Global Citizenry as a Catalyst for Change

Countless global issues plague our society. From climate change to human rights to equal access for education, there are innumerable issues that demand action; we cannot afford not to take action. Out of these issues, however, one that has always troubled me the most is poverty. Through the study of capitalism in US history, we learn of Social Darwinism and the notion that people create their own fate. Over time, this has served as a way for the rich to justify what they have and a way to explain the misfortunes experienced by others. What Social Darwinism fails to take into account is the randomness of a birth lottery and the difficulty of escaping a cycle of poverty. I can recognize that I am lucky to live in an affluent area with a roof over my head. My parents can afford to send me to my dream school, and I have never had to worry about forgoing a meal. This privilege is just that: a privilege. I did nothing differently than anyone else to be born into this family; I did not in any way outperform someone who is less fortunate. I did not earn this privilege; rather, it was a random occurrence that gave me so much. To achieve this understanding, I believe, is the first step in acknowledging that we must take action to help those around us and use what we have been given for good. Furthermore, it can be almost impossible to escape the cycle of poverty, which many often fail to realize. In order to feel better about themselves, people often do cite laziness as a reason for why others have less and hard work to justify why they have more. It’s not always that easy. Two-thirds of people living in poverty work 1.7 jobs on average. Seventeen year old Jairo Gomez failed every class his sophomore year in high school because he had to watch his eight younger siblings since his family could not afford a babysitter. He was not afforded the same opportunities as someone who could focus on education without these additional responsibilities. Moreover, even during the time he attended school, it is unlikely that his full attention would have been able to go towards studying due to his situational factors. Jairo’s lack of access to education then makes it that much more difficult to break the cycle of poverty.

To bring awareness to this issue, I think that the narrative has to be one of not only altruism, but moral obligation. Because our lives are random, we must recognize that our blessings are not a direct byproduct of something we have earned, and therefore, we have a duty to give back. Furthermore, even for those who earned their way into fortune, we must develop a greater sense of empathy for our fellow humans. There is no reason that billionaires should exist when there are children who cannot afford to receive an education or obtain their next meal. Nobody should have to suffer the conditions of poverty. We cannot afford to only think of ourselves. Improvement only comes through raising the standard of life for everyone.

When I reflect on my childhood, I fondly remember playing outside in the backyard and climbing trees. I remember my dad pushing me on the swingset and sledding down the little hill. I remember venturing into the woods and creating worlds of my own imagination.

I didn’t get my first phone until sixth grade, and what’s more, I didn’t see much of a need for one. I had never been hugely into TV or phone games, so the most I needed my iPod Touch for was music. However, I have watched my younger sister fall prey to a world that is becoming increasingly technological. While I too now find myself fairly dependent on technology, my sister, a seventh grader, regularly passes time with her friends playing Minecraft. Every single one of them is absorbed in a device; it almost seems to defeat the purpose of having plans in the first place.

It’s true that technology has its benefits. In infinitely many ways, technology has made our lives easier. It’s why I am sitting here typing this blog on a portable laptop rather than a bulky typewriter and why my friend can FaceTime me to talk even though she’s at a different school. I would even go so far as to say that technology has increased our capacity for communication – emails, instantaneous texts, phone calls – but it has arguably decreased that desire to connect.

I, like many others, have found myself in a position where I am at a social function feeling out of place. Easy solution? Go on your phone and pretend to look busy. It seems to work out pretty well until you’re on the receiving end, sitting there wondering whatever could that person possibly be doing that’s better than real life human company. It can make a person seem rude or aloof as they’re too wrapped up in their phone to talk to you, even if that was not their intent.

Technology is a blessing in some ways, but oftentimes at a price of real life social interaction. As I have watched a generation seemingly change before my eyes, all I wished for was for my sister to have the same type of childhood I did: climbing trees and indulging fantasies she created rather than being sucked away into a world that is not her own.

A Method of Approach to Thinking

1 The first of five steps to design thinking, which refers to a popular problem-solving mindset, is empathy. Empathy refers to feeling for a certain group of people. It is important to identify who you are empathizing with and how you are empathizing with them to fully identify how to approach a problem. For my project, I want to empathize with and increase self-esteem for those with mental illness by raising awareness of mental illness as a medical issue.

2 The second step of this process to define a problem you are aiming to solve. Something I believe is a problem is the stigma surrounding mental illness, which may prevent people from reaching out to obtain the help they need. I think this stigma primarily comes from a lack of understanding about what mental illness is; if it were recognized for the medical issue it is, it may make it easier for someone to seek treatment.

