Just Your Average Neurotic City Boy @stevensaid-blog - Tumblr Blog

Why is kindness even a thing?

From a purely evolutionary perspective, every organism’s main goal is to reproduce and have offspring. Darwin’s theory of natural selection mandates that those organisms with certain phenotypic traits better suited to a specific environment will have the highest probability of survival. In other words, every organism has evolved to prioritize their and their offsprings’ survival over others’. Such individualistic mindsets should only breed greed and self-motivated behaviors so how do explain the relatively high frequency of acts of kindness and selflessness?

Perhaps we misunderstood Darwin’s teachings. While Darwin did tout the notion of survival of the fittest, Darwin also emphasized the importance of community in: “for those communities, with the greatest number of sympathetic members, would flourish best, and rear the greatest number of offspring.” Community has also evolved social structure such as cooperative caregiving to supervise vulnerable offspring. On a biological level, even our physiological systems have evolved harmoniously to maximize metabolic and cellular efficiency.

Individually, then, it would have been advantageous to evolve physiological systems that favor or promote community. Recent research has brought to light the existence of mirror neurons, neurons that allow an individual to experience to a certain degree what another individual experiences. In layman terms, mirror neurons foster empathy. Studies have also demonstrated that a primitive brain region, the periaqueductal gray, is activated when an individual experiences or practices compassion. Another region involved in compassion is the vagus nerve system. Among lower class and middle class individuals, it is stimulated during acts of compassion but is inhibited in upper class individuals. This phenomenon makes sense from an economic and evolutionary perspective as individuals with large resource reservoirs are able to self-sustain themselves and are less inclined to share their resources with a community. Along the same lines, psychology studies have also observed that poorer individuals are more likely to donate than richer individuals. Many popular theories have arose to try to explain this behavior including one that proposes that humans are naturally altruistic. While pessimistic, I like to think that poorer individuals only donate more frequently because they subconsciously believe their meager donations could potentially lead to higher investment returns from the community. Moreover, I like to believe that donors receive a sense of satisfaction from donating to further maximize self-gratification and desires. I guess one could then argue that acts of kindness and charity outweigh the sins of self-gratification.

Wow, I am definitely a glass half-empty kind of person. Fuck.

#kindness thoughts neuroscience

Big Pharm

For the last decade, big pharmaceutical companies have dominated the healthcare landscape. Pharmaceutical companies are now one of the biggest industries in our economy. In 2013, $330 billion dollars were spent on prescription drugs. Nearly $25 billion dollars were spent on direct marketing to doctors and according to one study, Big Pharm spend more money on marketing than R&D. The bulk of marketing costs are allocated to sales representatives, who generally lack any medical background nor training. To convince doctors to endorse their products, sales reps are instructed to present physicians with free samples, egotistical titles, and free lunches. Most sales reps must reach a certain quota and pressure physicians to make clouded decisions. A recent trend lies in drug overprescription and off-labelling such as the case of Astrazena’s Seroquel, an antipsychotic normally prescribed for BPD and schizophrenia that was later marketed for sleeplessness and depression. Another example is Wellbutrin, an antidepressant commonly prescribed for weight gain and sexual dysfunction. To counter off-labelling practices, a federal organization recently opened a public website that allows patients to research their physicians and evaluate their background and associations with pharmaceutical companies. The phishing website is still in its developmental stage, but the concept is promising. It’s about damn time the public started being proactive and making decisions regarding their health.

#healthcare learnmoredaily

Leadershape

Dear Person,

I spent the last six days on a leadership retreat through the Leadershape Institute. Confinement to a Catholic spiritual retreat center offers little entertainment so most days were spent on introspection and self-evaluation of career aspirations, personality quirks, and personal values. The experience was eye-opening to say the least. The environment and culture of the retreat made it hard to be anything but honest with ourselves and I was forced to question my own career goals and moral abacus. As of right now, I no longer see myself going to medical school or working in the clinical side of healthcare; rather, I find the possibilities and opportunities in the public health sector fascinating. Don’t get me wrong - there will always be a place and a constant demand for doctors in society, but I just do not have the unwavering passion for medicine nor the willingness to put up with the bureaucratic and political nuances of clinical healthcare.

