Blog 10

Discuss your 1:1 with Alyssa and Adrian. Discuss your LEAD class and the LEAD Program. What would you change? What have you enjoyed?

I had my one-on-one interview with Adrian in the Lead Lounge. It was pretty casual and I was comfortable talking with him about my experience with my classes, the LEAD program, and my social life.

First, I told him that I was doing well in all of my classes, but I have some room for improvement. For example, I could definitely study more. This would help for long-term remembrance of all of the information taught in class. Also, I could stop procrastinating on my homework and other assignments. This semester, I have procrastinated on many assignments, which is something that I would love to stop by the spring semester.

Next, we talked about how I liked participating in the LEAD program. I told him that I really liked it so far. I’ve made a lot of friends and enjoyed hanging out and studying in the LEAD Lounge. Furthermore, I was selected to be Selection’s assistant director alongside Naureen, who is the actual director. As assistant director, I help Naureen run meetings, mediate group members, and plan events.

Lastly, Adrian and I talked about my social life here in Orlando. I told him that I’ve had a great time making new friends and going out and socializing! I’ve participated in many events hosted by UCF, which have been amazing!

Something that I would change about the LEAD program would be that a lot more people were involved in the events in the LEAD Lounge. For example, whenever I go into the lounge, I see a lot of the same faces. I would like for the other students, who are not as involved in LEAD to become involved so that we could all get to know them!

Something that I have enjoyed would be just the overall atmosphere of LEAD and the amazing staff. I have met many positive leaders through this program and am happy that I joined it!Discuss your 1:1 with Alyssa and Adrian. Discuss your LEAD class and the LEAD Program. What would you change? What have you enjoyed?Discuss your 1:1 with Alyssa and Adrian. Discuss your LEAD class and the LEAD Program. What would you change? What have you enjoyed?Discuss your 1:1 with Alyssa and Adrian. Discuss your LEAD class and the LEAD Program. What would you change? What have you enjoyed?

Blog 9

Watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlVBg7_08n0 “Same Love” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis Respond: How is social change represented in pop culture?

 

            Social change is represented in many mediums in society, especially pop culture. Pop culture is a very impactful thing on our society, because so much focus is put on entertainment, music, movies, and so much more. Concerning “Same Love” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, this music video shows a boy overcoming being gay and how he commits to living his life as a free individual. This video serves as a public service announcement to people all around the world that just because a person is gay, they should be able to live a normal life without others judging them. Furthermore, this music video is attempting to create social change through a popular artist and song that it reaches more people.

            Social change is represented in pop culture because celebrities who are passionate about certain issues will use their status as a way to create change in society. They may make official public service announcements, represent an organization, or speak at events in favor of their organization. Society is influenced greatly by pop culture celebrities because that is what interests most people, and who they are most persuaded by.

Word Count: 250

Blog 8

Social change is defined as “an alteration in social order of a society.” The world is eternally changing to form to new social standards and values. This social change may be positive or negative, depending on the motives of the source of influence. Personally, my dream for social change would be to end poverty and world hunger. Not to say that everyone would be rich in the world. However, my dream is that everyone in the world is comfortable in their lifestyle and their basic needs are met. These basic needs may include necessary food and water, shelter, safety, and adequate clothing. In order for this to happen, communities and individuals would need to come together and intervene to find a long-term solution. Many organizations are already working towards ending poverty and world hunger, by raising funds, organizing community outreach programs, and providing supplies to victims. However, more light needs to be shed on this particular issue. If that were to happen, citizens of the world would then be able to come together internationally and solve other complex worldly issues.

Word Count: 250

Blog 7

Considering the fact that I am naturally more of an extrovert, I have the tendency to network and connect with others fairly easily. I find it easy to talk to strangers and network with people on a personal and professional basis. With this being said, by playing a significant role in my community, high school, and college, I have created a very broad group of friends and a great social network. Therefore, I have a relatively large sphere of influence in my community!

If I wanted to broaden my sphere of influence in order to enact more social change, I would reach out to various clubs and organizations through UCF and decide which of those would be interested in helping me make an impact with my social change project. Otherwise, I would contact local community organizations and businesses to help with my social change project.

Influence can be dangerous as a leader by enabling people with bad intentions to create negative social change or empower negative leaders in society. Conversely, influence can be helpful as a leader by creating positive social change and solving community issues through collaboration and networking. In either case, influence can serve to be beneficial or detrimental to society depending on the motives of the person holding the influence.

