I Might Kill Two Thousand People - Response Saturday #29

The main comment I received on Tuesday's post informed me of a new philosophical problem (of which I was not aware).

The thing is, both my problem (the second one, at least) and the boat problem have hidden third choices. "Take a third option," if you will.

But let's talk about the first problem, the one that initiated last Tuesday's post.

I honestly don't think there is a third option here. Your inaction leads to the death of five people; your action leads to the death of one person. If all of these individuals are strangers to me, then I think I would pull the lever. Someone would die, but at least five individuals would have a greater chance of doing good in the world.

Of course, there's a chance the five people tied to the tracks are the modern equivalents of Hitler, Caligula, Attila the Hun, Ivan the Terrible, and Vlad the Impaler, while the one person could be the modern equivalent to Nelson Mandela. The SMART move would be to not pull the lever, thus killing the five monsters, but what if my decision to save them prompted them to turn their lives around and become forces for good? There's just no way to tell.

And what if everyone was a stranger except for one of the five, who just so happens to be my worst mortal enemy? Would I stay true to my initial decision to save as many people as possible, or would my hatred for my worst enemy come out on top?

I thought this question was easier to handle.

So the trolley is coming, and I have the choice to throw the fat man over the side of the bridge to stop the trolley and save the rest of the people.

The thing is, the 'heavy weight' described in the initial problem is a pretty ambiguous term. Maybe the fat man is heavier than me, but I'm 200 pounds. I can't even bench that much, so I would consider myself a heavy weight.

And let's be honest. It's not easy to just push a fat guy over. If I grabbed this dude and tried to throw him overboard, he'd probably resist, and then what? Now nobody gets saved.

So why not just jump off the bridge myself?

Now, on to the boat problem presented via the text of a picture at the beginning of the post.

For one thing, I think the problem contains a logical error. If one boat breaking down can be turned into two smaller boats that can contain the same amount of people (which I'm not sure is possible on the high seas), why can't two boats breaking down be turned into four smaller boats? In addition, if everyone on the boat is using up supplies, then the boats would actually gain more space as time went on. As it is, for the sake of this blog post, I'm not going to explore the problem beyond the initial prompt.

It seems obvious to me that, as the boat's engineer, I am the extra person described. In that case, it doesn't matter which boat I fixed, I'm always going to be included in the group of 2001 people. The question then becomes, should I sacrifice my spot on the boat for someone else on the other boat, or do I stay with the original boat to keep finding ways to fix it as more issues crop up?

I think I could do the greatest amount of good by staying with the boat to possibly save more people, but let's be honest. I'm a writer, not an engineer. They'd probably throw me on the sinking ship, and I wouldn't blame them.

What Do You Want To Talk About? - Response Saturday #28

This past week, I asked y'all to tell me how you apologize.

I didn't end up getting any responses!

Now, maybe it was a bad question, in which case, that was my fault, and I apologize (Hey? See what I did there?). If it was a bad question, you may wonder, "Come on, James, I've seen you do better. Get with the program!"

You're right, you're right. But first, let me explain how I come up with blog post ideas.

Usually, I'll be sitting around, minding my own business, when something just ... happens. I may see a video talking about how to improve your sense of humor. I may get into a debate regarding the effectiveness of compliments. I may be asked to give dating advice.

I'm not always thinking, "Oh man, this is a great idea for a blog post!" But then, after everything calms down, I may jot some relevant notes on a draft and come back to it later. If the thing that just happened still has relevance and importance in my mind, then I get to writing 'write' away. You, of course, may recognize some problems with this technique.

After all, I inevitably end up writing about the things I want to write about, instead of necessarily thinking about my audience. It seems I've tilted in the opposite direction from earlier in the year, when I was so dragged down by writing things I thought new readers would like that I ended up burning myself out and changing the schedule from a daily to a thrice-weekly schedule.

So even after two years of blogging, I'm still trying to figure out how to be a good blogger. Some days, I focus too much on writing for myself; some days, I don't write for myself at all (which then becomes a chore).