My current vision lies in the public health sector and sees a future where childhood obesity has been largely eradicated. I see a complete overhaul and reformation of our present primary school curriculums where nutrition is largely overlooked. I see establishment of teaching kitchens that empower disengaged youth to teach communities on the importance of nutrition through free cooking demonstrations while sustaining local produce. I see a reverse in body-image issues and a spike in self-confidence. I want to create a world where children are wholeheartedly healthy - physically, emotionally, intellectual, spiritually, occupationally, environmentally, and socially.

#Leadershape

You like the idea of her. You like the idea of someone taking your loneliness away for a couple of hours. You like the idea of someone distracting you from yourself, from having to confront you own flaws, problems, and desires. You know all of this, but the idea gnaws at you nonetheless.

My thoughts feel transient these days, almost like if I didn’t immediately write them down, they’d be lost forever in a black hole of fleeting thoughts and ideas.

It’s striking me more often now how much certain possessions reflect about a person’s personality. A custom bike may reflect the person’s need for individuality and his internal rebellion against conformity. A person’s laugh may reflect a defense mechanism against braving subconscious emotions or a genuine show of reciprocation for another’s humor.

Patent Trolls

A close friend of mine once told me that patents were one of the easiest ways of generating passive money. At that time, I thought it was clever and harmless. A bit of research, however, unfolds all of the controversy surrounding the harmless idea. Here’s how most patent trolls operate these days: obtain a patent, keep it vague as hell so that you can claim ownership to future inventions that you have realistically never even dreamt of, and bully the defendant into settling for $50,000 instead of paying millions in a patent case. Here are some interesting facts I learned from watching John Oliver dissect the slimy business of patent signing:

- Patent trolls are hindering R&D and innovation by threatening to sue potential inventors that are often too skittish/broke to do anything about it; since 1990, investors have lost half a trillion dollars.

- Most ridiculous example: Fulner LLC sues a company that helps disabled workers find employments by claiming patent right to using scanned email function on the company’s photocopiers.

- 25% of ALL patent cases occur in Marshall, Texas as trolls understand the judges there are very lenient towards plaintiffs; Samsung built an ice skating rink in front of the court to lobby judges from agreeing with the plaintiffs

- While a bill that would reform the patent process won unanimously in the House, it never reached the Senate due to influence by lobbyists, including trial lawyers (corruption, much?).

#IOTD #patenttrolls

Deadlift Refinement

The most efficient deadlift utilizes a straight bar path to both minimize ROM and to best recruit the necessary muscles.

Shoulders must be slightly in front of the bar to reduce the moment arm between the hips and the bar (more moment arm = more tendency of bar to cause hips to rotate forward) without decreasing the moment arm between the bar and the lats (more moment arm = less torque generated by the lats to keep bar from rotating forward out of hands). Starting off with overly high hips will help minimize the moment arm between hips and bar, but it will also proportionately decrease the moment between the lats and the bar.

What’s wrong with simply starting off with hips low and then allowing them to assume their maximal leverage position naturally? More time spent under tension = more isometric effort = wasted energy

Bar should be neatly positioned over mid-foot to facilitate vertical bar path.

To prevent back rounding, ensure (1) great hamstring flexibility (2) developed gluteal, quad, and hip strength (3) slightly wider stance with narrow grip (4) paused deadlifts at breaking point.

To prevent shoulders from coming too far forward, have individual retract scapula and tighten lats prior to set-up. Practice shrugging at the top of the moment

#powerlifting deadlifts

Unfamiliar Waters

I feel like I’m drifting in the big, wide ocean, like a lone wave with no destination.

Maybe this time it’s not about finding someone else. Maybe this time it’s about discovering myself.

Break

“Every relationship encounters setbacks. Some end the relationship prematurely Some foster the relationship into something better.”

