Well, I guess I should be happy if you are still coming here to read since I've been so neglectful in posting. It was a rough summer for me--unemployment, new home, still getting acquainted here--I'll leave it at that. However, now things are busy again and I'm getting some intellectual stimulation in my classes, so hopefully this will provide something worthy of blogging.
Quick update, I'm taking science classes at the community college here in Bellingham with the intention of applying to Physical Therapy programs in Fall '09 when Allison finishes her counseling program. It's a bit humbling to be back in classes with Freshman taking subjects that I haven't seen since high school, but all in all way more interesting than any job I could think of doing in the "real world." I never thought Math and Science would be something that would appeal to me, but so far I'm pretty fascinated. I don't think I ever had an appreciation for the amount of creativity and genius it took to come up with these ways of taking apart the universe. Something about it always seemed cold and analytical to me coming from the romance of the liberal arts and criticism of social science. I'm not entirely convinced that I won't find a whole new path going this way, put writing on the back burner and see where science and the helping professions take me. I've always held these people in the highest esteem. It's one of the few fields I can think of that combines academic knowledge with a healthy lifestyle and a compassionate world view--and doesn't make you live in poverty in the process (that's always the kicker, right?). There is this nagging voice in the back of my head that keeps saying, "But Jeff, these are the same classes you would need to apply to medical school and if you're going to put three more years in and rack up all that debt anyway..." So, I don't know. I'm not writing anything in stone. Part of me wants to believe med school is something unattainable at my age and juncture in life, but when I really think about it, I can't be so sure. I'm making an agreement to myself though, if I get all As in these prerequisite classes I will take the MCAT just to see how I do. I figure that way I'll at least know I tried and I'll be perfectly happy with PT.
This semester is Human Development and Pre-Calculus. Here's something from our online discussion board in HD that's interesting, I think. We've been talking a lot about what it takes to develop as a psychologically healthy mature human being and I'm discovering that a lot of the issues that come up are very contrary to those I was raised with in a staunchly Catholic family. Things such as trust issues and empowerment, encouraging exploration and intellectual curiosity, etc. These are definitely things I didn't know anything about until I was in college. Most of Catholicism was about teaching me to stay in line, conduct myself conservatively and feel guilty about...well, pretty much everything. So my question to the class, and I'd be interested to hear other's views as well, was why are there not more studies being done on the ill-effects of religion on psychological development? If a certain religious discipline is functioning in such a way as to inhibit healthy development (and I think many people raised with too much religion can attest that it takes some getting over) should it not still be exposed as potentially harmful, even though it's veiled in spirituality? At what point do psychologists step in and say, "Look, this is not helping. At best it's a band-aid during tough times and at worst it's keeping people with loads of potential from ever taking control of their life because they think they're supposed to be so humble and quiet and polite that they never get to offer anything worthwhile to society." Karl Marx called religion the "opiate of the masses," something that keeps the poor majority passively under the thumb of a handful of wealthy rulers. I won't go that far because I do think there are some valuable morals that can come from religion when balanced by an equal (if not weightier) load of scientific thought and logical reasoning. From talking to some people I've met from European nations I often get the same response about this, "You guys are way too up tight and kind of dumb." At age 28, I agree. I think if Americans spent even half as much time studying books other than the Bible as they do studying this 2000 year old cryptic book of nearly inapplicable knowledge in a modern society most of our cultural problems would work themselves out. Our priorities as a country would shift so drastically that there's really no telling the outcome. I'd predict a less fearful, more informed, better traveled and interesting society where people are truly free to be themselves and not get persecuted for it. But who knows. I just think it's interesting and would love to hear if anyone else has thoughts. Enjoy the Fall!
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Friday, August 03, 2007
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