Counterintuitive Spring 2024

1) There’s More to Life Than Being Happy 

Many American today claim that they are the happiest they’ve ever been. Some studies claim that levels of happiness in America are at a fourth time high. The question is, is their a difference between leading a meaningful life and leading a happy life. Living a happy life and living a meaningful life are classified quiet differently when it comes down to it. Most people that live a happy life are classified as “takers”. Those who live a meaningful life are classified as “givers”.The pursuit of happiness is not enough nowadays.This post basically describes how happiness without meaning is a shallow use of ones times and energy. Americans do not even have a sense of what makes their lives meaningful. 

2) The Cruelest Show on Earth 

Elephants are classified as highly intelligent creatures that develop at a close rate to humans. Without proper care show elephants can be hurt in serious ways. Under federal regulations these elephants need veterinarian attention and an okay before preforming. Elephants should not be abused in harsh ways, they are creatures that we can learn from, intelligent forms of life that need to be cherished. In the article being summarized a young show elephant, one that would still be in the care of its mother in the wild, well being was being compromised in order for it to perform. The young elephant was restricted from performing only for the fact that viewers might have seen some of his blood during the performance. The life of a show elephant is rough and unwanted, that young elephant died later on and it was not displayed public until almost weeks later. Feld Entertainment is no place for a young elephant to grow up.

3) Men Defining Rape 

Men have been in a position where they believe that raping women whenever they want wherever they want is okay for many years. They try to define the difference between actual rape doing tests to see if the hymen was actually broken or if semen was present. Some men even went to the extremes to say the rape did not count if an orgasm did not occur. The demeaning act of rape should not be compromised just because the man does not believe that it counted. The fact that a women could be forcibly taken and a man not even own up to his fault is a disgusting thought. Rape under any terms is never acceptable.

How to Armor Planes

It is counterintuitive that the spots on World War II planes that made it back that do not have bullet holes, is the place where you would want to put the armor.

Planes that made it back with bullet holes show that wherever the plane was hit does not need armor because it was still able to fly back. The spots that weren’t hit on planes that made it back were the ones that needed armor. These spots would need armor because on the other planes that were hit in those spots did not make it back successfully.

Paper or Plastic?

Trees take carbon dioxide out of the environment, and the paper made from trees also stores the carbon from the tree. This would make it seem that creating paper would be good for the environment, yet it is not.

Carbon is stored in the trees and in turn, stored in the paper that is produced.  When paper is burned or decomposes carbon dioxide is released into the environment, hurting it. Paper is not a good way to store the carbon because paper has a small decomposing rate.  What does help is recycling our paper.  China is a great help to our need in recycling paper.  We ship large amounts of our paper to china to be reused mostly for cardboard for shipping things to the United States. In the production of paper it is definitely helpful to recycle.

How The Mind Really Works: 10 Counterintuitive Psychology Studies

As a future clinical psychologist, I found the article How The Mind Really Works: 10 Counterintuitive Psychology Studies, to be very interesting. A common misconception about psychology is that it’s “common sense” and “not important compared to other career fields.” However, this believe isn’t accurate because psychology surrounds us, and gives important insight on ways that humans behave. These next 10 studies prove that psychology isn’t common sense, and our brains can often trick us, even if we do not acknowledge it.

The article begins with 1. “Cognitive dissonance is the idea that we (as humans) find it hard to hold two contradictory beliefs, so we unconsciously adjust one to make it fit with the other.” In a classic experiment, students were separated into two groups to complete a boring task. The one group of students completed the task for money and the other group completed for less money. The group that was paid less actually enjoyed the task more because their unconscious thoughts convinced them of it. The students unconsciously rationalized their actions by thinking, “If I didn’t complete the task for the money, I did it because I enjoyed it.” This unconscious belief is counterintuitive because people tend to immediately assume the task which paid more was more exciting.

2. Humans tend to associate hallucinations and paranoid thoughts with serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia. Conversely, statistics now show that hallucinations and paranoid patterns of thinking aren’t uncommon with “normal” people. These new statics are counterintuitive because people who classify themselves as “normal”, people without mental illness, share many of the same symptoms as the people they’re judging.

