestry, and BQ is the United States’ method of determining entitlements and homestead. Mo’okū’auhau unites Hawaiians and Blood Quantification creates rifts.

Would the internal conflict among Hawaiians be simplified if the U.N. established diplomatic relations with remaining members of the Hawaiian monarchy, initiating the reparations process and removing the United States’ authority over the Hawaiian Islands? Historical rifts among Hawaiians today, combined with moral and legal complexities, make self-determination by Hawaiians improbable in the near future. Although unlikely, what would negotiations look like without the United States’ influence? Could a likely first decision be to dissolve the BQ policy?

Abandonment of the BQ policy to determine who is a Hawaiian would be productive.

Determination of who is and is not a Hawaiian would be a productive first step in selfdetermination. Answering the question of what makes a Hawaiian a Hawaiian would be simplified, and the answer would come from Hawaiians.

WORKS CITED Chock, Jennifer ML. "One Hundred Years of Illegitimacy: International Legal Analysis of the Illegal Overthrow of the Hawaiian Monarchy, Hawai'i's Annexation, and Possible Reparations." U. Haw. L. Rev. 17 (1995): 463. Print.

Dole, Richard. “Big Five held tight control over Hawai’i business.” Bizjournals. 27 September 2013.

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Hawai’i State Revised Statutes 10-3.

Kēhaulani, Kauanui. Hawaiian Blood: Colonialism and the Politics of Sovereignty and Indigeneity. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2008. Print.

Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA). Clarence L. Piilani Jr. 17 Nov. 2015, 3:35 p.m. FaceBook.

Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Personal interview. 24 November 2015.

Sai, David K. “Re: International Law & Hawaiian Sovereignty Revival.” Message to author. 22 Nov. 2015. E-mail.

--- “Slippery Path towards Hawaiian Indigeneity: An Analysis and Comparison between Hawaiian State Sovereignty and Hawaiian Indigeneity and Its Use and Practice in Hawai'i Today, A." JL & Soc. Challenges 10 (2008): 68.

Watson, Trisha. “On Race, Blood Quantum and Ancestry.” Interview with Jon Osorio. (2009) Kamakakūokalani: Oahu 1-8. Print.

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JROTC Awareness

By Adam Smeltzer “Three of our cadets have been harassed for being in uniform already this year to the point where they were ‘milked’ while in uniform,” says the Cadet Commander from one Oahu high school’s Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps unit (NJROTC). Nerdy, dorky, idiotic, stupid - this is how these kids are seen in school when they join the NJROTC program. When it comes to high school in general, it is hard not to be ridiculed for any sort of club or group you join.

However, it seems at this particular school, the NJROTC students get more of this high school evil than anyone else on campus.

It could be because of the fact that the students are required to wear a military uniform once a week to school all day at school; it could be because the students are required to learn to march and salute; or perhaps it could be because that these students keep to themselves and stay only to the NJROTC group. Whatever the case may be, these students are achieving much more in the unit than the common outsider can see. As an observer, I noticed things that the common eye would not pick up at first glance of a NJROTC unit, but also I have personal insight, as this was the very unit I was a part of for three years in high school.

Over the past few days I observed the unit as they interacted between themselves to see how much greater the unit is when you take a closer look, as well as how they interact with those not associated with the unit to see whether students have come to accept them or continue to give them the cold shoulder and harassing comments. When you view the unit as an outsider, these students appear to be normal students, as any other kid on campus. It wasn’t until uniform day that I saw a difference in how other students responded to the presence of the NJROTC cadets.

Each of these uniform days, NJROTC cadets are required to show up to school in full military uniform. This includes black, properly cleaned and pressed dress slacks; a properly cleaned and pressed khaki military shirt with award ribbons and nametag measured ¼ of an inch above the breast pockets and designated collar devices measured 178 from the tip of the collar; a pair of black shoes that have been pristinely polished so that one can see their own reflection when they look down on them; all topped with a black, perfectly sized garrison cap positioned correctly atop the cadet’s heads. Early in the morning before school starts, the students fall into their designated groups, called platoons, outside of the office in front of the school’s flagpole. At this time, the cadets all stand at the military position of attention and render a salute as three chosen cadets carefully unfold and raise the American flag to the top of the post while the national anthem is played. It’s a wonderful sight of young people honoring this country and showing pride in patriotism.

However, this weekly morning event could very well be a main source of the harassment that these students receive. The idea that this activity is actually for a grade in the course, the idea that cadets are actually required to wear this specific uniform and have it looking top-notch, and the idea that they will actually be inspected later in the day and graded on their uniforms, could all be embarrassing to the cadets and could be the cause of ridicule from the students outside NJROTC. In any case, the threat of judgment is real. I talked with many senior cadets who were 52

once the very freshmen I trained as a senior about the reality of the matter.

As quoted by the Cadet Commander above, three cadets have already been “milked” since the start of the year. Milking is the act of an outside student taking the milk they acquired from breakfast or lunch at school and pouring it on the cadet while in uniform. I remember this form of harassment, as it was around when I was in the unit years ago. These students get some of the worst punishment out of any high school group I know of. Each group gets their stereotypes or jokes that are directed toward them, but at this school it goes so far as actual actions that are meant to ruin a student’s progression in the course.

Other upperclassmen have stated that some of the younger cadets end up hanging out in the ROTC room on uniform days because they get the cold shoulder from their usual friend groups while in uniform. Others state that the snickering and jokes come from when the unit is marching toward the flagpole for the raising of the flag and are called “little toy soldiers,” as one student claimed. As I observed, and as the evidence seems to show, it is only when the cadets partake in the required military activity portion of the course that they get the discouraging treatments. No, not every student receives this treatment; I didn’t while I was in the unit.

However, it is definitely a very real problem. Now, why would any student stay in the unit if this is what comes of it?

This was another question I brought up to students, which is probably one of the biggest questions asked of those who participate in the NJROTC program. I asked upperclassmen and new cadets alike what the greatest motivation was for them to stay in the unit. A lot of the answers came back the same or very similar, and the general summary is this: it is the camaraderie of friends from freshmen to seniors, the great events the unit does such as hikes or unit movie nights or one of the many competitions throughout the year, and all of the open doors of opportunity that the program holds for a student’s future.

That is one thing that NJROTC has over almost any other group in high school, including sports.

In sports you typically have juniors and seniors playing on varsity teams while sophomores and freshmen are on junior varsity. Most other groups around campus seniors tend to ignore underclassmen altogether, and this is true of all other grade levels. When it comes to NJROTC, the grade levels all blend together and in the end they’re all just cadets. There is no difference in people, there is only difference in how much you know, and everyone is willing to help you reach that next level.

As the unit’s Cadet Commander explained, “I love what the unit stands for and what it teaches. I feel like I’m a part of something bigger than myself. The cadets are a pain in the butt, but I love them and love seeing them move up and accomplish things in the program.” Older cadets and instructors are both there and willing to help younger cadets take the next step in the program, and also in their everyday lives, with whatever one would need help with. I myself remember sitting down with my NJROTC instructor filling out college applications and him walking me through them because I had never done one before, or another senior cadet helping me to format my resume in a better, clearer way. The way the unit works together is such a beautiful thing. If you see it as an outsider, you see strong friendships, but from the inside, you see family.

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The other things these cadets can achieve in the program are the small details that certain activities teach without one even knowing it. The following activity I am going to describe was my favorite part of NJROTC and teaches so much more than what it seems, and only from the eyes of an inside source can one truly see and understand it. This school’s NJROTC drill teams are by far one of the best high school drill teams on island, “state champions for the past five years in a row now,” according to the unit’s Drill Commander. The drill teams, though, are a way for students to build on that camaraderie and work together as a team; that much is clear to the naked eye. But look more closely and deeply at the purpose of drill and you’ll see the true life lessons it teaches, which also spills into the teachings of the NJROTC program itself.

Military drill is the fancy way of describing all the military movements and positions, such as the position of attention in which a cadet is to stand tall with shoulders rolled back with feet together at the heels at a 45o angle, with hands along the trouser seams resting in a natural curl and heads up with eyes fixed forward staring off into the horizon, as well as all of the marching movements. All of the drill teams require precise, synchronized movements, with or without a rifle, to be performed properly. Here is where teamwork comes into play: you have to focus on your portion of the drill routine as it is intertwined with everyone else’s portion, and in the end all pieces are combined to form a beautiful routine that takes hours on hours, and days on days, of strict practice. Along with teamwork, drill precision and synchronized focus comes the importance of attention to detail. For example, if one cadet takes one wrong step, or is even off by less than a second, an entire routine can be thrown off and look horribly wrong.

The NJROTC unit and its corresponding teams teach many values, including attention to detail with drill and the uniform, commitment to the unit and other activities, and dedication and devotion to all that you do, taking average students and making them well-rounded citizens.

These values are instilled in the cadet for as long as they are with the unit and it is hoped they will continue to stay with the students throughout their lives. Thus, when it comes to fellow cadets being made fun of and verbally or physically abused for being a part of such a great organization, the cadets I spoke with brought up plenty of ways that the NJROTC unit becomes a family with a big helping hand for anyone who needs it. “We team up and karate chop the person that is peer pressuring them,” said the Executive Officer of the unit, jokingly.

One cadet in particular gave a beautiful quote that brings together both the ideals that the NJROTC cadets look after each other, and that no matter what others say regarding the unit, cadets will stay true to the unit and fight through the ridicule: “We take it to the administration or the Naval Science Instructors to further guide the cadet to ensure that his or her wants should not be affected by the ostracism and bullying of others.” This pulls together the whole outlook of how the NJROTC unit stands by their cadets. Whether a student goes in wanting to be a part of the unit or it’s something they’re only trying out, the upperclassmen and instructors will never make them feel left out or unwanted, but quite the opposite.

WORKS CITED Personal interview, Cadet Commander. October 2015.

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Selfie-Confidence

By Anna Thuen A forced smile, a ridiculous pose, an awkward angle, and a bright flash of light that leaves you temporarily blind for the next two minutes. Step one complete, and that was the easy part.

Fifteen more minutes pass as you search for the “golden” filter. You know, the one that makes your pale winter skin unnaturally tan and makes your chocolate brown eyes appear a little bit green. After all, according to everyone else’s posts, this is beauty. It takes several more minutes to think up a funny caption and after you decided that no one will understand it, you just decide to put some emojis instead. Step two complete.

Now comes the hard part: gathering up enough courage to post the selfie on social media. The knot in your stomach grows tighter with every second. Do you post it? Everyone could like and comment on it, and in return, you could feel beautiful. However, maybe no one will like it and you can be reassured of just how big of a loser you believe you “really are.” As you tap the “post” button, the knot in your stomach is transformed into a jumbled mess of butterflies, “what if’s”, and self-destructive thoughts.

As extreme and maybe a little exaggerated as this sounds, the reality is that a segment of our population actually goes through a process similar to this while posting a picture on Instagram or Facebook; I have seen it happen. In fact, I have friends who will actually remove their pictures from Instagram or their witty posts on Twitter if not enough people like them in “time.”

It’s been said that we are a more self-obsessed, narcissistic generation than any other generation before us. I do not agree that we are a more narcissistic generation, but I do believe that our generation is self-obsessed in that we have something I like to call the disease of “This is the worst thing that has ever/could ever/would ever happen to me; I must sit in self-pity and think about how unfair the world is to me.” By covering up our insecurities with hubris, we create a facade that often comes across as narcissism. We are receiving our self-esteem (or lack thereof) from comments, helpful or hurtful, and the “likes” we get from our peers over social media, thus creating a generation totally obsessed with making ourselves appear perfect on the outside while slowly losing touch with who we truly are on the inside.

The concept of “the perfect body type” is one of the most controversial issues in the 21st century, and it continues to get worse over time. At this current point in history, body image is more prevalent than ever. As unfortunate as this sounds, a selfie can affect the way someone views their body. The way we perceive our bodies should not simply come from one quick glance from a front-facing camera. We should judge our body image on how comfortable we feel in our own skin. However, it has become exceedingly difficult to feel positive about different outside appearances due to social media. Social media promotes to the public that there is only “one way” to be beautiful, and these sites provide different tools to enable the process. The worst part is that we encourage this process every time we “like” or comment on a picture that has been digitally altered to fit our modern-day definition of “beauty”. We are basically saying, “You are only beautiful when you change yourself.” Not only are we digitally changing our pictures to be “beautiful,” but many media posters alter their appearances and even reduce their morals in order 55

to attract more attention to their pictures.

I did an experiment once in which I took two pictures. One was a group shot of my family and me, and the other was a selfie where I had on a decent amount of makeup and a low-cut V-neck.

The motivation behind this experiment was to see which picture out of the two would get more “likes” if they were posted at the same time but a day apart. As you have most likely already guessed, the second picture got the most “likes.” In fact, there was a difference of about 23 people. That means 23 more people liked my second photo just because I was trying to match today's expectation of “a good picture.” People do not only alter their pictures, they sometimes alter themselves in order to receive more positive feedback, which is then utilized to fuel a false sense of “self”-confidence.

The ironic part is that the most popular mobile site for selfies, Instagram, was not even created for selfies at all. Instagram was originally created so that up-and-coming photographers could share their work with other photographers. They could receive feedback and learn from constructive criticism in order to become better. Over time as the photos improved, the amount of “likes” would increase, thus showing growth. This is a process that should strictly apply to photographs taken of landscapes, still life, and nature. Yet we use this exact strategy when dealing with photos we take and upload of ourselves. We react to the amount of “likes” and feedback and we take them personally. We then continue to alter ourselves until we can visually see growth in “likes” and comments on our intimate pictures. \ While we are not the only generation to have our confidence built upon the opinions of our peers, more of the population is being affected due to the platform provided by social media. Because of the progress made to technology within the last ten years, our generation has more of an opportunity to develop a whole different level of self-obsession. While past generations might have only been affected by the peers in their schools or communities, we are affected by opinions of people all over the world. Anyone who has access to the Internet has access to our social media profiles. The more attention we get, the more people we “must” impress, and the more our self-obsession engulfs us.

As we grow more sensitive to our insecurities due to constant feedback from our peers, the more dramatic every situation becomes. We begin to take everything personally. Social media is not the only tool assisting this generation’s unhealthy self-obsession, but the evolution of television and other posts in commercial media (e.g. People magazine, MTV, ABC Network, teen magazines, etc.) have had an enormous effect on modern-day youth. These shows and posts encourage young adults and adolescents in the millennial generation that when you do not get your way or when someone else says something that you choose to take personally, you should not simply let it go or talk it out; obviously you need to make a big deal about it, create a scene, and let it affect you for as long as it possibly can.

We have been taught that avoiding conflict and letting our problems possess us is much more rational than confronting an issue and controlling our negative situations. We lose sight of the ever-present fact that we ultimately get our happiness from within ourselves rather than from our peers. We should not need compliments and “likes” to feel better about ourselves or to convince ourselves that someone else’s opinion of us is incorrect. We should be able to tell ourselves that 56

we love ourselves just the way we are, and that even though not everyone in this physical world will absolutely love us, as long as we are content with who we are, it does not matter. It is called SELF-confidence, not “opinions of your peers-confidence.”

Just because we have developed these bad habits does not mean that it is too late to change things for our generation and generations to follow. There is nothing wrong with wanting to make other people in your life happy. It becomes a problem when you are only happy when you can make someone else happy, or when you only do something because someone else thought it was a good idea. We should love as openly as possible, but first we must love ourselves. It is so important to be comfortable with the skin you are in because while you are letting other people control who you are, you are the one that has to live with it.

A great man once said, “Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You” (Dr. Seuss). We should be posting photos on apps such as Instagram and Facebook because we like ourselves, not because we want to know other people “like” us.

The millennial generation projects a façade of self-confidence and a distorted view of “beauty” more than any other generation before, via social media. We are obsessed with ourselves in the sense that we blow up all our insecurities to seem like the end of the world, while we look to others to give us the approval that we should be getting from within ourselves. We are more in tune with what others expect from us rather than embracing who we really are. Due to social media, it’s much easier to conform to society's standards thus leaving our own standards behind, and to encourage others to do the same. The millennial generation needs to get in touch with their inner selves and focus more on being comfortable and loving themselves, rather than impressing their peers in order to feel a temporary sense of what I like to call “selfieconfidence.”

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Surfers: An Evolved Community

By Jasmine Wesley I learned to surf when I was 12 years old. In comparison to some other people in the surf community, I started pretty late. Sammy, a third-year University of Hawai’i student, has been surfing since he was seven years old; Kiwaka, a local from the Hawaiian Islands and a passionate surfer, began surfing when he was only three years old. Kiwaka’s story was culturally eyeopening as he went into depth about his family’s passion for the sport. Kiwaka began his story with his first paddle out: “I didn’t even know how to swim yet. I still had rubber ducky floaties on my chubby little arms. There were choke people in the water that day and my dad paddled me out on the front of his cherry red longboard and we rode the waves together all afternoon until it was dark out. My mom was pissed.” (Kiwaka).

Surfing is a special kind of subculture that exists all over the world today. Surfers are not all dumb, lazy, or illiterate, nor are they all high school dropouts, failures, or bums. Surfing can be defined as an active aquatic sport that is both difficult on the body and relaxing to the mind.

There are no major stereotypes that cover all surfers because surfers are not an exclusive group; anyone can join just by paddling out. Personally, I am a part of this community, having been born and raised in Surf City – Huntington Beach, California. However, surfing means even more to me because of my family’s background.

My grandfather, Bruce Douglass Wesley, left a big impression on our home city; he was one of the first deaf professional surfers to come out of Huntington Beach. In downtown Huntington there are tiles similar to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, but instead of handprints of famous actors and celebrities, there are instead tiles with names and images of professional local surfers and people who made big contributions to the city. My grandfather has one tile all to himself right next to the local Jack’s Surf Shop by the Huntington Beach Pier. Because of my grandfather’s accomplishments, everyone in my family participates in recreational and competitive surfing. I use myself as an example to break the common assumptions that all surfers are high school dropouts and deadbeats, since I am a high school graduate going to a private four-year university.

After talking to a few different local surfers about their surf beginnings, it sounds like many surfers in Hawai’i had experiences similar to Kiwaka. On the other hand, Sammy and I, both from California, learned much later in life. Even with this late start, we had no problems keeping up with this local group on the six-foot waves in Diamond Head this past weekend. Everyone I interviewed that day was either a college student or college graduate, breaking the stereotype that dumb surfers and dropouts are the only ones on the waves.

To conduct my research, I surfed Diamond Head three times in this last week from six in the morning until about 10:00 AM, all before my Monday, Wednesday, and Friday classes. Each day I went, the waves had grown by at least two feet, providing me the perfect opportunity to meet all different levels of surfers. Monday could be considered the easiest day starting out with oneto two-foot waves, Wednesday would be the intermediate day ranging from two- to four-foot waves, and Friday would be expert level with waves ranging anywhere from four to eight feet.

