Mean Girls andDarwin

When I began reading the selections on this topic a scene from the movie Mean Girls came to mind. In the scene a fight breaks out between two girls in their high school cafeteria. However, instead of shrill screams, aggressive encouragement, and an involved but removed audience, everyone in the cafeteria begins acting like animals. They growl, make monkey noises, and move in ways that embody wild animals- it’s hilariously ridiculous and startling accurate. The scene, in essence, puts its own modern twist on survival of the fittest. You see the two girls where fighting over a boy. the girls were competing for dominance and the boy.


Okay so you only need to watch the first 14 seconds of this clip. Music plays over the animal sounds in the movie, but you get the basic idea. I couldn't find a short, simple clip of the scene online.

As Darwin says, “varieties in order to become in any degree permanent, necessarily have to struggle with other inhabitants of the country” (106). He goes on to say, the species that becomes “dominate will be the most likely to yield offspring which, though in some slight degree modified, will still inherit those advantages that enabled their parents to become dominant over their compatriots” (106). Perhaps the girl’s motivation wasn’t procreation, but I once reaaad a sketchy Psychology article that explained how humans are attracted to people who would enable them to produce their societies’ standard of the strongest offspring. In the case of Mean Girls, the society standard would be beauty. Though the article had no substantial evidence to prove its point, the message has always stuck with me. I’m not sure why, aside from the fact that it simply makes sense. We strive to be the best we can, and, translated into our current standards, that means the most wealthy and, though some could argue, the most beautiful. However, why do we do this? We do we spend the better part of our life trying to get so rich we have more money then one person could reasonably spend in a life time? Why do we spend thousands on improving our bodies, when their already headed down hill? Self-preservation- not in the literal sense, rather in the ideal sense- we want to be on top, and, when we’re too old and decrepit to maintain that position, we want someone to hold it for us. That someone would be our offspring.


Though this family is slightly creepy they are beautiful and rich. They're at the top of the metaphorical food chain.

Longhorn's querencia

Like the Texas Longhorn I am “a home lover” (820). However, unlike the Longhorn, I don’t know where home is.

Is it in the city that houses nineteen years of memories, three of my best friends, and all sorts of comfort elements?

The Houston skyline (especially at night) is probably the only physical thing I loved about the city.

Or is it the city I will live in for the next four years? The one that already has a semester of memories, the one that promises independence and freedom?

I love Austin. It's such a vibrant city, with so much to do. I find myself attached to a lot of things in the city.

According to the vaquero language, “querencia… (is) the place where an animal is born or to which he shows strong attachment” (820). “Many animals…” - including humans I’m sure - “… have strong attachments to their accustomed home.” (820)

Sancho, the homebody Longhorn on the Kerr’s ranch, “stayed at home and drank at the well” when “it rained and other cattle drifted off…” (823). He did this because he loved certain elements of the Mexican Gulf, like “the Mexican peppers on the Esperanza” (825).

Based Sancho’s story Houston should be my home. However, when I visit Houston, I can’t wait to be back in Austin. Perhaps it’s because when I was in Houston, I lived in seven different apartments. My sense of home wasn’t grounded in a physical location- I wasn’t like Sancho who’s “bed ground was near a certain mesquite tree just outside the gate” (823)- it was established in relationships I had built.

These are some of my close friends from high school. My memories of Houston are of time spent with people like them (physical locations hardly ever register).

But if querencia also means a strong attachment to a certain location then perhaps Austin, though I’ve only lived here for four months, will always be my home. So far my time here hasn’t been about the people I’ve met, rather it’s been about personal development- exploring my independence and my limits as a college freshman. When I think of my time in Austin some physical location or memory comes to mind first, and the people involved come as a secondary thought. Perhaps this is the defining element of “home”- missing things, as opposed to people.

Dobie DB

I found the most striking aspects of Dobie’s “The Mustangs” were his descriptions. They painted in my head a mirror image of what I had always imagined- “heads tossing high, nostrils dilated, the wild and free stood in arrested animation.” (847)

[1] Dobie also describes Mustangs as being curious and mischievous- “their playfulness rather than their fears seemed to be excited by our appearance.” (849)

More importantly though, they reminded me of the missing elements in my life…

You see, Mustangs carry “a life and a spirit” (848) that I envy. They’re free, independent, and excitable- constantly eluding captors. I admire these qualities, because I’ve lost them all. When I was younger I used to be independent; now I’m constantly seeking affirmation from materialistic things that do not matter. I used to be excitable, but now disappointment and frustration dominate my moods. However, the worst thing is I’ve lost my spirit. I’m encountering a familiar tedium (some would call it reality) as an adult that restricts me to a bubble, and deprives me of the necessary freedom to simply explore my character and live. As Dobie says, “the process of breaking often broke the” spirit (847).

[2] In this photo “two cowboys are rounding up a Mustang.” It reminds me of Dobie’s description- “…trembling with fear before his captor, bruised from fals by restrictive rope, made submissive by choking, clogs, cuts and starvation, he had lost what made him so beautiful and free.” (846) Again, I am tempted to draw a parallel. Man has similar captors- things and ideas that are fishing for a chance to trap him.

However, he also says, “only by blotting out the present can one now see those wild horses of the prairies.” (848) Perhaps what he means by this is, in order to achieve a Mustang’s freedom and spirit, we must disassociate ourselves with “reality/tedium” (what’s the best way to get an A? What career makes the most money? How can I get a letter of recommendation? What’s the best way to begin building my grad school transcript?), and remember back to simpler days. What brought us the most joy as children? What was our favorite activity?

[1] http://pro.corbis.com/search/searchFrame.aspx

[2] http://pro.corbis.com/search/searchFrame.aspx

Dobie DB RD

DIASCLAIMER: I still need to add multimedia, I know. Also, might be some elaboration on my points… everything makes sense to me right now (lack of sleep does something to your cognitive abilities?), but that might change tomorrow. I just wanted to get something done, since I won’t have much time to work on it Wednesday. Sorry if this poses as any inconvenience. :\

I found the most striking aspects of Dobie’s “The Mustangs” were his descriptions. They painted in my head a mirror image of what I had always imagined- “heads tossing high, nostrils dilated, the wild and free stood in arrested animation.” (847)

More importantly though, they reminded me of the missing elements in my life.

You see, Mustangs carry “a life and a spirit” (848) that I envy. They’re free, independent, and excitable- constantly eluding captors. I admire these qualities, because I’ve lost them all. When I was younger I used to be independent; now I’m constantly seeking affirmation from materialistic things that do not matter. I used to be excitable, but now disappointment and frustration dominate my moods. However, the worst thing is I’ve lost my spirit. I’m encountering a familiar tedium (some would call it reality) as an adult that restricts me to a bubble, and deprives me of the necessary freedom to simply explore my character and live. As Dobie says, “the process of breaking often broke the” spirit (847).

