Coddling: The Shift in Parenting Styles and the Effect on the Development of Adolescents

 

In the nature of society, people want to protect the ones that they love, a relationship especially evident in parents and children. The ways in which parents try to show this love varies among people, with some parents being more protective than others. In today’s culture, there has been a dramatic shift in the development of adolescents socially, academically, and internally due the influence of parents. A “helicopter parent” can be defined as someone who tries to overprotect their child, hovering over their children in order to eliminate any pain or hardship they may encounter in the path to success. This idea never existed in earlier history as children were given greater freedom to explore the world around them and experience failure without parents watching their every move. This shift in parenting styles can be attributed to different areas of society, and therefore, has been noticeable in different aspects of civic life. Through evaluation in the change in parenting styles, it can be shown that overparenting has consequential effects on the development of adolescents, leaving them unprepared for the “real world” and obstacles they will encounter as they age.

Throughout history, an interest in parenting styles and its affect on children had only arisen starting in the 1900s. Starting in 1928, when behaviorist John Broadus Watson wrote the book, “Psychological Care of Infant and Child”, he presented children as malleable objects, controlled by parents so that they may be best prepared for society (Coste). He encouraged parents to order strict behavior so that children would not be spoiled. In 1946, Benjamin Spock, a representative of the Freudian view of children, encouraged parents to evaluate the perspective of children to understand what was best for them (Coste). His viewpoint showed the relationships of parents and children in a team oriented view, and that by working together and understanding why children acted out, discipline could be more appropriately sanctioned for the child’s respective age. In the 1960s, psychologist Diana Baumrind identified the three most common styles of parenting in the American middle class in which the authoritarian, permissive, and authoritative parenting styles emerged (Coste).The authoritative style combined the ideas of Watson and Freud in which parents should both control their children and understand their viewpoint in order to respond accordingly. Baumrind’s views indicated that children were happiest and performed best in school when they were prepared for the demands of society but also had a sense of individualism found by using the authoritative parenting style. From the evolution of these ideas, parenting styles shifted despite the evidence that encouraged the best way to prepare children.

While defining the parenting style that works best, parenting styles were altered in the opposite way, and the freedom children should have been given was taken back. In earlier years, parents focused on raising unselfish, yet responsive children, where modern times have a greater focus on building a child’s self esteem and individuality. Children were once expected to go out for the day, whether that be school or a physical activity such as riding bikes, and then return home to eat the dinner placed in front of them. John Becker, a marriage and family therapist, believes that parents have grown more sensitive to the needs of children (Norman 2015). This shift has made kids more accustomed to having their needs fulfilled, indicating a trend that could make them more self-centered and less motivated, making them less successful in approaching conversations and taking on challenges in today’s modern world.

In evaluation of this shift, several changes in society have indicated that this shift is taking place, and the nature of society has been altered to promote this style of parenting that continues to negatively affect the children being raised. Following graduation from college, more students are returning home to live with parents regardless of their employment status, increasing the age at which people buy their first home. More students are waiting to acquire savings or are still trying to find ways to be independent from parental influence when growing up, they constantly had people dictating their lives. According a study conducted by the Pew Research Center, more 18-34 year olds live in their parents’ home rather than any other living arrangement (Dickler 2016). This can be attributed to the desire to have other people take care of them and discourages adolescents from taking financial responsibility for themselves and allows them to remain in their comfort zones.

Additionally, laws in society have been made to accommodate this change in the dynamic between parents and children. Under the Affordable Care Act, a person can remain on their parent’s health insurance coverage until the age of 26 (US Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services). At the age of 26, society generally assumes expectations on a person based on the idea of a social clock, the culturally preferred timing of social events, however, the ages in which these events are typically taking place is changing. Regardless, people can remain on their parent’s coverage even if they are married, in school, or turn down a job offer that provides health insurance benefits as children are more prone to staying in the “coddled” life they experienced growing up because it is easier for them than making steps towards independence.

Media and television has also influenced the way in which children have been coddled in society. The Karate Kid, a movie that came out in 1984 showed a protagonist that was forced to rise above the hardship he faced from bullies in order to overcome challenges and stand up for himself, ideas that correlated with the beliefs of the time. However, with evolution of characters like Harry Potter, children’s view of roles in culture have been changed. Figures in media like Harry Potter were able to get away with whatever they wanted and receive no punishments. Harry Potter was the “chosen one” of a fantasy world, and his choices in the wizarding world are presented in a way that makes him appealing to a young audience hoping to be like him and believing they can do anything without repercussions. The changes in the protagonists of movies is reflective of the mindset of children between these different times periods in culture.

Due to the change in beliefs of parents reflected in their parenting styles, there has been an ideological indication of this shift. The “raised in praise” phenomenon has increased based on the shift of parenting. This phenomenon presents the idea that everyone’s a winner and deserves a trophy even when a child hasn’t done anything worthy of praise. This has encouraged parents to micromanage their children because they feel they can dictate their children’s success (Morman 2015). If a student underperforms on tests, parents immediately assume it is the fault of the teacher. In order for children to reach the level of success demanded by students, parents will fight to ensure their child gets the grade they think they deserve, showing the influence compromising ability and desire can have on the development of children.

Furthermore, the shift in mentality and coddling of children is shown through different beliefs. In the generation of millennials’ parents, they were told to “toughen up” if they encountered a bully at school or someone said something they didn’t like. For millennials, there is a high toleration against bullying in any aspect and the phrase “that offends me” is supposed to be taken as seriously as a threat to a person’s life. Millennials have grown overly-sensitive to ideas and opinions of others, especially those of older generations and immediately deem their opinions as “outdated”. The increased sensitivity found in college students has promoted a greater desire for “trigger warnings”. In a country that stands for freedom of speech, a freedom and expression of ideas is often warranted with reminding people not to offend anyone that doesn’t share their idea. In a society that is more accepting, everyone has viewed their ideas as correct. There has been a greater presence of politically correct ideas which has decreased critical thinking and alternative ideas. Different viewpoints are no longer viewed as opinions, but rather, criticisms of the other side. By limiting the topics and controversies that can be discussed, the way in which reform and change can be brought about is discouraged.

