As promised, here are four papers I’ve written for classes so far this summer, in the order that they were written… (obviously, they loose some format when posted here.) 

Steve




Psych 131

May 29, 2006 

Five Big Issues – Nature vs. Nurture

            In his book The Dragons of Eden Carl Sagan puts forth the idea that many of our basic feelings of fear, danger, and excitement are rooted in the oldest, most primitive part of the human brain. For example, he explains such things as our instinctive fear of heights and using the color red to indicate danger as stemming from our ancestors roaming through the tree tops trying to avoid the open (red) mouth of tyrannosaurus-rex and his descendants. And while I must agree, in principle, with a lot of his proposals, I feel very strongly that mankind has evolved and grown far more through the nurturing and educating of ourselves… a never-ending process which only begins with our youth.

            If we stick, for the moment, to the elemental essences of fear and instinct and assume that Dr. Sagan is entirely correct in his reasoning, then one would think that no child would ever burn his fingers in a flame. Fire has existed on earth since the beginning, and animals of all kinds have been burned and/or killed by the flames. Surely something that elementally dangerous would be passed down from species to species, through generation upon generation! And yet, virtually every parent has had to deal with the sufferings of a child reaching into a flame to see what it was!

            Human consciousness, or personality if you prefer, is far, far more than instinct and heredity. The concepts of right and wrong, what is considered acceptable behavior and what is not, even the way we perceive ourselves as individuals or social beings is a part of what we learn… sometimes intentionally, sometimes merely through example… and become.

            Much has been made of studies where twins separated at birth still maintain many similar traits throughout the years, and I know firsthand that some of that must be true. However, I expect that the twins in the studies were raised in similar environments, i.e. placed with families of the same color, etc. I’m sure that if one were placed with a family of Mexicans in Colorado, say, and another with a family of Swedes in Minnesota, that many more differences would appear.

            Frankly, as we stated in class, it is almost impossible to narrow down a cause-and-effect for any one of these ‘Big Five Issues’… we are each who and what we are because of a number of determining factors throughout our lives. But the idea that one person cannot help being a certain way (use homosexuality as an example) because of genes is totally false. A person may very well have natural (or un-natural) tendencies in any given area, but if the training and teaching received is proper and strong, then those tendencies are easily overcome.

            Some years back, I asked a guide at Lincoln’s home in Springfield, IL. what he thought of Carl Sandberg’s biography of Lincoln. He said that as a biographer, Sandberg was a very good poet. On the whole, I believe that as a psychologist Sagan is a very good astronomer! However, given the complexities of the human mind, the uncertainties of a linier existence, and the necessities of living life ‘live’ everyday, then everyone of us might be considered ‘good astronomers’ when it comes to understanding ourselves… even the true psychologists!

            
 

ENGL 132 T2

June 17, 2006

Updike, A & P, and 1961

            As Madd magazine pointed out in their March issue of the year, 1961 was the first ‘upside-down’ year (a year that reads the same upside-down as right-side up) since 1881 and the last until 6009. J. F. K. held the first live televised press conference, while ‘Mr. Ed’ and ‘The Dick Van Dyke Show’ joined ‘The Andy Griffith Show’, ‘The Wonderful World of Disney’ and ‘My Three Sons’ in coming into America’s living rooms each week. It was a time of perceived purity in America… what many have termed the ‘Camelot’ of our history. Yet, for all of the professed and proclaimed innocence of the day, there was an underlying tone of uneasiness… some might have called it a sense of awakening… pervading the world, in general, and the United States in particular. No where is this more prevalent than in John Updike’s story  “A & P”.

            In a time when Fred MacMurray (My Three Sons) dealt with living in a house with five men and no women, and the whole country believed that Rob and Laura (The Dick Van Dyke Show) slept in separate beds in the same room each night, A & P begins with “In walks these three girls in nothing but bathing suits.” (981; all page references are to the class text, Thinking and Writing about Literature: A Text and Anthology. 2nd ed.). Sammy, the narrator, goes on to describe in great detail such things as “…a sweet broad soft-looking can with those two crescents of white just under it, where the sun never seems to hit…” (982), and the swimsuit with the straps off of the shoulders which allowed “…as a result the suit [having] slipped a little on her, so that all around the top of the cloth was this shining rim… With the straps pushed off, there was nothing between the top of the suit and the top of her head except just her, this clean bare plane of the top of her chest down from the shoulder bones like a dented sheet of metal tilted in the light. I mean, it was more than pretty” (982), all of which skirt and dance around a word that was not uttered in polite society during that time: sexuality.