I’m currently on a break. We have done breaks before, her and I, but they were usually more like slugfests between two individuals too stubborn to give in. Those breaks, if I had to be perfectly honest, weren't conducive to either party. So what makes a break conducive then?

These past few days have given me ample time to ponder on that precise question. In contrast to previous breaks, we agreed to still contact one another and see other people. I’d be lying if I said that temptations and wandering thoughts have not accumulated in these two and a half years that we have been dating. Frankly, those temptations partially contributed to our current break. But now we’re temporarily liberated, free to date others and work on ourselves while maintaining friendly grounds with one another. Again, I’d be lying if I said that the thought of casual dating didn't excite me initially. I’m 20 years old, heterosexual, testosterone-saturated. living on a college campus blessed with beautiful girls on every square inch of the green institution.

That initial excitement, however, is quickly put out. I realized that the only way of truly learning something is through experience. The words of a wise grandfather, a brilliant author, a caring mother - they are just words. Words do not penetrate through children’s brains, do not confer upon them the lessons learned by their elders. Take me for example. Every wise person in my life has reprimanded me for taking things for granted and for not appreciating the true value of something until it’s gone. I could recite those words at any hour of the day but until this break, they never had any substance.

This break has taught me to appreciate the true value of the things I have taken for granted in my life: my friends, my family, my health, her - all of the boring shit no one thinks about until something drastic happens in their lives. This break has also taught me that breaks are meant for reinventing yourself and revisiting the hobbies, friends, or other things in your life that you abandoned for your relationship.This break has shown me my flaws, numerous and unpleasant. This break has taught me humility.

This break has taught me what it means to miss a person, to miss the solace you feel around someone that cares about you and the warmth that they radiate from their caresses and hugs.You begin to miss the little things like cooking and singing together, the little things you took for granted. You miss their head perfectly positioned on your chest and their little fingers intertwined around yours. You miss the comforting sound of their voice, the fruity smell of their hair, the contour of their body aligned with yours, the familiarity of their touch. You even begin to miss the jokes and the teasing that you once would get annoyed at.

You begin to miss all of it.

#relationships personal

"This doesn't make us bad people, so long as we acknowledge that we have soaked something up ... and do our best to not vomit it back onto other people."

Patrick Rothfuss

#feminism perspective

What is style?

Style is a way of expressing oneself through one's attire and attitude. In a world that places tremendous importance on first impressions and "looking good," one's style sets up the foundation for how others are going to perceive him. Many people contend that judging others on their physical appearances is superficial and to that extent, I agree. I agree wholeheartedly that almost a hundred percent of the time, our initial judgments of others are superficial. The human brain programs the body's physiological systems to react in a certain manner to specific stimuli. Those reactions are byproducts of our previous experiences and what we learned from them. We grew up under the care of physicians that wore white coats so we expect them to wear white coats when we go to our doctor appointments. Similarly, we learned from media that African-Americans push drugs and commit violence and so we have associated those negative attributes to all blacks. We need to acknowledge that our initial judgments are just that - first impressions. Initial impressions only become a problem when people choose to fixate their beliefs about another individual based off those first impressions. A doctor wearing a white coat may be undeserving of his medical license while that black person walking down the street may well be a pacifist.

This ultimately begets the question then, "Is style necessary if we agree that initial impressions are ultimately meaningless?" The response will vary depending on the individual but the fact remains that initial impressions do become ingrained in our memories. Since those impressions are permanent, I find it hard to justify not taking the time to make oneself presentable, especially given how much importance our society places on physical aesthetics.

But style, to me, is much more than just looking good or even presentable. It is about forming a persona and presenting yourself in a way that enhances how you feel or how you want to be perceived. Style is a form of mannerism and politesse, a way of showing respect towards those around you. Style, like any other form of art, is a platform of expression. Style relates to who so who are you?

#style

Dear future me

So lately I've been riding on a wave of newfound motivation to become a physician. Perhaps its the bright city lights and tall buildings manifesting themselves in one placebo effect, but I'll take it for what it is. I'm just glad I have a solid grasp of my passion and interest in medicine again.