3. The placebo effect is when people think they’re experiencing symptom relief from a pill/medicine, but the pill they’re given has nothing beneficial in it. An example includes people who claim their headaches are immediately gone after swallowing Advil. However, Advil takes at least 15 minutes to start working. The placebo effect is counterintuitive because people tend to forget how our mental perceptions shape how humans physically feel.

4. One of the most famous psychology experiments in history was conducted by Stanley Milgram. In the experiment, there were three people, two of them being actors. One actor acted as an authority figure in a white coat and the other actor sat in an electric chair. A non-actor participant was given orders from the perceived authority figure to shock the man in the electric chair. Even though the participant felt guilty, he continued to allow the man in the chair to receive deadly shocks. The shocks weren’t actually hurting the actor, but the participant didn’t know that. Over 63% continued to give electrical shocks because they felt like they couldn’t say no to an authority figure. This experiment is counterintuitive because people think they know how they’ll react in situations, when it may actually be the farthest concept from the truth.

5. On many occasions, humans exhibit choice blindness. Choice blindness is counterintuitive because people believe that they’re in control of their actions, but many times, humans are uncertain why they did something. People then try to cover up their actions with rationalistic lies that they convince themselves are true.

6. and 7. There are many beliefs that are commonly told but aren’t necessarily true, due to recent psychology research. The belief that fantasizing about the future helps achieve success and brainstorming helps create better ideas, are commonly seen as good ideas. However it’s a counterintuitive concept, because new finding prove that fantasizing about the future creates laziness. It lowers a person’s drive to achieve greatness if they already can envision it in the future, it produces less ambition. Brainstorming often creates an awkward environment when people think as a group because of the fear of judgment.

8. and 9. It’s counterintuitive that many times humans believe “bad thoughts” can be suppressed by simply not thinking about what’s making them upset. However, the opposite result occurs when people try to not think about something, the bad thoughts come back stronger. People are often told that multitasking damages their ability to focus on something. On the other hand, new research suggests that with practice, people are able to multitask better.

10. It is counterintuitive that people tend to believe that it’s the big events in our lives that produce the most happiness (weddings, deaths, births, etc.), when it’s the small things. Some small things include chronic stresses at work or every day traffic on the way home from work. The small happier moments like good nights of sleep and healthy relationship activities, help create more positivity in peoples’ attitudes and lives.

Men Defining Rape: A History

It’s counterintuitive to belief that our generation has abolished ridiculous laws just because our society has highly developed since the past. I was traumatized to read in the article, Men Defining Rape: A History that many men, including men in powerful political positions, blame women for getting raped. I thought to myself, “How could a woman who was raped, a victim, be blamed for a violent act against her?” The article explains how women had to suffer the harsh consequences for a crime they were a victim of. It’s sickening to know the actual criminals, the rapists themselves, pleaded crime-free after their assaults. The article goes through time periods starting from 1780 BC to now, describing how “laws” were made through the years to permit rape. Although, the laws consistently had loop-holes that still allowed rape to continue.  “As recent as last year, a House Republican pushed to limit taxpayer funding of abortions by excluding non-“forcible” rapes from federal abortion funding.” Although their plan failed, it leaves many people wondering is there a difference between forcible and non-forcible rape cases? Rape is sexual intercourse without consent. So whether it’s forced or not, it’s wrong if there’s no consent and unwanted. Although there’s been small victories over the years with adjusting the law regarding rape, there’s a lot more justice that needs to be served.

Vancouver combats heroin by giving its addicts the best snack in the world

It’s counterintuitive for the government to allow the drug Heroin to be used for “medical” purposes in Vancouver, when the drug is also banned by the same government almost everywhere else. Doctors and clinical workers who participate with helping drug abusers get their daily fix, claim it’s keeping the rest of the community safe. The logic behind allowing heroin addicts to receive their drugs in a safe environment, is so the drug users don’t use violence to find the drugs/money for the drugs. The employees located in “Downtown Eastside” of Vancouver, help administer the drug, supply clean needles and supplies. However, there has been an overwhelming amount of criticism for allowing drug dealers to use deadly drugs without consequences. Is the government sending mixed messages and advocating drug abuse? Many people feel negatively about the government’s decision to provide heroin, and the people want their questions answered. I found this article and news report to be a fascinating topic that I’m able to formulate many opinions on.

