ftkrotec

[ftkrotec]

Why I Wear a Mask

I start with a caveat, as I seem to do on every one of these posts.  I do not claim to be an expert or have any special training in epidemiology or any other relevant field.  However, I felt a need to address this topic.  The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all of us in different ways.  Chances are that the crisis that accompanied it will likely and the ripple effect of it will last well into the future.  Further, being a "novel" virus, the true effects of disease will not be fully understood for quite awhile, as the science attempts to catch up.  All that being said, I must say that this post isn't really about the virus itself.  Instead, I will address the increasing drama and debate over wearing a mask.  I will assume that my stance on the issue is clear from the title of this post. However, if it is not, I will state that I support the idea of mask wearing and Im myself, don a mask when I leave my home and below are my reasons why.

Not driven by fear:  Many of the more vocal opponents to mask wearing bring up fear mongering and "wearing a mask is just living in fear."  To these people, I say that my decision is not driven by fear, though if it was that is not a bad thing.  Fear is a physiological and emotional response to a perceived danger.  Fear is natural.  Fear keeps us safe.  Fear is how our ancestors have survived for millenia, keeping them safe from predators and various other dangers.  I, like many people, have a completely rational and healthy fear and respect for fire and flames.  It is one of the many reasons if i wouldn't willingly walk into a blazing inferno. Can fear manifest irrationally and lead to unnecessary overreaction? Sure, but that does not mean I should ignore my fear, especially if my reaction to that fear is to simply put a piece of cloth over my face.  That is neither unhealthy nor unnecessarily harmful to myself or others.

It doesn't infringe on my freedoms:  Another common argument by mask opponents is that a requirement to do so infringes on our freedoms as Americans.  For once, I can address this issue with a bit of expertise.  I am an licensed attorney who has studied the united states constitution and the jurisprudence surrounding our rights and civil liberties. I can definitively say there is no right or freedom to not wear a mask in this country.  I will caveat that statement that I have not read or studied every state constitution or bill of rights or every municipal charter.  However, I can say with certainty that most if not all of us americans do not have such a right. That being said, I understand that perhaps the argument is more concerning the abstract idea of freedom rather that some legal right.  If we are dealing in the abstract, we all comply with rules everyday that infringes on our "freedoms."  When we drive, we do so on the right side of the road.  When we leave our homes, we, with some specific exceptions, do so wearing clothing.  These infringe on our "freedoms," at least in the abstract.  In fact, every law, rule, and regulation that exists is an "infringement" on "freedoms." This is not a reason to invalidate or repeal those laws and rules.  So, why would this be a plausible argument against wearing a mask.  Quite simply, it isn't.

Personal safety:  This brings me to the one argument that I have heard that I concede is both valid and reasonable.  Unfortunately, it is also the argument I hear the least in discourse on this topic.  If there was a reasonable, rational threat to my personal safety caused by wearing a mask, then I would not wear one. However, every mask wearing rule, order, or regulation that I have read provides an exception for many of these personal safety concerns, be it a medical condition or to comply other health and safety regulations.  Fortunately for me, I, like most Americans, do not have such a medical condition, nor do I, or they, have such a conflict with other health or safety regulations.  So, this is not a reason for me not wear a mask.

