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mysticalmusicwhispers · 3 years

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#i wonder what your thoughts on diaspora in hetalia are#cause its a pretty interesting topic (the post in question)

@urmomsstuntdouble a collection of things that I think about on a semi-regular basis below the cut (also thank you for the tags!)

Disclaimer: I think this turned into more of a discussion of immigration and immigrants, but I hope this strikes your fancy anyways 😅. Also this got SO LONG and I explained quite a bit of history (because idk whether anyone knows much about this), so the key thoughts will be bolded!

My thoughts are kinda complicated about this tbh; it’s weird, because if China really did exist as a personification in real life, we’d probably both be judging each other, just for different reasons 😅.

General Hetalia Cases

I think when discussing immigrants/diaspora, you have to think about why different immigrants left. @cupofkey kinda discussed that a while ago (if anyone hasn’t seen this superb post, GO READ IT NOW) about the Vietnamese diaspora, and I think there’s some of that in every country. How do the immigrants feel about the home country? Why did they leave: because of hard times, poverty? Political instability/revolution/war? Opportunities overseas? Are they doing well in their new home, or still struggling? Does their new country treat them like foreigners or outcasts, unworthy of even arriving, or doing anything besides menial labor, or have they been welcomed (rather unlikely)? Do they hate their home country (politically), or miss them? Would they ever go back, not just to visit family or the place of their birth, but to return permanently?

I think on the whole, hetalia nations would still maintain a connection to their immigrants, especially since most are still in touch with their culture, although they’ve crossed borders or changed nationalities. (However, the angst of not being as in touch with your culture as you think you should is so real; would our home countries be disappointed? Or do they sympathize, somehow?) In the end, we’re all the same that way. Plus, the alternative thought of them just disowning immigrants feels weird; I don’t even know how that would be possible. But I think that connection gets complicated by the reason people left, and their feelings for their place of origin; I’ll be using APH China and Chinese Americans as an example to discuss this hksdgsdf (sorry I don’t want to do more research than necessary and I have Thoughts about this)

**OBLIGATORY DISCLAIMER that immigration/diaspora discussions are almost always case by case and will vary greatly based on things like country of origin/race/ethnicity, country immigrated to, initial socioeconomic status, time period, etc. And even among diaspora, people can and will have vastly different experiences, and it’s not good to generalize. These are just some thoughts with one example.**

1. Waves of Immigration

Depending on when people arrive, they’ve got different push/pull factors drawing them to a country and it also factors into how the nation feels about them and vice versa... Chinese immigration to the US has mostly two major waves (you could also say there were 3, counting the post-WWII/Communist China wave, but I won’t talk about that): one in the mid 1800s and the other after the 1970s/1980s into modern day; the gap is because the Chinese Exclusion Act (1882) that banned most immigration from China wasn’t repealed until 1943 (because of Japan’s attack on the US in WWII, the US needed China as an ally).

IMMIGRATION WAVE 1: MID 1800s

These immigrants were mostly from southern China (Canton area), and they came to the US because of hard times (Opium Wars + political instability because of things like the Taiping Rebellion) and economic opportunity in the West (eg. Gold Rush (San Francisco is literally “Old Gold Mountain” in Chinese today) + industrialization, railroads, expansion etc.). There was Much Discrimination against those immigrants, and many worked as hard laborers in a variety of occupations (on railroads, gold mine, farms (in the South esp), laundry businesses; there were merchants as well, but they were the minority); many were looking to get some money that they could send back to their families in China and planned to return, but over time, they settled down and stayed. I think for those immigrants, Yao would definitely be understanding, even if he might not be empathetic. After all, he’s not thriving at that time either, and although he thinks Alfred is inferior to him (in many ways), he understands why people would be drawn by economic promise and quick wealth, even if it might not be the best strategy for getting rich. It’s not like staying in China would be better lmao. However, I don’t think he would approve (?) how many of his immigrants stayed in the US when most viewed it as a temporary move; I think Yao is very surprised by how so many of them persisted to carve out a home there, despite the discrimination and limited opportunities. Perhaps he admires their resilience, the creation of Chinatowns and community and how they still come to a country that doesn’t even let them in (see the San Francisco Fire of 1906 and the boon for paper sons), but still wishes they would come back, however unlikely that hope is. Personally, Yao would never be able to stay in Alfred’s country, the beautiful country, if Alfred’s hypocrisy prevented his experience, his immigrant’s experience, from being anything close to beautiful. (You were founded by immigrants and foreigners, but now you spurn them: the poor sojourners who continue to flee to your shores, and refuse them respite from the disasters at home.) And anyways, Alfred is just the next scrappy young upstart, barely 70 years old but with a swagger like he rules the world; how could he have something over himself, the Middle Kingdom, who has stood the test of time? (Admittedly, he’s doing nowhere as well as Alfred—even he can see that, despite his pride, and despite the haze of opium in his brain. Leaving is the logical, objectively sound choice. Still, his pride hurts vaguely when he thinks how his immigrants keep choosing a country that keeps rejecting them, over and over again, instead of himself. But it is no matter. The injury to his ego is inconsequential and easily brushed aside; for they are still his people, and they deserve a good life, wherever they are. His distaste for Alfred flares up again: Arthur’s bastard child, who takes advantage of his trade (see the Open Door Notes, 1899-1900), but refuses his people.)

if anyone wants more context or is interested in the history I mentioned, I highly recommend this pdf (from the book A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America by Ronald Takaki)

IMMIGRATION FROM 1949 TO 1980: according to Wikipedia, there was very little immigration from mainland China during this period due to the Cold War and China becoming Communist; most of the immigration was from Taiwan/ROC but counted in the quota for China. Since there’s a separate Hetalia personification for TWN, I’m not going to go over that. However, there were also many people from Mainland China who escaped to Hong Kong, still a British colony, during that period (I hope it’s clear why, but if anyone asks I’ll put it in a separate post); some stayed there, while others emigrated to the US; both trips were for more freedoms and a better life etc because China was really really messed up for a bit (also keep in mind the people emigrating all had the means to and were at least middle class, usually somewhat educated, etc.). I will not be talking about that group either because I don’t think it’s my place to, but please know they exist as well.

IMMIGRANT WAVE 2: 1980s ONWARD

A lot of people came from mainland China for education; there was also an. exodus of intellectuals following 1989 (which I Will Not get into). Many of these people sought job opportunities, like those that rapidly opened up in the computer industry, there are many students who come here to study abroad, who take SATs and TOEFLs to get into good US colleges or to conduct graduate research and get PhDs; some stay, others have gone back to like, advance China’s development (this sentiment of getting good students to go abroad and then go back to China to use their talents for Patriotic Purposes isn’t a new thing, stretches back to like the late 1800s). I don’t really have much to say about this group besides what’s below ↓.

2. Immigrant Thoughts On Their Home Country

more complicated, because it varies by generation and time period and probably 203943 other things. Mainlanders that came over starting in the 1990s till now have relatively positive feelings towards China (imo, extrapolating from my life experiences); I think part of that is also because most* of these immigrants aren’t really escaping from something? They’re coming for an education/job opportunities (students studying abroad in the US (留学生 or liuxuesheng) for graduate school or university come to mind as one example), and they’re still very much connected to China politically and culturally, sometimes* more so than to the US. For these immigrants, I think Yao doesn’t worry too much about them? They’re pretty successful* overall*, and discrimination, although still A Large Problem™, isn’t the same from stuff that Yao (or his immigrants) remember from, say the mid 1800s (see above), or even during the paranoia about Communists after WWII and the subsequent Chinese Confession Program that made many people really scared of being deported. (Red China made Chinese Americans a target of the Communist panic, and the confession program was instated in order to make sure Communist spies couldn’t infiltrate the US. Those who immigrated illegally could confess that and gain citizenship; however you also had to weed out everyone you knew who also immigrated illegally.) I think Yao would see them as an extension of himself in a different land; they’re very much still part of him, and he gives them his well wishes.

However, I think that immigrants born in the US in modern day at least (1990s onwards) are definitely more ambivalent about China’s legacy + modern day Issues™, as much as we are connected via culture and heritage. Not quite sure how Yao would feel about that, because I’m not quite sure how much Yao is the state and how much he represents the people. However, I think there would be some mutual unease; does he see this as betrayal of some kind? Perhaps he doesn’t blame us for feeling as we do? Maybe he wonders what we feel about him; maybe he doesn’t want to know. Maybe he chooses the easier route: to focus on the bonds between him and his huayi instead of the grievances, and leave the rest unsaid.

Additionally with first gen immigrants, there’s the conflicting feeling of being stuck between two worlds and value systems that oppose each other in many respects. Also there’s sometimes a feeling of not-quite-being-in-touch-with-your-culture (in other diaspora as well, ofc. here it’s often exemplified by forgetting or not knowing how to read and write Chinese proficiently, among other things 🙃); idk. does Yao see that as a bit of a disappointment? Would he wish us to try harder? Does he view it as inevitable, for those raised in the US; the environment is too different, and perhaps he won’t blame us for those differences, or shortcomings. Does Yao know, or care, about the racism? What about his immigrants who try to assimilate completely into American culture, who try to erase the Chinese part of their identity? Those that have tried it, but regretted it? Are they still his, when they have tried rejecting their connection to him, choosing to drop the “Chinese” from Chinese American? Does he consider racism when thinking about them? What about international adoptees? Does he claim them, when some have not been raised in a culturally Chinese environment, and when it’s still a sensitive subject on both sides of the ocean? I don’t have answers to many of these questions.

There are also immigrants who fled China because of war or persecution or upheaval, (one example is with regards to the Cultural Revolution), but I don’t feel qualified to discuss it here, and I don’t want to take it lightly.

But, despite everything I’ve discussed above, I’d like to think that however an immigrant feels about their home country or however long they’ve been there, all nation personifications would still wish them a better life (even Yao). I mean, it’s not always easy being an immigrant/part of a diaspora (especially when race becomes a factor). I really don’t think any of the hetalia characters would say “look at your struggles. What a mistake it was to immigrate somewhere where you still face so many challenges, although they might be different from the ones back home”. that’s just No. Also, I think that when you disregard sentimentality and their inherent connection to the people, countries would still be able to sympathize with people trying to strive for better, you know? People immigrate for a better life, whether it’s because it was getting rough when they left or because other places had more potential, and like. although nation-people can’t leave their own country, I think they understand the people who do, because it’s a chance to make a new life, and it would be unkind, counterproductive, limiting, to prevent someone from taking that opportunity if it came. And their children, and grandchildren; they are still connected to their origins even in a new country, by blood if nothing else, and nations are people too; they must have some sentimentality for their people born in a different land. I’d like to think that if Yao met a Chinese American kid running around San Francisco’s Chinatown, or bumped into an ABC high schooler in a well to do Massachusetts suburb, he’d stop and nod and maybe say hello, and wish them luck, wherever they go in the future. After all, they are the products of his immigrant’s hopes and dreams, and they are his too, as much as they live in Alfred’s land.

* (asterisks): this is a) from my experience and research; not everyone will have the same experiences! please keep this in mind and don’t generalize a very vast group of people. :)

Idk if that was too sentimental or rambly or something, but yeah, those are some of the things I consider when I think about nations and their diasporas. If you made it down here, thanks for reading! I greatly appreciate it. Also I hope I got all my facts correct, but if anyone spots anything incorrect, especially regarding the post 1980s immigration wave, please tell me! Tried doing my research but there are still a few things I’m unsure about rip.

This might be deleted tomorrow because I’m feeling weird about it, but feel free to reblog! I’d also very much love some feedback too if any of y’all are feeling up to it

#i was thinking about a lot of this when writing the zine fic so this post is partially an extension of that #hws china #aph china #musings #hetalia #nation lore #hws #aph #aph china headcanons #hetalia worldbuilding #headcanon musings #hetalia headcanons #I GUESS??

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ill-be-istj-if-no-one-else-is · 3 years

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Hi! If you’re up for it would u mind helping me figure out my mbti type? Ok so.. I’m fine not knowing all the details of what I’m getting into. I still stress about it a lot, but deep down I think things are gonna work out eventually. i.e just moved to LA last week, lived in a friend of a friend’s apt for a few days & now living in a different friend of a friend’s place with a bunch of men I don’t know until the lease on our apt starts (which was still up in the air until a couple days ago). Don’t have a job or anything here yet I just wanted to see what it’s like

Kind of reckless ig, went on a date w some guy idk yesterday w/o sending anyone my location. I usually don’t go on dates tho bc I hate commitment, like what if someone better comes along but I was already stuck w someone else? Wouldn’t be fair to my partner if I broke up w them cuz of that, but I would be unhappy feeling stuck and unable to pursue the other person. I don’t want to be an asshole like that. Hence why I don’t date. I crave connection & intimacy but I always back out when I feel ppl getting too close

I get overwhelmed by new places/places with lots of things to look at like the inside of a department store. There are too many signs and colors and I end up getting distracted/lost. Not necessarily negative bc I like lookin around, but a pain in the ass when I’m just trying to buy like 2 things n get out.

