Right versus wrong is a constant human dilemma. But what if they are mixed? If you had to choose between doing the right thing for the wrong reasons or the wrong thing for the right reasons, which would you choose and why? This is the question I asked 5 people for this week’s blog post.

The majority of the respondents chose the wrong thing for the right reasons. The first chose her answer “because if it were life or death such as killing someone in self defense or in protection of someone else, I’d rather do the wrong thing in killing them for the right reasons.” She brings up a good point; however, if it’s a different situation, is it okay to kill one innocent person to protect multiple? Another explained hers by saying that “in my opinion, a person’s intent is really important when you’re considering their actions.” Therefore, she believes someone’s actions should be evaluated by their intentions. For instance, if someone steals to give food to the hungry, their wrongful action would be justified due to their right intentions. Another respondent agrees with the first two but brought up a different scenario. She said that “I’d rather have someone be upset with me, but deep down know I did it because I thought it was right, or I followed my gut feeling.” This way may make complex decisions you make easier to live with. If you made the ultimate wrong decision but take consolation in the fact you did it in the moment for the right reasons, it would be easier to accept.  

The other two respondents chose the right thing for the wrong reasons. One of them chose this because their “reasons may be wrong , but I may only be aware of it at a subconscious level such as helping someone because subconsciously I want recognition even if I don’t realize it.” Ultimately, this respondent thinks ending up with the right thing in the end is what is truly important. But at what point do the ends not justify the means? The other respondent thinks this as well because “the wrong thing is always the wrong thing.”  She believes that there is always another solution out there besides the wrong thing. 

Overall, sometimes people get really caught up in determining what is right and what is wrong. Because of this, some people find it hard to forgive and live with themselves if they do the wrong thing even if it was for the right reasons or did the right thing but through wrong means. In the end, we are all human, and we all make mistakes. So what mistakes are you struggling to live with? How can you move on?

There are people who live without the ability to hear or see. Some live without the ability of both. For this week’s blog post, I decided to pose a choice question to 6 different people. If you had to lose the ability to see or hear, which would you choose and why?

The majority answered hearing. One interviewee explained her answer by saying, “I think I could be more independent. While it would be hard to communicate, I could learn sign language and how to read lips. If I couldn’t see, I would have to rely on other people to guide me.” She brought up an interesting point about dependency. If you were blind, would you be a burden on others? However, some blind people use seeing dogs and technology so that they don’t have to be dependent on others. Another interviewee chose to lose hearing because “if you lose your hearing, you only lose one aspect of the world which is sound, but if you lose your sight, you lose so much more.” She believes that being able to see the world is much better than being able to hear it. However, people have different opinions as to which is more important. 

One of the interviewees who chose to lose sight is a musician. She explained her answer by saying, “I couldn’t listen to or make music without hearing. Also, it would be extremely more difficult to take part in conversations or enjoy nature.” For her, the beauty of the world doesn’t come from images but through sound. Another answered the sight also but for a different reason. She said she would lose sight “because I have a very vivid imagination.” She believes that losing her sight wouldn’t stop her from being able to “see”. She can create images in her mind. However, she wouldn’t be able to do that if she lost her hearing. 

Overall, sight and hearing are incredible gifts. Sometimes we need to slow down and be thankful for just the basic senses we have that some people unfortunately do not. Maybe next time you’re in nature take a moment to see the beauties that come through both image and sound; I know I will. 

Is it better to be an extravert or an introvert? Extroverts and introverts handle different situations in different ways, so is it easier to be one rather than the other? These are the questions I set out to answer for this week’s blog post as I interviewed through text 5 people. 

Three of the responses were that one is not easier. All of these respondents said that they are introverts. One explained their answer by saying, “I think it is good to have a balance of both. Being too introverted can be hard on someone mentally because they’re forced to hold in their emotions, while being too extroverted to sometimes lead to trouble as well.” This respondent believes that being extroverted or introverted is dependent on the way you share your emotions. Both personality types struggle in finding the balance between oversharing and not sharing enough. Another respondent thinks that in order to have a good team you must have both introverts and extroverts. She said, “Both bring good qualities to the table.” She believes that both personality types have different, necessary skills. 

