How Wonderful It Is To Realize That We Have A Great Gift

By:  E. VirGinia Johnson “Genii”

 The next time you are in the market, notice the many choices you have. You like cheese? Well, there is Gouda, cheddar (sharp or mild), goat cheese, mozzarella; the list goes on.

What are we choosing in the marketplace of our thoughts? Are we choosing doubt? Fear? What are we picking from the shelves of consciousness and putting into the baskets of our lives? We must make sure to put Joy on the shopping lists of our thoughts. Joy is a High Vibration that attracts more Joy. Life can be easy; however, we must choose to see it that way.

Set the intention to enjoy this day no matter what. If something goes amiss at work, remember Joy. If the job interview turns sour, remember Joy. If someone cuts you off on the road, remember Joy, if some horrible event happens, remember joy.

When we are in Joy, we create an atmosphere that says we are ready for greater things to happen. The items we have on our shopping lists of Life begin to show up. Work becomes a pleasure, or we move on to greater things. The interviews that seemed to go sour actually turn out to be sweet experiences. The people who cut us off on he road are blessed because the Joy we feel in our lives touches them.

Today, and everyday, chooses to be in Joy. Enjoy the day because it is Good.

Whether Jesus Christ was actually born on December 25 or not is very difficult to state. Perhaps it is a fact or perhaps fiction. According to some, it’s a fact, while others would state it’s a fact. Another group might be such deep believers in Christ that it doesn’t matter to them whether Christ was indeed born on December 25 or not.

The Bible proclaims that people should have correct knowledge of Christ, something that is possible only if you have accurate information about the Prophet, which can separate fact from fiction. So, if we study the stories connected with Christ carefully such as the Bethlehem star, or shepherds looking after the sheep and their fields, the coming of the magi and the angels, etc., we can examine them and then determine whether His birth did indeed take place on December 25 or not. This is the only way we can determine the Prophet’s birth date to be December 25 since this date never finds a mention in the Bible.

Both the authors of the Gospel, St. Luke and St. Mathew, disagree that December 25 is the real birth date of Jesus. They, instead, believe that Jesus was born during King Herod’s reign of King Herod and for only one reason could he have been born in Bethlehem: that it was foretold that the ruler of Israel would be born there as it was the city of David.

It is also very unlikely that Mother Mary would travel through a difficult winter, pregnant as she was. However, it would be likelier that Mary and her husband Joseph would have made the journey earlier in the year. Another discrepancy is that if Christ was born in December, it wouldn’t be possible for shepherds to tend their flocks and fields in the snow.

The Gospel’s authors also believe that the Bethlehem star, central to the stories relating to Christ’s birth, is a complete fallacy. This is so because if, as these stories depict, there could have been one star that shone only on a particular town and remained stationary there, it would be in contravention to the laws of motion of the galaxy.
Today, it also seems difficult to believe that this one star guided all the astrologers of those times from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, a town that is barely eight kilometers away. In St. Luke’s Gospel, there is no mention of the star of Bethlehem or the three magi nor is there a mention of the stable or animal around the infant Jesus. However, he does mention a baby in a manger.

However, there is one reason for people to link Christ’s birth with December 25 and that is because this date is linked with pagan festivals. It also coincides with the winter solstice and is said to be the year’s shortest day and, hence, the day when the Sun God returns. It was also the date the Roman Catholics chose to lord over Christian culture and eliminate a pagan day and replace it with a holy day.

From the above, it would be very difficult to say when Jesus was born and it is a date that we can never know for sure. But yes, we can say with complete confidence that this was one human being who changed the course of mankind.

Becky Kospanova – The United States is a country of immigrants. From the original 115 English settlers that arrived on Roanoke Island in what is known today as North Carolina in August of 1587.