I feel like a deer in the headlights in most social situations. I like being around ppl but I don’t know how to act or what to say especially if I don’t know them. My biggest fear is being cringe and uncool even tho I probably AM cringe and uncool. But I can put up with a lot. Rude people, messy environment, whatever. Kind of a yes woman, I’m bad at standing up for myself bc I don’t want ppl to dislike me even if I don’t particularly like them. On the other hand, getting into arguments is second nature to me. I don’t mean to start em, it just kind of happens. Constantly. I wouldn’t be able to tell someone their loud chewing is bothering me but ideas and opinions are fair game since they aren’t “real” ig?

I have a fragile ego and it makes me upset to see people my age in my field be more successful than me. It’s one of the things I’m ashamed about, as well as the fact that I know I’ll never be satisfied with a normal, quiet life. I crave novelty & respect & I’m deeply resentful that because of my socioeconomic background & unsupportive family it’s all just a pipe dream & I’m never gonna amount to anything special. I don’t do anything w/o the intention to share it when I’m done, never understood why ppl keep their creations to themselves. But I hate people seeing my process. End result only. I thrive on external motivation but when that’s missing I get depressed & can’t make myself work on any project that I used to be excited about. I think i’m a 3 or 7 if that helps

Hi anon,

I do think 3 or 7 does make sense; my guess would be 7 with a strong 3 or 4 fix.

I definitely think you are an ExxP of some sort; the openness to new experience and spontaneity and commitment-avoidance makes it hard to suspect anything else. I'm somewhat torn on Se or Ne, because you mention sensory overload (not so common with Se) but also the idea that arguing about thoughts and ideas feels more fair game because they're not real and to be honest, I'm not sure if that is more an Se trait (in that...they are not technically tangible realities) or an Ne trait (in that you want to argue about concepts but not address real things). My guess is therefore Ne, but I'd be interested in Ne or Se doms weighing in.

I also think you are probably an ExTP, so probably ENTP, in that...it's really easy to avoid arguments so if they're just happening you are doing something, and my guess is you're just sort of automatically starting debates because that is how you think - you hear an idea and counter it, not out of any malice but just because that's how you engage.

I also find that tert Fe really describes a lot of the people-pleasing/desire for coolness and lack of cringiness. Low Fi tends to just not give a shit, and high Fi tends to be focused on an identity and authenticity but less so on outside approval. I also think that ExTPs get a slightly unfair rap (and I say this with a known frustration with high Ti) for starting shit. I think for a lot of them that tert Fe really does hold them back in social situations because they do care if they are liked, and those who are more directly and deliberately confrontational and argumentative tend to have other factors involved (enneagram 8 or cp6).

So: I would start with ENTP but would not rule out ESTP, and both 7 and 3 are possible.

#mbti #entp #estp #enneagram 7 #enneagram 3

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prisonnapkin22 · 4 years

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3 definitions of health

What is health? The word health describes a state of total emotional and physical wellness. Healthcare exists to assist people preserve this optimum state of health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), health care expenses in the United States were $3.5 trillion in 2017. Nevertheless, in spite of this expense, individuals in the U.S. have a lower life span than individuals in other industrialized countries. This is because of a range of aspects, consisting of access to health care and way of life choices. Health is central to managing tension and living a longer, more active life. In this post, we explain the significance of good health, the kinds of health a person needs to think about, and how to maintain great health. What is health ? Regular exercise adds to health. In 1948, the World Health Organization (WHO) defined health with a phrase that modern-day authorities still apply. 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HEALTHLINE EVENT Healthline Live Town Hall: Healthcare Policy Edition Ask the professionals about the future of health care at a Live Town Hall hosted by our sis site, Healthline, featuring healthcare policy experts and patient supporters. Types Mental and physical health are probably the two most frequently gone over types of health Spiritual, emotional, and financial health likewise contribute to total health. Medical specialists have connected these to lower tension levels and improved physical and mental well-being. Individuals with better monetary health, for instance, may worry less about financial resources and have the methods to buy fresh food more frequently. Those with good spiritual health might feel a sense of calm and function that fuels good mental health. Physical health. A person who has good physical health is most likely to have bodily functions and procedures working at their peak. This is not just due not just to an absence of illness. Regular workout, balanced nutrition, and sufficient rest all contribute to great health. Individuals get medical treatment to preserve the balance, when required. Physical well-being involves pursuing a healthy way of life to decrease the threat of disease. Preserving physical conditioning, for instance, can secure and develop the endurance of a person's breathing and heart function, muscular strength, flexibility, and body composition. Taking care of physical health and wellness also includes minimizing the risk of an injury or health issue, such as: decreasing hazards in the work environment When having sex, using birth control practicing efficient health avoiding the use of tobacco, alcohol, or unlawful drugs taking the advised vaccines for a specific condition or nation when traveling Excellent physical health can operate in tandem with mental health to enhance a person's general quality of life. For example, mental disorder, such as depression, may increase the threat of drug usage conditions, according to a 2008 study. This can go on to adversely impact physical health Mental health. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, psychological health refers to a person's psychological, social, and mental wellness. Psychological health is as essential as physical health as part of a complete, active lifestyle. Because lots of mental diagnoses depend on an person's perception of their experience, it is harder to define mental health than physical health. With enhancements in testing, nevertheless, doctors are now able to identify some physical signs of some kinds of mental disorder in CT scans and genetic tests. Great psychological health is not just classified by the lack of anxiety, stress and anxiety, or another condition. It also depends on a person's ability to: take pleasure in life recuperate after difficult experiences and adapt to misfortune balance various components of life, such as household and finances feel safe and secure accomplish their complete potential Physical and mental health have strong connections. For example, if a persistent disease affects a individual's capability to finish their routine tasks, it may result in depression and tension. These feelings might be due to financial problems or movement issues. A mental disorder, such as anxiety or anorexia, can affect body weight and total function. It is very important to approach "health" as a entire, rather than as a series of separate aspects. All types of health are connected, and people must go for general well-being and balance as the keys to great health. Learn how psychological health can impact physical health here. MEDICAL NEWS TODAY NEWSLETTER Stay in the know. Get our free everyday newsletter Anticipate extensive, science-backed toplines of our finest stories every day. Tap in and keep your curiosity satisfied. Enter your e-mail Your personal privacy is necessary to us Factors for great health Health depends upon a large range of aspects Genetic elements A individual is born with a variety of genes. In some people, an unusual genetic pattern or modification can cause a less-than-optimum level of health. People may acquire genes from their moms and dads that increase their risk for specific health conditions. Environmental aspects. Ecological aspects contribute in health. In some cases, the environment alone suffices to impact health. Other times, an ecological trigger can trigger health problem in a person who has actually an increased genetic threat of a particular disease. Access to health care contributes, but the WHO recommend that the following factors might have a more substantial influence on health than this: where a individual lives the state of the surrounding environment genes their income their level of education employment status It is possible to categorize these as follows: The economic and social environment: This might consist of the monetary status of a household or neighborhood, along with the social culture and quality of relationships. The physical environment: This includes which bacteria exist in an area, in addition to pollution levels. A person's qualities and habits : A person's genetic makeup and lifestyle options can impact their total health According to some research studies, the greater a person's socioeconomic status (SES), the most likely they are to delight in great health, have a good education, get a well-paid task, and manage excellent health care in times of illness or injury. They also maintain that individuals with low socioeconomic status are most likely to experience stress due to day-to-day living, such as monetary problems, marital disruption, and unemployment. Social elements may likewise influence on the risk of bad health for people with lower SES, such as marginalization and discrimination. A low SES frequently suggests reduced access to health care. A 2018 study in Frontiers in Pharmacology suggested that individuals in developed nations with universal health care services have longer life spans than those in industrialized nations without universal health care. Cultural concerns can impact health. The traditions and customizeds of a family and a society 's reaction to them can have a excellent or bad effect on health. According to the Seven Countries Study, scientists studied people in select European countries and discovered that those who ate a healthy diet plan had a lower 20-year death rate. 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The best way to keep health is to maintain it through a healthy lifestyle rather than waiting until sickness or imperfection to address health problems. Individuals use the name health to explain this constant state of enhanced well-being. The WHO define wellness as follows: " Wellness is the optimum state of health of groups and people . There are two focal concerns: the realization of the maximum capacity of an private physically, psychologically, socially, spiritually, and financially, and the fulfillment of one's roles and expectations in the family, community, place of worship, and other settings." Wellness promotes active awareness of and taking part in measures that maintain health, both as an individual and in the community. Preserving health and optimum health is a long-lasting, daily commitment. Steps that can help individuals obtain wellness consist of: consuming a balanced, nutritious diet from as lots of natural sources as possible engaging in a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate to high-intensity exercise weekly, according to the American Heart Association screening for illness that may present a risk learning to manage tension efficiently participating in activities that supply function connecting with and caring for other people maintaining a positive outlook on life defining a value system and putting it into action The definition of peak health is highly specific, as are the actions a person might require to arrive. Every individual has various health goals and a range of ways to achieve them. It may not be possible to avoid disease completely. However, a person ought to do as much as they can to develop durability and prepare the body and mind to handle diseases as they occur.

#what is good health #what is health #how to stay fit #what is healthy life #how to live healthy life #health & fitness #health is the key of wealth

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doberbutts · 4 years

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can you talk about your experiences as a poc in the dog world? do you think you've been treated differently?

The sender of this ask messaged me privately to explain what they meant, which was a little different than how I took it, so I’ll answer both;

How I took the question:

In completely honesty, either because I’m already fairly choosey about the people I willingly spend my time around or because I’ve been fairly lucky... or both, existing as a PoC in the dog world hasn’t been overly hard for me on a surface level. Basically what that means is that I’ve yet to be denied a dog, access to training or an event, mentorships, whatever due to my race(s) as a factor. Additionally, in person, there’s very little outward aggression and surprisingly little microaggression happening within earshot or to my face. I’m not saying things are or are not said behind closed doors- I’ll never know. But when it comes to face-to-face interactions, since the crowd I run with is already fairly socially aware, racially charged problems have been relatively minimal. Once again, I’m very choosey on who I choose to interact with on a regular basis, so definitely do not take this as me saying doberman people or IGP people or service dog people or whatever are all living in liberal woke paradise because that is definitely the furthest thing from the truth. I just don’t interact with those people on purpose, and keep whatever I have to do with them fairly minimal.

However... online is very different. I remember at one point I had made a negative comment on a political thread, on a forum where most people (myself included) only show photos of their dogs, not themselves or any other identifying information. I was given a long spiel about them blacks and back in my day and we used to call em negros but now that’s offensive I guess in reply, to which I simply responded saying that I was black and perhaps if the user had known that they wouldn’t have responded that way. The user then switched gears, said something about my inability to handle a working dog (note: Creed had been home with me all of a single week and I had not once complained about anything to do with him) and hoping to see me fail so they could laugh in my face... and I found out later went so far as to email both my breeder and the owner of the sire to tell them to repo my dog because they’d clearly made a mistake placing him with me. This was very eye-opening for me because prior to that exchange, that user and I had known we were on different political sides but had been fairly cordial with each other regardless.

Most people who’ve been around this blog since the beginning will remember the time I was called a card-carrying member of the KKK because I had a slave, my service dog Creed. Many will remember various interactions where my race has been used against me in an argument that had nothing to do with race. And I delete almost all of the racially insensitive to outright inflammatory asks I get on a daily basis from trolls and known problem-starters. So I can’t say everything is golden in my experience, but I would say that the anonymous nature of the internet emboldens those who would otherwise keep their racism to themselves.

And, of course, the very fact that I have to navigate life in such a way that I have to carefully curate my experience or else risk someone spewing shit out of the wrong hole, but that is less a “dog world” thing and more a “life as a PoC” thing.

How they meant it: regarding the problem of high euthanasia rates in the south-eastern US and the phenomenon of PoC commonly being afraid of dogs, as well as possible socioeconomic issues

Being that I don’t live in the South and also refuse to for a wide myriad of reasons, Maryland was close enough and it was hell tyvm, I can only answer some of this issue.

First- the assumption that it’s mostly a socioeconomic issue is absolutely there. The south-eastern US is populated mostly by farmers and the descendants of the people who worked the land in the past. Loose, roaming dogs are a common thing there, as are dogs kept intact due to either lack of funds (also why heartworm and rabies continues to be a problem) or the lucrative ability to simply make more dogs for cheap instead of going out and buying one (also where the densest overpopulation and highest euthanasia happens in this country). Add on to that the fact that to many people, dogs are a tool for a job and not a living breathing animal that actually needs care or fall under this pervasive idea that they must live out all of their natural instincts including roaming freely, breeding indiscriminately, and hunting/killing whatever’s in their path, and you have a recipe for a lot of unwanted dogs and not a lot of places to put them.

