Indian Applicant for Biomedical Engineering (Need-Based Aid) Overall GPA- 3.6ish-3.8 idk I've checked online as much as I can and this is the value I'm finding via Bard and Chatgpt. High School (Small - 300-450 Students)

• 9th Grade: 89% (Vice Head Boy, Rotary Interact Club - community service projects- made jute bags with collaboration with rotary interact members at school and donated to a nearby shelter + creating environmental awareness)
• 10th Grade: 91.2% (Head Boy, Student Council President, Anti-bullying initiative at school, Student body reported a feeling of being confident and peaceful mentally due to the awareness of bullying and how to deal with it. Planned Assembly presentations for each Grade so that all the students get a chance to portray their interests on stage + combat fear and stage fright and eventually over come it, Wrote a Drama and acted in it which was staged on the School's Annual Day in front of about 600 attendees/parents based on Dowry which plagues the society and portrayed the ill effects it has on the bride's side, highlighting social issues and sensitizing the subject, Mentored peers during the Board Examinations period who were having academic setbacks in Social Science and Science)

Senior Secondary School (Large - 2400-2800 Students)

• 11th Grade: 93% (2nd Highest in Science Stream, Highest in English, Physics, Maths)
• Cultural Prefect: Organized school events that have been conducted throughout the year (Diwali, Teachers Day etc, Felicitations, Award Ceremonies etc.)
• Science Tutor: Helped classmates in Physics and Chemistry
• CSIR-CCMB Volunteer: Explained Biology concepts at a science exhibition that was held at school for a day as a mobile expo of genetic diseases and solutions. Explained the concept of Vivo Gene Therapy, how it works, the technicalities and talked about practical feasibility.
• MIT EdX Online Course: Cell Biology (no certification due to cost)
• CSIR-CCMB Shadow A Scientist Program: Spent a day in a Stem Cell Technology lab, learnt about Cryoscopy and how it actually works. And how inducing of cancer cells takes place via the help of a lab mice. And how studying if the solution is done to know about the life of cell.
• Uri-Bed Project: Designed a smart bed prototype for incontinence management (won awards at innovation fests). I'll drop the abstract if u guys want but it's lengthy.
• Wipro Earthian Project: Reduced environmental impact of waste disposal at school via the project, brought awareness to the school management that the waste is burnt in open and helped in establishing tin sheds and coverings in the area where burning used to take place z ensuring the continuous carbon emissions doesn't harm students during their returning time and also for school cattle who are opened to roam around and have their enclosure in close proximity to burning area
• Swami Vivekananda Youth Leadership Award: Won leadership competition (500 participants in the state and only 1 person gets the award after 5-6 months of rigorous of interviews, speeches, discussions and introspection) For context it's this one https://rkmath.org/ys/

Future Plans (12th Grade)

• Applying for Head Boy
• Starting a "Young Leaders Club" with various sub-clubs (mental health, environment, youth advocacy and bookers club .)
• Preparing for SAT (financial constraints)

Intended Major: Biomedical Engineering
Financial Aid: Extremely important (need-blind preferred)
College list as of now Boston University, Upenn, Yale, DePaul, Brown, Columbia, Dartmouth, Duke, LMU , Purdue, Suny buffalo, Stony brook, Albany , Stanford, Tufts, Tulane, and USC(my heart is set on this one, they kinda love intl students n give aid + silicon valley + can also pursue my acting passion) Let me know if I'm being delusional as such, critique, review and also lemme know is USC a possibility.
Other:

• Single mother, father abandoned family
• Mother's health issues impacted 9th grade performance
• Working part-time to manage finances
• Preparing for JEE (engineering entrance exam) as a backup

**Questions

• How do my chances look for US universities (need-based aid)?
• Any suggestions for improvement?

Notes:

• Removed GPA conversion as unclear for US applications. (If you do know what my GPA will come out to be, do let me know)

The profusion of identical green tents at this spring’s anti-Israel protests struck many as odd. “Why is everybody’s tent the same?,” asked New York mayor Eric Adams. Like others, the mayor suspected “a well-concerted organizing effort” driving the protests. More recent reporting shows a concerted push behind the Gaza protest movement. But it is not as simple as a single organization secretly rallying protesters or buying tents. Instead, the movement’s most determined activists represent a network of loosely linked far-left groups. Some are openly affiliated with well-known progressive nonprofits; others work in the shadows.
The movement also draws on diverse but generous sources of financial backing. Those funding streams may soon be augmented by the federal government. As I chronicled last year in a Manhattan Institute report, “The Big Squeeze: How Biden’s Environmental Justice Agenda Hurts the Economy and the Environment,” the administration’s massive program of environmental justice grants seems designed to prioritize the funding of highly ideological local groups. The Inflation Reduction Act, for example, earmarks $3 billion for “environmental and climate justice block grants” intended for local nonprofits. Today, hundreds of far-left political groups include language about environmental issues and “climate justice” in their mission statements. If just a fraction of planned grants flows to such groups, the effect will be a gusher of new funding for radical causes.
As the Gaza protests spread across U.S. college campuses, many observers noted an eerie uniformity among them. From one campus to the next, protesters operated in disciplined cadres, keeping their faces covered and using identical rote phrases as they refused to talk with reporters. The Atlantic noted the strangeness of seeing elite college students “chanting like automatons.” Students held up keffiyeh scarves or umbrellas to block the view of prying cameras and linked arms to halt the movements of outsiders. At Columbia University and elsewhere, protesters formed “liberated zones,” from which “Zionists” were excluded. Around the edges of the encampments, the more militaristic activists donned helmets and goggles and carried crude weapons, apparently eager to mix it up with police or counter-protesters. We’ve seen these tactics before—notably during the “mostly peaceful” Black Lives Matter protests of 2020, when full-time agitators helped ignite riots, set up a police-free (and violence-plagued) zone in Seattle, and laid nightly siege to Portland, Oregon’s federal courthouse.
In a remarkable work of reporting, Park MacDougald recently traced the tangled roots of organizations backing pro-jihad protests, both on and off campuses. These include Antifa and other networks of anonymous anarchists, along with “various communist and Marxist-Leninist groups, including the Maoist Revolutionary Communist Party, the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL), and the International ANSWER coalition,” MacDougald writes. Higher up the food chain, we find groups openly supported by America’s growing class of super-rich tech execs or the anti-capitalist heirs of great fortunes. For example, retired tech mogul Neville Roy Singham, who is married to Code Pink founder Jodie Evans, funds The People’s Forum, a lavish Manhattan resource center for far-left groups. As the Columbia protests intensified, the center urged members to head uptown to “support our students.” Following the money trail of other protest groups, MacDougald finds connections to the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, the Ford Foundation, and—surprising no one—the George Soros-backed Tides Foundation.
Of course, the current wave of anti-Israel protests also involves alliances with pro-Hamas organizations such as Students for Justice in Palestine. Last November, Jonathan Schanzer of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies testified to the House Ways and Means Committee that SJP and similar groups have deep ties to global terrorist organizations, including Hamas.
For many keffiyeh-wearing protestors, however, a recently professed concern for Palestinians is just the latest in a long list of causes they believe justify taking over streets and college quads. In Unherd, Mary Harrington dubs this medley of political beliefs the “omnicause,” writing that “all contemporary radical causes seem somehow to have been absorbed into one.” Today’s leftist activists share an interlocking worldview that sees racism, income inequality, trans intolerance, climate change, alleged police violence, and Israeli-Palestinian conflicts all as products of capitalism and “colonialism.” Therefore, the stated rationale for any individual protest is a stand-in for the real battle: attacking Western society and its institutions.
In the U.S., this type of general-purpose uprising goes back at least to the riots at the 1999 meeting of the World Trade Organization in Seattle. In those protests, mainstream liberal factions—including labor unions and environmentalists—were joined by “black bloc” anarchists and other radicals eager to engage in “direct action” against police. That pattern—relatively moderate demonstrators providing a friendly envelope for hard-core disruptors—formed the template for many later protests: the Occupy Wall Street encampments in 2011, demonstrations following the police shooting of Michael Brown in 2014, 2016’s Standing Rock anti-pipeline movement, and of course, the calamitous summer of 2020.
These uprisings were not entirely spontaneous. In some cases, activists spend months planning mass actions—for example, against economic summits or political conventions—and can recruit street fighters from across the country. In others, an event, such as George Floyd’s death, sparks popular protests involving neophyte demonstrators. Those attract far-left activists, who swoop in to organize and expand the struggle, often tilting it toward more radical action.
That has certainly been the case at the college Gaza-paloozas. At Columbia, the New York Times spotted a woman old enough to be a student’s grandmother in the thick of the action as protesters barricaded that school’s Hamilton Hall. The woman was 63-year-old Lisa Fithian, a lifetime activist, who Portland’s alternative weekly Street Roots approvingly calls “a trainer of mass rebellion.” A counter-protester trying to block the pro-Hamas demonstrators told NBC News, “She was right in the middle of it, instructing them how to better set up the barriers.” Fithian told the Times she’d been invited to train students in protest safety and “general logistics.” She claims to have taken part in almost every major U.S. protest movement going back to the 1999 “Battle in Seattle.”
America’s radical network has plenty of Lisa Fithians, with the time and resources to travel the country educating newcomers about the “logistics” of disruptive protests. And these activists appear to have played key roles in the college occupations. The New York City Police Department says nearly half the demonstrators arrested on the Columbia and City University of New York (CUNY) campuses on April 30 were not affiliated with the schools. One hooded Hamilton Hall occupier—photographed scuffling with a Columbia custodian before getting arrested—turned out to be 40-year-old James Carlson, heir to a large advertising fortune. According to the New York Post, Carlson lives in a $2.3 million Park Slope townhouse and has a long rap sheet. For example, in 2005, he was arrested in San Francisco during the violent “West Coast Anti-Capitalist Mobilization and March Against the G8.” (Those charges were dropped.)
For a quarter-century now, Antifa and other anarchist networks have worked to refine tactics and share lessons following each major action. At Columbia, UCLA, and other schools, authorities found printouts of a “Do-It Yourself Occupation Guide” and similar documents. The young campus radicals are eager to learn from their more experienced elders. And, like the high-achieving students they are, they follow directions carefully. MacDougald asked Kyle Shideler, the director for homeland security and counterterrorism at the Center for Security Policy, about the mystery of the identical tents. There was no need for a central group to distribute hundreds of tents, Shideler said. Instead, “the organizers told [students] to buy a tent, and sent around a Google Doc with a link to that specific tent on Amazon. So they all went out and bought the same tent.”
In other words, America’s radical class has gotten very skilled at recruiting and instructing new activists—even from among the ranks of elite college students with a good deal to lose. How much more could this movement accomplish with hundreds of millions in federal dollars flooding activist groups around the country?
From its first week in office, the Biden administration has trumpeted its goal to funnel more environmental spending toward “disadvantaged communities that have been historically marginalized,” partly by issuing grants to grassroots organizations. Previous environmental justice (EJ) grant programs were small in scope. But, with the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in August 2022, a huge pool of grant money became available. EPA administrator Michael Regan told reporters, “We’re going from tens of thousands of dollars to developing and designing a program that will distribute billions.”
More than a year and a half later, it remains hard to nail down just where the Biden administration’s billions in EJ grants will wind up. Money is being distributed through a confusing variety of programs, and the process of identifying recipients is ongoing. To help outsource the job of sifting through proposals, the EPA last year designated 11 institutions as “Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmakers.” These groups are empowered to make subgrants directly to community organizations, under streamlined EPA oversight. In all, the Biden administration has entrusted these outfits with distributing a staggering $600 million in funding. The money is expected to start flowing this summer.
The EPA’s grantmakers include a number of educational institutions and left-leaning nonprofits. For example, the EPA chose Fordham University as its lead grantmaker in the New York region. Fordham, in turn, lists as partners two nonprofits that oppose immigration enforcement. (One, the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice, states on its website: “NJAIJ believes in the human right to migrate, regardless of citizenship or political status.”) Neither group claims expertise in environmental issues. Given that the IRA’s eligibility requirements for EJ grants are extremely vague, however, perhaps that’s not a problem. Almost any activity that could help “spur economic opportunity for disadvantaged communities” (in the words of Biden’s EJ executive order) might qualify.
Perhaps the most prominent—and problematic—EPA grantmaker is the Berkeley, California-based Climate Justice Alliance. The CJA is a consortium of mostly far-left activist groups. It describes its mission as working for “regenerative economic solutions and ecological justice—under a framework that challenges capitalism and both white supremacy and hetero-patriarchy.” The group is a vigorous proponent of the omnicause, embracing almost every left-wing concern as a manifestation of climate change. For example, the CJA website proclaims: “The path to climate justice travels through a free Palestine.” MacDougald notes that the Grassroots Global Justice Alliance, one of CJA’s affiliated groups, “organized an illegal anti-Israel protest in the Capitol Rotunda in December at which more than 50 activists were arrested.”
The CJA website also includes a section dedicated to the cause known as Stop Cop City. It refers to an effort to halt the construction of an 85-acre police and firefighter training center outside Atlanta. Rag-tag activists from around the country have gathered around the facility since 2021. They have repeatedly battled with police—sometimes with fireworks and Molotov cocktails—and used bolt cutters to enter the site and torch construction equipment. (CJA’s Stop Cop City page features a cartoon illustration of three childlike activists; one brandishes bolt cutters.) The group also backs a legal defense fund for activists arrested in attacks on the training center or in other protests. For those looking for more inspiration, CJA links to an interview with former Black Panther and self-described revolutionary Angela Davis.
The Alliance is not an ideological outlier in Biden’s EJ coalition. On the contrary, when the White House assembled its White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council (WHEJAC), a panel of outside experts meant to provide “horizon-expanding EJ advice and recommendations,” it chose CJA co-chair Elizabeth Yeampierre to help lead the committee. Like other members of the panel, she sees environmental issues through an ideological, not a scientific, lens. “Climate change is the result of a legacy of extraction, of colonialism, of slavery,” Yeampierre told Yale Environment 360. As a group, radical EJ activists tend not to focus on pragmatic ways to reduce pollution and carbon emissions; for them, the real goal is overturning what they see as an exploitative economic and political system. Since these are the voices the White House chose to help shape its EJ policies, we can assume this worldview will dominate grantmaking decisions.
In February 2023, House Oversight Committee chairman James Comer, along with fellow committee member Pat Fallon, wrote to EPA administrator Regan asking for more information on the EPA’s grant programs. They noted that the EPA’s own studies of EJ grants issued in previous years showed sloppy supervision. According to an EPA report, an earlier version of the program funded projects that did “not logically lead to the desired environmental and/or public health [result].” Without better oversight and more clearly defined goals, the congressmen wrote, the EPA’s EJ grant machine risks becoming simply a “slush fund for far-left organizations.”
Since then, the administration has done little to reassure skeptics. To the contrary, the EPA has put at least one far-left organization—CJA—in charge of distributing $50 million in grant money. No doubt, many of the EPA grants will go to worthwhile projects. But money is fungible. A group that gets a large grant to, say, clean up dirty parks or teach children about recycling will also be able to hire more staff and divert more resources to political action.
With graduation behind them, most of the anti-Israel college protesters have stowed away their keffiyehs and moved on to summer vacations or internships. But the peripatetic activists who helped guide and intensify those uprisings are doubtless already planning their next actions. After all, two political conventions are looming. This fall, the college protests will likely flare up again, though by then perhaps focused on a different facet of the omnicause. And, with hundreds of millions in fresh funding flowing through the activist ecosystem, the groups that quietly nurture extremists—like those who firebombed “Cop City,” or who chant “Intifada Revolution!,” or who block bridges in the name of “climate”—will be more emboldened than ever.
A Slush Fund for Radical Protesters? City Journal (city-journal.org)
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In the 19, nearly 20, years I have lived my life, I was raised a Christian by American conservatives in a middle class environment and am fortunate to experience countless memories of joy, laughter, and growth with (mostly) everybody I have met. Each memory with the people in my life holds a special place in my heart, and I will forever cherish the bond we built.
The thing is that until the end of eighth grade, I had a strange obsession with East Asia. Looking back, it was very embarrassing and I condemn my parents for enabling me to become a weeaboo (by “weeaboo”, I mean “a person who is overly obsessed with East Asian culture, especially Japanese culture, to the point that they fetishize the culture in an unhealthy way”). I was the textbook example of a weeaboo who had a terrible case of “yellow fever” (sexual preference towards East Asians). Loving the image of East Asian culture without having any real idea what it stood for and seeing the East as a utopia, my fetishization of East Asia, especially Japan, was born out of the shame I have with the Western culture I was raised in. I never felt like I could fit in with my Western peers who I often looked down upon and did not want to be associated with. It got to the point that I became unsatisfied with my home town, my physical appearance, and even my closest friends. This combined with the surge in anime, K-pop, and other media on the internet really got me hooked and believing really fetish-y things about the Sinosphere. I hate being reminded of it and have tried to move on.
However, I am thankful for my exposure to Eastern culture, though it was through a very bastardized, Westernized lens. I am grateful for my exposure, even though it started out with something as intellectually undemanding as Vocaloid music (songs sung by a Japanese voice synthesizer). The best part about the exposure was that it helped me leave Christianity and join Buddhism at age 11, which greatly helped with my mental health considering I was experiencing suicidal thoughts since the age of 8. Though I had awful misunderstandings of Buddhism in the beginning and still do not really have a Buddhist teacher, I am glad that I have the resources to connect myself with other Buddhists and take refuge in the Triple Gem.
As I left my gross misconceptions of the Sinosphere behind back when I was 14 while still having a healthy interest in it, my eyes were eventually opened to perils which threaten not only the homelands of Buddhism (East, South, and Southeast Asia), but also the sustainability of modern humans. These two perils are Western culture and capitalist fascism.
The West exoticizes and misrepresents Buddhism and the culture of its home, the East, as a whole. I am ashamed to be born in a culture where this was encouraged, which I am worried could lead me to fetishizing Eastern culture again.
But what I know for sure is that the West’s hyperindividualism is harming people, both those whose lands are invaded and its own people. This combined with the West’s growing rejection of education, including that of the knowledge the West itself has given to the world for humanity’s benefit, makes it clear that it is lacking some of the Sinosphere’s cultural strengths. Everybody should hold collectivism and education to the same degree that the Sinosphere does, otherwise we would be left with an unsustainable society that would destroy itself.
There is nothing wrong with speaking Western languages, eating Western foods, watching (most types of) Western media, wearing Western clothes, and especially nothing wrong with using Western inventions, but we are now seeing that the West’s hyperindividualism and rejection of education is destructive and spreading like a cancer.
It is only Buddhists who make an effort to assimilate to the East (had they not been born into it) who can see the West with its hyperindividualism and uneducatedness, promoted by its creation of its spreading ideologies such as capitalist fascism and social Darwinism, for what it really is: a cancer. I can now see the direction the United States, the most populated and powerful country in the West, is going due to the rise of ultra-capitalism and/or fascism supporters.
Rarely the phrase “Western”, as in “formed by the combined foundations of Greco-Roman civilization and Western Christianity” (Gabbe), raised positive thoughts in my mind since I learned about it shortly after discovering Buddhism. “Western” when used in the context of medicine is an exception to this, but we are now seeing more and more Westerners dishonor the progress their ancestors made towards modern, mainstream, dare I say, Western medicine as they fall for anti-vaccine and anti-mask pseudoscience.
Nowadays, some who use the word in a derogatory context are uneducated reactionaries that bash anything and everything Western, yet hypocritically promote the Western political ideology of fascism. A strength that a majority (though now a decreasing number) of Western countries have is their progressivism, supporting scientific advancements, women’s rights, racial equality, and the LGBT+. However, this is not just becoming less common; being a progressive Westerner is not enough, not enough to end Western imperialism, to save the sacred truths taught to us by the Shakyamuni Buddha, or to empower the working class.
Although I never fully approved of Western culture after my weeaboo phase ended, my early teen self still ended up falling into the anti-social justice warrior side of YouTube that I now recognized hindered my understanding of what actually ruined my country, the United States of America. I still did not feel comfortable calling myself a Westerner but mainly because the West did not widely accept Buddhism and has several times in its history persecuted Buddhists. At the same time, I was deceived by a bastardized form of Buddhism common among Westerners (known as “secular Buddhism”, which picks and chooses aspects of the Buddha’s teachings instead of accepting them as a whole), so I was a bit more of the classic, stereotypical atheist neckbeard who fetishized the East up until 2020. Since then, my views became more progressive similar to those of American liberals and I denounced traditionalist Western beliefs, but like the average American liberal, I did not see Western culture, both traditional and progressive, as the peril I now see it. It was not until around the end of 2023 when I discovered the Western problem.
It was a slow burn that started with my discovery of Buddhists on the internet talking about how the West misrepresented Buddhism to appeal to “self-help” consumerists, Christians, and New Age followers. In the Westerner, I originally saw only a person who followed harmless customs, traditions, and other norms that came from a part of the world where Buddhism was not the dominant religion (if you could even call the non-theistic dharma as taught by the Gautama Buddha a religion). And so, I did not believe that Western civilization needed to fall for the safety of the dharma, let alone for its own people. After all, I thought to myself, the West has contributed so much to science and the modern world as we know it. I still believe to this day that there are no superior cultures and that each one simply has its own unique strengths and weaknesses, some of which are only subjective. However, while looking through Buddhist forums, I was shocked to hear about the West’s pollution of Buddhism and my knowledge on Buddhism skyrocketed as I learned that I fell victim to the Dunning-Kruger effect. I started reading sutras and immersing myself with Buddhism by listening to those who have much more experience than I do. There are hardly any Buddhists in my community and the only Buddhist center within reach is a New Kadampa Tradition meditation center (FYI: the New Kadampa Tradition must be avoided since it has a reputation for financially exploiting members and its monastics have allegations of drug trafficking and sexual abuse), so books and the internet are all I have left.
Practicing Buddhism in the West is nearly impossible without a community, without a Buddhist teacher, without any resources written by Eastern Buddhists. Reddit user u/Tendai-Student, a “lay Tendai Student [sic] with aspirations to become a Priest [sic]” states the following:
It is exceedingly challenging for a Westerner who is interested in Buddhism to find reliable information. Bookstores' Buddhist sections are rife with myths about the religion (we will come to some of these misconceptions below). Buddhism-related disinformation abounds in university classes. Misinformation about Buddhism abounds in publications with a Buddhist theme. Even Buddhism-related english-speaking [sic] Reddit boards are prone to carry false information.
Buddhism is constantly distorted in the same way: to make it more agreeable to Abrahamic faiths(especially Christianity in the west) [sic]. To imply that it is subject to Western standards, Western religion, and Western consumerism and materialism.
…Asian teachers are frequently excluded from English-speaking Buddhist places (meditation centers, university forums, periodicals). Asians make up the majority of Buddhists in the United States, despite the fact that popular images of Buddhism in the West make it appear otherwise. In the minds of Westerners, Buddhism is a religion of white converts. They don't even pay attention to the odd lack of Asians in some Buddhist areas. (u/Tendai-Student)
It is no wonder that I went through a phase when I was a weeaboo with “yellow fever”. The Westerner commodifies and commercializes these Buddhist practices and East Asian customs like they do with several other cultures. Its misuse and stealing of Buddhism is the worst because its teachings are for us to end suffering by ridding ourselves of the three poisons: greed, ignorance, and hatred (which the Westerner promotes).
My realization of this drew me away from the West, similar to when my obsession with the East began. The difference is that my interest in the East now is not because of a fantasy born out of misguidance, especially not a sexual one. I now know that there is more to the East than its pop culture. But I cannot help thinking that none of this would have happened and I would better understand Buddhism had I been born to and raised by Buddhists in East Asia, or even a majority Buddhist country in South or Southeast Asia.
However, the possibility of a cycle starting with a yo-yoing fetishization of the East makes me anxious. When I realized what I was doing at first was fetishization, I did further research and found out that the West is to blame for its portrayal of the East in its media. This in turn makes me denounce the West and brings me back towards my obsession with the Sinosphere, which could lead to more fetishization.
Despite this, I am glad that at the very least, my interest is more than just wanting to live a kawaii lifestyle, hoping to have a “submissive housewife who will look young forever”, or all that neckbeard squick. I do have to say that there is something else that is drawing me towards the Sinosphere, not to mention that it is the region where Buddhism is dominant (the same is true to a lesser extent with the Indosphere). Even though I am not a huge fan of tradition since I am very progressive, when a region’s culture gets something right, they get it right. In addition to Buddhist values, the Sinosphere holds education and collectivism to a high degree. It is no wonder I find their people so much more intelligent and caring than people from my culture.
It is common knowledge that countries such as Japan, China, South Korea, and Singapore have the highest average IQs. To add to this (unbeknownst to many), even less developed countries, e.g. Mongolia, with high Buddhist populations around the same region, have average IQs higher than developing and undeveloped nations outside the region. The most agreed upon reason for this is cultural factors rather than genetic or economic factors. To conclude, Buddhism combined with values in the East Asian cultural sphere creates the best “brains” to represent humanity, thus the West should make way for them, especially considering the East’s superior collectivism.
Of course cultures do not stay the same forever because they change over time. One big thing that is different now in the Sinosphere and Indosphere (the latter I am mentioning because it is where Buddhism came from, though it is not as dominant in the cultural region as it was) is that they are generally much more patriarchal and anti-LGBT+ than they were up until the last several centuries. However, Buddhism treats same-sex relations and being transgender the same as heterosexuality and being cisgender (preferring celibacy among monastics, though depending on the school of Buddhism, those in the monastic order may be treated as their birth gender, even if they are transgender), and in addition, the Buddha taught that women are just as capable of attaining enlightenment as men. Even outside of Buddhism, there are records of same-sex relations as early as the Shang dynasty in China and the temple walls in Khajuraho, India depict homosexual activity. As for feminism, China was matrilineal until the Han dynasty era, when Confucianism and filial piety became mainstream in the area, while India, home to over 100 different ethnic communities, has had a few matriarchal and egalitarian societies pre-European colonization. In the modern era, numerous people in the two cultural spheres are becoming more supportive of gender equality and the LGBT+, which in some cases may be due to Westernization (not that it redeems it) or simply the individuals’ progressive political views not influenced by Western culture.
What has stayed the same for the most part, besides Buddhism, is the Sinosphere’s and Indosphere’s value of collectivism in honor-shame societies and the former cultural sphere’s emphasis on education; this is what Westerners, as well as people all over the world, need for themselves. If the West is going to fall due to hyperconsumerism, late stage capitalism, and uneducated leaders, those living in the West would be better off joining Buddhism and assimilating to the East. Arguably, the best way to do this is to move to a majority Buddhist country, preferably one in the Sinosphere (its core countries being China, Japan, the Koreas, Taiwan, and Vietnam). Leave everybody you know from your home behind, especially non-Buddhists. Just to make things clear, Westerners are not necessarily evil and it is not their fault they were raised in a Western culture, but having these people in your life will hold you back from collectivism, quality education free of anti-intellectual quackery, and above all, understanding the dharma.
After you have left everybody in your life and started anew, you can immerse yourself in the culture. Again, abandoning Western food, media, clothing, and especially inventions and scientific breakthroughs is very unnecessary. Your main focus is reprogramming your mind to think like a person (specifically a Buddhist person) in the Sinosphere/Indosphere, utilizing the high educational standards, putting the collective over the individual, and taking refuge in the Triple Gem. Before moving, though, it is best to make yourself familiar with the customs and learn the language of the place you are moving to. To aid your assimilation, it would not hurt to start dating one of the locals who strongly identifies with the culture, regardless of their race. Someone living there who is not ethnically East, South, or Southeast Asian who is still very involved in the culture would be very helpful to your assimilation as one who is ethnically East, South, or Southeast Asian (I am clarifying this to discourage racial fetishization). This may be difficult as you would have to win over approval from their parents, let alone convince them to see you as another Easterner, but if you manage to do so, that would be fantastic. To make things easier, you could plan to move to a country where people treat women as equals and are relatively accepting of the LGBT+ so you would not have to worry about gender roles or whatever. Think of places in the Sinosphere such as Singapore, Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong, or if you are planning on going to the Indosphere (which is not too big of a step down) since they did give us Buddhism after all, Nepal and Thailand. Your most important goal, however, is to rewire your brain to think in a more Sinic or Indic way and be more in touch with Buddhism.
You can hardly consider yourself a Westerner if you manage to do so, being Western only in your country of origin (and possibly race as well). I am definitely not like those other “people” from the West who strongly cling to Western culture because they just do not understand. Western cultural merit is almost solely from the proxy of our ancestors’ inventions, scientific discoveries, and political revolutions. Considering that the West is being brought towards the wrong direction in the modern era, we should get out of there culturally, if not physically, until it all hits the fan.
If the West continues its defilement of the rest of the world, when it falls, it will bring it all down with it. We must not lose or else everybody loses.
This pressure has a good side; because the bigger the great threat becomes, the more we will push ourselves to assimilate and raise children to fight for us. Considering the infectability of Western anti-intellectualism and “main character syndrome”, how could our Western peers know better? Buddhism is not a proselytizing “religion”, so our best bet is eliminating the promoter of the three poisons, the Westerner (especially the Christian Westerner), from our own lives. How it will run to us as its society collapses under itself and we welcome it to assimilate but say “we told you so”! The older I get, the better I know the Westerner. The better I know the Westerner, the easier it gets to excuse hostility against them, especially from the Sinosphere.
From my perspective, the ones to blame are not the angry, low-middle class white males in the rural United States nor the boba conservative bananas and right-wing coconuts who suck up to the West’s biggest scum, but rather the ones who have brainwashed them to fall for chauvinism, reactionarism, and laissez faire capitalism.
Realizing this, I am now closely investigating the sources of these beliefs which make up the foundation of social Darwinism and, when combined with totalitarian thinking, capitalist fascism. This is after I noticed that these systems are unsustainable and would destroy themselves from the inside out. The slow, painful destruction of communities who fall victim to them are well known to me. If one looks carefully, they can see the consequences that have been unfolding since the 2020 Coronavirus Pandemic. You may wonder: were the founders aware of this? My guess would be that they were not but were evil nonetheless because they were too selfish to think about the future, their descendants.
If this is the case, then it is the duty of us, the opponents of these ideologies, to spread the word faster than the ideologies are currently spreading in the West. It is hard for me to believe it is not the case considering that both Western political ideologies are fundamentally reactionary. Besides, I doubt they would want civilization as we know it to collapse.
I have a social Darwinist as a maternal uncle who sometimes meets with my parents, maternal grandfather, and younger brother and with his political conversations, often sourced from flawed studies, Russian news, and 4chan, I can easily study the principles of its theories. Both of my parents are also conservatives who support Trump and other immoral American politicians. Being raised by the two of them, I bet I could disguise myself as a Western right-wing traditionalist, maybe even a social Darwinist, since I know the way they speak, to whom they flock to, and how to make them give one their full attention. It would probably be easy to do this as some right-wing grifters can fool American right-wing audiences into thinking that they share the same beliefs (e.g. Thomas MacDonald).
Their kind are gullible because they do not listen to fact checkers and often do not do research to see if who they are listening to really practices what they preach.
Even though there are Westerners who are not like this, the West cannot coexist with Buddhism, let alone the cultures where it is dominant, as the West ruled by colonizing tirthikas and it will likely always be for as long as it lasts. And just because their culture is not as viable as the one founded on Buddhist, Sinic, or even Indic values does not give them the right to imperialize the rest of the world and bring it down with them. We can welcome the Westerner willing to change its ways, turn it into one of an Easterner, and have its culture go through a quick and painless demise, or the Westerner can continue its power trip, destroy everything it touches along with itself, and society will suffer a slow and painful death. This is what the conclusion that I have come to so far as I examine capitalist fascism and Westerners’ connection to it.
The Western doctrine of capitalist fascism rejects an aspect of maitrī, fulfilling beings’ basic needs, and substitutes it for a privilege towards the bourgeoisie and the exploitation of the workers’ labor (also known as Vergegenständlichung or “objectification”). Thus it denies the worth of the collective, only concerns itself with greedy individuals, and thus is immoral. Unlike what the non-Buddhist capitalist wants people to believe, all beings have an altruistic Buddha nature, but it is corrupted, being difficult to notice as it has only conditions without a beginning (listed in the Avijjā Sutta). Abandoning capitalism, both fascist and non-fascist, gives power to the people as it ensures a more guaranteed right to life instead of having not even one thousand billionaires own more than half of Earth’s population combined, more than each one of those billionaires could ever spend in their lifetimes.
Should the Westerner, especially one who pushes capitalist fascism, strengthen its grip on humanity, it can be said that it would make its own naraka.
And so I stand by my plan and encourage others to do the same because it is in the name of the Unsurpassable Enlightened One. By protecting our kind against the Westerner, we are defending the Triple Gem.
If it is not already clear, the disapproval I feel towards the societal values and prevailing norms of the West has led me to question my place in this environment. I believe that meaningful change can only be fostered if the West is put into its place and the Sino-Buddhist East motivates our minds.
In Vietnam, where the culture is predominantly Sinic with some Indic aspects and little European influence, we can see the promotion of quality education, collectivism, and Buddhism (practiced by a forgivable 15% of the population), very unlike the nearby country of the Philippines. In the Philippines, its citizens cling to the Anglo-Saxon and Hispanic culture brought to the country by American and Spaniard imperialists. The effects of this are very clear in their average IQs (Vietnam: 89.53 vs. Philippines: 81.64) and PISA scores (Vietnam: 1403 vs. Philippines: 1058). They are both developing countries in Southeast Asia that were colonized by the West, but because Vietnam kept its culture more pure and stuck to Buddhism (or at least Sinic philosophies), its people are better educated compared to the nearby Westernized countries in a similar economic situation.
In short, Westernization leads to the following:

