I'm supposed to be studying for my organic chemistry test on Thursday... but obviously I'm going to procrastinate by blogging. Here's part 2 of my 40 facts thing!
11. Even though I'm really inflexible, yoga is probably my favorite form of exercise. It burns a lot of calories and builds strength at the same time. One of the things I'm most proud of is going from barely being able to do bridge pose to being able to get into a full wheel.
12. I usually don't crave potato chips or sugary foods like most people do. Instead, I'll randomly crave foods such as (but not limited to) watermelon, strawberries, lentils, peanut butter, spinach, corn, and carrots.
13. The quickest way to piss me off is to not return a text, call, etc. or to just blatantly ignore me. I'd rather you had the respect (if you can call it that) to lie to me about having plans if you don't want to do something than just not respond.
14. I HATE talking on the phone. Please, for the love of Shiva, text me instead of calling me.
15. No Doubt and Metric have had an indescribable impact on my life. I've met so many amazing people because of them and have had incredible experiences because of both of them. Their impact on my life has been absolutely one of the most positive things to ever happen. People often wonder why I'm so passionate about them (and I often get made fun of for this passion) and THIS IS WHY. It goes beyond the music. It's the community and the bonds with people that make them so special.
16. When I was younger, I used to think that I would never end up drinking. Well... things have changed haha.
17. My oldest brother is becoming a Catholic priest. Needless to say, our worldviews are in extreme conflict.
18. Smoking=Instant turn off.
19. I really like gardening. Not so much the actual process of digging in the dirt and what not, but I like seeing the results.
20. I've never kissed someone I'm legitimately attracted to. I've either been drunk or just gone along with it because I liked that I was getting attention from a guy.
Showing posts with label science. Show all posts
Showing posts with label science. Show all posts
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Friday, July 15, 2011
#40ThingsAboutMe Part 1
One of the trending topics on Twitter right now is #40ThingsAboutMe. Twitter limits your posts to 140 characters, however, so it's pretty much impossible to fit 40 facts into a single tweet and tweeting 40 times in a row makes you a real asshole so I've decided to share my 40 facts in blog form. This provides the double benefit of allowing everyone to come back and read it whenever they want. So go ahead, memorize away!
Actually, please don't memorize because that's a little creepy.
Also, due to laziness and lack of ideas for blogs, I'm going to break this into four parts. So here are 10 facts for now. Read and enjoy.
1. I have an irrational fear of getting diabetes. When I was younger, I used to be terrified of sugar because I was completely convinced it would make me diabetic. Obviously I still ate it, I just at it in terror.
2. One time I sang backing vocals on stage with a small group of other people for Jenny Lewis.
3. The band I've seen live the most times is Motion City Soundtrack, followed by Paramore.
4. I have a lot of social anxiety. I have a hard time starting a conversation with someone I don't know well.
5. I'm especially bad at talking to guys, even if I'm not interested in them in a romantic way. I will, without failure, read into everything as a sign that they hate me.
6. If I am interested in you, I show it in weird ways and I become highly terrified of you. More than anything, I probably will become really awkward and subdued when I talk to you.
7. Mushrooms are the bane of my existence. How anyone can actually enjoy them is beyond me.
8. Online shopping will be my downfall. There's something really exciting about clicking purchase and then the anticipation of it coming in the mail... Ohhhhhh yeah!
9. I LOVE science and I share a lot of articles about it on my various social networking accounts. I feel like it annoys a lot of people but I really don't care. Science rules, man.
10. I take lots of naps. Not just 20 minute naps but more like 3 hour naps. If it were for the need to eat, exercise, and go to the bathroom, I'd probably sleep all day.
Actually, please don't memorize because that's a little creepy.
Also, due to laziness and lack of ideas for blogs, I'm going to break this into four parts. So here are 10 facts for now. Read and enjoy.
1. I have an irrational fear of getting diabetes. When I was younger, I used to be terrified of sugar because I was completely convinced it would make me diabetic. Obviously I still ate it, I just at it in terror.
2. One time I sang backing vocals on stage with a small group of other people for Jenny Lewis.
3. The band I've seen live the most times is Motion City Soundtrack, followed by Paramore.
4. I have a lot of social anxiety. I have a hard time starting a conversation with someone I don't know well.
5. I'm especially bad at talking to guys, even if I'm not interested in them in a romantic way. I will, without failure, read into everything as a sign that they hate me.
6. If I am interested in you, I show it in weird ways and I become highly terrified of you. More than anything, I probably will become really awkward and subdued when I talk to you.
7. Mushrooms are the bane of my existence. How anyone can actually enjoy them is beyond me.
8. Online shopping will be my downfall. There's something really exciting about clicking purchase and then the anticipation of it coming in the mail... Ohhhhhh yeah!
9. I LOVE science and I share a lot of articles about it on my various social networking accounts. I feel like it annoys a lot of people but I really don't care. Science rules, man.
10. I take lots of naps. Not just 20 minute naps but more like 3 hour naps. If it were for the need to eat, exercise, and go to the bathroom, I'd probably sleep all day.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
You can call me Dr. Phil
"Only hang out with people you like. I learned this and it changed my life."
-Emily Haines
Most people think of summer as a time to relax and unwind but, I, on the other hand, seem to always have this crazy notion that I should take summer classes. Needless to say, this makes my summer significantly less exciting especially when the class I'm taking this summer is O chem II. I'm gonna keep it real, it's not really going the greatest. It's not that I'm not trying or anything but I just don't get it. Every time I'm asked, "How would you perform this synthesis?" I feel like, rather than attempting to bullshit my way through a synthesis, I'd be better off just writing, "I would ask someone who actually understands chemistry to do it."
