Author Archives: Izzy

Heart-Saver CPR

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I have been looking to find a place at Cornell where I could renew my CPR certification for the last few years, though I didn’t look very hard. However, I was very pleased when I realized that Charlotte had conveniently scheduled classes for us to be up to date on how to provide assistance should someone need CPR in the vicinity. It never hurts to be prepared for unfortunate events.

This was my third time attending a CPR class and I found there was still more for me to learn about how CPR works physiologically. I was unaware that the body already contains enough oxygen for compressions to be effective even if you are unable to give breaths to the unresponsive party. Another thing that caught my attention was the mention, by EMS, of how we should not follow the instructions on the posters set up around the dinning halls when it comes to helping someone in need.

I think one effective way of not needing these posters up to begin with is training the dinning hall staff in the correct procedures for dealing with these emergencies because they are always present. Therefore, you have trained people available for any choking incident in case help is needed. This would optimize the chances that the correct procedures are followed and people don’t get hurt.

Self Awareness

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I was very psyched for the opportunity to attend such a conveniently scheduled yoga class with a very qualified instructor, hosted by Rose House. With the constant stress we have trying to manage our course load, I think it is fair to say that we have a tendency to disregard our physical, mental, and spiritual health. Attending this class, and hopefully those hosted in the future, is what I consider a step in the right direction in addressing this issue.

In my sporadic and irregular yoga practices, I have still found that the sometimes physically challenging poses we try to maintain during yoga practice can lure my mind away from other stressors in my day-to-day life. It’s really difficult to stress about the next assignment deadline when you are simply trying not to fall in front of everyone, or maintain composure if you just so happen to do so. Being able to detach from school for that short period of time allowed me to go about my day with a more positive attitude and definitely a better mood.

Rather than focusing on the next exam or next project deadline, I was able to focus on the benefits of taking care of myself.

Ethical Manipulation?

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Personally, I was confused by the film North by Northwest. I’m not exactly certain what the name of the movie has to do with the actual plot either.

However, what did catch my attention was how a clueless man was roped into running for his life, seemingly for reasons that he was not responsible for. Even law enforcement seemed to have their minds set against him, without cluing him into the situation. I know it is a very unrealistic scenario to find yourself in to begin with, but there is something to be said about the ethical decision behind using an innocent man for public security matters without his explicit consent.

As humorous as the movie was, I was a little frustrated at the resolution because he is essentially pressured into his involvement in the undercover operation, and still ends up losing the woman he hopes to win over. At no point in time was he given the option to not participate. To me that represents a movie whose plot was not thoroughly thought out, and opting for a similar ending to waking from  a dream, or simply a director with disregard for free-will.

The Scapegoat Concept

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I was very upset by the film Dead Poet’s Society, mainly because I felt as though I could relate very much to the main character, Neil. I understood the pressure he felt to not disappoint his parents, though maybe not as extremely, and the hope he obtained from extracurricular activities. Yet, I found I disagreed with the way most characters handled one situation or another throughout the film. I was particularly bothered by the perpetuating of such pressure-inducing behaviors through the search of a scapegoat, rather than a search for a remedy to rectify all actions taken that may have contributed to such a tragic event as Neil’s suicide.

Two wrongs do not make a right, and despite the Neil’s father’s pain at losing his only son, I think he continues to influence the pressures other students, particularly other members of the newly restored Dead Poet’s Society, face in coping at such a strict institution with a very oppressive culture. By not owning up to his part in his son’s suicide, he is making the rest of Neil’s friends face the consequences of his death on their own. That pressure is particularly evident in Todd, who wants to speak out but feels he cannot for sake of ruining others’ lives, as well as facing the repercussions of speaking out on his own.

This movie was very eye-opening in terms of realizing that what we do or do not do can have a great impact even on the individuals closest to us. Many people had the opportunity to speak out and to help, many people could have chosen to listen or act on Neil’s behalf for the pressure he was feeling, that he had not failed to communicate to those around him. Yet that inaction, and the closed-minded attitude his parents imparted all had a consequence they never foresaw and refused to own up to. They did not even attempt to speak up for Mr. Keating after they learned what would happen, which I think is very similar to their mistakes leading to Neil’s suicide to begin with.

If people don’t own up to their mistakes, then a vicious cycle of wrong is bound to continue.