From then until now, people have been arriving to the America the New World at a steady rate in search of better life and opportunities. While most people who traveled too America early on were of European descent, over time, the ethnic map of America has changed considerably. From the predominantly white Anglo-Saxon country, the USA is moving towards a Nation, which is exceedingly diverse, both ethnically and culturally.
The 2012 election has proven that point clearly and unmistakably. While both governor Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama ran organized and persuasive campaigns, President Obama has ultimately secured his victory by demonstrating better understanding of changing demographics of the country. As such, he was able to acquire the majority of Hispanic, African American and Asian American votes; in fact, Pew Research Center has calculated that Barack Obama received 80% of their votes. Alternatively, many political analysts argue that the biggest mistake of Romney’s campaign was its lack of appeal to these segments of population and its preferential treatment of issues important to predominantly white and wealthy sector.

What is today’s America from an ethnic point of view? According to latest numbers, Hispanic population constitutes 17% of American population, Asian population comprises 5 %, black population amounts to about 13 %, and white Non-Hispanic population makes up 63 % of total population (the remaining percentage refers to people of two or more races). The numbers will change even further over time; according to Pew Research Center, by 2050, white Non-Hispanic population will decrease to about 50 % or less, while Hispanic share will grow to 29 %, Asian to 9%, African American population will increase just slightly over current number of 13 %, and people of two or more races will constitute about 3.7 %. For the first time in American history, white population will not constitute a majority.

How does the changing face of American nation affect and will affect the climate in the country? Undeniably, there is a plethora of positive things, which stem from the influx of people from different nations and cultures into the country.

We are exposed to the traditions and customs of other cultures, which enables us to experience the world to the fullest in the comfort of our homes. We can taste different cuisines and really appreciate the diversity of food and culinary talents from different parts of the world. We can learn practically any language from native speakers without leaving the country, which unquestionably broadens anyone’s horizons. Our children are familiar from birth with people from other cultures and, hopefully, will never demonstrate or experience racial prejudices.

However, not everything is going well. There is  still racism and discrimination which is aimed at various ethnic groups at various levels, be it work environment or neighborhoods. There are still preconceptions about people from other cultures, which are not true and offensive. There are still unresolved issues in regard to immigration laws and growing wealth gap between the haves and have-nots, which often depends on ethnic backgrounds.

The only way to gradually eliminate these complex problems is to educate people, keep an open mind, and realize that modern world is a global community and always changing.

Wage Gap between Men and Women: What Should Be Done?

Becky Kospanova

 
One of the undeniable facts of workplace statistics in the USA is the persistency of considerable wage gap between men and women. It has been calculated that on average women earn 77 cents to each dollar earned by men (2011 statistics) with no regard to ethnicity, occupation, educational level, and work experience. While it is an improvement from previous decades when women earned on average 57.6 cents to each dollar earned by men (1966 statistics), it is still a large difference. It is important to address the issue by looking at the actual situation regarding the wage gap, analyzing the factors which contribute to it, and seeing what has been done and what can be done to extinguish the pay difference between men and women.

According to Census statistics, on average, men earned $48,202 and women earned $37,118 in 2011. Economist Evelyn Murphy, the President of the Wage Project, estimates that due to wage gap, over the period of lifetime (47 years) full-time work, women will lose $ 700,000 for high school graduates, $ 1.2 million for college graduates and $ 2 million for professional school graduates. This potential difference in lifetime earnings is truly staggering, especially nowadays when more women than men graduate from college and, consequently, stand more to lose.

What are the factors which can explain this situation? Is there still gender-based discrimination at American workplace? Partially, the difference can be attributed to customarily role of women as primary caregivers for other family members. Therefore, they are more likely than man to work part-time, take some time off to care for children, and have gaps in their employment history which hinders their career growth. It is especially true for single mothers who disproportionally outnumber single fathers given our cultural and legislative predisposition of awarding single custody to mothers. While some percentage of the wage gap can in fact be ascribed to abovementioned factors, the picture is still bleak.

The American Association of University Women has shown that, keeping education quality and grades received equal, college-educated women earn 5 percent less during their first year at the job than their male counterparts.