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On that Monday and Wednesday, there was a nearly even amount of males and females in the water. These days being the easier ones with waves ranging from two to four feet, the water was filled with at least 30 surfers who were all catching waves left and right. Friday was the true challenge. The water was dominated by males surfing the six- to eight-foot swells, with only about ten people in the water in total and about another ten watching onshore as the waves mercilessly broke and barreled the adventurous surfers.

Again I learned that surfers are no dummies. SurfLine and the Surf Network are popular websites and apps amongst the surfers as they provide weather, temperature details, and wave height predictions each day. If used correctly, these websites and apps can inform the surfer of the conditions for the day and allow them the opportunity to decide whether to paddle out bright and early or stay tucked in bed that morning. On Friday morning, most of the less-adventurous surfers knew their own abilities and stayed home and slept in, or they showed up to sit on the sidelines and watch the crazier younger surfers break their boards.

According to Nick Carroll, a SurfLine representative, “Surfing is thought to have originated in the 18th century in the Polynesian triangle” and it is most often claimed to have started here, in Hawai’i, and Tahiti as well (Carroll). Carroll retells the Polynesian story passed through oral history and hula chants that the sport was started by the children of fishermen from these Polynesian cultures. The children would use the shorter wooden fishing canoes to ride the waves while their fathers were out at sea. These wild kids were inventive enough to create the sport, but they did not use the typical surfer lingo that we associate with this active community today such as “tubular,” “gnarly,” “barreled,” and “white-washed.” Yet it can be assumed that when speaking of good swells, some of the terms would be similar. Some classic words in the surfer lingo include “high tide,” “low tide,” “soft top,” and “duck-dive.” These terms can be found all over the world for many generations, and possibly for generations to come.

There is no judgment in the water. It could be argued that surfers are an evolved community due to their ability to see beyond race and gender, from the very beginning of the sport. When I interviewed Winona, a University of Hawai’i graduate, about what kind of people normally surfed this beach (Diamond Head), she commented, “Professional working class, locals, tourists, poor surf bums, and rich island owners alike can enjoy some good surf here” (Winona). When you are in the water everyone’s boards look the same, everyone is wearing swimwear, and everyone is trying their best to catch the next wave; there is no difference in rank.

When I later asked her what she thought of the guy-to-girl ratio in the water, she responded, “Every day is different. Gender isn’t a big factor out here in the water. Guys just tend to be crazier so they’ll come out even when the waves look killer, and I mean that literally” (Winona).

This same belief is shared by many, and according to reports from the Surf Network, “Surfing, once a male dominated sport, has been leveled out with women after the premieres of movies such as Blue Crush and Soul Surfer which star female competitive surfers in Hawai’i” (The Surf Network). The surf community is arguably more inclusive than many other sports due to the fact that it is welcoming to newcomers of all shapes, colors, and sizes and always willing to teach whoever is willing to learn.

When assumptions are made that question surfers’ intelligence and motivations, the questioner is 59

only hurting their own image. Because surfing is such an open community that includes various kinds of people, no single stereotype can be used to label them. From my experiences on the water, everyone I had interviewed, through random selection, was either a college student or a college graduate. This eliminates the stereotype that all people in the surfing community are failures, dropouts, or worse. Surfing promotes diversity in addition to providing a great workout, making it an aquatic sport fit only for the mentally and physically tough; there is no such thing as a dumb surfer. The strain that surfers put on their bodies by waking up early, paddling out, and throwing themselves into the waves does not make the sport appealing to everybody. Those specifically interested in surfing are likely to be skilled at managing their time, to have stronger bodies, and to be open to meeting different types of people from all over the world.

Many modern subcultures are developed online and rarely meet each other in person. The surfing community is different from these kinds of subcultures as participants are likely to paddle out almost every morning and reconnect with fellow surfers on an almost daily basis. Surfing leaves the technology and chat rooms behind. This group has a common interest strong enough to unite diverse cultures and countries, as it is now an actively participated-in aquatic sport on every continent. People from all social classes, from all over the world, are able to connect and mingle internationally in a way that breaks them all down to the same level and eliminates the ideas of superiority and inferiority that exist in so much today's society. The surfing community can’t be stereotyped, because it breaks stereotypes.

WORKS CITED "Big Island | Surf News Network." Big Island | Surf News Network. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Oct. 2015.

Carroll, Nick. "The Origins of Surfing." Surfline.com. N.d. Web. 29 Oct. 2015.

Kiwaka N. Personal Interview, Oct. 2015.

Sammy M. Personal Interview, Oct. 2015.

Winona B. Personal Interview, Oct. 2015.

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Volleyball: Reigning Queen of the Islands

By Carson Pyle Volleyball originated from the mind of a man named William G. Morgan in 1895 (“History of Volleyball”). He was a teacher who wanted to create a challenging game for his students, and he achieved that and so much more. Volleyball has transitioned from a game played casually in a schoolyard to a sport played in the Olympic Games and watched by millions of viewers.

Volleyball first started in the United States, then traveled to Europe during World War I through the influence of American soldiers who brought the sport with them overseas. It immediately gained popularity and spread to Eastern Europe, where indoor volleyball reigned due to the cold climate. In Hawai’i, there are “reports of men playing volleyball on the beach as early as 1915” (Volleyball Advisors). Some of the original and still relevant components of the game include a net, a ball, and six players per team. Although the rules and requirements for volleyball have altered over the years, the original aspects of the game remain intact.

Here in Hawai’i, the environment surrounding volleyball differs significantly from most places across the mainland: It is cultivated by the people. The fans are especially devoted and always interested and excited for the season.

In order to find out what it is really like at the center of this subculture, I interviewed Jennings Franciskovic, a junior on the University of Hawai’i men’s volleyball team. Franciskovic grew up in Westlake Village, California, and played volleyball there throughout high school and up until college. Although many other schools including Pepperdine, Irvine, and Princeton recruited him, he chose Hawai’i for some very specific reasons. He started off by saying, “I wanted to play somewhere that appreciated volleyball, because at my high school, volleyball wasn't a big deal at all so there were never really people at our games. I wanted to come somewhere that actually had crowds.”

Franciskovic pointed out the moment he knew Hawai’i was the right place for him as he was describing his official visit. “We went to a girls’ volleyball game that was sold out with almost 11,000 people, and right then I got the chills just being in the stadium and realizing that I, too, could play in front of all those people.” Franciskovic could not pass up an amazing opportunity to play in such a beautiful place, and with that he signed and has been a major contributor to the team ever since. He recently traveled to Mexico as a member of the United States National team and competed against countries from all over the world. After college, Franciskovic plans on making his way overseas to play professionally in Europe.

The people of Hawai’i eagerly anticipate the volleyball season, more so than anywhere else.

When describing his experience off the court, Jennings Franciskovic stated, “Random people will come up to me and say they can’t wait for our season to start and say how excited they are.”

Because Hawai’i does not have any professional sports teams, many people turn to the University of Hawai’i as something to take pride in. Franciskovic put it well when he said, “The whole experience is something that you don't get at any other college for men’s volleyball.

You’re not just representing your school, you're representing the state.”

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Liza Simon, author of “Welcome to Volleyball Paradise,” stated, "Hawai’i fans go nuts for every serve, set, dig and kill … and the visiting teams are routinely bowled over by the size and passion of the record-setting local volleyball crowds” (Simon). While many may be surprised by the excitement and pride Hawai’i takes in the sport, that is nothing but normal for the locals.

Head coach of the University of Hawai’i Warriors, Mike Wilton, claimed, “Hawai’i has definitely been ahead of the curve when it comes to appreciation for this game” (Borzilleri).

I also had the opportunity to get Kolbe Kanetake’s opinion. He is a senior on the men’s team and is their starting libero. When I asked about his experiences playing on the mainland versus Hawai’i, he explained, “I grew up here and my club team would travel to the mainland every summer to play in tournaments. The appreciation for volleyball on the mainland is just not as strong as it is back home.” Kanetake also mentioned the fact that Hawai’i does not have professional sports teams and said that could be a major reason as to why the atmosphere surrounding the game differs here.

Another major contributor to the different environment surrounding volleyball in Hawai’i is the culture of family and community. Brooke Garlick, a sophomore women’s volleyball player at Hawai’i Pacific University, told me about her take on it. She said, “I feel like I have more support throughout the community. The security guard on our campus, Liborio, always recognizes my face out of the crowd and never fails to give a wave and a smile and wish me luck in our upcoming game” (Garlick). I myself am a member of this subculture I and am also on the team at Hawai’i Pacific University. Every single time I see Liborio, his face lights up and he tells me how he will see me at the game and wishes me luck.

Whenever I walk around here, people will always ask me if I play volleyball because I am tall.

Back home in Texas, I used to always get the question, “Do you play basketball?” This just emphasizes the fact that volleyball is the foremost sport in people’s minds here in Hawai’i. The sense of support throughout the community is obvious. When I asked Jennings Franciskovic about his view on the aspect of unity in the Hawaiian culture, he explained the impact it had on his team by saying, “We are definitely a family: we are brothers, best friends. I definitely think that’s an important part of the team and the success we have seen in our program” (Franciskovic). Hawai’i provides the ideal environment for a team and encourages growth and unity within the group. This is made obvious through the previous experiences I have mentioned and the overall culture of Hawai’i.

The weather of Hawai’i also plays a large role in the popularity of volleyball. Whether it be indoor or outdoor, the temperate climate provides the perfect atmosphere for the game. Daryl Kapis, head coach at Hawai’i Pacific University and father of three young boys, has noticed the effects that the Hawaiian atmosphere plays in the lives of youth on the island. Kapis noted, “At other schools, you would commonly see kids playing basketball or football during recess, whereas in Hawai’i, kids will have a volleyball game going at all times. Whether they are peppering or playing with a net made out of a single rope, nothing stops those kids from picking up a ball and going at it” (Kapis). The key reason why volleyball constantly remains relevant is that the beach provides a court year-round for people of all ages to play. Whether it be to play a casual pick-up game or to participate in a tournament, the beaches are always buzzing with competitors. Overall, the Hawai’i environment could not be any more perfect for volleyball.

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That is a key part of why the sport is so popular and has rooted itself into Hawai’i’s culture.

The Hawaiian culture depends on the idea of community, which overflows into the support of volleyball. The lack of professional sports teams often turns people to universities as a source of pride in representing the state of Hawai’i. Not to mention, the consistency of the climate provides a perfect place to play and watch no matter what time of year it is. For these reasons, volleyball has grown into a key part of Hawai’i’s culture and is something highly supported throughout all the islands.

Works Cited Borzilleri, Meri-Jo. "In Hawai‘i, Volleyball Reigns Supreme." ESPN. ESPN Internet Ventures, 8 Dec. 2011. Web. 27 Oct. 2015.

Franciskovic, Jennings. (20 October 2015). Personal Interview.

Garlick, Brooke. (25 October 2015). Personal Interview.

Kanetake, Kolbe. (20 October 2015). Personal Interview.

Kapis, Daryl. (23 October 2015). Personal Interview.

Simon, Liza. "Welcome to Volleyball Paradise." Hana Hou. Print.

"The History of Volleyball." Volleyball Advisors. Volleyball Advisors. Web. 27 Oct. 2015.

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Fifty Shades of BDSM

By Jon Kahalepuna Bondage, discipline, dominance, submission, and sadomasochism form the acronym that is known worldwide as BDSM. The term originated in 1969 by combining a variety of erotic pleasures and role-playing activities during sexual intercourse. Unlike the usual “vanilla,” or plain sex, BDSM usually involves a dominant/submissive male or female who partakes in providing pain in some way or form that most of the time gradually evolves into pleasure.

According to the Wikipedia source, "The BDSM community or subculture is usually based on self-identification or shared experience" (wiki-BDSM). Interest in BDSM can arise from a onetime experience, and can go on to be made into a lifestyle.

I have always been intrigued by the different ways that lovers express themselves intimately.

After attempting to understand the many different ways of having sexual intercourse, BDSM struck my curiosity the most. I really did not know too much about this lifestyle or subculture, until I was consumed in the world of E.L James' Fifty Shades of Grey Trilogy. I was so mesmerized by this erotic series that I was curious to know more about BDSM. Therefore, I set out on a mission to uncover the history, myths, and stereotypes of people involved in the BDSM world.

First of all, the term “BDSM” may have originated in 1969, but there have been many cases that date back to the fifth century B.C. One of those cases involved two men who were flagellating a woman with both a cane and their hands during an erotic situation (Figure 1 below). This act was known as sadomasochism, or SM. Sadomasochism is formed by combining sadism, sexual pleasure derived by inflicting pain, and masochism, which corresponds to the person who receives the pain and enjoys being humiliated. It is difficult to comprehend why anyone would want to hurt someone to achieve the ultimate sexual high, yet the BDSM community does it all the time. However, the world does not always agree with what the BDSM community consists of, and many people often think of them as perverse, psychotic, abusive, assaulters or freaks.

On the contrary, the BDSM lifestyle is actually very safe. How could I say something like this?

Well, from what I have learned, anyone involved in the act of BDSM has to sign a contract (wiki-BDSM). This contract states what either party is willing to do or not to do (wiki-BDSM).

There are many safety precautions that are set into place before any pain or pleasure is inflicted on the dominant or submissive (wiki-BDSM). The first precaution is that both parties must consent to the limit of sexual content that they initially agreed on, such as bondage, flogging, suspension, or erotic electrostimulation (wiki-BDSM). The second precaution is that there are always safe words (wiki-BDSM). The safe words, as stated by Wikipedia, are "never,” no,” "do not,” and "stop," because that defeats the purpose of role-playing (Wiki-BDSM, 2015). Normally the safe words consist of "red," meaning the play must stop immediately, or "yellow," the play needs to slow down. This falsifies the accusations that BDSM partakers are abusive and that they sexually assault their partners.

While on the topic of breaking myths about this subculture, it has often been believed that BDSM evolves from childhood abuse. In Fifty Shades of Grey, E.L. James portrays the protagonist Christian Grey, a wealthy man who is secretly a dominant and who takes pleasure in 64

women who look like his mother. Long story short, he was abused as a child, and is now the one in control of his female participants (James, 2011). Although this is a fictional novel, many people seem to believe this is so from hearsay. However, the American Psychiatric Association concluded that abuse does not lead to sadomasochism (wiki-BDSM). It is only portrayed this way in stories.

As part of my research, I asked ten people about the Fifty Shades of Grey books and their thoughts about it. Seven out of ten said that they have read the books and have quite enjoyed the erotic world that E.L. James introduced to them. When asked if they would participate in any activities of the BDSM culture, they said that they would, but there would be limits, which there are limits in any case of BDSM. The other three who did not read the books but who heard from friends or watched the movie said that they would try BDSM as well. As you see, this is not as uncommon of a desire as one may think. I believe that James' Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy has opened up a world of sexual experimentation to the public.

Dominants and submissives are everywhere in our society. They are not strutting their stuff down the street, and their participation in BDSM is not in plain sight. What they do behind closed doors is a different story. The BDSM world is more than just crazy and erotic sex—it is full of discipline and rules. The dominant always has control over his or her submissive in and out of the playroom. Outside the bedroom their lives are just like yours and mine. Although it may seem a bit too much for the average person, this is how many people get their sexual high.

The BDSM world is a chance to explore one’s limits with a partner, even if it is a one- time experience. These people take what they do very seriously, but they also enjoy what they do.

Whether they are being suspended from the ceiling or tied to a bed, this is their euphoria. We may think of them as weird or freaks, but as you can see, this is not always the case. I may not have had any experience in this culture, but after looking deeply into it and asking questions, I can conclude that it is not the terrible thing that many make it out to be.

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Figure 1: Case involving two men who were flagellating a woman with a cane and their hand during an erotic situation.

References BDSM (n.d.). Retrieved November 21, 2015, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BDSM James, E. (2011). Fifty Shades of Grey. New York: Vintage Books

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engaging with science

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Meditation and Chronic Pain

By Jessica Andersen Have you ever carried something really heavy? You have just a little bit left to go before you can put it down. You are on the verge of feeling like your arms are going to break but you realize that there is just that last bit to go. Just a little bit further, I will hold on.

Think about that pain and how it grows and becomes more painful, and when you finally reach your goal and you desperately want to let go, you suddenly cannot. The heaviness is inside of you and you cannot put it down. This goes in the daily life of those who suffer from chronic pain.

At first you feel like dying; you have no idea how to stand the pain when you cannot move or lie down because every little touch or movement causes you more pain. Eventually, you get used to the pain, and to constantly taking painkillers that cause side-effects. It becomes a part of you: the sleeplessness, the hunger or nausea, the stomach ache, the mood swings, the constant pain. You deal with it the best you can. Your hear comments that you are lazy, and your friends keep asking why you do not push through it. Because the pain is invisible, they believe it is all in your head. Your relationships are strained, and your financial situation is failing due to the bills piling up and your lack of productivity. You cannot do as much as you used to. Whether you want it to or not, the pain changes you.

The idea of alternative treatments to decrease the pain arises. Drugs are often the first solution people look for, although there are holistic or alternative treatments that are less dangerous, such as acupuncture, therapy, hypnosis, and meditation. In order to deal with my own pain, I tried meditation to gain a sense of self-control, to help me sleep and increase my well-being without causing more damage to my body. I am not an expert in meditation, but it helps me connect with myself when I feel like a disease and not a human being. I come home from school to meditate, and to gain some strength to endure the next class. Subsequently, I might be able to write, listen, and be involved with the lectures. It helps. It has not taken away my pain, but it has made it easier to deal with hard days and has opened my eyes to a supplement to the strong medication, the surgeries, and constant visits to find a doctor that can help me. Meditation has opened up a new and better way for me to deal with chronic pain. In view of the insufficient treatment of chronic pain that can lead to medication overdose, side effects, and eventually drug addiction, an alternative holistic treatment such as meditation can be useful to decrease the risks that come with medication.

Chronic Pain There is a significant difference between chronic pain and temporary pain. The problems of chronic pain are not only an individual issue, but have grown to be a nationwide issue in the United States. National Institute of Health’s magazine, Medline Plus, defines chronic pain as pain that lasts for more than three months. This is the difference between the diagnosis of temporary and long-lasting pain. The cause of temporary pain is often inflammation, injury, surgery or disease. Since it has a reason, it is easier to treat it, and the pain disappears with 69

treatment and healing. The cause of chronic pain can be similar, but it usually has more different variables since the pain does not stop after healing. Medline Plus believes that one reason for chronic pain can be nerve damage (“Safely Managing Chronic Pain” 2011).

