Critical Thinking

Nowadays I feel as if we take everything we see, hear, and touch for granted. What we lack is critical thinking. Everything we see can deceive us. In order to escape the dubious nature of whatever we subject our vision to, we must call into question. If we do not think about everything in a critical manner something may pass us by without us even knowing. A perfect example is watching the news and seeing how a natural disaster has killed many people in the Caribbean and believing it without doing any further investigation .

Also lets say somebody shares some historical information with you that seems inaccurate but you accept it. Society has taught us to remain ignorant and not to think critically. The ideal situation requires the use of the mental faculties in order to make a rational judgment based on the facts. For some people they may use this time to ponder and dissect any new information they come in contact with.

A critical thinker must think outside of the box and analyze the world from a different perspective. One of my African American Studies teacher in College told me that there are particular things you must get from life: conquer fear, think critically, and etc. I have strived to be a critical thinker because there are many things that are not seen to the plain eye. By believing everything that we hear and see, we put ourselves in a perilous position that can lead to our own mental or physical demise. When you don't accept anything at face value, call it into question, and scrutinize the issue you are critically thinking about it. Critical thinking can enable you to discern between false and veritable pieces of information and can enhance your ability to examine any strand of information. Furthermore critical thinking allows you to grow and bring about new ways of thinking as well as ideas.

Critical thinking is an incredible trait to have. Having a certain world view allows me to critically analyze and deepen my understanding in any activity, concept or area of study. This is a crucial skill that is useful in any situation that life throws at you and any realm whether it be science or politics. Thinking outside the box and reaching conclusions yourself rather than being dictated information is crucial for the development of the mind, thought process, and intelligence. Critical thinking skills can also help solve problems in life which is essential to survival.

Nature vs Nurture

This world-famous everlasting argument ceases to amaze me. I will pose a question. Are your personal attributes, talents, insecurities, flaws, social tendencies, mannerisms, and intellect determined by our surroundings or by genetics? This debate can go on for days if we let it. But I will explore both sides of the equation. The nurture aspect of this topic consists of a trait or a skill being fostered rather than it being nascent. The nature aspect of this topic focuses on the idea that the way we are is innate and is not something that is taught.

I believe that many traits that are cultivated through social observation are attributed to nurture. These are things such as being wise, a keen observer, or being funny. I also believe that nature can be responsible for certain talents but nurture can take this talent to the next level. A prime example is myself. I consider myself a good dancer, I personally think it was a God given gift but I have also honed my skills through practicing. If I didn't practice my skills I would have plateaued and would have not improved. Another example is Michael Jordan. Sure he had some natural ability to play the game but what maximized his potential was countless hours of mastering his game.

There are personal characteristics that I view as genetic. These are humor, openness, curiosity, attractiveness, charm, athleticism and intellect. All of these traits are inherent to certain humans. I believe most talents are also innate. Any traits that are psychologically stimulated are nurtured. These could be shyness, defensiveness, self esteem, and combativeness. In addition discipline, critical thinking, leadership qualities, and other life skills are acquired through your upbringing and life experiences.

The simple answer to why we are the way we are is that different qualities can be attributed to either nature or nurture. Traits that are inherent tend to involve a particular skill, talent, intellect or another unique characteristic such as being humorous. On the other hand traits that are nurtured are a love for a certain activity (such as reading), a psychological trait (defensiveness), a flaw and a social tendency such as being engaging and friendly.

Mentoring

This past Saturday I attended a mentoring event in Far Rock Away. I thoroughly inspected the MTA subway map and discovered that it was at the end of the A line. So essentially I was going to be traveling the world. I transferred from the the 2 to the A train and I began reading my book. As the train ride progressed I heard these shrieking sounds that seemed like some type of animal so I look outside the train window and see seagulls. The train was hovering over what seemed to be a bay. I must admit I was quite surprised when I saw the water and became frantic for about two seconds then realized that the train was supposed to go over the water and I wasn't in a near life-death situation lol. I thought to myself this body of water is rather massive are we crossing the Atlantic to go to England lol? I got off on the last stop of the train and took a shuttle bus from Far Rockaway to 44th Beach Street. I reached my destination and walked form 44th to 51st. So I entered the rehabilitation center where the event was held asked the security guard what room we were supposed to meet in.

I walk to the room and all I hear are boisterous sounds of kids screaming and hollering. Amidst all the pandemonium I see Butch (a mentor) who is standing outside and avoiding going inside the room. So I go inside the room but proceed with caution lol. As so as I walk in I see one of the mentors Reggie wrestling with one of the mentees. Right after they fight another one jumps in and tries to gang up on Reggie. I diffuse the tension by breaking it up. So then the biggest kid in the room CJ challenges me to a fight and I accept the offer so we wrestle and I wipe the floor with him. As I parade in victory I see like six more kids headed towards me. I try to get them off but it didn't work but they eventually were broken up. Ade came in at 11:30 although the event started at 9:00.