My essay

White Folks Get Prozac

It seems counterintuitive that 1 out of 10  Americans use antidepressants, but our health insurance status determines whether we are eligible to get them. Scientists of the University of Michigan found doctors who are more likely to give better antidepressants, like Prozac, to white patients and those who have private insurance than to minorities and patients with Medicare or Medicaid. Hispanics and blacks, according to a study from Washington State University, with the same conditions as white patients, get less than half as many prescriptions as white patients.

The Marshmallow Test

It seems counterintuitive that Walter Michel, a professor at Stanford, made a study in the 1960’s called the Walter Michel’s Marshmallow Test, where a treat was given to kids from a nursery-school. The study consisted in giving the kids the choice of eating the treat right away or waiting]15 minutes and then getting another treat; according to Michel, students who waited were later shown to have more successful lives as adults.

The Marshmallow Test changed the concept of success for educators and psychologists. Now with the test, intelligence was not the only factor of success, but also self control and patience. Nevertheless, in a new study, Celeste Kidd said that “those kids would delay eating the marshmallow” because they trusted the adults. Therefore, Kidd ran the Marshmallow study again, but at the end of the fifteen minutes the kids did not get any prize. As a result, for the Kidd study, kids were less likely to wait because they did not trust the adults. Consequently, Kidd came to the conclusion that getting the kids better at waiting was a matter of giving them something worth waiting for.

Polio Vaccinators Assassinated 

It seems counterintuitive that five females from a polio vaccination team have been killed in the city of Pakistan, Karachi. As a result, the eradicate polio program has been suspended in the city.

Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf called in the regional authorities to protect the polio vaccination teams. The anti-polio drive has assisted more than 5.2 million kids. Nevertheless, because the largest city, Karachi, is no longer in the drive, approximately 18 million other kids are not getting vaccinated in Pakistan. Part of the opposition to the drive has to do with the fake CIA hepatitis vaccination drive that was held in Pakistan in order to locate Osama Bin Laden in 2011. Following that deception, militants have kidnapped and killed foreign non-government organization workers who have tried to provide immunizations, but the anti-polio drives are being protected because they are necessary.

Around 200 children were paralyzed in Pakistan by polio in 2011. The World Health Organization (WHO) says that polio is expected to come back and attack; so far China, Africa, and Tajikistan had recorded their first cases in more than a decade. Pakistan is seeking to provide vaccination against polio to 33 million children with around 88,000 health workers delivering the drops. Dr. Bruce Aylward of the WHO hopes that “common ground is found” because the lives of children are in danger.

Marshmallow Test

It seems counterintuitive that such a simple test involving a cookie and marshmallow can predict a child’s future characteristics, as well as Walter Mischel’s did. This test questioned a child’s self control and patiences to control impulses which can be more influential  on a person’s life then simply intelligence. For example children who waited for the additional treat will later on in life be able to not blow off an exam or have an affair because of self-control. Everyone makes stupid mistakes intelligent or not, but self-control keeps you from ever attempting those actions.

Celeste Kidd made an accusation to the fact of trust being the characteristics lacking from the children who were unable to wait 15 minuets . I strongly disagree because trust doesn’t make you give into temptation. It wouldn’t matter if the child trusted the instructor or not, if the kid wants the snack self-control will keep him from takeing it, not trust.

Principal Encouraged Cheating

It seems counterintuitive that you can put a price on education. Education is a vital key to help a child prosper , it is also a freedom which everyone is entitled to. By the fact of Cayuga Elementary and their teaching staff giving children the answers and not allowing them to even fill in their own on a test is degrading and detrimental .These actions keep children from learning and reaching higher levels of education due to the work being done for them. The children also begin to feel frustrated at the fact that there answer right or wrong is still not as good as those of the teacher.

The school decided to take these actions due to achieve higher grades,in return  for their rewards of a more flexible curriculum, budget, and public affection. Can someone really put a price on such an important key for child’s future, I guess so.

Organ Donar Vultures

It seems counterintuitive to deem one life over another. For a doctor to declare his patient the wrong diagnosis is one thing but killing him purposely to achieve organs is murder. There is no difference from this action and any other type of homicide, the conclusion is always death.

I understand that donating organs is something crucial for helping people survive but what is happening is crucial. Doctors should just wait for organ donors who are rightfully dead or willing to give their vital organs up for donation, not takeing matter into their own hands.