Moreover, after ten years of equal commitment to their careers, the gap grows to 12 percent. The growing gap can be explained by the fact that if initially a woman gets a smaller paycheck then her consequent jobs would also

pay less because most employers calculate their salary scale on pay history. It is a vicious cycle. Some people argue that women get paid less because they do not negotiate their salaries as forcefully as their male peers. However, our cultural stereotypes often prevent women from doing so – assertive women are often viewed as difficult and aggressive, while assertive men are viewed as pro-active and energetic.

The idea that gender-based discrimination still exists in the USA is often disputed. After all, in 1963, President Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act and later, Congress signed Title Seven of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which prohibited sex discrimination at work. However, while women have a legal right to get paid equally, it did not translate into reality as yet. President Obama has tried to address the wage gap issue. Thus, on January 29, 2009 he signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act into law, which repeals the Supreme Court’s 5-4 ruling of 2007 (Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co.) and allows victims of wage discrimination to hold their employers accountable and bring the practice to the court. However, on June 5, 2012, the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would have greatly improved the chances of equal pay, has failed in the Senate on a 52-47 procedural vote.

It is necessary to work together to close the wage gap based on gender. As such, we need to appeal to our representatives in the Congress and Senate to work on the issue. We also need to address sociological issues by making child care affordable, by involving men in domestic chores more actively, and by impressing on our daughters the idea that it is OK to demand what they deserve.

Are Men More Sexually Active Than Women?

It is probably the oldest debate and has been part of the war of the sexes for as long as one can remember. No discussion of human sexuality is ever complete without a reexamination of this ancient question. Who is more sexually active? Which gender is genetically, biologically, culturally more prone to higher levels of sexual activity?

Every once in a while a new study appears, stating sometimes this, sometimes that, and adding further fuel to this raging fire. For example, one survey finds that women are more sexually active, at least in high school, than men are. It says that by the final year of high school, girls are likelier than boys to have been sexually active. Over 60% of girls in their final high school year claimed to have had sex, where only 44% boys of the same year said the same.

On the other hand, another study shows that 67% of older men, between 65 and 74 years of age or older, have been sexually active within the previous year, while over 35% of 75 and 85-year-old men say the same. For the women, however, the numbers are as low as 40% and 17% for the same age groups.

One of the reasons for this disparity might be that most men have a more uncomplicated approach to their sexuality, while for women sexual desire is more connected to emotional and self or body image factors. As women age, physical changes might affect the way they view their own bodies, how they feel about their own attractiveness, and how desirable they feel. Men, on the other hand, often focus more on the achievement of an erection as a precursor of sexual activity, and drugs such as Viagra have made a significant impact on that.

On the other hand, it is a pretty much well established fact by now that men achieve their overall sexual peak much earlier than women. Where a woman hits her sexual peak as late as early 40s, achieving full enjoyment of sex, increased libido, and stronger fantasies, men on the other hand, hit their peaks in their late teens or early 20s, later settling down to a more sedate but consistent level of sexual activity for pretty much the rest of their lives.

One of the reasons for women being more sexually active in their 30s or 40s could be that by then most women have become more comfortable with their own sexual natures, and with sex in general, compared to teenage women and those in their 20s.

There are other differences too. Norwegian researchers have found that the genders behave quite differently in terms of libido and sexual activity, even with the seasons. Women experience more desire and are likelier to be sexually active in the spring while men are likely to experience the same in autumn.

Given all these varying reports, given the fluid nature of human sexual behavior, compounded by emotional, psychological and developmental factors, it is practically impossible to come to any conclusion about which gender, male or female, is more sexually active over the entire course of their lives.

And, maybe the point is….why try? Mars and Venus are different, always have been and always will be. Why not leave it at that? Any difference does not have to mean better or worse; or more or less. Let’s just be happy with “other”.

Becky Kospanova

In several days, on November 6, 2012, American people will choose their 45th President and the Electoral College election will take place on December 17, 2012. The race between Democratic current President Barack Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney is rather close – different polls alternatively show one or another candidate leading by just few points, and it is clear that the outcome of election greatly depends on such factors as voters’ turnout, undecided voters, and swing states. Moreover, the recent tragedy of superstorm Sandy might also influence the results of the election by affecting early voting results, preventing people from voting altogether, or making them change their choice based on perceived ability of President Obama to handle the crisis of such enormous magnitude.