Second- I wouldn’t say that PoC being afraid of dogs is necessarily tied to high euthanasia rates in the South. Many Southern PoC have dogs, of all shapes and sizes. Many Southern PoC also fall into that socioeconomic niche in the above paragraph. I would say high euth rates are more tied to a lack of funding (you can thank governments for that), a lack of willing adopters (which is cheaper- finding a litter of puppies on the side of the road and taking one home, or paying 50-400$ for a dog at a shelter), way too many dogs being taken in vs actual space to put them (and low cost clinics only solve the "funds for neuter” problem, not the "hey I can make 8 free dogs in only 2 months and maybe sell the ones I don’t want for some extra money” problem), and broad-brush breed restrictions (even in areas without BSL, if you’re poor you might not own your own property, which means you’re renting, which is harder to do with pit bulls and far easier to do with yorkies).

Then you add the non-dog-related problems these people face (of course exacerbated for PoC)- if they can’t feed themselves, if they can’t afford their own doctors, if they can’t afford housing, if their car breaks down... all of these things cost money, and if you’re operating on limited funds, you have to make a hard choice between yourself, your family, and your dog. The dog frequently loses. Note that the highest intake and euth rates happen in already very poor communities in the South, and the more wealthy the area, the less of a problem this is. This is not accidental. I have personally gone hungry to make sure the dogs are fed and vetted when I was at my poorest. Not everyone can make that choice. There’s this hope that if you give the dog up, the shelter will find someone who will take care of it better. Things don’t always work out that way.

Then you have your regular irresponsible dog owners- the people who’s dogs are untrained, aggressive, heartworm positive, on their 8th litter, constantly loose, etc. (obviously I have no problem with accidents, responsible management of aggressive and intact dogs, ethical breeding, etc) These people exist everywhere- proof of that is that I’m in New England, in a fairly wealthy area, and I still adopted a Chihuahua from someone who couldn’t afford/be bothered to feed, vet, or care for their animal. However, in my area, loose roaming dogs are very minimal. Even in our poorest nearby cities, the ACOs find maybe 5-10 dogs per week and most are adopted out the second their stray hold and health checks are up. Someone’s irresponsible with their animals and causes a problem that rescues need to clean up? There’s plenty of space for them. Compare that to an area that gets 50 loose dogs in per day and then try to add more dogs from these irresponsible owners. You run out of space, eventually. This is where the 3-day turnaround and dogs that get euthed the second they come in the door is most common, because they frankly don’t have enough room to spare.

I talk a little about the phenomenon of PoC (predominantly black PoC) being afraid of dogs here. Personally, I don’t think it’s connected, but I could be wrong.

#Anonymous #asks

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kashif1550 · 4 years

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Post 1 - Multicultural America

1.What is the subject of your film, program, or internet/social media selection? Provide a brief summary, describing your selection and how it relates to our course topics, readings, and screenings.

For the first post, I picked the movie District 9. District 9 is 2009 Sci-Fic action movie that is set in South Africa. The story starts off with a UFO, filled with aliens inside, touching base in a major city in South Africa.

Naturally, the entire world does not react well to the new arrivals. However, as the movie progresses, it becomes obvious that the aliens are a metaphor for a marginalized race. The location for the film couldn’t have been perfect enough, given the history of South Africa. Apartheid ended in 1994, a mere fifteen years before the start of this movie. It was not that long ago where segregation was a reality for South Africans.

The reality for the aliens in the movie is not a far cry from the discrimination the South African government expelled on to their own citizens. Aliens aren’t allowed to enter certain areas, aren’t allowed to have intercourse with humans, aren’t allowed to eat in the same locations, and many other inhuman restrictions as well.

The movie tries to end on a positive note, showing us there is a way for oppressors to understand the oppressed. Unfortunately, it was only because a human was mutating into an alien and subjected to the same discrimination.

In a dark, pessimistic way, it is saying that perhaps we cannot see the true harm in the unfair power dynamic unless we’re no longer benefiting from it. It shows how things won’t change until those with the privilege step up and decide to dismantle the system they gain from.

Comparing this movie to something from my reading, I would have to connect it to the Jim Crow laws in the United States. African Americans were faced with harsh treatment at every front. Obtaining a job was difficult, dating a white person could lead to being lynched and legal troubles, and the creation of a mixed-race child was a crime.

Both the movie and the harsh factors of segregation show that the reason for their hatred, for their inhuman actions, and unjustifiable behavior came from ignorance. False narratives and stereotypes were used to justify the nature of the oppressive system they created, thinking that would bring order in their world. In the end, it only caused disorder until justice was served.

2. Referring to related and appropriate readings and screenings from the course, describe how your selection represents racial and ethnic identities (and if applicable, intersectionality). In what ways does your selection for each of the journal entries generate a conversation regarding race, ethnicity, and cultural diversity?

For the movie I picked, you can see how it relates to racial and ethnic identities through the science fiction element of aliens. In their world, the grievances usually associated to immigrants and minorities is pigeonholed into one singular group: the new extraterrestrial life form. They are written off as violent, lazy, rampant in childbirth, and destructive in nature. The humans question their intelligence often, though ironically want the high-tech guns the aliens have brought along with them.

The way newcomers, arriving to the United States, have been treated throughout history has shown that it isn’t always pleasant. For Chinese immigrants, many faced push backs from gold miners, essentially forcing them into the laundry market because of the over taxation placed on the mines. A more comparable experience would be with indigenous people consider, for most of the plot of the movie, the South African government is trying to relocate the aliens to a new reservation. Similar to that outcome, Native Americans were also uprooted from their land and told to move to another plot of land. In the movie, the South Africans do not believe they can live in the same area as the aliens. And for President Andrew Jackson, he felt the exact same way about Native Americans.

“In Jackson’s view, Indians could not survive living within white society […] Drive by ‘feeling of justice,’ Jackson declared that he wanted ‘to preserve this much-injured race.’ He proposed a solution—the setting aside of a strict west of the Mississippi ‘to be guaranteed to the Indian tribes as long as they shall occupy it.” (Pg 81, Takaki)

Andrew Jackson saw the relocation as essential for Native Americans for them to intergrade into American culture. He offered land for the Natives to farm on, believing that somehow that would encourage them to opt to a farming lifestyle like white settlers. What Andrew Jackson and the South Africans in this movie both struggle to grasp is this: consent.

No one asked Native Americans if they wanted to be uprooted from their homes and forced on to reservations. And same for those aliens, they were not given any say on their relocation. When it comes to the opinions of minorities and other marginalized groups, it’s common to see the trend of dehumanization and removing the ability of choice.

When you strip a human from the ability to make choices on their own and use their voice, then do you even see them as an equal at all? No, of course not. People you make choices for are children, meaning that was what they saw in these individuals. They saw them as incapable, but not because they actually were, but because of ignorance and racism. For the movie, specism.

3.How does your selection relate to the course readings, screenings and discussions? Reflect upon the representation and circulation of racial and ethnic identities in popular visual culture. Your reflections should be attentive to the intersectionalities of race, ethnicity, sexuality, religion, socioeconomic class and gender.

As I have stated above, the movie District 9 connects to Jim Crow laws, segregation, and Native American removal. Aliens were limited from participating in activities humans were allowed to and prevented from prospering. They were negatively depicted in the media and rarely shown in a positive light. Media, as history has shown us, plays a vital role in perception.

In the earlier stages of Hollywood, the depiction of minorities was played by white actors, making a mockery of the ethnic group they were portraying. Due to years of boxing people of color into outrageous caricatures, it has left a lasting impression in media—even to this day. Some may brush off media as a fleeting set of pictures, unable to capture and captivate our lives, but one should not be so dismissive of the images that come their way.

“People who have never interacted with a black family in their communities more easily embrace what the media tells them. […] In worst case scenarios, black boys and men actually internalize biases and stereotypes and, through their behavior, reinforce and even perpetuate the misrepresentations. They become victims of perception.” (Donaldson, The Guardian)

Naturally, since we were children, we internalize the images we see. There’s a great deal of impact on the content we consume. Because of redlining, it has made communities just as closed off to diversity as they were before. To this day, someone could live their life not truly being friends with someone from a particular ethnic or racial background. What exactly will that person think of said individual if all they have to learn about them are bad depictions from movies? The result is detrimental. That is why representation of all groups, races, religions should be embraced. When you show a narrow view on something, you are only hurting the viewers in the long run.

For me, speaking as a Muslim, it’s surprises me how often people misrepresent my faith. It’s even more upsetting at how closely connected my own religion is to those who try to dismantle its existence. I have lost count of the amount of times I’ve heard my friends get shocked that I believe in Jesus, Abraham, and the same biblical stories they heard of growing up. The thing is, if they would only open their eyes and not accept the first negative thing they heard about us, then maybe they could see more similarities than differences. In the end, that is what everyone in a marginalized group hope for—acceptance and inclusion.

Sources:

Page 81, Takaki

A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America

Takaki, Ronald

The Guardian

Donaldson, Leigh

Title: When the media misrepresents black men, the effects are felt in the real world (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/aug/12/media-misrepresents-black-men-effects-felt-real-world)

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anotherfranblog-blog · 3 years

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Essay I: Integrating Technology in Education: Advantages, drawbacks, and considerations for a better implementation inside the classroom.Por Camilo Aránguiz Gómez, Gonzalo Munita Rivas y Francisca Zúñiga San Martín

The integration of technology into the world and more specifically into the educational area, has made a huge impact in terms of quality, efficacy, and access to millions and billions of data available on the web. If we have a look at the past, it is not difficult to realize and get to the conclusion that education used to be something exclusive for the ones that were born in empowered and rich families. As years passed, countries and states have worked on the necessity of proportionate a more equitable education, implementing new technologies to make that possible and to bring universal access to education to the people as a fundamental human right for people and social development. Therefore, the integration of technology has brought several benefits for the educational field, but at the same time, these benefits bring out other unwanted drawbacks, reason why there is an urgent need to look for some improvements that can be used in the current scenario and world context. According to Edutopia (2007), “when technology integration in the classroom is seamless and thoughtful, students not only become more engaged, they begin to take more control over their own learning, too”. That is to say, technology must be integrated in the different educational processes regardless of the student’s socioeconomic background and the need of maintaining an appropriate update of educational resources should be placed in the urgent educational agenda.

The way in which education is taught nowadays has been highly and positively influenced by technology. According to School of Education (2020) “By integrating technology into existing curricula, as opposed to using it solely as a crisis-management tool, teachers can harness online learning as a powerful educational tool”. Consequently, the integration and adequate use of technology in the classroom also helps teachers to conduct lessons that facilitate personalized learning and the correct acquisition of 21st-century skills for learners that are being born in an already globalized world. School of Education (2020) states also that “through the use of technology inside and outside the classroom, students can gain 21st-century technical skills necessary for future occupations”. In addition, technology and its integration into education have proportioned teachers the opportunity to review and check assignments and homeworks in a faster way, having the chance to give clear complete feedback to the students to enhance the learning process. Last but not least, by using technology, schools and countries, in general, can reduce the costs of physical instructional materials, something that contributes not only to save money that can be used in other improvements but also to make the world a more sustainable place. That is how, the integration of technology brings out several benefits that cover aspects that time ago were not even thought to be fixed and it is expected that with time it gets even better.

During the last year, education has faced a new challenge to keep the teaching-learning process in a pandemic scenario, and this new reality has shown the good side of technology but also its more ugly face: the digital breach present in Chile and the lack of economical and digital resources for teachers and students. These problems became evident with this sanitarian crisis which required that the different educational actors continue working and studying from their homes. According to Murillo & Duk (2020), being Chile one of the countries with higher levels of connectivity, only about 57% of homes have a stable internet connection (pp. 2). The digital breach revealed the differences between the educational establishments related to the students’ socio-economic conditions. Due to this, the schools should play an active role in reducing this socioeconomic gap so that each student has similar and more equitable educational processes. Anyways, the schools themselves do not have enough funds to cover this digital need that has been highlighted with the progress of the pandemic. Considering the data revealed for Encuestas UC (2020), it states that just 60.6% of the poorest students in Chile received online lessons during this period of time. Therefore, it is possible to mention that students from low-income houses have less access to equitable education than others. Consequently, this statistic reflects that the integration of technology is not easy to accomplish in the short term, considering that this process needs the restructuring of the existing model of education and policies and laws that support the delivery of technological resources as a right for every student in each Chilean classroom.

It is often argued that the use of technology inside the classroom may be an additional distraction for students. Due to this, it would be even harder to measure if students are efficiently acquiring all the expected contents. However, one cannot deny that integrating technology in education has brought several improvements and opportunities to each school that has access to technological resources and, in order to integrate it successfully, we must consider certain aspects. According to Edutopia (2020) there are different suggestions that can contribute to enhancing a technological virtual or physic classroom, for example trying interactive websites, showing videos related to the content or simply starting a collaborative class blog. In this context, the inclusion of new methodologies regarding technology is a process that needs to be rethought including current available materials that make lessons more interactive and that allow to contextualise the development of a lesson. Furthermore, teachers also need to take an active role in this implementation. Therefore, it is necessary for current teachers to stay updated with their pedagogical practices considering new methodologies and approaches as an important factor in their lesson plans. Consequently, it is mandatory to state that a prior study of the class and the way students learn, but also their interests from part of the teachers, seems necessary to achieve a correct integration of the technological resources and using them in a more meaningful way.