The combination of fresh motivation and free time has given me the opportunity to finally start a new television show a friend told me about months ago (Thanks Ryan). The name of the show is Scrubs, a fictional show that revolves around the lives of medical interns and physicians. I've only watched the first episode so far, but I love the show already. The first episode touched on many common issues most new medical residents face: the morality of neglecting uninsured patients, desensitization to sick and dead patients, grueling on-call sessions, hospital hierarchies, and the transition to professionalism.

One of these issues resounded strongly with me. Lately, I've realized that above anything else, I want to live compassionately. I want to be generous, to be a comforting listener, to be a great friend, and to be loving. I used to think of compassion as a sign of weakness and I feared people would stomp all over me if I displayed a trace of kindness. I never considered that compassion and strength did not necessarily have to be antagonistic to each other. I would hardly consider myself compassionate at this current moment. The temptations to place my desires and priorities over those of others often cloud my judgment and prevent me from exerting the compassion I know I am capable of.

My mother has a philosophy that I believe strongly in. I asked her once jokingly if she would be upset that I consider myself an atheist. She said: "It doesn't matter what religion you affiliate yourself with. As long as you have compassion, religion is irrelevant." That simple response has stuck with me since. It truly embodies her character, compassionate and selfless.

When I am a doctor someday, I hope to have developed a level of compassion similar to my mother's. I want to smile gleefully at sick patients and reassure them their conditions will improve. I want to show genuine kindness to patients, nurses, colleagues, friends, and family. I want to be optimistic to the point of contagion.

I want to look back at this post one day in the next decade and give myself a pat on the back for staying true to these words. Don't let me down future self.

#compassion doctor letter

Perspective.

So I'm super late on J. Cole's genius but having just finished listening to "Crooked Smile," I have to dedicate a post to the track.

Dedicated to Aiyana Stanley Jones, a 7-year-old girl accidentally shot during a DEA raid, the track touches on one of the most controversial issues currently in the United States: the war on drugs. America's attempts to curb drug trafficking have led to the loss of thousands of innocent lives, but have yielded slim to little success. Countries like Switzerland that have adopted drug regulation and decriminalization policies, on the other hand, have seen a drastic reduction in drug-related crimes and diseases. While the movement to reform drug policies is growing, pharmaceutical companies and conservatives in the U.S. are employing all countermeasures to prevent drug decriminalization.

The track also exhibits Cole's philosophy of looking at both sides of a story. The first minute and a half show the DEA officer and Cole going about their similar routines and eating breakfast with their daughters. It emphasizes the paternal similarity between both seemingly different individuals, a DEA officer and cannabis dealer. It's easy to delve into the racial and socioeconomic context of the individuals and make broad generalizations such as "white cops are racist" and "blacks are always drug criminals." Cole looks past the superficial layer and acknowledges that both cops and dealers feed into a bigger issue, namely the war on drugs. It amazes me, however, that the youtube comments section is still filled with viewers arguing over whether the cop was a good guy and whether the dealer deserved it. Neither individual was good or bad - their actions were merely a consequence of the stigma and policies that our country hold towards drugs.

Anyways, the track is sick nonetheless and Cole's verses are on-point. Can't wait to listen to the rest of his stuff.

P.S. It feels absolutely amazing to write again.

#rap cole warondrugs perspective

How much is enough?

"It seems that "progress" and unhappiness might well be flip sides of the same restless coin. For the very urge to progress implies a discontent with the present state of affairs, so that the more I seek progress the more acutely I feel discontent. In blindly pursuing progress, our civilization has, in effect, institutionalized frustration. For in seeking to accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative, we have forgotten entirely that the positive is defined only in terms of the negative. The opposites might indeed be as different as night and day, but the essential point is that without night we would not even be able to recognize something called day. To destroy the negative is, at the same time, to destroy all possibility of enjoying the positive. Thus, the more we succeed in this adventure of progress, the more we actually fail, and hence the more acute becomes our sense of total frustration". - Ken WIlbe

Brushing the Comfort Zone

It's almost a bit overwhelming to talk about uncomfortable topics like race and ethnicity. The fear of becoming alienated by your peers, of appearing weak and sensitive, of being susceptible and subject to people's judgments makes the notion of even broaching the conversation cringeworthy. My conversation with Parker and Cody tonight made me acknowledge my comfort zone with conversations about race. I paced back and forth between our two rooms for 15 minutes before meekly opening the door with my conversation starter.