However, he also says, “only by blotting out the present can one now see those wild horses of the prairies.” (848) Perhaps what he means by this is, in order to achieve a Mustang’s freedom and spirit, we must disassociate ourselves with “reality/tedium” (what’s the best way to get an A? What career makes the most money? How can I get a letter of recommendation? What’s the best way to begin building my grad school transcript?), and remember back to simpler days. What brought us the most joy as children? What was our favorite activity?

I’ve encountered this theme multiple times in this class, but perhaps since Mustangs are “the most inspiring creature ever to print foot on the grasses of America” (486) I’ll finally listen?

DB

I can’t get over the argument that humans are, in some form or another, superior to animals. Norma tells John that a squirrel’s “world view comprises acorns and trees and weather and cats and dogs and automobiles… There’s no more.” (92)

[1] Norma says squirrels’ would view also includes attracting squirrels of another sex.

This point seems incredibly simplistic and arrogant.

To begin with every earthling has its own niche. They contribute to other species’ existences, who, in turn, contribute to others. Whether or not we feel various species’ roles in these commensalistic relationships are substandard, we should still respect them. We should respect their lives, their contribution to the global ecosystem, and, most importantly, their role as the main course of our meals.

[2] Every life form on Earth is dependent on another life form. Humans are probably the only species on the Earth who never give back; the only species who bites the hand that feeds them.

In previous class discussions people have brought up the point that, in the wild, a predator kills its prey gruesomely- we’re just doing the same thing; it’s natural. I don’t believe, under any circumstances, can one compare these two situations. When a lion takes down a gazelle, it snaps the neck. It doesn’t chew off the horns and tail; it doesn’t make a point of letting it bleed slowly so it’ll taste better. There are certain things we do at food mills that are unacceptable, and, while the killing of animals is “necessary” for our survival, our methods aren’t. There is no reason animals’ “Will (should) stand stunned and numb” (763H) from months of living in revolting conditions.

As Smuts says in his essay, “when a human being relates to an individual nonhuman being as an anonymous object, rather than as a being with its own subjectivity, it is the human, and not the other animal, who relinquishes personhood.” (759) How can we claim moral and intellectual superiority when, in completely disregarding other species’ lives, we employ such inhuman methods of killing?

Moreover (and here I get a bit radical), how can we be a superior species when we enable and condone so much destruction in the world? I don’t see other species trafficking their young and starting wars (however primordial they would be). We are selfish beings that will not exercise a bit of self restraint. One may argue that animals are selfish as well, and I’d agree. However, at least animals know when to stop.

To get back to my original point, we owe animals our respect. This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t kill them for food- it simply means that we should be compassionate about it. We don’t need “matadors or deer hunters armed with bows and arrows” to provide the world with its main protein source- “you do not feed four billion people” this way. (97) We need some major overhauls- we need regulation and standards. I don’t understand how people can spout “this is the way the world is” when we are capable of changing our current standards.

[3] It’s not reasonable to suggest that we resort back to this form of hunting to kill animals. However, we can do MORE to change our food farms.

[1] http://pro.corbis.com/search/searchFrame.aspx
[2] http://pro.corbis.com/search/searchFrame.aspx
[3] http://pro.corbis.com/search/searchFrame.aspx

RD DB?

I can’t get over the argument that humans are, in some form or another, superior to animals. Norma tells John that a squirrel’s “world view comprises acorns and trees and weather and cats and dogs and automobiles… There’s no more.” (92) This point seems incredibly simplistic and arrogant.

To begin with every earthling has its own niche. They contribute to other species’ existences, who, in turn, contribute to others. Whether or not we feel various species’ roles in these mutual relationships are substandard we should still respect them. We should respect their lives, their contribution to the global ecosystem, and, most importantly, their role as the main course of our meals.

Also, in previous class discussions people have brought up the point that, in the wild, a predator kills its prey gruesomely- we’re just doing the same thing; it’s natural. I don’t believe, under any circumstances, can one compare these two situations. When a lion takes down a gazelle, it snaps the neck. It doesn’t chew off the horns and tail; it doesn’t make a point of letting it bleed slowly so it’ll taste better. There are certain things we do at food mills that are unacceptable, and, while the killing of animals is “necessary” for our survival, our methods aren’t. There is no reason animals’ “Will (should) stand stunned and numb” (763H) from months of living in revolting conditions.

As Smuts says in his essay, “when a human being relates to an individual nonhuman being as an anonymous object, rather than as a being with its own subjectivity, it is the human, and not the other animal, who relinquishes personhood.” (759) How can we claim moral and intellectual superiority when, in completely disregarding other species’ lives, we employ such inhuman methods of killing?

Moreover (and here I get a bit radical), how can we be a superior species when we enable and condone so much destruction in the world? I don’t see other species trafficking their young and starting wars (however primordial they would be). We are selfish beings that will not exercise a bit of self restraint. One may argue that animals are selfish as well, and I’d agree. However, at least animals know when to stop.

To get back to my original point, we owe animals our respect. This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t kill them for food- it simply means that we should be compassionate about it. We don’t need “matadors or deer hunters armed with bows and arrows” to provide the world with its main protein source- “you do not feed four billion people” this way. (97) We need some major overhauls- we need regulation and standards. I don’t understand how people can spout “this is the way the world is” when we are capable of changing our current standards.

Costello

This concept of our specie’s, race’s, and/or religion’s superiority is the foundation for the world’s degradation.

[1] Destruction and pain wear many faces (war, poverty, famine, global warming, global dimming), but there is a common theme shared by every injustice committed- “the strong can do what they please with those who are in their power”. In this photo an Iranian man watches as Iraqi soldiers destroy oil refiners during the Iran-Iraq war.




Homo sapiens have upset the natural order of things in many respects:

1. Abusing other, “weaker” humans: In India many indigenous people have been diagnosed with cancer due to nuclear testing near their villages- all in the name of advancing a race and a nation.
2. Abusing the Earth: The Earth has been polluted by exorbitant amounts of waste, because humans don’t care about the consequences of their consumption habits.


[2] This photo is an areal view of a landfill in the United States. It’s estimated that in a year one American disposes of 1,460 pounds of trash. How much of that is recyclable? How much of it can be sold or given away? If we took a minute to think about where our trash goes, would that have any effect on the amount of waste we produced each year? The Earth feeds us, and we feed it with our left-overs, our trimmed fat, our unwanted things.

3. Abusing other species: Animals- whether they’re omnivores, carnivores, mammals, birds, crustations, or vertebrae- “…have no more power…” [1] The reverence our species once held for them has been demolished by our desire to conquer and dominate everything. “Animals only have their silence left with which to confront us.” [2]

The saying “cogito, ergo, sum… implies that a living being that does not do what we call thinking is somehow second class.” [3] I have two problems with this idea. First, what do we define thinking as? The ability to create? To communicate? To read books, do math, and understand science? A “consciousness of (oneself) as a… reasoning machine” [4]?

I think it’s ironic how we feel superior to other races or species because they don’t fulfill our standards of intelligence. We’re so removed from our true nature that we’re incapable of understanding other species’ motivations and desires… much less they way they think. And, when we understand so little about the natural world, we’ve still logical deduced the conclusion that we’re intellectually better.