Comfort v. Courtesy:  Finally, the other common reason I have heard to not wear a mask is that wearing a mask is uncomfortable or a hindrance.  To that and those who rely on this argument, I simply provide the following,  I wear a mask simply because considering the current state of things it is the courteous thing to do.  It is like holding the door open for someone or offering to lend a hand to someone needing help.  Is it uncomfortable? Yes.  Can it be a nuisance or a hindrance?  Yes.  Does it change the way I must do things?  Perhaps.  But, it does not harm me.  It doesn't make my life unliveable or force me to change who I am as a person.  It is just a bit of cloth. In fact, in many cultures in our world, it is a thing that is commonly done and not doing so is considered rude. The science seems pretty clear that it can help reduce the spread of disease, and as a general rule I differ to the experts on topics that I haven't studied.  If, by simply wearing a mask, I help prevent someone from getting sick, I think the discomfort of wear a mask for the 5 minutes while I am in the grocery store is worth it.  I think not risking someones health and safety is worth suffer through wearing a mask while my hair is being cut.  Hell, even if all the science is wrong and the mask does absolutely nothing to reduce the spread of COVID-19 or any other disease, then as long as wearing a mask helps put others at ease and helps the businesses I am patronizing comply with their corporate or government rules and regulations, then I think I can withstand the minor inconvenience of wearing a mask.  Millions of human beings everyday deal with bigger and more important discomfort and hindrances and manage to make it through.  Whether its homelessness, extreme poverty, discrimination, harassment, oppression, imprisonment, war, hunger, or the countless other things, people have to deal with and overcome adversity every single day just to survive.  Compared to that, I think I can manage to wear a little cloth on my face.  At least, that is the way I see it.

[ftkrotec]

The Devastation of "M"

Disclaimer:  The statistics that I provide are based on articles and accounts that I have come across over the past five years.  I have not confirmed all of the figures and do not have citations for most of them. Further, I have rounded them off for ease and reference.  However, some simple research through the various organizations that specialize in mental health (i.e. NIMH, NAMI, etc) will confirm that the statistics above are more or less accurate.  Further, as I mentioned in my previous post on similar issues, I do not claim to be an expert or educated in this area. I am just providing my own insight into these issues and provide some personal experiences.  Speaking of these personal experiences, the accounts I reference below are based on my personal observations experiences with individuals, with whom I am intimately familiar (myself included), suffering from some of these conditions.  As to not betray any confidence nor violate anyone’s privacy, I have taken the liberty of altering some information including names and inconsequential facts or details. Since my sample is limited, these accounts are not likely an accurate representation of the millions who suffer from mental health conditions of varying types and severities.  Nevertheless, I know that my experiences are unlikely unique and I intend to share those experiences with the hope that it helps people better understand these conditions and, maybe even, help someone seek out the help that they so desperately need.

Imagine there is an illness, or more accurately a collection of conditions and disorders.  Let’s call it “M.” Imagine that over the next 12 months, one in every five people will suffer symptoms of M.  Imagine that one in four of those suffering have or will develop a substance abuse problem. Imagine 60% of those diagnosed with M are, for one reason or another, unable to get treatment of any kind.  Imagine that teenagers and young adults are not only more susceptible to M, but also more likely to add to M's fatality totals. Imagine that uncontrollable factors like one's sex and race correlate with even lower rates of treatment of M symptoms.  Would you consider that a problem worth our collective attention? Do you think that something should be done about this M? What if I told you that sufferers of M live 30% shorter lives? Well, M is real. The above statistics reflect the prevalence of Mental Health Disorders here in America.

Before discussing anything further, we are in need of definitions.  So, what is "mental health?" According to WHO, mental health is "a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community."  It is important to note that the simple lack or absence of a disorder does not, by itself, mean one has positive mental health. I would also imagine that this is the case for the inverse as well, but that is not relevant to my discussion today.  What is relevant is understanding the importance of mental health. The definition, itself, is like a checklist of the benefits of mental health. Mental health brings an understanding of our own abilities and keeps us rooted in the realities of life.  It allows us to cope with stress, rather than crumbling under its weight. It ensures that we remain productive and fruitful, rather than ineffective and wasteful. It, also, enables our participation and contribution to our own communities. Though not an exhaustive list of benefits, it is easy to see why maintaining mental health is important.

Now that we know what Mental Health is, what is M?  That is, what is a Mental Health Disorder? Well, the simplest definition is any disorder affecting mood, thinking, or behavior.  So, this would include well-known conditions like Depression and Schizophrenia, as well as, more obscure conditions like Apotemnophilia and Capgras Syndrome.  Regardless of the condition, these disorders are quite prevalent. Further, given the low numbers of those who receive treatment for their conditions, it is not unreasonable to assume that there may be unidentified people living with these conditions, suggesting that the true statistics may even be higher than that 20%.  Regardless, even at 20%, the laws of statistics would suggest that, even if you are luckily enough to be in the majority of people without a diagnosable condition, someone close to you is suffering from one, be it family, friend, colleague, teammate, etc. As such, chances are that one or more Mental Health Conditions will affect or have affected each and every one of our lives.