The shift in parenting styles has affected different areas of society in various ways. This differing mindset can have possible differences among races, economic status, and cultural influence. Throughout history, different races have been attributed with different parenting styles. The Chinese culture is stereotyped with the “tiger mom” ideals. The Battle Hymn of a Tiger Mother, a book by Amy Chua published in 2011 defines a “tiger mom” as a mother who is a strict disciplinarian. She reported of a study in which Chinese immigrant mothers said they held the belief that their children could be among the best students and that their parenting reflected their children’s academic success. Chua mentioned a time in which she called her child “garbage” because her daughter was unable to learn a piano piece and wouldn’t let her eat, drink, or go to the bathroom until she learned it (Chua 2011).

In extreme cases, the coddling of a child can be shown in the defense of children in the court of law. Brock Turner, a white Stanford swimmer convicted of rape charges, was given a lightened sentence, a parallel to the change in punishments of children in society. Brock’s father, Dan Turner, wrote a letter to the judge in order to change his sentencing to probation. In his letter, he wrote of Brock saying, “His life will never be the one that he dreamed about and worked so hard to achieve. That is a steep price to pay for 20 minutes of action out of his 20 plus years of life,” (Cleary 2016). Judge Aaron Persky sentenced Turner to six months in jail, and of that time he was only expected to serve three months. He originally faced a maximum of 14 years in prison, but the prosecutors of the cased asked for a 6 year sentence, where the state probation officer recommended under a year of jail time. He is set to serve 3 years of probation, and despite such a lenient sentencing for his crimes, he is appealing his conviction (Cleary 2016). Coddling children in this way can have an affect not only on the child’s life, but on the life of others if parents try to inhibit children from taking responsibility for their own crimes.

Furthermore, there can be a trend observed among parenting in the African American culture. African American parents aim to ensure that their children are well-behaved in public so that they are not viewed as “non-threatening and civilized” in order not to perpetuate a racial stereotype. In a study called “Parenting Styles – African American and White Families with Childrenconducted through UNC at Chapel Hill by researcher Kyle Longest, male children were more strictly parented than females. Some African American parents do this in order to prepare them for the realistic nature of white supremacy, however, this type of parenting often deems aggression as an appropriate behavior. A study by The American Sociological Association from 2002 study showed a trend in disciplinarian or authoritarian approaches to parenting for African Americans and that a “take-charge” mentality was used more often than by white parents. The reasoning for this type of parenting was correlated with an attempt to prepare children to face discrimination and social environments that do not show a preference for people of color (King 2015). Understanding the variation about the trends in the parenting styles and the nature in which the coddling mindset has emerged is crucial to understanding the paradigm shift that has taken place in society.

This shift in parenting styles, which in turn has led to a shift to the coddled mindset of children, can be shown as a response to different factors encountered in modern society. There is a growing growing pressure on children in today’s world to succeed and achieve academically and socially. When applying to colleges, students are plagued with trying to be the “whole package”, someone who has a great GPA, standardized tests scores, and takes on leadership roles in several clubs and activities. Trying to check all these boxes is hard to balance if a student is unprepared or not educated in order to do this, which often requires some influence from a parent or advisor in order to achieve this, however, it has changed from a need to seek help and turned into asking other people to do it for them, allowing students to take the “easy way out”. With the increased technology and social media influence, students see other people achieving what they hope to achieve, and want what others have, an egotistical view that has affected young minds. Students’ attention span and inability to see the value of hard work has diminished because knowledge is so easily accessible. This shift has allowed parents to fight the battles of their children, resulting in a lack of communication abilities in teenagers and lack of work ethic. Finally, the ideological values of parents has changed and helping children cope with the struggles of the world they face is prioritized over guiding them to overcome the hardship themselves. Shifting back to a society that encourages individualism and independence is essential in developing children holistically.

In evaluation of this shift and its role in civic life, the evidence suggests that coddling children and promoting a sensitized view of the world can result in detrimental consequences. College students are shown to be lacking the ability to cope on their own. Dan Jones, a president for the Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors said, “Students haven’t developed the skills to soothe themselves, because their parents have solved all their problems and removed obstacles. They don’t seem to have as much grit as previous generations,” (Coddled Kids Crumble 2016). Julie Lythcott-Haims, dean of freshmen at Stanford University, noticed that incoming student appeared flawless on paper, but in reality, seemed more incapable of taking care of themselves as parents became more involved in the lives of their children. “Over-helping” allowed children to develop impressive resumes but prevented them from self discovery and exploration of the world according to Lythcott-Haims (Brown 2016). Furthermore, due to an inability to deal with adversity on their own, they are less likely to become successful adults. The evidence suggests that coddled children are unable to meet the demands of their peer groups, demands at school, or the demands of everyday life. When children have “intoxicating” levels of gratification, they are no longer motivated because they never learned resilience (Rock 2016). In order to develop individuals better suited to adapt to their environments, self regulation and an adaptable mindset are needed. Evaluation of a person’s strengths and shortcomings are needed in order to improve. The problem that arises when people are critiqued is a lowered self esteem because of the sensitivity that has resulted in everyday life. Instead of students straying from areas in which they are not confident in, they should seek out these challenges to gain insights about themselves and take part of new experiences.

Through evaluation of this paradigm shift, it is clear that a change in society has resulted in the way in which children are raised. In looking at areas in which the shift is made evident, like education, law, ideologies, and media, this evolution of a mindset that protects children from the sometimes harsh nature of the universe is detrimental to their development as individuals capable of operating in the realm of civic life. Watching children like specimens in a microscope limits their freedom and makes them void as members of society, incapable of producing any new or original ideas than those deemed fit by others around them. This environment has negative consequences on creating members of civic life able to hear and develop opinions on their everyday world. For most people, it is easier for people to point the finger rather than look in the mirror. As human beings, people are capable of great things if they are willing to be challenged, and no single cause can be the blame for this shift in development. Understanding the ways in which society has adjusted for this shift is a way in which to prevent its future complications. By incorporating a parenting style that encourages growth and development while providing nurture and encouragement, the development of civic life will be better able to think about controversies and the spread of new ideas.