As a conclusion, integrating technology inside the classroom has led to a positive discussion about adapting lessons and materials accordingly in order to make technology an active and functional factor in education. Baytak (2011) stated that “technology is accepted as one of the key aspects of the curriculum and the school promises to provide cutting edge technology in its unique educational program” (pp. 144). That is to say, embracing technological development is a fundamental factor in today’s society, specifically in schools where technology does not take much part in the educational performance. Even knowing that the disadvantages regarding the scope of these technologies are still debatable, teachers that are constantly improving their teaching practices have a clear advantage considering technology as a factor. Today’s scenario is even more complicated considering the pandemic and its repercussions in the educational field. The fact that a huge percentage of students do not have Internet connection nor even technological devices to attend lessons regularly, shows evidence that educational reforms should be taken into account immediately, to give a definitive and soon solution to the issues that concern education nowadays. However, the change is hard to accomplish considering all the required modifications. In this context, teachers are also challenged to provide learners with a complete set of technological reliable resources and content that can contribute to fostering a positive learning environment even through the screen. Consequently, educational establishments are crucial entities at the moment of capacitating their teachers to keep developing new and updated methodologies and strategies that can work even more efficiently along with technology. Finally, the ongoing process of integrating technology into education seems to highly impact the current educational paradigm at the national level requiring urgent curricular adaptations to keep education and technology closely connected.

References

Baytak, A., Tarman, B., & Ayas, C. (2011). Experiencing technology integration in education: children’s perceptions. International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education, 3(2), 139-151.

Estudio Longitudinal Empleo-Covid19, Encuestas UC, (2020). Retrieved from: https://www.uc.cl/site/efs/files/11636/presentacion-estudio-empleo-covid19-datos-de-empleo-en-tiempo-real-8-octubre2020.pdf

How Important is Technology in Education? Benefit, Challenges and Impact on Students, (June 25th, 2020), School of Education. Retrieved from: https://soeonline.american.edu/blog/technology-in-education

IX Encuesta Accesos y Usos de Internet, Subsecretaría de Telecomunicaciones, Gobierno de Chile (2018) Retrieved from: https://www.subtel.gob.cl/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/ppt_usos_may2018.pdf

Murillo, F. Javier, & Duk, Cynthia. (2020). El Covid-19 y las Brechas Educativas. Revista latinoamericana de educación inclusiva, 14(1), 11-13. https://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0718-73782020000100011

N.a. (November, 2007). How to Integrate Technology. Edutopia. Retrieved from: https://www.edutopia.org/technology-integration-guide-implementation

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muni-grin · 3 years

Text

Essay I: Integrating Technology in Education: Advantages, drawbacks, and considerations for a better implementation inside the classroom.

Por Camilo Aránguiz Gómez, Gonzalo Munita Rivas y Francisca Zúñiga San Martín

As a conclusion, integrating technology inside the classroom has led to a positive discussion about adapting lessons and materials accordingly in order to make technology an active and functional factor in education. Baytak (2011) stated that "technology is accepted as one of the key aspects of the curriculum and the school promises to provide cutting edge technology in its unique educational program" (pp. 144). That is to say, embracing technological development is a fundamental factor in today's society, specifically in schools where technology does not take much part in the educational performance. Even knowing that the disadvantages regarding the scope of these technologies are still debatable, teachers that are constantly improving their teaching practices have a clear advantage considering technology as a factor. Today's scenario is even more complicated considering the pandemic and its repercussions in the educational field. The fact that a huge percentage of students do not have Internet connection nor even technological devices to attend lessons regularly, shows evidence that educational reforms should be taken into account immediately, to give a definitive and soon solution to the issues that concern education nowadays. However, the change is hard to accomplish considering all the required modifications. In this context, teachers are also challenged to provide learners with a complete set of technological reliable resources and content that can contribute to fostering a positive learning environment even through the screen. Consequently, educational establishments are crucial entities at the moment of capacitating their teachers to keep developing new and updated methodologies and strategies that can work even more efficiently along with technology. Finally, the ongoing process of integrating technology into education seems to highly impact the current educational paradigm at the national level requiring urgent curricular adaptations to keep education and technology closely connected.

References

Baytak, A., Tarman, B., & Ayas, C. (2011). Experiencing technology integration in education: children's perceptions. International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education, 3(2), 139-151.

Estudio Longitudinal Empleo-Covid19, Encuestas UC, (2020). Retrieved from: https://www.uc.cl/site/efs/files/11636/presentacion-estudio-empleo-covid19-datos-de-empleo-en-tiempo-real-8-octubre2020.pdf

IX Encuesta Accesos y Usos de Internet, Subsecretaría de Telecomunicaciones, Gobierno de Chile (2018) Retrieved from: https://www.subtel.gob.cl/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/ppt_usos_may2018.pdf

Murillo, F. Javier, & Duk, Cynthia. (2020). El Covid-19 y las Brechas Educativas. Revista latinoamericana de educación inclusiva, 14(1), 11-13. https://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0718-73782020000100011

N.a. (November, 2007). How to Integrate Technology. Edutopia. Retrieved from: https://www.edutopia.org/technology-integration-guide-implementation

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afriedbreaddragonposts · 3 years

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Drug Addiction Chapter 10 Federal Class 9 English Notes

Drug Addiction Chapter 10 Federal Class 9 English Notes, Comprehension, grammar, short and long question, drug addiction essay in English for 9th class, and writing skills.

Drug Addiction Chapter 10 Federal Class 9 English Notes

Comprehension - A Drug Addiction

Q.1) What are the effects of drug addiction? Answer: The effects of drug addiction can visibly be seen on the psychological, physical and social life of the drug addict. In order to have a clear picture of the effects, let’s discuss them one by one: Psychological effects: Excessive use of drugs has a severe impact on the mind and psychological state of the addict. The effects include wild mood swings, depression, anxiety, paranoia, violence, and a decrease in joy from everyday life, hallucinations, confusion, and the desire to engage in risky behavior. Physical effects: Drugs not only have an influence on the mind but are also responsible for the terrible health of the addict. Physical effects of drug addiction include contraction of HIV, hepatitis and other illnesses, heart rate irregularities, heart attack, respiratory problems such as lung cancer and breathing problems, abdominal pain, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, kidney and liver damage, stroke, brain damage, changes in appetite, body temperature and sleeping patterns. Social effects: The practice of drug addiction has a direct impact on addict’s social life in a number of ways like conflict and breakdowns in communication with family members and friends can become more common, the effects of some drugs can cause you to do things you might not usually do. You might also be putting yourself at risk of overdosing; habitual drug use can prevent you from focusing on your responsibilities, like homework or concentrating in class, your grades will suffer as a result. Regular drug use can become expensive. People who are addicted to drugs might try illegal activities like theft. Spending most of your money on drugs might not leave much money to cover your living expenses, like rent, food, or utility bills. If you can’t pay these necessary costs, you could even get kicked out of your home. Q.2) What are the causes of drug addiction? Answer: The causes of drug addiction are numerous. Some of the most important are the following: Psychological causes: A mental illness such as depression, inability to connect with others, lack of friends, poor performance at work or school, and poor stress coping skills are some of the psychological causes of drug addiction. Environmental causes: A person's environment can be part of what causes drug addiction. Drug addiction is more common in environments where drug abuse is seen or where it's seen as permissible. Children who grow up in homes with drug addicts often become drug addicts themselves. Other environmental factors include participation in a sport where performance-enhancing drugs are encouraged, a peer group that uses or promotes drug use; people of lower socioeconomic status are at greater risk of drug addiction. Genetic causes: Drug addiction tends to run in families, indicating genetics may have a role in causing drug addiction. Q.3) What important role do rehabilitation centers play to control drug addiction? Answer: Rehabilitation centers cure the drug addicts. They keep an eye on the victims and guide them properly. Q.4) What is the role of counseling in preventing drug addiction? Answer: Counseling is very important for the treatment of drug addicts. It should be continued even after the patient is cured. It prevents the patient from returning back to the vicious disease again. Q.5) Why do families feel reluctant to take the drug victims to drug rehabilitation centers? Answer: The drug addicts are a source of disgrace to their families. Therefore, the families do not take the drug victims to the rehabilitation centres. They fear that people might know about them. Q.6) What are the responsibilities of the families to ensure the complete recovery of such patients? Answer: The families should take the drug victims to the rehabilitation centers. Then after their recovery, they should keep an eye on them. They should also continue to seek the doctors' advice in this regard.

Grammar

Q.B) Use the following relative pronouns in sentences. who which that whom whose Answer: Mrs. Pratt, who is very kind, is my teacher. The car, which I was driving at the time, suddenly caught fire. The person that phoned me last night is my friend. To whom do you wish to speak? My brother, whose phone you just heard, is a doctor. Q.C) Underline Adjective Clauses in the following sentences. Also, encircle the relative pronouns. 1. He tells a tale that sounds untrue. 2 People who eat too much die early. 3. I met the woman whose son helped me. 4. He is the man whom we all respect. 5. I have work which I must do. Answer: pronouns italic 1. that sounds untrue 2. who eat too much 3. whose son helped me 4. whom we all respect 5. which I must do Q. D) Write suitable adjective clauses: 1. Where is the book ___________ ? 2. Any student _____________________ will be punished 3. I know the woman ___________________. 4. That is the girl ____________________. 5. Where is the man __________________? Answer: 1. that you bought yesterday 2. who makes noise 3. that is lying on the table 4. who came late yesterday. 5. who was asking for the alms. Q.E) Pick out three passive sentences from the lesson. Change these sentences into active voice. Answer: 1) Drug addiction and alcoholism are caused both by genetic and environmental factors. A. Both genetic and environmental factors cause drug addiction and alcoholism. 2) These factors can be supplemented by environmental factors. A. Environmental factors can supplement these factors. 3) Complete medical support and guidance are provided to these people in these centers. A. These centers provide complete medical support and guidance to these people.

Writing Skills

Q.A) Summarize the lesson “ Drug Addiction” with the help of following a mind map CAUSE/FACTOR I ---------------> CAUSE/FACTOR II ------------------> Effects----------------> Solution Answer: Drug addiction means a person’s total dependency on such medicines which have terrible effects on his mental and physical health. There are two major factors that are responsible for making a person drug addict. One is the environmental factor in which bad company, disturbed family life, peer pressure are involved. On the other hand, mostly young people who are not satisfied with their lives become the victim of drug addiction quite easily. Secondly, genetic factor counts as a major element to become a drug addict. Both the factors have adverse effects on the individual’s lifestyle. For example, health issues come at the first place, social activities take a turn towards negativity, the behavior of the addict also be affected due to this practice. Certain steps should be taken at different levels to eradicate this evil act of drug addiction. Rehabilitation centers should be established for the cure, treatment, and recovery of the deceased. Secondly, counseling plays a vital role in bringing the victim back to normal life. In this regard, a triangle frame consisting of family, friends, and doctors is of considerable importance. Drug addiction needs to be controlled worldwide. Q.B) Write an essay on Drug Addiction a threat to society (170 - 200 words ) Answer: 'Drug' is a terminology that can be categorized into two parts; one is referred to as “life-saving medication” and the other must be titled as “life-taking medication”. Drug abuse falls in the second group quite easily; as it means the excess use of such drugs which cause dreadful effects on the mind and soul of the individual. Drug abuse is a disastrous threat to any society. It not only affects human health severely but is a source of social destruction as well. Genetic and environmental factors are mainly responsible for drug addiction. Genetic factors include metabolic structural and neuron chemical malfunctions of the brain. On the other hand, the company one keeps, peer pressure, evil environment, unsuitable home conditions are some of the environmental factors. The health of a drug addict is somewhat his/her personal matter but one cannot deny the involvement of such a person in various crimes who ruins society on a wide scale such as dacoit, robbery, murder, etc. To eradicate this evil act from the society, certain steps should be taken. The first step is a total ban should be imposed on those plants which produce drugs. Secondly, public awareness programs should be initiated at a governmental level. Thirdly, free or cheap treatment of the drugs addicts should lifestyle. Fourth, the government should make and enforce strict laws against the makers of drugs. Last but not least, rehabilitation centers should be open for the treatment of drug patients. Read more: Cha 8 Stopping Woods Snowy Evening Federal Class 9 English Notes 2021 Read the full article

#2021fbise #FBISE #fbisenotes

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earthcitizen16 · 3 years

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As I have have chosen this quote before I will explain the quote and what is wrong with education today. Thus, those who are sufficiently well educated love beauty, and, thereby, love justice. Therefore, Plato argued that democracy is antithetical to effective education for the purpose of a flourishing society. The first question they ask is what is the purpose of schooling or getting an education, without a purpose education worth nothing, education has many purpose for so many people, one of them in general is to get educated and a better life, for others to find a path or a passion to live throughout their lives by achieving or obtaining an education, so Plato says that education is to teach us to love what is beautiful I believe even without an education we humans have the capacity to love and to love what is beautiful how can we love something or know that something is beautiful, people don't need an education to know what danger is, people don't need an education to know what beauty is these concept have a more psychological meaning than a knowledgeable meaning.