Two of the responses was that it is easier to be extroverted. One of the respondents said that she is extroverted and thinks that “extroverts have benefits when it comes to relationships because they talk to new people more often. Introverts might have a harder time finding new friends because they don’t go out and try new things or talk to new people as often.” This respondent seems to think extroverts have more of an advantage when it comes to building relationships. Introverts have to work harder to open up and build their relationships. Another respondent who is actually introverted agrees that extroverts have it easier. She said that “extroverts experience more positive emotion.” She thinks that introverts have a harder time finding happy moments in life when compared to extroverts. 

None of the respondents seem to think introverts have it easier. I found this interesting especially because of what is going on right now with COVID-19. I am an extrovert, and I am struggling right now because of the lack of human interaction. So overall, I agree with the first three responses. The world needs both extroverts and introverts, and we can learn from each other. I know that I need to learn that it is okay for me to sometimes be alone. So what can you learn from the other personality type?

Some people think that you can achieve anything through hard work. Others believe that you should only do what you are naturally gifted at. So which is more important to be successful: natural talent or a good work ethic? This is the question I asked when interviewing ten people for this blog post. 

Almost all of the answers were a good work ethic is more necessary. However, the interviewees think this due to different reasons. One answered, “Hard work because natural talent would not be beneficial in the long run.” This respondent believes that natural talent eventually runs out. In order to be successful for a longer period of time, you need to have a good work ethic. One other respondent chose to explain her answer through giving an example. She responded by saying, “People who are less intelligent but more dedicated at school often out perform students who are more intelligent but not as dedicated.” This an example that can also be applied outside of school in the workforce or even in sports. Many times the drive of determination beats natural talent. Another respondent who also thinks this explained his answer by saying, “ Hard work because you can overcome a lot with hard work where natural talent will come up short if you don’t put the effort in.” Many times with natural talent, you do not have the drive necessary to get over a bump in the road that might appear. On the other hand, people with a good work ethic and not as much talent are used to overcoming the bumps in the road.

None of the respondents answered natural talent. However, a few think that a mixture of both is necessary. One of these respondents said, “I think hard work and talent are basically always necessary to be one of the best at something.” This interviewee believes that the two go hand-in-hand in order to be successful. Whenever you want to do well at something, you need to evaluate whether or not you have enough drive and talent to do so. The other respondent who also agreed with this explained her answer by saying, “Talent takes effort to refine and perfect”. She thinks that natural talent actually involves hard work. In order to be truly talented, you also have to have the drive and the good work ethic to get there. 

Overall, we shouldn’t be so quick to doubt our ability to do something. Even people with natural talent struggle to believe in themselves. However, we shouldn’t be so quick to think we can do anything we put our minds to. The reality of life is that some people are just going to be naturally better at some things than the people who work even harder. Therefore, I think we should search to accomplish things in life in areas that we are already a little talented at but still are challenging. So, what challenge can you look to next? 

Are you happy? Do you feel like you need to be happy? Happiness is something society tells us we need to strive for. What are people’s usually sources of happiness? Do people believe happiness is really important to have overall? These two questions are what I set out to answer for this week’s blog post through interviewing 10 people. 

The minority response to the question about the importance of overall happiness was yes. One respondent replied that happiness overall is important because “when you’re happy, you generally feel better and are more motivated. I’m a better person to be around.” This respondent thinks that she should strive to be happy because then she is in an emotionally better state for herself and others around her. Another respondent thinks along the same lines. She thinks that “if you’re happy, you then radiate that happiness to other people.” This respondent thinks that the world would be a much better place if everyone shared in each other’s happiness. Even if the world can never be fully happy, we should strive each day to try to get the closest that we can.  

The majority of responses don’t think happiness is important but rather contemptment. One respondent said, “Happiness and other emotions come and go depending on the events of the day, but contentment is longer lasting.” This respondent thinks that people should really stop trying to find happiness but just be contemptuous with where they are at. This contemptment makes the passage through life with its ups and downs much easier. Another respondent used her current emotional state as a reason for her answer. She said that happiness isn’t important “because I’m not happy, and I’m chugging along. I’ve learned that there are times in my life when I may not be happy, but that’s okay.” This respondent may lack current happiness, but she’s still content in the life she is living. Because she isn’t hung up on the fact she isn’t happy, she is able to go about her life much easier.  