1. The native culture becomes diluted
2. If Western thinking intrudes, mental degeneration takes hold of the native population and its society slowly degrades along with the West itself as it eats itself from the inside out

Those who cause this to happen must be stopped, especially those who endanger Buddhism. We must not wait for the fruition of their karma for their sacrilege of the Tathagata’s teachings because by then it would be too late, and even if it is instant karma, every bodhisattva’s job is to end suffering.
Those who spread the harmful ideologies bring themselves and others away from the Buddha’s word are polluting humanity by having them join their rat race that will only end in their own demise. They are leading to the ruin of many and thus, I do not consider them to be human but instead parasites.
There is a disgraceful Western belief that for a short amount of time was not held by the majority but is now very pervasive in the West and also is the foundation of reactionarism, chauvinism, and capitalism in all cultures. It says: “My individual rights matter the most and freedom means my right to violate the rights of others.”
This Western babble is followed by numerous all around the world and sows disharmony in societies where it becomes the norm. This idea provides basis for several types of Westerners, including but not limited to:

• the “Karen”; a middle-aged, entitled, often white and anti-mask/anti-vaccine female who makes trivial complaints
• the “Chud”; a racist, misogynistic, right-wing male (usually young) who browses 4chan everyday and has a high likelihood of becoming a mass shooter
• the dayangma (Hanzi: 大洋马); a sex-obsessed young adult Western female, majority white but sometimes POC, is conventionally attractive (to Westerners), sleeps around, and in some cases creates spawn that do not know their father(s)
• the angry white male; self-explanatory, right-wing and traditionalist (sometimes a social Darwnist or capitalist fascist), commonly rural, evangelical Christian and have never seen a POC before
• the “Trad Wife”; a prudish, sometimes uneducated, female who lets Western males walk all over it and raises spawn who are likely to become angry whites
• the New Agehippy; generally a teenager or young adult, a well-meaning but poorly educated white liberal or social democrat who misappropriates Buddhism and appeases Muslims
• the AmeriKKKan fathegrandfather; a middle-aged to elderly, chauvinist male with children, sometimes also grandchildren, and is unconcerned about social justice and similarly to the “Karen”, falls for pseudoscientific conspiracy theories
• the neckbearded otaku (Hiragana: おたく); a hairy white male with “yellow fever” and mediocre hygiene, for the most part subreddit/Discord server moderators who stalk and kidnap East Asian ladies (if not teenage girls)