With the definitions out of the way, I can now focus on what led me to write this post.

Recently, I found myself listening to someone talking.  This individual is a first responder and recently had a run in with a pretty gruesome death.  This conversation seemingly triggered an emotional response and she demonstrated the anxiety that I have seen coincide with my previous experiences with PTSD.  I found myself surprised by this. Not because she was likely suffering from a Mental Health Condition, but because of the lack of attention and concern she, and her friends that she was sharing with, had for her symptoms.  As she went on, I was, further, alarmed for the seemingly lack of support provided by her employer, especially considering the trauma that is, for lack of a better word, more commonplace than in other occupations. Playing Devil’s Advocate on behalf of the employer, this lack of support may have been due to her refusal to request or avail herself to services and options that the employer does have in place.  Nevertheless, it appeared to me she was not seeking and had not received any help with her apparent PTSD. As a third party to this conversation, I did not probe or inquire further. Perhaps I should have, but then again, was it my place to hijack her attempts to share her experiences with her loved ones? I don’t know. But, I did not.

That experience led me to ask some questions to myself  not only about my own Mental Health but also how we, as a society, handle Mental Health Issues.  It also led me to seek out answers concerning Mental Health, answers to questions that I could not answer myself.  Further, it motivated me to compose this post and to share some personal experiences of my own struggles with and my experiences in witnessing others struggle with some Mental Health Conditions.  As I mentioned above in the disclaimer, I am not an expert on this and my experiences are admittedly limited. However, my hope is that my words lead someone or perhaps several someones to ask themselves questions and seek answers about Mental Health, much like the first responder’s story did for me.

My first real experiences with Mental Health Conditions came in High School. Unaware at the time, I had a classmate, well probably more than just one, who was desperately struggling with Depression.  I can look back now and see the evidence was clear as day. The withdrawal from her friends and other relationships and sudden and drastic shift in his attitude and interests should have been glaring signs to her friends, family, teachers, and even classmates, like myself.  However, I am sure, much like myself, most if not all of them rationalized these signs as something else, like a it being “just a phase,” or just did not know any better and, therefore, did not notice these signs. If her life were a Hollywood movie, something would have happened, which we would have taught us all a valuable lesson about Mental Health and she would get the help she needed with the help of her friends and family.  However, that is not what happened. Though she, unlike many others with similar struggles, found a way through her struggles, eventually sought out the help she needed, and, now years later, she appears to be living a much healthier life, I cannot help but wonder how different her life could have been if she got the help she clearly needed back in high school. Nevertheless, that experience helped me understand the importance of being aware of the signs and how seeking help can improve one’s life.

Several years later, I got a much closer look at how Depression can affect someone.  A close friend of mine had a hard time coping with the effects of Depression. His depression led him to struggle with self-harm and thoughts of suicide.  Unlike my previous experience, my proximity to him and his struggles were very enlightening. Further, it taught me many things about Depression and how to deal with it as a friend and loved one of the one struggling with it.  Of the many things I learned, the hardest for me was taking care of myself. Seeing his struggles, I could not help, but do everything I could to help him. However, this just led me to neglecting my own needs and my own life. I found myself so concerned with “abandoning” him, that my school life and work life began to suffer.  Not only was this obviously unhealthy and bad for me, but also I found myself doing more harm than good to his Mental Health. I learned that I was actually adding to his anxiety as he began to notice my issues and to blame himself for them. Further, as my neglect of my needs worsened, my ability to be supportive of him also worsened, as my patience and willingness to listen to his problems and concerns began to run out.  So, I had to find a balance in how I was living my life, in order to be the friend that he needed. Looking back, it still surprises me how much easier things got once I found that balance.