It’s almost contradictory to employee intelligence as one’s main justification for dominance— all things natural feed our existence, directly and indirectly. The word is a complex machine of give and take, and we’re the only species who constantly takes but never gives. If we’re such intelligent beings, capable of such sophisticated things then why haven’t we figured out a way to give back to the hand that has feed our existence for millions of years?

[3] Native Americans would use every part of the buffalo. They were thankful for it’s contribution to their survival. Today, Westerners don’t regard their food sources with any semblance of respect: a cow provides steak and milk, no more, no less. I’m not advocating we get on our knees and say thank you to the slice of meat on our dinner plates, but if we just recognized how important other species are to our survival I think we’d discover that we owe them a bit more than a polluted environment and inhumane death.

I’ve heard a lot of people say that we’re much more developed today than we were millions of years ago, but I don’t understand how they’ve reached that conclusion (at least from a spiritual perspective). Millions of years ago we respected animals and mother nature- we understood our dependence and we cherished it. Back then we were “alive to the world” [5], fulfilled beings—today we are engrossed in our materialistic desires and power struggles. From a spiritual perspective, are we really better off?! This connection Man can have with all things natural is greater than any books we have read, buildings we have created, cars we have driven. We can find superficial meaning in our big cities and expensive houses, but if we truly want to connect with our spirit then we must stop looking at other beings of the word with notions of superiority and begin recognizing our oneness.

[4] I’m not suggesting that we forsake our civilization, and begin a new life a remote desert with coyotes for friends. If everyone had a chance to be reminded of the majesty of the natural world, to experience the things that provide for their existence, then they might be able to connect. And, when they connect, they can discover within themselves a spirit that isn’t tormented by materialism or corruption.

However, I am not suggesting that we resort back to our animal nature- after all, “normal humans have capacities that far exceed those of nonhuman animals, and some of those capacities are significant in particular contexts…” [6] (i.e. technology, medicine, art).

[.5] 743
[1]70
[2]70
[3]78
[4]78
[5]78
[6]743

PHOTOS

[1] http://pro.corbis.com/search/searchFrame.aspx
[2] http://pro.corbis.com/search/searchFrame.aspx
[3] http://pro.corbis.com/search/searchFrame.aspx
[4] http://pro.corbis.com/search/searchFrame.aspx

Coetzee

This concept of our specie’s, race’s, and/or religion’s superiority is the foundation for the world’s degradation. Homo sapiens have upset the natural order of things in many respects:

1. Abusing other, “weaker” humans: In India many indigenous people have been diagnosed with cancer due to nuclear testing near their villages- all in the name of advancing a race and a nation.
2. Abusing the Earth: The Earth has been polluted by exorbitant amounts of waste, because humans don’t care about the consequences of their consumption habits.
3. Abusing other species: Animals- whether they’re omnivores, carnivores, mammals, birds, crustations, or vertebrae- “…have no more power…” [1] The reverence our species once held for them has been demolished by our desire to conquer and dominate everything. “Animals only have their silence left with which to confront us.” [2]

The saying “cogito, ergo, sum… implies that a living being that does not do what we call thinking is somehow second class.” [3] I have two problems with this idea. First, what do we define thinking as? The ability to create? To communicate? To read books, do math, and understand science? A “consciousness of (oneself) as a… reasoning machine” [4]?

I think it’s ironic how we feel superior to other races or species because they don’t fulfill our standards of intelligence. We’re so removed from our true nature that we’re incapable of understanding other species’ motivations and desires… much less they way they think. And, when we understand so little about the natural world, we’ve still logical deduced the conclusion that we’re intellectually better.

It’s almost contradictory to employee intelligence as one’s main justification for dominance— all things natural feed our existence, directly and indirectly. The word is a complex machine of give and take, and we’re the only species who constantly takes but never gives. If we’re such intelligent beings, capable of such sophisticated things then why haven’t we figured out a way to give back to the hand that has feed our existence for millions of years?

I’ve heard a lot of people say that we’re much more developed today than we were millions of years ago, but I don’t understand how they’ve reached that conclusion (at least from a spiritual perspective). Millions of years ago we respected animals and mother nature- we understood our dependence and we cherished it. Back then we were “alive to the world” [5], fulfilled beings—today we are engrossed in our materialistic desires and power struggles. From a spiritual perspective, are we really better off?! This connection Man can have with all things natural is greater than any books we have read, buildings we have created, cars we have driven. We can find superficial meaning in our big cities and expensive houses, but if we truly want to connect with our spirit then we must stop looking at other beings of the word with notions of superiority and begin recognizing our oneness.

However, I am not suggesting that we resort back to our animal nature- after all, “normal humans have capacities that far exceed those of nonhuman animals, and some of those capacities are significant in particular contexts…” [6] (i.e. technology, medicine, art).

[1]70
[2]70
[3]78
[4]78
[5]78

Earthlings

My reaction to Earthlings: …

I’m not sure if I should be horrified, defensive, or outraged.

OBSERVATION ONE:
The screenplay is definitely a thought provoker, but it’s also a very obvious piece of propaganda. Had Monson included citations for ALL of his statistics, concrete evidence for his claims, and a response to his critics then I would be more… receptive of his position. Please don’t interpret this to mean that I’m suggesting he’s full of shit, I am just disappointed with his presentation.

It’s a good strategy to employ pathos and ethos in an argument, but it’s not enough. If Monson really wanted to make an effective, life-altering documentary then he would have provided his readers with more substance. He sites eleven pieces of literature, and all of them are affiliates of animal-rights organizations!

[1] Monson only uses animal activists’ literature. His arguments would have been more compelling if he’d thought to bring in other studies, because his readers/viewers have preconceived notions about the legitimacy of his sources. This is the only photo I could find of an event organized by PETA (one of Monson’s sources) that I feel is inappropriate and, by default, discredits the organization.

Moreover, I find his section on animal experimentation very frustrating. As this section is the most controversial of the five, one would think that he’d put a bit more effort in legitimizing his stance by mentioning alternatives to animal testing. [1]

[2] There are a variety of alternatives to animal testing including "synthetic skin," called Corrositex, computer modeling, improved statistical design The Murine Local Lymph Node Assay (LLNA). Had Monson mentioned the success of these alternatives, his argument that animal testing is wrong would have been more persuasive.

Also, he implies that animal testing in general is “an insult to true science, as well as human intelligence” [2] which is simply outlandish! How can he say that when he only gives examples of outdated forms of testing: “the purpose of this experiment is to stimulate auto crashes… football…boxing… and other head related injuries…”[3]? A mammal’s body is an exceptionally intricate, complicated thing, and some forms of medical research (like AIDS!) cannot be done without animal experimentation.

[3] In this photo a scientist is injecting a mouse with HIV. Animal testing allows researchers to study HIV in greater detail than in humans. Researchers are able to develop hypothesis based on their observations of the animals, and then check/test it in humans.