The newspaper, National Academic, which works with the National Institutes of Health, has posted the report “Relieving Pain in America,” in which Philip and Pizzo remarked that about $635 billion goes to the treatment of chronic pain, and those patients top the list with numbers higher than cancer, diabetes and heart diseases. Around 100 million people, only in America, suffer from chronic pain (Philip, & Pizzo, 2012). The number in Medline Plus differs and says that the number of people who suffer from chronic pain is about 76 million in the United States, but considering the different studies and when they were conducted in addition to the growing issue of chronic pain, you can see that number increase.

Medline Plus also claims that surveys show around half of everyone who suffers from chronic pain does not receive any treatment (“Safely Managing Chronic Pain” 2011). It is important to have this information in mind when they state that the estimated cost is $100 billion, which includes loss of jobs, health care and lost income (“Safely Managing Chronic Pain”, 2011).

Despite the price range between the two studies differing by hundreds of billions of dollars, it is still the case that chronic pain is an extreme expense for both the government and the individual patients. To validate that fact, the report “Relieving Pain in America” gives credibility to the likelihood that the higher numbers are more correct. In conclusion, the National Institutes of Health agrees with the Institute of Medicine that chronic pain has become a major and expensive problem in the United States.

Prevalence of Chronic Pain in the United States In the Wall Street Journal, Shirley S. Wang wrote an article, “The Pain Won’t Go Away,” which also supports the high numbers of chronic pain patients. Wang collected studies from specialists in health and medicine that studied the changes to the brain that are caused by chronic pain.

Wang claims that around 100 million Americans suffer from the most common kind of chronic pain, lower-back pain—about a third of the population in United States (Wang, 2013). A chronic pain patient often suffers from more health issues than just the pain. The webpage WebMD explains chronic pain and the symptoms that come with it, such as: Mild to severe pain that does not go away, pain that may be described as shooting, burning, aching, or electrical [and] feeling of discomfort, soreness, tightness, or stiffness… Pain is not a symptom that exists alone. Other problems associated with pain can include: fatigue, sleeplessness, withdrawal from activity and increased need to rest, weakened immune system, changes in mood including hopelessness, fear, depression, irritability, anxiety, and stress, [and] disability (Ratini, 2014, p 1-2) Medication and Drug Abuse Not only does the body and mind react to chronic pain and cause more disabilities in everyday life, but medication treatments can lead to overdose and addiction. Patients with chronic pain often receive stronger medication, and taking it over a long period of time can lead to more 70

distress to the body. The long-term use of strong medication creates more health issues as well as possible drug addiction. It is known that most painkillers have side effects on the liver, kidney, and stomach, just to mention the most common ones. If you then move on to heavier medication or turn to drugs to relieve the pain, you might end up even more sick, or dead. In about every celebrity newspaper, we can read about celebrities who overdosed, and several that even died.

Charlie Sheen, Lindsay Lohan, Matthew Perry, and Whitney Houston are just some of the celebrities that have been caught up by drug use and even though most of them have been lucky to survive, one of them did not—one of the world’s most famous singers, Whitney Houston.

However, with prescription medicines being used to treat both physical and emotional pain, stars do not have to turn to drug dealers anymore; they only have to visit the doctor. The U.S Department of Health and Human Services has researched prescription drugs and the correlation with overdosing, especially in cases of long-term use. Jones (2015) argued that opioid used as a long-term treatment for chronic pain might not improve the quality of life and function for the patients. Overdose and abuse of painkillers increases with higher doses because they are linked with chronic pain medication treatment (Jones, 2015). The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services discovered in their national survey on drug use and health: There were 43,982 drug overdose deaths in the United States in 2013. Of these, 22,767 (51.8%) were related to prescription drugs … Of the 22,767 deaths relating to prescription drug overdose in 2013, 16,235 (71.3%) involved opioid painkillers, and 6,973 (30.6%) involved benzodiazepines … [And] nearly two million Americans, aged 12 or older, either abused or were dependent on opioid painkillers in 2013. (Chang, 2015, pp 421-431) Consequently, overdosing not only causes damage to children over 12 years and up, but often leads to death. The risk of overdosing, especially with chronic pain patients, is that the medication is still inadequate, which can lead not only to overdosing on painkillers but also to use of other drugs. Another concern is that chronic pain is not only an issue for adults but also for children, yet the treatment is still the same. Children with severe pain discover a hospital world of tests and possible surgeries, which can lead to traumatic experiences and often more pain before the healing begins. In addition, for chronic pain patients, healing might not work as well or end the pain, which can lead to the perception that the hospital visits have been in vain.

Furthermore, the side effects that medication can cause for adults are even worse when given to a child who is growing. Some of the most common painkillers given to children with pain are NSAID, paracetamol, anesthetics, opioids, and antidepressants, similar to those given to adults with chronic pain (Matthew, Kim & Goldschneider, 2015). In an article in Drugs and Therapy Perspective, it was found that NSAID causes fewer side effects in the gastrointestinal tract (the stomach), although little or no evidence was found that many of the medications given work for pain, particularly for chronic pain. The authors of this study strongly advise against using painkillers long-term; instead, they advise specialist care to find better treatment for that specific sort of chronic pain, to avoid using wrong medication that is insufficient (Matthew, Kim & Goldschneider, 2015). Unfortunately, the search for the right specialist and the cost of specialist treatment can be expensive, leading to more people who have to rely on common medication treatments. In summary, treatment for chronic pain is expensive, insufficient, and often leads to 71

more health issues.

Meditation An alternative can be to consider holistic alternative treatments such as meditation. Meditation is said to have healthy benefits for both the body and mind, as well as the soul, and has not only been a growing part of different kinds of therapies for stress-related issues but also for other matters such as physical and mental distress. Can an over 5,000-year-old practice help pain that does not decrease with medical help?

In order to find a good foundation for pain relief, it is significant to understand what meditation is and the different kinds of meditation that exist to find an approach that suits the need of that particular patient. It is also important to gain a deeper understanding of meditation because its benefits do not only consist of one kind of health outcome, but of several that can help everyone, young and old, sick or healthy.

The more common definition of meditation is to focus on your inner self and find peace without being distracted by the outer world. The first teaching in meditation was found in India, but been developed in both Buddhism and Taoism, with meditation spreading as both a religious and nonspiritual practice to help people all over the world (Eisler, 2014). There are many different kinds of meditation. For instance, there is Reiki, mindfulness-based stress reduction, Zen, Kundalini yoga, Transcendental Meditation, and sound meditation. For example, Reiki Tummo consists of many teachings and levels. You begin as a Reiki Tummo 1, and can advance the ten steps to the highest Master Yoga 3 (Effendi, 2007). This meditation differs from most meditation since it advances from breathing exercises to channeling energy, and is more of a religious practice where faith in the divine helps you advance. At first you train to heal or cleanse your energetic body, but as a master, you can heal other people by faith and simple energy. Some of the benefits said to come from Reiki Tummo are relaxation, increased energy, and smoother skin, as well as emotional, physical, and mental healing (Effendi, 2007).

Another meditation form that focuses on divine connection is Zen meditation, which has its origin in Buddhism. Dr. Greg Wilkinson and Dr. Mauro Properzi, two assistant professors of Religion, Church History, and Doctrine at Brigham Young University in Utah, wrote about the modern practices and origins of Zen meditation in Japan. Wilkinson wrote: Meditation practices in modern Japan have evolved from sectarian rituals wrapped in mysticism and monasticism to popular practices taught and sought for individual purposes ‌ [this] has become a religious convention that has transcended Buddhist sectarianism to practices with relevance outside their traditional contexts (Wilkinson & Properzi, 2015, pp 28-29).

Zen meditation focuses on two parts: the transcendent, an eight-fold path to concentration and mindfulness; and the liturgical (worship) practice that involves mysticism. Zen was not only practiced by priests in Buddhism but was also taught by Theshima and Ishida, another pathway that centers on human perfection and morality. The priests expected lifetime commitment and changes in all aspects of life, whether social, cultural, or economic. The Zen practice by Ishida 72

and Theshima built on personal goals for the gradual progress of each individual. They also focused more on meditation through sitting in silence, rather than religious aspects. One of the most important aspects of these meditations that greatly influenced the spread of Zen in America were the health benefits that came with it. Relaxation and balance of tension, along with emotional, mental and physical well-being, were greatly desired. Temples are nowadays commonly visited by both monks and all kinds of people who want to learn how to develop their meditation skills (Wilkinson & Properzi, 2015, pp 31-33).

One of the more common meditations, which I have tried myself, is using simple breathing exercises and relaxation. This is said to have health benefits for both the body and mind. The meditation coach collected the most common benefits known from meditation, about 76 points divided by benefits to the mind or body. Meditation for the mind has been shown to result in relaxation, better focus, better memory, increased cognitive skills, decreased anxiety, improved self-esteem and self-acceptance, better resilience against pain, more awareness, and increased sense of self-control. Meditation for the body improves the immune system, increases gray matter in the brain, creates new healthier pathways in the brain, reduced blood pressure, improved heart rate, slow and deeper breathing (Dienstmann, 2015).

Skipper, O'Donovan, Conlon and, Clough (2015) conducted trials with both beginners and people who had been meditating for up to twenty years. They measured the outcome of meditation and found an increase of cognitive benefits (better memory, clearer perception, control of their thoughts without judgement or negativity with greater gratitude, and more distance to thoughts), mystical experiences (more awareness, sense of higher power, and sense of wonder), relaxation (slower heart rate, slower, deeper breathing, and softer body), and negative effects such as interaction with emotions of sadness and anger, and the physical discomfort of restlessness. However, in the end, the participants had stronger feelings of happiness, compassion toward themselves and others, a higher satisfaction, and more flow in life (Skipper, O'Donovan, Conlon &, Clough, 2015).

Personal Experience with Meditation Even though I have practiced meditation for a couple of years, I still see myself as a beginner, mostly because I have only meditated daily and more deeply in the last few months when my pain increased. I found one of the world’s leading meditation guides, Kelly Howell, who developed the brainwave technology often found in meditation videos to increase brainwaves that help relaxation and concentration. I believe that keeping the concentration while meditating can be hard, and therefore I chose guided meditation with focus on healing. Almost every day, I have listened to the video “Guided Meditation for Healing,” and the video “Guided Meditation for Healing Pain, Anxiety and Stress,” by the certified Law of Attraction Coach and Meditation Teacher, Madeline Rinehart.

These two meditations have helped me develop greater control of my pain, and several times meditation helped me relax so I could sleep even when the pain was at its worst. Even if I might not always find the ability to lie still for the duration of the video, it still helps me calm down and gain focus. It might not always have reduced my pain, but it has definitely helped when medication has been insufficient, and it helps me fall back asleep when the pain wakes me up 73

several times at night. Even though I do not sleep for more than two to three hours at the time, I at least can sleep.

Not As Easy As It Sounds Meditation might be viewed as a simple practice. After all, it can be seen as only breathing and relaxing while you focus on the present. But even as simple as it sounds, the practice of meditation can be hard, not only for the reason that you connect with your inner self, which can release restrained emotions, but also because of the ability to actually sit or lie down in silence and focus on the present, especially when you are in pain, can be very difficult. Those who have reached master levels have practiced for significant parts of their lives and have received help from master guides. And even though many healthy meditation benefits begin at the first session, it can take years before you learn to master relaxation enough to receive all the benefits.

Meditation requires concentration and focus, and that can be hard to reach when you are in distress or pain.

Another experience of meditation is the tingling and vibrations that you start to feel while you fall into a deeper state of relaxation, and eventually you can reach a feeling of floating above the ground, which can be very scary. The floating experience can be a feeling of losing control to the relaxation, and most people who are in distress like that feeling of control. Although in meditation you always are in control, deep relaxation can deceive your mind to the feeling of really letting go. The connection you build between your body and inner-self not only allows you to let things go, but also to become aware of feelings and memories that you pushed away into your subconscious. In my own experience, the first weeks I meditated with deep focus, I started to feel like I lacked control over emotions that I could not understand where they came from. As I studied the nature and outcomes of meditation, I found that it had raised emotions I had locked deep inside, and that I now could start to deal with under a meditative state where I am in control over past things, and change them into something positive. However, it is a hard and scary process to deal with not only the pain, but also past resentments and memories of hard times, and to be in control yet feel like you lack control over the situation.

The aspect of meditation that becomes hard can lead some people to believe it is easier to choose medication or even drugs. In many ways it is easier to swallow a pill than to find relaxation and peace with what is happening. As humans, we are constructed to either fight or flee from what is hurting us, and we often chose to flee and take medication. Despite its side effects, medication can be that refuge from the pain.

However, people can receive benefits from meditation even if they do not have chronic pain or diseases. Compared to surgeries, doctor’s visits, and medication—often resulting in piles of bills—meditation is free and can be practiced anywhere, at any time. Less economic distress decreases general stress, creating more pleasure and energy for better things. One thing that many chronic pain patients feel is lack of independence. As their bodies fail in movement, energy, and strength, they become more reliant on other people’s help. Not only do they rely on doctors or pharmacies, some may even rely on drug dealers to acquire their needed medication and everyday help. Another great benefit of meditation is that it cannot be overdosed, and no matter how much you do it, you only receive more healthy benefits, instead of potential 74

medication overdose that leads to more health issues and, in some cases, death.

In addition, if you learn meditation and teach your children to practice it, you might decrease the need for painkillers that can have unknown long-lasting or even terminal side effects on their growing bodies. You can give your children a tool to deal with pain and stress without causing any harm, as well as increase their health. Meditation is a lifelong lesson in how to deal with life’s difficulties without causing yourself any harm. If you learn meditation early, you will soon learn to master the skills of meditation, and can achieve even greater health effects for the mind, body, and soul. For anyone who has seen someone they love in distress or pain, you would want the best for them, and not want to increase their misery, especially not for small children.

Meditation gives you an option beyond only using medication.

Conclusion Meditation may not take away all the pain, but it can lead you to gain control over a condition that easily can take over both yourself and your life. Chronic pain patients suffer from endless pain, sleepless nights, and stomach issues, and they are often punished by economic failure when they cannot work or pay the bills for hospital visits, surgeries, or medication. Chronic pain puts strains on every aspect of people’s lives and those around them, which can lead to isolation and loss of friends and family. Relationships are hard to keep if you cannot bring anything to them, and not everyone has the strength to see someone they love in pain.

Meditation can give you better sleep, decrease stress, and make you more independent. You can gain more strength and energy to come closer to living a normal life, and might be able to maintain relationships that have been strained because of disease. The fact that meditation is free, and that you can practice it anywhere, at any time, can decrease growing bills and improve one’s economic situation. When you do not have to spend as much money on treatments, it opens up options to buy healthier food, as meditation also makes you more aware of the need to live a healthier overall life.

For a chronic pain patient who just recently started to recognize all the obstacles that come with the pain, I have found meditation to be helpful. I have seen my mother, who suffers from fibromyalgia and fatigue, and I have always had deep respect and understanding for her disease without really knowing the feeling of it. I have seen many people, close family and friends, turn their back on her because of her disease, even though she always finds the deepest strength to keep it under control. Consequently, to be at age 22 and starting to develop the same disease, I know what is coming and I can prepare for it in another way than she could. I can start using alternative methods such as meditation to perhaps slow the disease down or decrease the effect of chronic pain, or to learn early on how to deal with the pain and all that comes with it.

Chronic pain will always be hard to deal with, but meditation allows some acceptance and control when you feel lost. I wish everyone who deals with pain can find a healthy way to deal with it, where they do not have to rely on insufficient medication with side-effects—or worse, drugs.

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REFERENCES Chang H., Daubresse M., & Kruszewski S., (2014). Prevalence and treatment of pain in emergency departments in the United States, 2000 – 2010. American Journal of Emergency Medicine 32(5): 421-31. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/drug overdose/data/index.html Dienstmann, G. (2015, January). Benefits of meditation. Liveanddare. Retrieved from http:// liveanddare.com/benefits-of-meditation/ Effendi, I. (2007). Reiki tummo. Jakarta, Indonesia: Padmacahaya, International Institute for Inner Study.

Eisler, M. (2014, August 7). Chopra: History of Meditation. Retrieved from http://www. chopra.com/ccl/the-history-of-meditation Howell, K. (2015, May) Guided meditation for healing. [Video] https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=mWB9YT-Zq-s Jones C, Paulozzi ,L.& Mack, K., (2015). Prescribing data. Atlanta: Centers for disease control and prevention, 63(26); 563-568. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/drugover dose/data/prescribing.html Matthew E., Kim E., & Goldschneider K., (2015). Take a multidisciplinary approach when managing chronic noncancer pain in pediatric patients. Drugs & Therapy Perspectives, 31(5), 157-160.

Philip A &, Pizzo, (2012, March). Relieving pain in America. Institute of Medicine of the National academies. Retrieved from http://iom.nationalacademies.org/Reports /2011/Relieving-Pain-in-America-A-Blueprint-for-Transforming-Prevention-CareEducation-Research.aspx Ratini, M. (2014, April 4). WebMD. http://www.webmd.com/painmanagement/guide/understanding-pain-management-chronic-pain Rinehart, M. (2014, November 3). Guided meditation for healing pain, anxiety and stress. [video] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePg4zf1TEgk Safely managing chronic pain. (2011). NIH Medline Plus, 6, 1-4.

Skipper, T., O'Donovan, A., Conlon, E., & Clough, B. (2015). An examination of the factor structure of the Effects of Meditation scale. Personality & Individual Differences, 86, 5762.

Wang, S. S. (2013, October 8). The pain that won't go away. Wall Street Journal- Eastern Edition. D1-D2.

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Wilkinson, G., & Properzi, M. (2015). From sectarian to holistic: The practice of meditation in modern Japan. International Journal of Religion & Spirituality in Society, 5(4), 29-38.

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American Psychos

By Samantha Londynsky Murder is a prominent feature on American television. From news reports to television shows, there is no escaping it. Many Americans find themselves fascinated by murder. It is this fascination that gave rise to the popularity of shows like CSI, which millions of viewers view to see forensic scientists catch killers. In the documentary Of Dolls and Murder, the director of CSI, Naren Shankar, tries to explain why the show is popular. He states, “There is a fascination with figuring out … the basis or reasoning or method of how one human could take the life of another” (Of Dolls and Murder). Although there are some benefits to the mass media’s focus on murder, the harm it does to the criminal justice system and American society outweighs the good.

Prolonged viewing of CSI and other shows involving forensic science has created the “CSI Effect,” which is a change in beliefs due to watching a show like CSI. In his article “CSI Reality,” Max Houck claims that there is no scientific proof that the “CSI Effect” exists, but since 2003, anecdotal evidence on the subject has been collected (Houck). Most of this evidence comes from criminal lawyers, particularly prosecutors. In his article “The Evidence Doesn’t Lie: Genre Literacy and the CSI Effect,” Chandler Harriss describes the changes that prosecutors claim have come to courtrooms in Arizona. Many prosecutors claim that since CSI became popular, jurors have wanted scientific evidence to prove guilt rather than the standard guilt beyond a reasonable doubt (Harriss 4). This means that jurors require more convincing to convict a person who is on trial.