Not long after that experience, I had my first encounter with someone’s struggles with PTSD.  I had a close friend who was quite a bit older than me and chose to enlist in the military. In all honesty, he was likely driven more by a sense of rebellion than a sense of civic duty to do so, but he took the opportunity head on.  His experience in the military was mostly good. He had a few bad experiences due to some toxic masculinity, but overall he enjoyed his experience and made the most of it. I had always seen him as emotionally strong and he was always there for me growing up.  So much so, I idolized him for his strength and will. However, having will-power and strength does not make you immune to a Mental Health Condition. During one of his deployments, his unit was attacked and he lost several friends. This experience weighed on him.  To this day, he still struggles with PTSD stemming from the deployment. I have also learned that there he suffered a history of depression and battled eating disorders, not to mentioned survived sexual abuse, all ocurring before he enlisted that I never knew about. All of these things came to a head in the years following that deployment.  Living miles away in another state and without the connection we once had, I watched him, fueled by a desire to escape and forget, turn to drugs and alcohol. However, as many of us know, substance abuse is not a solution and it just developed into another problem, another struggle, addiction. To witness someone I admire so much and thought to be invincible, falling to such a low was a very scary and humbling experience for me.  It was a strong dose of reality for me, learning two things. One, we all wear masks and, to a certain extent, hide our feelings. Just because someone looks fine and healthy, there is no telling the demons and the struggles lying just below the surface. And second, we are all human and Mental Health is important for each and every one of us. As such, we can all find ourselves struggling with something sometimes.

This leads me to speak with my own issues and my experiences with Depression.  Several years ago, I found myself struggling with Depression. In all reality, I may have been dealing with it for longer, but it was then when it became apparent to me.  From my previous exposure to Depression, I knew its symptoms. However, I quickly found that, like many things in life, knowing something is not the same as experiencing it.  For me, I first noticed the lack of energy. I have never been what one might call “active” or even “energetic.” In fact, I was always a bit lazy and would often actively avoid activity.  However, this was a lot more than that. It wasn’t that I did not want to do something, it was more of an inability or a distinct lack of impetus to do even small and simple tasks. There would be days that I would just literally lay in bed all day, missing school and/or work.  Hell, I would not get up to eat or drink, or even use the bathroom.

Seemingly paired with the energy symptoms was the sleep disturbances.  As anyone who has suffered a disruption to their sleep cycle or has a sleep disorder can attest, the seemingly contradictory mix of inability to fall asleep and oversleeping will interfere with everything in your life.  The hours of sleeplessness from the insomnia leaves you tired and less responsive, inherently affecting your performance at work and school. Meanwhile the intermittent oversleeping obviously interferes with your timeliness and attendance at work, school, and even social activities.  Further, they also combine to frustrate your day-to-day activities and schedules. For example, my eating habits had to drastically shift, while experiencing these symptoms, from sleeping through meals and having a “fourth” mealtime because I was awake for an additional 6 or 7 hours.

Soon after this and probably coupled with the frustrations of those symptoms, I started developing the more apparent emotional symptoms.  I started to find myself irritable and tense, which inevitably led to frustratingly angry outbursts over meaningless things and, even, more restlessness exacerbating the sleep issues I was already  having. Further, the sadness and the lows also became apparent. For those you haven’t suffered from the lows associated with Depression and other similar conditions, it can be difficult to understand this sadness.  It's more than just feeling down or unhappy. It carries with it an existential feeling of dread and despair. It isn’t something that requires some “cheering up” or can be overcome with simple laughter. The feeling is deeper and almost sourceless.  As you sink into this fathomless darkness, it isn't that you cannot see a way back to the light, it is that there isn’t one. This dread much like the other symptoms quickly leads to more symptoms.

As I felt lost in this abyss, I quickly found myself losing interest and pleasure in the things I most enjoyed.  For those of you who do not know me, I am a cinephile, a lover of films and the theater experience. During episodes of Depression, I lost any desire to watch films, even the films that I love to watch over and over again lost their appeal.  I am also an avid gamer, but even those mildly addictive escapes from reality had no pull on my interest. Even when doing these hobbies, I would find myself distracted and just going through the motions. My favorite things provide me with no comfort or release.  Even my social interactions would suffer. Being distracted and not engaged when socializing with friends and even losing any interest or enjoyment of our more basic desires and needs.