Indeed, the tone of the entire piece seems to center on the sexuality, or lack thereof, of each of the characters in turn. From the comments of Stoksie (“Oh Daddy… I feel so faint”) (983) and Sammy (“Darling… hold me tight.”) (983) to McMahon at the meat counter appraising the girls’ bodies like he would a piece of meat, each person in turn is shown in some kind of sexual connotation. The old lady that Sammy accidentally overcharges is “a witch about fifty with rouge on her cheekbones and no eyebrows,” (982), the mother in the parking lot is merely a “young married screaming with her children about some candy they didn’t get…” (985), while Lengel, the manager, comes off as prudish because of his Sunday-school connection. So one’s first impression is that the piece is merely a blatant attack on the accepted values and ideologies of the day and flung into the faces of those who voice and police the right-and-wrongs of society. But was it?

Social norms are constantly under attack, and such was surely the case in 1961. In this country alone, the lines between good and evil had been blurred by such things as the rise of industrialists and railroad barons like Carnegie, Gould, and Vanderbilt at the turn of the century, the glamorization of gangsters and flappers during the 1920’s and ‘30’s, and the spin that Hollywood and Broadway put on being rich-and-famous. All manner of sins and sexuality came to be viewed as bad only if you weren’t rich enough to enjoy the notoriety to get away with them. In 1953, Playboy joined in the fray with the express intent of spreading these values to the masses as well. So the ideas expressed in A & P were hardly new. Frankly, they have been around since the beginning of man-and-womankind. What was still unexpected in 1961 was for them to be expressed so openly and frankly in such an open format… and especially by one so young as Sammy. One begins to suspect, then, that there was a deeper purpose in the ink-lines and type-set of Updike’s words. Perhaps the shock value generated by such bluntness was less about exciting the libido of his male readers than in inciting his female audience to arms.

First, we have the brazenness of the three girls in walking in, for all intents and purposes, undressed for the occasion. Their whole attitude while in the store seems to be more one of defiance than of anything else. They parade around the store, knowing full well that all eyes are upon them and that they are causing quite a stir. We see how the two subordinates follow and cling to Queenie in such lines as “She kind of led them, the other two peeking around and making their shoulders round.” (982) and “[She] buzzed to the other two, who kind of huddled against her for relief” (983). The impression too easily comes that the whole episode was planned, probably by Queenie, as a stunt intended to cause a scene and a confrontation. The lackadaisical way they sauntered down each aisle, the way they made a point to ask someone for directions so as to verify their fabricated story, and to walk up to the checkout with, of all things, a can of Kingfish Fancy Herring Snacks in Pure Sour Cream. Surely this item had been calculated to fit into their plan on at least two levels. One, it was something that would lend an air of sophistication to them. Sammy noted that “All of a sudden [he] slid right down her voice into the living room. Her father and other men were standing around in ice-cream coats and bow ties and the women were in sandals picking up herring snacks on toothpicks off a big glass plate…” (984). And two, it only cost 49¢… Queenie had intentionally stuffed the dollar bill into her cleavage ahead of time so that she could be seen removing it from there, and their purchase had to be within that $1 parameter.

Contrasting the girls’ brazenness, we have the blatant chauvinistic attitudes of nearly every one else in the story fully on display. Some of Sammy and Stokesie’s comments have already been addressed, but one must surely note Sammy’s sexist comment when he, as an aside, says “do you really think it’s a mind in there or just a little buzz like a bee in a glass jar?” (982). The older men, too, react with sexist attitudes, albeit the meat man’s, who doesn’t know he is being observed, is very different than the manager’s, who feels the need to publicly assert his moralities. Even the women shoppers react as we read “The sheep pushing their carts down the aisle… were pretty hilarious. You could see them, when Queenie’s white shoulders dawned on them, kind of jerk, or hop, or hiccup… A few houseslaves in pin curlers even looked around… to make sure what they had seen was correct” (983).

Did Updike intend all of this brashness to merely excite his male readers? Was Sammy truly meant to represent the ideals and ideology of the youth of that day? Or was everything presented in such an open fashion so as to show to all people the dangers of letting these ideas run unchecked? Were the girls meant to represent the beginnings of a new, free-thinking way for women? Was the prudishness of the manager intended to show the closed-mindedness of the religious authorities? The answer must be yes to each of these questions, though undoubtedly to a varying degree.

