The College Experience

The College Experience – Trend-Setter or Non-Sequitur?
by George A. Miu

Modern society dictates that aspiring young professionals attend college and earn a degree in order to maximize their prospects and the likelihood of succeeding in an increasingly complex and moderately disoriented world. After nearly four years of reasonably rigorous schooling, and mere months before my completion of a BA in Philosophy and a BS in Mathematics, I have cautiously entered the job market in search of a career-starting position at one company or another. My discoveries, and the inferences I can draw from them, are listed below:

1. On College Majors
The precise nature of the college major is not overly important, so long as it can reasonably be assumed that it prepares you adequately for the position. For instance, my math degree is good for a great number of economics related jobs, most of which require on-the-job training, and merely ask candidates to be comfortable in data-intensive environments. Now – don’t expect to get a job in the financial world with a Criminal Justice degree. It doesn’t quite work out that way. But, if you can show that your background is suitable for the tasks that will be required of you, your foot is already in the door (and a good resume will help you achieve this).

2. On Grade Point Averages
It seems to me that GPA calculations and re-calculations occur on a near-daily basis for some of us more concerned college students. However, it has occurred to me that the difference between, say, a 3.4 and a 3.7 is nowhere near as significant as previous job experience and/or honors and distinctions attained in the past. Indeed, the greater vast majority of job postings have no specified requirement, and a 3.3 or above is generally considered to be a plus in your application, based on my understanding of things.

3. On Work Experience
Obviously, most of us are going in looking for our first true full-time job. So this section of our resumes will not be very substantial. Nevertheless, I encourage all of the younger college students to try their hand at office jobs and positions that grant you a fair degree of independence. This bodes well for prospective employees who can demonstrate some sort of knowledge of the inner workings of an office and the deadlines and pressures associated with it.

4. On Communication Skills
Virtually every employer out there wants its workers to be eloquent, well-spoken and (especially) well-written. There is nothing more important that knowing how to get your point across in simple-but-classy terminology. So try emulating your professors in how you talk (assuming, of course, that your professors are good speakers and/or writers). It may seem pompous and needless at first, but with a bit of refining, it will put you in a prime position to impress when it comes to cover letters and interviews.

5. On Job Fairs & Career Services
Every college has some sort of office whose sole purpose it is to facilitate interactions between graduating students and employers. Use these to your advantage – go and talk to companies and their representatives and always have your resume handy. The worst that can possibly happen is that you won’t get a call back; but the learning experience is priceless. Remember – most of us have no idea as to what’s out there and what’s waiting for us beyond graduation. The more you acquaint yourself with these unknowns, the better your chances are at picking a good job for yourself that you will enjoy and (hopefully) flourish in for many years to come!

Excessive Salaries of Athletes: A Dual Analysis

Money Never Sleeps
by Neal R. Karski

As it is commonly known [such that I am not informing our dear readers of anything new], athletes in the United States make enormous sums. Their pockets are full of money earned from their teams, clubs, appearances, endorsements, entertainment bargains, and such. We know this.

But have we come to take a closer look at those particular salaries and the reasoning behind them? I believe most of us haven’t. And it has recently hit George and I to share our thoughts with you on the stated matter, because we feel necessitated to address issues of economic prosperity [or lack thereof], inequality, injustice, social well-being, media, etc.

Take, for an example, the matter of social role. Yes, pardon me, but I am referring to the utilitarian perspective in this case. What social roles do athletes have in our society? What responsibilities do they carry along with their names, clubs, brands, etc.? Lastly, we should ask ourselves if those high-paid athletes fulfill their social roles and their responsibilities, proportionally to the salaries they are paid? For the list of highest paid athletes, please visit http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/more/specials/fortunate50/.

What social roles do athletes have in our society? I’m saddened to say there are very few. Indeed, they serve us heroes and motivators for our little children who want to become superstar athletes, or even obtain college education through following their examples. But, what if those athletes disappoint (i.e. steroids, rape, unethical behavior, and many more)? There may be no recovery from that. Athletes are icons of the world of sports; they represent themselves and their teams. At times, they endorse consumerist products, which do not benefit the society. At times, they also promote non-for-profit organizations and their goals, even though they still collect immense bonuses for such good will acts. Let’s look at this on a brighter note. There are many athletes that have contributed their wealth to the betterment of education, health, local business, and other positive foci. We are not familiar with the exact amounts and percentages; we can only hope they did it to genuinely help and serve as models, not out of crucial and quintessential publicity. Unfortunately, most of the extremely well-off athletes are overcompensated for their “ESPN-worthy skills” and talents that only act as a means of entertainment for the general public.