The first fact that is wrong with education is funds to give education to everyone, as not all student can attend college because they cannot afford it, another issue is professor some professors sadly have the title of professor but not the vocation for education or to educate students and this is really a serious issue or threat to students. Another problems is Family factors and Bullying, if family are educated and given the emotional support and psychological therapy to most families without being placed on a list that puts them in a hard situation when someone receives psychological help from health professionals this would become a great advance in society and in education, as well as stopping the Bullying once for all because bullying only creates violence and the threat of having gun assassinations every year by students whose are just beginning their education such as junior high school, high school student because all we see is not a student being educated but staff earning a paycheck while their student are on the edge of falling into a worst nightmares bullying. Another factor is Poverty the more taxes and inflation increases the more poor people there will be in the world. So not just one thing that is wrong in today's education, but many a student should not be denied entering into a private college first, because it cost them so much they cannot afford them, and second because students are chosen by people who do not believe all student should assist to these colleges we can put for example Universities such as Harvard University or Columbia where in order to attend one of these institution you must have a lot of money, or a high socioeconomic status, as well as connections. This is just wrong!

blog #4

In Book 7, Socrates describes education as a 'turning around' of the soul. How do you think education today would look different if this was the guiding idea? Also, what else is wrong with education today? Are there any radical changes you would like to see in education (K-12 or college) today? Explain why.

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meditativeyoga · 4 years

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Top 10 Tips for Increasing Well Being and Happiness: Insights from 2015 Research- Part 2

What did we find out in 2015 concerning ways to boost health, remain delighted, mindful, and also healthy and balanced? Right here are several of the key findings from research studies.

Insight # 6 Older Americans are coming to be much less happy.

American society has undertaken significant upheavals in the past few years, from the innovation of social media to the globalization of the economic situation. We have more loan, larger houses, as well as much more education, however also higher inequality. Have all these modifications made us happier?

Only some of us, suggests a study released this year in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science. Inning accordance with survey feedbacks from 1.3 million people covering 1972 to 2014, today's American teens are better compared to teenagers remained in the past, but adults over age 30 have actually become less happy.

Note that this isn't really a longitudinal research study, when scientists adhere to the same individuals with time, instead, this research study contrasted the subjective well-being of certain age teams at various factors in recent background. Previous studies have located that joy lifts as well as down during specific lives, with the majority of searching for that joy falls dramatically in center age and after that carefully enhances as we go into the elderly years. By comparing age gradually, Jean Twenge as well as her coworkers were able to discover social trends in happiness. Their results are resembled by a report this year from the Centers for Illness Control as well as Prevention, which showed that the suicide price for Americans aged 35 to 64 years has leapt by 28 percent since 1999, while the price for younger people has actually stayed steady.

These searchings for are necessary because they reveal a previously concealed trouble, although the research study hasn't already yet told us exactly why this change is happening. Something regarding American social modifications over the past 40 years seems to be striking adults hard while buoying up teenagers, and also the scientists can just hypothesize. One uncertainty? We're seeing a rise in individualism and also a weakening of social connections that might be mostly unsafe to grownups. Several grownups over 30 have actually removaled with a phase of freedom and expedition as well as currently yearn for connection, yet may have trouble discovering fulfilling connections and also communities.

If this is real, Americans have something to pick up from other societies where social connections continue to be solid also in our contemporary age.

Insight # 7 Excellent peer connections are important to teenage wellness.

Social seclusion harms human beings of any ages, yet a new age of studies published this year reveals just how delicate teenagers are to their social environment.

To start, a brand-new longitudinal research in Psychological Science recommends that teenagers who have close relationships as well as follow their colleagues grow up to be much healthier than the loners, or those who only pursue self-involvement. Also when considering other potential factors to health and wellness outcomes, like grown-up substance abuse, relationship top quality as well as group-focus in one's early teenagers predicted health and wellness in one's mid-20's much better compared to the combined effect of one's body mass index or previous background of significant disease. "We had no suggestion how essential peer connections would certainly be, or that their reach would spread out as for physical wellness," claims Joseph Allen, that is the primary detective at the University of Virginia's Adolescent Research Group.

Two other researches recommend why this may be the case. One paper published in the journal Social Cognitive and also Affective Neuroscience looked specifically at how social context connects to risk-taking in the teen mind. In a two-year research study, scientists at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and UCLA asked 46 teens to maintain daily journals about experiences with peer problem as well as assistance. Scientist then scanned the minds of participants as they inflated an online balloon. Just how close individuals take it to the factor of surge reveals their mindsets toward risk, previous researches have discovered this job associates "with real-life risk actions such as teenage cigarette smoking, sexual indiscrimination, addiction, as well as medicine use, suggesting that this task offers a scanner-compatible proxy for measuring real-world actions."

In examining the journals in regard to the mind checks, scientists located that much less support and also even more dispute with peers was related to better risk-taking habits. Risk-taking teenagers showed better activation in the forward striatum which has a huge quantity of dopamine receptors, as well as the insula, which is associated with picking up other people's feelings as well as your personal. While the effects of the neural searchings for typically aren't yet completely clear, this research study exposes exactly how vital teen friendships are to healthy and balanced choices.

It's a finding resembled in one more paper released in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B. After a research study team from the University of Warwick assessed meeting and set of questions information from the National Longitudinal Research of Adolescent to Grownup Wellness, they concluded that a healthy and balanced state of mind spreads via teen social media networks, however that depression did not-- and also, as a matter of fact, friendship can decrease both the frequency and also deepness of depression.

During teenage years, kids start to transform from their parents to their peers to find authorization, worths, and also business. These researches disclose the situations where that could be good or negative. "That desire to be like various other people as well as look the part, that's an integrated human wish," claims Allen. "We sort of pillory teens a little bit unjustly for being extremely concentrated on peers, not recognizing that as people we need to manage and suit, so as to get by."

Insight # 8 Happiness is infectious-- by means of our feeling of smell.

Wake up as well as scent the happiness! A research study released in Psychological Science recommends that delighted people emit an odor that makes others smile.

Scientists recognize that happiness is contagious: Individuals with delighted friends are a lot more likely to come to be delighted in the future, for instance. Intuitively, this makes sense: Among delighted people, we have a lot more cozy experiences and shared giggles. Yet could something else be taking place? Previous research suggests that concern could be connected through smell, so a group of European scientists made a decision to explore this path.

In an exploratory research study, the researchers collected sweat examples from male participants as they watched video clips created to evoke positive feelings, such as the "Bare Needs" clip from the movie The Jungle Book as well as a comical prank from a TELEVISION show. Sweat examples were likewise accumulated from participants who were made to feel terrified or no psychological action whatsoever. All the sweat samples were after that provided to female participants to scent while their faces were recorded.

When sniffing sweat from a person who felt happy, the ladies were more probable to display a genuine smile. According to the scientists, this indicates that satisfied sweat may have a distinctive chemical makeup that our noses get on.

This study clarifies a subtle yet daily method which joy can be interacted. It suggests that, by surrounding ourselves with better individuals (as well as their aromas), we might bring extra favorable emotion right into our lives. As well as by coming to be happier ourselves, we could be improving the happiness of our family and friends without also realizing it.

Insight # 9 Teaching kids social-emotional skills has profound health and wellness benefits.

Skills like compassion and also empathy are often dismissed as a high-end in education, not nearly as practical or essential as training mathematics and reading.

But a study released in November by the American Journal of Public Health recommends that those social-emotional abilities are a vital to doing well in college as well as avoiding some significant troubles later in life. In reality, the research study even recommends that neglecting these abilities might pose a threat to public wellness as well as safety.

Researchers from Penn State as well as Battle each other College evaluated a wealth of information from a long-term job that tracked 753 low-income pupils in 4 states from the time they were in preschool till they transformed 25. They located that if a student's preschool teacher ranked them as being high in "pro-social" abilities-- such as coordinating with peers or comprehending others' feelings-- that pupil was considerably more probable to complete secondary school and also university, and to hold back a stable work, she or he was likewise dramatically less most likely to get public assistance, have confrontations with the law, abuse alcohol or medications, or take place medication for mental health issue. That held real no matter the pupil's gender, race, socioeconomic status, the high quality of their neighborhood, or several various other factors.

The results echo various other recent searchings for that indicate the profound and differed advantages of nurturing students' social-emotional skills. One research, for example, located that sensation socially attached as a kid is extra highly related to joy in adulthood than academic achievement is, an additional found that youngsters that take part in social-emotional knowing (SEL) programs do better academically.

Indeed, the scientists state their results make a persuading instance for investing more in pupils' social-emotional skills-- which, inning accordance with previous study, are malleable and also could be improved, with long-term as well as purposeful results.

" Enhancing these skills could have an influence in several areas," they create, "and therefore has prospective for favorably impacting people in addition to community public wellness substantially."

Insight # 10 Mindful individuals seem making much healthier choices.

The initial wave of mindfulness research study disclosed its positive effect on psychological wellness. The 2nd wave is beginning to show exactly how mindfulness enhances our physical wellness-- a web link that, if verified, would serve as an effective response to mindfulness movie critics.

To that end, 2 researches released this year in the International Journal of Behavioral Medicine found that individuals that are extra conscious have a lower risk of weight problems as well as cardiovascular disease.

But the missing out on web link in this research study-- and also previous study on mindfulness as treatment for bingeing and fat burning-- is just how exactly mindfulness influences health and wellness and health habits. An additional study, published this year in the Journal of Individuality and Social Psychology, discovered a minimum of one piece of that challenge: Mindfulness can really make junk food seem less attractive.

Across 2 experiments, the scientists found that starving participants were drawn to undesirable foods. However that tourist attraction totally vanished after individuals learned mindful attention, the ability to see our ideas and sensations (consisting of a food craving for M&M s) as short-term-- temporary psychological occasions, nothing more. Most encouragingly, this searching for kept in a real-life cafeteria setup: The conscious individuals chose lower-calorie meals and even more salads than the non-mindful individuals, who liked cheese smoke breads and also donuts.

Mindfulness-- in this case, a simple 12-minute exercise that included no meditation-- seems to permit us to disengage from our problematic yearnings and also therefore make healthier choices. The scientists found a comparable vibrant with the need for one-night stand, and also guess that it can use in numerous various other domains, too-- anywhere a little range from our prompts or anxieties may improve behavior.

" Mindful interest provides a promising and also unique approach for self-control," they conclude.

#meditation #Yoga

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vinayv224 · 5 years

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Where every 2020 candidate stands on guns

Ten of the Democratic presidential candidates during the first 2020 debate. | Drew Angerer/Getty Images

The candidates agree on universal background checks and an assault weapons ban. There’s less agreement on other proposals.

In response to recent mass shootings in El Paso, Texas; Dayton, Ohio; and now Odessa and Midland, Texas, and Mobile, Alabama, supporters of stricter gun laws have voiced a simple mantra: “Do something!”

So, after little federal action on guns for more than two decades, what would the 2020 presidential candidates actually do?

President Donald Trump, for his part, doesn’t seem interested in much. He has supported a federal red flag law, which would allow police to take away someone’s guns if there’s some proof of a risk of violence (a “red flag”). But on other measures, from universal background checks to an assault weapons ban, Trump and Republican lawmakers have resisted, instead talking up questionable connections between violence, mental illness, and violent media.

Democratic candidates, however, have taken more comprehensive stances on guns. For the most part, they’re sticking to common Democratic themes like universal background checks, an assault weapons ban (which is typically paired with a ban on high-capacity magazines), and federally funded research into gun violence. But the campaigns’ plans do include some new ideas here and there — including red flag laws, which campaigns ranging from Cory Booker’s to John Delaney’s back, and requiring a license to buy and own a gun, which Booker in particular brought to the presidential stage but others, like Elizabeth Warren and Pete Buttigieg, also support.

As I’ve argued before, even the most ambitious of the candidates’ gun control proposals don’t go far enough to seriously dent gun violence. America leads the developed world in gun violence, with gun death rates nearly four times that of Switzerland, five times that of Canada, 35 times that of the United Kingdom, and 53 times that of Japan. The core problem is the US simply has way too many guns and too much access to firearms, letting just about anyone obtain a weapon to carry out a mass shooting or more typical types of gun violence, whether suicides or homicides.

But none of the Democratic proposals do anything to swiftly address that core problem and significantly reduce the number of guns in the US.

Still, the research suggests that stricter gun laws, particularly licensing, would reduce gun deaths. So the Democratic proposals would make some progress, even if they wouldn’t be enough to bring down America’s rate of gun deaths to that of its developed peers.

Some proposals show a little movement

Most of the Democratic candidates at least mention gun violence on their campaign websites and other networks (like Medium), though just a few — Booker, Warren, Buttigieg, Andrew Yang, and Kamala Harris in particular stick out — go into a lot of detail.

The Democratic candidates are in general agreement on at least two proposals: universal background checks and an assault weapons ban. When it comes to other issues, there’s a bit less agreement, or at least less attention.