Last night I actually emerged from my study shell (and by emerged from my study shell, I mean last night was one of the three nights a year when someone was like, "Gee, Joey still exists. Maybe we should call him!") for a while. We were in some rando's backyard and somehow the subject of prom came up. One of my friends mentioned that she didn't enjoy her prom because she didn't really want to spend time with her boyfriend and would have rather gone with her friends.
For some reason, this statement jarred me. I'm no relationship expert, largely because I have yet to find someone who's desperate enough to date me, but I feel like my almost complete degree in psychology and the fact that I passed social psych brings me pretty damn close, right? I've always been of the school of thought that you really shouldn't be dating someone that you don't want to spend time with because you can only have sex for so many hours in a day (and even then, sex as a foundation for a relationship generally doesn't lead to anything stable) and you'll be spending plenty of time with each other so shouldn't you actually look forward to that time?
Apparently, not everyone thinks this way because I know WAY too many people aren't dating someone who they genuinely like outside of the bedroom. I've always said that I don't want to rush into a relationship with someone because I want to have the foundation of a genuine friendship but it seems like too many many people are waaaay to eager to get right into a relationship or each others' pants.
Now, I may be biased in this last statement because of the types of guys I tend to attract. For some reason, the stage 5 clingers are really into me. I don't really know why this is because I have a tendency to make my annoyance very clear but they persist. Maybe I have a musk that tells guys that I like being texted, "Hey, what's up? How are you? What are you thinking? What are you feeling?" three times a day or maybe it's what I get for trying to be nice to most people. Either way, I have a low threshold for that and I quickly lose any mild interest I may have had before.
My point is that people need to SLOW THE FUCK DOWN and take time to get to know each other. Studies have shown that couples who are friends tend to last longer and quite honestly, you didn't need to do an empirical study to tell me that. It seems kind of... duh? The reasoning behind this may be because there are two different kinds of love that play a key role in intimate relationships. The first kind is passionate love, and, as the name suggests, this is the "OMG I WANT TO HUMP YOUR BRAINS OUT!!!!" kind of love. I don't remember the exact length of time but it doesn't exactly last a long period. Like your passion, your relationship will probably fizzle unless there's a strong foundation of companionate love. This is the kind of love where you genuinely care about the other person and what they think, feel, etc. This is the kind of love found in deep friendships and generally lasts a lot longer than passionate love (and actually grows over time). Without it, your relationship will not work for an extended period and I've never seen the point of getting into a relationship I knew would fail.
To sum things up, if you find someone that you're interested in dating, take the time to actually get to know them. You'll be glad you did because in the long run your relationship will be stronger. If things don't work out between you and them, hey, that's okay. Some people don't work out together. You'll probably find someone else and if you don't, there's always cats!
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Casey Anthony: Justice served?
I'd like to start out with a request: If you disagree with me on anything I say here, please feel free to speak your mind but be intelligent and respectful about it. The internet seems to have made people lose their ability to disagree while still respecting each other.
Those of you who don't live in a hole (which, seeing as you're reading this on the internet, I'm guessing is all of you) have no doubt heard by now the verdict of the Casey Anthony trial. Based on the reaction I've seen on Facebook and Twitter, people are livid about the verdict and seem to think that justice has not been served.
I'd argue, however, that justice was served. Now before you all lynch me, a common misconception needs to be cleared up. Many people assume that "not guilty" and "innocent" are the same thing when, in fact, they are not. A ruling of not guilty does NOT imply that the jury thinks the defendant is innocent. What it does mean is that the prosecution did not prove their case that the crime in question was committed. In lay terms, these two may mean the same thing but in legal terms, they're not. I liken this to the scientific concept of a theory and the lay conception of a theory. The two are COMPLETELY different and the lay conception of a theory is actually closer to the scientific term "hypothesis."
In this case, the prosecution really only had circumstantial evidence and they could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Casey murdered her daughter. In other words, there are possible other explanations that are not completely out of nowhere ("The devil made her do it!!!!") that cannot be dismissed based on the evidence presented. The burden of proof rested on the prosecution and they failed to prove their case.
Some have accused this as being a flaw in the legal system and, again, I'd argue the opposite as it protects the innocent from being accused of a crime they did not commit and being incarcerated for it (***Special note: I am NOT implying that Casey Anthony is innocent***). This is where the concept of "innocent until guilty" comes into our legal system. If we had the opposite, guilty until proven innocent, people could be accused of any crime that they did not necessarily commit and be thrown into jail.
Believe it or not, we actually had this system at one point in our country. Think back to Salem, MA when people were being accused of being witches and then burned unless they could prove their innocence (which, in most cases, they could not). This is an example of the "guilty until proven innocent" system and it was essentially chaos.
To continue the science metaphor I brought up earlier, in science, you can't just make a claim and expect people to find evidence to disprove it. The opposite is true: You have to find evidence showing that your hypothesis is likely beyond a reasonable doubt and the same holds true in our legal system.
So did Casey Anthony get away with murder? Maybe. But we can't say beyond a reasonable doubt that she's guilty. As upsetting as it may be, the system worked. The prosecution needed to step up their game to prove their case and they didn't. But the way the system is designed, the most functional system we've been able to develop as a species so far, worked.
Am I saying that this is not a tragic situation? No. Regardless of how she died or if she was murdered, it is a tragedy that Caylee's life was cut short and this is a wake up call to all of us to take better care of our children and be wary of suspicious behavior that could put others in danger.
Those of you who don't live in a hole (which, seeing as you're reading this on the internet, I'm guessing is all of you) have no doubt heard by now the verdict of the Casey Anthony trial. Based on the reaction I've seen on Facebook and Twitter, people are livid about the verdict and seem to think that justice has not been served.