Take into consideration the following example.

According to Les Leopold’s article “Wall Street’s Ten Biggest Lies for 2010,” 25 hedge fund managers are worth 658,000 teachers. Now, we must ask ourselves if the economic prosperity of 25 hedge fund managers [and their clients] is worth the education provided by 658,000 teachers and the knowledge, skill and preparation for life received by millions and millions of children and young adults. What is your stance on this issue?

The sum earned by those 25 hedge fund managers is not much bigger than the total amount of money earned by the top 50 athletes in the United States. Therefore, by the means of the transitive property and the correlative comparison, we can, at this point, ask ourselves whether the salaries of the 50 richest athletes in this country are justified in regard to the paychecks of hard working teachers who commit their lives to sharing their knowledge and preparing youngsters to grow, foster values and lead. Or… speaking from a solely economic outlook… do we pay athletes millions [or hundreds of millions] of dollars to keep our economy content (even though it’s in not-that-good of a shape) or do we promote the progress of education and technology (which would then help our economy expand)? Today, it’s our time to decide.

What responsibilities to our society do athletes carry? The truth is… they carry none. They’re bound by contracts of their respected clubs and endorsement firms that generate economic revenue for their talents, skills, appearances, apparel, and such. They are paid millions of dollars, yet they do not owe society anything. And quite frankly, they probably don’t care to do so, being so well-off.

A bitter-sweet piece, with cynical elements. Hope you enjoyed.

God Bless.

The Paradox of Excessive Salaries – a Study on Sportspeople
by George A. Miu

Recently, the economic climate of the United States (and, indeed, the whole world, with very few exceptions) has been such that many have been driven to complain about relatively low salaries and high living costs. This suffering, so to speak, has been shared by most of us of the working classes and some of the more privileged, as well. However, there is one industry where salaries are almost unanimously on the rise – namely, in the world of sports.

For the purposes of today’s analysis, I will be looking at the four major leagues in the USA. Commencing with football, it is first of all noteworthy that the NFL did not even have a salary cap this year, leading many teams to sign players they could not otherwise have afforded. Furthermore, the signing bonuses of unproven rookies have been at an all-time high. Don’t believe me? Check the figures – and navigate to any sport, team, or player that you might desire on the same webpage:

http://content.usatoday.com/sportsdata/football/nfl/salaries/team

While it is true that average salaries and median salaries, league-wide, have undergone a slight decrease, this has more to do with the lack of new, long-term contracts offered to non-rookies on teams. This means that fewer players were given signing bonuses, which have the capacity to seriously skew the data. The reason for this? The impending lockout (and thus cessation) of the NFL over the 2011 season – the owners and NFLPA still have not reached an agreement on the salary caps and exact division of the overall income that teams will have over the next few years. Both the players and the owners are holding out for more money! Ironic, isn’t it, that people who are in the top 0.001% of the income bracket in the USA would risk making nothing just to earn an extra few hundred thousand dollars?

The NBA paints an even more disproportionate picture. Over the past three years, the total payrolls of teams have gone up by an average of roughly 15%. This growth is clearly not seen in our economy, or pretty much anywhere else, except in the major leagues, who seem untouched by the economic crisis.

MLB payrolls, average salaries and all have been steady over the past few years. This, however, is more surprising than either the NBA or the NFL, considering how baseball attendances, TV ratings and merchandise sales have been decreasing! Don’t get me wrong – baseball is still huge here, but not at the same level as before the recession. With the exception of a few reliable markets, such as NY, Chicago and LA, even the good baseball teams (such as the Tampa Bay Rays) have been experiencing some difficulty putting butts in seats. Everyone complains about how Wall Street still pays out bonuses whether or not the economy does well – but baseball does the exact same thing!

The NHL has experienced marginal increases, too. However, these are somewhat more justified in light of the record TV ratings and attendances league-wide.

Even this justification sounds weak to my ears, unfortunately. Sports are wonderful – they inspire people and societies, they provide us with dynamic, action-packed entertainment and countless unlikely stories. But sports do not cure cancer. They do not advance society in any significant way. They will not prevent wars, or cast an eye into the murky seeds of the future to tell us which grain will grow and which will not. Sports remain an amusing past-time – a sideshow, designed exclusively to distract.