Knowledge vs. Fear

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I found the documentary enlightening, partly because I was unaware that science, technology, and the database of information on what genes influence specific conditions had progressed as far as being able to predict so much about our personal experiences at different stages in life. Yet, I was, as one of the women in the film, a little disturbed that so much information could be readily available to me if I so wish. Much like in statistics, where newfound information can tell you much about the probability of related events, knowing our genetic information can influence the probability of the actions we take in the future.

In light of this, I would like to consider Nelson Mandela’s words, “May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.” I am of the belief that fear is a strong motivator for our actions, yet I do not want to reflect on my life decisions knowing they were based on all the worst case scenarios instead of the best of opportunities available to me.  If the fear is there for someone who would like to minimize their risk of certain conditions, life-style choices could be made, independently of genetic information available, to  avoid such conditions. I realize that this theory does not account for certain conditions that we are unaware we are at risk of, but some those conditions are typically a result of family history that most people are generally aware about.

I believe that a little ignorance about our future can go a long way in helping us remain rational, hopeful, and happy. Would you want to know about an imminent condition despite your inability to take action in regards to its prevention? Would this knowledge put avoidable stressors on your life with thoughts of what hurdles may lay ahead in your future? Would you want to worry for the rest of your life about the possibility of developing a condition that you may never get? While I can appreciate the advancements that modern medicine can make with the knowledge of a human’s genome, these are also important things to consider when it comes to the repercussions of our curiosity.

 

 

The Power of Emotion & The Power of Will

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The King’s Speech was an inspiring film that brings together two age-old concepts: the power of our psyche and the power of our own will.

Throughout the film we slowly see future King George VI’s  improvement in overcoming his stammering as he begins to accept help, particularly from his wife and the speech pathologist. This progress becomes more evident as he begins to relinquish his personal feelings and family secrets of his own free will. He begins to find personal motives for overcoming a challenge he has faced all his life once he sees what he is capable of through the recording he was given. Sentences became more fluid through his speech and he demonstrated more confidence in the presence of others. Even the doctor emphasized that he could only help the future king with such a condition if the king truly and sincerely seeks aid in overcoming his stammering. It really drove home the point that our will to do something, or the lack thereof, can represent our limits in the ability to reach our goals.

Yet there is an opposing force that the future king faces all the while he tries to chip away at his condition. His past experiences, along with his insecurities, manifest themselves in his speech when he experiences unpleasant onset of emotions. We see this whenever his father pressures him or his brother pokes fun at him. This particular notion of emotional well-being affecting a physical condition is truly prominent throughout the film.  I appreciate that this film emphasized this mental health perspective because it really is something we could use more reminding of in such a competitive and demanding school environment. I was able to relate particularly well with this aspect of the movie, as I become less productive when I start feeling stressed.

This movie was more inspirational to me than anything else, because nothing is more motivating than seeing someone you can sympathize with overcome their own challenges, despite how different they may be from your own. I believe that seeing others succeed, and helping them succeed, can lead to successes of our own.

 

 

The Value of Life vs. The Value of Science

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I really enjoyed the film The Martian, because it reconciled scientific endeavors and the will of the people, as well as the government, to help others. All through the movie, we see examples of people who are willing to sacrifice something in their own lives for the well-being of someone else. The crew of astronauts, a more obvious example, was willing to risk a future in space travel; the possibility of government chargers; potentially even their own lives; for the chance at rescuing a colleague and friend.

Yet the movie was very idealistic in this respect. When accounting for all the resources that were allotted to the rescue efforts, it seems unlikely that such efforts would be put in place if this situation were actually to arise. A minimum of a few hundred thousand dollars were spent on putting together the rocket that was to transport the relief supplies, had they not exploded in mid air without leaving the atmosphere. These risks did not seem realistic to me. I doubt that such an investment would have, in reality, been jeopardized by the director of NASA for an earlier launching date. As for the rescue mission, it did not seem realistic to me that everyone would have been on board with dumping thousands of dollars in supplies on a deserted planet, and not bringing back anything from lab analysis back on Earth.

It was, nevertheless, a pleasant change of pace that this movie capitalized on the best and more selfless aspects of human nature when it comes to taking care of others, however unrealistically these intentions manifested themselves.