This week, I had the pleasure of listening to Mr. Zepp speak on his experiences running the Finger Lakes Land Trust, and on his environmental advocacy throughout the region. First of all, I was struck by his emphasis on consensus and “win-win” arrangements. Too often, when I think of environmentalism, I think of advocates protesting in front of legislatures or corporate offices, trying to force regulations upon resistant businesses (however sorely they may be needed). This, I was please to observe, did not seem to be Mr. Zepp’s method of advocacy. In my own efforts in disability advocacy, I have noticed that Mr. Zepp’s method works, in general, far better than the more combative measure, and it seems to be working just as effectively in his line of work as well. That said, he did acknowledge (as I do) that such confrontational advocacy, in the political arena, has its own definite time and place, and that without it much less would be done.
Author Archives: cg527
How to be a leader
Last week, I attended a seminar on how to improve one’s leadership. While I was expecting a “tips and tricks” sort of presentation, I found something both different and better. I had thought a lot about how to oversee other people, how to “get stuff done,” but the presentation made me think of another aspect of leadership I had not seriously considered before: in addition of thinking about what I (or my organization) desired, I needed to think about what I valued. In my time here at Cornell, I have served as a leader in several capacities, both in my personal life as well as in a disability advocacy organization on campus. In both of these, I now realize, my decisions and my leadership style have come (or should have come) as much from the exigencies of the current situation as my own personal values that I bring to the table. In cases where this has not been the case, I have further noticed, I have been noticeably less happy in leading, and less successful. In short, I am glad I went to this event, since it helped me realize an important lesson from my past leadership experience, which I will apply in all me future endeavors.
Sure, Sushi!
This past week, I had the pleasure of seeing two Cornell chefs discuss sushi preparation, making, and eating. As someone who has only (with one wonderful exception) had sushi at a restaurant, hearing more about the actual culinary tradition behind the dish was fascinating. I was especially surprised at the American influence upon what I have always considered a foreign dish, however with names such as California Roll I suppose I should have noticed it earlier. Additionally, I never knew that sushi originated from a traditional manner of preserving raw fish in rice vinegar. In all, the presentation was a fascinating (and tasty) experience, and I am very glad I went.
Suriving cancer
Two weeks ago, I had the pleasure of hearing Jason Hungerford speak about his lived experience surviving cancer and his process of recovery afterward. I found his presentation singularly moving because of both the gravity of Mr. Hungeroford’s experience, and his remarkable candor in sharing it. Cancer has been prominent in the media for my entire life, however, before hearing Mr. Hungerford speak, I had never personally heard anyone speak about their own experience with cancer, let alone about its effects on their lives after treatment ceases. Even as someone who has spent his entire life in the “medical world,” due to my disability and my mother’s profession as a doctor, I realized during the speech just how little even I think about the continued impact medical diagnoses, especially cancer, can have on the lives of those they impact. I believe that we as a society, as well as the medical profession, ought to pay more attention to just that.
Renaissance Frat Boys
I recently had the pleasure of hearing Professor of Classics Michael Fontaine speak about his current research surrounding alcohol consumption in history, both in the classical era as well as Renaissance Europe. As someone study Latin, as well as a general student of history, this talk was one of particular importance and interest to me. It struck me, firstly, to see that while “binge drinking,” as commonly understood in modern America, is not viewed as kindly throughout the rest of the world, nor throughout history. In fact, I learned, its origins lie in distinctly European societies, as a result of the knightly class losing its medieval role in society and looking for something to “fill the void” as it were. While I was thouroughly engrossed by Professor Fontaine’s elucidation of this aspect of European history, I am not interested in looking further, beyond Europe. What was the relationship of, say, the ancient Chinese with alcohol? Or the Maya, or the Indians?
How to make decisions?
Two weeks ago I attended a Rose Cafe given Cheryl Einhorn about her method for making complex decisions. As a college student, I am making choice almost every day which will have lifelong consequences: what classes to prioritize? what internships to apply for? should I pursue that minor or not? After hearing Professor Einhorn speak about her method, it made me realize how useful a standard decision making process could be for my life. If only to relieve anxiety and give a (however illusory) impression of control, such a method could significantly improve both the happiness and long-term benefits of my college education. The genius of Professor Einhorn’s take, and why, I am sure, she was hired by Columbia, is that it allows one to make decisions both in complex and competitive business setting as well as the more fluid, hazy, and (in a certain sense) high-stakes setting of one’s personal life. As such, I plan to look into her method in greater detail, and see it applicability to my own life.
