Causal Rewrite – phoenixxxx23

Posted on November 11, 2024 by phoenixxxx23

The Silent Crisis of a Generation:
How Smartphones and the Internet Are Destroying Our Minds and Connections

This chapter of my journal is called Distraction, because that’s what I’ve become: a slave to the pull of the next thing, always chasing something quicker, brighter, easier than the moment before. I remember the first time I tried to memorize a scene from Shakespeare for my acting class. I was excited for the challenge, but as I worked through the lines, something unexpected happened. I couldn’t focus. Instead of absorbing the emotional depth of the character, I found myself skimming over the words, rushing through the scene in search of the easiest path to completion. It wasn’t that I didn’t understand the language; it was that I couldn’t feel the words. My mind wasn’t settling, unable to linger on the weight of the text, the nuances of the character’s journey. I was skimming—not just the script, but the experience itself.

This struggle to stay present is not limited to my acting. I began to notice a similar pattern in my academic work. Whenever I sat down to read a complex text or tackle a difficult concept, my attention seemed to splinter. My phone would buzz, and I would immediately reach for it, distracted by notifications, quick hits of dopamine that pulled me away from the task at hand. What was once a sustained flow of thought, an ability to immerse myself in a topic, now felt fractured and shallow. I couldn’t seem to focus for more than a few minutes before my mind drifted, and the material I was reading felt more like a checklist to get through than something to deeply engage with.

The internet, I realized, was shaping my brain in ways I hadn’t fully understood. In Is Google Making Us Stupid?, Nicholas Carr warns that the Internet is reshaping our minds, eroding our ability to focus and think deeply. We consume information in smaller, bite-sized chunks, constantly switching from one link or app to another. The brain, in turn, rewires itself to accommodate this type of multitasking and quick task-switching, which is less conducive to sustained focus. The result is a decrease in our ability to focus deeply for long periods. A phenomenon known as “cognitive overload” occurs, where the sheer volume of information we are exposed to on the internet starts to outpace our cognitive resources, making it harder to engage with one topic for an extended time. Our brains become accustomed to quickly processing and discarding information, weakening the mental connections needed for more profound comprehension. In fact, studies show that working memory—the mental system responsible for holding and processing information over short periods—is less efficient when we’re constantly distracted by online content.

This shift in focus or brain scramble has become painfully evident in my daily life. A simple stroll into the university dining hall feels like a scene ripped from a dystopian sci-fi movie. Groups of friends are sitting together, yet the air is thick with silence. Their heads are down, but they’re not even texting each other—they’re sending Snapchat pictures. In the blink of an eye, a photo is sent to 20 people, each one absorbed in their own tiny screen, endlessly scrolling. They’re physically there, but their minds are somewhere else—somewhere far from the present, far from each other. This is the culture we’ve built—hyper-stimulation, constant distractions, our attention splintered into fragments that we can barely hold together. It’s as if we’ve trained ourselves to live in a world of noise and chaos, and we no longer know how to sit still, to truly listen, to be with one another. The relentless bombardment of stimuli, this overwhelming rush to send, share, scroll, and consume in which the more we seek it, the more we lose ourselves. We’re addicted to distraction—and we don’t even notice it.

Jean Twenge’s research on Generation Z, particularly in “Has the Smartphone Destroyed a Generation?” offers some insight into this. She argues that smartphones and social media are reshaping how we interact with one another, making face-to-face communication a rarity. Virtual conversations, while convenient, are often shallow—just a quick exchange of words without the depth that comes with in-person interaction. Over time, this erodes our ability to read body language, understand tone, and pick up on the subtleties of human connection. We’re still communicating, but not in the same meaningful way. And in the absence of true connection, a certain loneliness settles in.

I feel this loneliness in my own life. The more I try to make meaningful connections, the harder it becomes. Even when I’m surrounded by people, I often find myself feeling disconnected. It’s not about being alone—it’s about the absence of a deeper bond, the kind of connection that can only be built through extended, uninterrupted conversation. The ease of texting or scrolling through social media might offer quick responses, but it doesn’t provide the emotional depth that face-to-face communication can. And the more we rely on our phones to bridge the gap, the more isolated we become, not just physically, but emotionally.

This all raises an important question: Are we becoming less responsible for how we engage with the world around us? We’ve always had choices, even before smartphones. In the past, we could choose between reading a book or watching TV, between engaging with a friend or retreating into solitude. Now, the choices are more abundant than ever, and technology is constantly offering us new opportunities for distraction. Yet, we still control how we engage with it. The problem is not technology itself, but how we choose to let it shape us. If I want to be the kind of actor who can deeply inhabit a character, I need to reclaim my ability to focus. If I want to form meaningful relationships, I need to invest time and presence into real conversations, not just text messages or social media posts.

This is the challenge of living in an era where distractions are endless and attention is fleeting. If I want to connect with a character, a concept, or even a person on a deeper level, I need to make a conscious choice to pause, to sit with the complexity of the moment, and to resist the pull of constant distraction. Technology may offer us more than ever before, but if we don’t slow down and choose to engage with it thoughtfully, we risk losing the very things that make us human: our ability to focus, to connect, and to truly understand.

References

“Is Google Making Us Stupid?” The Atlantic. 15 August 2008.

“Has the Smartphone Destroyed a Generation?” The Atlantic. 15 September 2017.

Posted in Causal Rewrite, GRADED, Phoenixxxx | 3 Comments

Causal Rewrite- Starfire.04

Posted on November 11, 2024 by Starfire04.blog

The Effects of Slavery and Jim Crow on Black Education 

Racism in the education system here in America is the result of historical factors that have been institutionalized and structured over a long period of time. From slavery to Jim Crow, education was extremely hard for an African- American to gain in this country. Education was built on systemic racism and only gave great academic opportunities to white students. The cause and effect factors are  the main focus. Focusing on the embedment of racial inequalities and disparities, and how it affects minority children today when attending schools and trying to gain a better education. Looking further into the long term effects of systemic racism in education inside and outside of the classroom. Even the watered down teachings of history in modern day education help point out the institutionalization of racism in schooling and show the lack of representation of minorities in history. 

When black people could finally attend schools and receive an education after the abolishment of slavery in 1865, the schools were then segregated. White schools were well funded and given the best materials and books with qualified teachers, while black schools were underfunded, if even funded at all, and dilapidated, lacking the proper materials for a good education, and underqualified teachers. Even now we see the same occurrence. Many schools in urban neighborhoods contain predominantly black and hispanic students. The schools are run down, under prepared, and underfunded by the government. Private schools, which are predominantly white, are well funded by the government, given the best materials available, and well prepared to give a good education. Many of the negative impacts on modern day education stems all the way back to the times of slavery. 

