Professors, Parables, and Positive Externalities

In economics, externalities are anything that one produces that isn't considered in costs or benefits. For example, when a factory produces steel, the smoke that belches from the stacks is a negative externality since everybody gets to deal with it, but the factory itself doesn't pay the cost. Similarly, a friendly and rich neighbor who puts on a private fireworks display produces a positive externality because the whole neighborhood will get to enjoy the fireworks.

As Jim Kearl, BYU Economics professor put it, "All of Christ's parables tell you one thing: produce positive externalities or you go to Hell!"

A laughable connection, but a valid one.

You see, production of positive externalities is always low. Mutual enjoyment of activities is always appreciated, but underproduced. When the good Samaritan stopped for the traveller, he produced a positive externality by benefitting his neighbor at cost to himself. Last week, my mom and dad knew I was having a rough time, so they called and left messages letting me know they missed me. More positive externalities!

The power of positive externalities is a curious thing, however. We (as manual-reading LDS persons) tend to think of it as SERVICE, the magic word of Scouts, mothers, and college acceptance committees. When one produces service, there is an obvious benefit to society (the positive externality). However, what Dr. Kearl failed to mention is what Christ taught about positive externalities and service, as he voiced from his Father.

"For this is [my economic benefit]: to bring to pass the [positive externality] of man."

A curious thing! It would seem as though a higher law transcends economic principles! That, however, leads into a discussion of market failures...and frankly, that's just for another time.

Bad Attitude

"Another stupid floor meeting," I thought as I reluctantly walked out of my door room and into the hall. My fellow roommates were being annoying happy which I didn't understand because floor meetings have got to be the most boring thing next to staring at a wall.

Ok, maybe I'm making floor meetings sound a lot worse than they are. I mean who wouldn't want to gather as a hall and discuss boys, classes, and ways to improve friendships? Maybe I'm just being Debbie Downer but honestly they are the biggest waste of time. I could be doing more important things like writing this blog.

All of us gathered in the lobby of our building as our RA began discussing plans for upcoming events and reading inspirational quotes, etc. I slouched in my chair, watching the clock, hoping the meeting would come to a conclusion sometime soon. And then, I looked at all the girls and noticed how happy they were. Maybe if I at least tried to apply myself, I could get something out of that meeting.

My RA went on to explain that everyone has trials, but that's how we gain strength in this life. I perked up and recalled learning in my Book of Mormon class earlier that day about how the Lord prunes, digs, and dungs his vineyard(us) but it ultimately produces more fruit to grow on the trees. I loved learning about that in my class, so I decided to share it with all the girls in the meeting.

I realized that I should be more open to learning opportunities and that connections are indeed everywhere around us. In all honesty, I actually enjoyed today's floor meeting and I know now that next time I wont walk in with a preconceived idea that it will be a waste of my time. Everything we do, no matter how boring or annoying it may seem at the time, is only for our benefit.

To cook or not to cook. That is the question

Before I decided to come to BYU I contemplated the idea of just going to culinary school. Cooking has always been a passion of mine and something that I knew I eventually wanted to pursue. Yet after a lot of mental debate and long nights of stressing over not knowing what to do with my life, I came to the decision that in this suffering economy, there is nothing more valuable than a college degree. What what made my that much harder, however, was the fact that BYU has absolutely no culinary program at all. Alas i felt momentarily defeated.
But I wasn't about to give up without a fight. I researched all the possible outlets for any type of cooking class and found one called "cooking for the home." I jumped at the first chance and reworked my entire schedule just so that i could have my cooking outlet. And while I have found the class to be almost insultingly basic, I also found other ways to "get my fix of cooking". In french we are in our food unit and so learning how to pronounce all the different foods and beverages in french. Then in chemistry, I found that combing chemicals in their stiochiomentric relationships is almost like following a recipe. Lastly, in my free time, as nerdy as it sounds, I look up recipes to dishes and desserts that I plan on making at some point.
While I miss having a kitchen and being able to cook whenever I please, this has been a major learning experience for me. I have learned just how passionate I really am about cooking, but also how I can incorporate it into all parts of my life. My new plan is to go to culinary school during my springs and summers and maybe even use my new knowledge of french to do a culinary study abroad in the heart of the culinary world-Paris. Yet however things turn out, I know that this will be a life long passion of mine.

Talkin 'Bout My Generation

This past weekend my grandma, mom, and younger brother came to visit me from Wisconsin. On Sunday, my mom and brother came with me to stake conference. One of the speakers was President Larry T. Hall, and in his talk, he mentioned the numerous changes in society and government that has occurred since his grandparents were born. This was interesting because there were many times throughout the weekend, while I was hanging out with my family, that the topic of changes happening over time occurred. We talked a lot about the way colleges have changed since my grandma went to college and the different activities that college students are involved with. Even since my mom was in college, things have changed so much. It's crazy to think how much times have changes from generation to generation and that everything will continue to change so that by the time we have our own kids, the activities and things we're doing now will seem so old and strange to them.