The growth of these groups is evidence of the degradation of Western culture, showing that it must retire as the dominant culture and make way for the much more sustainable East. Once the manuṣya realm on Earth is completely tainted by the West, Buddhas can no longer arise in the world because the dharma would be known by nobody and the Vinaya are forgotten or destroyed.
The future generation will not remember the dharma unless we halt the growth of the parasitic culture that promotes overconsumption, hyperindividualism, and anti-intellectualism.
The Westerner has a remarkable contrast to the Sinic or Indic. The Westerner has a grasp on this world so strong with its weaponry since the 16th century, using force to disrupt the traditional lives of whatever native people it saw, safe for those in a few countries (even though some of those countries are still being Westernized). The Dutch, English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish built colonies from the Americas to Southeast Asia. The kingdoms were blessed with powerful militaries, strong economies, stable governments, and advanced technology that allowed their cultures to spread. But after half a millennium and looking back, was any of this really earned? And is the Westerner’s conquest over yet?
Since the Great Schism of Christianity, the Westerner trained itself for roughly one thousand years. It trained itself in several aspects, but it forgot an important piece, the dharma. The cunning Westerner, blessed with advancements, used them to tyrannize other peoples on a scale never before seen. This was the beginning of the Latter Day of the Dharma. The dharma is declining because of the savage Westerner. And so, it leeched off of any people it got a hold of, including predominantly Buddhist peoples. Even during the decolonization of the 20th century, fundamentalist Christianity spread and threatened the dharma. To make matters worse, previously Buddhist peoples clung to Christianity as taught by their colonizers; the French in Vietnam and the Spanish and Americans in the Philippines. To this day, the Philippines is a lost cause along with its majority Muslim neighbors in Maritime Southeast Asia. The cunning Westerner turned the Filipino against us and now Buddhists make up only 2% of the Philippines’ population. Now, the Westerner sees Buddhism as nothing more than an aesthetic, a self-help lifestyle, or a decoration that they can commercialize and cherry pick aspects to integrate into their religion or lack thereof.
It is excellent for someone from the West to learn the dharma as this will turn them into a more compassionate and wise person, but they must not enforce the Western gaze onto it and discard parts of the Shakyamuni Buddha’s words they do not like. To be fair, some aspects of Buddhism would be nearly impossible for a Westerner to understand unless they assimilate.
Buddhism is not materialist or blind belief without evidence and it belongs to the East, so stop pretending to be something you are not while pushing stereotypes of Asian Buddhists.
However, even though Buddhism is not materialist or very in line with the Western worldview, it is uniquely human. Walpola Rahula, a Sri Lankan Buddhist monk and writer explains it this way:
Among the founders of religions the Buddha (if we are permitted to call him the founder of a religion in the popular sense of the term) was the only teacher who did not claim to be other than a human being, pure and simple. Other teachers were either God, or his incarnations in different forms, or inspired by him. The Buddha was not only a human being; he claimed no inspiration from any god or external power either. He attributed all his realization, attainments and achievements to human endeavour and human intelligence. A man and only a man can become Buddha. Every man has within himself the potentiality of becoming a Buddha, if he so wills it and endeavours. We can call the Buddha a man par excellence. He was so perfect in his 'human-ness' that he came to be regarded later in popular religion almost as 'super-human'. Man's position, according to Buddhism, is supreme. Man is his own master, and there is no higher being or power that sits in judgment over his destiny. (Rahula 3)
How could one even consider the Westerners who diluted Buddhism human themselves at this point? If it were not for them, Westerners may have a better understanding of the teachings of the “man par excellence”. We are lucky that the only Westerners who necessarily see us as inferior are white nationalists and fundamentalist Christians, otherwise the Westerner could have committed a genocide that would have left millions of us dead. Westerners are competitive beings, so they rarely act in concord towards each other. It is only when there is something that draws them together or away from a common danger.
If everybody on Earth becomes a Westerner, they would wallow in their shamelessness and would have nobody left to exploit except for each other until they destroy themselves.
Until they are the only ones left, they will vilify and exploit anything non-Western until they only have each other, then leading to a chaotic world of undignified militaries, economic inequality, corrupt governments, and little or no innovations.
Unless the Westerner considers even the slightest of inspiration from the East, it will continue to follow hyperindividualism and have apathy towards its education. That is why the West is falling. Those from the West who are smart enough to realize that the West’s flaws that it spreads are deciding that the West is not worth maintaining and its resignation is overdue. If those from the West abandon it to assimilate to the East, it would make the West’s death quicker but more dignified.
This is more than a fad but rather the realization that Western society would be best being a passing fad itself. The West gave us great inventions, food, clothes, scientific discoveries, etc. and once it is gone, the East can pick up where it left off just fine.
We will never abandon the Triple Gem because we recognize it to be more than a spiritual, exotic aesthetic or trend. To do so would make us just like those others in the West who Asian Buddhists look down upon. When the time is right, each and every one of us will surround ourselves with the people who know the dharma better than anyone you have met in the West and we can finally be at their level. We shall be Western only in our country of origin and/or race, but in every other way, we will be Easterners; Buddhist Easterners who will take back what rightfully belongs to us.
When we (and hopefully Buddhists outside of both the Eastern and the Western world) do this, consumerism will lose some of its biggest prey. Even though it may not seem like it at first considering we are abandoning everyone we have ever known, we are doing our ancestors a favor by joining the culture that strives towards the end of suffering. We will be leaving our cultures’ ways of thinking behind, but doing this will save face for our lineage, especially the Western lineage as we would be preventing the creation of more “Karens”, “Chuds”, dayangmas, “neckbeards”, and other degenerates. We will not be annoying dorky nerds and certainly not “neckbeards” who are overly obsessed with and fetishize the culture but people making an effort to get closer to the dharma and surrender to the East.
Although we are collectivists, we must seek personal liberation first for the good of other beings. Once the West collapses and its former supporters come running to us, we shall welcome them. If some do not recognize this before it is too late, well boo hoo! They will have a better birth with the world we will create. Some of them, especially their unlucky spawn, would probably be better off dead and reborn into a better life, maybe even the Pure Land.
The way it is looking now, the West is falling and becoming the world’s laughingstock, which is a good thing. The quicker it falls, the less painful it will be for the Westerner and everybody else. Western culture will not be missed, but we can keep the best of it and continue the innovations that the creators would wish to see. We will remember the legacy of them and be thankful while never forgiving or forgetting the ones who ruined the West.
Works Cited
“Ignorance Avijjā Sutta (AN 10:61).” Translated by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu. Dhammatalks. 2017, https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/AN/AN10_61.html. Accessed 31 May 2024.
Gabbe. “Western Culture.” Wikipedia. 25 May 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#:~:text=The%20core%20of%20Western%20civilization,Roman%20civilization%20and%20Western%20Christianity. Accessed 31 May 2024.
Rahula Thero, Walpola. What the Buddha Taught. Oneworld Publications, 1959. Accessed 31 May 2024.
u/Tendai-Student. “栄真Eishin (u/Tendai-Student).” Reddit, 31 May 2024, https://www.reddit.com/useTendai-Student/. Accessed 31 May 2024.
u/Tendai-Student. “Buddhism is being MISREPRESENTED in the West Marginalisation, cultural appropriation, misconceptions and what you can do.” Reddit, 2023, https://www.reddit.com/WrongBuddhism/comments/14zc6xg/buddhism_is_being_misrepresented_in_the_west/. Accessed 31 May 2024.

To begin with the story, we became a couple at the end of 2019. I was interested in another girl before she confessed to me so I rejected her at first, but I haphazardly said I would be with her due to some complications (too personal) a few days later. I was a boring guy, barely functional and ready to end it all after repaying everyone that I know, so I thought after her infatuated period she would see who I was, leave me and search for happiness elsewhere. I would prioritise myself before hers which is very bad, I know, which was an idea that she will leave me eventually right? TLDR: I invited another girl to try league to have 5 man squad, she was new and suck at the game, everyone scolded the new girl and I felt very guilty since 2 other people join I left with the other girl to teach her about it. I shared personal stuff with her and I considered myself as best friends. My girlfriend who was in the squad felt jealous regarding this issue for 4 years now even though I explained "Hey I was the one who invited her and if we just kicked her, it feels so bad for her." I was pretty competitive (Playing ADC) and I would criticise everyone, including myself (I was and still am crazy, would play and watch VODs at least 3 times and see what to improve on and hit myself for making misplays). So she would mention how competitive I was and say (not word for word but a gist of it) "I thought you were competitive, she played so badly and you did not scold her or anything but would scold everyone else when they make mistakes" That is honestly a valid point, like really valid, which I said "She is new to the game, imagine being mean to someone that has no idea what is going on, it is just really unfair. I criticise people who I played with for a long time, know how I want the game to play out and still make the same mistake again and again. I never scolded Friend A (This Friend A played for an amateur team in DOTA2), he has never played league before so there is no reason to be mad at him. I never scolded Friend B (who got masters a few seasons ago) who did not play league for months and played poorly due to preseason changes." This was one part of it for her leaving me. Another short story, I never scolded her for her mistakes, even after she went on about my mistakes and specifically asked me to never play Jhin again (I still remember it, it was an off game on Jhin). Not just in league. Even in real life, I never raised my voice at her, never did anything to her that she did not want to.
In 2020, we were in this community which eventually got a huge drama between a huge group of people and her (I cannot go too specific in this). She brought up some glaring points about a person and there were huge allegations back regarding the points that she brought up, however, there was no real evidence to witch-hunt that person other than the things he said which were dark humour in everyone's eyes. Everyone defended that person and pushed her into a corner (metaphorically, not physically). I also believe that the person was just making dark humour jokes, and would try to stop everyone from attacking her instead of siding with her. I said "If anything, I should be the one to be attacked as I am responsible as well.", but the group and I had been friends for almost 4-5 years, they kept saying I did nothing wrong and she should be the one taking responsibility, which I then say "They are not being sensible here". They eventually stopped to show some respect to me. She felt betrayed as I did not choose to side with her, but to sit on the fence regarding this issue. It is another reason that she left me. Up until 2024, I was trying to get those people who were involved to apologise to her, saying that they went too far but to no avail. I would stop talking to the group of people, but still have some chat from time to time (this is also pretty important).
This is also in 2020, I gave her my password thinking "I don't have anything to hide right?" It was one of my worst mistakes as she could access the past messages that I sent to another girl (the one that I had a crush on). I have been trying since 2017-18 till I got together with my girlfriend. The thing is that there is nothing, but the efforts of trying to get the other girl's attention and even skipping lunch to get her stuff ticked her off. (I worked part-time to buy tickets and gifts for the other girl) (I fucking regret this as well, now that I have grown up, it is embarrassing to simp that hard for a crush) I apologised for my past actions, which is being a fucking simp, but this would be brought up countless of times when we fought.
I started to feel love towards her at this point, in the sense that her love for me was not infatuation but actual love. I had bad experiences back then, a girl asked me out and a month later said that it was infatuation and broke up, and the other one cheated on me with my best friend at that time. (This might be important? I am not sure whether I want to speak about it or not) I felt that maybe this was the one proper relationship I would have.
Following that in late 2021 to 2023, I would do a mandatory 2-year work and it was really strict. They would send personnel to check on you if you took a medical certificate. I would sometimes take a medical certificate to visit her, risking the chance of getting caught. Sometimes, they would call me asking where am I and why am I not at my house. I would say I went to get food and would be back in 30 minutes and quickly took a cab back home. Ok, why this part is important is that I had 2 surgeries in 2022 and have a 6-month + 4-month medical certificate. I explained that we could not meet up due to me being unable to walk and on crutches, but I would still go out and meet up with her. There are times when I just pretend to be fine and not use crutches to make her feel less embarrassed and bad, but in actuality, it fucking hurts, every step, every movement hurts.
After I could walk, I had to go back office and do normal work. So being the spoiled child I am, I would be tired and tell her that maybe going out daily is too tiring so let's go out from time to time. She agreed with it which I did not pick on as lowering her standards for me. I would fuck up by saying that I will go back to the game which in turn go back to the community that hurt her. We would argue about this and all the other stuff that she was pent up about. I will talk about how we argue later on. Late 2023 was one of the huge turning points where I felt that there was no end basically, we would always be arguing and I started having doubts about whether she loved me. (Her backstory is fucking sad, basically had a really really bad past, you could not imagine it, her previous boyfriend cheated on her, less trusting with people, has only me to entertain her and now me that does not show enough love)
As time went on after that argument, I started taking the avoidant approach, whatever she said in the argument was right. I am a narcissist, I am egotistical, and I don't love her, with this amount of care and love no wonder my ex cheated on me, friends called me out saying what I did was fucked, etc. I would agree and head to bed. I started caring less and less about arguments and I know that it is wrong, but every time we argued I would get so agitated and do stupid things, so to solve that I decided to do the dumbest thing on earth if you are in a relationship, to care less about the argument.
In University, I would pretend to be a normal human being and not be stupid. I would study countless hours, having breaks in between the sessions of course. I know my foundation is bad, so I had to study more than other people. We would go out 2-3 times a week and at some point, it became 2-3 times a month cause I was too focused on school, to get the future (I moved it below this paragraph). I scored pretty well, currently 4.8 GPA, got my professor's recommendation and became a part-time research assistant, but what did it cost? Everything that we had built. I would always say that I am busy with school work, projects, and studying for a test, and that is 100% my fault. I would always say that it is for our future, with a high GPA and first-class honours, I will get more pay and we don't have to worry about money ever again. However, that is not what she wanted. She wanted to spend time with me, to enjoy life with me, while I was hyper-focus on the future and she did say that she would not be in it no matter how many times we argued about it. She had period cramps, her mental health declining due to lack of job offers and is alone while I am focusing on the future. The future is important, not saying that it is not, but I failed to see what is important and that is my family, how am I going to get the future that I wanted if I don't help her now? I regret not being able to see this part until the very end where she said she wanted to have a break from me and could be friends afterwards.
About myself, I am one of the dumbest people on planet Earth if you compare people without complications. I went the long route in terms of education, 4 years in high school, 4 years in pre-university (diploma) (17-21) and only now starting university at 24. (I don't know any US terms) I have low self-esteem and apparently, I am the worst person alive as well. I mentioned that I wanted to end it all after repaying everyone that I know, for the time spent and taking care of me. My mental health improved when I was with her, believing that I could live until old and protect her. So I decided to go to university for 2 reasons, 1. To impress her family and 2. To get a good job and not let her worry about financial issues. (Oh, I am a foreigner so I would be bullied in school and fight back to protect myself, which led me to study less and fake being a menace. Came to this country without a penny, mother had to work 3 part-time jobs to support my siblings and me. Everyone had lunch money and I had nothing. Even now my allowance is $250 per month) I see financial stability is what makes a good and stable, and I started to see the future which in turn made me blind to the present. I want to meet her. but it is an hour-and-a-half trip to her house and another hour-and-a-half back home which I find to be inefficient. 3 hours spent not doing anything and it is going to be crowded on the train (so I have to stand for an hour-and-a-half back home tired). She mentioned that I could get a driver's license, which is true, I am stupid (this was after she said she wanted to have a break from me). There are times when she would say things that hurt me, but I let it go as she had a sad past and I understand that she does not mean it when she said it. (I can't take it honestly) My love language is affirmation of words so words hurt me x100. She would get me gifts, but that is not how I see it. I would accept it, loving the gifts, but all I wanted was a pat on my head and say I did well. She did say I did not spend enough time with her and gave examples of someone she knew flying to other states and driving his significant other to his house. My brother would take MC and leave to bring his girlfriend for cruising. My friends can sustain a relationship when we are in the same boat (in university). I said those friends can be in a relationship because they spend time studying together, while when we spend time I have to spend 3 hours in transport and risk lowering my grades. However, everything is just an excuse.
She blocked me everywhere due to me trying to plead with her countless times when she did say that she wanted to have a break from me. So here comes the question, how can I improve myself as a person for that time when she is ready to communicate with me? I am trying hard not to go back to the same mindset as before. How to improve on not being a narcissist and egotist? What do I do to improve my self-esteem issues? How to not worry about her finding another man before I even prove myself? How to start seeing colours again and not hear static everywhere? Am I lacking as a person? Only she could pull me out of the well that I am currently in. How do I cry my heart out? I have only been able to tear up but not cry even though my heart is killing me. I tried searching for it but nothing worked, listening to sad music, watching sad movies, laying in a fetal position and pretending to cry, nothing worked. I am starting to think that maybe she is right about me not loving her. What am I supposed to do? I love her... I have been trying to eat for the past few days, but everything just came out after it entered. Please help me
PS. Please focus on me instead of anyone involved. I want to improve as a person and know what to do to get her attention back. I will be deleting this post in a few days.

Today I was thinking about what I would do as president and this is what I come up with. Would you guys vote for me?
"Progress for All: Health, Home, and Happiness"

Key Campaign Promises:

Affordable Health Care:

1. Universal Health Coverage: Implement a single-payer system ensuring that every American has access to quality health care without financial hardship.
2. Affordable Prescription Drugs: Negotiate drug prices to reduce costs and make essential medications affordable for all.

Affordable Housing & Rent Control:

1. Rent Control Legislation: Enforce rent control policies to prevent skyrocketing rents and ensure affordable housing for everyone.
2. Affordable Housing Development: Increase funding for the construction of affordable housing units and provide incentives for developers to build low-income housing.

Education:

1. Tuition-Free Public Colleges and Universities: Make public higher education tuition-free to ensure every student has access to quality education without the burden of debt.
2. Student Loan Forgiveness: Implement a comprehensive student loan forgiveness program to relieve existing debt for millions of Americans.
3. Teacher Compensation: Elevate the status of teachers by making them federal employees with a starting wage of $80,000 a year, recognizing their vital role in shaping our future.

Paid Family Leave:

1. Six Months of Paid Parental Leave: Ensure all parents receive six months of paid leave to care for their newborns or newly adopted children.

Healthy Food Campaign:

1. Junk Food Tax: Impose higher taxes on junk food companies to discourage unhealthy eating habits and fund health initiatives.
2. Subsidies for Healthy Foods: Provide subsidies for fruits, vegetables, and other healthy food options to make them more affordable and accessible.

Mental Health Care:

1. Comprehensive Mental Health Coverage: Expand mental health care services under the universal health care plan to include therapy, counseling, and psychiatric services.
2. Increased Funding for Mental Health Programs: Invest in mental health research, awareness programs, and community-based mental health services.

Gun Safety:

1. Better Background Checks: Implement comprehensive background checks for all gun purchases to ensure firearms do not fall into the wrong hands.
2. Mandatory Gun Licensing: Require all gun buyers to obtain a license by completing a 12-hour class on gun laws and rights to promote responsible gun ownership.

Additional Progressive Initiatives:

1. Green New Deal: Implement policies to combat climate change, create green jobs, and transition to renewable energy sources.
2. Criminal Justice Reform: End mass incarceration, reform the prison system, and implement restorative justice practices.
3. Workers' Rights: Raise the minimum wage to a living wage, ensure workplace safety, and support labor unions.
4. Gender Equality: Enforce equal pay for equal work, protect reproductive rights, and combat gender-based violence.

Campaign Vision:

Our campaign is dedicated to building a society where every individual has access to basic human rights: affordable health care, housing, education, and a healthy lifestyle. We believe in a future where families are supported, mental health is prioritized, and every citizen has the opportunity to thrive. By ensuring comprehensive background checks and mandatory licensing for gun owners, we aim to create a safer environment for all. Elevating the status and compensation of teachers as federal employees will ensure a brighter future for our children. Together, we can create a nation that works for everyone, not just the wealthy few. Join us in our mission for progress for all!