I'd argue, however, that justice was served. Now before you all lynch me, a common misconception needs to be cleared up. Many people assume that "not guilty" and "innocent" are the same thing when, in fact, they are not. A ruling of not guilty does NOT imply that the jury thinks the defendant is innocent. What it does mean is that the prosecution did not prove their case that the crime in question was committed. In lay terms, these two may mean the same thing but in legal terms, they're not. I liken this to the scientific concept of a theory and the lay conception of a theory. The two are COMPLETELY different and the lay conception of a theory is actually closer to the scientific term "hypothesis."
In this case, the prosecution really only had circumstantial evidence and they could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Casey murdered her daughter. In other words, there are possible other explanations that are not completely out of nowhere ("The devil made her do it!!!!") that cannot be dismissed based on the evidence presented. The burden of proof rested on the prosecution and they failed to prove their case.
Some have accused this as being a flaw in the legal system and, again, I'd argue the opposite as it protects the innocent from being accused of a crime they did not commit and being incarcerated for it (***Special note: I am NOT implying that Casey Anthony is innocent***). This is where the concept of "innocent until guilty" comes into our legal system. If we had the opposite, guilty until proven innocent, people could be accused of any crime that they did not necessarily commit and be thrown into jail.
Believe it or not, we actually had this system at one point in our country. Think back to Salem, MA when people were being accused of being witches and then burned unless they could prove their innocence (which, in most cases, they could not). This is an example of the "guilty until proven innocent" system and it was essentially chaos.
To continue the science metaphor I brought up earlier, in science, you can't just make a claim and expect people to find evidence to disprove it. The opposite is true: You have to find evidence showing that your hypothesis is likely beyond a reasonable doubt and the same holds true in our legal system.
So did Casey Anthony get away with murder? Maybe. But we can't say beyond a reasonable doubt that she's guilty. As upsetting as it may be, the system worked. The prosecution needed to step up their game to prove their case and they didn't. But the way the system is designed, the most functional system we've been able to develop as a species so far, worked.
Am I saying that this is not a tragic situation? No. Regardless of how she died or if she was murdered, it is a tragedy that Caylee's life was cut short and this is a wake up call to all of us to take better care of our children and be wary of suspicious behavior that could put others in danger.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Taco Tuesday!
I meant to post this earlier but, sadly, my life has been once again consumed by school. Why did I think it was a good idea to take organic chemistry in the summer? I must've taken some whacky pills that day. Anyway, I have a test Thursday so I'm really studying hard... as evidenced by me writing this blog post.
Anywho, a few nights ago I found myself having to cook for myself. For someone who's living at home for the summer, I found this quite distressing as I am used to my parents preparing most meals for me. Luckily for me, my mommy and I happened to go on a trip to Whole Foods in the recent past so I knew I had some delicious organic tortillas in my fridge. Perfect for tacos!
And then I remembered I'm a vegetarian. Fuck.
For those of you who have never been underwhelmed by a vegetarian taco they're generally not that exciting and usually consist of cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes. Woo.
Thankfully, the taco is the most versatile fruit so I decided to improvise based on what I happened to have in the fridge. I came up with organic asparagus, red, orange, and yellow peppers, and summer squash. I chopped these up and decided I should probably cook them. (Can you even eat raw asparagus?) I got out a pan and put some olive oil in it and sauteed (or whatever the fancy cooking term is) them for... well, I didn't keep track of the amount of time. You can't rely on me for all the answers, discover things for yourself, man!!! But to give you an idea of when they're done... whenever the fuck you feel like it. I mean... you can just put them in there for two minutes and basically just get a bunch of hot vegetables and, hey, if you're cool with that then I'm cool with that! I accept you for who you are. Otherwise try cooking them until you poke them with a stirring utensil. And you might want to look for them to change appearance a little bit. But not too much!!! If they start to turn brown and smoke then FOR THE LOVE OF GOD STOP COOKING THEM.
So now you have a bunch of vegetables that are somewhere on the moderately warm to singed spectrum. Now, put everything into the taco. That's what she said. To add variety, flavor, and, most importantly, some additional nutrients I think sprinkled some cheese on top. I used sharp cheddar because I like the strong flavor but you can use whichever cheese moves you. I'm not the Cheese Nazi who tells you what kind of cheese to like. I also discovered some organic spinach salad mix in my fridge as I was putting the cheese back and decided to add that as well.
And with that, the tacos were finished!
So I ate them.
And it was like a vegetabley cheesey food sex explosion in my mouth.
I thought of maybe adding beans next time I make them but why fix what's not broken? However, in your taco-ing life feel free to try whatever you would like and share some suggestions with me!
Speaking of sharing, I have one last thing to share with you all. I thought this was appropriate given today's topic.
Enjoy the rest of your week.
Anywho, a few nights ago I found myself having to cook for myself. For someone who's living at home for the summer, I found this quite distressing as I am used to my parents preparing most meals for me. Luckily for me, my mommy and I happened to go on a trip to Whole Foods in the recent past so I knew I had some delicious organic tortillas in my fridge. Perfect for tacos!
And then I remembered I'm a vegetarian. Fuck.
For those of you who have never been underwhelmed by a vegetarian taco they're generally not that exciting and usually consist of cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes. Woo.