One of the problems with this is that forensic science cannot always be used to quickly determine guilt the way that CSI depicts. Harriss believes that the audience has latched onto this idea because CSI shows them a world where “the scientific path will lead directly to a discovery of truth and justice” (Harriss 9). While it is true that a combination of tests can help to determine who a murderer is, those tests take time. Television scientists often obtain the results of forensic testing in minutes. In real life, Harriss describes a “short” test that will yield results in eighteen hours. And even then, many of those tests have to wait for months because of a backlog of evidence (Harriss 11). This means that it is difficult for jurors to find the scientific indicator of guilt that they are looking for.

On the other hand, juries sometimes benefit from having members who watch television shows about forensic science. Shankar claims that jurors gain a basic understanding of forensic science from CSI. This understanding, according to Shankar, reduces the need for lawyers to explain tests and creates a jury that is more likely to listen to forensic experts (Of Dolls and Murder). It can also have a negative impact on trials. If lawyers do not explain the basics of forensic science, then jurors only know what they learn on television. This means that jurors would know that a test exists and the basics of what it does, but not when to use it. According to Dr. Katherine Ramsland, “Only ten to fifteen percent of crime scenes contain usable DNA” (Of Dolls of Murder). This does not stop jurors from asking for additional DNA testing during criminal trials.

Unnecessary testing contributes to the evidence backlog in most crime laboratories.

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Backlog of evidence in laboratories is a growing problem. As jurors watch more forensic science television shows, they wish to see more of the science in real life. In anticipation of this, forensic technicians collect more evidence at crime scenes today than ever before. In his article, Houck describes a conversation with a forensics expert who explained the change in evidence collection in the last twenty years. Today, specialists might collect fifty to four hundred pieces of evidence at a crime scene, where only five pieces would have been collected twenty years ago. At the request of the jury, most of those pieces of evidence are tested for DNA (Houck 4). This substantial growth in the amount of evidence collected accounts for the evidence backlog in most crime labs.

Increased evidence testing can be costly. As Houck explains, many crime labs need to be updated in order to keep up with the increasing demand for tests. He mentions a crime laboratory in Virginia that in fewer than twenty years went from annually processing a few dozen cases to processing thousands (Houck 4). The number of cases and tests is only expected to grow. Houck adds that the crime laboratory for the New York City Police Department has plans in place to keep up with the growing demand. The laboratory will need a new facility and new technology.

The cost of this is estimated to be over $1.5 billion. They will also need to hire 10,000 more technicians to work the machines and process cases (Houck 6).

CSI and other forensic science-based shows have been somewhat helpful in creating applicants for the growing number of positions in the field. Since the shows have gained popularity, there has been an increased number of students looking to go into forensic science. For example, a program at West Virginia University grew from four graduates to five hundred in six years (Houck 6). As more students become interested in forensic science, more programs are created to accommodate their interest.

However, many forensic science programs have applicants who are only interested in the field because of what they see on television. This means there are many students who are not ready for the challenges of real life forensic science. These students are used to a world where “investigators generally double as experts in that they possess enhanced and extended attributes” (Harriss 5). They do not know that forensic scientists do not wear designer clothing to work or question witnesses themselves.

This lack of knowledge creates a problem that Rebecca Wilson explains in Of Dolls and Murder: Less serious students sign up for these programs because forensic science seems like a “cool” career. These students will take spots away from those who have a legitimate interest in science.

Then, many of them will drop out of the program as requirements grow stricter (Of Dolls and Murder). These students end up wasting time and money in such programs.

Another factor of the CSI Effect is the “Police Faith Phenomenon.” Harriss explains that after watching television shows like CSI, many believe that police have access to technologies, places, and people that they cannot use in real life (Harriss 10). Jurors watch television shows where police perform illegal searches and use technology to invade the privacy of their suspects. The television shows do not reveal that if those same methods were used in real life, then the evidence would be inadmissible in court. The same article explains, “It is this … that arguably raises the expectations of the state for some potential jurors” (Harriss 8). Jurors have a harder 79

time convicting criminals when they believe that the police should have all of the answers. On television shows, most criminals confess and there is no doubt that they are guilty. Because of their exposure to these shows, jurors find it hard to convict a defendant at the standard of “beyond a reasonable doubt.”

Even people who know about the “Police Faith Phenomenon” can fall victim to it. In his book Of Men and Monsters: Jeffrey Dahmer and the Construction of the Serial Killer, Richard Tithecott briefly mentions a specialized unit of the FBI. He writes, “Like the all-seeing [Hannibal] Lector, agents of the FBI Behavioral Science Unit, from their desks in Quantico, Virginia are able to view a murder scene in any part of the country … and all but name the murderer” (Tithecott 111). Tithecott’s overestimation of the power of the FBI can be found in the words “all-seeing.”

He introduces this unit to his audience as “omniscient and infallible.” But omniscience and infallibility are impossible, even in the FBI. Television shows that center on criminal profiling, like the long-running CBS show Criminal Mind, warn viewers that criminal profiles are not always accurate. In the Season Two episode “Profiler, Profiled,” a detective investigating a murder uses a criminal profile to unjustly implicate a member of the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) of the FBI. Another member of the unit, Spencer Reid, states that profiles are “just a guide” (“Profiler, Profiled”). Emily Prentiss, also a BAU member, supports him by explaining that profiles are “really more useful in the elimination of suspects rather than the inclusion” (“Profiler, Profiled”). While these shows generally focus on instances where profiling works, they, unlike Tithecott, acknowledge that the FBI is not all-knowing. By failing to do the same, Tithecott has fallen into the exact same trap that he describes.

There are some possible ways to minimize the damage done by the CSI Effect. Houck suggests two solutions. This first solution he suggests is to ask potential jurors what television shows they watch (Houck 3). This would allow lawyers to see which jurors are potentially misinformed about forensic science. The lawyers would then be able to inform the jurors of the differences between the real-life case and what they saw on television. Houck’s other solution is a negative evidence witness (Houck 3). This witness would be called specifically to testify that evidence found in television shows cannot always be found in real life. Theoretically, this would prevent the jury from asking for additional testing and would keep the conviction standard at beyond a reasonable doubt.

Another way to reduce the CSI Effect is suggested by Harriss, who believes that viewers should be able to learn how to tell the difference between fact and fiction. CSI tries to separate itself from other procedural dramas but ultimately still shares the same basic outline with them. If viewers learned to recognize the basic components of the outline, they would be better equipped to separate fact and fiction (Harriss 10-11). This solution places the burden of understanding on the viewers. While this would work for some, the more casual viewer of forensic procedural shows would not have the exposure needed to identify the outline for the genre.

Changing aspects of the television shows can also minimize the CSI Effect. Harriss suggests adding a disclaimer to the opening credits of shows that focus on forensic science (Harriss 10).

He believes that this disclaimer would help viewers to “see television as a reflection of reality 80

instead of … an artistic representation of it” (Harriss 11). It would serve as a reminder that television is not always correct and does not accurately depict what a forensic scientist does.

Another way to remind viewers that CSI is not fully accurate is to add a segment at the end of the show where a forensic technique from the episode is explained. This would reinforce that the show takes liberties with forensic tests while simultaneously educating potential jurors on actual forensic science.

The portrayal of crime—both fictional and real—on television affects American society beyond the criminal justice system. This is especially true today because of the mixing of real life and fiction on television. In his piece “TV News Hyper-Coverage and the Representation of Place: Observations on the O.J Simpson Case,” Derek H. Alderman states that, “The lines between news and commercial television are eroding and … television journalists are feeling incredible pressure to adopt … ratings-motivated production values” (Alderman 4). This means that news stations are making their reports more dramatic in order to be compelling to their audience. In doing this, they are blurring the dividing line between fiction and reality.

One way this is done is by placing the focus on the attacker rather than the victim. Both television shows and news reports tend to focus more on the criminal than on the crime committed. This is because people want to look at a killer, but they do not want to see what he did to his victims. Dr. Katherine Ramsland explains that people want to get close to something that scares them and still be able to walk away (Of Dolls and Murder). When dead bodies are shown, it is hard to ignore the reality that people have been killed by a fellow human being. Mass media instead focuses on the murderer, which gives viewers the ability to explore the mind and motivations of a killer from a distance. They are able to remain safe while satisfying their curiosity.

Richard Tithecott explains the American fascination with murderers. He believes that Americans will elevate a killer to a superhuman status so we can make ourselves oppose him and “figure out how what we see is different from what he sees” (Tithecott 102). People want to find out what could make one person kill another. They want to know what could potentially turn someone into a killer. In a sense, the viewers are comparing themselves to the killer and seeing how closely they resemble one another.

This comparison can be dangerous. Mass media, particularly crime and detective stories, can create criminals. In the Encyclopedia of Murder & Violent Crime, Deirdre M.B D’Orazio describes an example of this. In one year, Nathaniel White killed six women. D’Orazio says, “He claimed that he was inspired by the film Robocop and mutilated one victim in the same manner as was depicted in the film” (D'Orazio 305). He is just one of many copycat killers who derive inspiration from mass media coverage of crime.

Tithecott points out that television can create rapists in its depiction of powerless women.

Television shows place the criminal in a position of power with complete control over their victim. The audience is able to see everything about the crime but the victim’s perspective (Tithecott 107-108). In crime shows, the camera generally depicts the crime from the killer’s point of view. The camera makes the viewers a stand-in for the killer by placing them in his shoes. This allows some viewers to feel powerful as they see the crime committed. It is this 81

feeling of power that contributes to the creation of criminals.

This can also cause the audience to think like a killer. In real life and on television shows, many people blame the victim for the crime. Tithecott finds that people often try to figure out what the victim did wrong, and how they “got themselves killed.” This serves to turn the audience into the attacker. As Tithecott says, “We empower ourselves at the victim’s expense” (Tithecott 107108). This focus on the victim’s perceived flaws and the superiority of the criminal has helped to desensitize the American public to murder.

Desensitization to murder is a growing problem in American society. Mass media coverage has made murderers into prominent figures in America. Media coverage has ensured that Americans will never forget names like Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy, and John Wayne Gacy. Killers are also given nicknames like “the Zodiac” or “Son of Sam,” which serve to increase their popularity.

The way Americans talk about murder also plays a part in the acceptance of serial killers.

Serial killers have become a socially acceptable conversation topic in American society. In most conversations, books, and television shows, they are compared to characters from movies or to sports teams. This comparison to standard items and activities serves to normalize conversations about killers. Tithecott finds an example of this in everyday life. Trading cards have existed for years. Many children are drawn to the small cards with bright colors that show animated animals or their favorite baseball player. Since 1992, children have been able to obtain serial killer trading cards (Tithecott 8). Turning serial killers into a tradable commodity reflects the removal of some of the public stigma on the subject.

Turning murder into a game removes the human element of the crime. Tithecott establishes that many people depersonalize killers by talking about them like they are machines (Tithecott 98).

This gives real-life murderers the same impact as fictional killers. They are elevated beyond a human level, turned into monsters waiting in the dark. The killers become the omniscient villain from a television show who commits a crime, then disappears the minute the television is turned off. In many cases, this is exactly what the murderers want.

Criminals have access to the same news and television shows as everybody else. Tithecott has found that criminals are fascinated by the relationship between law enforcement and criminals that is shown on television. In many cases, criminals will apply for work at a law enforcement agency and be turned away. An example of this is Jeffry Dahmer, who wanted to work in military law enforcement (Tithecott 4). Criminals often turn to crime as a way to gain the relationship they see in mass media representations of criminals and officers. If they themselves cannot become an officer of the law, then they want to oppose that officer. They want to become the Hannibal Lector to a Clarice Starling.

Giving criminals large amounts of media attention helps them to achieve this goal. They gain a relationship with law enforcement as well as an interested audience. The killer has the opportunity to live in infamy, and in some cases have a trading card of themselves made. This could potentially account for the fact that “in the last twenty years the United States … has produced seventy-five percent of the world’s serial murders” (Tithecott 4).

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Tithecott believes that he knows why Americans are enamored with crime television. He believes that the viewers can learn about themselves while watching movies about murder. They want to be able to feel close to a murder and escape unscathed (Tithecott 104). American mass media allows this to happen, but at what cost? At what point is the line drawn?

The United States already has more serial murderers than any other country. Why should the same media that contributed to that statistic be allowed to change the criminal justice system? If viewers learned to be more skeptical of television shows—and if society became less fascinated by murder—then perhaps the issues caused by the CSI Effect would be short-lived.

WORKS CITED Alderman, Derek H. "TV News Hyper-Coverage and the Representation of Place: Observations on the O. J. Simpson Case." Geografiska Annaler. Series B Human Geography. 79. 2 (1997): 83-95. JSTOR. Web. 05 Oct. 2015.

D'Orazio, Deirdre M.B. "Copycat Murders." Encyclopedia of Murder & Violent Crime. Ed. Eric W. Hickey. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2003. Print.

Harriss, Chandler. "The Evidence Doesn't Lie: Genre Literacy and the CSI Effect." Journal of Popular Film & Television 39.1 (2011): 2-11. Academic Search Complete. Web. 5 Oct. 2015.

Houck, Max M. "CSI: Reality." Scientific American July 2006: 84-89. Print.

Of Dolls and Murder. Dir. Susan Marks. Perf. Katherine Ramsland, Naren Shankar, Rebecca Wilson. Films Media Group, 2012. DVD. Films on Demand. Films Media Group, 18 July 2013. Web. 5 Oct. 2015.

“Profiler, Profiled.” Criminal Minds. Writ. Edward Allen Bernero, Jeff Davis, and Andrew Wilder. Dir. Glenn Kershaw. Netflix, 2014. Online Streaming.

Tithecott, Richard. Of Men and Monsters: Jeffrey Dahmer and the Construction of the Serial Killer. Madison, WI, USA: University of Wisconsin Press, 1998. ProQuest ebrary. Web. 5 October 2015.

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Conscious Dreams: Lucid Dreaming

By Alexandria Allen “I was at a friend’s house. Everything seemed normal. We were all chatting—me, Harry, and a few of our other friends. I floated from one person to another talking about various topics. Then, when I talked to Harry, things started to become deep, as we started talking about life and philosophy. The conversation was so natural, with words just flowing out of us. Suddenly, in the middle of our conversation, I realized that Harry no longer lived in the same country as myself, and that we have not talked in years. For him to be standing in front of me would be impossible, and then I realized that this must be a dream. I was blown away by how vivid this experience was. Harry seemed like a three-dimensional object, the colors in the room looked so real that I could actually taste my drink and feel my shirt. I then decided to tell Harry that I think I am in a dream, and when I did, he and all of my other dream friends started to give me a cheeky grin. It was almost as if they were saying, ‘Alright, you’ve figured it out. The jig is up.’ Harry then asked me how I could be sure, and led me to the balcony outside, telling me that it’s time to jump and fly. I was scared, but knew that none of this could possibly be real. I got up on the balcony’s ledge, jumped off, and—sure enough—soared into the air” (The Dreamer). This story is the very first lucid dreaming experience of “Jake the Dreamer,” a well-known British blogger from iloveluciddreaming.com. This site is very well put together, and is great for non-lucid dreamers that want to start lucid dreaming. It includes elaborate explanations of the different techniques on how to lucid dream, what lucid dreaming is, and the benefits it can bring.

Lucid dreaming, the ability to realize you are dreaming and then the possibility control your dreams, is a phenomenon that has been around for thousands of years, dating back to the fifteenth century. A letter written by St. Augustine is the earliest evidence of lucid dreaming. It is stated that, “Your body is asleep, but in your brain, your mind is bright and awake, and awareness is not in your brain’s own created dream world” (History of Lucid Dreaming). In the eighteenth century, Tibetan Buddhists were practicing a form of yoga intended to maintain full waking consciousness in the dream state, in which has drifted to other religions over time. The term “lucid dreaming” was coined by Dutch psychiatrist, Frederik Willems Van Eeden after researching his lucid dreams for ten years and presenting his research paper on the topic to the Society of Psychical Research around 1915 (History of Lucid Dreaming). Today, lucid dreaming is not a topic popularly researched; the field of oneirology, the study of dreams, is fairly limited in knowledge, but is expanding.

Lucid dreaming has many controversies; some believe that it is a conscious experience, while others believe that it is not. Stephen LaBerge, who has done extensive research on lucid dreaming, is very active in the field, and plays a central role in this essay with several experiment research findings from his organization, The Lucidity Institute. An article by Keith Hearne in the lucidity letter also plays a center role in this paper, and “Lucid Dreaming: Gateway to the Innerself” by Robert Waggoner is a marginal role in this piece due to its conscious perspective of lucid dreaming. For the unconscious perspective, Norman Malcolm and Daniel Dennett have similar views that lucid dreaming is an impractical phenomenon. Norman Malcolm’s novel Dreaming and his claims against the received view play a marginal role in this paper. In addition, Daniel Dannett’s excerpt from The Philosophical Review plays a central role in this essay, with 84

his modern day approach and view on consciousness in lucid dreaming expanding on Malcolm’s claims. Lucid dreaming is a conscious phenomenon because there is scientific evidence, the claims against consciousness are outdated, dream reports are too complex and vivid to just be a dream, and consciousness can be defined as the fact of awareness by the mind of itself and the world. In the world of lucid dreaming, consciousness is the fact of awareness by the mind of itself and the world. While still in the dream state, people recognize that they are dreaming.

Stephen LaBerge is a popular name in the field of oneirology and lucid dreaming. He has been studying lucid dreaming since college, receiving his Ph.D. in psychophysiology at Stanford University in 1980. In 1987, LaBerge founded The Lucidity Institute, an organization that promotes lucid dreaming research, and offers courses for the general public to be able to lucid dream themselves. In addition, LaBerge is the author of two novels: Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming (published in 1990), and Lucid Dreaming: A Concise Guide to Awakening in Your Dreams and in Your Life (published in 1985). While studying at Stanford University, LaBerge developed techniques to enable himself and others to enter the lucid dream state at will, his most famous being the Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams (MILD) technique. In this technique, you fall asleep consciously through a four-step technique that anyone is able to do at any time. LaBerge believes that lucid dreaming is a conscious act, and states in research from The Lucidity Institute in 1996 that: Whether awake or asleep, our consciousness functions as a model of the world constructed by the brain from the best available sources of information. During waking conditions, this model is derived primarily from sensory input, which provides the most current information about present circumstances, and secondarily from contextual and motivational information. While we sleep, very little sensory input is available, so the world model we experience is constructed from what remains, contextual information from our lives, that is, expectations derived from past experience, and motivation.

(Dreaming and Consciousness 187) In the dream state, we are unconscious to the outside world, and most of our sensory input comes from the mind—what we expect and imagine. While lucid in the dream state, it becomes easy for the individual to recognize that he is dreaming when an action happens in the dream that poses odds to what would be expected. This causes the brain to become conscious in the dream.