I am of the opinion that professional sportspeople work very hard to earn their money. They are oftentimes uniquely talented, and their abilities do not stretch beyond a certain age. As such, they ought to be paid more than your average worker, and have the financial independence to retire at, say, 30 or 35 or 40 – for good. But this does not equate to having a major league salary of roughly 2 million dollars a year in a lagging economy. This does not equate to an average major league career bringing in slightly over 10 million dollars. That’s around five and a half times the average lifetime income of a United States citizen. The fast cars, opulent houses and ridiculous vacations can wait. The service to humanity of professional sportspeople is not quite that high.

No doubt – many professional sportspeople are philanthropists and give back. No doubt – some of my figures or percentages may be slightly off. But I do not intend to deceive, or to pretend that the picture I paint is the be-all and the end-all. I simply illustrate a slightly worrying trend. And the people who make it all possible? Us.

We pay top dollar to go and see games. We walk around with jerseys on our backs. Ultimately, it is our money that goes into the deep pockets I spent all this time discussing. And so, the blame shifts focus from them to us. After all, I would do the exact same if I were in the position of Alex Rodriguez or Kobe Bryant or Albert Haynesworth. The people love me? They demand more of me? Well, I don’t come cheap.

The above trend is okay, so long as we understand that we are spending money that fuels a social discrepancy. But if we continue to watch, to be entertained, and to pay top dollar for it, then we cannot turn around and wag the finger at the steering while as we drive back home, flat broke.

Fashion & its Impact on Society & Individuals, Part II

The Trend is Dead; Long Live the Trend!
by George A. Miu

For a society that is materialistic and, for the most part, highly deconstructionist, we appear to ignore our modern inclinations when it comes to assessing the overall character of other human beings with regard to appearance. It is one of the few aspects of life in which we seek to understand in general terms, rather than in particulars. In other words, we no longer care about the internal processes and the causality that brought about the external factors that account for the umbrella term “fashion”.

Those around us, as per social norm, are clothed. They style their hair (or maybe not), wear a variety of artificial scents and substances and, depending on personal preference, are liable to cover (or not) specific parts of the anatomy (just think turtlenecks or cleavage).

Since we have been mass-producing clothing for a fair chunk of time, our trends have evolved in several different directions; consequently, unanimous agreement within the parameters of “good” and “bad” fashion taste is as rare as a non-scandalous Lady Gaga outfit.

So we have cliques, offshoots, rebellious movements and a lot of hilarity. There are really only very few distinct standards of universal fashion – things like color matching, for instance. But for the most part, we are free to dress however we like without incurring the wrath of society as a whole.

Note carefully: that we are free to do something (and not get crucified for it) does not mean that it will necessarily engender any admiration. Au contraire – outside the workplace (and formal occasions), a suit draws question marks as to intent, dressy-shirts bring about glances and baggy outfits do not exist. Just kidding – we only wish they didn’t. Yet, having clothes that fit well and are carefully arranged in an ensemble will, most likely, bring about good things, irrespective of the newest, red-hottest trend.

Seasons come and go; popularity is, by definition, short lived. Perhaps the most secure way of expressing oneself is not through threads, but rather through the content of character. I mean – if you think Lil Wayne is the Second Coming, and that the hood holds miraculous depths that society is not yet ready to understand – that’s fantastic. Really. But it would be substantially more rewarding if I could get this message in a more sublime way than through how you dress. The same goes for those who believe that Queen Victoria, or maybe even Casanova, or whoever else you so choose, was the aforementioned Second Coming.

My advice is to be neutral. Dress well, and by all means accentuate your blandness with small-but-noticeable items that are seen by the acute and astute investigator. But to overdo it is to simplify, dilute and overstate your message about life and society. Then, you lose your individuality and become the symbol of a caricaturized notion that most of us don’t really care about, anyway.