So as I continue to write (I have no intention of stopping C&C anytime soon), don't be afraid to let me know what you guys think I should write about next. It could be political. It could be religious. It could be personal. It could be anything. As long as it fits in my brand (and there are few things that don't fit into my brand), I'll say something on it.

So go ahead.

I'm waiting. ;)

Why Quality Time is the BEST Love Language - Response Saturday #27

Last Tuesday, I asked y'all to tell me your love language! This is what I got back!

So despite my best guesses, I guess the majority of people who commented on this last post are not words of affirmation types of people. Oh well! Maybe you reading my blog is a way of spending quality time with me, perhaps?

Either way, that didn't offer much in the way of stuff to talk about, so I guess I'd better take that quiz myself and let you know what I got. Give me just a minute! In the meantime, think about kittens or something.

...

AREN'T THEY ADORBS?

Anyway, my scores surprised me, but only a little.

See, I would have thought Words of Affirmation would have beat out Quality Time? But I guess not. I think I guessed wrong because when I'm with someone, and they compliment me it's a specific event I can pinpoint and recall and even quote. I must subconsciously enjoy the presence of others more than I consciously do.

When it came to the quiz itself, I felt like the beginning could have easily been manipulated. Since I was familiar with the love languages already, it wasn't too hard to guess which of the two choices would give me which love language. The longer the quiz went on, however, the harder it was to tell.

For example, I was surprised that I got a point in 'receiving gifts' at all, but I did remember which question gave me the one point. I was asked to choose between a.) someone going way out of their way to do something for me, or b.) giving me a small present on their way home. I definitely am not much for gifts, but if you're spending an inordinate amount of time on me (I consider time my most precious resource), then I'm going to feel super guilty and probably start itching (yes, literally). I'd much prefer a 'here you go' to a 'let me sacrifice five hours for you for no good reason!' 

Anyway, so I learned something about myself today! I hope you take the chance to learn something about yourself, too.

How to Compliment Your Crush - Response Saturday #26

This past Tuesday, I posed the question, "How do you Compliment your Crush?"

I got a whole heap of responses!

Everything y'all said fascinated me.

Obviously, I think some of you responded with tongue firmly in cheek, but the variety of the responses were nonetheless revealing. As far as I can tell, there really isn't a right way or a wrong way to compliment someone. You could go with articles of clothing, or you could refrain from mentioning clothing at all. You could be extremely passive and avoid the situation altogether, or you could make sure they won't forget you by doing something outlandish.

I think, when it comes to compliments, you need to work with what works best for you. If a compliment doesn't go over well, then maybe that person doesn't like your style, and that may indicate you guys aren't a great fit. Or it may indicate your crush isn't a 'Words of Affirmation' kind of person. If you don't know what that means, I would recommend checking this out.

As for me, I only really have two rules. First, I never say 'today' in any of my comments. "You look nice" could refer to always. "You look nice today" might suggest that they look like garbage every other day. In addition, I try to focus on things the other person can control. If I say, "Your face is well-constructed and symmetrical," well, that compliments them less than their genes. But if I say, "I really love your thoughts on the political situation in the Middle East," well, that shows them you care for more than their body and you're a great listener!

So now that you're all ready to compliment your crush, let's see how you do!

You walk up to your crush, swaggering with confidence. 

"Oh hi! Your shoes are gross. I mean nice tasty. Uh, today is what I said. Trying to say. I mean, let's fight? You're stupid."

Welp, there you go, running off into the sunset. Better luck next time, I guess.

Suicide Threat: How Will You Respond? - Response Saturday #25

Last Tuesday, I posed a hypothetical situation.

Let's say you're walking down the street and you see someone about to jump off a bridge, obviously about to kill themselves. How are you supposed to respond?

When I was a Resident Assistant over a hall of freshmen during my Sophomore year of college, I was trained in methods of suicide prevention, though I admit my knowledge is considerably rusty now. My recent research has helped remind me some of the important steps.