For sources of happiness, everyone mentioned friends and most mentioned family. The variety of answers came from the smaller things that bring happiness which were more unique to the people I interviewed. Some respondents find happiness in moments of solitude and others find happiness in little things like food. What was really interesting about the answers I received for this question was through how they were given. 

Something I didn’t expect was how respondant’s moods would change while they were answering my question about sources of happiness. The majority brightened up when talking about their sources of happiness. It seemed like talking about what makes them happy actually made them happier for a moment. So whenever we have a bad day that we can’t just seem to get past, talking about what makes us happy might actually make us feel better. It is something that seems worth trying. 

Overall, happiness means something a little different to everyone. Some people need to feel like they are happy in order to be living a good life. Others feel that only contemptment with where they are at is what is necessary to live a good life. I think that there is a good balance of both. We need to recognize that we won’t always be happy and that is okay, but never striving to improve our emotional state isn’t very healthy either. So which outlook do you need to improve on?

Cell phones have made a massive impact on our society. They have changed the way we communicate, complete homework, entertain ourselves, and so much more. But is this impact actually beneficial? I interviewed five teenagers and five adults to hear how the cell phone has impacted them directly. 

Almost all the teenagers said that the cell phone has been a huge help for their education. One teenager said that their cell phone “really helps me with my homework and better understand my classes. If I am struggling with a topic, I can google it or watch a youtube video.” However, she followed that statement by saying that she could use a computer for homework help also. While this is true, a cell phone is much more convenient to use than a computer due to the quick and easy access. Almost all of the teenagers also commented on the negative impact social media on their phones has had on them. One respondent said that “the easy access to social media makes it easy to continuously compare yourself to other people.” Teenagers really struggle with low self-confidence. The cell phone has certainly not improved this issue. It is easy to think lower of yourself when you are comparing yourself to other people’s filtered, edited, and perfectly posed photos. 

The adults went a different direction with their responses. When talking about the positive impact cell phones have had on their lives, almost all mentioned that it is easier to keep in touch with other people. One response was that the cellphone “helps me stay connected with friends that don’t live close.” The cellphone has made communication with a greater amount of people much easier. Friends and family move all the time, but the cellphone has allowed us to overcome that distance through calling and texting. When talking about the negative impact the cell phone has had on their lives, most of the adults mentioned that it is a distraction. One response was that “I get distracted because of my phone a lot and don’t focus on things as well as I can.” Because of the easy access to entertainment and communication, the cell phone has become an addiction that a lot of people struggle with. Procrastination has become a lot easier and common because of the cell phone both in adults and teenagers alike. 

To add an extra element to this post, I decided to attempt to go 24 hours without my phone to see in a different way how my phone has impacted me. I failed miserably. I attempted three different times, and the longest I made was about 4 hours. I rely on my phone a lot more than I originally thought. I use it for even simple things like checking the weather. But even if I am addicted and struggle not to use it too frequently, it has made my life much easier in so many different ways like getting homework help and communicating with friends who don’t live nearby. 

Overall, I would encourage you to attempt to go 24 hours without your phone also to discover how much this simple device really impacts you. I’ve learned that I am very thankful for the many positive ways my life has changed because of the cell phone, but I need to be aware of how much time I spend on it. What can you learn? 

Cussing has become a very normal part of our dialect. We see and hear it all the time from movies, books, and songs. Some people claim they have become just normal words okay to use in any situation, but is that really true? When should cursing be socially acceptable, and when shouldn’t it be? When should it be censored in media, books, etc.? I interviewed multiple people to get their opinion on the subject. 

A few responses were that cussing shouldn’t be acceptable at all in the media or public. One person responded, “It is not just the words but the meaning behind them. Our standards are getting lower and lower because of the media, but cussing is a sign of disrespect to me.” This respondent is a parent. She doesn’t like the fact that her young child can easily hear swearing all the time from outside sources. I would agree with this. Cussing needs to be more censored in media and used less often in public in order to respect parents raising their kids. However, in the media and public isn’t the only place cussing should be unacceptable. 

Most of the respondents thought that at certain settings like at work and in school cussing should also be unacceptable. One of these respondents compared cussing to slang. She said, “You wouldn’t use slang when going into a professional situation. There are certain formal ways you should talk when you are in an environment like work or school.” I believe people today are starting to lack the formality that is necessary when in a professional environment. You don’t come across as educated and professional when you use slang, so why wouldn’t it be the same for cussing? However, social situations are a little different. 