  During slavery slaves were not allowed to have any kind of education, not even learning how to read and write. In fact if slaves were caught learning how to read and/ or write they were brutally beaten or even killed. Gaining any kind of education was nearly impossible. Many enslaved children attended an underground schooling system inside the homes of the African Americans that were educated and lived close to them. Enslaved African Americans would also secretly spread the lessons they had learned to the slaves that were unable to attend the “schools”. Many of the enslaved people risked their lives just to be able to receive an education. 

Right after the abolishment of slavery we then began to see the Jim Crow Era and its horrifying effects on minorities, specifically black communities . This era lasted all the way up until 1964 when the Civil Rights Act was passed. The Jim Crow laws had an extremely negative effect on African Americans around the country for almost one hundred years following the end of slavery, hindering black students from receiving any academic advancements and opportunities. The Plessy v. Ferguson Supreme Court case in 1896 established the “separate but equal” doctrine that made these laws standard practice.  These laws gave young black students a completely different experience in education. We still see the negative impacts of this court case on black students today, shaping their experience in modern day education systems. Segregation in schools would finally come to an end in 1964 after the famous Supreme Court case of Brown v. Board of Education. Although segregated schools were no longer legal, we still see segregation in schools today, hence the private and public school example. Private schools are predominantly made up of white students, where there are more academic advantages and opportunities offered to students. Public schools, specifically in urban communities, are predominantly made up of black and hispanic students, where there are barely any academic advantages and opportunities for a higher education. 

Due to the lack of proper resources and academic opportunities, black students are limited to going any further in having a chance of receiving a higher education and an advanced career causing them to be more likely to drop out of school early on. This then continues the cycle of living in struggle and having limited opportunities to receive a well paying job and also holds back any chance of improving poor minority communities. Also lacking representation in school curriculum only further diminishes a minority student’s confidence and faith in schooling. School curriculums often water down the horrific and racist history of this country and completely ignore the achievements people of color have made that helped advance the world we live in today. Only teaching about oppression instead of teaching the achievements and success minorities have had in the past that still matters to this day. 

We cannot just ignore the fact that systemic racism has such a negative impact on minority students’ achievements here in America. Its awful consequences are still in effect today. Many minority students are dropping out of school and turning to a hard life in the streets just to survive. We often like to point fingers at family dynamics and social factors but never want to look at the real causes of these outcomes. Many minorities are suffering the repercussions their ancestors had to endure. We must go through a curriculum reform and contribute better funding for schools in urban areas in order to help address and “ fix” these issues that are still here. Re-evaluating the education system and pointing out the flaws is a good start to ending the inequality of education in America.

References

https://blogs.loc.gov/teachers/2022/08/education-in-enslaved-communities

https://robertsmith.com/blog/systemic-racism-in-education/

Posted in Causal Rewrite, Portfolio Starfire, Starfire | Leave a comment

Causal Argument – Unicorn45678

Posted on November 11, 2024 by unicorn45678

Understanding Why Pit Bulls Are Not Naturally Aggressive

Pitbulls are often misunderstood due to their reputation and how they’ve been portrayed. This view usually overlooks important elements that may lead to any dog’s aggression, even if pit bulls are well known for being violent dogs. Instead of blaming them as a breed, we should consider that human behaviors have an impact on their actions.

Abuse, neglect, and poor instruction can have a stronger influence on how a dog reacts to certain situation than their breed. Pitbulls were initially bred for protection and fighting duties; however, this was never their main goal. Many of these pit bulls had been bred to fight other dogs because of their strength and commitment, but breeders also like dogs to be more trustworthy around other people, which requires choosing a dog that is pleasant and faithful. All these traits were bred into dogs to make them responsive to people. Pit bulls have a reputation for getting along with people, and, as a result of that, they weren’t bred to be aggressive. People just have that idea about these dogs because of what they hear and see. As Enos stated in an article related to this topic:

They were bred as working dogs and family companions prior to being bred to bull bait and then dog fight. Animal aggression and human aggression are not synonymous in the canine world, as they are in the human world, and it is often difficult for people that are unfamiliar with the breed/s to understand that dog-aggressive does not mean human aggressive.

Dogs like pit bulls are naturally friendly and sociable due to their breeding ability to work with people. Pit bulls are well known for their loyalty and have an urge to develop close relationship with their owners. Pit bulls are friendly and loving when they are brought up in a structured and caring environment. Many owners experience with pit bulls are not often in line with the fact that they are inherently dangerous, in reality pit bulls are no different from any breed of dog, with the proper care and training these dogs can develop to be decent dogs. As stated in this article, “There hasn’t been any evidence to show that Pit Bull breeds are more aggressive than other dogs, and in fact, studies actually show the opposite. Temperament tests by the American Temperament Test Society measure each breeds ability to positively interact with humans in different situations, and Pit Bull breeds each scored at 85% or higher, which is better than the general dog population” (Rain 2021).

How a dog is raised makes a big impact on how they behave, and also pit bulls are no different from other breeds in regard to this. A dog’s behavior is greatly influenced by how it is handled, trained, and cared for, however if a dog is abused, ignored, and taught to be harsh, it may become hostile. Many people tend to point the finger at the dogs, and in reality, it’s not the dog’s fault that he behaves this way, it’s how the dogs owners treat their pets. As explained in this reading “another study published in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior compared canine aggression in Golden Retrievers, known for being sweet, docile and loving, with Pit Bull breeds and found no differences whatsoever.”(Rain 2021).