Still, majority of voters base their decision on most important to them issues and the candidates’ stand on them. What are the issues that interest the American public the most? Generally, most political polls and observers report that Americans are very concerned with economy and especially unemployment rate, budget deficit, education, foreign policy, terrorism control, immigration, health care, abortion and birth control, as well as the host of other issues. As such, the voters need to familiarize themselves with at least two major points of each candidate’s platform in order to make an informed decision.

Economic policy is one of the most important topics. As everybody knows, American economy plunged into recession during previous Bush’s administration and in 2008, Obama made a promise to do everything in his power to restore it. Undoubtedly, a lot has been done – Obama implemented $ 800 billion stimulus plan to save financial and auto industries and unemployment rate is steadily, though slowly, falling (to compare, in September 2009 the rate was 9.8% and in September 2012 it was 7.8%). As such, he supports domestic companies by promising to provide tax cuts to companies which keep their operations in the USA and tax penalties to these companies which outsource. He wants to cut the debt by reducing government spending and increasing revenues by repealing tax cuts to the families which make more than $ 250.000 annually and raising taxes for the wealthy. Romney, on the other hand, supports decreased government regulation, balanced budget, and lower taxes for all strata of population, especially the rich. He proposes the replacement of jobless benefits with unemployment savings plan and wants to decrease government spending by cutting down the financing of some social programs, most notably Planned Parenthood. He supported the bail-out of financial institutions while opposing the help to auto industry, and is in favor of relaxing the laws which regulate the operations of financial and corporate companies.

Another important issue is health care. Obama’s big achievement was the passing of the Affordable Care Act by the Congress in 2010 which, in case of his winning, will be implemented by 2014. In short, it is a universal coverage health plan which will provide coverage to all Americans no matter the pre-existing conditions, people will receive tax credits to pay the premiums, private employers will receive tax incentives to provide affordable insurances to their employees, and insurers will have to compete for their businesses by supplying high-quality plans. Romney, first of all, calls for the repeal of Obamacare and proposes the establishment of individual tax-advantaged medical savings accounts to pay for premiums and medical costs. He believes that states, not federal government, should regulate the policy for uninsured people and trusts the private sector to successfully compete in the area of medical insurance. Moreover, they differ dramatically in regard to abortion rights and contraception. Obama believes in women’s right to choose and the availability of fully paid contraceptives for women with work-based insurance. Romney supports anti-abortion policy and hopes that the future Supreme Court will overturn Roe vs. Wade.

Of course, the choice of the candidate is determined by a person’s belief system and his vision of the future of the country. Thus, on November 6, 2012 the voice of American people will be, hopefully, heard.

Becky Kospanova

On November 6, 2012, American people will vote to determine who is going to be the President and the Vice-President of the USA for the next four years. The main choice is between present Democratic President Barak Obama and his Vice-President Joe Biden and Republican Mitt Romney, former governor of Massachusetts, and his Vice-President nominee Paul Ryan. However, there are two other candidates who have achieved ballot access sufficient enough to win the election by the majority of the Electoral College: the Libertarian nominee and former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson and the Green Party nominee Jill Stein. Still, many people do not fully comprehend what Electoral College is and how it influences the outcome of Presidential elections.