This is an unaccustomed spectacle. For the first time, fellow-citizens, badges of mourning shroud the columns and overhang the arches of this hall. These walls, which were consecrated, so long ago, to the cause of American liberty, which witnessed her infant struggles and rung with the shouts of her earliest victories, proclaim, now, that distinguished friends and champions of that great cause have fallen. It is right that it should be thus. The tears which flow, and the honors that are paid, when the founders of the republic die, give hope that the republic itself may be immortal. It is fit that, by public assembly and solemn observance, by anthem and by eulogy, we commemorate the services of national benefactors, extol their virtues, and render thanks to God for eminent blessings, early given and long continued, through their agency, to our favored country.
ADAMS and JEFFERSON are no more; and we are assembled, fellow-citizens, the aged, the middle-aged, and the young, by the spontaneous impulse of all, under the authority of the municipal government, with the presence of the chief magistrate of the Commonwealth, and others its official representatives, the University, and the learned societies, to bear our part in these manifestations of respect and gratitude which pervade the whole land. ADAMS and JEFFERSON are no more. On our fiftieth anniversary, the great day of national jubilee, in the very hour of public rejoicing, in the midst of echoing and reechoing voices of thanksgiving, while their own names were on all tongues, they took their flight together to the world of spirits.
If it be true that no one can safely be pronounced happy while he lives, if that event which terminates life can alone crown its honors and its glory, what felicity is here! The great epic of their lives, how happily concluded! Poetry itself has hardly terminated illustrious lives, and finished the career of earthly renown, by such a consummation. If we had the power, we could not wish to reverse this dispensation of the Divine Providence. The great objects of life were accomplished, the drama was ready to be closed. It has closed; our patriots have fallen; but so fallen, at such age, with such coincidence, on such a day, that we cannot rationally lament that the end has come, which we knew could not be long deferred.
Neither of these great men, fellow-citizens, could have died, at any time, without leaving an immense void in our American society. They have been so intimately, and ofr so long a time, blended with the history of the country, and especially so united, in our thoughts and recollections, with the events of the Revolution, that the death of either of them would have touched the chords of public sympathy. We should have felt that one great link, connecting us with former times, was broken; that we had lost something more, as it were, of the presence of the Revolution itself, and of the act of independence, and were driven on, by another great remove from the days of our country’s early distinction, to meet posterity and to mix with the future. Like the mariner, whom the currents of the ocean and the winds carry along until he sees the stars which have directed his course and lighted his pathless way descend one by one, beneath the rising horizon, we should have felt that the stream of time had borne us onward till another great luminary, whose light had cheered us and whose guidance we had followed, had sunk away from our sight.
But the concurrence of their death on the anniversary of Independence has naturally awakened stronger emotions. Both had been President, both had lived to great age, both were early patriots, and both were distinguished and ever honored by their immediate agency in the act of independence. It cannot but seem striking and extraordinary, that these two should live to see the fiftieth year from the date of that act/ that they should complete that yea and that then, on the day which had fast linked for ever their own fame with their country’s glory, the heavens should open to receive them both at once. As their lives themselves were the gifts of Providence, who is not willing to recognize in their happy termination, as well as in their long continuance, proofs that our country and its benefactors are objects of His care?
ADAMS and JEFFERSON, I have said, are no more. As human beings, indeed, they are no more. They are no more, as in 1776, bold and fearless advocates of independence; no more, as at subsequent periods, the head of the government; nor more, as we have recently seen them, aged and venerable objects of admiration and regard. They are no more. They are dead. But how little is there of the great and gooe which can die! To their country they yet live, and live for ever. They live in all that perpetuatesw the remembrance of men on earth; in the recorded proofs of their own great actions, in the offspring of their intellect, in the deep-engraved lines of public gratitude, and in the respect and homage of mankind. They live in their example; and they live, emphatically, and will live, in the influence which their lives and efforts, their principles and opinions, now exerciese, and will continue to exercise, on the affairs of men, not only in their own country but throughout the civilized world. A superior and commanding human intellect, a truly great man, when Heaven vouchsafes so rare a gift, is not a temporary flame, burning brightly for a while, and then giving place to returning darkness. It is rather a spark of fervent heat, as well as radiant light, with power to enkindle the common mass of human kind; so that when it glimmers in its own decay, and finally goes out in death, no night follows, but it leaves the world all light, all on fire from the potent contact of its own spirit. Bacon died; but the human understanding, roused by the touch of his miraculous wand to a perception of the true philosophy and the just mode of inquiring after truth, has kept on its course successfully and gloriously. Newton died; yet the courses of the spheres are still known, and they yet move on by the laws which he discovered, and in the orbits which he saw, and described for them, in the infinity of space.
No two men now live, fellow-citizen, perhaps it may be doubted whether any two men have ever lived in one age, who, more than those we now commemorate, have impressed on mankind their own opinions more deeply into the opinions of others, or given a more lasting direction to the current of human thought. Their work doth not perish with them. The tree which they assisted to plant will flourish, although they water it and protect it no longer; for it has struck its roots deep, it has sent them to the very centre; no storm, not of foce to burth the orb, can overturn it; its branches spread wide; they stretch their protecting arms braoder and broader, and its top is destined to reach the heavens. We are not deceived. There is no delusion here. No age will come in which the American Revolution will appear less than it is, one of the greatest events in human history. No age will come in which it shall cease to be seen and felt, on either continent, that a mighty step, a great advance, not only in American affairs, but in human affairs, was made on the 4th of July, 1776. And no age will come, we trust, so ignorant or so unjust as not to see and acknowledge the efficient agency of those we now honor in producing that momentous event.
We are not assembled, therefore, fellow-citizens, as men overwhelmed with calamity by the sudden disruption of the ties of friendship or affection, or as in despair for the republic by the untimely blighting of its hopes. Death has not surprised us by an unseasonable blow. We have, indeed, seen the tomb close, but it has closed only over mature years, over long-protracted public service, over the weakness of age, and over life itself only when the ends of living had been fulfilled. These suns, as they rose slowly and steadily, amidst clouds and storms, in their ascendant, so they have not rushed from the meridian to sink suddenly in the west. Like the mildness, the serenity, the continuing benignity of a summer’s day, they have gone down with slow-descending, grateful long-lingering light; and now that they are beyond the visible margin of the world, good omens cheer us from “the bright track of thier fiery car”!
There were many points of similarity in the lives and fortunes of these great men. They belonged to the same profession, and had pursued its studies and its practice for unequal lengths of time indeed, but with dilligence and effect. Both were learned and able lawyers. They were natives and inhabitants, respectively of those two of the Colonies which at the Revolution were the largest and most powerful and which naturally had a lead in the political affairs of the times. When the Colonies became in some degree united by the assembling of a general Congress, they were brought to act together in its deliberations, not indeed at the same time but both at early periods. Each had laready manifested his attachment to the cause of the country, as well as his ability to maintain it, by printed addresses, public speeches, extensive correspondence, and whatever other mode could be adopted for the purpose of exposing the encroachments of the British Parliament, and animating the people to a manly resistance. Both were not only decided, but early, friends of Independence. While others yet doubted, they were resolved; where others hesitated they pressed forward. They were both members of the committee for preparing the Declaration of Independence, and they constituted the sub-committee appointed by the other members to make the draft. They left their seats in Congress, being called to other public employments at periods not remote from each other, although one of them returned to it afterwards for a short time. Neither of them was of the assembly of great men which formed the present Constitution, and neither was at any time a member of Congress under its provisions. Both have been public ministers abroad, both Vice-Presidents and both Presidents of the United States. These coincidences are now singularly crowned and completed. They have died together; and they did on the anniversary of liberty…
And now, fellow-citizens, without pursuing the biography of these illustrious men further, for the present let us turn our attention to the most prominent act of their lives, their participation in the DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE…
It has sometimes been said, as if it were a derogation from the merits of this paper, that it contains nothing new; that it only states grounds of proceeding and presses topics of argument, which had often been stated and pressed before. But it was not the object of the Declaration to produce any thing new. It was not to invent reasons for independence, but to state those which governed the Congress. For great and sufficient causes, it was proposed to declare independence; and the proper business of the paper to be drawn was to set for th those causes, and justify the authors of the measure, in any event of fortune, to mthe country and to posterity. The cause of American independence, moreover, was now to be presented to the world in such manner; of it might so be, as to engage its sympathy, to command its respect, to attract its admiration; and in an assembly of most able and distinguished men, THOMAS JEFFERSON had the high honor of being the selected advocate of this cause. To say that he performed his great work well, would be doing him an injustice. To say that he did excellently well, admirably well, would be inadequate and halting praise. Let us rather say, that he so discharged the duty assigned him, that all Americans may well rejoice that the work of drawing the title-deed of their liberties devolved upon him…
The Congress of the Revolution, fellow-citizens, sat with closed doors, and no report of its debates was ever made. The discussion, therefore, which accompanied this great measure, has never been preserved, except in memory and by tradition. But it is, I believe, doing to injustice to others to say, that the general opinion was, and uniformly has been, that in debate, on the side of independence, JOHN ADAMS had no equal. The great author of the Declaration himself has espressed that opinion uniformly and strongly. JOHN ADAMS, said he, in the hearing of him who has now the honor to address you, JOHN ADAMS was our colossus on the floor. Not graceful, not elegant, not always fluent, in his public addresses, he yet came out with a power both of thought and of expression, which moved us from our seats…
The eloquence of Mr. Adams resembled his general character, and formed, indeed, a part of it. It was bold, manly, and energetic; and such the crisis required. When public bodies are to be addressed on passions excited, nothing is valuable in speech farther than as it is connected with high intellectual and moral endowments. Clearness, force, and earnestness are the qualities which produce conviction. True eloquence, indeed, does not consist in speech. It cannot be brought from far. Labor and learning may toil for it, but they will toil in vain. It must exist in the man, in the subject, and in the occassion. Affected passion, intense expression, the pomp of declamation, all may aspire to it; they cannot reach it. It comes, if it comes at all, like the outbreaking of a fountain from the earth, or the bursting forth of volcanic fires, with spontaneous, original, native force. The graces taught in the schools, the costly ornaments and studied contrivances of speech, shock and disgust men, when their own lives and the fate of their wives, their children, and their country hang on the decision of the hour. Then words have lost their power, rhetoric is vain, and all elaborate oratory contemptible. Even genius itself then feels rebuked and subdued, as in the presence of higher qualities. Then patriotism is eloquent; then self-devotion is eloquent. The clear conception, outrunning the deductions of logic, the high purpose, the firm resolve, the dauntless spirit, speaking on the tongue, beaming from the eye, informing every feature, and urging the whole man onward, right onward to his object this, this is eloquence; or rather it is something greater and higher than all eloquence, it is action, noble, sublime godlike action…
Let us, then, bring before us the assembly, which was about to decide a question thus big with the fate of empire. Let us open their doors and look upon their deliberations. Let us survey the anxious and care-worn countenances, let us hear the firm-toned voices, of this band of patriots.
HANCOCK presides over the solemn sitting; and one of those not yet prepared to pronounce for absolute independence is on the floor, and is urging his reasons for dissenting from the declaration.
“Let us pause! This step, once taken, cannot be retracted. This resolution, once passed, will cut off all hope of reconciliation. If success attend the arms of England, we shall then be no longer Colonies, with charters and with privileges; these will all be forfeited by this act; and we shall be in the condition of other conquered people, at the mercy of the conquerors. For ourselves, we may be ready to run the hazard; but are we ready to carry the country to that length? Is success so probably as to justify it? Where is the military, where the naval power, by which we are to resist the whole strength of the arm of England, for she will exert that strength to the utmost? Can we rely on constancy and perseverance of the people? or will they not act as the people of other countries have acted and, wearied with a long war, submit, in the end, to a worse oppression? While we stand on our old ground, and insist on redress of grievances, we know we are right, and are not answerable for consequences. Nothing, then, can be imputed to us. But if we now change our object, carry our pretensions farther, and set up for absolute indpendence, we shall lose the sympathy of mankind. We shall no longer be defending what we possess, but struggling for something which we never did possess, and which we have solemnly and uniformly disclaimed all intention of pursuing, from the very outset of the troubles. Abandoning thus our old ground, of resistance only to arbitrary acts of oppression, thee nations will believe the whole to have been mere pretence, and they will look on us, not as injured, buut as ambitious subjects. I shudder before this responsibility. It will be on us, if, relinquishing the ground on which we have stood so long, and stood so safely, we now proclaim independence, and carry on the war for that object, while these cities burn, these pleasant fields whiten and bleach with the bones of their owners, and these streams run blood. It will be upon us, it will be upon us, if, failing to maintain this unseasonable and ill-judged declaration, a sterner despotism, maintained by military power, shall be exhausted, a harassed, misled people, shall have expiated our rashness and atoned for our presumption on the scaffold.”
It was for Mr. Adams to reply to arguments like these. We know his opinions, and we know his character. He would commence with his accustomed directness and earnestness.
“Sink or swim, live or die, survive or perish, I give my hand and my heart to this vote. It is true, indeed, that in the beginning we aimed not at independence. But there’s a Divinity which shapes our ends. The injustice of England has driven us to arms; and blinded to her own interest for our good, she has obstinately persisted, till independence is now within our grasp. We have but to reach forth to it, and it is ours. Why, then, should we defer the Declaration? Is any man so weak as now to hope for a reconciliation with England, which shall leave either safety to the country and its liberties, or safety to his own life and his own honor? Are not you, Sir, who sit in that chair, is not he, our venerable colleague near you, are you not both already the proscribed and predestined objects of punishment and of vengeance? Cut off from all hope of royal clemency, what are you, what can you be, while the power of England remains, but outlaws? If we postpone independence, do we mean to carry on, or to give up, the war? Do we mean to submit to the measures of Parliament, Boston Port Bill and all? Do we mean to submit, and consent that we ourselves shall be ground to poweder, and our country and its rights trodden down in the dust? I know we do not mean to submit. We shall never submit. Do we intend to violate that most solemn obligation ever entered into men, that plighting, before God, of our sacred honor to Washington, when, putting forth to incure the dangers of war, as well as the political hazards of our times, we promised to adhere to him, in ever extremity, with our fortunes and our lives? I know there is not a man here, who would not rather see a general conflagration sweep over the land, or an earthquake sink it, than one jot or tittle of that plighted fiath fall to the ground. For myself, having, twelve months ago, in this place, moved you, that George Washington be appointed commander of the forces raised, or to be raised, for defence of American liberty, may my right hand forget her cunning, and my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I hesitate or waver in the support I give him… ”
And now, fellow-citizens, let us not retire from this occasion without a deep and solemn conviction of the duties which have developed upon us. This lovely land, this glorious liberty, these benign institutions, the dear purchase of our fathers, are ours; ours to enjoy, ours to preserve, ours to transmit. Generations past and generations to come hold us responsible for this sacred trust. Our fathers, from behind, admonish us, with their anxious paternal voices; posterity calls out to us, from the bosom of the future; the world turns hither its solicitous eyes; all, conjure us to act wisely, and faithfully, in the relation which we sustain.
We can never, indeed, pay the debt which is upon us; but by virtue, by morality, by religion, by the cultivation of every good principle and every good habit, we may hope to enjoy the blessing, through our day, and to leave it unimpaired to our children. Let us feel deeply how much of what we are and of what we possess we owe to this liberty, and to these institutions of government. Nature has, indeed, given us a soil which yields bounteously to the hand of industry, the mighty and fruitful ocean is before us, and the skies over our heads shed health and vigor. But what are lands, and seas, and skies, to civilized man, without society, without knowledge, without morals, without religious culture; and how can these be enjoyed, in all their extent and all their excellence, but under the protection of wise institutions and a free government? Fellow-citizens, there is not one of us, there is not one of us here present, who does not, at this moment, and at every moment, experience, in his own condition, and in the condition of those most near and dear to him, the influence and the benefits, of this liberty and these institutions. Let us then acknowledge the blessing, let us feel it deeply and powerfully, let us cherish a strong affection for it, and resolve to maintain and perpetuate it. The blood of our fathers, let it not have been shed in vain; the great hope of posterity, let it not be blasted.
The striking attitude, too, in which we stand to the world around us, a topic to which, I fear, I advert too often, and dwell on too long, cannot be altogether ommited here. Neither individuals nor nations can perform their part well, until they understand and feel its importance, and comprehend and justly appreciate all the duties belonging to it. It is not to inflate national vanity, nor to swell a light and empty feeling of self-importance, but it is that we may judge justly of our situation, and of our own duties, that I earnestly urge you upon this consideration of our position and our character among the nations of the earth. It cannot be denied, but by those who would dispute against the sun, that with America, and in America, a new era commences in human affairs. This era is distinguised by free representative governments, by entire religious liberty, by improved systems of national intercourse, by a newly awakened and unconquerable spirit of free inquiry, and by a diffusion of knowledge through the community, such as has been before altogether unknown and unheard of America, America, our country, fellow-citizens, our own dear and native land, is inseparably connected, fast bound up, in fortune and by fate, with these great interests. If they fall, we fall with them; if they stand, it will be because we have maintained them. Let us contemplate, then, this connection, which binds the prosperity of others to our own; and let us manfully discharge all the duties which it imposes. If we cherish the virtues and the principles of our fathers, Heaven will assist us to carry on the work of human liberty and human happiness. Auspicious omens cheer us. Great examples are before us. Our own firmament now shines brightly upon our path. WASHINGTON is in the clear, upper sky. These other stars hae now joined the American Constellation; they circle round their centre, and the heavens beam with new light. Beneath this illumination let us walk the course of life, and at its close devoutly commend our beloved country, the common parent of us all, to the Divine Benignity.

• Daniel Webster, 1826

Salut à tous & welcome to ParisTravelGuide
This monthly thread aims at giving basic recommendations to navigate the subreddit and Paris, and offering a general chatter space. Depending on the (inter)national news, we may inform you on impacting events here (strikes,threats, global cultural or sport events..)

USING THE SUBREDDIT

• Browse the menus (on desktop or mobile app) to access:
  • Wiki
  • Rules (NB: rule-breaking contents can lead to a content lock, removal, or if needed a user ban)
  • Monthly threads Archive
• Access some featured contents directly
  • Parisians, why do you think first-time visitors will be disappointed in the city?", courtesy of u/huukat ;)
  • Ideas for a less-touristy Paris
  • Oddities and dive bars
  • Activities with kids/young teens
  • Activities with a baby/small kid
  • What to do when it rains in Paris? (quality advice not guaranteed)
  • Tips for first-timers
  • Most discussed recent trip reports
  • Traditional dishes from Paris and French regions
  • Where to eat hearty traditional cuisine
• Search the sub archive to check if your question has already been answered:
  • by using the Search Reddit field on top of the page (make sure to type ParisTravelGuide before your search term in the search field): search with "Louvre". NB: while really not user-friendly, you can even make more sophisticated searches How to search on Reddit)
  • by clicking on the flairs of the existing posts (category labels): filter with the "🏛 Louvre" flair

HANDLING THE BASICS OF PARIS

• General understanding
  • Wikivoyage for Paris (en): an external wiki covering various aspects of the city from a touristic point of view
  • Paris Voice (en) life in Paris seen by the English speaking community
  • Anglo Info Paris (en), same with a lot of practical info, to settle or as a tourist, also general info for France
• Accommodations
  • Increase of the tourist tax for 2024: read carefully to avoid any bad surprises, especially for non-classified hotels that can apparently charge as if they were palaces due to a loop-hole.
• Public transport
  • Read the dedicated section in our wiki Transports (en) / Transports (fr)
• Taxis
  • public: G7 (en) is the only company recognized as public taxis in Paris. It applies fixed fares for travels between the two main airports (CDG and ORLY) and the two sides of the city (left bank / right bank of the Seine river), booking or extra services fees not included.
  • private: Uber are widely used, others are available like Bolt, Heetch, Marcel or Freenow
• Day trip
  • the Trainline (en) is a very straight forward and efficient data aggregator from various European train and bus companies. (the national one sncf-connect being a bit of a nightmare to use)
• Airports
  • Roissy-Charles de Gaulle aka CDG (en)
  • Orly aka ORY (en)
  • Beauvais aka BVA (en) and dedicated Bus shuttle for Beauvais airport <> Paris (Porte Maillot)
• Tourism Office:
  • Paris je t'aime (en): only for inner Paris
  • Visit Paris region (en): for the whole region Ile de France.
• Cultural/Event agenda:
  • Sortir à Paris (en): culture and nightlife agenda
  • Officiel des Spectacles (fr): movies/plays/concerts agenda
  • Paris LGBT (en): places, events and resources about the LGBT community
  • Paris Jazz Club (en): jazz concerts agenda
  • Fanzo (fr): search engine with a map for sports broadcasts in bars
• Health:
  • Public hospitals map
  • English speaking professionals list(en)
  • Pharmacies, day and night openings (en)
  • Emergency phone numbers(en)
• thread for Protest and Strikes concerns
• Eating
  • casual: David Lebovitz(en), a blog of a former US chef living in Paris for casual / traditional food
  • trendy: Le fooding(en), trendy reference magazine for foodies
  • starred: Michelin guide, for 1/2/3 stars restaurants or other gastronomic venues
• Civil unrest
  • Sporadic and sudden protests are very rare. The existence of a protest is very regulated, the day and the route have to be agreed with the authorities several days prior to the date.
• Authorized protest or march
  • a march usually lasts from 2pm to 6pm and most demonstrators stay until 8pm at the final destination
  • Demonstrators (and/or police) outbursts are more likely to happen at the end from 8pm
  • Most of the stores along the route close for the whole day, and side accesses to these boulevards are barred by the police to motorized vehicles.
  • 95% of the city goes on as usual in terms of street life.
  • Metro lines M1 and M14 are automated and thus operate whether there is a strike or not.
  • Taxis: all the companies work during a strike
    • G7: main company of the "Taxis parisiens", regulated price
    • UbeHeetch/Bolt/FreeNow: categorized as VTC ("Véhicules de Tourisme avec chauffeur"), unregulated price
• Safety
  • Police department recommendations
  • Safety tips video by les Frenchies (experienced US travelers)
  • Density & safety level: Paris administrative area ("Paris intramuros") is fairly small for a global capital but the population density is very high. Besides that, Paris is currently the most visited city in the world. This situation inevitably leads to various problems or dramas from time to time and one should beware of this cognitive bias. No public statistics accessible, but Paris' safety level is said to be fairly comparable to other big Western metropolis like London, Rome, Barcelona, Brussels or NYC but lower than Amsterdam, Berlin or generally Scandinavian / Central / Eastern European cities.
  • Violent crime: it is very unlikely in inner Paris, European gun laws being much more restrictive than US laws.
  • Pickpockets & scams: while generally safe, you might be exposed to pickpockets, scams or harassment in crowded areas, be it touristic, commercial or nightlife hubs. Keep your belongings in sight and try not to display too much costly items. Avoid unsolicited street vendors (not to be confused with, say, street artists near Montmartre or "bouquinistes" of the quays of Seine) and the occasional street games like Bonneteau ("shell game") that are known scams.
  • Cat-calling: this is a common issue towards women in Mediterranean countries. In Paris, it is more prevalent in the more modest neighborhoods in the North / North-East- of the city.
  • Emergency: If you are in an emergency situation, call 17 (police) / 18 (firefighters but who also handles all life and death emergencies) / 112 (universal European emergency number). All of them are interconnected and will be able to redirect you to the correct one if you happen to pick the wrong one.
  • Neighborhoods:
    • Tourism is concentrated in the rich areas from the center (roughly arrondissements 1st to 8th + Montmartre 18th).
    • As in most cities, main train stations tend to attract more people from the outside, hence a bit riskier, especially at night and crowded metro lines serving the main landmarks
    • The northern outskirts of the city (around Porte de la Chapelle / Porte d'Aubervilliers / Porte de la Villette) are home of temporary refugee camps, a high poverty and rarely drug use in the open. It could feel quite unsafe at night, better be accompanied by locals if you want to venture around at night there or simply pass through.
    • The surroundings of the very central area of Les Halles (around the eponymous commercial mall) can be a bit messy at night as a lot of young people gather here for eating / drinking or hanging out in the streets. It is still home of great streets for night life like rue Saint Denis but beware of the crowds.
    • Also metro stations on line 2 Barbes, La Chapelle and Stalingrad and their surroundings are among the most modest and messy, with countraband cigarettes sellers and potential pickpockets.
    • Southern and Western parts are more posh and family oriented but could be "less lively" than the rest of the city.