Thankfully, the taco is the most versatile fruit so I decided to improvise based on what I happened to have in the fridge. I came up with organic asparagus, red, orange, and yellow peppers, and summer squash. I chopped these up and decided I should probably cook them. (Can you even eat raw asparagus?) I got out a pan and put some olive oil in it and sauteed (or whatever the fancy cooking term is) them for... well, I didn't keep track of the amount of time. You can't rely on me for all the answers, discover things for yourself, man!!! But to give you an idea of when they're done... whenever the fuck you feel like it. I mean... you can just put them in there for two minutes and basically just get a bunch of hot vegetables and, hey, if you're cool with that then I'm cool with that! I accept you for who you are. Otherwise try cooking them until you poke them with a stirring utensil. And you might want to look for them to change appearance a little bit. But not too much!!! If they start to turn brown and smoke then FOR THE LOVE OF GOD STOP COOKING THEM.
So now you have a bunch of vegetables that are somewhere on the moderately warm to singed spectrum. Now, put everything into the taco. That's what she said. To add variety, flavor, and, most importantly, some additional nutrients I think sprinkled some cheese on top. I used sharp cheddar because I like the strong flavor but you can use whichever cheese moves you. I'm not the Cheese Nazi who tells you what kind of cheese to like. I also discovered some organic spinach salad mix in my fridge as I was putting the cheese back and decided to add that as well.
And with that, the tacos were finished!
So I ate them.
And it was like a vegetabley cheesey food sex explosion in my mouth.
I thought of maybe adding beans next time I make them but why fix what's not broken? However, in your taco-ing life feel free to try whatever you would like and share some suggestions with me!
Speaking of sharing, I have one last thing to share with you all. I thought this was appropriate given today's topic.
Enjoy the rest of your week.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
The (Facebook) Bystander Effect
It's a Saturday night and so far this evening I ran 8 miles, chased a rabbit around the yard, and learned the medical term for man-boobs. One thing I did not do, however, is have any sort of social contact minus a few texts seeing if some friends were free this evening (Obviously they were not).
I know you're probably thinking, "Oh God, Joey's going to bitch about not having friends again." While most of the time you would be right (Let's be honest: I'm pretty damn good at bitching) bear with me because this is actually going somewhere productive.
Anyway, where was I? Oh right, not having a social life. So here I was, sitting by my lonesome when I got the idea to post something on Facebook seeing if anyone wanted to hang out. Despite posting the most witty, insightful, and though provoking status I could, no one responded. Whomp whomp. This isn't the first time this has happened, nor will it be the last. I was pondering why the fuck this kept happening when two explanations came into my head:
(Actually, quite a few more came into my head. But these seemed the most likely. I don't think all my friends being abducted by aliens and replaced with illiterate sheep who have hacked into their Facebook accounts is very plausible).
The first explanation is that I'm completely unbearable to be around because I'm annoying as all fuck, smell, am ugly as sin, a real asshole, hated by everyone, or some combination there of. While this is definitely a viable theory because no one wants to to spend time with people with those traits, it's more than likely a product of my paranoia because sometimes I convince myself of some pretty ridiculous things.
I decided to think a little more rationally for an explanation. Suddenly, it hit me as I thought back to my social psychology class and something known as the bystander effect.
Those of you who haven't taken social psychology or even introductory psychology are probably thinking, "What the fuck is the bystander effect?" ...or some variant of that. The bystander effect is an interesting phenomena that occurs when people are confronted with an emergency situation in which someone else needs help. If there's just one person there, they will be significantly more likely to attempt to help than if there is a group of people around. This is believed to occur because when more people are around, people feel less personally obligated to help and the sense of responsibility is diffused throughout the group. Unfortunately, this usually results in no one helping. An example of this from my social psych class was this chick named Feline Genwjwthaiothabgtasjgnasg, or something like that, who was murdered in an alley in New York and, despite crying for help, none of her neighbors called the police.
So what the hell does this have to do with my Facebook post? Think about the way Facebook works: We each have a couple hundred (or, for those who are particularly insecure, a couple thousand) friends that all of our status updates, links, etc. get sent out to. Each of those friends has a couple hundred/thousand friends (again, depending on their level of insecurity). Each of these friends acts as a bystander of sorts and thus everyone develops a, "Oh, someone else will respond" attitude and no one responds even if they may be bored and looking for something to do. I am coining this "the Facebook bystander effect."
Another example from my life was back in March when I was looking for someone to see Girl Talk with me. I posted repeatedly on Facebook asking if anyone wanted to go with me because the person I was originally going with was no longer able to go. Bear in mind that GT sold out two back to back shows in Minneapolis. How many people do you think responded? ZERO. Thankfully, I ran into my friend Edwina (isn't her name AWESOME?!) and she told me she wanted to go. I asked why she didn't respond on Facebook and she said, "Oh, I thought someone else would want to go so I figured I'd wait and see." Like in the real life bystander effect, there were many virtual bystanders so she had just assumed that someone else would respond because of a sort of diffusion of responsibility (although in this case there's no responsibility, but to keep in the context of the original bystander effect I'll use that term).
Now, I realize this is quite the stretch to go from a real life emergency to something as silly as Facebook but think about it abstractly and you'll see that the general concept, the more people there are the less likely someone will act, carries over. Of course, there are other problems. My thinking is in no way based on any empirical evidence because I don't have fucking time to do experiments for fun. I do think the anecdotal evidence suggests there may be something there. Also, it is based off of a theory that actually has empirical evidence behind it. So if any of you happen to be a researcher and want to test this theory out, let me know! *wink wink nudge nudge*
There are some other applications of the Facebook bystander effect that, assuming it's actually happening, I'd be interested in exploring as well. For example, does this still happen if the person making the post has few friends? Are people more likely to respond if they themselves have few friends? What factors can increase responsiveness to a request on Facebook (humor, invoking a sense of obligation, etc.)? How many people would respond to an actual emergency request on Facebook ("The baby's coming! Someone take me to the hospital!") and would responsiveness be affected by any of the above listed factors? Does having a picture of a sexy bikini model increase the likelihood of a response?