The big common proposal is universal background checks. Under federal law, licensed gun dealers have to run a background check, looking at factors like criminal record and mental health history, to sell someone a firearm. But unlicensed sellers — think a family member, or perhaps someone over the internet or at a gun show — don’t have to run a check. Universal background checks attempt to stamp out the unlicensed sellers by requiring a background check for all or nearly all gun transactions.

An assault weapons ban has also received more attention with the rise of extremely deadly mass shootings, as the shooters have used weapons like AR-15s and WASR-10s (a variant of an AK-47) to carry out the attacks. There are questions about how it would be implemented and enforced, but the idea is to ban military-style semiautomatic rifles. Some Democratic candidates frame this as bringing back a previous federal assault weapons ban, which was enacted in 1994 but expired in 2004, that kept existing weapons in circulation but tried to restrict future sales. Others want to go further, mandating that gun owners actually turn in the banned weapons.

Beyond those two proposals, candidates have also supported red flag laws, which could allow a family member, neighbor, close friend, teacher, or cop to report an “extreme risk” of violence to the courts. The court could then order the seizure of a person’s weapons.

The candidates also favor closing loopholes in existing gun laws. That includes the “boyfriend loophole,” which lets people get a gun even if they have a protective order against them due to a dating relationship, and the “Charleston loophole,” which allows a small number of people to obtain a gun without completing a background check if the check takes too long. (This is how the self-described white supremacist who killed nine people at a predominantly black church in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2015 got his gun.)

There’s also a lot of support for federally funded research into gun violence, as well as the repeal of special legal protections for gun companies.

Some candidates have moved to the left by calling for gun licensing, which would require a license to purchase and own a firearm. Typically, obtaining a license would involve a background check, but also a more extensive vetting process that can require submitting fingerprints and a photo, interviews with law enforcement, and a gun safety training course. Some would pair this proposal — as is done in, for example, Massachusetts — with mandatory registration of firearms. (This, in theory, allows police to pull up a database of weapons to seize if someone loses a license.)

Several candidates, including Booker, Warren, Buttigieg, and Yang, support gun licensing. But others, including Joe Biden and Michael Bennet, have been critical of it.

Otherwise, there’s been little significant movement from the typical Democratic mantras of universal background checks and an assault weapons ban.

Even the boldest proposals don’t go far enough

The Democratic proposals on guns show how stuck the debate over this issue has been for decades. In 1993 and 1994, a Democratic-controlled Congress passed federal background checks and a 10-year assault weapons ban. In the 25 years since, the debate has largely been relegated to … more background checks and an assault weapons ban. As the party has moved left on everything from single-payer health care to the Green New Deal to taxes on the wealthy, it hasn’t really moved on guns.

One reason is that Democrats’ philosophy on gun policy has remained largely the same: to prevent certain kinds of people from getting guns, and at most prohibit only a small fraction of firearms.

But America’s problem is much broader: It simply has too many guns, regardless of whether they’re in a “good” guy’s hands or a “bad” guy’s hands. The US has far more guns than any other country in the world — more guns than people, according to the Small Arms Survey. That makes it easy to get a firearm, legally or not, leading to more gun deaths.

Research compiled by the Harvard School of Public Health’s Injury Control Research Center backs this up: After controlling for variables such as socioeconomic factors and other crime, places with more guns have more gun deaths — not just homicides but also suicides, domestic violence, violence against police, and mass shootings.

Another way to look at this: Everywhere in the world, people get into arguments. Every country has residents who are dangerous to themselves or others because of mental illness. Every country has bigots and extremists. But in America, it’s uniquely easy for a person to obtain a gun, letting otherwise tense but nonlethal conflicts escalate into deadly violence.

Yes, stronger gun laws can help. A 2016 review of 130 studies in 10 countries, published in Epidemiologic Reviews, found that new legal restrictions on owning and purchasing guns tended to be followed by a drop in gun violence — a strong indicator that restricting access to guns can save lives.

But the types of gun control laws matter. Some of the recent research on universal background checks has been mixed, and studies on the last assault weapons ban found it ineffective for reducing overall levels of gun violence, in part because the great majority of gun deaths involves handguns, not assault weapons. But studies on licensing have been very consistent in significantly reducing gun deaths — in urban counties, Connecticut, and Missouri, including for suicides.

One reason licensing might work is that it addresses America’s core gun problem. On its face, licensing might seem like an extension of the background check model, since the idea is still to filter between qualified and unqualified people.

But a licensing process can go way further: While a background check is more often than not quick and hassle-free, gun licensing in, for example, Massachusetts is a weeks- or months-long process that requires submitting a photograph and fingerprints, passing a training course, and going through one or more interviews, all involving law enforcement. That adds significant barriers for even a would-be gun owner who has no ill intent or bad history.

“The end impact is you decrease gun ownership overall,” Cassandra Crifasi, a researcher (and gun owner) at the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research, previously told me, discussing Massachusetts’s laws. “Lots of folks think, ‘Well, it’s probably not worth going through all these hoops to buy firearms, so I’m not going to buy one.’ And then you have fewer firearms around, and less exposure.”

This, however, could only be a start: the kind of thing that ensures fewer people get guns now and in the future. But in a country that already has so many firearms, something also needs to be done to take out a lot of guns more quickly.

That could require rethinking the Second Amendment, possibly by appointing judges who interpret it differently — an inversion of the NRA’s campaign to portray gun ownership as an individual right. It might even mean beginning an effort to repeal the amendment, a project that could admittedly take decades but has gotten less serious consideration and support than packing the Supreme Court or even abolishing the Senate.

Significant change could involve imposing bigger hurdles to owning a gun — requiring that people provide a stronger justification, besides self-defense or recreation, to obtain a license.

It could mean banning more types of guns — perhaps all semiautomatic weapons or all handguns — and coupling that with an Australian-style mandatory buyback program, which the research supports. If the key difference between America and other countries is how many more guns the US has, then something has to be done to quickly reduce the number of firearms here.

Democrats aren’t there yet. Until that changes, there will be little voice in the presidential stage to the kinds of policies that could get American gun violence down to the levels of the US’s developed peers.

Where the Democrats stand

Former Vice President Joe Biden: Biden does not yet have a dedicated gun policy platform on his website, though his campaign said one is coming soon. In other proposals, he’s stated his support for universal background checks and an assault weapons ban. He has also indicated that he’d be for prohibiting firearms that aren’t “smart guns,” which try to ensure the person pulling the trigger is the firearm’s owner by, for example, verifying a fingerprint. But Biden has also spoken unfavorably about licensing plans, saying “gun licensing will not change whether or not people buy what weapons — what kinds of weapons they can buy, where they can use them, how they can store them.”

Sen. Bernie Sanders: Sanders’s campaign website includes a gun safety platform, and he released a separate plan to combat white supremacist extremism. He promises to make background checks universal, ban assault weapons, and crack down on “straw purchases” of firearms. On licensing, his campaign also told the Trace that he “supports the right of states, localities and tribal governments to implement licensing programs.” Sanders has historically taken more moderate stances on gun control, but he’s shifted to the left in recent years; for example, he originally voted for special legal protections for gun companies in 2003 and 2005, but has since come out against them.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren: Warren’s campaign website includes a plan to fight gun violence. The plan aims to reduce gun deaths by 80 percent. Warren calls for executive actions to expand background checks, close loopholes in existing laws, and target gun traffickers and licensed gun dealers who break the law. She also proposes sweeping legislation that includes universal background checks and an assault weapons ban but also gun licensing as well as support for urban gun violence intervention programs. And with federally funded gun violence research, she promises to return to the issue of firearms annually, “adding new ideas and tweaking existing ones based on new data — to continually reduce the number of gun deaths in America.”

Sen. Kamala Harris: Harris’s campaign website promises “action on gun violence.” As president, she plans to give Congress 100 days to pass stronger gun laws, including universal background checks, an assault weapons ban, and the repeal of special legal protections for gun companies. But if Congress doesn’t act, she promises to sign executive orders to expand background checks, crack down on bad gun companies and dealers, make it more difficult for some people with criminal records (including domestic violence) to buy firearms, and ban the importation of some assault weapons into the US. She also said, on gun licensing, “I like the idea.”

South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg: Buttigieg’s campaign website includes a section on gun laws, and he also released a separate plan to “combat the national threat posed by hate and the gun lobby.” In the plans, Buttigieg says he supports universal background checks, an assault weapons ban, gun licensing, closing the “Charleston loophole,” closing loopholes in gun laws related to domestic violence and hate crimes, red flag laws, federally funded research on gun violence, and investing money into urban gun violence intervention programs.

Former Rep. Beto O’Rourke: O’Rourke’s campaign website includes a section on gun safety. He supports universal background checks, an assault weapons ban, red flag laws, closing loopholes in gun laws like the “Charleston loophole” and those linked to domestic violence, and funding for trauma support and community programs related to firearm education and disrupting gun violence. He also told the Trace he supports gun licensing.

Sen. Cory Booker: Booker’s campaign website includes two proposals to combat gun violence and gun suicides. He emphasizes gun licensing and registration as his main proposal, but his plans also include the typical mainstays of Democratic gun policy: universal background checks, an assault weapons ban, closing loopholes in existing laws and regulations, red flag laws, safe storage requirements, and more funding for gun violence research. He also vows to take executive action to tighten gun laws as much as possible if Congress doesn’t act.

Andrew Yang: Yang’s campaign website includes a gun safety plan. He supports universal background checks, an assault weapons ban, gun licensing, closing loopholes in existing laws, repealing special legal protections for gun companies, federally funded research on gun violence, and creating financial incentives for firearm owners to obtain smart guns.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard: Gabbard’s campaign website includes a section on gun safety legislation. She supports universal background checks, closing loopholes in laws regarding domestic violence and suspected terrorism, and an assault weapons ban.

Former HUD Secretary Julián Castro: Castro’s campaign website does not include a gun policy platform, and his campaign did not return requests for comment. He has voiced support for universal background checks, an assault weapons ban, and red flag laws.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar: Klobuchar’s campaign released a plan on gun violence. She backs universal background checks, an assault weapons ban, closing loopholes in existing laws, repealing special legal protections for gun companies, and federally funded research on gun violence.

Tom Steyer: Steyer’s campaign website does not include a gun policy platform, and his campaign did not return requests for comment.

Marianne Williamson: Williamson’s campaign website includes a section on gun policy. She supports universal background checks, an assault weapons ban, gun licensing, mandatory waiting periods, stricter laws regarding children’s use of guns, child safety locks for all guns, red flag laws, and federally funded research into gun violence.

Montana Gov. Steve Bullock: Bullock’s campaign website does not include a gun policy platform, and his campaign did not return requests for comment. He has voiced support for universal background checks, an assault weapons ban, and red flag laws.

Former Rep. John Delaney: Delaney’s campaign website includes a gun safety platform. He supports universal background checks, an assault weapons ban, closing loopholes in existing laws, red flag laws, and federally funded research on gun violence.

Rep. Tim Ryan: Ryan’s campaign website does not include a gun policy platform, and his campaign did not return requests for comment. He has voiced support for universal background checks and an assault weapons ban.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio: De Blasio’s campaign website does not include a gun policy platform, and his campaign did not return requests for comment. He’s voiced support for universal background checks, an assault weapons ban, and urban gun violence intervention programs (some of which he implemented as mayor of New York City).

Former Rep. Joe Sestak: Sestak’s website includes a section on violence prevention. He supports an assault weapons ban, closing loopholes in existing background check laws, and federally funded research on gun violence.

Sen. Michael Bennet: Bennet’s campaign website does not include a gun policy platform, and his campaign did not return requests for comment. He told the Trace he supports universal background checks, an assault weapons ban, red flag laws, repealing special legal protections for gun companies, and federally funded research on gun violence. But he opposes gun licensing.

Miramar, Florida, Mayor Wayne Messam: Messam’s campaign website includes a section on gun reform. He backs expanded background checks.

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#IFTTT #Blogger

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plotleek8-blog · 5 years

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Special Sauce: Nik Sharma on the Stories Told by Seasoning

[Nik Sharma photograph: Courtesy of Nik Sharma. Biscuit photograph: Vicky Wasik]

Cookbook author (Seasons: Big Flavors, Beautiful Food), blogger (A Brown Table), and newspaper columnist (A Brown Kitchen) Nik Sharma made the perfect Special Sauce guest. Why? He has a great, dramatic story, and he isn't afraid to tell it like it is (or was).

Sharma grew up in India, and as a man who recognized that he was gay at a young age, he had a tough childhood. "At least back then, it wasn't talked about. I'm talking about in the late '80s, early '90s, when I kind of realized something was different about me. It was difficult, because I had nothing to compare anything to. The only stuff that I heard about in terms of gay life was about Indians who were either getting arrested, or bodily harm, or even being killed. So for me, that was quite terrifying. As a child, then you start—you think there's something wrong with you."