I saw one kid enter late and he seemed sort of pissed off. I observed his personality and he was very quiet, reserved, and solitary. I asked him why he was so quiet and he replied "im tired". I ask him why and he said he was playing a video game. After, I asked him if he knew anybody in the room. He said he knew some of the other boys but he preferred to be by himself. I ask him "why not" and he said he wants to be more independent. I also asked why this is a desirable trait and he said his father let other people take care of his responsibilities and he was dependent. Then the mentee thought to himself where have you been all these years since he has been absent from his life.

After the discussion they did an exercise where the mentees went for a short run and were timed. I stood on a corner cheering them on outside. My mentee came in 1st. I forgot what got you there in the first place? I told him if he puts his mind to it, anything is possible. He nodded his head in affirmation. I was amazed at how sharp all of them were including the mentee. They have advanced vocabulary and have a lot of potential, the only obstacle is unfolding that secret in order to maximize their potential. Supposedly he was in a gang. I am going to try my best for me to persuade him to make the right decision. This is another blog topic I will address in the future. that must be addressed.

So at the end of the day I asked him what he got out of today. He quietly said NEVER GIVE UP! He won two awards today which may be insignificant but to the mentees it means the world to them. This goes to show each one must teach one and we must stick together and share our resources and experiences. The underclass in America is stepped on, called names, and denigrated. We must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and keep on playing!I could have changed a the mentee's life by revolutionizing his old mentality or maybe I'm seeing the changes and they may not see it. But I came to the realization that God's mission is to help and heal. I'm willing to spread the wealth of knowledge and educate my people on several topics. I was blessed with many gifts and resources in my lief so I am just trying to keep the cycle going by mentoring somebody else who seeks guidance.

Drugs and Alcohol

Drugs and alcohol allows us to escape the harsh realities of everyday life as well as alter our reality. While under the effects of drugs we have the capability of eluding our true fate. Any drug has the capability of distracting you from the truth. Take alcohol for example, it reduces your inhibition therefore exposing our genuine characteristics but also tends to exaggerate those features. In addition it depresses your nervous system and causes you to lose your memory if used excessively. This all distracts you from the truth. Drugs give us the unique opportunity to cultivate a fantasy realm where anything is possible. Under the effects of drugs and/or alcohol people aren't fully aware of their surroundings. In real life people behave differently when they are inebriated rather than sober. This also distorts reality.

Drugs and alcohol also enable you to create your own safe space. This protects you from any damage that anybody may inflict upon you. Its a paradox, you may prevent yourself from being hurt but you hurt other people instead. Anything in moderation can't be too bad for you but anything in excess can cause problems in the future! Drugs and alcohol enslave you and inhibit you form breaking free of the negative cycle. It controls your emotions, physical urges and limits your mental capacity and coherence. As a result drugs and alcohol can be quite harmful. Furthermore drugs and alcohol make you do things that you would not do in your normal state. These experiences can be quite embarrassing.

In a sense masking the veracity of your character takes away from your genuine traits. These substances inhibit the manifestation of your true characteristics. In life we nay resort to an alternative approach for relief, but i life so may curve balls are thrown at you and you have to be able to tackle them before they become too out of control.! Drugs and alcohol gives you temporary relief. In the long run I believe it to be detrimental to yourself and others. Hopefully abstain form both!

Introvert vs Extrovert

My definition of an introvert is somebody who is shy while keeping their expression, emotions, and thoughts to themselves as well as somebody who maintains an intimate identity. On the other hand an extrovert is an individual who is outgoing, expresses their emotions outwardly, and makes their identity known. Each type of personality has its advantages and disadvantages.

An extrovert is often considered to be the better personality type. Which can be true or false depending on the scenario or situation. It is only the better personality type in a certain kind of setting like a networking event. One of the advantages of being an extrovert is that you will always have acquaintances as society has a strong affinity towards extroverted people. In addition when you are going through struggles in your own life it will be detected easily which allows you to find emotional support easier. As an extrovert your social skills can take you far in life and ultimately lead to your success. I consider myself to be an extrovert and can say that the down side to being an extrovert is that I have more of a tendency to build weak ties with others. To elaborate on this theory, an extrovert meets so many people it becomes challenging to build strong bonds with another person. Another disadvantage is that we are so preoccupied with expressing who we are that we do not observe the world around us.

An introvert is a very delicate individual who lives a very private and closed life, confined to their own intimate world. These individuals have certain advantages. One advantage is that they are usually very perceptive and intuitive. These unique traits allow them to easily distinguish changes in certain people's personalities. In addition they can use their intuition to read people and what they are about. Since they are quiet most of the time they listen more meticulously than the average person which enables them to have a deeper understanding of people in general. In this very complex society an introvert is also very cognizant of the world surrounding them which is critical for survival. Another benefit for introverts is that they are more prone to build strong relationships with people since they usually have few close friends which tend to be their real ones. On the contrary, one disadvantage is that they may have internal problems that they struggle with but they are reticent to express themselves openly. This can lead to further psychological problems and ultimately lead them not to seek help. This trait of shyness can also hinder personal success as they may be to apprehensive in approaching people for a job or possible internship opportunity. Furthermore their social network may be more limited than other people. There is a certain paradox to introverts, while they generate strong bonds with people they also tend to keep their distance and remain detached.

Who knows why people are born into certain personality types, or maybe nurtured to become certain personality types. However, I do know that each personality type makes a positive contribution to society. Extrovert is the ying to the introvert's yang. This healthy balance makes the world a better place.

Socio-economic segregation vs Racial segregation

For those that may not know me I am fascinated by race, culture, and social class. That being said this weekend I was in Philadelphia this weekend visiting my little brother and on Saturday morning my mom, sister, brother and I and went to IHOP. While at Ihop I saw some white workers and black workers which were from the surrounding area (inner city Philadelphia). Then I compared their working environment to a typical fast food restaurant in New York City. Throughout the city there is a myriad of mcdonalds, Ihops, and kfcs. The only difference is that in New york City the greater majority of the workers are either Black or Latino with the white workers being close to none.

A new part of my consciousness was awakened when I became cognizant of that fact. In Philadelphia there is more of a class distinction rather than an ethnic or racial distinction in the living and working areas. In Philadelphia there is an amalgamation of the black and white community based on socio-economic backgrounds. The lower middle class and lower class lives in the same areas while the upper class and affluent families live in another area regardless of their race. This is why I call Philadelphia economic segregation.

On the other hand in New York City there is a more apparent ethnic distinction in residential areas with varying social classes. In New York City most Dominicans live in a highly concentrated areas such as Washington Heights and the Grand Concourse in the Bronx. Just like the Russians who dominate Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn and Albanians who are a densely populated in Pelham Parkway in the Bronx. Despite the difference in economic standing, rich and poor people live in the same areas jsut as long as they share the same race or ethnicity.

In addition The major difference that is seen between New York City and other metropolitan areas is that New York is a melting pot that doesn't mix. What I mean by that is that there is limited cross-cultural and cross-ethnic interaction. Everybody stays with their "own kind" and refuses to expand their horizons and get out of their comfort zones. While it would be an anomaly to find a white female who works at McDonald's in Manhattan it is highly likely to find a white female who works at McDonald's in Philadelphia. New york is one of the most integrated cities with segregated populations. Think about the irony here.

Control of our own destinies.

When it comes down to it whether we take control of our own destinies depends on whether we let the world around us define who we are or whether we define the world around us. I was helping my dad rummage the garage for some tools at around 1 am when I saw some adolescents outside late at night just idling. At that point I asked myself why are these kids out late at night engaging in non-productive behaviors? Then I had an epiphany I thought they have no vision and are living for today not worrying for tomorrow. At the same token a young lady who was raised in the South Bronx became a supreme court justice, how can two people from similar backgrounds raised in the same communities turn out so differently.

The single greatest factor that contributes to our own success is our personal drive. The defining factor is not race, social class, area of residence, schools attended, or resources. While these factors can bring about success they are not the reason why people are successful. What distinguishes successful people from unsuccessful people is motivation and vision or lack there of.

Our backgrounds may be tumultuous and our living conditions harsh but if we believe in ourselves, seek that power, and envision a better future there is no mountain we can't climb. These characteristics will help us defeat the odds. Many adolescents from poor urban communities cease to pursue their education and find themselves dead, in jail, or on the streets while people from rich suburbs who are misled often get involved heavily into drugs and may have other issues that prevent them from becoming successful. Two different socio-economic backgrounds have the potential for the same outcomes: no success.

I can speak from an urban youth perspective and say that there are many factors in an urban environment that can discourage you from having goals and achieving them especially academic goals. Drugs, violence, crime, and single mother households are all negative factors that can debilitate one's sense of hope and vision. But the special individual who is capable of looking beyond her/his circumstances to see themselves in a better place can achieve tremendous deeds. If only we could all discover the SECRET POWER within ourselves, we would all be successful.

THE ONLY THING HOLDING US BACK FROM SUCCESS IS OURSELVES

I will end with a Paul Coelho Quote author of the alchemist: WHEN A PERSON REALLY WANTS SOMETHING ALL THE UNIVERSE CONSPIRES YOU TO HELP YOU ACHIEVE IT.