The Electoral College was established by the Second Article of the U.S. Constitution and was amended in 1804 by the 12th Amendment. Basically, the Founding Fathers had a choice between a system where general population would cast its vote and choose the President based on a majority of votes received by a candidate; or a system of Electoral College in which the President is chosen based on the number of electors’ votes received. The Electoral College system assigns a number of elector votes to each state depending on the number of state’s representatives in the House of Representatives and the Senate. As such, each state has a number of electors equal to the number of its representatives in the U.S. House of Representatives plus an additional vote for its two U.S. Senators. Thus, if general population of some particular state votes for a specific candidate, then based on the majority of votes received, that candidate gets all the pledged electors’ votes from that state. At the moment, there are 538 electors who will determine the future President of the USA. The candidate needs to get 270 elector votes to be elected as a President of the USA. If none of the candidates gets the required number of 270 then, according to the 12th Amendment, the House of Representatives chooses the President based on the number of votes received from the states (each state gets one vote). It had happened only two times in American history when Thomas Jefferson (1801) and John Adams (1825) were elected by the House of Representatives.

There are many critics of the Electoral College system. Many people argue that the true voice of American people gets lost during the Presidential elections and the outdated Electoral College system does no longer reflect the real choice of general population. This critique is not without some basis. Everybody remembers the Presidential elections of 2000 when Al Gore lost the election race to George W. Bush despite gaining the majority of popular votes but losing the Electoral College votes. Bush had won 271 electoral votes while only getting 50,456,002 popular votes and Gore had won 50,999,897 popular votes but only 266 electoral votes. However, it was mostly an exception rather then the rule. So far, the same situation has happened only two more times in history when Republican candidate Rutherford B. Hayes won the elections against Democrat Samuel Tilden in 1876; and Republican Benjamin Harrison won the elections against Democrat Grover Cleveland in 1888 on the basis of electoral votes.

Nevertheless, no matter what one’s personal stand on the subject of Electoral College system is, the main thing is to just vote and make sure that your voice has been heard. After all, the future of the country greatly depends on the person who will lead the American nation for the next four years.

Article revealing a simple algorithm that could help create genius ideas.

Before unraveling the path-breaking algorithm that effectively produces smart ideas, let’s make an attempt to alter your perspective towards genius people. When you think of great legends like Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Isaac Newton, Steve Jobs or other innovators, what is the general notion defining their high intelligence quotient? Yes, of course you relate it to some super-powers, which they might possess. This is not because you resolutely believe in myths but because it’s a human tendency to presume extraordinary things as myths rather than accept the blunt reality that such things can be possible without anything supernatural. It just seems easier to judge this way, isn’t it? Apart from this confusion between myth and realism, there also lies a perception that geniuses exhibit unusual behavior and eccentric habits, which make them, stand out of the rest. No, none of it is true.

On looking through the eyes of reality, the scenario seems to be the exact opposite. It’s a fact that geniuses are not a cause of some special genes but of the unfamiliar mind strategies used by them. These tricks don’t obey the rules of the general norm, but anyone who is aware of it can gradually master it. So, this is the perspective you need to hold on to till you discover the steps that lead to an estimated mastermind outcome. Now it is far more empowering and motivating to believe that such innovations are rational and not mythological. It is indeed thrilling that some nifty skills can push the boundaries of inventiveness. Take this as an inspiration that each one of us can be revealed to a better thinker suppressed inside us just by intentionally positioning our mind on the lines of ingenuity.

It has been observed over the years by researchers that innovation is not the end result of a genius attribute instilled in a person. The reason why some people generate such rich ideas is because they make intentional efforts and as anticipated it leads to a splendid invention. The method is simple, it just requires you to be focused and exercise your brain as directed. Try the following steps:

· Focus on the challenges that you currently have in your life; it can either be professional or personal. Note that these challenges should be the ones for which you would like to produce a fresh pioneering approach.

· The strategy that you need to follow here is to concentrate on the approaches you previously followed but didn’t work out well. This acts as a relevant guide leading to improved insights. If you think carefully, you will realize that deliberating on strategies that you know are wrong or won’t work out is something that you can easily do and strangely also in great amount of detail. The tricks lies here itself.

· Now the reason why you are supposed to focus on the wrong strategies is so that you can detach each of the incorrect features and cautiously analyze the reasons behind why they are so out rightly wrong. This defect detection approach is productive because now you can be more specific, clearer and aware of the current situation. A mental force is built and your mind eventually starts to think out-of-the-box.

