Lie Detector

I believe lying is bad but then we all lie about many things everyday. I read about a study that Robert Feldman, a psychology professor at the University of Massachusetts conducted with some students. He videotaped students talking to strangers then made those students recognize the things that were not true. At the end of his study he found that they said about three lies every ten minutes, and thought it was lower than he thought. He says that since lies have become part of us, we don't even realize when we lie. Human beings lie to avoid awkwardness or punishment, to please ourselves, to maintain relationships and please others. Everyone lies when they embellish stories to make them look more exciting and interesting. The best example is with Santa Claus. Why lie to your kid about it if you know is not true. I guess we do lie to kids not to break that fantasy they believe in but why lie to protect ourselves when we do something wrong. Even though many people agree and disagree that lying is a bad thing to do they still do it at some point of their lives.

Marrying Absurd

I found this story funny and at the same time ridiculous. The author, Joan Didon basically explains how absurd is getting married in Las Vegas. He believes is more of a business than a beautiful thing to do. He explains that people over there get married for convenience or just for fun. Tell me that finding a sign in the middle of the dessert that says "GETTING MARRIED? Free License Information First Strip Exit." isn’t stupid. Or how about the other commercial signs saying “Our Photos Best Anywhere, Your Wedding on A Phonograph Record, Candlelight with Your Ceremony, Honeymoon Accommodations, Free Transportation from Your Motel to Courthouse to Chapel and Return to Motel, Religious or Civil Ceremonies, Dressing Rooms, Flowers, Rings, Announcements, Witnesses Available, and Ample Parking.” I remember that back in the days weddings were something that not everyone will do because it required love and commitment and you see people getting married and divorce from one month to the other. He says he has seen people drunk at midnight getting married like if it was a game. The ones issuing the license obviously don’t care, they are there to do their little fake ceremony and get money in return. I always saw matrimony as a special promise between to people that loved each other. A promise "To have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part." But never as a business or as a game as some of them believe it is.

Beyond "Why Don't We Complain?"

I hate the fact that people are always complaining about certain problems they encounter yet they never complain about it. Maybe just because they are afraid to get in trouble or just because they know it will not solve the issue. I do complain about some things when I know they will get fixed but sometimes I don't even bother to do so because I know those are things that will take time to do. I complain when bad service is given at a restaurant, just because I pay to have someone be nice to me. I complain when people try to skip in lines, I mean if you want to get in first then wake up earlier and come in before. Some of those things I don't even bother is for example gas prices. I remember couple of years ago that with $20 my car would fill out completely and now it takes up to $35 to fill up. Who will I complain to? The owners who are making money out of us or the government who also makes its profits too? Another thing are constructions on main streets and highways. I hate it when they have to interrupt traffic at 7:00am or at 5:00pm to fix the streets. Come on, why don't they do it at night when there is no or little traffic? The cost of rent now a days is unbelievable. You will not find a decent place for less than $850, in a good neighborhood. That is ridiculous but who are you going to complain to? the owners that need to pay their mortgage? Things now a day are not easy. Rent is high, gas prices is high, food is extremely expensive, books and classes overpriced etc... then who do we complain to if no one will do anything???

The Death of the Moth by: Virginia Woolf

Even though this story was a little bit confusing and hard to understand, it became easier when I read it the second time. In her essay, Virginia Woolf is trying to make us see smaller things as precious part of our lives. She desires that human beings know that life is beautiful but it is also a struggle. She encourages each of us to fight for whatever we want in life without giving up. She portrays all this messages through her story with the moth, who struggled and encountered many boundaries in a windowpane but never gave up. In her case, she found out that life was precious just by looking at the little moth trying to make his way trough. She explains that at one point she felt pity for him but then once the moth was settle she completely forgot about him and it was when she noticed that the moth was almost dying. The ultimate message of her story is that death is part of the cycle of life and that no matter how many attempts we make, death will always find its way. I really like her story because sometimes humans don't appreciate what they have and we should be able to appreciate and respect everyone no matter the size. Her message was very strong but I loved the way she put together the story to come up with it.