In A & P we can find the first rays of dawn in what was to become the women’s liberation movement of the 1960’s. True, there had been many false starts over the years, and indeed over the centuries, but in Updike’s story we see not only the first open signs of women wanting to change societies perception of themselves, but what that perception had been, what they wanted it to be, and what men’s attitudes and reactions to it could be expected to be. Looking at it from that point of view, A & P changes from a sexually charged story about young teenage boys to a story of budding women’s rights… a concept destined to turn more than just the year upside-down.

 

Psych 131

June 23, 2006 

The Floggings Shall Continue Until Moral Improves

            Sometime during the late 1960’s/early ‘70’s a person went out to their Cub Cadet riding mower, started it up, and went to mow the yard. Unbeknownst to them, their toddler, wanting to be close to the parent, came out of the house and started walking along behind. While making a normal mowing maneuver, the parent backed over the child with the mower, killing it. The manufacturer of the mower was sued and paid out a multi-million dollar settlement… which eventually resulted in the company having to sell off most of its assets and restructure itself, as well as redesigning all mowers built subsequently to shut off when in reverse. While admittedly graphic, this story illustrates the length to which individuals will go, particularly in this country, to avoid admitting any personal responsibility or guilt to any negative aspect of their lives. And while it seems many in the field of psychology would tend to agree, Scott B. Patten, MD, FRCPC, PhD., would probably not.

In his article “Does Almost Everybody Suffer From a Bipolar Disorder?” Dr. Patten addresses those studies and arguments that support the idea of establishing a wider spectrum of diagnostics regarding bipolar disorder. As he points out, the DSM-IV currently lists only three levels: BD I, BD II, and cyclothymic disorder. Many researchers have discussed and recommended a broader spectrum, even though “There is no formally accepted definition of what is meant by the term bipolar spectrum” (par. 3. All references are to the article “Does Almost Everybody Suffer From a Bipolar Disorder?” attached).

Arguments noted as being in favor of broadening the guidelines used in diagnosing BD include such things as some patient’s episodes lasting for a shorter period of time than the stated standard, the impact of including a family history of BD into the diagnosis, and the fact that some test subjects technically not within the DSM-IV parameters nevertheless respond to chemical treatments (par. 2). Disagreements exist, however in whether to merely augment the existing standards as listed in the DSM-IV or establish an entirely new set. Further, many in the field feel the need to make those changes immediately and use them to treat patients at once.

Dr. Patten agrees that changes are necessary, but cautions that they must be based on established principles of research and observation. He notes such things as “In the area of depression, dimensional symptom ratings are considered poor guides to clinical action, since a high score on a symptom rating scale may indicate [either] a completely normal occurrence, such as a bereavement, or a serious disorder” (par. 6). His conclusions are that researchers should stem the rush to make unorthodox changes based only on the perceived benefits of proposed theories in favor of doing the proper and accepted scientific research necessary to document the wisdom… or folly… of those changes. I would agree.

“The floggings will continue until moral improves.” A t-shirt I have credits that statement to Captain Horatio Stark while in command of Fort Madison, now in the State of Iowa, in 1811 (though I could find no other corroboration of that). Whatever its origin, there can be little doubt that there once was a time when such sentiments were deemed to be true and valued attitudes in dealing with people. Indeed, the entire science of psychology… and with it, what understanding of the workings of the human brain that we have… has only come into being in the last century-and-a-half. Have our ideas of motivating workers changed any since then? Of course they have. In fact, an entire industry has grown up around the notions of happy people being better employees, and colleges have turned out several generations of psychologists trained in accomplishing that very thing.

But none of that was accomplished overnight. Indeed, none of it was accomplished without first doing observational studies, research, and experiments to learn what truly motivated people and how best to achieve that motivation. Dr. Patten’s comments and thoughts about the importance of not making changes without first doing proper research are entirely correct. I must needs, however, add my own thoughts to his and return to the story in the opening paragraph.

Our society has already reached a point in which no one accepts responsibility for their own actions. A thief is a thief because of society’s attitudes towards him/her when growing up… a child-molester was raised by a child-molester… alcoholics and drug addicts are physically inclined to be the way that they are… indeed, I cannot think of one negative example that someone has not found some way to explain and/or excuse. That is not to say that there are not true instances of mental illnesses, chemical imbalances, and unfair social issues to deal with. But it has become far too easy and acceptable to excuse any form of bad behavior as being something other than just plain bad behavior. What we do not need are more guidelines aimed at including more of us into the ranks of the mentally ill.