While in college, LaBerge researched experiments on dreaming, and came across one experiment

by William Charles Dement, a professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University, that recorded the rapid eye movement of an individual while dreaming. During a thirty-minute period of REM sleep, the recordings of the individual showed steady right-left eye motions. When they woke the individual up, they asked him what he was dreaming, and he replied that he dreamt of standing on the side of a ping-pong table watching a ping-pong ball go back and forth non-stop. After looking at several REM sleep eye movement recordings, LaBerge believed that you could correlate the eye movement with the dream report. These research recordings sparked the idea for LaBerge to have a lucid dreamer while in the lucid dreaming state signal to the outside world with eye movements when they know they are dreaming. In 1981, LaBerge tested this theory, having the lucid dreamer “look” from his left ear to his right ear three times. In the experiment results, you can see a distinct large three pattern at the time the lucid dreamer signaled, as compared to the regular small eye pattern lucid dreaming movements.

Through this thirty-minute REM period out of the last eighteen minutes, the dreamer signaled 85

each signal distinct five times (Le Berge, “In Dreams Awake”).

Another experiment LeBerge tested in 1985 is dreamtime having the lucid dreaming while dreaming count to ten and then signal with eye movements, also showing the same results as the first experiment distinct large three fold eye patterns, as told to do. Furthermore, in 1981, LaBerge conducted another experiment in the laboratory with himself as the subject, sending a Morse code through fist clenches and sending the Morse code SL as said he would. “We observed that a sequence of left and right dream-fist clenches resulted in a corresponding sequence of left and right forearm twitches as measured by EMG. Here the subject sends a Morse code signal with left and right fist clenches corresponding to dots and dashes, respectively” (LaBerge Comment). LaBerge goes on to add an explanation as to why he is able to move his muscles, since you are supposed to be paralyzed during REM sleep. LaBerge says: Note that the amplitude of the twitches bore an unreliable relationship to the subjective intensity of the dreamed action. Because all skeletal muscles groups except those that govern eye-movements and breathing are profoundly inhibited during REM sleep, it is to be expected that most muscular responses to dreamed movements will be feeble.

Nonetheless, these responses faithfully reflect the motor patterns of the original dream.

(LaBerge Comment) Since not only being recorded of his muscular responses, LaBerge was also carefully watched and recorded on his brain waves, to show that while making muscular responses, he was still in the dream state and not considered awake. In addition, from LaBerge’s practice with lucid dreaming since he was a child, he is experienced enough to stay in the dream state and communicate with the outside world.

A British psychologist and parapsychologist by the name of Keith Hearne is another groundbreaking researcher in the field of lucid dreaming. In 1973, Hearne received his BS in psychology from Reading University, England, then went to Hill University that same autumn to obtain his PhD in hypnotic dreams. Hearne has made many discoveries in the field of lucid dreaming, including the “scene-shift effect,” which has the dreamer automatically rearrange a set image scene into another scene while maintaining the same number of objects, colors, and characters. In addition, there is the “light-switch effect,” in which you cannot control the “brightness” of your dream. While you may be in a dream trying to turn a light switch on, nothing may work; you become fooled by the dream, which provides a false reason as to why the light does not come on.

Moreover, Hearne invented the world’s first dream machine with the intentions to provide the dreamer with an artificial stimulus into the dream state that would then set off lucidity.

Furthermore, around the same time as LaBerge’s eye movement experiment, Hearne was conducting the same type of experiment, recording eye movements during lucid dreams and having the subject signal with their eyes to the outside world when they realize they are dreaming to gain proof that lucid dreaming obtained consciousness (About Keith Hearne).

Furthermore, in 1982, Hearne created a lucid dreaming technique called False-Awakening with State-Testing (F.A.S.T), where the dreamer thinks they wake up into reality, but in fact they are still dreaming. In this technique, a nurse or experimenter enters a subject’s room about every half 86

an hour to tell them something or adjust their electrodes. If the subject begins to expect this person, they could have a false awakening and dream that the person is there. In Volume 1, Number 4 of the Lucidity Letter in October of 1982, Hearne goes on to explain this phenomenon: The first part of the technique concerns the production of false – awakenings. These seem to occur particularly when a sleep – disturbance is expected. The sleeping mind becomes somewhat fixated on the coming event, and so perhaps it is not surprising that false – awakenings can be prompted in that situation of high anticipation. Expectation can demonstrably produce strong effects in psychological situations (Hearne).

Furthermore, the second part of this technique is that the subject computes state-testing tests (reality checks), which include trying to fly, looking around the room to see if it looks normal, and checking outside to see if it is the correct season to conclude if the scene is a dream.

However, this technique has never been formally experimented, and has been written out in the Lucidity Letter as a full explanation of what the technique is and how to scientifically perform it, with Hearne asking for results if it is ever tried. The concept of this experiment could show lucidity once the dream starts, when you believe that you “wake up,” and from there, going along with reality checks, you have awareness while in the dream.

Robert Waggoner is another lucid dreaming oneirologist that believes lucid dreaming is a conscious experience. He is a graduate from Drake University, a past President of the ‘International Association for the Study of Dreams’ (IASD), and has been the co-editor for the online magazine, ‘The Lucid Dreaming Experience’ for the past ten years. Furthermore, Waggoner also regularly attends dream conferences and workshops at various universities, such as Sonoma State University, University of Washington, Iowa State University, and Evergreen State University. As well, CBS News, CNN, and ABC News have interviewed Waggoner, and his statements on lucid dreaming have appeared in The Huffington Post, Popular Science, and Brides magazine. Finally, Waggoner had his own regular radio show at the Iowa Public Radio show from 2009 - 2010 where he discussed lucid dreams, and even got to speak with Utne Reader in 2015 (About The Author). Furthermore, in 2008, Waggoner published his first book, Lucid Dreaming: Gateway to the Inner Self. This novel includes anecdotes from Waggoner’s personal experiences and individuals he helps online, methods on how to lucid dream, and how to achieve certain goals within a dream—which mainly is how to get in touch with the subconscious, exploring Waggoner’s experience of finding another reality of seeing who we really are. Waggoner believes that lucid dreaming is a conscious experience, and goes on to state in his novel, “The essential elements of lucid dreaming: the conscious awareness of being in a dream while you’re dreaming. In this unique state of awareness, you can consider and carry out deliberate actions such as talking to dream figures, flying in the ream space, walking through the walls of dream buildings, creating any object desired, or making them disappear” (Waggoner).

Waggoner has experienced vivid dreams since he was a young boy. Over the years, he learned to become lucid and control his dreams. After experimenting with his dreams and learning how to gain control within a dream, Waggoner found a way to get in touch with the inner-self.

Nonetheless, Norman Malcolm apposes these previous oneirologist’s statements, research, and beliefs. He does not believe that you are considered conscious in the lucid dream state. As stated 87

in his novel Dreaming, “The concept of dreaming is derived, not from dreaming, but from descriptions of dreams” (Malcolm 55). To Malcolm, there is no way to verify if experiences occur during dreams; the only evidence is the dream reports made upon waking, and those are not reliable. Malcolm’s main aspect to his argument against the view that consciousness occurs while in the lucid dream state is the standard of being “sound asleep.” Malcolm also infers in his novel dreaming (1959) that for an individual to be considered asleep they must be unaware and prone of their surroundings, as well as unresponsive to stimuli. For example, if you ask someone, “Are you asleep?”, any response would prove that they are awake. Furthermore, according to Malcolm, individuals who sleepwalk and sleep-talk are not considered to be “sound asleep,” and they acquire “qualified assertions” (Malcolm 29) about sleep states.

For an individual to declare that an action occurred within a dream, they also declare that it did not really happen; to claim that they are sound asleep is contradictory. In addition, Malcolm also asserts that for an individual to state, “I was dreaming” depends on a waking supposition of a prior state, and for an individual to state this claim, you cannot prove that it was a sleeping experience since there was no proof during the actual state of the claim. Furthermore, Malcolm concludes that since it is impractical to tell when an individual is dreaming, including ourselves, sleep experiences are unverifiable. Dreaming concepts are not from experiences during dreams, but from reports we make when we wake up. This claim by Malcolm is out of date. With current technology, research, and experiments conducted by Stephen LaBerge covered previously in this essay, consciousness eye movement in the lucid dream state were collected and showed conscious eye movement while still dreaming. In addition, his claim does not discuss why we report having dreams in the waking state in the first place.

Furthering the received view, modern day philosopher Daniel Dannett also believes that consciousness in the lucid dreaming state is impracticable. Agreeing with a lot of Malcolm’s claims, Dannett provides his own evidence as to why consciousness is absent in lucid dreams. In a certain dream called the ‘suspense dream,’ suspense is built up in the dream to the point where it coincides with sensory stimulus from the outside world. For instance, if an individual is dreaming that they are in a saloon and all of a sudden the dreamer is shot, the sound of the gunshot in the dream coincides with the sound of a car backfiring in the outside world. Dennett conducted an experiment to have water drip on the subject’s back while dreaming. Upon waking, the subject reported dreaming about singing in an opera, then seeing and hearing the soprano opera singer next to him getting hit by falling water. He then ran over to her, bending down, and felt dripping water on his back.

Dennett concludes from this experiment that outside stimulus can filter into the dream state.

Dennett then goes on to address that most of the reports for the suspense dreams are anecdotal.

However, he states in his excerpt Are Dreams Experiences?: My attack on the received view is not, however, a straightforward empirical attack. I do not wish to aver that anecdotal evidence about dream anticipation disproves the received view, but I do want to consider in more detail what the issues would be were a rival to the received view to gain support. I hope to show that the received view is more vulnerable to empirical disconfirmation that its status as the received view would lead us to expect (Dennett 159).

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This leads Dennett to his theory called “the cassette view.” In this view, Dennett states that dreams are never really dreamt at all, and are just a fake “recall” upon awakening. He goes on to elaborate and say: If our memory mechanisms were empty until the moment of waking, and then received a whole recomposed dream narrative in one lump, the idea that dreams are experienced episodes during sleep would have to go by the board. The process of presentation has vanished, and although the dreams cassettes would have to be filled at some time by a composition process, that process might well occur during our waking hours. (Dennett) Furthermore, stating that the composition process is an unconscious or subconscious process, which is also stated in the received view. With this he goes on to illustrate the phenomenon of lucid dreaming with this view (Dennett): The phenomenon of self-conscious dreaming, where we tinker with a dream, run it by several time, attempt to resume it where it left off. Here, the theatrical metaphor that enlivens the received view seems particularly apt. After tinkering like the playwright, we must sit back, get ourselves back into the audience mood, suspend disbelief, and re – enter the play. We are usually not privy to the composition process at all, and so have no inkling about when it might occur. (Dennett) Stating that the received view demonstrated that dream-memory production is truly unconscious, with no experience or awareness. Although, adding that with this theory lucid dreaming and the occurrences of the self in recording are but of a dream within a dream, where the dreamer believes that they woke up when they have not. This relates to Stephen LaBerge’s experiment with the conscious rapid eye movement. During a part of the experiment, the dreamers thought that they were awake because they dreamt that they were at the in the awakening state in which they fell asleep. However, during this test conducted by LaBerge, they were indeed still considered asleep and dreaming during this experience. Upon realizing that they were still dreaming, the subjects were able to adequately make conscious eye movement to show that they were lucid. This theory by Dennett is only a theory; there is no real evidence to show that lucid dreams are not conscious experiences. Only a recollection of possibilities as to what could be happening in the lucid dream state show that it is an unconscious act.

“As I launched into the sky and soared through the air, I was filled with exhilaration, just as one would be when flying for the first time, but also because at that moment I knew 100% that I was lucid dreaming and anything was possible. Suddenly, I realized that the world I was in right now was a giant canvas that I could manipulate and control at will. Harry then jumped up with me and began to fly by my side, and the apartment just dissolved away as I consciously decided to glide around the earth, going from the peak of mountains to the far reaches of Antarctica. I could feel the wind gushing on my chest and see the mountains passing me by. Everything seemed so real; to say it was incredible was a complete understatement. I could literally control and do anything I wished too, and it was the biggest rush I’ve ever felt. It was a sense of total utter freedom. While being guided by Harry, a subconscious of myself, and him showing me things, I felt a connection between my conscious mind and my subconscious mind that I have never ever 89

felt before. From this experience, I have become a regular lucid dreamer, diving into my subconscious, where I have learned a lot more about myself” (The Dreamer). With Jake the Dreamer’s first lucid dreaming experience, we see the vividness of this experience and his thoughts of his ability to change what happens around him, as well as his execution of those thoughts.

All in all, lucid dreaming is the phenomenon to realize you are dreaming, and then from there have the possibility to control what goes on within that dream. In addition, lucid dreaming, which dates back to the fifteenth century, only recently has been researched in depth with multiple experiments to prove the consciousness of lucid dreams, including the famous Stephen LaBerge founder of The Lucidity Institute and a main oneirologist in the field of lucid dreaming, executing the ground breaking experiment of, through eye movement, signaling to the outside world while in the dream state. In addition, there is Keith Hearne’s false awakening proposed experiment and Robert Waggoner’s multiple experiences with controlling what happens within a lucid dream.

Opposing this viewpoint, Norman Malcolm and Daniel Dennett deny the possibility of consciousness while in a lucid dream, stating this phenomenon to be a dream within a dream and the non-existent possibility to prove consciousness within a dream, the main proof being only anecdotes after waking up. However, this view is outdated, and within the sources that prove consciousness in lucid dreaming, there has indeed been proof with LaBerge’s eye movement experiment and Robert Waggoner’s in-depth novel upon the ability to think while in a dream and control the outcome of the dream, proving consciousness to be a true phenomenon. Lucid dreaming is a conscious phenomenon because there is scientific evidence; the claims against consciousness are outdated, dream reports are too complex and vivid to just be a dream, and consciousness can be defined as the fact of awareness by the mind of itself and the world. With this, people can arrive at the conclusion that lucid dreaming is a conscious act. The fact that it is considered conscious will be able to encourage and support non-lucid dreamers in lucid dreaming. In addition, this is great for psychologists and psychiatrists in their field of world.

With control during sleep, they can research and support their patients to improve through dreams.

Works Cited "About Keith Hearne." Keith Hearne. Team Discovery Ltd., 2015. Web. 6 Dec. 2015.

Dennett, Daniel. "Are Dreams Experiences?" The Philosophical Review, 1976. Web. 7 Dec. 2015.

Hearne, Keith. "Method of Producing False Awakening." Lucidity Letter. Lucidity, 1 Oct. 1982.

Web. 6 Dec. 2015.

"History of Lucid Dreaming." History of Lucid Dreaming. Altered States. Web. 30 Nov. 2015.

LaBerge, Stephen. "Dreaming and Consciousness." The Lucidity Institute. Lucidity, 10 Apr. 2007. Web. 6 Dec. 2015.

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LaBerge, Stephen. "In Dreams Awake." YouTube. YouTube, 2010. Web. 6 Dec. 2015.

LaBerge, Stephen. "LaBerge Comment: Lucid Dreaming." LaBerge Comment: Lucid Dreaming.

Lucidity, 2000. Web. 6 Dec. 2015.

Malcolm, Norman. "Dreaming." The Philosophical Review. Duke University, 1959. Web. 30 Nov. 2015.

The Dreamer, Jake. "Crazy Lucid Dreaming Stories and Experiences | I Love Lucid Dreaming."

I Love Lucid Dreaming. 11 Dec. 2013. Web. 30 Nov. 2015.

Waggoner, Robert. "About The Author." About Robert Waggoner. DotNetNuke, 2015. Web. 20 Oct. 2015.

Waggoner, Robert. Lucid Dreaming Gateway to the Inner Self. Needham, Mass.: Moment Point, 2009. Print.

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Effectiveness of Applied Behavior Analysis By: Katherin Newton As a mother of a child with autism, I’m all too familiar with the different types of treatment options that are available for my child. You would think that many of these treatment options have had a large amount of research done to prove their effectiveness in treating a neurological condition that has become highly recognized over the past years. In fact, the majority of the programs available today have not had a sufficient amount of research to support their effectiveness in treating autism. When I first learned of my son’s diagnosis, I was told by the Developmental Pediatrician who diagnosed him to get him set up in applied behavior analysis, also known as ABA therapy. I followed his orders without really doing any research of my own.

I just wanted to get my son set up with treatment as soon as possible to help with his behavior and communication skills.

It was some time after my son had been in ABA therapy that I started to dig around to see why, out of all the current treatments available, ABA therapy was the only treatment option recommended by medical professionals. I found that there were many articles and opinions about ABA therapy, and some of the views that I came across were negative. This took me by surprise.

How could a therapy that was highly recommended by my son’s doctor have negative reviews?

It was that question that prompted me to look further into the issue on why ABA therapy, a therapy recommended for the treatment of autism despite its negative image, has many parents and caregivers of individuals with autism still seeking it out as the best treatment option for their child.

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is a treatment for autism that consists of a positive and negative reinforcement type system. This type of approach is said to help change a child’s behavior based on flexible consequences they experience depending on the behavior that they are displaying. In the article “Autism: Does ABA Therapy Open Society’s Doors to Children or Impose Conformity?” Sydney Parker explains the dynamic behind ABA therapy. She states that “many of the strategies used are based on the principles of ‘operant conditioning,’ a form of learning first researched by B.F. Skinner. Its foundation relies on manipulating consequences to change the rate at which behaviors occur in the future.” What this means is that a child is rewarded for appropriate behavior, and is redirected when doing a behavior that is unfavorable.

The very first model of ABA came about in the early 1960s by a team of psychologists at UCLA. Parker explains that Dr. Ivar Lovaas joined the department at UCLA and contributed to the start of the Young Autism Project, a center for children with autism. This center ultimately grew into the “Lovaas Method of Applied Behavior Analysis” (Parker). Dr. Lovaas was the most notable individual out of the group of psychologists. He dedicated the better part of his career to the treatment of autism and has often been called the founder of the first ABA model.

ABA therapy has been extensively researched and studied, which has led to great advances and changes in the program from what it once was. Many of the treatments that were performed on children during the first model of ABA therapy consisted of aversive techniques like slapping, screaming, and electric shock therapy, which could be seen as physically and emotionally 92

abusive in today’s society. These techniques are one of the many reasons why ABA therapy has a negative stigma that surrounds it. Rachel Bowman and Jeffrey Baker discuss in their article that although these techniques were questionable, they were meant to be helpful in improving a child’s behavior.

In “Screams, Slaps, and Love: The Strange Birth of Applied Behavior Analysis,” Bowman and Baker explain that “few questioned the efficacy of aversive therapy, and many parents came to its defense as the only intervention that made their families’ lives tolerable” (365). ABA therapy has come a long way over the past few decades, and these aversive techniques are no longer used in today’s treatment plans. Even though these treatments are not currently being used, they are still part of the treatment outlines of ABA therapy.