The Implications of Sexual Assault in Society

“WE ARE” – The chant that echoes through “Happy Valley”, a community that encompasses Pennsylvania State University. Given its size and success since 1855, it is a university with such patriotism that some may even deem it a “cult”. While there are several features to life in State College, PA, none quite resonate like the university’s football team, a team highly associated with it’s head coach from 1966 to 2011. The reputation of the football team and Joe Paterno easily promoted positivity in the Pennsylvania town until the allegations of Jerry Sandusky assaulting young boys made the news. Throughout “Happy Valley: The Story Behind the Penn State Scandal”, the director presented the controversy in such a way to engage the audience and allow them to reflect on the scandal, creating an ambiguous narrative in order for the viewers to do more that just evaluate the facts, but look at the implications of sexual assault. Through the analysis of this artifact, it is shown that the evidence presented on the scandal surrounding Jerry Sandusky and the oversight of sexual assault had lasting consequences for Joe Paterno, the victims of the assault, and the entire Penn State community, highlighting the negative impact in which undermining sexual violence due to cultural ideologies and opinions has on civic life.

In the wake of the news of the Penn State scandal, Joe Paterno was immediately brought into the issue, and his character and reputation was refuted based on the crime committed by someone else. When a graduate assistant reported to Paterno that he saw Jerry Sandusky fondling a young boy in a shower, Paterno referred matters to his immediate boss, the athletic director, but no PSU official took allegations to the police. From the investigation of the allegations surrounding Sandusky, Joe Paterno’s role was called into question as to whether or not he knew the crimes were being committed. While many people recognized Paterno’s contribution to society and the Penn State community, the community evaluated his moral obligation in the issue when he was not the actual person who committed the crime. In the documentary, Paterno’s biographer said that in hindsight, Joe wished he could have done more at the time, a lesson to all people who suspect someone is being sexually assaulted.

While Joe Paterno was not legally at fault and wished he could have prevented the harm of countless children, his life and legacy were scrutinized because sexual assault went unnoticed and people looked to blame a single individual rather than reflect on their personal ideologies.  In an interview with Scott Paterno in the film, he said he told his father that the way it appeared to others was that the assistant coach saw a child being raped, told Paterno about it, and he did nothing more than “tell these guys up the chain”. Additionally, in a clip in the movie, Scott is shown asking the crowds surrounding the Paterno home to take a moment to say a prayer for the victims because that is the real tragedy. Regardless of whether his father coached another game, he recognized the real tragedy that had occurred and saw the important in finding support for the victims.

Because Joe Paterno, Jerry Sandusky, and the football team served as a symbol for the community, when this scandal brought down Sandusky, the other people associated with him were also destroyed, even though they were not responsible for the crime. The community knew Paterno as someone who treated football as more than a game, but as way to develop players holistically. Joe Paterno was a rhetorical figure in the community, encouraging people to become educated role models and leaders. In the film, he is shown saying, “Football, if it’s just a question of winning is a silly game. I think it’s fine to use the winning to develop the kid into being something more than maybe he thinks he can be.” More than just his football career, he had a high rate of graduation on the football team and also turned down an offer to coach for the New England Patriots. Some people tried to disassociate Joe Paterno from Sandusky, and that by putting Jerry Sandusky in jail, Joe Paterno and the football program could remain in tact. In an interview with a film professor in the documentary, he compares the situation to trying to remove a bad apple from a barrel so that the rest of the barrel may be saved. Moreover, the community attempted to dissociate Joe’s good name from Sandusky’s, but this ongoing sexual assault had too great of an effect on individuals connected to the perpetrator.

While Joe Paterno’s legacy remains questionable for some, the young boys who became victims of sexual assault are not given enough significance. In the testimony of Matt Sandusky, the adopted son of Jerry Sandusky, his tough upbringing led him into the Sandusky home. Matt’s childhood home before he was adopted is shown in the movie, and he explains the harsh conditions he endured, forcing the audience to sympathize with the appeal Matt found in Jerry Sandusky. Matt further goes to say that he never wanted to “betray” Sandusky. In coming forward, Matt had nothing to gain and everything to lose as is the case for most victims of sexual assault. Matt came forward and was willing to testify that he was sexually abused by Sandusky. He eventually lost ties with the Sandusky family in order to make his position known. Matt is a representative for many victims who feared speaking up given the position and power of the perpetrators. Matt says in the film that Paterno and Sandusky could be seen in a very far off analogy to God and his son, Jesus. Society viewed them as men who could do no wrong, and when allegations of sexual assault were made, Sandusky was given every benefit of the doubt. People refused to believe these issues were happening right under their nose.  

In the destruction of Paterno’s legacy and the silence of victims afraid to come forward, the entire Penn State community faced the devastation of the consequences of sexual assault. The community religiously supported the program that gave it its greatest amount of success in terms of the economy, spirit, and identity of the community found in Joe Paterno and the beliefs he represented as the “beacon of integrity”. In the fall of his image and the hardship that affected Sandusky’s victims, the community lost it’s identity. There were riots in the streets of downtown State College following news that Joe was fired, emphasizing the emotional aftermath in which the loss of this iconic figure in the community had on the people. When Paterno was stripped of his association to Penn State, the emotional reaction indicated the way in which the passion for football and this communal figure dominated their emotions. Support for the victims was not expressed enough in the media and the community. The reputation of the individuals surrounding the allegations and their positions in society were given more focus than the actual crime itself. Overlooking sexual assault can easily happen if communities choose to focus on restoration of images over grievance and suffering of the victims of sexual abuse.

