Feel free to answer the the last two questions if the first couple are too personal. Thank you.
In this week’s reading (p 163-191) we are given more insight on what Newton believes Shakespeare is trying to say through his plays. Newton and Bates begin to make handbooks for other prisoners to be able to enjoy the work of shakespeare and be able to put their input into the discussions. The workbooks are based on the plays and a debriefing of what Newton thinks they should pay attention along with questions which make you think about what Shakespeare really meant. The one thing that stood out to me the most was when Bates asked Newton why he answered her survey with “Shakespeare saved my life,” Newton then continues to answer stating that he meant it literally and figuratively. Newton then explains that he meant it figuratively because “[he] came face to face with the realization that [he] was fake, that [he] was motivated by this need to impress those around [him], that none of [his] choices were truly [his] own.” (174) His explanation of why he meant it figuratively stuck out to me the most out of the whole section because I think we can all relate to this. Personally, I spent all of my four high school years trying to impress those around me. The way I acted, dressed, and even talked were all part of my disguise, I was doing it to impress those around me to be liked and accepted by everybody. Just like Newton had Shakespeare to release him from the bubble of always needing to impress others, I had music and marching band releasing me from the same thing. I realized that I should be who I really am and I will gain true friends who like me for who I am. Just like Newton have you ever felt the need to always be impressing those around you? Do you still feel like you are still motivated to be someone you are not? Why do you think people are always driven to make choices according to what other people think about them? Do you believe it is a social or mental issue?
Feel free to answer the the last two questions if the first couple are too personal. Thank you. 3/31/2016 07:49:53 pm
Since I do not feel the first couple of questions are not too personal I will begin by saying I used to feel like I needed to impress everyone around me. To an extent I still do, but it was more so in elementary, middle, and high school. I have never felt good enough because of how I looked and the clothes I wear. Sometimes I still do not feel good enough because the only makeup I wear is mascara, and as everyone knows, makeup is so in these days. Though, I do not feel like I need to be someone I am not. I have never liked makeup or dressing up every single day so it does not really bother me for the most part. Thankfully, I have never felt the need to be the type of person who does that. It takes way too much time in my opinion. Unfortunately, there are people who are that type of person because it is the thing to do these days.
Alejandra Granados
4/2/2016 03:45:20 pm
This is actually really funny because as I read that same quote I stopped reading and thought of my personal experience. As well as you, I felt that I needed to impress those around me, especially in high school. There’s so much going on that people tend to think that you have to act, dress, and look a certain way to “fit” in. Honestly, now I look back and think I was silly because those people I was so worried to please are not paying my bills or even my friends. I don’t even remember who the “cool” kids were. I realized that there are more important things in life to be worrying about impressing people who in the long run will become irrelevant. I don’t have those feelings now I can care less what people think about me now, and honestly it is a good feeling to just be yourself without worry of what anybody else thinks. I think people are influenced by others choices because they feel a need to belong to a group. Or to even feel some sort of power towards others. Society now a days paints a perfect picture of the perfect person, and some people might think that if they don’t meet that painting they are not part of society. In high school students tend to be cruel and if you are not like everyone else they tend to put you down and talk about the way you look or dress. I feel like that is the reason why some people are so worried about the way they look because they don’t want to feel less than others. Newton mentions that “…the way that [he] felt about [himself] had to be the source of all [his] misery” (174) and I agree with him. If you don’t like the way you are nobody will and it will only damage yourself in the long run.
Shellie Virden
4/3/2016 10:11:53 am
Personally, I don’t feel the need to impress those around me. I used to when I was younger, but as I have gotten older I always try and stay true to myself. I think that people are driven to make choices based upon what other people think in order to “fit in”. Like Newton, many people (especially younger people) are heavily influenced by who they hang out with, creating a strong pressure to be liked. This is why people make decisions that they may not have wanted to, but did so because it meant that they would fit in. Newton talks a lot about how the choices he made weren’t his own and I think that a lot of people can relate to what he is saying. As for the last question, I think that this is more of a social issue than a mental issue. I believe that the reason for this is peer pressure. We are all influenced by the people we surround ourselves with, just as the saying goes, “you are who you hang out with”. I think that the feeling of wanting to impress those around us affects younger people more than older people. In the article “What is Peer Pressure” on About.com, Dr. Elizabeth Hartney said that those affected by peer pressure, “have not yet established their own values or understanding about human relationships or the consequences of their behavior”. I think this is really true and is a reason why many people give into peer pressure and make choices that they don’t necessarily want to.
