Bit the Dust

The semester is winding down. The students seem a little brighter than they had when we all arrived here. The weather is beginning to turn cold, though this year, not as wet. It is possible that the last of the days of prosperity for the next decade are coming to pass, and when this generation of tadpoles begin making their way into the world, I fear there will be hell to pay for us older folks! Ah, yes, the semester is winding down!

As I'm sitting in class typing this hypocritical bitching, I'm watching students who are texting other students in the class, and it drives me nutz. I think the thing that bothers me the most about it, particularly with the students that I have in mind (and I have context to work from here), is a continuation of ingroup/outgroup behavior patterning. Chances are, they are talking shyt about other students (kind of like what I'm doing here now). Pashaw!! Like they're so special! HA! One of them had the audacity to look at me with an irritated look while I'm typing this. Hilarious!

I love my laptop!

I'm studying Forensic Psychology in school. The last week, we have covered violent crimes and sexual offenses. I find it interesting as I am reading these studies that many are trying to define criminal behavior without taking into consideration the social and cultural influences that become part of a definition of "crime". Many of these theorists are arrogant in assuming that their discipline of criminology, along with a seemingly never ending search for generalizations that "get to the root" of criminal behavior, are solid and sufficient when their theories never take into consideration many of the fucked up expectations of generalized societal constructs for their members to be "good citizens". I do believe that the United States Criminal Justice systems do get a lot more correct than not, but to use those systems as a templates to gauge human psychological behavior scientifically is beyond me. What is criminal today? What was criminal 50 years ago? What will be criminal 20 years from now? (For a hint: think Bush)

Sensationalism

As I am typing this, my class is watching an A&E Biography documentary on Ted Bundy. I'm listening to the music, voice tones of the narrator, the interviews, etc., and it is a little disturbing that this form of sensationalism seems necessary in order to keep an audience's attention. From a bias of ecology of mind and health, I cannot see how this variety of theatrics is healthy for viewers.

Today's lessons--Abnormal Psych and MDD

I was late for class today, but I caught the majority of the lecture for Abnormal Psych. We covered Schizotypal, Schizoidal, Narcissistic, Histrionic, and Borderline Personality Disorders. We compared and contrasted some of them, and covered the basic tenants of each.

For Philosophy of Psych, we covered phenomenology and biological factors of what used to be referred to as Manic/Depressive Disorder. We briefly talked about some of the creative qualities to depressive personalities. Next meeting, we will cover some of the meanings behind the phenomenon.

On a personal note, I was able to catch up with an acquiescence I had not seen since Thanksgiving break. We talked about our time off, and assignments we were supposed to work on, but didn't. I also spent some time apologizing for a lambasting that I had performed earlier in the week with another acquaintance via Facebook. I was out of line, and am finding the taste of crow a little bitter, but filling. Last night, I was told that one of my classmates is taking over a portion of paper that I was responsible for because I had not finished it myself. It was a turbulent morning.

Later on this afternoon, I'm meeting a guy I have been talking to online, for coffee.

Today's lessons--Contemporary Psych and Med Ethics Gone Wrong

I learned about the tenants of Humanistic, Existential, and Cognitive Psychology. I watched the second half of a documentary on the Tuskegee Syphilis Study.

Ironic: Postal

So, I'm sitting in the postal portion of this campus that I like to attend, and this guy that works behind the counter is making fun of the people that are walking by. He is exactly the kind of inspiration that the overly sensitive psychotic shooter feeds from when he decides to blow away a chunk of his fellow students. I'm thinking I should find another place to study. I don't want to get caught in the crossfire!