Cultures around the world

I was reading the Daily Universe of December 7, 2011 and in this, I ran across an article called "Bringing Islamic Culture to BYU". I really like this opportunity that is given to those students that want to know more about other cultures.Islamic culture is one of the many cultures that needs to be understood and learned in this world, I believe that it is very important to learn about other cultures so we can understand how people are around the world. With so many bad things happening around the world, it seems that we only hear the awful things that surround these cultures, so why not learn about the good things too. The world seems to love diversity up to certain point. We like ethnic foods, home decor, things from around the world, etc. I believe that it is our responsibility to love and learn from others. These kind of opportunities such as this one that BYU is offering, help us to learn, respect, understand, accept, and learn to love other cultures around the world. The more we learn about other cultures, the more acceptance we will have for each other.

Taking it into Consideration

Kindness is probably one of the most underrated virtues in the world today. Forty years ago, you could easily walk down a random neighborhood and be welcomed with warm smiles and a friendly wave. Even twenty years ago. These days it's hard enough to get your next door neighbor to smile back at you. Of course I'm exaggerating, kind of, but really, one thing that we can't afford to undervalue is kindness. In a world filled with so much negativity, it's become so important to cherish those little things in life. I know it seems sad, but it also gives us more of an appreciation when someone stops to help you just because.

I remember a girl at school who was always nice to everyone, even girls who would tease her and make fun of her. I would think, 'why doesn't this girl ever stick up for herself and say something mean back?' Then my mom told me something that changed my outlook on life completely. She said that no matter what, nothing bad can come from being kind to others. This was an epiphany to my naive, 12 year old self. Before, I had been scared to be kind to others who were different or not as popular, but now I couldn't see what there was to be scared of. Of course it was because she was right, as mothers so mysteriously tend to be, but still to this day I am grateful to know the value of kindness.

Christmas

The Christmas season seems to start earlier and earlier each year. In some stores, Black Friday, the ultimate materialism holiday in which some people sacrifice sleep, self-respect and sometimes the blood of those in the way of a sale, starts on Thanksgiving. When did it become okay to trample an elderly store worker for the perfect and cheap Christmas gift?

My favorite Christmas songs are the religious ones. There are a few cute ones I like and some that are about peace that I like. But I've found that more and more of the newer ones just say that Christmas is wonderful over and over and over again without saying why. Also, of the old religious ones, I've had trouble trying to find recordings of a soloist I like singing the full song. Often they leave out the most sacred verses. It's sad that even the music is getting more secular.

Christmas magic is Christ. Christmas miracles occur because people make more of an effort to be Christ-like around Christmas. If we take away Christ, all we have is one really long Black Friday. And we can take away Christ from December 25th. If that happens, I'll celebrate Christ's birth in April, when He really was born. Because it's not "the most wonderful time of the year" because of the snow, Santa, gifts, and bells, but because of love. And love is not limited to a "time of the year".

Tis the Season

On Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, a mother of three shot pepper spray to keep shoppers from grabbing a video game system she wanted during a Black Friday sale, leaving 20 people with minor injuries.

I've always wondered what it was that made it so special about the holidays. What was it that brought about that warm "holiday spirit" when most people are just focused on the presents? There has always been a high demand for new toys and gifts when it comes time for Christmas, and nowadays it seems like more and more people are missing the point entirely. Sure, Thanksgiving may still be preserved in its purer form than that of Christmas, but even this can be argued in America, where Black Friday now overshadows it. So where has the spirit of thanks and love gone, only to be replaced by a spirit of buy-and-consume without stopping to think of the real reason we have these holidays?

As I read about this lady who savagely fought for a game, I continued to wonder if this sacred time of the year has been completely lost in the scramble to "get the best deal". I mean, whatever happened to just writing a nice letter or leaving those anonymous presents on the doorstep of a family in need? I've always thought that the satisfaction of serving others is worth a million times more than any material thing I have gotten for Christmas. Maybe it's just me, but I have this sneaking suspicion that it isn't. So this year, instead of giving the material, I have decided to give the spiritual; to be the smile or the extra helping hand, or just the simple words "I love you". I guess it's become my little effort in bringing back the reason we celebrate in the first place: Christ. It might seem cheesy, but probably not as cheesy as pepper spraying a few people to get a good deal.