The majority of the respondents believed that cussing in social situations should be completely acceptable. One said that swearing is “how some people express themselves.” This response was completely true. Cussing is a way to let out the many frustrations in life. This expression through words is how some people let out those many negative feelings that build up inside. Therefore, when you are in a social setting without people who would take offense to it, cussing should be completely acceptable. 

Overall in our society, I think people are too laid back with cursing even if there are times when it should be acceptable. Out of a sign of respect for people who find it offensive, we need to limit how often we cuss and examine the setting we are in before we do. 

How are you doing? This question has become a very frequent greeting in our culture, yet we don’t always expect an honest answer. Is lying okay when answering this greeting? How often do people typically lie anyay? I interviewed 10 people to get their opinion on the subject. 

The most common answer was that they lie pretty often, but they think lying in this situation is sometimes okay. One replied that if a “ formal relationship asks you that, it’s not the best idea to give them all your problems right away.” She believes that since the question has become a simple greeting, a simple answer, even if dishonest, is alright. Another response was that they lie if “they think it will impact who’s asking in a negative way.” A few other responses basically said the same thing. They figured they are doing more harm than good if they are honest about how they are actually doing. These answers didn’t surprise me, but they kind of saddened me. It showed me that we live in a society where honesty has become too complex. It isn’t always a quick easy answer, so the easy thing to do is just lie. However, I believe we should strive to tell the truth anyway and the minority of the 10 people agreed with me.

One response was that it’s “always best to be honest.” They also thought the reason people typically lie in regards to the question is because “people don’t want to share what’s going on because they might be embarrassed.” I agree. We have become a very individualized society where many are too prideful to share their burdens with others, but sharing these burdens can really be a way for us to deepen relationships with people we aren’t as close to. The same response also said that the lying response “is a sign that our society is fast paced and doesn’t take the time to really process. We need to slow down and be in a real relationship with each other.” This response hit right on the nose. Life is very difficult, but when we lie and say that life is good anyway, it stops us from possibly bonding with another who also could be struggling with life. Honesty to this simple greeting can open doors to conversations where we can discover we aren’t alone in our struggle with life. 

Overall, honesty really is the best policy even when just answering the greeting of how are you doing. If you don’t truly want to know how someone is doing, then don’t ask them the question. There are plenty of other ways you can greet someone. Next time someone asks you how you are, slow down and give an honest response. The resulting conversations might surprise you.  

When someone compliments you, how do you feel? Are compliments always a good thing, or can they actually sometimes be bad? These are the questions I set out to answer. The other day, I complimented as many people as I could. I then asked a follow up question to the people I complimented: what is your opinion on compliments? Some of their answers actually ended up surprising me. 

Before I started my little experiment, my guess was that most people really enjoy compliments and think people should compliment more often. At the very beginning, this was true. A few people were very touched by my compliments. One even almost teared up a bit. Their response was then to compliment me in return which also made me feel good. However, as the day went on, I discovered these kind of people to be the minority. 

The most common response was awkwardness or the assumption that I was just fishing for a compliment myself. These people had the opinion that we compliment people too much, and after listening to them, I realized they were right. For instance, whenever my mom tells me she is proud of me, I don’t think much of it. But when my dad tells me he is proud of me, it makes my day. This is because my mom compliments me a lot more frequently than my dad does. Therefore, if you compliment someone too much, there isn’t much substance to your compliments in the future. 

I also found that some people do think compliments are a good thing, but they need to go hand in hand with criticism. When you tell someone good job, that doesn’t do anything for them except maybe make them feel good for a moment. Instead, when you tell someone they did a good job but in the future can improve in a certain area, it helps them out more in the long run. This was something that never occurred to me. Sometimes we get so caught up in trying to make people feel good that we actually end up hurting them. I learned that it’s okay to give constructive criticism, and it isn’t something we should feel guilty about. 

So overall, I discovered there is a balance. Sometimes we don’t compliment enough. Sometimes we over compliment. And sometimes we need to actually tack on a bit of constructive criticism with that compliment. I learned that I need to work on the latter two. Which ones do you need to work on?