#1 - Get help.

Call the authorities immediately. They know what to do. Once you know help/back-up is on the way, approach the individual.

#2 - Keep them talking.

Individuals who are considering suicide generally feel isolated and alone. Showing a genuine interest in them will help them open up, and most individuals contemplating suicide will confess if asked a direct question.

If you're not sure your man on a ledge is suicidal or playing Pokemon Go (or even innocently both), engage in a conversation with them. You might say, "Nice day we're having!" or "How are you doing?" Odds are, they won't respond with cheerfulness, and may even say exactly what's bothering them. If you feel their mood is, indeed, depressed, ask them the question and see how they respond.

#3 - Try to understand them.

If the suffering individual hasn't explained why they're suicidal, ask them to. It could be a broken relationship, or job, or a combination of things. For whatever reason, the individual is hurting, and they won't want you to try and fix the problem. If you just ask questions and listen to what they say, you may be able to gain some valuable insights into who they are.

#4 - Help them see they need help.

This is the tricky part. They may say they don't want help even when they're just testing to see how much you actually want to help and if you'll give up on them. They may genuinely resent you for meddling in their life, and rebuff any of your pleas to find someone more educated and qualified than you in this sort of situation. If they respond negatively to your suggestion, back off and continue to keep them talking. The longer you do, the easier it will be for the authorities to respond in time.

#5 - Your mileage may vary.

I don't wish anyone, myself included, to have to work as a mediator between someone and their own death. However, I still think having some sort of plan in place to deal with these situations will help in the long run.

Of course, when it comes to extreme emotions--you know, the type that prompts people to commit suicide--there are no textbooks. Everyone is going to react and respond to situations differently, and that includes people trying to talk them down from a deadly bridge-jumping experience. In the end, you may have to go with your gut. And speaking of mileage ...

#6 - Pray

If you're a religious person (and most of you who read this blog are), invoke the power of heaven to help you. You may not know what to do and what to say, but if you remember the Lord, he will remember you.

I know every member of my own family has had experiences dealing with persons pondering suicide, while I, myself, am the least experienced of the bunch. Regardless, because of this, I know how important it is to prepare for anything. I wouldn't say I've ever saved someone's life, but I have managed to get individuals to the help they needed because of the preparations I've received--even if I've had to remind myself of that training over this past week.

I'm not an expert, but even if I'm way off base, I have a plan because I want to be able to help.

Thanks for reading.

Why Reading Minds is the Worst - Response Saturday #24

This post is a response to the question earlier this week. You can check it out at this link!

According to you guys, reading minds isn't worth it unless you're able to control when you can read them

Beyond that, it wasn't worth it.

I included the stipulation that you don't have control over when you read minds because every superpower has to have its drawbacks, and like Arm from Nancy Farmer's The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm, having the ability to read people's minds should be both a blessing and a curse.

If you think about it, all of our inborn abilities have pros and cons. You can pet a cat and pet a stove.You can listen to music, or get your drums blasted by a shrieking toddler. You can smell roses, and you can smell farts.  You can hold a baby or punch one in the face.

It's like Uncle Ben said. "With great power comes great responsibility." We owe every baby hugs and cuddles, not punches. Let's that responsibility well.

And considering that, I doubt I would well use the ability to read other people's minds. I can't tell you how many times I might have lifted someone's spirits and instead tore them down. My tongue may be used for compliments, but it has also been used as a weapon.

So let's say I can read someone's thoughts. How long would it take before I would be tempted to manipulate them? To lie to them? To learn something private for my own personal gain?

And I'd probably put myself into a compromising situation at some point. "Stacy's favorite color is orange!" I might say.

"I never told you that," Stacy says, her face turning a bright red.

"Uh ... I saw it on Facebook?"

"I've never told anyone on Facebook."

"Er ... I saw you tweet about it?"

Stacy bellows at me. "I've kept that secret for years, Zachary! Why did you have to go and reveal it? Now the witch's curse will no longer be held at bay! My face will melt, my bones will collapse, and I will be forced to walk this planet barefoot for THE REST OF ETERNITY! I hate you, Zachary! I hate you!"