1) Scientists Look to DNA for Data Storage

It seems counter-intuitive that the best tool for storing the mountains of data generated by today’s digital age comes from nature, but that is what scientists at the European Bioinformatics Institute are using DNA for.

Scientists at the institute were able to extract and translate data stored in man-made DNA with 100 percent accuracy.  While current technology for storing information has come a long way in the past few decades, DNA could prove to be a superior alternative.  One gram of DNA has the potential to hold the data equivalent to one million CDs, while storing that information for hundreds of thousands of years.  Considering nature has been perfecting data storage in DNA for billions of years, the leap from digital to DNA storage is tremendously more efficient and effective one.  While this success in the bioinformatics field is significant, there are still plenty of hurdles before DNA can be used for commercial data storage.

2) Go to Trial: Crash the System

It seems counter-intuitive that a judicial system wouldn’t be able to handle people demanding a trial, but if people refuse plea bargains, it may well do so.

Susan Burton is helping previously incarcerated citizens regain all of their basic civil rights.  She argues that the mass refusal of plea deals would force the judicial system to have trials of all the accused, and if there are enough accused, there wouldn’t be enough judges and attorney’s to hold all of the trials.  Over 90 percent of all criminal cases never go to trial, and instead end with plea deals and the forfeit of constitutional rights.  The shift towards plea deals comes from the harsh laws on crime in the US and the supreme court’s upholding of prosecutors able to threaten harsh punishments for minor crimes.  By simply exercising constitutional rights, the US judicial system could crash under the 90 percent of crimes that never go to trial.

3) Happiness cannot be pursued It must ensue

It seems counter-intuitive that sacrificing happiness can give more meaning to life than pursuing it.  Viktor Frankl, a well-known psychiatrist who survived Nazi concentration camps from WWII, found meaning in life while in the camps.  He believed that having a reason to live stems from ones idea of what life expects of them in the future.  Today’s culture is not centered around meaning in life, as much as finding individual happiness.  Frankl argued that happiness cannot be pursued because one had to have a reason to remain happy.

Psychological scientists found that being happy is about feeling good and lacking stress.  A lifestyle of “taking” was typically found to be a happier one.  People who have found meaning in life are usually giving and make sacrifices to happiness in order to benefit others.  The meaning derived from a selfless lifestyle comes from the sacrifice to something greater than oneself.  While happiness is temporary and fades, meaning lasts in life through the past and future.  Frankl ultimately chose meaning in life when he decided  to help his parents and other people in the concentration camps rather than travel to the US for his pursuit of happiness.  He found that the more you give yourself to another person or cause to find meaning in life, the more human you are.

Child Euthanasia 

It may be counterintuitive to think it would ever be legal for children to be euthanized, but that very thing has been legalized in Belgium.  On December 12th, 2013, the Belgium senate voted 50 to 17 to extend euthanasia laws to children with disabilities.  It was previously voted that minors could seek euthanasia under “certain circumstances”.

Euthanasia has been legal in Belgium since 2002, but only for people ages 18 and older.  Belgium is the first country in Europe to lift the age limit on euthanasia.  As to be expect, there was a huge backlash from religious and pro-life parties.“Regardless of disability, life should be valued. To pass legislation that allows termination of life for people with disabilities who are minors is unacceptable,”says Alex Schadenberg, a pro-life advocate.

Free Heroin to Battle Addiction

Its may be counterintuitive to give heroin to a heroin addict, but they are doing just that in Vancouver, Canada.  They are using the logic that making the drug available, that it will get rid of the need to commit crime to obtain the drugs.

Vancouver  has set up a “safe zone” called Insite, where addicts can go to shoot up under nurse supervision. They are provided with clean needles, and are prevented from being arrested by the police while in this zone. They are also providing to addicts with the heroin.  Instead of getting rid of the addiction, they are feeding it, and making it worse.

Principal encourages cheating 

It may be counterintuitive that a school principal would encourage students to cheat, but that is exactly what principal Evelyn Cortez is telling her school to do.Multiple staffers at Cayuga Elementary said they were instructed by principal Evelyn Cortez to do what they had to do in their rooms to get good scores. Under the pressures of raising the schools PSSA test scores, the principal told teachers to help their students cheat so that the school can report higher test scores, resulting in more funding, and more flexibility in curriculum.