Pit bulls that are raised in safe and caring environments tend to be properly trained and well behaved, they have also become very passionate, entertaining and great Family pets. Even when it comes to kids many pit bull owners will tell you that their dog is very affectionate and kind, this is because pit bulls are just like other dogs that live in a clean and well-trained socialized home. Socialization is a very important factor for dogs so that they can interact safely with both animals and humans. Pit bulls usually show hostility as an outcome of how their being treated, and not just because they are innately violent. It’s important to not pay attention to these stereotypes and realize that pits bull require proper training, socialization, and a loving home just like any other dog. As mentioned, “Due to their history ‍and use in dogfighting, Pitbulls have ​gained ‍a negative reputation in some circles. This can‌ lead to prejudice and discrimination against the breed, making it challenging⁣ for‌ owners to find proper training resources and support. Overcoming these stigmas and providing a positive training environment for⁢ Pitbulls is essential‌ in their overall success.” (Alex 2024)

These dogs are not natural aggressive by choice, so maybe people can consider to be less cruel and aggrieves towards them. “Animal aggression and human aggression are not synonymous in the canine world, as they are in the human world, and it is often difficult for people that are unfamiliar with the breed/s to understand that dog-aggressive does not mean human aggressive. Even breeders who selected dogs for reproduction specifically for dog fighting would not tolerate dogs that showed any signs of aggression; they had to be able to pull their dog out of a fight without getting bitten, and to trust the dog with the family at the end of the day.” (Enos 2014). Pit bulls or any dog in pictural, cannot control how they react to certain situation. Pit bulls usually show a pleasant and polite attitude when they receive proper care and are raised in a welcoming household. If they are not given proper care, any dog might turn hostile. A dog may become aggressive as a form of defense or a response to fear if it has been neglected, mistreated, or trained to be mean. This does not mean that the dog is inherently hostile, it indicates that negative events have influenced its behavior. Not just pit bulls, but all dogs share this trait. Because pit bulls were used to guard dogs and street fighting dogs, many people believe that these dogs are the most various dogs ever, although it may seem like it, but it isn’t their fault, blaming the breed for human behavior is just unfair. The key takes away from this all dogs including pit bulls require training and care in order for them to show that they are genuine and kind pets. They are as lively and friendly animal, as any other breed if they are raised properly. The way how their treated by their owners has a greater impact on their behavior than their breed.

References

Sara K. Enos (2014). The Problem With People, Not Pit bull. TIME

https://time.com/2927759/the-problem-with-people-not-pit-bulls/

Oil Alex (2024). The Truth About Training Pitbulls: Tips and Challenges.

https://www.oliandalex.com/the-truth-about-training-pitbulls-tips-and-challenges/

Kim Rain (2021). The Truth About Pit Bulls: Dispelling Myths About This Misunderstood Breed. The Daily Wag

https://wagwalking.com/daily/the-truth-about-pit-bulls-dispelling-myths-about-this-misunderstood-breed

Posted in Causal Rewrite, Portfolio Unicorn, Unicorn | 1 Comment

Causal Argument- Starfire.04

Posted on November 11, 2024 by Starfire04.blog

The Effects of Slavery and Jim Crow on Modern Education 

Racism in the education system here in America is the result of historical factors that have been institutionalized and structured over a long period of time. From slavery to Jim Crow, education was extremely hard for an African- American to gain in this country. Education was built on systemic racism and only gave great academic opportunities to white students. The cause and effect factors are  the main focus. Focusing on the embedment of racial inequalities and disparities, and how it affects minority children today when attending schools and trying to gain a better education. Looking further into the long term effects of systemic racism in education inside and outside of the classroom. Even the watered down teachings of history in modern day education help point out the institutionalization of racism in schooling and show the lack of representation of minorities in history. 

When black people could finally attend schools and receive an education after the abolishment of slavery in 1865, the schools were then segregated. White schools were well funded and given the best materials and books with qualified teachers, while black schools were underfunded, if even funded at all, and dilapidated, lacking the proper materials for a good education, and underqualified teachers. Even now we see the same occurrence. Many schools in urban neighborhoods contain predominantly black and hispanic students. The schools are run down, under prepared, and underfunded by the government. Private schools, which are predominantly white, are well funded by the government, given the best materials available, and well prepared to give a good education. Many of the negative impacts on modern day education stems all the way back to the times of slavery. 

  During slavery slaves were not allowed to have any kind of education, not even learning how to read and write. In fact if slaves were caught learning how to read and/ or write they were brutally beaten or even killed. Gaining any kind of education was nearly impossible. Many enslaved children attended an underground schooling system inside the homes of the African Americans that were educated and lived close to them. Enslaved African Americans would also secretly spread the lessons they had learned to the slaves that were unable to attend the “schools”. Many of the enslaved people risked their lives just to be able to receive an education. 

Right after the abolishment of slavery we then began to see the Jim Crow Era and its horrifying effects on minorities, specifically black communities . This era lasted all the way up until 1964 when the Civil Rights Act was passed. The Jim Crow laws had an extremely negative effect on African Americans around the country for almost one hundred years following the end of slavery, hindering black students from receiving any academic advancements and opportunities. The Plessy v. Ferguson Supreme Court case in 1896 established the “separate but equal” doctrine that made these laws standard practice.  These laws gave young black students a completely different experience in education. We still see the negative impacts of this court case on black students today, shaping their experience in modern day education systems. Segregation in schools would finally come to an end in 1964 after the famous Supreme Court case of Brown v. Board of Education. Although segregated schools were no longer legal, we still see segregation in schools today, hence the private and public school example. Private schools are predominantly made up of white students, where there are more academic advantages and opportunities offered to students. Public schools, specifically in urban communities, are predominantly made up of black and hispanic students, where there are barely any academic advantages and opportunities for a higher education. 

Due to the lack of proper resources and academic opportunities, black students are limited to going any further in having a chance of receiving a higher education and an advanced career causing them to be more likely to drop out of school early on. This then continues the cycle of living in struggle and having limited opportunities to receive a well paying job and also holds back any chance of improving poor minority communities. Also lacking representation in school curriculum only further diminishes a minority student’s confidence and faith in schooling. School curriculums often water down the horrific and racist history of this country and completely ignore the achievements people of color have made that helped advance the world we live in today. Only teaching about oppression instead of teaching the achievements and success minorities have had in the past that still matters to this day. 

We cannot just ignore the fact that systemic racism has such a negative impact on minority students’ achievements here in America. Its awful consequences are still in effect today. Many minority students are dropping out of school and turning to a hard life in the streets just to survive. We often like to point fingers at family dynamics and social factors but never want to look at the real causes of these outcomes. Many minorities are suffering the repercussions their ancestors had to endure. We must go through a curriculum reform and contribute better funding for schools in urban areas in order to help address and “ fix” these issues that are still here. Re-evaluating the education system and pointing out the flaws is a good start to ending the inequality of education in America.

References

https://blogs.loc.gov/teachers/2022/08/education-in-enslaved-communities

https://robertsmith.com/blog/systemic-racism-in-education/

Posted in Causal Draft, Portfolio Starfire, Starfire | 2 Comments

Causal Rewrite- Taco491

Posted on November 11, 2024 by taco491

Young Athletes Encouraged to Chase Impossible Dreams Are More Likely to Develop Anxiety. 