In examining the reasons as to why sexual abuse was overlooked at Penn State, the civic life at the university had their focus on the spectacle that dominated the culture so much that it did not see the problems that laid within the community. The community thrived and people there helped exemplify the values Paterno believed. People don’t immediately look to accuse others of sexual assault, but they can be blinded if they do not see signs that are in front of them. Ideologically, this rhetoric artifact effectively presents to the the audience that for decades, sexual abuse was overlooked. However, the rhetorical devices are used in order for the audience to uncover as to why this happened and who can be held responsible. For some, the argument that the justice system has convicted Jerry Sandusky is enough to return to their usual way of life. However, in the acceptability of this argument, a moral and ethical stance shows that the culture plays a role in preventing these actions in the future. The documentary does not present the rhetorical argument that football is the problem. The film even argues that the role in which football played in this event was an externality of this situation because this football culture exists everywhere in America. The fact that this scandal happened at Penn State, who does have a celebrated football reputation, should not influence the severity in which this violence is viewed. These issues occur everywhere, however, they can be encouraged if college football is prioritized over the moral obligations of human beings.

Prioritizing the success of a community over individuals can lead to significantly illogical arguments that go against the appeal of human nature. In the film, an interview with a student who attended the university at the time of the scandal, expressed his extreme views on the Penn State scandal. The student is shown sitting in his bed with Penn State logoed sheets, comforter, and Joe Paterno pictures all over his wall. He outlines his feelings about the game following the firing of Paterno, saying, “Taylor Martinez, Nebraska’s quarterback, was walking by, and I said ‘Martinez, the only way you’re leaving here is in a hearse because we’re going to destroy you!’ and then this kid behind me says ‘It’s not about that today!’ And I’m like, ‘It’s not about that today? I don’t care what happened. This is Penn State football and it’s always about that.’ ” In featuring this student, he appeals to the emotional numbness in which people can possess when the ideologies of a culture dominant logical thinking about civic life and sympathy towards those deeply affected by it.

Even though the mob mentality and the “civic religion” of football may have played some role in the emotional reaction to this traumatic event, the blame can not only be cast upon the actual perpetrator or individuals in the community, but rather, each person should examine what steps to take in order to prevent sexual assault from happening. In one of the opening lines of the film, an illogical argument is made that, “This is not a Penn State issue or a Joe Paterno issue. It’s a Jerry Sandusky issue.” While justice is given to the person who actually committed the crime, the entire community was affected by the issue, and because the effect is felt by civic life, the community is called to prevent sexual assault in the future. “Happy Valley: The Story Behind the Penn State Scandal” calls into question a self evaluation of each individual viewer, those directly tied and those distant from these events. The “WE ARE” that serves as a symbol in the community can misidentify society’s ideologies if it serves as a unity of the dominating ideals of figureheads and norms rather than the actual people. However, if this call can unite people to do more than just show support, but rather, take a stance, then “WE ARE”…people who can help solve the problem of sexual assault.

Even though the documentary calls into question the reason why the abuse was ignored, it doesn’t offer a solution for it. In evaluation of the facts, ambiguity still remains as to whether or not Joe Paterno knew of Sandusky’s accounts of sexual assault, but that is not the priority of this rhetorical situation. The rhetoric of this film is intended to appeal to an insider who “bleeds blue and white” and an outsider who can only judge what they have seen. However, given that it presents the differing views and offers lack of uncertainty allows the conversation to continue. Idolizing a person or a culture can encourage these issues to remain and have further consequences on an individual or a community. The lawyer for many of the victims makes a claim in the film that the further he went from “Happy Valley” the more empathetic people become to the victims, showing that if people are blinded by the culture, spectacles, and civic ideologies, this can cause people to overlook the consequences of sexual assault and the implications on the lives of not only the victims, but on many people connected the violence.

 

Penn State Timely Warnings

What were you doing on your first weekend here at University Park? Maybe you met your roommate for the first time or maybe you went to your first party. Whatever the experience, most people remember it as a positive one, but for some people, it can be a traumatic one. On August 30th, 2016, Penn State’s first “Timely Warning” notification for the start of the academic year was sent out about a forcible sex offense. These reports are sent because it’s “your right to know.” Penn State’s “Timely Warnings” are a means of communicating with the entire campus about threats to the safety of the community that have been reported. The most common report of violence is forcible sexual assault. Time and time again, the issue occurs, but the problem is not stopped. Through the analysis of this artifact, it can be seen that the rhetorical significance of this artifact lacks the ability to make an impression on its intended audience if civic life does not engage in the issue.

 

In looking at the artifact, the content of the warnings addresses some type of violence occurring on campus. The warning often provides information about the appearance of the suspect, including their race, sex, and age. This information can cause people to make biases about the attacker and draws attention to the repetitive nature of the attacker described throughout many warnings. In the most common description of the attacker, they are reported to be a white male of college age. This raises attention to some questions…”What does this trend mean about the way these issues are handled?” “What type of action should be taken to address these concerns?”

 

While this notification may be timely, students reporting the incidents lack kairos.The university cannot report to the public until the victims report the attack, putting civic life at risk and possibly deterring evidence of the attack. The warning also provides safety tips reminding students about consent, and further reminds people of the laws regarding sexual assault in the state of Pennsylvania in order to persuade people not to commit sexual assault and remind them of the negative consequences of their actions. This artifact simply reports the issue; it “warns” us that there is a problem. We don’t need a warning; we need a solution.

 

Speaking out about sexual assault has become a problem in mass media. While it is a commonplace that “rape is bad”, the rhetoric of the victims is silenced by the assumptions of people.There is the belief that all victims are women and that they provoked the attacks, or lie when they decide to come forward. The rhetoric cannot play a role in this artifact because of the assumptions of the audience. If there is no discussion, there can be no means to solve a problem. It is easy to say it was the victim’s fault, but we too, “turn a blind eye” from the issues in front of us. The rhetoric of this device aims to inform; to present the knowledge. Upon receipt of this information, it becomes the role of the community to become civically engaged in the issue in order for this artifact to take effect.