Looking inward and outward

In my music classes throughout elementary school, we sang a cute little song about making friends and being happy. The majority of the song consisted of repetition of the phrase, "I'm downright, upright, inright, outright, happy all the time!"

I love that! It reminds me of my strongly held belief that, in the face of any circumstances, we can choose to be "happy all the time." But there's another aspect of the song's wording that has kept bringing it to mind recently - the "inright, outright" part.

That's because for my leadership class I've been learning and reading a lot about two seemingly opposing "in" and "out" concepts. First, when it comes to leading and motivating others, you absolutely have to start by looking inside yourself. You focus on personal improvement before you try to effect change in others. But then, second, you don't focus on yourself. Rather, you must look outside yourself to the greatest degree possible, serving others and focusing on their needs.

Seems a little contradictory.

But President Uchtdorf helped clear up some of the confusion with his statement that we gain humility not by thinking less of ourselves but by thinking less about ourselves. The key here in my mind is humility. When I'm humble, I am willing to look inward and make the changes necessary to be the kind of person (and leader) that I need to be. As I am make those changes, and in the same spirit of humility, I want to help others more than I want to help myself.

Through this process of trying to look simultaneously inward and outward, I've been able to develop stronger relationships with many of my roommates, classmates, and others. It's a great pattern for living that brings a lot of joy. So it's fitting that the song ends: "It's good just to know I've made a lot of friends. I'm downright, upright, inright, outright, happy all the time!"

Enjoying Curses

One of the fun things I got to do over the weekend was play Curses, a card game, with a bunch of people I hardly knew. In Curses, a player must draw a challege card and do whatever rediculous antic it tells him or her to do. After this, the player gets to draw a curse card and give it to someone else. These curses include having to speak like a pirate, being forbidden to bend your elbows, and having to imitate the person on your right. The player must obey this card for the rest of the game. It's so funny to watch, and even more fun to play.It's amazing to me that a single activity can turn complete strangers into friends. I haven't laughed so hard in a long time.

You're probably wondering why this is my blog entry. Well, Curses is a completely insane game, therefore it can be compared to life.

Life comes with a set of rules, but you're brought into the game not knowing what's in store or how challenging it will be. At times, it seems like everyone around you has gone completely bonkers and there's no rhyme or reason that you can see. There are people who yell at you, compliment you, or tell you outrageous lies. There are times where you simply have to swallow your fear and do what you know you're supposed to, even if you really wish you didn't have to. And there are times when you laugh so hard you cry.

People are willing to help you through your challenges. They'll explain things you can't understand, or translate when others don't understand you. Sometimes you'll need to let them do things you can't do for yourself. Some will create your challenges, but it gives you a chance to grow. Everyone has different "curses" in life. Some are less noticeable than others, but they are still there. Each is difficult in its own way, and the best way to get through is to help each other.

Rising from the Ashes

My senior year of high school, I decided that I would actually do all the assigned reading. I had squeezed a 90% A out of my junior English class, but it was a miserable A. Besides the summer reading, the first book we read was The Quiet American by Graham Greene.

There are three main characters in The Quiet American, one symbolizing U.S. involvement in Vietnam, another symbolizing European involvement, and a third symbolizing Vietnam, named Phuong. One of the first lines in the book caught my attention and has stayed in my memory.

" 'Phuong,' I said — which means Phoenix, but nothing nowadays is fabulous and nothing rises from its ashes."

Upon reading this, I thought of the phrase, "a voice of one crying from the dust," a metaphor for how the Book of Mormon would come in the final days. We recently read Jacob 5 in Rel A 121 (and will review it today) and some of us may have paused upon reading this line:

"Counsel me not; I knew that it was a poor spot of ground; wherefore, I said unto thee, I have nourished it this long time, and thou beholdest that it hath brought forth much fruit." Is this not analogous to the Phoenix, rising from the ashes?

I spoke with a friend yesterday as a bit of a complaint; I ranted about people who "had it easier." How wrong that is. The greatest leaders and men of the world forsook wealth and luxury to serve the world, that through their efforts, life is not as bad now. Lincoln had many sleepless nights in his two years as president; Washington spent years without seeing his wife or family; Abraham was asked to sacrifice to God what he had prayed for for decades; Moses watched his people turn to wickedness in spite of miracles; Joseph Smith was seen as a madman; Christ was followed by many who were not there to see his miracles and believe on his name, but catch him in his words and find a way to have him executed. And they succeeded! He was executed in a most painful manner. How can we call him a hero, if we do not wish to follow in his footsteps?

"We...hope to be able to endure all things."

There are many among us who believe they are given "poor ground." That will never fully determine your level of achievement in life. There are many ways to rise, as a phoenix from the ashes; we need not be bound by social norms and assumed levels of achievement. There will always be something magnificent we can do, that through our efforts now, life can be a little bit better later. And what do we live for, but to ease the burden of another?