A conversation with Cornell’s President
A few weeks ago, I had the immense pleasure of attending a Rose Cafe given by President Martha Pollack about her experience administering the University, and her take on recent events. The most interesting thing she discussed, to me, was the recent news concerning bribery in the admissions processes of certain selective universities. I was firstly greatly satisfied to hear that she knew of no such unsavory misdoings happening here at Cornell. In addition, though, I was intrigued by her take on what it showed regarding wealth and power in the college admissions process. She initially explained her perspective on legacy admissions: that provided it did not serve to disadvantaged marginalized demographics, it could be a powerful tool to further Cornell’s institutional identity, which is undoubtedly a good thing. Still, she says, care must be taken that legacy admissions does not do so. Next, she explained an idea she had concerning the advantage familial wealth can give to some students applying for college, proposing (tentatively) that students be required to check a box on their application saying they had no external help writing their essays. In all, it was a very interesting talk which gave me a new perspective on the scope, complexity, and genius that is Cornell University.
The Path of an Academic
Last week, I had the pleasure of hearing the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Affairs, Lisa Nishii, speak about her experience and path to her current position at Cornell. As someone considering an academic career myself, I was especially enheartened to hear her explain how her own life was not a direct path to Cornell Professor, but one that took many turns and twists before coming here. I also was struck by how her original career goal was far from being a Cornell professor, but rather a state official. It made me sit back and look at my own ambitions, and realize that they too might be much different in a decade or two than they are now.
The Relation between Citizens and Their Government
At last week’s Rose Cafe, I heard Professor Suzanne Mettler speak on the disconnect between American citizens and the government. Of particular note in her talk, I found, was that many citizens do not realize all of the ways which they benefit from government. For example, while most would acknowledge a direct payment as part of welfare or food stamps, far fewer understand programs like the tax credit that mortgage-payers receive to be benefits they receive from government. This has startling implications for how individuals understand their own relation to government, and it’s proper role in their lives. For example, people of higher economic status, Professor Mettler finds, are more likely to use more hidden government benefits than overt ones, which means that they are less likely to notice how they benefit from government and therefore (all things being equal between them and someone who benefits the same amount from overt government programs) more likely to support a reduction in government benefits and scope.
Bacterial Resistance
In Professor Alabi’s Rose Cafe, he discussed among other things the increasing danger posed by bacteria resistant to our antibiotics. As someone who has been dependent on intensive medical care my entire life, this is indeed worrying news. While my immune system is a strong as anyone’s, the thought that modern medicine could be undone by its own success is a terrifying one. Additionally, my mother is a doctor who, likely, prescribes the very antibiotics that are being rendered less effective by this phenomenon. This case does, however, raise some interesting potential questions. For example, should there be some sort of enforced reduction of the number of antibiotics prescribed to patients? Along what lines would such a reduction be drawn? While in general the answer to this question, for now, is probably quite easy, if the trend continues it might very well be possible that every single prescription given could make a significant difference. Should this situation ever arise, decisions would have to be made concerning who should receive these antibiotics, even at the expense of making everyone else’s infections harder to treat. These are quandaries I hope I never have to see.
Economic Poverty Traps
In the Rose Cafe given by Professor Barrett, I was very interested in the how, by his description, individuals can be stuck in situations where making even the most optimal decisions cannot help one escape poverty, leading to one being “trapped” in poverty. Last semester, I took a class called “the Politics of Poverty” in the Government department taught by Professor Michener, and it was very interesting for me to hear another perspective on economic disparities. While the course looked primarily on the socio-structural origins of poverty in America, Professor Barrett’s analysis, while certainly not discounting structural causes, made me consider even more concrete economic facets of poverty. For example, in America, economic wealth is generally not thought of as livestock, and it is (in general) not destroyable, even if it may slowly depreciate in value over time, and it can only be transferred. In contrast, a single drought in regions of Africa can cause a families wealth in livestock to die, thus causing not only economic disparity in terms of financial worth, but also material deprivation and possible starvation for a family. While weather can have an impact on an American family’s economic fortune, in the majority geographical areas it does not pose the threat it does to many in Africa. This made me realize just how powerful the structural factors contributing to poverty are in America.