Sharma resolved to leave India, initially coming to the US to study to become a medical researcher. But his interest in food eventually drove him to the blogosphere. "I'm really passionate about flavor," he told me. "I’m really curious to see how people in different parts of the world approach the same ingredient or the same technique. I find it fascinating, because a lot of it is also a reflection of society, the socioeconomics of a country.... I find that fascinating, and I wanted to reflect that in my work. I started reading a lot, and also cooking and experimenting with flavor. That's what I started to do with the blog and bring that in."

Though Sharma's blog brought him enormous pleasure and a devoted following, it also brought him lots of uninvited blowback about his sexuality and the color of his skin. He found himself at a crossroads. "I think one of the things people forget [is] that when you write or you do something and you put it out there, you're making yourself vulnerable.... Fortunately, I took a step back, just to reevaluate my decisions in life at that point, whether I really wanted to do a blog. I said, ‘Well, you know, this is something that I'm actually enjoying more than I was before. I would be a fool to give it away just because of the opinions of a few. Let me stick to it, do it in my best way that I possibly could.’ So if they had to critique me, they could critique me on the quality of my work, but not on anything else."

When reading Sharma's book, I came across a passage that I found particularly beautiful, one that summed up both his relationship with food and what he's learned from his chosen career thus far. I loved it so much that I asked him to read it on the air, and he graciously obliged:

"Mine is the story of a gay immigrant told through food. It has been a journey of self-discovery I embarked on more than a decade ago. One that taught me to recognize the inherent tension between originality and tradition, and to opt for the former without rejecting the latter. It's been a journey of acclimatization, adaptation, and acceptance. During times of discomfort, food became my friend and teacher. It taught me to reinterpret conventional techniques and flavors, and apply these reinterpretations to my food that would become a part of my new life in America. Seasoning is more than just a way to achieve flavor in the food we eat. It represents our desire to connect with our past, present, and future. It tells our story."

To hear more from this eloquent writer, you're just going to have to listen to the whole episode.

Special Sauce is available on iTunes, Google Play Music, Soundcloud, Player FM, and Stitcher. You can also find the archive of all our episodes here on Serious Eats and on this RSS feed.

Want to chat with me and our unbelievably talented recipe developers? We're accepting questions for Special Sauce call-in episodes now. Do you have a recurring argument with your spouse over the best way to maintain a cast iron skillet? Have you been working on your mac and cheese recipe for the past five years, but can't quite get it right? Does your brother-in-law make the worst lasagna, and you want to figure out how to give him tips? We want to get to know you and solve all your food-related problems. Send us the whole story at [email protected].

Ed Levine: Welcome to Special Sauce, Serious Eats' podcast about food and life. Every week on Special Sauce, we talk to some of the leading lights of American culture, food folks and nonfood folks alike.

Nik Sharma: I was unhappy because I was photographing everyone else's food.

EL: You wanted to photograph your own food, dammit.

NS: Right, right? I was critiqued a lot on my work, which is fine, you should be critiqued, but it wasn't constructive.

EL: Sure.

NS: I felt demeaned every day. I would go in and they would tell me to make my photos look less attractive, so customers would not be disappointed.

EL: What a concept.

NS: Right?

EL: This week Nik Sharma's going to hang out with me. Nik is the author of Season: Big Flavors, Beautiful Food. He has a terrific blog, A Brown Table, and in his non-existent spare time, he also writes a column for The San Francisco Chronicle called A Brown Kitchen. Welcome to Special Sauce, Nik.

NS: Hi, Ed.

EL: It's so good that you're here. I have to tell you up front that I hope having you come on Special Sauce will be further enticement to your contributing to the birth mother of Special Sauce, Serious Eats. Maybe not, but we're going to try. I'm just going to tell you that. This is really just an hour and a half sales call.

NS: Okay. Okay. I'm all for it.

EL: All right. First of all, the book is beautifully written.

NS: Thank you.

EL: It's quite a compelling story. It was an absolute pleasure to actually read it from cover to cover.

NS: Oh, thank you.

EL: I can't say I cooked from it cover to cover, but that would take a long time. Tell us about life at the Sharma family table growing up.

NS: Well, disorganized is probably the best way to describe it.

EL: That's everybody's family table.

NS: It just seemed much more, a little more intense at mine. I guess, again, that might be everyone's experience. Yeah, I mean it was fun growing up. I came from a family where my two parents, my dad was from the north of India and he's Hindu, and my mom's from the west coast. Her family's from a former Portuguese called Goa, and she's Catholic.

EL: So that was a mixed marriage.

NS: Yeah, they had a love marriage, and the influences as you can expect then were quite different.

EL: Who did the cooking?

NS: Initially, my mom did most of the cooking. Then it was I think four years after she had my sister, she felt comfortable to... I think she was also fed up with just staying at home and she wanted to go back to work, and that's what she did. I was off to school, and my sister spent most of her days during the week with my grandmother who lived close by.

EL: You have publicly said that your mom was not a good cook, which is like my mom. My mom was a terrible cook. I mean, she was proud of it. I don't know how proud your mom was. Where did you get your love of cooking? If she didn't love to cook, somebody must've loved to cook.

NS: Well, I think that's the deciding factor, right? If you have someone, and I feel it's really funny because my mom cooks a couple of things and she cooks them really well. Beyond that, she's just really not interested, and doesn't get it why. I think I over-compensate for the lack of that, which is why I went into food.

EL: Your grandmother was a serious cook.

NS: Oh yeah. My grandmother taught my mom to cook. She taught my aunts how to cook. My grandmother was an excellent cook. I think a lot of the stuff that I know now, a lot of the techniques and a lot of the basis for a lot of things are through her.

EL: You talk about cooking and experimenting in the kitchen when you were 12 in the summertime.

NS: Yeah, that probably wasn't my best moment.

EL: What's interesting, yes, I'm sure there were lots of disastrous dishes as a result, but the fact that you just dug right in, like you just dove in hands first.

NS: I think that's the exciting thing though about food or anything that requires you to be creative, is that you have to get in there. It's not something that you... You can read about cooking, but it's much more exciting when you actually delve into it and get dirty. I think that's what I find fascinating about food.

EL: You write in a very poignant part of the book, "I had a fairly normal childhood, but I knew I was different from a very young age. I knew I was gay." Talk a little bit about what being young and gay in India was like.

NS: It was difficult, to be honest. It was really difficult, because it's not talked about. At least back then, it wasn't talked about. I'm talking about in the late '80s early '90s, when I kind of realized something was different about me. It was difficult, because I had nothing to compare anything to. The only stuff that I heard about in terms of gay life was about Indians who were either getting arrested, or bodily harm, or even being killed. So for me, that was quite terrifying. As a child then you start, you think there's something wrong with you.

NS: There's no role models that have had a positive experience to compare yourself to in your own country. You start to feel out of place. Then the same situation happened in school, where I think a lot of the kids kind of guessed. I went to an all boys school. I was bullied a lot because I was also smaller in physical size. Also because I probably displayed a lot of behaviorisms that people thought I was gay. So I would get teased, bullied a lot. I hated it, and I just wanted to get away from all of that.

EL: School and home are supposed to be places of comfort, and it doesn't sound like there was a safe space for you growing up.

NS: Right. The other problem was I couldn't talk to anybody about it, which made it even more compounding, because you're holding it all in. You don't know if you could talk to anyone at home. That made it quite difficult.

EL: You must've endeavored, how can I get out of here as soon as I can?

NS: I did, yeah. I had a game plan.

EL: You did have a game plan. Tell us about the game plan.

NS: The game plan. Well, besides being gay, I kind of knew when I put two and two together what it was and what my potential outcomes were if I lived in India. Through media, one of the things I think that was good about watching movies and TV shows, it kind of exposed me to the idea that there were people outside India in the west who were living openly as being gay, and they were in a much better situation than I would have been if I stayed on.

EL: You thought that sounded like heaven.

NS: Right, because there were men and women who were living openly at that time in certain parts of the country. It felt freeing. You didn't have to think twice about it.

EL: You ended up applying to college in the States?

NS: I did. I was studying biochemistry and microbiology in India. I decided I would go into genetics, so I had applied to a bunch of schools in the US for graduate school.

EL: You ended up at the University of Cincinnati?

NS: I did, yeah. I ended up in the PhD program at the College of Medicine over there.

EL: You stayed for four years, you say, studying, cooking and eating a lot of pizza.

NS: Yeah.

EL: I could tell you, as someone who's written a whole book on pizza, I did not go to Cincinnati for my book.

NS: You didn't? Oh, no. I think Cincinnati was the only place in the country that I've eaten a potato, what is it called, a potato pizza.

EL: Oh, with the thinly sliced potatoes and rosemary or?

NS: No, no, no, it's mashed potatoes put inside I think it's a deep crust pizza. Mashed potatoes, and then it's scallions and sour cream on top.

EL: That must be a Cincinnati specialty.

NS: I feel like you missed out.

EL: The real question is, if you're eating a lot of pizza, did you have time for your studies? I know when I get into pizza I'm just like in the zone.

NS: I did. It was an interesting experience, because I had now moved into a different form of academia, where research was pretty much you end up being in a closed room. So going out to eat with your friends is kind of a nice way to socialize and get away from just being stuck in the lab. When you're in the lab, you're waiting for experiments to run for hours sometimes.

EL: Yeah. You say in the book that, "School and lab potlucks became a new source for my cultural initiation and culinary education."

NS: What happened was, in the first few months when I was getting ready to come out to my family, I started to... I knew my immunology professor at school was openly gay. So I reached out to him and I said, "Hey, I'm going through something personal, can I talk to you?" He was really supportive. He then introduced me to this medical school potluck that would happen where the MD students, the MD PhD students, and the PhD students at the College of Medicine would get together every month at a professor's house or someone else's house and people could kind of connect and talk. That became a sudden initiation in to what American food was, because here were people who had come from all over the country to school, and I was getting to learn in a much more intimate way.

EL: It was at that point, you're in Cincinnati, and you come out to your friends and family. In your family's case, that's long distance, right?

NS: Right.

EL: How was that?

NS: It was difficult at first, because on one hand I set the stage up because I'm analytical and I always plan things out. I set the stage up so I would be independent from my parents, where I wouldn't be financially dependent on them just in case things didn't work out. At the same time, you still want everyone's approval. Even though you're not looking for approval, I think it's in basic human nature to still seek it.

EL: Sure, and it's a very freighted moment in your life.

NS: Right. I had come out to a couple of friends. My sister, I had told her and she was fine. She said she kind of guessed, and a couple of my other cousins also said they kind of always knew, which was great. Then when I had to tell my parents, I couldn't do it, it was so hard. I sent them an email, and the good thing was I had the excuse of being on a different continent in a different country. I sent them the email, and then they got back to me. My dad was cool with it. My mom struggled a little bit because of her Catholic upbringing. But it worked out.

EL: It took her a little while to come around?

NS: It did, yeah. They didn't cut me off or anything. She just struggled, and she blamed herself for a lot of it, but we worked through it and we're fine. I think the cool thing about that was my aunts and uncles were very supportive on her side of the family.

EL: That must have helped.

NS: Yeah. They talked to her and said, "It's not about you, it's about him. So we need to work on this." It really helped that I had everybody's support.

EL: You end up moving to D.C. to take what sounds like what was a very satisfying job to you as a researcher.

NS: Right.

EL: Getting another degree, a Master's in Public Policy. Man, you've got a lot of degrees for a cook. That's all I have to say about that.

NS: Yeah.

EL: You wrote, "Still something was missing." You'd come home exhausted, but then you would miraculously get energized in the kitchen. That must've been a sort of seminal moment in your life. My friend Brian Koppelman has a great podcast called The Moment. It's all about the moment when somebody realizes what they were put on this earth to do.

NS: You know, I've talked about this in the book too, where initially as a child I wanted to go and work in culinary school. My mom still works for hotels, and she said, "I don't think you're cut out to sit in a cold room peeling onions, because all they do is bleed. You just don't seem to have that kind of a stamina for it." Plus, coming from an Indian family, your parents always want you to be in something that's much more stable financially, and a lot of the classic careers like engineering, medicine, et cetera, fall into that. There was definitely that push. Neither of my parents belonged to those fields, which is also kind of fascinating that they want that for me.

NS: It was when I came to D.C. that I realized that I was so entrenched in academia morning to night. I was having fun, but there was still something that wasn't making me happy. I think one of the things about that was, A, I was watching the government push a lot of the research funding from the NIH, they were moving that money out into defense. A lot of my professors were losing their labs. It was really disheartening to see people who had really studied so hard, worked so hard, published a lot of papers. Even I had published papers at that point in my career in research. But labs was shutting down, and I couldn't understand for the life of me why this was a situation.

NS: Highly qualified individuals, it just wasn't working out. It made me really scared that even after putting so much effort into something, I would not have control over my own life. The second thing that happened was, because in academia and the kind of work that I did was research, I liked the experimentative attitude towards things. You try something, it doesn't work. If you're looking for an answer, then you try and attack it a different or multiple ways to come close to the truth. I found cooking to be like that.

EL: You have the Kenji López-Alt gene.

NS: Yeah. I just tested his egg thing, and it worked great. It was the only recipe that worked for me. I tried a bunch of different hard boiled egg peeling recipes. Kenji's was solid.