OBSERVATION TWO:

“… it is not the inability to find out what is going on as much as a desire not to know about facts that may lie heavy on one’s conscience that is responsible for this lack of awareness…” [4]

Humans can hardly extend this conscience to themselves much less animals. I’m not surprised by what I’ve read in Earthlings. Our species has spearheaded destruction at unprecedented levels- global warming, nuclear proliferation, genocide, slavery- all in the name of self preservation. As long as we’re the last one standing we WILL blind ourselves to the injustices around the world, because we have little respect for each other, the earth, and other species. In saying, “we like to think of these as absolutes: that there are distinct lines between humans and animals, and that certain ‘human’ rights are unalienable. But we’re kidding ourselves” [5] McNeil argues this point (albeit with a more central focus). Even if one doesn’t believe animals have souls, one still should value their contribution to human existence; weaker human qualities should have no bearing on our treatment of other species.

[4] The Spanish Parliament’s attempt to extend human rights to apes because of their human qualities seems egotistical to me. Apes don’t deserve special treatment because of their genetic makeup. Each species contributes to life in different ways, and, if you’re going to pass legislation to protect animals so they’re not subjugated to pain, you shouldn’t be so exclusive. As Monson says, “pain is pain” [6].

---

Instead of saying “don’t have, eat, or test animals” perhaps one should say “have, eat, and test animals, but be RESPECTFUL about it”.



[1] http://altweb.jhsph.edu/faqs.htm
[2] 727
[3] 728
[4] 729
[5] 732
[6] 729

PHOTOS:
[1] http://pro.corbis.com/search/searchFrame.aspx

[2] http://pro.corbis.com/search/searchFrame.aspx

[3] http://pro.corbis.com/search/searchFrame.aspx

[4] http://pro.corbis.com/search/searchFrame.aspx

Fusing Two Passions

Imagine this:

It is nine in the morning— an unforgivable time for any college student— and you’re sitting in a stiff, wooden chair next to the girl who always smells like a hangover.

You could be cursing your university: who starts class before 2?

You could be cursing the hangover girl: has she never heard of a toothbrush?

Or, you could be like me, sitting at perfect attention, scribbling notes furiously, thinking admiring things about your professor: I bet she loves microbes more than me!

For me, BIO 307D, also known as Biology of AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome), is a class where I am constantly having enlightening moments; there is something about bacterium, fungi, protozoa, viruses, and our immune system that captivates me, and, in a very abstract way, inspires within me a reverence for the complexity of nature. When I registered for this class, I had no intention of pursing a second degree (much less one in Microbiology), but Professor Moor has introduced me to a subject matter that I will eagerly study for the rest of my life.

[1]. BIO307D is a reading intensive course, but I never feel like I’m wasting my time when I sit down and study for five hours straight. The mindset that studying Microbiology is fun is what has encouraged me to pursue it as a second major.

Another passion of mine is working to protect the innocence of children who are forced to live in brutal circumstances. Childhood is an unalienable right, and there is no justification for stealing this precious experience from any human being. Though there is a sordid variety of horrors children must face, I find myself drawn to ones who are infected with AIDS: over 33 million people are living with HIV, and 2.5 million of them are children.[2] Of the 2.5 million, 90% of them are from Sub-Saharan Africa, where there is limited access to medication. [3] Imagining children living with this painful and terrifying disease is appalling, and, in pursuing Microbiology, I’m prepared to dedicate the rest of my life to this cause.

[4] This video provides the public with a different perspective of children affected by AIDS. Even if a child is not infected with HIV, they must bear the burden of fostering their dying parents and orphaned siblings.

At this point in my life I’m unsure of the path that is most suited for me. However,
in the next four years I will obtain two bachelors degrees, one in Plan II and the other in Microbiology. Microbiology will help me develop my understanding of the microbial world, and Plan II will help me round out this knowledge with other valuable subjects. I do not believe a person is truly educated until they have a good grasp of the world around them. Plan II allows students who focus their university career on a specific subject to simultaneously study different areas they may be interested in. By obtaining a comprehensive education, I believe that I will be able to contribute to the cause of AIDS in more than one area. For example, there are 2.5 million people infected with HIV in India. [5] If I accepted a job with the United Nations (or another company/non-profit) my History of India class would help me cope with the cultural aspect of my experience. Since India has such a vast, complex history, understanding a rudimentary foundation of Indian would enable me to connect with the All-Indian society on a different level. This could be valuable in three regards: first, it would give me the confidence to further my understanding of the country, because I would not be hindered by the insecurity ignorance inspires. Second, it would make assimilation and connection much easier- truly authenticating the experience. Third, by understanding the culture, history, and politics of India, I would be more able to recognize the steps I need to integrate an AIDS prevention program in an underdeveloped country.

Throughout my years here at UT, I plan on familiarizing myself with various AIDS organizations, particularly Face AIDS. Face AIDS works with Partners in Health, a non-profit organization, to provide funding for treatment and healthcare to AIDS victims and their families. This organization is particularly powerful because it doesn’t deal solely with infected individuals. Face AIDS tries to improve the standard of living for the families affected by this disease by employing them.

[6] Face AIDS employees villagers in Rwanda to make these pins. They then sell them for five dollars in the United States, the money is then matched by private donors.

Additionally, in the next four years I plan on volunteering abroad for a semester or summer. Ideally, I’d like to go to Nepal, Mexico, or Ghana where I could do AIDS relief work. For example, if I volunteered with Manisha Singh Punarjeevan Niwas (MSPN), an organization based in Nepal, then I would work directly with children under ten that are infected with HIV. In working with MSPN, I would interact with the patients on a more personal level, and, through familiarizing myself with these kinds of relationships, I would develop a certain degree of detachment that’s necessary for this line of work. For example, compassion is a large part of my personality, and it has allowed me to be more understanding of people from different persuasions. However, I “know [my] limitations and strengths” [7], and this personality trait will eventually hold me back from living my own life-- especially being constantly surrounded by the realities of this disparaging disease. Simply reading stories and looking through photographs of children living in destructive environments will put me in a despondent mood for days. I can become so consumed by the pain of others that I will lose sight of the positivity and beauty in life. I know that doing AIDS relief work will be a trying experience for me, but if I begin conditioning myself early then, when the time comes, I will be more prepared to face the harsh realities of HIV. Ghana and Mexico are two other options for volunteer work. Both of these programs would introduce me to the bureaucratic side of AIDS work, a valuable opportunity since I am not sure what career I would like to pursue. As a volunteer I would lobby local governments for permission to visit schools and communities and teach AIDS awareness.

[8] The two women in this photo are volunteers for Treatment Action Campaign. TAC teaches children from underdeveloped countries about AIDS transmission. This is what I envision for myself when I volunteer abroad.

Another thing I would like to do in the next four years is study at one of the premiere Microbiology programs of the world. I believe that studying abroad offers a variety of obvious experiences, the most important being education and networking. For example, since different strands of AIDS infect various populations, studying at a university or interning at a lab in another country would allow me to work with strands that aren’t widely known in the United States.