3 Ideate is the third step, aka creating ideas of ways to approach the problem. Because my targeted problem is lack of understanding, I want to create a comprehensive understanding of mental illness and other brain afflictions as a biological phenomenon. If someone had a broken leg, he would not avoid treatment for fear of judgement or shame; why should an imbalance or overactive activity in the brain be any different? At its core, it is both a biological and a psychological issue, which implies that there are medical ways to diagnose and treat these issues to improve lives.

4 In order to achieve step four, prototype, it would be necessary to try to design some sort of way to convey the information and research I have obtained. I could prototype different types of websites, pamphlets, posters, etc. to try to see what most effectively gets the message across. From this model, I could discover what works and what does not as I continue to strengthen the message and means of conveying it.

5 The fifth and final step would be to test. I would likely model my tests after the MIT teaching lab “play tests,” in which participants spend a short amount of time trying to digest material and then give feedback. I can use this feedback to improve my ideas and revise, thus continuing the spiral and converging to the best possible solution!

Design Challenge Framework

How might we [increase self-esteem for those with mental illnesses / increase empathy for those uneducated on mental illness] by designing [a comprehensive understanding of mental illness as a biological phenomenon] with a [potential website or campaign].

As we learned from Adam Grant, the best way to come up with an original idea is to first come up with as many ideas as possible. Based off of his theory, I have developed three project ideas to begin my journey.

1 The first idea for my project relates to the study of mental illness and the differences between a healthy brain and a diagnosed one. I want to compare a typical brain to brains with many different mental illnesses to identify the differences in activity, damage, and structure. One way to do this would be looking at brain scans to find specific details that set sick brains apart. Furthermore, depending on the available research, I would want to be able to look into the Human Connectome Project and how that relates to mental illness: Do the neural pathways of an afflicted brain differ significantly from those of a healthy brain? I would want to pinpoint the exact differences. Lastly, I would want to look into the chemical imbalances and try to find solutions that can reestablish chemical equilibrium.

2 The second idea for my project entails delving into the science of learning. I want to discover exactly how neural pathways are formed and rewired. Again, the Human Connectome Project could be a helpful resource here. I would also want to study thinking at its base: the neuron. I want to gain a better understanding of how a neural impulse travels across an axon and how that pathway can pass through other neurons and become solidified as one specific thinking pattern. I would also be interested in learning how these patterns can be disrupted or changed. How do proactive and retroactive interference affect the brain? How does consolidation of memories occur? Through learning more about how we learn, I would hopefully be able to compile some scientific evidence that supports certain methods of studying which other students may find helpful.

3 The third idea for my project involves the study of literature and its forms. I would want to look into many books across cultures and see if I can identify common themes, which therefore may indicate common cultural values. I am interested in seeing how cultures are alike and similar, and I think that literature and writing is something that can be indicative of what one values and thinks is important enough to write about. Furthermore, I think it would be fascinating to see how different authors’ backgrounds have influenced their writing – the quality, the specific details, and the perspective from which they are writing. This could even be extended to different groups of people to gain a better understanding of global perspectives on different issues and on life itself.

Coming to a Consensus

After some thought, I think that pursuing project idea 1 would be the most captivating for me right now. In terms of personal development, I think that it would make me a better person to be able to further understand and empathize with people who struggle from these medical conditions. I believe that my technical skill set will expand by pursuing this project as I gain more skills in areas of research and outreach (I would want to be able to get in touch with local scientists and doctors, hopefully). I can definitely say that I think this project will help others, both in the future as I pursue neuroscience and psychology in college and beyond, and currently as my classmates can become more informed on a topic so important in our society. Furthermore, it would be impactful to others because this project will seek to reemphasize that mental illness is a medical issue within the brain, one of the body’s most important organs. Understanding this can lead to a greater level of empathy when meeting people with certain diagnoses, such as anxiety or depression.

The idyllic education is a system in which one can pursue one’s own passions, develop questions, and seek answers with guidance and resources. Assuming my only criterion was learning, the first passion I would look forward to studying would be neuroscience. While high school science is meant primarily to develop a foundation upon which to build a wealth of knowledge, I would look forward to being able to study a specific discipline and learn more about the biology of behavior. One of the developments that rivets me the most is the Human Connectome Project, which aims to map neural functioning. Overall, the developments in this field are nothing short of outstanding — from Ingfei Chen’s laboratory-constructed brains to Daniel Amen’s 83,000 brain scans. After watching Amen’s Ted Talk in biotech my junior year, I realized that to understand people, I needed to understand the science behind human behavior. Furthermore, his work seemed revolutionary to me, because the scans reinforced that mental afflictions are medical issues originating in the brain. This is important in decreasing stigma for mental illness, and the implications of his work extend further to help people beyond blindly prescribing medication. Through brain rehabilitation programs, he has worked to change the brains of millions of people, proving that we are not stuck with the brain we have. It was his work that gave rise to my love for neuroscience, and I would love to continue developing a passion I already care so deeply about.

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton