UWG - Semester 1 - Update (8//31/12)

         Hello all, my first couple weeks of graduate school at the University of West Georgia are officially in the books!  This blog was created to detail my learning throughout my career as a graduate student.  As a reader you can expect the pace of this blog to drastically increase.  I will post new topics when I learn something worth sharing with the general population and when research papers/projects, etc... are completed.  The title format for these types of posts will be "Course Name" - "Post Topic" - "Part #" (part numbers only when applicable).
          I have about four different research projects going at this time so there is not enough space in the general posts to go into depth about everything I find "interesting."  Though I suspect it would be quite intriguing for the rest of you to read as well.  I'll try to keep rambling to a minimum and stick to bullet-points and relatively short summaries.  If you're interested in anything particular, feel free to contact me.

Current Research Interests:

• Hamlet and Psychology
• Relationship between Perfectionism and Depression
• Why do we pursue and/or research paranormal/supernatural/exceptional experiences?
• Why Philosophy is Relevant to Psychology

Some Notes on Existentialism -
           It is very easy for many people to find an erratic pessimism in the readings of Nietzsche, Sartre, and other predominant "existential" writers.  However, I believe that this is ill conceived.  The case can be made that the existentialists combat a fear of the unknown by fleeing to extravagant and adamant dismissal of that which they dread.  When I began my career as a "philosopher" I wrote an early essay about this possibly being the case for Nietzsche.
           But books are more than mere words printed on paper.  They are metaphors and symbols for ideas.  Quotes you found in a Google search do not (usually) give context to what the author is saying.  Rather than be despaired by a life without meaning there is a captivating vindication accomplished.  A liberating release from social, religious, and cultural restraints and expectations is an inexplicable freedom that is the core of existentialism.
          In physics and in metaphysics friction is what moves things.  How passionate would you be about a life without any struggle?  Would you appreciate tranquility without first knowing agony?  If life is indeed meaningless, as Sartre would say, we are (still) condemned to be free.  Free to do what?  Well, I am fairly certain that you have not given in to this "friction" if you are reading this.  We have an, even if only perceptual, innate pursuit of happiness regardless of its attainability or meaning.  The pursuit itself may even be meaningless.  As we are we are being.  When the focus shifts towards doing and finding we are attempting to objectify that which is not an object.
          Furthermore the existentialist derives serenity from meaninglessness rather than despair from hopelessness.  Existentialism is not about attaining a higher purpose, it is about making the most out of what you have, an existence.  Do you want "new age" or do you want the truth?  Our cognitions, precepts, and rationale are binding.  Existentialism seeks to break those ties.         



Jungian Personality Test:
          Just for entertainment I went online to www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes1.htm to take a personality typology test modeled after Carl Jung and Isabel Briggs Myers' approach to personality.  One should note that such tests make good ice-breakers and "elevator speeches."  These are mainly the reasons I took the test.  However, it can also be used in a much  more functional way such as suggesting potential careers that match your personality.  As in any test of this fashion, I think the best results come "off the cuff."  You should not try for a certain personality type or act in the mode of an inspirational figure, nor should you take the test multiple times until you get a result that appeals to you.
          Results:  I thought it would be a good idea to take the test to document if there were any changes in my personality between beginning my studies here at West Georgia and my graduation.
My Type:  ENFJ
Extravert:  33% - moderate preference of extroversion over introversion.
Intuitive:  62% - distinctive preference of intuition over sensing
Feeling:  38% - moderate preference of feeling over thinking
Judging:  44% - moderate preference of judging over perceiving.
          I thought the results were accurate for the most part.  I certainly enjoy an active (both socially and physically) lifestyle but take great pleasure in small doses of solitude.  I do feel that my actions are based much more on intuition than my physical sense (ie:  go with your gut), but still try to remain rational and unbiased in most situations.  I do have some very neurotic and analytic tendencies but on the whole prefer to feel and perceive rather than observe and formulate.  The only thing that surprised me a bit was the "moderate preference" for judging over perceiving.  I consider myself a very perceptive person and only judgmental in a few case-specific situations.  But perhaps I'm just trying to preserve my self-image (no time for a psychoanalytic rant here :-D )
          Career Choices:  I got a real kick out of this one.  In absolute honesty these were my results.
1)  Counseling - I am planning a career in counseling!
2)  Psychology - I am working on my M.A. in psychology and planning on earning a PhD.!
3)  Education - I do have connections with our Counseling/Education department in tandem with Psychology
4)  Management - I've been told that I am a natural leader, but this has never been my choice.
5)  Politics - let's not get into that...
6)  Science / Technology - I do occasionally deprive the humanist in me and go on recreational study tangents in physics, neuro-biology, and chemistry.
7)  Computer Programming - I am a total closet-nerd when it comes to rooting phones and computers.
          Famous Persons Sharing My Type:  Ronald Reagan, Pope John Paul II, Tony Blair, Abraham Maslow, Sean Connery, Gene Hackman, Tommy Lee Jones, Michael Jordan, Oprah Winfrey, Peyton Manning, Johnny Depp.



Brain Teasers:
Project Alpha - 
          Washington University in St. Louis, MO is highly regarded for their rigorous psychology program.  In 1979 the University received a large grant ($500,000) to research para(normal)psychology.  The University held a sort of open tryouts for anyone claiming to have psi-abilities and wishing to participate in testing with the University.  There were about 300 applicant, of whom two white males aged 18 and 17 were selected to be tested according to Washington University's standards and conditions.  The testing lasted for nearly two years before Washington University claimed that the boys were "verified psychics."  In late 1981 well known skeptic and magician James Randi announced to the public that the two boys had been hand picked, trained, and sent by him to infiltrate the study and deceive the researchers with "common trickery."  Randi's announcement was confirmed by the boys.  (For more information please see an account of the project at one of the participant's website)
          What we can learn from this is not that we should all be staunch skeptics, rather, we can observe how arrogant yet inept science is at both confirming and dismissing paranormal abilities.  I suspect that this is just as true today as it was 30 years ago.