Youth sports participation is a common activity for children, often driven by personal interest or parental encouragement. According to data from the Project Play Aspen Institute, 50.7% of children aged 6–17 take part in team sports. While encouragement is widely viewed as a positive force that boosts motivation and confidence, it can also create harm by setting unrealistic expectations. Parents, in their desire to support their children’s dreams of collegiate or professional sports, may unintentionally contribute to increased anxiety and self-doubt. This pressure, compounded by the low likelihood of professional success—NCAA states that “fewer than 2%” of collegiate athletes make it—can lead to significant mental health struggles. Unrealistic dreams foster emotional, physical, and mental harm, including depression and self-harm. Therefore, understanding the complex effects of encouragement is crucial to protecting young athletes’ well-being, as it can trigger mental health issues, which will be discussed in the following paragraphs.

While the popularity of sports participation is clear, there remains a lack of understanding about why children continue in these activities. The answer lies in the “why” behind their participation—whether it stems from personal enjoyment or from the encouragement they receive from parents or caregivers. Personal enjoyment of a sport comes at a young age, when athletes start to learn what the sport is about. They get an adrenaline rush when they make their first points, but as time goes by this energy may fade. This is where encouragement comes into play from parents. According to Stuart Biddle and Marios Goudas, who published a study on children’s physical activity and its association with adult encouragement, this encouragement is a powerful tool for growth, boosting confidence, and fostering motivation. With administering a questionnaire to 147 boys and girls, they concluded that there is a high association between physical activity and adult encouragement.

However, while encouragement is typically seen as a positive force, it can also be harmful if it becomes excessive. For many children, encouragement from parents creates unrealistic expectations or puts undue pressure on them to achieve goals that may not be feasible or sustainable. When success becomes the only measure of worth, children can experience anxiety, self-doubt, or a fear of failure, particularly if they feel they are unable to live up to their parents’ or their own lofty aspirations. The pressure to meet these expectations, combined with the unrealistic hope of achieving success, can have long-term emotional consequences and affect their overall well-being. The following sections will delve deeper into how these pressures can lead to mental health issues like anxiety and depression, which arise as a result of encouragement that focuses more on unattainable goals than on healthy, realistic growth.

As teenagers grow older, they begin deciding whether they want to continue their sport at the collegiate level or pursue it professionally. At this stage, parents often encourage them to follow their talents, even when their children may not be the best. This encouragement can lead to increased anxiety for two reasons. First, athletes may worry they are not good enough for the professional level. According to Rudolf Dreikurs and Don Sr. Dinkmeyer in Encouraging Children to Learn, “studies indicate that one of the causes of anxiety is the fear of not belonging.” When athletes don’t feel they measure up, but are still encouraged to chase the dream, it intensifies their anxiety. The second source of anxiety comes from talented athletes who don’t make the final cut. Despite their skills, the odds of becoming a professional are slim, like previously stated—only about 2% of student-athletes make it to that level. This overwhelming statistic shows that parental encouragement can turn into pressure, pushing youth athletes to pursue an impossible dream while they face inevitable disappointment. As a result, the pressure from both themselves and their parents can heighten  their anxiety, knowing that success is unlikely.

Anxiety is just the start; below the surface, depression and self-hatred can develop, leading to self-harm. Encouragement, instead of fostering hope, can become a destructive force. According to the article, Reasons for Adolescent Suicide Attempts: Associations With Psychological Functioning, the most frequent reasons for self-harm were to die, escape, and seek relief. This applies to athletes who endure the pain of failure, resorting to self-harm as a means of coping with the relentless pressure to succeed. While most athletes understand how difficult it is to make it professionally, the weight of years of encouragement to follow that dream can make it hard to give up. This is where loved ones should intervene and help them face the reality of their goals. As mentioned by Hugh McCutcheon in Championship Behaviors, “a dream can cause real emotional, physical, and mental damages.” The pursuit of an impossible dream, like becoming a professional athlete, often leads to mental, emotional, and physical harm. If parents or coaches help athletes understand the improbability of their dreams early on, they can spare them from unnecessary suffering and the toll it takes on their mental health.

In conclusion, encouragement, though often seen as beneficial for children, can have unintended consequences when it pushes them toward unrealistic goals. While parents and others may believe they are fostering growth by offering constant support, they are unknowingly contributing to mental health challenges. Encouraging a child to pursue a dream with slim chances of success, especially in highly competitive fields, fosters anxiety, stress, and self-doubt rather than resilience. Studies have often linked encouragement to improved confidence, performance, and mental health, but this view fails to account for the long-term effects of excessive pressure. Instead of promoting well-being, encouragement that reinforces unattainable goals can lead to burnout, emotional strain, and feelings of inadequacy, especially when it pushes children toward dreams that may never materialize. Unfortunately, this same harm can occur when children with real athletic potential are discouraged from pursuing their goals. Ultimately, both excessive encouragement and discouragement can be damaging, and in either case, the parent is at fault, as they either set their child up for failure or prevent them from realizing their true potential.

References

Aspen Institute. (2022). Youth Sports Facts: Participation Rates. Project Play. https://projectplay.org/youth-sports/facts/participation-rates

Biddle, S., & Goudas, M. (1996). Analysis of Children’s Physical Activity and its Association with Adult Encouragement and Social Cognitive Variables. Journal of School Health, 66(2), 75–78. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1746-1561.1996.tb07914.x

‌BOERGERS, J., SPIRITO, A., & DONALDSON, D. (1998). Reasons for Adolescent Suicide Attempts: Associations With Psychological Functioning. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 37(12), 1287–1293. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0890856709666594

Encouraging Children to Learn. (2024). Google Books. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=qL-65yykPMYC&oi=fnd&pg=PR9&dq=encouraging+children+to+learn&ots=ivz-QfJhAt&sig=MdC1pAmblCZR0Gp2OUhyyVeN3ZY#v=onepage&q=encouraging%20children%20to%20learn&f=false

McCutcheon, H. (2022). Championship behaviors. Google Books. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=pONgEAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PT3&dq=%22motivation%22+%22achievement%22+%22chasing+the+dream%22+%2Bathlete+%22psychological%22&ots=y8udN-f1N3&sig=TW3sKZKZdjYHWd-CajV0TQeZ1MI#v=onepage&q&f=false

NCAA. (2014). NCAA RECRUITING FACTS. NCAA. https://www.nfhs.org/media/886012/recruiting-fact-sheet-web.pdf

Posted in Causal Rewrite, Portfolio Taco, REGRADED, Taco491 | 4 Comments

Causal Argument- Taco491

Posted on November 11, 2024 by taco491

Young Athletes Encouraged to Chase Impossible Dreams Are More Likely to Develop Anxiety. 