Sydney Parker explains in her article that “aversive procedures are not currently prohibited by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB), but they are rejected by many in the professional and disabled community.” Despite its rough beginning, ABA therapy has grown to be a very important treatment for children with autism. “There has been over 40 years of scientific research on ABA therapy that has empirically validated the approach as effective in increasing intellectual aptitude and modifying the social and emotional behavior of children with autism to match that of their typically developing peers” (Parker). It is currently the only treatment available that has been extensively researched and proven to be effective at treating autism, and is the reason why it is so highly recommended among doctors and professionals today. With the continuation of research and detailed studies, ABA therapy will only continue to improve as time goes on.

Despite its many improvements and positive backing, many people still believe that ABA therapy may have a negative impact on individuals with autism. Concerned parents and even adults that have autism argue that ABA therapy is too strict. They believe that the repetitive learning style can yield robotic-like results with autistic individuals. Amy Sequenzia, an adult with autism, claims that “ABA therapists] refuse to acknowledge that being trained to obey, and to force our brains to do things in a way they are not wired to do, causes long-lasting pain or makes autistics learn the ‘correct’ answers and ‘behaviors’, while keeping their autistic essence buried and unexplored” (Parker). People believe that ABA therapy is comparable to what training is for animals, and worry that the techniques that are used end up teaching the child to respond to tasks or questions by rote memorization versus actually learning and applying the information appropriately.

Parker also explains that deterring self-stimulatory behavior, also known as stimming, is another goal of ABA that opponents find offensive. Many people believe that making an autistic individual repress or control their stimming is unethical. Stimming is a behavior that can help an individual with autism cope when they are overwhelmed or stressed out. Stimming can also be a way to show excitement or joy. There are many different ways an autistic individual can stim.

Hand-flapping, rocking, and toe-walking are a few examples. Denying an autistic individual the ability to stim could inhibit their natural coping mechanism. Therefore, many autistic individuals and parents of children with autism will argue that preventing self-stimulatory behavior is cruel and may be detrimental to the individual.

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ABA therapy has been shown to be very effective at improving an individual’s ability to communicate, self-help skills, social skills and academic performance. In the article, “Parents’ Experiences of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA)-Based Interventions for Children Diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Disorder,” McPhilemy and Dillenburger performed a study where several parents were asked to fill out a questionnaire based on their experiences with ABA therapy. The results showed that “all parents believed that ABA-based interventions had a positive impact on their child with particular emphasis on reduced frustration and problem behaviors due to improved communication” (156). Most parents also commented on the improvement in family life, as well as a decrease in stress levels for the household. Parents also reported that they were more hopeful for the future outcomes of their child due to ABA therapy (156).

Studies have been performed that show how ABA therapy is beneficial and effective in many different areas of behavior and development. There have been multiple studies done that are similar to the one performed by McPhilemy and Dillenburger that have shown how useful and effective ABA therapy can be for improving a child’s skills. Self-help skills are one of the many areas that are focused on during an ABA therapy session. Self-help skills are an important tool for a child to have especially in a school setting. These skills consist of getting dressed, basic hygiene care, potty-training, and many others. Self-help skills are also important for increased independence in adulthood. Other areas that are tackled during ABA therapy are speech/ communication improvement.

Many children that start out in ABA therapy have very little verbal skills, or lack them altogether. Many ABA therapy programs offer help in this area in the form of a picture exchange communication system, also known as PECS. This system works by the child picking a specific item or action in picture form and then handing it to the person that they are directly trying to communicate with. I have personally used the PECS system with my son, and found it to be extremely helpful. My son was able to communicate his needs, which eased a lot of his frustration. By using PECS and practicing speech, many children are able to find a way to communicate, whether it be with words or through other means.

ABA therapy has also played an important role in improving the social skills of people with autism. In the article “Generalizing ABA Treatment Outside of Sessions,” Karyn Blane discusses how children with autism learn valuable social skills when they attend group play sessions with other autistic children. She states, “Children learn to initiate and sustain cooperative play with each other through frequent, supported small group practice and high reinforcement” (7).

Learning social skills is not only beneficial in the school setting, but is also useful for when the child transitions to adulthood. Increasing an individual’s academic performance is another way that ABA therapy has been beneficial for children with autism Axelrod, McElrath, and Wine discuss a behavioral intervention study that was done by Ivar Lovaas in 1987. “It was found that with 40 hours a week of early intensive behavioral intervention, nearly one half of participants achieved IQs exceeding 100” (3). These participants also improved their social development skills and were able to be mainstreamed into regular classes (Axelrod, McElrath, and Wine). The fact that many children were able to be mainstreamed into regular classrooms is evidence enough that ABA therapy is beneficial to the child. There are many ways that ABA therapy has been shown to be a beneficial asset to an 94

individual with autism. These are just a few that have been studied and proven. To the parent, there are probably many more ways that ABA therapy has helped improve their child’s quality of life.

Although ABA therapy has shown to be effective at improving an individual’s intellectual abilities and other life skills, critics argue that the long hours that ABA therapy demands are too much for a child to tolerate. Most common ABA programs consist of a one-to-one interaction between the child and the behavior therapist. The child usually sees his or her therapist multiple times a week for several hours a day. In the article “O, Ivar Lovaas: Pioneer of Applied Behavior Analysis and Intervention for Children With Autism,” Tristram Smith and Svein Eikeseth explain that Ivar Lovaas was insistent that children with autism receive 40 hours or more a week of therapy if they want to have the same learning opportunities of typically developing children, even though most children could get by with just 20 to 25 hours a week.

Forty hours a week is a large amount of time for a child to dedicate to such a program, and even 20 hours a week could be considered a lot depending on the age of the child. Most children who are receiving ABA therapy are also receiving other services such as speech and occupational therapy while also attending special education school. Another caveat to take into consideration is that most of these children who are receiving aggressive therapy range in ages from two and a half to five years of age.

The cost of therapy is also another reason that many people are opposed to ABA therapy. In the article “ABA Based Programs For Children Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Parental and Professional Experience at School and Home,” the authors explore the cost of ABA therapy and what states in the US currently have ABA therapy labeled as a necessary treatment that needs to be covered by insurance and government programs. “In the USA, presently 31 states have legislation to ensure that ABA-based interventions are viewed as medically necessary…” (Dillenburger, 113).

What this means is that families that do not live in one of the 31 states that currently cover ABA therapy end up having to pay out of pocket to receive the treatment that they were told their child needs. Paying out of pocket for such a treatment is not always feasible for families. Karola Dillenburger and her co-authors discuss just how much a family could end up spending without the help of medical insurance. They state that “the estimated lifetime cost for an individual with ASD is US $3.2 to US $4.0 million, including cost for care and lost productivity” (112). This type of financial burden could be detrimental to a family’s livelihood, and add more stress to the family that more than likely has enough on their plate.

One of the many benefits of ABA therapy for those families fortunate enough to have access is the fact that the behavior therapists are highly trained in their field of work. A board certified behavior analyst (BCBA) usually holds a graduate degree and is licensed by the behavior board of certification. Parker explains that many of these individuals must have years of supervised experience before being able to take the BCBA exam. Many of the programs are well supervised by well-educated individuals, which leads to close documentation of a child’s progress. This is beneficial to the child since the BCBA will be able to note what areas a child needs help with or what areas they have already mastered.

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Another reason why having a highly trained professional is beneficial is the fact that they are able to customize a program to fit a child’s needs. This means that a child doesn't have to do a full 40 hours a week if it is deemed too much for the child. This helps ensure that a child is not feeling overwhelmed or becoming burnt out with a particular treatment approach. Richard Simpson points out in his article that it is mainly the parent that is requesting the long hours of therapy to begin with. He states that the parents of a child with autism “were insistent that these programs be used a minimum 40 hours per week, 6 to 8 hours daily for 6 days each week” (69).

This is a sure way to burn the child on any type of treatment option regardless of how effective it has proven to be.

With the current rise in autism diagnoses, the demand for qualified board certified behavior analysts has skyrocketed. This high demand has led to many lengthy wait lists in cities that do not have the proper resources. This could be stressful for families that are just learning of their child’s diagnosis and then being told that they will have to wait to start any of the recommended treatments. In the article “Behavior Analyst Use of and Beliefs in Treatments For People With Autism,” Kimberly Schreck and Alison Mazur explain that “the Behavior Analyst Certification Board ethics code only approves the use of scientifically supported treatments,” and it has been found that many BCBAs are not following the ethics code, and are instead constructing their own treatment guidelines, also known as the buffet approach.

The buffet approach is when a parent is forced to choose a little bit of treatment from many different treatment sources. Many of these alternate treatments have not been researched or approved as an appropriate approach for the treatment of autism. In their article, Schreck and Mazur discuss a study they conducted to determine just how often this buffet approach was happening among BCBAs. Although ABA therapy was still the number one treatment being used, there were still many other types of alternate treatments that were also being used in conjunction with ABA therapy. Many of these other treatments, such as facilitated communication and sensory integration, are considered among scientists to be fad treatments.

None of these so-called fad treatments have had the proper research or studies done to conclude their effectiveness in treating autism (Schreck and Mazur 202).

People may have differing opinions on whether or not ABA therapy is the best treatment option for an individual with autism, but research has proven that it is, in fact, the most effective treatment that is currently available at this time. I have personally experienced how ABA therapy can positively impact a child that is diagnosed with autism. My son has made huge improvements in his verbal skills, communication, self-help, and social skills. He went from having only a handful of words and zero communication skills to being able to put sentences together and actually be able to tell me his wants and needs. My son used to run from other kids while playing at the park; he now runs up to them and asks to play.

These examples are only a glimpse of what my son has achieved with ABA therapy. I believe that he wouldn't be where he is today if he did not receive ABA therapy as part of his treatment regimen. I now understand why ABA therapy is still sought after despite the negative publicity it may have. Any parent or caregiver that has had the opportunity to see the improvements their child can make from ABA therapy will tell you that all the stress, money, and time spent on ABA therapy is well worth it. Seeing a child being able to integrate into societal norms is 96

priceless, and ABA therapy makes it possible.

Works Cited Axelrod, Saul, Kelly Kates McElrath, and Byron Wine. "Applied Behavior Analysis: Autism and Beyond." Behavioral Interventions. 27.1 (2012): 1-15. Academic Search Complete. Web. 17 Nov. 2015.

Blane, Karyn K. "Generalizing ABA Treatment Outside of Sessions." The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter 27.9 (2011): 1-7. Academic Search Complete.

Web. 30 Oct. 2015.

Bowman, Rachel A., and Jeffrey P. Baker. "Screams, Slaps, and Love: The Strange Birth of Applied Behavior Analysis." Pediatrics. 133.3 (2014): 364-66. Academic Search Complete. Web. 30 Oct. 2015.

Dillenburger, Karola, Mickey Keenan, Alvin Doherty, Tony Byrne, and Stephen Gallagher PhD. "ABA-Based Programs for Children Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Parental and Professional Experiences at School and at Home." Child and Family Behavior Therapy 34.2 (2012): 111-29. Academic Search Complete. Web. 30 Oct. 2015.

McPhilemy, Catherine, and Karola Dillenburger. "Parents' Experiences of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)- Based Interventions for Children Diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Disorder." British Journal of Special Education 40.4 (2013): 154-61. Academic Search Complete. Web. 17 Nov. 2015.

Parker, Sydney. "Autism: Does ABA Therapy Open Society's Doors to Children, or Impose Conformity?" The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited, 20 Mar. 2015. Web. 23 Oct. 2015.

Schreck, Kimberly A., and Alison Mazur. "Behavior Analyst Use of and Beliefs in Treatments for People with Autism." Behavioral Interventions 23.3 (2008): 201-12. Academic Search Complete. Web. 30 Oct. 2015.

Simpson, Richard L. "ABA and Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Issues and Considerations for Effective Practice." Focus on Autism & Other Developmental Disabilities. 16.2 (2001): 68-71. Academic Search Complete. Web. 30 Oct. 2015.

Smith, Tristram, and Svein Eikeseth. "O. Ivar Lovaas: Pioneer of Applied Behavior Analysis and Intervention for Children with Autism." Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.

41.3 (2011): 375-78. Academic Search Complete. Web. 20 Nov. 2015.

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The Inner Workings of the Adaptive and Complex Human Memory System

By Jennifer A. Rice If it’s our job to develop our minds, shouldn’t we know how the brain works? The more you know about your memory, the better you’ll understand how you can improve it. Most people talk about memory as if it were a thing they have, like bad eyes or a good head of hair. However, your memory doesn't exist in the way a part of your body exists. Previously, many experts favored describing memory as a sort of tiny filing cabinet full of individual memory folders in which information is stored away, and others linked memory to a neural “supercomputer”.

However, today, experts believe that memory is far more complex and elusive. In fact, memory is not located in one particular place in the brain but is instead a brain-wide process. What may seem to be a single memory, in actuality is a complex construction. Think of an object, say, an apple. Your brain retrieves the object's name, its shape, its color, and taste, the sound when you bite into it, the smell, the familiar memories and more. Each part of the memory of what an "apple" is comes from a different region of the brain. The entire image of this “apple” is actively reconstructed by the brain from several different areas.

Neurologists are only beginning to understand how the parts are reassembled into a coherent whole. Taking a deeper look into the neural pathways of memory has only recently, over the past decade, been studied with the new technology available necessary to observe the inner workings of the brain. An understanding of memory is an understanding of the role of experience in shaping our lives, a critical tool for effective learning and beyond. In this paper we will explore how experiences become memories, and we’ll examine whether the way that we create and store memories can influence the way that we learn and effectively influence our day to day life.

Currently there is a widespread consensus on several aspects of information processing within the brain. However, there are many debates in reference to specifics on how the brain actually codes or manipulates information as it is stored in the memory. Daniel Schacter, long time memory researcher and Chair of the Harvard University Psychology Department, states that “a memory system is defined in terms of its brain mechanisms, the kind of information it processes, and the principles of its operation” (Lutz & Huitt, 2003). This theory suggests that memory is a combined total of all mental experiences. This is the belief that memory is a multi-faceted, if not multi-staged, system of connections and representations that is a result of a lifetime’s accumulation of perceptions. Stacy Lutz and William Huitt, both from the psychology department at Valdosta State University, define memory as the “general ability, or faculty, that enables us to interpret the perceptual world to help organize responses to changes that take place in the world.” This theory implies that there must be a tangible structure in which to incorporate new stimuli into memory. The exact form of this structure has been the source of much debate about memory. There seems to be no concrete agreement on what shape a memory structure actually takes. There are, however, many theories on what constitutes both the memory structure and the knowledge unit.

There are two consistent patterns, according to Sir Fredrick Charles Bartlett, whose main contributions were made through the development of applied experimental psychology (Lutz & Huitt, 2003). The first, memory is inaccurate; the second, the suggestion that the inaccuracy of 98

memory is systematic. These systematic inaccuracies in memory are the intervening influences of previous information and the experiences of the individual. Knowledge units are not simply left alone after storage, but they are retained, manipulated, and changed as new knowledge is acquired. When this new knowledge is acquired the debate of how and where the controls operate is the question.

The most widely used model of information processing is the stage theory model (Lutz & Huitt, 2003). This model views learning and memory as discontinuous and multi-staged; it is hypothesized that as new information comes in, it is in some way manipulated then stored. This model recognizes 3 stages of memory: sensory, short-term or working memory, and long-term memory. Sensory memory is just that: sensory. It represents the initial stage of stimuli perception. Obviously, stimuli that are not sensed cannot be further processed and will never become part of the memory. Everyone takes in and perceives stimuli almost continuously; it is hypothesized that perceptions that are not transferred into a higher stage (e.g. Short-term memory) will not be incorporated into memory that can be recalled. This stage of memory is temporally limited, which means that information stored here begins to decay rapidly if it is not transferred to the next stage, in as little as half a second for visual stimuli and 3 seconds for auditory stimuli (Lutz & Huitt, 2003).

Short-term – or working – memory is the second stage of processing; this stage is often viewed as active or conscious memory because it is the part of the memory that is being actively used while new information is being taken in (Lutz & Huitt, 2003). Working memory, however, has a limited capacity; unrehearsed information will be lost from it within 15-30 seconds if other action is not taken. Limitations of the working memory have revealed a specific number of units that the mind can process at any given time. It has been generally accepted that 5 plus or minus 2 stimuli that can be processed at one time.

The final stage, long-term memory, houses all previous perceptions, knowledge, and information learned by an individual, but it is not a “static” filing system that is used only for retrieval purposes. There are several categories of long-term memory, and there are many suggestions on how memory units are represented in the brain. Endel Tulving was an experimental psychologist and cognitive neuroscientist whose research on human memory has influenced cognitive neuropsychologists and neuroscientists. He was the first to distinguish between episodic memory and semantic memory (Lutz & Huitt, 2003). Episodic and semantic memory are known as subtypes of a broader category known as declarative memory. Declarative memory, or autobiographical memory, is that which can be talked about or verbalized. It is the sum of stored information that can be retrieved and put into words in conscious thought and sharing. Episodic memory is centered on personal experience and specific events. It is circumstantial and is not generally used for the processing of information except as a sort of “back drop.” Semantic memory is more abstract, and it typically is the center of more study than episodic because it houses the concepts, strategies, and structures that are typically used for encoding new information.

There is general agreement among most cognitive psychologists on some basic principles of the information processing system (Lutz & Huitt, 2003). Firstly, there is an assumption of “limited capacity.” It is widely held in all models that there are limitations as to how much data, and at 99

what rate, new information can be encoded, stored, and retrieved. Most cognitive psychologists agree that there exists some type of control system for dealing with stimuli. Then there is the belief in the interaction of new information with stored information. This is usually demonstrated with a “bottom-up” or “top-down” system or a combination of the two (Lutz & Huitt, 2003). A “bottom-up” system is predicted on the belief that new information is seen as the initiator which the brain attempts to match with existing concepts in order to break down characteristics or defining attributes. A “top-down” system suggests an opposite approach, that the existing information is the initiator as memory representations are evaluated, then matched to the stimuli.

Finally, there is also an agreement that humans have specific genetic traits that dictate the method by which they acquire new information.

Can memory recall really be so complicated? Similar to our health, our memory is impacted by an infinite number of variables that can lead to a wide range of outcomes all depending on the circumstances. Familiarity with these conditions and the accompanying terms used to describe them is extremely helpful to any individual. There are 3 primary stages of memory processing: encoding, the process in which a new trace is laid down in memory (Kilhstrom, 2011); storage, what happens to the encoded memory trace after the retention interval; and retrieval, gaining access to stored knowledge. Kenneth Wesson, who speaks throughout the world on the neuroscience of learning and methods for creating classrooms and learning environments that are "brain-considerate,” states that “theoretical learning is the capability of modifying new information already stored in memory based on new input or experiences.”