Last but certainly not least for me, came the feelings of worthlessness or guilt.  I found myself stuck in my own head fixating on my failures and finding ways to blame myself for anything and everything.  These feelings just lead to even less enjoyment of activities, more despair, more sleep issues, and less energy. All of these things just compound and build upon you until you start to kind of feel numb.  Nothing really matters or means anything anymore, a feeling of pure apathy, which, at least for me, leads to a desire to feel anything. Joy, sadness, and even pain. It is here where things feel the most hopeless.  Even though it is here where I witness others turn to substance abuse, self-harm, and other destructive habits, I have found that this is often the stage where I find myself the most safe. Here at the bottom of the abyss, I know things cannot get much worse.  Though I know many never find their way out of this abyss, I find that hitting this bottom serves as a bit of a trigger forcing me to go the only way I can go back up.

The happiness and euphoria of feeling again and beginning to enjoy activities again begins to feel you with seemingly endless hope.  However, this hope is a honey trap. For as many times I have ridden this wave to restore myself to a healthy and positive Mental Health statutes, I have just as many times slipped and fallen down the slide back to the abyss.  It is at this stage that things I feel are the most dangerous. Because when I slip back into the abyss, I find myself pondering two things. These two things occupy my mind for virtually every waking moment. Those two things are:  Was this fall always inevitable? and What was the point of making the climb?  When at the top, it is easy to say “No” and find a reason for the climb.  But when that despair and hopelessness returns, my mind’s answers to those questions quickly become “Yes” and  “There isn’t one.” It is then when I feel completely subsumed by the deepest and darkest darkness.

Because I am both very introverted and very introspective, I often seek out answers on my own.  “Seeking out others is uncomfortable and I know no one knows me like I do, so why would I share my questions and thoughts.  Besides, others have their own stuff to deal with.” It is this internal dialog that often keeps me from reaching out and speaking about my feelings.  Also, growing up as a male in 1990’s America certainly didn’t dissuade this kind of thinking. Hell, I struggle admitting to myself that there might be a problem.  However, I have learned that this darkness can become very overwhelming very quickly, as there is no outlet or venting of these feelings if you refuse to seek help.

Much like I learned when trying to help my friend with his Depression, I learned that I need to take steps to take care of myself.  For me and for many, the first step to taking care of yourself is to ask for help. Finding someone who will listen and be supportive of me during my slides, while at the bottom, and especially during the climb.  However, I know that I cannot stop there. Even at the top, I must take steps, continue to work on being healthy, and being willing to seek help. For me, even though I am currently in a healthy state, I know that Depression and the threat of the abyss will always be something I struggle with.  The struggle in remembering that “maybe the fall was inevitable.” However, when I do, I know I need to find a way to remind myself or, better yet, find someone who will help remind me that there is always a point to making the climb, you just have to find it. At least, that is the way I see it.

P.S.  I know that it is my hubris to think that anybody reads my posts.  Nevertheless, if you have read this and you are experiencing any of this, or, perhaps, you find yourself on the slide, in the abyss, or on the climb, please talk to somebody, you do not have to do it alone.  There are so many resources available for those willing to look for them. If you need help finding one, PM me and I will help you find one. I know it can feel like there is nobody willing to listen or nobody who cares, but I assure you that there is and they do.  I am one of them.

[ftkrotec]

Millennial Entitlement

Preface:  I apologize that it has been so long since my last post.  However, I want to make sure that my posts are well thought out and are important, at least to me.  I could easily pump out one post per month or probably even post biweekly.  However, I know that those posts will either consist of irrelevant nonsense or be rushed and underdeveloped, which would just add to the ignorant noise with which we are already overly saturated and contributing to the ignorance problem I highlighted in my first post.  Assuming somebody actually reads these posts.  For those who actually do (if you exist), thank you for your patience.