Many children start youth sports at a young age either because they have an interest for it or their parents want them to get involved. This can be seen in the data provided by Project Play  Aspen Institute, which reports that 50.7% of children aged 6-17 have said they either participated or took part in some kind of sports team. With the knowledge of this, the readers can observe that sports participation is very popular, but there is no conclusion on why they continue to participate. There is always a reason or a “why” for why people continue what they are doing. For some their “why” can come from their parent’s encouragement or it can come from their enjoyment in their sport. Speaking of encouragement from family and friends, this is one important reason for a child to continue their sport, according to Stuart Biddle and Marios Goudas who published a study for an Analysis of Children’s Physical Activity and its Association with Adult Encouragement and Social Cognitive Variables. Encouragement is a powerful tool for growth, boosting confidence, and motivation. When people are encouraged they will try harder to work toward their goal. Even though encouragement is spoken in a positive way, this writing will prove that it is actually harmful. Encouraging a child in a sport can set unrealistic expectations or just pressure them to try to achieve dreams that are not feasible. So with parents over-encouraging their child, it can lead to anxiety, self-doubt, or a fear of failure, especially if success becomes the only measure of worth. In the following paragraphs, it will go into further detail about how anxiety and other mental diseases can become involved just by being encouraged.

As time goes by, teenagers decide whether or not they want to continue their sport at a collegiate level or even professionally. Parents interfere at this point by encouraging them; they encourage their child’s talents, even if they are not the best. This causes many players to have increased anxiety because of two reasons.  One reason being that they think they are not the best or cut out for the professional level. This reason leads to a type of anxiety as stated in a book called Encouraging Children to Learn. Rudolf Dreikurs and Don Sr. Dinkmeyer states that “studies indicate that one of the causes of anxiety is the fear of not belonging.” Athletes may feel they do not belong in a professional league because they do not feel as they are the best, but with their parents encouragement it causes them to continue trying to achieve this impossible dream with this anxiety. The other reason for an increase in anxiety at a players’ perspectives comes from that they are very talented players, but they do not make the final cut. Although there are many talented athletes, according to the National Collegiate Athletic Association only about 2% of student-athletes actually go on to become professional. With that being shown, the audience can see that the encouragement from parents will become pressure and anxiety because their child will continue to try to make it professional, but will likely be declined due to the small percentage that actually makes it. All in all, youth athletes that are being encouraged to reach this impossible goal of becoming a professional athlete will have an increase in their anxiety because of all the pressure they are putting on themselves and from the pressure their supporters are putting on them. 

Anxiety is just the tip of the iceberg, laying underneath is depression and self-hatred leading to self-harm. In other words, encouragement not only causes anxiety in athletes but it also causes self-destruction. According to the results section of an article called Reasons for Adolescent Suicide Attempts: Associations With Psychological Functioning, multiple authors stated that “most frequently endorsed motives for self-harm were to die, to escape, and to obtain relief.” This correlates with athletes that are encouraged because they cause self-harm to escape or obtain relief from not being able to accomplish their dream. The constant pressure for them to continue their dreams as well as to not give up is a constant reminder that they are nowhere near this impossible dream they have. Most athletes know that getting into a professional career is a hard goal, but when someone has been dreaming of it since they were a child it makes them want to continue. At this point this is where the people that encourage this athlete should step in and let them know how impossible this dream is so that their mental status does not decline to this point. This is what Hugh McCutcheon means when he mentions that a “dream can cause real emotional, physical, and mental damages” in his book called  Championship Behaviors: A Model for Competitive Excellence in Sports. Dreams that are impossible, in this case becoming a professional athlete, causes these mental, emotional, and physical damages leading to the root of their depression and self-harm tendency. If a loved one told them the reality, which is that their dream really is not attainable, then they would not suffer from these damages. 

In conclusion, encouraging children to keep pursuing their dream, even if they do not got that much of a chance, results in increased anxiety and even depression leading to self-harm. Even if a parent thinks they are doing the right thing of encouraging their child to follow their dream, they are not. Instead, they are just causing their child to have bad mental health. People deal with small amounts of anxiety everyday, but to have this continual pressure causing immense amounts of anxiety, eventually leading to depression is not good at all. This is why parents and others should not encourage young athletes to follow their dreams of going professional because it does not cause anything positive. All in all, going professional is extremely rare, so everyone telling their athletic child that they can achieve their dream is just wrong. They are instead leading their child to suffer from horrible mental illnesses.

References

Aspen Institute. (2022). Youth Sports Facts: Participation Rates. Project Play. https://projectplay.org/youth-sports/facts/participation-rates

Biddle, S., & Goudas, M. (1996). Analysis of Children’s Physical Activity and its Association with Adult Encouragement and Social Cognitive Variables. Journal of School Health, 66(2), 75–78. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1746-1561.1996.tb07914.x

‌BOERGERS, J., SPIRITO, A., & DONALDSON, D. (1998). Reasons for Adolescent Suicide Attempts: Associations With Psychological Functioning. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 37(12), 1287–1293. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0890856709666594

Encouraging Children to Learn. (2024). Google Books. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=qL-65yykPMYC&oi=fnd&pg=PR9&dq=encouraging+children+to+learn&ots=ivz-QfJhAt&sig=MdC1pAmblCZR0Gp2OUhyyVeN3ZY#v=onepage&q=encouraging%20children%20to%20learn&f=false

McCutcheon, H. (2022). Championship behaviors. Google Books. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=pONgEAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PT3&dq=%22motivation%22+%22achievement%22+%22chasing+the+dream%22+%2Bathlete+%22psychological%22&ots=y8udN-f1N3&sig=TW3sKZKZdjYHWd-CajV0TQeZ1MI#v=onepage&q&f=false

NCAA. (2014). NCAA RECRUITING FACTS. NCAA. https://www.nfhs.org/media/886012/recruiting-fact-sheet-web.pdf

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Causal Argument – SkibidySigma

Posted on November 11, 2024 by SkibidySigma

Deepfakes and Dark Money

In an age when even the very fabric of truth can easily be tampered with, AI-driven deepfakes represent a uniquely alarming threat to democracy. These doctored yet convincing videos and audio depict political figures uttering things they’ve never said, feeding public mistrust. Connected to dark money—money funneled secretly to influence elections—the AI fabrications serve as strong weapons; hence, any notion of fair and informed voting is put at unprecedented risk. This essay argues that the synergy between deepfakes and dark money threatens electoral integrity while actively dismantling the trust on which representative democracy is built.