We constantly perceive vast amounts of information each and every minute, but we make no attempt to recall all of it. It is equally important that we cannot remember information that we failed to encode for memory storage in the first place. Once the elements that make up an experience are classified according to their special traits, they are sent to a different brain region for further detail analysis, where comparative knowledge for recognizable similarities to previously encountered information begins. The various pieces of new information get stored in neural circuits that are then distributed through the cerebral cortex. The stronger the network linking the associated pieces together, the more resistant it will be to forgetting (Wesson, 2012).

When you want to remember something, you retrieve the information on an unconscious level, bringing it into your conscious mind at will. While most people think they have either a "bad" or a "good" memory, in fact, most people are fairly good at remembering some types of things and not so good at remembering others. If you do have trouble remembering something, assuming you don't have a physical disease, it's usually not the fault of your entire memory system but an inefficient component of one part of your memory system. For instance, you misplace your keys and can’t remember where they are. One of several things could have happened: you may not have registered clearly where you put them down to being with, you may not have maintained what you registered, or you may not be able to retrieve the memory accurately.

Memory’s errors are as fascinating as they are important, and, despite memory’s obvious benefits, it can also let us down. Daniel Schacter said “memory, for all that it does for us every day, for all the feats that can sometimes amaze us, can also be a troublemaker.” He goes on to say that “we shouldn’t think of these fundamentally as flaws in the architecture of memory, but rather as costs we pay for benefits in memory that make it work well as it does most of the time.”

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Daniel Schacter defines these flaws in his book The Seven Sins of Memory.

According to Bridget Murray, a writer for the American Physiological Association who has expertise in neuroscience, medicine, and psychology, Schacter describes the 4 of these “sins” as the “sins of commission” that involve distorted or unwanted recollections, and the other 3 as the “sins of omission” that involve forgetting (Murray, 2003). Suggestibility is the first or four distorted or unwanted recollection (sins of commission). Suggestibility is the incorporation of misinformed information into memory due to leading questions; this includes deception as well as other causes. Psychologist Elizabeth Loftus is among the well-known psychologists researching this specific flaw. It has become widely known as false identification in criminal cases.

The fifth sin is the retrospective distortions produced by current knowledge and beliefs; psychologists such as Michael Ross have shown that present knowledge, beliefs, and even feelings skew our memory for past events. The final two “sins of commission” are persistence and misattribution. Persistence is unwanted recollections that people cannot forget, such as unrelenting, intrusive memories of PTSD. Misattribution is the attribution of memories to incorrect sources or believing that you have seen or heard something that you have not; this can also be involved in false identification. (Murray, 2003). The “sins of omission,” however, involve forgetting. Transience is the decreasing ability of memory over time (decay) when we fail to bring to mind a desired fact, event, or idea.

The second sin is known as absent-mindedness: lapse of attention and forgetting to do things.

Absent-minded errors also include such things as misplacing keys or eyeglasses, or forgetting an appointment. These errors typically occur because we are preoccupied or distracted, or multitasking, and do not focus our attention on what we need to remember. The final sin, blocking, is the temporary inaccessibility of stored information, such as “tip-of-the-tongue” syndrome, like failing to produce a name with a familiar face. This can be an extremely frustrating feeling, and can happen even when we have paid close attention to the task at hand (e.g. remembering a name). Is memory then flawed in a way that evolution has failed our species? The answer is no; it is quite the contrary. These “sins” are the byproduct of otherwise desirable and adaptive features of the human mind; our memory’s vices are also its virtues.

Why would forgetting be considered a virtue of the memory system? Scientists from the University of Basel in Switzerland are now suggesting the human brain must forget unimportant information in order to remain efficient. Have you ever felt like your brain is so full of information, you need to toss something out in order to learn something new? That might be truer than you think. What's more, serious mental illness can arise if this process is disrupted.

This would imply that the brain is actively, rather than passively, working to rid itself of unimportant information. A plastic nervous system requires the ability not only to acquire and store but also to forget (Dvorsky, 2014).

A more recent study conducted by five experts ranging from cognitive psychologists to neuroscientists, and led by Maria Wimber, was just published earlier this year. They found remembering something important makes our brain “discard” any similar memories that might compete for attention. They also found that actively recalling some of these memories while 101

ignoring others can cause these overlooked memories to fade. Researchers have been testing the idea that the brain internationally wipes away similar memories in favor of preserving the ones it labels as “important” for years, but this most recent study has come extremely close to narrowing down precisely how this happens. Remembering a past experience can, surprisingly, cause forgetting. This form of forgetting is considered to be adaptive because it reduces future interference (Wimber, 2015). They developed a canonical template tracking method to quantify the activation state of individual target memories and competitors during the stages of retrial.

This method actually revealed that repeatedly retrieving target memories suppressed cortical patterns unique to competitors; this pattern suppression was related to engagement of prefrontal regions. This method of testing enabled them to predict later forgetting. They found competition during episodic retrieval engages prefrontal cortical areas that are associated with selection during semantic retrieval. More specifically, during semantic recall of a target memory, the ventral-lateral prefrontal cortex activity actually predicts later forgetting of the competing memories (Wimber, 2015).

The proposed “top-down” mechanism that supports selective retrieval by suppressing competing memories parallels mechanisms believed to support visual selective attention and visual working memory. This selective attention enhances targets and suppresses distracting information, a pattern demonstrated from single neurons. These adaptive modulations of sensory regions are believed to be driven by the lateral prefrontal cortex. Their findings reinforced theoretical parallels between the mechanisms the brain uses to resolve mnemonic competition on the one hand, and sensory competition on the other hand. They concluded that studying the neural basis of forgetting was indeed challenging because the substrate of episodic memories has been difficult to pinpoint brain activity.

By using the relation between perception and memory, they were able to detect neural activity sensitive to the activation of individual memories. Once they were able to track dynamic changes in the activity of individual memories during selective retrial, the completion was resolved. This enabled them to establish clear evidence for cortical pattern suppression as a key mechanism of adaptive forgetting in the human brain. There is growing proof showing that forgetting often serves an adaptive function. It establishes how by simply using our memory system via selective retrieval, we adapt the landscape of memory to the demand of mental life at that point in our lives.

Do you wish that recollection was just easier? Don’t many think it would just be better if we were all blessed with a photographic memory? They shouldn’t; were humans to remember every single image, it would be difficult to make it through the day. Indeed, people with edict memory, also known as photographic memory, claim to be living in a type of “hell” (Dvorsky, 2014). One person with this capacity, Jill Price, complained that “most have called it a gift but I call it a burden. I run my entire life through my head every day and it drives me crazy!” (Dvorsky, 2014).

In a June 2015 radio interview by Radio Health Journal, Lynn Holley interviewed two individuals on the subject of “photographic memory:” Barry Gordon, a behavioral neurologist and cognitive neuroscientist, and Henry Roediger, a professor of neurology and cognitive science. According to Gordon, when people think of photographic memory, in theory they mean 102

somebody who looks at something and remembers it perfectly; in actuality, that never happens.

He goes on to say that what you can find is people who can look at something and remember it extremely well, but not in the way they would a photograph. So there are people who can look at a page in a book, look away, and virtually see the page in their minds for a while, but it is in actuality not a true photograph for most people; it’s a kind of image, a recollection that just happened to be very detailed. However, the ability in one area, even memory, isn’t predictive of your ability in another area (Holley, 2015).

Gordon gives an example of a woman who won the memory Olympics. She could remember long strings of numbers far better than anyone else could. However, as she pointed out, at home she had a bunch of yellow sticky notes on her refrigerator because she couldn’t remember what to buy. Roediger, who studied “memory athletes,” says that they are not really that different from the rest of us, at least in the sense of the way they started out. They have worked at it, and they are all fundamentally using the same thing, a technique that has been around since the Greeks which involves imagery. Scientists are still not exactly sure why some people possess better memory than others, but people who want a stronger memory can improve. With effort, great feats of memory can be achieved by anyone. (Holley, 2015) So, just how does one achieve a better memory? According to Joshua Foer, a science writer who “accidentally” won the memory Olympics, great feats of memory can be accomplished by anyone. He goes on to tell a story of his first experience at the memory Olympics: “there was a guy called Ed Cook, who had come over from England, where he had one of the best-trained memories. And I said to him, "Ed, when did you realize that you were a savant?" he replied, "I'm not a savant. In fact, I have just an average memory.” Everybody who competes in this contest will tell you that they have just an average memory. We've all trained ourselves to perform these utterly miraculous feats of memory using a set of ancient techniques, techniques invented 2,500 years ago in Greece, the same techniques that Cicero had used to memorize his speeches, that medieval scholars had used to memorize entire books.” (Foer, 2012).

For the next year Foer trained his memory: not only trained, but investigated it, trying to understand how it works, why it sometimes doesn’t work (which we have already discussed), and what its potential might be. At one point Foer points out how “one of the really interesting things that I learned is that once upon a time, this idea of having a trained, disciplined, cultivated memory was not nearly so alien as it would seem to us to be today. Once upon a time, people invested in their memories, in laboriously furnishing their minds” (Foer, 2012). Over the last few millennia, we've invented a series of technologies that have made it easier and easier for us to actually externalize our memories. These technologies have made our modern world possible, but they've also changed us. He believes that “they've changed us culturally, and I would argue that they've changed us cognitively” (Foer, 2012). Now that we have externalized our memories, we have little need to remember anymore, and it sometimes seems like we've forgotten how.

A group of researchers at University College London brought a bunch of these memory champions into a lab because they wanted to know, “Do these guys somehow have a structurally or anatomically different brain than ours?” The answer was no; they did, however, find that compared to the control subjects that were memorizing numbers, faces, and pictures, the memory champions were lighting up different parts of their brain. They were using a part of the brain 103

that’s involved in spatial memory and navigation. So what does this all mean? While there are numerous ways of remembering new information, all the techniques being used ultimately come down to a concept that psychologists refer to as “elaborative encoding” (Foer, 2012).

It is also known as the Baker/baker paradox, which goes like this: If you tell two people to remember the same word, for instance “remember that there is a guy named Baker,” and then they say “remember that there is a guy who is a baker.” The person who is told the name is Baker is less likely to remember the same word than the person whose job is a baker. This is because the name Baker does not mean anything to you; it holds no context. This is the same reason people can’t seem to recall an individual’s name at first meeting. Bakers, however, have flour in their hands, smell good, and wear funny hats; the job baker holds meaning. The entire art of memory is giving new information context, turning “capital B Bakers” into “lower case b bakers,” to take information that is lacking context and significance and give it meaning, and transform it in some way so that it becomes meaningful in the light of all the other things you already know. Human beings have exceptional visual and spatial memory; the idea is to create this image in your mind’s eye and populate it with images of the things that you want to remember. The crazier, weirder, more bizarre, funnier, raunchier the image is, the better, and the more unlikely it is to not be forgotten. The more powerful an emotion (something funny) tagged a new piece of information, can allow the newly acquired knowledge to go straight from working memory into long-term memory.

At this point you should have a fundamental understanding of why your memory is so important.

By focusing learning strategies on the strengths of the brain’s memory systems, we may be able to learn more information in a shorter amount of time in a way that is extremely useful in everyday life. However, to be able to do so also requires an understanding of the limitations of the memory. Daniel Schacter said “we shouldn’t think of these (limitations) fundamentally as flaws in the architecture of memory, but rather as costs we pay for benefits in memory that make it work well as it does most of the time.” These “flaws” should be seen as virtues, an adaptive function of the brain that is necessary for daily operation.

Our memory is the cognitive function that we all call upon in our everyday lives; whether we are aware of it or not, we constantly use our memory to help develop a wealth of common knowledge, personal memories, motor processes, mental calculation, reasoning, reading, mental imagery, and more. Memory is perhaps neglected as one of the brain’s most fundamental components. Given the important role of memory in daily life, it is clear to see why understanding how it works is so important, for the better understanding we have of the memory the better we can utilize it.

References Banikowski, A. (1999). Strategies to Enhance Memory Based on Brain-Research. Focus on Exceptional Children, Vol. 32, Issue 2. http://scboces.org/english/IMC/Focus/Memory_strategies2.pdf Bransford, J., Brown, A. & Cocking, R. (2004). How People Learn: Brain, Mind Experience, and School: Expanded Edition. National Academies Press. Retrieved from: 104

http://www.nap.edu/read/9853/chapter/1 Dvorsky, G. (2014). Our brains deliberately make us forget things, to prevent insanity. Io9.

Retrieved from: http://io9.com/our-brains-deliberately-make-us-forget-things-to-preve1543846375 Foer, J. (2012). Feats of memory anyone can do. TED Talks. Retrieved from: https://www.ted.com/talks/joshua_foer_feats_of_memory_anyone_can_do?language=en Hallinan, J. (2009). Why We Make Mistakes: How We Look Without Seeing, Forget Things in Seconds, and Are All Pretty Sure We Are Way Above Average. Retrieved from: https://books.google.com/ Holley, L. (2015). 15-24 Segment 2: Photographic Memory. Radio Health Journal. Retrieved from: https://radiohealthjournal.wordpress.com/2015/06/14/15-24-segment-2photographic-memory/ Kihlstrom, J. (2011). How Students Learn—and How We Can Help Them. Department of Psychology University of Berkeley. Retrieved from: http://socrates.berkeley.edu/~kihlstrm/GSI_2011.htm Lutz, S., & Huitt, W. (2003). Information processing and memory: Theory and applications.

Educational Psychology Interactive. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University. http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/papers/infoproc.pdf Murray, B. (2003). The Seven Sins of Memory. American Psychological Association, Vol. 34, No. 9, p.28. Retrieved from: http://www.apa.org/monitor/oct03/sins.aspx Sadeh, T., Ozubko, J., Winocur, G. & Moscovitch, M. (2014). How we forget may depend upon how we remember. Trends in Cognitive Science, Volume 18, Issue 1, Pages 26–36.

Vogel, E. & Machizawa, M. (2004). Neural activity predicts individual differences in visual working memory capacity. Nature, Vol. 428, pages 748-751. Retrieved from: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v428/n6984/pdf/nature02447.pdf Wesson, K. (2012) Learning and Memory: How Do We Remember and Why Do We Often Forget? Brain World Magazine. Retrieved From: http://brainworldmagazine.com/learning-memory-how-do-we-remember-and-why-dowe-often-forget/ Wimber, M., Alink, A., Charest, I., Kriegeskork, N. & Anderson, M. (2015). Retrieval induces adaptive forgetting of competing memories via cortical pattern suppression. Nature, Vol. No. 4, p. 582-589. Retrieved from: http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/v18/n4/full/nn.3973.html

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Solutions to the Anti-Vaccine Threat

By Sidney Wayne People have become more worried about the effects of vaccination rather than the effects of contracting life threatening diseases. As a response, many of these people have decided not to vaccinate their children and the resulting controversy has caused an uproar of debates. The main concern is that non-vaccinators will compromise the protection provided by the majority of the population being vaccinated and, hence, cause major outbreaks of once feared deadly diseases.

This is actually a very real threat and minor outbreaks are already occurring because of people not vaccinating.

Major changes need to occur before more lives become threatened. Only the vaccines for the most deadly vaccine-preventable diseases should be mandatory for everyone (except those with medical exemptions), and other vaccines for less serious diseases should be administered only with consent. This means that there needs to be more research done to satisfy which vaccines must be mandatory, and people need to become more educated on the risks and benefits to vaccinating so that they can make informed decisions. Although the solutions apply to everyone, to figure out the main audience, the first thing that should be examined are the characteristics of the people who choose not to vaccinate.

Vaccinating has become a very emotional issue for many parents (Vaccine War), but by figuring out who is choosing not to vaccinate and why, then we have a better chance of changing the opinions of anti-vaccinators. It seems that since vaccine-preventable diseases are no longer obviously threatening people’s daily lives, many young parents and doctors do not feel that it is necessary to continue vaccinating for them (Smith 37; Luthy 153). Of these parents, studies have found a trend between the parents that choose to not vaccinate their children at all versus parents who only partially vaccinate their children. They show that non-vaccinated children tend to be intentionally non-vaccinated, while under-vaccinated children were more likely to not be fully vaccinated due to complications with the health care system (Omer 1985), such as problems with loss of shot records (Luthy 156). Characteristics of the two trends showed that non-vaccinated children tended to be part of a white, wealthy family with multiple siblings as well as a married and educated mother, while under-vaccinated children tended to be part of a black, low-income family with a young, single mother who did not have a college degree (Chatterjee 130). Of course there are always exceptions and differences found in these characteristics, but many studies seem to come to the same conclusion that anti-vaccination families tend to be wealthy and educated.

There are many reasons why people are choosing not to vaccinate. Many possible valid concerns include the parents’ belief that the vaccines cause harm, that the immune system cannot handle the vaccines, that it is better to become sick and heal naturally, that vaccine additives could be harmful (Luthy 154), and that children are given too many vaccines before they must enter school (Koch 643). For example, in Ashland, Oregon, many parents do not vaccinate their children because they would rather have their children fight off a sickness naturally, and they also believe that health is a private affair (Vaccine War). This also leads to the belief that the government will violate their constitutional rights by forcing them to vaccinate (Koch 666).

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Barbara Loe Fisher, the president of the National Vaccine Information Center, is opposed to mandatory vaccinations, and she says that, “now Americans have a choice to make: will we stand up and fight to protect our human right to make voluntary decisions about which vaccines we buy and use, or will we permit liability-free drug companies and government health officials to take that freedom from us?” (Blad 13).

Other than their worry for their constitutional rights, anti-vaccinators are worried about possible corruption within the committees that approve vaccines (Koch 654). They are concerned that members have ties or own stocks with vaccine manufacturers, and will approve vaccines even if they are not necessarily safe because it will be more profitable for the companies and themselves (Koch 654). For example, the DTaP vaccine prevents diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough, but when the United States finally adopted this safer, less profitable vaccine in 1996, Japan had already been using it for five years (Koch 648). This shows that the United States may have waited longer so that they could profit more (Koch 648). There is also proof that committees have approved vaccines that had possible bad side effects (Koch 654). The rotavirus vaccine, for example, could cause side effects like high fevers that could lead to brain injury (Koch 654).

However, there is evidence that the system is not completely corrupted that parents need to be made aware of.

There are many programs dedicated to the safety of vaccines, and there are also many precautions taken to ensure their safety. With the issue of the government and vaccine approval committee members making a profit, the truth is that of course they do “but the financial return on vaccines hardly matches the return on medications prescribed daily” (Chatterjee 149). In other words, vaccines are not necessarily the main profit for companies (Chatterjee 149). Many, if not all, top scientists in this field have some sort of relationship with the vaccine industry (Koch 654). If they are also on approval committees, they are required to report any important connections, and if there is a conflict in interest, they may not be allowed to participate at that specific committee (Koch 654).