"Surely you're exaggerating," I say.

In swoops a witch. "CACKLE CACKLE CACKLE!" she shrieks.

How embarrassing.

Which Insect Did You Choose to Exterminate? - Response Saturday #23

This last week, I asked you to determine the fates of spiders and mosquitoes via a strange apocalyptic computer log.

It makes more sense if you click the link and read the original post.

Since this seemed to be quite an engaging topic, lots of you responded!

So after peeling back the proposed compromises and other options, it seemed as though 66% of you wanted to see the end of all mosquitoes, while 33% of you wanted to kill all the spiders.

As for me, I'm definitely a 'kill all the mosquitoes' kind of guy. In fact, one of the reasons I'm such an ardent defender of spiders is because of their natural ability to keep down mosquito populations. I experienced first-hand proof of this last summer, when I was working with the sports camps attending BYU. One of my supervisors called in an exterminator to kill the spider population living in one of our building's basements, and in the aftermath, mosquito bite complaints went up by a ridiculous percentage.

As for the fallout, CougarMan hypothesized that if all the mosquitoes died, then all spiders would starve. While I will point out that spiders do eat other things besides mosquitoes, entomologist Grayson Brown agreed with this theory to a point. At the same time, according to Quora, removing all the spiders in the world would damage the ecology of the world to a greater extent.

Either way, it's probably good we don't have a 'kill all' button in an underground shelter. After all, God knows why these things exist, and if there weren't a reason for them, then He wouldn't have put them here.

Of course, it certainly is fun to think about, isn't it?

What I'd Do On the Day the World Ended - Saturday Response #22

This last Tuesday, I invited you readers to respond to the question, "Would you really party if there was no tomorrow?" I enjoyed the responses I received.

All of the comments had a common thread. Every respondent wanted to do the things they otherwise would if they weren't facing their normal responsibilities and had a clear conscience heading into the next, non-existent day. In essence, they would live their last day on earth finding ways to make themselves happy.

This was both enlightening and sobering for me. In the scenario I described, we all knew of the impending disaster. We had time to actively make decisions about what we would and would not do in our last day.

But what if tomorrow doesn't come tomorrow? What if, unbeknownst to me, I only have a few hours left to live? Will I take pride in my last day? Will I do things I regret? What if I don't necessarily regret my actions, but still wish I'd done something different with my last day?

As it is, I'm making a decision to add more value to my life. I don't want to find myself regretting the last moments I have if they come quicker than I expected.

How about you?

My Testimony of Christ - Response Saturday #21

Here is the testimony response I received this week.

And here is my own testimony.

I am a man prone to error and fault. I often find myself failing to live up to my standards and ideals, both assumed and self-imposed. I struggle at times to see myself as someone capable of much of anything at all.

But I remember the role of the Savior in my life. He is not just a name or a person or even a concept. He is real, He is invested in me personally, and He is willing to do everything he can to see my success. He took upon Himself my weaknesses, my sins, my mistakes, and my pains, and grants me the chance to erase them all, if I'll only do as He asks. And I'm willing.

I know Christ lives. I know He suffered for me in the garden and on the cross, and I know He continues to guide my life. I have felt his presence and his love time and time again, and I cannot deny them.

My testimony may be least of all. It's hard to impart how integral such a momentous relationship can be in my life. But it is. He is.

I know my Redeemer lives.

How I Use My Time (And How I Want to Improve) - Response Saturday #20

This post is in response to this past Tuesday's thinkjoust.

I would argue that I am not a lazy person. Let me break down my average schedule for this past semester.

When I wake up in the morning, I go to my part-time job at Future House Publishing. In the evening, I go to work one of my other two part-time jobs. I 'donate' plasma twice a week. In addition, I work on online coursework, work on creative projects like my novels and this blog, and even throw in some exercise here and there. When I'm finished with all that, I'm afforded a few hours of free time a day.