[9] This is a photo of a scientist testing six pregnant women’s blood for HIV. I would love to work in a laboratory- whether I’d be testing blood or looking for a cure.

Moreover, there are wide variations in legislation concerning AIDS treatment and government supported relief work around the world. While abroad I will have the opportunity to explore these opinions, and, by default, reach my own conclusions.

As I mentioned before, at this point in my life I’m not sure if my future lies directly in a laboratory or with another form of AIDS relief work. If I worked in a laboratory I would most likely be an employee of a major pharmaceutical company or research institution. Currently this line of work is the most appealing to me because I plan on pursuing a Masters in Microbiology. If in four years I discover that this isn’t the path I want to take, a Bachelors Degree in Microbiology would allow me to pursue a variety of fulfilling, AIDS related careers. For example, I could be an advocate and work for The United Nation’s Children’s Fund (UNICEF). I would enjoy working for UNICEFF, because I believe their fight against AIDS is one of the most genuine and successful in the world. In this line of work a BS in Microbiology will give me a competitive advantage, because I will know the subject very well and be more capable of translating the science of AIDS to lay people. Another potential job I would like to explore is drug-counseling. As a counselor I would administer tests, teach about AIDS and prevention, provide contraceptives, and conduct one-on-one counseling. As simple as this line of work appears, I think it might be one of the most fulfilling— even though I will not be effecting change on a global scale, helping one person overcome their confusion and fear is just as gratifying as helping hundreds.

[10] In 2005 UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan delivered a speech about changing treatments for infectious diseases like HIV. The UN’s attempt to combat the AIDS epidemic is far reaching; they employee specialist from all disciplines.

When I registered for my fall semester classes, I had no idea that BIO307D would play such a large role in shaping my future. I recognize that people change and so do their plans, but I cannot imagine myself deviating from a path that allows me to fuse my passions for Microbiology and children. It’s tragic to think about the millions of children who are infected with HIV each year; they’re innocent beings, who have done nothing to deserve such a painful condition of life. If I can do anything to relieve their pain, I will.

[1] http://pro.corbis.com/search/searchFrame.aspx [1]http://www.uniteforchildren.org/knowmore/knowmore_29033.htm [1] http://www.uniteforchildren.org/knowmore/knowmore_29012.htm
[1] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5xjQtx9h-E[1] http://www.avert.org/aidsindia.htm[1] http://www.faceaids.org/whatwedo
[1] Daniel Goleman, “Primal Leadership: Realizing The Power of Emotional Intelligence,” E603A Course Anthology, (Fall 2008): X67
[1] http://pro.corbis.com/search/searchFrame.aspx [1] http://pro.corbis.com/search/searchFrame.aspx
[1] http://pro.corbis.com/search/searchFrame.aspx

DB....

Short and simple:

Though there are few parallels between Jude’s life and mine, I can relate to his frustrating financial hardships. Like Jude, I am my provider- this means food, cloths, random necessities, and college.

In order for Jude to attend college, “…fifteen years (would) elapse before (he would) be in a position to forward testimonials to the Head of a College” (Hardy 93).

In order for me to attend one year of college I have to barrow around $13,000.

I’m arguing that the inaccessibility of college in Jude’s time is nearly the same, perhaps slightly easier, as in our time. The elitism that prevents Jude from attending University still surrounds economically disadvantaged people today though in a more abstract way.

For example- Someone from an economically disadvantaged background will, most likely, find it difficult to be approved for a loan. Loans require co-signers (FYI- being a co-signer is a big commitment), and co-signers require good credit. First conclusion, the economically disadvantaged person won’t be approved for a loan because the only people who will be their co-signer have been denied. Second conclusion, the economically disadvantaged person won’t go to college.




This video isn't about unaffordable college, however it hammers in the idea that being poor holds you back.

rough draft, take II

DISCLAIMER: Feeding freenzy of shit... enjoy!

---

Imagine this:

It is nine in the morning-- an unforgivable time for any college student-- and you’re sitting in a stiff wooden chair next to the chick who always smells like a hangover.

You could be cursing your university: who starts class before 2?

You could be cursing the hangover girl: has she never heard of Colgate?

Or, you could be like me, sitting at perfect attention, scribbling notes furiously, thinking admiring thoughts about your professor: I bet she loves microbes more than me!

For me, BIO 307D, also known as Biology of Aids, is one of those classes where I’m constantly having “ahhhhhh, I love this” moments. I took the class on a random whim, vaguely interested in learning more about AIDS. However, I will walk away from the class with a newfound passion for microbiology. No matter the time, location, professor, or lab partner, this subject will always been an incredibly intriguing topic for me. There’s something about bacterium, fungi, protozoa, viruses, and our immune system that captivates me, and, in a very abstract way, inspires a reverence in me.

For example, I find it shameful that western society is so quick to jump on the pharmaceutical bandwagon when most of us don’t have the slightest clue as to how a large portion of drugs can disrupt our body’s microbial equilibrium. Our bodies and the world around us are capable of amazing things, and most of us don’t realize how dependent we are on the world to provide us with life.

Another thing I love is children; more specifically, helping children who are forced to live with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (also known as AIDS). “Over 33 million people are living with AIDS”. The sheer mass of this statistic is tragic, but what really upsets me are the statistics concerning children: 2.5 million children are infected with HIV, and 90% of them are from Sub-Saharan Africa. What makes this figures even worse is the fact that-- the majority of the time-- children in Africa have no access to medication. This means that they are innocently forced to suffer this terrifying and painful disease, having done nothing to deserve this fate.

I’m not sure why helping children infected with HIV inspires such a passion within me. Maybe it’s the pure unjustness of the situation, maybe the fact that AIDS work enables me to fuse my two passions together, or perhaps it is a combination of the two. Whatever it is though, I’m prepared to dedicate the rest of my life to this cause.

In the next four years I hope to obtain a bachelors degree in Plan II and Microbiology. Microbiology will help me develop my understanding of the microbial world, and Plan II will help me round out this knowledge with other subjects. I don’t believe a person is truly educated until they have a good grasp of the world around them. Plan II (a Liberal Arts education) allows students who focus their education on a specific subject to simultaneously study different areas they may be interested in. By obtaining a well rounded education I believe that I will be able to contribute to the cause of AIDS in more than one area. For example, there are 2.5 million people infected with HIV in India. If I accepted a job with the United Nations (or another company/non-profit) my History of India class would be a benefit me with the cultural aspect of this experience. Since India has such a vast, complex history understanding a rudimentary foundation of Indian would enable me to connect with the culture on a different level. This could be valuable in three regards: first, it would allow me to understand more about the country as a whole, because I would have a basis of understanding their culture. Secondly, it would make assimilation and connection much easier. I wouldn’t be starting from scratch. Third, by understanding the culture and history of India I would better understand the steps I need to take to be apart of a prevention/awareness/research program.