· Before you realize, just by concentrating on the mistakes your mind has been pushed towards thinking clearer than ever before on the appropriate approaches to deal with the prevailing problems. The idea here is to learn from mistakes and this can only be done when there is clear picture of it inside your head and you know how to make the most of it in order to reach the pinnacle of creativity.

This technique of directing your mind to think on solutions by focusing clearly on the mistakes is one of the many amazing tricks that can be used to reach towards answers that have the capacity to be turned into successful innovations. Of course nothing in life comes with a guarantee but this tactic solely depends on how well a person directs the mind and makes use of its minute loopholes, like the one revealed here. So, here’s your final takeaway-

It’s not at all mystically to be a genius. Surprisingly, all it takes is a set of ordinary clear-cut approaches of thinking in an efficient manner.

The Struggle Of Aboriginal Women In Australia

Aboriginal women have faced tremendous difficulties since the British occupation of Australia in 1778. After this occupation, their relationship among themselves and with indigenous men changed significantly as they lost their independence, status and value within the community.

Aboriginal women at this time also lost their artistic practices, which was a deeply religious and spiritual practice. Their artwork symbolized their culture, their lives and told of dream-time stories that were passed onto their children. Art was a form of worship, central to their beliefs, and this too was stripped from them.

They also lost their spiritual connection with the land they adored and that provided them with everything they needed to be happy. Finally, they had their children removed from them to be raised by white families as though they were white. Generation after generation, these women continue to struggle with their identity and their place in the Australian community.

When white settlement arrived in Australia, the British occupiers did not truly embrace the land and what it had to offer. Indigenous Australians were completely ignored by the Europeans as they claimed the land to be Terra Nullius: unoccupied and considered to be of ‘no man’s land’ at that time. Accepting the land to be vacant enabled the Europeans to use their laws and culture to become the norm for the country. They completely ignored the values, beliefs, and laws of the indigenous culture. Instead of embracing the indigenous people and their culture, white settlement made the decision to ignore it all, as if it never existed. With a true colonial spirit, the British came to Australia to spread their vision of a civilized society, as they had in other parts of the world.

Aboriginal people were forced to assimilate and their customs and beliefs, which were handed down through generations, were destroyed in order to subjugate the indigenous population.

Many years later, after the destruction of the Indigenous lifestyle, families and communities, the anthropologists decided to investigate the aboriginal way of life. Yet they only investigated the male side and they ignored the rich history of aboriginal women.

Aboriginal women had a significant role before the colonization of Australia as all indigenous female lived their daily lives independent from men. In addition, they were economically independent and had status and value within the community. For example, they produced 80% of the diet and played a key role in the socialization and education of the children. They passed on information about indigenous tribal law and vital kinship structures that influenced social behavior.

They had all that western women were deprived of in terms of freedom and equality. Due to the colonization of their land and oppression and dispossession by the Australian society, the relationship between Aboriginal women and men was affected and the kinship structures were shattered while spiritual connection to the land was lost.

In turn, this had a devastating effect on the indigenous community. It is therefore, extremely hard for indigenous women to regain their lost status after the colonizers destructed the ruling system of the Aboriginal people. Today, Aboriginal women do not have the same status and autonomy as they did before white colonization.

Women Tall or Short – Does it Matter?
Becky Kospanova

We do not have much of a choice when it comes down to our looks. The only thing we have is to thank or regret is our parents, and they were dealt the same card. However, in a modern world, the looks can matter a lot. It was statistically proven that better-looking and taller people earned more compared to their less fortunate in the looks department and shorter colleagues, no matter the qualifications. It is just simple human psychology – people like good-looking and tall people, they appraise them more favorably, and they tend to grant them more favors than to worse looking people.

Women especially feel the impact of being judged by their looks. However, the standards shift constantly. At one point of history, plumper and shorter women were considered beautiful because it signified that they were having more food than their skinnier compatriots. Each culture developed their own standards of beauty, and at the time when most people did not travel much, it was easier to be considered beautiful by local measurements. Everything has changed with the attained ease of travel, TV, social media spread, and the Internets global reach. Now, it does not matter if you live in Japan, USA, or Europe because almost everybody becomes a subject to beauty requirements promoted by nowadays culture and media.