AI advancements have made deepfake creation accessible and deceptively realistic. As mentioned by Richard W. Painter, all Artificial Intelligence needs is one image or just a small sample of someone’s voice to create a video of a political figure moving around, looking like them, and uttering just about anything they want. Unlike the pre-AI manipulation of media, today’s deepfakes require minimal sophistication and resources; thus, they have gone viral across social media platforms almost instantly. This kind of accessibility opens the floodgates for domestic and international actors alike to influence voter perception in ways that were previously unimaginable.

The Supreme Court’s ruling in Citizens United v. FEC drastically altered campaign finance by allowing nearly unlimited spending from political action committees, often funded by anonymous donors. Painter notes that this influx of “dark money” encourages various misinformation campaigns, including deepfakes, because there is no accountability regarding the origins of these funds. All that is needed is the financial backing provided by dark money, and these deepfakes will be spread abundantly and repeatedly across different media. They thereby take on legitimacy, swaying public opinion. In this case, anonymity allows bad actors—corporations, wealthy individuals, or even entities from other nations—to influence elections under a veil of secrecy.

The 2016 U.S. presidential election, whose results were widely reported to have been interfered with via Russian social media disinformation campaigns, set a particularly grim precedent for foreign interference in domestic politics. According to Painter, deepfakes give foreign powers even more effective tools for interference: fake messages and scenarios – indistinguishable from reality – can be created before an unsuspecting public. This implies that the actors, in combining dark money with AI deepfakes, actually disseminate disinformation and, far more importantly, introduce doubt into political discourse as being authentic. This result undermines the very idea of a free and fair election.

Deepfakes and dark money combine to destroy democracy in several ways. First, they undermine the judgment of voters who are subjected to false content presented to them through deepfakes as real. The inability of voters to separate fact from the falsehoods created by AI reduces them to a more vulnerable position—they are likely to be alienated by manipulated narratives and distanced from fact-based decisions. Painter adds that, for many years to come, public trust in both media and government will continue to erode, as individuals are bound to become less trusting of political messages, including legitimate ones. This ambiguity creates a vicious circle of distrust where voters are very inclined to give up voting and not take the outcome of elections seriously.

Furthermore, this damage extends well beyond single elections. The current stalemate in the FEC, combined with congressional inaction, means there are no immediate measures to curb these trends. As discussed by Painter, with no action, each election becomes a new playing ground for misinformation, and each cycle further enforces distrust.

Supporters argue that with continued improvements in detection tools, deepfakes can soon be overcome. However, as it is, technology remains far from being foolproof. The gap between improved detection tools and rapidly changing deepfake technology is too great—so are the limitations of social media sites to screen or label every piece of false content. Furthermore, once a person sees that video as realistic, it is going to be very hard for anyone—even independent fact-checkers—to guarantee full trust over any claims of falsification. Detection technology may help, but without more fundamental changes, it will fail to rebuild trust and inhibit the manipulative effects of dark money-driven misinformation campaigns.

By shattering the connection between public sources and political facts, AI-driven deepfakes and unregulated dark money have irreversibly changed the form of American democracy. By eroding the credibility of political information and undermining the reservoir of trust in public life, these forces are steering this nation toward a dark reality in which elections are determined not by informed citizenry or reason, but rather by who has raised the most money and equipped their investors with the best technology to count it. This threat needs to be immediately countered through action by Congress, the FEC, and tech platforms in the development of state-of-the-art detection systems and public awareness of AI-manufactured misinformation. Inaction is not an option; democratic principles demand proactive defense against a digitally engineered crisis of trust.

Sources

Painter, Richard W. Deepfake 2024: Will Citizens United and Artificial Intelligence Together Destroy Representative Democracy? Journal of National Security Law & Policy, 2023, page. 121–151. HeinOnline, 

(Chesney, Robert; and Citron, Danielle Keats. “Deep Fakes: A Looming Challenge for Privacy, Democracy, and National Security.” 2019, page. 882 – 892.)

Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, 558 U.S. 310 (2010).

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Causal Rewrite – SkibidySigma

Posted on November 11, 2024 by SkibidySigma

Deepfakes and Dark Money

In an age when even the very fabric of truth can easily be tampered with, AI-driven deepfakes represent a uniquely alarming threat to democracy. These doctored yet convincing videos and audio depict political figures uttering things they’ve never said, feeding public mistrust. Connected to dark money—money funneled secretly to influence elections—the AI fabrications serve as strong weapons; hence, any notion of fair and informed voting is put at unprecedented risk. This essay argues that the synergy between deepfakes and dark money threatens electoral integrity while actively dismantling the trust on which representative democracy is built.

AI advancements have made deepfake creation accessible and deceptively realistic. As mentioned by Richard W. Painter, all Artificial Intelligence needs is one image or just a small sample of someone’s voice to create a video of a political figure moving around, looking like them, and uttering just about anything they want. Unlike the pre-AI manipulation of media, today’s deepfakes require minimal sophistication and resources; thus, they have gone viral across social media platforms almost instantly. This kind of accessibility opens the floodgates for domestic and international actors alike to influence voter perception in ways that were previously unimaginable.

The Supreme Court’s ruling in Citizens United v. FEC drastically altered campaign finance by allowing nearly unlimited spending from political action committees, often funded by anonymous donors. Painter notes that this influx of “dark money” encourages various misinformation campaigns, including deepfakes, because there is no accountability regarding the origins of these funds. All that is needed is the financial backing provided by dark money, and these deepfakes will be spread abundantly and repeatedly across different media. They thereby take on legitimacy, swaying public opinion. In this case, anonymity allows bad actors—corporations, wealthy individuals, or even entities from other nations—to influence elections under a veil of secrecy.

The 2016 U.S. presidential election, whose results were widely reported to have been interfered with via Russian social media disinformation campaigns, set a particularly grim precedent for foreign interference in domestic politics. According to Painter, deepfakes give foreign powers even more effective tools for interference: fake messages and scenarios – indistinguishable from reality – can be created before an unsuspecting public. This implies that the actors, in combining dark money with AI deepfakes, actually disseminate disinformation and, far more importantly, introduce doubt into political discourse as being authentic. This result undermines the very idea of a free and fair election.