The question is, what do I do with that free time? Lately, I've been playing video games.

The thing is, I swore off video games for a while there. I started back up this summer because one, all I was doing was working (which meant I was getting burnt out), and two, I wanted to be more informed about narratives in video games, seeing as how becoming a writer in that industry is a possible future career path for me.

The thing is, when I say I use my free time to play video games, I mean all of it. When I'm home, away from work and projects and school, I'm either eating, sleeping, or gaming. That's it.

In the meantime, my impressive stack of books I have yet to read grows instead of shrinking. I've still mastered only one or two chords on my guitar. I haven't figured out how to properly fly a drone yet. I haven't made a YouTube video in months. Except for when I do some one-on-none basketball, I don't go out to appreciate the beautiful summer weather, or take a drive, or do anything physically engaging.

Again, I don't think I'm lazy. But I'm not doing enough with the time I'm given. I can only 'research' video game stories for so long before I'm just wasting time.

So what about all those questions I asked on Tuesday?

Basically, I balance my time between 'working' (which includes my employment(s), my online 'business,' and other responsibilities like school) and video games. As it is, I feel like I have become a slave to routine. I don't do anything because I want to, or because I am reaping true satisfaction from it. Instead, I'm just mindlessly doing the next thing on my check list.

An easy solution would be to take a leaf from Casey's book, but I need modern conveniences for a large variety of reasons, including my work and other things. Sure, what helps me produce blog posts (the internet) may also distract me from improving myself, but the solution may be better time management on my part as opposed to blaming the machine. If I'm being distracted, that's pure user error right there. After all, I know activities that better myself offer the most value in my life.

Either way, the most important thing for me to remember is that life is about living, about loving what you're doing every day. If all I'm doing is working toward goals, always seeking the next 'ending,' then I fail to live in the moment and enjoy what I'm doing. I need to be happy no matter what I haven't accomplished, be it a novel, my education, or even finding a future spouse. I can be happy, right now.

And that's all that matters.

So DOES Christ Tap-Dance? - Response Saturday #19

Last Tuesday, I asked the question, "Is Christ a Good Tap-Dancer?"

This week's one response went as follows:

I tend to agree.

As God's children, we are sent down to earth to learn, develop, and grow. Part of that process revolves around learning and assimilating talents. Christ, too, didn't come to the cradle knowing how to speak or walk. He had to learn such things the same way we did.

So, a better question might be, "Has Christ chosen to learn how to Tap-Dance yet?" Because of the nature of the question, we won't find an answer, but we can be assured that, if He so chose, Christ would be one mean tap-dancer. And you know what? Life is short and full of possibilities. Why not go out and learn tap-dancing yourself?

And for the record, if I had to guess, I would say no, He doesn't know how to tap-dance. At least not yet, anyway.

Why You Should Tell Strangers They're Beautiful - Response Saturday #18

This last Tuesday, I asked the question, "Should You Tell Strangers They're Beautiful?" The one response was both awesome and enthusiastic.

I would have liked more people's opinions, but it is summer. Nobody's slacking off in class anymore.

The thing is, I asked all those question in the thinkjoust because I honestly don't know. If you were a stranger, and I randomly told you you were beautiful, would you appreciate the compliment?

At this point, I want to leave some sort of challenge or commitment. "Try it out," I might say. "Tell a stranger they're beautiful, and I'll do the same." The thing is, without any form of accountability, the whole challenge becomes nothing but a pleasant little string of words at the end of a post, designed to make you feel good about yourself.

So how about this.

If five people comment about their experience of telling a stranger that they're beautiful, then I will write a whole post in exquisite Zachary James detail about my own experience doing the exact same thing.

Honestly, doing such a thing goes a bit beyond my own comfort level. However, if I get enough of you to engage with the challenge, then I'll gladly do it myself, probably in an embarrassing fashion.

I look forward to hearing about your experience!