Blog 6

Typically, you would see a homeless person holding up a sign asking for financial help, and wishing a blessing upon the giver. Some generous person might actually make a small donation as a way to try to help the person afford some food or possibly shelter and they would move on with their life and the real issue would never be resolved. As you can see in the picture above, however, the homeless man holds up a sign saying “Keep your coins, I want change”. The phrase strikes a reader because “coins” and “change” are interchangeable words. However, the person is not asking for monetary change rather than coins, they are asking specifically for social change within society, rather than just a hand-out. This person is prompting society to reflect on how they respond to is specific issue of homelessness, however it also demonstrates social change more broadly. This picture is urging people to think about various societal issues in a more critical way in order to solve some of the world’s problems. It is calling for collaboration and unity within communities in order to solve social issues more broadly, rather than a simple fix, such as a monetary donation to a homeless person. Instead, people should be resolving problems fully, rather than seeking a quick fix on the street. For homelessness specifically, drug prevention and rehab programs, affordable housing programs, career research and counseling services, etc. These are just a few ways in which a person who is passionate about creating social change can get involved and be a part of a greater impact in society. With every major social change issue, there are ways in which people can create social change for a more productive, positive society.

Blog 5

One Easy Thing All White People Could Do That Would Make the World A Better Place

                Racial inequality is somewhat of a touchy subject. Many people, particularly white Americans, feel uncomfortable when discussing racial inequality and social injustice. Unfortunately, I too struggle with coming to terms with racial inequality, because it is hard for me to understand the injustices of the world due to the fact that I’ve lived a somewhat sheltered life as a white, middle-class American. However, I have had some experiences with injustice in my community. For example, I have noticed that when I am surrounded by a group of my white, female friends, I do not get looked at any differently within my community. If I were to walk with a group of females who happened to be of a different race, specifically black, I might be judged differently based on unfair stereotypes and prejudices. Furthermore, I’ve noticed that in some of my past classes, if the teacher is not aware of being sensitive to diversity and racial equality, then there is some tension. For example, a white teacher may not pay as much attention to a group of white females concerning discipline compared to a group of black males. This may occur due to stereotypical behavior of the two differing groups. Anyway, it is completely uncalled for and unfair because the judgment is not based on a valid reasoning within the classroom. One thing that I can do to counteract injustice is to actively observe and stand up for social justice concerning racial tension an inequality. If I were to see something morally wrong, I would step in and try to mediate the situation.

 

Casual, Rafael. "One Easy Thing All White People Could Do That Would Make The World A Better Place." Upworthy. Upworthy, n.d. Web. 05 Oct. 2013. <http://www.upworthy.com/one-easy-thing-all-white-people-could-do-that-would-make-the-world-a-better-place-5>.

Blog 4

My best friend had always come to me for advice about how to deal with her terrible boyfriend. As a good friend, I always tried to guide her into the direction that would help her to gain independence and happiness. However, she would never take my advice and always ended up depressed because she would continue to allow him to treat her horribly. After I supported her through this for a year, I finally quit giving her advice and just told her to figure it out on her own hoping that she’d be able to realize on her own the things that I had told her all those times. After that, she became extremely upset with me and told me that I wasn’t a good friend to her. I really struggled with this because, although I wanted to be there for her, I couldn’t help but to just ignore her drama and let her figure it out on her own. It hurt me that she thought my approach to her situation was one in which I wasn’t being a good friend, but it was the last thing I could do. My personal values that were challenged through this were that I really value loyalty and trust. My friend no longer valued my loyalty as a friend, and did not trust me to be there for her. In the end, I knew that I had responded to her situation because she eventually got out of the toxic relationship and thanked me for letting her figure it out on her own. She thanked me for all the advice I had given her in the past and told me that I was a great friend. Ethical decision making relates to social change because it empowers individuals to continue to do the right, moral thing and encourages others to do so to, which creates a better society.

Blog 3

Syria is a small, densely-populated country located in the Middle East, near the Mediterranean Sea. It has a very strong government, led by President Bashar al-Assad. The conflict began in 2011, when a small group of activists led a peaceful protest against the Syrian government. They were protesting against dictators and regimes in neighboring countries, which linked to Syria. In response, the Syrian government began secretly killing the activists with great violence. This created an upset throughout the civilian population, which caused an even greater resistance to the Syrian government.