 

These “Timely Warnings” addressing sexual assault raise concerns on civic life. In society, many people view victims of rape as women. There is a natural inclination to distrust women based on the notion that they can’t control their emotions and that they are deceitful. When women come forward about the truth of their rape and use their voice to break the silence, society looks to other explanations. “Was she too drunk?” “Was she wearing revealing clothes?”

 

People often don’t believe the rhetoric argument made by victims when their attackers have a better reputation. The rhetoric of the victims goes unnoticed while people often sympathize with someone they know or someone beloved in the public eye. They are less likely to accuse these people of such a violent offense, even though, they, like everyone else, are just as capable of it. Nobody has a protection against accusation of rape, but in today’s world, it seems all a person needs is to be a man.

 

The stigma around the topic of rape very much exists. Victims who come forward are looked down upon for “ruining the life” of the attacker. In an attempt to use rhetoric to find justice, this rhetorical criticism is ignored so that they don’t have to evaluate the position of the speaker. By denying the fact they were violated, victims are forced to accept a lesser dignity and worth. People choose to believe the issue doesn’t happen and ignore the conversation because of the complications in proving the attack.

 

Choosing to ignore the rhetoric of victims beyond the facts presented in the “Timely Warnings” is what is encouraging this problem. The rhetoric presented in this artifact may persuade people that there is an issue, but rhetoric is contingent. The artifact requires the audience to act in order to make a difference on the issue.  The silence on this topic is not protecting us, it’s suffocating us.

Mary and Sofie: Issue Brief Idea: Excessive Drinking on College Campuses

Excessive drinking on college campuses is a prevalent issue that has affected college students, especially in the last few years. In campuses across the United States, the implications of excessive alcohol consumption has affected both the students and the university. While reports, images, and videos of this negative behavior has been seen in news outlets and social media, the problem still persists as a national crisis. The evident effects of excessive alcohol consumption can be seen in the lives of students, but it also influences factors around them. The negative behavior associated with alcohol consumption can be linked to decreased school performance, mental health issues, and physical health well-being on the personal level of students. Furthermore, excessive alcohol consumption plays a role on a broader scale, influencing factors such as sexual assault incidences, economic consequences, and reputation of universities. Due to the widespread, but critical, effects of alcohol consumption across campuses, these issues provoke a need to find a solution to eliminate the downsides of these factors.

While alcohol consumption is a choice that has been mandated by law to occur after a person has turned 21 years old, college campuses give students “easy” access to underage drinking. While regulation has been implemented at the federal level to discourage negative behavior, it still exists. It often seems that universities have given up on their efforts to prevent excessive drinking, but rather aim their actions at the promotion of safe practices and smart choices. Even though this issue is driven by the role students play in engaging in overconsumption of alcohol, the policies and programs that are currently implemented are not doing enough to curb this negative behavior as rates of mental health illnesses and sexual assault on campuses have been on the rise in recent years, two instances that show a relation to high levels of alcohol consumption.

The currently policies and methods of action that exist on campuses to prevent excessive drinking must be changed or enforced through a new study. This issue brief will aim to find a new way in which to approach this revision and what that might look like at other universities like Penn State. In finding ways to implement methods that could actually reduce the excessive alcohol consumption on Penn State’s campuses, other universities could aim to implement these initiatives in order to promote a greater change in universities across the United States that actually prevents the consequences of this behavior, making both students and the surrounding communities safer, happier, and healthier.

 

This I Believe Draft: Labels Only Matter If You Let Them Stick

“Get up, Mary! Get back up!”

I had fallen, and for the first time in my life, I truly couldn’t lift myself up. In my very first game of high school basketball, everything came crashing down when I tried to save a ball from going out of bounds. After a very good first quarter, I thought I was off to a good start. In the middle of the second quarter, everything changed. When I planted my foot to save the ball, I heard the most distinct tearing sound I’ve ever heard in my life. While I saved the ball and got it to my teammate, I couldn’t save myself. I could hear my mom from across the gym yelling at me to get up. She knew it was what I always did, no matter how hard I got hit. I think a part of me knew in that moment that this injury wasn’t like others. This was the injury that changed the perception of myself.

After walking around for a week in torture, denying the fact that the injury was serious, I eventually went to the doctor. After an MRI, I learned that my biggest fear had come true. I had torn my ACL, would have to get surgery, and would ultimately spend a year in rehab if I ever wanted to return to basketball. Up until this point, being someone who was good at basketball was a part of my identity. I soon realized that I could no longer be defined as someone who was “good at basketball” because I physically couldn’t play. It was a judgement that no longer held true because it was something I used to be.

People are often misconstrued based on what others think about them. It is easy for other people to define someone they don’t know as a single thing or a single trait. When people place their identity in certain people, or talents, or characteristics, the other parts of them are left unnoticed. However, we as humans are much more than one characteristic. Individuals can struggle with their identity when they succumb to the public perception of themselves, whether that be good or bad. When we let other people label who we are, a person’s successes and failures are all attributed to the one thing that people think they are, giving a person no substance as anything more than an outside opinion.

Understanding that I was more than what people thought of me was something I really struggled with throughout my rehab process. The process allowed me to regain physical strength, but also helped me build a “mental toughness” I didn’t have before. I struggled to come to terms with who I would be because I believed in only what others thought I was and not what was actually true in my life. When people try to define you as one thing, anything you do outside of those boundaries is made to be insignificant. I thought if I didn’t have this identity, I didn’t matter. At first, my motivation for returning to basketball was driven in trying to regain this lost “sense of self”. Only when I realized that I needed to let go of this false identity did I learn that the label that was placed on me didn’t have to be the label for my entire life.

More than who I was on a basketball court, I started to notice who I was off of it. Regardless of how broken I felt, people still believed that this didn’t have to be such a negative part of life, and that I could use to learn and use it to grow. While basketball was never the same for me, I learned to be better in other ways. I was able to let go of the single thing I thought defined me. I aimed to become better holistically, in the way I presented myself to the world, my relationships with others, and achieving other goals that weren’t linked to basketball.