Throughout my years here at UT I plan on familiarizing myself with various AIDS organizations, particularly Face AIDS. Face AIDS works with Partners in Health, a non-profit organization, to provide funding for treatment and healthcare to AIDS victims and their families. This organization is particularly powerful because it doesn’t deal solely with infected individuals. Face AIDS tries to improve the standard of living for the families effected by this disease, by employing them.

Additionally, I plan on volunteering abroad during a semester or summer at UT. Ideally, I’d like to go to Nepal, Mexico, or Ghana where I could do AIDS relief work. For example, if I volunteered Manisha Singh Punarjeevan Niwas (MSPN), the organization based in Nepal, then I would work directly with children under ten who are infected with HIV. I would interact with the patients on a more personal level, and, through familiarizing myself with these kinds of relationships, I will develop a certain degree of detachment that’s necessary for this kind of work.

For example, compassion is a large part of my personality, and it has allowed me to be more understanding of people from different walks of life. However, at the same time this personality trait can (and will) hold me back from living my own life. Simply reading stories and looking through photographs of children from damaging circumstances will put me in a depressed-there-is-no-happiness-in-the-world mood for days. I know that I will go through a process when I begin doing AIDS relief work, and, if I begin early, then, when I’m fully educated and ready to combat this issue, I will be more prepared to face these harsh realities.

Ghana and Mexico are two other options for volunteer work. Both of these programs would introduce me to the bureaucratic side of AIDS work. As a volunteer I would lobby governments for permission to visit schools and communities and teach AIDS awareness. Working with the non-profits that are stationed in these countries will give me another perspective on AIDS relief.

In order to be a valuable asset to the AIDS cause as an organizational whole, I believe I should be familiar with all facets.

Another thing I would like to do in the next four years is study at one of the premiere microbiology programs in the world. I believe that studying abroad offers a variety of obvious experiences, the most important being education and networking. By attending one of the top universities in the world, I could potentially intern at a lab (Europe has some of the leading AIDS research programs), and explore potential career paths with different research institutions.

At this point in my life I’m not sure if my future lays directly in a lab or with another form of AIDS relief work. If I worked in a lab I would most likely be an employee of a major pharmaceutical company or research institution. At this point this line of work is the most appealing to me.

If I was an advocate for AIDS I could work for The United Nations (UN) or The United Nation’s Children’s Fund (UNICEF). This line of work is also appealing, because I believe UNICEF’s fight against AIDS is one of the most genuine and successful in the world. In this line of work I wouldn’t be working directly in a lab, but a degree in Microbiology would give me a competitive advantage. First, it’ll ensure that I know the subject very well (as opposed to others who may be applying for the job). Second, it’ll also help enable me to translate the science of AIDS to non-science people.

Both organizations have a heavy focus on AIDS awareness and relief work, and could offer me a variety of positions within their designated AIDS programs. Moreover, there are still a variety of career paths that I could pursue if microbiology doesn’t work out for me. There is the advertising and marketing section where I could work for ONE, an American non-profit that raises awareness of poverty, hunger, and disease. There is also drug counseling, and, depending where I worked, I would just need a rudimentary understanding of the disease and counseling skills. As simplistic as this line of work is, I think it might be one of the most fulfilling. Helping one person overcome their fear can be just as gratifying as helping hundreds.

It’s tragic to think about the millions of children who are infected with HIV each year. They’re innocent beings, who have done nothing to deserve such a painful condition of life. If I can do anything to relieve their pain, I will.

P2 Rough Draft

DISCLAIMER: this is a free for all… In other words, I have three midterms this week, and my attempt to get things done early has failed miserably. I know this essay needs some sever revisions, so I won’t feel bad if you write “wtf?” in your reviews. Enjoy—it really is a feast of awfulness.

-----

Imagine this:

It is nine in the morning-- an unforgivable time for any college student-- and you’re sitting in a stiff wooden chair next to the chick who always smells like a hangover.

You could be cursing your university: who starts class before 2?

You could be cursing the hangover girl: has she never heard of Colgate?

Or, you could be like me, sitting at perfect attention, scribbling notes furiously, thinking admiring thoughts about your professor: I bet she loves microbes more than me!

For me, BIO 307D, also known as Biology of Aids, is one of those classes where I’m constantly having “ahhhhhh, I love this” moments. I took the class on a random whim, vaguely interested in learning more about AIDS. However, I will walk away from the class with a newfound passion for microbiology. No matter the time, location, professor, or lab partner, this subject will always been an incredibly intriguing topic for me. There’s something about bacterium, fungi, protozoa, viruses, and our immune system that captivates me, and, in a very abstract way, inspires a reverence in me.

For example, I find it shameful that western society is so quick to jump on the pharmaceutical bandwagon when most of us don’t have the slightest clue as to how a large portion of drugs can disrupt our body’s microbial equilibrium.

Another thing I love is children; more specifically, helping children who are forced to live with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (also known as AIDS). “Over 33 million people are living with AIDS”. The sheer mass of this statistic is tragic, but what really upsets me are the statistics concerning children: 2.5 million children are infected with HIV, and 90% of them are from Sub-Saharan Africa. What makes this figures even worse is the fact that-- the majority of the time-- children in Africa have no access to medication. This means that they are innocently forced to suffer this terrifying and painful disease, having done nothing to deserve this fate.

I’m not sure why helping children infected with HIV inspires such a passion within me. Maybe it’s the pure unjustness of the situation, maybe the fact that AIDS work enables me to fuse my two passions together, or perhaps it is a combination of the two. Whatever it is though, I’m prepared to dedicate the rest of my life to this cause.

In the next four years I hope to obtain a bachelors degree in Plan II and Microbiology. Throughout my years here at UT I plan on familiarizing myself with various AIDS organizations, particularly Face AIDS. Face AIDS works with Partners in Health, a non-profit organization, to provide funding for treatment and healthcare to AIDS victims and their families.

Additionally, I plan on volunteering abroad during a semester or summer at UT. Ideally, I’d like to go to Nepal, Mexico, or Ghana where I could do AIDS relief work. For example, if I volunteered Manisha Singh Punarjeevan Niwas (MSPN), the organization based in Nepal, then I would work directly with children under ten who are infected with HIV. I would interact with the patients on a more personal level, and, through familiarizing myself with these kinds of relationships, I will develop a certain degree of detachment that’s necessary for this kind of work.

Ghana and Mexico are two other options for volunteer work. Both of these programs would introduce me to the bureaucratic side of AIDS work. As a volunteer I would lobby governments for permission to visit schools and communities and teach AIDS awareness and be a counselor. Working with the non-profits that are stationed in these countries will give me another perspective on AIDS relief.

1. I believe being a counselor is one of the most powerful jobs I could have. Living with HIV is a very tramatic thing, especially for people who don't understand the disease or have acccess to medication. Coming to terms with AIDS is a very emotional process, in this photo the woman in the skirt is serving as a counselor to the other woman.