The standards put out by modern fashion models are nearly impossible for a regular woman. They are almost uniformly very thin, very tall (between 5 feet 10 inches and 6 feet tall), and young. Let’s face it, most of them are in their late teens and of course, they can look fresh and young with no effort on their side. However, most women do not look like that at any stage of their lives. We are curvier, shorter, and maybe not as hungry?

The question stands now if it really matters how you look and how tall you are. In my honest opinion, it does matter how you look because it projects a certain image about you to an outside world. If you are fit, well cared, healthy, and well groomed – it shows determination and, basically, respect for what you’ve been given.
If you decided at some point of your life to neglect yourself – it shows kind of lack of willpower, and maybe lack of respect for yourself.

However, the point must be made that women need to look as good as they want to. It does not matter if you are 5 feet or 6 feet tall, size 2 or 18- all that matters is you. What is really important is how healthy and rich your inner life is, how happy is your family and you, and if you feel fulfilled in your life. At the end, a happy person is always a beautiful person and we all know it when we are in the presence of one.

Written By: Becky Kospanova

One of the basic characteristics of people in any country and at any age is the tendency to develop stereotypes about particular groups or classes of people. Webster dictionary defines stereotypes as “conforming to a fixed or general pattern; especially: a standardized mental picture that is held in common by members of a group and that represents an oversimplified opinion, prejudiced attitude, or uncritical judgment.” While some stereotypes can be positive (such as “all babies are cute,” “all Hispanics are family oriented,” “Asians are good at math,” , etc.), majority of them are not and can lead to unnecessary misunderstanding and unfounded judgment.

Cognitively, tendency to form stereotypes allows us to make sense of the world by providing some generalizations and explanations, be they true or not. It is much easier to process

information by grouping it in categories, especially in modern society when we are constantly bombarded by a lot of information every day. Just imagine how difficult, or rather practically impossible, it would be if you had to form fresh opinion every time you encounter a new person, new situation, or a new thing. As such, stereotypes serve useful purpose by saving people time and energy and providing quick clarification. They are, in short, are “coping mechanisms” which help us to simplify the surrounding world.

As long as a person realizes that his first impression about somebody might stem from stereotypes and is open to changing his opinion when getting to know that person better, stereotypes are not necessarily bad. Moreover, stereotypes reinforce in-group and out-group mentality which, while sounds bad, is not necessarily so. People are conditioned to belong to a group based on some prevalent attribute such as race, nationality, social position, profession, and such. Consequently, stereotypes promote the sense of belonging and community to some degree. However, more often than not people emphasize negative consequences of stereotypes.

Sadly, it is true that majority of stereotypes bear negative undertone and can lead a person to become prejudiced and judgmental. It is easy to assign positive characteristics to an in-group while downgrading the traits of an out-group. Even when one encounters a person from another group who defies stereotypical expectations, he considers that person to be rather an exception than a rule. Consequently, stereotypes are very difficult to erase.

Generally, stereotypes are based upon race, nationality, gender, social position, outward appearance, and profession. Practically everybody has heard at some point such stereotypes as, “Russians drink a lot of vodka,” “Asians are bad drivers,” “Most Muslims are terrorists,” “Blonds are dumb,” “Men are better workers than women,” “Blacks are only good at sports and music,” “Lawyers are greedy,” , etc. While some particular person might have never met a Russian in his life before, it is quite possible that he will automatically remember about vodka if he meets one. It is inevitable that everybody has some preconceived notion about other people from out-groups. However, one of the worst consequences of stereotyping is resulting aggressive behavior. There are many stories about people being attacked solely on the basis of their nationality or appearance with little regard to their actual persona. We, as a society as whole, need to strive to eradicate negative stereotyping and encourage open mindedness and consideration.

