Diving In

A man approaches you at the store. Looking confused, he seems to ask a question, but the words don’t register in your mind. ¿No hablas inglés?Unable to comprehend the foreign tongue, you simply shrug your shoulders and walk away in confusion. He walks on, presumably finding another means of achieving his goal. You, on the other hand, wonder what you could (or maybe should) have done. Whose fault was it that nothing was accomplished: the foreigner, or the citizen? The argument for one official or national language is at often times difficult. On one hand, it makes thing easier in terms of communication and efficiency in the work place. Misunderstandings and confusion will decrease, giving America an overall better product. On the other hand, forcing someone to learn a language is almost preposterous. While it may benefit them, the time and money it would take to properly learn English would be wasteful in the eyes of many immigrants. Respecting the culture of each and every person is...

Pinker's argument about human speech is very intriguing and made me think about my daily life. Inspired by his analysis about the true meaning of our words, I have decided to take a step back and pick apart the nuances of language; more specifically, I wish to focus on inflection. Inflection, as defined by my savior Merriam-Webster, is the " change in pitch or loudness of the voice." Even if you were not aware of the definition of inflection, chances are you have heard of the term. I think this is a great example of the importance of inflection in everyday life. Let's examine what is probably the most used term in human history: "hello." In its most simplistic form, it functions as a greeting between two distinct parties. Then begins the convolutions . Forms like "hey," and "hi," begin to emerge, meaning different things. A simple gesture of "hello" is mainly used in business settings or when meeting someone new. ...

"Death is stronger than me," a statement that encompasses life, however ironic that may seem. The somewhat "insignificant" venture of life ends in complete finality. Despite religious beliefs of life beyond death or reincarnation, one thing is for sure: your life, right now , will end. As somber as that is, it is reality. This begets a very intriguing question - what do you do? Do you decide to live recklessly, navigating the white water rivers of danger and the unknown? Do you stroll down the path laid out for you, never stepping outside the boundaries set for you? Or do you wallow in the sorrow of what's to come, inevitably understanding that nothing matters? Many would answer in a heart beat; I would ask for more careful consideration. In the grand scheme of existence, the human life is nothing. Even the history of Earth is not a blip in the grand tapestry of creation. Even if all these facts are true, your life is meaningful to you. For this simple reas...

Long before my dedication to Social Media, my fascination with the platform compelled me to ask Merriam-Webster's great-great-great-grandson the definition of "Social Media." Through something described as a "DM," he responded with Social Media being " forms of electronic communication (such as websites for social networking and microblogging) through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content (such as videos)."  I began to use Social Media in sixth grade. I liken the use of Social Media to the term "surfing" instead of "wasting time." Utilizing Social Media is an art form, contrary to what many of the older generation believe. It takes skill, poise, and creativity to secure the most amount of likes. For many people, however, they see Social Media as an impediment to social interactions. Quite honestly, "I am sorry for them." Unless my mind has been clo...