ONGOING EVENTS

• Olympic Games preparation Impacts thread
  
• Israel/Palestine conflict Impacts thread
  
• Plan Vigipirate
  
  • Evacuation of public places in case of a left-alone bag for controlled destruction as what happened in the Louvre or Versailles recently. It also happens from time to time in subways.
  • Military patrolling in the city, mostly around landmarks, schools and religious buildings.
  • It doesn't mean there is a particular problem, but they take maximum precaution in these tense moments.

GENERAL CHATTER

The comment sections below is here for members to freely ask questions that are recurrent or not worth a dedicated post (like transport, safety or protests topics), write appreciations, greetings, requesting meetups...
Same rule applies as in the rest of the sub, post topics regarding Paris and its surroundings only please.
Bref, chit-chat mode is on in the comments!
This thread is automatically archived and regenerated every first day of the month at 8am (Paris Time) - Archives

The primary differences between a pregnancy and maternity specialist and a general obstetrician/gynecologist (OB/GYN) revolve around their focus areas, training, and the types of care they provide. Here are the key distinctions:

Pregnancy and Maternity Specialist

Focus:

• Primarily focuses on the care of pregnant women, prenatal care, childbirth, and postpartum care.
• Specializes in managing high-risk pregnancies, complications during pregnancy, and fetal medicine.

Training and Certification:

• Additional training in maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) or perinatology after completing an OB/GYN residency.
• Certification by relevant boards such as the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG) with a subspecialty in Maternal-Fetal Medicine.

Scope of Practice:

• Provides specialized care for complex pregnancies, including those involving chronic health conditions, multiple gestations (twins, triplets, etc.), and fetal abnormalities.
• Often works in collaboration with other specialists such as neonatologists, pediatric surgeons, and genetic counselors.

Procedures and Treatments:

• May perform advanced diagnostic procedures like detailed ultrasounds, fetal echocardiograms, and genetic testing.
• Manages conditions like preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, preterm labor, and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR).

General Obstetrician/Gynecologist (OB/GYN)

Focus:

• Provides comprehensive care for women’s health, including reproductive health, pregnancy, childbirth, and gynecological issues.
• Treats a wide range of conditions from adolescence through menopause and beyond.

Training and Certification:

• Completes a residency in obstetrics and gynecology.
• Certified by boards like the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG).

Scope of Practice:

• Offers routine prenatal care, delivers babies, and manages normal and low-risk pregnancies.
• Provides general gynecological services such as annual exams, contraceptive counseling, and treatment of gynecological conditions (e.g., fibroids, endometriosis, ovarian cysts).

Procedures and Treatments:

• Performs routine obstetric procedures such as prenatal ultrasounds, amniocentesis, and Cesarean sections.
• Conducts gynecological surgeries like hysterectomies, laparoscopies, and treatment of pelvic floor disorders.

Summary

While both specialists play crucial roles in women’s reproductive health, a pregnancy and maternity specialist (MFM) is more focused on high-risk pregnancies and advanced fetal care, requiring additional training and expertise. In contrast, a general OB/GYN provides broader care encompassing both obstetrics and gynecology, handling a wide range of women’s health issues throughout different life stages.v

I had a fantastic meetup experience today. Quite decent group of guys and gals. 40+. Just hanging out with in a group. Most are local -20/25 mi radius.
We were at an outdoor concert. One of the best dancer (from the audience) at the concert turned out at the same dance club our group went after dinner. She was our age, may be a bit older. But she was again dancing flawlessly on the stage. Sometimes alone, some with with a guy with her. I was just amazed and watched her dance two songs in row.
So, she called me to dance. I told her I have no idea how to. She was like - no worries, just dance with me. I focused on her eyes and followed mostly. We then danced to many many songs. My first dance experience - and she ended up reaching me at least 12-15 different steps just fluently non-stop. Complete unknown but totally gracious.
Later the whole group with fair gender balance danced lot many songs.
I didn't ask for anyone's number. Figured if someone is interested they will ask to connect.
Most important thing about this group is that it's totally diverse. Out of 20+ some people 13 were first generation immigrants and of those 13 only 3 were from same country. Rest all with either single or max double representation. That diversity and breadth of culture is unique and I am probably going to be a regular with these folks - along with other leisure to rigorous outdoor walking hiking meetup groups.
My plans for going back to full time work got postponed after elections ;-) The only thing I will do before Nov 2024 is to volunteer at a local university's AI center for stopping election disinformation. Whatever they need and that I can help.
Looking forward to a fun filled summer. Seems like processing divorce, empty nesting, taking care of emotional, mental, and physical health is now paying off well. Lot more work remains. Probably never ending.. 🤣
In short, not dates. But very happy single life.
I wish you all well with whatever plans you have for this summer and beyond.

Hey folks, after re-watching the gameplay overview I had some ideas I wanted to share.
Edit: I only wanted initially to share the first few ideas but I started rambling and decided to keep going lol, most of these are just throwing random ideas at the wall and I don't expect them to be implemented at all but thought it'd be fun to share them for the sake of discussion. Enjoy.
1: train station or bus stop - used to travel to different neighbourhoods or "Districts" it takes time to reach different districts so a Para will basically vanish for like an hour or more once they enter the train or bus before they emerge at another district.
2: Districts - Given our Paras will likely be living in a city, it makes sense there are different districts that offer different kinds of work. Jobs in these districts have different benefits and drawbacks like being higher paying but more stressful or offer benefits but can effect a Para's health. For example, a business district where corporate offices are, an industrial district or an agricultural district on the outskirts of the city.
3: benefits and drawbacks of location - we all want to live within a quick walking distance from work (or at least we want out Paras to do so) however I feel like there should be benefits and drawbacks for this in equal measure. For example. To live in the business district, rent/apartment prices are through the roof, so if your Para is a run of the mill office drone they're gonna need to commute, but an executive or CEO lives in their business district luxury apartment or even penthouse (either paying the high rent or as a perk of the job). The industrial district is cheap as dirt but rife with crime where Paras would be rightfully hesitant to go outside at night. The agricultural district isnt cheap but is affordable with wide open spaces and clean air allowing for Paras to farm, earning thrir own money but services available in the inner city aren't available there. So no ordering pizza for dinner and your Para better get some self-reliance skills cos the repair workers are days away, not minutes or hours and emergency services are hours away.
4: crime - crime irl isn't just break-ins in the dead of night, you might get a group of thieves breaking into your house in the middle of the day when your Para's vehicle isn't present so they think they're gone. They break in by either picking the door lock if you remembered to lock it or by throwing a rock through the window or glass door. As well as this you might get mugged while out at night, so investing in some pepper spray and security glass windows and doors (or if you can't afford that, multi-lock doors and barred windows) if you live in a bad part of town.
5: effects on Paras like drunkenness - your Para just got a promotion! Time to par-tay! Go out to the local bar, get sloshed, make a fool of yourself on the dance floor, make out with a stranger and stumble home in the early hours of the morning, your Para's inhibitions are gone meaning not only are there more interactions to have with other Paras and objects in the world (which, if they're not similarly sloshed won't appreciate it one bit) but your Paras become harder to control, if you give them a command but either it takes too long for them to get to the location of the command or something catches their eye they'll cancel it and do something else, making the stumble home an adventure in and of itself! But having another Para to lean on makes it a lot more manageable. However the next day brings the hangover, when they wake up all stats are reduced to 1 and they slowly get them back throughout the day to simulate a hangover. Coffee can speed this up. The embarrassment though? There's no quick and easy fix for that. Especially if your Para hooked up and must make the morning walk of shame.
6: police - Police should be more than just "show up and beat up the burglar" if an item was stolen you should be able to make a report, the longer the time between the item's theft reduces the % chance the police will be able to recover it, if you report it directly after it was taken and your Para saw the thief, you have a 90% chance to get it back, but if you left it for a day and didn't see the thief, it's 5%. Also if your neighbour is being a loud jerk blasting music all night when your Para needs to be at work in the morning, you could call in a noise complaint.
7: cardboard boxes at the start - during the gameplay reveal it showed a brand new Para with a bunch of boxes around their apartment, this got me thinking of how they could be utilised. I figured they could actually be sorta like semi-randomised low cost items to furnish your house with the only parameters being that they give you the basics you need to start a life like a bed, wardrobe, a table, a chair for each household Para, a fridge, oven, cabinet, toilet and shower + a few random items like a bookcase and a couple rugs. All very cheap variants, the logic being that these are all cheap second hand items that tend to be mismatched, encouraging players to do away with them as needed.
8: haunting - if Paras after death can haunt a place, let's not make then Sims ghosts but make the place of their remains generally "haunted" those with traits that don't make them immune to supernatural paranoia start getting, well, paranoid like they're constantly being watched, small items will occasionally fall off shelves and tables in the dead of night, random footsteps could be heard again in the dead of night, shadowy figures might appear and vanish in dark areas, closed doors could swing open etc... Paras who are effected by such things will need to pick up the urns of dead Paras and take them to a cemetery or contact an exorcist to drive the ghost from their house. Which, on that note....
9: Cemeteries - Cemetaries should start off as a largely empty lot save for the grave keeper's house/office, in-world reason being that this is a newly established cemetery as the old one is full. Loved ones aren't inturred simply by taking the urn out of the Para's inventory and putting them on the ground, instead the Para takes them to the grave keeper who for a fee will take them off the Para's hands and ask them when they'd like the funeral to be held. Post-funeral can include a wake which is like a party but loud music and alcohol are severely frowned upon and as long as such taboos aren't breached the party's rating (if there is such a thing) will by default be "it was OK, 5/10" and can be increased by offering food and drinks.
10: Schooling - we should be able to enroll toddlers into pre-school and there should be a way to get our kids into private or boarding school. Preschool gives your toddler basic social and logical skills as well as freeing up your adult Paras to go back to work and it's cheaper than a nanny. Private school, while expensive, gives your children both more skills and the friends they make are the children of bosses around the city, giving them a massive leg-up if they go to work for their friend's parent's company and giving your adult Paras a way to get to meet their children's friend's parents too which can likewise give them a big career boost too. Boarding school gives the highest skill gain in areas you select depending on the school you send them too and your Para's children's friends are the creme of the crop, the children of the most elite, if your Para is in business, their kid is rubbing shoulders with the children of the CEO and basically guarantees their career will shoot up at least a few levels almost immediately and before long they'll be on the board of directors. You know what they say, it's not what you know it's who you know. But remember, getting your kid into a private boarding school costs several hundred $$$ a day. You won't be able to afford it on a Barrista's salary.
11: A bad crowd - your Para might take on a... less civil path in life, a life of crime. Starting out as a petty thief or street thug, their life is one of high risk and high reward. This line of "work" isn't gained through a newspaper but through 2 ways. 1: you find the local crime boss and ask for a chance to prove yourself in which case they'll tell you to rough up or steal from a wealthy Para in town or 2: you make connections after being arrested while in prison. After you get out you may get a call from a fellow former inmate saying "hey I hear you know (inmate name) and he says you're a good guy, come down to (location) we may have work for you". The life of crime is one of high risk and high reward, the rich looking guy you shake down on his morning stroll might net you a few thousand in one go but you run the risk of getting pepper sprayed which effects you until you wash it out or getting arrested or even worse, of failing the boss. Ignoring or failing a task from the boss carries with it a heavy burden of risk, however you can become an informant and if you succeed in getting incriminating Intel on the boss and telling the police you may go into witness protection. What's that? You get put in a random new town with a new name, you keep your skills and money but your old connections, your job, your most prized possessions etc... are all gone.
12: job qualifications - as my irl uncle says "get them Quals, son!" The jobs you can get with no qualifications to your name are typically low paying, low demand jobs with not much room for advancement and after all expenses are taken care of, not a great amount left for spending. You might get higher pay for working night shift but that's not where the real money is to be found, for that you need qualifications for jobs with the potential to advance and make something of yourself! For this you need to go to either community college or college/university. While community college would give you the qualifications and skills needed for higher paying jobs with less stress like as a tradesman or being able to start your own business (doing so is not expected at launch), college/university opens the door to the high life of extremely high paying jobs (starting at the ground level) from business CEOs to jobs in media and more. While I have zero expectation of these things being implemented on launch, they could be off-map sites or rabbit holes until then.
13: story progression - last and certainly far from least, I wanna see the world grow and change around my Para, for other Paras to at least give the illusion that they're living their own lives separate from my household's, I want my para's friends and neighbours to be having kids, getting promotions or switching jobs, for some of my Para's childhood friends to wind up in prison or making bank or being the chef at their favorite restaurant. The last thing we want to see is a stagnant neighbourhood where a Para's best friend when they were a child becomes their grandchild's best friend without them aging a day.
Phew, that's about it, what do you guys think?

I'm the mom. I've been reading this site for so many years and it's been invaluable to me as a homeschool parent. I know my son's experience won't be relevant to a lot of you, but hopefully this will help kids taking an alternative path.
Demographics

• Gender: Male
• Race/Ethnicity: Latino, Jewish
• Residence: Northeast
• Income Bracket: $75K - $100K
• Type of School: Homeschool
• Hooks (Recruited Athlete, URM, First-Gen, Geographic, Legacy, etc.): Latino

Intended Major(s): Music, linguistics
Academics

• GPA: N/A
• Rank: N/A
• Number of Honors/AP/IB/Dual Enrollment/etc.: N/A
• Senior Year Course Load: English, Pre-calc, Spanish, Russian, Psychology

Standardized Testing
None.
Extracurriculars/Activities

1. Cello 30 hours a week, 52 weeks/yr 1, 2, 3
2. Piano 15 hours a week, 52 weeks/yr 1, 2, 3
3. Chamber music 10 hours a week, 52 weeks/yr 1, 2, 3
4. Research about music and language at major university, 5 hours a week, 30 weeks/yr 3, 4
5. Translator for Latin American immigrants 4 hours a week, 30 weeks/yr 3, 4

Awards/Honors

1. Admitted to Juilliard Pre-college for cello
2. Soloist at Carnegie Hall
3. Soloist with [list of] orchestras
4. National award for Latino leaders in music
5. Separate resume listing 20 national and international competitions won, and a list of scholarships received from music programs all over the US.

Letters of Recommendation
All the recommendations were from people who taught at universities. They showed us the recommendations ahead of time.
9/10 Music teacher. Taught him 3 years. Wrote about how accomplished my son was as a cellist. He also wrote about how my son overcame the shock of not being able to play at the same level after a car crash.
9/10 Spanish teacher. Taught him two years. Wrote about how he went from 0 to fluent in a year.
9/10 Jewish Studies teacher. Taught him at a summer program at Brandeis University that my son went to make sure he could handle regular courses with his brain injury. He isn't super religious but the teacher wrote an incredible recommendation.
Interviews
My son contacted the cello teacher at every school he applied to. (At Harvard and Case Western he contacted the affiliated music schools.) He played for teacher and did a short lesson to make sure they would like working together. In each lesson the teacher asked why he wasn't going to music school and he explained the head injury.
Essays
First essay: Wrote about the car crash where he lost his ability to hear the highest notes and he had to figure out what else to do with his life. He learned Spanish without being able to read or write while he was recovering from the head injury, and then did research on how kids with disabilities can learn a second language the way he did.
Second essay: Wrote about how learning Spanish helped him connect with his cultural roots and his experience being a translator for recent immigrants.
Extra essay: Explained why he graduated late. He spent two years in recovery and then decided to do junior year a second time so he could prepare for a regular college instead of a conservatory.
Decisions
Accepted

• Duke (going there!) (95% scholarship)
• Brandeis (95% scholarship)
• Northeastern (95% scholarship)
• Miami of Ohio (95% scholarship)

Waitlist:

• NYU (withdrew)

Rejections:

• Harvard
• Cornell
• Case Western

Additional Information:
I learned a few things that might help other parents/kids going through the process:

1. Schools don't care if you graduate high school late as long as there's an explanation.
2. The recommendations can go a long way making up for grades/scores as long as the recommender is a university professor and can compare the applicant to college students they've taught.
3. It's hard to understand how your story plays out on the application because you're so close to the story. We probably should have hired a college consultant to help us understand how admissions officers would read the application. At the time it seemed so expensive, but in hindsight it was too risky that we didn't hire someone.
4. Arguing about aid works. Miami of Ohio accepted him before the other schools but offered no aid. After pushing, we received 95% aid. A teacher at the university coached me on how to argue. This is probably another reason why we should have hired a college application counselor to help us; it's hard to know what you don't know, even after reading this subreddit obsessively.

I am an incoming MSW student with a special interest in the correlation of mental health and crime, specifically with a desire to work with incarcerated populations. I get conflicting opinions about said work from various established social workers. Moreover, I (and my university) have found it incredibly difficult to get in direct contact with any of the local prisons. I have been going through my brother, an officer at my first choice prison, and various staff, though the process has been incredibly slow (which I expected it would be and for various reasons, I’m sure). I have several questions for those who have worked in the prison system in a social work or mental health capacity:

• How much “typical” clinical practice is involved (i.e., how much actual one-on-one or group therapy can one expect to provide inmates)?
  
• What are the glaring differences between male and female prisons, specifically in regard to mental health care?
  
• If you’ve worked in both a state and federal facility, how did the experiences compare, including pay/benefits, work environment, and inmate population?
  
• If you had a field placement within a prison, what were the steps? Namely how long did background checks, orientation, interviewing, etc. take? Is getting in touch with appropriate staff to set up placements a common issue?
  