EL: That's awesome. You started A Brown Table, which in the book you call an online photo journal, but I assume it was really a blog.

NS: Yeah. I didn't know what I was getting into, and I had no idea what blogs were. Based on a couple of what my friends had told me, "You should start a food blog. This is what people are doing." Then I looked at food blogs, and I said, "Wow, this is actually something fun." I started spending a lot of time during my incubation periods at work during running experiments, I would just scroll through blogs and say, "Wow, these are beautiful. I'm getting to see parts of the world I wouldn't, learning about new things and this is fun. Maybe I could do something." I didn't know what I was getting into, or what I had to tell people.

EL: Welcome to my world there, Nik.

NS: Right?

EL: What do you think was going on with Serious Eats?

NS: I love Serious Eats.

EL: You start it not to make a living, but just as an outlet for creative expression.

NS: Right. I mean, to be honest, I didn't know anything about blogging. Like I said, I didn't know what I had to tell people, and I also didn't have anything really to say about cooking. I just wanted to have some fun.

EL: Yeah, and then it took over your life in a wonderful way.

NS: Yes. It's the beast that keeps needing to be fed.

EL: Yes, we know that for sure. You met your husband, Michael, in D.C., who was from the south and that opened up a whole new set of cooking vistas for you. You say in the book, you started making biscuits with ghee instead of lard. I love that. How are those?

NS: You can actually get a really good texture, and I find it better than the texture I get with pure butter.

EL: You say that Michael's parents, who had a farm, were extremely supportive of both your cooking and you cook with your mother-in-law. And that it was really one of the seminal moments in your cooking life.

NS: Yeah. What had happened until then, I had experiences with American families before from my friends. This was a little more intimate, because I was also trying to fit into with his family and making a much more conscious effort.

EL: Right. It's the old in-law thing, man, it's rough. It's rough. It's rough.

NS: Yeah. One of the things before I met his family, Michael told me that both his mom and I have a lot... I guess you always marry someone like your parents. He told me that his mom and I had a lot of interesting similar features. We both like to garden, we both like to cook a lot. We both like to read. Oh, and we have a thing for old objects, according to him, which what he meant by was old vintage books or antiques. He had decided the best way to introduce us would be via email to our love for food.

NS: We started talking over email, and they invited me down to the farm. I went to the farm, and she definitely wanted me to cook for her. The thing that I said, knowing Michael, he likes meat and potatoes. He's from the south. I'm guessing everyone else in the family, it will be safe to kind of play with that a little bit. I picked every meat and potato dish I knew of and I could cook well, and made that for them and it was fantastic.

EL: That's great. You guys got hitched, you moved to San Francisco. Then like a fool like me, you quit your job to pursue your dream of working in food. How the hell did you think you would support yourself?

NS: It's a good thing I was married by then.

EL: Your husband had a gig.

NS: Right. I'm very honest about that. I don't think it would have been possible. I did toy with the idea before I married him. The problem was, first I was on a student visa and then I was on a work visa. You can't change your type of employment. If you're in science, you have to stay in science. Of course when I got married, things changed. I got a green card, became a citizen. I had now the freedom of not being in that job lock situation. So I said, "Well, my time has come."

EL: Free at last.

NS: I spoke to him about it, and he had... Michael was in defense. He had done his time his in the Air Force, done his service, and then became a defense consultant, and was sick of it, needed a break. He said, "I want to change. I want to leave D.C. and get away from all of that. Let's consider moving to California." He wanted a job change, which he did. I said, "Well, we moved here now for you." I had taken a part-time job as a researcher for a small pharmaceutical company. I said, "I kind of want to have a change too. I can do it. Let me see what the possibilities are." I wanted to be a pastry cook, because that felt very analytical.

EL: And you have a sweet tooth.

NS: I do, I have a terrible sweet tooth. I reached out to, I think it was 15 or 21 bakeries and patisseries in the neighborhood, looked into going to culinary school at the ICC.

EL: ICC is the International Culinary Center. It used to be the FCI, right?

NS: Yeah. They had this program that I could have attended, but I was going to use Michael's, his leftover money from his school loans. The problem was he didn't leave, but what is the right it, he's a vet. He did his time, but he left before that rule came in that the money could be transferred to your spouse, so we wouldn't qualify then. I remember reading a post David Lebovitz's blog about should you go to culinary school or should you work in a restaurant, like what are the pros and cons? I said, "David's kind of right. I don't know what I'm getting into. Then investing all this money into something which is a high risk career might not pay off, right? So what do I do?"

NS: I took his advice, called up a bunch of bakeries and patisseries. One lady called me back and said, "Are you really sure you want to do this? Come in and stage." I staged for two weeks, and then she made me an offer. She said, "Are you sure you want to do this, because I will not be able to pay you the money you're getting at your pharmaceutical place." I said, "You know, I think we can do this. I spoke to my husband at home. He said, 'Fine, I'm going to support you on this. Go do it because you're really enthusiastic, and you're going to chew my head off.'" So I did it, with his support.

EL: That's so great.

NS: Yeah.

EL: That's the same thing what happened with my wife with Serious Eats, so I know exactly what you're talking about. You start blogging. I mean you're still blogging, you're working at the bakery, and then you begin taking the photography on your blog more seriously. Which is weird because your dad was a commercial photographer.

NS: Yeah, yeah.

EL: We haven't really gotten into the nuts and bolts of what people found and still find on A Brown Table.

NS: I didn't grow up in a family that was very traditional. We ate a lot of different things at the table, and that was kind of the way I started to eat even when I moved to America. I started to experience new things, and I started to bring that into the kitchen in terms of flavors, techniques, and of course the actual dishes. I wanted to reflect that in my blog, because it made no sense to me to write about classic Indian cooking, which is often what is expected of me, because it's already been done. Unless I'm contributing something new to that equation, it doesn't make sense for me to just harp on the same topic again and again. If I can make like a naan better, and I think it's better and I think it's going to make it easy for you, then yes, I'll work on it. I'll want to tell the story about that. Otherwise, there's no point in me just saying the same old thing. That's what I wanted to do with the blog.

EL: It was really a matter of combining your love and understanding of Indian food with an exploration into the food that you found in America, and then using your geeky scientific self to explore that stuff.

NS: That's the way I approach it. I thought that was the best thing for me to do, because that's what I'm familiar with and I'm really passionate about flavor. I'm really curious to see how people in different parts of the world approach the same ingredient or the same technique. I find it fascinating, because a lot of it is also a reflection of society, the socioeconomics of a country or at the time point in life. I find that fascinating, and I wanted to reflect that in my work. I started reading a lot, and also cooking and experimenting with flavor. That's what I started to do with the blog and bring that in.

EL: Got it. In the beginning, it seems like the photography, which must have been its own interesting part of the process because your dad was a commercial photographer, you were doing a lot of process shots, right? There weren't many pictures of you.

NS: Right.

EL: The moment you began photographing yourself, you started to get some blow-back about the color of your skin, your sexuality.

NS: Right.

EL: You wrote something very, very beautiful in the book, which is that "Sometimes during moments of vulnerability you can find your strength and voice." What did you mean by that?

NS: One of the things with getting into the blog world, I didn't realize how many opinions come out.

EL: There's nothing but opinions.

NS: Right? The simplest thing can be misconstrued in many different ways, intentionally or unintentionally. That was the thing with, I had come from a world where the only thing you were critiqued on was the quality of your work. I'm used to that. Being critiqued on something that I had no control over was very confusing at first. I started getting a lot of pushback against the color of my skin being burned or dark or whatever. Also on my sexuality, because I didn't think that was also something I had to hide. I kind of assumed that it was obvious in many ways, but it's part and parcel of the nature of the game as I've learned now.

EL: Oh, yes.

NS: You've got to take it with a bit of salt. Initially, obviously because I was uninitiated into the online digital space, I was a little uncomfortable and obviously a little even frightened. You get that sinking feeling in your gut every time you read a negative comment.

EL: Oh, yes. I've had my life threatened online many times.

NS: Oh, god. It also was something that's not that important to me. I mean what I do I feel is important to me, but people getting even more emotional about it is bizarre.

EL: Yeah. I don't mean to equate what happened to me. Although, the Asian people who worked at Serious Eats were subject to, and also there's a lot of antisemitic stuff. Again, I don't want to equate it with what you went through, but this shit is hard out there, man.

NS: It is. It is. Yeah. I think one of the things people forget that when you write or you do something and you put it out there, you're making yourself vulnerable. I think people who read that forget that. I think there needs to be some level of compassion. Fortunately, I took a step back just to reevaluate my decisions in life at that point, whether I really wanted to do a blog. I said, "Well, you know, this is something that I'm actually enjoying more than I was before. I would be a fool to give it away just because of the opinions of a few. Let me stick to it, do it in my best way that I possibly could. So if they had to critique me, they could critique me on the quality of my work, but not on anything else."

EL: Yes. You say, "At that moment there's two options. You either stop blogging or continue to do what I loved." You obviously chose the latter, which is really awesome. The blog leads to the Brown Kitchen column in the San Francisco Chronicle. How did that come about, and how does that differ from your blog?

NS: Yeah, so that was actually a very fortunate thing that happened. We had decided to move from... We were living in South Bay in Sunnyvale, and we decided to move from Sunnyvale to Oakland. What happened at the time was actually... Sorry, Santa Clara, I was working in Sunnyvale, but we decided to move from Santa Clara to Oakland. When I came to Oakland, I needed to look for jobs. I had to quit the pastry shop. Started looking for jobs, I applied at a digital company that was looking to enter the food space, and disrupt it like they all do. They hired me to be their food photographer where I would take photographs, style the food, take photographs for the food that would then be sold on the app. During that period, I was unhappy because I was photographing everyone else's food.

EL: You wanted to photograph your own food, dammit.

NS: Right, right. I was also doing a lot of stuff that I didn't expect to do, like data analysis on photographs. Which is great, it's a good skill to have, but I really didn't need to know about the engineering aspects of it. I should just come in photograph, style and leave. I was unhappy because I had no creative control over anything. I was also told that, I was critiqued a lot on my work, which is fine, you should be critiqued. But it wasn't constructive. I felt demeaned every day. I would go in, and they would tell me to make my photos look less attractive so customers would not be disappointed with what they read.

EL: What a concept.

NS: They also had this thing where they wanted to win a James Beard award for an app. It was just very bizarre. I was constantly being told to perform less than what I could. As a creative person, that sucks. I started looking for freelance options, and I reached out to a friend of mine, a writer named John Birdsall, who also wrote the forward to my book.

EL: Terrific writer.

NS: Yes. John's been a really supportive mentor and friend in my life. He lives in Oakland. I reached out to John, and I said, "Hey John, I'm really stressed out. I need to get out of the situation I'm in. Do you know anyone who would be looking for a photographer?" I thought that was my skill. So I reached out via John to my editor, Paolo Lucchesi at the Chronicle who was not my editor back then. I met up with Paolo, and I sent him my work. I said, "This is what I've done." He said, "Okay, let me talk to my team."

NS: Then he came back I think after two weeks and said, "Hey, so we're thinking you shouldn't be a freelance photographer with us." I said, "Oh shit." He goes, "Would you be interested in writing a food column for us, a recipe based column, because we think that's your strength." I said, "Oh, really? Okay, I don't know what this is about, but it sounds fun. I'll do it." It turned out to be one of the most important defining moments in my life. When you're on a major platform, like a newspaper, people start to take you much more seriously.

EL: Yes. You must have been like, can I really do this? Then you're like, wait a minute, I can do this. I write my blog, I take the photographs.

NS: Right. It taught me a lot, because not only was I able to talk about food, I've also been given the opportunity to write about food culture.

EL: Yeah, which is great.

NS: Yeah. It's also a different audience, and so it helps me kind of expand the horizon on what Indian food is known as in America, but also what people can appreciate it for.

EL: You wrote this amazing paragraph on page 20 in the book. Rather than have me butcher it, I would like you to read it. It's the one that starts with, "Mine is the story."

NS: Yeah, of course. "Mine is the story of a gay immigrant told through food. It has been a journey of self-discovery I embarked on more than a decade ago. One that taught me to recognize the inherent tension between originality and tradition, and to opt for the former without rejecting the latter. It's been a journey of acclimatization, adaptation, and acceptance. During times of discomfort, food became my friend and teacher. It taught me to reinterpret conventional techniques and flavors, and apply these reinterpretations to my food that would become a part of my new life in America. Seasoning is more than just a way to achieve flavor in the food we eat. It represents our desire to connect with our past, present, and future. It tells our story."

EL: That's an awesome paragraph. I wish I had written it. In fact, I may take credit for it and plagiarize, and please don't sue me.

NS: I won't sue you.

EL: Nik, we're out of time for this episode of Special Sauce. What you just read is a perfect segue to talk about Season: Big Flavors, Beautiful Food. We will get to that topic during your next episode of Special Sauce. Thanks, Nik Sharma, for starting us off right.

NS: Thanks for having me, Ed.

EL: We'll see you next time, Serious Eaters.

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