In my opinion, the best way to respond as a leader would be to build an international coalition. A leader should come to a consensus with other international leaders, the U.S. Congress, and U.S. citizens on whether or not to intervene in the Syria conflict. If decided that intervention was necessary, then all international leaders should invest in the conflict financially, diplomatically, and with some military force, if necessary. Otherwise, the U.S. and other countries should remain peaceful and closely watch the Syrian conflict until further notice. In either case, a good leader should remain confident in the decisions and actions of the international coalition, and have a clear line of communication between all parties involved.

At this point in time, the U.S. should not intervene in the Syria conflict because there are no viable options to doing so. If the U.S. government attempts to support the rebel groups, it might encourage an even worse civil war. A “no fly zone” wouldn’t impact ground-level fighting, and an invasion would only accelerate the killing. Furthermore, a peace treaty is unlikely because of the high amount of tension between the government and the rebel groups. The U.S. should simply keep a watchful eye on Syria, but take no further action because eventually the fighting will settle.

 

Fisher, Max. "9 Questions about Syria You Were Too Embarrassed to Ask." The Washington Poast. N.p., 29 Aug. 2013. Web. 15 Sept. 2013. <http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/08/29/9-questions-about-syria-you-were-too-embarrassed-to-ask/>.

Blog 2

Susan Cain: The Power of Introverts

Ted.com’s video, “Susan Cain: The Power of Introverts” (March 2012) exposes society’s bias toward extroverted people and how this has negatively impacted innovation and growth throughout history. Cain supports this claim by providing extensive information on the studies that she’s completed during the past seven years. Cain’s purpose is to inform Americans about the effects of disregarding the values and creativity that introverts have to offer to society in order to create social change.

This video relates to social change in society because Cain is fighting typical societal standards and routines in society so that introverts do not continue to be suppressed as innovators and leaders. She explains how modern schools and businesses are tailored to fit the needs of extroverts, with constant encouragement for teamwork and collaboration. Because of this, introverts are often labeled as outliers in society because of their innate tendency to be more quiet and shy. Cain would like to see modern schools and businesses encourage individual thought more and promote solitude as a factor to creativity and innovation.

According to Cain, the type of person that is ideal for creating social change is one who is equally introverted and extroverted. These people have great social skills, while also maintain the ability to enjoy solitude and deep thought. They make for the best leaders of social change because they are able to use the strengths of each personality type as a way to create positive change in society. They are also the best leaders in society because they typically generate the best ideas and lead groups of people positively.

 

"Susan Cain: The Power of Introverts." TED.com. N.p., Mar. 2012. Web. <Susan Cain: The power of introverts>.

Blog 1

 

As you can see in the picture above, the man commands his troops courageously from the front. He actively shows his men how to fight for their country by facing the enemy headfirst and achieving victory through diligence and fortitude.

Although this particular example demonstrates one particular style of leadership, the history and the evolution of leadership has shown to have a multitude of very different styles of leadership. Leaders may choose to lead from the front or from behind, democratically or autocratically, marginally or vastly, traditionally or charismatically, and much more. Leaders may choose to lead differently depending on the individual situations in which they are expected to lead. Some leaders choose to lead with admiration and respect, while others choose to lead with fear and violence.

While the complete origins of leadership remain unidentified, most scholars agree that all leaders share some psychological and behavioral traits which allow them to take on special leadership roles. These traits may include motivation, temperance, dominance, and knowledge. These traits may be combined with many different styles of leadership to create collaboration and social change. Although no particular leadership style is good or bad, each style may lead to a more or less desirable outcome which determines the success of a leader. For example, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Abraham Lincoln demonstrated very different styles of leadership. However, they were both extremely successful in creating mass social change.

In conclusion, leadership has evolved immensely throughout history. Previously in America, people who held leadership positions were primarily white males (as shown in the picture above). However, through civil rights movements and positive social change, as a society we now see that people of all races, ethnicities, genders, ages, and economic standing hold leadership positions successfully.

 

Andrew J. King, Dominic D.P. Johnson, Mark Van Vugt, The Origins and Evolution of Leadership, Current Biology, Volume 19, Issue 19, 13 October 2009, Pages R911-R916, ISSN 0960-9822, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2009.07.027.

(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982209014122)