• If you’ve had a job or placement within a prison, would you do it again? What were the positives and negatives? Would you recommend it overall?
  

I know the field in general is dynamic, and that every prison is different based on state, area, etc. However, I appreciate any general knowledge or advice about social work within the prison system (or forensic social work in general, really). I feel like a fish out of water, despite this being why I came into the field and an interest I’ve had for years.

Demographics: Female, Hispanic, Black, Low Income, Single Parent Home, Florida, Big School (~3000, around 600 in my grade but we’re the smallest class) but generally below average stats, first gen
Intended Majors: Chemistry, Biomedical Engineering, Public Health (depends if school has it/ competitiveness)
SAT: 1390 superscore, 1380 highest single-test, gets me Florida Bright Futures (100% tuition to state schools) — school average is like 1100
GPA: 4.0 UW, 5.127 W
Rank: ~ Top 5~7% (not sure but def in top 10%)
Coursework: Started High School and College Classes in Middle School - 5 honors, 1 Dual Enrollment
9th Grade - 3 honors, 1 AP: AP World (5)
10th Grade - 2 honors, 4 AP: AP Psych (5), AP Lang (5), AP Spanish (5), AP Chem (3)
Summer Between 10th and 11th- 2 Dual
Current 11th Classes - 1 honors, 5 APs: AP Lit, AP Calculus AB, AP Physics 1, AP Computer Science P, AP US History, and 2 Dual
Note: I will be graduating with my Associates degree by the end of senior year
Awards: * NHS (since 10th, if that counts) * Math Honors Society/ Mu Alpha Theta (if that counts) (Since 9th) * State University Scholarship Winner $10,000 through a conference essay contest (9th) * Outstanding 9th, 10th, and 11th grader —first student in school history to receive this award for three years consecutively (given to 1/600 ish students in grade) * Outstanding AP Physics 1, APUSH, AP Chem, AP Lang, AP Spanish, Info Tech, and Science Student (awarded to 1 student per course) * Perpetual English Award - given to one student who is consistently outstanding in English typically throughout the 4 years of high school - received as a junior (given to 1 student) * AP Scholar with Distinction (10th) * College Board National Hispanic Recognition Program award * State Champion and Nationals Finalist for Math Competition (10th) * Hispanic Scholarship Fund Youth Leadership Institute Student/Potential HSF Scholar and Scholarship Candidate (9% acceptance rate) * Model UN Awards - Honorable Delegate, Verbal Commendation, Best Delegate
ECs * Marching Band - Section Leader since 10th, playing instrument for 7 years by senior year — do community service through band, playing for local events, and 1/~10 out of 100+ selected for internship at my school for the arts * Symphonic Band - First Chair since 10th * Model UN - President since 11th, will be president again next year, hosted and organized first school competion for middle schoolers; volunteered as a chair (judge) and co-chair for conferences hosted by other schools and nonprofits for middle schoolers * Class Secretary (elected) Since 9th * Political Activism Club - Community Engagement Officer, since 10th * Mu Alpha Theta - Secretary 11th, VP next year * Science National Honor Society - Historian next year * NHS member since 10th * Summer@Brown in the summer between 9th and 10th - went on scholarship and took public health course
Community Service: currently have 901 hours, will max out at 999 by college apps * Over 300 hours from volunteering as a TA at a Non-Profit Children’s camp for disadvantaged communities, taught music and helped with english, will continue this year and will be a one on one mentor for students * Food Pantry * Tutoring (math and science) * Local town events, etc.
Schools: (idk if my categories are realistic) Reach: Brown, Duke, Yale, Emory, Vanderbilt, NYU, UC Berkeley, USC, Targets: Univeristy of FL, Florida State, UNC Chapel Hill, UGA, Safeties: University of Central Florida, University of South Florida, Florida International University
Note: feel free to give me any schools you think I may be a good applicant for

Nurses and midwives in NSW are currently fighting for safer working conditions and pay parity with other states around the country. They’re doing this by delaying their AHPRA registrations, which are due on 31 May. I wrote this open letter as a nursing student who is about to enter the workforce: #delayforfairpay
I’m writing as a nursing student, due to graduate at the end of this year and enter the workforce in 2025.
In 2019 I commenced a Bachelor of Nursing. I decided to pursue a career in nursing because I wanted to make a real and meaningful difference in the health and well-being of others. I believed that nursing was a well-respected and secure job where I could make a positive impact on my community.
For the last five and a half years, I have worked full-time to support myself while studying part-time. During this time, all of my annual leave has been dedicated to weeks of unpaid full-time clinical placement. Nursing students are told that during clinical placement we cannot work outside of placement hours as fatigue puts our patients at risk. Unless nursing students have access to Centrelink, competitive scholarships, or are fortunate to have family support, they are left with no income while completing the required hours. I have now reached a point in my degree where my annual leave balance has run dry, and I have 520 hours of clinical placement to complete before the end of the year. Due to a part-time study load I am not eligible for government support through Centrelink, and there are no scholarships available to me. Not only am I filled with anxiety about passing my assessments and clinical placement, but I’m also wondering how I can afford my rent, groceries and utilities. How am I supposed to give my full attention to my patients and provide the highest standard of care when my mind is on how I’m going to survive the next 13 weeks? I’m exhausted and my career in nursing hasn’t even begun. While I’m grateful that starting in July 2025, nursing students will be paid for their clinical placements, it’ll be too late for me and many others.
Sadly, it seems that things won’t improve when I enter the workforce. I am hearing more and more of nurses leaving the profession due to poor conditions and poor wages.
Nurses in NSW are among the lowest-paid in the country. Sydney is the most expensive city in the country. The increasing cost of living has already put a strain on most households. Nurses are leaving an already stretched workforce for greener pastures in states where they can afford day-to-day living. How do we justify telling nurses that they are valued and essential to a healthy population and then do nothing to incentivise them to stay?
When I graduate, I’ll be taking a significant pay cut from my current administrative role. I’m at an age where I want to start a family, buy a family home, and build a fulfilling and secure career that helps better the lives of others. I simply cannot do those things here in NSW as a nurse. I will have to either leave NSW or abandon my nursing career entirely. Nursing is a selfless profession, so why does it feel selfish to pursue this career?
I’m also concerned about the conditions that I will be working in when I graduate. So often, I hear of nurses being overwhelmed by unsafe ratios or working unsafe hours. Experienced nurses are leaving the profession in droves because they’re so run down and defeated by the current condition they’re working in. New graduate nurses are still learning when they leave university – we need the support and education of experienced nurses to mould us into competent healthcare providers. How will new nurses be impacted by a lack of support from seasoned nurses? I hate to imagine what the consequences of an inexperienced workforce will be…
It is illogical that we don’t care for the people who care for us. In January this year, I lost my mother to oesophageal cancer. For the 12 months prior to her death, my mum received exceptional care from nurses who went above and beyond to make sure that she was looked after. The same few nurses got to know my mum over the course of her illness. They drew her blood, administered her chemotherapy, traded soup recipes when my mum could no longer stomach solid food, held her hand when she was afraid, and made her smile by sharing stories about their families. They weren’t just healthcare providers; they were so much more. It breaks my heart to think that the nurses who cared for my mum during her most vulnerable moments aren’t being cared for by our government.
I’m scared. It seems as though I have been working tirelessly towards a career where I will be just a number, where I’m not valued, not paid fairly, and not able to care for my patients safely. I’m wondering, has it all been worth it? We all know that nurses are experts in their fields. We listen to them when they advocate for their patients, and we listen to them when they educate us on how to look after ourselves. So why aren’t we listening to them when they tell us how to look after them?

X. Paternalism Without Father
…
The Managerial and Professional Elite as a Ruling Class
As even the rich lose the sense of place and historical continuity, the subjective feeling of “entitlement,” which takes inherited advantages for granted, gives way to what clinicians call “narcissistic entitlement” - grandiose illusions, inner emptiness. The advantages the rich confer on their children dwindle down to money alone. As the new elite discards the outlook of the old bourgeoisie, it identifies itself not with the work ethic and the responsibilities of wealth but with an ethic of leisure, hedonism, and self-fulfillment. Although it continues to administer American institutions in the interests of private property (corporate property as opposed to entrepreneurial property), it has replaced character building with permissiveness, the cure of souls with the cure of the psyche, blind justice with therapeutic justice, philosophy with social science, personal authority with an equally irrational authority of professional experts. It has tempered competition with antagonistic cooperation, while abolishing many of the rituals in which aggressive impulses formerly found civilized expression. It has surrounded people with “symbolically mediated information” and has substituted images of reality for reality itself. Without intending to, it has created new forms of illiteracy even in the act of setting up a system of universal education. It has undermined the family while attempting to rescue the family. It has torn away the veil of chivalry that once tempered the exploitation of women and has brought men and women face to face as antagonists. It has expropriated the worker’s knowledge of his craft and the mother’s “instinct” for childrearing, and has reorganized this knowledge as a body of esoteric lore accessible only to the initiated. The new ruling class has elaborated new patterns of dependence as effectively as its forebears eradicated the dependence of the peasant on his lord, the apprentice on his master, and the woman on her man.
I do not wish to imply a vast conspiracy against our liberties. These things have been done in broad daylight and have been done, on the whole, with good intentions. Nor have they arisen as a unified policy of social control. Social policy in the United States has unfolded in response to a series of immediate emergencies, and those who make policy seldom see beyond the problems at hand. The cult of pragmatism, moreover, justifies their unwillingness or inability to make far-reaching plans for the future. What unifies their actions is the need to promote and defend the system of corporate capitalism from which they - the managers and professionals who operate the system - derive most of the benefits. The needs of the system shape policy and set the permissible limits of public debate. Most of us can see the system but not the class that administers it and monopolizes the wealth it creates. We resist a class analysis of modern society as a “conspiracy theory.” Thus we prevent ourselves from understanding how our current difficulties arose, why they persist, or how they might be solved.
Progressivism and the Rise of the New Paternalism
The new paternalism emerged in the second half of the nineteenth century, found political expression in the progressive movement and later in the New Deal, and gradually worked its way into every corner of American society. The democratic revolution of the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, culminating in the Civil War, not only did away with monarchy but undermined established religion, landed elites, and finally overthrew the slaveholding oligarchy in the South. The revolution gave rise to a society based on individualism, competition, and the pursuit of the main chance. It also generated demands for further change, which came to a head in the period immediately following the Civil War. Having destroyed slavery in the name of free labor, the leaders of the democratic movement inadvertently encouraged northern workers to ask for the freedom to control the terms of their work, not merely to sell their labor at ruinous prices. The logic of democracy demanded the confiscation of Confederate estates and their distribution among the freedmen; it demanded woman suffrage; it demanded, in short, a more sweeping reorganization of society than its leaders had contemplated. Seeking merely to free property from its feudal and mercantile restrictions, bourgeois radicals in the 1860s and early 1870s found themselves confronted with an incipient attack on property itself, from which most of them recoiled in horror.
After the collapse of reconstruction and the radical agitation associated with it, American liberalism no longer spoke for the artisan, the small farmer, and the independent entrepreneur - the “producing classes” that had been the backbone of the democratic movement. Faced with unrest at home and with the spectacle of the Paris commune abroad, liberalism now identified itself, in the words of E. L. Godkin, with “the more well-to-do and observing classes.” It undertook to reform society from the top down - to professionalize the civil service, break the power of the urban machine, and put “the best men” into office. When such measures failed to stem the rising tide of labor militancy and agrarian radicalism, reformers brought forward their own version of the “cooperative commonwealth” in the name of progressivism: universal education, welfare capitalism, scientific management of industry and government. The New Deal completed what progressivism had begun, solidifying the foundations of the welfare state and adding much of the superstructure as well. In industry, scientific management gave way to the school of human relations, which tried to substitute cooperation for authoritarian control. But this cooperation rested on management’s monopoly of technology and the reduction of work to routines imperfectly understood by the worker and controlled by the capitalist. Similarly the expansion of welfare services presupposed the reduction of the citizen to a consumer of expertise.
American progressivism, which has successfully countered agrarian radicalism, the labor movement, and the feminist movement by enacting selective parts of their program, has now lost almost all trace of its origin in nineteenth-century liberalism. It has rejected the liberal conception of man, which assumed the primacy of rational self-interest, and has installed in its place a therapeutic conception which acknowledges irrational drives and seeks to divert them into socially constructive channels. It has rejected the stereotype of economic man and has attempted to bring the “whole man” under social control. Instead of regulating the conditions of work alone, it now regulates private life as well, organizing leisure time on scientific principles of social and personal hygiene. It has exposed the innermost secrets of the psyche to medical scrutiny and has thus encouraged habits of anxious self-scrutiny, superficially reminiscent of religious introspection but rooted in anxiety rather than a guilty conscience - in a narcissistic rather than a compulsive or hysterical type of personality.
Liberal Criticism of the Welfare State
The new modes of social control associated with the rise of progressivism having stabilized capitalism without solving any of its underlying problems - the gap between wealth and poverty, the failure of purchasing power to keep pace with productivity, economic stagnation. The new paternalism has kept social tensions from assuming political form, but it has not removed their source. As those tensions increasingly find expression in crime and random violence, critics have begun to ask whether the welfare system delivers all it promised. The system, moreover, has become more and more expensive to operate. Even those who remain loyal to the underlying premises of American capitalism have begun to express alarm about the mounting cost of maintaining it. Proposals to replace the welfare system with a guaranteed income or a negative income tax have gained a sympathetic hearing. In his book on old age, David Hackett Fischer argues that a national inheritance system, whereby a gift of capital at birth would accumulate interest and provide for the citizen in his old age, would prove “cheaper than present arrangements.” The modification or abandonment of the welfare system now presents itself not as a Utopian dream but as a matter of sound business practice.
The health and welfare industries, which have done so much to promote the new paternalism by professionalizing activities formerly carried on in the workshop, the neighborhood, or the home, have themselves begun to harbor second thoughts about the results of their own labors. Members of the “helping professions” have begun to question the efficiency of the public institutions and welfare agencies that monopolize the knowledge formerly administered by ordinary citizens - the hospital, the mental asylum, the juvenile court. The medical profession, after upholding the hospital as an indispensable alternative to the family, now begins to think that patients might be better off if they were allowed to die at home. Psychiatrists have been speculating along similar lines, not only because existing facilities are overcrowded but because they have failed to achieve the high rates of cure once predicted with such confidence. Lawyers have begun to criticize the courts for removing “neglected” children from their homes without evidence that such children suffer serious harm and without proof that institutionalization or transfer to foster parents provides any solution. Even the school’s claim on the child has begun to give way to parental claims. In Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972), the Supreme Court ruled that Amish parents have a right to keep their children out of the public schools. “The child is not the mere creature of the State,” the court said; “those who nurture him and direct his destiny have the right, coupled with the high duty, to recognize and prepare him for additional obligations.”
Even with the best intentions, however, those who criticize the welfare state within the assumptions underlying a capitalist economy cannot bring themselves to confront the revolution in social relations that abandonment of the welfare system would require. Liberal criticism of the new paternalism resembles the “humanization” of the workplace, which tries to give the worker the illusion of participation while leaving management in undiminished control. The attempt to mitigate the monotony of the assembly line by allowing the worker to perform more than a single operation does not alter the condition that degrades work - the monotony of the assembly line by allowing the worker to perform more than a single operation does not alter the condition that degrades work - the monopoly of technical knowledge by means of which management designs all phases of production, while the worker merely carries out the bidding of the planning department. Recent proposals to modify the welfare system suffer from the same kind of limitation. Thus a study of the family commissioned by the Carnegie Corporation takes issue with the conventional assumption of parental incompetence while leaving unchallenged the definition of parents as consumers of professional services. Kenneth Keniston and the other authors of the Carnegie report, conscious of belonging to “an emerging consensus,” hold that parents “are still the world’s greatest experts about the needs of their own children.” They recognize that many of the agencies ostensibly ministering to the family have undermined the family instead. The parental “malaise,” according to Keniston, lies in “the sense of having no guidelines or supports for raising children, the feeling of not being in control as parents, and the widespread sense of personal guilt for what seems to be going awry.”
The rehabilitation of parenthood, it appears, implies an attack on professionalism and the welfare state. Yet Keniston stops well short of such an attack. He takes for granted the family’s dependence on experts and seeks merely to regularize and regulate this relationship. “Few people would dispute that we live in a society where parents must increasingly rely on others for help and support in raising their children.” The family economy has disappeared; children represent a financial liability rather than an asset; the school has taken over the family’s education functions; and the medical profession has assumed most of the responsibility for health care. These changes, according to Keniston, leave parents in the position of “executives in a large firm - responsible for the smooth coordination of the many people and processes that must work together to produce the final product.”
This line of analysis leads to the conclusion not that parents should collectively assert their control over childrearing but that federal policy should seek to equalize the relationship between experts and parents. Yet Keniston’s own reasoning shows that parents occupy a position closer to proletarians than to executives. As things now stand, according to Keniston, “parents have little authority over those with whom they share the task of raising their children”; they “deal with those others from a position of inferiority of helplessness.” The obvious reason for this is that the state, not the parents, pays the bill for professional services, or at least signs the paychecks. (The citizens, as taxpayers, pay in the end.) If parents organized and hired their own experts, things might be different.
It goes without saying that such solutions do not commend themselves to members of the policy-making establishment. Measures of this kind are too closely associated with populism, localism, and residual resistance to centralized progress. They have become doubly objectionable, and for reasons the force of which even enemies of the establishment must acknowledge, in the wake of the Ocean Hill-Brownsville battle of the late sixties, when “community control” degenerated into reverse racism and education into racial propaganda. Yet the alternative to community control is more bureaucracy. Instead of confronting the choice, liberal reformers try to have things both ways. While advocating an expansion of government services to the family, a federal guarantee of full employment, improved protection of children’s legal rights, and a vastly expanded program of health care, they propose to strengthen “parent participation” in all these programs. They treat the ascendancy of experts as an unavoidable condition of industrial society, even when they seek to qualify they ascendancy of experts as an unavoidable condition of industrial society, even when they seek to qualify this ascendancy by improving the position of consumers. They assume that the requirements of a complex society dictate the triumph of factory production over handicraft production and the ascendancy of the “helping professions” over the family.
Bureaucratic Dependence and Narcissism
Recent studies of professionalization show that professionalism did not emerge, in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, in response to clearly defined social needs. Instead, the new professions themselves invented many of the needs they claimed to satisfy. They played on public fears of disorder and disease, adopted a deliberately mystifying jargon, ridiculed popular traditions of self-help as backward and unscientific, and in this way created or intensified (not without opposition) a demand for their own services. The evidence of professional self-promotion can no longer be dismissed by reasserting the sociological truism that “modern society involves the individual in relations … that are vastly more complex than [those] his ancestors … had to content with.”
The family’s dependence on professional services over which it has little control represents one form of a more general phenomenon: the erosion of self-reliance and ordinary competence by the growth of giant corporations and of the bureaucratic state that serves them. The corporations and the state now control so much of the necessary know-how that Durkheim’s image of society as the “nourishing mother,” from whom all blessings flow, more and more coincides with the citizen’s everyday experience. The new paternalism has replaced personal dependence not with bureaucratic rationality, as theorists of modernization (beginning with Max Weber) have almost unanimously assumed, but with a new form of bureaucratic dependence. What appears to social scientists as a seamless web of “interdependence” represents in fact the dependence of the individual on the organization, the citizen on the state, the worker on the manager, and the parent on the “helping professions.” The “consensus of the competent,” as Thomas L. Haskell refers to the professions in his study of the professionalization of social science, came into being by reducing the layman to incompetence.
As retributive justice gives way to therapeutic justice, what began as a protest against moral oversimplification ends by destroying the very sense of moral responsibility. Therapeutic justice perpetuates childlike dependence into adulthood and deprives the citizen of legal resources against the state. Formerly law rested on an adversary relation between the state and the offender and acknowledged the superior power of the state by giving important procedural advantages to the defendant. Medical jurisprudence, on the other hand, implicates the offender in his own control. Relieved of moral responsibility when certified into the sick role, he cooperates with the doctors in his own “cure.”
The psychiatric critique of the law, like the therapeutic attack on authority in general, makes a virtue of substituting personal treatment for the impersonal, arbitrary authority of the courts. Thus a specialist in the sociology of law, acknowledging his intention to “substitute scientific therapies for legal sanctions - for ‘justice’” - once deplored the irrationality of legal procedures: “There is in the concept of justice an element of ‘fate’, which is absent in the concept of scientific treatment. The offender simply gets what he himself initiated…. Society as a whole is blameless. The criminal himself was the one who chose.” Whereas “the lawyer’s way of handling a human problem is typically non-scientific,” therapy treats the criminal or patient as a victim and thus puts matters in their proper light. The shift from “sin” to “sickness,” according to this writer, represents the first step toward “the introduction of science and personal reactions [into] human conflicts” and to the recognition of social problems as medical problems, in which “cooperation with the therapist” becomes “probably the most critical problem for the deviant.”
Medical justice shares with enlightened childrearing and pedagogy a tendency to promote dependence as a way of life. Therapeutic modes of thought and practice exempt their object, the patient, from critical judgment and relieve him of moral responsibility. Sickness by definition represents an invasion of the patient by forces outside his conscious control, and the patient’s realistic recognition of the limits of his own responsibility - his acceptance of his diseased and helpless condition - constitutes the first step toward recovery (or permanent invalidism, as the case may be). Therapy labels as sickness what might be judged as weak or willful actions; it thus equips the patient to fight (or resign himself to) the disease, instead of irrationally finding fault with himself. Inappropriately extended beyond the consulting room, however, therapeutic morality encourages a permanent suspension of the moral sense. There is a close connection, in turn, between the erosion of moral responsibility and the waning of the capacity for self-help - in the categories used by John R. Seeley, between the elimination of culpability and the elimination of competence. “What says ‘you are not guilty’ says also ‘you cannot help yourself.’” Therapy legitimates deviance as sickness, but it simultaneously pronounces the patient unfit to manage his own life and delivers him into the hands of a specialist. As therapeutic points of view and practice gain general acceptance, more and more people find themselves disqualified, in effect, from the performance of adult responsibilities and become dependent on some form of medical authority.
The psychological expression of this dependence is narcissism. In its pathological form, narcissism originates as a defense against feelings of helpless dependency in early life, which it tries to counter with “blind optimism” and grandiose illusions of personal self-sufficiency. Since modern society prolongs the experience of dependence into adult life, it encourages milder forms of narcissism in people who might otherwise come to terms with the inescapable limits on their personal freedom and power - limits inherent in the human condition - by developing competence as workers and parents. But at the same time that our society makes it more and more difficult to find satisfaction in love and work, it surrounds the individual with manufactured fantasies of total gratification. The new paternalism preaches not self-denial but self-fulfillment. It sides with narcissistic impulses and discourages their modification by the pleasure of becoming self-reliant, even in a limited domain, which under favorable conditions accompanies maturity. While it encourages grandiose dreams of omnipotence, moreover, the new paternalism undermines more modest fantasies, erodes the capacity to suspend disbelief, and thus makes less and less accessible the harmless substitute-gratifications, notably art and play, that help to mitigate the sense of powerlessness and the fear of dependence that otherwise express themselves in narcissistic traits.
Our society is narcissistic, then, in a double sense. People with narcissistic personalities, although not necessarily more numerous than before, play a conspicuous part in contemporary life, often rising to positions of eminence. Thriving on the adulation of the masses, these celebrities set the tone of public life and of private life as well, since the machinery of celebrity recognizes no boundaries between the public and the private realm. The beautiful people - to use this revealing expression to include not merely wealthy globetrotters but all those who bask, however briefly, in the full glare of the cameras - live out the fantasy of narcissistic success, which consists of nothing more substantial than a wish to be vastly admired, not for one’s accomplishments but simply for oneself, uncritically and without reservation.
Modern capitalist society not only elevates narcissists to prominence, it elicits and reinforces narcissistic traits in everyone. It does this in many ways: by displaying narcissism so prominently and in such attractive forms; by undermining parental authority and thus making it hard for children to grow up; but above all by creating so many varieties of bureaucratic dependence. This dependence, increasingly widespread in a society that is not merely paternalistic but maternalistic as well, makes it increasingly difficult for people to lay to rest the terrors of infancy or to enjoy the consolations of adulthood.
The Conservative Critique of Bureaucracy
Criticism of the new paternalism, insofar as it remains imprisoned in the assumptions of political liberalism, objects to the cost of maintaining a welfare state - the “human cost” as well as the cost to the taxpayers - without criticizing the ascendancy of the managerial and professional class. Another line of attack, which singles out bureaucracy as the overriding evil, arises out of a conservative idealization of old-fashioned individualism. Less equivocal in its opposition to bureaucratic centralization - except when it comes from right-wingers who denounce government regulation of industry and still plead for a gigantic military establishment - the conservative critique of bureaucracy superficially resembles the radical critique outlined in the present study. It deplores the erosion of authority, the corruption of standards in the schools, and the spread of permissiveness. But it refuses to acknowledge the connection between these developments and the rise of monopoly capitalism - between bureaucracy in government and bureaucracy in industry.
“The general historical conflict between individualism and collectivism is dividing mankind into two hostile camps,” wrote Ludwig von Mises in his study of bureaucracy. Capitalist free enterprise, he argued, rests on the rational calculation of profit and loss, whereas bureaucratic management “cannot be checked by economic calculation.” Extended beyond its legitimate domain of law enforcement and national defense, bureaucracy undermines individual initiative and substitutes “government control for free enterprise.” It substitutes the dictatorship of the state for the rule of law. Free-market capitalism, by turning labor into a commodity, “makes the wage earner free from any personal dependence” and detaches “appraisal of each individual’s effort … from any personal considerations.” Bureaucratic collectivism, on the other hand, undermines the “cool rationality and objectivity of capitalist relations” and renders the “plain citizen” dependent on the “professional propagandist of bureaucratization,” who confuses the citizen with his “empty catchwords” and esoteric obfuscation. “Under capitalism everybody is the architect of his own fortune.” But under socialism - and “there is no compromise possible between these two systems,” according to Mises, “no third system” - the “way toward promotion is not achievement but the favor of the superiors.”
This argument suffers from the conservative’s idealization of the personal autonomy made possible by the free market and his willingness to concede enormous war-making powers to the state, so long as they do not interfere with “private” enterprise.” It cannot explain the spread of bureaucracy into industry itself. “The trend toward bureaucratic rigidity is not inherent in the evolution of business,” according to Mises. “It is an outcome of government meddling with business.” Such is his reply to the liberal argument that the inexorable trend toward economic concentration gives rise to a growing gap between ownership and control of the corporation, creates a new managerial elite, and calls into being a centralized state as the only agency capable of controlling it. The liberal analysis itself, however, needs modification. It is not the “divorce between ownership and control” that has created the managerial oligarchy but the divorce between production and planning. Having achieved a complete separation of handwork and brainwork, management monopolizes technical knowledge and reduces the workers to a human machine; but the administration and continual elaboration of this knowledge require an ever-growing managerial apparatus, itself organized on the principles of the factory with its intricate subdivision of tasks. Studies of progressivism and the New Deal have shown that government regulation of business often arose in response to the demands of businessmen themselves. Regulatory agencies draw most of their personnel from business. Neither the regulatory nor the welfare policies of the state rest on “an implacable hatred of private business and free enterprise,” as Mises claims. On the contrary, regulation controls competition and stabilizes the market, while the welfare system socializes the “human costs” of capitalist production - rising unemployment, inadequate wage scales, inadequate insurance against sickness and old age - and helps to forestall more radical solutions.
It is true that a professional elite of doctors, psychiatrists, social scientists, technicians, welfare workers, and civil servants now plays a leading part in the administration of the state and of the “knowledge industry.” But the state and the knowledge industry overlap at so many points with the business corporation (which has increasingly concerned itself with every phase of culture), and the new professionals share so many characteristics with the managers of industry, that the professional elite must be regarded not as an independent class but as a branch of modern management. The therapeutic ethic, which has replaced the nineteenth-century utilitarian ethic, does not serve the “class interest” of professionals alone, as Daniel P. Moynihan and others have argued; it serves the interests of monopoly capitalism as a whole. Moynihan points out that by emphasizing impulse rather than calculation as the determinant of human conduct, and by holding society responsible for the problems confronting individuals, a “government-oriented” professional class has attempted to create a demand for its own services. Professionals, he observes, have a vested interest in discontent, because discontented people turn to professional services for relief. But the same principle underlies all of modern capitalism, which continually tries to create new demands and new discontents that can be assuaged only by the consumption of commodities. Moynihan, aware of this connection, tries to present the professional as the successor to the capitalist. The ideology of “compassion,” he says, serves the class interest of the “post-industrial surplus of functionaries who, in the manner of industrialists who earlier turned to advertising, induce demand for this own products.”
Professional self-aggrandizement, however, grew up side by side with the advertising industry and must be seen as another phase of the same process, the transition from competitive capitalism to monopoly capitalism. The same historical development that turned the citizen into a client transformed the worker from a producer into a consumer. Thus the medical and psychiatric assault on the family as a technologically backward sector went hand in hand with the advertising industry’s drive to convince people that store-brought goods are superior to homemade goods. Both the growth of management and proliferation of professions represent new forms of capitalist control, which first established themselves in the factory and then spread throughout society. The struggle against bureaucracy therefore requires a struggle against capitalism itself. Ordinary citizens cannot resist professional dominance without also asserting control over production and over the technical knowledge on which modern production rests. A reassertion of “common sense,” according to Mises, will “prevent man from falling prey” to the “illusory fantasies” of professional bureaucrats. But common sense is not enough. In order to break the existing pattern of dependence and put an end to the erosion of competence, citizens will have to take the solution of their problems into their own hands. They will have to create their own “communities of competence.” Only then will the productive capacities of modern capitalism, together with the scientific knowledge that now serves it, come to serve the interests of humanity instead.
In a dying culture, narcissism appears to embody - in the guise of personal “growth” and “awareness” - the highest attainment of spiritual enlightenment. The custodians of culture hope, at bottom, merely to survive its collapse. The will to build a better society, however, survives, along with traditions of localism, self-help, and community action that only need the vision of a new society, a decent society, to give them new vigor. The moral discipline formerly associated with the work ethic still retains a value independent of the role it once played in the defense of property rights. That discipline - indispensable to the task of building a new order - endures most of all in those who knew the old order only as a broken promise, yet who took the promise more seriously than those who merely took it for granted.