Given the buzz around the term "Millennial" and noise circulating about their hypersensitivity and entitlement, I wanted to provide some thoughts that would hopefully cut through the noise and help illuminate the realities of Millennials.  Before I start, I will provide a disclaimer.  Being born in the late 1980s, I am a Millennial.  I do not take any particular pride or shame in claiming that title.  It is a title that has been ascribed to my generation, and I accept that.  Although being a member of this group certainly presents the potential for bias, it also provides me with a particular insight to provide my thoughts below.

As a scientist, I know that defining terms and base assumptions is vital to understanding analysis.  So, I am starting with some definitions.  Before talking of Millennials, one must, first, know what a Millennial is.  When it comes to labeling generations, there is always a bit of fluidity when it comes to declaring specific start and end dates.  However, the most common model of generational cohorts divides all currently living peoples into six generations, stemming back to the turn of the 20th century.  These generations are typically characterized by the combined experiences common to the formative years of that generation.  The oldest generation, often called the Greatest Generation, is those who came to age during the Great Depression.  Then, there is the silent generation, who spent their formative years in the context of WWII.  Growing up in the aftermath of WWII, we, then have the Baby Boomers, aptly named to the spike in birth rates following the War.  The next three generations were assigned letter designations.  Generation X's childhood was defined by the end of the traditional family dynamic, as divorce rates increased and the number of women in the workplace also increased.  Next, there is Generation Y.  Generation Y, aptly named the Millennial generation, had their childhood defined by the start of the new millennium, and the technological revolution that coincided with it.  Finally, Generation Z are those born in the new millennium having their childhood defined by a post-9-11 America and the vast interconnectivity afforded to us by the prevalence if the internet and social media. With these definitions in mind, let me clarify something.  This means that in 2019, contrary to some indications, Millennials are schoolchildren or teenagers.  Rather, Millennials are, for the most part, adults in their 20's and early 30's.

Now that I have defined what a Millennial is, I can now focus on the "buzz."  Over the past few years, the term "Millennial" has become synonymous with entitlement and hypersensitivity.  Terms like “snowflake” and “the Me Me Me Generation,” complaints about their lack of work ethic, and other similar disparagements of Millennials are now commonplace among the conversations.  So much so, that many people, my generation included, assume it to be true.  

As a Millennial, one would assume that I would come to my generation’s defense and explicate on all the reasons those labels are untrue and unfounded.  (Millennials are more inclusive, diverse, and educated).  Perhaps, I would shift the blame on the issues being attributed to my generation to the problems created by previous generations.  (Millennials reached adulthood in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis and the Great Recession).  Maybe, I would even explain that every generation had opinions and disparaging remarks about their successors.  (Gen X’ers were lazy, directionless slackers; Baby Boomers were pampered, godless, drugged-out, long-haired hippies; the Silent Generation was rude and undisciplined; and the Greatest Generation was selfish and indulgent).

However, I have decided to not take that approach.  Instead, much like my acceptance of the label of Millennial, I will admit that we, Millennials, are entitled and hypersensitive.  Further, I assert below why my generation’s entitlement and hypersensitivity is both an appropriate and necessary response to our circumstances.  My claim of appropriateness and necessity stems from three bases.

My first basis is based on Human nature.  An often referenced theory in human developmental psychology is the hierarchy of needs.  Without going into a lengthy lecture, this theory can be summarized such that human needs can be divided into 5 categories and are interconnected, in that motivation to pursue the “higher needs” is dependent on the satisfaction of “lower needs.”  Admittedly, there are many criticisms of this theory, including and not limited to the lack of empirical evidence and the variance of how needs are categorized.  This theory and model are still often used and relied upon in various areas of study and training.   Following that lead, I assert that this model can be applied to human society and its development over time.  Specific to the topic at hand, I see many of the generational differences in recent American history relate to the generations’ differing needs.