Finally, how can this effect be countered? Research would need to be done to make a reliable judgment of whether variations in wording or tone could result in more responses. The best way to counter the Facebook bystander effect would be to make very specific requests. In the actual bystander effect, instead of shouting, "Somebody help me!" it would be a better idea to pick one person out and point to them and shout, "Hey asswipe in the red scarf, call the police!" Okay, maybe don't call them asswipe. But you catch my drift, right?
To apply this to Facebook, instead of posting a status saying, "I'm bored. Someone want to go fly fishing?!" it would be more effective to write on one person's wall, send them a message, use the chat feature, tag them in a post, text them, use a carrier pigeon, address them specifically via smoke signals, etc. I can't promise that this will get you results, however, because it seems like people are too lazy/big of assholes to respond to texts and what not... But that's a whole different blog =)
Another way to overcome the bystander effect may to just simply be aware of it so you can consciously make an effort to notice if it is happening and hopefully act against it. So the take home message is that if you see someone who's looking for something to do or someone to go see a show with on Facebook, don't just assume someone else is going to respond and do it yourself. Chances are, everyone else is thinking, "Someone else is going to respond so why bother?" This especially applies if it's something I post. I always love comments and responses, which is why I obsessively do it on other peoples' posts all the time.
If anyone actually decides to put my little theory to the test, let me know how it goes. From a personal standpoint, hopefully by taking a more proactive and direct approach I won't be spending too many more weekends like this holed up at home.
... Or maybe I'm just an asshole.
I know you're probably thinking, "Oh God, Joey's going to bitch about not having friends again." While most of the time you would be right (Let's be honest: I'm pretty damn good at bitching) bear with me because this is actually going somewhere productive.
Anyway, where was I? Oh right, not having a social life. So here I was, sitting by my lonesome when I got the idea to post something on Facebook seeing if anyone wanted to hang out. Despite posting the most witty, insightful, and though provoking status I could, no one responded. Whomp whomp. This isn't the first time this has happened, nor will it be the last. I was pondering why the fuck this kept happening when two explanations came into my head:
(Actually, quite a few more came into my head. But these seemed the most likely. I don't think all my friends being abducted by aliens and replaced with illiterate sheep who have hacked into their Facebook accounts is very plausible).
The first explanation is that I'm completely unbearable to be around because I'm annoying as all fuck, smell, am ugly as sin, a real asshole, hated by everyone, or some combination there of. While this is definitely a viable theory because no one wants to to spend time with people with those traits, it's more than likely a product of my paranoia because sometimes I convince myself of some pretty ridiculous things.
I decided to think a little more rationally for an explanation. Suddenly, it hit me as I thought back to my social psychology class and something known as the bystander effect.
Those of you who haven't taken social psychology or even introductory psychology are probably thinking, "What the fuck is the bystander effect?" ...or some variant of that. The bystander effect is an interesting phenomena that occurs when people are confronted with an emergency situation in which someone else needs help. If there's just one person there, they will be significantly more likely to attempt to help than if there is a group of people around. This is believed to occur because when more people are around, people feel less personally obligated to help and the sense of responsibility is diffused throughout the group. Unfortunately, this usually results in no one helping. An example of this from my social psych class was this chick named Feline Genwjwthaiothabgtasjgnasg, or something like that, who was murdered in an alley in New York and, despite crying for help, none of her neighbors called the police.
So what the hell does this have to do with my Facebook post? Think about the way Facebook works: We each have a couple hundred (or, for those who are particularly insecure, a couple thousand) friends that all of our status updates, links, etc. get sent out to. Each of those friends has a couple hundred/thousand friends (again, depending on their level of insecurity). Each of these friends acts as a bystander of sorts and thus everyone develops a, "Oh, someone else will respond" attitude and no one responds even if they may be bored and looking for something to do. I am coining this "the Facebook bystander effect."
Another example from my life was back in March when I was looking for someone to see Girl Talk with me. I posted repeatedly on Facebook asking if anyone wanted to go with me because the person I was originally going with was no longer able to go. Bear in mind that GT sold out two back to back shows in Minneapolis. How many people do you think responded? ZERO. Thankfully, I ran into my friend Edwina (isn't her name AWESOME?!) and she told me she wanted to go. I asked why she didn't respond on Facebook and she said, "Oh, I thought someone else would want to go so I figured I'd wait and see." Like in the real life bystander effect, there were many virtual bystanders so she had just assumed that someone else would respond because of a sort of diffusion of responsibility (although in this case there's no responsibility, but to keep in the context of the original bystander effect I'll use that term).
Now, I realize this is quite the stretch to go from a real life emergency to something as silly as Facebook but think about it abstractly and you'll see that the general concept, the more people there are the less likely someone will act, carries over. Of course, there are other problems. My thinking is in no way based on any empirical evidence because I don't have fucking time to do experiments for fun. I do think the anecdotal evidence suggests there may be something there. Also, it is based off of a theory that actually has empirical evidence behind it. So if any of you happen to be a researcher and want to test this theory out, let me know! *wink wink nudge nudge*
There are some other applications of the Facebook bystander effect that, assuming it's actually happening, I'd be interested in exploring as well. For example, does this still happen if the person making the post has few friends? Are people more likely to respond if they themselves have few friends? What factors can increase responsiveness to a request on Facebook (humor, invoking a sense of obligation, etc.)? How many people would respond to an actual emergency request on Facebook ("The baby's coming! Someone take me to the hospital!") and would responsiveness be affected by any of the above listed factors? Does having a picture of a sexy bikini model increase the likelihood of a response?
Finally, how can this effect be countered? Research would need to be done to make a reliable judgment of whether variations in wording or tone could result in more responses. The best way to counter the Facebook bystander effect would be to make very specific requests. In the actual bystander effect, instead of shouting, "Somebody help me!" it would be a better idea to pick one person out and point to them and shout, "Hey asswipe in the red scarf, call the police!" Okay, maybe don't call them asswipe. But you catch my drift, right?
To apply this to Facebook, instead of posting a status saying, "I'm bored. Someone want to go fly fishing?!" it would be more effective to write on one person's wall, send them a message, use the chat feature, tag them in a post, text them, use a carrier pigeon, address them specifically via smoke signals, etc. I can't promise that this will get you results, however, because it seems like people are too lazy/big of assholes to respond to texts and what not... But that's a whole different blog =)
Another way to overcome the bystander effect may to just simply be aware of it so you can consciously make an effort to notice if it is happening and hopefully act against it. So the take home message is that if you see someone who's looking for something to do or someone to go see a show with on Facebook, don't just assume someone else is going to respond and do it yourself. Chances are, everyone else is thinking, "Someone else is going to respond so why bother?" This especially applies if it's something I post. I always love comments and responses, which is why I obsessively do it on other peoples' posts all the time.
If anyone actually decides to put my little theory to the test, let me know how it goes. From a personal standpoint, hopefully by taking a more proactive and direct approach I won't be spending too many more weekends like this holed up at home.
... Or maybe I'm just an asshole.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Stop Telephoning Me
I finished one of the books on my summer reading list, "Lies That Chelsea Handler Told Me"! Yahoo!!! I can't recommend this book enough. It's not quite as good as her previous books, which may be because she didn't actually write most of it, but it's still a hilarious read. One story in particular that stands out is by her assistant about a time when she takes a couple Excedrine from Chelsea's medicine cabinet. I won't say more than that to ruin it for any of you who choose to read it, but trust me, it has a hilarious twist!
Speaking of Chelsea Handler, I'm going to see her on Saturday! I can't wait!! Kristen came over tonight and we started making shirts to wear to the show. We're currently waiting for the front to dry so we can work on the back but they're going to be pretty awesome. Maybe Chelsea will notice them!
On a more serious note, the WHO today announced that it would be classifying cell phone use as possibly carcinogenic. This is kind of a disturbing revelation but it doesn't surprise me in the least because I've been cautious about possible risks from cell phone use for a while now. I'd rather be overly cautious than end up with a brain tumor down the line. There are still so many unknowns about cell phones seeing as they haven't been around for that long and many public health risks take years to show up and it's a bit disturbing how quickly we've changed our whole lifestyle to revolve around this new technology. Also, studies have shown that cell phones are linked to the decline in the bee population as well as have been shown to be able to have sometimes lethal effects on other animals.
Am I advocating that we all get rid of our cell phones? No, not at all. Just be smart about using them. Use speaker phone option when it's possible, text instead of calling, and use a headset to reduce your radiation exposure.
So what am I personally doing? All of the above. I've always hated talking on the phone anyway so it's not like I'm really giving up that much by relying mainly on testing. I also ordered a really cool headset that looks like a classic corded phone that I can plug into my phone for longer phone calls. I'm going to make sure I'm more prudent from now on and keep my phone out of my pocket when not absolutely necessary and not make phone calls in areas with poor reception. I also made sure when I bought my cell phone that it had a low SAR rating, which is a measure of how much radiation your body absorbs when the device is transmitting data. Actually, my phone is one of (if not the) lowest SAR rated phones available currently. (Some bad news for those with smart phones: In general, smart phones have some of the highest SAR ratings)
What am I NOT doing? Freaking out or doing anything drastic like not using my phone all together. I'm cautious to a point but when being cautious becomes TOO much of an interference with normal functioning, I'm not going to go there based on this announcement.
Keep in mind the following two things: First, don't listen to what the cell phone industry is saying about the results of any studies. They obviously hold a huge stake in this as it would be a HUGE blow to them if cell phones are definitively linked to cancer. Also, for those of you who actually read the research, be wary of studies that are even partially funded by the cell phone industries. It's amazing how money can corrupt even something that's supposed to be as unbiased as science and lead to whacky results.
Second, keep in mind that there is not yet a DEFINITIVE link between cell phone use and cancer. There is just evidence that suggests that it may cause cancer so don't panic. The announcement today wasn't based on any new research but instead a review of research that has already been done. Don't run to the doctor or toss your cell phone yet. Again, be prudent. If you'd like more information on what you can do to limit your exposure, visit the Environmental Working Group's page on cell phone safety. They have lots of fantastic tips, ratings on accessories, and you can even look up the SAR rating of your phone to see how much radiation you're exposed to. Stay safe, everyone!
Speaking of Chelsea Handler, I'm going to see her on Saturday! I can't wait!! Kristen came over tonight and we started making shirts to wear to the show. We're currently waiting for the front to dry so we can work on the back but they're going to be pretty awesome. Maybe Chelsea will notice them!
On a more serious note, the WHO today announced that it would be classifying cell phone use as possibly carcinogenic. This is kind of a disturbing revelation but it doesn't surprise me in the least because I've been cautious about possible risks from cell phone use for a while now. I'd rather be overly cautious than end up with a brain tumor down the line. There are still so many unknowns about cell phones seeing as they haven't been around for that long and many public health risks take years to show up and it's a bit disturbing how quickly we've changed our whole lifestyle to revolve around this new technology. Also, studies have shown that cell phones are linked to the decline in the bee population as well as have been shown to be able to have sometimes lethal effects on other animals.