Your Lunch - 
          In reading an analysis of Martin Heidegger by Horst Seidl I thought of a fun little "coffee-shop philosophy" question to present to you.  Before starting you should know that the particular article I'm referencing has to do with Heidegger differentiating between "being" and "thinging."
          Now, I want you to think about what you had for lunch yesterday; a sandwich, pasta, salad?  Consider that your thoughts or ideas of those objects are not the objects themselves.  Your thoughts of your sandwich are not the sandwich, correct?  There is a difference between the "being" of your sandwich and the thoughts of things you recall to represent the sandwich.  We attribute things to beings as a method of recognition.  Now, remember that your thoughts are not tangible objects.  They are chemicals being processed throughout your brain.  Modern neuroscience tells us that we never have the same memory twice, our memories are not tape-recorders, they are lucid and alter slightly each time they are processed.  Take a minute to ponder the neuro-chemical thing for minute...  Now, I'll ask again; what was yesterday's lunch?  Do you even really know?  I mean after all, you're answer is only an attributed thing that is not the being itself.  Have fun with that one.


**That's all for now, hope you all enjoyed the update and I look forward to sharing more information with you before it becomes my "day job" and I need to contact your insurance company and send you a bill for these kinds of things!

Revitalize Your Social Network Experience

          Having recently moved over 700 miles from my home town and using Facebook since its early years in the mid 2000s, I decided it was time to do some housekeeping with my "friends" list.  A little background to this post first though.  For my Facebook friends reading this, you may have noticed that I shared a picture from the "Fight Club" page with a picture of Ed Norton's character and the text "we buy things we don't need, with money we don't have, to impress people we don't care about."  Now were rolling...
          As much as you might like to think that you can keep in touch with everyone who touches your life, the sheer mathematics of the situation and the limitations of the human brain make that a rather fanciful delusion.  We inevitably loose touch or interest with some people as our lives carry on.  That is a fact.  Also, one can accumulate quite a few "randomly added friends" over the years and while a few here and there seem harmless, they can really add up to some major pollution in your "news feed."  Have you ever noticed that when you log on to Facebook you have to scroll through two or three pages of crap just to find something you are remotely interested in?  There's your sign.
          I'm not nagging the intent of social networks, rather, I think that they are exceptional tools if used for their intended purpose.  That is, to keep in touch with people over long distances and to have fun with; as the saying goes "I'm cooler online."  But this habit soon preoccupies the intent of the social media and as a result we end up "friending" everyone we meet rather than those we want to keep in touch with.  The real root of this post is some psychological research I read a while back that has been done on technology actually complicating our lives rather than making it easier.  This is of course in tandem with the capitalist drive of "buy more, do more, make more per hour."  Technology is often assumed as "enriching" our lives when in reality it could be adding a great deal of distress to yours.  Take for example the fact that 20 years ago nobody was fussing about the new Facebook layout, or their lost text messages, or the fact that they can't sync their phone, PC, TV, game console, and home theater all together.
          Many people post a status update when they conduct a "friend purge" but I find this tacky and a bit rude, of course those who would be potentially offended can't see the post; but it is a matter of principle.  The criteria one uses for such a purge is entirely up to them, but a good starting point may be looking at your friend list and asking yourself the following questions:
1)  Have I talked to this person in the past year?  Do I have a picture with them in the last 3-5 years?
2)  Will this person notice that I have unfriended them?  Do I have to ask, 'who is that?'
3)  Would this person meet me for coffee or a drink just to chat or hang out?
4)  Do I talk to this person in real life or only online?
5)  Do I care what goes on in this person's life?
          There is no need to be overly hasty unless you have an absurd number of friends in the thousands or something like that.  Assuming that you only notice an abundance of pollution and crap-posts in your friend list once every (in my case) 6 years or so, the hour it might take to clean the list up isn't terribly time consuming.  This all also depends on the purpose of your social media, something that should be mentioned.  If it is a personal profile, perhaps you should be more reserved when it comes to adding friends.  On the other hand, if you're a business trying to spread a little free press it might not be a bad idea to go friend crazy; but marketing isn't my specialty.
          Something else to consider is how many social media accounts you really need?  What is the sense in having a Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, Google +, Aim, and Yahoo?  Talk about adding clutter to your inboxes!  As mentioned above, the role of your social media may vary as to how many of these networks are applicable or necessary.  I don't think a Facebook for you personal use and Google + for your professional / business use is out of hand.  But if you're constantly on your phone plugging IMs and text messages between browsing Facebook pictures and Tweets all while waiting for your celebrity sleaze video blog to load, then that is entirely different.
          In my specific case I started with a friend count in the mid 600s and reduced that to just under 400 and that was being generous in most cases.  Unfortunately the Facebook interface at the time of this post doesn't allow bulk unfriending so the each had to be done individually.  With a modern we browser allowing multiple tabs, this took me maybe an hour or so; for sure less than two.  The result?  When I logged on to Facebook the next day, the first post I read was one of my close friends.  How bout that?  There were a couple junk posts, but I didn't have to scroll more than a few clicks before finding a mix of good friends and things that I "care about" but just wasn't interested in at the moment.  As I speculated from the beginning it was really quite enriching to clean out the clutter from my "friend" list and rejuvenating to remember what social networking was designed for rather than be bombarded by a bloat-fed new reel at every log in.
          Hope you all got something useful from this post, or at least found it entertaining.  If you unfriend me, either I won't notice, or you'll be getting a re-request or phone call as soon as I do haha.  Cheers!