Shang Yang
4/4/2016 01:09:53 pm
Fitting in. Expressing yourself to others just exactly how they want so that you can finally fit into a certain specialized clique. The desperate feeling of acceptance from your peers that makes you turn the real you into a fake you. The fear of being denied by other just because of the way you dress, act, live, eat, and behave. I find it sad how, in today's society, we all have to fit into a certain clique. A clique that defines us based on appearance and lousy rumors. Like everyone else, I did try to fit into groups that don't define who I really am. During grade schools, I always wanted to be known as one of the "super cool and awesome popular kids". I tried to talk to the popular kids in the classes just to make myself a little bit cooler. I began to dressed more classy and fancy just to be known by others. But as the years go by, I founded a group that accepts me for the real me. I did not have to dress up or talk to the "popular kids". I can actually recognize myself, my real self through them. Although I still do get motivated by others, I try to imitate their style with my own. I believe this is a social issue with a combination of mental issue. Society triggers the pressure to make us think we need to make a certain action. This will result in depression and other mental illnesses. Do not ever let society define who you really are. The true person within your heart is the only one who have the rights to determine who you really are. Never let yourself go and hold onto yourself because at the end it will only be you, and only you, who will guide you to the right path of your life. Accept yourself first before listening to others nonsense. Forget what people thinks about you. Go and explore the real you. Accepting oneself is the way of life.
Harman Dhaliwal
4/4/2016 07:21:53 pm
I feel that everyone can relate to these questions given that we all went through high school. A large part of high school is finding yourself and deciding what will truly allow you to experience genuine happiness. I, like I'm sure most did, had to stop trying to impress others because it was what always offset my happiness. Once I began to remove those clouds of negativity, I noticed a change in my attitude, education, and in my personal life. I was fortunate that I never had the problem of "looking up to the popular kids". My high school was relatively small and everyone knew each other. Likewise, it didn't take much to be considered a "cool kid". All I had to do was participate in sports, be involved at school, and be friendly. I had those covered, but I always felt out of place. It turns out, I let it get to my head and it almost ruined high school for me. Because of this, the whole idea I feel is a metal issue more than anything. Once you decide that there is no purpose behind impressing others, you win the war against your mind. I no longer feel the need to act like someone I'm not. As a result, I'm happier and more content with my friends, family, education, and employment.
Lindsey H
4/6/2016 11:39:31 am
I think everyone goes through a stage when they’re younger where you try and dress or act differently to feel accepted. I certainly did when I was younger which is why in some aspects of life I look up to my little brother. He is in 6th grade and since he could walk and talk he did not ever care what people thought about him. He is his own person and I love that about him. When we are young, we are so malleable and it is hard because you are going through changes and growing up. Now I certainly do not act in any different way to impress anybody. I’ve learned that I love who I am and I think that is so important for everyone to love themselves for who they truly are. In sociology with Professor Olave last semester I learned that we have “ingroups” and “outgroups” and it is just human nature to want to be associated with a “group” and preferably an ingroup. So that is why I believe that people are motivated to try and impress others. We are also living in a world where social media rules people's lives so every second of everyday teens and young adults are seeing what the media is branding “cool” and I feel that really affects kids and even adults. It is definitely a social issue because it is a large sample of people who feel this way and not just a few random cases. The way the media uses technology is great but not everything you see is. Going beyond the context of the book and applying this to current world problems and this is is a very controversial issue. I am not sure there is a solution yet to this problem to completely wipe out the feeling of needing to be someone you’re not.
Justin Solis
4/6/2016 03:35:10 pm
This is a really good questions. Much like you Cynthia, I have spend my whole life trying to impress everybody else with the way I look and dress. But the difference with me is that I actually enjoy looking good for other people. It makes me feel better so I believe its good for me to get a sense of approval. And no I do not feel like I am motivated to be anybody else except myself. I love living in the spotlight for some odd reason and by all means for the rest of my life I will live in the spotlight that is good. I believe people make other choices that they do not want to make, just to fit in. I believe that is NOT the way to go. I believe that you have to do what makes you happy. Just like you did Cynthia, you made friends that accepted you for who you are. That is all you need in life. Life is full of choices, so do not go through life making all of the wrong choices. I believe trying to fit in is a mental issue. Be true to yourself and comfortable in your own skin.