Am I advocating that we all get rid of our cell phones? No, not at all. Just be smart about using them. Use speaker phone option when it's possible, text instead of calling, and use a headset to reduce your radiation exposure.
So what am I personally doing? All of the above. I've always hated talking on the phone anyway so it's not like I'm really giving up that much by relying mainly on testing. I also ordered a really cool headset that looks like a classic corded phone that I can plug into my phone for longer phone calls. I'm going to make sure I'm more prudent from now on and keep my phone out of my pocket when not absolutely necessary and not make phone calls in areas with poor reception. I also made sure when I bought my cell phone that it had a low SAR rating, which is a measure of how much radiation your body absorbs when the device is transmitting data. Actually, my phone is one of (if not the) lowest SAR rated phones available currently. (Some bad news for those with smart phones: In general, smart phones have some of the highest SAR ratings)
What am I NOT doing? Freaking out or doing anything drastic like not using my phone all together. I'm cautious to a point but when being cautious becomes TOO much of an interference with normal functioning, I'm not going to go there based on this announcement.
Keep in mind the following two things: First, don't listen to what the cell phone industry is saying about the results of any studies. They obviously hold a huge stake in this as it would be a HUGE blow to them if cell phones are definitively linked to cancer. Also, for those of you who actually read the research, be wary of studies that are even partially funded by the cell phone industries. It's amazing how money can corrupt even something that's supposed to be as unbiased as science and lead to whacky results.
Second, keep in mind that there is not yet a DEFINITIVE link between cell phone use and cancer. There is just evidence that suggests that it may cause cancer so don't panic. The announcement today wasn't based on any new research but instead a review of research that has already been done. Don't run to the doctor or toss your cell phone yet. Again, be prudent. If you'd like more information on what you can do to limit your exposure, visit the Environmental Working Group's page on cell phone safety. They have lots of fantastic tips, ratings on accessories, and you can even look up the SAR rating of your phone to see how much radiation you're exposed to. Stay safe, everyone!
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Random Life Updates
Hello one and all!
I've just been on a blogging spree lately, haven't I? Maybe it's all the free time I have before summer class starts again. Can't fill it all with exercise, can I? ;)
I have a few short updates I wanted to share really quick that don't really fit in anywhere else but I felt deserved an appearance in here. I have a few blog ideas I'm going to be working on posting soon so look for those!
First of all, I want to start by sending my condolences to anyone who has been affected by these crazy ass tornadoes the past few days. It hit here in Minneapolis not too far from where I live and thankfully, we didn't get hit as bad as other places like Joplin, Missouri. I would like to bring up an interesting thinking/discussion point: The weather lately has been erratic and highly out of the ordinary. Am I the only one who sees this as a product of climate change? I hope people wake up and start listening to the scientists who've been warning that yes, it really is happening!
I'm also really upset that this anti-marriage amendment is going to be up for a vote in Minnesota. I'll probably post a blog about it down the line but just know that angry Joey is ANGRY!!!! >:(
I finally ordered my ticket for Lollapalooza! I'm so excited to FINALLY be going this year! There's a great line up including Girl Talk, the Naked and Famous, Muse, Cold War Kids, Flogging Molly, Cee-Lo, and so many others! It'll be my second music festival this year, too! (I went to SXSW over spring break) And, best of all, I'll be 21! Lolla is a week after my 21st so I'll still be in legal boozing heaven haha. I'm not entirely sure who I'm going with yet but hopefully this won't be a solo trip.
In other exciting news, I have less than two weeks until Chelsea Handler! So excited to see her again! I'm reading her new book and it's HILARIOUS as always.
I've been doing a lot of StumbleUpon lately and, as a result, have come across many different recipes that I want to try. As I try them, I might share a few on here. Get ready for lots of delicious vegetarian cuisine!
That about wraps up that my random blog. Like I said, stay tuned because I have some great posts in store!
Oh, one more thing: No, I did not get raptured on Saturday. I guess Jesus doesn't like agnostics. =)
I've just been on a blogging spree lately, haven't I? Maybe it's all the free time I have before summer class starts again. Can't fill it all with exercise, can I? ;)
I have a few short updates I wanted to share really quick that don't really fit in anywhere else but I felt deserved an appearance in here. I have a few blog ideas I'm going to be working on posting soon so look for those!
First of all, I want to start by sending my condolences to anyone who has been affected by these crazy ass tornadoes the past few days. It hit here in Minneapolis not too far from where I live and thankfully, we didn't get hit as bad as other places like Joplin, Missouri. I would like to bring up an interesting thinking/discussion point: The weather lately has been erratic and highly out of the ordinary. Am I the only one who sees this as a product of climate change? I hope people wake up and start listening to the scientists who've been warning that yes, it really is happening!
I'm also really upset that this anti-marriage amendment is going to be up for a vote in Minnesota. I'll probably post a blog about it down the line but just know that angry Joey is ANGRY!!!! >:(
I finally ordered my ticket for Lollapalooza! I'm so excited to FINALLY be going this year! There's a great line up including Girl Talk, the Naked and Famous, Muse, Cold War Kids, Flogging Molly, Cee-Lo, and so many others! It'll be my second music festival this year, too! (I went to SXSW over spring break) And, best of all, I'll be 21! Lolla is a week after my 21st so I'll still be in legal boozing heaven haha. I'm not entirely sure who I'm going with yet but hopefully this won't be a solo trip.
In other exciting news, I have less than two weeks until Chelsea Handler! So excited to see her again! I'm reading her new book and it's HILARIOUS as always.