Another point against corruption is that the U.S. government has actually funded research for vaccine safety (Rothstein 24), and they also have the only advisory groups that are open to the public in the world for these issues (Rothstein 25). The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program has also been created to compensate people if they have proof that they have had adverse reactions caused by vaccines, and this shows that the government is looking to help the public (Rothstein 23). The tests that the vaccines go through before they are approved are very rigorous and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) can request additional information and require certain vaccines to continue going through trials to test them (Institute 32). Any adverse reactions must be reported during these trials, and the vaccines are very carefully placed into the vaccination schedules that people are so often worried about (Institute 32; 30-31).

Additives are also a concern for corruption because the vaccine committees could overlook or dismiss concerns involving adverse side effects caused by the additives. These adverse side effects cause a lot of worry among anti-vaccine parents. The concerns with additives usually have to do with the specific ingredients that would normally be considered dangerous: mercury, aluminum, and formaldehyde are among them (Chatterjee 229). What they need to realize is that the levels for these ingredients are extremely small which makes them not dangerous to the 107

human body, but they are continually studied so that they can be further improved (Chatterjee 229). The concern about thimerosal, which has a type of mercury in it, was incorrect because studies did not find any connection between it and autism (Rothstein 24), however, the FDA asked manufacturers to reduce or remove it anyway just because of the concerns surrounding it (Vaccine War). The aluminum adjuvant was also a concern (Hogenesch 8-9). Studies were done on its effects on the immune system, but no substantial evidence connected it to adverse side effects (Hogenesch 8-9).

Other valid reasons to be concerned with vaccines include whether risks are worth the vaccination, how bad the side effects could be, and whether low risk diseases should have mandatory vaccines. With all of these concerns flying around, people do not think about how vaccines have increased people’s lifespans by about thirty years, and how vaccines can prevent at least sixteen diseases that had killed so many people (Vaccine War). The vaccine preventable diseases that have low risks and are not deadly may not be a major concern any longer, however.

These vaccines should not be mandatory since no fatal harm will come to anyone if they do catch the disease. An example would be the modern flu vaccine and many people choose not to get it every year, if at all.

Some vaccine risks are so rare that it is not certain that vaccines are even the cause of the reaction (Vaccine War), and the risks are not nearly as important as the benefits for deadly vaccine-preventable diseases. Diseases like polio are extremely disabling and, hence, should be a mandatory vaccination. Knowing these risks for diseases is an important concern for parents, because they need to know what the benefits for the vaccines are. Another valid concern are the possibilities that vaccines could be a trigger for some diseases caused by gene mutations (Vaccines: Calling). Research shows that these diseases will develop anyway regardless of receiving the vaccination for people with these mutations, but it is still a concern for parents (Vaccines: Calling).

Some bad reasons for not vaccinating include that there is not a risk for contracting the disease, that the disease is not dangerous enough, and that vaccines may cause autism (Luthy 154). The main argument that parents use is the autism concern. Many concerned people believe that the disease has something to do with the MMR vaccine (Smith 41-42), and some of them are particularly concerned because they already have an autistic child (Luthy 157). Studies after studies have been done, and they all have come to the conclusion that autism is not linked to vaccines (Rothstein 19-20). Autism can be diagnosed around the second year of life for a child and this is when children are scheduled to get many of their shots (Smith 41). The actual reason that there is a rise in autism rates may be due to the ability to better detect and diagnose the disease (Rothstein 19). With regards to the other reasons, the actual diseases should be much more of a concern and without herd immunity, the risks for getting them are much larger.

Herd immunity is the major reason why many diseases are now uncommon, and people threatening this delicate balance can cause many problems. The idea of herd immunity is that “if fewer people can catch the disease, then fewer people can spread it, so even people who are not vaccinated are less likely to contract the disease if those around them are protected� (Rothstein 21). To protect this immunity, each vaccine has a percentage of the population that needs to be vaccinated to protect against that vaccine-preventable disease (Rothstein 21). Since vaccines are 108

not always guaranteed (Rothstein 21), and immunosuppressed people are unable to receive vaccines, the amount of people that need to be vaccinated should be even larger (Flanigan 9).

Immunosuppressed people include people who are too young to receive vaccines and those who are too sick to receive vaccines (Flanigan 9), and as the rates of anti-vaccination increase, the possibility of major disease outbreaks increase for both the immunosuppressed individuals and the unvaccinated individuals (Smith 46).

About ninety-five percent of the population needs to be vaccinated and, unfortunately, some private schools are well below ninety-five or even fifty percent (Kluger 41-42). If outbreaks occur, parents will again strive to vaccinate, but the point of vaccines is to prevent that from happening in the first place (Smith 46). In some recent outbreaks of pertussis (whooping cough), many if not most of the related deaths were in children who were unable to be vaccinated because they were too young (Flanigan 9). Older children and adults are also at risk for the same fate because they choose not to get boosters (Vaccines: Calling). Since pertussis can be fatal, it should be a mandatory vaccine. There have also been recent outbreaks of measles that forced many unvaccinated students to remain at home (Blad 13). This means that not only are antivaccinators endangering the public, but they are also causing disruptions in education.

Extreme measures have started being considered to counter the anti-vaccine movement, and some are actually being put into practice. Many doctors are worried that anti-vaccination families will bring infectious diseases into their clinics (Manning). Parents tend to claim that their primary source for vaccine information are healthcare providers (Omer 1985), but when they bring in sicknesses after they have already caught it, there are problems. A survey in nine Midwestern states of 900 pediatricians showed that about twenty-one percent of them have discharged families who refused to vaccinate (Manning).

The problem with discharging families who refuse to vaccinate is that these parents’ children still deserve to have quality pediatricians, but some doctors have decided to come to these extreme conclusions (Leib 21). Others say that doctors should not dismiss anti-vaccine patients unless it is a serious circumstance that could cause harm to them or other patients (Omer 1986). To solve this problem, doctors need to be clear about their policies regarding vaccines before they start seeing a patient regularly (Smith 44). There are also threats that people who refuse to vaccinate can rightly be excluded from public activities, be fined, be liable for their children who may become sick, be liable for others who may become infected by them or their children, and be forced to compensate these infected people (Flanigan 6). Instead of feeling the need to take these actions, there are better solutions to the anti-vaccine movement.

Important solutions that need to be implemented include ensuring that families have a good relationship with their doctors, educating the population about the risks and benefits of vaccines, conducting more research for vaccines, and creating sound policies. First of all, it is vital for parents to have good relationships with their doctors so that as many children as possible receive their vaccinations (Rothstein 27). Many parents are willing to discuss their opinions about being uncertain about vaccines with their doctors and they want information pertaining to their situation (Omer 1986). Doctors need to be more prepared and informative for their patients, so that they can answer any of their concerns (Omer 1986).

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Parents also come into contact with school nurses often, who are verifying their children’s shot records (Luthy 154). School nurses can be a primary source of information about vaccines for parents to interact with and they are responsible for relaying that important information to them properly (Luthy 159). School nurses must be able to explain what is used in vaccines as well as how multiple vaccinations affect the immune system, particularly for babies and children (Luthy 159). They must be able to explain how vaccines are merely a small factor of what contributes to a child’s immune system and this information must also be communicated without confusing the parents (Luthy 159). These relationships require that the doctors must be able to teach and educate their patients. Educating the population about the risks and benefits to vaccinating is extremely important so that people can make informed decisions about their health.

Lack of education in this issue is a main reason why the anti-vaccine movement started and to reverse that effect, more education must be implemented. To start off, it is important for people to know exactly how vaccines work with their immune system so that they know what they are putting into their children’s bodies. Each vaccine is made specifically for a certain disease so that it is as effective as possible when it is introduced to the body (Rothstein 5). Vaccines contain an inactive or weak part of a disease that is usually not a major threat to the person receiving it (Rothstein 5). Once injected, the body uses that part of a disease to become familiar with it and then be able to destroy it quickly if the active form of the disease infects the body (Rothstein 5).

To become familiar with it, the immune system has the ability to remember certain viruses that it had been exposed to by using the memory of the white blood cells (Rothstein 4). At relatively young ages, people need to learn about this and how the immune system works with their bodies.

It is key for people to know what they are putting into their own bodies and, later, into their children’s bodies.

People also need to realize that every vaccine has side effects and it will effect some people more than others (Rothstein 18). The important thing that they need to learn is that the benefits to vaccinating outweigh the risks, and the protection that they provide is worth those possible side effects (Rothstein 17). If it is taught more extensively in high school or middle school science classes, then there will be less debate about whether the benefits of vaccinating outweigh the risks because people will already know about it. Vaccines in the United States have “prevented over 100 million cases of polio, measles, rubella, mumps, hepatitis A, diphtheria, and pertussis since 1924,” and if more people knew these kind of facts, there would be less debate over whether vaccines are safe (Rothstein 26). There may be too much information available for parents which causes them to have a hard time figuring out who to trust (Vaccines: Calling), but by starting to educate them at earlier ages, it is much more likely that some of these mistrusts never occur in the first place.

New research is also vital to the continuing and advancement of vaccination safety. In very rare cases, vaccines could be a trigger for some diseases due to gene mutations (Vaccines: Calling).

More research needs to be done to find links for chronic diseases like these and genetic predisposition for particular people (Koch 653). Future medical practices may be able to focus on individuals, and determine whether a vaccine may harm them specifically even if others respond fine (Rothstein 21). Some scientists also believe that the current methods for testing vaccines are inadequate, and more research must be done before these vaccines are safe (Koch 641). Science continues to change and adapt, but the important fact is that the vaccines that are 110

available now do work.

To maintain the herd immunity now, new and stricter policies may need to be adapted. To get out of vaccinating their children, parents file for non-medical exemptions, and the number of parents who are doing this is starting to increase (Omer 1983). Some states require parents to prove that they have sincere religious convictions toward vaccinating before they can get their exemptions, while other states it is as easy as checking a box that says that they wish to have a non-medical exemption (Wailoo 197). There is some concern that it is too easy to claim exemptions and this might cause people to think that vaccinations are not as serious as they actually are (Chatterjee 131). Outbreaks, like the measles in California, cause many policymakers as well as health officials to wonder why parents have this option to exempt their children from vaccines to attend school, and they are seriously considering limiting or even completely eliminating these non-medical exemption options (Blad 1). There are also some bills that require families to attend medical counseling before being allowed to file for a non-medical exemption (Blad 13).

Although these ideas will help protect the herd immunity, what they actually need to do is decide which vaccine-preventable diseases are the most dangerous, and for those vaccines, do not allow any non-medical exemptions. More research towards figuring out which are the deadly or permanently disabling diseases needs to occur. Those vaccines should be mandatory for everyone, except the immunosuppressed. Possible mandatory vaccines include vaccines for polio, measles, and pertussis. With all other vaccines, people should be allowed to choose, because it is their right to decide to this extent. If certain diseases are not deadly, then there is no reason why people should be required to vaccinate against them, and they should be able to claim exemption for those only.

The herd immunity is extremely important for our lives. With the protection that we receive from vaccinations, there should not be any outbreaks of deadly vaccine-preventable diseases.

Regardless of people’s beliefs, vaccines have saved lives and no one should be able to compromise that fact just because of things that they assumed were true and saw on the internet.

To prevent opposition, people need to be more educated during school so that they understand why vaccines are beneficial, and more policies need to be implemented to prevent people from getting non-medical exemptions for deadly vaccine-preventable diseases. However, for all other viruses that vaccines prevent that are not life-threatening or disabling, people do have the right to choose, because it will not cause major harm to the rest of the population. More research needs to be done to figure out which vaccines should be mandatory or not based on these conditions.

By implementing these solutions, everyone will benefit and more lives will be saved.

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Journal on Hospitals’ Ethical and Legal Issues 26.1 (2014): 5-25. MEDLINE. Web. 5 Oct. 2015.

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MEET THE WRITERS! Alexandria Allen is an English major, originally from Honolulu. She is majoring in English and minoring in Multimedia, deciding between a future career in law or in film production. Her favorite thing about Hawai‘i is the beautiful, diverse beaches throughout the islands.

Jessica Andersen, a Psychology major, is originally from Sweden. Her intended career plans are to become a psychologist and open her own practice for abused children and teenagers—her dream for many years. Her other dream has been to study abroad in the United States, which lead her to beautiful Hawai‘i. She loves the spirit of Hawai‘i and of HPU, the people, the surroundings, and everything she has learned since she arrived: “It has been an amazing experience to be able to see the island, swim in January, go hiking, and just enjoy the best of life and at the same time develop my English, writing, and learn so much more in psychology and other subjects.”

[Not pictured] Wesley Barlow went to high school in Alabama, and since his father was in the Army, he lived all over the world. His major is in Nursing. He plans to seek out experience and eventually return to school to become a Family Nurse Practitioner. Hawai‘i’s weather and awesome Asian-influenced food are his favorite parts, and HPU's diversity and beautiful campus make him proud to be a Shark. .

Nathan Baum is from Tyler, Texas (close to Dallas). He is majoring in Finance with a minor in Writing. His favorite thing about HPU and Hawai‘i in general is the huge amount of diversity that he gets to experience every day: “I come from a town where nearly everyone thinks the same about many issues. Over here, I can meet new people every day that have completely different beliefs and ideas than me and many have lived lives life completely different than what I can relate to, which is opportunity that I find very exciting.”

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Nakoa Gabriel was born and raised in Waipahu, Hawai‘i, where he still currently lives. When not working at the pet hospital, he is pursuing a major in Criminal Justice with a possible minor in Writing. Upon his graduation from HPU he plans either to work with the FBI or pursue a degree in law and start his own firm. His favorite thing about living in Hawai‘i is its natural beauty: “I’ve lived here for 19 years and have never gotten tired of seeing the ocean. It is important to know your roots and where you come from.”

McKenzie Hennessy is originally from Riverside, California and is majoring in Pre-Nursing. She plans to become a member of Nurses Without Borders, to have the opportunity to travel to various countries and provide medical attention to those who aren't as fortunate as we are here in the United States. She loves many things about living in Hawai‘i: the mind-blowing scenery, the perfect weather, and the magical energy: “It is really amazing knowing that I get to live in a place some people spend their whole lives dreaming of visiting. It is also really cool knowing I live on a chunk of rock floating in the middle of the ocean.”

Jonathan Kahalepuna is originally from Elizabethton, Tennessee, and is majoring in Nursing. His favorite thing about living in Hawai‘i is “that I am not judged for who I am and who I love. The power of aloha and acceptance here is beyond belief.”

Constance “Kitty” Knoch is originally from the small rural town of Butler, Pennsylvania. She is majoring in pre-health biochemistry with the hopes of starting a career in pathology and continuing on to become a medical examiner. Her favorite thing about both Hawai‘i and HPU is the diversity: “Coming from such a small town that was not very diverse or open to change, it is so nice to see how everyone can peacefully interact with one another even though there are cultural differences.”

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Samantha Londynsky is originally from Alamo, California, and is double-majoring in Hospitality and Tourism Management and Management Information Systems. Though she has no career plans at the moment, she would like to be in a position where she can work heavily with computers and people, or as one of her professors put it, "translate from geek to English.” Her favorite thing about HPU is the location. On any given day she can decide to take a bus to the beach or go on a hike and be there within the hour.

Robert Matthews was born and raised in New Jersey, spending his whole life in the same house with his mom, dad, brother and dog. My major is currently Pure Mathematics, although he is pursuing a career in Physics. His hope for the future is to attend graduate school to study particle physics and one day become a tenured physics professor at a university. Attending HPU with his girlfriend and brother in 2015-2016 was an incredible experience. His favorite thing about Hawaii is the perfect weather at all times and being able to walk to the beach whenever he wants. His favorite thing about HPU is the unique professors that are always happy to talk about their fields and their research.

Katherine Newton is originally from Rancho Cucamonga, California. Her major is Nursing, and she plans to join the Air Force once she finishes her BSN. She hopes to further her career and become either a nurse practitioner, midwife or physician assistant. Some of her favorite things about Hawai‘i are the beaches and perfect weather. Her favorite thing about attending HPU is the location and how diverse the college is.

Robert Oehler is originally from Jacksonville, Florida. He is currently an International Studies degree, transitioning to a degree in Cinematography. Currently, he is traveling through China doing a five-month language immersion. He plans to use his degree to enhance his photography business (Oehler Photography) by documenting the exotic paths less traveled to those who only dream about traveling.

As a triathlete, he truly loves the environment and year-round training opportunities the island of Oahu provides. Additionally, his triathlon training group, Boca Hawai‘i, is more than an athletic group; it's become ohana: “They are always there for me and my wife when we need them.”

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Carson Pyle is a Pre-Nursing major from Houston, Texas. After college, she plans to go back to Houston and get some experience, then set her sights abroad to fulfill her goal of becoming a travel nurse. While here in Hawai‘i, she enjoys playing volleyball for HPU, spending time at the beach, and hiking.

Brandon Saliba is a Marketing major from Corona, California, with an intended career as a marketing director or CMO of a business. His favorite things about Hawai‘i and HPU are how laid back the people are here and how great the weather is.

Anna Thuen is originally from the quaint town of Denville, New Jersey. She intends to major in psychology and hopes to one day work as a marriage/family counselor or as a therapist in general.

Some of her absolute favorite aspects of living here are the beautiful crystal clear ocean, the awe-inspiring views right outside her window (at the Hawai‘i Loa campus), the interactive and personalized classrooms, and finally, the fact that a new adventure is always around the corner.

Sidney Wayne is originally from New Mexico and is majoring in Oceanography with a concentration in Chemistry. She hopes to work towards ocean conservation by studying pollution and how it affects the environment.

She wants to help make ocean activities more sustainable, and healthier for the marine life and the world population. She loves being close to the beach, and finds the windward side of the island especially beautiful. One of my favorite aspects of HPU is the picturesque Ko'olau Mountains that she can see at Hawai'i Loa Campus while she studies.

Jasmine Wesley is originally from Huntington Beach, California, and is majoring in International Business with a minor in Environmental Studies.

She hopes to pursue a career working with the federal Environmental Protection Agency. Her favorite thing about Hawai‘i is the surf and the beaches, and her favorite thing about HPU is the tight-knit community that this smaller-sized university has to offer.

NOT LISTED:

Jennifer A. Rice, Adam Smeltzer, Cassie Williamson 116

Mahalo!

The editors and contributors would like to acknowledge the support of the following people: David Lanoue, Former Dean (2015-16), HPU College of Liberal Arts William Potter, Associate Dean (2015-16) and Interim Dean (2016-17) Joan Ishaque, Assistant to the Dean Mikael Ladegaard, HPU Web Services Marian Gentile, Editorial Intern Theodore Simonelli, Editorial Intern Lily Nazareno, Cover Artist Nominating Instructors: Kathleen Cassity David Falgout Angela Gili Lisa Kawai Laurie Leach Deborah Ross Micheline Soong Christy Williams

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