Another thing I would like to do in the next four years is study at one of the premiere microbiology programs in the world. I believe that studying abroad offers a variety of obvious experiences, the most important being education and networking. By attending one of the top universities in the world, I could potentially intern at a lab (Europe has some of the leading AIDS research programs), and explore potential career paths with different research institutions.

2. Another potential career is to be a nurse in an underdeveloped country like the woman in this photograph. OR- I when I go for my Masters I could work part-time at an AIDS clinic.


At this point in my life I’m not sure if my future lays directly in a lab or with another form of AIDS relief work. If I worked in a lab I would most likely be an employee of a major pharmaceutical company or research institution. If I was an advocate for AIDS I could work for The United Nations (UN) or The United Nation’s Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Both organizations have a heavy focus on AIDS awareness and relief work, and could offer me a variety of positions within their designated AIDS programs. Moreover, there are still a variety of career paths that I could pursue if microbiology doesn’t work out for me. There is the advertising and marketing section where I could work for ONE, an American non-profit that raises awareness of poverty, hunger, and disease.

It’s tragic to think about the millions of children who are infected with HIV each year. They’re innocent beings, who have done nothing to deserve such a painful condition of life. If I can do anything to relieve their pain, I will.

1. and 2. http://pro.corbis.com/search/searchFrame.aspx

Sorry to be depressing

After last night’s debates I was discussing American materialism with my Italian friend Andrea. We covered a variety of topics (my favorite: how materialism will lead to America’s downfall), but it wasn’t until I began reading Covey for this DB that I realized how much man’s materialism held him back.

[1] A sculpture entitled "God of Materialism" by Chinese artist Chen Wenling. A VERY fitting title I think!

(This is a drawn-out argument, but when you get to the end everything will make sense!)

First consider this:

In the “Turn of the Tide”, Arthur Gordon feels that everything in his life is “stale and flat” [1], so he takes a doctor’s advice and “spend(s) the…day in the place he was happiest as a child” [2]. And then, after a day at the beach, “the answer came to him” [3].

His static, unfulfilling life was a product of misplaced intentions: “success, recognition, security” [4]. When he only lived for these things, there was no definition or purpose- in other words, the “motives weren’t good enough” [5].

One of the most important lessons in this story is that only when Gordon was able to rediscover life and happiness as a child did everything appear right, and he “really (knew) what (was) deeply important to (him)” [6].

In other words, when we are children we have no concept of the concerns most of us have today.

We were free.

Life was simply about laughing, chocolate, roly-polies, and imagination.

[2] As a child life is simple- laughter is easy. When was the last time we were free enough to laugh like this?

A grey cloud of insecurity did not follow us around, so we were able to view the world from an untarnished perspective.

[3]This picture represents perfectly the metaphorical grey cloud mentioned above, and the materialistic causes of this cloud.

Secondly, consider this:

Gordon is free.

There is no more worrying about trivial things. If there is no more worry, then there is only one thing left to do: truly experience the “spiritual dimension” [7] of the self. When we have this understanding of our soul, we are able to connect with the “sources that inspire and uplift” [8] us.

And, if sympathetic imagination is “the merging of the perceiving mind and the perceived object” [9], then isn’t it fair to suggest that ONLY when our mind is completely free are we are fully able to feel this fusion (whether it’s with nature, music, dance, religion, or people)?!

[4] One woman's connection with nature. This is the connection that I desire most.

So, in conclusion, materialism prevents man from exercising their sympathetic imagination, and, as a result, from truly connecting with our roots (nature), our passions (music, dance, etc.), and people.

So, to further reinforce your impression of my pessimistic nature—my favorite argument is no longer how materialism will lead to America’s downfall, but rather how materialism will lead to humanities downfall.

American Life, Madonna
Do I have to change my name
Will it get me far
Should I lose some weight
Am I gonna be a star


I tried to be a boy
I tried to be a girl
I tried to be a mess
I tried to be the best
I guess I did it wrong
That’s why I wrote this song


This type of modern life
Is it for me
This type of modern life
Is it for free


So, I went into a bar
Looking for sympathy
A little company
I tried to find a friend
It’s more easily said
It’s always been the same


This type of modern life
Is not for me
This type of modern life
Is not for free


American life (American life)
I live the American dream (American dream)
You are the best thing I’ve seen
You are not just a dream (American life)


I tried to stay ahead
I tried to stay on top
I tried to play the part
But somehow I forgot
Just what I did it for
And why I wanted more


This type of modern life
Is it for me
This type of modern life
Is it for free


Do I have to change my name
Will it get me far
Should I lose some weight
Am I gonna be a star


American life (American life)
I live the American dream (American dream)
You are the best thing I’ve seen
You are not just a dream (American life)


I tried to be a boy
Tried to be a girl
Tried to be a mess
Tried to be the best
Tried to find a friend
Tried to stay ahead
I tried to stay on top


Do I have to change my name
Will it get me far
Should I lose some weight
Am I gonna be a star


Oh
Oh
Oh
Oh


I’m drinkin’ a soy latte, I get a double shoté
It goes right through my body and you know I’m
satisfied
I drive my mini Cooper and I’m feeling super-duper
Yo’, they tell I’m a trooper and you know I’m
satisfied
I do yoga and Pilates and the room is full of hotties
So I’m checkin’ out the bodies and you know I’m
satisfied
I’m diggin’ on the isotopes, this metaphysics s*** is
dope
And if all this can give me hope you know I’m
satisfied
I got a lawyer and a manager, an agent and a chef
Three nannies, an assistant and a driver and a jet
A trainer and a butler and a bodyguard or five
A gardener and a stylist, do you think I’m satisfied
I’d like to express my extreme point of view
I’m not a Christian and I’m not a Jew
I’m just livin’ out the American dream
And I just realized that nothin’ is what it seems


Do I have to change my name
Am I gonna be a star



-----

READINGS
[1] Stephen R. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (New York: Free Press, 2004), p. 293
[2] Covey p. 293
[3] Covey p. 293
[4] Covey p. 294
[5] Arthur Gordon, Turn of the Tide
[6] Covey p.98
[7] Covey p.292
[8] Covey p. 292
[9] Walter Jackson Bate, “The Sympathetic Imagination in Eighteenth-Century English Criticism” ELH, Vol. 12, No. 2 (Jun., 1945), pp. 144-164.
PHOTOS
[1] http://pro.corbis.com/search/searchFrame.aspx
[2] http://pro.corbis.com/search/searchFrame.aspx
[3] http://pro.corbis.com/search/searchFrame.aspx
http://pro.corbis.com/search/searchFrame.aspx
[4] http://pro.corbis.com/search/searchFrame.aspx

Passion, Children (FINAL COPY)

When I asked why he was blue, they made me leave.

I wasn’t asking to be silly, and I wasn’t asking because I was morbidly curious.

I was asking because I felt an explosive need to protect him. Sure, he was slimy, he was shrill, and he would be the bane of my teenage years, but, in the moment he took his first screeching breath, I felt an unconditional love for him, and the millions of children he represented.