"Here's some cough medicine Parker. Drink up."

Before I could change subjects, the two had already wished me goodnight and I did not have the balls or inclination to continue the conversation. I left the room with mixed feelings mostly composed of anxiety and shame. These same feelings eventually propelled me to go back to their room with another conversation starter:

"Here's some vitamins Parker."

The next two minutes went by in a whir as I recall telling them of my distaste for racial comments. I'm not sure how they will reflect on our brief conversation but I'm hoping that it will at least embed itself into their subconsciousnesses.

On a different note, I have never appreciated the gift of writing more than I have now. Writing offers a safe haven for my thoughts without the stress of potential judgment from another ear. Writing provides an opportunity for one to annotate and record his fleeting thoughts. Writing is an escape for repressed emotions. Writing is empowering. Writing is the sanctuary that remains accessible to our thoughts. Writing is freedom of expression.

#comfortzone #fear #writing

Science Fact 1

Call me a science geek but I love reading cool science facts. It should, then, be completely logical for a geek like me to start a series. A private series safe from laughter and pointy fingers from non-geeky facebook friends.

Fun Fact 1

Edward Jenner is known as the "father of vaccines" and progenitor of vaccinations. After realizing that the virus variola caused smallpox and that individuals exposed to cowpox were immune to smallpox, Jenner vaccinated an 8-year old boy James Phipps. Much to his relief, the vaccine worked and became the world's first ever vaccination.

#fuckyeahscience

#science #doyouevenscience

Technology

Have we lost our ability to enjoy things without the sore company of technology? I can't recall the last time I had dinner at a restaurant uninterrupted by text messages and virtual emojis.

Somewhere along the way, technology has converted dining experiences into photoshoots and food into attention-seeking Instagram pictures. Somewhere along the way, spontaneous road trips disappeared and were replaced "popular" photo-friendly destination spots.

Technology was never meant to replace experiences themselves; it was meant to enhance them.

#rants #technology

Motivation

So RA training is finally over after two weeks of countless lectures about diversity and cultural awareness. To be honest, I'm not completely confident in my abilities to handle all of my responsibilities this semester. On top of a rigorous course schedule, research projects, clinical internships, a committed relationship and an insatiable desire for social attention, I now have a commitment as a resident advisor. I've always had a tendency to jump into things without seriously considering their implications and I fear I may have completely decapitated myself this time. Whatever, roll with the punches I guess.

Anyways, I'm currently in a dilemma. Should i blog on tumblr or maintain a handwritten daily journal? Writing in a physical journal takes a much longer time but I'm a sucker for old-fashioned habits. The physical act of writing in a leather journal and the personable soft, written pages appeal to me like Poptarts to a diabetic.

And I've already started doing this in my journal but here is a recollection of the best moments of today:

Dinner at Nicole's house made me realize just how blessed I am. I'm sitting at the Butler front desk right now and the only things keeping me company are fleeting moments of loneliness. They feel unpleasant temporarily, a sore reminder of what I could be doing otherwise. I realized, however, that this loneliness will pass. It is a privilege to have friends at the press of a few buttons and the support of a loving family that would fly down here immediately if necessary. Many people can not escape from their loneliness after a mere two hour desk shift. Many suffer this ailment and are denied the remedy of companionship. It's truly surprising that suicide only ranks 4th on the list of leading killers in America.

Anyways, it's almost 2 AM now. I hope that this realization will force me to be more keenly aware of others' emotions. If not, I hope it at least takes me a step forward.

Trending Blogs

Recently Viewed Blogs

Just Your Average Neurotic City Boy