Deepfakes and dark money combine to destroy democracy in several ways. First, they undermine the judgment of voters who are subjected to false content presented to them through deepfakes as real. The inability of voters to separate fact from the falsehoods created by AI reduces them to a more vulnerable position—they are likely to be alienated by manipulated narratives and distanced from fact-based decisions. Painter adds that, for many years to come, public trust in both media and government will continue to erode, as individuals are bound to become less trusting of political messages, including legitimate ones. This ambiguity creates a vicious circle of distrust where voters are very inclined to give up voting and not take the outcome of elections seriously.

Furthermore, this damage extends well beyond single elections. The current stalemate in the FEC, combined with congressional inaction, means there are no immediate measures to curb these trends. As discussed by Painter, with no action, each election becomes a new playing ground for misinformation, and each cycle further enforces distrust.

Supporters argue that with continued improvements in detection tools, deepfakes can soon be overcome. However, as it is, technology remains far from being foolproof. The gap between improved detection tools and rapidly changing deepfake technology is too great—so are the limitations of social media sites to screen or label every piece of false content. Furthermore, once a person sees that video as realistic, it is going to be very hard for anyone—even independent fact-checkers—to guarantee full trust over any claims of falsification. Detection technology may help, but without more fundamental changes, it will fail to rebuild trust and inhibit the manipulative effects of dark money-driven misinformation campaigns.

By shattering the connection between public sources and political facts, AI-driven deepfakes and unregulated dark money have irreversibly changed the form of American democracy. By eroding the credibility of political information and undermining the reservoir of trust in public life, these forces are steering this nation toward a dark reality in which elections are determined not by informed citizenry or reason, but rather by who has raised the most money and equipped their investors with the best technology to count it. This threat needs to be immediately countered through action by Congress, the FEC, and tech platforms in the development of state-of-the-art detection systems and public awareness of AI-manufactured misinformation. Inaction is not an option; democratic principles demand proactive defense against a digitally engineered crisis of trust.

Sources

Painter, Richard W. Deepfake 2024: Will Citizens United and Artificial Intelligence Together Destroy Representative Democracy? Journal of National Security Law & Policy, 2023, page. 121–151. HeinOnline, 

(Chesney, Robert; and Citron, Danielle Keats. “Deep Fakes: A Looming Challenge for Privacy, Democracy, and National Security.” 2019, page. 882 – 892.)

Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, 558 U.S. 310 (2010).

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Causal Argument – pineapple488

Posted on November 10, 2024 by pineapple488

How Early Music Education Shapes Musical Success and Develops Perfect Pitch

Early exposure to music education is widely recognized for its numerous benefits, but the type of instruction children receive significantly impacts their musical potential. Specifically, teaching children to compose and perform by ear, rather than focusing on music theory, plays a crucial role in their long-term musical success. Audiation plays a large role in this process. Children who develop strong audiation skills through early music education are more likely to experience greater creativity, musical fluency, and even the rare ability of perfect pitch. Early ear-based training, combined with a strong foundation in audiation, significantly influences a child’s development as a musician and contrasts with the outcomes of children who are taught music theory from an early age.

Audiation allows children to mentally retain, manipulate, and anticipate sounds, forming the foundation for composing, improvising, and engaging with music creatively. When children undergo ear training, they learn to identify, recall, and reproduce music they hear without written notation. This ability to audiate helps them internalize music, making it easier to engage with it at an intuitive level. Research consistently indicates that children who develop audiation skills through ear training are more likely to achieve musical success. They can reproduce and create melodies, harmonies, and rhythms on their own, unconstrained by rigid structures of written notation. This fosters expressive, spontaneous musical performances, especially for young composers. Instead of merely interpreting or memorizing notation, these children create music from the sounds they have internalized.

The immersive process of ear training and audiation plays a direct role in a child’s ability to internalize music, build musical instincts, and develop a deep sense of musicality. Through this process, children learn to think about music beyond the technicalities of written notation. This ability to connect with music on a deeper level directly leads to their success as musicians.

One extraordinary outcome of early music education is the development of perfect pitch. This ability is most often observed in those exposed to music education early, particularly when training emphasizes ear-based skills. The critical period for developing perfect pitch occurs in early childhood when the brain is most capable of absorbing complex auditory information. Studies consistently show that children who begin music education before age 6 are significantly more likely to develop perfect pitch than those who start later. Dr. Diana Deutsch’s study at the University of California, San Diego, found that intensive ear training during early years of music education dramatically increased the likelihood of developing perfect pitch. Audiation plays a key role in this process. By mentally retaining the sounds they hear, children better distinguish and recall specific pitches. This heightened sensitivity strengthens over time, leading to perfect pitch development. It is directly related to early exposure to music education, particularly ear training and audiation. These experiences provide necessary auditory stimulation that primes the brain for pitch recognition. Without early training, the brain’s ability to internalize pitch so it can be immediately recalled is less likely to develop.

While ear-based training clearly benefits musical intuition and creativity, music theory also plays an important role, especially as children progress to more complex musical structures. However, placing too much emphasis on music theory, especially when introduced too early, can have unintended consequences that hinder a child’s natural musical development. Children who focus primarily on theory tend to have a disconnect between technical knowledge and musical intuition, causing slower music development. Music theory teaches children how to read sheet music, understand scales, chords, and notation, but it may fail to foster an innate understanding of how music feels or sounds internally. Focusing on theory too early might cause proficiency at reading music but a struggle to connect abstract concepts. For example, a child who learns to read sheet music may perform a complex piece but fail to compose or improvise. Conversely, children who learn to play music by ear develop an intuitive grasp of musical structure, often without written notation. They internalize melodies and harmonies by listening and are more likely to express themselves freely and creatively in their musical pursuits. Thus, while theory-based learning provides valuable technical skills, it can lead to rigid, less flexible musicality when it overshadows ear training. Ear-based learning, on the other hand, enables children to access a more organic, instinctive understanding of music, leading to better outcomes in both performance and composition.

The effectiveness of early music education is also rooted in the brain’s inherent plasticity during early childhood. Neuroscientific research has shown that young children’s brains are highly adaptable, capable of forming new connections quickly in response to auditory stimuli. The earlier a child is exposed to music and ear-based training, the more readily their brain absorbs and processes sound in ways that adults cannot. This plasticity allows children to develop a greater sensitivity to sound and a deeper connection to music, creating ideal conditions for developing advanced skills like perfect pitch or becoming more adaptable musicians. Early music exposure, particularly when it emphasizes listening, imitation, and internalization of sound, shapes neural pathways that enhance musical performance and creativity. The remote cause of musical success, then, is the developmental timing of music education, which capitalizes on the brain’s capacity for rapid auditory learning and long-term skill-building.