Danielle Izaguirre
4/10/2016 12:19:13 pm
In a way during high school I would act different just to fit in. However, I would dress however I wanted. I have never liked dressing up mainly because I like to feel comfortable. I did not care how people thought of me by the way I dressed and I still do not. In high school, I would either wear jeans and a tee-shirt or basketball shorts and a tee-shirt, that's it. With expectations on days that I had to dress up for certain classes I had or events I would attend in school. But I believe my personality or the way I would talk would change according to who I was near or hanging out with. Such as with my friends I would just make everything into a joke, but when I was in my AP class I would act more sophisticated when it was necessary.
Jordyn Luna
4/11/2016 10:43:34 am
I firmly believe that people act differently in front of others to impress them. I used to do this all the time, especially in high school. I feel like in high school it is a little more acceptable because you are still just trying to find yourself and feel like you belong. You want to be able to fit in with everyone, be able to attend whatever functions happen outside of school, or just have a wide range of friends. It makes sense when you are a little younger, but as you enter into college it is different.
Alicia Torres
4/12/2016 03:49:50 pm
I think that everyone has gone through a time in their life where they have tried to be someone they're not just to impress those around them. I think this is stronger in middle school and high school kids because that is the time when people want to belong in a group and be part of something. During high school I wouldn't say I changed who I am or would act differently but I would dress a certain way. I'd wear what was in to fit in with everyone but I never changed who I am because that is one thing I believe people should never do. Being yourself is what makes you unique and different from everyone else but most importantly it's what makes you you. I think people make these choices according to what other people think because like I mentioned above people want to fit in and not be left out of something. I believe that it can be both a social and mental issue. It is a social issue because we are influenced by others like friends,family, social media, etc,. It is a mental issue because we are internalizing what they think is acceptable. By internalizing what others think is the way to act or dress we are then changing our mindset to think that they are right.
Amado Rodriguez
4/14/2016 12:09:59 am
Mikayla Lockard
4/15/2016 08:45:35 am
I loved figuring out what the title, “Shakespeare Saved my Life”, finally meant. It’s interesting to see how Shakespeare opened up Newton’s eyes to understanding that the choices he made were his own and that he got himself where he is today. This is so true in life because the choices each individual makes affects their own life and gets them to the places they are at in life. Yes other people can motivate you or influence you to do those things but you alone are the ones making these decisions. Personally I did care what people thought about me and made choices so people would look at me a certain way. I put so much unnecessary time and effort into trying to make people like me when it wasn’t even me. I was doing things and making choices that weren’t even making me happy just to please others when, when I did please them that didn’t make me happy either. I am fortunate to have still realized at such a young age that it doesn’t matter how people look at me. If I’m doing things that makes me happy then that’s all that matters because it’s my life and people have their own life to live. Everybody has their own life to live where they can make the choices they want. I do believe everybody should make choices that doesn’t compromise their own happiness because life is too short to be anything but happy.
Jacob Rohn
5/6/2016 09:34:16 am
I have never felt the need to conform or fit into society in any major way. The only instance I can recall trying to appease to someone was by switching from short ankle socks to long black socks because my little sister said they "weren't cool" and I "looked like a dork". Other than that instance I have never felt the need to try and do something just because someone said I should. People in today's society try too hard to not step on each other's toes or hurt each other's feelings. I believe it is a social issue that people try so hard to fit into a larger group or bigger picture. People need to be themselves and not let others affect their choices and actions.
Megan Rebello
5/18/2016 09:24:33 am
In today's society I feel like many people feel pressured to be like everyone else. Social media definitely plays a role in this as well as our peers around us. Middle schoolers and high schoolers are at a very impressionable age throughout those years. They copy what they see their friends doing as well as what they see online or in magazines. I definitely agree that people don't actually act the way the want to or look the way they truly want to. I've been there as I'm sure many of you guys have as well. Comments are closed.
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