Unlike the previous generations, Millennials, for the most part, are not plagued with the “lower” need deficiencies, with which the previous generations struggled.  That is, the Greatest Generation was not guaranteed base needs like food and shelter, due to the Great Depression.  World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and the Cold War, called into question the physical safety and security for the Silent Generation and the Boomers.  With much of the threat of war behind them, the Gen X’ers were able to focus on the social needs, like connectedness and acceptance.  With these lower needs satisfied, Millennials, following the hierarchy theory, should be motivated by the self-esteem needs, the psychological needs for respect, recognition, and the like.  So, this entitlement and emotional neediness are simply the manifestation human needs for recognition and respect.  So, if the hierarchy of needs is to be believed, then Millennials are simply following the natural progression of the satisfaction of needs.

The second basis refers to the fact that our entitlement and hypersensitivity were instilled in us as children.  Please do not construe this as me blaming our parent’s generations for our problems.  In fact, previous generations raising us Millennials with these expectations are precisely what they, as ancestors, are supposed to do.  It is said that each generation works to make the world better for those who come after.  That is precisely what they did.  They grew up in a world with less safety, security, opportunity, etc.  So, they instilled in us a desire for better things.  How did they instill this?  They did so in many ways.  My generation was promised, for lack of a better term, that financial success and security would come to us by simply obtaining higher education.  My generation was counseled to consider personal feelings when interacting with others.  My generation was asked to focus on what makes us similar, instead of what makes us different.  My generation was told to true to ourselves.  My generation was if you know what you're worth, then go out and get what you're worth.  Being raised on these tenets, is it really surprising that, now as adults, we expect and are demanding things like a living wage, acceptance of the world's diverse cultures, respect for one's own life decisions and personal identities, and continuing to make the world better?  What many see as hypersensitivity is merely hyperawareness of these cultural and personal issues.  What is seen as entitlement is merely expecting the opportunities and togetherness for which previous generations fought and died.   What some suggest as taking our freedoms for granted is actually the realization that, though things are better than they have been, there is still more to achieve.

Despite all the differences stated above, Millennials are not that different than the generation that came before.  This brings me to my third and final basis.  Since the turn of the 20th century, America has made many strides when it comes to social justice.  In fact the past century and or so, we have seen women and racial minorities given the right to vote.  We have seen affirmative action and desegregation assist in lessening the racial and gender disparities in opportunity.  We have even seen the right to marry extend beyond racial and sexuality constraints.  Whether championed by the Greatest Generation or most recently by Generation X, the past century or so has seen virtually every generation push social norms and expectations to create meaningful and, with the benefit of hindsight, deserving change to the sociopolitical landscape of America.  Now, Millennials have taken up the fight, furthered by the generations before them, to demand the correction of certain social injustices and societal norms.  What is being seen as hypersensitivity and entitlement is just the Millennials highlighted and demanding the changes that see are necessary for a better future.  The same desire the led the Greatest Generation to strike and demand safe and fair working conditions.  The same desire that led Baby Boomers to walk on Washington and demand the freedoms and rights of all people regardless of race or gender.  Decades from now, I am certain that some of these causes being championed by Millennials now, will be looked at as the triumphs of social justice just as those successful causes championed by previous generations have been, therefore, justifying much if not all of this entitlement and hypersensitivity for which Millennials have been criticized.

So, Millennials are entitled and hypersensitive.  As you can see, this entitlement and hypersensitivity are both natural and inevitable.  Further, if the entitlement and hypersensitivity leads us to a better world in the future, then is that really a bad thing?  I do not think so. At least, that is the way I see it.

[ftkrotec]

Trauma Drama

We, humans, are a lot alike.  We all have 23 pairs of chromosomes that make up our DNA and 206 bones that make up our adult skeletons.  Well, there is a bit of variance on those numbers due to various conditions or circumstances, but more or less, this is true for most of us.  However, we are all also very different.  Even, twins, some of which are born genetically identical, tend to develop different personalities and become distinct people.  One of the areas that our differences become apparent is how we process and experience trauma.