After such a difficult time in my life, letting go of a label and becoming someone known for my internal qualities mattered much more than any performance I could have had on the basketball court. I would much rather be remembered as someone who was a good person than someone who was good at basketball. The identity I found within myself far surpassed any label given to me by those around me. I found an inner strength in the belief that labels only have to matter, if you let them stick.

This I Believe and Blog Ideas for Spring Semester 2017

“This I Believe”:

The purpose of the assignment is to effectively indicate a genuine statement of belief that connects to a personal story. Throughout my life, there are a lot of things I have learned and beliefs I hold very true, but in some ways, it is hard for me to identify exactly where these values came from or the experience in which I gained a valuable belief. I have considered some significant roles and events in my life that I think have shaped my identity and my beliefs.

Option 1:

Four years ago, as a freshman in highschool, I experienced a horrible ACL tear in my very first high school basketball game. Up until this point, being someone who was good at basketball was a part of my identity. Playing the game was something that made me happy regardless of how my team ever did. Going into the first game, I wasn’t rostered for the team I wanted to be on, and in some ways, that motivated me even more. I went out on the court with something to prove, with anxious and built up emotions, but in the blink of an eye, everything came crashing down when I fell to the floor and couldn’t get up. After the moment, I went through a year long recovery that taught me things about myself, life, and moments we often taken granted. As people move on in life, they often forget where they came from and the relationships that helped shape who they are. However, I realize the issues that come from finding identity in other places and things. When people try to define you as one thing, anything you do before or after that thing is made to be insignificant.  People try to label the value of a person based on what they perceive them to be. If they are good at being that one thing, only then can they actually matter. Sometimes, when we aren’t surrounded by the things that are comfortable to us, people start to lose track of who they actually are.I thought I would never move on from this very low point in my life. However, through it all, I learned that in my weakness, I found my greatest strengths. This I believe.

Option 2:

While some people face this world alone, I wasn’t one of them. Often in life, especially as teenagers, people struggle in finding an identity, finding a place that they belong. This struggle to find acceptance is one that impacts who a person becomes. Although I have also faced this problem, I could always rely on one identity, the was born into because I’m a twin. However, when we left for college, I only then took meaning in my identity as a twin and have realized the ways that we as twins have impacted one another. Through my shared role as a twin, I have learned to understand my identity as an individual. The relationship with Mark has encouraged me to find myself and who I hope to become. I truly believe that I wouldn’t be anywhere without my family. As hectic of a life as it has been, when you step away from it, you are able to see how much you had. No person can become great on their own. This I believe.

Passion Blog:

For my passion blog, I plan to keep the same general topic. Last semester, by blog served to be more informative, providing tips and suggestions on how to survive college. This semester, however, I hope to make the blog more reflective, expounding on things I have learned and things I am still trying to understand. While I think I offered good suggestions last semester, I hope to make my blog more thought provoking and insightful. While I may not offer any “new” information to the audience, I hope it encourages them to think about their own experiences and relate them to mine. It is my goal to challenge my audience when reading my blog and offer perspective on the first year college experience and life as a young adult.

Civic Issues Blog:

For my civic issues blog, I have tried to come up with topics that not only I thought were interesting but ones I would enjoy writing about. One idea I had for my civic issues blog was the idea of celebrity endorsement. A lot of times, celebrities, professional athletes, and political figures have come forward with their stance on civic issues and are immediately attacked or supported. In my blog, I want to explore some significant cases in which these figures have presented their views and how public opinion received them. While some cases have been known to gain massive support, others have been heavily attacked. In exploring these cases, I hope to eliminate biases, raise attention to the effect of public opinion, and also show the influence it has on the public perceiving these controversies. In order to keep a narrow focus, I plan to select civic issues related to race and rights.

Another idea for my civic issue blog is to explore race issues among the millennial generation. In general, people like to believe that millennials, now more than ever, are the most accepting age range of people. While in some cases I think this holds true, I think there are several misconceptions. In the rise of social media, discrimination based on race, appearance, and ethnicity has continued to be publicized. People are more willing to share their life through apps with friends and has increased public opinion on racial issues. In the blog, I hope to explore racial civic issues that have affected millennials and how millennials have contributed to the spread of civic engagement in this area.

TED Talk Outline and Visuals: The Shift in Parenting Styles and Its Attribution to The Coddled Mind of Adolescents

Introduction: Personal Anecdote

  • Reflection of my life growing up self reliant
  • Establishment of the Paradigm Shift
  • Define Helicopter Parent – overbearing and overprotective parents that “hover” over their children
  • Thesis Statement: Through evaluation of the change in parenting styles, it can be shown that overparenting has consequential effects on the development of adolescents, leaving them unprepared for the “real world” and obstacles they will encounter as they age.

Evidence of the Shift:

  • In different areas of society, the nature of this shift can be seen, showing the ways in which this style of parenting has negative implications.
    • Following graduation from college, more students are returning home to live with parents regardless of their employment status.
      • More students are still trying to find ways to be independent from parental influence when growing up, they constantly had people dictating their lives.
      • This can be attributed to the desire to have other people take care of them and discourages adolescents from taking financial responsibility for themselves and remain in their comfort zones.
    • Media and television have also influenced the way in which children have been coddled in society.
      • The Karate Kid, a movie that came out in 1984 showed a protagonist that was forced to rise above the hardship he faced from bullies in order to overcome challenges and stand up for himself, ideas that correlated with the beliefs of the time.
      • However, with evolution of characters like Harry Potter, children’s view of roles in culture have been changed. Figures in media like Harry Potter were able to get away with whatever they wanted and receive no punishments because they were the “chosen one”. The changes in the protagonists of movies is reflective of the mindset of children between children in older times versus today’s culture.
    • Due to the change in beliefs of parents reflected in their parenting styles, there has been an ideological indication of this shift.
      • The “raised in praise” phenomenon has increased based on the shift of parenting. This phenomenon presents the idea that everyone’s a winner and deserves a trophy even when a child hasn’t done anything worthy of praise.
      • For millennials, there is a high toleration against bullying in any aspect and the phrase “that offends me” is supposed to be taken seriously in all regards. Millennials have grown overly-sensitive to ideas because catering to their every need was often fulfilled by parents.
        • The increased sensitivity found in college students has promoted a greater desire for “trigger warnings”. In a country that stands for freedom of speech, a freedom and expression of ideas is often warranted with reminding people not to offend anyone that doesn’t share their idea.
        • Different viewpoints are no longer viewed as opinions, but rather, criticisms of the other side. By limiting the topics and controversies that can be discussed, the way in which reform and change can be brought about is discouraged.