In conclusion, the success of early music education is shaped by a causal chain of ear-based learning, audiation, and perfect pitch development. Early exposure primes the brain, allowing it to develop rare abilities like perfect pitch. Audiation, developed through ear-based training, provides a foundation for creativity, expression, and fluency. While music theory is important, focusing too much on it at an early age can limit a child’s ability to engage with music intuitively and prevent the benefits of early ear-based training. By taking a different approach to music education and prioritizing ear-based education and audiation, rather than relying solely on theory, we can set children on a path to becoming more successful, creative, and expressive musicians. Early childhood is the ideal time to foster these skills, given the brain’s adaptability and its capacity to absorb musical information.

References:

Deutsch, D. (n.d.). 5 absolute pitch – Diana Deutsch. https://deutsch.ucsd.edu/pdf/PsyMus_3_Ch5_Absolute_Pitch.pdf 

Gordon, E., E. (2013). Music learning theory for newborn and young children E. Edwin Gordon. G.I.A. publications. 

Hargreaves, D. (2021, May 4). Musical Development and Learning: The international perspective. British Journal of Music Education. https://www.academia.edu/48275238/Musical_development_and_learning_The_international_perspective 

Schellenberg, E. G. (n.d.). Music and Cognitive Abilities. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1111/j.0963-7214.2005.00389.x 

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Causal Rewrite—GamersPet

Posted on November 10, 2024 by GamersPet

Caffeine is an Addictive Drug

The main reason caffeine makes a psychological drug is that caffeine is a bitter, crystalline white methylxanthine alkaloid that directly affects our central nervous system by blocking our adenosine A1 receptors from drinking any type of caffeine product. Adenosine A1 is a type of neurotransmitter organic compound in our bodies, where it promotes sleep in our brain receptors which means that caffeine is preventing us from falling asleep which is how we can stay up longer. The obvious effect of caffeine is that it provides us with energy and adrenaline feel which is known as a stimulant that would last us within an hour or more. This depends primarily on how much we consume them.

Structurally, caffeine and adenosine are remarkably close to each other in molecules where caffeine functions equivalently in our brains. There is an increase in the risk of mental disorders if we don’t keep track of how much caffeine we consume at a given time. A higher dosage of caffeine will overthrow the effects of our adenosine A1 receptors where the impact can be severe psychologically. If we drink caffeine at the wrong time like in the evening, then we won’t be able to sleep at night which is the result of feeling tired in the morning. If we did drink at the wrong time then the results of producing a sleeping and anxiety disorder because of the lack of sleep.

Surprisingly by consuming a moderate amount of caffeine, it can also function as an anti-depressant where caffeine can lessen the symptoms of depression and suicide from the adenosine A2A receptors which promote depression-like symptoms such as stress, and anxiety. Not only does caffeine block adenosine A2A receptors, but it can boost our dopamine receptors which is a type of neurotransmitter that encourages motivation and pleasurable rewards.

The way caffeine can become addictive is by changing our pathos or our mood which creates problems such as headaches, lack of care, and anxiety which can accumulate to become aggressive, and sudden mood swings. Ironically, caffeine can help solve the problem that it creates by repeatedly consuming it to alleviate minor pains since the symptoms aren’t severe. Strangely enough, an excessive amount of caffeine can bring about headaches, but suddenly stopping consuming caffeine completely can increase the chances of getting a headache.

The reason why caffeine can counteract the headaches it creates is a similar drug called acetaminophen which is a non-opioid for treating pain and fever which is how Tylenol is created. Acetaminophen is categorized as a physical pain reliever where it’s greater than what caffeine can do when it comes to physical health. The molecule structure between the caffeine and the acetaminophen are so significantly close to each other that people think that drinking more caffeinated drinks can help alleviate the head pain. Both acetaminophen and caffeine indeed target our central nervous system, but caffeine is not the cure or the solution for chronic headaches

We would make ourselves feel better by consuming food that contains caffeine since it’s the easiest, and quickest approach to reduce our headaches like coffee, energy drinks, or tea rather than medications since food appears to be more pleasing to us than medicine. It is bizarre how caffeine can counteract itself by stating that it creates problems but also solves itself.

Even though caffeine can give these “benefits” to us in a short period of time, our bodies become addicted to drinking caffeine. Whether stopping the consumption of caffeine products completely or being unable to obtain these drinks will cause our bodies to experience a downfall. As soon as we stop consuming caffeine, that is when withdrawals occur and the neuroreceptors in our bodies prevent our receptor pathways from releasing the feeling of adrenaline which will make us feel dull in our lives, to the point where we tend to consider caffeine drinks as a necessary part of our diet. Back to Sahab Uddin, their findings show a 50% chance that normal caffeine consumers who restrained themselves for 24 hours will get a headache. However, many people claimed that they have not experienced withdrawals because they don’t know that they consumed small amounts of caffeine on days they thought they were caffeine-free. The reason that people are unaware of the caffeine capabilities of being hidden is the preferences and the flavors of the products such as the sweetness of flavored products that overwrites the bitterness which is the key characteristic of caffeine.

Sidra Ajmal, one of the researchers in the article “Caffeine – An Invisible Addiction,” did a cross-sectional descriptive epidemiological study that describes the characteristics and effects of 200 students towards caffeinated drinks based on their opinions, behaviors, and views. The results of Ajmal’s team found a correlation between caffeine consumption, time, and age that shows 50% of students drink once or twice a day whereas 26% consume more than twice a day as the frequency of new students enrolling into colleges is slowly increasing by the day. There is no surprise as to why students consume caffeinated drinks for energy, but surprisingly, 40% of the population of students claimed that they cannot live without coffee or tea. However, not everyone gets the same experience or symptoms of caffeine due to the variables of the person’s age and weight.

We are people with habits where we like to perform the same routines each day to find comfort and familiarity by doing it. When we no longer stop by Starbucks every morning before going to school or work to enjoy a cup of coffee, we feel like something is missing in our lives. We would feel depressed or upset at getting rid of what we love from our routine. Getting rid of caffeine suddenly can flip our moods, and the ability to move forward with our lives which is why our usual go-to method is to continuously drink more to induce the positive feeling that caffeine can give to us.

Reference

Ajmal, Sidra and Laiba Ajmal. “Caffeine – an Invisible Addiction.” Caffeine – An Invisible Addiction | Bulletin of University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca. Food Science and Technology, 11 June 2023, journals.usamvcluj.ro/index.php/fst/article/view/14592.

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