The apartment vacancy rate in Tennessee is a crucial indicator of the state's housing market health, reflecting the balance between supply and demand for rental properties. As of recent data, Tennessee's vacancy rate for apartments stands at a relatively low level, signaling a robust demand for rental housing across the state.
In urban centers like Nashville, Memphis, Chattanooga, and Knoxville, where population growth and job opportunities continue to attract new residents, the apartment vacancy rate tends to be lower than in rural areas. These cities offer a diverse range of rental options, from luxury high-rises in downtown districts to affordable apartments in suburban neighborhoods, catering to a wide spectrum of renters.
One factor contributing to Tennessee's low apartment vacancy rate is the state's strong economy and job market. With industries ranging from healthcare and manufacturing to entertainment and tourism, Tennessee offers a wealth of employment opportunities, attracting workers from across the country. As a result, demand for rental housing remains high, keeping vacancy rates relatively low.
Additionally, the influx of young professionals and millennials into urban areas has contributed to the tightening of the rental market in Tennessee. Many young renters prefer the flexibility and convenience of apartment living, particularly in walkable neighborhoods with access to amenities like restaurants, shops, and public transportation. This demographic trend has further fueled demand for rental properties, putting downward pressure on vacancy rates.
Despite the overall low vacancy rate, some areas within Tennessee may experience higher vacancy rates than others, depending on factors such as location, market conditions, and the availability of housing stock. For example, rural areas or neighborhoods with a high concentration of student housing may see higher vacancy rates during certain times of the year, such as summer months or between academic semesters.
However, even in areas where vacancy rates are higher, the demand for rental housing in Tennessee remains strong, driven by factors such as population growth, job opportunities, and lifestyle preferences. As a result, landlords and property managers in these areas may still experience steady demand for their rental properties, albeit with some fluctuations throughout the year.
Looking ahead, experts predict that Tennessee's apartment vacancy rate is likely to remain relatively low in the near term, driven by continued population growth, economic expansion, and ongoing investment in real estate development. As the state's cities continue to attract new residents and businesses, the demand for rental housing is expected to remain robust, keeping vacancy rates low and rental markets competitive across Tennessee.

Economic Factors Contributing to Low Vacancy Rate

Tennessee's economy stands as a cornerstone of prosperity and growth in the Southeastern United States, fueled by diverse industries, strategic geographic location, and a favorable business climate. As a result, the state has experienced sustained economic expansion, attracting businesses, residents, and investors from around the country.
One of the key drivers of Tennessee's robust economy is its strategic location as a transportation hub. Situated at the crossroads of major interstate highways, railways, and waterways, Tennessee offers businesses easy access to regional and national markets. This connectivity has attracted a wide range of industries to the state, including manufacturing, logistics, and distribution, which benefit from efficient transportation networks and access to key markets.
Manufacturing plays a particularly significant role in Tennessee's economy, with the state boasting a strong presence in industries such as automotive, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing. Major automotive manufacturers like Nissan, Volkswagen, and General Motors have established operations in Tennessee, contributing to a thriving supply chain and supporting thousands of jobs across the state. Similarly, the aerospace industry has flourished in Tennessee, with companies like Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman investing in research, development, and manufacturing facilities.
In addition to manufacturing, Tennessee's economy is bolstered by a growing healthcare sector, fueled by the presence of major healthcare systems, research institutions, and medical device companies. With renowned healthcare facilities like Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee has become a destination for cutting-edge medical care and research, attracting patients and professionals from around the world.
Furthermore, Tennessee's tourism industry contributes significantly to the state's economic vitality, generating billions of dollars in revenue annually and supporting thousands of jobs. From the iconic attractions of Nashville, Memphis, and Gatlinburg to the scenic beauty of the Great Smoky Mountains and the Mississippi River, Tennessee offers a wealth of experiences for visitors to explore and enjoy. Whether it's attending live music concerts, exploring historic landmarks, or experiencing outdoor adventures, tourists flock to Tennessee year-round, providing a steady stream of revenue for businesses and communities across the state.
The strength of Tennessee's economy, coupled with its growing population and diverse job opportunities, has led to increased demand for housing across the state. As more businesses expand or relocate to Tennessee, and as the state continues to attract new residents and visitors, the demand for rental properties has remained robust. This high demand, combined with limited supply in certain markets, has contributed to a low vacancy rate in Tennessee, as landlords and property owners find little difficulty in filling available units.
In conclusion, Tennessee's economy is a driving force behind the state's low vacancy rate, as strong job growth, diverse industries, and a favorable business climate continue to attract businesses and residents alike. As Tennessee's economy continues to thrive, the demand for housing is expected to remain strong, ensuring that the state's apartment market remains competitive and vibrant for years to come.
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Finding pet-friendly rentals in cities like Nashville, Memphis, Chattanooga, and Knoxville can be a challenge, but with the right approach, it's entirely possible to locate a suitable home for both you and your furry friend. Here are some helpful tips for navigating the rental market in these Tennessee cities while keeping your pet's needs in mind:

1. Start Your Search Early: Begin your search for a pet-friendly rental well in advance of your desired move-in date. This gives you ample time to explore different neighborhoods, properties, and landlords who are open to renting to pet owners.
2. Utilize Online Resources: Take advantage of online rental listing websites and platforms that allow you to filter search results based on pet-friendly criteria. Websites like Zillow, Apartments.com, and Rent.com often have filters specifically for pet-friendly rentals.
3. Work with Pet-Friendly Realtors or Rental Agents: Seek out real estate agents or rental agents who specialize in pet-friendly properties. They can help you navigate the rental market more effectively and connect you with landlords who are open to renting to pet owners.
4. Network with Pet Owners: Reach out to fellow pet owners in your desired city through social media groups, forums, or local pet-related events. They may have valuable insights and recommendations for pet-friendly rental properties in the area.
5. Be Prepared with Pet References: When contacting landlords or property managers about a rental property, be prepared to provide references for your pet, such as previous landlords or neighbors who can attest to your pet's behavior and demeanor.
6. Create a Pet Resume: Put together a pet resume that includes information about your pet's breed, age, size, and temperament, as well as any training or certifications they may have. This can help reassure landlords that your pet is well-behaved and responsible.
7. Offer to Pay Pet Deposits or Fees: Be prepared to pay additional pet deposits or monthly pet fees as part of your rental agreement. Offering to pay these fees upfront can demonstrate your commitment to being a responsible pet owner and may make landlords more inclined to rent to you.
8. Consider Pet-Friendly Housing Communities: Look for rental properties that are specifically marketed as pet-friendly housing communities. These developments often have amenities tailored to pet owners, such as dog parks, pet washing stations, and pet-friendly walking trails.
9. Be Flexible with Your Search Criteria: Keep an open mind and be willing to compromise on certain aspects of your rental search, such as location or amenities, in order to find a pet-friendly property that meets your needs.
10. Get Everything in Writing: Once you've found a pet-friendly rental property that you're interested in, make sure to review the lease agreement carefully and ensure that any pet-related terms, such as pet deposits, pet policies, and pet restrictions, are clearly outlined in writing.

By following these tips and staying proactive in your search, you can increase your chances of finding a pet-friendly rental property in Nashville, Memphis, Chattanooga, or Knoxville that both you and your furry companion will love.
It's essential to keep in mind that each city may have its own unique rental market dynamics and pet policies. For example, while Nashville may offer a wide range of pet-friendly apartment buildings and neighborhoods, you may find that pet-friendly rentals in Knoxville are more limited in certain areas.
It's also worth considering the specific needs and preferences of your pet when searching for a rental property. For instance, if you have a larger dog that requires plenty of space to roam, you may want to prioritize properties with access to parks or green spaces nearby. Similarly, if you have a cat, you may want to look for rentals with features like window perches or balconies where your cat can enjoy some fresh air and sunshine.
When reaching out to landlords or property managers about a potential rental property, be sure to ask specific questions about their pet policies and any restrictions they may have. Some landlords may have breed or size restrictions for pets, while others may require additional documentation, such as vaccination records or proof of pet insurance.
If you're having trouble finding a pet-friendly rental in your desired neighborhood or price range, consider expanding your search to surrounding areas or suburbs. While urban centers like downtown Nashville or Memphis may have more limited options for pet-friendly housing, you may find more affordable and spacious rentals in suburban neighborhoods that still offer convenient access to city amenities.
In addition to traditional rental properties, consider exploring alternative housing options that may be more accommodating to pet owners. For example, some landlords may be more open to renting out single-family homes or townhouses to pet owners, which can offer more space and privacy compared to apartment living.
Keep in mind that finding a pet-friendly rental property may require some extra effort and patience, but the rewards of living in a pet-friendly environment can be well worth it. Studies have shown that living with pets can have numerous physical and mental health benefits, including reduced stress levels, increased physical activity, and improved overall well-being.
Once you've found a pet-friendly rental property that meets your needs and preferences, be sure to take the time to properly prepare your pet for the move. This may include gradually introducing your pet to their new home, setting up familiar items like their bed or toys, and establishing a routine for walks and bathroom breaks in the new neighborhood.
Finally, be sure to communicate openly and honestly with your landlord or property manager about any concerns or issues related to your pet. By maintaining a positive and respectful relationship with your landlord, you can help ensure a smooth and enjoyable living experience for both you and your furry friend in your new pet-friendly rental home.
https://tennesseeapartments.com/pet-friendly-rentals-tennessee-cities

DAY: MAY 30 2024
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PARENTS ARE INCREASINGLY SAYING THEIR CHILD IS ‘DYSREGULATED.’ WHAT DOES THAT ACTUALLY MEAN?