Fashion & its Impact on Society & Individuals

Fashion is a virtue yet to be discovered.
by Neal R. Karski

It would be undeniably difficult to exert any sort of judgment of a person or group of people that we meet without taking into consideration his, her or their outfits. Our clothing has virtually become a part of our appearance – the way we look and present ourselves. It may complement our physical appearance or take away from it and it is up to every individual to make a decision for him or herself [of course, only if the individual cares to do so]. Although many motivational speakers say “Feel comfortable in your own skin,” the fashion trends have become the numerous different skins we put on – either because we are attracted to the trend, want to satisfy ourselves or others, or plainly because we’ve been brainwashed by the immensely-budgeted marketing and advertising campaigns. In any case, we’ve come out of the comfort zone and taken on an ideal image of the “good look”.

But fashion in itself does not come as a freebie. It’s largely dependent on the incomes of individuals and the prices of the markets of stores, boutiques, designers and big corporates. Here is an example. A person with high expenses, a median income, and a taste for high fashion faces a conflict of financial management – a person has to make a choice between fashion and obligation. On the other hand, a person with a very low income and a keen interest in fashion cannot possibly further develop that interest into a daily activity of dressing up in desired clothing and apparel. So has fashion become for the rich and the famous? Or can we rid ourselves of the financial restraints and explore fashion on its pure level of individuality and uniqueness?

No one can disregard the fact that being fashionable (whatever that may mean nowadays) brings other’s attentiveness and admiration [or critique] to the overall presence of the individual. People, especially in the United States, are drawn to appearance, as it is the major component of first impression, which overlooks the intelligence of the individual and focuses on the visual aspect more intently. But… it’s true. I’ve always told my friends that the way they dress and look will matter in a variety of environments (social, educational, occupational, etc.). And thus, they took some time to improve certain elements of their “fashions,” and progressed.

Although fashion brings artificiality, social class divergence and not-always-so-beneficial marketing schemes, it is a way for all people to express themselves – in a way that their finances permit them to. Some say “You look good, you feel good.” This statement is very subjective. Try and explore your own fashion, and see what satisfies you and those around you the most… because fashion is a virtue yet to be discovered.

God Bless.

Antihero

Candles in the Shadow – Why the Antihero Fascinates
by George A. Miu

Traditional heroes are difficult to embrace in a modern world that is filled with oft-conflicting motivations and complex social structures. We have difficulty understanding the knight in shining armor, who is almost never beset by moral uncertainty or self-doubt, and would much rather relate to the intrinsically-flawed-yet-well-intentioned protagonist. Such a character, most often dubbed an “antihero”, is faced with the very human task of meandering through their destiny while winning over the affection of the grand impartial observer (namely – the reader).

Yet, one must not limit one’s perception to the realm of good; antiheroes can be evil, too. Whether or not this is their defining feature is up to the environment in which they reside and the actions they choose to execute. But all antiheroes are fundamentally tainted creatures, whether it be by virtue of a murky past or characteristics such as bitterness, sarcasm or cynicism (or, if you’re lucky, all of the above). The point is that, in becoming acquainted with an antihero, we begin to sympathize with the cruel nature of reality, where nothing is proclaimed to be “wholly good” or “wholly evil” without eliciting a myriad of “what if” scenarios.

The murky-past facet is arguably more powerful, due to its instantaneous ability to provoke soul-searching and reflection in those who are subjected to its portrayal. We are naturally drawn to ponder sudden deaths, lost loves or traumatic events while others around us are doing the same; but when we are faced with the prospect of spending the entirety of a book or movie with a brooding, bitter hero, the game changes. Their losses become ours, and the syndrome is reciprocated when we associate the antihero with our own failures and tribulations.

Lo and behold, the antihero becomes a dyad of sorts, where the incontrovertible fact in our lives is merged with the mystery and drama of the rigid, fictionalized past. Slowly, as the story proceeds, the epicenter of this strange fusion becomes increasingly blurred, until we become the antihero, and the antihero becomes us. And then, something miraculous happens…

At what should, in all honesty, be the most depressing point of our empathetic experience, we begin to feel relief. Our shortcomings are no longer ours alone to bear, and we feel a sense of camaraderie with another soul that, previously, had exacted our pity. We are simultaneously accompanied on a journey of our weaknesses, and give our invaluable companionship in return. Suddenly, it does not matter that the antihero never existed, and that their fate was set in stone long before we were made aware of it. The audience and the flawed character partake in the abstract exchange of experiences, which all conscious minds can then translate into concrete, palpable virtues and actions.

All of this is testament to our ability to detach from the constraints of our own condition, and inhabit a hypothetical plane. All of this is therefore testament to our humanity.