Why is this shift happening?

  • This shift in parenting styles, which in turn has led to a shift to the coddled mindset of children, can be shown as a response to different factors encountered in modern society.
    • There is a growing pressure on children in today’s world to succeed and achieve academically and socially.
      • When applying to colleges students are plagued with trying to be the “whole package”, someone who has a great GPA, standardized tests scores, and takes on leadership roles in several clubs and activities. Students no longer aim to put in the hard work to achieve these accomplishments, but rather, they are looking for a way to check a box.

What is the effect of the shift?

  • In evaluation of this shift, the evidence suggests that coddling children results in detrimental consequences.
    • College students are shown to be lacking the ability to cope on their own.
      • Julie Lythcott-Haims, dean of freshmen at Stanford University, noticed that incoming student appeared flawless on paper, but in reality, seemed more incapable of taking care of themselves as parents became more involved in the lives of their children.
        • It can be compared to ordering something online, and then the package arrives, and you realize it’s nothing like the image online.
      • Furthermore, due to an inability to deal with adversity on their own, they are less likely to become successful adults.
      • The evidence suggests that coddled children are unable to meet the demands of their peer groups, demands at school, or the demands of everyday life. When children have “intoxicating” levels of gratification, they are no longer motivated because they never learned resilience (Rock 2016).

Conclusion

  • Through evaluation of this paradigm shift, it is clear that a change in society has resulted in the way in which children are raised. Watching children like specimens in a microscope limits their freedom and makes them void as members of society, incapable of producing any new or original ideas than those deemed fit by others around them. This environment has negative sequences on creating members of civic life able to hear and develop opinions on their everyday world. For most people, it is easier for people to point the finger rather than look in the mirror. As human beings, people are capable of great things if they are willing to be challenged, and no single cause can be the blame for this shift in development. Understanding the ways in which society has adjusted for this shift is a way in which to prevent its future complications. By incorporating a parenting style that encourages growth and development while providing nurture and encouragement, the development of civic life will be better able to think about controversies and the spread of new ideas.

Visual: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1TFuPgyMGhEqtyiTqFqb3OS_hAUM8pFRHkMe0drCbrIg/edit#slide=id.g13979187b0_0_10

Reference Page

The Role of Parenting on the Education and Development of Adolescents

Development of the Shift:

In today’s culture, there has been a dramatic shift in the development of adolescents in both social and educational settings. This shift can be identified with the idea of parents who “coddle” their children. The term “helicopter parent” was coined by the author of the book Parenting with Love and Logic. A helicopter parent is someone who hovers over their children, trying to eliminate any pain or hardship on the path to success. In the change in parenting styles, building up a child’s self esteem has become the focus of parenting, leaving adolescents unprepared for the real world and the later obstacles they will encounter.

Why Does the Shift Matter?

This paradigm shift has an effect on all of society. While parents and children yield the effect, this shift encompasses all of civic life. Before today’s modern society, children were given more responsibilities and freedom. They took on roles in family businesses, had independence from parents, and had the ability to fail and succeed on their own. Now, children are held under a microscope in their parents’ eyes. With the newest ability to track people on iPhones and find locations using smartphones, access to children is made easier and easier. Despite the role of technology, children are constantly given praise and attention from their parents, leading them to think the whole world will be this way. Children growing into young adults have grown extremely sensitive to to all criticism.

Tracking The Shift:

The shift is made evident through various developments in society.

  • Law – Under the Affordable Care Act, Laws around the country even accommodate this shift as a person can remain under their parent’s health insurance coverage until the age of 26.
  • Education –  When students are underperforming on tests, parents immediately assume it is the fault of the teacher. In order for children to reach the level of success that their parents require, parents will fight for their kid’s grades.
  • Ideological Differences – The idea of winners and losers doesn’t persist in today’s world. Society has the mentality that “everyone deserves a trophy”. Rewards are not given where they are due and the idea of hard work and effort is being diminished.
  • Media – Children view roles in culture as realistic when they are meant to serve as a fantasy. Figures like Harry Potter could get away with mischief and receive no punishments. He was a wizard and his role is transcended into the real life of adolescents thinking they too are the “chosen one”.

Further Investigations from the Shift:

Racial Differences

  • Possible difference in parenting styles between races.
  • Battle Hymn of a Tiger Mother – Chinese Culture
  • Brock Turner’s Father: “His life will never be the one that he dreamed about and worked so hard to achieve. That is a steep price to pay for 20 minutes of action out of his 20 plus years of life.”
  • African American parents harder on their children so that racial stereotypes aren’t mirrored on their children.

Economic Role

  • After college, students often return home to live with parents even if they do have a job.
  • More students are waiting to acquire money in order to buy house they deem as “successful” before struggling economy to balance more expenses.

Cultural

  • In a society that is more accepting, everyone has viewed their ideas as correct.
  • There has been a greater presence of politically correct ideas which has decreased critical thinking and alternative ideas.
  • Different viewpoints are no longer viewed as opinions, but rather, criticisms of the other side.

Why is This Shift Happening?