We are too rapidly becoming a medicated nation, and the world is sure to follow suite in time. The song ‘2525’, from the late 1960’s, gives a description of mankind’s decline over the coming centuries. One verse tells us that we “Ain’t gonna need to tell the truth, tell no lies./ Everything you think, do and say, is in the pill you took today.” Let us pray that that is only a song.

 

 

ENGL 132 T2

July 9, 2006

Silence or Solitude

            Though probably made most famous in the 1960’s song of that title, the phrase “Silence is Golden” is said to have been first recorded in 1848, and is actually part of a much older proverb, “Speech is silver and silence is golden.” The word ‘silence’ appears in the King James Bible thirty five times, including Ecclesiastes 3:7, which reads, “A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak.” And a casual reading of Robert Frost’s “Mowing” would seem to suggest an overall theme of silence.

            From the opening line “There was never a sound… but one” (line 1; all line references are to the poem “Mowing” on page 121 of the class text, Thinking and Writing about Literature: A Text and Anthology. 2nd ed.), through the closing line “My long scythe whispered and left the hay to make” (line 14), Frost seems to be relishing the silence surrounding him (assuming we place him in the role of the speaker) as he goes about some of the daily chores and work associated with subsistence living, i.e. living on a farm. Lines 2, 3, 5, 6, and 14 each either contain the word ‘whispered’ or talk about “the lack of sound” (line 5). And as noted, silence is, and always has been, a welcome… nee, necessary… part of life. Yet, the measure of any good literature, poetry included, is its ability to cross the lines of time and appeal to audiences of all years and all sophistications.

            Having grown up and worked on a farm and with farm machinery most of my life, I can attest that mowing hay has changed a great deal in the years since this poem was penned. With the incessant chattering of the sickle mower as the knives are stroked back-and-forth hundreds of times per minute, the whirling of the conditioning rollers and reel as the hay is drawn in and crushed and crimped to allow faster drying, the sound of the PTO drives, chains, belts and pulleys that make it all work, and the overwhelming noise of the tractor engine, hydraulics and drive system, mowing hay today is anything but silent. And yet, I can relate to Frost’s thoughts throughout most of the poem… hence, the idea that its overall theme is silence is negated and relegated to that nether land of nothingness that many first thoughts and ideas are consigned to. Silence is merely the lack of sound. What Frost is describing and reveling in is being alone… alone with his thoughts, his dreams, and his life… the joy of solitude.

            Solitude is far different from silence. It is more about separating oneself from all of the external commonplace routines that make up much of our existence and reaching inside of the self to find that place of peace and comfort so desperately needed from time to time. And though many equate solitude with being alone… Jesus would seek it on the mountains… some people can be in a crowded room, sporting event, or even a classroom and still be able to separate themselves from their surroundings and find a sense of solitude. Frost is describing the joy he feels in submersing himself in that solitude as he works at the day’s chores. The scythe is not whispering just so as to not make noise, but out of respect and deference to the mood of the man yielding it. That man finds peace as he goes about the days work… an inner peace brought about by the accomplishment of a job well done. We gather a sense of this when Frost writes “It was no dream of the gift of idle hours, Or easy gold at the hand of fay or elf” (lines 7 – 8). While he appreciated the ‘gift of idle hours’, the dreams from them and the ‘unearned gold’ from undeserved sources did not mean near as much to him as the satisfaction received from a days work well done and the time it allowed to spent reflectively considering ones life and/or life in general.

            Those dreams that occur during idle hours are also more imaginative and fanciful. The realities of existence are far easier to comprehend when in a state of solitude: hence, we read how “Anything more than the truth would have seemed too weak” (line 9). The act of working while thinking forces one into an economy of thought, of sorts, in that no energy wants to be wasted in frivolity or nonsense, and so it is the “earnest love [of life] that laid the swale in rows” (line 10). There is also, sometimes, great danger in solitude… a danger of thinking ‘too much’ or carrying an idea too far which can lead one into depression instead of enlightenment, and we find that danger represented here as well in the form of “a bright green snake” (line 12), a symbol universally recognized as a form of fear.

            And so, “Mowing” becomes a poem for all time. Though modern man must needs replace the scythe with, perhaps, a pen, computer, or truck, the idea of “the sweetest dream that labour knows” (line 13) is still paramount to us all; that sense of accomplishment in a job well done. And if that job can be accomplished in such a manner as to allow us the opportunity to look inside of ourselves… the whole point of solitude… then life is good and our minds are at peace. May we each be able to look at a day’s work and think how “My long scythe whispered and left the hay to make” (line 14).