I would like to take a moment to say that I am, in no way, claiming to be an expert or even educated in any area of human behavior, let alone the intricacies of trauma’s effects on it.  So, I apologize ahead of time, if I categorize and explain something incorrectly.  Please feel free to correct me; I am always willing to learn.

I can only speak to things to my own experiences and my perceptions of how others have experienced and processed trauma.  However, even within this tiny sample, I have observed many different ways to react and process traumatic events.  Some suffer through re-experiencing the trauma over and over again, be it through flashbacks or nightmare.  Some take to avoiding the topic, the people, the locations, or even the experience itself as a mean to attempt to forget it ever happened.  Some find themselves always on edge or waiting for the other shoe to drop.  While, others spiral into negative thoughts and depression, blaming themselves for what has happened to them and the like.  So, whether it’s watching a loved one lose a battle with chronic illness, witnessing someone’s life come to a sudden and violent end, or suffering psychological or physical abuse and torture; each of us will react and process those experiences in our own way.

For example, I have had friends who experience PTSD from time served in the armed services deployed in warzones.  If every human processed trauma the same, then every member of those friends’ units, who experienced the same trauma would all have developed PTSD.  However, that is not the case.  In fact, some statistics estimate that given some trauma, only about 20% of people develop PTSD or some similar condition or anxiety disorder.  Further some statistics, suggest that women are more likely to develop these conditions than men experiencing the same trauma.  So, clearly there is at least some variance in how we as humans react and process our trauma.

Why is that important?  Simply put, we should always keep those differences in mind, especially when communicating with victims or potential victims of trauma.  Just because their reaction does not match our expectations, this does not mean they did not experience any trauma, nor does it mean that their experience was any more or less traumatic than someone else’s.   Further, we shouldn’t tell those individuals how they should act or how they should feel, even if we, ourselves, have experienced similar trauma.  We will all process and react in our own ways.  At least, that is the way I see it.

[ftkrotec]

Overcoming Humanity’s Greatest Disease

The human race is struggling with a pandemic of one of the most infectious of diseases.  This disease has festered among humans for millennia and shows no signs of stopping or slowing.  This disease has caused the deaths of millions and perhaps billions of people throughout history. What is worse is that some people embrace this disease as a positive influence or the natural state of humanity.  In fact, some even use the disease and its effects on its victims as a means of advancing their own socio-political agendas.

There is goods news though.  Because of today’s technology, we all have the means to treat the disease and its symptoms.  We have the means to limit its effects. We have the means to inoculate ourselves and to help cure the infected.  Will we ever eradicate the disease entirely? Maybe, maybe not, but we can take steps to reduce its prevalence and take steps to prevent it from continuing to spread.

Education is the first step to eliminating this scourge.  We are lucky to live at a time that virtually every piece of information know to humanity is at our fingertips.  Most of us carry supercomputers in our pockets and bags that can call forward forth this information within minutes or, even, seconds.  Use this to educate yourself, be aware of the world around you. Broaden your horizons and understanding of the world. We no longer have to wonder what the capital of Tunisia is, the answer is literally a few keystrokes away.

Granted this powerful resource does have limitations.  Further, not all the “information” contained within is accurate.  This necessitates the second step. This step requires us to think critically, ask questions, and do your own research when presented with information.  Just because something is written does not mean is must be true, even if the person who wrote it claims to be smarter than you. If and when you realize the information is wrong, do not be afraid to challenge it, to challenge the person presenting it.  A wise man once said, “the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good [people] to do nothing.”  Doing nothing here, allows that misinformation to spread and fuel the disease that plagues us all.  Doing nothing, allows the evils of this disease to triumph.

So, will you take up the fight?  Are you willing to stand up against this plague, this infection that threatens to destroy everything that humankind has forged?  Will you help fight Ignorance in all its forms? Will you prevent Ignorance from spreading to you and those that you know? Or will leave our children and our children’s children to continue to suffer the effects of Ignorance?  Please think for yourself, learn and educate yourself and others when you can, and combat the evils of Ignorance.  We could be the generation or generations that finally rise above Ignorance.  At least, that is the way I see it.