How I Cope With Trials - Response Saturday #17

I apparently picked a tough topic for the thinkjoust again this week. My bad, guys! Either way, thanks to the people who responded to the prompt. Let's jump into my thoughts, shall we?

I recently attended a short seminar by Jeff DeSarbo, a psychiatrist dedicated to the mental well-being of humanity.

And here he is!

DeSarbo spoke a lot about how to find peace by watching and, if necessary, changing the way you think. Let me share some of my thoughts about what he said.

Now, before we begin, I would be the last person to say that this advice is good bedside manner. If you're struggling to cope with a trial, this may not help. However, if you'd like to preemptively prepare for trials with possible coping mechanisms, well, this is your post.

Let's imagine two near-identical situations with one small variable changed. You're walking downtown on a beautiful sunny day, smiling and enjoying the breeze. Now throw yourself in the same situation, but then a construction worker accidentally dumps a bucket of dirty water all over you. For a lot of people, that would be a miserable experience (myself included).

In that moment of being drenched, you have two options. One, you can continue on your way with the same smile and enjoyment. You didn't have any control over the construction worker, so why worry or get upset? Why let the water ruin your day? Two, the other option is to do the exact opposite.

Letting things roll off your back is difficult, especially when you can't control what's happening. I, myself, seek to find someone to blame and even hate when placed into such situations. "Curse you, random rooftop-dwelling construction worker!" I might scream. "I only leave my lair of writing once a year, and this is how I'm rewarded for trying to get some sun on my skin?"

At the same time, serenity is not worrying about things you have no control over. If you can conquer your urges to allow your emotions to be controlled by outside stimulus, then your peace and happiness in life can be that much stronger. If you are the calmest in a sea of chaos, then you are in control.

So what do you think? Was that helpful, or not at all? Let me know in the comments below!

When I Care About the Opinions of Others - Response Saturday #16

I didn't get a lot of comments on this past week's thinkjoust, so maybe I need to come up with better topics? Who knows. We'll see. Either way, most of what I talk about today will be less of a response to your comments, and more of an outline of my own thoughts.

The question was, "When Should You Care About What Others Think?"

For starters, you have to be you first. I and many of my friends often ask each other for advice about how to act (including when we're trying to understand the opposite gender), but when we make a choice, we make it our own. Our decisions and the lives we lead are products of choice, of our own self-motivated spirit.

There comes times when other people criticize us for the choices we make, whether great or small. It is in these moments when we demonstrate our conviction to ourselves. If we change who we are because of someone else, then our conviction is weakened. Judgments, especially those which are unfounded, are not worth my time to consider.

Who am I am is how I act in both adversity and prosperity. What I believe is not necessarily who I am. As such, when someone questions my belief systems by expressing their own, I should carefully consider everything they say and then keep or discard the truth from it.

In a personal example, after I write a book, I cannot discard the opinions and criticisms of my fans. While not every criticism pointed at every creative work can be considered valid (I'm looking at you, internet trolls), I need to carefully consider those that are valid. The reviews for Ama's Watch (Amazon and Goodreads) have been enlightening and instructive for me as a writer, and I'm pleased to have such an eager and honest fan base. I have to care about their opinions.

Most importantly, I may not care about the opinions of others, but I need to care for others, regardless of their opinions. If I turn away someone's friendship or even companionship because we think, act, or look differently, then I am no better than the "judgmental" people I so "disdain."

This Week's Top Comments

Why You Should Challenge Your Beliefs - Response Saturday #15

This past Tuesday, I asked the question, 'Should You Question Your Beliefs?"

There weren't as many comments to sort through this week, but the few who commented were fairly unanimous. We should challenge our beliefs. One commentator pointed out that 'challenging belief' is really just seeking truth, wherever and however you may find it.

However, when it comes down to it, the post is called Why one should challenge their beliefs. Let me explain the way I see it.

Some buildings grow old and decrepit after many years of use. However, if architects and construction crews alter the structure to modern standards, the building can be reused for a new and unique purpose, if not the original purpose.