Reality

Reality: A Personal Case Study
by Neal R. Karski

Thus, I shall what I’ve started with the first personal case study of destiny. In this piece, Part 2, I will provide you, keen observers, with my analysis of the concept of reality. Note that this post reflects the thoughts of an individual, that is myself, and does not represent any absolute truths or proven facts [just to clear things up].

Every day, we take the steps we haven’t pursued before. We look carefully in the mirror at the inherent face, the clothes we wear and we attempt to describe the feelings and emotions we experience. And every day, they are different. We hear the chirping birds, glance at the blooming plants and talk to our close ones. But is everything that we do real? Or does your imagination play a part in our perception: creating what we see, hear, feel. Does the adjective of “real” even relate to reality?

I often question reality; its existence, laws, complexity. One way, I can say that I, myself, have the power to create what’s real through the works of my mind. But the other way, every person that manages to think and take footsteps on this planet has a right to dispute my statement and say that he or she is the one that creates reality. So therefore, is reality split? Is it an individual concept that belongs to each and every human being? Or is reality a universal notion that transcends beyond our understanding? At times, it seems to me that we’re trapped in a world, where everything appears apparent, but the underlying laws works in mysterious ways to alter this equilibrium and our perception of the continuing reality. That’s when we lose touch. We ask ourselves – Is this real?

Questions. Questions. Questions. I pardon each and every one of you, as this post is filled with them, yet like many of you I seek the answers [whether through writing or other means]. I’m a curious learner of the unexplainable, the sought after, the forbidden.

Now, we must ask ourselves… if it’s not real, then is it unreal, surreal or fake? What is the opposite of reality? And does it exist? I am not capable of fully comprehending the realm beyond reality where world is like a dream, or my imagination. Wait! Dreams, imagination and engendered thoughts. It may seem to us that those elements are the elements beyond reality, thus we would label anti-reality as something that is shared commonly by human beings, where more than one person can experience the event or interaction and take away from it. So does reality urge experience? And the surreal is purely an individual concept? I guess we’ll never know, eh?

God Bless.

The Inherent Racism

The Inherent Racism
by George A. Miu

NOTE: This is not a racist piece. It is a tongue-in-cheek piece. If you think being offended on behalf of these issues makes you more humane and upstanding, do not read on! If you are often the last to laugh, or cannot elicit a chuckle to save your life, please shut down your browser. Thanks.

It’s about time we admitted it. Certain prejudices are wired into the human brain; it is widely considered abnormal to lack any sort of a bias towards one race or another, the article I have attached to the end of the post suggests.

Here’s my little game: give a young girl or boy two pictures: one of a black boy, the other of a white one. Ask them: “Who is the naughty boy?” and watch them point to the child that does not belong to their race. According to my little article, the overwhelming majority of children seem to think more highly of their race.

Well that’s a relief. We have scoured the psychological terrain in young’uns and discovered that, on a deep, existential level, blacks and whites consistently accuse one another of being naughty. I could’ve gotten my favorite Chicago panhandler (a fine gentleman by the name of Jake, who opens doors for cab passengers by the Metra LaSalle Street Station) to attest to the same thing. Of course, Jake puts it a little differently:

“They look at me like I got some … infectious disease,” he tells me wisely.

In all honesty, you’re more likely to catch something terrible off those filthy hand-rails you so religiously use at all the CTA stops. But it doesn’t stop people from giving the African-American Jake a huge detour. In his turn, Jake accuses the white man of unthinkable crimes with every other breath. So it goes.

On a more troubling note, I must confess that I have seen many of my friends utter a lot of racially-charged nonsense, only to go out the next day and pretend to treat everyone the same, irrespective of skin color. The real problem is that children overhear and subconsciously understand the biases of their elders without necessarily being exposed to unprintable language. That, in addition to the natural tendency to profile by race, results in an incorrigible attitude that will not fade with time.

The Earth spins on its axis, still. White people will still fear nameless, faceless, very very black people are out to steal their stereos (or iPods, more appropriately). Black people will still assume that the corporate suit-clad white man is secretly supportive of the KKK and against affirmative action, while Hispanics will entertain the notion that blacks and whites alike are conspiring to build a wall around this country. Of course, all of these people will drop these phantasms as soon as they walk out of their front doors, only to revisit them late at night, before drifting into the eventual half-remembered dream.

http://www.livescience.com/culture/sexism-racism-social-stereotypes-100412.html