Keller was born a healthy baby, but, despite the doctor’s reassurances, I thought that he would break at any moment- he was just so small, fragile, and helpless. As he grew, I grew with him. Having never been surrounded by children (I was an only child, and the youngest in my extended family), I had always viewed them as a nuisance. But, through Keller, I came to realize the extent of a child’s innocence and defenselessness. I had stopped thinking of them as annoying, and began thinking of them as precious and something to be valued. I felt an unexplainable desire to watch over and protect every child who was born into damaging circumstances.

1. This is a recent photo of Keller- there's such life and excitement etched in his face. The idea that there are thousands of kids around the world who do not know this joy breaks my heart.

It was like a wolf had been asleep in my soul for 15 years, was woken by my brother’s piercing cries, and is now howling for action. There is no longer a vague sense of detached compassion within me. Before my brother’s birth I had assigned myself to multiple causes (global warming, nuclear warfare, the death penalty), because I needed to belong to something that reminded me my suffering wasn’t comparable to the plight of thousands around the world; despite this desperate need to belong, I never really felt passion for these causes. I never felt that my individual crusade to stop these events from happening would have had any long-term, lasting effects. I knew that trying to effect change in issues like halting nuclear proliferation would help no one. No matter how many protests I attend, petitions I sign, and letters I write, countries will continue to advance their nuclear arsenal.

However, now there is a fierce passion within me that recognizes childhood as an unalienable right. Reading about children who are forced to suffer from the actions of adults, theoretically their guardians, enrages me. Children should not have their innocence crudely snatched away. They should not have to be fatalities of war- whether they are being forced into military service or victims of persecution and genocide. They should not be trafficked for sex or labor, and they should not have to live with diseases like HIV. They should not have to confront poverty, starvation, or abuse, and they should not have to seek answers to questions that are beyond them.

2. A drawing by a child solider

My brother has only cried from fear once, and it was because he saw me hysterically screaming about a cockroach in my hair. The confusion and terror on his face was enough to ensure I never overreacted in his presence again. I cannot imagine a child his age living in a war zone, surrounded by death. Who comforts them when their parents disappear? Who soothes their terror? Who explains what it all means to them?

3. This photo was taken on Christmas two years ago. Keller was crying because my mom was opening one of his boxes. Though his tears are a result of a temper tantrum, I can’t help but think of this face when I read about children living in disadvantageous circumstances.

However, what differentiates my devotion to children’s causes and the ones mentioned above isn’t the degree of fervor I feel for them, but it’s the hope that children’s causes inspire in me. Stephen Covey says, passion is “the fire, the desire, the strength of conviction and the drive that sustains the discipline to achieve the vision” [1] . I think the later part of this quote is referring to hope. For example, regardless of which children’s cause I champion, I can effect change on a communal, state, national, and international level. Whether I am touching one life or hundreds, I am comforted by the thought that children represent a new generation. And, even if I cannot tangibly change the world for everyone, at least I can help make a better tomorrow for some children.

However, to say I’m championing children’s causes would be to assign myself to very general tasks. As I mentioned before, there are a lot of children’s issues one can dedicate oneself to, and, from my experience working with Amnesty International, I know it can be overwhelming and discouraging to attempt to tackle all of the issues. So, as of today (I say this because my future changes daily), I’ve chosen to pursue an avenue that allows me to entertain two of my passions: children and microbiology.

According to The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) there are “over 2.5 million children infected with HIV” [2] (90% of them from Sub-Saharan Africa) [3] , 420,000 more children are infected yearly [4], and “15 million children under 18 have lost one or both parents to” Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) [5]. By dedicating myself to AIDS research I can help save the lives of thousands of innocent children who are forced to live with this painful and terrifying disease.

4. Microbiology is essentially the study of microbes (viruses, bacteria, fungus, and protozoa). AIDS is a virus.

Most children who are diagnosed with HIV where infected in one of two ways. First, they may have gotten it from their infected mother through her blood or breast milk [6]. UNICEF is currently working on a Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission Project (PMCT) which sets up a 4 tier system for communities. The first tier works with community structures to spread awareness of MTCT (mother to child transmission). The second tier provides counseling to women who are infected with HIV, so they can make informed decisions about their future reproductive life. The third tier works on coaching infected mothers on how not to pass the virus along to their children; it demands HIV testing be available in all healthcare units that provide antiretroviral drugs. The fourth tier calls for better integration of HIV care in rural, underdeveloped countries, for only ten percent of infected, pregnant women are utilizing UNICEF’s PMCT [7].

5."A woman, who is HIV-positive, lies next to her newborn child in V.V. Hospital, in Bangalore. The HIV status of her newborn is not known." – UNICEF

The second way HIV is transmitted to children is through rape. There is a prominent belief in Africa that sex with a virgin- specifically a baby or a child- can “cure” HIV. According to worldnetdaily.com children are the victims of 41% of reported rapes in Africa. Moreover, it is believed that a large percentage of sexual abuse goes unreported [8].

I find it the greatest injustice that children who die from AIDS, particularly the ones who don’t have access to antiretroviral medication, are never given a chance to live and overcome the trials of their circumstances. By dedicating my life’s work to AIDS I know I can help alleviate the suffering of the thousands of children afflicted by this virus. Whether I’m in the lab working on a cure, part of a non-profit marketing team promoting awareness, or serving as a counselor in a remote Congolese village, I know that the hope my passions inspire in me will be a driving force behind my contribution to tomorrow’s generation.

Three years ago I felt a certain detachment when it came to the world: it wasn’t that I didn’t care, or that I didn’t want to work for a greater cause, rather I didn’t know what the right cause was.

However, Keller has given me an insight into the world of children’s causes, which has inspired me to, in the words of Joseph Campell, “follow (my) bliss, and (not) be afraid.”

6. Though this video doesn’t relate directly to children with AIDS, it captures the essence of my passion: helping protect children.

[1] Stephen R. Covey, The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness. (New York: Free Press, n.d.), 47.
[2] UNICEF, “Children and HIV”, http://www.unicef.org/aids/index.php.
[3] UNICEF, “Preventing Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) of HIV”, http://www.unicef.org/aids/index_preventionyoung.html.
[4] UNICEF, “Children and HIV”, http://www.unicef.org/aids/index.php.[1] UNICEF, “Preventing Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) of HIV”, http://www.unicef.org/aids/index_preventionyoung.html. [5] UNICEF, “Preventing Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) of HIV”, http://www.unicef.org/aids/index_preventionyoung.html.
[6] UNICEF, “Preventing Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) of HIV”, http://www.unicef.org/aids/index_preventionyoung.html. [7] Anthony C. LoBaido, “Child-rape epidemic in South Africa: Fueled by widespread belief that sex with virgin cures AIDS”, December 26, 2001, http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=25806.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS:
1. Personal Photo
2. http://www.amnestyusa.org/child_soldiers/gallery.html
3. Personal Photo
4. http://pro.corbis.com/search/searchFrame.aspx
5. http://www.unicef.org/aids/index_preventionyoung.html6. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwDy-mEJ3mUKI