When you exercise, you're trying to get stronger. The effort can actually tear your muscles (on a microscopic level, sure, but hey), but it is the resulting healing process that actually lends you new strength.

Funnily enough, some of my most memorable friendships came to be because I initially accounted them among my rivals and enemies.

My point is, weakness always precedes strength. If you take pains to challenge your own beliefs, you may feel uncertain for a time, but then you are able to be more confident in the truths you have discovered.

I know my beliefs were challenged several times while I served my mission in Arizona and Jamaica. I wondered many times if I was doing the right thing. But after every crisis of faith, I studied and thought about things and came away with a better understanding of not just what I believe in, but also who I am as a person.

And that is more valuable to me than anything.

So don't be afraid to question yourself. If you come away with a different understanding of the world, well, that just means you're progressing and improving.

Good luck on your journey.

This Week's Top Comments

What I Think About Positive Racism - Response Saturday #14

This last Tuesday introduced us to the question, "Can Positive Racism Exist?"

The comments I received were insightful. It's hard to argue against the fact that differences exist between races, no matter how inconsequential or small. However, I do believe problems can occur if we assume those overall racial differences apply to everyone within that racial group.

As an example, I might say that those pursuing an English Major are mostly female, while those pursuing an Engineering Major are mostly male. It's easy to make the blanket statement that 'all English Majors are women,' or 'all Engineering majors are men,' but in most instances, that is not the case.

Now, obviously, if I told you I was an English major, you wouldn't automatically think me a woman. However, such things become more difficult when it comes to race.

We discussed in Tuesday's post about how studies show that, on average, black men can jump higher than white men. Regardless, I think it would be inappropriate to assume or make comment about this apparent racial discrepancy without any prior knowledge about the individual's abilities.

For example, if I was playing pick-up basketball, and I picked the token black guy because 'he jumps higher than the rest of us,' that would be wrong. I would be assuming something about someone. His race may produce better jumpers than everyone else, but that doesn't mean this pick-up basketballer is himself an example of that.

In that sense, we can say that our man should not immediately be placed under a blanket statement because of his race.

We may be able to acknowledge statistics as they are--that is, mere statistics--but we can't ever put individuals under the blanket of a statement. That goes for race, religion, gender, anything that classifies someone as a mere part of a group. When we throw people under the same blanket, we risk tearing away their individuality and what makes them them, as opposed to acknowledging them as a unique person in their own right.

So, sure. Maybe [American Minority] are better than [American white people] at [task], but that doesn't mean you should assume as such. Maybe your [American minority] [coworker/friend/relative] isn't actually good at [task] and wants to be known for being good at something else. Who knows? 

Either way, get to know them as a person before casting judgments based on the group(s) to which they belong. 

This Week's Top Comments

Why You NEED To Go On Dates With Complete Strangers

This last Tuesday, I asked you all if you would be willing to date a complete stranger.

Surprisingly, everyone seemed to be down for it!

And so many intrepid adventurers went seeking for dates and digits.

The thing is, everyone listed some sort of condition before expressing a willingness to actually go on the date. Some people were concerned their date might be sketchy or a creeper (which is a somewhat nebulous concept). Some people wanted an exact itinerary. Some people wanted their stranger date to be attractive, and some people didn't care either way as long as they, themselves, were armed.

Tinder was also mentioned in the comments as a basic illustration of this concept in actual practice. Since I don't have a smart phone anymore, I don't use Tinder, but when I was using Tinder, I formulated a technique that incidentally incorporated nearly every one of the concerns listed in your comments.

Obviously, if we both swiped right and talked, we found each other attractive. When setting up the first date, I never offered to pick the girl up. This was because I didn't want to have to ask for her address, and therefore give off that worrisome creeper vibe. Instead, I picked activities that could be held in a neutral, public place, like the local university. I also planned the dates for earlier in the evening, while the sun was still out, which helped keep the fright of the night down.

But why go on these sorts of dates at all?