I've been doing a lot of StumbleUpon lately and, as a result, have come across many different recipes that I want to try. As I try them, I might share a few on here. Get ready for lots of delicious vegetarian cuisine!
That about wraps up that my random blog. Like I said, stay tuned because I have some great posts in store!
Oh, one more thing: No, I did not get raptured on Saturday. I guess Jesus doesn't like agnostics. =)
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Summer Reading List
As I mentioned in my last blog, it's summer! Woo hoo!! Now that I have a ton of free time and don't have to be constantly reading for school, that means I have free time to read stuff I actually want to! Woo hoo! With that in mind, I thought I'd share my summer reading list. Will I finish it? Fuck no. Most of these are spill overs from winter break reading, last summer, and even high school. If any of you have read any of these, please feel free to share your thoughts!
Lies That Chelsea Handler Told Me by Chelsea Handler and Friends
I love Chelsea Handler, hence why I shelled out $90 for fourth row tickets when she's here in June. I've read all three of her other books and almost stopped breathing from laughing so hard each time so obviously I was very excited for this one to come out even if most of it was written by other people. This is actually the book I'm reading right now and so far so good!
Hyperspace and Physics of the Future by Michio Kaku
As I'm sure you're all aware, I am a nerd. One of my favorite nerdy pastimes is anything and everything science and that's why not one but TWO books by Michio Kaku, rock start theoretical physicist, have found their way onto my summer reading list. This man is a GENIUS. He has this fantastic ability to be able to explain advanced physics concepts in terms that even someone who has little background in science can understand AND, best of all, he uses minimal math. I tried reading Hyperspace over winter break but ended up not finishing it so I'm going to start from the beginning and give it a good read this time. Physics of the Future just came out in April and I have not had a chance to pick it up yet but if it's anything like Physics of the Impossible, it's going to be a nerdy good time.
Game Change by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin
Ahhhh, politics... How I love thee. This one's about the 2008 presidential election which holds a very special place in my heart because I spent so much time interning for a political campaign that year. I'm looking forward to seeing what went on behind the scenes and how Obama was able to take down McCain and his Alaskan Barbie of a running mate.
The Center of Winter by Marya Hornbacher
Marya Hornbacher is a Minneapolis author best known for her memoir Wasted in which she dives into the depths and presents the horrifying reality of eating disorders by sharing her personal struggle. I thoroughly enjoyed this book in high school and have since read her other memoir, Madness, which focuses more on her struggle with bipolar disorder (This lady has had some fucked up shit happen to her and one can't help but feel sorry for her and want to help). Despite having picked up a copy a while back, I have yet to read her fiction novel, The Center of Winter. Based on the first few pages, title, and reviews I have read, it's a pretty big downer but an excellent read.
Secret Carnival Workers by Paul Haines
Secret Carnival Workers is a collection of music journalism, poems, and other writing by Canadian poet Paul Haines. Another one I've had for a while but have not gotten around to reading. An interesting tidbit about Paul: His sperm produced one of the greatest musical geniuses, best looking, and downright awesome women of our time, the lovely Emily Haines. Anyone who shares 50% of their genes in common with that woman MUST be really, really awesome.
That's my reading list. Of course, there's always room for more so if you have a suggestion, feel free to let me know!
Lies That Chelsea Handler Told Me by Chelsea Handler and Friends
I love Chelsea Handler, hence why I shelled out $90 for fourth row tickets when she's here in June. I've read all three of her other books and almost stopped breathing from laughing so hard each time so obviously I was very excited for this one to come out even if most of it was written by other people. This is actually the book I'm reading right now and so far so good!
Hyperspace and Physics of the Future by Michio Kaku
As I'm sure you're all aware, I am a nerd. One of my favorite nerdy pastimes is anything and everything science and that's why not one but TWO books by Michio Kaku, rock start theoretical physicist, have found their way onto my summer reading list. This man is a GENIUS. He has this fantastic ability to be able to explain advanced physics concepts in terms that even someone who has little background in science can understand AND, best of all, he uses minimal math. I tried reading Hyperspace over winter break but ended up not finishing it so I'm going to start from the beginning and give it a good read this time. Physics of the Future just came out in April and I have not had a chance to pick it up yet but if it's anything like Physics of the Impossible, it's going to be a nerdy good time.
Game Change by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin
Ahhhh, politics... How I love thee. This one's about the 2008 presidential election which holds a very special place in my heart because I spent so much time interning for a political campaign that year. I'm looking forward to seeing what went on behind the scenes and how Obama was able to take down McCain and his Alaskan Barbie of a running mate.
The Center of Winter by Marya Hornbacher
Marya Hornbacher is a Minneapolis author best known for her memoir Wasted in which she dives into the depths and presents the horrifying reality of eating disorders by sharing her personal struggle. I thoroughly enjoyed this book in high school and have since read her other memoir, Madness, which focuses more on her struggle with bipolar disorder (This lady has had some fucked up shit happen to her and one can't help but feel sorry for her and want to help). Despite having picked up a copy a while back, I have yet to read her fiction novel, The Center of Winter. Based on the first few pages, title, and reviews I have read, it's a pretty big downer but an excellent read.
Secret Carnival Workers by Paul Haines
Secret Carnival Workers is a collection of music journalism, poems, and other writing by Canadian poet Paul Haines. Another one I've had for a while but have not gotten around to reading. An interesting tidbit about Paul: His sperm produced one of the greatest musical geniuses, best looking, and downright awesome women of our time, the lovely Emily Haines. Anyone who shares 50% of their genes in common with that woman MUST be really, really awesome.
That's my reading list. Of course, there's always room for more so if you have a suggestion, feel free to let me know!
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