Music

I  was observing how music is a great key to learn and understand about other cultures. Music allow us to trespass the barriers of communications and understanding with cultures around the world. It can be used to connect with others. The world is in chaos and turmoil, there is seem to be so much hatred against each other. I am not saying that music will end the problems in the world but I believe that is a way in which we can learn more about each other as human beings. It can be a way to learn and understand where we come from. It would be nice if we can look at each other as human beings instead of where we come from, countries and places should not dictate how people treat us. It is believed that music brings the best in us,  we should learn about people and their cultural background through music so we can better understand what thoughts and dreams they wish for. When children are in school and they study other cultures they tend to have a preconception of such cultures or they might  have none, these believes come from their families believes,  some are very welcoming and accepting, if we introduced these cultures in another way then, they might have their own opinions and ideas. This is when music could come into place to introduce certain culture without being bias of such. This will allow these children to view these cultures in a completely different way. Music is not the complete answer to our international problems, but it can be a way to change our thoughts and miss conceptions towards each other.

The Beauty of Economics

Economics is beautiful.

In humanities today, we watched a video that explored why humans think somethings are beautiful. We all the different theories about how biologically, some faces are more attractive than others because they "suggest" different qualities. However, that doesn't explain why a flower or mountain is pretty. We're not going to reproduce with nature. What science has found is that things that are beautiful have order. Often times it's so subtle that we miss it, but our brains are trained to search for patterns. Also we like things that are in proportion like ourselves. Let me explain. The body is arranged (mostly) according to the golden mean: 1:1.618. In application, the shorter length is to the longer length as the longer length is to the shorter plus the longer(3:5;5:8). We see this in shells, fish, flowers, faces, arms, etc. and we build buildings and paint paintings with those same proportions in the dimensions. It all goes back to God. God mad man in His own image, with His own proportions. God is a being of order. God is beauty.

So why do I say economics is beautiful? Economics is order, not proportion, but it takes complex actions and situations and makes sense and rationality out of it. I could also argue that it can bring people closer to Christ so thus, is beautiful. People who understand economics repent and forgive. Why? They know that sunk costs are irrelevant; they can't change their past actions, they can only make the best choice for the best future possible from the present point. If you did a bad thing, stop, move on and make the best choice you can. If someone hurt you, you can't change that, it's in the past. Make the best possible choice.

Economics also teaches that it's rational to be partly ignorant. Some may say "God says to learn as much as you can and study it so economics is leading you away from God". Economics also says seek and learn, but stop once it would cost you more to get the information than what the information is worth. I apply this to gospel knowledge to mean "don't go disobeying the Lord so that you can know what it feels like to lose the Spirit" and other similar things as well as "don't lock yourself away to read and study and let the rest of life pass you by". Remember that the law of diminishing returns applies to studying as well; the second hour spent studying history yields less than the first and by the sixth, you'll probably get more knowledge by switching to studying biology. There will come a point in our existence when information will be very easy get. God reached that point a very, very, very long time ago.

I forever will believe that economics is beautiful. It brings order to world and makes sense of almost everything including why we should draw near unto Christ. For those things among many, I love that lovely science.

Goals and Commandments

Goal setting was easy as a missionary. Key indicators (activities that generally led to baptisms and confirmations) were defined for you, and all you had to do was pick the numbers. Every missionary spoke the same language relative to goals because the key indicators are standard for the church.

Without predefined key indicators (activities that lead to a desired result), you have much more flexibility and ambiguity in personal goal setting. Without a set of shared key indicators, it's difficult to find accountability by communicating your goals and progress to others. I've found in trying to set goals for school, work and my personal life, both of those issues have been a challenge.

What are the most important things to consider when setting goals? There are immediate results (e.g., GPA, compensation from an employer) and there is long-term vision (e.g., graduation, promotion). What desired results should dictate the activities measured in a goal? Depends on what your priorities are.

I've discovered I'm not smart enough to figure out what's most important by myself, but thankfully the Lord provides a list. As a missionary, in addition to numerical goals, we had obedience goals. The White Missionary Handbook is a list of rules that guide missionary conduct. It laid out unambiguously how missionaries should be and act. Similar materials exist for all members of the church. For the Strength of Youth is an example of explicit definitions and guidelines. Additionally, General Conference and the standards works provide endless guidelines and principles with which we can orient our lives and prioritize our activities.

This is what I do now in goal setting: Identify the commandments I am struggling with (on my mission we would take a pencil and underline portions of the White Handbook that we were not living), and then set one measurable goal that will help bring me in compliance with that commandment. For example, in For the Strength of Youth we read, "Eat nutritious food, exercise regularly, and get enough sleep." I haven't been the best at that since I came home and started school. This month, I set the goal with my family to run 1000 miles. That is, we would all run a few miles per day and by the end of the year we will have run 1000 miles. We track our progress towards this goal to help us stay on track. Because it's a group goal, we hold each other accountable. It's been working well.

By focusing on coming into compliance with the Lord's standards, we can qualify for His blessings, find greater fulfillment and become who He needs us to become. I'm grateful that we have commandments and counsel from the Lord that I can use to direct my goal setting efforts.