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WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SHYNESS AND SOCIAL ANXIETY?

The terms “shyness” and “social anxiety” are often used interchangeably because they both involve feeling uncomfortable in social situations. However, feeling shy, or having a shy personality, is not the same as experiencing social anxiety (short for “social anxiety disorder”). Here are some of the similarities and differences, and what the distinction means. How are they similar? It can be normal to feel nervous or even stressed in new social situations or when interacting with new people. And everyone differs in how comfortable they feel when interacting
5-30-2024

EYE EXERCISES TO IMPROVE SIGHT—IS THERE ANY SCIENCE BEHIND THEM? AN OPHTHALMOLOGIST IS SKEPTICAL

You may have seen advertisements claiming to eliminate the need for eyeglasses through vision therapy or vision training—basically, eye exercises. These exercises include putting pressure on or palming the eye; eye movement exercises; or straining to read by using the wrong prescription glasses to “train” the eyes. As a professor of ophthalmology—and as an eye doctor who has seen thousands of patients—I can tell you that no study to date shows strong evidence that these exercises eliminate the need for glasses or offer any long-term significant benefits. The science simply
5-30-2024

HOW COMMUNITY STRESS AFFECTS BLACK AMERICANS’ MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

Residential segregation is an example of the long history of structural racism in the United States. Black Americans are more likely to live in low-quality neighborhoods, which contributes to disparities in health outcomes. A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign looks at how community stress affects the mental and emotional health of Black men and women in the U.S. “Community stress refers to the effects of living in disadvantaged areas. This includes objective aspects, such as buildings in disrepair and lower median income. There is also a subjective
5-30-2024

GENE VARIANTS FORETELL THE BIOLOGY OF FUTURE BREAST CANCERS, STUDY FINDS

A Stanford Medicine study of thousands of breast cancers has found that the gene sequences we inherit at conception are powerful predictors of the breast cancer type we might develop decades later and how deadly it might be. The study challenges the dogma that most cancers arise as the result of random mutations that accumulate during our lifetimes. Instead, it points to the active involvement of gene sequences we inherit from our parents—what’s known as your germline genome—in determining whether cells bearing potential cancer-causing mutations are recognized and eliminated by
5-30-2024

PTSD, ANXIETY IS RISING AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS

America’s college students seem to be more stressed than ever, with a new report finding a sharp rise in cases of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and acute stress disorder (ASD) on campuses across the country. In a “national sample of U.S. college students, we found a notable increase in the prevalence of PTSD and ASD,”
5-30-2024

NIGHT OWL BEHAVIOR COULD HURT MENTAL HEALTH, SLEEP STUDY FINDS

Night owls, brace yourselves. A new study by Stanford Medicine researchers has found that following your natural inclination to stay awake until the early morning hours is a bad choice for your mental health. In a survey of nearly 75,000 adults, researchers compared the participants’ preferred sleep timing, known as chronotype, with their actual sleep behavior. They determined that regardless of one’s preferred bedtime, everyone benefits from turning in early. Morning larks and night owls alike tended to have higher rates of mental and behavioral disorders if they stayed up
5-30-2024

STUDY CONFIRMS EFFECTIVENESS OF ‘WATCH-AND-WAIT’ APPROACH TO PROSTATE CANCER

For a large percentage of men with prostate cancer, the tumor may be so slow-growing that doctors advise a “watch-and-wait” approach instead of active treatment. Now, a study of almost 2,200 patients followed for up to a decade finds that for most, that decision may be a wise one. “In this study, 10 years after diagnosis, 49% of men remained free of progression or treatment, less than 2% developed metastatic disease and less than 1% died of their disease,” reported a team led by Lisa Newcomb, a cancer prevention researcher
5-30-2024

RESEARCHERS HARNESS THE POWER OF AI TO MATCH PATIENTS WITH THE MOST EFFECTIVE ANTIDEPRESSANT FOR THEIR UNIQUE NEEDS

Researchers at George Mason University’s College of Public Health have leveraged the power of artificial intelligence (AI) analytical models to match a patient’s medical history to the most effective antidepressant, allowing patients to find symptom relief sooner. The free website, MeAgainMeds.com, provides evidence-based recommendations, allowing clinicians and patients to find the optimal antidepressant the first time. “Many people with depression must try multiple antidepressants before finding the right one that alleviates their symptoms. Our website reduces the number of medications that patients are asked to try. The system recommends to
5-30-2024

NEW CANCER-RELATED FATIGUE TREATMENT GUIDELINES URGE EXERCISE, TALK THERAPY, MINDFULNESS, TAI CHI

The clinical practice guidelines, which came about after an extensive review of 113 published clinical trials by a panel of experts, conclude that doctors should recommend exercise, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness-based programs, Tai chi, qigong, and American ginseng to reduce fatigue severity during cancer treatment. After completion of cancer treatment, the guidelines also suggest that exercise, CBT, and mindfulness-based
5-30-2024

STUDY FINDS THAT BETTER SLEEP IS ASSOCIATED WITH LOWER LONELINESS

A new study to be presented at the SLEEP 2024 annual meeting found that better sleep health was associated with lower levels of loneliness, and this association was stronger among younger adults. Results indicate that better sleep health was associated with significantly lower total loneliness, emotional loneliness and social loneliness. While better sleep health was associated with lower total and emotional loneliness across ages, this association was stronger for younger adults. However, age did not moderate the association between sleep health and social loneliness. “Loneliness is an urgent public health
5-30-2024

SOCIAL MEDIA USE AND SLEEP DURATION CONNECTED TO BRAIN ACTIVITY IN TEENS

A new study to be presented at the SLEEP 2024 annual meeting found a distinct relationship between sleep duration, social media usage, and brain activation across brain regions that are key for executive control and reward processing. Results show a correlation between shorter sleep duration and greater social media usage in teens. The analysis points to involvement of areas within the frontolimbic brain regions, such as the inferior and middle frontal gyri, in these relationships. The inferior frontal gyrus, key in inhibitory control, may play
5-30-2024

HOW DOES THE WORD ‘NOT’ AFFECT WHAT WE UNDERSTAND? SCIENTISTS FIND NEGATION MITIGATES OUR INTERPRETATION OF PHRASES

When we’re told “This coffee is hot” upon being served a familiar caffeinated beverage at our local diner or cafe, the message is clear. But what about when we’re told “This coffee is not hot”? Does that mean we think it’s cold? Or room temperature? Or just warm? A team of scientists has now identified how our brains work to process phrases that include negation (i.e., “not”), revealing that it mitigates rather than inverts meaning—in other words, in our minds, negation merely reduces the temperature of our coffee and does
5-30-2024

IS GUT HEALTH LINKED TO MENTAL HEALTH? WE KNOW THEY’RE CONNECTED BUT HOW REMAINS A MYSTERY, RESEARCHER SAYS

Rebecca Carrier, associate chair of research in the Department of Chemical Engineering, researches retinal and gut epithelial repair in the Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Complex on Jan. 24, 2023. It was an act of desperation: A woman with irritable bowel syndrome was looking for relief from her symptoms. She decided to try an at-home fecal microbiota, aka a “poop transplant.” Used to treat C. diff bacterial infections, this treatment can help introduce “good microbiomes” to the gut to ease gastrointestinal symptoms. But the woman told Netflix
5-30-2024

STUDY LINKS SLEEP APNEA TREATMENT AND HAPPIER, HEALTHIER RELATIONSHIPS

when individuals with obstructive sleep apnea use their positive airway pressure machine more regularly, it benefits their relationship with their partner. Results show that greater adherence to PAP therapy was associated with higher levels of relationship satisfaction and lower levels of relationship conflict. Higher sleep efficiency among patients also was associated with higher levels of relationship satisfaction as reported by both the patient and their partner. “Recognizing that sleep and sleep disorders have an impact on
5-30-2024

CDC REPORTS THIRD DAIRY WORKER INFECTED WITH BIRD FLU, RISK TO PUBLIC REMAINS LOW

Amid an ongoing outbreak of bird flu in dairy cows, there’s been a third case of H5N1 avian flu confirmed in a dairy worker, U.S. health officials reported Thursday. The previous two human cases—the first in Texas, the second in Michigan, where this latest case also occurred—involved only a brief discomfort of the eyes, linked to conjunctivitis (“pink eye”). However, this third case is the first to present with more typical respiratory symptoms, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted in a health update. “The patient reported upper
5-30-2024

RECOMMENDATIONS ISSUED FOR PALLIATIVE RADIATION THERAPY FOR SYMPTOMATIC BONE METASTASES

In a clinical practice guideline issued by the American Society for Radiation Oncology and published in Practical Radiation Oncology, evidence-based recommendations are presented for the use of palliative external beam radiation therapy (RT) for symptomatic bone metastases. Sarah Alcorn, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, and colleagues developed evidence-based recommendations for palliative external beam RT in symptomatic bone metastases. Five key questions regarding palliative RT were addressed. The authors noted that RT is recommended for managing pain from bone metastases and spine metastases with or without
5-30-2024

CAUSE OF COMMON TYPE OF HEART FAILURE MAY BE DIFFERENT FOR WOMEN AND MEN

Graphical abstract. Credit: Cardiovascular Research (2024). DOI: 10.1093/cvcvae070 A new study from the UC Davis School of Medicine found striking differences at the cellular level between male and female mice with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). The findings could determine how HFpEF is treated in women compared to men. With HFpEF, the heart muscle contracts normally but the heart is unable to fully relax and refill properly between beats. This condition is known as diastolic dysfunction. It can occur if the heart is too stiff or if the

5-30-2024

CANCER CAN BE CAUSED BY REVERSIBLE MOLECULAR CHANGES, STUDY SHOWS

Though 1 in 2 people will develop some form of cancer in their lifetime, there’s still much we don’t know about this disease. But thanks to continued research efforts, we keep learning more about the biology of cancer. One of these recent discoveries could even transform our understanding of how cancers develop. But before we talk about the new discovery, let’s first discuss the classical theory that attempts to explain why normal cells become cancer cells. This theory posits that DNA mutations are the primary cause of cancers. It’s well
5-30-2024

HOW THE IMMUNE SYSTEM DESTROYS THE CEREBELLUM

Neurologist Professor Dr Kurt-Wolfram Sühs has discovered a new form of severe cerebellitis caused by autoantibodies. Cerebellar ataxia is a neurological disorder of the cerebellum. This important area at the back of the brain acts as a conductor, so to speak, coordinating our movements and keeping us in balance. This ability is impaired in cerebellar ataxia. Affected people can have difficulties walking, speaking and grasping or even with controlled eye movements. In some cases, the damage begins gradually and develops over a period of years.
5-30-2024

PEOPLE WHO ARE EASILY ABSORBED IN AN ACTIVITY MAY HAVE BETTER MENTAL AND CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH

Have you ever lost all sense of space and time when redecorating a room? How about being so focused while playing an instrument that the worries that weighed you down a minute ago just evaporated? Then you’ve probably experienced “flow.” Flow is a term used in psychology to describe a state of heightened concentration, in which you are completely absorbed in an activity. It exists somewhere between boredom and stress—usually experienced during activities which are somewhat challenging but still meet our skill levels. When we experience flow, we tend to
5-30-2024

SCIENTISTS FIND ‘GOLDILOCKS’ BINDING STRENGTH DETERMINES ANTI-CANCER T-CELL EFFICACY AND FATE

Immunotherapy, treatments that reinvigorate immune cells’ anti-cancer activity or reprogram T cells to target cancer, has shown promise in treating leukemias but has not yet been realized in solid tumors. One reason for the stymied success is the conversion of potential cancer-killing T cells into an inactive “exhausted” state near the tumor. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital scientists found that how tight a parental T cell grabs a cancer
5-30-2024

IN THE BRAIN AT REST, STUDY INDICATES NEURONS REHEARSE FUTURE EXPERIENCE

Some dreams may, in fact, predict the future: New research has found that during sleep, some neurons not only replay the recent past but also anticipate future experience. The discovery is one in a series of insights afforded by a study on sleep and learning published in Nature by a team of researchers from Rice University and the University of Michigan. The research offers an unprecedented view of how individual neurons in the hippocampus of rats
5-30-2024

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• 5-30-2024STUDY PROMOTES DIGITAL HELP FOR ADULTS WITH ADHD
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• 5-30-2024UNDERSTANDING PROTEIN MUTATIONS THAT AFFECT GENE EXPRESSION TO PROMOTE CANCER PROGRESSION
• 5-30-2024STUDY REVEALS THAT GASTRIC CANCER SURGERY MAY REDUCE HEART DISEASE RISK
• 5-30-2024STUDY SHOWS EFFECTIVENESS OF UPDATED COVID-19 VACCINES WANES MODERATELY OVER TIME, IS LOWER AGAINST CURRENT VARIANTS
• 5-30-2024SCIENTISTS FIND ‘GOLDILOCKS’ BINDING STRENGTH DETERMINES ANTI-CANCER T-CELL EFFICACY AND FATE
• 5-30-2024STUDY FINDS SUICIDE RATES AMONG CANCER PATIENTS ARE FALLING
• 5-30-2024EXISTING DRUG SHOWS PROMISE AS TREATMENT FOR RARE GENETIC DISORDER
• 5-30-2024STUDY SUGGESTS ASTROCYTES INDUCE SEX-SPECIFIC EFFECTS ON MEMORY
• 5-30-2024STUDY OF 16 COUNTRIES SHOWS HIGHER TAXES WOULD HELP YOUNG SMOKERS QUIT OR CUT DOWN
• 5-30-2024RURAL FAMILIES AND CLINICS FEEL MEDICAID CUTS
• 5-30-2024CANCER CAN BE CAUSED BY REVERSIBLE MOLECULAR CHANGES, STUDY SHOWS
• 5-30-2024NOVEL VACCINE CONCEPT GENERATES IMMUNE RESPONSES THAT COULD PRODUCE MULTIPLE TYPES OF HIV NEUTRALIZING ANTIBODIES
• 5-30-2024ANOTHER MICHIGAN DAIRY WORKER HAS BIRD FLU, THE THIRD US CASE THIS YEAR
• 5-30-2024COULD ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS BE ASSOCIATED WITH YOUR INSOMNIA?
• 5-30-2024RESEARCHERS DEVELOP EASY-TO-USE SCREENING TOOL TO HELP IMPROVE FAMILY ACCESS TO FEDERAL NUTRITION PROGRAMS
• 5-30-2024‘STICKY AND STRAIN-GRADIENT ARTIFICIAL EPINEURIUM’ CAN HEAL SEVERED NERVES IN ONLY ONE MINUTE, STUDY CLAIMS
• 5-30-2024STUDY SUGGESTS IT’S A SAFE AND EFFECTIVE GENDER-AFFIRMING HORMONE THERAPY FOR TRANS MEN
• 5-30-2024STUDY EXAMINES PRESCRIBING PATTERNS OF DRUG ASSOCIATED WITH COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT
• 5-30-2024RESEARCHERS FIND KNOWLEDGE A FACTOR IN CLOSING BLACK-WHITE COVID-19 VACCINATION GAP
• 5-30-2024MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS IS ON THE RISE IN AUSTRALIA, BUT IT’S NOT ALL BAD NEWS
• 5-30-2024DRUGS CAN REDUCE RECURRENCE AFTER BOWEL CANCER SURGERY, NEW THESIS SUGGESTS
• 5-30-2024DEVELOPING HEALTHIER AND MORE CLIMATE-FRIENDLY PROTECTIVE FOOTWEAR
• 5-30-2024RESEARCHER FINDS INCREASED DEMENTIA RISK IN OLDER ADULTS WITH A CRIMINAL BACKGROUND
• 5-30-2024EXAMINATIONS OF MAJOR SALIVARY GLANDS AND HEART REVEAL PATHOPHYSIOLOGICAL PROGRESSION OF PARKINSON’S
• 5-30-2024RESEARCHERS IDENTIFY FACTORS THAT HEIGHTEN RISK FOR CATHETER-ASSOCIATED URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS AND SEPSIS
• 5-30-2024TELEHEALTH STUDY MAY HELP IMPROVE ACCESS TO AUTISM ASSESSMENTS
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• 5-30-2024NEW AVENUES TO DEVELOPING PERSONALIZED TREATMENTS FOR SCHIZOPHRENIA
• 5-30-2024CALL FOR JOURNALS TO BAN RESEARCH BY THE FIRMS, THEIR SUBSIDIARIES
• 5-30-2024TINY WORM HELPS UNCOVER LONG-LASTING PRENATAL EFFECTS FROM AMPHETAMINES
• 5-30-2024NEW MEASURE OF VALUE CAN HELP ACCOUNTABLE CARE ORGANIZATIONS DELIVER BETTER HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR LESS MONEY
• 5-30-2024HOW THE IMMUNE SYSTEM DESTROYS THE CEREBELLUM
• 5-30-2024SYSTEMATIC SURVEY REVEALS UNANNOTATED HUMAN GENE THAT’S OVEREXPRESSED IN PITUITARY TUMORS
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• 5-30-2024HYPERTENSION, ALBUMINURIA RISKS ARE NO WORSE FOR KIDNEY DONORS THAN FOR NON-DONORS: STUDY
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• 5-30-2024RESEARCHERS CREATE COMPREHENSIVE TRANSCRIPTIONAL ATLAS OF HUMAN ADENOMYOSIS
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• 5-30-2024RESEARCHERS TAKE STEP TOWARD DEVELOPMENT OF UNIVERSAL COVID-19 ANTIBODIES

I’m a recent grad (2023) and I was planning on applying to law school this current cycle to start attending by fall of 2025. I graduated university at 21 and I always wanted to start law school as soon as I could after uni, the problem is I went to the doctors for a unrelated consult and the doctor told me I needed to start blood pressure medication because my blood pressure is extremely high for my age (F22). I’ve been told this in the past but I always chalked it up to me being stressed due to my many responsibilities (officers for clubs, working while in uni, volunteering for various orgs and being an honors student), and I didn’t think it was serious until they told me to start medication for it. My bmi is at 33 which means im about 15 lbs chunkier than I should be for my height but they said my weight isn’t enough to cause high blood pressure and that it was likely stress related. It threw a wrench into all my plans I want to push forward and keep grinding with studying for the lsat but I’m genuinely afraid for my health. My mom says I should focus on my health and push applying until next year but I feel so horribly idiotic I’ve never felt like such a failure and I put my heath aside (not working out as much and not doing any self care) to study for the June lsat every spare moment that I’m not working. My family has a long history of thyroid issues and last year I was told my cortisol levels were extremely high as well. I just wanted to see if there were other members of the community that have dealt with health issues that made them rethink applying. I’m very ashamed about my high blood pressure and the fact that I have it at 22.