This shift in parenting styles is possibly a response to the growing pressures on children in today’s world. With the increased technology and education, meeting the standard of these expectations has required teenagers to work harder. In converse, students’ attention span and inability to see the value of hard work has diminished because we believe knowledge is at our fingertips. This shift has allowed parents fight the battles of their children, resulting in a lack of communication abilities in teenagers. Additionally, the allowing kids to take the easier way out and forcing them to conform has possible complications later in life. Students may grow more rebellious once they gain freedom and make poor choices because they never had the ability to make any choices growing up. Shifting back to a society that encourages individualism and independence is essential in developing children holistically.

 

The Circle: Response 5

Throughout history, villains play a crucial role in movies, books, and even real life. Villains are people whose evil or misguided actions or motives bring down the rest of society. In this way, Mae Holland is the villain of The Circle, and in taking on this role, Eggers tries to teach a lesson to his audience. Throughout the novel, Mae gradually becomes the villain, causing the destruction not only of individuals but of society in her contributions that derail human life as it is known, showing the effect in which self motivation, overuse of technology, and the importance of privacy have in civic culture.

Mae’s role in the Circle became so significant, she became driven solely by self motivation. As Mae continued to wear her watch that allowed users to follow her every move, Mae became obsessed with their opinions. She wanted their feedback and encouraged it through the production of Demoxie. In the book it says, “The goal is to make sure that everyone who works at the Circle can weigh in on issues that affect their lives-mostly on campus, but in the larger world, too” (Eggers, 400). When the questioned was asked, “Is Mae Holland awesome or what?”, Mae become driven to find out what 3% of responders did not agree with the statement (Eggers, 408). The books describes that she felt full of holes, meaning she felt empty without the validation of people. The development of Demoxie may have been able to help democratic decision, but it gave way for criticism and ridicule without any explanation.

As Mae gained a greater understanding of her position in power, she learned the ways in which she could use it to influence the lives of others. Even though Mae’s position in the Circle has substantial influence, she constantly wanted to be the priority, and resented Annie for being selected as the first subject of PastPerfect. Mercer serves the novel as the voice of reason, the protagonist against the actions of the Circle and Mae. His efforts, however, are not enough, and he gives up in his fight to make Mae see it his way and resorts to a place in which to be private. As the villain, Mae tries to strip Mercer of any privacy he sought, finding him using SoulSearch. Using the help of Circlers around the world, Mae tracked him because he was a fugitive from friendship. In these efforts, Mae takes on the role as a villain. Knowing he could not escape the power of the Circle, Mercer is led to commit suicide. Mercer could not be the martyr that he hoped to be because Mae as the villain continued to encourage the completion of the Circle despite those closest to her having doubts about its power.

In evaluation of Mae’s character, Eggers uses the revelation of her position as a villain to stray from novelistic conventions and send a message to the audience. Through the evolution of characters such as Annie, Mercer, and Kalden, their resistance to the closing of the Circle, and affects it had on their lives, show the results of authority in the hands of villains. Furthermore, Mae can be connected to the events that brought each of these characters to their demise. Eggers reveals Mae as a villain in order to show the devastating effect in which private information can have in the wrong hands. People who start enticed by the idea and consumed by attention can lose sight of the consequences of innovation and the effects it can have when misused. Mae is the villian that nobody saw coming, giving both an intriguing end to Eggers novel while making the point that anyone can fall victim to the effects of mass media, privatized knowledge, and power.

The Circle: Response 4

Transparency is a value highly regarded by the Circle. It is arguably the most important ideology in which makes the Circle as successful as it is. This ideology drives the work of many at the Circle, and therefore, attracts millions of people to participate in all the Circle has to offer. In order to illustrate a theme throughout the novel, Eggers shows the consequences of transparency through Mae as she takes on the role of a Circle Ambassador, allowing readers to make a judgement on the negative effects of transparency and the moral decisions that result in order to achieve this ideology.

transparency word on the torn paper background

As a Circle Ambassador, it is Mae’s job to document her daily life, offering opinions, personal experiences, and providing insight to her likes and dislikes. People who “follow” Mae have the ability to watch her in real time, leaving no involuntary action or private moment unseen by millions of people. Mae’s new role has many positive benefits for the company, which is the reason in which she is employed for this job. In this position, followers are able to experience Mae’s life as she does, learning about the Circle, her job, medical information, and family life. By showing these aspects of her life, the Circle hopes that people can identify with Mae, learn from what she goes through, and use it to make their own lives better. The Circle’s dominance of all aspects of life forces them to connect to their audience emotionally since much of the organization is run online. By connecting their online life with a real and physical role found in Mae, the Circle is able to dominate both the emotion and action of their users, making the company extremely successful.
While Mae’s role certainly provides benefits to the Circle, it does more harm than good, despite the fact that Mae and anyone closely connected to the company fails to see this. Mae’s role as a Circle Ambassador encourages criticism, changes Mae’s typical course of action, and invades on private moments. As Mae offers her opinion on various aspects of her life, users are able to provide feedback and comments regarding the issues. After Mae left her home and received the letter from Mercer, she read it aloud, and in doing so, criticism of Mae and her dating choices were remarked by users, “Mae, were you ever so young and dumb?” (Eggers, 370). This inside access to Mae’s life and feelings on it encouraged her to try to find validation in the opinions of others, a character choice that her family feels is deeply affecting her. Additionally, Mae’s typical choices were persuaded by being transparent. Whenever she wanted to indulge with a brownie, she refrained. She made health choices that promoted a better way of living even if it’s not what she wanted to do, showing how transparency can force you into something you want people to see you as, not who you really. In Mae taking on this role, she not only affected herself, but she influenced the lives around her. Anyone she interacted with was forced into this transparency themselves. Her doctor, family, and friends all had to deal with Mae’s new role. When Mae walks in on her parents and intrudes on their sexual life, it is caught on camera. When Mae confronts Bailey about the issue, thinking he will remove the feed so it can’t be resurfaced, he says that it goes against the company’s value. The company prioritized giving viewers information and providing insight into Mae’s life over her family’s emotional stability and private life. These negative consequences have affected Mae’s life significantly, and people further out from the Circle can see that. Within the company, transparency is priority and without it, the Circle wouldn’t exist.