The Extrovert-Introvert Code of Living

Right from birth, each one of us has evolved into a set pattern of human traits; the major constituents being the variation in mind-set, opinion and behavior. These three elements blend together to lay the foundation of the personality type we possess and showcase in our daily lives. Just by observing the known and unknown people around us, it can be inferred that each person is born with a unique vibe. If their actions are in-tune with ours, there is a strong bond of compatibility formed. But in cases of disparity like the two extremes (introverts and extroverts) stumbling upon each other, major survival issues and acts of repulsion are observed. This happens because of their intolerance towards each other’s contrasting traits.

Most of us would have come across extroverts and introverts in our social circle. The outgoing person who is always found at the peak of liveliness when around large groups of people portrays the extrovert category. While the recluse who is thrilled when disconnected from social gatherings, constitutes the opposite type called the introvert. Whether we have a propensity to reach out to the world or cave in into our own, these traits are something which cannot be forced to change. The interaction of these two extremes is inevitable and thus by following a definite code of living they can learn to endure each other’s company without having any major clashes.

Code #1: Interruption Signal

For Introverts: From the point of view of an extrovert, when you spend leisure time alone carrying out your usual activities like reading books, writing or being lost in contemplation, the only assumption they make is that you may be feeling left out. And they’d rather do a favor by engaging with you. Most of the times, this assumption is wrong and is a cause of major interruption. In such cases, what needs to be done by you is to clearly indicate (visually/verbally) that you are unwilling to socialize at the moment.

For Extroverts: It is not necessary that the ones who are often found doing nothing are loners. There is a high possibility that these people are immersed in deep thinking and would not like to be interrupted by your socializing nature. The best way to figure out is by directly asking them if they are busy or look for signs that confirm their indifference. The least you extroverts could do is not be offended by their ‘leave-me-alone’ gestures, it’s how they naturally are.

Code #2: Thought Process

For Introverts: Your most discernible trait is that you don’t speak up until you are completely sure of what you would like to say. As a result, a lot of time is spent in thinking and processing ideas. While this is perfectly normal for you, the extrovert presumes you to be unresponsive. The only way you can turn this around is by practicing to think out loud or in other words verbalize those thoughts that are under-construction. If still you feel unsure, just politely indicate that you require more time to respond.

For Extroverts: Socializing and verbalizing your thoughts profoundly are your most highlighted traits. Often when you are on a chatting spree and don’t notice the other person being disconnected to your thoughts, stop for a while and ask them for feedback right away. You must make this move because introverts often get absorbed in processing thoughts and thus overlook the option to speak up instead.

Code #3: Interaction Degree

For Introverts: Being in a state of solitude suits you the best but don’t let this seclusion keep you trapped without having any connection from the external world. Experiencing the social world once in a while is not that terrible after all. Try to spare some time to socialize with people and let them recognize that concealed fun side of you.

For Extroverts: It is marvelous that you prefer the external world but sometimes you need to understand that introverts just cannot be the same. Their battery begins to get drained once they have been through an engaging conversation. You can enjoy their company as long as they are interested. Beyond that, you will have to set them free and find some quality time with other extroverts around.

Code #4: Constraint Realization

For Introverts: The only constant thought that should prevail at the back of your mind while spending time with an extrovert is that their need to be gregarious is equivalent to breathing. This is difficult to deal with because the conversation that acts as a morale boost to the extrovert has an opposite strenuous effect on the introvert. Now you can either opt to be patient enough to let the conversation end and then finally revitalize or be polite and cut it off early.

For Extroverts: Finding happiness in a solitary state is an absolute foreign concept for an extrovert and might take some time to fully understand it. The reason why introverts feel the need to withdraw back into their shells is because they hate the idea of socializing but not the concept of having fun. The wisest step to take would be to stop pushing them to hang out when they are reluctant.

Don’t let anyone tell you how to act because altering your individuality is the worst thing you could do. Break free from those defined notions and begin to accept these differences. Because now when you bump into someone portraying the opposite persona, you are prepared to accept the challenge.