As some people alluded in the comments, dates with strangers can be fun. There's usually a bit more of a story to go along with it, and the journey into the unknown can be exhilarating. As for my personal experiences, I obviously haven't ended up seriously dating any complete stranger I've ever asked on a date, but I've found some of my greatest friends from among such dates.

So go on! Ask a complete stranger out this week! If they say no, it's not like you lost anything, but if they say yes, who knows what will happen from there?

This Week's Top Comments

What I Think About Torture

You don't need to look far to find my final opinion.

The answer is, torture is terrible.

Look, my original idea for the header image was to poor-man* Photoshop my face onto a picture of someone about to be tortured. You know, someone in a torture chair or something.

But everything I found appalled me. There really isn't any light torture out there, nothing casual enough to avoid offending every physical and moral sense you have. I can't believe some human beings can actually stomach putting someone through that.

I would throw up some links showing you the different types of torture I discovered exist, but I don't want to be responsible for any images that get stuck in your mind. If you want to research torture on your own time, do it at your own risk.

Of course, I'd already come to the conclusion that torture was atrocious based on just your comments alone.

You guys told me about Iraqi Republican Guards. You guys told me that torture doesn't ever yield useful information. You guys wanted the United States to be seen as the good guys.

I hope our presidential nominees listen to us.

This Week's Top Comments

*I don't actually own Photoshop, which means I have to rig a personalized system using at least three different programs.

Do I Support the Death Penalty?

Last Tuesday, I invited my audience to respond to me regarding the death penalty. I believe the response set a new record in regards to how many different comments I received.

So, after parsing through the comments and considering everyone's arguments, I found my mind being changed. See, before I wrote Tuesday's post, I think I was more for the Death Penalty than I was against it. Now, I'm more against the Death Penalty than for it.

I don't think anyone should face the Death Penalty for a first time offense, period. I believe our jails should be centered around the rehabilitation of inmates. If jails are struggling to properly rehabilitate prisoners, then the money currently being used to administer the death penalty to first-time offenders should be redirected to improving rehabilitation efforts.

Now, I'm hesitant to completely abolish the Death Penalty in the face of repeat offenders. Imagine a man who goes to jail for murder, leaves prison a supposedly reformed man, and then murders someone else. If he fooled his captors into thinking he was rehabilitated, then couldn't he do so again?

In such an instance, many believe keeping that man in prison for life is a cruel and unusual punishment. Perhaps killing the man humanely would be more merciful than keeping him alive?

I propose that we give the convict options. If a repeat offender faces either life in prison or the death penalty, let him choose which punishment seems more cruel and unusual. Maybe such a person wouldn't mind spending his life in jail. Maybe he would just want to end things.

But what about the methods of execution? As alluded to in the Tuesday post, the five methods of execution in the United States are hanging, electric chair, gas chamber, firing squad, and lethal injection. Some of these methods are perceived to be more inhumane than others, and therefore the more humane ones are often preferred. 

However, every single method of execution generally inflicts some sort of pain, even lethal injections, which include drugs that paralyze victims and therefore only mask the inmate's suffering. Let's be honest; if we're going to be administering the death penalty, we need to do so quickly, efficiently, and cheaply. We can't pretend like there's a 'humane' way to kill someone; killing people is killing people, no matter how little blood we see.

In summary, I believe prisoners need to be rehabilitated first. If they revert back to their old ways, then they need a punishment that will keep them from harming others. I balk at punishments that are more severe than the crime itself, and therefore only murderers (and their equivalents) should be given the option to choose between life in prison or the Death penalty. I believe that if a prisoner chooses the death penalty, they should not have to wait on a death row, but have their punishment administered quickly, as soon as possible. The prisoner should be able to change their mind on this matter at any time before the administration. The chosen method of execution should be cost-effective, regardless of how inhumane some may find it.

But what do you think? Do I have some good points, or am I off-base? Be sure to comment below!

This Week's Comments

And here's the link to Darryl Ward's article: Twelve reasons why I oppose the death penalty. I used this article as a frequent reference in the above post.